As if a slew of racist PSP camaigns worldwide, and one of the worst absolute US marketing campaigns ever for a gaming system weren't enough, Sony sinks to a new low in their new EU commercials. Perhaps it's better if you just watch for yourself...but I don't get what Sony's thinking...associating the PS3 with taking a dump...now THAT is living! LMAO!
Before I start, let me say that I know this game is not out yet. I know that it is unfair to do a review for an MMO this early in it's life. That being said, This game has hardly changd much at all since Alpha, which is a BAD thing. Plus, it does not stop other publications from voicing their opinions, so I don't care. I think people DESERVE to know what they are getting themselves into.
First of all, the graphics are hardly better than Guild Wars. This game runs on a modified DDO engine. In fact, in Alpha, the engine was so similar it was immediately obvious the direction they were taking this game.
Secondly, the game world is very small. Unmounted you can practically cross the entire landscape in less than an hour. In Vanguard for example, it would take you 30 mins just to reach the next town. Another problem is the frequent and long load times. After about 20 minutes of playing it is painfully obvious that this game is a load hog.
Third, don't expect any variety from the classes what-so-ever. Just a glance at the official site's descriptions of them will show you just that. Due to this, the group mechanic is HORRIBLE. The way fights play out in a group fashion are barely similar to the standard MMO type (tank, DPS, healer). However the classes all feel the same in the end, and in group roles, people will often NOT know their role at all, because they are not comfortable with the class-types in comparison to a real MMO.
Combat, just like the graphics, borrows heavily from the DDO infrastructure. The combat skills are weak, and often times this alone is what makes the classes seem boring and non-descript. When fighting, there is no uniqueness to any of the classes, even the most "unique" class in the game.
Crafting is boring and simple, with no real reward for dedicating to it. PVP is almost non-existant except for a poorly constructed "good vs. evil" PVP set-up where one team will temporarily play as monsters and baddies. Not saying PVP is important to me, but if it was, I'd be sick with disgust.
My biggest qualm. The lore. How can someone presume to alter what Tolkien had perfected? Quest and story lines in this game not only alter Tolkien's story, they drastically change certain aspects of it at a certain point in the game.
The day Turbine announced the bargain bin monthly fee, I knew they had no faith in their MMO. They feel like they need to lower themselves to the standards of Guild Wars, Phantasy Star, etc by placing that price point. While they hoped it may turn some heads in their direction, it is only obvious that LOTRO will just be a source of income while they develop something better...if Turbine can even DO that anymore.
When will developers learn that MMO's based on popular movies/books just don't do well? SWG, MxO, and now this? LOTRO gets the biggest PASS of them all. You'd be better off playing a free MMO called Flyff. It's free and muh better produced than this game. As for me, I'll stick with Vanguard until the next big thing comes out...cause one this is for sure...LOTRO is NOT that big thing.
OUR VERDICT: PASS
I came across this last night and my jaw hit the floor.
LEGO Ultimate Collector's Series Millennium Falcon
The price tag is hefty, but this is easily one of the coolest collectibles I've seen in a long time.
Rated-M now has it's very own comic series based on the amazing Vanguard: Saga of Heroes! This first issue begins the tale of an Imperial Captain who has a run in with a very dangerous Monk! Stay tuned for future issues!
http://home.insightbb.com/~lotusfilms/vanguardkojani.pdf
http://www.kikizo.com/viewer/imageview_forums.asp?http://xs411.xs.to/xs411/07044/psm3feb.jpg
The above scan shows that no matter what Sony does, Microsoft will always be one step ahead of them. People can say what they will, but think of this...you NEVER see Sony games advertised in OXM...
Anyways, as I have been saying and will say till the end...one more nail in Sony's coffin.
Major Nelson caught this. I can't believe Sony is willing to stoop so low. What a bunch of thieving assholes!
http://www.majornelson.com/archive/2007/01/25/psp-connect-using-pgr3-screenshot.aspx
Sony is one step from the edge of the cliff.
Check out my screenshots from my personal experiences in the Vanguard beta! This is an amazing game with amazing visuals. This game is sure ot surpass the competition, as the wrd on the servers is that this is what EQ1 fans have been waiting for.
The photo journals are linked in my personal blog:
http://blog.myspace.com/lotusfilms
Make sure you leave some comments!
UPDATED! More added as of 1/17/07!
Please check out the new artist M.A.N.T.I.S at MySpace. Currently, he has launched a collection of his classic instrumentals from 1998-2001, and in the coming weeks he will be releasing some tracks off his new album entitled "The Mantis Strikes".
http://www.myspace.com/mantis2007
Since the year has now come to an end, I'd like to share some of the best and worst of 2006 with you, including our choice for 2006 GOTY! Let's get underway!
Biggest mistake of 2006: A lot of you think I'm gonna say "the PS3 launch". However, I think someone screwed up this year a lot more than Sony. You see, the PS3 just needs time to get off the ground. My pick for biggest mistake is Kurt angle leaving the WWE for TNA. Since leaving Vince, his story lines have suffered, and he has to job to an overrated wrestler like Samoa Joe.
Biggest surprise of 2006: Britney Spears' crotch shots. I wasn't ever expecting to see hew twank, but there it was for the world to see. Thanks for the memories Britney!
Biggest letdown of 2006: Sony's PS3 launch. Notice I said the launch, and not the system. I feel the PS3 has potential. But there is no denying that Sony fucked up real bad this time around, and has paid dearly for it in sales and popularity. The poor design of their kiosk units doesn't help matters much, as it causes systems to overheat and freeze up in stores. This obviously doesn't leave a good impression with Average Joe and Jane Walk-In who may just be in the market for a new system.
Most underrated item of 2006: Microsoft's Zune player. Definately the iPod killer MS promised it to be, but no one knows what the hell a Zune is yet. MS wanted to obviously keep the focus on their 360 console, which has hurt this amazing little piece of machinery. Hopefully their ad campaign will kick into full gear in 2007. This little movie and music player deserves our attention.
Most viewed Rated-M story of 2006: I have a lot of viewers, and with my stat counter, I have tracked the most viewed story of the entire year. I was surprised that this story got as much attention as it did, but you fans have spoken! You all want to know about the WWE's Mickie James' alleged porn career! So for you fans, here are the links to refress your memory:
Most controversial Rated-M story of 2006: Without a doubt, this would have to be the leaking of the Transformers teaser, and the posting of it on Digg.com. The story went to the first page in a matter of hours. Again, I never expected so much attention behind this, but Paramount was genuinely pissed. to this day, I will still not reveal my source, but it matters not anyways. Within 48 hours of me posting the leaked trailer, they went ahead and released it officially via their website, and in much better quality. I guess they figured "if you can't beat em, join em". Below, you'll find the links to our Transformers coverage, as well as the original Digg.com story.
Transformers Coverage at Rated-M / Digg.com post
Console of the Year 2006: XBOX 360. Without a doubt. It had a slow start, but to look at the line-up now is intimidating. What sealed the deal for me was the key release of a few strong titles, titles that cemented the 360 as a mainstay in the console world. 2006 saw the release of Saints Row, Dead Rising, Oblivion, Gears of War, Viva Pinata, and WWE Smackdown VS. Raw 2007 (the 07 was cancelled for the PS3!). Also this year, XBL proved to us all how neat the internet can be when integrated into your gaming lifestyle. DLC for games, downloadable demos, and the great XBL Arcade (yes, I know I hated it, but it has really really grown on me). Nearly flawless and very safe, I feel it's worth the fee. Anyways, after a rough start, this system picked up steam to gain the top spot as out 2006 Console of the Year! Can PS3 pull off the same, and take our 2007 honors? We will see!
Game of the Year 2006: Here it is guys, the one you've been waiting for. Our pick for GOTY 2006. A lot came out this year that I feel is worthy. Dead Rising, Oblivion, Gears of War, Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and Final Fantasy XII are my contenders.We have chosen Gears of War as our pick for GOTY 2006. Sure, graphically the game is the best there is at the moment. But the game is much more than that. Great production value, perfect controls, lagless online, fun co-op and SP (though a bit short), and the coming FREE DLC pack are all parts of why we chose this game. Rarely does a game ever live up to the hype. Gears had tremendous hype, and lived up to every single second of it.
So Ken Kutaragi, the "father of the Playstation", was forced to step down. By now, you all have heard the news in some form or another. Some of you (and by some of you I mean the rabid PS3 fanboys sending me hate mail) don't think it's a big deal at all. Just a normal day of operations at Sony. Well not so fast there bucko, this is VERY significant, and I'm about to tell you why.
Ken Kutaragi has been the driving force behind Sony's foray into gaming since the start. Known worldwide as the father of the Paystation, he has had a hand in all of Sony's gaming consoles, including PSP. He has also been the face and mouthpiece of the Playstation, but none moreso than the PS3 and PSP.
In short, he is the man who talked all the shit and couldn't back it up. He is the man that made all the promises that he couldn't keep. Sony finds him responsible not only for the failure of the PSP, but the imminent failure of the PS3.
Now before you go get your panties into a bunch, the PS3 hasn't failed yet, and it still has potential. However, there are some things you need to factor into this equation.
A.) Kutaragi hyped the PSP as the GameBoy killer, when obviously it wasn't. It was pretty, but cost way more than gamers wanted to pay. Even now, the core system itself struggles to sell in the face of Nintendo's juggernaut, the DS.
B.) Again, Kutaragi hyped the PS3 to be Jesus Christ walking on water, there is nothing else. Also pretty and overpriced, the system has failed to live up to the hype created for it.
C.) Then comes the defects. Let's forget that the PS2 laser fiasco never happened. Forget that it took 4 years and a class action lawsuit to fix it. What about the thousands of PS3's beginning to crash worldwide? Well the majority of them are due to the same thing that happened at TGS. The system is overheating in the small space afforded to it in the kiosks. People who walk into GameStop usually walk in to find the PS3 froze up. bad publicity.
This is all the latest in a string of fuck ups from Kutaragi, from the defective PS2's to the millions spent on crappy advertising for the PSP (like the racist ads here in the states calling mexicans dustballs, and the black vs. white ads overseas), to the millions spent on faulty kiosks that are causing false impressions in potential buyers.
3rd Party developers are taking once exclusive titles to the competition, and day by day, things look worse and worse for Sony.
So it's still not a big deal? Well what if Nintendo had fired Miyamoto-san, the father of almost every single popular Nintendo IP? Or what if Microsoft suddenly canned Peter Moore? Well considering that the Playstation is primarily Kutaragi's brainchild, we feel this is a big deal.
Will Sony pull out of this slump and reposition themselves? Or is it simply over for them before it even began? We will just have to wait and see. We here at Rated-M don't have high hopes, though we hope that 1st party games like Lair and Heavenly Sword can restore people's faith in this arrogant company.
Stay tuned for more.
We all know the sad truth behind the PS3. It costs too much to make, and there have been so many technical issues with it even after it's rather unseuccessful launch, that Sony was obviously headed into a downward spiral.
Following the failure of the PSP, and the imminent failure of the overhyped PS3, Sony has shelved Ken Kutaragi, the face of the PS3.
Reputable site Financial Times reports the following:
"Ken Kutaragi, the maverick Sony engineer behind all three generations of PlayStation games consoles, will on Friday become chairman of Sony Computer Entertainment in a management reshuffle that could foreshadow the company’s exit from video games hardware.
The surprise move, though technically a promotion, removes Mr Kutaragi from the day-to-day running of Sony’s games division at a critical moment.
With the PlayStation3 only just past its difficult launches in Japan and the US, Sony is desperate to ensure that its complicated machine triumphs in the holiday shopping season. The company described the changes as “strengthening” its management line-up.
In the longer-term, the PS3 faces stiff competition from Microsoft and Nintnedo and a European launch next March for which some analysts fear it is not fully prepared.
Replacing Mr Kutaragi as Sony Computer Entertainment’s global president and chief operating officer will be Kazuo Hirai, a veteran of SCE’s US division, who prematurely claimed four years ago that the era of console wars was over.
Investors know Mr Hirai as a slicker, more confident presenter than Mr Kutaragi. He is also understood to have stronger working relationships with American, European and Japanese games makers.
Analysts said that Mr Hirai’s promotion to a global role at SCE could mark a critical shift in management thinking, with Sony changing its emphasis so that the current generation of games console will be its last as a hardware manufacturer.
“The appointment of Hirai could be the start of a shift from hardware to software,” said Yuta Sakurai, an analyst at Nomura. “I cannot now imagine a PlayStation4.”"
So in a nutshell, financial advisors are now predicting that Sony will go the way of Sega, and just make software, which has always been their stronger point. I can't say we didn't see this coming. Sony has been in the red for years, hardly ever turning a profit in the videogame industry. Mark our words, this is the end.
For the full report from Financial Times, please visit the source link below!
SOURCE: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/f6728ed8-8095-11db-9096-0000779e2340.html
G4TV made this parody commercial which pits PS3 vs. Wii in the style of the stupid, lame, retarded, misinformed Mac commercials.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9136575504838642038
I laughed out loud at this one. I really, truly did.
Braziliian metal band MegaDriver has based their career on remaking classic video game music in heavy metal. You MUST see this website. Browse the list of free songs, take what you like, and be sure to give these guys props!
http://www.megadriver.com.br/sitev2.html
Sent to us by a viewer, I submit the below for your curiosities. Ok, what happened here? Well some unlucky chap was playing Wii Sports WITHOUT the wrist strap, and WHOOPS! the Wii remote flew right out of his hand, and right into his new HD projection TV.
That's what you get for not following directions!
EDIT: It seems this problem is quite widespread, I have come across a collection of people who this has happened to. Check HERE for those stories.
Enjoy this funny Youtube video of someone making a milkshake with a Wiimote.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IevMrQMp-to
There has been a lot of talk about the PS3 and the Wii recently. Obviously Nintendo is doing something right, because one look at the tally on http://nexgenwars.com/ tells you that Nintendo has twice as many Wii's in homes as Sony has PS3's, and the poll puts Wii heavily in favor to win the "war".
Everyone has their own opinions, and I have mine. So here we go.
Basically the Wii itself is like any other system out there. Sure, the technology inside the box is unique, as well as the GUI interface. But at the core, it's just a console. The one thing that really sets Wii apart is the controller (ok, and the name...there I said it). The Wii remote supports an astonishing degree of motion sensitivity, and it is very precise in the point and click area as well. The controller is light, and comfortable no matter which way you hold it.
The console itself is very small, about the size of the PSOne mini or smaller. It runs quiet, and never gets warm. The auto-feed disc loading is done well, and the console gives you plenty of room to get your finger in the center hole of the disk for safe removal. It is also very easy to hook up, as Nintendo systems always are. I took it out of the box and was playing Wii sports in no time.
The controller applies well to an in-game environment. In Wii Sports, the Wii remote acts as your baseball bat, bowling ball, golf club, tennis racket, etc. For each sport, you hold the remote like you would the real equipment. Unfortunately, the boxing segment of the game is the only part that uses the nunchuck. The two handed gameplay is exactly the right step in the direction of interactive boxing games. A new Punch-Out would work famously with this control scheme.
Wii Sports has been called a demo to some, but it's not really. It is more like the limited gameplay these same titles would have had back on NES. Wii Sports really feels like Classic Nintendo. The game inspires people to get off their lazy ass and actually PLAY with your system, and for that I love it. There are even a training mode and a fitness mode (think Brain Age) to keep you busy. There is stat tracking, and to keep your score, you have to stay consistant in your skill. Yes, you can lose points.
Also I should mention that I played with my mom, sister, and wife. We all had a blast as a family. I think the fact that the Wii can bring people together like that is something that more people should talk about.
As for the Wii online, there isn't much as of yet. I really like the way their marketplace is set up, and I think the pricing of classic games is fair. I like the fact that the Cube controller works well with almost all the classic games, meaning that you won't have to track down one of the elusive classic controllers this holiday. Cube controllers are cheap and abundant. I suggest a Wavebird.
The Wii does support the USB dongle for wireless access, but be cautioned that the dongle won't work for all PC set-ups. For the same price as the USB adapter, you can get a wireless router at Wal-Mart. The Wii was surprisingly easy to set up for online with a router, and I give kudos to Nintendo for making it so simple.
I have two complaints. One, Wii Sports should have came in a clamshell DVD case. I know it's not much of a big deal, but the first time I removed my disk from the package, the staples on the instruction booklet made a small scratch. This pissed me off of course, so I keep my disk in a seperate clamshell right now. Second, they promote ease of hook-up with the USB adapter, yet if you have problems getting hooked up, the website is not a good place to go for help. You are better off calling Nintendo directly. Microsoft definately has the edge with their website, but that really doesn't hamper the Wii system one bit.
Overall, the Wii is an impressive hardware. We all know that it's graphical power isn't as high as the competitors...who cares. Nintendo did one thing that the other guys did not. They give you a new way to play the same old games. Gaming hasn't evolved (graphics aside) in a very long time. I think the last evolutions that were as significant as the Wii's controls would be Super Mario 64 and the SegaNet/XBL online infrastructure. Finally gaming can feel fresh and new again.
If you can find one of these systems this holiday, please do yourself and your whole family a favor. Buy it, and perhaps pick up Red Steel, Zelda, and/or Excite Truck.
Verdict: BUY
Thanks to some crazy Koreans (I love yall!), the PS3 can now live up to the inflated price tag. For $600 the damn thing better cook your lunch! Well that's just what it does! See the below link to find out what I'm talking about! If this doesn't make you laugh, you need the stick surgically removed from your ass.
PS3 Grill
You know, I'm not really sure what people were expecting from this game. The horrible reviews state-side kind of confuse me. The game is not THAT bad. The number one thing I hear people bitching and moaning about is the controls. So let me start there.
Some say this game has a steep learning curve. It is not in the slightest bit steep. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that this game is one of the easiest controlling shooters ever. The point and click shooting is absolutely the coolest thing about this game. If ever the arcade rail shooter genre (Area 51) and the traditional FPS genre (Halo, Half-Life) could blend, this is most certainly the way to do it. The pointer is very acurate if you calibrate it right, and mixed with the strafing and ducking behind cover, you can have a very satisfying shootout...particularly if you know what explosive environmental objects are in your area!
The nunchuck half of the controls work well too. It's basically the left stick from any controller ever made, with two extra buttons. One button jumps, the other ducks. Jumping is used occassionally, but ducking behind cover is a necessity. Perhaps that is the part that people just don't get. If you run into a room full of people with machine guns, expect to get shot. Another great feature of the nunchuck is the ability to interact with the environment by flipping tables for cover, picking up weapons, and opening doors.
The sword fighting. This deserves it's own section. Just like you can't run into a room ful of people with machineguns and expect to not get shot, you can't wildly swing your sword and expect not to get hit. The sword fighting in Red Steel feels more like a mini-game, which is unfortunate because it's so fun. The block/parry style of sword fighting really impressed me, and the fact that the nunchuck is used to the fullest extent also impresses me. You just don't get as many sword fights as you want, as this is primarily a shooter. But one thing kept crossing my mind...the Dynasty Warriors first person sword game from Koei. I can't wait.
Graphically, this game is not bad. Really. We all know the Wii's power, and there is no arguing that other next-gen games look better. But in 480p, this game has it's moments. I think with a little more time to polish this game, it could have truly looked better. I absolutely believe that the Wii can do so much better in this department.
However, graphics aside, I experienced a very unique and fun shooter. Red Steel feels a lot like Golden-Eye 64 in the way that combat is played out. Even the multi-player beckons memories of that classic. The story isn't enthralling, the graphics lack polish...but if you pass this game up for those reasons, you may miss out on one of the better Wii games. If you go into this game with ducking for cover and parrying with your sword in mind, you may really enjoy the deep combat system. This is a very great start for shooters on the Wii, and if anything, Red Steel proves that the Metroid game is going to work very well with these new controlls.
Oh, and for those of you complaining that your arms get tired, not only does Red Steel not require over exertion, it even has a setting in the menu that recognizes small sword strokes instead of large ones. But since most of the complainers probably never read the manual or bothered to adjust settings, they would never have known this.
My verdict: BUY
You know, there are a lot of people I talk to that won't bother with this game because of the kid-toned outer shell. But what they miss is one of the better sim creation games to ever hit a console.
For those of you who don't know much about the game, and want to know what it's like, it basically combines elements of these great games:
Sim City
The Sims
Harvest Moon
Black & White
Animal Crossing
But while it has elements of all those great games, it still manages to stay fresh and unique.
Rare has also done an outstanding job or recreating the feel of the Nintendo-era Rareware. This feels very much like a Nintendo product. The musical score is IMO the third best of the year (Gears Of War and FFXII round out the top 3). Done by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, it definately creates a feel all it's own. This is great news to those that didn't want to hear "cartoon style" music through the whole game.
While this seems very much like a kids game it is very complex. Maybe I don't give kids enough credit, but I can't imagine the 10 and under crowd being able to handle this. On the flip side, this game's appeal can reach far and wide. Any age can find a way to enjoy this, as long as you have an open mind going into it. Parents, this game IS kid safe, and if your youn ones like it, you can hook up a second controller and help them out through a sort of co-op.
I'm not going to bother giving this game a number. Numbers confuse people and muddle up what is truly good about a game. Instead, I will just say that I am seriously impressed with this game, far more than I ever thought I would be. Take that as you will, but in my eyes this is a keeper.
A new mappack for Perfect Dark Zero has just been released onto the marketplace. Map Pack 2 humourously contains 2 maps, titled Ruins and Facility. If these map names sound somewhat familiar, then they should......as they are from none other than Goldeneye 007 for n64! THAT'S RIGHT RATED M READERS, Rare really does care about fan requests, and let me say that the maps are GORGEOUS. I barely recognized the redesigned levels. My only complaint is that the levels are extremely dark, however I guess that makes sense seeing as how the two areas have been abandoned for ...1o(!?!)years just about.
One other thing, the map pack 2 is free to Gold Members, so what are you waiting for...DOWNLOAD IT NOW!
