Halo, Tomb Raider sequels turn heads at Microsoft's Xbox One fall preview

Microsoft's upcoming lineup of Xbox games is heavy on sequels and fan favourites, but also offers unexpected gems.

Journalists and superfans were invited to the Sound Academy in Toronto this week to preview upcoming games for the Xbox One.

Many developers touted how the newest entries in their popular franchises – Halo, Tomb Raider, Gears of War - have been built from the ground up to take advantage of new technology in the console, meaning they're shinier and prettier than ever before.

It remains to be be seen whether this will be enough to compensate for the sequel-itis the industry seems to be coasting on when it comes to grabbing gamers. Many of the headliners are instalments of series that are at least a decade old.

But there were also some cool surprises that stood out from the pack of sequels.

Here are five titles that Microsoft will push hard in the coming months.

Halo 5: Guardians

(343 Industries, Release Date October 27)

The sci-fi gun battles of Halo have been an Xbox staple since 2001. A racially and gender-diverse supporting cast join the fray this time, including two female Spartan soldiers and their comrade Edward Buck, voiced by actor Nathan Filion. For fans of online multiplayer action, Warzone mode allows matches with up to 24 players at the same time.

What we liked: Halo's shoot-em-up gameplay is crisper than ever, augmented by some cool abilities like crashing straight through a door with a shoulder charge. Tactical commands for your computer-controlled team members theoretically make them useful enough to draw enemy fire or take out a particularly difficult enemy.

What we're iffy about: The last Halo game, Master Chief Collection, launched with severe bugs that weren't fixed for months that made it difficult to find people to play with online. We hope Halo 5 will avoid this pitfall – especially after the controversial decision to remove local, split-screen multiplayer altogether.

Rise of the Tomb Raider

(Crystal Dynamics, Release date late 2015)

2012's Tomb Raider reboot turned back the clock on heroine Lara Croft, making her a much more believable and realistic character – before she was plunged into a maddening Lost-style ordeal that would leave her with lingering emotional scars.

A demo of Rise of the Tomb Raider showcased Lara exploring a crumbling tomb in Syria, unearthing its secrets while a group of violent mercenaries hunts both for her and priceless relics.

What we liked:Rise of the Tomb Raider was probably the most visually stunning game at the show, from a sunset bathing a canyon in warm light and shadows, to cobwebs fluttering on a pile of bones in an ancient tomb.

Lara also shows off her archaeological skills, deciphering the ancient languages written on murals to find new locations and items in the game world.

What we're iffy about: We've seen pretty much all of the same gameplay mechanics in other games over the years, from Uncharted to Assassin's Creed. Fans might be more interested in how Lara has grown up following the traumatic events of her 2012 game, but Crystal Dynamics remains mum about the plot.

Mad Max

(Avalanche Studios, Release date Sept. 1)

Coming off the critical success of Fury Road in movie theatres, Mad Max dumps you into the desert with little more than a wrench and a beat-up husk of a car. As Max, you'll be able to customize your car by salvaging parts from the scraps of enemy vehicles you blast apart.

What we liked: The Wasteland is the perfect setting for an open-world game. The desert expanse truly blew our minds, looking like it was plucked straight from one of the wide shots from the film Fury Road.

What we're iffy about: As good as customizing your car and fist-fighting War Boys looks, none of that was what made Fury Road such an engaging movie. Furiosa, played by Charlize Theron, is nowhere to be seen, nor are the other members of the film's stellar cast. Max alone will have to carry the show in what looks like a well-executed but by-the-numbers action game.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

(Eidos Montreal, Release date 2016)

Eidos Montreal's follow-up to 2011's Deus Ex: Human Revolution will explore the growing mistrust between "Natural" humans and "Augments" who have outfitted their bodies with advanced prosthetics and cybernetic enhancements. You'll be able to shoot, sneak or even talk your way out of danger in the game's flexible, "multi-path" level design.

What we liked: The demo we saw showed hero Adam Jensen infiltrating a ghetto where the marginalized Augments are eking out a meagre existence, and might be harbouring a terrorist. Imagine walking through the set of Blade Runner, except instead of Harrison Ford you're a Replicant with swords in his arms.

What we're iffy about: The demo shown to us is of a very early build (you can see it on YouTube here). The game isn't due out until 2016, and lots can change until then. Complex gameplay options might also make it overwhelming for casual gamers.

Cuphead

(Studio MDHR, Release date 2016)

In this bizarre 2-D action game by Canadian indie studio MDHR, you play as a Steamboat Willie-like cartoon character in a world influenced by 1930s animations. Art director Chad Moldenhauer told us that everything in the game has been hand-drawn to create a visual style unlike anything seen in gaming before.

What we liked: Cuphead's mechanics were influenced by classic and very technical fighting games like Street Fighter III: Third Strike — a surprising choice given that Cuphead's framework has more in common with run-and-jump platformers like Super Mario Bros. Your characters can also bounce off, or "parry," enemy projectiles, and hitting multiple enemies will turn your character's pea shooter into a giant death ray for a short time.

What we're iffy about: Cuphead is hard. Like, really, really hard. Expect to strain your fingers while you constantly dodge the rain of rocks, boxing gloves, and angry bees hurtling your way from every direction. It might be a turnoff for non-hardcore gamers.