Undertow Live Arcade Mini Review

In short, Undertow is a steal at 800 MS points so enjoy and download away!

THE GOOD:
3 Different Races, 4 different units
Interesting Single Player Campaign/Story

Gorgeous Graphics

16 Player Multiplayer (with bots)

Co-Op Story mode online and split screen

Easy to learn Controls

Deep Strategy

Fantastic Balance and Map Design

THE BAD:

Campaign is too short

Can't Play as Alien Race (yet?)

Ranked Matches can be hard to find (Player matches much easier)

Undertow is one of the best looking games to come out on Xbox Live Arcade yet. I'm pretty sure it is the first one with ingame cinematics and voice acting as well. Undertow's gameplay is simple on the surface...think Geometry wars...but offers 4 different classes, 3 upgrades for each class and cleverly designed levels that all bring out the deeper strategies of the submerged, chaotic gameplay. The key strategies in this game revolve around the 4 classes of units, how you upgrade them through the course of a match, and how you dynamically change classes/use them in different situations. I wont' go into all the units, but basically there is a versatile, quick scuba diver, a slower, stronger powersuit, a quick submarine, and a slow lumbering underwater tank. The vehicles are good in the open waters where as the divers and powersuit units are best for the underwater caverns and tunnels. The game is an absolute steal at 800 points and puts a lot of the other Live Arcade titles to shame. It offers a complete package with single player, co-op campaign, and a very addictive multiplayer experience in a beautiful, Unreal (literally) package. Download the Demo and you'll see what I mean.

Gameplay: 9/10

Graphics: 10/10

Sound/Music: 8/10

Lasting Appeal: 9/10

Verdict: 90%