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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.