One of the factors that is leading to the continued success of Xbox Game Pass is that the service continues to add games that aren't just first-party. In fact, in recent months, the addition of games like MLB The Show, which has long been exclusive to PlayStation consoles, has raised eyebrows with just how far Microsoft is willing to go to add third-party games for no additional fee.
One of the newest third-party additions to the Xbox Game Pass service is a title called The Riftbreaker, which appears to be trying to attract players by offering something a bit different than what's on offer in other titles. In order to set itself apart from the rest of the pack, the game, developed by EXOR studios, incorporates several different aspects in order to form the whole package. At it's heart, it is science-fiction based, but there are several different factors that make The Riftbreaker the game that it is.
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Pilot A Mech While Powering Up In The Riftbreaker
The Riftbreaker lands on the Xbox Game Pass as a base-building survival game that also has Action-RPG elements. The plot of the game has players taking on the role of a scientist and a battle-hardened commando known as Ashley S. Nowak who is attempting to tame a brand new planet. In order to do this, Ashley pilots a mech that appears to be a bit like something out of Titanfall. The mech suit, which Ashley has dubbed "Mr. Riggs," is able to survive the harshest environments, though it will need to get souped up over time in order to continue surviving on the planet.
The plot of The Riftbreaker sees Ashley landing on Galatea 37, not necessarily to colonize the planet on the far side of the Milky Way, but to pave the way for others to carry out that particular task. Ashley has come through a one-way portal and part of the game is that she needs to build a portal that can get her, and eventually others, back to earth. This is accomplished through base-building mechanics that are present in plenty of other games, with a bit of a twist.
While the original plot of The Riftbreaker sounds a bit like another third-party game that landed on Xbox Game Pass on day one in Outriders, this game is far more about building up a base and then putting together tower defense factors than striding around the country and shooting everyone and everything the player comes across. However, this also isn't entirely a passive combat system like other tower defense games.
The RPG elements of The Riftbreaker come into play mostly when users are looking to beef up Mr. Riggs. While Ashley's base is all about repelling creatures and other enemies that inhabit Galatea 37, she and her mech can also do some serious damage all on their own as long as the player keeps updating and upgrading. The rig is strong and can get new and better weapon modules throughout the game, like an energy blade that can slice and dice enemies or a flamethrower for Ashley. The mech can also bomb enemies into oblivion with mortar shells, or players can open fire with the machine gun attachment. There are a ton of different technologies that can be equipped for face to face combat from the mech, giving players a better chance of protecting the base from aliens.
The Riftbreaker is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.