KnackChap Posted December 8, 2007 Report Share Posted December 8, 2007 http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/12/review-why-xbox.html Preserving the classics is all well and good, but at what price? This week, Microsoft unveiled its latest feature for its Xbox Live Marketplace game download service. Called Xbox Originals, it's a collection of games from the original Xbox library, like the first Halo. Sounds good on paper, but glitchy emulation and a lack of extra features keep the games from being worth the $15 asking price. There are currently seven games available: Halo, Pyschonauts, Indigo Prophecy, Fusion Frenzy, Crash Bandicoot: Wrath of Cortex, Crimson Skies, and Fable. If you already own any of these games, you can just put the disc into your Xbox 360 and play them. The downloadable versions don't offer any upgrades -- they're identical to the originals. And so is the emulation. Xbox 360 can't natively play original Xbox games; it has to use software emulation that is far from perfect. Many games, including the Originals versions, are plagued with problems like imperfect audio, saving issues, and freeze-ups. It is perhaps unreasonable to expect Microsoft to devote the time and resources to tweaking the code for these games yet again, but suffering through buggy gameplay is no one's definition of fun. The Originals are also lacking Achievements, arguably one of the most compelling reasons to game on the 360 in the first place. I can imagine how implementing them would have been a nightmare for Microsoft: Besides the technical issues such an undertaking would involve, the placement and awarding of Achievements is an artistic decision that really should only be made by the developers. Certainly, Tim Schafer might be willing and able to set some time aside to design Achievements for Psychonauts. But could the same be said for Traveller's Tales and Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex? When you consider the long-term implications for the Originals service, it's hard to blame Microsoft for not wanting to open that particular can of worms even if they could do it on a technical level. So if Microsoft wasn't being entirely unreasonable by not fixing the emulation or adding Achievements, why am I not more excited by the Xbox Originals? Mostly because they're $15 each. First off, the single-tier pricing doesn't make sense: A long-forgotten B-game like Fusion Frenzy simply isn't worth as much as Halo. But more than that, many of the games can be purchased for far less than the $15 download price simply by buying the original Xbox disc. It's true that you can never guarantee what games you'll actually be able to find in your local game store's used bin. Something like Crimson Skies might be omnipresent, but a quirky title like Indigo Prophecy will likely be more scarce. In that sense, Xbox Originals is filling a need. In fact, a quick check of GameStop.com and CDUniverse.com shows that some of the Xbox Originals titles are surprisingly hard to come by. Crash Bandicoot: Wrath of Cortex wasn't available from either site, and Psychonauts was only available from CDUniverse for $33. At GameStop, Halo was $25 and Fable $20. But Crimson Skies, Fusion Frenzy, and Indigo Prophecy were all available for less than the $15 Originals asking price: $3, $9, and $13, respectively. A savvy gamer can undoubtedly find copies of all the games in question for less than the $15 Originals price, but anyone willing to put in the time and effort to find bargains probably isn't going to be interested in the downloads anyway. But what about that casual audience Microsoft is courting, the supposed demographic of the Xbox Live Arcade service and console bundle? Persuading them to part with $5 or $10 for an Arcade game is one thing, but convincing them to risk $15 on a five-year old title is something else. The current game selection isn't helping matters any. Cult classics Psychonauts and Indigo Prophecy were tough sells to even knowledgeable gamers; persuading newcomers to give them a try isn't going to be any easier at fifteen bucks a pop. Halo might make sense for someone who doesn't want to pay full price for Halo 3, but when the Xbox 360 game Fusion Frenzy 2 is only $20 brand new, a $15 investment in its predecessor seems fairly foolish. Xbox Originals may become more appealing once more games are added, or during one of gaming’s many dry spells. Right now an overwhelming number of amazing games are available for 360, but sooner or later we'll enter one of those inevitable deserts that leave us desperate for something new to play. And so the Originals fall into a kind of gaming no-man's land, not quite enough of a bargain to entice the core audience, not accessible enough for the more casual sect. For a service with so much promise, the Xbox Originals just ends up being sort of...there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE DIRECTOR Posted December 8, 2007 Report Share Posted December 8, 2007 originals are cool for those whom don't own any of those games, but if u own them, then its really not worth it. even the price is wrong. well, this has to be the only MS will be able to sell 120GB HDD. plus im still tempted to get Pyschonauts and Indigo Prophecy................... but i know if i try to download them, my 360 is gonna RRoD. so again i don't see any point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lastAvenger Posted December 8, 2007 Report Share Posted December 8, 2007 originals are cool for those whom don't own any of those games, but if u own them, then its really not worth it. even the price is wrong. well, this has to be the only MS will be able to sell 120GB HDD. plus im still tempted to get Pyschonauts and Indigo Prophecy................... but i know if i try to download them, my 360 is gonna RRoD. so again i don't see any point. Why would it RRoD ? :s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarketTantrik Posted December 8, 2007 Report Share Posted December 8, 2007 ^^ Dont bother. Its just a rant. Probably didnt get his morning cuppa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinitwins Posted December 8, 2007 Report Share Posted December 8, 2007 ^ coz he would need to keep his console on for a month to download the games over his 64kbps connection V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lastAvenger Posted December 8, 2007 Report Share Posted December 8, 2007 ^rofl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE DIRECTOR Posted December 8, 2007 Report Share Posted December 8, 2007 not really MT, the 360 has to be on for some time AKA more heat build up........ RRoD could happen. not really a rant now is it. wow have an opinion... and it becomes a rant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarketTantrik Posted December 8, 2007 Report Share Posted December 8, 2007 ^^ Downloading stuff from XBLM is nowhere near;y as intensive as playing games on the console. If you are worried, switch on the background downloading option and turn off your console. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarbonCore Posted December 8, 2007 Report Share Posted December 8, 2007 ^^ Dont bother. Its just a rant. Probably didnt get his morning cuppa. or cheese cake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinitwins Posted December 8, 2007 Report Share Posted December 8, 2007 ^^ Downloading stuff from XBLM is nowhere near;y as intensive as playing games on the console. If you are worried, switch on the background downloading option and turn off your console. we did a not-so-perfect test when we had opened up amit's console - the heatsink was hotter than hell in 5 secs of bootup - and i mean hotter than hell! V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE DIRECTOR Posted December 8, 2007 Report Share Posted December 8, 2007 yeah, stick a frying pan on top of it, and BAM! gaming and breakfast together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lastAvenger Posted December 8, 2007 Report Share Posted December 8, 2007 LOL ^ and still it has not RRoD. By the way what were you guys doing when you were opening the case Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE DIRECTOR Posted December 8, 2007 Report Share Posted December 8, 2007 plastic surgery..... its all the rage. but seriously, me console is out of region, so whats the harm.... but i was a good thing. so atleast i know the condition my 360 is in. so i got XCMs to hopefully give some extra life back in to the beast. so has anyone got or downlaoding any xbox originals games yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arun360 Posted December 8, 2007 Report Share Posted December 8, 2007 I have Psychonauts for the PS2. If anyone's interested I can send them a *cough* copy for free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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