The Video Game Critic

I agree with you about the gaming press. They clearly favor certain types of games, no doubt. This is especially true in publications where you don't have people assigned to a specific platform, such as EGM. It is true the the writing in some of these magazines has degenerated to the point where I don't read them. I recall the low scores given to Wii Sports, which is just crazy, crazy stupid, considering that it is now an early Wii classic.

I might suggest Edge magazine, though: they are a cut above the rest... but they're pretty hard to find on most newstands, sadly.

I think there is room for games that, while having a dark tone, tell an interesting tale. I am looking forward to BioShock for the 360. It's a fascinating yarn. Obviously Resident Evil 4 is simply incredible. It's a great experience, but for games like those two, I want, indeed need, stuff that is lighter in tone.

However, I'm more optimistic on this front. I'm already noticing the market correction. First, you have Microsoft and Sony (as stated by others here) really noticing the expanded audience, and you will see a regearing of the industry, which is what people like CliffyB's brother is complaining about when he snidely talks about the "hardcore" being abandoned.

It will be interesting, though, to see how many "non dark" games make it to those non-Nintendo platforms, however.
Nintendo dominates that arena so thoroughly is sorta squeezes out the competition.

In any case, your comments here are anecdotal proof of Nintendo's entire "Blue Ocean" stratagy: they are aiming for you, Steerforth, in terms of bringing lapsed gamers back in the fold. Do you think they have been succesful?

-Rob

Hold your wallets, Sony is in major spin/damage control mode!  They're officially denying they're even thinking about lowering the price of the PS3: [url]http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUST5013420070706?src=070607_0814_INVESTING_comment_n_analysis[/url]

[quote]TOKYO (Reuters) - Sony Corp. has no plans to cut the price of its PlayStation 3 (PS3) at present to pep up demand and counter surging sales of Nintendo's rival game console Wii, Sony's president said on Friday.

Sony President Ryoji Chubachi also said in an interview that operating profit margin at its mainstay electronics unit, which makes hot-selling Bravia LCD televisions and Cyber-shot digital cameras, was likely to exceed its 4 percent target for the current year to March 2008.

"At present we have no plans," Chubachi told Reuters when asked whether Sony had any plans to cut the PS3 price.[/quote]

Guess Sony doesn't want to lose the $100 extra profit from every sucker that walks into a store to buy a PS3 between now and the E3 press conference.

[QUOTE=Atarifever]It's like I've been saying: modern gaming blows. Think about it, the "big" announcements right now are:

1) A horribly, horribly overpriced system (that is overpriced just so the company making it can push a format they'll make a zillion dollars off of) is dropping somewhat in price so it'll be closer to what any idiot would have known was a better starting price anyway.  It's going to finally approach getting near to the price area everyone said it should have been to start with.  Whoopide-doo.

2) A terribly faulty system that should never have been released to the public without more testing can now be returned for 3 years if it dies.  This only took over a year and a half of reports of problems by fans of the system before the company in charage very "graciously" did something any idiot could have told them they needed to do back in 2005.  Wow, extended warrenty on junk!  Sign me up! 

Oh yes, the future is now. 
 
[/QUOTE]

I bet when they were sailing on the Titanic they were saying this is the future of sailing and now it has rested at the bottom of the Atlantic ocean for 90 years under 6000 fathoms of water. 

Similarly when I bought the 360 I played it every day.  Now I play it every second day.  Now I play my PSP everday (great system) ane what do I play but a 2600 emulator from Activision.  When the great storm comes we shall all be under 6000 fathoms of water.  Mark my words!  Watch the seas!

I guess they like being far behind in 3rd place. Maybe they will start trying to make the PS3 a success when the PS2 stops selling or something.

Not yet Rob, but they have a chance. They need to talk more about games that aren't SMG, MP3, and SSBB, , hopefully at E-3, which is covered by the mainstream press so maybe Nintendo will have the brains to blitz them with some really good ideas. This should be right up that former pizza salesmans Reggie's alley. It is ironic that so called hardcore already feel abandoned, other than Wii play, Wii sports and Big Brain(DS sequel), Nintendo games have all been sequels to existing franchisies. Another Wii myth! 

Its not that I think there should be no dark games with heavier tones, its just that whenever something is successuful it is copied to death and then we have what we have now. Not really a whole lot of choice. Thats why I didn't uynderstand the mourning of Manhunt, I'm thinking there might be one or two other really violent games out there, if thats what you're after.

LOL. Should've figured that Sony wouldn't do something that, you know, makes sense.

I guess they are really happy with their TV's though.

-Rob

Wait, Sony apparently IS cutting the price of the 60GB PS3 by $100 ($499) and introducing a new $599 80GB model with a "free" copy of "Motorstorm": [url]http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/08/sony-cuts-60gb-ps3-price-to-499-new-599-80gb-model-to-hit-nor/[/url]

[quote]Despite denials, Sony has made official the new $499 price point for the PlayStation 3 that we've started to see appear in retailers across the US. The 60GB model's new price point will indeed be $499, with a new 80GB model going on sale for $599 in the US and Canada in August. As a small bonus, the 80GB version will include a "free" copy of MotorStorm. So there ya' have it kids: in one quick swoop, Sony has made the PS3's price a whole lot more competitive.[/quote]

So ignore the lie from the previous Sony executive and go ahead and blow $499 and this Blu-ray player that "just happens" to also play PS3 games!

Hey the Sony executives lied thats a surprise.