Xbox Live Arcade is set to run its second annual ‘Xbox Live Arcade House Party’ promotion, much like ‘Summer of Arcade’. Over the past few years, Xbox Live Arcade has become the most important platform for digital downloads with breakout hits like ‘Braid’, ‘Splosion Man’, and more recently, ‘Limbo’.
The Xbox Live Arcade House Party is set to kick off on the 16th of February with Konami’s ‘Hard Corps Uprising’. I’m trying hard not to be dismissive of this title but can’t help myself. The real joy of the House Party releases are ‘Torchlight’, ‘Bejewel Blitz’, and ‘Beyond Good & Evil HD’. Here’s some info regarding these titles:
Torchlight – A highly-regarded PC game with over 800,000 units sold to date, “Torchlight” is now coming to Xbox Live! Combat is more exciting with revamped controls and mechanics, new armor and quests! There’s even an exclusive new pet for your character. Send a select goodie or two to your friends on Live to share the fun for the first time.
Beyond Good & Evil – Now you can experience the thrill of the fan-favorite “Beyond Good & Evil” on Xbox Live in full HD. Enter the futuristic world of year 2435, a world full of deception, where nothing is as it seems and exposing the truth is the only hope of restoring freedom. Play as action-reporter Jade and capture the truth using stealth, force, and wits against a government that deceived you in this action-adventure game with elements of puzzle-solving and stealth-based games.
Full House Poker – In the world’s capital for card playing, Microsoft is unveiling “Full House Poker.” Compete against your Xbox Live friends on Xbox 360 and build your bank roll on the go with a companion game on Windows Phone 7. Play a quick two-player game for some lightning action, join a big 30-player tournament, or play a round of Texas Heat, our live poker game show where you play with thousands of players worldwide and have 30 minutes to bluff, bet, and raise your way to the final table!
Bejeweled Blitz Live – Take on friends in the brilliant gem-matching action of Bejeweled Blitz Live! Choose your favorite playing style – Classic or Twist – and rocket up the leaderboards! Battle your way to the top in the all-new 16-player Party mode over Xbox Live.
Hard Corps Uprising – Thrilling retro run-and-gun action is back with a vengeance in “Hard Corps: Uprising,” a new 2D side scroller developed by ARC System Works that pays homage to classic Konami action series. Play as the soldier Bahamut as he begins to write his legend in this prequel to “Contra: Hard Corps.”
This looks like a pretty solid promotion. ‘Torchlight’ and ‘Beyond Good & Evil HD’ look like definitive purchases for me. Make sure to stock up on Microsoft Points, the House Party kicks off in February.
