What Music They Make!

I love to play video games - but that's only part of the reason I love video games. While it's great to appreciate the visual art in games, I'm a sucker for the music. Sometimes I will enjoy playing a crappy game solely because of its excellent music (Yoshi's Story!). However, most of the time it seems like a quality soundtrack dictates a quality game (example: Sonic's downfall starting with Sonic Adventure and its disgusting music).

I have over eighty video game soundtracks in my growing collection, and I couldn't even begin to narrow that down to a few favorites (which was the original intention for this story). So let me end this short piece by reminding you to turn up the volume while you rescue that princess, and pay respect where it's due.

If you are looking to download video game music, a great place to start is Galbadia Hotel.

Jack Thompson: Way Past Crazy

Good thing I haven't achieved my goal of writing for a top game news website yet. Nobody wants to get sued by Jack Thompson!

My Xbox 360 Is Dead

Just days after giving it the award for winning this generation, my Xbox 360 died. I knew it was coming, we have all read the horror stories, but it is still surprising and extremely aggravating. Time to finally check out Okami...


UPDATE: 3-25-07: Called 1-800-4MY-XBOX, I am to mail the console to them (sans hard drive) and I should expect a repaired or brand new 360 in about three weeks...

UPDATE: 3-27-07: Shipping cost $11.66. Oh and Okami is awesome.

UPDATE: 4-2-07: My 360 arrived this morning in Texas. The two to three week waiting period begins today. I hope they find it is unrepairable so I can get a brand new 360 that hasn't been tinkered with...

UPDATE: 4-3-07: Major Nelson just brought this to my attention:

Free Shipping:
In the event your console needs to be returned to us for repair your shipping costs are free. We will immediately send you a postage paid container in which to send us your console, and we will pay for shipping charges to return your console to you.

I will call customer service tomorrow in hopes of getting my $12 refunded...

UPDATE: 4-9-07: Never called customer service. I'm not the bitching type, and I probably wouldn't have gotten the $12 refunded anyway. However, I did receive a brand new Xbox 360 in the mail today - complete with bonus (regular white) faceplate! You see, I shipped the original without a faceplate (as instructed), and now I have 2 default 360 faceplates!!! I kid, but I am very relived to promptly receive a brand new box. Hopefully this won't happen again.

NiGHTS Sequel on Wii

Finally, one of my Dream Sequels has come true. SPOnG is reporting that the long-rumored sequel has been confirmed, only days after the Official Nintendo Magazine hint was dropped. Best of all, original creator Yuji Naka is said to lead development! The only thing left to speculate on is the control style. I'd like to see something off-rails that controls like the mysterious Wii Airplane E3 '06 demo, where you hold the Wiimote like a paper airplane.

UPDATE: Looks like Yuji Naka will not be involved. I'm thinking I'll stop reporting rumors from here on out. Although this news itself might be a rumor. You see the vicious cycle I have gotten myself stuck in?

My New Hero

Thanks to last month's EGM, I learned about Wall Guy - the oddly disproportionate dude from one of the first screenshots of Perfect Dark Zero. To me, Wall Guy not only embodies the suckage of PDZ, but he is an icon for poor games in general. He is like the Mona Lisa: the longer you stare at him, the more interesting he becomes. Notice the larger-than-right left leg, the crotch's lackage of package, the chin/shoulder melt, and the bike helmet; and you start to realize the importance of quality character design.

And The Winner Is....Xbox 360

Some would say this announcement is a little premature. Some would say it has been known for months. With the recent news of Devil May Cry 4 coming to 360 alongside the already announced PS3 version, I finally feel comfortable enough to put my thumbs on the chopping block and confidently predict this generation's big winner. Next up to rise to the occasion: MGS4 and FFXIII...?

Hey, don't blame me for being an Xbox fanboy. Blame me for being an America fanboy.

Rogue Squadron, This is Red Five - I'm Goin' In

I like science fiction. I like shooting things. I like flight combat games. I like Bosconian. But I f'ing LOVE Star Wars. And I have really been missing some good ol' space shooters. In response to Destructoid's wonderful editorial about the lack there of, I want to add my two cents on the issue.

Factor 5 developed the Rogue Squadron series and has since departed from Nintendo and the Star Wars franchise to develop a game called Lair for the PS3 - which I will never play, unless somebody wants to buy me a PS3. This is a bummer because I can't see any other developer handling a Star Wars space shooter as well as these guys did.

Star Wars aside, there aren't any space shooters in the mix of upcoming games. There aren't any Panzer Dragoon games coming any time soon, either. As much as I love returning to these games, I must admit I have been spoiled by the glitter of "next-gen." Developers, please, recognize this genre and make some damn games.

Indeed, it is a grim time for fans of (non-WWII) flight shooters...

Worms XBLA Review

This is a difficult game to review. The Xbox Live Arcade version of Worms is like a funny, intelligent, beautiful woman - that has no arms. You see, everything that is included in Worms is great, but not everything was included. This version of Worms is what I call Couch Worms. It's simple, casual, and just not as fun as the PC Worms games - but it is still better than most of the other crap on Xbox Live Arcade. It's still good ol' Worms, just a little sicklier that we're used to.

It's great to see the updated graphics - the game has never looked better, and the controls are as perfect as they could be on the Xbox 360 controller. For the most part, the weapons perform as they always have, and they sound like they're supposed to sound. So the fact that this game is only about 60% complete is more of a tease than a fat pile of doo. The fact that Microsoft (used to) limit their Arcade games to 50 MB was Worms' death sentence. What follows is a list of things that are sadly missed in this latest version of our beloved 2-D turn-based strategy game:

• Speech banks - there are about 5 speech banks, and only one of them is in English
• Levels - there are three (3) maps
• Teams have a maximum number of four (4) worms
• Weapons - this one's the kicker. We're missing the Holy Hand Grenade, Super Sheep, Bungee Cord, Parachute, Concrete Donkey, Old Woman, and many others
• No switching between worms before a turn (which completely changes the gameplay)
• There is only one song, which you will want to turn off after about 30 minutes
• The achievements are crap. They don't give you incentive to play online, and they are way too easy to achieve

However...
Did I mention the graphics are beautiful and it is still soooo worth the ten bucks?

Crackdowns and Ups

I started playing Crackdown as a measly rookie cop. I avoided the crime and tried to stay high to innocently collect every agility orb I saw. After I mastered agility, I decided to try my hand at upholding the law. I slowly became the best shooter in the Agency.

And then I found the rocket launcher. And the cluster grenades. And soon after, nearly every gang leader in Pacific City was dead. Once most of the rampant violence had been relieved, I jumped in the Agency Supercar and spent some time beefing up my driving skills.

And I found my true calling.

I was meant to be a Super Trooper. A highway patrolman. Now I spend my days cruising the highways of the city at 225 miles an hour, crashing and shooting through all gang activity I come across. Rooftop jumping is for the rookies. I keep the roads safe.