411 Games Roundtable: March 2008

Posted by Sean Garmer on 03.18.2008

Super Smash Bros Brawl is the headliner, but also coming out this month are two Final Fantasy games, a Tom Clancy game, and more. Come inside to learn what they are all about.

Hello everyone, we may be a little short on staffers for this one, we are not short of games. With the huge release of Super Smash Bros Brawl, Pro Evo 2008, and others, this would have to be another roundtable worth reading. Well, it is time once again to meet those involved.





411 Games Staff Contributors


I am overjoyed to welcome back the Hate Master Damian Sarcuni Always be sure to check out his Angry Gaming

Mark Samela Always trying to show his support for Sony in SIXAXIS Report

Did you know that a game called Terranigma exists? Well, according to Owain Brimfield in his Wonder Years column this week it does.

Vincent Chiucchi always keeps us informed with his Select & Start News Report And also reminds us that there are almost 99 problems with Drake of the 99 Dragons in his Hall of Shame

I, Sean Garmer am your host, I do game reviews and lots of Soccer stuff for the website. Be sure to check out America’s Football and the Footy Fact or Fiction when you have the chance.

Onto the questions…


1. Biggest Winner of the Month



Damian Sarcuni: Microsoft. They pulled a strategic move this month, basically shunting the Playstation's entire upcoming lineup by announcing huge sequels that everyone is going to want to buy into. I give Sony credit for promising a massive lineup this year, and for holding out longer than we all anticipated, but their out of the games war.

Mark Samela: Sony. Sure Sony had a less than stellar GDC but the fact is that they outsold the 360 for the first time ever in January. Besides, Microsoft did about as bad a job announcing Gear of War 2 as you possibly could. Come on Cliffy B, was chain sawing your way onto the stage while a horrible CG clip played the best you got? I’m sorry but the presentation for Killzone 2 was leagues greater than some scrawny white boy chain sawing his way onto a stage.

Owain Brimfield: Sony. I'm actually going to have to say the PS3, which is now apparently the Blu Ray player of choice and by extension the next-generation film media player of choice. I certainly never thought I'd see that happen back when the PS2 displayed its half-arsed DVD implementation. It's got to be a real boost to Sony to see their chosen format emerge triumphant.

Vincent Chiucchi: Sony. After major companies jumped ship and major stores decided to stop carrying HD-DVD, Toshiba finally caved in and announced the end of HD-DVD. Does this mean that PS3 sales will now skyrocket even higher? Probably when Sony stops creating a new SKU every six months.

Sean Garmer: Sony. How can you not win when your system is starting to outsell your main competition, you’ve killed their next-gen video medium, and your list of games coming in the future months is great.


2. Biggest Loser of the Month



Damian Sarcuni: HD-DVD. In other news, Sony DID win a much bigger battle this month in the HD/Blu-Ray format war, and I think ultimately this will mean a lot in the long term. The fall of HD-DVD is going to up Microsoft's production costs and give the PS3 a little more longevity. Microsoft is still the big winner though, because format monopolies do not a good game library make.

Mark Samela: HD-DVD. Sorry, you lose!

Owain Brimfield: HD-DVD. I remember reading a few months back in Empire magazine that HD-DVDs were outselling BluRay discs in Europe by a margin of three to one - I don't think I've ever heard a more fanciful statistic. Still, I was quite surprised that the format war pretty much ended before too many people bypassed the current media generation altogether and went straight for streaming/hard disk storage. Never mind Toshiba, at least you had the balls to admit defeat.

Vincent Chiucchi: FOX News, and “everyone’s favorite lawyer” After completely screwing up the Mass Effect coverage, Fox News continues it's anti-gamer tirade by having "everyone's favorite lawyer" on to talk about how Counter-Strike killed 5 people in NIU while making such headlines like "Video gamers leave child to die". This lead me to blocking Fox News on my TV in order to protect myself from their stupidity.

Sean Garmer: HD-DVD. Microsoft thought this was going to be the wave of the future, and boy were they wrong. Sony again proves that it knows next-gen media like no other.


3. Biggest News Story of the Month



Damian Sarcuni: GDC It was announcement after announcement at the GDC this year, with Microsoft pulling out some really big guns and Nintendo maintaining their "do your own thing" marketing strategy. This month's conference assured gamers that we have a lot to look forward to in the immediate future, even if a lot of it is stuff that was just delayed from previous months.

Mark Samela: GDC While there wasn’t one big “end all” news story there sure were a bunch of impressive little ones. Release dates galore, as well as a bunch of cool tech demos highlighted a rather solid GDC this year.

Owain Brimfield: GDC having done the seemingly impossible and made all three of the current generation consoles look like indispensable tools of gaming. There's a lot to look forward to in 2008.

Vincent Chiucchi: Death of HD-DVD. The news about HD-DVD going the way of BetaMax kept coming in all month long, and the people at Sony couldn't be happier.

Sean Garmer: Death of HD-DVD. Making Sony the big player in the media market is huge news not only for Sony, but the gaming industry.


4. Classic Game of the Month (Does not have to be a XBOX Live Arcade or Virtual Console Game)



Damian Sarcuni: Killer 7 (Gamecube). Taking a look at No More Heroes made me really think about the way Suda 51 and Grasshopper games like to tell their stories, and once again I found myself immersed back into Killer 7's deep and twisted storyline. If anyone has scans of the comic books based on the game, I'd like to see them.

Mark Samela: Dr. Mario (NES). Why Nintendo doesn’t bring Dr. Mario onto the virtual console is beyond me, I love this game so much. The music and gameplay is top notch, and it’s the perfect multiplayer puzzle game.

Owain Brimfield: Desert Strike (SEGA Genesis). the Genesis version of which is certainly better than the Super NES version. Check out my Wonder Years column about the game… right here at 411 Games!

Vincent Chiucchi: Super Smash Bros. (N64) With Brawl due any week, why not check out how far it's come by playing the original? Sadly it's not on the Virtual Console yet.


5. Best Game released in February


Damian Sarcuni: Audiosurf (PC). What can I say? I'm a sucker for simple music games that allow me to visualize the sounds of Manowar and the Chemical Brothers. Yeah, I know, I'm a poser.

Mark Samela: Devil May Cry 4 (XBOX 360 & PS3). I don’t care what some reviewers say, DMC rocks! I loved the story, and the gameplay kept me satisfied right up until the end credits. Nero definitely has some fun tricks up his sleeve, and Ninja Gaiden 2 has its work cut out for it.

Owain Brimfield: Audiosurf (PC). I'm a sucker for any games that visualize music, which is probably why I still play forgotten PS classic Vib Ribbon; Audiosurf is pretty much the next generation of that kind of game, and it's always fun anticipating what Opeth tunes are going to look like when they're imported into the game.

Vincent Chiucchi: Devil May Cry 4 (XBOX 360 & PS3).

Sean Garmer: Lost Odyssey (XBOX 360). I love RPG’s, and Mistwalker did the genre some great justice with this one. Yes, it is an ode to old school RPG’s, it may not necessarily do anything totally new. I just really enjoyed this game, and I think it deserves this honor.


Game Winner: Tie between Audio Surf & Devil May Cry 4

Overall Winner: Microsoft


Audiosurf made us see music like never before, but it couldn’t defeat the grasp that a fourth edition of Dante’s inferno has on the gaming community. With Lost Odyssey being XBOX 360 exclusive, that gives the 360 the slightest of wins over the PS3 and PC.



6. Currently Gaming


Damian Sarcuni: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Nintendo Wii), No More Heroes (Nintendo Wii), Forza Motorsport 2 (XBOX 360), Rock Band (XBOX 360)

Mark Samela: Pixel Junk Monsters (PSP), Devil May Cry 4 (PS3), WarHawk (PS3), Rainbow Six Vegas (PS3), Call of Duty 4 (PS3), Patapon (PSP), and AudioSurf (PC).

Owain Brimfield: Desert Strike (SEGA Genesis), WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2008 (Nintendo Wii), Resident Evil 4 (Nintendo Wii), Worms: World Party (PC).

Vincent Chiucchi: No More Heroes (Nintendo Wii)

Sean Garmer: FIFA Street 3 (XBOX 360), FIFA 08 (XBOX 360), Mario Kart DS, NBA Live 08 (XBOX 360), Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (PS2).



Here are some of the games coming out this month, I listed them in ABC order and by release week, so it’d be easier to find. Firstly, I want to point out, I had to cut this short, so the only games listed are the ones that the writers decided to talk about. I didn’t list the other games, to make sure this came out on time, sorry. 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 March 2nd


Army of Two (XBOX 360 & PS3 Shooter, EA)




Damian Sarcuni: The co-op revolution continues! From what Mr. Caleb Newby has said, this title looks to bring in a few nifty objectives to the team play scene, and that is something the industry really needs a shot of. Plus, we've heard that it uses a Gears of War style cover system, and that's probably a fun thing.

Owain Brimfield: I'm intrigued by this if only because of the number of my friends who are eagerly anticipating it. I'll be watching closely over their shoulders to see if it's any good.

Vincent Chiucchi: I was really looking forward to this game ever since it was initially announced, and then it got delayed because it was suffering from some serious A.I. issues. I still look forward to this game, but be cautious.

Sean Garmer: A shooter that values Co-op that is a good thing for the game industry. It sounds like tons of fun, hopefully I’ll get to play it at some point. I miss games like these where you can play with a friend and you have to be a team to survive. Let’s hope it is good.


Bully: Scholarship Edition (XBOX 360 & Nintendo Wii)- Contains new content not available on PS2 version.



Owain Brimfield: Now this one I'm pretty excited about, since I never got round to playing Canis Canem Edit. Although I suspect the game will be a lot more linear than it's made out to be, the opportunity to finish off a schoolyard scrap with a motion-sensored arm burn is surely one of those moments the Wii was created for.

Vincent Chiucchi: Anyone besides activists still care about Bully at this point? At least it's got new stuff for those who skipped it the first time.


God of War: Chains of Olympus (PSP Action Game, SCEA)



Mark Samela: God of War has quickly become Sony’s top franchise, and with good reason. There has yet to be a God of War game that doesn’t kick some serious ass, and now you can take Kratos on the go with you. The game is awesome, and if you own a PSP you need to own God of War. The two just go together like bread and butter.

Vincent Chiucchi: God of War has been a great title for consoles, but now he's heading to the handheld side. Can God of War be just as good for the PSP? All signs point to yes.


Silent Hill: Origins (PS2 Adventure Game, Konami)- Port of the PSP Game





Vincent Chiucchi: It already came out for the PSP, so why bother?

Sean Garmer: Well, if you are a big Silent Hill fan and don’t have a PSP, I’m sure you already have your eyes on this. It was good and it is a simple port.


Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Soulstorm- Expansion Pack (PC Strategy Game, THQ)



Owain Brimfield: Gotta love me some 40k, although I'm still a bigger fan of the old Space Hulk DOS game. This is a welcome expansion to a decent title, though.



Games coming out the Week of March 9th


Condemned 2: Bloodshot (XBOX 360 & PS3 (PS3 version comes out the week after) Adventure Game, SEGA)



Sean Garmer: The first one was severely underrated, and ended up being a really good game. The 2nd one should be no different.


Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Rings of Fate (Nintendo DS Action RPG Square-Enix)



Owain Brimfield: I've never really gotten the Crystal Chronicles franchise, but I'd be surprised if this didn't turn out to be the biggest hitter on the handhelds this month.



House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return (Nintendo Wii Shooter, SEGA)




Mark Samela: House of the Dead is right up there with Time Crisis for my favorite light gun franchise. Needless to say I am pumped to get me some House of the Dead on the Wii, and this should be much better than Resident Evil Umbrella Chronicles.

Owain Brimfield: Awesome. I still play the PC port of the original from time to time, and there are few things on the Wii more satisfying than headshotting zombies with the remote.

Vincent Chiucchi: They couldn't just include all the House of the Dead games in one package? Or just release House of the Dead 4? Anyway, it makes a good rental but probably not worth buying.

Sean Garmer: I love playing these at the arcades, and with the WiiZapper it should probably be no different, but it would have been better if they released all three in one pack. Hopefully, this will sell some software for the Wii.


Nanostray 2 (Nintendo DS Shooter, Majesco Games)




Owain Brimfield: If the game lives up to the coolness of its title, I'm sold.



Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (All Systems Soccer Simulation, Konami)




Damian Sarcuni: Color me a huge Pro-Evolution fan. I'm not at all a soccer buff (I only care once every four years along with most of the world) but the Pro Evolution series is brilliantly done and is more fun than even some of the action games I've played lately. I know you're all psyched about Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but if you have the means don't miss this one either!

Owain Brimfield: I'll be buying this just to see if Konami have gotten the series back on track in the face of stiff competition from a recently revitalized FIFA franchise. You'd have to hope so.

Sean Garmer: So far the reviews are again saying that for the next generation systems, PES doesn’t do much that can be considered an improvement. The fact that it still lags in online play is also an issue, but I’m sure it won’t stop all those loyal PES players from buying this edition.


Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Nintendo Wii Fighting Game, Nintendo)



Owain Brimfield: Although I'm not salivating over this quite as much as most Nintendo fanboys, it's undoubtedly going to be a blast and could prove to be a system seller. Plus, the ability to pit Mario against Sonic in direct combat is a momentous gaming moment for gamers of my generation.

Vincent Chiucchi: My Wii Code is 1925 8081 8559 3593. See you online!

Sean Garmer: There’s not much left to say about this game, other than, it is awesome! Go buy it now!



Games coming out the Week of March 16th


Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds (PS3 Golf Game, SCEI)



Mark Samela: I’ve always been a sucker for Hot Shots Golf, and sadly I’ll probably pick this one up as well. Guilty pleasures suck! Actually the game will probably end up being pretty good, so I shouldn’t beat myself up. Especially if it has online!


Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword (Nintendo DS Action Game, Tecmo)




Sean Garmer: I love the Ninja Gaiden franchise, so seeing a new game on the DS makes me want to go out and buy it. All the movement and slashing is done with the DS on its side, and, the use of the stylus. The graphics are amazing for the DS, I played this for a bit at a Gamestop and couldn’t believe what I was playing. The only bad thing is it isn’t anywhere near as hard as the console games and that might turn off some. However, fans of the series should consider picking this up.



SEGA Superstars Tennis (XBOX 360, PS3, Nintendo Wii & DS Tennis Game, SEGA) -SEGA Mascots in a Tennis game, ala Mario Tennis.




Owain Brimfield: If this can capture the same magic that makes Mario Tennis, it'll be a fun diversion and could pave the way for more Sega mascots featuring in sports titles.

Vincent Chiucchi: It's supposed to be like Mario Tennis, but given Sonic's track record of trying out other genres, I doubt it's going to be any fun unless you really liked Mario and Sonic at the Olympics.


Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (XBOX 360, PS3, PC Shooter, Ubisoft)




Damian Sarcuni: Hooray for more Rainbow Six! While the series has gotten a tad more arcade styled over the years, it still has that "one shot, one kill" realism that so many first person shooters are missing lately. A wise decision to keep this series going, particularly since so many fans enjoyed the Vegas atmosphere of the last game.

Mark Samela: Rainbow Six Vegas was one of my favorite 360 games, and is still one of the best multiplayer experiences on the current generation of consoles. I’m a little worried R6V2 will try too much to be like COD4 with the running feature and shooting through walls, but I still have faith. Just give me Attack and Defend on an updated Calypso Casino and I’ll be a happy man.

Owain Brimfield: Clancy's games are almost as boring as his novels, so I'll be skipping this one.


Worms: Space Oddity (Nintendo Wii Strategy Game, THQ)




Owain Brimfield: As far as I'm concerned the Worms franchise died a long time ago. Remember the days when Worms 2 was touted by Team 17 as the final game in the series? I do, and there's a reason that title is still my favorite of the series.


Games coming out the week of March 23rd


Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (PSP RPG, Square-Enix) -Continuation of the series of offshoot games of FFVII




Owain Brimfield: You'd think gamers would have moved on from FF7 by now.

Vincent Chiucchi: Are we done with these FF7 spinoffs now? Can we just get a remake of FF7 for the PS3 or PSP already? Please?

Sean Garmer: This one actually looks promising, my roommate says he’s gonna buy it, I sure hope so, because I’m a huge fan of anything FF, and I want to play this one.



Obscure: The Aftermath (Nintendo Wii, PS2, PC Survival Horror Game, Ignition Entertainment)



Damian Sarcuni: I really didn't enjoy the first Obscure. The concept seems sort of emo-cheesy and the control was poorly executed. The new game takes place at another school (a college instead of a high school this time) so I really wonder where the demand is for another title. It has a chance to be good if Ignition does something to improve the multiplayer aspect of the game, and possibly adds in unique controls on the Wii version. I'd only put 30% stock into that happening, but there's always hope.



Opoona (Nintendo Wii RPG, Koei)




Owain Brimfield: Seems like another pleasingly quirky game from Koei, their reputation is solid so while this isn't a must-buy it's a definite should-rent.


Well, that is all for this month. Hope you enjoy the games, and be sure to join us again very soon.



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