Forza 3 is nice. The handling of the car is incredible. Your car isn't all over the road like in Grid and NFS Shift. You have tight controls. It actually feels like an arcade racer, like Outrun coast to coast, but without the constant drifting.
I love this time a year, demo's are thick and fast, game reviews are pooring in and it's nearly time to get my hands on the games I have been slavering over for a long time.
It's crazy the amount of games coming out in the next few months. The bad thing about having such varied taste in games is that I like too many games. I have about $800 worth of games I want to get spread out across 3 systems, and that's only until Jan. 1st.
Just played the Brutal Legend PS3 demo. It's good stuff, but just like every Tim Schafer game, the reason I want to play the full game isn't necessarily the gameplay.
Speaking of Live, did anyone else suddenly get a bunch of MS points today with no explanation e-mail?
I know I was supposed to get 800 from the summer of arcade deal.....is that what this is? I got more than 800 added though. So strange. I had roughly 600 points in there, waiting for the L4D add-on, now I have over 1600. So I got about a 1000 points added, not 800.
Anyone else receive mystery points? I don't know if this is a mistake or not. Maybe I should spend them really fast.
I really have no interest in Brutal Legend as I dislike Jack Black for the most part and I find the whole current "metal fixation" that people have to be annoying (seriously? metal's even trendy now?), but I'll still try the game out. Schafer's got a friend in me.
I don't like realistic driving sims much either but hey, I'll give Forza 3 a shot. Always a chance I'll find something I like in it.
@Ueziel: The Forza demo is pretty amazing. I've gotten into a number of wrecks, and the damage model definitely looks to be using your speed and environment to determine what kind of collision damage the car suffers. The racing game itself looks good for the most part, but I, too, am more fond of arcade racing titles, and I'm not really in position to determine the sim-y-ness of the title.
If anyone's wondering, the demo allows you to drive the following:
2009 MINI John Cooper Works
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR
2009 Ferrari California
2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro
2007 Porsche #80 Flying Lizard 911 GT3-RSR
You race against other car models as well, but I really can't tell what from what. I wish the demo included the paint editor which is my chief incentive in getting the game. The presentation is slick and the graphics are incredible, I just wish the dumbed down "easy" options made the game play more like Daytona and less like Real Driving For Dummies. My only gripe is the music really, but the 360's custom soundtrack can fix that.
It also remains to be seen how the rewind feature will be implemented in the full game, but I still think it's a stupid (albeit well done) addition for a sim game. What's the point of time challenges and leaderboards when you give everyone the tool to erase their mistakes? Hopefully, it'll be limited to modes which won't impact high scores and the like.
I got on, downloaded & played through the Brutal Legend demo before leaving for work. While the art design and humor was all that I hoped for, the gameplay left a lot to be desired. The camera angles are terrible. The hack-and-slash is slow and plodding, making it more Conan than Kratos. And once you fight the boss in your hot rod? All bets are off.
The demo alone features some of the worst camerawork since 3D games became all the rage in the N64/PS1 days. I had to restart the entire demo after the car tipped over, trapping my character. A jittery framerate and a feeling of "more of the same" creeping in in less than 10 minutes turned this one from a "must buy" to a "possible rent" in under 20 minutes. A real shame, as this was at the top of my list and the only game I was really looking forward to playing on the 360 this holiday season.
@Sloopydrew: You could have just said "Santa Claus is a lie!" and dashed away my child like sense of glee.
Good to know in a bad way I guess. I'll still try it for myself but with less excitement now.
...What game did you play? I didn't experience, well, any of what you said. You have control of the camera. I'll give you the hack and slash gets samey. The car handled great here, highlight of the demo. I am confused.
@Marker: Trust me, I know how you feel. It was crushing. Maybe you're right. Maybe by lowering your expectations, you'll have a better time with it than I did. After playing through it twice (and only twice because of the glitch where I couldn't move my character), I deleted it and felt sort of overwhelmed with disappointment. I came into work 30 minutes late, because I wanted to play the game that bad.
@Sloopydrew: I've tried to avoid soaking up the hype for this game but the splashes of it are nearly unavoidable. I'll try not to judge it too harshly till I have the game in hand, but it's looking like a rental for me too.
I am tired of stupid preorder bonuses. The ones I hate most are early demo access.
Why? Why taunt us with a demo of a game as an incentive to buy it? Y'know what the point of a demo is?! To convince me to buy it! To make me want more! MOAR!!!
@stone500: Pre-order eveything from GameStop for 5 bucks, and cancel them everytime they come due. Just move the 5 bucks to another game. Sure you'll have 40 bucks tied up in pre-order limbo, but you'll get early access and stick it to the man! ;-)
@DragonYen: Heh, I thought about that, but that's way too much work. I'm loving the coming of an age with every game available for digital download (I guess as opposed to analog download?)
Some preorder bonuses are cool. One of my favorites was the coin that I got with Super Mario Galaxy. Or the armor for Metal Gear Portable Ops. Beta access is ok for multiplayer, that's nice, but a single-player demo shouldn't ever be preorder exclusive.
@DragonYen: You know that Gamestop doesn't care if you do that, right? All Gamestop does is take your $5 and stick it into a high/variable interest account. The only way to "stick it to them" is to not give them your money at all.
As always MS and Sony can both go to hell. MS for screwing over it's fanbase who don't want to pay for online play by withholding basic services from Silver members. And Sony for not updating the PSN on Tuesdays. God damn I wanna play that Brutal Legend demo.
@jimmuhpage: I think they generally update on Thursdays. I have a PS3, but I only really check the online stuff when I know something I want was posted.
After playing Forza 3 and GT Prologue, I think Turn 10 has a lot of nerve calling their game the "definitive driving sim". It looks nowhere near as good as GT5 does.
I was hoping for a lot from Forza but until they stop rendering their cars in ways that make them look like shiny, plastic, candy-coated toys, I will stick with Polyphony's game. Especially since the stuff they announced at TGS puts GT5 on equal footing against Forza when it comes to features, some of which are much more interesting on the GT5 side of things.
@Bubbleman!: It isn't always about the looks.Forza 3's online will be pretty hard to top and the gameplay has always been solid. Pretty graphics can only get you so far. If GT 5 plays like a prettier version of Prologue then it might as well look like shit.
@heretrix: Not so sure about the online, considering how bad XBOX Live lags these days. I know graphics aren't everything but when it comes to a simulation like Forza/GT, they're very important I think. So far, GT5 is lookin much much nicer in the graphics department.
Brutal Legend doesn't actually say its a gold exclusive at the moment. Could be a mistake or on purpose since PSN should be getting it soon. Grab it quick Silver members just in case!
@liquid_kore: Seems they made it so that even Silver members can download it, good thinking on their part since it really didn't need to be a gold exclusive or perk.
Share the Brutal Legend loving.
Edit: I hope we're right and it can be downloaded, perhaps you're right with hurry up son. XD
@Ollivander: Serious? For a freaken demo? That's just lame, it's seriously disappointing when they feel a simple video game demo warrants Gold exclusive status.
@Outkastprince: Yeah it sucks. I've had a spare 48 hour live trial and I used it in hopes of being able to download it but it doesn't work. So I guess I have to wait e a week
09/24/09
nice job on the screenshot which is clearly GRID not forza3. this is what happens when your image source is from a site called hiphopgamershow.
09/24/09
09/24/09
09/24/09
Are you sure, sometimes it's in events. Earlier today the Forza demo wasn't up in the market place, but it was in events under the TGS section.
09/24/09
Hopefully it'll be up later or maybe tomorrow...
09/24/09
09/24/09
09/24/09
and Medium. I won both. Haven't tried the other modes yet.
09/24/09
09/24/09
09/24/09
09/24/09
Nothing. I don't do prizes.
09/24/09
09/24/09
09/24/09
Just like a hit of heroin.
09/24/09
I have 4 demo's on the download as we speak.
09/24/09
It's crazy the amount of games coming out in the next few months. The bad thing about having such varied taste in games is that I like too many games. I have about $800 worth of games I want to get spread out across 3 systems, and that's only until Jan. 1st.
I'm screwed. But yeah, it's a good time of year.
09/24/09
09/24/09
09/24/09
09/24/09
09/24/09
09/24/09
09/24/09
09/24/09
I know I was supposed to get 800 from the summer of arcade deal.....is that what this is? I got more than 800 added though. So strange. I had roughly 600 points in there, waiting for the L4D add-on, now I have over 1600. So I got about a 1000 points added, not 800.
Anyone else receive mystery points? I don't know if this is a mistake or not. Maybe I should spend them really fast.
09/24/09
09/24/09
I don't like realistic driving sims much either but hey, I'll give Forza 3 a shot. Always a chance I'll find something I like in it.
09/24/09
If anyone's wondering, the demo allows you to drive the following:
2009 MINI John Cooper Works
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR
2009 Ferrari California
2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro
2007 Porsche #80 Flying Lizard 911 GT3-RSR
You race against other car models as well, but I really can't tell what from what. I wish the demo included the paint editor which is my chief incentive in getting the game. The presentation is slick and the graphics are incredible, I just wish the dumbed down "easy" options made the game play more like Daytona and less like Real Driving For Dummies. My only gripe is the music really, but the 360's custom soundtrack can fix that.
It also remains to be seen how the rewind feature will be implemented in the full game, but I still think it's a stupid (albeit well done) addition for a sim game. What's the point of time challenges and leaderboards when you give everyone the tool to erase their mistakes? Hopefully, it'll be limited to modes which won't impact high scores and the like.
09/24/09
The demo alone features some of the worst camerawork since 3D games became all the rage in the N64/PS1 days. I had to restart the entire demo after the car tipped over, trapping my character. A jittery framerate and a feeling of "more of the same" creeping in in less than 10 minutes turned this one from a "must buy" to a "possible rent" in under 20 minutes. A real shame, as this was at the top of my list and the only game I was really looking forward to playing on the 360 this holiday season.
09/24/09
Good to know in a bad way I guess. I'll still try it for myself but with less excitement now.
09/24/09
...What game did you play? I didn't experience, well, any of what you said. You have control of the camera. I'll give you the hack and slash gets samey. The car handled great here, highlight of the demo. I am confused.
09/24/09
09/24/09
09/24/09
09/24/09
Why? Why taunt us with a demo of a game as an incentive to buy it? Y'know what the point of a demo is?! To convince me to buy it! To make me want more! MOAR!!!
09/24/09
09/24/09
Some preorder bonuses are cool. One of my favorites was the coin that I got with Super Mario Galaxy. Or the armor for Metal Gear Portable Ops. Beta access is ok for multiplayer, that's nice, but a single-player demo shouldn't ever be preorder exclusive.
09/24/09
09/24/09
09/24/09
09/24/09
I don't know too much about PSN, are there other shortcomings? Is it only Tuesdays that they don't update or is it a once a week thing?
btw, I'm just curious, not trying to start a flame war.
09/24/09
09/24/09
I was hoping for a lot from Forza but until they stop rendering their cars in ways that make them look like shiny, plastic, candy-coated toys, I will stick with Polyphony's game. Especially since the stuff they announced at TGS puts GT5 on equal footing against Forza when it comes to features, some of which are much more interesting on the GT5 side of things.
09/24/09
09/24/09
09/24/09
09/24/09
Share the Brutal Legend loving.
Edit: I hope we're right and it can be downloaded, perhaps you're right with hurry up son. XD
09/24/09
09/24/09
09/24/09