Drake Hollow , the later game by developer The Molasses Flood , is unco pack with content for an indie game . There are survival elements , base edifice components , RPG - lite progress systems and an exploration game ’s furnishing all pack into one .

Given the biz ’s relatively cheap damage and availableness on Xbox ’s Game Pass right out of the logic gate , it tolerate a great prospect at becoming an indie multiplayer staple for Microsoft   - but while these features are immaculately designed and work wonderment on their own , aggregate together they form something of an overly difficult task . It ’s not enough to detract from the fun or the superb gameplay , but it ’s in spades a case of just too much of a good thing potentially overloading would - be players .

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Arthur Morgan, V, and Link over a blurred Elden Ring Background

Drake Hollowtells the story of   afully customizable protagonistas they travel to the Hollow , a earth in a different dimension than our own . This world is populated by Drakes , endearing picayune creatures that need the friend ’s help in orderliness to survive . Players will need to build shelters for these creature and signifier of amusement so they do n’t die ( no , really ) . Of of course , it would n’t be a video game without enemies , andDrake Hollowhas peck to save . In opposition to the player and the Drakes are fantasm creatures that attack footing and cast the Hollow .

Fighting against these creatures inDrake Hollowis no easy exploit , even ifthe fight systemin the game is n’t just unique or complex . Players will start with a scrimmage weapon and can perform fairly standard attacks against enemies . finally , archery will open up , which offers more variety and challenge . There ’s a level of precision required to master the bow , but it ’s one of the most gratifying weapon system in the entire game . Weapons do wear down with time , however , and will either need to be replaced or repaired using materials found within the game .

Also enjoyable isDrake Hollow ’s building machinist . There ’s something fulfil about building up a community for the cunning little Drake to prance about in . Again , it ’s nothing alone and very similar to building mechanism found in othersurvival game likeMinecraftbut the visual esthetic ofDrake Hollowmakes it all seem fresh .   It also helps that the Drake are around , which are some of the most aesthetically endearing little animal in modern survival games . They occasionally cater resources and other item for the player to use throughout the plot , so they add something other than merely being adorable and walk around .

Brian Heder with a brick of cocaine in GTA 6

If building communities inDrake Hollowis an enjoyable time , then defending them from the shadow creatures is the exact opposition of that . This especially becomes honest the closer to the ending of the game players get . More community means more hurry to fight back said communities from tail creature raids . There comes a point where the frustration build and it ’s comfortable to wonder if it ’s deserving play the game any longer and examine thing through until the end . Playing with Quaker can cancel this somewhat , but for the solo player , recent game can be downright brutal .

In fact , if it were n’t for the last hours ofDrake Hollow , it would be a masterpiece insurvival RPG play . Not because it fetch novel mechanics to the table or rethinks the agency those variety of secret plan should function . No , Drake Hollowworks so much of the time because it ’s extremely milled , beautiful to wait at and the gameplay is phenomenal . It ’s also   a tightly - refined accommodative plot , especially with those players who can tack together three other teammates . And while that last , thwarting part of the game does exist and does bring the quality down a bit , it ’s not nearly enough to make this a game to ignore . Drake Hollowis , simply put , an nonnatural clap .

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Drake Hollowis out now on Xbox One and PC . Screen Rant was provided a PC copy for the purposes of this follow-up .

Drake Hollow cover

Drake Hollow multiplayer

Drake Hollow communities