On November 19 last year, Xbox 360 owners hit the power button to find a system update. Named NXE, the update changed the entire look/feel of Xbox Live once it loaded up. One addition that every one took notice of were the Avatars. Representing the gamer, Avatars could be fully customized to look exactly like you, or the polar opposite. Under the radar a bit, a new game for Xbox Live Arcade was also released that day; A Kingdom for Keflings. As an added bonus, it integrated the use of Avatars into the game

A Kingdom for Keflings is a strategy game that involves you. Starting with an open piece of land, you must adhere to the rules (blueprints). Around you are Keflings, who are willing to help. What to do now? The answer is simple, build! Using natural resources such as rocks and trees, you can create all kinds of things. A house for those little guys. Maybe a library. The possibilities are pretty endless at a certain point. Seasons change, upgrades are found. It’s all what fits to your liking.

Playing it for the first time, this game is outstanding. Its controls can easily be picked up in less than ten minutes. However, there are a few flaws to point out. First, gamers might feel overwhelmed with all the ‘guides’ that come on the screen. Every game has these, but they really flood the screen for the first few minutes. Second, it is tiresome! Here’s a scenario for you: Chop the wood, bring it to be turned into planks, put it in the other building, then build something. Repeating this numerous times just makes makes you head hurt, especially since your character tends to move at a slow pace. The satisfying part is that when you create one building, another one unlocks. From that point, you can choose to take at least three different paths for completing the game.

Multiplayer is enjoyable in every sense of the word. Sitting around with your friends deciding what to do and what not to do is just fun, end of story. Suggestion: Don’t join random games. Some people will get really mad at you if you build something they consider “unnecessary”.

For 800 Microsoft Points ( 10 Dollars), this game is worth it. In about two hours, you won’t even unlock 25% of the game. It probably clocks in at over 30 hours of gaming, depending on how you play. NinjaBee accomplished the task of making on of the most laid-back games for XBLA (and a thank you for the code). Click here to download the trial to your Xbox 360.

-Justin “thw” Verterano