411 Games Fact or Fiction 02.19.08: The Next Ace Attorney Game, End of the Marvel Universe, Knights of the Old Republic 3, & More!

Posted by Tommy Coloma on 02.19.2008

411's Rod Oracheski and Dan Owen tell us what they think about EA's ability to deliver a good Red Alert game, the appeal of another Ace Attorney, Microsoft's cancellation of the Marvel Universe MMO, the rumored Knights of the Old Republic sequel, the amount of enjoyment that can be had from a linear game in this day and age, and Guitar Hero: Aerosmith's chances at success in this edition of Fact or Fiction Games.

This week Dan Own and Rod Oracheski return to give us the 411 on some of today's most important video game news and issues. Before we get started, let's see what they do at 411mania -

Dan currently puts together the Sports section's own Fact or Fiction column. He also uses his power as the editor in chief of the Sports section to make sure that things run smoothly. Dan is also the assistant editor for the Games section. And if that isn't enough, in mid-March he plans to unveil a baseball preview feature.

Rod just started writing Achievement Unlocked for the games section. His first column took a look at how EA improved the way it issued Achievement points in every subsequent game. His second column examined the Achievements in the Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter games. Rod also writes game reviews and high-def movie reviews as well as The Oil Report, his weekly look at the Edmonton Oilers.

Let's go -


1. Red Alert fans need not fear. EA has the ability to create another [good] game in the popular series without the help of Westwood Studios.

Rod Oracheski: Fiction

EALA hasn't made a top-tier RTS yet, so I'm not getting my hopes up. It's a positive sign that EA CEO John Riccitiello recently admitted that the company blew it with regards to Westwood, but admission is only the first step towards recovery.

Dan Owen: Fact

I'm saying fact, though mainly because of the wording of the question. EA might just be the most financially strong publisher out there right now, and it's undeniable that they have the resources to make a great RTS. However, if history has taught me anything, I'd bet my money that the next Red Alert game won't be anything to write home about. (I still think that EA has the ability to make another good game, but I don't have faith that they will.)

Score: 0 for 1


2. Oh no! Not another Ace Attorney game!

Rod Oracheski: Fact

There's been what... three games released here in three years with another on the way and another already in the planning stages? There's "striking while the iron is hot" and there's "wringing blood from a stone" - and this is starting to look like the latter.

Dan Owen: Fact

I've never gotten into these games, though I know they've been successful. However, Rod hit the nail on the head with this one. Just because a franchise is popular doesn't mean you should try to crank out as many titles as possible. That's like having a cow and milking it to death in a month, instead of treating it right and having it live for years. You won't make that quick hit of money,
but it will let your franchise stay viable for a whole lot longer.

Score: 1 for 2


3. From a business standpoint, Microsoft did the right thing by cancelling its planned Marvel Universe MMO.

Rod Oracheski: Fact

It's tough to say, not knowing all the details behind how the game was shaping up, but I agree with their assessment that the MMO market is pretty well dominated by World of Warcraft, with scraps for everyone else. If the game had been a 360 exclusive, then perhaps it would have been given more leeway, but there's no doubt that the PC release would have done poorly after the first month or two of Marvel fanboys checking it out and then leaving after they got tired of not being able to be Wolverine or Spider-Man.

On a side note, I didn't have much hope for the franchise's longevity anyway. City of Heroes, made by Cryptic before having their talent picked up by NCSoft, was a sort-of-fun game that became boring pretty quickly. They supported it well with episodes, but there was an awful lot of nerfing going on...

Dan Owen: Fact

As much as I would have loved to play this game, since I am a huge fan of the Marvel universe, let's be real. The market is completely dominated by World of Warcraft, and the costs necessary to create a game that can not only be as good as WoW, but also siphon off enough of the fan base to make money, are enormous.

Score: 2 for 3



4. BioWare's time is better spent creating a Knights of the Old Republic sequel than building a new Star Wars MMO.

Dan Owen: Fact

I've never played one of the Knights of the Old Republic games, though not because I didn't want to. When they came out I just didn't have the right system (all I had from the last generation was a GameCube, unfortunately), and recently I just haven't gotten around to trying them out. So I can't say that I think we need another entry into the series. However, the MMO world is cornered by World of Warcraft right now. As much fun as I think a Star Wars MMO game could be, the amount of resources it would take to bring the game up to a level where it can compete with World of Warcraft's already established brand are too high to be considered worth it.

Rod Oracheski: Fact

BioWare has done great things in the single-player RPG market, but the MMO is another beast altogether. I'd rather see them stick to cranking out top-tier titles in the genre they know, especially since I really don't have much interest in playing another MMO any time soon. Besides, there's already been a Star Wars MMO, and after playing that one, I have zero interest in another.

Score: 3 for 4


5. Linear games are still just as enjoyable as non-linear ones.

Dan Owen: Fact

A good game is a good game, plain and simple. If you can get me to have fun with a linear game, then I'll enjoy it. If it's a boring, poorly structured linear game, then I'm not going to enjoy it. That said, though, I think linear games are a bit more limited in what they can do. For instance, a linear version of a game like Assassin's Creed would not work nearly as well as the non-linear one. Yet shooters can work both linearly and non-linearly (take Grand Theft Auto, for instance). So linear games are just as enjoyable as non-linear ones, but harder to pull off in certain genres.

Rod Oracheski: Fact

As Dan said, a good game's a good game. There are tons of linear games that leave you feeling you're pushing the story along, not being forced down a path. Sure, there are games that make it obvious that there's only one route to take, but to my mind that's just as bad as the non-linear games that leave you with no freaking idea what to do next or where to go.

Score: 4 for 5


6. Guitar Hero: Aerosmith. Yay!

Dan Owen: Fact

I had a tough time with this one, but I'll say fact. I used to be a complete Guitar Hero addict. However, the last addition to the series left me sorely disappointed and looking for different games to play. I like Aerosmith's music well enough, and I find that their songs are usually some of the more enjoyable since there are always quirks to the tempo or notes or something. I'd be worried that it wouldn't hold my attention well, but I'd probably take it for a spin around the block.

Rod Oracheski: Fiction

Sorry Dan, but the whoring out of the Guitar Hero franchise isn't something I'm going to cheer. Guitar Hero III wasn't nearly as good as Guitar Hero II, at least to me, and it got its ass kicked to the curb by Rock Band. With a franchise that's extremely popular from past games but now facing stiff competition, Activision could choose to milk it while it lasts or revamp it to compete.

Activision has plans for three GH titles this year. Enough said.

Score: 4 for 6



And we have a final score of 4 for 6. We just found three special items - a stick, a mirror, and a ball. They're all red-hot. If we can figure how they can aid us in our quest, we'll be back next week.