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[PhatSaqs]

Subscribers should have the issue later next week, newstands the week after.

And just a reminder, '10s' aren't 'perfect 10s,' nothing is perfect in this world!

EGM had some weird rule about -never- giving out 10s early in its life. 10s are incredibly special and very, very, VERY carefully given, but we believe in using the whole scale so they -are- used when a game deserves it.

Also, it became easier for games to get a platinum award (all 10s) when EGM switched from 4 reviewers per game down to three a few years ago.

Which game did you not point and laugh at?

 

[Rocket Punch]

Nope. Nostalgia got the better of the review crowd last time, but now that the novelty of OMG OMG SAMUS IN THREEDEE has worn off, I'm hoping they'll actually recognize the shitty-ass cumbersome controls and gimmicky scanning/visor mechanics for what they are: shallow Splinter Cell-styled Western game overdesign where context-sensitive actions are rejected in favor of giving the player THINGS TO DO (tm) all the while sorely neglecting the fundamentals like GOOD LEVEL DESIGN and INTERESTING PUZZLES and PROPER GAMEPLAY PACING.

Ahem, pardon me kind sir but kindly lay off the grass, would you please?

You've just quoted above in CAPITALS the best traits of the Metroid Prime experience.

 

[MarkMacD]

How much have you played of Echoes and how do you like it?

I finished it, and I can't say :/

 

[SantaC]

I finished it, and I can't say :/

That early? Didn't the game go gold last week?

 

[Rocket Punch]

I finished it, and I can't say :/

How did ya like multiplayer? huh? HUH?

 

[IJoel]

I finished it, and I can't say :/

Fair enough.

Now, can you tell us whether you liked Metroid Prime, and if you reviewed back then, what did you score it?

 

[Eric-GCA]

Fair enough.

Now, can you tell us whether you liked Metroid Prime, and if you reviewed back then, what did you score it?

He probably doesn't want to say, cause if he did review it, that means he scored it over an 8, which means he'll have to endure Drinky Cow's wrath.

 

[Rocket Punch]

Fair enough.

Now, can you tell us whether you liked Metroid Prime, and if you reviewed back then, what did you score it?

He gave it a 10. Something about a game of the future today...

 

[jarrod]

jarrod: I wasn't a huge fan of the original's game design: for every classic platforming moment like the Bowser levels, Tick Tock Clock, or the pyramid level, there was a stupid koopa/penguin racing mini-game or timed encounter that was about as fun as punching one's self in the face. I also despise the "revisit the same area with a different objective" scavenger hunt mechanic unless the levels are sufficiently large to make sure identical terrain isn't retread ad nauseum.

Fair enough, I've always felt the good far outweighed the bad in Mario 64... which is something I can't really say for the majority of 3d platformers. Mario Sunshine included.

That said, from what I've seen of SM64 DS, it's really damn ugly: the frame rate DOES appear to be 60-ish, yes, but the backgrounds seem to have a lot of missing details, the textures wibble like nobody's business, the translucencies range from awful screen doors to barely passable single-level translucency, the effects like fire and smoke are HIDEOS, and the pixellation is awful. It's a serious downgrade across the board.

Well, I've got to say we must be watching different videos... everything I've seen of Mario 64 DS from the recent Gammer's Summit this month show the game to be looking better than it's predecessor in most regards. I've noticed no loss in background/level detail or texture shaking (DS does have a hardware Z-buffer afaik)... though I haven't seen any videos showing off fire/smoke effects yet. Unless you're just looking at stills (which I agree look rather bad), then I think you're being unfairly premature.

edit-just rewatched some IGN videos... there's smoke effects from running, and actually it doesn't look bad at all. I'm really hard pressed to find any way the N64 game looks better than this outside texture filtering (which is barely noticable anyway). Watch some videos Drinky, it really a fuller version of Mario 64.

 

[Drinky Crow]

I've seen (and very briefly played it) in person. Sorry, I honestly think it looks (and controls) quite a bit worse. Your mileage can and will vary, so if it looks fine to you -- well, you win!

 

[jarrod]

I've seen (and very briefly played it) in person. Sorry, I honestly think it looks (and controls) quite a bit worse. Your mileage can and will vary, so if it looks fine to you -- well, you win!

In person when though? This October?

 

[Drinky Crow]

No, early September. My brother is ex-NoA.

 

[Mashing]

I've given in and watched all of the IGN Movies of Metroid Prime: Echoes and I have to say that the title feels like it's missing something both artistically and astmosphere wise.
To make sure I wasn't crazy I popped in Prime and started making my way through all of the areas and they each make Echoes seem generic and soulless in comparison.



I don't doubt Retro's ability to create a great game, but I am doubting their ability to recreate the atmosphere and the feel that made Metroid Prime so special.
Am I alone in my feelings?

I'm just going to come out and say it. You are on crack. I believe you are just trying to stir up controversy and go against the norm (i.e. your Kirby's Air Ride love).

 

[olimario]

I'm just going to come out and say it. You are on crack. I believe you are just trying to stir up controversy and go against the norm (i.e. your Kirby's Air Ride love).

I've never tried to stir up controversy. I'm just very vocal about the way I feel.
I think people who like the art of this title over Prime are on crack, but I'm in such a minority so I'm keeping away from telling people they are wrong.

Echoes looks a lot more generic than Prime ever did.

 

[dark10x]

After playing the demo last night, I mind be inclinded to agree thus far...

The demo felt "strange". The atmosphere just didn't click with me in the same way that Prime did. I also didn't care for the dark world...

 

[jarrod]

No, early September. My brother is ex-NoA.

Well, I guess I'll have to wait until I play it myself to see wobbly textures, HIDEOS effects and missing background detail... I'll admit videos can often be deceptive but so can the jaded crusade driven intelligentsia.

We'll see on November 21st.

 

[Solid]

Possible scores? ...Reirom says he knows the official ones

He also was the one who said Halo 2 got 9.9 in OXM (which turned out to be fake).

Metroid Prime 2 - 9.0, 9.0 ,9.5

GTA San Andreas - 8.5 ,9.0 ,9.5

MGS3 - 9.0 ,9.0, 8.5

Halo 2 - 9.5 ,9.0,9.5

But what if he's right this time? :O

 

[SantaC]

I've never tried to stir up controversy. I'm just very vocal about the way I feel.
I think people who like the art of this title over Prime are on crack, but I'm in such a minority so I'm keeping away from telling people they are wrong.

Echoes looks a lot more generic than Prime ever did.

So you have seen the whole world based on a demo? Don't be so quick to judge it.

After playing the demo last night, I mind be inclinded to agree thus far...

The demo felt "strange". The atmosphere just didn't click with me in the same way that Prime did. I also didn't care for the dark world...

Same thing here. I wouldn't come to any conclusions of a short demo.

 

[Deg]

After playing the demo last night, I mind be inclinded to agree thus far...

The demo felt "strange". The atmosphere just didn't click with me in the same way that Prime did. I also didn't care for the dark world...

The MP2 demo is a bunch of random segments put together. Unlike the MP1 demo which had the actual start of the game. I prefer the MP1 demo myself for that reason.

 

[olimario]

So you have seen the whole world based on a demo? Don't be so quick to judge it.

I'm obviously judging based on what I've seen...
You'd be a fool to assume this is my final judgement.

 

[SantaC]

I'm obviously judging based on what I've seen...
You'd be a fool to assume this is my final judgement.

I agree, but don't make it such a big affair. (the demo)

I remember the E3 2002 demo, and the space station level really sucked compared to the rest of the game.

 

[Goreomedy]

Possible scores? ...Reirom says he knows the official ones

Please stop regurgitating this fool's bullshit, GAF. It's not healthy!

 

[sonycowboy]

Please stop regurgitating this fool's bullshit, GAF. It's not healthy!

IAWTP

 

[olimario]

I agree, but don't make it such a big affair. (the demo)

I remember the E3 2002 demo, and the space station level really sucked compared to the rest of the game.

But that Space Station demo was still a sight to behold showing off some of the game's amazing art and setting the mood for the rest of the title.
I can't say the same about anything I've seen in Echoes. Not the demo, not the 100 new screenshots, and not the artwork. It's just a step below the first so far.

 

[ElyrionX]

Possible scores? ...Reirom says he knows the official ones

He also was the one who said Halo 2 got 9.9 in OXM (which turned out to be fake).

Metroid Prime 2 - 9.0, 9.0 ,9.5

GTA San Andreas - 8.5 ,9.0 ,9.5

MGS3 - 9.0 ,9.0, 8.5

Halo 2 - 9.5 ,9.0,9.5

But what if he's right this time? :O

Dude, you're already off the mark. From MarkMacD's statement, it can be easily inferred that there is at least one 10 score among the scores for those games......

 

[skip]

But that Space Station demo was still a sight to behold showing off some of the game's amazing art and setting the mood for the rest of the title.
I can't say the same about anything I've seen in Echoes. Not the demo, not the 100 new screenshots, and not the artwork. It's just a step below the first so far.

you are on the drugs.

 

[SantaC]

But that Space Station demo was still a sight to behold showing off some of the game's amazing art and setting the mood for the rest of the title.
I can't say the same about anything I've seen in Echoes. Not the demo, not the 100 new screenshots, and not the artwork. It's just a step below the first so far.

If anything, the space station didn't show of the amazing art of Metroid Prime. The rest of the game did. Also I was surprised that the space station was such a small portion of the full game.

My fav areas in Prime are tallon overworld and Phendrana drifts.

 

[Mrbob]

I sense multiple 10s in the "holiday" issue.

What does that mean, anyway? A fancy name for the January issue or are we getting a 13th issue this year? That means subscribers are getting it too?

 

[btrboyev]

3 way tie for game of the month prediction here with each system having a perfect 10 game.

 

[IJoel]

you are on the drugs.

Actually I have to agree with Olimario on this one. It's not that the game lacks those things, but the released media has been sorta uninspired as opposed to the first one.

It might be that it's quite similar from the first one though, and the surprise element is lost. Anyway, if they fix the backtracking/collect-a-ton issue, they'll have a winner, at least for me.

 

[evil ways]

That issue will spawn an 800 post thread, easily.

 

[TheQueen'sOwn]

Stuff like this makes me so excited ! NDS, Halo 2, GTA:SA, MGS3, MP:E... almost too much to handle.

 

[Baron Aloha]

My predictions for how EGM will score the big 3:

Halo 2: 10 10 10 (It could turn out completely average and it'd still get a perfect score from them. Their staff has been acting like its the second coming for months and hyping it like crazy. They'll look stupid if they give it anything less.)

GTA:SA - 10 9.5 9.5 (probably what it deserves)

Metroid Prime 2 - 8.0 7.5 7.5 (They'll screw it over and justify it by complaining about something that isn't integral to the main game, ie multiplayer. Someone will feel the need to mention "multiplayer isn't as good as Halo 2"....nevermind the fact that it was never meant to be the main focus of the game.)

 

[J2 Cool]

I dunno, MGS2 was hyped way more than Halo and Halo beat it out for gotm. I think MGS3 will accomplish what it set out to more than any other game. Nothing major to complain about, most original of the sequels, Extremely ambitious jungle and camo gameplay, fantastic story. Halo 2 really hasn't looked like that big of a leap from the previous game, nor has GTA:SA. Both will be amazing but I dont think perfect.

Then again, the hype and perfecting of the previous games in the series may be enough.

 

[levious]

NDS is same issue? I hope Mario DS gets game of the month, just for the ensuing meltdown on all fronts and jarrod in the middle jerking off.

 

[Gribbix]

I sense multiple 10s in the "holiday" issue.

What does that mean, anyway? A fancy name for the January issue or are we getting a 13th issue this year? That means subscribers are getting it too?

It's a 13th issue.

 

[Mrbob]

On the contrary, I'd love to see Mario 64 DS score all 5s to see the meltdown with ensues with Nintendo launching their new system with a decent, yet old and beaten down by many other games 3D platformer.

 

[SantaC]

On the contrary, I'd love to see Mario 64 DS score all 5s to see the meltdown with ensues with Nintendo launching their new system with a decent, yet old and beaten down by many other games 3D platformer.

uh Mario64 is still today one of the best 3D platformers ever made. God why does almost everybody here want nintendo to fail?

 

[Mooreberg]

It would be pretty lame if touch screen remakes were given better scores than new games.

 

[evilromero]

GOTM= Super Mario 64 DS. All those other ones can suck, because I'll buy them too.

 

[Kon Tiki]

It would be pretty lame if any of those games got a better score than Xmen Legends.

 

[cubicle47b]

I'd be amazed if GTA:SA didn't win. The only other game that comes close in that issue might be Halo 2 and it's kind of short and had some important features stripped.

Gran Turismo 4 is going to rule this year, though (for me).

 

[Rocket Punch]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Mario Power Tennis on this thread yet. That game is gonna be great multiplayer fun. I predict I'll be playing it more than that other Nintendo game... It's gonna be a crazy holiday issue.

 

[levious]

I'd be amazed if GTA:SA didn't win. The only other game that comes close in that issue might be Halo 2 and it's kind of short and had some important features stripped.

what, can you not kill children now??

Gran Turismo 4 is going to rule this year, though (for me).

Good thing it didn't have any feature stripped.

 

[Prince of Space]

What the hell:

Halo 2: 10, 10, 9.5
MGS3: 9.5, 9.0, 9.0
MP2: 9.5, 8.5, 9.5
GTA: 10, 9.0, 9.0

 

[jarrod]

uh Mario64 is still today one of the best 3D platformers ever made. God why does almost everybody here want nintendo to fail?

Naw, it's just the usual vocal minority.

 

[Guns N' Poops]

Go away with your handhelds, old ports and pseudo innovation.

 

[Bishman]

Halo 2: 10, 9.5, 9.5
MGS3: 10, 10, 9.5
MP2: 10, 9.5, 9.0
GTA: 10, 9.0, 9.0

 

[Kon Tiki]

Go away with your handhelds, old ports and pseudo innovation.

Go away with your handle, old jokes and pseudo intelligence.

 

[Kobun Heat]

Gran Turismo 4 is going to rule this year, though (for me).

Good thing it didn't have any feature stripped.

:lol:lol:lol