(I’m working on getting FirePro. It’s on the Things To Buy At Amazon When I’m Bored And Need Another Baseball Book list)
Happy PS3 Birthday. It’s gonna get better, right?
This might not be a good week to wait ’til Friday. PS3Fanboy notes the best places to get sales on PS3 stuff this post-Thanksgiving. If you’re a buying a new PS3, I’d say to go Meijer, pick up an second controller while you’re at it, and get whatever game you want for free. KB Toys is doing a buy one/get one free deal, which might actually get me in the mall on Friday.
on the shelves
* Rock Band [reviews] The only noted downside is only 45 songs to play, which you’ll overplay by the end of the Tour. You can buy more songs off the PS3 Store, naturally. There’s no many reviews out, and less comparisons between this and Guitar Hero. From what I can read, Rock Band has a better presentation and is the better cooperative game. And everyone will want to play the drums.
The box set, with a microphone, drums, and a guitar is $170 for those who have way too much money. You’ll need to have one more guitar than is sold in that pack if you want someone to play bass – the thought was the Guitar Hero guitar would work, but that’s apparently not the case. The Rock Band people are blaming the Guitar Hero for not programming their Guitar correct, but this basically means you have to buy two copies of the game. This could be resolved, but these companies don’t seem on friendly terms.
* Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune [reviews] Fun good looking third person shooter, even if the story’s cliched (Indiana Jones) and the puzzles are quiet easy. Very favorably reviewed.
* Time Crisis 4 [reviews] First person arcade style shooter. Game comes with gun, which is oddly not wireless. (You’ll have to use a USB cord.) It’s got more replay value than you’d expect for an arcade game and sounds fun enough.
* College Hoops 2K8 [reviews] So I have a friend who went to Best Buy on Monday to get the PS2 version of this, and despite listing it as being released on Monday, it wasn’t there. So he went back Tuesday, and was told they had it in stock, but they didn’t want to put it out yet. On a Tuesday. DUMB. I think he’s going back for it on Wednesday, but not to Best Buy. Looks like they’ve been adding features here, and I like the idea of a High School Tournament for recruiting purposes. However, this is yet another sports game having frame rate issues that aren’t on the 360.
If you haven’t checked it out, the free demo is pretty fun for a 3 minute game.
* Medal of Honor: Airborne [reviews] Another World War II. The gun battles can be fun, but the AI can be stupid.
* Soldier of Fortune: Payback [reviews] Like the previous games in this series, but the story is bland and corny. Everyone notes Call of Duty 4 just came out and is significantly better.
* Timeshift [reviews] FPS. The gimmick to slow, stop, or reverse time is interesting, but the story is lacking and the AI is worse. Game gets quite repetitive as you move on.
in the store
Downloadble Games (both requiring the Playstation Eye)
– Operation Creature Feature {$5} – Sony tries to describe it.
– Aquatopia {$2} – a virtual fish tank
Also, Calling All Cards, flOw, Pixel Junk Races and Everyday Shooter are on sale at $5 till 11/29.
Demo
MX vs ATV
Add On Content
– fLOw Expansion Pack – new campaign and playable creature {$3}
– Need For Speed ProStreet – more cars, longer career {$10}
– Rock Band Songs – all $2 each, and some in three packs for $5.50
** “3’s and 7’s”, “Little Sister”, “Sick Sick Sick” by Queens of the Stone Age
** “And Justice for All”, “Blackened”, “Ride the Lightning” by Metalica
** “Can’t Stand Losing You” , “Roxanne”, “Synchronicity II” by the Police
** “Cherry Bomb” by the Runaways
** “Fortunate Son” by Credence Clearwater Revival
** “Joker and the Thief” by Wolfmother
** “Juke Box Hero” by Foreigner
** “My Sharona” by the Knack
** “Bang A Gong” by T. Rex
Game Video
– Battlefield: Bad Company (trailer)
– Snakeball (trailer)
– Ratcher & Clank Future (2, behind the scenes)
Movie Trailer
– Superbad
over the horizon
12/11: the Orange Box
12/18: NCAA March Madness ’08
(perhaps more games here as people start nailing down their 2008 1Q release dates)