SKH: Resurrection (XBLIG)

Holy Hell, and Mother of Metal!!! I did not see this one coming! It was like a left hook right out of the shadows. For those of you who have been with me for a while you might recall my review of a certain mathematical indie shmup by the name of "Super Killer Hornet". Well, it just so happens that that already impressive retro game has taken on an entirely new form that amplifies what the original experience had to offer. The premise is the basically still the same, but the gameplay will no doubt draw you in with it's new 80's arcade scene vibe, and it's killer soundtrack. I for one was thrown for a loop after playing the game, and I definitely think Flump Studios was out to impress this time around. In doing so they have proven their worth as an indie shump developer.

Dawn of the Fred (XBLIG)

The zombie genre is a hot topic in many forms of entertainment these days. You'll find zombie survival guides at your local bookstore, zombie television shows via your cable subscription, zombie movies on dvd/blu-ray, and even a crap ton of zombie shmups on the XBLIG marketplace. While I'm not a fan of overused ideas I think StickyDPad Games does well enough with their creation to consider it a "Unique" indie title. Their creation, otherwise known as "Dawn of the Fred" aims to capture your attention with nods to other video games as well as some tribute material that pays homage to earlier zombie movies. The really cool thing about this particular indie though is that the characters, and zombie creatures were all designed by the StickyDPad Games development team. It is this artistic attention to detail that gets the most respect from me. Not many developers would be bold enough to incorporate their own character designs within a game, but in doing so I think the lads, and lasses over at StickyDPad Games deserve some recognition for doing such an amazing job breathing life back into this slowly dying genre of indie shmups.

Beat Hazard Ultra (XBLIG)

As a gamer I've never quite encountered a game series such as that of "Beat Hazard". Being the shump (shoot'em up) fanatic that I am I gave the original version a try years back when I had first got my Xbox 360. It had set me back five dollars which is definitely not chump change by any means, but seeing as it was liked by the online gaming community I thought I'd give it a proper chance anyways. From the moment I began playing the game I was hooked. I had never imagined that a developer such as "Cold Beam Games" would be able to implement a system which thrived solely on the music that I owned outside of the core game. Being able to use my own collection of music to engage in such a solid gaming experience was awesome. For those of you who are unaware of the game, and it's offerings it literally takes music from your collection, (whether you upload MP3 files via a memory card, or rip your CDs directly to your console) and applies every beat, melody, and tune contained within the tracks to make the onscreen shmup action to come to life.

Pacific Rim (XBLA)

By now most of you have heard about, or even seen the theatrical release of Guillermo del Toro's "Pacific Rim". Myself, being the Guillermo del Toro fan that I am was actually surprised to learn that he was involved in the making of it. It was a pleasant surprise indeed. Not many directors can create/incorporate such unique, and interesting creature designs as Guillermo can. This fact alone was the driving force behind my decision to take on Yuke's latest robotic video game creation. For those of you who don't know of Yuke's they had previously released another robot oriented XBLA title based on the movie "Real Steel". Myself, and other gaming journalists pretty much agreed that that particular film-to-game release was a pure money maker. The DLC needed to customize your dueling robots would set you back a pretty penny, and as a result the game's popularity waned a good bit. Thankfully though Yuke's has returned with a vengeance, and has minimized the dreaded DLC that they had become synonymous with.

Scourge: Outbreak (XBLA)

These days it seems that creative innovation has been replaced by inspiration, and influence. Often times game developers stick with tried, and true gaming formulas that have proven successful for others in the industry. Sadly enough the developer of Scourge: Outbreak (Tragnarion Studios) has fallen victim to this process of game design, and thinking. In essence the game that they have created comes off as being more of a GoW (Gears of War) clone. It borrows basic ideas from said franchise creating only a semi-unique experience in the process. At the heart of the story there is a corrupt corporation called the "Nogari" who is dealing in biological warfare, and a counter-terrorist group called "Tran" that are at odds with one another. Tran, and it's ECHO squad are ultimately trying to unearth the secret goings on of the Nogari, so that they can expose their intentions to the world. In the process of doing so they meet opposition from within, and outside of their own operations. The three man, and one woman ECHO squad ultimately finds themselves in the midst of a conspiracy that will have them fighting for their lives, and questioning their source of intel as well.

Avatar Miner Paintball (XBLIG)

Over the past few years the xblig marketplace has been littered with avatar oriented indies, and Minecraft clones. As such honesty I find myself often times wondering where originality has gone. Even with this predetermined mindset I went ahead, and gave 2.0 Studios the benefit of the doubt. I thought surely they would add something interesting, or different to this washed out genre of gaming. As one might imagine though what I had hoped for, and what was realized were two very different things. Unfortunately for the most part those things were not good.

MTG 2014 (XBLA): "Double Take"

I know some of you are wondering what this "Double Take" review/article is all about, so I will gladly explain. As a gaming journalist I strive to give accurate details in my reviews, and as thorough as my initial review of MTG 2014 was it ended up seeming more like a "First Impressions" type of article. I absolutely do not like doing things half-assed, and as thorough as that last review was it still seemed half-assed to me. Being the perfectionist that I am I have decided to right my wrongs, and deliver a more in-depth review of MTG 2014. A game like "Magic the Gathering" is truly complex in nature, and takes some quality time to fully understand. As such a gaming journalist like myself should not rush their work just to get the job done. I knew I needed to spend some more time with the game, but at the same time felt that I needed to rush to get the review out there to support the game. For this I apologize. As I mentioned earlier I am here to rectify that wrongdoing though. So, without further adieu, let us get into this beast of a game that is MTG 2014!!!

Injustice: Gods Among Us (Xbox 360) - General Zod

By now most have learned of the Xbox 360 release of Injustice's "General Zod" character. Some of you may even have tried him out in the offline, and online modes. Whether you have, or have not though I'm here to deliver my first impressions take on this Superman villain of old. I figured being the fighting game fanatic I am that I'd throw my own two cents worth out there with the rest of the community.

Dungeon Smash - Dark Isles (XBLIG)

The developers at  Haiku Interactive have created a game that is both simple, and somewhat complex in design. This overhead dungeon crawler known as, "Dungeon Smash - Dark Isles" mixes both RPG elements, and the simple controls of a twin-stick shooter to breathe life into a basic plot driven story mode. At the heart of the game you'll find a visually enhanced tale of 5 kingdoms that have been at war with one another for quite some time. The five different princesses of each kingdom decide that peace is long overdue, and have their champions to accompany them to the signing of a peace treaty. Unfortunately to everyone's surprise each princess is captured, and taken away by a horde of flying demons. Following in pursuit of the princesses' captors two heroes, and two heroines (Balbak, Xan, Alandro, Shayleah) venture out on a quest to rescue the damsels in distress, so that peace can finally be realized. Each hero/heroine carries with them a certain set of skills with which they'd dispatch their enemies, and must use these skills to traverse the shadowy depths of the underworld for the kingdoms' sake.

One Finger Death Punch (XBLIG)

For several months I've been patiently awaiting the release of Silver Dollar Games' latest XBLIG masterpiece, One Finger Death Punch. I've followed the development of the game from it's simple beginnings, to it's more recent moments of grandeur. It's probably obvious to anyone who has read my blog reviews in the past that I'm a diehard fan of Jon Flook's & David Flook's unique indie creations. I've often times tweeted video links to the brother's indies, and have even tried my hardest to get gamers to give them a chance, sometimes with no success. As such my hyped anticipation should not come as a surprise to those who follow me on the various social media outlets of the internet.

For those of you like me who have followed the progress of "One Finger Death Punch" you'll know that it started off as a humble idea from a pair of developers who were intensely passionate about the Kung Fu theme that they were using as the basis for their game. Through dedication, and many gradual transformations Jon Flook, and David Flook of Silver Dollar Games have managed to create a simple yet perfect tribute to the classic Kung Fu films of old. Whether your your a modern day action film enthusiast who enjoys the masterful works of martial artists like Jet-Li, or a more traditional Kung Fu film fanatic who loves the classic martial arts masters of old there is something here for all fans of kick assery. The long unrealized, and child-like dreams of becoming an all encompassing bojo badass are now a thing of the past as the developers at Silver Dollar Games have made fantasy a reality for all gamers who wish to take on the challenge, and master the techniques offered in the digital dojo of "One Finger Death Punch"!!!

Aqua Kitty: Milk Miner Defender (XBLIG)

Aqua Kitty is an indie game that takes the general offerings of the shmup (shoot 'em up) genre, and amps it up to create an intensely enjoyable experience. Combined with a retro soundtrack that is filled with noteworthy retro tunes this survival based shmup will no doubt test your skills as a shmup enthusiast. At the heart of the game you'll find a plot about a race of felines who have found themselves in the midst of a dilemma. Their source of milk has ran dry, and they must seek out other sources if they are to maintain their healthy lifestyle. Luckily through some seafaring exploration these curious cats have happened upon what seems to be an unending supply of full fat milk. The problem is that their new found source lies within the murky, and treacherous depths of the ocean. There's definitely plenty of threats swimming between them, and their hope for the future. As a feline ship pilot it is your duty to keep the milk miners safe as they mine the depths of the ocean floor though. You will no doubt find adversity in the form of deadly deep sea denizens, but with your rocket powered sub nothing can stand between you, and the sustenance your species so desperately seeks.

Make it Rain (XBLIG)

There are a handful of things I look for in a video game. Originality is likely the most important to me, but subject matter also plays a huge role in the games I'm seeking out. During one of my daily XBL marketplace browsings I happened upon a an XBLIG title that caught my undivided attention. It featured an original subject matter (pole dancing), and seemed to be interesting enough to inquire about. This indie which is appropriately titled, "Make it Rain" had some sexy elements to it that obviously would appeal to an adult film journalist as myself. I sought out the developer (24kt Studios) via the world wide web, and humbly asked for a review code. They replied shortly afterwards giving me two codes for review. I quickly downloaded the game, grateful for the opportunity to once again supply my readers with something new to read about. In the end I played the game only for a short while realizing that the review would not be as lengthy as the ones I usually provide. Even so I bring you this review on a positive note, thankful to the developer for the chance to get back in the game (so to speak).

CastleStorm (XBLA)

Zen Studios is a gaming company that is mainly known for their amazing arcade style pinball releases. I for one have spent many hours enjoying the various tables that they have created on both the Xbox 360, and PS3 consoles. I have even spread the word on the latest table releases here on this blog. While most of Zen Studio's early focus was on the previously mentioned pinball consoles releases it was nice to see Zen Studios branch out recently, and bring their award worthy games to different platforms (Mobile & PC). What surprised, and intrigued me the most about this developer though was their decision to make a type of game that gamers usually don't associate with the Zen Studios brand of gaming. This newly released game I speak of is none other than "CastleStorm". It's a unique medieval arcade style experience that seems to borrow the quirkiness of Zen Studio's "Epic Quest" Zen Pinball/Pinball FX2 table. It even takes the inspiration leaps and bounds further. The game definitely offers a lot more than it's pinball based predecessors, and does so in an entirely new way. Whether, or not the gaming community will welcome it with open arms remains to be seen though.

BattleBlock Theater (XBLA)

Recently I was blessed enough to have a friend give me a code for The Behemoth's "BattleBlock Theater". I had tried my hardest to get a code from the source, but it turned out to be another failed attempt. Thankfully though @WOLFZKRIEGER did have a code to spare, and because he was so kind I'm able to deliver this review to you (my readers). My thanks goes out to him for his generosity. I will definitely try my best to not let anyone down with this review, and believe me I've already somewhat preplanned what I'm going to say. I'm hoping that by some chance in hell I'll be able at least add a minute hint of humor to my review since this game is overflowing with many "LOL!" moments. It only seems right to me.

PESTER (XBLIG)

Earlier on this year, or late last year I decided to buy an indie shmup from the XBLIG marketplace with the spare 80 msp that I had left over. The shmup I speak of was titled "Super Killer Hornet", and it was developed by Flump Studios. It featured unique classic shmup (shoot 'em up) gameplay with an interesting mathematical power-up system. It was this math based feature that really caught my attention, and held it for quite some time. The math system had definitely added an edge that you would not expect from an arcade style shmup, and it seemed to fit in perfectly. For some reason though I totally lost track of the developer's name over the months, and thought that "Super Killer Hornet" would likely be this developer's only XBLIG release.

Thankfully though Flump Studios has made a return with a new shmup title, and they seemingly intend on bringing more innovative shmups to the XBLIG marketplace in the months to come. Today though I'll be reviewing a recently released Flump Studios shmup titled "Pester". Unlike the previous shmup title it pays homage to the classic arcade experience of old with numerous features, and modes that the older generation of gamers will be able to relate to.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - "Lowdown on the Showdown"

There's no doubt that a lot of us had high expectations for NetherRealm's latest fighting game, "Injustice: Gods Among Us". In fact I had so much confidence in the game I pre-ordered it, and even bought the season pass. Upon picking it up, and getting into it though my optimistic opinions of the game began to slowly diminish over time. The more I played it the more I found wrong with it. Whether, or not you are a fan of this game I think we can all agree on the fact that the game is in need of some serious patching. Certain characters need to be nerfed/buffed, and other online interactions need to be dealt with if the game is to succeed for the long run. Before I get too far ahead of myself though let me touch base on what this game offers the gamer.

God Mode (XBLA): "Welcome To Hades!"

Atlus is a game developer who is well known for their interesting takes on various video game genres. In the past they have created a popular RPG series called "Persona", and even co-developed a fighting game spin-off based on the same series. The game that stands out most for me though (besides God Mode) is "Rock of Ages". That game was leaps, and bounds "outside of the box". The wacky art direction, and interesting gameplay landed this boulder rolling strategy title in one of my earlier yearly "Top 10" lists. Needless to say I got extremely hyped when I saw Atlus's trailer for "God Mode" earlier this year. In fact I was so hyped about this game that I took it upon myself to spread the word about it through the "Twitterverse". In those early days before the release I was confident that this hellish arcade title would be fitting of my 2013's "Top Ten" list. At this point your likely wondering if it was good, or bad? Unfortunately though I cannot give you my verdict just yet. I have to give you details on the "Meat & Bones" of this afterlife arcade experience before delivering my final critique. So, without further adieu ladies, and gentlemen let us get into this review of "God Mode" ...

First Impressions - S.D.G.T. (XBLIG)

As most of you already know I have had the Xbox 360 indie game "S.D.G.T." listed on my future reviews section for quite some time now. At one point I did take it down though, because I thought the developer had abandoned it. As it turns out the the peer review process took longer than expected for this game, and was released later on due to the process. After I finally got my hands on a review copy of the game I found that there were still some glitches going on within the game's menu systems, and that they were sort of game breaking in nature. I told the developer about this situation, and he has in turn told me that he will be issuing a patch. Upon hearing his response I have decided to hold off on the official review, and just tell you guys what I think about it so far. I'll also talk a little bit about what the game is, and what it offers. I call it my "First Impressions", if you will.

Death Goat (XBLIG): "!@#$% Hardcore!!!"

In the video game industry there are different levels of "Hardcore". Netherealm Studios, and Midway began a trend with their highly successful ultra-violent fighter "Mortal Kombat", and even Rockstar Games stepped in to develop their own lewd rule-breaking series called "Grand Theft Auto". Very rarely do you see an indie developer delve deep into this seriously "Hardcore" stuff though. Thankfully there are some indie developers willing to push the limits with more "adult" themed content. Brian Ferrara, and Nocturnal Studios joined forces to bring us indie enthusiasts a truly awesome, and hardcore shmup (shoot 'em up). This game, otherwise known as Death Goat is filled to the brim with gory graphics, and a noteworthy heavy metal soundtrack. Collectively it brings a whole new meaning to the word "Hardcore". Even the art style seems to pay homage to the heavy metal lifestyle that many of you will likely be familiar with. You'll find animations resembling tattoos, and a color scheme fitting of such skin art. As a complete package "Death Goat" is a thoroughly enjoyable experience that takes the gamer deep into the bowels of hell, and makes them like it enough to return again, and again for more.

Rise of the Ravager (XBLIG)

End of days prophecies, and theories are a dime a dozen these days. You'll find that mankind's history is filled with all sorts of interesting ideas relating to the ultimate demise of the world's population. Things like the wrath of God/gods, death by Mother Nature, Alien invasions, and even the ever popular zombie apocalypse are among the civilization's smiting occurrences that are described through man's many age old teachings. It seems that XBLIG developer Gentleman Squid Studios has also decided to join these majority of theorists, and prophets in order to give their own take on a well known mythological tale of global destruction. Their game Rise of the Ravager uses the Mayan end of days mythology as it's cornerstone reference, and twists it a bit to make a unique interpretation of the devastating events of doomsday. Through shmup style gameplay, and interesting story panel art this high quality developer breathes vivid life into the possible fall of man.