Xbox 360’s E3 2007: Games To Watch
Tagged E3 2007E3 is coming up, to state the obvious. Here are the games you need to look out for on IGN or Gamespot this week:
Blue Dragon
Release: August 2007
Genre: Eastern RPG
Mass Effect
Release: TBA 2007
Genre: Western RPG
Halo 3
Release: September 27, 2007
Genre: FPS (duh)
Grand Theft Auto 4
Release: October 17, 2007
Genre: 3rd Person Shooter
Too Human
Release: August 6, 2007
Genre: Adventure
Fable 2
Release: 2008
Genre: Linear RPG
Burnout Paradise
Release: December 2007
Genre: Racing
Eternal Sonata
Release: September 17, 2007
Genre: Eastern RPG
There are too many more to list. Also look out for the new “Banjo” game being released by Rareware. Keep posted as E3 approaches later this week.
Top 10 Free Things You Can Do With Your Xbox 360 - Part 1
Tagged Top 10'sSo you have your $400 or $500 box (don’t even tell me you got the Core system) and you are broke because your parents screwed with your finances, you just got home from college, and haven’t gotten paid yet from your part-time job you just started… okay, let me restate this: you want something free to do with your Xbox 360. Yes, I know the word free and Xbox makes this sound like a conga scam, but at least this article is a bit more realistic than EA releasing a full-featured game. I digress. Here’s the plan - I’ll give you helpful suggestions so you can maximize your overall experience with your 360 without spending a cent. Make sense? Good, let’s get right into it.
10. Saint’s Row Demo - Estimated playtime: 1 hr
I know this game is an older one, and many of you have probably played the demo. There is so much to do in this small world. Don’t know what Saint’s Row is? Imagine Grand Theft Auto… that’s basically it. You have a goal in the game, but that isn’t what is important. You want to maximize playtime. Run around and enjoy the demo without touching the storyline. There is also a glitch to try out. This glitch will put you outside the boundary of the demo. Since the city isn’t fully developed in the demo, you can only get so far before falling through the ground. However, there is a way to get extras from the glitch:
9. Worms Trial - Estimated playtime: 45 min
If you don’t know what Worms is, you are missing out. Worms is a game like Gunbound. You play on a 2D map, aim at people, shoot, and knock down their HP until they are dead. The trial is basically like the full single player game, but no map variety or weapon set customization. If you like Worms, you’ll have fun with this one for a while. Note: Image is not actual in-game footage.
8. Outpost Kaloki Trial - Estimated playtime: 45 min
This game is incredibly unique. Your goal is to get money and build up a space station. If you have ever played a Sim City game or Sim Tower, this is the same concept. It was an original Xbox Live Arcade game and a bit underrated. The lasting appeal is in the extensive amount of levels you can play in the trial version. Play it a few times and you will be able to clock in close to an hour with this game. It’s no Freelancer, but it this one earned the number 8 spot on this list.
7. Geometry Wars Trial - Estimated playtime: 30 min
Despite not having the longest playtime in the trial version, Geometry Wars is one of the most fun games on Xbox Live Arcade. This is the game that kick started the Xbox Live Arcade. According to many critics, it is “XBLA’s Halo.” The only reason this isn’t higher on the list, is because once you get to 100,000 points, it will interrupt you… that takes about 10 minutes. Considering the learning curve of the game, you will probably get there after about 4 or 5 tries.
6. Lost Planet Online Demo - Estimated playtime: 3 hrs
Lost Planet single player is alright - multiplayer is where it really shines, though. It’s an old demo, so the only problem is the amount of people that play. If you can find enough people to play a decent round, this is the demo to download. You can use mechs, crazy innovative weapons, and find real fun ways of killing people. Again, assuming you find a group for this, you’ll be able to clock in hours upon hours of game time. Why buy the game when you can just play this? Oh yeah… you can get more of everything. Well, this is still a good demo.
5. Aegis Wing - Estimated playtime: 1.5 hrs
Aegis Wing definitely takes a page out of old school Sega games… best of all, it’s free! Yes, a free game that doesn’t suck like TotemBall! This game was created by a bunch of interns who obviously enjoyed all of those older games. Anyways, Aegis Wing is terribly difficult and frustrating. I mean, it is a well made game, but it was definitely created with the hardcore gamer in mind. So frustration factored into this game, you will probably be playing it for around an hour and a half.
4. Dead Rising Demo - Estimated playtime: 1.25 hrs
I. Loved. This. Demo. And. I. Find. It. Necessary. To. Parse. Words. With. Punctuation. For. Emphasis. Anyways… Dead Rising is one of those games that you sit around and think: Wouldn’t it be badass if you could do… - You see where I’m going with this. So what is this game all about? Simple - you totally demolish zombies with anything and everything. From throwing a milk carton to cutting their legs off with a sickle, this game lets you take ALL of your anger out on the walking dead. Consider this demo a trial of Dead Rising therapy. The demo sets you loose in one small part of the mall. The whole purpose of the demo is just to kill the zombies until a certain time. I estimate that it will take you a little over an hour to do most of what is offered in the demo. However, I think many of you will spend much more time on the game than I estimated.
3. Uno - Estimated playtime: 2 hrs
Okay, so Uno isn’t totally free… but it can be! Make some friends, get them to buy the Xbox Live Vision Camera and it comes with an Uno voucher! Also, it isn’t lame like when you used to play with your parents! The game’s saving grace is that it’s camera enabled! This means the game is incredibly active and consistently hits the top 10 on MajorNelson’s list of top arcade games (based on activity). Uno hits number 2 on the list because it is a great game for anyone to play - social or not. The game is made well and it is an incredibly social game. You will see the weirdest stuff in those game rooms. Some people get a bit too into the whole camera thing, which makes the whole experience entertaining, hilarious, and sometimes pretty nasty… a roller coaster of emotions.
2. Fight Night Round 3 Demo - Estimated playtime: 45 min
I know the playtime doesn’t seem like much, but this game is damn fun. If you haven’t played the other Fight Night games, then you are seriously missing out. This demo throws you right into the fight. You will get the bulk of what the game is with this demo. It is worth playing over and over, as there will always be new ways to play. The best part about the demo is that you can play with a friend on the same console. Definitely get this demo - it will be well worth your time.
1. Crackdown Demo - Estimated playtime: 2 hrs
Crackdown is the ultimate game demo. It is Saint’s Row on steroids. Here’s the basic idea - you are a genetically created super-cop and you need to go around and kill a bunch of people. Since the skill progression is accelerated, you will be able to max out at least 1 or 2 skills before the demo ends. My suggestion to get the most out of the demo would be to level up slowly. Once you get 2 stars in any of the skills, the 30 minute timer starts. So if you dedicate your time to finding hidden orbs until all of your skills reach level 2 at the same time, that will help you out immensely. Play this demo over and over and try out different skills - they all change the gameplay completely.