This is the new games thread

[Gene George]

I forgot to mention, I downloaded and played through the PS3 Bioshock demo, and although it was really intense and fun, I don't know if I'll ever try to get through the whole thing. The first time I was faced with more than one enemy it got a little too hairy for someone of my skills.

But what they say is true. The initial crash, being underwater, navigating the tunnel when the fuselage breaks through... it was pretty awesome.

Bioshock is one of the best most badass gaming experiences evar. It was for me, ultimately flawed, but that's something to discuss after you've played it and come out the other side.

[Fentmore]

I'm glad the demo is bringing new people in that hadn't tried it or gave it a shot. The game is, as Gene said, an incredible video game from atmosphere, to story structure, dialog, characters and the unbelievable art direction and music. Wow. What a fantastic game, not without fault, but something brand new in the first person shooter genre of games, and that's hard to do.

Also, Little Big Planet in a couple weeks. I can't wait to see the ingenuity of people. I remember when Line Rider came out, it was fun and I thought I was doing neat things with it and then... Youtube, whoa... people out there were making mini masterpieces with the limited tools given. Can you imagine what people will create with LBP's tools? Also, I read recently a children's hospital was donated a bunch of PS3's for the cancer ward kids to play LBP in their beds. Nice.

[dan telfer]

I managed to beat BioShock pretty easily. Took a while, but about halfway through the game I figured out enough strategy that I stopped dying, and I am not big on shooters.

Man, the atmosphere in that game is fantastic from start to finish. Worth it for that alone.

[TomHicks]

I had never really played a first-person shooter-type game until BioShock, so I had a lot of problem with the fighting. But they have those resurrection chambers throughout the game. The first time I fought a Big Daddy I just attacked got killed, popped up in a chamber and then ran around two corners and attacked it again. I must have died 6 or 7 times before killing it.

But you will get better at fighting. Your weapons improve; you get more powers, some of which will help handle groups; and then you learn how to set up traps and such. The first time I killed a Big Daddy without dying was when I lured one up a couple of flight of stairs into a crossfire of machine-gun turrets.

I really love that game.

[Ivan]

Bioshock is definitely a game that demands completion. The last fight is a tad anti-climactic, but there's so much crazy weird shit on the way there that more than justifies the experience.

tron: the game's death mechanic is very forgiving. Some people hated it, but I play games with the goal of one day beating them.

[TimBuktu]

Bioshock is so good, I played through it twice.

[Gene George]

I must have died 6 or 7 times before killing it.

Spoiler:  

There's the first major flaw. One you figure out you're effectively immortal combat becomes tedious. In theory you could kill just about everything in the game with your bare hands

Seriously the game is so immersive in so many ways and well realized. Where most games just pay lipservice to immersion and world building this game is all growed up. I played it through twice too.

Second flaw (for me) spoiler:

Spoiler:  

You really are getting railroaded all the way through, that's pretty much the point of the game, you have no free will and are just a tool of the powers that be. You really only have one major choice to make in the first 7/8ths of the game; do you kill the little sisters or save them? Since death holds nothing more than a nuisance for most of the game that is really all you can choose. Admittedly that IS one of the major points if not THE entire point of the game. Free will etc. etc.

Even with those flaws it is a ride you do not want to miss. I would throw my hard-earned cash at them any day if they're providing that kind of product.

[Batman The Horse]

The ending is hilariously bad. The design of the "world" and all the ambient sounds and the music are fantastic.

Spoiler:  

Would you please.

[Gene George]

The ending is hilariously bad. The design of the "world" and all the ambient sounds and the music are fantastic.

Spoiler:  

Would you please.

Spoiler:  

Would you kindly?

That ending? Or the rest of the game after that fact is revealed?

Spoiler:  

I thought that the conceit that you had no real choice in matters was an interesting way of handling one of the flaws of the first person shooter on rails concept. Very cinematic but not so fun when you find out that you're just a tool.

[Batman The Horse]

Spoiler:  

Would you kindly?

That ending? Or the rest of the game after that fact is revealed?

Spoiler:  

I thought that the conceit that you had no real choice in matters was an interesting way of handling one of the flaws of the first person shooter on rails concept. Very cinematic but not so fun when you find out that you're just a tool.

Spoiler:  

Twist ending. I do not care for it!

[forgetiheardthat]

Spoiler:  

I really loved the twist. I thought you were talking about the ending cinematics, both of which are absolutely hilarious.

[nathansmart]

spoilers are boring

[TomHicks]

Here is IGN's top 25 games for the XBox 360.
Here's what you do, you start at 25 and then keep going lower, always asking yourself but where is ...? Then when you get in the top 10 and haven't seen it yet, you start wondering if they left it off entirely. Then you're in the top 5, going, well, it can't really be ahead of this game. Eventually, you'll see they named it No. 1.

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/916/916362p1.html

[man124]

Here is IGN's top 25 games for the XBox 360.
Here's what you do, you start at 25 and then keep going lower, always asking yourself but where is ...? Then when you get in the top 10 and haven't seen it yet, you start wondering if they left it off entirely. Then you're in the top 5, going, well, it can't really be ahead of this game. Eventually, you'll see they named it No. 1.

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/916/916362p1.html

How the hell is that no. 1? I can understand top 10, even top 5, but no. 1. I mean that game was great and all, but it had enough issues that it does not deserve to be no. 1. I mean when one of the selling point of the pc port of a game is a completely revamped control/command scheme, it means your game had some serious issues.

[dan telfer]

Here is IGN's top 25 games for the XBox 360.
Here's what you do, you start at 25 and then keep going lower, always asking yourself but where is ...? Then when you get in the top 10 and haven't seen it yet, you start wondering if they left it off entirely. Then you're in the top 5, going, well, it can't really be ahead of this game. Eventually, you'll see they named it No. 1.

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/916/916362p1.html

I approve. Damn I love that game. Storytelling!@#

I definitely had a pile of frustrating deaths. You may even remember me coming to this board, furious, my game disc unplayable half-way through without a scratch. But for all it's missteps I thought it was exactly what I'd been hoping sci-fi video games would become for years.

Man I miss video games. Silly baby.

Also, in the off-chance someone cares, I'm still doing Wii Fit as well as being on a diet. I've lost over 30 pounds since August.

[Having Fun!]

http://mother3.fobby.net/

The Mother 3 (sequel to the SNES game Earthbound that was made for the GBA in 2003 but never made it overseas) Translation is almost complete. I have been following it for over 2 years now and I'm mere days from playing the sequel to one of my favorite games of all time.

[ragu sauce]

yeah me too.

[Mason Proulx]

This has more to do with comedy than games, but whatever.

Patton Oswalt performs at BlizzCon to an audience of WoW-playing mutants.

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/12/bl...sing-ceremony/

...and audio!

http://podcasts.aolcdn.com/joystiq/f...ttonOswalt.mp3

I'm amazed he closed with a rant about Yoshinoya beefbowl since it's so specific. They're ubiquitous in Japan but I didn't even know they existed in America.

[Gene George]

I'm amazed he closed with a rant about Yoshinoya beefbowl since it's so specific. They're ubiquitous in Japan but I didn't even know they existed in America.

Yoshinoya are like crabs on a truck stop hooker here in Southern California. I dunno about the rest of the USA. I haven't had a beef bowl from those jagoffs since Bush I was in the Whitehouse.

[MrDys]

This has more to do with comedy than games, but whatever.

Patton Oswalt performs at BlizzCon to an audience of WoW-playing mutants.

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/12/bl...sing-ceremony/

...and audio!

http://podcasts.aolcdn.com/joystiq/f...ttonOswalt.mp3

I'm amazed he closed with a rant about Yoshinoya beefbowl since it's so specific. They're ubiquitous in Japan but I didn't even know they existed in America.

Kyle Kinane, too! Yay!