Coming Attractions 09.06.08: TNA Impact! (PS3/360), SPORE (PC)

Posted by Drew Robbins on 09.06.2008

This week, Drew Robbins returns to preview one of the most anticipated games of all time, Spore. Also this week, TNA throws their colored tights into the ring of gaming with TNA: Impact! on the 360 and PS3.

Welcome back, to Coming Attractions, which has now moved to Saturday! Woo. This week, I make my *glorious* return with a look at NHL 2K9, TNA Impact!, and the long awaited (see…LONG AWAITED) game from Will Wright, SPORE! Its going to be an exciting week.

- So I have a funny story for you readers (speaking of you guys, I need a name to refer to you as. Jim Rome has the clones…so I need something!). The other day, I'm just browsing around IGN, looking at their Spore coverage. If you've ever been to IGN, you'll know they have this little thing on the sidebar that gives the pages with the top 10 amount of hits. There was an entry on the list called Zach and Miri make a Porno. But when I was just glancing over, I swear to god, I thought it said Zack and Wiki make a porno. I'll just leave you with that thought…

- Speaking of things that are hilarious, there is a Disgea game coming out for the DS that is…wait for it…a platformer! Back when I did Fact or Fiction, somebody asked if I would like RPGs if they were less RPG-like. The answer is yes, yes, a million times yes!

- Did you see my reviews this week? I only ask because I'm awesome, and you should probably read anything with my name next to it.

- *Update* - I just beat Uncharted yesterday, and figured I'd use my last few hours of editing power to tell you about how awesome this game is. I'll start off by saying that I think I liked this game a lot more than most people. Everyone seemed to like it...but I loved it. Right now, it is sitting pretty as my favorite PS3 game...waiting for Little Big Planet or inFamous to knock it off its pedestal. Usually when a game does a lot of things, you'd expect for it to do most of those things poorly or just average. Uncharted did many things, it combined gameplay from Prince of Persia and Gears of War into one of the most awesome games of all time. The story was pretty decent as well, it felt a lot like an Indiana Jones film or maybe even National Treasure (but lets give Uncharted credit, its story didn't suck like National's did). I liked the move made by Naughty Dog to go the whole game without a real boss fight, which makes it even more like Indiana Jones. Needless to say, I really liked Uncharted. I can't wait to see what Naughty Dog does next.



Reader Feedback

While I may not have been here last week, as I was in Chicago watching the Cubs fall victim to a loss against the Phillies, I was here the week before that. So I shall respond to all of those old comments!

Guest hates Tales of Vesperia

Tales of Vesperia Demo was horrible ! I don't know what was worse the gay emo voice overs with snappy comebacks like a smart ass 12 yr old ! or when the voice overs stopped whoring itself and the speech balloons became just as an aggravation !

The Final fantasy 7/8/9 battle system but with free base roaming with the fight reminded me of Pokemon battle arena meets Blue Dragon !

Very unoriginal and unsatisfying as Blue Dragon was! If i was a girl or boy ages 8 to 13 than maybe yeah i would buy this or a parent getting this for a kid under that age limit

this is not for hardcore Rpg'ers
(Is that even a word ?)

It just overkills the genera it's trying to improve upon ! I would honestly like a vote on who in the public likes and votes for these crappy emo rpg's!!

RPG's of old would bow their heads in shame on the legacy they left behind to see it turned into this kind of crap we are seeing today !

I mean whats the foucs group ? Asian emo/pink kids with smart alec comebacks ? The characters dialog was over the top with stuff trolls say on internet forums ! A real aggravation !

also the art work graphics were anime' in style with a 3d effect shadow similar to cut outs in stop motion internet digital comics -but than again that seems to be the fade now a days - so they get no bonus for going outside the mold !

Overall if i had to rate the demo i would say a 2 out of 5

I agree with most of these statements. The story is ridiculously generic in most Tales games, and the combat seems to give you too many options when it is possible to do everything by simply mashing buttons.

Simpleton is awesome…

As a fellow Sands of Time fan I must inquire what your opinion of Warrior Within is?

First of all, let me just congratulate you on being a fan of the best game ever to exist. As for Warrior Within, I still liked it…but it had its fair share of problems. The Prince was suddenly an angst filled teen with almost no explanation as to why. Then, the focus was shifted from balls-to-the-walls platforming to the combat, which isn't why I played Prince of Persia in the first place. They were just pandering to people who didn't like the first one.

Rod Oracheski actually answered my question.

"So, post some opinions on great games that were given the cold shoulder by today's media."

Chromehounds, in a way. It seems like reviewers never bothered playing it online, which was the point of the game. They hit the single-player tutorial campaign, then judged it based on that. With a group of friends, the game had tons of strategy and serious legs - some friends still play it today.

I've never heard of Chromehounds…so I can't say much about it. Reviewers often give a review based on a small sampling of the content available. However, I can say that I don't give too much of my review scores over to multiplayer. Most games can be fun with friends, so I can't give a game perfect just based on how much fun it was with others. The only way I would consider basing a score off of multiplayer is if the game is only online, like Team Fortress 2 or World of Warcraft. One of those would get a 10 from me, and one of those would get a 7. Why don't you guess which?

Jeff really wants Castle Crashers…so he probably has it. Hope you had fun!


I can't wait for Castle Crashers... seriously... 3 more days? ... *sigh*...
This is how I feel with Spore. Seriously, is it two more days left? The game was announced so long ago, and I've been waiting since day one, and the fact that I'm within a week is just….wow.

Mark Salmela filled in for me last week. He got flak but…it was for the same stuff I get crap for.

What seriously need to happen is for Sega to pull a MegaMan 9 with Sonic the hedgehog. Make a real Sonic 4 *not crackers* and make it using all of the Genesis limitations. I feel if they do that they'll actually have a chance at making a good game again. I was going to write a column on it but then I realized Sega hates money.

This is something that needs to happen. Mega Man is great…but don't even get me started on how much I like Sonic. Unfortunately, Sega hates money so much that the idea of making a good game scares them to death.

jham is appreciative…finally, someone!

I loved what you wrote about TMNT. It brought me back tons of memories, I used to play that with my brother and sister on the arcades. As I got my Xbox 360 it was the first game I downloaded from XBLA. Actually that game along Gears of War is what made me buy the Xbox 360

That's what I'm here for. Glad you enjoyed the review, because I enjoyed writing it. Also glad to see you enjoyed Gears of War, which is becoming the bandwagon thing to hate. I guess PS3 fanboys got tired of hating Halo?

jcjames is another one of those RPG fans who feel the need to outlash.

Next time, just skip over Role-playing games. We know you dislike them, pretty silly bothering to review them if you have nothing but insults. I don't mind reading your articles, but again, just makes no sense if you are always going to be a baby about it.

Alright, I'm fairly sure I recommended Disgaea and Infinite Undiscovery to RPG fans. If I skip over them that would be a disservice to those who actually use this column as a medium for help instead of as a place for RPG fanboys to bash the writer. I fail to see how I'm being a baby about it. Just because I said they aren't my style? Yeah, I guess that makes sense if you are a mindless basher. Its weird, I never see fans of other genres whining on this site.

Coming Attractions – Week 9

It's a pretty good week again, I have yet to see a game I'll say anything bad about on this release list.

Battle of Hockey Games – 2K9 vs. 2009 (Multi) - There appears to be a bit of a dilemma for hockey fans this week. What should you buy, EA or 2K? Well, as always, Coming Attractions is here to save the day.

Let us start with NHL 2009, the latest hockey game to come from EA. I've never been a big fan of EA's take on the sport, because I find most EA games to be terribly bland and boring. However, it looks like this version of the game is meant to satisfy long time fans of the series. If you hate how the series has evolved, fear not, because you can set the controls to play with 2-buttons like the legendary NHL '94. While not having played NHL '94, I've heard from a lot of people that this iteration of the game is delicious. This could be a prettier version of that delicious gem, so who knows? Maybe this one will be great.

Next up, we have NHL 2K9, from 2K games. 2K has always had a better feel for the presentation and gameplay in their sports games. The NBA series from them is fantastic, the NFL series from them *was* fantastic, and I'm sure if they even made games about lacrosse, that too, would be fantastic. Yet again, I have never played this game, except for in demo form. While I did enjoy it, I'm not sure I can recommend spending $60 on what seems like basically a roster update.

So what do I suggest? Well, read the rating, dummy!
My Opinion: NHL 2K9 (Thumbs up) - It seems like if you want the best graphics, go with EA. But if you play games for graphics, then I don't think this column is for you.



TNA: Impact! (PS3, 360, PS2) - The wrestling game market has been dominated for quite a while by the WWE, much like in the Sports Entertainment market. However, they have been running practically unopposed for a while now. I say practically because there have been outings such as Fire Pro Wrestling, but that game was so rough around the edges that it didn't really grab them away from Smackdown vs. Raw. This year is different though, as the real life rivals of WWE are throwing their tights into the market.

Impact is made my Midway, who made an arcade wrestling game. That game featured Mortal Kombat-esque character models, and it was pretty decent. It was just an arcade game so, let's hope that Impact has a little more depth then that. Luckily, I can already confirm for you that the story mode is supposed to last around 8-10 hours, which is much more than the "10 minutes, and I'm done" story mode in last year's Smackdown game. Seriously, was there anybody who actually liked that horrible mode last year? It nearly made me throw the game out the window.

The story mode revolves around a wrestler named Suicide, who falls from grace and you end up having to rebuild him. That is only part of the actual beginning, but that intro is so ridiculous that I'm not sure how I would feel typing it. Ok, fine, I will. You get beat up by LAX for not taking their warning to stay away from the title, and you wake up in Mexico, brutally beaten. You have to have plastic surgeons rebuild you, and there you are. Let me be the first to say…heck yeah! This story mode will hopefully bring back the awesomeness of past story modes in wrestling games, such as Day of Reckoning 2 and Smackown 2006's ECW storyline.

From a gameplay standpoint this is definitely less of the simulation and more of the arcade style of play. I've seen a few videos so far, and all of the gameplay just looks extremely fresh. Smackdown has had the same animations for years so seeing all of these new motions is really…thrilling.

Like every wrestling game, this game has a few problems going against it. Do you like creating wrestlers? That is a silly question, everyone does. In Impact, you can only create 5 wrestlers, which means you won't be able to bring over all of your favorite WWE superstars like I know you were planning. Don't even deny it, I've already seen your CAW sheet for Shawn Micheals over in the corner. You can't hide anything from me. Another problem is, from what I've heard, the game has no submissions. Even though at first I was a little shocked, now it is starting to set in and I can see the reasoning behind this. How many times have you been playing Smackdown and you were having this great match where everyone was badly hurt, and people are breaking out of pins or reversing signatures…but then some douche uses a submission that makes you tap out instantly. It happens a lot, especially with the AI. So getting rid of submissions makes me a tad bit angry, but I can definitely see where they are coming from. Unless they took them out just to be lazy. In that case, shame on you, Midway!
My Opinion: Thumbs Up - Chances are that you have been playing the same old wrestling games for the past few years, so this should finally switch things up. What it lacks in characters and options, it seems to make up for in the gameplay department. I have a feeling this will be a multiplayer powerhouse for a long time to come. Plus, it has AJ Styles and Kurt Angle…what more could you ask for?

One last note, you are looking at the reviewer of TNA Impact on the PS3. I can't wait.



- I know this is a wrestling based site, so I figure I would include a video instead of the regular snapshot.
This Week's #1 Pick

SPORE (PC) - Finally. How long has it been since the day Will Wright announced this ambitious title? It feels like it has been ages, but at long last, the wait is coming to an end. Unless you live overseas (and have the game…lucky), the game comes out the day after this column is posted.

Since I'm so nice, I'll inform the rock dwellers on just exactly what Spore is. Spore is a game where you create your very own life-form and take it through the obstacles of life. What starts from a one-cell organism will eventually evolve into a creature that has the intellect to reach space.

Speaking of space, that looks like where it looks like this game really shines. Once you reach that point, you can travel to many planets, which contain creatures created by other people from all around the world. So far, I've heard quite a few interesting stories. One person told me how he was exploring a planet, and suddenly surrounded by a horde of flying Trogdors who ripped through his small army of creatures. I'm sure stories like this will become normal in a matter of days.

This game just looks amazing.
My Opinion: Two Thumbs Up - Buy Spore if your PC can play it. In case you all were wondering, this is a little thing we like to call "innovation."


- The wait is over. It can truly be said that 2008 is one of gaming's best years.

The Console War Scoreboard

Last week, Mark awarded Mercenaries 2 the #1 pick. I'll take that into account and award it to all four platforms it appeared on.

360 4
PC 3
PS3 2
Wii 1
DS 1
PS2 1
PSP Still nothing.

It will be interesting to see if the PSP can put out a #1 worthy game before the year ends. I'm waiting, Sony.

Yesterday's Attractions

If you haven't noticed, I've started to shorten this segment to one game a week. I don't plan on changing it…I think one is good enough.

WWE Day of Reckoning 2 (GCN) - A forgotten gem of the last generation's wrestling games. The original Day of Reckoning was a sign of great things to come, and those great things happened with the second game. To begin with, Day of Reckoning 2 featured one of the best stories in any wrestling game. They truly made Edge a great heel before he had peaked in real life. Another great feature of the game was the new submission system. Instead of being thrust instantly into a button-mashing festival, this game gave you a small opportunity to reverse things. You could tilt the C-stick in a direction, and if you guessed the right direction, you broke out of the submission. Considering how much damage the crippler crossface did in this game, I don't think this could be considered a bad thing.

DoR2 was also the last game to feature taunts before your special moves. It is true that this is a very minor factor…but it is the little things that matter. The game just gets so exciting when someone does the key taunt, and now everyone knows that this guy is dangerous. The Robbins family is renowned for loving games for stupid features like this, and I will admit that this factor really made me love the game.
My Rating - **** out of 5.


- I am-uh, the game-uh…and I like-uh, Day of-uh Reck-uhning 2….UH.

The 411

The Exploding Barrel Podcast by Mike and AJ Minotti. They talk about Castle Crashers. Coming Attractions writer needs Castle Crashers badly.

Achievement Unlocked by Rod Oracheski. He talks about achievements in Lego Batman…which I am not too excited for right now. I played Indiana Jones a few months back, I could use a little longer before I play one of these again.

The 10th Hour by Derek Robbins. Someone in the comments section infers that playing WRPGs improves your sexual prowess. Be right back…buying Mass Effect.

Working Title by Jordan Williams. More about Mega Man this week, but I refuse to be party to his statements regarding Mega Man and Zero. They are nothing more than friends!

The Wonder Years by Owain J. Brimfield. Owain is on his way out of 411, wish him well. It looks like Coming Attractions and the 10th Hour will be your only sources for nostalgia for a while.

The PC Centric Extravaganza by Chris Evans. Football Manager? Ughhhhhhhhhh….

The Negative Edge New Report by Tommy Colomna. Haha…Disgaea is a PLATFORMER.

The Nintendophiles by Theo Fraser. Since Theo won't be here next week…guess who is filling in? I'll give you a hint, his name starts with a "D" and ends with a "roo." I hope this one isn't too hard for you guys.

That's all for this week, next week I'll unleash the force with my preview of The Force Unleashed. Check out the demo if you haven't already, the game is awesome. If you have any feedback, just leave a comment below!

Oh, and one last thing, GO RAMS! Beat those Eagles!