XBLA this week: Penny Arcade Adventures
by Xav de Matos 
{ May 19th 2008 at 12:30PM }
Hitting Xbox Live Arcade this week is the first game to bare the hilariously-awesome Penny Arcade name. On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episode One from Vancouver based Hothead Games drops on Wednesday, May 21 for 1600 MS Points. Beefier than your standard XBLA release, and also hitting PC for $19.99, Episode One promises a 7-10 hour RPG experience with all the unique hilarity that made Penny Arcade famous.
Still on the fence about the game? Check out our hands-on impressions from the recent Microsoft Press Event or check out the demo when it lands.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Tony @ May 19th 2008 12:40PM
I'm too poor and only vaguely interested, but thank god for demos.
Outinthedark @ May 19th 2008 12:55PM
Will we get access to download the PC version as well with an XBLA purchase?
If you buy a computer release you can download OSX, Windows, or Linux releases. Or so I read somewhere...
Gemini Ace @ May 19th 2008 12:56PM
Too expensive.
Josh @ May 19th 2008 12:59PM
7-10 hour rpg for 20 bucks ain't bad, thats easily a lot longer than any other arcade game.
Nick @ May 19th 2008 1:16PM
Versus Undertow? Versus Assault Wars?
Not that there's much of a multiplayer aspect (I don't ever see people playing) - but that's a possibility and the quality of the games themselves is top shelf, and really fun.
Do they offer 7 hours? Well maybe they offer 5, if this game is really FUN for 7 hours, well hell I'll spend the money. I bought God of War for the PSP knowing that it was around about 5 - 10 hours, but the quality was there and it was worth my 30 or 40 (now 20, jerks)
So... whatever. I'll wait for reviews, since I was never a consistent Penny Arcade reader.
Deezul @ May 19th 2008 1:15PM
Mass Effect & GTA give you more than 3 times that hours of gameplay, for 3 times the cost. I think $20 is just a bit too pricey for this game. I love Penny Arcade, but I'm going to pass on this one until its an Arcade hit, for 800 points.
Deezul @ May 19th 2008 1:51PM
And before anyone says, "It's ONLY $20," give me $20 and I'll buy it...
baby sea tuna @ May 19th 2008 1:24PM
Pass.
Mr.ESC @ May 19th 2008 1:37PM
Not enough points and I'm too hooked on GTA IV.
I'll try a demo and read the reviews.If it scores above 8.5 in metacritic I might buy it.
Mr.ESC @ May 19th 2008 1:40PM
I meant "I don't have enought points right now".
This game better be good,not a lot people will drop 20$ for an arcade game even less for a webcomic themed game.
If this scores below 8.0 they better low the price to 800 Ms points.
Neuromancer @ May 19th 2008 2:03PM
$20 per episode X 4 episodes = $80
Thanks but no thanks, Gabe and Tycho. I guess it's OK to fleece your customers as long as you're not EA or Sony.
Benjamin09 @ May 19th 2008 3:35PM
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Gemini Ace @ May 19th 2008 4:12PM
Is it really going to be $20 per episode?
Neuromancer @ May 19th 2008 5:30PM
I hope not, all I know is the first one is $20, they're alll stand alone and they haven't said any others will be cheaper.
emirabal @ May 19th 2008 2:31PM
RROD on my box anyway do ill have to wait.
volucer @ May 19th 2008 3:07PM
I would like to get this, but this week I've got too much other stuff to buy. Cinema ticket to Indiana Jones, Popcorn for said movie, Age of Conan, Rock Band (which if it was cheaper here, I'd probably have enough)
ZEBRA NINER @ May 19th 2008 3:07PM
I was really looking forward to this one. I've seen a couple of good reviews. I'm not sure I want to cross that line, and drop the $20. This could be the tester game for Microsoft, testing to see how much we are willing to pay for an XBLA game.
Roman @ May 19th 2008 3:23PM
I don't get why everyone is so upset about the price.
$20 for 7-10 hours. That's $60 for 21-30 hours at three episodes - more hours than you get from a lot of off-the-shelf games.
And since when is a game judged by dollars per hour anyway?
Portal was what - three hours? By itself for PC it's around $20, and that is a very good deal for what you get.
Wreckard @ May 19th 2008 4:17PM
The difference is that Portal was written by people who are actually funny.
Mark @ May 19th 2008 6:39PM
"$20 for 7-10 hours."
Yeah and compare that to other games on XBLA that are $10 for 7-10 hours.
Lumines breaks their release down in to "packs" and everyone goes crazy at the price of the total game if you bought everything. PA breaks theirs down in to "episodes" and people are doing math to justify how $60 for that much content is a good thing?
Mr.ESC @ May 19th 2008 7:35PM
You know using Portal as an example was a bad idea.
Stand alone for the Pc it includes a level designer. Basically the fun last as long you have enough time and Imagination.
In Steam you can buy it with Garry’s Mod which again it gets as awesome as the user imagination. If your brain is dead then it sucks, if you are a master of lego the game can last you at least 2 years.
In the orange box it includes TF2, Half life 2 plus episodes 1 and 2.That's 60$ for 5 really awesome games.
In this case the game well 20$ for just one episode and the gameplay doesn’t looks very good and as Wreckard said the guys at Valve are funnier .Don’t get me wrong Gabe and tycho are funny as well but not “Oh wow I going to drop 20$ for this” funny.
I think their mistake was labeling this at the same price as Sam & Max.Then again if the game is good (like 9.0 in metacritic good. Okay I would buy it even if it gets an overall 8.5 but I won’t buy it if it scores 8.0 or lower) I would buy it.
I believe a VGcats game would sell more.
LiqwidZero @ May 19th 2008 5:16PM
Hopefully I can download a trial version.
Vern @ May 19th 2008 9:57PM
I kinda wanna get it but i still can't get over 20 bucks.
k.dizzy @ May 20th 2008 11:42AM
I buy crappy video games for 20 Bux all the damned time. I get a few hours out of them, usually laughing at how stupid I was to buy them, before they go on Goozex.
I'm a PA fanboy, and I'll be buying this the second it comes out. Seriously, i know the guys put in a solid amount of time writing the game. I expect it to be funny.
I understand complaining about the price, and being on the fence, but realize they have an audience who trusts the brand and feels that the work put into the game most likely justifies the price tag.
The lads would not risk a backlash from the core audience of the strip, expect stunning art direction and hilarity.
Now, If I could just get my 10$ back from the broken Mr. Driller..........