B3yond the Report 12.30.08
Posted by Derek Robbins on 12.30.2008
Analysts claim that 2009 is going to be the year of Sony. Is that true? Also, Capcom is going to be releasing new content for the PSP. Will anyone care? All of this and more this week on B3yond the Report
Hello and welcome to B3yond the Report! I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas or whatever you celebrate! There isn't much Sony news today, but I'll see what I can compile for you guys who are STARVED for gaming news. Let's get this thing started, shall we?
B3yond the News of the Week
More Delays: Year of Sony set for '09, not ‘08
I'm sure those of you highly anticipating the up-coming "Year of Sony" will be let down that it won't be coming out by year's end 2008, but instead will be given the label: "Throughout 2009". That's right, as many of you may remember 2008 was proclaimed as THE YEAR OF SONY earlier in the year by many, many video game analysts and for whatever reason, they don't really think that year was this year. Screen Digest analyst Piers Harding-Rolls comments on this:
We always felt that 2008 was the year that PS3 kicked off - but we think that will now be 2009. When we looked at the 360 at the beginning of the year we didn't think it was going to do as well as it has done.
There were several reasons that people thought 2008 would be Sony's year. One of the biggest would definitely be the fact that BLU-ray beat HD-DVD as the format most preferred by the masses. I suppose high-marquee titles such as Little Big Planet and Metal Gear Solid 4 were going to just drive that purchase home. Hell, even *I* thought last year that 2008 would be the year of Sony, and back in December of 07 when I declared that, I didn't own one. (I thought it was a waste of money at that point, and in 2007 I honestly think it was)
So what happened? I really, really don't think that Microsoft had that great of a year all-around. I think a lot of Microsoft's greatness is more perception than reality. Think about it, let's flip the situations around for a second. Just ponder, if you will, if things were opposite what they are now. If Sony was the man in second place peering down at the 360. This year has been a strong one for PS3 exclusives, don't you think that the perception that the PS3 has "nothing to play" would be gone?
People are buying 360s right now, not because they are better, but because they are cheaper. Indeed, the 360 saw its price drop to $200 in the year 2008. It'll take more than that to make your 360 full-featured, but the promise of the ability to play next-gen games for only $200 is a good one that many people buy into. The 360 is perceived to be a cheaper console, so people would buy it. I guarantee you, if the PS3 dropped its price by a hundred or so dollars, that it would be RIGHT there with Microsoft. That company did not, by any means, blow Sony out with software this year. It's all been price.
So for the sake of all that is good and holy, just drop your price already Sony! I'm tired of reporting on people reporting on you costing too much! I'm tired of telling people over and over again that Microsoft's "superior library" is merely perception and not reality. I want people to be able to AFFORD your system so they can see for themselves. Until they actually do that though, which rumor has it will happen early in 2009 due to lowered PS3 development costs, the 360 will remain on top.
Think about it, before the 360 price drop people were saying that the 360 is in trouble. They were saying that the Wii is a fad, and the PS3 would survive because it has loyal gamers. This was in JUNE of this year. Are you telling me that over half a year things changed so drastically? All of a sudden Sony is dead? Microsoft is king? No. The 360 price-drop was the trigger to a lot of this. It helped cover up what was, in my opinion, a very, very mediocre year for exclusive 360 content (and yes, yes, I know. Braid is awesome.) Not that this current generation is that special anyhow.
Of course, the Wii will always be on top, but I mean…we all know this is a race for second place. Let's just hope MadWorld is as awesome as I think it will be because I actually want to PLAY my Wii.
Capcom looking to expand PSP and PSOne titles for Sony
Capcom's stock has never been higher. I would argue that the year 2008 has made them the developer to beat and 2009 appears to be a year where they will continue their dominance, especially early on in the year with the "Capcom Three" coming out in the first three months. So, what else could Capcom do to warm the hearts of gamers everywhere? You may have noticed that the US PSN's selection of PS1 games is pretty sparce. You may also have noticed that the PSP sucks. Well, Capcom's John Diamonon claims that Sony is about to make its presence felt even further on Sony:
So what's in store for 09? Well, I'm working with Grace and Ro at SCEA to come up with some innovative ways we can offer games and programs on the PlayStation Store
You can expect to see a whole slew of downloadable PSP and PSone titles from our vault next year.
So I'm wondering what exactly is going to be in the works from Capcom? Well, I would say certainly we'll be seeing more Megaman. I expect every single Megaman X to appear on the Network at some point, and perhaps a version of Megaman X collection for people who don't feel like individually buying every single game again. I also think we'll see the return of Megaman Legends, which I'm positive will make people happy who are hoping for an eventual Megaman Legends 3. You can also pretty much count on Dark Stalkers, Breath of Fire, the already semi-confirmed Marvel vs. Capcom 2, and Resident Evil to make appearances in some way.
What about the PSP? I'm expecting that both Monster Hunter titles will be made immediately available due to the fact that those titles are monstrously popular over-seas but hasn't quite caught on over here. Perhaps Capcom wants more exposure for the title in hopes that they can get the franchise hot over here? After all, Monster Hunter 3 for the Wii could use a boost in sales, couldn't it? I also think that Capcom could make portable versions of Megaman 9 and Bionic Commando. I mean, those games are great, wouldn't they be even better on the road? It's nice that Capcom is so adamantly behind downloadable games.
It'll be hard for Capcom to be topped. Sure, Sega is trying to whoo me by releasing MadWorld for the Wii…but that's just one game. Capcom has at least three, and by my count that's more than anyone else has. So yay for them!
If you wanted further proof that this was a slow news week, look no further than the fact that this is one of my lead stories.
Do you remember how Sony scored the collector's edition of Smackdown vs. Raw? It appears that favoritism, despite the game actually being better on the 360, continues with the first roster update as the Sony version will be getting more features than the 360 version. The 360 version, which is already out, comes with these new additions:
• Evan Bourne
• Ted DiBiase, Jr.
• Charlie Haas
• New attire for Chris Jericho
I am pretty positive that these characters are on-disk content because I know I saw a video around its release that had Evan Bourne, with Lillian Garcia calling him his actual name, facing off against DiBiase. It kind of perturbs me when companies release on-disc DLC but it's really not a trend that is going to be stopped at any time soon…so unless you can hack it, I guess you're screwed. It's still a better deal than paying five freaking dollars to unlock Yoda in Soul Calibur 4.
So, what's exclusive to the PS3 version? Costumes. Oh, you were expecting a new character maybe? New gameplay modes? Nope. You can expect more of that later, especially considering the fact that the DLC has a big number "1" hanging onto it, so expect a "2" in the coming months. Maybe it won't be on-disc content this time! It'll be Christian Cage, so it can't be on-disc
• Kelly Kelly - holiday costume
• Maria Santa - holiday costume
• Masked Kane - alternate attire
• MVP - alternate attire
• Edge - alternate attire
Given that this is coming out in January, I think holiday costumes are stupid. I don't know anyone who regularly uses the divas, and slapping on holiday costumes to them a month late just seems additionally silly. It's dumb of me to complain about extras to a DLC pack, but this is pretty useless, even by DLC standards.
Masked Kane should have been on the disk to begin with. I always used Masked Kane in the past, so I was sad to see him not there this time. Not as sad as I was to see Suit JBL and Suit Triple H gone, but still pretty much bummed. I have no idea what the Edge or MVP alternate costumes will be, but I suspect they will be opportunistically ballin'.
The DLC doesn't seem like a good deal to me, mostly because it's all on-disc content. Plus, the patch allowing you to edit superstar stats freely will be coming out around then, so you can just MAKE these superstars. $4.99 isn't a whole lot to pay, but unless you're pretty hardcore about the game, you may want to sit this one out.
Were the holidays kind to Sony? It doesn't look like it…
Pulse 12/23 Edition
• It's free! Price Udpate
• Jeopardy - permanent price drop to US$ 9.99 Downloadable Games
• Lumines Supernova - US$ 14.99 Add-on Game Content
• BUZZ! Quiz TV National Geographic: Undersea - US$ 7.99
• High Velocity Bowling
• Patches Pack One - Free
• Gutter Bird Ball - Free
• Hot Shots Golf New Characters Toro - Free
• LittleBigPlanet
o Solid Snake Costume - US$ 1.99
o Meryl Silverburgh Costume - US$ 1.99
o Screaming Mantis Costume - US$ 1.99
o Raiden Costume - US$ 1.99
o Metal Gear Solid
Costume Kit - US$ 5.99
• PAIN: Ao No Kutsu Character - US$ 0.99
• Disgaea 3
o Adell DLC - US$ 1.99
o Disgaea 2 Character Pack - US$ 4.99
o Nekomat - US$ 0.99
o Rozalin DLC - US$ 1.99
• LUMINES Supernova Holiday Pack - Free
• Guitar Hero World Tour
o "Because of You" by Nickelback - US$ 1.99
o "Light It Up" by Rev Theory - US$ 1.99
o "Use Me" by Hinder - US$ 1.99
o Hard Rock Track Pack - US$ 5.49 - Downloadable Track Pack for Guitar Hero World Tour featuring "Light It Up" by Rev Theory, "Because of You" by Nickelback, and "Use Me" by Hinder.
o Reggae Rock Track Pack - Free - Downloadable Track Pack for Guitar Hero World Tour featuring "Your Face" by Pepper, "Jimi" by Slightly Stoopid, and "Sacrifice" by Expendables.
• Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore 2
o In the Air Tonight - US$ 1.49
o Time Of The Season - US$ 1.49
o Too Little Too Late - US$ 1.49
• Rock Band
o "DOA" - Foo Fighters - US$ 1.99
o "This is a Call" - Foo Fighters - US$ 1.99
o "Times Like These" - Foo Fighters - US $ 1.99
o Foo Fighters Pack 1 - US$ 5.49 - Build your Rock Band library by purchasing this song game track pack: Foo Fighters Pack 01. This pack includes: "DOA," "This Is A Call," and "Times Like These" by Foo Fighters.
o "Blue Christmas" - The Pretenders - US$ 0.99
o "Christmas Is The Time To Say I Love You" - Billy Squier - US$ 0.99
o "Hanukkah Blessings" - Barenaked Ladies - US$ 0.99
o Rockin' the Holidays 2008 Pack - US$ 2.99 - Build your Rock Band library by purchasing this song game track pack: Rockin' the Holidays 2008 Pack. This pack includes: "Blue Christmas" by The Pretenders, "Christmas is the Time to Say I Love You" by Billy Squier, and "Hanukkah Blessings" by Barenaked Ladies.
• Shaun White Snowboarding Glamour Pack
o Regular Edition - US$ 4.99
o Target Edition - US$ 4.99 Game Demos (Free)
• The Lord of the Rings: Conquest Demo
PSP Downloadable Games
• Suikoden - US$ 5.99 - also available from PS3 Storefront
I left off the Videos and themes this week because I just didn't want to talk about them. The themes had a grand total of ONE free item this week, Resident Evil Degeneration's theme. The rest cost money, so that means they're too much. As always, the videos section is pointless as hell and I'm tired of saying it every week, so from now on, unless something big comes out of it, the video section will not be included.
Well first, it's cool that the Pulse is free this week. It's something I would never pay for, so it's nice to sample these sorts of things. It's really the only way that you can get stingy people such as myself to try out this sort of thing. I also really dig Jeopardy's price drop. I figure they think they need to lower their price to better compete with BUZZ, and that's fine by me. I can buy this whole game for nine dollars or Buzz DLC for seven? I'd choose this any day!
Lumines Supernova is fun. I mean like, if you enjoy Lumines, it'll be hard not to have fun with this game. Plus, you get FREE DLC for it right away. FREE. Need I say more? I best not.
It's nice to see High Velocity Bowling get free DLC, especially considering they usually charge for their shitty little updates. Sadly, nobody else really took their example as everything else on this list comes off as slightly money-grubbing. Seriously, look at that LBP DLC!? I'm not paying money for just a costume. I thought that the MGS 4 DLC pack was going to be coming with all of this plus the levels and what not? For nine dollars I'd buy that. I would not EVER spend five dollars on a costume pack though. I'm a total Street Fighter fanboy and I haven't even considered purchasing the SF pack, so why would I get the MGS Pack? LAME.
The Disgaea DLC is equally lame. Look, I love Disgaea 3. It's not a game that everyone will enjoy, but it's one that I find myself enamored with. The character packs seem totally useless though. You're just adding characters to fight in your army? Oh boy. If each character got their own chapter, maybe (especially Rozalyn), but two dollars just to have each one of these guys in my army seems a bit much. You can also buy them all together at once and get the $.99 Disgaea 3 theme tossed in for free. Sorry, I loved Disgaea 2, but there's very little chance I would get something like this.
The Music DLC is too much and still pointless. I will not ever buy Holiday music because, seriously, when would I ever play them outside of the Holiday season? Jeesh. Stop releasing full-priced games if you release so many songs weekly, okay?
I don't know anything about Shaun White's Snowboarding, so I think I'll just skip over to the PSP section where…I am happy to say that they actually have something again! I am so happy people are paying attention to the PSP store! Suikoden is a fantastic series. Suikoden 1 may not be as good as the later installments, but it's certainly a start. Could we be getting Suikoden 2 over the PSN soon? That would be awesome, and I would love Sony forever for it.
Pretty meh week, but it's the holidays. It's to be expected.
B3yond the Tabloids
Apparently not everyone is happy about Tecmo and Koei merging. What, you didn't want Dead or Alive Dynasty Warriors? Effissimo Capital Management Pte, the second largest investor in Koei, is not exactly supportive of the merger because he's not sure how this will help stockholders of Tecmo. Company director Takashi Kosaka had this to say:
We have not had sufficient information from the company to make a judgment on the merger, such as the feasibility of their plan to raise shareholder value.
Totally can't wait for Ninja Gaiden of the Three Kingdoms. Or Dynasty Tecmo Bowl.
The PSP is out-selling the Wii in Japan thanks to the release of Dissidia. The game looks pretty damn awesome, so I hope something like that happens over here as well. That's really the only reason I still own a PSP. I MUST play that game. Of course, Nintendo's third iteration of the Nintendo DS is out-selling Sony's system still. Ugh. Fucking DSi.
Hideo Kojima is working on TWO games, not one. On top of working on the iPod touch's Metal Gear Solid game, he's also working on a game that is similar in style to a game that his team worked on in the past. My first thought was that we would be seeing a long-over-due ZOE 3, but then I thought: "Could it be another Snatcher?" Please say yes, Hideo. Please!
White Knight Chronicles sold 100,000 on launch day, Dec. 25, in Japan. This comes as a surprise as there really weren't THAT many reserves for the game in the first place. This number should jump right out at you because the highest selling game on the PS3 in Japan has only sold like 700,000 copies. White Knight, a new IP, could sell a decent amount. Surprising.
Home's Red Bull Air Race won't be out in 2008. Okay. I'm sure all three non-trolls who play HOME are disappointed.
Ever wanted to see an actual console war fought out? Well Capcom plans to fight the console wars in a very different way. Three representatives – one for Capcom, one for Sony, and one for Microsoft (No Nintendo?) – will command a team of 20 loyal fanboys in a Street Fighter Tournament. The Microsoft group will be led by Larry "Major Nelson" Hyrb, Sony by Jeff Rubenstein, and Capcom by Seth Killian. I suppose that finally, thanks to the glory that is Street Fighter, we'll know which console is truly the best. What if Capcom wins though?
Apparently Fat Princess has received some changes from the last time we heard from it. Here's what Craig Leigh told IGN:
"We've added a bunch of good stuff…taken away things that didn't work and refined the whole experience. There are new Castle upgrades that open up advanced character classes. We've created new mountain, volcano and island environments, which change up the gameplay entirely."
Well, glad to see it's coming along well. The game comes out in 2009 and hopefully it'll be worth the wait. It looks fun at the very least.
Here is the RE 5 trophy list. WARNING: There is a spoiler on the Bad Blood trophy, so read the list with caution. I warn you, because I don't want to be blamed for ruining the game before it's even released!
Resident Evil 5 Platinum Trophy
Congratulations! You've overcome all your fears in RESIDENT EVIL 5!
Chapter completion trophies (all bronze):
• Completed Chapter 1 - 1: Complete Chapter 1 - 1 on any difficulty setting.
• Completed Chapter 1 - 2: Complete Chapter 1 - 2 on any difficulty setting.
• Completed Chapter 2 - 1: Complete Chapter 2 - 1 on any difficulty setting.
• Completed Chapter 2 - 2: Complete Chapter 2 - 2 on any difficulty setting.
• Completed Chapter 2 - 3: Complete Chapter 2 - 3 on any difficulty setting.
• Completed Chapter 3 - 1: Complete Chapter 3 - 1 on any difficulty setting.
• Completed Chapter 3 - 2: Complete Chapter 3 - 2 on any difficulty setting.
• Completed Chapter 3 - 3: Complete Chapter 3 - 3 on any difficulty setting.
• Completed Chapter 4 - 1: Complete Chapter 4 - 1 on any difficulty setting.
• Completed Chapter 4 - 2: Complete Chapter 4 - 2 on any difficulty setting.
• Completed Chapter 5 - 1: Complete Chapter 5 - 1 on any difficulty setting.
• Completed Chapter 5 - 2: Complete Chapter 5 - 2 on any difficulty setting.
• Completed Chapter 5 - 3: Complete Chapter 5 - 3 on any difficulty setting.
• Completed Chapter 6 - 1: Complete Chapter 6 - 1 on any difficulty setting.
• Completed Chapter 6 - 2: Complete Chapter 6 - 2 on any difficulty setting.
• Completed Chapter 6 - 3: Complete Chapter 6 - 3 on any difficulty setting. Chapter completion by difficulty:
• Recruit: Complete all chapters on Amateur. (bronze)
• Soldier: Complete all chapters on Normal. (bronze)
• Veteran: Complete all chapters on Veteran.(silver)
• War Hero: Complete all chapters on Professional. (gold)
Other Trophies:
• Egg Hunt: Find all 4 types of eggs.(bronze)
• All Dressed Up: Purchase all available alternative costumes in Bonus Features. (silver)
• Stockpile: Obtain all available weapons. (silver)
• Take It to the Max: Completely upgrade all weapons. (silver)
• They Belong in a Museum: Obtain all treasures in the game. (silver)
• Badge of Honor: Find all the BSAA emblems. (silver)
• They're ACTION Figures!: Collect all the figurines. (silver)
• A Friend in Need: Save partner 10 times when HELP is displayed. (bronze)
• Lifeguard: Save partner 10 times when DYING is displayed. (bronze)
• Exploding Heads: Pull off 20 headshots. (bronze)
• A Cut Above: Defeat 5 enemies with the Knife. (bronze)
• Cattle Prod: Defeat 30 enemies with the Stun rod. (bronze)
• Crowd Control: Defeat 30 enemies with the Gatling gun. (bronze)
• Bull's-eye: Defeat 30 enemies with the Longbow. (bronze)
• Get Physical: Defeat 20 enemies with physical attacks. (bronze)
• The Works: Chain the maximum number of combos together in one go. (bronze)
• Lead Aspirin: Defeat a Majini with a headshot while it's jumping. (silver)
• Fireworks: Shoot an enemy Molotov cocktail, dynamite stick, or hand grenade. (bronze)
• Be the Knife: Deflect a bow gun arrow with your knife. (silver)
• Meat Shower: Defeat 3 Majini with one grenade or proximity bomb. (bronze)
• Go into the Light: Defeat 2 enemies with one flash grenade. (bronze)
• Ride the Lightning: Defeat a Majini using the electric current from a transformer. (bronze)
• Stop, Drop, & Roll: Defeat 3 Majini at once by setting oil canisters on fire. (bronze)
• Baptism by Fire: Defeat 3 Majini at once with a drum or gas tank explosion. (bronze)
• Masters of Removing: Work together to save someone special. (bronze)
• Bad Blood: *Spoiler* Highlight to show: During the first fight with Wesker, damage him a set number of times. (bronze)
• Drive By: Stop an armored truck by taking out the driver. (silver)
• Egg on Your Face: Defeat a Majini with a rotten egg. (bronze)
• Heart Stopper: Defeat a certain enemy by stabbing it in the heart. (bronze)
• Who Do You Trust?: Build up a certain level of trust with your partner. (silver)
Done reading? Good. I'm so glad every game gets trophies now.
B3yond the Cinema
Your weekly dose of Street Fighter 4. Another Daigo battle. You best know I've got a man crush on Daigo by now. Sorry for the low quality, but…it's the most recent one available.
Some infamous gameplay. It looks quite fun.
A topatoi trailer, it uh…it looks weird.
Japanese commercial for the soon-to-be-amazing Yakuza 3
Every character's EX-burst in Dissidia can be seen here. I bet it'll just make you want to play the game more…I know it made me want to.
The One Man Water Cooler!
As a gamer, it sucks getting older. Hell, as a person it sucks getting older, but during Christmas time…it becomes so apparent that you're aging.
When you get older, you tend to buy the super awesome holiday titles as they come out. Things like Left 4 Dead, Resistance 2, Gears 2, and Valkyria Chronicles were snatched up by people who wanted them right away. There was no reason to wait to play them. If you have the money, why should you wait for that? For me this year, if I asked for a game for Christmas, it's a game that I kind of wanted…but wasn't quite willing to pay for. I wanted the stuff I asked for, sure, but would I go out and spend my own money on these games? Most likely not.
This is totally different from when I was younger. I used to not have access to any money, I used to be a poor guy…so the only time I had access to new games would be over the holiday season. Sure, I would save money for my consoles and stuff during the year and certain games, such as Smash Brothers, could NOT wait for a purchase, but for the most part I would have to wait to play games. Christmas was a time of joy, I'd have so many games listed as wanted. When it came, I would be over-stuffed with things to play.
This year though, I already had a million games to play by the time Christmas rolled around. I spent the holidays down in Arkansas, and while I did receive new games for the PS3 – including Eternal Sonata – I did not spend any time down there playing my new bounty. No, instead I was STILL playing Persona 4 in an attempt to beat it. When I got back here, I realized that I have so many games to play I just don't know when I'll get to the stuff I recently got. Hell, I got Fire Emblem for the Wii last year for Christmas and I *STILL* haven't played it. Can you believe it? Have you ever gotten a game for Christmas that you just haven't played? It's not like I dislike Fire Emblem, on the contrary, I just never got around to it. Something always came out that demanded my attention first.
That's what sucks about getting older though. I'm swamped with games to play. I have three or four games I'm sitting on that I must review, I have a couple that I'm playing just for fun, and I have my Christmas games. There's just too much to play, and by the time the holidays roll around I generally have everything that I think is worth owning. Of course, that's not to say that I don't enjoy the holidays – I love buying people stuff, and sometimes I likes being surprised with the occasional diamond in the rough. I got Fire Pro Wrestling Returns for the PS2 out of NOWHERE last year and it was one of my favorite gifts I've ever gotten.
Generally speaking though, a gamer growing up is the most likely ruiner of Christmas. Yes, it's a kid's holiday, but EVERYONE loves getting presents…and as a gamer, you tend to buy yourself presents throughout the year. The days of getting Donkey Kong Country 2 or Super Mario RPG under the tree are long over. You buy those kind of games as they come out. The days of Christmases filled with Eternal Sonata and Dragonball Z: Burst Limit are here! AH YEAH!
Christmas now will have to become a non-gaming holiday if I wish to enjoy it as much as I have in the past. I'll have to play it like I did this year. Asking for books, DVDs, and clothes primarily. I got lots of Cubs and 49ers shirts, a couple of neato DVDs (I wanted the complete series of Cowboy Bebop, but apparently it cost too much money), and even an Akuma key-chain. It was a fun little experience. It will never be as exciting for me as it was back when I was young, but that doesn't mean I don't have to like what I get.
Also, buying people games that they don't know if they'll like is good too. I like surprising people with games that I know are good that they may not have heard of. I bought my friend Shadow of the Colossus one year, and it wound up being one of his favorite games of all time. When you give excellently, when you give the gift of good gaming, giving can be as fun as receiving. A concept a greedy man such as myself could not grasp at one point. Simply put, I just love giving good games. If I give a friend God Hand and they like it, I feel accomplished.
I hope you had a happy holidays, what kind of stuff did you end up getting? What kind of stuff did you end up giving? Are you with me that giving good games is better than receiving mediocre ones? (AM I FINALLY GROWING UP AT THE AGE OF 21!?) Feel free to let me know what you think.
One more thing: My brother got Sonic Unleashed for the Wii and I really enjoy the daytime stages. I am…ashamed to admit this. So fun. Maybe I was premature in calling the game shitty!? Ah, who am I kidding, I gotta get to trying out that were-hog.
B3yond the Mail!
I actually responded to most of the comments in the comment section before I left on vacation last week, but I will respond to spacefight's comment real quick because I feel it's worth a second look.
Couple things:
"Before you say: "LEFT 4 DEAD"…please. The game is available on PC right now, and anyone who has a capable PC will buy the game on the PC. Valve has a preference to PC gamers…so if you have a choice between the two versions and you choose the 360 version, there's probably something wrong with you."
Playing L4D on Live, plus Achievements? Yep, something wrong with me, alright.
"I may just be a bit biased against Gears due to my shooter dislike, so I may slot it ahead of Banjo in my GOTY awards but…fuck, I really couldn't be more apathetic to it."
Much like some of us are to LBP, MGS4, R2, and D3. VC I would play(and probably will play once they port it) on the 360 but I'm not shelling out more money for the PS3 for that one game alone.
Oh side note on the exclusives, I loved Ninja Gaiden 2. Hard as hell, and occasionally frustrating, but an absolute blast to play, so there is an additional exclusive for you. Not to mention I picked up Mass Effect early this year too, and had it came out like two months later(Nov. 2007 was it's 360 release, IIRC) that would be GOTY easily.
And I'll never understand the comparisons of Braid to Portal. I understand they both fall under the category of new innovative gameplay mechanic, but Braid is a great game on it's own, innovation be damned.Maybe once it's on PC/PS3 you can give it another look.
First of all, spacefight, you're one of my favorite commenters because you're critical in a good way.
I think that playing L4D on X-Box for LIVE isn't as good as playing the game on steam. The steam community is better than LIVE's community, and Valve supports their PC games far more than their console ones. Look at the TF 2 support if you want proof of that. They CHARGE for the updates over LIVE, while the steam updates are nice and free. Why not expect more of that from L4D? I have a choice between owning the two. I can choose between the 360 and PC version of the game, and I still think if your PC can run it, there's no reason not to own it on the PC.
Regarding people being apathetic towards PS3 exclusives: Fair enough. Of course, most of those games don't play exactly like the original one does. Gears of War 2 really didn't change much from the original, whereas something like Metal Gear Solid 4 actually feels different than its predecessors. I think what I like about the Ps3 is that with its big exclusives…at least they feel fresh. I really don't get that with the 360. Fable 2 FELT like Fable 1. Gears of War 2 FELT like Gears of War 1. I won't say D3 doesn't feel like D2, but…the Sony games just feel different. I think a hardcore gamer's system of choice should be the PS3.
I know VC was in development as a 360 exclusive originally, but what makes you think they'll port it over? It did just dandy in Japan and the US version has sold well enough, given the number of copies that have been shipped over (though the 33K number sucks). I don't see it EVER coming to the 360 because American 360 owners won't be that into it, and the 360 isn't as popular in Japan. We'll see though. I honestly don't care, I WANT the 360 to get the game. It's a fantastic title. The more people that can play it the better.
Ninja Gaiden 2 was an alright game, but it fell a bit flat on its face in my opinion. It felt kind of un-inspired to me. The original Ninja Gaiden was fantastic, but…I don't know, number two just didn't do it for me. It WAS a hard game though, I just didn't think it was that great. It's a good exclusive, sure, but it should have been much better than it actually was.
Finally, in regards to Braid, I have nothing against it. I feel like I have to say it every week, but I think it's an awesome game. It's worthy of praise and it's probably one of the top-10 games released this year. THAT SAID, it's not a GOTY contender in my eyes and no matter what system it's on (saying its release on 360 affects my opinion is silly. A good game is a good game, I could give a shit what system it's on) it wouldn't be one. I think the reason it's getting comparison to Portal is because it's a little hyped game that came out of nowhere to impress a lot of people. It doesn't play much like Portal, no, it's just a very good game that people want to see get more credit than it actually deserves.
In my opinion, 2007 wasn't that great of a gaming year. I think I gave Portal second best game of the year that year because there really wasn't that much out. I think I also over-rated it on my "best games of this generation" piece. I'm not sure it would even be in the top-5 this year. I'd still put it above Braid, but only by one or two slots. It's a GREAT game, but at the same time…I don't think it's as great as some people are saying. Worhy of your money? Yes. Downloadable game of the year? Yes. Game of the Year? No.
I don't care what system a game is on. If it's a good game, I'll give it credit. If it's a bad game I'll give it shit. I'm not biased towards the Playstation 3, I just honestly believe the best games for hardcore gamers are on THAT system. For the next generation, I will endorse whichever system I feel has the best games for gamers. Right now, I think that system is the PS3. If the X-Box 3 is that system? Great. I'll buy an X-Box 3. Opinion can be confused with bias, but how I feel about a game is not associated by what console it is on. Braid is a great game. I just don't think it's the game of the year.
The 411mania Empire
This is where I link to the News articles on 411's game section. I also link to three other things for other reasons. The Release List because it deals with releases, The Exploding Barrel Podcast because they plug the 10th hour every week, and Mark because he is responsible for me writing B3yond the Report
I know a $100 price drop would help me lean more toward buying a PS3. That Infamous vid helped a little more.
Posted By: TWilliams (Guest) on December 30, 2008 at 04:11 AM
totally agree with your sentiments on aging and the reduction of time lag between actually getting games this holiday season. before i hoped to get a decent game for christmas, but nowadays i just buy them as soon as they come out just because i can. then it annoys me when littlebigplanet and resistance 2, games i bought but didn't have time to play, are sold at discounted prices on boxing day.
Posted By: Anthler (Guest) on December 30, 2008 at 05:23 AM
If you're looking at value the 360 doesn't need to have as many exclusives when its half the price. They churn out their two or three a year and let the rest of the library keep it going.
Did the PS3 have a single game that made the 400 or 500 dollar console a must have? That's the problem. When the 360 is $199 it only takes one or two games *and they don't even have to be exclusives* to make that a good buy. How many does it take sitting on shelves for the PS3 to look like a good value?
Sony needs to drop the price. They needed to drop it for Christmas but didn't. What kind of sales increase do they really expect to get from a drop for Killzone 2? There's no way that will be anywhere near what a christmas drop would have been.
Another week and another "PS3" column that talks more about how you think the 360 sucks instead of how the PS3 is awesome. Come on man just talk about the system you have, not the one you don't.
Posted By: Trent (Guest) on December 30, 2008 at 05:34 AM
That Infamous video didn't do much for me. It looks to play very similar control wise to Dark Sector, and that is not really a good thing.
You said: "That company did not, by any means, blow Sony out with software this year. It's all been price."
This may be true on exclusives, both had a few good ones. Which were better is all subjective. But I do find it interesting that you, being the Sony guy, have admitted that the games that come to both systems always tend to be better on the 360. Now having one or two big exclusives each year is a big deal, but when the games that we all have access to, no matter the system, are better in a number of ways on the 360, That has to have some bearing on the dominance of the 360. It can't all be about the price. Microsoft has good to great exclusives, they move more of the 3rd party titles than Sony does, these both have to be considered factors in the 360 being the better seller right now. Kick ass exclusives alone will not do it for Sony. They need to demand that their system gets a version of the games that is every bit as good as the 360 version.
Posted By: Todd Vote (Registered) on December 30, 2008 at 10:24 AM
First, the 360 doesn't suck. The Wii on the other hand...
Second, most of the column is indeed about the PS3.
Third, I even said a price reduction would do the trick. The 360 at 200 dollars, as I said, can be perceived as a great deal. The PS3, at 400, isn't. There isn't a huge difference in the consoles as far as quality goes, so OF COURSE people are going to buy the 360. I mentioned how *I* was part of this too. I didn't own a PS3 until August of this year, just before I started writing B3yond the Report. Before 2008, the PS3 was simply put NOT WORTH owning. I think this year, I was able to justify my purchase with some great games.
I will go on record as saying that RIGHT NOW the 360 is a better system to own due to its longer time out and higher quality library (2006 and 7 were both quite kind). I think by the end of 09, if it stays at the 08 pace, the PS3 could pass it.
My only problem with the 360 is the perception it had a better year than the PS3. It DIDN'T. It just had a cheaper one. I stick by my claim that the 360 is the 10th best console of all time and RIGHT NOW the PS3 just isn't there.
Posted By: Derek Robbins (Guest) on December 30, 2008 at 12:28 PM
Thank you for the kind words, Derek. I try to be as un-fanboyish as possible.
We should do a FoF sometime. I'll stop harassing you about Braid. :D
Posted By: spacefight (Guest) on December 30, 2008 at 02:34 PM
"People are buying 360s right now, not because they are better, but because they are cheaper."
Excuses, excuses, excuses. It really doesn't matter why people are buying them. We didn't see you making excuses when ppl were buying PS3 because it was a cheaper blu ray player, so why start now? These fanboys are just entertaining when it comes to defending their consoles. Wasn't this year suppose to been Sony's year? Instead of admitting you was wrong you come up with excuses and move it to next year.
Posted By: Guest#6140 (Guest) on December 30, 2008 at 02:55 PM
Guest, you would be ignorant to say that price has nothing to do with it.
Sony, software-wise, had a fine year. Now sales...that is a completely different story. The PS3 needs to drop down at least to 300 to stay competitive.
Posted By: Drew Robbins (Registered) on December 30, 2008 at 03:50 PM
Correction.
The Wii is king. There isnt even a console race anymore. The Wii has already won. Its now a battle for second place.
Posted By: Guest#0683 (Guest) on December 30, 2008 at 03:52 PM
So if the positions were reversed and Microsoft was in the position that Sony is in now with the high priced console, would you say Sony is only doing better because of price? The only smart thing Sony has done since the PS3 came out is continue making The PS2, because they knew it was going to be their moneymaker. Just shows they have no faith in the PS3 as a game console. I'm see more PS3 commercials about the blu ray than I do about games.
Posted By: Guest#9748 (Guest) on December 30, 2008 at 07:02 PM
Yes, that's because they want to net people in with whatever means they have. I don't think Sony figures they have to market to anybody outside of the hardcore market (watch a Sony commercial where games are featured, I've seen a kid ONCE. That's ridiculous) and that is a grave mistake. As far as marketing their system goes, Sony has blundered big time and that's no small secret. A lot of things need to change.
But as far as games are concerned? In 2008, Sony rocked. Simple as that.
Posted By: Derek Robbins (Guest) on December 30, 2008 at 10:42 PM
Isn't the point of business to sell more than the competition? I haven't seen a rule book that said Microsoft wasn't allowed to lower their price. These fanboys call it a console war, but when things don't go their way they throw in the extras.
Posted By: Guest#6090 (Guest) on December 31, 2008 at 07:48 PM
How can you say that 360 didn't have a great year? Huge exclusives. Both in terms of sales and anticipation (look at preorders). Big jump in international and especially Japanese sales. Huge increase in online subscribers at 50.00 a year. Price drop that shows they UNDERSTAND the consumer. And the rollout of NETFLIX on there console.
I would say that blows away Sony's puny exclusive sales numbers...much hype with hardly the follow through...but I just saw Metal Gear Solid 4 used at Gamestop for 29.99 this weekend. The pathetic HOME which was the BE ALL END ALL for PS3 fanboys a year ago. And the pathetic excuse for what they call PSN store.
Sure they finally got Flash upgrade for the browser for all that Anime porn....but they couldn't drop the price 100.00?? What a joke.
Thank goodness for Uncharted....otherwise mine would never play a game.
And for all you Wii touters....Is the Wii even a console anymore? It seems to have crossed over into Karaoke or foosball table area. Cool to have one for parties......and then never use it alone.
Posted By: whatever (Guest) on January 01, 2009 at 02:31 AM
