Babel Rising Review for Xbox 360

System: Xbox 360, PS3
Dev: Mando Productions
Pub: Ubisoft
Release: June 12, 2012
Players: 1-4
Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p	Cartoon Violence

With the Kinect, it's even worse. You have to make a slapping motion to use local powers and a sweeping motion to use line powers, and the Kinect just cannot detect either of these motions. Half the time you end up moving the camera accidentally, and the rest of the time you trigger powers without meaning to. You lift your hands above your head to use your ultimate power and flail around like an idiot to boost its effectiveness. Unfortunately, the Kinect barely recognizes when you are doing this, and it generally moves the cursor while you move your hands into position, which makes it hard to aim. But even through all this screwing up, you are still able to win more often than not with how low the game's difficulty level is.

Babel Rising Screenshot

Babel Rising has a couple extra modes that try to add some replay value to the experience, but fall short for the same reasons the main campaign does. You can play in competitive multiplayer, which tasks you with surviving longer than an opponent, or cooperative multiplayer, where up to four players all control a different element. Cooperative multiplayer is probably the most enjoyable mode in the game, but once again it falls short due to the incredibly low difficulty. There is also an endless survival mode, but the game already lasts long enough without being infinite.

Overall, I was not impressed with Babel Rising. Even though I saw serious potential for the game to be fun, I lost interest with it barely a half hour in. You honestly aren't missing anything by passing up Babel rising. You'll probably get more out of playing any random flash turret/tower defense game on Newgrounds.

By
Angelo M. D'Argenio
Contributing Writer
Date: June 18, 2012

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

2.4

Graphics
The humans look like stick figures and the elements use shoddy effects that look a generation old.

2.3

Control
Neither the controller nor the motion controls work well.

1.7

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The shrieks of the cartoony workers of Babylon will infuriate you a few stages in.

1.5

Play Value
I got bored with this game after about a half hour.

1.9

Overall Rating - Avoid
Not an average. See Rating legend below for a final score breakdown.

Review Rating Legend
0.1 - 1.9 = Avoid	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	3.5 - 3.9 = Good	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair	4.0 - 4.4 = Great	5.0 = The Best

Game Features:

Prevent the Rise of Babylon - Prevent humans from building 3 different towers of Babel throughout different historic eras in 15 single-player missions across 4 game modes.

Babylon Will Parish - Thwart a wide variety of Babylonians united in their desire to build the tower, always looking for the quickest path to the top. Workers carry stones, priests protect workers from spells, and siege towers help them access upper levels faster.

You are in Control of the Elements - Unleash devastating elemental attacks based on fire, water, earth, and air, each with a unique effect depending on the target. Throw fireballs, release tornadoes, rain meteors, and much more. As you progress, your powers become deadlier and more powerful than ever.

Compatible with PS Move/Kinect - Command the elements and punish arrogant Babylonians with your own unique movements via PS Move or Kinect for Xbox 360.

Battle with or Against Friends - Enjoy competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes.