12 years ago
XBLAFans’ most anticipated 2013 XBLA games: Part V
Here we are once again at the start of what’s sure to be another fantastic year of XBLA releases. Each day this week XBLAFans will be rolling out a list of eight of our most anticipated Xbox Live Arcade releases of 2013. While we can’t possibly cover every single XBLA game planned for this year, we’ll be giving you a varied list of 40 of the most promising titles we expect to release on XBLA in 2013. Once it’s all done, be sure to check back in next Monday when each staff member makes his/her picks for the game he/she is most looking forward to.
Special Forces: Team X
Developer: Zombie Studios
No stranger to downloadable shooters, Zombie Studios’ upcoming Special Forces: Team X capitalizes on its expertise honed crafting Blacklight: Tango Down and Black: Retribution. Don’t be fooled by the colorful cel-shaded visuals; Special Forces targets frenetic third-person team-centric combat with brutal executions and an arsenal of real world weapons. Its dynamic map tile system puts players in control of generating the environment in a pre-round vote, with over a hundred possible combinations of individual tiles to choose. All this coupled with a healthy rank progression and customization system means Special Forces: Team X stands to deliver quite the bang for your buck when it hits XBLA on February 6 for 1200 MSP.
12 years ago
Sneak a peek at State of Decay’s soundtrack; score some schwag
Undead Labs’ zombie sandbox survival simulator State of Decay is on track for release early this year. Unfortunately, until the outbreak starts, there’s nothing to do but scavenge for every sustaining morsel of …
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12 years ago
Weekly Roundup: January 13 – Shoguns, Skullgirls and Special Forces
Weekly Roundup compiles all the biggest news stories, reviews and features from the week into one handy post on the weekends.
It was a busy week for two of 2012’s biggest XBLA games: The Walking Dead and Minecraft. Minecraft saw its The End content delayed out of its next title update to some unknown future point. Meanwhile, we learned that The Walking Dead has sold a lot of episodes, that it may allow players to carry over saves to the next season and that gamers who bought a faulty Xbox 360 retail version of season one will be given a free XBLA copy. If you’re still looking for more XBLA coverage, be sure to keep an eye on the site every weeknight this week as we detail the biggest games coming to Xbox Live Arcade in 2013. What games are you looking forward to this year? Let us know in the comments below.
Here’s our week in review:
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12 years ago
Weekly Roundup: January 5 – Controllers, Clouds and Crimson Dragons
Weekly Roundup compiles all the biggest news stories, reviews and features from the week into one handy post on the weekends.
With the shadow of the holidays firmly behind for us another year, we can get back to focusing on the other thing that brings us all together, Xbox Live Arcade. A lot of work behind the scenes this week, as several existing XBLA games got some tinkering under the hood. We outline some strategies for guarding Middle-earth, talk DLC for our ‘Best HD Remake of 2012’ and dish on the many flavors of our favorite peripheral. Here’s to another great year of Xbox Live Arcade.
Here’s our week in review:
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12 years ago
God Mode: Hell hath no fury like its sense of humor
The holidays are a busy time, especially around these parts. Sometimes goods news falls through the cracks, but now’s the time of year to reach deep for anything that might have gotten lost in the hustle and bustle of the season. Recently announced by publisher Atlus and developer Old School Games, a subsidiary of Saber Interactive (best known for Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary and most recently, Inversion), God Mode throws open the gates of Hell for some unabashed third-person cooperative action.
God Mode offers up a retro-romp through The Maze of Hades where you and as many as three friends, online or off, shoot, smash, and blast your way through wave upon wave of mythological mayhem. Moving from zone to zone with your recently deceased characters, you’ll have to finagle your way through the frenzy, fighting for health/armor/ammo pick-ups while filling your Rage Meter with each successive kill to unleash special abilities. Though the action seems fairly straightforward, collected gold and experience plays into Cadaver Customization, where you’ll be able to shop for new weapons, upgrades, abilities and an absurd array of appearance pieces.
Speaking to IGN, studio head Matthew Karch touched on the pick-up-and-play friendliness they’ve instilled, “It doesn’t take itself too seriously. It is lighthearted fun and focuses on arcade style action over a deep story. I think this makes sense for downloadable games, where players are looking for some quick, thoughtless action.” While not everyone agrees downloadable players don’t want narrative and depth, there’s certainly room for the mindless obliteration of the legions of the damned.
12 years ago
Hit the beach running with Harold
New screenshots from developer Moon Spider Studio’s upcoming Harold have washed up, showcasing the sandy shores of the “Beach” courses. Players can expect to guide the hapless Harold across this and other vibrant environments in the platforming-puzzle-racer hybrid coming to “consoles” and PC later this spring.
The first effort from the Florida-based developer, Harold puts the player in the role of Gabe, the titular sprinter’s guardian angel who must protect his charge through the multiple paths of each course en route to the finish line. By manipulating obstacles, disarming pitfalls and “motivating” Harold with angelic abilities, players must purportedly act fast to not only achieve the best time, but save Harold from his biggest threat — himself. Touting humorous gameplay and a casual curve that’s difficult to master, Harold aims to deliver a dynamic experience for players of all types.
However Harold ends up finishing, he’ll certainly look good doing it. The downloadable title’s hand-drawn visual style has been crafted by Moon Spider Studio’s stable of artists and animators whose credentials include the world-renowned Dreamworks, Pixar and Studio Ghibli. If these new screenshots are any indication, Harold‘s shaping up to be a beautiful game. Check out the full gallery after the jump.
12 years ago
Weekly Roundup: December 23 – Happy Holidays
Weekly Roundup compiles all the biggest news stories, reviews and features from the week into one handy post on the weekends.
The holidays are officially upon us. It’s been a busy week around these parts, thanks to our own Andrew Crews, who’s diligently orchestrated yet another year of fantastic giveaways. Today marks the end of The 12 Days of XBLA, and your last chance to score the amazing Grand Prize worth $55 in Xbox Live Arcade games. Be sure to check out the final entry of the contest, and toss your hat in the ring. Finally, we want to wish everyone a very Happy Holidays from all of us here at XBLAFans!
12 years ago
Black Knight Sword review (XBLA)
Black Knight Sword was co-developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and Digital Reality and published by Reverb Publishing. It was released on December 12, 2012 for 800 MSP. A copy was provided for review purposes.
Moments before the curtain is pulled, it’s clear Black Knight Sword is something unique. Bright stage lights pour over rippled maroon as patrons titter in anticipation. Suddenly, an alarm bell rings out. Silhouettes quickly rise to shuffle away from the stage. The production’s now vacant audience is an appropriate analog for what’s to come; a unique experience targeted at no one in particular.
Black Knight Sword has been touted as many things: retro platforming homage, surreal fairy tale, dark twisted mystery. All this it achieves, helmed by Goichi “Suda 51” Suda, whose penchant for the bizarre oozes through the grim aesthetic. The black knight, assuming the role after coming into contact with the sword spirit, must battle through a punishing gauntlet of horrors, each chapter unfolding like a storybook parable — pushing along a loose narrative that resonates with deeper significance.
12 years ago
Title Update hits Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition tomorrow
It looks like the holidays are coming early for Minecraft fans! Microsoft Studios has officially announced the release date for the next Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition update over at PlayXBLA. …
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12 years ago
State of Decay: Putting the ‘kill’ in ‘skill’
Surviving the end of the world takes skills. Skills developed in the slavering clutches of the undead, shaping wads of helpless victims into chiseled survivors. Everyone has their own strengths: the brawler, the sneak, the deadeye. Understanding your role in the zombie apocalypse could mean the difference between a lukewarm canned meal at the end of a long day and becoming the meal yourself. Undead Labs’ Richard Foge recently delved into the meaning of tactics, strategy, and how to last long enough to become a survivor in State of Decay.
“In State of Decay we put a lot of effort into making sure that players can transition smoothly between different tactical approaches to gameplay so that [you] can adapt quickly and make adjustments to your tactics as the combat situation evolves,” he writes. Foge brings considerable console game design know-how to State of Decay, having honed his craft as a Senior Designer for the SOCOM franchise, in addition to combat and systems design for God of War and Guild Wars, respectively. Now he’s set sights on ensuring your survival’s as organic as possible.
“We want you to easily flow from stealth to melee combat to ranged combat to using items. We know that everyone approaches these challenges differently, and it was important to make sure that as many approaches were accounted for as possible.” There’s a dizzying array of ways to tackle the flesh-eating obstacles infesting State of Decay — for one, literally. Though Foge discourages too much physical contact when interacting with your new neighbors, “It’s a great way to get yourself killed, but it’s also a great way to dispatch a couple of zombies without letting the legions of the damned know your exact position.”