Independent Games Festival winner on 360
Looks like using the 360 marketplace as a forum for getting independent games noticed (and well deserved money in the pockets of their creators!) is off to a good start. They added Wik: The Fable of Souls today. Here's Gamasutra's little blurb about it:
- Microsoft has announced that Wik: Fable of Souls will join the Xbox Live Arcade selection of downloadable games for the Xbox 360. Developed by Reflexive Software, the Independent Games Festival award winner features an unusual game mechanic that involves main character Wik swinging around the game worlds by his tongue. "We are obviously very excited that Wik will be featured on Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360," said Simon Hallam of Reflexive. "Wik has been a true labor of love for us, and we know gamers will appreciate the uniqueness of the game and the character."
I've tried the game and its pretty fun, but Im more excited about the fact that smaller studios and Independent game makers are getting a real shot at being noticed by a huge audience



Not to mention the fact that the games only cost about $5. I'm sorry, but $20 is to much for Bejewled 2 for PC. When I saw it for 5ish on the 360 I bought it in a heartbeat.
Wow, if they can keep this going, they should be off to a good start. With the marketplace anyway.
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Fiora wrote:
I don't need a 360 yet, but I am loving all the things I am hearing about Xbox Live Marketplace and the cheap, downloadable games. To hear that they are distributing games from independent publishers there just makes me want to cry tears of joy...it seems like I keep hearing little things that the 360 does that are The Way Things Should Be. Except for all the stupid restrictions for streaming media off your PC, and even if you HAVE a Media Center PC.
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- Legion, keeping it frighteningly in the family.
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The littlest fremen.
I'm in the same camp, Fed. I started from a position of general disinterest with respect to the Xbox 360, but the 360 Marketplace is sounding better and better.
The market has much to answer for as to why gaming is NOT an art. -- illum
Glad we can agree on some things, o learned one!
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- Legion, keeping it frighteningly in the family.
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The littlest fremen.
Good news, I was wondering when it would finally be on the 360 arcade. I originally thought it was going to be available at release, and was disappointed when it wasn't there.
Is the 360 version enhanced in any way? I.e., does it take advantage of the hardware and have shmancier graphics than the PC version, or something? Or multiplayer?
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This man speaks the truth.
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I havent played any other version, but its really a game that could have been put out on Playstation One if anyone had thought to do it. The game has local multiplayer and Live leaderboards, but no live multiplayer
ThePolypusher | Polypusher
All of this talk of an online marketplace with downloadable games is making me think of the Phantom. I hear if you say its name three times in front of a mirror you can summon it.
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That trick doesn't always work out. I've tried saying Jennifer Connelly's name three times in the mirror and all I get is...well, not her, let's put it at that.
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Except the 360 marketplace is bringing the indie games. The Phantom was supposed to bring, uh... Unreal Tournament. And some other games everyone's played to death on PCs already.
Seriously. I don't recognize Microsoft anymore. Between this and updating a bunch of their web-based stuff to support Firefox, they're not your father's MS!
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Maybe they realized they could let Sony have the "F*** what our customers want!" crown and make out like bandits by being cool and stuff.
Quote:
- Legion, keeping it frighteningly in the family.
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The littlest fremen.
Honestly, XBLA is a huge draw to the 360, for me. Geometry Wars just looks pimpin', but the possibilities are endless. Really, what are their expenses, publishing those games? I don't know if they give a percentage of sales to the developers, or if they pay an upfront amount for the license, or some combo thereof, but either way it's probably not all that expensive. I'd love to see them take some of the crazier stuff and put it up.
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Do you know what the pathetic thing is?
I don't know if I've spent more time playing Real Games(C) or if my fiance has spent more time playing Bejewled and Zuma.
I've definately played Geometry Wars and Billiards more than my retail purchases combined... And I just spent way too much time playing Wik at Work today, hehe.
ThePolypusher | Polypusher
But yeah, their games division has been kicking ass and taking names for years now. Ever since they started DirectX.
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