The Down Lo(ad)

As the mechanisms inside my XBox360's disc drive continue to atrophy from lack of use, the parts of it's robot brain that comprehend downloads must be rapidly growing. That's because there is so very much worth downloading and playing. There is no reason not to download these free demos, and they're a good way to kill an hour or two.


Bioshock - I felt like I was the only person who owned a 360 that wasn't excited about this game. Its rich tapestry of off-putting imagery and impeccable attention to detail seemed a little over my head. Then I played the demo, and my mind shattered. It's difficult to define, as calling it a first-person shooter lumps it in a category with so many unsavory individuals. The game plays like a FPS, yes - but it feels like an Role Playing Game. You will find yourself drawn into the underwater world of Rapture - and when the demo is up, you'll wish you could have stayed much, much longer.

Eternal Sonata - Let me see if I can explain this clearly: the story of Eternal Sonata takes place inside of a dream world. That dream belongs to the legendary composer Frederic Chopin, who met his untimely end at the age of thirty-nine. Three hours before his death, Chopin enters this dream world, in which people with terminal diseases have incredible powers.

Still with me? I hope so, because Eternal Sonata looks to be the RPG offering that I've been waiting for. While the demo for Blue Dragon (also available for demo download), another RPG from some of the creators of Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger, seems inaccessible and convoluted, Eternal Sonata is simple, elegant, and most of all, jaw-droppingly gorgeous.


Stuntman: Ignition - Of all the demos I have downloaded on the 360, I have spent more time on Stuntman: Ignition than any other game. There is something infinitely compelling and primeval about driving a car through a complicated obstacle course, and then watching your work on an artfully crafted, tastefully shot instant replay. While the frustration present in the first game is still present (you mess up five times in one shoot, and you lose) the load times have not made a comeback. If you screw up, you instantly have the chance to try again. And you'll want to. This game looks and controls amazing, and the demo is an absolute blast from beginning to end.

Also, there's been a couple of Wii Virtual Console games that deserve recognition as well:

Paper Mario - Not to be confused with Super Paper Mario for the Wii, for which I have already shared my less-than-glowing review for, this Virtual Console download is the best RPG experience for the system to date. A Nintendo 64 title originally, Paper Mario has a charming, lengthy storyline with unique visuals and humorous dialogue. At 1000 points (or 10 dollars, in non-funny money) it's a real bargain.


Super Metroid - What can I say about Super Metroid? It's amazing. It's one of the greatest games for the Super Nintendo, in fact, Electronic Gaming Monthly called Super Metroid the greatest game of all time. If you have played it, it's worth another run through. If you haven't, then you should probably drop the 800 points (8 dollars) required to buy it.

I know I've given you a lot of downloading to do. You should stop Youtubing reruns of Everybody Loves Raymond right away, and get to work.