ExL Rundown of the Day 11/23/09

Today’s rundown involves a game with simple mechanics that was surprisingly fun.

1. Neo Terra (created by Elbert Perez – Occasional Gamer)

Neo Terra is a game that starts slow and ends fast. The goal is to conquer planets both neutral and enemy controlled. To do this, the player must send ships to a planet to battle the planet’s defenses which rise with time. Sending units away from one planet will decrease that planet’s defenses, but only temporarily. The defense count for each planet increases with each passing second. The game even offers the ability for 8 player combat (4 human; 4 AI). In addition to this, there are some customization options available that are nice to toy with and try to add some depth.

To be honest I did not find the tutorial to be very helpful. It explained a few things but when I actually played a match the concepts weren’t hard to pickup. The victor is the one who controls all planets. There is some potential here for allying with human players and then…betraying them!? Sounds like some fun to me. The graphics are of great quality, especially in HD, and the music isn’t bad either.

Final Verdict: 80 Microsoft Points isn’t high for the casual fun Neo Terra offers. If you have the points to spare then download the trial and see if it’s for you. Who knew conquering planets could be fun in such a casual way?

ExL Rundown of the Day 11/19/09

Thanks for joining me for today’s Rundown of the day! The games featured today are some new releases that shouldn’t be missed!

1. Wool (created by Milkstone Studios)

Wool is a lighthearted game that is easy to start playing, but hard to stop. Part of the reason for this is the varying difficulty levels each with their own time limit. Higher difficulties can be frustrating, but in a competitive nature. The race against the clock can sometimes be a tough one! With that said, the gameplay for Wool asks the player to control a dog and use the dog to move sheep into a pen. This is done by barking and positioning the dog so that the sheep move in a desired path. White sheep do not like grouping next to black sheep and black sheep try to keep to themselves. Sometimes the difference between these two can help move the sheep along your desired path, while other times they can work against you. Not all sheep are required to enter the pen, though there is a set minimum.

I particularly enjoy the playful graphics and music, along with a wonderfully useful title screen. There is also versus, coop and approximately 30 levels. The multiplayer component adds some to the game, though it is fine to play alone. Somewhat disappointing is the fact that the multiplayer is local only, especially since Milkstone’s last game, Little Racers, had online.

Final Verdict: Wool has enough content to justify paying the small price of 80 Microsoft Points. It doesn’t make me want to herd sheep in real life, but it keeps me wanting to herd them in the game! This is a nice choice for some relaxing gameplay.

2. Inside Lacrosse’s College Lacrosse 2010 (created in cooperation by TripleBGames and Crosse Studios)

Inside Lacrosse’s College Lacrosse 2010 is a definite game that should be tried by everyone. From the moment the game begins I’m reminded of the old Madden games I would play on my N64. Not because of the sport, but because of the feel of the game. More importantly, this game has voice acting that is well done. I could go into a long explanation of what this game offers, but I believe the developer can do that best. This game features “the fastest, most physical game on two feet. Now anyone can dodge hard to the cage, throw crazy stick checks, and snipe corners in the first ever field lacrosse video game. Build your own roster, edit your jerseys, upgrade your equipment, and challenge people from around the world to a game of lacrosse on Xbox LIVE!”

I didn’t play this one as much as I wanted to, but I did find one questionable design choice with the trial. The trial does not allow for the player to play the training mode which meant I was thrown into a game without really knowing what I was doing. By the end of the trial I still wasn’t really sure. I guess it could be because I focused more on navigating the menus and looking around the field then actually playing, but the training mode would sure help the trial.

Final Verdict: Some people don’t want to purchase a game unless they know they can play it. Locking the training mode in the trial means that it might not even be used when the player buys the full version because by then they know how to play. Despite this, 400 Microsoft Points isn’t a bad price for Inside Lacrosse’s College Lacrosse 2010, especially since the full version allows for so much, including online matches.

3. Aesop’s Garden (created by Excalibur Studios)

Aesop’s Garden is a pleasant reminder that old games can make a comeback. The premise of this game is that a rival of Aesop has planted weeds in Aesop’s Garden and he must get rid of them to maintain his winning streak. From the moment the game begins it is clear that it is a puzzle game. Blocks must be moved around, some moving one space, some entire columns or rows. That’s just the beginning however. Turning on a sprinkler waters the garden, which sprouts flowers and weeds. Aesop must then find the correct paths to the weeds while still maintaining a path to the exit. This isn’t too bad at fast, but it can become difficult as the levels progress. The levels save too, meaning the player can start on whichever level they desire after having completed it.

While I am unsure exactly how many levels there are, the game comes complete with a level editor. This way you, or friends, can create custom levels though they cannot be shared online. That is the only real complaint I have though besides the music. The music is great but lacks variety in a very significant way. It would be a shame to grow tired of the great piece the game has.

Of special mention would be the title screen and menus. The menus are designed in accordance with the graphics, meaning they look like they do in past games. Even the title screen has an interesting scene that should be watched by anyone who plays it. It gave me a laugh because of how many memories it stirs of when I was younger playing games akin to this one. And I’m not even that old!

Final Verdict: For 240 Microsoft Points I personally recommend Aesop’s Garden. It’s classical feel -from music to graphics to gameplay- delivers in all it sets out to do. I found it hard to be disappointed at this game.

In addition to those games, be sure to check out this new release from Occasional Gamer, Neo Terra.

ExL Studios Update – Seasonal Beginnings!

Not much has been added or changed this week as I have been writing an important term paper for my PSY-1 class. Next week I have Thanksgiving Break and should be able to get some reviews written. Speaking of Thanksgiving, there is one change that has been made this week.

  1. The ExL Studios banner at the top (not much of a banner, but more of a colored section) will now sport colors according to upcoming holidays or events. The current red, orange, and yellow has been designed for Thanksgiving. I’m hoping this will be a nice little addition to the site until we decide to delve into coding the blog to support our own banner.

That is about it for now. In the meantime, be sure to check out the recently released Aesop’s Garden (created by Excalibur Studios), Wool (created by Milkstone Studios), and Inside Lacrosse’s College Lacrosse 2010 (created in cooperation by TripleBGames and Crosse Studios).

New XBLIG Session

New XBLIG Session scheduled for:

Friday November 27th at 11pm GMT-0 (6pm EST)

Not sure what time sessions will start for your time zone? Then calculate your GMT now! In addition, view other XBLIG Sessions now! And finally, don’t forget that the Avatar Golf XBLIG Session is tomorrow (Nov. 19) at 8pm GMT-0 (3pm EST).

ExL Video of the Day 11/16/09

Video & Upcoming Game of the Day:

Johnny Platform Saves Christmas (created by IshiSoft)

Note: If you are unable to see the video, it may be because YouTube is down for maintenance.

To quote the developer, Johnny Platform Saves Christmas will come featured with “100 levels, widescreen HD, new robots, explosions, lots of sideways rolling, and more than one piece of music in this game.” In the meantime, be sure to check out Johnny Platform’s Biscuit Romp. The original is entertaining and has enough content for the small price of 80 Microsoft Points.

ExL Rundown of the Day 11/15/09

It’s been awhile but I thought I should run another edition of ExL Rundown. Thanks for joining me! Today I am going to talk about some indie classics that shouldn’t be missed.

1. Fishing Girl (created by errcw)

Fishing Girl is an entertaining pick-up-and-play game that excels at streamlining the gameplay for quick sessions. There is no save function, which irritated me at first, but I soon realized that the game doesn’t need it. I would actually be surprised if it had it. There is an option that can be turned on or off called the timer. The timer counts down from ten minutes. The game can literally be beat in that time period. But that is if you choose to beat it. You can still fish away and have fun doing so.

Lures and fishing poles can be upgraded with money collected from fish. Some fish are more common then others and give less money, so try to catch the rare ones! There is plenty of variety and the fish (thankfully) don’t look like recolored clones. Instead, each one has its own unique look. I actually like the simplistic graphics. They really work for the game though I’m not sure I’d want fish from gray water.

Final Verdict: Fishing Girl is great for its price of 80 Microsoft Points, though it can mainly be played through trial alone. However, there are badges the player can earn in the full version that add some depth and replayability. If that isn’t to your liking, the game is freeware on many flash sites across the web. I definitely recommend trying this game out in one way or another.

2. Echoes+ (created by Binary Zoo Studios)

Have you ever played Geometry Wars? Then that should give you a basic understanding of what Echoes+ is about. But to label Echoes+ as a Geometry Wars clone would not be doing it justice. In fact, the only reason I make this analogy is because I know about half of the people who play it (if not more) will do so. Echoes+ is a nice shoot-em up with some interesting modes including one that is a remake of asteroids. Some modes are more fun then others. For example, I enjoyed Survival because the one life I was given had me sweating as I tried to stay alive, but the timed mode served more as a practice mode because I had unlimited health/lives. In total I believe there are six modes, but don’t quote me on this.

Zoo Trials (which were showcased in Binary Zoo’s last game, DUOtrix) have returned and are still challenging as ever. In addition, high scores (still local) have returned as well along with the cluttered title screen that plagued their first game. A new addition is the weapons and powerups that can help you get out of seriously bad situation. More then once I’ve been saved by a timely dropped weapon.

Final Verdict: The visuals in Echoes+ are still great and “psychedelic” and the gameplay modes offer enough to satisfy the admission price of 240 Microsoft Points. Definitely worth trying out as few games have been able to be called akin to Geometry Wars, but yet retain its own identity.

3. Avatar Golf (created by Barkers Crest Studio)

Easy Golf remains the only game to ever receive a perfect review score of 10/10 from us (as of this writing). However, after playing Avatar Golf I am surprised at how much the sequel could be rated much higher. Avatar Golf is an improvement in almost every sense of the word. Subtle tweaks have been made to the UI, the menus, camera angles, course creator, map sharing, multiplayer match finding, and just about everything else. There are even full 18 hole courses now instead of just the 9.

When I started up the game I noticed two things, how much better everything looks. Menus have a more cleaned up feel and the inclusion of avatars brings some personal realism to the game. There are even more titles then were in Easy Golf with more variety and challenge. The first thing I tried when I started the game was seeing whether or not people played the online multiplayer. Sure enough, every time I look there are at least two or more matches going on. This is a definite improvement over Easy Golf where I had to plan matches in order to play with anyone. Next I noticed that the courses built into the game are more professionally designed. This is thanks to the easy-to-use course editor. The upgraded course editor even allows for buildings, walls, bridges, and more!

My first complaint (which is a small one) with Avatar Golf is that the new music (though it is good) doesn’t capture the same feel for me as Easy Golf did. I actually miss the Easy Golf music when I’m playing Avatar Golf. Another complaint is that there are no new backgrounds, though I did notice that the weather effects have been upgraded. Lightning storms will actually show lightning streak the sky (randomly) from time-to-time.

Final Verdict: I could continue to talk about the improvements in this game, but I highly recommend you go and see for yourself. To prove to myself how much has changed I even went back and played Easy Golf. While I still enjoy playing Easy Golf, Avatar Golf is a sequel that cannot be missed. Before Easy Golf I had never played, nor thought I would play, a golf game, but now I’m hooked.  I cannot think of a better way of spending 400 Microsoft Points.

XBLIG Sessions

XBLIG Sessions are gaming sessions where the community can play with developers and XBLIG sites. The current list of XBLIG sites taking part include:

RR Oddbob from XnPlay
MarkMD76 from XBLIG.co.uk
Jigsaw HC from XBLA Ratings
duckols from Gay Gamer
Chunkbutter from Small Cave Games
Dhalamar from Wasted Seconds
Exaltedlegions – that’s me
AllApologies17 from Indie Game Blog
rusted3572 from Rusted Views
XboxHornet – XboxHornet

Not sure what time sessions will start for your time zone? Then calculate your GMT now!

Session 1:

Saturday November 14th, 2009 at around 2pm EST (GMT-5)

Session 2:

Thursday November 19th, 2009 at around 8pm UK time (GMT-0)

Session 3:

Sunday November 22nd, 2009 at 7pm UK time (GMT-0)

ExL Studios Update – Blog Domain

Just a small update on what we’ve been up to lately.

  1. We have purchased a domain for this blog. Notice that it no longer has the [.wordpress] extension. We will be purchasing a new domain for our website soon as well.
  2. The reviews have finally started getting their new revivals. Make sure to check out the new review selection page on our site and read a few of them. Most of them are still in the works, but we hope to have them all switched over to the new format soon. An example review of our new format is our newly added Little Racers review.
  3. The sidebars on this blog have been enhanced now offering the same information, but taking up less space. Be sure to subscribe to our blog (located on the right sidebar at the very top). In addition, the left sidebar now shows current XBLIG Sessions. Be sure to check it often as we will have it updated as frequently as possible.

That’s it for today. Look out for new changes soon!

ExL News of the Day 11/12/09

Today we feature a special news piece; a review of Little Racers. Enjoy!


Indie Game under Review: Little Racers
Developed by: Milkstone Studios
System: Xbox 360
Version: Final
Genre: Racing and Flying
Cost: 240 Microsoft Points ($3.00)
Learning Curve: 30+ Minutes (Hours to master)
Overall Rating: 9/10
Main Features:
- Players 1-4
- System Link 2-12
- HDTV 720p
- Custom Soundtracks
- Online Multiplayer 2-12
Other Features: (as outlined by the developer)
- 4 Game Modes (Quick Race, Custom Race, Championship mode, Multiplayer mode)
- 15 song tracks
- 20+ Racetracks
- 40 cars divided into 8 car classes based off performance
- Car Paint Job & Customization
- Handicap mode to help novice players
- Track records, divided by car class
- Ghost lap recording, useful for training
- Challenging AI
- Stunning skidmarks on track
- Online join in progress (Lobby’s)
Puzzling:
- Online Lobby’s with more than six players
- No awards
- Nothing for getting 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in a championship (online and local)
Rating: 9/10
Violence – 0/3
Sex – 0/3
Mature Content – 0/3

REVIEW INTRO:

“Master your driving skills and defeat your opponents with style on one of the more than 20 tracks available. With new improvements based on user feedback, and much easier handling, the game includes quick race, custom race and championship mode, and also the new online mode for up to 12 players.” – Milkstone Studios

GRAPHICS:

The graphics are a strong point of this game. When cars brake on turns or skid they leave treadmarks. Additionally, clouds randomly float over the level, adding a sense of realism to the “world” that is Little Racers. If that is not enough, the colorful and intelligently designed menus are easy to navigate. My only true menu complaint was the online lobby’s with more then six players. The players are split into two columns of six players and the scores are shown next to each player. This works for a lobby with six players, but if a lobby has more, the scores do not carry over into the next column. They instead continue down and off the screen, thus eliminating scores for some of the players.

Regardless of this, there are more graphical features that impress. One of these is the ability to customize the cars in the sense of their paint job and the style of their paint job. With dozens of combinations, no two cars will be the same! Unfortunately, since the cars are small, it can sometimes be hard to tell which one is yours when playing with a large number of other racers. This forces some racers to choose bright paint jobs and style, favoring recognition over personal preference. This is another little thing (no pun intended), but it is annoying at times.

The final feature I wanted to mention is the obstacles put in place in the recent version. Tires have been placed in key areas (mainly corners) to help the player from going too far out of bounds. I enjoyed moving the tires onto the track and watching other racers as they hit them, not knowing they were there!


MUSIC:

There are 15 song tracks that neither take away from or add to the game play. Most of the time I would play without realizing music was even playing! I enjoy the tracks when I listen to them and am thankful for the variety, but the music was not an area I really focused on. But for having a nice selection, this section receives a high rating.

STORY:

Little Racers has no story.

GAMEPLAY & FEATURES:

The attractive feature of Little Racers is its simple concept. Race. First you start by choosing a game mode from the four that are available (Quick Race, Custom Race, Championship mode, Multiplayer mode). Quick race randomly selects a track and uses the player’s previous settings from custom races. This allows for quick drop-in, drop-out gameplay. The next mode, Custom Race allows the player to change options such as track, number of racers and/or laps, class, and more. Championship mode is akin to custom races, but the tracks are randomly selected, and the player races more then one, competing for the most points. Multiplayer mode is basically championship mode, but with friends, family, or online players.

After choosing a mode, you must choose one of the 8 classes (or difficulties) and then choose one of the cars provided within that class. There are 40 cars in all and the game can even be played with all classes at once to allow for different cars from different classes to race each other. While selecting a car (and depending on the game mode, the player may have the option to choose a racetrack from the more then 20 available.

One small feature the game adds is a handicap mode for novice players. Don’t just shrug this off when you first start playing. It can be extremely helpful. Little Racers has a high learning curve only because it takes time to get used to the controls, and the cars themselves. In addition, track records are available for each track and are divided by car class. Unfortunately, online track records are not available.

The game can be played with up to 12 racers (human and/or AI), but if you choose to race solo, then you aren’t alone. In some instances when the player crosses the finish line, a “ghost” car will be created. Consider it a replay of your previous lap. The goal is to try to beat it. This is very useful for training purposes and so that you don’t feel like you are playing alone.

Online racing is the highlight of this game. While there can be slight lag when playing with numerous racers (more then six), the join in progress is a great add-on. Racers cannot join a race in progress (for obvious reasons), but they can join the lobby and prepare their cars for the next race. Online races occur like Championship mode and scores are periodically reset as needed, without booting players out of the lobbies. While this is great, I am disappointed that winning has no use. There are no awards or indie achievements, and when the player wins it just resets the scores (online multiplayer), or kicks the player to the main menu (championship mode).

With that said, the challenging AI and cleverly designed levels (ranging from design for novice players to expert players) kept me engaged and had me focusing more on the positives then the negatives. Going out of bounds or trying to “cheat” will have a red appear above the player’s car. The player must then go back to where they tried to skip and start from there (or the nearest turn). Luckily there is a button on the controller that allows the player’s car to “respawn” at where they left off on the track.

OVERALL: 9/10

Little Racers packs a lot of content into such a small asking price. With dedicated online support from the community sites and the developer, you don’t have to worry about never being able to find an online match. Sure, this game has a few faults, but none that cause the triumphs to shine any less. In short, this game is definitely worth your consideration. Did I mention you can even honk the horns on the cars (and they don’t all have the same sound)?

Try the trial for Little Racers or purchase now for a small amount of Microsoft Points.

Other Games by Milkstone Studios:

- None


This section is updated as often as possible (daily or every other day). The purpose of this section is to raise awareness about upcoming or released games that are receiving little coverage. In addition, developers will be featured for their game contributions and more. Please note that none of the four sections will focus on entirely one game, though a few could at times.

This section is updated as often as possible (daily or every other day). The purpose of this section is to raise awareness about upcoming or released games that are receiving little coverage. In addition, developers will be featured for their game contributions and more. Please note that none of the four sections will focus on entirely one game, though a few could at times.

ExL News of the Day 11/11/09 (Lite Vrs)

This section is updated as often as possible (daily or every other day). The purpose of this section is to raise awareness about upcoming or released games that are receiving little coverage. The Lite version is intended for use when we are short on time.

Video of the Day:

Kissy Poo (developed cooperatively by Zbuffer Games and Storyteller Games) out within the next day or two.

Note: If you are unable to see the video, it may be because YouTube is down for maintenance.

Xbox Live Indie Game (Preview) of the Day:

Wool (under development by Milkstone Studios) - The trailer below is the first peak at the gameplay for trailer. In addition, read our coverage of some of its features here.

Not So Recent Release of the Day:

Junkyard Battle (developed by Daevid – Play with Motion) – “This game was classified by the community with the following category scores – Violence=0/3, Sex=0/3, Mature Content=0/3. The goal of Junkyard Battle is to build a higher junk tower than your opponent. Use your crane claw to stack stuff and pick up power-ups to gain speed, time och concrete your tower. Single player training missions are available but make sure you try out the multiplayer battle mode!” – Xbox.com

Released on 9/27/2009 at a price of 80 Microsoft Points.