Pneuma: Breath of Life (Xbox One, 2015)

Pneuma: Breath of Life
Developed by Deco Digital
Released for Xbox One (2/2015)
Also on PC/PlayStation 4

Pneuma: Breath of Life is a first-person puzzle game. The majority of the puzzles in the game are focused around sight, so the game is unique in this aspect. Solving a puzzle in Pneuma will typically involve either looking directly at or avoiding line of sight with the strange eyeball things you'll find scattered about When you're not solving puzzles in Pneuma, you're walking slowly to your next destination while your character narrates the story.

Pneuma: Breath of Life looks pretty good graphically, with some nice reflective surfaces and shading effects. I think many who saw screens or footage of this game were hoping for a Myst style game, but the gameplay really shares nothing in common with that series. Pneuma isn't a bad game for what it is, though it is very short and can be completed within an hour or two. Unfortunately, save for a few optional puzzles there's really not much to bring you back to the game. While I enjoyed most of the puzzles, there were a couple that were a bit troublesome but nothing that couldn't be solved with some perseverance. The narrative story delivered by your character came off a bit pretentious (he thinks he's God!), but I imagine there will be some out there who enjoy the story. Pneuma: Breath of Life is likely going to bore the majority of gamers out there, but for those who like some puzzle-solving this one might be worth a look.

Final Verdict: Pneuma: Breath of Life is a first-person game where you walk around and solve puzzles mostly based on sight. If you're into puzzle games and don't mind the short length, this one's worth a look.

Related Links:
Buy Pneuma: Breath of Life - Microsoft Store
Deco Digital - Twitter
Pneuma: Breath of Life - GameFAQs
Pneuma: Breath of Life Achievement Guide - Xbox Achievements
Pneuma: Breath of Life Walkthrough - True Achievements

Hori Gem Pad EX (Xbox 360, 2013)

Hori Gem Pad EX (Xbox 360, 2013)

Here we take a look at a third-party controller that was released for the Xbox 360. The controller is wired, so no batteries or charging is necessary. Click the above link for a review and see if it's something you might be interested in.

Another World: 20th Anniversary Edition (Xbox One, 2014)

Another World: 20th Anniversary Edition
Developed by Eric Chahi
Published by The Digital Lounge
Released for Xbox One (6/2014)
Also on 3DS/Android/iOS/Linux/Mac/Ouya/PC/PS3/PS4/Vita/WiiU

Another World: 20th Anniversary Edition was released for a multitude of platforms back in 2013 and 2014. The game was originally developed by a single creator, Eric Chahi, and first released for the Amiga and Atari ST back in 1991. As a kid I remember hearing tons of critical praise about the game and had the opportunity to try it out when it released for the Super Nintendo in '92 (known as Out of This World in North America). The game was also ported to the 3DO, Apple II, Commodore 64, Genesis, Macintosh, PC and mobile devices. It was even ported over to the Atari Jaguar in 2012 (as an unofficial release, of course)! The game featured cutting edge graphics and animation for the time, but one has to bear in mind it was made by one person and also how old this game is when you play it.

The graphics in Another World are made up of vector shapes and are extremely basic by today's standards, but in 1991 this was some mind-blowing stuff. The characters are all well-animated and the environments are very mysterious. The game is a cinematic platformer, so don't expect your standard ultra-responsive controls you typically get in 2D side-scrollers. There's a bit of delay between pressing the button and your character performing the action, but it's something you'll get used to if you stick with the game. The game relies heavily on trial & error and you'll constantly find yourself dying and repeating sections of the game until you figure it out. Luckily when you die there's a quick game over screen and it puts you right back in the action.

The story involves your character being transported to another planet, where you are quickly captured and put into a cage. After escaping from your cage with your cellmate, your goal is to make it out alive by any means necessary. Nothing is over-explained which gives the game a nice sense of mystery but also leads to some rather cryptic puzzles. The gameplay design is a bit clunky in several areas, such as everything being on a single screen (no scrolling) making some screen transitions jarring. The game is also quite short, and can be easily completed in under an hour or two if you know what you're doing (or use a guide). There's a nice feature where you can switch between the updated and original graphics on the fly. Another World is definitely still interesting from a historical and technical standpoint. While the actual gameplay doesn't hold up the best, I still enjoyed the time I spent with the title. The price tag is very reasonable and there is still some fun to be had. The cinematic presentation is still pretty cool even as dated as it is.

Final Verdict: Another World: 20th Anniversary Edition is an interesting and historically significant game that's worth a look if you're interested in the roots of the cinematic platformer genre.

Related Links:
Buy Another World - Microsoft Store
Another World - GameFAQs
Another World - Official Site
The Digital Lounge - Official Site
History Lessons: Another World - Waltorius Writes About Games

Johnny Platform Saves Christmas (XBLIG, 2009)

Johnny Platform Saves Christmas!
Developed by IshiSoft
Released for XBLIG (12/2009)
Also on PC

One year after Johnny Platform's Biscuit Romp, developer IshiSoft brought us Johnny Platform Saves Christmas! The game is very similar to the first one but there are many new features and additions that make this a more enjoyable game. The Johnny Platform games are a combination of action, puzzle and platforming elements all wrapped up into one. The main objective is always to eliminate the enemies and get to the exit that is revealed, but often just getting to the exit door is a feat of its own and will require some thinking.

The game was developed specifically for the 360 this time around, so many of the original games weaknesses that were a result of being a port of a Nintendo DS game are gone this time around. There are several stages that now take up the whole screen, and while there are still some vertical stages they are larger than they were in Biscuit Romp and as a result they feel less crammed. The sprites have received an upgrade and everything looks better as a result. The game now features a couple of songs that change up every so often so the sound design is also improved where the previous game had only one song that looped continuously.

Johnny Platform has some new tricks up his sleeve now which helps add some freshness and variety to the puzzles. You can now perform a roll maneuver by using the bumpers or triggers. You can jump at the end of the roll too so it will assist in getting across gaps you normally couldn't clear. If you hold the roll button as you land on top of an enemy, you can roll off the top of their head. Johnny has gotten stronger since the last game and can now walk while carrying multiple stacked objects now. The game has also added little fire pits that will send you flying (much like in Battleblock Theater) and help you reach high spots. In addition to the rolling blocks (which were cookies in the first game) you now have bombs which can be ignited if rolled over a fire source. With this being a Christmas themed game, there are of course lots of icy platforms. All these additions are well implemented throughout and help add some variety to the gameplay.

While the original featured an admirable fifty-five levels, this one steps it up and offer a hundred levels! The difficulty spikes are a bit uneven, but it's a bit subjective as the time it takes for one person to solve a puzzle may be completely different for the next player. The stage design is solid overall and a lot of thought was put into the level layouts. The lives system has been altered to be a bit less of a nuisance now, as you can now start from any stage you've completed. The game will record how many lives you had when you reached a given stage in case you want to go back and rack up some more lives if you were having trouble reaching the next checkpoint, which you'll get every four or five levels. Once you reach about the halfway point of the game the difficulty really ramps up and I really began struggling to reach the next checkpoint. Actually the lives/checkpoint system is my only complaint against the game as it will force you to replay certain stretches over and over until you finally get to the next checkpoint. It's not a huge deal but it did cause me to turn the game off several times where I would've continued on if I didn't have to keep repeating the last several stages over and over. With that being said though I'd say Johnny Platform Saves Christmas is easily one of the top puzzle/platformers that came out for XBLIG.

While the game is no longer available on the 360 after the indie games section closed down, the developer was nice enough to develop a port for the PC and offers it free to download. If you're the type of gamer who enjoys puzzles or platformers then you should definitely give this one a go (link to the PC version is below).

Final Verdict: Johnny Platform Saves Christmas! improves upon the original in about every way imaginable. 2D platformer/puzzle fans don't sleep on this one!

Related Links:
Johnny Platform's Buscuit Romp - Xbox Overview
Link For Free PC Version - IshiSoft Official Site
Johnny Platform Saves Christmas! Review - Indie Gamer Chick

Johnny Platform's Biscuit Romp (XBLIG, 2008)

Johnny Platform's Biscuit Romp
Developed by IshiSoft
Released for XBLIG (12/2008)
Also on Nintendo DS (Unofficial Homebrew Release)

Johnny Platform's Biscuit Romp is a 2D platformer-puzzler featuring a vertically-oriented playfield, which is a bit odd for these style of games outside of the arcades back in the '80's & '90's. This means that the gameplay will not take up the entire field on a standard screen and there will be a bunch of unused space. The game does have an option that allows you to rotate the image so if you have a monitor setup for vertical orientation this is a big plus.

Johnny Platform's Biscuit Romp was originally developed as a homebrew game for the Nintendo DS , which explains the vertical orientation of the action as the game was programmed with the DS's two-screen layout in mind. The Xbox 360 port is the same as the DS original but there are five additional levels as a bonus for purchasing the game (the original homebrew is free of course) and the order of certain levels were rearranged for difficulty balance. The developer states that the game is a remake of an original game on the Amiga, but lacking familiarity with that platform I'm not sure which game (please share if you know more!). The title screen does have a copyright of 2000-2008 so we know the year of origin for the game's inspiration at least.

Johnny Platform's Biscuit Romp is a throwback 2D-platformer, with each stage taking place on a single screen. Certain stages will loop around when you walk to the edge, giving you a little more room to move around. Your character has a double-jump and landing on top of your enemies is your only form of attack. The goal of each screen is to take out all the enemies which will open the exit. There are coffee cups scattered about, and collecting enough of these will earn the player an extra life. Biscuit Romp is old-school in that you have lives, and when you've used them all up it's game over! The game is nice enough to give you a checkpoint every couple levels that you can start from at the main menu, so you don't have to start over from scratch every play. You also have a button that allows you to reset the stage without losing a life should you make the level unfinishable.

Biscuit Romp relies just as much on you puzzle-solving skills as it does the platforming. Several stages feature blocks that can be pushed and cookies that can be rolled to access higher spots. Your character can also support the cookie as it rolls if he gets underneath it, allowing you to act as a bridge, which will be necessary to solve some of the trickier puzzles. The stages are well designed and give the player plenty of time to get used to the games controls before really ramping up the challenge, but Johnny Platform is up to the task thanks to the spot-on controls. The game gets pretty tough towards the end, but it never feels unfair and overcoming the challenge is always fun. The controls are tight

The graphics in Biscuit Romp are basic, but the simplicity compliments the gameplay well and everything looks good. The music is catchy but will grow tiresome before long as the game only loops one song for the entire duration of the fifty-five levels! Still, the lack of variety in music isn't bad enough to ruin the fun and it's one of those games that you don't need the volume to enjoy, so it's easy to play while listening to your favorite music, podcast or whatever. Considering that the game was made in only 2-3 weeks, it's pretty amazing what the developer achieved here and it stands as one of my favorite platformers released on XBLIG. While the game is short and doesn't really give a lot of incentive to play it again after you've run through it, the game retailed for $1 and would easily give you your moneys worth.

Final Verdict: Johnny Platform's Biscuit Romp is an excellent 2D single-screen platformer offering up 55 levels of old-school fun!

Related Links:
Ishisoft - Official Website
Developer Interview - GoGameGo Blog
Developer Interview - Cinema Blend
DS Homebrew Version Download - GBATemp
Johnny Platform's Biscuit Romp - GiantBomb.com
Johnny Platform's Biscuit Romp Review - Indie Gamer Chick
Walkthrough - GameAnyone.com
Johnny Platform's Biscuit Romp - GameFAQs

Nandeyanen!? - The 1st Sutra (XBLIG, 2014)

Nandeyanen!? - The 1st Sutra
Developed by Tchagata Games
Released for XBLIG (8/2014)
Also on PC

Nandeyanen!? - The 1st Sutra is a horizontal shmup released for XBLIG in August 2014 and later in 2015 for PC. The game is your traditional bullet-hell shooter and feels like something you'd play in a Japanese arcade. The graphics are composed of high-resolution sprites featuring some nice artwork and coloring. The game looks really good in motion though there is some noticeable screen-tearing (though this is a common issue with many 360 titles). Enemy bullets are bright and pink, making them hard to miss. Rather than piloting a ship, you control a flying tengu, one of those dudes from Japanese mythology with the long-nose. Your enemies consist of various yokai which makes for an interesting and strange assortment of foes to shoot.

Any shmup worth its salt needs something to set itself apart from the pack, and Nandeyanen!? - The 1st Sutra features a "pod" button you can use to summon some help. This can be used to parry bullets (similar to Street Fighter III's parry move) or take down enemy shields by having the pod emit a blast. You can use three pods at a time at which point you'll have to wait for them to recharge. Another somewhat unique feature to this game is the lack of weapon power-ups, your shot remains at a consistent strength throughout the entire game, but the enemy placement was obviously laid out with this in mind so it never becomes an issue. Certain enemies throughout each stage will drop a relic, and if you collect enough of these you can knock off about a quarter of the stage boss's health meter before the fight even starts. You also have a bomb that will clear the bullets off the screen, which will come in handy when you have a curtain of bullets coming at you.
At first you might be surprised at how large your character sprite is, but like in most bullet-hell style shooters your hit-box is actually quite small. In Nandeyanen!?, your hit-box is the little circle on your characters belt, which also shines to indicate when your pods have recharged. The only real complaint I have against the game is that it only features three stages. The stages are quite lengthy and feature both a mid and final boss battle, but it's all over too quick and the game really could have used another level or two. Even with the short length, this is still a fun title worth coming back to every now and then. The game does offer three difficulties to provide some extra challenge as well as a bonus gallery featuring some concept art you can unlock. Upon completion, the game teases that the 2nd Sutra will be coming soon but unfortunately that doesn't look like it's ever going to happen.

Final Verdict: Nandeyanen!? - The 1st Sutra is short shoot 'em up title featuring only three levels, but it's very competently designed and a joy to play. Shmup fans should check this one out.

Related Links:
Nandeyanen!? - Tchagata Games Official Site

Back to the Future: The Game (Xbox 360/Xbox One, 2015)

Back to the Future: The Game
Developed by Telltale Games
Released for Xbox 360/Xbox One (10/2015)
Also on Mac/PC/PS3/PS4/Wii

Back to the Future: The Game is likely about the closest we're ever going to get to having a fourth entry in the movie series (until Hollywood inevitably decides to 'reboot' the franchise at least). The game was created by Telltale Games so those who've played any of the companies other entries have a good idea of what to expect: a little bit of exploration, some minor puzzles with a whole lot of narration and dialogue selections.

Back to the Future: The Game was originally released on the Macintosh, PC, PlayStation 3 & Wii back in 2011. With the game's re-release in 2015 for the 360, One and PlayStation 4 the game received new voice-work from original cast member Tom Wilson (Biff Tannen) while the previous version featured an impersonator. Christopher Lloyd is also on board as Doc Brown. Due to obvious complications, Marty McFly is voiced by an actor other than Michael J. but he does a tremendous job with the impersonation and it didn't take long before I forgot it wasn't Fox himself! While the voice acting is solid, there were many scenes that felt a bit too quiet and could have used some improvement in the sound design department. The minor sound issue is easy to overlook with such great voice acting and that incredible Back to the Future music score.

The game is a bit less linear than The Walking Dead titles and may present a few parts that cause players to get stuck but overall the game is pretty easy to see through to the end, especially with the easy mode that provides hints. These point and click style games always play best with a mouse, so if you have a PC or Mac you may want to make that your first option for playing the game. That being said, the controls are mapped out well enough and the game is still very playable on consoles. You guide Marty around with the left stick and the right stick will cycle through your available interactions around you. The X button brings up your inventory and that's really about all there is to the controls, they are simple yet effective enough and gameplay never felt limited by the control scheme. The in-game graphics aren't bad, but you have to keep in mind this game was released on the Wii in 2011, so the visuals are going to reflect that. They've been touched up a bit and though they are a bit cartoon-ish the characters bear a good resemblance to the real counterparts.

The story mostly takes place in 1931 Hill Valley, which was a bit disappointing as I've always been a big fan of the second movie where they went into the future and would love to see that in video game form. What's presented is still interesting though and the game brings back a lot of classic characters from the series, even if they are in the form of relatives in the past. I'm not going to go in depth with the story as that is the meat and bones of the game and will be the main thing to keep you playing. I will say if you've ever had an interest in the Back to the Future series or time-travelling in general, then this game is worth a look. The story does a great job of showing you how messing with the past can alter the timeline and then shows the futility of trying to go back and fix the mistakes that altered time, only to mess something else up in the process. Definitely a bit of a paradox but that's how a time-travel scenario should be!

On the Xbox One, there's a pretty cool feature regarding achievements that will show the percentage of players that have unlocked each achievement. I found it strange that out of all the people that have played Back to the Future: the Game on the One, under 10% played beyond the first episode! I urge anybody reading this who hasn't to go back and play through the game as the ending is absolutely awesome and should be witnessed before judging the title. At the very least watch a video of the ending, it's definitely one of the best things about this game.

The version released on the 360 and the One in 2015 are the same game, though the graphics are a bit cleaner on the One and the loading times are a bit quicker, but the game is still a fun experience regardless of which platform you choose to play it on. Fans of the old movies definitely need to go back and check this game out at some point! Anybody who enjoyed any of Telltales previous efforts or point 'n click titles in general should give this one a go as well. In the wake of the shutdown of Telltale Games, the game has been de-listed from the digital storefronts, but since Back to the Future also received a physical release for both platforms it is still possible to play using a disc.

Final Verdict: Back to the Future: The Game is another enjoyable entry from Telltale Games. The game does some awesome stuff regarding time travel and is worth a look for fans of the movies and/or point 'n click titles.

Purchase Links:
Buy Back to the Future (Xbox One) - eBay
Buy Back to the Future (Xbox 360) - eBay

Related Links:
Back to the Future on Xbox One - GameFAQs
Back to the Future on Xbox 360 - GameFAQs
Back to the Future for Xbox 360 - Xbox Marketplace