Robot Warfare – Xbox.ca Heads Into the Trenches

Posted July 06 2011 by Keadin
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Since the release of Brutal Legend, DoubleFine Productions has been on a roll creating a handful of really entertaining, and really unique, Xbox Live Arcade titles. Earlier this year we were treated to Stacking while late last year we enjoyed the cutesy RPG, Costume Quest. Recently the studio put out their latest bite-sized title, Trenched.

As a robot-fighting enthusiast I was more than giddy at the prospect of one of my favourite developers tackling the genre. But, given the fact that these sorts of games are more fun with friends I thought it would be more interesting to hear what some other members of the Xbox.ca Community thought about it.

We've gathered up their opinions and you can read them below, but if you're looking to get in on the action yourself be sure to stay tuned for an Xbox.ca Community Playdate on July 14th at 8:30 PM EST. Each of the following community members will be hosting lobbies in Trenched for everyone to join and play. Be sure to stay tuned for more details and feel free to send @Keadin any questions you may have over Twitter.

Rotaz V2

On the surface, Trenched is a brilliant mixture of the MechWarrior franchise and a tower defence game. You are a standalone soldier in a robot known as a trench which can fire an array of weapons and deploy a slew of turrets and gadgets. A great aspect of this game lies in its simplicity; using primarily just the trigger and bumper buttons, the controls are very easy to grasp. As you progress through the missions, the game suggests weapon and turret combinations to equip to increase your chances against the oncoming swarms. However, this isn't to say that the game is easy; after the first few introductory missions, the levels quickly increase in difficulty and strategy becomes an of utmost importance. If you're looking for an XBLA game to pick up this summer, I would strongly suggest you take a look at Trenched.

Talus360

Trenched is the latest product of Tim Schafer's "Amnesia Fortnight" experiment at Double Fine. The game mixes elements from tower defense and third-person action titles to create a unique action-strategy game. While Trenched can be played entirely as a single-player experience, the game allows you to easily bring up to three friends into each of the bite-sized scenarios for some satisfying co-op action. Your Trench can be upgraded and customized either through loot earned in battle or purchased with the spoils of war from the store. Before each mission, you can select a weapons load-out which you directly dispatch against waves of enemies and bosses from the safety of your Trench. In addition, you can deploy turrets and other autonomous gadgets strategically on the battlefield to help defend your objectives. Trenched is an exceptional game that satisfies many varied gaming appetites, all in one well-presented and quirky package.

AirSickKungFu

For me, Double Fine often made games that didn't live up to expectations. So, upon hearing about Trenched, I was expecting to be let down; boy, were my expectations wrong. Trenched is an insane, action-packed, tube-shooting machine. Both the singleplayer and multiplayer are superb and the customization is excellent. There are few games where you will have more fun playing a co-op game with your friends than you will with Trenched. Buy this game expecting to be screaming and hollering at your team mates or your TV in the best way possible. Two thumbs up for Double Fine!

Reclaimer M3TGR

I've never been the biggest fan of the tower defense genre so I was kind of reluctant about how Trenched would play out. Nevertheless, I figured everything deserves a chance and especially since it was a DoubleFine game. The controls are very smooth and the mech aspect plays like your basic third person shooter. The tower defense aspect plays like a normal tower defense game, allowing you to set up turrets wherever you want. The "Monovision" enemies have a very good design. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys tower defense, third person shooters or retro-style robots.

Jimmythejet V2

The tower defense genre is great for pick up and play action, but not many games in the genre really try to do something different and add depth and innovation; Trenched has both. Controlling the battlefield from a 3rd person perspective gives the genre a fresh feel and a different way to play. Combine that with the depth of the Trench customization and tower choices and you have a game that is a blast to play and will keep you hooked for a while. Now add to that the fact that you can play with up to 3 other friends in co-op? SOLD!

Trenched isn't the only awesome XBLA game coming out this summer, we've got a ton more coming out as part of the Summer of Arcade promotion starting on July 20th with Bastion. Be sure to check back for updates on the program and how you can earn yourself a free copy of Crimson Alliance.