Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Review of Garden Gnome Carnage


I played this a game a few years ago when it first came out on Yoyogames. It placed second in a winter competition held on the site. I was pleasantly surprised to see this game available as an Xbox indie game.

In Garden Gnome Carnage you play as a building with a garden gnome tied to your chimney. Soldiers are trying to climb the building in order to liberate the gnome from the building. You don't want that to happen. There are many ways of dealing with these intruders such as swinging your gnome at them, shaking them off your building, throwing explosive bricks at them, and calling in some airstrikes. These guys are relentless though and will come at you in the hundreds with all that they've got. There's also a friendly cat that tries to climb your building to refill your bricks. That cat is the one thing that you do want to reach the chimney. If you chain enough combos together you can also play a quick minigame that will benefit you if you manage to win. The game ends when someone finally reaches your chimney.


Garden Gnome Carnage is one of those crazy ideas that definitely deserve a try. The game is just fun to play. It keeps track of your scores so you can keep track of your progress. It says it has online leaderboards as well but I don't think they are working at the moment. It also has a level up button that allows you to skip the early slow levels and get into the action faster at level 20.

The only downside to buying the game is that you can already play the game for free on several different flash sites with the only difference really being that the flash version is more Christmas oriented with elves/gnomes trying to capture you instead of soldiers. The game is great either way and should be played. It sales for 80 microsoft points.

It is still a great original game a few years later. Garden Gnome Carnage gets a 4/4.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Review of Breath of Death VII

I first learned about this game when I saw it go on sale at Steam. It was bundled along with Cthulhu Saves the World for only $3. I was almost going to get it when I then saw both games originally came out on Xbox Live Indie Games. I thought about it for a little bit and then decided that I would rather play both games on my 360 instead. Both games are currently available on both Steam and Xbox Live Indie Games.

Breath of Death VII: The Beginning is really the first of the series, not the seventh. It is an old-school RPG that features references to many other classic games of its time period. The story follows a skeleton named Dem who lives in a world inhabited by the undead. A war long ago wiped out all life on the earth and so everything has been taken over by the undead. Dem goes on his adventure by following the advice of his fellow companions who join up in his party. Eventually a whole group of four of you will find the a long lost secret that will decide the fate of everyone.


Breath of Death is about four hours long. Though that may be considered short for an RPG I think for the price it is just the right length. The game has random encounters with enemies just like many other games do. However, once you fight so many of these random encounters you are able to avoid them in the area unless you choose to fight them. Leveling up in the game is pretty quick and has branching choices for leveling up such as "+ 30 HP" or "+ 10 strength" along with new different attacks to choose from. Graphics are simple but classy. A nice soundtrack accompanies the game as well.

Breath of Death is pretty much your typical retro RPG. It is well done and there aren't really any problems with it. It does have a harder difficulty mode and a couple extra dungeons to go explore. But there really isn't a whole lot to separate it from other games of its type. Also some of the areas can be a little hard to navigate around.


If you like JRPGs I would recommend this game. It's only 80 msp on 360. Cthulhu Saves the World is a much better game however and I would recommend it over Breath of Death if you are only going to get one of them. If you're going to buy both then play this one first.

I give Breath of Death a 3/4.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Review of Techno Kitten Adventure!

If your looking for something crazy then this adventure might be for you. Thirteen cats must try their best to explore the world all while listening to techno music. This trip is not for the faint of heart.

Now when you first get into the game there will seem like there are a million things going on all at once. You'll see unicorns and rainbows to flying turkey dinners zooming right pass your little kitty. It's okay, none of those do a single thing other than look pretty. In fact Techno Kitten is probably one of the simplest games you will ever play. Only one button is used for the entire game. With the A button you let your kitty fly higher, letting go of it lets him fall to the ground. With these advanced controls the kitten must dodge shapes, just plain old white shapes. Although there may be dragons and bacon flying around the area  they are nothing more than a distraction. Actually that's the challenge of the game, not getting distracted by everything going on. The game keeps track of how far you get by the score it keeps. The higher the score on a particular level the more cats you unlock. I don't believe the kittens do anything other than look different, though some are more useful than others because they are easier to see against the backgrounds. Each level follows a different music track and has it's own unique theme. Everything gets more intense as the song continues on. Techno Kitten features four levels.


I personally have enjoyed Techno Kitten Adventure, and it's not just because of all the cats. I enjoy weird, crazy games. The more I play it the more I like it. It's a fun game to show off to friends. However, it really isn't much of a game. If you stripped away all the effects, music, and graphics this wouldn't be much of a game at all. Also at times it's practically impossible to tell what is going on. When the shapes and your kitty match the background it can begin to get a bit frustrating. After a while you will get used to everything going on and the game gets easier. Although all the levels have a lot of hectic mayhem happening all around the screen, none of them match up to the craziness of the meat level. The meat level makes everything else look simple in comparison and is the only stage to really offer anything different.


Techno Kitten Adventure! is one insane trip. But at 240 microsoft points I don't know if I can really recommend buying the game. The only stage that really stands out besides the first trial level is the meat pack. I do think everyone should download the trial though just to experience some of the crazy action the game has  to offer.

Techno Kitten Adventure can haz 2/4.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Review of Stick 'Em Up 2

Thepwnboss and I decided to team up in our epic play through of Stick 'Em Up 2: Paper Adventures. Along the way we encountered terrorists, pirates, ninjas, and a whole shower of falling stars. With our various weapons and vehicles we conquered everything that opposed us.

So what is Stick 'Em Up you may ask? Stick 'Em Up is a platform shooter where you play as stick figures. Now I have only played the trial of the first one so I don't have a full experience of the entire series. The second improves greatly from the graphics of the first (which really was just stick figures) and turns everything into a paper form. The game now looks beautiful. With multiple landscapes to fight through Stick 'Em Up stays fresh till the end. The game can be played through with up to four players locally (though it was just thepwnboss and me this time). It also features some sort of deathmatch mode for up to four players as well.


Again I will say Stick 'Em Up 2 looks amazing. It's a beautifully crafted world and a joy to play through. The soundtrack is well done and goes along with the atmosphere. The gameplay itself is solid and the controls work fine. Right trigger to shoot and left trigger to jump leaves you able to aim nice and efficiently. There is a nice diversity as well with all the areas and the unique weapons that are issued to you each level. Racing across the moon is something you don't do everyday, neither is battling pirates or throwing shurikens in feudal Japan. Not to mention you can do all this with three other people.

Unfortunately the game is short, very short. The game features six levels, all of which can be completed in about three minutes or less. In those six levels there is almost too much variety. The first level which is also the tutorial and trial level feature an assault rifle and rocket launcher. This is the only modern level in the game, afterwords you will never see your rifle again and the only time you will get another rocket launcher is to fire at  falling stars. Sure deflecting bullets with your sword is fun, but it's also fun to charge in with guns blazing. There are challenges to complete which may give a little more replay value along with a few difficulty modes. From my play through of the trial of the first game I saw there were bonus effects you could turn on after finding secrets. I have not found anything like that in the second one. The one vs one I had with thepwnboss wasn't anything special either, but it is there if your interested.


This game has just about enough quality and polish to be an Xbox Live arcade title. I just believe it is too short. The game sales for 240 microsoft points ($3). I think I did see something in the game that said they were going to add more content later this summer. It also said that the game may raise in price after. If I see this content update I may edit this review to give more information on the game.

Until then, Stick 'Em Up 2 gets a 3/4.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Review of Avatar Bowman 2

The popular game Bowman finally comes to the Xbox 360. It also has Avatars in it! Not only does it include the original 2D mode, Avatar Bowman 2 also includes a 3D version of the game with a whole new way to play.

Bowman consist of two archers. Each archer take turns trying to shoot an arrow at the other player. You aim the bow up and down to try to get the best angle. The power of the bow may be adjusted as well. Once the arrow is released you will see it fly towards the other person. Based on where the arrow has landed is how you will want to adjust your next shot. Wind is also a factor and can be changed around at the beginning of the game. The first archer to hit the other archer three times wins. 3D Bowman works similar to the original. Now armed with a crossbow you must aim left and right along with aiming higher and lower. Wind seems to play an even bigger role in 3D version requiring more drastic changes to your aim. Both can be played with computers or another person.


I love anything to do with bows so I was pretty excited to see there was a Bowman version on the 360. The game does okay with the actual gameplay. However, Avatar Bowman 2 doesn't always feel right. I don't know if it's the graphics or the shooting mechanic but it just isn't very engaging. The animation of the avatars seem a little off. Although the environments look decent it would help if there were different areas to keep the game fresh. The 3D landscape also could be used more. I was disappointed when I learned the 3D version has you face right in front of the other Avatar both on top of a hill. Fighting between the trees and around the castle would have given more variation and require more thought about where to shoot instead of mindlessly matching each shot next to your previous shot. I tried to find an online match but was unable to enter one. It does let you practice against a computer while searching for an opponent. One major issue I found is that in the classic mode if you shoot yourself it will actually count as a hit against the enemy. You essentially can win by shooting yourself three times in a row.


So is Avatar Bowman 2 worth getting? Maybe... If you are craving Bowman and want it on your 360 then this is a decent version. Not bad for 80 points but you could always find the original version for free. Try it first to see if it is right for you.

I give Avatar Bowman a 2/4.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Review of QuickDraw

I'm sure we have all played wild-west style dueling mingames. Those are the ones where you wait for the sign to come up saying "Draw"and the first person to shoot wins. Well QuickDraw revolves around this entire gametype, and the results are surprisingly fun. 

QuickDraw features an Arcade mode which puts you up against opponent after opponent to see how long you can carry on. Each challenger has a slight variation of the duel. Sometimes the rules might easily be the first one to press the correct button wins, while at other times it may be something along the lines of the first one to fire after the can hits the ground. If you ever shoot before the desired time you are given a foul. Two fouls equals a loss. After every five matches or so you get the chance to play a quick round of blackjack to earn an extra life. Each opponent has a score value that goes up after each duel. The dueling will continue until you finally run out of lives. There is also a versus mode where you can either battle your friends locally or you can play against the computer.


I didn't initially think QuickDraw would be anything special but after trying it out I was amazed by how much I liked the game. Everything just works together, from the music to the graphics to the comedic bounty signs. Many of the concepts may be simple but when they come together they make a great game. Honestly I can't really think of anything negative about the game.

QuickDraw is a treasure on XBLIG. The western atmosphere and the solid dueling mechanic make an amazing combination. For only 80 microsoft points you can be dueling all day long. QuickDraw definitely deserves a try!

I give QuickDraw a 4/4!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Review of Nuclear Wasteland 2030

Zombies and survival defense go hand and hand together. I mean, when there is a zombie apocalypse what else is there to do than run and hide? Well one brave man named Joseph Kelly decides enough is enough and goes straight into the heart of the problem. Armed with whatever gun he can get a hold of, Joseph goes out into the wasteland to clean up the mess of mutants that roam the countryside. But is one brave man enough to win the fight against the mutants?

Nuclear Wasteland is a wave-based survival first person shooter in which you continuously fight mutants. As far as I know there is no way to win; the goal is to try to last as long as possible. You start with a pistol with an unlimited amount of ammo. After you pass a few rounds different towers and bunkers will start opening. Inside these buildings are health, ammo, and extra weapons. Once you unlock more weapons, you are allowed to carry one main weapon and your original pistol. When the round is over all the bonuses reset giving you a chance to rearm with more ammo and health. As time goes on more and more mutants come out to stop the one man army.


I was impressed by how good this game looks for an XBLIG. Of course there is only one map and one enemy type, but even with a few stiff animations the game still looks good. The actual gameplay isn't bad either. If you enjoy Nazi Zombies or Killing Floor this may be a good choice. The aiming can be a little hard especially with the pistol since it's a semi-auto gun. Besides the actual aiming the gunplay feels good. Each new weapon feels stronger than the last.

The biggest problem of the game that I see is how easy it is. Once you learn how to kite all the zombies and to quickly move around the map the game becomes way too simple. A minimap helps you see exactly where all the zombies are in the surrounding area. You get a load of health to keep you alive, and if that wasn't enough you have three lives that will restart the wave in case the mutants do manage to take you out. After all the weapons get unlocked there really isn't much to do besides fight wave after wave of mutants. I let myself die around round 25 after playing for almost an hour. Another strange thing about the game is the enemy spawns. After a while there will be more zombies in a round than can be in the level at once. After you kill off those zombies, the new zombies will instantly spawn at the same location all together, usually right behind you. Though this does make the game slightly tougher it just feels odd and I think it would be better if the zombies spawned randomly after death. Not necessarily a negative but I was also able to accidentally break out of the map. There's some room to explore, and it didn't really break the game like I thought it might.


Despite not being too difficult Nuclear Wasteland is still a fun experience. There is no co-op or online play which could have been a welcome feature. But a decent FPS game for 80 microsoft points is not a bad deal at all.

I give Nuclear Wasteland 2030 a 3/4.

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Review of Miner Dig Deep

There sure seems to be a lot of mining games out these days. You know the drill, dig deep into the earth, find some minerals, use those minerals to make a better pickaxe, then use the better pickaxe to mine better minerals. The same rules apply to Miner Dig Deep. So then, how does it stand out from the rest? Miner Dig Deep reminds me a lot like a simplified Terraria. Of course Terraria came out a couple years after Miner Dig Deep, but I'm sure some of you can easily see the resemblance.

At the start of the game you begin with a pickaxe, a lantern, a bag, and a really big mining helmet. With those items equipped you then begin your descent into the earth. On your way down you look for minerals that you will be able to sell back at the shop. One key feature is that of the lantern. The lantern will help you see what minerals are in the dirt. The longer you stay down in the caves the smaller the light from the lantern gets. This adds a timed element to your spelunking. Once your light is up you won't be able to tell where the minerals are and whether or not it is safe to keep digging. When you get back to the surface the shop is available for you to buy and sell. The shop sells a variety of equipment including ladders, elevators, pickaxes, inventory bags, bigger lanterns, and a few other items. After you get better stuff you can go down deeper to find even better treasure. Along the way there are blueprints to be found. These will unlock better gear in the shop. Dying isn't too painful in game, the main penalty is that you will lose all minerals that are currently in your inventory.


I did not get as far as I possibly could in the game. I think I got to the very bottom of the world (about 500-600 depth I believe) but I didn't have the best equipment. Honestly I got a little bored towards the end and lost interest in finishing with the greatest things. It took me something like two and a half hours to get where I currently am. The game for the most part was enjoyable. Finding good minerals was always fun, and there's a few extra tools like the grappling winch and a power drill too give you a hand. The main issue I had was the fact that you had to climb up and down to get to where you were currently mining and the surface. This process took up several minutes, and since your going up and down so much it really eats into how much of the mining your actually doing. Eventually you can buy elevators that help you get around a little faster. Towards the end of my playing session I did find a teleporter that instantly brings you back to the surface. This helped some but it was still a pain to get back down.

Graphics are well done. I enjoyed the surface area and wish I could have maybe explored it a little more. Seeing the green grass and large trees was a little more exciting than looking at the brown dirt that surrounds the rest of the world (although that is probably all they would see if they were 500 feet below ground.) The background music isn't anything special. One of the soundtracks was actually quite annoying. Of course if it's that bad you could always turn it down.


I'm sure several people will enjoy Miner Dig Deep more than me. It is by no means a bad game, it's just not my favorite type of game. If your interested the game sells for 80 microsoft points.

I give Miner Dig Deep a 3/4.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Review of The Impossible Game

The Impossible Game. Is it really impossible? Well it's close to impossible.

The point of the game is simple. You jump over spikes and onto other blocks and try your best to get to the very end. That may sound easy... but it isn't. The game immediately throws you into the action. The first few second start off slow but then it picks up fast. Only the jump button is required to play. Every time a mistake is made you must start all the way back at the beginning. There is a practice mode where you can set checkpoints down as you go. It's a good way to learn the game and get a feel of what's coming ahead. Of course the game gets dramatically easier if you can set checkpoints everywhere you go, so if you beat it in practice mode it will not count as actually beating the game. Also the game keeps track of all the attempts you have done. Don't be surprised if you see it quickly going into the hundreds.

The game is hard. I played through the game in practice mode first to get a feel for everything. Then I tried to play it the normal way. I didn't do very well. After a couple hundred attempts I decided the game is practically impossible for me. Unfortunately, I never beat the game. It was still enjoyable the times I tried. The soundtrack that goes with the game is incredible as well and was a good incentive to keep me going.


Some people will enjoy the challenge that this game brings. Others will be deeply annoyed within the first minute of playing. There is a level pack out there as well with an additional two levels if you just can't get enough. The game is 80 microsoft points and I would recommend at least trying the trial. Maybe you will beat the impossible?

I give The Impossible Game a 3/4.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Review of Avatar Karting

As far as I know there aren't too many kart racing games out on the 360. The few it does have are not considerably good. So does Avatar Karting surpass all hopes and dreams of becoming the biggest karting game on the 360? No, not really, but it is still a solid kart game that you can play for only a dollar. It also includes avatars!

Avatar Karting is a pretty basic game. It includes a single player area that lets the player race with seven other A.I. controlled racers. Single race, series mode, and a time trial lets the player choose what they would like to do. Along with that they can choose the color of the kart, the flag that they represent (USA, Germany, etc.) and some options about the brakes and the steering. It also contains sixteen different tracks to race on. Most of this is also included in the multiplayer, which features up to eight players and a consistent scoring system that seems to follow the player for his entire career of Avatar Karting.


I decided to team up with my legendary friend thepwnboss and jump straight into the multiplayer. When we first got on there was only one game going with about five people in it. We weren't able to join them but we noticed they had an absurd ping rate of like 63,000 or something. So we just played against each other for a while. The game is simple with right trigger for gas and left trigger for brakes. You also have a constant charging turbo power that you use by pressing the A button. That's pretty much it. There are no power-ups to pick up or traps to watch out for. The game does okay for itself even with such simple concepts. Periodically we would have another player join us (and somehow they were always super fast compared to us). While we hosted the game everything was fine. Eventually thepwnboss and I tried to join another game that popped up and we were able to play with about four other people. For the most part the game ran smooth and we didn't have any issues. Afterward I did a couple single player races. The A.I. is okay but they were rather easy after facing opponents online. There is a feature in single player races where if you hold the left bumper you can rewind time. This is useful if you make a mistake or crash into another vehicle.


There really isn't too much special about Avatar Karting. All the tracks look similar except for a few lighting differences. It seems like the same song is playing throughout the whole game too, of course you could always turn it off. But the game really doesn't do anything bad, it just doesn't do anything special. Still, for only a dollar this might satisfy your racing craving long enough to find something else.

I give Avatar Karting a 2/4.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Review of Minions!

Being on the battlefield can be hard work. With bullets flying everywhere, tanks demolishing the area, and crazy people with swords charging into the heat of the frontlines, it can be one hectic place to be. Luckily you're not alone. You have a whole army of minions right beside you. Though they may not be the smartest allies you've ever seen in battle, they are some of the most loyal.

Minions! puts you in the boots of a hero. Your job is to defeat the enemy. To assist you are minions who wield a variety of weapons to push the frontlines forward. There are two main types of minions, the first which consistently spawn from your base and continue to push the enemy back to their base. Though they are free they are relatively weak and can't do much without any help. The second type of minion you can hire are special minions. These you can customize their appearance and weapon selection. They can either be told to help the other minions advance the line or told to follow you around the battlefield. While your minions are fighting you are trying to find weapons and reinforcements to aid you in completing the mission. The missions vary from tug of war style scenarios to stopping tanks from reaching your base. The game can be played as a twin-stick shooter from a top-down perspective or as a third person shooter.


Minions! has a great retro feel to it. The game reminds me of Army Men: Sarge's Heroes for the N64. The graphics may look rather simple, but I think they go well with the style of the game. The soundtrack also adds to the game, and I was actually quite impressed. The game features six levels. Although that may not seem like very many levels they are varied and long enough to not be an issue. Along the way you will also level up enabling you to upgrade basic attributes like health, speed, and damage. The actual gameplay works well too. I found it easier to be in third-person mode rather than top-down because of the more accurate aiming. Even with all the action going on around you I found the game to continue running smooth.

There are a few issues with the game though. A few of the menu/create options seem clumsy at times. For example, to change any of your previous minions weapons you must recreate all the minions. There was also a weird difficulty curve. The first three levels aren't much of a problem at all; the next three, however, are much more challenging. Each one takes longer than the previous one and if you fail you have to start the whole level again. This can be annoying when you are only a couple of seconds away from winning and then all of a sudden a tank gets past or the last small group of enemy minions manages to penetrate your base only for you having to do it all again for another five to ten minutes. Finally, when I was at the very end of the game I was just about finished with the level when all of a sudden the game crashed. I don't know if that was just a rare mishap, but it was enough to make me want to stop playing.


Minions! was a rather enjoyable game. It took me about an hour and a half to make it to the end (right before it crashed.) If you are looking for some sort of shooter this could be a good choice. It only cost 80 microsoft points. I would recommend trying the trial to see if you would like it.

I give Minions! a 3/4.

Friday, August 5, 2011

Review of Bird Assassin

Ever wanted to assassinate birds? Well here's your chance. Bird Assassin give you the chance to slaughter thousands of birds on your quest to avenge your father. However, you won't be going at it all stealth like as Ezio would. Instead you will be like a redneck Mario blasting away birds with your rifle or shotgun. Either way many birds are going to be dead by the end of the game.

The story goes something like this. Birds kill your dad. He then comes back as a ghost and tells you to avenge his death by going after the birds. You take your dad's trusty rifle and get to work. That's pretty much it as far as story goes but at least it gives you a decent reason to go and destroy every fowl that comes across your path. The game plays as a platform shooter. You start on the left side and then shoot your way back to your truck. Along the way these very angry birds try to stop you by whatever means possible, whether that means dropping bombs on your head or trying to run over you in your own truck. A single bird on its own isn't much of a challenge, but these birds usually travel in flocks. Luckily for every bird killed some money is given to you for the shop. The shop contains more guns and upgrades to help you along the way.


The game is fun and simple. It won't require much thought as you mindlessly mow down birds with every weapon you have. It's actually quite amusing to see hundreds of birds falling to the ground in a bloody massacre. Graphics in this game are nice and crisp and go well with the theme of the game. The game is also a good length with my second play through being about 50 minutes.

Bird Assassin does have a few problems though. The first and probably my biggest complaint is that the game starts to get repetitive. After slaying a few thousand birds it begins to feel the same. There are a few bonus mini-game type things you will find through out the game like shooting all the cans off a tree and collect as many coins as you can in a certain amount of time. But the repetitive feeling doesn't go away when you see that all three bosses are the exact same in every way. Although the shop is nice all the weapons you buy are either a faster shooting rifle or a shotgun with a larger spread which dents much of the weapon diversity. The graphics are good but some of the animation could use a little more work. Also the Map Select screen can be hard to move around.


Overall Bird Assassin is a game worth checking out. It's perfect when you just want some mindless fun. I'd recommend trying the trial if it sounds interesting to you. The game is available for 80 microsoft points and should provide enough entertainment for an hour or so.

I give Bird Assassin a 3/4.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Review of I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES!!!1

This game has a special place in my heart. It was the first game I ever played and bought as an Xbox Live Indie Game. In fact, I don't think I had even heard of Xbox Live Indie Games before this came out. So I thought I might as well do the first review on the first game I played.

Now don't worry, I didn't spell the name wrong. I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES!!!1 (or we could just call it Zombie for short) is a dual stick shooter meaning that with one stick you control the movement and with the other one you control the shooting. Other twin stick shooters include Geometry Wars and the Dead Ops Arcade in Black Ops. The game revolves around you running around the area trying your best to survive against thousands of zombies. Zombies aren't the only things after you though. You also have to deal with green slimes, fat zombies, space amoebas, centipede like creatures, geometric shapes, exploding zombies, and very angry demon boxes. Luckily you get a variety of weapons to fight the zombies like shotguns, machine guns, flamethrowers, lasers, and some sort of green shuriken thing along with some power-ups. The point of the game is to survive until the end of the game (or just to survive as long as possible!) It also includes local co-op for up to four players.


This game is amazing. At first you might suspect the game may not be what you are expecting. The menu is plain with no sound or music, and you still see the same "spelling errors" that plagued the title of the game. However, once you start Zombie up you will see how great the game is. The graphics are very well done and seem good enough to be put up on an XBLA title. They range from well drawn zombies to retro looking boxes. The background also changes as the game goes on giving a different feel of scenery. (One warning though: if you suffer from seizures you may want to stay away from the game, at several points the backgrounds and enemies all flash in different bright colors which may not be very good for you!) One of the best parts of Zombie though are the songs. Throughout the game you can hear the developer singing about fighting zombies and buying the game. I think the music is good enough to buy the game just for that. If you survive the whole thing it will take about 12 minutes from start to finish. Not the longest game ever but you most likely won't make it through your first few times. Also it's fun enough that you'll come back to play it again. It has local high-scoring as well if you are into that. Zombie is so great the only minor complaint I have is that I can't tell how many lives I have because my gamertag is too large. Everything else I think is just right for the game.


Zombie sells for the very large amount of 80 microsoft points ($1). There is really nothing bad I can say about this game. Everything works well and runs smoothly. Honestly I don't see a reason why someone wouldn't buy it. I highly recommend I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES!!!1 to everyone!

I give it a 4/4!

The Review Process

I am by no means an expert on reviewing games or any other media. However, I am still a gamer and very passionate about finding the good qualities out of games. My goal is to provide a review for the many indie games that are out there. Remember that these reviews are my opinion and most of the time are completely subjective to who is playing the game. You may or may not agree with my opinion and that is perfectly okay. My reviews are mainly here to provide some information on different indie games that otherwise would have no kind of review or description at all.

Now for each game I will play it for at least an hour or until I beat the game twice. After that I will give the game a basic description and then an opinion of it as well as whether I would recommend it or not. This should give you enough information to be able to decide if you want to check out the game (remember many of the games have time trials although much of the time it is not long enough to see if the game is right for you.)

My goal is to get at least one review out a week but hopefully I can put out more. The first batch will probably be some of the more popular ones that you may have heard of. Later I will venture out into the ones that are more unknown and see if there is anything of value. If there is enough interest I may try out certain games readers would want me to check out.

I hope you will find my reviews helpful and informative. If you have any advice or comments please don't hesitate to ask!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Why Play Xbox Live Indie Games?

With so many games out there to choose from it could be a challenge to find just the right one. There are big name titles such as Call of Duty, Halo, and Mass Effect. There are also Xbox Live Arcade titles such as Castle Crashers, Limbo, and Bastion which are well worth your attention. However, there is also that one section of Xbox Live that I do not hear much about, and for quite some time, I didn't even know about. That would be the Xbox Live Indie Games.

The difference between indie games to other games such as those on Xbox Live Arcade is that they can be created and posted by just about anyone. I don't know how familiar you may be with the indie section, but many of the games deserve more attention and praise then they are currently getting. Of course among the hundreds of games that are listed as indies there is a good amount that aren't worth much of a mention, but even many of those games have aspiring game designers behind them looking to become better at what they love to do. Still, with so many indie games waiting to be played there must be some jewels out there.

Here are the reasons I believe that Xbox Live Indie Games are worthwhile additions to your game collection.

Awesome Games - Many of the games available to play deserve their own place on Xbox Live Arcade but somehow don't have the budget or the support to make it. There is a huge assortment of different types of genres on the marketplace meaning that there is something for everyone. There are also all kinds of different but unique and innovative games that you just won't see come out on XBLA.

Supports Developers - Each game has had someone work hours and hours to give you what they created. The games you buy help out the maker by giving the support for them to continue on. Each purchase gives about 70% back to the developer. Although most of the time they still probably won't make enough of the sales to live off of, it is a nice bonus for the hard work they put in.

Cheap Prices - One huge plus side to the Xbox Indie scene is how low the prices are. Most games are only 80 Microsoft Points ($1). Some of them might be 240 ($3) msp and a few at 400 msp ($5), but the prices are considerably cheaper than those of Xbox Live Arcade which lately have been around the $15 mark. You could be paying for one arcade game or you could be paying for fifteen indie games. Indie games might be shorter and slightly less quality than the average arcade game but they can still provide the same enjoyment. Indie games are also a great way to get rid of those leftover points that usually get left behind from other purchases.

Free Trials - All indie games have a limited trial mode that lets the person play for a certain amount of time (usually around 5-8 minutes.) It's a great way to test out the game so you can get a decent idea if it is right for you or not.

I would highly recommend if you haven't already been to the Xbox Live Indie Games section that you go check it out. Some of the games may not have the same polish that may be standard for most games in the industry, but that doesn't mean that they aren't worth your time. Hopefully the upcoming reviews will be able to help you decide which games would be right for you.

Welcome to Xbox Indie Reviews

Glad you found your way here! The primary purpose of this site is to get the word out on the hundreds of Xbox Live Indie games out in the marketplace. Many of them are great games yet never get noticed because of the volume of content and the general "mediocre" reputation the Xbox Live Indie marketplace has. I will give my honest opinion on these games and hopefully give them the credit they deserve.