X360 shopping list

[Viin]

"Dynasty Warriors 5 Empires" or just "Dynasty Warriors 5"?

I'm a little tired of the Splinter Cell games, is it that great? I haven't gotten Gears of War because I'm still playing R6:Vegas as my shooter right now - I can only handle one at a time!

NHL 2k7 might be a good one though. (I got Tony Hawk Project 8 for my nephew on his Xbox, so we'll see how that is this Christmas).

[squirrel]

I haven't gotten Gears of War because I'm still playing R6:Vegas as my shooter right now - I can only handle one at a time!

/slap

Honestly, GoW isn't really a 'shooter' the way R6:V is - ok fuck, it kind of is. But if you have a 360 and you don't have GoW you're missing the most visceral, engaging and breathtaking game on the 360. I like R6:V but GoW completely took my breath away. It's not revolutionary but it's stellar looking, approachable, fast paced and FUN! You must get it. Period. (.)

[Viin]

Honestly, GoW isn't really a 'shooter' the way R6:V is - ok fuck, it kind of is. But if you have a 360 and you don't have GoW you're missing the most visceral, engaging and breathtaking game on the 360. I like R6:V but GoW completely took my breath away. It's not revolutionary but it's stellar looking, approachable, fast paced and FUN! You must get it. Period. (.)

Is that last one a boob?

[squirrel]

Honestly, GoW isn't really a 'shooter' the way R6:V is - ok fuck, it kind of is. But if you have a 360 and you don't have GoW you're missing the most visceral, engaging and breathtaking game on the 360. I like R6:V but GoW completely took my breath away. It's not revolutionary but it's stellar looking, approachable, fast paced and FUN! You must get it. Period. (.)

Is that last one a boob?

It is now heh. (.)(.)
                       *
                       v


heh, i really am still 14 yrs old...sad. entertaining. but sad.

[Strazos]

Depends on what you like. I've played both.

I liked the controls of Vegas better than those of Gears.



In all honesty, while it's a very good game, I don't see what everyone is frothing over. Perhaps I'm just somewhat burned-out on FPSs? Maybe I didn't play enough (played about the same amount of time for both games)? I don't know, I just don't get the sort of "instant classic" vibe I got from, say....Deus Ex. Or Unreal Tournament.

[squirrel]

Yeah, I dropped $700 on a new 360, games, cables and etc.. and now I feel like I've shot my wad and have to wait for something interesting to come out.

Meh. Coulda been $900 on a new PS3, that great Bluray player that also kinda plays games. :P

Marvel Utlimate Alliance - fun stuff. Not deep, just button mashing madness with lotsa marvel heroes and villans.

Project Gotham Racing 3 - people always forget about this because it was a launch title. It's really good if you want a challenging semi-sim racer.

GoW - duh.

Dead Rising - I have it and just haven't had time to play it much but what I have played has been grin inducing zombie chopping fun.

Tiger Woods 06/07 - What? It's a good golf game. 07 has some new swing improvements but it's not greatly improved beyond 06 which you can get cheap.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted - Tuner racer boyz dawg! Cheap now that NFS: Carbon is out and it's pretty fun. (same engine, same graphics, save your dosh and get NFS:MW)

FIFA 07 - Yeah, EA sucks. They really do. It's a crippled game in terms of teams and leagues but the actual soccer action is really good.

DoA 4 - you mentioned it and it's worth owning. Excellent beer and pretzel fighting game for when your ADD buddies are over. Nice boobs too.

Depends on what you like. I've played both.

I liked the controls of Vegas better than those of Gears.

I agree - the cover system in Vegas is really cool and i prefer the hit modelling and overall character control as well. But that's why I was tempted to say GoW isn't really a shooter in the same way Vegas is - GoW is almost an adventure game in some ways. It's just fun and good looking and a really decent romp. I prefer the shooter aspects of Vegas, but I 'm also having a hell of a good time playing GoW.

EDIT: And if you have a decent HDTV - GoW has some environments that are just fucking crazy in terms of visuals. Seriously. I've died quite a few times cause I've been distracted by the surroundings to the point I forgot someone might shoot me.

[Velorath]

Lost Planet and Blue Dragon both got great review numbers from Famitsu.  Lost Planet is due out next month (on the 12th I think).  Not sure when Blue Dragon releases in the US but it should be sometime early next year.

[schild]

DOA4, GoW, Dead Rising, TDU, Samurai Warriors 2 (though Samurai Warriors 2: Empires with create-a-character is coming out!) are my must-buys.

Also, coming soon:
Lost Planet (as mentioned)
Culdcept (as mentioned)
Earth Defense Force X (trust me on this one)
Oneechabara X (just waiting on an announcement, I'm confident - it's a game where you're a chick in a bikini slicing up zombie whatever - whales, people, bugs, etc).

Really just tons of shit. They're pumping out games for this thing next year like it's the PS2 and it's going out of style. I don't quite get it. But I'm ok with it.

[murdoc]

Gears is lacking a lot of things (like, a story), but it makes up for it's shortcomings by being a lot of fun. I've finished it twice now, once solo, once co-operatively and still pick it up and play over different sections. It IS the game to show off the 360 imo. Sound, graphics, and fun-factor keep it spinning in my xbox and it's the first game I reach for when I'm showing off the 360 to friends.

Still not tired of chainsawing Locusts. One of the best kills in gaming ever imo.

[Morfiend]

Still not tired of chainsawing Locusts. One of the best kills in gaming ever imo.

Agreed. No matter how many times I chainsaw some one, I almost always let out with a "RAWWWAAARRRRRRR" scares my girlfriend some times. But hey.

I like RB6:V a lot, but it is a FPS tactical shooter. Gears of War is some thing new. Some times It almost feels like a lightgun game, other times like a survival horror game, and some times like a FPS. I really like what they did. Also, the graphics are simply jaw dropping. On my 60 inch Sony WEGA it really is "next gen" gaming. After playing GoW and RB6:V, I dont think I could play a shooter with out a cover system and not feel like it is "old tech".

[Brolan]

I started the 360 scratched disc thread many months ago that caused the resulting flame war.  Recently my oldest fessed up that he moved the 360 while it was on; and that's when CoD got scratched to hell and gone.  Ain't the truth beautiful?

[murdoc]

I agree, shooters without a decent cover system just seem lacking now. I tried the new Splinter Cell demo and didn't like it just for the fact I couldn't shoot from cover... or couldn't figure how to.

[schild]

I started the 360 scratched disc thread many months ago that caused the resulting flame war.  Recently my oldest fessed up that he moved the 360 while it was on; and that's when CoD got scratched to hell and gone.  Ain't the truth beautiful?

He moved a system while it was on and you just lost a copy of CoD 2 or 3.

Way to make a point.

[Big Gulp]

I started the 360 scratched disc thread many months ago that caused the resulting flame war.  Recently my oldest fessed up that he moved the 360 while it was on; and that's when CoD got scratched to hell and gone.  Ain't the truth beautiful?

I haven't been moving my system, and after recently going through all my games, they do indeed all have tiny (some games not so tiny) scratches on them.  I went out Tuesday and bought 20 D-Skins and put condoms on all my games.

My 360 may have VD, but I'll still keep fucking it.

[Strazos]

Are they rings, or just scratches? Are they nice, smooth scratches, or random ones?

You discs could very well being scratched slightly as they move inside their cases.

[Big Gulp]

Are they rings, or just scratches? Are they nice, smooth scratches, or random ones?

You discs could very well being scratched slightly as they move inside their cases.

They're most definitely in a ring pattern, and not random.  Also, there's the clicking noise on startup if I leave a disk in the system which I'm sure has caused most of these scratches.  It's gotta be the loose spindle problem where an element of wobble is introduced to the disk and it winds up skimming the laser housing.

[Riggswolfe]

As I do in all of these threads I have to mention Fight Night Round 3. It makes the 360 worth it by itself.

[Nebu]

As I do in all of these threads I have to mention Fight Night Round 3. It makes the 360 worth it by itself.

Funny as this sounds, that game is the primary motivator in considering buying this console. 

[Big Gulp]

Funny as this sounds, that game is the primary motivator in considering buying this console. 

It is easily the most played game at my place, at least when friends are over.  Simple to learn, tough to master, visceral and beautiful.  Great game.

[Brolan]

I started the 360 scratched disc thread many months ago that caused the resulting flame war.  Recently my oldest fessed up that he moved the 360 while it was on; and that's when CoD got scratched to hell and gone.  Ain't the truth beautiful?

He moved a system while it was on and you just lost a copy of CoD 2 or 3.

Way to make a point.

I just took it back to Walmart and exchanged it.

[schild]

I started the 360 scratched disc thread many months ago that caused the resulting flame war.  Recently my oldest fessed up that he moved the 360 while it was on; and that's when CoD got scratched to hell and gone.  Ain't the truth beautiful?

He moved a system while it was on and you just lost a copy of CoD 2 or 3.
Way to make a point.

I just took it back to Walmart and exchanged it.

Cool, and he's learned a lesson.

[Jeff Kelly]

Well I am still on the fence regarding the 360.

I now own a Wii, have preordered a PS-3 (release march 31nd in europe. Well maybe by then they might actually have some games out) and also have a PC.

I considered buying a 360 several times now (yes I have money to burn) but am still undecided.

I don't like fight games and sports games and am severly burnt out on 1st person shooters (generic WW2 shooter 348 and generic sf-themed shooter 420 were a bit too much) so there is not much that is actually worth buying at the moment that is 360 exclusive.

[schild]

Lost Planet and Dead Rising would be system sellers for me if I didn't already have one.

[Velorath]

Well, it wasn't exactly a price drop but I did finally decide to pick up a 360 today when I saw the Toys R Us ad offering a $100 gift card with the purchase of the Premium 360 (the offer started today).  After buying the 360, I used the gift card to purchase Gears of War and a second controller, so all in all it was a pretty good deal.

[Viin]

Lost Planet and Dead Rising would be system sellers for me if I didn't already have one.

I tried the Lost Planet online demo, and while it could be fun, if the demo is anything like the real game I'll get sick of the sniping spawn campers *really* fast.

I got a used version of Saints Row and am having fun with that - that is, until the game froze and required a hard reboot of the Xbox.

[Riggswolfe]

Funny as this sounds, that game is the primary motivator in considering buying this console. 

It is easily the most played game at my place, at least when friends are over.  Simple to learn, tough to master, visceral and beautiful.  Great game.

Ditto. My friends and I have ongoing grudge matches in Fight Night Round 3. In fact, last Friday my best friend and I had a 10 round fight between Oscar De Lahoya and (I forget his name, Cinderalla Man). In the end, we were both so swollen and bloody it looked like a Rocky movie and neither of us had any power behind our punches. He finally got a lucky hit in and the ref called it because of my wounds.

[Zephyr]

I picked up a 360 at Toys 'R Us last night.  One word of warning, look at the game selection first ,as I am stuck with a $100 gift card due to the poor selection of games left over from the holiday shopping.  They didn't allow me to apply the gift card to the console purchase either.  I ended up just getting the charger cord and battery pack there and picked up Gears of War at Gamestop.

A few noob questions that I am sure I could find by RTFM, but I am at work now and doubt I will be able to mess around with it too much until the weekend.

1. Is it possible to get Zune to recognize .avi files to play thru the Xbox?  If not, is it possible to convert them?  I was able to get other video files to work, but most of the TV shows I download are in .avi format.

2. Is there a way to get back to the marketplace once a game is loaded?  I was able to get the dashboard to pop up, but if I had downloaded something in the background and wanted to go back to that file after starting a game, am I stuck just taking the game out?

[vex]

1. Is it possible to get Zune to recognize .avi files to play thru the Xbox?  If not, is it possible to convert them?  I was able to get other video files to work, but most of the TV shows I download are in .avi format.

I think the Zune, like the 360, only supports WMV so the AVI files will have to be transcoded.  There are a whole lot of converters out there, some are free and most have free trials.  I've tried a few but can't recommend one since I haven't found one I particularly like.  It's a real pain in the ass.  I just ripped all of our children's movies to DivX for our car player and now need to find a decent transcoder so they can be played through the Xbox.

Vex

[Viin]

2. Is there a way to get back to the marketplace once a game is loaded?  I was able to get the dashboard to pop up, but if I had downloaded something in the background and wanted to go back to that file after starting a game, am I stuck just taking the game out?

Not sure what you are trying to accomplish? Once you go to the dashboard proper you are no longer playing your game, the in-game dashboard is only for messaging friends and seeing who is online.

[Viin]

In case anyone is interested in a mouse/keyboard/usb adapter for the Xbox 360, I just saw this look doohickey:

http://www.videogameadvantage.com/viewProduct.cfm?PlatformID=0&ParentProductID=4440

[Big Gulp]

In case anyone is interested in a mouse/keyboard/usb adapter for the Xbox 360, I just saw this look doohickey:

http://www.videogameadvantage.com/viewProduct.cfm?PlatformID=0&ParentProductID=4440

Hot damn!  I wonder how well it works, though...  For instance, how would they map the analog sticks to a keyboard?  Especially in a game like RS:V or Splinter Cell depending on how firmly you press the left stick determines whether you're running or creeping.  That's not something you can really control under a WASD insterface.

[MuffinMan]

In lieu of making a whole new thread to ask my question I'll derail this one a little. Does anyone think there's a chance of a 360 price drop anytime soon? I got a camcorder for Christmas that's being returned to Best Buy for $250 credit so I can take a chunk out of the price. Any speculation I can find on a cut is old and keeps saying around the PS3 launch that has now come and gone.

[Strazos]

Maybe by the summer?

[Sky]

There's no reason for MS to cut the price. They sit firmly between the gamecube2 Wii and PS3, good price/performance. It'd be dumb to cut the price until Sony undercuts them, which won't be for a long time, at least another year.

[Riggswolfe]

There's no reason for MS to cut the price. They sit firmly between the gamecube2 Wii and PS3, good price/performance. It'd be dumb to cut the price until Sony undercuts them, which won't be for a long time, at least another year.

Right now they're making money simply because they've got the only console out in decent numbers. So I think you're right, at least a year until price drops.