RSS Feeds
xbox 360
XBLA This Week: Schizoid And Golf: Tee It Up!
Posted by Mike Fahey at 2:40 AM on July 8, 2008
This is a very special week for Xbox Live Arcade, as it heralds the release of the first XBLA game created using Microsoft's XNA Game Studio. Torpex Games' Schizoid (800 MS points) might look simplistic, but the game mechanics are far from it. One player controls a red ship, the other (or the computer) a blue. You have to ram enemies of the same colour as your ship to clear them, while hitting enemies of a different colour kills you. More than 120 levels plus online multiplayer for you and a friend should equal a great number of insults shouted over headsets in the coming weeks.
Also on XBLA this week we have Golf: Tee It Up!(800 MS points), Housemarque and Activision's answer to Hot Shots Golf, with customisable golfers, online tourneys for 2-4 players, and two full golf courses, a number I am almost certain will grow with downloadable content down the line.
"Schizoid" and "Golf: Tee It Up!" hit Xbox LIVE Arcade this Wednesday!
"Schizoid," the first Xbox LIVE Arcade game developed with Microsoft's XNA Game Studio technology, and "Golf: Tee It Up!" launch on Xbox LIVE Arcade this Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. GMT (2:00 a.m. PDT).
"Schizoid" is a fast and furiously paced action game with simple, intuitive gameplay. Billed as "the most co-op game ever," reflexes and smarts are key but sharp teamwork pays off even more! Ram your way through waves of glowing enemies: single player with an AI bot helper; or co-op multiplayer with two players offline or online through Xbox LIVE. "Schizoid" features over 120 challenging levels of mayhem that will appeal to casual and hardcore gamers alike. For the brave player, "Schizoid" offers the intense Uberschizoid game mode, in which a single player controls two different ships at the same time.
Developed by Torpex Games, "Schizoid" will be available worldwide for 800 Microsoft Points and is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB.
Pick up and play a few quick holes on your own or compete in a full 18-hole multiplayer tournament with friends in "Golf: Tee It Up!" Both beginners and experienced golfers can easily join the fun on beautiful, panoramic and challenging courses. With the unique Focus feature, you can read the green or control the ball's spin in flight to achieve amazing precision! "Golf: Tee It Up!" features zany, customizable characters and a variety of game modes including stroke, cup, or match play with local or Xbox LIVE multiplayer modes.
Developed by Housemarque and published by Activision, "Golf: Tee It Up!" will be available worldwide for 800 Microsoft Points and is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB.
For more details on "Golf: Tee It Up!" please visit http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/g/golfteeitupxboxlivearcade/. For more details on "Schizoid" please visit http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/s/schizoidxboxlivearcade/.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
Ken Edwards
Posted 3:32 AM 8/7/08
So you mean it is Hot Shots? Thats not bad. I will be picking it up, I am a sucker for golf games.
Ken Edwards
blizihizake
Posted 3:27 AM 8/7/08
I played a round of Golf: Tee It Up! with my dad and really enjoyed. The graphics are gorgeous, and like with most golf games have a very surreal/awesome atmosphere. Also, it's a cartoony golf game in HD!
blizihizake
thezman
Posted 3:23 AM 8/7/08
Hurray for full-priced titles that were made with a super-cheap tool!
I'm sure it's still good, but come on. Production costs had to be minimal...
thezman
Humpski
Posted 3:21 AM 8/7/08
Ugh.. I don't care about any Live Arcade releases unless they are Castle Crashers, Bionic Commando: Rearmed or Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix...
Announce release dates already! Agh, I've been waiting forever.
Humpski
Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.
Posted 3:12 AM 8/7/08
@DarknessMyOldFriend: "For the brave player, "Schizoid" offers the intense Uberschizoid game mode, in which a single player controls two different ships at the same time."
Read Moar.
Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.
3inst3in
Posted 3:11 AM 8/7/08
schizoid sounds like ikaruga without the color switching.
3inst3in
agies
Posted 3:08 AM 8/7/08
@DolemiteToTheMax: Way to read the article...
agies
SVxM
Posted 3:05 AM 8/7/08
I hope the golf game will offer some challenges and the DLC will give more courses & characters. I will download the trial and see if it is worth it. I am a big fan of Hot Shots Golf series.
SVxM
DarknessMyOldFriend
Posted 2:56 AM 8/7/08
Did they take out the feature in Schizoid that lets a single player control both ships? Why is that not mentioned? That's the whole point behind the title.
DarknessMyOldFriend
DolemiteToTheMax
Posted 2:54 AM 8/7/08
Golf: Tee It Up looks oddly familiar. Like... Hot Shots?
DolemiteToTheMax
Shiryu
Posted 2:51 AM 8/7/08
Schizoid looks lik Geometry Wars on LSD!
Not that id knwo anythign about it, of course... a friend of a friend told me about it... etc...
Shiryu
Gospel X
Posted 2:48 AM 8/7/08
Just a note from the psychological side of things, but "schizoid" means someone with flat affect and a strong inability to form close relationships (there's more to it, but those are some major aspects of it), NOT someone of two minds or with a split personality. The more you know.
Gospel X
Al2x
Posted 3:56 AM 8/7/08
HouseMarquee= Developers of PS3 Super Stardust HD.
Al2x
Aprotosis
Posted 3:56 AM 8/7/08
@thezman:
That has got to be the most retarded thing I have read all day. (Of course, the day is young yet). 10 bucks is full priced now? Someone tell that to Namco, I just paid 60 for NG2. The only thing they saved by using XNA is not having to buy Visual Studio (Unless they upgraded to 2.0, then they could have used the full VS instead of Express) and time.
The costs of VS is negligable compared to other production costs in making a game. As for time, I would really like to see your suggestion to a proper pricing structure for that. Apparently people who license the UT3 engine should charge less, regardless of licensing costs, and no one would be able to afford Duke Nuke'em. As is, their savings on production makes it so you get this great game for the price of a movie ticket, which is apparently still too much for you.
Aprotosis
Grive
Posted 3:53 AM 8/7/08
When defining price, I mean. For viability, they are quite important.
Grive
Grive
Posted 3:53 AM 8/7/08
@thezman: And?
Production costs are irrelevant. Always have been, always will be.
Grive
Aprotosis
Posted 4:31 AM 8/7/08
@Gospel X:
This is true, but sometimes our words belie their etymology. Although this case is funny since its etymology is still the general use.
The Greek root word 'schizein' means "to split". The suffix -oid denotes "form". So a schizoid would mean something that has been split.
Aprotosis
TakuFangirl
Posted 4:26 AM 8/7/08
i've been waiting for a Hot Shots clone on xbl forever. I hope its just as good. Looks to be that way from the screenshots. Hopefully online will work without a hitch.
TakuFangirl
Silvercross
Posted 5:25 AM 8/7/08
I've been playing Golf: Tee it Up! for the past few months on PartnerNet, and it's really a lot of fun. My co-workers and I have probably racked up close to 100 hours of playtime with it. Beautiful game, with some interesting gameplay twists.
Also, in case people were confused, G:TIU is NOT an XNA developed game.
Silvercross
Snake726
Posted 5:07 AM 8/7/08
ooh I've been waiting for Schizoid.
Snake726
TakuFangirl
Posted 4:47 AM 8/7/08
@Cyco:
36 holes and online of goofy golf is absolutely worth $10. I spend $10 on lunch every day of my life.
TakuFangirl
Cyco
Posted 4:43 AM 8/7/08
I figured this was gonn happen. After MS announced they were backing off the number of retro titles they would be releasing, I had a feeling the influx of higher priced games would be flooding in. What is making it worse though is the fact that they are releasing unfinished games so we have to pay more for extra content. 10 bucks for a golf game that only has 2 courses? There is no reason why it should be that much. Either release it for 5 and charge more for extra courses of release it for 10 with more courses. They did this with Ticket To Ride also. I figured the extra modes were closed off for demo purposes. Nope. They charge 10 bucks then will want more the the expansions. Trouble is, nothing will be done about this as long as people contine to buy these games like sheep, holding the "I can afford it" banner up high.
Cyco
Justmarbz
Posted 5:54 AM 8/7/08
cant wait to try out the golf game. hopefully its good and has some charm.
i really wish another ultra mini golf game was in the works. or at least another downloadable expansion. my friends and i had a blast with that game.
Justmarbz
Gospel X
Posted 6:45 AM 8/7/08
@Aprotosis: I'd accept that, since it's a very good point, except for the fact that graphic up there literally says, "Two minds," which makes me think that they're going for the idea of pop-culture version of the schizophrenic.
Gospel X
DarknessMyOldFriend
Posted 6:27 AM 8/7/08
@Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.:
I... I can't read or write.
DarknessMyOldFriend
okenny :)
Posted 8:14 AM 8/7/08
@Silvercross: But my friend, is it not nice to know that it could be? *holds chin and ponders*
$_$
okenny :)
UltimatePancakeSensation
Posted 8:23 AM 8/7/08
I love Schizoid. Great multiplayer game, and fully-recommended as such.
UltimatePancakeSensation
Rockzilla
Posted 12:43 PM 8/7/08
schizoid is amazing...I hope it doesnt suffer from lag, its a pretty tight/precise experience,
Rockzilla
Cyco
Posted 1:45 PM 8/7/08
@TakuFangirl: Thank you for proving my point.
Cyco
PvtPoopy
Posted 9:51 PM 8/7/08
Can't wait for the golf game... My family loves games like this and hopefully more will come in time. The mini-golf game was a househould favorite for months. Tomorrow will be a great day.. Hopefully the game is great too.
PvtPoopy