Nulion

Those new comics there that ifirit and Tom were discussing *do* look awfully good...Really seems like they improve with each one they release I'll definitely have to pick one up and have a look...after all, I'm always into anything SH-related, hehe...That's why they just can't keep me away from this thread! And Malaki, about Homecoming... Don't worry, no spoilers Honestly, I *really* enjoy it. I know there might be some who argue against me here, but I think that, after Origins seemed to borrow the identities of every other game in the series for each of its varying areas, Homecoming comes back to kind of create a "feel" of its own. It feels very different from all the other games in the series, and oddly enough, even with the borrowed assets and designs from the movie, it feels very different from the movie, too. That's definitely a plus in my book. The story is really great so far, and I know a lot of people criticize it for not being as deep (As it is more straightforward), it's still a good storyline. I like the characters, even if their models (All aside from Alex, essentially) and lip-synching is actually worse than it is on the PS2 Silent Hill games..but oddly enough, I don't mind; it's easy to look past. The combat is wonky at first and difficult to get used to...but when you do learn the ropes, it actually is pretty cool; not to mention, it keeps you on edge, since the monsters and things you fight always have the edge on you. It keeps things tense, although not *as* tense as the older games. I'll admit some of the areas in the game aren't as scary or imposing as the areas in the earlier games, even if the world design is really a detailed thing of beauty; I kinda thought it looked sparse at first, but that's really only because of the fog. Look through the fog, and examine the world around you, and it's impressive how much detail they packed into the different areas. The first half of the game is probably the game's weakest point...although really, I still enjoyed it. It's just that the second half of the game is where most of the plot actually lies, which now that I think about it, is a lot like other games in the series, so that's fine with me. And the second half is even better than the first So yeah, all in all, the game is really enjoyable....About the only knocks I would give it are that the character models and lip-synch animation could be a lot better, and the fact that almost all of the puzzles are almost stunningly easy. Didn't spend more than 5 minutes at most trying to solve them, and most of the puzzles are kinda "solved" for you, just by exploring the area. Let's put it this way; this game is *way* better than Silent Hill 4, and even Origins. At least, in my opinion...so go get it

...That is some actually very beautifully-done cover art, and it's making me jealous already >.< Ifirit, as soon as a full front-and-back scan is available of that Japanese SH:H cover art, might ya be able to post it? As soon as that happens, I'm taking my copy of Homecoming to Kinko's along with that image, to prove I'm not pirating or anything, and getting a new cover image made...hehe. Wish they'd be able to dig up Ito-san for more than just a cover image though! And as for the comics....How are they? I know the original ones, the Dying Inside series, weren't very good...I even saw those ones on the SH: Experience UMD movie thing they released back in '06, and I really didn't like them all that much...aside from that smaller comic, The Hunger, which was actually pretty good. Hopefully these new ones really nail the point more than those older ones did. At least the cover art looks really nice on them

Even so, most games give the player the option. And I've heard a lot of people say that no matter how long they play, nor how much they try, their brain simply isn't wired to work in a non-inverted way. It's really odd how that works, but with people like that, they just can't get used to it and it ends up frustrating. I love Homecoming, but I agree it *should* have an inverted option for those who need it. Hopefully they patch one in!

I actually used to use inverted cameras all the time...until Uncharted came out, then for some reason I just can't use inverted camera controls anymore, even on console FPS'es...I don't get why. I've heard there were some problems though with the game not having any option for inverted camera control, which is just odd. I can see why some people would have a lot of trouble playing without it. It's really a shame, since I'm honestly *really* enjoying Homecoming so far...it's too bad I'm near the end though! >.<

Not sure I'd enjoy a game that's on 11 DVD's! That's a little ridiculous, hehe. I'm just saying, if you ported it straight, it'd be somewhere around 11, maybe 12 DVD's. But yeah, back on topic. Not trying to do the fanboy thing or anything, just...Yeah. Now we ALL get to play FFXIII, and that's a good thing, yes

Eh, oh well. It's not like Microsoft is actually selling the 360 well anywhere but in America, hehe. (Although I'm not sure about Europe, last I heard it wasn't selling too well there, but I don't pay too much attention to it) I've got my PS3, I'm very happy with it regardless, and here's hoping we all enjoy the game when it comes out. And I don't see a snowball's chance in hell of MGS4 ever being ported to the 360, not while it only supports standard DVD format.

Spoilers? Argh >.< I can't subject myself to that, hehe. As much as I want to see new stuff on SH:H, I don't want the experience spoiled. But thanks!

From what I've read, there will be 20 characters in it; the main protagonist and antagonist from each of the first 10 FF games. So you'd have Squall/Ultimicia, Zidane/Kuja, Squall/Ultimecia Cloud/Sephiroth (Even though Cloud hasn't been shown, Sephiroth has), Tidus/Jecht, etc etc...So sorry, doesn't look like there'll be much in the way of jiggle. Unless you really, really like Ultimecia. And yes, I'm a noob who doesn't know much about the FF games before 7, hehe.

Yeesh, don't get offended, I meant no harm. As long as you've played the game, then that's cool. No offense I still can't understand why anybody would hate the gameplay so much, but....oh well.

So...I'm curious. You guys who say that MGS4 is a terrible game....Have you actually PLAYED it? It's DAMN good. I'm having a blast playing the game, and the extremely well-done cutscenes are essentially icing on the cake for me. Not saying that your opinions are wrong of course, since they're your opinions...but seriously, PLAY THE GAME before you say how bad the gameplay is. It's probably got the best actual gameplay that the MGS series has seen yet, really. I'll definitely admit that the older games in the series have had some frustrating gameplay that can turn off some audiences, but MGS4 pretty much fixes it. So don't bash the game simply because the other games in the series needed a controls and gameplay overhaul; it was received, and it works extremely well in MGS4. But...yeah....back to the topic at hand....(Wow, when I started this post here, what I was talking about was actually on-topic. You guys type fast, hehe)

That's true...Heh! I'd just woken up, and I guess I forgot Half Life. Really good example, actually. But even so...those games *aren't* heavy on dialogue, and rely very heavily on inferences from the environment around you, to convey its story. Half Life 2 has a lot of nice "cutscenes" that are more just walking around, listening to and watching people talk and interact with the environment. Bioshock really relies on radio chatter and audio diaries, as well as inference from the environment...neither of which I could really see working for the type of story that MGS4 has. Metroid Prime is also a really good example...but even so, the story doesn't seem as complex as a Metal Gear game. I guess you could actually argue that MGS4 is a little *TOO* complicated, right? All those are definitely a way to convey a deep story through gameplay, though. So...uhm...Yep, you guys got me But even so, I still don't think the way MGS4 does things is necessarily bad. But that's me. Thanks for clearing me up there though. How'd I forget Half Life? *needs coffee*

Cliffy over there can talk as much as he likes about "playing through story" as opposed to watching it, but I'd like to see exactly how much story he can cram into one game STRICTLY through the player actually playing it. I would also like to see how intricate and detailed he could make such a story...and no, I wouldn't have my hopes up for that one. Personally, I've just always thought there was a balance between how much game you want, and how much story you want. If a game is story-heavy, then you have to do something realistic in terms of cost and development time to actually fit it into a game. I mean, Gears of War is an awesome title...but its storyline isn't what I would call MGS-caliber. The characters in that game, such as Marcus Fenix, shine their brightest when they're ripping locusts apart with a chainsaw-gun. Solid Snake...well, he's a hell of a lot deeper than that, along with pretty much every other character in the Metal Gear series that I can think of. So he can call it passive entertainment all he likes, but in the end, that quality is what makes MGS4's storyline so much better than a game like Gears of War. I'm not bashing Gears, I'm just saying that it's a more gameplay-centric title, and that gameplay comes at the cost of an intricate storyline. Who knows, maybe someday we'll have a game that has a story as detailed as the Metal Gear series, and yet has minimal cutscenes. Weirder things have happened, right?

Someone give this guy a "Wow" medal for his posts, hehe. Thanks very much for all that info It looks like that character model of Alex, in a lot of those pictures over on those forums from the magazine were placeholder models. I bet that, at the time, the merger between Shiny and The Collective was going on, and they were tinkering with different assets and such...leading up to the much more polished, final, and damn good-looking models for Alex, as well as for other things, that we've seen in the Konami Gamer's Day '08 footage/pictures. Even at that early stage though, it seemed like the guys in the magazine were pretty pleased with what they saw, although I did see a few things there that I was worried about... Like how they said that the ability to move the camera about freely did change the mood and style of the game a little. It's probably an extremely difficult thing to convey tension and fear with a camera system that is completely controlled by the player. You'd end up having to worry about things such as whether the player is looking in the intended direction for an event to occur, and even then, the tension from a dramatic camera angle is removed. What I'd hope to see, is kind of a hybrid between pre-set camera angles, and player-controlled angles. That would allow for player freedom, as well as creative control over mood and atmosphere, right? The game's still a little ways off though, so hopefully they have time to do some final tweaking to get things *just* right. Thanks again for the awesome info, ifirit

Hmm...I can't truly think of many biologically educational games that I've ever played, since most edutainment titles simply don't include great gameplay. The only two exceptions I can think of though, are 3D Body Adventure (Which, oddly enough, I just found today over at a flea market for $4) and The Magic School Bus: Inside the Human Body. I used to love both of those when I was a little kid, toying around on my dad's old Packard Bell. Neither of them really had what I'd call great gameplay though, they're more nostalgic trips for me than anything. Ahh, the good ol' days... I was thinking though...for a game based on the immune system, might that include the lymphatic system? It's definitely intertwined with immunity. I just had a random thought that made me want to post this, and it's possible that it could be worked into the storyline of a game like yours, but isn't one of the effects of weightlessness (Such as being in space) that the lymphatic system no longer functions? I vaguely remember from a biology class that the lymph system relies on gravity to push that weird lymph....stuff...through the lymph...vein-things. Who knows, maybe the game could take place inside the lymphatic system of an astronaut, and the player is a...uhm...a nanobot or something, that's monitoring the astronaut's vital signs. But then, that really goes back to the cliche of the tiny ship inside the body thing that I know you're trying to avoid, and I can't blame you for wanting to stay away from that; it's been done to death. It's just a thought though, and to be honest I'm really bored. But yeah, best of luck to you on making this happen

Hmmm...that's a toughie. Both games are *really* great IMHO, though it all really depends on what you want out of a game. If you want the original, and all the nostalgia that goes with the original, then get the PS1 version. If you want upgraded graphics, more Nintendo-based humor (Such as the Nintendo/Silicon Knights version of the Psycho Mantis fight, or the hidden Gamecube system and Yoshi/Mario bobbleheads), and some seriously amazing, redone cinematics, then get the GCN version. The other big plus with the Gamecube version of the game is that you get a tranqilizer pistol, with the first-person view mode that was introduced in MGS2; it actually makes the game easier. Overall, I'd say to go with The Twin Snakes, for Gamecube. The original is an absolute classic of course, but TTS is a completely remastered, upgraded version of the original. Completely worth the money, if you can get past the slightly odd controls. Also, the original Metal Gear was included in the bonus disc for Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence. I believe it was called the "Persistence" disc. There is no unlockable Metal Gear on the Gamecube version, sadly Honestly, I'd say that Subsistence is also worth tracking down, if you're interested in following the Metal Gear storyline. Not only does it include the first two games in the series (Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake), but Metal Gear Solid 3 is chronologically the first game in the franchise. Chronologically, the games go as follows; Metal Gear Solid 3 (Go with Subsistence version) Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Metal Gear (MSX2) Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (MSX2...although, I'm not sure if this one takes place before or after MGS1) Metal Gear Solid (Go with Twin Snakes version) Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots It's a weird chronology, but there you go!

Wow, that was...enlightening Thanks for that, ifirit! So that answers the question as to who exactly Double Helix is...although, I'm really not sure if this is good at all for SH:H's development, especially since this merger of development studios was taking place a mere 5 or 6 months before the game's scheduled release date. It's starting to look like they may announce a delay soon; their final product may not be too terribly good, all considering. I hope it all goes well :\

I just got the book for my birthday, actually. I sat down and thumbed through it, and it's really an interesting read. I mean sure, you can find any of the information in it online somewhere, but the thing is, most of the information in there is info you wouldn't think to actually bother looking up. There's a few oddball omissions from the book though, such as in the Final Fantasy section, Final Fantasy VII is actually barely even mentioned. (Ex; It's not in the speedruns section, whereas every other PSX FF game is) I also wish they had a section on Silent Hill. A little disappointing, when they have sections on both Resident Evil and Alone in the Dark, but oh well It's a good book though, and I definitely recommend it.

Some new screenshots here; http://kotaku.com/5010326/new-silent-hill-v-screens-get-at-least-two-things-right Very nice-looking, too!

Very good point, DJ As long as the game is good, I can live with a delay.

I've gotta say I'm really pretty excited too, now. There's still a few issues I hope they address such as some of the visible bugs in those videos I posted. (Like at the end of that conversation with that woman, who was stapling posters onto the board; she just warps back into position after the conversation) There's also the fact that the game doesn't look *dirty* enough in some of the screenshots that have been released, which...erh...I forgot to post. They did release a lot of new screenshots! But...It really does look a lot better than it did in past previews of the game. They don't have that much longer to finalize the game though! It comes out September 24th....Honestly, I can see the game getting delayed. Borderline expecting it, too.

Well, there was recently a whole lot of new information about Silent Hill: Homecoming. At Konami Gamers' Day '08, there was a playable demo of the game with two areas; a hospital, and a graveyard. Several videos showing off combat, cutscenes, music, etc etc were also shown. Apparently, in one of the videos, a new trailer that I have *NOT* been able to find anywhere online, there is a new McGlynn (The woman responsible for pretty much all the female vocals in songs from SH3, 4, and Origins) song, and a glimpse of Pyramid Head. What exactly he's doing in Homecoming, I'm not really sure! I also hear that the controls are at least a *little* reminiscent of Metal Gear Solid, as items can be accessed by holding down L2 and weapons can be accessed by holding down R2. On the PS3 version, of course. Lots of the gaming websites, Gamespot, 1up, IGN, Kotaku, etc etc are posting their own hands-on impressions of the game, and I've heard a lot of positive stuff on it. It's really shaping up! One thing that confuses me though...isn't this game supposed to be developed by "The Collective"? I've heard that it's being developed by a US branch of Komani called "Double Helix" now, and I'm really not sure which is true. Oh well. Here, I'll try and post a few of the videos from Konami's Gamers Day '08. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2fKEEY496Q http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhpOIZ_srDc&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXLf53Cu-4M There's more out there, but that's just a sample until ifirit comes along and completely blows this post out of the water again, hehe. And I hope he does! EDIT: That last video is kind of an amalgamation of all the trailers released so far onto the net. You'd do good actually just watching that one.

Hmm, I started the other thread on this, didn't think there was a MK vs. DC thread at the time. Oh well Still weird to see these two mixed together, isn't it?

...Wow, I can't say I saw this one coming. http://ps3.qj.net/Rumor-Mortal-Kombat-vs-DC-Universe-in-Mortal-Kombat-8-/pg/49/aid/118440 Discuss

Hmm...I haven't heard anything about extra content, but what I actually have heard is that if you order Silent Hill Origins from... http://www.konami-data.com/officialsites/silenthillorigins/ ...that website, you get The Silent Hill Experience for free. o.o Pretty nice offer! It should appear on the right side of the screen, after you enter your birthday and then click "skip intro". Oddly enough though, the link leads to a Gamestop page where it says that it can't find the information, for some reason. Can anybody find out more about this?

Could try "Takeshi No Chousenjou" for the Famicom, I've heard stories about how ridiculously over the top difficult that game is. Even requires you to sing into the Famicom's 2nd controller microphone for an hour. There's also the Cho Aniki (Or is it Choaniki? Or spelled differently? I have no idea o.O ) series. Pure, ridiculously homosexual weirdness. It's a PS2 game. Something about "Legend of the Holy Protein". I'd love to play it just to laugh at it, hehe. There's also Altered Beast for PS2...I know it was cancelled here, but was released over there. I have no idea how good it actually is though, but I always wanted to play it. As for the last one I've heard of that was real good, but never came out here, it's Tobal 2 for the PSX. Heard it's a great game, but they cancelled the US release just like Altered Beast PS2. Not sure if it'd be your type though, since I don't recall seeing "fighting games" on your list of interests there.