AVGN Treble

Three more AVGN vids for you! X-Men and some Terminator material.

Why do LJN suck so much.....

X-MEN:

Video Games | ScrewAttack | Angry Video Game Nerd: X-Men

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

The Terminator:

Video Games | ScrewAttack | Angry Video Game Nerd: The Terminator

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Terminator 2:

Video Games | ScrewAttack | Angry Video Game Nerd: Terminator 2

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

inFamous review up tomorrow!

~The Damo

The Big 3 - Hardware Review

Here it is. The Sony Playstation 3, Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii all in one blog, compared, contrasted and analysed as best as I possibly can to see which of the 3 is best value for money, i.e. the best piece of hardware.

Please remember this is a HARDWARE analysis, not software, and for the record I will never be comparing software as I feel this is totally to the taste of the consumer and realistically reviews in general mean jack shit to me when it comes to making a purchase. I should also point out that I won't be delving into the various different processors and so on (partly because I'm not fully enough educated in this regard and also because the quality of the processors and RAM can sometimes mean nothing, example being God of War 2 on PS2 - whoever thought the PS2 could do that!!), so the affair will be more focussed on a features and functions style idea as well as reviews of each console's controller.

So let's kick it off going from smallest to largest with the Nintendo Wii:

Aesthetically it's a nice looking machine, it's hard to fault it really. Compact, shiny white and functional. Personally I'm not a huge fan of the tray it sits in, both the 360 and PS3 can sit on their own, but hey, no biggy. My only problem as such with the machine is the sensor bar. Now I know this is essential to the how the Wiimote works, but seeing as the PS3 pulls off motion control without a sensor bar one has to wonder if it is 100% essential. It uses automatic disk feeding for the Wii Optic Disc and has a liftable flab to expose four gamecube Dolphin controller ports. It has no harddrive with storage carried out by internal flash memory and can use SD cards for storage aswell.

The Wiimote itself is a well designed piece of equipment, comfortable and it looks great. I'm not a fan of the speaker that's built in as most of the time it comes across as poor audio quality and I really don't think it's necessary, especially when the game's primary sound filters through the TV and/or speakers anyway. However, out of the 3 the Wiimote is my least favourite to use and it boils down to one solid fact. The Wiimote is not essential to play the majority of Wii games. Now before you stop me, I'm still not commenting on the quality of the games, this bit relates to the controllers functionality with the games. Besides the launch title WiiSports, very few (with a notable exception of BoomBlox) REQUIRE motion controls. Smash Bros - non existent. Mario Kart - tacked on. Mario Galaxy - tacked on. Zelda - imposed on a game that already came out on Gamecube. And that's just four games off the top of my head. The cold hard fact is that these games would still be top quality even without the motion ability.

This critical flaw was realised by many gamers very early on, and even now the casual audience is starting to look upon the Wii as more of a fad than anything else. With motion-plus on the horizon at an additional cost it's hard to know what the future holds. What we do know is that the Wii is a solid machine with as far as I know a non-existent hardware failure rate. The Mii service is great and adds to the party-style orientation of many of the Wii's games. The different channels are excellent additions but compared to XBL or PSN, the Wii's online service has to go a long way before it should even be in the same sentence as the other two. Damn, I put them in the same sentence!!!

The Xbox 360

First thing you'll notice looking an Xbox is its smooth concave design. This one at home is an Elite Model, so it's black, but the other two 360 models are white. The console uses a disk tray, has slots for memory cards and large power button. This button not only indicates whether the power is on but each quadrant of the outer ring represents a controller that is linked and switched on with the machine. This particular model comes with built in Wi-Fi and a 120GB harddrive and utilises wireless controllers. This isn't consistent with other models, as the Arcade has no harddrive at all, no Wi-Fi (which needs to be bought at an additional expense) and wire controllers (though I have heard to the contrary in this aspect). The other model comes with 60GB storage.

The 360 unfortunately is well known for one fatal flaw - The Red Ring of Death. This alone is a serious issue and requires you to return your console either to the retailer or Microsoft, depending on terms of the warrantee. To pile on the misery another error, the E74 has begun to crop up as well. If you haven't got it by now, the 360 is possibly one of the worst designed machines ever (from that perspective, it's cores perform rather well). This extends to motherfuckin' fan that sounds like a jet engine taking off, and trust me when I say you will be raising the volume on your TV a few notches just so you can hear it! Also, take a look at the power adaptor... :O

Having said that though, both the NXE (despite being half a rip-off of the PS3's XMB and half the Nintendo Miis) and XBL are terrific services despite the fee for Gold Membership. The additionof the bundled headset only adds to the multiplayer immersion and for the most part makes the experience all the more enjoyable.

The controller is excellently designed, with a very comfortable grip and layout. The triggers work well but the D-pad is less than stellar and the requirement of batteries isn't the greatest either, though a lithium battery can be gotten at, yes, you guessed it, an additional cost. The positioning of the left analog adds to the comfort as it predominantly controls movement in the games and both thumsticks have a concaved centre to improve grip.

Playstation 3

First thing you'll notice with the PS3 is just how large it is. It's a little bigger than the 360 but it compensates its size with its arching curves and piano black finish (look how shiny it is in the pic, you can see ME in it!!). I have a 60GB model, with inbuilt Wi-Fi and bluetooth connectivity. This is standard across all models except you can now only get a 40GB and 80GB model (and possibly a 160GB region depending). Like the Wii it has a disk feeder. All the buttons are touch sensitive. Below the disk is a flab which allows for portable storage units like SD cards or Memory Stick Duo. On the front are four USB ports and two at the rear. At this point I should point out the PS3 uses entirely USB2.0 for all connections.

Unlike the 360, there's no mother of a power adaptor and the fans are quiet enough, though the system can get quite warm after extended play. Also, all models have wireless controllers as standard which come with an in-built rechargable battery which is charged via a USB cable with the system. Also unlike the Wii and 360, the PS3 can sustain up to seven controllers at any one time and it is the only system of the 3 to support Blu-Ray and DVD. My particular model can play PS2 games but this feature is no longer available.

However, the PS3's online service PSN isn't quite up to XBL standards, though it is entirely free of charge. More than likely you'll notice this very early on when you have to download an update. For whatever reason the damn thing is RIDICULOUSLY slow, though I must say it IS getting better. Xbox games sometimes come with the update on the disk, and install rather quickly, why this hasn't happened for PS3 games yet I don't know. Also, because headsets aren't bundled with the console - though I believe it is compatible with a lot of bluetooth headsets - the online experience isn't always up to 360 standards, though again, it IS improving with each firware update. As it stands currently there isn't a huge amount between the two online services, but there IS a difference nonetheless.

What can be said about the controller? I'm sure most of the planet has held a Playstation controller before, the design hasn't changed much except for the removal of the wire, the inclusion of the PS button and swapping L2 and R2 for throttle like buttons as opposes to the 360's triggers.

Conclusions

From a strictly hardware perspective, taking into account value for money, reliability, aesthetics there really is only one winner, and that's the PS3. The phrase "You pay for what you get" has never been more apt. The PS3 is the most expensive but with built in WiFi and a harddrive as standard, not to mention an internet browser built into the system with video support for most flash players, you simply can't go wrong. It uses all the latest technology, Blu-Ray, Bluetooth and USB for transfer and storage of data. The fact that PSN almost offers the same experience as XBL without any yearly subscription fee also weighs in Sony's favour. With its curving designs and piano black finish it looks well in any room with a TV and is the perfect hub for home entertainment in this modern era. It might cost a lot but I can guarantee you won't be a disappointed customer with the features and service on offer.

~The Damo

P.S. - Photos are poor quality as camera is on the blip

AVGN Double

Hey all, long time no post, I've just been crazy busy and normal service will be resumed next weekend. In the meantime here's two new AVGN videos:

Michael Jackson's Moonwalker:


Milon's Secret Castle:


That moonwalker video practically inspired me to learn it....

~The Damo

AVGN Double: Battletoads and Dick Tracy

In Battletoads the Nerd and Kyle clash, in more ways than one. Though a great game, Battletoads suffers from one fatal flaw....

Battletoads:


The only time kids were allowed say the word "dick" so much....

Dick:


~The Damo

Angry Video Game Nerd Bonanza

It’s been a long time since I posted any Nerd videos so I’ve got a bit of a kitty to post today. First up is the follow up to the last post, which was about Superman on the NES. The Nerd gave the fans what they wanted and has here a video of quite possibly the worst game ever made in the history of video games….

Superman 64:


After that the Nerd began a build up to the release of The Dark Knight with a two-parter review of several Batman games on numerous systems. I think these two videos are some of his best yet, well worth a watch. How will the Batnerd escape this one?????

Part 1:


Part 2:


I have to tell the blog I’m Batman before I publish it…

“I’m Batmaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnn”

~The Damo

...And E3 For All

So this years' E3 has past, and what have we learned? Well, surprisingly not much. I'm not going to waste too much time bitching about the overall crappiness of E3 as the industries (allegedly) biggest expo. It just isn't as good as it used to be. Nevertheless there would some good points.

Since I own a PS3 and Wii I can't comment too much on Microsoft's performance completely, but the surprise of the show definitely goes to them over the Final Fantasy XIII on Xbox reveal. I can't say I was overly impressed by anything else they had to offer. The avatars are a Wii rip-off, Lips is a Singstar rip-off and all these "camera orientated" games feels a lot like Playstation Eye. Nevertheless, Gears of War 2 and Fable 2 were excellent, but still didn't show us anything we didn't already know. Nintendo was pitiful, seriously. It was so bad than an offical apology was released. If ever there was a sign that the novelty of the Wii has worn off it was E3. Not one memorable game was shown, and right now the only games I would consider playing on the Wii are Super Mario Galaxy, Mario Kart Wii and Super Smash Bros Brawl.

Anyway, where it's at for me is Sony, which most analysts seem to consider the best press conference overall. I'll be doing a blog later (maybe next week) going into more detail about the PS3's current successes but for now I'm going to focus on FOUR main things.

First of all is two videos regarding LittleBigPlanet. I'll be writing more about LBP as its release approaches but for now I'll say this: LBP could well be Game of the Year.

If this isn't the cutest and best video for a video game ever I don't know what is. What's important to remember about LBP is that ANYTHING you see in the videos you can make yourself in the building tools. It should also be noted that given the set-up of the video (with the Playstation 3 gliding across at the start and the "This Is Living" logo at the end suggests this will be a TV ad.)



E3 is now better known for talking about Facts & Figures than games, and Sony definitely put together the most interesting piece to talk about all that boring crap. Like I said before - you could make this level in game yourself!



Secondly was the Resistance 2 footage. Like LBP I will be making a more concise blog about R2 as time goes on. All that needs to be said is that this is the sequel to one of my favourite PS3 games - Resistance: Fall of Man and everytime I see it I'm more and more impressed....

Gotta love this trailer, the 50's narration and everything....


And the 300ft Boss Battle....*drools*


Sony also showed off Killzone 2, which many are touting as currently the best looking console game available, and this video should illustrate that.....


AND FINALLY...the one trailer we ALL wanted to see. Ladies and Gentlemen, God of War 3.....


More on all these in a few blogs time.

~The Damo

AVGN - Star Trek

A video that has been in the works for some time, the Nerd takes an official look at the world phenomenon that is Star Trek. Can you guess what he thinks of the games? I can, and I only need to make one!

Whatever about the quality of the games and such, the special effects in the video are rather good! And I must say I'm rather impressed at how well the Nerd pulls off some Star Trek jargon.

Enjoy:


~The Damo

AVGN - Indiana Jones

The Nerd has been working overtime to get this second video out, he takes a look at some of the crap Indy and his whip have spewed out with the release of the latest movie. And my God....it's BAAAAAADDDD....

Enjoy:



Glory or Insanity awaits....

~The Damo

AVGN - NES Accessories

Now that the exams are finally over, I can get back to writing lengthy (waffle filled) blogs about anything and everything. In the mean time however, we have the Nerd's follow up video to his last, after the battle with Jesus against Satan.

Enjoy:


Coming soon, the MGS4 THEATRICAL TRAILER!

~The Damo

AVGN - Super Mario Bros 3 and The Wizard

Ok, first things first, this is a LONG video. Now that that's done, how can the Nerd find something wrong with SMB3??? Only like one of the greatest games ever made!!!

Watch and see....

Enjoy:



I misinterpret the rules....

~The Damonez

The Star Wars Retrospective

Gametrailers.com have hit out with two fabulous videos reliving the history of Star Wars video games. Not having owned an NES or SNES when they first came out, I have since played them on emulators, and I seriously have enjoyed them more than even some of the today's modern games.

Part 1:


Part 2:


Prequel games in two weeks time! YAY!

~The Damo

Watch This NOW!

Incredible...just watch!



Now some games like that would be cool!

~The Damo

Angry Video Game Nerd - Virtual Boy

Some of you might know what the Virtual Boy is, most of you probably don't. I think I'll let the Nerd fill you in. Those of you who don't know about the VB...brace yourselves...at the end you'll be saying: "What were they THINKING?".
Enjoy:


BONUS!! - FLASH GAME


Guess who I was on?

~The Damo

Angry Video Game Nerd - Rambo

With John Rambo hitting cinemas soon it's appropriate that the Nerd reverts back to the first game of the Rambo film series on the old NES.

I'm also loving the new theme tune, enjoy:


Here's hoping the new film won't suck as bad as this!

~The Damo

Angry Video Game Nerd - Chronologically Confused Over Zelda Timeline

Yeah that's a mouthful alright. This is apparently an unreleased video from....2006!!! I warn you, it's LONG, so you know, grab a beer, sit back and enjoy.

Oh, and another GMG is on the way during the week!



Very tired!

~The Damo

AVGN - Dragon's Lair

Afternoon all, the Nerd returns from a short break with a video as requested by all his fans of 'Dragon's Lair' on the NES, possibly the worst game ever made for the system. Seriously...that's not cause the Nerd is reviewing it!

Anyway, I also completed Call of Duty 4 and the review is on the way as well as some comments about Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga on PS3.

Enjoy:



Oh...and England were knocked out!!! Not that I can talk since Ireland were crap, but it's moments like last night that just make the week!

~The Damo

Top 10 Games Coming Soon!!

With so many hot releases on the way over the next six months, I thought I'd write up a brief summary of the Top 10 games you should be looking into on the 3 main consoles!

10. Half Life 2: The Orange Box

Whilst the PS3 wasn't around for the initial forray of Half Life titles and expansions, Sony now have on the way the entire Half Life back catalog all on one glorious Blu-Ray disc!!! JOYGASM!!! Oh yeah and Microsoft has it too....but what's the point when they've had to buy each one seperate up till now?

9. Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga

Who ever thought Lego and Star Wars would be such a success? The Complete Saga combines both the Original Trilogy and the Prequel Trilogy games into one, expanding the gameplay in the Prequel game aswell as adding tonnes of new characters! With them comes new improved graphics with a shinier gloss and Indiana Jones as a secret promotional character for Lego: Indiana Jones.

8. Mario Kart Wii

*edit: there WAS a picture for this but it won't load anymore and I'm not arsed to look for another!*

What could be better than playing Mario Kart on the old Nintendo 64??? Why playing a whole new Mario Kart on the Wii with a new specially designed steering wheel of course!!!! Vrooooooooooommmmmmmm!

7. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

Lucasarts have created a brand spanking new phyiscs engine for the most revolutionary Star Wars game to date. Players will control Darth Vader's secret apprentice and fight on planets all over the galaxy utilising the force in ways only previously dreampt of by gamers.....let me see, I'll pick up that stormtrooper there and fling him into the other one at the side of the ledge...then pick them both up and crush their skulls......

6. Smackdown Vs Raw 2008

Although I had left the wrestling fanbase for a few years, my welcoming return was gifted with the chance to play SVsR 2007, and what a game it was. With 2008, the game expands and updates the rosters of both Smackdown and Raw as well as ECW for the first time ever. With even more new features and enhanced gameplay, and exclusive content for both the PS3 and Xbox360, WWE look like they're about to deliver another big one to the gaming world!

5. Haze

Set to be Playstation's answer to the incredible Halo 3 online gameplay, Haze looks to be all that it promises in a futuristic Earth governed by PMC's with fast paced gameplay and a multitude of online gameplay modes and features.

4. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Quoted as the best game to buy after Halo3, COD developers took the age old World War 2 first person shooter and decided to do something totally different. A MODERN war, more accurately set in the Middle East. With the reams of WWII games out there, practically every aspect of the conflict has been covered and it is a breath of fresh air to finally play something different with a whole arsenal of modern (and realistic) weaponry!

3. Super Mario Galaxy

Coming soon to the Wii, Galaxy has been cited by the top guns at Nintendo to be a worthy sequel to Super Mario 64! With hugely inventive level design and creative gameplay, Nintendo once again looks set to deliver a lasting classic!

2. Grand Theft Auto 4

What could be better than a next generation console version of the worlds favourite 18's violent crime game? Set in Liberty City once again and with a hole heap of new controls abilities and elements of realism only better by the MGS Series, GTAIV is poised to set new free-roam gaming standards for years to come!

1. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Those of you keeping with my blog are surely aware of all the posts I've made about this game, so you can look back on them for videos and stuff. This is set to be the game of all games ever since video games were first created like Pong. Seriously, if there was an award ceremony like the Oscars for games....this would win them all. What's better...oh yeah, there's a demo on the way before Christmas...and once again...its PLAYSTATION ONLY!!!!!!!

In fact, here's the HD Gameplay Video, take a looksie!

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/22702.html

~The Damo

Lord of the Rings......by George Lucas!!

You know those days when you're just browsing Youtube aimlessly and you come across something that's just spot on and brilliant?? Well that's what this is....enjoy!



Also, I have this other video courtesy of Mr. Sykes, enjoy also!



Hayden's laugh is brilliant!

~The Damo

AVGN - Fester's Quest

The Nerd mentioned in the his previous video "Nintendo Power" that this would be the next review. Fester from the Addams Family got his own game, and as you can guess, it's a piece of shit.

I don't know why but this is actually one of my favourites. It's hard to explain, but there just seems to be a genuine frustration coming out of James in this one.

I particularly like the opening joke! So you will actually get it, I'll direct you to James' video review of Ninja Turtles 3 here:

http://screwattack.com/Flash%20HTML/ANN/TMNT3movie2.html

It will explain it all for you. I really suggest you watch this first (it is part 2 of the whole review, but the actual reference to THIS joke is in part 2!)

So...

Fester's Quest:


Were you expecting ehhhh NINJA TURTLES?!?!?!....Funny

~The Damo

AVGN - Nintendo Power

The Nerd goes a little mellow in this one, but he assures us that it's only temporary!

Before I post the video, I also have the next "Greatest of All Time" blog in the works and am thinking about a "Things Guys and Girls must do on the Internet" kindof blog thingy, so we'll see how that works out.



I think an Addams Family game is next! By the way, watch The Munsters, not too shabby!

~The Damo