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June 8, 2009: wallet threat level green
Nintendo's Wii Motion Plus comes out this week. It's a dongle with a gyroscopic sensor inside that plus-sizes your Wiimote and makes it more accurately transmit positional data. Also out this week are two tennis games (Grand Slam Tennis and Virtua Tennis 2009) and one golf game (Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10, also out for the PS3 and 360) specifically built to take advantage of the new sensitivity. This is the opening salvo in next-gen motion-sensor controls. Since I'm personally unimpressed with 90% of Wii gimmickry, more precise Wii gimmickry doesn't strike me as much of a wallet threat.
Prototype is a new open-world action game. Based on the developer's Hulk: Ultimate Destruction open-world action game, it doesn't seem to pose an elevated wallet threat either. I expect something along the lines of the middling Infamous. In other words, nothing to challenge a great game like Red Faction: Guerrilla.
Then there's Rock Band Unplugged, an instrument-less rhythm game for your PSP. All of the branding of Rock Band and none of the appeal. Speaking of branding, the new Indiana Jones game is due out for the more modest systems; Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings comes out for the Wii, Playstation 2, DS, and PSP.
Finally, Lego Battles for the Nintendo DS might seem promising for its wacky pirates vs. knights vs. spacemen gameplay, but I suspect a watered down kiddie game. Furthermore, the developer is Hellbent Games, who made the execrable Xbox 360 version of Supreme Commander. It was the worst port of a real time strategy game to a console system I've ever seen. Does Hellbent have what it takes to do right by the DS?
By obonicus at 7:37 AM ON 06/08/09
Only in Chickverse was Ultimate Destruction a middling game, if we're going by developer pedigrees.
But seriously, we're going with 'I haven't played it, but it must suck'?
By Tom Chick at 7:49 AM ON 06/08/09
Who said anything about it sucking? I have no idea whether Prototype will suck or not, so I'm not elevating the wallet threat level until I find out otherwise. You don't want me going off half-cocked to you? What am I, the Bush Administration?
By Rick Astley at 8:02 AM ON 06/08/09
Ha! Burn.
By obonicus at 8:21 AM ON 06/08/09
Of course I do. I'd rather be worried about possible and imaginary threats than be caught completely unprepared.
By Benjamin I. at 10:24 AM ON 06/08/09
I'm tempted to buy Tiger Woods for Wii, but I think I'll wait for Wii Sports Resort instead. I just bought Red Faction last Wednesday at full price and the wallet needs to recover.
By Jesse at 11:45 AM ON 06/08/09
Seconding obonicus on Hulk: UD. One of the best games. I'm looking forward to the sequel, Prototype, but for me the art direction went the wrong way. If Alex Mercer listens to music, I get the feeling he listens to the wrong kind of music, if you know what I mean. I don't know. Maybe I'm just old now.
In conclusion, Hulk smash.
By budgethero at 1:09 PM ON 06/08/09
so does the Wii motion plus affect older games or just those compatible with it?
By TheBigC at 3:05 PM ON 06/08/09
The game's gotta be designed for the motion plus. It doesn't affect older games. :(
By obonicus at 3:09 PM ON 06/08/09
@Jesse:
Honestly, from what I've seen of Prototype makes me think back to Mercs 2. Mercs 1 was great, and Mercs 2 was good, but it felt like a half-step from the original game, and in many ways it just wasn't as good.
Prototype has a lot of that; it looks like it's UD but with a less interesting protagonist/set of powers, replacing weaponization (Wrecking Ball flail, hurray) with actually wielding weapons and driving vehicles. Zzz.
By Justin Fletcher at 3:32 PM ON 06/08/09
None of the appeal of Rock Band, but all of the appeal of Frequency/Amplitude, right?
By obonicus at 4:01 PM ON 06/08/09
@Justin
Thank you. I was going to post about that, but I sit in my tree and fling my poo at Mr. Chick a little too often.
By DragonIV at 5:10 PM ON 06/08/09
If (and that's a big if) the golf and tennis games take full advantage of the Motion Plus capabilities, this could be huge. We *still* play the hell out of Wii Sports Tennis, and would love a more realistic version of tennis and a realistic golfing sim.
Those two items alone could be worth the $20 admission fee, for me.
By malkav11 at 6:19 PM ON 06/08/09
I was going to say. Hulk: Ultimate Destruction is one of my favorite action games ever. (Not just open-world - in fact, I didn't spend very much time with the open world part. The missions were too awesome.) I won't guarantee Prototype's awesomeness on that basis, but between that and the part where you eat people to absorb their skills and memories, I'm psyched.
By Mihos at 8:28 PM ON 06/08/09
great.... more realisticly reminding me how much I suck at golf.
By Neuromancer at 10:16 AM ON 06/09/09
Need more Red Faction posts.. Or maybe even a review.
Neuromancer:
Need more Red Faction posts.. Or maybe even a review....More »