I don't do launch. When a new piece of hardware comes out, it seems to take at least 6 to 15 months before there's enough games to justify a purchase. While the PSP is impressive in its raw potential, I have yet to play that killer app that will cement the system as being relevant. Until then, I wait, and think about playing Lumines, cause that's a good game.

Now the DS has me hesitant: its a good idea, but no one knows where it's headed or if it can last. I will say this: The DS is quickly mounting a list of interesting games: Kirby's Canvas Curse, Castlevania, Viewtiful Joe, Age of Empires, Lost in Blue, Trauma Center: Under the Knife, Advanced Wars, Meteos, and the promise of a Shin Megami Tensei game. Oh, and Nanostray.

I feel like the only person who actually cares about Killer 7 (not really true, but hey... ). Everyone is all "Zelda Zelda Zelda" or "X360" after E3, but I'm a bit more interested in what I will be able to play within the next 4 months. Long term promises always seem to get pushed back, so I say focus on what can actually be expected...

I can see why E3 happens in late May: summer is a total wasteland for gaming. Sure, there's stuff coming out, but most everything that missed or dodged the christmas holiday window has been released by now. At least that will give me time to catch up on a few games. I haven't even started Pikmin 2 or Viewtiful Joe 2. Admittedly, both were impulse sequel purchases, but both were reasonable in price. Instead, I have been treading though Shin Megami Tensei: NOCTURNE. That's some game. I should write a review for it sometime, since it's the first RPG I've played in a long time that I can actually get excited about. Why? Because Atlus Co. got rid of some of the genre's worst trappings: meaningless random encounters, lack of difficulty, lack of the need for strategy, cliche story, etc. I mean, what's the point in playing an RPG if the game doesn't force you to think and be clever? Thanks, Atlus, for addressing such flaws in the genre.

later,

Rob

Okay, this is starting to annoy me. A couple of months ago I was reading an article. I can't remember where and it may have even been linked from GameSpot News, but it was an article or forum or something about the different types of fun in games. I think there were like seven types. Of course I can't remember them all (that's why I google-searched for like 2 hours yesterday) but I think some of them were: competition, sensory stimulus, cooperation, challenge/mastery, fantasy, exploration, freedom/control, community, etc... Okay that's like 8, but since I don't have the article in front of me, there's probably some redundancy in my list and my word choice isn't as concise.

Anyways, have you ever really liked a game or really disliked a game, and say one of your friends has a polar opposite reaction to the same title? It's because you both have different ideas about what's fun. The article or forum had some interesting suggestions about a game that could be set or tailored to the tastes of the player. MMOs already have something like that, since there's enough of a variety in what to do that two people can play the same game, yet play it with different styles to satisfy different notions of fun. Maybe you like killing things, or maybe you just wanna hang out and trade items with people, for example. But the idea presented was more aimed at single player experiences. Instead of simply adjusting the difficulty of a game, why not adjust the goal of the game to fit the player. Like exploration? Okay, lets emphasize that! Rather tackle a tough boss? Okay, we got that. How about forgetting that you're somewhere OTHER than your mom's basement? Fine, we'll suspend your state of disbelief with a nice ambiance. Some of the most successful attempts by games to have a broad appeal is to offer as many of these things as possible. MMOs tend to turn you loose and say "Do whatever you want." Other games do it by offering different types of game play, be it all at once or varying the point of each level (Earthworm Jim, anyone?). I got a lot more to say about this, but I'd better get some work done...