Current Release: September 11th, 2007 | Vol. XXIV Iss. 10

Photo by Meghan See

Video fun and games

Andrew Page

ajpage@vwc.edu

Like children in front of a candy store, a mass of students gathered in front of the CMAC, eagerly awaiting the chance to enter. Three projection screens had gone up, each offering up something fun for the gamers that day.

The V-Games event, held by VWC and Beyond, had one purpose, and that was to let students play on the best of the current generation systems and games. Halo 3, Wii Sports, and Guitar Hero III were the games of choice that day, each game gaining a crowd to watch others play. This was the last event held by VWC and Beyond, for the semester. J. R. Ennis, president and event organizer, said V-Games had the best attendance of any of the events he has held and felt it was a great way to end the semester. With 2007 coming to a close, gamers are already looking forward to new games coming soon at the end of this year and in the next. The big talk amongst gamers was Super Smash Brothers Brawl. The long awaited sequel to the definitive party fighting game has been postponed to early 2008, but that has yet to kill the excitement for the game. Brawl promises more of what you expect, solid fighting with your favorite Nintendo icons on crazy stages with cool items and moves. A plethora of new modes and characters have been announced on the official site (smashbros.com) and with each passing day, Brawl gets more and more exciting. The wait for Brawl looks to be well worth it, and with guest appearances by Sonic the Hedgehog and Solid Snake of the Metal Gear Solid series, Brawl looks to be an early contender for 2008’s best game of the year. Speaking of Metal Gear Solid, easily the biggest title for Playstation 3 is Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. This chapter follows Solid Snake on what could be his final mission. Fans will be glad to see the return of many classic heroes and villains like Otakon, Liquid Ocelot, Meryl, Vamp, and Raiden, and many new characters as well. The plot of the game is bound to be full of the twists, turns, crazy characters, and Hideo Kojima’s unique sense of humor, so newcomers to the series will undoubtedly be confused from the get go. But, don’t worry. There’s still time before the games release to check out what everyone is talking about when it comes to Metal Gear.

But, if there’s one thing that everyone understands, it is music. Guitar Hero fans have been eager about Harmonix games latest project, Rock Band. Looking to be the most all encompassing rhythm game ever, Rock Band is four games in one. Available for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 2 and 3, Rock Band is Guitar Hero, Bass Hero, Drum Hero, and Singing Hero all in one. The game will be available this holiday, so be sure to check it out.

Beyond the big name titles, there are plenty of other games to look forward to. On the Wii, there is No More Heroes. You play a beam katana wielding assassin named Travis, looking to be the best assassin in the world. The kooky art style and sense of humor reminiscent of Suda 51 (the game’s creator) other cult project, Killer 7. Wii owners looking for something a little different would be wise to give it a look.

PSP owners may be in for a treat in 2008, with the release of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII. Another sequel to the Playstation 1 hit, this game pushed PSPs in Japan. With a US release, the PSP may finally catch up with the ever popular Nintendo DS. DS owners looking for a new adventure may not have to wait long in 2008. The fourth game in the cult series, Ace Attorney, may be just around the corner. With a new hero, Apollo Justice, fans of the last hero games and newcomers alike will find something to love with this exciting new installment. Finally, by this time next year, we can all look forward to Ghostbusters: The Game. Not much is known about the project, but with just about all of the original cast working on the writing and voice acting, this looks to be the game that will pay tribute to one of the greatest comedies of the 80s.

With plenty of sequels and new titles on the horizon, 2008 looks to be a great year in gaming that will have something for everyone.