General gaming news

[Tajin]

Edit: Also I probably missed the link/posts, did anybody made a comment on the Kotaku video where Kojima mentions MGS4 is "incomplete"/not good enough?

http://kotaku.com/381412/kojima-disa...l-gear-solid-4

I doubt it's anything to worry about though.

Thanks, and nah I'm not worried, he said the same thing for MGS2, something about the PS2 not being able to render like 30 effects at the same time.

[Jefe]

Kojima is a visionary who will always have technological restraints to express his ideas to its maximum. The man is a perfectionist who is always trying to go beyond the simplistic run-of-the-mill "games," and turns it into a cinematic experience. He is the best game designer in the gaming industry, and I can't wait to get my hands on MGS4.

[Tajin]

Kojima is a visionary who will always have technological restraints to express his ideas to its maximum. The man is a perfectionist who is always trying to go beyond the simplistic run-of-the-mill "games," and turns it into a cinematic experience. He is the best game designer in the gaming industry, and I can't wait to get my hands on MGS4.

In before the Maxx, also, despite the fact I would love to get bukkake'd by Kojima, I don't think he is the best game designer.
I could have not said the rest better though.

[BRP]

I'm not saying the Wii has no good games, just that it doesn't have a steady flow of them. I mean, this year we've had Melee 1.5, Mario Kart soon (which I don't even intend on buying), No More Heroes...but what else? I know Nintendo said they were going to announce their big holiday game at E3... It's just the standard Nintendo hardware platform problem - 99% of the games worth buying are from Nintendo, and as awesome as they are, they can't put out a triple A title every month.

I've had my Wii since launch, and I have 5 games for it. I bought my 360 4 months afterwards, and I've got 28 (12 shooters, and that's not including arcade downloads).

Wait, you have to stay on one point. Games being released now or the entire library? Because I doubt all 28 Xbox360 games are from 2008.

2008 has been a slow year for gaming until this period of time where Brawl(don't call it melee 1.5 without something to back up that claim), Mario Kart, GTA4, and MGS4 are all coming out. There are a ton of Xbox360 games, but most of them are shovelware(just like there are a ton of Wii shovelware). Strip FPS and you get a lot of games "SERIOUS GAMERS!!" wouldn't be interested in playing. Xbox360 still edges out, but not by an amount where you can fairly say "Wii isn't a real gamer console ^_^".

Assuming SERIOUS GAMES!! want to play subpar FPSers to begin with compared to Team Fortress(Orange Box), Gears of War, Halo 3, and Call of Duty 4 which aren't 2008 releases. Or SERIOUS GAMERS!! play FPS on a console(guess what gamer demographic doesn't make up most of Halo and Cal of Duty's huge user pool?). With the release of Brawl and Mario Kart, Wii now has its own online titles people will play more than anything else(just like the previously mentioned FPSers).

The biggest differences between the Xbox360 and the Wii library would be: Xbox360's head-start and Xbox360 shovelware being a little less shitty on average(probably due to how many are PC games, easier to develop). PS3 was slowest out of the gates but benefits from having both MGS4 and GTA4 released for it(as Wii benefits from having two exclusive titles).

Overall the first years of a generation are usually lackluster save some big blockbusters. This has always been the case.


Also, Kojima complains about everything.

I wouldn't say he's the best. He hasn't shown much range in what he can do. What he does he does extremely well and that's enough as far as I'm concerned.

[Xavier]

Kojima is a visionary who will always have technological restraints to express his ideas to its maximum. The man is a perfectionist who is always trying to go beyond the simplistic run-of-the-mill "games," and turns it into a cinematic experience. He is the best game designer in the gaming industry, and I can't wait to get my hands on MGS4.

Kojima approved the story of MGS2 right? Going to have to disagree with the bolded, but I do think hes damn great and love most of his work.

[Elcura]

Best is subjective depending on what games you like. Of course, going by sales records is another thing. But no matter how you view it, Kojima is certainly among the greatest. I don't think MGS 2 is to Kojima's discredit, the story itself is still good in it's own right and the connections are interesting. Besides that, MGS2 could have been so much worse and would you believe that some people think MGS3 is the worst out of all of them?

Truly you can't predict taste, someone will always disgree... I'm not totally sure what the point of this post was, but whatever.

edit@ BRP

I wouldn't call what he does lacking in range, he has a popular series and does actually branch out. ZoE is a good example (where the fuck is ZoE3?!) and after MGS4, Kojima will be doing other things so that says something about him wanting to branch out but probably couldn't.

[Jefe]

^"Snatcher" was good too, albeit too advanced for its time. It had a nice cyberpunk/post-apocalyptic kind of story. During those days most people wanted to play pong, shoot some ducks, or jump on blocks. Too bad most people haven't played/heard about it. I played it a couple of years ago actually ;x

[Xavier]

and after MGS4, Kojima will be doing other things so that says something about him wanting to branch out but probably couldn't.

He has said that after every MGS game.

[Alina]

I do own Brawl, and I consider it like an expansion pack to Melee. New characters, new levels, but essentially the same game. SSE I could have lived without, especially the last level. I basically did it just to unlock all of the characters, and that was it. Wish you just fought the bosses, and skipped all the "adventure" stuff. As far as the online play... with the lack of any real kind of communication, you may as well continue to face off against faceless AI opponents. Maybe XBox Live has spoiled me, but I expect a lot more out of a game's online component. No one would have played FFXI if it was strictly an offline game - it's the online/social interaction that made it fun(and I suppose the Pokemon syndrome as well).

Like I said, the Nintendo stuff on Wii is great, but once you get past that, what's left? I'm also making my predictions based on what I expect the game lineup to look like til it's dead. Ever since the N64, it's been all about first party. Nintendo released their big three all within the first year of the Wii's launch, and since it's likely we won't see the sequels for at least a couple more years (although I have to wonder what their big game for this Christmas is going to be), that's not too good.

I play video games 75% of my free time when I'm not at work or college, and I just can't imagine just having a Wii. I'm done with Mario, Zelda, Metroid, RE4, and Smash Bros., and I don't really care for Zack and Wiki or No More Heroes. I guess it's all just a matter of preference, but the 360 has had Lost Odyssey as it's epic exclusive already this year, and Vegas 2, DMC4, Ao2, Condemned 2, as high quality multi-platform releases. Plus, with GTAIV looming, and Fable 2, Gears 2, and Fallout 3 later this year...

But regardless, to each their own, and if you're happy with just the Wii, more power to you. If there were more Zeldas and Marios, my opinion might be different, since Nintendo does make my favorite games...

And we all know 50 Cent is going to be game of the year, and the real reason anyone should buy a PS3 or 360.

[BRP]

I consider it like an expansion pack to Melee. New characters, new levels, but essentially the same game.

Aside from the previously stated, Brawl has a new engine, new mechanics, and vast amount of changes from Melee. Most engine exploits from Melee cannot even be preformed. That right there is the difference between many FPS(sub in characters for weapons/classes, stages for maps, and don't consider UI since it plays no role in actual gameplay). That alone is enough to say it isn't the same game. Unless you mean to say Brawl cannot be a sequel without being the same game? You will need to provide sound reasoning.

SSE I could have lived without, especially the last level. I basically did it just to unlock all of the characters, and that was it. Wish you just fought the bosses, and skipped all the "adventure" stuff.

Unrelated opinion, skipped.

As far as the online play... with the lack of any real kind of communication, you may as well continue to face off against faceless AI opponents. Maybe XBox Live has spoiled me, but I expect a lot more out of a game's online component. No one would have played FFXI if it was strictly an offline game - it's the online/social interaction that made it fun(and I suppose the Pokemon syndrome as well).

You are going off-topic. Melee didn't have superior online capabilities, it had none.

(As for your Brawl online problem, I suggest using the internet. I don't ever do "With Anyone" anymore and able to find matches only using our Brawl community here. I imagine if you went to a bigger community or multiple communities you wouldn't have much of the same problem.)

Did you mean to compare Xbox Live vs Nintendo's wifi? Xbox Live is superior, I don't think anyone is willing to argue otherwise. You'll have to clearify when you speak of "Melee 1.5" and "Wii isn't a videogame console".

Like I said, the Nintendo stuff on Wii is great, but once you get past that, what's left? I'm also making my predictions based on what I expect the game lineup to look like til it's dead. Ever since the N64, it's been all about first party. Nintendo released their big three all within the first year of the Wii's launch, and since it's likely we won't see the sequels for at least a couple more years (although I have to wonder what their big game for this Christmas is going to be), that's not too good.

Assuming does us no good now does it? Nintendo has already stated they have teams working on titles, it's assumed the console library will expand a bit this year.

When you count out FPS, Xbox360 isn't that much farther than the Wii. What I see are a bunch of multiplatform games and FPSers. Tell me, why wouldn't someone just have a PC and Wii instead?

[Elcura]

and after MGS4, Kojima will be doing other things so that says something about him wanting to branch out but probably couldn't.

He has said that after every MGS game.

Somehow I've never taken him seriously until now. It was obvious after MGS1 that there would be a 2, and it was obvious after 2 there would be 3 (which happens to be 4) and it was obvious that after 3 there would be 4. I guess it depends on how 4 ends, but I kinda see this as the 'end' for Kojima's MGS experience. Maybe someone else will take over?

[BRP]

Maybe someone else will take over?

He's tried that before.

[Elcura]

Maybe someone else will take over?

He's tried that before.

Doesn't mean he can't try again. Either that or he just lets it go.

[BRP]

Electroplankton is one of the most amazing games I've ever played. The stage in Brawl doesn't do it justice.

[SamanosukeShiva]

I want kojima to make live action movie for MGS, that will be awesome lul :elmer:

[CaptainN]

I really wonder if western devs are seriously going to try to go the whole gen ignoring the Wii when it continues to break previous industry records. Some are on board, and more are trying to be, but I reallllllly hope more wisen up, it's been getting more than a little dumb. I don't expect physical games yet (a good game does take a few years to come out I know), but at least a nice "You have our support" or something...no more self-fullfilling prophecies. It's a business, if Capcom, Harmonix, Suda, Sega, and SE can do it and profit, others should be just as capable...

Its because hardware sales don't mean anything to 3rd party developers, its all about software sales. This gen isn't going to play out like the PS2, the Wii is breaking hardware sales but 360 is breaking software sales records even with its average install base. Besides alot of developers are on the Wii train just not with games that you would expect, they just put crappy party games and people buy that shit up. This gen going to be really interesting, the Wii hardware number might overshadow the 360 software sales on traditional games but who knows.

[Kenai]

I really wonder if western devs are seriously going to try to go the whole gen ignoring the Wii when it continues to break previous industry records. Some are on board, and more are trying to be, but I reallllllly hope more wisen up, it's been getting more than a little dumb. I don't expect physical games yet (a good game does take a few years to come out I know), but at least a nice "You have our support" or something...no more self-fullfilling prophecies. It's a business, if Capcom, Harmonix, Suda, Sega, and SE can do it and profit, others should be just as capable...

Its because hardware sales don't mean anything to 3rd party developers, its all about software sales. This gen isn't going to play out like the PS2, the Wii is breaking hardware sales but 360 is breaking software sales records even with its average install base. Besides alot of developers are on the Wii train just not with games that you would expect, they just put crappy party games and people buy that shit up. This gen going to be really interesting, the Wii hardware number might overshadow the 360 software sales on traditional games but who knows.

It's weird, though. In JP, there's no contest that the Wii sells the most software of the 3 (though DS is the real beast of software there and the PSP sells more hardware on average atm). Europe isn't really tracked because they aren't given numbers, but there's third parties profiting (usually Sega and Capcom) when they consistently chart, plus in NA, since December, the Wii has either barely edged out 360 or is barely edged out by 360, with a smaller install base and a dare say less effort put into it. Guitar Hero 3 has been especially notable, Wii's version has now only been outsold by the PS2 version, and if things keep up it will look to pass it, despite the mono sound problem and not-as-functional online aspect.

Then you have the flip side that says that they'll (devs) never sell as many games as Nintendo. This is true, most won't. But at the same time, what devs will sell as much or more than Bungie or Square on 360 or PS3? You don't have to sell as many games as Nintendo to be sucessful, and since less people seem to be putting their big projects on Wii, there will be less big projects to compete with. It's basically either big projects from Nintendo on Wii or big projects from (everyone?) but Nintendo on the 360 or PS3 right now (though E3 may have something worth mentioning). Even when projects with even decent 3rd party efforts have come out on Wii (even upgraded ports like RE4 and multiplatforms like GH and PES), they have sold well and/or exceeded expectations. Like I said, I don't get it.

Anyway, here's the chart I promised, straight from Neogaf. A record breaking March month, like I said before.

Industry Sales
Mar-07 Mar-08 CHG
Total Video Games $1.1B $1.7B 57%
Video Games Hardware $377.9M $551.3M 46%
Video Games Software $579.1M $945.6M 63%
Video Game Accessories $139.5M $220M 58%


HW Sales

Hardware Mar-08
PlayStation 2 216K
PlayStation 3 257K
PlayStation Portable 297K
Xbox 360 262K
Nintendo DS 698K
Wii 721K

SW Sales
Top-Selling VG Software - March 2008

Platform Title Publisher Release Date March Units
WII SUPER SMASH BROS: BRAWL NINTENDO OF AMERICA Mar-08 2.7M
360 *TOM CLANCY'S RAINBOW SIX: VEGAS 2 UBISOFT Mar-08 752.3K
360 ARMY OF TWO ELECTRONIC ARTS Mar-08 606.1K
WII PLAY W/ REMOTE NINTENDO OF AMERICA Feb-07 409.8K
PSP GOD OF WAR: CHAINS OF OLYMPUS SONY Mar-08 340.5K
PSP CRISIS CORE: FINAL FANTASY VII SQUARE ENIX INC Mar-08 301.6K
WII GUITAR HERO III: LEGENDS OF ROCK ACTIVISION Oct-07 264.1K
360 MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 2K8 TAKE 2 INTERACTIVE Mar-08 237.1K
360 *CALL OF DUTY 4: MODERN WARFARE ACTIVISION Nov-07 237K
PS3 ARMY OF TWO ELECTRONIC ARTS Mar-08 224.9K

[blister1]

10/10 Review. I'm gonna break the page, but fuck if it isn't worth it.

http://i26.tinypic.com/33veq6u.jpg
http://i30.tinypic.com/68gai8.jpg
http://i30.tinypic.com/jtryhl.jpg
http://i28.tinypic.com/v3q735.jpg
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http://i27.tinypic.com/ejc3r8.jpg
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http://i29.tinypic.com/5y802t.jpg

[Kenai]

Great, now everyone will ignore my last post! Thanks!

Looks very nice! Shame I just *can't* get into it for very long. I mean, I have fun for awhile, but then...ugh. I know most don't have my problem though.


I had no doubt this would be a popular game, but the question on my mind is...

Which version is everyone going to get? :bagel:

[blister1]

lolps3 here, didn't M$ pay a shitload so they could get exclusive downloadble content?

http://news.filefront.com/gta-iv-dlc-will-be-how-big/

Downloadable cities sounds like horsepoo, but yea..