My company’s latest XBox Live game update has finally hit the virtual shelves!
It’s been updated with the ability to put your Microsoft XBox avatar in the game as the lead character, and multiplayer is crazy fun with a lot of different avatars.
There’s also a whole new tileset and group of characters in a new storyline (Tales of Kaloki), and since it’s set in space, it changes the game considerably with different tactical attacks and options. It’s almost a whole new game for a whopping $3 in MS points. The multiplayer in that mode is a blast as well.
I don’t just say that because I did a significant amount of art on it either. That’s just a bonus.
Of course, the irony of me promoting a fun game that I’d buy without reserve, while not having a machine to play it on, is not lost on me. At least I can play it on occasion at the office and actually get paid for it. (Well, OK, only while I’m technically testing it, but hey, I’ll take what I can get. It’s a fun game!)
Whoah, all this time and I had no idea you worked for NinjaBee!
I tried Band of Bugs twice I think. Seemed cool, but none of my friends own it. Now, I will admit when I read the news it was becoming an Avatar game I was a little confused since, well, isn’t the whole point that you’re a bug in charge of bugs? An Avatar in charge of bugs seems contrary to the title…
This makes me sad that I let my Xbox Live subscription lapse a few months back. I didn’t play it often enough to warrant the price, but with my new lack of an MMO subscription, it might be worth picking up again…
Sorry, Scott, I guess I just don’t mention it enough. It’s a great little studio, and I’ve been very lucky to work with them.
The avatar twist on Band of Bugs doesn’t change the gameplay, but some people like to see their avatar (it’s especially fun in multiplayer, being able to nuke your friends). Beyond that, the storyline *did* revolve around the notion that the hero character is a weird, unusual bug, so the other bugs’ response to the hero still fit. It’s also optional, and just a title update we did because it seemed to be a fun thing (and we wanted to sort out a few bugs, ironically enough). Because we’ve done avatars with A Kingdom for Keflings, we knew how to do it here, so we figured, “why not?”
The Tales of Kaloki expansion is a more significant addition to the game, and it really does change a lot. It doesn’t change the core game, like Ninja Sticks didn’t, but the new missions are pretty crazy and fun stuff.
Beej, I well understand that. I’m not a fan of subscriptions, as you may have gathered by now.
If either of you or anyone else plays it, especially the Tales of Kaloki bit, please let me know what you think, good or bad. Feedback from reasoned and reasonable people is valuable around here. I really like the game, but I’m a tactics nut. It’s good to hear from other people.
Thanks!
I own Band of Bugs, but honestly haven’t played it all that much. Will have to rectify that.
I’ll have to have my friends with Xbox 360s try it out. I don’t own one as I’m a PC gamer to the core.
That said, my live avatar looks exactly like Conan O’Brian and I would pay money just to see it in a game!
Heh, I thought they’d give you a free XBox?!
Congrats on the release! It looks like a fun game, Tesh.
Pete, here’s hoping you have fun with it. I love tactical games, so I’ve had a lot of fun with it.
Ferrel, that’s two of our games now that use the Microsoft Avatars in ways that go beyond the Uno “this is player 2″ display. It’s definitely fun to see a character you fine tuned as an actor in the game.
Spitfire, I’d not complain if they gave me a machine, but I work for a smallish indie studio. That’s not in the budget. Now, if I worked for Microsoft directly, then I’d have a good case to be made.
Thanks for stopping by, Friendly, and for the congrats! It’s a blast to play. (So is Wizard 101, albeit for different reasons.)
Oh, and now that I think about it, the game *is* available on the PC. It won’t have the avatars, but you *can* play it on something other than the XBox.
http://www.ninjabee.com/
…which means I should probably get a copy for my machine at home.
Nice! Downloading the free version now.
I like it! This seems like a more colorful and “bugs life” version of the game Fire Emblem, which I loved (minus the really bad dialog). I bet the multiplayer is a blast!
Aye, we’re a Tactics loving bunch here. Fire Emblem, Vandal Hearts, Tactics Ogre, Final Fantasy Tactics… all might be cited as inspiration in some way or another.
Glad you’re enjoying it!
If you do get past the demo, the “Push” ability is possibly the most enjoyable single action in the game, at least for me. There’s nothing like one-shotting a foe by pushing them off the map or into water (where they sink like stones). Some foes can use it against you, too, and it’s always embarrassing to get shoved into oblivion.