From Giant Bomb
| News | Don't Step on the Cracks | Aug. 22, 2008 |
Added by IceColdGamer on Aug. 6, 2009
We did it! My girlfriend Jamie and I completed our first "co-op" run of Bioshock for the XBOX 360. She loved it and understood about 85% of what was going on so I'm excited about that. She ran out the next day and picked up "Dead Space" also for the XBOX 360 for our next run.
She got "Dead Space" for $19.99 at Wal-Mart and I picked up "Devil May Cry 4: Collector's Edition" with Animated Series Vol 1, Metal Case and Bonus DVD for 9.99$ also at Wal-Mart. All in all not a bad grab.
Anyways as far as achievements came this week we did fairly well. I managed to mop up almost all of the remaining BioShock achievements on our playthrough. I only have Brass Balls and Seriously Good At This remaining!
Now for the update!
BioShock
Research PhD - The player has maxed out all possible research - 20G
Irony - The player has taken a picture of Sander Cohen's corpse - 10G
Found Cohen's Room - The player has entered Sander Cohen's personal quarters - 10G
Avid Inventor - The player has successfully invented at least 100 items. - 10G
Weapon Specialist - The player has acquired all upgrades for all weapons. - 20G
Tonic Collector - The player has collected or invented 53 Tonics in the Physical, Engineering and Combat tracks - 50G
Historian - The player has found every audio diary. - 50G
Total Score - 960/1100
Rock Band
Rhythm Rocker - Finished Drum Solo Tour on Easy - 20G
Total Score - 170/1000
Fracture
Raptor Specialist - You have accumulated 50 kills with the Raptor - 15G
Clap On/Clap Off - You have successfully used a TD switch for the first time in single player - 25G
Black Widow Specialist - You have accumulated 50 kills with the Black Widow - 15G
Total Score - 185/1000
That's all for now! Keep an eye out for Dead Space and Devil May Cry achievements in my next update!
Thanks for reading :)
Matt and Jamie
PS: If anyone has a good recommendation for a game to play through once we're finished with Dead Space please let us know! Thanks a lot!
She got "Dead Space" for $19.99 at Wal-Mart and I picked up "Devil May Cry 4: Collector's Edition" with Animated Series Vol 1, Metal Case and Bonus DVD for 9.99$ also at Wal-Mart. All in all not a bad grab.
Anyways as far as achievements came this week we did fairly well. I managed to mop up almost all of the remaining BioShock achievements on our playthrough. I only have Brass Balls and Seriously Good At This remaining!
Now for the update!
BioShock
Research PhD - The player has maxed out all possible research - 20G
Irony - The player has taken a picture of Sander Cohen's corpse - 10G
Found Cohen's Room - The player has entered Sander Cohen's personal quarters - 10G
Avid Inventor - The player has successfully invented at least 100 items. - 10G
Weapon Specialist - The player has acquired all upgrades for all weapons. - 20G
Tonic Collector - The player has collected or invented 53 Tonics in the Physical, Engineering and Combat tracks - 50G
Historian - The player has found every audio diary. - 50G
Total Score - 960/1100
Rock Band
Rhythm Rocker - Finished Drum Solo Tour on Easy - 20G
Total Score - 170/1000
Fracture
Raptor Specialist - You have accumulated 50 kills with the Raptor - 15G
Clap On/Clap Off - You have successfully used a TD switch for the first time in single player - 25G
Black Widow Specialist - You have accumulated 50 kills with the Black Widow - 15G
Total Score - 185/1000
That's all for now! Keep an eye out for Dead Space and Devil May Cry achievements in my next update!
Thanks for reading :)
Matt and Jamie
PS: If anyone has a good recommendation for a game to play through once we're finished with Dead Space please let us know! Thanks a lot!
I actually thought this was going the DRIV3R route. I was wrong, whilst the game is imperfect I thought (from the demo I played) it was fun. 3.5/5
I might get this one.
At least it was better than that worthless Fracture.
Another Christmas season is upon us and with a shaky economy and a deluge of huge titles coming out, some of them might not break out like they should. Most of us could care less about sales, but a lot of us care about many of the franchises that will be represented this year and a slew of new IPs are making their debut as well. So which ones will make the cut? Let's go through them. Bare with me... this is my opinion and there's a lot of games to touch on. I am not a sales analyst nor do I really want to be.
It's make or break for these games... let's see where they stand.
Animal Crossing: City Folk
Nintendo kicks things off here, but don't expect a lot of Wii titles here... there aren't many that will make an impact. Now Animal Crossing returns with something that's like Animal Crossing with a city. It's Nintendo's biggest "core" game this season and it's pretty much going to face off against Wii Music and a handful of previous games, but with the WiiSpeak bundle and the reputation Animal Crossing has, I expect K.K. Slider will be entertaining millions of Wii owners.
Solid sales for a Wii game.
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
Rare has not been the same since their Nintendo 64 days of dominance, but it's not like Rare turned to shit... Viva Pinata did alright. So Banjo-Kazooie is attempting a comeback with a vehicle platformer... seems odd. Also, the "kiddy" and "cartoony" look could be a problem for some. However, the 360 needs Banjo-Kazooie in order to attract the atypical younger kids. The other good thing going for it is the $40 pricetag which is a godsend for the cheap gamer.
Viva Pinata like sales.
Call of Duty: World at War
Did anybody expect Call of Duty 4 to sell like hotcakes last year? It became the must-own game last year and somehow managed to sell over 10 million copies throughout the multiple platforms. This time will likely be different because of the whole Treyarch thing, but a lot of those who could care less about who develops what will snap these up by the millions. And if the Infinity Ward fanboys are sold, I expect another 10 million seller. It also has the Wii factor which could add another million to the ranks.
Huge, but not Call of Duty 4 huge.
Castlevania: Order of Ecclasia
Portables aren't left in the dust and Castlevania: Order of Ecclasia is probably the biggest new portable title this holiday season. You've got all the workings of a hit: a popular franchise, solid reviews, and a DS lineup that's not as robust this year. Despite the lack of Belmonts, I expect good things from Order of Ecclasia.
Thumbs up.
Chrono Trigger
If there's one Square RPG that deserves a remake or port, that's Chrono Trigger. We've all been waiting for a new Chrono game for quite some time, but DS owners have to settle for a port of the original... but don't cry for them. Unfortunately, Chrono Trigger might be too niche to be a top seller for SquareEnix.
Great for fans, maybe not for SquareEnix.
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3
The series has been a proven winner for EA which explains why it returns for another go-around. Red Alert 3 has the advantage of not being a shooter so for those looking for something different and with more strategery, Red Alert 3 is a viable choice. Expect good things to come to EA with this one.
Decent.
Dead Space
Dead Space is a surprise to some, including myself. EA hasn't exactly been the people's favorite publisher in recent years, but Dead Space is a step in the right direction. This might be the biggest new IP outside of LittleBigPlanet so I'm confident that Dead Space will make a splash when the NPD releases its October numbers.
Excellent sales ahead.
Fable II
Molyneux! My arch-nemesis returns! Alright, I was burned by Black & White many moons ago and I haven't forgiven him for that abomination. Nevertheless, Fable II is destined to succeed for two reasons: the original Fable and good old-fashioned Molyneux hype. Giant Bomb is abuzz with Fable II topics so it's working.
Damn you, Molyneux.
Fallout 3
It's Oblivion with guns and that seems to be a positive thing for many Oblivion fans... although Oblivion haters will not be too happy about that. The Fallout series has been quiet for quite a while and some new gamers aren't familiar with the one-time PC-only franchise. That isn't going to stop this game simply because of the hype and positive feedback overall.
Totally a hit.
Far Cry 2
Another shooter under Ubisoft's watch. Far Cry has a pretty good history minus Far Cry: Vengeance and the people seem to like it. But, in this competitive mess of shooters, Far Cry 2 isn't expected to dominate in sales, in my opinion. Does it matter to us? Probably not... but Ubisoft would like to see Far Cry 2 break out big.
Good enough.
Fracture
LucasArts is obviously known for their Star Wars games, but they do other things too. Fracture is one of those games. Unfortunately, the reviews have not been favorable and judging by Vinny's facepalm, Giant Bomb agrees with the gaming majority. With the sheer volume of shooters out, I doubt Fracture will be a hot seller. At least they have The Force Unleashed to fall back on.
Not good enough.
Gears of War 2
Epic brings us another epic game. The original was a critic's darling and one of the biggest 360 games ever so what does the sequel have in store? More of the same probably, but that's a good thing. Gears of War 2 will likely crack the top of the charts in November thanks to some great advertising, Cliffy B hype, the success of the previous game, and the lack of an Infinity Ward Call of Duty game.
Absolutely Dude Huge.
Guitar Hero World Tour
It's fucking Guitar Hero, but it's competing with fucking Rock Band. It's a battle of the band games... old-school vs. new school. Rock Band has proven that there's room for more peripherals so Guitar Hero decided to follow suit. It's trying to stay relevant and the brand name will definitely help the Activision franchise, but Rock Band 2 will certainly make its mark. There's also the economy issue... will people be buying this $189 game?
Great sales, but Rock Band will do better.
Left 4 Dead
Valve can do no wrong, right? It brought us Half-Life, Portal, and Counter-Strike so Left 4 Dead is in good company. Left 4 Dead will be just fine just because of the Valve name, but I don't see it being a huge seller with this crowd. Expect a cool million overall, but no more.
Okay.
Legendary
I admit it... I either didn't know this game existed or it's been a very long time since I've heard about it. That ain't a good thing. With Dead Space, Fallout 3, and the other sci-fi shooters on store shelves, this one will likely be pushed aside unless Giant Bomb goes all 5 stars or something.
Crap sales.
Lips
SingStar has competition. Microsoft is trying to grab those casuals away from Nintendo and Lips is one of the games in the center of that grab. The drawback to this karaoke game is that it could be getting saturated thanks to Rock Band and Guitar Hero World Tour. Lips will have to have a gimmick to succeed and singing to your own music collection could be it.
Maybe? Duffy.
LittleBigPlanet
Here is Sony's biggest and most important game this generation. This is the make-or-break game for the PS3... if it fails, the PS3 is destined for last place, but if LBP dominates the charts, it could be responsible for a PS3 resurgance this Christmas season. It's got all the makings of a breakthrough hit... AAA status, casual and hardcore appeal, and lots of buzz. I won't be surprised if it's the top-selling game of October.
LittleBig sales... emphasis on big.
Midnight Club: Los Angeles
Rockstar is not all about killing and table tennis, they can do driving games, too. Midnight Club: Los Angeles is competing with the Need for Speed juggernaut this year and I think Need for Speed has overstayed its welcome by about 4 years. Midnight Club is poised to do better as long as Need for Speed doesn't become the greatest Need for Speed in history.
Tops it in its genre.
Mirror's Edge
EA strikes yet again with another original IP that's not quite a shooter and not quite a platformer. The whole parkour aspect is peaking the interest of many including myself and this could be the surprise hit of the year if EA markets this one correctly. It's also got a crisp, clear look that distances itself from the drab gray and brown shooters out there. Mirror's Edge could be this year's Assassin's Creed and that bodes well for EA.
Hope it makes it.
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
This one has the holy shit factor going for it, mostly. What was the last Mortal Kombat to make an impact? MK3, maybe? So Ed Boon and company had to mix things up and what we got was this mash-mash of characters that make no sense, but maybe all the sense in the world. Plus, the T rating is a first for a franchise known for intense blood and gore. As one of the few fighters this year, I think it will do well, but then again... I don't know if the dedicated MK fan will accept it.
No idea.
MotorStorm: Pacific Rift
MotorStorm was basically a tech demo for the PlayStation 3 back in March 2007, but it did well enough to force a sequel on us. It's got the advantage of being a sequel to a popular PS3 title and being an exclusive means bragging rights for PS3 only owners, but unlike the original, Pacific Rift is facing off against a lot of PS3 titles and it might get lost in the shuffle.
Crash and burn.
Need for Speed: Undercover
Sometimes a franchise needs to take a breather and just sit back for a few years. Need for Speed won't take my advice, unfortunately. Undercover is claiming to be returning to its roots if you are to believe the guy who wrote the blurb for the game here, but with the bitter taste of Carbon and ProStreet still lingering, I doubt it will eclipse previous games saleswise.
Worse than ProStreet.
Quantum of Solace
James Bond has had a rocky decade from a video game standpoint. Topping GoldenEye 007 seems unachievable at this point, but if this game that runs on the Call of Duty 4 engine plays like Call of Duty 4 with James Bond, we might see a multi-million seller in the works. If not, it might still hit a million simply based on the Bond name.
Questionable.
Resistance 2
Sony is bringing out most of its big guns and Resistance 2 is for the mature audience. LittleBigPlanet could be a little too cutesy for some and Resistance 2 will satisfy those with a taste for blood. The original launch Resistance was a good start, but Sony is hoping to turn this into a major franchise. I think Sony has a winner here.
2nd biggest Sony exclusive.
Rock Revolution
Can Konami compete in the "music game that requires plastic instruments" genre with the likes of Guitar Hero and Rock Band? The short answer is no... the long answer is longer than no. Here's a case where shelf space will give Rock Revolution a disadvantage. And the reviews... yes, the reviewers have been very unkind to Rock Revolution, but with good reason I suppose.
Totally forgotten.
Saints Row 2
It's the anti-Grand Theft Auto IV in a way... and feels more like the true successor to GTA: San Andreas because of its wackiness. The first Saints Row didn't exactly topple GTA, but a lot of GTA fans that want a crazy sandbox game will flock to Saints Row 2. It won't exactly crush the competition, but it will hold its own.
Fucking crazy sales by Saints Row standards.
SOCOM: U.S. Navy Seals: Confrontation
Two colons, eh? Anyway, SOCOM is one of the more well-known franchises among PlayStation circles, but a broken online that Jeff can confirm has really damaged what is a decent game that fans should enjoy. If the online worked properly from the get-go, it could've been a hit... but I think many gamers aren't willing to wait and will try something else.
Broken like its online play.
Sonic Unleashed
Sonic just won't quit with the games. It's supposed to be the Sonic game that will capture the awesomeness of the Genesis era Sonic games, but we've been burned too many times by SEGA and their blue hedgehog. Sonic Unleashed will have its loyal followers, but unless it's a hit with the critics, expect fairly weak sales.
Not looking good.
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
Peter Parker has been very busy this decade, but his results have been mixed at best. The last-gen Spiderman games were welcomed with open arms, but Spider-Man hasn't done so well post Spider-Man 3. The mixed reviews and the mediocrity of Spider-Man 3 could hurt the franchise, but the brand is still strong for now.
Meh sales.
Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World
I had to throw in a Wii exclusive since there aren't many to speak of, but ToS: DotNW is one of the bigger Wii titles coming out. Tales of Symphonia for the Gamecube did well enough to warrant a non-sequel sequel of sorts. Tales will do fine in Japan and it will attract RPG fans since it's one of the few RPGs being hyped. It will do good enough to push another ToS game next generation.
Big in Japan, smaller elsewhere.
The Last Remnant
SquareEnix is releasing a non-Final Fantasy game... cue the fanfare. However, it will have a tough time selling outside of Japan because it's not Final Fantasy. Infinite Undiscovery wasn't exactly a killer app and I expect similar results with The Last Remnant. The good news is that it will help the growing 360 sales in Japan so good for them.
Same as Tales.
Tom Clancy's EndWar
Tom Clancy delves into World War III and the RTS genre with EndWar. EndWar could very well be a major player because of the Tom Clancy name, but it's competing with Red Alert 3 which is a tried and true winner for RTS fans so selling them EndWar might be a tough one if it doesn't blow us away.
Maybe, maybe not.
Wii Music
Shigeru Miyamoto's pet project this year is more toy than game, but it will sell more than many of the games listed above. If Wii Sports, Wii Play, and Wii Fit have taught us, it's that people will buy anything with Wii in the title. Gamers than frequent Giant Bomb and the other 100 video game websites dedicated to video games have tried to destroy its self-esteem, but this one is for the casuals who have never heard of Giant Bomb. Pachter says 2 million sold in the United States, but it's Pachter... and so far, it's not meeting expectations.
Great sales, but probably undeserved.
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
It's World of Warcraft. Of course it will sell a ridiculous number! There's no denying it unless you're thinking that Warhammer Online is going to catch on or something. Blizzard will have more money to swim in.
Like I said, it's World of Warcraft.
Whew! Time to take a break. If you've read all of this, good Lord you've got no life.
It's make or break for these games... let's see where they stand.
Animal Crossing: City Folk
Nintendo kicks things off here, but don't expect a lot of Wii titles here... there aren't many that will make an impact. Now Animal Crossing returns with something that's like Animal Crossing with a city. It's Nintendo's biggest "core" game this season and it's pretty much going to face off against Wii Music and a handful of previous games, but with the WiiSpeak bundle and the reputation Animal Crossing has, I expect K.K. Slider will be entertaining millions of Wii owners.
Solid sales for a Wii game.
Microsoft plays the Nintendo card.
Rare has not been the same since their Nintendo 64 days of dominance, but it's not like Rare turned to shit... Viva Pinata did alright. So Banjo-Kazooie is attempting a comeback with a vehicle platformer... seems odd. Also, the "kiddy" and "cartoony" look could be a problem for some. However, the 360 needs Banjo-Kazooie in order to attract the atypical younger kids. The other good thing going for it is the $40 pricetag which is a godsend for the cheap gamer.
Viva Pinata like sales.
Call of Duty: World at War
Did anybody expect Call of Duty 4 to sell like hotcakes last year? It became the must-own game last year and somehow managed to sell over 10 million copies throughout the multiple platforms. This time will likely be different because of the whole Treyarch thing, but a lot of those who could care less about who develops what will snap these up by the millions. And if the Infinity Ward fanboys are sold, I expect another 10 million seller. It also has the Wii factor which could add another million to the ranks.
Huge, but not Call of Duty 4 huge.
Castlevania: Order of Ecclasia
Portables aren't left in the dust and Castlevania: Order of Ecclasia is probably the biggest new portable title this holiday season. You've got all the workings of a hit: a popular franchise, solid reviews, and a DS lineup that's not as robust this year. Despite the lack of Belmonts, I expect good things from Order of Ecclasia.
Thumbs up.
Chrono Trigger
If there's one Square RPG that deserves a remake or port, that's Chrono Trigger. We've all been waiting for a new Chrono game for quite some time, but DS owners have to settle for a port of the original... but don't cry for them. Unfortunately, Chrono Trigger might be too niche to be a top seller for SquareEnix.
Great for fans, maybe not for SquareEnix.
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3
The series has been a proven winner for EA which explains why it returns for another go-around. Red Alert 3 has the advantage of not being a shooter so for those looking for something different and with more strategery, Red Alert 3 is a viable choice. Expect good things to come to EA with this one.
Decent.
Dead Space
Dead Space is a surprise to some, including myself. EA hasn't exactly been the people's favorite publisher in recent years, but Dead Space is a step in the right direction. This might be the biggest new IP outside of LittleBigPlanet so I'm confident that Dead Space will make a splash when the NPD releases its October numbers.
Excellent sales ahead.
Fable II
Molyneux! My arch-nemesis returns! Alright, I was burned by Black & White many moons ago and I haven't forgiven him for that abomination. Nevertheless, Fable II is destined to succeed for two reasons: the original Fable and good old-fashioned Molyneux hype. Giant Bomb is abuzz with Fable II topics so it's working.
Damn you, Molyneux.
Fallout 3
It's Oblivion with guns and that seems to be a positive thing for many Oblivion fans... although Oblivion haters will not be too happy about that. The Fallout series has been quiet for quite a while and some new gamers aren't familiar with the one-time PC-only franchise. That isn't going to stop this game simply because of the hype and positive feedback overall.
Totally a hit.
Far Cry 2
Another shooter under Ubisoft's watch. Far Cry has a pretty good history minus Far Cry: Vengeance and the people seem to like it. But, in this competitive mess of shooters, Far Cry 2 isn't expected to dominate in sales, in my opinion. Does it matter to us? Probably not... but Ubisoft would like to see Far Cry 2 break out big.
Good enough.
Fracture
LucasArts is obviously known for their Star Wars games, but they do other things too. Fracture is one of those games. Unfortunately, the reviews have not been favorable and judging by Vinny's facepalm, Giant Bomb agrees with the gaming majority. With the sheer volume of shooters out, I doubt Fracture will be a hot seller. At least they have The Force Unleashed to fall back on.
Not good enough.
Gears of War 2
Epic brings us another epic game. The original was a critic's darling and one of the biggest 360 games ever so what does the sequel have in store? More of the same probably, but that's a good thing. Gears of War 2 will likely crack the top of the charts in November thanks to some great advertising, Cliffy B hype, the success of the previous game, and the lack of an Infinity Ward Call of Duty game.
Absolutely Dude Huge.
Guitar Hero World Tour
It's fucking Guitar Hero, but it's competing with fucking Rock Band. It's a battle of the band games... old-school vs. new school. Rock Band has proven that there's room for more peripherals so Guitar Hero decided to follow suit. It's trying to stay relevant and the brand name will definitely help the Activision franchise, but Rock Band 2 will certainly make its mark. There's also the economy issue... will people be buying this $189 game?
Great sales, but Rock Band will do better.
Left 4 Dead
Valve can do no wrong, right? It brought us Half-Life, Portal, and Counter-Strike so Left 4 Dead is in good company. Left 4 Dead will be just fine just because of the Valve name, but I don't see it being a huge seller with this crowd. Expect a cool million overall, but no more.
Okay.
Legendary
I admit it... I either didn't know this game existed or it's been a very long time since I've heard about it. That ain't a good thing. With Dead Space, Fallout 3, and the other sci-fi shooters on store shelves, this one will likely be pushed aside unless Giant Bomb goes all 5 stars or something.
Crap sales.
Lips
SingStar has competition. Microsoft is trying to grab those casuals away from Nintendo and Lips is one of the games in the center of that grab. The drawback to this karaoke game is that it could be getting saturated thanks to Rock Band and Guitar Hero World Tour. Lips will have to have a gimmick to succeed and singing to your own music collection could be it.
Maybe? Duffy.
LittleBigPlanet
Here is Sony's biggest and most important game this generation. This is the make-or-break game for the PS3... if it fails, the PS3 is destined for last place, but if LBP dominates the charts, it could be responsible for a PS3 resurgance this Christmas season. It's got all the makings of a breakthrough hit... AAA status, casual and hardcore appeal, and lots of buzz. I won't be surprised if it's the top-selling game of October.
LittleBig sales... emphasis on big.
Midnight Club: Los Angeles
Rockstar is not all about killing and table tennis, they can do driving games, too. Midnight Club: Los Angeles is competing with the Need for Speed juggernaut this year and I think Need for Speed has overstayed its welcome by about 4 years. Midnight Club is poised to do better as long as Need for Speed doesn't become the greatest Need for Speed in history.
Tops it in its genre.
Mirror's Edge
EA strikes yet again with another original IP that's not quite a shooter and not quite a platformer. The whole parkour aspect is peaking the interest of many including myself and this could be the surprise hit of the year if EA markets this one correctly. It's also got a crisp, clear look that distances itself from the drab gray and brown shooters out there. Mirror's Edge could be this year's Assassin's Creed and that bodes well for EA.
Hope it makes it.
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
This one has the holy shit factor going for it, mostly. What was the last Mortal Kombat to make an impact? MK3, maybe? So Ed Boon and company had to mix things up and what we got was this mash-mash of characters that make no sense, but maybe all the sense in the world. Plus, the T rating is a first for a franchise known for intense blood and gore. As one of the few fighters this year, I think it will do well, but then again... I don't know if the dedicated MK fan will accept it.
No idea.
MotorStorm: Pacific Rift
MotorStorm was basically a tech demo for the PlayStation 3 back in March 2007, but it did well enough to force a sequel on us. It's got the advantage of being a sequel to a popular PS3 title and being an exclusive means bragging rights for PS3 only owners, but unlike the original, Pacific Rift is facing off against a lot of PS3 titles and it might get lost in the shuffle.
Crash and burn.
Need for Speed: Undercover
Sometimes a franchise needs to take a breather and just sit back for a few years. Need for Speed won't take my advice, unfortunately. Undercover is claiming to be returning to its roots if you are to believe the guy who wrote the blurb for the game here, but with the bitter taste of Carbon and ProStreet still lingering, I doubt it will eclipse previous games saleswise.
Worse than ProStreet.
Quantum of Solace
James Bond has had a rocky decade from a video game standpoint. Topping GoldenEye 007 seems unachievable at this point, but if this game that runs on the Call of Duty 4 engine plays like Call of Duty 4 with James Bond, we might see a multi-million seller in the works. If not, it might still hit a million simply based on the Bond name.
Questionable.
Resistance 2
Sony is bringing out most of its big guns and Resistance 2 is for the mature audience. LittleBigPlanet could be a little too cutesy for some and Resistance 2 will satisfy those with a taste for blood. The original launch Resistance was a good start, but Sony is hoping to turn this into a major franchise. I think Sony has a winner here.
2nd biggest Sony exclusive.
Rock Revolution
Can Konami compete in the "music game that requires plastic instruments" genre with the likes of Guitar Hero and Rock Band? The short answer is no... the long answer is longer than no. Here's a case where shelf space will give Rock Revolution a disadvantage. And the reviews... yes, the reviewers have been very unkind to Rock Revolution, but with good reason I suppose.
Totally forgotten.
Saints Row 2
It's the anti-Grand Theft Auto IV in a way... and feels more like the true successor to GTA: San Andreas because of its wackiness. The first Saints Row didn't exactly topple GTA, but a lot of GTA fans that want a crazy sandbox game will flock to Saints Row 2. It won't exactly crush the competition, but it will hold its own.
Fucking crazy sales by Saints Row standards.
SOCOM: U.S. Navy Seals: Confrontation
Two colons, eh? Anyway, SOCOM is one of the more well-known franchises among PlayStation circles, but a broken online that Jeff can confirm has really damaged what is a decent game that fans should enjoy. If the online worked properly from the get-go, it could've been a hit... but I think many gamers aren't willing to wait and will try something else.
Broken like its online play.
Sonic Unleashed
Sonic just won't quit with the games. It's supposed to be the Sonic game that will capture the awesomeness of the Genesis era Sonic games, but we've been burned too many times by SEGA and their blue hedgehog. Sonic Unleashed will have its loyal followers, but unless it's a hit with the critics, expect fairly weak sales.
Not looking good.
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
Peter Parker has been very busy this decade, but his results have been mixed at best. The last-gen Spiderman games were welcomed with open arms, but Spider-Man hasn't done so well post Spider-Man 3. The mixed reviews and the mediocrity of Spider-Man 3 could hurt the franchise, but the brand is still strong for now.
Meh sales.
Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World
I had to throw in a Wii exclusive since there aren't many to speak of, but ToS: DotNW is one of the bigger Wii titles coming out. Tales of Symphonia for the Gamecube did well enough to warrant a non-sequel sequel of sorts. Tales will do fine in Japan and it will attract RPG fans since it's one of the few RPGs being hyped. It will do good enough to push another ToS game next generation.
Big in Japan, smaller elsewhere.
The Last Remnant
SquareEnix is releasing a non-Final Fantasy game... cue the fanfare. However, it will have a tough time selling outside of Japan because it's not Final Fantasy. Infinite Undiscovery wasn't exactly a killer app and I expect similar results with The Last Remnant. The good news is that it will help the growing 360 sales in Japan so good for them.
Same as Tales.
Tom Clancy's EndWar
Tom Clancy delves into World War III and the RTS genre with EndWar. EndWar could very well be a major player because of the Tom Clancy name, but it's competing with Red Alert 3 which is a tried and true winner for RTS fans so selling them EndWar might be a tough one if it doesn't blow us away.
Maybe, maybe not.
Wii Music
Shigeru Miyamoto's pet project this year is more toy than game, but it will sell more than many of the games listed above. If Wii Sports, Wii Play, and Wii Fit have taught us, it's that people will buy anything with Wii in the title. Gamers than frequent Giant Bomb and the other 100 video game websites dedicated to video games have tried to destroy its self-esteem, but this one is for the casuals who have never heard of Giant Bomb. Pachter says 2 million sold in the United States, but it's Pachter... and so far, it's not meeting expectations.
Great sales, but probably undeserved.
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
It's World of Warcraft. Of course it will sell a ridiculous number! There's no denying it unless you're thinking that Warhammer Online is going to catch on or something. Blizzard will have more money to swim in.
Like I said, it's World of Warcraft.
Whew! Time to take a break. If you've read all of this, good Lord you've got no life.
Related to:
Animal Crossing: City Folk,
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts,
Call of Duty: World at War,
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia,
Chrono Trigger,
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3,
Dead Space,
Fable II,
Fallout 3,
Far Cry 2,
Fracture,
Gears of War 2,
Guitar Hero World Tour,
Left 4 Dead,
Legendary,
Lips,
LittleBigPlanet,
Midnight Club: Los Angeles,
Mirror's Edge,
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe,
MotorStorm: Pacific Rift,
Need for Speed: Undercover,
Quantum of Solace,
Resistance 2,
Rock Revolution,
Saints Row 2,
SOCOM: U.S. Navy Seals: Confrontation,
Sonic Unleashed,
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows,
Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World,
The Last Remnant,
Tom Clancy's EndWar,
Wii Music,
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
I have taken a few days off from work, to recoup from a procedure done on my nose. They cauterized (essentially burned) the blood vessels in my nose to stop it from bleeding. I've had quite a few problems, so it was a necessary procedure. I just hope it can stop affecting my life. It has been ruining it pretty well. I've avoided social situations as much as possible. It sucks, to put it plainly.
One thing that doesn't suck is Fable II. With the extra time off, I beat it. Yes, I beat it. This is my first RPG to ever beat. Shocking? It shouldn't be. I'm not an RPG person, and they tend to drag on for way too long with padded gameplay. Fable II does not. It let's you play more if you want, but it's completely up to you. Over the course of my Fable II time, I received 3 STDs (p
robably during the group sex I had), 4 families (one which ended by me killing my wife), and owning the entire town of Bowerstone and Bowerstone Old Town. Owning both of those towns, along with a few other things along the way netted me over 5,000 gold every five real world minutes. I'd have to say I was pretty accomplished. I guess you could say I loved the game. I'm still not done with it, but I probably won't touch it for a while. More games continue to come out, and I only have so much time to spread around.
Beautiful.
On the other hand, there is a game I do not love. I don't even want to play it anymore. It's Dead Space. Something about it doesn't click with me. 
It's not scary, it's not fun, it's boring and mediocre. Honestly, I'd rather have Far Cry 2. That game looks to be VERY fun. I don't see myself coming back to Dead Space. Ever. It's a horror game, I'm supposed to like it, right!? No. There's not much horror here, and the action is very meh. Give me Resident Evil 4 anyday... or 5. Heh. Fracture's the same as Dead Space really. I haven't touched Fracture since the day I bought it. Now that's funny.
Bleh.
Okay, I'm done for now, I'll fill you in on my next purchase for sure.
For those who know me on the forums, I'm a bit of a hard-ass when it comes to criticisms about games (and specifically, a ton of games that you guys seem to like). However, the biggest criticism that I have overall about many video games is the use of cutscenes and/or cinematics to tell the story in a game.
Back in the days of the PS1, cinematics were fine. The graphics weren't that great (although at the time, they seemed more than thrilling), so developers wanted something prettier to tell the story with. That's all fine and dandy, and it moved into the PS2 and Xbox generation in about a half-there appearance. Now that we are in the current generation, where in-game graphics can meet or rival some of the pre-rendered cinematics we would've seen, we get a ton of cutscenes. Here's the problem, though: it's not helping the cause of the game in most cases.
Most development studios seem to use cinematics and cutscenes as a way of being lazy, so that they don't have to program all the stuff being in-game. When you look at games like Half-Life or Bioshock, where the story is unfolded through the progression of the game with little to no cutscenes, it's difficult to believe that people continue to fool around with the junkiness and non-immersion of cutscenes...especially in something like (and flame me later for saying it) Metal Gear Solid 4. When the series first started on PS1, it was all fine and dandy. It was new to us. Now, cutscenes are old news. I have never enjoyed watching my games (even when it was something I was super-psyched for...as I point my finger at Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2). MGS has never really done much for me.
There are times where, sure, cinematics and cutscenes are almost necessary because it's something that is nigh impossible to show in-game. I look at a handful of the stuff in The Force Unleashed and think "yes, that had to be a cinematic"...but the majority of it could've been very easily integrated into the game if the studio would've taken the time to do so.
Then I look at games like Fracture, which aren't amazing or great or are barely even able to be considered a game...but their use of cutscenes is dramatically better than most other people. Using the same basic principle and idea as the original Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, the game background-loads behind a cutscene instead of loading with a loading screen showing. This provides a non-stop form of action which I like (and yes, I'm aware that many other games do it...but I felt Fracture - despite the horrific video quality - did it very well).
There's also Dead Space, which just from the small amount of time that I've played in the game makes me want to point at the game and scream out, "HEY, DEVELOPERS - THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT CORRECTLY".
Flawlessly telling a story is far from impossible, but it is also challenging. Nonetheless, I would love it if developers would open their eyes a little wider and see that there is almost no point for cinematics and/or cutscenes anymore. Storytelling can easily be integrated in-game and become the floating standard for a while to come very easily. Immersion is not about having a gigantic open-world to run around in, nor is it Havok physics engine v6,958. It's making sure that your players do not miss out on the world because of a design choice that could potentially take them away from the world they are trying to experience.
Therefore, my plea is: developers, plz /delete cutscenes.
Related to:
In-engine Cinematic,
Cutscene,
Unskippable Cutscene,
Dead Space,
Fracture,
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver,
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2
Yup, I've been renting games now for a couple of months. It's definitely saved me a ton of cash. No longer do I have to buy games, but yet I still get the full experience for a fraction of the cost. I've officially moved from Gamefly to my local Hastings (for those who don't know it's just a lot of everything from movies to games to books to collectibles). Fast access plus good prices make for a winner.
I'll just keep this short and sweet. I currently have out Mercenaries 2, and man am I having a blast in coop! I've been playing the entire game in co-op and I must say, despite glaring glitches, this game is amazingly fun. I know there are some of you out there who might disagree, but I'm having a great time with my well-spent $8.
I get to turn Mercs 2 in on Sunday or sooner (hopefully after getting all the achievements :D) and then I have to decide what to pick next! I'm holding off on Saints Row 2 until a friend of mine can get it to play through in co-op, so that's out of the question. This leaves either Dead Space or Fracture. Yes, I know it's a no-brainer. Go with Dead Space! That's what you'll say. But I really liked the Fracture demo and just want to experience the game. Dead Space looks sweet but I've never been a huge fan of the survival/horror genre. But I dunno I might give it a chance. Anyone have any logical reasoning for choosing one over the other? Anyone else experiencing the joy of renting?
The un-joy of renting is that there are 19 games coming out over the next monthish and I have to narrow my selections. No way I can play them all. If you could only pick three games to play over the next month and a half or so, what would they be?
Spacey deliciousness.
I'll just keep this short and sweet. I currently have out Mercenaries 2, and man am I having a blast in coop! I've been playing the entire game in co-op and I must say, despite glaring glitches, this game is amazingly fun. I know there are some of you out there who might disagree, but I'm having a great time with my well-spent $8.
I get to turn Mercs 2 in on Sunday or sooner (hopefully after getting all the achievements :D) and then I have to decide what to pick next! I'm holding off on Saints Row 2 until a friend of mine can get it to play through in co-op, so that's out of the question. This leaves either Dead Space or Fracture. Yes, I know it's a no-brainer. Go with Dead Space! That's what you'll say. But I really liked the Fracture demo and just want to experience the game. Dead Space looks sweet but I've never been a huge fan of the survival/horror genre. But I dunno I might give it a chance. Anyone have any logical reasoning for choosing one over the other? Anyone else experiencing the joy of renting?
The un-joy of renting is that there are 19 games coming out over the next monthish and I have to narrow my selections. No way I can play them all. If you could only pick three games to play over the next month and a half or so, what would they be?
Well I decided to come up with a new Vlog series. My Top 10. I'll explain more in the video...
Here is the intro I made up for it...figure out where the music is from. Worked an hour on this 59 second intro...what do you think....
Here is the first episode of My Top 10 : Episode 1...The Phantom PC Menace
Leave comments questions about what I should top 10 for my next vlog..
Intro
Here is the intro I made up for it...figure out where the music is from. Worked an hour on this 59 second intro...what do you think....
Episode 1:
Here is the first episode of My Top 10 : Episode 1...The Phantom PC Menace
Leave comments questions about what I should top 10 for my next vlog..
Related to:
Fracture,
John McCain,
Spore,
Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution,
Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization,
1701 A.D.,
Sid Meier's Civilization IV,
World of Warcraft,
Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos
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Pandemic Shutdown Leads to Office Space Tribute
If there was a TV channel called "men beating office equipment," I'd DVR every minute.
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EA Announces The Next Mercenaries Game
"Mercs Inc." to continue Pandemic's legacy of explosions and open-world-type stuff.
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Hands-On: Ridin' Zelda's Spirit Tracks
A few minutes with Nintendo's next DS Zelda installment.
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Most Popular Achievements (11/14 - 11/20)
As the year winds down, it's clear that one game will stand alone... well, for the next few weeks, anyway.
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|
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Play The Zelda Trivia Challenge, Part Two
Five more questions to tease your brain and maybe net you some cool stuff.
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Five Years In The World Of Warcraft
A bit of reminiscence about Blizzard's little juggernaut from a few of the developers who have been there.
|
|
|
Pandemic Shutdown Leads to Office Space Tribute
If there was a TV channel called "men beating office equipment," I'd DVR every minute.
|
|
|
EA Announces The Next Mercenaries Game
"Mercs Inc." to continue Pandemic's legacy of explosions and open-world-type stuff.
|
|
|
Hands-On: Ridin' Zelda's Spirit Tracks
A few minutes with Nintendo's next DS Zelda installment.
|
|
|
Play The Zelda Trivia Challenge, Part Two
Five more questions to tease your brain and maybe net you some cool stuff.
|
|
|
Most Popular Achievements (11/14 - 11/20)
As the year winds down, it's clear that one game will stand alone... well, for the next few weeks, anyway.
|
|
|
Five Years In The World Of Warcraft
A bit of reminiscence about Blizzard's little juggernaut from a few of the developers who have been there.
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