Reviews

Section 8: Prejudice was developed and published by TimeGate Studios. It was released April 20, 2011 for 1200MSP. A copy of the game was provided by the developer/publisher for review purposes.

It’s a rare thing when a game can be recommended before even going into a review. It has to be top-notch; not just any old game could set such a standard. Enter Section 8: Prejudice, a game so amazing that it may very well be to Xbox Live Arcade what Goldeneye and Perfect Dark were to the Nintendo 64. TimeGate Studios has a never-to-be-forgotten hit on their hands, one that everyone will cherish for years to come.

The game is set in a future where Earth’s resources have been used up and mankind has colonized other planets. It centers around two factions, Section 8 and the Arm of Orion. The Arm seeks to wreak havoc and terror on humanity, seeking payback for wrongs committed in days past. It features a solid campaign as well as two strong multiplayer modes.

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Yar’s Revenge was developed by Killspace Entertainment, published by Atari and was released on April 13th, 2011 for 800MSP. A copy of the game was provided to us for review purposes.The original Yars’ Revenge was one of the best selling games on the Atari 2600, making it somewhat of a puzzle why it has taken so long to come back. There have been a couple of remakes and re-releases but this is the first original game based on the license since that first Atari release.

We now have Yar’s Revenge on XBLA, and that apostrophe wasn’t accidentally misplaced. While the original game referred to a race this games title refers to a single Yar, the character players control. Although to confuse matters further she is often referred to as Yar. The game is no longer a single screen shooter but has been transformed into an on-rails affair akin to Sin & Punishment or Rez.

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Warbirds at Work was developed and published by Kaape. It was released on Xbox Live December 23, 2010 for 80 MSP.

Warbirds at work is a classic style overhead arcade shooter. Trying to follow in the footsteps of it’s predecessors like Raiden or 1942, you are a small ship trying to protect the earth from invaders. In this case you happen to be the last line of defense against a group of aliens. Equipped with a temporary shield, upgradeable gun, rockets, impulse gun, and bombs it is your job to blast everything back to outer space.

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Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes was developed by Capybara Games, published by Ubisoft and released on April 14, 2011 for 1200MSP.

Clash of Heroes stems from the Might & Magic franchise but takes it into a completely different direction with puzzle/strategy-based gameplay and a fairly self-contained storyline from the rest of the series’s continuity. With roots in the familiar match-three mechanics of games like Bejeweled, Clash of Heroes may appear to be quite generic at first glance. However, the game’s critical success in its 2009 Nintendo DS release suggests otherwise. Does Capybara’s latest XBLA release manage to carry over a winning formula that can capture the love of a different gaming audience? Read More

Planet Pinball was developed and published by Battenberg Software and was released on December 23, 2009 for 80MSP. A copy was provided by the developer for review purposes.

Planet Pinball is a simple concept: a few balls, a couple paddles and an outer space theme. It provides pinball fans with many things to shoot for such as orbits, meteors, rocket blasting and airlocks. At first glance it seems well rounded, low priced pinball game. But can it stand up to the bang-for-your-buck value of Pinball FX 2?

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Firebies, the New Zombies is an Xbox Live Indie Game developed by Latin Soul Studio for 80 MSP. It was released February 4, 2011

Some games have really great titles and turn into great games (‘Splosion Man, Shadow Complex, Monday Night Combat) but some on the other hand, can have a wonderfully weird title but allude to something else. Firebies, The New Zombies is more the latter than the former with its inventive name but each play-through make it feel lesser despite its price.

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Dirchie Kart was developed by BrownBot and released on January 22, 2011 and costs 240 Microsoft Points. A copy was provided by the developer for review purposes.

The rise of indie development in games has been a boon to various elements of the games industry. While innovation is often the result of the tight focus of smaller development groups, indies also have a unique ability to revisit old ideas and breathe in some new life. Dirchie Kart is a solid attempt at this, reviving the Super Mario Kart formula in a glorious and unflinching fashion. Read More

Zombie Football Carnage was developed by Milkstone Studios S.L. and released on February 18, 2011 and costs 80 Microsoft Points.  A copy was provided by the developer for review purposes.

The only thing that Zombie Football Carnage has in common with football is a projectile pigskin and cumbersome football gear, so we were surprised to see football in the title.  But does the game live up to the sport that grabs the attention of many Americans, or does it fumble trying to reach the goal line?

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Mute Crimson is an Xbox Live Indie Game developed by Apoxxie that was released March 15th, 2011. It retails for 80 MSP

Mute Crimson is an interesting game but ultimately can feel like many other games in the genre. It has a neat platforming element and really cool art style but at points it feels incredibly derivative of other games. Now that’s not to say it’s a bad thing to to borrow from  influences a little, but sometimes trying to emulate another game doesn’t turn out so well. Still, for a dollar players get something that has character to back up the derivative qualities.
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On a Roll was developed by Battenberg Software and released on September 21, 2009 and costs 80 Microsoft Points. A copy was provided by the developer for review purposes.

Not every modern video game needs overzealous protagonists, realistic environments or gratuitous violence to be successful—sometimes all a game needs is a round ball furnished with buggy eyes to supplement an efficient gameplay mechanic. Enter the world of On a Roll.

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