So, I've been playing alot of FM2 lately here, the Career mode, right? This thing NEVER ENDS. Every time I hit a groove, new races are opened up and, when I get in, the laps just keep growing and the track lengths just keep getting longer and longer and longer. I'm wondering if I will EVER get through this thing.

So which is longer, this or Oblivion???

Wow. This is one of the larger surprises I've seen as of late. Sonic X-Treme looked extremely unique and impressive even. Look how smooth the graphic engine was and how innovatively designed the levels were.

Sadly, this is also more evidence that the Sega we all loved was actually one of the most ineptly managed industry organization of its size. How they were as successful as they were is a testament to some of the creative assets that worked within the company. No Sonic on the Saturn will remain one of the strangest business decisions ever.

[QUOTE="Darth_Tigris"]

Restraint is actually looked down upon nowadays, unfortunately.

I think many people are hypocritical about this subject. They want as much realism as possible, but the draw lines constantly in that. Realism means no regenerating health. Getting shot once or twice will mean death. Psychological consequences to killing can affect other physical aspects of a game character. Etc.

In my opinion, the older I get the less I want blood and gore. Real world violence is so horrifying that its nice to not have such realistic (or even exaggerated) gore in the games I play. Its supposed to be escapism.

Grammaton-Cleric

Escapism occupies many forms. Your own personal preference, which leans away from violence, is valid for you but not necessarily for everyone else. I personally find the works of Stephen King and Clive Barker to be escapism but their writings can and do contain extreme levels of brutality and violence. The real issue is can you as a person accept that everybody has their own personal standard of acceptability and their own threshold for violent content and respect those parameters, even if your own viewpoint differs?

There is no moral high ground here, as much as you might like to think there is. Violence permeates all art forms and will continue to do so as long as we persist as a species. The reality is that there are plenty of games that cater to your tastes so those titles that offend need never cross your path. What I find mildly offensive is when somebody like you makes broad, dismissive statements about certain types of content and proceeds to make value judgments of the people who indulge in such content, be it developers or consumers.

It's simply not necessary.

Whaaaaaa?????? Project much? I'm not Hilary Clinton or Jack Thompson. All I did is state my preferences, like a ton of other people did here. If anything, on gaming boards people that state preferences like mine are singled out and lambasted when often nothing but an olive leaf was extended.

Case in point one day I made a comment about more games having an extreme content option like Gears of War did so the blood and gore is eliminated and the language is soften if the player so chooses and I got RAKED OVER THE COALS. I never mentioned censorship, gaming violence leading to real violence or anything like that. Yet people came running with pitchforks and torches just because they were so overly sensitive about anyone having an opinion different than theirs.

Also, I don't think that us as humans will be forever marred by violence, but that's something we'll just have to agree to disagree about ...

Restraint is actually looked down upon nowadays, unfortunately.

I think many people are hypocritical about this subject. They want as much realism as possible, but the draw lines constantly in that. Realism means no regenerating health. Getting shot once or twice will mean death. Psychological consequences to killing can affect other physical aspects of a game character. Etc.

In my opinion, the older I get the less I want blood and gore. Real world violence is so horrifying that its nice to not have such realistic (or even exaggerated) gore in the games I play. Its supposed to be escapism.

Look at the blueprint design that has been the only reoccuring theme to the game. http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=10297092&postcount=212

Its number 4. No doubt.

What do you see in Too Human (which shares the same control scheme as Grabbed by the Ghoulies, Death by Degrees and Rise to Honor, all of whom controlled horribly)? I agree that APB is an extremely promising game (I was unimpressed by Crackdown, but I don't hold developer's past games against them) that isn't getting the attention it deserves. Pitting an accomplished/veteran player against a squad of new players sounds like brilliant balancing.

I see the X360's line-up as a strength, not a weakness, I think its problems are a lack of aggressiveness on price cuts, high accessory costs (looks in direction of hard drive and wireless network adapter) and unreliable hardware (though as a guy who recently got his PS3 back from the shop, I can personally attest that Sony isn't walking on water either).

CarnageHeart

The reactions from those of the gaming media and devs that had extended play time with it at GDC. The response was overwhelmingly positive, even from those that lambasted it previously (e.g. the EGM editor that ripped its E3 '06 showing now praises it). These guys have egos and usually once a game burns them they aren't quick to praise it later. This turn around from those that have actually played it bodes well.

Yeah the 360's lineup for this year is better than people give it credit for. The PS3's also great with games being released on the PSN like LBP, Wipeout, Echochrome etc.

What I'm really liking this year is the great summer lineup; with MGS4, NG2, Battlefield Bad Company and few others.

D3s7rUc71oN

Yeah, thanks for mentioning a few more that I didn't think of for the PS3. And these are just the exclusives. You add multiplatform high profile titles and its a gamers dream/financial nightmare!

White Knight Story, Tekken 6, Heavy Rain, The Agency, Valkyria Chronicles, Disgaia 3, hopefully Yakza 3, etc... both systems have a varied lineup.rragnaar

Not so sure about how many of those we'll see in the US this year, but I'm sure all of that will be cleared up by .... well, when did we know Army of Two was pushed back to 2008?

You know, now that I think about it, we have no idea what will actually make it out this year. But even if HALF of these make it out and, more importantly, live up to their potential then there's some hot stuff coming.

But MS does deserve some particular credit, though. As a 360 owner, I'll be the first to complain that too many of the high profile games have been shooters. I've been longing for more variety (quality platforming in particular) and they are bringing it in this 3rd year. The Playstation has never had that problem.

I was just looking through some of the games that are basically being mentioned as 2008 releases for later this year and I can't help but be impressed on how varied the line up is, particularly compared to last year (which was pretty good with Bioshock, PGR4, Halo 3 and Mass Effect). With Too Human, Alan Wake, Fable 2, Banjo 3, Splinter Cell Conviction, APB, Halo Wars and Gears of War 2, that's pretty impressive. And those are just the ones I could think of off the top of my head. There's only one pure shooter in that bunch, and its not even an FPS! They're doing a much better job of mixing things up this year.

What's sorta weird is how the tentative PS3 exclusive lineup for later this year might have less variety than last year for them and less than the 360. With Killzone 2, Little Big Planet, Socom Confrontation, Motorstorm 2, and Resistance 2, there are 3 shooters with 2 of them being FPS. I'm not knocking the lineup, as there are definitely hot titles there. Just ironic that the exclusive lineup is so chock full of game-types that the 360 has been lambasted for.

Regardless, late 2008 looks like a frustratingly fantastic time for a borderline recession-challenged gaming consumer ...

I've heard rumors too, but I'm trying to be patient. Ubidays 2008 will happen this year on Wednesday May 28th-Thursday May 29th. If nothing is mentioned then, then I'm done. I don't expect anything before then, but maybe they'll announce it earlier and then show it then. Who knows.

So, long story short, I say wait until May 28th before giving up on these new rumors. Hopefully on that owners of the Wii, 360 AND PS3 will all rejoice!

- Netfix

- more control over who can see what on your friends list

- seperate played games/achievements list for XBLA games (those trials are annoying)