No guns, no weapons of any sort, no enemies, and no gameplay using water in anything even approaching interactivity. If this was my only exposure to the game, I'd swear it was a really shitty Tomb Raider clone with poor climbing controls. This actually being my only exposure to this game (aside from some preview videos I watched ages ago) I'm not entirely sure that it ISN'T a shitty Tomb Raider clone with poor climbing controls.  What the hell?

Simply awful. Failure in a downloadable format.  Even if this was on sale for five dollars, I wouldn't buy it, because I can't experience any actual gameplay so I can decide if I want to buy the damn thing.  After some of the poor reviews this game is getting, the WORST thing it could have going against it is an awful trial version, but here we are.

Expect your call from their PR department telling you you were playing the trial wrong any minute.

From what I hear the full game is not much better, but you better be quiet about it unless you want a lady to call you in the middle of the night. Wait... I kind of do.

" Expect your call from their PR department telling you you were playing the trial wrong any minute. "

I could have played the trial game 5 times in the time it took to download and install from the marketplace. >_>

" No guns, no weapons of any sort, no enemies... 

I think the worst Trail Version for an XBLA game is SOTN.  All you get to do is the beginning part with Richter and that's it.

I think I drowned after pulling this lever I had to pull, or think I had to pull and died anyway.  Not only that but the movement (seemed too loose) and voice acting (needs sound leveling) kind of put me off.  I've been subject to much worse though, so whatevs, man.

This is why you don't put your demo at the very beginning of the game. The cutscene to gameplay ratio was at least 3:1.

" @SpaceInsomniac said:

" No guns, no weapons of any sort, no enemies... 

Here's the problem with mainstream gaming right there! Although you do go on to say,             |   "... and no gameplay using water." so you're forgiven. But I'm just so sick of this "guns and violence equals cool" attitude with the industry, it's so dated. "

I can remember reading a bit about Hydrophobia, and how it would reinvent the use of water in games. After reading some of the reviews, it might have just failed in doing that. It's a shame, because when the game sounded like it was going to be a retail release, I liked the concept. The story sounded quite unique, and I was curious as to when it would be released. Now, I'm curious as to when it gets good. Are you serious that the PR department are telling people they are not playing the game correctly? I must see this!

Worst trial version I can remember is War World. If I remember correctly, it gives you something like thirty seconds in a match against bots before kicking you back to the main menu. That's all you can do in the trial.
 
I actually unlocked the full version of Hydrophobia before the trial ended, when I got the first achievement. Not one of my better choices, I must say.

" Expect your call from their PR department telling you you were playing the trial wrong any minute. "

I had thought about unlocking the full game, but then I realized that the game was shit and didn't want to bother with it.

" I think the worst Trail Version for an XBLA game is SOTN.  All you get to do is the beginning part with Richter and that's it. "

Huh, that's weird. It's like they intentionally want to show how their engine works instead of letting you experience the shooting mechanics. How are you supposed to make a decision on buying the game based on that?

That bad, huh? I think I have to go start downloading this right now.

Yep, it sucks. Shame, that.

"I think the worst Trail Version for an XBLA game is SOTN.  All you get to do is the beginning part with Richter and that's it. "

" @SpaceInsomniac said:

" No guns, no weapons of any sort, no enemies... 

Here's the problem with mainstream gaming right there! Although you do go on to say,             |   "... and no gameplay using water." so you're forgiven. But I'm just so sick of this "guns and violence equals cool" attitude with the industry, it's so dated. "

If you can't shoot shit, it ain't worth shit. 

Official slogan of Kentucket County.

I just played it.  It was bad.
 
Controls were crappy as well.

" @SpaceInsomniac said:

" No guns, no weapons of any sort, no enemies... 

Here's the problem with mainstream gaming right there! Although you do go on to say,             |   "... and no gameplay using water." so you're forgiven. But I'm just so sick of this "guns and violence equals cool" attitude with the industry, it's so dated. "

" @JJOR64 said:

" I think the worst Trail Version for an XBLA game is SOTN.  All you get to do is the beginning part with Richter and that's it. "

I hope you're trolling, you get to play as long as you want until you die "

My quick review of the demo:   Hydrophobia: a bad PS2 game with horrible voice acting and shitty graphics now available for XBLA. 
 
Do I feel the need to buy the game after playing the terrible demo? Hell no. It has nice water but a gimmick doesn't make a good game.

This Hydrophobia controversy is hilarious. You've got somewhat selfish developers on one end, and the idiot who actually makes good points Jim Sterling on the other, and what you get is gold comedy.