I've been following UTIII as well, although there seemed to be a little controversy brewing on the game when I last checked. The PS3 version allows players to create and distribute their own mods and levels totally free of charge and there are already hundreds of custom levels that can be downloaded and played. With the 360 version, MS is supposedly going to disable custom mods and only allow levels to be sold thru the marketplace. I've been waiting to see what MS finally does before deciding which version to get. Hopefully, Sony's open policy on the game will cause MS to reconsider.
And speaking of older games, I picked up Overlord last week. It's a strategic action game that really encourages you to get in touch with your dark side. You play an evil warrior, recently resurrected, who goes about restoring his castle and generally spreading mayhem. In addition to wiedling weapons and casting spells, you also control minions (think evil gremlins) who possess different attributes. The strategy comes in using the right number and combination of minions for each specific situation and some of the later levels can get quite challenging, especially as the savepoints are really spread out. The game has an art style very reminiscent of Fable and a devious sense of humor.
Sweepy the CatHalifax, West Yorkshire, EnglaPosts: 986MI6 Agent
edited July 2008
My next games
Indiana Jones (Was gonna get this and the LEGO one but I can't afford both, although the LEGO one is an ace game)
The Bourne Conspiracy (When it goes down in price)
Call of Duty 5: World at War (When it is released)
UT3 is a good game. I have it for PC and thus all of the mods that come with the game as well, and it is a blast to play. There arent a ton of people online, but there are just enough to get a bit of action here and there. I mostly play against bots though, and this rarely gets old because there are so many maps that came with the game as well as user made maps. I would get it for the PS3, however, not only because there are mods for it, but also because there is one of Sonys big black boxes sitting in my living room with Metal Gear Solid 4 and Battlefield Bad Company right next to it. Both games are a blast, and I really love the MGS4 story. Sure, there are alot of cutscenes, but the story and the game are a blast to play!
I would get it for the PS3, however, not only because there are mods for it, but also because there is one of Sonys big black boxes sitting in my living room with Metal Gear Solid 4 and Battlefield Bad Company right next to it.
Wait. Am I reading this right? Did you actually go out and ... GASP ... decide to buy a console? Congrats 0064, now you are a man. {:)
I'll definitely HAVE to pick up UTIII for the PS3 now.
I would get it for the PS3, however, not only because there are mods for it, but also because there is one of Sonys big black boxes sitting in my living room with Metal Gear Solid 4 and Battlefield Bad Company right next to it.
Wait. Am I reading this right? Did you actually go out and ... GASP ... decide to buy a console? Congrats 0064, now you are a man. {:)
I'll definitely HAVE to pick up UTIII for the PS3 now.
A-Ha, no, its the families console, so my brother and I both play it and my parents use it a tiny (and i mean tiny) amount for blu-ray movies. As for what I play, Metal Gear Solid 4 is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I am a sucker for games with no stories or really really awesome ones, and MGS4 falls into the latter category. It is amazing, and is quite possibly my favorite game ever, and I have not even had the the chance to go online with it yet!
EDIT: Finished MGS4 this morning, and man was it excellent. Great story and without a doubt the best game I have ever played. His storytelling is so amazing and it was a great ending. I wont ruin it, but it was nice to see all of the characters story lines going off into different directions. Sure, I didnt like some of them, but Kojima is a genious. Tony, but this game for the PS3, you wont regret it.
EDIT: Finished MGS4 this morning, and man was it excellent. Great story and without a doubt the best game I have ever played. His storytelling is so amazing and it was a great ending. I wont ruin it, but it was nice to see all of the characters story lines going off into different directions. Sure, I didnt like some of them, but Kojima is a genious. Tony, but this game for the PS3, you wont regret it.
Sorry 0064, but MGS was never my thing. I never got the appeal of Kojima's convoluted storylines and the games pompous and bombastic characters have always been a big turn-off to me. I also can't say I care for a game where you spend more time passively watching than actually playing.
I did however pick up GTAIV last weekend and have been making slow but steady progress (I can only squeeze in an hour or so a day at most lately). I am liking this one more than past GTA games. It actually has a pretty decent story and you even get to make some moral choices. I also like the improved driving model (especially the GPS) and weapon lock-on system. Its much more playable than past GTA games and not nearly as offensive (at least so far). Definitely looking forward to spending more time with it.
EDIT: Finished MGS4 this morning, and man was it excellent. Great story and without a doubt the best game I have ever played. His storytelling is so amazing and it was a great ending. I wont ruin it, but it was nice to see all of the characters story lines going off into different directions. Sure, I didnt like some of them, but Kojima is a genious. Tony, but this game for the PS3, you wont regret it.
Sorry 0064, but MGS was never my thing. I never got the appeal of Kojima's convoluted storylines and the games pompous and bombastic characters have always been a big turn-off to me. I also can't say I care for a game where you spend more time passively watching than actually playing.
I did however pick up GTAIV last weekend and have been making slow but steady progress (I can only squeeze in an hour or so a day at most lately). I am liking this one more than past GTA games. It actually has a pretty decent story and you even get to make some moral choices. I also like the improved driving model (especially the GPS) and weapon lock-on system. Its much more playable than past GTA games and not nearly as offensive (at least so far). Definitely looking forward to spending more time with it.
Another 360 friend said the same thing about convoluted storylines...they make very good sense, and I havent played 2 of the games. And the cutscenes have been blown way out of proportion. There is a 20 minute cutscene and 3 20 minute mission briefing, all of which can be skipped...really, the Xbox fanboys (not you Tony, I am assuming you arent the source of all rumors on the internet, if you are, color me scared) blew it way out of proportion and failed to recognize that it was a great game (one which, if I may say, got a 10 from both IGN AND Gamespot, a feat which a 360-exclusive game has yet to achieve). I beat MGS3, a classic spy thriller set in the 60s. Totally blew MGS4 out of the water, absolutely awesome. Love playing as Big Boss, and the double and triple agent stories was cool. Having to eat, bandage and scavenge for supplies was also a blast.
In other news, I purchased Mass Effect for the PC, and I am definately enjoying it. I am about a quarter of the way through the game playing as a soldier with a War Hero background. the game is gorgeous, and one where I dont mind not blitzing through the storyline. I cant wait to explore more!
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
Come on 0064, it isn't the 360 fanboys who were hating on MGS's cutscenes. It was all the people who don't like that kind of game.
Me? I love it - the only thing I hate MGS4 for is not being on the 360... yet. :v
Another 360 friend said the same thing about convoluted storylines...they make very good sense, and I havent played 2 of the games. And the cutscenes have been blown way out of proportion.
Interesting, as I read on several sites that the opening cinematic went on for something like one hour. Likewise, the cinematics at the end of the game also went on and on and on.
But cinematics aside, I really don't care for the way the MGS games constantly interrupt the action every few minutes for some exposition, dialog or quick scene. That interrupts the flow for me and I can never get into a rhythm. I know I can skip all those (which is what I did when I tried MGS2) but then the story made even less sense and it painfully shows just how little actual gameplay there was.
I'm glad you enjoyed it, and as Nightshooter says I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a 360 version at some point, but it just isn't my thing.
really, the Xbox fanboys (not you Tony, I am assuming you arent the source of all rumors on the internet, if you are, color me scared) blew it way out of proportion and failed to recognize that it was a great game (one which, if I may say, got a 10 from both IGN AND Gamespot, a feat which a 360-exclusive game has yet to achieve).
Actually more than a few reviews harped on the length of the cutscenes. Konami even tried to regulate what reviewers could and could not talk about and several publications (including EGM) refused to do early reviews because they did not want to be hamstrung in what they wrote.
You also really have to be careful with online reviews (especially the IGN sites and Gamespot). Both sites have received a lot of criticism about sugarcoating game reviews since the publishers of those same games advertise on the sites. You yourself wrote a few pages back about how several Gamespot reviewers either left or were fired because the sites parent companies were afraid that their negative reviews might hurt their advertising sales.
Whenever a high-profile, highly anticipated game like MGS4 premieres, its always the fans of the series who do the first glowing reviews; just look at some of IGN's ridiculously and unrealistically positive Wii reviews. Only over time do you get a more realistic assessment of the game's quality from gamers who aren't hopeless fanboys of that particular title.
In other news, I purchased Mass Effect for the PC, and I am definately enjoying it. I am about a quarter of the way through the game playing as a soldier with a War Hero background. the game is gorgeous, and one where I dont mind not blitzing through the storyline. I cant wait to explore more!
Played Mass Effect on the 360 when it first came out. A really first rate game with a solid, cohesive story that actually makes sense and some very well defined characters. The game really gets better the further you go (the last couple of levels being especially intense) and the only minor letdown for me was that some of the side-missions were a little too generic.
Still, when it comes to storytelling and mixing story with gameplay, Bioware's Mass Effect leaves MGS in the dust as far as I'm concerned. This is supposed to be the first game in a trilogy of adventures. As the first game was a big hit on the 360, I'm sure that we'll be seeing a second installment at some point. And since Bioware is now part of EA, I'm sure it will be released for the PS3 as well.
Come on 0064, it isn't the 360 fanboys who were hating on MGS's cutscenes. It was all the people who don't like that kind of game.
Me? I love it - the only thing I hate MGS4 for is not being on the 360... yet. :v
I know, I had a fanboy moment there, I am a PC kid though, so back to my anti-console harping. And Night, there wont be MGS4 for the 360, Kojima AND Konami confirmed this, it sold well enough on the PS3...though I havent heard a yes or a no for a PC version....:v
Sweepy the CatHalifax, West Yorkshire, EnglaPosts: 986MI6 Agent
I recently played a little bit of 'Battlefield: Bad Company' and it started of quite good. But from then on it went downhill.
I decided to pick up Gears of War again. I'd sold my copy last year but really wanted to try it again before the new game debuts (which is looking better and better by the way). I got the recently released 360 Special Edition which includes all the extra MP maps, themes, gamerpics and other bonuses ( but not the extra levels from the PC version ). I'm not sure if this is a different build or what, but the controls seem more responsive than I remember them. I was able to zip thru most of the first level and even found shooting and throwing bombs accurately to be far easier than I remembered.
I also picked up Call of Duty 3 as it is on sale for $9.90 at amazon.com. In fact, here's a handy little link to an amazon page that lists what 360 games are on sale. There are often some good deals to be found here (Turok 3 for $18.61 is a steal).
AN excellent article (I think) about the troubles the PS3 has and is having competing with the Wii and Xbox. The author speaks highly of Windows Live and mentions that Sony is still having problems with their on-line offering.
AN excellent article (I think) about the troubles the PS3 has and is having competing with the Wii and Xbox. The author speaks highly of Windows Live and mentions that Sony is still having problems with their on-line offering.
Interesting article. I agree with some of what he says; the Cell processor is not optimised for games, the graphics processor is lacking, and the system doesn't have as much memory as developers would like. As a whole it is a bear to develop for; even Sony's first party developers continue to have trouble getting quality games out in a timely fashion.
As far as online goes, Sony is getting better. Like the article says, they're a hardware company and their first baby steps into online software have been faltering (a recent system update to the PS3 bricked a lot of systems). On the other hand, their online interface has improved since the console's debut and they're even starting to offer games and movies for download. They're years behind Microsoft though and in many ways, the PS3 is to the 360 what the original Xbox was to the PS2 - a first stab a new technology that treads on another company's strengths.
I don't agree that physical delivery of content like games and movies is in "steep" decline. The infrastruction for downloading hi-definition games and movies is still not in place and most people can't do those activities in a reasonable amount of time (it takes hours to download a hi-def movie over DSL). I still believe that at the end of the day, when people spend money for a game or a movie, they want something phyically tangible that they can hold, not some amorphous license to download and view a movie.
Sony had a pretty healthy spike in PS3 sales when the Metal Gear Solid debuted but once the fanboys got their hands on it, sales flattened again. While the console itself continues to sell well (it is a very good BluRay player) good games are still woefully rare and infrequent.
Going forward, games like Grand Theft Auto have shown that when it comes to multi-platform software, people still tend to prefer the 360. As a games machine, Sony will live and die by its exclusive content and in that regard it will not be number one again this generation.
My son has been playing Call of Duty on-line alot. Up coming games to be purchased, Madden 08 and Gears of War 2.
I wound up re-purchasing the first Gears of War (actually its the special edition with a bonus disk) in anticipation of part 2 coming out this November.
Lately I've been playing thru Grand Theft Auto IV. It's a fun game and actually has a fairly interesting story behind it. You're required to do some pretty heinous things but it's just a game and the sheer size of the city and the number of places to explore and things to do is pretty impressive. Sometimes its fun just to drive around and see the sights. After about a week and a half of casual playing it continues to hold my attention and I've completed about 35% of the main game so far.
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
edited July 2008
Finished Assassin's Creed today. Actually a pretty cool game. Way too repetitive, but the gameplay is really, really cool. Ubisoft should definitely make a Batman game in the same vein. I can imagine leaping from building to building, cape flapping in the wind, and then using your grappling hook to reach really high places. And even the fighting style is Batman like. Get rid of the sword, and make it all punching, and it makes sense. Batman in the middle of six or seven criminals, dodging their blows and then countering. And if any of them have a gun, running away from them, climbing up a building, and then dropping on their head.
Congrats Night, You're a far more patient man than I; I gave up on Assassin's Creed after making it to the second city as the gameplay got too repetitive for my tastes.
I've gotten about halfway thru GTA4 myself; I've just started a series of missions with Packie and based on what I've read that's right at the midpoint. Haven't been doing too much with the side-missions, although I did boost all of the exotic imports for Brucie and have done a few races. Brucie is probably my favorite character in the game so far - the guy is totally unhinged.
Also picked up a bunch of games - Spiderman: Friend or Foe, Call of Duty 3 and MotoGP 07 for the 360; Unreal Tournament III for the PS3 - as they were all heavily discounted. Still trying to stay focused on GTAIV so those are on the back burner for now.
I finally beat GTA IV last night, although getting thru the last mission was a pain in the rear. I really enjoyed the game (pretty good story and thank God for the in-car GPS system) but was a little let down by the ending, which didn't really seem like a sufficient payoff after all the hours I'd put in. It would have been nice if you were given a bigger safehouse with room for more than two cars (maybe one of the mansions in North Alderny) or some special weapons. Instead you're given a very short, melancholy ending before being dropped back into the game to continue exploring on your own. I've read that the game has a couple of different endings (neither of which is particularly "happy") depending on some choices you make on a mission so I may try the alternate route to see where that takes me. I'll also be curious to see what downloadable content is offered for the Xbox 360 version going forward.
I'll probably be trying Call of Duty 3 or Spiderman: Friend or Foe (both of which I got on the cheap courtesy of amazon.com) next.
I've lately been playing Spiderman:Friend or Foe. The game is pretty straightforward, and the gameplay itself is very repetitive. The only thing that makes the levels a bit more playable is the ability to swap out Spidey's sidekick and explore their unique abilities. The game falls short of the level set by Marvel Ultimate Alliance IMO (which I saw the other day that they release a Gold Edition of MUA with 10 new characters to play with...tempting).
I've lately been playing Spiderman:Friend or Foe. The game is pretty straightforward, and the gameplay itself is very repetitive. The only thing that makes the levels a bit more playable is the ability to swap out Spidey's sidekick and explore their unique abilities. The game falls short of the level set by Marvel Ultimate Alliance IMO (which I saw the other day that they release a Gold Edition of MUA with 10 new characters to play with...tempting).
Friend or Foe was on sale for $20; I thought the demo was good but not particularly memorable. At that price, I figured I'd give it a shot.
As for Marvel Ultimate Alliance, you can also download the characters from Xbox Live into the standard edition of the game as well. You can purchase each character individually or get all of them for 800 points (which works out to be $10).
Activision is also working on a second Ultimate Alliance game and it should be in stores by the holidays. Early screens look very promising, with a higher level of detail, more effects for the characters and the ability to combine heroes' powers for added damage. Here's a preview article with more info and a couple of movies:
I've lately been playing Spiderman:Friend or Foe. The game is pretty straightforward, and the gameplay itself is very repetitive. The only thing that makes the levels a bit more playable is the ability to swap out Spidey's sidekick and explore their unique abilities. The game falls short of the level set by Marvel Ultimate Alliance IMO (which I saw the other day that they release a Gold Edition of MUA with 10 new characters to play with...tempting).
Friend or Foe was on sale for $20; I thought the demo was good but not particularly memorable. At that price, I figured I'd give it a shot.
As for Marvel Ultimate Alliance, you can also download the characters from Xbox Live into the standard edition of the game as well. You can purchase each character individually or get all of them for 800 points (which works out to be $10).
Activision is also working on a second Ultimate Alliance game and it should be in stores by the holidays. Early screens look very promising, with a higher level of detail, more effects for the characters and the ability to combine heroes' powers for added damage. Here's a preview article with more info and a couple of movies:
Thanks for the link! Now I have another game to look forward to...
As far as the character downloads, I never set up an Xbox Live account - for a couple of reasons. The primary reason is that I don't want an ethernet cable stretching from my living room into my den (where my computer and internet connection are) and I don't want to invest the $$$ in setting up a wireless scenario at the moment. The second reason is that I find so little time to do any gaming as it is, what between a full-time job, university classes at night, and keeping Mrs. Hat happy. Paying for the setup and account would simply be a waste...at least until I finish my degree.
Looks like EIDOS is developing a new Batman game centering on Arkham Asylum. Traditionally, Batman video games have been pretty weak but early screenshots to this look promising.
Looks like EIDOS is developing a new Batman game centering on Arkham Asylum. Traditionally, Batman video games have been pretty weak but early screenshots to this look promising.
You have no idea how excited I am for this game. It looks amazing, and incredibly dark. And written by Paul Dini! All they have to do now is get Kevin Conroy to voice Bats and I'll be very happy.
All they have to do now is get Kevin Conroy to voice Bats and I'll be very happy.
It would also help if they make a good game.
Early screens do look promising, but I've been burned by mediocre Batman games too often to get excited just yet.
Interesting also how there was no game tie-in to Dark Knight. I'd read that a game had been in development but was quietly cancelled some time ago. I wonder if the publisher (EA at the time) didn't think sales would be good enough or if the game was simply bad.
After two days of casual play, I've gotten thru about 3/5 of Spiderman: Friend or Foe. Its a pretty easy game and clearly aimed at the younger set (given your youthful hyperactive molecules I think you could probably beat it in one day). Still, the controls are easy to master and you can pull off some pretty impressive moves; although it's a little odd to have a Spiderman game where Spiderman can't climb walls. Still, I like the game because it's Spiderman distilled of all the things I hate: no angst, no relationship issues, no crying and best of all no Aunt May. )
Finished Spiderman: Friend or Foe last night; fun but repetitive; and probably one of the easiest games I've ever played thru. Call of Duty 3 is probably next on the docket for me.
I briefly tried the demo to Too Human last night as well. It's an odd action/RPG hybrid that mixes Norse mythology with science fiction. Graphically its very impressive but the control is a little odd. Instead of using the right stick to look around (as is the case with most games) you use it to slash opponents with a melee weapon and tap the left shoulder button to center your view. It takes a little getting used to and makes moving around harder than it should be. The screens where you manage your inventory and update your stats are also pretty cluttered and somewhat confusing. I'm going to give it another try tonight.
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
I enjoyed Too Human when I played it last night. The constant switching of armor was really cool, although it hindered play progress a lot. I may get it at some point.
I enjoyed Too Human when I played it last night. The constant switching of armor was really cool, although it hindered play progress a lot. I may get it at some point.
I tried it again last night, this time going slow to figure out all the options; the loot collection aspect quickly hooked me in. It's gotten mostly average reviews but the story and combat seemed interesting to me. All said and done, I'll probably get it this weekend.
Now I just have to play the Force Unleashed demo.
Tried that one earlier tonight. My impressions are mixed. I liked the force powers but the game's graphics looked "messy" to me, not crisp and well defined like the Too Human demo. I also never got totally comfortable with the Force Grip controls, especially when I was being shot at by seemingly 20 Stormtroopers. The lightsaber combat is limited too, just mash the X button and the game does the rest; I preferred the lightsaber control in Obi-Wan, which was very similar to how you swing your melee weapon in Too Human.
Overall I liked it but I think they need to put some more work on the visuals and balancing the gameplay.
Comments
And speaking of older games, I picked up Overlord last week. It's a strategic action game that really encourages you to get in touch with your dark side. You play an evil warrior, recently resurrected, who goes about restoring his castle and generally spreading mayhem. In addition to wiedling weapons and casting spells, you also control minions (think evil gremlins) who possess different attributes. The strategy comes in using the right number and combination of minions for each specific situation and some of the later levels can get quite challenging, especially as the savepoints are really spread out. The game has an art style very reminiscent of Fable and a devious sense of humor.
Indiana Jones (Was gonna get this and the LEGO one but I can't afford both, although the LEGO one is an ace game)
The Bourne Conspiracy (When it goes down in price)
Call of Duty 5: World at War (When it is released)
Quantum of Solace
Wait. Am I reading this right? Did you actually go out and ... GASP ... decide to buy a console? Congrats 0064, now you are a man. {:)
I'll definitely HAVE to pick up UTIII for the PS3 now.
A-Ha, no, its the families console, so my brother and I both play it and my parents use it a tiny (and i mean tiny) amount for blu-ray movies. As for what I play, Metal Gear Solid 4 is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I am a sucker for games with no stories or really really awesome ones, and MGS4 falls into the latter category. It is amazing, and is quite possibly my favorite game ever, and I have not even had the the chance to go online with it yet!
EDIT: Finished MGS4 this morning, and man was it excellent. Great story and without a doubt the best game I have ever played. His storytelling is so amazing and it was a great ending. I wont ruin it, but it was nice to see all of the characters story lines going off into different directions. Sure, I didnt like some of them, but Kojima is a genious. Tony, but this game for the PS3, you wont regret it.
Sorry 0064, but MGS was never my thing. I never got the appeal of Kojima's convoluted storylines and the games pompous and bombastic characters have always been a big turn-off to me. I also can't say I care for a game where you spend more time passively watching than actually playing.
I did however pick up GTAIV last weekend and have been making slow but steady progress (I can only squeeze in an hour or so a day at most lately). I am liking this one more than past GTA games. It actually has a pretty decent story and you even get to make some moral choices. I also like the improved driving model (especially the GPS) and weapon lock-on system. Its much more playable than past GTA games and not nearly as offensive (at least so far). Definitely looking forward to spending more time with it.
I'll be asking for usernames as soon as I get Xbox Live so I can whoop some fellow ajb007 members B-).
Anyone fancy some death-matching? Drop me a PM
Another 360 friend said the same thing about convoluted storylines...they make very good sense, and I havent played 2 of the games. And the cutscenes have been blown way out of proportion. There is a 20 minute cutscene and 3 20 minute mission briefing, all of which can be skipped...really, the Xbox fanboys (not you Tony, I am assuming you arent the source of all rumors on the internet, if you are, color me scared) blew it way out of proportion and failed to recognize that it was a great game (one which, if I may say, got a 10 from both IGN AND Gamespot, a feat which a 360-exclusive game has yet to achieve). I beat MGS3, a classic spy thriller set in the 60s. Totally blew MGS4 out of the water, absolutely awesome. Love playing as Big Boss, and the double and triple agent stories was cool. Having to eat, bandage and scavenge for supplies was also a blast.
In other news, I purchased Mass Effect for the PC, and I am definately enjoying it. I am about a quarter of the way through the game playing as a soldier with a War Hero background. the game is gorgeous, and one where I dont mind not blitzing through the storyline. I cant wait to explore more!
Me? I love it - the only thing I hate MGS4 for is not being on the 360... yet. :v
Interesting, as I read on several sites that the opening cinematic went on for something like one hour. Likewise, the cinematics at the end of the game also went on and on and on.
But cinematics aside, I really don't care for the way the MGS games constantly interrupt the action every few minutes for some exposition, dialog or quick scene. That interrupts the flow for me and I can never get into a rhythm. I know I can skip all those (which is what I did when I tried MGS2) but then the story made even less sense and it painfully shows just how little actual gameplay there was.
I'm glad you enjoyed it, and as Nightshooter says I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a 360 version at some point, but it just isn't my thing.
Actually more than a few reviews harped on the length of the cutscenes. Konami even tried to regulate what reviewers could and could not talk about and several publications (including EGM) refused to do early reviews because they did not want to be hamstrung in what they wrote.
You also really have to be careful with online reviews (especially the IGN sites and Gamespot). Both sites have received a lot of criticism about sugarcoating game reviews since the publishers of those same games advertise on the sites. You yourself wrote a few pages back about how several Gamespot reviewers either left or were fired because the sites parent companies were afraid that their negative reviews might hurt their advertising sales.
Whenever a high-profile, highly anticipated game like MGS4 premieres, its always the fans of the series who do the first glowing reviews; just look at some of IGN's ridiculously and unrealistically positive Wii reviews. Only over time do you get a more realistic assessment of the game's quality from gamers who aren't hopeless fanboys of that particular title.
Played Mass Effect on the 360 when it first came out. A really first rate game with a solid, cohesive story that actually makes sense and some very well defined characters. The game really gets better the further you go (the last couple of levels being especially intense) and the only minor letdown for me was that some of the side-missions were a little too generic.
Still, when it comes to storytelling and mixing story with gameplay, Bioware's Mass Effect leaves MGS in the dust as far as I'm concerned. This is supposed to be the first game in a trilogy of adventures. As the first game was a big hit on the 360, I'm sure that we'll be seeing a second installment at some point. And since Bioware is now part of EA, I'm sure it will be released for the PS3 as well.
I know, I had a fanboy moment there, I am a PC kid though, so back to my anti-console harping. And Night, there wont be MGS4 for the 360, Kojima AND Konami confirmed this, it sold well enough on the PS3...though I havent heard a yes or a no for a PC version....:v
I also picked up Call of Duty 3 as it is on sale for $9.90 at amazon.com. In fact, here's a handy little link to an amazon page that lists what 360 games are on sale. There are often some good deals to be found here (Turok 3 for $18.61 is a steal).
http://www.amazon.com/gp/s/bbn%3D409566%26n%3D409566,14220161/ref=vg_nav_deals_xbox360?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=browse&pf_rd_r=05PD4X8QMVVHAPTS3D84&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=415201801&pf_rd_i=409566
Should be here on Thursday ! Then I can play some of you guys on Halo.
come play me at Halo
http://seekingalpha.com/article/86767-is-there-still-hope-for-sony
My son has been playing Call of Duty on-line alot. Up coming games to be purchased, Madden 08 and Gears of War 2.
Interesting article. I agree with some of what he says; the Cell processor is not optimised for games, the graphics processor is lacking, and the system doesn't have as much memory as developers would like. As a whole it is a bear to develop for; even Sony's first party developers continue to have trouble getting quality games out in a timely fashion.
As far as online goes, Sony is getting better. Like the article says, they're a hardware company and their first baby steps into online software have been faltering (a recent system update to the PS3 bricked a lot of systems). On the other hand, their online interface has improved since the console's debut and they're even starting to offer games and movies for download. They're years behind Microsoft though and in many ways, the PS3 is to the 360 what the original Xbox was to the PS2 - a first stab a new technology that treads on another company's strengths.
I don't agree that physical delivery of content like games and movies is in "steep" decline. The infrastruction for downloading hi-definition games and movies is still not in place and most people can't do those activities in a reasonable amount of time (it takes hours to download a hi-def movie over DSL). I still believe that at the end of the day, when people spend money for a game or a movie, they want something phyically tangible that they can hold, not some amorphous license to download and view a movie.
Sony had a pretty healthy spike in PS3 sales when the Metal Gear Solid debuted but once the fanboys got their hands on it, sales flattened again. While the console itself continues to sell well (it is a very good BluRay player) good games are still woefully rare and infrequent.
Going forward, games like Grand Theft Auto have shown that when it comes to multi-platform software, people still tend to prefer the 360. As a games machine, Sony will live and die by its exclusive content and in that regard it will not be number one again this generation.
I wound up re-purchasing the first Gears of War (actually its the special edition with a bonus disk) in anticipation of part 2 coming out this November.
Lately I've been playing thru Grand Theft Auto IV. It's a fun game and actually has a fairly interesting story behind it. You're required to do some pretty heinous things but it's just a game and the sheer size of the city and the number of places to explore and things to do is pretty impressive. Sometimes its fun just to drive around and see the sights. After about a week and a half of casual playing it continues to hold my attention and I've completed about 35% of the main game so far.
I've gotten about halfway thru GTA4 myself; I've just started a series of missions with Packie and based on what I've read that's right at the midpoint. Haven't been doing too much with the side-missions, although I did boost all of the exotic imports for Brucie and have done a few races. Brucie is probably my favorite character in the game so far - the guy is totally unhinged.
Also picked up a bunch of games - Spiderman: Friend or Foe, Call of Duty 3 and MotoGP 07 for the 360; Unreal Tournament III for the PS3 - as they were all heavily discounted. Still trying to stay focused on GTAIV so those are on the back burner for now.
I'll probably be trying Call of Duty 3 or Spiderman: Friend or Foe (both of which I got on the cheap courtesy of amazon.com) next.
Friend or Foe was on sale for $20; I thought the demo was good but not particularly memorable. At that price, I figured I'd give it a shot.
As for Marvel Ultimate Alliance, you can also download the characters from Xbox Live into the standard edition of the game as well. You can purchase each character individually or get all of them for 800 points (which works out to be $10).
Activision is also working on a second Ultimate Alliance game and it should be in stores by the holidays. Early screens look very promising, with a higher level of detail, more effects for the characters and the ability to combine heroes' powers for added damage. Here's a preview article with more info and a couple of movies:
http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/893/893275p1.html
Thanks for the link! Now I have another game to look forward to...
As far as the character downloads, I never set up an Xbox Live account - for a couple of reasons. The primary reason is that I don't want an ethernet cable stretching from my living room into my den (where my computer and internet connection are) and I don't want to invest the $$$ in setting up a wireless scenario at the moment. The second reason is that I find so little time to do any gaming as it is, what between a full-time job, university classes at night, and keeping Mrs. Hat happy. Paying for the setup and account would simply be a waste...at least until I finish my degree.
Here's a link:
http://www.gamersyde.com/news_6951_en.html
You have no idea how excited I am for this game. It looks amazing, and incredibly dark. And written by Paul Dini! All they have to do now is get Kevin Conroy to voice Bats and I'll be very happy.
It would also help if they make a good game.
Early screens do look promising, but I've been burned by mediocre Batman games too often to get excited just yet.
Interesting also how there was no game tie-in to Dark Knight. I'd read that a game had been in development but was quietly cancelled some time ago. I wonder if the publisher (EA at the time) didn't think sales would be good enough or if the game was simply bad.
After two days of casual play, I've gotten thru about 3/5 of Spiderman: Friend or Foe. Its a pretty easy game and clearly aimed at the younger set (given your youthful hyperactive molecules I think you could probably beat it in one day). Still, the controls are easy to master and you can pull off some pretty impressive moves; although it's a little odd to have a Spiderman game where Spiderman can't climb walls. Still, I like the game because it's Spiderman distilled of all the things I hate: no angst, no relationship issues, no crying and best of all no Aunt May.
I briefly tried the demo to Too Human last night as well. It's an odd action/RPG hybrid that mixes Norse mythology with science fiction. Graphically its very impressive but the control is a little odd. Instead of using the right stick to look around (as is the case with most games) you use it to slash opponents with a melee weapon and tap the left shoulder button to center your view. It takes a little getting used to and makes moving around harder than it should be. The screens where you manage your inventory and update your stats are also pretty cluttered and somewhat confusing. I'm going to give it another try tonight.
Now I just have to play the Force Unleashed demo.
I tried it again last night, this time going slow to figure out all the options; the loot collection aspect quickly hooked me in. It's gotten mostly average reviews but the story and combat seemed interesting to me. All said and done, I'll probably get it this weekend.
Tried that one earlier tonight. My impressions are mixed. I liked the force powers but the game's graphics looked "messy" to me, not crisp and well defined like the Too Human demo. I also never got totally comfortable with the Force Grip controls, especially when I was being shot at by seemingly 20 Stormtroopers. The lightsaber combat is limited too, just mash the X button and the game does the rest; I preferred the lightsaber control in Obi-Wan, which was very similar to how you swing your melee weapon in Too Human.
Overall I liked it but I think they need to put some more work on the visuals and balancing the gameplay.