Great fun and unique online multiplayer make this a better value than it would appear, even though solo play is missing
The bad: No single player story mode, no solo deathmatch mode for multiplayer, only 3 multiplayer gameplay modes, full price.
On paper, this game is not appealing, with its full price tag, online multiplayer only, team modes only, only 3 modes of gameplay. It took trying the demo on Xbox Live Marketplace before this game was on my shopping list radar, and once I tried the demo, I was immediately sold. This is unlike any other multiplayer game on the market, with the many magic abilities and special skills you can purchase to use in combat, including such thrilling abilities as summoning a minion to fight for you (you can even "stick him" on the last person who killed you. He will stalk that person until he or the minion are dead. SWEET REVENGE!). Glide and teleport are a rush and well implemented in the game. The maps are pretty good, and while the controls will take a tutorial to learn they are not frusterating once you get the hang of them.
Obviously the lack of a single player storyline (single player offline bot battles are available) and the lack of a solo deathmatch mode online are huge drawbacks, however, not as much as you'd think, but what there is here is very good. I wouldn't recommend this to someone with a limited game budget who doesn't have some of the other great games out that offer more gameplay options, and I definitely don't recommend it to anyone who hates online multiplayer or only has a Silver Live account. But if you're a "game collector" like I am this game will provide a fun break from other games, and better online multiplayer than almost all of the other games you can play on Live (the only game I like better for online multiplayer is Call of Juarez).