Ever looked at a tricked-out automotive deathtrap then back at a zombie, and think “I want to run over that thing?” Apparently someone did. And so we have Blood Drive, an ingenious combination of vehicular combat and zombie slaying, and I’m actually quite surprised in the wake of the recent surge in popularity of the shambling undead that this hadn’t been done to this scale before now. Then again, considering the low-quality, rampant stereotypes, and mediocrity this game exudes, perhaps maybe I shouldn’t be too surprised. Sidhe Interactive, responsible for the considerably more competent downloadable offering Shatter, just couldn’t quite make the grade here. And for a game which such a promising premise as “run over zombies,” that’s kind of sad.
All posts in Xbox 360
Impressions: Blood Drive
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Review: Comic Jumper
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When I first caught wind of Twisted Pixel’s latest project Comic Jumper, I was mildly excited. It seemed new and interesting enough. The Maw was appropriately adorable and ‘Splosion Man had a good vibe to it, but ultimately was not for me. But because I thought the Twisted Pixel crew had a decent booth set up at PAX East earlier this year, I thought I’d see what all the fuss was about.
Review: Hydrophobia
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Hydrophobia seemed as though it would be something new and refreshing for the Xbox Live Arcade selection that has seemed to stagnate over the past few months. Even the game’s title, referring to the irrational fear of water, was puzzling to me. Elements of psychological and survival horror called out to me and sang a chilling tune as I made my way deeper into its world. And as I attempted to infiltrate the massive Queen of the World ship in order to get to the bottom of a bizarre terrorist attack, I slowly began to realize that the combination of mediocre voice acting, iffy controls, and frustrating mechanics were hampering the experience too much to keep it fresh. With a heavy heart, I sat down to pen this review, lamenting the wasted potential of what could have been a much more engaging adventure.
Review: Quantum Theory
Gears of War may not be perfect, but darn if I don’t love it. There’s something undeniably entertaining about intense chainsaw duels and pumping aliens full of lead. I wouldn’t touch its multiplayer with a ten foot pole, but the campaign and its co-op play keep me entranced. With that mindset, I assumed I would absolutely love Tecmo’s Quantum Theory, a me-too third-person shooter with most — if not all — of its gameplay mechanics ripped straight from the Xbox 360 powerhouse. Let’s just say that I was wrong.
Review: Sonic 4: Episode 1
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I may not have had a chance to experience the wonders of the Dreamcast during my childhood (I am now!), but I certainly was the proud owner of a Sega Genesis. And of course, I had many a Sonic the Hedgehog release. I never could master them completely, but the characters, the colors, and the pure speed kept me coming back. Mmm, sweet speed. To this day, that’s still my favorite thing about the original series of classic Sonic games. They feel “right.” Sure, sometimes finding the right way to go without jumping into a pit of spikes is infuriating, but so is a one-hit kill as a small Mario.