Just like the PC version, the Xbox Live Arcade release of RoboBlitz is a total blast from start to finish. This Unreal 3 engine-based platformer combines stunning high-definition visuals, great control and realistic Aegia-powered physics that make the game all the more enjoyable. For a first release, it manages to be a mind-blowing example of indie development at its finest, showing off the incredible programming skills of the team at Naked Sky Entertainment. For a mere fifteen bucks you get nineteen stages (six areas divided into three maps plus a final boss stage) and a guaranteed ear-to-ear grin from the moment you download the game. Granted, skilled players can probably get through what's here in a day or two, but the adjustable difficulty levels and open-ended gameplay certainly add a ton of replay value. Microsoft needs to address the issue of getting this game to non Xbox Live users, but for those of you that can (and must!) download RoboBlitz, let's get on with the review!

For Blitz, a robot technician who's working at a giant space defense cannon situated deep in space, life is pretty mundane. However, one fine day, you get the call that some menacing machines called megaNOED are headed your way and that the giant cannon needs to be activated in order to stop their invasion plans. Unfortunately, some of them have already infiltrated the station, so it's up to you to send these mechanical menaces back to the scrap heap while you try to get the cannon operational. Sure, it's not earth-shaking stuff, but it's absolutely a ton of fun to play. What's here is a true next generation gaming experience that doesn't rely on M-rated content to show off the fantastic potential of the game engine. The absolutely awesome thing is that, despite the length issue, the game actually has tons of longevity once you start experimenting.

There's a great tutorial that shows off the intuitive and highly responsive control scheme, allowing you to get into the game world without worrying about being yanked out by collision detection or clipping issues. The keyboard/mouse setup translates perfectly to the 360 pad, so fans of that version won't be griping about the controls one bit. Your fanciest moves are a double jump/spin that sends the game into 'bullet time' and some of the cool things you can do with the weapons you acquire. Despite the quirky characters and sci-fi trappings, movement in the game looks and feels realistic. One cool example is lifting objects - wherever you are in relation to the object is how it ends up in your metal grip. It's a small thing, but it's definitely appreciated and shows the development team's commendable attention to detail. You have a junker of a sidekick named Karl who whips up your arsenal as you acquire parts during your adventure. In addition to his construction skills, Karl also happens to be good test subject for your new toys, given that he's literally hanging around his workshop.

When you're done with practicing, you'll find that the game proper is an action/platformer that hearkens back to the days of classics like Mega Man, Bionic Commando and other 8-bit hits. The ability to play in a freeform manner makes this a definite improvement over simply moving from one end of the screen to the other while avoiding cheap death (and a busted controller or two). The trickiest (and most fun) part is understanding and using the movement physics properly. You're playing as a robot that moves around on a metal ball, so you need to get used to things like forward and reverse momentum, laying off the controls when jumping to precarious platforms. I can think of two other games that used physics similar to this, the budget PSOne game Ball Breakers and Wild Metal Country on the PC and Dreamcast. Both games had characters or machines that rolled about on a single ball, requiring that extra bit of care on sloped terrain or when using certain weapons. Blitz is a more memorable character though and one who fans of the underrated classic Metal Arms: Glitch in the System will find immediately appealing for the huge amount of personality he exudes.

While you can roll about and check out the stages in any order, some areas are inaccessible until you have certain weapons or have activated certain machines. You need to collect a material called Upgradium in order for Karl to add and improve your gear and, in true platformer fashion, much of it is well hidden. As for your arsenal, you eventually end up with six makeshift weapons and multiple ways to use them. Since Blitz isn't a hulked out combat robot, battles rely more on you getting the better of faster enemies through skillful weapon and environment usage. While a few of the weapons aren't innovative on their own, combining them in order to beat enemies or solve puzzles becomes quite a lot of fun. You can zap a few baddies rolling your way with the EMP, then tractor beam them together to a nearby wall or send them floating away as you get back to acquiring fuel for a generator.

If you're attacked from two or three directions, a suck mortar shot can draw in your foes for a big bang surprise. The pulse rifle and EMP cannon auto aim, making it easy to back up or strafe and blast away while avoiding damage. You'll definitely want to use the tractor beam to tether a few enemies or barrels (or both) together too, and use them as a swinging baton to bash other bots! Some players might find that the gameplay isn't very difficult on the default setting, thanks to the handy hints that can be accessed if you happen to be stuck, while most of the tougher parts of the game become less daunting once you get a look around the environments. Speaking of environments, you get to do a bit of tricky jumping and later, flying in some levels, while others feature more down to earth item hunting in order to progress. There's a great sense of accomplishment when you finally complete a stage and move onto the next area. Powering up generators, creating shells for the space cannon from barrels, using a powered-up tractor beam to zip across molten lava… it's all here and the variety is admirable.

For a game developed in just under a year with a new engine, RoboBlitz looks phenomenal. With his takeout coffee cup curves and hilarious idle animations, Blitz is the star of the show, but the entire game is a beauty from beginning to end. The developers have wisely eliminated a heads up display in favor of power and weapon energy meters on Blitz's back, something that lets you concentrate on playing the game rather than checking out a cluttered status display. Enemy robots are funny in motion and full of personality as they roll, float or otherwise move around and since there's not a frame of canned animation here, they react realistically when hit, sometimes zipping away with a metallic squeak for fear of being destroyed. Not including the huge final boss, there are only four basic enemy types, but that's more than enough, as they're all pretty determined to take you apart, bolt by bolt. The use of procedural textures and lighting effects is incredible - you'll stop and stare at just about every surface in the game whenever you're in a new area. As far as space stations in games go, this is the best-looking one I've ever seen... and I've seen quite a lot, believe you me. There's not an inch of wasted visual space in the game, something that makes exploration a total joy.

The only issues I found with the game are minor ones, like a camera that gets a little wacky in tight spots when you're jumping around too much. However, since I never died from this, it's not a big deal in the end. Sharp-eyed gamers will notice that some objects don't cast shadows in spots and yes, there is a tiny bit of old-fashioned slowdown in really hectic areas with a ton of effects happening. Despite this, when you consider the physics at work here, along with the overall quality of the finished work (and the memory limitations of Xbox Live Arcade itself), there's nothing of significance to complain about visually. Although this isn't a 'major' release with a billion dollars of hype behind it, it's certainly the most impressive Xbox Live Arcade download yet. You're not getting an enhanced remake here, folks - just a great game you'll want to show off to your non-Live subscribing friends. The sound production is equally impressive, with a solid score and great audio effects for every conceivable interactive object in the game.

Personally I don't see how RoboBlitz couldn't become a major hit, but with the US market focusing highly on uber-violent action shooters, too many sports franchises and the latest sequels du jour, it'll be a tough road to victory for a great game that truly deserves as much notice as possible. While Xbox Live Arcade is a success, the fact that a lot of consumers ran out and bought (and are still buying) the Core 360 unit, so there needs to be a way they can get their hands on this game. There's already been one commercial release of a collection of Xbox Live Arcade titles, so hopefully another one will follow and if so, RoboBlitz absolutely deserves to be on it.

RoboBlitz is one of the very best, if not the best Xbox Live Arcade release so far - and one of the few titles from the Arcade that's great enough to have stood on its own as a full commercial release. As more and more gamers are starting to realize, next gen isn't all about making a game so realistic in terms of violence that it's not family-friendly or making the difficulty so brutal that only an elite few can complete it, and RoboBlitz is real proof of this. Granted, there's a Master Technician mode here that's nice and hard, so those of you out there who like it rough (and want to unlock bonus content) can go knock yourselves out and then some, but no matter what your favorite genre happens to be, RoboBlitz is a technical wonder that's such a joy to play that it's hard to imagine anyone not falling in love with it at first sight.

Reviewed by Greg Wilcox for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).