DataBox Games: Nine guys in their mid-20s on an island off Sweden. They are all attending Gotland University and working on their final thesis for their Bachelor's and Master's Degrees. Why is this important? Because much like the current wave of independent titles that flood the Xbox Marketplace - they are just a bunch of people with a love for games trying to deliver a unique experience. They don't have a major machine behind them, but they have a passion for crafting something that we can all get into and as such are definitely worth promoting around these parts. The game that they are currently working on is Penalty of Heroes, which I believe is their 26th title; most of the previous 25 have been made in ten weeks or less and have more fun crammed into them then a great majority of bigger budget titles.

The description from the developers says that,

"Penalty of Heroes is an old school side scrolling hack n slash co-op game much like Golden Axe mixed with Secret of Mana. It takes advantage of the power of the Xbox 360 in order to show off a mix between 2D and 3D, using modern shaders and effects. Penalty of Heroes takes place in the world of Nimo where you control four young warriors, either by yourself in single player mode or with the help from up to three of your friends in co-op mode. Fight your way through ten levels containing hordes of enemies, big bosses and an engaging narrative. You will have unique characters with different magics and weapons, as well as a customizable powerup system to aid you on the journey to find out the price of becoming a hero."

Golden Axe plus Secret of Mana may seem like a strange combination, but I think it captures exactly the type of expansive hack and slash RPG they want to create. Essentially, PoH is going to be 2.5D title that is going to bring back some pleasant memories of the old school titles while trying to add a new exciting style that will hopefully set it apart from other titles of the genre. Plenty of people have suggested that Castle Crashers has taken hold of the genre on the Xbox Live Arcade (especially with new content for CC on the way), but the difference in art style and presentation (a mix of fantasy and steam-punk) should perk the interests of many. What's interesting is that, unlike Castle Crashers, all four characters will be on screen at one time and will be able to be played and swapped between by a single player if four friends aren't readily available. With different strengths, weaknesses, and powers, having control over four characters at once can add a layer of depth and strategy that, arguably, is not as evident in a title like Castle Crashers.

The game is scheduled to drop around the first week of September on Xbox Live Arcade, so keep a look out. You can follow the exploits of the developers over at the official blog. In addition, on their YouTube page they also have a wealth of modeling videos, along with the trailer, to give people even more of a glimpse into the game.