Reviews for Balls and Hyper Button and trailers for soon to be released games Tic Part 1 and Fluffy: Operation Overkill! are in this weeks The Indie Zone.
Review: Balls
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Balls is a pool simulator set in Phil’s Fruit & Juice bar. It features support for eight and nine ball variants with options to change the rules per country and some additional rules. The single player option allows you to play against a CPU opponent of varying difficulty. The later difficulties are quite hard so if you want a challenge this is the game to try. Multiplayer is supported well with local support for up to four players in a tournament and online versus another player. Lobbies are included and are popular so finding a game shouldn’t be a problem.
The game itself is very fun to play, more so against another human player. The table and surrounding area are in full 3D so you can move around the table and plan your shots. Two control methods for taking shots are supported and both work well. Various levels of aiming guides are also included and help newcomers to the game to play just as well as a pro. One thing I was not a fan of was the short shot timer on multiplayer games. You only have 30 seconds to take your shot, this includes positioning your ball after a foul. I would have liked to have seen an option to change the limit or disable it.
Graphically the game looks fine. As mentioned the game is fully 3D which adds to the atmosphere. Avatars are used but only appear beside the table between shots and do not physically take part, it is not a major issue but watching the other opponent taking a shot would have been nice. The music is a mix of themes and add to the bar ambience, they do not get in the way too much and work well.
Balls costs 80 :MSPoints: which is great value for money. I bought this game instead of having a review code and I can easily say it is worth every penny. The single player games are competitive and the multiplayer games are great fun to play. If you have an interest in pool games then make this your first port of call. More information can be found on the Xbox Marketplace.
Review: Hyper Button
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Hyper Button is an arcade game which tests your reflexes, dexterity and memory all centered around completing a series of rounds involving pressing the correct buttons on your controller. There are ten rounds in total and they will take around 15 to 20 minutes to complete.
At the start of the round, the rules are clearly described both textually and visually. They are straightforward to understand even when playing for the first time. The first round called has you shooting Ducks by pressing the button sequences in order. Other games include choosing the correct matching image, a reaction test where you must press the corresponding button to a clock alarm bell and moving a train by pressing a lengthy button sequence. None of the games are particularly hard, though you are rewarded with extra score based on speed and how many tasks you complete.
The presentation is done well with a simple menu system and easy to understand rules. The graphics are drawn well and are easily identifiable which is essential in a fast paced game. The music is spot on with little jingles that are fun to listen to.
Hyper Button costs 80 :MSPoints:, while there is nothing wrong with the game it can be short lived. As there is only a single player mode it immediately reduces the lifespan and competitiveness factor. Though a highscore table exists nothing beats being able to compete either simultaneously or turn based. It is worth checking out the trial version at least, check it out on the Xbox Marketplace.
Preview: Tic Part 1 Trailer
RedCandy games have released a new trailer for their eagerly anticipated indie game Tic. Dont forget to visit the homepage at redcandygames.com for more details.
Preview: Fluffy: Operation Overkill!
Fluffy: Operation Overkill! is due to launch in June. It is a side scrolling shooter centering around a psychotic squirrel called Fluffy. A virus has turned all the animals into monsters and it is your job to find out the cause and stop it. To help you on your journey you have a decent selection of weapons including a shotgun, machine gun and lightning gun as well as special abilities for your character including a slow motion and an orbital satellite strike. Check out the trailer below and visit the homepage at sosodev.com.
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