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Microsoft
Unlike Nintendo, Microsoft has been more than forthcoming with announcements and showings of the first-party software for its upcoming next-gen console. The majority of in-house Xbox games were unveiled this past March at Microsoft's annual Gamestock event, which left few surprises for the big E3 showdown in May and ultimately allowed Nintendo to somewhat upstage Microsoft with a bevy of never-before-seen games. It didn't help that many of the Xbox games didn't show as well as anticipated. Critics cried poor frame rates and uninspired content, but Microsoft's condition isn't as bleak as you might think. The majority of Microsoft's domestic developers are used to working on PC games, so the transition to the Xbox hardware should be relatively painless once they overcome the initial learning curve. Microsoft has established a development studio in Japan headed by former Sony bigwig Toshiyuki Miyata. The Japanese division is made up of more than 100 employees, but nothing has been announced regarding its games, so Microsoft probably still has a few aces up its sleeve. Rumors have swirled that Xbox Japan is developing an Xbox RPG, but the speculation has yet to be confirmed. What could turn out to be the true thorn in Microsoft's side is that the Xbox's games won't come online until spring 2002. This is one of the Xbox's unique selling propositions, and its lack of support out of the gate could dampen enthusiasm. Regardless of whether its games are online or not, Microsoft has a varied roster of exclusive games for the Xbox releasing at or near launch.
Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee
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Munch's Oddysee began as a PlayStation 2 game. |
Oddworld Inhabitants' flagship game initially began as a PlayStation 2 title. Shortly after the Oddworld team dished out some rather brash criticisms of the PlayStation 2 hardware, Munch's Oddysee was promptly announced as an Xbox exclusive. As the continuation of the Oddworld universe that was given life on the PlayStation, Munch's Oddysee is much more than just another 3D platformer. You play as both Munch and his sidekick Abe. The two are used in conjunction with one another to cooperatively solve puzzles. Munch's Oddysee is worthy of a look for both its artistic accomplishments and achievements in level design. This first next-generation Oddworld game is currently scheduled for release with the Xbox November 8.
Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding
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Catching big air in Microsoft's Amped. |
Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding is Microsoft's attempt to get in on the snowboarding genre, which was made especially popular recently by EA's SSX. However, unlike SSX, which has you racing arcade-style against other snowboarders, Amped focuses more on realistic environments and a tricks-for-points gameplay model. Amped will live up to its name in the soundtrack department, too: The game contains a staggering 150 songs on its soundtrack, and further, you can record music to the Xbox's hard drive and build your own soundtrack as well. Amped is sounding like quite an interesting snowboarding experience, and it should launch with the Xbox on November 8, 2001.
Azurik: Rise of Parathia
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He's big, he's blue, and he's pissed off--he's Azurik. |
Every new console needs some solid third-person action games, and so Microsoft and Adrenium are bringing us Azurik: Rise of Perathia. The game casts you as the blue-skinned title character, a student in the magical arts who must save his land from destruction by tapping into the four elements: earth, air, ice, and fire. Azurik can combine these elements into different magical attacks to use against his foes. Puzzle-solving will also figure heavily into the gameplay, as it often does in this sort of game. Azurik: Rise of Perathia, like Microsoft's other Xbox games, will ship when the system launches in early November.
Blood Wake
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Blood Wake: Where you'll leave your enemies in a wake...of blood. |
Blood Wake is a mission-based third-person boat action game from Stormfront Studios. The game casts you as a pirate caught up in a larger aquatic war between two powerful factions; as any good pirate would, you're looking to capitalize on the misfortunes of others. The 25 missions in Blood Wake will give you a variety of objectives to complete, in an open-ended fashion, before you can move on to the next. The game also has a four-player mode for all-out mayhem against human opponents. Blood Wake's water is especially realistic--it's worth checking out for that fact alone. A realistic physics engine is also being incorporated, which gives the game's waves even more legitimacy. Look for Blood Wake when the Xbox ships this November.
Fuzion Frenzy
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Fuzion Frenzy is the darkest party game ever. |
Fuzion Frenzy is an odd, dark-looking party game from Blitz Games that we haven't seen a whole lot of just yet. Like in other party games, Fuzion Frenzy has you and other human players vying for points on a sort of board game layout, and activating certain triggers will send you into fast-action minigames in which you can pick up extra points and other bonuses. We've only seen a few of these minigames so far, such as one that involves placing each player inside a hamster ball and having them try to knock the others off a platform (pictured). There will be a total of 48 minigames in Fuzion Frenzy when the game ships this November alongside the Xbox.
Halo
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Some of the sweetest graphics you've ever seen...promise. |
Halo may very well be Microsoft's most important game. The game garnered a huge following between its 1999 unveiling as a PC game and the announcement a year later that Microsoft had bought the game's developer, Bungie. Now one of the PC's most promising games is the Xbox's flagship shooter. Halo revolves around an interesting sci-fi fantasy world and the clash between humanity and an evil alien race. But Halo has gone through so many design changes and revisions since its conversion to a console title that we're not sure exactly how the final game is going to turn out. It's gone from third-person action to a first-person shooter, and its online component has been in various states of existence. Stay tuned until November to see what finally becomes of one of the Xbox's essential titles.
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