That's the funny thing about the marketing aspect... I saw commercials on TV all the time for both the system and games for the system (remember the 9/9/99 deal?) It is completely beyond me why more people didn't buy one.
The only thing I can think of is that they were taking the Sega Saturn as an indication of what the console was going to be like. For what it's worth, the Saturn's library as a whole was rather horrible, however the games that were good were REALLY good.
Honestly, I bet that if Sega started to resell them for say....$50 dollars...they would still be able to sell a lot of them. ESPECIALLY given the user-created content that is available for it.
Don't get me wrong, I really want it too...but when you get right down to it, it's still Halo. It can't possibly stray too far from the first two games, otherwise it would piss off too many people.
I'm sure it will be a great game, it's just that it doesn't really seem to be introducing anything spectacularly new...I know, I know, the whole "reserve judgment until after you have played it" deal...still, I think it's reasonable to expect it to be More of the Same(TM), just (much) prettier.
Personally, I hope the next story arch they make a series out of is a tactical shooter similar to Full Spectrum Warrior...now THAT would be sweet.
Sorry, but I gotta agree with the "swap location" group...I find that I have to actually stretch my thumb slightly to use a Playstation controller as opposed to simply resting my hand as it falls on the xbox/360/gamecube controller...I also find that my hand gets fatigued quicker on a Playstation controller than it does on either of the others.
Anytime I have to adjust how my hands naturally rest on a controller into a position where I have to use muscle control to KEEP them in that position...yeah, that's what they call a bad design.
Sorry...It's just my initial reaction whenever I read or hear someone talking about how great the system is and then Halo 3 is the game that gets mentioned...twas a similar situation with the first Xbox 8D
Halo 3 looks fun and all, but there are far more exciting things coming out for the system than Halo 3...
Mass Effect, Too Human, Fable 2, the next Burnout game, the Warhammer RTS, the next Splinter Cell, the Orange Box, Condemned: Criminal Origins, Fallout 3...
Seriously. There is WAY more coming out for the system than Halo 3...why do people keep focusing on just that?
What makes you think Mass Effect will appeal to Bioshock players? They are both entirely different games...not even in the same genre...at it's core, Bioshock is an FPS. At it's core, Mass Effect is an RPG/Over the Shoulder Tactical Shooter hybrid...
To comment on the cliffhanger ending of Halo 2, I thought it was perfectly done. It was the right moment in the storyline to stop the game, and it allows for the PERFECT set up for Halo 3.
That being said, I think the best cliffhanger in a game ever was at the end of Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance...seriously. No other game had me shouting NEARLY as loudly at the TV "WHAT HAPPENS?!?!?!?!" than that game.
I figured the Revolution/Wii was going to do well, but I never imagined it would do THIS well.
I just hope that the 8th gen consoles that Sony and Microsoft put out don't try to emulate the Wii with motion controls (which Sony is already semi-guilty for with their 7th gen machine) That would be really bad...innovation, people! (Yes I am aware that innovation and coming up with something original is harder to do than to say...no, I have no idea what they should do to innovate...if I knew, don't you think I would be working for one of them instead of working in a call center?)
As far as PC's outdoing the 360...well I mean that's par for the course, isn't it? Typically when a console is released, it offers better graphics and more power than it's computer counterparts....generally within a couple months (and in some cases, before the console even launches) the pc has already surpassed it's abilities...Oblivion in 1080P still doesn't look nearly as good as it does on the PC in the same resolution. This isn't a new development, this is just how things have generally worked for a long time.
And you know what? So long as PC gaming requires upgrades every 6 months-1 year (and expensive upgrades at that), the market will NEVER be as big as console gaming.
Mass Effect won't be the next Halo, because they are entirely different games...I know this doesn't necessarily apply to EVERYONE, but generally the people that I see that are Halo-obsessed are what I refer to as "Madden Gamers"...I highly doubt I really need to explain that one to you...
Mass Effect is being developed by Bioware, and if their track record is any indication it's going to be an amazing game.
While I agree with you that they are likely correct in saying that 5 years will be the lifespan, don't accept what one company says about another's products as being the truth.
You wouldn't believe Microsoft if they had said prior to it's release that the PS3 was going to not do nearly as well as Sony thought, would you?
There is one thing you are forgetting, my dear AC. Microsoft TELLS it's users that they are getting screwed over. Apple attempts to hide it underneath a shiny, plastic exterior.
Honestly, the only horror series really worth watching in the last 10-20 years have been the saw films...not just because they are exploitation flicks, but because they actually do put some effort into a storyline as opposed to just slash n gash...
Most of the great horror movies came around in the 70's/early 80's though...the aformentioned Gates of Hell trilogy, Evil Dead (NOT Army of Darkness, only the first two films) Suspiria, Zombie (or Zombi 2 if you are a purist), Cannibal Holocaust, etc.
It's a shame...in a way, having all this advanced moviemaking technology has in my opinion been detrimental to the horror genre in every way. Although, I will say, Rob Zombie's Halloween is AWESOME...I like that he didn't really try to do a remake (similar to Psycho), he actually took the storyline and made it his own...along with nods to the original movie. It had the same atmosphere and "feel" as the original Halloween.
I suppose I'm allowing my own viewpoint to cloud my judgement...I am a hardcore gamer through and through.
Now, when I say hardcore gamer, I don't mean I have a specific way my games have to be and that you suck and that I'm the best and all that noise. What I mean is, Gaming is more or less my only hobby. I dabble a little bit in plinking away with rifles, but overall gaming is my thing. As a result, I try to immerse myself in as many games as possible, the company be damned.
My parents always told me my largest setback was not being able to differentiate myself from others when it came to my opinion:-)
True, but for many games that came out on 360 originally and would later be ported to the PC, you need a PC that is FAR FAR more expensive than a 360. Now, if you are an avid PC gamer that is irrelevant because chances are you have kept your system in tip-top shape. Not everyone is able to do that however, and for many people simply buying the console (for a minor sacrifice in image quality and possible "mod" community) is a better buy.
I won't ever tell someone they are dumb for not buying a console, but if their sole reason for not buying a console is simply because of the manufacturer....that is plain silly to me.
See, again, examples like your "blood diamond" example are just plain stupid because it's an entirely different industry selling an entirely different product.
I own consoles from Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony so that I can play the games that I want regardless of what system they are on...if there are no games that I want to play on a system, then guess what...I won't buy it. As a general rule, I wait until there are at least 5 games on a system that I want to play before I buy it. Regardless of which company developed it though, if there are at least 5 games on a system that I want to play, then I know that my investment (to me, anyway) will be worth it.
You aren't even comparing apples to oranges. You are comparing apples to post-it notes...not even in the same category.
As far as Halo is concerned, I enjoyed it, but I wouldn't include it in any of my "best games" lists...That said, Halo 3 is supposed to be the end of the current story arc. They will most likely continue to produce the games, just at a different point in the storyline. As it stands, Halo has an OK story universe...it does have the potential to be a large and vast world, it just hasn't really reached that point.
I'm not tired of hearing about Halo, but I hate the kind of following it has...Halo fanboys remind me of Apple fanboys...If it isn't Halo (Apple), then it sucks.
Mass Effect, Fable 2, and Team Fortress 2 are definately at the top of my list for the games I am looking forward to the most...
Having a limited budget is not the same thing as saying "well, this company sucks, so I won't play any games released on their system." As a gamer, that is a rather foolish mentality. Unless you want to stick with PC games (in which case you are mostly stuck with Microsoft anyways...WINE works, but is no replacement for Windows) if you want to experience as many video games as possible, you will eventually have to deal with a company you don't like.
That is a very silly example, and it doesn't fit in with video games.
Why?
There are literally hundreds of different companies to by diamonds from. There are really only three companies to buy gaming consoles from. Not to mention videogame systems have Third party titles that are in no way associated with the parent company...are you telling me that as a gamer you would allow your hatred for sony to deprive you of the experience that is Shadow of the Colossus, or your hatred for microsoft to deprive you of the experience that is Mass Effect (even though it is not out yet, but whatever you get the point)
Besides...if I didn't buy ANY games from ANY company that I didn'tlike, that means I would be stuck with PC Games...but as a gamer, I want to experience as many games as possible. That means buying stuff (in this case, consoles) from companies that I don't like.
Slashdot Mirror
That's the funny thing about the marketing aspect... I saw commercials on TV all the time for both the system and games for the system (remember the 9/9/99 deal?) It is completely beyond me why more people didn't buy one.
The only thing I can think of is that they were taking the Sega Saturn as an indication of what the console was going to be like. For what it's worth, the Saturn's library as a whole was rather horrible, however the games that were good were REALLY good.
Honestly, I bet that if Sega started to resell them for say....$50 dollars...they would still be able to sell a lot of them. ESPECIALLY given the user-created content that is available for it.
Don't get me wrong, I really want it too...but when you get right down to it, it's still Halo. It can't possibly stray too far from the first two games, otherwise it would piss off too many people.
I'm sure it will be a great game, it's just that it doesn't really seem to be introducing anything spectacularly new...I know, I know, the whole "reserve judgment until after you have played it" deal...still, I think it's reasonable to expect it to be More of the Same(TM), just (much) prettier.
Personally, I hope the next story arch they make a series out of is a tactical shooter similar to Full Spectrum Warrior...now THAT would be sweet.
Sorry, but I gotta agree with the "swap location" group...I find that I have to actually stretch my thumb slightly to use a Playstation controller as opposed to simply resting my hand as it falls on the xbox/360/gamecube controller...I also find that my hand gets fatigued quicker on a Playstation controller than it does on either of the others.
Anytime I have to adjust how my hands naturally rest on a controller into a position where I have to use muscle control to KEEP them in that position...yeah, that's what they call a bad design.
Yeah...I had actually completely forgotten that it was that close....here's to hoping that november gets here just as fast ;-)
Woah there, bud. The Dreamcast had some AWESOME AWESOME games...It's popularity continues to rise even long after it's "death".
It is definately a console that I shall never sell.
Nope, no love for Rock Band...not a big fan of those style games (most likely because I suck at them, lol)
I am kicking myself for not including Ninja Gaiden 2 though...not sure what the hell I was thinking with that one...
Blasphemy.
I left out Ninja Gaiden 2 in my list in a post a little above yours.
I have shamed my family.
Sorry...It's just my initial reaction whenever I read or hear someone talking about how great the system is and then Halo 3 is the game that gets mentioned...twas a similar situation with the first Xbox 8D
::sigh:: another madden gamer...
Halo 3 looks fun and all, but there are far more exciting things coming out for the system than Halo 3...
Mass Effect, Too Human, Fable 2, the next Burnout game, the Warhammer RTS, the next Splinter Cell, the Orange Box, Condemned: Criminal Origins, Fallout 3...
Seriously. There is WAY more coming out for the system than Halo 3...why do people keep focusing on just that?
What makes you think Mass Effect will appeal to Bioshock players? They are both entirely different games...not even in the same genre...at it's core, Bioshock is an FPS. At it's core, Mass Effect is an RPG/Over the Shoulder Tactical Shooter hybrid...
To comment on the cliffhanger ending of Halo 2, I thought it was perfectly done. It was the right moment in the storyline to stop the game, and it allows for the PERFECT set up for Halo 3.
That being said, I think the best cliffhanger in a game ever was at the end of Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance...seriously. No other game had me shouting NEARLY as loudly at the TV "WHAT HAPPENS?!?!?!?!" than that game.
Mod parent up for semi-obscure Lethal Weapon 4 reference!
I figured the Revolution/Wii was going to do well, but I never imagined it would do THIS well.
I just hope that the 8th gen consoles that Sony and Microsoft put out don't try to emulate the Wii with motion controls (which Sony is already semi-guilty for with their 7th gen machine) That would be really bad...innovation, people! (Yes I am aware that innovation and coming up with something original is harder to do than to say...no, I have no idea what they should do to innovate...if I knew, don't you think I would be working for one of them instead of working in a call center?)
As far as PC's outdoing the 360...well I mean that's par for the course, isn't it? Typically when a console is released, it offers better graphics and more power than it's computer counterparts....generally within a couple months (and in some cases, before the console even launches) the pc has already surpassed it's abilities...Oblivion in 1080P still doesn't look nearly as good as it does on the PC in the same resolution. This isn't a new development, this is just how things have generally worked for a long time.
And you know what? So long as PC gaming requires upgrades every 6 months-1 year (and expensive upgrades at that), the market will NEVER be as big as console gaming.
Mass Effect won't be the next Halo, because they are entirely different games...I know this doesn't necessarily apply to EVERYONE, but generally the people that I see that are Halo-obsessed are what I refer to as "Madden Gamers"...I highly doubt I really need to explain that one to you...
Mass Effect is being developed by Bioware, and if their track record is any indication it's going to be an amazing game.
While I agree with you that they are likely correct in saying that 5 years will be the lifespan, don't accept what one company says about another's products as being the truth.
You wouldn't believe Microsoft if they had said prior to it's release that the PS3 was going to not do nearly as well as Sony thought, would you?
There is one thing you are forgetting, my dear AC. Microsoft TELLS it's users that they are getting screwed over. Apple attempts to hide it underneath a shiny, plastic exterior.
Honestly, the only horror series really worth watching in the last 10-20 years have been the saw films...not just because they are exploitation flicks, but because they actually do put some effort into a storyline as opposed to just slash n gash...
Most of the great horror movies came around in the 70's/early 80's though...the aformentioned Gates of Hell trilogy, Evil Dead (NOT Army of Darkness, only the first two films) Suspiria, Zombie (or Zombi 2 if you are a purist), Cannibal Holocaust, etc.
It's a shame...in a way, having all this advanced moviemaking technology has in my opinion been detrimental to the horror genre in every way. Although, I will say, Rob Zombie's Halloween is AWESOME...I like that he didn't really try to do a remake (similar to Psycho), he actually took the storyline and made it his own...along with nods to the original movie. It had the same atmosphere and "feel" as the original Halloween.
I suppose I'm allowing my own viewpoint to cloud my judgement...I am a hardcore gamer through and through.
Now, when I say hardcore gamer, I don't mean I have a specific way my games have to be and that you suck and that I'm the best and all that noise. What I mean is, Gaming is more or less my only hobby. I dabble a little bit in plinking away with rifles, but overall gaming is my thing. As a result, I try to immerse myself in as many games as possible, the company be damned.
My parents always told me my largest setback was not being able to differentiate myself from others when it came to my opinion:-)
Yes, I would indeed buy it. Sorry, I know I'm a horrible person. You must be so dissapointed.
True, but for many games that came out on 360 originally and would later be ported to the PC, you need a PC that is FAR FAR more expensive than a 360. Now, if you are an avid PC gamer that is irrelevant because chances are you have kept your system in tip-top shape. Not everyone is able to do that however, and for many people simply buying the console (for a minor sacrifice in image quality and possible "mod" community) is a better buy.
I won't ever tell someone they are dumb for not buying a console, but if their sole reason for not buying a console is simply because of the manufacturer....that is plain silly to me.
But eh, to each his own, I suppose...
See, again, examples like your "blood diamond" example are just plain stupid because it's an entirely different industry selling an entirely different product.
I own consoles from Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony so that I can play the games that I want regardless of what system they are on...if there are no games that I want to play on a system, then guess what...I won't buy it. As a general rule, I wait until there are at least 5 games on a system that I want to play before I buy it. Regardless of which company developed it though, if there are at least 5 games on a system that I want to play, then I know that my investment (to me, anyway) will be worth it.
You aren't even comparing apples to oranges. You are comparing apples to post-it notes...not even in the same category.
In the immortal words of Heavy Weapons Guy, Cry Some More.
The next burnout game looks PHENOMINAL.
As far as Halo is concerned, I enjoyed it, but I wouldn't include it in any of my "best games" lists...That said, Halo 3 is supposed to be the end of the current story arc. They will most likely continue to produce the games, just at a different point in the storyline. As it stands, Halo has an OK story universe...it does have the potential to be a large and vast world, it just hasn't really reached that point.
I'm not tired of hearing about Halo, but I hate the kind of following it has...Halo fanboys remind me of Apple fanboys...If it isn't Halo (Apple), then it sucks.
Mass Effect, Fable 2, and Team Fortress 2 are definately at the top of my list for the games I am looking forward to the most...
Having a limited budget is not the same thing as saying "well, this company sucks, so I won't play any games released on their system." As a gamer, that is a rather foolish mentality. Unless you want to stick with PC games (in which case you are mostly stuck with Microsoft anyways...WINE works, but is no replacement for Windows) if you want to experience as many video games as possible, you will eventually have to deal with a company you don't like.
That is a very silly example, and it doesn't fit in with video games.
Why?
There are literally hundreds of different companies to by diamonds from. There are really only three companies to buy gaming consoles from. Not to mention videogame systems have Third party titles that are in no way associated with the parent company...are you telling me that as a gamer you would allow your hatred for sony to deprive you of the experience that is Shadow of the Colossus, or your hatred for microsoft to deprive you of the experience that is Mass Effect (even though it is not out yet, but whatever you get the point)
Besides...if I didn't buy ANY games from ANY company that I didn'tlike, that means I would be stuck with PC Games...but as a gamer, I want to experience as many games as possible. That means buying stuff (in this case, consoles) from companies that I don't like.