Inspired by the 2000 Japanese movie Battle Royale, The Culling places you and 15 other players on a large, open map with nothing more than your wits. As you explore, you’ll acquire materials you can use to make primitive weapons; other, more advanced gear is also scattered throughout the map. If you come across another player, a fight to the death ensues. Whoever is left standing at the end is victorious.
To keep players from simply hiding for 25 minutes in the hope that the other contestants just kill each other off, The Culling gradually reduces its map size by releasing poison gas. Players must eventually make a mad dash for the center, preferably with a gun or sword that they can use to dispatch any other survivors. From our experience with the PC version, it’s a tense, frantic affair. Quickly finding a locker containing an upgrade or a better weapon can be the difference-maker early on in a match, but a skilled player with just a simple spear or bow can still cause plenty of damage.
“Our team has put a tremendous amount of effort into controls, optimization, and balance to make sure the Xbox experience is top-notch,” said Michael McMain, CEO of developer Xaviant, in a press release. “We couldn’t be more excited to use feedback from Game Preview players to take The Culling to the next level.”
In addition to the standard free-for-all offering, The Culling also includes a team-based mode, as well as an offline option for practicing. Two maps, “The Island” and “Cul County Correctional,” are currently available.
