The 10th Hour 07.11.08: Top 10 Games I Want To See At E3

Posted by Derek Robbins on 07.11.2008

With E3 just around the corner, 411's Derek Robbins breaks down which 10 games he wants to see at this year's expo.

Hello and welcome to the 10th Hour! As always, there are a couple of tangents I would like to go off on before I get things rollin'

-So the Cubs traded for Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin. While Harden is a pretty big injury risk, we didn't really give up that much we need for him. So if he turns out to be a bust, I don't think it'll even matter. Plus, that's why we also got Gaudin. For insurance! I'm kind of surprised that we got both Gaudin and Harden for a package that included one player with good future potential – Sean Gallagher. While I would prefer CC Sabathia, I really can't complain about this move because it show the Cubs are trying to win THIS year. Hopefully Harden doesn't become the re-incarnation of Mark Prior.

-On a whim, I picked up Monster Hunter Freedom 2, mostly because I heard that it was mega popular over-seas. I never really heard of anyone playing it over here, so I thought…let's see what all the ruckus is about. It's a GOOD game. It may be a tad repetitive but the missions are long and involved enough that it doesn't really matter. If you own a PSP and need a game to play – and who are you, kidding…you own a PSP. What game WOULD you be playing that isn't firmwared? – this is a good one to pick up.

-I have just started watching the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzamiya. Pretty good so far.

Reader Feedback

Last week I discussed sequels that I figured should not be made. What did you think, though?

Our "favorite" Sony fan-boy (Snake211 leads off the comments this week:

If theres no more Halo, then there's no reason to even buy a 360. LMAO

But ahhhh…I also said Metal Gear Solid sequels should just stop. I mean, err…if there's no Metal Gear Solid, why buy a PS3? I guess you just turned the blinders on.

Cenasucks questions me! Who ever would guess something like that?

Err..have you even played warcraft? Theres a reason its the #1 game in the world right now.

I have two different 70's in WoW. I understand why it's so popular. Did you read what I said? EXPANSIONS are okay, but an entirely new world…not so much. As the Exploding Barrel Podcast said, I would wait at least ten years. Or, err, release a World of Starcraft. I'd eat that up.

Ken B thankfully agrees with me on the Sports thing:

They've been dangling the DLC for sports games since I believe NFL2k1, but it's never amounted to much and NEVER beyond the current year.

There's just too much money in it. New version, every year, hey everybody pony up $50. And if you think EA is going to give up a dollar...heh. They'd as soon devour you whole and everything else on the planet rather than relish one freaking dollar.

I love Guitar Hero but it has gotten out of hand. The DS thing is novel but it just feels like, "Hey, can we make a Guitar Hero DS game?" and I have no desire to play a game that's mostly full of just Aerosmith songs. I don't like ANY band enough to play 20-30 of their songs.

Silent Hill really hasn't been relevant in a while, you see one coming out and you're like, "They still make those?" Medal of Honor...ugh...how novel, a WWII shooter. Tony Hawk...yep, tired.


But you're CRAZY on Metal Gear Solid, yo.

I doubt we'll ever see a year when a sports game just isn't made but instead an update is released for download. There are people who only buy one game a year, and it's usually Madden.

Guitar Hero just needs a break. Maybe it shouldn't just go away, but I am just plain tired of hearing a new news story about them every other minute. I like your rhythm game and all, but enough is enough.

I also realize I am late on the SH hate wagon, I am just sayin'.

As for being crazy on MGS…I love the games, and unless there's a story based on Big Boss or the Cobra Unit, I don't think there should be another one. It's time to just let Snake and co. fade into the sunset.

A man who simply goes by guest is responsible for this next comment:

Good list, but one franchise has been left off. Crash bandicoot.
Ever since Naughty Dog sold that character off, I've lost interest and the games have never been the same. Shit, I don't even recognize half the characters in CTR2.
Such a shame that such a great series was sold down the river

Crash definitely belongs on the list. The only reason it wasn't is because I honestly figured everyone felt the same way. It's common knowledge that Crash should just call it a career…but he just keeps on going. Plus, there really isn't much separating him from Spyro. Spyro has been made every bit as shitty as Crash and its sort of a shame since they were such a dominating force in the playstation era.

Sean McCabe has a couple of suggestions:

I can certainly agree with many of these, but there's a big replacement I have to make.

Final Fantasy needs to be in there. You see, it's not just FFVII, the entire series is overrated to hell, even the good ones are far from as good as they're made out to be. The series needs to die if only to end the stifle choking it gives to the JRPG genre where it uses hack ideas and a big budget to keep the more deserving games in the genre from getting the recognition they deserve.

So it gets switched in for Metal Gear Solid. I've beat MGS4. I can tell you it's my new greatest game ever, supplanting Ocarina of Time. I still feel there's room for MGS to continue. Because though Snake's story is over, MGS, is more than just about Snake. It's storyline is about the world, and a process of control the world undergoes. There's room to see the experiences of different characters in this world. Or they can just remake the original Metal Gear's into 3D, I totally wouldn't mind that either.
Oy, I cannot wait to play MGS 4. Everyone who has played it is telling me how much I'll love it, but I just haven't got there yet! It's driving me crazy! Having said that, I can see your point. There is a LOT more to the Metal Gear universe than just Snake. That's not surprising though, especially considering the fact that I consider Metal Gear to have the best characterization out of any franchise ever. I think I mostly meant I didn't want any more games to star Solid Snake.

I disagree with you on the Final Fantasy front. Hell yes the series is over-rated. They've got one of the most miserable, yaoi-fangirl fan-bases ever…but having said that, even though none of their games are really as great as people make them out to be…it can't be helped that a lot of their games are actually good. The two PS2-era Final Fantasies – X and XII (no, I am not forgetting XI) were REALLY good in my opinion and are worthy of praise. There are better JRPGs out there but that shouldn't mean the series should just flat-out stop.

My own stupid brother Drew is next

Sean McCabe, I completely agree with you, I'm glad there is someone else out there who wants to see the Final Fantasy series meet a quick death.

12, soon to be 13 (plus a spin off of 13?!), games that have been practically the same since they debuted on the Super Nintendo. Sure there is some new crazy feature every time, like a sphere grid or a license board, but the gameplay is the same crap.

Outside of 6 and 7, I don't think much of the stories either.

All of this coming from the guy who sees a ten minute cutscene to end a game and lets out a groan? I know you don't really think X and XII play similarly, otherwise there'd be trouble. What a douche. Actually though, the only reason I am posting this comment is because Drew is getting a column of his own here at 411mania. You can check it out Sunday…I think. Give him your support!

There was a bit of bickering between David R and Rod Oracheski (YO! Let's have a fact or fiction matchup between these two eh?) in the comments regarding Halo. I figured I would toss in my own two cents regarding that franchise.

I agree with myself and firmly believe Halo is garbage. I respect that other people enjoy the game, but I just don't. I prefer my generic first person shooters to take place in World War II.

A man who wishes to remain Anonymous enjoys popular games

Thanks for not putting GTA in this list. That's a series that will always need sequels (GTA:Tokyo plz Rockstar).

You're very right about Halo. I don't know what they could do to improve the series without huge changes in either the story or gameplay. We're probably just going to see more of the same. But I admit I will definitely keep playing them.

I never even considered GTA to be on this list because I feel that each incarnation adds enough of a new experience that a new one is always warranted. Some people may get on my case for Halo but there is a HUGE difference between a 30+ hour game that rehashes a lot over a 6-hour game that does. That's just how I feel though. Plus, the satire and story-telling in GTA IV easily place it above Halo 3 in my mind.

I should also mention GTA Tokyo is what I want the next one to be called as well.

As for you playing more of the same from Halo…I won't. I already know they're going to release a Halo 4 and it'll be the same game we played last time with probably a couple of new additions. Since Halo 2 and 3 are practically the same game, it wouldn't be surprising at all to see the franchise stay the course. It sells, so who could blame em?

All Around Wrestling Fan sides with…GUITAR HERO!?

I'd agree about Guitar Hero, but the whole reason the can release so many, is the fact that it changes game-by-game due to the song selection and note setup. And I'd agree about having them just do DLC, but I don't have XBox Live... or Broadband for that matter, so I fully endorse them releasing new games.

It's not the same as a sports game, where you might get new players but every game is basically the same. New songs create a different experience for each individual song. And GH 4 could suck badly, but we can still make our own songs! WHOO!

And I also do not like Rock Band. It's probably the visual set up, as I absolutely hate the rectangular notes, but I'm sure I'm in the minority. Another reason why I'm happy that GH 4 is having a full band setup. It makes Rock Band worthless to me. Huzzah.

Seeing as you don't have broadband, I can understand why you wouldn't want pure DLC. It'd mean that you're missing out on a new experience. I feel that for the majority of gamers, it'd be more beneficial to simply download songs at a reduced price as opposed to buying these new track packs.

As much as I dislike the Guitar Hero franchise these days, I am intrigued about the ability to create our own songs. It won't be very long until we see guides on how to create our favorite songs. I don't own Rock Band, but with this advent I may not have a reason to. GH IV with its create a song feature could ensnare my bitterly cynical heart.

Exar-kun questions Madden's ability to sneak around covertly.

"John Madden, covert ops"
LOL. How could he stay 'covert' if he says boom and pow all the time?

That's a good question. I don't figure he'll shout BOOM when he hits a headshot through that sniper scope, but instead he'll whisper it.

To be honest, Madden Covert Ops is something I've wanted to sneak into the column for a long time. Back in highschool a friend and myself came up with the idea one day and it's been sort of a running joke for a long time. I wanted to learn how to program so I could actually make a very simple version of the game but alas…I just don't have the skill.

Lynx Raven Raide - who probably isn't TazRavenECW wraps up the comments this week

let me preface this by saying I am a FF fan, especially VII, but I have to agree with Sean McCabe: the entire series needs to be there, not just VII. Ever since Hironobu Sakaguchi quit/was fired towards the end of making 10 and after the film was released, the entire franchise has gone downhill. If it wasnt for his departure, X-2 and the Compilation of FF VII would not have been made because he had a policy of no direct sequels. Hell, I haven't even really touched FF XII, because it just doesn't interest me. Sakaguchi created FF, and with his departure it died

To be totally honest, I felt X-2 was a neat little game that was fun and didn't take itself too seriously. My only problem with it is that it ruined the story of Final Fantasy X.

As for your decision to not play FF XII…change your mind. FF XII is the most unique Final Fantasy out there. While it doesn't have a great story, the experience is fantastic and would be considered by many to be the top JRPG on the PS2.



Top-10 games I want to see at E3

This week, since E3 is drawing near, I've decided to do a list on games that I would like to see at this year's show. I should note that not every game on this list has been announced or is official…but simply games I would like to see. I also decided to discount a couple of games – namely Street Fighter IV and Soul Calibur IV – because I'm not sure what they could show to make me want those games more. I am already super hyped up for those games…so there is no need to get me even more so. I remember there being something else, but I can't remember it at the time.

I feel I should also mention that under threat of death, I did not include Mother 3. I figure there's no chance of it being localized officially anyhow and the fan translation is almost done.

10-) Megaman 9 As the Exploding Barrel Podcast has called it, this is the biggest news story of the gaming year so far. Is that really the case? Who knows. How often does a company resurrect a franchise by bringing back older graphics? Oh sure, they could have made a Megaman game that looks more like Megaman 7 or 8…but they decided to go the extra mile for nostalgia value. The entire game looks like an NES title, and personally I think that is awesome. We've already seen a fair amount from the game, including boss monsters, but I really want to see more. I want to see the game in action, I want to hear legions of Megaman fans cheer the re-incarnation of the classic franchise…really, I just want to SEE it. The way everything is going down, it just feels too good to be true. For me, it'd be like Nintendo deciding to release Mother 3 over in the states on the Super Nintendo. (Before you correct me and state Mega Man 9 is being released for the wiiware, not the NES…I know that. I just can't believe they're using this style of graphics) Simply un-believable and too good to be true. I suppose what's so good about this is the fact that at least we won't have to worry about horrible Mega Man 8 style voice work. Oh sure, it'd be good for the cheese factor but do we really want what will probably be the final incarnation of the classic franchise to sound like that? I think it's cool that it'll end how it began. In glorious 8-bit. I'll be very, very curious to see how this game sells.

- Megaman 8 did look pretty good, but...I like the look of Megaman 9 even more.

9-) Final Fantasy XIII - In last week's 10th hour, there was much ado made about the Final Fantasy franchise and its worth. If you had to ask me, while the series is over-rated…it's still pretty good and worthy of being played. I also feel as time marches on, the series gets better. I honestly don't much care for any Final Fantasy prior to V. Yes, that includes Final Fantasy IV and its generic fantasy storyline with generic, boring characters. After V however, I like just about every game they've released. Take that for what you will. With Final Fantasy XII being one of the finest Final Fantasies that they've released, I can't help but look forward to the thirteenth Final Fantasy. From everything that I've seen this one appears to be more action based, but to be quite honest…I haven't seen that much and I want to see more. I want to know what the next step will be. I have a fear that it might become something more action oriented – such as the X-button mash fest Kingdom Hearts – but as long as it remains fun and worthy of playing I guess I won't mind too much. I am also concerned because while the Final Fantasy series has been trying to improve their core titles…their fans really don't want that. They want more of the same, which is why so many fans still claim that VII is the best. Even if it has been surpassed in both gameplay and story. Final Fantasy XII is going to be met with a lot of scrutiny from both the fans and the media, but if the gameplay can be as awesome as the trailers are looking it could be lauded as one of the finest in the franchise. If it can surpass the 12th Final Fantasy it will be one of my favorite games ever, I can tell you that right now.

- I hope it doesn't dissapoint.

8-) Warhammer Online - A lot of you are probably going: "Wait…why are you looking forward to a WoW clone?" The answer is really quite simple, my friends! If you were to ask me, WoW seems to be more focused on group questing. Raiding is really all you do in the metagame. Oh sure, they HAVE PVP available to you but it's often a drag and it kind of sucks that sometimes fights can only last like 20 seconds. On top of that, epic items aren't what they used to be since they essentially just hand out purples these days. If you so much as breathe in Azeroth you better at least have one purple, because if you don't you're doing it wrong. Anyhow, that's besides the point, what I'm looking forward to so much in WAR is the fact that PVP (entitled RVR this go around) appears to be the primary focus this time. You won't really have those ONE-HIT CRITS, THIS BATTLE IS OVER moments in WAR…hell, it even looks like you can have competitive battles rage on for minutes. As if that wasn't enough, whereas WoW has just a few different classes…WAR has over 20 to choose from. Sure, some may be the same depending on what race you choose, but there is certainly more diversity available to you this time. Even if you aren't a fan of "RVR" combat you can also do group things. They probably won't be much different than what you see in WoW…but at least it's there and it's an alternative. Really, whichever franchise you support will end up going with what you prefer as a gamer. If you prefer questing against an environment WoW is probably the game for you…but if you prefer fighting as a team against other team and player versus player gameplay, WAR is your game. I want E3 to reveal even more about this game than there is already available. We all need to learn more about WoW's most serious competition in some time.

- Yes, yes, I'm sure someone will call this game "World of Warhammer" mockingly in the comments.

7-) Team Ico Project - On the Playstation 2, it seemed that Team Ico could do no wrong. Both Ico and Shadow of the Colossus were fantastic games. They could even be considered games as an art form. You know what speaks particularly well of their credentials? If you lurk around message boards you'll see Sony fanboys post a list of their upcoming games that they think will be particularly impressive. Oh sure, they had things like Haze on there as well…but that isn't the point I am trying to make. On that list they have "Team Ico Project". A game that we know nothing about, a game that has no title…a game that may or may not even exist! Some may call it blind devotion to something, but I call it a testament to Team Ico's skill. I really want to see if they finally unveil it at E3 and if it'll live up to their past offerings. Looking at both Ico and Shadow, you've got arguably two of the PS2's top-games…and the PS3 is a console that is in desperate need of more titles down the road. Oh sure, Metal Gear Solid 4 is a top-of-the-line game…but that title odds are won't be the only game you'll be playing this year. So they need more and hopefully this alleged project brings something of prestige to Sony's behemoth.

- If Team Ico's latest can approach being as artful as Ico...we've got ourselves a good game coming up.

6-) Sonic: Unleashed - It's no secret that I am a fan of the Sonic franchise. In the last column I could have very easily thrown Sonic into the list of games that don't need a new sequel, but I didn't…simply because I have faith that one day Sonic can turn it around, that he can once again become that hedgehog we know and love. I have to be cautiously optimistic about this game because Sonic 2006 had extremely sublime trailers leading up to its release and we all know how that turned out. Having said that though, Sonic Unleashed looks simply FANTASTIC. It combines 2D side-scrolling hedgehog action – with a 3D model – with behind the back Sonic action (Or 3D, save your shudders please). Now notice how I said SONIC action. That's right, Sega has said before and hopefully they'll keep their word…that Sonic is the ONLY playable character in this game. No Shadow, no Tails, no Big, no Blaze…no anyone. Just you and the hedgehog. Has Sonic Team finally learned their lesson that perhaps we desire to play a Sonic game where you actually play as Sonic? Time will end up telling the tale. The one thing that has me worried is that apparently Sega though that ripping of Twilight Princess's werewolf gimmick would be a good idea. Sonic can turn into a wolf in this game and it has lead to a lot of fear…I hope that this decision won't lead to drastically different gameplay, instead just more of the same with Sonic as a wolf. Of course, you can never assume anything when it comes to Sonic Team because they've been known to fuck up in the past. We can certainly hope though If we can get back to what made Sonic fun in the first place perhaps we can finally have a 3D game that lives up to the name of its Genesis forefathers.

- Don't care what history tells me, I can't wait for this.

5-) Resident Evil 5 - There's already been a rash of controversy regarding this game, hasn't there? Claims of racism and what have you…but in this overly politically correct world I suppose nothing is surprising anymore. What has me excited for this game is quite simple. While I will admit that the early Resident Evil games were quality titles, I just did not like them at all. The characters in the game controlled like tanks and "fighting" was more of a hassle than anything. I guess the only thing that really scared me was the prospect of actually fighting those zombies. Resident Evil 4 seemed to change all of that because, while less scary, the gameplay took an action tone and was actually fun to play. Where I had to force myself through games such as Remake and Code Veronica, Resident Evil 4 was a fun ride throughout and I was hoping that they'd keep things the same and it looks like they are for the fifth installment. I know, I know, Capcom keeping things the same! WHAT A SHOCKER! Bah, I don't care. I know I'll be getting a fun experience with a very sub-par story. As long as I am getting that "fun" out of a game with the words "Resident Evil" in the title, I'll be A-Okay. I may not look it, but I don't always need a compelling story! I sincerely hope that E3 delivers more goods as far as this game is concerned.



4-) Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts - This game already is pretty controversial eh? Not for the same reasons as Resident Evil 5 above, but for something totally different. On the N64, the Banjo Kazooie series was platforming at its finest. Outside of Mario 64, it's really the best the system had to offer and you can't really blame fans for wanting more of the same for the X-Box 360. At first, it appeared to be like this. The platforming would be back! Then they did something that infuriated the fan-base. What they did would be akin to Nintendo making Mother 4 a first-person-shooter. Rare has changed the focus of Banjo 3 from platforming to what appears to be vehicular combat. Oh sure, according to Rare there will still be some platforming involved, but the footage shown and everything else seems to indicate that they made a drastic change to the franchise that – judging from fan reaction – isn't really wanted at all. In certain cases change is necessary…but did the Banjo franchise really need to change like this? Now, you may be wondering…why is this on the list then? Well it's quite simple, I want to be proven wrong. I want the next Banjo game to prove that you can drastically change a franchise and still be a quality game. To be quite honest, from the footage I have seen it doesn't even look bad. It looks like it could be fun! If you combine a decent game with Banjo's charming cast perhaps you will have a winner…but that really remains to be seen. I figure unless Banjo comes out and blows everyone away, it will be met very negatively by the fans since it isn't what they wanted. That's sort of a shame because I really want to see this game given a chance. It may not be what we wanted, but it's the only way we'll get to play as Banjo on these fancy new next-gen consoles. I know I'll give it a chance! …Even if Mumbo has been reduced to an auto-mechanic. Uggh.

- Still make me a bit un-easy.

3-) New Zelda - We've been hearing for a while now that Nintendo is going to unveil their next big title at E3 this year and a lot of people are guessing a myriad of things…including the heavily rumored new Kid Icarus and Pikmin 3. The problem with those is, while (probably) quality games, I don't think a lot of gamers would consider that a big announcement. Is that wrong of them? Sure. But to be quite honest they're both second tier Nintendo franchises. I figure the most likely big announcement from Nintendo will involve a new Legend of Zelda game. What will be the gimmick this time? Who really knows. If I had to choose something, it'd be to continue the storyline and graphic style of Windwaker…but I know I'm the only person on the planet who actually feels that way. We'll probably see more Twilight Princess style visuals with more ‘dark' environments…which is okay. Remember, I LIKED TP, and even called it better than OoT. It doesn't really matter though, as long as a new Zelda is announced I know damn well everyone who owns a wii will want a copy of it no matter how it looks and I can't blame ‘em. The franchise is stellar no matter what your point of view is, and if the next one is announced at E3 then we finally have another big-name wii title to look forward to. While Monster Hunter 3 is big in Japan, I don't think many Americans are looking forward to that title (though I am!)…so this is something that everyone can enjoy. Let's hope that it happens.

- We need more Toon Link.

2-) Next Big Sony Game - Before you come in here flailing your "Resistance 2" flags…please. Was Resistance 1 anything to get worked up about? No? So what will the sequel do that's so different to make us excited? I just don't see anything, but I hope I am wrong. Outside of Metal Gear Solid 4, what big, high-marquee titles are coming out for the Playstation 3 this year? Does Sony really want to go into the holiday season with Resistance as its main seller? Think about it…Killzone comes out after the holiday season in February, so even if you are counting on that…it won't be here until next year. I'd say that they are banking on something big, something we may not be expecting, to help move systems this holiday season. Say what you will about games such as Little Big Planet, but I don't really think that it'll move consoles. They need a new console seller and I think this year they'll be announcing it. Will it be a sequel? Will it be a new IP? Who knows, but hopefully we'll at least see it and know it exists. As apathetic as I am towards Fable 2, I sincerely believe that it out-classes anything Sony has on its plate for the rest of the year. So I hope that the next big game for Sony's monolith is unveiled over the weekend, because I think it could really use another high caliber title.

- Maybe we could use another Tomba, eh?

1-) Pikmin 3 - Smash Brothers has done absolute wonders for characters that appear in their games. Prior to the original Smash Brothers, I hardly knew anyone who knew what Earthbound was. If I were to mention it as my favorite game I would collect a bunch of blank stares as they go: "Wha?" After they unlocked Ness and learned more about him, interest started to rise. Now, Nintendo hasn't done anything about that interest JUST yet, but at least it is there. Fire Emblem, a series that had not been released over seas, received a lot of attention with Smash Brothers Melee. People liked using Roy and Marth and they wanted to play the franchise in which they were from. So, we got bombarded with the Fire Emblem games. This is in large part due to the success of Smash Brothers Melee. The latest Smash Brothers game is out and I look at three franchises that could potentially benefit from it: Kid Icarus with its representative of Pit, Mother 3 possibly getting an official release with its representative Lucas, and…Pikmin with the inclusion of Olimar. Discounting Mother, the series I most want to see get some love would have to be Pikmin. The last new Pikmin game was released in 2004 and while playing it I felt that there could still be more. They hadn't quite tapped the well on that one. It was a fun real-time strategy game that was very charming. I mean, how many titles let you dig around in real world environments? Can you harvest batteries and cans in most other games and call them treasure? Or give them really crazy names and descriptions? Probably not. It's probably the most user-friendly RTS available, and on the Wii…it could get a lot of kids interested into the genre, which in turn…could HELP the genre. Perhaps I am being overly hopeful in wishing that Pikmin would receive a next-gen resurrection, but I can't help it. It's Nintendo's most recent Intelligent Property and considering they've released about a billion sequels for every other one they've had I think it's only fair that Pikmin gets one more time to shine. I don't know what other Pikmin they could introduce, but one more trip to their world really couldn't hurt. Plus, we all want to hang around Miyamoto's back-yard…don't we?

- Dare to dream.

Honorable Mention: Fable 2

Well that'll do it for this week .As always if you have any thoughts or feedback you can e-mail me at [e-mail] or [e-mail]. Of course, you could always just leave me a comment below.

Before I go, here are some neat links from around 411's gaming section

The Exploding Barrel Podcast, which is orated by AJ and Mike Minotti. As always these two do a pretty good job and you really oughta' listen. AJ isn't the only person playing Diablo 2 this week as my brother Drew also has gotten into it. He's in the middle of Act 2 as we speak. Great job this week as always, guys

Theo Fraser brings us the Nintendophiles this week. He brings us news on Chrono Triggers DS, which is appreciated. Apparently the game is simply going to be an update and not an overhaul like FF's III and IV. I guess I can see why since it's in very good esteem among gamers…but I am a tad disappointed to be honest.

Jordan "The Ogre" Williams brings us the Working Title. Where last week he discussed the merits of the Street Fighter movie, this week he brings us the Dead or Alive movie! Another "So bad it's good" movie. I don't really see how anyone could complain about DOA's movie not following canon. It's not like the DOA games have a story at all.

B3yond the Report is penned by Mark Salmella. This week he rounds up all the Sony news prior to E3. He may not be excited about the Naruto game, but my God it looks beautiful.

Owain J. Brimfield brings us the Wonder Years and this week he talks about…THE LOST VIKINGS! Excellent choice and a must read. If you haven't played this game, play it

Chris Vicari brings us the forgotten PC games. This time he discusses the Rise and Fall of Ultima Online. It's pretty interesting. Oh man, I accidentally typed that in as the Rise and Fall of ECW at first. How embarrassing.

Vincent Chiucchi brings us the Hall of Shame and this week he inducts the horrid GBA port of the Genesis version of Sonic. Good choice, Vince. That game was pure shit and could have been a worthy purchase.

The PC-centric extravaganza brings us the PC news this week. Chris Evans discusses the political machine as well as our site being over-run by Sony fanboys.

Jacob Lopez gives us a brief look at bands in video games. These range from Kriss Kross to Journey. Good addition, Jacob.

John Curry – the Curry man – brings us the Checkpoint this week when he tells the fanboys that visit our site to shut the hell up. UH OH

Rod Oracheski brings us Achievement Unlocked! This week one of the things he discusses is Sony's new achievement clone…the trophy! This is his column from last week as we update on the same day. Make sure to check out his newest column which will be up today

Joe Roche brings us the Full Circle report. This is last week's rendition so make sure you check the one that is updated the same day this one is released. Anyhow, my favorite thing is that apparently Soul Calibur is getting a release on X-Box LIVE. AWESOME!

Well, that's all. See ya' next week.

Til' the crossroads

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