It promises a lot, and in time Gun Bros could turn out to be a nice arcade hit for Xbox Live. Unfortunately many people won't find the true strength of the game because they'll avoid the title because of the freemium system, and those that do stick around around are going to find a game that needed another pass at it by the coders instead of being rushed out door onto Windows Phone.
Having become something of a phone pool game afficianado, I approached the freeware Premium Pool with trepidation, not expecting too much. It turns out to have a pretty and practical interface but is ultimately let down by the lack of challenge and lack of ball control.
An exclusive release for Nokia's Windows Phone handsets is not a rare occurrence, but the latest title, Mirror's Edge, has caught our eye. The 3d platformer comes from Nokia and EA, and we think it's their first exclusive Xbox Live title for Windows Phone. And it's a good one.
Mush is a wonderful twist on the platform genre, and one that I'm really happy to see getting some attention. Developed in part through the UK's 'Dare to be Digital' computer games design contest for students, Mush was one of three winning games in 2012, picking up a BAFTA 'one to watch' nomination. It's great to see developers Angry Mango reach the commercial world through this Xbox Live title, and to do it with such a unique style of game.
First there was Bejeweled, the match-3 game that became the benchmark for gamers and developers around the world, on multiple platforms. Now, with just a little bit of searching in any App Store, you'll find a number of match-3 games. If you've decided to skip over Bejeweled Live (one of the many Xbox Live apps for Windows Phone) and look for something a little different, why not consider Alawar's 'The Treasures of Montezuma?'
Super Monkey Ball has a long legacy with gamers, and this twist on the maze game has been frustrating players since its appearance in arcades in 1999. It's a simple game, all you have to do is roll your monkey (who is in one of those pet exercise balls you see for gerbils) around the level to collect as many bananas as possible and then head to the exit, without falling off the platform.
Many developers have attempted to bring 'collectible card game' style titles to gamers, and now it's the turn of Nex Game Studio to woo Windows Phone players. Summoner Call is the usual mix of wizards, spells, and creatures, shuffled together as players go head-to -head in magical combat. It's quick to play, but does that speed hide a fundamental gaming problem?
So how do you start a review about yet another title in the 'Tower Defense' genre? Well you could point out just how similar all these games are, how they need a careful balance of resources and enemies to attack during each level, how everything should build on previous lessons learned on these levels, and there needs to be a strong visual design to make the title stand out. Or you could mention all of the above, and point out that Radiant Defense does it all.
Miniclip have a strong catalogue of Xbox Live titles and, if you look at the titles, there are certain things Miniclip like to do. They like to have a very simple game mechanic, they like to have a generous demo mode, they like to provide a few different ways of playing, and they like to provide a huge number of levels. But with Fling, there's a feeling that Miniclip are going through the motions, and that as a gamer I've done this all before.
Final Fantasy is a big name in gaming. It's one of the leading role playing game (RPG) franchises, which has been releasing new titles for the last twenty five years. With fourteen titles in the 'main' line and countless other compilations, spin-offs and off-shoots, the basic style of Final Fantasy is known the world over. Does the Xbox Live version of the game match up to the expectations?
