Xbox 360 - The Reviews are UP

[Evil Avatar]

First out of the gate, 1Up and IGN have posted their reviews of several Xbox 360 titles. 1Up has posted reviews of Kameo (http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3145712&did=1) (7.0), Project Gotham Racing 3 (http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3145713&did=1) (10.0), FIFA Soccer 2006 (http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3145714&did=1) (7.0), NBA 2K6 (http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3145672&did=1) (7.0) and Amped 3 (http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3145673&did=1) (7.0). You can find reviews of Madden NFL 06 (http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/666/666658p1.html) (8.0), Kameo (http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/666/666667p1.html) (8.4) and NBA 2K6 (http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/666/666970p1.html) (7.8) on IGN.

I'm most curious about King Kong, since recently a reader posted to the forums that it was one of the better looking 360 titles.

[Nite_Moogle]

I was hoping Kameo would do better, that game looked like a ton of fun.

[Murtaug]

In the Project Gotham Racing 3 review, he says the iPod is compatible with the 360; I thought it was said a week or so ago that it would not be compatible. Did I mis-read something?

Still not going to bite the hype just yet, I really have no choice right now but to wait and see what happens with my job before I can even think about throwing several hundred dollars into a new system. Plus, while the launch lineup is nice, it is not making me drool. PGR3 and maybe Quake 4 are the only titles I am really interested in.

[bapenguin]

the iPod itself is compatible, it's the DRM protected songs you get from iTunes that don't work. Any of your own CDs you ripped or :cough: downloaded songs :cough: will work fine.

[EvilBob46]

I was hoping Kameo would do better, that game looked like a ton of fun.

Greg Kasavin gave it an 8.7. Now that means something.

[novicius]

Plus a 10.0 for PGR3? PGR2 is a great arcade racer, but it isn't without it's faults; for PGR3 to hit a 10 *without* wheel support at this time, um, I do not even know if that's possible.

The game had better be flawless, rock-solid 30+ fps with a full 8-car field, have seemless music from game to menu to game (ala' Forza or Amped), allow me to dictate car-types from the Lobby vs. having to restart a room for different classes, and have plenty of neat Easter eggs locked within.

Oh yeah, it also has to blow me.

[Phades]

I agree. High scores from Gamestop usually means a game is worthy. While I may sometimes feel they've scored a game a bit too low, I rarely think they've gone too high (cough *IGN* cough).

I'm actually shocked to see IGN has lately been trying to reign in their scores.

[Cupelix]

I agree. High scores from Gamestop usually means a game is worthy. I pray that you mean Gamespot and not some weird review system available from Gamestop's website :P

You know where I look for reviews? Here. Generally when there's a news post about a particular review, people here chime in with their own thoughts, and I get a better idea of the field of opinion. It's really only steered me towards one game I didn't enjoy too much. Other than that, I surprisingly value the opinion of many of the EA regulars.

[Borys]

FYI IGN gave PGR3 a 8.8.

[mister_slim]

Guys, this is far too civilized. I want more screaming and shouting from both sides.

[Atorak]

Guys, this is far too civilized. I want more screaming and shouting from both sides.

I'll bring the pickaxes.

[GreenIce]

XBOX SUCKS AND YOUR MOTHER'S CULINARY ABILITY IS MEDIOCRE TO BE GENEROUS!

happy?

[Kelegacy]

XBOX SUCKS AND YOUR MOTHER'S CULINARY ABILITY IS MEDIOCRE TO BE GENEROUS!

happy?
I'll amend that with:

XBOX Sucks And Your Mother's Cunniligal Ability is Medicore To Be Generous!

[Blazyr]

Plus a 10.0 for PGR3? PGR2 is a great arcade racer, but it isn't without it's faults; for PGR3 to hit a 10 *without* wheel support at this time, um, I do not even know if that's possible.

The game had better be flawless, rock-solid 30+ fps with a full 8-car field, have seemless music from game to menu to game (ala' Forza or Amped), allow me to dictate car-types from the Lobby vs. having to restart a room for different classes, and have plenty of neat Easter eggs locked within.

Oh yeah, it also has to blow me.

As Wicked used to would have put it you're on your own for the reach-around luvin'...

But as for everything else, you're going to be a happy camper.

What really did it for me is that they added just enough sense of mass and weight transfer to match the sim/arcade balance the rest of the handling model has. It's most evident from the in-car view. You really get a sense of the car moving and the inertia.

[Dirty Harry]

I'll amend that with:

XBOX Sucks And Your Mother's Cunniligal Ability is Medicore To Be Generous!
okay that was swell.

[Wombat]

1up gave four of the five 360 games they reviewed a score of exactly 7.0? Seems a weird coincedence. And giving PGR3 a 10 is just as weird in a way. They're basically saying that right out the gate someone has created the perfect 360 racer, which seems unlikely. I'm not saying that PGR3 isn't great, but it leaves them no room to maneuver with future review scores.

[Blazyr]

FWIW Wombat our 10 doesn't wait for some mythical "perfect" game to be awarded. We use the full scale of 1-10. That includes scoring games that are superlative in their time and place a 10.

The 7's on the others are a whole other subject, but it is ironic. We've been batting it around here. My take so far is that it is more a reflection of the state of the release software than anything else.

[Phades]

I pray that you mean Gamespot and not some weird review system available from Gamestop's website :P

You know where I look for reviews? Here. Generally when there's a news post about a particular review, people here chime in with their own thoughts, and I get a better idea of the field of opinion. It's really only steered me towards one game I didn't enjoy too much. Other than that, I surprisingly value the opinion of many of the EA regulars.

Ha, yeah Gamespot. Geez, teach me not to try to post here real quick while at work. :)

[Magnanimous Gnome]

The ten for PGR3 does seem silly, but I really don't care about racers in general so whatever.

What I don't get is all the bitching people do over review scores. A good example is that Splinter Cell 3 crap from a while back. Gamespot gave it something like an 8.4, and everyone on here went over the edge. How is that a bad score at all? The only real crime should be IGN's consistently giving nearly every overhyped game a 9.4. That just gets old.

I see that complaining all the time. Everything above a 7.0 really is pretty good guys. If 5 is average (which almost all systems claim it is) then a 7 is GOOD, an 8 is BETTER, and a 9 or 10 should be reserved for something truly amazing/genre defining, like Ocarina of Time.

[Stormeh]

I wouldn't say King Kong is one of the better looking titles available on the 360. In fact, it's being developed for both the 360 and the original XBOX, meaning that both versions are very similar, with the 360 version being improved only in resolution and texture size.

For graphical prowess right out of the gate, I'd look to PDZ and PGR3. Maybe Kameo, if you catch it right.

[Pumped'Up]

Yep, the best lineup of mediocre crap ever for a launch system.

[DigitalFirefly]

Yep, the best lineup of mediocre crap ever for a launch system.

lol indeed

[MaiXu]

First out of the gate, 1Up and IGN have posted their reviews of several Xbox 360 titles ... Project Gotham Racing 3 (http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3145713&did=1) (10.0),

Ahh, the inevitable perfect score for a new piece of hardware's showpiece. It never fails.

[Twigz'N'Berries]

I wouldn't say King Kong is one of the better looking titles available on the 360. In fact, it's being developed for both the 360 and the original XBOX, meaning that both versions are very similar, with the 360 version being improved only in resolution and texture size.

For graphical prowess right out of the gate, I'd look to PDZ and PGR3. Maybe Kameo, if you catch it right.
Have you seen KK in action? I have seen King Kong and played it...I assure you, it is very impressive graphically. Every bit as much as Kameo. This isn't just bias from someone who has KK pre-ordered. The gameplay was fun and graphically it felt different than anything I have played on a console before. What I mean is that the immersion factor was very strong due to the artistic style and graphical prowess. It gets harder and harder to wait the 7 days to get my hands on the system. Tonight, I have started reorganizing my entertainment center and bookcase to move the 130+ xbox titles, the 60 or so dvds and the 100+ books.

Before you say it, no, the 130+ xbox titles purchased were not worth it. But I collect games and can't see trading them in.

Sidenote:
I wish I was going to the 360 party in the desert....
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a153/TyroneBiggumz/av-14619_3.gif

[Groo]

Yep, the best lineup of mediocre crap ever for a launch system.

Nah, I think the PS2 tops them all with winners like "Fantavision" and "Smuggler's Run."

[bjornbarspingvinen]

so true, the ps2 launch sucked ass. Best ever for me was the megadrive launch(awesome games), or the ps1 launch. This one is really good too.

[GrinR]

Battle Arena Toshinden!

[fitbabits]

Battle Arena Toshinden!
Bless you!