Official Xbox Live Arcade Thread

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Bought the DLC for Golf Tee It Up.

It seems there's no new achievements. Sigh.



Also Blazing Birds seems to be a very good idea.
 
What's the word on Shred Nebula? There are no reviews out yet and I can't play it for myself because I don't have my XBox 360 connected to the net right now. It seemed like a solid 8 from the previews/video.
 
Game creator reviews his own game The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai; gives it a failing grade

http://skasoftware.wordpress.com/2008/09/02/we-get-to-review-our-own-games/

We get to review our own games!

Seems like Peter Molyneux is starting a sweet new trend where developers review their own games. This sounded like a lot of fun, so I decided to take a short break from bug fixing to review The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai.

Behold, your review, after the break:

The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai Review

Falling short of our expectations, and not even looking good while doing so.

I’ll go out and say it: The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai is a game. Before we got our review copies, we were under the impression that The Dishwasher was some sort of dating sim with undertones of reducing carbon footprints. Well… sadly… no, this is fairly far from the case. Not only were the promises of fetch-x-bring-to-y quests and whack-a-mole minigames dashed soundly, but every opportunity The Dishwasher had to remind us to live resource-conscience, carbon-neutral lifestyles was squandered.

As for the rest of the game, it’s a mess.

The graphics in The Dishwasher are 2D. In this day and age, this is completely inexcusable: not only are 2D graphics completely inadequate at capturing our imaginations, but 2D–by definition–is not HD. Playing a standard definition game on next-gen hardware hooked up to a monstrous plasma display just seems wasteful–much like that game’s treatment of environmentally-friendly messages.

The gameplay is basically broken. The protagonist, a dishwasher, doesn’t actually wash dishes, at least not in the 30-40 minutes of game play we tried before writing this review. Instead of dishwashing maneuvers, the buttons are mapped to meat cleaver and katana attacks, which won’t help you wash dishes in the slightest. Even if we tried to rate the game on it’s combat aesthetic, we still see some rather nasty glaring ommissions, such as:

* Blades of Chaos
* A reasonably sized manskirt (knee-length seems appropriate)
* Nudity
* A boss the size of a large building that takes roughly forty-five minutes to beat, during which the hero must perform at least two dozen quick time events, transform twice, travel through time, and discover something important about himself

Like we said: basically broken.

The story for The Dishwasher is largely skippable, mainly because you have to actually read it. Of course, to be fair, we may have missed an avid explanation as to why the game is not a dating sim as well as a few stern warnings about the dire state of the Earth’s climate.

We had a lot of high expectations for The Dishwasher, but we were left monumentally ensaddened.

Final score: 1/10
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* A boss the size of a large building that takes roughly forty-five minutes to beat, during which the hero must perform at least two dozen quick time events, transform twice, travel through time, and discover something important about himself
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And thank God for that omission.
 
SapientWolf said:
What's the word on Shred Nebula? There are no reviews out yet and I can't play it for myself because I don't have my XBox 360 connected to the net right now. It seemed like a solid 8 from the previews/video.
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Yeah, it's pretty fucking awesome.
 
Blazing birds graphically looks like shit but it also looks like it could be a very fun 2 person game. Still looks so much like a flash game though
 
PepsimanVsJoe said:
Since it's coming to XBLA I expect it will cost 1200 points.
For reference the expected US PS2 version is due at $14.99.
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I'll skip the PS2 version and wait for more info on the XBLA version.
 
Shred Nebula almost reminds me of an adventure mode version of the arcade classic Omega Race. At least the physics of the main ship do anyway.

Although I love Omega Race to death, Shred Nebula didn't do much for me though. :/
 
IGN XBLA reviews Gin Rummy:

http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/907/907864p1.html

Gin Rummy Review
Shuffle up.
by Hilary Goldstein

September 4, 2008 - Gin Rummy has been around for nearly a century. It's long been a popular card game and with the success of Texas Holdem and UNO, it seemed only inevitable that Gin would come to Xbox Live Arcade.

There's not a whole lot to say about Gin Rummy. It's gin -- but on your Xbox 360. If you've never played gin, don't worry, there is a comprehensive tutorial to get you started. It's a simple enough game that you can pick up quickly after just a few matches.

The single player has you facing off against random AI opponents. There's no tournament or money to win. It's just a match to waste some time on and there's no carry over. This is Gin Rummy's biggest mistake, because a simple created avatar and some career objectives (unlock new cards after winning X number of matches, etc.) could have really made for a much more engrossing experience.


To its credit, there are a number of card and background alternatives, though none of them are that ground-shaking. More important is the inclusion of four additional modes to go along with Classic Gin Rummy. Oklahoma Gin, Hollywood Gin, 3-Hand Gin, and Speed Gin don't radically change the game (it's still gin), but add some variety. I really dug Oklahoma gin, which adds a random element to the number of points you're allowed to have left in your hand before calling gin.

There is online play for 1v1 or 2v2 with a decent number of set-up options. Things work fine online and there's vision camera support in case you want to see some testicles while playing.

Closing Comments
Do you like playing gin? Does no one else you know own a dollar deck of cards? Then perhaps Gin Rummy is for you. More could have been done with creating a cool look and adding some incentives for playing. Still, Gin Rummy can get addictive. There's just not a whole heck of a lot here.
IGN Ratings for Gin Rummy (X360)
Rating Description See Our Glorious Home Theater Setup!
out of 10 click here for ratings guideGet Ratings Information
4.0 Presentation
What presentation?
4.0 Graphics
UNO and Texas Hold 'Em look better. Though the art style is nice, a lot more could have been done to pretty this up.
5.0 Sound
There are five tracks, all suitable for a bad jazz lounge. Still, it's nice and relaxing enough.
6.5 Gameplay
It's gin rummy. They got that right. Multiplayer works and is fun.
6.0 Lasting Appeal
There is a certain addictive quality to a good card game. You could certainly have some time sucked away with this one.
6.3
Passable OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)
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Strawdog Studios presents a post-mortem on Geon: Emotions and a sneak peak of Bounce

http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/907/907708p1.html

From Cuball to Geon and Beyond
Strawdog Studios takes us through the complex history of Geon and lifts the veil on its next project.
by Erik Brudvig

September 4, 2008 - Strawdog Studios, based in Derby, UK, first opened its doors for business in 2003 and started working for other developers on outsource and contract deals. That all changed when the studio started work on its first original concept -- a game that would eventually become Geon: Emotions, an Xbox Live Arcade game that is soon to be brought to PC, PlayStation Network, and Wii. That is not the final outcome that the company originally had in mind.

As we all know, life doesn't always go as planned. Videogame development is no different. While we sit back and enjoy the fruits of developers' labor, game makers the world over are often riding a rollercoaster of sorts with unexpected twists and turns in the development process that ultimately change the game's final complexion. Dan Marchant, Business Development Director at Strawdog, provided us with a diary that outlines the ride that started as Cuball and finished as Geon: Emotions. Then he gave us a glimpse of the future with the first trailer for Bounce, the next Xbox Live Arcade game the studio is working on.
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Bounce actually looks like a ton of fun. A Bizarre take on Breakout - something that surprisingly has NOT shown up on XBLA.
 
Rlan said:
Bounce actually looks like a ton of fun. A Bizarre take on Breakout - something that surprisingly has NOT shown up on XBLA.
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Yeah, it looks quite good. Not quite sure on the whole idea of using animals, though. Seems a bit 'wacky' for the sake of being wacky.
 
Rlan said:
Bounce actually looks like a ton of fun. A Bizarre take on Breakout - something that surprisingly has NOT shown up on XBLA.
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I'm surprised at the lack of Breakquest, as it rocks face. I guess the only benefits the game would get from XBLA would be multiplayer and a cheaper price tag.
 
ESRB Watch:

The MAW Twisted Pixel Games, LLC Everyone 10+ Mild Cartoon Violence Xbox 360

FunTown Mahjong FunTown World Limited Everyone No Descriptors Xbox 360

A Kingdom for Keflings Wahoo Studios Everyone Mild Cartoon Violence Xbox 360

Airburst Freeverse Everyone No Descriptors Xbox 360
 
Costanza said:
I wish I didn't buy PvND as soon as it went up. I can't even bring myself to play it after reading the reviews.
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It really is stunningly horrible. But hey, like I said before, the game was made for the sole intent of selling it to message board kids who obsess over all the stupid internet fads (or "memes" as they call them to hide the fact that they're just fads). It's basically a Nickelodeon license game in that regard, it was made on selling people the title, not the game.
 
Grecco said:
Has Microsoft put a kabosh on ports of old games now?
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For the most part, yes. There were lots of complaints from developers that new game were being overshadowed by nostalgia titles. On one hand that makes a lot of sense and XBLA's real strength are NEW retro-styled games. On the other hand, paying $5 for a great game like Time Pilot is pretty sweet and you get some achievements to add another level to play to the game and worldwide scoreboards. Sure, not all the retro-ports are great (that's more of an opinion though) but they could easily make a separate place for them especially with the new interface coming. Also, you have real shitty companies like Backbone Entertainment and Stainless Steel making really lousy ports of these games (yes, I know Backbone did Time Pilot, but I still love the game). It's a mess all over, I suppose.
 
Princess Skittles said:
For the most part, yes. There were lots of complaints from developers that new game were being overshadowed by nostalgia titles. On one hand that makes a lot of sense and XBLA's real strength are NEW retro-styled games. On the other hand, paying $5 for a great game like Time Pilot is pretty sweet and you get some achievements to add another level to play to the game and worldwide scoreboards. Sure, not all the retro-ports are great (that's more of an opinion though) but they could easily make a separate place for them especially with the new interface coming. Also, you have real shitty companies like Backbone Entertainment and Stainless Steel making really lousy ports of these games (yes, I know Backbone did Time Pilot, but I still love the game). It's a mess all over, I suppose.
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Id rather take a Port of an old game than a shitty new game.


And to be honest i thought a mix was what XBLA was all about at the begining, my favorite game is still TMNT and was kind of hoping to see more of that. :( Stuff like X-Men The Simpsons and older fighters.

Samurai Showdown II is already on VC but i wanted it on XBLA too. Bah
 
Speaking of Shred Nebula, at long last the IGN XBLA Review:

http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/908/908158p1.html

Closing Comments
Shred Nebula can be a near-mindless experience at times but it is completely functional, and while it fails to be very exciting it often presents the same moments of enjoyment found in a quick game of Asteroids.
IGN Ratings for Shred Nebula (X360)
Rating Description See Our Glorious Home Theater Setup!
out of 10 click here for ratings guideGet Ratings Information
7.0 Presentation
Not as flashy as games like Galaga or Geometry Wars but still pretty good.
7.0 Graphics
The art style is generic but the amount of fluid action on screen is impressive.
7.5 Sound
Grungy space rock at its finest. Some people will be annoyed, I turned it way up.
6.5 Gameplay
A competent design with a few basic flaws holding the game back.
6.5 Lasting Appeal
A short single-player mode is supplemented by death match and co-op score attack. It all lasts about a weekend.
7.0
Decent OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)
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Vigilante 8 Arcade Update: Xbox Live Vision Camera Support:

http://v8arcade.com/news/xbox-live-vision-camera-supported

Xbox LIVE Vision camera supported
Friday, September 5th, 2008

Yes, no bull — V8: Arcade supports Microsoft’s Xbox LIVE Vision camera accessory! And, as the screen below demonstrates, it can be actually quite entertaining to see your friends’ faces during play. Ahh, good times!
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vision-support.jpg
 
sorry for this possibly a n00b question but is there a way to sort arcade games by price in Xbox Live Arcade? You know, "list all arcade games -> sort by price -> lowest first". I just bought some points and browsed for some cheap'n'good 400 point games. Doom was my first purchase:)
 
Wow, that game looks really impressive. I really didn't expect games of this caliber to show up on community games.

sangreal said:
Are community games not required to be 720p?
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Even if they are, I would think they could get around it pretty easily by upscaling or adding a small border. If they're still early in development, they could even redesign things a bit to suit a 720p screen.
 
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/s/sshodownIIxboxlivearcade/default.htm

bannerdefault.jpg


Right, I have noticed some mutterings and grumblings over the current status of SNK Playmore's vaunted fighting game Samurai Showdown II, there seems to be some fears over the purported vanishing of this game into the void and it may have been canceled and other such nonsense, especially with the games absence on the TGS list and such. Well, as you can see from the link above the game is very much alive and for those who know what this means, Samurai Showdown II is going to be reaching release real soon, as in this upcoming Wednesday most likely.
 
Always good to see more games support vision cam, I just wish more games would implement face mapping where it seems like an obvious add on. Guess thats more for a retail game thing though!

I hope Duke nukem is this week.
 
I'm still waiting for the SamSho Anthology to come out, but 400 points for SamSho II XBLA is a steal, especially with online play. Hopefully, KOF '98 UM comes out soon. Preferably day-and-date with the PS2 version, if that one is still coming out...
 
ShinAmano said:
I love Samurai Showdon II, but I can't bring myself to buy it on XBLA without upgraded graphics :(
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But... it's online. Who give a crap about graphical updates, it's online. Fighting games are infinitely better when you have others to play against, and SamSho II is already an amazing game. So, it's an amazing game made better.
 
http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/908/908450p1.html

Zombie Wranglers Hands-on
Heed the call to protect your neighborhood and its delicious brains.
by Erik Brudvig

September 8, 2008 - When hordes of undead monsters begin appearing in Potters Field, all hope appears lost. Everyone from hobos to mailmen has been infected with the urge to eat brains and the city is in such disarray that the officials can't do much more than quarantine entire neighborhoods. Thankfully, a quartet of young ghost busters in training is on the case, ready to cleanse the streets in the upcoming XBLA game from Sierra Online, Zombie Wranglers. We got a brief look at the game back in April. This go around we've been given access to the complete game in a state that looks ready to release, which is good news since we've been told the game is set to come out September 17.
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