Microsoft touts "amazing" XBLA summer

By Robert Purchese Published 8 June, 2009

Shadow Complex could be "biggest ever".

Xbox Live boss Marc Whitten reckons XBLA title Shadow Complex can be as good, if not better, than Braid when it's released this summer.

"I actually think it's going to be an amazing year for the Summer of Arcade," he told GamesIndustry.biz. "And the truth of the matter is that at the time we were talking about it last year, everybody didn't know whether Braid was going to be as good as it was.

"I think those games [for 2009] are amazing. Shadow Complex will be one of the biggest games ever. I don't mean biggest in size, but biggest in terms of quality, depth, story, that we've ever seen.

"Marvel vs. Capcom is another one a lot of people have been asking about. So I'm actually really excited about that line-up," he added.

Shadow Complex will made by Epic's internal studio Chair (of Undertow fame) and was announced during Microsoft's E3 keynote address. The first trailer shows a 2D side-scrolling platform game interspersed with third-person turret shooting and cinematic cut-scenes. It looks strong.

Joining Shadow Complex this summer will be Marvel vs. Capcom 2, The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition, Trials HD, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time Re-shelled and 'Splosion Man.

That's not bad.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (29) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • LazyDan #1 3 years ago

    I like this (Y)

  • Agent_Orange #2 3 years ago

    BF 1943!!!!

  • Domovoi #3 3 years ago

    Give us a release date on Monkey Island already. Overall, not bad, by the way.
    Edited by 1 at 09/06/09 @ 09:43

  • Dizzy #4 3 years ago

    Some good ones indeed. Trials and Splotion man look interesting as well.

  • asphaltcowboy #5 3 years ago

    There are a lot of great Arcade games comin! Woo!

  • insincere_dave #6 3 years ago

    When's Worms 2 coming out?

  • Wastelander #7 3 years ago

    I didn't know Marvel vs. Capcom 2 was coming out!

  • Darren #8 3 years ago

    Personally, I didn't get on with Braid - it wasn't awful per se, just very dull - so I reckon there are much better games on XBLA already than that game... Wallace & Gromit, Banjo-Tooie, The Maw and OutRun Online Arcade to name but four recent examples that have impressed me.

    I'm more excited about Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Perfect Dark and The Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition to be honest than Shadow Complex, probably because I know exactly what to expect from those three games as I've played them before. And, yes, I'd love to revist them with their new HD make-overs.

    Still I'll try the trial demo of Shadow Complex at least, that's one of the great things about XBLA really, everything is free to try. :)

  • Spydy #9 3 years ago

    Shadow Complex does look rather tasty. Is it 360 exclusive?

  • Masaroth #10 3 years ago

    @ insincere_dave
    Should be sometime soon, as its finished certification now, so im guessing all thats left is to sort things out with microsoft.

    Cant wait for it though, should be tons better than the first.

  • spadge #11 3 years ago

    Worms 2 out very soon. Assets, videos and stuff on the way next week or so.

    Shadow complex will get a few weeks in the sun before Alien Breed comes out, I'm not sure we'll release much Alien Breed footage before then... am sure we've got the best-ever looking XBLA title in the bag ;)

  • kinky_mong #12 3 years ago

    I've got a horrible feeling Shadow Complex is going to be more than 1200 points. I'm interested in it but that price would be excessive.

  • El-Dev #13 3 years ago

    Lookin forward to Shadow Complex, it stood out at E3.

    Only got a 360 last week, can someone recommend a few good titles to get from XBLA?

  • Dizzy #14 3 years ago

    >Shadow Complex does look rather tasty. Is it 360 exclusive?

    yes

  • insincere_dave #15 3 years ago

    Cheers, Spadge, insta-purchase for Worms / Breed from me.

  • Eurolamer #16 3 years ago

    What's happened to KOF '98? :-(

    Was originally listed for a May release but seems to have disappeared...

  • muscleblade #17 3 years ago

    I probably buy all of those. Huge Xbla fan. Shadow Complex certainly looks to be a winner. We know what to expect from MvsC2
    and TMNT. Looking forward to some rainy days this summer.

  • muscleblade #18 3 years ago

    I probably buy all of those. Huge Xbla fan. Shadow Complex certainly looks to be a winner. We know what to expect from MvsC2
    and TMNT. Looking forward to some rainy days this summer.

  • bad09 #19 3 years ago

    "Shadow complex will get a few weeks in the sun before Alien Breed comes out"

    \o/ you're my hero Spadge! Another one to break the boycott (FFVII made the first blow on my resolve at the weekend!)

  • Toothball #20 3 years ago

    I'd just about forgotten about XBLA releases since Outrun landed. I'd quite like Monkey Island, as I haven't played that before somehow. Also keen to see the version of the Zombies!!! board game that was mentioned a while back.

  • Trafford #21 3 years ago

    Aye, Shadow complex looks excellent,just need to find time to play it...
    Another vote here for Braid being,well basicaly crap .

  • Eraysor #22 3 years ago

    Shadow Complex reminds me a lot of ye olde Metroid, which is a bloody good thing.

    EDIT: And Braid is brilliant. You really have to finish it though.
    Edited by 1 at 09/06/09 @ 15:07

  • Domovoi #23 3 years ago

    I thought Braid had brilliant game mechanics, but the overrated pseudo-artistic storytelling annoyed me to no end.

  • cheekyjay #24 3 years ago

    I'm still waiting for the high-profile xbox exclusive South Park XBLA game that Microsoft made such a fuss about at E3'08. What happened to that?

  • Eurolamer #25 3 years ago

    As a game, Braid was very good. Any game which makes you think in such varied and obscure ways should be celebrated. And the presentation was lovely.

    The 'story/meaning' was one of the worst, most pretentious pieces of pseudo-art guff on record.

  • TRUTH #26 3 years ago

    2d Street Fighter 3 (Third Strike) pleeeeeeeeeeease in Hi Res...So much better then Street Fighter IV!.

  • jimboton #27 3 years ago

    Braid was amazing, the best thing so far in the arcade along with Geometry Wars. Yes the story was pretentious but you didn't need to bother much with it to fully enjoy the game..

    Anybody knows how Monkey Island is going to play? are we stuck with a mouse pointer and no mouse or have they changed the control method?

  • Tiberianus #28 3 years ago

    Going for another 2/10 spadge? Or pushing the envelope with 5/10 this time?
    Edited by 2 at 11/06/09 @ 01:26

  • spadge #29 3 years ago

    LOL. Eat your words kid.