I'm disappointed in the 360s games library so far...

[Number 13]

Maybe this is early adopter syndrome. For the first time ever, I've got a new console bascially on the day it came out (usually I'd never be able to afford it in a million years), and the lineup now, almost 9 months gone, isn't very impressive at all.

Out of all the games I've bought, nothing has really said 'next gen' to me yet, with a couple of exceptions which I'll come to in a minute. I've yet to find a game that *really* hooks me. Don't worry, I'm willing to back up my points, y'know! The games I've had are:

Project Gotham Racing 3 - to be fair, this one's one of the 'good guys' gaming-wise. The gameplay is fun, the graphics certainly show off the 360's early promise (jaggies aside) and the developers have supported it well with new cars and things for downloading. (7.5/10, taking into account the fact it was one of the first batch of games)


Call Of Duty 2 - the thing that stands against this instantly, I guess, is that I'm not a big fan of FPS games as a whole, but I gave it a chance. Was quite impressed by how much fun the single player was, but it was multiplayer I wanted this for - the chance to shoot my best friend in the head was a great selling point. However, it took them so long to implement the fix for the game's atrocious online play that I'd traded it in before it was allowed to show it's potential. I found it worryingly suspect that they were working on the patch for so long, only to suddenly have it ready in time to try and steal some limelight back from Ghost Recon. (5/10 - good potential, but ruined by the problems of the online mode)


Oblivion - Something of a hit and miss game for me. The expansive element, the graphics and the general feel of the game are fantastic. A sandbox game with a lot of fun and interesting things to do, as long as you don't bother with the main story. The main story, however, is dull as hell - not because of the gameplay, as such, but it's almost like the developers' collective imagination completely ran out when it comes to the Oblivion Gates, which are almost identical to each other and very very boring. I was loving the game until I got to the point where the game wanted me, bascially, to do nine of them in a row. I did them, but I've not touched it since. Can't bring myself to go back to it. Kudos again, though, for the frequent downloadable content. (8/10 - solid performer, but let down by the main quest's incredibly boring elements)

Dead Or Alive 4 - Woeful, to say the least. Looked great, graphically, and sounded like it could be a lot of fun - and it pretty much had an open market with regards to fighting games on the 360, especially given SF2's lack of appearance, like, ever. However the game was let down by the counter system, which gave the AI a massive and frustrating advantage. The difficulty level was such that you'd hammer the first two opponents easily, and then the third opponent would counter almost every single hit you attempted, making you frustrated as hell with the 3 or 4 continues needed to beat them - the pattern would then repeat, right up til the worst video game boss ever known - the dreaded and irritating beyond believe Alpha. A boss who you can't combo (she teleports out of the middle of it), you can't hit (she counters 90% of everything) and who can bascially wipe out your entire energy in three blows. Lazy lazy programming of the AI. Dreadful, just dreadful. (2/10)


Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfare - I expected great things from this game. Genuinely thought it would be absolutely class, but really couldn't get into it. The game itself was immersive enough, and the first few levels were very promising, but it can be rather too unforgiving for the average casual gamer (ie: me) - a game where you can die out of the blue because you've been sniped by someone half a level away and 40 floors up isn't fun to me, it's frustrating as all hell. The online mode is ok, but until I got my HD tv, I was at a real disadvantage because I couldn't see anything on the darker levels. I dunno, though. Maybe it was overhyped, but it really didn't blow me out of the water the way it seemed to be suggesting it would do. (6/10)


Hitman: Blood Money - This game is a PS2 port, both graphically and gameplay wise. True, there's a *little* bit of tweaking for the 360 (bascially, the amount of people onscreen in the Mardis Gras level) but aside from that, it looks awful. The graphics are very poor, especially considering the levels aren't really that gigantic, and the textures are dull and flat. The gameplay seems rather old hat too - it doesn't feel as intuitive as it could. Just smacks of the developers having to tone everything down to make sure it'd run on the PS2. (6/10)


Over G Fighters - This is an abortion of a game. The missions are tiny (fly in a straight line for about 12 seconds and press fire) to begin with, and while I'm sure they must surely get better as the game goes on, the early ones put me off so much that I couldn't be bothered trying. The graphics wouldn't look out of place on the Dreamcast, never mind the PS2, and the gameplay is so slow as to make Hitman (which is deliberately slow) look like some sort of athletics simulator. It's criminal having a jet fighter game that feels like it's going slower than your mum's Fiat Punto heading to the shops. Just rubbish. (3/10)


Chromehounds - The single player is so obviously tacked on that it's barely worth mention. This is quite obviously a game designed for online only, and that would be fair enough if it was at least hinted at before purchase, but it's not. The online mode? Well, I've yet to actually get into a game with any human opponents, because the servers have been down pretty much constantly since the day I bought it - another COD2 effort, bascially. They're back up now, but I've sort of lost interest after having to wait days to even get a chance. I've also had to sit in about seven lobbies, waiting 15 minutes for an opponent to turn up, and got no joy. This can be excused by the fact the game's new, right enough. The graphics of the Hounds are amazing, but the scenery and landscape look terrible and seem flat, and while I appreciate it's not supposed to be Virtual-On or anything, the gameplay seems so slow that you're virtually crawling. There's no skill to winning - victory comes down to whoever's bought the best guns for their Hound, it's as simple as that. Great potential, and when I first got it, I was excited about it, but I've come to realise it's really not the game it could or should have been. (6/10)


Top Spin 2 - It's a good game, but it doesn't look that much different to the XBox version - definitely isn't taking advantage of the 360's capabilities. Fun though, which is the important thing, but definitely a game for having a bunch of mates round. (7/10)


I won't go into the XBLA games much, only to say that Geometry Wars is brilliant and Marble Blast Ultra is cool, but everything else has been pretty tame. And where the fecking hell is SFII?!? (Sorry, just had to get that one in there!)


You know the most worrying thing of all? I have the most powerful console on the market, and the game I play most on it is Pro Evo 5 - for the XBOX. That's a worrying sign.


However, now that the first batch of games have been and gone, and developers have had some time to play with the unit and see what it can do, I have a lot of faith for the future games coming out. Games like Mass Effect, enChant Arms, Dead Rising and Gears Of War all look like absolute humdingers, and the sort of games that I will be blown away by and enjoy playing. Plus, there's Pro Evo 6 (although it'll suffer like Hitman for being on a game engine designed to run on lesser consoles) and the new Smackdown game, which could be fun. The potential for GTA4 is mind-boggling too, if it's done to the full power of what the 360 can bring.

So, I guess my point is that I could have just kept my XBox for the time being - I wouldn't have *really* missed out on much by waiting until this Christmas to get my 360, when I would have had more choice and (probably) much better and more next-gen games to choose from. The sparse release schedule hasn't helped, seeing as I've generally ran out and bought any new game that sounds like it could be anything half-decent and kept getting disappointed.

I think the 360 will be the winner of this round of the console wars, although the Wii will run it close, but I just hope it really does live up to its potential. Fingers crossed for the future.

Just my two cents, as they say...

[kidkit]

I think I've hated the first year or so of every console i've owned near launch

Good, constructive criticisms though. The games you like will come, patience sucks though!

[Number 13]

Originally Posted by kidkit

I think I've hated the first year or so of every console i've owned near launch

Good, constructive criticisms though. The games you like will come, patience sucks though!

*nods*

I appreciate launch line-ups are always a bit poor (Tunnel B1 anyone? Anyone? At all? We're giving it away? No?) but I've never experienced it first hand in the sense of paying £50 (about $80/90) for games which aren't really worth the money, especially seeing as some are bascially ports of the same game, for £10/20 cheaper, on a different older console.

I was trying to be constructive though, so thanks for noticing that and not just flaming me or calling me a Sony Fanboy (hah!) - I like to have reasons for my rants

[kidkit]

Originally Posted by Number 13

...games which aren't really worth the money, especially seeing as some are basically ports ...

and some were basically ports with features stripped out to make the launch date. It's a bad move, and you really wish Microsoft, or even EA takes a step back and says, "you know, we could package this up and serve it to you undercooked, but if you're willing to wait a few months it may be worth playing".

Look at January to March for example, we were absolutely starved for titles, and yet it was SOOOO important to release as many games as possible last November when you couldn't even buy an Xbox 360 until April!

Live and Learn though right? PS3 launch is shaping up to be a mess too... Let's hope that at least Nintendo gets it right.

[Number 13]

Originally Posted by kidkit

and some were basically ports with features stripped out to make the launch date. It's a bad move, and you really wish Microsoft, or even EA takes a step back and says, "you know, we could package this up and serve it to you undercooked, but if you're willing to wait a few months it may be worth playing".

Look at January to March for example, we were absolutely starved for titles, and yet it was SOOOO important to release as many games as possible last November when you couldn't even buy an Xbox 360 until April!

Live and Learn though right? PS3 launch is shaping up to be a mess too... Let's hope that at least Nintendo gets it right.

That's why I applaud the makers of Saints Row. All set for release, until they turned around and said "Hang on, this is ok, but we could make it much better!" and went off to try and do just that.

If only everyone followed that example - at least to a degree - we do want SOME releases now and again!

[Curry]

You're making some valid points, although I explicitly don't agree with some of your points, especially regarding CoD2, GRAW and DoA4. I've recently played both CoD2 and DoA4 again, and both are solid excellent examples of their genre, and I think your complaints are more against not liking their genre than not liking the games. The fact that CoD2 was a disaster online cannot be denied, but neither can it be denied that most people spent weeks on that game because it is so damn intense and offers great gameplay.

Looking at my own 360 collection, I'd now say 8 months after purchasing my 360 (note that I may be conflicting with reviews on the site or even my own previous statements here, this is how I look at my games now).

Perfect Dark Zero - 4/10 - It turned out to be fun online after some practicing. Haven't touched it since GRAW came out though. Single player was close to abysmal, and MP was easily surpassed.

Kameo - 7/10 - Great graphics, great gameplay, good innovations, although I was surprised by my own lack of willpower to complete it. I finally finished the game some weeks ago after not touching it for 4 months. Good game, but too short and somehow it didn't pull me back in once I had other titles.

Oblivion - 8/10 - Great game, but I simply don't have the hundreds of hours required to play it. Regrettably, cause I'd love to. Encountered some gripes as well with the game.

GRAW - 9/10 - Hard to surpass. I still occasionally fire up a SP mission even though I completed the hard campaign long ago, and it's still a rocking experience with top notch graphics. Regularly play online, and Chapter 2 was a great expansion (although overly expensive).

DOA4 - 7/10 - Difficulty of time attacks and mainly Alpha-152 kinda spoilt this for me, but it gets fired up every time here we have people over that want to have a look at "that 360 thing there". People easily get to grip with it, are always mighty impressed, and it's just lots and lots of fun. Had Alpha-152 been slightly more beatable by skill rather than luck and button mashing it would've been 8/10.

PGR3 - 8/10 - Great arcade racing game, mainly hampered by ridiculous loading times that eventually put me off completing the game on harder difficulty levels.

NFSMW - 8/10 - I was surprised by how much I liked this game. Main problem would be continuity: the first few opponents you get regular story updates and videos, but after that the bounty demands become ridiculously high and no story whatsoever follows. I still have to beat the last 3 after I did the other 12 in nearly straight haul.

Tomb Raider Legend - 8/10 - Honestly, good game. Story mode a bit short, but the alternative challenges of rewards and time attacks provide some good replay value in different ways.

I'm rather selective with my choices though. On Over G Fighters for example, I was expecting crap, and you will not be surprised by our review this weekend. Hitman demo was sort of fun, but it was far too straightforward and LOUSY graphics for me. Chromehounds I tried for 5 minutes and laughed as I went back to the dashboard to play a real game. I think I would've rated all 3 of those under 5 as well had I bought them.

What I sense here is that your main problem is not that the games suck, but that you need to get sorted out what games you like and why, and be selective on that I see you have several shooters while you say you hate them, yeah well then it's not so strange you're disappointed with the games. The previous few months have seen some great games for the 360 be released, but if you didn't like the genre before, you'll probably not like the game. And yeah, every console launch has that problem obviously: few titles available per genre. Can't blame the 360 or MS for that, I've seen consoles do worse.

[Number 13]

Originally Posted by Curry

You're making some valid points, although I explicitly don't agree with some of your points, especially regarding CoD2, GRAW and DoA4. I've recently played both CoD2 and DoA4 again, and both are solid excellent examples of their genre, and I think your complaints are more against not liking their genre than not liking the games. The fact that CoD2 was a disaster online cannot be denied, but neither can it be denied that most people spent weeks on that game because it is so damn intense and offers great gameplay.

What I sense here is that your main problem is not that the games suck, but that you need to get sorted out what games you like and why, and be selective on that I see you have several shooters while you say you hate them, yeah well then it's not so strange you're disappointed with the games. The previous few months have seen some great games for the 360 be released, but if you didn't like the genre before, you'll probably not like the game. And yeah, every console launch has that problem obviously: few titles available per genre. Can't blame the 360 or MS for that, I've seen consoles do worse.

Yo Curry

The genre thing first:

With regards to FPS games, you may be right - but I was enjoying COD2's single player a lot, so the genre in that sense was perhaps winning me over a bit, until the online mode's problems just put me off so much that I traded it in.

With regards to DOA, though - I adore that genre, hence why my waiting for Street Fighter 2 got to the point where I would switch on my 360 every morning before college or work just to check if it was available yet. I'm lamenting the lack of that genre on the 360 so far, because DOA is the only choice, and while graphically it's stunning, it lacks the instant and fun gameplay of Street Fighter or (my personal fave) Soul Calibur.

I think I probably bought Ghost Recon expecting a Metal Gear Solid sort of game more than anything else. I like being able to sneak through a level, picking off targets, using my skills, etc. However, like I say, it got to the point where I was getting shot by people I had no chance of seeing or shooting first, and it just frustrated me. My online experience of it was ruined by people who pretty much spawn-point camped for the entire time

Problem is, really, I can only buy the games that are out. If EnchanT ARM (however the upper/lower case thing goes) was out at the same time as GRAW, for example, then GRAW wouldn't even have been considered, but I'm limited in my choices while still wanting new games to play.

I avoid EA games with a passion, generally - although I'm downloading the LotR demo as we speak in the hope that's an exception to the rule - and I enjoyed the Fight Night demo (which IS exactly what I expected of the next gen - it looks like a TV broadcast!) and so might pick that up when it gets cheaper, purely as a multiplayer blast of a game.

[DM2]

Fight Night 3 is £24.99 at play now.

[Number 13]

Originally Posted by DM2

Fight Night 3 is £24.99 at play now.

Excellent. Cheers for that, mate

I'm going over to the States at the end of August too, so I'll be taking the multiregion list with me and picking up some bargains

[The M.A.R.T.]

Nr 13 you're missing some crucial games there.

Moto GP '06
LOTR BFME II
FNR3
Prey

And there are more. The best thing is: Frogger got me hooked on my 360 since a couple of days ain't that great

[YLA G]

i am/was disappointed about the speed for new download content and new games.

[Curry]

Originally Posted by Number 13

With regards to FPS games, you may be right - but I was enjoying COD2's single player a lot, so the genre in that sense was perhaps winning me over a bit, until the online mode's problems just put me off so much that I traded it in.

I'm not so MP focused so that would explain our diff in perception. I buy games first and foremost for the SP experience.

With regards to DOA, though - I adore that genre, hence why my waiting for Street Fighter 2 got to the point where I would switch on my 360 every morning before college or work just to check if it was available yet. I'm lamenting the lack of that genre on the 360 so far, because DOA is the only choice, and while graphically it's stunning, it lacks the instant and fun gameplay of Street Fighter or (my personal fave) Soul Calibur.

Surprisingly, in my experience DoA4 presents instant and fun gameplay to both experienced and inexperienced gamers, with the trained DoA players easily winning against both button mashers and much less trained players. Therefore I deem it to have its balance correct for the most part, since training and concentration are the only keys to success. If however, you buy a game from a different series and expect it to be the same, you'll often end up disappointed. A lot of Halo 2 fans bought GRAW hoping it to be an FPS fragfest. Yeah well, tough luck then.

I think I probably bought Ghost Recon expecting a Metal Gear Solid sort of game more than anything else. I like being able to sneak through a level, picking off targets, using my skills, etc. However, like I say, it got to the point where I was getting shot by people I had no chance of seeing or shooting first, and it just frustrated me.

This surprises me greatly. I have completed the game first on normal, then on hard difficulty. I recall no situation where proper military procedures were followed (scan, team tactics, drone using) failed in giving advance warning of an enemy's location. If you are getting shot by enemies you'd never seen you were probably rambo'ing without proper precautions.

My online experience of it was ruined by people who pretty much spawn-point camped for the entire time

I only play friends online in GRAW

[The M.A.R.T.]

Originally Posted by YLA G

i am/was disappointed about the speed for new download content and new games.

Which one exactly?

Yeah when something just is released, everybody wants it, so the servers get heavily beaten by the downloaders.

BUT

The Halo 3 beginning of E3 trailer downloaded really fast. LOTR BFME II was a bit slower, but still allright.

The new content for several games is really great. I don't know where you are talking about also with speed, but for Oblivion they're releasing it with speed, PGR3 is also constantly feeded with new content, GRAW also has nothing to complain. SO if you experience this, specify which things exactly

[YLA G]

i was talking about the speed of release dates etc.. from december till now.. it was going very very slowly.. and with the marketplace it was the same..

[Number 13]

Originally Posted by The M.A.R.T.

Nr 13 you're missing some crucial games there.

Moto GP '06
LOTR BFME II
FNR3
Prey

And there are more. The best thing is: Frogger got me hooked on my 360 since a couple of days ain't that great

Battle For Middle Earth is only just out today in the UK, and I've just played the demo and enjoyed it, so probably will be picking that one up tomorrow.

Prey doesn't appeal to me at all (not a huge FPS fan, remember) and I didn't really enjoy the Moto GP demo either.

Fight Night's on the wish list, now that it's £25 on Play, though!

[Number 13]

Originally Posted by Curry

I'm not so MP focused so that would explain our diff in perception. I buy games first and foremost for the SP experience.

Surprisingly, in my experience DoA4 presents instant and fun gameplay to both experienced and inexperienced gamers, with the trained DoA players easily winning against both button mashers and much less trained players. Therefore I deem it to have its balance correct for the most part, since training and concentration are the only keys to success. If however, you buy a game from a different series and expect it to be the same, you'll often end up disappointed. A lot of Halo 2 fans bought GRAW hoping it to be an FPS fragfest. Yeah well, tough luck then.

This surprises me greatly. I have completed the game first on normal, then on hard difficulty. I recall no situation where proper military procedures were followed (scan, team tactics, drone using) failed in giving advance warning of an enemy's location. If you are getting shot by enemies you'd never seen you were probably rambo'ing without proper precautions.

I only play friends online in GRAW

For the most part, I'm single-player oriented too, but part of the 360's appeal for me was that my best mate was also getting one, so we could spend ages shooting each other in the head

FPS games always just seem more interesting in a MP sense, although I used to love playing Unreal Tournament 2 with bots - that and AvP2 are the only FPS games I've truly loved

For something like DoA, I don't want to have to sit there and 'train' to make it playable. It was bought purely as a game to have a blast with some friends with, a pick-up-and-play sort of thing, rather than something I (or they) wanted to spend hours learning moves for. I guess that's why I like SF2 - the game just feels a lot more natural, more immediate, and DoA is definitely one that needs time (that I don't really have) to master, which is probably the other reason it got consigned to the trade-in list.

(In GRAW, btw, it was a mission after the Embassy one, walking through a city with lots of skyscrapers and things. I was going very slowly, very carefully, keeping in cover... BANG! Dead. Ok, fair enough, try again, a different route. Creep creep creep BANG, dead. Thing is, the game didn't even show or tell where the shot that killed me came from. It was only when my friend - who admittedly is a much better gamer than me - pointed out that there's a sniper in a skyscraper that I realised what was happening. Ok, this is probably realistic, but I didn't really see any way to tell where he was (seeing as I couldn't visibly see him at all) before I got killed.)

[Curry]

The drone is perfectly capable of spotting snipers in skyscrapers, as is your thermalvision

[Number 13]

Originally Posted by Curry

The drone is perfectly capable of spotting snipers in skyscrapers, as is your thermalvision

Smug git :p

Maybe on my new TV I'd have a better chance, but my old tv reduced the cross com to about the size of a memory card, so seeing stuff in that wasn't really happening. The thermal vision would just reveal a dot

[Curry]

Heheh yeah well that isn't the game's fault obviously But just lowering the drone in front of a skyscraper will also highlight the sniper with a red diamond, and since snipers barely move it will remain identified. Makes 'm more than easy enough on that level

[The M.A.R.T.]

Originally Posted by Number 13

For the most part, I'm single-player oriented too, but part of the 360's appeal for me was that my best mate was also getting one, so we could spend ages shooting each other in the head

FPS games always just seem more interesting in a MP sense, although I used to love playing Unreal Tournament 2 with bots - that and AvP2 are the only FPS games I've truly loved

For something like DoA, I don't want to have to sit there and 'train' to make it playable. It was bought purely as a game to have a blast with some friends with, a pick-up-and-play sort of thing, rather than something I (or they) wanted to spend hours learning moves for. I guess that's why I like SF2 - the game just feels a lot more natural, more immediate, and DoA is definitely one that needs time (that I don't really have) to master, which is probably the other reason it got consigned to the trade-in list.

(In GRAW, btw, it was a mission after the Embassy one, walking through a city with lots of skyscrapers and things. I was going very slowly, very carefully, keeping in cover... BANG! Dead. Ok, fair enough, try again, a different route. Creep creep creep BANG, dead. Thing is, the game didn't even show or tell where the shot that killed me came from. It was only when my friend - who admittedly is a much better gamer than me - pointed out that there's a sniper in a skyscraper that I realised what was happening. Ok, this is probably realistic, but I didn't really see any way to tell where he was (seeing as I couldn't visibly see him at all) before I got killed.)

Then sell DOA4 and buy DOA3 for a bargain price.

That's playable without training, it runs great on the 360 and that game is the reason I didn't buy DOA4!

That would be a great thing for you to do for real, you'll enjoy DOA then again