PS2 - improved over time

[Harrison]

FarCry is great on other systems. The PC version is still the best, with the Xbox and PS2 versions being pretty good. It's just the Wii version that is really bad which is strange when they managed to make decent versions for the last gen systems.

[Submeg]

Hmm....not good, but I'm still playing through Red Steel so got a bit of gaming to go.

[J T]

Red Steel is also a bit of a shocker, visually. It is quite good fun though once you become used to it. Just have to keep telling myself to play it like Time Crisis (duck and cover) rather than goldeneye/Perfect Dark (run in guns blazing and just destroy everything).

I've played a few hours on it and enjoyed it, but don't feel the pull to keep going back and playing more on it like I do Zelda.

That is indeed true. Twighlight Princess shows that you can make a great looking game on the Wii, although it does look very similar on the Gamecube!

It was developed for GCN, and pretty much just ported across but with the extra wiimote functionality and bits added on, from what I hear.

[Submeg]

Yea, tell me about it...I turned it on and thought the graphics looked no better than previous systems. I guess its ok, not the best....hope an awesome game comes out, otherwise I may consider selling it...

[Harrison]

You won't see any games looking all that much better than they did on the gamecube because its graphics capacity is not that much better, and also only supports standard definition progressive scan at best (no true HD support at all). Likewise its CPU is only about twice as fast as the Gamecubes (hence the low retail price of the system) so once it has processed all the motion information for a game it is probably left with about the power of a Gamecube.

The Problem with FarCry is that even the Gamecube could have coped with a decent version when you look at how good many 3D games for that system were; Metroid Prime being a good example. In contrast the Wii version of FarCry is extremely low resolution with blocking low resolution textures and a framerate that dips into single figures when enemies enter the screen. Not good at all, and it will not sell any Wii systems.

[J T]

The Wii is really not suited for multi-platform releases, certainly not at the moment and unlikely even in the future. It's not a graphics powerhouse and it was never designed to be one. I have to say that the graphics have been a mixed bag for me, some of them have looked terrible, but others have looked pretty sweet to me - a lot of it depends on the subject matter and how skilled the artists are at using what they've got to display the designs they have made.

Releasing Far Cry smacks of a money-making decision - "this machine is gonna sell well so let's just bung this game out for it regardless of the quality, it's bound to sell a few"

The Wii is probably only going to shine for games made specially for it, or by talented devs that can work the unique parts into their existing game/IP properly.





Note - I haven't played Far Cry on Wii, going on what other people say.

[Harrison]

Very true. Nintendo were looking at a system that would not cost much to manufacture, but at the same time deliver enough power to be able to deliver a fun gaming experience. The problem is that many people are graphics junkies and need the best of current graphics.

Looking back on the Gamecube, its games always looked pretty good. Its graphics abilities were better than the PS2 and not far behind the Xbox. And the Wii's are more powerful, even if only by some, so as long as games start to deliver gaming graphics of the quality seen on the Gamecube I cannot see many will moan. True, these will still not be able to compete side by side with the HD outputs of the PS3 and Xbox 360, but then it was never meant to, and as we have said before, the Wii is in a different market to the other two.

Maybe they changed the consoles name for a good reason. The only revolution was the control system. The actual hardware capabilities of the system are not really that much different to the last generation, so in comparison with the other two next gen systems the new Nintendo console is Wii!

But does that matter? Does the best always need to rely on the best hardware, the fastest processor or the most 3D graphics it can push? Of course not. The gameplay is all that matters, and this is Nintendo, the masters of gameplay.

It will still lose out when it comes to some genres, but for pure enjoyment and multiplayer it will be hard to beat.

[Submeg]

The only problem is that there are no games out here!What the hell is wrong with Nintendo?I have been waiting 4 weeks for a controller.....what games are fun on the Wii? I have Raymans and Red Steel, what else is more pushed toward the fun and entertainment side?

[J T]

Woah, easy there, sadly as it's such a popular console it can be hard to get wiimotes. Good to have a popular console though, things are looking good for the big N right now.

If you're into Zelda, Twilight Princess is a must.

Wario Ware is ace, top fun.

Wii Play is fun, if short.

Monkey Ball is alright, not brilliant though

[Submeg]

I've seen the ads for Wario, looks alright. Not a Zelda fan...sort of missed out on that one. Wii Play I will be getting with my new remote so its all good. It's good fun, but its of limited lifespan....hopefully there will be something that will get me hooked.