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Santa's Christmas List 2002 Comments (0)
by Ken Gagne
As Santa prepared for his annual trip, he reviewed his lists. It's been a busy year for the video game industry, and while many publishers had been nice, the business had a few naughty players as well. Here's what they can expect from Kriss Kringle this holiday:
Nice |
Naughty |
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This article is copyright (c) 2002, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.
Original publication: Sentinel & Enterprise, 23-Dec-02
Holiday 2002 Software Gift Guide Comments (0)
by Ken Gagne
Some kids never grow up — even if their toys do.
The electronic entertainment industry has grown phenomenally and quickly this past year. Last Christmas, Microsoft entered the fray when they launched their Xbox console, which was followed days later by Nintendo's latest game machine, the GameCube. Both joined Sony's PlayStation 2 on store shelves for an aggressive holiday season.
A year later, all three systems have dropped in price — Nintendo's to $150, the others to $200, with various rebates and bundles being offered both nationally and locally. Each hardware has its strengths and weaknesses, but each is only as good as its software. The following titles are some of the "killer apps" that not only will drive console sales this season, but also serve as the perfect gift for you or the gamer in your family.
Though there are exclusive titles intended to sway consumers to one platform or another, there are also games published for all three systems. For example, gamers can cut loose the power of today's next-generation consoles in Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2, a racing title published by Electronic Arts for the Xbox, GameCube, and PlayStation 2. In this high-speed action game, players hit the road in a variety of sleek dream vehicles, from Porsches to Lamborghinis. Their mission: to go as fast as possible through deserts, forests, and coasts, outracing both the competition and the cops. Gamers can also play on the side of the law, using road blocks and aerial backup to nail speedsters — or two people can play together in cops-and-robbers fashion. Cars cannot be customized or fine-tuned, but this simplicity adds to the ease of play and outright fun.
If you prefer to soak up the sun at a slower pace, join the world's most famous plumber, who's back in Super Mario Sunshine, for the Nintendo GameCube. Mario's getaway to the tropical Isle Delfino is spoiled by a mysterious marauder intent on polluting the paradise. Armed with a water-shooting backpack, Mario begins his quest to clean up the island and his reputation. His new apparatus gives Mario several new tricks as he hops from platform to precipice, avoiding turtles and collecting coins in 3D. Though his repertoire may've changed, the classic action of the Mario series has not — good news for those who've missed Nintendo's mascot, but not so good for those wanting something new.
With games like Super Mario Sunshine, Nintendo hasn't forgotten its historically core family audience. But with the survival horror game Eternal Darkness, Nintendo has also stated its intention to capture the mature market as well. College student Alexandra Roivas becomes embroiled in a family secret when her grandfather is suddenly murdered. Through his tome of Eternal Darkness, players will control more than a dozen characters in various times and places including a World War II photographer, a Persian prince, and an Inquisition-era monk. The monstrosities each accidental hero will encounter is likely to push them over the edge, decreasing their "sanity meter". An insane protagonist may hallucinate bleeding walls or sudden dismemberment, leaving the player to also question reality. Eternal Darkness is rated 'M' for mature audiences.
For an evil assailant that's less a flesh-eating zombie and more a megalomaniac villain in an outlandish costume, take to the skies in Spider-Man, for all three consoles. Based on the film that made a splash at the box office earlier this year, Spider-Man puts players in control of the friendly neighborhood wall-crawler as he battles such venerable foes as Green Goblin, Shocker, and Scorpion. As Peter Parker's alter ego, players spend much time aloft, slinging webs and fighting airborne enemies. Spidey's abilities are captured and finely presented in this superhero action game which may prove too short an experience for veteran gamers.
While many video games are based on movies, other games are cinematic experiences in their own right. The Microsoft Xbox has a valuable exclusive in Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance, from Konami. This title includes in its entirety the original Metal Gear Solid 2, one of last year's best-selling games for the PlayStation 2. Super secret spy Solid Snake has stumbled across plans for a weapon of global destruction; his history with such plots gives only him the experience necessary to arrest the conspiracy. The Xbox edition includes five additional "what-if" stories for Snake to experience, as well as hundreds of secondary and virtual reality training missions. This cinematic experience has expanded to include humor, drama, stealth, action, and skateboarding, though the main game is a complicated tale for mature audiences only.
Today's successful Metal Gear Solid is based on an old Nintendo game from the Eighties. Similarly, Maximo: Ghosts to Glory is an update on the popular Ghosts 'n Goblins series from Capcom. This 3D action game for PlayStation 2 sends the good knight Sir Maximo on a quest across five different worlds to save his kingdom and princess from the villain Achille. His sword and shield can be upgraded to be inflamed, encase enemies in ice, or be thrown great distances. Maximo spends as much time fighting the hordes of the undead as he does leaping gulfs, though; one wrong step or misjudged distance can plummet the protagonist to his peril.
Another legendary icon is resurrected, this time on the Nintendo GameCube. Metroid Prime is the first game in the Metroid series in nearly a decade. In this futuristic conflict against space pirates, bounty hunter Samus Aran returns to eradicate the titular energy-draining organism. Her adventure will have gamers exploring deep into an exotic planet and mastering many tools, weapons, and techniques. Pundits of the series criticize the new first-person perspective, but the game retains the essence of what has made Metroid a popular (yet strangely scarce) series.
Just as familiar games are being revamped for today's new home consoles, handheld gamers will also find that what's old is new again. Samus Aran also surfaces on the Game Boy Advance in the game Metroid Fusion. Taking a cue from Sigourney Weaver, Samus has been injected with alien DNA. She must now explore a strange planet to find the cure for her condition while fighting off a mysterious imposter. This 2D, side-scrolling game is a more traditional Metroid adventure, and offers a suitable alternative to Metroid Prime. Gamers who purchase both titles can connect their Game Boy Advance and GameCube systems to unlock additional features.
With gameplay similar to Metroid Fusion, Castlevania, a series spanning nearly two decades, continues in Harmony of Dissonance, a Game Boy Advance game. Juste Belmont, a descendant of the legendary Belmont clan of vampire hunters, finds himself lost in Dracula's castle. Players must explore the intimidating mansion, infested with bats, werewolves, living suits of armor, and more, to find Juste's missing childhood friend.
Harmony of Dissonance boasts bright graphics, making it easy to see on the Game Boy's small screen. Gamers can save their progress any time, making Castlevania perfect for both long sittings of exploration or quick pick-up-and-play sessions.
Metroid could be considered a science fiction take on Castlevania. For handheld games that are similar to neither, try two classic Super Nintendo games that Nintendo has re-released for Game Boy Advance. Super Mario World 3: Yoshi's Island stars Mario's dinosaur companion. Though gamers do not play as Mario in this 2D adventure, they do get to morph Yoshi into various vehicles on their way to save Mario's brother, Luigi, from the evil Bowser.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is Nintendo's other reissued classic. The Princess Zelda has been kidnapped, leaving a young lad named Link to journey throughout the land of Hyrule, into palaces and dungeons, and into another world to find the power to restore peace. New to this handheld adaptation is a four-player mode that lets friends cooperate and compete for victory.
Every cycle of game consoles brings with it something new, including an opportunity for a new generation of gamers to experience the latest in age-old franchises. With myriad options of both hardware and software, such fierce competition for consumers' dollars will ultimately benefit the gamers — no matter their age.
This article is copyright (c) 2002, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.
Original publication: Sentinel & Enterprise, 02-Dec-02
E3 2002: Worst Elements Comments (0)
by Ken Gagne
The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) for video gamers is a mecca, but not a heaven. The very nature of thousands of gamers presented with just as many new toys for them to try creates a hectic atmosphere. Several years of E3s have made me more aware and critical of these irritants. Now that I've had time to recover from and reflect on my annual sojourn, I present in no particular order my top ten things E3 doesn't need:
- Contest lines
- Tens of thousands of people pay airfare to travel to Los Angeles and stay in hotels., then wait in line for hours to compete for a Nintendo WaveBird wireless controller. Value: $35. Did all their money go to travel expenses, that they can no longer afford this additional expense? I'd rather wait in line at my local retailer for five minutes than spend all that travelling money to wait in Los Angeles for five hours.
- Unorganized masses
- There was no semblance of order to enter the Sony press convention as hordes of reporters attempted to register at the main gates. In this case, lines would've been appreciated.
- Unorganized parking
- The Convention Center garage offers parking for a very accommodating price, but finding an available spot requires winding through the many twists, turns, and one-way avenues. Parking in an overpriced outdoor lot is less hassle.
- Overpriced food
- Maybe those potential WaveBird owners are strapped for cash after paying the exorbitant prices demanded by Convention Center food vendors. Is packing a lunch considered unprofessional?
- Continental breakfasts
- The press is spared the outrage of commercial food by receiving free meals from our host, the IDSA — but how about some hot food to boot? A few flapjacks would go a long way.
- Lack of seating
- Again, the IDSA goes above and beyond to feed the press, and this year's lunches were the best they'd ever had. But why do they offer food to feed hundreds of press corps members, and enough chairs to seat only dozens? It's diametric to lavish the reporters with fine food, only to ask them to eat off the floor next to the garbage can.
- Volume
- With every booth competing to be heard, it becomes nearly impossible to pick out any single sound source. Even these efforts are sometimes wasted, such as with Konami, who presented videos with dialogue drowned out by the video's own music. The volume isn't deafening, just indistinguishable.
- Geeks
- Video games are about fun, yet E3 is also a business affair. While a suit and tie may be overkill, the opposite extreme of fanboys wearing their favorite game cartridges like necklaces is unnecessary as well.
- Oblivious people
- E3 isn't an RPG where you can kill those who annoy you, so please be considerate of them instead. If someone is sitting or kneeling to watch a demonstration, please do not stand in front of her. If a photo is being taken, please do not cross in front of the photographer. Pretend it's a survival horror game, and be aware of your surroundings; anything could be a threat.
- Booth babes
- Except possibly for Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball, there is little relevance between the exhibiting women, scantily clad or not, and the games they're demonstrating. This showcasing demeans these women, and produces little additional press for the company's software. The only real result I've seen are web sites boasting a plethora of testosterone-dripping photos of their staffers enjoying the bounties of E3.
See you next year!
This article is copyright (c) 2002, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.
Original publication: Sentinel & Enterprise, 24-Jun-02
E3 2002 Comments (0)
by Ken Gagne
The console wars are raging, and the ultimate victors will be the gamers.
The combatants took their places on the field in the last two years: the Sony PlayStation 2, the Microsoft Xbox, and the Nintendo GameCube. They stood silently, sizing each of the other behemoths… then the first shots were fired, a sneak attack launched earlier this month, as each console dropped in price: the PlayStation 2 and Xbox from $300 to $200, the GameCube from $200 to $150.
Amid the deafening roars and booms of the Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3, held last week in Los Angeles, the battle continued as publishers presented the software that will make or break their lineup for the rest of the year. Retailers, developers, and members of the press were invited where the general public was not: to view works-in-progress, bear witness to unveilings, and take away impressions of the future of an industry large enough to rival most other entertainment forms.
"When you distill it, this remains a very simple business," insisted Peter MacDougall, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Nintendo of America. "This is a business about games."
The newest comer to the gaming industry, Microsoft, is allowing third parties to attend to that business. The company best known for Windows has the best-defined plans for bringing their console to the online frontier. Xbox gamers will be able to access Internet gaming for a flat rate of $49.95 a year, which includes a microphone headset for voice communications. Online features will be available only through broadband - Internet across DSL, cable modem, or other high-speed means. The vast majority of America without access to these technologies will be stranded offline.
Though Microsoft failed to complement their hardware with any stand-out games at E3, Sega, now producing software for all consoles, will provide several powerful and exclusive titles to the Xbox, including Crazy Taxi, Panzer Dragoon, and Toe Jam & Earl.
One company that needn't rely so heavily on outside publishers is Nintendo of America. This Redmond, Washington, neighbor to Microsoft has more experience in the gaming industry than any of its competitors, and has used that storied history to establish a lineup of strong franchises. Though the company may be recycling the same characters they've used for years, Nintendo has developed new styles of gameplay in which for players to experience familiar heroes.
Metroid Prime, a futuristic adventure game for the GameCube, uses a first-person perspective, capturing the current popularity of shooting games while retaining the classic Metroid gameplay. The Legend of Zelda also continues on the Nintendo GameCube, drawn with an art style reminiscent of Saturday morning cartoons. And Starfox Adventures, based on a series of popular flying games, is now more of a 3D adventure game, similar to Zelda.
Other popular titles, such as Super Mario Sunshine and Mario Party 4, also capitalize on these popular icons, rounding out a game lineup that will appeal to all ages.
These series will also appear on the Game Boy Advance, with which Nintendo has cornered the handheld gaming market. Metroid Fusion, Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island, and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past will play portable counterparts to the GameCube's flagship titles.
Nintendo is the least-focused company for putting their console on the Internet. This fall, for $34.95, gamers can choose a broadband adaptor or modem, allowing access across both high- and low-speed methods. Sega's Phantasy Star Online will be the first title to use this connectivity, but until the online model proves profitable, Nintendo itself is noncommittal regarding their own online software plans.
In both software and hardware, Nintendo and Microsoft have an uphill battle against the firmly-entrenched PlayStation 2 console. Sony's system launched a year earlier than its competitors, and has used that time to build a comprehensive software library and large installed user base.
The PlayStation 2 will be joining the online community this August when a combination broadband adaptor and modem device launches for $39.95. Sony's own SOCOM: U.S. Navy Seals, a team-based military action game, will be released that same day, warranting a $59.95 price tag by including a headset players can use to vocally communicate with their team members. Despite Sony's willingness to accommodate the lowest common denominator of Internet access, only broadband users will be able to play SOCOM online.
Sony is not ready to demand additional fees for online gaming, but they are making the Internet enticing by adding online support to many of its popular games. Twisted Metal Black Online, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4, and a variety of Sega Sports will all provide online gameplay options to players.
In the more distant future, the long-awaited promise of massively-multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) will finally reach a console. Popular computer games Everquest and Star Wars Galaxies will both make their way to the PlayStation 2, offering gamers the opportunity to participate in virtual universes where every character they meet is controlled by another online gamer. The diversity of action games, sports, and RPGs playable online will make the PlayStation 2 a strong contender in this new market.
Sony will have its share of offline titles as well. The Getaway is set in a realistically-simulated London, where an involving storyline develops amid driving and shooting sequences. Hardcore gamers have often complained that they want to play games, not watch movies; Sony's delivery of a game that features a 100-page script and sixty minutes of spoken dialogue stubbornly insists that the two experiences can be satisfactorily melded.
Traditionally, the video game industry has supported only two companies' platforms at any given time. Nintendo and Sega held the limelight in the early Nineties before newcomer Sony knocked Sega from the running. This year, gamers have three well-supported consoles from which to choose, each with its own unique strengths in hardware and software. Though much hype currently surrounds the effort to make these game machines into the center of family entertainment, especially where Internet access is concerned, they are still game machines, and games are meant to be fun. Not all publishers will experience success in their endeavors to capture gamers' hearts and dollars, but all gamers will have an unprecedented opportunity to experience fun across a variety of consoles and game genres.
To the victor go the spoils — or, in this case, the games.
This article is copyright (c) 2002, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.
Original publication: Sentinel & Enterprise, 27-May-02
E3 2002: Nintendo Comments (0)
by Ken Gagne
Sony may have our dollars, but Nintendo has our hearts, as demonstrated by the polite applause at SCEA's conference and the heartfelt cheers and whistles at the latter's.
Perhaps that's because no other console manufacturer has the history of software icons that Nintendo does. In the next nine months, Nintendo will launch more franchise titles than they have in any other period in their storied history.
Nintendo opened their press conference with Metroid Prime, a game that demonstrates the company's ability to expand beyond the "kiddie" market and attract older demographics. Step inside the gravity suit this fall as Samus Aran returns to fight the energy-draining Metroid organism. As has been well-publicized, developer Retro Studios has made this game into a first-person perspective adventure title. Though the camera did occasionally move to the third person when the bounty hunter used certain items or techniques, the amount of shooting in the first person has not alleviated my concerns that Metroid has become a shooting game, akin to Quake or Goldeneye. Of course, the press conference was not the time for us to experience the game firsthand, so the playable demo at E3 will be a better judge of the game's nature.
Eternal Darkness — another second-party project, this one by Silicon Knights — provides another opportunity for Nintendo to capture a more mature audience. This Resident Evil look-alike spans millennia as players control a cast of a dozen character through the ages. Not everything is as it seems, blurring the line between reality and illusion. Watch for this title on June 24th.
The engine used in the GameCube adaptation of Resident Evil will also be seen in this fall's release of the original title, Resident Evil Zero, which tells the story of the disappearance of the Bravo Team the day before the Alpha Team was sent to look for them in the first Resident Evil.
Of course, Nintendo's flagship character has always been, and continues to be, Mario, who will make his GameCube debut in Super Mario Sunshine this August 26th. Just as his brother had a vacuum strapped to his back, Mario comes with a pack of his own, which he'll use primarily to shoot water and clean the mess that's plaguing the island of Shine. Super Mario 64 showed how 3D platformers should be done, and though Sunshine is unlikely to redefine the genre, it is sure to be a more fulfilling expression of Miyamoto's imagination.
Speaking of flagships, the GameCube's Legend of Zelda game surprised many last year when Nintendo introduced a cartoonish look to Link and his world of Hyrule, abolishing the darker look originally shown in tech demos. Some people think the new art style looks fantastic, and Nintendo says it is "both unique in look and realistically expressive in nature." I remain dubious of this combination of Saturday morning cartoon and Escape from Monkey Island. Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto has never failed us, though, so I will keep the faith.
The delay of Legend of Zelda has been confirmed, knocking it from Nintendo's Christmas 2002 lineup and into February of next year. Those who wondered how Nintendo could let its Metroid and Zelda games compete for the same shelf space this holiday now have their answer.
Other titles that were briefly shown include Mario Party 4, 1080 Whitestorm, Wario World, and Magical Mirror Starring Mickey Mouse. Expect at least 150 titles by Christmas.
Though Nintendo does not consider the online model profitable, it will not be standing on the sidelines watching its competitors's forays. Separate broadband and dial-up adaptors will be available this fall for $35 each, coinciding with the availability of Sega's Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II. No online-enabled first-party titles were announced at the conference.
While Nintendo fights for console market, they remain the undisputed champ of the handheld platform. The Game Boy Advance's library will expand to over 300 titles by the end of this year, including a new game by the name of Metroid Fusion. An adaptation of the Super NES classic The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is also on the way, with a new four-player mode — as Miyamoto-san demonstrated with representatives from Sega, Namco, and Capcom. Expect these titles in November and December, respectively.
The GameCube game Animal Crossing will demonstrate the connectivity possible between the console and the Game Boy Advance. Players can create their own animal town and use the handheld to exchange data and create new clothes, among other details.
This game will also debut the e-Reader accessory, which allows gamers to swipe data cards through their GBA. This technology will also be employed in adaptations of Pokemon, fusing the collectibility of the card game with the maniac obsessiveness the video game engenders.
I would be hard-pressed to show where Nintendo is innovating and Sony isn't, but it's hard to be as excited about new, no-name titles as it is for new Mario, Zelda, and Metroid games. Nintendo may not release as many titles as other companies, but their hit ratio is much higher. Though I highly value innovation, it's only a means to an end: fun. Nintendo's track record offers a greater assurance than Sony's that their games will be fun. And that's what I find exciting.
This article is copyright (c) 2002, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.
Original publication: Gamebits, 22-May-02
E3 2002: Sony Comments (0)
by Ken Gagne
Forget "continental breakfast". Without offering a single hot selection, Sony fed the vast throngs of the electronic entertainment industry to their complete and utter satisfaction. Three cheers for free food!
I almost wish it was my stomach that would do the rest of the typing from here, and not my brain, as I wonder if Sony really knows how to give a press conference. I was unimpressed with their performance last year; this year's proved to have better presentation, but remained of little substance.
Kaz Hirai started the show from a business perspective, demonstrating that Sony is a consumer products company, not a gaming company. He focused heavily on numbers, and though it's good that U.S. sales for the entire industry were up 43% in 2001 to $9.4 billion, it's not as important as him informing us that "the console wars are over." Last year, Hirai asked, "Who's going to be number two?", demonstrating the arrogance with which Sony's PlayStation 2 platform had claimed the lead; this year, Hirai stepped back and said the question is moot: only number one matters.
Sony, we're very happy for your success — but we are gamers, not stockholders. If you are #1, it is because we have put you there with our dollars. Could you please whet our appetite for games and remind us why you are #1?
Well, they certainly tried. Just as Sony last year delivered Jak & Daxter, this year's conference brought us Ratchet & Clank, a 3D platformer from Insomniac Games, the people who created Spyro the Dragon. In R&C, players can equip over 35 different weapons and gadgets to assail the enemy and obstacles they'll encounter. That could be fun, but it's not terribly innovative. Will Sony every year unveil a different Banjo-Kazooie clone as its secret project?
The next presentation was given by Brendan McNamara of SCEE, who demonstrated The Getaway. This title combines action and driving across 46 simulated square kilometers of London. A large cast of actors and an involved storyline are intended to give this game a movie-like feel and development, justifying Sony's tagline, "When is a movie more than a movie?" Unfortunately, they got a bit carried away with this cinematic presentation in a several-minute trailer which, unbelievably, demonstrated no gameplay footage. None. Just bad actors in silly situations. Look forward to listening to an hour of narrative dialogue across a hundred-page script in this game, coming fourth quarter 2002.
If Sony is innovating anywhere, it's in the online arena. The PlayStation 2 will go online this year, courtesy a $40 broadband/narrowband adaptor to be released on August 27th. Players can use their own ISPs, including AOL and MSN, to connect with such games as Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4, Twisted Metal Black Online, and a variety of Sega Sports. Hirai admitted that getting the PS2 connected is happening more slowly than expected, but even the lack of widespread broadband access has not dampened their enthusiasm for the online model.
We saw a live demonstration of SOCOM: U.S. Navy Seals, Sony's first online game which was presented at their conference last year as well, and does not appear to have changed much since then. This team-based game, scheduled for simultaneous launch with the network adaptor, allows 16 players to compete and cooperate in authentic military action. The $60 price tag includes a USB headset for voice communication. Due to the amount of data involved in such transmissions, this game will be online through broadband only.
In the highlight of Sony's conference, pro athletes Dante Culpepper and Jevon Kearse engaged in an online game of Madden 2003, with Culpepper on-site and Kearse operating from Orlando. Live commentary was provided by John Madden himself, who was hilarious in his explanations of the two players' strengths and weaknesses. The final score was 7-6, Culpepper.
Hirai closed by listing other games we can look expect to enjoy online, including Final Fantasy XI, Everquest Online Adventures, Star Wars Galaxies, and Resident Evil Online.
The online dimension will give the PlayStation 2 a new depth, but all current consoles are headed to this arena as well. What will ultimately distinguish one from the other is the unique gameplay experiences each platform can deliver. Does Sony grasp this concept? Or will they be too wrapped up in the goal of stealing dollars from Nintendo and Microsoft that they'll overlook the means to that end? Time will tell.
This article is copyright (c) 2002, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.
Original publication: Gamebits, 22-May-02