Wing Commander Arena

"At this year's Game Developers Conference we listened to the head of Xbox Live Arcade speak about the qualities Microsoft required of each XBLA title. Chief among these traits was a casual, pick-up-and-play experience that would welcome newcomers while promising layers of depth for hardcore gamers to explore. We don't know how Wing Commander Arena snuck past Microsoft's QA department, but it manages to be both convoluted and shallow all at the same time. Playing this game can literally be related to Lost in Space."

"Wing Commander Arena is a rudimentary shooter, the sort of thing that might have passed muster as a homebrew PC title ten years ago, but an unimpressive trudge for console gamers today. While there's obviously a limit to what you can do with an HD game in 50Mb, a few less game modes and a lot more polish on the actual gameplay could have made this one of the most attractive multiplayer titles around. As it is, you'll be better off sticking with Bomberman and Worms."

"Wing Commander Arena has the right idea, but the gameplay and presentation come together to form an extremely dull experience."