FYI Gamestop has a buy one get one free on new (not used) Sony and MGM UMDs right now. They should be able to give you a printed list of applicable titles.

When you pull the trigger, the icons for the powers should pop up on the screen, corresponding to a set of buttons to activate them. When you start, you'll only have one power per character.

roflmao

*wipes tears from his eys*

yeah....I saw an Axe sign the other day and wanted to detroy it.

I own a PSP and just goot my son the Mario kart DS for RamaHanuKwanzMaStice. I like both systems. The PSP does a have a good number of ports, many of which sport some cool extra content (like the aforementioned X-Men Legends 2). There are also an increasing number of unique games or games that are otherwise unavailable in the US.

The DS is an interesting beast. While all consoles have their share of good and bad games, the DS seems to be even more polarized than usual in this regard. The DS has the touch screen/dual screens which makes it unique. Games designed around the DS from the start (Kirby Canvas Curse, Mario Kart, etc) tend to be really good. The games we are seeing that are ports of games on other current systems thrown onto the DS just for the heck of it, stuff like Need for Speed Most Wanted, seem like they are getting extremely poor reviews. Because of the "gimmick" nature of the system, I think it prudent to be especially selective when choosing DS games, particularly when they are ports and not games exclusive to the DS.

2005 wll rock. I run the audio into my audigy card on my computer with a couple of bits I got at radio shack (to convert to a 1/8 mini stereo plug and an extension).

I actually love the hub areas of Kameo (except the snowtop village). If you like to look around some, explore, and interact with the environment to find all the little things, but aren't looking for something that's hard, this is a splendid game. If you're looking for a difficult platforming challenge, you won't find it here. It is a game that's fun to experience, IMO. I've played 20 hours or so and am 2/3 - 3/4 through it.

NFS and PGR are both good and both a lot of fun in different ways. However, if you're looking for Burnout in particular, it's coming for 360 in March. My copy is already on reserve.

Aside from my CoH/CoV addiction, I'd have to say Kameo.

No...really!

I did play Grim Fandango this year, and while I liked it, it didn't live up to what I had built it up to be in my head based on all the praise it has received.

I wouldn't doubt that. The strength of the game on a console vs PC should be consistent framerate/visuals etc. because the game engine should be highly optimized for the hardware (since the hardware is a fixed entity with the exception of being able to cache data on the HD). Sounds like they had to do some tweaking to the game engine.

My translation: It was choppy as heck.

Huh...I rather liked the demo, though the sound was atrocious. I think they'll have that fixed in time for release (and some of it was due to the limitations of space I imagine.

When you consider that everything you see is destructible, I think it is a pretty amazing feat. Just take a look at some of the recent screens showing stuff like shipyards of stacks of containers and realize what a well placed missle might do to one of those. They also had freeway overpasses in some shots and I'm betting you can bring those down. The new trailer shows a large factory smokestack getting dropped.

*twitch*

Wow...finally a game with a sanity mechanic that really works.

Be grateful you have some other purchase options, compared to the Japanese release....

There are some amazing looking things coming down the road a ways, though. We won't have to wait 6 months for the second wave of games to start.

You would think with the EB/Gamestop merger that they would have a little more sway with MS, but I'm starting to buy into your OEM PC theory

I don't know, but it sure feels like somebody dropped a ball somewhere in all this.

At any rate, from my experience, there are a substantial number of customers on our reserve list that are kids (or parents thereof) and this was supposed to be their big Christmas present. Disappointing people at the holidays is not fun.

You may be right...but let's wait until some titles from Q (99 Nights), Mistwalker (Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, Cry On), and some other Japanese games start to hit. I mean...after all, it launched over there with what...6 titles?

If you decide to go the PSP route, I'd recommend getting a bigger memory stick - especially if you want to upload your own movies/games/etc.  The 32MB default stick fills up in a hurry, even if you only use it for gaming - a couple of Wipeout track packs and you're full

True for Wipeout, but there's no other game I know of where you'd need more than 32.

Kingdom of paradise is an action rpg that looks really good. Legend of heroes (and also PoPoLocrois) are more old school turn-based. Have heard great things about all of them. One coming down the road that looks awesome is Generation of Chaos. Some great-looking PSP stuff on the way (Katamari Damacy, WOOT!)

I really think the PSP lineup is starting to look much stronger. I'm excited about the aforementioned Me and My katamari, Field Commander, Metal gear Acid 2, and others.

The hard part though is that I've been playing the 360 a lot, and haven't been making time for the PSP. For instance, I looked forward to Tokobot for months, but haven't picked it up because I have LotR and X-Men Legends 2 practically untouched. Heck I've been wanting to try Virtua Tennis, Kingdom of Paradise, Armored Core sounds neat, etc etc...there's more stuff coming out that I'd like to try, just on PSP than I have time for.

20.00 GAME POINT CARD? Dont even know what this is... but he threw it in.

That would be a card giving you 1600 points to use on the live marketplace. Most XBL arcade games are 400 or 800.

As a side note: my wife located one at the hospital where she works.... but the guy wanted $500 for a CORE system -- which means I'd have to buy a $100 HD and it would be a $600 system at the end of the day.

$200 to save how many hours camping in line?  You really want the system, why not pay more for it at this point?  How much time, effort, and suffering have you invested in this?

Of course, then there's the problem of locating a hard drive, which are more rare than the systems at this point.

Yeah, they are not in anymore...maybe because of the backlash?

No idea. While the website operates separately from the retail stores, it isn't much fun to come here and get (and by that I don't mean personally nor do I mean that people don't have a right to get fired up about all this) reamed because the website inexplicably has units. I work for the company and it pains me that people are ticked off.

At any rate, I can tell you that we have received emails suggesting that we apprise customers of their other options (i.e. Best Buy etc) for those anxious to have systems in time for the holidays. I've also been suggesting to people that they keep us in mind for their software and accessory needs after they locate systems. I want people to find systems, but want to retain some of their business if I can.

I'm expecting to see a run on 360 games and accessories starting tomorrow when the units go on sale at Best Buy. Keep this in mind, and if there is stuff you are planning to buy, you may want to go ahead and get it now. I'm not clear on how restocking will be impacted by the holidays.

I thought it was weird when Gamestop pushed it back one week the last time considering that it came on the heels of an announced 2 week delay in Japan. Hopefully this one sticks.

I SOOOO love how they are showing up all over store shelves in small numbers but Ebgames and preorder places are getting JACK SHIT.    I love it.

Blame EB and Gamestop.....not Microsoft. Your preroder is available right now online for $1000 in one of their bundles that are in stock!

I just looked at the site and they are not in stock. They are taking preorders for an estimated release of 1/31. I repeat that's January 31.

What sort of monitors are you running this on?  Widescreen or regular aspect ratio?

Mine (Dell 1905FP) runs natively at 1280x1024.  I'm wondering if the image would be stretched or if it adds black bars to keep the 360's resolution intact.

Im using a gateway widescreen. With the vga adapter connected, it should give you a range of resolution options.

How long is the audio adapter cable?  My pc audio port is a good 4 feet from my monitor.

You can get an extension for a few bucks at Radio Shack. I also bought one of those adapters to combine the 2, then an extension to run it the sound into the line in port on my Audigy2 card so it can do the dolby surround processing.

I have had excellent results from cdjapan

Is it me or is the d/l speed from Live slow.  When I d/l the Need for Speed demo it took me over a 45min to get the game.  I think the footprint was like 948mbs.  

Anyone else see such slow d/l?

21 MB a minute is SLOW?  
That's about 360KB per second :shock:

I guess my most "awesome" achievement was realizing the other day I had gotten the hero achievement for PGR3. Ah, the advantages of being an earlier adopter...let's just say I have been creamed repeatedly online and won a total of one race, but playing during the day the week of launch enabled me to make it on to the heroes channel. Go me!

I don't see what's to chafe about. Has anybody shown any proof that MS guarenteed x number of 360's to retailers then didn't deliver?

No, but I can tell you that in the few weeks after I was hired by Gamestop in late October there was a sudden and dramatic shift in what was believed at the store level.

The bottom line is retailers like Gamestop just took anybody's money who came in for pre-orders without having any clue as to what they were going to get

And we have seen proof of this where, exactly? It isn't like stores had preorders in the thousands of units. The numbers we've received are....well..very small.

And so I find myself on the phone with frustrated customers who want to be able to explain to their kids why there aren't going to be big shiny boxes under their trees at Christmas for them to unwrap. At this point, it doesn't matter where these people get units from, I just want them to be able to get them. I do make a point of telling them that if they do find a system elsewhere that we can assist them with their game and accessory needs.

Realistically though, aside from making this post just do do some "rabble-rouser'y", both the DS and PSP have pretty good numbers.  Competition is good in the video game business!  It can only benefit both systems.

I agree completely. I don't get the mentality that one system has to "win". I think they are both good systems that serve different needs/markets/tastes. Personally, like Roguetad, I think the fact that Sony has a handheld machine that even comes close to Nintendo's numbers is a victory of sorts for Sony. After all, what was their percentage of the handheld market before the PSP came out?

In answer to corruptrelic's question about working at Gamestop, I had been at Barnes and Noble, and being in a smaller retail environment was appealing to me. I also had the tremendous fortune to go to work for a manager whose abilities I greatly admire and that happens to be an excellent teacher. I made the switch to a position with a lot more responsibility for the same money. Some people would consider that a bad thing, but for me it was just right.

I got my 27" LCD on Ebay for about $450 (open boxed) it's my TV, my computer monitor, and my xbox/ps2 hook up. Looks great and I coudn't imagine life without it..  :wink:

Ah, I thought he meant a portable screen for some reason.

Way to shift the blame to the retailers, especially since most of the major chains don't even take preorders.

I have to admit that that statement chafes a little.

There are some 7" screens. We have a couple at Gamestop where I work, but I don't remember the prices offhand.

Both are doing well in my store. DS has the hotter individual titles right now for sure, but PSP has been getting a lot of holiday sales here.

I've been interested in this one for months, but haven't picked it up because I have too many things on my plate already.

Crimson Skies: High Road to revenge can be had for 5 bucks used at Gamestop. If you have any interest in cinematic arcadish flying games, this is a must-have, and a no-brainer for 5 bucks.

Not that I have one ordered from Gamestop but why are they able to sell bundles on the website while countless folks sit at home waiting on their preorders from them to come in.

Oh believe me, they are getting hell from the store managers about this.

That doesn't mean anything will change.  The corporate guys are afraid the website won't be able to compete with other online retailers if all the stock goes to the stores, irregardless of the number of unfilled pre-orders.

Sarkus, I thought the .com was more or less a separate entity from the B&M stores?

Of course, the above would never happen, but we can dream, can't we?

It's an interesting idea, and would fall within the same scope as making a backup of purchased software, really. Now interestingly, there's that Sony patent that came up a while back that would let them tie a piece of software to a specific system so that you couldn't (or so the speculation went) buy used software....what if they could use that so that you could legally and easily burn a piece of software to a mem stick but it would be tied to the original hardware.

might I suggest this?? mmmm... I have one.

He could get the 20" dell widescreen for less money than the one he is looking at.

The load times in Burnout haven't bothered me at all.
With X-Men, I wish it didn't take so much to pull the menu up and spend a couple of experience points, but aside from that, I've got no issues.

Dunno, but I'd love one too.

It's looking less and less likely that my Gamestop will be able to get me one before Christmas, so I guess I might be sitting outside BB after all.  

Thanks for the list Hetz!  At least now I know which of the Best Buys near me to go to (one is getting 54, the rest are in the 20s).

Wow...I will be happy for those who are able to get one finally, but speaking as someone working in a store and answering calls all day about when we will have them in, many of those being preorders, this is a bit...frustrating.

I don't mind that Best Buy is getting units, but I sure would love to see 50 or 60 units come in to my store so we can take care of some of these preorders. Folks have been very patient, but I'd sure love to be able to help them get their systems in time for Christmas.

Not sure where you are in Georgia, but if you're near Jacksonville, the St. Johns Town Center store got a ton of them in today.