After our hiatus after GTA IV, Keman returns with his favorite rants!
Topics Include: What games we’ve played the past few months! Demos we’ve played…Grid and Dragonball Z Burst Limit! GTA IV DLC content delayed…if you want to call it that. Bioshock movie and sequels, and how it is not as exclusive as we thought. Jack Thompson has really lost it this time! Star Wars Force Unleashed unleashes another character for Soul Caliber IV! All this and more! Thanks for listening, Please leave us a comment on the show or send us an e-mail at: xblradio@platformnation.com
Published by Sierra Online this is Artech Studio’s second contribution to XBLA, the fan favorite Boogie Bunnies being the first. Artech Studio’s history is deep in PC and PS2 game but if its first two arcade titles are any inclination I can not wait to see what is next.
Aces of the Galaxy is a fast paced, non-stop, on-rails arcade shooter with the HD graphics that we have come to expect in all games today.Aces of the Galaxy places the player in a “galaxy far-far away” where you have just taken control of the Skurgian Empire’s newest space ship, “The Omega Prototype” (3 models to choose from).
Your objective: to completely destroy the alien pursuers and make it back to the Fleet with the “goods”.In movie terms think, I am Clint Eastwood in “Firefox” (look it up and watch you’ll understand).
Aces of the Galaxy comes with three difficulty levels; but to make the game A LOT more challenging you are given a total of three lives to complete the entire game. There are no saves, no continues, no redos.One extra life can be earned throughout the game but it is not easy and this all adds to the urgency of the situation.
With Single Player, Local and Xbox Live Co-Op Play you can experience this fast paced flier by yourself on your couch, with a friend on your couch, or over Live with a friend, or complete stranger, all in the comfort of your couch. This game is rated E10+, for everyone 10+ years old, mainly for its Fantasy Violence.For comparison, and if I haven’t dated myself enough already, I would rate Aces of the Galaxy in the same group as Galaga, Tempest, and Space Invaders.
In Aces of the Galaxy there are many branching paths the player can take.While you will play a total of ten levels per game, if you are good enough, there are many ways to do so.Also if you collect the “Warp Upgrade” in the level, once that level is completed you can choose one of three paths (Fire, Ice or Asteroids). With a total of 25+ different levels there are numerous paths to take giving Aces of the Galaxy great replay value.
To help you along the way you are given three main weapons: Chain Gun, “Homing” Missiles, and Torpedoes. Although a button mapping feature would be a nice addition, I quickly became familiar with the configuration and had no issues utilizing all the weapons for maximum destruction. Also hidden throughout the levels are weapons upgrades.You can carry only one at a time, So Choose Wisely!
Running in 720p the graphics of Aces of the Galaxy are pretty stunning.Depending on the path you choose all the levels have the same sharp, crisp feel with an excellent draw distance.On most levels is a planet, moon or asteroid in the background along with numerous bigger enemy ships that the player doesn’t need to bother much with.But combine that with the enemies the player does need to worry about flying in from every direction, their subsequently being blown into chunks and their final explosion; the screen gets filled with a dazzling light show not unlike a 4th of July fireworks display.
As for the sound of Aces of the Galaxy; it’s in 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound.If you have any kind of a surround sound system you will notice it with Aces of the Galaxy.Each enemy appears to have a distinct sound and I have become quite familiar with the “suicide ships” scream.I have been told numerous times by my wife to turn the game down, to me that is a sign of great audio.
OVERALL = 8.5
In the Xbox Live Arcade, that even Microsoft admits is over crowded, Aces of the Galaxy stands out and is an homage to the old-school on-rail shooters many of us gamers grew up on.With its HD graphics, online play, and branching paths Aces of the Galaxy is a fun, enjoyable, but yet still very challenging, arcade space shooter game.
As always, and unlike other consoles, please go download the trial, give Aces of the Galaxy and “The Omega Prototype” a spin for yourself. If you find it as fun as I have, download the Full Game and send me message on Live!
Gamertag is INFECTEDPB503 and “I’ll be your wingman anytime”!
Topics Include: No Spring Update and Delisting of XBLA games Bionic Commando What’s Steve been playing? Lost Planet, GRID, NG2! Madden 09 For Fatal45: Nascar 09 Saints Row 2, Wii Fit! Yeah! or Nah! and more! Thanks for listening, Please leave us a comment on the show or send us an e-mail at: xblradio@platformnation.com
ACES OF THE GALAXY BURSTS ONTO XBOX LIVE ARCADE AND PC
Stunning and Hectic Space Action Shooter Now Available
Los Angeles – June 4, 2008 – Sierra Online, a division of Vivendi Games, has released Aces of the Galaxy™, a high octane, retro-arcade 3D space shooter for Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and for PC via download. Aces of the Galaxy thrusts players into the midst of an epic kill or be killed space battle. Set in stunning, fast-moving environments the chaotic, take-on-all comers action redefines the old-school shooter.
“Players will love how fast and frantic the action gets and the fantastic visuals will really set the game apart from the pack,” said Nicole Perez, vice president of marketing, Sierra Online. “The overall intensity of Aces of the Galaxy, including some wild multiplayer action offer players some of the best arcade-style gameplay on Xbox LIVE Arcade.”
In the Aces of the Galaxy game, players quickly navigate vast, colorful space environments while blasting through onslaughts of enemy ships, dodging asteroids and other terrestrial hazards, avoiding too many damaging hits to their space ship in a frenetic fight for survival. Players take control of the powerful gun turret on an AI-driven spaceship, utilizing the reticule and a fast trigger finger to vaporize wave after wave of enemies. The game features dramatic and strategic effects, including an intense bullet-time feature that slows down the oncoming hordes of enemy ships and dazzling warp zones that propel players through space at the speed of light.
Aces of the Galaxy features many different levels and multiple crossroads that enable players to choose among branching paths, providing a choice of experiences while progressing through the game. Players can take on a mass of enemies in a single-player game or team up with a buddy in the co-operative multiplayer mode both online and off.
The Aces of the Galaxy game is rated E10+ and is available on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft for 800 Microsoft points. For more information visit Acesofthegalaxy.com. The game is also available for PC via download at Acesofthegalaxy.com
In conjunction with this weeks release, Sierra Online and XBLRadio are running
“The Friend in Need” Contest!
The first three 2-player teams to obtain all twelve Aces of the Galaxy achievements will be awarded a free XBLA game code from Sierra Online’s catalog of games.
So get on Live with a buddy or get your buddy on the couch next to you, Play and obtain all the achievements and together win a free XBLA Game from the great folks at Sierra Online and XBLRadio!
Once your team has all 12 achievements contact INFECTEDPB503 @ xblradio@platformnation.com for your PRIZE!
About Sierra Online
Sierra Online, a division of Vivendi Games, creates and publishes quality short- and mid-session, casual online games for all viable gaming platforms. Sierra Online’s titles include award-winning Xbox LIVE Arcade games Assault Heroes™ and Switchball™, in addition to 3D Ultra™ Minigolf Adventures, available for Xbox LIVE Arcade and Windows PC. The division is also developing a variety of other Xbox LIVE Arcade and Windows-based PC online games targeting the mass-market audience.
What games we’ve played the past few months!
Thanks for listening, Please leave us a comment on the show or send us an e-mail at: xblradio@platformnation.com
