So the Tokyo Game Show, which is Japan?s biggest video game event of the year (and is neck and neck with E3 in terms of importance) just started, which means the last chance for major Japanese publishers to hype their big holiday releases. But the biggest news concerns Gran Turismo 4, which in my opinion is a far bigger game than anything else this year? yes, bigger than Metal Gear Solid 3 or than Halo 2. Simply put, far more people will ever play GT4; what interests the masses more: sneaking missions, first person alien shooting, or driving around in a Ferrari?
Besides confirming a sold release date, Sony laid out a true bombshell: Gran Turisom 4 will not feature online play. Online play was well known, and highly touted, to be a core component of the game. Granted, I?m not an online gamer, but GT4 was going to be the one that finally got me to give it a real try. Even though it still features more cars and better graphics than any racing game before it, the loss of an online mode is quite simply inexcusable. So what the fuck was Polyphony (the creators of Gran Turismo) doing the past four years anyhow?
There?s tons of other news coming out from the show, but the only other thing that?s really gotten my attention is the new Mizuguchi game Lumines. Whereas Rez was a musical shooter, this one is a music puzzler, with the placement of blocks directly affecting the music. Initial reports state that the game looks and sounds amazing (of course). But apparently, Lumines is not Mizuguchi?s ?baby? and simply a first title to get his new team, Q Entertainment, into the swing of things. The next ?real? game from the man is still a secret. And hopefully it?ll appear on the DS!
Also, it?s been reported that Virtua Fighter 2 for the PS2 (part of the Sega Ages line) is? surprise!? not arcade perfect. While it doesn?t sound nearly as bad as every other shit together Sega Ages games (only exception being Virtua Racing, but again, that too is not arcade perfect), and it does play as good as it always did, apparently the graphics are sloppily assembled. I guess all those reports stating that the project was high priority for AM2 was total bullshit (of course) and that it was probably done by a bunch of interns like every other Sega Ages title. Good job keeping that legacy strong Sega!
Finally, check out these new shots from Wanda and the Colossus…
In other news, yesterday, on day three, I finally got my domestic copy of Katamari Damacy. And from Gamestop of all places? and the one which I used to consider the worst one in the city as well!
The day before (day two, Wednesday) after hearing excuses yet again from the EB, I stopped by the Gamestop on Broadway and Astor right after my meeting with my book editor to kill some time till my PixelJump meeting later in the evening. I asked if they had gotten the game in yet, and the answer was no, but copies (just three) were due the next day, and one was already taken for by an employee. I asked if they could set aside a copy (and despite not pre-ordering it in advance, thought that would have been not possible since there was no pre-order code for the game in the first place) and the guy said yes. And to my total shock, they actually did! Yesterday I got mine and the folks who work there proved to me that there?s at least one person who works at a game store who is not a total tool…
GAMESTOP ON BROADWAY AND ASTOR, AND IN PARTICULAR THE ONE GUY WHO WAS A MAN OF HIS WORD (I think his name was Joe), I SALUTE YOU.
Meanwhile, I sill have a copy pre-ordered at EB ?waiting for me?. If Gamestop got theirs, I?m assuming EB must have as well. They?re supposed to call people once games they?ve ordered arrives, but I highly doubt the fucktards there would do anything remotely resembling a basic function of their jobs. I?m guessing if they haven?t sold it already, it was probably put on shelves for anyone to buy, and in that case, the game is probably gutted already (and the game disc already scratched and the manual already crumpled up), and if I tried purchasing it, they?d have the gal to charge me full price. But if it?s actually there, and untouched, I?ll still pick it up. Christmas is around the corner
