A Debut To Forget - No One Cares About The Xbox 360 Elite

I had a late night Saturday night - I'm just starting to recover. It was so late that Saturday night magically turned into Sunday morning. It was the craziest thing - this big glowing disk rose over the horizon, and suddenly, a new day was born. I'm told this is called a sunrise, and that it happens every day. I'm not usually conscious during the time this supposedly happens, so I can't say for sure. But I'm glad I got to see at least one.

Anyway, this Sunday marked the official launch of the Xbox 360 Elite. Assuming you hadn't already snagged one, this was your opportunity. So, since this was essentially free time for me, I decided to head down to my local Target to cover the "launch event".

I arrived in the parking lot at 7 a.m., exactly one hour before the store opening. There was already a line of about 10 people in front of the store, which seemed like a reasonable number. Then I started talking to the crowd, and I found out the horrific truth - today was a Wii day. That's right, 10 people were at Target at 7 a.m. on the Xbox 360 Elite's launch day to buy a Nintendo Wii. Fantastic. But, there was still an hour to go, so I held out hope.

By the time the store opened, two lines had formed out front. The larger was for the Wii, with about 30-35 people. The smaller was for the Elite, and it consisted of...1 person. That's right: o-n-e. I guess technically that shouldn't be called a "line", but I'm editorializing here.

Of course, none of this is much of a surprise. Almost no one was clamouring for a more expensive version of the 360. If anything, people wanted just the opposite. And with the supply/demand ratio for the Wii where it is, I'm guessing that most Sunday mornings outside of Target look just like this one. So what's a slightly-upgraded console to do? I guess a rampant 360 killing spree is an option, but more than likely, it'll just be back to the boardroom for Bill Gates and the gang.

Until a new battle plan can be drawn up, we'll just have to live with the fact that the 360 is the "middle console" that just doesn't get it's fair share of attention. Instead of focusing on a good value console that delivers a wide library of games, people would rather talk about the sexy console that costs an arm and a leg and treats you like dirt in front of your friends, the PS3 (even if only to bash it - it's kind of a Paris Hilton thing), or the fun baby console that saves puppies and reverses global warming, the Wii. But don't cry for the 360 - it doesn't want your pity. It just wants your money.

All New Remake Ninja Action Is Now On Your PS3

It's a bit sad when the hottest properties on a consoles are the demos. But unfortunately for Sony, the games just keep getting overshadowed. Many agree that GT:HD puts normal titles to shame, and now, there's one more demo available that can make a similar claim. It's Ninja Gaiden: Sigma, and it looks freakin' awesome.

Some of you old school gamers will remember the original Ninja Gaiden for the NES. The game looked good for it's time (except the wind effect - what the hell was going on there), but that was 8-bit territory. There were numerous sequels on various consoles, and that's all led up to the stunning release on the PS3...of the demo.

Now one thing must be said before anything else - this game is not exactly brand new. Instead, it is a remake of Ninja Gaiden Black from the original Xbox. That being said, the graphics of the game have been completely overhauled, and visually, this is a completely new experience. The demo is running at a full 1080p at 60 fps, and it doesn't get any more hi-def than that. And let me tell you, the frame rate is solid - thank you very much Cell processor!

Even if you've never played Ninja Gaiden before, if you have a PS3, you should download this demo just to see how good a game can look. And if you are a fan, then you've already got the demo, and should be playing it instead of sitting here and reading this like a little bitch. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to enjoy the next generation of gaming...courtesy of a demo.

Friday Freebie - Live Your Dream Of Editing Video Like The Pros

Some kids watch TV and movies when they're young and think to themselves, "someday I'll be in that show". Those kids are stupid - they're way to ugly and homely to ever make it in Hollywood. But you were the realistic one. You thought to yourself, "someday I'll be making that show". Well, it turns out you were stupid too - just not quite as stupid as the other kids. It's okay, though, because your time to shine has finally come, courtesy of VirtualDub:

With this program and the hardware you probably already have, you can capture, edit, and create your own movies. Or, you can make existing movies better. Think the director's cut of Blade Runner was too out there? Make your own director's cut, and show Ridley Scott what you really think of his so-called talent.

Now I know there are probably some people out there claiming they don't need this program because they already have Windows Movie Maker. And we all know if Bill Gates approved it, it must be gold. Now technically, WMM is an excellent piece of software, and can do a lot of great things with it. But, it also has a lot of limitations. You won't find those in VirtualDub. Here, you're going to get many of the same tools that the pros get when they edit in Vegas or Premiere Pro. It's just not as pretty, is all.

The interface is clean, with most of the options accessible through the file menus instead of toolbars. This keeps things uncluttered, but can make it difficult for a noob to find exactly what they're looking for. Thankfully, there is some basic documentation to help you get started on the website, but if you can't figure out the more advanced tools on your own, you'll need to enlist help from a site like Doom9.

There may be a steep learning curve, but the results are worth it. You really can create professional looking videos if you take your time and do things right. So grab a copy of VirtualDub for Windows right here, and start channeling your inner Steven Spielberg.

Sony Releases A Camera For The PS3 - Did Anyone Ever Buy The PS2 Version?

For those of you that have been on the fence over whether or not to pick up a PS3, you just got your reason - Sony is releasing a new PS3 camera! Can you taste the excitement? Okay, this isn't exactly the peripheral that everyone was clamouring for...or anyone was clamouring for, for that matter. But, it's here, so we might as well talk about it.

The first thing you'll notice is that they changed the name from EyeToy to PlayStation Eye. The second thing is the huge, honkin' microphone that is now strapped to the top of the camera. According to the press release, this is a "four microphone array", which supposedly allows for location tracking as well as some noise canceling features. Meaning, no need for a headset. That's a good innovation.

Now, some bad news - it's not an HD camera. While it does support higher resolutions than the old EyeToy did, it's only 640 x 480 at 60 fps (or 320 x 240 at 120 fps, which would make it suitable for fast-paced action games). Also, while it can record video to the PS3 hard drive, which you can edit and add effects to with the free included software, you can't export it to another device - it can only live on the PS3. I'm sure they'll let you do something with it in the upcoming Home service, but still, the ability to save files to a USB flash key or external HD would have been nice.

Ultimately, the success of this peripheral will come down to how developers support it. The only games associated with the original EyeToy were simple, waste of time games. If the PlayStation Eye gets the same kind of lineup, you can expect this thing to fall flat on its lens. That being said, it could have some life in Home, as the Xbox 360's Vision camera does on Live's video chat. Time will tell.

No price has been announced, and no release date, though it's expected that this will hit sometime in the summer. You can pimp the full press release and some pics here. In the meantime, better get a hair cut and some acne medication, because soon enough, you'll be live for the whole world to see.

Get Yourself A God Of War Demo On UMD For The PSP - For Free!

I know that UMDs aren't selling all that well these days, but I never thought Sony would actually start giving them away for free. Well, that's exactly what's happening now, in the form of a God of War: Chains of Olympus demo, which Sony will send you - free!

Everyone knows that GOW is a system seller, so I'm sure Sony is banking on the goodness of this title moving more than a few PSPs. And what better way to get the word out on the game than to release a demo. But, this isn't a downloadable demo - this one is on UMD. Why do that? Well, there's a good chance that the file size of this demo would be more than the average person's Memory Stick can handle, due to the killer graphics. So, Sony is giving it away gratis on UMD. They're even picking up the shipping (there's no word yet on how long it will take to get your copy).

Head over to the God of War: Chains of Olympus website to get your disk. If you have a Playstation Underground account, you're all set. If not, it's free to sign up. Then, just click the link, and you're golden. But don't wait on this one too long, cause "supplies are limited". So get off your ass, click the mouse, and enjoy some GOW on your PSP...in 4 to 6 weeks, probably.

And Here I Thought Robin And Aquaman Were The Only Gay Superheroes

Ever notice how Spiderman's "spidey sense" only tingled when he was around other men? It looks like Marvel's favorite son is finally coming out of the closet, and he's heading straight for Broadway. That's right, it's Spiderman: The Musical.

Let me say that for you one more time: Spiderman: The Musical. Let's wait a minute before we go on, to give the comic fanboys a chance to calm down, breathe, and pick their jaws up off the floor. Okay? Great. I guess all those years of wearing tights and shooting men with his sticky goo have finally caught up with everyone's favorite webslinger. Now Spidey's fabulous, and he's gonna shout it from the stage.

The music for this monstrosity will be developed by U2's Bono and The Edge. Don't these guys have a tree to go save or something? And as of right now, there's no release date.

Honestly, I'm just as surprised about this as you are. Sure, the costume's a little fruity - a real man wears a cape when he fights crime. But still, between Mary Jane and Black Cat, he always had a hot chick on his arm. Still, you've got to wonder about a grown man that lives with his aunt. That's never a good sign.

Halo 3 In Full HD - Hope Master Chief's Armor Is Nice And Shiny

For Sony and Microsoft, this generation of consoles is all about the graphics. And for good reason - with more and more homes switching to HD, sharper graphics are becoming important to more people. Not to mention, nicer looking games tend to provide a more realistic experience than their 8-bit ancestors ever could.

The current rumor hitting the net has MS mandating that Bungie, the developer behind the Halo series, deliver the game in full 1080p HD at 60 fps. For the noobs out there, that means really kick-ass graphics. But two questions have to be asked - can Bungie deliver, and is the 360 up to the task?

Everyone is expecting Halo 3 to be absolutely gorgeous, so even if it's not "full HD", Bungie should come close (that being said, they could release something ugly as sin and it would probably still set sales records). But assuming Bungie can deliver that full HD experience, I don't think the 360 can support it. The console just doesn't seem to have the hardware to make those numbers happen, and still deliver a rich gaming experience with detailed landscapes and hordes of enemies.

Hopefully I'm wrong, but we'll see. I will say that it's best not to judge based on the upcoming demo, as that is sure to be rough. Of course, if Halo 3 were a PS3 title, this would be a whole different story...

Let the flaming begin!

Tuesday Trainwreck - These Damn Pokemon's Are Ganging Up On Us

I won't lie to you - Pokemon scares me. All those kids with "pocket monsters" - it's just not right. Personally, I thought the whole trend would die long ago, especially when all the knock off versions started to appear (of the hundred or so that were spawned from hell, only Yu-Gi-Oh comes to mind - I guess the alcohol is doing its job). But just like with New Coke, I was wrong, and those Japanese factories are still pumping out Pokemon games by the truckload. And now there's a new one to add to the mix - Pokemon Diamond Version:



Oh, crap - are you telling me there's a second one? F*ck. Apparently these things travel in packs, cause also making it's way out of Japan this week is Pokemon Pearl Version:

So why two games? A couple reasons: Japanese games developers (a) want to make me hang myself, and (b) know how to separate money from a consumer. For some unimaginable reason, Pokemon fans are die hard, and will purchase anything and everything containing those stupid little monsters that they can get their hands on. It must be some kind of mind control or something...

Thankfully, I can report that I've never played a Pokemon game, and with any luck, I never will. So you'll just have to trust me on this trainwreck. I'm sure the games are very amusing, in a totally demented, IQ smaller than your shoe size kind of way, but this is not a path you want to head down. So when you see these things sitting on the shelf at Best Buy, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and grab a copy of Armored Core 4 instead - it's the lesser of two (three?) evils.