Welcome to yet another edition of For What it’s Worth, where games found in the bargain bin are examined to see if they really are worth your bottom dollar. Free February concludes tonight with not just one but two reviews all rolled up into one article. Think of it like 51 in 1 but with a 49 game subtraction.
The first game on the docket is quite possibly the nerdiest game ever created. I mean as much of a nerd as I am I have to say that this is pretty damn nerdy. Stepmania removes all of the physical activity out of Dance Dance Revolution and replaces it typing. It doesn’t sound very hard it can actually be quite challenging at times but more on that later.
Story: None.
Graphic and Design: Stepmania doesn’t offer much in terms of graphics considering it is just arrows moving across a background photo but it does give a good visual presentation for what it is. Most of the photos are of a good quality and the arrows are really colorful. The menu artwork is also pretty decent.
Sound: The sound quality for each song (at least for the songs I have played through) is really quite great and is of or at least close to MP3 quality. Other than that, there isn’t really anything else to say other than the intro music is ok.
Gameplay: It follows the same basic structure of any rhythm-based game. The arrows scroll up and down the screen to match the beat of the music you know the drill. The response of the controls is flawless and the game's difficulty can range from easy to epically difficult. Some songs can even present a hearty challenge when playing on the Beginner difficulty. So I have to say that I rather enjoy the challenge the game presents and can’t help but feel accomplished when scoring well on certain songs. However, the game can get boring eventually depending on the amount of songs you decide to download.
Extra Features: There is the option of creating your course with a chosen MP3 file but I’m not quite sure how to do that and of course I would be careful when using copyrighted material. Another neat aspect of this feature is the ability to post your work on the main Stepmania site and make it available for other users.
Replay Value: Depends on the amount of songs you have downloaded and how high of a score you are looking for. I didn’t download too many so I got bored rather quickly.
Is it worth your time? It depends. If you like rhythm-based games and have decent amount of space on your hard drive, than you might want to check it out it. However, I would like to give you a fair warning. Have a good anti-virus program on your computer because there are some Stepmania files out there, which have viruses on them, that is why I would say to stick with the Stepmania home page. I would also recommend downloading song packs since I can’t seem to get single song files to install. I would also stay clear of copyrighted material, you know just to be on the safe side. You know what? I change my mind. It isn’t worth your time. It can be good for killing a bit of time but it can get boring pretty quickly and with the threat of viruses and possible legal issues, I would say you would probably be better off skipping it.
The second game on the docket isn’t actually free, although it is very close to it. At a cost of 80 Microsoft points, Decimation X brings classic Shumps action to Xbox Live Arcade.
With inspiration drawn from classic titles like Space Invaders and Galaga (especially Space Invaders) does this one-dollar game pack enough fire power or would you rather spend the extra change on I don’t know. What the devil can you get for a dollar nowadays anyway?
Story: None.
Graphics & Design: Old school Atari look with some new age pazazz. The space ships barely resemble what they are supposed to be but this gives the player the chance to use their imagination, which is rather refreshing. The ships, power ups and gunfire may look like vintage Atari sprites but they are given a bit of a HD makeover. Everything is incredibly colorful and when the bullets start to fly and ships start blowing up, it is a real feast for the eyes. Kind of like fireworks in the night’s sky.
Sound: The sound effects are old school but the music has a modern day techno vibe provided by Imphenzia Music. These two elements make for a stellar combination. The music is awesome. Not only does it set up the atmosphere for the game perfectly but it also helps to intensify the adrenaline rush given to player through the gameplay.
Gameplay: Similar gameplay to that of Space Invaders. Enemy ships scroll down the screen and it is your job to blow them all to bits and even duck for cover underneath your barrier. However, you are also given a variety of power ups (similar to Contra), that become particularly useful later on in the game when the ships not only get faster but also begin to change their strategy. That’s another thing that I truly love about this title. The enemies do more than merely get faster. They begin to drastically change their flight patterns, as well as begin firing from all directions. The drastic increase in difficulty provides a great rush, something I haven’t felt in a while when it comes to games. It can be a real bitch of challenge but in a good way that keeps you coming back for more. You can also play with up to four players.
Extra Features: English and Japanese language settings and an online scoreboard.
Replay Value: There is plenty of replay value. This is one game that is very hard to put down, I mean when I first played it, I didn’t want to turn it off.
Is it worth your time? Yes! If you have Xbox Live pick it up now from the Indy Games section. With awesome visuals, music and gameplay, it would be impossible for me not to recommend downloading it. I can’t believe that something this awesome is only a dollar. I would have gladly paid ten.
Until next time, happy hunting.
