Charles

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Hey, thanks for bringing this back, indifference. [CENTER][IMG]http://img314.imageshack.us/img314/1656/motivator3991614hm6.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER]

[quote name='DeadSeraphim][COLOR=Indigo][SIZE=1][FONT=Arial]Your thoughts?[/FONT][/SIZE'][/COLOR][/quote] I can sum up my reaction in one word: Crikey!

Once a week I get together with my good buddy Papa Smurf, we gather in his basement with some others and completely geek out. Each week the games we play seem to get older and older. This week, we politely pushed the Xbox 360 aside and revisited the Nintendo 64 classic Starfox 64. Starfox 64 has always been one of my favorite '64 games so I approached it with a little bit of trepidation. I never want to ruin my favorite childhood memories by finding out that they don't hold up well (see Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 movie). After all, much of Starfox's appeal was how cinematic its presentation was. Gliding across the ocean's surface in an Arwing, taking on massive bosses, and digitized voice acting really stood out when the game released. I also loved the branching paths and sharp controls. So, how did the game hold up? Surprisingly well. We logged in some multiplayer time, and we were pulling off the advanced maneuvers of yesterday with no problem (since they only involved pressing two buttons simultaneously). At first the game didn't seem too promising. There were only two sparsely-designed maps to choose from and the option to play on-foot is completely useless. Like most N64 games, the visuals haven't held up too well. Everything is extremely blurry and there's plenty of fog coating the landscape. But the core dog fighting experience has remained very responsive and enjoyable. So, my verdict is that Starfox 64 has stood the test of time and remains one of the best console shooters available. If anyone else has a copy of Starfox 64 and wants to join in on the retro-revisit, or if you simply have some fond memories, feel free to contribute your opinions. Next week, we'll be sharing our not-so-positive analysis of the not so perfect, Perfect Dark 64.

[quote name='PaganAngel']I don't appreciate that sarcasm... this is the first time I've been able to get online in a while, and then Otaku explodes. Excuse me for being a little frustrated.[/quote] [CENTER][IMG]http://blog.mediacatalyst.com/images/seriousbusiness.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER]

[QUOTE=DeathKnight][color=crimson]*starts up some group therapy* So.. tell me you guys, how are you feeling? OB is back, I know, but I know we all went through some tough times the last twenty four hours. Just.. don't hold back, let it out. Let the healing begin.[/color][/QUOTE] I touched myself.

[quote name='Panda']Did you know there are states where it is legal (or at least use to be a couple of years ago) to de-scent skunks and keep them as pets? The question is what vet do they get to do this job?! I know I wouldnt' want to be anywhere near that surgical suite! Ewww, stinky![/quote] When I was little my neighbors had a de-scented skunk as a pet. From what I remember, it was basically just like having a pet cat.

[quote name='Ikillion][COLOR=#99121c][SIZE=1][FONT=Comic Sans MS]About the saving system though, I think it said somewhere in the manual that there were more places than that one bed to save at, but so far I haven't been able to find anything. It sucks.[/FONT][/SIZE'][/COLOR][/quote] Look on the map. Wherever you see a big, bold "S" you can save. Typically save points are located in bathrooms. You see, the system is less than ideal though because you're only given one save point. Because you're working within such a rigid schedule-based system, where you can totally screw up if you're not completing a task on time, you're pretty much screwed if you accidentally save a game where you don't have enough time to reach one of the primary case files. At that point, if you want to see the real ending and unlock other modes, you have to restart the game. You get to keep your stats, but it's still a problem. I've never suffered from a bad save, but it's something I shouldn't have to worry about at this point. And that comic is basically so true that it's hardly a parody. I can be carrying a survivor on my back through a horde of zombies and Otis will chastize me for cutting him off because it's "rude."

Like it or lump it.

See, Just Cause is kind of odd. Categorically, I have a difficult time putting my finger on whether the game is very mediocre or quite good. The lush jungle environment looks attractive and the water is simply gorgeous. But at the same time everything is very lifeless and sterile. The character models are blocky, unattractive, and animate poorly. As much beauty as there is in the game, there is a sense of averageness that pervades everything. In one scene, for instance, the helicopter I was piloting was blown up, and my character simply fell straight down out of it like a statue. I have a feeling that if it were not for standard technical effects inherent to the Xbox 360 or a good PC, the game would not look very good at all. There is little artistic style or attention to detail. The parachuting and free falling segments are a blast, but at the same time, I hate the on-foot shooting. Perhaps this will change in the final retail version of the game, but for some reason, Rico can take hundreds of bullets while barely suffering any damage. Also, while I love the James Bond-esque diversity in the vehicles and mission structure, I felt that the handling of some vehicles could use a bit of work. The controls felt a bit awkward to me, like everything else in the game. So, I'd say that as impressed as I want to be, and as much as I love certain aspects of the gameplay that the developers have introduced, I don't think any of it is pulled off well enough to make the game truly memorable. Hopefully the final version will contradict the impression I got from the demo.

Man, two (well, three if you count the one I closed) Xbox 360 game threads in one day. Awesome. The cool thing about Dead Rising is that it sort of reminds me of the very start of Resident Evil 4 when all of the villagers are pursuing Leon. Although the zombies in Dead Rising are slow and stupid in comparison to the villagers, the general sense of urgency and madness is there. What I'm most impressed with is how the developers balanced the silliness with compelling drama. One minute you're putting a Serve Bot head on a zombie, and the next moment you're sitting through a really well-told cut scene. Dead Rising is probably the best-acted zombie game I've played--and that surprised me. The replay value is great too. I love how you can't really see everything the first time through, and how new modes open up once you've completed the main story. There are also a ton of secret weapons and nice little touches you can find (like mixing ingredients to impact your spit's deadliness). I also got a kick out of the "Jill's Sandwiches" store in the mall. heh Some people have complained about the time restraints, but without that focus, I find that the game's fun wears out pretty fast. I couldn't really bear playing through infinite mode for too long. I did find the radio conversations awkwardly executed since you cannot attack or carry other characters while talking. Lastly, it's confirmed: the archaic save system sucks. Otherwise, Dead Rising is great and much better than I expected and it did a good job of capturing the feel of a zombie movie. I even thought that the achievements were much better implemented than in most 360 games.

I agree 100%. They even ripped off of the "Paint N' Spray" by having you drive through a "Forgive and Forget." Honestly, the lack of originality is really disheartening and hardly what I call "next gen." Basically it's just plagiarism-- a higher resolution version of GTA with some better basic fundamentals. The create-a-character seems like a step in the right direction until you find out your character never speaks. Other games have at least allowed you to choose a unique voice, even if the lines are the same for all created characters. So, the story telling seems really primitive next to what GTA has evolved into. If this kind of stealing becomes the standard then I'll be even more relieved when the Wii hits its stride. At least there are some truly fun and original games on the 360 for now, like Dead Rising (in terms of execution, not concept).

From what I've played of the game (which is admittedly very little) it played more or less exactly like Grand Theft Auto 3. On a whole it seems very far behind the GTA franchise. But, it did seem like an improved core GTA engine at the very least. I love how the map is set up and it guides you to your next destination. I'm also fond of the hand-to-hand combat engine; I find it vastly superior to GTA's. The control and animation are much more fluid. There are some nice touches with the pedestrian AI too. I attempted to kill one woman and she climbed a fence just to escape. The gangster humor seemed really forced and annoying though. But, then again, so did the blatant copycatting. At least this game is a competent alternative though, unlike most of the other games that have tried to steal from GTA. So, I can respect that. Anyway, it's nice to see a thread on here about an Xbox 360 game for once. I'm always hesitant to make them myself because I assumed no one else here had a 360.

Neither Gears of War nor the Nintendo Wii have been released. Generally, Gears of War is played by Cliffy B during public demonstations and it's been confirmed that a demo won't be releasing before the game. So, you're not going to find anyone here who has played it. The game itself hits 11/07 this year in the US. The Wii is probably going to be released sometime in November and it'll definitely cost $250 or less. In the future, let's keep questions like this regulated to the official threads. Thanks.

[CENTER][IMG]http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/2453/lostdreamscc6ep0.gif[/IMG][/CENTER] [FONT=Tahoma] [CENTER][B][color=white][size=4]The Teams[/size][/color][/B][/CENTER] [color=blue]Angel Land: [B]Papa Smurf, White[/B] Raccoon City: [B]JJ, Darren, Leon Fury[/B] Kingdom Hearts: [B]Sakura, Hinata[/B] Hyrule: [B]DeadSeraphim, The Boss[/B] Mushroom Kingdom: [B]Gavin, Revelation[/B] Pac Man: [B]Shy[/B] [color=white]All right, these are the teams I have come up with based on the sign-ups. If I have forgotten anyone, drop me a private message. As it stands, these people will categorically be responsible for telling their portions of the story. I would have ideally preferred to have three people on each team. So, if any of you want to pull double-duty and be included in another part of the story as well--private message me with that also. Or, if White wants to make an Underground thread, we can discuss some details in there. But, right now, I will post a short intro to the story and private message both White and Papa Smurf some plot points. It will be up to them to communicate and discuss how they wish to work them out. If one of you wants to handle the first series of plot points, then that's fine. If you want to split them and work together to make a cohesive narrative, then that's fine as well. It's all up to you guys. I will private message you both different plot points, so it's important that you share them with one another so you can both fully understand what's going on.[/color] [CENTER][B][color=black][size=4]The Story Begins[/size][/color][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/7280/angellandcopygd5.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [CENTER] [/CENTER] [SIZE=4][color=red]E[/color][/SIZE]lla loved her dad but didn?t really get to see him very much. He was always inventing characters, making movies, [COLOR=White]making magic[/COLOR]. She wasn?t purposely angry with him for being absent--how could she be? Ella admired her father and felt sincerely happy for him when they attended the premiere of his latest journey (that?s what he called his films--?journeys?). But Ella often became lonely and sometimes even wished that there was room for her on his journeys. After all, she felt that a journey was only meaningfuly if it eventually led home. [SIZE=3]And then she got her wish.[/SIZE] Ella would never forget [SIZE=3][B]that day[/B].[/SIZE] When her father brought home [SIZE=4][B]that game[/B][/SIZE]. On that day, [SIZE=4][COLOR=White]everything changed[/COLOR][/SIZE]. [B][COLOR=Black]Black clouds[/COLOR] [/B] swarmed overhead. They looked like phantoms patrolling the heavens. Raindrops relentlessly fell like daggers insulting the land underneath their torrent. Everything was finally coming back together. Ella?s body felt like it was on fire; she was so disoriented she couldn?t even cry. Instead she choked on her anguish. Her throat burned and she felt as if she was going to vomit. Ella didn?t know what to think; [SIZE=3][COLOR=White]she couldn?t think[/COLOR][/SIZE]. Panic and confusion shackled Ella?s feet and smothered her words. All she could do was gasp desperately and try to make some sense of the chaos that was plucking away at her sanity. One moment she had been in the safety of her home, and the next cast into the [B][COLOR=Red]belly of chaos[/COLOR][/B]. She was breathless. Finally her bottom lip quivered, tears welled up in her eyes, and the solitary silhouette let out a long pitiful sob. ?[SIZE=1]Dad[/SIZE],? she said. There was no answer. ?[SIZE=1]Dad[/SIZE], [SIZE=3]where are you[/SIZE],? she said. The silence that answered back was the only thing that assured Ella that the world had no completely gone to nonsense, because Ella was [COLOR=White][B]undeniably alone[/COLOR][/B]. [COLOR=Black]Or so she thought.[/COLOR] Through the veil of darkness Ella heard the wimper of a young child. She called out to it. "Hello," she said, "Please come out. Please, what's wrong?" The wimper evolved into a soft cry. "Really," she said, "Don't be scared. Please do come out. Are you lost? I've lost my way too." Suddenly the cries of [COLOR=White][SIZE=3]many children[/SIZE] [/COLOR] manifested themselves all around her. The cries reached such a pitch that they become unbearable. Ella's legs buckled; she fell to her knees and clutched her head. Through the darkness several ghoulish figures appeared. They looked like shadows, they had no discernable featues, save for two expressionless eyes that glowed like dying stars in the[B] [COLOR=Black]darkest of nights[/COLOR][/B]. [/color][/font]

You don't use them in the main quest. However, there are definitely a lot of really cool weapons and pieces of armor that you can find, so they sort of make up for it.

Man,looking at that first post, the thread title is perfect. No one is going to read all that and it's probably best to keep this topic regulated to the official Sony Playstation 3 thread since there won't be a diverse enough response to justify this sub-discussion. Thanks.

Let's keep all this restricted to the PS3 thread. Realistcally very few of the regulars here will be able to afford one at launch. It seems like most people here don't even have an Xbox 360. So, discussing this in the official thread is probably the most prudent thing to do.

[QUOTE=Bláse][size=1][color=slategray]Err... Anyway. The squirrels are sure as hell going to hear it. More than likely, that was their damn home. And if you don't consider squirrels to count as part of "no one", then that's racist and I'm calling PETA on your ***.[/color][/size][/QUOTE] Hm, being an anti-squirrel person, it sounds to me like you're[B] barking up the wrong tree[/B] with that argument. haha! [quote name='Fasteriskhead']I see no meaning in trying to rewrite everything I've said in this thread just so you can then call the rewrites equally incomprehensible, declare victory, and give yourself a big pat on the back for taking down another "pseudo-philosopher." [/quote] Hey, come on FosterKid, you shouldn't give up and let Papa Smurf walk all over you like a pair of [b]Timber[/b]land boots. Pull out your [b]trunk[/b] card. After all, he lives in a mushroom hut so he's not a tree expert!

[quote name='Generic NPC #3']I wanted to love this game. I really did. For quite a long time I thought it would be interesting if Zelda or Peach got their own titles and for one of them that day finally came. I thought the whole emotional outburst idea was intriguing, even if you have to wonder why they only thought of it for a game featuring a female character..[/quote] He's BACK! [CENTER][IMG]http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/7429/catdancexl1.gif[/IMG][/CENTER]

Man, this thread has [B]branched[/b] off into a very heated debate that's sure to [B]leaf[/b] a bad taste in everyone's mouths. Who [b]wood[/b] have guessed it? Can we all just agree that trees speak Spanish when no one's around and call it a thread?

[quote name='Shinmaru']Awesome Macho Man reference[/quote] [CENTER][IMG]http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/9485/2066625932befeb1ca2odw0eg7.gif[/IMG][/CENTER]

Let's put it this way: it's dead, it's meat--I like it. I've always had a preference for Slim Jims though--especially the kind packaged with cheese. There's usually a mysterious grease slathered over everything that sweetens the deal.

I fully endorse this game. Now that it is only $19.99, all of you should jump on it. Dragon Quest VIII is utterly fantastic in every way. The voice acting is perfect, the sweeping orchestrated score is superb, the graphics are among the best in the genre, and the gameplay is a blissful throwback to 16 bit RPGs. Exploring the well-crafted dungeons that populate Dragon Quest VIII was great fun after suffering through an almost complete lack of them this generation. The fact that this thread has so few replies while the Kingdom Hearts thread has so many is understandable (since KH appeals to casuals to easily) but it's still a tragedy nonethless. From a gameplay standpoint DQ destroys KH, but even from a storytelling perspective it completely trounces KH. The characters are so genuine and endearing that it's impossible not to love them. And you get to ride on the back of a giant cat. :smooch: Absolutely brilliant game.

Gavin--after you purchased the system did you allow the battery to drain and then charge it up all the way? Also, take note that the higher the screen brightness you use, the faster the battery is going to drain.