2. Castle Crashers - Castle Crashers appeals to my sense of nostalgia in a way that I wouldn’t like to admit, but it does. And it does it very well. Playing in the role of one of four different knights, players go from level to level crashing their way through enemies and bosses alike. The clever aspects are presented with swappable weapons and animals that offer various perks as well as magic abilities and a full-fledged leveling system. Multiplayer and competitive arenas, along with well thought out game mechanics that play out well through various themed levels keep the game feeling fun. However, for a game that is simple enough to make me remember Golden Axe fondly, Castle Crashers feels better in every single respect.
1. Shadow Complex - I grew up playing both Castlevania: Symphony of the Night as well as Super Metroid and I’m pleased to say that Shadow Complex reminds me of both. Yes, the game is certainly a love note to past titles that focused on exploration heavy gameplay with combat thrown in for good measure, but this isn’t a bad thing. Some of the best titles can be tributes to games that have long since been forgotten by some gamers. Shadow Complex, while set in a universe shaped by Orson Scott Card never feels didactic, but compels the player to explore a bit more and more until it looks like the sun is rising and your boss is calling wondering where you are. The narrative does only really serve to drive the player forward in a small capacity, as the gameplay is the real muscle here. Recently breaking the sales record on Xbox Live, after playing the demo, it will be very clear as to why.
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