Rocketmen: Axis of Evil

Rocketmen: Axis of Evil , available from Xbox Live Marketplace for 800 points, is a game that tries to play homage to the early comic book style of science fiction with finned rockets, Venusians and dastardly Martians.

The trial of this top-down action “dungeon crawler” style game starts off quite well allowing you to customise your characters traits such as the gender, race, class and clothing colour. Presentation wise it all looks quite good. Comic book style cut scenes with voiceovers are used to further the tongue-in-cheek storyline and the art design suits the retro Sci-Fi style of the game and could have been taken from a 1930’s episode of Flash Gordon.

The game is simple enough to play. Wade through the level shooting anything that moves while picking up the occasional time limited weapon upgrade such as a shotgun or laser cannon, with the aim of completing the primary mission objective.

However, there are some major flaws. Although the isometric backgrounds are decent enough the animation of the lead character is pretty poor as if only half the number frames have been drawn. Criminally as you move through the level you are cut off from returning to any previously trodden area unless it’s part of the level design, thus if you like to explore a level fully or return for pickups you are going to be disappointed. Finally the enemy AI, if you can call it that, isn’t anything special with the difficulty of the game induced by throwing swarms of mindless enemies at the player.

I really tried to like this game. The old retro Sci-Fi feel of the game provokes distant memories of watching black and white episodes of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers, but unfortunately the game is spoiled by its flaws and the gameplay is a little too bland for my tastes.

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Triggerheart Exelica

It looks like it’s been a quiet few weeks for demo’s and arcade games for the Xbox 360 while I’ve been away but I noticed there were a few new titles to try out.

Originally released in the Japanese arcades a couple of years ago (2006) Triggerheart Exelica, now on Xbox Live Arcade for 800 points, is a traditional top down vertical shoot ‘em up with the usual formulaic mix of hordes of enemies, end of stage boss encounters and an obscene amount of enemy weapon fire to dodge.

The trial game allows you to play the first stage of five, choosing from one of two humanoid weapon systems known as “Triggerhearts”. There isn’t too much difference between the two apart from the onscreen representation of these cute anime inspired mecha girls and the different fire patterns employed. Exelica uses a wide fire pattern while Crueltear has concentrated straight forward fire only.


The novelty of this game is the use of the anchor. Fired straight ahead via the “B” button this allows the player to grab enemies, spinning them around the triggerheart before hurling them back to cause damage. If an enemy is too large the anchor acts as a lock-on allowing you to concentrate on dodging incoming shots which is extremely useful for the end of stage boss encounters.

Triggerheart Exelica takes no prisoners and it won’t be long before all but the most proficient shoot ‘em up players see the “continue” screen. As a result of the difficulty it’s hard to see how this could appeal to the casual gamer, but if you’re a die hard fan of shooters then this is worth a try.

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N+ Leaves a Positive Impression

This weeks Xbox Live release for 800 MS points is N+, a game that stays true to the “game play over graphics” philosophy and looking beyond its minimalist art design there lies a highly entertaining action puzzle platform game.

The game is split into fifty odd episodes with each episode split into five levels. The aim is simple, guide the ninja to the exit in as little time as possible before the time runs out while avoiding any hazards. At the start of each episode you’re allocated 90 seconds and the remaining time is carried over from level to level. However each level is littered with gold which can be collected to increase your time.

Depending on the level there could be a number of hazards standing in the way of your ninja and the exit. Some are passive that effect the level like doors, trapdoors and launch pads, while others such as homing missile turrets, laser drones, and gauss turrets will have a very detrimental effect on the ninja’s life expectancy. Death at some point is inevitable, but luckily you have an infinite number of lives until the timer runs.

Each level gets progressively more difficult and you have to rely not only on your reflexes but also some grey matter to figure out the best path to the exit. It’s addictively compelling stuff, something simple yet very playable.

N+ has a retro feel to it. Not only do the simple graphics feel like they could have originated from a decade ago, but the choice of music and text font all solidify that feeling. To some this brave style choice may be a bit too bland but I applaud the minimalist approach to the design and in this case less is certainly more.

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Commanders: Attack of the Genos

The second game to hit Xbox Live Arcade this week, Commanders: Attack of the Genos is a turn based strategy game based in an alternate history. In this timeline the secrets of the atom have been discovered by the start of the 20th Century and by the mid 1920’s the human genome has been cracked and a genetically enhanced race, the Genos have been created. Unfortunately racial division soon arises and the Genos are forced to flee and after a number of years eventually retaliate and attack.

On a basic gameplay level this is an Advance Wars clone, albeit using a 3D engine rather than a top down sprite based approach. The mechanics of the game are very similar with both movement and attack handled using an underlying grid based system and a selection of unit types available to command which have inherent strengths and weaknesses against other unit types. For example scouts are strong versus infantry but weak against anti-armour units.

Unlike Advance Wars however each unit has a number of action points which can be spent on movement and attack rather than just a fixed movement allowance followed by an attack. This should give a bit of flexibility as you could time your movement to allow a couple of attacks or alternatively forgo an attack altogether to move further during a turn, but in reality this means you have to constantly check the number of action points remaining and in this sense it loses some of the fluidity of movement that Advance Wars has mastered.

Commanders: Attack of the Genos looks quite good, the landscape isn’t particularly interesting, it's functional at best, but the 1930’s art deco style of units and buildings is nicely done and makes a change. The story unfolds using 2D static character portraits with the obligatory speech bubbles when characters converse and although they would seem to be in contradiction to the 3D game engine they work quite well, it's just a shame the portraits are a bit bland and aren't more interesting to look at.

Although Commanders: Attack of the Genos isn't on a par with the the game it pays homage too, I found the trial game to be entertaining and it's good to see another turn based strategy appear on Xbox Live. The full version costs 800 MS points to download and features 15 campaign missions and support for off-line and on-line multiplayer.

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Discs of Tron

Tron. I remember the movie fondly from my youth, mainly because of the amazing (for the time) special effects and the game related theme. I’ve not watched the movie since as there’s no doubt my rose tinted spectacles would be shattered in an instant.

This little trip back down memory lane brings us onto one of the weeks Xbox Live Arcade releases, a port of the original arcade game Discs of Tron, released back in 1983.

The game is based in an isometric view of the arena, the player character Tron is closest and the opponent Sark is at the far end, both players are perched on disc shaped platforms. The aim is simple, throw discs at Sark whilst avoiding any thrown back in return, and defeat him by either knocking him off the platform or hitting him twice.

The left joystick controls player movement and the right controls an aiming reticle shown on the arena walls. The aiming controls however feel a bit hit and miss and are not sensitive enough for precision aiming and you will frequently find the need to correct your aim. Up-to three discs can be thrown at a time which can be ricocheted off the arena walls rather than being thrown in a straight line allowing you to create an attack spread which is more likely to catch Sark off guard.

There’s not much more to the game really. It’s a fairly straightforward affair with the arenas getting more complex as you advance and it kind of reminds me of futuristic game of squash but with deadly consequences. The trial version of the game looks OK but sounds pretty dire with only the occasional splash of music or sound effect.

I can imagine that this game would have ridden on the crest of a wave of the films popularity but once you take the film out of the equation there isn't a huge amount here that will appeal to the modern gamer.

The trial game lets you try out the first couple of single player arenas whilst the full version offers enhanced graphics and multiplayer for 400 MS points.

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Chessmaster Live and Poker Smash

There were a couple of new releases on Xbox Live Arcade this week. Both games, Chessmaster Live and Poker Smash, will set you back 800 MS points.

Chessmaster Live

There’s not a great deal I can elaborate on with this game. It’s a more than competent chess game based on a reputable chess engine, but don’t expect an exciting sensory experience.

The board can be viewed in either two or three dimensions, the latter of which can be rotated and panned and looks as good as can be expected. The 2D board doesn’t offer anything more exciting, feels a little out of place on an Xbox 360 console and reminds me of those portable magnetic chess games you can buy.

The actual chess engine itself seems decent and offers different personalities to play against in single player with the full version featuring full online play. Chess is one of those games that you either really like or just pass on. Personally I’ve never really got into the game, but if you like giving the old grey matter a workout then the trial is worth a go.

Poker Smash

Second up this week is Poker Smash, a puzzle game featuring five columns of rising blocks faced with kings, queens, jacks, aces or tens. The aim is to clear the blocks in either rows or columns by matching various poker hands before the blocks reach the top of the table.

Cards can only be swapped horizontally which will invariably leave you with some that can’t be matched in time and in these circumstances the limited numbers of bombs available to clear “bottleneck” areas are vital. Additionally time can be slowed down, draining a time meter, giving you a few additional seconds when under pressure.

Poker Smash looks pretty good with some vibrant effects when combinations are matched but the male commentator audio soundbites started to grate after a while. Regular readers will know that puzzle games aren’t really my favourite genre and unless a game offers something new and exciting then they don’t hold any lasting appeal for me. I had fun for about 30 minutes with Poker Smash but by that time it had unfortunately overstayed its welcome.

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Rez HD Review

I missed out on Rez the first time it appeared on the Dreamcast, and also its subsequent port to the PS2. An enhanced version is now also available from Xbox Live Marketplace for 800 MS points and this time I’m not going to miss out.

The story is a simple one providing enough detail to form a setting for the game. In Rez, you’re a hacker infiltrating a super network controlled by an artificial intelligence. Known as Eden, the AI has recently begun to question the meaning of its existence and has started to shut down. Your task is to enter cyberspace and infiltrate the core to re-awaken Eden.

Rez HD is an on the rails shooter and thus the player has no control over movement as you follow a predetermined path through each level. Emphasis is instead placed upon aiming as you guide the onscreen laser reticle over swarms of viruses and projectiles holding down the “A” button to get a lock-on to each target. Up-to a maximum of eight targets can be simultaneously locked-on ready for a laser attack when “A” is released.

Throughout the game you can pick up a couple of different power-ups. The red “overdrives” are in essence smart bombs and when activated with a press of the “B” button clear all onscreen enemies for a limited period of time. In addition blue "progress items" can be collected to increase your evolution bar, which when filled will see your character evolve to the next form. The evolutionary form of your character acts like a life counter. Every time you are hit by a virus or projectile you will devolve to the previous form until eventually only appearing as a wireframe spherical object. Once in this vulnerable state if you’re hit again then the infiltration of the mainframe was unsuccessful and its back to the menu screens.



Visually and aurally Rez HD is a treat. Yes the graphics are simple by design mainly being a mix of wireframe and polygons, but splashed with such a vivid colour palette that they’ll burn themselves onto your retinas. Of course it’s all the more perfectly realised now it's all in high definition and in widescreen.

The background music, all trance, builds from the first tentative beats of the track to a full-on crescendo as progress is made through the level. Not only that but the sound effects for your laser shots form part of the music and vary depending on the number of locked-on targets. This all sounds excellent in stereo but if you have a 5.1 channel surround system hooked up to your Xbox 360 then this is the way to experience the game.

The game itself is short with the core of the game featuring only five areas, the first four of which are split into ten "layers" as you delve deeper into the network. To clear each area you will need to progress through each layer before finally defeating the boss at the end of the level. To help longevity there are some extras to play around with, once unlocked, including extra levels, additional game modes, and the ability to apply different visual or aural effects to the game. The original version of Rez (is this now Rez SD?) is included but is only really here for historical completeness.

Although Rez HD is short, it represents excellent value for money for what is one of the best Live Arcade games available at present. A game that attacks the senses and is perfect for a quick blast whenever the mood strikes. Sit back and enjoy the ride!

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Boogie Bunnies

Boogie Bunnies is a new puzzle game that has recently been released on Xbox Live Arcade for 800 Microsoft Points.

The aim of the game is to match three or more groups of “bunnies” in varying colours either horizontally or vertically by launching bunnies from the bottom or the left / right sides of the screen. Every time bunnies are successfully matched the “bunny bar” will fill up and once filled the player will advance to the next level. Every few seconds an additional row of bunnies is added to the top of the screen marching the crowd of bunnies further on and edging them closer to the trap (pit, water), which they will fall into, at the bottom of the screen.

There are a few minor variations in the game-play to that outlined above as every now and then the bunnies will dance acting as a double point’s multiplier for the duration. In addition red bunnies, in the roll of suicide bunny, will explode clearing the surrounding area when matched.

Boogie Bunnies is a very colourful game and has a nice isometric perspective of the action but doesn’t really break any new ground with this genre of game. Apart from being able to launch bunnies from the sides of the screen as-well as from the bottom the principles are similar to older games such as Puzzle Bobble.

With it’s cute graphics and bunnies that yelp “yippee” when successfully matched this game is probably more suited to the younger generation and is just a bit too saccharin sweet for my tastes. However, the game still plays well enough and I’m sure plenty of people will find it addictively engaging.

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Metal Slug 3

The Metal Slug series of games have been around for quite some time now and spawned a host of games on a number of platforms. I've even got a copy of Metal Slug 1st Mission and Metal Slug 2nd Mission for my Neo Geo Pocket Colour, that ill fated hand-held that I thought was particularly good for the time.

This time it's the Xbox 360's turn to receive a port of Metal Slug 3. The game is a run and gun side scrolling shooter which sees you taking on hordes of enemies, rescuing prisoners for power-ups and taking on the obligatory boss at the end of the stage.

During a stage you will come across different types of "Metal Slugs" (vehicles), increasing your firepower and overall effectiveness, and are essential for ensuring your survival if your reflexes are as bad as mine. One nice aspect about this game is the branching paths that are available within a stage adding to the games replayability as you explore the different routes available.

The controls are nice and simplistic with the left joystick used for movement and for the direction of fire with "X" used to shoot, "Y" to throw grenades and "A" to jump. Graphically things all move smoothly and the sprites, some of them surprisingly huge, look great.

The full version is available for 800 Microsoft Points and is well worth a look if you're into arcade shooters.

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Undertow

Undertow has been available on Xbox Live Arcade for a couple of weeks now. It’s a small download at only 49Mb and to unlock the full game will set you back 800 Microsoft Points.

Undertow takes place after the polar ice caps have been melted covering the planet in water from an attack perpetrated by an unknown aquatic alien race.

The game is a side scrolling shooter where the player must fight for possession of strategic control points to achieve victory. Both the player and the opponent have a number of “tickets” (points) available which decrease in speed depending on the number of control points that have been conquered. The player will win by forcing the opponents “tickets” to zero.


Conquering a checkpoint is simply a matter of wiping out all opposition in that sector and waiting until it changes to your teams colour. Of course once you’ve taken a control point there’s nothing stopping the opponent taking it back, and thus control points swing back and forth between the player and the opponent during the course of a level.

The controls of the game are very straightforward using the left stick for movement, right stick to shoot, left trigger to drop a depth charge and right trigger to boost. In addition “X” can be held down for a continuous boost and the D-pad is used to select one of the four different unit types available to the player.

As you’d expect each of the different unit types have strengths and weakness but the player can interchange between them during the level if so desired. The “Marine” is fast and agile and has a decent shooting range, the “Dragoon” is slower than the marine but is better armoured and has a very powerful short range attack, the “Corsair” is fast and fires long range missiles but is lightly armoured, and finally the “Destroyer” is the slowest class but is heavily armoured and has the most powerful, but slowest firing weapon in the game. Each of the four units can be upgraded three times during the game once enough points have been racked up from destroying units and taking control points which increases there overall effectiveness.

Jotted throughout each level you will also come across various power-ups such as the “Frenzy” which doubles damage for 30 seconds, “Depth Charge” packs to add three depth charges to your arsenal, or “Health” packs to restore your unit to fighting fitness once more.

The trial lets you play the first three single player missions; “Training”, “Tide Pool”, and “The Line” from the first campaign. The game does have a story and the action is punctuated between levels with cut-scenes, but to be honest I didn’t really find them to be that enthralling.

Undertow looks great with some gorgeous backdrops and some nice graphical effects and I found fighting for control points with the tide of the battle swinging back and forth to be an enjoyable change from the shooter norm.

The full game offers multiplayer co-op as-well as versus modes and if you like playing the occasional shooter then this would be worth trying out.

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Word Puzzle / ScrewJumper

There were a couple of new releases on Xbox Live Arcade this week, namely Word Puzzle and ScrewJumper. Each title will set you back 800 Microsoft Points.

Word Puzzle

Word Puzzle is based upon word searches, the kind that seem to be popular in puzzle magazines, whereby the player is given a grid made up of seemingly random letters with a list of words to be found either horizontally, vertically or diagonally on the grid. To make it more difficult it's possible that the word may be reversed, or a multi-dimensional grid employed to force the player to spin the grid in order to locate the word.

The gameplay isn't complex and it's therefore easy to pick up and play. To enliven the game the developers have thrown a few extra things into the mix, such as word combos, and pretty backgrounds. The trial lets you try out the "Arcade" and "Survival" modes for a limited time and all in all this is quite a decent puzzle game to add to the Xbox Live roster. However, 800 Microsoft points is a bit too steep a price in my opinion.

ScrewJumper

The other game released on Wednesday was "Screwjumper". Players must choose a character and free-fall into various structures diving through platforms at velocity to destroy them (green objects) whilst avoiding or destroying hazards (red objects).

The destruction of the reactor core at the end of the free fall is the primary objective. If enough objects have been destroyed on the way down then the reactor will have no shielding, leaving it exposed and vulnerable. Before the reactor explodes you must escape by jetting back up the structure, once again avoiding the hazards.

The game doesn't look great, but I can forgive this if it's both playable and fun but unfortunately ScrewJumper is lacking in both departments. Not only are there problems controlling the character whilst in free fall, but the aiming reticle used to lob your sticks of dynamite at hazards is just as bad to use.

After a couple of attempts to get into the game I decided that this certainly wasn't something I would consider purchasing.

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Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe

Ice cream! Ice cream! Those that can remember the phrase will be pleased to know that Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace for 800 MS points.

This is an enhanced port of the 1991 game that I first played on the Commodore Amiga and features both the original sprite based graphics and some new 3D graphics as-well as Xbox Live multi-player, the obligatory 200 gamerscore achievements and leaderboards.

The game of "Speedball" features two opposing teams of nine players split into attack, midfield and defence in a futuristic full contact sport. Each team will aspire to score a goal, worth 10 points, but this can be increased by using the score multipliers on the sides of the arena. Jotted around the arena are also various power-ups that may be picked up to give one team an edge for a limited duration.

Initially the "Brutal Deluxe" team you start with will be fairly weak, but through the use of the gym and money invested each players stats can be improved. Alternatively you could dip into the transfer market and buy better players if you have enough cash.

There are plenty of modes to keep you occupied like, "league", "knockout", "cup", "practice" or "league manager" and improving your players from weaklings to all conquering powerhouses that smash through the opposition is one of the highlights.

Unfortunately the enhanced graphics aren't that great and I prefer sticking with the original top-down sprites that I fondly remember, even though they don't look as great today on larger HD displays. The game is still good fun, especially with friends over Xbox Live, and even by today's standards it's certainly playable. However, as with all retro games something is lost between the memory and the actuality of playing it again, but it's still a happy trip down nostalgia lane.

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Puzzle Quest on Xbox Live

Puzzle Quest is now available for download from Xbox Live Marketplace and will set you back the princely sum of 1200 MS points.

I gave the trial a quick go last night and from what I've seen so far the game is an enhanced port of the Nintendo DS version that I played a number of months ago. The controls have been translated well and graphically it's been given a nice HD make-over and of course the layout has been rearranged to suit the widescreen format.

The trial lets you play for as long as you want but your character will max out at level 7 and the game cannot be saved. As usual there are 12 achievements on offer totalling 200 gamer points.

I really liked the DS version but never got around to completing it due to a number of other games I was playing at the time. If you like puzzle games then I would definitely recommend checking this out as it has a number of great gameplay elements that enhance the overall experience.

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Fatal Fury Special

Available for download from Xbox Live a while ago Fatal Fury Special is a classic 2D sprite based fighting game from SNK (now SNK Playmore) that finds you playing one of twelve selectable characters and progressing through a number of bouts to be crowned the winner of the tournament. I can imagine most players will be more familiar with Capcom's Street Fighter brand but in the nineties Capcom and SNK were fighting head-to-head to be crowned "King of the 2D fighter" and both series of games had there fans.

Fatal Fury spawned a number of sequels and this edition that's been brought to Live is a remix of Fatal Fury 2, first released on the Neo Geo in 1993. The large character sprites are nicely detailed and have decent, but not overly complex move sets. What made this game different to other 2D fighters was the introduction of the "two plane" system allowing characters to move between planes to dodge attacks and adding another dynamic element to the gameplay. If you're a fan of the genre and you've not played Fatal Fury Special before then it's certainly worth a look.

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Space Giraffe

Space Giraffe is now available to download from Xbox Live Marketplace costing 400 Microsoft Points. The trial lets you play the first 9 levels out of the 100 that are available in the full retail version.

Space Giraffe is a arcade shooter from the mind of Jeff Minter, and although stating that it is not "Tempest", my initial impressions were of just that, albeit with a mind boggling dose of psychedelia thrown into the mix.

On the first go you basically haven't got a clue as to what is happening in this game, and even upon investigating the tutorials which describe the "powerzone", "flowers" and the art of "bulling" it still doesn't make a great deal of sense. I had to play through the tutorial a couple of times and study the "how to play" guide to finally start understanding how it all fits together.



I find it quite difficult to come a decision on Space Giraffe. Part of me finds it an intriguing and challenging game, but the other side of me finds it frustrating when the psychedelia becomes overpowering and you can't see what's going on. The game has a very old school design, simple in essence but hard to master with a difficulty that rises quite quickly with only perseverance bringing rewards.

I don't believe this game is for everyone, but I'm sure it will have its fans that absolutely love it. Try before you buy!

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Track and Field

I remember the original arcade release of this game back in 1983. The game must have been the bane of arcade owners everywhere as the controls certainly got a lot of stick as players frantically bashed buttons or wiggled joysticks as they competed in a number of Olympic events.

You can now recreate the atmosphere (and break your controllers in the process) as the game is now available on Xbox Live Arcade for 400 Microsoft Points.

The game consists of six events including the 100m sprint, long jump, javelin throw, hurdles, hammer throw and the high jump, with the trial letting you play the fist two of these. The controls really can't be more straight forward as you either wiggle the joystick or D-pad left and right or mash the "X" and "B" buttons to run and "A" is used as the action button, for example to jump hurdles or throw the javelin.

The game can be played locally with 1-4 players or over Xbox Live and features the usual set of leaderboards so you can see just how bad you suck at a game compared to the rest of the world. There's also 12 Achievements to obtain totalling 200 gamer score points.

Track & Field is still very playable and fun even today, however the game has not got longevity and is best used as a quick distraction from any other games you're currently playing.

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Marathon: Durandal Trial Impressions

Marathon: Durandal was released onto Xbox Live Arcade last Wednesday (1st August) for 800 Microsoft points and it's a fairly sizable download for an Arcade game at 138MB.

The Marathon series of games, of which I believe this is the second, are FPS games developed by Bungie Software of Halo fame. With an attack by the alien race the Pfhor imminent, Durandal an AI is the only hope of defeating them and this game sees the player exploring the ruins of an alien civilisation known as the S'pht on their homeworld of Lh'owon.

The full game offers a good selection of multiplayer deathmatch modes such as "Every Man for Himself" and "King of the Hill" or you can play the single player campaign cooperatively with up-to seven friends. The trial game allows you to play the first level of the single player campaign as you start exploring Lh'owon.

The controls for the game are straight forward with the left joystick used for movement, the right to look, with fire controls assigned to the triggers and weapon selection to the bumper buttons. The only real oddities are the "X" and "Y" buttons which are used to glance 90 degrees to your left or right respectively when they are held down.

You can either play the game using the original or HD enhanced mode, with the latter mode sharpening up the graphics noticeably. Overall the graphics are what I'd expect from a game that was released in 1995 with some fairly decent backgrounds, sprite animation and details. The gameplay seems fairly typical of first person shooters and sees you trying to achieve mission objectives and flipping switches while dispatching enemies.

The available trial level didn't really impress me and unfortunately it left me feeling fairly nauseous after I'd played it for a while, which is something I've never experienced before from a FPS. I also found that the glance buttons only added to my feelings of nausea and I stopped using them fairly quickly. If you're a fan of this genre and have an interest in older games then this game may be worth a go but it's not one for me.

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Yie Ar Kung-Fu Trial Impressions

The classic game Yie Ar Kung-Fu is now available for download from Xbox Live Arcade for 400 Microsoft Points. You play the character "Oolong" and it's a traditional fighting game in which you square off against 11 increasingly difficult martial arts masters in one-on-one combat in a quest to become the ultimate martial arts champion. Each of your opponents has a preferred martial arts style, for example, "Star", your second opponent has a tendency to use Shuriken.

The gameplay is pretty simplistic, and as you'd expect from a game that was first released in the arcade in 1985 your character only has a limited number of moves at your disposal. This release provides both the authentic arcade mode and is enhanced for Xbox Live.

It's amazing how time clouds your judgment of a game. Through my "rose tinted spectacles" of nostalgia I remember playing this game on the ZX Spectrum many years ago and liking it. Unfortunately the same can't be said today as the gameplay is too limited to stand the test of time for a fighting game. Some "Classic" games seem to age far better than others, and in my opinion this is a game that's best fondly remembered rather than dusted off and re-sold.

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Carcassonne on Xbox Live Arcade

Carcassonne is now available on Xbox Live Arcade for 800 Microsoft Points. The game was released yesterday and is a port of the classic boardgame of the same name combined with The Rivers expansion.

The game is for 2 - 5 players and is based in medieval France. Each player takes turns to place randomly drawn tiles to complete towns, roads, farms or monasteries and lay claim to these by placing one of your followers on the tile. To win the game you need to accrue more points than your rivals.

The trial version gives you access to the basic tutorial and allows you to play 19 turns of the single player game. I've played the trial a few times and found it to be quite an enjoyable, light hearted game and I'll be posting up a full review of the game in the near future.

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Band of Bugs

Today sees the release of "Band of Bugs" on Xbox Live Arcade. The game is a turn based strategy game following the story of Maal as he tries to save the Queen and kingdom.

The game is only 34MB to download and it costs 800 Microsoft Points.

The trial game allows you to sample the single player story mode through a series of tutorials and skirmishes but doesn't allow you to save your progress.

The mechanics of the game are similar to lots of other turn based strategy games such as "Advance Wars". Each map is composed of many squares of varying terrain types and you have different units (or bugs in this case) available to command. Each bug is is better suited for certain roles and all have individual strengths and weaknesses and it's up to the player to use them effectively.

The full game allows access to the other single player modes and the multi-player mode. In addition there's a comprehensive level editor which allows you to create custom scenarios which you can play by yourself or over Xbox Live with friends.

I couldn't really get into this game, and although I really enjoy games such as "Advance Wars" this just didn't make an impression. If you've tried and enjoyed this game let me know what you thought.

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