After a shaky start to 2023, Microsoft's Xbox and Starfield showcase double header was a confident and compelling menu for the next couple of years - and a welcome distraction from the smoke still wafting from the kitchen.
Expectations were, perhaps, a little low - while the bar set by Sony with its own showcase was even lower. For some starved fans, any glimpse of Fable would likely have been considered enough of a win. For everyone else, well, we knew we were getting an hour of Starfield - and that was likely going to be just fine.
As it was, Microsoft smashed out the best games reveal event we've seen in years - and finally brought life to a lacklustre not-E3 week overall. Nearly every announcement was an exclusive or brand-new title getting its reveal on Microsoft's virtual stage. More importantly, nearly every announcement was something that looked interesting enough to play. Even the rare moments where things dragged were a far cry from the sponsorships and unvarnished advertising we all sat through last week, during self-appointed E3 replacement Summer Game Fest's livestream. It was a thoroughly entertaining and rousing spectacle.