It`s quite funny how I never expected to actually pay for Xbox Live Arcade games when Microsoft first pitched for this, it probably has more to do with the games that were available then as opposed to the wide array of amazing titles now more than anything else. As of now, I own a total of 39 Xbox360 games, 16 of which are Xbox live arcade games ! On avarage, I play more short sittings on a daily basis of an XBLA game, as opposed to a full triple A retail title ! That`s just saying something about the quality of these downloadable games these days who`s roots are deeply in the oldskool.
Just like the Xbox 360 before it, the Playstation 3 also has had a slow start with downloadable games on their playstation network service.
However 2008 saw an increase in great and innovative exclusive titles for the big black monolith as well such as Everyday shooter, Pixeljunk Eden and WipeoutHD amongst titles. Slowly but steadily, my PSN list of downloadable games is also expanding and I don`t see the trend stopping for either console in 2009.
Since I have *WAY* more downloadable games than Brett, I`ll actually make a proper top 5.
#5. Bionic commando: Re-armed, Available on PS3,X360 and PC
Capcom`s re-imagining of their classic NES game is brilliant.
The gameplay is still very hardcore oldksool and as such the high difficulty may keep avarage players at bay, but regardless this is one top-quality production and an excellent action platformer, one of the best !
#4. Braid, available on X360,PS3,PC
Brilliant puzzle platforming game, which seems simple and boring in the first levels or so but ends up becomming a trip of mental self exploration.
It`s hard to describe Braid, you will just need to find out for yourself by playing the demo.
#3. Geometry Wars 2, Available on X360 (Exclusive)
Over the top geometric violence in your face ! THE remake of the classic, re-invited again with six wildely different gameplay modes to conquor and 4 player multiplayer fun finish the package.
#2. Street Fighter 2 Turbo: HD Remix, Available on X360, PS3
This oldskool 2D fighter returns with a flick of new paint, slick re-drawn HD sprites and a killer fan-made soundtrack ! Don`t worry if your flatmates think your uncool playing this 15 year old re-made classic as you can take the fight online, lagfree and complete with tournament modes out of the box. This highly competitive fighting game will keep you coming for more pain.
#1. Wipeout HD, Available on PS3 (Exclusive)
Fast,faster, fastest, too bloody fast ! Wipeout is back, and how. Taking the aestitics from the later installments found exclusivly on the PSP (Pulse and Pure) this new Wipeout features 16 tracks, a lot of cars for each style of player and best of all the best graphics in a downloadable game seen to date. Pulse pounding soundtrack, brutal online gameplay and new ways to manouver your craft. This is *THE* definitive Wipeout game out there.
Games of high note
#Ikaruga - Didnt include my top 5 cause its a straight port of an old ( BUT AWESOME) game so it oesnt really count for a new 2008 game
#Rez HD - Altough beautifully remastered and well worth the money, it`s still not included in my top 5 for the same reason as Ikaruga
#Castle crashers - 4 player co-op violent yet funny side-scrolling oldskool brawling action ! KAPROW !
#Galaga legions - Wonderfull re-imagination, just fell a bit short with the super awesomeness in my top5, would have made my top10 tough !
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
Brett's top 3 Downloadable games of 2008
I don't buy as many download games as retail, so I will only do a top 3. nevertheless 2008 was a good year.
#3: Super Street fighter 2 Turbo HD remix (Xbox 360)
I used to work at a place that had an Original SF II Machine, and played it all the time. My wife and I put in many hours on the SNES version. SF II is deeply engrained in my heart, even though I am not a hardcore player. This is the best version to date.
#2: Bionic Commando Rearmed (Playstation 3)
What an amazing remake. It takes everything great about the NES game and polishes it to perfection. Co-op is great.
#1: Galaga Legions (Xbox 360)
This re-imagining took me completely by surprise. I have never been a big fan of Galaga, Gorf, or any similar archaic pattern shooters, but something about Galaga legions just crawls inside my brain and puts me in my happy place. The presentation is gorgeous, and the game play is varied and easy to get into.
#3: Super Street fighter 2 Turbo HD remix (Xbox 360)
I used to work at a place that had an Original SF II Machine, and played it all the time. My wife and I put in many hours on the SNES version. SF II is deeply engrained in my heart, even though I am not a hardcore player. This is the best version to date.
#2: Bionic Commando Rearmed (Playstation 3)
What an amazing remake. It takes everything great about the NES game and polishes it to perfection. Co-op is great.
#1: Galaga Legions (Xbox 360)
This re-imagining took me completely by surprise. I have never been a big fan of Galaga, Gorf, or any similar archaic pattern shooters, but something about Galaga legions just crawls inside my brain and puts me in my happy place. The presentation is gorgeous, and the game play is varied and easy to get into.
Gwenster`s Top 5 games of 2008
I can`t say that I am already fondly looking back at all the great games that have been released in 2008 simply because I will still be playing the abundance of games that have been released in 2008 well into 2009. With titles such as Fallout3, Mirrors edge, Dead space, Rockband 2 , Far Cry 2 and many more still waiting patiently on my shelf to be played and finished !
Yes, 2008 has been a great year for gaming that saw a dizzying amount of quality
game releases troughout, most notably alot of them concentrated in the November timeframe. Aside from the AAA titles, that everybody knows about years in advance, we`ve also seem quite some surprising entries and new franchises that swooped in from under the radar to deliver a crushing blow to your wallet for having to purchase them. The most notable pair of these kind of titles is arguably Valkyria chronicles on the PS3 and Sins of a solar empire on the PC.
What follows is my own personal top 5 spread across all platforms, and as a disclaimer like Brett`s statement, my list is also purely subjective to my own gaming pleasure and personal taste so by all means dont take this as a definitive.
#5. Dead Space Available on PC,X360,PS3
Dead Space is one of the two major new franchises that EA started this year.
This is a third-person horror/adventure game with the oceasional puzzle elements thrown in, very simular in a way to Resident evil albeit with far superior combat and a creepy atmosphere that can be very tense and haunting at the same time.
Actually now that I think of it, you can best describe this as a very mature Metroid game as it borrows elements from that with the learn new abilities, get new weapons thing and track back for the unlockables you couldnt earlier. The new approach to engrossing you into the world by completly removing any "out of game" HUD`s, indicators and making everything refer to the character your playing is a great idea and adds to the atmosphere even more, fidgetting with your map or what not could actually get you killed for example. All in all, just go play this, with the lights off, and the (surround) sound on !
#4. Saints row 2 Available on X360,PS3
I bought GTA4 when it came out, I played it intensivly for 2 weeks, then dropped it. Why ? it just wasn`t fun anymore as no matter how good the sandbox world around you was constructed the gameplay mechanics were still very archiac. The same annoyances I had in GTA3, I now have 3 installments later (Vice city and San andreas in between offcourse) in GTA4. Namely -no mid mission saves- it can be very bothersome if you happen to die on a silly little whim to start over again at your apartment afterwards. With all your spent ammo gone meaning you have to spend minutes in preperation before going at it again, over and over if it`s a tough mission.
Saints row 2 shows you that the focus on your game shouldn`t be to cram as much things in a city, that work around you. ( who cares about watching TV with your in-game character ?) and focus on fun, sheer fun and lots of ways to have fun.
Sure, Saints Row 2`s activities may not be the most serious of all the things in gameland with spraying shit out of a truck on houses, riding around on fire lighting other things up ?? But it`s just fun, it works and the main storyline is really good.
Not to mention, the in-game co-op, expansive customisation ?
Volition put the fun back in sandbox cities.
#3. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the patriots, available on: PS3 (exclusive)
The fourth installment in the "Solid" series of Metal gear games which is also according to producer Hideo Kojima, the last in which he will directly has his hand involved and the last in which the character Solid Snake will be in. Since obviously, Konami wouldn`t be quick to hang up this cash cow just yet I assume more metal gear titles will submerge to expand the universe, albeit with different characters.
I probably don`t need to go into the gameplay details here as everybody who reads this blog should be aware of what Metal Gear is about and how it plays.
Metal Gear Solid 4 is a great experience if you like cinematic types of games, something that Hideo Kojima knows how to do very well. As such, the typical complaints from most avarage, or hardcore (action) gamers have been that the cutscenes were way too long and etc. etc. Didn`t bother me at all.
It is too bad that Metal Gear Online aspect of the game is too tacked on, I had high hopes for it but in the end the levels were too small, with too many players in them meaning that you ended up being killed by somebody as you spawn ! If the levels were bigger, and the player caps kept realistic it would have been such a better experience. Nevermind the 1 hour signup process for MGO, having to create not one, but 3 seperate new accounts alongside your PSN account is just ridiculous !
Still, this is the best in the series and damn; now I`ve got to show my metal gear to my girlfriend, cause it is very solid.
#2. Sins of a Solar Empire, Available on PC (Exclusive)
Space opera RTS strikes back ! From the small indie creators of Galactic Civilisation (galciv) comes this true gem of strategy gaming. Sins of a Solar Empire boldly goes where no RTS game has gone before, deftly combining the empire-building of 4X strategy games (explore, exploit, expand, exterminate) with the tactical precision of real-time strategy. Despite not being a triple A, well hyped title this game surprisingly was one of the best sold games of 2008 on the PC and got so many awards it`s insane. Just shows you that if you truly have insight as a developer into what makes great gameplay that no matter the genre of your game, it`d appeal to the masses.
#1. Valkyria Chronicles, Available on PS3 (exclusive)
Allright this was a total surprise to me as well. For the Western gamer this game came out of nowhere as this is a Japanese strategy RPG and we all know how those can be. Valkyria Chronicles does it all right from storyline,gameplay to graphics.
It`s single player only, but it shouldn`t hamper you down since the single player game has alot going for it. If the storyline and gameplay alone weren`t enough crack for you to keep on playing, the developers have also put into place that you gradually get new skills, weapons,items and ways to adopt various new strategies or abilities with each new mission, shifting and shaping the style you play with every session is very addictive indeed as it keeps you thinking. I love it !
Noteworthy mentions that didnt make it
Left 4 Dead
+ Great multiplayer experience
+ Very original concept, well tought out.
- Graphics could`ve been way better ..
- Ally AI is so bad that Single player is just not a viable option
- Could have been "more" to it
Gears of War 2
+ Bigger, better, faster,stronger
- More of the same, except it`s bigger,better, faster, stronger I.E should have tried to innovate more.
Mirrors Edge
+ Parkcore baby ! Very innovative new type of platforming gameplay
+ Very cool graphical style
+ Timetrial mode
+ Great soundtrack
- *WAY* too short . .
- Storyline and writing pretty much absent !
Yes, 2008 has been a great year for gaming that saw a dizzying amount of quality
game releases troughout, most notably alot of them concentrated in the November timeframe. Aside from the AAA titles, that everybody knows about years in advance, we`ve also seem quite some surprising entries and new franchises that swooped in from under the radar to deliver a crushing blow to your wallet for having to purchase them. The most notable pair of these kind of titles is arguably Valkyria chronicles on the PS3 and Sins of a solar empire on the PC.
What follows is my own personal top 5 spread across all platforms, and as a disclaimer like Brett`s statement, my list is also purely subjective to my own gaming pleasure and personal taste so by all means dont take this as a definitive.
#5. Dead Space Available on PC,X360,PS3
Dead Space is one of the two major new franchises that EA started this year.
This is a third-person horror/adventure game with the oceasional puzzle elements thrown in, very simular in a way to Resident evil albeit with far superior combat and a creepy atmosphere that can be very tense and haunting at the same time.
Actually now that I think of it, you can best describe this as a very mature Metroid game as it borrows elements from that with the learn new abilities, get new weapons thing and track back for the unlockables you couldnt earlier. The new approach to engrossing you into the world by completly removing any "out of game" HUD`s, indicators and making everything refer to the character your playing is a great idea and adds to the atmosphere even more, fidgetting with your map or what not could actually get you killed for example. All in all, just go play this, with the lights off, and the (surround) sound on !
#4. Saints row 2 Available on X360,PS3
I bought GTA4 when it came out, I played it intensivly for 2 weeks, then dropped it. Why ? it just wasn`t fun anymore as no matter how good the sandbox world around you was constructed the gameplay mechanics were still very archiac. The same annoyances I had in GTA3, I now have 3 installments later (Vice city and San andreas in between offcourse) in GTA4. Namely -no mid mission saves- it can be very bothersome if you happen to die on a silly little whim to start over again at your apartment afterwards. With all your spent ammo gone meaning you have to spend minutes in preperation before going at it again, over and over if it`s a tough mission.
Saints row 2 shows you that the focus on your game shouldn`t be to cram as much things in a city, that work around you. ( who cares about watching TV with your in-game character ?) and focus on fun, sheer fun and lots of ways to have fun.
Sure, Saints Row 2`s activities may not be the most serious of all the things in gameland with spraying shit out of a truck on houses, riding around on fire lighting other things up ?? But it`s just fun, it works and the main storyline is really good.
Not to mention, the in-game co-op, expansive customisation ?
Volition put the fun back in sandbox cities.
#3. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the patriots, available on: PS3 (exclusive)
The fourth installment in the "Solid" series of Metal gear games which is also according to producer Hideo Kojima, the last in which he will directly has his hand involved and the last in which the character Solid Snake will be in. Since obviously, Konami wouldn`t be quick to hang up this cash cow just yet I assume more metal gear titles will submerge to expand the universe, albeit with different characters.
I probably don`t need to go into the gameplay details here as everybody who reads this blog should be aware of what Metal Gear is about and how it plays.
Metal Gear Solid 4 is a great experience if you like cinematic types of games, something that Hideo Kojima knows how to do very well. As such, the typical complaints from most avarage, or hardcore (action) gamers have been that the cutscenes were way too long and etc. etc. Didn`t bother me at all.
It is too bad that Metal Gear Online aspect of the game is too tacked on, I had high hopes for it but in the end the levels were too small, with too many players in them meaning that you ended up being killed by somebody as you spawn ! If the levels were bigger, and the player caps kept realistic it would have been such a better experience. Nevermind the 1 hour signup process for MGO, having to create not one, but 3 seperate new accounts alongside your PSN account is just ridiculous !
Still, this is the best in the series and damn; now I`ve got to show my metal gear to my girlfriend, cause it is very solid.
#2. Sins of a Solar Empire, Available on PC (Exclusive)
Space opera RTS strikes back ! From the small indie creators of Galactic Civilisation (galciv) comes this true gem of strategy gaming. Sins of a Solar Empire boldly goes where no RTS game has gone before, deftly combining the empire-building of 4X strategy games (explore, exploit, expand, exterminate) with the tactical precision of real-time strategy. Despite not being a triple A, well hyped title this game surprisingly was one of the best sold games of 2008 on the PC and got so many awards it`s insane. Just shows you that if you truly have insight as a developer into what makes great gameplay that no matter the genre of your game, it`d appeal to the masses.
#1. Valkyria Chronicles, Available on PS3 (exclusive)
Allright this was a total surprise to me as well. For the Western gamer this game came out of nowhere as this is a Japanese strategy RPG and we all know how those can be. Valkyria Chronicles does it all right from storyline,gameplay to graphics.
It`s single player only, but it shouldn`t hamper you down since the single player game has alot going for it. If the storyline and gameplay alone weren`t enough crack for you to keep on playing, the developers have also put into place that you gradually get new skills, weapons,items and ways to adopt various new strategies or abilities with each new mission, shifting and shaping the style you play with every session is very addictive indeed as it keeps you thinking. I love it !
Noteworthy mentions that didnt make it
Left 4 Dead
+ Great multiplayer experience
+ Very original concept, well tought out.
- Graphics could`ve been way better ..
- Ally AI is so bad that Single player is just not a viable option
- Could have been "more" to it
Gears of War 2
+ Bigger, better, faster,stronger
- More of the same, except it`s bigger,better, faster, stronger I.E should have tried to innovate more.
Mirrors Edge
+ Parkcore baby ! Very innovative new type of platforming gameplay
+ Very cool graphical style
+ Timetrial mode
+ Great soundtrack
- *WAY* too short . .
- Storyline and writing pretty much absent !
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Brett's Top 5 games of 2008
This has been one of the most amazing years ever for video games. The sheer amount of great games coming out just in this quarter is staggering. It is impossible for any normal person to be able to play them all. Here are my personal picks for the best games of 2008 based on what I have played. This list is totally subjective and based strictly on what I enjoyed the most.
#5: Resistance 2 (Playstation 3)
Having enjoyed the original Resistance Fall of Man I expected to enjoy Resistance 2, what I never would have guessed in a million years was that I enjoyed it more than Gears of War 2 which it pushed right out of my top 5! R2 is a gorgeous game, which features an enjoyable single player campaign as well as a very robust selection of online modes. In a lot of ways it feels like a Sci-fi version of COD 4 which means I see myself playing R2 online for months to come.
I really liked the original Saints Row, it was a bit rough around the edges, but could definitely hang with GTA San Andreas, actually being the first Open world game to have enjoyable combat. Saints Row 2 however totally blew me away. It just took everything that was good about the original and turned the volume up to 11. In my opinion SR 2 is a better game than GTA 4 for the simple reason that it has far better Game play than GTA 4. GTA 4 was a high concept looking for a game, and the thing that got sacrificed in the process was FUN... and one thing that Saints Row 2 definitely is is fun.
#2: Fallout 3 (Xbox 360)
My Review of this game pretty much says it all. 70 hours of gaming pleasure with plenty of stuff left to see when I replay it (which I will quite soon) Not to mention substantial Downloadable content just over the Horizon. Fallout 3 is a must buy.
#1: Valkyria Chronicles (Playstation 3)
If someone had told me a year ago that my game of the year would be a Japanese RPG I'd have told them they were insane. I quit playing that genre seriously with the Sega Saturn. The simple fact is that Valkyria chronicles is the single most pure gaming experience that I have had in years. It just does everything right, from the story, to the presentation, to the delicious gameplay. I cannot Overstate what a joy this game is to play, and what a breath of fresh air it is in the most stale genre of console game that there is. Anyone who has a PS3 should get this game.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Gears of War 2 (Xbox 360)
Bigger and badder with some nice refinements but still fundamentally the same game. Shitty vehicle parts really annoyed me. Horde mode is awesome!
Left 4 Dead: (Xbox 360)
A total blast to play with friends, just wish the graphics were better.
Farcry 2 (Xbox 360)
Great visuals, extremely immersive. Innovative mix of FPS and open world. Having Malaria sucks. Not far enough in to judge much more than that.
#5: Resistance 2 (Playstation 3)
Having enjoyed the original Resistance Fall of Man I expected to enjoy Resistance 2, what I never would have guessed in a million years was that I enjoyed it more than Gears of War 2 which it pushed right out of my top 5! R2 is a gorgeous game, which features an enjoyable single player campaign as well as a very robust selection of online modes. In a lot of ways it feels like a Sci-fi version of COD 4 which means I see myself playing R2 online for months to come.
#4: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (Playstation 3)
I had only dabbled in previous MGS games. I liked the atmosphere and story, but the actual game mechanics always made me eventually quit. With the latest installment Konami westernized the control scheme getting rid of the clunky 32 bit legacy. I beat MGS 4 and loved every minute of it. The extremely long cut scenes, bizarre Japanese sense of humor and melodrama, aren't everybody's cup of tea, but for my money this game is a Masterpiece.
#3: Saints Row 2 (Xbox 360)I really liked the original Saints Row, it was a bit rough around the edges, but could definitely hang with GTA San Andreas, actually being the first Open world game to have enjoyable combat. Saints Row 2 however totally blew me away. It just took everything that was good about the original and turned the volume up to 11. In my opinion SR 2 is a better game than GTA 4 for the simple reason that it has far better Game play than GTA 4. GTA 4 was a high concept looking for a game, and the thing that got sacrificed in the process was FUN... and one thing that Saints Row 2 definitely is is fun.
#2: Fallout 3 (Xbox 360)
My Review of this game pretty much says it all. 70 hours of gaming pleasure with plenty of stuff left to see when I replay it (which I will quite soon) Not to mention substantial Downloadable content just over the Horizon. Fallout 3 is a must buy.
#1: Valkyria Chronicles (Playstation 3)
If someone had told me a year ago that my game of the year would be a Japanese RPG I'd have told them they were insane. I quit playing that genre seriously with the Sega Saturn. The simple fact is that Valkyria chronicles is the single most pure gaming experience that I have had in years. It just does everything right, from the story, to the presentation, to the delicious gameplay. I cannot Overstate what a joy this game is to play, and what a breath of fresh air it is in the most stale genre of console game that there is. Anyone who has a PS3 should get this game.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Gears of War 2 (Xbox 360)
Bigger and badder with some nice refinements but still fundamentally the same game. Shitty vehicle parts really annoyed me. Horde mode is awesome!
Left 4 Dead: (Xbox 360)
A total blast to play with friends, just wish the graphics were better.
Farcry 2 (Xbox 360)
Great visuals, extremely immersive. Innovative mix of FPS and open world. Having Malaria sucks. Not far enough in to judge much more than that.
Friday, December 26, 2008
The mystery behind Valkyria Chronicles
Originally having been brought to the blog`s attention by Brett in THIS mini-review it has since been two or three weeks since we`ve both gotten our hands on the game.
I`m writing this after reading something rather disturbing about what is one of my top three games of 2008, namely:
" Sega revealed that only 33,000 copies of Valkyria Chronicles for PS3 were sold in North America during the month of November, it seems the game has been largely ignored by American gamers. "
Now that`s just sad, I`m now two weeks into "VC" and really enjoying this game. I even picked up Resistance 2 and Little Big planet and Wipeout HD during the time I`ve had "VC" and all I`m doing on my PS3 is playing "VC"
Not only does the game get deeper as you progress so does the bonds between the characters in your squad. There was one particular bit where I downright turned angry at an event which made me realize just how much the story writing will make you care for your squad members. Probably halfway in the game, I`m still getting new types of weapons, strategies and items or gameplay elements that keep on changing the game every mission you progress. It`s very addictive, the creators have nailed it.
I know that console gamers generally arent big buffs as far as any sort of strategic game is concerned. With Sins of a Solar empire being the biggest selling RTS this year,but on the PC Platform. On the other hand turn-based strategy games such as Final Fantasy:Tactics, Advance wars sell like mad on handheld devices, which indicates that Western people do like these sort of games, so why not "VC" ? Is it cause it`s on the PS3 and people are automatically biased about it since if it`s on the PS3 it`s inherantly bad or worse than a game on the Wii or Xbox 360 ? Or is the crowd for home consoles just different to the crowd that has handhelds ?
One can`t say for sure, since these days most gamers do own multiple consoles be it handheld or home.
All I can really say in the end, is that alot of people are missing out a great game, and it doesn`t seem likely that publishers will take more risks bringing these types of games over from the land of the rising sun; a shame for the future of gamers who do enjoy these sorts of games .
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
GAME REVIEW: Street Fighter 2 Turbo : HD Remix
For those that know me, I have been saying this over and over for the past 1 1/2 year that Capcom is doing extremely good business in the next-gen market. Releasing excellent sequels to their existing franchises, but also being just about the only developer out there that can take their decade old franchises, and completly restart them by bringing out a remake or shake a new megaman game out of their pockets. The latest offering from Capcom in their line of online distributed games is Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo: HD Remix (SF2THD)
Regardless if your a hardocre gamer or not, you will have heard of Capcom`s Street Fighter series, being hailed as one of the best fighter series known to man where you would either spend a large amount of your allowance on the arcade cabinets or if you were rich and lucky enough, owned the cartridge on the Super Nintendo back in the day.With SF2THD, Capcom aims to bring back those old days. The game remains based on 2D sprites as the original, but now the sprites have beencompletly redrawn so they wont look bad on modern HDTV`s and let me tell you it looks absolutly beautiful.
I wont go into depth into the gameplay, as it`s Street Fighter come on what else do I need to tell you about the gameplay ? What I will tell you about tough, is just how great this game runs in multiplayer.Got a bunch of friends and you want to see who`s best ? Not a problem with the built in tournament mode! Players who wait for their match can talk amongst themselves and observe the match. What`s even more miraculous is that the online gameplay is completly lag-free! If your not up for a full-blown tourney, than that`s o.k since you can just play versus another friend, or if your not a social gamer with nobody in your friends list you can always just simply take the fight online against a random opponent trough matchmaking, ranked and un-ranked !
Should you feel particularly nostalgic, there is always the option to play the game using it`s original sprites and hitboxes. All in all, for fans of the series, or people that just love old-skool fighting games be sure to grab this for either Xbox 360 or Playstation 3, for sale on their respective networks for around 15$ or 1200 MS points which for a game this polished, is a complete steal.
If there is one thing I have to complain about, it`s got to be the Xbox 360 D-PAD or lack thereoff. Originally I was hellbent on getting this game on the Playstation 3 due to it`s superior D-PAD however the PS3 version hasn`t hit PSN in Europe yet due to some strange localisation process Sony is blaming it on. Due to peer pressure however, and realising that I had 10 times as many friends to play with on the X360 ver as compared to the PS3, I went with the Xbox 360 version. And there we go, I can barely pull off a dragonpunch when I want to on the 360`s pad. It`s realy horrible, as it`s not even an actual D-PAD, I mean look at it ! It`s a circle that serves as a pedestal for a D-PAD that looks "mashed in" It may be bearable for DOA since most the attack combinations just feature pressing either direction, but for something as precise as Street Fighter it just doesnt cut it.
Fortunatly, Hori makes some great affordable arcade sticks for the Xbox 360. Capcom will be releasing their own SF4 arcade perfect arcade sticks as soon as SF4 ships on the next-gen consoles and personally I am waiting for these SF4 sticks - having already had the privilage to play on an actual SF4 arcade cabinet in Japan They really do feel great and have a better action button layout compared to the HORI`s.
In closing, I personally wouldn`t care if all Capcom would do now is make game re-makes, or re-imaginations or hell even sequels of old games like Megaman cause they are just so damn good at doing it.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Monday, December 22, 2008
COMIC REVIEW: Legion of Super-Heroes vol 1
Wow. I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked this up at the library. I was familiar with the original Legion of super-heroes from their appearances in 50s Superman comics, but have not read either of the subsequent reboots. Lately I have been becoming more and more a fan of DC comics from this decade. In those books, I find myself more drawn to second and third tier characters than "The big 3" of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, because writers have to work harder to make interesting stories with them. 2005's Legion of Super Heroes: Teenage Revolution is no exception, in fact, it's one of the best books I've read in quite some time.
I've always been a sucker for subversive tales of idealistic youth standing up against a repressive society. This book evokes the same kind of atmosphere as JK Rowling's Harry Potter series does in that respect. One could certainly hear the legion's motto of "Eat it Granpa!" coming out of one of her characters mouths. The revamped legionaires are nicely fleshed out and made modern, while still retaining a charming degree of innocence. The art work looks great with plenty of eye candy to go around.
The interpersonal dynamics feel more like a classic Marvel book, like Clairmont era X-men than a DC book, though thankfully without a large amount of classic Marvel angst. I think anyone who likes Super hero teams and subversive themes should check this out.
I've always been a sucker for subversive tales of idealistic youth standing up against a repressive society. This book evokes the same kind of atmosphere as JK Rowling's Harry Potter series does in that respect. One could certainly hear the legion's motto of "Eat it Granpa!" coming out of one of her characters mouths. The revamped legionaires are nicely fleshed out and made modern, while still retaining a charming degree of innocence. The art work looks great with plenty of eye candy to go around.
The interpersonal dynamics feel more like a classic Marvel book, like Clairmont era X-men than a DC book, though thankfully without a large amount of classic Marvel angst. I think anyone who likes Super hero teams and subversive themes should check this out.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
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