[The video game thread]

Jaynz · Post by **Jaynz** » Mon Feb 18, 2013 8:43 pm

Auntie Slag wrote:Has anyone got a WiiU yet? If so, are the games registered to your Wii? i.e. does it kill second-hand purchases like they're saying the PS4 and Next-Box might, or is it completely safe to purchase a pre-owned WiiU title?

I've got a Wii U for the girls, and most of the games for it the girls have are Wii games - so they're not locked out. I haven't seen a used Wii U in person anywhere yet, much less one I would get over the PS3 or PC version... so I can't answer if they've locked out used Wii U titles. I think I would have heard about it through GamaSutra if they had, though.

The PS3 KILLeR · Post by **The PS3 KILLeR** » Tue Feb 19, 2013 1:44 pm

... well i got Aliens colonial marines, and as a huge alien fan im hurt. I've been sulking around for days, just avaoiding my xbox cause my copy of it just stares at me like play me! But, its so hard!

The campaign is what kills it for me, its playable and sometimes fun but nowhere near the masterpiece sega and gearbox promised. The multiplayer is so much fun with a few friends, and playin as a xeno is just awesome! But the multiplayer isnt worth the money alone, so if you havent bought it but are still somewhat interested wait tll a major price drop. Which im betting will happen within a months time. I also picked up Hitman absolution over the weekend, and it too was a disappointment to me. I LOVED Blood money and how the levels were open for you to do anything. So far ive only done that twice and im 7 hours in. And its also far too easy to run and gun, i loved the other hitmans cause they were so challenging and each level was like puzzle of murder you made yourself, and so far thats its barely in absolution. The story however is superb! Just wish it had the awesome sandbox gameplay that i loved so much about blood money. It may pick up as ive heard the game is 18-20 hours so im not totally sure yet but so far, its a let down to me.

@angloconvoy: Enjoy those good rpg elements in the first one cause 2 drops most of them and 3 is a standard 3rd person cover based shooter. Feels just like Gears of war to me. The first is for sure the best so enjoy it as much as you can before you move on!

angloconvoy · Post by **angloconvoy** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 6:30 am

To be fair, if the combat controls are tightened up I can stand losing some of the RPG elements. I was already least excited about 3, oddly enough.

HeavyArms · Post by **HeavyArms** » Sat Feb 23, 2013 6:20 am

My collectors edition of Aliens: Colonial Marines came in this week faster than expected, bad game though according to reviews, the graphics looked sub par as well, not a very good sign for a game that was in development for six years.

The exo-frame grappling an Alien was decent though.

Cyberstrike nTo · Post by **Cyberstrike nTo** » Fri Mar 01, 2013 12:22 am

Mass Effect 3: Reckoning the final ME3 MP DLC adds a bunch of new characters weapons, and mods. There was also a gift pack. I got the new Krogan sentinal kit.

Summerhayes · Post by **Summerhayes** » Fri Mar 01, 2013 8:39 am

Auntie Slag wrote:Has anyone got a WiiU yet? If so, are the games registered to your Wii? i.e. does it kill second-hand purchases like they're saying the PS4 and Next-Box might, or is it completely safe to purchase a pre-owned WiiU title?

I've got Wii U and can safely say one can buy and sell pre-owned games the same as ever.

angloconvoy · Post by **angloconvoy** » Fri Mar 01, 2013 9:31 am

Looks like the only console that hasn't confirmed that you'll be able to play used games is the Xbox, but they'll probably have to fall in line now. Choosing to be the only console of the generation which doesn't play used software would be financial suicide.

Auntie Slag · Post by **Auntie Slag** » Sun Mar 03, 2013 8:01 pm

Saw Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II for Gamecube in a shop today. When I first owned a Gamecube one of the first games I bought was Rogue Squadron III which had great space sections but somewhat tepid on-foot levels.

Does Rogue Squadron II suffer from this?

Post by **Warcry** » Sun Mar 03, 2013 8:12 pm

Nope. The first two Rogue Squadron games were straight-ahead fighter-pilot games. The third one was the only one with on-foot segments, and IMO it's really, really weak compared to the first two.

The second one is definitely the best of the three. The first one is pretty good too, but it's on the N64 so the graphics and AI aren't up to the same standard as the Gamecube ones.

I actually really want to track down Rogue Squadron II myself, but I'd need to find a wireless Gamecube controller and a memory card before I can run it with my Wii.

Auntie Slag · Post by **Auntie Slag** » Sun Mar 03, 2013 8:42 pm

Cool, thanks Warcry. I remember seeing Rogue Squadron II on store TV's back during the Gamecube's launch. Nothing else looked as cool when you could have dogfights over the surface of the Death Star, or the trench run in that game.

Made me drool. Must've been responsible for a fair few GC sales by itself.

ganon578 · Post by **ganon578** » Mon Mar 04, 2013 7:43 pm

Auntie Slag wrote:Cool, thanks Warcry. I remember seeing Rogue Squadron II on store TV's back during the Gamecube's launch. Nothing else looked as cool when you could have dogfights over the surface of the Death Star, or the trench run in that game.

Made me drool. Must've been responsible for a fair few GC sales by itself.

Yep, Warcry is dead-on about RS II & III. The on foot levels were really poorly planned. RS II is a definite must buy in my mind, and one of the reasons I picked up a GC back in college. Matter of fact it was the only game i owned for about 3 months after I bought the system.

And I do have an acquisition, though not a game but very much game-related:

The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia book. For some reason it's going for $19 USD on Amazon when it normally retails for $35. Fantastic hardcover book with tons of Zelda history and artwork in it. For <$20 I think it's worth definite consideration for any fans of the series. One of my best purchases of the year so far!

Oh, and I finished Bastion for XBLA this weekend. Very awesome game, worth the half-price cost I paid for it!

The PS3 KILLeR · Post by **The PS3 KILLeR** » Thu Mar 07, 2013 4:43 am

Long list....
Too human $2
Kane and lynch $5
Might and magic elements $3
Call of juarez $5
Rainbow 6 vegas $5
World of warcraft $5
Crysis 3 Normal price.

And for my birthday i got Metal gear rising limited edition (Bought it with Birthday money) and my lady friend got me tomb raider collectors edition!

And gears judement is gonna be my last game for a long time. But ive a huge stockpile to tied me over untill the new consoles, and a dry summer.

angloconvoy · Post by **angloconvoy** » Thu Mar 07, 2013 6:43 am

I'm not sold on the next gen consoles yet. So far all I'm seeing is prettier versions of the same old. As there are still plenty of games from this generation I want to play, I'm happy to wait it out until I see something more interesting.
Also, based on promtional nonsense alone, it's impossible to decide which of the next generation machines is more worthwhile, or if it'd just be better to build a gaming PC.

Cyberstrike nTo · Post by **Cyberstrike nTo** » Thu Mar 07, 2013 6:21 pm

Mass Effect 3: Citadel The story is pure cheese but in a good way. It's nice to end the series on a more light-hearted and humorous note than a dark and serious note. I like to think of it as celebration of the series' success and it MIGHT have found a way to bring Shepard back down the road. The banter between the various squad mates on the missions are downright hysterical. Entering the casino with different squad mates is really sexy IMHO FemShepard with Liara as her LI is the best in that department, but FemShep with Talia, or FemShepard with Ash are sexy too and some are also really funny and IMHO Wrex and Javik are by far the funniest. Shepard's new apartment is great, and the party with all the surviving characters from all 3 games is really, really, really funny. IMHO banter between FemShepard, Kasumi, Jack, and Miranda being the best at the party.

AFAIK it's the biggest DLC that BioWare has released to date, it had to be broken up into parts on Xbox Live with part 1 you pay for and part 2 is free (neither part works on it's own) each part is 2 gigs apeice or 4 gigs for both. Neither the PC and the PS3 versions is not broken up it's just one big download.

It will cost you $15 (USA) on the PS3, 1200 MS Points Xbox 360, and I think it's 1200 BW Points for the PC.

The PS3 KILLeR · Post by **The PS3 KILLeR** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 6:36 am

angloconvoy wrote:I'm not sold on the next gen consoles yet. So far all I'm seeing is prettier versions of the same old. As there are still plenty of games from this generation I want to play, I'm happy to wait it out until I see something more interesting.
Also, based on promtional nonsense alone, it's impossible to decide which of the next generation machines is more worthwhile, or if it'd just be better to build a gaming PC.

For me im a console gamer to the core cant stand mouse and keyboard. id rather take the hit in the looks department for comfort and reliability. And im not ashamed to admit it but im a diehard microsoft fanboy, and ill be getting the next xbox hopefully day 1. I cant live without my Gears and HALO, and the possible chance of an alan wake 2 has me has me more excited than the Nintendo 64 kid. I whouldnt miss that for the world!
Now th PS4 on the other hand... thejury is still out for me. i love killzone and uncharted but price is whats really gonna deside for me on that one. I already have a wii u, still waitin on games. :/

Jaynz · Post by **Jaynz** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 2:57 pm

Well, it doesn't look like that Sony, Nintendo, or Microsoft has learned anything from the dissapointment this generation of consoles have brought as it heads into the sunset. I see a lot of tech-graphics which kinda look cool, but they're not exactly revolutionary (particularly if you game at all on a modern PC), a few new control gimmicks, and a LOT more talk about 'licensing' and 'online activations'...

... but not much talk about games, which were sorely absent in this last generation. While there were, of course, a number of hits for each console, all consoles lacked a diversity of titles. Wii had numerous 'party' titles which were great if you had a bunch of friends over but worthless if you wanted to kill some down time. X360 had a big library of nearly-identical shooters and rehashed sports games. Sony had a handful of adventure-centric games and Little Big Planet. Of course, it didn't help that most titles anyone really wanted were available for both X360 and PS3, making neither console really stand out.

angloconvoy · Post by **angloconvoy** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 3:18 pm

The PS3 KILLeR wrote:For me im a console gamer to the core cant stand mouse and keyboard. id rather take the hit in the looks department for comfort and reliability.

I'm basically the same, but most PC games seem to have decent controller functionality these days.

And im not ashamed to admit it but im a diehard microsoft fanboy, and ill be getting the next xbox hopefully day 1. I cant live without my Gears and HALO, and the possible chance of an alan wake 2 has me has me more excited than the Nintendo 64 kid. I whouldnt miss that for the world!
Now th PS4 on the other hand... thejury is still out for me. i love killzone and uncharted but price is whats really gonna deside for me on that one.

It's a bit sad to see you say that. As a fanboy you should be holding them to a higer standard than any casual fan and demanding they prove they intend to earn your loyalty before shelling out your hard earned cash. That's the only thing that will give them incentive to improve long term, rather than sitting on what is becoming an increasingly homogenous industry (at least in the mainstream). The price and quality of the games (the finished games, that is) should be what decide it for hardcore fans like yourself in any case.
That said, it is your hard-earned money so spend it as you will, just remember that the money you're laying down is indicative of what they owe you, not something you owe to them.
Rant over. The big boys taking advantage of fans' loyalty is just really starting to get on my tits.

Jaynz · Post by **Jaynz** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 3:49 pm

angloconvoy wrote:I'm basically the same, but most PC games seem to have decent controller functionality these days.

I'm not realy sure where the controller is an issue for the PC for 'console-style' games, since nearly all of them work with the XBOX-style USB controller. Skyrim and Fallout: Vegas handle like a dream on the PC with it.

ganon578 · Post by **ganon578** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 4:57 pm

angloconvoy wrote:I'm not sold on the next gen consoles yet. So far all I'm seeing is prettier versions of the same old. As there are still plenty of games from this generation I want to play, I'm happy to wait it out until I see something more interesting.

Neither am I. After seeing Sony's recent media day on the PS4, nothing really grabbed me to say 'I really need that'. And whenever Microsoft gets around to their new console, it would have to be something truly special for me to think about saving up. I've only had my 360 for 2.5 years and my PS3 for 1.5 years. There's still a veritable truckload of games I have not played on those systems. How many other people out there are just like I am? Are consumers even ready for a new generation of consoles? The systems aren't doing anything mind-boggling at this point to justify me dropping $400 on another piece of hardware.

The Wii U, for me at least, isn't really in the next gen of consoles. Nintendo seems to be playing catch up a bit, which is sad. I understand they want to march to the beat of their own drum, but just changing the controller doesn't really do it for me. A touch screen for gaming input? They played that trick when the original DS debuted in 2004. That's 9 year old tech at this point. Do I want to play a new Zelda and 3D Mario in HD? Sure, but those haven't been officially announced yet, or shown for that matter. Those titles would be 2-3 years out before they hit shelves anyways. I've been a die hard for Nintendo since I got my first NES in 1990; their new system just doesn't do it for me at the moment.

I'm out on PC gaming. With all the console stuff I haven't played yet, and already owning the 3 current systems (Wii U excluded) I can't justify putting the investment into a gaming PC, controller functionality or not.

Jaynz wrote:Well, it doesn't look like that Sony, Nintendo, or Microsoft has learned anything from the dissapointment this generation of consoles have brought as it heads into the sunset. I see a lot of tech-graphics which kinda look cool, but they're not exactly revolutionary (particularly if you game at all on a modern PC), a few new control gimmicks, and a LOT more talk about 'licensing' and 'online activations'...

... but not much talk about games, which were sorely absent in this last generation. While there were, of course, a number of hits for each console, all consoles lacked a diversity of titles. Wii had numerous 'party' titles which were great if you had a bunch of friends over but worthless if you wanted to kill some down time. X360 had a big library of nearly-identical shooters and rehashed sports games. Sony had a handful of adventure-centric games and Little Big Planet. Of course, it didn't help that most titles anyone really wanted were available for both X360 and PS3, making neither console really stand out.

Completely agree on all of this. Owning my Wii from 2006-present, that was all I had until 2010. At which point I picked up a 360 for the Wii's lack of decent software.

More and more I go to stores looking for some diversity in the games, but everywhere I turn there's a new, violent, FPS game. There's just waaaay too many to count. I enjoy CoD and Halo for sure, but even just last night I was playing some Spartan Ops and was bored after the first chapter of Episode 9. All the software seems a blur of the same old same old. A new IP wouldn't kill anybody. And I think the days of console exclusives are numbered, and even then, the exclusives don't seem to matter much with so much of the same content on every console out there.

angloconvoy wrote:I'm basically the same, but most PC games seem to have decent controller functionality these days.

It's a bit sad to see you say that. As a fanboy you should be holding them to a higer standard than any casual fan and demanding they prove they intend to earn your loyalty before shelling out your hard earned cash. That's the only thing that will give them incentive to improve long term, rather than sitting on what is becoming an increasingly homogenous industry (at least in the mainstream). The price and quality of the games (the finished games, that is) should be what decide it for hardcore fans like yourself in any case.
That said, it is your hard-earned money so spend it as you will, just remember that the money you're laying down is indicative of what they owe you, not something you owe to them.
Rant over. The big boys taking advantage of fans' loyalty is just really starting to get on my tits.

This is true. The only way the industry will change and improve is by speaking with your wallet. Until someone does something worthwhile, my money will be better suited elsewhere. As I mentioned above, I am a die hard for Nintendo. I won't buy a Wii U until something fantastic happens; my loyalty alone doesn't justify a purchase - Nintendo doesn't have any loyalty to me, so why do I need to be loyal to them?

Auntie Slag · Post by **Auntie Slag** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 5:46 pm

@Ganon; well I'd say just because the games are so damn fun! I've spent years agonising over whether to get a 360 or PS3 and I've decided (finally) to just stick with the Wii as I do enjoy the games it has and I can't get them anywhere else.

For example; Donkey Kong Country Returns, NSMBWii, Mario Galaxy 2, Skyward Sword, Punch Out!, Mario Kart, Sports Resort etc. Sure a lot of them are graphically funky updates of 25 year old gameplay, but that gameplay is incredibly tight and fun. There's no flabby levels twice as big as they need to be, and I appreciate them not wasting my time like that. I've had enough of backtracking and fetch quests even if they were fun sometimes (Fable, Jade Empire etc).

If I had twice the time I'd be all over a 360 or PS3 like a fly on shit, but I don't. So am happy with my choice at the moment (want a WiiU though)!