So, I downloaded and played the "trial" of the XBLA game "Crimson Alliance", which is best known for being the game you get for free if you bought all the Summer of Arcade titles this year. I have a lot of problems with it, and I intend to go over them here. My concerns will be split into two parts: the first dealing with the actual game, the second being its presentation. All will be made clear shortly.
So, I jumped on the "trial" of Crimson Alliance, and got to play the trial period with a friend over XBL. I'll go ahead and start by saying that the game feels incredibly shallow. Honestly, I was very convinced that I was playing a rather watered-down version of Gauntlet: Dark Legacy. The loot is very simple, the characters are not in any way complex or have any sort of learning curve, and the game is quite easy. All three classes look different, yes, but play very similarly. In all, the game tries very hard to be Gauntlet, but seems to lack the charm and appeal that Gauntlet had to begin with, which was what made the game so addicting (to this gamer, at the very least).
The second portion of my concerns with this game is the pricing model that Microsoft used, and what it might mean for the future. Unlike most XBLA games, there is no "full version" and "trial version". There is only the "full" version, which is free. Now, hold your horses. You're not getting a free game. Not exactly, anyways. The "full game" is actually, quite literally, a trial. So, how do you get the full game? Well, you can purchase full versions of the game's 3 classes for 800 points apiece, or shell out 1200 points for all three. There are also additional microtransactions in game for things such as ingame gold. But wait, why is this bad? That way I can choose what contents I want for my game, and pay a little less, right?
That is a fair point. However, I am more concerned with what this means for the future. I absolutely believe that Microsoft is using Crimson Alliance as a way to test a new method of pricing, being microtransactions. Normally, this would not be such a big deal, as PC Games have been utilizing this method (to varying degrees of success) for quite some time. However, I do not feel that it is an appropriate system for console gaming. To begin with, if such a system were implemented on a wide scale, it would very much harm the used games and game rental industries. In addition, it would make it much easier for certain publishers to nickel and dime their customers over very small products.
Above all, I feel that when I spend money on a game, I expect to get the full package. DLC is one thing, but making a game then splitting said game into chunks and making me purchase individual chunks is not a desirable business practice for consumers. Friends, fellow gamers, I am not here to ask you not to play, or even enjoy Crimson Alliance. I am simply asking you to think. Realize what you may well be agreeing to by voting with your wallet. We, as console gamers, already deal with preorder bonuses, day 1 DLC, and even activation codes. We need to start doing our part to move this industry back in favor of the consumer, rather than the publisher trying to make off with a quick buck.
So, I jumped on the "trial" of Crimson Alliance, and got to play the trial period with a friend over XBL. I'll go ahead and start by saying that the game feels incredibly shallow. Honestly, I was very convinced that I was playing a rather watered-down version of Gauntlet: Dark Legacy. The loot is very simple, the characters are not in any way complex or have any sort of learning curve, and the game is quite easy. All three classes look different, yes, but play very similarly. In all, the game tries very hard to be Gauntlet, but seems to lack the charm and appeal that Gauntlet had to begin with, which was what made the game so addicting (to this gamer, at the very least).
The second portion of my concerns with this game is the pricing model that Microsoft used, and what it might mean for the future. Unlike most XBLA games, there is no "full version" and "trial version". There is only the "full" version, which is free. Now, hold your horses. You're not getting a free game. Not exactly, anyways. The "full game" is actually, quite literally, a trial. So, how do you get the full game? Well, you can purchase full versions of the game's 3 classes for 800 points apiece, or shell out 1200 points for all three. There are also additional microtransactions in game for things such as ingame gold. But wait, why is this bad? That way I can choose what contents I want for my game, and pay a little less, right?
That is a fair point. However, I am more concerned with what this means for the future. I absolutely believe that Microsoft is using Crimson Alliance as a way to test a new method of pricing, being microtransactions. Normally, this would not be such a big deal, as PC Games have been utilizing this method (to varying degrees of success) for quite some time. However, I do not feel that it is an appropriate system for console gaming. To begin with, if such a system were implemented on a wide scale, it would very much harm the used games and game rental industries. In addition, it would make it much easier for certain publishers to nickel and dime their customers over very small products.
Above all, I feel that when I spend money on a game, I expect to get the full package. DLC is one thing, but making a game then splitting said game into chunks and making me purchase individual chunks is not a desirable business practice for consumers. Friends, fellow gamers, I am not here to ask you not to play, or even enjoy Crimson Alliance. I am simply asking you to think. Realize what you may well be agreeing to by voting with your wallet. We, as console gamers, already deal with preorder bonuses, day 1 DLC, and even activation codes. We need to start doing our part to move this industry back in favor of the consumer, rather than the publisher trying to make off with a quick buck.
