You read the previews. You watch the ads. The developers are talking it up. But when the game comes out, your attention span is shorter than the list of tricks from a Saturday night trollop. The game is pure disappointment, and the marketing is to blame.
How can you outdo the violent overtures of a vengeful cop that wowed gamers in the original Max Payne? You can't, although number two certainly tried. But at the end, it was just more of the same run-and-gun gameplay with prettier graphics. And what was up with the "noir" love story? No one cared.
As one of those rare console MMORPGs, Final Fantasy XI had huge shoes to fill. Never mind that the game looked spectacular. The lack of a strong story (for which the Final Fantasy games are known) and the not-so-innovative build-your-own-character-up strategy couldn't impress even the hardcore Final Fantasy fans. Yet, this game is still hugely popular and a major cash-cow for Square Enix. So, apparently, somebody thinks this game is awesome. We say: what-ever!
A classic, long standing racing series, Ridge Racer always gets the spotlight as a launch title on new platforms. The DS version garnered that attention, but the light quickly dimmed as this racer couldn't keep pace. Most of that blame was based on the horrible touch-screen analog control system. Not a good way to introduce the DS's touch-screen capabilities, Nintendo.
It was a departure from the European front and a move to the Pacific theater that got our attention. How can the Medal of Honor franchise screw it up? Well, it did. The ridiculously over-the-top music put the game on edge, but it was the sloppy A.I. and poor level design that tarnished this series for good. If we could just erase this from FPS history...
Oddworld was at its prime. It could do no wrong. An introduction on the Xbox made our pants wet with glee--Lorne Lanning made a special point to note that this game wouldn't be possible on Sony's young PS2. Instead, Munch's Oddysee fell short of fulfilling our unusual need to role play as a freakishly amusing creature. The 3D world came alive, but it also reflected the same confined and repetitive nature found in past Oddworld games.
We count down some of the hottest games and gear in our annual Holiday Gift Guide! Brought to you by Nyko.
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