Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged
Posted November 2, 2006
We all know that the Live arcade is one hell of a great place to get some games that can be picked up and played at a moments notice. For 360 owners who are connected to Live, the method to get these great little ditties is a very simple one but up until recently, gamers not online were left with no way to get the games. Cue volume one of Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged, bringing six of the Live Arcade titles to Luddite gamers around the world.
A somewhat odd and eclectic selection of games is included, almost all of which have already been reviewed. Rather than rundown each title and create a full review I will simply link to the review if applicable, and give some of my thoughts on the game.
The six full version games included are: Wik: Fable of Souls, Texas Hold 'em, Outpost Kaloki X, Hardwood Backgammon, Bejeweled 2, and the XBLA hit Geometry Wars. A demo of Feeding Frenzy is also included.
Rather than spend the additional time and effort creating a new menu interface for this disc, when you pop it into your console you are taken to your already existing Arcade blade with no flashy graphics announcing the collection. A very large nitpick I have with this collection comes from the fact that it's on a disc, which immediately removes a lot of the spontaneous gaming that the XBLA usually offers. Understandably, the arcade games are not copied to the hard drive which also means you'll have to deal with the sound of a spinning disc while playing the titles. Another large issue that I had is that seeing as I am connected to Live and own some of these titles already; the game is duplicated in the list of titles.
Without further delay, let's move on to the games.
Hardwood Backgammon – Having never played backgammon in my life, hopping into a game initially was a mistake and I was beat badly by the computer. Thankfully an easy to use tutorial is included in this title, and soon after I was beating down opponents with regularity. Not the prettiest game on the collection by any means, but it does offer a nice glimpse into the possibilities for board games in the future. Read Mike Flacy's review here.
Wik: Fable of Souls – I was glad to see this title on the collection, as I found it quite enjoyable when I reviewed it months ago. Featuring some good graphics that are reminiscent of the Oddworld games, and featuring unique gameplay this title unfortunately seemed to be overlooked by many. Read my earlier review here.
Texas Hold 'em – A title that was offered as a free download for the first 48 hours after it was posted to Live, poker has taken the XBLA by storm. Featuring a very simple interface and a decent single player game to compliment the multiplayer modes, this was the best deal on Live for two days. However, seeing as this is included on a disc for people who probably don't have their console connected to the internet, the single player modes will tire very quickly. Read Mike's review here.
Outpost Kaloki X – This is another title I was pleased to see included on the list as it does bring a very unique game to players. The title features multiple modes of play with a story mode, war mode and some additional scenarios that can be played for a quicker fix for those intergalactic lemonade stand entrepreneurs. Check out John Sinnott's in depth review of this undiscovered gem here.
Bejeweled 2 – Almost everyone I've talked to has played at least a variation of this game be it on their PC while waiting for their boss to get out of a meeting, or on a cell phone while waiting for the bus. Featuring multiple modes of play and a constantly changing background of high definition images Bejeweled 2 certainly holds a candle to the other puzzle games available for the arcade. For the few people out there who haven't played it at some point in their lives, but enjoy other puzzlers like Hexic or even Columns this is a great game to have.
Now for arguably the best XBLA arcade title yet, Geometry Wars. This title was originally a small feature of Project Gotham Racing 2, but the developers have updated the game with even more dazzling effects and two version of the game are included in this one package (the same as the one you buy online). Imagine a game of Robotron or Berserk on LSD with some epileptic seizure inducing light effects and a pace that quickens and adapts to your play and you get Geometry Wars. Pilot a ship with one control stick and shoot with the other at the hundreds of onscreen enemies, all while listening to the thumping soundtrack. Excruciatingly frustrating but even more satisfying when you cross the score threshold that's been holding you back, this game is more than worth its weight in bits.
Conclusion:
With six full versioned games for $40, there is definitely some savings to getting these titles all on one disc, if you can get past the quirks of disc loading. For gamers out there who don't have access to the online Marketplace and want to see what all the XBLA hype is about, I highly recommend this collection as almost all titles will keep you busy for some time. But for gamers who've already got one or more of these games thanks to the wonders of the series of tubes that is the internet, this is not worth your hard earned cash as you have the luxury of downloading demos and paying for only the games you want. Highly Recommended to those without high speed internet.
A somewhat odd and eclectic selection of games is included, almost all of which have already been reviewed. Rather than rundown each title and create a full review I will simply link to the review if applicable, and give some of my thoughts on the game.
The six full version games included are: Wik: Fable of Souls, Texas Hold 'em, Outpost Kaloki X, Hardwood Backgammon, Bejeweled 2, and the XBLA hit Geometry Wars. A demo of Feeding Frenzy is also included.
Rather than spend the additional time and effort creating a new menu interface for this disc, when you pop it into your console you are taken to your already existing Arcade blade with no flashy graphics announcing the collection. A very large nitpick I have with this collection comes from the fact that it's on a disc, which immediately removes a lot of the spontaneous gaming that the XBLA usually offers. Understandably, the arcade games are not copied to the hard drive which also means you'll have to deal with the sound of a spinning disc while playing the titles. Another large issue that I had is that seeing as I am connected to Live and own some of these titles already; the game is duplicated in the list of titles.
Without further delay, let's move on to the games.
Hardwood Backgammon – Having never played backgammon in my life, hopping into a game initially was a mistake and I was beat badly by the computer. Thankfully an easy to use tutorial is included in this title, and soon after I was beating down opponents with regularity. Not the prettiest game on the collection by any means, but it does offer a nice glimpse into the possibilities for board games in the future. Read Mike Flacy's review here.
Wik: Fable of Souls – I was glad to see this title on the collection, as I found it quite enjoyable when I reviewed it months ago. Featuring some good graphics that are reminiscent of the Oddworld games, and featuring unique gameplay this title unfortunately seemed to be overlooked by many. Read my earlier review here.
Texas Hold 'em – A title that was offered as a free download for the first 48 hours after it was posted to Live, poker has taken the XBLA by storm. Featuring a very simple interface and a decent single player game to compliment the multiplayer modes, this was the best deal on Live for two days. However, seeing as this is included on a disc for people who probably don't have their console connected to the internet, the single player modes will tire very quickly. Read Mike's review here.
Outpost Kaloki X – This is another title I was pleased to see included on the list as it does bring a very unique game to players. The title features multiple modes of play with a story mode, war mode and some additional scenarios that can be played for a quicker fix for those intergalactic lemonade stand entrepreneurs. Check out John Sinnott's in depth review of this undiscovered gem here.
Bejeweled 2 – Almost everyone I've talked to has played at least a variation of this game be it on their PC while waiting for their boss to get out of a meeting, or on a cell phone while waiting for the bus. Featuring multiple modes of play and a constantly changing background of high definition images Bejeweled 2 certainly holds a candle to the other puzzle games available for the arcade. For the few people out there who haven't played it at some point in their lives, but enjoy other puzzlers like Hexic or even Columns this is a great game to have.
Now for arguably the best XBLA arcade title yet, Geometry Wars. This title was originally a small feature of Project Gotham Racing 2, but the developers have updated the game with even more dazzling effects and two version of the game are included in this one package (the same as the one you buy online). Imagine a game of Robotron or Berserk on LSD with some epileptic seizure inducing light effects and a pace that quickens and adapts to your play and you get Geometry Wars. Pilot a ship with one control stick and shoot with the other at the hundreds of onscreen enemies, all while listening to the thumping soundtrack. Excruciatingly frustrating but even more satisfying when you cross the score threshold that's been holding you back, this game is more than worth its weight in bits.
Conclusion:
With six full versioned games for $40, there is definitely some savings to getting these titles all on one disc, if you can get past the quirks of disc loading. For gamers out there who don't have access to the online Marketplace and want to see what all the XBLA hype is about, I highly recommend this collection as almost all titles will keep you busy for some time. But for gamers who've already got one or more of these games thanks to the wonders of the series of tubes that is the internet, this is not worth your hard earned cash as you have the luxury of downloading demos and paying for only the games you want. Highly Recommended to those without high speed internet.