Microsoft

Game Description: Have you ever been cloned? Ever wonder what it would be like to be a chicken? A monkey? A frog? Well, wonder no more when you play Cloning Clyde, the zany side-scrolling platformer game on Xbox Live Arcade, new from NinjaBee. Cloning Clyde is a 3D side-scrolling adventure, featuring (of course!) multiplayer gameplay. Play split screen on a single console, or mutate online with your friends across the world via Xbox Live® Arcade. Can you free yourselves from the myriad sinister traps and mutations that await you? Get Cloning today and find out!

I admit it. When I first heard about micro transactions and receiving downloaded content at Microsoft's E3 media briefing two years ago, I scoffed. In my defense, their initial approach to the presentation was ridiculous—the famous example given was of a non-gamer girl designing her own clothing and selling it to gamers via the wonderful interface provided by the Xbox 360… maybe it's just me, but that wasn't exactly the first thing to come to mind when trying to imagine a new way of capturing consumer dollars.

Game Description: A beautiful and mysterious world of fairytale charm unfolds in Wik: Fable of Souls as you swing by your ... tongue? Wik offers up more than 120 single-player levels and seven different modes of play. Up to four players can join in on the fun in multiplayer modes, where an action frenzy of firebug-dodging, acorn-spitting, and swing-chasing mayhem is sure to satisfy!

Author's note: Before writing this review, I was undecided between a piece that connected to the current state of the industry or dashing out a fun quickie. I couldn't decide, so here's both. Smarties, start at part 1. People who want to get to the point, skip to part 2.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Mild Fantasy Violence

Although Kameo: Elements of Power has definitely had a rough ride making it to retail, I'm going to chime in and say that Mike's being a little bit too hard on it. It's clear that the title has some issues, but there's a lot to like and this colorful fantasy adventure serves as a nice respite from the 360's too-serious library.

Conker: Live & Reloaded is a retelling of the first tale's game, with an added emphasis on online multiplayer modes. The game has received a major graphical upgrade since it first appeared on the N64, but other problems from the original version (most notably, a wonky camera system and terrible swimming mechanics) made it through the remaking unchanged. Because of this, Live & Reloaded is something of a schizophrenic experience—it looks modern and shiny, but there are lots of places where archaic design and gameplay conventions rear their ugly heads.

Game Description: Conker: Live and Reloaded brings back Conker, the squirrel with a bad attitude, for a new round of crazy gaming—this time with multiplayer options, so your friends can get in on the action. You'll lead an elite squadron to war as the Squirrels battle the invading Tediz. Players can compete as one of six combat specialists across multi-mission campaigns covering Old War and Future War, with all the non-stop action, humor, and innuendos Conker is famous for. Devastating weapons include camera-guided rockets, an acid thrower, and loads of grenade type—Operate five types of vehicles including Sky Steed, Mule Bomber, R-Hog, Toad, and Tankus Also includes the critically acclaimed Conker's Bad Fur Day, completely recreated for the Xbox—with all the hilarious situations, movie pastiches, off-the-wall puzzles, and crazy characters, from horny bees and voluptuous sun flowers, to singing piles of poo.