Welcome to the mailbag, where we handle all the crap you send in. Be it questions, comments, or any sort of rant, X-Communication is the place to talk back with the GWX editors. Send all of your letters to mailbag@gamingworldx.com.
Brad wonders if the truth is out there…. On PC I recently read your article on the new X-Files game and was wondering if you know if it will be ported for PC. Thank You. Brad Livesay
Adam Responds Right now, Vivendi’s got no plans to do so – and considering the abysmal failure of the X-Files FMV game on the PC, it’s a fairly sound decision. But a previous survival horror game of theirs (The Thing), while first released for X-Box and PS2, did end up on the PC, so they could be working on a port. Everybody Loves Brendon (Except for his mother) I must say, every single article I have ever read of Brendon's, always has some truthful opinions. I was once again swept away at the way his recent editorial "The Dying Software Publisher" summed up a lot of how I feel about the current way the industry is going ... but wait? I no longer feel that the industry even is an industry anymore. I am not very good at words but that is how I feel. I mean because of all this stuff that goes on with videogames, I have not bought a single next-gen console in forever. I have been buying SNES and NES and Genesis and Saturn and Dreamcast games (okay well maybe Dreamcast was a next-gen system it had to be my favorite) I just don't feel like buying these games anymore (next-gen games I mean) they just totally give me no interests points. Like Fear Effect Inferno for instance. Do you realize how many different release dates they have given for that game? I have lost count. I actually wanted that game but Eidos was like you need to do this and this or we won't publish it, mah ha ha (please correct me if I am wrong) I just got tired of waiting now I don't really want it. I just piddle around playing super Nintendo and Saturn mainly. All this I want money crap is making games blah. I am aware of the fact that games need money to be made, but where is the passion. Like books, most writers do not write to make money. they write because they love to, if no one likes there book, then they at least know they did. Oh well, as long as my super Nintendo works I am set for life.
Brendon Responds Thank you so much for the kind words, Bahamut. It's letters like these that let us at GWX know we're doing our job, whether the responses we get are good or bad.
Don't overlook some of this generation's greatest releases. As you can tell by reading our fabulous GWX Awards, 2002 was a great year for all three big consoles. Vice City, Metroid Prime, Splinter Cell, Animal Crossing, Morrowind...the list goes on and on. But I'm sure I don't really need to remind you!
And please rest easy in regards to the new Fear Effect. Eidos has recently began some major refinements in the way their games are made, most especially in focus testing. Because Eidos is taking the extra time to focus test their new products, the final results are so much better. Timesplitters 2 and Hitman 2 both benefited greatly from this new approach, and Fear Effect 3 will get the same treatment. Even the new Tomb Raider has been delayed to allow some extra gameplay refinement. Yeah, it sucks to wait on games, but if they release as better products, we can only be thankful, right?
One last thing; we here at GWX totally agree that games should never be about money, but passion. In a perfect world maybe, but here in the real world, that will likely never happen. That's why the famous saying DOESN'T go, "videogames make the world go 'round".Larry likes our features Guys, I love your features. Previews and reviews are okay and all, but where CAN’T someone find an opinion on the internet?? I still read yours of course because you guys don’t seem to be the big sellouts that IGN has become….I used to love IGN…..oh well. I guess what I really wrote to say is that I LOVE your features and editorials. I love coming daily. Thanks guys.
Adam Responds Joe, didn’t your folks already write in?
Joe Responds Thanks for the kind words, Larry. Let us know if there’s some other kind of feature you’d like to see us work on. We’re always open to new ideas.
Brendon Responds Thanks so much, Larry. While we treat our previews and reviews with the utmost respect, we do admit that we are attempting to offer more than that, as both previews and reviews are standards on any gaming site. Halo Tournaments Do you have a link on your website for upcoming events? I have searched the internet for someone that has info on Halo tournaments and have yet to find one. I found out about one you reported on in 2002 but i'm looking for upcoming events. (http://www.gamingworldx.com/news/Nowthoseofyouwhospentuntol.html) Thanks! Judah
Joe Responds I looked around a bit, but couldn’t find any info on upcoming tournaments. If we learn of one’s coming, we’ll be sure to report it. Ikaruga kicks ass… yours I am definitely buying Ikaruga in April. I love old-school 2D action combined with 3D backgrounds. This game was definitely made for fans who remember what it was like when Nintendo games were actually difficult. It’s not meant to make you feel good, it’s meant to kick your ass, and kick your ass some more. –Tim
Adam Responds I agree with you, but my tendonitis doesn’t.
Brendon Responds Have you played Contra: Shattered Soldier, Tim? Because you detailed that amazing game perfectly. 2D gameplay over 3D backdrops, and a difficulty level hard enough to make you age 5 years with each play session. Shattered Soldier will not only kick your ass, but it'll beat your friggin' teeth in!
It does make us wonder if the easier games of today have softened us up in comparison to those of our beloved NES days. Anyone have any thoughts? You know where to write.
Joe Responds You all know how I feel. After all, it was my glowing review that sparked this question. We’re not really sure about this one… Lady Bow is an average boo buddy as she was born as a _irby_do character in paper _irby from Super Mario Series, she is the princess of the boo as she lives in “Boo Mansion”. Well actually lady bow is my favorite character she’s beautiful and she’s cool. And now I design and create a character for lady bow, she’s a younger sweet child of the ghost, her name is “Ribbon”. She looks pink and niceful like _irby, she can actually wear a big ribbon and look very adorable! Her favorite mother is “Mommy” and she wants to grow up to be her mommy as a princess. And is also between mother and daughter, as I created of my idea for “Lady Bow’s Daughter”
Adam Responds Well…Hope that works out for you. Final Bahamut wonders about Site President Sonny Uppal… don’t we all? Well, I personal like the way your site is set up. I like how you Have PS2 section, three most recent things that's has happened on the console then to Gamecube and so on. I personally like it that way I can get to the section that interests me. I really like the mailbag and love to read peoples questions, but I would like to see it more often, that's just me personally. Secondly "Brendon" writes some awesome editorials. I envy his mad editorial skills. I do not think John sucks, I'm sorry but I look forward to reading his column and see how life is going up there. I wish other people would make editorials too. And I know this "Sonny" dude is the president, but who is he? There is a shroud of mystery around this fellow.
Adam Responds The thing about Sonny is, he's a Wookie transvestite from Neptune, thereby severly limiting his social skills with the likes of us "hu-miZens" as he calls us. Or maybe I just can't understand it when people speak 1337 aloud.
Joe Responds I don’t know about all that, but it sure is fun to kick his ass at Mech Assault and Ghost Recon.
Brendon Responds Unfortunately, my quest to force John to love KoRn isn't working. Unless of course, I can convince him he sucks otherwise. But I'm with you Bahamut; John isn't such a bad guy. Music-wise, he really needs to get with it though. Keep those ideas coming! Kaboom! Cool review. Thought you might want to link this site to the story. This site has a cool Flash version of Kaboom that has the same feel as the original, even the mouse tracks like the paddles. http://www.groovz.com/play/kaboom/
Joe Responds Thanks for the link. I’ll see if I can convince Sonny to add that to the original feature. Eidos unhappy with Tomb Raider delays? Is it true that Eidos Interactive will not be publishing any more of Kronos Digital's games because of the late release of Tomb Raider?
Brendon Responds If you're talking about the makers of Tomb Raider Bahamut, you'd be speaking of Core Design. Since we are GamingWorld X, we have the distinct advantage of knowing everything. Ok, no we don't, but it sounded good, yes?
Actually, Eidos and Core both wanted to hold the new Tomb Raider's release back until some more tune-ups could be completed. So while we can't confirm 100% that it's NOT true, our magic 8-ball says no. Halo If You Hear Me Obviously Halo was the best game that any system came up with in the past 3 years, and Halo 2 is going to be even better! A couple things i wish the creaters would do is keep track of your kills and accuracey so at the end of the missions you could see your stats. Another thing they should do is be able to have 1 player fight againts simulants of all different skill levels (easy, normal, heroic, legendary) and species (covenant, flood, ect) at all the multiplayer levels like blood gulch, sidewinder, prisoner, longest and all the others. So if you don't want to campaign just go to another select screen choose the sims you want to fight, choose your level, and then have at it. These were the only things I think were missing from Halo and as far as I can tell are going to be the only things missing from Halo 2.
Brendon Responds Halo is the best game on any system in three years? Don't hold back Dan, tell us how you really feel! Though we all have our favorites, we can't deny that Halo was one incredible game, and we're very excited to see exactly what Halo 2 will offer. Keeping track of player stats during the Story Mode would indeed be a nice touch, but as of now, there hasn't been a word from Bungie on the issue. However, the development team has been looking for something to offer the single player who wants to deathmatch with bots in the multi-player levels, and your idea seems to fill that void nicely. Bungie, are you listening?
Joe Responds The lack of bots was a huge strike against Halo’s multiplayer for me. 1 on 1 deathmatch isn’t incredibly exciting, and bots would’ve helped spice things up. Of course… since Halo 2 will be crammed full of Live features, why bother with bots?
Feature by Joe Mackie, Adam Matlock, and Brendon Hivner
