Thursday, April 17th, 2008
by Michael Sherlock
I wrote a post a while back about the top games of 2007 for the Xbox 360. I planned to write a similar article for the Nintendo Wii but decided to hold off for a while and just write about the current top games. Sure Wii Fit, Mario Kart Wii, Rock Band, and WiiWare games are coming soon but as of April 17th, here are my top 5 games for the Nintendo Wii. When newer games are released, I’ll be sure to right about them.
- Super Smash Bros Brawl
I really love this game and right now it has to be one of the best on all platforms. Coming from SSB 64 I have to say this game is great. It manages to keep the fun and simple gameplay the original game had but it also introduces great graphics (for the system), new characters, and really cool worlds to play on. If you own a Wii, you must play this game.
- Super Mario Galaxy
This game looks fantastic and with a great level design Super Mario Galaxy has won several awards including game of the year. It’s clear that this is one of the best Mario games to date. The replay value is great because this game has lots of stages and tons of stars to find and collect. This is one you should play.
- Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition
This is the first 3rd party game on my list and I have to say it’s a great value. You get an amazing shooter with intense story line for the good price of $29.99 which I’m sure you can find for less.
- Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock
It’s clear the Guitar Hero Series is one what is great on all platforms and the Wii is no exception. The game plays just as well as any other system but is $10 cheaper and is wireless. This is the best game for parties.
- Trauma Center: New Blood
Rounding out my list is Trauma Center: New Blood which is a surgery simulator. Using the Wii Controls you can operate similarly to the way actual doctors operate. This is the first game of it’s kind and offers a way to really use the Wii the way it was designed: using the new control scheme. The game can get very hard towards the end but I still recommend this title.
Friday, December 28th, 2007
by Michael Sherlock
With 2007 coming to close it’s time to reflect on the top games for the xbox 360 of this year. This is not only to give you some ideas on games you should pick up but also is a way to show and highlight what some amazing people created this past year. For more amazing games made this year, and in the past, you can check out the top games reviewed on gamespot and ign. So without further ado, here are my top five xbox 360 games of 2007.
- Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
This game is not only an amazing shooter it offers great replay and multiplayer options. The call of duty series has been leading the way in first person shooters for a long time but this game finally offers something I have wanted for a long time: the setting not being based in WWII!
- Halo3
This game was so hyped it was almost impossible for it to be as good as expected. I could tell you how it’s online play, and single player, is amazing but I’m just going to say this. I turned on my console when I got the game and my xbox wasn’t shut off until the game was over and I never play a game in one session, EVER.
- Bioshock
Bioshock is a game that differs from the average first person shooter in two distinct ways. First of all, it’s not all about the guns. In Bioshock you can alter your human abilities allowing you to shoot fire, bees, and other super human abilities in a simple way that integrates seamlessly into the game and in no way makes it feel childish. More importantly, you actually care about the story line. In some first person shooters you only care about blowing the brains out of your enemies but in Bioshock you truly want to listen to the amazing voice-overs and cut-scenes and ultimately solve the puzzle that is Bioshock.
- The Orange Box
This game has something for everyone: an amazing and simple multiplayer shooter that allows for quick and simple fun with a minimal learning curve. Arguably the best shooter ever made in Half Life 2 (The Orange Box includes Half Life 2 along with Half Life 2 episodes one and two for the complete story.) It also comes with a game called Portal which allows you to engage in a mind game that doesn’t involve killing.
- Rock Band
Rounding out my list of superb xbox 360 games I have Rock Band. This game comes from the developer, Harmonix, that brought us Guitar Hero one and two. Harmonix branched off after making guitar hero two to create rock band. Rock Band is basically the guitar hero game we have learned to love with the introduction of vocals and drums, hence Rock Band. Since the code had to be rewritten for legal reasons errors that plagued the guitar hero series have been removed from this game. The game is a little pricey but is something almost anyone would want and is a perfect party game.
Wednesday, December 26th, 2007
by Michael Sherlock
Relevancy: Written Holiday Season 2007.
This time of year it’s hard to make a decision on which console you want to buy. It seems like everyone has their opinion, “PS3’s suck, get a wii” or “The 360 is pointless, buy a PS3”. What you have to decide is what features matter the most to you. Each console has attributes that make them great but using the knowledge you gain in this article, you should be able to pick one that matches what you want to use it for. With the holiday season coming to an end, you can use the money you got from family and friends to the console that’s right for you. For starters, let’s compare the basics for each console.
Wii: The Wii has a revolutionary controller which allows developers to create games that work your mind and body- not just thumbs. If you haven’t heard, your motions control the gameplay. For example, playing madden to throw the football you have to make throwing motions similar to those you would use to actually throw a ball. The Wii also has a nice price factor. Only $250 compared to the Xbox 360 starting at $280 and the PS3 starting at $400. However, the Wii lacks Next Generation Graphics. Out of the box the maximum output of the wii is 480i with the option of buying separate component cables allowing you to output at 480p (EDTV). This is pretty low compared to the 360 maxing out at 1080i and the amazing clarity of 1080p on the PS3. (Both of these are considered HDTV) Additionally, the controllers are expensive relative to the console. $40 for the Wii Remote, $20 for the Nunchuk and $20 for the Classic Controller.
Cost: $249.99
Xbox 360: The Xbox 360 is aimed more towards the hardcore gamer who enjoys his first person shooters. The Xbox 360 has nothing world-shattering like the Wii’s motion sensitive controller but it has great graphics (maximum output 1080i), three powerful CPU cores running at 3.2 GHz, and an amazing online play option. Because the 360 has been on the market for a few years now you can easily pick up a game you will enjoy. From Halo3 to Gears of War, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare to The Orange Box, there are great games available today for you to play. What also makes the 360 great is that for $180 you can buy an external HD-DVD drive which is the cheapest way to enter into the next generation of video playback. However, the HD-DVD drive is still expensive and is a lot to spend on something which may loose the Format Wars. Also, if you want to connect your xbox to the internet to play online you will need either a long Ethernet cable or for an additional cost a wireless adaptor to enable wireless connectivity (WiFi). This is my largest complaint: if the Wii can have built in WiFi, why can’t the Xbox 360?
Cost: $247.99-449.99 (For More on the different price options and what’s included in each click here.)
Playstation 3: The PS3 is a power house and that’s what you pay for. The PS3 features the cell processor running at 3.2GHz and also includes a Blu-Ray drive. Other Blu-Ray players start at around $300 so if you want Blu-Ray; this is the way to go. Graphics wise, the PS3 can output at a maximum of 1080p (True HDTV). Although this machine packs a punch the games currently available don’t take advantage of this power and in some cases look worse than the 360. This system has been out for over a year and still does not offer a solid lineup of games. There is no amazing game that’s only for the PS3 like Halo3 or Gears of War was for the Xbox 360. I’m sure there will be better games coming out in the future but right now the game selection is just ok.
Cost: $399.99-$499.99 (For a breakdown of the different models click here)
I’ve tried to be as least biased as I could writing the general comparisons however I feel it’s important to understand everyone’s views to get a sense of why you would buy a certain console. If you just read descriptions you will never learn how others feel and subsequently not make an informed decision. When you are buying a TV, you read user reviews to help you decide if that model is right for. It’s the same concept for video games; you need to understand other people’s views. So, here are mine.
Let’s start with the Sony Playstation 3. I have a good friend who loves his PS3. He loves owning it, playing it, and talking about it; however, I’ve played it on several occasions and feel there is no reason to own it. I had a PS2 but was never drawn into it like I was when I got my xbox. With the prices falling on PS3’s there is no longer a huge gap between the 360 (and wii even) and the PS3. So feature wise, it’s a better value to buy a PS3 because of all the multimedia you get which includes a blu-ray player. However, from a gaming perspective there is nothing available you can’t get on a 360 that tips the scales particularly if don’t love those few PS3 exclusives.
Next, the Nintendo Wii. Although the Wii recently received its best game to date in Super Mario Galaxy the game selection is a huge concern for Wii owners. Super Mario Galaxy and Wii Sports (which is included with every Wii) aside, there are no stellar or amazing games available for this system. Plus most of the games available and coming soon are party games designed for use with other people. This is not to say this won’t be different in 6-12 months, but right now this is the sad truth. Additionally, if you’re someone who doesn’t have a lot of friends or you are a hardcore gamer loving detailed graphics and tons of great shooters, I would suggest you either stay away from the Wii or purchase it as a second console coupled with an Xbox 360, Playstation 3, or a powerful gaming computer. But hey, at least it has built in WiFi.
Finally, the Microsoft Xbox 360. In my mind, this is the most rounded system on the market which led to my purchase of this console during the holiday season. Besides my utter disgust that this console does not have built in WiFi I have to say it is amazing. I opened my console on Christmas morning and by dinner I had beaten Halo3. I plaid a little Rainbow Six Vegas, which I didn’t really get into, and plaid some Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare as well. My point is the game selection is plentiful and any gamer is bound to find something they like because this console offers everything from amazing First Person Shooters (fps) to amazing Party Games including Rock Band which I got for Christmas but have not plaid yet. But the best part of the Xbox 360 is the amazing online play via Xbox Live. Not only can you text and voice chat, add friends and maintain a gamer profile for free, for a nominal fee you can get all those features plus the ability to play almost 100% of your games online. (I would suggest buying a 12 month prepaid card that way you pay the least amount of money per month and don’t have to give Microsoft a credit card number.) Plus, the 360 offers a ton of multimedia features allowing you to access you music and movies from your computer and the option of downloading content from the Xbox 360 marketplace.
In conclusion, this decision all comes down to you. If you’re a person who wants blue-ray and a load of multimedia features then you should buy a PS3. If you want a little of everything, and boy does this deliver everything superbly, then you should purchase an Xbox 360. But if you are a casual gamer who loves playing party games with friends the Wii is the way to go. Whichever you choose you won’t regret it and remember, there is no harm in buying more than one system!
