Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light shines on XBLA

Leading the pack this Wednesday is Crystal Dynamics' Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light (1,200 MS points or $15) on Xbox Live Arcade. Guardian of Light casts players as the adventurous Lara, trekking through lush forests, dark caves, and fighting off assorted pugnacious foes.

On the demo front, Microsoft added trials for two upcoming games this week, the first of which is EA Sports' NHL 11. The sampler gives hockey fans a glimpse and feel for what the developer is calling a new real-time physics engine. The new system is said to up the realism factor by including bigger hits, broken sticks, and faster dangles.

The other demo hitting the Microsoft download hub this week is for Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. 2. The taster gives gamers a look at the upcoming air combat game by thrusting players into the boots of an elite super flight combat engineer.

Switching to Games on Demand updates, Microsoft added three new titles to its store this week. THQ's squad-based third-person World War II title The Outfit ($19.99) is now available to download from the virtual storefront. The game lets players enlist as one of three squadmates and employ their unique attributes in the title's destructive combat sequences.

Also arriving on the Games on Demand hub this week is MotoGP 08 ($19.99). Capcom's motorcycling multiplatform game from 2008 is now available for speed aficionados to download. The title features both single-player and multiplayer, lets players customize their bikes, and build reputation through completing races.

The last Games on Demand title arriving this week is Guilty Gear 2: Overture ($19.99). From Arc System Works, the 2008 title is a third-person action game that meshes strategy and slashing action. The title sports a multiplayer component for up to four players on Xbox Live.