Monday Night Combat was released August 11th as the fourth game in XBLA's Summer of Arcade. It's a unique combination of the third person shooter and tower defence genres in which the pros (the players) must protect their "Moneyball" (literally a ball made of money).
Who they're protecting it from varies between the two different game modes; Blitz and Crossfire. Blitz is co-op in which one team protects their Moneyball against waves of bots, while Crossfire features two teams each with a Moneyball they must protect from bots as well as the other pros.
There are many different ways to both attack and defend but all of it costs in game money which is earned through kills, assists, and other in game accomplishments. Whether you use that money to strengthen your defences by building/upgrading turrets that surround your Moneyball or to boost your offensive capabilities by upgrading your character, the key is resource management. There are even traps, jump boosters, and vending machines hidden throughout the arenas that can be used to your advantage (for a price of course).
This depth is what is truly enjoyable in MNC and it extends to the character class system. There are five different classes that cater to all kinds of players from stealthy assassins to giant hefty tanks. Once you collect enough lifetime earnings you can purchase a custom class slot in which you take one of the base characters and tweak their stats with sponsorships (perks).
Ultimately, Monday Night Combat's best feature is the surprising depth it offers. At first glance it's a very simple, accessible arcade shooter but once you get into it you realize there is so much more going on that you can't stop until everything is tweaked perfectly. Unfortunately, while you're testing new ground, you're likely to die a lot and even lose more than your share of Moneyball's. That being said, when it comes together you'll have a blast.
The strange thing about XBLA's Monday Night Combat is that it's a very hit or miss experience. It can be incredibly thrilling or incredibly frustrating with no clear reason as to why this particular match is one and not the other. Some people will love the varied class system while others despise it. Even the art style (which is reminiscent of Team Fortress 2) is a point of controversy. This experience of constant highs and lows made it difficult to review and impossible to out and out recommend or denounce. Thankfully, there are free trials for all Xbox Live Arcade titles.
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