Little Racers STREET (XBLIG, 2012)

Little Racers STREET
Developed by Milkstone Studios
Released for XBLIG (1/2012)
Also on Linux/Mac/PC

Three years after releasing the original Little Racers on XBLIG, Milkstone Studios dropped Little Racers STREET. This time around the graphical style has changed drastically, with 3D rendered cars racing around detailed tracks. One thing I miss from the original is the ability to see the whole track, but Little Racers STREET has larger tracks and a more zoomed in camera, limiting the distance you can see in front of your car. The car controls definitely feel a bit more loose than the first title, and as a result I had a tougher time getting around corners without hitting walls and losing speed. The game plays from a fixed isometric perspective and while it looks nice the limited visibility makes it tough to anticipate upcoming turns. You do have a map displayed on the bottom left corner and if you can monitor this while driving it should help on the turns. I personally prefer the original over the sequel, though this is definitely subjective as the sequel has a lot going for it over its predecessor. The game offers either quick race or career modes, and at one point offered online play which I'm guessing is either shut down or a ghost town. Milkstone Studios have definitely shown they can put out a polished product on XBLIG and Little Racers STREET is no exception.

Final Verdict: Little Racers STREET is a fun arcade style racer that is worth a look for racing fanatics that want something a little different than the multitudes of 3rd & 1st person racers.

Related Links:
Milkstone Studios - Xbox Overview
Little Racers STREET - GameFAQs
Milkstone Studios - Official Site
Little Racers STREET on PC - Steam

Little Racers (XBLIG, 2009)

Little Racers
Developed by Milkstone Studios
Released for XBLIG (3/2009)

Little Racers is a top-down arcade-style racing game, very reminiscent of the old Atari arcade-classic Super Sprint. The cars are small as the view is zoomed out far enough that you can view the entire track, but there are no issues keeping tabs on which car you are in control of. The controls handle nice and once you get a hang of using the handbrake you'll be cutting corners with ease. The game features quick race, versus and championship modes to select from. The graphics in the game are simple but get the job done nicely. The music and sounds are nice for the most part, though the constant squealing brakes do get a bit obnoxious after a while. Overall I feel the racing genre is definitely under-represented on XBLIG and Little Racers is definitely a welcome entry in the genre.

Final Verdict: Fans of retro racing games like Super Sprint will dig Little Racers. A solid little racing title for a buck!

Related Links:
Milkstone Studios - Xbox Overview
Little Racers - GameFAQs
Milkstone Studios - Official Site

Sushi Castle (XBLIG, 2012)

Sushi Castle
Developed by Milkstone Studios
Released for XBLIG (7/2012)

Sushi Castle might be a blatant clone of the Binding of Isaac, but it is a very competent clone and can be quite a fun time. One thing I noticed right away is that Sushi Castle has 8-way shooting, as opposed to Isaac's 4-way shooting. This is a welcome improvement as that was always one of my few gripes with the Binding of Isaac. The levels are randomly generated and you have a eight levels to explore in the full version. Not sure if it was just my time in the trial, but I found the scissors (the games keys) were very scarce so I rarely got to see what was behind those locked doors. The enemies in Sushi Castle behave almost exactly as they do in Binding of Isaac, almost as if they'd just been re-skinned. Actually, most of Sushi Castle has this feel to it, as if it were a re-skinned Binding of Isaac. I suppose that's a testament to the skill of the programmers if they were able to emulate the title so faithfully. With the Binding of Isaac never seeing a release for the Xbox 360, Sushi Castle definitely has a place in XBLIG.

Final Verdict: A solid Binding of Isaac clone, Sushi Castle can provide a lot of fun for the dollar asking price.

Related Links:
Sushi Castle - GameFAQs
Milkstone Studios - Official Site

Zombie Football Carnage (XBLIG, 2011)

Zombie Football Carnage
Developed by Milkstone Studios
Released for XBLIG (2/2011)
Also on PC

Zombie Football Carnage is a bit of an oddball title, even by XBLIG zombie genre standards. The game plays kind of like a beat 'em up, though rather than fighting with punches and kicks you'll be attacking by throwing your football. The football acts more like a boomerang in that it can only be fired once until it bounces back. It's a strange mechanic but somehow it works. You also have a dash you can use to evade enemies and a charge attack. As you disperse the enemies you'll find a nice variation of power-ups including stuff like dynamite, bombs, and teddy bear decoys. The game is fast-paced and hurls you pretty much right into the action, making it a good pick up and play title in short sessions. The sprites are composed of high-res art and everything looks sharp and clean. The art-style definitely takes inspiration from Castle Crashers. I'm pretty sure this is one of those games that just continues on endlessly until you die, but I can't be certain because I tend to die pretty quick, though I do still find the game enjoyable. There is a shop where you can upgrade your character with the currency you pick up in-game which adds some replay value. The game has it's own built-in achievement system that tracks your progress as you play. Zombie Football Carnage contains that polish that seems consistent with titles released from developer Milkstone Studios. Overall, I'd say this one was worth the dollar asking price as you can easily get hours of action from this title. Of course it's no available since XBLIG was shutdown, but it was also released on PC so it has not been forever lost like so many other XBLIG titles.

Final Verdict: Zombie Football Carnage is a strange wave-based brawler where you attack with your football. Yet another enjoyable XBLIG game that sold for just a buck (or 80 Microsoft points).

Related Links: 
Zombie Football Carnage - Milkstone Studios Official Site
Zombie Football Carnage - GameFAQs

Infinity Danger (XBLIG, 2011)

Infinity Danger
Developed by Milkstone Studios
Released for XBLIG (3/2011)
Also on iOS

Infinity Danger is a twin-stick shooter that basically plays like a boss rush mode. The concept of the game is that your enemy continues to evolve every stage. The boss is a giant floating fortress with extensions holding turrets. As you progress it will gain additional extensions with more turrets and firepower. The game keeps track of your high scores and also has a nice built in award tracking system that works much like achievements. Like most titles from Milkstone Studios, the presentation is very slick with solid graphics and nice menus. While the enemies look nice, they would benefit from some more variety. Your ship is a bit more detailed than you typically see in these style of games and everything feels really nice when it blows up. Infinity Danger is definitely a cool take on the twin-stick shooter. The game is easily worth it's original asking price on XBLIG as it was only $1. Infinity Danger would receive a port to iOS devices in October 2013.

Final Verdict: Another enjoyable twin-stick shooter, Infinity Danger costs less than a 20 oz drink and was easily worth its asking price on XBLIG.

Related Links:
Milkstone Studios - Xbox Overview
XBLIG Twin-Stick Shooters - Xbox Overview 
Infinity Danger - GameFAQs
Milkstone Studios - Official Site

Raventhorne (XBLIG, 2011)

Raventhorne
Developed by Milkstone Studios
Released for XBLIG (8/2011)

Raventhorne is a side-scrolling 2D game presented in a fantasy universe and released exclusively to XBLIG in 2011. The artwork is very detailed and looks great when viewed in stills, however the characters are articulated like action figures and animate like marionette puppets. It doesn't look terrible but definitely leaves room for improvement. The game plays like a 2D beat 'em up with some light platforming thrown in. Enemies have life bars and will take several hits to kill. You have a light and heavy attack in addition to magic attacks you can use to take down your foes. The game also features a progressive level-up system as you rack up kills. I don't have any complaints about the controls other than the jumping feels a bit too floaty. If you're a big fan of fantasy-themed settings you might enjoy Raventhorne but personally I had my fill of this one after playing the trial. It's not bad, but it's also pretty average. I've read that the complete game lasts roughly about an hour, so the $2.99 asking price is a bit much for me as this is not a game I could see myself replaying once I beat it.

Final Verdict: If you're a fantasy nut or 2D beat 'em up fanatic you may enjoy Raventhorne, otherwise I'd say you can safely skip this one.

Related Links:
Milkstone Studios - Xbox Overview
Raventhorne - GameFAQs
Milkstone Studios - Official Site