Now hold on a second.
What the fuck did I just watch?
That monkey cray.
Best review I've seen in a long time.
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Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) News and Announcements Thread - 2012 Edition
- Thread starter Shard
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Now hold on a second.
What the fuck did I just watch?
That monkey cray.
Best review I've seen in a long time.
RedAssedApe
Banned
Kotaku and IGN reviews don't agree. I have no idea who not to trust. 
SlasherJPC
Banned
Thanks guys. I figured this review was different, and kinda made it seem as if someone was asking questions anyone would be asking me if I was talking about a game.
The Dutch Slayer
Member
2008 and 2009 good years for SoA
I can't remember the last XBLA game I bought. I was really keen on Deadlight, but a few reviews I had read have complained about the length. One site said they finished their first run at 85% completion within 2hrs. :^/
Maybe Dust will get me to purchase again. Will be waiting for reviews with baited breath.
Do you break promises too?
Hang on, so the PSN version is the only one that is discounted if you buy a Season Pass?
Maybe Dust will get me to purchase again. Will be waiting for reviews with baited breath.
Do you break promises too?
Hang on, so the PSN version is the only one that is discounted if you buy a Season Pass?
HadesGigas
Member
Yes.
The PC version had a pre-order discount and was on sale during the Summer Sale, though.
edgardavids
Member
The Deadlight achievements make it look like there is a heap to do in this game. I really cant justify spending 1200 points on a 2 hour game... I may as well just go to the movies.
Vinterbird
Member
I got 60% of the achievements in one playthrough without caring about them if that helps.
toythatkills
Member
Yeah, achievements are really easy, you'll get nearly all of them without even trying.
Anyway, SoA hasn't been great so far but look at the year so far as a whole and it's still probably the best year for XBLA yet.
Anyway, SoA hasn't been great so far but look at the year so far as a whole and it's still probably the best year for XBLA yet.
Vert boil
Member
DOTW - Squeenix Eidos
Lara Croft Guardian of Light
-–A Hazardous Reunion - 200msp (was 400)
--All the Trappings - 200msp (was 400)
--Raziel & Kain Character Pack - 200msp (was 400)
Tomb Raider Underworld
--Beneath the Ashes - 400msp (was 800)
--Lara’s Shadow - 400msp (was 800)
------
Sales and Specials+ App
Deadliest Warrior - 600msp (was 800)
--Ninja Gaiden 3: Ninja Pack 1 - 400msp (was 800)
Orcs Must Die! - 800msp (was 1200)
Chain Reaction has updated.
Uno - 320msp (was 400) > Risk Faction - 560msp (was 800) > Carcassonne - 480msp (was 800) > Full House Poker - 400msp (was 800)
Lara Croft Guardian of Light
-–A Hazardous Reunion - 200msp (was 400)
--All the Trappings - 200msp (was 400)
--Raziel & Kain Character Pack - 200msp (was 400)
Tomb Raider Underworld
--Beneath the Ashes - 400msp (was 800)
--Lara’s Shadow - 400msp (was 800)
------
Sales and Specials+ App
Deadliest Warrior - 600msp (was 800)
--Ninja Gaiden 3: Ninja Pack 1 - 400msp (was 800)
Orcs Must Die! - 800msp (was 1200)
Chain Reaction has updated.
Uno - 320msp (was 400) > Risk Faction - 560msp (was 800) > Carcassonne - 480msp (was 800) > Full House Poker - 400msp (was 800)
j0hnny_385
Member
-MikePriester-
Member
Ah, ok, you got me. Totally forgot about Trial Evolution, just need to play it more. Not much else has grabbed me recently and I do try most of the demo's that interest me.
I think this could be a tipping point for XBLA and the seasonal promotions.
When the promotions were new there was a big push from MS that filtered through to the gamer via the media.
Now it seems to be just the road show events, press releases and dash board space.
A tonne of big games that I thought for sure would be SoA just were shat out on release. (Fez as one example)
I have high hopes for Dust and Hybrid they are getting my money pretty much 100% but I said the same for Deadlight and now from the Marmite reviews it's gona be a try and buy for me.
When the promotions were new there was a big push from MS that filtered through to the gamer via the media.
Now it seems to be just the road show events, press releases and dash board space.
A tonne of big games that I thought for sure would be SoA just were shat out on release. (Fez as one example)
I have high hopes for Dust and Hybrid they are getting my money pretty much 100% but I said the same for Deadlight and now from the Marmite reviews it's gona be a try and buy for me.
I also buy most of my stuff on sale. Just got that Tomb Raider game for 50% off a couple of months ago... Are we not getting a big sale this summer like we had last summer? I bought like 10 games that time!
To each their own and everything, but man...you crazy. XBLA has been on fire this year.-MikePriester- said:
I may grab them.
I got Guardian of Light when it was 50% discounted but I still have to play it, so that's a nice opportunity to have the whole package at a nice price.
My first run was around 79% at 1:48:00. I wasn't the one reviewing it so I didn't rush through.
Edit: sorry cut out on my mobile, so I didn't get to finish. The whole in-game said under two hours, but with deaths it felt at least double that.
BruiserBear
Banned
Why do people always point to in game clocks when they're rarely accurate?
toythatkills
Member
That won't count the time he spent dying, but that's how much "game" there is.
edgardavids
Member
Yar I will probably save my points for Dust. Thanks.
Chiaroscuro
Member
The Basketball pack from Kinect Sports Season 2 is also at half-price (200 MSP).
Mind you I only just got an Xbox. A week should never be dedicated to DLC. I have seen COD Maps, Bethesda DLC, AC Brohood DLC, Scott Pilgrim DLC and now Lara Croft DLC week.
bumpkin
Member
Ooh, I might bite on that... Always loved the Soul Reaver games, completely forgot that character pack existed.
show me your skeleton
Member
Wow. have been saving 1000msp for something good for 6 weeks. Nothing again this week
I guess its to get people to buy the summer of arcade titles.
buy dust next week. do it.
Family Fry
Member
Has been a fantastic year and there are still lots of great games on the horizon for end of year.
Anyone have a favourite Summer of Arcade?
2008-
Geometry Wars 2
Braid
Bionic Commando Rearmed
Galaga Legions
Castle Crashers
2009-
Splosion Man
Marvel vs Capacom 2
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled
Trials HD
Shadow Complex
2010-
Castlevania Harmony of Despair
Hydro Thunder Hurricane
Lara Croft and The Guardian of Light
Limbo
Monday Night Combat
2011-
Bastion
From Dusr
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
Fruit Ninja Kinect
Toy Soldiers Cold War
2012-
Tony Hawk HD
Wreckateer
Deadlight
Hybrid
Dust
Jonsoncao
Banned
08>09>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>rest
Yep. 09 has my favourite game, but the overall quality of 08 is the best.
That game better be Trials!
Looking at the games lined up like that, 2012 really is the weakest one by far. They should've held off on stuff like Spelunky, Minecraft and Trials Evo... Actually, damn, 2011 was pretty bad too.
I would chalk up this year's as the worst, no offense to Dust. They kind of blew their load prematurely (Fez, Trials Evo, Minecraft, Spelunky), and the thin line-up is made more apparent by this year's PSN Play, which is leagues better than last year's promo, and may very well include a few classics.
Interested to see what Microsoft's fall promotion looks like. I don't see a lot in the queue that looks appropriately interesting, or "large."
Interested to see what Microsoft's fall promotion looks like. I don't see a lot in the queue that looks appropriately interesting, or "large."
Deadly Monk
Banned
I bought all the SoA games in 08-09. Looking at that list, it's obvious no other years compare to it.
BruiserBear
Banned
Hold back Trails Evolution just so it could be in SoA? Hell no.
If anything all of this is just proof of how good of a year it's been for XBLA. There were tons of great games in the Spring, and Microsoft simply put together a good SoA lineup based on what would be ready at that time. No sense in holding games for months just to fit them into this one promotion.
2008-
Geometry Wars 2 - Braid - Castle Crashers (favourite)
2009-
Splosion Man - Trials HD (favourite) - Shadow Complex
2010-
Castlevania Harmony of Despair
2011-
Fruit Ninja Kinect
2012-
Deadlight (Depending on demo)
Hybrid (Depending on demo)
Dust (Depending on demo)
This is what I have bought in every summer of arcade.
My favourite is easily 2008 as I loved the hell out of Geo Wars 2 and Castle Crashers, closly followed by 2009. After that I stopped caring about SoA really.
(I bought Bastion on Steam)
Geometry Wars 2 - Braid - Castle Crashers (favourite)
2009-
Splosion Man - Trials HD (favourite) - Shadow Complex
2010-
Castlevania Harmony of Despair
2011-
Fruit Ninja Kinect
2012-
Deadlight (Depending on demo)
Hybrid (Depending on demo)
Dust (Depending on demo)
This is what I have bought in every summer of arcade.
My favourite is easily 2008 as I loved the hell out of Geo Wars 2 and Castle Crashers, closly followed by 2009. After that I stopped caring about SoA really.
(I bought Bastion on Steam)
Vert boil
Member
SoA or any promotion have never been of any importance to me. I've only ever bought two games when they released (Braid, Limbo) and one a few months later after I listened to the buzz instead on my own doubt and wasted 1200 on Lara Croft GoL.
They've been getting worse over time with this year being the worst. The demo of Deadlight should quell the little bit of interest I have in it. 08 was the only good year with a blip in 10.
They've been getting worse over time with this year being the worst. The demo of Deadlight should quell the little bit of interest I have in it. 08 was the only good year with a blip in 10.
You mean judging by day-1 purchases or the total amount of SoA titles bought?
In 2008 I got:
Geometry Wars 2 (Deal of the Week)
Braid (DotW)
Castle Crashers (day-1)
In 2009:
Splosion Man (day-1)
Marvel vs Capacom 2 (DotW)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled (DotW)
Trials HD (day-1)
Shadow Complex (day-1)
In 2010:
Lara Croft and The Guardian of Light (DotW)
Limbo (day-1)
In 2011:
nothing (duh)
In 2012:
Deadlight (getting it tomorrow)
Dust (getting it day-1)
I'd say 2009 on the whole, but if I'll end up loving Deadlight and Dust, I won't be disappointed at all by this 2012.
toythatkills
Member
2008 had GW2 and Braid and one of XBLA's biggest ever hits in Castle Crashers.
2009 had two absolute classics in Trials HD and Shadow Complex, games that are still considered among the best things on XBLA.
2010 is probably the best for a ratio of great:average with Hydro Thunder, Lara Croft and LIMBO.
2011 was ordinary. I have a feeling you'll disagree but Bastion isn't a good game. It's a brilliant spectacle but nothing more. The rest of 2011 are just, yeah, ordinary. There's nothing that people are going to still be coming back to in years to come where you look at the other three years and people are still playing a lot of those games.
I'd probably rate them 09 > 10 > 08 > 11, but with the first three changing depending on my mood. 11 will always be the poorest though.
theMrCravens
Member
Hybrid looks pretty neat.
Just watched this new trailer where they explain the World War system:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRcyeW3Zdyw
Hope the controls are fluid like other FPS console games.
Just watched this new trailer where they explain the World War system:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRcyeW3Zdyw
Hope the controls are fluid like other FPS console games.
I think it could
I mean, it's sotn style game with amazingly fluid combat and it looks like something out of a disney movie.
hnnnnnng. Only two more weeks.
Yeah, needless to say I don't agree. Ha. I think Bastion is a brilliant game, Shadow Complex a mediocre game, while Trials HD has been made redundant by Evo.
crazy, none of those games are even near my top 5.
Haha, you guys are too nice. Seriously, I do hope you like the game, but don't let me being a Gaffer keep you from telling me if it sucks.
I'm happy with it, and not in a "sure, it's crap but I made it" sort of way. I still geniunely love playing it, even if the last 3 months nearly killed me. I still can't believe it's actually coming out.
And here are my personal top 5 released SoA games, in no particular order. And I didn't buy any of them day 1, cuz I'm a cheapass.
Geometry Wars 2
Braid
Limbo
Bastion
Castle Crashers
I was going to say "It looks like gameofthegen material"....... but I didn't....
I've been super hyped for this game ever since the original trailer for it.
Some brief comments on Zuma's Revenge, now that I'm mostly through with it.
It's a good game, though I wish there were a few more levels to the Adventure mode, and a few more modes in general. The added modes on the side (Iron Frog, Boss Rush, Weekly Challenge) are not super compelling.
The colorblind mode is a life saver for me, and makes the game playable. I still have issues with a number of the power ups, which occlude the color and texture of the balls and cause some problems (black, grey and white all look the same when lit by certain power ups). Regardless, I've had a lot of fun working on levels and gathering up three coin performances on most of the levels; just got all spirits maxed out last night.
Two quibbles. First, in a game where time is a critical factor in score, why is there no timer visible in the UI? Unless I've blown the target time by a good margin, you can't tell how good you're doing until after the game. Related, there's no option to restart a level that I can find; you have to pause, exit, and then restart manually. Both minor issues, but worth noting.
I'm up to around 1,800 on the leaderboards; I'm thinking of trying to get into the top 1,000 and calling it a day with the game. Fun, but the lack of post-Adventure content hurts the longevity.
It was nice to have a solid puzzle game I can play; more colorblind modes, puzzle makers.
It's a good game, though I wish there were a few more levels to the Adventure mode, and a few more modes in general. The added modes on the side (Iron Frog, Boss Rush, Weekly Challenge) are not super compelling.
The colorblind mode is a life saver for me, and makes the game playable. I still have issues with a number of the power ups, which occlude the color and texture of the balls and cause some problems (black, grey and white all look the same when lit by certain power ups). Regardless, I've had a lot of fun working on levels and gathering up three coin performances on most of the levels; just got all spirits maxed out last night.
Two quibbles. First, in a game where time is a critical factor in score, why is there no timer visible in the UI? Unless I've blown the target time by a good margin, you can't tell how good you're doing until after the game. Related, there's no option to restart a level that I can find; you have to pause, exit, and then restart manually. Both minor issues, but worth noting.
I'm up to around 1,800 on the leaderboards; I'm thinking of trying to get into the top 1,000 and calling it a day with the game. Fun, but the lack of post-Adventure content hurts the longevity.
It was nice to have a solid puzzle game I can play; more colorblind modes, puzzle makers.
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