1. Indigo Prophecy
Genre: Adventure
Developer: Quantic Studios
I know, it's a horrible name. But if you can get past that you'll discover the last great hurrah of games with high production values.
You play Lucas Kane, a man who inexplicably enters a fevered trance and commits a murder. Once you've come to your senses, you set out to uncover what's happening while trying to stay one step ahead of the police.
The demo was sparse, and I say that generously (if you know what to do you can finish it in 30 seconds). However, it does aptly demonstrate how the game will be literally an interactive film. You have many choices in any given situation. For example, the demo begins just after Lucas has committed the murder. You can rush out of the restroom, covered in blood, and immediately alert the attention of a nearby police officer if you're so inclined. Alternately, you can play it cool, hide the body, dispose of the evidence, clean yourself up, and casually walk of the diner before running like a madman.
However, the body will be discovered sooner or later no matter what you do.
The game's biggest draw is its tightly written story. If the demo is any condition, writer and director David Cage should get out of video games and hit the movie industry.
2. Spartan: Total Warrior
Genre: Battlefield action
Developer: Activision
When I played Rome: Total War as the Brutii family, I quickly recognized the Greeks as my favorite enemy. In that game they are an utterly elite army, tenacious fighters, and difficult to injure with proper use of the Phalanx formation (one of my favorite moments in the game was slipping two units of Hastati behind a Hoplite regiment; pila FTW, bitches).
In Spartan: Total Warrior, the Greeks will get their due as the primary playable faction. But as the subtitle suggests, this game is a spin-off from the Total War series in which the player controls a single soldier on a vast, sprawling battlefield.
Dynasty Warriors fans will see the pattern easily; recieve objectives, carry out objectives, slay hundreds of enemy warriors in the name of the gods.
However, Spartan promises to be a far more intellectual game than its spirtual predecessor. A considerably higher difficulty, robust command list, and diverse mission objectives will prevent the game from stagnating.
3. Shadow of the Colossus
Genre: Um...
Devloper: Er...
I'm honestly not sure what this game is all about, but it looks sweet as hell and it's from the same dev team as ICO, so I'm there 
4. Soul Calibur III
Genre: Fighter
Developer: Namco
Transending history
And the world,
A tale of souls and swords
Eternally retold.
Namco's premier fighter, due for exclusive release on the Playstation 2 (I think) in October, touts the widest lineup in the game's history. Featuring every character from the arcade version of SC2*, three new characters, and rumored to mark the return of Sophitia, Seung Mina, Hwang, Rock, and Lizardman** as fully playable characters, SC3 should have considerably more diverse matchups.
Namco is striving to make the newest installment all-encompassing. It will include the aforementioned, sprawling character list, an ability to customize character costumes, a slew of new stages and play modes, and perhaps most intriguing, the ability to custom build a new fighter.
* In other words, Necrid, Heihachi, Spawn, and Link won't be in the game. Sorry.
** Sophitia and Seung Mina were playable in the console version of SC2 only, and they obviously hadn't been retooled very well. Lizardman, Hwang, and Rock made not-quite-guest-appearances as, er, Lizardman, Assassin, and Berserker. Their command lists were cut together from existing characters in SC2 with a few original moves thrown in to spice them up.
OK, so what are you looking forward to? This is shaping up to be a big season for the video game industry.
Shadow of the Colossus, I think, is some little guy on a horse running around and going inside giant men to save his girlfriend.
I'm kind of in the dark about it.
For the record, though, I'm really disappointed about the lack of guest characters in SC3.
And so are you. Mr. Parcelan fucked around with this message on 09-10-2005 at 12:12 AM.
quote:
Mr. Parcelan painfully thought these words up:
Those all look fun.Shadow of the Colossus, I think, is some little guy on a horse running around and going inside giant men to save his girlfriend.
I'm kind of in the dark about it.
From the same people who brought us Ico, it apears to incorporate the same action and puzzle features of the previous game. It looks promising (use your sword to look for the Colossi?) but I'm not holding my breath.
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Mr. Parcelan stopped beating up furries long enough to write:
For the record, though, I'm really disappointed about the lack of guest characters in SC3.And so are you.
I always did want to play Link just once
Whoa, hey... HEY. Maybe it'll be possible to recreate them in the fighter builder. Cross your fingers.
Dawn of War: Winter Assault
Kingdom Hearts 2
Spore
Supreme Commander
Pretty much in that order.
Super Princess Peach.
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow.
Where Do Babies Come From.
Super Mario Bros. DS (that new sidescroller thing)
Unless ofcourse they never played any of the previous games, to which they should still be shot on sight.
Wild ARMs : Alter Code F
Civ 4, Resident Evil 4 for PS2, Quake 4, X-Men: Legends 2, F.E.A.R, DoW: Winter Assault.
The only games I am currently really waiting for. Tarquinn fucked around with this message on 09-10-2005 at 10:07 AM.
I can't wait for that one.
Lyinar Ka`Bael, Piney Fresh Druidess - Luclin
quote:
We were all impressed when Lyinar Ka`Bael wrote:
Dragon Quest VIII, The Journey of the Cursed KingI can't wait for that one.
I could do without the hyper-mode though. Last thing I need is Dragon Warrior reminding me more of Dragon Ball.
Simplistic but I still want to get it.
For what it's worth, I'm looking forward to Soul Calibur 3 like some sort of rabid creature, and I can confirm that the previously referenced characters are back--in fact, ALL of the characters in the Soul Edge/Blade/Calibur universe, minus Charade, the SC2 guests and the previously unplayable (Edge Master, Inferno etc.), are playable in some fashion.
Oh, and Lizardman is no longer a carbon copy of Sophitia/Cassandra, and uses an axe now. It's reasonably awesome.
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Skaw thought this was the Ricky Martin Fan Club Forum and wrote:
I could do without the hyper-mode though. Last thing I need is Dragon Warrior reminding me more of Dragon Ball.
Fairly sure the char designer for DBZ did these chars.
Lyinar Ka`Bael, Piney Fresh Druidess - Luclin
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Lyinar Ka`Bael wrote this then went back to looking for porn:
Fairly sure the char designer for DBZ did these chars.
Akira Toriyama created DBZ and does the character design for the Dragon Warrior games (I think all of them, but I'm not sure). He also designed the characters for Chrono Trigger.
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And I was all like 'Oh yeah?' and Tarquinn was all like:
Gothic 3
The Gothic series is so underappreciated.
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Talonus had this to say about Punky Brewster:
The Gothic series is so underappreciated.
I've never even heard of it. D:
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Kegwen thought about the meaning of life:
I've never even heard of it. D:
For rizzle. It looks kind of cool. What is it about?
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Kegwen obviously shouldn't have said:
I've never even heard of it. D:
My point exactly. The series is from a smaller development company and has been little advertised.
For all those who like the Elder Scrolls series, I really recommend the Gothic series. Better combat, better storyline (which has been built up over the first two games), a game world that feels like a world (people actually do stuff), etc. Its more linear (read: the world isn't "huge" like in the Elder Scrolls games), but this really fits better. *shrugs* Hopefully more folks will try out Gothic 3.
To answer Parce, in Gothic you play as a prisoner in a penal colony. At the time, orc legions are invading the human kingdom and the kingdom is desprately trying to survive. You, which is about the best name you'll get since neither game actually gives you a name, and the rest of the prisoners are mining ore in this penal colony to be used to create magical swords to fight these orcs with. As one would expect, things don't always go as planned... and you end up fighting for your life against the expected... well, bad creature. I'll leave it at that (partly because its been too long since I played the game and honestly can't remember the story very well). You can skip it and play Gothic 2, which is much better, without losing too much.
In Gothic 2, you continue the tale. Having barely survived the first game, you are brought to a port town by a certain mage who helped you in the first game. Your strength is depleted and powers are gone, but you are brought back to fight again. You see, you don't really "save the world" in the first game. Well, you save it... but the orc legions are still bearing down on the humans, the kingdom is no better off than it was before, and humanity is scrambling to obtain more ore to stay alive. Once again, you have to pick up the sword and fight to defeat evil. Several of your allies from Gothic return in this game to help out in the fight.
Gothic 2 also has an expansion pack, but I can't really say much about it. It wasn't released in the US, and I don't know of an English translation for it. Tarquinn could probably fill folks in if he's played it.
Gothic 3 will start where Gothic 2 left off. I can't really say too much without spoiling Gothic 2. Needless to say, the world was saved again... but its worse off than it was before. Noticing a trend? Talonus fucked around with this message on 09-11-2005 at 06:04 PM.
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Talonus stopped beating up furries long enough to write:
Akira Toriyama created DBZ and does the character design for the Dragon Warrior games (I think all of them, but I'm not sure). He also designed the characters for Chrono Trigger.
Correct
BUT HE DOESN'T NEED TO MERGE THEM.
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Skaw probably says this to all the girls:
Correct
BUT HE DOESN'T NEED TO MERGE THEM.
I agree. He needs to make a main male character without big friggin hair.
Ofcourse, the Secondary Male hero had enough hair to pass around.
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Kegwen's unholy Backstreet Boys obsession manifested in:
I've never even heard of it. D:
From a German Company(Which i think is an/was an off shoot of BlueV yte, or former Blue Byte emplyoes) Biggest problem with the US version...Really, reallly Bad Voice acting. Still both games were pretty good. Surpiseingly good consdering how small i think the company is.
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Talonus had this to say about Cuba:
You, which is about the best name you'll get since neither game actually gives you a name,
Then, later, it becomes a little bit more important.
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Talonus had this to say about Hawaii:
Gothic 2 also has an expansion pack, but I can't really say much about it. It wasn't released in the US, and I don't know of an English translation for it. Tarquinn could probably fill folks in if he's played it.
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Talonus had this to say about another Island:
Gothic 3 will start where Gothic 2 left off. I can't really say too much without spoiling Gothic 2. Needless to say, the world was saved again... but its worse off than it was before. Noticing a trend?
quote:
Peter's fortune cookie read:
From a German Company(Which i think is an/was an off shoot of BlueV yte, or former Blue Byte emplyoes) Biggest problem with the US version...Really, reallly Bad Voice acting. Still both games were pretty good. Surpiseingly good consdering how small i think the company is.
I think that's incorrect.
Edit: The Blue Byte part. No idea about the voice acting. The German voice acting is quite good. Especially the dry, cynical humor of the main character. Tarquinn fucked around with this message on 09-12-2005 at 02:05 AM.
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Tarquinn had this to say about Captain Planet:
The expansion pack is rather cool as it adds another very atmospheric patch of land, where you can explore a sunken culture, join a few new factions (e.g. pirates, yarrrr) and defeat the the chosen warrior of Belial (the 'evil' god in the game).
Wait wait, you defeat Xardas? That doesn't sound right. Or is he not the chosen warrior?
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Akira Toriyama created DBZ and does the character design for the Dragon Warrior games (I think all of them, but I'm not sure). He also designed the characters for Chrono Trigger.
I'm not a big fan of anime, but I've always liked Toriyama's stuff.
*First post...
The Godfather, because I loved the movies so much.
Dead or Alive 4, because I'm such to fuckin' fanboi.
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Talonus had this to say about Optimus Prime:
Wait wait, you defeat Xardas? That doesn't sound right. Or is he not the chosen warrior?
He isn't, until the end of Gothic 2. That's why he was an ally of the nameless one in Gothic 1 and 2, but will be his enemy in Gothhic 3. At the beginning, at least. Wether you can become evil too, or show Xardas the error of his ways is not known at this point. But I think it's the former, as you will be able to join the orcs. Tarquinn fucked around with this message on 09-13-2005 at 02:00 AM.
The add-on adds another chapter which can played before the normal chapters two or three. The chosen of Belial who is allowed to wear the Claw of Belial, a neat sword, is someone you know from Gothic 1. No, not Mud. 
quote:
Tarquinn was naked while typing this:
He isn't, until the end of Gothic 2. That's why he was an ally of the nameless one in Gothic 1 and 2, but will be his enemy in Gothhic 3. At the beginning, at least. Wether you can become evil too, or show Xardas the error of his ways is not known at this point. But I think it's the former, as you will be able to join the orcs.
The add-on adds another chapter which can played before the normal chapters two or three. The chosen of Belial who is allowed to wear the Claw of Belial, a neat sword, is someone you know from Gothic 1. No, not Mud.
Ah ok, thanks for the further explanation sir. I thought it was something along those lines. I do wish I could play the thing. *mumbles*
Basically it looks like it's the next Jagged Alliance without the Jagged Alliance name.
It promises to be even less faithful to the books than the movies (ie: Dwarven armies!) but I think that BFME probably has the best RTS methods that I've played. I dug the battalion and foundation systems.
I just hope this one won't be so blatantly biased towards the Good forces. With Heal and Aethelas, you were practically immortal.
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Skaw had this to say about Punky Brewster:
Well, the DW7 Male lead didn't have big hair.
Ofcourse, the Secondary Male hero had enough hair to pass around.
Yeah, but Kiefer leaves your party really early on. Its not like you have to continue to endure the big hair. Although, for the record, I would have if I could have kept my party tank.
Aside from that I want the Stubbs the Zombie game. It'll complete the B-Movie trifecta with Destroy All Humans and War of the Monsters (which I own both of now).
I just recently bought a lot of the games I'd been meaning to get. Only one I don't have at the moment is God of War.
I'll be posting reviews of a couple of them once I play through. So far Darkwatch is a lot of fun.
sigpic courtesy of This Guy, original modified by me
