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Post by joker on Sept 29, 2006 18:41:15 GMT -5
The greatest ever year for video gaming? Probably.
One game stood out in terms of quality and immersion, Bungie's Halo 2. Beautiful to look at and thrilling to play, it was the best game released to date on Xbox and one of the best console games ever made.
It was not perfect, with a convoluted plot, weak ending and some idiosyncratic game play decisions towards the end. But it still provided intense action on a cinematic-scale. Coupled with a blistering multiplayer element, it fulfilled the early promise of Xbox Live.
Other stand out titles included Second Sight, a third-person action adventure with added psychic powers. It had idiosyncratic production design and an old-fashioned plot which gripped from beginning to end. And Fifa 2004 brought online football to millions of PlayStation 2 and Xbox owners - one of the great achievements of the year.
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Post by joker on Sept 29, 2006 18:42:52 GMT -5
The biggest game of the year in every sense has to be GTA: San Andreas. The massive free-roaming crime epic set sales records and achieved real crossover success to make it the PS2's defining title.
Yet again Rockstar delivered an immensely fun and hugely deep multi-genre masterpiece, showing enough confidence with its star franchise to increase the violence with a ghetto setting while seamlessly throwing in RPG elements.
Add an engrossing narrative, brilliant voice acting and a wicked sense of humour, and rivals such as Driver 3 are left looking very far off the pace. San Andreas pushes the PS2 so hard few suggest that Rockstar do anything other than wait for technology to catch up with the PlayStation 3.
In a year of major titles dominated by sequels, Tony Hawk Underground 2 and Pro Evolution Soccer 4 stand out as two franchises that have refined their games to near perfection. Scoring a goal in PES4, or nailing a long combo in THUG 2, remain among the biggest highs to be had in gaming.
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Post by joker on Sept 29, 2006 18:43:30 GMT -5
Fans of first-person shooters were really spoilt this year. From the tropical paradise of Far Cry to the prison gloom of Chronicles of Rid*Bad_word*, from the horror of Doom 3 to the sci-fi worlds of Halo 2.
All are worthy contenders for the game of the year, but there can only be one. And it has to be Half-Life 2. It did not just live up to the hype, it offered a vision of what games could be: intricate level-design, ingenious puzzles, gorgeous graphics and challenging foes.
Yes, the ending is weak and the game is a linear adventure. But rarely do you find a title that improves as you play it. It is even fair to say that Half-Life 2 has elevated gaming into an art form. Everything else just pales by comparison.
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Post by joker on Sept 29, 2006 18:44:05 GMT -5
Honourable mentions must go to the magnificently understated Psi Ops and blockbusting, goods-delivering sequels Pro Evolution Soccer 4, Spider-man 2 and GTA: San Andreas. But Half-Life 2 is simply in a class of its own in terms of scope, ability to engage and staggeringly imaginative design.
A hellish world, sitting somewhere between Orwell and Kafka - it is a joy to explore from the word go and gets steadily better, letting the story unfold with terrifying wonder and pitting you against foes more unpleasant than anything your worst nightmares could conjure.
With co-stars who seem so real you will actually care about their wellbeing and a final third which hurls you into open warfare more vivid than a thousand Medal Of Honours, it is a ground-breaking work of art that will hopefully compel all future first-person-shooters to raise their game
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Post by joker on Sept 29, 2006 18:48:43 GMT -5
The Oscar-winning film-maker said he would be creating a series based on the Halo video game franchise, created by Bungie Studios.
"I'm getting a little bored with films," he said.
The series will appear on the Xbox 360 games console and Xbox Live, the machine's online service.
We put the best platform in the hands of the best story-tellers
peter moore
Mr Jackson, who is also producing a movie based on Halo, said: "More and more I'm looking forward to the release of games and not movies. I am more aware and excited about games.
"I do not have to keep delivering stories as movies - there are other things I can do.
"Technology is at a point where we can blend a lot of film storytelling with interactive entertainment."
He added that the series would not be for hard-core gamers.
The surprise announcement was made at the X06 event in Barcelona, at which Microsoft unveiled its line-up of games for the coming 12 months.
Xbox boss Peter Moore also unveiled a HD-DVD, high definition player, for the console, which will be released in Europe in mid November, costing 199 euros (£129).
Microsoft also unveiled a further Halo spin-off, called Halo Wars, a real time strategy game based on the popular franchise to be made by Ensemble Studios.
The music and audio of the Halo games are widely acclaimed
Mr Jackson, who also directed the Lord of the Rings trilogy, will set up an interactive arm of his firm, Wingnut, and will work with Halo creators Bungie Studios to develop the series.
He admitted his team was at the start of the process and still had to "work out how to do it".
He added: "Gaming could be a form of entertainment that you could enjoy with the emotion of film, but you could also be interactive."
He said that he had chosen the Halo universe as the first series because it was an "amazing world".
"We put the best platform in the hands of the best story-tellers," said Mr Moore.
Peter Moore stressed that this did not mean that Mr Jackson was making Halo 4 or any sequels to Bungie's current game in development.
He also took the opportunity to take swipes at Sony's recent difficulties in launching the PlayStation 3 worldwide.
"We promised a worldwide launch and we delivered," he said.
Sony recently had to postpone the European launch of the PlayStation 3 due to production difficulties
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Post by joker on Sept 29, 2006 18:49:49 GMT -5
Gears of War is a giant bazooka of a game for Microsoft as the company prepares to go head-to-head with Sony's PlayStation 3.
This is a game that appeals to players who like their games loud, violent and relentless.
You play a disgraced marine who is released from prison to help mankind fight an alien horde called the locust who have taken control of large parts of the planet.
The visual style of the game is breathtaking - mixing the production values of a graphic novel with a gothic horror movie.
Some may argue that the palette of the game is limited and its true there is a lot of grey but the design of the world is unmatched in action games.
Only the initial level of the game has been shown to journalists but it is a frenetic, adrenaline-filled ride.
Seen from a third-person perspective the game has introduced some novel touches including a cinematic-mode; when prompted you can choose to get a more widescreen feel to the action.
The idea works very well because it adds another dimension to the game without removing you from the action at large.
Elements such as camera shake when your character is crouching and running also gives the game the feel of documentary footage.
But this game is all about guns and grenades and plays very well indeed: Grab a gun, find cover and start shooting.
The enemy AI seems solid and the locust soldiers will happily leap over a wall and smack you on the head if you are crouched behind getting your breath back.
There are some concerns about variety as the opening level is little more than running and gunning.
But this looks to be the biggest weapon in Microsoft's arsenal this Christmas.
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Post by joker on Sept 29, 2006 18:50:37 GMT -5
Every year it is the same argument - Fifa versus Pro Evolution Soccer (PES).
And every year the critics favour PES while the game buying public choose the latest Fifa title.
For this year's Fifa release the developers have gone back to the drawing board - re-writing the game's graphics engine, animations, the artificial intelligence and the ball physics.
First impressions are that the re-write has done a world of good. Fifa has always felt more of an arcade title than PES but now it is much closer to a simulation.
Players feel responsive, the animations are authentic and even the ball no longer feels like it is attached to the players' feet with a piece of string.
Shooting has always been Fifa's weak point but now it feels under your control and not a pre-determined exercise in button pressing.
Throw in the usual Electronic Arts' polish - from user interface to music and commentary and it is a strong package.
Fifa 07 will also have real world football results, text news on your favourite team and even podcasts to download within the game.
Perhaps this year Fifa will win over both the critics and the consumers.
Fifa 07 is expected to be released before Christmas on the Xbox 360.
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Post by joker on Sept 29, 2006 18:51:41 GMT -5
The team behind the excellent title Prince of Persia: Sands of Time have shifted their attention to the time of the Crusades in the middle ages and the murky, cut throat world of assassins.
Promising historical authenticity, the game puts you into the character of an assassin who must carry out his merciless work undetected.
The game harnasses the power of next-generation machines with populated towns and villages in which crowds react to your behaviour in a life-like manner.
The scores of people wandering the streets get startled, frightened, angry and can even panic en masse creating new obstacles for a fleeing assassin, hell-bent on escaping the clutches of soldiers.
Your character can navigate the rooftops of towns, leaping from building to building and scaling walls, swinging from beams and window sills with amazing grace and fluidity.
The realism of the character model is startling at first because it is so life-like and has been modelled on the modern-day "free-running" phenomenon.
Only a demo of the title was being shown to journalists so it is hard to judge how simple the controls are but if it manages to combine freedom of movement with ease of use then Assassin's Creed could be a breakthrough in game design.
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Post by joker on Sept 29, 2006 18:52:10 GMT -5
Microsoft took full advantage of recent news that Sony's rival Gran Turismo title for the PS3 would only come with a handful of cars with which to drive and the others being available for download.
"We will ship the game with 300 cars and more than 70 tracks on the disk," said Xbox chief Peter Moore.
High definition was always going to suit racing games that thrive on realism and Forza 2 is one of the best-looking titles for Xbox 360.
Racing tracks are not the most interesting places visually so the developers have made all the little details as authentic as possible.
Grass on tracksides is three dimensional rather than flat, tyres leave rubber marks on the tarmac, crowds react to events and the cars sustain damage.
The developers say they want to turn racing game fans into car freaks and car freaks into racing game fans and so have pitched the driving simulation at a level of realism that will appeal to both.
Forza's unique selling point has been the ability to customise your car and to create a unique livery for your machine.
The livery editor for Forza 2 has been revampled so that cars now have tens of thousands of different visual styles, emblems, colours and logos that can be applied.
You can race your unique car online and take photos which can be posted to websites, blogs and even your mobile phone.
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Post by joker on Sept 29, 2006 18:56:50 GMT -5
Dead Rising takes a giant chainsaw to the well-trodden zombie genre and re-fashions a sparkling game that has become a true showcase of the Xbox 360.
Enlarge Image
The set-up is familiar - an innocent finds himself in the midst of zombie-controlled territory, in this case a shopping mall lifted straight out of George Romero's Dawn of the Dead.
From the outset the game's ability to throw scores and scores of zombies onto the screen at the same time marks Dead Rising as next generation.
No longer is it a matter of tackling one or two zombies per room, Dead Rising creates a sea of the undead which you must face armed with a variety of weapons from shovel to shotgun.
You must develop your character by gaining prestige points - initially these are through taking photographs of zombies. The more gory and horrific the photo, the more points you earn.
Not for nothing is this game rated an 18.
There are plenty of missions to choose from, including rescuing survivors and dealing with the odd human psychopath roaming the mall.
It is not far from a mix of Grand Theft Auto and Resident Evil with a combinatoin of freedom and intense action.
The game's failing is its save system; there is just one slot and if you save at a point when there is no time left to finish a mission or you don't have the weapons to defeat some of the nastier encounters, then you must start all over again.
It's almost as frustrating as having a zombie chew on your arm.
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Post by joker on Sept 29, 2006 18:58:16 GMT -5
Wanted: Calculating, cold-blooded and ruthless assassin to travel to America and kill people in imaginative and innovative ways. This neatly sums up what the game, Hitman: Blood Money, is all about, in which gamers play as hired gun Agent 47.
It works beautifully as a stealth assassination game, where players are rewarded for their patience and dedication to the art of death.
While the premise of the game may be distasteful, this is not a title that revels in gore, even though it has an 18 age rating.
At times, Hitman feels more like a puzzle where players have to explore the various levels and work out how to achieve their assignment without attracting undue attention.
This is its greatest strength but also its weak spot.
Notorious
The open-ended nature of the missions mean that players could spend hours exploring different techniques, such as dropping a priceless chandelier on the mark, in order to pull off the perfect kill.
HITMAN: BLOOD MONEY Format: PC, PS2, Xbox 360 (reviewed), Xbox Graphics: 8 Sound: 8 Gameplay: 8 Enduring appeal: 7 Overall: 8 Or they could grab a machine gun and try to play it as a first-person shooter.
Overt violence does not pay though, attracting the attention of guards and police. Often it results in a hasty death.
But at other times, the poor AI of enemies means that they will blindly walk into the line of fire, making it easy to complete a mission.
The developers of the game, IO Interactive, have tried to counter this by including a so-called notoriety meter in the game.
The system rewards stealth and punishes mindless violence. Killing bystanders or leaving witnesses behind will push up the notoriety rating.
This will get Agent 47's picture in newspapers and make later missions harder to complete.
But as some players have discovered, a way to avoid this is to kill everyone in a level of the game and destroy any CCTV tapes.
Life saver
A major irritation is the system used to save progress through a level. The number of saves is determined by the difficulty setting.
Bystanders can be caught up in the violence Frustratingly, any progress is lost if a player decides to abandon a mission without completing it.
This seems a pointless restriction, especially given the size of some of the game levels.
The graphics, as with most games on the Xbox 360 version, are rich in detail. And the control system is easy to pick up, though beneath the surface is a bewildering array of moves.
Blood Money, the latest instalment in the Hitman series, is easily the best so far. There are minor niggles, such as the save mechanism.
If you are looking for a game that is fast and furious, this is not the one for you. But if you want something that forces you to think before you act, then Hitman might just hit the mark.
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Post by joker on Sept 29, 2006 19:02:24 GMT -5
September 28, 2006 - Bethesda Softworks announced today that its blockbuster role-playing game, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion will be a launch title for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system this November in North America, and next March in Europe when the new console is expected to be released there. In addition, The Elder Scrolls Travels: Oblivion will be released on the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system in the Spring 2007 in North America and Europe. Both the PLAYSTATION 3 and PSP system titles will be published exclusively in North America by Bethesda Softworks, while in Europe, Ubisoft will serve as co-publisher. Complete details on both games are available in Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine's (OPM) exclusive cover story (November issue), which hits newsstands Oct. 10. In its article OPM previews the gameplay, graphics, and new content in Oblivion and concludes: "If any game is worth the price of the PS3, Oblivion is it." Released in March for Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows, Oblivion has already earned high praises and awards from publications around the world. Official Xbox Magazine (US) gave Oblivion a 9.5 out of 10 and an Editor's Choice award, calling Oblivion "An Absolute Masterpiece." G4 TV named it the Best Game of 2006, and PC Gamer (UK) ranked Oblivion #1 on its list of the Top 100 PC games of all time. Metracritic.com lists Oblivion as the highest rated game of all time on Xbox 360. Oblivion has also been nominated for numerous awards in upcoming events, including the Golden Joystick Awards (five nominations) and The British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards (five nominations). "We're very excited to be able to bring a game like Oblivion out for launch for the PLAYSTATION 3," said Bethesda Softworks president, Vlatko Andonov. "Oblivion's countless awards and commercial success to date make it clear that PLAYSTATION 3 owners are in for a real treat this November." Oblivion features a powerful combination of free-form gameplay, unprecedented graphics, cutting edge AI, character voices by acting legends Patrick Stewart, Sean Bean, Terrance Stamp, and Lynda Carter, and an award-winning soundtrack. Gamers can choose to unravel Oblivion's epic narrative at their own pace or explore the vast world in search of their own unique challenges. After the mysterious and untimely death of the Emperor, the throne of Tamriel lies empty. With the Empire ready to crumble, the gates of Oblivion open and demons march upon the land - laying waste to everything in their path. To turn the tide of darkness, you must find the lost heir to the throne and unravel the sinister plot that threatens to destroy all of Tamriel. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is rated "M" for Mature by the ESRB and will be in stores throughout North America on November 17. For more information on The Elder Scrolls and Oblivion, visit the official web site at www.elderscrolls.com. About Bethesda Softworks Headquartered in Rockville, MD, Bethesda Softworks LLC, a subsidiary of ZeniMax Media Inc., is a premier developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software and has produced numerous award-winning titles, most recently with The Elder Scrolls® IV: Oblivion™ and the 2002 PC and Xbox® Game of the Year and RPG of the Year, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrrowind®. Among Bethesda's more popular franchises are The Elder Scrolls® series and Fallout®, as well as its licensed properties, Pirates of the Caribbean™ and Star Trek®. Its product line spans the sports, racing, RPG, strategy, and action genres. For more information on Bethesda Softworks' products, visit www.bethsoft.com.
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Post by lonewarrior on Oct 9, 2006 23:55:21 GMT -5
k as u prob already know i bought an xbox 360 on oct 9 06 by bragging u probably knew i just want to say some of the games that i have, and looked at for it
i m gonna start by what i thought was the best. i thought The Elder Scrolls Iv:Oblivion was an above avrage game. It features some of the best npc qualities, the besidia softworks was orignally going to also make it fore xbox regular, but the graphix were so advantced that they had 2 make it for the pc, and xbox 36o ONLY The graphix on a scale to one through ten would be a ten.(not over reacting seriosly.) Well the mele fighting was the best i have ever witnessed. The way u talk(rpg system) was slamming it wasnt god like likd the graphix. The sceens,the sceanery was the best witnessed in real game time play. Not trying to put down the orignal elder scrolls but in the orignal there was a fog that gave u a sight limit. There is fog in oblivion but only when it is raining in a foggy area or a foggy day. You can see miles away on hills, and mountains,there was this one sceen where I was on a path, looked over to see a high city with a tower not sure the name will tell the name when i get than info. but i looked over to see it above all, i could see the beach, the forest behind it, everything, just not creatures animals or citycins, but that is realistic. There is a raiting ai system in every npc that is over ten million npcs here is a challange for ya try killen them all eh well my rate is impossable but getting off topic the ai system in the npcs tells u where to go what u r doing to make them upset mad sad, or stuff like thatwell the ai system is cutting edge and the voices of actors. The free roam is awsome the game is big, personally i love the ai system it is only the tenth, and i didnt even get to a major town actoly a little town but they are all invisable it is weird, i didnt want to talk to them but i ended up getting a quest i diddnt want. The weapons are big small fast useless deadly or blighted awsome no? oh nutsaki i forgot to talk about the magica the rainged weapons. well they have shirukin(i didnt get any yet but am assuming cause they had it in the first one) they have long,and short bows. steel,wood,gold,metal,rusted, bows and scrap(like bows u find in dungons or cavs etc) and much more i yet to discover,so far what i like for mele weapons a genirals katana that i stole,and a claymoore. I have a steel bow,and steel arrows. For magica i really didnt get any yet. other than my khajeet's instincts such as the eye of night,and the eye of fear. i think i have a scroll which does somtin i dont use magic much. The thing i think is impressive is that the npcs have daily scedules such as eating sleeping thieving,and growing crops.that is amazing wheen i found the town with invises(invisable ppl) i went to an inn got what i wanted, than went outside slept outside, than saw a guy plowing his garden. I yet to discover any horses i will make it verry funny, when i find a stable, i will sneek in like a thief, get used to the horses controls,than jump the fnnce,hopefully makeing people chasing me,than plowing them down( i am not aggresive i just want to do that just picture it)The creatures are awsome,sorry if i am telling u everything about oblivion,and well if u dont like it than why are u still reading mwahahah logic consums ur mind lol. But the creatures are awsome and waaaa i had to kill three wolves, well one i wanted but get this a freakin flying imp while i was faceing the wolf i moced than it moved after me well i only moved a little ,and it barely had any health, so it threw a fire ball at me, an hit the wolf died, i ran at the freakin imp, and slauterd it. i mean like freakin threw it with the new feature,and stabbed it like fifty times, i took the wolf pelt, than slowly brought it to the water, than dropped it in the water if there was a fire going near it i would of gave it the proper recreation it needed lmfao.but the feature that is cool is that u can carrythings wit out eqqiping them or putting them in ur sack. no u can actually throw things,drag bodied, or place objects in certaint areias. I found an apple,than put it on a crate and shot at it with my bow. i also like that u can sit down on crates, and chairs, i think it restores ur healh idk but that is it i guess. well for ths game. 1 more thing dont use shields well they r cool butt u can block now using the l button on xbox 360 i mean it is awsome. well basically ths game is a free roam rpg action mideviel puzzel interactive game, and joker didnt even know u wrote bout oblivion till i read all of ur posts.
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Post by joker on Oct 10, 2006 12:54:00 GMT -5
The first title from fledgling Cavedog Entertainment and relative newcomer Chris Taylor was a futuristic RTS with realistic 3D terrain where collecting metal and energy allowed nanolathing commanders to build weapons of war. At a time when numerous other RTSs were hitting the market, Cavedog kept the fans interested in Total Annihilation with free downloadable units every week. While the original set of units for Arm and Core kept the game interesting, these new units were designed to challenge existing player strategies and force players to come up with new ones. Other notable features were unit queuing, waypoints, a gripping musical score and a great multiplayer experience. Total Annihilation is truly a classic RTS. George Chronis, freelance writer: "I spent over a year playing this game in competition on TEN with a co-worker, and I have to count this period as the most exhilarating online experience I have ever had. It was fun. It was a drug, and I met people all over the world, like Jeroen in Holland. Best TA moment? Taking out Chris Taylor's commander within 10 minutes in a pick-up LAN game at Gas Powered's studio, and having Chris yell out in pain, "How did you get so many units so quickly?"
GameSpy Hall of Fame induction: January 2001 PlanetAnnihilation
49. Empire, Wargame of the Century (and Empire Deluxe) 1987 -- Interstel (Empire Deluxe -- 1993, New World Computing)
Empire Deluxe, circa 1993 Empire was the first turn-based strategy wargame, created well before the PC version came out in 1987. The PC version was simple in color and form, allowing players to command land, sea and air forces against the computer or online via network or modem. Infantry and Air units were supplemented by destroyers, subs, cruisers, transports and battleships. Capture cities and produce your armed forces was the name of the game. The sequel offered more strategy than the original, allowing captured cities to specialize in certain unit production, or no production. The bomber and armor units were also, as was terrain modifiers for movement and defense. The game still has a tremendous following and offers numerous tournaments every month.
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Post by joker on Oct 10, 2006 12:54:54 GMT -5
What do you do with an RPG computer game series going on 9 chapters over 15 years? Find a way for all your fans around the world to enjoy the game together. And that's just what Origin Systems did with Ultima Online, ushering in the age of the Massively Multiplayer Online Game. Taking the persistance of the MUD worlds, the graphics of a computer game, and the mythology of the Ultima Universe, we were given a game that ran 24 hours, 365 days a year. An entirely new way of computer gaming was brought to the mainstream. Ultima Online didn't just open the door for a new era of computer games, it changed the culture. The very lexicon used to describe elements of game play began to change. The concepts of the pKiller, grief player, and kill stealer were born, among others. They also proved the viability of the single game monthly subscription fee. The gaming community hasn't been the same since.
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