xbox live indie game reviews

Machiavelli's Ascent is a simple-yet-challenging platformer that chronicles the quest of a negatively buoyant jellyfish that wants to reach the surface. Even in the realm of often bizarre arcade game storylines, this is, clearly, a quirky tale that nonetheless accurately outlines the very basic mechanics of the game.

At its core, this is a never-ending series of springboarding from side-to-side, with the occasional jumper pad proving a supercharged boost upwards. Using the left and right triggers, you guide your jellyfish around the screen as it pinballs its way towards the top, snatching nutrients, starfish and elusive sea creatures to prevent your plummet back to the bottom of the sea.

Though it is an incredibly basic idea that admittedly has a rather limited amount of appeal to the average gamer, Machiavelli's Ascent does an excellent job of carving out its niche in the world of platforming action titles. It has a refined, artistic aura about it- from its synthesized string arrangement that matches the pace of the soundtrack with the speed of your ascent, to its ornately drawn environments and objects. Its quirkiness is oddly endearing and gives this game a playful feel and a definitely unique personality.

Honestly, that is my entire synopsis of this title. It's definitely a polarizing, love-it-or-leave-it kind of game. Those of you who enjoy jumping puzzles, collecting items for no good reason and oceanography will fork over your Microsoft points for this game and take it to a classy motel to make sweet love to it. If you're not a fan of bounding, platforming or vertical scrollers, or if you have a personal vendetta against the forces of nature that always seem to drag you down, just put the controller down and walk away. Playing this will make you want to punt a fuzzy bunny into a woodchipper.