Download These Gems: hidden treasures on your Xbox 360/PlayStation 3

By Tyler Barber



With several huge titles like Grand Theft Auto IV, Fall Out 3 and Burnout Paradise coming to consoles in '08, I made it my New Year's resolution to pay more attention to the smaller guys. Both the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 offer smaller, downloadable games created by smaller development teams, and in some cases, by a single person. These are the games your girlfriend will actually play with you. Xbox Live Arcade, and the PlayStation Network house these little titles, and if you're not too accustomed to surfing your console's dashboard, you may have yet to notice the wealth of inexpensive gaming gems offered. Below I've compiled a list of stand-out titles out now, and ones on the horizon.

Multiplatform (Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network)



Bionic Commando Rearmed - Spring 08
The second-most exciting arcade game to come out this year, (see below for the first) is the remake of the NES classic, Bionic Commando. If you don't remember, Bionic Commando was an excellent adventure game that gave you a bionic arm to swing from ledges, cross gaps, and nab out of reach ammo. For Rearmed we get a superb graphical overhaul with fluid animation and dynamic lighting. A few new abilities -- like grabbing and throwing barrels and baddies, and tossing grenades -- bring some minty-freshness to the game. For the first time two-player co-op will give you some the much needed reinforcements for this excellent remake.

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