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XBLA (Xbox Live Arcade) News, Announcements, Reviews, and Impressions Thread
- Thread starter Vert boil
- Start date
Miles Quaritch
Member
Late...how? You sold your 360?
Anyway, If there's anything to take away from this new focus on sales, it's that they finally understand the benefits of a good sale on content people actually want, bodes well for future sales/sales on next xbox.
Better late than never. The amazing thing is that publishers and MS make as much money from a $60 retail game as the same game sold on Live for $30. So the potential for faster and more sales is huge.
Miles Quaritch
Member
Forgive my ignorance, but how is that possible?
Reduced costs through lack of physical media?
Yes - costs include the physical media itself, shipping, distributor margin, retailer margin, point-of-sale marketing, taxes.
There's a reason why Sony and MS are so focused on digital delivery. However, having retailers supporting your brand is probably the best marketing you can get - so pissing them off isn't the best idea either.
Roland Deschain
Member
You should have just waited anyway since ME DLC goes on sale regularly.
Yes, I have enjoyed the mini reviews very much too. Are you done with them now Stump?
Oh man, I'm on my New Game Plus playthrough now and the replayability is something else. It's really the best stealth game I've ever played and one of the best games released last year period.
Vert boil
Member
Released today,
Alien Spidy - 800msp, 1.17GB.
Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams - 1200msp, 1.65GB.
Also,
Guardians of Middle-earth
--Unglob - 160msp
Alien Spidy - 800msp, 1.17GB.
Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams - 1200msp, 1.65GB.
Also,
Guardians of Middle-earth
--Unglob - 160msp
Of course Giana Sisters is 1200. I don't know why even had hopes it would be 800.
Has anyone else seen the dashboard item for "hidden XBLA gems" or whatever (it's in swedish in my dashboard)? It has two sections: "above 1200" and "1200." I guess 800MSP games don't exist anymore...
(Yeah, I know Spidy is 800 but it's one of those games that's supposed to have been out for a long ass time so the price was probably set like 2 years ago.)
Has anyone else seen the dashboard item for "hidden XBLA gems" or whatever (it's in swedish in my dashboard)? It has two sections: "above 1200" and "1200." I guess 800MSP games don't exist anymore...
(Yeah, I know Spidy is 800 but it's one of those games that's supposed to have been out for a long ass time so the price was probably set like 2 years ago.)
I'm not sure what you mean here? Borderlands and all the other usual shit that's on DOTW every week is what gamers in general want. Surely you're not saying they should keep doing Skyrim, Borderlands and GTA4 sales and keep ignoring random XBLA games from 2008? 'Cause the latter is what they need to be doing; push content that people don't yet know that they want. The stuff they know about will sell regardless.
Valkyria
Banned
In Spain that section have bellow 400 and over 800 points. At least until today update, I'll check it out latter.
CrunchinJelly
formerly cjelly
Giana Sisters is $15 on Steam, too. Not sure why you make it sound like it's an XBLA only thing.
There are still lots of 800pt games.
That's weird! Mine is 1200+ and 1200, like I said. I can check if it's been changed later today...
Because this is an XBLA thread?
And I'm aware of the catalog; I own 80% of it.
LorDjidane
Member
I don't wanna feed so I'll be stopping here.
giana sisters seems like a good port. smooth framerate, no tearing but it has some long loading times and no anti aliasing. gameplay seems good and i really like the morphing stuff. the game seems to get pretty challenging torwards the end of the demo and thats only area 1...
i also hat that they dont explain how the "canonball" move and the "twirl" jump work. i still have no idea how to do the twirl thing.
anyone here played the pc version and can say something about the difficulty?
i also hat that they dont explain how the "canonball" move and the "twirl" jump work. i still have no idea how to do the twirl thing.
anyone here played the pc version and can say something about the difficulty?
CrunchinJelly
formerly cjelly
Kinda disappointed in Giana Sisters. It seems ok but the switching character gimmick just gets a bit tiring by the end of the demo.
I am definitely sooooo disappointed in Alien Spidy, though. The videos looked really good. Basically Worms Ninja Rope: The Game. It just doesn't click with me. Using right stick for the web doesn't seem precise enough and you have no idea where it is going to end up on screen. One section had water droplets coming from the ceiling and blobs coming up from some water below. I could barely see what was going on, where I was supposed to be putting the web and just died over and over. Performance is kind of bad, as well. There seems to be some weird v-sync shimmer or something constantly. It looks like the game is taking place in jelly.
2000pts saved, I guess.
I am definitely sooooo disappointed in Alien Spidy, though. The videos looked really good. Basically Worms Ninja Rope: The Game. It just doesn't click with me. Using right stick for the web doesn't seem precise enough and you have no idea where it is going to end up on screen. One section had water droplets coming from the ceiling and blobs coming up from some water below. I could barely see what was going on, where I was supposed to be putting the web and just died over and over. Performance is kind of bad, as well. There seems to be some weird v-sync shimmer or something constantly. It looks like the game is taking place in jelly.
2000pts saved, I guess.
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
I played the first 1/2 of the PC version and felt... tired, basically. The levels are quite long, you switch very frequently, and the mechanic fairly rarely has novelty besides "I need to be the metal girl -> move five feet -> I need to be the sunshine and lollipops girl -> move five feet -> repeat". I got it gifted to me, I think, or paid $2.50 or something. So yeah for $15 I think it'd be a pretty frustrating purchase.
Yeah, played the demo of Alien Spidy and you completely miss any of the tutorials because you're pressing A to jump. They just disappear instantly. How do you not pick up on that?
No single player campaign. Looks great but I'm not really interested in MP games.
Spidy game looked OK in the screens, but it's absolutely terrible. Feels like a lame Xbox Indie Game and has terrible tearing and stuttering. Not sure how this worked its way on to XBLA.
Also keep missing the tutorials when I jump - doesn't give you another chance to see them either unless you die. Really bad.
Also keep missing the tutorials when I jump - doesn't give you another chance to see them either unless you die. Really bad.
yeah i agree on all counts. it's the only game i ever ng+'d (and first game i ever 100%'d). such tight controls, satisfying combat, beautiful art direction, excellent pacing and level design. as perfect a game as any could hope for.
Yeah, Alien Spidy sucks as much as I predicted it would. Swinging from webs feels a fraction as satisfying as the same thing does in Bionic Commando, and far less precise and more fumbly and annoying too. Plus terrible framerate constantly and obtuse, not-fun obstacles. Not buying that one until it's DotW.
Giana Sisters, on the other hand, I really liked. Controls are fine, the mode-switching looks excellent and is smooth and fluid (and I didn't find it a chore like some of you guys apparently did). I can't buy more MSP until next week but I can't wait to play this one first thing when I do. Happy to see that they didn't have an achievement for beating "uber hardcore" mode, phew.
Giana Sisters, on the other hand, I really liked. Controls are fine, the mode-switching looks excellent and is smooth and fluid (and I didn't find it a chore like some of you guys apparently did). I can't buy more MSP until next week but I can't wait to play this one first thing when I do. Happy to see that they didn't have an achievement for beating "uber hardcore" mode, phew.
bigtroyjon
Member
Major Nelson posted about the Xbox booth at PAX East, not much there just some DLC, AoEII and a few XBLA games. Surprised that Lococycle is not on the list.
Steverulez
Member
I hope State of Decay is out soon.
Also, no Lococycle is a surprise but having watched a video of it last week it didn't look too good (personally) so perhaps they're being given more time on it?
Also, no Lococycle is a surprise but having watched a video of it last week it didn't look too good (personally) so perhaps they're being given more time on it?
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
I'll have to echo what everyone else said about Alien Spidy. It just doesn't work. I think the main problem is that the game's core mechanic (rope-swinging) is one that we associate with games like Worms where mostly it's a fun and simple way to move around and doesn't require an enormous amount of precision, but the game itself is basically a torture platformer like Super Meat Boy. Everything on the screen kills you except for the exact path you need to take through the level. It feels even more linear because that path is also filled to the brim with useless pick-em-ups, which also affect your score, so actually even if you do exactly what they want but you're a few pixels off, you are punished. It's a platformer with powerups, but the powerups don't function as powerups, they function as part of the level design. Because you get them right when you need them, you use them exactly once to clear an obstacle, and then they disappear. What's the difference between the springboard mushroom and the super jump powerup? Nothing. What does the buoyancy powerup (not shown in the demo, but in videos) do? Lets you land on water once without drowing--how is that different from having a small island in the middle of the water? It's about time attack and score attack but there are no shortcuts and the only way to boost your score is to collect more and die less, not actually do anything materially different about how you move. The framerate is also iffy.
Pity, because the character is cute and I think the art style is nice and economical.
The crazy thing is that most of the buttons on the controller don't do anything, so there's really no reason why this would be the case.
Other demos...
Shoot Many Robots: This seemed to be a pretty looking bore to me. It's a side-scrolling action shooter like Contra or Metal Slug, but with a loot system. Kill a gazillion robots, get bolts to buy better equipment. The demo was very pretty and everything, but did nothing to convince me that there'd be a variety of scenarios, enemies, or possible character builds. And unlike Contra or Metal Slug, the level design wasn't very engaging. Ho hum.
Serious Sam 3: Things I liked: fast movement speed, satisfying gory monster kills, stats menu was interesting, technically seemed to run well and look good on 360. Things I didn't like: shooting boring stationary humans, auto-aim up the wazoo, guns in demo had no real pop although the size of the gun menu was inspiring, washed out Assassin's Creed I style middle eastern urban cityscape level design seemed very crummy. I've never been a huge fan of previous SS games (or Painkiller, really), although I do like Doom and earlier Quake games. I think if I bought it it'd be on PC, but I don't think I'd buy it.
Pity, because the character is cute and I think the art style is nice and economical.
The crazy thing is that most of the buttons on the controller don't do anything, so there's really no reason why this would be the case.
Other demos...
Shoot Many Robots: This seemed to be a pretty looking bore to me. It's a side-scrolling action shooter like Contra or Metal Slug, but with a loot system. Kill a gazillion robots, get bolts to buy better equipment. The demo was very pretty and everything, but did nothing to convince me that there'd be a variety of scenarios, enemies, or possible character builds. And unlike Contra or Metal Slug, the level design wasn't very engaging. Ho hum.
Serious Sam 3: Things I liked: fast movement speed, satisfying gory monster kills, stats menu was interesting, technically seemed to run well and look good on 360. Things I didn't like: shooting boring stationary humans, auto-aim up the wazoo, guns in demo had no real pop although the size of the gun menu was inspiring, washed out Assassin's Creed I style middle eastern urban cityscape level design seemed very crummy. I've never been a huge fan of previous SS games (or Painkiller, really), although I do like Doom and earlier Quake games. I think if I bought it it'd be on PC, but I don't think I'd buy it.
CrunchinJelly
formerly cjelly
The Spring Sale page has updated and the only XBLA game on there is Walking Dead. :-/
http://www.xbox.com/en-gb/live/spring-sale
http://www.xbox.com/en-gb/live/spring-sale
Miles Quaritch
Member
Boo! Was hoping for a better sale on Live Arcade games, but the GoD titles are pretty great. 67& off Blood Money is pretty great. Everyone buy it when it goes on sale, no excuses.
50% off Dragonborn is also a welcome sight as is the sale on Max Payne 3 DLC.
Here's the sale:
Hitman: Absolution - 33%
Hitman: Blood Money: 67% - BUY THIS PEOPLE. NO EXCUSE. BUY IT, BUY IT, BUY IT!!!!
FIFA 13 - 33%
Just Cause 2 - 60%
Spiderman 3 (really? Oh lord, should have been Web of Shadows) - 50%
Spiderman: Shattered Dimensons - 50% (not great, not too bad either)
The Walking Dead: Episode 1 free, Episodes 2 to 5 - 50%
Skyrim: Heartfire, Dawnguard, Dragonborn - 50%
Dead Rising 2; various DLC - 50%
LA Noire: All Rockstar Pass, Cases DLC - 50%
Midnight Club: LA - DLC 50-52%
Max Payne 3: DLC + Rockstar Pass - 50%
Resident Evil 6: DLC - 50%
Plus 50% off some DLC for OCR and SSF 4.
NotMyUsername
Member
Is Midnight Club: LA still worth playing at all? I was really into Midnight Club 2 years ago and have always thought about grabbing it. I think the sale would put it around $10 (and another $6 or so for all the South Central content?) so I might finally get around to grabbing it but I always worry that it's aged horribly and simply isn't much fun.
And that's assuming all those deals come to the US? That link brought me to the UK page, I believe, and I'm not sure how to access the US side of things for that deal.
And that's assuming all those deals come to the US? That link brought me to the UK page, I believe, and I'm not sure how to access the US side of things for that deal.
state_vector_collapse
Member
I picked up Midnight Club: LA recently and think it's fantastic. It plays well and to be honest, I think it still hold up very well graphically considering how much traffic is usually onscreen. It's a nicer looking city than GTA 4 that's for sure.
For my money it is a better game than Need for Speed MW.
For my money it is a better game than Need for Speed MW.
Miles Quaritch
Member
Hah, seems someone accidentally updated the spring sale page a little early. All deals, etc have been removed.
Vert boil
Member
Major Nelson posted the list of stuff that will be on sale. Looks like it will be worldwide.
http://majornelson.com/2013/03/22/xbox-live-spring-sale-2013-starts-march-26th/
Pic here for those that should be working.
There will also be a one day sale on April 1st.
edit,
For those that missed it, Ascend: New gods beta sign up is going on at the moment.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=527070
http://majornelson.com/2013/03/22/xbox-live-spring-sale-2013-starts-march-26th/
Pic here for those that should be working.
There will also be a one day sale on April 1st.
edit,
For those that missed it, Ascend: New gods beta sign up is going on at the moment.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=527070
Phonomezer
Banned
I can see the list in USD and Sterling but not AUD, annoying!
sweetvar26
Member
Question.
Any word on the XBLA titles being backwards compatible with the Xbox 720 or whatever it is going to be called?
I think for the PS4, PSN titles aren't, as of what I heard or read.
Any word on the XBLA titles being backwards compatible with the Xbox 720 or whatever it is going to be called?
I think for the PS4, PSN titles aren't, as of what I heard or read.
Miles Quaritch
Member
It's certainly not as good as the past few sales, but there are some decent offers to be had. JC2 for $9.99 is pretty great, same goes for Blood Money and both the expansions ofr Skyrim.
First time, second time Dawnguard and Hearthfire have been on sale.
A sale I'm kinda excited for! I'm getting all The Walking Dead episodes as I missed the Christmas sale at that price. I almost bought Dead Rising Case Zero this week for 400 so I'm glad I waited. Wish Carcassonne was on sale, maybe April 1st.
Has anyone played Case West, similar to Zero? I'll have to give the demo a try.
Has anyone played Case West, similar to Zero? I'll have to give the demo a try.
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
I played the demos of both a week or two ago and found them very dissimilar. Case Zero seemed more like a slightly more open Dead Rising, while Case West immediately makes you fight living humans with machine guns.
The two Dead Rising XBLA games are on the list as well and actually good deals at 60% off. I own and recommend both of them if you want a zombie fix without buying the full Dead Rising 2 + DLC. They each offer a little bit different things. That being said, we are on the XBLA thread so I think it is a disappointing sale with only 3 XBLA games on there (if you count the Walking Dead episodes as one like I do). Hopefully they deliver on the April 1st one day only sales.
As far as I know, they haven't announced one way or another yet. I would REALLY like to know this as well as it will factor into decision as to which console I get and whether I get it right when it comes out or not. I see forum posts on all these different sites of people saying why it should or shouldn't work but I don't think nobody knows for sure.
Family Fry
Member
And patience wins out. If only I was a little more patient I would have saved 800 points on the AC Revelations DLC.