411 Games Roundtable: March 2007 Part 2
Posted by Sean Garmer on 03.07.2007
Now it's time to discover all about the games coming out this month. Join the staff as we banter about the likes of God of War II, Def Jam: Icon, Medal of Honor, and more. That's just barely scratching the surface, click the link to read all about it.
We hope you liked the first half, now it's time to get into the meat and potatoes of this thing, our thoughts on the games to be released this month. They are all listed here in alphabetical order by release week and are as current as possible. Here we go. Also please keep in mind that just because we don't talk about a game, doesn't mean it's going to suck. I send out the template for these two weeks in advance, so sometimes changes are made in release dates by then and we don't get to talk about any new games added. If you see a game on the list that intrigues you, we implore you to take our advice, and find information on it on your own. Here's a list of the staff again in case you missed the questions segment.
Game Reviewer and writer of the Retrospective, Sean McCabe
Game Reviewer and writer of Angry Gamer, Damian Sarcuni
Game Reviewer and our news man, Ramon Aranda
Retro and Present Game Reviewer, Steve McHugh
Writer of the Nintendophiles, Theo Fraser
Writer of the Select & Start News Report, organizer of the Top 5, and writer of his own column Gaming Trends, Vincent Chiucchi
Game Reviewer and Writer of the Working Title, Jordan Williams
Game Reviewer and playing host, Sean Garmer
Games coming out the week of March 4th
Burnout Dominator (PS2 & PSP Driving Game, EA)
Steve McHugh: A stop gap for the next gen versions. If you don't own a PS3 or 360 then this is probably for you. For everyone else just wait for the next game as that's the one they've spent the most time on.
Sean Garmer: Mario Kart and Midnight Club are my favorite Driving game series, but I've also enjoyed Burnout over the years because it was different. Instead of wanting you to get to a certain point or collect a bunch of cars, it wanted you to crash your car into oncoming traffic or your opponent. That is some major cool, and something that you cannot do with a car in real life (unless you want to kill yourself or someone else that is). Sadly, the game discourages you from crashing into traffic this time around but it does have a maniac mode that encourages you to drive dangerously and that's enough for me. If you don't own a PS3 you should get this game. If you do, like Steve said it's best to wait.
Carol Vorderman's Sudoku (PS2, PC & PSP, Puzzle Game, Edios Interactive)
Steve McHugh: Instead of spending £20 ($30) on this, just go out and buy a pen and sudoku book for about a tenth of that price. As a bonus Carol, irritating as all hell, Vorderman, won't be on the cover so you win on all counts.
Vincent Chiucchi: Okay, I've seen many Sudoku games coming out lately, so I've decided to delve into what makes this one so special. Apparently Carol Vorderman is an England TV celeb who is really good at math, and she herself teaches you how to play Sudoku. The game is said to have six difficulty levels with over 1 million puzzles (though I think that's for the PS2 version). If it's got THAT many puzzles in the game, then this just might actually be worth having for Sudoku fans if the price is right, because there is definitely no way I'm paying more then $20 (maybe $30) for a Sudoku game.
Sean Garmer: I've never quite understood the big palooka surrounding this Japanese game Sudoku. I have seen my Grandmother play the ones that come in the paper and all I know is that it has to do with numbers in a square. I could see the PSP or PC working out better than the PS2 because it's more useable. Either way, if it has 1,000 puzzles as Vinny says that is well worth a $30 dollar price tag for Sudoku fans.
Sean McCabe: Well, I'd be excited for this game based on how much I enjoyed the previous two Def Jam games... but I've not heard good things from the people who have played the demo on the combat system.
Steve McHugh: I have mixed feeling about the Def Jam games. They're interesting and much more exciting then many wrestling games but they're also very unfair and frustrate just as much as they impress. A demo is available on the 360 to play this and I personally haven't tried it. It does look nice though and hopefully those looks can translate into great gameplay.
Jordan "Ogre" Williams: This one hurts me a bit, I LOVED DJV and DJV:FFNY, but from what I've already played of Icon, I can see that the original reasons I love that game are gone. I liked the cartoony over the top violence, this new realistic style with Fight Night controls tacked on and that damnable turn table style just really take the fun out of a game that was prided on it is simple control scheme. Damn shame.
Sean Garmer: This is the first one to come out of EA Chicago and I have a feeling the game is going to receive very mixed reviews. Many Magazines that already reviewed the game say that the Fight Night control scheme makes the style of play a problem. I still plan on making this my first gaming purchase in the month of March however because I've always been a fan of the series. I like the idea of having to use the music as a weapon because it ties in with the Hip-Hop nature. I think they should have stuck with the over-the-top style, but we will have to see once the game comes out.
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 (XBOX 360 & PC, PSP version comes out the week of March 18th, Tactical Shooter, Ubisoft)
Steve McHugh: first one was excellent so expect more of the same. You either like, GR or Rainbow Six and whilst I prefer the latter, this is still going to be a big game for the month.
Theo Fraser: I still haven't got around to playing the first GRAW, but everyone who has played it has given it a ton of praise. Whilst this is ultimately more of the same, it is more in every conceivable way. Better controls, deeper multiplayer, bigger and badder guns, and a shed load of customization options. It's also worth noting that the 360 and PC versions will be quite drastically different, only sharing the same storyline and a few audio samples. Everything else has been built up from the ground up for each version, which is certainly good news, most definitely a must-buy for Clancy fans, and worth a look for anyone interested in a solid squad-based war game.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (PS2 Action Game, Rockstar Games)
Steve McHugh: I don't understand the logic in this. This is a PSP game; a game meant to sell PSP's but then a few months later there is a cheaper version out on the PS2. Why would anyone want to play it on a PSP when you can get it on the PS2 where the controls don't cripple you. Maybe Sony doesn't want the PSP to actually sell? Either way it's a good game but it's also the same game GTA has been for years now. Time to move on I think.
Vincent Chiucchi: This was basically the same idea they had with porting the previous PSP GTA game, and it didn't fare so well because it looked terrible on the PS2, care to bet that it will happen again with VCS?
Major League Baseball 2K7 (All systems Baseball Simulation, 2K Games)
Ramon Aranda: I'll be playing the 360 version non-stop. Look for my review in the next few weeks. I really hope 2K Sports got it right this year.
Steve McHugh: I don't get baseball. We have a similar kids game over here called Rounders but I can't imagine wanting to actually play a video game version. I guess this is why baseball games never come out in the UK.
Sean Garmer: 2K has the exclusive rights to the MLB franchise which kinda sucks because ever since MVP came out, EA wiped the floor with them on the Baseball side. Similar to how 2K rules the NBA court and makes EA look silly. However, when you aren't even as good as a Sony exclusive game, you have problems. Read Ramon's review soon, but I've read other reviews and it seems that other than a nice facelift the next-gen versions still have some quirks. If you liked 2K last year, it's probably safe to buy it this year too.
Motorstorm (PS3 Driving Game, SCEA)
Steve McHugh: It looks pretty but is about as deep as a Paris Hilton. It's getting some decent scores though so what's on offer looks like it's playable.
Theo Fraser: > I played this a little while ago at the Game On exhibition in London, where the PS3 was being demoed. I didn't get to play long enough to determine whether or not the racing mechanics are anything special, but I do know that it was a lot of fun, mainly because of the terrific physics on the crashes. In that respect, it was a lot like the Burnout series; the crashes can, at times, be more enticing than the racing itself! For an early game, it certainly seems to put good use to the PS3's internal power, and playing it is a genuinely entertaining experience. This gets a recommendation from me.
Jordan "Ogre" Williams: Finally, one of those long awaited PS3 games. I really have high expectations for this one, it looks PERFECT, and I just hope it plays perfect, too. The PS3 needs it.
Sean Garmer: Wow, the first PS3 exclusive aside from Resistance that doesn't suck. This game looks like it could be tons of fun and if you are a racing game fan this should be one to pick up. The game looks utterly beautiful and certainly a testament to what the PS3 can do. The crashes are amazing and there seems to be crazy stuff happening everywhere. I think this is a 1st from me, but I can safely recommend this game.
Rayman Raving Rabbids (Nintendo DS, XBOX 360 comes out the week of March 25th, Ubisoft)
Ramon Aranda: I loved the Wii version but was left wanting more. The DS version will provide me with the platformer I was hoping for.
Sean Garmer: The Wii version was well received and turned out to be a good edition to the Wii launch lineup. I've been waiting to play this game and I'm glad to know it will be out on two systems I own. It's a crazy Rayman platformer and that's enough to make me want to play.
Wario: Master of Disguise (Nintendo DS Platformer, Nintendo)
Steve McHugh: Wario games are usually very good but this has come out of nowhere. The DS 2D platformers have been on a roll as of late but this will have to be something very special to beat Yoshi, Mario and Kirby.
Vincent Chiucchi: Ah, good old Wario is back to platforming and wearing the yellow cap again! Unlike the Mario games however, Wario's games are a lot easier to play and finish, so it's more of a casual gamer's platformer.
Sean Garmer: Yey, I've been wanting a Wario platformer on the DS since the start of the system. Wario offers a little different experience than Mario or Kirby (two other series from Nintendo I love,) Wario is also a villan so it's cool to see a contrast in style compared to the goodie Mario. Nintendo has struck gold with all of their other platformers as of late, and I think Wario will be another nice addition.
Shrek: Smash And Crash (Nintendo DS Action Game, Activision)
Sonic Mega Collection Plus (PC Collections, SEGA)
Titan Quest: Immortal Throne (PC RPG, THQ)
Tortuga: Two Treasures (PC Action Game, CDV Software)
Games coming out the week of March 11th
F.E.A.R. (PS3 FPS, Vivendi Games)
Sean McCabe: It was a great shooter for the PC, the Xbox 360, and I'm sure the PS3 version will be very good too. I don't think the PS3 fails so hard that it ruins good games by their very presence on the system... at least I don't think so anyway.
Steve McHugh: Great game but exactly the same as the 360 so why pay more money for a game you can get already for much less?
Jordan "Ogre" Williams: Seriously, how many times are we going to see this game released?
Sean Garmer: Well I'm pretty sure this is getting released this month and we won't have to see it again unless it gets a sequel. This game was a different take on the FPS genre. It tries to scare you while providing great gameplay at the same time. If you are tired of the run of the mill shooter, give this one a try.
God of War II (PS2 Action Game, SCEA)
Sean McCabe: I think God of War tends to be a little bit overrated (surprise surprise) but the original was a thoroughly enjoyable game, I am sure GoW 2 will also be very good.
Damian Sarcuni: Fans of raw hack and slash action will be chomping at the bit for this one, and fans of the series are dying to know how the series storyline continues. I've said the PS2 should go out on this one, but with the PS3 near death I think Sony can't afford too.
Ramon Aranda: If you own a PS2, you need to have this game. GoW II does a great job of continuing the GoW saga and looks beautiful.
Steve McHugh: I loved the first one and this has me very excited. Just gotta wait for it to come out in the UK.
Theo Fraser: The PS2's swansong. Allow your PS2 to bow out in style with this masterpiece. It's only March, yet we already have a strong candidate for Game of the Year.
Jordan "Ogre" Williams: If any game is the PS2's swan song, this one is it, and what a good swan song. I never really cared for GoW, but I know A LOT of people out there do, so this will be the last big bang for he PS2, or the first game everyone picks up for their new PS2, seeing as they are dirt cheap now.
Sean Garmer: Many are already hailing this as almost a near perfect game. When the first God of War came out I didn't understand all the hype that was placed on it. Then I bought the game and believed every word of it. The 2nd one looks to be even better. This is a must have for any owner of a PS2.
Jackass: The Game (PS2, PSP & PC Action Game, Red Mile Entertainment)- The game is based off the TV show and will have some of the same actors on the game as well.
Steve McHugh: Oh. Dear. Sometimes as a gamer I look at something and wonder why anyone even bothers.
Vincent Chiucchi: Um...WHAT?! Jackass is getting it's own game? At first I thought "well, maybe if it's some kind of clone of WarioWare it'll be good", but it isn't. Honestly, though, I feel as if I give this game hope, I'm going to be disappointed.
Sean Garmer: It's ok Vinny, sometimes no matter how hard we try there are games that just don't deserve the time of day. This is one of those times, Jackass getting it's own game is pretty sad. Goodness, there really isn't much I can say, I can't stand the show, the movies are funny, but it's own game, horrible idea.
Spectrobes (Nintendo DS Action RPG, Disney Interactive)
Sean Garmer: This game is weird, original, and different all at the same time. From Disney Interactive (Formerly Buena Vista Games, yeah Disney changes names too much.) and Jupiter that made the Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories game. Comes Spectrobes, you play as a kid in this Sci-Fi world that supposed to beat this race of evil. Sounds like a normal RPG right? Well there is one part I forgot to mention. There's these creatures that you must excavate from the ground using tools and the mic on the DS. You actually have to talk to the Spectrobes to get them to wake up, and at one point can also gain more creatures by using these cards. It's kinda complicated but the game sounds interesting and something that I want to take a look at.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 (Nintendo Wii Golfing Simulation, EA)
Ramon Aranda: This has a lot of potential and I will be looking on getting this game. Wii Golf was fun but ultimately shallow. Tiger should get it right.
Steve McHugh: Yay it's yearly update time where all that's changed is that the grass now looks even better. Lets hope the Wii can pull off a great control system with this one and with Wii Sports showing golfing can be fun I think this could be a big game for the system.
Sean Garmer: Tiger Woods is no doubt the premier golf franchise on the planet. With Wii Sports showing how the controller can be used as a golf club it could make the game even more fun. It might make it more of a multi-player option than on a regular console. I think this will be better than the one's before it because the Wii gives it that much potential.
Steve McHugh: Well I have no idea what a Wiffle ball is but I do want to find out.
Vincent Chiucchi Aren't these the kind of games we're supposed to getting for the Wii? What's so fun about playing a weak-ass version of baseball with a weak-ass stylus?
Other Games coming out this week:
Call of Duty: Roads to Victory (PSP Historical FPS, Activision)
College Hoops 2K7 (PS3 College Basketball Simulation, 2K Sports)
Disney's Herbie Rescue Rally (Nintendo DS Driving Game, Disney Interactive)
Driver 76 (PSP Mission Based Driving Game, Ubisoft)
Gold Miner Vegas with Gold Miner Special Edition (PC Puzzler, Activision)
Hans Christian Andersen: The Ugly Prince Duckling (PC Adventure Game, Adventure Company)
Damian Sarcuni: It's about damn time. Mech fans are absolutely dying of starvation with their next gen systems, with only Chromehounds on the Xbox 360 to barely keep us alive. Armored Core gets more complicated with each passing sequel, but I bet Sega will forego that route this time in an effort to show off their next gen programming capability.
Cooking Mama: Cook Off (Nintendo Wii, Majesco Games)
Ramon Aranda: Can't wait for this one. The DS version was good fun and the Wii version should be no different. The control scheme is too awesome to not try out.
Vincent Chiucchi: This could very well end up as a must-buy, especially since you don't need the nunchuk to play, casual players will join in on the fun. The game features semi-realistic actions needed to take to cook properly (like twirling the remote to stir and such), and multiplayer is going to be hectic.
Sean Garmer: I own the DS version and I never thought cooking could be so much fun until I played Cooking Mama. I really hope Majesco can get their act together on the business end because they are true innovators with this gem. The Wii version should be all kinds of fun especially being able to use the Remote to perform the cooking motions. I can just imagine the crazy multiplayer right now.
Damian Sarcuni: Custom Robo is one of Nintendo's most underrated games and bringing it to the DS is smart marketing. While I question how well the game will play given the size of the DS screens, the fun of creating your own strategically armed action figure combined with the DS' online capability is a recipe for a winner.
Dragon Ball Z: Another Road (PSP Action Game, Atari)
Steve McHugh: Meet this Dragon Bal Z game. Same as every other Dragon Ball Z game. Now please go do something new.
Vincent Chiucchi As long as DBZ sticks to the fighting genre, I will have hope for it. This one is basically a sequel to Shin Budokai with a storyline involving (my man!) Trunks, so you'll most likely get this if you already got the first. On a sidenote: What the hell is with those restricted logos I see next to the names of most of the fighters?
Sean Garmer: DBZ games have been hit or miss over the years. However, fans will pretty much buy anything with the Dragon Ball Z name on it, so if you own a PSP and you like DBZ you will probably at least rent this.
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (PS3 RPG, Bethesda) -Includes a new race called the Knights of Nine.
Ramon Aranda: PS3 owners should not let this one go by. The 360 version is all it's hyped up to be and more. I still need to go back and continue this once I'm done with Zelda.
Steve McHugh: This is a great game. An excellent game, in fact, that anyone with a PS3 should go buy. However, I feel that this month there are a lot of Xbox 360 ports. Now that's all good and fine but why would you put a year (or even a 6 month) old game onto a brand new machine and then charge more then you'd pay for it on the other machine. That doesn't show me that the PS3 is an all conquering piece of machinery that shows me the PS3 can play games the 360 had on it a year ago. If you're going to do it put it at a reduced price and at the same time bring out a lot more new stuff.
Jordan "Ogre" Williams: The first one was great, unless you had the attention span of a gnat, then you probably gave up on it before you even exited the first dungeon(which is quite sad, really). The PS3 version should be fine, especially since it will get the expansion packs that the X-Box 360 users don't have yet.
Full Auto 2: Battlelines (PSP Driving Game, SEGA) -This a new game with a 56 event single player with multiplayer and 15 cars made specifically for this version.
Steve McHugh: The first one was boring and after what I've seen of this one it looks like this is going to be exactly the same but more of it. If you liked that first time round then you'll like this.
Godfather: Don & Blackhand Editions (PS3 & Nintendo Wii Historic Action Adventure Game, EA) -Revamped graphics and motion sensitive controls made to fit the systems different controls.
Ramon Aranda: I worked on the last-gen versions of this game and I own the 360 version as well. May rent this one to check it out. Looks like it could be fun.
Steve McHugh: I don't understand the love of this game. It was okay but nothing special and in fact I thought it was a fairly boring GTA clone with a few nice ideas. Sticking motion sensitive controls on the game might give it a novelty value but it'll still be the same game underneath.
Theo Fraser: For those looking for a more adult experience on the Wii, this is pretty much a must-buy, as presently there is little else in that genre. I'll be quite honest, I haven't really followed the development of the PS3 version, but I've been looking almost daily for updates on the Blackhand Edition. The original PS2 and Xbox versions weren't terribly well received, but the added Wii-mote functionality should add incentive for Nintendo owners. From what I've seen, it certainly looks immersive, and the controls seem to be well implemented, so I'll give this a thumbs up.
Jordan "Ogre" Williams: It will be interesting to see what the Wii does with this title, I don't really expect much out of it, but it will be something to tied a lot of gamers over, I guess.
Sean Garmer: I've been pondering on whether or not to get the PS2 version of this game for a long time. Since it's now around 20 bucks it wouldn't be a bad deal. The reviews on the whole series have been rather mixed. If you don't own any of the last gen versions the motion sensor controls or being able to use the Wii Remote sound like a cool idea to me. There isn't anything different in the story and you know if you love Godfather the voice acting is awesome.
Prince of Persia: Rival Swords (Nintendo Wii & PSP Action Adventure, Ubisoft)
Damian Sarcuni: The Prince of Persia series has outdone itself with the Two Thrones, and now they seek to revamp themselves once again. The Wiimote is the hands down perfect addition to the series, as controlling the Prince's acrobatic moves will now be even more involved and entertaining. I can't see this one being anything but great.
Ramon Aranda: I hear they removed some of the gore from the newest versions. Hope that's not the case. I may take a look at the Wii version.
Theo Fraser: Personally speaking, I didn't get round to playing The Two Thrones on the Gamecube, so I'd consider purchasing this to see what I missed out on. However, if you have played TTT, there really isn't an awful lot more you'll get out of this, save for the added Wii controls (although even they seem to be relatively limited). Maybe if you're a diehard Prince of Persia fan, you might like the PSP version so you can take it on the bus with you, but apart from that I'd only recommend this if you haven't played Two Thrones on previous-gen consoles.
Sean Garmer: I've enjoyed the Prince of Persia series. I liked Sands of Time a lot but Warrior Within kinda was off to me because of the change in the story and combat. I didn't get to play Two Thrones and after seeing what they are going to do with this on the Wii it seems enticing. However, this is the same game as Two Thrones with a name change and Wii controls, so if you have another version of this, don't waster your money on this.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl (PC FPS, THQ)
Steve McHugh: Finally its out. This is looking like it'll be something very special. Now port it to a console so I can play it already.
Theo Fraser: 5 years in the making, and finally it is here. First impressions seem to be that those 5 years were warranted, as it appears to be a solid FPS outing on a platform that is inundated by them. So what makes this so special? First of all, you have the amalgamation of three pretty big genres, as the game mixes First Person Shooting with Adventure and Survival Horror, with playable vehicular sections included to boot. The near-future post-Chernobyl fallout setting is extremely intriguing, and with over 100 NPCs, there'll be plenty to keep you busy. But the killer single player is not the only reason to get excited, as there looks to be a rich multiplayer experience included in the game, offering your standard Deathmatches, Team Deathmatches, and a Capture the Flag-esque mode to keep you and your buddies occupied. My opinion may not count for much, but I really think this could be the Half-Life beater we've been waiting for.
Vincent Chiucchi First off, the whole anagram but not really an anagram is A.N.N.O.Y.I.N.G.! Second, I see in the multiplayer version that it's got a weapons-buying system, which reminds me of the system in Counter-Strike and how terribly unbalanced that is. So if you're not a big fan of Counter-Strike or FPS games, you'll probably stay away from this game.
Shining Force Exa (PS2 Action RPG, SEGA)
Steve McHugh: The last really good new Shining Force game was 3 for the Saturn. I've heard good reports about this but after the awful Neo and near biblical mess that was Tears I officially don't care. Besides it's not getting a EU release so I won't be able to find out for myself so yet again Sega Europe screw us over. *slow hand claps* Well done Sega, genius at work, and you're no longer making games consoles why?
Sean Garmer: SEGA is not doing a bad thing, because Strategy RPG's aren't very popular today, so they are going a more popular route with it's popular franchise in the Action RPG route. Shining Force Neo was their first attempt in 2005 and it didn't fare too well. Their 2nd try looks like it could do better, as it has a nice story, cool characters, a nice art style, only thing that's left is for the gameplay to work. If you liked Neo be on the lookout for this, and even if you didn't, you might want to give this a look anyway.
Theme Park (Nintendo DS Strategy Game, EA)
Steve McHugh: Theme Park should be well suited to the DS so my hope is high that this will be a worthy version of a classic game.
Theo Fraser: This is the sort of thing that is perfect for handheld systems, particularly the DS as you have the bonus of the touch screen to make life an awful lot easier for you. The Theme Park franchise is getting on in years, but this could be the sort of thing to give it a much-needed revival.
TMNT (All Systems Action Game, Ubisoft) -Game based off the movie
Steve McHugh: It's not the arcade game so automatically I'm worried. However it's meant to be based on Prince of Persia's games mechanics so I'm not too worried. I'm very interested to see how this works as it looks very nice indeed.
Jordan "Ogre" Williams: TMNT games have been in a big rut for a bit, which is a big shame, because they used to have some of the best licensed games on the market. I'm pumped as shit for the new movie(yes, I even like the art style) and I'm really pumped about this game. It looks like they are trying to inject more 'ninja' into the 'turtles' and I can't really complain, I don't think the same old beat-em up style they have been trying to hold onto would've cut it this time.
Sean Garmer: Almost everyone has a played a Ninja Turtles game at some point. They all amount to being the same game pretty much with the old beat-em up style gameplay. Ubisoft is taking a different approach with the movie game of TMNT. This one will be similar to Prince of Persia with wall running and jumping. You also have to use teamwork elements to get you through some of the levels. It sounds like a different experience this time around and that could lead to good things.
UEFA Champions League 2006/2007 (XBOX 360, PS2 & PSP Soccer Simulation, EA)
Steve McHugh: The Champions's league games are just another excuse for EA to milk the football licenses dry. Normally these games are awful but FIFA 07 was pretty good so maybe this will be too… or you can just go buy FIFA 07 and save yourself a bunch of cash as they're more then likely the same bloody game. Or forget all of that and buy Pro Evo 6 as it's the best football game on the planet.
Sean Garmer: Apparently this is supposed to not only let you play on the field but assemble a card collection to build the ultimate team. Seriously, unless you must have the pomp and circumstance feel of the Champions League don't buy this game, let me tell you a few reasons why. For one it plays exactly like FIFA 07 and that game is probably going to be cheaper than this. Also you can create your own Champions League in FIFA 07's tourney mode. They have almost all if not, all the teams involved. Finally, you can create a team and put on it any player you want in FIFA 07, so there's no point in buying this game. So either stick with FIFA 07 or get Pro Evo 07, stay away from this.
Steve McHugh: The only tennis series worth playing. Virtua Tennis 3 looks fantastic and no doubt will play fantastic too. It's a PS3 launch title over here so I expect this to sell pretty well.
Theo Fraser: When it comes to Tennis games, the Virtua Tennis series rules the roost, in my opinion. This is certainly something to get excited about. Tennis has never looked this good, but the game hasn't just received a visual make-over. Animations have been tweaked, and the AI has been ramped up to give you real challenge. I'm not a huge sports fun, but even I am excited about this.
Vincent Chiucchi: If this game plays just like it's 2006 version (Ultimate Masters), then it will most definitely be enjoyable, oh, and if they fix the damn glitches that always seem to pop up.
Sean Garmer: I used to be a big Yu-Gi-Oh fan, so I know what it's like playing these games. The portable versions helped me and many understand how to play the complicated card game. This version apparently let's the monsters come out of the cards for a quick battle sequence. If ya like the show or card game, this should be another solid game.
Other Games coming out this week:
After Burner: Black Falcon (PSP Jet Simulation, SEGA)
Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII (NintendoWii) WWII Flight Simulation, Ubisoft)
Driver: Parallel Lines (PC, Wii version delayed until further notice, Driving Game, Ubisoft)
Earth Defense Force 2017 (XBOX 360 Action Game, D3)
Frontline: Fields of Thunder (PC WWII RTS, Paradox Interactive)
Genesis Rising: The Universal Crusade (PC RTS, Dreamcatcher Interactive)
Hot Wheels Ultimate Racing (PSP Driving Game, DSI Games)
Made Man (PS2 & PC Action Adventure Game, Aspyr)
Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords (Nintendo DS & PSP Puzzler, D3)
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas (PS3 Tactical Shooter, Ubisoft)
Rocky Balboa (PSP Sports, Ubisoft) -Game based off of new movie
Test Drive Unlimited (PS2 & PC Driving Game, Atari)
Trackmania United (PC Driving Game, Focus Home Interactive)
Games coming out the week of March 25th
Cake Mania (Nintendo DS, Majesco Games)
Damian Sarcuni: The popular PC time waster hits the DS, most likely with successful results. Puzzle fans won't want to put this one down, if they haven't played it on PC already.
Steve McHugh: The first one was awful and the problem with the second one is that the PSP does not do FPS games very well. If anyone can get around it it's Konami but I don't have much hope.
Steve McHugh: As stated repeatedly I love Oblivion and the idea of having a whole new 30 or 40 hours of quests in a place that's completely mad is making me feel very happy.
Jordan "Ogre" Williams: Here we go. How do you inject life into an old RPG without releasing a whole new game? Drop an expansion pack, of course. I'm just hoping the people who got tired of Oblivion after they beat it for the 100th time didn't do something dumb like trade it into EB.
Enchanted Arms (PS3 RPG, From Software)
Sean McCabe: This was a very good RPG. Read my sentiments on F.E.A.R. for my thoughts on this game.
Steve McHugh: Wow another port, what's that 5 this month? And another good game, although not a great one. However, they're meant to be recording new voices for it so that's a pretty big plus in that column for this.
Konami Classics Series: Arcade Hits (Nintendo DS, Konami) – Games included are: Contra, Gradius, Time Pilot, Scramble, Rush'N Attack, Horror Maze, Pooyan, Roc'N Rope, Track & Field, Circus Charlie, Basketball, Road Fighter, Yie Ar Kung Fu, Rainbow Bell, and Shao-lin's Road.
Steve McHugh: Gradius, Track and Field, and Contra in one game. If this game is anything less than awesome, I will be very unhappy.
Vincent Chiucchi: Contra? Awesome. Gradius? Awesome. Yie Ar Kung Fu? Old-School awesomeness. Track & Field? Old-School awesomeness. Everything else? They either sound generic or a game I've never heard of. That doesn't make them necessarily bad though.
Sean Garmer: Well I love Contra and Gradius, so that would be enough for me to pick it up. Track & Field is a classic NES game, and the rest I'd like to find out why Konami considers them classics.
Lost in Blue 2 (Nintendo DS Adventure Game, Konami)
Ramon Aranda: The first one was interesting to play and showed off some cool DS controls. Still it felt a little stale after a while. Lost in Blue 2 should fix some issues...I hope!
Steve McHugh: The first one was a nice idea but ultimately boring. If Konami have learnt from their mistakes this could be a bit of a sleeper hit.
Jordan "Ogre" Williams: Not much to really say, the first one was decent, hopefully this one can improve now that everyone seems to have gotten the touchscreen down to a science rather than just tacking on some movements.
Sean Garmer: I never got to play the first game but they do have a neat concept with this game. You play as some youngsters that are trapped on an island and have to use survival skills to well survive. Things like finding firewood, food, water, diving and other various things. You also use the DS microphone to converse with animals or Skye. Everything is done with the Stylus and you get to choose which character you want to use from the outset this time. Sounds very intriguing to me.
Medal of Honor: Vanguard (Nintendo Wii & PS2 WWII Shooter, EA)
Ramon Aranda: I'll be getting the Wii version and am hopeful that EA has refined the FPS controls to give us a great experience. The graphics look pretty darn good here.
Steve McHugh: Hopefully the Wii will have a better control system then every single FPS game on the console so far. If it does then it'll make it the first good FPS game on the Wii. If it doesn't well then at least it's not alone.
Theo Fraser: This looks like it'll give Call of Duty 3 a run for its money. I really like the fact that each play-through will be different, depending on where you choose to land (as, for those that don't know, each level starts out with you inside a plane, requiring you to parachute out into the battlefield). You could choose to land in a remote area on the edge of the map, giving you ample time to sneak up on the enemy. Or you could land right in the middle of their hideout, thus having the element of surprise. Previous Medal of Honor games haven't blown me away, but with Vanguard it looks like EA are attempting to get things right. Let's hope they pull it off.
Sean Garmer: Over the years I've enjoyed the Medal of Honor series. Aside from Call of Duty they are one of the few that keep things fresh and get it right when it comes to WWII stuff. The Wii version of course brings tons of intrigue because they have not done well with FPS's on the system. EA has done well with almost every game they've released on the system and it seems they have what the Wii does down to a science. If anyone can fix it and make the first great FPS for the Wii, it's them.
Metal Slug Anthology (PS2 Action Game, SNK Playmore)
Sean Garmer: This game keeps getting pushed back, and pushed back. I hope this finally comes out this month. I love Metal Slug, to me it's the best thing SNK ever made. To know all seven games are in one box for me to buy is awesome. I'll pick this up eventually, if you are a fan of Metal Slug or old school shooters you should think about getting this too.
Sam & Max Episode 5: Reality 2.0 (PC Adventure Game, GameTap)
Steve McHugh: It's Sam and Max… awesomeness abounds. Actually, from what I've seen from the past installments have been very good indeed and there really is no reason why this will be any different. Now just port the original to the DS already.
Sean Garmer: Sam & Max games sure are coming out quick aren't they? Well that's because GameTap understands how to do Episodic gaming. Sure the games aren't much longer than an hour each, but they are packed with such good writing and fun point and click play, it's a joy to play through. In the vain of Day of the Tentacle, these games capture the cool aspects of searching while adding comedy to keep you from getting bored. It's one of the few PC games I can play, and I would recommend this series to anyone.
The Settlers (Nintendo DS Strategy Game, Ubisoft)- portable version of the PC game.
Steve McHugh: I really enjoy the PC versions of these so I'm hoping that the DS version will capture the charm of the games as well as the great gameplay. The DS does strategy games very well and hopefully this will be one of the best yet.
Pogo Island (Nintendo DS Action Adventure Game, EA)
Purr Pals (Nintendo DS, SVG Distribution)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent (PS3 Action Adventure, Ubisoft)
Well we are done for this month folks. Thank you for taking the time to read this two part roundtable, but hopefully now you can make smart gaming purchases. We hope you'll join us next month. If you having any comments for the staff or about the roundtable in general, shoot me an email, and I'll show it to everyone. See ya in April.
