Pro Basketball Shooter (XBLIG): "A Single Button Arcade Style Basketball Simulation Game"

When I was a young fellow growing up video games had not really overtaken my life. I would often times play outside sports with my brothers, and sisters such as baseball, basketball, and even some tennis. It may be hard to believe, but I was actually a fairly active person back then. As I grew up though priorities changed, and I found myself enthralled by the world of gaming. I became so obsessed with the interactive technology that I spent many hours of my life playing video games, and continue to do so to this day. I eventually ended up becoming the video game journalist I am today as a result of my choices. With that being said it is nice to be able to play sports games even if it is just a simulator like the one I'm reviewing here. It brings back memories, and actually makes me want to get back outside and play. Maybe one day I will ...

Sushi Castle (XBLIG): "Milkstone's Answer To 'The Binding of Isaac'"

Milkstone has answered my gaming prayers! Ever since I laid eyes on gameplay footage of 'The Binding of Isaac' I have longed to play the game. This was unfortunately impossible for me since my outdated PC can't handle even the simplest of Steam game titles. I was extremely psyched when I happened upon a tweet recently where @milkstone discussed what this game was all about. I replied by tweeting a message to the developer saying they could count me in for a review. I know that Milkstone has a good reputation for releasing some of the best quality titles on the XBLIG platform, so I knew "Sushi Castle" had huge potential. Needless to say the game did not disappoint. As I did my routine playthrough of the game I found nothing, but pure enjoyment from the experience.

Go Gimbal Go (XBLIG): "A challenging 2D platformer fit for all ages"

When I first saw 'Go Gimbal Go' I didn't know what to expect. I passed up the opportunity to request it for review on many occasions simply, because I thought it was some childish game that wouldn't be fit for my audience of readers. I'm glad that the developer (Gimbal Lock Studios) decided to contact me though, because otherwise I would have missed out on this interesting title. In the email I received from the developer he told me what the game was all about, and from his descriptions I could tell a lot of thought went into the making of this game. While I did not see the game comparisons he saw (Super Mario Sunshine ...) I did notice some similarities to other classic video games. After spending significant time with the game I decided to post my review, and this here is that review.

A-Band (XBLIG): "An Artistic Jam Session With New Rock Bands"

Sometimes I get myself in some of the worst situations when it comes to reviews. Either I'm juggling a bunch of reviews on my two blogs at one time, or I'm doing reviews on games/dvds that I'm not really into. Sadly this is the case with the game I'm about to review here. Against my better judgement I promised the developer (Flammable Games) I'd do a review on their game knowing ahead of time that the game was better played with the drum peripheral/controller. It's the kind of circumstance that makes me want to beat my head against the wall. Regardless of my struggle I was able to play enough of the game to give you guys a decent review.

Pig & Bullet (XBLIG) Poetry Contest Winner!!!

I have to say that I'm disappointed with the result of this contest. I try my best to do contests that are both fun, and easy. The sad thing is I had three codes to giveaway, and only got one entry within a one week span of time. I tried my best to get people to join in, but in the end was unable to do so. As a result I will not be holding another contest/giveaway for a while. This is not the first time I've had a contest with little to no entries. Moving on though ...

I'm glad to say that at least one person was willing to submit a poem. This person was none other than DJ SBZ from (http://allkore.com). I actually checked out their site this morning, and I have to say their music looks pretty interesting. You may want to take a look for yourself. DJ SBZ submitted a Haiku which was one of the methods you could have chosen to use to enter this contest. Since he was the only one to enter he wins a code. As for the other codes I may give one to my nieces & nephews, and giveaway the other code to a person of my choosing.

WINNING HAIKU

If you meet a pig

Don't try to feed him bacon

That is just plain rude

by SBZ

Pig & Bullet Contest FTW!!! - Compliments of Spiceworx & GHXYK2 [CLOSED!!!]

I have some very awesome news readers!!! After doing my review on 'Pig & Bullet' I was able to get some extra codes for giveaway purposes from the developer (Spiceworx). In fact the developer was so generous that they ended up giving me a total of three codes! This means there will be three winners for my contest!!!

Now it's time to get down to business. I'm sure you guys, and gals have been wondering what type of contest I dreamed up with this time, well the answer is that it's a fun one! In the past I have done some first come first serve giveaways, and even a highscore giveaway. This time around I thought I'd do something a little more interesting though. After thinking about it during the night last night I thought to myself "Why don't I have a poetry contest?". I'm a published poet myself, and enjoy writing my own poetry so I figured it would be nice to see some other peoples' poetic talents for a change. With that being said there are some rules that must be followed. Those rules are as follows:

Pig & Bullet (XBLIG)

I was browsing the Xbox marketplace recently when I stumbled upon a very interesting XBLIG title. The title of course was none other than 'Pig & Bullet'. The cover art immediately caught my attention as well as the name of the game. It was enough to warrant some further investigation. I went to the description as I usually do when checking out a new game, and found something really interesting. The soundtrack to 'Pig & Bullet' was composed by Yasushi Kaminishi who formerly composed soundtracks for Capcom, and Takumi. After seeing that little bit of info I definitely had to get the game. I purchased 'Pig & Bullet' for a cheap 80 msp, and set out to see what it was all about.

Cherry Poke Prison (XBLIG): "Welcome To Skankatraz!!!"

There aren't many indie games that have made me laugh as much as the 'Trailer Park King' series has. While some gamers may be offended by the redneck humor I find it to be quite hilarious. I come from the south, and redneck jokes are commonplace in my area. When it comes to said humor 'Freelance Games' definitely knows how to dish out the dialogue. All of the characters in the 'Trailer Park Series' have been given a unique personality, and voice of their own making the humor even more laughable. A lot of the jokes are centered around porn references which I easily understand, because I actually review adult dvds. Some of the adult humor is over your head kind of stuff while other things are pretty much in your face. It's a good idea to keep this in mind if you ever want to check the series out.

After reviewing 'Trailer Park King' episode 2 I found that it finished with an open ending leading me to believe a sequel was in the makes. While browsing the Xbox marketplace one day recently I was surprised to find that there was indeed a sequel. At first I was seriously puzzled by the game's title, but when I read the description it all made sense. Freelance Games ended up giving me a code without me even asking. It was a truly pleasant surprise. I definitely wanted to see what was new in the world of the "King", and having the code in my possession I set out to do just that.

Shooting Chicken Brutal Suckers (XBLIG): "Kohei Gallery's Anime Hijinks Continue"

Out of all the Japanese based XBLIG developers 'Kohei Gallery' definitely outdoes the rest. During my time as an XBLIG reviewer I have covered two of their games on my blog. The first one I encountered was a racy anime puzzle game with "Moe" girls in it. While the images were a tad bit on the sexy side the puzzle mechanics of that game were very impressive. I had never played another game like it in my life. The second "Kohei Gallery" game I reviewed was "Houchi Play" which was a pervy sort of game where the goal was to inch the old guy ever closer down a bench to the cosplay ladies at the end without being noticed. Once again I found the game to have a unique design, and concept. As a result "Houchi Play" has become one of my all time favorite anime XBLIG titles. Not many games can make you laugh, and have fun like that game does.

After a short absence from the XBLIG marketplace "Kohei Gallery" has returned with a sequel to a game that was created two years ago. I had actually purchased the first game which was called "Shooting Chicken Revenge". The difficulty was honestly a little to serious for my tastes, but it seemed to be well designed. I had never seen a game like it though. The aim of the first game was to survive a never ending onslaught of what looked like stiff rubber chickens. It was a wacky concept, and something I would have enjoyed if it weren't for the extreme difficulty of the game. I have to say that I never thought "Kohei Gallery" would revisit the series, and make a sequel but I think it's a cool concept ... So, here we are about to dive into my review of "Shooting Chicken Brutal Suckers". You'll need to prepare yourself for some wacky word play cause I've got a lot to say about this odd indie game.

Silver Dollar Games - "One Finger Death Punch (Work In Progress)"

Silver Dollar Games is one of my all time favorite XBLIG developers. While some reviewers heckle them over meaningless stuff I find some very intelligent game design in what they produce. I have enjoyed playing many hours on such games as "The Jump Hero", and "Ranger". Their one of a kind shmup called "sins of the Flesh" even held my undivided attention. Not many game developers would continue on after getting bad feedback such as 'Silver Dollar Games' has. I tip my hat off to Jon, and David for their persistence in the face of adversity. I hope they continue to produce many more games in the months to come!

If you have been keeping a watch on Jon, and David Flook's work then you'll likely know of their upcoming game "One Finger Death Punch". I actually featured an article about the game here on my blog some months ago. I am totally psyched about this game! The devs have really outdone themselves this time around, and by the looks of things the game is going to contain their signature simple control layout, and scored based gameplay. I'm absolutely thrilled just thinking about it. My point for bringing up all of this though is that I received an email giving specific details on what's going to be included with the game. I would like to take the time to share the email with you so that 'Silver Dollar Games' hard efforts will not be in vain.

Heroes of Hat (XBLIG): "A University Project Well Done"

I have been extremely fortunate to have the support that I've gotten from my readers, and game developers. Like I mentioned in my "Special Thanks" section this blog would not be as successful as it is without the support I have received. Between being able to convince retail developers that I can post a proper review, and the several requests I've gotten from XBLIG developers about doing reviews things have really started to improve for "OtakuDante's Gaming Inferno". In all honesty I never dreamed my blog would take off so well. It makes me really happy to know that game developers such as "Utah Game Forge" are interested in what I have to say about their game. While I don't review every game that is requested of me though I do my best to pick ones that I think have something special about them. I try my best to stay away from the clones though, because I believe that even an indie game developer can create original games if they are serious about what they do. In this review I'll be covering my thoughts on "Utah Game Forge's" "Heroes of Hat". I tried my best to do a full playthrough of the game, but ultimately I fell short due to the game's co-op requirements. As the game suggests this is a (Up To) 4 player co-op game, and it is best suited for multiple players.

Bureau - Shattered Slipper (XBLIG): "Sequel to Twist-Ed Game's Sexy FBI Thriller"

Guy Galer of 'Twist-Ed Games' is one of the more unique indie game developers to grace the XBLIG marketplace. If memory serves me well he has created four beautifully rendered titles including 'Colonies: NeoCiv', and 'Bureau - Agent Kendall'. It was by mere chance that I happened upon a Youtube trailer of Guy's game 'Bureau - Agent Kendall' late last year. My initial thoughts were that the game look interesting, and that there was a sexy quality about it, specifically some semi-nude sequences. It sparked my interest enough to request the game for review. During my playthrough of 'Bureau - Agent Kendall' I found it to be a very involved game. It utilized realistic FBI tactics including suspect interrogations, relationship building with various persons involved in the given cases, and action packed interactive sequences where the Bureau agents involved had to fight for their very survival. The game ultimately ended with a cliffhanger that was reminiscent of the shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho". Months have passed since the first game was released, but finally the sequel is here. I was very anxious to see how/if Agent Kendall got out of her dire situation, and if the gameplay was similar to that of the previous title.

Compromised (XBLIG): "A Shmup That Could Easily Be A Retail Game ... Think Konami"

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if a company with an art style like Konami's decided to make shmups? Well in a roundabout way 'Super Soul (The Developer)' has answered that question. When I first laid eyes on the Youtube trailer for this game it reminded me greatly of games like "Castlevania", and "Contra". The only difference was that the game was a shmup with it's own unique story. I knew This would be the type of game a lot of shmup fans would enjoy, so I contacted the developer early on in hopes of securing a code. I'm definitely glad I got the opportunity to not only play the game, but to also share what I found as I did my playthrough of it. In the following paragraphs I'm going to try my best to relay necessary info on the game without making a mess of things. There's a lot to talk about concerning this title, and it'll be best done in an organized fashion.

Chompy Chomp Chomp (XBLIG): "Like Pac-Man Only With Little Devils"

I'm going to be straightforward with you guys & gals. Lately the XBLIG marketplace has been plagued by games that don't really deserve a mention, or review. Some of them are clones, and some of them look so visually uninteresting that they scare away any potential buyers. These are part of the reasons I haven't done any XBLIG reviews lately. Instead of Indie developers who actually strive to make a good product there are a lot that just seem to want to cash in on the opportunity. It's sad. Sometimes I wonder "Where has all the innovation, and creativity gone!?". Well, I'm glad to say that "Utopian House of Sandwiches", the developer behind "Chompy Chomp Chomp" has renewed my faith in the indie game genre. This game is top notch in design, and gameplay. Everything about it is absolutely beautiful, and fun. I don't want to get too far into my opinion though. Let's get into the meat of the game ...

Growing Pains (XBLIG): "A Groovy Platforming Challenge"

I absolutely believe in trying different things. It's a philosophy that I not only apply to gaming, but to life as well. Limiting one's self to particular things in life only keeps one from experiencing everything else that is available. If you don't try other things you could miss out on something great. With that being said I often times try things/games out that I'm not particularly fond of. It doesn't mean that the said things are bad, but simply that they're not to my liking. In the case of 'Growing Pains' I found myself rather frustrated by the difficulty that the game presented. It's what I like to call an "Impossible Game". If you don't know what I mean let me explain. There are is a sub-genre of platformers in the XBLIG library that exceed in the hardcore difficulty category. These games feature frustrating puzzles/requirements that will have you repeating levels/stages over, and over again. Most gamers end up ragequitting on such games, and in turn never finish them. I have been guilty of this in the past, and once again I find myself repeating that reaction. I will be able to give you the usual game description, and details, so you don't have to worry about that.

Boot Hill Heroes - Kickstarter

Normally I'm not someone who is willing to promote something I know little about, and 'Kickstarter' definitely applies to that. With that being said I received a very nice email from 'Dave Welch' of (Experimental Gamer) concerning his upcoming release of 'Boot Hill Heroes (XBLIG)'. He complimented my site, and my support for the indie game market which I greatly appreciated. I thought it was very kind of him to let me know how he felt about my blog, and my reviews. I thought I'd share the actual email that Dave sent me with you guys, and gals. It has some links to their website, their kickstarter, and even a link to their youtube promotion video.

Septipus: Tentacle Apocalypse (XBLIG): "An Epic Game With An Unusually Sinister Villain & Equally Unusual Hero"

Very rarely have I had the chance to review an indie game, or video game that has such a great production value as 'Septipus: Tentacle Apocalypse' has. Everything about this game was delivered in an epic way. The developer, 'Soulfire Software' definitely put a lot of effort into their release of this game. Everything from the game design to the music involved shows that the developer really wanted to deliver a quality product. I actually played through the game early this morning, and enjoyed every single minute of it despite the sometimes gut wrenching difficulty that was presented. After doing my playthrough I actually rated 'Septipus: Tentacle Apocalypse' through the XBL dashboard giving it a full five stars. This alone lets you know what I think about the game. It's not often that I take the time to give a game any ratings let alone a five star rating. Before I ramble on too much I will proceed with my review.

Hop and Pop (XBLIG): "Classic Puzzle Gaming With a Twist"

I'm a gamer who enjoys all kinds of games. I definitely have my favorite genres, but I'm always open to new gaming experiences. This is what sets me apart from a lot of gamers, and reviewers out there. The main reason I brought this up as my introductory paragraph is that 'Geex Games' wasn't sure if I'd be interested in reviewing their action/puzzle game 'Hop and Pop', because of the info within my bio description. They didn't hesitate in giving me the review code, but I could tell they were a little worried if I would be able to give the game a fair review. To clear things up I always give every game I review a fair chance no matter what genre it may be. I always go into a game with an unbiased opinion, and only develop my opinion/s after playing it. I also try not to tear a game apart in a rude manner unless I pay a significant amount of money for it only to realize that it was a waste. These are good things to keep in mind when I ask you (the developer) for a review code, or when you request that I do a review for you.

Fred's Fridays Ep.6: "Q & A Sessions with the Developer & Programmer"

Today for "Fred's Fridays" I thought it would be nice to do a little "Q & A" session. I came up with some questions that covered the more personal aspect of the developer's (Adam), and the programmer's (Jamie) lifestyles. I also included some questions about their XBLIG projects, 'Dawn of the Fred', and 'Night of the Fred'. I felt this 'Q & A' session was a necessary step to better connect you (the readers/gamers) with the developer, and programmer. I always find it interesting to be able to know a developer on a more personal level, and I hope you feel the same way. I hope you enjoy this look at the more personal side of the developer, and programmer behind @StickyDPadGames. Without further adieu I present to you "Fred's Fridays Ep.6"!!!

Racedrome Offroad (XBLIG): "Decent Offroad Karting For Only 80 msp!!!"

If I remember correctly I have reviewed a couple XBLIG racing titles in the past here on my blog. I can't honestly recall what they were though ... I used to be into racing games back in the Playstation, and Xbox days. I even spent some time on some Nintendo console (GC, SNES, NES ...) racing games. As time has passed I have lost almost all interest in the genre, but games like 'Racedrome Offroad' kind of rekindle that lost flame. I'm definitely glad that 'Rendercode Games' didn't give up on allowing me to review their game. I had Initially got behind in reviews, and had to turn them down. This is something I definitely don't like doing since I have great respect for XBLIG developers, and their review requests. The good news is that I've been caught up with reviews, and now I'm able to deliver to you my review of 'Racedrome Offroad'. I hope you enjoy the insight I offer on this XBLIG racing title.