Bullet Soul (Xbox 360, 2011)

Bullet Soul
Developed by Tachyon Inc.
Published by 5pb.
Released for Xbox 360 (4/2011)
Also on PC
Backwards Compatible on Xbox One

Bullet Soul was brought to us by Tachyon Inc., the same crew that ported Ketsui: Kizuna Jigoku Tachi Extra over to the Japanese 360 crowd, which was a Cave game from the arcades, so they definitely had some experience programming shmup titles prior to this game. Bullet Soul happened when these guys decided it was time to make their own original shmup. Bullet Soul features a mechanic that will make you feel quite overpowered: when you destroy an enemy ship you also vanquish their bullets. So, in theory, as long as you destroy the enemies quick then you'll never even have a chance of dying. Clearing the first loop in the game is quite easy but the second loop will still challenge your average gamer while not quite being as ridiculously hard as many other shmups.

The vanilla game features 3 ships to choose from, each with a nice varied style of play. One of them has powerful forward focus shots, the other has a nice spread shot and the third character has homing attacks. Just like in Cave's shmup titles, while firing the regular shot your character moves fast and while using the focus shot your speed slows considerably. You also have bombs for emergency situations. The game does a nice job of keeping the enemies flooding in so there's rarely a dull moment. Throughout each stage there are hidden bonuses that can be shot and if you find them all in a stage without dying you'll receive the platinum medal (highest rank you can obtain). You can still obtain a medal if you die, but you'll be demoted a rank. If you rack up enough platinum and gold medals (I know for sure that at least 3 platinum and 2 gold) you will gain entry to the game's second loop and at the end you'll face the true boss. Bullet Soul is nothing ground-breaking, but presentation-wise it's definitely on par with Cave's titles. Overall, it's a fun game and the difficulty level is very low compared to your average shmup, so if you're usually intimidated by the high-challenge of these types of games, Bullet Soul will feel a bit more inviting.

Bullet Soul was originally a Japan-only release (region-free disc though!) and did see some DLC on the marketplace. Caravan mode is a timed mode where you try to rack up the highest score possible (think Star Soldier). It's definitely a very cool mode to play but unfortunately it seems to be just this one scenario. I suspect when the developer was still supporting the game they use to switch up the scenario for this mode and if that's the case it's a shame you can't select from the previous offerings if you missed them initially (if anybody can confirm this please let me know).

There was a second DLC release in the form of Bullet Soul B, which adds a new character to play as. If the other characters weren't already overpowered enough for you, this chick is incredible and can clear the screen out with ease! This is a fun mode and the new character is a beast, almost like using a cheat code! Within a year or so after the game was released on disc, it received a digital release in the Games on Demand section of the marketplace (at least in North America). If you purchase this version the DLC is included, which is a definitely a welcome surprise!

It's also worth noting that this title was exclusive to the 360 all the way up until April 2017 when it was finally released for PC. The game does also include the option to rotate the screen if you'd like to play in portrait mode which is always welcome in vertical shmups. If you're a collector looking to obtain the disc copy, which included a soundtrack, be prepared to pay high as this one's in decent demand. Luckily for those who just wish to play the game, the digital option is quite affordable.

Final Verdict: Bullet Soul is a highly polished shmup that is a bit on the easy side, but is still a blast to play through, making it an excellent jump-off point for those interested in the genre.

Purchase Links:
Buy Bullet Soul (Digital) - Xbox Marketplace
Buy Bullet Soul (Disc) - eBay

Related Links:
5pb. - Official Site (Japanese) 
5pb. - Official Site (English)
Bullet Soul - Metacritic
Bullet Soul - GameFAQs
Bullet Soul - Xbox Achievements
Bullet Soul - True Achievements

3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures (XBLA, 2007)

3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures
Developed by Wanako Studios
Published by Sierra Online
Released for Xbox Live Arcade (4/2007)
Also on PC
Backwards Compatible with Xbox One

3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures features a small variety of miniature golf courses. Rather than creating a realistic depiction of mini-golf, the developers have tried to inject some excitement with crazy courses and power-ups scattered about. There's a hole in outer space where you launch your ball off a ramp and onto a nearby planet containing the hole, so I'll definitely give the game credit for trying something new with the old mini-golf  formula. There are power-ups scattered about on some of the courses, which allow your ball to jump or even turn the hole into a vacuum which sucks your balls in (insert obligatory "what she said" joke here).

There are two game modes to select from: Tournament and Hole Editor. In tournament mode, you're given two different courses to choose from and whichever you select you will play through each hole on two different days. After you complete these two courses under par you unlock a third tournament that includes all holes from both courses. The hole editor allows you to create your own holes and if you enjoy this sort of thing can greatly increase the replay value of this title. Overall, the game plays decent if you don't mind some craziness in your golf courses. The golf aspect is easy to use and the pars for each hole are very reasonable.

While playing 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures, I did notice some questionable behavior from the ball on a few occasions, particularly on the pinball hole. The ball physics just don't work well as a pinball and it either should've been tweaked or taken out. Other than that specific hole I didn't encounter too many other issues with the ball physics. The game is incredibly easy due to the fact you can back out to the menu and restart any hole at any time by loading your save file. I finished the last course with a score of -41! I wish they would've just had a quick restart button though, since backing in and out of the menus gets quite tedious quickly. There is also a downloadable course called Lost Island available for $4.99, but I'd had my fill of the 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures by the time I'd finished the core game to be honest. If they would have at least bothered to add some additional gamerscore to gain from it I may have been tempted. Overall, if the minigolf theme appeals to you and you don't mind a short game then I'd say give it a go, but personally I think I would have enjoyed just a plain mini-golf simulation more (or just hitting a real putt-putt course).

On a related note, this game is part of the 3D Ultra Minigolf franchise and is the 4th entry. The original goes all the way back to 1997 was released on the PC. There were 2 more sequels that came out only on PC and then this entry which came out for the Xbox 360. There was also a sequel which was released for both PlayStation 3 and the Xbox Live Arcade. The Xbox 360 port has since been de-listed, so don't go looking for it, but the original is still up at the time of this writing.

Final Verdict: If a crazy mini-golf theme appeals to you, then there's a good chance you will find some enjoyment in 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures. It's an older release that shows it age a bit and is on the short side but there's still fun to be had.

Related Links:
Buy 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures - Xbox Marketplace
Sierra Games - Official Site
3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures - Metacritic
3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures - GameFAQs
3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures Achievement Guide - Xbox Achievements
3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures - True Achievements

007: Blood Stone (Xbox 360, 2010)

007: Blood Stone
Developed by Bizarre Creations
Published by Activision
Released for Xbox 360 (11/2/2010)
Also on PC/PS3/DS

007: Blood Stone was developed by Bizarre Creations and was released for multiple platforms in November 2010. The game creates an original Bond adventure starring the, at-the-time of its release, current cast of actors 3D-rendered likenesses and voices. They are quite recognizable and look pretty good considering when the game came out, but sometimes they appear to be staring off into space during the cut-scenes.  The voice acting sounds like it came from an authentic Bond film and the story serves its purpose well enough to give you some cool locations to shoot people in.

Presentation-wise, it's not quite as cinematic as the Call of Duty campaigns, but it's definitely steps ahead of your average shooter. The game's environments are highly-detailed and look very good, though the level designs are mostly linear. You have a cover system in place that will be instantly familiar to those who have played Gears of War. For the most part, it works pretty well though sometimes jumping between cover points can be a bit tricky, but once you get the hang of tapping versus holding A it's not too bad. Pressing down on the d-pad causes Bond's phone to reveal way-points and other things of interest, lifted right out of the Batman Arkham series' detective mode, right down to the distorted visuals while you use it.

The gun-play in 007: Blood Stone feels good and is similar to the Club, also from Bizarre Creations. Getting close to enemies allows you to use take-down maneuvers, which are a bit over-powered and it can be quite hilarious to watch Bond run into a group of guards armed with machine guns and beat them all down like he was Batman (at least on the lower difficulties). There's some minor stealth involved, mostly involving slowly walking up to unaware enemies and performing a take-down maneuver. I really do wish they would have included a way to make Bond crouch, and if it does exist then I guess I'm a fool because I couldn't figure it out.

To vary the action a bit there are several driving segments between missions. With Bizarre Creations having created the Project Gotham Racing series, they have a lot of experience with driving games so these segments are surprisingly competent although very linear like the rest of the game. There is also a stat tracker that shows your progress towards achievements and the intel screen clearly indicates which levels you've missed collectibles on. I always appreciate when the developer goes the extra mile like this and includes this sort of stuff. After you complete your first run of the campaign you unlock 007 difficulty, adding some nice replay value to the single-player side of things.

Overall I enjoyed my time with Blood Stone and I feel it's better than much of the negative criticism may have you believe. A multiplayer mode was originally included, but the servers have been long dead so I'm unable to assess that part of the game. 007: Blood Stone stands quite well on its own with the campaign. The campaign will only last you about 5-7 hours, but there is some incentive for replay. With that in mind, it's worth a look but just don't pay too much for it.

Final Verdict: If you enjoy third-person cover shooters or the Daniel Craig Bond flicks, it's worth taking a look at 007: Blood Stone. Just beware that the multiplayer portion is dead, so you'll only be able to play the single-player campaign.

Purchase Links:
Buy 007: Blood Stone - eBay

Related Links:
Bizarre Creations - Xbox Overview
Third-Person Shooters - Xbox Overview
Activision - Official Site
007: Blood Stone - Metacritic
007: Blood Stone - GameFAQs
007: Blood Stone Achievement Guide - Xbox Achievements
007: Blood Stone - True Achievements

Zombiez 8 My Cookiez (XBLIG, 2010)

Zombiez 8 My Cookiez
Developed by Fritz
Released for Xbox Live Indie Games (12/2010)

Zombiez 8 My Cookiez is another of around 40 or so games on the Indie Games marketplace containing the word 'zombie' in the title. Over the last decade or so, zombies have easily became one the most tired gaming cliches around. I figured I'd check this one out since it references an old favorite Zombies Ate My Neighbors (SNES/Genesis '93), even if only by the title. The game has a nice presentation, with a well drawn title screen and basic mode selection menu. You can't take simple things like a well-designed title screen for granted when it comes to XBLIG, trust me on that one.

When you load into a round you'll see that you play as a miniature tank that is on a dinner table. The games sound isn't too annoying and the in-game graphics are quite well done for what they are. One of the big differences in this game compared to others in the twin-stick shooter genre is that the enemies don't attack you (at least in the early waves). Instead they just shuffle towards the cookies in the middle of the table and attempt to drag them away. This is where you and your pint-sized tank come into play as you must shoot the zombies before they steal your food. Your tank also has the ability to push or pull the cookies to put them back towards the middle of the table if you wish. At the main menu you're given the option of tutorial, classic mode, frenzy mode, fitba mode, credits and exit. In classic mode you try to protect your cookies from waves of zombies and will rack up bonus points the longer you keep the food on the table. Frenzy mode is pretty much the same as classic but with massive amounts of zombies. Then there's a mode called fitba which I was unable to try because it is a local multiplayer mode. Speaking of which, the game supports 4-players so that would definitely increase the fun-factor to be had here. Overall, there's much worse ways to spend $1 than to snag this one off the Indie Marketplace. It's definitely not going to set the world on fire, but if the concept sounds fun to you then you may want to give it a go.

Final Verdict: If you're a fan of twin-stick shooters where you try to prevent zombies from stealing your food, then you've found your game! Seriously though, Zombiez 8 My Cookiez is an above-average indie game title so if you want a wrinkle on the twin-stick formula you may want to give this one a look.

Jumper: Griffin's Story (Xbox 360, 2008)

Jumper: Griffin's Story
Developed by Red Tribe
Published by Brash Entertainment
Released for Xbox 360 (2/12/2008)
Also on PS2/Wii

Based off the cinematic flop that was Jumper and developed by Red Tribe, the same folks that brought you the Space Chimps game, comes the video game adaptation to your home console. This game is very much a by-the-numbers brawler of the most boring variety. Beat up a few dudes, move to the next area, rinse and repeat. This could be said of most brawlers but good game designers are able to make it less redundant.

I recall a co-worker lent me this movie to watch back in the day, but I honestly can't remember a single detail from it other than it had sand-hating dude from the Star Wars prequel movies and Samuel L. Jackson in it. So with a completely forgettable movie, the story and characters of this game were obviously of no interest to me. The controls work good enough, and at first it is kind of cool teleporting all over the place but you can only use it while in combat and the novelty wears thin in quite the hurry; plus you can't help but wonder why the protagonist doesn't just teleport to whoever the head dude in charge is and take him out but I suppose there would be no game then.

The visuals are definitely sub-par for the Xbox 360, let's just say you can definitely tell this title was also designed with the PS2 and Wii in mind and didn't do much to advance the graphics beyond the levels of those consoles. It's rare that I find a game that I wouldn't really recommend to anybody, but this would have to be one of those. Jumper: Griffin's Story is just a completely forgettable attempt to cash in on a movie franchise.

Final Verdict: Unless you're looking to grab a quick and easy 1000 gamer score or you're a huge fan of the film there is really no reason to play Jumper: Griffin's Story as it's a very mediocre game.

Purchase Links:
Buy Jumper: Griffin's Story - eBay

Related Links:
Jumper: Griffin's Story - Metacritic
Jumper: Griffin's Story - GameFAQs
Jumper: Griffin's Story Achievement Guide - Xbox Achievements
Jumper: Griffin's Story - True Achievements

R-Type Dimensions (XBLA, 2009)

R-Type Dimensions
Developed by Tozai Games
Published by Southend Interactive
Released for Xbox Live Arcade (9/2009)
Also on PC/PS3/PS4/Switch
Backwards Compatible with Xbox One

What a treat this is for old-school shmup fans! R-Type Dimensions features arcade perfect ports of R-Type and R-Type II. The graphics have been uprgaded for HD, but you can switch to the original 2D graphics at anytime by hitting the right bumper. The R-Type games are classics and have always had their own feel compared to any other shmup of the era. The level design is challenging but not unfair. Some of the boss battles, particularly in the second game, are very difficult. In order to master this game or even clear it in its classic arcade form will require razor-sharp reflexes and monstrous memorization.

R-Type Dimensions also includes the new 'infinite mode' for people that don't like getting a game over and restarting after losing their ships. This way anybody will be able to see both games through to their completion, which can be rather difficult without infinite lives. Veterans will likely hate this mode but you are also able to select classic mode, so you don't have to use it if you don't want to. I really love the chunky, detailed sprites and everything looks great in widescreen (I normally play with the original 2D artwork, but the update is nice too!). They did a great job porting these classics over to Xbox Live Arcade where it remained an exclusive for over 4 years before finally releasing on Playstation Network. Shmup fans won't want to miss this one!

Final Verdict: If you're a fan of the original arcade games or you love shoot-em-ups, definitely give R-Type Dimensions one a go. Also for the gamer that likes a serious challenge.

Related Links:
Buy R-Type Dimensions - Xbox Marketplace
Shmups - Xbox Overview
Tozai Games - Official Site
R-Type Dimensions - Metacritic
R-Type Dimensions - GameFAQs
R-Type Dimensions Achievement Guide - Xbox Achievements
R-Type Dimensions - True Achievements

Aqua: Naval Warfare (XBLA, 2010)

Aqua: Naval Warfare
Developed by Games Distillery
Published by Microsoft Games Studio
Released for Xbox Live Arcade (5/2010)/PC (5/2011)
Backward compatible with Xbox One

Aqua: Naval Warfare is another one of those twin-stick shooters that came out in the wake after Geometry Wars' massive success. While it's definitely not as polished as its inspiration, Aqua can still be a fun time if you're in the mood for some twin-stick action. The game takes a more conventional approach, with stages laid out in a linear fashion and a story unraveling between and during stages. I found the story completely uninteresting and honestly can't even recall enough about it to even summarize it, but it's there for those who enjoy that in a shooter. Basically, you just need to know a bunch of ships are attacking and you need to blow them up.

Along the way you'll be able to upgrade your ship's firepower and attributes in addition to gaining a squadron that fights alongside you. Due to you commandeering a water vessel rather than a space ship you typically get in these titles, you're range of motion is hampered a bit and making sudden and precise dodging can be a little more difficult than it needs to be. Other than that issue, the controls work rather well. The music and sound production is there, and gets the job done well enough but nothing really particularly stands out in that department. Graphically the game looks pretty good with a mostly steady frame-rate and cool looking water effects. There were a few instances when the FPS would stutter, but backing out and restarting the game resolved the issue and it didn't happen again.

Aqua does support some multiplayer action but I was never able to find a soul online in my time with the game so I'm unable to really comment on how good or bad that feature was. After you complete the campaign there is also a skirmish mode where you survive as many waves of oncoming enemies as possible. The game will likely give you around 5-10 hours of twin-stick shooting goodness before you've cleared the campaign and likely tired of trying to finish the incredibly difficult skirmish mode. If you're okay with the short run-time of the game and enjoy a decent twin-stick shooter, I'd say give it a go!

Final Verdict: Aqua: Naval Warfare comes recommended to anybody who's played all the other twin-stick shooters and still craves more. If you simply just enjoy blowing up stuff you may dig this title as well.

Related Links:
Buy Aqua - Xbox Marketplace
Games Distillery - Official Site
Aqua - Metacritic
Aqua - GameFAQs
Aqua Achievement Guide - Xbox Achievements
Aqua - True Achievements

One Finger Death Punch (XBLIG, 2013)

One Finger Death Punch
Developed by Silver Dollar Games
Released for Xbox Live Indie Games (6/2013)
Also on iOS/PC

I recall seeing One Finger Death Punch in the XBLIG storefront when it was released, but I purposely went out of my way to avoid it due to the fact that I was less than impressed with Silver Dollar Games' previous offerings on the service. What a mistake that was as this ended up easily being the developers best (and last) offering. Silver Dollar Games released 10 titles in 2011 and from the trials I played they were standard fare XBLIG garbage. It looks like they took a year off and actually put some effort into One Finger Death Punch, which could honestly have been an XBLA title.

One Finger Death Punch is a kung-fu action title but with a twist. The game uses only 2 buttons, X to attack left and B to attack right. You stand on a 2D plane and enemies come from either side and you need to press the appropriate button before they get close enough to attack you. Enemy variety comes in the form of different colored enemies that react differently. Some need to be attacked multiple times, others from multiple angles and so on. The characters are all stick figures, which struck me as stupid at first but when the action is going down you don't even really notice. There is a giant world map for you to explore with a variety of scenarios for you to encounter. You are also able to unlock abilities to give you a slight boost, found by completing certain spots on the map. This is a very addictive title and stands high on any list of top Xbox Live Indie Games ever made!

Final Verdict: I'd recommend everybody give One Finger Death Punch a shot. There is a trial available (at the time of this writing at least) so there's really no excuse not to! Fans of old martial arts movies make sure to give this one a try!

Related Links:
One Finger Death Punch - Steam
One Finger Death Punch - GameFAQs

ArcadeCraft (XBLIG, 2013)

ArcadeCraft
Developed by Firebase Industries
Released for Xbox Live Indie Games (1/2013)>
Also on Android/iOS/PC

ArcadeCraft is a personal favorite from the Indie Games section on Xbox Live. In this title you manage an arcade from the start of 1980, beginning with an empty storefront and you'll progress through the years filling up your arcade as you go. The game sold well (by XBLIG standards) and received excellent support from the developers in the form of content update patches, though in the end there were some unfulfilled promises that kept the game from reaching its full potential.

You'll start off choosing a name for your arcade and will be presented with some choices of arcade games to purchase over time as they are released. Once you purchase a game, you must designate a spot on the floor where you'd like to place it. Each arcade game has a few options, allowing you to adjust price and difficulty settings, each will have an effect on the games earnings. Every so often you'll have to repair your games, which varies in cost depending on the issue with the game.

ArcadeCraft starts off pretty slow initially, when you only have a handful of games for the first few months, but once you start getting a nice selection of machines the fun really picks up. Each month will bring new games out that you can purchase, most of them being inspired by real arcade hits of the era. Veterans of the arcade era should have no problem telling which games these titles were originally inspired by. The cabinets each feature a unique image on the monitor and marquee. It would have been nice if the monitors had some animation, but unfortunately the images on the screens are static. In addition to your standard upright arcade machines, there are also sit-down driving games and pinball machines. During the summer-time you'll have the option to import a Japanese sit-down game. There's also the soda machine and jukebox you can place for some additional revenue. The patrons in your arcade are represented by avatars of people from your Xbox Live friends list. You can't interact with the guests except when one occasionally rages and starts beating up a machine. If you don't select them and remove them in a timely manner, they will beat up your arcades until they require maintenance.

The key to profitable arcade in ArcadeCraft is to keep your popularity high. More popularity means more customers, which of course means more money. There's a five-star rating system at the top of the screen that displays your current popularity and it will adjust in real-time as you manipulate your arcade. The key to getting your popularity up at the start of the game is to have a nice variety of different genres. Each game has its own popularity rating, which will naturally decrease over time but there are other factors that will impact it. When a game receives a port to a home console, the popularity of that machine will decrease significantly. Placing games with sequels next to each other will grant them a popularity boost, helping you breath some life into those older games. There's quite a bit of depth to the popularity ratings and keeping an eye on these will help your overall arcade rating.

In addition to purchasing arcade games, you can also do some minor customizing to your arcade. You can change the color of the floors, walls and pillars. There's also an option to add neon lighting which looks nice and also gives you a nice boost to your popularity. The popularity system works well for the most part, but in the later years once you start raking in the big bucks you won't really have to pay any attention to it. In 1983, the video game crash occurs and the highest popularity you can reach for that year is only 3 stars.

ArcadeCraft is a lot of fun until you reach the in-game year of 1987. Once you reach 1987, new games are no longer released. While you are still allowed to manage your arcade beyond this time, your arcade's popularity is doomed in the coming years due to the fact you can't add new games. I had a great time with the game up until new machines were released, but unfortunately there's just not much incentive to keep playing past this year, leaving the game feeling a bit unfinished once you reach this point. The developer delivered 3 content updates, addressing various issues and adding in some new content. There was a 4th update that was promised, which would allow you to relocate to a larger building where you'd be able to house more machines, but the developer struggled to optimize performance with more games on the screen so this update was ultimately never finished. I'd always hoped maybe the developer would have followed up with future updates on the PC version or maybe even the Xbox One, but unfortunately no such thing has happened at the time of this writing.

ArcadeCraft was originally released for XBLIG in January 2013. The game would later receive a port to PC the following year and would eventually even see a release for both Android and iOS devices. The developer stated on their Twitter page that a Switch port was possible and hosted a survey to gauge interest. The survey results stated that people were definitely interested in the port. This post was back in December 2017 and there hasn't been any announcement from the developer since, so unfortunately it seems like this could possibly be the end of the road for ArcadeCraft.

Part of what I love about ArcadeCraft is the potential in the concept. While what's here is fun while it lasts, the game feels a bit unfinished once you get past 1987. Ideally, the game would have continued on into the '90s since that was a huge era for arcades as well. The fighting game boom would have been awesome to have in here and they could have had an option where you could host local tournaments. The ability to expand the floor to hold more machines or relocate to a new facility would have really helped extend the game's length. There could even be an option to turn your arcade into a franchise, allowing you to expand out to other markets. Understandably many of these ideas are just too big for an XBLIG title, but there's definitely a good core here that sparks the imagination.

This type of game is definitely not for everybody, as the gameplay mostly consists of digging through menus and moving your machine arrangement around. If you dig management simulations such as the SimCity or Tropico games, you may enjoy ArcadeCraft, though be aware it is way more casual than those titles. I have a lot of nostalgia for the arcade era of the 80's and 90's so I was instantly interested in this one as soon as it released. My complaints are that content update 4 never came out and that there's just not much to do after you reach year 1987. ArcadeCraft is lots of fun until you reach the late 80's, then there's really nothing to do but start over again and try to maximize your profits.

Final Verdict: ArcadeCraft is an excellent management-strategy sim game, though a bit short and casual. If the concept of owning your own arcade sounds cool then I'd recommend checking it out.

Related Links:
ArcadeCraft - Steam
ArcadeCraft - GameFAQs 
Firebase Industries - Twitter

Hydrophobia (XBLA, 2010)

Hydrophobia
Developed by Dark Energy Digital
Published by Microsoft Game Studios
Released for Xbox Live Arcade (9/2010)
Also on PC/PS3

Hydrophobia is a survival/action title released on XBLA back in September 2010. The graphics will definitely make an impression right off the bat as you can tell a considerable amount of effort went into them. It definitely feels more like something you'd get on a disc initially, but the overall length of the game will reassure you it is indeed a downloadable title. When you start off everything is calm, but terror strikes rather quickly as the building you're in begins to flood. This game has some pretty convincing water effects for sure and you'll see a lot of rooms fill up with water right before your eyes. I know it's all likely some type of scripted event, but it is still a very impressive effect indeed.

Unfortunately they didn't really do much to make the character model look as wet as she should considering she spends at least half the game fully submerged. Speaking of the character, I have some issues with her. First, she has a very generic Lara Croft look to her and her hair looks very strange for a Caucasian woman to say the least. Second, her voice actor constantly sounds like she's on the verge of whining pretty much the whole game. Doesn't exactly match the actions of this heroic chick pulling off all sorts of Tomb Raider-esque feats.

The game-play in Hydrophobia mostly revolves around navigating the environment as the destruction changes it around you. There is also some sort of terrorist group involved to fill in the action parts of the game. The environments are detailed, but aside from the couple parts in the city areas are largely forgettable. It is pretty cool to see most of them end up flooded out by the time you're done though. The controls are, for the most part, pretty responsive and the gun-play is serviceable. The game has quite a few collectibles to seek out and many of those lie off the beaten path. In addition to your standard Xbox Live Arcade title achievements the game has a bunch of "medals" you can earn for completing certain tasks. The biggest problem with Hydrophobia is that it's an incredibly short game, even by XBLA standards. I will say if you're going after the achievements it will extend the life of the game a tad, but you'll likely finish it within a few gaming sessions. I definitely wouldn't say it's a bad game, but it's likely one I'll completely forget about within a few months.

Hydrophobia was originally released as an Xbox 360 exclusive, but in 2011 it was ported to PlayStation 3 and PC as Hydrophobia Prophecy. This version features upgraded graphics, new levels, a reworked back-story and a new ending among other new features. From what I've read, this version has been heavily re-worked and improved from the original release. The developer, Dark Energy Digital, closed it doors in March 2012 due to underwhelming sales of the various Hydrophobia releases.

Final Verdict: If you like survival-action style games and don't mind a short game-length, give Hydrophobia a shot. Also check it out if you just want to see some cool water effects.

Related Links:
Buy Hydrophobia - Microsoft Store
Hydrophobia - Metacritic
Hydrophobia - GameFAQs
>Hydrophobia Achievement Guide - Xbox Achievements
Hydrophobia - True Achievements

Alice: Madness Returns (Xbox 360, 2011)

Alice: Madness Returns
Developed by Spicy Horse
Published by Electronic Arts
Released for Xbox 360
Also on PS3/PC
Backward Compatible on Xbox One

I'll start the review by mentioning that if you purchased a disc copy of Alice: Madness Returns new, it included a code to unlock the original American McGee's Alice game. This was an awesome bonus for those who purchased a physical copy of the game. No worries if you bought it used or digitally though, because they have it available to download on the digital store (as of this writing it's still up). So for the first portion of this review, I'd like to briefly talk about my experience with the original Alice game before going into Madness Returns...

For a game that originally came out back in 2000, American McGee's Alice has aged surprisingly well. It's had a bit of a graphical upgrade but it still runs on a much older engine (Quake III Arena) causing the jumping to be a tad floaty but you'll get used to it pretty quick. The environments are interesting to explore and continue to get even more twisted as you progress. There are some unique takes on some of the classic characters and despite the old graphics engine, many of them still hold up.. There's a nice variety of weapons provided and they all operate differently. Some of the platforming can seem a bit tough but you can save anytime, so as long as you're smart with saving frequently the game can be an easy, fun ride that's worth the trip if you haven't played it. The voice acting is pretty good and the music is definitely fitting. It's very cool to see a bonus like this and gave me the chance to check out one I'd never played before.

Upon booting up the main feature, Alice: Madness Returns, I was immediately impressed. The game features meticulously detailed environments and the controls have been sharpened up from the original game. The levels are among the longest I can recall in recent history and I struggled to finish a chapter in a sitting in this game. They are broken up into sections and the game does have auto-save checkpoints so it's easy to take a break when you need to. Like I mentioned earlier, the levels are incredibly detailed and the use of color makes this a very pretty game to look at. It's hard to believe this came out back in 2011 it looks so good!

The idea of 3D platforming segments doesn't typically excite me, but everything is laid out so well and the controls are responsive enough that I never really got frustrated due to it. The game has tons of collectibles for those who like that sort of thing, many of them revealing little tidbits of the story. There are now less weapons than you had in the original Alice game, but they are all very different and you will use them each in different situations (where I mostly used the frozen wand weapon the whole time in the first game!).

My only real knock against this game are a few somewhat frustrating mini-games mixed throughout. Most of these are simple, but I wasn't too fond of the 2D side-scroller segments. The graphics look okay, but the jump feels nerfed compared to the 3D platforming and Alice's hitbox is way too large while trying to dodge the fireballs and cannonballs. I also didn't care much for the head rolling segments in chapter 5. The idea is okay, roll the head through a maze like Monkey Ball and countless others that have done this before, but later on it turns into launching yourself from cannon to cannon ala Donkey Kong Country, a segment which can be frustrating. All in all, despite those gripes about a few short minigames, Alice: Madness Returns was an absolute pleasure to play. Electronic Arts definitely did a solid in my book for publishing this one and the programmers at Spicy Horse should be a commended for some incredible work!

Final Verdict: Alice: Madness Returns is a fantastic experience and a fresh spin on the old material. Highly recommended, especially if you like a trippy adventure.

Related Links:
Buy Alice: Madness Returns (Digital) - Xbox Marketplace
Buy Alice: Madness Returns (Disc) - eBay

Related Links:
Spicy Horse - Official Site
Electronic Arts - Official Site
Alice: Madness Returns -  Metacritic
Alice: Madness Returns - GameFAQs
Alice: Madness Returns Achievement Guide - Xbox Achievements
Alice: Madness Returns - True Achievements

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved (XBLA, 2005)

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved
Developed by Bizarre Creations
Published by Microsoft Game Studios
Released for Xbox Live Aracde (11/2005)
Also on PC
Backward compatible with Xbox One

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved received some good coverage back in its day so chances are you've probably at least heard of it at some point. Geometry Wars was definitely key in cementing Xbox Live Arcade as a legitimate storefront. What began as a mini-game within Bizarre Creation's own Project Gotham Racing series was fleshed out into a full-fledged title. This game pretty much revived the twin-stick shooter, a genre which had been mostly dormant since the arcade games Smash TV and Total Carnage back in the early-mid 90's. After this title was released to Xbox Live Arcade and sold well, all of a sudden there were numerous other twin-stick shooter games coming out. Make no mistake, Geometry Wars is a big part of the reason they exist and to be honest I think you'll be hard pressed to find another twin-stick shooter that can match its simple glory, except maybe the series' own sequel.

The controls in Geometry Wars are as responsive as you could ask for in this kind of game. The visuals, while simple, are very eye catching and the music complements the action perfectly. The difficulty ramps up nicely and before you know it the screen will be covered in enemies.There is a huge incentive to stay alive in that you earn score multipliers which in turn will grant you bonus ships and bombs. That's pretty much it, really. Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved takes a very simple formula and hones it into a finely polished gaming experience. It's good, old-school fun trying to beat your friends or even your own high scores. There's no real end to the game, just survive as long as possible and rack up as many points as you can along the way.

Also included is a retro mode, which allows you to play the game as it originally was in Project Gotham Racing 2, which will definitely help you to appreciate the enhancements they gave the game! I'd recommend everybody at least give this game a shot if by some odd chance you haven't encountered it already, but shmup fans in particular definitely need to have this title on their hard drive! This was also released as a physical copy on the Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged compilation disc.

Final Verdict: Geometry Wars features simple arcade-style goodness that everybody can enjoy. The difficulty is sky-high, but ramps up progressively so that it doesn't hinder the game experience one bit. Highly recommended!

Purchase Links:
Buy Geometry Wars - Xbox Marketplace
Search XBLA Unplugged - eBay

Related Links:
Twin-Stick Shooters - Xbox Overview
Geometry Wars - Metacritic
Geometry Wars - GameFAQs
Geometry Wars Achievement Guide - Xbox Achievements
Geometry Wars - True Achievements

 

Snops Attack! Zombie Defense (XBLIG, 2012)

Snops Attack! Zombie Defense
Developed by Snops Games
Released for XBLIG (9/2012)

Snops Attack! Zombie Defense is a vertically scrolling shoot-em-up (or shmup for short), a genre that dominated in the era of arcades in the 80's and saw a lot of love in the 90's as well. You can find quite a few shmup gems on the 360 if you dig enough and this is definitely one of the more overlooked shooters as it never saw release outside XBLIG.

In Snops Attack! you play as Snops, a dog pilot taking to the skies to battle the alien/zombie onslaught. The game features high-res sprites and while they typically don't have many frames of animation it all looks very nice. Your ship you has two styles of shots you can switch between on the fly; one is a powerful straight shot while the other is a weaker spread. This weapon system is very easy to learn and has an obvious balance with both being great in certain situations. You can also pick up buddies that will fly along side you and increase your firepower further. There's also your screen clearing bomb, a standard in the genre, which leaves a very satisfying giant explosion when used and can get you out of some tight spots.

The background graphics in Snops Attack! look great although lacking a bit in variety, but due to the intensity of the action you won't be able to fixate on it much. You will shoot the same enemies a lot, but they are all very well drawn and the game does a good job of adding new foes to blast on each stage. The bosses are huge and present quite a challenge, especially on the harder difficulties. The game features a total of six levels, each with their own theme and matching enemies. The creator is obviously a huge fan of shmup games and I really enjoyed the numerous homages to the Gradius games, as there's a stage with giant Moai heads and another with massive bubbles. While some of the stages are a tad bit longer than they need to be, the game as a whole is quite short and the overall design and presentation is quite a few steps ahead of what you'll normally find on XBLIG.

I'm really surprised this title didn't receive more attention honestly and I sincerely hope the developer made at least something for his effort. If your a fan of shmup games then I would highly recommend grabbing this one while the indie games marketplace is still a thing. Perhaps a re-issue for the Xbox One or even Steam is in order to spread the game around and get Snops Attack! Zombie Defense the play it deserves!

Final Verdict: If you're a fan of shmup games, you really should check out Snops Attack! It's a well programmed vertical shooter and is easily one of the best on XBLIG.

External Links:
Snoppies Attack Developer Blog
Snops Gaming YouTube Channel