411 Games Roundtable: June 2007
Posted by Sean Garmer on 06.14.2007
What's the Darkness? Ninja Gaiden Sigma ring a bell? How about Big Brain Academy? Still not making any sense, well if you read this roundtable you will know. Join the 411 Games Staff as we look at the games coming out this month and answer questions as well.
411 JUNE 2007 GAMES ROUNDTABLE
Hello everyone, sorry this is a little later than usual, but regardless, here we are with another month in video games. As always after meeting the staff, we get to the questions, and then the Video Games coming out this month.
Let’s Meet the 411 Games Staff
Vincent Chiucchi the multi man here in the Games section. Always ready to give us the news by pressing Select and Start News Report And he also organizes the Top 5 as well.
He’s been joining me on the NBA stuff but as always he’s remembered for putting the Fun Factor back in our games, it’s Cory Moore Also check out his review of Bust-A-Move Bash
Always keeping us on the Digital Pulse of the gaming industry is Joshua Richey
Keeping things in Retrospective Recently he’s been looking at the Fatal Fury series. He also recently reviewed Fire Pro Returns (PS2) too. Don't forget about Sean McCabe
David Redkey finally, makes a return to the roundtable. Look out for his game reviews.
Mr. Nintendo Theo Fraser is back and as always keeps us abreast of everything happening in the Mario World with his Nintendophiles
Steve McHugh Always letting us all Flashback to great times of our past, and this week it’s with Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (what a great game). He does reviews too.
The Hate Master Damian Sarcuni is here too, and he reminds you of an old system called the 3DO in this week’s Angry Gaming
I, Sean Garmer am your host of this lovely roundtable, and write game reviews. Check out my most recent one, on Pokemon Diamond
1. Biggest Winner of the Month
Vincent Chiucchi:South Korea. Starcraft 2 has been announced which means South Korea will soon rule the world of PC gaming. May God help us all.
Cory Moore:Wii Owners Yearning For Online Play. From Smash Brothers Brawl’s website launching to the announcement of Mario Strikers Charged, May was a tremendous month for Wii Owners salivating for news on the system’s online support. Now, if we only had a way around those pesky friend codes…
Joshua Richey:Blizzard. What do you do when your current juggernaut of a game is beginning to lose its appeal? Why you announce that you’re making a sequel to your previous juggernaut of a game, of course! It’s amazing that Blizzard has the luxury of just pulling StarCraft off their shelf just when it was beginning to look like World of Warcraft was getting “le tired”. I’m even more amazed at the fact that they’ve been making this game for 4 years already, and info has just now leaked. That shit is unheard of these days.
Sean McCabe:Nintendo. In April they made more money than God (well, they broke the US record for financial success in the public market over a one month period with profit in the region of 850 million dollars) and that will always be a winning position. Between the sales of the Wii and DS, Pokemon and Super Paper Mario, Nintendo are riding high right now.
David Redkey:Blizzard.
Theo Fraser:Square-Enix. Wow, these guys are on fire right now! The entire gaming world was buzzing with delight after all the announcements that took place at the Square Enix Party, in particular the revelation that Final Fantasy IV is being remade in glorious 3D for the DS. Awesomeness! FF3 shot to the top of the UK charts, FFXII: Revenant Wings is going down a storm in Japan, and PSP owners are gearing up for Final Fantasy: Anniversary Edition later this month. It’s been a hugely profitable month for Square Enix, but that looks to be the tip of the iceberg in regards to their potential future success.
Steve McHugh:Nintendo. 40 million DS’ sold worldwide. That’s an astronomical number of consoles.
Damian Sarcuni:Bungie/Blizzard. This is a tie if ever there was one. On the console front, Bungie set the world on fire with media events presenting the launch of their BETA of Halo 3 (NOT THE ACTUAL GAME) and it still made front page news on some of the top sites out there. Talk about exposure! By the same token, Blizzard finally unleashed Starcraft 2 and may very well have breathed new life into PC gaming. One company controlled the console gamers, the others controlled the PC gamers, and the world took notice of both.
Sean Garmer:Bungie/Blizzard/Nintendo. I think it’s a three-way tie because the Halo 3 BETA is an important release. Starcraft 2, is a huge announcement for PC gamers and could save the PC from just becoming a ground for MMO’s only. Nintendo’s systems and games are still selling like crazy, that’s always a good sign.
2. Biggest Loser of the Month
Vincent Chiucchi:Sony. Damn it, I really tried NOT to pick Sony on this one, but after Dave Karraker's comments about how it's the vocal minority of the internet causing low PS3 sales, I can't help it.
Cory Moore:GTA Fans. With Halo 3 coming out in September, Rockstar announced its intentions of pushing back the next installment of the Grand Theft Auto series, no doubt upsetting the loyal fanbase. It makes sense, but a smarter move would’ve been pushing the game’s arrival up to get a head start. Oh well…
Joshua Richey:Sony. I don’t want to make it look like I keep picking on Sony, but I know Mellick loves it when I do. Sony’s financial information from the last quarter was released this month, and surprise, surprise, Sony lost money from their PS3 launch. Lots of it actually. And by “lots” I mean lots and lots.
Sean McCabe:Sony. Although, in many ways I'm not too happy to have to state that, because now with some decent game announcements my heart is changing towards them somewhat. But they're still operating on tremendous losses and that is just not a good thing at the end of the day.
David Redkey:Gaming Consumers. The start of the summer drought. Publishers are so stupid for saving all their games for the holiday season. Why not save them for a time when people are out of school and you can really hit an audience that wants to enjoy your games.
Theo Fraser:Capcom. I know this is a bit lame, but I‘m still smarting over the decision to finalise Project Treasure Island Z’s name as Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure. OK, I’ll try not to be too harsh; after all, Jak and Daxter ended up being a good game. But Zack and Wiki doesn’t really scream “mass appeal” at me. I hope I’m proven wrong, but I think Capcom could be making an error, as the game will be seen purely as a kid’s title.
Steve McHugh:Sony. Once again Sony screw up, this time by blaming the ‘vocal internet minority’ for the woeful performance of the PS3. They’re quickly running out of people whose fault it could be.
Damian Sarcuni:EA. EA made it just in time at the end of the month to cement themselves as a bunch of losers who can't come up with an original idea to save their lives. Let's run through this from the top: Need For Speed: Pro Street requires players to build a street car and have a street race against the top street racers...on a professional track. Double you tea eff? Can you say "Forza Clone" boys and girls? I knew you could.
Sean Garmer:Sony & Too Many Video Game Movies You know, after getting the good news that in Europe the PS3 has already sold 1 million units. Then they get sued over the blu-ray again, and they attack the vocal gaming public that actually voice their opinions, and state truths, for the low sales of the PS3. Oh yeah, it couldn’t be the fact that your system is slow at making good games, and it’s overpriced. No, that couldn’t be it. Honestly, Uwe Boll what the hell is wrong with you? Why are we getting a Dungeon Siege movie? Then the Sims are getting a movie? And now, City of Heroes? Good Lord, that’s ridiculous and those movies are going to suck.
3. Biggest News Story of the Month
Vincent Chiucchi:Halo 3/Starcraft 2. Two huge game announcements in the span of one month? Summer might not be so boring after all.
Cory Moore:Nintendo releases Fall 07 Line-up. Fans rejoiced when it was revealed that all of the Wii’s most-anticipated games would be releasing by the end of 2007, including the first traditional Mario experience since the Nintendo 64, Super Mario Galaxy. This holiday season will be very busy for the Big N...
Joshua Richey:Halo 3 Secrets Revealed. could really careless about the StarCraft 2 announcement, so I’m going to go with some information that I actually found exciting. As soon as the Halo 3 beta was released, hackers started tearing it apart to see what “secrets” they could find. Their findings? Well, for starters, they’ve found all sorts of new weapons, they’ve found new vehicles, and they’ve found that this year, you’ll be able to customize Master Chief’s armor in multiplayer… not just the color of it. Hey, it’s been a slow month. Get off my back.
Sean McCabe:Pokemon still sells. Hm, well Starcraft 2 was announced and Halo 3's beta went live... but fuck it, I say biggest news story over the past 30 days is the fact that Pokemon proves it's still a viable (actually more than viable) franchise even after all these years.
David Redkey:StarCraft 2. Well, Starcraft 2 will see the light of day sometime in the near future...everything else pales in comparison. Forget that little Halo 3 garbage...the fact that everyone loves this game doesn't bode well for the gaming population.
Theo Fraser:Metroid Prime 3 to come out in Summer. Huge news, considering we all thought we wouldn’t see Samus on the Wii until early next year. Corruption will be the Wii’s first killer app since Twilight Princess, so this really is a big deal to Nintendo fans the world over.
Steve McHugh:Halo 3. I really couldn’t think of anything else that was as interesting as this. Halo 3 is going to be huge and anyone who doesn’t accept that will have some serious issues come the end of the year. And anyone who complained that the beta was too much like Halo 2 I fail to see the problem as Halo 2 had one of the finest multi-player aspects of any console game ever. More of the same will be very welcome thanks.
Damian Sarcuni:Halo 3/Starcraft. Same deal as my picks for the winners. Do you realize that the announcements of these two games actually affected international stock prices? This is moving power at its finest and it’s no surprise that sites like Yahoo and Forbes are covering these stories in mainstream media.
Sean Garmer:Halo 3/StarCraft 2. Two big announcements and two huge games coming in the near future.
4. Classic Game of the Month (Does not have to be a XBOX Live Arcade or Virtual Console Game)
Vincent Chiucchi:Super Smash Bros. Melee (Gamecube) All those daily Brawl updates at smashbros.com has me craving for some Smash Bros. action.
Cory Moore:Super Mario Strikers (Gamecube) Thanks to school being out for the summer, I’m finally getting my social groove back in order and have hosted several big gatherings at my house. This is a great fast-paced game that is easy to jump into, so needless to say we had a blast playing it. It more than makes up for the less-than-thrilling Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
Joshua Richey:OddWorld (PS1) Remember Abe and the rest of the Oddworld cast? I do, and I fell in love with those games. It’s probably only a few dollars now if you go online or to a bargain bin somewhere; so if you see it, check it out. If you already own it, toss it into your Playstation and you’ll discover that it’s still pretty fun.
Sean McCabe:Alien Syndrome a classic and fun blaster with bosses that look like phalluses. What more could you want?
David Redkey:Final Fantasy VI (SNES, PS1, GBA)
Theo Fraser: Anachronox (PC) Somehow I completely missed this game when it first came out. As a huge Deus Ex fan, Anachronox really appealed to me. Aside from it being rather buggy, it’s awesome! Brilliant storyline, kinda gutted I’ve been missing out on it for so long.
Steve McHugh:Phantasy Star 4 (SEGA Mega Drive) I’ve just recently started playing this again on the excellent Sega Megadrive Collection and it’s superb. Easily one of the best 16 bit RPG’s ever produced. It’s a shame that Sega decided to not bother making any more good Phantasy Star games as the online stuff bores me to tears.
Damian Sarcuni:Half-Life (PC) rue to my Angry Gaming article, I set up a nice cheap gaming PC that allowed me to revisit some of my favorite games in beautiful new high resolution graphics. Playing Half Life over Steam reminds me of the good old days when my friends and I used to speculate whether suitman was actually a government agent or just Satan himself. It's been almost 5 years and we still aren't any closer to knowing the truth. What a game.
5. Best Game in May
Vincent Chiucchi:Odin Sphere (PS2, Atlus)
Cory Moore:Mario Party 8 (Nintendo Wii, Nintendo) It may be getting mixed reviews from the media, but Mario Party always offers the multiplayer goods. It may not stray too far from the typical formula, but it’s the only true party game behind Wii Sports to enjoy on the Wii right now.
Joshua Richey:Halo 3 Beta (XBOX 360, Bungie) Ouch, how bad is it that a beta is ‘Game of the Month’? A freaking BETA! C’mon Game Developers, give us some quality games for these summer months. Anyway, the Halo 3 beta is incredible. It’s still got the look and feel of the previous Halo titles, but now, its smoother, it’s more fun, and the bubble shield is going to be ripped off and placed into every multiplayer game from this point on.
Sean McCabe:The Red Star UK (PS2, XS Games) combination of a melee combat game and a shmup, it's a very cool yet under the radar game. Great co-op action too.
David Redkey:Spiderman 3 (All systems, Activision) Nevermind that people complain and cry about this game being different or the same. Its very fun...period.
Theo Fraser:Command & Conqueror 3: Tiberium Wars (XBOX 360, EA)
Steve McHugh:Puzzle Quest DS (Nintendo DS)
Damian Sarcuni:Forza Motorsport 2 (XBOX 360, Microsoft) This one should be a no brainer. The game has pretty much lived up to the hype and sent racing fans into a frenzy to grab a copy. Racing sims have found a new home, and that home is the Xbox 360.
Sean Garmer:Odin Sphere (PS2, Atlus) Great RPG, finally Atlus is getting some good scores on one of their games, but this one is totally deserved.
Winner: Odin Sphere (PS2 RPG, Atlus)
Overall Winner: Microsoft Halo 3 Beta brought out some major news to the forefront last month. Spiderman 3 and Command & Conqueror were some multi-party games that made some waves. We also can’t forget Forza Motorsport 2 that made people crazy with it’s extremely life-like commercial. They could very well take out Gran Turismo faster than first thought.
6. Currently Gaming
Vincent Chiucchi:Final Fantasy XII (PS2 RPG)
Cory Moore:Pokemon Diamond & Pearl (Nintendo DS RPG)
Joshua Richey:Halo 3 Beta; Hitman: Blood Money I just used double hyphens there; I’m pretty excited about that. Anyway, the Halo 3 beta doesn’t even need to be explained. But as for Hitman: Blood Money, it’s a great game that I’ve kind of abandoned here recently. Crackdown, Gears of War, FEAR, and Lost Planet got me distracted. But Hitman: Blood Money is so morbid, so intense, and such a fun game to play over and over again. I just learned that you can kill the Senators son in the snowy mansion level, by just shooting his glass hot tub. He, and his 4 sluts, fall 75 feet and land on the rocks below. Where else can you find that kind of entertainment?
Sean McCabe: I'm replaying God Hand, still fiddling with Fire Pro Returns, been closing on completion in Crackdown, started Suikoden V, continued with Bullet Witch, The Red Star, and continuing on what is truly a never ending quest, trying to unlock everything on Rumble Roses XX. Been a busy month.
David Redkey:Command and Conquer 3, Spider Man 3, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Vahalla Nights, and Pirates!
Theo Fraser:Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (DS), Jade Empire: Special Edition (PC)
Steve McHugh:Guitar Hero 2 & Final Fantasy XII (PS2)
Damian Sarcuni:Final Fantasy XI (PC) Sigh. One of the other side effects of building a gaming PC is the urge to load up those old MMO's and see how your friends are doing. I'M BACK BABY!! Goddhand has returned and Ifrit server will never be the same.
Sean Garmer:Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm (PS2), FIFA 07 (PS2), Prince of Persia: Sands of Time (PS2).
Here are the Games coming out this month, I listed them in ABC order and by release week, so it’d be easier to find. Please keep in mind that just because we don’t talk about a game, doesn’t mean it’s going to suck. I send out the template for these two weeks in advance, so sometimes changes are made in release dates by then and we don’t get to talk about any new games added. If you see a game on the list that intrigues you, we implore you to take our advice, and find information on it on your own. Here we go.
Games Coming out the week of June 3rd
Call of Juarez (XBOX 360 & PC FPS, Ubisoft)
Steve McHugh: A Wild West shooter and a good looking one at that. It could be a lot of fun and something different from all the WW2 games that clutter the market.
Vincent Chiucchi: So even when Naruto took away it's crown they're still making DBZ games? Anyways, I'd rather stick to actual fighting rather then card based fighting.
Steve McHugh: Card battling and the DS do not seem to be a happy union. I can’t see this changing that but one of them has to at some point right?
Sean Garmer: No, No, No. Just because they can make good fighting games with this genre, doesn’t mean that it should be made into a TCG. Pokemon at least had a history of it, Yu-Gi-Oh is based off a card game, and even Marvel was too (even though it sucked) DBZ should stick to what it does best, and not try to find different ways to whore out it’s franchise that is waining as it is, at least in America.
Planet Puzzle League (Nintendo DS Puzzler, Nintendo) -Similar to Meteos
Vincent Chiucchi: First came Tetris Attack, and it was awesome. Then came Pokemon Puzzle League, and it was more awesome. Then came Dr.Mario/Puzzle League, but I ignored that. But now comes the DS incarnation of one of my favorites puzzle games of all time, and now I can see if I truly am a god of this game by facing players around the world. Please Nintendo, DO NOT SCREW THIS GAME UP!!!
Steve McHugh: Similar to Meteos. Also not going to be as good. Stick to Meteos.
Sean Garmer: This actually looks like a good version from Nintendo, that has come to know their puzzle games as time has past. The reviews so far have been good and it’s probably not as good as Meteos, but it’s good on it’s own merit.
Tomb Raider Anniversary (PS2, PSP & PC Action Game, Eidos Interactive) -Remade with new 3D Graphics
Steve McHugh: Looks great and I love the original and with the new gameplay mechanics this should be a lot of fun. Here’s looking forward to a whole new adventure though.
Damian Sarcuni: It seems I'm in the minority when it comes to skepticism about this title. I just don't see the necessity of it. The original Tomb Raider was a landmark game but at the same time the anniversary addition is celebrating a series that has suffered incredible decline over the years. The last installment of the series was surprisingly good and set up for a sequel, and I would much rather have Eidos focus on that instead of this remake.
Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree (Nintendo Wii Puzzler, Nintendo)
Vincent Chiucchi: Does this game give you an automatic F if you throw the Wiimote at your television? Anyways, Brain Age was great but it had some input issues that got annoying, so I hope the same thing doesn't happen too often with the Wii because that is definitely going to have an issue or two.
Cory Moore: Thanks to its quirky layout and unique style, the DS raised thinking, computing, memorizing and other tasks meant to stimulate the mind to a new level. The Wii game won’t stray too far from the concept, giving gamers a wealth of new puzzles and situations to solve. Cooperative and versus modes should be fun, as should sharing results online.
Sean Garmer: If this is anything like the DS version, it will be some great education and entertainment. Considering what they can do with the Wii controls it could lead to more silly stuff.
Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer (All Systems Action Game, Take-Two Interactive and 2K Games)
Steve McHugh: The first game was awful as was the film. The 2nd film looks better and the game seems to follow suit. I’m not convinced it’ll be great or anything but it could be a bit of mindless fun.
Damian Sarcuni: I believe this title is a port of a game that has been out in Japan for some time now. Naruto was one of the first games I reviewed here at 411 and for a Bandai license game I had a surprising amount of fun with it. With this sequel adding in team play, I'd be hard pressed to avoid playing it even as another time waster like its predecessor.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Vegas (PSP Tactical Shooter, Ubisoft)
Steve McHugh: The PSP version has been out here for a while I thought. It’s awful stay away from it. The PS3 version will be the exact same as the 360 except its now nearly 8 months old. It’s still great though.
Raw Danger (PS2 Action Adventure, Agetec Inc.)
Sean McCabe: This is the sequel to a game called Disaster Report, which was a fun little distraction of a game, basically a Natural disaster sim that sees you trying to survive nature's worst. Disaster Report took place on a land reclaimed city that's been hit by an Earthquake, this game I believe involves a torrential flood. Should be interesting.
Scarface: The World Is Yours (Nintendo Wii Action Adventure Game, Vivendi Games) -Port of the PS2 & XBOX Versions with Wii Controls
Theo Fraser: Forget about those other ‘inferior’ versions of the game. THIS is how it’s meant to be played. But it all boils down to two critical factors as to why you WILL buy this game. #1- Chainsaw sounds emitted from the Wii remote speaker. #2- You can rapidly shake the remote up and down in a ‘dodgy’ manner to perform a ‘dodgy’ gesture. Don’t show your Mum this game.
Steve McHugh: This was a bit of a hidden gem and a lot of fun to play. If you own a Wii and are looking for something to tide you over then look no further.
Sean Garmer: Scarface was better than I first thought once I played it, because it allowed you to take a new way through the film. Now you get to play with Wii controls and such, it sounds like even more fun than the original version.
Vincent Chiucchi: Holy crap, ANOTHER SuDoku game? This one looks like they're trying to cross SuDoku and a fighting game, similar to Puzzle Fighter. Oddest choice of the month by far.
Steve McHugh: Been out over here for a while now. It’s Soduku but with pictures instead of numbers and it’s pretty good. The PSP version has gotten worse scores then the DS one though so if you have a choice go for Nintendo’s machine.
Puzzle Scape (PSP Puzzler, Got Game Entertainment)
The Sims 2: Pets (Nintendo Wii Strategy Game, EA)
Tenchu Z (XBOX 360 Action Game, Microsoft Game Studios)
Time Ace (Nintendo DS Action Flight Simulation, Konami)
TrackMania United (PC Driving Game, Focus Home Interactive)
UFO: Afterlight (PC Strategy Game, Topware)
Games coming out the week of June 17th
DiRT (XBOX 360 & PC Driving Game, Codemasters)
Joshua Richey: Wow, there ain’t shit coming out this month. Everything looks extremely cheesy, or else it’s a remake or a port to another console. Lame. Anyway, I am sincerely excited for DiRT. I’m buying it for my brother for his birthday. So I won’t be playing it, but I did some research on it, and for those of you that are into this sort of stuff, it’s a definite must buy. It’s got some really impressive graphics. I just don’t understand why the ‘I’ in ‘DiRT’ got shafted and couldn’t be capitalized. Poor ‘I’.
Sean Garmer: It’s Rally Racing with Colin McCrae it’s probably going to be a good one, and good to see it’s coming out on the XBOX 360 as Driving games are better suited for consoles.
Full Metal Alchemist: Trading Card Game (Nintendo DS Puzzler, Destineer)
Vincent Chiucchi: Have you noticed that the only good TCG games on handheld systems seems to be the ones with Yu-Gi-Oh in the title? DBZ sucked, Marvel sucked, SNK disappointed, Pokemon never came back, and sometimes even Yu-Gi-Oh is terrible. So now Full Metal Alchemist is going to give it a shot? Odds are it'll fail just like Edward failed to resurrect his mother.
Steve McHugh: Another one. I like the anime but anime does not translate well to a game. We can hope I guess.
Damian Sarcuni: My new pet peeve: trading card video games based on trading card decks that pretty much no one plays. Damn this Duel Monsters addiction of mine!
Sean Garmer: You know, I love Full Metal but why make a trading card game out of an anime that has nothing to do with cards, or has a track record with them. Honestly, stop doing it, it’s useless.
Vincent Chiucchi: Capcom actually put on their thinking caps and priced it at the same cost as RE4 for the PS2 and Gamecube currently. Usually I'd say pick it up if you hadn't already, but Japanese magazine gave the game a perfect 40 (four 10's), so you might want to buy that game again.
Cory Moore: The game that reinvented the Resident Evil series gets the Wii treatment. Based on reviews coming out of Japan, the game sounds fresh, taking full advantage of the Wii’s unique control scheme. For a reduced price ($29.99), it may be worth your time even if you already own a last-gen copy.
Sean McCabe: Well, I never touched the PS2 version therefore never really got to see the bonuses it had, so having them included in the Wii upgrade of RE4 does make it worth checking out if nothing else.
Theo Fraser: Widely considered the best Gamecube game in existence, Resident Evil 4 is now coming to the Wii. I’ve completed the original GC version 3 or 4 times now, but I’m still more than tempted to get this. The Wii-specific implementations look like they add a lot to the gameplay experience, and we also get all the added features from the PS2 version, such as Separate Ways, the extended Ada Wong section, which is vital from a storyline perspective. Hey, you there! Why are you still sitting down? You should be running to the shops to slap down a pre-order!
Steve McHugh: There’s an inherent problem with this game. Anyone who plays this game either owns it or has already completed it. Why you would buy the Wii version over the GC one isn’t something I can figure out. Same game with a few extras but one is much cheaper so just go get the GC version. Either way this is still the best Resi game.
Sean Garmer: Yeah, most people probably own the Gamecube or PS2 version by now, but at a low price and the Wii Controls it should be a whole new experience. I didn’t like any of the other RE’s but this one, for some reason kept me playing. I liked it a lot and when many consider it not only the best RE, but the best Gamecube game ever, this is something you need to buy whether or not you own a copy already.
SimCity DS (Nintendo DS Strategy Game, EA)
Cory Moore: SimCity finally gets the proper treatment on Nintendo’s dual-screen portable. Early information details a game similar to SimCity 3000 (PC), and looks remarkably crisp for a handheld city simulator. Fans of the series will definitely want to check this out.
Steve McHugh: Should be the perfect marriage for the system. One to watch I think.
Other Games coming out this Week:
Attack on Pearl Harbor (PC WWII Flight Simulation, CDV Software)
Pro Cycling Manager/Tour De France 2007 (PC & PSP Simulation Game, Focus Home Interactive)
The Sims Pet Stories (PC Virtual Life, EA)
Transformers: Autobots & Decepticons (Nintendo DS Action Game, Activision) -Based off the Movie
Games coming out the week of June 24th
The BIGS (Nintendo Wii, XBOX 360, PS3, PS2, & PSP Arcade Baseball Game, 2K Games)
Cory Moore: After years of basketball and football franchises, Major League Baseball finally gets the arcade treatment. Okay, so we had Slugfest, but this 2K Games presentation is supposed to blow that series out of the water. With larger-than-life presentation, a relatively simple control scheme and online support, this could be a title that appeals to baseball fans looking for a way to encourage their casual gaming friends to join in on the action, too.
Sean Garmer: We’ve had NBA Jam & Showtime, along with NFL Blitz. Also there have been NHL Hitz and MLB Slugfest, even soccer got into the act with Redcard 2002. However, this is supposed to tear the roof off what we thought an arcade baseball game could be, with the MLB license involved this could turn into the next NBA Street. Where the arcade game turns out better than the actual licensed games, I hope that’s the case anyway.
The Darkness (XBOX 360 & PS3 Shooter, 2K Games) -Based off the Comic
Joshua Richey: This is from the makers of the Chronicles of Riddick, and if you haven’t seen my columns these last few months, I’ve been hyping this game like it was my whore. It’s going to be awesome. I’m calling that right now. Buy it.
Sean McCabe: Now we're talking. I cannot wait for this game, I feel it'll be a modern classic. Starbreeze is a very strong developer. In all honesty this game has been lost in the hype around certain other games I may have mentioned earlier, and that is so criminal. Expect me to claim the review, it's only going to come out in Europe a few days after the US release.
Steve McHugh: The same guys who did the excellent (and over looked) chronicles of Riddick. This is going to be fantastic. Those videos make me very excited about playing this.
Sean Garmer: I like the comic, and the game already looks great. The story being written by the comic book writer is genius, and the fact that it’s a shooter already helps the cause. This could be a big hit when it releases.
Escape From Bug Island (Nintendo Wii Action Adventure, Nintendo)
Theo Fraser: This is the Western release of Necro-Nesia, a Japanese Wii launch title. Back at the launch, it pretty much sucked, but the developers have gone back and touched up the graphics, amended some bugs and gameplay issues, and generally made it a better game. Whether the updates are enough to warrant a purchase are another story, but there ya go.
Sean Garmer: Yeah, this game has a neat concept, but it did not pan out well at all. The latest game magazine I got gave this a 1.0, 1.5, and 4.0 out of 10, so you can take that for what you want.
Final Fantasy Anniversary Edition (PSP RPG, Square-Enix) -Updated with new character art, graphics, and widescreen
Vincent Chiucchi: PSP finally gets a Final Fantasy game! Too bad it's a remake of a game that already got a remake on the GBA. So...when is that FF7 remake coming?
Sean McCabe: I know it seems pretty petty of me just to use this to ask why the hell people still play FF and FFII. They're ancient, they suck now, there's much more entertaining games to play, Square, stop whoring out this grandma for the love of God.
Steve McHugh: Go buy the GBA versions for a fraction of the price. Same game with older graphics. This is old-school RPG and all the horror and joy that comes with it. If you really have to have these then you can do much worse but I can’t see any reason why anyone would get them just because of flashy graphics.
Sean Garmer: Can we not use the Lord’s name in vain, please. Anyway, normally I would defend Square on everything it does, but in this case I can’t. If you own a PSP and do not have these games yet, that might be the only reason to buy them, because the updated graphics aren’t going to be that much of a difference trust me. If you own any other version of FF 1, listen to us, and don’t buy it, you are wasting money big time.
GrimGrimore (PS2 RTS, NIS America)
Sean McCabe: Never heard of this, but I want to check it out based on the name along, that and and I do recognise the developer. Seems Nippon Ichii is bringing their entire backcatalogue west.
Sean Garmer: I love NIS America, but this is a Strategy game and not an RPG, so that’s why I’m not buying this, but traditionally if it’s not been Disgaea or an RPG, they’ve kinda been bad games. So get this at your own risk.
Lost Planet: Extreme Condition (PC Shooter, Capcom)
Steve McHugh: I’m curious to see how this translates to the PC. If they do a good job then this will be excellent. The 360 version is fantastic.
Ninja Gaiden Sigma (PS3 Action Game, Tecmo/Team Ninja) -Ninja Gaiden Black with PS3 Graphics and the ability to use Rachel
Sean McCabe: AKA the first decent game on the PS3. I want this, dammit. Ninja Gaiden is BETTER than God of War. It is BETTER than Devil May Cry. Frankly all the PS3 owners probably won't appreciate what they're getting here, the ultimate version of one of the best games ever made. It'll be the first game on my list if I ever do break and buy a PS3 one of these days.
Steve McHugh: Looks amazing but then so did the original. Not exactly a reason to buy a PS3 as you can pick up Black for about $15 but if you own a PS3 and not a 360 then go get this as it will rock. And if you complain about it being too hard you are in fact a whiney bitch.
Sean Garmer: It’s cool that they get neat graphics and the ability to play with the buxom Rachel, but it’s still Ninja Gaiden Black, the same game that came out on the XBOX and it’s cheaper. Also, this is the wimpier version of the regular Ninja Gaiden too. If you never played this, you need to buy this for your PS3, but other than that, don’t waste your money.
Overlord (XBOX 360 & PC Action Adventure, Codemasters)
Sean McCabe: The idea behind this game is awesome, although the actual gameplay is probably going to appeal to my Pikmin loving friend more than me.
Steve McHugh: You get to control a bunch of villains and do evil things in a game that’s been described as an evil pikmin. It sounds great and looks good too. This could be a huge hit for Codemasters if done right and I think it could end up being the game of the month.
Pokemon: Battle Revolution (Nintendo Wii Strategy Game, Nintendo) -First US Online game for the Wii.
Cory Moore: The first online game for the Wii is the successor to the other battle-oriented Pokemon franchises on Nintendo’s home consoles. With DS link-up and WI-FI support, this one is a must for those who have made significant progress in Pokemon Diamond and Pearl.
Steve McHugh: Whilst Mario Soccer is the first online game for the Wii (its been out here for a while now) this will be the one that more people become interested in. Console Pokemon games have been largely rubbish yet I always hope that the next one changes that trend. Maybe it will or won’t but I’m still interested to see how it does.
Sean Garmer: The console Pokemon games have been largely in the mold of Pokemon Stadium where you battle others with Pokemon from the handheld games or ones on the game. This being online and Wi-Fi Support will help carry this thing for long, but the consoles are still missing it’s own Pokemon RPG.
Transformers: The Game (All Systems Action Game, Activision) -Based off the Movie
Joshua Richey: I’ve got this really bad feeling that the movie for which this is based is going to suck. However, I know for certain that the game is going to suck. Look at it. It’s nothing to get excited about.
Steve McHugh: I get the general feeling the movie will suck. I don’t want it to and it looks cool but it’s still going to suck. The game will suck too because I have no faith that anyone will do a good job with the license.
Damian Sarcuni: Hit up the 411mania game forums if you haven't already seen the Youtube video featuring the original cast of the Transformers series doing voiceovers for this game. Between the movie, the game, and the inevitable re-licensing that is about to take place, it's a good time to be a child of the 80's. DIE AUTOBOT!!!
Sean Garmer: I’m going to laugh if this movie sucks because it got hyped on the MTV Movie Awards like no other. The game may or may not be good, as Spiderman has been pretty much the only Movie game to be good. Ya never know, but I’d bet this one is bad.
Other Games coming out this week:
7 Wonders (Nintendo DS Puzzler, MumboJumbo)
Cosmic Family (Nintendo Wii Action Adventure Game, Ubisoft)
Defender of the Crown: Heroes Live Forever (PC Strategy Game, E-Games)
