Alien Hominid to crash land on XBLA this year [update 1]
by Christopher Grant 
{ Jul 20th 2006 at 10:05AM }
There's two ways you could look at this, depending on how cynical and jaded you are. You could jump up and down knowing that Alien Hominid, one of the most successful and interesting indie games ever made, is coming to Microsoft's popular Xbox Live Arcade service this winter ... or you could grind your teeth knowing that your perfectly suitable Xbox copy isn't backwards compatible (yet?) so, if you want that side scrolling action, you'll be shelling out for the same game again. Granted, it was only $20 to begin with, and a $10 XBLA price would still keep the total well below your average AAA title, but it's the principle dammit! This is a slippery slope for Microsoft to be on. Cynical (and/or cheap) gamers have foretold the day when Microsoft would use future profits to determine the fate of backwards compatibility on a particular title. Conspiracy theorists will point to Alien Hominid's relatively spartan and humble graphics as proof positive that Redmond isn't playing fair. Of course, these accusations will be premature since there are certain to be more backcompat updates before the Fall console launches, but they'll be made regardless.
Game Informer reports that Alien Hominid developer The Behemoth is also bringing their in development title Castle Crashers to XBLA in early 2007. For more indie-dev goodies, check out the excellent Gamasutra podcast this week for an interview with The Behemoth's John Baez.
[Thanks, Shizzle]
[Update 1: 1UP previewed the game at the Comic-Con expo that began today. They confirm the obligatory 360 upgrades like high-def and widescreen support, but also note that "the developers are looking into adding a few bonuses here and there to give the Live Arcade version something extra for players who are familiar with the original" but add "we don't have any details on that front at this point."]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jc @ Jul 20th 2006 10:14AM
I would like to know how much of my $10 The Behemoth will receive for this download.
MDB @ Jul 20th 2006 10:18AM
Whoah, calm down there. It's really not THAT big of a deal. I've never played this game before, and for people like me, it's a great opportunity. And, if you don't want to buy it, then don't. Simple as that. I'd be surprised if it wasn't backwards compatible by the time the XBLA version came out. Besides, XBLA games do have advantages. Imagine how cool it would be if they re-released Halo on XBLA? That would be awesome and even if I did pay $50 for it 4 years ago, I'd buy it for $20 in a second if it was on XBLA.
LunarDuality @ Jul 20th 2006 10:19AM
I understand the issue here with backcompat but why aren't there people up in arms over the fact that Nintendo and Sony also plan to sell us our games again...it's all the same principle.
I know it's different if you already bought a game for the xbox, but there are other ways of dealing with that problem besides a B.C. update (such as using your xbox, buying a used xbox, and such).
Petrie @ Jul 20th 2006 10:21AM
It seems totally unacceptable to charge customers for a game that they already own, especially when it should already be able to be played on their system. As much as I like seeing an independent game like this be succesful, I hope the game bombs on the marketplace, because otherwise we are sending MS down a road we don't want them on.
On a different note, those who haven't played Alien Hominid should definitely pick up a copy for whatever system they have. This game is like Contra on speed. The graphics may not truly impress, but the gameplay is so much fun you won't even notice.
Gimbal @ Jul 20th 2006 10:21AM
A BC version wouldn't have the XBL functionality, acheivements, and HiDef abilities that it would when released as an XBLA version for the 360, would it? Seems like a good candidate for XBLA to me. I see no reason not to release it just because it isn't working in BC mode. Think of all the people who haven't played it before who will get to try it out now the XBLA is really taking off.
Sam @ Jul 20th 2006 10:24AM
As MDB says, it's really not that big of a deal and I think it's easy to make this more of a story than it really is. You have to consider the fact that only the most hardcore of the hardcore knew about this game when it came out, and furthermore, it seemed like a lot of money to shell out for a little bit of game.
The argument that "conspiracy theorists will point to Alien Hominid's relatively spartan and humble graphics as proof positive that Redmond isn't playing fair" certainly works against itself. If I see an Xbox game for 20 dollars with spartan and humble graphics and I have no idea that this game was the little indie side scroller that could, why would I buy it?
So I think Microsoft actually is doing something great for the Arcade here- repackage a game as a Live Arcade title and make it cheaper, thus giving it tons more exposure than it ever would have gotten sitting on a shelf next to more glamorous titles like Madden and Halo.
DarkMavis @ Jul 20th 2006 10:28AM
It's principle, not principal. Right?
KingOfGods @ Jul 20th 2006 10:29AM
The same argument could be said for having to pay $20 for a game that's free on the net (from what Read on their site, it's the same game).
Alien Hominid was never released on Xbox in the US It was only available through import. If you imported the game then that's really your fault.
I've only played the free version on the net so it would be a first time purchase for me.
DarrenJ @ Jul 20th 2006 10:32AM
In reality this is a temporary issue. Eventually the Xbox will age enough that the platforms won't overlap, and something like this will be considered a re-release of a "classic" game. Mind you, they should still release the new EXE, or at least provide a "current customer discount."
The bottom line is there will always be something new and better than what you already paid for. This is really intended for the people who never bought (or even heard of) it in the first place.
Robotic House Plant @ Jul 20th 2006 10:39AM
I have never heard of this game. Was it even popular?
bandit @ Jul 20th 2006 10:46AM
ummm actually MS is doing the exact opposite by pioneering Live Anywhere and downloadable content. The ENTIRE Microsoft business model right now certains on buying ONE license for content and using that same content across multiple platforms. The problem is they just arent there yet. They are still working on it. What I mean is you buy UNO for $20, this allows you to not only play again users on cellphones, PCs and 360s, but also use the SAME purchase license to access it on all platforms. Again thats a massive effort and will take a tremendous amount of collaboration from many many providers. MEANWHILE, the Sony method is to release the same content across multiple platforms and force you to rebuy it depending oh how you plan to use it. EX. You want Spiderman 3? now you have to buy the UMD version, the DVD version, and the Blu-ray version. By the time you are finished youve spent almost $100 for the ability to watch a single movie across multiple platforms and worse of all YOU CANT MAKE COPIES!!! yeah DRM may suck, but is better than the alternative that Sony and movie studios are trying to push on us. Believe it or not for once in their corporate existant MS has the best interest of the consumers in mind. They are actually the good guys in the DRM war.
J.Goodwin @ Jul 20th 2006 10:48AM
Quite, this game is new to me, because it wasn't on Xbox in the US.
The flash heritage gives me the sense that it's going to look gorgeous in HD, with very crisp lines and lots of detail. I'm looking forward to it.
Ive Been Jipped @ Jul 20th 2006 10:54AM
Only Joystiq could be grumpy about Hominid coming to XBLA, honestly
"Conspiracy theorists will point to Alien Hominid's relatively spartan and humble graphics as proof positive that Redmond isn't playing fair."
Alternatively, realists could point to the fact that very few Xbox titles that are created with 2D graphics are backwards compatible. No Guilty Gear, no Street Fighter Anniversary Edition, no Capcom Fighting Jam (probably a good thing), no Capcom vs SNK 2, no Metal Slug 4, no Metal Slug 5, no King Of Fighters 2002. That's just off the top of my head, evidence enough to think (realise?) that perhaps there's some problem getting 2D based games backwards compatibilite rather than some over-arching conspiracy where Microsoft solely exist to convert our money to Microsoft Points, gobble them up and steal all our fun.
Andrew @ Jul 20th 2006 10:58AM
I am looking forward to Hominid on XBLA. I didn't originally buy it because I thought it is basically a Flash game. Given they will update it and charge a lower price, sounds like a good addition to my arcade collection (which is a fantastic feature of the 360).
emulators-wii @ Jul 20th 2006 11:02AM
Thank God Nintendo has kept Gameboy and DS and will keep Wii compatible with the previous gen games for free.
John H. @ Jul 20th 2006 11:10AM
I think that XBLA will be great fit for Alien Hominid, although I have to wonder if it'll be the GC/PS2 game or a port of the original Flash game. XBLA has a 50mb game size limit, after all.
murph @ Jul 20th 2006 11:16AM
Gimbal has it right. there's your $10 of value.
apoc06 @ Jul 20th 2006 11:23AM
@ bandit.
You are incorrect here in a sense. Sony has embraced the same Managed Copy specification that MS uses into the blu-ray spec. You can make a number of copies of your content. MS and sony are the same in terms of media.
As for MS having consumers in mind? You mean the same company that until recently being forced to give it up, created a tool that forced all copies of windowsXp to phone home and prove that they are genuine? I dont buy it in the slightest. MS's PR dept just knows how to spin things positively.
Case in point, the rootkit problem? Sony/ BMG caught a lot of flak for the rootkit, but MS didn't catch any. The rootkit only worked by exploiting a windowsXP security flaw. Speaking of which... how long did it take MS to fix that vulnerability?
In other news, MS recently bought Winternals, the company that discovered the XP flaw. I wonder what effect that will have on their ability to badmouth Windows and point out security flaws? http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=software&articleId=9001845&taxonomyId=18
Petrie @ Jul 20th 2006 11:24AM
Will this game allow you to play co-op over live? If so it's worth the $10, if not then adding achievements and other useless garbage doesn't justify having to re-buy a game.
Tetranitrocubane @ Jul 20th 2006 11:25AM
This article really downplays Castle Crashers, which is all new, and looks fantastic. Really, this is a great means of distribution for the Indy game industry - And people like me who never played Alien Hominid to begin with are the target audience here, not people who already own the game.
Honestly, just break out the old Xboxen if it bugs you that much. I'd love to see Panzer Dragoon BC, but when I want to play it, I use the hardware it was designed for. We all know BC is a joke by now, so let's get over it.
Doc P @ Jul 20th 2006 11:30AM
The perfect example of this would be BF2, which looked fine on xbox in all its 49.99 glory. When the 360 rolled around, so did a $60 version of the same game.
GamerG @ Jul 20th 2006 11:34AM
I'd still buy it even if it was back compat, then you can play it without getting off yer arse to put the disc in!
I dont think MS deliberatly make some games not back compat, and the sales of the original in this case were so low I doubt it would have much of an impact on its Live sales anyway
Aux @ Jul 20th 2006 11:34AM
You point out that some could say that MS isn't playing fair by releasing this on XBLA for $10, but I don't see too many people mentioning that Behemoth is making money off this deal too. As far as I know, no one twisted the developer's arm and told them that they absolutely had to release this game on XBLA. And I haven't read any articles on this website stating that Behemoth is pressing to get this game on the backwards compatible list (a la Psychonauts).
As someone else pointed out, Nintendo and Sony plan on doing the exact same thing. If they're adding extra features to the game and the achievement points and what not, than it seems like it's worth the price of admission for $10.
If you don't want to pay $10, then don't buy it. If you have the old version and don't want the upgrades, then play it on your current gen system.
Dawg605 @ Jul 20th 2006 11:39AM
Everyone, be like me:
If it doesn't become BC on Xbox 360, don't buy the Arcade version.
I know that for me, if it becomes BC, I will buy the Arcade version. If it doesn't, I will never buy it.
Ive Been Jipped @ Jul 20th 2006 11:43AM
That's quite possibly the most retarded logic I've heard in a long, long time.
bubuli @ Jul 20th 2006 11:48AM
imho, it would make more sense to bring Alien Hominid on the DS...or that near-dead platform called the PSP.
Jay @ Jul 20th 2006 11:51AM
It's always obvious when people don't deal much with the indie side of the gaming world.
"...one of the most successful and interesting indie games ever made..."
sucessful yes. interesting? It's a blatant rip-off of Metal Slug.
I'm not for this. The original Xbox Alien Hominid was just boring, I turned off and played Metal Slug 3.
Kid Chemical @ Jul 20th 2006 11:55AM
This is a non-issue for US gamers. It was never released on the Xbox over here, so why cause a stink? European gamers shuld be complaining, no one else.
J @ Jul 20th 2006 12:00PM
If it adds co-op over Live, high score uploading and achievements, then fair enough.
soco @ Jul 20th 2006 12:07PM
in all fairness, they're talking about enhancements for the XBLA version, so it may be the same game, but with some extra features. similar to mario 64 on the DS, perhaps?
Hugh Jass @ Jul 20th 2006 12:23PM
The rundown on previous versions:
Europe got this game on the PS2, XBOX, PC, and GBA. All of these were excellent, and cheap, too.
The USA only got PS2 and Cube versions of the game. Both of these were excellent, and cheap, too.
Both regions will get the XBLA 360 version. All signs point to a nice high-resolution port, with all the extra features we have come to expect from the platform. Putting it on XBLA is GOOD for both American and EU gamers. There's no controversy here. If you don't want to buy it again, don't!
Dirk Dorkelson @ Jul 20th 2006 1:11PM
"You mean the same company that until recently being forced to give it up, created a tool that forced all copies of windowsXp to phone home and prove that they are genuine?"
Oh my god, how horrible Microsoft are for insisting that they be financially compensated for your use of a commercial product that they spent money to develop! Come on, dude. Adobe does this with InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator, too. Any software business would do this. I mean, if your employer forgets to give you your paycheck do you ask what's up? You materialistic, money-obsessed jerk!
Dirk Dorkelson @ Jul 20th 2006 1:21PM
"Case in point, the rootkit problem? Sony/ BMG caught a lot of flak for the rootkit, but MS didn't catch any."
Also, let's be honest here. Sony/BMG installed their spyware/call home software on a music CD. The average consumer of CDs shouldn't have to wonder whether their new album is spying on them. Such software has never been placed on CDs before, and then when Sony/BMG did it, it was a huge disaster and it was unannounced, compromising purchasers of the CDs who had no idea they were getting this flawed spyware.
I think by this point most purchasers of commercial software should almost expect that the software will call home to authenticate itself. We're talking about entirely different types of products.
That said, Windows can be a flawed, buggy operating system, but I don't think Microsoft escapes criticism for it. I mean, that's why the company frequently scores low in those brand recognition surveys that Joystiq is fond of posting. It's why I stuck with Windows 98 for the longest time, before finally switching to a Mac. But don't get me wrong. I'm sure the Mac software has horrible internal flaws somewhere, too. It's just that there aren't so many people trying to exploit it.
zenprism @ Jul 20th 2006 1:49PM
Castle Crashers is now my most wanted game on any system. It looks friggin'-amazing-fun-happy-time.
(video on 1up.com)
kjda;kf;jkdosjf @ Jul 20th 2006 2:19PM
#13 - true
If you've played it, don't buy it.
It's good that there is more games on Xbox Live, not bad
TxdoHawk @ Jul 20th 2006 2:20PM
It bears mentioning that an assumption that anything will "eventually" make it to the BC list is a big mistake. Consider the following:
- After the Psychonauts dev begged the Xbox BC team (and even offered to help!), the Xbox BC team's reponse was that they are "working on it, but no promises" and explained that there's the potential to run into a programming road block with any game being BC'ed. I personally believe they are telling the truth on this, but even if they aren't, the end result is that there are no assurances whatsoever that *any* specific game will make it to the BC list.
- Peter Moore's little "miscommunication" over BC. I've said it once and I'll say it again, if you think he didn't do a 180 simply because of the consumer backlash you are kidding yourself. Moore was trying to put spin on an eventual termination of BC updates. Consumers freak out. Moore does a clever about-face. Everybody's happy again, including Moore, who now understands that BC will have to die a slow quiet death if he wants to avoid another public outcry.
Is this understandable? Look at it from Moore's point of view. The percentage of actual people who will refuse to buy a 360 solely over the BC issue started off small, and will continue to decline as more AAA-titles come out. Therefore, the longer BC updates happen, the more of a waste of resources it is, in his eyes. This kind of thinking bothers the hell out of me (I want tons of good titles BC like everybody else), but in the end you are talking about a business with bottom lines like any other.
Conclusion: Not everyone who is pessimistic over what will or won't come out as BC are a bunch of tinfoil-hat conspiracy theorists. There are other reasons to be doubtful besides loony bin theories like "LOL MS WANTS YOUR MONEYS ON NEW TITLE SO NO BC TITLE FOR YOU!".
AlphaCrush @ Jul 20th 2006 4:25PM
I am really confused as to why they ported street fighter 2 to xbla when it was already available for xbox1 with netplay. It's like they never intended it to be BC. Rip-off. Farcry? same thing.
Ivan @ Jul 21st 2006 9:15PM
http://www.newgrounds.com/bbs/topic.php?id=529794
In that link; Tom Fulp, one of The Behemoth's co-founders and co-creator of Alien Hominid and Castle Crashers, has more info on the games for XBLA.
josh @ Aug 8th 2006 3:31PM
I really don't understand what the big deal is. I personally love BC but I think people are expecting (and demanding) BC when it really is just a sweet bonus. Why not just keep your old systems to play your old titles? We can't play our NES cartridges on the GCN. If you already own a game like Alien Hominid on your Xbox, then play it on your Xbox along with the other games that aren't BC. I see Alien Hominid on XBLA as a great move for the developer to reach those in the US that got cheated out of the Xbox version of the game. And although the title is hailed as a success story, its distribution was poor and the game was largely missed by many. So, why should we complain that a hailed title like Alien Hominid will be released for a low price ($10 is speculatory at this time) when most box games are $60 now. And Alien Hominid is so much more then most of the other XBLA titles currently out. What is really funny is the constant rereleases of such titles as "Gauntlet", "Joust", "Street Fighter", "Pac Man", etc. And if they didn't rerelease old classics, I'm sure there would be public demand for them. But, M$ (or Nintendo or whoever) provides these as a courtesy for those who want it. You don't *have* to buy it after all. And what about games like "Bejeweled"; If you bought the yahoo games version of this game, should you get the XBLA version for free? You can bet the Alien Hominid team is working hard to port the title (especially considering the 50mb limit) so support your indie developers!