Xbox Live Indie Games Insider

The shifting landscape of indie games is one of wonder. As power developers such as Infinity Ward, Bungie, and the many studios at Nintendo continue to control the marketplace with sales and popularity, it’s the indie scene that continues to push genres forward with innovation. From Number None’s Braid to Playdead Studios’ Limbo, the sheer number of fantastic titles developed by indie creators is increasing by tenfold every year.

Having said that, there are dozens upon dozens of indie games that never receive the spotlight they deserve. The Xbox Live Indie Games marketplace was once called Xbox Live Community Games and has continued to produce quality titles that aren’t the buzz they ought to. So it’s with that premise that we bring to you our first entry into our Xbox Live Indie Games Insider column that will run every Monday here at GameZone.

We won’t be assigning normal 1-10 ratings to these titles, but instead placing one of the three labels onto them: BUY IT, DEMO IT, or AVOID IT. The explanations behind each label are self-explanatory, but for those who need a little guidance: BUY IT games are the crème de la crème; DEMO IT titles often have weaknesses that may bring down the total value, but still have strengths to try it out for yourself; AVOID IT games are a waste of time — no ifs, ands or buts about it.

Game of the Week:
Crossfire
Smash the gameplay of Space Invaders and the style of Geometry Wars and the end result is Crossfire, the latest release from Radiangames. In the same vein as Geometry Wars, Crossfire turns out to be a gem with addicting gameplay that invites players back with quick levels to surpass and a difficulty level that is challenging as it is gratifying.

In comparison, Space Invaders asks players to remain at the bottom of the screen as they shoot at incoming enemies; Crossfire, on the other hand, allows players to warp to the top of the screen at will to dispose of the enemies. As players advance, new enemies are introduced whom have unique attacks and defenses to adjust to. By the end of the 50 waves, players should feel the pressure breathing down on them as they dodge attacks and attempt to sneak in shots at exposed enemies.

Crossfire is a sure-fire hit on the Xbox Live Indie Games marketplace. It offers action that is easy to pick up and understand to keep players coming back for more. BUY IT

Ophidian Wars: Opac’s Journey
Ophidian Wars: Opac’s Journey is somewhat of an anomaly. At times, it’s one of the most intriguing games on the Xbox Live Indie Games marketplace. On other occasions, it’s tedious to the point that I felt as if I was a drone.

The idea behind Opac’s Journey is simple: Traverse the environments collecting new items to unlock previously inaccessible areas. Whether it’s upgrading the glider or earning a double-jump, there are several items that permit new abilities. When players begin to stick to surfaces like Spider-Man or destroying objects with their stormpad, that’s when the interest level should spike.

On the flipside, the environments are limited in scope and style. It took about 35-40 minutes to find a drastically different looking world to journey through when the Labyrinth was introduced. Outside of that, it often looks the same over time. In addition, the inventory is a mess with a small menu and text to flip through.

So at its best, Ophidian Wars: Opac’s Journey is a fantastic trade demo displaying how to create a compelling adventure title. But with the demo label slapped on it, it’s limited with replay value. DEMO IT

Lumi
Simple is what simple does… or that’s what you’d think before jumping head first into Lumi, an award-winning title that won the Dream.Build.Play contest hosted by Microsoft. Designed with the utmost attention spent on attractive environments, Lumi is a calm ride from start to finish that employs trial and error gameplay that may turn a few gamers away.

Using the triggers to either attract or push Lumi away from colored balls of energy, players will have to learn the ins and outs of feeding plants fireflies to bring the light back to the world that is devastated upon the start of the game. Throughout the title, players encounter new enemy types – I’ve always hated beetles, so dispatching one was satisfying – and several changes to the backdrops, which end up becoming the best attraction of Lumi.

While the aesthetics are lush and colorful, the gameplay is on the limited side, especially since overcoming the challenges aren’t as rewarding as they should be for a title that focuses on trial and error so emphatically. Usually, figuring out the key element to overcome an obstacle often results in euphoria of newfound intelligence. With Lumi, it was often deterred longer sessions of play. DEMO IT