XBLA Xbox Live Arcade

[toythatkills]

I didn't like the demo of Vanquish when I played it. I'm happy to accept that it was just me, probably, but yeah there's a demo there for people to try.

[Straps]

Vanquish is tempting at that price. How's Alpha Protocol? I heard it's Mass Effect meets MGS which is too good to be true.

It's a little on the ropey side, but it becomes a really really good fun stealth RPG thingy. It's kinda over the top, you're more like a superhero with some of your skills leveled up, but that's why it's fun. The character interaction is what made me play through multiple times though, trying to see all eventualities. It's worth playing for Steve alone IMO.

[Oh Danny Boy]

So what is happening to xbla? Releases have seemed to dry up. Publishers no longer seem interested in re-releasing retro games on it any more. Its a shame as the opportunity to replay some of the classics was one of the highlights of the generation.

[angel]

Its too full now, nothing stands out, nothing is advertised properly. It reached saturation point.

[toythatkills]

It's the end of the generation, Xbox 360 is just winding down and so is XBLA by extension. Retail games will be drying up as well, it's just that there's still money in porting Destiny to 360, whereas there was never THAT much money in XBLA beyond Minecraft* and so porting Xbox One's digital titles isn't worth it in most cases. Especially when Xbox One's digital titles all seem to be a bit average so far.

(*obviously there were some huge sellers, but the average title was lucky to make five to ten thousand sales based on leaderboard data.)

[Butters]

Does it exist on the One in any form?

[Cosmic_Guru]

Does it exist on the One in any form?

Not at the moment.

[Oh Danny Boy]

I'm lamenting the deceased interest that publishers have in re releasing their back catalogue on a console's digital service. Nintendo too don't seem bothered about the virtual console on the wii u and neither does any one on the new consoles.

[Butters]

Is it because so many of these games are now coming out on mobile devices that they don't see the point? Or do they just not give a crap about them?

[DC]

There's going to be more sales though, yeah?

[God Is A Girl]

Is it because so many of these games are now coming out on mobile devices that they don't see the point? Or do they just not give a crap about them?

Speaking of mobile devices, I must be one of the last people on earth to experience the curio that was Slender iOS. So, with the 'full-fat' sequel now available on Xbox marketplace, it was always a day one purchase for me. OXM have just posted a surprisingly even-handed review:

http://www.totalxbox.com/81381/reviews/slender-the-arrival-xbox-360-review/

I had to exercise some muscle memory to interpolate the worth of a seven in Ye Olde Edge Parlance: "distinguished". Aye. Having plumped some 15 hours into a game that has an achievement for finishing it in 45 minutes, I'm more than happy with the distinction on offer. A few pointers before rushing in: there are three difficulty settings in the boot menu: Easy, Normal and ???. Don't make the same mistake I did and pick the obscure one, because your first playthrough defaults to Easy and you don't get rewarded on this difficulty (unless you've finished the game and are replaying levels on variable difficulties - in which case Easy would net you the speedruns).

Also, be sure to ramp up camera sensitivity to High (to emulate Mouselook) and you're good to go. Slender - The Arrival weighs in at an economical 660MB, and it's a keeper for me. There's a 'secret' level to be found in the prologue, and if you've got a decent surround system, be sure to dial up the volume because once the distortion kicks in you're looking at Paranormal Activity levels of unease. I've not had the pleasure of a walking simulator before, but this game punches well above its weight for a mobile curio.

Also, in terms of replayability, try completing Into The Abyss on Hardcore mode and tell me your patience hasn't duly been tested (clue: your flashlight is time-sensitive - faff about for too long and you may as well let Blind Freddy lead you out). As an aperitif to the horrors that await in Creative Assembly's crawlspace, this fits the bill nicely!

[dismembo]

Thanks for those impressions, I was thinking about picking this up. I quite like 'Slender' clone 'White Noise' in the xbox indie marketplace and this looks like a suitably enhanced expansion.

[Qazimod]

After Burner Climax is being removed from XBLA on December 24th, so if you haven't got it yet, this month will be your last chance. It's unclear as to why it's being pulled, but it might be for the same reasons as Outrun Online Arcade (licensing issues, etc...)

[Jackson]

Whilst desperately thinking up girlfriend friendly co-op games I remembered ilomilo and we're both completely charmed by it, only 3 quid now too.

Any other little gems we may have missed?

[toythatkills]

Without knowing whether your girlfriend likes laid back games (like ilomilo) or can be convinced to play other stuff, this is difficult! A few broad suggestions though:

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light. Amazing co-op game, and if she likes puzzles then THIS.

A World of Keflings maybe.

Battleblock Theatre is more gamey than ilomilo but can be very funny in co-op.

Happy Wars (free, so may as well try it!)

Leedmees (if Kinect)

N+

Scott Pilgrim

[angel]

After Burner Climax is being removed from XBLA on December 24th, so if you haven't got it yet, this month will be your last chance. It's unclear as to why it's being pulled, but it might be for the same reasons as Outrun Online Arcade (licensing issues, etc...)

its rubbish, dont bother. literally the controls dont work, the double tap barrel roll is broken. looks beautiful to easy to be fooled but as a game its pathetic.

[peeveen]

Kinda agree with angel. As 60fps blue-sky gaming, it looks too good to resist, but the game is pretty thin, even by cash-munching arcade standards. I finished it for the easy gamerscore and never played it again.

[Revival]

You can say that about any game if you credit feed it.

[reef]

Not sure where these deals go, 360 deals starting today (taken from HotUKDeals)

Assassin's Creed IV Season Pass - £7.99
Battlefield 4 Premium - £19.99
Bioshock Infinite - £2.99
Call of Duty Ghosts - £24.99
Dance Central 3 - £9.89
Dark Souls 2 - £14.99
Dungeon Defenders - £2.99
Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara - £3.29
Dungeons & Dragons Daggerdale - £3.99
The Evil Within - £19.99
Halo Spartan Assault - £2.71
How to Survive - £4.99
Lego Lord of the Rings - £3.74
Lego the Hobbit - £8.24
Max The Curse of Brotherhood - £3.95
MGS Ground Zeroes - £6.59
Naruto Storm R - £19.99
Pes 2015 - £26.79
Resident Evil 5 - £4.94 (With Gold)
Resident Evil 6 - £8.99 (With Gold)
Resident Evil Code Veronica X - £4.94 (With Gold
Resident Evil Raccoon City - £7.49 (With Gold)
Resident Evil Revelations - £6.59 (With Gold)
Sanctum 2 - £2.99
Scott Pilgrim the Game - £3.37
State of Decay Breakdown - £2.79
State of Decay Lifeline - £2.79
Thief - £8.99
Tomb Raider - £6.59
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron - £7.49
Transfomers Rise of the Dark Spark - £24.99
Skate 3 - £3.74

and SSX is free today for Games with Gold

[Camel]

This week's deals:

Xbox One

Alien: Isolation - 50% off
Alien: Isolation Season Pass (Add-on) - 50% off
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare - 25% off
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Digital Pro Edition - Gold Users Only - 20% off
Destiny - 25% off
Destiny: Digital Guardian Edition - Gold Users Only - 25% off
Diablo III: Reaper of Souls - Ultimate Evil Edition - 33% off
FIFA 15 Deluxe Edition - 35% off
Forza Horizon 2 Day One Deluxe Edition - 15% off
Forza Horizon 2 Day One Edition - 15% off
Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series - 50% off
Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series Season Pass (Add-on) - 15% off
Grand Theft Auto V: Bull Shark Cash Card (Add-on) - 15% off
Madden NFL 15 Holiday Edition - 33% off
NHL 15 - 35% off
Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition - 50% off
Tales from the Borderlands - Episode 1: Zer0 Sum - Gold Users Only - 50% off
Tales from the Borderlands - Season Pass (Episodes 2 - 5) (Add-on) - Gold Users Only - 15% off
The Legend of Korra - 33% off
The Walking Dead: Season 1 & 2 Bundle - 50% off
The Walking Dead: Season 2 - 40% off
The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season - 40% off
The Wolf Among Us - 40% off
Xbox Fitness: Jillian Michaels - Killer Abs (Add-on) - 33% off

Xbox 360

Alien: Isolation - 33% off
Alien: Isolation - Season Pass (Add-on) - 50% off
Bully: Scholarship Edition - 75% off
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare - Gold Users Only - 25% off
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 - 67% off
Dead Island Riptide - 75% off
Destiny - 25% off
Fable III - 67% off
FIFA 15 - 50% off
Forza Horizon 2 - 20% off
Game of Thrones: A Telltale Game Series - Episode 1 - 50% off
Game of Thrones: A Telltale Game Series - Season Pass (Add-on) - 15% off
Kinect Sports - 50% off
L.A. Noire - 75% off
Madden NFL 15 - 50% off
Mafia II - 75% off
Max Payne 3 - 75% off
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance - 67% off
NHL 15 - 50% off
Red Read Redemption - 75% off
Retro City Rampage: DX - 67% off
Rock Band 3 - 55% off
Rock Band Blitz - 63% off
Spec Ops: The Line - 85% off
Tales from the Borderlands - Season Pass (Add-on) - 15% off
The Legend of Korra - 33% off
The Orange Box - Gold Users Only - 85% off
The Walking Dead - Season 1, Episode 2 (Add-on) - 50% off
The Walking Dead - Season 1, Episode 3 (Add-on) - 50% off
The Walking Dead - Season 1, Episode 4 (Add-on) - 50% off
The Walking Dead - Season 1, Episode 5 (Add-on) - 50% off
The Walking Dead: 400 Days (Add-on) - 50% off
The Walking Dead: Season Two - Season Pass (Add-on) - 50% off
The Wolf Among Us - Season Pass (Add-on) - 50% off
Zoo Tycoon - 50% off