I’ve been waiting anxiously to get into the SOCOM: Confrontation beta for PS3.  There were actually three reasons why I even bothered to buy a PS3 — 1) Blu-Ray, 2) SOCOM, 3) Metal Gear Solid 4.  Alas, the beta has been an unmitigated disaster.  By all accounts, the game is broken — and it’s yet another PS3 game without adequate friends list support.  The PS3 is a great system on a technical level, and the built-in WIFI and networking is much, much better than the XBOX 360’s (you have to buy a $100 add-on if you want WIFI access).  But without the integrated gaming service that XBOX Live has, PS3 is just a mess.

I can’t even believe they’re bothering with beta tests.  I’ve been in two XBOX 360 betas (Halo 3 and COD 4), and they both went smoothly (well, the Halo 3 beta had about 48 hours of trouble, but after that was well-handled).  I purchased the online PS3 magazine Qore to get access to the beta, and Sony has now decided not to let you download the beta through Qore, but are instead sending out codes via email.  I really don’t have a lot of faith in this crew to actually get the codes out.  And they certainly haven’t done a very good job of communicating the change in distribution method to their customers.

Seriously, the should hire me to do their communications.  My content editors at work are a lot better informed than Sony’s paying customers.

But besides this, word on the street is that the game is marginally better looking than its PS3 ancestors, and that in terms of online functionality, it actually has less than the original SOCOM games.  I guess this is what happens when you hire a PSP developer with no online gaming experience to develop a triple-a title for a major console.

Can Sony screw up the PS3 any more than they already have?

I just came across this draft of a post I meant to publish back in January, but someone how never got around to it.  So here it is, one year late!  My best list for 2008 to come in only a few short months …

Well, the year has come and gone, and I played more games than any adult human with children should. The XBOX 360 is still my primary platform, although I’ve recently branched out onto the Nintendo DS, which I’m finding to be the gaming equivalent of the iPod —  well engineered extremely cool. Still, most of my gaming has been on XBOX 360, so that’s my focus for this “Best of” list.

So without further adieu, here are the games I enjoyed the most this year:

5. Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars

4. Halo 3

3. Call of Duty 4

2. Elder Scrolls: The Shivering Isles

1. The Orange Box

Biggest disappointments:

1. Mass Effect
2. Bioshock

Best games on other platforms:
1. Final Fantasy XII (PS2)
2. Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass
3. Resistance: Fall of Man

Old Snake

Since I’m close to political burnout, I thought I’d blog about something completely different. Namely, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots for Playstation 3, which I just finished.

I haven’t played a Metal Gear game since the demo for Metal Gear Solid on PSOne. I have, however, been a big follower of the Splinter Cell series, blissfully unaware at how bad of a ripoff Splinter Cell is of Metal Gear. Sam Fisher is a two-bit Solid Snake. Maybe a three-bit Solid Snake (what’s a bit, anyway?).

Metal Gear Solid 4 is quite simply the best looking game available on any system. Anyone doubting the Playstation 3 should give this one a shot — visually, it’s incredibly stunning, easily besting its XBOX 360 competitors. And this from an adoring XBOX fan. The high resolution textures, made possible by the high-capacity Blu-Ray format are head and shoulders above the mid-resolution textures found on 360 games.

Although I’m relatively new to the series, I knew enough going in to follow the plot. Solid Snake’s “brother,” Liquid is in the process of trying to hijack the AI system that runs the world’s “War Economy.” Lots of stealthy action, hour-long cut scenes, and assorted Japanese storytelling insanity ensues.

At the end, I felt genuinely sad to be leaving the world and its characters behind. Snake, Otacon, Sunny, Raiden, Naomi, Meryl, Johnny, etc. are a great cast. And nothing beats some of the exhilarating set pieces and story beats. Quite frankly, no single game on console came close to this experience.

I’ve played the Battlefield series since its inception in 2002 with Battlefield 1942. In that time, I’ve been team-killed for planes, run over by my own teammates, and killed in a barrage of friendly artillery fire many times.

I’ve been playing on XBOX Live since 2003. In that time, I’ve had my sexuality questioned, my skill disparaged by team mates, team-killed mercilessly, and generally been reminded of why I hated bullies in high school.

Lately, I’ve been playing the new XBOX 360 game Battlefield Bad Company, which has mixed the traditional Battlefield team-killing, with XBOX Live idiocy.

Case in point: two nights ago I spawned on a new server to find myself instantly attacked by my own squad mates. Not just team mates, but squad mates. Their leader tossed a grenade at me and immediately started telling me about how he was going to kill me.

Instantly, I was surrounded by him and his goons in a tight circle.

“What are you going to do about it, Jeff?” he said to me.

I had not spoken to him, yet. Didn’t intend to. Instead, I pivoted around the circle until I found the leader and knifed him. For a moment, the bullies were shocked.

“He knifed me!” the guy shouted, surprised.

His friends opened fire and killed me.

“He knifed me!” the kid squeaked again. There was a tinge of admiration in his voice.

Deciding that I couldn’t hurt my permanent stats by committing another inevitable team-kill, I left the server for happier pastures.

You have to have a thick skin to play on XBOX Live. Really, I have nothing more to say than that.

As many of my friends know, I have foresaken my XBOX 360 for reading, television, my podcast and other pursuits. But I still sometimes crack out my Nintendo DS from time to time.

Lately, I’ve been playing Advance Wars: Days of Ruin, sequel to the long-running Famicon Wars turn-based strategy franchise. What’s unique about the new game in the series is that it’s online — so I’ve been battling it out with players around the world a couple nights a week.

Tonight, I played a match against a Japanese player. To say that Japanese players are intimidating is an understatement — these guys know the game inside out. They understand how the units work, they move them in tight formations informed by Sun Tzu’s art of war, and generally they crush lesser mortals like myself with their insane Otaku knowledge of the game.

For all intents and purposes, he was a superior player. He used his units with bold intelligence, and he made short work of my lame expeditionary force. However, I managed to draw him into a prolonged fight with my main force at my base. Here is where his tactics fell apart — afraid of my heavier firepower, he kept his infantry well behind his armor and artillery, meaning that it would be a slow walk to capture my headquarters. Meanwhile, I sent a lone soldier in a transport behind his lines to his base. He could have gone after the transport, but he was too concerned with the remanants of my main force, who were dying in considerable numbers, but would have taken out his artillery if he turned to pursue my transport.

Before he knew it, I’d dropped a lone infantry-man off at his undefended headquarters and proceeded to capture his base. In two rounds, the game was over. I’d lost over 98% of my units, but I still kicked his ass. It was a cheap win — I’d been outclassed on the battlefield, but I’d managed to use his overconfidence and hubris against him.

I’ve largely given up playing FPS games, but strategy games still capture my attention. There’s something very satisfying about going one-on-one with someone in a game totally dependent on tactics and planning that you just don’t get with first person shooters. It’s a lot like playing chess as a kid — winning against a good player is an unmatched experience.

Beating a superior Japanese player in Advance Wars is even better than winning at chess.

Of course, I can’t help thinking what a lousy general I’d make. I won, but I lost almost all my troops. It’s a good thing I never joined the Army.

Dear Bioware,

Back in 1998, I rushed out on Christmas Eve to pick up Baldur’s Gate at FedEx so that I could play it over the holiday. Looking back, it is still one of the best, most exciting RPG experiences I’ve ever had, and it was eventually overshadowed by its siblings, Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn, Baldur’s Gate II: Throne of Bhaal. But ever since you abandoned the 2-D Infinity Engine, your games have been declining in quality.

Yes, I know Neverwinter Nights was designed to be a toolset, and the campaign that came with it was meant to show would-be game developers what they could make, but the fundamental play mechanics were flawed. It was like you forgot the strategy and party-management elements of Baldur’s Gate and churned out a 3-D Diablo clone.

And then there’s Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, so beloved because it was a Star Wars licensed game that didn’t suck. But overall, it was a shallow, dumbed down version of Baldur’s Gate in 3-D — those of us who spent hundreds of hours of your old games couldn’t help but feel disappointed by the lack of depth. Jade Empire was a total misstep, but then you promised us Mass Effect — a scifi RPG to rival Baldur’s Gate, a monstrous XBOX 360 exclusive that would make us all believe in you again.

Despite all the hype and good press, I have to say that Mass Effect was a dumbed down and simplified version of Knights of the Old Republic — not exactly strong praise. The party system is even more bare bones than KOTOR — making me wonder why it was even included. Why have party members you can’t micromanage? Yeah, you can tell them who to shoot, but it’s so cumbersome and so weak, that you might as well just let them run into to walls on their own without giving them orders only to see them do the same.

Sure, you’ve got some pretty nifty dialogue trees, but without the gameplay to back it up, it’s just a choose your own adventure story. Every second I play this game, I think back to how Baldur’s Gate made me believe that the world was real — and made me care about each and every one of its characters. BG’s Minsc is still the finest NPC ever made in an American RPG, only to be rivaled by the evil droid in KOTOR. There’s no one here like that. I haven’t played BG in about five years, but I still remember Imoen, Minsc, Jaheira, and Aerie — I can’t say the same for ME, a game I played a few weeks ago.

I haven’t even gotten into the broken game engine with its frame rate problems. Any first person shooter as many hiccups as ME would be taken out and shot by the fanbase, yet the players all praise the genius of ME despite the fact that it runs like a dog.

I wanted to like the game — I really did. But at the end of the day, it’s just not very good. Oblivion, which came out shortly after launch, is still the superior RPG. I could play that game for the next ten years and still find new things to do and enjoy. Mass Effect, not so much.

Ah, the DS. It’s the best selling game console in the world, yet rarely gets the respect its rich library, innovative gameplay and pleasing industrial design deserve. I picked up a DS Lite in 2007, and have had many enjoyable hours of gameplay on the handheld system, including experiences that surpass the biggest games on more “hardcore” systems.

As always, my best of the year list is generated from games I first played in 2007, not necessarily games released in 2007.

5. Call of Duty 4: Modern Combat

The stylus seems a natural mouse substitute for first person shooters, and although the control scheme can be a little uncomfortable until you get the hang of it, COD4 on the DS manages to be a surprisingly good translation of the excellent console/PC game of the same name. Featuring a side story to the main COD 4, the DS version offers many of the COD signature elements on a handheld — buddy AI, scripted events, rail-gun shooter levels and even a one-on-one battle with an attack helicopter.

The graphics are comparable to N64 shooters, and the gameplay surpasses even that of N64 classics like Turok and Goldeneye. In fact, had this come out on the N64, it would been thought of as revolutionary. It may not be as good as modern shooters on the “next gen” systems, but it’s a damn fine portable version. Definitely worth picking up for shooter fans.

4. New York Times Crossword Puzzles

It may not sound exciting, but having 1,000 New York Times crossword puzzles available on your DS is certain to help pass the time in a doctor’s waiting room, on the subway, or on a flight to Hawaii and other annexes to Hell on Earth. Featuring a slick presentation, mostly excellent handwriting recognition (the game doesn’t recognize my “L’s” very well), and an awesome “Monday - Friday” mode, this game is great for crossword puzzle enthusiasts and novices alike.

New York Times Crossword Puzzles is not be the sexiest title on the DS, but it’s one of the most indespensible.

3. New Super Mario Brothers (2006)

What took Nintendo so long? New Super Mario Brothers is an update of the classic 2-D sidescrolling Mario Brothers games using 3D graphics — and the result is nothing short of amazing. Featuring great music, challenging levels inspired by classic Super Mario Brothers, as well as new powerups that turn Mario into a gigantic Godzilla-like plumber capabale of destroying everything in his path, as well as into a tiny tiny Mario who can get places the bigger versions can’t.

Easily the best Mario game since Super Mario World. Highly recommended.

2. Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass

The direct sequel to Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker, Phantom Hourglass features the cell shaded graphics and south Pacific universe of its Gamecube sibling. In terms of gameplay, it is definitely a cross between the Windwaker and A Link to the Past, combining the best of the 3D Zeldas with the best of the 2D.

The innovative part of the game is that it is completely controlled with the stylus. Link is moved by moving the stylus across the touch screen, and foes are hit by swiping the stylus at them. It’s simple and elegant, and makes for a fun game. Notes can be made on your map, to help you solve many of the games puzzles.

The dungeons and puzzles are pretty similar to other Zelda games of the past, and there is not much new ground covered. However, it you’re looking for a Zelda handheld experience that rivals that of the main Nintendo consoles, then look no further than the Phantom Hourglass.

1. Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords

I was frequently harassed by my online friends for the many hours I spent playing Bejeweled on XBOX Live during the first year of the system’s life. Because of that, I was not surprised by how thoroughly Puzzle Quest pulled me in with its mix of classic Bejeweled gameplay and deep RPG elements and strategy. Puzzle Quest is a gem matching game, where matching gems boost different types of mana. Once you have enough mana in the right colors, you can unleash attacks on AI opponents, who are competing with you on the same puzzles.

It’s hard to describe, but once you get past the learning curve, it becomes clear just how brilliant Puzzle Quest is. Weapons, armor, magical items, companions and character attributes all help you to succeed on the game’s puzzle boards, particularly against higher level companions who can be quite challenging to defeat.

The single player game is so good that I largely ignored the rest of my DS and XBOX 360 collection once I got it. The only downside, is it just supports Multicard Multiplayer — single card and online play are not included, which is a big drag. It would be great to compete with other players online for items and experience. Hopefully they will include this feature with the inevitable sequel.

If you own an platform that supports it — DS, PSP, XBOX 360 or PC — then you have to get Puzzle Quest. It’s easiest one of the best games of 2007, and certainly my favorite on DS.

I picked up a Nintendo DS a few days ago, and I have to say, I’m hooked! I’ve spent the past five years or so playing games on XBOX and XBOX 360. Having spent much of my time playing first person shooters and other action games, it’s something of a novelty to be playing games designed for all-ages. Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass, while not being the deepest Zelda game, is a great portable spin-off for the classic series, and it has a really great art style and slick presentation. Likewise, Mario 64 is astonishing close to the Nintendo 64 original, and I’m also having a great time cracking out some of my old Gameboy Advance games.

Although the DS is mostly known for Hannah Montana games and the like, there are a surprising number of titles aimed at hardcore gamers. I’d put the system somewhere between the Nintendo 64 and the original Playstation in terms of the depth of available content, and I’m looking forward to such games as the new Advance Wars, Professor Layton and the Mysterious Village and the DS version of Myst.

The New York Times has posed a slide show featuring gamers in the real world, as well as their in-game avatars. It is pretty amazing, and also very moving. One photograph in particular depicts clearly what gaming can do for some people — how it really does enable some to live life in a way that their real world cirumcstances would never allow.

Have a look here.

“Don’t worry, he’s not that desperate …”

I have to say, something this funny and postmodern would never have existed before YouTube. There’s so much irony and stupidity in re-subtitling and re-conceptualizing the great German film “DOWNFALL,” which chronicles Hitler’s last days into a tale of Hitler being banned from XBOX Live.

I have to warn you, if you’re not a gamer you probably won’t get most of the jokes, or the subtext that the cheaters, smactalkers, homophobes, racists and sociopaths on XBOX Live have much in common with Hitler.

If you are, you’ll probably think this his hilariously inappropriate.