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........................... Nov. 02 - Nov. 15, 2001
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| Xbox Lands First Blow In Console Wars | |
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For most, the month of November serves as the beginning of the holiday season and an excuse to overeat while watching football. This year, November events are being shaken up a little with the arrival of two nextgeneration video game machines that are sure to change the way video games are perceived, developed, marketed and played.
Last year on Oct. 26, Sony changed the face of gaming with the launch of its Playstation 2 system. This year, video game veteran Nintendo and console gaming newcomer Microsoft throw their hats into the ring for what many are dubbing "console wars."
Microsoft will land the first blow by launching the Xbox on Nov.15. Nintendo will follow closely on their heels, launching its own next generation system, Gamecube, on Nov. 18. Since Microsoft is the first out of the gates, the Xbox will be spotlighted in this issue. Look for a full review of GameCube next issue.
Specs
The one major advantage the Xbox possesses is the pure power of its hardware. Sporting a 733MHz Intel processor, 64MB of RAM and an enormous (at least for a gaming system) eight gigabyte hard drive; by pure specs alone, it appears to be more of a computer than a gaming machine. The Xbox is capable of DVD playback with the purchase of an additional DVD remote control that will retail for $29.99. The ability to support Dolby Digital with every game gives the Xbox appeals targeted at the well-to-do gamers who have home theater systems.
Overall, the system is the most powerful on the market when it comes to hardware. With the Xbox being their first foray into the console gaming industry, Microsoft hopes that having all these goods in the hardware department will result in an influx of gamers as they try to win over apprehensive PS2 owners and Nintendo loyalists.
Games
No console launch can be successful without a having a great selection of games available. Despite the fact that it appears to be just a console version of a computer, the Xbox definitely delivers with a wide variety of games being available at launch.
However, having a high game count at launch doesn't mean a thing if the gameplay isn't even worth shaking a controller at. Video game aficionados have disparaged Microsoft because of its inexperience at making games. Microsoft reacted by courting several big name third-party game developers and convinced them to develop games for the Xbox. The hard work paid off; games from Tecmo, Akklaim and Sega will be available for the system.
Microsoft has also received criticism for not having many exclusive titles available in their launch library. This is definitely a fair criticism. Why would a gamer want to buy a system that has a bunch of games that can be played on a system that he or she may already own?
That argument is countered by looking at the big picture. Imagine the volume of games that will be available for the Xbox in a year. If the games that are available for launch look and play as great as they should, the future is wide open for Microsoft's taking.
Without further adieu, here is a list of some of the must have games for the Xbox come Nov. 15.
Halo
This is Microsoft's big gun. No pun intended. The game is a futuristic sci-fi shoot-'em-up action/adventure title. The player takes on the role of a superhuman military cyborg on a disc-shaped alien planet. The mission is to blow up the bad guys. At first glance, it seems like your standard action/adventure title. But upon further inspection Halo dazzles the eyes with amazing details and vivid texturing of the characters and environments.
Perhaps the most unique aspect of Halo is its multiplayer mode. Up to16 players can join a game when four Xboxes are connected together. Both a multiplayer team mode and a multiplayer death match mode are both planned. Originally intended for the PC, Halo should sell well and looks to bring gamers to a new level of fragging bliss.
Dead Or Alive 3 What Halo will do for shoot-'em-up buffs, DA3 will do for fighting game fans, and then some. The DA series has previously been seen on the Dreamcast and both PS1 and PS2. Mostly known for its amazing fighting engine and its huxom female fighters, the third installment of the popular fighting franchise makes its way to the Xbox as an exclusive title.
It definitely isn't going out on a limb to state that if there is one must have title, then DA3 is it. Every game on the Xbox is visually appealing, but the astonishing graphics for DA3 are enough to justify the purchase alone. Before one even considers the new characters that have been added, a revamped story mode, and the amazing fighting engine. When playing DA3 gamers will often find themselves wondering if they are actually playing or if they're watching a computer generated movie. The gamer who doesn't pick up a copy of this game on launch day must plan on using the Xbox as a black and green paper weight.
Oddworld: Munch's Odyssey
Another gaming franchise making its way to Xbox exclusiveness is the Oddworld series. This is the closest to a platform game that fans of the genre will find when they pick up their precious prize on Nov. 15. Players control both Abe and Munch in the land of Oddworld. Power-ups come in the form of different soft drinks that are dispensed via various vending machines throughout the land.
The game is very cute and quirky as well as very easy to pick up and play. Those are the attributes of a successful platformer. The game play is very simple and easy to control with fluid movements that make it very fun to play. Expect to see a lot of copies of this one fly off shelves as well.
NFL Fever
No console launch is complete without a killer sports title. Hoping to do for the Xbox what the 2K sports series did for the Dreamcast, Microsoft brings NFL Fever to do battle on the video game gridiron. As expected, the graphics are a sight to be seen. Textured grass, worn turf and scuffed up helmets are only a few of the details that Fever brings to life. The expected football game staples like franchise and season modes and fantasy drafts are included. However, Fever allows players to improve upon their 'player attributes' in franchise mode. Players can also win awards, have their numbers retired at the end of their careers, and be elected into the Hall of Fame. It's difficult to say how this game will rate among sports game junkies, but Fever definitely has its work cut out for it with stiff competition from Madden and 2K2.
Overall, it seems as if Microsoft is in for the long haul. With a strong launch lineup, the right hardware and, most importantly, fun games, the Xbox should fare well in the console wars. Who will be eventual loser of the battle for video game supremacy? Only time will tell, but with the impending launch of Xbox and Gamecube and a barrage of solid second generation games for the PS2 on their way, there has never been a greater time to be a gamer.
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| by Travis Hay | |
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