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June Video Game Preview Thread

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by RC Cola, Jun 6, 2006.

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RC Cola Member

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PC
City Life (Strategy) 6/2

Xbox 360:
MotoGP 06 (Motorcycle Racing) 6/12

PS2
GTA: Liberty City Stories (Modern Action Adventure) 6/6/6 (GTA is the devil)
Street Fighter Alpha Anthology (2D Fighting) 6/13

PSP:
Race Driver 2006 (Driving) 6/6
Gradius Collection (Shoot-‘Em-Up) 6/6
Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel (“Modern Action Adventure” except it is a digital comic) 6/13

Nintendo DS:
Big Brain Training (Edutainment) 6/5
Magnetica (Puzzle) 6/5

Multi:
And 1 Streetball (Basketball) [PS2, XBX] 6/6
Cars (Mission-based Driving) [Everything, including a Wii version eventually] 6/6
NFL Head Coach (Football Sim) [PS2, XBX, PC] 6/20
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow (Historic Action Adventure) [PS2, PC] 6/27
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (Historic Action Adventure) [PSP, DS, GBA] 6/27

Since I was late in making this thread, I will be mixing in reviews with the previews that I normally post. I think 6 games that I listed have already been reviewed at Gamespot and/or IGN.

#1 RC Cola, Jun 6, 2006

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City Life (PC)

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/citylife/review.html

City Life combines the fun of a city-building game with the challenge of a financial simulation, though it requires patience and perseverance to master.
The Good: Deep, realistic city-building sim; detailed graphics with helpful reports; plenty of freedom when designing your city.
The Bad: A single recipe for success will fit most maps; music can become a little annoying over time.
Click to expand...

Gameplay
8
Graphics
8
Sound
7
Value
7
Tilt
8
Overall
7.8
Click to expand...

7.8 at Gamespot, ~80% at Gamerankings.

MotoGP 06 (360)

http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/driving/motogpurt/news.html?sid=6151710&mode=previews

In terms of performance, both the MotoGP 06 demo and the Xbox 360 preview build of MotoGP 06 played pretty well, though not without the occasional lag-hopping of bikes during certain races. Frame rate, a noticeable problem in earlier builds of the game, has been smoothed out to a far greater degree now, with the only real problems coming during extremely tight corners. Bike performance has been tweaked a bit as well--the default powerslide sensitivity setting is much more noticeable in MotoGP 06 than before, and as a result, it's much easier to throw your bike out from under your rider if you get a bit too aggressive with the maneuver. We also noticed that when reentering the track after a big wreck our bike was temporarily invulnerable, which prevented further ugly shunts when trying to get back in the race--a nice touch. For 16-player action on a huge variety of real-life and fictional tracks, MotoGP 06 looks like it will be tough to beat.
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GTA: LCS (PS2)

http://ps2.ign.com/articles/711/711231p1.html

The console version of LCS aims for those gamers who couldn’t play the handheld version. With nothing added and multiplayer stripped completely, there’s no reason to buy this game if you’ve already played the original. Still, it nevertheless provides a unique, satisfying experience that fans of the franchise will want to see. It's still a GTA game, after all. Plus, at less than 20 dollars, it’s certainly a lot of game for your dollar.
Click to expand...

8.0 Presentation
While not as polished as previous GTA titles, it certainly does the job.
7.0 Graphics
While it looked outstanding on PSP, the quality of titles on PS2 bring it down several notches.
8.0 Sound
Very impressive voice acting, sound effects and licensed tracks.
8.0 Gameplay
While it lacks a few elements seen in San Andreas, LCS still offers a deep, rewarding GTA experience.
8.0 Lasting Appeal
The story alone will take the better part of 20 hours to complete, not including side missions and extras.
8.0 Overall
Click to expand...

8.0 at IGN, 80% at Gamerankings.

Street Fighter Alpha Anthology (PS2)

http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/sfaanthology/news.html?sid=6151707&mode=previews

Based on what we played, Street Fighter Alpha Anthology is shaping up to be a solid, albeit bare bones, compilation that chronicles the evolution of the Alpha series to good effect. The three core games and Alpha 2 Gold still hold up famously and are a good time capsule of the days when sprites ruled the earth. And Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix serves as a reminder that Capcom could be as goofy and Japanese as all get out when they wanted to. Street Fighter Alpha Anthology is currently slated to ship next month. Look for our full review soon.
Click to expand...

Race Driver 2006 (PSP)

http://www.gamespot.com/psp/driving/racedriver2006/review.html

Race Driver 2006 may be a port of a nearly two-year-old game, but the wealth of new content makes this version every bit as necessary as its predecessor.
The Good: Great controls; tons of different racing disciplines that all handle and play differently; top-notch graphics; two very engaging single-player modes; game-sharing is available.
The Bad: Most of this game's content can be found in a nearly two-year-old console game; limited race-camera options; lighter difficulty might turn off some hardcore players.
Click to expand...

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

8.2 at Gamespot, ~84% at Gamerankings.

Gradius Collection (PSP)

http://psp.ign.com/articles/711/711048p1.html

Whether you are playing them for the first time or playing them for the millionth, the games in Gradius Collection are, for the most part, some of the best side-scrolling shooters you'll ever handle. Emulated without any noticeable problems and benefiting from a nice selection of extra options, the software here is great fun. A lack of multiplayer support in the titles that used to have it and a few missing sequels does leave us a little sad, but for a series that's more than 20 years old, Konami's entertaining set is more than worth its price.
Click to expand...

8.0 Presentation
Reasonable load times, no unintentional slowdown, and a healthy selection of bonus materials and presentational options do their job well.
7.0 Graphics
The newest game in the set is eight years old and comes from hardware from multiple generations ago. Still, the art direction is great.
8.0 Sound
Every Gradius game has had a solid score and collecting five of them in one spot doesn't hurt. Voice-overs and audio effects are vintage but sound just fine.
8.5 Gameplay
It's classic Gradius gameplay with more fun in each individual game than most of its clones ever had combined.
8.0 Lasting Appeal
More than 40 stages of gameplay in all, a music and movie player, and various options to change the way games play should keep you coming back.
8.1 Overall
Click to expand...

8.1 at IGN, ~75% at Gamerankings.

Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel (PSP)

http://www.gamespot.com/psp/adventure/metalgearsolidcomic/news.html?sid=6149155&mode=previews

Anyone who hasn't experienced the story of Metal Gear Solid in a while--or has never played the game at all--should find some interesting stuff in MGS DGN. Although Konami says it is being marketed as a game UMD (as opposed to a movie UMD), it will be available at the bargain price of $19.99 when it hits shelves within the next month or so.
Click to expand...

Big Brain Training (DS)

http://www.gamespot.com/ds/puzzle/gentlebrainexercises/review.html

Big Brain Academy is a good, budget-priced collection of brainteasing minigames.
The Good: Addictive, easy-to-grasp minigames; reasonably solid presentation; budget price.
The Bad: Suffers from a lack of variety.
Click to expand...

Gameplay
7
Graphics
7
Sound
7
Value
7
Tilt
7
Overall
7.0
Click to expand...

7.0 at Gamespot, ~73% at Gamerankings.

Magnetica (DS)

http://www.gamespot.com/ds/puzzle/puzzloop/review.html

Magnetica is a good, solid rendition of its chosen formula, but there isn't necessarily enough to the package to pull you away from your current addiction to any of the DS's other, better puzzle games.
The Good: It's like Zuma, but on the DS; three single-player modes and a multiplayer mode; responsive touch-screen controls.
The Bad: Gameplay starts to wear thin when played in longer sessions; overly pricey for what the game offers; multiplayer isn't especially compelling.
Click to expand...

Gameplay
7
Graphics
6
Sound
7
Value
6
Tilt
8
Overall
7.0
Click to expand...

7.0 at Gamespot, ~70% at Gamerankings.

And 1 Streetball (Multi)
Previewed before in the March Thread:
http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=109520

Cars (Multi)

http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/driving/cars/news.html?sid=6149457&mode=previews

Based on what we played, Cars is looking like a solid complement to the film. The gameplay is accessible and offers some nice variations to the racing mechanic. The visuals stay true to the film's CG and move along at a good clip. Odds are that fans of the film will want to check out Cars when it hits this June. Look for more on the game in the coming months.
Click to expand...

#2 RC Cola, Jun 6, 2006
RC Cola Member

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NFL Head Coach (Multi)

http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/sports/nflheadcoach/news.html?sid=6150930&mode=previews

In all, we're still cautiously optimistic about NFL Head Coach. We love the idea of EA Sports trying something new with their NFL license and stretching their creative muscle a bit. Whether the game will resonate with football video game players, however, who are used to a bit more action in their pigskin games, remains to be seen. NFL Head Coach is due for release in June, and we'll have more on the game in the coming months.
Click to expand...

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow/ Dead Man's Chest (Multi)
PC/PS2 version:

PSP:

DS:

PC/PS2 version:
http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/...cksparrow/news.html?sid=6150795&mode=previews

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow is the inevitable video game tie-in for the upcoming summer blockbuster The Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, but it looks particularly pretty on the PC, and it has the advantage of featuring the likeness and voice of Mr. Johnny Depp himself as the pirate Jack Sparrow.
The game, which is also being readied for the PlayStation 2, will let you control Jack, Will, and Elizabeth as they negotiate 24 levels, some based on the movie and others that provide some interesting windows on Jack Sparrow's adventures. Unfortunately, though Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley provide their likenesses to the game, their voices are not present. The good news is that the voice actor for Will is really close to Bloom's voice, besides which, you'll be preoccupied listening to Depp's dazed Sparrow anyway.
The level that we saw in action had Jack and Will battling a bunch of Spanish troops looking to capture them, and there was the requisite swashbuckling and sword-fighting that you'd expect. You control one character at a time, while the other character is handled by the computer. You can switch between the two characters instantly, though, and that sounds like it'll be useful in some situations. Pirates will support co-op mode with two players, though there is no online capability.
Click to expand...

Handheld version:
http://www.gamespot.com/psp/action/...manschest/news.html?sid=6151256&mode=previews

In the PlayStation Portable version, the single-player game puts you in the shoes of Captain Jack Sparrow, swashbuckling through 11 levels of action picking up various weapons as you go. You'll collect grog to replenish your health and stun enemies by throwing bottles at them. It's expected that there will be around eight hours of gameplay to get through, and when you complete the game, you'll unlock a special bonus for the multiplayer game. Unfortunately, the build we saw wasn't the smoothest of experiences as far as the controls went, and the collision detection looked a little off on occasions. But that said, the combat was good fun--each different type of enemy requires a different set of button combos to defeat, so you'll need to use your memory. It seems to add an extra sense of strategy to the mix.
Click to expand...

There are a few differences with the Nintendo DS version, chief among them the ability to play minigames at various points on the touch screen. You can also play as different characters (Will or Elizabeth) as you encounter them. There are six boss fights altogether, and once you complete the DS version, you can replay the game to unlock extra features. Each time you come to one of the bosses, you can smash a statue and then make it possible to start a new game playing as that particular boss.
It's also possible to play through the levels with a friend on wireless multiplayer. Your friend will take the role of Will and can leave and join the adventure at will, although that person is then locked to that particular saved game, and nobody else will be able to replace the person. The DS version looked sharp and colourful and will be released on July 7, with the PSP version becoming available a week earlier.
Click to expand...

#3 RC Cola, Jun 6, 2006
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RC Cola said:

City Life (PC)
Click to expand...

Did they just rip off Sim City?

RC Cola said:

NFL Head Coach (Multi)
Click to expand...

This is one of those lame ideas that could become potential best sellers (American Idol...). What next? Sportscenter for the 360?

You'd control NBA players for a scripted break away steal, followed by a dunk you'd have to control.

Watch as your highlight is screamed apart by Stephen A. Smith.

Camp out at Barry Bond's trashcan sifting out needles for the Sportscenter lab

Watch as your test results is screamed apart by Stephen A. Smith.

#4 Invisible Fan, Jun 6, 2006
Last edited: Jun 6, 2006
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DAMN! look at that City life game and how in depth the graphics are. You can zoom in so far. Almost looks like a whole new game.

#5 Uprising, Jun 6, 2006
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And 1 comes out today, gonna go check it out to see if its any good.

#6 WhoMikeJames, Jun 6, 2006
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NFL Head Coach looks pretty interesting to me. I think it'll be a game that I'll like, but I doubt it'll be a big hit.

#7 OldManBernie, Jun 6, 2006

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RC Cola - have you ever thought of writing a video games blog?

I'd definitely add it to my list of must see sites (I already goto IGN, Joysiq, and all the joystiq system-specific fanboy sites).

#8 halfbreed, Jun 6, 2006
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halfbreed said:

RC Cola - have you ever thought of writing a video games blog?
Click to expand...

I have and did. But I have had problems keeping up with them. I'll often just post a few times and then never update again. I was going to post some E3 impressions on my Myspace blog, but never got past the second day of events.

#9 RC Cola, Jun 6, 2006
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RC Cola said:

I have and did. But I have had problems keeping up with them. I'll often just post a few times and then never update again. I was going to post some E3 impressions on my Myspace blog, but never got past the second day of events.
Click to expand...

I hear ya. I guess you don't realize how hard it is to keep up with one until you try.

#10 halfbreed, Jun 6, 2006
RC Cola Member

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I think part of it was also the fact that few people actually knew about it, so I often got little to no views/comments, even on some of the more interesting topics. That kind of killed my desire to keep up with it. Part of the reason I wanted to blog was to give people another source of video game info, but that didn't seem to be working since no one knew (or cared) about it.

#11 RC Cola, Jun 6, 2006
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I wonder if Brain Age is worth it.

#12 Outlier, Jun 6, 2006
UTweezer Member

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city life looks like a poor man's simcity.

I'm finally surrendering to the temptation...xbox360...no ps3 for me. WII and 360!

anyways, i've heard even the new batches have cooling problems. Can i just get that aftermarket fan add-on? I really don't want to wait until '07 for the new 360 batches...

finally got an hd...32in lcd sharp aquos and it's begging for some ncaa football 07 action...

anyone want to buy a xbox (samsung drive) with a bunch of games...cheap?!

#13 UTweezer, Jun 6, 2006

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OldManBernie said:

NFL Head Coach looks pretty interesting to me. I think it'll be a game that I'll like, but I doubt it'll be a big hit.
Click to expand...

i agree man. my fav. part in franchise mode madden is the off season. this is the perfect game for me...

#14 Nice Rollin, Jun 6, 2006
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im gonna be first in line for motogp, the playable demo on xbox live is freaking amazing

#15 Shaji, Jun 6, 2006
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I'm planning on getting a DS lite when they come out on the 11th with Brain Age and Super Mario.

Hopefully Wal-Mart will have them at midnight because I'm leaving for Florida Saturday morning. Having one of those badboys for the drive would help.

#16 halfbreed, Jun 6, 2006
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halfbreed said:

I'm planning on getting a DS lite when they come out on the 11th with Brain Age and Super Mario.

Hopefully Wal-Mart will have them at midnight because I'm leaving for Florida Saturday morning. Having one of those badboys for the drive would help.
Click to expand...

Same as I. I'm getting Super Mario 64 DS and Mario Kart DS though.

#17 Outlier, Jun 6, 2006
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UTweezer said:

city life looks like a poor man's simcity.

I'm finally surrendering to the temptation...xbox360...no ps3 for me. WII and 360!

anyways, i've heard even the new batches have cooling problems. Can i just get that aftermarket fan add-on? I really don't want to wait until '07 for the new 360 batches...

finally got an hd...32in lcd sharp aquos and it's begging for some ncaa football 07 action...

anyone want to buy a xbox (samsung drive) with a bunch of games...cheap?!
Click to expand...

Definitely wait to see if you need that cooler or not. Test the 360 for a while; some people seem to still have problems but it seems to have died down a lot. Even the cooler seems hit or miss depending on who you ask.

Wait a while after you buy...you might not need to spend the money on the add on at all.

#18 Coach AI, Jun 7, 2006

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UTweezer said:

city life looks like a poor man's simcity.

I'm finally surrendering to the temptation...xbox360...no ps3 for me. WII and 360!

anyways, i've heard even the new batches have cooling problems. Can i just get that aftermarket fan add-on? I really don't want to wait until '07 for the new 360 batches...

finally got an hd...32in lcd sharp aquos and it's begging for some ncaa football 07 action...

anyone want to buy a xbox (samsung drive) with a bunch of games...cheap?!
Click to expand...

I got mine at Christmas and haven't really had a problem with cooling. As stated above, don't spend the money on it unless you're absolutely sure you'll need it.

#19 halfbreed, Jun 7, 2006
RC Cola Member

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3 reviews, including one game I didn't preview:

And 1 Streetball (Multi)
http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/sports/and1/review.html?sid=6152599

And1 Streetball fails to effectively capture the spirit of real life streetball.
The Good: Features most of your favorite And1 players; i-ball controls are unique.
The Bad: Core gameplay feels dated; animation looks and feels stilted; gameplay design doesn't reward team play; defense feels like an afterthought; voice work gets repetitive.
Click to expand...

Gameplay
5
Graphics
5
Sound
5
Value
5
Tilt
4
Overall
4.7
Click to expand...

4.7 at Gamespot, 47%-48% at Gamerankings

MotoGP 06 (360)
http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/712/712000p1.html

MotoGP 06 is a high-definition port of MotoGP 3, tweaked for online play on the Xbox 360. Visually, the game looks stunning, especially in HD, and the sound of the bikes is authentic -- just ask Climax's sound engineer. The gameplay is still the heart and soul of this franchise, no matter how good it looks. Taking corners at break-neck speeds, always risking life and limb for just an extra tenth of a second off your time is exhilarating. Because of this challenge, the appeal of the game lasts much longer as you always strive for a personal best time. Combine that with trying to top your friends' best times and you have a racer that will keep you coming back for more months down the road. While we would have liked to see more personality of the GP circuit and a few more gamemodes than what we saw in the previous installment of the franchise, MotoGP 06 remains a very impressive title on the Xbox 360.
Click to expand...

7.0 Presentation
Relatively long load times and almost identical game modes and options from MotoGP 3, but Climax does well to include a ton of unlockables and both the 2005 and 2006 season, currently underway.
8.5 Graphics
Amazing textures and lighting, even at a smooth 60 fps with several riders on the screen. Occasional problems like pop-in don't detract from one of the best looking racers on the console.
8.0 Sound
Authentic engine sounds for the motorcycle connoisseur. An average, forgettable techno soundtrack that you only hear in menu screens.
8.5 Gameplay
The heart and soul of the franchise, the excellent physics of each bike and the front and back braking will forever define this motorcycle simulation.
8.0 Lasting Appeal
A hefty amount of unlockables -- some of which should probably start unlocked -- as well as the Xbox Live leaderboard will keep MotoGP 06 in your console for a while.
8.4 Overall
Click to expand...

8.4 at IGN, ~82% at Gamerankings.

Point Blank DS (DS)

http://ds.ign.com/articles/712/712021p1.html

Point Blank DS is a little on the shallow side, but the designers do a decent enough job spreading out the fun into a handheld package. The touch-screen replacement for light gun control works surprisingly well - I'm not hanging my light gun back in the storage closet just yet, but at the very least Namco Bandai shows that there's a place for these arcade gun shooters on the DS, and perhaps if this is successful at retail we may see other touch-screen spin-offs like the Time Crisis series.
Click to expand...

7.0 Presentation
Perfect recreation of the PlayStation series, but it'll never reach its heights since it lacks the cool factor of blasting a gun.
7.0 Graphics
Solid and capable 2D environments that allow the level designers to produce some crazy challenges of a nice variety.
6.0 Sound
The game uses the same crazy music style of the other games in the series. It's a little blaring in places, but it does jazz things up.
7.5 Gameplay
The DS does a decent job mimicking the lightgun gameplay with the stylus. It's still challenging without it, but it's not quite as satisfying.
5.0 Lasting Appeal
You can shoot for your high score in all of the challenges and modes, and the VS. mode is pretty wild. But it's not a game with extended appeal...mostly just for quickshot gaming sessions.
7.0 Overall
Click to expand...

7.0 at IGN, 70% at Gamerankings. According to IGN, this game has a release date for tomorrow (June 13th), so not much of a wait for this game.

#20 RC Cola, Jun 12, 2006

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