The Negative Edge News Report 12.05.07
Posted by Tommy Coloma on 12.05.2007
The PS3's rise from obscurity, the money-making potential of downloadable Xbox and PS2 games, the reason why Uwe Boll's Hitman would have been better than what we got eventually got. Plus this week's releases, horrible video game ideas, and More!
Good news! I can now think well enough to write again. Yay? For those of you that care, the MRI that I had a few weeks ago showed that my brain is normal; the parts that have to do with reasoning and memory are all ok. According to the neurologist, my problem is that the impact caused my brain cells to swell or something along those lines. When the swelling subsides, things should go back to normal. I've had a lot of problems with doctors in the past, so I'm not too convinced. Our legal and medical system in the US sucks ass so basically the lady that bumped into me gets to go on with her life like nothing happened while I may possibly suffer from neck and head aches for the rest of my life. What a fucked up system. I'm pretty pissed off about the whole situation but there really isn't anything that I can do at this point. As far as everyone is concerned, since my car isn't really damaged, that "proves" that none of my injuries are that bad. Maybe I can call up Larry H. Parker or something. Lesson: if you get into an accident, especially if it's a low speed rear-ending (believe it or not, those can be the most damaging other than the ones that kill you), get checked right away, even if you feel totally fine. Some problems don't show up until days or weeks after. The faster you get things diagnosed, the better off you'll be in the long run.
Enough of that. Let's get to the news -
The News As I See It Don't hate! The success of the PS3 really is a good thing
I don't know the exact stats because Sony's numbers can't really be trusted, but even without them, it is obvious that more PS3s are being sold thanks to lower price-point. And for that, I am glad, moreso if it is revealed that the 40-gigger is the one that is getting most of the sales. Console makers need to know that there are limits to how much gamers are willing to pay for the newest tech ($600! WTF?). Plus, a rise in PS3 sales will give Microsoft an incentive to lower the price of the 360 sooner. Once those two start to duke it out on a more even playing field, being a gamer will be that much better.
Even though the selection sucks, you should still be excited
Downloadable last-gen games - I wasn't really expecting this for another few years. Even then, I was sure that Sony would be the first to pull this off. Regardless, being able to download and play Xbox games is a pretty big deal. I don't understand why this news isn't getting the attention that it deserves. Sure, the first part of the title above might be a big reason, and maybe the emulation isn't 100%, but the fact that the option is there is huge. All those games that I can no longer find or that I never got to try when they originally came out could possibly be only a few button presses away. This can also be a big deal for those that still play their Xbox games online. Once a game becomes available for download, more people will be around to play with. I'd love to be able to turn on my console at any time and find someone new to play Street Fighter III against. Since the game is no longer being sold, that doesn't happen any more. Fighting against new people every day sounds good. Variety! I need it!
On a related note, Sony pretty much shot themselves in the foot by not including backwards compatibility in their 40 gig machines. There are so many PS2 games that I'd buy if they became available for download. This is a goldmine that's just waiting to be plundered. Then again, Sony is already selling PS1 games and they aren't really giving us any of the good ones (except for Symphony of the Night). Maybe that's indicative of how much faith they have in the concept.
It just sounds better when they call out their moves in Japanese
If I can watch an Anime in Japanese with English subtitles, I'll almost always take that option. I don't mind watching shows in English every once in a while, especially if I'm doing something else at the same time, but, for the most part, I like my Anime in Japanese. Even though I'm probably never going to play this game, I like the fact that Ubisoft is giving gamers the option to download a language pack for Naruto: Rise of a Ninja. It would have been better if the language pack was part of the release though. More companies that localize games from Japan should do this more often since sometimes the original voiceovers are much better than localizations. Since we've got DVDs that hold over eight gigs of data and high-tech audio-compression techniques these days, why can't we have dual language games?
Uwe Boll would have made a better Hitman movie
It's true! Why? Because, according to what he said in that interview, when he was attached to Hitman, he had Jason Statham as the lead. Statham's awesomeness could elevate any movie from suckage to slightly better than average. Want proof? Watch Crank.
The Release List
I'll be covering this week as well as the weeks that I missed, so don't be surprised if you see stuff that came out last week, the week before, and beyond.
Draglade (DS)
WTF? Siphoning music elements into a fighting game? Weird, but it could be cool. The fighting system doesn't look as half-assed as many of the other portable fighting games that I've seen on the DS over the past year and it's always good when you can play against other people online. Of course, you have to find someone else first...
Gouma Reifu Den Izuna Ni / Izuna 2 (DS Import)
I already got my hands on this. The graphics are improved over the previous game, and it looks like they added a few new elements here and there. There's also a voiceover at the beginning that's much longer than any that I have heard in a DS title. The controls are pretty much the same so I can traverse the dungeons well enough. Unfortunately, I can't understand what the hell is going on. I hope Atlus or some other company decides to localize this. On a separate note, wasn't I supposed to do a review for the first game back in February or March? Alright! I'll start to work on it right after I finish this column. I'm serious this time!
Double Dribble (Wii VC)
What recent basketball game lets you do two or three 360s in the air before dunking? How about shooting from downtown and actually believing that you'll score? The BB games these days are too technical so you can't just sit down with someone and enjoy a simple game any more. If the other person owns it he or she will know moves that you didn't even know existed and will promptly stomp all over you. I don't want to train hard in a sports game just be on the same level as my friends. That requires too much work.
Cranium Kabookii (Wii)
Ubisoft might have a hit on their hands with this. Any game that brings the family together and does not suck makes for a great present. Then again, are the people who would play this the same ones that could actually get their hands on a Wii? It might be easier to just buy the board game instead...
This looks like your run-of-the-mill 3D beat-em-up with the added option of being able to do combos in the air. The demo came out in Japan in October so you can check it out if you know how to download from that region.
This top-down shooter is unique in that its difficulty dynamically changes based on how well you're doing. That's pretty cool if you think about it. I don't want to yawn through the first twenty minutes of a shooter before things get interesting.
Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition of the Illuminus (360/PS2/PC)
I was somewhat disappointed with Phantasy Star Universe when it first came out. It had the potential, but there were too many things that had to be time-released. By now enough new content has been unlocked to warrant a second look so I wouldn't mind renewing my hunter's license for a month so that I can both play out the story that's offered in this expansion and check out the new unlocked content. Maybe I will when I have nothing better to do.
Fire Pro Wrestling Returns (PS2)
What? You've never heard of Fire Pro Wrestling? Blasphemy! Just know that the latest game in one of the most revered wrestling game series ever is sitting on store shelves and collecting dust, waiting to be purchased for the unbelievably low price of $15. You can read the following to see what all the fuss is about -
I liked Final Fantasy XII, so being able to visit this world again is a real treat. I'm not too keen on the fighting system, and I don't like how Penelo looks, but this game has kept me occupied for the last week or two, so it isn't that bad.
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS3)
I've played through all the demos and rented a few PS3 games over the past month, and, to be honest, this is the only game that I would buy on the PS3. I don't consider it a system seller, but if you have the system, I don't think that you'll be disappointed if you pick this up.
Gegege no Kitarou Youkai Daiundoukai (Wii Import)
Some of these mini-games look fun, though I know I've seen most of them in other games already.
Contra 4
The control scheme in this game pisses me off. When I play side scrollers, I place my thumb on the bottom of the controller and use my index and middle fingers to press the buttons. That gives me precise control over the jump and attack buttons. Because of the way things are set up in this game, I have to position my fingers awkwardly. It is quite annoying how Wayforward didn't bother to allow us to change the setup. Other than that, this is a great game.
Ultimate Mortal Kombat (DS)
Online gameplay is surprisingly VERY solid. I only wish that SNK and Capcom could follow Midway's lead and release their games with netcode this good.
Pro Yakyuu Famista DS (DS Import)
A few weeks ago I talked about the Jikkyo Powerful Pro Yakyu (Power Pros) series and how it's been around since 94. Well, this series has been around even longer (since 89). I like the Bad News Baseball vibe (ie 8-bit craptacular) so I will probably check this out once it drops in price. I miss these types of games.
Sin and Punishment: Successor of the Earth (Wii VC)
I still haven't played this. All I know is that it is a rail shooter made by Treasure. It might be worth noting that one of the characters in this game will be in Super Smash Bros. Brawl in the form of an Assist Trophy. Someone over there likes this game.
Random Stuff It's sad, but this game has some of the most intense visuals you will ever see in a wrestling game. Honest!
I don't know how I found this, but as soon as I saw it, I knew that I wanted to have it in my column this week.
Horrible Video Game Ideas Star Trek - The Fighting Game
I admit it - I thoroughly enjoy watching Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and all the even-numbered movies (including the last one). Naturally, I used to love trying out new Star Trek games. Unfortunately, pretty much all of them were bad. I still have a soft spot for the 25th anniversary game though. Being able to drive the Enterprise and take out other Federation starships or Klingon warbirds was pretty cool back in the day (even if it was in slow motion because I had a crappy computer). One area that hasn't been explored by this franchise is the fighting genre. That is a good thing - I never want to see and hear any of what I just witnessed in that video in a console game, ever.
That will be 255 Rupees Please! Beatmania for $35
I picked up Beatmania at Toys R Us the other day for the unbelievably low low price of $35. This game will totally kick your ass in the beginning, but it gets fun after you get used to it. The controller itself usually retails for $80+ if you import it so $35 for a game and the controller is a pretty great deal. Oddly enough, many prefer the American controller since it has springs and doesn't stick as much, so you're getting the better controller for a lot less than most people pay for the import. If you do decide to take the plunge, might I suggest that you import the other games in the series (there are over 14 so far if what I've read is to be believed). The following vid is from the 9th one. Crazy? Yes, but not impossible. This isn't even one of the harder ones.
This Week's Desktop Wallpaper Random Ikaruga-related wallpaper
by Dennis Tonsen
I found this while doing some research on Ikaruga. Did you know that the game is filled with a lot of Buddhist references? A deep shmup? No way!
To Be Continued...
Once again, that's it for this week. Next week I'll try to get the Anime Circle spinning again. I'm through with my 24-hour workdays so I will supposedly have more time now. It's time for me to relax with a good show or 2... or 3. Now, some orange creature right next to me keeps yelling "@!#?@!" like there's no tomorrow. If I can figure out what its problem is, I'll be back next week.
Not sure on this one, but I think the game you are referencing is Conker: Live and Reloaded.
Posted By: xugreatone (Registered) on December 12, 2007 at 08:13 PM
damn im not sure on this one. I am going to take a guess and say Pokemon as the reference.
Posted By: natedoggcata (Registered) on December 12, 2007 at 11:48 PM
Once more, my registration has not yet been confirmed, but I wanted to get the answer in.
The game in question is Q*Bert, and he's apparently just been hit.
Posted By: Repoman0 (Guest) on December 14, 2007 at 12:05 AM
Yeah. It's Q*bert.
Posted By: Tommy Coloma (Registered) on December 14, 2007 at 10:00 AM
