Now that most people have had a chance to try out the New Xbox Experience, it begs the question of why YOU haven’t (unless you have… in which case disregard this post). If you still haven’t gotten around to downloading it, trust me it only takes about 8 minutes (probably even faster now since there are less people downloading it). Here is the intro video, I would have been happy if this had been on the Xbox 720! Hurry up and download it! Work/School can wait!

-Derek

Before you get too nervous, I assure you will be very happy with the New Xbox Experience. Microsoft has really out done themselves with this great face lift. Calling the New Xbox Experience a face lift though is not giving it enough credit as it represents a significant change under the hood as well.

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According to the monthly report released by the NPD, the Xbox 360 console is the best bet for profit for third party developers. The numbers behind the game and console sales make it clear that the Wii and Xbox 360 dominate in sales which means more platforms and more potential customers. With the Wii however, game development is often done in house by Nintendo. The xbox 360 however, is able to push out many more third party developed game hits. It is an interesting trend how games tend to sell more on the Xbox 360 and I’m sure this will fuel many fanboy wars.

-Derek

We’re just days away from the release of Left 4 Dead and those of us who didn’t pre-order will simply have to settle for this intro movie to quench our thirst for undead mayhem. Left 4 Dead will be released on November 18th.

-Derek

Apparently, the ratings that are so abundant on videogames now is still not enough. The ESRB, under heavy pressure from Washington politicians eager to please their potential voting pool, has announced today that all videogames rated after July 1st of this year will now come with a separate rating summary on the ESRB website. Next they might as well require the parent to play through the entire game before buying it for their children. Actually that might not work out so well as the parents might just end up hogging the console after that. Below is an example of the entry written for Fable II. I gotta admit, when you place it in terms like that, it does sound pretty horrible…

-Derek

The heavy release season is starting to wind down a little now that Gears of War 2 is out of the way but Mirror’s Edge is no push over. This first person game is not a shooter, in fact, gun play is a very minimal part of this revolutionary formula. Mirror’s edge focuses on the movement aspect and seeks to redefine the genre. If you are familiar with free running, then Mirror’s Edge will start to look very familiar. Reviews have been generally within the solid 8/10 or B range. Critics have expressed enthusiasm in the free running as well as the excellent sound track. They have noted however that the story is a bit shallow and characters are a bit tacky. The game play is solid and will provide a lot of re playability for the obsessive compulsive game who is all about breaking records Besides that, tMirror’s Edge is definitely the game to get if you are feeling adventurous.
-Derek

I’m sure by now most users should have beaten the campaign to Gears of War 2 and played a decent amount of games over Xbox Live. I am reasonably confident when I say Gears of War 2 is the best game to come out for the Xbox 360 this year. While it does not have the same shock value as the first game, Gears of War 2 comes out bigger and better in almost every respect. The chainsaw bayonet has been improved with new animations and a dueling mode. Gears of War 2 also features new heavy weapons that are slow to carry but devasting when deployed correctly. In multiplayer, horde mode will make sure Gears of War 2 stays inside your Xbox for a long long time. Lastly, one of the few faults that critics have cited has been the weak last act of the game, this is really subject to just opinion though because personally I loved the last act. I will agree that the final boss for Gears of War 2 is a bit of a joke though. This shouldn’t deter anyone from getting the game though because It really has been a crowning acheivement for Epic and the Xbox 360 platform.

-Derek

Gears of War 2 topped the charts this weekend in video game stores with an astonishing 2.1 million units sold on day one alone! I can’t say I’m surprised, after all, Gears of War 2 is the biggest and baddest game on the Xbox 360 to come out this Christmas season. Analysts are saying that it stands a good chance of reaching Halo 3 territory. Gears of War 2 would just have to sell an additional 1.7 million units throughout this first week to beat the Bungie game. I know I picked up my copy as soon as I got off work on friday and played it all weekend. Did any of you guys go wait in line for the midnight premier?

-Derek

Today Microsoft confirmed a more specific released window for Halo Wars, the upcoming RTS based on the wildly popular Halo universe. According to Microsoft, Halo Wars is expected to hit store shelves some time in February of 2009. The game is being developed by Ensemble Studios, the creative masterminds behind the Age of Empires series. This will mark the first time that Bungie Studios will not be the ones to develop a Halo game. It is also interesting to note that Ensemble Studios is scheduled to close down after the release of Halo Wars. A new studio formed by former employees will take its place and will release patches and provide support for the game.

-Derek

In the latest batch of reviews to come rolling in, Endwar has just received some decent reviews. Gamespot has called it “Console strategy done right”. Reviewers have had generally positive things to say about the game execution. One particular aspect of the game to take note of is the voice activated commands. Unlike other voice recognition software, this one actually works and serves to elminate a lot of the micro management of the typical RTS. Endwar does what it claims in that it focuses on the combat aspect of RTS. People who are looking forward to the story however, will be disappointed as it will not be touched on much.