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| Published: Mar.11.2008 @ 1:51 pm
| Last edited: Mar.11.2008 @ 3:54 pm |
Grand Theft Auto IV previewWelcome back to Liberty City...
The final countdown...
The latest addition to the ever-popular Grand Theft Auto series will be hurtling into shops in a couple of months. It's set to take the familar GTA action, humour, terrible driving and tabloid-baiting controversy to a whole new level and will be the first time the franchise has landed on next-generation consoles.
Virgin Media was treated to a sneak preview of Grand Theft Auto IV, and we were blown away by how impressive it's shaping up to be. Here's why...
Fans speculated for years on where GTA IV would be set. Japan? Europe? Somewhere we hadn't thought of? In fact, it's back to basics, for the action takes place in Liberty City, setting for the original overhead-view GTA games as well as Grand Theft Auto III. But Liberty City has never been quite like this before.
Whereas previous versions of Liberty City paid the odd homage to New York, this time around the place is closely modelled on the Big Apple, with five familiar regions making up the gameplay area. There's the main island of Algonquin (bearing many a resemblance to Manhattan), Alderney (to the west, where New Jersey should be), Dukes (instead of Queens), Broker (sound a bit like Brooklyn?) and Bohan (the Bronx). Best of all, historic NY suburb Brighton Beach becomes Hove Beach.
Into these mean streets steps our new hero, Nikolai "Niko" Bellic. Let's meet him...
Nikolai "Niko" Bellic (on the right here) has come to Liberty City from somewhere in Eastern Europe, persuaded by his cousin Roman to come over and join him in experiencing all the fabulous trappings of the American dream, complete with hot tubs and girls in bikinis. As it turns out, Roman is in fact running a cab firm in a dingy part of town, so Niko is going to have to make his own way.
As the game's trailer reveals, Niko has a somewhat shady past. "I've killed people, smuggled people, sold people." Before long, he's drawn into more criminal goings on, running errands for local crooks and building up status and wealth in the Liberty City underworld.
The basic gameplay mechanics stick with the series' tried-and-trusted formula. Your main means of getting around town are walking / running and driving. All vehicles are there to be pinched; you can haul unfortunate drivers out of their seats or hot-wire a parked car.
If you'd rather stay the right side of the law, you can also hail a cab and let someone else do the driving.
Vehicle physics feel much improved since the last GTA outing, and you have a greater choice of camera views as you tear up the road. One cool new addition is the ability to cycle through the cinematic cameras by holding down a button on the keypad. Turn up the music on the in-game radio and let the game pick out dramatic camera angles, and you'll feel even more like you're part of an epic crime movie.
As with previous games, you'll spend lots of time fleeing from the police, who will have every reason to take you into custody. There's now a superb new mechanism involved when it comes to dodging the boys in blue. As soon as your latest criminal act is detected by the cops, your radar on the bottom-left of the screen pops up a circle to represent the distance they can detect you; sneak out of the circle and you're in the clear.
Evading capture is also more scientific, based now on lines of sight. If the police lose sight of you, they can't catch you, so sneak down an alleyway as patrol cars go by and you will be free to continue your crime rampage undisturbed.
The souped-up radar is handy also for simply navigating the streets. Whereas previous games just gave you dots to drive towards, GTA IV actually suggests routes to drive along, and if the car you've comandeered is a posh one, there'll be a sat-nav to tell you where to turn right.
We all know that next-gen consoles are a real cut above when it comes to graphics, but GTA IV looks even better than you'll have hoped.
Graphical realism is far higher than what we saw in 2004's GTA: San Andreas, both during the game and in the regular cut-scene animations. There are neat extra touches like breath coming out of Niko's mouth and chimneys churning out realistic smoke. Water - of which there is lots - is convincingly rendered and splatters onto the "camera" when you're captaining a boat at speed.
Weather effects like burning orange sunsets and downpours of rain make the city look even more striking and help ensure that you'll never get bored of looking at Liberty City. Without much doubt, GTA IV will be as easy on the eye as any other game this year.
In previous GTA outings, the fun often came more from the driving escapades than the on-foot battles, but the balance has now shifted. Gunfights are now far more fluid, realistic, exciting and bloody. You're still helped out by a lock-on targetting system but that doesn't make it too easy.
We were shown a couple of massive gunfights that were more akin to the blistering street firefights of the film Heat than the sometimes-underwhelming shootouts of earlier games. You can crouch behind scenery and blind-fire, Gears of War-style, or go all out and attack with an even more devastating set of weaponry then before. Explosions are as big, loud and damaging as they should be.
With greater realism and even more violence and blood than we're used to, GTA IV should logically be a much darker affair than its predecessors - but we didn't see much evidence of that. In fact, it's packed with even more hilarious moments than other GTA games.
The in-game radio stations continue to be a source of constant laughs, cut-scenes are full of humour and throwaway gags don't let up. The character of Little Jacob is a one-man comedy show himself; this Jamaican gunrunner sports the thickest patois you've ever hear and, thanks to the giant spliff he carries, generates an entire cloud of marijuana smoke whenever he gets into your car.
Grand Theft Auto IV has more than it's fair share of humour. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll shoot people in the face.
Powering GTA IV is the spanking new euphoria game animation engine, which adds a new dimension to gameplay.
It's hard to over-state just how exciting a development euphoria could be for the gaming world. It generates animations on-the-fly, and character movements and reactions are different every time, depending on their position and the events going on around them rather than being pre-canned animations..
For the first few hours you play GTA IV, you'll regularly lose concentration as you stop to marvel at euphoria in action, whether it's a pedestrian cowering spontaneously from a speeding car, a hand-to-hand punch up in which the combatants dodge and respond to each other's motion, or Niko clinging realistically to the back of a vehicle and being hurled around in ultra-realistic fashion.
When you stop consciously noticing it at work, euphoria adds an entire new level of realism to the game and means that even when you are annoyed to have to retry a mission, there's every chance that it will feel completely fresh on each attempt.
The good people of Liberty City go about their business with a sense of purpose you won't have seen before in the series. They don't just shuffle aimlessly, but all seem to be doing something, whether it's pausing for a smoke, sweeping the street, chatting on the phone, or loitering with intent in a shady alleyway. The city feels like a living, breathing place rather than being populated by zombie passers-by.
In 2004's GTA: San Andreas, you could customise your character no end, and even make them fitter of fatter by sending them to fried chicken restaurants or the gym. It was amusing but rather pointless, and you won't be wasting time supersizing Niko with greasy food or changing his attire.
You will, however, be getting him to interact with his friends and accomplices across Liberty City more elaborately and realistically than before. It's handy having people on-side; using your mobile phone you can get cousin Roman to arrange you a cab to get around town faster, or call up a gunrunner to deliver you an arsenal of weapons as required.
But you'll need to keep associates happy, not only by completing missions for them but by keeping appointments that you make and even socialising with them. You can call up a mate and suggest you go bowling, meet for a beer, even go to a strip joint. Cultivate those friendships, and you'll be rewarded.
That mobile is one key device for running your life in the GTA IV world. Another is the police computer, accessible from any patrol car you nick, which is a useful database that you can tap into to track people down. You can also find out about what's going on by tuning in to the police radio channels, and if you commit a big crime you might hear it reported on a radio news station.
GTA IV addresses some of the niggles that detracted from the experience in previous games. There's an auto-save feature so you don't any longer have to be in a safe-house to secure your progress.
When you fail a mission, you are sent a text message asking if you want to restart it straight away. That saves you having to get all the way back to the start point and repeat the introductory cut-scene.
Another annoyance that has been eliminated is loading time: there simply isn't any. That means no let-ups in gameplay when Niko enters or exits a building.
We can say with some certainty that Grand Theft Auto IV is going to sell gazillions of copies. If you want to make sure you get your mits on it on the day of release.
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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Beginning with the 1997 release of the original Grand Theft Auto, the GTA series has been one of the most prolific, controversial and down right entertaining franchises in video games history. This pedigree of success guarantees that the highly anticipated eleventh game in the series, Grand Theft Auto IV, will garner at least as much attention if not more.
Niko's American Dream. View larger.
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Get behind the wheel with Niko. View larger.
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Liberty City is your for the taking. View larger.
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The Plot
Grand Theft Auto IV is a brand new adventure in the GTA universe following the experiences of Nikolai "Niko" Bellic, a new immigrant from an undisclosed eastern European! country whose troubled past and the persuasion of his cousin Roman have brought him to the fictional Liberty City. Unfortunately, Niko's search of the American Dream and a much needed fresh start hits an immediate snag when the rags to riches story Roman spun to pique Niko's interest is exposed as not only a complete fabrication, but a ploy to enlist Niko's well-known skills as a tough guy against the ample list of enemies clamoring for Roman's debt-ridden blood.
Because Roman is the only person Niko knows in Liberty City he begrudgingly accepts his role as Roman's protector despite the deception. But as time goes on Niko comes into his own, and his experience on the wrong side of the tracks proves more valuable than he could have ever imagined as he fights for survival and later supremacy on the crime ridden streets of Liberty City.
Game Environments
Based on several of the boroughs of New York City and parts of New Jersey, Liberty City, familiar to players of previous games in the series, has been entirely redesigned for GTA IV. Players can expect visible detail down to the weeds growing in the cracks in the sidewalk, cars and buildings of visibly different ages and a much greater level if verticality in the buildings and bridges that they are able to explore as Niko moves through the city streets. In addition, pedestrians in GTA IV are much more realistic. No longer simply moving cardboard cutouts, these NPCs are intelligent, modern, human representations that laugh, cry, eat, drink, use cell phones and ATMs, and talking amongst themselves regardless of Niko's interaction with them.
Gameplay
Historically GTA games have focused heavily on mission-based play, requiring successful completion of fixed tasks in order for players to progress through the game, but this has changed in to a ! great extent in GTA IV. Players will experience an entirely new and exciting emphasis centered on the blending of on-mission and off-mission play, resulting not only in an increased sense of realism, but more interesting and unrestricted gameplay.
Features
Official features for GTA IV have yet to be released. Stay tuned for more information as the game's release in early '08 draws nearer.
The King of all Kings has come back
Yes, GTA is coming and it will blow away all the competition. This game will redifine the open-world genre. Finally the greatest franchise of all time will take its throne once again.
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| Published: Mar.11.2008 @ 1:50 pm
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I Was looking through a few things on the Internet in terms of Games that is and found this very interesting article from Virgin Media. Added them to our blogroll. I found it interesting that each 'offending game' in the article was capped with a Click Here To Buy This Game from Virgin. So I suppose Virgin isn't all that worried after all... I guess the "Virginity" Whore off somewhere's...
Controversial video games
Ban this filth!
The debate over controversial video games rumbles on, with the continued ban on the release of Manhunt 2 and likely tabloid outrage when Grand Theft Auto IV arrives in shops. Here's a look back at the games that have upset the moral guardians over the years...
Manhunt (2003) and Manhunt 2 (2007 in US, unreleased in UK)
The plot: In Manhunt, you play a condemned criminal who is signed up by a depraved film-maker to go on a rampage of slaughter, which is to be captured on screen and made into a snuff movie. Manhunt 2 has you taking charge of Danny, whose quest is to escape from a mental institution, leaving a trail of murder in his wake.
The more you prolong a victim's killing, the more points you score. Baseball bats, meat cleavers and random shards of glass are among the murderous accessories you can grab.
The controversy: Both games involve plenty of graphic and unsettling scenes of killing; this one really lived up to its dark reputation. However, tabloid claims that the game had directly inspired a real-life murderer in the UK turned out to be based on the most dubious of facts.
Is it any good? Surprisingly, yes. Manhunt was a polished game, carefully executed and with plenty of depth. It received very decent reviews, although its sequel was gorier and scored lower ratings from the critics.
Click here to buy
Mercenaries (2005) and Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (2008)
The plot: Mercenaries took the free-roaming, pick-your-own-mission setup of Grand Theft Auto and applied it to a futuristic combat scenario, wherein a planned reunification of North and South Korea goes wrong and leads to war. You get a lot of freedom to choose your character and carve your own path through the battle, making use of a wide array of vehicles and weapons.
The controversy: Perhaps inevitably, South Korea took umbrage at the storyline and banned the game outright. Meanwhile, the sequel has upset the country of Venezuela, where it is set, before the game has even got close to its release date. The Venezuelan government reckons the game is a ploy to muster support for the overthrow of its controversial President.
Is it any good? We'll have to reserve judgement on part two, but the original Mercenaries was a superb blast, which boasted some of the finest battles and biggest explosions the Xbox and PS2 had ever seen.
Canis Canem Edit, aka Bully (2006)
The plot: This is a sandbox-style game set in Bullworth Academy, a New England boarding school where lead character Jimmy has to settle in, make friends and influence people, fall in love and gain power and respect.
All the staple characters, cliques and traumas of school life are there to be experienced...
The controversy: Sure, there's some fighting, improvised weaponry and sharp grown-up gags, but this is hardly the "bullying simulator" that the tabloids went crazy about. But people who'd never played it - like anti-video game MP Keith Vaz - kicked up a monumental level of controversy. Several big chains in the UK caved in and refused to stock the game, and anti-bullying campaigners called for it to be banned outright.
Is it any good? Most definitely. This witty, addictive game added some originality to a tired genre and many reviewers named it their top title of the year for '06.
The Sims 2 (2004)
The plot: You get to control lots of little Sims people, building them houses, feeding them, sending them to work and generally trying to make them happy and productive.
It's a lot like The Sims, but with much better graphics, more depth and even more add-on packs.
The controversy: Surely, those cute and wholesome Sims characters are the very epitome of family-friendly fun? Not quite. The little folks' private bits are blurred out when they're naked, but Florida lawyer Jack Thompson - a long-time critic of risque video games - claimed that mods were available to make the Sims' genitals appear, and that the game was therefore unsuitable for minors.
Is it any good? Millions of worldwide fans think so. The Sims 2's broad, gun-free appeal means that gamers of all kinds go crazy for it, and the continual stream of add-on packs means it never gets repetitive.
The Punisher (2004)
The plot: This was the video game tie-in for the rubbish 2004 movie, based on the Marvel comics character. Our hero is Frank Castle, a shady ex-law enforcement vigilante type whose life is devoted to ridding the world of underworld hoods.
When he captures a bad guy there's an option to "press" them for valuable information or finish them off with a creative means of killing - stuffing them into a woodchipper, for example. Like you do.
The controversy: This one failed to whip up the firestorm that might have been, since the actual depictions of killings themselves were toned down, leaving bloodthirsty gamers frustrated.
Is it any good? It's no classic but The Punisher offered plenty of solid shoot-em-up action and was by no means boring. It's a seven-out-of-ten sort of a game.
The Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004)
The plot: You're a low-level footsoldier on the streets of San Andreas (a thinly-disguised California), where you have to build your status in three cities and sort out your wayward family, whilst tracking down your mother's killers.
The controversy: The violence, criminal anti-hero and bad language weren't the problem. What really got the anti-games lobby in a spin was a mod called Hot Coffee; installing this softward patch unlocked hidden sex scenes in the game. Since these hadn't been viewed by the censors when the game got its certificate, all kinds of anger ensued.
Is it any good? Although many GTA fans preferred its predecessor, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, there was no doubting that San Andreas was another masterpiece and a worthy addition to the series.
Stand by for fresh outrage when the red-tops find out about Grand Theft Auto IV's drunk-driving feature...
Leisure Suit Larry series (1987-2005)
The plot: Larry Laffer is a geeky would-be lothario whose quest in life is to bed as many ladies as he possibly can. You have to guide him through a succession of seedy bars, hotels and, in the most recent game, a college campus, as he attempts to get some lovin'.
The controversy: Outrage at Larry has only ever been low-level, but his adult antics did cause the odd stir during the 80s and 90s. Still, it's smut rather than soft porn; actual rude scenes are very thin on the ground.
Is it any good? There have been about a dozen Leisure Suit Larry titles, some of them more fun than others. The gags are of a high quality though, so game fans with a dirty sense of humour should enjoy them. A new addition to the series, subtitled Box Office Bust, is on its way soon.
Soldier of Fortune (2000), Soldier of Fortune II (2002), Soldier of Fortune: Payback (2007)
The plot: Professional merceneray John Mullins trots around international conflict zones (Iraq, Columbia) to defeat local warlords and battle terrorists. The late Saddam Hussein even pops up at one point.
The controversy: These first-person-shooters are probably the most violent examples of the genre ever; a special game engine allows you to shoot or hack off bits of enemies' bodies, and direct hits result in rivers of spewing blood.
Censors in Germany and Canada decided the first game was just not nice, and took measures to restrict the game's availability. Part three, meanwhile, was vetoed in Australia and had to have its violence toned down.
Is it any good? The first two games were hugely entertaining and well put-together, but the third outing felt dull and outdated in the wake of the latest batch of FPS big guns like Crysis. Soldier of Fortune was great fun while it lasted.
Dead Rising (2006)
The plot: Photo-journalist Frank West is dropped by helicopter into a suburban shopping mall to try and snap some odd goings-on. When he gets there he finds thousands of zombified shoppers wreaking havoc. Using an impressive array of improvised weapons (golf club, lawnmower, pot plant, etc) he sets out to find survivors, figure out what has happened, and kill off thousands and thousands of the undead bargain-hunters.
The controversy: Quite simply, Dead Rising is phenomenally violent and fairly bloody. Germany's game censors refused to give it a certificate, effectively banning it from sale.
Things got worse for Dead Rising in 2008 when the film-makers behind the movie Dawn of the Dead - also featuring zombies in a shopping mall - decided to sue the game's producers for copying their handiwork.
Is it any good? Dead Rising is a technical marvel and often loads of fun -and if you like slaying zombies, it's the game you've always wanted. But gameplay niggles like a poor saving setup can make it annoying.
Postal (1997) and Postal 2 (2003)
The plot: Players take on the role of "Postal Dude", who is basically in a bad mood and decides to shoot lots of innocent passers-by. The more victims you blow away, the higher your score. Much blood is shed and many a wisecrack is unleashed.
The controversy: This one upset absolutely everyone - and is it really a surprise? Many countries banned Postal outright, and its makers even got sued by the US Postal Service who claimed that the game had darkened their good name.
Is it any good? Not hugely. Apart from the novelty value of its controversy, there wasn't much here to keep gamers entertained. Maybe the upcoming Postal III (above) - set for release soon on next-gen consoles - will be an improvement.
The Dead Or Alive series (1996 - 2008)
The plot: With its origins in the arcades, the Dead Or Alive series is made up mostly of conventional fighting games, with the twist that many key characters are females, who aren't wearing much and tend to er..."jiggle" quite a bit during combat. Spin-off games included 2007's preposterous Dead Or Alive Xtreme 2, which saw those same lithe ladies in bikinis indulging in beach sports like volleyball and jetskiing.
The controversy: Many critics have commented that the game's shameless use of female bodies is often ridiculous at best, and some have found it downright offensive. Teenage boys across the globe thought it was absolutely brilliant.
Is it any good? Beat-'em-up fans have given a resounding thumbs-up to many of the fighting games in the DOA series, including the recent Dead Or Alive 4. But the aforementioned Xtreme 2 spin-off was pretty diabolical.
Carmageddon (1997), Carmageddon II (1998)
The plot: This is a racing game with a difference: as well as beating other drivers, it's in your interests to gain extra time by mowing down innocent pedestrians.
The controversy: Many complaints were raised, and the game made it past censors in some countries only after changing the pedestrians to robots or zombies. Its sequel, a year later, had to swap victims' blood for green slime to make it less realistic, although the freely-flowing red stuff was reinstated in later versions.
Is it any good? No. Even the most ardent of fans would have to call it diverting rather than particularly good fun.
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| Published: Mar.11.2008 @ 10:18 am
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Video Game Critic Spitzer Caught in Prostitution Ring
 New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, a video game critic that has worked actively against violence in games, has been caught engaging in a prostitution Ring.
Federal prosecutors nailed Spitzer by wire tap for ordering an
escort to come from New York to Washington D.C. Transfering a person
across state lines for the purpose of prostitution is a Federal offense.
Ironically, Spitzer came out against the video game
industry in 2006 calling for governmental regulation of media content
to protect America’s children from excessive sex and violence in games.
Like all parents, I know it is increasingly
difficult to protect our children from negative influences… we have
learned that when self-regulation fails, government must step in… we
must do more to protect our children from excessive sex and violence in
the media…
Media content has gotten more graphic, more violent
and more sex-based… Currently, nothing under New York State law
prohibits a fourteen-year old from walking into a video store and
buying… a game like ‘Grand Theft Auto,’ which rewards a player for
stealing cars and beating people up. Children can even simulate having
sex with a prostitute…
Spitzer has made an official apology, but hasn’t owned up to being an expert in having sex with a prostitute.
via GamePolitics
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| Published: Mar.08.2008 @ 1:22 pm
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Sleeping with the enemy? MS embraces Blu-Ray...http://wakobi.livejournal.com/20962.html
In perhaps blowing the top of the industy's worst kept secret, IGN and
various other sources this afternoon have confirmed that Microsoft are
in talks with rival Sony in regards to the Redmond giant supporting the
dominant HD format.
"We've
already been working on, for example, in Windows, device driver support
for Blu-ray drives and the like, and I think the world moves on.
Toshiba has moved on. We've moved on, and we'll support Blu-ray in ways
that make sense,"
Yup, that little bit of humble pie eating
comes from Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer who at the Mix08 internet
conference which was held in Las Vegas, let it slip that Microsoft was
courting Sony for a partnership on Blu-Ray integration into future MS
products.
From the gaming perspective this really isn't such a great deal as people would think?
The reason? Have a whole bunch:
-
The integration of a Blu-Ray drive into the 360 hardware would create a
diliemma for MS - the cost of inclusion would make the machine higher
priced than that of the PS3 (their main rival in many demographics), or
would they bite the bullet on cost and go back into the red again with
each machine sold?
- Blu-Ray storage capacity for games is often overstated in terms of what it brings to the table.
- For those who have a 360 already, how much will MS charge you for the add-on drive? £100? £150?
While
it's all conjecture at this point excatly what the partnership would
entail should it come to fruition, one thing is for sure - we'll
probably hear something more concrete at E3.
Don't expect Kaz Harai and Bill Gates to be shaking hands though.
Product Description
The Xbox 360 Premium System is the way to begin experiencing the
ultimate in next-generation gaming. Now improved with an HDMI port,
your games and video entertainment will look better than ever when
connected to an HDTV. Amazing Digital entertainment and video gaming
experiences, unprecedented in home console entertainment, are waiting
for you -- all you have to do is turn on the controller to this
incredible device and an unsurpassed level of adventure and excitement
can be yours. Xbox Live Marketplace - Download the latest game demos,
arcade games, television, movies, and more straight to your Xbox 360
console via any Broadband Internet service Games - Games look, feel,
and Sound realistic with 480p/720p/1080i HD Output via HDMI or
Component cable, 16 - 9 widescreen aspect ratio, anti-aliasing, and
multi-channel Surround sound support Digital Entertainment - Play DVD
movies right out of the box, play HD DVDs with the Optional HD-DVD
Player (sold separately), rip music to the 360 Hard Drive, connect your
Digital Camera and share your digital pictures with friends, or connect
your Xbox 360 to a Windows XP or Windows Vista Media Center PC and
Stream TV, Music, Movies, and Pictures to your Xbox 360 console over
your network! NOTE - Some features may require optional Xbox Live GOLD
service; One month of complementary Xbox Live GOLD service is included
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #64 in Computer & Video Games
- Brand: Microsoft
- Model: 360
- Released on: 2007-08-08
- Platform: Xbox 360
- Dimensions: 3.27" h x
12.17" w x
10.16" l,
17.00 pounds
Features
- Box Content - Xbox 360 Console, 1 Wireless Xbox 360 Controller,
20GB Hard Drive, Wired Headset, Combination Component/Composite A/V
Cable, and Silver Xbox Live Service
- Design - Sleek set-top design with horizontal or vertical placement option in a white finish
- Xbox 360 Guide - Access your games, friends, music, movies, and
downloadable content from the Xbox 360 Wireless Controller with a
single press of the Guide Button
- Customizable Interface - Customize your Xbox 360 Dashboard, Guide, and Gamer Profile with content from the Xbox LIVE Marketplace
- Xbox Live - Go online and enter a world where games and
entertainment come alive with the ability to download games and
entertainment straight from the Marketplace and join multiplayer
sessions complete with voice chat
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Xbox 360 sets a new pace for digital entertainment. More than just
a cutting-edge game system, Xbox 360 also integrates high-definition
video, DVD movie playback, digital music, photos, and online
connectivity into one sleek, small tower. Under the Hood
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| Xbox 360, shown with wireless controller, is a sleek, customizable gaming and entertainment system |
Xbox 360 is much smaller than its predecessor--it measures
approximately 3.3 by 12.2 by 10.2 inches and weighs 7.7 lbs. It's
powered by custom IBM PowerPC-based CPU with three symmetrical cores
each running at 3.2 GHz. It also carries a custom ATI graphics
processor 10 MB of embedded DRAM. This is powerful enough to draw 500
million triangles per second. In other words, it makes for great
looking games in standard TV definition, and even better thanks to
built-in support for HDTV 1080i televisions. It also supports the
widescreen 16:9 format. The unit has a 12x dual-layer DVD-ROM
drive, which plays both the game media and progressive-scan DVD movies
right out of the box. For game-save and media storage, users can choose
between the detachable and upgradeable 20GB hard drive, or a separately
sold 64MB flash Memory Unit. Along with storing files, the hard drive
will make the Xbox 360 backward-compatible with part of the existing
Xbox game library. Control your Gameplay
Xbox 360
uses a refined button layout for its controllers. Back and Start
buttons sit at the center of the controller and between them is a new
Xbox Guide button, which instantly takes the user to the Xbox 360 user
interface. From there, they can check for friends online, access
personal digital content like photos and songs, and more. The black and
white buttons of the first Xbox controllers have been replaced with new
shoulder buttons placed above the left and right triggers. Xbox 360 can
accommodate up to four wireless controllers and has three USB 2.0 slots
to use for wired controllers or for streaming your digital media from
digital cameras, MP3 players, and any Windows XP-based PC. Microsoft
has also created a video-conferencing camera, sold separately, that
will work with the system.
 |
| Xbox 360 can manage your games, your online friends, and your personal digital library |
The Media Experience
All Xbox 360 titles can be played in either standard or high-definition
resolution in 16:9 widescreen, with anti-aliasing for smoother
graphics. Game designers will be able to take advantage of the system's
multi-channel surround sound. The Xbox 360's digital media allows users
to supplement any game's music from tracks in their own personal
library. Go Live
A built-in Ethernet port allows
users to connect their system to a broadband connection for access to
Xbox Live Silver. The included service lets anyone create a Gamertag
and gamer card to express your online identity, chat live with voice
chat, and connect to the Xbox Live Marketplace to buy expansions, maps,
and other digital items for your games. The separately sold wireless
adapter supports the common 802.11a, -b, and -g standards.
What's in the Box?
- Xbox 360 Pro console
- 20GB detachable hard drive
- Wireless controller
- Xbox Live headset
- High-definition AV cable
- Ethernet cable
- Detachable faceplate
- Xbox Live Silver membership
- HDMI port
Customer Reviews
I'm a 3 360 owner and love them
This is my third unit. I use them for playing tv off my MCE pc in
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amazing plus the xbox live functionality is incredible. Hands down the
best system I have. Sure MS had troubles with their earlier systems but
all mine were handle under warranty with no charge so I don't see any
problems and will buy MS products again. They stand buy their stuff
regardless of issues.
Fun Console, Lets hope it lasts.
Just thought I'd let everyone know whose considering buying one. It
looks like they're shipping the new Xbox's with the falcon chipset.
Mine was manufactured in 12/07 and runs off the 175watt power supply.
From what I've read, most people shouldn't have a problem with your
system and the RROD, if you take the necessary steps to make sure it
stays as cool as it can. From what I've found out here's some stuff
that will help it stay cool:
-Make sure its laying flat on a hard surface
-Make sure its got plenty of ventilation (don't block the back fan ports)
-Do not play the xbox off of carpet or a rug (heat builds up with these surfaces)
-Keep the power brick away from the console and also lay it on a flat hard surface.
Some other good ideas:
-Point a small house fan towards the top of the console, so air gets in through the top holes.
-Lay the Xbox down on a Laptop cooling fan (I'll probably do this
one; the fan will only run when the console is on because most are
powered by the USB ports)
-About once a month, blow out the console using an air compressor
or canned air, so dust doesn't build up. (Dust can lead to more heat)
It is kinda sad, this thing has to be babied so bad. But it still
is a lot of fun, and its got the best 'selection' of games and online
play.
Best next gen console
This is the best system money can buy, just becasue people get
faulty ones and post bogus reviews on here that all Xbox's are bad
doesen't make it fact. I work a game store and yes we did have a couple
of Xbox 360's come back 4 out of 80 i belive, but the number of PS3's
that came back was staggering 25 out of 60 from different batches. The
worries nay sayers post here are worries when buying amy next gen
system, but so far for performance, games and returns Xbox 360 is by
far the best system to buy for the money.
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| Published: Mar.06.2008 @ 2:23 pm
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I thought I'd cart this over from STuff... which is one of our other blogs... we've got 10 but since this is game related it saves me some time! I love to see the RP down there on this Video Box... As many have been saying recently in the Gaming Biz that Shooters what we call Kill Em's here at It's All In The Game are pretty prevelant recently... We are old Myst People here on It's In The Game... why we still remember when the Original Myst came out and using that game for the first time on a brand new desktop computer. Those were Big days indeed! Video Games are a young game though and should be! Old Farts out of the way say the kids and with good reason! Youth should Rule for sure. Ripping down the Proletariat is surely what the world needs much of and Youth must have its say! So you kids feel free! At any rate, Role Playing Games must someday come back. We do like these shooters though. Killing things is cool, generally because it's not about killing for real! It's just fantasy and nothing upsets an old stick in the mud like fantasy... can't quite put it together! But here Lucas is returning to us, or trying to with this Role Playing Game from his Star Wars Universe. Let's wish him well and we will be sure to have much news about this coming title.
Posted by gardengrow on March 06th 2008 to Stuff Shopping Cart
Product Details
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Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
From LucasArts Entertainment
| Price: |
$59.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details |
Availability: Not yet released
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com |
Product Description
The Star Wars saga continues in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, a
videogame developed by LucasArts, which casts players as Darth Vader’s
“Secret Apprentice” and promises to unveil new revelations about the
Star Wars galaxy. The expansive story, created under direction from
George Lucas, is set during the largely unexplored era between Star
Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV A New
Hope. In it, players will assist the iconic villain in his quest to rid
the universe of Jedi - and face decisions that could change the course
of their destiny.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #405 in Computer & Video Games
- Brand: Lucas Arts
- Released on: 2008-07-29
- ESRB Rating: Rating Pending
- Platform: PLAYSTATION 3
Features
- Confront and associate with familiar faces from the Star Wars
films, including Darth Vader in addition to new adversaries such as
fugitive Jedi and Force-sensitive Felucians
- Unleash and upgrade the Secret Apprentice’s four core Force powers
- Force push, grip, repulse and lightning - throughout the course of
the game, and combine them for ultra-destructive, never-before-seen
combos.
- Examples of unleashing the Force in ways never thought possible:
Secret Apprentice won’t just Force push enemies into walls - he’ll
Force push enemies through walls, and will Force grip them in midair,
zap them with lightning, then drop them to the ground
- Visit locations such as Episode III’s Wookiee homeworld Kashyyyk
and the floral Felucia, the junk planet Raxus Prime, plus an Imperial
TIE fighter construction facility
- Decisions made by players throughout the game will determine the
path of the story, including multiple endings that will rock Star Wars
continuity as they know it.
Star Wars and videogames; the two practically go hand-in-hand with
one another. For just about as long as we’ve been playing our favorite
virtual creations there have been titles inspired by the world crafted
by George Lucas. 2008 is no different thanks to The Force Unleashed, a
game that LucasArts is touting as one of those rarest of releases that
pushes the envelope of our industry. It makes use of different types of
technology to bring the far away galaxy to life in a way that would
make any Star Wars fan proud. I recently got my first look at the game
in action and came away impressed, most impressed.
Okay, so maybe I wasn’t “most impressed” but I couldn’t resist the
chance at paying homage to Star Wars dialogue. Nevertheless, the demo
of TFU showed serious potential. As anyone who has seen IGN’s videos
knows, the action is all about utilizing The Force. Whether that means
ripping a beam off of the wall and putting it in the path of a passing
TIE Fighter or pulling stormtroopers off of their feet and electrifying
them with Force Lightning, it’s all possible in The Force Unleashed.
The Force Powers are all fine and good, we’ve seen those in games
before. It’s the technology of The Force Unleashed that has so many
people’s heads turning to see what the fuss is about. NaturalMotion’s
Euphoria engine powers all of the physics in the game. So when you toss
an object off into the distance and see it hit against a wall, a box,
another wall, and then fall and break into a million pieces, it’s
euphoria that makes it look good. Is it better looking than the
havok-driven physics that we’ve been seeing for years? That’s tough to
answer. The first time you see a body get mangled in the environment it
doesn’t seem all that special, but it’s the second and third time that
you play through that exact same section that you start to understand
what euphoria is about. Will it blow your mind? Probably not. Is it
impressive? You betcha.
The same goes for Pixelux’s Digital Molecular Matter (DMM) which
makes steel bend like steel. It’s tough to really appreciate metal
behaving as it should, but once you get a little creative with ripping
off a few of the dozens of metal doors that you’ll stumble across in
the Star Wars universe you’ll see why it’s a step in the right
direction. It’s the little details that make a game great, rather than
good, and DMM and euphoria are certainly pieces to the puzzle.
Of course everything in The Force Unleashed isn’t based around those
two technologies. There’s still plenty of lightsaber wielding to be had
for those that enjoy that barbaric form of combat (I jest, who doesn’t
like whoopin’ ass with a lightsaber?). Being that you’re playing as
Darth Vader’s “Secret Apprentice” it’s fair to say that the young Sith
is a skilled swordsman.
While the demo LucasArts showed at their studio didn’t showcase a
new feature nor did it shed light on any multiplayer details, I was
still happy to get my initial first-hand look at The Force Unleashed
out of the way. There’s certainly still a lot of tuning to be done to
smooth things out a bit more, but there’s no doubt that Star Wars
fanatics will have an entirely new immersive storyline to wrap
themselves up in once August rolls around.
The Force Unleashed will surely be one big
game this summer. It’s been a long time since Star Wars came back after
Sith III so many Gamers (you of course!) are gonna want this one and
with Lucas Arts track record with Star Wars Games being less than
steller Lucas will sure to be putting a lot into this one. Hopefully it
will turn out as interesting as his movies! They being rather
Mythological at this point! There is so much to do with the Star Wars
Franchise that I’m sure that Mr. Lucas isn’t at a loss for ideas… more
power to him! We here at STuff are gonna be looking into this one
frequently… but you’ll be sure to play it or buy it one way or another
Unleashed is sure to be Big!
You’ll pick up +2 cool points for even knowing about this one!
STuff.
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| Published: Mar.04.2008 @ 5:13 pm
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| GDC '08: Gears of War 2 and More |
| by Geoff Keighley |
Every
year the top minds in gaming get together in San Francisco for the Game
Developers' Conference. GDC is an eclectic blend of lectures on topics
like the storytelling in Bioshock, the programming in Halo 3,
and even a panel about the state of video game journalism. While these
discussions are interesting, this year one game designer and his trusty
chainsaw stole the show. Yes, Cliff Bleszinski of Epic Games was on
hand to unveil one of the worst-kept secrets in recent memory: Gears of War 2, which is coming exclusively to the Xbox 360 this November.
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This month, Nintendo releases Super Smash Bros. Brawl for Wii.
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At GDC, CliffyB finally unveiled Gears of War 2, due this November.
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Peter Molyneux’s RPG Fable 2 is due out by the end of 2008.
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Cliff Bleszinski of Epic Games was on hand to unveil one of the worst-kept secrets in recent memory: Gears of War 2...
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What
can we expect from Gears 2? The initial teaser trailer shown during
Microsoft's keynote presentation was heavy on style and light on
substance. You hear Marcus Fenix growl about war and then see a shot of
him facing off against a Locust in a chainsaw duel. Cliff's comments
didn't give away any more details besides promising that Gears 2 will
be even more kick-butt than the first one. Still, I can give you a bit
of inside scoop: During another part of the keynote presentation, Epic
President Tim Sweeney demonstrated the latest advances in the Unreal
Engine including destructible surfaces (imagine blowing a hole in the
floor and jumping through it) and placing hundreds of enemies on a map
as opposed to just a dozen in Gears.
While these features haven't been directly confirmed for Gears 2, it's
a safe bet we will see them in the game. Look for more details to be
revealed later this spring.
Gears 2 was the highlight of the Microsoft briefing but two other
games were also on display. Tomonobu Itagaki from Team Ninja showed up
to demonstrate a new level from the action-slasher Ninja Gaiden II,
which now has a firm release date of June 3, 2008. He also announced
that players will be able to create Halo 3-style "saved films" and
upload them online for friends to view. Peter Molyneux also appeared to
demonstrate the latest version of Fable 2
and reveal the offline co-op mode. (Molyneux isn't ready to talk about
online, but I hear there will be an MMO-like online mode where you'll
be able to persist in a friend's game). Molyneux also took the wraps
off another interesting feature: A few weeks before the game comes out,
Microsoft will release an Xbox Live Arcade casino game. The twist is
that the dollars you earn from the game can be transferred into the
Fable world to purchase upgrades and equipment. Molyneux wouldn't
divulge a specific release date for Fable 2 at GDC, but he promises the
game will be out by the end of the year.
After the Microsoft keynote I rushed off to a lunch and interview
with Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime. While Reggie
didn't give a public talk at GDC, in private he was more than happy to
discuss Nintendo's continued success. He told me that Wii is likely to
overtake the cumulative number one sales position from the Xbox 360 by
the end of June in the United States. And there's a good reason why:
Wii has an extraordinary software lineup for the first half of the
year. This month's Super Smash Bros. Brawl is easily one of the most anticipated game of the year so far. It will soon be followed by Mario Kart Wii (no final release date yet) and the exercise game Wii Fit
on May 19. Gamers might think that Nintendo is starting to abandon the
hardcore audience in favor of the mainstream, but Smash Bros. and Mario
Kart prove that long-time Nintendo fans will have plenty to keep them
busy.
But what about Sony? With Blu-Ray winning the hi-def format war and
the PS3 outselling the Xbox 360 in January, PlayStation finally has
some good news on its side. Still, the company was relatively quiet at
GDC and chose not to demonstrate key 2008 PS3 exclusives like
LittleBigPlanet, Killzone 2, Resistance 2, or Metal Gear Solid 4 (and let's not forget about Grand Theft Auto IV, due in late April for both the PS3 and Xbox 360).
While Sony is keeping those games under wraps, there is one
PlayStation title you don't want to miss this month. On the flight back
from GDC I had a chance to play God of War: Chains of Olympus on my PSP and I was blown away. If you're a fan of the previous two God of War
games you will be equally impressed by this game's sense of scope and
fast-paced action. This isn't God of War-lite, but instead a God of War
adventure that plays just as smoothly as those on the PS2. While the
PSP has been severely lacking in good software for a while, God of War
is the killer app the system has needed.
That's it for this month, but next month I'll be back with my report
on what may be the most anticipated game of the year: Grand Theft Auto
IV, due out on April 29.
Also here are some tags to visit and to place in strategic areas!
All ads brought to you by Googads! Your One Stop Shop.
Back to Googads.
And finally how would you like to have this cool banner on your Website or Blog?
Pretty Nifty! Now you can. Here's the code (Click on the Picture above and copy the Code hosted by Googads!), then simply place it into the Html Section of your Blog, Website or anywhere else you go on the Internet. You'll gain great respect and good luck with the Seal of Googads! Join the thousands who have joined Googads!
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| Published: Mar.04.2008 @ 7:25 am
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Like video games? Cnet/Gamespot going hiring crazy |
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Games and Entertainment
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By Humphrey Cheung
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Monday, March 03, 2008 15:43 |
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San
Francisco (CA) – Getting paid to review video games is a dream job to
some and CNET/Gamespot may have a position for you. Management is
still reeling from the high-profile resignations (some say firings) of
four of the site’s top editors and Cnet now appears to be filling those
vacant positions. The jobs were announced both on Cnet’s jobs page and a journalism jobs website appropriately named journalimjobs.com. Two of the positions, associate editor II and associate editor, deal directly with game reviews
while the third position of copywriter handles more mundane tasks of
advertising and banners. The jobs were posted from February 15th to
February 27th 2008. Candidates should obviously have excellent knowledge of video games
and according to the announcement, “should have played games his/her
entire life, and should a great deal of experience with, and a strong
working knowledge of PC games, as well as all other platforms,
including the Xbox 360, the PS3, the Nintendo Wii, the PS2, the
Nintendo DS, and the Sony PSP.” Of
course being a Gamespot editor isn’t all fun and games, just ask former
editorial director Jeff Gerstmann who left the company in November
2007. Gerstmann a low review score to the Eidos game ‘Kane and Lynch:
Dead Men’. According to industry reports, Eidos, an advertiser on
Gamespot, may have complained to Cnet management about Gerstmann’s
review. Cnet denies that Gerstmann was forced to resign. Fellow
editors Alex Navarro, Frank Provo and Ryan Davis also left Gamespot in
the following months. Gerstmann and Davis have since formed their own
gaming podcast called Arrow Pointing Down. The
workload that awaits these two new editors will be quite heavy because
they are basically replacing four senior level guys (assuming Gamespot
didn’t hire any new folks already). Hey, but at least Cnet is being
honest in the job description by saying, “The ideal candidate will be
ready to tackle a hefty and steady stream of review work each week.” –
Yeah no kidding. No word on if the candidates will face mandatory Eidos indoctrination on their weeks of the job. |
Also here are some tags to visit and to place in strategic areas!
All ads brought to you by Googads! Your One Stop Shop.
Back to Googads.
And finally how would you like to have this cool banner on your Website or Blog?
Pretty Nifty! Now you can. Here's the code (Click on the Picture above and copy the Code hosted by Googads!), then simply place it into the Html Section of your Blog, Website or anywhere else you go on the Internet. You'll gain great respect and good luck with the Seal of Googads! Join the thousands who have joined Googads!
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| Published: Mar.03.2008 @ 9:57 am
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10 Worst Video Games of 2007: 10 to 6It's an unfortunate part of the video game
business that a lot of what hits store shelves is marginally decent,
mediocre or just downright horrible.
Shelling out between
$40-$70 for a game is an investment of sorts: you pay the money to be
entertained, and maybe even as insurance so that you don't throw your
controller in times of frustration. New controllers aren't cheap, after
all.
And yet, as great a crop of games as there was in these past 12 months,
there have been some real duds in the mix, too. Some were hyped and
turned out to be real disappointments, while others with lower
expectations managed to sink right through them and smack into the
bottom of the barrel.
Dishonourable mentions must go out to Activision's Soldier of Fortune:
Payback for giving gamers a forgettable experience that includes
useless over-the-top gore. Ubisoft proves - again - that the world of
CSI doesn't translate all that well into a video game. It may be from
the Vegas crew, but perhaps a CSI game might have a chance if it's
laced with cutscenes of Horatio putting (and taking off) his sunglasses
in Miami, while mouthing one of his patented one-liners. Not to mention
Ubisoft's train wreck of a game in Far Cry Vengeance for the Wii. You
know there's trouble when a Wii game would look just as terrible on the
GameCube. And for those poor souls who picked up TMNT for the PSP or
DS, I hope you exchanged or traded it in already.
Ghost Rider turned out to be just as depressing and boring as the
droopy expression fixated on Nicolas Cage's face. Microsoft's Project
Sylpheed is like an updated space invaders, except for the spiky-haired
characters who could've just as easily been placed in a cartoon that
never made it past the pilot episode. And while 300 may have been a
slick movie to watch, the PSP game is anything but. How much can you
possibly mash on the same buttons and still have the mighty Leonidas
get a spear in his back?
And there's more where all those came from, but the 10 in this list make all of those look a little bit better this year:
10. Spider-Man 3 (PS3, Wii, Xbox 360)
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Treyarch
I wasn't a big fan of the Spider-Man 2 game Activision put out back in
2004 (I thought Ultimate Spider-Man was much better), and my worst
fears were realized with Spider-Man 3. Webswinging around an open and
breathing rendition of New York City is great unto itself, but not when
it's overshadowed by the nonsense that goes on in this game.
For one, the graphics are deplorable by current-gen standards. How is
it that Peter Parker can look like he's got a huge head and the eyes of
a total drug addict? And what's with the drab modeling across the
board? Every character looks like a mannequin with moving lips, while
cars all look the same, except for the different paint jobs. The
overall look of the city is also terribly dull. It may be a city that
never sleeps, but NYC looks pretty boring here.
Things just get out of hand once the Lizard makes his appearance. The
twist the story takes is so ridiculous, it almost seems like something
that was slapped together over a drinking wager at a bar. And it just
continues to slide downhill from there.
This is a very disappointing game from start to finish. Well, that's
actually assuming that you could even get anywhere near the finish line.
9. Beowulf (Xbox 360, PS3)
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Tiwak
Movie-licensed video games are becoming a theme on this list, even
though Beowulf isn't the worst of the bunch. But seeing as how it made
the cut, there isn't a whole lot of good to say about it, either.
Here's the problem: Beowulf has some gorgeous visuals, with sprawling
environments and good character models. But when those characters
actually start interacting with each other, the whole foundation of the
game comes tumbling down. Controlling the Thanes (Beowulf's loyal
cannon fodder) is easy enough because you just can't tell them to do
all that much. Aside from rallying on you or attacking en masse, there
isn't a whole lot of strategy to go around here. Of course, it is worth
a good laugh when you hear them sing - in profanity-laced poetry - in
order to get the giant monster Grendel going for a big showdown.
And things start to get cheap when weapons break after only a few
hacks. Funny how that doesn't seem to happen as easily for your
enemies. Pick up one of their weapons and you'll be lucky if you get a
second chance with it, since it'll likely just crumble after the
initial attempt.
This game might appeal to people who like the movie or have a general
interest in all things Beowulf, but it just comes up short in too many
areas for everyone else to really care.
8. Tenchu Z (Xbox 360)
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: K2
Tenchu Z is one of those games that leaves you scratching your head
only 20 minutes in. And that trend continues unabated after hours of
playing this one, which can best be described as a complete waste of
time you'll never get back.
Playing as a ninja can be great fun, as the venerable Ninja Gaiden
franchise has proved for 20 years. But when the "ninja genre" is turned
upside down by a title that lacks all sense of direction and purpose,
you have to push all the right buttons to eject the disc and never put
it back in the tray.
You play a ninja that kills seemingly innocent government bureaucrats
with the same ruthlessness as the gangsters and other perceived bad
guys he rips into. I say "rip" because the littlest prick from a knife
or sword turns the victim into a raging hemophiliac. Since when can a
guy still move to hit me when there's a fountain of blood raining out
of him? It makes zero sense, and that's just one example of the
implausibility in Tenchu Z.
Throw in the repetitive stealth kills and the laughable AI, and you get
a game that should never have made it past the cutting room floor.
7. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (Wii, Xbox 360, PS3)
Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios
Developer: Eurocom
The more I play games based on this popular franchise, the more I
realize that Jack Sparrow might not have a place in this business. Not
one Pirates game has been good, and the Wii version of At World's End
is easily the worst of this bunch. If not for the typical chatter
coming out of Jack, it would resemble a game that was in its first beta
stage.
The problem is that Jack isn't as vocal in the Xbox 360 version. This
guy is like Peter Parker and John McClane all rolled up into one,
albeit with a pirate costume. How could he resist quipping and taunting
while dueling with someone? Jack Sparrow is all about that. It's a
shame, too, since the Xbox 360 version has good visuals, and good
voiceovers which only add to the experience (even if they aren't from
the real actors). The Wii version, on the other hand, is a broken game
in almost every way.
I've never had an easier time taking out enemies in succession,
particularly with the exact same move each and every time. Slash twice,
the guy turns around, and you stick it to him in the back. He's down
for the count, and you get to do that over and over again for hours and
hours. Doesn't sound like a ton of fun, does it?
6. Lair (PS3)
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Factor 5
It wasn't supposed to be this way for Sony and this game. It had a lot
of potential upside and was touted by Sony as a real winner for 2007,
but with its broken gameplay, frustrating controls and endless cutscene
interruptions, Lair will surely find its way to the bargain bins very
soon (if it hasn't already).
The control scheme tries to make use of the PS3's SixAxis
motion-sensored controller, but instead forces you to try your hardest
not to throw it against the wall out of frustration. See, the controls
in Lair are like that kid who goes on a tantrum and does the complete
opposite to upset his or her parents. You want the game to do
something, but instead it throws you a curveball and takes you on a
ride onboard a dragon to certain death. Now imagine that scenario
playing out repeatedly. Yup, that's Lair for you.
The best are the faceoffs between the dragons. It's like Rocky staring
down Drago, only with claws instead of boxing gloves. Oh, and the fact
that you have no real clue how to win the fight doesn't help matters
much. Mashing buttons seems to be the only way, and with the odds being
pretty even, you could probably take bets from friends on who wins. Now
that I think of it, it's almost like cockfighting with dragons' tails.
And the best part is that this one would be legal.It's an unfortunate part of the video game business that a lot of
what hits store shelves is marginally decent, mediocre or just
downright horrible.5. Transformers: The Game (PSP)
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Savage Entertainment
The Transformers movie may have been a blockbuster at the box office,
but the video games that preceded it were either halfway decent, or in
the case of the PSP version, outright embarrassing. The lack of a
second analog stick hurts this game, but nowhere near as badly as the
second-rate production values.
You could excuse a glitch here and there when watching the old cartoon
episodes from the 80s, but what happened here? How could an Autobot or
Decepticon transform without any animation showing it? One frame,
they're standing, and the next frame, they're in vehicle mode. They may
be robots in disguise, but they're not that good. And for some reason,
the controls change completely between the modes, too. Shouldn't I be
able to fire my weapon with the same button, regardless of what mode
I'm in? Not here you can't.
The fighting system is just lame. The lock-on reticle always seems to
miss its target, and because the animations are so poor, you can't
really tell if your enemy is taking damage or just toying with you.
Overall, the game looks like it missed the mark in almost every way.
This one is best left for the scrapyard, which in gaming terms should
be the bargain bin.
4. Hour of Victory (Xbox 360)
Publisher: Midway
Developer: nFusion
World War II shooters have become a genre unto themselves, thanks to
the popularity of the Medal of Honor and Call of Duty franchises. But
when a wannabe upstart like Hour of Victory comes along, you realize
why there are so many WWII titles - and so many reasons not to play
them all.
It starts with a good premise in an alternate storyline where the Nazis
are on the cusp of building a nuclear bomb, with your squad being
tasked to put it out of business. But it's all downhill from there.
You've got German troops who have no idea what's going on, resembling a
fighting force that should have no business even occupying a barracks,
much less entire countries. The controls are a total mess, with
sensitivity settings all over the map, usually culminating in painfully
slow movements.
The visuals are also sub par, to say the least. Hour of Victory has
parts that look like they were drawn in by a kid who missed his
colouring book. The framerate is also choppy, making the game look
worse than it already does. This needed a lot more than polish; it
needed to go straight back to the drawing board.
3. Vampire Rain (Xbox 360)
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: Artoon
If Spinter Cell's Sam Fisher ever had a clone, the clown who passes for
the protagonist in this game would fit the bill perfectly. Except the
only difference is that Sam is cool, and his job makes more sense than
whatever it's supposed to be in Vampire Rain.
Hey, it's true that Sam could take on a lot of guys, but even he would
probably opt out of this assignment. The forgettable lead player here
is a special ops guy who carries only a single pistol. And with that
golden gun of his, he's expected to take down a sea of "nightwalkers",
which is pretty much a euphemism for vampires, though I'm not sure the
whole daylight thing applies here. You could have a tank in this game
and it wouldn't make a difference. Who knew that becoming a bloodsucker
gave you all those great things we want in life: super speed, strength
and the chance to have your favourite meal over and over.
Killing these guys is like a pure crapshoot. You can fire at them, and
they could be gnawing at your neck in no time. Considering the epidemic
of epic proportions, you know the story is heading in the wrong
direction when there's no military mobilization, and the fate of a huge
city (Los Angeles) rests in the hands of our forgettable lead and a few
of his cohorts. Forgettable characters, a forgettable story and
forgettable production values make this easy pickings for the "Please
buy me" bin.
2. Star Trek: Conquest (Wii, PS2)
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Developer: 4JStudios
I feel bad for Trekkies who went out and bought this game. It's Star
Trek in name only, and hardly resembles anything good about its mythos.
The Federation is okay with wiping out another race in genocidal rage,
just so they can take over a planet? Doesn't make any sense at all, and
it's really just a microcosm of everything that's wrong with the game.
You'd think Picard would have a real tough time advocating or condoning
that kind of a bloodthirsty approach. Oh, that's right, he's not even
in this game, and neither are the other key characters from The Next
Generation. No, instead, you get the red-shirted grunts taking the lead
on all command posts.
I was never a huge fan of the show, but I know enough that diplomacy
was a central theme. You don't get any of that here. No, here it's
victory or death, with little regard to what happens to innocent,
neutral planets. This is a strategy game devoid of any actual strategy.
Combat is pretty much made up of awkward turn-based shootouts, and even
then, it just comes across like a computer game from 10 years ago.
This game is a travesty to the license and should be avoided at all
costs by anyone even remotely thinking of spending money on it.
1. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (DS)
Publisher: Take-Two Interactive
Developer: 7 Studios
Even though almost every other platform had a game featuring the
Fantastic Four, I'm picking on the DS version of this game for a lot of
reasons. It's a game that proves any real lack of imagination and
common sense can lead to disastrous results - as well as some lost time
and money for those unlucky enough to have actually bought this.
Just as it's hard to find a game that can be considered "perfect", it's
arguably just as hard to find one that has absolutely no redeeming
qualities of any kind. Well, maybe in the case of this game, its box
could be used as a coaster or door-stopper. It's just so supremely
awful in every way, shape and form. Whether it's the bland platforming
or atrocious overhead missions with the Human Torch, this is an
experience that never fails to disappoint. You could play your own
mini-game by betting on whether or not the buttons you press actually
translate into the right moves onscreen.
If button-mashing were an art, this game might stand a chance, but
since it never will be, it just goes down as brain-dead gameplay. This
game is so bad it doesn't even qualify for a hand-me-down. Picking on a
younger sibling is par for the course, but putting them through this
kind of torture would be cruel and unnecessary punishment. After all,
who would want to pay $30-$40 for a game that displays graphics
unsuitable for even the Game Boy Advance?
The DS may have the Brain Age games to test your mind, but games like
FFRotSS can just as easily test your sanity. Avoid this one like the
plague because you'll see copies of it fester in bargain bins for a
long time to come.
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| Published: Mar.03.2008 @ 7:28 am
| Last edited: Mar.03.2008 @ 9:52 am |
I've been playing Lost Planet now and am at the part where he is fighting "green eye". I have it on the normal setting but after about five hours of trying to defeat the monster I had it! I went back to be beginning in frustration and set it for Easy Mode... I'm going to have to use the cheat codes for unlimited health over at Game Fly. I really like Lost Planet but I don't want the old run around though. Games shouldn't be so damn hard! I've given up on some games that were too hard. I mean I'm not going to spend too much of my life chasing after an imaginary creature! I'm sure if the creature were actually real I'd be dead within 3 seconds!
What's your take. Please Respond.
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And finally how would you like to have this cool banner on your Website or Blog?
Pretty Nifty! Now you can. Here's the code (Click on the Picture above and copy the Code hosted by Googads!), then simply place it into the Html Section of your Blog, Website or anywhere else you go on the Internet. You'll gain great respect and good luck with the Seal of Googads! Join the thousands who have joined Googads!
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