What really kicked into high gear this year however was the downloadable side of things. There have been loads of great releases at budget prices on all Services, ranging from the PlayStation Network to Steam, and we’re here to give you our recommendations for the best downloadable games out there. So sit back, have a cold drink and read on as we give you our picks for the highest quality downloadable games.
Christmas Buyers Guides:
Handhelds
Battlefield 1943
Service(s): XBLA, PSN
Price: 1200 MS points, $19.95 AUD
Players: 1-24
Developer: DICE
Publisher: EA
Battlefield 1943 brings back the old school fights of the original 1942 and polishes it back up into HD resolutions. Running on the Frostbite engine that powered the Bad Company series, 1943 features some fairly destructive environments mixed in with massive maps and epic fire fights. For the price, 1943 is a steal and an excellent diversion if you’re anxiously waiting for Bad Company 2.
Our review said: Whether you bleed for all things Battlefield or are just a gamer after a moderately priced casual shooter that is fun to pick up and play, you can't go past the entertaining gameplay of Battlefield 1943. However, we can't help but wonder whether players will stick around the 1943 servers once Battlefield: Bad Company 2 arrives. Until then though, the tropical setting of the title best describes our opinion of Battlefield 1943 - utter paradise.
[FULL REVIEW: 8.5]
Fat Princess
Service(s): PSN
Price: $23.95 AUD
Players: 1-32
Developer: Titan Studios
Publisher: Sony
Fat Princess is a humorous and frenetic capture-the-flag styled game where the main objective is to reclaim your princess from enemy forces, all the while holding theirs down with one of the tactics being feeding her lots of cake to make her fat. It’s a fun and very enjoyable game with several different player classes, a fully fledged single player mode if you have no friends, and running at glorious 1080p with a slick visual style.
Our review said: [FULL REVIEW: Coming Soon]
Flower
Sevice(s): PSN
Price: $12.95 AUD
Players: 1
Developer: ThatGameCompany
Publisher: Sony
Flower is one of the most unique and interesting titles of 2009, as its mechanics and visual style are simply incomparable. A game where your only mission is to light the world up with the petals of flowers, Flower is a wonderfully relaxing and artistic title that will send your spirits soaring, and will be unlike any other game you’ve ever played before.
Our review said: Sadly, for those predisposed to judge videogames on their base components, Flower will be misrepresented as a gorgeous but brief curio, devoid of challenge, and overrated by a vocal audience of critics desperately desiring to legitimize the videogame as a medium. The reality is that Flower is an utterly unique, brave and moving game brimming with personality and intent. As time goes, on it is becoming clear that services like PSN and its counterparts represent fertile soil where game developers with interesting and un-commercial ideas can flourish. For those open to new experiences or prepared to accept that games can be about more than dogfights, difficulty levels, power-ups, exploding barrels and grenade launchers, this is essential.
[FULL REVIEW: 9]
Killing Floor
Service(s): Steam
Price: $19.99 USD
Players: 1-6
Developer: Tripwire Interactive
Publisher: Tripwire Interactive
Originally a free mod for Unreal Tournament 2004, Killing Floor became a fully fledged stand alone title that bases itself around killing loads of failed freakish experiments with your friends. Essentially a zombie killing game, up to 6 players can team up in co-op to purge England of this infestation. For those who cry foul of the terrible censorship of Left 4 Dead 2, the brutality of Killing Floor may just be what they need when it comes to zombie killing madness.
Our review said: [FULL REVIEW: Coming Soon.]
Lost Winds: Winter of the Melodias
Service(s): WiiWare
Price: 1000 Points
Players: 1
Developer: Frontier Developments
Publisher: Square Enix
The sequel to Lost Winds, Winter of the Melodias puts you in the role of Toku who searches for his missing mother, while at the same time attempts to discover the fate of the Melodia people. The game is essentially a platformer but with the ability to control the seasons and also the wind with the Wii Remote, which in turn enhances jumps and allows you to solve complex puzzles. It’s an interesting title with a fantastic art style that certainly comes recommended.
Our review said: [FULL REVIEW: Coming Soon.]
Lucidity
Sevice(s): Steam, XBLA
Price: $9.99 USD, 800 MS points
Players: 1
Developer: LucasArts
Publisher: LucasArts
Lucidity is yet another unique and interesting title that begs for attention particularly because of its art style. Featuring a strange and obscure dream-like world, you follow a young girl named Sofi, as she searches her dreams to find her lost Nana all the while encountering strange and dangerous creatures. The game uses an interesting tetris-like setup where you place objects down for Sofi to move through the world with. For the price it’s offered at, it’s definitely worth a look, especially if you’re into your artsy worlds and unique gameplay setups.
Our review said: [FULL REVIEW: Coming Soon.]
The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition
Service(s): Steam, XBLA
Price: $9.99 USD, 800 MS Points
Players: 1
Developer: LucasArts
Publisher: LucasArts
A revamped version of the classic title, The Secret of Monkey Island is pretty much a must-play for adventure geeks and newcomers, as Guybrush Threepwood the Mighty Pirate is not only a loveable character, but a humorous one at that. The game features improved levels of visual clarity and voice overs too, making the re-envisioning of the classic an excellent recommendation to anyone.
Our review said: There’s not much else that can be said about The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition other than to say that it is a must-play in spite of its uneven presentation. The game is not especially lengthy and there are no documentaries or concept art galleries to flesh out its status as a ‘special edition’, which is disappointing. However, it almost seems unfair to begrudge the game for its no-frills approach, considering how unusually generous it is in dispensing its fun, wit and personality. Those who have never had the pleasure of Guybrush Threepwood’s company should buy this immediately and prepare to become lifelong fans of the series; veterans of the Monkey Island series should buy this game immediately and rekindle the old flame.
[FULL REVIEW: 9.0]
Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter
Service(s): Steam, XBLA
Price: $19.99 USD, 1200 MS points
Players: 1-16
Developer: CroTeam
Publisher: Devolver Digital
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” pretty much sums up Serious Sam HD in a nutshell. A remastering of the original classic launched a decade ago, Serious Sam HD now looks a whole lot prettier while still retaining the mindless and insane gameplay that we’ve all grown to love. Featuring whacky weapons, even whackier enemies (headless, screaming kamikaze runners NEVER gets old) and gigantic bosses, Serious Sam HD is totally worth the price of admission, especially considering that it supports up to 16 players in co-op.
Our review said: [FULL REVIEW: Coming soon]
Shadow Complex
Service(s): XBLA
Price: 1200 MS Points
Players: 1
Developer: Epic Games
Publisher: Microsoft Games Studios
Shadow Complex is one of the prettiest downloadable titles around, and also harks back to the old school days of side-scrolling action platformers in the best way conceivable. Considering the game’s inspiration, namely Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Shadow Complex definitely has some kick-arse flair behind it and is well worth putting on anyone's download list.
Our review said: Shadow Complex is an easy title to recommend to all Xbox 360 owners with an internet connection: its addictive, well-tuned gameplay is meshed with gorgeous visuals which put most other downloadable games to shame. Lousy story and weak cutscenes aside, Shadow Complex is a modern update of the classic Super Metroid formula which does justice to its source inspiration. It might not surpass Nintendo's colossal masterpiece, but few would ever have expected it to, right?
[FULL REVIEW: 8.5]
’Splosion Man
Service(s): XBLA
Price: 800 MS Points
Players: 1
Developer: Twisted Pixel Games
Publisher: Twisted Pixel Games
It’s a well known fact that gamers love explosions, so Twisted Pixel Games clearly saw this and conjured up the crazy idea of a character that explodes constantly in order to jump around and get through an area. ’Splosion Man feels like the modern day Sonic with its insanely fast 2.5d gameplay and explosive effects, and also brings a lot of charisma with it. A fantastic downloadable title that’s highly recommended if you’re in need of some XBLA lovin’.
Our review said: Splosion Man is a wonderful testament to old school games, with its simplistic but fun gameplay and huge sense of character. Featuring over 50 single player levels, players are in for a hefty challenge which will last them a few hours. Once this is done as well, you have the time trials too which are essentially speed runs of all the levels, and then there’s multiplayer which adds an interesting twist to the core gameplay. For 800 points, Splosion Man is a steal, and it’d be a shame if you didn’t pick it up.
[FULL REVIEW: 8.5]
Tales of Monkey Island
Service(s): Steam, WiiWare
Price: Pack: $34.99 USD, 1000 points per chapter
Players: 1
Developer: Telltale Games
Publisher: Telltale Games
Yes, we’re mentioning Monkey Island again, but only because it’s so good. Tales continues the story after the previous entry Escape from Monkey Island, where Guybrush Threepwood and Co. land into more trouble and mayhem throughout a story separated into 5 chapters, each going for a few hours each. The final chapter is set to release sometime this month, so by the time you’re done with the other 4, you’ll be set for the whole thing.
Our review said:Monkey Island fans should breathe a sigh of relief. While the game may not reach the hilarious heights of the series' high-points, it still provides a rollicking piratey adventure, with everyone's favourite idiot pirate who can hold his breath for ten minutes underwater. It provides a surprisingly large amount of content, a decent amount of in-jokes, and a lot of foreshadowing for future episodes. At the same time there are some hiccups along the way, and a useless mouse-control system. However, taking this episode as a whole and by measuring the amount of enjoyment we extracted from it, we walked away very happy indeed. If Launch of the Screaming Narwhal is anything to go by, and we hope it is, we're in for what could possibly be Telltale's best series yet, and a worthy continuation of the Monkey Island name.
[FULL REVIEW: 8.0]
Torchlight
Services: Steam
Price: $19.99 USD
Players: 1
Developer: Runic Games
Publisher: Runic Games
Created by a bunch of ex-Blizzard employees, Torchlight is the ultimate dungeon crawling Diablo-esque game around. Featuring tons of loot, huge dungeons and imaginative creatures, Torchlight will keep you hooked for hours with its hack n slash gameplay, and will likely satiate some of the eager anticipation for Diablo 3, which according to our sources, may not be released until 2030.
Our review said: [FULL REVIEW: Coming soon]
Trials HD
Service(s): XBLA
Price: 800 MS Points
Players: 1
Developer: RedLynx
Publisher: Microsoft Games Studios
Trials HD is the crack addiction of downloadable games. It’s all about doing crazy stunts on a bike in a complex, physics based 2.5d environment, and doing it all at a blistering pace too. For 800 points you can’t really go wrong with a game that can keep you hooked to your 360 for hours on end.
Our review said: These are minor irritations however. When it comes down to it, it's hard to imagine anybody not enjoying this game. It taps into the childish glee that exists in all of us, combining the perverse satisfaction of watching people land on their heads with the pure joy of launching off a ramp at high speed.
[FULL REVIEW: 8.0]
Trine
Service(s): Steam, PSN
Price: $19.99 USD ($21.81 AUD), $27.95 AUD
Players: 1-3
Developer: Frozenbyte
Publisher: Frozenbyte
Trine is one mighty fine looking game that also plays very well too. Featuring some cleverly designed levels catered towards the clever co-operative mind, Trine allows you to play as three very different classes and traverse fantastical environments, whether it be alone or with friends. A magical experience well worth picking up.
Our review said: Ultimately, Trine is a laudable effort, representing a satisfying blend of action, platforming and light puzzle-solving the likes of which is seldom seen in modern gaming. Attractive, charming and fun, there is little which can be said against it save for the occasional frame rate hitch or physics-related clumsiness. Gamers starved of the joys of 2D platforming action would be remiss to miss it.
[FULL REVIEW: 8.0]
Wipeout HD: Fury
Service(s): PSN
Price: $15.95 AUD stand-alone, $39.95 AUD pack
Players: 1-8
Developer: Sony Studios London
Publisher: Sony
Okay so technically we’re cheating a little bit here, as Fury requires the original Wipeout HD to be played. However, Fury is so damned good that it deserves a mention. Featuring a huge new campaign mode, several new game modes, tracks and some of the best presentation we’ve ever seen, Fury is well worth picking up, and if you don’t have the original by now, you are doing yourself a massive disservice.
Our review said: Wipeout: Fury ticks all the right notes when it comes to doing an add on pack right. The new tracks play exceptionally well, the game modes add a whole new level of depth, and the replay value has increased even more with the added campaign and smoother integration of multiplayer aspects. Studio Liverpool clearly know what polish means, with an extremely stylish new look and feel which gives a somewhat old title a totally new shine. For $15,95 AUD, any Wipeout HD fan should not even think twice about picking this up, as it’s not only a massive add on, but a very high quality one at that. Buy this add on, or we’ll be furious.
[FULL REVIEW]
Zeno Clash
Services: Steam
Price: $14.99 USD
Players: 1
Developer: ACE Team
Publisher: ACE Team
A title that has gone a little unnoticed, Zeno Clash is yet another obscure but unique game, played from a first person perspective. The game has some strange quasi-prehistoric style to it with unusual creatures and strange dialect, but the quality of it all can’t be ignored. That and fist fights that work really well in FPS are always something we absolutely adore. Highly recommended to anyone who’s a fan of FPS.
Our review said:FULL REVIEW: Coming Soon.
And that sums up our recommendations for what to download for your loved ones or better yet (and in a Grinch-like fashion), for yourself. The PALGN staff wishes you a very Merry Christmas and Happy gaming!
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