1. Bastion
Developer : Supergiant Games - 1200 Microsoft Points Every now and again youll come across a game that manages to come seemingly out of nowhere and impresses you on all levels, Bastion is one of those games. The premise is simple, some bad stuff has gone down leaving you as the supposed only survivor of a cataclysmic event. So of course, as all protagonists do, you set out on adventure that sees you trying to repair the Bastion, the last safe house of your people. The gameplay itself appears initially simplistic, but hides a lot of depth. You may start with only one primary weapon, your trusty hammer, but as the game goes on you will find or be awarded a variety of different primary and secondary weapons such as pistols, swords and spears. These weapons can be levelled up over the course of your adventure enabling you to customise each weapon's attributes and unlock their special abilities. Bastion does a great job of letting you find your own playing style and gives you just enough options to tweak it to perfection. For instance, I opted with both short and long range fire-arms, but others may prefer to slice and dice their way through the game with swords instead. The presentation of Bastion is what really sets this game apart from your usual hack and slash RPGs. Worlds literally build and tumble into existence around you to the tune of a superb original soundtrack while every action and reaction is being narrated. Yes, crazy as it seems, this game has a narrator and it works incredibly well, giving Bastion that special something that turns a fun game, into an incredible one. Its relatively short completable in about 4 or 5 hrs, but with a new game plus mode and plenty of challenge rooms, you will likely find a lot to keep you going. Bastion is a great game, and a excellent example of how downloadable games are setting the bar higher and higher, time and time again.
Honourable Mention - Minecraft XBLA Edition
Developer : Markus Persson - 1600 Microsoft Points I have included Minecraft as a honourable mention, not because I don't think it competes alongside these other XBLA titles, but because it's an experience that isn't quite a fully fledged as its PC big brother. Even with that in mind, Minecraft XBLA edition is definitely worth a look. If you're skeptical, as I was, I urge you to give the demo a try. Its quirky combination of Lego style freedom and a 'check out what i've made' multiplayer element make it, at the very least, the most relaxing yet enjoyable title Ive played since the original Sims games invited us to do a similar thing all those years ago. With promises of big updates and DLC on the horizon, Minecraft is likely to keep you coming back for months and months to come.