Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Don't Feed The Trolls (XBLIG): 'A Troll Slappin' Good Time!'

Don't Feed The Trolls was developed by 'Frozax Games'. It takes the simple concept of feeding bears, and slapping trolls to a new level. The game requires a lot of focus, and quick reflexes as you make your way through levels with new types of bears/trolls constantly being added into the mix. Each level looks the same, and is divided into 4 sections which coincide with the X, Y, A, and B buttons on your Xbox 360 controller. Your job is to hit the appropriate button at the right time in order to feed the bears. To slap the trolls you will use the (Left Thumbstick), and press it in the direction of the current troll's location. As you progress through the levels new controls are added to the game that effect certain bear, and troll types further complicating gameplay. If you slap a bear, or feed a troll too many times it will be 'Game Over'. The levels in the game give you a score at the end (A++ - F) that takes in account all of your actions (slaps, missed slaps, slapped bears/trolls, missed feedings ...). The game also features an online leaderboard that ranks you against the other players of the game which is definitely a welcome addition. Don't Feed The Trolls offers two levels of difficulty for gamers to choose from, 'Normal' and 'Hard (for those who are glutton for punishment ^.^). You can save your progress up until you get a gameover by pressing (B) after each level. This is a good tip to follow for achieving a decent spot on the leaderboard.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Trouble Witches Neo! (XBLA): "A Cute Anime Witch Shmup"

Trouble Witches Neo! is actually two games in one, and was developed by 'Bouken/SNK PLAYMORE'. It features the original game (Trouble Witches AC) as well as an 'Arranged 360 Mode (NEO)' with revamped anime character designs. The story of the game follows 8 young maid-witches on a quest to restore peace to their kingdom. They must each face other maid-witches (via boss battles), and claim the fragments of the ring of Draupnir in order to do so. The king has also stated that anyone who captures the one responsible (Amalgam) for the threat that has troubled his kingdom will recieve one wish. Each maid-witch in the game has their own unique look, personality, and story as well as a magical pet that flies alongside them. There are a handful of modes, and even extras to unlock as you play through this anime styled shoot 'em up. I do believe there's a maid-witch that all anime, and shmup fans will definitely be able to call their favorite in this game. If you're looking for a cute, and stylish anime shmup then this might just be the one you've been looking for ...

Monday, September 26, 2011

Crimson Alliance 'Vengeance Pack' DLC Coming Oct. 12, 2011!!!

Tim Fields of Certain Affinity recently contacted me about some new 'Crimson Alliance' DLC that's going to be released! I'm quite excited about this as I'm sure some of you will be. I recently reviewed this game, so you can check out my review if you want to know what the core game is about. The 'Vengeance Pack' DLC that will be released on Oct. 12 will cost 240 msp ($3). It will contain a new multiplayer campaign featuring two new threats as well as new enemy types. The DLC will also include a challenge map called 'Fistful of Coins' which will put the player up against increasingly more difficult enemies for a serious amount of gold. I'm definitely looking forward to it, and I know some of my friends will be as well.

Devil Blood (XBLIG): "A Blood Red Dance With The Devil"

Devil Blood is a 3D corridor shooter with gameplay that is similar to that of Doom, and Wolfenstein. This unique, and blood red take on the genre was developed by 'thelostone'. If you have ever played games on Nintendo's Virtual Boy console then you'll be prepared for what you witness when you start playing this game. Everything in the game is literally a different shade of red, and features different textures. You take on the role of a hero who is destined to kill all of the demons in the Nethermorne Citadel. With your Bane Rifle, Hellfire Shotgun, Runes, and Magic spells it's your duty to rid the place of it's hellish haunts.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Poopocalypse (XBLIG): "Peeved Pigeon Takes A Poop"

Poopocalypse was featured as one of my earlier reviews, but I wanted to go back and do a proper review of it. My initial review just didn't suit my current writing style. I'm sure most of you have either heard of, or played this wacky pigeon pooping game but if you haven't you then you definitely should. Wolpertinger is the developer of this rather unique game that features a peeved pigeon who takes revenge on the world, because there was a 'no feeding the pigeons' posted in his park. If you have seen the intro to the game then you know that this is one hefty pigeon, so you could probably understand his issue with the no feeding policy. Our feathered friend decides to exact his revenge by taking a dump on everyone, and everything. What ensues is a hilarious dual thumbstick shooter where the goal is to coat the world in crap.

The Fall of Gods (XBLIG): "An Epic Chapter Based Action RPG"

The Fall of Gods is an XBLIG action RPG that follows an epic tale of good versus evil. The story unfolds through panel style artwork, and is very similar to the biblical tale of Genesis. There are some noticable differences though. This tale involves 9 Gods who each have different views on how things should be created. Esther is the God who creates man, and woman but encounters interfernce from the other 8 Gods regarding her plans for mankind. Another difference in the tale invovled mankind being given free will to create as they pleased. This event ended in the creation of man-like creature hybrids. The entire creation process began with darkness, and was ultimately halted by it as well. When the 9 Gods faced this evil threat (the darkness) it came at a high price which nearly destroyed everything they created, and them as well. Using the last of her powers Esther once again breathed life into her creation (mankind), and gave him the ability to use magic. Following this the Gods fell into a long slumber, and the world was slowly reborn from the aftermath of the Gods' war against darkness. When the game begins, Heric the descendent of the man Esther breathed life into finds himself to be the world's only hope against the incoming darkness. He yields the same magic that his ancestor once did, and must utilize his powers for mankind's sake. He is guided by a helper that Esther has sent along with him on this journey to face the darkness.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Tunnelvision (XBLIG): "A Visually Stunning 3D Shmup Masterpiece"

By now most of you know that I'm really into the shmup (shoot 'em up) game genre. I have even reviewed some shmups here on this blog. A couple of days ago I found a video of a new XBLIG shmup that was going to be released on the Xbox Marketplace. The shmup was titled 'Tunnelvision', and it was developed by 'Team Stendec'. The cool thing about this shmup is that it took the genre in a new direction with some visually impressive 3D graphics. The video I watched on youtube actually didn't do the game justice though. When I played the game for the first time I was totally amazed by the lighting, and 3D effects. The gameplay was easy to pick up on, and involved a lot more game elements than I had initially thought it would feature. There are 9 mission based levels that get progressively more difficult as you play, and as the title suggests the playing fields are located in tunnels. There are also end level bosses called 'Level Lords' that must be defeated in order to continue. For the score hounds out there the game does feature a highscore leaderboard, but I think it's only local. Overall I found the playthrough to be an amazing experience, and quite challenging at times.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Avatar Fighter Online (XBLIG): "A Solid Avatar Based Fighting Game With An Unfortunate Downside"

I absolutely love Xbox 360 avatars! Since I first got my Xbox 360 earlier this year I've had a lot of fun spending time making my avatar a personal reflection of myself. When I first began doing XBLIG game reviews here on my review blog I noticed that there were quite a number of avatar based indie games available. You could find FPS versions, games that involve aerial combat, and even a game based on hackey sack (which I reviewed not too long ago). When I noticed that 'Bwoot Games' was going to release an avatar based fighting game I knew I had to get this game for review. I not only wanted to see how it stacked up against mainstream fighters for myself, but I also wanted to let (you) my readers know as well. I have quite a few readers/friends who enjoy fighting games just as much as I do, and I'm pretty sure they're probably just curious as I was.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Magic the Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012 (XBLA)

When it comes to the trading card game of 'Magic the Gathering (MTG)' I am no stranger. I actually collected, and played MTG years back with a friend. What always held my interest was the artwork on each, and every card. The art really brings the game to life, and makes imagining a fantasy duel much easier. Without the artwork I honestly think that MTG would have failed years ago, but thankfully they decided to to include the mini-masterpieces on the cards. 'MTG: duels of the Planeswalkers 2012' keeps true to everything the trading card version stood for, and brings it to digital life in a truly amazing way. The game features very detailed customization options as well as lots of unlockable content (via in-game & xbox live marketplace). Wizards of the Coast/Stainless Games (the developer) even went so far as to include the premium holographic cards that veteran fans of the game will likely recognize. Everything about this game is done in great quality. It even opens with an epic cinematic scene that would put most video games to shame. Throughout the entire game there are artistic images of the paintings that adorn the MTG cards. It's eye candy at it's best with quality gameplay that doesn't dilute the core values that 'Wizards of the Coast' set out to achieve.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Pinball FX2 (XBLA): "Ms. Splosion Man"

The 'Ms. Splosion Man' Pinball FX2 table was a joint effort between Zen Studios, and Twisted Pixel. It is my absolute favorite out of all of the tables in the Pinball FX2 library. I do realize it looks like it's geared more towards the female gamers, but I think it's really fun. The table definitely seems to have way more going on than any of the previous ones. It features a cool music soundtrack, vivid colors, and constant hilarious commentary/actions by Ms. Splosion Man herself. The table's setup is layed out just right so you can achieve some really high scores fairly easily. I currently have a highscore of 134 million points on this table which actually pales in comparison to a friend's score of close to 600 million points. I have played this table numerous times, and always go back for more. I'm hoping to get a highscore of at least 1 billion someday ...

Pinball FX2 (XBLA): "Captain America"

The Captain America Pinball FX2 table is one of the best decorated out of the currently available Marvel Pinball tables. If features a very patriotic theme with the Captain front, and center as the tables primary illustration. Accompanying him on this table are 3D models of Baron Zemo, Red Skull, and the Sleeper. Each of the villains has a unique objective that can be completed to score more points. Red Skull goes fist to fist with Captain America in a sparring bout. Baron Zemo actually has a couple of objectives on this table. One of his objectives involves destroying canisters of 'Adhesive X'. The other involves trying to survive his 'Death Ray' by hitting the cluster of bumpers on the left side of the table. The ramps on this table sport a trench style appearance, and are somewhat difficult to access. I found that changing the view to '2' helps out greatly in hitting the ramps just right though.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Angry Fish (XBLIG): "Fishy Feline Fray"

If you have ever played Angry Birds, or games from the Fish Craft XBLIG series then you'll definitely be familiar with this game. Angry Fish is actually a sequel to the Fish Craft series, and was developed by Frozen Software. In this game you take on the role of some fish who are tired of the cats crapping all over their volleyball court. Actually that's what I interpreted from the visual intro (Lol! ^.^). I came to this conclusion, because there were piles of squat littering the the beach that fishes were playing volleyball on. The cat in the intro picture also had a mischievious grin on his face which further supports my hypothesis. Angry Fish features 2 levels with 21 stages each that involve epic kitty smiting. Each level has a different background theme with a night, and day version. There is also an epic orchestral tune playing as you're trying to take out the furry fiends. Your objective in the game is to launch fish from a cannon, and take out the barriers (boards, stone, glass ...) that are housing your feline foes ultimately annihilating them. How quickly/efficiently you take out the structures, and cats will determine your ranking (1-3 stars) and score for each stage.

Pinball FX2 (XBLA): "Fantastic Four"

I have collected, and read many comic books in my lifetime, but the Fantastic Four series wasn't really one of them. I am quite familiar with the characters involved as well as their backgrounds, but I wasn't quite impressed with their story arc. Not too long ago the Marvel Zombies series came out and involved this famous team of four. It followed their discovery of an alternate earth where all of the superheroes/supervillains were zombies. I know that topic is not really related to this table, but I thought I'd share a little comic book knowledge with you guys. I also mention the Marvel Zombies bit, because it did spark my interest in the Fantastic Four team just for a while. If you have ever read the Fantastic Four comic book series, or even watched the movies then you might just be interested in this brilliantly designed Pinball FX2 table ...

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Pinball FX2 (XBLA): "MARVEL Pinball"

Back in the day when I was still a PS3 gamer I owned the Marvel Pinball tables for 'Zen Pinball'. Unfortunately when I changed consoles I lost all of the DLC I had as well as the games I had purchased. I was definitely glad to learn that Zen Studios (the developer) had released the same tables on the Xbox 360. In my recent quest for review material I contacted Zen Studios in hopes for getting some tables for review. They gladly accepted my offer which I was extremely grateful for. I had a reason for my request, and it wasn't to score free tables either. I thought reviewing Pinball FX2 tables would make for a unique type of review, and present a writing challenge as well. If you know me then you realize how much I love a good challenge no matter what it may be. The following Pinball FX2 reviews will hopefully show off my knowledge of all the things I know about pinball as well as the themes they are based on.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Dead Pixels (XBLIG): "An 8-Bit Tribute To All Things Zombie"

CantStrafeRight released their 8-bit zombie title 'Dead Pixels' on the Xbox Live Marketplace today. I had watched trailers of this game a little while back on youtube, and I was really impressed with what I saw. They also uploaded the launch trailer which showcased even more of this impressive action rpg zombie title for those who may be interested in learning more about the game. After watching the launch trailer I was very anxious to get my review started. As a horror fan this game definitely appealed to me. When I was through downlading 'Dead Pixels' (which took less than a minute ^.^) I ended up spending a couple of hours doing a playthrough of it. During my playthrough I was amazed at how many easter eggs (hidden references) related to zombie movies, and video games CantStrafeRight had included. I recognized all of the names assigned to stores, and guns throughout the game's entire length. I absolutely loved it. It was like a horror fan's dream game. The fact that the game was done in 8-bit graphics with a grindhouse look made it even more awesome. CantStrafeRight added grindhouse intermissions, and an intro that you'll likely recognize from Quentin Tarantino movies. This game was covered with eye candy galore from beginning to end, and it featured solid gameplay as well.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Get To Tha Choppa Twooo!!2 (XBLIG): "A Hot Chick, Zombies & Explosive Fast Paced Action!!"

I've really began to like this new genre of running themed indie games. I've reviewed a couple of them here on OtakuDante's Gaming Inferno (Rainbow Runner & The Jump Hero), and I've really enjoyed playing them. Recently SoSoDev released their second game in this genre of indies called 'Get To Tha Choppa Twooo!!2'. I had never played or even watched a video trailer of their first installment of the series, but if it was anything like this sequel then I'd be up for playing it as well. I'm a score junkie, and any game that has global scoreboards is awesome in my book. This game not only has a global scoreboard, but it delivers a quality experience with it's hand drawn visuals and beat based soundtrack.

GOOLIN (XBLIG): "A Challenging Four Part Japanese Puzzle Game"

Luckysoft recently released their XBLIG mini-game called 'GOOLIN', and made a special request for me to review it. I hardly ever recieve requests from developers, but It's definitely a pleasant surprise when I do. When I got the review code from Luckysoft I actually had no idea what the game was about, but I had taken a quick look at it on the Xbox Live Marketplace earlier. After downloading the game, and actually winning with a level 'B' rank I felt like I had really accomplished something. Goolin is a unique puzzle game that involves a gymnast, a spaceship and a giant robot. Your objective isn't just given to you, but there are some hints in the help menu that kind of explain what's going on. Solving the puzzle/riddle is what this game is all about, and I found that it was quite a challenging feat to do so.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Crimson Alliance (XBLA): "An Awesome Arcade Style RPG With Co-op"

Crimson Alliance is the first mainstream XBLA RPG I've had the privilage to review here on OtakuDante's Gaming Inferno. I was definitely excited when I got the response from Certain Affinity about the review code for their game. I've been rather fortunate when it comes to all of the game developers who have contributed review codes to my blog, and I'm thankful that Certain Affinity gave me this opportunity to prove myself as a worthy RPG reviewer. I know some of my new readers may not know it, but I'm a pretty serious RPG gamer. I have completed numerous RPGs on several different consoles including handheld systems. Getting the opportunity to do a playthrough of Crimson Alliance, and give my opinion on it was definitely a great experience.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Moe Mekuri 2 CONTEST!!! (CLOSED)

It's time for another contest! This time around the prize is a bit more expensive (240 msp)! The code I'll be giving away is of 'Moe Mekuri 2' a Japanese puzzle game by KoheiGallery. If you haven't checked out my review of the game already you might want to do so now. I actually had fun trying to solve the rather difficult puzzles of 'Moe Mekuri 2', and if you like a good challenge (and cute anime girls) then this contest might just be what you've been looking for. I had purchased the game with my own money before KoheiGallery gave me the code, so my loss is your gain (if you win).

SkyDrift (XBLA): "Aerial Arcade Combat Racing"

SkyDrift is the second XBLA game that I have requested for review. It was recently released on the Xbox Live Marketplace by Digital Reality, the developer of the game. I'm actually familiar with racing games of all types, and have enjoyed playing many different types in my gaming career. If you've ever played games like 'F-Zero GX (GameCube)', or 'Mario Kart (SNES, GameCube, Wii)' then you'll understand what this game is all about. Aside from the similarities of the previously mentioned titles, this game is unique in that it uses combat planes as the racing vehicles. The game features a campaign, and multiplayer mode with a wide variety of tracks/areas to race in. This high speed aerial combat racer also features various types of gameplay that includes speed runs, and power races with the option of difficulty settings. The maps/tracks in the game are detailed with impressive graphics, and accented with a rocking soundtrack. It's included achievements, and badges add some goals into the mix. It's definitely a racing game that I have enjoyed playing.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

BloodRayne: Betrayal (XBLA): "A Game That Will Have You Seeing Red"

Majesco recently released their third installment of the BloodRayne video game series on the Xbox Live Marketplace. This newest game titled 'BloodRayne: Betrayal' is different from the 3D styled games you may have played previously. Majesco's decision to make the game into a 2D platformer definitely appealed to me. I love 2D platformers, and the cel-shaded anime style they chose to go with caught my undivided attention. As far as the story goes, I'm not quite sure if this is a continuation or not since I have never had the opportunity to play the other games in the series. It did seem like there were some story elements that suggested that the plot was connected though. If you've played BloodRayne, or BloodRayne 2 then you'll likely be familiar with what is going on despite the change to 2D gameplay.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Moe Mekuri 2 (XBLIG): "Cute Anime Girls + Hardcore Puzzle Gaming"

KoheiGallery, the developer of the Moe Mekuri XBLIG series recently released their latest game titled 'Moe Mekuri 2'. For those of you who have no clue as to what 'Moe' is, it's basically a slang Japanese term that means "an attraction to characters such as in anime, manga, and video games. This unique puzzle game definitely displays the characteristics of a 'Moe' title. Within the game you'll get to unlock pictures of all the cute anime girls as you earn them by completing the various puzzles. I have never actually played a puzzle game like this, and I found that it actually takes a lot of thinking to solve. If you think you're going to get by with guessing your way through, you can expect to spend a lot of time doing so. It's like trying to figure out a locker combination that has multiple numbers. Just consider the possibilities of a combination with a 3 number code, and you'll get the picture.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

TAKE ARMS (XBLIG): "Like CoD, But Not Quite ..."

If you have ever wondered what Call of Duty would look like in 2D, then Discord Games (the developer) has your answer. Their game which is titled 'Take Arms' uses everything that made the CoD series great, and combines it with level designs that look like the 'Castlevania' style games. This game features both an offline, and online multiplayer that is likely to become a strong point in XBLIG gaming when it catches on. It features three modes of play that made games like CoD shine (Deathmatch, Team DM, CTF). You also get three soldier classes to choose from with their own weapons, and two different costumes (Red, Green). If you've ever enjoyed playing a Call of Duty (CoD) game, and you like indie games as well then I do believe you'll enjoy this game.

Head Shot God (XBLIG): "Epic Lighting Smiting"

Head Shot God is the 4th installment of Silver Dollar Game's 'Head Shot' series. I didn't get a chance to play the earlier Head Shot titles, but 'Head Shot God' looked like my kind of game. The game seems to feature The famous lightning chucking Zeus, but it could also be interpreted as the Christian God. As Zeus, or whomever deity it might be, your goal is to smite certain people as the wander aimlessly across your television screen. The game features two modes of play (Normal & Sniper). Each mode has their own rules, but smiting the helpless humans is always the main goal.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Chester (XBLIG): "A Totally Sweet Tribute to the Games of Old"

I like it when a developer decides to make a game that's unique. It's not often that I see a game such as 'Chester' that has it's own artistic style as well as pays tribute to classic games. Brilliant Blue-G, the developer of this artistic masterpiece brought the game to life with a style that looks as if it was inspired by the art of Tim Burton, and Dr. Seuss. I was truly impressed with the artistic touch Brilliant Blue-G applied to this game. The gameplay was also fun, and featured very involved platform game mechanics.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Rock of Ages (XBLA): "Epic Boulder Rolling Fun Spanning The Ages"

I consider myself both lucky, and blessed for having the chance to review Atlus's/ACE Team's new game, 'Rock of Ages'. I recently decided to step up my game in the reviewing business, and seek out the approval of XBLA developers. I'm always up for broadening my horizens when it comes to reviewing, and doing just XBLIG titles wasn't satisfying my desire to expand my gaming knowledge further. When I contacted ACE Team about reviewing this game they accepted my request, and were truly friendly about it. Getting to know developers such as that, even if it is only through brief messages makes what I do worth the while. To be 100% honest though, I had no clue what 'Rock of Ages' was truly about when I made the request. I had a vague idea after watching the youtube trailer, but the trailer doesn't do the game justice. It's much better than the short footage you get to see in the video. I'd go so far as to say that ACE Team, and Atlus have created one of the best games I have ever played. It was definitely a privilege to get to play through, and review this game.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Kobold's Quest (XBLIG): "Invasion Of The Baby Snatchers!"

As an XBLIG/XBLA reviewer I often times take it upon myself to seek out the most unique (and sometimes odd) game titles out there for my readers. I think it's the obsucre, and newer game ideas that really make the gaming industry shine. Kobold's Quest a game that was developed by 'Sucker Free Games (SFG)' really fit that description. This game takes stealth, and the art of sneakery to a totally new level. Instead of seeking treasure, or trying to annihilate your enemies ninja style you play the role of a Kobold (a gremlin/gargoyle like creature) who must nab the villager's babies to satisfy the Kobold Commander's insatiable hunger.