411 Games Fact or Fiction 04.10.07: Metal Gear Solid 4 Going Multi-Platform, the PSP's New Pricepoint, the Value of the Xbox 360 Elite, and More!
Posted by Tommy Coloma on 04.10.2007
Greg Bruno and Damian Sarcuni discuss Hideo Kojima's confirmation that MS4 will not see the light of day on the Xbox 360, the $169 PSP, old-school NiGHTS vs. the upcoming Wii title, Super Mario Charged as the best soccer game ever, whether the Xbox 360 Elite is a bargain at $20 less than the PS3, and the appeal of Resident Evil 4 on the Wii in this edition of Fact or Fiction Games!
Welcome back to another groundbreaking edition of Fact or Fiction. This time Greg Bruno and Damian Sarcuni give us a chance to see what makes them tick as they discuss some of today's important VG related issues. Before we get started, let's take a look at what our participants are up to these days -
This week Greg Bruno debuted 411 Games' newest column, What If.... Ever have that question you've been dying to ask but were too afraid to answer yourself? No problem! Now you can have the 411 Games staff take that burden off of your shoulders and give you an "ultra scientific and meaningful" answer to your question. In addition to holding down his new column and doing news and reviews here and there, Greg also maintains 411 Games' own MySpace page. Remember to do your good deed for the week and add yourself.
Damian Sarcuni, 411 Games' official hate master, once again gave readers something to think about with the latest edition of Angry Gaming. This week he discusses the inability of developers to portray New York accurately and how GTA IV may (or may not) be able to reverse that trend. Damian has also recently done reviews for both Phantasy Star Universe (Xbox 360) and Custom Robo Arena (DS). Don't forget to check them out before even considering spending your hard earned cash on these titles.
Lets get started -
1. Hideo Kojima reconfirmed that Metal Gear Solid 4 will not go multi-platform. He is an evil man. Very evil.
Greg Bruno: FACT
Well...yeah. Who wouldn't want to play the next Metal Gear game? I'm an avid 360 fan and have no desire to play anything on the PS3. I will say, though, that MGS4 looks to be a decent game. I wish we could steal it...err...have it go multi-platform so that everyone can enjoy it. My honest thought behind why it won't go to the 360? Well, Sony must have made quite the deal with Kojima to keep it as an exclusive title. But you know how the saying goes - never say never in this business. Or is that pro-wrestling? Either way, it works.
Damian Sarcuni : Fiction
He's not evil. He's naive. I'm sure that Kojima BELIEVES that MGS4 won't go multiplatform, but it will. Konami can't deny the success they've had on the 360 or the problems they've had working with Sony. Exclusive contracts are limited these days and it's only a matter of time before MGS4 hits the 360 in a brand new decked out edition. It might not happen until a year later, but it will happen. Kojima confirming his company's contractual obligation doesn't make him evil. If he was HAPPY about it not going multiplatform, then he would be.
Score: 0 for 1
2. At $169, the PSP is a steal!
Greg Bruno: FICTION
I got a PSP when they first came out a few holiday seasons ago. It was pretty cool...for about 2 weeks. I found that my PSP collected more dust than my PS2 before Guitar Hero or God of War came out. So off to Gamestop it went where it covered a nice bit of my Xbox 360 reservation. It's a cool little gadget, with the online functionality, mp3 playback, and memory stick slots, but not worth that much when the DS is still a decent amount cheaper, has more interesting games, and seems more geared towards games than trying to be an all encompassing media device. If Sony felt the need to stick it's nose into the handheld market, then it should have made a handheld for games and games only. I have an mp3 player with video playback. I don't need that on my portable gaming machine. Let's face it - the UMD platform has tanked as well. Anyone buying movies in that format should seriously reconsider what they do with their money. So what it boils down to is this - if you're into mobile gaming, go the DS route and pick up a game while you're at it for the same price as a bare bones PSP.
Damian Sarcuni : Fiction
Greg is on the money here, literally. The PSP is too much of a hassle. You have to hack it to play the best games. There's simply nothing else left to add.
Score: 1 for 2
3. A new NiGHTS game is cool, but being able to play the original on the Wii's Virtual Console would be even better.
Greg Bruno: FACT
I say fact because fiction would mean the entire sentence would have to be false, and that's not the case. Basically, the "question" is very true. I'd like both to happen actually. While I never really got too into the NiGHTS phenomenon, I'd like to have the chance to play the original game that captivated so many gamers. The new installment sounds very unique and interesting with the WiiConnect 24 inclusions with weather and such. Basically, give us the VC as a special incentive for buying NiGHTS 2. See, now there's an idea. Are you listening Nintendo?
Damian Sarcuni : Fact
Yeah, there's a much bigger chance that the new NiGHTS will suck than the godly original losing its luster. But that's just playing it safe. Sega can do sooo much with the new Wii controls and graphics, but they're on a down trend lately. So I'll wager the new NiGHTS won't be quite as good as the old, and I think no fan would mind seeing a re-release of it, on any platform.
Score: 2 for 3
4. Super Mario Strikers Charged will go down in history as one of the most popular soccer games ever created.
Damian Sarcuni : Fiction
That's like saying Mario Kart is one of the most popular racers ever. ...Ok, so it is. But racing doesn't quite have the following that soccer does, and many fans who play soccer games want to play as their favorite home team, not Mario and Luigi. Anyway, from a pure game basis, Super Mario Strikers Charged will have to beat out Pro Evolution 2007, and if my review showed one thing, that is not an easy feat.
Greg Bruno: FICTION
It's soccer. Therefore, (sorry EU fans) that's like saying Chess Master 64 was the best chess game ever. Sure, it's a good game. Sure, people like it. But c'mon. At the end of the day wouldn't we all rather play football? Yes, with O's. Soccer really never peaked my interest. A friend of mine once told me how he was forced to play soccer at day camp and refused. He had to sit under an ant infested tree as punishment, and found that as a better alternative. I feel the same way about soccer. Anyway, back to the point. There aren't many soccer games out there, but of those that are, I'm sure people would rather pick up FIFA than Mario. Sure, Mario is an established name, but I think those who are into futbol, yes with a U, would rather play as their favorite athletes than a talking mushroom. Just like I'd rather play as Brian Urlacher than Tingle.
Score: 3 for 4
5. Even though the Xbox 360 Elite will cost only $20 less than a 20 Gig PS3, it will still be a bargain.
Damian Sarcuni : Fiction
The who what now? $20 less?! Has Microsoft gone batty? That's not a bargain at all! A BARGAIN is an Xbox 360 core with a nice fat used hard drive. Wow, I didn't know about this, and I'm truly disappointed in Microsoft. I will say that the 360 Elite is still a far better buy than the PS3, if only for the better and bigger game library.
Greg Bruno: FACT
The Xbox 360 Elite is an awesome idea. No one bashed the DS Lite when it came out after the fat DS was originally released. Remember people, the Xbox 360 has been out for a long time. There's nothing wrong with adding new features to it. If this was the Wii or PS3, then it'd be too soon for a re-package/re-design. Also, 120gb is fantastic to have for the upcoming IPTV that will be coming out this fall. I've used up about 75% of my 20 gb hard drive so this is a welcome addition. Also, that 20 bucks that you don't spend on a PS3 is enough to get you a used game for the 360. If you buy the low-end PS3, you still have no games to play on it. Yea yea, R:FOM is "teh awesome", but don't those same words come from those same PS fanboys who claim that all the 360 has is FPS's? Hey kettle! You're black!
Score: 3 for 5
6. Resident Evil 4 will be worth replaying on the Wii.
Damian Sarcuni : Fiction
One thing I think Capcom keeps forgetting is that part of the fun of Resident Evil is the actual storyline. Everyone knows what happens in RE and all 20 of its remixes. you simply cannot surprise gamers with the same story over and over. I don't see the Wii's controls making a difference this time around. I also don't understand why Capcom feels the need to keep dicking Nintendo over with constant RE remakes. Just make a damn sequel already! Anyone can write the inevitable Chris VS Wesker finale!
Greg Bruno: FICTION
Hey look, a dead horse! Quick, someone get a stick and beat it! No hit harder! Ha, I'm so witty. Any-dang-way, we've all played this. We all played it on the Gamecube. Then we all played it on the PS2. Why on Earth would we want to play it AGAIN? You can pick up a copy of RE4 for so much cheaper than a new Wii release goes for. Don't get me wrong. RE4 was one of the best games I've ever played. The story was great and the new action-orientated style was a welcome addition to an older franchise. I just don't see why Nintendo needs to shove it back into our faces.
Score: 4 for 6
A final score of 4 for 6. Don't forget to join us next Friday for more Fact or Fiction. Forget and I'll have Salazar prepare a special ritual for you too!
