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Total Reviews: 4
Average Overall Score Given: 6.62500 / 10
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Reviews
Ms. Splosion Man

Twisted Pixel, what have you done? You allowed 'Splosion Man to get captured by evil scientists. The adventure has finally come to an end, or has it? With the scientists well on their way to a victorious celebration it all comes to halting stop when out of nowhere they have an unexpected visitor, and thus starts a brand new chapter in this explosive platformer. Ms.'Splosion Man!

You will notice that starting out on your explosive voyage, the levels start out quite easy as you learn the techniques of this puzzling 2D platformer. Don't be fooled however because each new level is faster and more action packed then the last forcing you to think quickly on the fly. The levels are not boring by any means as you will find that while making your way through each one the pace is set for you right off the get go, 'sploding up walls, gliding along rails and bouncing off of scientists and exploding barrels while wondering what traps await you as you speed through each one.

While not visually appealing, Ms.'Splosion Man comes across as "cute" strutting her stuff as she dances through the levels, her 'splosions reflect her "girl power" attitude causing a cloud of pink smoke and hearts. The sound effects are animated but tie into the cartoonish feel of the game making it a fun experience for anyone the first time they play. The background music is very limited and repetitive making it annoying after you've played through the first few levels, but not to worry you can tweak the sounds in the options menu and turn them down, or completely off altogether. One of the key things to remember in the game, is practice makes perfect and Twisted Pixel makes it a little easier on us as they have included checkpoints throughout each level. There is no doubt that there will be a little trial and error when conquering each one, so thank you Twisted Pixel for sparing our sanity. If after failing a level numerous times, you are given the option to skip it.

This game also has some replay value, as each level is set up with a "goal" time to reach. If you've missed it on your first play through you can always go back and replay the mission. Another added feature is the option to download "ghosts" and this means you can race against some of the top leaders on the leaderboards, chasing their ghostly figure as you race against the clock. Lastly, Ms.'Splosion Man features a multiplayer campaign totally separate from the single player campaign with a different storyline as well, introducing something new to you and a friend.

Whether you've played 'Splosion Man, or you are new to 'sploding, Ms.'Splosion Man is a lot of fun, and when you combine that with all of the other great things you can do it makes it a pretty amazing deal. Priced at just 800 MS points, I would say this game is a definite must have and a great addition to any gamers collection.

Overall Score: 8.0 / 10 Iron Brigade

Double Fine is at it again, this time bringing us an Xbox Live Arcade exclusive! Trenched is a tower defense game that allows you a place on the battlefield as you defend key objectives as well as, protect Frank Woodruff from Vladimir Farnsworth, and his evil signal.

The goal of this game is to find Farnsworth by fighting off waves of increasingly harder enemies as you go through the various levels. If you think you're just going to jump in and start shooting I'd rethink that plan as each level has a strategy. It?s up to you to customize your trench and figure out what works best but if you find things a little tough, you can play the campaign alongside 3 of your friends. If your friends aren't online or didn't purchase this title you have the option to use the multi-player feature to find 3 suitable team mates for you. Keep in mind however, that the more people in the game, the harder the enemies become.

The controls of this game are pretty straight forward, using your triggers for shooting and your sticks to maneuver around objects, all the while not being able to jump, you may find that things can get a little tense. Only after you acquire certain legs for your trench are you able to run by equipping them and holding the "A" button while moving in a certain direction. You are only able to run in a straight line however and you don't always stop running when you release the "A" button which can be a little annoying. You may find or unlock other sets of legs that may benefit you, but jumping isn't one of them. Other than this small quirk the game play mechanics are just "ok".

Customization is a key element in Trenched, from weapons, to upgrades for your trench, and even outfits for your character. There are a few different ways to upgrade your trench and character like completing challenges such as, get so many kills using a certain type of weapon, or by killing so many of a certain type of enemy. In doing so, you will obtain cash which can be spent at the in game store, or you may find rare weapons that can't be bought like the Gungnir, a very large sniper canon and also the most powerful weapon in the game or the "king", a very large and useful artillery canon. Aside from this way to obtain weapons and cash you can also complete story related missions. The above mentioned weapons are just a very small taste of some of the main weapons you can equip but some of the other things you can add to your trench are various forms of offensive, defensive and support turrets.

Your support turrets include a repair crane to fix up your trench, a collection pod to collect the scrap your enemies drop (which you need to build turrets) and then you have a dampening generator which slows your enemies down if you are feeling overwhelmed with the slew of enemies headed your way. Next you have your heavy turrets which include a very useful mortar and a sniper turret among other things, and lastly you have your light turrets, where you will find your flak turrets, machine gun turrets and shotgun turrets. So because of all of the great ways to obtain items and rank up, the replay value of this game is endless (especially if you are a loot junkie like me) bringing you back for more as you try to obtain the best items to turn your trench into an unstoppable mechanical juggernaut.

The graphics are definitely a lot better than expected for an arcade title. While every level takes place outside each one is unique and different from the one previous. The scenery, because of the colors, can get a little boring but the explosions from killing your enemies make up for that, as some of the tougher guys explode causing a volcano of scrap and sometimes items for you to pick up. New enemies are introduced periodically also making your journey interesting, however, you will find they are all somewhat similar by way of their color with the exception of 1 or 2 types.

Overall, if you can get past the limited movement of your trench, the drab color scheme, and the annoying voice over, Trenched is a fun game that can occupy you for hours by collecting loot, leveling up and killing your way to the top. Very rarely do we ever get the chance to kill hundreds of enemies with big ****ing guns but if you are looking for exactly that and you haven't had a chance to try it, it is definitely worth the MS points just for the replay value alone.

Overall Score: 8.0 / 10 Rush’N Attack: Ex-Patriot

Based twenty six years later following the events of Konami's classic title Rush'n Attack, we are back to finish the job and get our team home safely in the xbox live arcade title, Rush'n Attack: Ex Patriot. In the game you play as Sgt. Morrow, an American Special Agent on a secret mission organized by the CIA (we could tell you what it is, but then we'd have to kill you). Fearing that the Russians may have also re-initiated the missile program you are also responsible for re-evaluating and taking care of the possible threat, however, before you set out on this dangerous plight, there are a few things that we need to let you know first. Xbox Addict wants to give you the lowdown on what you can expect as we review Rush'n Attack: Ex Patriot.

The graphics for this xbox live arcade title are about as good as you can expect for a 2D side scroller utilizing Epic's Unreal Engine. The layout of each chapter is monotonous but still very detailed right down to the lighting. The outdoor areas and scenery are definitely this games' strong point when it comes to graphics, but expect to get a little bored because there isn't a whole lot of it to see. If you've never experienced deja vu, be prepared, because some of the indoor areas make you feel as though you've been there before.

Moving on to game play, you can expect to find some elements that take you back to the original Rush'n Attack but also there are some new and exciting things introduced as well, like stealth kills and the ability to unlock kill combos. You are rewarded greatly for being stealthy, so sneaking up behind your enemy and snapping his neck, or hanging from a ledge and tossing him off will reward you with more points, but before you run out and spend your Microsoft points you must also be aware that the game is a little unbalanced.

A colossal annoyance with this game would be the checkpoint system. Since checkpoints are few and far between and if you die, your progress throughout the level will be erased forcing you back to the original checkpoint. Jumping can be a little tricky when trying to make your way across a pool filled with toxic sludge, or jumping from platform to platform but hey, practice makes perfect.

Throughout your mission you will encounter armed enemies that you can kill and pick up their weapon to assist you, but bare in mind the weapons are temporary and you will drop them once used up. Some of the weapons we've come across are rocket launchers, assault rifles and flame throwers but that's not all you will find because scattered throughout each chapter are grenades, mobile turrets and maybe an anti-tank mine or two. While all of these things are limited, you can always count on one thing, your primary weapon which is a very large... knife? (Crocodile Dundee would LOVE this game).

The audio experience while playing this game can only be described as repetitive and boring. There is very little to hear in terms of background music, if you can even call it that. It's very quiet to the point that it makes you wonder why it's even there. The sound effects, which are quite the opposite are a little to loud are somewhat realistic but tend to get annoying after a while (I mean how many times do you really want to hear your target gasping for air as you pierce him in the throat)? So aside from the occasional grenade explosion, or assault rifle being fired there isn't much else in the way of sound or music. You don't have much control over the sound except for the option to turn the music on or off which for this game there might as well not be any since you can't hear it unless your tv is so unbelievably loud that your neighbors get scared and call the police because it sounds like you are murdering someone in your living room!

Overall Rush'n Attack: Ex Patriot, despite its flaws (poor audio, platforming and overall game play), kept me coming back for more as the story progressed. It is definitely worth the 800 Microsoft points especially if you are a fan of the 1985 original Rush'n Attack. So what are you waiting for Wolf Spider, grab your bowie knife and get going. Rory Gibson is waiting.

Overall Score: 5.5 / 10 Test Drive Unlimited 2

Test Drive Unlimited 2 is the sequel to the original, Test Drive Unlimited. The story takes place on the island of Ibiza where you, the main character, are just a mere valet trying to make a buck. You live in a trailer with literally nothing, but that all changes when an opportunity you can't resist falls into your lap. As the main story continues, you have the chance to gain fame and fortune as a champion racer and live the lifestyle as such, but It's all up to you how you get there. The single player campaign, which almost seems non-existent, allows you to make all of the decisions. Some of the decisions you make will vary from where you live to what car you drive, what side missions you choose and how you make your money. Along the way, you will meet some very exciting people who will offer up some rather tough challenges, but be prepared, because in order to compete you must obtain the required drivers licenses. From classic cars, to street cars to even off road there are many challenges ahead. Let's take a test drive through the pros and cons of this MMO arcade style racer from Atari!!!

As you drive through the streets of Ibiza, you have the option to do so in free ride mode which allows you to drive around the island and discover all that you can, from iconic landmarks, wrecked vehicles and more. As you find these small treasures you get discovery points and are introduced to the multi-tiered leveling system, which helps in leveling you up and unlocking things you weren't able to access before. As well, you will have the ability to do side missions where people ask you to do jobs for them and in turn they will reward you with cash providing you fulfill their needs, and as well you will earn bonuses which will aid in leveling you up.

While driving around the island, however, you will notice that there is no sign of life at all, in fact the island seems pretty much dead. You don't see people walking around, or the shops being populated like in GTA and aside from the occasional car or two that you will pass along the way there isn't much else but the scenery. The cities are laid out nicely but that's irrelevant seeing as how you can only access 1 or 2 things at most in any given area. The roads look copied and have no texture and the trees and the grass look painted on. The shops and buildings look generic and the cars are recognizable at best, so when comparing this game to something like Forza, this games graphics are a joke.

In TDU2 you will get a very limited and poor audio experience. While in your car, you have the option to turn on the radio and listen to music as you cruise through the quiet streets. The TDU2 soundtrack features only 2 choices for radio stations. By pressing right on the directional pad you can choose to listen to one music station called "Road Rock" which we can only describe as "rock" and then there is a second station called "Hariba Radio" which can only be described as "everything else". Each station has a rather humorous set of commercials, but both are still very generic and eventually become repetitive and so the only other option, at this point is to turn it off and listen to the sounds of the game that surround you.

While each car in the game has a different sound, each car's sound is only a little bit different from the next and when compared to what these cars actually sound like in real life, Atari has fallen a little short in this area. The dialogue, although there is barely any, is some of the worst in game dialogue you will ever listen to and becomes quite tiresome and boring and again at times is repetitive. Make sure you have a custom music play list saved on your console because you will not want to hear one moment of this game.

The game play mechanics of this arcade style racer take a little getting used to. While you can easily take your Bugatti down a straight highway and reach speeds of 250+ mph, slowing down or making turns at even the slowest of speeds may seem impossible. The cars themselves seem as though they are being weighted down but for some cars, the slightest touch of your stick can send your car in a tailspin and completely out of control.

Another one of TDU2's big failures with the gameplay is the infamous invisible object collision which is when you will be driving down a highway, then out of nowhere your car will randomly hit something invisible that will send you on a wild crash. Another frustrating failure of this game is the start of your races. All of the cars line up and get ready for the green light, when it says go you hit the gas, and nothing happens. You will then be mesmerized at your car sitting there for three to five seconds just revving its engine as you watch your competition appear out of thin air in front of you leaving you in the dust.

Overall, things seem to be a little uneven and Atari could have spent a little more time on the mechanics of the vehicles rather than the size of the maps, the roads or whether or not the windows and turn signals work (cuz honestly, who uses a turn signal in a racing game, are you serious?) and made this game a much more enjoyable adventure for the hardcore racer, but as it turns out this games focus is more toward a wide variety of players.

Accessing other various stops such as shops, your house and even the casino is made easy. Provided you have the roads to these places discovered you can easily pull up your map and through the various menus and fast travel to your destination. The menus are laid out perfectly making it a breeze to keep track of your progress as you go on. Two thumbs up Atari, you did something right!!!

Another major, and might I add, fun aspect of this game is the multi-player option. While driving around in free ride mode you will also discover some areas that allow you to join and even partner up with some of your fellow gamers. The multi-player mode, which has proven nothing but buggy so far, has a lot to offer to those that are more social and enjoy good competition. To help with leveling up and earning money, You can create your own challenges in the community challenge center. You can challenge a fellow racer by simply getting close to his/her vehicle and pressing the "A" button, or you can try the many different multi-player modes made available to you such as police chase, follow the leader and more.

You can also join a friend in his/her vehicle and act as a navigator telling your friend where and when to turn, the only downfall with this option is you do not have access to your map, so unless you know your way around it will seem as though you are driving around aimlessly. The clubs are another major part of the MP experience and in this mode you will be able to have up to 8 players in a session to race against, however, so far this feature appears to be broken which leaves a lot to be desired by the gamer.

Casino mode also has a lot to offer but again proves to be nothing but buggy. You may be in the middle of a poker tourney and get booted for no reason at all or you may not even be able to join. So you're sitting there thinking "Wow this is awesome, I'm gonna invite my friends to a sit and go tourney and have a blast taking all their money". Wrong. While this sounds like a fun and exciting idea, this option so far is also broken.

So as we have discussed, TDU2 has a lot of potential however, we can't let you hit the streets without letting you know about this games faults. We have already touched on a couple but there are more that end up making what should be a great game, a poor game. The biggest failure of TDU2 is the random game save corruption that happens for no reason at all. You could be at level 50 and when you load up your game you run the risk of having a corrupted save which forces you to start your career from the beginning.

Another thing to consider regarding the bugs in the casino is every time you enter or play any game you run the risk of having all of your chips erased. This game is far from perfect and Atari has published a title that offers game breaking bugs left and right, taking the fun out of the multi-player game play by locking or limiting various MP and co-op events.

While this game has its faults the options and choices made available to you are endless. Leaving you coming back for more as you unlock, level up and race your way to the top. And although there may be some things that are more appealing to others this game has something to offer everyone! And just think, once you get through with Ibiza, you get to fly back to Hawaii where it all started, and do it all over again providing your game save doesn't corrupt and you have nerves of steel. Drivers beware!

Suggestions: Don't release a broken product or cut corners to make a deadline.

Overall Score: 5.0 / 10

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