Yes you read that right, Twisted Metal 2 for PC! I was surprised when I found out recently that one of my favorite PlayStation franchises made it's way to the Windows platform 11 years ago. As far as PC games go and as far as ports of hugely popular titles, this one is apparently quite uncommon to find these days. According to what I've read, Sony was afraid that their then popular but not dominating PlayStation platform, would potentially lose sales if the game was offered on more than one system. So shortly after release, they yanked the title and ceased printing. Did it work? Well TM2 sold over 2 million copies worldwide on the PS1, who's to say if PC sales would have affected it in the long run?
So to get right down to it, this would be considered an enhanced port. While the gameplay, design, graphics and sound are very similar to the console version, it does have the advantage of, in some cases, improved textures and vastly improved anti-aliasing. The greatly improved smoke and fire effects are the most obvious things that stand out. So much so in fact that they almost look too good as far as matching the rest of the game. Being able to significantly raise the resolution on a PC monitor definitely has it's advantages over the PlayStation, even the PS2's smoothing filter doesn't match what the PC version does standard. Soundwise, the game is virtually identical to it's console counterpart in every way, even right down to the menu effects and music.
Having spent many hours on the PS1 version, I can safely say I'm qualified to compare it's control to the PC version for you enthusiasts out there. The button mapping for the keyboard or a game controller has everything you'd want for a title in it's day but while playing, I find the game feels a bit more floaty controlling the vehicles, even the more nimble ones like Mr. Grimm.
As for gameplay, if you haven't at least played a Twisted Metal game once in the last 13 years, where have you been hiding? Seriously though, it's basically the same as the PlayStation version. Vehicular combat with exotic weapons and unique vehicles set in arenas and vastly different locales around the world. Addictive, colourful and fast!
Now here's where the PS1 and the PC versions part ways: multiplayer. Where the PlayStation had 1 or 2 player gameplay, the PC version has 1-8. Unfortunately, due to the game's age and it's availability, I wasn't able to easily jump into a player match as of the time of this writing. I will say however that there are small groups of hardcore fans out there keeping the game alive, and using the Kaillera client for network play. You can also run it on modern machines without too much hassle. I personally have tested it on Windows XP SP2 using a user-made patch that makes small improvements and changes and also using by using Win95 compatibility mode unpatched (though it was a bit less stable than with the easily downloaded patch).
So there you have it, a popular, memorable game that helped define one of the highest selling game systems of all time, that had a short stint on another non-Sony system. I've giving it an 8.5/10 because it's a fun title even on PC and because as a collector, I find it to be a great conversation piece and treasured item.
OK so after I had wrote my last entry on this game, a couple more hours of playing and I had beaten it. Apparently the 3rd chapter is a lot shorter than the previous two. That's fine because it wrapped up the story and allowed me to begin a new game for better grinding and yoinkage. So here's my review of it:
I've enjoyed this game enough now that I have beaten it, that immediately following the ending and credits, I began a new game using the same character under the "Elite" mode which makes all the enemies of the game 50 levels higher than they were previously. So I haven't stopped playing it yet and that doesn't happen often after I beat a game.
The fact that you can grind and that enemies respawn gives this game a deeper depth and more play value. I suppose on one hand it makes the game easy if you level up well past that of the enemies as you progress through the story. Or you can think of it as a bonus for all the time you spent grinding for new items and EXP points.
Compared to the PC versions of Dungeon Siege, this one has a more Dark Alliance/Champions of Norrath feel about it. A bit glitchy at times and not overly complicated, the game has a laid back quality that makes it an easy game to just pick up for a few minutes and do some “yoinking”. Just be patient with the load times, even the 2nd model PSP has a bit of a wait while loading levels.
Graphics and sound are surprisingly good. Even the voice acting is well done and the character animations are fluid. The levels themselves are a bit generic but they are varied and there is a keen level of attention to detail to them.
Leveling up is fun because not only is there level specific loot, but there are many choices for attributes and abilities to put your earned points into. That gives you some flexibility in customizing your character and later on you can augment that with subclasses.
There are also crossover codes used between this game and Dungeon Siege II: Broken World for the PC. These codes unlock bonus items such and armour and weapons.
If I had to wrap up an impression of this game in one sentence, it’d be: “Level grinding & looting without the burden of long story dialogs”.
I’ve been playing the hell out of this game lately. If I had to guess I’d say I’ve put in well over 15 hours by now, maybe more than 20. This is actually my wife’s game as she bought it new when it came out intending to dive into the PSP head first. I suppose in a way I’ve been using this game to ease my disappointment that the Two Worlds sequel wasn’t released in September and maybe not even in 2008 at all.
The fact that you can grind and that enemies respawn gives this game a deeper depth and more play value. I suppose on one hand it makes the game easy if you level up well past that of the enemies as you progress through the story. Or you can think of it as a bonus for all the time you spent grinding for new items and EXP points.
Compared to the PC versions of Dungeon Siege, this one has a more Dark Alliance/Champions of Norrath feel about it. A bit glitchy at times and not overly complicated, the game has a laid back quality that makes it an easy game to just pick up for a few minutes and do some “yoinking”. Just be patient with the load times, even the 2nd model PSP has a bit of a wait while loading levels.
I think I’m 2/3 of the way through at this point. Right now I’m messing around with the crossover codes used between this game and Dungeon Siege II: Broken World for the PC. These codes unlock bonus items such and armour and weapons. If I had to wrap up an impression of this game in one sentence, it’d be: “Level grinding & looting without the burden of long story dialogs”. Great game so far. As far as money value per PSP title, I’d say this one will more than justify the high price of the title ($49.99 when it was new).
For those of you who have a bit of time to kill this week and want to be "in the know" here are the dates and times for the three main press conferences by Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft:
Microsoft: Monday July 14th, 10:30AM Pacific time (1:30PM Eastern).
Nintendo: Tuesday July 15th, 9:00AM Pacific (12:00PM Eastern).
Sony: Tuesday July 15th, 11:30AM Pacific (2:30PM Eastern).
As for where you can watch it or catch up with the latest minute by minute, here's a few websites you can stream it live:
IGN.com - Free low res stream from IGN, requires a minor download to view it. IGN Insider subscribers have access to a high res version G4TV.com - Live stream commercial free, also available on the television channel of the same name. Gamespot - Live stream plus other coverage.
If video isn't your thing, here's a few sites who will be live blogging it (updating their post every few minutes as the conference goes on):
Keep it tuned to Channel 3 this week as we bring you thoughts, impressions and hopefully other goodies from the shadow of the giant otherwise known as E3 2008.
So it's that time of year again. TGS time that is. For those of you unaware, it's the Tokyo Game Show I'm referring to. Every year since 1996 in Chiba, Japan vendors come together in much the same way they do with E3 and Leipzig (GC) and show off the latest and greatest. It's the last major trade show before the holiday season kicks off in full swing.
Just to give you an idea of the scope of last year's event, there were 148 companies represented, showcasing 650 games with 176,000 people in attendance.
Personally I found both E3 and Leipzig 2007 a bit of a letdown as far as coverage, new products and press conferences. And not because there's no major system launch this year, sme of the biggest years for trade shows have been in between. My theory was that they were all holding out for TGS because it's so late in the year and would resonate stronger in consumers minds come the holidays. "Bombard the people with media and hype and the dollars will flow" so to speak.
Some of the more interesting rumors and speculation have been a PS3 price cut to combat the release of Halo 3 this month, Nintendo being a no-show and Microsoft unveiling yet more "exclusives" (if you can call them that).
But do we care anymore? Hasn't everyone already made their list of games to buy this year? Do we really need to see more Halo 3, Super Mario Galaxy or LittleBigPlanet because we're already as pumped as we can be? Can anything unveiled at TGS even make it in time for the last Quarter of this fiscal year let alone 2007?
Of course it's always nice to confirm your interest in a game with more media coverage like screenshots and gameplay footage. But like many this year I'm a bit weary of giving a damn about the press conferences and news. E3 used to be a special time of year when you practically lived for the scraps of gaming news they'd throw at you.
Now I'd rather be excited about games I'm getting after Christmas. I already have my list, no need to ruin the momentum of it by over-analyzing and over saturation of the hot games. Holiday 2008 is a long long ways a way. Let me know what I have to look forward to between January and June of '08 because E3 in May is too far off.
So let's hope for a good TGS this year filled with news, footage and surprises that whet the appetite, drain the wallet and induce insomnia. Otherwise like the boy who cried wolf, no one will care next year.
Keep it tuned to RF Generation for Tokyo Game Show 2007 coverage from now until the actual show Thursday September 20th to Sunday September 23rd.
So I thought I'd make a list of my favorite games. Why? Because I can, because I want to and because I'm curious to see how many off the top of my head I can think of.
It's interested to see how one can deviate from your own list when you can list a top 100 versus a top 5, 10 or 20 etc. This one is made up from just about every system from the last 30 years. All games I enjoy playing then and now. So here goes:
According to an official press release from Take-Two, they are delaying GTA IV for both platforms until spring, possibly as late as April.
Here's an excerpt from the presser:
Quote
Take-Two is reducing its fiscal 2007 guidance primarily to reflect the movement of the launch of Grand Theft Auto IV for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360â"žÂ¢ video game and entertainment system from the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007 to fiscal 2008, due to additional development time required to complete the title. The title is now planned for release in the Company's second quarter of fiscal 2008. Additionally, Take-Two is updating third quarter and fiscal year 2007 guidance to reflect the movement of Manhunt 2 for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system and the Wiiâ"žÂ¢ out of the third quarter and the fiscal year.
Another 7 more songs have been revealed for Guitar Hero III. Is it just me, or have we been spoiled by the thought of original recording so much now that we tend to look down on "as made famous by" songs for the upcoming titles? Some of them I actually prefer to the original, others I'd like to forget. In any case here's the latest batch:
"Miss Murder," by AFI
"3's and 7's," by Queens of the Stone Age
"Raining Blood," by Slayer
"Reptillia," by The Strokes
"Paranoid," as made famous by Black Sabbath
"Cities on Flame," as made famous by Blue Oyster Cult
"Mississippi Queen," as made famous by Mountain
Head over to Joystiq for the complete list to date as well as Youtube links to each song in case you need to jog your memory.
Here's four more Guitar Hero III tracks as listed from the ScoreHero forums:
Suck My Kiss - Red Hot Chili Peppers (Original recording)
La Grange - ZZ Top
Number Of The Beast - Iron Maiden (Original recording)
Through The Fire And Flames - Dragonforce (Original recording)
This game is shaping up to please so far. There hasn't been anything on the total list so far I wouldn't play. Check out the ScoreHero forums to read their exclusive coverage and play-through of the game along with other details from their experience:
In celebration of the release of Stargate SG-1's final season (season 10) on DVD, take a moment and check out this trailer for the cancelled PC, Xbox and PS2 game Stargate SG-1: The Alliance.
A gorgeous game with everything a Stargate fan would ever want. In fact so much half of it couldn't even be shown in one trailer. Full voice acting from most of the cast, all the gadgets and weapons seen in the show, as well as alien races and plenty of Jaffa. Check them out:
<a href="http://www.gametrailers.com/remote_wrap.php?mid=6328" target="_blank">http://www.gametrailers.com/remote_wrap.php?mid=6328</a> and the second one: <a href="http://www.gametrailers.com/remote_wrap.php?mid=5062" target="_blank">http://www.gametrailers.com/remote_wrap.php?mid=5062</a>
What a shame. I was looking forward to that game so much I was thinking about buying the PC version for online and one of the console versions just because. Then they announce they've scrapped it for a MMORPG. *sigh*
So.....Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s is out. Should I buy it? Wait for it to hit the bins? Used for half the price?
Although I never base my buying habits on game reviews it is interesting to read reactions from across the gaming domain. An average 70%-ish score from most of them where Guitar Hero's 1 and 2 got 90's or more. Did they review based on sequel-itis, innovation, or music tastes? On some level I think all three, but maybe more towards musical preferences, as many of those songs for a lot of players would be considered an acquired taste.
I rode the tide of popularity, good times and feeling of the "newest thing" that Guitar Hero brought to gaming when it came out. Jumped back on the horse for another ride when Guitar Hero II came out, with equal enthusiasm and every bit the fun of the first one I may add. This time though it came with a feeling of being a veteran of the game and less awkwardness because I had experience beating the first. Experience which helped me to appreciate the finer points of improvement and change that GHII brought to the series.
So when I had heard that there was to be an 80's version I was excited. With Harmonix and Red Octane both being bought and split away it was like 1970 and Lennon and McCartney were going their separate ways. A truly great combo had ended their run together. But that didn't dissuade me, because like Wings there was still magic left in Harmonix regardless of who published it. Besides, there may have been a lot of really bad music in the 80's to be sure, but also a lot of good music that would be fun to play and listen to. But alas, as the months wore on and more information about the game's tracks were released my hopes dashed on the rocks like a sailboat in a sea-storm.
Now the game is out. The collector and Guitar Hero fan in me tugs at my wallet, but the gamer and wise consumer side of me says "you know most of those songs will be played once then never again". Not having a guitar bundle was one thing, but 30 tracks for $50 is a stretch even on a good day considering the content of the first two.
Just for the record, yes I am old enough to remember teased hair, ripped spandex and over-dramatic ballads. But this trip in the time machine may be one I'll mull(et) over for a while before I saddle up once again.
Anyone else here still hesitating? On the fence about this game? You know if this was half the price for half the content I wouldn't feel like it was such a cheap way to capitalize on a good series. Then again, Activision hasn't become the #1 publisher for their treasure trove of games now have they?
Apparently a kid from the U.K. bought a Sony PlayStation 2 off eBay last spring and instead of a system with 2 games he received a box with â"šÂ¬65,400 ($90,000) stacked alongside the console.
The local constabulary is holding the parcel for a period of time in case the loon who misplaced his cash comes running and also while they complete their investigation. If you ask me that's a nice consolation prize for not receiving his two games as was agreed upon in the auction.
My only question is, would you give him positive or negative feedback? Sure it's a nice trade-off, but the seller didn't send the two games with it. Myself, I would thank them for their stupidity, give them negative feedback for being an ass, then head downtown and upgrade to a PS3.
A nice video of gameplay footage including physics, car damage and A.I. narrated by one of the developers. I haven't been a fan of the series since it switched to the "street racing" format, but this one shows a lot of promise. Just check out those smoke effects, very impressive. Information at present states that this game will be on every major console and handheld on the market late October or early November of this year. Having said that you can probably guess that these are shots from the PS3/X360 version. As for the others, well your mileage may vary.
For more information check out the official EA Games NFS: ProStreet website at: http://www.ea.com/nfs/pro...reet/locale_selection.jsp Also feel free to discuss this game in our forums and post your comments here.
According to a BBC article, Sony has decided not to drop the price on the PS3 console in Europe. Instead they will offer a "starter bundle" which will include Motorstorm, Resistance: Fall of Man and an extra controller for free. Which by Sony's calculations is a saving of £115, assuming you want all of that of course. This bundle which is £125 more than a Xbox 360 equivalent bundle and £225 more than a Nintendo Wii with 2 games, may also be a consolation prize as there hasn't been an announcement of a 80GB model for that region either.
The above figures are for the UK, with more details about other countries soon to follow. The prices for these bundles are expected to remain the same as the 60GB model's price prior to this announcement.
One of this year's big surprises with hype and anticipation which is building to a crescendo. LittleBigPlanet will be one of if not the most unique gameplay experience of the year and for many a strong motivation to purchase a PS3. Here's the E3 2007 trailer courtesy once again of GameTrailers.com, enjoy!
Yes you read that right, Twisted Metal 2 for PC! I was surprised when I found out recently that one of my favorite PlayStation franchises made it's way to the Windows platform 11 years ago. As far as PC games go and as far as ports of hugely popular titles, this one is apparently quite uncommon to find these days. According to what I've read, Sony was afraid that their then popular but not dominating PlayStation platform, would potentially lose sales if the game was offered on more than one system. So shortly after release, they yanked the title and ceased printing. Did it work? Well TM2 sold over 2 million copies worldwide on the PS1, who's to say if PC sales would have affected it in the long run?
OK so after I had wrote my last entry on this game, a couple more hours of playing and I had beaten it. Apparently the 3rd chapter is a lot shorter than the previous two. That's fine because it wrapped up the story and allowed me to begin a new game for better grinding and yoinkage. So here's my review of it:
For those of you who have a bit of time to kill this week and want to be "in the know" here are the dates and times for the three main press conferences by Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft:
So it's that time of year again. TGS time that is. For those of you unaware, it's the Tokyo Game Show I'm referring to. Every year since 1996 in Chiba, Japan vendors come together in much the same way they do with E3 and Leipzig (GC) and show off the latest and greatest. It's the last major trade show before the holiday season kicks off in full swing.
So.....Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s is out. Should I buy it? Wait for it to hit the bins? Used for half the price? 
According to a BBC article, Sony has decided not to drop the price on the PS3 console in Europe. Instead they will offer a "starter bundle" which will include Motorstorm, Resistance: Fall of Man and an extra controller for free. Which by Sony's calculations is a saving of £115, assuming you want all of that of course. This bundle which is £125 more than a Xbox 360 equivalent bundle and £225 more than a Nintendo Wii with 2 games, may also be a consolation prize as there hasn't been an announcement of a 80GB model for that region either. 
