XBox 360 Rally

You not convinced that HD DVD is dead? Are you one of those sad, sad saps who think that HD DVD will rise from the ashes like the mighty phoenix? Well, you’re a moron. You see, Engadget is reporting that over in Ireland, they are able to get their hands on the now-defunct format (which still has some great films on the format) for a whole €10.

For those of you in the US, that’s roughly $15.53.

Here’s what I think of this — HD DVD is kind of like BetaMax. Sure, the format died years ago, but there are still people who insist that BetaMax was superior to VHS and still watch BetaMax videos to this day. Hell, I myself still watch Star Wars on LaserDisc… yes, I own a LaserDisc player, and have used actual Laserdiscs as mirrors because they’re the size of 78’s.

No, this isn’t a full review — because I’m not done with it yet. But let me just tell you what I think of the game to this point: It’s absolutely fan-freaking-tastic.

Everything from the graphical polish in every street corner, to the ambient sounds of city life going on all around you have been given great care to. The story, from what I’ve discovered so far, looks to be the best in the series and the protagonist in particular, Niko Bellic, is easily the most likable of the bunch.

I haven’t gone online with it yet (I have a thing about completing single-player games before going online), but the single-player is simply second to none. The improvements to the controls, especially the combat, work to the game’s benefit and overall this latest entry into the GTA franchise is, far and away, the best.

A full review is coming, but for now, I’m getting back to the goods.

Hi, kids. I wanted to talk to you all about Iron Man for just a moment. As you may or may not know, the demo was recently unleashed on us gullible comic book fans. I’ve had the chance to take a few rounds with Iron Man, and have come to this conclusion: It ain’t bad.

If anything the demo is short. Really, truly, ridiculously short. However, it’s a pretty fun little demo that lets you experience the most basic of what Iron Man has to offer. The only complaint I had was with the control scheme — there is a lot going on with the controls. No button is left unused, and if you’re like me (inverted = life), you’ll have to fiddle with the settings for a minute. Ultimately, though, it’s a fun game that may do the film justice.

Which is good. No offense to gaming, but video games based on movies based on comic books aren’t necessarily good. Maybe Spider-Man 2 breaks the mold.

Maybe.

Iron Man comes out this week, but you all won’t care — you’ll have GTA IV. Just like me.

The Def Leppard Track Pack for Guitar Hero III is now LIVE, ladies and gentlemen. In addition to live recordings of both “Nine Lives” and “Photograph”, you’ll get the studio recording of “Rock of Ages”, all of which are performed by Def Leppard… well… a cover band. They’re respectable covers, but if this is the actual Leppard, then I’m ashamed by just how far they’ve fallen. It sounds almost nothing like classic Leppard.

So how much will these tracks set you back? About 500 MS Points.

[Major Nelson]

Before Sam Fisher became a homeless man, he was a superspy who could probably take Solid Snake in a one-on-one spyoff (Michael Ironside FTW). Now you’ll be able to play through one of Sam’s earlier adventures once again as Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, along with Metal Arms: Glitch in the System, are now Xbox Originals.

Look, everyone has played Splinter Cell in the past. I’m confident in saying that. But I would be willing to bet that most of you haven’t played Metal Arms, and for that you should be kicked square in the pants. It’s one of the most underrated titles in the Xbox library, and well worth the 1,200 MS Points they’re asking for.

[Major Nelson]

Hi, kids. I’m back. Now, don’t get too excited — it’s not full-time, by any stretch of the imagination, but I have returned to that which is my home to do what I do best — talk Xbox. Over the next few days I’ll be getting back into the swing of things, and before long I’ll be my good ol’ self once more.

…this is where I’m supposed to plug my website, BingeGamer.net, but I won’t. I’m better than that.

With Blu-Ray seemingly beating HD-DVD into submission like a redheaded stepchild, it really shouldn’t surprise anybody that Microsoft is now considering adding Blu-Ray playback to the Xbox 360.

In an interview with Reuters, Microsoft’s group marketing manager Albert Penello made it pretty clear that Microsoft would be willing to switch sides in the HD-DVD/Blu-Ray debate, saying “It should be a consumer choice, and if that’s the way they vote, that’s something we’ll have to consider”.

That is code for “If HD-DVD gets beaten into the dirt, we’re switching sides.” This may turn out to be the case, as it is widely believed that Paramount Pictures, who just this summer backed HD-DVD, may be ready to switch sides and join the Blu-Ray camp.

HD-DVD is dead. Long live Blu-Ray!

Microsoft, HD-DVD, Blu-Ray, Xbox 360

In case you haven’t heard, Bill Gates had his CES keynote address last night. While most of it was boring and unoriginal, the ending was… something entirely different. Taking a page from Peter Moore’s disastrous attempt at rocking out at this past E3 (boy did I get the Code Monkeys prediction wrong or what?), both Bill Gates and Microsoft President Robbie Bach took decided that it would be better to have others stand in for them as they used Guitar Hero III to settle a $20 bet.

Bach brought out the insanely hot Tipper Queen, who threw down to the opening licks of Guns n’ Roses’ classic “Welcome to the Jungle”. However Gates, being Bill Gates, one-upped Bach by bringing out the equally talented, if not slightly less-hot Slash. To give you a hint: He’s the one in the hat.

One complaint: A bet of $20? Come on. Bill Gates hasn’t even SEEN a $20 bill since 1974!

Microsoft, Xbox 360, CES, Guitar Hero III

Whether you bought a Wii, Xbox 360 or even a PlayStation 3, you can’t argue that this was an amazing year for console gamers. The industry certainly can’t argue this fact either, as gaming as a whole made over $40 billion in 2007, with much of the success coming between August and November. Microsoft in particular did well for themselves over the year, or so they tell you.

According to Microsoft, thanks to a strong holiday showing which included hits like Mass Effect and Halo 3, the Xbox 360 surpassed the 17.5 million unit mark. In fact, Halo 3 alone has topped 8 million units, with Mass Effect selling another 1.6 million units in just six weeks.

“Microsoft is proud of the contributions Xbox 360 is making to the gaming industry, and looks forward to an even more successful 2008,” Microsoft said.

I would be kind of interested to see if we could find out how many of those 17.7 million consoles Microsoft brags about selling were purchased by people who just didn’t feel like sending their Ringed One in for repair.

[GameDaily BIZ]

Microsoft, Xbox 360, Halo 3, Mass Effect

Ah, it’s nice to wake up in a world where Metal Gear Solid 4 rumors have been put to rest, and there are absolutely NO rumors of any games being ported to the Xbox 360. Yes, the sun shines brighter today. The air is crisper today. The water is more thirst quenching today. Why, this may very well be the perf… Crysis is coming to the 360? Son of a…

That’s right, boys and girls. According to Austrian video game retailer “GamesOnly.at”, Crysis is indeed coming to the Xbox 360 this November.

If Crysis is indeed coming to the Xbox 360, it will no doubt be toned down a bit in the graphics department.

Crysis was released on the PC in the US on November 13th, 2007. As of now its sales have been disappointing due to the fact that Crysis is an absolute beast that will chew up and spit out your girly man gaming rig.

Crysis, Xbox 360

It’s no secret that this past week or so Xbox LIVE has been giving a lot of people issues. Whining and complaining has occurred on countless message boards, and I’m sure even a few tears have been shed by the overly zealous Halo 3 jackasses. Well, I address each and every one of you who feel they have been wronged by Microsoft, and demand compensation when I say…

Stop your bitching.

Read the rest of this entry »

Before we get back to the business, I just want to wish you all a happy new year once again. I hope you all had a fun, and safe new year celebration, and I’m looking forward to shaming myself for your entertainment until this time next year. Now to business…

Remember when there were rampant rumors that Microsoft and Toshiba were working together in an effort to bring a new Xbox 360 SKU with a built-in HD-DVD drive. Now those rumors have been revived after several reports have indicated that Bill Gates and Microsoft may be ready to reveal a new SKU for the 360 at CES.

Unlike earlier believed, this new SKU will not be a stand-alone, but rather a replacement for the soon-to-be-discontinued Xbox 360 Elite. If true, of course.

While the idea of a Xbox 360 with built-in HD-DVD is a good one, I just feel it’s a bit late. Also, the inclusion of an internal HD-DVD drive would surely drive up the cost of the console, so maybe its best we wait and see before we get excited.

Microsoft, Xbox 360, HD-DVD, CES

People, with the new year now upon us, and the old year now behind us, I think it’s time for us to look back at our past. At what came before us. In order to truly appreciate the games we have now, and will have in the future we must always be mindful of our humble beginnings. Before there was carjackings and shootouts in beautifully rendered streets, there was a dog and some ducks. Before there were expansive 3D worlds that were fully destructible, there was a 2D city that you could smash as a lizard, or ape.

Hell, before he was blue and red, he was this kind of off-brownish kind of color. Regardless, to embrace the future we must remember the past, so here is a video from All Games Radio founder Scot Rubin that shows the evolution of gaming from then to now.

Happy New Year, everybody. See you again on Wednesday.

Even if you can’t read a lick of German, numbers and percentages shouldn’t escape you. Take a look at the image at the bottom of this story a moment. Do you see that “90% Komplett”? Yeah, Unreal Tournament 3 (talk about retro linkage) is almost done. So done, in fact, that according to this very German article that you can easily view below, UT3 will be storming the people next April.

If you remember back to E3, there was a big stink about how the PlayStation 3 would be getting UT3 before the Xbox 360. In fact, many PS3 fanboys got ahead of themselves and started bragging on various message boards that Unreal Tournament 3 was in fact a PS3 exclusive. Obviously that isn’t the case, and I would even venture to guess that the Xbox 360 version, like so many other games brought to both systems, will be the superior effort.

But only time will tell, and we’ll know by April.

[MaxConsole]

Unreal Tournament 3

If you were like me and grew up having a childhood where a lot of things went kaboom, rejoice! Metal Slug 3, what I consider to be the best in the series is making its home on Xbox LIVE.

Like most games that come to the Xbox LIVE Arcade, Metal Slug 3 will include online co-op over Xbox LIVE, as well as improved graphics. You can also expect to see things like a leaderboard and whatnot. Sure, it hasn’t been confirmed yet, but with a game like Metal Slug, you almost have to have it.

So when can we expect to be able to get our hands on this fun little bugger, you ask? Why, January 2nd, 2008 of course! It’ll cost you 800 MS Points.

When you guys are playing that, though… just remember my Xbox 360. Never forget.

Microsoft, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE Arcade, Metal Slug 3