These are the games I've played so far to date in order of freshness:
Fight Night Round 3
- Single Player
- Quite possibly the game that makes the purchase "worth it"
- The graphics are amazing as hell and while unrealistic (linear blood spurts) screams "potential" for upcoming titles
- Tekken 5 was the first game that made me say "Holy ... I'm playing a cutscene" in the arcade when I first saw it.
- I don't even have HD and the graphics are definately better than Tekken 5. "Holy ... I'm playing Final Fantasy: Spirits Within"
- As with most EA games, I make a guy that looks like me. A non-or-slightly-non-obese person who seems to be at a decent ideal weight and looks relatively like me.
- This means perfectionist single player until I get over the OCD.
- There were big changes from the Demo to Retail as far as gameplay goes
- The get up "2 sticks" option is incredibly hard after 5 knockdowns. It begins to become like a magnet when you try to put like poles together.
- A HUD is good for a beginner like me initially. No HDTV makes trying to use visible fatigue difficult.
- Some say the game is "slow" but compared to the demo everything is noticably faster but not Ninja Gaiden quickness. Say this with me: it's okay that it "feels" slow
- Multiplayer
- I've yet to play it but the options seem perfect for this type of game
- Lag would be annoying and an excuse for beat downs
- I expect to get schooled often
Call of Duty 2
- Single Player Veteran
- Enemy AI has shot me through the ground or what perceived to be complete cover
- It looks like there are spots where the enemy comes out in an unspecified number of people until you reach a certain point
- There are ways to make it feel less "cheap" but it seems more obvious you're playing against a computer. Yeah I believe WWII was a death trap but it feels very unrealistic, like they can see something you can't see.
- Multiplayer
- Lag is an understatement on some levels
- The first user has 0 ping, which leads me to suggest the first person in a Lobby "hosts" the game
- Once a game is done, you're kicked out forced to join another lobby (to my knowledge)
- Playing games with friends is challenging (not that I have any)
- There's an upcoming patch hopefully covering all of this.
- I love it online with a squad that talks and works together. I'm a gung ho, retarded, shoot people in the face kind of person and it's nice to know someone has my back if I can speak reasonable
Tony Hawk: American Wasteland
- Single Player
- Same old Tony Hawk: Underground with slightly spiffier graphics and a Matt Hoffman BMX kind of gameplay added
- Luckily I rented it. Online makes keeping it nice but the achievements and rest of the gameplay make me possibly want to buy it when it becomes $30 or whatever "greatest hits" is
- Multiplayer
- There seems to be active games in sperts. At most I've seen 3 possible games, the least being 1
- Seems confusing at first but cool once you understand it
- You seem to have to unlock the levels before accessing them. I know they have to be unlocked to host the map, not sure about playing
Final Fantasy XI (Beta)
- I understand the concept but I only know one person to play this type of game and normally I don't have x/month to spend on one service.
- Chat without a keyboard is "interesting"
- Xbox Live headset does work which would make chatting easier. If it only dictated or used voice commands we'd be set
- I'd love to play the beta until it's no longer free but with no one I know, I'm lost. I can't decypher the single player type text from people peddling crap.
- I'd love playing if I had a guide. I don't really like MMO from what I see but I like the concept of having one person and building them up (it's what I do in single and multiplayer matches for as long as I've owned a console or game)
Project Gotham Racing 3
- Single Player
- Usual PGR single player. PGR2 got repetitive and cone challenges were "controller thrower" moments. Good to know that has returned
- I've intentionally raced a small amount of races because of cone challenge but I'm no longer stuck on needing the highest medal on a race before moving on
- I hated the normal cars and are glad they're gone. I hate simulations that use them
- Multiplayer
- I first raced only having the initial amount of money and I bought a car that cost all of it
- Most people finish while I'm way behind. We share a laugh as I run into walls to try and finish on time
- Different cars are definately better. I had to come back after a good couple of single player matches to finish easier.
Madden NFL '06
- Single Player
- I play the Falcons because of 2 reasons: I've lived in Atlanta all my life and it's the team I've consistently used since the NY Giants had Lawrence Taylor. We're talking Madden '91-ish
- I go for practically every 4th down. Some games I can go all 4 quarters without being stomped but the computer catches on quick
- Michael Vick seems cheap. You can run the hell out of the ball into any pocket and get a decent first down every time
- Running game seems like the computer "knows" every play I'm gonna make, except for the sneak
- Multiplayer
- Haven't played online. Because of my team choice, I feel like everyone and their mom plays Michael Vick
- I know no other decent team that wouldn't be played out and I don't feel I should have to give up my home team
- Football isn't my sport so I'd most likely get beat down quickly with the technicality
Kameo: Elements of Power
- Single Player
- Honestly my type of game even
- I love hovering. I've had a dream where I've flown like this so it's kind of cool to be able to do it in a game
- Definately a good double digit hour experience. It appears kidsy but would definately be over their head (as evident here )
- I'll get back to playing this when I can't get online
- I too would feel like a puddinghead for not owning this after playing it. It's the best game of the initial line up (with no patches)
- Multiplayer
- Looks interesting but I don't know anyone on Live or have anyone to play with locally
Games I'm looking forward to are Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter, Splinter Cell: Double Agent, Saint's Row, Elder Scrolls: Oblivion, Frame City Killer and Mass Effect when it eventually comes out. It'll be a while before I'll have all of those games but I think I can last.