Official Xbox Live Arcade Thread

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The official PR and Xbox.com page say 400, what's the deal? MN says 800...

Gowan: Is the trail purely the "put ball in weird mouth" thing? I had NO idea what to do with that in the Partnernet version..
 
Wow looks like it is prices at 800 points

Rlan said:
The official PR and Xbox.com page say 400, what's the deal? MN says 800...

Gowan: Is the trail purely the "put ball in weird mouth" thing? I had NO idea what to do with that in the Partnernet version..

yeah you just have to aim and shoot the little apples into the monsters mouth ok I suppose.

But what the hell are the other modes? terrible trial, explains nothing.

400 points I could see some people picking it up for a little fun but 800 :lol
 
Rlan said:
Oh hey finally Assault Heroes 2 first look:

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/858/858415p1.html

IGN said:
Blowing out the game means new and more powerful weapons, interactive and destructible environments, hijackable vehicles, improved level design and a 30% longer experience. Stages have now been added that stray away from the vertical design, creating a path that snakes in all directions. The team has also made the stages more three dimensional in appearance. One area we saw had the heroes riding on a bridge high above water, adding a sense of grandiose perspective. That water, by the way, looks very cool and is quite impressive for an XBLA game.

*strokes MS Point Card in anticipation*
 
i had a lot of trouble getting the online coop to work over Live.. and that *really* pissed me off. They did finally patch it though, so I'll bend over and take it again.

Day 1.. I love me some Smash TV
 
Yuck, this week's games are lol-worthy. So we have a free PC game for 800 points, and an old cell phone game also for 800 points. NO! After Rocketmen last week, I really hope next week brings home something awesome. Sorry, bad XBLA games put me in a bad mood. Maybe Brain Challenge would be fun as a drinking game. I bet it would.
 
Holy shit guys, airburst is coming to xbla:


ab1.jpg

ab2.jpg



I used to play this a while back on my mac. This game is the shit, trust me.
 
I tried Bliss Island and got this minigame where I was sending pumpkins into a monsters mouth. I was bored instantly. Then after I did it a bunch of times, I hit round two... then round three. Then I turned off my 360. Bad start to attract people to your game.
 
Well, the latest XBLA releases seems to be a bit bad.

Rocketmen: I like the graphics style, the comic book-esque story and that you can create a basic custom character. Too bad the game is the most generic 2D shooter you can imagine. The bad thing is that game is even worse than the minigames in certain other games. Thrillville has a few 2D shooters which are far more enjoyable, and that game is stuffed with varied minigames.

Bliss Island: I've only tried the trial... does the full game have any different gameplay? If not, then this should get the award for the dullest game on XBLA.

Brain Challenge: A collection of stupidly simple and boring minigames, definitely something I'll skip. If I want a mental challenge I've got a ton of other games which does a better job than this.

Assault Heroes 2 looks awesome, I hope that is released soon.
 
Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix beta going Commando on XBLA

Capcom's Street Fighter II' Hyper Fighting is widely heralded as one of the greatest fighting games of all time, and its addition to Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade had more than a few classic fighter fans returning to the dojo in preparation for online brawling. However, its arrival on Xbox Live Arcade was met with a bittersweet reception, as while the single-player component was a near-flawless emulation, the much-anticipated online features suffered from debilitating lag.

Experience the classic rivalry again for the first time in high-def.

With Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, Capcom has another chance to do right by its throng of faithful fans, and the publisher seems to have learned its lesson from its first outing. Capcom announced today that it will be offering free access to the Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix beta to Xbox Live Gold members who purchase Commando 3. A continuation of the high-octane action series with roots dating back to 1985, Commando 3 will run gamers 800 Microsoft points ($10).

With Capcom touting the SSFII Turbo HD Remix beta as the first of its kind for a digitally distributed XBLA title, Xbox Live Gold members will be able to download an access key for the advanced trial alongside Commando 3 this spring. The beta is expected to be available for play shortly thereafter. The beta period will run for approximately eight weeks, and world warriors will be able to battle it out on a single stage as either Ken or Ryu. According to Capcom, the purpose of the beta is to stress-test the game's network code in anticipation of its full release on XBL and the PlayStation Network later this year.

Adapted for XBLA and PSN by Backbone Entertainment, SSFII Turbo HD Remix brings the classic fighter into the high-definition age, with completely redrawn visuals created by Udon Comics, publishers of the current Street Fighter comic book. Aside from its aesthetic enhancements, the game packs in a number of updated features under the hood, including online multiplayer matches, in-game voice chatting, and worldwide rankings.

Purists will be pleased to know the game is playable in all its old-school glory, but Capcom will also be packing in a "rebalanced mode" that promises "massive changes across the board to all Street Fighter characters as created and tested by some the world's top-ranked professional Street Fighter players." Gamers will also be able to choose between the game's original 4:3 resolution or a new widescreen mode, as well as the game's original tunes or a remixed soundtrack.
:D
 
Sectus said:
Bliss Island: I've only tried the trial... does the full game have any different gameplay? If not, then this should get the award for the dullest game on XBLA.
Worse than Geon: Emotions?

I guess not every week can be sunshine and rainbows. After the Poker Smash/RezHD/N+ glory I suppose MS might need to empty out the recycle bin of ho-hum gaming.

Did anyone buy Commanders, and was it any good? Demo seemed ok but there were so many other games right then...
 
What ever happened to that arcadey mech game coming to xbox live? Was it not released yet or it just didn't turn out so great? I think the title was like World War or something.
 
Two things, I really hate the new name and I am sensing a motif from Capcom they really like that classic to modern transformation thing in their trailers.
 
1up.com Previews Capcom's Plunder

http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3166915

SCREENS: The Xbox Live Arcade version of N+ made news recently because it had to cut a map-uploading feature to meet Microsoft's certifications, but Hoberman isn't concerned about this scenario affecting Plunder. "We've been upfront about the map editor for over a year now with Microsoft, and we've been talking with them a ton," he says. "We've been pretty careful." Click the image above to check out all Plunder screens.

Given Hoberman's history, it's no surprise to see an online multiplayer focus here, and that theme carries into the interface and options. Much like Halo 3, Plunder will feature a party system allowing players to jump between games in groups, and notably for a downloadable game (on the console versions, anyway), players will be able to create maps and share them with others.

For Plunder's single-player mode, you can expect something akin to Unreal Tournament's -- there will be a bit of story and a few characters, but for the most part it's a different way to play the same game types found in multiplayer. "We use the single-player to teach people how to play the game in a little bit, you know, less threatening scenario," says Hoberman, adding that certain single-player missions are also "just impossibly hard" for those wanting more than a tutorial.

And while all these options are nice, it's the basic tactical balance that will make or break Plunder; that's where Certain Affinity's key members' track records gives us hope. It's not often that we see a casual downloadable game like this made by people who know how to make and balance complicated multiplayer games, and that, more than anything else, makes us excited to see more of the game.
 
New hands-on Preview of Commando 3

http://au.gamespot.com/ps3/action/c...187646&part=rss&tag=gs_all_games&subj=6187646

For our hands-on we selected Wolf and, figuring we dumped enough quarters into the original games that we wouldn't stink, chose "routine exercise," the second of the game's four difficulties. Thankfully, we wouldn't be taking on our mission alone--three players can play at once, on the same system or online.

The game started with our squad being dropped off on a string of small islands that quickly revealed themselves as being under enemy control. It wasn't long before we found ourselves under fire from all directions. The game's simple controls made fighting back a breeze. The right analog stick was used to fire our guns, while pulling the right trigger would toss a grenade. The longer you hold the trigger, the further your grenade will go. This made it much easier to take out soldiers hiding behind sandbags as well as to destroy vehicles. When the going got really tough, one of us would hit the left trigger to unleash an m-crash--an attack that, after a quick animated scene with the soldier who activated it, cleared all the enemies right off the screen.

The action was just as fast paced here as in the early Commando games, but this version looks much, much better. While the graphics are reminiscent of the original, all of the artwork is brand new and designed to take full advantage of the HD capabilities of the PS3 and Xbox 360. The visuals looked sharp and it was easy to be hypnotized by the explosions and weapons fire lighting up the screen. Commando 3 will also feature an original soundtrack courtesy of Norihiko Hibino of Metal Gear fame, so you know it's going to sound good.

Because it's so easy for things to get hectic, it's a good thing that your soldiers can take more than one shot before keeling over--they've got a health bar now. You've got a few more things to help keep you in the battle, too, like upgradable weapons that include rocket launchers, flamethrowers, grenades, and shotguns. There are even vehicles that can hold all three players. We had a blast riding along in the back of a jeep spraying fire from the mounted gun while our squadmate did the driving and our other squadmate...well, we're not quite sure what his contribution was.

http://www.xblah.net/2008/03/new-street-fighter-ii-hd-remix-video.html

Video Interview of Super Steeet Fighter II Turbo HD Remix.
 
Joy of Stick Impressions: 1942: Joint Strike

******* impressions: 1942: Joint Strike (XBLA/PSN)

15 Comments by Zack Stern Mar 13th 2008 12:30PM
Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Retro, Microsoft Xbox 360, Online, Casual, Galleries

Capcom and Backbone Entertainment are shipping 1942: Joint Strike for XBLA and PSN this Summer. The HD remake -- hmm, part of a bona fide trend -- takes inspiration from 1942 and the other 194X games. But the top-down WWII shooter strives to be its own title, with unique levels, enemies, and updated weapons.

I recently checked out an alpha version of the game on a 360. The graphics looked sharp, with light sepia effects evoking a news-reel quality at times. Other times, colors popped against high-definition backgrounds. While the 3D world exists in a top-down angle, tall buildings leaned with the perspective, adding another visual hook to the shooter.

Gallery: 1942: Joint Strike (XBLA/PSN)

The responsive gameplay seemed similar to other scrolling shooters. Lots of action bursted on-screen, and two players can collaborate on a single system or online. But other than a team-attack that drew a lightning net over enemy swarms, I didn't notice much that sets it apart in a crowded market. Players earn power-ups, fight bosses, and otherwise follow other games in the well-established genre. But if shooters are your game, 1942: Joint Strike could win your $10 or 800 Microsoft Points when it lifts off soon.
 
The nice thing about Joint Strike is that unlike the upcoming Ikaruga it's a 2D shooter that will function well with a second player.

What I mean is that while Ikaruga requires that both players know exactly what each other is doing at all times the only code Joint Strike has to follow is: "Well don't die and shoot lots of bad guys".

Ikaruga on the other hand you have to contend with sharing space, chains getting screwed up(not to mention the suicide bullets on harder settings ughghghgh), and all kinds of other factors..making it a nightmare for most online games I'm sure.
 
Joy-of-Stick Preview: Plunder

Joystick hands-on: Plunder (XBLA/PSN/PC)

4 Comments by Zack Stern Mar 13th 2008 1:00PM
Filed under: Culture, PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Online, Strategy, Casual, Galleries

Certain Affinity is close to finishing Plunder, a downloadable real-time strategy, multiplayer pirate game. The Capcom-published title will be released in late Spring or early Summer for XBLA, PSN, and PCs. Pricing has yet to be announced.

With inspiration from Settlers of Catan, Certain Affinity decided to create a hex-based game but with a real-time twist. Each player -- up to four on one system and eight online -- uses a pointer to guide their own ship. Teams win by capturing a certain number of towns or holding the majority when time runs out.

I played a few test games on an Xbox setup, tapping the A button to issue movement orders. Much of the rest of the game is automated, with ships attacking towns and enemy pirates when within range. Neutral and enemy towns pelted my boat with canon balls until I pummeled them into submission. If I held the defeated town for a moment, I'd claim it, causing it to attack only opposing boats.

Plunder's strategy comes from teamwork, simple tactics, and upgrades. When two boats attack a single target, they'll overpower it more quickly. But since since vessels can't overlap, players need to work together to fit them next to targets and box-out enemy ships. And upgrades play a role. At the beginning of the game, each ship gets a limited number of upgrades to its speed, offense, and defense. But certain towns gather resources -- rum, wood, and gold -- that can be swapped for additional upgrades. Those bonuses can make towns stronger against raiders or add better powers to players' ships. Plunder felt largely like a multiplayer games, although a single-player mode introduces players to these basics.

All the Game 3.0-rage, Plunder will also include a map-editor. This intuitive tool sprays islands, towns, and other items over the hex-based worlds like a paint program. After a few minutes, we created a brand new map; Certain Affinity says that this is the same tool as the one used to create the 25 included levels. Instead of a universal upload/download system, gamers will virally pass maps to each other through friend lists. So once you play a new map, it'll automatically be saved to your system.

I liked my brief time with Plunder. It's a simple game, but I think that longer play with seven other people will reveal deeper strategies and techniques. Certain Affinity is exploring other ways for players to win games besides the town-capture mode, but plans to ship the game first with that game type. I'm looking forward to seeing how Plunder's maps, strategies, and game modes evolve after its release.

Joy of Stick Preview: Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix

Joystick hands-on: Street Fighter II HD (XBLA/PSN)

18 Comments by Zack Stern Mar 13th 2008 1:30PM
Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Fighting, Online, Galleries

I'm not Street Fighter fanatic, but I've enjoyed the series over the years. So with this casual approach, I recently tried the XBLA beta of Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, available soon to buyers of Commando 3 on XBLA. The full version will be out this Summer for that system and PSN.

Frankly, I don't even remember which character I played. It doesn't help that my only choices were Ken and Ryu, who have nearly the same moves. My helpful opponent reminded me how to do some of the special attacks; I was far out of practice on the Hurricane Kick, but I could throw fireballs right away.


Our widescreen fights looked crisp and perfectly redrawn, but I didn't spend much time taking in the visuals. Instead, I used the stick and six buttons to try to attack, defend, and counter-attack. And from my laid-back style -- I call it "shrugging panda" -- it felt good. I always thought Street Fighter captured this back-and-forth dance better than most fighting games.

The fights alternated between standard and rebalanced modes, but I didn't notice a clear difference in that moment. I'm sure that gamers who remember all of the attacks will be able to tell. In my handful of matches, I was content to just walk through the steps with an old, familiar partner. Sure, she's had some work done, but Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix comes out feeling timeless.
 
Joy of Stick Preview: Commando 3

Joystick hands-on: Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 (XBLA/PSN)

Call it another old-school remake/update; Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 will be out on XBLA and PSN this Spring. The angled, overhead shooter draws on its MERCS origins, bringing three-player destruction to those systems for $10 or 800 Microsoft Points.

At a recent demo, I played the 360 version of the game. Controls felt good, with walking assigned to the left stick and shooting to the right. I lobbed grenades and launched super attacks with other buttons; the arsenal held my interest. Vehicles should be a big part of the game, too. In my demo, we drove in an armored truck, shooting from our different seats, and floated down a river raft. Hopefully the full game will feature lots of these breaks, since on-foot battles could grow monotonous.

Gallery: Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3
The graphics followed a slightly stylized, animated look, with crisply defined edges on characters and objects. Other visuals looked good, showing subtle depth-of-field blur and heat effects. The jungle setting was polished.

Commando 3 seems like a sharp -- although not-unique -- scrolling, multiplayer shooter. Fans of this genre will likely find a strong title, but it might not stand out in a crowded market. Still, Street Fighter fans could do worse for their golden ticket.
 
Our previews went up~

1942: http://www.gametap.com/home/read/article/4726

Currently, Joint Strike feels closer to 19XX: The War Against Destiny, in that the focus is solely on shooting everything in sight and not weaving through trenches or any other sort of environmental hazards as seen in 1941: Counter Attack.

Commando 3: http://www.gametap.com/home/read/article/4712

In my brief time with the game, it appears that Fox is the fastest of the three characters, but the range on her weapons is limited in comparison to Wolf's and Coyote’s. Additionally, each character has a special attack that he or she can use to obliterate basically everything within the immediate area. Interestingly, the difficulty level for Commando 3 will automatically scale depending on the number of players in the game.

And I'll write up Pimps at Sea as soon as I down this buritto :O
 
Commando 3 looks cool outside the crappy generic character designs.

A shame they didn't keep the old school directional running fire as well, now it has that Smash TV control scheme. Nothing wrong with that but the game would have been more hard core if it had kept the classic controls. :P
 
womp said:
Commando 3 looks cool outside the crappy generic character designs.

A shame they didn't keep the old school directional running fire as well, now it has that Smash TV control scheme. Nothing wrong with that but the game would have been more hard core if it had kept the classic controls. :P

It's VERY hard going back to that style after the largely better scheme we have today. It's like going back to Asteroids after Geometry Wars :|

Anyhow, I've collected together every single god damn video for the latest Capcom stuff (Bionic Commando, Commando 3, 1942 and SFIIHD) below:

http://www.xblah.net/2008/03/capcom-digital-day-08-all-god-damn.html
 
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