This is my first time checking out anything SouthPeak Games has had to offer to the gaming world. Currently they seem to be puzzler happy with both the Wii and DS, but had some other interesting titles for other platforms as well.

As a note, I unfortunately didn’t get much time with many of the DS titles so what you’ll be reading on a few is an extremely short impression. Titles with ^ in the name are those I had limited exposure to.


Brave: A Warrior’s Tale

Brave is an action platformer that boasts original content and no frivolous usage of the Wii Remote. Unlike many ported games from the PlayStation 2, Brave seems to had careful consideration during the Wii production stages.  One level I was shown that wasn’t completely done was a flying level.  Instead of one trying to use the controller as a paper airplane and steer in that manner, you only have to point with it.  This simplicity works for the theme and is a welcome change in the land of waggle.  While flying you are also able to see the next level so the environment isn’t superfluous either.

With a mixture of action, platforming, and puzzle elements, Brave was one of the more creative games I’ve seen for Wii.  Although it is a port from the PlayStation 2,  it’s thankfully not a mini-game collection.  For those that liked Pilotwings, there’s a homage in Brave to the franchise, so possibly another reason to check this out.



Brave: Shaman’s Challenge^

The DS version of Brave is a Puzzle Quest clone.  It does not follow the story of the Wii version.  Tactics and patterns are a key to winning battles.


Igor The Game^

From what I saw this is a Tetris meets Columns type of clone.  It’s based on the movie of the same title and allows you to spin blocks around and clear lines.


Big Bang Mini

This game seemed to be downplayed at the SouthPeak booth in light of Ninjatown, however I found it to be extremely colorful and amusing.  Big Bang Mini is a shoot-em-up that uses a not surprisingly vibrate palette in the art as the name implies somewhat.  Your goal is to collect the stars that are dropped and avoid streams of firework debris.  

What makes this fun to play is the fact every level has different abilities, so you’re not always just mashing the attacks.  Each level along with abilities also features a new theme, so players will have some eye candy to go along with challenges.  Visual stimulation isn’t just what Big Bang Mini will offer.  Over 20 music tracks by "Yubaba, Smith, & Fortune" will be heard to give your ears a treat as well.  Online elements include a leader board so you can see where you stack up compared to everyone else out there.

I can see this being an underestimated title with a bit of fun for casual playing.  With a release date after X-mas, it will be a nice title to have in the new year.
 

Ninjatown (DS)

For this game, Shawn Smith, the creator of Ninjatown was on hand to take me through.  If you’ve ever played Desktop Tower Defense, it’s a similar concept.

You are in charge of the defense of Ninjatown and it is under attack by Mr. Demon.You’ll need to use each ninja to help keep it safe from attacks.  Each ninja has specific powers and weapons that are strategic to use depending on the scenario. It’s very basic and is easy to control and build which building you need for each type of ninja.  The microphone is used in the game by Ol’ Master Ninja who uses the special move "Get off My Lawn."  Players will need to blow into the microphone to achieve this and the result is the enemies on the map are knocked back towards the beginning.  This gives your ninjas time to beat the enemies down if you’re really in a pinch.  

Where this game excels is the story.  Having not been familiar with Ninjatown I was delighted in reading the introductory dialog.  It was teeming with sarcasm and a joy to watch.  One ninja in particular, the Ninja Consultant, tickles my fancy with his pie charts.  I was delighted to snag a little once inch button of said character for my badge which are also available through the Ninjatown website.

When I asked Shawn about this title, he said he had tons of input while the developers were working on it.  They even provided some suggestions that he had not thought of and incorporated it into the game.  The art style is exactly that of Ninjatown and is quaint and basic, but lively.  He has much to be proud of in Ninjatown and it’s one I’ll be keeping tabs on.
 

Xbox 360/PC


X-Blades

Having only watched my husband play Devil May Cry 4, I don’t have much as a base to compare X Bladez with modern action adventure titles.  All I can say so far is that it’s much better than N3 (Ninety-Nine Nights).  The game is a hack & slash, but with RPG elements that allow you to gain money and upgrade your abilities.  

You control Ayumi who is wearing very little in armor or clothes at all to attack the elemental beasts who are for the most part the enemies in the game.  Talking with the demonstrator, we both agreed that if you’re going to have to look at the backside of a character, it might as well be a pleasant one.  Controls are very customizable and feel for the most part great for the game.  One issue I had was something that is hard to describe, but it seemed as if it was a bit floaty when jumping from point to point.  Perhaps I’m simply used to hard platformers, but it just seemed somewhat loose.

I liked the way the game is shaping up from what I saw.  From the style, to the way you’re able to influence the ending depending on your choice, it’s coming together rather nicely.  I may end up checking it out later on my Xbox 360.


Raven Squad

Raven Squad is a title that blends two genres together, first person shooter and real-time strategy.  It’s set in the Amazon in the year 2011 and allows players to either get up front and take command by leading an assault through the first person perspective, or taking a more back seat approach and directing where your troops need to go.  It allows for switching roles dynamically so that if one soldier is busy, you can either switch to another and keep firing or zoom out and command from an overview again.

Controls have been made simple for the 360 controller though I wasn’t able to get any hands-on time myself to test this for myself.

It features what is seemingly becoming more common on the 360, two player cooperative mode over Xbox Live.

Even with my brief exposure it looked great, though I worry about the length of such a title and how the online experience will pan out.

PlayStation 3


Monster Madness Grave Danger

On a system that touts graphical prowess, I was surprised to see this title being put on the system.  It’s not that the game is unappealing to the eyes, but that it has a very simple but interesting art style that fits well on the system.  

Grave Danger is a top-down action shooter that feels similar to an arcade brawler.  You’re able to aim in a 360 degree area at all enemies (zombies and otherwise) and select a different weapon on the fly.  Powerups are available on the ground and health can be purchased from vending machines throughout the levels.  Environments are full of destructibles so there’s always something going on.

Besides the actual gameplay, there’s the cut scenes that take a queue from the comic book world.  These are amusing and worth the read before and after you’ve been in a level.

The only problems I saw with the title were the controls.  Occasionally when I’d try to navigate one way, my character would get stuck on an object.  Probably due to the fact it was an E3 build, a problem however nonetheless.

With four player online co-op, Monster Madness: Grave Danger seems to offer a great package if they can squish out the gripe I had.

Overall

Aside from the influx of puzzle games they had on display for DS that I got limited time on, I didn’t see anything that I can point to that wasn’t something I’d at least consider playing.  It was also a nice touch to have Shawn on hand to take interviews and answer questions about Ninjatown.