Microsoft's first/second party line up

**AaronChance** · 13 Apr 2004, 04:14 AM

I started playing through Halo again recently and my copy still has a booklet of all the 'coming soon' first party games from MS. Remembering my excitement and naive optimism of the time I first flipped through that booklet, I'd thought it might be interesting to discuss how these games turned out.

The good and the bad:

Halo - My opinion of the game has greatly improved since last I played it, though in any case it was a solid hit for MS and justified the cost of Bungie. Xbox would have probably been a Jaguar without it.
Blinx - A lesson in how not to make a decent platformer. I can't believe it was ever play tested because it seems to go out of its way to do everything wrong. Despite all the lies MS told about the game (revolutionary use of hard drive! 4D!) it sold terribly, which was better than it deserved.
Amped - A rough start in the extreme sports genre, but a good one I thought. Not something worth full price, but with enough tweaks it could have been. I've only briefly played Amped 2, though my opinion the series is still a little too rough around the edges.
Tao Feng - Worst 3D fighter ever. When even the names of characters are horrible, you know you're in trouble. Getting beat up in real life is more fun than this game.
Kato Cojin - A game that's not even worth looking up the proper spelling of. If stiff-moving rave rejects beating the crap out of each other is your thing, Mortal Kombat: DA does it better.

Those still not known:

Unseen - lives up to the name by being cancelled.
Tork - dropped by MS, though because of Ubisoft we'll be able to find out if MS was right in dropping it or not.
Psychonaughts - a recent one to get the boot, supposedly because it sucks, though after approving Blinx I'm a little dubious of MS's sense of taste.
Jade Empire - Even though it's not out yet, after KOTOR and the several videos of it released it would have to have some major hidden problems to at least not turn out to be a decent game.
Fable - With how long its taking to make, I hope it turns out good, but then I had the same hopes for Daikatana.
Halo 2 - It'll sell a million copies even if it sucks, but I don't think Bungie or MS would be satisfied with that.

**Damian79** · 13 Apr 2004, 04:28 AM

*tears xbot badge off ammadeu*

**MechDeus** · 13 Apr 2004, 04:31 AM

Just give me Fable. I have great faith and hopes in that one, I have a feeling it will be nothing short of incredible.

**Survival Kid** · 13 Apr 2004, 04:49 AM

If Fable turns out to suck, the world will probably come to an end.

**Damian79** · 13 Apr 2004, 05:16 AM

Originally Posted by Survival Kid

If Fable turns out to suck, the world will probably come to an end.

I wouldn't put my hopes up if I were you. Historically, games that people weren't allowed to try a demo of, very hush hush about, tons of hype, and took years to make, tended to suck most of the time. You have like a 40% chance of it not sucking.

But I really hope it doesn't suck even though I know that I am probably stting up myself for a huge dissapointement.

**Schlep** · 13 Apr 2004, 05:22 AM

Originally Posted by Damian79

I wouldn't put my hopes up if I were you. Historically, games that people weren't allowed to try a demo of, very hush hush about, tons of hype, and took years to make, tended to suck most of the time. You have like a 40% chance of it not sucking.

Ninja Gaiden turned out pretty good from what I've played, despite not being playable last year.

**MVS** · 13 Apr 2004, 05:24 AM

PGR2.

That is all.

Well, until RSC2 hits in a month.

**MechDeus** · 13 Apr 2004, 05:28 AM

Originally Posted by Damian79

Historically, games that people weren't allowed to try a demo of, very hush hush about, tons of hype, and took years to make, tended to suck most of the time.

It was only hush until recently since it's actually getting vaguely close to release (which is how game press should be *coughDNFcough*), and there's a big article in the latest XBN on it. I haven't read it because I want Fable to fresh as hell for me (unless reviews across the board start rating it as utter crap). As for a demo, Fable isn't supposed to ship for another five months so it's not like you should even expect one until maybe a couple weeks beforehand. And considering it's like a "life-sim" I can only think of them giving a small timed area for a demo, which would be pretty blah anyway.

[edit] And would anyone care to inform me why ebworld has the strategy guide set for shipping three months prior to the game coming out?