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Serious Sam HD, GRAW 2 lead XBL January onrush

Xbox Live Update: Microsoft lays out month's remainder of Arcade, Games on Demand additions, which include Death by Cube, Dead Rising, more.

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Microsoft isn't prone to offering a future-looking glimpse at its upcoming Xbox Live Arcade and Games on Demand schedule. However, on occasion, the publisher will make an exception. Today, Xbox Live director of programming Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb laid out the remainder of January's additions to the Xbox 360's online platforms, saying also that similar schedules will, hopefully, be available on a bimonthly basis.

Serious Sam: The First Encounter HD leads the Xbox Live Arcade lineup, arriving this Wednesday for MSP 1,200 ($15). An HD redux of Croteam's highly regarded 2001 arcade-style PC shooter, Serious Sam on XBLA features the same fast-paced action with completely redesigned visuals as well as online co-op for up to four.

Even a serious man smiles on occasion.
Even a serious man smiles on occasion.

On January 20, Xbox Live Arcade will see the addition of Konami's Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment and Square Enix's Death by Cube. An extension of Konami's long-running tactical role-playing game franchise, Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment is a prequel to the 1997 original and will cost MSP 1,200 ($15). Death by Cube clocks in at MSP 800 ($10) and sees players splattering hordes of enemies as a psychedelic square.

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2, which was originally released for the 360 in March 2007, arrives as part of the Games on Demand program this week. The near-future tactical shooter set in Mexican border towns runs $19.99. Zombies flood Games on Demand on January 26, as Capcom's Dead Rising shambles back onto the 360. Microsoft did not indicate how much the survival horror title would cost.

However, the publisher did note that beginning today, a number of previous additions to Games on Demand would be getting price cuts. BioShock, Saints Row, MX vs. ATV Untamed, and Prey have all had their prices reduced to $19.99. Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution can now be had for $29.99.

Lastly, Microsoft outlined its upcoming Deals of the Week for the remainder of January. Next week, Mass Effect’s Bring Down the Sky and Pinnacle Station expansions will be available for MSP 240 apiece, while Hasbro Family Game Night: Battleship will be discounted to MSP 400. On January 25, gamers can pick up Portal: Still Alive for MSP 800 ($10).

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gamepro345

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I find that both the XBL and PSN marketplaces are grossly overpriced, especially for the full games that can be found on each. I understand that they are pricing these titles as you should find them new, as publishers do not make money on used sales, but even so they should compensate for this by at least having somewhat agreeable prices, as well as considering the sales of the game. For example, a **** game should not be the same price as a AAA title as at gamestop that **** game's price would have been discounted due to lack of sales. Also, for the longest time on XBL Saint's Row 2 was actually 10 dollars less than the original, would someone like to tell me whats up with that?

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prioritymail

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Cool beans

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LosDaddie

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Keep the GREAT content coming, MS :D

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thenephariouson

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I agree that DLC is the way of future distribution, but these companies really need to sort out the pricing structure. MS should at least provide discounts to GOLD members. IMO

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imperial_agent

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a new Vandal Hearts is definately cool, I played the first one on PS1 when I was in high school and definately loved it, awesome soundtrack too. but yeah... $30 for Civ Rev? Are you kidding me?!

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imperial_agent

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shakensparco

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Just get the games for cheap on Ebay or your local Gamestop.

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Avatar image for B14ckH4wk545
B14ckH4wk545

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@Flint247 Sorry, wasn't meant in a mean way, just pointing out there ARE good games. You weren't very clear was all, my bad... ;)

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x-2tha-z

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If you want to see real overcharging you should check out the cost of PSP games from PSN. Sony are robbing people with prices like that. Probably because they know PSP GO owners have no choice. If they want the game, they have to buy it from PSN.

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Avatar image for Vodoo
Vodoo

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This XBL version of Serious Sam is only the first encounter. I believe the original Xbox game had both encounters. So if it's just the first encounter, then $15 is alot.

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Avatar image for Sweendrix
Sweendrix

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C'mon Microsoft....when are we gonna see a pimped out, re-animated, re-textured, HD enabled, online multiplayer version of the original "Goldeneye" available for Xbox Live Arcade? You own Rare...this should be a NO BRAINER! Do what ever it takes to acquire the license for Bond...and drop it like it's hot!

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Avatar image for Darkbeyond
Darkbeyond

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K serious sam isn't even that much money stop whineing and being cheap and jsut buy it

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Avatar image for grognard
grognard

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Serious Sam is priced competitively. It's usually $20 on Steam (except during 2 recent, temporary sales). There's a lot of gameplay in there. Just because you don't like a particular genre or game doesn't mean it's not worth that much to someone else with different tastes.

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ebookerd1

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Glad the prices got reduced. Who wants to pay more for a game that some one could get from a pawn shop for less? I sure don't I think they should be cheaper since you don't have the case and disk!

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HavocV3

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Franko_3 ____ a monopoly? there's hundreds of retailor outlets, if they were charging 25 bucks for serious sam and they were the ONLY retailor in existence, then that's a monopoly. seriously people, quit crying "oh, I can buy this game USED for X amount" well, then why aren't we crying at Wal-Mart, I mean, oh 300 bucks for a 360? They're 275 on Amazon, or 200 used on Ebay. if there are these better deals, people can find them for themselves.

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Avatar image for deactivated-60c3d23d2738e
deactivated-60c3d23d2738e

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I will wait until it is 800 ms points. Give it time.

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CannedWorms

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@LEGEND_C4A: Exactly. Too much cry babies on gaming sites these days whinging over anything.

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LEGEND_C4A

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you guys cry and bi** way too much! 15 bucks to play serious sam with 3 of my best friends is well worth it. do I wish it was cheaper, hell yeah! but jesus guys, do any of you enjoy playing games anymore or do you guys sit around waiting for new news just to poo poo all over it.

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RockySquirrel

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BlackForestHam

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Just a little late on those mass effect deals, don't ya think?

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brownman321

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i can get most of these games from eb games from $4.99 to $7.99

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Quadster

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I had a try of Serious Sam HD and TBH, this is nothing i can't already get by downloading some updated textures for the PC version which i bought like 8 years ago. Same mental gameplay, better looking, doesn't quite match the price tag.

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jmgordon99

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And making Serious Sam HD $15 is another game that is overpriced. I would pay $10 for it, but not $15. You can buy so many full retail games used for $15 or less with HD, online multiplayer and 1000 gamer-score. So why pay $15 for a remake with only 200 gamer-score? And, by the way, you can find copies of the original Serious Sam for about $5 online. Microsoft needs to stop price-gouging its customers, IMHO.

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jmgordon99

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I agree with most of the posters here; the prices for games on demand are still way too high. You can buy a used copy of Prey for about $7 used, so why would you pay $20 (and the online for the game is dead anyway). COD2 & COD3 are still $30?!? You could buy either one used for under $10. Civ Rev for $30? Buy it used for $15 or less. Saint's Row for $20? Buy it used for $15 or less. Devil May Cry 4 for $20? Buy it used for about $12. Another problem is that even with a 150 gig hard-drive, you're going to run out of memory at some point. I already paid a pretty penny for my 150 gig hard-drive, so what am I going to have to pay for the new 250 gig hard-drive? (Probably will never buy it because I'm sure it'll be ridiculously overpriced). Microsoft, this is not the way to treat your loyal customers who have helped make the 360 as popular as it is today. They need to make things more affordable, and making a down-loadable game more expensive (much more in some cases) is not the way to do it.

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lock2121

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Sam I Am!!!

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vengeance00

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wheres perfect dark XBLA?

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gamescottsman

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@ SicklySunStorm - not compared to Nintendos services for downloads - they're are disgustingly expensive. At least MS give you the options to spread your points about and use them for smaller purchases. Nintendo force you to pay expensive minimums.

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Gelugon_baat

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SicklySunStorm

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I don't know why ANYONE would pay the stupid prices they want for games on download on XBL or PSN, they're criminally overpriced. Just go get the physical disc 2nd hand from a shop for half the money and stop this digital download crazyness. Only when they make them cheaper than buying a physical disc might it become attractive, but until then, what's the point in paying more for something you can never sell on to someone else?

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Agent_Kaliaver

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You people do know that Serious Sam: HD's price on steam (or the PC version) is $20 compared to the $15 it is on Xbox. Yes it has been on sale for less than that on PC, but it has also already been released on PC. Anyway, I am happy they are atleadt dropping the price of their GoD games... They are still too high in my eyes, but it shows some signs of progress to realising how badly priced many (or all) of the games are/were.

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romeo615

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i will not buy anything off market place ever again...$15 please!! i wish i would waste my money

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Avatar image for Flint247
Flint247

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@B14ckH4wk545 Before you and anyone else all jump on me (in this case, mark my comment down), let me rephrase what I meant: I KNOW there are tons of good games out right now. I am only talking about the list here. These don't interest me so I will pass. I mis-worded my last post, I apologize and I deleted it, but this was what I meant.

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emanson101

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i loved Serious Sam on the Xbox, but $15 is too much. i would have definitely buy it if it would have been $10.

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gamer082009

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Games on demand is a joke because of the price. It should be called ripoff on demand.

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Franko_3

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Meh, it just show that this service is a big fat monopoly. You can get these games much cheaper on the pc digital service because of the competition. Serious Sam HD was 5$ during the last week-end on steam

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bobburd

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@Cowboy-Bebop Totally agree. I've been surprised by the prices since they started their Games on Demand service. WAY too pricey!

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akdiuuuryttt

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please make cod 2 19.99 :D

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kozzy1234

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I cant wait for the new VANDAL HEARTS game!!!!

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Jak_Napier

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wicked

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MERGATROYDER

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Will be buying th mass effect DLC now.

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mattg90520

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@Cowboy-Bebop i completely agree with you on that. in fact, i think we all do. im surpised microsoft has the idiocy and lack of information to price their digital games so badly. id be really curious to see some actual sales figures. of course, there will always be the people dumb enough to buy or without a care as to how much money they spend who will buy from the games on demand store.

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mattg90520

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so, still no word on ac2 dlc? i want a release date... actually, i just want the dlc itself! id probably get the portal dlc if it wasnt 10 bucks. i mean, i played the original and this isnt different enough to make me spend 10... maybe 5.

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Avatar image for B14ckH4wk545
B14ckH4wk545

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@Flint247 There are PLENTY of great games out right now, have you been living in a cave or something lol?

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Flint247

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mlg_oriongamer

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iagree with uon both fronts cowboy it is way over piced and it also takes up huge chunk of memory over priced game and a good portion of my memory or alot beter price and a 2 mb save + i want trials aswell but it aint worth 15 bucks

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godzillavskong

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Looking forward to the Serious Sam HD. I still have 2 titles of Serious Sam for the Gamecube. I've had some fun playing those back in the day.

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Cowboy-Bebop

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How about a deal on Trials HD so I can get the game and the expansion for 1200 points. Microsoft really needs to heavily reduce their games on demand prices. I picked up a used copy of Civ:Rev for 15 in mint condition with instructions and a case. Digital distribution needs to be CHEAPER than buying the physical game since their is NO middle man to raise prices. If things stay like this price wise I hope digital distribution fails.

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