Blog

We reported earlier that Dreamcast darlings Space Channel 5: Part 2 and Sega Bass Fishing were slated to come to XBLA, but no release date had been given up …
Read More

Rock of Ages was developed by ACE Team and published by Atlus. It retails for 800 MSP. A copy of the game was provided for review purposes.

Rock of Ages is quite possibly the oddest game we’ve played on XBLA.  It is an eclectic mixture of tower defense and Marble Blast Ultra.  You travel through different eras of time challenging historical figures to a strange game of protect the castle. You’ll meet daunting characters like Vlad the Impaler that want nothing more than to push your face-of-a-rock off the cliff to weaken its ability to damage his castle gate, all while being treated to a Renaissance style of music that is one of the game’s best features.

Players who are familiar with tower defense games will feel right at home. You place defensive units up and down the narrow path to your castle wall in an attempt to thwart your challenger’s rock from reaching top speed to crash into your castle’s gate.  In almost all instances, three consecutive dashes on you or your challenger’s gate will bring it down revealing a paper-like historical figure ready to be run over–so speed as well as proper defense are equally important.

If this setup sounds quirky that’s because it is.  Not only is your rock anthropomorphic but it occasionally yells in terror when it falls of a cliff, which will happen often because a finite number of elephants, cows, catapults, towers, explosives and other obstacles will obstruct your path to the castle gate.

Read More

When Bastion kicked off Microsoft’s Summer of Arcade this past July, the action-RPG quickly gathered universal acclaim and became one of the year’s most memorable XBLA releases. …
Read More

New weapon

Grinder – Sucks enemies in and demolishes them as they run by, one of the few traps that does constant damage for the most part (rather than …
Read More

New weapon

Autoballista – This one’s fun, small, and for a ranged ceiling trap it’s not too pricey either. Affix it to any ceiling and face it in the desired …
Read More

The Baconing was developed by Hothead Games and published by Valcon Games. It retails for 1200 MSP. A copy of the game was provided for review purposes.

The Baconing is the third installment in the DeathSpank series. Why it isn’t simply called DeathSpank 3 is a mystery but with a game this over the top it only seems appropriate. This game has the hero DeathSpank seeking to destroy the Thongs of Virtue by burning them in bacon fire. This mission will branch of into countless other directions as the citizens of the world give DeathSpank other quests to do as well. Those familiar with the series know about the over the top humor of the game and frantic combat of the game. But is this installment enough to win over the uninitiated?

Read More

New weapon

Archer Guardian – When placed can be faced in any direction, but ultimately the Archer Guardian will turn to shoot anything within range. Careful, they have health …
Read More

New weapon

Wind Belt – Main attack pushes a group of enemies back up and over short railings or even blockades placed by the player. Alternate attack grabs an enemy …
Read More

Enemies

Orc Warrior

Weapons

BladeStaff Spike Trap Tar Trap

General survival guide

• Spikes, spikes, spikes
• Use the crossbow alternate fire to straggle orcs and allow more time for traps …
  Read More

New trap

Boom Barrel – Blows up after taking damage, doing massive damage in a radius around it.

Enemies

Orc Warriors Crossbow Orc

General survival skills

• Putting wall arrows …
  Read More