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Namco Bandai’s XBLA port of puzzle-platformer Vessel may have been canceled. The XBLA version failed to meet its planned 2013 release window, and publisher Namco Bandai removed the game’s detail page from its website in December. Following that, Vessel also briefly disappeared from the Xbox Games Store. While it has since reappeared on the Xbox Games Store, the information listed there is sparse and extremely outdated, with November 2012 being erroneously cited as its release date.

Regular XBLA Fans reader @lifelower noticed Vessel’s disappearing act last month and reached out both to Namco Bandai and developer Strange Loop Games about the incidents. While Namco Bandai remained silent, Strange Loop Games confirmed to our frequent tipster that Vessel was still on its way to PS3, but was no longer heading to XBLA.

Speaking with XBLA Fans directly via email, Strange Loop’s John Krajewski again indicated that he believes the XBLA version of Vessel is no more. He did, however, go on to hmention a possible next-gen release. “Our publisher owns the rights to the XBLA version, and to our knowledge they’ve indeed stopped work on it,” Krajewski told us. “PS3 will be coming out soon, though, but we’re planning to announce that later this month. Sad news I know. It’s possible there will be an Xbox One version someday, though.”

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Peggle 2 was developed by PopCap Games and published by Electronic Arts. It was released December 8, 2013, on the Xbox One for $11.99. A copy was provided for review purposes.

With the follow-up to its 2009 smash hit Peggle, PopCap Games has delivered a quality game that not only challenges the player, but provides hours of entertainment at the same time. Fans of the original will be happy to know the development team didn’t tinker with what was already a great formula. Instead, PopCap has expanded upon its existing efforts, and by doing so, has made Peggle 2 an extremely fun and addictive title for the Xbox One.

With over 120 levels to play through, Peggle 2 has tons of content to offer eager peg-smashers. PopCap has also introduced new masters that enhance the experience by drastically altering the way the game is played, making each master feel unique. A fun and simple online mode has also been added to the mix, allowing for players to quickly jump into games and compete against others, trying to achieve the highest score with a 10-ball limit set in place. The ease with which you drop into matches is the biggest draw, and is something that’s seen throughout the game, as accessing content is generally fast and snappy.

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Any time a new game console is revealed, the spotlight is invariably turned toward the biggest and loudest AAA-caliber games that will accompany the console at launch and beyond. Last month’s release of the Xbox One was no exception. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, Dead Rising 3, and Battlefield 4 have taken top billing in conversations about Microsoft’s new console. However, we shouldn’t forget the many great indie developers that have helped to make the Xbox Live Marketplace the veritable treasure trove it’s become.

A strong precedent

The last console generation, the Xbox 360, was home to some truly great indie games, including Cthulhu Saves the World, Escape Goat, Braid> and Limbo. These aren’t necessarily Xbox exclusives, but the fact that they call the Xbox 360 home has been an encouraging sign that Microsoft will continue courting indie game developers on the Xbox One. Even so, public opinion seems to favor Sony’s PlayStation 4 as the best console for indie developers. Given that, what can Microsoft do to win back the love of indies? It may already be on the right track.

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Most movie-licensed games are a special kind of terrible, but every once in a while you’ll find a gem that salvages the crummy image they’ve cultivated for themselves. That’s not the case here. At best, these are thinly veiled advertisements for summer blockbusters; at worst, they’re gaming’s equivalent of Happy Meal toys – cheaply assembled from hunks of material lying around to capitalize on the fervor of whatever the target demographic is smitten with at the moment. And like those little plastic tchotchkes, if you want the thrill of playing with a relic of your new favorite license, you’re going to have to eat some junk.

It’s been a long time coming, but we’ve finally whittled down a surprisingly robust list of big-screen bombs. We’re counting down the top five worst Xbox Live Arcade movie tie-ins (in no particular order).

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Looking to get your next-gen indie fix? According to an Edge Online interview with ID@Xbox Director Chris Charla, you might not have to wait too long. “I think it …
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Complaining that there are not enough games on your Xbox One? Well, last week brought you Peggle 2 and tomorrow brings you Max: The Curse of the Brotherhood.

A …
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Holy texture packs, Batman! Major Nelson announced Friday that Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition has passed 10 million in total sales. To put that in perspective, this massive …
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The second season of the popular episodic game, The Walking Dead will debut on XBLA on December 18, reports IGN. The first episode, titled All That Remains will be …
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In years past, it was relatively easy to produce a quality video game on a modest budget. In more recent years, however, the cost has risen astronomically, due in no small part to the advancement of technologies and the larger teams required to produce AAA-quality games. As a result, it’s easy to get caught up in sales numbers and “units shipped” and not realize that many games struggle to break even. As the cost of production goes up, so does the cost of the games.

The most expensive game of all time, in terms of production costs, is Star Wars: The Old Republic, with a budget of $200 million. The title is PC-only, which makes it even harder for publisher EA to recoup that expense.

The recently released Grand Theft Auto V (GTAV) comes in second place with a budget of $137 million. GTA V was released on both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, but even with multiple platforms, making back that budget could be a tall order if there wasn’t so much excitement and hype for the game.

Where are we going with this?

The methods used to pass on that cost to gamers have been particularly annoying to gamers at the start of this latest video game generation. “Micro-transaction” has become a four-letter word.

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The launch trailer for Killer Instinct has revealed that the classic Killer Instinct character Fulgore will be available on the Xbox One title in March 2014. Fulgore will be the eighth and final character from the Season One roster for Killer Instinct on Xbox One. Spinal, the seventh character in Season One, will be available in January 2014. A second season with more characters has not yet been announced.

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