Antstream Arcade is proud to announce its collaboration with Xbox to launch Retro Classics, a collection of over 50 iconic games now available for Game Pass members globally.

In collaboration with Activision and Blizzard, Retro Classics brings beloved titles such as Pitfall!, Kaboom!, Commando, and Mech Warrior 2 on Xbox consoles, the Xbox app on PC, or streaming on supported LG and Samsung Smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV devices, and Meta Quest headsets.

With innovative features including cloud saves, global leaderboards, new challenge modes, and multiplayer tournaments, Retro Classics restores the experience for today’s gamers on modern devices.

“We’re thrilled to bring decades of iconic gaming to modern audiences and proud that Xbox trusted Antstream’s proprietary platform to make this possible,” said Steve Cottam, CEO of Antstream.

Xbox Game Pass members can also sign up to access Antstream’s full catalogue of 1300+ retro games on subscription for their first year on console.

The post Antstream Arcade Teams Up w. Xbox to Launch Retro Classics for Game Pass Members appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Amazon’s smart tv content streamer FireTV Stick 4K Max is a must have if you have a tele that just doesn’t have the smarts, or does but you want an alternative to its native OS.

Without re-reviewing the FireTV Stick 4K Max again, I’ll do a real quick recap.

Clearly it is 4K compatible, hence the product name, but will work on any scale TV. The FireTV Stick 4K Max connects in to your screen via HDMI and does require USB power (Amazon provide you with a AC adaptor).

And while you can stream all your favs and do movie or series marathons with Prime, Netflix, Disney and more, Xbox has recently released an app for the FireTV Stick 4K Max.

You’ll need a GamePass subscription, and once you’ve got that you can start streaming gameplay.

Get yourself a Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S gamepad, sync it up via Bluetooth and start gaming – without a console.

While there can be some delays in connecting to Xbox Cloud (or there was in my experience) and a few attempts at syncing up the Xbox controller, once your connected, you’re good to game, without the need of an Xbox console.

Having played games via GamePass on the Firestick 4K many times now, I can say that gameplay is fluid without any framerate drop or connection problems (once in-game).

With Xbox now available on Amazon’s FireTV Stick 4K Max places the smart streaming device an all-round entertainment hub.

The post Amazon FireTV Stick 4K Max Xbox GamePass Gaming Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

NOW CLOSED – In March 2012 the interwebs made a bit of space for a new website.

That website was us and ten years on, we’re still going strong.

While we looked a bit different back then STG has grown from video gaming (although all of us are still gamers) to the site that you are on right now.

And a huge shout out and love needs to go to those that are the fuel of STG. Our team. You can check out STG’s past and present content contributors here.

Without these heroes there wouldn’t be a site <3

STG in 2012 – 10 Years and still playing.

To celebrate this decade long milestone we have partnered up with some of our bestest buds to run a few giveaways for you – as a thank you for supporting us and being with us all this time.

First up thanks to our good mates at Xbox we have four 12 month subs for Xbox Game Pass codes up for grabs!

To enter our 10 year anniversary 12 month subs for Xbox Gamepass giveaway you’ll need to answer this question:

What is your most played (or fav) Xbox game, ever?

There is no wrong or right answer and you can be as descriptive as you like.

You can give us your answer by placing a comment below, hitting us up on our Messenger chat, Facebook, Tweet or Email Us.

Important stuff: Winner(s) will be randomly selected from those that Comment below / Facebook Comment / Email in accordance to the above Question. Winner(s) will receive one Xbox Gamepass code for subscription within the New Zealand region. The Xbox Gamepass subscription code does not have an age rating associated with it – but some games on Xbox Gamepass may be age restricted. Xbox Gamepass codes are not transferable and cannot be exchanged. Competition ends on the 31st of March 2022. Only New Zealand entries are accepted for this promotion.

The post STG 10 years Xbox Giveaway appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The eternally cursed, the cries of the tortured, the infinite spiralling damnation of trapped souls gets a bit boring – there’s got to be more out there.

You are Zagreus, the son of Hades on a mission to escape the underworld in this dark humoured dungeon crawler rogue-like title from Supergiant Games.

A semi-cell shaded hack n slash pits you up against Hades finest demons and monsters as you cut your way to Mount Olympus.

Guided and aided by other Gods and underworld characters you will loot and slash through varying parts of Hade’s dark kingdom. But die (and you will) you’re placed back at the beginning.

Or use your ill-found treasures to, er, bribe your fortune towards your escape.

Likewise you can use your loot to up your skills and weaponry.

Like any good dungeon crawler there’s a lot of goodies to be discovered as well as secret areas.

Dying in the Underworld can be a painful experience on one’s progress for sure, however, it can also be beneficial.

The game is built, knowing that you’e likely to perish often in any given bout against hordes of nasties, so upon any revival another path, an additional area will open up. This may also see that the path you took prior to your untimely death is closed off.

This procedural life and death changing of the game also expands on the narrative of play as well as any help NPC’s can offer.

This keeps the gameplay refreshing, unique and certainly stopped me from placing the controller down in frustration.

Hades is a late comer to consoles.

Originally released on PC and Switch last year (2020) and is now a free to play title with Xbox Game Pass.

If you like your RPG’s, dark and unforgiving dungeons to smash your way through then Hades is a definite must play for you.

Hades is a hack n slash with a forever changing dark twist.

The post Hades (Xbox Series X) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Xbox and Bethesda have revealed that 20 of Bethesda’s most iconic and award-winning games – including games from franchises like Dishonored, Doom, The Elder Scrolls, Fallout and Wolfenstein – will be brought to Xbox Game Pass.

This their way of celebrating and welcoming ZeniMax Media and Bethesda to the Xbox family.

What’s more, some of those titles will be available everywhere you play, whether it’s PC, console, or mobile devices through the cloud (where available) for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members.

The full list of games is below and a handful of these games will also benefit from FPS Boost on Xbox Series X|S, and we’ll have more to share on that soon.

Bethesda Games Playable with Xbox Game Pass (As of March 12th, 2021)

Dishonored Definitive Edition (Console, PC, Cloud)
This complete compilation includes Dishonored, winner of over 100 Game of Year awards, as well as all of its additional content – Dunwall City Trials, The Knife of Dunwall, The Brigmore Witches and Void Walker’s Arsenal.

Dishonored 2 (Console, PC, Cloud)
Reprise your role as a supernatural assassin in Dishonored 2 – the next chapter in the award-winning saga by Arkane Studios. Play your way in a world where mysticism and industry collide. How will you combine your character’s unique set of powers, weapons and gadgets to eliminate your enemies?

DOOM (1993) (Console, PC, Cloud)
Doom introduced millions of gamers to the fast-paced, white-knuckle, demon-slaying action the franchise is known for. Relive the birth of the first-person shooter and experience the demon-blasting fun that popularized the genre. Doom includes Episode IV: Thy Flesh Consumed, with 9 additional action-packed levels and split-screen 4-player deathmatch and co-op.

DOOM II (Console, PC, Cloud)
Bring your trusty Super Shotgun and an arsenal of classic Doom weapons to bear against deadlier demons and the infamous boss, the Icon of Sin. Doom II includes The Master Levels for Doom II with 20 additional levels, as well as split-screen 4 player co-op and multiplayer.

DOOM 3 (Console, PC, Cloud)
Battle your way through a demon-infested facility before entering the abyss to battle Hell’s mightiest warrior – and put an end to the invasion. Doom 3 includes both campaign expansions – Resurrection of Evil and The Lost Mission.

DOOM 64 (Console, PC, Cloud)
Battle armies of demons in your crusade to hunt down the Mother Demon and stop Hell’s invasion. As you fight through more than 30 action-packed levels, be on the lookout for enhanced weapons and secrets to help you put an end to the demonic threat.

DOOM Eternal (Console, PC, Cloud)
Hell’s armies have invaded Earth. Become the Slayer in an epic single-player campaign to conquer demons across dimensions and stop the final destruction of humanity. Experience the ultimate combination of speed and power in Doom Eternal – the next leap in push-forward, first-person combat. The only thing they fear… is you.

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Console, PC)
An epic, open-ended single-player RPG, Morrowind allows you to play any kind of character imaginable. You can choose to follow the main storyline and find the source of the evil blight that plagues the land, or set off on your own to explore strange locations and develop your character.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Console, PC)
Step inside the most richly detailed and vibrant game-world ever created. With a powerful combination of freeform gameplay and unprecedented graphics, you can unravel the main quest at your own pace or explore the vast world and find your own challenges.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition (Console, PC, Cloud)
Winner of more than 200 Game of the Year Awards, the Skyrim Special Edition includes the game and add-ons with all-new features like remastered art and effects, volumetric god rays, dynamic depth of field, and more. Also bring the power of mods to consoles. New quests, environments, characters, dialogue, armor, weapons and more – with Mods, there are no limits to what you can experience.

The Elder Scrolls Online (Cloud, Console)
Experience the award-winning story in a persistent Elder Scrolls world. Embark on an adventure that lets you play your way, go anywhere at any level. Battle, craft, steal, siege, explore and more.

The Evil Within (Console, PC, Cloud)
Experience a disturbing reality as you try to break free from warped machinations. With limited resources at your disposal, you’ll fight for survival and experience profound fear in this perfect blend of horror and action. Defeat insurmountable terror and experience the ultimate thrill by discovering The Evil Within.

Fallout 4 (Console, PC, Cloud)
As the sole survivor of Vault 111, you enter a world destroyed by nuclear war. Every second is a fight for survival, and every choice is yours. Only you can rebuild and determine the fate of the Wasteland. Welcome home.

Fallout 76 (Console, PC, Cloud)
Steel Dawn is the first chapter in the new Brotherhood of Steel questline, free for Fallout 76 players. Visit settlements populated with new NPCs and unlock powerful weapons and armor from the Brotherhood arsenal. Join in their mission to rebuild society and aid in securing valuable technology.

Fallout: New Vegas (Console)
Welcome to New Vegas. It’s the kind of town where you dig your own grave prior to being shot in the head… and that’s before things really get ugly. It’s a town of dreamers and desperados being torn apart by warring factions vying for complete control of this desert oasis.

Prey (Console, PC, Cloud)
Good morning, Morgan. Prey joins the Xbox Game Pass library tomorrow, taking you from the comfort of your home to the treacherous depths of space. As Morgan Yu, you’ll have to use your wits, weapons and strange powers to fight the alien threat that has overtaken the Talos I space station. Explore the station, upgrade your skills and abilities, and uncover the secrets of Talos I and the dangers within.

RAGE 2 (Console, PC, Cloud)
Dive headfirst into a dystopian world devoid of society, law, and order. Rage 2 brings together two studio powerhouses – Avalanche Studios, masters of open world insanity, and id Software, creators of the first-person shooter – to deliver a carnival of carnage where you can go anywhere, shoot anything, and explode everything.

Wolfenstein: The New Order (Console, PC, Cloud)
Wolfenstein sends players across Europe on a personal mission to bring down the fascist war machine. With the help of a small group of resistance fighters, infiltrate their most heavily guarded facilities, battle high-tech legions, and take control of super-weapons that have conquered the earth – and beyond.

Wolfenstein: The Old Blood (Console, PC, Cloud)
The year is 1946 and the Nazis are on the brink of winning World War II. In an effort to turn the tide in the allies’ favour, B.J. Blazkowicz must embark on an epic, two-part mission deep within Bavaria…

Wolfenstein: Youngblood (Console, PC, Cloud)
Set 19 years after the events of Wolfenstein II, BJ Blazkowicz’s twin daughters, Jess and Soph Blazkowicz — after years of training from their battle-hardened father — are forced into action. Team up with a friend to level up, explore, and complete missions to unlock abilities that compliment your playstyle.

Everyone that works on STG is a volunteer. If you like the site and its contents please think about donating. Even a small amount helps keep the servers running.

The post 20 Bethesda Games Now Available in Xbox Game Pass appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

In June 2017, Xbox launched Xbox Game Pass – with the goal of empowering gamers all over the world to discover their next favorite game. They also wanted to use Xbox Game Pass as a platform for developers to introduce their amazing games to millions of new people.

From the beginning, the service was built based on input from gamers who Xbox are always listening to their fan feedback. Xbox Game Pass offers a curated library of over 100 great games, available to download and play at full fidelity, for one low-monthly price. Since launch, they’ve continued to add more diverse titles to the library, including new games from Xbox Game Studios and ID@Xbox partners the same day they release.

Xbox gamer feedback directly contributes to the evolution of Xbox Game Pass and a top request shared from day one is to provide an option to get Xbox Game Pass and the most advanced multiplayer network, Xbox Live Gold, in a single membership.

Today, Xbox are excited to announce Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will include all of the benefits of Xbox Live Gold with Xbox Game Pass. That means the full Xbox Game Pass library of over 100 high quality games, and Xbox Live Gold online multiplayer, in one convenient membership for NZD$19.95 a month. With Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, gamers will be able to play together on the most-advanced multiplayer network and discover their next favorite game.

Starting today, Xbox have invited a limited number of the Xbox Insider community members to join and test Xbox Game Pass Ultimate before it launches later this year in current Xbox Game Pass markets.

Xbox looks forward to your feedback and to bringing our members even more choice with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate this year and beyond.

The post Introducing Xbox Game Pass Ultimate! appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

To celebrate International Woman’s Day, Xbox and STG have a round up of some of the more kick-ass female characters in video gaming.

International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities. At Xbox, they are working to champion women on both sides of the screen – those that make and create games, together with the role models and characters that inhabit the stories young players play, enjoy and can learn from.

Whilst women make up nearly half of video game players, they are underrepresented in the virtual world as lead characters in video games. To celebrate this day, Xbox is celebrating its most fearless female characters in its titles on Xbox Game Pass, celebrating the best female characters who are not to be messed with!

Lara Croft

Lara Croft (Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition): Lara Croft is a legend in gaming adventure and bravery. She is a highly intelligent archaeologist who ventures into ancient tombs and hazardous ruins around the world. A bold and brave gaming hero, Lara’s mental toughness and drive stands out most, and her ability to drive an arrow with the utmost precision remains unmatched by her male video game counterparts. Take that Indy!

Elastigirl

Elastigirl (Rush: A DisneyPixar Adventure): Elastigirl can stretch any part of her body to great lengths and mould it into several shapes and sizes. Prior to marrying Mr. Incredible, she planned to break the glass ceiling as a female superhero, but when it became illegal to work as a ‘Super’, she then devoted her efforts to raising three super-children in a normal world. Her elastic, bullet-proof body has proven incredibly useful, both on and off the field, as she manages fighting crime and balance of life at home. We know women bend over backwards for their families, but this takes it to another level .

Joule Adams

Joule Adams (ReCore): Joule Adams is one of the last remaining humans on the planet “Far Eden,” a mysterious and dangerous world controlled by evil robotic enemies. With her trusty Corebot companion, Mack, Joule begins her adventure in Far Eden to save mankind from a terrible fate.

Xbox Game Pass is a monthly gaming membership that provides unlimited access to a catalogue of more than one hundred great games across a variety of genres on Xbox One, for a one low-monthly price.

The post Badass Virtual Females in Games appeared first on Shane the Gamer.