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XBLA Game, 1200 Points, and if you've got an Xbox you should be playing it right now.
The game is a 2D Side Scrolling Action/Adventure RPG, created by Chair (published by Epic) as a "spiritual successor" to the great exploration/adventure games like Super Metroid/Castlevania SOTN. The game may be a side scroller but its rendered in 3D using the Unreal Engine. This allows for a lot of play on the classic formula. You can aim/shoot at targets in the background/foreground and there are a few 1st person view gun turret fights to flush out the 3D.
The story of the game was written by Peter David (a well known comic book writer) and is based in Orson Scott Card's Empire universe. In Empire, an organization called Progressive Restoration is set on causing a new Civil War in America. The events of the game actually take place around the events of the book. The game follows Jason Fleming, who is out on a day hike with his (new) girlfriend Claire in some mountain caves (in Washington State) she used to explore with her father. After Claire takes a headstart, Jason goes looking for her...only to slip into an underground base and discovers Claire has been taking prisoner. Having been trained by his NSA employed father, Jason decides on rescuing Claire.
The game follows the Metroid formula to the letter. As you progress, new items allow you to open new areas of the game. The exp system is 2 fold. You get exp for killing enemies AND exp for exploring. The more of the map you uncover, the more exp. The developer's have put lots of items in the game and they claim that 100% completion isn't possible on 1 playthrough. After finishing the game, you start a new game with all previous exp and "most" items...
I won't lie. I haven't beaten it yet (they say on average your first playthrough should be about 10-12 hours) but there are some bugs. Minor for the most part. I have gotten knocked into some walls by enemies and gotten stuck to the point of having to reload from last save, but thats only happened twice so far. Another bug, on occasion some enemies won't even acknowledge your presence at all.
Overall, its got to be the best XBLA title to come out. Hopefully this game reopens the genre of 2D side scrollers.
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