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Entries in videogames (4)

Wednesday
Nov112009

XBOX 360 Console Bans

DateWednesday, November 11, 2009 at 3:45PM

Major Nelson, Microsoft's XBOX game advocate, has reported on his blog that XBOX Live has begun aggressively enforcing bans against users with modded consoles.  The mods, of course, allow the use of bootlegged game discs. This bootlegging is bad for publishers on Microsoft's console, and hence bad for Microsoft. This doesn't represent a change in official Microsoft policy, just that enforcement has been stepped up.

[On a side note, this is one of the key reasons that Sony wanted Blu-ray in their latest console. Bootlegging PlayStation 2 discs was as easy as pie, and Sony didn't want to get burned again this time around. By putting games on Blu-ray, they get better encryption, images too big to transfer easily online, and discs that most of us still don't have the equipment to copy. Sorry to those of you who think otherwise, but it has little or no impact on graphical quality in games...not sure who started that myth.]

Of course this happens a couple months after I got my XBOX 360 modded. Of all the consoles I have owned, the 360 is the only one that has ever been modded. Why? Because after about 38 months of ownership and very delicate use, my XBOX 360 contracted the dreaded red ring of death (RROD) and stopped working. Microsoft informed me that I was just outside my warranty and told me that it would cost me $100 or so to get it fixed.

I didn't want to spend that much to get a three-year-old console fixed when I could get a newer one with more features for about $200. So I went to Craigslist and looked for a used system to buy. I was ready to pull the trigger when I came across an ad from someone who offered to repair the console for $50. Long story short, I take my console to this kid's house with $50, and two hours later he handed me my working console complete with mods. I never missed a day of gaming while waiting for the repairs to be done.

To be honest, I haven't made much use of the modding. I have maybe six bootleg games with dozens of legitimate games 360 in my library. To be sure, if I like a game or album or movie, I'm gonna buy it. But Microsoft refusing to continue supporting its early adopters after they bought a console with known defects is ridiculous. I jumped on board the XBOX 360 bandwagon long before most people, and my reward is that I paid more for a louder console with no HDMI port and a predictable hardware defect. Oh, and now I might get banned from XBOX Live. Thanks, Microsoft.

AuthorChip Morton | Comment1 Comment |
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Friday
Nov062009

Reindeer Games

DateFriday, November 6, 2009 at 11:35AM

With significant price drops for all three home consoles over the past month, videogames are back on the radar for many holiday shoppers.  And with new consoles come new games, always a challenge for anybody looking for the perfect gift for the gamer in her life.  I just wanted to give mention to some of the best games available for the various consoles and PC that have been released this year.  This is far from a comprehensive list, but it just points out a few of the notable titles that most gamers would be happy to see under the tree.

Try not to break the bank buying all these great games.  I assume no responsibility for any impact and your wallet as a result of using this information.  These are in no particular order.

This list will be updated as new information comes to my attention, so check back often.  I have drawn this from lists I've seen and my own recollection, so it's bound to be pretty shoddy.  If you have any additions or corrections, please let me know.  Thanks.

Multiplatform Games (games available for more than one system)

  • Batman Arkham Asylum (X360, PS3, PC) - Fight through the insane inmates of Arkham Asylum to stop the Joker's nefarious plot. This has been called the greatest superhero video game of all time.
  • Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (DS, PSP) - This excellent debut of the GTA universe on the DS gets even better in its recent port to the PSP. Despite a new isometric presentation, everything you love about GTA is present in iteration.
  • Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (X360, PS3, PC) - The fourth release of this series established it as an elite hall-of-fame property, and this sixth release coming November 10th looks to continue that great tradition.  At the same time, Wii gamers will get Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Reflex while DS gamers get Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized.  Those will be set in the same universe, but look for the most thrilling CoD action to be on the XBOX 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. 
  • DJ Hero (X360, PS3, Wii, PS2) - Hip-hop fans finally get a "Hero" game to live out their turntable fantasies.  Use the included turntable to create mixes and mashups of famous rappers and DJs.
  • Tekken 6 (X360, PS3, PSP) -  The famous fighting franchise gets the high-def treatment. The PSP version will arrive on November 24th.
  • Borderlands (X360, PS3, PC) - It's like an RPG and a first-person shooter had a baby.  Great four-player, co-operative online play.
  • Brutal Legend (X360, PS3) - A masterful roadie becomes the chosen one in a universe of Rock characters and themes.
  • Red Faction: Guerrilla (X360, PS3, PC) - An FPS notable for its completely destructible structures in all levels. Don't chase someone into a building...destroy it and flush them out.
  • Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising (X360, PS3, PC) - Not your typical run-and-gun shooter, OF:DR emphasizes tense, realistic gameplay with a fictitious conflict in a modern setting.
  • Resident Evil 5 (X360, PS3, PC) - The high-definition debut of the long-running survival horror franchise takes you to Africa and introduces co-op play.  Wii gamers will get Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles (see Wii section) in November.
  • Need for Speed: Shift (X360, PS3, PSP, PC) - NfS goes into simulation territory to compete with the likes of Sony's Gran Turismo and Microsoft's Forza Motorsport.  Wii owners will get Need for Speed: Nitro.
  • Wet (X360, PS3) - A stylish, action-packed shooter featuring heroine Rubi Malone with a 70s-themed presentation.
  • Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 (X360, PS3, Wii, PSP, DS, PS2) - This sequel is set during the events of Marvel's Civil War and features character fusion as part of the gameplay, and it's on every currently sold console to boot.
  • Section 8 (X360, PC) - An FPS with dynamic objectives that create varied gameplay.
  • Guitar Hero 5 (X360, PS3, Wii, PS2) - Keep rocking out with your virtual band in an all new "party play" mode that's great for get-togethers.
  • The Beatles: Rock Band (X360, PS3, Wii) - This version of Rock Band features classic hits from the Fab Four.
  • Lego Rock Band (X360, PS3, Wii, DS) - It's Rock Band with Lego characters, really. Should be more accessible for those who aren't die-hard rockers and younger audiences.
  • DiRT 2 (X360, PS3, Wii, PC, PSP, DS) - An off-road racing simulation with a career mode and online multiplayer options.
  • BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger (X360, PS3) - A 2D fighting game.  Hard to find in stores.
  • Street Fighter IV (X360, PS3, PC) - The venerable fighting saga returns after a ten-year hiatus with 3D characters and a new fighting system. Plenty of copies sold should make this easy to find used and cheap with Super Street Fighter IV on the horizon for 2010.
  • The Bigs 2 (X360, PS3, Wii, PS2, PSP, DS) - Arcade-style baseball game with lots of flasy "supermoves."
  • Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood (X360, PS3, PC) - This FPS is a prequel to Call of Juarez and takes place during the Civil War era.
  • Fight Night Round 4 (X360, PS3) - The definitive boxing simulation gets new moves and physics.
  • Ghostbusters The Video Game (X360, PS3, Wii, PC, PS2, PSP, DS) - The classic '80s movie hit gets the videogame treatment for a new generation.
  • Prototype (X360, PS3, PC) - A violent sandbox game featuring a shapeshifting protagonist in NYC.
  • Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition (X360, PS3, PC) - The game was released in 2008, but this re-packaging includes all five downloadable add-on packs which give this all new value.
  • NBA 2K10 (X360, PS3, PC) - One of the two big NBA basketball sims on the market, NBA 2K10 looks to match the success of last year's game.
  • Dragon Ball (X360, PS3) - This 3D fighting game set in the DB universe will have dozens of playable characters.  Recommended only for true fans of the series.  Coming November 10th.  DS gamers will get Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans (see DS section).
  • Dragon Age: Origins (X360, PS3, PC) - This not-yet-released RPG has generated a lot of buzz in the gaming world. Releases on November 3rd.
  • Left 4 Dead 2 (X360, PC) - Another FPS that has you and a band of three comrades fighting off hordes of zombies.  The first featured great multiplayer.  The sequel comes out on November 17th.
  • Assassin's Creed II (X360, PS3, PC) - Alastair returns with an all-new adventure.  Though the PC version won't come out until next year, the console versions will be out on November 20th.  PSP gamers will get Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines on November 17th (see PSP section).
  • Planet 51 (X360, PS3, Wii, DS) - A game based on the animated movie that features a human "invading" (read, landing on) an alien planet.
  • METRO 2033 (X360, PC) - Unsure if this will be released in 2009, but this will be a futuristic survival-horror FPS.
  • Rogue Warrior (X360, PS3, PC) - Play as an elite agent tasked with inflitrating North Korea to stop a weapons program in this stealth shooter.
  • Hitman 5 (X360, PS3, PC) - Seriously doubtful that this will show up in 2009, but the Hitman franchise is pretty engaging, so this had to make the list.
  • Madden NFL 10 (X360, PS3, Wii, PSP, PS2) - Always one of the best-selling games of any calendar year, the Madden franchise is a must-have for any fan of the sport.

XBOX 360 Exclusives

  • Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony (X360) - This is the latest expansion to Grand Theft Auto IV available only on the XBOX 360.  Rockstar's expansions are so meaty that they surpass many stand-alone games in terms of content.  This expansion requires GTA4, but you can also get Episodes from Liberty City, which includes The Ballad of Gay Tony along with the previously released expansion pack The Lost and The Damned on one disc and which doesn't require GTA4 to play.
  • Forza MotorSport 3 (X360) - This is a realistic racing simulator featuring hundreds of cars and beautiful graphics. It is Microsoft's response to Sony's Gran Turismo series on the PlayStation.  The competition has only made both games better.
  • Halo 3: ODST (X360) - Play as an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper in this latest installment in the venerable Halo franchise.

 

PlayStation 3 Exclusives

  • inFamous (PS3) - An excellent adventure game involving a citywide catastrophe that grants certain individuals superhero-like powers.  The protagonist controls electricity and must make moral decisions about whether to use his abilities for good or evil.
  • Killzone 2 (PS3) - A squad-based FPS featuring a war between the Terrans and the Helghast. Great graphics and online play.
  • Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3) - One of the best action-adventure games ever, this is what Tomb Raider might have become if it had been managed properly. Follow adventurer Nathan Drake around the globe as he hunts down mysterious artifacts.
  • Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time (PS3) - One of the best (and longest-running) 3D platformers returns with lots of zany characters and even zanier weapons.
  • Katamari Forever (PS3) - The matter-rolling Prince makes his HD debut on the PlayStation 3.
  • Fat Princess (PS3) - The downloadable game is best played with friends. Try to capture the other team's princess while fattening up (defending) your own.
  • God of War Collection (PS3) - The first two GoW games get the high-def treatment. This should hold you over until God of War III drops some time next year.

 

Wii Exclusives

  • Wii Fit Plus (Wii) - The fitness game returns with some new exercises and modes. Only $20 for those who already own the balance board.
  • Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (DS) - Battle your way out of Bowser's belly in this real-time RPG.
  • Dead Space Extraction (Wii) - This is a prequel to the hit Dead Space game that appeared on the X360, PS3, and PC.
  • MySims Agents (Wii) - Become a crime-solving sleuth in the MySims universe.
  • Wii Sports Resort (Wii) - A new set of sports games in a tropical setting. Comes with the MotionPlus add-on for the Wii remote.
  • Rabbids Go Home (Wii) - A new adventure for the Rabbids sans Rayman as they make their way back home to the moon.
  • New Super Mario Brothers Wii (Wii) - This iteration of the Mario Brothers franchise is a 2D platformer that allows up to four players to compete on the screen at one time. Players can work co-operatively to solve puzzles.
  • Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Reflex (Wii) - For Wii gamers looking for a Call of Duty fix, this game uses the Wii's motion controls for immersion in the firefight.
  • Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles (Wii) - This game is a sequel to the hit Wii game Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles.  It offers light-gun-style gameplay using the Wii remote. Releases November 17th.

 

Nintendo DS Exclusives

  • Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (DS) - Continue the Kingdom Hearts saga by playing as Roxas, Sora's "nobody," as you try to discover your identity.
  • Scribblenauts (DS) - Solve puzzles and navigate levels by literally writing the name of the object you wish to appear on the screen. Hundreds of objects to choose from.
  • Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized (DS) - Call of Duty returns to the DS.  Expect more of the action of the first two CoD games on the DS.

 

PSP Exclusives

  • Dissidia: Final Fantasy (PSP) - A fighting game and RPG hybrid featuring characters from across the Final Fantasy universe.
  • Beaterator (PSP) - A music mixer with some rhythm minigames brought to you by Rockstar Games and Timbaland.
  • Gran Turismo (PSP) - Sony's premier racing simulation finally makes it on to the PSP after years of promises and false starts.
  • Half-Minute Hero (PSP) - An RPG with a tounge-in-cheek 8-bit presentation and quests that must be completed in 30 seconds.
  • Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier (PSP, PS2) - The first appearance of the duo (and not just Daxter) on the PSP, J&D is among the best platformers from the PS2 generation. Releases on November 3rd.
  • LittleBIGPlanet (PSP) - The quirky physics-based 2D platformer with realistic 3D graphics moves to the PSP this fall. Not technically an exclusive, the PS3 version was so charming that this one has to be watched. Coming November 17th.
  • SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 3 (PSP) - Third PSP installment in the realistic warfare simulation. Has local and online multiplayer. Release date unknown.
  • MotorStorm Arctic Edge (PSP, PS2) - Sony's dirty, arcade-style, offroad racer trickles down from the PS3 to the PSP and PS2 with less intense graphics and fewer drivers and tracks.
  • Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep (PSP) - A new chapter in the Kingdom Hearts saga where three characters search out a Keyblade
  • SoulCalibur: Broken Destiny (PSP) - The classic fighting game featuring close-range weapons and deadly hand-to-hand combat arrives on the portable console.

 

PC Exclusives

  • The Sims 3 World Adventures (PC) - The first expansion pack for The Sims 3, this globetrotting add-on will be a must-have for Sims nuts.
  • Tropico 3 (PC, X360?) - Real-time strategy game casting you as a dictator over a small Carribbean island. May be coming to the X360.
  • The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition (PC) - This remake of the classic adventure game from 1990 gets updated with high-res graphics, voice acting, and a new musical score.

 

 

AuthorChip Morton | CommentPost a Comment |
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Monday
Nov022009

Profits Down at House of Mario

DateMonday, November 2, 2009 at 8:12AM

Nintendo's MarioSony continues to lose money in it's entertainment division on sales of the PlayStation 3. And Nintendo continues to turn a profit on sales of the Wii. Then why are investors driving Nintendo's stock down and Sony's stock up? It's because they don't like the direction that they're seeing Nintendo heading. Year-over-year profits at Nintendo are down almost 50% for the first half of 2009.  Wii sales continue to slow, and even a recent $50 price cut hasn't seemed to spur additional sales of the console, worrisome news as we head into the holiday season when most sales are made.

Many critics have long dismissed the Wii as a fad.  They said that it's gimmicky motion controls couldn't stand up in the face of the supercomputer-like power available from the XBOX 360 and PlayStation 3. But even though the motion control is a gimmick, it's a pretty darn good one, opening the console up to some styles of play that are nearly impossible with a traditional controller. Nintendo's problems selling consoles stem from other factors.

First, the casual gamers drawn so heavily to the system have stayed casual. Many of them played the Wii Sports collection that was included with the console in the US, but once they had their fill of that game, they stopped playing. Those gamers either didn't know that they were supposed to go out and purchase more games for the system and keep playing, or they couldn't be bothered to expend that effort. The game store is out of the way for most casuals; their likelihood of going to the store and dropping $50 on a new game every few months is slim to none.

Second, everybody has one. The people who wanted a Wii, from casual first-timers to N64 veterans, probably already have one.  To Nintendo's credit, they sold a lot of consoles. But that has nearly saturated the market, making it hard to find households into which Nintendo can introduce new consoles. It has also created a glut of systems that are no longer being used, thus creating a robust second-hand market. Those in search of a Wii can often look to get a cheap used system or even find someone giving one away. I've heard of a few adults who bequeathed their Wiis to a younger cousin or newphew for no money at all. Those exchanges represent sales that Nintendo doesn't make.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, are the games or the lack thereof. While the XBOX has exclusive franchises like Gears of War and Left 4 Dead, and the PlayStation has Metal Gear Solid and Uncharted, the Wii has exclusive titles like Imagine Babysitters and Carnival Games. Even a gaming n00b isn't going to be fooled into buying this shovelware from companies that hoped to cash in quickly with a shoddy motion-controlled game for masses. And yet these games fill the shelves of the Wii section in most stores.

Sure, Nintendo has made some killer games for the Wii, including Super Mario Galaxy and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. And New Super Mario Brothers Wii looks poised to be another Shigeru Miyamoto hit when it arrives this fall. But Nintendo's dominance on Nintendo systems tends to be part of the problem. Third party developers have a hard time finding traction on the console with their mature titles. And even though the Wii is easier and cheaper to develop an original game for, it is probably more difficult to port a game to it. The high-definition resources from the 360/PS3/PC have to be scaled down for the Wii. And the lack of computational horsepower means that it's often better to create a game from scratch than to try and port. This leads to good games that suffer poor sales, like Dead Space Extraction or Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop.

Game consoles can be lots of things, but first and foremost, they are game consoles. That means it all boils down to the games. And Nintendo just doesn't have 'em the way its rivals do. I suspect that Nintendo is already eyeing the leap to the next generation of hardware, which some have rumored could be out as early as 2011. That's unsubstantiated at this point, but it's reasonable to think that with the cheapest and least powerful hardware of this generation, the Wii would be the easiest to break away from in the near future. But if Nintendo doesn't want to continue on this path of waning interest in its systems, it has to give all those gamers it attracted with it's easy-to-control games a reason to keep playing.

AuthorChip Morton | CommentPost a Comment |
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