Two of the most mysterious downloadable titles of 2012 are one step closer to release - at least according to a trailer for this year's Xbox Live Arcade House Party. Both the cancelled then revived survival title, I Am Alive, as well as Alan Wake's American Nightmare, the follow-up to 2010 cult-favorite, Alan Wake, are set to arrive as part of this year's XBLA promotion.
While the trailer doesn't give an exact release date for either game, the 2011 "House Party" was thrown toward the end of February (in 2011) - meaning that the digital titles may be closer to release than some fans had been expecting.
Joining I Am Alive and Alan Wake's American Nightmare are two lesser-known but still intriguing downloadable offerings - the EA project Warp and AlienTrap Software's Nexuiz.
Check out the full XBLA House Party 2012 trailer below to get a taste of which titles you're likely to pick up:
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Aside from a disproportionate amount of attractive ladies, I Am Alive and Alan Wake's American Nightmare are likely to be the standouts at this year's House Party. Despite a number of on-again-off-again industry buzz, I Am Alive definitely still has the makings of an interesting experience (given the number of grounded survival elements in play) - even if the footage released so far is somewhat underwhelming.
Similarly, Alan Wake was one of the most under-appreciated titles of 2010 - as the Remedy game was overshadowed by the monster hit Red Dead Redemption. However, with even more story-based gameplay and an intriguing new "Fight till Dawn” Arcade Mode, hopefully Alan Wake's American Nightmare will entice returning fans of the series - as well as capture some news ones (who will then go back and rediscover the first game in preparation for Alan Wake 2).
That said, don't count Nexuiz out, as the title is expected to harken back to the fast-paced action of early online multiplayer titles such as Unreal Tournament - and features intriguing options like the dynamic mutator (which allows the player to alter elements of the game mid-match). Similarly, Warp is expected to offer an entertaining top-down "sci-fi stealth action" experience with a cartoony style that, assuming it delivers, should have no problem finding an audience.
We'll keep you updated as Microsoft releases official pricing and dates.
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