Hands-on: Monday Night Combat
Why are so many good online shooters hitting XBLA? Monday Night Combat is Uber Entertainment's upcoming arena shooter, made exclusively for XBLA. Like Lead & Gold, it evokes a Team Fortress 2 vibe, thanks largely to its cartoon graphics and focus on squad-based play. Yet, it manages to have a unique flavor of its own, thanks to its satisfying close quarters combat, and original tower defense-inspired gameplay.
Monday Night Combat was one of the most populated booths at PAX East, an impressive feat considering the high-profile competition offered by the bigger publishers. Perhaps the long lines could be attributed to Gabe and Tycho's glowing endorsement of the game at their first Q&A panel. Or, it might be because the game is, put simply, fun.
I jumped into a round and chose the Assassin class. I've always preferred speed and stealth over gunplay, and this class was perfectly suited to my play style. Like the Scout class from TF2, this character is very agile, and can jump long distances. The Assassin has the special ability to cloak for a brief period of time, and can also launch smoke grenades. The cloak isn't infallible, as players will notice a shimmer where you're located; however, in the middle of a frantic firefight, it'll be relatively easy to sneak up behind a player and brutally stab him in the back.
Monday Night Combat was one of the most populated booths at PAX East, an impressive feat considering the high-profile competition offered by the bigger publishers. Perhaps the long lines could be attributed to Gabe and Tycho's glowing endorsement of the game at their first Q&A panel. Or, it might be because the game is, put simply, fun.
I jumped into a round and chose the Assassin class. I've always preferred speed and stealth over gunplay, and this class was perfectly suited to my play style. Like the Scout class from TF2, this character is very agile, and can jump long distances. The Assassin has the special ability to cloak for a brief period of time, and can also launch smoke grenades. The cloak isn't infallible, as players will notice a shimmer where you're located; however, in the middle of a frantic firefight, it'll be relatively easy to sneak up behind a player and brutally stab him in the back.
