Real Talk From The HipHopGamer

Why 2009 Will Be The Year Of The Xbox 360 (Chapter Three: The Newcomer)

Posted on 18. May, 2009 by Master Samo in Microsoft, Real Talk with the HipHopGamer

As we continue to journey through yet another chapter of this article, we arrive at a new reason for the Xbox 360 dominating in 2009: the Newcomers. They are a group of titles that not only have the potential to become smash hits on Microsoft’s console, but have the potential to push the limits of what is possible on next-gen hardware as well.

Before we begin this chapter, I must urge you to read the previous articles if you have not done so already. My reason for insisting is that we are on a journey to reach a certain outcome. If you choose not to read the previous articles, you will not have a solid foundation for the main concept that will be presented later on. As a result, neither will you be able to comprehend all the important aspects of this argument, nor will you enjoy this experience at the level you truly deserve. Therefore, I will provide you with the proper tools to journey back in time, if you ever choose to do so; the links to the past are as follow:

(Chapter One: The Beginning):http://www.hiphopgamershow.com/?p=8866

(Chapter Two: The MMO):http://www.hiphopgamershow.com/?p=9583

Back to the topic at hand, let us begin the chapter that will reveal to you yet another reason that explains the inevitable domination of the Xbox 360 in 2009.

12 ) Newcomers:

There are many PC game developers that are eager to create the next big title that will give them the opportunity to shine in the console world. The following titles are merely a small slice of the new titles being released in 2009; they are as follow:

Venetica:

This title is a fantasy action RPG that was first announced in May of 2008. It is currently being developed by Deck13 and will be published by DTP Entertainment for both the Xbox 360 and PC. The story takes place, in Venice, during the sixteenth century, in a world where Death is a physical being. Death follows the instructions of a group known as Corpus. Every generation, Corpus must select Death’s successor. However, due to the council accidentally choosing a necromancer, the fate of the world hangs in the balance. This necromancer has immortalized himself through death and seeks the utter destruction of life itself; neither Corpus nor Death can stop him. The only person capable of defeating him is Scarlett, who is the daughter of Death himself!

The title’s art style seems to have a Fable 2 feel. In fact, according to Gamesradar, the title is inspired by Fable, Baldur’s Gate, and Zelda: Twilight Princess. Interestingly enough, its gameplay will be similar to Fable’s; it will also have branching missions and skill trees which will allow players to choose how the character develops.

Unfortunately, beyond the information provided, not much is known about this title. However, more details about the game will soon be unveiled since the title is expected to be released some time in 2009.

Risen:

This title is a fantasy action RPG that is currently being developed by the creators of the Gothic series, Piranha Bytes, and will be published by Deep Silver for both the Xbox 360 and PC. You will play in a fictional medieval setting on a huge volcanic island. According to IGN, the main character starts out on a voyage across the sea to a foreign land. However, during the trip, something goes wrong; the player then finds himself shipwrecked on a mysterious island with the bodies of the crew scattered across the beach.

Furthermore, two radically different factions have inhabited the island, and are fighting each other to seize control of it. The first one is the Inquisition, an order that was dispatched to the island to explore the sudden appearance of monsters. The other is an outlaw faction that has been exploring dungeons and selling its artifacts on the black market. In addition to the factions, the island is also inhabited by monstrous creatures. Interestingly enough, the game has been designed to create a true living world where everything reacts to your actions.

Sadly, beyond the information provided, not much is known regarding this title. Nevertheless, more details will begin to emerge shortly, as this title has been announced for 2009.

Infernal Hell’s Vengeance:

This title is a supernatural third-person shooter that is currently being developed by Metropolis Software and will be published by Playlogic International. In this game, you play as Ryan Lennox, a former agent of light that gets caught up in a war between Heaven and Hell. Furthermore, your character has access to a number of unique demonic powers including Pyrokinesis and Teleportation. This title was originally released on the PC in 2007. Playlogic, promises a fascinating story, state of the art physics, and a variety of weapons and powers. More importantly, they will be releasing it, on the Xbox 360, on the 30th of June 2009.

Dead Island:

This title is expected to do great things fro Microsoft this year. In fact, it is set to create an entirely new genre in gaming as a whole; it will be a first-person survival-horror sandbox game. It is currently being developed by Techland for both the Xbox 360 and PC. In this open-ended game centered on survival, you play as Mike Jennings, a recently-married man who is flying with his wife on their way to their dream vacation. However, when the plane, suddenly, crashes on a remote pacific island, and his wife goes missing, it is up to him to find his lost wife in a zombie infested island, find out what caused the zombie outbreak, deal with the various other human factions that inhabit the island, and find a way to escape it.

The developers are claiming that the game should not be labeled a first-person shooter due to a bigger emphasis on melee combat and ammunition conservation, rather than shooting. To be clear, there will be firearms but ammo will be hard to find in order to give the game more of a survival horror feel. More importantly, the player can pick up almost anything and use it as a weapon; if you are thinking that it might resemble Dead Rising but in first-person mode, you might be right. In addition, there will be a number of human factions that the player can join or fight against; these would include the Military and Bandits; it will probably have multiple endings as well.

Nevertheless, the Multi Layer Damage System is by far the most intriguing feature in the game. They have managed to develop a multi layer body model which shows skin, muscles and bones. Inflicted injuries vary and depend on the type of weapon used, and the part of the body being hit. For example, a crowbar will damage all layers, a machete will cut thin but deep wounds, and a club will create bone deformation.

The Polish developer is also currently working on making their engine PS3 compatible. Regardless, there are still no plans for the PS3 version, and if they do decide to bring this title to the PS3, it would probably be in 2010. According to an interview with Onipepper, in March of 2008, when asked about the PS3 version, the Techland representative replied: “We are currently working on extending the compatibility of our engine to the PS3 platform. Once we are done, it will be possible to bring Dead Island and any other Techland game to the Sony console. For now there are no plans for it but we are not ruling it out for the future”.

For those of you that don’t know, Techland is the developer of Call of Juarez, the Western first-person shooter that was published by Ubisoft. It was first released on PC in 2006, and was later released on the Xbox 360 in June of 2007. The North American release of the PC version is one of the first games to utilize Microsoft’s DirectX10. Moreover, on the 13th of January 2009, Techland announced Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood, a prequel to Call of Juarez, for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC; the title will also be released in 2009. As you can see, this is going to be a very busy year for Techland. As for Microsoft, they will be more than happy to welcome Dead Island as another Exclusive for 2009.

Warhound:

This is a title that is destined to do great things for Microsoft. It will give you a clear idea of what to expect from future FPS titles. With this game, not only are the developers exploring uncharted waters and untapped potential in this genre, but they are also stretching the boundaries of what is possible in an FPS game.

This title is an open-ended First-Person Shooter, that is set in modern times and is currently being developed by Techland for both the Xbox 360 and PC. In the game, you will play as an ex-Delta Force operative, currently working for the world’s largest military contractor, that is required to complete a variety of challenging missions in battlefields around the world.

According to Gameinfowire, you will need to stay on top of your training, finances, and position in the highly-competitive mercenary market to ensure that you receive only the most profitable missions. More successful missions equal more money, which can be used to buy new equipment, and weapons for future jobs. Its innovative First Person Perspective cover system will allow you to bring the battle to your enemies in ways you’ve never dreamed of before.

Not only would its current features take the FPS genre beyond anything that has ever been done before, but it would enable this title to easily surpass the highly-anticipated Section 8 as well.  The reasons for my last statement are as follow:

First, due to the fact that this title will focus on complete freedom of choice, it will be a highly immersive and realistic experience. To clarify, you will have unprecedented opportunities to pick your missions, weapons, battlefield tactics, and vehicles. You will be able to create your own path through each mission, and for each objective. You will also be able to select mission start times; meaning, missions can be launched at different times of the day, enabling players to catch guards napping in the early morning for example, or use their night vision goggles for a stealthy, but deadly, night ambush. You will also be able to select insertion/extraction points, as well as the types of insertions including land, air, and sea; for example, a truck will get you there, but an airdrop or a journey down a canal via a raft can be much more direct.

Interestingly enough, you will need to buy satellite photos, recon data, and other intelligence about the battlefield situation. You will be required to pick a deployment time and location, then pay for the means of getting in and getting out. You will earn money for each successful mission, and by selling materials picked up on the battlefield. Furthermore, you can use your earned wealth to buy weapons, ammo and new gadgets, as well as invest in learning new skills.

Second, it has extremely deep character development elements. To clarify, you can train your character in several skills, including climbing, repair, and weapons proficiency. More importantly, skills will be earned and developed as in the real world; for example, shooting ranges will improve accuracy, running tracks and climbing walls will boost cover and movement skills. Moreover, you will need to develop and use skill specializations to gain advantages in combat; in other words, new skills will offer fresh opportunities to advance through the mercenary ranks, and new ways to complete missions.

Third, the size of the game will be beyond most FPS titles on the market. To clarify, each mission begins with a satellite map of the terrain. Most of these maps are around or over six square miles, which should give you an idea of just how big this game is shaping up to be.

Fourth, it will be different every time you play it. Meaning, every mission will be laid out differently each time you play it, enemy units will take up new positions, post new patrols, lay traps in different locations, set up ambushes, etc.

Fifth, it will include highly interactive and destructible environments. In other words, you will have plenty of surprises for the enemies; for example, you can destroy buildings enemies are hiding in, set villages on fire to smoke them out, or cause avalanches and knock down trees to clear your line of fire, or to create obstacles for the enemies and cover for you.

Sixth, it will give you the opportunity to climb up the career ladder and increase your reputation among the elite mercenaries of the world. In fact, successful players will earn prestige among their peers, which leads to better and more lucrative contracts in the actual game.

Due to the fact that this title is a highly ambitious one, in addition to the fact that Techland already has two titles set for a 2009 release, it would only be fair to assume that Warhound would be delayed until 2010. However, if we keep in mind that the title was supposed to be a 2008 release, it would not be a sin to expect it in 2009.

We already know that the developer is in discussions with Ubisoft regarding this project, as well as a number of other big publishers. With stunning graphics, destructible environments and an unprecedented level of gameplay freedom, the Xbox 360 will be having an incredible title to add to its ever-growing 2009 line-up.

Unfortunately, this chapter has come to an end. However, before leaving your presence, I would like to prepare you for an encounter that you would not choose to miss. One of the guardians, that blindly support Microsoft, will be making an appearance in the next chapter that unfolds. He is one of the most indomitable guardians of all. In fact, his mere presence, by their side, would make even the mighty Sony tremble with fear. That guardian is known as………The Ally.

God Bless You All

Master Samo