Unspottable on Xbox does bring some new ideas to the table which work in short blasts, or in longer blasts that are fuelled by social lubricant. But it does get quite old, quite fast. It's not that it is a bad game; it's just that the secondary objectives tend to go out of the window once the sleeves are rolled up, and every match fast turns into a slug-fest.
For the price asked, ADVERSE is good for what it is - a trial action-adventure game for skilled gamers to flourish with. If you hate repeating things, or have nightmares with anything that involves precision platforming, then this isn't the game for you I'm afraid, however if it is, there is plenty to get your teeth into.
The repetitive gameplay and unrefined controls of Get Over Here on Xbox make it very difficult to enjoy. It’s cheap, and throws a fair bit into the mix, but despite this it will struggle to get its hooks into you.
The tutorial-focused hands of Summer in Mara on Xbox are where things stumble, offering a game that is unwilling to let you go outside of the strict parameters set before you.
Skycadia on Xbox is as basic an arcade flight game as they come, and the simple, functional mechanics serve their purpose well to deliver a reasonable score-chasing experience.
TAURONOS on Xbox is a game that I have enjoyed playing, particularly due to its old-school visuals and fascinating take on the old great myth. I like the idea of being stalked by one creature and experiencing a hero’s strange journey to escape the maze. However, some of the traps are utterly unforgiving and having to restart the game from the beginning makes things tiresome.
For anyone interested in the setting, there is a rather good, if flawed, turn-based strategy game out there on the PC which is available to purchase. Otherwise, I’d suggest getting out your D20s and giving the tabletop RPG a go and, sadly, giving Noble Armada: Lost Worlds on Xbox a wide berth.
Being a retro revival of Asteroids isn't the flashiest look for an indie game and I fear Back to Belt on Xbox may suffer for that. But if you have any interest at all in arcade-style, pick up and play games, this one is definitely worth a look. It does not get everything right but there’s a lot of challenge and fun to be had here.
Glitch’s Trip on Xbox is a brilliant platformer that looks the part and plays great. It’s a game that constantly throws unique challenges at you to truly test your mettle, and any fan of hardcore platformers will relish the challenge it offers.
Guntastic on Xbox is a well-designed, fun little game, if only for a limited time. However, its hampered replayability along with a lack of depth, put up against a not insignificant price tag, makes it difficult to recommend.
CATTCH on Xbox is the platforming equivalent of a pack of Haribo. It’s colourful and characterful, and you can’t put it down at the start. But chew down on too much at once and you’ll get sick of it.
Jet Kave Adventure on Xbox is something that you’ll begin to enjoy the more you progress. The extra gameplay features that are brought about via the use of the jetpack add a new dimension to the platforming genre and manage to give the game a sense of urgency and speed. However, whilst those elements are good, I could easily do without the chase sequences and the boss fights are quite bland.
The fusion of shooter and match-3 mechanics does work, and while it’s hard to keep on top of the situation, practice certainly helps. What doesn't work so well is the amount of fun on offer as Galacide quickly becomes frustrating. It’s fun for a short blast, don't get me wrong, and if your life has a shooter/match-3 shaped hole in it this will fit perfectly, but at the end of the day the game kind of falls between two stools.
For a few short hours The Pillar: Puzzle Escape on Xbox will completely transport you away. It is easy to get sucked in thanks to the serene environment combined with the first-person perspective. A lack of story does not matter: this is a place begging to be explored.
Spending time in the Bermuda Triangle with Down in Bermuda on Xbox is tremendous. It's a game where you can just kick back and relax, solving puzzles in your own time without anything trying to kill you, or you ever needing to worry about silly time restraints.
