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XBLA (Xbox Live Arcade) News, Announcements, Reviews, and Impressions Thread

A

antiquegamer

Member
Labadal said:
I bought Skulls of the Shogun yesterday and I'm really enjoying it. Not many turn based strategy games on XBLA, but I'd have to say that this is the best one from what little I have played. I did read/hear that it didn't do well in sales which is a big disappointment. I hope they do better on STEAM.
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I just bought it on Xbox (have it on Windows Phone), after reading how bad the dev is doing. Double dip because Microsoft finally see the wisdom of lowering the price point. I hope they do well on Steam.

On another note, Microsoft really need to be more reactive at matching price with Steam especially on digital download game. Why Mark of Ninja is cheaper on Steam than Xbox is beyond me consider it's Microsoft game.
 
T

toythatkills

Member
Labadal said:
I bought Skulls of the Shogun yesterday and I'm really enjoying it. Not many turn based strategy games on XBLA, but I'd have to say that this is the best one from what little I have played. I did read/hear that it didn't do well in sales which is a big disappointment. I hope they do better on STEAM.
Click to expand...

Make sure you don't change the difficulty AT ALL until you finish the game, it fucks the achievements.
 
S

SAB CA

Sketchbook Picasso
Maybe I'll go back to Defense Grid now... but... it seemed SO BORING after some time went by. The strategy was fun, but it just went on so long, and just had more and more stages... I've had more fun with Sanctum II, there's just more gameplay there.

In a world where Sanctum II, Orcs must Die, Pixel Junk Monsters, and Plants VS Zombie's exist, does something as hands-off as Defense Grid still offer the same value it once did?
 
A

aku:jiki

Member
Defense Grid is a great game, probably my favorite pure tower defense game, and free XBLA games were inevitable and is welcome but it does come off as cheap when they announce that as the fourth game for the service. They should've gone for the good PR and announced 2-3 XBLA games at once. In six months, they can start skimping and offering just one cheap XBLA game without losing PR as people won't care as much anymore, but this is going to catch a lot of shit.

I don't understand how this kind of insight eludes high-salary analysts and shit, but is obvious to college kid or lowly worker forum pundits. I mean, come on son.

SAB CA said:
Maybe I'll go back to Defense Grid now... but... it seemed SO BORING after some time went by. The strategy was fun, but it just went on so long, and just had more and more stages... I've had more fun with Sanctum II, there's just more gameplay there.

In a world where Sanctum II, Orcs must Die, Pixel Junk Monsters, and Plants VS Zombie's exist, does something as hands-off as Defense Grid still offer the same value it once did?
Click to expand...
There's a hell of a lot less strategy in all of those games. DG is the oldschool type of tower defense where you gain interest on your money, which is also your score, and the goal, as such, is to build as few towers as possible. All of the games you mentioned have you building as much as possible, which means that you have a lot more leeway in what and how you build, and you're confusing "more action" for "more gameplay". Strategy is a valid gaming genre and is not somehow inherently "less of a game" than an action game, man.
 
K

Krilekk

Banned
celsowmbr said:
where is our halo 3? Defense Grid? Why not Castle Crashers? Shadow Complex?
Click to expand...

Just like with PS+ the goal is obviously to give away the stuff for free that doesn't sell anyway. Halo was never supposed to be in July, they said "these are two of the games we'll be offering for free until the end of the year". But Halo 3 and AC2 are of course the biggest titles of the promotion. Oh and before the hate starts again in a few weeks: They clearly say that for some games in the promotion Kinect is required. So be ready for Wreckateer.
 
S

SAB CA

Sketchbook Picasso
aku:jiki said:
There's a hell of a lot less strategy in all of those games. DG is the oldschool type of tower defense where you gain interest on your money, which is also your score, and the goal, as such, is to build as few towers as possible. All of the games you mentioned have you building as much as possible, which means that you have a lot more leeway in what and how you build, and you're confusing "more action" for "more gameplay". Strategy is a valid gaming genre and is not somehow inherently "less of a game" than an action game, man.
Click to expand...

Naaa, I'm just using gameplay at it's most base way: "playing of the game". SO MUCH of Defense Grid is spent holding fast forward, and watching plans come to fruition.

Which is fine (maybe even relaxing?), but it's not exactly the most fun, engrossing thing in the world.

More Strategic because of less leeway? Eh, I'll give that to you for some of those, but not all. I did like the emphasis on "less is more", surely. But, I remember times where I'd replay a wave with the same formation, and see different outcomes. I feel like many more modern TD games have solidified their mechanics better than this game, just due to more experience and examples to work from.

At the time of it's XBLA release, Defense Grid left me feeling like it was a treasure that laid a great foundation, but I could already see where the future was headed.

I love strategy (especially console strat RPGs), but watching braindead enemies walk into towers always seemed like half an idea of a game, to me. Not saying it makes the games BAD at all, but the logistics of a suicide march down a pathway to hit a glowy thing at the end is just comical. They don't dodge, they don't do anything to try and survive (unless you count using shield enemies)... they just... march. And Die.

In a way, it felt less strategic (reacting to conditions, forcing things to work as you wish, through foresight, etc), and more like a puzzle (set everything up, and watch it happen!). A more action-packed Mouse Trap!

To be fair, I probably liked Defense Grid more than Dungeon Defenders, when it comes to how well it handled it's design elements. DG did a pretty solid job for it's time, and got what's there mostly right.

Now I just wish they'd make the DLC free too; if I ever DO beat the base stuff, I'd like to have the extra, too!

(Somehow, speaking about this makes me want to play Nectaris: Military Madness again...)
 
W

Wibblewozzer

Member
SAB CA said:
Now I just wish they'd make the DLC free too; if I ever DO beat the base stuff, I'd like to have the extra, too!
Click to expand...

I think there's an especially high chance that most all the games given away for free will have DLC in an attempt to make some money back on giving the games out for free. And as noted, obviously they'll mainly be games that aren't selling much on the service at this point so there's not much loss in actually giving away the games, too.
 
A

aku:jiki

Member
SAB CA said:
More Strategic because of less leeway? Eh, I'll give that to you for some of those, but not all. I did like the emphasis on "less is more", surely. But, I remember times where I'd replay a wave with the same formation, and see different outcomes. I feel like many more modern TD games have solidified their mechanics better than this game, just due to more experience and examples to work from.
Click to expand...
I'd say that's undeniably true for all of them. They all have weaknesses in the strategy and tend to rely on the action aspects to pick up the slack. Which is fine, but that does mean they have less thinking and more twitch shooting involved. Dungeon Defenders and Orcs Must Die will have flying enemies slipping through, as nothing deals with them very well, and Sanctum 2 has the most worthless, most unreliable towers in the history of the genre. Mostly due to the fact that they just dumped an unfinished beta on XBLA, and it may yet be patched, but it's still true for the current version.

Defense Grid is actually the only game out of these, with possible exception for Orcs, that doesn't behave differently each time. Every time you put down a tower in the same position, it's going to do the exact same thing it did last time. Not so much for Sanctum...though it's the worst of the bunch. Dungeon Defenders and Orcs are more reliable.

As for wether the "pure" tower defense genre is dead or dying, I guess it is, but it's not because the shooty-gun type variations are inherently "more playable", it's because ADD kids raised on Call of Duty want to shoot stuff. Pretty much no strategy game outsells even middling FPS franchises. Maybe SimCity.
 
F

Feindflug

Member
vogelkacke said:
i could be wrong but i read somewhere here that it starts tuesday, so tommorow.
Click to expand...

I really want Forza Horizon, hopefully the price will be good though I don't expect much from this sale.

About Defense Grid it sure sounds like a really cool game but I guess they could give away two more arcade titles along with it, online MP centered titles like Hybrid which I doubt they sell any copies at this point could really benefit from such an offer. Either way MS looks like it's getting really cheap on the free games offer if Halo 3 and Assassin's 2 were mentioned as an example of upcoming big titles.
 
N

Noogy

Member
Loch Doun said:
Actually, I'm really looking forward to Halo 3.

The multiplayer scene will be alive for the first time in years.

It'll be fun to jump back in to a classic.
Click to expand...

Didn't even think about this but yeah, would be nice to respark that community. I love me some Halo 3.
 
S

SAB CA

Sketchbook Picasso
Wibblewozzer said:
I think there's an especially high chance that most all the games given away for free will have DLC in an attempt to make some money back on giving the games out for free. And as noted, obviously they'll mainly be games that aren't selling much on the service at this point so there's not much loss in actually giving away the games, too.
Click to expand...

I do hope so. That's what I always expect, but XBL seems pretty bad on sale-pricing DLC, unless it's something like Sleeping Dogs. I love the fact that DLC sales on sale games not only reward the newbies to the game, but also long-time purchasers. It seems so odd to ignore people who have already supported you...

aku:jiki said:
I'd say that's undeniably true for all of them. They all have weaknesses in the strategy and tend to rely on the action aspects to pick up the slack. Which is fine, but that does mean they have less thinking and more twitch shooting involved. Dungeon Defenders and Orcs Must Die will have flying enemies slipping through, as nothing deals with them very well, and Sanctum 2 has the most worthless, most unreliable towers in the history of the genre. Mostly due to the fact that they just dumped an unfinished beta on XBLA, and it may yet be patched, but it's still true for the current version.
Click to expand...

Yeah, Sanctum's "Lets retool the game from the ground up!" patches are pretty insulting to the console release. I find it odd that such a shift in game dynamic even makes it through to the final game...

I didn't think they were too bad, though. I was surprised at how fast some of the enemies would die to 1 properly set up gun. Has been a while since I played though, and the later stages are getting worse with it.

As for wether the "pure" tower defense genre is dead or dying, I guess it is, but it's not because the shooty-gun type variations are inherently "more playable", it's because ADD kids raised on Call of Duty want to shoot stuff. Pretty much no strategy game outsells even middling FPS franchises. Maybe SimCity.
Click to expand...

While I love blaming things on ADD casuals, I don't really feel that much, in relation to "pure tower defense". The lack of enemy feedback always just felt as if the developer didn't have the size / resources to make the "offense" from the enemies well (gameplay balance, and animation/resource wise), so they just focused on one. This is smart (especially since the games are so inexpensive!), but even old titles like Shining Force and Fire Emblem always made sure there was some excitement to your strategy sessions.

Now, to strategy games in general, sure. But I think it also deals with the perception of value. Looking at a "God's eye View" of tiny little ants perform task feels cheap in comparison to realistic, full-body, per character actions. I really like Toy Soldiers method to getting around this, by letting one get closer and closer, and working very well on the destruction and death animations of the troops.

I really do wish we'd see more Tower Defense X _______ genre mashups, with obvious options to play pure TD if one wished. Strategy Genres just don't justify themselves as big purchases by themselves now-a-days, but merging them with something else could make them pretty magical.
 
Vert boil

Vert boil

Member
I'll update throughout the day.

DOTW

Borderlands 2
--Captain Scarlett and her Pirate's Booty - 400msp (was 800)
--Creature Slaughterdome - 200msp (was 400)
--Mechromancer Pack - 400msp (was 800)
--Mr. Torgue’s Campaign of Carnage - 400msp (was 800)
--Psycho Pack - 400msp (was 800)
--Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt - 400msp (was 800)
--Ultimate Vault Hunter Upgrade Pack - 200msp (was 400)

-----

Gatling Gears - 240msp (was 800)


Ben 10 Omniverse - 2400msp/30$ (was 3200/40$) US price, check your region

FIFA Street - 1600msp/20$ (was 2400/30$) US price, check your region

Mass Effect 3
--Omega - 600msp (was 1200)

MLB2K13 - 3200msp/40$ (was 4800/60$) US price, check your region

NBA2K13 - 3200msp/40$ (was 4800/60$) US price, check your region

NFS: Most Wanted - 3200msp/40$ (was 4800/60$) US price, check your region

Rocksmith
--Bodysnatchers by Radiohead - 160msp (was 240)
--Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd - 160msp (was 240)
--Jessica by The Allman Brothers Band - 160msp (was 240)
--More Than a Feeling by Boston - 160msp (was 240)
--Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple - 160msp (was 240)
--Tighten Up by The Black Keys - 160msp (was 240)

Top Hand Rodeo Tour - 2400msp/30$ (was 3200/40$) US price, check your region

-----
Ultimate game sale - week long sales

Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway - 400msp/5$ (was 2400/30$) US price, check your region

Bulletstorm - 400msp/5$ (was 1600/20$) US price, check your region

C&C: Red Alert 3 - 400msp/5$ (was 1200/15$) US price, check your region

Crysis - 400msp/5$ (was 1600/20$) US price, check your region

Divinity II: The Dragon Knight Saga - 400msp/5$ (was 2400/30$) US price, check your region

Dragon Age: Origins - 400msp/5$ (was 1200/15$) US price, check your region

Far Cry: Instincts Predator - 400msp/5$ (was 1600/20$) US price, check your region

Mass Effect - 400msp/5$ (was 1200/15$) US price, check your region

Perfect Dark Zero - 240msp/3$ (was 1200/15$) US price, check your region

Prey - 240msp/3$ (was 1600/20$) US price, check your region

WWE 13 - 1200msp/15$ (was 4800/60$) US price, check your region

-----
Ultimate game sale - July 2nd, one day sale

AssCreed 3 - 1200msp/15$ (was 3200/40$) US price, check your region

Borderlands 2 - 800msp/10$ (was 3200/40$) US price, check your region

Far Cry 3 - 1600msp/20$ (was 4800/60$) US price, check your region

Max Payne 3 - 800msp/10$ (was 3200/40$) US price, check your region

-----
Games with gold bits,

Defense Grid - free (was 800msp)
 
A

aku:jiki

Member
CrunchinJelly said:
Dude needs to get his shit together.
Click to expand...
Cut him some slack, man. You know he's busy picking out a wacky hat to wear at Gamescom.

Not into either game this week. I love Capsized's story and visual theme, but watching some let's plays, it doesn't look fun at all. Scourge might be cool with 4-player coop with my usual gang, I guess. Since we're at the point where 800MSP now feels cheap, I'll probably pick it up for that.
 
J

Jhoan

Member
So many damn good deals finally! Thank you MS. It's like being a kid in a candy store. Already checked out some of the B2 DLC yesterday. Definitely getting Scarlet and Krieg. Time to dust off my copy. Ilnadmy, if you're lurking, this is the deal we've been waiting several months for.
 
Vert boil

Vert boil

Member
Released today,

boxartlg.jpg


Scourge: Outbreak - 800msp, 1.87GB.

----------

The Ascend beta is about to start, they'll be sending codes out today.

http://ascendgame.com/news/entry/ascend-hand-of-kul-closed-beta-is-here

----------

Ultimate game sale - July 3rd, one day sale

Hasbro Family Game Night 3 - 800msp/10$ (was 2400/30$) US price, check your region

Kinect Sports: Season 2 - 800msp/10$ (was 2400/30$) US price, check your region

Lego Batman 2 - 800msp/10$ (was 1600/20$) US price, check your region

Lego Lord of the Rings - 1200msp/15$ (was 2400/30$) US price, check your region

Monopoly Streets - 800msp/10$ (was 2400/30$) US price, check your region

Rockstar Table Tennis - 240msp/3$ (was 1200/15$) US price, check your region
 
A

aku:jiki

Member
I can't wait to try Scourge now that I've read that Gamespot review. Big-site reviewers are pretty much always wrong about everything, especially when it comes to XBLA, so Scourge has to be pretty great!

Also, are all Gamespot video reviews just a dramatic british reading of the review text? That's awesome and awful at the same time if so.
 
T

toythatkills

Member
aku:jiki said:
I can't wait to try Scourge now that I've read that Gamespot review. Big-site reviewers are pretty much always wrong about everything, especially when it comes to XBLA, so Scourge has to be pretty great!
Click to expand...

"You know you're playing a truly awful game when, after just one mission, you're wondering what on earth possessed you to buy the thing in the first place."

Says a reviewer who was given the game for free. What a dickhead.
 
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