All posts in Xbox Live Arcade

Review: Awesomenauts

The MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) genre is a tough nut to crack, especially when the title attempting to do so has particularly interesting ambitions. Developer Ronimo Games, responsible for the brilliant Swords and Soldiers, approaches Awesomenauts, a DOTA-like brawler in a similar fashion – taking conventions that would ordinarily seem confusing or inaccessible to players unfamiliar with the genre and fusing them successfully with the styling of a 2-D side-scroller.

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Review: Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown

Virtua Fighter 5 first made the scene on the PlayStation 3 over five years ago, to varied critical reception. It’s forever lived in the shadow of the alternate Xbox 360 release with robust online features and accessibility for fans who want to take their fighting skills to the global stage, whereas the PlayStation 3 suffered, having no outlet for gamers to do so. Now, PSN and XBLA Virtua Fighter enthusiasts have a new and improved entry into the series to give them the challenge they crave in complete digital form: Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown. Final Showdown packs online and offline multiplayer as well as the classic fighting action of the fifth entry into the series. How does this new iteration stack up?

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Review: Rhythm Party

Konami’s string of dance party antics since their switch to more Kinect-friendly booty-shaking continues with Rhythm Party, an Xbox Live Arcade title that feels very much like a simpler version of Dance Masters, but without all that made Dance Masters great. In fact, one might even go so far as to say Rhythm Party is a spiritual sequel to the ParaPara-lite we were treated to with the NAOKI-fueled Dance Masters, but with a lot less directions.

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Review: Sine Mora

Sine Mora, roughly translated from Latin, means “without delay.” It’s a stark warning as to what you’re getting into, with this frenetic shoot-’em-up brought to us via Grasshopper Manufacture. It’s quite a departure from the developer’s typically raunchy style — Killer7, Flower, Sun, and Rain, and No More Heroes to name a few.

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Review: Scarygirl

Scarygirl’s titular heroine isn’t the least bit terrifying. Her game, however, is set against an unsettling backdrop, unnerving soundtrack, and laced with bizarre, twisted imagery. It’s also a creepy treat with a fresh take on the familiar, sprinkled with mainstay platforming mechanics that allow players to jump in nearly instantaneously and feel right at home, despite the unwelcoming nature of Scarygirl’s universe. Nathan Jurevicius’s horrific creation might tickle your fancy for the quirky platformer yet.

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