Thoughts on Microsofts Press Conference

[Michael-5]

S.T.A.G.E. said:

Michael-5 said:

S.T.A.G.E. said:

 STAGE: Oh god you're doing it again. You're listing a Kinect title as AAA.

Michael: Stop with this bullshit, the entire thread is quoted above, never did I list any Kinect title as AAA. I only include them in a list of good games to play. You're including a God of War and ICO port, why can't I include Dance Central 2, a game which will likely get an 8-9/10 rating?

Even if you want to remove Kinect Sports, Dance Central 2 should still remain. I know it's Kinect, but core gamers can play games like this too. I mean you count Sly Cooper as a good PS3 game for 2012? How is this any less attractive for the core gamer?

Stage: We already had a talk before about this and agreed Dance Central and Kinect Sports aren't AAA titles. Stop doing that man because you know it isn't true. Don't make me list move titles (which is cheap additions really. No matter which way you slice Sony still has more games.) If you prefer the Xbox 360's titles that a matter of preference and I agree they are nice with the Witcher 2 and Gears 3. I mean seriously, you guys are finally getting something and you had to wait half a year just to get it.

Michael 5: This is all I really want to drive. The difference between PS3's lineup and 360's is a matter of preference. If you ignore Kinect Sports, but still count Medevil Moves, PS3 does have more games. However 360 has more new ones, and yes I put Halo Remake on a level above some old PS2 or PSP ports, the game was rebuilt, ground up to run on a different engine.

Both Systems have about the same number of exclusives comming out, and really third party games fill in that void. PS3 only has 3 blockbuster titles releasing this fall (Res3, UC3, TM) and well to me 360 has 4 (Forza4, Halo CEA, Gears 3, Witcher 2). But PS3 has some ports too, it's about the same, a matter of preference. Bioshock, Battlefield, CoD, Skyrim, Batman, Dues Ex, etc fill in any spare time someone who only has 1 HD console may have.

 

Stage: Loook at GT5's reviews. Even though people were disappointed in it they recommended it over the other racing offerings.

Michael 5: I have. IGN particularly trashed GT5, saying that the game was nowhere nearly as good as Forza 3, and gave it an 8.5/10. Gametrailers also said that in the year since Forza 3, GT5 really doesn't add much. Forza 3 got better reviews and was released 1 year earlier. Even if you personally feel GT5 was better, that's just because it's newer. Forza 4 will be the best, hands down.

Regardless, Forza is AAA wheather you like it or not, and really it's about the same level of quality as GT5. You can't Forza, have you even really played it? You know, over an hour?

Stage: SOTC is Shadow of the Colossus. I recommend it, because it is a classic. Team ICO is selling it to build up a following for the Last Guardian. It is being revitalized in 720 P just like the new GOW collection from the PSP is. It stands in the same category as the Halo collection. Then again...I can see why you would think Halo was AAA. Microsoft feeds us gamers shooter after shooter and then serves another shooter. They are completely out of touch with the core gamer and this E3 showed it.

Michael 5: Oh, you separated SOTC from ICO, so I saw ICO collection, and didn't get this one. That being in touch with gamer deal, I'm not sure I agree with that. They removed BC from PS3 to save money, and now they are releasing PS2 games as part of collections. Yea ICO goes 3D, but how few people have a 3D tv? I look at this as a cash grab. MS feeds shooters because they are popular in Americas. PS3 really has the same number of shooters as 360, they just aren't as big (saleswise). (Halo, Gears, Left 4 Dead vs. Killzone, Uncharted, and Resistance)

Stage: As for Xbox getting extra stuff, Kinect is getting kinect support. Sony is getting exclusive content period. Theres a difference. Not once did I bring up the extra move support, did I?

Michae 5: Then what exclusive content are you talking about? Microsoft is getting that massive system upgrade, Kinect FunLabs, tv off XBL (Since I don't have cable, thats big for me), and well a lot more then PSN. Also other then Bioshock, are any other 3rd party games getting Move support?

Stage: Secondly the reason Microsoft is no longer getting DUST 512 or whatever is probably because the company wants to crossplatform their online with Sony/PC and Microsoft barred that so they can profit off of every move you make. DUST is an MMO Shooter I believe; I could care less really as I've played enough FPS titles for a lifetime and I can truly say I enjoyed them the most on PC. The only Shooter that has turned my head is Rage and Deus Ex: Human Evolution. I'll possibly play Duke Nukem out of sheer respect for "The Duke". Someone at my dormatory will probably have to lend it to me because I know some poor sucker will buy it in all its low res glory.

Michael 5: I'm not a fan of Dust 514 either, and I won't bs that I am like most people here. How many people who saw Dust 514 have ever considered playing Eve online?

Wow, If you're not into shooters, what exclusives are you interested in anymore? Uncharted, Resistance, Gears, Halo are all shooters. Even the big 3rd party games.

You seem to dislike more games then you're interested in. lol.

Look, I love both the PS3 and 360. I also recently got a Wii. This whole silly debate came because you wanted to dismiss Forza as a large scale AAA franchise. Like it or not, it's big competition for GT, and Forza 4 will probably sell over 5 million units, maybe ever 5 million from non bundled sales (Forza 3 will likely end up with 3.5-4 million non-bundled sales, Forza 2 had 1.5-2.5 million). In reality the difference between PS3 and 360 is a matter of preference. I won't lie, I do like 360 exclusives better then PS3's. I'm a mage fan of Shooter, RPG's, and racing games, and the most appealing franchises to me this gen are Fallout, Forza, Gears, GT, Halo, Mass Effect, and Uncharted. Plus Microsoft has seen a lot of great JRPG support. I won't lie when I say I prefer 360 games (although I hate MS as a comapny), but I can see why people like PS3 games too. This fall is just a matter of preference. Uncharted, or Gears, Resistance or Halo, Forza or Twisted Metal.

P.S. Gears 3 could win GOTY over Uncharted 3. metascore for Gears is consistantly 9.4/10, Uncharted 1 scored terribly, and UC2 was only a little above Uncharted. With a strong multiplayer component, and the most development time. Gears 3 is looking to be the best Gears yet. I wouldn't be surprised if it rated higher then Uncharted. Besides if Mass Effect 3 released this year, that would have been GOTY no contest.

You need to do some studying up man, because Sony and Microsoft do not have an equal amount of first party companies working under them. If you look its kind of a decimation on Sony's part. Their titles were not equal this year, nor will it be any year for that matter. Kinect titles and AAA titles are not one in the same. Most of Microsofts exclusives are third party. Sony even said back in 2009 that the way they will edge their way back to Microsoft (which they seem to be doing) is by having high quality first party exclusives. Did you even once see me include any move titles in my discussion about how many exclusives the PS3 had out this year? Microsoft left you guys hanging for the majority of the year. Like two guests on Bonus Round on gametrailers.com stated, Microsoft kind of abandoned the core last year. What they lack in first party IP's they go to random third party and throw that at us (Gears 3 and Witcher 2) and slap a halo on for good meaure. Sony only showed a couple of the large list of exclusives they have for this year. They didn't even show next years exclusives, which kinda pissed me off and they already have noted.Preference is yours, but you keep listing casual and core titles together. Understand this....if you believe in your heart the core will support Ryse or kinect "core" titles, you will be sadly mistaken. It still remains the dance central box.

As for the Shadow of the Colossus ICO Collection, yes they are revitalizing a last gen classic in time for the next title just like Nintendo revitalized Zelda and Microsoft is revitalizing Halo. God of War is the main AAA which was revitalized. Word has it that GOW: Ghost of Sparta may not have been as pretty as GOW3 but the game itself was way better in almost every way.

Gears of War 3 is a hotly anticipated game, but Uncharted 3 alone was probably half the reason people voted for Sony's conference over Microsofts. Gears 3 showed off all there was to show until it became tiring. People want to play an exclusive already on the 360 and Gears 3 is the gaming people just want to come out already. Uncharted 3 is turning heads for the how multifaceted it is becoming.

Why do you keep bringing up Kinect and AAA titles being the same? I never said this, how many times must I repeat this before you understand? I know, basically every Kinect title isn't AAA, but there are still some great Kinect games comming out. If we were just going to compare AAA titles for fall 2011, 360 would have 3(Gears 3, Forza 4, Witcher 2) and PS3 would have 2 (Uncharted 3, Resistance 2). This is stupid though because PS3 still overall has more for 2011 (add Killzone 3 and LBP2). The go back in history, and basically every year prior MS has more then Sony. In the end, this debate is just stupid, but I do agree with you that Sony is now starting to push core gamers. Not to the point where MS gave up, but you are right.

Like you say, Sony has more 1st party developers, and MS does buy a lot of third party exclusives. However to be fair, on average MS 1st party company produces more titles then Sony 1st party companies. (3 Forza's, 1 GT and 1 Prologue. 2 Killzones, dunno how many Bungie Halo's, 3 Uncharteds, 3 Gears of Wars, and a Gears of War Kinect title, etc). Also I don't care in the end if The Witcher is made by MS or not, it's an experience that only 360 owners (and PC gamers) can experience. Being third party developed is no big deal, it doesn't make Resistance any less of a PS3 exclusive then Killzone (Insomniac isn't owned by Sony and is making a multiplatform game).

However arguing that one party has a noticably better lineup because it has one more AAA title for an entire year is stupid. The same goes if we just count worthwile exclusives. You might not want to count Fable and Ryse as core games just because you'r not interested in them, but if you honestly think this way, lets not consider Crysis core either, or Sly, orStarhawk (just as corny as Fable). Just because you want to ommit so many 360 games are core experiences, doesn't mean your opinion is shared by everyone. If 360 had such a crappy lineup, why would it be selling basically on par to PS3? Why would MS say they plan to be the worldwide best selling console for 2012 fisical year?

Even then, is casual a bad thing? Dance Central is a fun ass game, and one of very few games I play with my gf or her friends. I damn well appreciate a sequel with 2 player mode, and I'll most likely play this more then...well any PS3 or Nintendo game announced this year (halo 4 will of course kick everything's butt).

The only real difference is 360 and PS3 see a lot more core games then Wii, especially if you include third party core games as very few migrate over to Wii.

It's just stupid, everyone has their own preferences, and I'm just tired of people only ever seeing one consoles lineup and ignoring every other console. I see this often for Playstation.

I mean how can you not even consider Forza 4 of similar quality to GT5? GT5 doesn't even have Porsches, quite literally the most essential car manufacturer in a racing simulation. Before GT5, GT didn't even have Ferrarri or Lamborghini.

Ports are not AAA, it's just a way Sony can drain your money. They removed BC in PS3 and now how many collections is PS3 seeing? 2 GOW collections, ICO, DMC, Splinter Cell, and isn't there a Tomb Raider one comming too? MS rips people off a lot more then Sony (They are a mega US corporation), but claiming a port as a AAA title is insane. You should be able to play these games from their PS2 disks, and not be forced to rebuy the game for a couple features (like 3D, how many 3D tv's are there in Americas? 1 million at best?). I mean I beat Halo 2 on my 360 since I didn't have an XB1, why don't new PS3 owners have an option to do that too?

As for Gears 3 vs. Uncharted 3, what a stupid comment. Both games get scores of 9.5/10, this is literally just a matter of preference. Gears will sell more because it's more multiplayer focused (shooters without MP don't sell as well), and Gears was highly rated from the start (Uncharted 1 is an 8/10 game, 2 really game a name for the franchise). That's it in the end, both are awesome, and I'm not going to engaging in some silly debate over this.

So lets just agree, we have a different preference. I'm just getting tired of these stupid arguements, both 360 and PS3 have good lineups, and the differences really are minor. IMO the only good PS3 game coming this fall is Uncharted 3, but I don't go about ripping on Twisted Metal or Medevil Moves. So don't go about ripping on Forza and Halo just because they aren't your type of game.