Review - Hydro Thunder Hurricane (Xbox 360)

By Jay

Genre: Arcade Racing
UK Release: 28th July 2010
Developer: Vector Unit
Publisher: MGS
Price: 1200 Microsoft Points
Other Formats: None

Hydro Thunder Hurricane is the second title to be released during Microsoft's annual 'Summer of Arcade' promotion on Xbox Live. It's a remake of a classic arcade racer originally released in 1999 that went on to appear on various consoles of that generation. The premise is to race high-tech futuristic speed boats around weird and wonderful tracks whilst earning boost to go faster.

As soon as the title screen pops up it's clear Vector Unit has stayed true to the series arcade routes. The announcer screams "Hydro Thunder...HURRICANE!!!" at the player. Jumping into the main menu the standard single player and multiplayer modes are on offer as well as leaderboards, achievements, download content and help/options.


Single player offers 50 events across 4 modes. 'Race' has you starting in last place in a field of 16. Your task is obviously to reach 1st place before the chequered flag. The other 3 modes are new to the franchise. 'Ring Master' sets out a course of gates along the track that you must follow. Each gate offers boost but a missed gate results in a time penalty. 'Gauntlet' puts the player one on one against the clock. Basically time trial mode but with exploding barrels. Lots of exploding barrels. Finally 'Championship' is a series of events that can consist of any of the previously mentioned game modes. Point are awarded after each event with the winner obtaining the highest total of points.

Boats are split into 3 classes (novice/pro/expert) and rated in 4 categories (acceleration/top speed/handling/air control). The action takes place on 8 circuits, each showing off a different wacky theme. These range from Area 51's aliens and space ships to Monster Island based in the Bermuda Triangle. Various shortcuts are available on each track with some paths only reachable with a substantial amount of boost in reserve.


Boost is earned by steering your boat into collectible tokens which are littered around the tracks. A press of the A button uses boost whilst hitting X initiates a boost jump. This brings an element of strategy to proceedings, forcing the player to think about when and where to use boost rather than simply holding A for the duration of the race. As with most racers RT and LT operate the throttle and brake respectively with the left stick used to steer. Y changes view whilst hitting the back button lets you reset your boat at anytime. Handy when you find yourself upside down in a rock. LB looks behind and finally the d-pad lets you change the background music.

For an arcade game the visuals are impressive which is perhaps warranted with the download weighing in at a hefty 459MB. This being a balls out arcade racer you know what to expect. Everything is big, bold and colourful and never fails to look anything but pretty on the eye. Special mention must go to the water physics which are some of the best yet seen. The way ripples and swells are formed as you power through the waves is a sight to behold.


Multiplayer can be fun but is a little light on options. It retains the traditional 'Race' mode and adds 'Rubber Ducky' to the fray (team-based shenanigans involving 2 players in rubber ducks!) but rather annoyingly drops the other new single player modes. It seems a shame that these haven't made it online as they would have added a little variety and longevity to proceedings. Having said that I found myself more drawn towards racing online with friends than I did by myself in the single player modes.

The game offers frantic action and fun and anyone who has played and enjoyed N64 classic 'Wave Race' will feel right at home. Both online and offline are great for a few hours and 80 hidden packages as well as an XP unlock system give it some extra life but racing itself is short and sweet. You soon hit that point where you're playing the same track you won on 10 minutes ago and it's at this point that I found myself feeling the game was a little short on substance and longevity. I couldn't see myself playing this long term and started to question the value for money factor on offer.


This brings us to the issue of price. Simply put 1200 Microsoft Points (over £10) is downright expensive for a remake of an arcade game. The price of full retail games drop so fast right now that I couldn't recommend buying this over a title such as 'Dirt 2' which can be found at several online retailers for only £5 more. It's also an arcade racer (albeit cars rather than boats) but offers far more rewarding gameplay, depth and longevity.

I feel sorry for Vector Unit because it's Microsoft that has put the entire Summer of Arcade line-up at the same price point (probably because of the sales and quality of the titles on offer in last year's promotion) but they must realise that XBLA games are often an impulse purchase for the consumer. 1200 Microsoft Points is not an impulse purchase price point. I'd wait for Microsoft to offer Hydro Thunder Hurricane as 'Deal of the Week' in a few months. Then it will likely drop to 800 Microsoft Points which is ultimately what this game should have cost in the first place.

7/10

Good:

• The nostalgia factor
  
• Always brings a smile to the face
  
• Great visuals and water effects for an XBLA game
  

Bad:

• Soon wears thin
• Simply not worth 1200 Microsoft Points
  
• You'll stop playing before 'Summer of Arcade' finishes
  

Review - Limbo (Xbox 360)

By Jay

Genre: 2D Puzzle Platformer
UK Release: 21st July 2010
Developer: Playdead Games
Publisher: MGS
Price: 1200 Microsoft Points
Other Formats: None

Limbo kick starts Microsoft's 3rd annual 'Summer of Arcade' promotion on Xbox Live. It's a very tidy 2D puzzle-based platformer and it's unlike any game you've played before. Both the plot and story are kept simple. The blurb for the game reads "Uncertain of his Sister’s Fate, a Boy enters LIMBO…" That's all we're told. No really, that's it! As the game starts you wake on a forest floor and off you go. Left stick moves the boy left and right. 'A' jumps whilst 'B' is used for actions (such as pulling or pushing an object). That's your lot.

It's not the controls or story of Limbo that instantly grab your attention though. It's the wonderful graphical and audio style that Playdead have so masterfully crafted. The game is essentially black and white with every shade of grey imaginable in between! Shadows and silhouettes unsettle and confuse in equal measures. Effects such as film grain and focusing are played out over a film noir style setting. It's very difficult to describe how effective it is without having a look yourself. Why not visit the official website where you can watch videos and view pictures of the game.


The gameplay has you navigating your way through a world fraught with danger in search of your lost sibling. Releasing platforms and pulling switches is only the half of it. The number of ways the boy can die is quite disturbing. Giant spiders, rotating saws and pits full of spikes all hinder your progress through a heaven/hell paradox. You'll lose limbs. You'll be decapitated. Having said that though the difficulty level is never in question, increasing throughout as you better understand and appreciate the world around you. You'll scratch your head over a problem for 5-10 minutes but then suddenly the solution dawns on you and you're making progress again.


Whilst true that Limbo is unlike any game you've played before some comparisons will inevitably be made to fellow Xbox Live Arcade title Braid (released August 2008). Interestingly both games contain a similarly hellish achievement. Limbo requires you to beat the game in one sitting with 5 or less deaths where as Braid calls for a sub 45 minute speed run. Braid is a great game but was very stop-start. With Limbo there are 24 main puzzles but this is never made obvious to the player as the experience is played out as one seamless sequence of events. Only from the main menu can you select the 24 different chapters.

This may sound like a lot but make no mistake that Limbo is a fairly short game. You'll be done in 4-6 hours. There are hidden eggs to find with many linked to the games achievements but beyond that you're done. Based on this I offer one piece of advice: never Google the solution to a puzzle. I'm not the sharpest knife in the draw and I managed to complete the game without cheating once. To do so would only be cheating yourself out of this fantastic experience.


Limbo isn't for everyone. It's a unique and rare title but one that is over far to soon, raising question marks over the price point that Microsoft has placed on the entire Summer Of Arcade line-up. However it is the type of rare gem that further provokes the argument that video games can be art. If you enjoyed Braid you'll love this even more. Give it a try and see if like me you get lost in Limbo.

9/10

Good:

• Graphical and audio style
  
• Stimulating puzzles
  
• Sense of accomplishment
  

Bad:

• Short
  
• Expensive for an XBLA game
  
• Not for everyone
  

Summer Of Arcade 2010

The Xbox Live 'Summer Of Arcade' 2010 event gets underway this week with the release of Limbo on Wednesday.

The full release schedule can be found below:

July 21st - Limbo

July 28th - Hydro Thunder Hurricane

August 4th - Castlevania: Harmony Of Despair

August 11th - Monday Night Combat

August 18th - Lara Croft And The Guardian Of Light

All 5 games cost 1200 Microsoft Points each. Inferior Gamers hopes to bring you some reviews very soon!