XBLA: October's XBLA Picks: 'Rain-Slick Booty'
[Continuing the previous month round-ups at GamerBytes, we take a look back at the previous month and decide on the top games that were released during the period. And there's plenty of neat stuff for Xbox Live Arcade during October - let's check it out.]
October was strong for the Xbox Live Arcade, you can't really go wrong with any of these games. Capcom brought the goods with Mega Man 9 and Age Of Booty, while Valve's masterpiece Portal made its way for those that missed out on The Orange Box. Best to get all of them, frankly.
Here's October's top XBLA titles:
Mega Man 9 (800 Microsoft Points)
The original 2-D classic Mega Man returns in Mega Man 9 for Xbox LIVE® Arcade! This latest Mega Man title brings the series back to its old-school roots with retro action platforming gameplay and classic 8-bit graphics and sound. Relive the Mega Man experience with classically inspired bosses, each with their own unique weapons and weaknesses.Set after the events of Mega Man 8, multiple riots have sprung up all over the world. While many people suspect that this is another plot from Dr. Wily, Dr. Light is stunned to recognize that some of the robots rioting on the TV screen are his own creations. Even more stunning, Dr. Wily appears on television to proclaim that Dr. Light is the evil mastermind behind these latest catastrophic incidents and it's up to Mega Man to clear his creator's name!
"MM9 is an unapologetic nod to one of gaming's greatest eras. It might've been made especially for nostalgia-crazed dorks like me, but it's something that any challenge-seeking gamer can dig."
"Mega Man 9 is exactly what hardcore gamers were hoping it would be, as Capcom has come out of the gate with a game that's full of nostalgia and fan-service, but also one that truly does rival the best in the franchise's 8-bit roots."
Click here for the Xbox.com splash page.
Click here for screenshots of Mega Man 9.
Age of Booty (800 Microsoft Points)
Fight for fortune and infamy in Age of Booty, Certain Affinity and Capcom's game of pirate strategy and cannon-blasting action that's fun for all ages. Sail the high seas alone or with friends as you build your pirate empire by plundering villages, sinking ships, and sending your enemies to the briny deep!* Acclaimed developer: Age of Booty was developed in collaboration with Max Hoberman, designer of the multiplayer game for Halo 2 and Halo 3.
* Deep strategy: With 25 multiplayer maps and a fully-featured map editor, Age of Booty features easy-to-play game mechanics with deep multiplayer strategy.
* Multiplayer gameplay: Jump into pirate fun with up to four players on one console, and up to eight players over System Link or Xbox LIVE®. You can also play the free trial version online!
Dale Nardozzi at Team Xbox writes:
"Age of Booty not only looks good, but it plays solidly enough to back up its aesthetic worth. If you’d like to first get your feet wet before diving into the raging sea that is the RTS genre, Age of Booty is the right vessel for the job."
Jeff Gerstmann at Giant Bomb writes:
"It's easy to hear the words "console" and "real-time strategy" in the same sentence and immediately determine that Age of Booty is not for you. But the game really feels like it was built with the constraints of the average gamepad in mind while simultaneously not feeling dumbed-down or stripped."
Click here for the Xbox.com Splash Page
Click here for some screenshots of the game.
Portal: Still Alive (1,200 Microsoft Points)
Portal™: Still Alive features the full award-winning Portal single player game from Valve, plus a new challenge mode. Designed to change the way you approach, manipulate, and surmise the possibilities in any given environment, Portal has earned over 70 industry honors for its innovative gameplay, with more than 30 "Game of the Year" awards.Break the laws of physics using "portal" technology to solve puzzles and survive in this darkly comic story weaving adventure with brain-bending puzzles.
* Innovative gameplay: Experience the first first-person puzzle-action-adventure game with hours of single player gaming.
* Extras: The game includes fourteen brand new bonus puzzles to challenge even the most skilled test subjects. And, get a glimpse into the making of Portal: Still Alive with commentary from the developers.
Tom Price at Team Xbox writes:
"I can’t imagine the emptiness your life has been up to this point without having experienced the joys of the Companion Cube or the awesome song over the end credits. Portal: Still Alive is your chance to set your life right."
Ryan Geddes at IGN.com writes:
"Part of what makes the main Portal experience so successful is that the game draws you in quickly, subtly creates a believable world with every new room and then begins to slowly draw back the curtain. Much like a fine malt liquor, Portal sneaks up on you."
Click here for the official Xbox.com splash page
Click here for the official NeoGAF forum topic.
Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode 2 (1,200 Microsoft Points)
"The madcap Penny Arcade experience continues in Episode Two of the RPG-adventure game series Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness! Jump right in with a fresh character and new customization options or carry over your look and stats from Episode One. Plus, there are more puzzles, areas to explore, levels to gain, and new difficulty settings to make the journey more insane than ever before."Rejoin Gabe and Tycho to go crazy with a whole new episode, moving ever closer to solve the mystery in the heart of New Arcadia. Your hoe awaits!"
Torrey Walker at 1UP.com writes:
"But with a few refinements and over seven hours of new gameplay (far more if you choose to tackle the game's unlockable and aptly named Insane Mode difficulty), its $5 price drop from the original won't leave you feeling like an orange on the business end of...well...an old friend."
Hilary Goldstein at IGN.com writes:
"If you want something to pass six hours of your time and give you a few chuckles, then Penny Arcade: Yadda Yadda -- Episode Two is certainly worth 1200 Microsoft Points ($15)."
