Rekoil:Liberator (XBLA)

When it comes to video game development there are some things you should do, and other things that you should definitely not do. Among things that you should not do is clone a gaming experience. It's a bad practice all the way around, and always results in ridicule in some form, or fashion. Secondly you should not try to push something on to the gamer that is not up to the standards of the tier of game formats that you are releasing the game on. Revamping an indie clone with better visuals, and slapping in some online features is definitely not the way to go. As much as I hate to do so I'm going to have to breakdown what Plastic Piranha's & 5o5Games' arena shooter has to offer, and deliver the bad news on what I experienced as I did my playthrough of the game. I cannot, and will not sugarcoat something bad. I just hope the PR, and developer don't take it personally. Perhaps something can be learned from the following critique, and can benefit all those involved as well as all those looking to buy the game.

The Bridge (XBLA)

Puzzles exist in all kinds of forms in the gaming world. You'll find puzzle oriented games like Tetris, and even games such as RPGs that incorporate puzzle solving as a means to further move along a story. Things like 'Resident Evil', and 'The Legend of Zelda' come to mind. While those are all good examples of what puzzle solving can do to benefit a game I think Ty Taylor's vision takes that genre one step beyond. In "The Bridge" you'll find a protagonist that is a lot like Sir Isaac Newton. His mind is constantly busy solving riddles, and puzzles even in his dreams. Like Sir Isaac's classic tale about discovering gravity this particular game opens up with the main man resting under a tree as an apple abruptly knocks him on top of the head. Upon awaking (or not) this man of vision is plummeted head first into a surreal world filled with labyrinthine puzzles that would rack even the most intelligent mind to the point of breaking. Not only is he trapped in this M.C. Escher-inspired nightmare, but there's also a menace pursuing him as well as locked doors preventing his escape.

Star Wars Pinball: Balance of the Force (XBLA)

Out of all the "Good vs Evil" scenarios created in the world of entertainment none has ever come close to being as influential, or original as that of the ongoing battle of Jedi versus Sith. Long ago a film director named George Lucas brought to our attention a film series that would forever change the way we looked at outer space, and the possibilities therein. His vision of intergalactic battles, an all powerful force, and a universe filled with all sorts of wonders paved the way for further adaptations to be made. Things like Star Wars action figures, novels, and even video games became a significant part of the lore that die hard Star Wars fans continue to seek out to this very day. The fact that another film in the Star Wars legacy is on it's way further proves that as far fetched as the saga may be it's future is a bright, and shining force that will live on for ages to come, and will no doubt inspire new generations of Star Wars mythology to be born in it's wake.

CastleStorm: From Outcast to Savior (XBLA)

When last we left our fabled friends of "CastleStorm" Sir Gareth had been separated from his troops, and continued to seek out vengeance against the viking leader Chief Ramhorn. With the aid of the lovely viking princess Freia he continued on into viking territory in order to put an end to the evil ruler's reign. If you took my advice, and purchased the game you would know that the first chapter ended quite abruptly leaving the story open ended. Lord Rufus, the devious King's adviser who had been giving ill advice all through the plot of the first chapter convinced the King that Sir Gareth was a traitor, and that he had joined forces with Chief Ramhorn. This is of course where the core game ends, and the DLC picks up.

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.

Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams (XBLA)

Believe it, or not this isn't the first time that "Giana Sisters" has made it's debut as a video game. Before Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams was a reality there was a Nintendo DS game that sported a similar title. This game was none other than "Giana Sisters DS". This original title seemed to borrow inspiration from the Super Mario Bros. franchise, and featured some level designs/details that were very similar to those sorts of games. Even the art that accompanied the game seem to further reflect the developer's uncanny tribute based game design. Luckily for us though Black Forest Games picked up the title, re-imagined the gameplay, and made "Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams" a more original experience. Sure it still had the slight super Mario Bros. tribute content from time to time, but it wasn't as "in your face" as it was before. With new gameplay mechanics, and greatly enhanced visuals 'Black Forest Games' has set out to impress it's audience with possibly one of the best platformers released this year.

Pinball FX2 (XBLA): "Star Wars Pinball"

In 1977 George Lucas brought to light one of the most highly, and significantly influential sci-fi film sagas ever to grace the entertainment industry. Through this cinematic creation George Lucas set the standard for how a sci-fi film should be created. Many new Star Wars related story archs spawned from this award winning film franchise following the success of the original trilogy's theatrical release, and are still being introduced to this day. Star Wars related merchandise, clothing, novels, and even video game spin-offs have come, and gone over the years. To say Star Wars was popular would be an obvious understatement. Even too this day Star Wars has one of the largest cult followings of any sci-fi related fiction. You likely won't find many people who havn't heard of the many characters that make up the Star Wars universe. Often times you'll even find tons of new internet, and store content relating to the original trilogy, and it's many successors. Recently news about a new Star Wars movie was also leaked.

It's no surprise that a pinball giant such as Zen Studios would pay homage to the greatness that is Star Wars as well. In fact that's the reason why I'm here typing up this review for you today. In an unexpected, and most Awesome turn of events Zen Studios partnered up with Lucas Films in order to bring to us faithful 'Pinball FX2' players an official set of Star Wars movie tribute tables. Through inside information I have found out that there will be a total of 10 Star Wars themed tables released over time. The first set will be a mixture of the old, and new Star Wars film related features. In the following paragraphs I will give you a brief history on each of the table's themes. I'll also do a descriptive breakdown on all the features that each table has to offer. Without further adieu, sit back, relax and prepare yourself for one hell of an interesting read!

Serious Sam Double D XXL (XBLA): "A Content Packed Indie With An XBLA Facade"

In 2011, prior to the release of "Serious Sam 3: BFE" it was announced through various media outlets that Croteam was partnering up with some indie developers on a promotional project. This project included three Serious Sam spin-offs from three different indie game developers. One of the developers would be releasing a Serious Sam title as a "runner" type of game for mobile devices. It would be called "Serious Sam: Kamikaze Attack!". Another game that was scheduled for release was a turn based Serious Sam RPG titled, "Serious Sam: The Random Encounter". As of now I do not know whether, or not either of these games ever seen the light of day. One thing is for certain though, "Serious Sam 3: BFE" was released before the indie spin-offs were. The third, and final indie spin-off I'm here to review today will be released on the 20th of this month. It's a 2D sides-crolling platformer by the ever popular XBLIG developer, "Mommy's Best Games", and "Devolver Digital". The game is not entirely unique though since it was previously released as a STEAM title. With that being said though, "Mommy's Best Games" did go out of their way to add some additional content for the gamers.

Special Forces: Team X (XBLA): "An Impressive Mashup Of Various Shooter Genres"

Atari, and Zombie Studios have worked together to bring us what could be best described as a third person cover based shooter. The game itself seems to borrow what's great from other popular shooter titles, and make a unique experience with the well known game mechanics. There's definitely a hint of games like "Borderlands", "Call of Duty", and even a tiny fraction of "HALO" thrown into the mix. If I had to compare it to any shooter series though it would definitely be more like that of the "Gears of War" series. The cover-to-cover combat is definitely the game's more prominent feature, and focal point. While the game definitely borrows some ideas it still stands alone as a unique gaming experience.

JAM Live Music Arcade (XBLA): "A Deeply Involved DJ Arcade Game"

When it comes down to the various forms of entertainment that the world has to offer I find that music ranks as my most favorite. If you ever follow me on Twitter you've likely seen me tweet links to many different music videos, and music tracks. The fact of the matter is I'm a guy who enjoys nearly all kinds of music. Whether it is classic music like Beethoven, or more hardcore music like Rammstein I find myself constantly immersed in the many different genres that make up the music industry. With that being said I never really got into video games that were based on music. It's just not something that I could see myself getting into. Regardless of that fact I recently got myself involved in the unique genre of games for review purposes. I ended up getting a request from my PR (Reverb Labs/Publishing) earlier this month to do a review on "505 Games" music based game which is appropriately titled "Jam Live Music Arcade". At first I was a little hesitant, because I know most music games tend to require the use of music based controllers. Unfortunately I do not have such a controller. When the PR told me ' Jam Live Music Arcade' was playable with a standard controller I thought maybe this game would be something I could actually do, and enjoy. I took the PR up on his offer, and set out to review a game genre I have never taken on here at "OtakuDante's Gaming Inferno".

Shoot Many Robots (XBLA): "It's Rated 'M' For A Reason ..."

I don't think I've ever seen a game quite like "Shoot Many Robots". This 4 player co-op run-n-gun RPG (as described in the press release) is brought to us by 'Demiurge Studios (Borderlands, Brothers In Arms, Mass Effect)', and Ubisoft (Assassin's Creed, I AM ALIVE ...)'. Both game studios/pubishers have helped develop some pretty impressive games in the past. This game (Shoot Many Robots) in particular features an art style that most 'Borderlands' fans will recognize. While it's similar to 'Borderlands' in some minor ways it definitely stands on it's own. In my career as a gamer I've rarely seen any game developer/publisher push the envelope of the 'M' rating like 'Demiurge Studios/Ubisoft' has. When you start up the game you'll immediately notice the larger than life ESRB rating on the screen. It lets you know that you are about to experience a "Mature" game, and let me tell you this couldn't be more accurate. The fact that the ESRB notice includes warnings about sexual content, strong language, and the use of alcohol should make this fact perfectly clear. I ended up spending a good amount of time playing the game, and noticed a lot of "things" that I'll discuss in the paragraphs that follow. Prepare yourselves, cause this could get ugly ...

Nexuiz (XBLA): "Old School Arena Shooters Are Reborn & Revived!!!"

If you are a gamer who has enjoyed fast paced arena shooters in the past such as the "Quake" series (Quake III: Arena) then you'll be stoked about what 'ILLFONIC/THQ' has done for the genre. They have not only brought back the classic gameplay style of the FPS arena shooters of old, but have improved on it in many ways. In fact they have made the game their own in doing so. I was seriously stoked myself when I watched the trailer of "Nexuiz" last year after it was first revealed. It was a shot in the dark, but I knew I had to try and get this game for review. I wanted to see how good it was, and if the developers had managed to successfully revive a gaming genre that I have missed for quite some time. After getting the code for review (which I'm highly thankful for) I tested out all aspects of it, and took many notes on the details of the game as I did so. I was one of the lucky reviewers who actually got to spend some quality time playing online with others. It was hard to find matches at times, but I'm glad to say I can give you the details you need to know.

Pinball FX2 (XBLA): "Epic Quest"

Zen Studios have produced some spectacular pinball tables in the years that they've been involved in game development. This time around though they really outdid themselves with a unique pinball table experience that combines the elements of RPGs with all of the goodness of a Pinball FX2 table. The table I speak of is called "Epic Quest", and the title definitely suits the experience you'll get when you play the table. I honestly think that Zen Studios covered every single element you'd find in a classic, or even modern RPG. There's HP, MP, Spells, A Ranking/Leveling system, Upgradeable weapons/armor, and epic boss/creature battles that continue even after you have lost. The brilliant innovation that Zen Studios has applied to this table goes way beyond just RPG elements, but also includes some "Epic" replay value. It's something you won't find anywhere else in the pinball gaming world at this current time. I know you guys, and gals have been awaiting my review, so I'll go ahead and get into it ...

Zombie Apocalypse: Never Die Alone (XBLA): "A Dual Thumbstick Zombie Shmup"

Zombie Apocalypse: NDA (Never Die Alone) is the sequel to Back Bone Entertainment, and Konami's 'Zombie Apocalypse' game of 2009. It features dual thumbstick (shmup) style gameplay, and a story that can be completed in either singleplayer or multiplayer modes. Up to four players can join in on the zombie shooting spree in multiplayer mode, or you can have at it alone switching between characters as you make your way across the zombie infested locations. There are four unique characters to play as in the game. There is a gamer dude named 'Jeremy', a female weapons specialist named 'Alma', A youth minister named 'Father Bill', and a British/Australian rapper named 'Def Money'. Each character plays their own special part in this apocalyptic zombie tale that takes place in the various locales of Canada. There's lots of humor to enjoy, zombie swarms to neutralize, and some major moolah to collect in this RPG driven shoot 'em up.

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.

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.

Dead Block (XBLA): "A Rock & Roll Zombie Survival Game"

Many of the gamers I've grown up with, and have made friends with have enjoyed some type of zombie game. My own obsession started with the old horror movies from back in the day, and was later rekindled by the introduction of the Resident Evil series. From that point on I have enjoyed many zombie games on many different consoles. Nowadays you can find the inclusion of zombies in about every form of media there is. On July 6, 2011 Digital Reality Ltd., and Candygun Games released a Zombie game that brought back that wholesome zombie goodness that had sparked my interest as a young lad. Their game which is titled 'Dead Block' takes old and new zombie survival elements and combines it to make a video game creation that pays tribute to to all that is zombie. I was extremely excited when they told me I was going to be able to do a review on the full game. Once I got the code from them I didn't hesitate to get started.

XBLA IMPRESSIONS: "Deadliest Warrior Legends"

I'm a history buff, and I absolutely love shows about world history. I'm no stranger to the Deadliest Warrior television show. I love their accurate, and scientific portrayal of the imagined duels between various world warriors. When I owned my PS3 I actually tried out the first Deadliest Warrior game, and I wasn't too impressed. The combat system was a bit lacking, but the concept was very intriguing. A couple of days ago 'Deadliest Warriors Legends' was released as an XBLA title, and I was anxious to see how the developer had improved the game.

XBLA IMPRESSIONS: "Galaga Legions DX"

I'm a fan of both oldschool, and new shmup shooters. In my gaming past I've actually played the old Galaga game, and to be honest I enjoyed the newer shmup titles much more. Recently I heard that NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. was going to be releasing a DX version of Galaga in response to their very popular PAC-MAN Championship Ed. DX. I was very excited about the news. I used to own PAC-MAN C.E. DX for the PS3, and I was very impressed with it. Namco really went the extra mile with that game, and I couldn't wait to see what was instore for Galaga. This morning I was checking the latest XBLA game releases out, and noticed Galaga Legions DX was at the front of the list. I didn't hesitate in downloading the trial version to see what it offered.