The Full Circle: 360 News Report 03.28.08

Posted by Joe Roche on 03.28.2008

The 360 has a huge week coming up and we're there to cover all the details. Just kidding, there is almost nothing going on this week but we'll do our best to survive. MLB 2K8 is getting a patch, while Fallout 3 will consume your world. We've also got a triple threat of Take Two/GTAIV items, and finally news concerning the WWE that doesn't have to do with Wrestlemania. It's all right here in The Full Circle.



Heading into 2008 there was some speculation that it might be a slow year for the XBox 360. There weren't many exclusive games coming out with the drawing power of a Halo 3, or even Mass Effect, and things just seemed to be lining up against our beloved system. Sure there would be some exclusive content for Grand Theft Auto 4, but it seemed very possible that us loyalists would be a bit bored this year. Well I am here to reassure you all that those predictions are turning out to be spot on. While every twelve year old in the neighborhood is playing Super Smash Brother Brawl, and Blu Ray movies are seen in every window in town, I'm left wondering -- what is left for me? Luckily I picked this dead period to revive the Full Circle and I have promised to prove you all with run on sentences, and bad puns so without further ado let's get to it shall we?

2K Sports Will Patch MLB2K8



2K Sports is admitting that there are some problems with MLB 2K8, and a patch is in the works. Personally I've been playing MLB 2K8 quite a bit recently and while it isn't perfect, and the frame rate glitches can be aggravating, I've found the game to be overall enjoyable for a baseball game. The real problem that will be fixed with this patch supposedly will be the San Diego Padres franchise issue which doesn't allow you to move players through your system among other things. I'll admit to not caring much about the Fathers, so if any of you Chris Young fans want to correct me on that issue feel free. I'm glad that the patch is in the works and hopefully it irons out the little issues that add up to create a somewhat choppy game.

Fallout 3 Will Ruin Your Social Life



Ha! Just kidding, I know you don't have a social life. But, if you've got anything to do you might want to avoid Fallout 3, because Executive Producer Todd Howard from Bethesda revealed in an interview with OXM Podcast that the game will have over 200 different endings. Howard said that the choices you make throughout the game will have an impact on the end of the game, so each time you play through the game the ending that you are exposed to will be somewhat different.

In theory this is pretty good news. I'm in the very large camp who feels a bit let down when you play through a game that spends a good deal of time talking about how unique the game play is for everyone, and then gives you the same ending regardless of the choices you made throughout. Howard also said that he expects Fallout 3 to contain close to 100 hours of game play so I'm not sure how many times people will play through the game to see the small ending sequence differences.

Take Two Board Rejects EA



Officially the Take Two Board has recommended to their shareholders to not sell their stock to EA calling the $26 a share offer "opportunistic" and "inadequate." Take Two claimed that EA was trying to purchase the company right before the launch of GTA IV (obviously), in order to capitalize on what is sure to be a very solid launch by the company. This is apparently a news story, although it doesn't mean anything because the shareholders can still sell their stock to EA without the board's approval.

As a sports game fan I must admit that just the idea of Take Two selling out to EA made me nervous. Madden has been the same game for five years, MLB 2K8 was a buggy game that requires a patch, and the thought of EA being able to monopolize every major American sports league made me think that very unoriginal games would be coming out for the foreseeable future. Competition creates quality folks, ask Vince McMahon. At least Take Two maintaining their independence will create some diversity in – what, NHL games?

Gamestop Will Send You to Liberty City



On March 24th Gamestop announced a text to win contest that they'll be running until April 15th in anticipation of the GTA IV Launch (April 29th). The prize at stake is roundtrip airfare and accommodations in "Liberty City" for you and a guest, some swag and the chance to win $10,000 against three other winners.

From Monday, March 24 through Tuesday, April 15, 2008, players can visit www.GameStop.com/GTAIV to acquire the contest question and sign up for exclusive insider information about Grand Theft Auto IV leading up to its release. Playing for a chance to win up to $10,000 and a trip to "Liberty City" for the launch event, participants are required to text-in one of five possible answers using their mobile phones. Players will have a second opportunity to enter at www.gamestop.com.

Everything about this seems fine and I encourage everyone in the 411 Kingdom to sign up and do us proud. But, a part of me dies inside when I hear them talk about hack stuff like calling New York City, "Liberty City" in the promotional material.

Even More Liberty City Launch Contests

Granted I am just be milking one story to look like two here because there is very little going on this week but Gamestop is running a second promotion in addition to the text to win contest involving random key chain's that you may or may not find in your local Gamestop (if your local Gamestop is in New York City).

In addition to the national contest, GameStop will drop red key chains in select stores in "Liberty City" from April 1-27, 2008. The unmarked red key chains will direct players to call a local telephone number for further instruction on how to gain access to GameStop's Grand Theft Auto IV launch event in "Liberty City" on April 28, 2008.

This is a pretty local contest but if you're in New York during April and you happen to stroll past a Gamestop I would suggest stopped in and looking around for some of these red key chains. This seems a bit like the Amazing Race mixed with desperate nerd hooker killing anticipation, but I like that Rockstar is building anticipation for the launch of what will undoubtedly be one of the biggest games of the year.

Did You Hear About the New WWE Game?



Depending on when you're reading this today, THQ has either just released, or is about to release information on what I can only assume will be Smackdown vs Raw 2009, due out later this year. In case you haven't been checking around all of 411mania this week, it is Wrestlemania weekend and that's a big deal for a lot of people, THQ included. They will be/or are already holding their annual Superstar Challenge and following that they have announced they will reveal information on the next WWE video game.

Obviously it's only speculation at the time I'm writing this that THQ is going to announce Smackdown vs Raw 2009, but I think that's a safe bet. I used to really look forward to this game, and I played SvR 08 a good deal but unless THQ does something to really reinvigorate the genre I can't see myself getting too worked up about an expensive roster update. I guess we'll wait and see and I'm sure that more information will be available as soon as it is made public.


THE WEEK AHEAD

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Game of the Year Edition (4.3.08)



This game brings nothing to the table. From what I've been told there will be no special features, no new level, no anything. It doesn't even have new cover art; it's the same game with five new words thrown on there. The only benefit to buying this version of the game is that if you're the two people who don't already own a copy, it'll come with a token to download the map pack that will be released – you guessed it, on the same day. So I guess, if you're going to spend the money on a new copy of COD4 you should just get this version, but don't expect anything special that your friends who've beaten the game six times haven't already become bored with.

I wish I had more to tell you all but there honestly isn't that much going on in the Microsoft kingdom right now. Instead might I suggest that you check out some of the other quality work being done around 411 Games because those guys all have fun new projects to talk about. Meanwhile I'm debating whether or not to discuss Turok selling a million copies. Fun times this week, less then a month to go before GTAIV so at least we've got that to look forward to - I'll see you all next Friday.