Comments that don't warrant a thread

[Ginger Snaps 0]

Final Fantasy VI GBA!!

 

http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3153922

 

Yes! Now they almost *have* to make a GBA Chrono Trigger by default!

 

I need a ROM of that for my emulator.

[Guest Hotbutter Spoontoaster]

Over 160 announced games for the PS3, here are the major publishers:

 

2K Games/Take-Two/Rockstar

College Hoops 2K7 ~Visual Concepts, TBA~

The Darkness ~Starbreeze, 2007~

Grand Theft Auto 4 ~Rockstar North, Q4 2007~

NHL 2K7 ~Visual Concepts, TBA~

NBA 2K7 ~Visual Concepts, TBA~

Red Dead Revolver 2 ~Rockstar North, TBA~

 

Activision

Call of Duty 3 ~Infinity Ward, Launch~

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance ~Raven, Launch~

Spider-Man 3 ~Treyarch, Q2 2007~

Tony Hawk's Project 8 ~Neversoft, Launch~

 

Atari

Alone in the Dark 5 ~Eden Studios, TBA~

 

Atlus

Shin Megami Tensei 4 ~Atlus R&D1, TBA~

 

Beuna Vista

Turok ~Propaganda, TBA~

 

Capcom

Devil May Cry 4 ~Capcom Studio 1, Q4 2007~

Monster Hunter 3 ~Capcom Studio 1, 2008~

Resident Evil 5 ~Capcom Studio 4, Q4 2007~

 

Codemasters

DIRT: Colin McRae Off-Road ~In-house, 2007~

 

D3 Publisher

Dark Sector ~Digital Extremes, TBA~

 

Eidos

Untitled ~Action~ ~TBD, TBA~

 

Electronic Arts

Army of Two ~EA Montreal, TBA~

Battlefield: Bad Company ~DICE, 2007~

Def Jam 3 ~EA Chicago, 2007~

Fight Night Round 3 ~EA Chicago, Q4 2006~

Half Life 2: Complete Pack ~Valve/EA, Q1 2007~

Lord of the Rings: The White Council ~EA Redwood Shores, Q4 2007~

Madden NFL 07 ~Tiburon, Q4 2006~

Medal of Honor: Airborne ~EALA, 2007~

NBA Live 07 ~EA Canada, Q4 2006~

NBA Street Vol. 4 ~EA Canada, 2007~

Need for Speed: Carbon ~EA Black Box, Q4 2006~

Skate ~EA Black Box, 2007~

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 ~EA Redwood Shores, Q4 2006~

 

Koei

Blade Storm: Hundred Years War ~Omega Force, 2007~

Fatal Inertia ~Koei Canada, Q4 2006~

Mahjong Tournament ~In-house, Q4 2006~

 

Konami

Bomberman ~Hudson, TBA~

Coded Arms: Assault ~KCET, 2007~

Gradius VI ~TBD, TBA~

Hellboy ~Krome Studios, TBA~

Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball ~KCET, 2007~

Mahjong Fight Club ~TBD, Launch~

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots ~Kojima Productions, Q4 2007~

Rengoku: The End of the Century ~Hudson, TBA~

Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 ~KCET, Q2 2007~

Untitled ~RPG~ ~TBD, TBA~

Untitled ~RPG~ ~Hudson, TBA~

 

Lucasarts

Indiana Jones 2007 ~In-house, 2007~

 

Midway

Stranglehold ~Midway Studios Chicago, Q1 2007~

Unreal Tournament 2007 ~Epic, 2007~

The Wheelman ~Tigon, TBA~

 

Namco Bandai

Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire ~BEC, Launch~

Ridge Racer 7 ~In-house, Launch~

Tekken 6 ~In-house, 2007~

Untitled ~Anime Project~ ~TBD, TBA~

Untitled ~Mech Action~ ~TBD, TBA~

Untitled ~RPG~ ~TBD, TBA~

Untitled ~Shooter~ ~TBD, TBA~

Untitled ~Sports~ ~TBD, TBA~

 

Nippon Ichi Software

Makai Wars ~In-house, TBA~

 

Sega Sammy

Armored Core 4 ~From Software, Q2 2007~

The Club ~Bizarre Creations, TBA~

Fifth Phantom Saga ~Sonic Team, TBA~

Full Auto 2: Battlelines ~Pseudo, Q4 2006~

Golden Axe ~Secret Level, TBA~

Guilty Gear BB ~Arc System Works, TBA~

Miyazato Sega Golf Club ~TBD, Launch~

Sega Rally Revo ~Sega Racing Studio, TBA~

Sonic the Hedgehog ~Sonic Team, Q4 2006~

Virtua Fighter 5 ~AM2, Q1 2007~

Virtua Tennis 3 ~AM2, Q1 2007~

World Snooker Championship 2007 ~Blade Interactive, TBA~

Untitled ~RPG~ ~Obsidian, TBA~

 

Sony Computer Entertainment

Afrika ~Rhino Studios, 2007~

Angel Rings ~Japan Studio, TBA~

Ape Escape 4 ~Japan Studio, TBA~

Eight Days ~London Studio, TBA~

The Eye of Judgment ~Japan Studio, Q1 2007~

flOw ~TGC/SCE Santa Monica, TBA~ (PNP Download)

Formula One 06 ~Studio Liverpool, Dec. 2006~

Genji: Days of the Blade ~Game Republic, Launch~

Getaway ~Team Soho, TBA~

Gran Turismo 5 ~Polyphony Digital, 2008~

Gran Turismo: HD ~Polyphony Digital, TBA~

Heavenly Sword ~Ninja Theory, Q1 2007~

Hot Shots Golf 5 ~Clap Hanz, Q3 2007~

Killzone ~Guerrilla, 2008~

L.A Noire ~Team Bondi, TBA~

Lair ~Factor 5, Q2 2007~

Monster Kingdom: Unknown Realms ~Game Republic, 2007~

Motorstorm ~Evolution, Q4 2006~

My Summer Vacation 3 ~Japan Studio, Q3 2007~

Ratchet & Clank: Next ~Insomniac, TBA~

Resistence: Fall of Man ~Insomniac, Launch~

SingStar ~London Studio, Q4 2006~

Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom ~SOE, Q4 2006~

Warhawk ~Incognito, Q3 2007~

White Knight Story ~Level 5, Q4 2007~

Untitled ~Action~ ~Media Molecule, TBA~

Untitled ~Adventure~ ~Naughty Dog, 2007~

 

SouthPeak Interactive

Monster Madness ~Artificial, Q1 2007~

 

Square Enix

Densha de GO! Online ~Taito, TBA~

Extreme ~Taito, TBA~

Final Fantasy XIII ~PDD1, 2007~

Final Fantasy Versus XIII ~PDD1, 2008~

Project Psychic ~Taito, TBA~

Railfan ~Taito/Ongakukan, TBA~

Untitled ~MMORPG~ ~PDD3, TBA~

 

THQ

Frontlines: Fuel of War ~Kaos, TBA~

Stuntman 2 ~Paradigm, TBA~

 

Tecmo

Ninja Gaiden: Sigma ~Team Ninja, 2007~

Untitled ~Action-Adventure~ ~TBD, TBA~

 

Ubisoft

Assassin's Creed ~Ubisoft Montreal, Q1 2007~

Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII ~Ubisoft Romania, Q4 2006~

Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway ~Gearbox, 2007~

Driver 5 ~Reflections, TBA~

Haze ~Free Radical, TBA~

Rayman Raving Rabbids ~Studio ANCEL, TBA~

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas ~Ubisoft Montreal, Q4 2006~

 

Vivendi

F.E.A.R ~Day 1/Monolith, Q4 2006~

Heat ~Gearbox, TBA~

 

Warner

Dirty Harry ~The Collective, TBA~

 

Misc. (No publisher)

2 Days to Vegas ~Steel Monkey, TBA~

Beowulf ~4HEAD Studios, TBA~

Heavy Rain ~Quantic Dream, 2008~

Infraworld ~Quantic Dream, TBA~

Interstellar Marines ~Zero Point, TBA~

Kurayami ~Grasshopper, TBA~

Mercenaries 2: World of Flames ~Pandemic, TBA~

Omikron KARMA ~Quantic Dream, TBA~

The Outsider ~Frontier, TBA~

Possession ~Blitz Games, TBA~

Redwood Falls ~Kuju, TBA~

WarDevil: Enigma ~Digi-Guys, TBA~

X Quest ~Spectrum MediaWrks, TBA~

 

http://www.maxconsole.net/?mode=news&newsid=10383

The ones in bold are the ones I really want, all of which don't come out until late 2007, which means I don't have to get a PS3 until then.

[Use Your Illusion 0]

Don't expect Metal Gear till like December 2007 at the earliest, barring some kind of miracle. Kojima said it is still ages away from being close to ready.

[Guest Hotbutter Spoontoaster]

 

Wikipedia says it might even be "early 2008".

[Downhome 0]

Guitar Hero II Confimred For Xbox 360

 

Guitar Hero II is going to be rocking a new stage! RedOctane announced today that the Guitar Hero crew will bring their award-winning tour to the Xbox 360 "The tour will continue the rockin' gameplay Guitar Hero fans have come to enjoy, and will now include expanded Xbox 360 capabilities," said Kai Huang, president of RedOctane. "With Guitar Hero II for Xbox 360 rock rhythm, lead, or bass guitar tracks with downloadable content and the new X-Plorer controller, designed specifically for the Xbox 360."

 

RedOctane will reveal an early glimpse of Guitar Hero II and the X-Plorer controller at X06, the Xbox brand experience for the games and entertainment industry, being held on September 27th and 28th in Barcelona, Spain. This industry event is open to media and retailers from around the world to view the next-generation of games and accessories.

 

"With its large integrated hard drive, Xbox 360 provides an incredible platform for facilitating downloadable content," said Dusty Welch, Head of Publishing, RedOctane. "We believe there is no better title to feature micro-transactions than a music game like Guitar Hero II, where the content is the basis of your experience. The relationship with the Xbox Live Marketplace creates endless possibilities for exclusive content."

 

http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/...3323187-000.jpg

 

[KingPK 0]

Oh man, that 360 is starting to get mighty appealing to me. A friend of mine has the first Guitar Hero and I tried to walk out of his place with it after the first time I played.

[Downhome 0]

Sony better do something fucking quick. As time goes by, Microsoft just keeps dishing out the lowblows.

[Craig Th 0]

About the 360 HD add-on.

 

At X06, exciting details about the highly anticipated Xbox 360 HD DVD Player were also revealed. Available in mid-November 2006 in North America for $199.99 (estimated retail price)*, in the U.K., France and Germany for €199.99 (£129.99) (estimated retail price)* and other territories in 2007, the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player comes with the Universal Pictures blockbuster film Peter Jackson’s “King Kong” on HD DVD (for a limited time) and the Xbox 360 Universal Media Remote. Users can just add Xbox 360 HD DVD Player to Xbox 360 to create the ultimate home-theatre experience.

[Downhome 0]

I'm to the point where I don't totally get why anyone would buy a PS3 right now, unless it's just to get a deal of sorts on a Blu-Ray player. Are any of you guys picking one up at launch, to keep for yourself?

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

GH 2 on the 360? AWESOME. The guitar looks kinda flimsy though. Still, the possiblity of downloading songs whenever you want is tempting. I would love it if there was a way you could request a track be translated into gameplay, but I imagine the copyright issues would make that impossible. Still, it makes my 360 all the more valuable to me. Now if I could just get the damn thing fixed.

[Downhome 0]

Assassin's Creed is going to be so awesome (yet another "exclusive" that PS3 lost). Check out this new gameplay footage:

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=3dKCCEFQkrQ

[BUTT 0]

In addition Microsoft also announced:

 

Project Gotham Racing 4

A new Banjo-Kazooie

Halo Wars (a new Halo-themed RTS game)

Peter Jackson is working on a new game with Microsoft

The next Splinter Cell after Double Agent is exclusive to Xbox 360

 

None of that really means anything to me, but I'm sure many of you will find something to like in there.

[Downhome 0]

Arriving at retailers in North America, the U.K, France and Germany in mid-November 2006, the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player will retail for $199.99 in North America (estimated retail price)* and €199.99/£129.99 (estimated retail price)* in the U.K., France and Germany. The Xbox 360 HD DVD Player comes with the Universal Pictures' blockbuster film Peter Jackson's "King Kong" on HD DVD (for a limited time) and the Xbox 360 Universal Media Remote.

 

Barcelona, Spain—On the shores of one of the world's most artistic and progressive cities, Microsoft Corp. today thrilled attendees at its annual X06 event by inviting everyone to experience the next generation now on the Xbox 360™ system. The announcements and hands-on gameplay experiences highlight how the world's greatest game creators are pushing the boundaries of what is possible in high definition and online storytelling. Highlights of the announcements included the

following:

• A landmark partnership between Academy Award-winning writer,

director, and producer Peter Jackson, Academy Award-winning screenwriter Fran Walsh, and Microsoft Game Studios will create two new interactive entertainment series exclusively for Xbox 360 and Xbox Live®. The first will be a collaborative effort with Bungie Studios to co-create the next great chapter in the Halo® universe. The second will be an entirely original property targeted at bringing new audiences into the captivating world of interactive entertainment. In addition, Microsoft Game Studios will partner with Jackson and Walsh to establish Wingnut Interactive, a studio dedicated to the creation of world-class interactive entertainment.

• Halo® Wars is an all-new real-time strategy game based on the

legendary Halo universe and designed exclusively for Xbox 360 by Ensemble Studios, creators of the Age of Empires® franchise.

• Rockstar and Take-Two will provide Xbox 360 gamers with exclusive

access to two epic downloadable episodes of Grand Theft Auto IV via Xbox Live, each with hours of new gameplay content, and available only on Xbox 360 just months after the release of the title.

• Ubisoft confirmed that the next Splinter Cell title, the installment

after Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell® Double Agent™, will be exclusive to Xbox 360, a testament to the ability of the powerful next-gen game console to deliver experiences no other console can match.

• 2K Games confirmed that BioShock, a first person shooter that will

revolutionize the genre and forever change the expectations of gamers, will be released exclusively on Xbox 360 and Microsoft® Windows® next spring.

• Project Gotham Racing® 4, was unveiled, the latest addition to

the best-selling franchise, made exclusively for Xbox 360 by Bizarre Creations. PGR4 promises to continue the series' pedigree of innovation by introducing exciting new experiences to racing fans worldwide.

• The beloved Banjo-Kazooie® franchise will breathe new,

high-definition life exclusively on Xbox 360, from famed developer Rare Ltd. Beloved characters Banjo, Kazooie and Gruntilda—among other fan favorites—will new next-gen visuals and presentation as well as their sharp wit and hilarious sense of humor.

• Microsoft Game Studios will release its highly-anticipated new MMO

game, Marvel Universe Online for both Xbox 360 and the Windows Vista™ operating system. MUO was developed by industry luminaries Cryptic Studios, creators of the smash hits City of Heroes and City of Villains.

• Expect two new additions to Xbox Live Arcade: The FPS that pioneered

the network-gaming era, DOOM®, from acclaimed developer id Software and Activision, is available now on Xbox Live Marketplace. The game includes the original four-episode single-player game, four-player split screen action, both co-op and deathmatch, and four player co-op and deathmatch via Xbox Live. Coming soon to Xbox Live Arcade is Sensible World of Soccer from Codemasters. Based on a classic Amiga title from 1994, Sensible World of Soccer will let gamers choose between the original graphics or an updated, high-resolution look and feel—while still capturing the original game's wide world of football.

• Arriving at retailers in North America, the U.K, France and Germany

in mid-November 2006, the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player will retail for

$199.99 in North America (estimated retail price)* and €199.99/£129.99 (estimated retail price)* in the U.K., France and Germany. The Xbox 360 HD DVD Player comes with the Universal Pictures' blockbuster film Peter Jackson's "King Kong" on HD DVD (for a limited time) and the Xbox 360 Universal Media Remote.

"Xbox 360 is changing the way developers are telling stories today — from the industry's most beloved franchises to exciting new properties," said Peter Moore, corporate vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business in the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft. "We are inspiring the imaginations of the entertainment industry's best and most creative talent to take their franchises in exciting directions, while also spinning new tales for everyone."

"We are incredibly pleased to be here in Barcelona to talk about the next chapter of Xbox and how Xbox 360 continues to deliver on the promise and potential of the next generation," said Chris Lewis, regional vice president of the Home and Entertainment Division, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), at Microsoft. "As we prepare to launch some of our biggest global titles and best regional content both right now and well into the future, consumers will have much to choose from with a system designed for high-definition and online entertainment. We are the only next-generation experience that seamlessly connects players to their games, friends and entertainment content."

Xbox 360 Stretches Popular Franchises in New Directions Xbox 360 continues to expand the interactive entertainment landscape, enabling industry superstars to take beloved franchises in exciting new directions. Microsoft Game Studios announced its partnership with Peter Jackson to herald in a new age of interactive entertainment that can only be realized on Xbox 360 and Xbox Live. The goal of this partnership is to create new stories and redefine the way they are told. The first part of this long-term relationship is for Jackson, Walsh and team to bring to life two new interactive entertainment experiences exclusively for the Xbox 360 and Xbox Live. The first project is to co-write, co-design and co-produce a completely new and original chapter in the "Halo" universe in collaboration with Bungie Studios. The second project is an entirely original property from the team in New Zealand that will not only bring a whole new interactive story to life, but will also captivate new audiences that have yet to discover the power of interactive entertainment.

In addition, in collaboration with Microsoft Game Studios, Jackson and Walsh are creating Wingnut Interactive. The two will create a world-class interactive entertainment studio that fuses the strength of Microsoft's technology and interactive entertainment experience with the creative and imaginative excellence of the Wingnut Interactive team.

"Microsoft has built an amazing living canvas with Xbox 360 and Xbox Live, which allows the storytellers of our time to express themselves in a new medium. They have fundamentally changed how people think about games," Jackson said. "My vision, together with Microsoft Game Studios, is to push the boundaries of game development and the future of interactive entertainment. From a movie-maker's point of view, it is clear to me that the Xbox 360 platform is the stage where storytellers can work their craft in the same way they do today with movies and books but taking it further with interactivity."

In addition to demonstrating its leadership in the next-generation of games through exclusive alliances, Microsoft Game Studios announced "Halo Wars," an all-new real-time strategy game based on the legendary "Halo" universe and built exclusively for Xbox 360 by Ensemble Studios, the creators of the "Age of Empires" series. "Halo Wars"

places the player in command of human UNSC armies as they deploy for mankind's first deadly encounter with the enemy Covenant forces.

In addition, Microsoft Game Studios provided first details surrounding "Project Gotham Racing 4," the latest addition to the premiere racing franchise from Bizarre Creations and the reunion of Banjo, Kazooie and Gruntilda in an all-new addition to the "Banjo-Kazooie" franchise from industry veterans Rare.

Microsoft and Ubisoft announced that the next "Splinter Cell" title will be created exclusively for Xbox 360. Based on the increasingly proven potential of the Xbox 360 hardware and its online promise, Ubisoft confirmed that Xbox 360 will be the exclusive platform for the next iteration of its influential and massively popular espionage franchise. Through the power of Xbox Live, the series that revolutionized online cooperative and competitive gameplay promises to transform and modernize online gaming once again.

New details regarding the exclusive, epic episodic content for the upcoming and highly anticipated "Grand Theft Auto IV" from Rockstar and Take-Two were also revealed; Rockstar Games will offer two downloadable episodes, each with hours of entirely new gameplay, extending the experience of an already immense game. Both chapters will be exclusive and available only to Xbox 360 gamers via Xbox Live.

"Grand Theft Auto IV" will be available to Xbox 360 gamers on its first day of availability: Oct. 16, 2007, in North America and Oct.

19, 2007, in Europe.

Xbox Live Arcade made a surprise unveiling today of one of the greatest games of the 3-D era: "DOOM" (id Software) is now available for download for 800 points. The game brings legendary "DOOM" mayhem to gamers, who for the first time ever can relive the classic demon-blasting fragfest in both single-player and two-to-four player co-operative and deathmatch modes over Xbox Live. Also a new, multititle relationship with Codemasters was announced, with the first title being the classic, fast-action soccer game, "Sensible World of Soccer."

Xbox Live is a thriving online game community, connecting more than 3 million members across nearly 25 countries to enjoy hundreds of social games, as well as on-demand game demos, Xbox Live Arcade games, and music and movie content. With more than 10 million downloads to date and nearly 100 independent, classic and original development titles available by next summer, Xbox Live Arcade is a fast-growing phenomenon.

Most Affordable Way for Xbox 360 Owners to Jump Into the Next-Generation of DVD At X06, exciting details about the highly anticipated Xbox 360 HD DVD Player were also revealed. Available in mid-November 2006 in North America for $199.99 (estimated retail price)*, in the U.K., France and Germany for €199.99 (£129.99) (estimated retail price)* and other territories in 2007, the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player comes with the Universal Pictures blockbuster film Peter Jackson's "King Kong" on HD DVD (for a limited time) and the Xbox 360 Universal Media Remote.

Users can just add Xbox 360 HD DVD Player to Xbox 360 to create the ultimate home-theater experience.

"The Xbox 360 HD DVD Player is the best high-definition movie experience and value on the market," Moore said. "The reviews, the word of mouth and the consumer response have all been crystal clear — HD DVD is the format of choice. We're not forcing movie technology on game players but are instead letting them choose how to personalize their experiences. If they want HD DVD, there's no better value out there."

The Xbox 360 HD DVD Player offers up to six times higher resolution than DVD, and as part of the fall 2006 console update all Xbox 360 consoles will have the ability to output native resolution 1080p games and movies. Users can enjoy blockbuster HD DVD releases, with more than 150 titles available by the holidays from major movie studios including HBO, Paramount Pictures, StudioCanal, Universal Studios, New Line Entertainment and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

The Industry's Most Anticipated Titles Are Coming to Xbox 360 In addition to taking popular franchises in new directions, developers are finding new life through Xbox 360 with exciting new content and are delivering many of the industry's most praised and anticipated titles.

Arguably the most anticipated title of 2006, "Gears of War" from Epic Games and Microsoft Game Studios is a third-person tactical action/horror game available exclusively on Xbox 360. "Gears of War"

will be the only game to blend a deep and disturbing story of human survival against hordes of nightmarish creatures with a next-generation tactical combat system and unsurpassed visuals and special effects. "Gears of War," which will be available Nov. 12, 2006, in the U.S. and Nov. 17, 2006, in Europe, has garnered numerous industry awards and accolades including the Game Critics Awards Best Console and Best Action Game of E3 2006, IGN's E3 2005 Best Xbox 360 Game, and GameSpot's E3 2006 People's Choice Award.

From leading U.K.-based developer Rare and Microsoft Game Studios comes "Viva Piñata™," an original game concept and the latest innovative gaming experience for gamers of all ages and types. "Viva Piñata" invites gamers to create an immersive world where living piñatas inhabit an ever-changing environment. "Viva Pinata," which has won several industry awards including Best Graphics from Nick Jr.

Magazine and IGN's Runner-Up for Best Strategy Game of E3 2006, is scheduled to be available this holiday.

Underlining the Xbox 360 platform strength, Microsoft and Ubisoft today confirmed that "Assassin's Creed," the eagerly anticipated action title set in medieval times, is also coming to Xbox 360 day and date with the game's release on other platforms. "Assassin's Creed" is a next-generation action-adventure/stealth title from the highly talented and critically acclaimed team that brought gamers "Prince of

Persia: The Sands of Time." "Assassin's Creed" will place gamers in the role of a ruthless and skilled Assassin as he tracks his victims through the historical era known as the Crusades.

Last week at the Tokyo Game Show in Japan, "Lost Odyssey" wowed audiences with its incredible graphic style and epic storyline. From famed Japanese developer Hironobu Sakaguchi, "Lost Odyssey" will be shipped in Japan in 2007, and in the U.S. and Europe at a later date.

Few games have generated more interest than "BioShock" (2K Games) in the past year, and Microsoft confirmed today that the highly anticipated first-person shooter will be exclusive to Xbox 360 and Windows when it launches in spring 2007.

Looking into the coming year, X06 showcased a montage video trailer demonstrating the dazzling power and versatility of the Xbox 360 platform, promising gamers a choice of titles and genres coming this spring season, including the Microsoft Game Studios titles "Crackdown™" (Real Time Worlds), "Too Human" (Silicon Knights), "Mass Effect" (BioWare Corp.), and "Forza Motorsport™ 2" (Turn 10). In addition to these titles from Microsoft Game Studios, games from today's leading publishers round out what is already a robust library of offerings for the Xbox 360 platform, including "John Woo Presents Stranglehold" (Midway), "Lost Planet: Extreme Condition" (Capcom) and "Pro Evolution Soccer 6" (Konami).

Microsoft underscored the continued momentum behind Xbox 360 with more than 5 million consoles sold since launch, the fastest console launch ever. Microsoft remains on track to deliver 10 million consoles worldwide, with a library of 160 games, by end of year. The Xbox Live community continues to grow and is on track to double in size to 6 million gamers by June 2007. Those numbers are supported by the most impressive number of all: Xbox 360 is now available in more than 30 countries since the console launched last November. By the end of this year, Xbox 360 will launch in even more countries, including South Africa and in Europe where plans are set in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.

Microsoft also provided attendees with an update on Games for Windows and announced several exciting new Games for Windows titles, including "Bioshock" and "Marvel Universe Online." Starting this September with

"LEGO® Star Wars® II: The Original Trilogy" from LucasArts and "Company of Heroes" from THQ, games will carry the Games for Windows branding after meeting a set of technical guidelines designed to provide consumers with a consistent, reliable gaming experience on Windows XP and Windows Vista. The guidelines include easier game installation, improved reliability and support for key Windows Vista features such as the Games Explorer and Parental Controls. They will also support wide-screen gaming, will launch from within Windows

Media® Center, be compatible with 64-bit consumer versions of Windows, and will support the Xbox 360 Controller for Windows (for games that enable gamepads).

Attendees were given a glimpse of the exciting upcoming Games for Windows titles including "Hellgate: London" (NAMCO BANDAI Games), "Rail Simulator" (Electronic Arts) and "Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures" (Eidos/Funcom), as well as Microsoft Game Studios titles "Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs," "Alan Wake," "Zoo Tycoon® 2:

Marine Mania®," "Flight Simulator X," "Shadowrun™," "Halo 2" for Windows Vista and the newly named "Marvel Universe Online," a massively multiplayer online game for Xbox 360 and Windows Vista from Cryptic Studios.

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

Would this qualify as Microsoft putting a full-court press on Sony? Seems like they're trying to stomp out the competition before it's even out. Not that I blame them.

[Scroby 0]

Today...is a good day to own a 360 and to find out about all this kick ass news. I downloaded the trailer for Halo Wars and it was great. I'm guessing that it could be a prequal to Halo. I honestly can not see a reason why anyone wouldn't want a 360.

[Lightning Flik 0]

Because, until it brings out any sort of games I be interested in, and games that work properly, I'll pass.

 

That said, my new used PS2 I just got because my old one broke, just broke down. To say I'm pissed is an understatement.

 

Edit: So you might see why I'll pass on a 360 for the time being.

[bobobrazil1984 0]

Elder Scrolls Oblivion just got announced as a PS3 launch title.

 

not that I'd buy PS3 at launch at that price, but its still good for when it eventually (err hopefully) drops in price, being that Oblivion was literally the only game on xbox 360 I wanted.

[Anya 0]

Are any of you guys picking one up at launch, to keep for yourself?

 

 

Yes....if not day 1 then sometime in the next few months for sure.

 

 

 

Doom on 360 is very cool.

[Scroby 0]

Because, until it brings out any sort of games I be interested in, and games that work properly, I'll pass.

 

That said, my new used PS2 I just got because my old one broke, just broke down. To say I'm pissed is an understatement.

 

Edit: So you might see why I'll pass on a 360 for the time being.

So the RP's coming out for 360, don't peak your interest?

[AndrewTS 0]

Hey look--it's the 360 re-re-re-re-re-re-re-launch: THIS TIME WE MEAN IT! And we're going to have games for Japanese people, and games without space marines in it!

[Anya 0]

I think we're still in the "launch window" period.

[{''({o..o})''} 0]

That second hoverboard race in Ratchet and Clank is more annoying than I remember it being.

[{''({o..o})''} 0]

This thread is pretty damn big, isn't it? And pinned now too.

[AndrewTS 0]

Because, until it brings out any sort of games I be interested in, and games that work properly, I'll pass.

 

That said, my new used PS2 I just got because my old one broke, just broke down. To say I'm pissed is an understatement.

 

Edit: So you might see why I'll pass on a 360 for the time being.

So the RP's coming out for 360, don't peak your interest?

 

Oblivion is coming to PS3 too.

 

Enchanted Arms is being gobbled up by a lot of RPG fans...but the critical consensus is thoroughly mediocre.

 

Blue Dragon is a wannabe Dragon Quest.

 

Lost Oddysey is a wannabe Final Fantasy.

 

 

Hey look--a semi-live action (commercial? trailer?) for Fatal Fury 3! =

[Lightning Flik 0]

Because, until it brings out any sort of games I be interested in, and games that work properly, I'll pass.

 

That said, my new used PS2 I just got because my old one broke, just broke down. To say I'm pissed is an understatement.

 

Edit: So you might see why I'll pass on a 360 for the time being.

So the RP's coming out for 360, don't peak your interest?

Nope, not really. But then again, its not until release dates that most of the games actually form some sort of substance that I can digest and actually get entertained about. I will admit I'm liking what I see about Lost Odyssey, but then again, that's like me saying I'm liking what I'm seeing White Knight. Just well, a lot of nothing.

 

Besides Tales of Abyss and Valkyrie Profile: Silmeria are on my hit list right now. So my game sight is quite limited.

[Scroby 0]

Because, until it brings out any sort of games I be interested in, and games that work properly, I'll pass.

 

That said, my new used PS2 I just got because my old one broke, just broke down. To say I'm pissed is an understatement.

 

Edit: So you might see why I'll pass on a 360 for the time being.

So the RP's coming out for 360, don't peak your interest?

Nope, not really. But then again, its not until release dates that most of the games actually form some sort of substance that I can digest and actually get entertained about. I will admit I'm liking what I see about Lost Odyssey, but then again, that's like me saying I'm liking what I'm seeing White Knight. Just well, a lot of nothing.

 

Besides Tales of Abyss and Valkyrie Profile: Silmeria are on my hit list right now. So my game sight is quite limited.

*hands you reading glasses*

[Lightning Flik 0]

I got Silmeria so my eyesight got better. ...except honed in on ToA.

 

Seriously though, I'm just not interested in 360 right now. Besides, price tag is a stickler for me.

[Lightning Flik 0]

I got Silmeria so my eyesight got better. ...except honed in on ToA.

 

Seriously though, I'm just not interested in 360 right now. Besides, price tag is a stickler for me.

[AndrewTS 0]

Awesome Japanese commercial for Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PlkRk_iaAU&NR

[Downhome 0]

What type of game is Rocket Slime? Is it a turn-based RPG?

 

 

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/736/736325p1.html

 

10,000 plus.

 

That's how many character animations are loaded into Assassin's Creed, 700 of them alone contextual. To put things into perspective, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, developed by the same crack team at Ubisoft Montreal, features 500 character animations. And Prince remains to this day one of the finest animated games on the market. Get the picture?

 

Of course, controlling all these moves is something of a chore on a controller that doesn't read minds. Jade Raymond, producer on Assassin's, took a few minutes to break down a complex yet seemingly intuitive control scheme that will have you offing targets faster than you can say John Wilkes Booth.

 

As Altair, a medieval hitman with a mysterious past (Raymond confirmed that he's not a time traveler), you have free reign to explore vast cities and countryside. You will investigate your targets by exploring, eavesdropping and even picking pockets for clues on his whereabouts. When you have three clues-- and there are many more you can choose to find through thorough investigation -- you can then move to the assassination stage, using "social stealth" to blend in with crowds, searching for handholds to scale castle walls, using killer's intuition to hone in on the target and, finally, sinking a blade in his gullet.

 

In order to control Altair, Ubisoft attached four "puppet strings." One to his head (the Y button) his weapon hand (X), off hand (B) and his lower body (A). The right trigger has been jokingly dubbed "emotional control" by Raymond and her team. In short, it is a strength modifier. While walking, hold it down to run. While swashbuckling, hold it down for a lumbering power strike.

 

Using Y, you will do things like eavesdrop and use intuition. A, then, would be used to jump. An interesting control feature is climbing, done in a way we've never seen before. We didn't get a chance to touch the controller, but you will actually feel for handholds, like rock climbing. With it, Altair can climb anywhere in the world where there is a decent grip, and we're hoping he has a chance to move up the tallest of towers while sneaking past the castle guard.

 

There wasn't much more news out of Ubisoft's camp, except that the team is trying to put together a package of downloadable content that Raymond could only say is "something ambitious." She hinted slightly at extended gameplay and possibly even some kind of multiplayer -- the team did create a prototype multiplayer and co-op mode. But, as of now, there is still nothing to announce.

 

While the PlayStation 3 and 360 versions of Assassin's Creed are virtually identical, Raymond did say that on the 360 the team is putting a special emphasis on achievements. The hardware also allows for improved threading, which will improve even further the crowd AI.

 

Even at this early stage, Assassin's Creed is a safe-bet for one of the most innovative and beautiful games of 2007.

 

 

http://www.gamespot.com/events/x06/story.h...stories;title;2

 

BARCELONA--Currently scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2007, Half-Life 2: Episode Two (working title) for the Xbox 360 is a compilation of five games that, believe it or not, will retail for the price of one. The five games in question, in the same order that they appear on the single disc's game select screen, are Half Life 2, Half Life 2: Episode One, Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Portal, and Team Fortress 2. We met with Valve earlier today, and although we weren't permitted to get our hands on a controller on this occasion, we did get to take a look at both Half-Life 2 and Portal in action.

 

The first game we checked out was Half-Life 2, which is essentially the same game that was released for the PC almost two years ago. The only difference, aside from the fact that you'll be playing with an Xbox 360 controller instead of a mouse and keyboard, is that the Xbox 360 version looks better. That's right, the Xbox 360 version of Half-Life 2 boasts visual enhancements that are available only in the subsequent episodic content on the PC, so regardless of how powerful your PC setup is, the Xbox 360 game will look better. To illustrate this point, we were shown a sequence in which you're riding through storm drains on an ATV and being hounded by an enemy helicopter--the lighting and particle effects were noticeably superior to those on the PC, and the water in the storm drain boasted a great reflection of the aforementioned enemy as it flew overhead. As impressive as that was, Valve's focus for X06 was clearly on Portal, so that's the game that we spent the bulk of our meeting checking out.

 

Portal was being shown at X06 by two of the young developers (now employed by Valve) responsible for the game Nerbacular Drop on which Portal is based. Set in the Half-Life universe, Portal will see you assuming the role of a test subject at Aperture Science Laboratories. The first teaser trailer for the game, which features diagrams explaining how the portal gun works, is in fact an instructional video from said laboratory, and the female voice that narrates it is the same one that will talk you through the game's storyline as you progress. Details of the storyline are obviously being kept under wraps for the moment, but you can rest assured that the Half-Life universe looks quite different from the perspective of a lab rat in an Escher-painting-like maze than it does through the eyes of Gordon Freeman.

 

Your goal in each level of Portal is to find and reach an exit, which will invariably require you to do a lot more than simply look around for a big green sign and then walk toward it. Rather, you'll find yourself in environments filled with hazards and platforms that can only be negotiated using the portal gun. The portal gun, in case you're not familiar with it, launches orange and blue portals (each mapped to a different button) that are big enough for you and for various objects to go through. When something goes into one portal, it'll come out of the other, and that's as true for laser beams and balls of energy as it is for boxes, weapon emplacements, and, of course, you. The portal gun can be used on any concrete surface, so although many of the levels in Portal feature surfaces that you can't pass through in places, you'll pretty much have the freedom to move between any two surfaces that you have a line of sight to from your current position.

 

All of the levels in Portal are brand new (that is, you won't recognize any of them from Nerbacular Drop), and when watching somebody else play the game, it's very easy to become disoriented and lose track of which way is up--until you start falling. Because of the game's unusual design, each level has to go through rigorous testing, and while assuring us that it's impossible to portal outside of the gameworld, the Valve representatives that we were talking to also pointed out that at no point will you be able to mess up so badly that a level becomes impossible to beat. There are multiple ways to beat most of the levels in Portal, and we're told that the last time a tester managed to get into a hopeless situation was several months ago. Worthy of note is that Portal features an autosave feature that kicks in every time you solve a significant part of a puzzle. The thinking behind this is that once you've gone to the trouble of figuring out and completing a puzzle (some of which require split-second reflexes), you probably won't want to do it again.

 

At the end of our meeting with Valve, we came away feeling suitably impressed with what must surely be one of the best value-for-money offerings on any release schedule right now. It's unfortunate that we didn't get to see anything of the other three games, and of Team Fortress 2 in particular, but rest assured that we'll bring you more information as soon as it becomes available.