This Week on Xbox drops 35 games – from Death Howl to Snake Eater PC

Table of Content

Xbox’s week of December 9-12 delivers 35 game releases across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC. The lineup spans big-name returns and niche experiments – from a survival-stealth remake to puzzle, horror, roguelite and visual novel entries. Several titles arrive with Smart Delivery, Xbox Play Anywhere or Series X|S optimizations, plus one day-one addition to Game Pass. Below are the essential release details and the core gameplay hooks for each launch.

Highlights of the week

Death Howl (December 9) – Game Pass. A hunter named Ro crosses into a spirit realm after personal tragedy. The loop centers on exploration, ingredient gathering and card crafting per region, with shamanic totems enhancing a deck that fuels melee and ranged spells. Encounters push you to balance offense and defense while tailoring a tactical build for the next fight.

Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater (PC, December 9). A remake of the 2004 classic retains its story and setting while introducing modernized visuals and 3D audio to deepen the jungle atmosphere – all in service of the series’ survival‑stealth foundation.

Thank Goodness You’re Here! (December 9) – Optimized for Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere. A surreal “slapformer” where a traveling salesman takes on escalating odd jobs in a Northern English town. As tasks are completed, new districts unlock over time, NPCs react, and the town’s state changes around your antics, backed by hand‑drawn animation and fully voiced dialogue.

Terminator 2D: No Fate (December 12) – Optimized for Series X|S / Smart Delivery. A pixel‑art adaptation of Terminator 2: Judgment Day interwoven with original missions and multiple endings. Play scenes as Sarah Connor, the T‑800 and, in future segments, John Connor as Resistance leader.

Unbeatable (December 9) – Optimized for Series X|S. An “anime‑juiced” rhythm adventure that splits time between freeform exploration and two‑button performance gameplay (up/down inputs). The challenge is in execution – keep up with escalating chart patterns while the story unfolds between performances.

Cakey’s Twisted Bakery (December 11) – Optimized for Series X|S / Smart Delivery. A stealth survival horror where you bake to survive – gather strange ingredients and craft color‑coded pies that can stun or destroy mascot-like foes while you search for a lost sibling in a candy‑colored nightmare.

Military Logistics Simulator (December 12) – Optimized for Series X|S. A first‑person logistics sim about supply chains under pressure: manage a growing base, operate vehicles, secure cargo from drone attacks, rescue survivors and help rebuild a post‑conflict region. Play solo or with friends.

Day‑by‑day picks with gameplay beats

December 9

• Beautiful Sakura: Surfing Club 2 – Optimized for Series X|S. A summer reunion visual novel about reviving a surfing club and rekindling relationships from the first game.
• Brok: Natal Tail, A New Christmas Special – Optimized for Handheld / Xbox Play Anywhere. An interactive prequel in the Brok the InvestiGator universe with choices and consequences designed for consoles.
• A Game About Digging A Hole – Optimized for Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere. A chill dig‑and‑upgrade loop: mine deep, sell finds, improve gear and push further underground.
• Sanctum Push – Sokoban‑style puzzling with a combat twist – push foes into precise positions to cleanse rooms in a corrupted castle.
• She’s Leaving – Optimized for Series X|S. A survival horror focused on forensic investigation. With only a taser, decide when to hide, run or confront as a serial‑killer case converges on you.
• Snaky Snakes – Optimized for Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere / Smart Delivery. Dodge procedural obstacles, collect cherries to grow and unlock new environments.

December 10

• Ah, Love! Season 4 – Optimized for Series X|S. Swap tiles to indirectly steer two hearts toward each other through maze‑like boards.
• Montezuma’s Revenge – The 40th Anniversary Edition – Optimized for Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere / Smart Delivery. A 2.5D revival of the 1983 platformer with 100 rooms and a choice of Pedro or Rosita as the explorer.
• Teeny Tiny Trains – Puzzle routing with track building and switch‑flipping to guide miniature trains through household obstacles.

December 11

• Dunjungle – Optimized for Series X|S / Optimized for Handheld / Xbox Play Anywhere. An action roguelite where a monkey hero explores shifting temples and crypts using weapons, spells and relics.
• Kemco RPG Selection Vol. 8 – Optimized for Series X|S. Four RPGs in one: Monster Viator (recruit monsters), Crystal Ortha (skill‑driven combat), Armed Emeth (customizable golems) and Justice Chronicles (guardian beast saga).
• Sintropia: Fruits Together – Optimized for Series X|S. Swap between fruit characters with unique abilities to activate platforms, fans and elevators in cooperative puzzle designs.
• Too Many Santas! – Optimized for Series X|S / Smart Delivery. A dating sim where you juggle a toy store and relationships with six different Santas.

December 12

• Aery – Winter Wonderland – Optimized for Series X|S. A relaxing flight through snowy biomes, collecting crystals while following Frosty’s search for a legendary flower.
• Ascendance Unbound – Optimized for Series X|S. A minimalist first‑person 3D platformer with wind platforms and a world that transforms as you ascend.
• Christmas Mutilator – Optimized for Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere. A stealth horror set in a remote cabin where a mother tries to protect her family from a relentless stalker.
• Detective Girl: The Case of Immortality – Optimized for Series X|S / Smart Delivery. A mystery in Renaissance Florence entwined with a centuries‑old secret of eternal life.
• Dino Land – Optimized for Series X|S / Smart Delivery. An action platformer starring a gentle dinosaur who rolls into a powerful ball to fight invading brutes.
• Gravity Escape From The Maze – Flip gravity as a nimble square to dodge traps and shifting platforms and collect keys under time pressure.
• Knight with Tactics – Puzzle‑tactics where the order of movement and eliminations across trap‑filled arenas is the real challenge.
• Night Ranger – Optimized for Series X|S. A side‑scrolling action adventure with Elara, an elven archer, defending a forest from the Shadow Blight.
• Night Swarm – Optimized for Series X|S / Smart Delivery. A vampire‑themed roguelite bullet hell – recruit allies, chain abilities and repel werewolf hordes.
• Panda Bamboo Adventures – Precision platforming with double jump and dash; bounce on enemies to clear routes and gather bamboo.
• Pyramid Quest 2 – Classic‑style exploration platformer – recover three artefact parts per level while avoiding retro traps.
• Recipe of Love – Optimized for Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere / Smart Delivery. A school‑days romance about lunch breaks that deepen a bond; includes Japanese voice acting.
• Space Elite Force II – Reloaded – Optimized for Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere / Smart Delivery. A 1‑2 player shmup with weapon upgrades, epic bosses and three modes, including local co‑op.
• SpotCat vs The Cheddar Mafia: Back to Past – Optimized for Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere / Smart Delivery. A find‑the‑difference/hidden‑object hybrid across time‑traveling scenes with 25 mafia rats to spot.
• Treasure Drop – Optimized for Handheld / Xbox Play Anywhere. Merge‑based puzzler where coins and gems combine across varied map layouts.

Release calendar – December 9-12

This table compiles dates and platform notes at a glance. “Notes” reflect official tags such as Game Pass, PC, Optimized for Series X|S, Xbox Play Anywhere and Smart Delivery.

Read also our article: How to gift Xbox and PC digital games in 2025 – the official steps

Bottom line – a dense week with range

The spread from deck‑building adventures to retro platformers and stealth horror means this four‑day window has options for most tastes. If you want a single anchor, Snake Eater’s PC remake and Death Howl on Game Pass bookend the week with very different takes on tension – one stealthy, one tactical. Plan your downloads, and pick the experiences that match your pace.