411 Games Fact or Fiction 11.20.07: What Gamers Will Remember About Assassin's Creed, the Next Zelda Game, Mass Effect's Lesbian Sex-Scene, & More!

Posted by Tommy Coloma on 11.20.2007

411's Jeff Rawlings and Mathew Sforcina tell us what they think about Jade Raymond's influence over what gamers will remember about Assassin's Creed, the changes that have been made to The Witcher's script, the idea of a 3D remake of A Link To The Past as a follow-up to The Twilight Princess, Super Mario Galaxy's chances of exceeding Halo 3's overall sales numbers, Microsoft's decision to kill off the original Xbox a year after the Xbox 360 was launched, and Mass Effect's girl on humanoid-girl sex-scene in this edition of Fact or Fiction Games.

Welcome to another edition of Fact or Fiction. This week Mathew Sforcina and newcomer Jeff Rawlings join us to tell us what they think about some of the week's most important game-related news and issues. Before we get started, let's see what this week's participants do at 411mania -

Jeff Rawlings just joined us recently. He will be doing PC game reviews in addition to helping out with other columns such as this one.

Every Saturday, Mathew Sforcina posts Evolution Schematic for the Wrestling section. In it, he takes a close look at the development of a character from debut to today and beyond. His latest column centers around the always changing "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal. Check it out to see all there is to know about his varied career.

Let's go -


1. In the end, Assassin's Creed will be remembered more for being the game that Jade Raymond was the producer for than for being a good game.

Jeff Rawlings: FICTION

It will be remembered as a good game, if perhaps not a great one. Like most good games, there is quite a bit to be pleased at, and a few annoying traits. The setting is intriguing, and it has won a basketfull of awards where previewed.

Mathew Sforcina: FICTION

But with a proviso. See, this statement relies on one thing - whether or not Jade goes on to have a good career or a bad one, or just middling. If she becomes the Video Game equivalent of Oprah or Timbaland or something, this will be remembered as "The Game That Started The Juggernaut." If she ends up the Video Game equivalent of OJ or (Insert Random Bimbo Celeb Here), then it'll be remembered as "The Game That Started The Downward Spiral." If her career is good, but not spectacular, then yes, the game might be viewed on it's merits. I answered "FICTION" just because I don't think that she's going to go that badly, and I doubt she'll go that high (No Offense to Miss Raymond).

Score: 1 for 1


2. It is rumored that the English script for The Witcher has been heavily edited. Changes to a game's script aren't that bad as long as the original meaning is intact.

Jeff Rawlings: FICTION

This is an iffy "fiction" decision. If the changes are made to deal with cultural differences and little bits of dialog to make it more accessible to North American role-players, then fine. If they're trying to fix what isn't broken, I would change my opinion pretty quickly.

Mathew Sforcina: FICTION

Look, a certain amount of re-writing is required in any translation effort. The whole point of having different languages is to have different terms. Plus, like Jeff said, the culture is different. Still, for a game like The Witcher, one with such a clearly "important" story, it seems weird to have it edited a great deal. Plus, why does a game have to be "accessible?" I mean, overly complicated stories are one thing (I'm looking at you Metal Gear), but personally I don't mind a game that forces me to think a little in terms of story. But then I'm a Dice RPG player; I'm not typical. Still, editing for translation I understand. Editing for "accessibility"...

Score: 2 for 2


3. A 3D remake of A Link To The Past would make a good follow-up to The Twilight Princess and The Phantom Hourglass.

Jeff Rawlings: FICTION

I think Zelda fans everywhere would rather wet their whistle with a new story to add to the Legend rather than being re-served a beloved tale they already know on an eye candy platter.

Mathew Sforcina: FACT

It would make a good follow up. I don't want it to happen, it shouldn't be made, we should be moving on, and 2D to 3D is a very hard thing to do, but if the game worked as well in 3D as it did in 2D, yeah - it would work as a follow up. Never gonna happen though.

Score: 2 for 3



4. Though it won't break Halo 3's record for the number of units sold in a day (or week), when all is said and done, Super Mario Galaxy will have sold more copies than the "final" Halo game.

Mathew Sforcina: FACT

But only with a long, Long, LONG time frame. I just see Nintendo re-releasing and re-releasing it on the future equivalents of the VC, but then I'm sure Halo box set equivalents will be just as prolific. I just have more faith in Nintendo as a brand than the Xbox, so I'm giving the nod to them, but it would not surprise me if it ended up the other way.

Jeff Rawlings: FACT

The Wii is the best selling Next Gen console, and Super Mario is the franchise player of Team Nintendo. Halo 3 might get a better sales burst, but the eventual champ will be the immortal Mario Brothers.

Score: 3 for 4


5. It was a mistake for Microsoft to kill off the original Xbox a year after the release of the Xbox 360.

Mathew Sforcina: FICTION

If it was doing PS2 numbers, yes. But the 360 > Original, and thus it's their best bet to focus on the new and shiny. Although speeding up the Backwards Compatibility would be nice...

Jeff Rawlings: FACT

Too many compatibility issues with the older games. Microsoft should have waited until it could offer the best possible compatibility. Aside from that, parents looking at buying a console for little Timmy are looking for value at Christmas time. A price-slashed Xbox with a game or two could have stolen a little bit of the Wii thunder. Of course, when little Timmy is next door a week or two later and wondering what he did so horribly wrong that Santa gave him a budget 'box when Susy got a 360, he may question the very existence of Santa. Maybe Microsoft is just protecting Santa's street cred.

Score: 3 for 5


6. In Mass Effect, players will be able to initiate a lesbian sex-scene between a human and a humanoid alien. There is nothing wrong with that.

Mathew Sforcina: FACT

Provided the player is not a kid, provided the Rating is clearly marked, and provided it's not overly explicit and/or just in there for the hell of it (and you know going in it's a possibility), sure, why not? If it was possible to initiate a straight sex-scene with a male and an alien babe would there be and uproar or this question? Of course not.

Jeff Rawlings: FACT

M rated for Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, and Violence - a parent needs to be slapped in the head if his or her kids are playing this game. The console is not the babysitter. Granted, it may offend a player's religious values, but then again they shouldn't be playing games clearly marked as having sexual themes if they are going to be offended by it. Yes, I'm talking to you Jack Thomspson.

Score: 4 for 6



We have a final score of 4 for 6. Now, it is said that one's ability to negotiate with demons is directly affected by the number of editions of Fact or Fiction that he or she has read through. Why risk making the demon angry or fearful? If you want to keep it interested and happy, make sure that you join us next week for more Fact or Fiction!