Xbox 360

Wik & the Fable of Souls

Wik: Fable of Souls features a nice art style, but there isn’t much going on in the backgrounds. The animations however, are done well and the dark forest colors create a nice setting and mood. The soundtrack also adds to the mood with music that reminds me of creatures you would expect to find in the world of Harry Potter or other fantasy universes. The controls in Wik are done very well, as the control layout is simple, responsive, and precise.

The Xbox Live Arcade was one of those things on the original Xbox that was nice to have, but let’s face it: you never really played it because 1) you needed the "live arcade" disc in order to play and 2)most of the games were pretty boring or you could get them with your PC.

All in all, Wik: the Fable of Souls accomplishes what it set out to achieve: provide addicting, fun yet challenging gameplay for the entire family. Flaws? Not many. The presentation is superb on all fronts, and the gameplay is unique and intuitive. For ten bones, this is without question a must-have.

The Xbox 360 came out of the launch gate with a bang but not much has been stirring in the game library since. The only thing that rivals the actual hardware shortage is a supply of new games. Whether by pure luck or sheer genius, those marketing guys over at Microsoft have managed to keep me playing my 360 long after I have finished with the launch library with something called the Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA), part of the new Online Marketplace.

With the next generation now a reality, smaller developers and publishers have been voicing concern about being priced out of the business by the rising costs of game production. When a home machine is capable of rendering ultra-detailed textures and has enough horsepower to fill a beach with individual grains of sand, it's going to take a lot of time and effort to satisfy consumers who expect to see this potential used. Publishers also take risks when they put up funding to back expensive games, so it's not exactly in their best interest to support unusual ideas or untried concepts. Obviously, one result is that originality seems to be waning while known quantities are waxing.

Coupled with more exciting levels in the latter stages of the main mode, and the thrill of hitting triple-digit scores in Loopnastics, Wik is like a web-game that grew up. At 800 Microsoft points, it's a bit more expensive than the likes of Geometry Wars and some of Xbox Live Arcade's recent remakes, but it's on a par with Cloning Clyde and Street Fighter II, and in terms of absorbing gameplay, it's right up there too - even if, to begin with, it's a bit like trying to light a match in the wind.

The Xbox Live Marketplace is slowly turning into a very fertile ground for unique game experiences. So far the Xbox Live Arcade has already seen the release of great titles like Outpost Kaloki X and Geometry Wars Evolved, and now it's time to add another highly entertaining and unique title to the mix: Wik: The Fable of Souls. The game is also out on PC, though you'll find the Xbox 360 version is 10 dollars cheaper.

Wik: The Fable of Souls is an unusual little action puzzle game in which the title character, a froglike critter with an elastic tongue, must jump and swing his way through more than 100 different levels while spitting grubs at his docile buddy, Slotham. So it's not just another simple Xbox Live Arcade shoot-'em-up--not that there's anything wrong with those. Featuring an award-winning design and plenty of challenging scenarios, Wik more than makes up for its initially bland presentation with plenty of compelling, briskly paced gameplay.

For roughly $10 Wik: Fable of Souls can be downloaded and enjoyed by the action/puzzle fan in your home. Sure the graphics aren't going to make your head spin when you see them on your fancy new HDTV; but the surprisingly entertaining story mode and the ability to have local multiplayer really boosts this game. The inclusion of online leader boards really will drive you to excel at the challenge and bonus levels and it will probably take quite some time to unlock all the achievements that this title offers, which only further extends the replay of this simple yet effective title. Recommended.

Aside from minor gripes, Wik is a success, and the type of game that we need more often than not. It's daring, original, and most importantly, superb fun. It's not a game to like simply because it provides something new. It's one to like because it takes that something new and turns it into something entertaining.