411 Games Fact or Fiction 08.12.08: Buying Madden This Year, the Star Trek MMO, LittleBigPlanet As A System Seller, G-Phoria, & More!

Posted by Tommy Coloma on 08.12.2008

411's Sean Garmer and Jeffrey Harris tell us what they think about this year's Madden, the viability of the Star Trek MMO, LittleBigPlanet's ability to sell systems, G-Phoria's results, being able to copy your games onto your 360's hard drive after the Fall update, and Gears of War's lower PC scores in this edition of Fact or Fiction Games.

Welcome to another edition of Fact or Fiction. This week Sean Garmer and Jeffrey Harris swung by to tell us what they think about some of today's most important video game news and issues. Sean does the 411 Games Roundtable for the Games section as well as 411 Football/Soccer Fact or Fiction for the Sports section. Jeffrey has recently done coverage for Anime Expo 2008, an interview with David Hayter, and coverage for Comic Con.

Let's go -


1. Those who pick Madden up this week need not feel cheated as this year's edition has been significantly improved over last year's.

Sean Garmer: Fact

EA woke up from the slumber they have been in over the last few years to give us a winner in Madden 09.

The adaptability feature is a big reason to buy the game this year. I have been waiting for something like this for a long time. The game gives you a test on how good you are and then the game adapts to you as you grow and keep playing. It gives casual Madden fans something to strive for, and maybe they can get good without having to play for hours on end. To help with that is also the rewind feature and the backtrack thing too. Add to that online leagues, graphics that finally live up to those cut scenes in the 06 version, and the virtual trainer. Sign me up please. I'll be waiting in line on Monday night to get my hands on it.

Jeffrey Harris: Fact

Unfortunately, it's more out of ignorance since I'm not a fan of the Madden series, but I trust Garmer's judgment.

Score: 1 for 1


2. The upcoming MMO based on the Star Trek franchise is destined to fail.

Sean Garmer: Fact

Star Trek is doing a nice thing trying to revive the franchise with fresh faces (at least at the movies anyway), but really, to me Star Trek getting an MMO doesn't scream sales. Most of its fans are of the older generation that don't play games like these or college kids that are probably already playing another MMO.

The Star Wars MMO didn't even sell that well and they have kept themselves very current. I don't think it would matter if everyone from past series lent their voices to the game. Unless the game did something to shock the world of MMOs it's not going to keep people from playing Warcraft. It's going to be too difficult to try to get people other than fans of the series to play it. Besides, it's not like I would trust a game with the Star Trek name on it. They don't have a good history in the games department as it is.

Jeffrey Harris: Fact

I'm a Trek fan, and I would never once consider getting this game. I've not seen anything about this game where it would succeed where so many Trek games have failed. Also, to be honest, what's the point of a Trek MMO? I mean, Trek just feels like the wrong kind of game to make an MMO for. I mean, in the DCU MMO you are a superhero saving the world. In World of Warcraft you are any number of races going on quests. What do you do in a Trek MMO that will really work with that format?

Score: 2 for 2


3. LittleBigPlanet associate producer Eric Fong says that the game will be a "hardware seller." He is right.

Sean Garmer: Fiction

LittleBigPlanet is one of the games that makes me want to buy a PS3. That being said, I'm also a game reviewer that loves quirky games like this one. The fact is most of America doesn't. This will sell a lot of software with people that already have one and also with artists and people that like to create things. But I just don't see it making non-gamers say that they want to buy LittleBigPlanet. The character is kid-friendly and he has a cute name. I don't know if I see this as a Viva Piñata, an Okami, or an Electro Plankton that will be critically acclaimed but not set the world on fire in sales. Especially not hardware.

Jeffrey Harris: Fiction

It's definitely a cute-looking game. But it's not Wii Play or Wii Sports. Now THOSE were hardware sellers. Halo 3 - hardware seller. I don't see this as a game that people will want to buy a system for. I see it maybe finding a cult niche, but nothing about this screams BUY A SYSTEM. Did people buy a system for Katamari Damacy? Don't think so.

Score: 3 for 3



4. For the most part, you agree with the results of this year's G-Phoria.

Jeffrey Harris: Fact

God of War on PSP is easily the best handheld portable game of the year. I mean, it's hard to top the awesomeness of David Hayter as Snake in the MGS games. However, I still feel that the Wii and DS are better systems than the Xbox 360. But that's my only real caveat.

Sean Garmer: Fact

I don't think you can really argue with a show that is voted on by the fans. Obviously, like anything else, it is going to come down to who votes for what the most. I agree with most everything, but I don't know why Jeff is nitpicking the system deal. It says "favorite system," not "best system," so that's basically what people overall picked as their favorite system. I don't agree with Halo 3 as game of the year; MGS 4 and COD 4 were much better games in my opinion, and I think NHL 08 deserved sports game of the year as it was clearly a big improvement for the franchise. Other than that, everything else is fine. I'm just happy this is voted on by the fans and not like the crappy Spike TV one that is ultimately a popularity contest by the station.

Score: 4 for 4


5. The Xbox 360 Fall update will allow gamers to copy their games to and play them from the hard drive, allowing for faster load times and a quieter experience. This new feature is a big deal.

Jeffrey Harris: Fiction

It's only a big deal if reducing load times is very important to you. I for one have never been really anti-load time. Load times really just give me a breather at certain points and give me time to strategize and mentally warm up. Also, I'm still sure tech-savvy junkies have already figured stuff like this out. But is reducing load time that important if load time is STILL there?

Sean Garmer: Fiction

Actually, I don't see the point of this at all. Wonderful, it loads 10 seconds faster and it is quieter? You still need to have the disk to start it up and then it will load off the hard drive. Now, I know this brings up many legal issues, but it's not like hackers probably haven't figured out how to do this, or won't figure it out. Anyway, why not let the person install the game and run it off their system without having to use the disk at all?

I know most people will say that it makes it very easy for people to take a rented game or a friend's game and copy it (that way they don't have to ever buy it). Thus, you have piracy. Not so fast my friends - we do have the technology to keep that from happening. If they really wanted to, they could put a blocker into the firmware that gets downloaded. Meaning, if you copy the game onto your hard drive, the hard drive will implant a block on the disc from here on afterwards. Telling every other 360 system that this disc has already been copied and can only be used to play the game. Really, wouldn't it make it a lot easier to just be able to take your 360 with you somewhere (as long as you don't get the RROD by doing so) and not have to carry your ass load of games with you? I know when I go to visit family in Miami, I'd like to just take my system. As it stands, it is pointless. I'm more interested in the new dashboard - the avatars, the Netflix thing, and all that. If they change this then maybe it will have substance.

Score: 5 for 5


6. In a recent interview with MundoRare, Mike Capps of Epic Games says that the low scores for the PC version of Gears of War are bullshit considering the fact that the newer version runs at a higher resolution and has three more hours of gameplay. You agree with his assessment.

Jeffrey Harris: Fiction

Sounded like sour grapes to me. The Nintendo Wii and DS are systems that don't have hi-def or graphics as deep or impressive as the PS3 and Xbox 360, yet they can still have games that are just as much fun if not better than the ones on those consoles. I'm not a graphics guy. Pretty visuals are fine, but I care more about gameplay and what I can get out of playing a game. Now, while I didn't read the reviews or play the PC version... Well... maybe it just doesn't play as well as the console ones? Maybe Gears of War is just better on a console than on a PC.

Sean Garmer: Fiction

Jeffrey has a point about the Wii and DS not having great graphics and still being fun systems. He shouldn't really complain, because the rating is based off the great success of the Xbox 360 version and maybe those reviewers just think that the PC version doesn't bring that same experience or something. He's crying over nothin'. It's not like he made any less money because of the reviews.

Score: 6 for 6



And we have a final score of 6 for 6. Don't forget to join us next time for more Fact or Fiction!

Now, after being given red shirts we were transported to a settlement where people have been attacked by demons. If we can help them out without getting ourselves killed, we'll be back next week.