The recently released XBLA side-scroller Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet wears each of its various influences proudly on its sleeve. You'll probably see them if you play it, but if I had to list them all, I'd take a deep breath and say: A moderately tripped-out short from Fantasia grafted onto PixelJunk Shooter through…
From Dust and Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet are both part of Microsoft's Summer of Arcade Games promotion for the Xbox 360. Neither is supposed to be out, but for some reason, both now are.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Oz4T2T-O--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j1rq3mgoky5jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--ZdrZJ3vC--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j1rq3mgoky5jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--tXjF3nt2--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j1rq3mgoky5jpg.jpg, (large)])
Beautiful adventure game Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet comes to Xbox Live Arcade next week. It is a mysterious, quiet game—Dimmu Borgir music notwithstanding—that is Metroid-like, full of exploration, power ups and re-exploration, at least on the single-player side.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s---p_3wzcD--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j1wjqca72x0jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--BWOTebEX--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j1wjqca72x0jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--klj3cyXZ--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j1wjqca72x0jpg.jpg, (large)])
You could be on the receiving end of a "free" copy of co-op dungeon crawler Crimson Alliance, pictured above, Xbox 360 owners, if you go all-in on this year's "Summer of Arcade" games for Xbox Live Arcade. What's on the list?
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--qxUQ4urA--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j1wv6psc3t6jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--WVw13TvO--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j1wv6psc3t6jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Bar6FUgE--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j1wv6psc3t6jpg.jpg, (large)])
Blockbuster video games rarely released during the summer. But scale is no measure of quality; and while not all are of AAA-proportions, we'll demonstrate that this summer's schedule could include some of the strangest and boldest titles of the year.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--oRJ_Ql6L--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/18re47uo6xyi3jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--NU_BDo-W--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/18re47uo6xyi3jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--j2klaS13--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/18re47uo6xyi3jpg.jpg, (large)])
Every year Microsoft selects a handful of Xbox Live Arcade games it considers the very best the platform has to offer and releases them once a week as part of the Summer of Arcade promotion. With Ubisoft's From Dust and Fuelcell's Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet making the cut this time around, we're in for one hell of …
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--sadEQAjL--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18hd1vp06z6mojpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s---j4sbAoO--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18hd1vp06z6mojpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--iMDwGjBD--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18hd1vp06z6mojpg.jpg, (large)])
During PAX East this weekend Microsoft hypoed up their attractive upcoming Xbox Live Arcade lineup with a series of limited edition postcards transforming each title into a classic action movie poster. Can you tell which movies the posters came from?
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--KxqWTOjU--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/18hd27t2590oajpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--cGh0zihE--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/18hd27t2590oajpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--m4q2wg1F--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/18hd27t2590oajpg.jpg, (large)])
You saw still images of Fuelcell Games' Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet yesterday. Now bask in ten minutes of deliriously gorgeous gameplay footage direct from PAX East in Boston.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--gGNa-8hf--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j2bh6dbeh1ejpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--dJnj_5K8--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j2bh6dbeh1ejpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--uquuemtj--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j2bh6dbeh1ejpg.jpg, (large)])
First discussed in 2007 and under development since last year, indie shooter/puzzle game Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet will have its coming-out party at PAX East this weekend, and it looks damn good.
.html This trailer for Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet is the best thing you'll see all day, a gorgeous introduction to what may become one of your most anticipated releases, whenever and on whatever platform to this game is coming.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--QvS6eHsc--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/18hefbuo0n74yjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--3lj2_-DH--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/18hefbuo0n74yjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--nlN0fbsg--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/18hefbuo0n74yjpg.jpg, (large)])