So lately retails games have been seriously lacking, and even the games I already own just have been boring me. I need something new and exciting. I typically don't buy arcade games but I'm kind of in the mood for the unique type of gaming XBLA/PSN can provide with their games. So I'm not narrowing anything down yet, but I have really been considering Gotham City Imposters, Trials Evolution, and Awesomenauts? Has anyone here played any of these games? I'm not a huge motocross fan but I've heard trails is still really good. Would I still like it? And if you have any better recommendations what do you suggest? I just want something very fun to help pass my time.

I haven't played it on XBLA, but I've played the PC version of Gotham City Imposters quite a bit. It's really quite fun. It's a fusion of Team Fortress 2 and Call of Duty. It has very similar levelling mechanics to Call of Duty and a lot of the weapons feel similar in terms of how the iron sights work and that kind of thing. Team Fortress 2 plays into it with the movement options. Everyone has a gadget such as a glider, a grappling hook, roller skates or spring boots that help them move around in certain ways. It's also got a similar support item structure to TF2 where you can buff your allies or debuff your enemies through a variety of gadgets and such.

I've just recently got an Xbox, so have been buying a bunch of XBLA things. Fez and Spelunky are two games that I would recommend to pretty much anyone I know. They are both absolutely fantastic. Deadlight just came out today and is getting mixed reviews but I quite like it so far, so maybe consider that too.

Yeah there are a lot of hidden gems in XBLA. I'm kind of leaning towards GCI and Trials because they both seem to be pretty deep games that provide a lot of replay value. I have heard great things about Spelunky but I also heard its really short so I am thinking I might pass on that till it goes on sale. Right now I;m trying to watch a bunch of reviews to hopefully help me decide.

Shadow Complex. Also most XBLA games have demos, so if it looks interesting give the demo a go.

@1DER said:

Shadow Complex. Also most XBLA games have demos, so if it looks interesting give the demo a go.

this

Also: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Shadow Complex or Trials Evolution.

I didn't really care for Spelunky all that much. Fez is really good though. Deadlight just released today which seems like Shadow Complex with Zombies from the videos I've seen. If you aren't sure about Trials Evolution you could always go with Trials HD, its probably a lot cheaper now.

@1DER said:

Shadow Complex. Also most XBLA games have demos, so if it looks interesting give the demo a go.

In my opinion Shadow Complex is the best game on XBLA. Well, if you don't count Portal: Still Alive, because Portal is the best thing ever in my opinion.

@1DER said:

Shadow Complex. Also most XBLA games have demos, so if it looks interesting give the demo a go.

this

Also: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Shadow Complex or Trials Evolution.

Deadlight came out today and I HIGHLY recommend it if you want something different.

Gotham City Imposters is a lot of fun though haven't been on in a while to see if anyone is still playing it. If nothing else Trials Evolution or Shadow Complex are good choices.

@OperationPrometheus: I am not a big motorcross guy either but I really like Trails Evolution. If you have played Super Meat Boy, it is similar in the way it is difficult and you restart each track with ease so you can finish the track without a lot of faults (though not as difficult as Super Meat Boy imo). Lot of content and replay value and fun to beat your friends times. It is a blast!

@OperationPrometheus: No problem. I am not ure how many people still play Gotham City Imposters since the release and if it is not balanced with a bunch of high level, experienced people but I thought that Imposters looked really fun when I watched the quick look and TNT that Giant Bomb did back when it came out.

Trials Evolution is a lot of fun. Devilishly hard, but a lot of fun nonetheless.

I came in here to mention Shadow Complex, but since a few folks have already brought it up, I'll say Castle Crashers instead.

Bastion, Geometry Wars 2, and Renegade Ops are all excellent as well.

Edit: Of the games you're looking at, I'd go with Trials Evolution.

Every game mentioned so far rocks. Bastion and Castle Crashers are my favorite XBLA games, but it will take less than 10 hours to beat each game. I just kept replaying Castle Crashers at parties, even though it isn't a party game. Recently I've enjoyed Spelunky. It's hard as hell and I've died hundreds of times. There are also a plethora of secret levels, characters, etc. that make me feel like I'm never going to see everything in the game. I've spent more than 10 hours with it, and I haven't even beat the final boss yet. I haven't played Trials Evo and Gotham City Impostors, but I'd pick up Trials Evo first because of the user made maps I've seen on Youtube. I wouldn't pick up Gotham City Imposters because it seems too similar to TF2, which I can play for free. I am actually considering buying Awesomenauts on Steam right now. I played the demo on 360 though and died constantly when playing against other people. They were able to hit kill me in one hit. Now I feel discouraged from buying it.

Walking Dead

Trials Evolution is great, not normally my type of game but I enjoyed it.

Any multiplayer game on XBLA I'd be concerned about player population. But you should be able to see that from the trial.

Rez HD is my all-time top game on the platform.

Trials is a great game. I tried Awesomenauts on the PS3 and it's pretty decent, but player population could definitely be a concern. The Splosion Man games are perfect for some weird, fast-paced fun.

Bastion is my all time favorite XBLA game. Its just perfect to me. And I would recommend The Walking Dead series if you like The Walking Dead comic, or would like to start getting into it.

Bastion, Outland, Trials Evolution, and Marathon Durandal for XBLA games.

For games that aren't really XBLA but aren't really retail either, there's the original Crysis (which despite looks is far from your average "FOLLOW" military shooter) and Resident Evil 4, which is often considered one of the best games ever made for a very good reason. Both are well worth your dollars and time.

1. Shadow Complex 2. Deadlight

I thought I'd be the first one to bring up Outland, but @believer258 beat me to it.

Also, don't get Amy. Don't get Amy as a gift, don't get Amy as a joke, do not get Amy under any circumstances.

Not sure if you'd be into a slower paced game, but I'll throw my support behind 3 tower defense games - Defense Grid, Toy Soldiers, and Plants vs. Zombies

I haven't played any of the games you listed but I would recommend The Walking Dead. Only two of the five episodes have been released so far but they have been excellent, especially the second episode. Castle Crashers and Scott Pilgrim are also great arcade games if you have some friends to play with.

@OperationPrometheus: Spelunky isn't short. It's a roguelike. You can complete the game in 8 minutes but it will likely take you hundreds, if not thousands of tries to get to the end of it. It's totally randomly generated so you never see the same level twice. It's probably got the most replay value of any game I've seen on XBLA.

Trials Evolution, Dead Rising: Case Zero, Geometry Wars, Rock Of Ages, Super Meat Boy, Zeno Clash, Limbo, Rez HD, Trenched, Alien Hominid, Shadow Complex, Braid... There's too much good stuff on XBLA.

For me the best thing about XBLA is that it allowed me to try out genres I'd usually ignore with full price games. With that in mind I've really enjoyed Defense Grid, From Dust, Trials HD/Evo and Greed Corp.

Other great games (as mentioned already): Shadow Complex, Super Meatboy, Limbo, Braid, Splosion Man, Fez, Lara Croft & TGOL, Pac-Man CE:DX. The Misadventures of P.B Winterbottom is also interesting, although it made my head hurt.

@NoobSauceG7 said:

Shadow Complex or Trials Evolution.

Is The Maw still worth picking up at all?

Tre-sorry-Iron Brigade

Pac-Man Championship Edition DX

Not only is it my favorite game on Xbox live, it's one of my favorite games of this generation.

Fez and Bastion are both games you can really get into for hours. Trials Evo is, of course, a nuanced masterpiece, and it has some of the greatest user generated content this side of Little Big Planet. I found deadlight to be highly disappointing, but if you want a more literal version of the atmosphere and gameplay presented in Limbo, it's worth checking out.

So I picked up Trials Evo and I also just picked up Shadow Complex because everyone has said it is just so good that I could not pass it up. Lol there are so many Xbox Live Arcade games I want to get now but its just to much money.

Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie, the best games on the XBLA

@NoobSauceG7 said:

Shadow Complex or Trials Evolution.

These are brilliant games, maybe try Super Meat boy or Fez.

@el_tajij said:

Deadlight came out today and I HIGHLY recommend it if you want something different.

Definitely not this. The only game i ever regretted buying from XBLA, starts off great, then the game just gets stupidly irritating. It's also very short and not worth 1200 points.