Dare to Play the Game

Manhunt 2 Re-Rejected, PSP Rejecting SDTVs, and the Yaris rejecting decency – Welcome to the column that is like the girl you always rejected in high school for the pretty cheerleader known as Dare to Play the Game.

Welcome to another edition of Dare to Play the Game. If you were paying attention after my post last week; I also posted the Halo 3 review. Initial feedback has been positive but I always like to hear more. Naturally, I have also played a lot more of Halo 3 including a really cool Energy Sword duel that I was a part of. In fact, for those who have Halo 3; go to your fileshare and add me as a friend (Kedrix) and then check the clips. I have two cool clips of me in action with a gravity hammer and then an energy sword. Good times, good times. I know its a year old; but I’m still muddling through WWE Smackdown vs Raw 07, up to 10 or 11 achievements now I think. Actually if I take the time; I can probably get all of the offline ones which are 23 I think of the 29. The online ones are ridiculous and can only logically be acquired if you boost. If somebody is still willing with this eventual dinosaur; I’m willing to get online and go through it. It would be nice sometime in my lifetime to get all of the achievements for a retail game (I have done it for a couple of XBLAs).

Got to love a girl who digs Winger (and notice a Poison poster on the wall). I mean “She was only seventeeeeennnn!” Perhaps I should not sing that so loudly. A lot of those rock songs people just take the wrong way now. Teenage women, drugs, alcohol, smoking are just “Headed for a Heartbreak” I guess. Oh well; “Easy Come, Easy Go” (I really should stop now while I still I can).

PS3

This whole backwards-compatibility thing on the new 40GB PS3 is a pinch confusing. Why, exactly, can’t the new model run PS2 games when the old one could? Tired of asking questions of the night, I instead asked SCEE, who fired back a super-detailed, super-helpful guide to the 40GB’s BC capabilities. Which is published in full after the click. For now, though, let’s just focus on the part where they tell us they could run PS2 games on the 40GB PS3. They just can’t be bothered:


“The 40GB model, to be launched in Europe on 10th October, is a new model and is not equipped with any of the semi conductors from the PS2, and backwards compatibility would therefore have to be achieved by software emulation alone. The sheer numbers of PS2 titles available, together with the increased complexity of using a software only solution for each and every title means that to ensure accurate software emulation for the majority would be technically challenging, time consuming and costly. As we have mentioned on several occasions, our engineering resources are now focused on developing new and innovative features and services for the PS3 and, as a result the 40GB model does not have backwards compatibility with PS2 titles.”

Does Sony realize one of the main reasons people get the PS3 is to play PS2 games upscaled and in better resolution than either the slim or full bodied PS2 stand-alone? My PS2 is on my plasma along with my 360 and the PS2 has only been used lately for Guitar Hero, ESPN NFL 2k5 and the GTA series since the average PS2 game you have to go through some loops to display correctly on HDTVs. Even at widescreen and progressive it doesn’t quite fill up the screen. So what exactly is Sony thinking? I’m not really sure, but its the equivalent of Wii dropping GC support or Xbox 360 dropping their BC support in a stripped down model. I can hear some of you saying, well isn’t that what the 360 core does? Sort of, but you can buy a hard drive for the Core last time I checked and there you go instant BC support. They aren’t flat out missing the chips or software emulation. Or being lazy! I still don’t have a reason to buy a PS3. I can see myself buying a Wii; but my PS2 will always feel far superior than a machine that thinks its cutting edge and should just be cut.

PSP

If you are planning on picking up a new PSP Slim and want to play games on your SDTV, you may want to rethink your purchase, check the back of your TV or at least decide how badly you really want to play PSP Slim on it. According to the photo, the only way you can do this is to play connected with a D-terminal AV cable or component cables and the content must be output in progressive scan. UMD movies seem to work fine, but games are a no go unless your TV supports progressive scan.


I did a little research and according to the all knowing internet (which is generally about as reliable as a Magic 8 Ball), only about 20% of homes in the US have HDTVs so you’d think that these companies would try and cater a little more to the other 80%. Of course this opens up all kinds of conspiracy theories about the game companies helping to support the sales of HDTV’s and vice-versa. Still, something tells me there are going to be quite a few angry PSP/SDTV owners out there. Why? Because they can be.

Can Sony do anything right? It seems like they just want to alienate as many people as possible with their new models. Mind you SDTVs are slowly fading out but the PSP is the same technology as the PS2 for the most part. One would think that since PS2s run dandy on SDTVs, then when you hook up a PSP Slim to one, it should be okay too. Not so, it better be progressive with component cables. I swear Sony is going to come out with a PS2 that plays only games made by Sony but is 1/3 less weight and costs $69.99. You’re laughing but then you start getting scared.

Third Times the Charm?

Manhunt 2 was pretty messy. Got itself banned/refused classification pretty much everywhere on Earth. But a revised, friendlier cut has since been approved for release in the US. In Britain, though? No. The British Board Of Film Classification has rejected Rockstar’s revised cut of the game, on the grounds that it’s still a bit much:


“We recognize that the distributor has made changes to the game, but we do not consider that these go far enough to address our concerns about the original version.


The impact of the revisions on the bleakness and callousness of tone, or the essential nature of the gameplay, is clearly insufficient.


There has been a reduction in the visual detail in some of the ‘execution kills’, but in others they retain their original visceral and casually sadistic nature.


We did make suggestions for further changes to the game, but the distributor has chosen not to make them, and as a result we have rejected the game on both platforms. The decision on whether or not an appeal goes ahead lies with the distributor.

Am I the only one who thought the original was a pile of po-po and only sold copies due to its content? The same could be said with the sequel to an even greater extent. I would assume they are not satisfied with american sales alone. (still trying to figure out who is buying this game but I guess there is a market for sadistic serial killer games) Now, I’m okay with free speech and that this game while being vile and disgusting is still free speech. But that makes sense in the US eventually but not Britain. Also brings up the argument that if we can get an extremely violent video game; would it kill you to get a truly adult & decent Leisure Suit Larry game to the consoles. I keep forgetting = naked boobies are evil; blood and guts in a sadistic nature quite alright.

Xbox Live Arcade – Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords (1200 MS Points) & Yaris (free)















Puzzle Quest is finally here! The portable smash that blends puzzles and rpgs better than that time uncle frank asked you to play dress up and accompany him upstairs *shiver*. Seriously though, this could go down as one of the best XBLA games ever. Supposedly it has been redesigned from the mobile experience to fit Widescreen and Hi-Def displays. But the 1200 points price tag is a bit scary at first look. That is $15 and most of us buy only 1600 point cards. I admit I’m on the fence a little too. But it does offer 40-50 hours in the single player mode, there are a ton of quests and amazing gameplay. I suppose think of it like this; go buy a 1600 point card and buy Puzzle Quest and then buy like Golden Axe (or one of the Sonics) and forget the card never existed. Besides I think the portable ones are $30 so you save $10.

Yaris, the first ad sponsored game (by Toyota) is here! At least it is free (though it should include two Tylenol and some water as well). The pictures don’t help me get excited for them and suddenly in the museum of bad racing games I’m reminded of Burning Road (PS1) and get very afraid. Not to mention the arm that appears out of the Yaris just creeps me out. I guess all free games can’t be Aegis Wing. Hopefully that Doritos game will be kinda cool. (assuming its free). Eh it will have 200 gamerscore somewhere in there; so download it anyway; you know you are curious.

It’s Neo-Geo week, thanks for noticing and marking it on your calendar. We get three classic fighting games that was the pinnacle of fighters in their day. Fatal Fury was the Bogard and Joe Higashi story. In South Town you had to fight in various street fights until you were good enough to take on Billy Kane and Geese Howard. It was unique for its time since you fought on two different planes, one in the foreground and one in the background. It wasn’t my favorite of the Neo-Geo fighters but it is a fun romp.

Speaking of my favorite Neo-Geo fighter, that would be the World Heroes series. Mainly cause you could fight as Rasputin, the mad monk or many others such as Muscle Power or Hanzo. Just bizarre figures based on actual historical people. With powers to match. Sure there were only three buttons but they actually relied on how long you held down the button to get the desired effect. But the best part perhaps was the Death Match where the ropes were electrified and all sorts of other devious devices existed to harm yourself or your foes.

We then turn 180 degrees in fighting games and get to Art of Fighting. This was not about button mashing which could be said for World Heroes or even possibly Fatal Fury. It was strategy and tactics that would guide you through. In other words it was F’ing hard! This was the story of the Sakazaki family and Robert Garcia. Ryo and Robert fight around South Town trying to save Yuri who was taken by Mr. Big. Eventually you will fight Mr. Karate with technique and possibly a desperation attack if you absolutely have to. To be honest, if I had to pick one this week; I would take World Heroes in a heartbeat. But all of them should provide a good challenge and loads of single and multiplayer fun.

PS2
Fifa Soccer 08
Looney Tunes: Acme Arsenal
Mountain Bike Adrenaline
Thrillville: Off the Rails
Backyard Football 2008

PSP
Fifa Soccer 08
Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
Jackass: The Game
Sega Rally Revo
Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron
Thrillville: Off the Rails
NBA 08

PS3
Fifa Soccer 08
Folklore
Sega Rally Revo
Warhawk
NBA 08

Xbox 360
Fifa Soccer 08
Half-Life 2 Orange Box
Looney Tunes: Acme Arsenal
Sega Rally Revo
Thrillville: Off the Rails

Wii
Fifa Soccer 08
Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast
Balls of Fury
Bleach: The Shattered Blade
Lonney Tunes ACME Arsenal
Thrillville: Off the Rails
Mercury Meltdown: Revolution

DS
Fifa Soccer 08
The Cheetah Girls: Pop Star Sensations
Arctic Tale
Holly Hobbie & Friends
Master Jin Jin’s IQ Challenge
Bleach: The Blade of Fate
Flipper Critters
Looney Tunes: Duck Amuck
Thrillville: Off the Rails
Touch Detective 2 1/2

A decent release week. Folklore for the PS3 and Half Life 2 (the big squirrelly Orange Box) for XBOX 360 highlight the list. I might be able to secure a copy of HL2, we will just have to see what will happen. Looney Tunes: Acme Arsenal is Looney Tunes characters with guns & weapons which should be ummm interesting. Actually might be cool, especially when it hits the bargain bin. Anybody else notice that Balls of Fury keeps consistently gets pushed back week to week? Translation: much suckage! But there is a Donkey Kong this game for the Wii, much rejoicing. I would also be amiss not to mention the two Bleach games for the Wii and the DS (my girlfriend loves the show); too bad we don’t own a Wii or a DS, ha ha ha ha he he *ow ow ow, I’m sorry*

Well I finally was able to switch my parents laptop to XP rather than Vista. Took about four hours to fully switch over and it has been working like a dream ever since. Go figure. A good laptop working like it should. My parents asked me what game was coming out this week and I told them HL2. So I might see that in my near future. (30+ years old and my parents still support my video game habit, now that’s love). Bought a couple of new cds this week in the new one from Puddle of Mudd (Famous) and the Bruce Springsteen / E Street Band one (Magic). The Puddle of Mudd one is very good but a lot like their second album and not so much their first and the Bruce Springsteen is a throwback to the old Born in the USA days and pretty decent in of itself. Sarah, my girlfriend is doing well too, still a treasure, still good to me. All I could ask for. We got her some new glasses this week and for some reason, she’s sticking around. Go figure. I guess it wasn’t just my charming voice and bad writing after all. Sometimes you really find a winner kiddoes, just make sure you hold onto them.

As Always,
Kedrix of Aldrianian
(*The Forgotten One*)