Black Knight Sword (XBLA): "SUDA 51's Masterful Fairy Tale"

When it comes to vivid, and disturbing video games no one quite does it like SUDA 51. In the past this master of the macabre has given us such titles as the strange yet intriguing "Shadows of the Damned". I never in my life fathomed that this game developer would contribute to the XBLA library though. The fact that he did proves that he is out to impress the world with his talents, and in my honest opinion I think "Black Knight Sword" does exactly that. I spent hours sitting in front of the television mesmerized by the oddities, and WTF!? moments that populated the screen. Looking back I think I will definitely have a difficult time putting into words what I witnessed during my playthrough, but I will give it my best shot.

Pinball FX2 (XBLA): "Zen Classics"

In the early next-gen days of gaming, before I even thought of doing gaming reviews, I was a serious PS3 gamer. Among my collection of PSN game titles there was a pinball game you may have heard of before. This pinball game was none other than "Zen Pinball". It was basically the same thing as "Pinball FX2", but unlike 'Pinball FX2' though 'Zen Pinball' came with it's own unique starter set. There were four tables included that each presented to the gamer an entirely unique pinball gaming experience. The tables included in the set were "El Dorado", "Shaman", "V12", and "Tesla". As Zen Studios would have it these four challenging tables were kept from the Xbox 360 version of the game for a while. It wasn't until recently that the pinball wizards of 'Zen Studios' decided to grant us Xbox 360 owners access to these early tables. In the end Zen Studios not only revived them for us, but also remastered them with amazingly enhanced graphics, and sounds. Today my friends I bring to you my breakdown of what each table has to offer the player as well as some basic stategies to achieve that highest score. Without further adieu, "Let the games begin!" ....

Aeternum (XBLIG): "A Challenging Yet Impressive Anime Shmup"

Recently I talked/chatted with indie game developer Brook Bishop (WastedBrilliance) about doing a video review on his latest XBLIG title, "Aeternum". He gladly agreed to my proposal, but before I could even think about doing it my PC monitor overheated, and left me with a dilemma. Thankfully I was able to get the monitor working well enough to upload, and post my video review though. In the following gameplay video I will go over all the modes, and options that the game has to offer. I'll also demonstrate each mode, but only to a certain extent as the game proved too challenging for my shmup (shoot'em up) skill level. Along with these technical aspects of the game I'll also provide my opinions on how good, or not-so-good the game is. I believe a gamer should know how well a game performs before they invest their hard earned money in it. I hope you enjoy the video review, and that it provides enough insight to help you decide on whether, or not to purchase it. Please keep in mind that my commentary is a little random since I do not do video reviews too often. Thanks for stopping by!

Racedrome City (XBLIG): "Quality Online & Offline Racing FTW!!!"

In the XBLIG marketplace you'll find many aspiring game developers as well as some game developers that produce near XBLA content. Rendercode Games just so happens to be one of the better developers who are known for consistently good game releases. In the past I've reviewed a variety of sports, and racing related games that were developed by them, and enjoyed each playthrough equally. I was always impressed by the rendering, and the overall professional look/feel of the games. In their latest release, Racedrome City the developer continues their trend of quality with possibly one of the best racing games to grace the XBLIG marketplace. With new features, and next-gen graphics this affordable racer might just be what you've been looking for ...

STRACO Episode 1 (XBLIG): "A Retro Tower Defense Game With Shmup Action"

It has become quite obvious to me over the past few years that the newer generations of video games are only bringing with them more problems. Things like annoying online gameplay, and poor presentation overshadow the possibility of any fun to be had. As a result I often find myself thinking about the times when games were actually fun, and worthwhile. Those days of course are long gone, but thanks to some classic XBLIG game developers they are not entirely lost. NVO (Not Very Original) for example has taken their time to develop a well balanced tower defense game that harkens back to the days when games were actually fun, and challenging. This game I speak of is none other than STRACO Episode 1.

Three Dead Zed (XBLIG): "Possibly the Most Unique Zombie Game This Year!!!"

Gentleman Squid Studio has created an amazing one of a kind zombie platformer that is both next-gen in quality, and old school at the same time. It's not often that I've seen a 2D platforming game that features zombies as the main protagonists along with puzzle solving themes all in the same package. Somehow the developer managed to create this game in exactly that way though. In the end I think the things that really drew me to this XBLIG title were the art style, and the fact that it was a platformer. I absolutely love platformers, and have been a fan of them since the days of the NES. Seeing 'Three Dead Zed' in the youtube trailer a month earlier really made me smile. It was filled with blood, and gore which made me more than excited about getting my hands on it. When I was contacted by 'Gentlemen Squids Studios' I played it cool, but I was honestly like a kid tearing into a really cool Christmas present.

Pinball FX2/Marvel Pinball: "Civil War"

In 2006 there began an epic Marvel mini-series that was unlike anything the fans of the longstanding comic book franchise had ever seen. This series was none other than Marvel's "Civil War". The event lasted through seven epic drama filled issues that involved many of Marvels best known superheroes, and supervillains. Standing their ground at the core of the conflict was Iron Man, and Captain America. The two popular Marvel superheroes found themselves on opposing sides of a newly proposed "Super Hero Registration Act (SHRA)" which was created after a deadly clash that resulted in the loss of many innocent lives. On one hand Iron Man was all for the proposed act, and on the other hand Captain America was very much against it. What spawned from this massive civil unrest was several instances of bloodshed, and the division of the Marvel Universe as we (the readers) had come to realize it.

Trailer Park King 3DD (XBLIG): "Zombies, Aliens & Porn!!! Oh My!!!"

In a true sequel fashion Freelance Games, the developers behind the XBLIG hit "Trailer Park King" series starts this newest chapter of King's adventure off with a brief flashback detailing what went on in the previous episode. When we last left King he was in the midst of a dilemma concerning Truck's "condition". The entire trailer park had deemed Truck as a zombie since he hadn't been acting like himself, and were insistent about finding out the truth. With the aid of his interesting lady friends (and a couple of redneck men) King has made it his priority to find out whether, or not Truck is really a zombie. Using Skinny's guide to zombies King sets out to free his nemesis from the hamster ball cage he is currently imprisoned in, so that he can regain access to his precious porn. Will we ever get to see the porn on King's tv? Will Truck be cleared of his inhuman label? What about the aliens? It's all up to you to find out. Be wary though as all is not as it seems in the good old trailer park ...

RocketGirl (XBLIG): "Prepare Yourself For Full-on Sensory Overload!!!"

W ... T ... F!? WTF!!! ... Okay let me compose myself a bit ...

I'm not exactly sure what Software By Eugene was thinking when creating this game but it most definitely warrants a warning label. When I first laid eyes on the game I thought "Cool!!!". This is a shmup I could definitely get into. It featured a voluptuous girl riding a rocket. What's not to like there??? I have to say before I go any further though that I was dead wrong about the whole shmup (shoot 'em up) thing. This game is definitely not a shmup. Instead what we have here is one of those intense sensory overload survival games where the point is to make it to the end without crashing into objects. As you can probably guess you pilot a scantily clad girl riding a large rocket (obvious sexual innuendo!!!) through the course of these lengthy adventures. With the application of a single button press (A) you control the ascent, and descent of this buxom young lady as she flies through what could be best described as some sort of sexually drug induced fantasy trip. Often times the screen flashes with possible seizure inducing light shows, and half naked ladies flying through the air all over the place as you fly onward on the larger than life rocket that's between your legs. Logic is definitely not present here.

Demon House: FPS (XBLIG): "Something Borrowed, Something New ..."

Photonic Games brings to the indie marketplace an FPS (First Person Shooter) title that seems to incorporate familiar gameplay features which have been used in well known FPS games throughout the years. At the heart of Demon House: FPS you'll find vague yet noticeable similarities to games like 'BioShock', 'Doom', and even 'Quake' giving the game a retrospective atmosphere. The story, or plot at the core of this game is unique however, and seems to be derived from the scfi/fantasy genre of steam-punk fiction using necromancy as it's driving factor. As the game's protagonist, an unnamed scientist you (the gamer) find that it is your duty to put an end to one of the greatest necromancers the world has ever seen. Your target, the evil scientist of the story has willingly unlocked the secrets of life, and death and has used his knowledge to raise a soul driven army of mechanical soldiers. Seeing this as a potential hazard the powers that be have summoned you to dispatch the creator, and his unholy creations through classic weapon based combat. As you venture into the domain of the dead you'll find plenty of aggressive oddities that are hellbent on your demise. With your steam-punk weaponry in hand your task is simple. Destroy the creations, set the souls free, and put a stop to the madness. Are you up for the challenge?

Null Battles (XBLIG): "A Retro Gravity Based FPS Title"

In my time as an XBLIG reviewer I can't recall any developer taking on the gravity based FPS sub-genre. With that being said though the XBLA game "Hybrid" did an excellent job of bringing this new sub-genre to light earlier on this year. Regardless of that fact Techno Hermit Game's 'Null Battles' brings back the arcade goodness of the old 90's era 3D geometrical based games, and blends it with today's online/multiplayer gaming capabilities. In a simple yet vastly complex way the developer delivers an indie game that not only has significant replay value, but one that also allows the gamer to create their own arenas for online/multiplayer combat. The setting adjustments are definitely plentiful, and the possibilities nearly endless. Innovation is definitely not dead as this developer has once again proved with their unique take on this FPS sub-genre.

Halloween Scream (XBLIG): "Classy Interactive Storytelling At It's Finest"

Sometimes I find that I'm guilty of pre-judging a game before I even play it myself. I'll often times take a look at the XBL marketplace screenshots in order to get a glimpse at what I'd be reviewing if I took on the task of reviewing a requested game. I know I shouldn't judge games simply on screenshots, but heaven forbid I get stuck reviewing some half-assed game that had little thought applied to it's design. In the case of Bandana Game's newly released XBLIG title, "Halloween Scream" I went in thinking that it was going to be some sort of mediocre digital story that might as well be a part of the Amazon Kindle digital book library. I didn't think that perhaps the developer had created something amazing, beyond what a digital novel could offer. In retrospect I'm sorry for my pre-game judgement, and I'm glad I got the opportunity to experience this intriguing Halloween tale from the talented developer, Bandana Games. They did an outstanding job with their well versed tale of horror.

Lucky (XBLIG): "A Twist-ed Look At The Meaning Of Life, Death & Luck"

Out of all the XBLIG developers I've come to know none have created such intriguing, and detailed stories as the ones Guy Galer (Twist-ed Games) has done. I've followed his story of Bureau Agent Kendal as she thwarts criminals with her decisive interrogations, and crime solving tactics. With every episode released I always found something special to brag about in my reviews, and Guy Galer's latest game "Lucky" is no exception to that. As most of you know through the videos I have provided with each Twist-ed Game review the developer has a very unique animation style that seems to improve in quality with each game release. In "Lucky" Guy Galer delivers his most visually appealing game yet, and keeps true to his risque semi-nude scenes as he does so. As I did my playthrough I enjoyed every moment of the interactive point-and-click story. The atmospheric, and mellow soundtrack added to the game's overall ambiance, and as such made for a truly noteworthy playthrough.

Zombie Driver HD (XBLA): "Zombie Carnage & Vehicular Combat"

Zombies seem to be a hot topic these days. Whether it's in the form of entertainment, or rumors spreading about a possible zombie apocalypse you have no doubt probably witnessed the bloody carnage that these undead denizens can cause. While I think a zombie apocalypse is the least of our worries I do partake in the grim goodness that the zombie entertainment genre has to offer. From time to time I'll pop a zombie oriented movie into my dvd player, or even partake of the ever-popular zombie video game genre via my Xbox 360. There is honestly no lack of available content when it comes to zombie horror, and as such a horror fan like my self can be entertained until the zombie apocalypse finally arrives, if it even does.

Happy Wars (XBLA): "Chaotic Warfare With A Comical Twist"

There is no doubt these days that war is truly one of the hottest, and most debated topics around. Often times you'll see news of the war in the middle east, and find that things in life are not always as pleasant as they seem. Even the video game industry seems to take their own stance on the subject of war with military based shooters that are all the craze these days. These more serious peeks into what is happening in the world can become somewhat disheartening at times if we dwell on it too long. Even so I'm glad to see that some game producers, and developers such as Toylogic are bringing us a lighter side of the topic of warfare.

In their latest free to play game, "Happy Wars" we find that war games do not always have to be the overly violent display that most of us have come to call normal. With a whimsical cast of customizable light, and dark armies this simplistic tower defense title comes to life with all the charm of a children's fairytale. Keeping true to the theme of war though, Toylogic pokes hints at the serious topic of warfare that is imbeded within the game. As such they bring to our attention the troubling nature that plagues all of mankind. Maybe one day we as humans will see our mistakes, and end our quarrels in a civilized manner. Until that time though when have fun games like this one to keep us entertained, and make the horrific reality that is war seem like it's only a bad dream.

KontrolFreek (Xbox 360): "FPS Freek Havoc & FPS Freek Infinity"

Sometimes the greatest things come in the smallest packages. This is a quote that definitely applies to KontrolFreek's latest controller enhancements. When the two sets of KontrolFreeks arrived at my house I was a little surprised to see how simple they were, and how small the package was that they were in. Initially I wasn't seeing the reason for the price, but as I tested them out I soon realized that they definitely warranted the cost. After reading the postcard explaining what the "FPS HAVOC", and "FPS INFINITY" were all about I set out to give them a proper testing. For about a week I spent hours in "MW3", and "HALO REACH" trying out the various modes within each game, so I could get optimal results for my final verdict. In the following paragraphs I'll go over the technical details, and descriptions of each set of KontrolFreeks.

Worms Revolution (XBLA): "Wacky Worm Hijinks Displayed in Brilliant 2.5D!!!"

Your favorite bunch of segmented cephalopods return in all their humorous glory as a fellow British nature enthusiast guides them to their ultimate doom, or perhaps their glorious destiny. Equipped with a wide array  of one liners, and wacky weaponry these creepy crawlies and their negative narrator are prepared for a battle of the fittest. There is no doubt there will be plenty of cartoon-like casualties as the worms blast, beat, and dragon ball their way to victory. This time around the usual crew of worms are joined by some new teammates further swaying the possible outcome of the fray at hand. Through hard training, and mayhem induced puzzle solving the new recruits will be able to dish out proper demise, or at least die trying.

Double Dragon Neon (XBLA): "The 80's Reborn"

The 80's were a magical time in history when the entertainment industry was at it's best, and most original. There were all sorts of awesome movies being released, the music was arguably the coolest, and video games were truly awe-inspiring. I grew up in the 80's myself, and was able to partake of the greatness that it had offered. Those who were as lucky as me will often tell you that they miss such days, because everything seemed so much simpler. As a gamer I spent most of my spare time in the 80's playing on my family's NES with my brothers. We played what seemed like hundreds of games, and never grew tired of doing so. We would revisit some games on a constant basis while certain others we would just conquer, and move on. One game we often revisited was "Double Dragon". I remember getting in fights with my brothers over the game, but looking back we did have our fun moments as well. It's memories like these that I cherish so dearly. Being able to do a review on the latest installment of the 'Double Dragon' series gave me a trip of nostalgia that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Dogfight 1942 (XBLA): "WWII Aerial Combat With A Somewhat Realistic Design"

I have played only a handful of war based aerial combat titles in my time as a gamer, and as such doing this review was in many ways a first for me. As a gamer, and person in general my knowledge of the wars is honestly limited. Being able to play a game such as "Dogfight 1942" sort of allowed me to broaden my horizons in that area though. The realistic nature of the character interactions along with the well played historical battles shed some light on the subject for me.With their latest creation City Interactive has delivered a gaming experience that is both interesting, and somewhat engaging. While I cannot confirm it, I believe that they actually went out of their way to recreate significant details with their campaign reenactments. Some of it I'm sure is probably more on the side of fiction, but at least the game is based on real events though.

Mark of the Ninja (XBLA): "A Hands-On Ninja Experience"

Ninjas are one of the most revered of all assassins. Hollywood, toy makers, and even game designers have all delved into the mystical world of the ninja. Over the years I myself have enjoyed such entertainment fantasies, and even once pretended as a child that I was a ninja. When it comes to the world of gaming Ninjitsu is just as fantastical as the delusions of grandeur that a child such as myself has entertained. I've seen a wide array of game titles in my time that encompass the many aspects of the ninja genre. During the NES days I spent long hours trying my best to master all of the "Ninja Gaiden" games. As I grew up I spent even more time, and money on game releases that also surrounded the mythology including RPGs, and fighting games. As gaming has evolved so has the portrayal of these historic figures. It seems that even passing time cannot dull the god-like mystique that these shadowy death dealers have become so famous for.