Microsoft is doing this “Summer of Arcade” thing where they’re releasing games people actually want to play. Like.. more than one week in a row. Crazy right?
They started with Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2. I wasn’t a big fan of the first game, it was alright but I thought it could’ve looked a little sharper and maybe offered some more gameplay variants. The sequel… looks better and offers some more gameplay variants. So I’m satisfied with that. I like how the leaderboards are integrated into the mode selection screen, so as long as you’ve got a friend with a higher score than you, you’ve got incentive to keep playing. I also like how quickly you can start a new game after dying. With two presses of the A button you are instantly in a new game. It really removes a lot of the frustration inherent in these types of games.
Next was Braid. Braid is similar to Portal in that it sort of straddles that line between “games as art” and “games that are fun to play” philosophies. I have conflicting feelings about the game, and they’re pretty much the same feelings I had about Portal. It has solid gameplay, and the story is unique and tied to the gameplay in a way that every other game doesn’t even seem to consider a possibility. But.. I don’t know. There’s no “oh shit you just blew my mind” moment. It’s a good game, smartly designed, but I feel like it’s missing a crucial ingredient. I haven’t finished it yet though, maybe I’ll change my mind when (if?) I finish it. Never happened with Portal so I’m not holding my breath. I know it’s probably not fair or realistic for me to even have this expectation for mind-blowing, but I can’t help it.
Bionic Commando: Rearmed came out today, it’s a remake of the NES game Bionic Commando. I never played the original so I can’t tell you how it compares, but this seems to be a good game. There’s a story mode which I guess follows the original game’s levels and story, but I think I prefer the Challenge Rooms, which challenge your bionic arm swinging skills in levels reminiscent of MGS VR missions.
Next week is some Galaga remake and the week after that is Castle Crashers. Personally, not interested in those. But I’ve heard they’re good if you’re into that kind of thing.