Questworld

Just great. On the one hand we've got too expensive consoles with controllers I can't use for FPS games, and on the other we've got a cheap console with a controller that's hopefully better for FPS games but has FPS games that are once again being scaled down with even less features. I'm so sick of this. It's like I can't win.

To be fair they have been developing it since 2004 and had most likely been using Cube systems or modified Cube systems.

It's somewhat disheartening that Monolith Soft will be the ones working on this project. It sounds more like a game Monolith Production would be working on. Monolith Soft does RPGs and this game sounds pretty good; it would be a shame to waste such a good idea with a team that's still pretty new to the type of game I think Disaster is. I hope I'm wrong. Incidentally, anyone remember this game: http://www.replaystudios.de/survivor/

I have for a while been mentally referring to it as Wi-i, much like Wiki or Hawaii. I think that's my final thought on the subject and how I'll pronounce it.

Booooo... My younger brother and cousins plays Pangya. Online was one of its important features. This game had better have at least offline multiplayer. Heck, I'd also like to see a miniature putting course (Pangya doesn't have that) since I don't see how people can swing while looking at the TV while I think putting allows for people to look at the TV monitor while they make putting motions that could be mirrored in the avatar's movements (like creating life size shadow puppets).

Hmmm... PS3 gets MGS4... Rev gets Elebits, why am I not surprised? I suppose Kojima's PS3 projects are sucking all the company's life force into them and leaving little for any other system. Frankly, this better be good... no, not just good, it better be great. The gameplay better be great, and visuals better not be some PS2 game's leftover.

From what I can tell from the scans the graphics aren't really great but they're okay. It doesn't seem like it has moved that far from graphics that, at its best, the GameCube could push. I can't say it even surpasses RE4 much if at all but that's just because of art style, I think. The lighting for Red Steel looks competent but not something I was expecting from a next gen title. It seems that as though there's no shadow either. The polygon count looks a little low too particularly with the clothes (I can't believe we still have somewhat poorly made models with angular construction and no wrinkles, particulary with that picture of two guys beside that elderly Samurai) . Some characters look good (like that elderly man with the sword) but many others (probably canon fodder) don't look that well, blurry faces even (I hope it's because it's a scan). I hope their faces aren't like those with face textures mapped onto their heads but instead an actual polygon construction. Now what could this mean? Well, it could be because it's early. They probably made the game using modified GameCube kits and didn't push it too far. This is what I'd like to know: Is this pushing Revolution or is this, much like any new console, just suffering from being a first year game. The clarity of some of the characters' faces probably pale in comparison because of it's a magazine scan. Some have compared these images with some Xbox games like Far Cry or Ninja Gaiden and stated that the latter actually look better. I agree but I'd like to reserve judgement until we actually get similar quality pics from Ubisoft and not some magazine scans. For now though the game seems like it runs on graphic engines like that of Unreal Engine 2.0 than Unreal 3.0 (or even Half-Life 2's engine) but ran on a more capable system where more polygons are pushed. If that's the case then it's no wonder it looks somewhat like last gen's games though better. I hope developers do better than that (from a graphical standpoint) because it seems as if all resources seem to be directed towards the PS3 and 360. I don't want them tweaking engines like Unreal 3.0 and such to fit within those systems but then use last gen's engines, tweak it a bit, and use than on Rev games simply because they THINK it can't handle better. Again, if engines were designed around the system and push its capabilities better then results should be better as oppose to trying to shoehorn PC engines onto a system that isn't designed the same way, unlike 360 which has such elements. Regardless of the graphical quality, I can't say I'm impressed from a art style point of view but it's not bad. What I do insist upon is better animation. Throw in a hundred varieties of death scenes on top of another hundred behaviors, if you don't mind. Frankly, Oblivion alone, graphically looking good, won't do it for me. That game animates poorly in my opinion, not so much like characters run weird or anything, it's just that they look and talk strangely (I think I'll blame that at the fact that you can construct your own character like in MMORPGs which never feel like a "solid" being). You'd think that after all the progress in processing power we'd actually get something that behaves realistically. So far Half-Life 2 has some of what I want but I'm annoyed that that's all we've seen or achieved so far. I don't know if you guys and gals know what I mean but let's just say you hold up a camera to you eye and look at the world through that. Now, for example, go into a restaurant and imagine that you don't have that camera stuck to your eye the whole time. Talk to somebody, tap them on the shoulder, look around, some will look at you and some won't. If someone was watching TV and you pass by in front they'll look at you quickly until the TV isn't blocked. Y'know what I'm saying? Intricate details like that are what I want and by that I don't just mean graphic detail like those prerendered backgrounds in REmake, I want believeable animation, real traffic and pedestrian conditions (The Getaway 2 looks like it has that), etc. Anyway, sorry for the long post.

I suppose that's true. Many developers may not feel the need to push content any further than they have to, even if said content only uses half the resources of a system. Heck look at Hunter The Reckoning on Xbox, outside of the main characters, everyone else looked ballooned up as if the modelers didn't even bothered to put curves in the design. Hopefully this also means that the Rev can be used as the baseline system when developing multi-platform titles. Incidentally, I'm kinda curious what Pandemic was talking about when they mentioned “…we’ve actually just seen some things behind closed doors that are just mind-blowing. Very very exciting. They’re doing something that’s very different and unique.â€

Quite true Hellfire, unfortunately I still feel a little disappointed about it. I was hoping for CPU power that's at least about a Gig or so along with complimentary bottle-neck-less GPU, memory, and the like. I'm not saying it can't provide comparable graphic quality, it's just that I don't think most developers out there are just not that good working within limitations. That's my belief anyways. I mean some of the best games out there include RE4, GT3/4, MGS3, etc. but have you noticed how poorly some games are made. Nevermind graphical quality, animation alone could you use a lot of work. I mean look at Oblivion. It might be unfair for me to say this but from what I've seen in videos, characters still move rather stiffly and look rather action figure-esque. This doesn't mean the gameplay is bad (not that I'd know) but I'm getting the feeling that it still borders on character modeling and animating like mannequins. They just don't feel believeable, not even in FMVs. Just look at MGS3's cutscenes and see how well they implement movement and physics just in that bike scene alone. Resident Evil 1 shows characters walking down stairs that felt solid and their feet firmly hitting the ground unlike, say, Splinter Cell (that scene with the oil rig with characters walking up a flight of stairs but you see them floating up instead) or Everything or Nothing (even with motion capture has characters that look awkward walking alone). Hmmm... I may have gotten off topic a bit but my point is I just don't trust most developers and their skills to pull off that certain type of quality I'm looking for regardless of how many times they insist more a powerful system will allow them to make it more realistic. This only makes me wonder how well the can work with a system that is relatively less powerful that the PS3 or 360. I want better animation (how we move our eye and how we quickly shift focus, leaning when running full speed while turning a corner, etc.) but if they focus too much on graphic models then we'll even have less for things like actually good animation. In other cases, I just think their game engines aren't that well optimized to pull off great graphics with less resources.

If Doom 3 and Half-Life 2 can make it on the Xbox, it most certainly can be on a "souped-up Xbox" called the Nintendo Revolution. I personally think people overexaggerate this "weaker" compared to the 360 and PS3 and that's assuming it's true. In other cases I think some developers aren't as good at tweaking a game to maximum effect. Capcom was able to do RE4 on the GCN (AND PS2) and look at that game. On the other hand we got games like Hunter: The Reckoning which looks terrible. I think the reason some developers ask for more memory is because their the don't optimize their work and their engines well enough. They don't "trim the fat" with excess like unnecessary number of polygons or hidden ones, etc. that bog down framerate and memory space. Anyway, any good developer can make a game like Doom 3 or 4 on any of the next generation system (possibly even current ones) if they wanted or forced too. If the sales were there even if it's on the weakest of consoles, they'd do everything they can to make it work. And since we're not talking about Dreamcast/PS2/GCN "weak" here with the Revolution, I'm sure they've got all the resources they need. Barring any official news of "undeniably too weak in specs," I believe their reasons have anything to do with the Revolution supposedly being too weak to run their games. They're probably still stuck on the "kiddy" angle or the current GCN being left out on multi-platform game releases mentality.

Yup, that's how I feel DCK: confused. What would give me a better idea is having someone tell me the true polygon pushing power of the PS3/360 with all effects, lighting, etc. on. Someone tell me how much polygons (w/ effects) does a game like PGR3 have. Is it 50 million or is it 100 million. From reports I've read each car had an average of 96,000 polygons. I guess we could estimate based on that since the Cube could do about 10 to 20 million. What do you guys think? Anyone here have PGR3? Anyone follow the development of that game?

Yup, that's how I feel DCK: confused. What would give me a better idea is having someone tell me the true polygon pushing power of the PS3/360 with all effects, lighting, etc. on. Someone tell me how much polygons (w/ effects) does a game like PGR3 have. Is it 50 million or is it 100 million. From reports I've read each car had an average of 96,000 polygons. I guess we could estimate based on that since the Cube could do about 10 to 20 million. What do you guys think? Anyone here have PGR3? Anyone follow the development of that game?

Great work indeed. Although I was half expecting Link to be the Ghost of Christmas Past and Samus for the Ghost of Christmas Future. Kirby's great. I love Kirby.

The original Megaman/Rockman games.

1. Resident Evil 4 (GCN) - The best of a series that I regard as one of my most favorite. It provided improvements such as a revamped item management system and progressive level to level design (both which significantly cut down on backtracking), as well as a new weapons upgrading system, battle targeting system, interactive cutscenes, etc. It’s always a fun ride to follow a series’ evolution; sharing the adventure and making connections with its characters stretching from several games back. Hopefully Capcom continues it with a Resident Evil 5 version for the Nintendo Revolution. 2. Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (GCN) – Metal Gear Solid joins Resident Evil as one of two game series that, once introduced to, compelled me so seek out the rest of the main titles… if only Hideo Kojima and Konami made more attempts to share the experience outside the Playstation demographic (specifically to the Nintendo consoles). The story progression (and boy what a story) was always on the move and spaced well with the in-between gaming elements. The characters were a compelling mix. The boss encounters were abundant and were o-so deliciously good and diverse. The combination of a short play time packed full of storyline events, memorable characters, fast paced gameplay, etc. made for a “short and sweet†gaming experience that doesn’t get dragged by overly difficult challenges, unnecessarily long “leveling-up†fillers, or tediously dragged gameplay repetitions. Hopefully Nintendo gamers don’t get left out for more in the future. 3. Super Smash Bros. Melee (GCN) - Perhaps it was the nostalgic inclusion of Nintendo characters or perhaps it had one of the most refreshing take on the fighting game genre in years, but this game is a wonderful product anyone can easily get into. From the simple control learning curve to the four-player mayhem, it’s a blast to share the experience with friends and family. Furthermore, it’s a useful encyclopedia for the history of Nintendo as a games designer and publisher. Hopefully other recognizable game developers and their characters can have a guest appearance in the future. If learning other companies’ rich heritage in trophy mode doesn’t interest, perhaps a Mario vs. Sonic battle event will. 4. Tales of Symphonia (GCN) – I’ve never played many RPGs in my life but Tales of Symphonia will definitely sit on top as one of my favorites. Progression in this game was excellent and story elements were sprinkled to great effect that it (almost) never felt like you waited hours just to get the next plot point. Also, if there’s anything I hate in RPGs, it’s random battle encounters. Thankfully this doesn’t have it and saving your game can be done just about anywhere. As for the battles itself, they were deep and fast paced. It was overall quite enjoyable. I can see why the Tales series is considered one of the best the in RPG realm. 5. Chrono Trigger (SNES) - Admittedly, I've only played this game about half way, and on a PC emulator at that, but I can already tell what many CT gamers who've finished it know. This game has characters you'll fall in love with. The battle system is one of my favorites with regards to RPGs. Random encounters are, again, thankfully not present, especially in the overworld. The story's compelling and the artwork is bright and colorful. I can't wait to download this on the Revolution, Square-Enix permitting. I know descriptions weren’t necessary for all except the first game on the list, but I thought it wouldn’t do the rest of the games justice without saying something about why they’re part of my list of favorites. Having listed them, though, I can't help feel like I've left behind some other games that are dear to me for one reason or another. They may or may not have been consider critically acclaimed by critics, but they're special to me in small ways as only a child new to the scene would cherish long after he grows up. As such, I'm going to add another few names on the list. No worries, it’s just for fun, and besides, I never had that many games for the Nintendo systems I've had. 6. Jackal (NES) – I remember this as THE game that provided me with the most excitement and greatest satisfaction upon completion. I shared this game with my brother and we effortlessly took it on together. Let's just say I love co-op games and I'm not talking about games like capture the flag like in those FPS multiplayer games. When we finally beat it the first time it was high fives all around. Eventually we got so good at it that our coordination was automatic. What took laborious hours of continues and replays now only takes about half an hour or less to finish. It’s just one of those games (such as Contra, Rush and Attack, etc. which you can add as two other favorites of mine) that, once finished, becomes so satisfying you're just awashed with pride. It would be the first and last time I'd experience that momentous feeling in my gaming life. 7. Ninja Gaiden: Shadow (GB) – The only Ninja Gaiden game I’ve ever played was for the original Game Boy. It was a Japanese version too so I didn’t know the English title for it. Similar to how I remember the original Rockman series (aka Megaman), the music from this game is pretty much the cornerstone for which I remember this game. The music pushed me like I was watching an action movie. The combat is great and the boss battles too. It’s just another example of a “short and sweet†gaming experience. 8. Donkey Kong Country 2 (SNES) – Never knew about it at all. I never even looked at game magazines. And to think it was a replacement for a game I didn’t like and boy it was surprisingly good. Again, I love co-op games (a rarity nowadays) and I played this with my brother too. Switching between two characters (and as such, between player 1 and 2) allowed for a shift between differently skilled players. If I wasn’t up to the challenged, my younger brother certainly could, and vice versa. I plan to get the DKC SNES trilogy on the Revolution too. 9. The Adventures of Batman and Robin (SNES) - I love the animated series and I love this game. It had every villain I could have ever hoped to go up against. The graphics were beautiful and did justice to the series and Bruce Timm's artwork. It's unfortunate that it wasn't co-op but it was fantastic nonetheless. I've always wanted a follow-up to this on modern consoles but the result weren't quite there (graphically, Batman Vengence wasn't that remarkable). I love to listening to Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill's Batman and Joker, respectively. Unfortunately, Batman: Rise of Sin Tsu is the only Batman game I have for the GCN which at least has impressive cutscenes of the animated series in 3D. Hopefully a Justice League game will come out with all of these and more before we're left with only "The Batman" series whose Batman and Joker voice cast just isn't the same from what I've grown to love. 10. Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES) – I’ve witnessed the evolution of Mario games for the NES and I must say, they stand so differently from each other you’ve just got to try them all. SMB3 is a remarkable advancement from the original Super Mario Bros. game. It provided a wealth of themes and challenges… not that I’ve ever managed to finish a Mario game in my life (except for Super Mario Sunshine but that wasn’t a challenge compared to platforming games of yesteryear). My brother did finish them though (i.e. 1, 2, 3, Super Mario World, and Super Mario Land) along with quite a few Megaman games too (another series I've never managed to complete a game from and one that I thought he'd finish all of given the chance). 11. Double Dragon 3 (Famicom) - This goes as another great co-op / beat-em-up game that I've loved going into with my brother and cousins. Nothing remarkable in the graphics department but a blast when two players cooperatively do cyclone kicks and jumping off each other. Kicking opponents in the abdomen, grabbing their heads and holding it there for prolonged periods of time never gets old. 12. Battle City (Famicom) – Not many people here might know this game judging from the queries of the game supposedly being included with Star Fox Assault. From level to level, you’d finish off tanks while defending your base, all within the borders of your television screen. Essentially enemy tanks (ranging from fast ones, to hulking big ones that take more than one hit to blow up) spawn from the top left, top right, and top center of the screen. The bottom is your base (basically an eagle emblem enclosed within a three sided brick wall). Beside it are the gamers’ spawn locations. Special glowing tanks, when shot, randomly create an icon on screen that will either provide increase tank fire power, temporary shielding, temporary metal walls for the base, etc. I recommend this game for those of you unfamiliar with it. I’d love to reminisce more with other games like Bayou Billy, Duck Tales, Monsters In My Pocket, Rescue Rangers, and any other game I may be forgetting (which I'm sure I am). but I don’t wanna waste anymore of your time. Thank you for reading.