411 Games Roundtable: September 2007
Posted by Sean Garmer on 09.11.2007
Here we are once again with another table. This one is short on staffers, but not short on big games. Halo 3, Heavenly Sword, and EA sports games headline another big month in gaming.
411 Games Roundtable September 2007
Hello everyone, We’ve finally reached the fall months, which means huge games. This month, well, I don’t think I have to say anything more than Halo, to get people squirming, or maybe, Heavenly Sword is your kinda thing. Whatever strikes your fancy I’m sure we’ll get to it in the roundtable, but don’t forget about those all important questions we enjoy answering. Well, only one thing left to do, get reading folks. I apologize for this month’s being a little short, as one of the writers that put in info for the roundtable, had to leave 411 to attend to other personal issues. We wish him the best. So, we have only four contributors this month.
Come Meet the 411 Games Staff
First up is Steve McHugh who continues to give us flashbacks of yesteryear. His current one looks at KOTOR 2 for XBOX. He’s also recently reviewed Picross DS too.
Vincent Chiucchi Always ready to hit Select & Start as well as showing the folks at home some shameful things in Video Games, anyone remember Ping Pals for the DS? Well, Vinny sure does, and he tells you why it’s awful.
Nintendo owes this man for his wonderful News Reports (Nintendophiles) he puts out every week. I mean it’s a one stop read for everything happening in the world that makes Reggie Fils-Aime happy.
I, Sean Garmer am the organizer of this thing. Be sure to check out my review of Madden 08 for the XBOX 360.
1. Biggest Winner of the Month
Steve McHugh:2K Games & Microsoft. They had Bioshock released and they’d sorted it out to be a 100% Xbox 360 exclusive. That right there means they win this month hands down. From now on whatever the developers formerly known as Irrational want to do Microsoft should just say ok and give them lots of money.
Vincent Chiucchi:2K Games & Microsoft. Because BioShock for the Xbox 360 is an awesome game, that should be played by all.
Theo Fraser:2K Games & Microsoft. Tough one to call this month as nothing particularly stood out to me; there wasn’t a clear cut winner by any stretch of the imagination. However, Microsoft did a great job of promoting Bioshock, and said title has rocketed to the top of the charts thanks to rave reviews around the world. If Bioshock continues to sell well, I’d say it’s a dead cert we’ll be seeing a Bioshock 2 in the not too distant future.
Sean Garmer:2K Games & Microsoft. I have Bioshock and the game is awesome. The graphics are awe-inspiring, the gameplay is fun, except for the hacking. Regardless, 2K got a big winner with this, and Microsoft have done their promoting the hell out of the game.
2. Biggest Loser of the Month
Steve McHugh:Nintendo. Metroid Prime Corruption came out but you wouldn’t have known it. I know I’m in the UK and we don’t’ get the game until October but it seemed like they did virtually no press for the game which should have been one of their big games of the year. Utterly bizarre.
Vincent Chiucchi:2K Games. Because BioShock for the PC installs unnecessary software you can't rid of to make sure you don't copy the game. This would be fine if it weren't for the fact that it's also in the FREE FREAKING DEMO!
Theo Fraser:Ubisoft. I talked about this in Nintendophiles a short while ago. During the Leipzig Games Convention, it was revealed that Ubisoft basically churn out crappy Wii and DS titles purely because they’re very profitable, and can therefore use the profits to fund their ‘more important’ PS3 and Xbox 360 projects. Well gee, being a Nintendo gamer, I feel so special right about now. *Rolls eyes*
Sean Garmer:Nintendo. You know it’s quite awkward that I’ve seen tons of Brain Age 2 commercials, but almost none for Metroid Prime 3. Just because most of the hardcore fans know when this is coming out ahead of time, doesn’t mean you don’t promote the game. It’s almost as if Nintendo doesn’t want the game to succeed, or they are being arrogant because they think that anything with their name on it, that has history, doesn’t even need to be promoted because it will sell. Or, it could mean that Nintendo is doing what many feared, going the total casual route, we’ll see when Phantom Hourglass releases. Another thing is, Ubisoft dealt them a blow at the recent games convention, stating that they make silly casual games for Nintendo to get money for their other big projects. Poor Nintendo, they thought they had something great, and then they get burned.
3. Biggest News Story of the Month
Steve McHugh:Manhunt 2 is coming out. Albeit in a very different way to the original as it has to have a lot of cuts. On another note Holland have decided to let the game be released as they want adults to make up their own mind about whether they should play it. What a novel idea.
Vincent Chiucchi:Bioshock. It's not only making news for it's artistic content and great gameplay, but the moral challenges of whether or not to spare the little sisters. There's also the moral challenge of screwing around with the damn registry and activision keys in the FREE FREAKING DEMO!
Theo Fraser:Manhunt 2 gets a US release. I was incredibly disheartened when Manhunt 2 was banned worldwide a couple of months ago. One review from UK NGamer magazine rated the game 92%, and I was absolutely gutted knowing I wouldn’t ever get the chance to play such a game. Whilst a UK release still hasn’t been confirmed, it at least looks a lot more likely that I will eventually play it, after Rockstar submitted a watered-down version that garnered an ‘M’ rating from the ESRB.
Sean Garmer:Manhunt 2 gets a US release.
4. Classic Game of the Month (Does not have to be a XBOX Live Arcade or Virtual Console Game)
Steve McHugh:System Shock 2. With the awesome Bioshock out recently it’s time for this game to get a remake and re-release. Or maybe put it on XBLA (as a really big file but that’s not the point). Come on Microsoft make it happen. One of the most over-looked yet fantastic games ever made.
Vincent Chiucchi:Super Metroid. Probably the best Metroid game of all time. Check it out now on the Virtual Console.
Theo Fraser:Mafia. With the announcement of Mafia 2 a couple of weeks ago, I really got the itch to go back and try out the first game in the series, which I missed out on at the time. And it’s fantastic! I had no idea how good the story was, and the atmosphere is tremendous. Top recommendation from me to try it if you’ve never played it before.
Sean Garmer:Super Metroid. This is the best Metroid game of all time, and you can get on the Virtual Console. It was formerly on the SNES, or if you want to wait, you can play as Samus in SSBB.
5. Best Game in August
Steve McHugh:Bioshock. Nothing else this month even comes close to this utter masterpiece. Easily a GOTY candidate and everything else this year is going to have to be very, very good to get close to it.
Vincent Chiucchi:Metroid Prime 3. Screw BioShock.
Theo Fraser:Metroid Prime 3. Whilst MP3 is obviously an extremely big deal to a Nintendo gamer like myself, I did have a hard time choosing this over Bioshock, as first impressions state that the PC/Xbox 360 title is a pretty revolutionary game for the FPS genre. Ultimately, it came down to personal enjoyment. Bioshock’s out on UK shelves, and I haven’t bought it yet, but I know that come October 26th, I’m going to snap up MP3 the second it goes on sale. To me, Corruption is the bigger deal, so it gets top honours as the Best Game in August. Oh, and it sold better than Bioshock in its first week.
Sean Garmer:Bioshock & Blue Dragon. I liked Bioshock and it’s a truly amazing game, but the game I bought this month and have enjoyed is Blue Dragon. Sakaguchi, Akira, and Nobou together made a terrific game that puts the ode of all odes on my favorite genre. The story might be slow to start, but the rest of the game, from the graphics to gameplay is stellar. That’s why it gets my vote, along with Bioshock.
Winner: Tie between Bioshock & Metroid Prime 3
Overall Winner: Microsoft two votes to the awesome game that is Bioshock, and another terrific one in Blue Dragon, carries Microsoft over Nintendo by a slight margin. Metroid Prime 3 is a great game in its own right though.
6. Currently Gaming
Steve McHugh:Bioshock (XBOX 360) and Blue Dragon (XBOX 360). One of which is a GOTY candidate oh and I picked up Crackdown for very little money, a lot of fun there.
Vincent Chiucci:Guitar Hero II (PS2), Planet Puzzle League (Nintendo DS), Smackdown vs. Raw 2007 (PS2).
Theo Fraser:Mafia (PC), Wave Race 64 (VC), Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (VC), Animal Crossing Wild World (DS).
Sean Garmer:Blue Dragon (XBOX 360), Bioshock (XBOX 360), Madden 08 (XBOX 360), Brain Age 1 & 2 (Nintendo DS).
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 September 4th
Medal of Honor: Airborne (XBOX 360 & PC FPS, EA)
Steve McHugh: MoH hasn’t meant anything in a long time now as every game seemed to be the same. The first of the current gen had better be something very special to get the series back on par with the Call of Duty games. Personally I would wait for CoD 4 or the next Brothers in Arms.
Worms: Open Warfare 2 (Nintendo DS & PC Strategy Game, THQ)
Steve McHugh: The first one was good but didn’t do enough so I’ve got high hopes for the sequel to do everything the first one should have. Worms is all about having fun so keep an eye on this one as it could be something special.
Vincent Chiucchi: Multiplayer is what makes this game. If you have no friends, don't get this.
Theo Fraser: This should really be called Worms: The Ultimate Edition. Because that’s exactly what it is. This encapsulates everything great about the series, adds new weapons and items...oh, and there’s the little matter of online play! Team 17 have created a fantastic multiplayer offering, with a stack of options and modes for you to tinker with to keep you busy for months. The game released in the UK on Aug 31st, and I’ve played a short demo, which confirmed that yes, indeed, Open Warfare 2 is damn good. Get it now.
Other Games coming out this week
Naruto Uzumaki Chronicles 2 (PS2 Action Game, Namco Bandai Games)
Pool Party (Nintendo Wii Pool Game, SouthPeak Interactive)
Sherlock Homes: The Awakened (PC Adventure Game, CDV Software)- first week
The Sims 2: Bon Voyage (PC Virtual Life, EA)- first week
Stranglehold (XBOX 360 Action Game, Midway)
Games coming out the Week of September 9th
DiRT (PS3 Driving Game, Codemasters)
Steve McHugh: Another port of a 360 game although at least this one isn’t a year old. It’s a good game and if you like Rally driving games something you should look into.
Elder Scrolls: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition (XBOX 360 & PC RPG, Bethesda) -Contains both expansion packs released for the game.
Steve McHugh: I love this game and being able to buy the game and expansions in one pack is a good idea. If you haven’t played it yet then get this version as it really is excellent.
Vincent Chiucchi: Contains both expansion packs released for the game.
Vincent Chiucchi: This is the "catch up on what a lot of other people have already been playing" edition, always nice to have.
Theo Fraser: If you were sitting on the fence about buying this game before, now’s the perfect opportunity to do so. You’ll get the original game plus its two expansion packs, which is good incentive for anyone. I’m still not the biggest Oblivion fan, but it’s hard to argue with such a great package. You’d be wise to snap this one up.
Fatal Inertia (XBOX 360 Driving Game, Koei)
Steve McHugh: Although it looks like Wipeout it’s meant to be closer in gameplay to Mario Kart and actually sounds cool. The idea of having weapons being magnetic in nature is a good one and I’m certainly interested in seeing how this does.
Sean Garmer: This reminds me of F-Zero or Wipeout and it looks cool, however the early reviews for this have been, not so good.
Steve McHugh: I like the Guilty Gear games, not enough to buy another one but still they’re enjoyable. I wish more people would agree with me that they’re good though because they don’t get the recognition they deserve.
Sean Garmer: I miss good 2D Fighting games, and this series shows that it can still be done well. It’ll be interesting to see how they use the Wii controls for this as well. For people that haven’t played any of these, you might want to take a look at this.
Heavenly Sword (PS3 Action Game, SCEA)
Steve McHugh: Well this is the big PS3 hope isn’t it and it looks very good. A few problems, 1 the demo wasn’t that impressive and 2 it’s meant to be about 10 hours long which really isn’t that long for the type of game they’re going for. Still the production values are through the roof so there’s hope there but I just can’t help but think it’s all flash and no substance, and initial reviews I’ve read (that I actually trust) have pretty much said the same thing.
Sean Garmer: Even though this will not be the huge system seller that Sony was banking on, it still provides out of this world graphics and about ten hours of what will probably be stellar gameplay. Sony however, does tend to try to go by the old adage of “the graphics will sell the game for us” it may do that for the kids, but most people still care about gameplay. The game is good for what it is, but nothing too great either.
Kengo: Legend of the 9 (XBOX 360 3D Fighting Game, Majesco Games)
Steve McHugh: the 360 is low on numbers of fighting games with only a few I can think of. However since Virtua Fighter 5 is out in a few months this game will have its work cut out for it and that isn’t helped by the fact that the past Kengo games haven’t exactly set the world on fire.
Tarr Chronicles (PC Space Combat Simulation, CDV Software)
Games coming out the Week of September 16th
Digimon World: Dusk & Dawn (Nintendo DS RPG, Namco Bandai Games) -Two Games with Dusk being a dark version, and Dawn being a light version, both will have different types of Monsters.
Steve McHugh: Ah the poor mans Pokemon. Actually I always found the cartoon to be kinda cool but the games have always been awful. I’m kinda hoping that this will be the one that gets good and gives the Pokemon games a run for their money but it’s not going to happen. Still a man can dream.
Vincent Chiucchi: Digimon is dead. It's been dead since that terrible 3rd season. And the whole "splitting games" concept only works with AAA titles like Pokemon.
Sean Garmer: As someone that holds this as his favorite cartoon ever, I own DVD’s of all the seasons shown in America, while the third season is my least favorite, it wasn’t horrid. I did hate once the humans blended inside the Digimon. It’s hard for me to see Digimon’s games suck so bad, to the fact that, they have to copy other games. The fact is, since they’ve done that, the games have been decent. Digimon Rumble Arena was a copy of Super Smash Bros. These two games are copies of the Pokemon games, with some small variants such as having three Digimon on the field at once and the development of Digimon not in your party. Other than the story being different, these are pretty much an ode to Pokemon, but hey, if that worked, why not try it. I hope this can breathe some life into the dying, not dead, Digi-franchise.
Digimon World: Data Squad (PS2 RPG, Namco Bandai Games America)
Vincent Chiucchi: Did I mention that Digimon is dead? Seriously, that 3rd season pretty much killed the fad. Whiney little brats going on about what's the meaning of Digimon's life or some crap like that made for a really bad season. Just like Dusk & Dawn, this one is likely to suck.
Sean Garmer: It’s not dead, it’s dying. This is your standard RPG for the kiddies that uses an emote system. That uses the Digimon’s emotions to tell the player whether to attack, run, use an item or what not.
Eternal Sonata (XBOX 360 RPG, Namco Bandai Games America)
Steve McHugh: This looks amazing and from what I’ve seen and heard is actually very good to play too. The American voice acting is meant to be horrible though so hopefully they’ll leave an option to have it in the original Japanese. I’m looking forward to playing it.
Sean Garmer: I played the demo and thought it was a fun game with a unique battle system that reminds me of Mario & Luigi. It’s turn based but action oriented and you press a button to guard. I read in a magazine that the game is somewhat like Blue Dragon, in that the story is slow to develop, but that’s ok if the battling can get you through it.
Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights (All Systems XBOX 360, Nintendo DS, PS2, PC Driving Game, THQ)
Steve McHugh: Ah Juiced, the game that was forgotten about in favour of EA’s Need for Speed yearly updates. It was a good game that just didn’t do enough to set it apart and it looks like the sequel is going to be more of the same. Unfortunately the 360 already has plenty of excellent driving games so it could get lost in the crowd. The DS version will be horrible because all driving games on the DS are. Let’s hope people still check it out though.
My Sims (Nintendo Wii & Nintendo DS Life Simulation, EA)
Vincent Chiucchi: So tell me again why this game doesn't use Miis? This one is "The Sims" for kids, so older fans will probably pass over this one.
Theo Fraser: Animal Crossing lovers, take note! Put Tom Nook and co. to bed, as this is the only life-sim you’ll need from here on out. The DS version is said to be pretty good, so if you like your life-sims on the move, check that one out. But by far and away the more important release is the Wii version, which early reviews show to be one of the Wii’s elite titles. The Animal Crossing references aren’t unjust; anything AC can do, MySims does it better. Think of it as Animal Crossing v2.0 if you will. The Workshop system, in which you can create your own furniture from scratch (literally anything you can possibly think of can be made, if you’ve got the will and patience to sit there and make it. So that’ll be a penis-shaped sofa for everyone, then?), is one of the more advanced systems I’ve seen in a game. Life-sims are all about customisation, and this has it by the bucketload. So if you’re of that ilk, if this kind of game appeals to you, and you’ve loved The Sims, Sim City, The Movies, Animal Crossing, Harvest Moon et all, then you need to pick this up ASAP, as it looks like it could be something really quite special.
Sonic Rush Adventure (Nintendo DS 2D Platformer, SEGA)
Steve McHugh: Sonic Rush is the best sonic game since the 16bit era and this sequel will hopefully capitalise on that. This should be very, very good indeed.
Vincent Chiucchi: I don't know...the last Sonic game with "Adventure" in the title had you play as Sonic only 15% of the time. But this one is remaining true to the Sonic Rush/Advance series, so it's likely not to disappoint.
Theo Fraser: The original Sonic Rush game was probably the best Sonic title to be released since the glory days of Sonic on the Mega Drive. I’m certain that anyone who’s played it will agree with me on that one. So it should come as no surprise that I’m genuinely looking forward to this sequel, which looks to offer more of the same, but better. Bigger environments, more impressive bosses, and seriously ramped up longevity (there is an absolute ton to do in SRA, with over 100 side quests spread across the wealth of hidden islands on the world map) mean that this betters the original in every way. Not only that, you have the introduction of vehicles, as Sonic utilises jet skis, boats and even hovercrafts to go to and from each island, much like Link in Phantom Hourglass. Top notch stuff, and assuming I still have the money (my wallet is being RAPED what with the release of MP3, Zelda: PH, Bioshock, etc), I’ll be buying this one for sure.
Sean Garmer: The success of the first Sonic Rush game gives me the idea that maybe Sonic needs to be like Megaman, and remain in the 2D field. Since the Dreamcast days, SEGA has failed to capture the magic of Sonic in 3D. However, if you enjoyed the old Megadrive games, this one should bring more joy to your DS.
Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror (PS2 Tactical Shooter, SCEA) -Port of the PSP Game
Steve McHugh: The PSP version is one of the best games on the system and whilst the past PS2 games have been pretty bad done right this could be great. I’m certainly interested.
Vincent Chiucchi: Remember how crappy those PSP to PS2 ports of Grand Theft Auto were? That's likely to happen again with this one.
Other Games coming out this week:
Blazing Angels 2: Secret Missions of WWII (XBOX 360 & PS3 WWII Air Fighter Game, Ubisoft)
Cosmic Family (Nintendo Wii Adventure Game, Ubisoft)
The History Channel: Great Battles of Rome (PC RTS, CDV Software)
Stuntman: Ignition (PS3 Driving Game, THQ)
Super Collapse 3 (Nintendo DS & PSP Puzzler, MumboJumbo)
Syphon Filter: Logan’s Adventure (PSP Tactical Shooter, SCEA) -Sequel to Dark Mirror
Warriors Orochi (XBOX 360 & PS2 Beat-Em-Up, Koei)
World in Conflict (PC RTS Sierra Entertainment)
Games coming out the Week of September 23rd
Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire (Nintendo Wii Shooter, D3)
Theo Fraser: When this was first announced a few weeks prior to E3, I was really hyped up about it, as it seemed like a great concept and looked like it was in capable hands. But judging by recent hands-on reports, it seems it could be a touch shallow, becoming repetitive quite quickly. That’s not to say I’m writing it off as being bad; not at all, it could still be good and more than worth your time. But I’d probably wait for a few definitive reviews before parting with your cash for this one.
Halo 3 (XBOX 360 FPS, Microsoft Game Studios)
Steve McHugh: Well its Halo 3 and whilst I don’t think its going to be a GotY I am open to be pleasantly surprised. This should still be an excellent game and hopefully the lessons of no 2 have been learnt so I’m very much looking forward to it. At the very least this will be THE multi-player game for the foreseeable future.
Vincent Chiucchi: You know what this is and you've probably already got that $130 reservation. What more can I possibly tell you?
Theo Fraser: A mere month after Bioshock, and the Xbox 360 has another killer app coming out! Of course, this time it really IS a genuine killer app, as it’s Halo, the series responsible for shifting more Xboxes than any other title in the Microsoft catalogue. It’s going to be great, no doubt, but it doesn’t really bring anything new to the table. If you didn’t like Halo before, you won’t find much to entice you here. Still, if you ARE a Halo fan, I doubt I need to convince you to buy this.
Sean Garmer: As Theo and Vinny said, this is what it is, you like it or you don’t. If you are buying this, I’m sure the reserve has already been made, and you are waiting to stop everything your doing that day to play it. The phenomenon continues to roll on September 25th.
Other Games coming out this week:
Animal Genius (Nintendo DS Puzzler, Activision)
Billy the Wizard: Rocket Broomstick Racing (Nintendo Wii Driving, Conspiracy Entertainment)
Cocoto Kart Racing (Nintendo DS Driving Game, SVG Distribution)
Dave Mirra BMX Challenge (Nintendo Wii Driving, Crave)
Dewy’s Adventure (Nintendo Wii 3D Platformer, Konami)
Dora the Explorer: Candyland (PC Adventure Game, Activision)
Ducati World Championship (PC Driving Game, Strategy First)- second to last week
Go! Diego Go!: Safari Rescue (PC Adventure Game, Activision)
Rhythm ‘n Notes (Nintendo DS Music Game, Agetec Inc.)
Rubik’s Cube Challenge (PC Puzzler, E-Games)
The Settlers: Rise and Empire (PC Strategy Game, Ubisoft)
Soul Nomad & The World Eaters (PS2 Strategy Game, NIS America)
Games coming out the Week of September 30th
Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol (Nintendo DS Action Adventure, Nintendo)
Theo Fraser: A lot of people missed out on the Gamecube original, myself included, which is a shame as reviews were extremely favorable. Now, however, we all have a chance to redeem ourselves, as a sequel/spin-off comes to the DS, which better suits the franchise anyway. It’s said to be extremely addictive, so between this and games like Meteos and Tetris DS, I think you’ll need to invest in some pliers to wrench the DS out of your clasped, claw-like fingers.
King of Fighters XI (PS2 Fighting Game, SNK)
Steve McHugh: These games seem to come out on a scarily frequent basis and seeing how I haven’t been bothered by KoF for a while now I can’t see this changing my mind. I’d prefer to see a new Samurai Showdown game to be honest.
Legend of Spyro: Eternal Night (Nintendo DS 3D Platformer, Sierra Entertainment)
Steve McHugh: Spyro’s been around for a long time now and hasn’t had a good game since the PS1 so he’s due. The last DS spyro was ok but boring and too easy. If you liked it though then you’ll probably like this too, personally I’d prefer to find something else. Oh and it sucks for the game that it comes out on the same day as Zelda. I should think that would be changed so expect this to get put back.
Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (Nintendo DS Adventure Game, Nintendo)
Steve McHugh: it’s been getting great reviews and seen by many as one of the best Zelda’s ever so I’m even more interested then I was before hand. This is going to be very special and every DS owner should be waiting with bated breath for this game.
Theo Fraser: Much like my blurb for Halo 3, the same could be said here. For all the millions of Zelda fans in the world, this is Christmas come early. Here in the UK, we don’t get this till October, and a week after it launches, Metroid Prime 3 arrives. Between the two, I’m probably looking forward to this one more. I loved the cel-shaded Gamecube title Wind Waker, and am glad Nintendo stuck with it for this iteration. Upon its release, it’ll certainly cement itself among the prettiest DS titles available. And we get the classic Zelda gameplay, with the DS twist, which is a winner in my book. Oh, and online multiplayer should be an absolute blast. Going back to the Halo 3 parallel, however, I guess if you’re not into Zelda then you won’t find much to change your mind, but you’ll be missing out on one of the DS’ top offerings.
Sean Garmer: I’m not a huge Zelda fan, but when I saw this played at E3 it almost made me want to buy it. The reviews for it have all been great, and I expect nothing less from Nintendo. A sequel to Wind Waker, this should be nothing short of excellent.
NBA Live 08 (XBOX 360, PS3, PS2 & PSP Basketball Simulation, EA)
Sean Garmer: With the NBA getting close to beginning a new season, the whole slew of NBA games comes out around this time. NBA Live has always been seen as more of an arcade version of basketball. The game was terrible last year, but EA promises to improve it this year with better defense and online leagues and online play with up to four on the same box.
Project Gotham Racing 4 (XBOX 360 Driving Game, Microsoft Game Studios)
Steve McHugh: I love PGR and followed it from Metropolis Street Racing on the Dreamcast. They are my favorite racing games and I think the inclusion of bikes is both risky and excellent. This is going to kick the ass of every other driving game. GT5. Who cares?
Sean Garmer: Out of all the realistic driving games (my favorite driving games are still the Midnight Club series), PGR is the best hands down. Microsoft really knows what they are doing with this series, enthralling graphics, cool cars, and great gameplay. Not to mention online play as well, makes this something to pick up for driving game fans or anyone that owns an XBOX 360.
Spiderman: Friend or Foe (All Systems except PS3 Action Game, Activision)
Steve McHugh: Well as a huge Spider-man fan I want to see how this works but I have very little hope for it being good. The stuff I’ve seen isn’t that impressive and I’ve read reports that suggest it’s aimed at kids. If that’s the case then hopefully it’ll be more Lego Star Wars then any other game aimed at kids.
Other Games coming out this week:
The Chosen: Well of Souls (PC Action RPG, Meridian4)
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars (PC FPS, Activision)
NBA 08 (PS3, PS2 & PSP Basketball Simulation, SCEA)
