6. Shadow Complex
Developer : Chair Entertainment - 1200 Microsoft Points Before Chair Entertainment were making millions with the Infinity Blade series for iOS, they made Shadow Complex. Shadow Complex is a 2.5D side-scrolling shooter set in the near future, borrowing both heavily from the Castlevania and Metroid series of games. The game starts out with you searching for your girlfriend down a network of caves and caverns only to find out she's been taken captive by unknown assailants and taken hostage to a massive underground complex. From there on out, it's your job to try and rescue her, figure out just what is going and let nothing get in your way. As you progress though the complex you will find various items, such as health packs and armour, and gain experience points allowing you to hone your available abilities, unlock new weapons and increase your skill set. With these new found abilities you are encouraged to backtrack to earlier areas to unlock, or access previously inaccessible paths and areas enabling you to find yet more collectables, pickups and alternative paths to the next part of the complex. The backtracking mechanic utilised here is what made games, such as the Metroid series, so enjoyable and it really feels that you're being rewarded for exploring as much of the map as you can. Dont fret though, if backtracking isnt your thing, you can push forward through the game without seeking out the majority of the games secrets, but if you really want to see all that Shadow Complex has to offer Id advise against that. Shadow Complex feels like an incredibly tight experience, and though it wont take hours to complete, it's a relatively meaty game which with just the right amount of challenge. If you long for the days of a Metroid/Castlevania style game, then Shadow Complex might just be the game for you.