QUICKLINKS:
Xbox Live Arcade Reviews A - N | Xbox Live Arcade Reviews O - Z | Xbox Originals A - Z
Our Xbox Live Arcade ratings system
We've given every game a 'buy' rating of 'Yes', 'Maybe', or 'No'.
Yes means this is a very high quality game, and we have no problem recommending it to anyone as long as they like the genre.
Maybe means we think the game is good, but not necessarily for everyone. If you know the game or like the sound of the description, go for it
No means that we don't recommend the title at all.
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Games listed in alphabetical order
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Bliss Island
Price: 400 Points
Bliss Island in its most basic form is a bunch of mini-games thrown together. They're all rather simple by nature and don't take much skill to participate, and they're all strung together by a pretty lame storyline. Or, you can just play the games seperately if you like - though we're not sure you'd want to. In fact, only one or two of the games are actually enjoyable. You can find better alternatives for mini-games without paying for them, and there are plenty of other games that we'd recommend you spend your points on over this.
Worth buying? No
Brain Challenge
Price: 800 Points
Jumping onto the bandwagon that's been rolling since a certain hand-held released a certain series of training games, Brain Challenge is the first attempt to get the casual 360 market to do some puzzles to try and increase the capacity of their brain. It's a decent educational puzzle game, and will be right up the alley of anyone who likes to test themselves and see just how 'clever' they are, with daily tests that check how you're progressing. Of course, these types of games aren't for everyone, and if you've ever spent some time training your brain on the DS, this may feel like a cheap cash-in. Worth a trial to see whether or not you're really keen on challenging your brain on a regular basis.
Worth buying? Maybe
Rocketmen: Axis of Evil
Price: 800 Points
Rocketmen: Axis of Evil is a shoot-em-up in the style of similar XBLA titles like Smash TV, except with a modernized look to it and some RPG-lite elements thrown in there for good measure. What comes out is a somewhat jumbled experience that isn't really comfortable to play. While co-op play is certainly a lot of fun, the game is a tad too repetitive for solo players, and the camera is a bit awkward as well. Rocketmen probably could have used some more time in production to really get these problems ironed out and figure out a way to make its ideas combine a little better. As it stands, it's hard to recommend for the asking price.
Worth buying? Maybe
TiQal
Price: 800 Points
Because apparently there aren't enough puzzle games already available on the XBLA, TiQal is the classic 'blocks falling from the top of the screen' type of puzzle game, where you have to combine four blocks of the same colour in a square to clear them off the screen. You can use power-up's to switch it up and make the game more interesting, such as causing rows to explode and the like, but it's not too challenging in single-player. Compared to similar puzzlers on the arcade, TiQal feels a lot more casual and simplified, but it might be worth a look for those who are yet to invest in the others. Definitely a try-before-you-buy, given the crowded genre.
Worth buying? Maybe
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