Editors Note: We are extremely sorry
for the huge delay for this article. Numerous technical difficulties
caused delays. We sound like Nintendo now don't we?
The following article is
an editorial opinion and is just an opinion. The article does not represent the view of the site nor all of its staff.
The
videogame industry is as fluid as the ocean. Every month there is
something that is announced or brought to the attention of the public
that become important and change the dynamic of the industry. Most of
the time those announcements have either a positive or negative impact
on the industry and with that there are those whom have strong opinions
on those announcements. Like many of you I have an opinion and here you
can hear mine. I will talk about the big news for the month of January
2005 from a Nintendo prospective, for these are my 2 cents. February is
a month synonymous with romance and valentines. Was there a lot to love
about February 2005? Depends on how you look at.
The Midwayve of the Future
RELATED STORIES: Midway
Wants to be "Unreal" Next Generation
Midway Games announced a multi-year licensing agreement with Epic
Games giving Midway use of Epic's Unreal Engine 3 technology and tools
for next generation console and PC game development. Unreal Engine 3
technology and tools are now in use at Midway's internal studios
including: Midway's Chicago studio, the makers of NBA Ballers and the
Mortal Kombat franchise; Midway's Austin studio, developers of Area 51;
and Surreal Software, the creators of The Suffering. The relationship
also allows Midway to build on Unreal Engine 3 technology to create
specific tools and assets that will be utilized across all Midway
internal studios.
Here we have another publisher buying up technology for
future use in their games. The award-winning Unreal Engine is known for
cutting-edge graphics and a best-of-breed toolset. Epic Games' Unreal
Engine 3 is expected to maintain those features while adding massive
world support, multi-processor support, next-generation console
optimizations, and one of the most mature tool pipelines in the
industry. Unreal Engine 3's new toolset is designed specifically to
accelerate developers' productivity for ultra-complex, next-generation
content. The obvious advantage is that Midway doesn't have to worry
about creating its own toolset because it can use someone else's. It can
now use its resources to develop better games. Currently some Midway
games are pretty good, but they could easily be better if the resources
are spent accordingly. But does it really give Midway the upper hand?
Some of the best looking console games this generation had their own proprietary
tools. My advise to Midway to put this technology to good use, they
spent the money they might as well profit from it.
A Ray of Familiarty
RELATED STORIES: A
Tale of Two Raymans on Two Handhelds
Ubisoft announced
that not just one but two Rayman® titles will launch simultaneously in
March 2005: Rayman® DS (Based on the critical hit Rayman 2: The Great
Escape) and Rayman®: Hoodlums’ Revenge for Game Boy Advance.
Rayman 2: The Great Escape for the Nintendo 64 was considered the best
3D platformer since Super Mario 64 when it was released in fall of 1999.
In fact it has been released in one form or another from the Nintendo 64
to the PC and Playstation 2. Now we are about to go through the
adventure again on the Nintendo DS. Now I'm all for the Nintendo DS
getting the best games, and getting a game that is considered as good as
Super Mario 64 is a pretty good. The only problem being is that its just
another port. I can't help shake the feeling that Nintendo handhelds are
becoming havens for high-profile ports rather than original games. While
this would be the second N64 port, I'd hate for it to become a trend.
Granted the DS does have a few original games and some of them do push
the envelope when it comes to originality. Now while the GBA made the
games become straight ports of the Super Nintendo favorites, the DS is
adding an extra dimension to the Nintendo 64 does make the game
different if they actually spend time making the game use the DS' unique
abilities.
So how is Rayman DS taking advantage of the DS hardware? They
are using the touch screen as an analogue controller and HUD. Its not
like Super
Mario 64 DS' free-floating analogue, rather its in a fixed
position. Or in other words its nothing new. They could have at least
come up with some minigames. Okay so the game isn't due out for another
few weeks. And all we have seen is previews. Maybe there is something
extra, but if there was don't you think they would bragged about it by
now? We'll take the game, after it all it was fun back then. But don't
expect to jump up for joy, we want some original otherwise we could just
take out the Nintendo 64 version (or any other version for that matter)
f it that we already and enjoy it instead of buying the same game over
again.
May We Release a Game You Haven't Seen in a Year?
RELATED STORIES: Apes,
Ghosts, Stones and Pokemon, Oh My!
E3 won't be the only major video game event in May.
Nintendo has four highly anticipated games launching in May featuring a
powerhouse franchise, hot new rhythms, out-of-body experiences and
sacred stones.
At last year's E3 Nintendo unveiled quite
a few games. One of them was a new first person shooter type game called
"Geist." The game is about you scaring people senseless.
Wander as a ghost and possess people, animals and objects in your path
to help you unravel the mystery of your condition and get back to your
human form. Considering this game didn't exactly get critical acclaim
when it was shown at E3 2004 or when it was seen last fall. Nintendo
must think this game is worth publishing without the press seeing much
of it. Because even the last time it was seen it failed to impress. Now
Geist is expected to be a GDC this week (March 9 - 11), so we will have
to wait and see if six months really made a difference. I have a feeling
that it will be delayed a few more months just to make sure. (Editor's
Note: A few days after GDC it has been confirmed that Geist has indeed
been delayed into the summer) But you want know something else? I never really got the point about Geist. I know they're trying to
be original, but from what I have seen it looks like another FPS. The
great thing about Metroid Prime was that it strived to be something else
and succeeded while maintaining the perspective. Geist on the other hand
has the same old narrow hallways in some building. I wonder if being a
ghost will really make a difference.
