Play in Style - Gamer Style
After all of the debates last year about which console ‘is the best’, Microsoft has just revealed that sales for the Xbox 360 during the Christmas 2008 period, were almost double those of Christmas 2007 in Europe. The gap between the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360 has grown significantly due to the increase in Xbox 360 sales up to the end of 2008. Factors which have affected the growth spurt include the releases of more family games, such as ‘Lips’, ‘Scene It: Box Office Smash’ and ‘Rock Band 2′ and the launch of the New Xbox Experience. GfK-ChartTrack data shows that the Xbox 360 was the fastest-growing console in 2008, beating the Playstation 3 and the Nintendo Wii.
Chris Lewis, Regional Vice President, Interactive Entertainment Business EMEA, said “With eight million consoles sold since we launched, and consistently out-selling PlayStation 3 in EMEA, we’re poised to build on this success in 2009.”
Ontop of this success, new figures have just been released that show the Xbox 360 was the second ‘most played’ console last year. As you can see below, the Xbox 360 was the ‘most played’ next-gen console last year, and Microsoft’s first console the ‘Xbox’ was even more played than the ‘Playstation 3′!
This Christmas will be a struggle for families especially since the recent economic crisis. Average families will be looking for all sorts of ways to save money this Christmas and would really like to find just one present that all the family can enjoy at Christmas time, and all year round.
A recent survey of over 1000 people conducted by Xbox, finds that shoppers, and especially families, are looking to purchase an entertainment system that can play music, movies and games, and with many families tightening their financial belts this year, they don’t want this item to break the bank. This survey found that 72% of the people asked, are hunting for gifts that will not only keep the family entertained on Christmas Day, but throughout the year and 49% of the people surveyed said they want something that will bring the whole family together.
What Xbox found out was that British families are more likely to stay at home this year and have a typical Christmas meal together. The survey found that more and more families are due to stay indoors to save money, so of course they’re all looking for something to keep everybody entertained. Martin Olausson, Director of Digital Media Research at Strategy Analytics said “Gaming and entertainment consoles like the Xbox 360 are seen as good value, given they can entertain the whole household through Christmas and beyond.”
Martin goes on to say that with the Xbox 360 is a great purchase and with it retailing at £129.99, it’s not a bank breaker and it’s a console system that is sure to keep the family entertained and is great value for money.
So, that brings us to the conclusion. What will families be buying to keep themselves entertained this Christmas? Will this survey turn out to be right and will the Xbox 360 prove to be the popular choice for an entertainment system this year, or will it’s rival the Playstation 3 dominate? Or how about the family friendly Nintendo Wii? Head on over to the forums and let us know what you think.
ESRB Rating: M for Blood and Gore, Violence
Genre: Shooter
Local Play: 2 Co-Op
Exclusively on Wii
Release Date: November 13, 2007
MSRP: $49.99 (I got a used copy for $19.99)
IGN says
The first Resident Evil game for the Wii, Umbrella Chronicles takes place from the first person as your characters move through a fully 3D mansion. This action/shooter hybrid reveals the back story behind the fall of the Umbrella Corporation by exploring locations from past Resident Evil 0, 1, 2 and 3 as well as new never-before-seen locations, such as Umbrella’s stronghold. Using the Wiimote, you take aim at enemies and fire away. Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles combines first-person, light-gun style combat with interactive pathways, multiple weapons and new enemies to create an entirely new Resident Evil experience that could only be delivered on the Wii.
GAME PLAY: 6/10
Very simple concept. You can play SINGLE player or MULTI-PLAYER (2 player co-op), and choose between two characters, a girl and a guy.
You use a “cursor” to aim and have NO control over what your TV shows you.
and have a “button mashing” good time.
At first, it was pretty good. it’s EXTREMELY easy to play. You just point the cursor (aimer) at anything coming to attack you…and shoot!
The game is EXTREMELY short! (a friend of mine and I got through the whole game in two sittings. Two separate nights for a few hours…
The length is very disappointing. HOWEVER, there are several missions to unlock which seemed to be only one player. Though you keep doing the same thing; point and shoot.
The environments are destructible. You can shoot the lights out for a chance at a power up - weapon upgrade (though it does make things darker…and with an already dark game…it does help to the creepiness.
It is fun for the first few hours…but much like anyone who’s playing Wii Sports for the first time (especially boxing) your fingers get tired pretty fast.
You have special guns (shot guns, machine guns etc) which have limited ammo. You have a “default” gun (hand gun) which has infinit ammo.
The game moves like a move. You have a LITTLE bit of control over the “angle” you’re looking at. You can pivot the camera slightly to shoot a picture on the wall to get a power up or something.
It’s “quick” fun…but dies fast (not much re-playability)
SOUND 7/10
It’s pretty good. Not excellent. But, when all you’re hearing is BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG KABOOM! BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG KABOOM! BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG KABOOM! BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG
…you know.
The character voices seemed a little low, and the music/special effects seemed a lil too loud. I had to go into the menu and turn everything but the character voices down and it was still hard to hear them. BUT, the loud special effects and music etc did make for a fun and loud experience.
GRAPHICS 7/10
Similar to Resident Evil 4. The graphics are not HD or anything. They may be “high PS2″ standards…but they were pretty good.
RE-PLAYABILITY 2/10
(not really. Unless you HAPPEN to be in a really big mood for shootin’ stuff)
ENDING 4/10
…without spoiling it…
After you beat main parts/levels, there’s a lil video that plays (like most games do). We KINDA predicted we knew the ending, we were just hoping it wasn’t. BUT…it was.
We finished it and we’re thinking, “this is probably the ending…but that’s kinda short”.
It ALMOST helped with the story…but when it’s done, we were thinking “that’s it?”
RESIDENT EVIL UMBRELLA CHRONICLES: Good first time play. Exciting fast action. VERY tiring on your trigger finger.
…RENT IT or borrow it (If you buy it…don’t spend more than $19.99…in fact spend less than that)
Over at JJ Games they’ve posted up the pictures below of video gaming pumpkins/Jack-o-Lanterns and just in time for Halloween!
There are some crazy pumpkin designs here and I still have my pumpkin to carve so I’m getting some good ideas too:
8 Bit Mario
Want to test latest Xbox before others ?
Now, you just don’t have to wait till November 19 to test the latest Xbox . Big daddy is there to help. Microsoft is looking for people to participate in the Xbox 360 Preview program in fall 2008.
You just have to follow this link and fill out a simple survey to participate in this event. Microsoft will review your application and select a few thousand members to have a feel of this extreme gaming machine . This is open to all Xbox Gold and Silver members however, Gold members will be given preference. Don’t wait. Who knows, you could be the lucky one !
This is my first review on here, so I hope you girls enjoy it. Please feel free to let me know what you think of my review. I’ll try and review as many games as possible, but I thought I’d start with a favourite of mine.
Abit of History on Tomb Raider
(For those of you unfamiliar)
The very first release of Tomb Raider was back in 1996 where we see the fictional British character, Lara Croft, on a hunt for artifacts and other historic items in places such as Egypt and Peru. Six of the Tomb Raider games were developed by ‘Core Design’, but the last two Tomb Raider games were developed by ‘Crystal Dynamics’. Lara Croft is probably one of, if not THE, most recognised video game character of all time.
Still going strong, Lara takes us on her 8th journey in this part re-make of her very original story back in 1996.
Click here to read the full review
The much anticipated Xbox Dashboard revolution is coming our way on November the 19th, the date is confirmed! That’s the date we say goodbye to the old Xbox 360 dashboard and hello to the new Xbox experience complete with avatars to pimp out and express yourself with (I’ve just looked at my own Mii and I hope the Xbox avatars are a little more ‘pimped’ and a little less ‘plumped’ like my weird little Nintendo Mii is!).
Hands up if you are as excited as I am about the new dashboard! I like the current set up on my 360, the blades are fine with me but, I’m looking forward to the new system too, keeps the 360 ‘fresh’ and funky!
Here is the link to the Microsoft press conference at the Tokyo Games Show as reported by Joystiq.
