Unfettered Blather

The January list is going to seem quite flooded. This is due to me being flush with “Christmas Cash” in which I go about and get titles that I know I will not receive at Christmas no matter how much I ask. This year is a little different still as I am busily snapping up titles on the older platforms before they disappear forever. Besides which, they are wicked cheap. You can get about 6 used titles for the X-Box for the cost of one new X-Box 360 game. That’s a deal that’s a little too hard to pass up. However, adding even more to the game acquisition inflation is that I finally got myself an X-Box 360, which was long overdue. The last time I attempted to purchase the 360 I realized I would never be home to play it, which was about two years ago. Busy traveling and doing little gaming, I didn’t even consider it last year. The time was finally right, and I am now the proud owner of a 360 sporting a 120 GB hard drive.

BEST OF THE MONTH

1. Crackdown (X360)
   As much angst as I suffered with Saint’s Row, this turns out to be the game I should have bought. I’d rather be a super-powered police officer cleaning up the streets then some thug terrorizing civilians. I also really like that you’re not forced to do side missions like you do in Saint’s Row.
2. Guitar Hero (PS2)
   It’s not quite as good as Guitar Hero II and the difficulty with some of the notes actually makes it inferior to Rock the 80’s despite the limited song list of that game. Even so, it still stands above the competition for sheer fun factor.
3. Super Mario Bros. 3 (Wii)
   Another Wii Virtual Console game, this seems like a natural for download. Super Mario Bros. 3 has been the gold standard for platform games and it really ruined the genre for me until Ratchet and Clank. Regardless of its age, I played this a couple of years ago on the Gameboy Advance and it was just as good as I remembered it. Certainly not something I could pass up on the Wii where I can play it on the TV like the old days. It’s actually a bit inferior to its Gameboy Advance counterpart in some respects, like the save system, but it’s every bit as good as its original NES incarnation.
4. Saint’s Row (X360)
   I’m always a sucker for sandbox games, but they also have the potential for being some of the worst games out there. Fortunately, Saint’s Row has been an enjoyable game despite the thug motif, which I just don’t care for. Even so, the game has me on pure momentum, there is just enough to do to keep me interested. Much has been made about how this games owes a lot to the Grand Theft Auto series, which is true, but I am thankful they have fixed some of the major design flaws of the GTA series while it is at it.
5. Urban Chaos (XBX)
   A very solid shooter that just didn’t quite get the credit it probably deserved. There are some little design quirks about the game, but it still is far better than the disappointing Black. For one thing, you don’t have to unload an entire magazine of an assault rifle to kill one guy. It’s challenging without going overboard on the frustration level and it makes good use of teamwork, though as some of the reviews note that the allied AI’s do occasionally get in the way. Unfortunately, it is not currently backwards compatible with the X-Box 360, which is a bummer.
6. Chromehounds (X360)
   I loves me some giant robots! Anyone who liked the Mechwarrior series should probably be able to appreciate this. Of course, it plays even slower than Mechwarrior, with your “Hound” literally plodding across the landscape. Still, it’s a nice showcase of what the 360 can do. I’ve read the complaints about bad graphics and whatnot, which really just shows me how quickly gamers can get spoiled. When I unleashed a torrential rain of lead on an opponent and was blinded by my own muzzle flash while also seeing a shower of brass casings falling from my ‘bot, I was hooked. It certainly is not the best robot game I’ve ever played but it is the best robot game I’ve played all year.
7. Star Wars: Jedi Knight Academy (XBX)
   This is a surprisingly rare title, but was well worth the hunt. I’d played it before on the PC, and it only qualifies for the list because this is a different platform. It’s not as solid on the lightsaber combat as previous versions, but it’s still a fun little jaunt through the Star Wars universe, and the first title that not only lets you have a custom lightsaber but now you can dual-wield or use a double-bladed lightsaber a la Darth Maul. Not only that, but there is a fun little Tremors homage in one mission that I enjoyed the hell out of. The customer character options are so disappointing it’s not even clear why they bothered though.
8. Justice League Heroes (XBX)
   Really just another game in the same vein as Shrek 2, Sonic Heroes, X-Men Legends, and Marvel Ultimate Alliance, except it only lets you have half as many characters to control and it has less content as well. It’s a decent game, just not a great one. Really a shame, because the DC Universe hasn’t gotten much in the way of good games and this would have been a great showcase for them.
9. Boom Boom Rocket (X360)
   This was bundled with the 360, and it’s kind of a neat little rhythm game if you like that sort of thing.
10. Uno (X360)
    This came with the 360, and it’s not a bad card game, but there’s not much to it either. If you love playing card games by yourself on your super powerful game console, then it’s probably fantastic. Otherwise it’s just kind of dull and nowhere near as entertaining as playing with real cards against real people. No, X-Box Live does not count!

WORST OF THE MONTH

1. Yaris (X360)
   A free download from X-Box Live Arcade, it’s a pretty low quality sci-fi shooter that features the various Toyota Yaris models in the lead role. It’s done in the same style as the silly, but oddly effective, Yaris commercials I’d see in the theaters before a movie starts. It’s not really a great game and it would have been more amusing to have a simple racing game between Yaris models that this half-brained shooter.

GAME OF THE MONTH Crackdown
I’m always on the lookout for a good “sandbox” style game and Crackdown delivers better than any I’ve played so far. This might even be better than Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction. The game is fairly straightforward, there aren’t a ton of side missions but I don’t miss that. Even better, there are no forced side missions like there are in Saint’s Row which makes you do them in order to complete the main game. I also like playing as the good guys for a change. Beyond that, I like how you use the environment to your advantage, especially as your character becomes more powerful. Think of this game as Mercenaries, the Incredible Hulk, and Spider-Man 2 all rolled into one.

BEST SO FAR

1. Crackdown
   One hell of a debut, but it’s only January and if nothing else Mercenaries 2 will be coming out in the Spring.
2. Guitar Hero: Rock the 80’s (PS2)
3. Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (GCN)
4. Guitar Hero (PS2)
5. Super Mario Bros. 3 (Wii)
6. Wii Sports (Wii)
   Our first casualty, Wii Sports drops 3 points on the list.
7. Saint’s Row (X360)
8. Urban Chaos (XBX)
9. Red Steel (Wii)
   Already dropped by 5 points and I’ve still got some strong games that haven’t passed a decent evaluation. I don’t see this game in the top ten by the end of the year.
10. Chromehounds (X360)

WORST SO FAR

1. Carnival Games (Wii)
   Here’s a distinction, being the worst game so far of 2008 in the month of January. It’s a new year and there’s plenty of time to find games even worse than this. On the other hand I am kind of hoping that I won’t do worse than a game my non-gaming mom bought for my kids at Christmas that cost me nothing. Then again, even without any money out of my pocket this game is worse in my opinion than Uno or Yaris, two other games that also cost me nothing and had much less to them than this one.
2. Yaris (X360)
   This feels like a harsh denouncement of what is really just a cheaply made marketing gimmick. I actually feel bad putting the game as the #2 worst so far, but it is.
3. Uno (X360)
   It’s just too simplistic to compete against other games I’ve purchased so far. About the only thing I can say is that the cards look great!
4. Boom Boom Rocket (X360)
   It’s kind of a neat rhythm game that uses fireworks instead of music as it’s purpose for existence. I found it kind of charming, but not a whole lot to it unless you’re just a big fireworks fan. Unlocking new fireworks just doesn’t seem like a big hook to me either.
5. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
   This will upset some people, but keep in mind the year is still young. It’s not a bad game, it’s just not a strong enough game to overcome it’s platformer roots. I think it tries to hard to make something of the Wii Remote instead of focusing on being a quality platformer and it also comes across as very tedious. I’ve been told the game is only as tedious as you make it, but I usually find platformers to be a lot of work. There are some neat concepts in there as well. I suspect as the year goes on this game will drop off this list, but it’s definitely out of the running for top-ten consideration as well.
6. Excitebike (Wii)
   It absolutely pains me to see this game on the list as it is one of my favorites, but it just doesn’t stack up against some newer offerings. I think Excitebike underpins one of the weaknesses with the Wii’s Virtual Console offerings in that some of these older games have just not aged well. You can have a game like Super Mario Bros. 3 that is still able to stand on its own when compared against modern games, but then you have Excitebike that was truly a one trick pony. Sure, it was a really enjoyable one, but it’s the kind of game that has flaws you simply cannot ignore. Still, I am eager to see this game drop off this list.
7. Justice League Heroes (XBX)
   Not a bad game, just a mediocre game, and sure to fade off into that in-between group between the best and worst.
8. Star Wars: Jedi Knight Academy (XBX)
   Like Justice League Heroes, not a bad game, just not a great game. I like it, Jedi Academy definitely has some uniqueness to it that makes it worth owning, but it just doesn’t quite compete. Destined to drop off this list I’m sure.

UNDETERMINED
This list is a bit longer than it will be usually. Between trying to acquire a bunch of titles before they disappear on the older platforms and also purchasing an X-Box 360 I am flooded with new games. Hopefully by next month’s updates these will all be placed.

• Battalion Wars (GCN)
  This one fell off the radar a little bit. After finally finishing the second mission I haven’t really picked it back up since. I’m racing through Justice League Heroes right now and I think I’ll pick this one back up once I get through some of the shorter games I’m currently playing.
• Call of Duty 3 (Wii)
  Very recent purchase, and so far unimpressed. Although I know this game came out before the Wii Zapper, due to the game control mechanics you can’t use the Wii Zapper with it. Another game that is trying to hard to use the Wii controls. Not looking good so far.
• Feeding Frenzy (X360)
  Came free with the X-Box 360. I don’t have high hopes.
• Luxor 2 (X360)
  Came free with the X-Box 360. Some kind of puzzle game? Don’t see it holding my interest. I can count on one hand the number of puzzle games that ever managed to get any traction with me. Even then, I can’t bring myself to play Bejeweled 2 on the X-Box, so what chance does this have?
• Pac-Man Championship Edition (X360)
  Another free game with the X-Box 360, I’m wondering how many versions of Pac-Man we can possibly have in this life. I will probably play this game just to see what it’s like.
• Road Trip: Arcade Edition (GCN)
  I feel like such a sucker for getting this game. The original Road Trip on the PS2 was a fun little free-form racing and RPG game. Sound odd? It kind of was, but ridiculously fun. I had been meaning to pick up the Gamecube version for awhile but now you can’t find it. I didn’t realize when I bought this that it was essentially just the racing and mini-games. It might still be fun, especially for the kids, but I really should pay more attention to the description in the future.
• Rygar (PS2)
  Rygar was one of my favorite games of all time. I can’t even remember which platform it was, NES? The arcade version was awesome to. I never picked up the updated PS2 version for many reasons, a lot of it was just bad timing. I’m glad to finally add this to my library, I really hope it doesn’t suck!
• Skies of Arcadia: Legends (GCN)
  A lesson in irony. I wouldn’t sell my Dreamcast until certain titles were either ported onto newer consoles or had sequels made to them. Skies of Arcadia was one of those, and yet I just now bought it for the Gamecube. I never played the old Dreamcast version that much so I don’t feel like it qualifies for placement just yet. The kids are playing it for the first time and like it so far.
• Star Wars: Republic Commando (XBX)
  The whole Rainbow Six “Tactical FPS” thing just never caught on with me. They were always fun up to a point. I think a lot of it was frustration though since I usually felt like I was working with some kind of mentally handicapped monkeys rather than elite soldiers. AI has definitely gotten better over the years, but “realistic” shooters just seem to be more work than fun, which is not something that has to be that way. I think I bypassed this game unfairly because of the style of shooter it is. I’ve gone past the first mission so far and it’s been enjoyable enough. It’s a solid shooter even without the Star Wars setting. It’s like someone mixed in Halo, Star Wars, Metroid Prime, and Rainbow Six together, and actually did it right.
• Ultimate Spider-Man (XBX)
  Really I was looking for a “Sandbox” style game without re-purchasing Spider-Man 2. I saw Spider-Man 3 was getting poor reviews and everyone seemed to love this game. Really more for the kids, I’ve played it a little and like it so far.
• Virtual On Marz (PS2)
  This is where my love of giant robots works against me. I liked Virtual On in the Arcade, but the Dreamcast version was very disappointing, largely because it couldn’t mimic the control scheme of the arcade where you had two joysticks to control your robot. So far this version controls like a bastardization of the Dreamcast and arcade controls, which I don’t understand since the Dual Shock controller is perfectly capable of recreating the arcade controls. Not very impressed so far. Worse, I’ve read extensive reviews and I bought this game anyway. No one to blame but myself here.

REBUYS
It happens. From time-to-time I trade in a game I wish I had kept or because I needed the money. I wasn’t always as financially stable as I am today and trade-ins often made me able to continue the hobby. Unfortunately, some games I wish I had kept after all. With the older platforms phased out this represents a now or nothing approach to buying some of these old titles.

• Ratchet and Clank (PS2)
  This is an odd duck. I don’t remember ever trading it in. I lent it to my Dad and possibly my Brother-in-Law, but could swore I got it back. Anyway, the only platformer I’ve liked since Super Mario Bros. 3, and it led me to trying other platform games but I decided I just didn’t care for the genre still. Not even the sequels could pull me back in. This is also a big hit with the boys and always has been so they were happy to see it back. In fact, it’s gotten more play time with the kids than Super Mario Galaxy.
• Red Faction II (XBX)
  A hat trick game, this is my third time buy. Originally I bought this on the PS2, and it was one of those games I decided I needed to have on the X-Box instead. Somewhere in there I traded-in the X-Box version. Anyway, it was super cheap to get again and it is a solid shooter. It’s no Halo killer, but I think it really does capture a lot of the core gameplay that I think a good shooter should.
• Soul Calibur II (XBX)
  As embarrassing as this is to admit, this is my third time to buy this title. Originally traded in because I needed the money and had played the hell out of it, I rebought it around the same time I bought Soul Calibur III. I was so bitterly disappointed with Soul Calibur III that I traded in this game when I returned SC3! The clerk even tried to talk me out of trading this game back in, which I admit now was a mistake. I still plan on getting this game for the Gamecube though, just to play as Link!
• Test Drive: Eve of Destruction (XBX)
  Probably the only game made in the Test Drive series that is worth playing, the jury is still out on Test Drive Unlimited. Oddly enough, I believe it is the same engine as Test Drive that was released earlier for the same generation of platforms. Some tweaking and graphical improvements, the engine actually works as a demolition derby redneck racer. Truly another game that shows its strength by getting me to play subject matter I don’t care for. I’m no fan of Demolition Derbies or Dirt Track racing, but love this game. I have no idea why I ever traded it in.
• Timesplitters 2 (XBX)
  This is like the 3rd or 4th time I’ve bought this game. It’s an unfortunate victim of my short-term memory. I keep forgetting why the game is great for some reason. It has excellent replay value and even holds up well compared to more recent shooters. Not a huge sacrifice though, you can find the X-Box version for $3 used at Gamestop.
• Timesplitters: Future Perfect (XBX)
  A decent, though not great, follow-up to Timesplitters 2. I finished the game quickly enough that I got a great deal on the trade-in. It was one of my infamous “Buy it on sale and trade it in for more than I bought it for” deals. Not worth it overall though, because this was a game worth having.

JANUARY STATISTICS -
Average Cost: $12.77
Gamecube - 2 Titles (7.4%)
Playstation 2 - 4 Titles (14.8%)
Wii - 2 Titles (7.4%)
X-Box - 10 Titles (37.0%)
X-Box 360 - 9 Titles (33.3%)

STATISTICS SO FAR -
Average Cost: $14.37 per game
Gamecube - 4 Titles (11.1%)
Playstation 2 - 6 Titles (16.7%)
Wii - 7 Titles (19.4%)
X-Box - 10 Titles (27.8%)
X-Box 360 - 9 Titles (25.0%)

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.