If you download games from xbox live arcade, which ones are your favorites and why? The genre doesn’t particularly matter, although I’m a bit burned out on shooters. So far the only game I have downloaded is Magic the Gathering, and I’m disappointed there’s no deck builder utility. After that, I made it a point to research my games more carefully before I buy them.
What I want is something long and repeatable, like civilization-style strategy games. I don’t necessarily want a linear storyline (or even necessarily a storyline at all) like the single player campaigns of games like Halo. I want game 2 to be different from games 1 and 3. Some kind of Sim game probably fits that bill best, but I haven’t seen anything like it from any of the previews of anything I’ve read. I do not care the slightest about graphics or cool effects. I don’t care whether the game is some kind of turn based strategy game or an action-adventure/roleplaying game like the elder scrolls series. I prefer to stay away from puzzle games, and arcade score-chasing shooters.
Well, Shadow Complex just came out and seems pretty awesome.
Castle Crashers is a time honored favorite and is made of awesome.
I’m a huge fan of Geometry Wars 2, but you say you’re not into the ‘score chasing’ sort of game.
If you like “oldschool” games, there are plenty from various time periods ranging from Pac Man to Virtual On and Rez HD. Though again, a lot of those, being older, will be “score chasing”. Oldschool fighting games (Samurai Shodown 2, various Street Fighter offerings, etc.) are another thriving genre.
Puzzle Quest is good in that different playthroughs are going to be different, but you said you prefer to avoid puzzle games. You’re not really leaving a lot of options here.
None of those really fit your criteria for a “sim type” game - that’s not really the sort of thing I’ve found on XBLA (which seems to be primarily full of games that can be played in short bursts - puzzle games, or pick up and play action sorts) or even really on consoles in general. Maybe you’d like Catan or Carcassonne, which are both actually sortof boardgame adaptations but might suit your style?
Otherwise, I’d say maybe you should be looking for a PC title instead, since they tend more towards the model that you are apparently looking for?
I downloaded the Braid demo. It’s a puzzle game, no matter how much they try to make it feel like super mario brothers. Puzzle games are fine for lots of people, but I’m not really into them.
That said, PuzzleQuest actually looks pretty fun. I played another version on a different console, and it should have been called “StrategyQuest” instead. Puzzle games are more like “figure out the correct sequence to advance to the next part.” Strategy games are a lot more free form (and a lot more fun, in my opinion.)
So far I have Catan, possibly Carcassonne, and possibly PuzzleQuest on my list. Any other suggestions? Thanks for the help guys.
Duke Nukem 3D is still incredibly fun. Bought it a few weeks ago on a nostalgia trip and really enjoyed it. Of course the graphics are incredibly dated by modern standards, but the gameplay is great and it’s a really slick conversion.
I uh… honestly don’t know. I just know that it’s a port of a boardgame that I believe is in vaguely the same vein as Catan. Tile based, with building of stuff. You’re probably better off asking Wikipedia than me.
If it stays true to the board game, you’ll like it. You lay down tiles to create a landscape of roads, fields, and cities. You and other players place your tokens on these parts of the landscape. When that part gets finished, you get points. Really easy to learn, but a crazy amount of strategy.
I got Trials HD recently and loved it. A very addictive game.
Shadow Complex was another one I’ve downloaded recently and loved it.
Battlefield 1943 is the highlight of my recent purchases though. It’s the best arcade product so far IMO. I would have shelled out more money for it as a full release.
In case Munch’s post wasn’t completely clear, Civilization Revolution is now available as an Xbox Live download. Pricey as download games go, but completely worth it.
And I also got M:tG. Sure, no deck builder was disappointing, but overall it was still well worth the price.
