The latter part of 2010 leading into the earlier winter months of 2011 has been, perhaps, one of the most prolific times for the Xbox Live Indie Games service in terms of quality offerings – particularly in the roleplaying game genre.
Zeboyd Games – A Review of Cthulhu Saves the World
Following up on the success of the very popular retro RPG satire Breath of Death VII, Zeboyd Games has once again done it in perfect style with the release of Cthulhu Saves the World. Retaining some of the cornerstone comedic elements of the first title – a silly yet powerful main character, an adoring fangirl, and a complete cast of ridiculous party members – Cthulhu Saves the World is an improvement over the studios' initial offering that is well worth the 240 points.
This time the game adopts a more hybrid graphical style that is, this time, more evocative of the 16-bit era. Drawn backgrounds for each battle locale are now present instead of the plain black screen reminiscent of the NES Dragon Warrior / Dragon Quest era. Enemies now have separate frames for the chance that they are driven insane, intentionally or unintentionally.
Joining your motley cast of characters this time around is a doddering old man who brings Tellah from Final Fantasy II (IV JPN) immediately to mind, a full-sized and animate sword (a “sword-man”), an a green cat from outer space. The wacky characters, hilarious fourth-wall storytelling, and extremely low price point make Cthulhu Saves the World an instant buy.
Eyehook Games – A Review of Epic Dungeon
A surprise entry when it hit the scene just before Christmas in 2010, Eyehook Games' Epic Dungeon (80 Microsoft Points) was perhaps one of the best value-menu offerings on the Xbox Live Indie Games service for the latter part of the year.
Taking large cues from Gauntlet and also bringing forward strange tones of early Apple II Dungeon Crawlers, Epic Dungeon allows the player to choose from one of four classes (Tinker, Berserker, Gambler, or Shaman) each with their own special ability. The Tinker is accompanied by a floating Orb companion; The Shaman has the ability to freeze nearby opponents; The Gambler emits a cloud of poisonous clouds; The Berserker swings his weapon in a whirlwind pattern to clear out nearby ghouls.
Pressing through fifty levels of randomly generated baddies, loot, and random events told in a traditional “choose your own adventure” styling, Epic Dungeon seeks to push players to complete the game in the shortest amount of time possible – a delicate balance given that death is permanent and irreversible and that the enemies press down in waves upon the player at almost all times.
The music is great and sounds exactly like a retro game should. Graphical presentation is also very simple, but clean, and easily distinguishable. All of the levels seem to be fair, and the secret rooms and random encounters make for a truly intriguing experience the first few playthroughs. For a dollar, Eyehook Games has crafted a game that can be enjoyed for hours on end.
Nicholas Morine - Nicholas Morine Bachelor of Arts, English Language & Literature Master of Philosophy, Humanities (Candidate) Memorial University ...
