Small Cave Games

Why we've been quiet

2012-01-16T16:47:00.002-05:00

It's been a while.

There's a reason why it's been a while, and now I think it's time to explain myself.

Oh... this is Bryan, BTW. Not Carl. I rarely chime in, but in this case, it is my duty to explain to you exactly what the scoop is.

Before around October 2010 things in the land of Kilflame were flying hot and heavy. We had momentum building, and we got to tap the fruitful mind of our terrain engine guru who has provided us with a quite stunning graphics engine complete with particle effects, and shadowed terrain and all sorts of wonderful goodness. If you follow our other blog (http://ophidianwars.blogspot.com) then you've no doubt seen the awesomeness already.

Unfortunately around October 2010, things inside my body were reaching critical mass, literally and figuratively.

As a professional programmer I spend at least 8 hours a day in front of a computer. Sometimes more, if there's an abundance of work that needs to be done. As a programming hobbyist, I spend a great deal of my free time in front of a computer. As a hobbyist and professional programmer, I gave very little consideration to things like diet and exercise. My weight ballooned to a point where I am embarrassed to write it down. Lets just say, I was well into the morbidly obese category, and when I look at pictures of myself from that time frame, I'm shocked and disgusted by what I see. I had no idea how bad it was. Even though my wife tried to tell me, it just didn't register in my mind.

So, as time went on I acquired diabetes, and eventually pancreatitis. The day I had my first pancreatitis attack, I also suffered a pretty bad heart attack (I believe the word "massive" was bandied about more than once). I got pain medicine for the pancreatitis and I was put on a clear liquid diet, but they were so focused getting me to recover from the heart attack, that the pancreatitis went onto the back-burner. Understandable - but unfortunate. Around Christmas of 2010 I went back to work, thinking that I was better than ever. By then I had dropped a good 50-60 pounds and I was feeling great.

Looking back, I can see how absent-minded and goofy I was during this time, but when it was happening, I was blind to it. So although I was back to work, and thinking I was doing great, I was not even close to functioning at 100%. I was closer to 50%... maybe even 40%. It was bad.

Around March 2011, I started to turn yellow. Around April 2011, my belly started feeling really really bad, and at all times, I was either starved with excruciating hunger pangs, or I was nauseated because any food that touched my stomach made me sick. I would only eat when the pain of the hunger overcame my fear of the forthcoming nausea. So, toss self-induced malnutrition on an already sinking ship.

So in July I had a procedure that took care of my jaundice and allowed me to eat without being sick. This helped a great deal, and I could eat without getting sick. Unfortunately, that was only part of the problem. The rest of the problem was revealed in August 2011 when I was curled in a fetal position on my bed from abdominal pain and unbelievable chills, although I was under every blanket in the house. So back to the hospital, where they discovered a massive abscess attached to my pancreas that was sucking the life out of me.

Anyway, I've probably told you way more than you ever wanted to hear about - although I've tried to leave out the gross parts. And believe me, there are some gross parts. But to wrap up this long boring anecdote, they attached something to my body which cleared out the abscess, and in the final throes of 2011, I finally got rid of that damned thing. I still have bouts of pain and nausea, but the doctors are telling me that should fade over the next few weeks and I'll be able to return to work and become a productive member of society again.

Yay me.

Oh, and I've lost over 200 pounds. Not the way I wanted to lose the weight, but now that the weight is gone, all I can say is Good Riddance. I will not be allowing much of that to come back. Some - I look like a z0mb13 at the moment - but not much.

The upshot of all of this is, I was physically unable to spend much time doing the things that I really wanted to spend my time doing, such as adding a save feature to Opac's Journey, and working on the gameplay and combat and AI that will be the meat and potatoes of The Legend of Kilflame. I got the bulk of it done in a separate sandbox application, so I have to stir it methodically into the game application which holds our graphics engine, and the character animations and all the stuff that doesn't matter in a sandbox app.

So here's where I'm at now... I'm down to counting the days before I can return to work. I'm trying to get my sleep schedule back to something that resembles an adult human's rhythm, and I'm working on getting to a point where I can sit erect in front of a computer for extended periods of time without causing undue pain in my back and neck. This is much easier with so much less of me filling up the chair, but it does take work. I'm also trying to find a balance between sitting for extended periods of time, and getting up to walk around to prevent clots from forming in various parts of my body threatening me with stroke, heart attack or pulmonary embolism. That would really suck to work so hard on my recovery only to die from something preventable.

OK. I suppose I've babbled on long enough. This is probably way too much information - way more than I'm sure any of you really wanted - but I wanted to lay out the full disclosure of why you aren't sitting at your XBox right now, destroying Spectral creatures and staring Macabre in his bone armored visage and wondering what is in store for Ophidian Wars: The Third Project.

I still plan to add a Save feature to Opac's Journey, and I really hope to have Ophidian Wars: The Legend of Kilflame on the XBox console by summertime. In fact, I think I'm going to go get some of that right now... I'm working on attack collision detection today. :)

Inspiration Through the Blue Portal

2011-04-26T00:58:00.005-04:00

Many of us are working on our own gaming projects that keep us up at night. Maybe it's developing/porting a game, or in some cases a brand/IP - maybe you're making strides on the journalistic side of things or developing a YouTube following to watch your game footage. Whatever it may be, we're all trying to carve out a little piece of cake to call our own, taste the delicious frosting of success, and raise the cake over our heads exclaiming, "This is my cake, eat some!"

But it sure is easy to get sidetracked. And by sidetracked I don't mean the heavy hand of the procrastination or utter laziness. I don't mean the little red Netflix envelope, Twitter banter, or figuring out what the hell Reddit is (okay I get it now, and I am a little hooked).

I am talking about losing sight of your original goals while you wallow in the inter-drama. I am talking about questioning your motives and falling off course, swayed by the opinions and rhetoric of others. I am talking about flocking to mindless controversy because it's seems exciting. Some examples:

Community disputes over other game's worth/value/success (or lack of).
A debacle over Xbox ratings exploits.
Aggressive marketing techniques that ride the unethical gray area.
Forums and comment threads locked in endless and often pointless debate.

Now I am not proposing that discussion or involvement in the above happenings is completely avoidable, or that it needs to be. For many, there's personal stake to varying degrees - and so be it, get involved. Get on your soapbox when it really calls for it. (just remember not to feed the trolls)

But I just played Portal 2. And holy shit it refocused me - like a slap in the face. Here's why:

As I poured through this game and it got it's grips on me, I was carried away. I was reminded of what makes games the mental vacation that we all crave. It reminded me of what I am attempting to do and why I spend hours of my free time doing it.

I am not going to talk about Portal 2 or why it's such a wonderful game - it just is, and that's fairly widely agreed upon at this point. The point is, Portal 2 did for me what I have always wanted to create for others - it's a lesson book for game design, or interactive media for that matter. It highlighted my favorite elements of gaming, and what I need to regather focus on accomplishing within my own project.

Better yet, the gaming high felt from Portal 2 contrasted so heavily with the swamp of eternal stench listed in the bullet points above, that it was a moment of clarity. I believe it hit me when I was looking through a blue portal and realized I was about to launch myself like a cannonball across a gaping pit to the exit, while being mocked by a vindictive and sarcastic A.I (and what I consider a top 5 video game villain of all time).

So I would encourage anyone reading this, to take a step back from the daily shitstorm and remember why you dove in headfirst to begin with. Get back on that path and beware the tempting sirens of controversy, opinion-blasting, and so forth. Ignore them, grab your drug of choice, and work on something special to you. Sometimes it take a great game to remind you what you set out to do.

Some screenshots of our work in progress, Ophidian Wars: The Legend of Kilflame:

The UNOFFICIAL XBLIG Developer's Code of Ethics

2011-03-12T00:51:00.007-05:00

Consumers will always buy garbage - watch garbage movies, listen to garbage music, and even spend hard-earned money on garbage video games. So I guess it shouldn't be a huge surprise that the demand for garbage is met by a willing group of garbage suppliers. After all, garbage is pretty common, easy to create, and mostly void of worth.

So when garbage restrictions are minimal (hello XBLIG platform), out of the woodwork come developers willing to 'develop games' that cater to the garbage eaters. Some succeed, far more don't, but holy shit these terrible games are running rampant.

I know what you're saying. "But if people are buying it they must not think it's garbage, stupid! I am just giving them what they want."

Now, I don't hate you, imaginary blog interloping XNA developer, but I don't want to associate you with you. If that's your rationale for creating poor quality, turn-a-quick-buck slop-ware, let's just part ways. You're catering to the lowest common denominator. I get what you're doing, and I get your point (blame the ones buying it, rather than yourself for supplying it), I just don't want any part of it. I want to be separate.

So conversely, if you're like me, let's agree to a code of ethics - as ambitious under-appreciated indie developers, let's be proud of our work. Let's develop quality games to the best of our ability. Let's use this code as a guardian of our integrity (too much?)

And thus:

UNOFFICIAL XBLIG Developer's Code of Ethics

1. I shall not develop games about farting or pooping just for immature intentions (farts are funny, but they shall not be a crutch for my game concept).

2. I shall not develop quick turn gimmicky apps (massagers, screensavers, interactive photo galleries, etc).

3. I shall not blatantly rely on partially nude woman as the main draw to my game.

4. I shall not clone a game (aka Pong, Snake) and then re-release essentially the same exact game (or less) for sale. See #10.

5. I shall not develop a subpar game with Avatars, simply because I know that subpar Avatar games will sometimes still sell decently.

6. I shall not develop a subpar game with Zombies, simply because I know that subpar Zombies games will sometimes still sell decently.

7. I shall not release a game "just to see if it will sell."

8. I shall attempt to make my box art look attractive and relevant to my game.

9. I shall attempt to make games of high quality.

10. I shall attempt to innovate.

11. I shall take pride in the games I create.

12. I shall be an active and helpful member of the XBLIG community.

If you like this code, please feel free to suggest adding new guidelines to be adopted. If you don't like this code, please leave a spirited hateful comment below.

Looking for Freelance Programmer (PAID)

2010-11-16T17:05:00.001-05:00

EDIT: POSITION FILLED

Bryan (lead programmer) and I are looking for some part time help with Legend of Kilflame. The position requirements and compensation are below, along with the current state of Legend of Kilflame.

Please send a note (formal resume not required) to cevo70@yahoo.com if you're interested.

REQUIREMENTS:

Deep understanding of XNA and C# programming.
Experience working with 3D terrain, models/objects, and animations.
Responsible, reliable, and able to devote 5+ hours per week until the job is done.
Open to phone and online discussions regarding progress and direction. "Kick-off" chat is required.
Recommended: Have a published or work-in-progress game on XBLIG, preferably 3D.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

While much of the game is completed, we need help establishing a working 3D terrain/gameworld. All assets are completed (models, rigging, animations, textures, etc).   You would work on creating a live test world with these assets, along with a "function-first" (basic, no frills) level editor.

COMPENSATION:

Compensation would be based on set $500 milestones with earnings up to $3,000 (for success). Further compensation models can be discussed.

PROJECT OVERVIEW:

Ophidian Wars: Legend of Kilflame is the second game from Small Cave Games.   It is the action-RPG sequel to Ophidian Wars: Opac's Journey which is currently a top 20 platformer on XBLIG.  Legend of Kilflame is a more ambitious project, employing custom 3D characters/models and animations and a much larger gameworld.

We currently have much of the game completed, including the HUD/inventory system, combat engine, working animations, title screen and intro sequence, dialogue system, and more.

We're excited to be releasing something unknown to the XBLIG platform and continuing our original IP. We're looking for some equally passionate to lend an experienced hand with some of the 3D aspects of our game.

-SCG

Opac's Journey GAME DESIGN Postmortem

2010-08-07T10:48:00.005-04:00

Ophidian Wars: Opac's Journey has been "on the shelves" for about 20 days now which in XBLIG terms actually makes it mature (arguably dead actually, maybe on life support).   The game definitely met our hopes/expectations but I am going to do a separate postmortem on the sales/marketing aspect (aimed more at devs). I wanted to have a look back at Opac's Journey purely as a game without the numbers muddying everything up.

There's so much to consider, especially in hindsight, but I am going to try to keep this concise.

The GOOD

Box Art: Throughout development and post-release, we heard almost nothing but good things about the shadowy Opac reaching upwards on the box cover.   This without a doubt helped it stand out and create interest.

Retro Look: It's not quite the 8-bit look that seems to appeal to sizable subset of gamers, but Opac's Journey still has oldschool flavor. For better/worse, immediate comparisons were drawn to "Metroidvania" style games - while this look was semi-intentional and that was a huge compliment, I wonder if it potentially created some false expectations of the gameplay. Either way the combination of nice box art with retro screenshots/graphics was a big positive.

Music/Mood/Story: The majority of feedback from players and reviews was that the moody tone backed by a narrative (and further backed by a much larger gameworld) was appealing and worth the extra effort, even if some didn't bother with it.

RPG Elements: The same subset of gamers who value a story, also tend to love RPG elements. While we probably didn't appeal as much to puzzle-platformer and action-platformer fans as much, we hit one out of the park for those who like exploratory-platformers.   The inclusion of upgrades and abilities (character progression) is time-consuming from a design and programming standpoint, but it was worth every second.

Controls: Outside of some complaints about the vertical size of the bounding box (which leads to "head-bonking" in tight spaces), we gathered that overall people were happy with the controls. For me this is one of those categories in which "no feedback is good feedback" because that means the player noticed few-to-zero frustrations while moving around the world.   I've seen many other indie platformers fail on the first couple of jumps, and it's rare that the controls are perfect for everyone, so I feel as though we did well here.

The BAD

It's not Metroid:  We saw tons of comparisons to one of my favorite games of all time, Metroid.   That's cool as shit. The problem is, Metroid can never be dethroned (except maybe by Super Metroid) and getting held under the shadow of a timeless classic is never going to turn out well for the first time indie developer on a shoestring budget. So in this respect we let some people down and gave reviewers a free hit.   "No combat?!"

Borrrr-ing: Related to the above point, players have expectations and if you don't meet them, some will dismiss the whole bag-o-donuts as a fail.   Those who like action-based platformers were quickly let down when a game which appears to be fierce on the surface, is actually more calm and exploratory. This was probably a design oversight. Opac appears too cool to not be kicking someone's buttocks, and the game has "Wars" in the title (that's the saga's name peoples!).   Also, while a good deal of content (upgrades, collectibles, puzzles, etc) is contained in the Journey, it would have bunch wise to include more in the first 5 minutes. The game builds to a climax, and I fear some never made it there.

Game Name: "Who's Opac and what the heck is he?" Good question, I made him up. This little issue was something I was prepared for but had no intention of changing and remain stubborn on it.   The problem is, by naming our game something totally unknown/obscure, we failed to tap into any familiar veins. No ninjas, no avatars, no farting, no massages, no aliens, no robots. By unveiling a unique IP, we succeeded in peaking the interest of a [totally kickass] keen minority, but probably were overlooked by a general audience wondering why the title was so long and where the zombies were hiding. Here's hoping for a long term investment.

Length: We missed the mark somewhere here. The game was about 60-90 minutes for most players which was intentional but something must be missing if that didn't sit right with reviewers. It was too short for some, and too long for others who were taking their time (see "Ugly").

The UGLY

No Saves: Like a ten-ton boulder swinging into our groin region, we quickly learned that players sorely missed any sort of permanent save system.   Because this feedback hit so quickly and publicly, it seemed to snowball. Checkpoints exist in the game, but you can't shut the game off and come back to where you left things. Big issue, we found out.

This was a classic mistake of assuming your audience is just like you and knows what you know.   The fact is, for me, 60 minutes is a short gaming session for me, but not everyone.   Even more problematic was that while we knew the game was about an hour, players are never told this (that would be an odd thing to lead in with). So players could be 55 minutes in and 5 minutes from winning, and have to go eat some grub - then come back and..."oh crap, screw this." Lesson learned, big time.

Switching Gears

2010-07-23T22:29:00.004-04:00

With the release of Ophidian Wars: Opac's Journey recently, it came to my attention that I could do the XNA community a better service by playtesting and peer reviewing. It's like reviewing, but helps developers make their games better and get them online.

There are a ton of other indie review sites out there (check sidebar for some) and quite frankly they were doing a better job than I was staying up to date and offering more features.

This blog is going to become space for company and industry relevant news and updates (and the Ophidian Wars dev blog will stay devoted to Opac's Journey and the upcoming Legend of Kilflame development).

Stop the Woodcutter! and Vampire Rage

2010-07-04T19:29:00.024-04:00

And I'm back with a healthy Xbox. So back to highlighting some of the best games on XBLIG. This week we look at a notable tower defense game, and an enjoyable shmup.

Stop the Woodcutter! (240 MP)

If you like wood and furry animals, then have I got a game for you. That might not have come out correctly, but "Stop the Woodcutter!" (by Bidibidip) is a nicely done tower defense game where your small army of woodland critters takes down invading lumberjacks (and other anti-tree threats).

It's a lighthearted theme that works well for a tower defense style game. You use 'oxygen' (I might have used 'honey' if it were up to me) to summon animals such as bears, moles, bees, owls, and snails that offer different attacks and abilities. For example the skunk has a huge attack radius and launches stink bombs that can damage multiple enemies over time. The drawback is that they are bit inaccurate and come at a high oxygen cost.

One element I liked from the getgo was the easy control scheme. You can pull up radial menus that allow selection of the various critters (aka towers) - it's all quite intuitive - just rotate the joystick to select, then place them with the "A" button. There's also a ton of levels packed in, across several themes - so I'd estimate about 6-8 hours of fresh gameplay here easily.

The music is upbeat and the SFX get the job done. The levels are a fairly standard tile-based affair, while the cartoony characters and animations are fun.

One little critique I have is that some levels require trial and error to overcome. Until you see the pattern and types of enemies you're facing, you probably won't have a shot on the first try in some cases. Enemies that dig and fly can come in droves when you have essentially zero protection against them. That's a fairly standard element of the learning curve in tower defense games, but one I'd prefer to see a better, more creative solution to. Showing some sort of preview or hint of what the upcoming waves would consist of would be the obvious one.

So if you're looking to quench your latest thirst for tower defense, and don't mind hugging a tree or two, give this one a try. (240 MP)

Vampire Rage (80 MP)

Don't let the name fool you - Vampire Rage (by Tricktale) is a vertical-scrolling overhead shooter pew pew pew roar. Just picture a flying vampire instead of a ship, and you've got the basic idea. I appreciate the thematic twist though, and while not perfect, fans of the genre should agree that it's a nice addition to the XBLIG shmup collection.

So you know the dealio. Craploads of incoming enemies firing insane amounts of "bullets," creating a hellish weave-and-shoot gameplay core. The enemies are big and bold and the action is fast paced. My favorite gameplay element is that the character has a melee sword attack that can be used to deflect most bullets and damage nearby baddies. This creates some additional strategy because while using the sword you cannot fire your main attack - something you often can't afford.

Two other points worth mentioning - there's a light story that helps break up some of the bullet-dodging and there's a co-op mode that you can play with a friend. Nice. My only major gripe is one that I find with many shmups - it's sometimes really hard to see what's going on. There's so many large things on screen at one time that it can be aggravating when you seem to get killed by something you never saw because the bullet was nearly invisible among the other graphics. But maybe I am just getting old.

Anyhow - strong presentation and well-themed shooter - I'd suggest biting on it. Get it? Vampires...yeah.

Circle of Death

2010-06-01T11:32:00.005-04:00

My third one. Fun times. I will get back on this horse as soon as they ship me a repaired one (or whatever they do behind the curtain). We're also about a week from 100% completion on Opac's Journey (thankfully I can play it on PC), so the focus is there anyhow.

Try It Or Die (3)

2010-03-21T23:47:00.013-04:00

(week of March 21st, 2010)

Pretty strong week this past week - it's worth having a look at the recent releases. But here's two that I enjoyed the most:

Avatar Bumper Cars (80 MP)

Sometimes it can get annoying when a trend starts to peak and the bandwagon starts to get full. Yes I am talking about Avatar games - that's me, Debbie Downer. Avatar games seem to have natural appeal to those who value their avatars and like the big-headed cartoony look, so we've seen a flurry of them come out lately. And I get it, I do.

One other common theme is that the gameplay in avatar games is almost always very very basic. The avatar becomes the hook (and succulent bait), and the graphics, and then it's a matter of picking a simple theme and gameplay mechanic. So when an Avatar game works for me, it's usually because the simple gameplay mechanic is well-executed and enjoyable.

Breaking through the opening unintentional negativity, the reason I chose Avatar Bumper Cars this week is because the gameplay mechanic is smooth, works well within the cartoony world of avatars, but is actually not reliant on the avatars to be interesting. It's also not what I would call a "mini-game" (i.e. reaction game, timing game) - it's actually real time action with some strategy involved.

It's a 4-player local game if you have some peeps around, and players control their avatar's bumper car in a pretty small arena. The controls are simple forward-and-reverse, using the joystick to steer. Basically, the front of the car is strong while the sides and back are vulnerable - the idea being to ram your opponents (friends) in the side/back. Doing so enough will lower their "life bar" and eventually eject them out of the arena.

There's a good amount of hectic strategy as you maneuver to get the best angle on an opponent while at the same time trying to protect your weak spots. And that's what makes it fun. It could definitely benefit from some additional game types and arena choices, but the foundation is very strong. Enjoy!

Dysnomia (240 MP)

I'll say right off the bat that I was really impressed with the overall production value and professionalism of Dysnomia. From the box art, to the cut scenes, to the graphics and gameplay - this is all upper echelon for the XBLIG platform.

From a broader perspective, it's a somewhat conventional top-down shooter, yes - but with far more polish, features, and attention to detail then I am personally used to seeing on XBLIG. For that reason alone I would encourage you try the demo.

The experience is backed by a pretty engaging "stranded on an alien planet" story, with satisfying controls and high-action. Oh and wait, there's also big boss fights, lots of exploration across many level-types, and a well-conceived map feature that will actually prove helpful. I'm not done - how about two player local co-op, cool lighting effects, a great interface for mini-quests, and 5 distinct gun types?

The whole package is just very tight and my complaint list is mostly picky stuff. The enemies spawn randomly and constantly which I generally don't like because it tends to punish exploration and patience. You have to keep moving or else you just get stuck fighting the constant spawns. I didn't find the music anything-but-average and once in awhile I felt like the level design was a bit restrictive/claustrophobic. Again, that's me being picky.

At 240 MP I actually think this could be underpriced - easily could be a 400MP game. Go try it.

Try It Or Die (2)

2010-03-15T21:06:00.013-04:00

(week of March 14th 2010)

Here's my picks of the week.

Ninja Chop Review (240 MP)

Oh where to begin. Fine, sue me - I am giving this a shout out partially (just partially!) because it involves a busty female cartoon protagonist karate chopping milk bottles. It's entirely gratuitous and a little bit genius - come on, you know it.

I experienced 15-20 minutes of good fun here, often because I couldn't believe what I was seeing and was laughing my ass off. You play as the aforementioned busty Asian karate student and the goal of the game is to chop as many milk bottles (up to five) as you can in one swipe. Successful strikes cause the milk bottles to shower your character with "milk" and gain experience, which allows you to change into new unlockable clean outfits. Well, that is until you inevitably shower yourself with more milk ("oh jeez, more milk on my blouse?").

Ninja Chop does have some other things going for it. Visually it's quite pleasing with a mix of 2D and 3D graphics and attractive backgrounds that change according to the four seasons. You can change camera angles, there are some solid special effects, and the modest outfit customization helps with a feeling of progression. I have to point out that upon every single chop, the camera's second fast-paced shot zooms directly to the chest of the main character - wazzaam!!

That all said, the obvious pitfall is the shallow primary gameplay mechanic. Essentially all you do is time the press of a button according to a sliding bar, which is really something that we've all played before and is really considered more of a "mini-game." The better your timing, the more milk jugs that you chop. It's addicting, but far from innovative or impressive. It's probably not going to win everyone over. Good graphics aside, this gameplay probably calls for a lower price point.

I am just hoping this is the trend setter for a long run of fetish games. Latex, fuzzies, feet, asphyxiation? Bring it on.

Word Duelist Review (80 MP)

And now something completely different. It's nice to see a word/puzzle game with such care put into the artwork and atmosphere. And honestly that's exactly why Word Duelist is a standout title for me this week. The colorful characters and backdrop of a word-loving "university" offer up a more appealing setting than just jumping into your average word jumble or spelling game.

It's also the perfect setting for learning obviously, so it's worth noting the possible fun factor as an educational game for kids/teens.

The overall concept is heavily focused around a variety of word games - some familiar, some with new twists (15 in total). You challenge various opponents around campus (hence the "dueling") and try to best them. While I am not personally a big fan of word games, my interest was retained by traveling the campus, talking to some of the odd characters and unlocking new games.

It probably goes without saying that Word Duelist is best played with a human friend. I found that playing against the computer has some funny quirks. Because the computer opponents have the same letters/challenge you do, I was actually able to cheat a little by watching them work and stealing ideas, or one-upping them in order to win. For example, there is a game where the goal is to spell the longest word using a set of letters, I could watch the computer spelling it's answer then either make a word one letter longer or if I couldn't think of one, just copy the computer to make it a tie. Dirty, I know - but sort of an exploit that might be abused.

All and all though, the large variety of word games, educational elements, and nice presentation make this worth checking out - especially if you're a fan of the genre and have a spare buck sitting around.

Try It Or Die

2010-03-08T16:29:00.015-05:00

Format change! As many people know, the sheer volume of XBLIGs is massive and unending. It's like a clown car. Well sometimes clowns are not funny, or flat out scary, or want to eat your face and that's why I'm here. I want to hook you up with the funny clowns and keep you away from rotten snaggle-toothed clowns that appear by your beside in the middle of the night wanting to "juggle" (massage apps). I can't play with all of the clowns, nor do I want to, but I can use my level head to navigate the clown army for you.

Long story short, each week I am awarding two games (new releases from that week) the "Try It Or Die" award. The award will go to two games that I think you need to try because they are standout titles - cream of the weekly crop.

(week of March 7th 2010)

Mega Monster Mania Review (80MP)

I nearly overlooked this one because like some of you I judge a book by it's box art (cover) and am not the most patient soul on the planet. Thankfully I stuck with it because this one grew on me. My first impression was, "this looks weird" and "my character is moving too fast." But that's mostly because we've been trained to expect certain traits within standard genres.

What I soon learned is that MMM has some very appealing features. First of all, it's co-op and who doesn't love some co-op dungeon crawling? I mean seriously. Also, there's tons of loot/treasure to find and upgrade your character with, boatloads of various enemies to fight, and once you get used to the fast movement, combat is pretty damn fun.

In other words, it's a much deeper game than it appears at first. And for 80MP ($1), any fans of the genre should get some entertainment from the looting/upgrading and quirky style/gameplay.

SoulCaster Review (240 MP)

SoulCaster is one of those games that will probably not make huge sales but will be well-received and generally overlooked by thousands of people who will never know it exists. That makes me sad, but to make myself feel better I eat cupcakes.

SoulCaster is one of those latenight "cool idea for a game" brainstorms that actually made it to a virtual shelf. It's a mash-up of genres that looks like Gauntlet, has elements of mobile tower defense, brings out nostalgia from Zelda 1, and follows some pretty standard but always enjoyable fantasy/RPG style story and characters. However you end up describing it, the fact is it works and the combined elements means it feels different.

Players control a character than collects soul orb type thingies that allow you place warrior allies on the map - sort of like you're carrying around your party. These immortal warriors will fight for you and have strengths/weaknesses that will govern how you use them and when. You set them up on the fly as enemies navigate towards you and can 'call' them back at any time. You can upgrade their abilities by collecting gold and visiting shops as you make your way though the lands collecting treasure and beating up baddies.

The graphics are retro (for better or worse - I like them) and the cost is 240 MP (about $2.50). Knowing a little about game development, and because the end product is solid, I think the price point is where it should be. It would certainly be an easy impulse buy at 80MP, but I like that not all devs are bending under the weight of the price pressure.

Your Doodles Are Bugged! Review

2010-02-13T10:39:00.009-05:00

B+

Here's how the thought process went for me. "Oh that's a stupid name for game." "Weird box art. What the hell is that thing?" "Wait that screenshot looks interesting." "Hmmm, haven't seen anything like this on XBLIG." "Only 80MP...." "Oh wait the developer has reached out to me! I like him more already!"

5 hours of playtime later, I finally turned the corner and realized what a beautiful little game this is. Actually, it's not "little" at all, but the bugs are tiny and the price tag is low, so it seems fitting. In terms of game hours and levels to conquer, this game is rather big.

Here's some things I liked right off the bat. The concept is clever. I believe that I can safely say that never before have you helped small bugs escape a "doodle" by drawing lines/structures with a pen. The humorous sound effects and zany plot/story are cutely captivating. The doodle artwork follows suit, offering a colorful and sometimes bizarre world to play in.

What took some time to grow on me was the primary game mechanic of drawing the lines to guide the bugs. In the beginning it felt a bit inaccurate and unpredictable as to how the bugs would respond to my drawings - in some cases a couple extra pixels of ink or a slightly steeper curve would have tragic unintended consequences for my bugs.

Thankfully, the tutorials helped shine some light on the best ways to guide the bugs and some patience/practice pays off well too. Simple tricks like drawing the path in reverse helps avoid the frantic process of trying to keep up with your bugs as they march happily to their doom. Imagining the path backwards, then opening the floodgates seems to be the better route. Should your plan fail, lessons learned, and you can easily restart the level.

By about level 5 or so you'll notice that the difficulty starts to amp up, and true puzzle lovers will get hooked to the challenge. Meanwhile, people with short tempers might find themselves throwing a controller. Adding to the strategy is the fact that your pen has finite ink, so budgeting that resource (and reclaiming ink off the page when you no longer need it) becomes absolutely necessary. In fact, it seems as though level 8 has already become a bit notorious as the "doodle that stumps." It took me over an hour, so I won't be on those leaderboards any time soon!

Some may find the gameplay pace a little slow or too challenging, but those people have endless numbers of zombies to kill elsewhere. :) I recommend this one for anyone looking for polished brainteaser in a wonderfully conceived artistic package.

It's Getting Better

2010-02-05T20:19:00.005-05:00

Just a quick note to point out that there are finally some solid forums dedicated to XBLIG. Head over there to vote on your favorite games, uncover hidden gems, and talk indie. Much props to the folks who put this together - anyone who's ever tried running a forum knows it's not as easy you'd think! (XBLIG Forums!)

Mount Up

2010-01-25T21:57:00.004-05:00

A quick break from reviews peoples. Some well-written articles by people I respect, deserve reading - so I am spreading the word.

1. The peeps at XNPlay offer more insight on the state of XBLIG.
2. Brandon Boyer of BoingBoing highlights some of the goods and bads.
3. GamerBytes (of Gamasutra creation) does some sales/success/failure analysis.

These articles dial in on the key issues and the things that developers need to be thinking about. You should read them. My initial knee-jerk after consuming them is to take action. While we can all cross our fingers for better games and better Microsoft support, we can can also put some effort in to uncovering hidden gems on the indie scene (gamers I am looking at you), and spreading the word/promoting the service better (developers I am looking at you).

One nice little page I am helping promote is this Facebook group for Indie Games which currently has 700 members. There is really no reason that word-of-mouth can't tap into all of our friends and fellow gamers to push this membership to the thousands. If you are on Facebook, join up and tell your friends. Indie Games on Facebook.

Lazy Review #11

2010-01-05T13:43:00.008-05:00

Comin' at you with some more recommendations.

Twin Blades (240MP)

A quick look at the screenshot below will give you a good indication of the polished visuals in Twin Blades. So you get a good deal of eye candy. Namely, lush landscapes and a cartoony skirt-wearing scythe-wielding nun who hacks and guns down zombies.

I am honestly not sure you need much more to give this demo a whirl, but the gameplay is good enough to warrant a follow-through purchase. While I haven't done so myself yet (and I didn't receive a token, booooo), I am fairly certain that I can stand behind a recommendation.

It's a side-scrolling zombie hacker with what looks to be a fairly standard difficulty curve (more zombies, and tougher zombies) paralleled by ongoing weapon/power upgrades. It's a well-tested hook/progression that many of you have probably experienced in other games in the same genre. Twin Blades looks to be a cut above, and at a good price. Pimpin'.

The Impossible Game (80MP)

Ever been taunted by the title of a game? I kept passing this one over, but it started laughing at me so I snapped. Damn you, game.

Well, it also has great rating (gamer votes), and usually when a game only has shapes for graphics and a 4-star rating that means that something else was done very well. That is in fact the case, as The Impossible Game nails addictive simple gameplay while living up to it's name. For some, it may frustrate - but for those who can appreciate "practice makes perfect" you'll probably spend hours making your way through what I am calling, "the treadmill from hell."

Essentially, you control a small square that automatically "runs" through a gauntlet of traps. All you have to do is jump - sounds simple. NOT AT ALL. I was amazed at well the controls and trap design are laid out to create a challenge. Precision jumping and timing is crucial as the trap scroll towards you and multiple deaths are pretty much a given. Thankfully the punishment is low, and you can create your own checkpoints (limited number however) that allow you to spawn there after death.

I haven't beaten this one yet, and I a not sure I ever will. You up for it?

Colosseum: Hammerball (80MP)

I am glad to see Shortfuse back on the XBLIG map as I have always thought that the original Colosseum (now only 240MP, by the way) deserved much more attention. Hammerball is a sort of "light" version of the arena style fighter that offers a sporting variety of hockey.

Players control teams of hammer-wielding characters who can shoot, pass, and well...hammer a ball around the circular arena. The mechanics are similar to other sports games and it was easy to pick it up and figure out the basic controls. Plus you can still do some other attacks and maneuvers and I usually welcome a little violence.

And like it's predecessor, Hammerball uses cell shaded 3D graphics and the models/animations are some of the best you'll find on the platform. I'd recommend this one primarily as a multiplayer game as it's best experienced with/against a friend. At 80MP, it's an efficient use of a dollar.

Lazy Review #10

2009-12-30T16:42:00.006-05:00

Happy Holidays everyone. I am back in action over here and you'll see more reviews rolling out at a faster pace. It's not so much a "new year's resolution" really - it's more me just giving myself a swift kick in the buttocks. (I'm flexible)

Kicking things off, this Lazy Review session is really more of a look back at the past couple of months of XBLIG releases, with a trifecta of recommendations from me. If you missed these games because you were bogged down over the holidays (or let's face it, flat broke because of the holidays) or playing one of the seven hundred AAA releases that all come out around November, then go back and have a look at these.

Goblyn Stomp (80 MP)

Another solid example of an 80MP-priced game that will provide you with a fresh burst of fun, Goblyn Stomp takes a simple premise, adds some powerups, and coats the whole package in a unique tophat-and-cane antiquey style/color palette.

All you have to do is stomp goblyns, which we're all pretty used to doing in one manner or another. Poorly executed stomping will result with the goblyns nibbling at your ankles until you die, which honestly feels a bit pathetic once you see these things. (see screenshot) They are sort of like fat clumsy chickens.

The key to the fun lock here is repetition and addiction. Squashing endless amounts of goblyns is a simple premise but one that focuses on a rather enjoyable aspect of your average platformer. There's nothing to learn except stomping technique - and as you stomp more goblyns you gain several upgrades (e.g. power stomp, cane spin, land mines) which allow for more stompage. Stomp as many as you can and watch your body count pile up towards the highest score. Something tells me that most readers reading this will have a mounting urge to go stomp some goblyns. Don't let me stop you.

Chris Unarmed (240 MP)

For all you platformer-lovers out there, this is a newcomer that will offer a lengthy and challenging experience. Once you get rolling the graphics grow on you and you will quickly realize that there are going to be some tough platforming challenges.

Most of the basics are intact here - avoid enemies, don't fall or hit traps, get from point A to point B, collect coins, etc. It's a time-tested formula that works well and there are some other tweaks as well. Wall jumping is available from the get-go and physics play a role in terms of air currents that manipulate movement. In general, these features work well, although sometimes there are some quirky movements that seem to be physics related - I occasionally died at the hands of some inexplicable lateral movement.

Some of level design is downright evil so I'd sharpen your platforming skills and prepare your patience. There's a nice light story built in and I found some charm in the fact that the developer designed the game around himself as an "unarmed" character - worth a go.

Johnny Platform Saves Xmas (240 MP)

It's a nice feeling when a successful game is followed up with a sequel. Many of you are probably familiar with the first Johnny Platform ("Biscuit Romp") game which was well-received and widely played. It's important to note that "Save Xmas" is not a re-skin or add-on, but a totally new adventure with all new levels and features.

For those of you who missed Biscuit Romp (now 80MP), I highly recommend both the original and this latest holiday release. They are both notable for their charming coffee-drinking main character, tight controls, and levels full of "ah-ha!" moments. At 240MP, this is honestly a steal.

Saves Christmas feels much like it's predecessor (nothing wrong with that), but I'd say that the graphics are more polished and the challenges are more intricate. Hopefully this means we'll keep seeing more from this developer (Ishisoft).

Duel: The Art of Combat Review

2009-12-11T19:03:00.004-05:00

B

If you've never read Lost Garden I recommend it as a deep thoughtful dive into the world of gaming. I happened to to be reading a couple recent articles about multiplayer gaming prior to playing several hours of Duel, which is a game that is best played with a friend.

Duel is a sideview combat game that has you in the role of a well-armed snake like (?) character. You're tossed into an arena with other snakey beings that are equally well armed with anything from ninja stars, to battle hammers, to rocket launchers. There's lots of weapons, no question. Duel: The Art of Combat isn't so much "art" as it's mayhem, and it's probably more of a run-and-gun than it is "duel." But I honestly have no issue with that - none at all really it's just an observation on the title.

There's a good deal to like about Duel so as usual I am going to run through some likes and then some dislikes and then try to make a recommendation on who will enjoy it.

Graphics often play heavy into the first impression, and I believe Duel sort of falls into the "good enough" category considering the price (240MP) and the platform. They aren't artistically high-end but the designer was smart to keep environments and characters simple and uncluttered. There is good depth from the 3D elements and the simple shapes offer easy to navigate arenas for fighting.

Speaking of navigation, it's important to point out a rather interesting mode of travel. The snakes not only have a beefy arsenal of weapons, but also have a grappling rope that can be used to whip around the levels. Honestly, it takes some getting used to and is a little counter intuitive when compared to the much slower 'walking' and jumping alternative, but once you learn to rely on it, it works quite well and greatly increases the pace and fury of the combat.

Other cool features include perks (like faster grappling, higher jumping, etc), power ups (basics like shield, health, extra damage), and unlocking ton of weapons to choose from. As you progress though the single player, I found this to be a nice light progression vehicle to keep me interested and content. There was always something a little new to chew on.

Duel really relies on two main components. Lots of weapons, and multiplayer action. If you like other sideview multiplayer combat games, this one will probably be up your alley too. The single player is fun, but probably won't extend beyond the 45 minutes or so it'll take you to plow through to the single boss. What you really need is a buddy to square off against, test different character builds, and have a face to rub your victories in.

One feature I found lacking was a way to monitor damage and weapon power. While I enjoyed testing out the many weapons, and trying different strategies from remote mines to sniper rifles, I really had no way to know how effective they were. It would have been nice to have either viewable enemy life bars, or weapons stats (or both) so that the many weapons seemed less arbitrary. When it came right down to it, while the minigun and the uzi were both fun, I had no real way to compare them accurately.

A couple other small hacks - the music was pretty bland and the story felt like a last minute add on. Seeing as these are not crucial to these genre's fun factor, those drawbacks didn't phase me as much as it could have. As mentioned, I believe anyone who likes this small-character-area-combat genre will find enjoyment from Duel: The Art of Combat. If you have a friend to play with, I'd recommend it - if your only option is single player, I'd see if the demo hits a positive chord with you first.

Platypus Review

2009-12-02T19:43:00.006-05:00

A-

It's time to alert you to another sparkly gem on XBLIG. Amongst the many options and holiday AAA game release blitz, it's often easy to miss a smaller outstanding title. Platypus is a 'port' that you may have seen elsewhere - but it's release on XBLIG was my first experience, so there's a good chance that it will be for many of you too.

Without a doubt, the first thing that will strike you is the visuals. With gorgeous and stylish graphics made of clay (that's the best way I can word it), this side-scrolling ship shooter immediately has a unique, polished, and dare I say 'tasty' look and feel (I want to eat it). The ships feel robust and dynamic and the landscapes are rich. But as we all know, that's never enough alone.

Thankfully, Platypus follows though bigtime on gameplay. The controls are crisp and intuitive, the guns are satisfying, and the many enemy types offer fresh challenges. There are all sorts of great little touches, but one of the best is the way enemy ships fall apart as you damage them. The smaller basic explosions are cool, but the larger ships bust apart and get beaten up as you pound on them - panels of armor fall off, burn and dimple marks appear, and pilots eject prior to the final booming explosion. It's lovely.

Another standout feature for me is the powerups and goodies. A shooter rests its loins on the powerup system and Platypus sits confidently on a nice variety of boosts. There are five main gun powerups, each with different advantages. Adding to the strategy is the ability to shoot the powerups to change their color/ability - so if you're skillful, you can snag the gun that's best for your situation or playstyle. My personal favorite are the hard hitting red missiles that just feel beefy as they swarm around the screen.

But the items don't end there. You can also blow up certain structures to find little crates that's can provide even more firepower, points, extra lives, etc. But again, you have to skillfully shoot the crate, not the balloon carrying them, or else the powerup will plummet to the ground. And lastly, most of the bigger enemies and structures will explode with fruit (yes fruit, I told you it was tasty) that are worth points towards extra lives. You can juggle and split the fruit with you gun to help grab it before it hits the ground - nice touches right?

There's more but I am running out of blog real estate so I have to resort to a list. Huge bosses, co-op play, three difficulty levels, and cool music round out a feature list that is hard to knock.

One main complaint - sometimes the depth of play was really tough to perceive. As with most shooters, there tends to be tons of mayhem on screen, and sometimes I would confuse background set pieces, with foreground (deadly) enemies and structures. Some levels are bigger culprits than others, but on more than one occasion, I died in the key of 'what the F sharp" when a building I thought was in the background was actually in the foreground. The same goes for one particular level with a floating minefield - which mines am I dodging?!

But all and all, that is forgivable crunch in an otherwise deliciously moist and chewy cookie of a game. Some people may be turning up their noses at the 400MP price tag, but don't be a cheapass - that's a good price.

Freqµency Review

2009-10-31T20:26:00.003-04:00

Swine flu? No, I had a Borderlands addiction, apologies. Anyhow, I am back and had the pleasure of playing though Freqµency, a color-based robotic-themed platformer. To be honest, I am little wary of games that designate colors according to the Xbox controller buttons - but I am one of those people that starts to dislike things as they become more common - so don't mind me.

Freqµency follows a tried-and-true set up for a platformer that I tend to enjoy. That is, create a "home base' with important NPCs, and then send the player out on missions which upon completion loops back to the home base for progression of the story. Using this method, Freqµency creates a nice sense of accomplishment while also allowing for pacing and narrative. Similarly, as the player completes missions the robot character gains upgrades.

When it comes to the upgrades, I am torn. The game is built around color - both sapping objects (any object) of their color to gain it, and then expelling it in the form of fireballs/bullets. Exhausting all of your color goodness equals death, and getting hit by foes knocks down color too - so there is an ammo/life 'management' mechanic at hand. Trigger happiness will lead to death quickly. So for some, that will be a conflict of interest.

I do like the idea of sapping the world of it's colors to gain back power (there's something satisfying about peeling all of the color off a sedan, for example). But what didn't satisfy is that all of the colors act essentially the same - allowing the player to switch to the color and fire a blast of equal effect/power. Had each colored blast behaved differently and had pros/cons, it would help distinguish the colors as more than just an extension of the lifebar.

Something we all love - boss fights - are a welcome addition to Freqµency. They offer a good challenge while learning their patters and have some unique attacks that keep you on your toes. I won't spoil anything here, but the boss encounters also help drive the story. Speaking of which, the story won't win any awards, but as I always say - at least they gave us one to follow. I always feel like it's better to offer the players who enjoy some dialogue/story the option of immersing themselves in it. It doesn't have to be deep, complex, or entirely unique - it just has to give the player something to follow. I enjoyed some of the dialogue and could tell that the designers had fun with that element.

At 240 points, Freqµency is solid platforming experience with a hook worth checking out. Have a go at it.

Lazy Review #9

2009-10-26T17:23:00.010-04:00

Three solid titles this time around, as I catch up on some recent releases.

Very Hungry Pumpkin (80MP)

I am very hungry for some pumpkin pie, but I'll just have to wait it out a couple more weeks, won't I. Very Hungry Pumpkin is a very nice-looking 3D rendered Halloween themed game. Honestly, it's usually pretty rare to see a holiday themed game with this much graphical polish and I have to say that I was quite pleasantly surprised.

The pleasing graphics are nicely accompanied by smooth animations, great overall art direction, and well-suited spooky (yet catchy!) music. The gameplay is pretty straightforward - the goal being to collect a 'full tank' of candy while avoiding the trick-or-treaters and before they snag they candy! Crazy kids! The trick-or-treaters move horizontally at variable speeds, and you can collect a time-stopper clock to catch your breath when things get hectic.

Despite the one level (that simply amps up the difficulty per round), the experience is tight enough to warrant a good amount of playthroughs. My only real complaint is that sometimes the on-screen items (candy counter, remaining live, clock) actually block some of the important play zone. But all-and-all this is an attractive game for the season, and at less than the cost of a jumbo candy bar. If you're having a Halloween party, you should put this up on the TV for entertainment.

Banana Split (240MP)

I didn't have a token for Banana Split, but from what I can tell this is a promising food-themed platformer starring a classy banana as the main character. I usually keep my ear to the ground, but I didn't see much in the way of promotion for this game so hopefully it's not slipping by everyone.

The art direction is charming and diverse, and the levels are generally well-designed. It has most of the 'same ol' platformer mechanics (avoid enemies, jump on their heads, etc) but delivers them in a fresh package. There also seems to be a light story involved about saving the friendly healthy foods from the bad unhealthy foods. This was fun because I was able to rescue an ally before the demo ended.

It also serves as a child-friendly platformer with a positive message and fun theme. I'd recommend that any platformer fans give this a try and consider the investment - especially if you have kids and they can get some fun out of it too.

Powa Valley (400MP)

Here's a cartoon side-view volleyball game with a good number of features for online play too. If you're into this type of game and multiplayer action, there's not many reasons that you won't like Powa Valley.

The cast of playable characters is colorful, with each character having a special ability to use out on the court (jump higher, power hit, confuse opponent, etc). In my humble opinion, some of these abilities seem slightly unbalanced - like the little fella who can create a windstorm got a point on me every time.

The graphics are quite nice, with bright backgrounds and simplified shapes/effects. The controls are precise once you get used to the characters. I also have to give props for the intelligent AI with three levels of difficulty - they are not pushovers! The only real drawback here is that it's a pretty standard "bop-the-ball-over-the-net" mechanic - and while done really well, it might not be for everyone at the 400MP price point. Defintely worth grabbing the demo (and maybe a friend too) for a try though.

Lazy Review #8

2009-10-20T11:01:00.010-04:00

Arkedo Series - 01 Jump! (240MP)

Here's a surprising little platformer that you might have missed. Some might incorrectly assume from afar that the graphics are really basic or amateur. But when you look closer and then actually play the game, it obvious that Jump! uses the pixelated look on purpose, but with an impressive amount of visual polish and care. I'd actually go out on a limb here and say this has some of the best art direction I've seen on XBLIG, and a good dose of effects that really add to the experience.

The gameplay is fairly straightforward and involves diffusing (or really just touching) bombs before the timer runs down then getting to the exit. The controls are tight/responsive and there are some additional gameplay elements that let you toss knives at enemies and so forth. And then it's the standard affair of avoid hazards and enemies.

There's not much to dislike here - it's just a good example of a game you can't judge to quickly because once you jump in you sort of realize that while it visually pays respect to the old arcade look, it's got a ton of extra power under the hood (I hate car analogies, but I was stumped). The only real issue I have is that the game is on the short side for the 240MP price and you don't really know how far the through the game you're getting. With no continues, it can be tough to budget your lives - and starting over from the beginning can be a little 'arrrrrggggg.' Have a go though.

A-maze!-ING (80 MP)

This is a basic game that sort of feels like a frantic open-level-style Frogger. You have to travel north quickly while navigating barriers (maze?) and avoid insta-kill from enemies that are traveling quickly left-to-right. That's about it - it's a little bare bones and the graphics aren't much to speak of honestly. You're also racing a clock which adds another level of intensity, but I couldn't decide if it was the good kind or bad kind of anxiety I was feeling.

The overall gameplay has potential, but it lacks visual polish and needs some additional features to create some greater depth and satisfaction. You'll be able to judge this one quickly by trying the demo.

Rad River Run (240 MP)

The first thing that struck me about this one one was the nice 3D graphics (see screenshot). The textures and models are rich and colorful and while the water performs a bit oddly (seems to flow in weird directions), it still looks impressive. It's nice to see a developer employ 3D on this platform, as it's quite rare.

The goal of the game is to navigate 'down' the river collecting beach balls that are worth varying amounts of points. You also need to avoid obstacles and the walls, which tend to ricochet you around in an unpleasing "boi-inggg" manner.

The concept is simple enough to be fun, and I can imagine it can get pretty competitive if you have someone to face off with - but where the game let me down was the controls. Because the game is based heavily on navigation, the awkward controls were hard to overcome. While I can understand it's probably quite difficult to mimic the natural movement of a craft in water, I have a feeling that testing would have revealed that players would struggle with the controls. They don't have to be realistic, just more responsive and manageable. Because there is a point penalty for bouncing off walls/obstacles, it can be a bit frustrating too - a little more polish on navigating the craft would make a world of difference.

Dark Review

2009-10-16T10:39:00.010-04:00

B+

Dark is an interesting case for a reviewer. It's so successful in delivering on it's description ("a very dark, atmospheric puzzle-platformer"), that it becomes somewhat pointless to highlight, or be distracted by, little technical flaws. The reason why I believe players will enjoy Dark is because is offers a less-common, shadowy and atmospheric platforming experience for $1 (80MP). It's another great example of a wise and low investment for anyone looking to kill 30 minutes doing something very different from the mainstream gamer. So let's get digging.

My point is... you won't be playing Dark for the typical skill-based platforming action. In fact, you can't die - and there are no enemies. There are puzzle elements, but with no sense of urgency - and there is a "collect the sparkles" element, but with no real implications. Dark is a game that just wants you to play it so that you can be a part of it, not so that you can overcome it, master it, dominate it, or hone your skills on it. The first time I saw another moving creature, I wrongly assumed that it could hurt me. I had to laugh at how pre-programmed we are in the platformer genre - I was jumping on the other creature wondering if he need 3 hits to be killed or something. Nope. :)

So obviously, that "non-skill" or "non-action" approach doesn't really work if the game is cut from the same artistic mold as other platformers. But Dark will draw you in with atmosphere. Simplistic shapes, lots of lighting/shadows, a rather heavy dose of physics, and mellow ambient music create the sense that you're really just here to soak things in and take part in the experience. The only true goal is to progress and maybe to explore if you so choose. At the end of a hectic day (and a whole week without internet - oh the horror!) I actually found this simplistic approach to be calming and relaxing.

Dark is not a long game - clocking in around 30-40 minutes max. Again, it's like jumping in to another world for a quick relaxing adventure - which, now that I write it, realize that's pretty much what video games are all about. I actually thought that Dark got better as it went along - the first couple levels are pretty standard, and I actually hit a couple technical snags (got stuck in some physics, blocked from moving) in the earlier levels. But the last couple levels are more interesting, colorful and dynamic. All of the way through the last 10 minutes is a good time, including the credits.

A couple small gripes - first, the jumping was not as clean/natural as it should be. You can't jump from certain surfaces, which was frustrating at times. As first mentioned though, you're not really in any danger so the lack of polish on the movement/controls doesn't have the downside of frustrating and unfair deaths. Second, for a stylistic venture, I feel like the main character could have been better designed to have more personality. While the heavy lighting and shadow effects help mask that somewhat, the basic diamond shape with googly-eyes just didn't do much for me. A main character with a bit more depth (and maybe a handful of simple expressions) could have taken the immersion and character/player-connection up a notch.

Overall, I recommend this as a good value, not so much as a platformer - but just as an experience. A video can be seen on the dev's website here.

Making a Move

2009-10-13T12:36:00.002-04:00

Hi all. Just a quick note to let you know that I've just made a big move which accounts for the lack of reviews recently. I have several juicy tokens waiting in my inbox and should have some more reviews up by the end of the week.

Thanks!

Slingstar Review

2009-10-07T14:26:00.006-04:00

B+

The term "wingman" has taken on a different meaning these days, but the original definition referred to pilots who would accompany others in dangerous flying campaigns. Well, in Slingstar, you control a ship with the most effective and crucial wingmen in history - they can kill anything. And yes, they also can help you pick up the ladies in a crowded bar when you've had 4 too many drinks and you can only communicate with facial expressions and hand signals.

Slingstar is a spaceship game with a 'hook' that involves flinging your wingmen around as your primary weapon. You don't have any guns, so you have to rely on this mechanic to clean up the bad guys. You're contained in one screen, and various enemies filter in from the edges - clean up the mess to advance to the next more difficult level. One hit, and bam you're dead.

I have to admit, I was skeptical of this concept. I've played other games with similar "fling" mechanics where I just didn't get much enjoyment out of mashing the joysticks around haphazardly, crossing my fingers that whatever I was twirling would go where I intended. There was no precision or skill really - it became blind navigation which tested my patience more than satisfied my need to explode things.

Well I cannot say that Slingstar removes this issue entirely, but it does it the best that I've seen it done. And it also does so many other things well that the total package became much more appealing. So you're still tasked with navigating your ship in such a way that your orbiting wingmen make contact with enemies. Like I said, this particular mechanic feels flawed by design simply because it's so highly random, but Slingstar makes it feel ..... pretty good.

With some practice, and if you gather some powerups, hitting enemies does get easier. You can exercise different tactics - such as zoom around quickly skimming by enemies to clip them with your wingmen. Or I also had some success by doing a back-and-forth motion that swung my wingmen around me in a wide forcefield like manner. It will depend on the enemies you're facing and how they like to kill you.

Remember how I said that Slignstar does so many other things right? Well it does - the graphics are simple but crisp and while enemies are mostly grouping of shapes, they move elegantly and offer different challenges (for example, see glowy octopus in screenshot). And the sounds are gorgeous - they interact with the gameplay/action and create a mellow/dark mood that suits the game nicely. It's casual in the sense that the only goal is to advance levels, and you have unlimited lives. There are some really nice (big) bosses to face off against, and cool explosion and firework effects built in.

So all and all, if you can find some novelty and enjoyment from swinging your wingmen around rather than firing off huge guns and missiles, then you'll definitely want to try Slignstar. This game is very nicely priced at 80MP ($1) so it's honestly worth that without question. It wouldn't be crazy to see it at the 240MP mark. So have a look, pull the trigger.

Special Feature Part 2: 5 More Reasons Why I Will Buy an XBLIG

2009-10-02T01:10:00.018-04:00

Welcome to part two of this special feature. Here's five more reasons that lead to me buying an XBLIG.

6. A Unique Hook

This is a big one for me. The wonderful thing about indie games is that there's additional freedom to think outside of the norms - taking a chance (high risk, high reward) is okay, and it's often the undercurrent of indie genius that draws out new mainstream innovation. If I see a game that is bringing something new or eye-opening to the table, it catches my attention. BIG TIME. Even if it's not a total success, having some sort of hook may peak curiosity enough for me to grab for my wallet.

Another way to think about it is to consider a press release. If you write a press release for the game (and hopefully you are), are you telling the public something that will catch their attention? Or are you struggling to come up with anything? Hooks can come in all sorts of forms, but most games seem to falter or forget to really develop one that garners interest and buzz.

Light's End is a good example of a gameplay innovation hook. When I read about a little RPG that lets the player play as ANY character in the game...woh. What? I was hooked on learning more and knew I had to at least try it out. I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES!!!1 had such a ridiculously awesome and catchy theme song, that people bought the game just to hear it. Hooks, my friends, hooks. Reel me in.

These are some of the more in-your-face examples, but even a less-obvious hook like "pirate-themed mix between an RTS and tower defense game" or "dual trigger racer" - well okay, you didn't knock me over, but you've got my interest. It sounds obvious, but do something noticeable, and you have a better chance of getting noticed. Often times the bigger the better.

7. Polish Baby, Polish

I remember when I first loaded up an XBLIG called Chalked, the title menu screen was so cool, stylish, and tight that I was stuck playing with the menu for a good minute. While the rest of the game didn't exactly follow suit, the level of style and polish on the title screen had me amped.

Polish is a broad concept and can apply to most aspects of the game (controls, art, interface, effects, bugs, etc). It's usually the well-polished game that was created with care/patience that stands apart from the competition. If I demo two Arkanoid style games but one carefully perfected the paddle movement to feel natural/responsive, heightened the visual/sound effects to feel explosive, along with a well-conceived theme/story - while the other just feels like "plink....plink....plink" guess which one will get my money?

Even the most forgiving and open-minded gamers are going to gravitate towards games that appear professional and polished. This doesn't mean games can't look or feel retro or campy - that's a matter of taste not polish. There are wonderful examples of successful games that use simple/old skool graphics combined with extremely refined gameplay (N+ comes to mind). If the style is consistent and attractive, like Fishing Girl, we gamers still nod approvingly.

Looking at the literal definition of "polish," you can jump from A to Z quite quickly. Is your game smooth? Is it shiny?

8. The Right Price

Talkin' bout money, yall. Keep in mind that as a consumer/gamer, I am not interested in the politics behind the MS pricing schemes and developer's sales strategies. I just want a game that feels like it's worth the asking price. I may not even know that a pricing structure exists, so it's not on my mind. The nice thing about Indie Games is that nothing costs more than $5, so for most consumers, that's a reasonable price point for a full-fledged game (key word, full-fledged).

At 80MP ($1), I am expecting a quick return on my investment - a burst of entertainment! The game might not have long lasting appeal, tons of features, or hours upon hours of gaming in store, but it needs to satisfy a thirst. It needs to do at least ONE thing, very right. That's why people classify this as an impulse buy price point, because it's doing something to snare a quick purchase. 80MP games can really benefit from a hook. Because Flash games of the same production level are often free, and because most screensaver/massage/slideshow apps are also $1, it's worth trying to do something to differentiate. A game that successfully delivers a game that offers immediate satisfaction will be a no-brainer at $1. You really only need to win me over on first impression.

At 240MP ($3), the game should no longer feel like a whimsical investment. As a gamer I am expecting at least a couple hours of gameplay and the feeling that the game was not made in a couple days - along with some features like leaderboards, multiple game-modes, difficulty modes, etc. This is a good price point for shooters and platformers and puzzlers that can deliver the feel of a full "start-to-finish" game even if it's on the smaller side.

400MP ($5) is still a low price to pay for a game, but because it's an Indie Game I am expecting something fairly impressive contextually. With many of the high-level (and excellent) Xbox Live Arcade games being priced at 800-1200MP, this is a price point where I'd expect to see the cream of the crop within XBLIGs. I am looking for a game that does something on the more professional level - potentially a larger graphical investment, a robust and long-lasting experience, voice-overs, slick animations, etc. If I can see that the time and money went in, I am more willing to shell it out.

There are lots of "ands, ifs, and buts" when it comes to the above, but those are some loose guidelines based on the thoughts that go through my head when I am deciding to purchase. If the game feels it's worth every penny of the price, and I'll get my investment back in "fun coins," you've got a sale.

9. The Right Timing

This can be a little bit tricky, but after dissecting some recent information, I realized that the timing of an XBLIG release is pretty key. If I am knee deep in the latest Call of Duty, and trying to squeeze it in before the new Bioshock comes out, chances are I am not testing out an experimental FPS on XBLIG.

In other words, try not to release your game when the gamer population (or Xbox'ers) are distracted. If you release the same week as another big AAA/XBLA game (and especially if it's in the same genre), you might be overshadowed. This is obviously tough because of the admission process for XBLIG, but if you can do some research on the competition, it might be worth planning to avoid months/weeks where you see them popping up. I'd actually consider Nov/Dec (the holiday release blitz) pretty dangerous territory, but I don't have numbers to back that up. I personally find myself hunting for games most around June/July/August...feels like there is a summer lull across TV and gaming.

On the positive side, I've read about success with timing a themed release around holidays/events. If you have a Halloween game (or even a spooky/zombie/ghost) game, why not try to release right before Fall? The TV and movie industry take full advantage of people "getting in the spirit" - why not gaming? Also consider worldly/current events - political games are a small niche that often release around election times. Olympic games during the...Olympic Games?

Timeliness can affect the buyer's mindset and availability, so give it a little thought.

10. The Demo Pulls Me In

Obviously the demo is a major element is what games I decide to buy. And considering how seriously the indie developer community takes "conversion rate" (demos downloaded divided by actual sales), it's worthwhile to think about the gamer's experience when they demo your game - what are they thinking and feeling?

Well, I usually get 8 minutes of play - sometimes it's restricted to certain portions of the game, or there is a cap on how far I can progress/play. I believe that's entirely fair, but let's look at some of the pitfalls.

Most of the game is playable without the need to purchase. The game is either so short or so simple (or progress is actually saved) - so that I never need to hand over my hard-earned dough. Eeep!
It takes so long to gear-up and play/understand the game that by the end of the demo I am more frustrated than thirsty for more. Sometimes I don't even grasp the controls or have time to look around for a tutorial - then the demo ends and I feel too confused to bother with more.
I never get to see some of the best features. If the game's progression curve is so slow that the demo only consists of the most basic uninteresting material, I'll miss out on some great reasons to buy. (this is also an "immersion" issue, but that's for a different post)
It's rare, but I've played demos where almost the entire game is locked which means I never even really get to see/play the game. I believe this might be because the game is so simple that 8 minutes would be too much in the developer's mind (see first bullet). Don't do this, regardless. It's a negative play experience and mostly frustrating.

So conversely, I'll follow through and purchase a game if a demo is engaging, tempting, and satisfying - while leaving me wanting a bigger taste. I've also seen demos make good use of splash pages and text that tell the player what else will be in store if they buy the full game. When done tastefully, this is very smart. It's a good way to combat the fact that the player might not see some of the best stuff. But if overdone, I start to find it abrasive and offputting.

The demo is a gamer's speed date with the your game, so make an impression. Think about the best features of the game, and make sure the player either experiences them, or knows about them before he/she is timed out.

I hope this was fun reading - let me know if you want to see more features like this in the poll above.

Special Feature Part 1: 5 Reasons Why I Will Buy an XBLIG

2009-10-01T20:32:00.017-04:00

Here's something a little different. I am taking a short break with my reviews to try to give some perspective on my buying process (specific to XBLIGs). You ready?

I spend much time perusing, downloading, and reviewing these games. So I thought that my perspective as a gamer (with a taste for indie games!) might be useful. Two other reasons I might have a useful perspective - one, I am currently developing on XNA so I understand the process and model well. And two, I spend obnoxious amounts of time lurking on forums and blogs that discuss sales data on XBLIG, so I know the numbers.

Now of course, before the guy in the back raises his hand to point out the obvious, making a great game is the main reason anyone will buy a game. Make an amazing game, and word of mouth can work magic for you, but there's other controllable factors that can help too. And if no one ever tries your game in the first place, you're DOA.

Disclaimer: the tone is meant to come across as helpful and realistic, not judgemental or know-it-allish.

If your a gamer who reads this blog for reviews, maybe you can add some ideas or give feedback as well. If your a developer, share what you think worked or did not work for you.

1. I've Heard of It

If I have never heard a peep about your game, I'm already half way to a "pass." When it comes to the Xbox Live interface, it's easy for window shoppers to assume that if no one is talking about it or writing about it, then it's probably not that good. Even if that's not accurate and the game is decently rated, it's undoubtedly easier to shuffle past a game that's not ringing any bells. On the flipside if you've created a little name recognition, you've taken a big step towards getting that extra "let's see what this is."

Yes, this is also known as "do some marketing." I'd estimate that at least 70% of the XBLIGs put forth essentially zero marketing efforts. Dedicating some time here is key and if you don't, chances are you want have any "inbound" players coming to look for your game either. That's not smart, as you're relying on the random eyeballs passing through the XBLIG library. Why not go beyond that audience? Guide some traffic in your direction. I won't get into details, but there are many routes to explore and many great articles on how to do it right. At the very least, look at what other successful XBLIG devs are doing.

Semi-tangent: Sometimes the active developers who market their game can actually do everyone else a favor. Well-marketed games like the Halfbrick titles, Clover, Duality (still not even out yet), Weapon of Choice, Zombies, and Angry Barry (among others of course) are actually bringing more eyeballs to the XBLIG platform. If every developer made a similar effort and found new inroads to gamer communities , everyone would win.

2. The Box Art is Sexy

If I am sorting though the latest titles, or any collection of titles, I naturally gravitate towards attractive box art. It's the first (and often the only) thing that I see when perusing. I'd recommend putting some serious effort and thought into box art design. We all judge books by their covers, just admit it.

Things that turn me off are poor/amateur art, impossible to read text, abrasive colors, low rez images, cluttered space, or anything that indicates that effort was minimal. Why? Because it's only natural to assume that the rest of the game follows suit.

Box art should be clean, appealing, and tell viewers something about the game. Think about setting the tone, showing us the main character, giving an indication of the genre - these are all good moves. You want to capture the appropriate audience right? If you made a cool platformer, but platformer fans can't tell that there's a whole bunch of super sweet platforming to be chomped on, they will probably skim on by until they see something that looks like what they want.

I am making an RPG action game with an attractive female lead character - We're trying to give some indication of that with my box art. Feel free to let me know how we're doing. :) (plug one!) (Bonus points for anyone who can name the rap group with a rapper who went by "Plug One.")

3. The Title is Relevant

I like games that have intriguing and/or informative names - sounds obvious, but how many actually deliver? You can balance this against your box art of course, but the combined message you're sending out is absolutely crucial. If your game is named something ambiguous and I am left clueless about the type of game, you've lost me and your chances of snaring a trial download are that much less. If your title is utterly boring and generic, same deal - and even worse, chances are I'll never remember it even if I want to come back and check it out.

Use the title to convey a message and create interest. Sometimes this is easier than others - for example, the developer of a game like Avatar Drop (which has been well-received and popular) had the fairly easy job of telling gamers what the game was all about. "I get to drop my avatar? Sweeeet." Other games will have tougher go, but think about the genre you're in again, and consider words that suggest that genre. Weapon of Choice is clearly a shooting game with a focus on weaponry. Wordzy is most likely a word/puzzle game, etc etc. But be careful to go too far and hit the generic spike-trap - something like Ship Blaster or Block Jumper leaves gamers like me shaking our collective heads.

I investigate (and often buy) games that are named things that intrigue me and make me want to learn more and/or allude to a type of game that I know I usually enjoy. Keep that in mind when you are brainstorming about a game name.

4. The Screenshots Excite Me

So assuming the you've captured my interest in some way or I am feeling extra patient, I am now able to see four (only four!) screenshots of your game to learn a bit more. This is the next hurdle before I make the final leap and put the game/demo on my active download list.

First of all, use all four slots! Not doing so makes me suspicious, and just seems lazy. Pick dynamic shots. Show me some of the effects you've implemented, some of the flashier enemies, a unique feature - whatever you think stands out about your game. I don't want to see menus or title screens unless they are seriously amazing and convey professionalism/polish. What does make sense is showing dialogue systems at work, a slick looking inventory system, a skill tree, etc. Those count as features in my book. But I don't recommend using more than one shot like that.

Attractive gameplay shots are going to be king - show at least three of them, if not all four. I want to see what the gameplay looks like, it's that simple. Play to the game's strengths and appeal to your target audience.

5. I See Positive Press/Reviews

If I've read another gamer's opinion and it's generally positive or even just mildly interesting, I might very well play the role of sheep and follow in those footsteps. As a gamer, I spend time reading reviews, forums, and plenty of notable gaming webpages. If I see something that makes me go "hmmm" (more bonus points for naming the artist of "Things That Make You Go Hmmm."), I may find my way on to Xbox Live and locate your game.

It can be a comment on a YouTube video, a random post on a forum, a tweet, or a formal review. But if someone else liked it, I immediately begin to think that I might like it as well. And I won't know for sure unless I try it.

So this obviously relates heavily back to #1 - get the word out so that others can too. But the secondary point is that positive press can spread and influence others in a viral like manner. Sometimes this can lead to a lucky break in the form of a more high-profile review/coverage. You just never know who might pick up on some positive tidbit that someone wrote about your game. If you know a couple people who like your game, see if they will blurb it in their inter-stomping grounds. In the professional world, this is known and accepted as a "reference."

Come back for reasons 6 through 10 tomorrow.

On A Roll Review

2009-09-27T20:20:00.005-04:00

B-

Roll with me here. My favorite kind of roll is one with sausage, egg, and cheese on it - but I am also keen on video games that allow the player to roll around at high speeds. I am not sure why rolling is so fun, but it is. Sure, you might get a whiff of "Sonic the Hedgehog with simpler graphics" if you start sniffing around, but I'll avoid that comparison moving forward.

On a Roll is a 2D platformer where you control a ball/circle character and proceed through linear levels. There's a good deal of platforming (in the more standard running/jumping sense), despite the presence of rolling. You spend time bopping on top of bad guys (other circles) and avoiding the standard set of hazards (i.e. pits, spikes, etc). You also have the task of collecting stars that are scattered strategically around the level. Collecting over one hundred stars allows you to be "hit" once at which point you lose 100 stars. So it's ideal to collect as many stars as possible because for every one hundred you have, you can take a lick and keep on ticking, errrr rolling.

Graphically, On a Roll looks good - crisp and colorful. It can feel a bit flat sometimes, which might be more noticeable because we usually think of rolling objects as spheres/balls and these guys don't really look spherical. The levels themselves sort of follow suit - they are well designed and paced well but can be a little repetitive because of the fairly simple image sets.

Cutting right to the chase, the rolling element is fun and well-executed. You can shoot up walls and around loops at any speed. You also can stick to ceilings which allows for some pretty flashy high-speed rolling. At one point, I thought speed and momentum might be needed to stay "on track" but On a Roll allows you to stick to essentially any curved wall no matter how fast you're moving. I actually like that twist because it allows for more careful rolling when it's called for, but it does come with a drawback.

That is, the controls seem to be affected by the ability to stick to any curved surface. So while rolling performs nicely, the jumping/platforming element can feel frustrating. It's almost like the character is magnetized to the walls - it's very hard to perform jumps because it never feels tight or accurate. It's difficult to explain but if you try it out, you'll notice what I mean. And you can't leap from any curved surface, which means there's really only one thing to do in those sections....roll. After about an hour of play, I felt as though level progression consisted of roll roll roll (easy), and then jump jump jump (frustrating deaths) - rinse and repeat. The awkward jumping irked me.

On the upside again, practicing helps and I did get better at dealing with the odd jumping pull/push. There are some little touches like choosing from a selection of color schemes for your character and boss battles (although they aren't anything breathtaking, they do mix up the action). It's also quite challenging to make it through full levels (levels consist of sub levels) with the 3 lives you're given, so after about 2 hours of play I still seem to have a ways to go. You have to be very careful at the beginning of the tougher levels because you essentially can't make any mistakes or it's a quick death. If you patiently collect stars, you afford yourself some breathing room.

I'd recommend that any platformer fan give this demo a try - especially if you get a kick out of the rolling element. At 240MP, that feels like the right price.

Lazy Review #7

2009-09-23T21:44:00.005-04:00

War: The Cardgame Advanced

The game's name does a good job of summing this up. It's essentially the cardgame of war with some controller mechanics (button mashing) built in. Basically you and an opponent (computer or human) have decks of cards - the twist is that as your cards face off, you have to perform the assigned button mashing. First one to 'complete' the mashing required on their card, wins. Win about 20 or so face offs, and the match is yours.

As simplistic as it is, I actually really liked the idea of taking a simple (popular) card game and putting a new mechanic on top. And as the screenshot shows, the card art and overall design is quite nice. It's easy to imagine the exact same game without the care put into the artwork - thankfully the developer went the extra mile and gave us something pretty to look at.

In the end, War: The Cardgame Advanced isn't anything groundbreaking but at 80MP, it's well priced for anyone who enjoys the classic cardgame and can appreciate the additional furious button mashing. The bonus of having appealing artwork provides a nice glossy feel that can be appreciated by anyone who sinks $1 into it.

Fire

Yep, not kidding. This an application that displays some flames on your screen. Not only has this been done already in multiple forms, but it's amazingly still not awesome. Even better, the developer behind this gem also released two other similar applications (aka screensavers for your TV) this same week. It's essentially just clutter, and feels like a desperate attempt to turn a quick buck off an "impulse buy" audience that I am unsure exists. No bang for your buck, literally. A little sizzle, but certainly no bang.

Pixel Man

Here's a little platformer that might be beyond retro - guess that depends on your age. It has that simplistic charm, both graphically gameplay-wise. You run and jump through short levels, getting to the exit (yellow square). I can't say it did much for me, as it didn't bring anything special to the table - it's a self-proclaimed experiment in minimalism, so I guess I can't knock it for achieving that goal.

The demos ends abruptly after several levels that took me about two minutes, so I can't be sure how much more to expect. With only 30 levels total, I can't imagine it being more than 30-40 minutes from start to finish. It might be worth a flier for 80MP if you can appreciate the focus on delivering simplicity.

Fishing Girl Review

2009-09-19T17:06:00.008-04:00

A-

How very interesting. For those of you who are familiar with Lost Garden, you may already know the origins of this game. I remember back when that game-making challenge kicked off. This XBLIG release is not the first or only version of "Fishing Girl," but it is the first one I've played - and it's a nice filet of casual gaming.

With graphics courtesy of the Lost Garden guru Daniel Cook, there's no denying the high level of visual appeal. The smooth simple lines, and colorful fish against the neutral background create a beautiful little world that's pleasing to the eye. The clean interface and easy to grasp concept follow suit - creating a casual experience that will appeal to a wide range of gamers.

So what are we talking about here in terms of gameplay? Well, it's time to go fishing - that's right. You're little bear-like creature has access to rods, some lures, and a lake stock full of small, medium, and large fish (along with some superhuge sharks). In general, it's as simple as casting your line and reeling in some fish - you only will use one button (well two, but barely), and you won't be sweating over it. In fact, this game has the opposite effect - it's actually really relaxing and I believe that to be the intent.

There are some intuitive gameplay elements that add to the feeling of progression and reward. Certain lures are better than others, and only work on the appropriate fish. Larger fish will strip you of smaller lures, and weaker fishing rods won't allow you to cast very far or deep into the lake. You eventually need to catch enough fish so that you can earn money to buy upgrades and progress towards the endgame (which I will leave unsaid).

There are varying rarities of fish too, so as you become better at casting, you can attempt to catch the rarest fish and earn more money. This concept taps in to the addictive "collector" mentality, and it's hard to temper the desire grab those fish that are most elusive and hard to come by.

One nice bonus that I appreciate is that there is a little story involved that will help motivate you to keep fishing and progressing - nothing monumental by any means, but effective. Another nice little touch is a built in achievement system that rewards you for hitting certain milestones and achieving perfect casts, etc. They are well-conceived to make you keep playing towards separate goals and had these been real achievements, they'd actually carry some serious weight.

The main issue some players will have with Fishing Girl is that the challenge level is really low, and the overall experience is quite short. Because other Flash versions of the game exist (although most are quite different than this version), I can't imagine this being priced at anything other than 80MP. But at that price, it's a perfect fit and a very worthwhile impulse buy. While nearly polar opposite to I MAED A GAM3 W1TH ZOMBIES 1N IT!!!1 (grrr), it's another great example of simple but well-designed game that will appeal to many at that price. It's a nice trend we're seeing. If you're open to a more casual experience and enjoy a little fishing, I recommend this one.

(you can also see a trailer on Eric W's blog here)

Lazy Review #6

2009-09-15T20:35:00.013-04:00

Filler

I saw that Filler was rated pretty well so I snagged the demo. I've seen games with similar concepts before but never tried them (I can be a bit of a graphics snob sometimes, and shapes don't excite me). Well, it's a pretty slick mechanic packed full of addictive qualities. You have to create enough spheres to fill the screen 2/3rds full. If a little red ball hits your sphere when you're trying to grow it, it pops. Also, your spheres slowly shrink after you create them, which adds a sense of urgency to create spheres quickly.

It's easy to grasp and it's hard to stop. Well for 20 minutes or so I was hooked. Then I kind of grew tired of the difficulty progression which just seems to add one more red ball each level. Eh. So my fun level sort of plateaued. The funny part is that even if you just let the game idle, it makes for a better screensaver than many of the screensaver apps. Wait that might be true of all games. I better stop this tangent here.

Overall, I do like the mechanic and while the graphics are pretty basic and unexciting they are crisp and sensible. I can imagine a similar mechanic could be greatly expanded upon and made much more interesting and long lasting. Have a try at the demo (at least) to see what you think of the overall concept.

Graviton AI

At first glance I thought this sidescrolling ship shooter had tons of appeal. I saw what looked to be a customizable ship, 3D graphics, explosions, and lots of guns. Yes it does seem to have all of those things, which is cool. I like the idea of a spaceport where you can upgrade your ship and the 3D graphics do allow for some neat little cut scenes and overall depth to the action.

Upon playing though, there are some missteps. There's a good amount of text thrown at you and I had sit and stare at the controls for a good minute before I felt comfortable with getting started.

So I jumped in and was confronted with a very messy bullet hell. All sorts of stuff is immediately thrown in your face. There are many bullets, some very hard to see, all different shapes, sizes, angles, and speeds. There are lots of enemies advancing in different ways. The HUD was hard to read, very complex looking, and I had no chance of reading anything while trying to avoid the craziness. I couldn't tell what I was firing but it seemed to be finite because my guns kept getting weaker. And the SFX were mashed up, messy, and grating on the ears. It's not for anyone expecting a pleasent learning curve or a laid-back shooter - I'll say that much.

I never lasted more than about 1 minute, gave it 6 good tries and then threw in the towel. I'd love to know if anyone with some top-notch shmup skillzzz can get through the first level.

Avatar Drop

Ahhhh, casual goodness - playful violence - a combo made in XBLIG heaven. We're seeing more avatar use in XBLIGs and this one is a simple but fun approach. You basically control your avatar as you fall downward, bouncing off balls and trying to score points by getting through rings.

The controls are simple and the ragdoll physics add a good deal of hilarity as your avatar wildly flops about. A nice inclusion is the use of a sort of "cartwheel" maneuver that allows you to spin heavily in either direction. This can launch you laterally and sometimes upwards which helps you to snag more points.

It's pretty enjoyable by yourself for a decent amount of time, but it's obviously way better with friends - watching each other fall violently while trying to get through rings first. I believe we will see more games like this where we get to beat the heck out of our avatars. And I am looking forward to that.

Duologue Review

2009-09-09T21:12:00.009-04:00

B-

I have an idea. With the heavy popularity of dual stick shooters, I believe that the gaming community should invent a drink, preferably a shot, that we call the dual stick shooter. As in, "Hey bartender, give me 2 dual stick shooters for me and my friend o'er here!" (boooo hissss) Now what should we put in it?

I've said it before - but if you're going to enter this genre, you better bring something fresh to the table. It's a genre that's been capitalized on already and competition is heavy. It also has relatively low barrier to entry because graphics don't need to be flashy to be effective (generally true, but more so here than in other genres in my opinion). Thankfully it's also packed full of fans, and Duologue does bring a slight twist.

The "Duo" in Dualogue likely also represents that your tank has two guns. Depending on the particular wave/round you are in, those two guns are essentially just two different colors. The trick here is that you need to alternate between those guns to take down the current wave of enemies. Only the opposing colored gun can harm the enemies - using the same color has zero effect. Have a look at the screenshot below and you'll see what I mean.

This game mechanic works pretty well, because alternating between guns adds an extra level of intensity and concentration. And of course later levels task the player with large groups of enemies that switch colors and/or use opposite colors of minions to guard them. Another cool little touch is that your tank also has a light on the front that will repel some enemies as well, which allows you to repel some enemies while taking down the other color with your gun. I like this concept, but honestly since the light points wherever you're driving, evasion usually takes precedence over shining the light in a constructive manner. I found myself needing to dodge much more than repel, in other words.

Along with dual-color gun approach, I liked some of the enemy design and thought the mini-boss and boss enemies were a fun time - and when multiple bosses were paired in later levels, those fights felt pretty epic. The controls are clean and the overall design allows for skill to triumph over luck or cheap deaths. I loved the option for 4 player co-op as well, but as I've told readers before, I have no friends because I play too many video games. There's also a likable attempt to include achievements, although none of them were too interesting that I really felt like going out of my way to snag them.

And now for the paragraph that makes developers hate me. In exchange for some of the great stuff mentioned above, Dualogue seems to have sacrificed some obvious elements that shmup players tend to expect. No gun power ups? No power ups at all? Whatchu crazy? The only thing to collect here are points. And after several waves, I grew a bit tired of the same background screen, being confined in a small 1-screen space, and being swarmed by enemies who usually are circular (or roundish) and generally either 'pursue' or move around randomly (it seems). So the issue overall here becomes a lack of diversity on several levels. No gun diversity, no level diversity, and high volumes of similar enemies with no break in the grind. The bosses (which are nicelt designed) help mix up some of the slow trotting, but I have to admit that experience some fatigue by the 10th wave or so.

So what's my bottom line on Duologue? Nice game - it looks pretty solid and plays nicely. It also has a couple unique color-based mechanics that are worth checking out if you're a fan of the genre and/or want to blast stuff with some friends. It's not revolutionary, and I'd say it was a misstep not to have some powerups at the very least - but it's still fun and a good value at 240MP. Now who wants to do that shot?

Halfbrick Rocket Racing Review

2009-09-04T18:40:00.014-04:00

What, another Halfbrick game?! You know it. I have to admit - I get a little extra excited when I hear about a new Halfbrick title now. You know that you can expect a polished game from a studio that has several nice titles under its belt already. There's a certain consistency among their games - even though they span several genres now, you can feel the similarities in the design.

In Rocket Racing, Halfbrick introduces another simple-to-understand, but tough-to-master game mechanic. The rockets on your racer (two of them) are controlled by the right and left triggers - so propelling your racer is all about carefully balancing those two rockets to move the direction that you want. Even cooler, using your rockets near a wall will quickly add speed as you push off - and the closer you are to the wall, the more speed you pick up. But don't get too close, because hitting the walls is jarring and will have the opposite effect. Riding along walls, and blasting off them can be extremely exciting when you start pulling it off. Speaking of which...

Let me get something out of the way. I had a really hard time with the controls - the dual trigger blasting was so brutally hard for me, that I had to step away to make sure my index fingers weren't actually breakfast sausages. I eventually started learning to move in the intended direction, but there was simply no way I was going perform well enough to progress. Thankfully, Halfbrick included alternate controls! "Stick" controls allowed me to use the left analog to steer and the trigger to blast - perfect. Now I was getting somewhere. I felt a little lame doing so, but it had to be done.

So now I jumped back into the single player mode, which is essentially a battle against yourself. And a clock I guess. The general idea is to beat each track in the best time possible, earning medals along the way. There are tracks based on getting from A to B, completing a number of laps, or hitting a number of checkpoints - but it's all a race against the tic toc of the clock. I soon learned that to get gold medals (or the elusive "brick" medal), I had to put up some seriously nice times. And if I didn't get golds, I probably wouldn't have enough medals to unlock the later tracks. This really tapped into my competitive nature. Stop me shall you?!

I can honestly say that this one of the most addicting racers I've ever played. Even without human or AI competition, I found myself hooked on trying to shave split-seconds off my times. Certain tracks are a bit unexciting, but others are a blast to whip around trying to ride a centimeter off the walls. Halfbrick must have known just how unforgiving each track can be, and smartly installed a self-destruct button that allows you to quickly blow up and restart a track quickly. You will use this feature many many times. You will curse. You may throw your controller. But you'll also be fist-pumping in your living room when you nail the track you've been attempting for an hour.

I am still working unlocking the later tracks because as mentioned it seems like you need golds on most of the tracks to keep progressing. I have one "brick" medal which was 90% luck but I still cherish it like a functional NES. I will be back to try again.

So the controls may frustrate at first, but I'd recommend sticking with it, or switching the control scheme like I did. There's actually much to appreciate in just how much fine tuning went in to the wall-blasting/sliding mechanic. The main reason I didn't score the game higher is because it really relies on mutliplayer for any real "racing" aspect. As a lover of games like Off Road and RC Pro Am, the lack of AI racers to challenge in a standard race setting leaves you wanting more. While racing the clock (and your sanity) is still a ton of fun, not being able to race others will leave lonely gamers with half of a game.

Give this one a go - see you on the leaderboards!!

Lazy Review #5

2009-09-01T19:58:00.005-04:00

Streets of Fury

Streets of Fury is a generic sounding street brawler that uses some pretty slick motion capture to pay respect to the 2nd generation brawlers from back in the day. I was really impressed by the amount of moves, animations and characters. The controls are little tricky (namely switching 'planes' - front, middle, or back rows) and sometimes I found the collision to be a bit off, but overall this is a good head-bashing time and pretty funny as well.

It suffers from some issues like repetitive enemies and confusion caused by too many characters being near each other screen - but honestly there isn't much like this on XBLIG right now and the overall look/feel is sexy. I imagine that co-op is a blast too. I wasn't able to score a token for this one or else I probably would have done a more thorough review. I didn't see any 2-by-4s or baseball bats to pick up, just FYI - maybe later on in the game. (240 MP)

Ninja Guardian

Here's a unique looking little game with a not-so-unique ninja lead character. I found the art style very appealing, with colorful and dramatic landscapes in a cartoon-Asian painting style. The large panels you see in the screenshot create a pretty small gameplay area bordered by large pieces of art, but they also act as sliding (rice paper?) doors like we're accustomed to seeing in ninja movies. It's a unique design choice with some obvious pros and cons.

Thankfully the gameplay is vertical, with the goal to bounce and fight your way to the top of the game area. This is not a unique mechanic (basically you need to keep making contact with platforms or else you fall back down to your death) but there is quite a few additions to that. You can attack, double jump, and become invincible for a bit. I found it pretty challenging to incorporate these other moves while also trying to navigate with misstepping - but I am no expert nor are my reflexes what they used to be. Had this been a pure platformer rather than a ascension/bounce type game, it might gather a larger audience - but I still really liked the art style and the gameplay (should you like this type of game) is well-polished. (240 MP)

Wacky Karts

The problem with Wacky Karts is not that it isn't a fun game, it's that anyone who has played Mario Kart will probably be let down. Ah here lies the problem in emulating a hit. This is essentially a direct adaptation, but without Mario characters and without the professional polish. It's still fun to race around the tracks (and probably much more so on 4-player mode), but it doesn't bring anything new to the table - and the comparison is unavoidable. I like the simple graphics that surely look alot like the original. And there's nothing like it on XBLIG right now so if you like kart racing games, it's worth a trial.

My main issues were that the wall collision is really bad and almost game-breaking. Hitting a wall is doom - you don't bounce off, you just stop and get stuck. Hitting other drivers often results in weird deceleration that is unpredictable. There is also less satisfying powerups, less application of realistic physics like sliding or drifting, and the AI seem to have advantages (not sure, but they don't seem to ever vary speed if they go untouched). Some of these issues are just because I am used to the high polish on the Mario Kart games, but the collision/stuck-on-walls issue really needs to be addressed. This has potential to be a really cool re-make, but needs to add one more layer of polish/originality if it wants to stand out. (400 MP)

Nasty Review

2009-08-30T21:09:00.006-04:00

Okay, so maybe Nasty isn't exactly a zombie shooter per say, but you do take down the undead (ghosts) with a gun, so close enough. Completing our trio of violent reviews, Nasty is a side-view shooter with a ton (100+) of one-screen levels to blast through. As a nice bonus, you can play co-op with a friend or go 4-player versus as well. I almost convinced the wifey to play. Almost. I shouldn't have said the game was called "Nasty."

The graphics aren't going to be for everyone as they are a bit basic and retro. Some people, myself included, can find the charm in a simplistic graphical style but some may underestimate the game based on first impression. Similarly, I believe you need to spend some time with Nasty for the appeal to kick in. At first, the controls feels a bit 'soft' and there's not much in the way of flashy effects, explosions, or gimmicks. It's as simple as killing all of the enemies on the board and then proceeding to the exit.

What I really liked was the progression of the game and the levels. Most levels can be completed quickly and if you try to take your time, you're met with an particularly nasty baddy who chases you around. So while there are a ton of levels to play through, you get a consistent sense of satisfaction upon completing each one. I also noted the difficulty curve which seemed just right and the balance of risk/reward to collect all of the points (which are fruit for some reason) that grant valuable extra lives. Since you get killed with just one hit, sometimes you really have to weigh the cost/time required to grab those higher-point items.

I also found the enemy types to be nicely varied. Again, they aren't much to look at, but their attack methods need to be learned and anticipated especially when they start mixing enemy types. As you progress, you'll find tougher variations on the same enemy types and some bosses sprinkled in (see screenshot) for good measure.

What initially bothered me was the controls, namely the jumping which I found to be odd and very "floaty." In my early going, it created some frustration and questionable deaths - and while I was able to adjust, I would have liked to work with more responsive and tight jumps. Considering that some later levels are absolutely packed with enemies, the need for agility is high.

Second, everyone loves big guns and power ups - they are staples of a good shooter. I found it strange that so little emphasis was placed on your main weapon which unfortunately has a sort of 'peashooter' feel to it. And while there are some powerups, they don't feel robust or powerful at all - allowing for more bullets (in the air at once) and faster bullet speed don't really change the gun very much and look the same. More importantly, those powerups don't really change your playstyle, where as a 'spread' gun or lobbed grendade gun would, for example. Adding in some other more conventional "Contra" style guns would have been worth the extra graphical effort. You can see the payoff in our other two zombie shooter reviews below.

But Nasty makes up for these things shortcomings with a strong vision of overall play experience. Mashing your way though 100+ levels by yourself or with a friend is undeniably a good time - you don't get much in the way of flashy or gory action like "Gam3" or "Veks and Silence" but you get a challenging, more platformer-based experience that will have you saying "just one more level, then I go to bed - okay just one more."

At 400MP, it's unfortunate that Nasty will seem higher-priced. Based on the graphics and first impression, that may create an initial barrier to sales. While I feel the game deserves the 400MP based on the sheer number of levels, it might do better to reduce to 240MP at the first opportunity. Happy shooting.

Veks and Silence Review

2009-08-25T00:27:00.007-04:00

B

Me want to kill more zombies!!! Part 2 of our "violent" series, and staying with the zombie theme, is Veks and Silence (cool website). Armed with a token and four high powered guns, I sat down for a couple consecutive nights of play. You aint gettin' my brains, bitches.

The first thing that struck me here is "wow, visuals." I am utterly impressed by the sheer amount of 2D art and 3D graphics stuffed in to this game. You can feel the man hours piling up faster than the bodies, and there's a massive amount of killing going on. There are cut scenes with animations/storyboards between every level, tons of 3D graphics, animations, and background art - it's worth noting that you're getting a ton of content and higher-end graphics for your measly 400MP (hence the three emblems).

Now that said, here are some other words that describe the visuals. Mayhem, brain explosion, bloodfest, radioactive flying sharks (yup). For those of you who like the wacky insane asylum stuff, prepared to be whopped upside the head with a shoe full of crazy-sauce. There is so much happening on screen at once that I have to admit that I was a bit distracted and overloaded. There's a lot of colors and contrast, screenshaking, explosions, lasers, dialogue appearing on screen, and camera shifting going on. Again it's impressive that so much was put into this, I am just not sure if everyone will be able to "hang."

In many instances, like when the camera shifts from normal sidescroller view to a 30 degree front-to-back angle, that I said to myself "wow that's pretty cool." From what I gather, this game was built on the Mad Game Engine, which probably has something to do with the presentation - but I couldn't find any info on it, it's looks to be custom. And other times, like when amid an explosion and a camera shift and when my player is screaming pointless babble, I said to myself "I am too old for this." (I am not that old) My point is, it's all quite cool, but arguably overboard.

This theme sort of continues in to the gameplay. It's packed full of awesome features and some interesting design decisions. You have four very different guns (assigned to D-pad) which all have their advantages and disadvantages, along with bombs which can be thrown a varied distance, and a double jump feature and a reverse-shoot feature. There's also a sight-lock for the sniper rifle, multi-directional shooting, crouching, melee attack, and a "rage" power up using right-trigger. It's packed full of rad.

You have many different types of enemies - from several zombies, to blob-heads, robots, laser cannons, the aforementioned radioactive sharks, and huge megaboss battles. Each level is themed differently, creating the need for lots of different set pieces. Again, kudos - all of this content = work and as players we gobble it up faster than a fat kid gobbles up cake. All the while the developer manages to work in a light rescue story, and carry a wacky sort of "Tarantino on crack" feel.

So what's the problem? Well for some there may not be one. Overall I found this to be an impressive run-and-gun blitz with 8+ hours of gameplay. But it's analogy time. Have you ever started making an omelet...and you pick out some ingredients...and then you keep adding more because they all sound good...and then suddenly the omelet breaks open, burns a little and you sort of wasted all of those ingredients because you can't really taste all of them anyway?

(excuse me I have gone to make an omelet)

Damn it! I can't taste the tomatoes because I added too much bacon!! Comprende?

There's simply so much going on, it can feel crowded, overwhelming and for some maybe even headache-inducing. The gameplay can actually get lost in all of the fuss. For example, I forgot that I could throw bombs until I realized I needed them to beat a certain boss (unfortunately I believe this boss also has a stalemate situation). I couldn't decide if I was better off trying to use the slow-but-target-locking sniper rifle or spread shotgun on the turrets which could hit me from off screen (holy crap they are annoying). The visuals are impressive but so content-heavy that I actually walked right into death-holes because they blended in with the rest of the screen.

Nevertheless, this is a must buy for most run-and-gun sidescroller fans, especially if you're down with the wacky juice, zombies, and/or fat dudes who wear bags on their heads and scream stuff. And it also really will hit home with the hardcore crowd who likes mastering gameplay elements and facing difficult levels with finite lives. At the very least, you should download the demo just to see some of the visuals and polish on this one.

I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES!!!1 Review

2009-08-18T19:52:00.007-04:00

A-

Good luck getting the song out of your head. I am warning you up front so that you hear me loud and clear. Also, I refuse to type the game's name again so from now on it will be referred to as "gam3."

For the first time in my reviews I am introducing bullet points, look out:

This game [type] has been done many times in and many forms, but this one works better than most.
It's tongue-in-cheek delivery gets our guard down and it's self-mockery is easy related to.
There are little nuggets of originality that are instantly recognized as "kickass."

Allow me to extrapolate, dear reader.

Top-down shooters, dual stick shooters, and zombie shooters in general are plague-like themselves, spreading everywhere all of the time. But gam3 is sexy because it keeps all of the fun parts and gets rid of the crap. You cannot deny that blowing away hordes of zombies is really entertaining, and when you add in smooth gameplay, lots of guns, attractive effects/graphics, and a dose of the bizarre, you've got a winner. But that's not exactly hard to find either honestly, sooo....

What draws us to the game and allows us to shrug off it's common theme/style is that we're immediately told that the game is not taking itself seriously. The title, the box art, the titlescreen - they are sending a message. Gam3 is essentially mocking itself, and we as gamers, GET THAT. Thank you, gam3 developer, for your slice of humble pie.

Because of the tone that is set from the onset, we tend to forgive the lack of cohesiveness and actually chalk it up to awesomeness. So all of sudden you're not just fighting zombies, but horribly unrelated smilyface worms, poorly designed asteroid diamond thingies, and weird 8-bit faces...okay, funny!! I likey because it's weird!! Really strange and sort of bland backgrounds, that include disco lighting, a checkerboard, and even the developer's logo? Ok, more awesome points! No story, no real ending, and about 15 minutes from start to finish? Whatever, it's crazytime!

Gam3's theme song (title track) is pretty hilarious and I found it really cool how enemies spawn to the beat of the music. And how can we not love the retro arcade style lettering contrasted with modern day Internet language? Thumbs up, tally up some more kickass.

So yes, this game indeed rocks. It's short, it's fun, it's one dollar (80MP). It's a fine example of what can be accomplished in the 80MP price range and make perfect sense to buyers. I played it for an hour and will play it again to see if I can get through without dying.

The only other point that I am trying to make is that this game might have sucked had it not taken the right tone with it's potential consumers. It sets expectations low by making fun of itself, and then over-delivers with solid gameplay and quirky touches. Very smart. Go try it.

I'M Getting Violent

2009-08-18T14:51:00.002-04:00

To help balance out the series of three 'cute platformers' I reviewed earlier in the month, it's now time to look at some violent games. On my list are "Veks and Silence" and "I MAED A GAM3 W1TH ZOMB1ES!!!1"

Who has a suggestion for a third?

Lazy Review #4

2009-08-17T23:16:00.006-04:00

Superspace

I have a hard time NOT downloading games that have little spaceships in them. Usually the norm is to have these spaceships explosively blasting away bad guys and so forth, but Superspace takes a more passive approach. The idea here is to collect goods and safely bring them back to your base without dying.

Your ship can pick up smaller goods by passing over them, but also has a grappling hook (pimp!) that can be used, and must be used on some larger goods. Along the way, you best not get hit by opposing gun turrets and look out for the nastiest villain of them all - walls.

The navigation in this one is a little different as well. See, gravity plays a role - we're not in outer space so there is the constant downward drag on your ship. And you must apply and direct a thruster to move around. Add in some agressive physics on your grappling hook, and there a good deal to consider before you even think about your mission. What I am getting at is that the controls and navigation take some getting used to - just putting a player in a maze of walls would be a challenge.

Now I am not a lazy player. I enjoy a learning curve and don't expect every game to conform to the easiest, most well-known control/navigation scheme of the genre. Over the course of my playtime, I was able to get pretty good at flying around without cargo. But when I was using my grappling hook, I was met with frustration and the game felt like work. The physics applied to the grappling hook make it extremely hard to fly as it seems the that the weight of the cargo has an effect on your ship and can pull it in the direction that it's swinging. It's a cool concept but ultimately not a fun one. What makes it brutal is that hitting walls/ground at a certain velocity destroys your ship which feels almost inevitable since so many factors are in play.

Bottom line - I do like the relaxed collect-and-return concept, and the game looks nice too, but the overuse of dynamic physics drained my patience. I could definitely draw comparisons with games like Halfbrick Blastoff and Bennu, where you need to really have an "ah ha" moment on the controls/physics to make it playable. So I partially blame myself for not getting there, but if I am the average gamer, then other people might be experiencing the same thing. When the primary challenge in a game is making your character move like you want him too, I am not sure that's a good first step towards fun. I believe this game will appeal to those who liked the aforementioned games - it also has co-op and versus modes, so that's cool. (240 MP)

Spectra Musical Massage

Uh oh. Call me old fashioned guy, but I strongly prefer games to applications on the XBLIG service. If there is a market for apps then that's wonderful and I hope the best apps rise to the top. Apparently, the Xbox360 controller is a worthwhile massage tool, which I honestly find REALLY strange. Are people sitting at home with the controller balanced on their neck or something? Or worse, in their pants?

Anyhow, Spectra Musical Massage is a sort of combo music player massage application with screensaver type visuals. Apparently it features some tracks by indie music artists as well, which is a cool/nice gesture for the musicians out there. For me, that was the best part.

I did a search on xboxindies for "massage" and got back 10 results - yes 10 applications/games that include a massaging controller. So hopefully someone is "enjoying" these or else this is a mighty full trashcan.

Here's how SMM describes itself: "Combining musically adaptive psychedelic visuals with a virtually unlimited number of massage patterns that bump and shake with YOUR music, and featuring over 30 minutes of incredible indie soundtracks, Spectra Musical Massage is your one-stop source for all things controller massage related!" (240 MP)

Jungle Blocks

I've always been a fan of Breakout/Arkanoid style games and there's a good representation of them on XBLIG. Jungle Blocks is a nice colorful version with big bold blocks to bust apart and a jungle theme to go with it. Overall I liked the design and it felt warm and approachable, like a cartoon gorilla.

Adapting the paddle controls to the Xbox360 controller is challenging because it's hard to avoid feeling slippery and punishing players who have heavy thumbs. You need to have some finesse to make sure you don't overcompensate when sliding the paddle. I actually did better using the d-pad but that's something you'll need to test out - at least the option is there.

If you like this type of game and can get used to controls, it's not a bad deal for 200MP. And if it drops to 80MP soon, then you'll certainly have your money's worth.

Being Review

2009-08-11T21:39:00.007-04:00

B-

Hold the damn phone. I just received an urgent message that there is a contender for "cutest platformer" that is PISSED about my previous two reviews. How dare me not include him!? Really though, this particular sprite might take the cake - not sure exactly what kind of "being" he is but maybe some sort of fox/bear/baby? I don't care really - I just want to squeeze him until strawberries come out. And by strawberries, I mean blood. Mwahahaha.

On to the game yes? So Being is a 2D platformer, sans the same sort of puzzles you'd find in Spaceman and Skwug. This is a pure platformer in the sense that you need to execute well on your jumps - there are some key/lock puzzles but getting those done is still about making good jumps.

One slightly off-topic point I want to make is that if you're a platformer fan, you won't really know that this game is aimed at you by the title or the box art. So as you're browsing you probably want to organize by genre or take the time to look at the screenshots. I think part of the reason I missed this one on the first go-round was because I didn't realize what it was.

The graphics won't melt your face with awesomeness, but they are a fun 2D style with a likable little main character. The landscapes/tilesets are effective although a little basic. My only real complaint on this front is the backgrounds. The static environmental backdrops clash with the pixel art - sort of looks like they might be modified photos. Something handdrawn or perhaps more pixel art would have melded better.

On the positive front, I enjoyed Being's lighthearted attempt at a 'rescue-friends, destroy-the-bad-guy' story. It's amazing how even a brief intro cut scene and a little dialogue helps motivate. It's far from deep, but it helps establish a goal and give the player a purpose. I also liked the chapter design to the levels - essentially having a tutorial level followed by a main room that leads to each chapter through a series of doors. It helps with the flow of the game as you finish a chapter and then return to this room to show your overall progress towards facing the boss. I also found the platforming itself to be enjoyable, with a good number of tricky jumps and and a boss sequence that will likely take you several tries or more.

I have to deduct a couple points for taking the safe route. There's not much in the way of innovation here and you basically have a fun little 60 min platformer with no attention to special mechanics or powerups or character advancement. The reverse argument is that you get a straightforward no-nonsense platformer for $1, so it's hard not to recommend at that value. I'd say the game would have really benefited with just one minor hook, like if the Being could roll around as a ball, mutate into a super-Being, or had super speed. Something like that would have grabbed my interest, added personality to the main character, and could be worked in to the platforming challenges. I feel as though a little more effort could have been put into the SFX too, where a set of 5-10 effects that matched the Being's look, would have added a heap of polish over the "homemade" voice over work that sounded very human and broke the immersion factor.

Overall though, I'd look this one up in the back catalog and give the demo a whirl. If you missed this one and enjoy platformers, you can go grab it for a buck (80MP) and have a good time.

Skwug Review

2009-08-10T00:49:00.004-04:00

B+

In the showdown between cute retro puzzle/platformer characters, Skwug battling Spaceman is like pitting a kitten against a puppy in a "licking-only" fight. It would be like watching two chubby infants rolling around on the floor armed with lollipops. Or a baby sloth giving a hedgehog a sponge bath (you dirty dirty hedgehog).

Alrighty, so I am reviewing these two back to back because they really are nice little games - each with that old skool graphical feel and each trusting their fun-factor to a simple but satisfying game mechanic. In Skwug's case, he can jump (doesn't even need legs, buddy) but the flashy ability is...wait for it...teleporting!

Yes that's right it doesn't sound like much, but Skwuggy (can I call you that?) relies heavily on teleporting to get past numerous dangerous obstacles (lava, lasers, spikes, you name it). Precision becomes absolutely key, as does timing, and by the 4th or 5th level you'll probably find your death tally getting pretty high. Don't worry kids, Skwug can regenerate instantly either at the beginning of the level, or at a checkpoint (nicely placed in the "easy" difficulty level) with no real penalty.

Levels are well designed to be quickly solvable, even if you have trouble executing. You probably be able to figure out what you're supposed to do, it's just that doing it is no piece of cake. As the levels progress, new twists are thrown in, like switches that need to be hit to open gates, and powerups that allow you to recharge your teleporting ability while in mid air (see normally you can only teleport three times - then you must touch the ground to recharge). So catching these powerups while teleporting around a level can get pretty hectic - even being a hair off probably means you've sent Skwugster to his death (you bastard how could you).

There are some little touches to Skwug, like a overworld map that shows progress from level to level - and as you go you start seeing various themes and tilesets which always helps change the pace. It's little touches like these that help add two shakes of "adventure" along with the platformer and puzzle, and I appreciate that. I also liked the steady difficulty curve and inclusion of some shorter levels that just need a couple well-executed (yet tough) moves that are repaid with quick satisfaction. I definitely found myself saying "yessssss" at my TV screen a couple times, which I jotted down so that I wouldn't forget it.

My only real complaint was that Skwug really does rest all of it's gameplay on that one mechanic, so you better like it, and you better get good at it. I would have liked to see a little premise and story (as usual) and maybe some SFX that allowed some of Skwugs personality to shine through better. Considering that I don't remember any music or the SFX right now probably means they didn't do much for me. And then sometimes I thought the game was a bit too picky about how close I need to get Skwug to a switch or powerup to activate it - given that you're forced to warp hectically around the level, some leniency on picking those up would have reduced my frustration level a little.

You will get addicted to this if you have even just one puzzle bone in your body. It's not a graphical showcase but most people who like these types of games play for the challenge and satisfaction of success. But be warned again that figuring out the route to the exit really is only half the battle - you'll need to be quick on the buttons too.

200MP is a good deal, and we might see it come down to 80MP.

Spaceman Review

2009-08-05T15:13:00.008-04:00

Before I get started, a small caveat. With so many releases on XBLIG, I tend to review the ones that grab my attention as true attempts at full blown, attractive, polished games. Hence, many of the games I review are rated well because I tend to spot and then review the good games! To be honest, I have less interest in reviewing games that look poor before I even download them. For that, I usually need a steak dinner, some booze, and some painkillers on hand.

Anyhow, Spaceman caught my attention right away when I saw it available as a new release and then the developer was nice enough to send me a token. Sold. Word of advice though, change the box art to show the cool little spaceman 2D pixel dude in all of his glory - people like that sort of stuff.

Cute spaceman, check. Retro graphics, check. Tough puzzles, check. Spaceman is first and foremost a puzzle game, but in the body of a fun little platformer. Each board tasks the player with grabbing a key and getting to the exit - with the loose goal of rescuing some princess. The only gun you have shoots a purple blob that you can [only] use as a platform, and then you can plant bombs to destroy your blobs and some other blocks. Spikes, cannons, and your own bombs (if you get stuck one-square-adjacent to one) can kill you , but typically the main obstacle is just figuring out the board and the route to the exit.

Most players will quickly realize and potentially gripe that your spaceman cannot jump - which sort of takes away from the platformer feel. But if you hang in there, you'll see why that was a necessary omission as you build steps around the levels to reach higher ground. The first couple boards coax you into getting the hang of that mechanic, thankfully. Still though, traveling upward in cramped spaces can be scream-at-the-television frustrating sometimes - "jump you little shit, just jump!!" "Wait, come back, I didn't mean that, it's just been a long day..."

The boards are well designed in the sense that they offer interesting challenges and unique paths to the solution. The simple drum/bass beat music is nothing special, but feels appropriate and is non-invasive. And like most good puzzle games, there is a nice sense of satisfaction upon figuring out a particular puzzle or board. The simple build-a-platform, and bomb your way to the exit is concise and enjoyable.

I have one little gripe and one large. First the little one. There are some boards that can take too long. It's just one screen tall/wide, and you can feel trapped and/or as if you're progressing very slowly through the board. A careless death means starting over, and there were a couple boards that almost made me put the controller down (of course, gamers today are a bit spoiled in some respects). It would have been helpful to keep all levels open and direct enough to not have the possibility of getting stuck in cramped spaces for 20-30 minutes. Puzzle games tend to thrive on that feeling of "yes, I figured it out!" and if players feel stagnant, they tend to lose interest quickly because there is so little action (for me at least).

Second, I was peeved that I had no way of tracking my progress. By board 12 I had no idea if I was getting somewhere. There was no advancement of the plot, no new items, only a couple enemies/traps. How far along was I? Was there anything else to look forward to? Something simple like a list of boards (naming them can be fun too) that unlock as you progress would have been helpful, which would then allow the ability to replay the ones you've beaten would make tons of sense. As a wish list item, some of the monotony could have been broken up with chapter structure, some plot elements (even basic ones), or old skool Pac Man style cut scenes. The title screen has some spaceship graphics and animation, so I imagine that the developer could have added something to continue the first impression that there is a light, enjoyable rescue story at hand.

Bottom line, any platform/puzzler fans need to have a look at this one because it's got great bones, tough puzzles, and a fun/cute/retro presentation. At 240MP it feels correctly priced as a new release, but could possibly benefit from being an obvious impulse buy at 80MP down the road.

Lazy Review #3

2009-08-03T19:21:00.005-04:00

Who Did I Date Last Night

Ah, if I had a nickle for every time I woke up with that problem. I'd have no nickles. This unusual game entices those browsing the game catalog with a little skin and sexuality. But I can assure you that there is nothing within besides some awkward headshots and B-list bikini models. Now that we've answered that question, we're left with the task of using several clues to match the correct girl's picture. You get three guesses and then it's end-game. I apparently dated a brown/straight haired professional last night, and she was hot as hell. My wife is going to KILL me. I can't recommend this one - the gameplay is shallow and it makes me feel creepy.

Drop Zone

Shooting down stickmen paratroopers can be a good time, please take note. Drop Zone has a retro arcade look/feel and it's exactly the type of game that seems to "fit" on the XBLIG service. More specifically, I love this game as a quick impulse buy at 80MP. If one arcade play costs 25 cents, then this is a steal for lifetime plays at 1 dollar. The concept is simple - shoot down the paratroopers and helicopters and prevent the former from reaching the ground. If they do reach the ground, they run over and plant a bomb on your turret = death. On the plus side, the music/SFX are solid and the exploding stickmen animations are truly satisfying. I was little annoyed that the turret was limited to certain angles of fire and there were not enough - it made aiming difficult. As mentioned, I like this entry as a solid retro arcade $1 purchase. It won't blow your socks off, but it's a simple and fun pick-up-and-play experience.

Crescendo Symphony

Interesting game name. This game got a good deal of attention as being one of the first Japanese games available to English-speakers. When I first fired it up, I was treated to some nice looking Japanese style art and overall the shell of the game looks quite appealing. The game style is a pretty standard side-scrolling shooter, but rather than a spaceship you play as a wand-wielding young anime girl. Your character's bullets are satisfying to fire and I was having a good time for the first couple

minutes of play. But then some flaws started to become apparent. The hit detection on your character is difficult to understand because the avatar is quite large and unsymmetrical, and it seems that only a certain radius 'counts.' Bullets would pass through my legs and sometimes head, so it was tough to figure out where I needed to be. The deal breaker for me was the lack of depth. No powerups, only a handful of static enemies, and the same waves approaching over and over. There might be something 'hardcore' about this that I am missing, but it personally wasn't doing anything for me.

Horn Swaggle Islands Review

2009-08-03T00:27:00.005-04:00

B+

Arrrrrrg. That's the noise that pirates make and it's also the noise I make whenever I hear about a new "tower defense" style game. BUT (and this is a big juicy butt), I commend the developers at Pencel Games for recognizing a platform that is essentially void of this popular and saturated genre - saturated because it's damn fun when done right, I must admit. I don't see an end in sight either.

Yes, strangely Xbox Live Indie Games has no pure standout tower defense game and I've always secretly wondered when we'd see an attempt to sell this drug on the Xbox Live street corner. I theorized that we'd get a quick-and-dirty, PC-ported attempt. Horn Swaggle Islands is not a port though - it's an original and deep tower defense treasure that I hope doesn't get buried. (buried treasure, get it? ahem)

Jumping right in to HSI, (or as I like to call it, "H to the Izzy") you'll notice the simple and effective graphical style, and the appropriately styled music and SFX. I actually really liked the simple voice-over work on the incoming pirates - small touch, big gain. Players are given a tutorial which is helpful, and most people will understand the basic goal of the game, even if the intricacies take a little getting used to. Build towers/turrets to kill waves of inbound pirates who are trying to get from A to B, got it?!

Inherent to the genre is a sort of "casual strategy" as you set up your fortifications and then watch and react to the inbound enemies. Choosing different weapons and upgrades adds to the feeling of customization and progress. It's undoubtedly addictive and entertaining, and HSI fits this description well too.

Horn Swiggles is also one of the deeper tower defense games that I've played, despite not being the flashiest or most unique. There's a great deal of strategy that goes into creating a maze-like route that most effectively leads the pirates through your gauntlet of guns. Allowing players to customize the targeting AI of each turret, and move around turrets on the fly favors those who really like to break down a game and get rooted in the strategy.

Another huge bonus and a main reason I rated this game highly is the sheer amount of game-hours you'll be granted. There are tons of maps to play, and each map will take hours to perfect and complete (especially if you have the cajones for the highest difficulty level). They are well designed to offer different challenges and strategies, like navigating through a series of small islands or guarding the perimeter of one larger island.

I have a couple minor issues that are not deal-breakers but might have been resolvable. First, the default (middle) difficulty level is actually REALLY hard. Don't expect the first 4 unlocked levels to be easy or provide the usual walkable learning curve - it was pretty merciless, which I suppose is the pirate way. But still, for a more casual genre the difficulty felt pretty hardcore, and you'd expect a difficulty curve, not cliff. Second, the interface gives me some fits. It's not an easy chore to translate something that works so nicely with a point-and-click style of play, so I sympathize. Because the game is so hard and seems to require some on-the-fly maneuvering, I found the interface to be too slow, small, and awkward to get that done - so frustration set in a couple of time.

All and all, HSI brings a highly strategic and addictive genre to a platform that was thirsty to drink the tower defense juice. I recommend this to any tower defense fans, or the three other people who may have never played one before. At 400MP, and 30+ housr of gameplay (in my book anyhow), it's a good deal.

Tokens!

2009-08-01T22:43:00.001-04:00

Thanks to all of the developers who are sending me tokens to review your games - it's very helpful for me and my wallet. I have a growing list of reviews to do, and I've just welcomed my first child to the world so I am little busy with that, but I promise to get to them soon. Thanks again.

A Quick Shout Out To xnPlay

2009-07-24T01:41:00.002-04:00

I wanted to shout across the pond to xnPlay, who recently reviewed 3 appplications on Xbox Live Indie Games (World Clock, TheAmazingRumblingHypnoDisc, and 3D Magic Images). More power to yah. I still have trouble selecting the download option on apps without vomiting. Hey the World Clock does look pretty, I'll say that much. Anyhow, we don't always agree on the game reviews, but props for taking a run at 3 apps in a row. Check them out here.

Lazy Review #2

2009-07-23T21:18:00.006-04:00

Chick Chick Chicky

Bah a square-headed green duck!! This new title for Xbox Indie Games (it's official peeps) is best summed up as a Pac Man style game for kids. It's colorful, kid-friendly and you play as a duck or a chick (baby chicken, not a bikini model) that gets chased around a maze by a cat. Collect all of the pellets and get to the exit and you win the level.

It's a pretty simple formula that's time-tested and the cartoony twist can't hurt. The difficulty seems aimed at younger gamers as well because instead of 4 ghosts, you are initially chased by just one cat for the first several levels. This is exceedingly easy as you really can't get trapped. There are some other design twists as well, like worms that pop up and can be snagged for points (sort of like fruit) and it offers multiplayer so you can play with gamer newbs or kids.

I'd say this is probably better suited for the 200MP, but it's not unreasonable at the current 400MP.

Rock Paper Scissors Xtreme!

I'd say that the "Xtreme" is debatable and the exclamation point is just plain deceiving. This is what it sounds like - a game of Rock Scissors Paper. And obviously, it's automatically less extreme when you're so pathetic that you can't play this game in real life with real hands. I mean, at least add something to the basic mechanic - or use creative graphics/animations. Not even the music had me bumpin'.

I am guessing the developer knows exactly what he's up to. My proof is that he also includes a rumble/massage based 'game' and crystal ball 'game' within the same download. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Insult to injury, the developer even plugs his other game while you try to quit out of this one ("Cold War Commander"). So I tried that [simplified platformer with a political satire twist] and it also includes a rumble/massage addition. I think cross-advertising should not be allowed.

Do I have to beg? Please stop. I appreciate the over-the-top themes, and might even smirk with you if this is an intentionally mockery, but we've (can I speak for everyone here?) had enough. You've got skills, so use them for good.

TabeBALL

Last up is a virtual foosball game. Like most games in this category (billiards, ping pong, darts, etc) I always would opt for the real thing, but that's not to say that a well-built game doesn't have its niche. I actually really liked the look of this game (see screenie), with a nice 3D feel and simple interface.

But if you had to name the most important thing about a foosball video game, what would it be? Right, the controls. And unfortunately they are pretty rough. It must not be easy to recreate, especially considering that even real life foosball is challenging to control well. But really, I might as well have been trying to hold my controller with two bananas - there was just no way to make the ball go where I wanted - it was 90% dumb luck. Tilting the players seemed to do nothing to the velocity, and the ball would ricochet more akin to pinball than foosball.

4 of the 5 goals scored came as of result of the player (including the CPU) scoring on itself. There was also a common problem where the CPU was have the ball stuck in a corner for 10-15 seconds. If you like foosball, try the demo and see if you figure out a trick to controlling the ball that I missed. If you do, it might be worth the 200MP.

Nebulon Review

2009-07-21T00:22:00.006-04:00

B+

So it's not exactly like XBLIG was thirsty for another top-down space-themed shooter, but that doesn't mean that one can't be judged on it's own merits and still be loads of fun. I am not entirely sure why it is that indie developers crank these things out like a sausage maker cranks out....sausages, but it's probably because people like them! (ppppshhhht - sound of a beer opening)

The first thing I am going to do is credit the developer, Dark Omen Games. Based on feedback, a new control scheme is being implemented (optional) and re-released. You see, people these days (darn kids!) seem to expect a dual stick control scheme (move ship with one joystick, fire weapon in any direction with other joystick) and Nebulon departed from that recent norm. I'm impressed by the dedication and receptiveness to make a revision - my only concern being how it might impact strategy and gameplay.

See, upon first release, Nebulon intended to use a reticle aiming system. The left joystick controlled movement, but the right joystick was used to aim a reticle, not automatically fire - as a result, moving while firing was much more challenging. Players were forced to move then fire, escaping foes and then turning to take them down from a safer spot. To be honest, it grew on me because it forced a different approach to combat. Will allowing for dual stick controls make it easier? Too easy? We'll see.

On to the fun stuff (wait, that wasn't fun?). Nebulon looks pimp. The actual ship and enemy design are nothing special, and I get slightly urked that so many indie games fall back on simple shapes for characters. However, what makes it look good are the flashy effects and the gooey background. Fun explosions and a unique 'fluidity' to the way characters ripple through background create a gorgeous first impression.

Also noteworthy, the gun is really satisfying. It's not "pew pew pew" and it doesn't have to be a perfect shot - bullets feel heavy and dangerous. Sometimes simple design decisions like this go unnoticed - but add in the aforementioned satisfying explosions and deep SFX, and you've got a cornerstone of a good shooter. The gun just feels good.

"But what about the powerups?!" cries the little gamer in the back row. You'll like them, little fella. There's a simplistic sort of experience system where you collect the remains of enemies and when you have enough you can upgrade your gun. Like many space shooters, staying alive is key to building up your gun's awesomeness, which in turn is really your only chance of staying alive - vicious cycle, but often an expectation of the genre. And you've got a finite number of "bombs" too for those 'desperation' moments.

My issues are primarily with the enemy design. Single blobs combine with other single blobs to form double and triple blobs. I like the combo mechanic, but again I find the simple shapes mundane. Also, these bastards come flying at you at high speeds, and if there are several cruising your way just due to chance, you're really at luck's mercy. Trying to escape to open space often has you running directly at another foe, and the combined speed makes dodging nearly impossible. This lead to some frustrating deaths. Additionally, I found it a bit counter intuitive to wait for blobs to combine, but soon found that single blobs never (rarely?) drop "experience." So there was actually a disadvantage to being quick on the trigger and picking off the little guys before they combine. Not a game-breaker, but a head-scratcher.

Besides that, my only nagging complaint is that if you enter a crowded genre in the indie community, extra effort should be placed on offering something fresh. I didn't really get anything beyond a solid shmup experience - no major risk/reward design decisions beyond the control scheme, and that doesn't have much payoff. Nothing that will lead to more than a couple playthroughs for me personally. It's missing some other common features too, like big bosses and multiplayer - so it might not stack up for players who lean towards those features.

But all and all, fans of the genre should certainly have a look. At 200MP, it's priced well, looks/sounds nice, and is easy to pick up and have fun (aka blowing things up).

Lazy Review #1

2009-07-06T14:02:00.009-04:00

Bennu
Bennu is a physics-based puzzler with a bit of Bionic Commando thrown in. The story/intro was certainly... puzzling, but I do appreciate the attempt at a theme.

Basically you swing your orb around (which apparently is a bird that was transformed, and you use it's beak like a grappling hook or something?) and make contact with bricks of the same color to break them. You can touch colored flames to change the color of your orb.

It actually looks pretty nice and is conceptually strong, if not entirely unique. For me personally, the controls just made me frustrated. I could not make the orb go where I wanted. It felt very floaty and sporadic. With the entire game resting on the controls and physics, I just couldn't get over that. True puzzler fans might have more luck and fun.

Shield Defense
Shield Defense has you controlling a very immobile tank with a very powerful shield that reflects attacks. It's sort of like a tower defense game, where you are the lone tower. Only you're a tank, got it?

The reflection mechanic is pretty fun. It's entertaining to use your enemy's attacks against themselves. As you take down foes, you get money and can upgrade your tank in a number of ways.

It looks solid with cartoony tank graphics and lots of enemies. I have this nagging feeling that I can play something very similar for free with a quick google search - it's just not a very deep experience. And again, the core mechanic (in this case reflecting attacks) just doesn't feel tight or satisfying enough. It was very frustrating when you only had a couple enemies left to beat and it's nearly impossible to reflect the bullets in the direction you want. As the end of each level approaches is actually gets more boring, which is weird.

Actually worth a trial though. It's addicting in the same way that Tower Defense games can be.

Gallery: Landscapes
Yes that's the screenshot. A lake with some mountains. This is yet another screensaver/clock application. I am mostly doing this in order to call out a very worthy and applauded developer, Binary Tweed, who released the well received "Clover" early this year. This is his follow up I guess.

I can only hope this is some sort of twisted experiment. One of the good guys has been bitten. Infected, and spewing puss, he is the walking dead.

We're now at the point where the system is being broken on purpose. People download these apps (out of curiosity, or because they tell all their friends?) and then they appear on both the New Releases and the Most Popular lists. Shitter's full.

Lazy Reviews

2009-07-06T12:05:00.005-04:00

I am starting a new feature called "Lazy Reviews." The idea being, there's tons of games on Xbox Live Indie Games, and not all of them really need an in-depth review. These are generally games that I try out on a whim, not because I've been drawn to it in any way. A good portion might also be the types of games (or apps) that clog up the airwaves. You know, the ones that boil my blood. Rumble Fart Xtreme, and the likes. There might be some well-targeted smaller niche titles too though.

Light's End Review

2009-06-22T21:34:00.006-04:00

A-

Old Skool RPG lovers rejoice, and join me for a celebratory drink! I've been keeping an eye on this one since it's low-key announcement, and I took a couple days to reflect, just to make sure I wasn't overreacting. I wasn't. This is a really cool (and yet modest) game.

Yes, I love RPGs and therefore you can accuse me of a bias, but I would argue that regardless of your like/dislike of RPGs, that Light's End does so many things right that you can still acknowledge it as a great game. Whether or not you enjoy playing it is another story.

First up on the awesome list, innovation. Any game that brings a fresh mechanic to the table and does it well gets points. Light's End approaches the RPG from a new angle and asks the question, "What if you don't just play as one one character, but as all characters?" And I am not referring to a party of characters - I mean you can literally play as anyone that you meet in the game. You just hit 'Y' and a small flame indicates the transfer of control.

Now then, this is cool on a couple levels. First, as a puzzle-solving mechanic it creates some creative scenarios. In order to advance the game, you need to encourage interactions between the right characters - paying attention to dialogue clues can help point you in the right direction, and there are some very clever solutions. (no spoilers here folks) There's also a great amount of well-written dialogue that of course changes depending who you're controlling.

Second, the character-switching mechanic is geniusly tied to the plot. I can't go into detail, but there is a reason why the game is played in this manner and it all comes together in the end. And for a game with no combat (neither turn-based, nor live) and no 'big boss battles' the ending was quite a treat.

You may look at the screenshots, and think that it's nothing special graphically. And it's true, you'll need to appreciate the charm of simple 2D graphics, but it's actually far more appealing once you see it in action - they grew on me. Also, the design is so tight that it becomes easier to love, and some wonderful music tracks raise the bar up again.

All of this said, plenty of people will likely feel starved or grow bored of a game that is primarily based on dialogue and one stand-out character-switching mechanic. There is lots of reading to do, and some puzzle solving that may get tedious for some. You won't fight monsters, gather loot, or explore huge maps. But you will experience a wonderful short story with dynamic characters and some thought-provoking social commentary.

At 200MP, this is a no brainer in my book. It's a tight, unique experience. The auto save feature lets you replay the demo until you make it through the first chapter (nice touch) - so there's no risk in trying it out and seeing if it strikes a chord.

Revenge of the Evil Aliens Review

2009-06-21T00:00:00.005-04:00

B

Oh man those aliens sure are evil. And they want revenge. There's your premise!

Revenge of the Evil Aliens is another eye-catching dual-stick space shooter, with a pretty standard set up, and a focus on a solid shooter experience. The first thing you'll notice when looking at the screenshots is that the game accomplishes an interesting 3D feel to the enemies which provides some depth in an often flat-feeling genre.

You'll be treated to a nice level of polish in most areas, with a full tutorial, multiplayer capabilities and three difficulty levels for replay value. Props for including those - three important elements that some might say should be standard in a shmup, but still deserve being noted.

What I liked most about this game was the powerups - you can really pimp out your ship nicely with some heavy artillery both by collecting different bonus items (increased range, bouncing bullets, etc), and then leveling them via scoring lots of successful hits. It's actually possible to collect and level up all power ups, at which point you can dish out some serious pain.

You also get a a taste of some pretty wacky enemies. Beyond the UFOs of varying toughness, you also fight off floating brains, skulls, and Martian insects. I enjoyed the variation, but on the flipside the randomness had me scratching my head.

My main complaint with RotEA is that it's simply not a long enough experience. With only three levels, good players will zip through this game in a couple hours or less. And then the "I died in a tough spot and now I start with no powerups" disease comes in to play as well. There were a couple spots that left me pretty helpless and fighting a tough sequence over and over.

As a final nice touch, there are some built-in achievements to score which can add to the excitement.

I'd recommend this for any shmup fans who want a good challenge (the highest difficulty is no joke) and at 200MP the shorter experience sits okay with me.

Mind's Eye of Jupiter Review

2009-06-20T18:41:00.008-04:00

This one caught my eye because it's outside of the 'norm' in terms of what you find on Xbox Live Community Games (soon to be Xbox Live Indie Games, don't forget). And I don't mean to say that the norm is bad - just that we are seeing quite a few apps, shmups, and platformers - so this one seemed like a good way to mix it up.

Upon first impression, part of me thought I might have a poor man's Myst on my hands (which would be sweet) and I suppose I was not too far off with that - it's just a matter of how poor, so read on and then you can decide for yourself.

Mind's Eye of Jupiter drops you into a smallish 3D world and your primary agenda is exploration. You aren't given much in the way of an introduction or lead-in, but sometimes that can add to the allure if early visual/text clues are used well. (more on this below)

The 3D environment is okay for an indie - it's hard not to notice the lack of graphical polish in some areas, however. As you skim around the bumpy terrain (no footsteps SFX) it's a bit too easy to imagine the 3D editor creating small peaks and valleys. This is a reminder that polished 2D graphics can still outshine 3D. In fact, even lower end 2D graphics maintain some 'old school charm,' while lesser 3D graphics feel like you're tooling around a level editor.

That said, the initial immersion factor (with help from the ambient music) was high. Most everyone can appreciate the fun of exploring some old ruins and solving the mysteries within.

But to make that work, and keep the player immersed it's very important that any text/dialogue follows suit. This is where Mind's Eye lost me. As you explore the ruins, you come across dialogue cues - hitting a button let's you read what you'd expect to be flavor text - something that advances the plot or creates mood. And there is some flavor text, albeit nothing that really captured me. But some, whisk the player out of the game entirely and remind them that they are in fact on the couch stuffing their face with tortilla chips (and spicy salsa!).

When in game, on a [supposed] deep otherworldly exploration of some mysterious ruins, the text cue "This game is rated IM, for immature" pretty much takes a giant poop on believability, immersion, and all of the hard work that goes into releasing an indie game. The same goes for "Not another game where you need to find a key." Whoops, self-inflicted injury.

Unfortunately, I found this to be a rather fatal flaw, and I put the game down after a couple run-throughs of the demo. I didn't have enough time to complete a quest (because the first one just has you hunting down 15 clay jars, 15?!), so it's possible that later chapters are better.

For me, games of this nature rely heavily on believability and immersion. The player has to be captured by the world and that can hinge on every word they read. As soon as you read something that takes you out of that world and the game is being referenced within the game, the spell is lifted and you want to leave. With a serious and sophisticated set-up (created by the title, box-art, and premise), the self-deprecating humor within Mind's Eye of Jupiter feels entirely misplaced.

Gamers who are looking for a relaxing 3D adventure may still find some enjoyment here. I'd suggest trying the demo to see if you can get past what I could not. At 200MP, if the game can offer 3-4+ hours of gameplay, it might be a fair value.

Angry Barry Review

2009-05-31T13:27:00.005-04:00

I love it when developers let there imaginations loose. This loony, mature, political satire beat-em-up granted me a very enjoyable Sunday morning.

This is the second community games release from Arrogancy Games and I believe this one is the hotter ticket. The premise is a twisted take on all of the current notable political figures/events and despite the nickname/name changes, I don't think anyone will be confused as to who the characters are supposed to be (unless you live in a van down by the river).

This first element that struck me was the very crisp, cartoony art style. It allows for a good deal of exaggeration and makes for some satisfying over-the-top effects. There is also an opening sequence that I could have sworn was a shot of a female's butt walking, but the pan out revealed it to be our protagonist's (Barry's) rear end. I am not sure what that says about me, or potentially the developer's sick imagination. Moving along...

The reason for the 3 emblem score is that there is a great degree of polish beyond the impressive graphics. Also included are special moves, a variety of attacks/combos, varied enemy AI, several unique bosses, storyboard style interludes, a 'hard' mode - and most notably, the ability to play 2 player co-op (awesome). This is the kind of effort that deserves a round of applause.

Small spoiler here, but I really want to mention it. You can pick up a cow and smash enemies with it. Yep, that's right.

So time to get beefy. There are two related issues I had with Angry Barry. First, the endless droves of enemies can be mind-numbing. Sometimes there are so many packed on the screen that I actually was having trouble finding Barry. It's not unusual to go 5 minutes just fighting the same one or two enemies over and over in repetitive fashion. I believe this could have been balanced better by making each enemy tougher to take down (seems that they all take 1 or 2 hits max, besides bosses). On a related front, this repetition may have been an effort to extend the game time, which is understandable because I was able to play through on normal difficulty in about an hour, without dying.

So this, for me, is another example of quality over quantity. It can still sting when you realize that that you've nearly exhausted the playability in a single sitting, but it was a memorable experience. Angry Barry is appropriately priced at 400MP and the developer does make mention in the game that he struggled with that choice - which is something I actually found refreshingly honest, not arrogant.

Any old sckool beat-em-up fans should definitely have a look for a unique and current take on an old genre. Head over to the Arrogancy Games website, or the Xbox Live Community Games Catalog for more info.

Chalked Review

2009-05-26T17:03:00.006-04:00

C+

You ever order a nice big steak, and the waiter comes over with it, and it's sizzling with goodness, and you're drooling - then you take that first big bite and you're met with bland chewiness? That was my Chalked experience. Only instead of steak...it was a video game. I wasn't eating the game but...okay you get it I hope.

This game is busting at the seams with style and builds you up with a really cool indie look and feel. The 3D graphics are simple but attractive, with a gray palette that reflects the game's name. The soundtrack is a catchy rhythmic 'a cappella' which was a risky choice but it really gels well with the style. The title screen is pretty slick too and when I jumped in to the game I really thought I had a 'sleeper' in my hands.

Even the concept is strong and could really work with some tweaking and polish. There are tall fellas and short fellas. The tall ones have to bomb the buildings, and the short ones have to stop the tall ones from doing so - you can play on either side. You spawn in to a chalky city and the elaborate game of tag begins.

But somewhere after you take you first couple steps, Chalked goes up in dust. As the bombers, you just have to avoid the short guys and bomb the buildings. But brutal camera controls and awkward movement are mostly frustrating and getting clipped by a short fella with no way to avoid or dodge is just plain annoying. As the 'diffusers' you spend time trying to find the bombers and tagging them, which is an exercise in awkwardly running around after guys who are running in the opposite direction at a very similar speed. That's it.

Because the run speeds are preset and static and all you can really do is run, the intensity and fun level are quickly diminished. No powerups, no speed boosts, no leaping, no attacking, shooting, or dodging. Just running. The short fellas do have the ability to place 'flags' which essentially calls for some help from AI teamates who will patrol that area to stop bombers - but this is a very passive mechanic with a low satisfaction level. I think most players would prefer to be lone hero with more abilities, and baddy-stopping power, rather than calling for aid with the press of a button and watching the basic AI interact.

With the main mechanic being "tag" and "avoid getting tagged" the developers would be wise to add some strategy around that element. Adding an expendable speed boost, some powerups, or a dive animation (or all of the above maybe) would allow for strategic and skilled gameplay. What if the tall guys can dodge, but the short guys can throw chalk spears? What if the camera could be quickly positioned in a top-down view for better scoping of the area? Granted, this is all easier said than done, but a couple months of testing and polishing could do wonders.

With so much going for it in the art and presentation categories, I honestly hope the devs take a crack at going back to the drawing board to add some gameplay features. Lot's of potential here. At 400MP, I'd suggesting having a crack at the demo to see if the gameplay strikes you differently, and making a call from there.

Johhny Crush Review

2009-05-20T13:18:00.004-04:00

Pretty cool box art. And you get to fight a penis monster (see screenshot below). I mean did it really need a pink texture?

It's a fearsome phallic foe! A sausagey centipede! A boner battle! Okay I am done. But seriously, come on.

What we have here is a decent attempt to make the first noteworthy FPS available to Community Games. Johnny Crush takes all of your favorite guns used in almost every FPS ever made (assault rifle, shotgun, chaingun, yada yada), and pits you against big insects in a city-like setting. My 'originality' meter is going flaccid (sorry) but I will give a quick high-five for delivering a playable FPS with solid graphics and fun guns. It's also easy to load up and just start splattering insects, with little concern for any sort of story/plot - and sometimes that's just what people are looking for.

Where this game falls short is the actual gameplay. We can certainly forgive Johhy Crush for the lack of AAA-level graphics and polish, and given the context it can certainly hold it's own on delivering fun visuals. But man oh man, be prepared to backpedal. With the drone-like AI that simply spawns and hones in on your location, and the wide open city streets, the ONLY way to play this game seems to be to back-back-back-that-shit-up with guns blazing. If you get your back against the wall, you're in trouble and usually you just try to escape to a new area so you can backpedal some more.

Regardless of the repetitive and somewhat mindless backpedaling extravaganza, it's not like players can't have a good deal of fun. I mean after all, it's an FPS with killer insects. The kicker however is the cost. This game needs to be marketed and delivered as the very-poor-man's Halo and at 800MP, that's just not cheap enough. It's going to be very hard to undercut the AAA titles, XBLA, and the bargain bins, with that ambitious top-level price tag. I hate to say it, but it's going to rub people the wrong way.

I admire the ambition, and believe this would definitely be a better, recommendable experience at 200MP. You'll have to really like FPSs, insects, and/or giant johnsons to shell out the cost of 2-4 smaller fun titles.

Karnn Age

2009-05-18T22:15:00.007-04:00

B-

Oh I get it. Karnn Age, like Carnage! Like "Total Carnage!!" from Smash TV! Isn't that snazzy.

Karnn Age is a throw back to the high-intensity top-down shooters of old, and it definitely doesn't fail to deliver on those expectations. There is a nice dose of that here. You control a small shirtless man-beast commando style dude with a crazy gun and you splatter all sorts of weird insect themed enemies in a small square game region. How's that for a one sentence summary? (answer = awesome)

I was kind of hoping to see what my pals overseas at XNPlay had to say about this one first, because I've been riding the fence for days. I've fired Karnn Age up many times now and sometimes I am in the mood for this sort of mindless action and sometimes I feel like I put an old piece of gum in my mouth. Which is gross and should be avoided.

Here's what's good. First of all, the "intro" or attempt at a story is one of the most hilariously ridiculous things I have ever seen. Karnn Age is certainly not a game that takes itself too seriously, which is mirrored by the trailer, and of course the game's title. That's a plus in my book, at least for this type of game - you can get away with that. It's got a nice pick-up-and play control scheme, a solid variety of enemies/bosses, and it's seriously challenging on the higher levels. And last, it has a replay mode if you want to bath in your own glory.

But I have a meaty favorite known 'as beef.' First, the game region is a rectangle (*fart noise). It's very restrictive and uninteresting. Injury to insult, in this scenario it's unfortunate to discourage players from using the outer boarder of this rectangle - which is what is Karnn Age does by having a crazy-ass sun attack you (a la Super Mario Brothers?) if you step on the sand. It's not a bad/risk reward mechanic but probably not best suited for game that already has you doing 180s in a little box. I need that space just to get some space, man! :) Karnn Age also sort of screams for multiplayer, but that's not a simple request of course.

But like any strong, informative, and helpful review, "ahem," I can highly recommend this to a particular group(s) of gamers. It only takes a glance at the trailer or gameplay videos to know that it's a high-octane shooter. You'll be scrambling away from countless enemies and bullets - it's about survival, killing, and bragging rights. Yes, you like that? Then you like this.

With mid-level graphics and sound I believe this to be attractive at 400MP but mostly for those who got really excited at the very notion of this type of game. It probably would have attracted more of the masses for a quick taste of mayhem at 200MP. Enjoy the splatterfest.

Trino Review

2009-05-14T23:26:00.011-04:00

A-

When I sat down to play this one I sort of thought to myself, "Oh man another game with basic geometry as the premise, bleh." Based on the score you can tell that I underestimated how fun triangles can be. All those other shapes can go to hell. Yeah I said it.

But Trino is more than just a shape-based game with an average mechanic. Is has tight intuitive gameplay, slick (but modest) graphics, and most of all, character. That's what made this game stand out for me - it doesn't stop at "create triangles to trap baddies." Trino goes a step further to create a game with a little blobular hero, and the fits together the pieces (SFX, music, animation, AI, effects) to drive a comprehensive theme home. It feels complete, like an equilateral triangle.

Trino is a very peaceful game. That's not to say it can't make you sweat a little, but I really appreciated the calm atmosphere created by 'swimming' around and trapping encroachers. The soothing SFX and music really make this the type of game you can fire up when you just need a break from it all.

The mechanic that the game stands on should be clear by now. You create triangles that when closed off, trap and kill anything inside. It's essentially your weapon. It's a strong mechanic, and certainly one to base a game around, but that's going to be hit or miss for some players. The developers did a good job of realizing that even a cool mechanic like this can get old after 15 min or so, so they smartly added powerups that can alter the amount of triangles you can make and number of sides you can create on screen at one time. This is well balanced with the increasingly bothersome baddies who learn how to hone in on you and destroy your triangles at the axis. Also, the means to advancing levels is pretty innovative, as you're required to powerup the axis of the level then connect them all to "close out" the whole board. Pretty slick and adds some challenge as you navigate around the perimeter.

I don't really have any major criticisms beyond, "what you see is what you get." Even with level shape variance, powerups and soforth, you pretty much do the same thing throughout the game - so you better like the foundation this game is built on. I wouldn't have minded a little narrative describing the setting, but many players would disagree there saying it's mostly ignored anyhow in a game like this.

I do recommend this game for anyhow who read the description and is intrigued. If you're like me and think it's just another gimmicky shape game (at first glance), I'm here to tell you that it delivers beyond that. Enjoy - it's fairly priced at 400 MP.

Halfbrick Echoes Review

2009-05-12T19:08:00.012-04:00

B+

I have to be upfront here and tell you all that I did not purchase the full game on this review. So take that for what you will. Halfbrick decided to limit the demo to only one play-through (aka you can't reply the demo levels more than once - eek) so my playtime is quite limited. I honestly don't like this move and find it a bit aggressive. I understand the need to limit the content, but limiting that content to one play-through... stings. I'll be curious if that has a positive or negative effect on sales. They almost got an "ah f*ck it" sale out of me, but I decided to hold strong. I often like to try a demo a couple times before making a decision.

On a positive note, what I did play was quite cool. This is another well-polished release from Halfbrick and while I was not a large "Halfbrick Blastoff" fan, I was in fact the minority there. It's really fantastic to see Halfbrick's devotion to high quality development on the XBCGs and they are doing a good job of developing a noteworthy brand.

What Halfbrick does best, is something they nailed again here with Echos. It has a very simple, very addicting, pretty innovative mechanic. You basically control a character from the a top-down view and race around collecting crystals while avoiding the baddies that spawn. The catch is that the baddies trace the exact path that you just ran to get the crystal, so you have to plan accordingly. Add in a really interesting array of maps, smooth controls, several game-types (including multiplayer), and lots of power-ups, and you get a really addicting face-paced "free roaming Pac Man." (that was off the cuff, sorry)

One thing I like too is that Halfbrick does put some effort in to creating a theme. This time there is a light story about a woman who "falls" in to her Salvador Dali studies, which then sets the foundation for the various map settings. It's not deep or taken too seriously, but it's there and it helps. I'd actually like to see Halfbrick make an effort to go one step further on this front, because the ideas/themes are fun, but they usually leave a robust story and narrative out.

And I give 1 bonus point for letting the player mess around with the credits. :)

If you like fast, addictive, and straightforward gameplay, then I think I can safely recommend this to you at 200 MP. Halfbrick is establishing itself as a reputable developer that knows how to get things right and deliver fun high quality games. I send my plea to let us play your demo more than once!! (had to twist the knife one more time)

Heck of a May

2009-05-11T10:40:00.003-04:00

It's been a strong couple weeks of releases for XBCG. Either I am getting good at pre-judging based on box art, or there really is a surge of solid titles to play. Some notable releases:

Clover (Binary Tweed)
Trino (Trinoteam)
Halfbrick Echos (Halfbrick)
Karnn Age (Karnn Age)
Orbyx (no site that I can find)

Even more good news, the developers seem to actually be promomting their games! Hey, good thinking. :) Through my casual exploration, I've come across light promotion and/or development websites for each of these games. Two big steps in the right direction.

Reviews for these are completed aleady or in da works, so stay tuned.

Clover Review

2009-05-11T09:28:00.007-04:00

A-

Hear that? That's the sound of fresh air blowing into the Community Games section of your Xbox Live. Take a deep breath of it.

I could write 3 pages about Clover, but at some point my ramblings must become boring, and you should really just go play it for yourself. Now before I over-hype, I will say that this type of game is obviously not for everyone (how many really are?), but it fills an empty niche on the XBCG platform and will be a huge hit in the minds of many.

Clover is self-described as a platforming-puzzler-adventure game. And yes that's about right, but you won't be bopping on the heads of enemies. You will likely be overwhelmed with nostalgia in certain moments - although I am not sure exactly for what (only the town sections of Zelda 2 come immediately to mind for me). The primary mechanics and gameplay involve item collection and puzzle-solving via narrative. You don't carry a weapon, you cannot fight or shoot lasers out of your eyes - you just have an adventure to go on, so hop to it.

There are so many things that Clover does right, that I basically just have to list them, or else proceed with the aforementioned 3 page review. So then: Beautiful watercolor-based graphics, amusing SFX, great story (with a political tie-in should you look for it), fun characters, easy to pick-up gameplay, excellent puzzle/clue design, and a great "mood." For me, my favorite aspect is that I was able to jump in to a totally unique (yet modest) world, become entirely immersed, and achieve a strong sense of reward every time I figured out a solution.

So what then, could I possibly have beef with? Oh don't you worry. ;) I have a small list of gripes that are of course subjective and may not be issues with some. I honestly found the music to be spot-on and very moody initially, but after 15 minutes or so it was actually grating on my brain. It's purely piano, and very repetitive sort of jarring piano without much of a melody. Second, some may find fault in the short length of the game combined with low replayablity - though you should try to be in the "quality-over-quantity" mindset. Last, as is often the case with adventure-puzzlers, you may find yourself doing much mindless backtracking and running around while you try to manage your inventory and solve the puzzles. It comes with the territory I suppose (and the developer did actually build in one 'quick-travel' solution) but I found myself *sighing several times upon realizing I needed to travel ALL the way back across the gameworld to get what I needed.

As a final word, and without giving away too much, players will experience a rather unique ending and one that I did not expect to find. In my mind, it creates the urge for a sequel so we'll see what the developer (Binary Tweed) says about that. I definitely recommend this game to just about anyone, unless you have an aversion to puzzle-adventure-platformers (I like to mix the order up - keeps things fresh) At 400 MP it's not so much a value pick as it is an indulgence. It's like that small tub of Ben and Jerry's you keep in the freezer.

Orbyx Review

2009-05-08T09:37:00.011-04:00

"ORBYX!" (in a robot voice). That's what you hear when you launch this new pachinko-style game on XBCG. I guess the idea here is that we're blowing up orbs with bouncing flaming cannonballs - sounds good to me.

Some of you might be familiar with this type of gameplay because this pachinko mechanic has become quite popular recently. You essentially aim your shots at at the board, trying to blast specific orbs away, and build up mega scores and combos with all of the ricochets. It's quite addicitive, I must admit. It's as if every shot has a dose of strategy paired with the rush of a gamble. It's easy to play and enjoy a couple rounds, or a couple of hours of rounds. It's sort of like getting to play Plinko over and over and much as you want. (no cash prize though, booooo) Oh and that's a Price is Right reference.

Orbyx adapts this simple mechanic well, and you're going to enjoy a crisp game with solid production value. There's plenty of levels/boards to play, and it's very easy to learn the basics. You can preview your shot in order to get a feel for the first couple bounces that will occur - which is pretty key when you get down to your last couple shots.

For me personally, the randomness of the third/fourth/fifth unpredictable bounce lends itself to a bit too much luck. After you plan your initial shot, there's quite a bit of sitting and watching your ball (sorry, I mean flaming cannonball) take it's course. Sometimes you catch a break and start landing unforeseen combos, sometimes you get screwed and the balls just bounces once/twice and then manages to hit nothing else. Not that 'chance' is a bad element in a game, but there's quite a bit here.

Orbyx adds a wealth of frills that add to the experience. There is an element of 'magic spells' that you can unleash if you collect the 5 letters to spell m-a-g-i-c. There's zoom-in and slow-mo action as you come close to beating a level, and there is a great array of SFX that really add to the fun addicitive nature of bouncing around the boards. All-the-while, the graphics and backgrounds are rich, colorful, and deep.

In that same vein however, you might find that the mixmash of prominent themes sort of clash a bit. From the opening, which sounds robotic, to the techno breakbeats, concept of flaming cannonballs (medieval?) and then elven princesses, magic spells, and fantasy style music tracks....I was a bit lost. In someways it does keep things interesting and adds variety, but I would have personally preferred if the developer picked one and really drove it home. With the four female fantasy characters and magic themes, I think that would have worked just fine to carry that through. Maybe even go one step further down the RPG/fantasy road and add a leveling/experience system and maybe a shop to buy powerups and items from, etc. There's room for innovation. (granted you might only attract a certain audience that way)

So Orbyx is a fresh take on a popular style of game and it's great to have this option on XBCG, especially at this level of polish. A 400 MP, I believe it's fairly priced considering it could keep you going for 30+ hours of gameplay. So it really just comes down to whether or not you like the basic game mechanic of pachinko. If you do, you should snatch this up faster than you can say "Elven robot techno cannonballs." ;)

Hieronymus Bash Review

2009-05-06T20:48:00.004-04:00

B+

When I play a game like this, it really makes me appreciate the XBCG community and what it's bringing to the table. This is clearly a project that was a labor of love for the developers, and something tells me they had a ton of fun and laughs creating it.

If you think the name is a little 'out there' wait until you see the title screen. I have to point it out because I was laughing for a good minute trying to figure out what I was looking at. Two ears with a switchblade coming out of it? A little creature climbing a ladder in to a woman's butt? Priceless.

So once you jump in, you'll find it's a nice pick-up-and-play design. It's dodgeball platformer style, with a strong (funny) thematic twist. You pick devils and angels to play with (either team or free-for-all) and the balls are actually human souls!! That may sound horrific but it's actually very light-hearted. You jump and float around (A button), pick up balls and throw them at your opponents (both using Right Trigger). You can also use a well timed push of the Right Trigger to cancel out an incoming hit (catch). The simple play also allows for dedicated players to master the dodgeball trade.

As hinted at, the graphics and theme are strong (while a bit odd/random). There's a nice variety of levels to play and they are well-designed for fast paced action. The controls are tight and responsive. And the SFX/music follows through well on the quirky theme. We're not at the high end of what we've seen graphically on XBCG, but it's a very nice 2D presentation.

So as you can tell, I feel this game has much going for it. There's really only one design decision that brings it down for me, but it's sort of a big deal, and I am sure it was something the developers thought about. It's heavily aimed at multiplayer. In fact, the game originally 'shipped' with only a multiplayer aspect, but the devs smartly re-released with a 'bot' element allowing for single player dodgeball action. While bot play helps, the game still really requires that you have a good group of gamer friends to play with in order to get full enjoyment out of it. It's a shame too, because the mechanics are tight enough where I could envision a full single player campaign using all of the same set pieces.

I did convince my wife to sit down and play with me (second time this year maybe?) and it confirmed that this game is really easy to pick up, much more fun when playing with friends, and that my wife is in fact always going to be terrible at video games. Ahhh well.

The bottom line is, grab this game sooner rather than later if you have a group of friends to play it with. It's a good deal at 200 MP, and if you're a family of gamers this would also be a solid battle game (in the spirit of Mario Brothers battle mode) for the family. If you're more of a solo gamer and/or are looking for a strong single player aspect, it's probably a pass. My hat is off to the devs though, nice presentation and delivery - and bonus points for following through on a great wacky theme.

Find Teddy! Review

2009-05-04T12:04:00.005-04:00

B+

Move along hardcore gamers, nothing to see here. Wait wait wait come back!! If you've been gaming for awhile, you may very well have some kiddies at home squirming around on the carpet and tugging on your headset. And if you're anything like me, you fully plan on teaching your offspring the ways of gaming. (start 'em young right?)

Well, welcome aboard kiddos, Find Teddy is here. This game targets younger children, and you'll probably need to help them get started. If you can be a little less selfish with the controller, you should consider handing it over to the little nuggets for a turn with this one. See the end of this review for helpful arguments on why this makes a TON of sense.

The gameplay in Find Teddy is appropriately simple and has a learning quality to it. For some of you, this may even be a bit reminiscent of the games you used to find in magazines and books when you were a child. (Highlights 4 life, yo) You are given some visual clues and a grid full of colorful Teddies. The clues help you narrow in the correct Teddy according to their outfits, and then it's as simple as making your guess. (see screenshot) As you/your child get better at this, you can move up in difficulty levels and further hone your detective skills.

I really like the presentation here in Find Teddy. It's big, colorful, simple, fun and uses the lovable, gender-friendly, classic teddy bear - all good design decisions. There's even a feature similar to build-a-bear where you can use the outfit items to customize your own bear, which is a great touch. The controls are usually on screen so that children always have a reference.

On my wish list I would put 'effects.' Kids are in sensory overload these days with the new breed of TV shows and to keep pace, I believe this game could have benefited with some attention to graphical effects and maybe some higher-end animation. Maybe some flashy fireworks when the right Teddy is chosen, or they do a funny dance to a hip-hop beat, etc. Maybe wrong choices pop the balloons that are on screen - you see where I am going. There are some basic animations along these lines, but my humble opinion is that more is almost always better when trying to maintain a child's short attention span. More visual reward/penalty cues to make the little ones giggle. :)

I'd also say this game could benefit from a 200 MP price point, as it currently sits at 400 MP which unfortunately isn't competitive (right now) for a game of this nature. With a simple premise/mechanic at the heart of this one, it might gain more traction at the lower price point.

Find Teddy, accomplishes what it sets out to do, and does it well - which gets big points in my book. As promised, here's some other arguments you may want to employ if you are facing a certain resistance to gaming in your household:

1. Find Teddy is educational. It's also a video game. Win/win.

2. It's a bonding experience with your mini-you and quality family time.

3. It's budget friendly and cheaper than another Pixar DVD.

4. "You take the garbage out, I am busy educating our child."

Don't use the last one.

Wordzy Review

2009-04-30T00:01:00.011-04:00

B+

Sometimes I need a good smack upside the head. You see, I forget that games don't need guns swords, explosions, zombies, or totally sweet graphics to be fun and serve a purpose. Wordzy gave me a nice SMACK tonight. Just don't play this game when you're hungry or all you will think of of is five letter foods. Cheese, cheese, cheese, chips, chips, chips, nachos!!

The premise is fairly simple, however my thick noggin would have appreciated a more robust tutorial because it took me a bit to get situated and understand my goal. Essentially, you need to figure out an unknown 5-letter word. The only way to do this is to spell other 5 letter words to gain clues towards the winning word. Letters become colored to indicate how close you're getting, and then you make your next attempt. Uncover the winning word, and well, you win!

Like many word games, Wordzy caused my brain to begin leaking after 15 minutes or so, but the competitive nature inside me kept me addicted to uncovering those special words. I started to figure out strategies surrounding vowels and made sure every word I spelled tested out more common letters. There's a couple obvious game types including one where you race a clock in case you want some extra pressure. While I didn't get to test it out, this game will shine in the multiplayer play mode. Going head to head against a friend or family member would be a blast, and you might learn a new word or two.

I don't have any major gripes because this game accomplishes what it sets out to do. It's not flashy by any means, but most people who download this one aren't looking for Resident Evil 5. It would have been nice to add some themed backgrounds and maybe some more simple graphical effects just for the sake of polish and appeal. And a clue system would have been appreciated, to help players with tougher words, but maybe I am just not hardcore wordzy enough.

What I like about this game is that it's so well aimed at it's intended audience. It's not for everyone (given the aforementioned lack of the items above), but it a fun, affordable (200 MP)word puzzle game with an educational twist. I recommend this for gamer families, wordsmiths, and parents who want their kids to use their Xbox to help their children learn, not just tweak their twitch reaction times.

Zoom Review

2009-04-28T09:34:00.005-04:00

C-

Ever feel like getting in a rocket car and blasting off at 5000mph?! That's somewhere on my top 10 list of things I wish I could do rather than sitting at this desk.

Anyhow, Zoom is all about going really fast. I can't help it...I really wanted this to play like F-zero and it doesn't. But I swept that out of my mind while playing. Think of this game more like you're trying to break the landspeed record in the year 2100. The only thing you're racing here is the speedometer.

This won't be a long review, because that about it. Accelerate, and go as fast as you can until you "crash." I didn't feel that the controls were very tight (very slippery) which is sort of key in a game like this. Sometimes the road was very straight, other times is was clearly too curvy to navigate at all.

What does work is the sense of speed. It does feel pretty damn fast. But the SFX, which could have been used to really help ripple the player's face skin, are bare bones. There's no explosions, or sparks - no checkpoints, banked corners, etc. It's just a flat road, and each attempt will probably only take you 10-15 seconds before veering off the road.

This doesn't really feel like a complete game to me. It is fun for several attempts at a top speed, but the novelty wears off quickly. If you're a crazy speed-junky, or a junky speed-monkey, have a look.

Strike Force Psi Review

2009-04-24T09:31:00.007-04:00

C+

If there was a way to give a game an A for the first 2 min of gameplay, I would have. I just did. This game has a great initial hook - it looks damn cool and the controls are solid.

You play as a no-name special ops-type fella and you jump around this side-scrolling platformer blasting bad guys - pretty straightforward premise here. The main character's design is appealing and brought me back to my Counterstrike days. His animations are equally well done and he plays/controls tightly. The background art is quite nice (see pics) and while the foreground platform designs are standard and repetitive, they get the job done. The music matches the scenery well, and the SFX are minimal but effective.

As mentioned, I think most people will enjoy the look, feel, and gameplay upon firing it up. You've got a cool gun and some grenades and you take off gunz-a-blazing. But my main concern here is the lack of depth and variety.

The game never becomes a platformer in the sense that you really need to 'platform.' You just need to shoot your way to the end of the level. The baddies are really a lot like muppets - it's almost like they want to play some counting games and walk up to say hello. BAM. And then.....BAM BAM BAM all the way to the end. They all take one bullet to kill and they rarely even get a shot off if you keep firing. It's actually hard to miss too because they are usually running right at you on the same platform. I have to admit though I did burst out laughing several times after mowing through about 15 of these muppets in 3 seconds, so I guess there is some satisfaction there.

What I am getting at is that there are no real game mechanics beyond the basic jump/shoot. No taking cover, or bionic arm, or grabbing ledges, or bouncing off enemies, etc. You can crouch but I am not sure why. There are no powerups, no additional weapons, and only one basic type of enemy (which of course limits strategy/difficulty). I blew through the full game in about 20 minutes, and there's no boss(es). They only thing halting my progress was my carelessness. (one bullet kills you too, buddy)

Honestly, the look and feel of this game suggests some serious potential. It just needs something else to make it chewable and challenging. Even something like a time trial challenge would add some substance where you can try to burn through the cardboard AI as fast as possible.

If you like run-and-gun sidescrolling shooters, this one will give you a nice sense of satisfaction and is worth a quick playthrough while you wait for your Hot Pockets to heat up. ;)

Important Notice

2009-04-23T10:07:00.003-04:00

Nick Gravelyn has waved his wand again and bestowed his new XBCG website that is fully comprehensive, sortable, and now has a user ranking system. (which is remarkably well populated after only a couple days)

-So click the link.
-Then bookmark the site.
-Then rate the games you've played.
-And spread the word.

ArkX Review

2009-04-21T23:58:00.010-04:00

"Breakin' blocks, breakin' blocks. Whatcha gonna do?" Sorry, COPS marathon was on tonight.

ArkX is a game where you have to break all of the blocks with a bouncing ball and paddle - sound familiar? That's right retro gamers, an Arkanoid/Breakout-style game! Heyo! So without going into tons of unneeded detail, many of the same classic concepts are present - different blocks in different formations, powerups to aid you, powerdowns that frustrate you, and a variety of different obstacles to navigate your ball around.

Starting with the pros, I do like the big colorful style, beefy block graphics, and simple control scheme. It's not flashy or cutting edge, but it doesn't really need to be. There is also a quick-slide for your paddle to get quickly from left to right (using the triggers) which was a smart move and saved me a couple times when I was juggling three balls. I also thought that the angles and physics were true to the classic (as I remember them) and easy enough to pick up and play right away. Boss battles and a wide-variety of boards will keep you entertained for a good while.

Two main critiques. The starting ball speed is verrrryyyy ssssloooow for my taste. I think a bit faster rate of play would increase the intensity and fun factor. And oh man if you pick up a "slow ball" powerup, you can grab a coffee break between each bounce. And then when you have to pee, you can take a pee break between every bounce. Second, some of the backgrounds are a bit distracting. Most are fine and actually well-done, but a couple of them were so active and warp-like that I was getting nauseous.

On my wish list, I would have liked to see more flashy effects and more creative power ups. For a game that has been rehashed many many times, you sort of need to up the ante yah? Everyone loves explosions! Also, remember that even the first Arkanoid had a bizarre story involved? (something about a mothership?) It would have been nice to see a story or strong theme attached to the gameplay - the possibilities are endless there. It could be planet/space/star themed, or sports themed, or mutant-blob themed - something to capture a little imagination and give it some flavor.

My recommendation is simple. This is a simple but classic production, and good fun. If you are fan of the classic brick-breakers, this is for you. At 200 MP, it's correctly priced as a value buy worth many of hours of gameplay. There's a ton of levels and it's an entirely family-friendly throw-back.

Xeno Arena Review

2009-04-19T00:10:00.010-04:00

B

We have a little sleeper game here. I am officially addicted to getting my ass handed to me by quick little alien buggers. I have to admit I was initially very frustrated with the twitch-like combat, but it has sort grown on me.

Xeno Arena is a top down shooter, a shout out to some classic arcade style games. You're plopped in a large 'facility' with randomly generated maps, and tasked with diving as deep in the levels as possible without dying from the swarming baddies. You get one life - die, and you start back at level 1. I have only made it to level 9 after about 3-4 hours of play.

This game does many things right. First, I love that the developer stuck with a true top-down perspective (as opposed to isometric) because it creates a more strategic game with full visibility. The gameplay is simple and satisfying, and the music sets the eerie mood perfectly (each track is quite dark but notably well-done). I have found three guns (automatic, shotgun, and flamethrower) that pack good punch. The 'fog of war' mechanic is a nice add-on to the creepiness factor, and the mini map is a life saver.

Randomly generated levels can be a bit of a love/hate situation. For this type of game I believe it works well, but that feeling that a computer is just spitting out a lump of 'whatever' is present. It makes searching for the exit more challenging because you never know where it (or anything for that matter) is going to be. Sometimes I can't find the shotgun - sometimes it spawns in a place that I can't miss it - it all depends.

I have my gripes (when do I not?). The enemies in the early levels are VERY fast, about 3x faster than your character. That means there is no way in hell you can run away, and it's often impossible to see the bastards before they are at your feet ("fog of war" factors makes this tougher too). This was a weird choice for a first enemy, and something that may put-off people testing the demo. With an aiming system that can take some getting used to, I had some early moments of frustration, spinning around wildly while they gnawed on my knees.

And of course, there is literally zero attempt at a story. Hit 'start' and that's it. A little effort here would have been nice, even if it was just some basic context as to what was going on.

This game has 'A' potential if it focused a bit more on enemy/weapon variety and maybe added powers ups. The first 9 levels only sport 3 weapons and 2 enemies - eek. Co-op play would be incredible of course, because it's this type of shooter that benefits ten fold when playing with a friend. Last, the developer would have been smart to incorporate a leaders board for lowest level achieved - you'd have a lot of people hooked sir!

All-and-all this is one of the most additive games I've played on XBCG and outside of some basic wish-list stuff it's a tight package at 200 MP. It's got that old-skool difficulty which some people still find charming. I now have to play again to try to get past level 9. I just have to!

I suggest trying the Xeno Arena demo out - and if you buy it let me know how low you can go.

A Wizard's Odyssey Review

2009-04-17T00:12:00.014-04:00

Okay so if you couldn't tell already, I am massive dork. So when I review a game like A Wizard's Odyssey I might (just maybe) turn into a dork snob and become a tad hypercritical. Any sort of fantasy-based, dungeon crawling, level-upping gets my attention and then I tend to apply high standards that comes with playing so many games within this genre. So you may want to take the C rating lightly.

Anyhow, A Wizard's Odyssey is basically the only game of this sort on XBCG and that's because it's not a simple type of game to make - you need loads of content, believable graphics and animations, a leveling system, strong collision detection, a quest system, a map interface, spell effects, etc etc. Oh and story helps.

I enjoyed what the game set up in terms of mood, with a storyboard intro, solid fantasy-style music, and old skool world map. However, the story was picked right from the cliche tree of boringness and combined with the graphics squeezed from mediocrity fruit. It just feels a bit cardboard, where as I think if the developer had focused on polishing one OR the other, I'd have much better taste in my mouth. Or some might argue that the third major staple in this genre is LOOT, and this game is shallow there as well. I don't need/want loot farming personally, but it's a decent hook and kept me playing Diablo for far too long.

Some other things done right - the four spells (earth, fire, wind, water....no heart? - please email if you understand that reference and we'll do coffee) are fun to play around with and they each do serve a purpose that can be put to use strategically. See, you play a wizard, so there is no sword swinging. The dev decided to have 'wind' be a sort of melee attack, while fire creates a standard ranged attack, and earth is a mid range AoE attack - not too shabby. And these elemental spells can be upgraded to become more satisfying and powerful. And while the graphics may not be impressive, I was impressed by the wide range of foes developed (granted they are not original either, but there's a ton of 'em!). Last, the game supports multiplayer - something I would have liked to have tested.

Again, to be clear, I greatly appreciate this entry into XBCG and it's impressive accomplishment for any solo/small team effort - it just unfortunately doesn't meet most of the standards that players tend to place on this genre nowadays. I had fun mashing through enemies and getting a dose of fantasy gaming, but there just wasn't anything to sink my nerdy teeth into. As mentioned, if the dev would go back to upgrade the graphics (more the textures actually), or add a compelling backstory/setup I think it would make a huge difference.

If you're looking for an experience that might remind you of the original Gauntlet, or want some casual spellcasting dungeon crawling, grab the demo and see if it works for you. It's the best of it's kind at the moment. (400 MP)

Colosseum Review

2009-04-15T09:50:00.010-04:00

A

Wow. Stop reading my review and go get this. At 400 MP it's the best deal I have come across. But I am getting ahead of myself here. And I was just kidding! Please keep reading.

I had been following this game for awhile as it was undeniable from early versions and screenshots that production value was high and that a strong team was behind it. I've finally had a chance to download and play the full version (which was priced at 800 MP originally, FYI).

The only reason you shouldn't be buying Colosseum is if fighting games just aren't your cup of blood. It's a high-action fighter with an abundance of moves/combos/weapons etc - it's actually more diverse/deep than some AAA fighters you may have played. The cell shaded graphics are gorgeous and I believe special recognition should go to the animator who did a fantastic job of creating tons of fluid animations that basically feels like a comic book come-to-life.

The story is what you might expect (a bit shallow), but this is cleverly mocked by the characters in the game - and the dialogue is actually quite hilarious, delivering jabs at cliches of the fighting game genre. Furthermore, there is a whole Macy's full of unlockable gear that you can buy to upgrade the look of your character. (sorry no lingerie section)

I am just about out of breath, but let me touch upon a couple small critiques.

The deadly "camera plague" can rear it's ugly head sometimes. You can use a button (RB) to adjust it, but sometimes you can't afford to do that when totally surrounded and dying. This is understandably a tough element to perfect and overall it's not something that greatly impacts the experience, but I had a couple "aaarrrrg" moments. Also, while the control scheme is somewhat innovative, that comes with a bit of a learning curve. Using the right analog to attack/combo takes some getting used to - thankfully there is a robust tutorial that you can practice in if need be. There are also three difficulty levels, so cut your teeth on 'easy.'

This is probably the deepest experience that I have had on XBCG so far. While simplicity (graphics and gameplay-wise) is often the foundation of an addictive indie game (which granted, works fine often), Colosseum succeeds in breaking that mold and offering something you could very well expect to find on the shelf of your local game store. Replay value is high (lots of unlockables, and versus modes) and you can easily get 20-30 hours out of it.

For anyone out there that knows how games are developed, the sheer amount of man hours involved, and the skill required to create something as polished as this - jeez, I sort of feel guilty paying less than my daily lunch in NYC. :) Well not THAT guilty, but you get my point. If you haven't tried Colosseum, and aren't adverse to fighting games, you should be playing it.

By the way, I need some tips because I am getting ass whooped. :) Where can I find some strategy guides?!

Sea Blast Review

2009-04-14T00:16:00.009-04:00

Hmmmm what do I name my game? You shoot stuff, but in the ocean...a little thesaurus action...and SEA BLAST it is!

Kidding aside, I went digging into the extensive back catalog of XBCGs and ended up with a semi-precious gem that's probably easy to miss. Sea Blast is a game where you control a saucy little submarine (you can choose from 3 with unique traits) and either battle in muliplayer or take on the computer in the campaign. The top down perspective places you in a small ocean region with a host of baddies to blow up, sub style.

The visuals are quite pleasant - not the best we've seen in CG but strong. The environments are fairly rich with life and believable ocean currents can affect how your sub maneuvers. You get a small arsenal including a basic turret gun along with some torpedos (slower rate of fire but stronger) and some explosive mines that you can plant behind you.

The action is not fast paced (one small complaint) but it makes up for the lack of intensity with a good deal of strategy. The AI is solid which means they often lead their shots to hit you and have comparable weapons. You should use natural barricades and currents to your advantage. Some levels have you playing it sneaky, while others are probably best staying on the move, weapons on full blast.

One other small issue is that your main gun can only fire 8 directions - which means that it's not always aimed where you want it. This can be countered by lining up your shots on the 8 main angles. It's not a deal breaker, but can be a bit frustrating until you get the hang of it. I also would have liked larger regions and maybe a turbo boost on the subs, but that's just wish list stuff.

Unfortunately I was unable to play multiplayer but I bet this adds a good deal of fun. Co-op would have made it a no brainer purchase at 200 MP. If you haven't tried this one yet, and you enjoy a good top-down shooter, go back and submerge yourself in the demo because it's a good value and may suit you nicely.

Rabid Gophers Review

2009-04-13T00:43:00.006-04:00

B+

I may seriously have nightmares. "Rabid" is being kind - these things are just pure evil. The first time one of those bastards got out of their hole and lunged at me, I peed my pants. Kidding?

So it doesn't require a detailed or careful approach to understand why this game is fun. It's pure rodent blasting enjoyment - cartoon gore at it's finest. At it's core, this is really just a game derived from the wack-a-mole concept of testing reaction time while letting out some aggression on scary small animals.

There are three game types. The first is a shotgun frenzy of simply pressing the corresponding controller button to mow off rodent heads with buckshot. They pop up faster and faster until one finally gets out an eats your livestock. The second is similar only you need to chain together button sequences, using explosives to blow up chains of gophers. The third is a satisfying sniper exercise - just aim and fire.

There's honestly nothing innovative here really - it's just a well done reflex game with a funny over-the-top cartoon design that makes for great competition among friends and among the online community. (sidenote: I am shocked at how damn good some of these top scores are already - wow I must be losing my reflexes) It's highly addictive and the three game types allow for a nice rotation when one gets stale.

The music is a bit repetitive on the title screen, but the SFX are quite good and I love the feel of the sniper rifle as a result.

Rabid Gophers is obviously not for everyone. It's a bit too deranged for younger kids, and not deep enough for gamers looking for anything beyond what I've described above. But if you want to test your reflexes, blow off some steam, and blow gophers to bits in a variety of ridiculous ways, grab it.

MothBallz Review

2009-04-12T23:25:00.004-04:00

C

What an odd game. Not that odd is a bad thing, but I just spent about an hour shooting balls out of a big red trash can with the intent of killing moths (mothz?), but not breaking light bulbs that they like to fly very close to. Right of course.

Concept aside, this is sort of "canon" type game where you arc your shots to hit targets (moths) while avoiding friendlies (lightbulbs). You can angle the big red trash can and adjust the power of the shot. What put me off from the get-go was that the targeting/power system was a bit wonky and hard to the get hang of. The game uses a cross hair to show you were you're aiming and with how much power, but the cross hair disappears when you're not adjusting. (hmmmm)

Meanwhile the moths are hovering around the light bulbs and you're essentially waiting for them to move away from the light (briefly) so you can take your shot. Sometimes they flutter around the bulb so close the shot is basically impossible. It takes some getting used to, but I did get better with practice.

The look of the game is quite tight, albeit highly simplistic. The light bulbs sway and give off a nice glow until you accidentally smash them, the moths flutter around until you squish them, and the various balls you use bounce around nicely with believable physics. The developer went light on the music/SFX, just the bare essentials - not really adding or taking away from the gameplay.
What should be commended is the large amount of unlockables and some cool back end features. The game keeps a nice stat page, tracking all of your shots (for better or worse) and you can unlock tons of different balls that act differently, providing advantages in certain situations. So as you unlock new ammo, you can load up your barrel accordingly. I also enjoyed the simple commentary including a abrasive "fail" whenever a light bulb is broken. Ouch.

One big issue I had was something that I can tell the developer struggled with. After firing, I was waiting way too long after every shot to watch my ball bounce around and finally stop, often times drooling and dozing off in the meantime. So I finally got frustrated, re-checked the controls, and saw that I could actually skip to my next shot by hitting trigger again. Good thinking. Unfortunately, I believe this leads to an exploit...

You can actually cease your shot mid-fire. That means you can avoid all repercussions of a bad shot, and all ricochet mishaps (often a bad bounce would smash a bulb). If your shot looks bad just cancel it and fire again - and make sure to cancel the shot before it can ricochet, because the moth-kills still count. I was even able to hit a moth that was directly in front of a light bulb, then cancel the shot before it followed through to 'fail' and then moved on the next level. Maybe this was intended (or there was no good middle ground), but the game became MUCH easier after that realization.

All and all, it's actually a pretty addicting game with a quirky concept. There's just a couple flaws that heavily detracted the fun factor for me (namely the aiming system and the waiting for the moths to not be sitting on the bulbs). It's a game that requires some patience, something many of us are unfortunately missing. I did like the unlockable ammo and wish I had more chance to test out more new ballz.

I'd suggest giving this demo a whirl if any of the above positives hit home, because the full version (400 MP) could offer a good amount of playtime. I'd recommend this to people who like aim-and-fire type games because this is good twist on that niche genre. Also those whole love ballz, or hate moths.

Dromedary Review

2009-04-09T16:22:00.006-04:00

Let's talk about humps. Or camels, more specifically. Dromedary had me giggling before I even downloaded - here read this: "Dromedary, an interactive cartoon-based camel oriented action adventure!" I can't get enough of that. One more time. ""Dromedary, an interactive cartoon-based camel oriented action adventure!" Holy shit!

Anyhow, this game definitely scored some "quirky-awesomeness" points from me, something many people won't award. It's probably not accurate to call this an 'action adventure' because it's really a text/picture based game - so all that action will have to be in your brain as opposed to the TV screen. Essentially you choose one of several possible actions (that are always the same, i.e. 'drink' 'sleep' 'walk' 'hump'). Then from what I can tell, the computer rolls the virtual dice and spits out an result.

After 15 min of play or so, I believe I started to see some controllable outcomes, and smarter decisions could be made. But I am almost certain (someone please correct me if I am wrong) that you can get a 'game over' randomly at almost any time. I tried over and over to do the intelligent thing, like 'drink' when I was thirsty, hump along cautiously, and get regular sleep, but then apparently I'd just get attacked by lions for whatever reason and have to start over. I tried about 25 times and never got to the end, so I can't tell you if there is an end, or what the end consists of.

The 1 emblem is a no-brainer. The game has no music, which is such an obvious element that could have added boatloads of experience and maybe even worked in to the gameplay (maybe the music could change/speed up as you get closer to the end?). Some humorous SFX would have been key too. And the graphics, as you can see by the screenshots before you download are....something.

Thus, most people won't be captivated and throwing down 200 MP....unless you have a serious love of camels. Is this common? Can I refrain from more 'hump' jokes?

Halfbrick Blast Off Review

2009-04-09T00:43:00.009-04:00

C+

So get this. You're in a rocketship with a limited supply of air and fuel and you need to rescue stranded astronauts and then get the hell out of there. Your rocketship is not so much "ship" and mostly "rocket" - or sort of like a potato with a roman candle shoved in it, so maneuvering around space is NOT what might expect. You're fate really depends on how well/poorly you employ the gravity of nearby planets, without actually letting the planet pull you to your fiery death.

Blast Off is a simple well-polished game and I commend the developers for having a vision, seeing it through, and making it look tight. The sounds are fitting and professional, the graphics are simple-but-fun, and the gravitational pull mechanic will either be the perfect challenge or drive you loco. (si mami) Either way it's a pretty neat effect though.

See, it's tough to give a C score to a game that I got hooked on for a good while. Getting used to the gravitational pull of the planets was quite tough, but I did get better and better so I believe that I was hooked on the learning aspect. Some people will really enjoy honing their skills around this mechanic, while others will probably quickly tire, and wonder why they didn't get to blow anything up. I spent so much time hopelessly trying to get back on screen (because I flung myself so far offscreen) that I can imagine many people will hit the 'wtf!' wall and call it a day.

My issue with the 'hone your skills' aspect is that there is really no mechanism built in that can help you actively measure the success of your attempts. The thrust level and angle of blast off are not recorded or measurable, so when you start over, you're prone to make a different mistake rather than tweak your performance and then make incremental progress. For me personally, I would have loved some form of measurement, so that I truly gained knowledge after every blast off. I think some playtesting would have revealed the need for slightly more ship control as well, as to cut down on the aforementioned frustration of blasting way off screen (not fun) or immediately getting pulled in to a planet (death). Of course there's really no punishment and the game encourages a quick restart of any level if you so choose.

There's a good amount of levels to try and while I didn't get too far in to them I can imagine that they get pretty damn tricky from what I experienced early on. (start on 'easy' folks) This game isn't for me personally (at 400 MP) although if I could see myself killing time with it at work if it were on my PC, more than at home. As mentioned, I believe that this fits a certain type of gamer who enjoys the addiction to conquering a challenging mechanic. If that sounds like you, don't stop get it get it.

Game Thoughts 2 - Bustline

2009-04-07T21:28:00.003-04:00

Not many people are faced with gauging the appropriate amount of bustiness of a 3D female fantasy character. Lucky me.

I came up with an equation that summarizes my thoughts.

Game Success = (Game Quality + Fun) x (Hotness + Bustline/Creepiness).

A Fading Melody Review

2009-04-06T22:45:00.004-04:00

B

When I decided to start writing reviews, I told myself I would try really hard to not draw annoying comparisons. I like to think of the XBCG library as a clean slate, or else it's too easy to get bogged down with "it's a clone!" talk.

But in the case of A Fading Melody, I can't help ignore and draw some comparisons to the indie hit Braid. In this case, it's meant as a compliment.

The first thing that struck me when I launched this game was the atmosphere. It has that calm mysterious feel (well set by the music and art style) and gameplay that actually begins on the title screen, followed quickly by on-screen text that is purposely infused to the gameworld. These are all elements that Braid brought to the table, and I have to say that A Fading Melody pulls it off nicely as well.

The graphics are a good example of how to employ simplicity and style to help aid a game's overall tone. They aren't flashy, but they are well-suited.

When it comes to the gameplay, it's a fairly satisfying platformer with a mechanic that encourages progress based on the need to keep the screen from going dim - which also ties in to the story. (no spoilers here folks)

My critiques - the platforms all seem to have an 'icy' feel which can lead to some frustrating missteps. And the game would have greatly benefited from more levels, both in terms of game-length and variety. But at 200 MP this is worthwhile experience, albeit a short one.

This was a serious review because the game put me in a serious mood. ;)

ZenHak Review

2009-04-06T20:56:00.008-04:00

I played this last night, shook my controller violently, and told myself I must just be too tired. Maybe I am just plain dumb, because I cannot grasp this one tonight either. I simply found it unplayable and had to move on - seriously could not figure how to play or what to do.

I wanted this one to pan out too, because there is a very short supply of RPGs to get my sticky fingers on. I thought some of the screenshots spelled potential, but they honestly look better still than live (animation wasn't heavily invested in). That's a mute point I guess.

There's two things that might be happening here.

First, the game is in dire need of a tutorial, instructions, more intuitive gameplay, an overhaul of the controls/interface, or all of the above. Or second, this game is over my head because I am missing something key, possibly about hacking or hackers (tough niche audience).

I can't recommend this one as is - but if anyone has any advice on how to get more out of it, or where I might be going wrong, I am all ears.

Awesome Tank Review

2009-04-05T23:00:00.006-04:00

B

I thought tanks were awesome by nature, but not so fast. Enter Awesome Tank, a little green tank that's runs on awesomeness. (I am going to attempt not to say "awesome" for the rest of this review).

I had some good fun while playing this one, hence the B rating. I've always liked this type of top down tank shooter, so I might be a little bias. The game plays smoothly too, with simple controls and satisfying explosions. And it's fun to hunt down the dumb grey tanks as they wander sort of aimlessly.

What bugs me about this one is the lack of polish, because it actually has great potential to capitalize on the likable concept and good gameplay. I struggled on the number of emblems here, but I had to go with one because there were just too many situations where I was left shaking my head.

The most annoying bit for me was that the HUD covered a good portion of the screen, blocking out a sizable chunk of the playing ground much of the time. And while the 3D environments look solid at first, you have to wonder why a little more effort wasn't put into creating some variety and detail into the graphics (cones and snowmen?). I would have loved to see some non-square maps that were a bit more maze-like and less of a standard grid. The music is uninspired (albeit simple and non-distracting), and the power-ups seem limited and uncreative. (faster bullets, and faster tank).

This sort of feels like a beta to me, but one with nice potential. Props to the developer for getting it to a fun, playable level, but I'd encourage him/her to pick it back up again for a couple rounds of awesome (dammit!) polish.

I will admit, I could not play the multiplayer and I only tried the trial (several times). (note to the developer: please contact me if you feel that the full version will counter some of of my critiques).