French achievement website Succesfull and MyGamerCard have added a new Xbox Live Arcade title that seems to have completely gone under everyone's radar - it seems that a game called Shadow Assault / Tenchu is going to be released for the service.

Now Tenchu has been a long running franchise from FROM Software, still kicking around since the PlayStation days, with Tenchu Z on the Xbox 360 and Tenchu 4 coming to the Wii sometime this year. So what exactly is Shadow Assault?

From the sounds of it it's not just a port of a classic Tenchu. Instead there are several missions - at least 28 of them, which can require you to run around unseen by anyone. There is also battle achievements for racking up a high combo meter.

With the achievements out its now just a matter of time until the game itself is unveiled then.

In other news, they also released the achievements for the ever elusive Beat 'n Groovy game by Konami, which you can check out here. Two games that haven't been unveiled, yet their achievements are out. Looks like we're back to the regularly scheduled program.

Source: Sucessfull.FR, MyGamerCard

The Australian classification website has updated, with a selection of brand new ratings that show Sierra is still somewhat alive - The Incredible Machine and a sequel to 3D Ultra Mini Golf are coming to what we can assume are Xbox Live Arcade and possibly the PlayStation Network.

The Incredible Machine for Xbox Live Arcade had been revealed a long time ago - in fact, it was announced back in June 2006 during Vivendi Game's investor presentation along with Mega Force (which we also haven't heard from) and Red Baron Arcade (which now seems to be PSN exclusive). Since then we've not heard a peep about the game, until now.

While not particularly considered a good game by many reviewers 3D Ultra Mini Golf ended up being a star of the Xbox Live Arcade, being the 6th best selling title of 2007, and the best selling Sierra title on the platform (Ed. note: should have been Switchball). It's no wonder that Sierra green lit a sequel, but it seems a bit odd considering Activision have released their own golf game Golf: Tee It Up for the XBLA as well. Can the two coexist? Could it possibly use Avatar support like Wii Sports? Hopefully something pops up soon.

These entries into the Australian Classification database specifically mention both Sierra Online as well as Activision Blizzard - so these were not set in place by the old Vivendi Games that got its games cut down to size. These games I assume are also being made by Wanako Studios or other internal development studios unlike Terminal Reality, who are creating the Ghostbusters 2009 title.

It's great to know that The Incredible Machine is still on track for something. I can't wait to throw a bowling ball into a cat to smash a fishbowl.

Finally, as a side note, a 3rd entry did pop up in the classification site - Secret Service. This title didn't mention Sierra, but is also a sudden pop up for the classification website. Activision does have a series titled Secret Service - a 2001 "Activision Value" title that got some pretty bad reviews, but that's already been rated. Does Activision intend on bringing the brand back via downloadable title? It's all speculation at this point.

Source: OFLC - The Incredible Machine, 3D Ultra Mini Golf 2, Secret Service

Hey, it's September 1st, that means the SOCOM Beta, which you got into by preordering at a GameStop in America, right? Wrong!

The public Beta has been delayed - but only slightly. It will now start on Friday the 5th of September if all goes to plan, and finish on the 5th of October. Those who got into the Beta by buying the Qore episode will still get in on the 12th of September.

Source: PS3Fanboy - SOCOM public beta slightly delayed

Blackfoot Studios have announced that they will be releasing a new Tactical Shooter for the PlayStation Network titled Sky Gods.

Sky Gods is set up a little differently to other shooters - from what it looks like it's a training simulator of sorts - complete with battle and free fall gameplay.

“Sky Gods will focus on a complete Co-Op game experience centering on SOF HALO and Helicopter insertion operations. You will be in full control of your player during HALO freefall as well as while under canopy and will be required to properly steer yourself to a landing zone and land without killing yourself.

While on the ground, you and your team mates will engage various targets and be presented with missions of ever expanding scope and complexity. A full training system will also be included to familiarize you with both the parachuting and ground movement/firing mechanics.”

The game hopes to feature the following:

• 8 Coop missions playable with 1-8 people • At least 4 MP specific maps along with some Coop maps available to MP games • TvT and PvP MP game modes • Terrorist Hunt style game mode • At least 2 unique MP game types • Customizable weapons and kit • Customizable player • Full training scenarios playable solo or Coop

Currently there are a few preview images in their latest newsletter, which also tells the story on how this downloadable game came about.

Source: The Gamer's Voice - Sky Gods Announced For PC & PlayStation Network

The next episode of Penny Arcade Adventures has been announced at this years PAX expo - this time it's going to come to the Xbox Live Arcade as well as the PlayStation Network.

• The madcap Penny Arcade experience continues. Meet all-new characters and see newly revealed strip favorites from Mike Krahulik, while reading laugh-outloud dialogue from Jerry Holkins.

• Go crazy with a whole new level of customization. Even more options for you to design and develop your own character, seeing it come to life in 3D and in the comic-style 2D cut scenes.

• Play it safe or go insane! New difficulty settings put you in charge of the action.

• A deeper RPG-Adventure experience. Get into the game with more puzzles, areas to explore and levels to gain.

You can check out a ton of new screenshots here. Currently they've settled at "under $20" for a price - possibly meaning the game will again be 1600 Microsoft Points or $19.99 on other systems, which could mean that when it's all done and dusted, Penny Arcade episodes will end up costing a pretty penny.

Along with this announcement was the official status of Penny Arcade Episode 1 on the PlayStation Network. It's coming, will have trophy support, and should be out before the second episode hits. You can read more about it here.

Oh sure, this is the PSP version of the game, but all in all it'll probably be very similar to each other. The new Pipe Mania, which will hit Xbox Live Arcade sometime after the PSP, DS, PSP and PC releases, looks to expand on the formula a little bit and bring in some quite cool themes to the game.

You'll be building pipelines for Sewage in classic Pipe Dream style, but you can also use several different themes that fit the game style - like a Toy Train Set, a factory conveyor belt with little toy ducks on it, the internet (insert "series of tubes joke here") and more. Looks like a great revival of the classic Windows game.

Today's WiiWare update brings an interesting piece of software to your Wii system - My Aquarium from Hudsonsoft.

With swaying aquatic plants and fish idly swimming about, My Aquarium is a relaxing Wii experience that allows you to enjoy a virtual aquarium in your spare time. Whether freshwater or saltwater, you can select from over 40 popular types of fish, including favorites like the Ocellaris clownfish, the freshwater angelfish and the Asian arowana.

You can also create up to six different aquariums and personalize them by adding decorations like seaweed and driftwood. In My Aquarium, you can send aquariums to your registered Wii Friends. The aquariums can even be set with special dates, such as a friend's birthday, that the fish will commemorate with a dance. Feed your fish and watch them steadily grow from fry to adult.

Then, after meeting certain conditions, you can breed them. Another feature will allow you to interact with your fish using your Wii Remote™ controller in fun ways, like "tapping" the glass of your aquarium.

My Aquarium is only 500 Wii Points, so if you're on the edge of getting it, it's a much easier choice. Check out the video above for a better understanding on what this program is.

Also released this week is Clu Clu Land for the NES for 500 Wii Points, and Super Mario RPG for the SNES for 800 Wii Points.

Plenty of previews popped up on the weekend for Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network and WiiWare titles, so I've lumped them together in a single post. It appears that all systems are going to get some great games in late '08 / early '09.

The Maw (Xbox 360)

IGN - PAX 2008: The Maw Hands-On

GameSpot - PAX 2008: The Maw Hands-On

Kotaku - The Maw Impressions

Penny Arcade Adventures: Episode 2 (XBLA, PSN)

GameSpot - Ricardo Torres Previews PAA

IGN - PAX 2008: Penny Arcade: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness - Episode Two Hands-On

Rag Doll Kung Fu: Fists Of Plastic (PSN)

GameSpot - PAX 2008: Rag Doll Kung Fu: Fists of Plastic First Hands-On

Shred Nebula (XBLA)

1UP - Shred Nebula Preview

Bomberman Blast (WiiWare)

GameSpot - PAX 2008: Bomberman Blast Hands-On

Alien Crush Returns (WiiWare)

IGN - PAX 2008: Alien Crush Returns Hands-on

Savage Moon (PSN)

GameSpot - PAX 2008: Savage Moon Hands-On

Crash Commando (PSN)

GameSpot - PAX 2008: Crash Commando Hands-On

Defense Grid: The Awakening (XBLA)

IGN - PAX 2008: Defense Grid: The Awakening First Look

While the official press release from Microsoft hasn't been released yet (it's a holiday in North America today), we already know what's coming out this week - Shred Nebula and Pirates Vs. Ninjas Dodgeball.

Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball transforms the innocent childhood game of dodgeball into a vindictive, heart-thumping battle between outlandish groups of characters including ninjas, pirates, zombies, and robots! Use a red rubber ball to tag opponents out of the game, and utilize a variety of weapons, including ninja and pirate swords, to harm enemies along the way. Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball features different arenas with unique gameplay challenges, from sandy beaches and snow capped forests to a spooky graveyard.

* Presentation: The game was eveloped using Infyrno™, Blazing Lizard's next-gen proprietary game engine. The colorful art style, theme, and gameplay are suited for all age groups.
* Multiplayer: Multiplayer games include four players locally or eight players online via Xbox LIVE®, and four-player co-op modes.
* Teams: There are four teams of characters to choose from (Pirates, Ninjas, Zombies, and Robots).
* Battlegrounds: The large, incredibly detailed arenas allow for teams to roam freely instead of being restricted to sides of a court.
* Combat action: Characters are equipped with combat moves and unique special abilities help make Blazing Lizard's rendition of Dodgeball a fun action-packed experience.

Check out the official Xbox.com page here.

Check out screenshots for the game here.

Check out the official NeoGAF forum topic here.

Shred Nebula combines the best elements of arcade space-shooter action with free-roaming exploration and multiplayer excitement. Pilot the experimental R.I.P. Rocket through the galaxy in search of the Lost Expeditions … no ship has ever returned from the vastness of interstellar space!

This top-down, fast-paced ship-combat game features three loaded modes of play—Adventure, Score Attack, and Multiplayer. Play co-op with your friends, or go head-to-head in a deathmatch dogfight. No one knows what lies in the center of the galaxy. Will you be the first to discover the secrets of the gravitational region known as The Shred and make it home alive?

* Special effects: The revolutionary ship physics, cutting edge controls, and fresh gameplay help re-define Arcade space combat. The awesome special effects and spectacular space environments utilize 3-D to create infinite depth and a colorful look unrivaled in any space game to date.
* Game modes: There are three different intense modes of play for all styles, such as Adventure, Score Attack, and Multiplayer Space Death Match. Get ready for insane multiplayer action for up to eight players on Xbox LIVE and system link or take a friend online via split screen guest account!
* Space combat: The deep multiplayer space combat system, with weapon vs. weapon counters, defensive maneuvers, amazing special attacks, and more features have never before been seen in this genre.
* Heroic ship: Play as the R.I.P. Rocket vs. tons of unique enemies or become the enemy in multiplayer selecting from eight ships all with totally different abilities. Battle to conquer all foes and become the top dog of the leaderboards!

Check out the official Xbox.com splash page here.

Check out some screenshots of Shred Nebula here.

Check out the official NeoGAF forum topic here.

[Every week, GamerBytes.com editor Ryan Langley. will be summing up the most interesting news tidbits from the past 7 days, including brand new game announcements and scoops through the world of Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network and WiiWare.]

This week was the big ol' Penny Arcade Expo down in Washington, allowing some games to finally make their debut online - including Penny Arcade Adventures 2, Savage Moon and The Maw.

Plenty of new announcements for Xbox Live Arcade as well - like The Incredible Machine, 3D Ultra Mini Golf Adventures 2, Meteos Wars and most importantly the unveiling of Death Tank!

Remember - My Aquarium for WiiWare is now out, Shred Nebula and Pirates Vs. Ninjas Dodgeball are out this week on XBLA, and The Last Guy popped up everywhere on the PSN as well. Too much to play, I say. I'm having trouble finding the time to play Castle Crashers as it is.

Overall

PAX Coverage - The Wrap-up
The Penny Arcade Expo was on over the weekend, and there was too much stuff to split it all up, so I've culminated all the news stories and previews throughout that event. This includes previews of XBLA - The Maw, Defense Grid, Penny Arcade Adventures 2, and Shred Nebula. PSN - Rag Doll Kung Fu, Crash Commando, Savage Moon. WiiWare - Bomberman Blast, Alien Crush Returns.

Xbox Live Arcade

Shred Nebula and Pirates Vs. Ninjas Dodgeball Are Your Games Of The Week!
This weeks XBLA releases are Shred Nebula - a space shooter in the vein of Subspace-meets-Asteroids, and Pirates Vs. Ninjas Dodgeball - the ultimate decider of the internet meme.

Duke Nukem 3D Interview, Preview, Trailers, Screenshots
Duke Nukem 3D on XBLA has been officially unveiled - Team Xbox and Shacknews have a look over how its all going to work, the 8 player death match and Cooperative play, the weird rewind ability and more.

Death Tank For XBLA Revealed!
Yay yay yay! Death Tank has finally been unveiled for Xbox Live Arcade, and I cannot be happier. Seriously, one of the contenders for best game of the forever. Make me proud, Snowblind Studios!

Meteos Wars Announced For Xbox Live Arcade
Q? Entertainment have announced that they're bringing the Nintendo DS puzzler Meteos to the XBLA. Is Gunpey next?

Sierra Lives! The Incredible Machine And 3D Ultra Mini Golf 2 On Their Way
The Australian classification website has revealed that Activision Blizzard seems to be keeping Sierra alive, with the new additions of The Incredible Machine and 3D Ultra Mini Golf 2 into the fold.

PlayStation Network

PSN Store Update - The Last Guy Now Available, New Warhawk Expansion, and Jungle Party!
Bizarro Zombie avoiding simulator The Last Guy has now been released for PlayStation Network - along with the brand new expansion for Warhawk, and Europe also gets Buzz: Jungle Party. It's a jam packed week for PlayStation 3 owners.

Sierra Online Announce Red Baron Arcade For PSN
Previously announced for Xbox Live Arcade, Sierra has come back from near death to announce that they're bringing Red Baron Arcade to the PlayStation Network exclusively on September 18th.

WiiWare

My Aquarium Now Available For WiiWare, as well as Super Mario RPG!
Hudson's Aquarium simulator has now been released in North America for 500 Wii Points. With something incredibly casual comes something incredibly hardcore - Super Mario RPG has been released for Virtual Console!

EU WiiWare Update - MaBoShi and Critter Round-Up
In Europe this week they got two new WiiWare titles - Critter Round-Up From Konami, which has been in America for some time, but also MaBoShi: The Three Shapes, a new puzzle game from a long lost company going back to its roots.

Wired Preview Alien Crush Returns, Space Invaders: Get Even
Alien Crush Returns and Space Invaders: Get Even have just been released on the Japanese WiiWare. Chris Kohler gives them both a go and lets you know why you should be looking forward to them.

Today's Darwinia+ - Multiwinia update brings us a video of the new Rocket Riot multiplayer mode. In this mode, you have to build a rocket, obtain power panels for it, and lift off before everyone else.

Not content with releasing 2 new titles this week, Microsoft will be releasing a 3rd title - Sierra's Gin Rummy!

Then pick up some cards and show your friends what you've got with Gin Rummy. Carefully plan your sets and runs as the cards are dealt your way.

There are six versions of Rummy in the game including Classic Gin Rummy, Speed Gin Rummy, Oklahoma Gin, Hollywood Gin, Three-Hand Gin.

When you decide you want to take it online, sign on and compete in 4 player matches.

It will be available worldwide, and will be 400 Microsoft Points.

Along with this is some Poker Smash downloadable content. For 100 Points you can buy 2 new environment skins with two new songs. I need to go back and play Poker Smash sometime...

Chris Kohler over at Game|Life has released the latest episode of his show. This week's topic is WiiWare - as he looks at Strong Bad's Cool Game For Attractive People, Helix and from Japan's WiiWare we get new impressions of Space Invaders: Get Even and Alien Crush Returns.

And just to add more WiiWare goodness, Chris has had a chance to look at Japan's WiiWare release this week - Gradius Rebirth. Check out that preview here.

Source: Game|Life the Video 26: WiiWare Buyer's Guide

Top Arcade Titles (Full Versions purchased)
1 Castle Crashers
2 Braid
3 Fable II Pub Games
4 Galaga Legions
5 BC:Rearmed
6 Geometry Wars Evolved²
7 UNO
8 DOOM
9 Alien Hominid HD
10 1942: Joint Strike

Castle Crashers has started off with a fantastic start - blasting through the list and becoming the top Xbox Live Arcade title this week. It even broke into the "most played" list - making it to 7th on overall Xbox 360 titles. Surprisingly it appears that Alien Hominid HD got a bit of a boost as well this week, making it back into the top 10.

Galaga Legions seems to have fallen slightly, as well as Bionic Commando Rearmed, while Braid and Fable II remain at the top once again.

Shred Nebula

Developer: CrunchTime Games Inc.
Publisher: CrunchTime Games Inc.
Genre: Shooter
Price: 800 Microsoft Points
Availability: Everywhere

Check out the official Xbox.com splash page here.

Check out some screenshots of Shred Nebula here.

Check out the official NeoGAF forum topic here.

Pirates vs Ninjas Dodgeball™

Developer: Blazing Lizard
Publisher: Gamecock
Genre: Action
Price: 800 Microsoft Points
Availability: Everywhere

Check out the official Xbox.com page here.

Check out screenshots for the game here.

Check out the official NeoGAF forum topic here.

Gin Rummy

Developer: Sierra Shang-Hai
Publisher: Sierra Online
Genre: Card & Board Games
Price: 400 Microsoft Points
Availability: Everywhere

Can't get enough of today's XBLA update? Well if you're into Golf, and it seems that a lot of you are, Golf: Tee It Up Now has a brand new course - Desert Course is now available. It's roughly 50Mb in size and will cost you 320 Microsoft Points.

In this week's Famitsu Magazine in Japan, they've got this little article, which we've added above, citing that Lumines will be coming to the PSN. It will be titled Lumines Super Nova and will include a new mode titled "Dig Down", where you have a preset amount of blocks which you must clear.

Source: Famitsu, thank you reminder and duckroll on NeoGAF.

Nick Suttner and Shawn Elliott were able to chat with Programmer Jonathon Blow and Artist David Hellman about their Xbox Live Arcade title Braid. They discuss the indie scene, the story of Braid (somewhat) and also chat with Sims Director Rod Humble about his own independent 'art' projects.

09/01/2008 | 1UP FM - Podcast

An epic Labor Day Special -- Nick Suttner and Shawn Elliott sit down for a Braid Afterthoughts with creators Jonathan Blow and David Hellman, with special guest Rod Humble, executive producer of the Sims franchise, in the fifth chair.

Download the podcast here or join the RSS feed.

Gametrailers have added some new in-game footage of the Tower Defense game Savage Moon to their website. It's nice to see how they're dealing with the genre on a controller while not going into being a character like PixelJunk Monsters does. The camera mode looks cool too, though it doesn't look like you can control them. That would have been a great way to get around those "Oh my turrets just missed them!" moments.

Gametrailers - Savage Moon - Pax 2008: Debut Gameplay (Cam) HD

The official list of games that will be available at the Tokyo Game Show has been released, with a nice surprise - King Of Fighters '98 - Ultimate Match is coming to the Xbox Live Arcade.

The Ultimate Match suffix has been used previously from the recentiy released PS2 version of the game, which added several new characters to the classic '98 game.

Look towards Tokyo Game Show on October the 9th.

Source: Siliconera - The King of Fighters ‘98 Ultimate Match is coming to XBLA

Are you a budding designer? Got a bunch of friends who want to make a game together? Well Crunchtime games have got something to help you with the essentials - they've released their design documents for Shred Nebula on the Xbox Live Arcade.

Doing a Pitch for a new game idea never gets any easier. It does not matter how much experience you have or if it is your first game idea, selling a concept to others is tough! A major challenge for students and aspiring game developers is finding legitimate reference on how this process works by seeing real design docs from released games. The Game Industry is loaded with NDA's and other secretive philosophies that make it tough for us as an industry to A) Help the future designers/developers have solid reference to learn from and B) Strengthen the trade of "planning/game design" and progress it as a technical art form through sharing and innovation.

I personally have created many detailed design documents and high-end pitches for the games I have worked on over the last 17 years as a Lead Designer, Director and Character Gameplay Programmer - all of which are stuck under NDA blanket and therefore hidden away from those who could greatly benefit from the experience.

There are two documents that have been released - The pitch document,which is officially what allowed Microsoft to give the game the green light, and the "60 seconds of gameplay" document - the equivalent of a storyboard for the game, describing the feelings and actions the player will take in a short amount of time.

Download them all below. Definitely give them a look over - XBLA, PSN and WiiWare alike will benefit from them.

Source: Shred Nebula - Design Documents

Todays PEGI update brings something I don't think anyone was expecting to the table -
Le Tour de France 2008 The Official Game appears to be coming to the Xbox Live Arcade.

From what I can tell, based on the URL left on the site, this game is a variation of the PC title Pro Cycling Manager 2008. The games objective is to take control of a team of racers on the Tour De France as their manager - including recruiting and training new riders, balancing the budget and scheduling races.

It's got a small following on the PC - it's had several versions since 2005 so it's been able to continue a legacy of sorts. It's clearly more for Europeans who follow the Tour De France constantly, much like your Football Managers and such. Looking at the PC version it's pushing a pretty good looking engine along with it.

We should know more soon. Will an American audience actually warm up to such a game? I wouldn't bet on it, but you never know - they are releasing NFL Head Coach to retail.

Source: PEGI - Tour De France 2008

As mentioned last week, Strawdog Studios have announced Bounce for Xbox Live Arcade. But what exactly IS Bounce?

Today IGN has a reflection on an Xbox Live Arcade about their previous title Geon: Emotions, which came out roughly a year ago today. It discusses their journey from being Cuball, to Ora to Geon. It's an interesting read to see how they'll go with the upcoming PSN version as well.

At the end of it they've also added the first video of Bounce - a bizarre animal-on-jelly variation of Arkanoid or Kirby Block Ball. Looks very interesting. Can't wait to give it a try.

Source: IGN - From Cuball to Geon and Beyond

It appears I missed this story last month - Shin'en, the people behind the beautiful DS shooters of Nanostray and its sequel, have announced Fun! Fun! Minigolf For WiiWare.

WiiWare World have got the first exclusive shots of the game, and it's looking incredibly good. The game will have 27 holes, 3 courses of America, Europe and Asia with 9 holes each.

It doesn't have Mii support, which seems to be an odd thing to not have, but still has some incredibly crisp graphics. Could be great fun.

Source: WiiWare World: Fun! Fun! Minigolf - Screenshots and Info

The German USK rating board has updated with a new a new addition on the PSN front - Brain Challenge from GameLoft. Originally released for the Xbox Live Arcade back in March, it looks like it will be making its way over to the PlayStation Network.

Along with this update, the Australian OFLC website last week updated with the addition of Brain Challenge for its console - being an update of the classification of the Microsoft one, but it now says it's for Wii. I didn't mention it because it could easily be a retail title, but from the looks of it it may be the next game to cross all three platforms.

Source: USK - Brain Challenge PSN

In today's PSN update, the US gets a strange addition to the platform - NFL Head Coach '09. NFL Head Coach is the NFL Manager game for PS3 and Xbox 360, which they appear to be trying to push onto everyone imaginable - including adding it into the special edition version of Madden '09. Now you can buy it separately yourself on the PlayStation Network - for 'only' $49.99.

It's a nice idea - it certainly continues the idea that retail might slowly die and everything will become downloadable, but it would have been nice to start with something more interesting - Dead Space, for example?

It's an interesting tactic from EA considering they've practically ignored downloadable games for the longest of time - only making Wing Commander Arena on XBLA. Who knows where they'll go next?

As for Europe, you can now buy the 3 pack of Warhawk expansions for €11,99, or £7.99.

Metanet Software have announced that the second expansion pack for N+ has been announced for release next week, and will have more levels than the last.

This expansion pack contains 225 new levels -- 150 "harder" singleplayer levels, while the first level pack contained easier levels, 50 new race levels, and 25 survival levels - all for 200 Microsoft Points - less than one point for level.

With this announcement they will also be starting a new contest to celebrate - check it out here.

Isopod Labs have updated their website with a bit of bad news - It's been slightly delayed. There were a few issues with Microsoft's new QNet Library - which allows better ways to deal with lag.

However what they've also released a new in game screenshot showing off Live Camera support. It appears to use the vision camera all through the match, showing their faces above their player - like a realtime version of that Mario Kart Arcade game or Gunmen Wars. Anyone remember that?

Source: V8Arcade.com - Dev Update #5

D-Pad Studios have announced a new XNA title for Xbox community games - Project: Owlboy.

The game, tentively called Owlboy, is about Otus who is under training by his mentor Asio. With his wing cape, you can explore the flying islands and the people that inhabit them. Otus can't talk, so he can only commuticate with his emotions. The game will feature freeroaming areas as well as several dungeons.

The main focus in the game is on the ability to fly and using it to progress. You'll be able to carry and use objects as you fly and most of the time, you'll bring with you a gunner. The gunners are people that agree to help you and will all provide different forms of firepower. To get new gunners, you'll have to use your expressions and talents to win them over. The better the gunner, the trickyer he\she\it is to win over.

It's got a very nice 16-bit 2D game style to it. It's certainly a style I can support. Go to their website and check out their other screenshots. It should be out sometime in '09.

Source: D-Pad Studios - Introducing Owlboy