411 Games Roundtable: August 2007
Posted by Sean Garmer on 08.17.2007
Heavy Hitters are coming out this month. Join the 411 Staff as we discuss the biggest winners and losers of last month. As well as games such as, Metroid Prime 3, Blue Dragon, Bioshock, and Madden 08.
411 August 2007 Games Roundtable
Hello everyone, it’s August, the summer is coming to an end. What does that mean for gamers? It’s the beginning of fall season and that means the heavy hitters are starting to roll out. Well, what do we think about the events of E3? And the other things that happened in the last month, all here on the roundtable.
Let’s Meet the Staffers
Doing the reviews to help the zone, it’s all about David Redkey
Steve McHugh Always the person to look for when ya need a Flashback Most recently though he reviewed the Microsoft hit Forza Motorsport 2
Cory Moore Would like for you take a moment and Press Pause from your gaming, to read his new column. This week he gives you the best gaming TV spots.
Oh man, you know we couldn’t have one of these without the hate master Damian Sarcuni Always doing his Angry Gaming Where he rightly argues that Resident Evil is not racist.
If you want any news on Nintendo, Theo Fraser is the man to see. Check out his Nintendophiles every week.
Dan Owen Better known for his work as the editor of the Sports Section, also writes reviews for games, when he can. Good of him to grace us with his presence.
Sean McCabe the creator of the Retrospective and writer of reviews, good to see him back.
I’m your host and I write game reviews. Don’t forget Sean Garmer is here.
1. Biggest Winner of the Month
David Redkey: Besides the lackadaisical incident known as E3, it was just an enjoyable month to be a gamer. Also, all the people that love Harry Potter can finally live through an ending of a series. It is simplistic when compared to triology's that are far superior (sci-fi or otherwise), but at least people can see a seventeen year journey come to an end. *shrugs*
Steve McHugh:Microsoft. I got my 360 back and Microsoft are refunding me the money I spent on getting it fixed so all is good. But they also had a great E3 showing games that I’m going to be playing in a few months. It may be too early to say but it looks like Microsoft are going to clean up this Christmas.
Cory Moore:Sony. The entertainment powerhouse finally looks to be gaining momentum in the console war. July saw the PS3 price drop to $499, a move that will help sell at least a few more units. Sony also used min-E3 to its advantage, demonstrating the quality of Playstation Home, showcasing retail-worthy games that will be available to purchase on the Playstation Network, and continued support for the PSP including a redesigned system.
Damian Sarcuni:Sony. Yeap. There's a first or second time for everything and you simply cannot deny Sony the victory here. With a strong showing at E3 that shocked everyone, a price drop for the PS3 at last, and new versions of both their major consoles, it's finally not all that bad to be a Sony enthusiast right now. At the same time, Sony has a LOT of catching up to do in terms of sales pitches and killer apps. Most of Sony's best games aren't hitting store shelves until 2008 and their new hardware lacks backwards compatibility. Still, Sony showed they are still somewhat in the game and solidly earned the victory this month.
Theo Fraser:Microsoft. Xbox 360 had the best showing at E3 this year, with a ton of stellar games to show including Fable 2, Mass Effect, Halo 3, to name but few. Microsoft are throwing money at the 360, and finally it seems to be paying off, as they have a boatload of exclusives headed to their console in 2008.
Dan Owen:Microsoft & Sony. This was a tough call between Microsoft and Sony. Sony finally moved in the right direction with their price drop, and the E3 showing convinced me that they still have some life left. However, Microsoft edges them out for a couple of personal reasons. One is that my 360 just was returned to me, about a week earlier than it was supposed to arrive. I also found out that I wasn’t going to have to pay a dime for it. This is big news overall, too, as not only does it help MS recover a bit in the eyes of gamers, but it gives that security blanket to holiday shoppers who might be tempted by the PS3’s price drop. I know people say Microsoft’s E3 showing was lackluster, but what they did show us was that this holiday season is going to rock, and Halo is only a small part of that. The number of great games coming out for the 360 is mind boggling, and also helps to offset the PS3’s price drop.
Sean McCabe: pretty cheap, but the announcements and news on Soul Calibur IV is great stuff which brightened up a dull E3 season, and Nintendo? They've almost caught up with the 360 already. Ahem, all those who thought the Wii was going to be a fad, go sit in the corner and put on that dunce cap.
Vincent Chiucchi:Sony. From what I hear they had the better showing of the big three at E3, so thumbs up to them.
Sean Garmer:Microsoft. They have the best line-up of games coming out this fall and while they didn’t showcase anything new, like Sony. It’s nice to see all these huge games are coming out this year. Sony did well for themselves this year as well, but because most of their games are… later, they don’t get the vote from me.
2. Biggest Loser of the Month
David Redkey:Anyone that only wants to play NFL Football games. Take Two Interactive and EA brought two highly enjoyable Football games to the market. All-Pro Football 2K8 and NCAA Football 08. They have various options that can bring endless playtime if you view them in the right way.
Steve McHugh:Nintendo. Based solely on the E3 presentation Nintendo’s was very lacklustre and more then a little dull. They showed some great games but even so it was the worst of the 3.
Cory Moore:Nintendo. A lot has been made of Nintendo and Microsoft bombing at this year’s E3 festivities, but I don’t think it was that bad. Nintendo couldn’t really top last year’s performance, and I think they knew it. But Mario Kart Wii as the only surprise? Please. We knew it was coming eventually. The balance board was supposed to be this year’s edition of Wii Sports, but the demonstration was mediocre at best. Nothing from E3 insulted me, but nothing outside of Sony really impressed me, either.
Damian Sarcuni:Anyone who went to Comic-Con Anyone who went to Comic-Con. I don't feel I've ever had trouble embracing my inner geek, but I've certainly had trouble flaunting it and I'm left scratching my head at the whole Comic-Con debacle. First of all, why anyone would make a video-game related announcement at this stupid show when E3 was just a few days prior is beyond me. E3 is the bigger show as far as gaming media, and certainly has more prestige. Second, I'd much rather hang with my fellow gamers who sit around mashing buttons as opposed to cosplay wannabes that dress up like Darth Maul and are actually proud of it. I wish gamers didn't have to get lumped in with the current comic book crowd that can't seperate reality from fiction. Comic-Con is retarded.
Theo Fraser:Nintendo. Lord have mercy on me! It pains me to choose Nintendo for this category, but it’s the obvious choice this month. Whilst not your typical ‘loser’ per se, Nintendo were distinctly in third place at E3, with a somewhat disappointing media conference. The announcement of Wii Fit aside, there was very little to wow you. Metroid Prime 3 and Super Mario Galaxy look astounding, but we already knew that. We knew Mario Kart Wii was coming, so no surprises there, and then it was only shown in video format, so that sucks. No Animal Crossing Wii, no Super Smash Bros. Brawl in playable form…it was just a little disappointing. Compared to the awesome MGS4 trailer at Sony’s conference, and the wealth of titles demonstrated in Microsoft’s, Nintendo just seemed to be lacking something this year.
Dan Owen: Nintendo. Just about everyone is saying it, so I will too. Nintendo is my biggest loser this month because they just didn’t do much. Both Microsoft and Sony positioned themselves for a good holiday shopping season, but Nintendo did little at E3. They showed a couple of games, but those previews didn’t blow my mind or make me want a game that I didn’t previously want. The Wii fitness board thing was an absolute dud. Maybe it’ll turn out to be great, but so far I have no intention of checking it out.
Sean McCabe:Sony. Most people think that they had a strong E3 showing, and maybe they did. They also completely fucked over their customers who wanted a price drop, and completely lost any chance I might have had for buying their Blu ray games player.
Vincent Chiucchi:Microsoft & Nintendo. Because Sony had the better of press conferences.
Sean Garmer:Nintendo. They didn’t show us anything we already know. Wii Fit looked cool, and it’s nice to know there will be a Wii Mario Kart. A date on Smash Bros Brawl is great as well, but other than having a news bit every ten minutes, not much from them. On the good side, they are about to reach XBOX 360 in sales.
3. Biggest News Story of the Month
Steve McHugh:Sony’s Price Drop. The PS3 gets a price drop but then they announce that once the 60gig is sold out that’s it. But over here we can only get the 60 gig and we don’t get a price drop we get an added game. Oh and they may be adding a 40 gig version. It’s all very confusing and makes the whole thing look amateurish. I would have hoped Sony would be able to sort it out by now but they keep finding new and interesting things to screw up.
Cory Moore:Microsoft extending warranty. Microsoft had gotten a lot of bad press about the red ring of death, and rightfully so. The incidents were happening too frequently to be considered a minor malfunction. Microsoft did the right thing and extended the warranties to three years as well as reimbursing those with previous problems. The move speaks volumes about Microsoft’s commitment to gamers.
Damian Sarcuni:E3. Surprisingly enough E3 was actually a solid show this year and some might argue better than it has ever been before. Media from all walks of life were on hand checking out the newest line up for the next generation consoles and the big three did not disappoint. Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo all had a good strong showing and gave gamers a lot to look forward to.
Theo Fraser:Wii Fit debut at E3. Nintendo unveiled their latest piece of kit at E3, and whilst it received a mixed reaction from the gaming media, I see big things in the future for the Balance Board. It’s an astute direction for Nintendo to take, as once again they attempt to break into the mass market. You may have had a rather lackluster showing, Nintendo, but this was certainly the big story coming out of Santa Monica a couple of weeks ago.
Dan Owen:Microsoft extending warranty. Once again, I’m torn between Microsoft’s warranty extension and Sony’s price drop. And once again the winner is Microsoft’s warranty extension because of personal reasons. I had already tried to repair my 360 once by myself, only to be stopped when I didn’t have the right screw driver. Procrastination led to a month of not doing anything until, while I was looking for the price information on the Microsoft repair, I spotted the news story. I was quite happy, as I am sure you figured. On a more overall view, this destroys what could possibly be the 360’s biggest negative.
Sean McCabe:Wii Fit debut at E3 Yeah, I said it. I laugh in the face of the people who say it will be a failure. These are the exact same people who said Wiisports will be a failure. Whether "hardcore" gamers like it or not, this is going to sell embarrassingly well.
Vincent Chiucchi:PS3 situation. PS3 got a price cut for the 60GB version, then the 60GB version was no longer being made, then the 80GB bundle is announced, then a 40GB is rumored, then Europe doesn't get a price cut, and then...
Sean Garmer:Price Drops. Microsoft and PS3 are both pulling one, who’s will turn out more successful? We’ll have to see. But it’s nice to see both of the high priced consoles go down a little bit.
4. Classic Game of the Month (Does not have to be a XBOX Live Arcade or Virtual Console Game)
David Redkey:Metal Gear Solid (PS1) Its been awhile since I've completed this game (every facet of the game). I enjoy the story, voice acting, music, gameplay, and everything else they threw onto the game disks. I can't wait to see how the series ends with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.
Steve McHugh:KOTOR. (XBOX) I love this game as it’s awesome but after seeing another E3 with no mention of a second sequel I’m beginning to think it’s never going to happen. Come on Lucasarts get a move on.
Cory Moore:Twisted Metal 1 (PS1). I picked it up while on vacation a few weeks back. GameCrazy is awesome for finding cheap PS1 titles.
Damian Sarcuni:Bomberman. Now available on Xbox Live, I gotta say I jump at the chance to play me some Bomberman whenever I can. There's something about the gameplay that just can't seem to be duplicated anywhere else and I can't wait to start blindsiding people online.
Theo Fraser:Worms Armageddon (PC). Prior to this month’s release of Worms: Open Warfare 2 on DS, this was the definitive Worms game, and the last good one before they decided to tinker with 3D. So celebrate the DS release with this chapter of Worms goodness!
Dan Owen:Dynasty Warriors 5: Empires (PS2 & XBOX). Yes, this game might be a year or so old, but I bet most of you have forgotten it even existed. I find this series to be one of my favorite of all time. There’s just something about running around killing samurai. It’s relaxing, fun, and there isn’t much else like it out there. If you haven’t ever played the series, I’d recommend getting to the store today.
Sean McCabe:Perfect Dark (N64). Lets not make any mention of a certain sequel on the 360, but Perfect Dark on the N64 for my money is still the best console FPS ever, fuck Halo. This game had it all besides online play, but you do not need online play if you've got a decent splitscreen mode. This game proves that.
Vincent Chiucchi:Super Mario Sunshine (Gamecube) Played it a couple times during the summer, plus it'll get me ready for Mario Galaxy.
Sean Garmer:Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney (Nintendo DS) Finally got this, and I love it. I can’t wait to get the 2nd and 3rd one.
5. Best Game in July
David Redkey:All-Pro Football 2K8 (XBOX 360 & PS3)
Steve McHugh:Planet Puzzle League (Nintendo DS) One of the most loved Puzzle games ever gets a game with so many modes and options it’s hard to know where to start. This is how all puzzle games should be done.
Cory Moore:Mario Strikers Charged (Nintendo Wii) It’s the only Wii game so far I can 100% approve buying.
Damian Sarcuni:Guitar Hero Encore: Rock’s the 80’s (PS2)
Theo Fraser:Final Fantasy VI UK (GBA) This game is just incredible. And to think I’ve been missing out on this for all these years!
Dan Owen:NCAA Football 2008 (XBOX 360 & PS3) Well, it’s the only game I’ve played that came out this month, so it kind of wins by default. There’s something about recruiting in these college sports games that keeps me hooked. I love it. Of course, this comes from a sports junkie who checks ESPN’s recruiting webpage at least 3 times a week. I think it also makes the game more appealing to the whole audience, as it’s a bit of a non-sports aspect to the game.
Vincent Chiucchi:Ninja Gaiden Sigma (PS3)
Sean Garmer:Mario Strikers Charged (Nintendo Wii) This game is a bunch of fun, and it even makes the single player part worth a run through. The best thing is it’s online too.
Winner: Mario Strikers Charged (Nintendo Wii)
Overall Winner: Nintendo With FF VI (UK release), two votes for Strikers, and Planet Puzzle League, Nintendo is victorious this month. Sony technically has four games too, but because NCAA Football and All Pro apparently run slower and not as smooth, as XBOX 360, it disqualifies it.
6. Currently Gaming
David Redkey: All-Pro Football 2K8 (360), Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops (PSP), 300 (PSP), Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth (PSP), Tales of Eternia (PSP)
Steve McHugh: The Darkness and Forza Motorsport 2 (XBOX 360)
Cory Moore: Mario Strikers Charged, The BIGS, Super Paper Mario, SimCity DS.
Damian Sarcuni: Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars. The FMV in this game is absolutely priceless, particularly the acting jobs of Michael Ironside and Billy Dee Williams. That being said, parts of the game are needlessly difficult and I'm not terribly interested in playing multiplayer so I'm pretty much authorizing cheats for myself. Next game I take on after this is Overlord.
Theo Fraser: Final Fantasy VI Advance (GBA), Jade Empire: Special Edition (PC), Animal Crossing: Wild World.
Dan Owen: Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Dynasty Warriors 5, Guitar Hero II, NCAA Football 2008. I just got a Wii this month, so Zelda has been occupying a good chunk of my time. NCAA football is getting reviewed by me, so I think our Games Editor Caleb Newby would kill me if I didn’t list it. Guitar Hero never gets old, especially when your 360 has been broken for 2 months. And I already talked about Dynasty Warriors.
Sean McCabe: Fire Pro, Tenchu Z, RE4 Wii edition, 10,000 Bullets
Vincent Chiucchi: Planet Puzzle League (Nintendo DS)
Sean Garmer: Xenosaga 1 (PS2), Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney (Nintendo DS), NBA Street Homecourt (XBOX 360), Mario Strikers Charged (Nintendo Wii), Odin Sphere (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 August 5th
Boogie (Nintendo Wii Music Game, EA)
Damian Sarcuni: Yeah, I'm buying it. I don't see how anyone can resist. As a rehabbed Dance Dance Revolution fanatic the lure of dancing and actual arm movement on the Wii is just too damn tempting. I'm not even 100% sure the music will be bad considering some of the tracks on DDR: Mario Mix were actually pretty catchy. This is one of those cases where even if the game is awful I have to buy it out of curiousity.
Theo Fraser: So far, all signs point towards this taking the crown of Ultimate Party Game. Dance Dance Revolution, Singstar, Dance Ejay…eat your heart out! Boogie does everything you can do, but better! The track list is brilliant (although all the songs are covers due to licensing issues), it’s got a really intriguing style and is full of humour. It also looks to make brilliant use of the Wii remote, and is an important title as it’s the first Wii microphone game. If you’ve been disappointed with Mario Party 8, get this to quell your sorrows.
Vincent Chiucchi Wow, something new and intriguing for the Wii (about freaking time!). If you're a fan the music genre I would definitely check this out.
Sean Garmer: This looks pretty fun, you can sing and dance in the game. The soundtrack is good, the fun you can have with family and friends using the wii remote and the microphone attachment is endless.
Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars (PSP Driving Game) -Crazy Taxi 1 & 2 in one game.
Steve McHugh: Crazy Taxi is excellent. No 2 is the best in the series and if the controls are mapped right this is going to be great. In fact why isn’t Crazy taxi 2 on XBLA yet?
Cory Moore: Who said the PSP was going by the wayside? The system continues follow the Game Boy Advance’s direction by pumping out remakes of great older games. A hybrid of the first two arcade games with a bonus competitive multiplayer element thrown in, this installment of Crazy Taxi should be another solid addition for Sony’s handheld.
Damian Sarcuni: Crazy Taxi was a series that left us far too soon. The depictions of real life cities in the games were not all that far from the real deal and the gameplay was wild and entertaining if nothing else. I wish Sega would put some effort into updating the series and throwing it on the next gen consoles, but this is better than nothing.
Vincent Chiucchi: Delayed from last month huh? Anyways, I loved Crazy Taxi and would probably get this game if I had a PSP.
Sean Garmer: This game certainly lived up to it’s name, because it was nuts. It was fun and I’d find myself playing it for hours in the arcades and later on my dreamcast. Oh how I miss it, this is worth picking up on the PSP for newbies or people feeling nostalgic.
Mega Man Starforce: Leo, Pegasus, & Dragon (Nintendo DS Action RPG, Capcom) -Three Versions of this game
Vincent Chiucchi: I don't care what Capcom wants to call it now, it's still "Battle Network" but now split into three instead of two. Is this whole splitting thing REALLY necessary Capcom?! Mega Man is NOT Pokemon! Stop it now before it gets even worse!
Other Games coming out this week:
Attack on Pearl Harbor (PC Simulation Game, CDV Software)
Chameleon: To Dye For (Nintendo DS Puzzler, UFO Interactive)
Glory Days 2 (Nintendo DS Strategy Game, Secret Stash Games)
Games coming out the week of August 12th
Heroes of Mana (Nintendo DS RTS, Square-Enix)
Steve McHugh: The Mana series has sucked for years now but maybe an RTS Mana could change all that. I want to believe it can but my hope is fading.
Sean McCabe: So, Square-Enix have finally given up and admitted they can't make a decent Mana RPG and instead are making a Mana... RTS? Okay... I suppose I'll need to play it to judge.
Luminous Arc (Nintendo DS RPG, Atlus)
Steve McHugh: Another Atlus DS RPG and seeing how I can’t think of a bad one that’s happened yet this should be more gaming greatness.
Sean Garmer: If you like Atlus RPG’s this is another game that deserves a look. It may not be too original but it does have a nice battle system. I wouldn’t pay too much attention to those big time reviewers as many people tend to undervalue what Atlus does. This is nothing too special but it’s a nice little RPG.
Madden NFL 08 (All systems Football simulation, EA)
Steve McHugh: Madden depresses me. Nothing of interest ever seems to change yet everyone buys it. Why can’t people leave these alone and buy something more interesting instead? I won’t buy Madden until they do something genuinely innovative with the licence. Same with all EA sports games.
Cory Moore: It sounds like we’ll finally get a Madden worthy of gracing the next-gen systems. The fantasy draft is back, a gameplay system resembling NBA Live’s superstar abilities is incorporated, and online mode is supported on all three systems. Nice.
Dan Owen: I’ll be picking this game up. Some people raise issue with the fact that the game plays pretty much the same each year. Well, remember when they made you move the quarterback’s sight to where you were going to throw? People hated it. I liked it because it was more realistic, but every time EA does make a change people raise a fuss. And I need this to go with my copy of NCAA Football 2008.
Sean Garmer: Finally, the next-gen systems get a Madden worth buying, a full Franchise mode with Owner options, create-a-team, a new icon system, and more. Obviously, all the Madden fanatics that buy the game every year have already picked up their reserve, but for anyone that was waiting to see if the game changed any. It hasn’t, but at least the XBOX 360 and PS3 versions have full games with most of the modes you’ve seen in the older consoles. I’ll have a review for you as soon as possible.
Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon (Nintendo DS RPG, Natsume)
Cory Moore: Classic farm-tending Harvest Moon elements are mixed with RPG elements such as battle sequences and a more straightforward storyline. It sounds interesting, but it’s one of those “fine line” situations where you can’t compare and judge it until you play it for yourself.
Other Games coming out this week
7 Wonders: Ancient World 2 (PC Puzzler, MumboJumbo)
1914 Shells of Fury (PC Submarine Simulation, Strategy First)
ATV/Monster Truck Mayhem (Nintendo DS Driving Game Destination Software)
Steve McHugh: Okay I beg everyone who owns a 360 to buy this game. It’s going to be amazing, thief, System shock, Deus Ex, all amazing and none of them sold very well. Now is the time to make up for that awful decision by buying this game. Along with Mass Effect this is going to be the game of the year. And if it isn’t then someone will pay.
Cory Moore: If you own a 360, this game should already be on your top priorities for this year. After years of development, this sci-fi/horror game looks like it will deliver a beautiful, deep experience that can be enjoyed by all. The ability to use virtually all of the game’s scenery for combat and an open-ended, player-driven storyline are just a few reasons why this will likely be one of this holiday season’s hottest sellers.
Damian Sarcuni: It's time to put up or shut up with this title. 2k games has worked the gaming media into a frenzy over this title and with good reason. The grim world they've created as well as the unique abilities given to the player makes for a truly buzz worthy game. It looks great and the system appears great, all that's left to do now is get our grubby paws on it to see if its everything it promises.
Theo Fraser: Finally! Originally this was due out in March, but 2K Games decided they wanted to make me cry, so they pushed it back until August. Nevertheless, here we are now, and Bioshock has gone gold. Whilst I still find the rather odd and eccentric graphical style a touch off-putting (kinda like Timesplitters, but on steroids), this has all the makings of a true classic. Not since Deus Ex have you had such a wealth of ways of tackling a single problem. Do you go in guns-blazing, hoping to kill everything in sight? Do you go all Sam Fisher and try and sneak past an enemy? Do you put your MaD SkIllz to the test and take over machinery to do the job for you? Or do you infiltrate the mind of one of your foes and turn him/her against his/her comrades? The choice really is up to you, and that kind of open-ended gameplay (whilst retaining a solid narrative structure, unlike Oblivion) should be commended.
Sean McCabe: This is my tip for game of the year. I fully suspect that this game will be the single player experience of the year, and come the game of the year votings, Halo 3 will win and I will be bitching endlessly about it with Bioshock in my hands >_>
Vincent Chiucchi: A lot of people have been hyped for this one. Up until E3 I didn't really know much about it, but based on the different powers you can use along with your typical guns, this looks like an awesome game. Hope it doesn't disappoint.
Sean Garmer: A game that lets you decide how to do damage to foes and complete levels. It seems like a wonderful concept, I’d recommend that anyone with a 360 go get this. I might buy this sometime next month.
Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day (Nintendo DS Strategy Game, Nintendo)
Theo Fraser: It’s been out in the UK for a little over a month now, and it’s basically more of the same. If you’ve already got the first Brain Age title, there’s little point bothering with this, especially if you quickly tired of the original’s format. But for first time buyers new to the Brain Age series, go for this one, as it’s slightly better presented, and has the fun Piano emulator thing (Disclaimer: not necessarily its official name).
Vincent Chiucchi: I'm not sure if more brain training games like this are neccessary. If it adds a lot more stuff then the original I'd say pick it up. Otherwise just get the first because it's probably less then $20 by now.
Sean Garmer: I have the first Brain Age and I love it. I try to use it everyday, but I’ve been told that it’s not really worth buying the 2nd if you already have the first. I might just wait till my girlfriend buys the 2nd one and play it. However, anyone that doesn’t have the first and likes education, this is a total buy for your DS.
Dave Mirra BMX Challenge (Nintendo Wii Biking Game, Crave)
Steve McHugh: After the whole XXX crap I just can’t take anything that has Dave Mirra attached seriously. I’m sure it’ll be perfectly okay but really does anyone actually buy these anymore?
Dan Owen: The days that games like these were popular seem to be winding down to me. Tony Hawk’s franchise seems to have some life left in it, but they’ve really had to change the game from the original one. I wouldn’t be expecting too much from this game.
Jeanne D’ Arc (PSP RPG, SCEA)
Sean McCabe: If I had a PSP, which I don't, I'd buy this. This looks cool and has a very cool idea for an RPG. And with this and Bladestorm, it's good to see the original badass warrior chick get some publicity.
Other Games coming out this week:
Brunswick Pro Bowling (PS2 & PSP Bowling Simulation, Crave)
Combat Mission: Shock Force (PC Strategy Paradox Interactive)
Destination: Treasure Island (PC Adventure Game, Dreamcatcher)
I Spy Fun House (Nintendo DS Puzzler, Scholastic Inc.)
Metropolis Mania 2 (PS2 Strategy Game, Crave)
Panzer Killer (PC Action Adventure, Strategy First)
The Settlers (Nintendo DS Strategy Game, Ubisoft)
Turn It Around (Nintendo DS Action Game, Majesco Games)
Two Worlds (XBOX 360 & PC RPG, SouthPeak Interactive)
Games coming out the week of August 26th
Blue Dragon (XBOX 360 RPG, Microsoft Game Studios & Mistwalker)
Steve McHugh: This looks amazing and the demo seems really nice so looking forward to this quite a lot. Not too sure about the constant poo references though…that’s a little freaky.
Sean McCabe: If I were to be fully honest, Blue Dragon looks okay, but I think it also looks like a pretty standard Square RPG, and that's really not what Mistwalker should be doing. I'll probably skip this for Eternal Sonata and Lost Odyssey.
Vincent Chiucchi: With Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest staying on Sony and Nintendo's systems, this is the perfect kind of game Xbox 360 needs. It's drawn by the same guy who did Dragon Quest (Akira Toriyama) and designed by the guy who did Final Fantasy (Hironobu Sakaguchi). If you're an RPG fan dying for something to appear on the Xbox 360, this is your chance.
Sean Garmer: I don’t care if the early American reviews for this say that the first disc is slow moving and at times boring. The gameplay is good, I love JRPG’s, and anything that goes old school with Akira Toriyama, Sakaguchi, and Nobou doing the music, that’s a great team. This may not be a classic but I think it will still be worth a play through, just because the art style and nostalgic feel are cool.
Dead Head Fred (PSP Action Adventure Game, D3)
Steve McHugh: This looks very nice and I hope the finish product is just as good as it looks. Maybe a bit of a hidden gem.
Cory Moore: A game where the protagonist is voiced by John C. McGuinley (Dr. Cox on Scrubs) and the tone mirrors the comedy/horror mishmash done best in Shaun of the Dead? I’m sold.
Garfield’s Nightmare (Nintendo DS 2D Platformer, The Game Factory)
Dan Owen: This reminds me of an old SNES platformer, but with slightly better graphics. And I’m not talking about one of the classic platformers. Just one of those sub par platformers, maybe like the Lion King movie game. Anyway, I doubt this game will be anything more than an average platformer at best.
Guild Wars: Eye of the North (PC RPG, NCsoft) -Requires a previous version of the game
Damian Sarcuni: This may just be the title to get me back into the Guild Wars scene. A horribly underated series, Guild Wars has delivered solid gameplay across previous titles at nice low cost and this looks to be no different. Probably the most cost effective title PC gamers will see for a long while.
Sean McCabe: I have to say of all the MMOs Guild Wars is the one I have the most time for. I'll be getting a new PC later this year, I could see me buying this then.
Vincent Chiucchi: Usually I would hate an MMORPG, but Guild Wars I don't hate because there's no monthly fee and no players who are a dozen times stronger then you that give you a hard time. This one is a worthy expansion pack.
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Nintendo Wii FPS, Nintendo)
Steve McHugh: If this actually comes out now I will be amazed. Looks fantastic and I’m sure it plays great too. This is the next big Wii game and should be a great big ‘sorry’ for the months of good gaming drought on the Wii.
Cory Moore: I’ve never played the Metroid Prime games, but fan boys will certainly eat it up just like they did on the Gamecube. There’s a lot riding on this game to prove the Wii remote can pull off a good FPS game.
Theo Fraser: Oh it’s time to get your frag on! The first killer app since the Wii launch last year, this should already be at the top of your Most Wanted list. If it’s not, then hell you need a lobotomy! Sure, it’s a downer that there’s no multiplayer, but quite frankly, who cares when the single player looks this damn good? It’s the most story-driven Metroid game yet, which should ramp up the atmosphere significantly. Add to that the near-perfect control scheme, as well as the usual dose of Metroid Prime greatness, and you have what’s shaping up to be a very special game indeed. But I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know! Now go buy it.
Sean McCabe: Please be good. Please be good. I'm not as certain about that as most other people. Sure, it might have the best FPS controls ever... but Metroid shouldn't even be an FPS! I will consider the Prime experiment a failure if this as dull as Echoes.
Vincent Chiucchi: Many people have been complaining that Nintendo is trying too hard to cater to the casual gamers that hardcore gamers have been forgotten. Well hardcore gamers, here you go: Metroid Prime 3. Happy now?
Sean Garmer: Well, Nintendo finally has a chance to prove they can do something impressive with the Wiimote, making a great FPS. Will it work? I sure hope so.
Stranglehold (XBOX 360 & PC Action Game, Midway)
Steve McHugh: This looks utterly mad but in a good way. Kill hundreds of bad guys in as flashy manner as possible whilst maintaining the ability to look very cool. If this turns out to be Hong Kong John Woo and not Hollywood John Woo then this is going to be fantastic.
Vincent Chiucchi: I've never heard of John Woo, but looking at this game, it looks very similar to Max Payne. So you're really into that I'd say pick this one up.
Steve McHugh: The first Stuntman was a nice idea but the execution didn’t work out as planned. If the problems have been fixed this could be great. I choose to have a little faith in the game until I see the final build.
