NPD, review recap, and fan mail galore.
by Bozon
November 16, 2007 - Friday means more podcast action. Matt and Mark team up to deliver a Wii-k in Review that's actually ready on Friday, covering everything recent in the wide world of Nintendo. The duo recap this week's reviews, talk NPD numbers, and answer a seemingly never-ending plethora of reader mail.
http://wii.ign.com/articles/836/836000p1.html
by Bozon
November 16, 2007 - Friday means more podcast action. Matt and Mark team up to deliver a Wii-k in Review that's actually ready on Friday, covering everything recent in the wide world of Nintendo. The duo recap this week's reviews, talk NPD numbers, and answer a seemingly never-ending plethora of reader mail.
http://wii.ign.com/articles/836/836000p1.html
Alkaline's summary said:
Victorious Boxers Revolution
- Gave the game 4.5 - was actually going to be lower, but decided against it because of the ability to use a classic controller.
- Much worse than Wii Sports boxing, which wasn't all that great to start off with.
- Poor motion recognition.
- Camera issues, super buggy - "total pain in the ass."
Smartypants
- Gave the game 7.0
- $49 which should be $29 at most - the content in the game is far too slim for the price they charge for it.
- It's a fun game - "really good party game that anyone can play." Good trivia game.
Avatar
- Gave the game 6.2
- Only decent - very straightforward game.
Ben 10
- Gave the game 6.8
- Actually pretty cool, but doesn't extend from the PS2 version.
- Very basic presentation but fun combat and good animations.
- Not for the hardcore - very straightforward, but if you're a fan you should consider picking it up.
Namco Museum Remix
- Gave the game 5.0
- Worthy of being a WiiWare game - definitely not a full game.
- Boasts 14 games - 5 of which was remixed games, some of which are no good.
- The only good two are Galaga and Pac'n'Roll. Rally X is ok. The rest are either not much fun or are just too obscure.
Rayman Raving Rabbids 2
- Gave the game 6.3, a whole two points below the original.
- The novelty is pretty worn off - it's just more mini-game. Doesn't feel quite as fresh.
- Feels more shoddy all around - definitely feels rush.
- Matt doesn't like how they force you to use Rayman. Even worse is that his voice effects are the same as the Rabbids.
- 90% of the minigames are throw-aways that barely use the controller - most uses of the controller just compose of shaking it.
- FPS sections - it looks better, but it's negatively affected gameplay-wise because the camera is slow moving and stops a lot. It feels slower and less interactive and exciting than the FPS sections in the original.
Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles
- Gave the game 7.9
- A good, fun experience with a ton of flaws.
- The hit detection is pretty terrible - you can shoot them in the head for 5 times in a row and it still doesn't kill them.
- It's a cool idea, really immersive, is deep with upgradable stuff, nice and interactive, has a good story, solid controls, great boss fights and has branching paths
- However, the core game isn't as good as other on-rails shooters.
Tomb Raider Anniversary
- Gave the game
- Port of the PS2 version - looks and plays like it.
- Added Wii functionary - controls her flashlight but still doesn't feel 100%, also controls an on-screen reticule as well as all-new interactive eleents.
- Biggest problems with the game - doesn't look very good - looks just the PS2 version; only runs at 30fps, which in unacceptable since the much better looking Super Mario Galaxy runs flawlessly at 60fps; contains the drawbacks (eg:clunky camera) of the PS2 version.
- In addition, Tomb Raider has been outperformed by Prince of Persia and it just doesn't feel as good as controlling Prince or Assassin's Creed.
Guitar Hero 3 in mono
- Apparently it's all in mono - the guys at IGN never noticed, despite playing all the other versions of the game.
- It's possible that it only plays in mono if you're using Dolby Pro Logic 2 system with the game.
- Shouldn't be too much of a problem - it's not very noticeable. The game sounds fine for those at IGN.
NPD numbers
- Wii and DS back on top - recovered after the very small hit last month from Halo 3.
- Xbox 360 pulling pretty good numbers despite coming 3rd.
- PSP is getting some good games and the sales are starting to show.
- PS2 still pulling in great numbers - should continue to be around for a while.
- PS3 doing pretty poorly - more than tripled by 360, even more by Wii. Bozon thinks the system's sales will ramp up as more quality games keep coming to the system - no need to panic just yet.
- Guitar Hero 3 Wii selling nearly 300k on Wii, despite lack of downloadable content, shows that 3rd party games can sell well on Wii as long as they are good quality and appeal to the right demographic.
- Zack and Wiki sadly sucked it up in sales.
- Matt thinks Umbrella Chronicles will do pretty well.
Link's Crossbow Training
- Just got it in, so you will see some pics and movies for the game.
- Don't play it with the Zapper. Both really don't like the peripheral - feels cheap and doesn't function very well.
- It's pretty fun - for 20 bucks, this is a very good deal. It's short but very fun and also features multiplayer.
Nitrobike
- Good fun - pretty much bikes in ExciteTruck (Oh shit, thats innovating!). Good sense of speed, great blur effects. Also has online which should be cool.
- From Left Field, although a lot of the original team has left.
- Matt thinks it has an uphill battle - we haven't seen a lot of great stuff from Ubisoft lately, though they do promise to have amazing Wii games in 2008.
House of the Dead for Wii
- First screens came out today.
- They knew about this, but heard it was a completely original game for Wii. Indeed, there was also apparently another SEGA shooter game in development for Wii (have a guess), but the don't know if that one is still happening, but given Ghost Squad is doing ok, they might consider it.
- Both games are great. Matt and Mark are hopeful they the games aren't downgraded. Don't expect a whole lot of differences - it's really only a compilation.
- Hoping the game will be appropriately priced.
Geometry Wars Galaxies
- Takes Retro Evolved's formula and just goes crazy with it.
- Some really tough and exciting missions.
- Likes it better with the classic controller - when things got serious, the wii controls hampered Bozon's ability rather than help it.
- Also has WiiConnect24 ranking systems, co-op mode, and connectivity with the DS.
- Also a pretty good looking game.
- Shouldn't be $40, but still worth it since it makes the Xbox Live game feel like a demo. Very fleshed out.
Trauma Centre: New Blood
- Gave it 8.5
- A sequal done exactly as you want a sequal done.
- Co-op, online ranking system, 480p and widescreen.
- Wished it would have online co-op.
- Really hard but very fun. The difficulty is good though - it's a terrific challenge and very addictive.
- On the Holiday Buyer's Guide - definitely recommend buying it.
Reader questions notes
- Bozon isn't a big fan of Harvey Birdman. Matt thinks it's much too simple, but absolutely hilarious writing. Feels a bit like a flash game - use the wiimote occasionally to look at a static envionment, you unlock evidence to present to people and that's how you progress through the game. The main appeal is in the humour. Be apprehensive if you don't watch the show.
- They can't think of an other notable point-and-click games in development for Wii.
- If Capcom do a sequal to Zack and Wiki, they should let retailers know about the game's excellent reviews. It's a formula that works very well with Wii.
- Both hope that more future Wii games have difficulty settings - this would be especially beneficial for games like Zelda.
- Matt can't stand Ninja Gaiden. Bozon thinks Metal Gear is overrated.
- Both still can't believe the DS has voicechat yet for some reason Wii doesn't. Matt thinks they'll have it eventually, maybe when Smash Bros. Brawl comes out.
- "Dark game" - Matt is reluctant to talk about it because of message board reactions. Last he heard, the game was going along well and the hit a new milestone. The game still doesn't have a publisher, because they think it looks really cool but doubt it'll sell well due to the demographic of the Wii. Matt refuses to agree with this mentality, especially after looking at the sales of Resident Evil 4. Publishers don't acknowledge these sales - they think it doesn't matter because it's Resident Evil and therefore automatically sells well.
- They are seeing more interesting things. They have to be vague, but they saw some engine things on Wii. They saw some really nice effects on Wii - lots of bump-mapping, basic normal mapping, cool light effects. These effects are a huge powersuck, but if the engine can be optimised than it's promising stuff.
- Smash Bros. continues to become more and more packed with features, with the newest addition of Spectator Mode. Matt is constantly blown away.
- Matt thinks Galaxy, Umbrella Chronicles and MOH Heroes 2 will all sell well (and in that order respectively). Capcom America said that Umbrella Chronicles is selling well, with positive reviews helping sales. Galaxy should be huge in America, despite lukewarm sales in Japan.
- Developers, like gamers, are wowed by next-gen technology. They want to constantly move forward with visuals. However, atittudes are changing towards Wii from developers - more and more exciting ideas are being developed. However, developers putting their A teams on Wii games will be in the minority. Expect most big teams to still go to 360/PS3, unless Wii 3rd party software start selling through the roof.
- Matt still hates Mario Kart: Double Dash.
- The calibration method in Ghost Squad works ok, but it's definitely not impeccable. It's a nice extra but not sometimes that redefines on-rails shooters on Wii. Ghost Squad also features girls making out with pandas.
- They don't think a Donkey Konga game would work well on Wii. In fact, they think it would be pretty damn horrible, if Bongo Blast is any indication.
- Medal of Honor Heroes 2 features great online mutiplayer which justifies purchasing the game. It is slightly downgraded visually, and it's not COD4 online, but it's well-organised, fast and good fun.
- Mario Galaxy may be more linear than normal 3D Marios, but in essence this brings it back to the original linearity of the series and a key reason why it is so good.
- Red Steel 2 - should be announced, and we should hear more about it, early next year.
- Both are hoping Timesplitters makes its way onto Wii.
- They do know of a first-person shooter-esque game on Wii, though it controls more like a 3rd person game, which they think is quite cool.
- Bozon thinks a Megaman game with free run and IR aiming would be really cool.
- Bozon's biggest surprise is how well Wii is selling. Matt's is the sheer volume of Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Both are disappointed by the way in which Battalion Wars 2 just flopped.
- Don't think Mario Kart Wii will feature LAN play - they think it will be all online.
- Matt thinks No More Heroes will have a cool story, be really atmospheric and be fun to play, but will be clunky to control. Think it might be a case of style overcoming substance.
- Both are feeling a bit sceptical on NiGHTS. They think the flying, which is the essence of the game, looks really mechanical, and are therefore worried that the rest of the game will be similarly underwhelming. Bozon doesn't feel like a big step is being taken - other games are doing similar things better. However, they do like the musical score, as well as how there are a lot of features, such as the weather system.
- They don't know of any original Donkey Kong game being made for Wii.
- Matt expects Monolith to be making an RPG on Wii after they have completed Disaster: Day of Crisis.
- Think Umbrella Chronicles sold pretty well in its first day (70k). Matt thinks the game should ultimately rack up a few hundred thousand in Japan alone.
- Expect Rock Band to come to Wii next year.
- Both are hopeful Wii will start to get more quality games to Wii. Though sceptical, what Ubisoft recently said is promising - developers and publishers need to realise that bad games won't sell well on Wii.
- Soul Calibur Legends review coming soon - it's very basic. Doesn't have the charm of the fighters. It's not boring, and it does run very fast, but it's underwhelming.
- Matt thinks GOTY will come down to Bioshock, Mass Effect and Super Mario Galaxy. Galaxy is a game that is so good that the flaws don't really come out. With Mass Effect, it's so epic and presented so well that the flaws can be forgiven. Bozon would be surprised if Galaxy wins, despite being the more entertaining game. Matt thinks Galaxy will probably get GOTY at nearly every place except for IGN.
DONE
