May Video Game Preview Thread

RC Cola · Apr 29, 2007

PC:
Infernal (Fantasy Shooter) 5/8

Xbox 360:
C&C 3 Tiberium Wars (Sci-Fi RTS) 5/8
Forza 2 (GT/Street Racing) 5/29

Wii:
Mario Party 8 (Party Game) 5/29
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (3D Fighting) 5/29

DS:
Etrian Odyssey (RPG) 5/15

PS3:
MLB 07: The Show (Baseball Sim) 5/15

PSP:
Innocent Life: A Futuristic Harvest Moon (Strategy) 5/15
Crush (3D Platformer) 5/29

PS2:
Odin Sphere (Action RPG) 5/22

Multi:
Heatseeker (Jet Sim) [PS2, PSP, Wii] 5/1
Spider-Man 3 (Web-Slinging) [Everything] 5/4
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (Historic Action Adventure) [Everything] 5/22
Shadowrun (Fantasy FPS) [360, PC] 5/29

RC Cola · Apr 29, 2007

Infernal (PC)
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C&C 3: Tiberium Wars (360)
PC Review:
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Forza 2 (360)
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Mario Party 8 (Wii)
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MK: Armageddon (Wii)
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Etrian Odyssey (DS)
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MLB 07: The Show (PS3)
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Innocent Life: A Futuristic Harvest Moon (PSP)
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Crush (PSP)
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Odin Sphere (PS2)
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Heatseeker (Multi)
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Spider-Man 3 (Multi)
PS3/360 Version:
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Wii version:
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POTC: At World’s End (Multi)
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Shadowrun (Multi)
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Brando2101 · Apr 29, 2007

I have the demo for MLB 2K7 and it's alrite. No baseball game feels that great after MVP 04.

Mario party is the first wii game I actually want to play. I hope they kept the charm and complexity of the game boards in tact instead of just focusing on the wiimote

RC Cola · Apr 29, 2007

I don't believe there is a demo available on the PS Store for MLB 07 (just MLB 2K7, which isn't all that great from what I understand, outside of the graphics). Or did you get a demo of the game by some other means?

Brando2101 · Apr 29, 2007

RC Cola said:

I don't believe there is a demo available on the PS Store for MLB 07 (just MLB 2K7, which isn't all that great from what I understand, outside of the graphics). Or did you get a demo of the game by some other means?
Click to expand...

na you're right. I got them mixed up. They just have 2k7

RC Cola · May 5, 2007

Spider-Man 3 (Multi)
PS3/360 Video Review by IGN:
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360/PS3 version got a 6.0, the Wii version got 5.7, and the PS2 version got a 3.5 at IGN. Each version is getting similar scores at Metacritic. Why can't we just get a next-gen version of Spider-Man 2?

Heatseeker (Multi)
Wii Review:
http://www.gamespot.com/wii/action/heatseeker/review.html?sid=6170019

Heatseeker isn't a good game, but it manages to be fun in spite of its many shortcomings.
The Good: Controls are simple and work well; shooting down hundreds of planes is mindless fun; solid frame rate.
The Bad: Little mission variety; graphics are ugly; voice acting is horrific; no multiplayer; $20 more than the ps2 version for no good reason.
Click to expand...

Gameplay 6
Graphics 4
Sound 3
Value 4
Tilt 7
Overall 5.4
Click to expand...

5.4 at Gamespot, 68 at Metacritic (PS2 version getting similar scores).

This game came out late last month, but since Gamespot just recently posted a positive review for it, I thought I'd post it:
The Red Star (PS2)
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Gamespot Review:
http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/redstar/review.html?sid=6170183

Despite spending years on the shelf, The Red Star ably delivers a unique and challenging blend of beat-'em-up and top-down shooter action.
The Good: Deftly blends shooter and beat-'em-up action; pacing is nonstop; great value for the price; solid co-op play.
The Bad: Underwhelming use of interesting license; level structure can be frustrating.
Click to expand...

Gameplay 8
Graphics 7
Sound 7
Value 8
Tilt 9
Overall 8.1
Click to expand...

8.1 at Gamespot, 72 at Metacritic. Probably would have been better if it came out in 2004 like it was supposed to, but oh well.

redefined · May 5, 2007

Is Heatseeker not coming out for 360?

How is C&C? The video looked pretty good but that was the PC version?

RC Cola · May 5, 2007

No, it is just for the Wii, PS2, and PSP. It seems pretty mediocre (at best), so I wouldn't really worry about it.

Yeah, the video was for the PC version. I'm guessing the 360 version will be the same in terms of gameplay and visuals (maybe some additions for XBL?), but how the controls work will be an important part of the game (any enjoyment from the PC version would be lost on the 360 if the controls suck). Hopefully they do something similar to what the developers for LOTR:BFME did.

I think there is a demo for the game on XBL, so that might be a good way to see how the controls feel. I think I've seen a few guys comment on the PC version in other threads, so they may be able to help you out if you have any questions.

RC Cola · May 22, 2007

HeatSeeker (Multi)
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C&C 3: Tiberium Wars (360)
http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/strategy/commandconquer3/review.html?sid=6170279

Command & Conquer 3 on the Xbox 360 is an excellent game and a great example of how a console RTS should work.
The Good: Exciting campaign features a ton of quality, full-motion video; fast-paced gameplay is fun and exhilarating; controls work well and are easy to learn; five multiplayer modes will keep you coming back for more.
The Bad: Game is picky with structure placement; washed-out visuals and recurrent frame-rate stutters mute some of the pizzazz.
Click to expand...

Gameplay 9
Graphics 7
Sound 9
Value 9
Tilt 9
Overall 8.7
Click to expand...

8.7 at Gamespot, 84 at Metacritic.

MLB 07: The Show (PS3)
http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/sports/mlb07theshow/review.html?sid=6170846

Though it doesn't take full advantage of the PlayStation 3 hardware, MLB 07: The Show is a great game, and the new road to the show mode is fantastic.
The Good: Road to the show is a great addition; hitting is intuitive; franchise mode is incredibly deep; solid, albeit subdued, presentation and commentary.
The Bad: Missing a few of the PS2's minigames; some animation looks decidedly last-gen; grass and turf look poor.
Click to expand...

Gameplay 8
Graphics 7
Sound 8
Value 8
Tilt 9
Overall 8.2
Click to expand...

8.2 at Gamespot, 76 at Metacritic.

Innocent Life: A Futuristic Harvest Moon (PSP)
http://www.gamespot.com/psp/strategy/harvestmooninnocentlife/review.html?sid=6171241

Innocent Life is a watered-down Harvest Moon game without the series' trademark depth and charm.
The Good: Good graphics and decent music.
The Bad: Automated processes make life easier, but also remove a significant portion of gameplay; money is easy to come by, but there's not much worth buying; lacks depth and challenge of previous harvest moon games; rustic charm of the series has been replaced by a generic futuristic theme.
Click to expand...

Gameplay 5
Graphics 7
Sound 6
Value 6
Tilt 4
Overall 5.3
Click to expand...

5.3 at Gamespot, 66 at Gamespot.

Odin Sphere (PS2)
http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/rpg/odinsphere/review.html?sid=6171361

Odin Sphere's beautiful presentation makes it easier to forgive its few notable shortcomings.
The Good: Beautifully detailed artwork; compelling story and interesting characters; item collection and creation system adds a bit of depth to the game; great music and good voice work; lengthy campaign with multiple playable characters.
The Bad: Crippling slowdown kills some of the most exciting moments in the game; frequent load times; excessive inventory management.
Click to expand...

Gameplay 7
Graphics 8
Sound 7
Value 8
Tilt 8
Overall 7.6
Click to expand...

7.6 at Gamespot, 83 at Metacritic.

Infernal (PC)
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/diaboliquelicensetosin/review.html?sid=6171144

Infernal embraces style over substance, resulting in a dull and repetitive shooting experience.
The Good: It looks pretty; ummm, it doesn't crash.
The Bad: Dull, repetitive gameplay; makes the act of shooting a chore; wastes its interesting setting and premise; short single-player campaign, no multiplayer, little replayability.
Click to expand...

Gameplay 6
Graphics 8
Sound 6
Value 5
Tilt 5
Overall 5.9
Click to expand...

5.9 at Gamespot, 63 at Metacritic.

POTC: At World's End (Multi)
http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/790/790823p1.html

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End has the atmosphere and look of a great pirate game, but that's about it. While the sound and characters help capture the essence of the Disney trilogy, the shallow gameplay is too much to endure for the seven or so hours it takes to complete the game. Let's put it this way: if it came down to playing this game for seven hours or walking the plank, it would be a tough choice. Save your hard-earned cash for a barrel of rum and consider a rental.
Click to expand...

7.0 Presentation
A nice pirate atmosphere and good use of Depp, Bloom and company.
8.5 Graphics
Gorgeous at times with beautiful environments, animations and character models. Indoor environments tend to be bland.
7.0 Sound
A solid cinematic score plays throughout, punctuated by the awful moans and groans of pirate combat.
5.0 Gameplay
Basic combat, basic platforming, basic puzzles. Basically mediocre.
3.0 Lasting Appeal
Slow motion dueling simply isn't fun. Neither is split-screen hack and slash, rehashed from the single-player game.
5.5 OVERALL
Click to expand...

5.5 at IGN, no scores yet at Metacritic.

Another Take:

I can understand folks that cast off the yolk of this workaday world and head to the coast to become a pirate. It happens more than you think, and other than bad teeth, it's easy to see why -- you thumb your nose at the rules, drink with reckless abandon and gallivant with all sorts of sealovin' beauties. For years, characters such as Captain Hook and Jacques Cousteau have glorified the yo-ho-ho lifestyle, but if you have a friend considering becoming a swashbuckler, sit him or her down with Pirates of the Caribbean At World's End.

This game will make working in a cubicle look like going to Mars, matey.

Where are the epic swordfights and menacing villains from the movies? In this game, you follow your compass to a group of generic bad guys, button mash and watch Captain Jack deal with poor collision detection and slow gameplay. Eventually you'll slay enough goons to warrant a boss that implements the duel mode, but somehow that system's attack-and-revere, joystick system is even slower and more boring than the general fights. Your reward for vanquishing the legions of brainless baddies: countless collection quests that you never saw in the movies.

Shiver me timbers! The game's framey, the camera rarely shows what's going on, characters pass through closed doors like ghosts and if you're not holding down the sprint button, it feels like you're walking underwater. Sure, playing the kraken battle and other tiffs from the films are interesting, but the problems in the game mean you never feel like you're living the movie. Save your booty and set a course in the opposite direction of this title, blaggard.
Click to expand...

Etrian Odyssey (DS)
http://ds.ign.com/articles/788/788909p1.html

Etrian Odyssey is – with every ounce of its being – a RPG fanatic’s wet dream. The game makes no excuses for the player, demanding that you strategize every step of the way, whether it’s in recruiting new characters, divvying out items and level up points, or taking a branching path in dungeons. The map making portion of the game is detrimental for survival, though it’s something that is merely an aspect of gameplay, and nothing that the game truly hinges on. You’ll have sections to clear away for missions, or areas that need to be explored, but mainly the bottom screen is used as your notepad, and you’re expected to use it as such. The game’s core mechanic is one we’ve seen and played for over 20 years, dating back to the earliest of PC titles that literally had players making notes on a pen and paper while playing, and it’s a great title for the hardest of hardcore DS players. Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and even other Atlus titles don’t have the guts to embrace this audience of gamer anymore, so if you fit in that group of elder role-playing junkies this is an absolute must on the system.

The title has its flaws, primarily in its basic presentation and overly painful gameplay ways (not being able to save for up to 30 minutes at a time hurts, even when we fully understand why the decision was made), and if you gave this game to ten players you my find one or two in the group that truly enjoy it. Despite that staggering thought though, there’s no denying the game’s quality. If this is your style of game, you’re going to eat it up. All other gamers are more than forewarned - Etrian Odyssey is easily the most mature, pure role-playing experience on DS thus far.
Click to expand...

6.5 Presentation
It has a truly beautiful design, but it’s also basic as well. Menu navigation takes up a huge part of the game, as does mid-battle chat boxes.
6.5 Graphics
The game has a decent look, but very little animation throughout. Very simple in design, but it gets the job done for what could be an entirely text-based adventure two decades ago.
6.5 Sound
Simple but stylistic is the name of the game, and the audio follows suit. Decent audio tracks mixed with age-old thump and bump sound effects.
7.5 Gameplay
User-controlled, stats, items, abilities, level-ups, guild rosters, and an emphasis on note taking and map making. A quick “state save” would have helped, as it’s still a portable.
8.0 Lasting Appeal
Another area where Etrian will win players over. The sheer amount of depth, versatility, and player-involvement makes it a worthy purchase for fans of throwback RPG’s.
7.4 OVERALL
Click to expand...

7.4 at IGN, 72 at Metacritic.

Brando2101 · May 23, 2007

I have never been that big a fan of the Wii or its games but I have always been a diehard Mario Party addict so I am looking forward to its release. I hope they didn't sacrifice a lot of competitive gameplay for shallow controler motion tasks.

UTweezer · May 23, 2007

wow. may was a really crappy month for games (imo). C&C was ok, although RTS are much better on the PC. Hopefully Mario Party will live up to it's hype.

RC, whats up for JUNE?

Kyakko · May 23, 2007

This is the only one that will matter to me... *drool*

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UTweezer · May 23, 2007

Kyakko said:

This is the only one that will matter to me... *drool*

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august '08?

Kyakko · May 23, 2007

UTweezer said:

august '08?
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gawd, I hope not.

Brando2101 · May 23, 2007

UTweezer said:

wow. may was a really crappy month for games (imo). C&C was ok, although RTS are much better on the PC. Hopefully Mario Party will live up to it's hype.

RC, whats up for JUNE?
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PS3
June 12, 2007 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas
June 14, 2007 Go! Puzzle Sony Computer Entertainment
June 15, 2007 Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer
June 19. 2007 Transformers: The Game
June 25, 2007 Bigs, The 2K Sports
June 25, 2007 Darkness, The 2K Games
June 25, 2007 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

XBOX 360
June 5, 2007 Call of Juarez
June 12, 2007 Tenchu Z
June 15, 2007 Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer
June 18, 2007 Hour of Victory
June 19, 2007 DiRT
June 19, 2007 Transformers: The Game
June 25, 2007 Bigs , The
June 25, 2007 Darkness, The
June 25, 2007 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
June 26, 2007 Overlord
June 26, 2007 Ratatouille
June 26, 2007 Two Worlds
June 2007 Bomberman Live
June 2007 Carcassonne

Wii
June 5, 2007 Chicken Shoot
June 11, 2007 Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree
June 12, 2007 Mercury Meltdown Revolution
June 12, 2007 Scarface: The World is Yours
June 12, 2007 Sims 2: Pets, The
June 15, 2007 Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer T
June 19, 2007 Escape from Bug Island Secret Stash Games
June 19, 2007 Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition
June 19, 2007 Transformers: The Game
June 25, 2007 Bigs, The
June 25, 2007 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
June 25, 2007 Pokemon Battle Revolution
June 26, 2007 Driver: Parallel Lines
June 26, 2007 Ratatouille

PS2
June 5, 2007 Biker Mice from Mars
June 5, 2007 Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary
June 5, 2007 Metropolismania 2
June 5, 2007 Super Trucks Racing 2
June 12, 2007 Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2
June 12, 2007 Raw Danger
June 12, 2007 World Championship Cards
June 15, 2007 Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer Take-Two Interactive
June 15, 2007 History Channel: Great Battles of Rome, The
June 19, 2007 Adventures of Darwin, The
June 19, 2007 Transformers:
June 25, 2007 Bigs , The
June 25, 2007 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
June 26, 2007 GrimGrimoire
June 26, 2007 Ratatouille

PSP
June 1, 2007 Puzzle Scape
June 5, 2007 Shrek the Third
June 12, 2007 Hot Wheels Ultimate Racing
June 12, 2007 PQ: Practical Intelligence Quotient 2
June 12, 2007 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas
June 12, 2007 World Championship Cards
June 18, 2007 Hot Brain
June 19, 2007 Dungeon Maker: Hunting Ground
June 19, 2007 Transformers: The Game
June 25, 2007 Bigs, The
June 25, 2007 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
June 26, 2007 Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars
June 26, 2007 Final Fantasy
June 26, 2007 Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary
June 26, 2007 Ratatouille
June 26, 2007 Super Collapse 3
June 26, 2007 Traxxpad

DS
June 4, 2007 Cookie & Cream
June 4, 2007 Nintendo DS Browser
June 5, 2007 Biker Mice From Mars
June 5, 2007 Deal or No Deal
June 5, 2007 Dragon Ball Z: Harukanaru Densetsu
June 11, 2007 Touchmaster
June 12, 2007 Time Ace
June 12, 2007 Zendoku
June 15, 2007 Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer
June 16, 2007 Transformers: Autobots
June 18, 2007 Hoshigami Remix
June 19, 2007 Brothers in Arms DS
June 19, 2007 SimCity DS
June 19, 2007 Transformers: Decepticons
June 25, 2007 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
June 26, 2007 Flipper Critters
June 26, 2007 Glory Days 2
June 26, 2007 LifeSigns: Surgical Unit
June 26, 2007 Nervous Brickdown
June 26, 2007 Ratatouille
June 26, 2007 Super Collapse 3
June 27, 2007 Clue / Mouse Trap / Perfection / Aggravation
June 30, 2007 Brain Buster Puzzle Pak

RC Cola · May 29, 2007

Forza 2 (360)
http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/driving/forzamotorsport2/review.html?sid=6171672

Forza 2 delivers on nearly every aspect you'd want in a Forza sequel. It drives incredibly, it's wonderfully presented, and it's rich with modes and features.
The Good: A phenomenal driving model that's appealing to both beginners and experts; races just feel right, from the great car physics to the top-notch opponent artificial intelligence; framerate consistently holds steady at a brisk 60 frames per second; tons of cars to buy and modes to race them in; customization is ridiculously deep.
The Bad: Racing sound effects aren't as varied as they could be; could have used a few more tracks.
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Gameplay 9
Graphics 9
Sound 8
Value 9
Tilt 10
Overall 9.2
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9.2 at Gamespot, no score yet at Metacritic since most of the big sites just posted their reviews...score should be pretty high.

Mario Party 8 (Wii)
http://www.gamespot.com/wii/puzzle/marioparty8/review.html?sid=6171668

There are some good minigames in Mario Party 8, but the overly familiar, chance-heavy board game wrapper gets in their way.
The Good: Plenty of minigames; some inventive boards.
The Bad: GameCube-caliber graphics; spotty widescreen support; chance still plays too large a role.
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Gameplay 7
Graphics 6
Sound 6
Value 7
Tilt 6
Overall 6.5
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6.5 at Gamespot, 77 at Metacritic.

Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (Wii)
http://wii.ign.com/articles/792/792147p1.html

It has arrived late, but the Wii version of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon is still fun and still a very deep fighter. The new gesture based controls seem like a bad idea, and yet in practice they feel responsive and satisfying to perform… most of the time. Very occasionally, your movements won't be recognized, which is troubling. It may just be that our gestures are performed inaccurately, but of course that also means the majority of novice players will undoubtedly encounter the same issue and thus it still remains. Thankfully, you can use either the classic controller or GameCube pad as an alternate at any time, even when playing against someone who prefers the Wii remote and nunchuk. Armageddon is otherwise the same game as its predecessors on PS2 and Xbox plus one new character, Khameleon, and minus an online mode. The additional fighter is welcomed, but she hardly makes up for the lack of online play, which is why Armageddon has received a lower score on Wii than its counterparts. Even with a lower score, this is Wii's best fighter and we can safely recommend it to any franchise fan.
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8.0 Presentation
Moody cinematics, 64 playable characters, a wealth of interactive arenas, and several extra play modes like Konquest and Motor Kombat. Lacks Chess and Puzzle. No online component.
7.0 Graphics
Pretty good for PlayStation 2, but Wii can do much more. Adequately detailed and animated models mingle with an impressie variety of environments. Runs in 480p and 16:9 at 60 frames.
7.0 Sound
Cheesy dialog and over-cooked delivery, but most of it works in this universe. Sound effects have punch. Music could be better.
8.0 Gameplay
Still as frantic and fun as ever. The new Wii remote gestures are surprisingly enjoyable when they work, but occasionally they don't. Thankfully, you can play with the classic or GCN controller, too.
9.0 Lasting Appeal
So much to do. A deep Kombat mode. A sizeable Konquest adventure game. Motor Kombat. A robust Kreate a Fighter. And then there's the multiplayer mode. Did we mention there are tons of unlockables?
7.8 OVERALL
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7.8 at IGN, 75 at Metacritic.

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