Game Room - Review

Game Room is Microsoft's last arcade game for the Block Party. In paper, this was an interactive arcade room for you and your avatar to travel around and play old retro games that could easily be downloaded or played with older consoles or even flash games on your PC. Microsoft wanted something to attract customers but also rip them off at the same time by presenting something like Game room. Game Room is no where near gaming.

I started up my arcade game and a welcoming retro style soundtrack started playing. It's probably the best part of the game. I am swiftly asked to download 2 game packs. Initially, I thought these were free games for me to play but had to realize it was just the content of games. So basically I download the arcade game and now I have to download games that I haven't even paid for yet. Makes sense. One more pack is also required to get downloaded and have no idea for what. I then enter the game and see my avatar on the right side of my screen dancing around joyfully. The clunky menus are simple to use but there is no tutorial to guide me where to go first and what to do. Great way to treat a newbie. I entered my arcade first where I fiddled around with themes and decorations which serve no point really, just for your friends to look at. I got easy achievements which by the way need you to spend hundreds of dollars to 1000/1000. Then I decided to go ahead and try the whole purpose of the Game Room. I took a step forward and bought an arcade game and what a mistake it was. I bought Tempest: the most notable game out of the lot I could choose. If you thought nostalgia was bad in old games recreated in arcade games you should see these games.

Tempest lasted me a good 20 minutes. I got a medal, which lead to me unlocking points and closer to another level! Hooray! But you can't level up unless you get medals. There are 3 medals for every arcade box/game in selection so you need to spend 240 points for some old, temporary games that will last you 20 minutes of enjoyment each. Unlocking levels will make you unlock decors, themes, avatar items/clothing and I think tokens. This is probably the worst reward system I've ever seen in a game. You spend 3 dollars for a retro game that can be found free on Google and get virtual items to show off to your friends. And my friends? They don't even care about this game. So Game Room here proves how it is automatically a fail.

I will now omit this game and pretend that 120 GS I gained was from another game and the 240 MS points I spent went to charity. That's how pathetic Microsoft has become after this game. Game Room is a series of menus which sometimes break up into arcade rooms which need you to pay mostly and can't even play at your friends' arcades if you don't pay a dollar! For 1 play! And the worst part? You can't control your avatar like teased in all game preview images. You can just watch his poorly rendered model standing in front of the arcade or executes an awkward dance in the menus with the crappy animations.

Here is my conclusion: Game Room must not be downloaded. Not even for free. If you're desperate for some achievements: go for it. If not, then steer clear from the latest abomination released by Microsoft.

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