Console Wars: The Clone Wars

[asleepathewheel]

Originally posted by DrSpike


So your planning all 3, ultimately?

I'll get a Wii soon I expect, but don't see myself getting a PS3.

Ultimately yes, the blu ray will help justify getting it. Just last night we were watching a movie and wished that we could watch it in the bedroom without moving the player.

We didn't get the ps3 before because 1) I had only had a 360 a few months (ie-wife problematic) and 2) the bd30 we got came with 5 instore free movies (any at the store) in addition to the 5 mail ins. Couldn't justify the ps3 to her when we could walk out with 5 decent-to-good movies for slightly less than the ps3 alone (and I think spider 3).

[Asher]

Little Big Planet may be a reason alone to own the PS3. That game looks amazing to me, very innovative.

I think it's the only upcoming PS3 game I'm remotely interested in.

[asleepathewheel]

yeah, I had forgotten about that one. due to drop in october, right? Looks really really interesting.

[flash9286]

Bad news for ps3

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/875/875229p2.html

Haze was touted as a great PS3 exclusive from a developer well versed in first-person shooter mechanics. While Free Radical does have a solid pedigree, Haze does not live up to the company's reputation thanks to a horrible plot, weak gameplay mechanics and visuals that are truly underwhelming. While playing with friends is enjoyable, not even those are enough to bring this lackluster title around.

Got a 4.5 from IGN. Another ps3 exclusive let down.

[Asher]

The PS3 forums are somehow still blaming the 360 for the Haze disaster. Years ago it was to end up on both platforms, but then it became a PS3 exclusive.

Now that the PS3 fans are done hyping Haze, they're moving on to hype Killzone 2. "This time, it's a Halo killer! For reals!"

It's like they never learn...Killzone 1 had the same amount of hype and sucked ass...

[flash9286]

http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/action/h...ry&tag=summary;review

The term "artificial intelligence" only half-applies to your computer-controlled challengers, who are laughably, painfully stupid. Foes will run directly past you as if you aren't there, stand motionless as you fire, and completely ignore grenades tossed toward them. On the occasions when they do notice that a grenade has been thrown, they will wait a few seconds and then leap forward as if stealing second base--sometimes choosing to dive toward the grenade, rather than away from it. You may even find an enemy facing a wall, pointing his gun at a texture rather than noticing that you are standing directly beside him. You're frequently accompanied by AI-driven squadmates, and sadly they fare no better. They seem incapable of using cover intelligently, they stand in your line of sight, and they're often more hindrance than help. In tandem, the AI of both factions will create scenes of comical ineptitude, such as when a trooper and rebel circle one another for 30 seconds in a surreal do-si-do.

I know AIs are pretty bad in almost every game, but diving on grenades is pretty funny.

[asleepathewheel]

ouch.

metacritic has it at a 54 over 11 reviews.

[Asher]

Meanwhile the hype wheels are starting to come off 2007 2008 2009's "Game of the Year" in Killzone 2:

http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3167906

Background: This gritty sci-fi shooter pits the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance against the Helghast in the long-awaited sequel to one of the bigger disappointments of the PS2 library. The original Killzone received tremendous prerelease hype, only to stumble on enough technical problems alone to ensure it never lived up to expectations. Developer Guerrilla Games seems unfazed by that experience, though, with excitement for Killzone 2 growing to grand proportions. The notorious E3 2005 teaser clip hooked everyone, and ever since, the question has been whether the game can live up to the buzz.

What We Played: The playable demo encompassed two sequential areas, helping to demonstrate the "sectioning-off" approach Guerrilla hopes will make the long levels more manageable for players. The first area opened with our character on a flying assault landing craft approaching a Helghast base. After getting shot down, we had to make our way through debris and enemies to reach the entry to the next section. The second part of the demo took the action inside a warehouse environment, ultimately leading to a gate-control room where we opened the door for a whole convoy of our buddies to come through.

Good to Go: In the section we played, Killzone 2 handily cleared the technical hurdles and demonstrated its ability to execute well on all the fundamental shooter mechanics. After a slight tweak to the sensitivity settings (the default halfway setting felt way too twitchy), the controls responded predictably to our inputs, and the onscreen action moved smoothly. A number of special effects, particularly motion- and depth-of-field blurring, helped play up the cinematic feel of the game. And while not overemphasized, the cover system worked very comfortably. It was easy to get into a protected position -- and once there, peek out to take a quick look or squeeze off a couple of rounds.

Warning Sign: The level design in certain places felt forced. Sometimes, this was as simple as needing to blow open a wall -- a handy rocket launcher would just happen to be nearby. The major concern came from a stretch in the first section we played, where enemies could be seen on catwalks ahead, but the producer guiding the demo advised us we were wasting our time sniping them, as they would infinitely respawn. The explanation given was that access to those positions along the line allowed the enemy to reinforce at will, but watching guys file back in to take the places of their fallen comrades almost immediately broke some of the game's immersion. And then, once we got to the right place in the sequence, we actually were able to eliminate those enemies, making it feel all the more artificial.

Warning Sign: Killzone 2's designs show a tremendous attention to detail, but what we saw struggled to stand out. The drab environments filled with concrete, rubble, and more concrete looked like a stage from any number of similar games. The guns might not have been modern real-world weapons -- but, for all intents and purposes, they could've been. The warehouse area -- which turns into a killhouse when commandos drop through the skylights -- didn't do anything to distinguish itself. Nor did the requisite exploding barrels and gas tanks.

Lukewarm Afterglow: The intoxicating effects wore off fairly quickly once we actually started playing. The game's subdued gray color palette certainly didn't help matters, but the issue goes deeper than that. "Been there, done that" crept in pretty quickly, and the strict, linear progression in this play session only emphasized that. We almost got the feeling that the developers programmed every action we took: take cover here, shoot guy to right, shoot guy who comes through doorway to left, slide right.... And infinite respawn spots -- seriously? Killzone 2 definitely proved its technical ability; now the question becomes whether it finds a way to distinguish itself from the crowd.

[Wiglaf]

Originally posted by asleepathewheel


Ultimately yes, the blu ray will help justify getting it. Just last night we were watching a movie and wished that we could watch it in the bedroom without moving the player.

We didn't get the ps3 before because 1) I had only had a 360 a few months (ie-wife problematic) and 2) the bd30 we got came with 5 instore free movies (any at the store) in addition to the 5 mail ins. Couldn't justify the ps3 to her when we could walk out with 5 decent-to-good movies for slightly less than the ps3 alone (and I think spider 3).

Anyone who enjoys Spiderman 3 should neuter themselves or have me do it for them. Simply one of the worst movies ever made next to Little Man, it is impossible for me to see how parts of it were even approved by sane humans.

[UnOrthOdOx]

My kids loved it. (5 and 9)

Me? I recalled fondly a badass black suit spiderman back when I read the comics and looked forward to seeing him on the big screen. What I got was a strutting, dancing, buffoon who was more the idiot practical joker than badass.

[UnOrthOdOx]

Originally posted by Asher

Lukewarm Afterglow: The intoxicating effects wore off fairly quickly once we actually started playing. The game's subdued gray color palette certainly didn't help matters, but the issue goes deeper than that. "Been there, done that" crept in pretty quickly, and the strict, linear progression in this play session only emphasized that. We almost got the feeling that the developers programmed every action we took: take cover here, shoot guy to right, shoot guy who comes through doorway to left, slide right.... And infinite respawn spots -- seriously? Killzone 2 definitely proved its technical ability; now the question becomes whether it finds a way to distinguish itself from the crowd. [/q]

I think that sums up my feelings on all shooters pretty accurately. The last one I ever got into was one based on Aliens back on the PS1, and that was likely more due to the Aliens theme than the gameplay itself.

[Verto]

Originally posted by UnOrthOdOx


I think that sums up my feelings on all shooters pretty accurately. The last one I ever got into was one based on Aliens back on the PS1, and that was likely more due to the Aliens theme than the gameplay itself.

Have you ever played GoW? R6V? GRAW? Halo?

[snoopy369]

Interesting:

http://kotaku.com/5010214/nintendo-wii-has-highest-software-sales-for-first-18-months

More games were purchased in the first 18 months of the Wii's life than any other console's first year and a half, Nintendo said today.

About 50 million games were sold for the Wii in its first 18 months, compared to about 42 million games in the first 18 months of the Playstation 2's life. The Xbox 360 came in at 30 million or so, the Xbox at roughly 28 million and finally the Playstation 3 at about 20 million.

Speaking to a gathering at the Electronic Gaming Summit, Cammie Dunaway, executive video president of sales and marketing for Nintendo of America, Dunaway used the numbers to launch into a talk about Nintendo's strategy for expanding the market.

Dunaway also showed a chart plotting out the first 18 months of each console's life. According to the chart, about 9.5 million Wii were sold in the first 18 months, 8.5 million PS2, 5.4 million Xbox 360, 5.2 million Xbox and 4.2 Playstation 3.

"While we appreciate the impact the Playstation 2 had on sales and the industry, perhaps we are even more impactful," Dunaway said, adding that there wasn't a single month in the Wii's first year and a half when Nintendo could meet demand.

Still a lower game/console rate than X360 etc., of course, but perhaps the Wii isn't a doorstop after all...

[Asher]

1) They're counting Wii Sports, that's ~20% of the total
2) No other console has had discount-priced games available at launch
3) The hardware sales were very strong

PR spin...

[asleepathewheel]

Update: I just clarified with Nintendo: Those software sales numbers only include boxed games sold at retail and not virtual console or Wii Sports.