Hold off on buying that new Xbox 360.
Leaked copies of next weeks Target ad show the Xbox 360 Pro will drop to $250, while the Elite will be sold for a sweet $300 (Engadget).
Posts Tagged ‘XBox 360
25
Aug
09
Xbox 360 Getting a Price Cut
It’s back!
The classic 2D fighter has come back into the mainstream via Xbox 360 (and PS3 on August 13) download.
If you want some background on the game, you can checkout my initial post:
Marvel vs. Capcom 2!!! (What can I say? I was excited).
Review
The Good
It’s Marvel vs. Capcom 2. The game is basically a direct port of the classic Dreamcast version, with slicker graphics. If you liked the original version, you will like this one.
The Meh
While online play works well, actually getting into a match is kind of difficult. Most of my attempts to join a game result in a failure to join message… But once your in it’s great.
The Not-So Good
The Xbox version of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 allowed you to assign dedicated “high/low punch” and “high/low kick” buttons. While some purists probably frown upon this button configuration, I was quite fond of it. I can’t remember if this was an option on Dreamcast (I don’t think it was), but I miss being able to create those buttons. They were especially good for chaining into hypercombos.
The final boss, Abyss. He still sucks.
The Bottom-line
If you are a fan of Marvel vs. Capcom 2, buy it. If you aren’t a fan, and are looking for the slickness of modern fighters, this one isn’t for you.
All-in-all, it’s a good game with the potential for endless variation.
03
Jul
09
Microsoft Ads Hit Rock Bottom
At this point, there is no reason to continue railing on Microsoft for it’s ads or buggy software. Quite frankly, I do not believe that they can do anything correctly, with the exception making good mice and keyboards.
- The Xbox 360 (my console of choice) is so freaking buggy that the company has blown millions and millions of dollars on replacing broken systems (mine included).
- Their public image sucks.
- Their software is bloated, buggy, and all too often ignores the user experience.
- Their advertisements are a disaster.
This is the latest and then quickly killed Microsoft ad for Internet Explorer 8.
(It is repulsive… you might not want to watch it)
Look… everyone knows what “private mode” is for. Additionally, it isn’t a unique selling feature because every other current browser offers the exact same thing (Apple Safari, Mozilla Firefox, & Google Chrome), so why bother making an issue of it?
Microsoft has so much money that if it had a good product that was worth selling, someone would be able to make an ok advertisement for it… but they don’t… except for their mice and keyboards (which they don’t advertise).
And then there is this browser comparison chart that Microsoft pushed out of its rear:
If it isn’t obvious, this is a big lie.
Practice safe computing by using Firefox, Safari, or Chrome.
Peripheral maker, Logitech is releasing a $200 Guitar Hero controller for the Xbox 360. They already released one of these for the PS2 & PS3.
The controller is made out of wood (it has a maple neck), has metal frets, strums quietly, is a licensed Xbox 360 product, and is built to the proper size specifications of standard Guitar Hero controllers.
If you are thinking about buying this, please stop.
I’m all for Guitar Hero, but at $200 you can get yourself a starter guitar and amp (the real kind). If you are willing to drop two-hundo on a fake guitar, maybe it’s time to try the real thing.
For the very same price you can buy a Fender Strat Squire pack. The pack includes everything you need to start playing. It’s not exactly a fancy instrument, but it’s a great place to start and see if it sticks.
Say no to $200 video game controllers, and say yes to the real thing.
05
Jun
09
Wii Power (Or lack thereof)
The Wii is an underpowered system. It was never designed to compete with the Xbox 360 or PS3 on technical specs. The idea was to undercut them on cost, outdo them on innovation, and capture the casual gaming market that no company had ever really attempted woo.
It worked in spades.
However, 2.5 years later those specs are only getting more crusty, and Wii game developers are starting to hit the wall (like I did with my roommates Wiimote back in undergrad). Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto has admitted that the Wii’s lack of processing power has limited the potential for innovation in game design.
This is the problem with the Wii. It was the same problem I had when they released it – where can it go? The that fact that it doesn’t output in 1080p is not the problem; graphics aren’t everything (I grew up on NES and Atari and still happily play them both). The issue is that complex and innovative game play elements often require more processing power, and the Wii is a weakling.
Nintendo will have to address this deficiency at some point, or they will fall behind on their biggest selling features – unique game play and innovation.
Brace yourself, this post is entirely about Microsoft and I only say nice things.
There are a ton of new developments in the video game world emanating from the E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo).
While there are far too many things to cover, here are some of the highlights that have me pretty excited:
Metal Gear Rising on Xbox 360!
Metal Gear is a nutty franchise that is so damn fun. I’ve been holding out on buying a PS3 for a while, but when I do eventually buy one, it will be in large part because Metal Gear 4 is exclusive to the system.
Metal Gear is coming back, and it is already looking crazier than ever!
Project Natal – Microsoft Moons Nintendo
Microsoft is attempting to out-Wii Nintendo. Project Natal is a motion based control system for the Xbox 360, but unlike the Wii, it has no controller.
It’s a set top box equipped with an RGB camera, depth sensor and multi-array microphone, and coupled with proprietary software, it aims to allow users to play games and navigate the Xbox 360’s menu using no controller at all.
(Take a moment to collect all of the little pieces of your blown mind before your continue reading)
If it works and video game designers actually implement the technology in fun and unique ways, this will be incredible. If it fails, it will be another big gaming hardware blunder to add to the list – I’m looking at you Powerglove.
How could something look so fun, yet suck so bad?
Xbox Live Goes Social
Alpha geek Felicia Day, announced that Xbox 360 would open up a Twitter and Facebook interface beginning this Fall.I’m extremely curious to see how this plays out.
You can expect more posts on Metal Gear, Project Natal, Ms. Day, and Twitter/Facebook’s migration to gaming over the coming months.
The Super Nintendo classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time, is being fully revamped for sale on XBox Live.
I am so pumped!
Here is the first leaked footage of the new gameplay. It looks considerably better and more difficult than the original (which is good because Turtles in Time is a lot of things, difficult has never been one of them).
For reference, here is footage of the original SNES game on the same level.
The official release date hasn’t been revealed yet, but I know I will be downloading it when it is made available.
Fable II is a fantasy/ adventure role-playing game for the XBox 360.
You start as a child and grow into adulthood in a medieval-esque world. As you play the game and live in this world you are presented with all manner of moral choices from the quests that you choose, the deeds you do, the person(s) you marry, how many children you have, how you treat them, etc. It’s a multifaceted and fairly enthralling adventure where you are constantly making moral decisions.
Your character will age and grow based in large part on those moral decisions. If you are good, you will look healthy and angelic, over time a halo will form over your head. If you are evil, you will look pale and menacing, ultimately growing horns.
He's on Santa's naughty list
XBox 360 games have something called achievements.
Basically, when you accomplish something that is designated as special in the game you get achievement points. They aren’t really worth much except video game geek-cred. However, when the achievements are unlocked via an online gameplay account through XBox Live, it seems that the game companies have a record of the achievements.
Here are some achievement stats from Fable II:
- 2.6 million copies of Fable II have been sold
- The easiest achievement, “The Whippersnapper” has been unlocked by 2.8 million people (more than the copies sold because games can be traded, borrowed, resold, or a single player can have multiple accounts)
- The hardest achievement to unlock is “The Dollcatcher” with only 61,037 or 1.9% (This is an achievement for completists)
- At the end of the game, the player is faced with a big moral decision. Help yourself, help your loved ones, or help the world. There is a special ending and a different achievement associated with the different outcomes. One million gamers chose “The Family.”
What’s my point?
It seems to me that this is an opportunity for serious social science research.
People play video games differently. When I find the time to play a game like this, I actually put thought into my actions in the world (even though there is nothing compelling me to do so). When I accidentally destroy the economy of a town by selling too many items to the shopkeepers without buying anything or I inadvertently incinerate an innocent bystander with a fireball there is a part of me that wants to make up for it and fix things (Honestly, who doesn’t run away from the guy with the big axe shooting fireballs from his hands? A little common sense from the common folk would be greatly appreciated).
Back to my point.
By adding more specific achievements and tracking the manner in which people play some of the more enthralling, morally ambiguous games, someone might be able to do some interesting research on how people act in video games. I’m not saying it will be a reflection of how they act in real life, because I know it won’t. However, it might offer insight into how people act online. Maybe there is a correlation between people who like to hurt video game citizens and people who are prone to flaming on blogs, twitter, and message boards. At the very least, I think it is worth investigating.
11
Mar
09
“I Demand One Million Dollars”
Engadget is reporting that a Yale student named Jesse Maiman has filed a lawsuit against US Airways over the loss of his allegedly modified XBox 360… and in case the title didn’t give it away, he is suing for $1,000,000 on account of lost property and emotional damage.
US Airways has pointed out that “the federal limit of liability for lost luggage top out at $3,300, but that electronics checked in luggage are specifically excluded from liability.”
Everything about this is screwed up!
Jesse Maiman - Get a grip. A million dollars? Really? You are either a very funny guy or a total jackass.
US Airways - Electronics checked in luggage are excluded from liability? So that means that your employees can freely steal our electronics without any recourse. That’s pretty low, especially now that you are charging for checked bags.
The lesson
Don’t bring unnecessary electronics onto airplanes, and if you bring it with you as carryon.
