The Negative Edge News Report 12.12.07

Posted by Tommy Coloma on 12.12.2007

The Dreamcast 2 rumors, treating Silver members like second-class citizens, problems with video game awards, and Killzone 2 fun. Plus the week in releases, the first annual Negative Edge year-end contest, and More!

Use your video game knowledge to win a game from 411mania!

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I thought that I'd put the newly implemented comment system to good use by using it as a part of a contest that I've been cooking up over the past few weeks.

The Prize:

Your choice of ONE of the following games: Unreal Tournament III (PS3), Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS3), Ninja Gaiden Sigma (PS3), Halo 3 (Xbox 360), Mass Effect (Xbox 360), Super Mario Galaxy (Wii), The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii), Disgaea (PSP), Contra 4 (DS), or Beatmania w/ controller (PS2). Basically, these are A) games that I'm 100% sure that I can get my hands on, and B) games that I have bought or will eventually buy (it's my competition so I might as well personalize it). The game choices are non-negotiable; the winner has to pick among the ones mentioned above.

The Game:

After writing for a month or so 411mania, I decided that I needed a special way to end my columns. Just saying "see ya next week" wasn't good enough. Eventually, I decided to end things with a reference to a video game. Here's an example just in case you haven't been paying attention - "I just took out some guards, an eagle, and the big boss. If I can keep the princess from killing me with one swift kick to the gut, I'll be back next week." Yeah, I could have done a better job with a lot of them, but, oh well...

Ok, so how does this help you to win a free game? Simple - If you can figure out which game is being referenced at the end of any of the past (and this week's) Fact or Fiction and Negative Edge columns, write it down in the comments section of that column using FULL SENTENCES. I don't want people who pass by in the future to wonder why someone else randomly posted the name of a video game. When all the references have been correctly identified or by the end of next week (whichever comes first), I'll go through and count things up to see who the winner is.

More details:

- You need to register to submit comments for this contest. Yes, I know that you can post as a guest, but I don't want to run into problems with identifying who really gave the correct answers.
- I will use either first class or priority mail. I won't overnight the game. Don't be greedy.
- Since comments are moderated, it might take a while for your post to appear down below. Don't worry! It'll show up eventually, unless you're being a douche.
- Did I mention that I want full sentences? Yeah. Your answer will be voided if you only post the name of the game.

Edit (12/12/07 9:20 PM): Some of the responses that have been posted were removed (they were thought to be spam). If you don't see any of your posts by now, it's likely that they were part of the purge. Sorry about that. The editors now know that your posts aren't spam, so please repost your responses. Special note to Natedoggcata: Yeah, all of yours were eradicated. Caleb apologizes...


The News As I See It

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More like a nightmare

Last week, rumors concerning Sega's supposed re-entry into the console business started to swirl after it was revealed that Sega of America put in an application to protect the Dreamcast trademark. Of note was the fact that there were some differences between the descriptions found in the new application and a previous one. Speculation ranged from a re-issue of the Dreamcast to the development of a Dreamcast 2. In the end, it was revealed that Sega is simply renewing the brand. As of now, they have "no plans to get back into the console business." (credit: Engadget)

My first thoughts when I read about this was that Sega is working with at least one of the big three to distribute Dreamcast titles through some download service and that they needed to re-establish the fact that they own the Dreamcast brand, just to make sure that nobody screws with them. If this were the case, it would be great as it would allow those who missed the Dreamcast the first time around to see what they've been missing. Gamers who didn't get to experience Jet Grind Radio, Power Stone and Power Stone 2 (in console form), Samba De Amigo (with maracas), Bangai-O, the only arcade-perfect versions of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and CVS 2, and all those shooters that appeared after the Dreamcast was terminated can now find out what all the fuss was about. Also, those who's Dreamcasts have already died due to overuse (sadly, I fall into this group) would be able to play their favorites once again without having to deal with the hassle of buying a used system. Sure, a new console from Sega would be cool; it would be great to see at least two companies whose focus is on making video game machines duking it out with each other and the other two. Unfortunately, once reality kicks in, it's clear that a four-way between Sega, Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony would be too much for the consumer's and developers' wallets to handle. That is, unless one of the other three bowed out of the console wars.

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The one week wait for Silver members

I've been told that the whole "Silver member waiting a week for free content feature" has been in effect for a while now. The only difference is that now, gamers that don't have a Gold account are purposely shown what they can't download, as opposed to not seeing anything at all. For those that don't constantly keep up with the latest releases, ignorance was bliss. Now, the fact that they don't get the good stuff at the same time as everyone else is shoved in their faces whenever they log in.

The addition of this new "feature" is pretty bastardous on Microsoft's part. I wouldn't want to be constantly reminded that I'm too cheap and/or poor to afford a Gold account. How about those who never want to play people online? Why should they have to upgrade to Gold just to get things in a timely manner? I can understand Microsoft wanting to give Gold members something to be happy about, but shouldn't they be giving their paying customers something new instead of taking away from Silver members? That's a pretty crappy compromise.

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original image by Beginersluc
The Spike TV Video Game Awards make me sad

Below is a list of all the winners from the recent Spike TV Video Game Awards. Notice anything about the winners? Ok - I already know that you disagree with a lot of the choices. Notice anything else? Well, the first thing that came to mind when I saw it is the fact that pretty much all of the winning games came out during the last few months of the year. Now, my memory isn't that bad for I do remember that there were a lot of noteworthy games that came out earlier in the year. Why is it that only the newest games get nods? I know that this is normal for any show that gives out awards, but this time it's more noticeable for me since I pay more attention to video games than movies, television, and music. Regardless of how often it happens, the practice still sucks. They either need to have two ceremonies (one for the first half of the year and one for the second) or they need to improve the selection process. It's sad that when future generations look back on this era and see those nominees and winners, they'll miss out on all the other gems that came out throughout the year.

Most Addictive Game
* Halo 3
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
Team Fortress 2
Wii Sports

Game of the Year
* BioShock
Halo 3
Mass Effect
The Orange Box

Best Shooter
* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
BioShock
Halo 3
The Orange Box

Best Action Game
* Super Mario Galaxy
Assassin's Creed
God of War 2
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

Best Rhythm Game
* Rock Band
Guitar Hero Encore: Rock the 80s
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
Jam Sessions

Best RPG
* Mass Effect
Eternal Sonata
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3

Best Driving Game
* DiRT
Forza Motorsport 2
Need for Speed ProStreet
Project Gotham Racing 4

Best Military Game
* Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas
World in Conflict

Studio of the Year
* Harmonix
Bungie Studios
2K Boston/2K Australia (aka Irrational Games)
Valve

Best Graphics
* Crysis
BioShock
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Mass Effect

Breakthrough Technology
* Orange Box / Portal
Crysis
Halo 3 - Saved Films / Theatre Mode
Rock Band

Best PS3 Game
* Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
Heavenly Sword
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
Warhawk

Best Wii Game
* Super Mario Galaxy
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Super Paper Mario

Best Xbox 360 Game
* BioShock
Halo 3
Mass Effect
The Orange Box

Best PC Game
* The Orange Box
BioShock
Crysis
World in Conflict

Best Individual Sports Game
* skate
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08
Tony Hawk's Proving Ground
Virtua Tennis 3

Best Team Sports Game
* Madden NFL 08
NBA 2K8
NHL 08
Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2007

Best Handheld Game
* The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow
Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords

Best Game Based on a Movie or TV Show
* The Simpsons Game
The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar
Naruto: Rise of a Ninja
Stranglehold

Best Soundtrack
* Rock Band
BioShock
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
Tony Hawk's Proving Ground

Best Original Score
* BioShock
God of War 2
Halo 3
Mass Effect

Best Multiplayer Game
* Halo 3
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Rock Band
The Orange Box

credit: chiff.com

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Killzone 2 looks good, but not THAT good

Over at the playstation.com boards Seb Downie, a QA manager over at Guerrilla Games, admitted that recently released pictures were touched up before they were sent out. I know that other companies doctor their images a little to make their games look better than they really are, but this is the one company that you'd think would think twice about even attempting to pass these off as the real thing. They could at least try to make it less obvious. It's like Guerrilla Games doesn't respect to their customers. We aren't that gullible, right?


The Release List

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Unreal Tournament III (PS3)
This is a pretty monumental release as it is the first game on a major console that allows gamers to create and share mods with others. Thanks to Sony's more open policy on downloadable content, we can now experience what PC gamers have been enjoying for years. I can't wait for the inevitable Army of Darkness mod.

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Shikigami no Shiro III (Wii/360 import)
The Shikigami no Shiro series is known for its Tension Bonus System which rewards players for taking risks. Basically, you graze anything that can destroy you in order to get higher multipliers which in turn allow you to get higher scores and upgraded firepower.

official site

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Spectral Gene (PS2 Import)
We have yet another game in the Spectral series. This one didn't score too well in Famitsu though (it got a 6655), so it might be a good idea to just find an earlier game in the series instead...

official site

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Gran Turismo 5 Prologue (PS3 Import)
Well... The PS3 is region free, so if you've been waiting forever for the next game in the Gran Turismo series, you might want to give this a go (even though this is just a stopgap for the real Gran Turismo 5). You might want to read up on how import-friendly the menu system is first. I've read that some of the menus are in English, but don't take my word for it. Make sure first. If you're brave enough to risk it, I suggest getting the game at either Play-Asia or NCSX.

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Daisenryaku Exceed (PS2)
Though this series has been around since 1988 and has produced close to thirty games, this is only the third Daisenryaku game to make to these shores. Maybe gamers around here don't dig the hexagonal battle field. At the budget price of $15, it's worth a look if you're into turn-based war simulators.

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NeoGeo Battle Coliseum (PS2)
With the recent release of KOF XI and this week's NeoGeo Battle Coliseum, it's a great time to be an SNK fan. I'm still waiting for an Xbox 360/PS3 version with online capabilities though. How long am I going to be waiting?

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Baseball Stars 2 (Wii VC)
This game is pretty fun to play with other people. The controls are easy to pick up and the gameplay is very fast-paced. I don't like the look of the players though. They all look like pissed off bastards.


Random Stuff: Unused Script Edition

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It's time to see a legend!

I remember reading the script for I Am Legend during my freshman year in college, back when Arnold was set to star and Ridley Scott was set to direct. Eventually, things fell through and the movie ended up in development hell for close to ten years. It will be pretty weird seeing Will Smith do things that in my mind I had Arnold doing, but if they stick to what made the script so awesome back then, this should be one of the most entertaining movies of the year. If you're one of those that likes to get ahead (or if you've already seen the movie and want to read how it was originally supposed to play out), you can read the original script here. Everything is good except for the horrendously bad finishing move that the main character uses at the end. I hope they change it in the movie as it's 80s cheese-fest bad.

If you want to read another cool script, you can check out this unused script for Alien 3. In it, Ripley sat things out while Hicks and Newt took care of business. Bishop was also repaired and played a more significant part. If I remember correctly, instead of being impregnated, the aliens were created by some disease. They called it The Change. It's a great read if you're interested in seeing how things would have turned out if Hicks and Newt weren't killed off.

Last one - Aliens vs. Predator. This is the movie Paul W.S. Anderson should have made. Oddly enough, Paul came to the author trying to get his permission to use it. Thankfully, the author was smart enough to decline. I still hope that this will be made some day. It might be possible if the next Aliens vs. Predator movie does well this month...


To Be Continued...

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That's it for this week. Just right now I spotted a button that says "don't touch." I'm going to press it anyway. If nothing truly bad happens as a result, I will be back next week.