XBLIG News, Reviews & Previews

In Ranger, you are the deadlest Ranger the Elven race has ever known and it’s up to you to stop the monster horde. Use your armory of arrows to kill them before they get you.

The graphics here excellent. Very reminiscent of the old 80’s game Golden Axe. The only difference is that you don’t move. You only aim with the arrows and shoot as the enemy rampages towards you.

The sound quality is excellent as well. Great music and effects were both added to this game.

I know that this is a relatively short review but I was simply blown away by this one. The developer really went the extra mile on this game and it shows. It was so well done as a matter of fact that I really can’t recommend it enough. And at only 80 MS Points for the game you would do well to purchase it and play it. This one gets 5 thumbs up from me.

Zombie Sniper 3D

Zombie Sniper 3D is good, clean, wholesome family fun. Ok, probably not exactly a phrase you’d expect to see regarding this particular game, but it is fun. You are stuck on a rooftop with a sniper rifle. In order to survive, you must zoom in on the zombies and shoot them for points. These points can be used to purchase more ammo as needed. But you need to be fast because these little buggers can get into the building and then have a chance to eat your brains.

I will have to admit, I have seen better graphics in other games but what the developer does here actually works. You can zoom right up to the zombie’s and do either a head or body shot for points. They do come a little clearer as you get closer.

The sound is excellent as well. You have a choice of 4 music tracks to listen to as you wipe the zombies of the face of the earth… or at least your block. And, as an added bonus, you can hear when those zombies are sneaking up on you so you can spin around and shoot them.

The controls are pretty simple to use. Zoom with the left stick and aim with the right and pull the trigger to fire. My only problem here is the same problem I have with sniper guns from other games. When you are zoomed in, your aiming gets slower and it takes a lot of time to zoom out and then in again.

Overall though I did love this game. It’s fun and you get to shoot things. I’m giving this one 4 thumbs up and recommending it to everyone.

Overview:
Our gerbil friends are back, and they are more foolhardy then ever. Help them learn the impact of ropes, slingshots, bombs, disintegrators and machine guns on their slight and furry forms. Venture into heaven, hell, and several places in between exploring 40 new levels, mini-games, and dastardly puzzles. Gerbil Physics 2 is the most fun you can have with gerbils whilst still being borderline legal.

Features:
• 40 all-new levels including "Two Gerbils One Cup"
• New Slingshot and unlockable Machine Gun!
• Fun Mini Games with Wrecking Balls and Elevators!
• Powerful Rodentia™ game engine ensures that gerbils respond to your carefully planted explosives and cunning wielded slingshots exactly as real gerbils might.
• Awesome Musical Score.
• Remarkably priced at only one US dollar or 80 Microsoft Points.

About Pencel Games
Pencel Games are a London and US-based team focused on making unique and compelling games. Founded in mid 2007, their previous Xbox releases include the hit Gerbil Physics demolition game and Horn Swaggle Islands (the world’s foremost pirate-themed tower defence Xbox indie game).

Don't Press X is the worlds biggest games company with studios across the world, it has earned a reputation for making massive multi million dollar productions that push the technological envelope to the limit, and then canning them just prior to release . Now in a move that will stun the industry the company founders (who's identites for now must remain secret, like Batman and Robin, or Spiderman and errm wonder woman) have announced that they will be refocusing all the resources of their massive organisation towards the indie games market. In a shock move they are actually going to release a game (gasp!), Rock A Block coming to Xbox Indie in the next few weeks.

Rock a Block is yet another racing, puzzle, platform, 3rd person action game set on a rollercoaster ride of gameplay. Featuring 9 tracks of primary coloured RacingPuzzleRotationAction (TM pending) a championship mode, two player local head to head races and 9 unlockable things we have no name for but give you extra performance enhancing attibutes. Recklessly charging only 80 MS points, Dont press X look forward to a long future of being told they should have charged more.

Quotes from the Don't Press X directors -

"We ran the pixels for this game through a fully automated and insanely expensive cubic acceleration enhancement matrix, then had each pixel polished by hand using cheep third world chimpanzee labor. The pixels in this game will blow your mind!" - Eeenyweeney

"I don't like it" - Mr D

Now available on Xbox Live Indie Games is Text Zedventure, a text-only adventure where you must escape a city ravaged by a mysterious infection.

Explore a deserted residence, train station and shopping centre in three unique chapters with multiple endings. Each chapter is designed for replayability, where a single choice can lead to a dramatically different outcome. Text Zedventure is colourblind friendly.

The game is priced at 80 Microsoft Points (£0.65 / $1.00 / €1.00).

Until May 31 2010, all profits will be donated to animal conservation charity Save The Rhino (registered charity 1035072). After this date, 25% of all sales will continue to be given to the charity.

Download link: http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-GB/games/media/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d802585504e8/