• 26Dec 07

  2007 in Review... a Great Year

  I have to admit, 2006 was a good year when it came to innovations. The Wii was fun to play, the PS3 showed us how much horse power it has, and even we got to try the DS Lite. However, I felt that when it came to the actual games of yesteryear, 2006 wasn't exactly standout. Sure we had Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Gears of War, but those were the only high profile games out that year. It was also a year where we just got a taste of all the next generation systems and bask in their processing chips and such. Now, it's the end of 2007, and with it came new ordeals for each company to push their respective console to their limits. Who fair better in my view? Hard to tell.

  Let's start with the handhelds. PSP had a dormant year when it came to the games themselves. The biggest games of year were those who no one saw coming, mainly Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords and CRUSH. A notable mention of another great game is Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles. Also, this is the first year when we finally had GOOD RPGs in the form of Janne D'Arc and Final Fantasy Tactics. It was also the release of the PSP Slim which is Sony's answer to the lite.

  However, unlike the DS Lite, which was a huge improvement over the bulky DS, the PSP slim, while slick in its design doesn't feel like a necessary change. It is nice the battery life last a little longer and loading times have been reduced, not to mention watching your games on the big screen with video input. Problem is that no matter what I do, something does missing. I wish they had more brightness options like the lite, but overall, it's okay. At the very least it's better than the old PSP.

  Moving on to the DS, I have to say, it was one of the less memorable years. I mainly remember this year only for one game: Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. I hate to admit it, but I played it from April 23rd when it came out until early July. For me, it's probably the best pokemon game since Gold and Silver, and the online activities makes the game ever last longer.

  Another notable mention is Phantom Hourglass. I haven't played the game yet, but I know it's unique considering it only uses the touch screen, a surprising change for the rudimentary Zelda system. Other than that we saw some nice games in the form of Sonic Rush Adventure, probably the best Sonic game in 2 years since the last Rush. Contra 4, one of the best remakes I have played in a long time. Both Pheonix Wrights (Justice for All and Trials and Tribulations) were more of the same, but by the first one standards it's not a bad thing at all. To sum it up, DS had a great year, it might not have many high profile games, but you don't need those to make the system enjoyable.

  Moving on to the consoles, I think I should start with the PS3. About a year ago, everyone dismissed Sony, and who can blame them? A price tag of 600$ is a little steep. Back then, I looked at it as a cheap blu-ray player (considering at the time they were 1000$) and also a game console. The PS3, without a doubt, has the best video playback controls and now with the DiVX support, I can pretty much see the Xbox360 as obsolete. The video playback notwithstanding, it's all about the games, and Sony had a chance to start big this year, but they blew that.

  The biggest game they had in the first half of the year was MotorStorm, a decent racing game that lack many features such as offline racing and, more importantly, actual single player career. Other than that, we saw multiplatform releases that were inferior to the XBox 360 (Def Jam: Icon, Assassin's Creed) which is ironic considering how much they were boasting two years ago.

  The biggest bust was definitely Lair. I am sorry Gamespot, but Tiger Woods games were disappointing in the last few years, but Lair was suppose to be the system seller. Now not only the game didn't live up to the hype, it was bad. The game emphasized how the sixaxis is nothing more than a gimmick that often ruins games more than it helps. It was so bad, in fact, that I even talked with the developers of the game, and they told me they were having a party just to say they are done with the nightmare. All in all, avoid it.

  Heavenly Sword, at first, seemed like a God of War ripoff, but the production values of the game when it comes to the graphics, the sound effects and the stellar voice acting made it special, especially Andy Serkis as King Bohan. At least the PS3 has one game that is a MUST...Rent. Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction taught us that Insomniac still knows how to take advantage of the PS3 and brought back more of the classic elements of the series such as platform jumping. Uncharted, the last exclusive, brought Naughty Dog to the table. They were always the best company when it came to facial animation (especially since Jak II blew me away) and Drake was no different. Although it's not cartoony like Jak or Crash Bandicoot, the game is exuberant with their trademark humor and the gameplay itself was an interesting blend of Tomb Raider and Gears of War. PS3 Had some great games this year, but not some that'll make people buy the system.

  I should probably say something about the PS2, since this probably the last year it'll be mentioned here. God of War II. That pretty much sums up the selection. It's a more than worthy sequel of the original, but I think, as a strategy, it would have been better for Sony's interest to make it a PS3 game, since this is their best-selling original license. Other than that, Odin Sphere is a nice game for those who appreciate art in games and Japanese games. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3, which is... IT'S A SEQUEL TO PERSONA, DAMMIT!

  Unlike Sony, Microsoft started a downright artillery on the industry, and most of the game of the year nominees were on the system. We can start with Forza Motorsport 2, which is the best racing game for you, greece monkeys. If Gran Turismo wants to catch up, they better include Online Play and damage in their next installment. Other notable games in the first half were Overlord, the evil version of Pikmon, Lost Planet, a good game despite some design problems and Ghost Reco... GRAW2, that included a superior campaign mode to its predecessor.

  Around the summer, gamers were looking forward to one specific game: Halo 3. Even since the Xbox 360 was announced, people wanted it. We want online Co-Op, new weapons, new vehicles and we want the ASSAULT RIFLE! Bungie, not only answering to their fans demand and did everything, but topped everyone's expectations when they also introduced the Forge, an interactive map editor and the ability to save your ENTIRE battles in both the campaign and multiplayer battles, which is a great achievement. Some people didn't like the 3rd installment only for the hype around it, but I found it to be the best of the three. Don't get me wrong, it's not the best game of the year, but it deserves more credit than it should.

  I do agree on one thing, however, after Halo's release, every big game just shadowed it. The only exception is BioShock, which was released prior to Halo. A unique first person shooter taking place in an aquatic dispotia set in the 1960's. What made the game so special is not the amount of enemies on the screen, but the fact you need to use different tactics to eliminate them. The inclusion of classic weapons and the entertaining plasmids make the game a blast until it ends.

  It doesn't end here though. Call of Duty 4, not only able to amend the bad taste left from the 3rd game, but pretty much established itself as the best in the series. Some of the most nerve racking scenarios ever devised in a video game that will make even the biggest apthetic guys to yell "OH SNAP!". The multiplayer is probably the biggest innovation of the game, relying more on ranking up and gaining different weapon classes and abilities rather than simple point and shoot, which proved as a close match to Microsoft's reigning champion, Halo 3.

  Assassin's Creed is another great release. Although it had some bugs and the ending is downright ridiculous, it's an interesting experience for anyone who likes to try something new and can be open minded, which is unfortunately a rare thing nowadays. Mass Effect, Bioware's newest release since the somewhat disappointing Jade Empite, was without a doubt they best attempt at storytelling. Not only the story is well written, but the acting is top notch, and it helps that the gameplay is great as well. The only flaw is that the driving sequences are tedious more than they are fun, but I can pass that.

  Other great games were Project Gotham Racing 4, a worthy successor to the third game. Eternal Sonata, a charming Japanese RPG featuring the famous composer Frederick Chopin as the protagonist. Virtua Fighter 5 did come on the PS3 first, but the 360 version added online play to the mix which added even more replay value to a game that every hardcore fan would die for. The Orange Box, probably the best deal in video game history which not only features one of the best first person shooters of all time (I dare you to wonder!), but one of the most innovative and funny games: PORTAL. Indeed, for the Xbox 360 this year was a triumph. I'm taking a note here, HUGE SUCCESS!

  Last and not least is the Wii. The little system that could is still low on supply by high on fun factor. Unfortunately, this was mainly a year were developers were still trying to figure out what is the best way to utilize the controls. Sadly, in comes in the forms of countless mini-game compilations that seem to never end. Sure, Mario Party 8 makes sense it has always been like that, but games like Cooking Mana, Carnival games and Tamagotchi are just a burden to an overall decent Wii library.

  Another problem, like Gamespot stated in they Game of the Year awards, is the lame Wii ports. If you go around the site, you'll noticed that every major game, besides maybe the Transformers, was inferior to the other consoles, even the Playstation 2. Madden 08, for example, was a great sports game for the system, but NBA live, was a laughable version of the regular game, which wasn't even all that great to begin with.

  But enough with the negativity, Wii also saw a fair share of great games. Super Paper Mario was the first major release and it was an interesting sequels to one of my favorite game franchises, Paper Mario. While neglecting the turn-based system the series is known for, Intelligent Systems went back to the Mario basics and made it a 2D platfomer with some role playing elements. The coolest feature was the ability, with a press of a single button, to change the landscape to 3D to find secret passages or avoid obstacles that may seem unavoidable while viewing the game as a sidescroller. Add in the great writing the series is known for and you have the first must buy.

  Zack and Wiki: The Quest for Barbaros' Treasure, is by far the best use of the Wiimote. Capcom, known for delivery an interesting playing experience, created what may seem like an ordinary point-and-click game, but turns out to be one of the best games of the entire year. The puzzles are devious, the uses of the Wiimote are nothing less than innovative and the style, while cute, fits the game wonderfully.

  Metroid Prime: Corruption is a fitting end to Retro's amazing trilogy. The Wii controls made the game feel fresh and being a morph never felt better. I do have to say that the addition voice acting is a hit and a miss. I still wish that Samus herself had a voice (since I don't really mind Link and Mario being mute... well... as much as Mario can be "mute"). If you are fans of the original two games, Corruption is going to be right up your alley.

  I have to admit, when Super Smash Brothers Brawl was supposed to be released this year, I didn't notice Mario Galaxy. Sad I didn't though, because Nintendo's first party game blew everyone away. Pretty much righting the wrongs of Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Galaxy is a wonderful tribute to the good old days of simple platform jumping and an amazing feat in level design. Gravity is the name of the game, and while games like Sonic Adventure 2 did that before Galaxy, it perfected it. Every planet is unique and original and looking for all 120 stars doesn't feel like a chore, but more like an adventure that you never want it to end. The only flaw is... I haven't played it as much as I wanted to.

  Other decent Wii games were Sonic and the Secret Rings, a surprisingly decent game which somewhat helped washing the bad taste of the horrible Sonic the Hedgehog for the 360 and PS3. NiGHTs into Dreams is probably Sonic Team's best game in a long time. A nice homage to the Sega Saturn classic that doesn't mess up with the formula too much despite the weird decision to add platforming stages that feel inferior to the rest of the game. Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition may be a port of one of the games of the last generation, but the Wii controls make it more precise than before. Speaking of Resident Evil, Umbrella Chronicles is the best Rail Shooter I have played simply for the replay value it offers. While most end in an hour, you can find yourself looking for every single file, which can take a long time. Add in great references to the classic series and the best use of the Wii Zapper and you got another great game. I can go on and on, but despite my early gripes, the Wii had some great games that prove that while some developers are relying of creating trite ports of other games, some know what to do with the system capabilities.

  To sum up 2007, all I can say: Just look up. I don't think I have written that many passages last year. The only bad thing I can say about 2007 is the fact 4 great games: Grand Theft Auto 4, Metal Gear Solid 4, Devil May Cry 4 and Super Smash Bros. Brawl were delayed to next year. Ironically, despite those delays, the year had enough games to make it one of the most influential ones since 2004. The question that rises is since Microsoft released most of their big games this year, what do they have in store for us besides Fable 2 and Ninja Gaiden II. Sony, on the other hand, has saved all their big guns for next year, including LittleBigPlanet, Killzone 2 and of course, Metal Gear Solid 4. Nintendo are still selling tons of consoles, but we are still going to see some great games like Brawl and Mario Kart. What I also want is a Star Fox game for the, just a plain shooter like 64, no need to save dinosaurs or having tedious on-foot missions. I think Star Fox can be a game that can make arcade flying game work, unlike Lair.

  It was a great year to be a gamer, and 2008 seems to be a great one as well. It's also going to be interesting since I'll start my game reviewing show soon and I'm gathering more components so if you still have any ideas what I should do and not do, I am always happy to hear.

  Hope you had a nice holiday and happy new year!

  • Posted Dec 26, 2007 11:30 pm PT
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• 8Dec 07

  Just a small request everyone.

  I would be surprised if people around here don't like games. I assume most people here do.

  Anyway here's the deal. I want to start my own video review segment here and I would love some assistene. All I really want is just recommendations. Is there a game you like me to review? Would you like to see more recent or retro game reviews? Anything you want to suggest when it comes to the way I can review games?

  I'm open for every game system. I own a Saturn, Dreamcast, GameBoy Advance, PSP, PS3, XBOX, Xbox 360, Nintendo 64, Gamecube and Wii. I have more but those are the ones I'm going to review games on. The DS Lite is going to be impossible for me at the moment because of the problem to capture footage. I can get a developer's kit but those cost a great deal of money. While I have many games, I'll always be interested to hear about games I DON'T have and try to get them myself.

  If anyone if up for the offer, please leave me a private message, comment me, send me a message on XBL or PSN and if you want, my AIM is shadowbladex8 and my MSN is shadowblade_x@hotmail.com. I'd appreciate the help and thanks for the support in advance!

  • Posted Dec 8, 2007 12:34 am PT
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• 3Dec 07

  Keeping the dream alive.

  Although I cannot address the matter directly, I would like to discuss something that happened not so long ago that you all are somewhat aware of. I have been an avid subscriber to GameSpot ever since 1998 when I was still just a kid. I always considered myself the site's biggest fan from Israel because of the views that personify the reviewer's opinions.

  I wasn't hardcore at the time and I have been just a regular 10 year old kid who bought mediocre movie tie-ins such as Bug's Life. Since I was never really exposed to what's good and what's not, and there were no video game magazines in Israel (at least not about the consoles), the change that Gamespot has done to my views about video games, and even other things in life, made me a slightly better person when it comes to my observations.

  I imported a Dreamcast, and since 1999 I really followed all the reviews and news persistently and I have always agreed, at least in 80 to 90 percent of the cases. I remember the famous fiasco back in 2002 about Super Mario Sunshine and the "horrible" 8.0. I first agreed with my fellow gamers and thought Jeff was harsh at the time, but when I ACTUALLY played the game, I only came to realize how much everything he said was true. When other websites gave the game perfect scores that weren't justified (until the much better Galaxy came out), my opinion about Gamespot stayed solid.

  Living in Israel wasn't exactly a luxary when it came to video games. Not only importing is a hassle, but video game prices were through the roof. Games like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas were 150$ (!!) when they were initially released and there is no hardcore crowd when the only games people play are either Tekken or Pro Evolution Soccer (also known as Winning Eleven). I always thought that for a guy like me, who has played many games throughout the years, moving to the US and maybe work in Gamespot for a nice couple of years is going to be a very interesting experiment. I want to convey my opinions about games the way I see them. Or, more likely, I wanted to be like Greg, Alex, Jeff and others who did so much in those 10 years I have been following the website.

  Around 2005, I came over and now I reside in San Rafael. At the time, I was naive a little and decided to work at GameSTOP and sell video games and that'll be the way that I can actually tell people what I think and be appreciated for. Unfortunately, I didn't realize the fact that pretty much since the emergence of the Wii, the casual crowd has grown significantly, so even if I do tell people about wonderful games such as Zack and Wiki, they go for the simpler and mediocre stuff like Carnival Games. It wasn't long that I realized, that although I am surrounded by tons of video games, I am not really surrounded by video game enthusiasts.

  It stayed like that for some time until around May 2006 I met Alex and Jeff for the first time. For me, it was unreal. It is the equivalent to meeting Johnny Depp or any celebrity one can think of. Talking to them about video games felt unique and I even joked with Mr. Navarro about giving Sonic Riders a 6.6 (hope you realized I wasn't really serious, Alex). They told me that despite the fact I am not a native, I still have a chance to be like them and express my opinions on Gamespot, so I set my mind on it.

  I noticed an open position on the website and I tried to send my resume, until I realized it was taken, and as it seems, I think it went to Aaron Thomas. Ever since his employment, I decided I will wait until the next opportunity, but nothing has sprouted after a year and a half, at least on the CNET website. Until September 2007, I pretty much gave up on Gamespot and go on with my regular life.

  However, in October, I had a great opportunity. It was the player's ball and I decided to go by myself, since I didn't really have any friends who shared the same enthusiasm that I had. It was one of my best days I had in a long time. Regardless of the games themselves which were fun to play (mainly Ratchet and Clank), it was nice meeting the editors, which, again, was unreal to a guy that just two years ago was watching the new video reviews in 4am because of the time zones. I am a shy guy and it was hard to just jump in and bombard them with questions, but I at least threw a small hi here and there. If you guys downloaded the player's ball video, I am the guy with the Bleach shirt who asked the question about Ratchet and Clank. Yeah, I was next to Ryan Davis! I am aware it is not that important to some people, but for me, it was a unique experience. The point is that after the event, I was speaking to Jeff and he actually remembered me from a year and a half ago. I told him I still work at GameStop and he was still supportive and told me it pays decent, and I concur. Still, it is nice that despite the fact they are people who are devote to their work, they do, in fact, care about their fans.

  Now, about the recent announcement. To say I am appalled would be an understatement, but I guess it is a sign. It is going to a controversy that is going to instigate many people around here, but although I know Jeff is going to be okay and I know he can be successful, I am more worried about Gamespot itself. 2007 wasn't the best year and many changes to the staff have occurred and it did seem that after a year since Greg's departure, Gamespot is going to change, and probably for the worse.

  After such thing, a guy like me would feel he should abandon my ambitions and aspirations and move on, but on the contrary. I still want to be on GameSpot and I still want to be a reviewer. While I am aware my language is not the most refined, I am willing to learn everything from the best. I want to tell everyone that if in any case I am going to be hired by GameSpot in the future, I'll do everything I can to keep the dream alive. Being light and entertaining when it came to the reviews and their presentation while still retaining all the professionalism in their execution.

  In conclusion, I am Daniel. I am a video game fanatic. I want people to hear me. I do not want people to like me, but I want them to respect me in the same manner I respected people like Jeff that someone took risks and gave a game like Mario Sunshine a score that seem a little off, despite its actual quality. I will publish some video reviews on several games and as long as you don't mind some accent, I hope you will enjoy them. So to everyone who work at gamespot, thank you for this decade I was hooked on the computer and watching the best of 2005 for no apparent reason, and I hope we'll meet on a much happier note.

  • Posted Dec 3, 2007 12:15 am PT
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