Console development is slowing gaming down. This counts the Wii U too, guys.
I guess I'm known as the "Nintendo Hater" in the forums I frequent (even though I don’t) so I'll express my worries with the Wii U.
I just worry that they're going to go the same route they did with the Wii ... "charge a shitload of money for old hardware because people will spend it" ... the original Wii's capabilities are running off moderately upgraded Gamecube hardware from years before. That's why they were making a killing off of each console that was sold instead of the traditional method of losing money on the console and making it back through the games.
I don't think the Wii U is going to be a slightly upgraded Wii by any means ... but from the looks of the specs so far it's only marginally more powerful than what's already been out for 5 years or more. Good money making strategy yeah, bad for gaming though as it doesn't let it evolve by leaps and bounds as far as technical presentation like it used to.
A multi-core IBM processor (probably a triple core) and a custom ATI Radeon HD that's more than likely going to be running off of the R700 chipset. The same chipset that's been in use by low end PCs and notebooks for quite a while now (though as I've always said, when you code a game for ONE specific piece of hardware you can get a hell of a lot out of it instead of having to code worry about different specs and hardware like on the PC).
And the thing isn't due out for another YEAR ... it's going to be even MORE out of date by then. Things COULD change by that time, and I hope the full official specs hit sometime soon. But I have a feeling it's just going to slow gaming down even more since developers mostly aren't concerned with developing for the immensely more powerful PC platform anymore where they can GET that "leaps and bounds" jump gaming REALLY needs right now.
Developers are mostly console-centric nowadays, and they’re going to be developing on hardware that isn’t much different than what’s already out there. They’ll of course be able to squeeze a bit more out of a more powerful console. But for the most part, gaming has slowed from a headlong run to more of a fast walk that stumbles every now and then.
Call of Duty has been running off of an identical engine for YEARS now, and doesn’t show any sign of evolving since they have no reason to make a DRASTIC change since people will buy it every year. They could easily STILL release that game in a slightly lowered down form for the Playstation 2. Those sports games you buy every year? Basically the same thing. Little upgrades here and there. Killzone 2 to Killzone 3 (my favorite game of this generation for multiplayer so far) … definitely a jump, but not that much. And those are just a few examples.
1981 to 1991 saw HUGE advancements thanks to the arcades and their immense capabilities compared to computers of the time and home consoles. 1991 to 2001 also saw MONSTROUS advancements both the arcade and home arena ... but mostly in the PC realm. 2001 to 2010 ... it started slowing down. At the start, if you REALLY wanted to seriously game you had a PC. Console development got more and more popular and the games just haven't shown all that much of an advancement (for the most part). Games nowadays just haven't made that huge jump like they used to. Oh, they look absolutely gorgeous, and there are quite a few standout titles. But nothing much different than what we’ve been playing for years. The only attempt at hardware innovation anymore are different types of control methods instead of focusing on the capabilities of the console itself.
I’m definitely not saying don’t go out and buy the Wii U if you’re interested in it, by all means go for it. Good games are good games. Nintendo has a long running history though, and this console doesn’t look like it’s going to be the jump gaming desperately needs. It’s shaping up to be more of a small leap. Keep buying your Call of Duty games, and let them make you buy needless upgrades for your PC because they refuse to optimize their games. So the PC guys who spent an armload of money on their new PCs to run this and that game that comes out for it nowadays, it’s because most of the developers out there are only optimizing their games to run on 5 and 6 year old (or more. How long was the gap between the showing off and release of the 360 and PS3?) hardware.
A typical gaming PC now has at LEAST 10x the power of any home console out. Yes, the games look and perform better … but do they look and perform THAT MUCH better? Think about that one.
A new NBA Jam game coming to the Wii has me a little worried.
See that screenshot there? Those are my memories of NBA Jam … just insanely fast paced 2 on 2 basketball that I would play the shit out of in the arcade. Sometime this year there’s going to be one coming to the Wii. As one may fear, it supports motion control. But from what I read on Kotaku, you can also turn the remote sideways and just use the directional pad and use it as … well … a real controller.
I don’t play many sports games, after a 20 year hiatus I finally picked up a baseball game (The Bigs for the PS2 and The Bigs 2 for the 360 if you’re wondering). But I do like to play the arcadey titles. And NBA Jam definitely fits into that. I STILL own both the original and Tournament Edition for the Sega Genesis, and I still pop them in from time to time to see those tiny, grainy graphics and muffled grainy voices. But since Tournament Edition, the series hasn’t just gone down hill … it’s plummeted face first into a bed of spikes.
Game Review – The Sky Crawlers : Innocent Aces for the Wii
Now, I’ll be perfectly honest here. I have only played a handful of flight related games. And all of them are too old for anyone to have really cared about. I remember attempting to play the original MS Flight Simulator when I was a kid. And I got F22 Interceptor recently for the Sega Genesis just because I was curious. And that’s about the extent of the flight games I’ve played aside from Star Fox … but to me that doesn’t really count.
So this review is going to be a little different from most of the ones I do being that I have no prior knowledge of games like this. And I can’t comment too much on the motion controls because I have issues with them with ANY game because I can’t hold my hands steady enough to make that style of a control scheme a viable option. What I’m going to do for this one in particular is relate my experiences playing the game … of which I used a Gamecube controller to play. And of course my opinion of various things such as the gameplay and the graphics and all that neato stuff.
Ju-on : The Grudge - Haunted House Simulator game review
This game has a lot of potential, and it's based off of one of the few good recent horror movie franchises I've seen lately.
I won't lie to you, I'm a big fan of the Ju-on : The Grudge films, I've seen them all (and if you think it's limited to the 3 American films, you're sorely mistaken. And I’m enough of a fan to admit the American versions of the The Grudge 2 and 3 were terrible) and this game does manage to keep the feeling of suspense those movies put forth thanks to the help of Takashi Shimizu who was the creative consultant. And it's bargain price at $29.99 doesn't hurt it either and would make a great Halloween purchase.
Old arcade games I’d like to see on XBLA
This isn't a very REALISTIC list mind you, but these are some games (or good clones) I would LOVE to see arrive on Xbox Live Arcade. And you could count the Wii's Virtual Console and PSN as well I suppose. :) And they aren't in any particular order. All the images are courtesy of KLOV.
Nintendo Wii Review - Pinball Hall of Fame : The Williams Collection
Okay, the first impression of this game is terrible. I'll warn you of that right now. Because when you first start the game you get this HORRIBLE full motion video of walking into an old school arcade and going arouund looking at the different tables and watching a little demo and whatnot of the tables being played. It's blurry, choppy and a mess. Just skip it, I don't even know why they even put this in. I've seen better on the Sega CD. Once you actually get into the game however, it's a completely different story. Forget emulation, forget every other console, this is the best way to play pinball outside of having the actual table. This comes with 10 tables from the 70's on up through the 90's and each and every one of them are perfect down to the last little detail. And the tables you get with this are some pretty famous ones ... Black Knight, Firepower, Funhouse, Gorgar, Pinbot, Space Shuttle, Taxi, Whirlwind, Jive Time and Sorcerer.
Games that are new to me - X-Men Origins : Wolverine game review
Systems : Xbox 360 (reviewed), PC and Playstation 3 (rated M) and a different version of the game for the Wii/PS2/NDS (rated T)
This game, by all rights, should suck. It should be TERRIBLE. It’s a licensed game, and there are very few licensed games that are worth playing. The only one that I can think of off the top of my head is Kung Fu Panda (and that game didn’t even have the original voice actors, it has sound alikes. You at least get Hugh Jackman in Wolverine, though I don’t know about the rest of the cast). Why doesn’t this game suck? Because Raven was working on making a Wolverine game before they ever got the license, and this is clearly a show of love for the character from them. That’s why. This is the first Wolverine game that REALLY gives you that “Yeah. I’m a badass.” feeling.
Hmm … Does this mean my Xbox 360 can help save the Earth too???
Basically, when you spend your 35 bucks on this thing and use it ... when you're TV is off the console gets no power. Or whatever else you happen to have plugged into it because they use a lot of power or something. Hit the jump for a little more.