The original Manhunt had decent reviews... A-AA overall... and Nintendo needs to bring that mature audience in. Whether Manhunt 2 is the answer... I'm not so sure. I wouldn't hype this game just yet. And I really think Rockstar will lower the violence to bring the rating to M... which won't stop the Jack Thompsons of the world.
I do think Microsoft has some shady business practices... I mean, the U.S. government and the EU are not exactly friends with Mr. Gates, but Sony hasn't looked good the past few years, either. And let's not forget Nintendo. They have a history as well. They're all corporations looking to profit. It's normal, for better or worse.
Let's see. Free Roam - Grand Theft Auto 3 for sure. FPS - Doom was such a phenomenon, but I can see Halo, however. Racing (sim) - Gran Turismo 3 or 4. Racing (arcade) - That's a tough one. Need For Speed comes to mind. Sports - Madden series, hands down. Fighting - Mortal Kombat, but Street Fighter could be up there, too. RPG - Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest. Strategy - None really stand out right now. Action adventure - Zelda. Enough said. Platformer - Mario, FTW. You missed this one. Simulation - Depends. SimCity, The Sims, and Flight Simulator can take this one. But that's just me.
Here's the point. Many people buy games that they see advertised on TV or games that have brand name recognition. I believe the majority of people don't look to Gamespot, IGN, or other gaming sites for feedback on a particular game. Red Steel sold well because of their TV commercials. I can't recall seeing an Okami or Viva Pinata commercial. 50 Cent: Bulletproof has name recognition. 50 Cent fans bought the game. This also explains Happy Feet, Cars, Open Season, and the numerous games based on animated movies. People see the movie and loved it so the game must be just as good, right? No, but some people think that way. Sales isn't a good indicator of quality.
In alphabetical order: Microsoft - Greedy and monopolistic when it comes to the PC world, but I do enjoy their products. As for their gaming systems, I wasn't sold on the XBox and their exclusives, but the 360 seems to be a good 2nd attempt. They seem to be getting it right. Nintendo - I've loved Nintendo since I was a 5-year old kid with that square controller in hand. The NES, SNES, and N64 were all great systems and I spent more time with Mario, Link, and Samus than I should have, but I lost interest during the GameCube era. The Wii is bringing me back, however, mainly for its 1st party titles like Zelda and Mario, plus the GC games I never played. Sony - Me and my family are partial to Sony electronics, particularly TVs, DVD players, and cameras. They are a great brand. The PS1 was alright, but was never that interested. The PS2 was a great system and deserves much praise, but the PS3 probably won't live up to that initial hype. I still like Sony as a company, even with the overpriced PS3.
So the majority say either Lair or No More Heroes. I say both, but No More Heroes looks to be the bigger floppage. There is some hype... although not a lot... for this game. I'm thinking low A at best, honestly. I hope I'm wrong, though. I want them all to succeed.
Log in to comment