Last year Microsoft ushered in the next generation of gaming consoles with the Xbox 360. 2006 will be a year of transition and by the end of it, the PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube will be obsolete. This year will also reveal more about the Xbox 360’s mysterious competition, the PlayStation 3, and Nintendo’s Revolution.
2006 PlayStation 2 and Xbox releases
Jan. 17, “25 to Life”: “SOCOM” meets cops and robbers in this third-person 16-player online shooter. It’s cops versus ganstas to be specific. Last year the game came under fire from Jack Thompson, video gaming’s arch-nemesis. Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) also blasted the game, saying: “Little Johnny should be learning how to read, not how to kill cops.” This game better be worth the controversy.
Feb. 1, “StarCraft: Ghost”: Originally announced in 2003, “StarCraft: Ghost,” a third-person shooter, is Blizzard Entertainment’s first foray into 3D-console gaming. In 2004, Blizzard axed Nhilistic, the game’s developer, and replaced the loss with Swingin’ Ape Studios, makers of the sleeper-hit “Metal Arms.”
Blizzard has made some of PC Gaming’s greatest games. I’ve spent a ludicrous amount of my youth playing “Diablo” and “StarCraft.” I’ve also been hooked on Blizzard’s 5-million subscriber online role-playing game “World of Warcraft.” I have high hopes for “StarCraft: Ghost,” but I worry about this game ruining Blizzard’s perfect record.
Feb. 14, “Marc Ecko’s Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure”: Clothing designer Marc Ecko teamed up with Atari and penned the script for “Contents Under Pressure.” The company describes the game as “an homage to graffiti’s rich culture.” I am a little skeptical about how well the premise will translate into gameplay, but stranger things have happened. Maybe Ecko is also a video game visionary.
Feb. 27, “Black”: A first-person shooter by Criterion, makers of the “Burnout” series. The game promises a destructive, Hollywood experience. Previews of the game look impressive, and I’ve got high hopes for it.
March 1, “Scarface: The World is Yours” and March 7, “The Godfather: The Game” (PS2, Xbox, PC, PSP): Two “Grand Theft Auto” knockoffs with interesting licensing choices. There have been a flood of “GTA” knockoffs over the past few years – some good, some bad. Games based on movies have historically been low quality, but recent titles have been bucking that trend. Check the reviews before going out and buying either of these games.
GameCube
March 6, “Odama”: Combines real-time strategy and pinball. Previews look promising as the pinball bowls over tiny feudal Japanese warriors. May tide GameCube owners over until-
April 15, “The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess”: Many gamers are hoping that this is the year Nintendo will release this delayed title. Screen shots of this darker, more mature “Zelda” have had fans of the series salivating since 2004. Nintendo has an amazing reputation and I doubt that “Twilight Princess” will disappoint.
PlayStation 3
Little is known about Sony’s PlayStation 3. There isn’t an official release date, place or price for the system. Speculation points to Spring of 2006, in Japan and expensive. The PlayStation 3 will boast a new technology called the Cell microprocessor. There have been rumors that the Cell technology will be difficult to program. Recently John Carmack, creator of “Doom,” “Quake” and others, said in an interview: “The PS3 will have a bit more peak power, but it will be easier to exploit the available power on the 360.”
Revolution
Like the PS3, Nintendo’s next generation system, codenamed Revolution, does not have a release date or price point. The Revolution’s controller contains a gyroscope that will allow it to detect motion. While Microsoft and Sony are stressing the power of their newest systems, Nintendo is stressing the innovation of their new controller. The Revolution will also feature a service that allows owners to download classic Nintendo titles.
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