My first console I received was a Genesis (although I had been playing my brother's NES for several years). My mom had gotten me a SNES but actually took it back and exchanged it for a Genesis when, in the weeks leading up to Christmas, I wouldn't stop going on about all the games you could get bundled with it or free with mail-in rebates. I was so happy when I opened it, I'll never forget the bump on my head I got when I jumped for joy and fell backwards, almost bringing down the Christmas tree in my joy. The year my mom died was the year I got a N64 and Super Mario 64 for Christmas, and my brother and I struggled to find even the first level because we had never played a 3D game and had no idea where to go. Getting through those first few levels Christmas morning brought my brother (11 years older than me) and I closer together and helped us ease the pain of the first Christmas without mom.
This year, I'm the one buying consoles and games for my friends, family, and myself (got a brand new 3DSXL). The joy these fantastic gifts bring reminds me what the season should be about: having fun and sharing joyful times with those closest to us. Thanks for sharing, and Merry Christmas Danny and all of Gamespot!
Great mention of Maus! That was the first graphic novel (actually the pair of them) I ever read, when I was about 14 years old, and it changed the way I viewed the medium of "comics." I agree it's not really on par as much for inFamous, but great that you gave it some recognition. Well done Johnny!
@raddys2001 @WiredSternum283 I think one of Nintendo's biggest problems is that it hasn't grown with gamers. It still caters to kids and families, and there is certainly a need for that in the gaming industry. It's why they still have the portable market on complete lockdown. But most of us who grew up playing Atari, Master System, NES, or even the SNES and Genesis, we've now grown up and we tend to want more hardcore games, or systems that can play hardcore games and the more light-hearted franchises like Zelda and Mario.
Either Nintendo will leave the console market and stick to portables and major franchises, or they will try to develop a new console that can run with the big boys. The problem with making another console is that Nintendo has always been an innovator (NES first system to really make it in the home market, N64 first to really do 3d gaming well, Wii first to do motion controls well) and gamers by and large have decided we don't want innovation like that anymore. Motion control was a fad, and now most hardcore gamers seem to only care about better graphics and more online social capabilities. The era of great stories and characters that live beyond a single generation or even beyond one or two games seems to be dying, and that's a shame.
I've said for the past year 9 months that the Wii U reminded me of the Dreamcast, and this is why. When the DC came out, it was the first console to have a built-in modem, had a few great games, and took gamplay and graphics to the next level. However, both Sony and Microsoft had a year after DC came out to develop their consoles. When PS2 and Xbox released, the DC couldn't survive, which is really a shame because it was actually an excellent console with some really excellent games.
Sadly, I feel like the Wii U will eventually go the same way. Yes, it's got some great exclusives out and coming with Mario, Zelda, Mario Kart, Smash Bros, etc. I just pulled the trigger on a 3ds xl earlier this week, and I was debating b/w that and the U. I have no interest in a X1 or PS4, as I still have plenty of games to finish on 360, PS3, and PC. I'm much more likely to get a Wii U before either of the newer consoles, but I'm afraid that if I don't get one within the next year, doing so may not be as easy as walking in to the local Best Buy.
@Yamakoichi @TenraiSenshi @Ferrybird If you delete the update, does that delete any characters you made? I managed to get thru the awful character gen on my 4th attempt, but none of the characters looked like any of the previous ones or had stats close. They kept getting deleted when I couldn't get passed the loading for the first race, until finally one saved.....but I'm still stuck at launching session or waiting for other players (even in solo sessions).
Like Johnny and you have both said now, maybe Gamespot baits those types of comments, although I don't think that was ever GS's intention. And the reality is that headlines and things that spark conversation should be good for the community and the industry as a whole. But when some people take it to an extreme or hateful place, that's when we need to enforce some stricter rules on what is allowed in the comments. It's not a perfect system, but even the fact that GS is aware it's an issue is a step in the right direction.
@Ellythrion @Trickymaster If you actually read Caro's review and her comments/responses to the comments on the review, she said that she realized that's what R* was trying to do, but that she didn't think it worked. It didn't feel like satire to her, it just felt crass. That's her opinion. Disagree with it all you want, but don't attack her. I agree, having now played the game for about 20 hours, including watching some of the tv shows/cartoons and listening to the radio shows, the satire against sexism comes off as a failed attempt at cleverness. It's not clever, it's just in your face. That's what Caro was complaining about, and that's why it got 9/10.
Not to mention, there are plenty of graphical and other technical errors to warrant giving the game a 9/10. Is it great? Absolutely. Have I loved almost every minute I've played it? Yes. But is it perfect? Not at all. Perfect would mean I could go thru that damned Burgershot drive-thru and not have to drive around an extra 5 minutes looking for a gas station with a convenience store that I could go grab a bite to replenish health before knocking it over. (That is great fun, btw).
@houshidar @greatryoman You guys realize that Gamespot is one of the world's largest and most frequented gaming sites, right? CBS Interactive is not going to drop it b/c a few thousand people stop visiting it.
@houshidar @WiredSternum283 @garywood69 It was reviewed by a different person and under different standards. Justin felt that it was nearly perfect for the standards of 2008. This is a game that needs to be compared to 2013 standards, when open-world games have had another 5 years to mature and develop.
Speaking of which, it seems like most of the commentators on here could use another 5 years to mature and develop.
WiredSternum283's comments