Our take on the best Xbox Live Arcade games eventually turned out to be a long list of twelve titles, literally spoiling us for choice with all the overwhelming offerings that are out there.
When there’s a drought of good retail games in stores, nothing can be refreshing enough than a good old downloadable title that sometimes surprisingly, manages to devour hours of your time. And this is why we are listing here, the choicest titles that can certainly be given a go by all Xbox 360 owners out there.
1 – Battlefield 1943:
Fans of World War II games can try their hand at this multiplayer offering which is up for grabs at 1200 Microsoft Points. Even with the inclusion just four maps, three classes and two modes, this title doesn’t fall short of furnishing you with some excellent online gameplay that comprises a blend of land and air warfare.
2 – Fruit Ninja Kinect:
Well, if you’ve ever played Halfbrick’s smartphone title bearing the same name, you can well imagine how sweet it would be to slice fruits on the TV screen using actual hand gestures. Fruit Ninja Kinect offers cooperative as well as competitive offline modes that can be awfully fun to explore. Moreover, it also features support for leaderboards that further incite competition within gamers.
3 – Limbo:
This iconic game landed on Xbox Live out of nowhere in 2010, and startled everyone with its novel visual style as well as its simple yet extremely engaging and at the same time, scary gameplay. You get to take on the role of a nameless boy who has unknowingly awakened in the middle of a forest. During his search for his missing sister, he must encounter harsh and dodgy situations that play a big part in making this platformer a treat to traverse through.
4 – Shadow Complex:
This title in our roster, promises a delightful blend of implausible graphics, riveting gameplay and an ever so engrossing story. This might not come as a surprise, as Shadow Complex has partly been developed by Epic Games and has its story penned by renowned comic book writer Peter David. And at 1200 Microsoft Points, this one is definitely a good bargain if you ask us.
5 – Plants vs. Zombies:
Fans of tower defense games just cannot give Plants Vs Zombies a miss . It’s fun to play, entertaining, humorous and packs in hours of enjoyment. Sure, you might have already played this game on your smartphones or perhaps somewhere else, but its Xbox 360 version comes loaded with some special treats that include five multiplayer modes and other mini-games.
6 – Bionic Commando Rearmed 2:
Capcom’s Bionic Commando franchise never fails to impress. Sporting his beloved bionic arm, protagonist Nathan Spencer is on his way to get rid of the evil General Sabio. Although it kicks in a rather strong narrative, the heart of this game lies in its combat abilities which revolve around the bionic arm.
7 – Trine 2:
The most recent among all these games, Trine 2 comes across as a typical puzzle-platformer at first glance. But there’s plenty more to this title than meets the eye. Those who played the first game in this series and loved it will be ecstatic to know that this offering also adds an online multiplayer component to the equation. Besides, its brilliant physics-based puzzles and exciting graphics provide a boost to Trine 2’s overall appeal.
8 – From Dust:
Described by its maker to be a unique modern god game where nature is the star, this eight title in our list, combines ground-breaking visuals with equally inventive gameplay mechanisms. It was released by Ubisoft for the Xbox 360, PS3 as well as PC in 2011, and since then it has been grabbing everyone’s attention with its intriguing looks. You are required to assume control of a tribe which is struggling to survive and by doing so, you must facilitate the recovery of its ancestors’ lost powers.
9 – Torchlight:
Originally released for PC in 2009, this game made its way onto Xbox Live early last year. It transpires in the fictional town of Torchlight which is filled with extensive caves and dungeons that are home to huge monsters. RPG fans will definitely find this game addictive as it kicks in some sturdy role-playing elements.
10 – Ms. Splosion Man:
If you’re looking for a platformer that’ll keep you constantly hooked on to your controllers, Ms. Splosion Man seems to have been crafted with you in mind. Coming from Twisted Pixel, which delivered last year’s amazing The Gunstringer, Ms. Splosion Man will charm you with its magnificent levels and humorous tidbits.
11 – Dungeon Defenders:
Trendy Entertainment’s extremely well-crafted action RPG, Dungeon Defenders can be identified for its cartoony visuals and the immense amount of gameplay treats that are packed into it. It has been appreciated by folks all over the world for its mix of tower defense and action RPG genres.
12 – Bastion:
Need we say more about this gem of game? One of the most sought after titles that hit the scene last year, Bastion rendered us with some unforgettable delights. Its sharp visuals and the much loved live-running narrations put this game onto a plinth. It is a plainly outstanding offering that is simply begging to be experienced.
With this, we wrap up the rundown of our best Xbox Live Arcade games and move on to treating ourselves with some more titles, to bring you another new list next time around.