Fractured Minds (Xbox One, 2019)

Fractured Minds
Developed by Emily Mitchell
Published by Wired Productions
Released for Xbox One (11/14/2019)
Also on Mac/PC/PS4/Switch

Official description from Microsoft Store:

Fractured Minds is an immersive artistic short game, exploring anxiety and mental health issues.

Winner of the BAFTA Young Game Designers Award, Fractured Minds is a game created by Emily Mitchell, then 17-years-old, with the hope of aiding understanding and awareness of mental illness.

Embark on a  journey through the human psyche and experience six atmospheric and thought-provoking chapters, each symbolising a different aspect or challenge associated with mental health issues; from isolation to anxiety, with everyday situations being distorted beyond recognition.

Raw, emotive and earnest, Fractured Minds demonstrates that video games are capable of communicating vital messages in imaginative ways. It is a game that seeks to encourage empathy and champion support for the millions living with mental health issues.

Wired Productions is proud to support Safe In Our World, a gaming industry charity striving for mental health awareness. 80% of the proceeds will help fund Emily's career as well as future initiatives from Safe In Our World.

Xbox Overview Review:

Fractured Minds is a short game; one that you'll likely finish in under an hour. The $1.99 price point should be taken into account but to be honest I didn't mind the short length. The game's 6 chapters each provide a decent amount of variety and while the graphics are simple, they look nice enough. Each stage has a sort of puzzle you'll need to figure out in order to progress, but the solution is never too difficult after a little exploration. No two puzzles are alike; one stage will have you in a bedroom searching through drawers filled with keys trying to find the single right key, while another will take you out to the city streets where you trying to match symbols on the backs of strangers. Each puzzle serves as a way to open the door to the next area, showing how difficult something as simple as opening a door can be to one with anxiety.

One has to admire the fact that this is an award-winning indie title from a 17-year-old. Emily Mitchell, the game's creator, suffers from severe anxiety and wanted to express this affliction in video game form. While she created it under the influence of anxiety, the scenarios are general enough that those suffering from other illnesses will be able to relate as well. Fractured Minds is short, but conveys a powerful message and is well worth a look, especially for the super-cheap asking price. The game also contains a ridiculously easy achievement set that can be unlocked in under an hour, so achievement hunters will find something to like here as well.

Final Verdict: Fractured Minds is a short walking sim that tries to demonstrate what it's like living with anxiety and other mental illnesses. A very reasonable price point and a profound message make this one easy to recommend, and as a plus there's easy gamerscore too.

Related Links:
Buy Fractured Minds - Microsoft Store
Walking Simulators - Xbox Overview
Interview with Emily Mitchell - IGN
Safe in Our World - Official Site
Wired Productions - Official Site
Fractured Minds - Metacritic
Fractured Minds - GameFAQs
Fractured Minds - True Achievements

Fearful Symmetry & the Cursed Prince (Xbox One, 2017)

Fearful Symmetry & the Cursed Prince
Developed by Gamera Interactive
Published by SOEDESCO
Released for Xbox One (12/12/2017)
Also on PC

Fearful Symmetry & the Cursed Prince comes from Italy-based developer Gamera Interactive and was released for the Xbox One in December 2017. Fearful Symmetry is a puzzle game where you control multiple characters at the same time, with each being in different dimensions. When you move one, the other character moves as well, but in the opposite direction. Controlling both characters, you'll have to navigate them through treacherous puzzles filled with traps.

Fearful Symmetry is presented with pixel-art, looking like something between 16-bit and 32-bit graphics. Puzzles are viewed from an overhead perspective with the entire puzzle visible on-screen. The sound design is quite minimal as there's no music during the levels, just the ambience of the forest with birds chirping.  There are also key sound effects, such as when traps are activated or your character dies. The quiet nature of the game had me often listening to something else while playing. Overall, the retro graphics look nice but the sound design is a bit lacking, making the presentation a bit of a mixed bag.

The main story in Fearful Symmetry features 25 levels and 3 characters that you'll have to run through each level in order to get the true ending. The story involves each of the characters having their own reason for seeking out the legendary Symmetry Scrolls. You'll only start with the basic character named Hero, but the other characters you'll unlock come with a special ability. Nulan, the 2nd character you'll unlock can use her sorceress powers to burn any bushes or enemies in adjacent tiles. The 3rd character, Haim, has the ability to warp ahead one space, allowing him to dash over traps and obstacles. The levels are slightly tweaked for the characters with skills, setting up ways for you to utilize your new powers. As you play through the story mode levels, you'll unlock bonus levels that you can access at any point from the main menu. There are a total of 10 bonus levels and these are easily the most challenging puzzles you'll encounter in the game.

Fearful Symmetry will probably last you somewhere between 5-10 hours, much less if you end up using a walkthrough for assistance. Considering the game's $5 asking price, you'll easily get your money's worth out of this one and I've also seen it go on sale for something like $1 several times as well. If you're a fan of logic puzzles, give Fearful Symmetry a look. There's a free trial for the game, so if you're on the fence give that a shot first.

Final Verdict: Fearful Symmetry is a challenging puzzle game where you control 2 characters simultaneously moving in opposite directions on opposing screens. Recommended for fans of logic puzzles.

Related Links:
Buy Fearful Symmetry & The Cursed Prince - Microsoft Store
Gamera Interactive - Official Site
SOEDESCO - Official Site
Fearful Symmetry & The Cursed Prince - Metacritic
Fearful Symmetry & The Cursed Prince - GameFAQs
Fearful Symmetry & The Cursed Prince -True Achievements
Fearful Symmetry & The Cursed Prince Achievement Guide - Xbox Achievements

Null Drifter (Xbox One, 2020)

Null Drifter
Developed by Panda Indie Studio
Published by Eastasiasoft Limited
Released for Xbox One (4/8/2020)
Also on PC/PS4/Switch

Null Drifter bills itself as a "1-bit lo-fi simulation," which seems fitting considering the graphics are composted of 2-tones of color and rather basic, but decent pixel-art. The game plays like your average twin-stick shooter, starting off easy but picking up in difficulty quite fast. Several of the waves will feature a boss at the end to fight. As you destroy enemies, they'll drop coins and sometimes power-ups. There's also a dash maneuver that can be used to evade or damage enemies, which requires a short time to recharge after use. Upon dying, you can spend your collected credits purchasing upgrades that allow you to start out powered-up a bit. That's really about all there is to Null Drifter, it's a minimalist twin-stick with some frenetic action; nothing more and nothing less.

Pins on the Xbox One | Xbox Overview

Pins on the Xbox One
Published April 16, 2020

The ability to create and modify lists of pins might not sound like much, but it's easily one of the better aspects of the Xbox One's user-interface. It makes it easy to quickly navigate through lists of games, particularly handy for getting to those games or apps you use the most frequently. The pins are made so much better due to the fact that navigating your library under "My Games & Apps" can be quite tedious if you have a large collection installed.

The pins tab can be accessed by pressing the Guide button and selecting "My Games & Apps." An additional menu will pop up, offering the option to "See All" games at the top and your lists of pins will be displayed right below. Up to 40 titles can be displayed at a time on each set of pins and the list can be collapsed by pressing the A button on the list name. In order to reorganize games within the list, highlight the game you wish to move, press the Menu button and then select move. An even simpler way to reorganize your list can be found under "My Games & Apps." Scroll down to "Groups," highlight the game you wish to move and press the View button (formerly known as the Back button on the 360 pad). This same method can be used to reorganize the groups as well, making it easy to sort out your lists to your liking.

The pins are a nice feature that can save you some time having to dig around in the clunky games menus. If you game on an Xbox One and haven't used the pins feature yet, give it a look!

Elea (Xbox One, 2018)

Elea
Developed by Kyodai
Published by SODESCO
Released for Xbox One (9/6/2018)
Also on PC/PS4/Switch

Elea is a walking simulator with a sci-fi theme which was first released on PC in April 2018. In September that same year the game would release for the Xbox One, followed by a PlayStation 4 release in July 2019 and a Switch release in February 2020. The Switch version was released as Elea: Paradigm Shift, but from what I can tell is the same game with a new title.

Elea takes place in the future, where a pandemic has hit Earth and made it uninhabitable. A new planet with features similar to Earth has been located and an expedition has been launched via the ship named Pilgrimage. The Pilgrimage arrived on the foreign planet but shortly after landing all contact with the ship was lost. You take the role of space scientist River Elea Catherine Jones, one decade after contact with the Pilgrimage was lost. Your husband, Ethan, was among the crew on the Pilgrimage, and it's up to you to piece together the events of what happened.

Most of your time with Elea will be spent on the research ship named Recovery, though there are some virtual reality segments that will take you to other locations. At the start of the game you'll start off in some sort of virtual machine that messes with your memories, which will be seen several times throughout the game. You'll navigate the game from a first-person perspective and gameplay involves walking, interacting with objects and listening to the dialogue as you discover more about your missing husband. There are documents and PDA devices you can pick up along the way to read up on the lore if you so wish.

Elea is a good looking game in the visuals department, with some stand-out scenes that look great. The environments are detailed and some of the virtual reality segments are very psychedelic. There's lots of flashing lights and colors, so those prone to epilepsy from such things may want to avoid this one. While the graphics look nice, the voice acting leaves a bit to be desired. The low-budget aspect of the game shines through here, and while the voice actors read the lines competently they just didn't really seem all that into it.

Like any game in the walking simulator genre, Elea is not going to appeal to everybody. Those who like the laid-back style of these games may find something to enjoy, as well as those who just enjoy sci-fi in general. It's likely only going to last 3-5 hours, so if you decide to take the plunge you may want to hold out for a sale (I got it for under $2). It's not a bad game by any means, but certainly not really good either, just a bit above average. Those looking for some easy gamerscore will appreciate the fact that all achievements can be unlocked in such a short period of time, though beware that the achievement for getting out of the labyrinth in 15 seconds is very iffy and will likely require many, many attempts before you finally get it to unlock. Other than that one problematic achievement, unlocking everything else is incredibly easy.

Elea was billed as being the first episode in a series, but seeing as the 1st episode came out well over a year ago at the time of this writing and the 2nd episode still hasn't been announced, I wouldn't be surprised if it never sees the light of day. Elea was ported to the Switch in 2020 however, so perhaps if that version sells enough copies we'll see the next entry in the series.

Final Verdict: Elea is a provides some nice visuals and decent gameplay for those who enjoy sci-fi, walking sims or easy achievements.

Related Links:
Buy Elea - Microsoft Store
Project Elea - Official Site
SODESCO - Official Site
Elea - Metacritic
Elea - GameFAQs
Elea - True Achievements
Elea - Xbox Achievements

Super Weekend Mode (Xbox One, 2019)

Super Weekend Mode
Developed by Pixelteriyaki
Published by Ratalaika Games
Released for Xbox One (4/10/2019)
Also on Mac/PC/Switch/PS4/Vita

Super Weekend Mode is a title from developer Pixelteriyaki and brought to the Xbox One thanks to publisher Ratalaika Games. Just by the name of the game alone you can tell this is gonna be a strange one. Super Weekend Mode features pixelated graphics and an overall short but challenging game.

The actual gameplay in Super Weekend Mode is a bit strange, featuring two little paddle-looking things at the bottom of the screen. Each paddle is mapped to a bumper by default, but this can be customized in the options menu (personally I like mapping these to the triggers). The paddles have 2 positions, left or right, and pressing the bumper will alternate the bumper to its other position. Hearts will come dropping from the top of the screen and you'll need to line up your paddles to catch them before they touch the bottom of the screen. Missing a heart will cause the screen to shrink a bit and if you miss too many hearts then you'll lose a life. As you progress, you'll encounter hearts that fall different, making it harder to predict where you need to be.

In addition to hearts, there are other objects that will fall from the top of the screen. The bunnies (at least I think that's what they are) that come down can't be collected like the hearts, instead requiring you to bash it with the paddle by switching over right as it passes by. This requires some precise timing and is definitely one of the more difficult aspects of the game. If you accidentally collect a bunny, this will shrink the screen the same way it does when you miss hearts and if you let one pass this will cost you a life. There are also skulls that rain down and these will cause instant death if collected. The challenge ramps up quick and by the time you reach the 3rd stage you'll need some pretty fast reflexes to make it through. There's a combo chain meter that builds up as you collect hearts and bash bunnies. Filling the combo chain after taking a hit can restore the screen. It's an interesting mechanic and feels unique, though some will struggle more than others when it comes to controlling the 2 paddles.

Collecting the hearts, bashing the bunnies and avoiding the skulls isn't the only objective in Super Weekend Mode. At the upper part of the screen, you'll see that level's boss. When either paddle is in the center position, it will be lined up to hit the boss. Your paddle will auto-fire by default, but if you want more buttons to push during the game this can be disabled in the options menu. Ideally, you want to keep both paddles in the center position to take the boss down as fast as possible, but due to the falling objects you won't be able to continuously fire at them. The boss characters themselves are simple single-color sprites with only a few frames of animation, though while playing you'll hardly have time to notice due to everything going on at the same time. Once you get the boss close to defeat, they'll enter into a second state, complete with some new pixel-art to make them look a bit more threatening than their first form.

Super Weekend Mode contains 9 levels, which is a bit on the short side but the difficulty will ensure that you don't just blast right through the game. There are 3 difficulty levels and you can also select between a variety of princess characters, some of which will make the game more challenging and others that will make it a bit easier. The options menu allows you to customize the controls and toggle autofire.

Super Weekend Mode can be a fun game, particularly for those who enjoy those Guitar Hero-style rhythm games and folks who just like old-arcade style games. Those looking for easy achievements or gamerscore will like this one due to its incredibly short completion time. Publisher Ratalaika Games has developed a reputation for putting out games with super easy achievements and Super Weekend Mode is no exception. All of the game's achievements can be unlocked within 20 minutes, only requiring the player to get as far as stage 3.

In regards to the strange title of the game, the developer commented on a YouTube review (link below) stating the title of the game was a mis-translation of "caravan mode" from shmup games. Then the developer states something about the Star For Super Weekend Competition cartridge, so it's all a bit confusing but boils down to some type of mis-translation that the developer decided to just roll with.

Final Verdict: Super Weekend Mode will appeal to fans of rhythm games or those looking for easy achievements.

Related Links:
Buy Super Weekend Mode - Microsoft Store
Ratalaika Games - Xbox Overview
Pixelteriyaki - Official Site
Ratalaika Games - Official Site
Cornshaq Reviews Super Weekend Mode - YouTube
Super Weekend Mode - Metacritic
Super Weekend Mode - GameFAQs
Super Weekend Mode - True Achievements

XBLIG De-Listed Games

XBLIG De-Listed Games

Technically, all XBLIG are de-listed at this point, but back when the service was live there were several titles that were taken down. While sifting through and trying to find some gems there were a few titles I was very interested in checking out, only to later find out that they no longer exist in the game marketplace. For some reason or another, the developer felt the need to remove these games. Others were removed at the request of Microsoft. This is by no means a complete list, just a few titles I noticed firsthand during the years XBLIG was still a service. If you happen to know of any other games that were de-listed from XBLIG, leave a comment or send me a message and I'll update the list.

Shutshimi
Developed by awppy
Released for XBLIG (5/7/2014)
Also on Linux/Mac/PC/PS4/Vita/WiiU

Shutshimi just kind of vanished from the marketplace at some point with little notice, presumably around August of 2015 when the game was ported over to several platforms by Neon Deity Games, while the original on the 360 was just credited to awppy, so it was possibly some sort of licensing issue that caused its removal. The game has wound up on several other platforms, with ports released for the Vita, Linux, Macintosh, PC, PlayStation 4 and the Wii U. The game was a 2D horizontal shmup with some pretty cool aquatic themed graphics.

Tobe's Vertical Adventure
Developed by rayteoactive
Released for XBLIG (1/5/2010)
Also on PC

Tobe's Vertical Adventure was a nice looking 2D platformer that was developed by rayteoactive and released for XBLIG in January 2010. The game was ported to PC later the following year and I'm not really sure why this one was removed from XBLIG at this point.

Ninja Chop
Developed by zerozerozero
Released for XBLIG (3/2010)

I'm not proud to admit it, but out of the de-listed titles we've covered here, Ninja Chop is the only one I actually owned and had the opportunity to play. It's quite obvious why this one was removed from XBLIG, as the game features female ninjas chopping milk bottles and getting soaked in the milk afterwards. The graphics aren't good enough for it to really be that offensive, but it's still a game you'll no doubt feel ashamed playing if somebody walks in on you. Check out the review here.

Skate or Die (Xbox, Cancelled)

Skate or Die
Developed by Criterion Studios
Published by Electronic Arts
Planned for Xbox/PS2
Announced 2002
Cancelled 2003

Skate or Die was a skateboarding game, originally developed by Electronic Arts and released for the Commodore 64 back in 1987. In 1988, the game was ported to the Nintendo Entertainment System and the following year was released onto the Amstrad CPC, Spectrum and PC formats. I've heard quite a few of the younger folks trash the Skate or Die series, but this game was quite a big deal back in the day. At least in my household, this was one of the few NES carts we had so it got a lot of play and I have nothing but fond memories of the game. The series would get a few sequels in the following years with the final game in the franchise released for the Game Boy in 1991.

In 2002, the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series was still going strong for Activision and Electronic Arts wanted something to compete with that series. They commissioned developer Criterion Games to develop a new Skate or Die game, set to be released for the Xbox and PlayStation 2. Criterion Games was mostly known for the Burnout games, but they had developed a few hover-board games with TrickStyle for the Dreamcast and AirBlade for the PS2, so developing a skateboarding game wasn't out of the question for these guys.

Criterion had proposed some cool ideas for the game, one of which was to allow the player to hop off the board and walk around on foot. There were going to be shops where you could purchase new boards/equipment and NPCs that you could interact with. This was all well before the Tony Hawk series was doing any of this, so Skate or Die had some very unique concepts for the time. As ambitious as all this was, Electronic Arts wanted even more from the game., requesting that Criterion create a full-blown open world title that could compete with the Grand Theft Auto series. Criterion Games knew EA was asking for too much out of the project and eventually quit. There were also rumors that EA considered trying to make this a Jackass or Dogtown and Z-Boys tie-in.

As you would expect, EA was not happy with Criterion walking out on the project. It looked bad for Criterion and a developer mentioned in an interview that the Need for Speed team told the guys they couldn't work with or talk to them anymore. Criterion and EA eventually worked things out and before long Criterion would go back to work on their Burnout series, with Burnout 3: Takedown coming out for Xbox and PlayStation 2 in 2004. It's great to see that this wasn't the end of the line for Criterion Games, but one can't help but wonder what could have been if Skate or Die made it to store shelves. A lone screenshot has surfaced which came from a UK-based video games magazine by the name of GamesTM, which ran a preview for Skate or Die in issue 100.

Related Links:
Skate or Die Reboot - Unseen64
Criterion's Lost Skate or Die Sequel - Game Informer
Skate or Die! - Wikipedia
Skate or Die Game Franchise - GameFAQs

This is Vegas (Xbox 360, Cancelled)

This is Vegas
Developed by Surreal Software
Published by Midway/Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Announced for PS3/Xbox 360 (2/2008)
Cancelled (8/2010)

This is Vegas was originally announced in February 2008 and was being developed by Surreal Software, a studio perhaps best known for the Suffering series that had releases for PlayStation 2, Gamecube, PC and Xbox. This is Vegas was going to be an open-world game that would let you explore Las Vegas and featured gambling, racing, fighting and partying.

There was some gameplay footage released for the game (link at bottom), but it only showcases the party aspect of the game. The character walks around a nightclub, speaking with various people and obtaining objectives. One of the missions involves dancing in order to get the dance floor popping. The dancing is about what you'd expect, involving hitting button combinations as they scroll down to the indicator at the bottom. Another objective involves punching an obnoxious patron. The fighting system was proposed to have had combos and defense options and from what was shown on the video, the fighting actually didn't look all that bad.

After completing these objectives the character goes over to the bar, orders a drink, swigs it down and throws up in front of a bunch of females, who all run off disgusted. They also display our character trying to dance while inebriated, sloppily flailing about and bumping into nearby patrons. It is then demonstrated that you can bring your buzz down by using the urinal. After this, they show that you can serve drinks, which turns into a minigame where you have to serve customers quickly before they become irritated, a bit similar to the arcade Tapper, though it didn't look near as fun as that old classic. 

Our character is then shown back on the dance floor, busting out some more moves and getting the whole crowd involved for some synchronized dancing. After this, apparently our character has earned enough 'party points' to unlock the wet t-shirt contest, so he gets to grab the spray hose and blast 3 giggling ladies. After this we get one final shot of the dance floor, which shows it packed up and everybody having a good time, with the party officially popping. As far as the gameplay is concerned, it looked decent for what it was but it's a bit odd how they would choose to showcase what is easily the most uninteresting aspect of the game (partying). I think it's safe to say most people would've much rather had a look into the gambling, racing or fighting. Showcasing one of these, especially if the gambling part looked good, would have definitely helped garner some more interest in the title.

This is Vegas ran into some issues when publisher Midway closed down due to bankruptcy and most of its assets went to Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. At the point when the publisher changed, Midway had already invested around $43 million into the development of This is Vegas, but the game still wasn't quite ready for release yet. The game still had a lot of development time left and would take around a year to finish at the time Warner Bros. attained the property. They must have deemed it too expensive to finish and cancelled the project. That's over $40 million and several years of development time just thrown away. This is Vegas was definitely an ambitious project, maybe too ambitious, but is still an interesting one to look back on and wonder what could have been. Perhaps they should have just focused on the gambling aspect and left all that other stuff as an after-thought for a sequel if it worked out?

Related Links:
This is Vegas - Xbox Marketplace
This is Vegas Trailer - YouTube
This is Vegas Gameplay Footage - YouTube
This is Vegas Canned Announcement - Xbox Achievements
This is Vegas - Wikipedia

The Undead Syndrome (XBLIG, 2012)

The Undead Syndrome
Developed by MukagoSoftware Development
Released for XBLIG (7/2012)
Also on PC

The Undead Syndrome feels kind of like a B-horror movie turned into a video game, where the low-budget aspect of it really shows in the overall gameplay and presentation. It's hard to deny that there is a sort of charm to the sloppiness that is The Undead Syndrome, and I found myself wanting more whenever the trial expiration screen came popping up. The game is obviously inspired by Japanese horror classic Silent Hill and it retailed for just a buck (or 80 Microsoft Points). As a fan of horror games, this was a no-brainer for me and I must say this is easily Mukagosoftware Development's best work for XBLIG that I've played.

The Undead Syndrome opens with a cinema of a female character getting stabbed by a mysterious man. You then wake up in a sort of nightmare world playing as the same female you just saw get murdered. As you navigate the strange environment, which appears to be a Japanese-style house with many rooms, you'll end up having to backtrack quite a bit and regardless if you've cleared a room of enemies previously they'll respawn every time you re-enter the room. This isn't as bad as it sounds due to the fact that the game has a leveling system, so you'll be rewarded with XP for killing enemies. The objective of the game is to kill three boss monsters, but in order to reach them you'll need to do some exploring in order to find the keys to access the areas they reside in. You'll learn a bit more about your character's story as you progress, but the game leaves the ending on a "to be continued..." note. Thankfully the sequel was released and we'll cover that here in the near future.

After starting you'll soon unlock your offensive ability, which allows you to use ki to blast energy orbs from your hands. Using the attack will consume a meter and when it empties out you can't shoot anymore. Your ki meter will slowly recharge on its own and can be sped up by using ki recovery items. In addition to these, you have an inventory where you can store items to replenish health, antidotes, keys and stones. Your character has five slots where you can place these stones into implants, one in each hand, two in the chest and one in the head. Placing various stones in certain spots unlocks certain benefits and it's fun to change these around as you pick up more of them throughout the game. Some of them can give you a 25% protection from being cursed or poisoned and there's one that will increase your character's movement speed (a must use!).

You'd think with a title like the Undead Syndrome that you'd be facing off against flesh-eating zombies, but instead you'll encounter strange monsters that look as if they're from a feverish nightmare or another dimension. The enemy AI isn't the smartest, nor do they come in many varieties, but what's here decent and they're strange enough to make the game at least a bit unsettling. Similar to the Silent Hill games, whenever you enter a room with enemy presence it will be indicated by an eerie ambient sound. Your attack takes quite some time as it has to charge before you can aim it, making it a problem when the developers pack multiple enemies into a small space. There are safe rooms containing shops and beds you can use to save your game and replenish your meters which you'll want to use often as death can come quite swift and unexpectedly at times in the Undead Syndrome. There are also shops where you can purchase stuff like health and ki recovery items. The inventory space provided for your character is a bit small, which means you'll frequently have to mess with your inventory to make space for new items.

The graphics in the Undead Syndrome may not look so hot considering the console generation, but compared to your average 3D XBLIG game they're quite adequate. On the plus side, with the simplistic visuals the game loads up very fast, but the downside is that your character looks a bit like an action figure moving about. The inventory system, controls and combat are a tad clunky, but the game is short enough that it didn't have much of a chance to irritate me. While obviously low-budget, the Undead Syndrome can be fun if you don't mind a short and flawed game.

Final Verdict: The Undead Syndrome is a short but enjoyable horror title with a low-budget feel and strange environments that has quite a few problems, but horror fanatics might still want to give it a look.

Related Links:
Mukagosoftware Development - Xbox Overview
The Undead Syndrome - GameFAQs
The Undead Syndrome Review - TheXBLIG.com
The Undead Syndrome Review - Mash Those Buttons
Mukagosoftware Development - Official Site
The Undead Syndrome: Low-Budget Horror - YouTube

Reagan Gorbachev (Xbox One, 2016)

Reagan Gorbachev
Developed/Published by Team2Bit
Released for Xbox One (2/24/2016)
Also on Ouya/PC

Reagan Gorbachev is brought to us by Team2Bit, developers of XBLIG titles Washington's Wig and Fist Puncher, which were both solid efforts when compared to the average XBLIG title. Reagan Gorbachev originally released in October 2014 for the Ouya (remember that thing?!) and would later release for PC and Xbox One in February 2016. As the title suggests, the game stars both Reagan and Gorbachev, who must team up after being captured by militant extremists.

Reagan Gorbachev features both characters on-screen simultaneously, allowing for either solo or local-coop play (no online play included). When playing solo, you'll just have to either manually switch between characters or use the LB to command the other to follow you. It's manageable but the game is definitely best enjoyed when playing with someone. Reagan Gorbachev plays similar to the Hotline Miami games, where the action is viewed from a top-down perspective with an aiming control scheme of a twin-stick shooter. While you can manually aim your weapon using the right stick, there's also a target lock-on system in place. Pressing the Y button will highlight a nearby enemy, pressing Y again will de-select the target or the right stick can be used to toggle between available targets. The lock-on target system is a bit clunky, particularly when trying to quickly switch targets, but it's one you'll need to use in order to survive the tougher stages. The targeting system works, but it's certainly not optimized. The funky lock-on aim isn't a game-breaker and, outside of that issue, the controls work well.

On the first level you'll obtain the default weapons for both characters: a katana for Reagan and poison darts for Gorbachev. Other weapons can be picked up, which include the usual suspects such as revolvers, silenced handguns, shotguns, assault rifles, grenade/rocket launchers and even a minigun. There are a total of 32 levels to play through in Reagan Gorbachev. Stealth is the best approach on most levels, though you can just run in with all guns blazing if you wish. The enemies are fierce and will close in the second they detect you. Being caught in their line of sight often results in instant death. Speaking of death, you will die a lot playing Reagan Gorbachev, but it's all part of the learning process. In addition to the armed extremists, you'll also have to contend with dogs and turrets which both pose a lethal threat. The turrets can only be destroyed with explosives, so on levels with no rocket or grenade launchers you'll have to extra careful to stay out of their line of sight. There are a few stages with boss battles as well for some needed variety. Overall, the enemies aren't particularly interesting from a design aspect, but they all pose a serious threat and will keep you on your toes.

A level can be completed by simply finding the exit, which represented by a vent duct on the ground. and after using the exit you'll lose all weapons but the default sword/darts. Each level is followed by a trivia question, with the answer being either Reagan or Gorbachev. Other than some achievements tied to them and some random trivia there's no real reward for getting these correct, so don't sweat it if you get them wrong.

Reagan Gorbachev features throwback pixel graphics and while they are quite simple, there's still enough detail you can always tell what you're looking at. The character sprites smoothly rotate around as you adjust your character with the sticks and it all looks decent enough. The cut-scenes between stages look very nice, while lacking in animation the pixel art is impressive. The sound effects are appropriately retro and go right along with the visuals, though this means they are also a bit limited and you'll hear the same dozen or so sounds throughout the whole game. Luckily, none of the sounds are too irritating so it's not that big of a deal. The music sticks with the retro theme and, like the sound effects, is a bit limited with only a few tracks that you'll hear throughout the game. What's here as far as music is good though and sounds like something that would have come out of a Sound Blaster card on your computer back in the day. Overall, Regan Gorbachev boasts a solid retro presentation in all departments. Your mileage may vary of course and if you aren't into games rocking old-school pixel graphics this one isn't going to convert you.

While there are some issues with the lock-on aiming, Reagan Gorbachev is still an enjoyable game, especially if you have a local buddy to play coop with. The game is still playable and a good time in single player, but is much more enjoyable with a second player. It's a bit on the short side and can easily be completed in around 5-8 hours, which felt just about right for this type game. There's some nice retro charm in the pixel graphics, so if enjoy twin-stick shooters and you're looking for a fun throwback Retro Gorbachev might be for you.

There's something strange in regards to the achievement list in Reagan Gorbachev. There are 10 achievements each worth 100 points each, so you have your typical 1000 gamerscore available. Where it gets weird is that there are a total of 21 achievements to unlock, meaning that there are 11 achievements that are worth absolutely nothing as far as gamerscore is concerned. The only time I recall ever seeing achievements with no gamerscore was Quake 2 on the Xbox 360. It doesn't hurt the game in any way, just thought I'd give it a mention as it's not something you typically see.

Final Verdict: Reagan Gorbachev plays similar to Hotline Miami, featuring a retro presentation with  an overhead view and a twin-stick control layout. There's local coop support and despite some control issues the game is quite fun.

Related Links:
Buy Reagan Gorbachev - Microsoft Store
Team2Bit - Official Site
Regan Gorbachev Official Trailer - YouTube
Reagan Gorbachev - Metacritic
Reagan Gorbachev - GameFAQs
Reagan Gorbachev - True Achievements
Reagan Gorbachev Achievement Guide - Xbox Achievements

Hori Gem Pad EX (Xbox 360)

Hori Gem Pad EX

Developed by Hori Co.

Released for Xbox 360 (11/2013)

The Hori Gem Pad EX is a wired controller compatible with the Xbox 360. The first thing I noticed when handling the controller is that the size is quite a bit more compact than the standard 360 controllers. As a result everything on the face feels a tad cramped, and those with large hands will definitely prefer the Microsoft controllers. The analog sticks don't have the rubber on the tips, so your grip never feels as good as it does on padded sticks, though the analog function works quite well and there is a switch to choose between three sensitivities. The d-pad is a noticeable improvement as it is a cross shape similar to the Xbox One controllers, making this a very decent option for 2D gaming. The triggers and bumpers are laid out a bit more flat on the top and take a bit less pressure to activate than usual. Whether or not you like this can vary from person to person, personally I prefer the standard trigger style. 

The Gem Pad EX definitely scores points for looking cool. The variety I purchased features a clear cystal-like blue shell on the front half, and when plugged in there are some LED lights inside that illuminate the controller. There is no option to turn these lights off, so as soon as the controller is plugged in the lights come on. There were four different color varieties of the shell on this controller released: red, blue, black and clear. The cord is of decent length and as long as you don't mind a wired controller is not too bad. I recall paying quite a bit less than the asking price of the Microsoft controllers and if you can find it for that I'd say it's not a bad controller though I do wish it was a bit less cramped.

Final Verdict: The Hori Gem Pad EX is a decent alternative the standard Xbox 360 controllers and, at its time of release, also retailed at a lower cost.

Insanity X (XBLIG, 2011)

Insanity X
Developed by Aetherbyte
Released for XBLIG (6/2011)

Insanity X plays similar to Atari's arcade classic Berserk. This is a port of Insanity, which was originally a homebrew game released for the PC-Engine/Turbo Grafx-16 Super CD-ROM. Insanity X features responsive controls and Berserk veterans will instantly feel at home with the gameplay. You must navigate from room to room while killing enemies and if you touch any of the walls you die instantly. The soundtrack here is awesome and the game allows you to choose between synth or chip-tune music at the title screen.

While obviously inspired by Berserk, Insanity X isn't exactly the same. While Berzerk basically went on until you died, as there were thousands of rooms, Insanity X actually has a boss battle. After blasting through a few dozen levels, you'll face off against a boss in the form of the robot master. Insanity X comes recommended for fans of retro games, particularly Berserk. Unfortunately, at the time I wrote the review the above was the best image I could find for the title card, which featured some sweet artwork.

Final Verdict: Insanity X is an excellent Berserk inspired game that plays competently and will be enjoyed by those who loved the original or just retro games in general.

Related Links:
Insanity X - GameFAQs
Insanity Turbografx-CD Review - Honest Gamers

Fist Puncher (XBLIG, 2013)

Fist Puncher
Developed by Team2Bit
Released for XBLIG (8/2013)
Also on Linux, Macintosh, Ouya, PC

Let's take a look at the trial for Fist Puncher, which is a beat 'em up title where you walk to the right beating up anybody in your path. Fist Puncher features heavily pixelated graphics, which do sport a considerable amount of detail considering how blocky they are. The environments are nice-looking and varied enough to keep the setting interesting. You have several characters to choose from and you can spend your points on upgrading your character after completing a stage, similar to Castle Crashers. The controls are responsive enough, giving the player a kick, punch, jump and grab at their disposal. Holding the right trigger will modify your moves into more damaging variants while draining your special meter.

The problem I had with Fist Puncher was simple: the game was way too easy. I may have sustained a couple hits in my playtime, but enemies occasionally dropping food made sure my health stayed at pretty much 100%. A beat 'em up without any sort of engaging enemies or challenge is a recipe for boredom. I think the developer(s) had their heart in the right place and had the best intentions of making a cool beat 'em up since some of the character design isn't too shabby and the environments are well done, but ultimately the lack of any challenge in the gameplay really killed my interest in the title. Oh, and the game retailed for five times as much as your average indie game retailing at $4.99. Fist Puncher does support up to four-players local, and even with the issues the game has I could see this being a fun time with four buddies.

Final Verdict: I really wanted to like Fist Puncher, but the lack of difficulty and high price tag kept that from happening. There's at least a dozen or so better beat 'em up titles on the 360 you should play instead of this one.