The Prince of Persia games for the previous generation of consoles were among some of the best. Yesterday, the prince made his next generation debut and the reviews are starting to pour in. Critics have mainly cited the game’s open ended gameplay, gorgeous settings, and well rendered fluid movements as big pluses. There were a few complaints too however. This is mostly because the game is too easy. Most moves are done with a single button and there is no death in the game. I’ve also found the combat itself to be rather lacking especially since you cannot wield different weapons and must rely on the sword and glove. The two protagonists are charming and serve to bind the player into the story. All in all, it is a game worth playing through once but as far as replay value, you might want to look elsewhere.

The new Xbox 360 motherboard was just leaked and it looks pretty amazing. The new layout will include a power supply that is 25W less than the original because of the more efficient GPU as well as 256 MB of flash memory for your saved games. With video game consoles, the chipsets often go through several changes. The new Xbox 360 chipset will not enhance performance much but it will make the whole console a little cooler and less of an energy hog. Hopefully this will reduce the instances of the Red Ring of Death which has pretty much plagued the Xbox 360 since its launch.

[Source:Xbox Scene]

When asked the question of in-game advertising, many hardcore gamers grimace at the thought of selling out like Hollywood and Television. Will in-game advertising really suck the soul out of a game like the car did for the Transporter? The fact is, games require huge budgets these days that rival movies but unlike movies, they only have one form of profit, the gamers. With used game sales a consistant problem that is hard to combat, there exists a need for alternative sources of finance. A few well placed in-game advertisements can do just that. I enjoyed Fight Night despite the hardly explainable Burger King advertisements that were posted all over the game. As long as it is not too omni-present, a billboard or two in Liberty City can even add an air of realism to a game. I ask those hardcore gamers, would a few advertisements that would ultimately give the developers more money to develop a better game or quite possibly even lowering the price of the game itself be so bad?

Of course the other side of this argument is that it would take gamers out of the moment. Many people play games for the escapist fun it provides, gamers (myself included) simply want to take some time out of the day to detach from reality. Gamers tend to want a game that is completely unique and that may include any ties to reality (such as in-game advertising).

Let us know if you guys have an opinion on the matter

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.

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.

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?

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.

The reviews are pouring in for Gears of War 2 as we are only 3 days away from the epic launch! I remember the first Gears of War as a defining moment in my video gaming lifestyle. It made me switch over to the Xbox 360 from the PC and I have been waiting for Gears of War 2 ever since. The reviews promise generally promise that Gears of War 2 will be similar to the first game but that is totally not a bad thing. The Gametrailers review said that Gears of War 2 takes all the best parts of original game and polishes them. For example, the cover system in Gears of War 2 has been tweaked since reviews of the first game often stated its magnetic feel to be one of the few bad parts about the game. Over all, Gears of War 2 seems to deliver on its promise of being bigger and better than the first. I will do a personal review once I have played it this Friday.

Golden Axe: Beast Riders’ attempt to revive a classic has failed pretty harshly. The game that was supposed to take players for a ride back into the days of Sega Genesis. However, the only ride it takes players on is an agonizing ride through a buggy world with serious control issues. Aside from the lack of music, reviewers have generally written about the strange control scheme and overall difficulty of gameplay. There was one reviewer (Play Magazine) which gave the game a 9/10 rating. Play also attacked the other reviewers by claiming that there was no way the online review sites had enough time to play through the game and give it a fair review. In the end, the only thing this game rides on is the fame of the Golden Axe franchise.

I just got my hands on Fable 2 last night and much to my dismay, I ended up not finishing my homework because I was having so much fun in Albion. I expected a mildly entertaining game judging from the fact that many reviewers gave it a score in the mid 8′s. I strongly disagree with the reviews and believe whole-heartedly that this should definitely be a 9 or higher. The amount of detail put into the environment is amazing. Artistic direction is stunning and really captures the feel of a great story. Combat is a fun mixture of shooting, melee, and magic. Its nice to have a game that gives players the viable option of combining all 3 so no single mixture gets repetitive. The dog is a remarkable companion and you will soon feel yourself getting attached to it. Above all else, the amount of things to do in Albion is staggering. You can buy a house, raise a family, get a job and customize yourself all while still adventuring. My only complaint is that the money system was not well thought out as it is far too easy to make money in Albion. Other than that, it has been everything I wished Oblivion was. This game comes strongly recommended.