After last week’s combo of big titles like Shadows of the Damned and FEAR 3, it looks like gaming is entering its annual summer drought of retail releases. There are still promising smaller games like Catherine, El Shaddai, and Earth Defense Force coming out, but the retail release schedule doesn’t really heat up until Madden 12 at the end of August. Fortunately Microsoft’s fourth annual Summer of Arcade is headed to Xbox Live to energize the next couple months, and we now have the full release schedule for all five games.
July 20
Bastion
Price: 1200 Microsoft Points
First up is Bastion, an action-RPG with anime-inspired visuals that turned many heads at E3. Will it start things off with a bang? Preview
First up is Bastion, an action-RPG with anime-inspired visuals that turned many heads at E3. Will it start things off with a bang? Preview
July 27
From Dust
Price: 1200 Microsoft Points
We’ve been enamored with From Dust aka Project Dust for some time now, so we’re hoping this special distinction will convince the rest of the gaming public how right we are. Preview
We’ve been enamored with From Dust aka Project Dust for some time now, so we’re hoping this special distinction will convince the rest of the gaming public how right we are. Preview
August 3
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
Price: 1200 Microsoft Points
This one looks to fall in the Braid/Limbo category of XBLA titles, at least visually, though can it hook us as well? With lovely 2D visuals and a very unique aesthetic, we expect big things. Preview
This one looks to fall in the Braid/Limbo category of XBLA titles, at least visually, though can it hook us as well? With lovely 2D visuals and a very unique aesthetic, we expect big things. Preview
August 10
Fruit Ninja Kinect
Price: 800 Microsoft Points
There had to be a Kinect game in here somewhere. Though Fruit Ninja can be pretty addicting on phones, can the simple slicing motion be just as engrossing on a TV screen?
Price: 800 Microsoft Points
There had to be a Kinect game in here somewhere. Though Fruit Ninja can be pretty addicting on phones, can the simple slicing motion be just as engrossing on a TV screen?
August 17
Toy Soldiers: Cold War
Price: 1200 Microsoft Points
The promotion ends with a sequel to last year’s surprise hit Toy Soldiers. With a cute take on warfare and adding some much needed action to the Tower Defense genre, the original was a great time. Can the sequel measure up?
Lastly, if you purchase all those games, you get a free copy of XBLA title Crimson Alliance when it’s released September 7. Previous years have offered straight up MS points as a bonus, but a free game is nothing to sneeze at.
Jun 27, 2011
The promotion ends with a sequel to last year’s surprise hit Toy Soldiers. With a cute take on warfare and adding some much needed action to the Tower Defense genre, the original was a great time. Can the sequel measure up?
Lastly, if you purchase all those games, you get a free copy of XBLA title Crimson Alliance when it’s released September 7. Previous years have offered straight up MS points as a bonus, but a free game is nothing to sneeze at.
Jun 27, 2011
