A Quick Shout Out To xnPlay

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

C

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

B

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

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.