Packing Up My 360

Well, my 360 died.  I haven’t really talked much about it because it is still a fresh wound.  It started at E3 when it took 20+ attempts to download Uno.  After that day, my 360 was just wonky.  It would lock up frequently and I was forced to load up Oblivion from the dashboard.   The lock ups started getting more frequent and it kept getting worse.  Towards the end of its life, my 360 would only load up after I would detach the hard drive and unplug/replug the power brick.  Eventually, three blinking red eyes is the only life I was getting out of the console.  So, today I broke down and called 1-800-4MY-XBOX and let them know that they needed to come pick up their listless daughter.

You would think I would be pissed off and jump off the Xbox bandwagon, but the truth is … I love this console.  It’s not just the games and the graphics, but the whole package:  the arcade, Xbox Live, the gamercards, sending messages to your friend’s 360 from your PC, streaming content from your PC, iPod support, the wireless controllers, all of it.  This has been the most feature laden console since the Sega Dreamcast.  All that is missing from a feature standpoint is the ability to browse the interweb to download 36” high definition boobs, which is probably in the works.  So, as I prepare to get monetarily ass raped because I didn’t buy an extended warranty, I am filled not with anger and disgust that Microsoft sent out a buggy product before it was ready, but with a bittersweet longing that my injured friend returns to me soon.  (God, I hope it doesn’t break on me again when I get it back)

So what does a gamer do when his console of choice has left the building?  Three things.

1)  I have recently bought an adaptor for the USB port on my laptop that allows you to plug in an old SNES controller.  The product, which is sold by lik-sang.com here, works like a charm.  Paired with an emulator and a handful of ROMs, my laptop has been turned into a wayback machine that has allowed me to revisit some of my favorite games of the past.

2)  I am currently testing out the Beta version of a new game from the developers that made Yohoho Puzzle Pirates.  Their new game is called Bang! Howdy and is a multiplayer online tactical strategy game set in the Wild, Wild West.  The game plays like Advance Wars but instead of tanks and planes, you command gunslingers and steam powered cannons.  You win a certain amount of in-game money after each game which can be spent on new units and powerups.  When the game launches, players will be able to buy in-game money with real money.  This might mean they will release the game for free when it is ready for release.  The Beta is currently free to play and is worth a look if you like strategy games.

3)  God of War for the PS2.  I am playing this via my online game rental service.  This game is supposedly one of the best PS2 games ever.  I have got to say I am not impressed.  I think this game exemplifies why us older gamers are not enamored with Sony and their game library.  This is an action platform game that heavily relies on combos.  The game has a button for light attack, heavy attack, grab, block, magic, rush, jump, interact, and a thumbstick for dodge.  Doesn’t that seem excessive?  In addition, it is important to use combos such as light + light + heavy to do a basic combo or block + use thumbstick to select target + light to whip out Medusa’s head to freeze enemies.  As the game progresses, the enemies became harder so that you need to know more complex combos to succeed.  I grew up believing all you need to do to defeat an enemy was to jump on their head so all of this button mashing is a little much for me.  Combine this with the fact that you are unable to control the camera and I am left wondering who thought this was a good game?  The only saving grace of this game is that fact that there are boobies and you get rewarded for having threesomes.  Excellent.

So, anyway, sorry about the long-windedness.  At least I am not missing much with my 360 out of commission.  The release schedule for the summer just plain barren.