Toronto Thumbs

ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?
New Xbox Experience Launches Nov 19

By Shaun Hatton - November 13th, 2008

Microsoft is set to transform Xbox 360 consoles via next Wednesday’s automatic console update. If you’ve got a 360 and have it connected to the Internet, chances are you’ll want to upgrade.

The new interface is much cleaner, and a little remniscent of the new Zune interface as well – which is a good thing! Overall it really seems as if the Xbox will be embracing a more social angle in the near future.

Among the new features is Xbox LIVE Party, which will allow users to create a “party” with up to seven friends. The party consists of voice chat, playing games, and photo sharing. And to help facilitate the social concept is the introduction of customizable animated avatars. These have previously been referred to as Microsoft’s answer to Nintendo’s Miis, and in a way that’s a valid comparison. It does, however, appear that the animated avatars will have a greater degree of customization than Miis allow for.

I’m looking forward to the interface changeover. I’ve gotten used to the way the current UI operates but it’s an absolute mess when trying to scroll through the titles on my system and when looking through the marketplace. November 19 can’t come soon enough!

Posted in LIVE, News, Xbox 360 | 2 Comments »

BIGGER IS BETTER
Xbox Introduces 60GB Starter Pack

By Shaun Hatton - October 28th, 2008

Today Xbox Canada announce the launch of the Xbox 60GB hard drive and Xbox LIVE starter pack, which is a handy way for Xbox Arcade owners to upgrade their consoles for a more engaging media experience. The bundle’s in stores today and retails for an approximate $109.99 CDN. It includes the new 60GB hard drive, a wired headset, a three-month subscription to LIVE and an ethernet cable (you can never have too many of these!).

And now, I am sad, for I only have 4 GB os space left on my now-outdated 20 GB Xbox hard drive. Technology is such a cruel mistress sometimes.

Posted in LIVE, News, Xbox 360 | No Comments »

FLASH FOCUS
You Have To Burn The Rope

By Shaun Hatton - October 17th, 2008

At the Fable II launch party in Toronto on Thursday, October 16, I caught up with Mathew Kumar since we hadn’t seen each other in a while. We discussed many different video games, and while talking about Flash games he recommended that I check out You Have To Burn The Rope because its end song was great.

A lot can be said about this game, and I’m sure there are write-ups about it elsewhere on the web. But I’d still like to say my piece. I think this game is pure brilliance. Everything from the level design, character design, music, sound effects, and concept are all top-notch. If you’re like me and get easily frustrated by incredibly difficult video games like Super Mario Bros., give You Have To Burn The Rope a chance. It’s addictive. I’ve played through it about four times today already. This should be on Xbox LIVE Arcade.

Posted in Awesome, Flash Focus, LIVE | 7 Comments »

LIVE ARCADE REVIEW
Ikaruga

By Shaun Hatton - June 24th, 2008

Ikaruga is one hyper vertical shooter that’s definitely not for the faint of heart or slow of thumbs. Available now over the Xbox LIVE Arcade, Ikaruga puts you in the pilot’s seat of a futuristic space fighter that can switch polarities at will to absorb different kinds of projectiles.

I’m a huge shooter fan, going back to the days of Galaga, and Ikaruga is a little bit of gaming bliss. The game scrolls vertically through beautifully rendered 3D environments (though the movement is on a 2D plane) and sends a hail of bullets and enemies at you at any given time.

The thing that sets Ikaruga apart from other shooters is the polarity element. There are essentially two polarities of projectiles: white/blue and black/red. Your ship can also switch between these two polarities with the touch of a button, and you can absorb projectiles whose colours correspond to your ship’s current polarity. In short, when you’re white, you can absorb the white bullets. And when you’re black, you can absorb the black ones.

Sounds simple enough but there are so many bullets and enemies on screen that the game sometimes looks like Do Don Pachi (only much tamer, given that you can fly through projectiles of your polarity). Be prepared to ice up your thumbs if you’ll be playing this for an extended period of time. If you’re a fan of old-school shooters, Ikaruga is for you.

Then again, you probably already knew that.

Posted in LIVE, Reviews, Xbox 360 | 1 Comment »

HADOKEN! It’s beta time
Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix

By Shaun Hatton - June 24th, 2008

The Toronto Thumbs staffers are certified fighting game aficionados, and have a particular fascination and appreciated for all things Street Fighter.

Tomorrow we’ll be playing the crap out of the BETA release of Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, which will be available to anyone who has previously purchased Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 on LIVE Arcade. Commando 3 is an awesome game on its own, but the fact that players will now be able to test out this much-awaited Street Fighter title is the icing on the cake.

The only downside to all this is that the Xbox 360 controller is likely the worst controller ever to play a 2D fighting game with. The directional pad is so horrible that one has to wonder if its engineers actually set out to design the most useless D-pad ever. If so, they’ve succeeded. Your best bet is to pick up the HORI fighting stick for the Xbox 360. It’s well worth the price and offers good, old-fashioned arcade controller clicky goodness.

Posted in LIVE, News, Xbox 360 | No Comments »

EVENT
Toronto Xbox LIVE Arcade Preview

By Shaun Hatton - June 12th, 2008

Last night, I found myself in the upscale Yorkville district of Toronto. To those not familiar with the area, it’s really quite something. It’s a prissy, shi-shi land of boutique shops, bottle blondes who shop all day, and other deluded individuals willing to pay millions for tiny condos the size of a Prius.

So why was I there? Well, apart from my doing a bit of people watching beforehand, which fueled my general disdain for the conspicuous consumption of those wealthier than I will ever be, I was there to play video games. There’s a small ’50s diner in the heart of Yorkville called Flo’s Diner, and this was the location of the Xbox LIVE Arcade Preview Event.

Flat-panel monitors were set up along one side of the restaurant’s tiny bar and at the end of booth tables. On each, different games were being displayed. As media personalities began filing into the tiny diner, the bleeps and digitized gunshots got louder and louder. A good variety of games were shown, and some were obviously more popular than others (I’m looking at you, 1942: Joint Strike).

Read the rest »

Posted in Download Updates, Events, LIVE, News, Xbox 360 | 2 Comments »

Dreamfall: The Longest Journey coming to XBL

By Syd Bolton - March 23rd, 2008

According to this recent post, Dreamfall: The Longest Journey is coming to the Xbox originals marketplace. While this in itself is great news (since this game went mostly under appreciated) the label of “Game of the Year Edition” is slightly confusing. The GOTY edition that appeared on the PC included the original “Longest Journey” game and this would make one think that this is also the case for Xbox owners. If this was true, it would be enough to get me to buy the title for a second time, but it is looking more and more like it’s just a repackaging of the Xbox original.

Featuring over 50 voice actors, incredible worlds and a compelling story, Dreamfall will keep you interested in its immersive environments. The gameplay isn’t overly complex (and the fighting sequences are almost laughable) but the overall story and light puzzle elements will keep you pushing forward through this most enjoyable experience. If I didn’t already own the original I’d be downloading this one on March 24. You should be, too.

Posted in Download Updates, LIVE, Xbox 360 | No Comments »

OVERVIEW: Ninja Gaiden Black is Back

By Shaun Hatton - March 16th, 2008

Developed by Team Ninja and published by Tecmo for Xbox 360.

While the wait for the super bloody Ninja Gaiden II is still a long one, 360 owners can take solace in the fact that Ninja Gaiden Black is now available for download as an Xbox Originals title from the LIVE Marketplace. And though the game is two and a half years old at this point, it still looks and plays quite well.

As master ninja Ryu Hayabusa, players can use a wide assortment of ninja weaponry and techniques to dispatch enemies. The game is not for everyone, however. It’s extremely difficult once the enemies start showing up in droves, and the boss fights are full of white-knuckled action. Black has a great combo system and the controls are, for the most part, very responsive. When you’re hacking and slashing with your sword, you really feel the weight of the swings and the resistance given when attacks are parried.

For fans of ninja (and really, who isn’t?) this game is a definite steal at its purchase price of 1200 Microsoft Points. The only drawback, if it could be called that, is at just under six gigs, the game will take quite a while to finish downloading. Still, you’ll be able to play it a lot sooner than Ninja Gaiden II.

Posted in Download Updates, LIVE, Ninja, Overviews, Reviews, Xbox 360 | No Comments »