After Burner Climax removed early from XBLA
As was noted in an earlier post by XBLA Fans, Sega’s After Burner Climax was scheduled to be de-listed and removed from Xbox Live Arcade on December 24, 2014. No …
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9 years ago
Pinball FX2: Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 review (Xbox One DLC)
On December 4, 2014 an old evil villain was re-awoken in Tokyo when the Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 (NGS2) table was released for Pinball FX2 on the Xbox One. You play as Ryu and team up with three other teammates to confront this evil and attempt to “jump” your way to defeat it. Not having played the actual NGS2 game (a PlayStation 3 exclusive title), I at first felt a disconnection with this table. I was “going though the motions” while beginning to play it, but that doesn’t mean it can’t still make for one exciting table. The last couple tables that have released for Pinball FX2 (South Park and The Walking Dead) have had intricate, detailed missions to attempt with multiple ramps to try and consistently hit.
In contrast to those examples, the NGS2 table, originally made for Zen Pinball on the PlayStation 3, and it shows. There is a large open middle section in the table where the ball will pick up a lot of speed. With only three short ramps to hit, a much quicker response or more precise timing is required on the flippers to hit them. The NGS2 table also brings a new platform jumping mechanic that is unique to this table and a fresh new aspect and challenge to a game that I have been playing for many, many years.
9 years ago
Risk and Tetris Ultimate available now
As first posted by Major Nelson both Risk, develop by ZOE Mode, and Tetris Ultimate, develop by SoMa Play Inc, are available now on the Xbox One. With both being published by Ubisoft this could account for the change in release dates as both of these titles previously had others; Risk’s being December 23, 2014 and Tetris Ultimate’s being December 17, 2014. Continue on for launch trailers for both titles.
9 years ago
Toy Soldiers: War Chest coming in early 2015
Almost every kid has played with, or at least seen, the iconic little green army men known simply as toy soldiers. Almost every parent has stepped on one of these little guys as well. In developing Toy Soldiers and Toy Soldiers: Cold War, Signal Studio, along with publisher Microsoft Game Studios, brought those toy soldiers out of the physical toy box and onto the virtual battlefield where those childhood memories could be relived. With those games they also had two of the highest-rated arcade games of the previous generation.
Now, in partnership with publisher Ubisoft, Signal Studios is making the game it always wanted in Toy Soldiers: War Chest, which it plans to release in early 2015.
9 years ago
Deals with Gold for the week and Games with Gold for December announced
Each and every month Games with Gold offers a new “free” game offering to Xbox Live Gold subscribers, and December is no exception to that. Recently we posted that Worms Battlegrounds would be the free game for Xbox One gamers. Xbox 360 gamers shouldn’t feel left out, though, as they are offered The Raven: Legacy of a Master Thief and SSX, free in the month of December. Along with those free games, Xbox’s weekly Deals with Gold were also announced. Continue reading on to see what games and/or add-ons you can save money on this week.
9 years ago
Twitch on Xbox One app receives major update
Xbox One’s Twitch app just received a huge update yesterday that brings a slew of new features to Xbox One gamers. Weather you’re an established broadcaster on Twitch, a sporadic viewer or have just picked up an Xbox One and are new to the whole idea of streaming gameplay, this update has something for you.
The main new feature of the app is advanced broadcast filtering. For example, have you ever wanted to watch the #1 Call of Duty player in the world? Maybe you’re hoping that watching will help you pick up a few tips and tricks that will improve your game. Well, now you will be able to do just that. Searching for the #1-ranked player, or the highest K/D, or a gamer driving a specific car in The Crew just became that much easier with the Twitch for Xbox One app and the advanced broadcast filters. If you’re completely new to Twitch and just starting broadcasting this update will also help gamers find you, as viewers now have the ability to filter by skill.
9 years ago
Game Awards 2014 XBL winner
Just this last Saturday, December 5, 2014, saw the first ever The Game Awards 2014 air on TV, as well as streamed online. In the announcement press release for The Game Awards 2014 20+ year industry veteran Geoff Keighley writes, ”
“Today I’m proud to announce The Game Awards 2014, a new show that will be coming on December 5. After spending over two decades working in games media, this year I’m creating a new independent celebration for our industry.“
While there were many various winner’s over all consoles and handhelds, as well as PC, there was one winner that stands out for XBLA Fans. Valiant Hearts: The Great War brought home two awards, to game developer Ubisoft Montpellier, from the inaugural The Game Awards 2014.
9 years ago
King’s Quest to return in 2015
Announced at The Game Awards 2014 was the next chapter in the classic tale from Sierra Games. Starting over 30 years ago gamers have been living the stories of the royal family of the Kingdom of Daventry in King’s Quest. But it has been over 15 years since we have had a new quest to take. That all ends in 2015 though when The Odd Gentlemen, the studio behind The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom, brings a new King’s Quest tale to the Xbox One and Xbox 360.
Stayed tuned for more information on the new King’s Quest as it becomes available. Continue reading to see the official launch trailer.
9 years ago
Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris available now for download
After a long wait, on December 9, 2014, the sequel to Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light finally comes to the Xbox One in Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris. This time Lara and her rival, Carter Bell, are trapped in the Temple of Osiris and with the help of two imprisoned gods, Horus and Isis, they must work together to solve puzzles, fight deities and find a way to defeat another god, the evil Set.
“After the immensely positive reception we received for our debut co-op adventure Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, we always hoped that we would find the time for Lara to return in another classic AAA digital arcade title,” said Darrell Gallagher, Head of Product Development and Studios in a Square Enix press release
9 years ago
Threes and Limbo quick impressions (Xbox One)
December 5 is the official release date of Playdead’s Limbo ($9.99) and Sirvo’s Threes! ($6.99) on the Xbox One Store.
Microsoft brings to Xbox One gamers an instant classic in Limbo, which was originally released on XBLA in July of 2010. With the Xbox One release, Limbo has been updated to 1080P and 60FPS. Limbo is a 2D side-scrolling game done only in black and white tones where players control a nameless character in search of his missing sister. Along the way players will come across numerous puzzles requiring some serious trial and error. Don’t fret though, this was one of the intents of the developer and will try your patience more then once.
That said, if you haven’t played Limbo before,where have you been the last four years? Since its initial release, Limbo has been ported to almost every platform. Its unique style and tricky puzzles are something every gamer should experience at least once. A lucky group of day one purchasers of the Xbox One (North America) were gifted codes for Limbo as a thank you.
Unfortunately if you have played Limbo on one of those other platforms, I see no reason to recommend you make another purchase just to experience it in 1080p and 60fps. I went back and played Limbo on the Xbox 360 before playing the Xbox One version and saw no noticeable difference in the graphics. All the controls and puzzles are the exact same on both consoles, which made solving the puzzles very easy removing the best part of originally playing Limbo.