XBLA Gets Another Shooter This Week in Triggerheart Exelica

No, I’ve never heard of the game before, but that’s just the beauty of services like Xbox Live Arcade.

The next addition to the vertical-scrolling shooter genre on Xbox Live Arcade will be made this Wednesday when Triggerheart Exelica is released for 800 Microsoft Points ($10). Developed and published by Warashi Inc., the game offers some interesting features, including V.B.A.S. (Variable Boss Attack System) which allows the game to dynamically adjust the difficulty level based on your play and the anchor shot, which allows you to, naturally, anchor onto an enemy and then use them as a shield or toss them back into the action. That feature alone has me interested enough that his week’s XBLA Hors D’oeuvres will be a good one. (Don’t hold me to that.)

From Xbox.com:

Mankind’s newest and best weapon is the Triggerheart, a humanoid weapons system with a human-like personality. When the Ver’mith attack, only the Triggerhearts Exelica and Crueltear have the power to destroy the enemy. In the classic vertically-scrolling Japanese arcade shooter Triggerheart Exelica, each weapon has a different combat style, but both can perform unique anchor shots. Anchor an enemy ship, capture it to use as a shield, or throw it back into the fray to cause massive damage. With five levels, three difficulty settings, and all the usual Xbox LIVE leaderboards and achievements, Triggerheart Exelica is a fast-paced, full-featured arcade shooter masterpiece!