Blinx: The Time Sweeper Review

By Kristan Reed Published 5 November, 2002

Review - Kristan gets his hands on a vacuum-wielding pussy

Version tested: Xbox

Revealed to the public with some fanfare at E3, Blinx is one of Microsoft's biggest hopes in the run up to the crucial Christmas period, but has already been simultaneously fawned over and damned by the specialist press, which always makes relatively late reviews such as this one an even tougher proposition.

But forcing the opinion divides to the back of our minds, as ever, let's get the easy bit out of the way: the first thing you should know about Blinx is its heritage. Developed by ex-Sonic Team members under the name of Artoon, it's obviously going to be of interest to anyone who thought that Sonic The Hedgehog and Nights were pleasant ways to spend your spare time.

But that was then and this is now. Things have changed, moved on, and not only do we demand supremely playable and innovative gameplay, but we expect it to come dressed in shiny new clothes that make our eyes bulge in a slightly freakish fashion.

He's not from Cheshire

'Blinx: The Time Sweeper' Screenshot e304b

The cat in question

So what have we got? Ostensibly a quirky 3D platformer starring Blinx, the grinning cat who's basic mission is to rescue a Princess (would you credit it?) and destroy all the 'Time Monsters' that occupy each area. The reason behind this is fairly unimportant (click here for our first impressions if you really want to know), but suffice to say that the brave young Blinx is armed with a Time Sweeper, which sucks up debris that you can fire at these unwelcome visitors. Despatch these critters in under ten minutes and it's onto the next stage.

The whole game's premise is centred on time, and being a worker in the Time Factory, Blinx possesses the nifty ability to mess around with the stuff, via the various Time Crystals that populate the levels. Blinx can hold up to four of these colour coded crystals at once - pick up at least three of the same colour and Blinx can control the flow of time to his advantage. Holding down B brings up a VCR style control panel, which Blinx can use to pause, play, record, rewind and fast forward the action. Pause, rather obviously allows you to freeze the on screen action for a short period, which is handy for dispatching a cluster of enemies, rewind allows Blinx to restore broken areas of scenery, record results in Blinx being able to effectively record himself thus being able to co-operate, fast forward speeds up time, while play speaks for itself.

All of this is possible thanks to cunning use of the Xbox's hard drive and is one of those innovations that makes you wonder why no one has come up with the concept on the PC at any point in the last ten years or so.

Ok, so it's a nifty idea, but how does it work in practise? Certainly, being able to fiddle with time can be immensely enjoyable in the early stages, if and when you manage to collect the correct crystals, but it's more often than not a tough task to find the colours you want, when you want them. Ultimately, you soon realise it's a novelty, and not a particularly useful one at that thanks to the way the game proffers its goodies.

A frustrating lottery

'Blinx: The Time Sweeper' Screenshot e305b

The dreaded Time Monsters crawl out of the woodwork (note: literally)

In the early stages of the game, when the difficulty level is basic to say the least, the crystals seem to be plentiful. As you progress and the difficulty level suddenly cranks up you seem to have to fight for every last one of them. Getting three of the right colour can be a frustrating lottery - which ultimately means you have to be incredibly careful what you pick up, and when you pick it up, as once they're gone, they don't respawn. And because of this, you're forced to either restart and play through more carefully, or defeat the monsters via mere use of your Time Sweeper alone.

Fortunately, Artoon has included a limited number of other pick ups to help you out, one of them being gold, which you can use to upgrade Blinx's abilities. New Time Sweepers can be acquired and have progressively more powerful suction and 'continues', up to a maximum of three. Collecting red crystals enables this feature, and can be the difference between success and failure, and there's a very fine line between the two, which will probably have you tearing your hair out within a short time.

Your chances of success are certainly not aided by the rather unforgiving camera system used either. In the early stages you're not under so much pressure, so this isn't such an issue, but as you start to encounter revolving platforms, vicious enemies, and dreaded death traps, the last you need is to get completely disorientated by the camera at the vital moment. And we're not exaggerating here - if you're close to a wall, Blinx regularly disappears, so you're left waddling around in first person mode, completely unable to judge distance or aim properly or in fact play the game properly.

Staggeringly beautiful

'Blinx: The Time Sweeper' Screenshot aug08b

He's not afraid of a swim, either

This certainly comes as a big disappointment, because the game has the potential to work so well. The visuals, for example, are staggeringly beautiful. The sheer amount of detail on Blinx alone is completely unparalleled for a videogame character, while the backgrounds are, in some cases, literally dripping with detail. This is one game that has an Xbox look stamped all over it and anyone playing it for the first time would be impressed at how far ahead it is of rival consoles in this respect.

This, combined with the initial sense of innovation and strangely addictive gameplay makes Blinx initially an enjoyable experience, but it's laced with an unnecessary level of frustration that should have been ironed out well before release. The tag line says "who needs nine lives when you can control time", but frankly, we could have done with the nine lives as well. There's death around every corner, and whether that's down to a poor targeting system, unhelpful controls or the frankly comical camera system, there's always something around the corner to spoil your fun. Add to that the time it takes to suck up debris, and the five ammo limit, and you've got another unnecessary chore for the gamer to deal with. Imagine having to pick up every single bullet before you fired it in an FPS, and each bullet taking three seconds to pick up? Exactly.

Stubbornly old school

'Blinx: The Time Sweeper' Screenshot aug09b

All in all, pretty brave for a pussy!

The linear level system hardly helps Blinx's cause either, with a very rigid level structure involving the completion of each world's three level in order before facing one of the game's gigantic boss monsters. The likes of Jak & Daxter and its ilk allow the gamer massive scope for exploration and multiple objectives. In comparison, Blinx feels stubbornly old school for an innovative next gen title, and will kill your initial enthusiasm for it stone dead once you hit a brick wall.

And the less said about the audio the better. In typical Japanese style, the music just has to be heard to be believed. Tinny, pathetic plinky nonsense that should have been outlawed from gaming ten years ago. But hey, it's in 5.1, so at least you get some decent sound effects now and again.

Fatally flawed

So now it's decision time - will you want to invest in the best looking, but most fatally flawed platform game we've seen in ages? We reckon despite all our moans it's a well worth checking out on a demo pod (or disk, assuming there's one coming). Fans of platformers still have to check it out, if only to see the gorgeous eye candy on display. Real old school committed sufferers who enjoy repeated deaths and against the odds gameplay might get something from it, but for us, Blinx smells like a massive missed opportunity that will do the Xbox no favours at all, and at this time of year Microsoft really doesn't want to be missing opportunities.

6 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Kristan.

About Kristan Reed

Kristan is a former editor of Eurogamer, dad, Stone Roses bore and Norwich City supporter who sometimes mutters optimistically about Team Silent getting back together.

Read more articles from Kristan by visiting the Kristan Reed archive page.

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Comments (141) Latest comment 9 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • sam_spade #1 9 years ago

    Why do you hate Xbox so much? There, I've got it out of the way for everyone.

    Good review, points out the flaws quite nicely. This was one game that was slowly tweaking me towards getting an Xbox, now I know it's a bit naff I can wait.
    Edited by 2 at 05/11/02 @ 20:36

  • Bill Gates is Evil #2 9 years ago

    Ah, Sam, always up to your old trickery. Anyway, I thought this review was entirely fair and didn't sense a bit of bias like I have in Krudsters first few posts on Xbox. This was a nice review. I trust it. Hell, I already own Blinx.

    "There’s death around every corner, and whether that’s down to a poor targeting system, unhelpful controls or the frankly comical camera system, there’s always something around the corner to spoil your fun."

    Need to place the blame elsewhere for your poor skillZZ, krudster?

    Actually no, he's right, the game is hard as shit. And as well all know, shit is hard.

  • Tiitiz #3 9 years ago

    Well to be honest out of Mario and Blinx i prefer Blinx. Yes, i also have Blinx and have since last Friday.

    Blinx keeps me going back for more where as Mario just pissed me off from start to 50+ coins i bothered to get.

    I love the upgrades, i love the time changing. The way you die and use a retry is superb and like no other.
    Graphics are as EG say very nice.

    My bad points towards Blinx is that the levels are quite small although make sense to make the game work as it is. Better story would have been better along with being able to change the outcome of time.

    frankly comical camera system

    God damn! Not great but Mario has the worst camera control in the world ever. Yes, Mario with the big open levels having badly programmed camera problems. Nearly everyone who i have spoken to with Mario agrees with me that its very poor and is a real let down on the game.

    My Score!

    Blinx
    8/10

    Mario
    6/10

    Edited by 1 at 05/11/02 @ 21:30

  • sam_spade #4 9 years ago

    Kristan gets his hands on a vacuum-wielding pussy

    Is Errol the new sub-editor?

  • krudster #5 9 years ago

    And before our stateside pals queue up to flame me for anti Xbox bias, I will say this: it's the game that's the problem here, not the console. The Xbox's capabilities do everything they can to save Blinx from being an also ran, but ultimately Artoon forgot that games are supposed to be fun, not a trial.
    Personally, Mario is still sitting waiting to be played, (I know, I know), so I've no way of making a valid comparison. Maybe Mugwum would dare to venture an opinion once he's properly tried out Blinx?
    As for poor skillZZ - can anyone else claim to have got every single egg in Jak & Daxter? And try telling me that was a piece of piss!

  • Tiitiz #6 9 years ago

    Add to that the time it takes to suck up debris, and the five ammo limit, and you’ve got another unnecessary chore for the gamer to deal with

    Erm, Sorry but this is utter crap, do you even have the final game? You can upgrade to a faster kit and bigger trash holder. Only Takes the first 2 easy (ignoring the specials) worlds to get this.
    Edited by 1 at 05/11/02 @ 22:01

  • Tiitiz #7 9 years ago

    And the less said about the audio the better. In typical Japanese style, the music just has to be heard to be believed. Tinny, pathetic plinky nonsense that should have been outlawed from gaming ten years ago

    I believe you when you say you have not played Mario. If you dont like the sound in Blinx, wait till you hear the anoying Tinny, pathetic plinky nonsense in Mario
    Edited by 1 at 05/11/02 @ 22:06

  • sam_spade #8 9 years ago

    Mario's music is classic lounge. Leave it!

  • Tiitiz #9 9 years ago

    sam_spade

    Im not attacking Mario's music, just letting Krud know that Mario has the same kinda sound to it.

  • krudster #10 9 years ago

    Of course I have the final game - and yes I have upgraded the TS, and yes they do get faster etc, but it's still a chore. Sucking up debris one by one is just fundamentally dull, and does nothing to enhance the enjoyment - nor does the poor targeting system.
    Blinx acts like it wants the gamer to fight for its affection: rather like a cat, in fact...
    Edited by 1 at 05/11/02 @ 22:17

  • Viktor #11 9 years ago

    There is no comparison with the music in Mario and the horrible "I want to sound japanese but can't" techpop-jingling of Blinx.

    After an evening of cursing the ugly cat, badly designed levels and annoying difficulty level (there is hard as in Mario Sunshine and hard as in Gun Valkyrie, guess which category this game fits in). In Sunshine, it was rare that I died due to a camera problem. In Blinx: common occurence.

    And damned be the day when I say Mario is a charismatic character. But he is an adonis and endowed with more acting skills than Ian McKellen when compared to this ugly cat with no personality whatsoever.

    Edit: damn typos. Well, this is not my first language...
    Edited by 1 at 05/11/02 @ 22:22

  • Whizzo #12 9 years ago

    Kristan gets his hands on a vacuum-wielding pussy
    Is Errol the new sub-editor?
    Yes it's all very "Are You Being Served?" isn't it?! :-)

  • Feersum Puppet #13 9 years ago

    Just the type of childish antics I was talking about. More proof that this site is going down the proverbial toilet. The bridge club is going to love this one!

  • Tiitiz #14 9 years ago

    In Sunshine, it was rare that I died due to a camera problem. In Blinx: common occurence

    Ok, where did i say i die alot? It's not the dying, its the irritating way it moves itself in front of objects and changes without notice.

    In blinx, full attention is on the cat where you want it although way to close sometimes.

    this ugly cat with no personality whatsoever

    I agree, but graphically he is awesome as Krud said in his review.

    There is no comparison with the music in Mario and the horrible "I want to sound japanese but can't" techpop-jingling of Blinx

    Jap developers and platform games not enough to compare? I dont think Japs sound like they do in Mario some how. I hope not anyway.

    Sucking up debris one by one just is fundamentally dull, and does nothing to enhance the enjoyment - nor does the poor targeting system

    You will find it will when squirting water out a god damn water machine that has no targeting system over and over again. Least in Blinx you try to have some nice stuff in your bag to make more money from it at the end of the stage.

    Great to go through the game trying to get the upgrades so you can go back a world or 2 so you can get the specials that were hidden behind heavier things.

    Just to add as well, i found no problem with the controls and Blinx but that is perhaps because i play more games on Xbox so it's not fair for me to compare.
    Edited by 1 at 05/11/02 @ 22:40

  • Tiitiz #15 9 years ago

    Anyway, i've now finished talking crap and go now with the below link i just found. Yep, might be old but i havent had much time to browse today


    Xbox overtakes GameCube in UK! (Title from C&VG)

    http://www.computerandvideogames.com/news/news_ story.php?id=83070

  • Merefield #16 9 years ago

    Kristan gets his hands on a vacuum-wielding pussy

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

    AAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH!

  • skalmanxl #17 9 years ago

    Well since eurogamer doesn't really like the xbox, how about checking out the xbox article on http://www.comp uterandvideogames.com ?

    You don't stop do you. Single minded springs to mind every time you put your words on this site.

  • Viktor #18 9 years ago

    It's incredible how most threads get reduced to fanboyz bickering about sales figures. It's obvious that all three are going to survive and not lack software support, so there is no point in this. Oh well. Probably no point in preaching against it, either :(

    Go buy both Xbox and Gamecube. It's probably not more expensive to have all three consoles and play only the best titles that come out than to have only one and struggle with the few AAAs available for each and succumb to the mediocre ones time after time. Probably the price paid to the local game shop ends up being the same.

  • Viktor #19 9 years ago


    No, but the way you started your comment about the CVG article does.

  • sam_spade #20 9 years ago

    Did you see this on Spong?

    Edit: Fixamundo

    Edited by 1 at 05/11/02 @ 23:58

  • Whizzo #21 9 years ago

    Does Blinx have the ability to actually interact with himself with his time travel ability (Bill and Ted style), i.e. if there's a platform he can't reach say can he stand under it for a while, then go back in time say 10 seconds when he started standing under the platform then jump onto his own head and up onto the high platform?

  • #22 9 years ago

    We all know that the Xbox sales have spiked because of the new Sega bundle, same thing has happened before with price drops.
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/02 @ 00:01

  • #23 9 years ago

    "Thing is, duc, how much more price cuts and software bundles can MS do after this"

    Personally I'm waiting until it's around 20€. And comes with Halo.

  • Bill Gates is Evil #24 9 years ago

    "We all know that the Xbox sales have spiked because of the new Sega bundle, same thing has happened before with price drops."

    Are you aware that BEFORE the Sega bundle, Xbox was #2 in North America, Europe, and Australia? That is practically the entire western world my friend.

    Get it through your skull Duc. I don't care about your opinions, but to be in a state of denial about Microsoft as a threat to their competitors. Microsoft is going to market, bundle, give away things, bribe, buy-out developers, they'll do WHATEVER to sell as many Xbox consoles as possible. And remember, GameCube came into this current fight with millions of loyal fans. Xbox came into this fight with everything to prove, and zero loyal fans. And despite Xbox being brand spanking new, i'd also argue that it had the best software launch of all time. Halo, Project Gotham, and DOA3? That was an excellent performance by Microsoft.

    And you know what? Xbox is a damn-fine console. It has more quality than GameCube, more quantity than GameCube, and more variety than GameCube. This is all arguable, of course, but you are missing out by not getting one. This isn't an attack on GameCube, but a defense of Xbox. I'm using GameCube for comparisons sake, and I think it's a bit weaker of a console software-wise... but not WEAK.

    "And before our stateside pals queue up to flame me for anti Xbox bias, I will say this: it's the game that's the problem here, not the console."

    You shouldn't get too much resistance to your score. I agree with it--others might have slightly different opinions. We know this isn't an attack on the console, like your first few posts were.
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/02 @ 02:47

  • #25 9 years ago

    Go fuck yourself.

  • Blerk #26 9 years ago

    Shame about Blinx, it was one of the first titles that made me sit up and take notice of Xbox. Looks like all graphics and lacking playability do not a good game make - who'd have thought it? :-)

    As for Xbox outselling 'Cube in the UK.... I'm not surprised. With Nintendo currently drip-feeding new games to the market at a rate of about one every two months it's their own damn fault. There are just more games available for Xbox in Europe at the minute, and that's how people make their buying decisions.

  • skalmanxl #27 9 years ago

    Ok, so if you tell anything possitive about one console, you're a fanboy .

    No, your constant bashing of EG because you have a shifted view that makes then Xbox haters does.

  • pjmaybe #28 9 years ago

    Eep. Gotta hand it to Mirkosofty. They've shuffled up into second place in the UK console race bopping the cube out of the way...Could this have anything to do with the lame release schedule Nintendo have inflicted on us euros again?

    They never learn do they!!!

    Peej

  • brutal #29 9 years ago

    "every single egg in Jak & Daxter? And try telling me that was a piece of piss! "

    took me 2 days, and frankly it WAS a piece of piss

  • Killerbee #30 9 years ago

    Why is it every XBox thread seems to degenerate into fanboy wars like this one? Ho hum...

    Sam's article from Spong is interesting - I wonder just how sophisitcated an XBox2 dev kit can be - I'm guessing it's mainly a slightly upgraded Xbox1 - faster processor, more RAM, bigger HD, new DX9 compatible graphics card...

    What else is there likely to be?

  • Blerk #31 9 years ago

    What else is there likely to be?

    What else does there need to be? Microsoft has the easiest job in creating a successor to their current machine - take the current machine, make everything bigger and faster, ta-da! New machine. Just like you'd upgrade your PC. Everyone else has to redesign from scratch, so there's little wonder that Bill's already thinking about releasing a new thing ahead of the competition. On the minus side... I suspect this approach may somewhat shorten the current '5 year average lifespan' that we've enjoyed until now. I can see a time when we'll be having to buy a new machine every three years... hell, maybe even every TWO years!

  • Tiitiz #32 9 years ago

    Think you'll find its 2004 for the US and 2005 for the UK which is 3 years roughly. Not to mention the delays that will happen as always with new consoles. It's preperation to do something about Sony and the huge lead they have.

    M$ are currently working on getting a good amount of fan base so for Xbox 2 with the Developers and Publishers on there side they have a much better chance..

    If you think its just a PC in a box then thats your thoughts. I personally dont care as long as it doesnt crash and sticks with it's great games, graphics and console feel.

  • Tricky #33 9 years ago

    Hmmm. I've been reading EG for absolutely ages now but for the life of me I still can't work out why you lot say 'Xboxen' and not 'Xboxes'. Can anyone enlighten me at all perhaps?

    Oh, and as for the fanboy wars - leave 'em to it; I picked up an X Box on Saturday thus completing the set, so I now have all three consoles sat under my TV. I can't resist saying that Tiitiz is talking out of his arse though - Blinx better than Mario? I think not.

  • hahakid #34 9 years ago

    "Hey Presto I can walk towards the gaurd while the poor hostage takes the bullets and take my time to pop a cap in his face Marvelous!"

    and they say video games give you violent tendencies, bah!
    ;)

  • Blerk #35 9 years ago

    If you think its just a PC in a box then thats your thoughts

    I never said it was a PC, but it's made from PC components so obviously it's easier to create a faster/better version than it is for the other consoles.

  • hahakid #36 9 years ago

    damn, there sure seems to have been an influx of casual gamers here lately. So much hate ..

  • Killerbee #37 9 years ago

    If you think its just a PC in a box then thats your thoughts. I personally dont care as long as it doesnt crash and sticks with it's great games, graphics and console feel.

    No, I don't believe that Xbox is just a PC in a box - but it is made up of PC components - things like the O/S etc make it different and that's why Xbox can get more out of just 64MB of Ram and a 733MHz processor than an equivalently specced PC can.

    My predicition: graphics card aside, the current Xbox is about the same standard as a decent PC was in mid-2000. So if XBox2 is due in 2004/2005 we're probably looking a it sharing some components with today's decent PCs, with the main difference of a cutting edge (e.g. DX9 or 10 if we get that far) graphics card.

    I reckon:

    256 MB RAM
    2.8 GHz (ish) processor
    GeForce 7 (or thereabouts) DX9 or 10 graphics card, probably with 256 MB of RAM itself
    A 30 GB Hard Disk

    Plus all the usual DVD drive, controller ports, memory card slot and on-line adapters that we currently get.

    That is unless Microsoft surprise us all and pull something innovative out of the bag...
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/02 @ 10:40

  • Blerk #38 9 years ago

    So much hate ..

    Okay, don't anyone take this the wrong way but...

    It seems to me that it's gotten worse since the Xbox arrived. The Xbox fanboys seem to be in far greater number and far more vocal than the ones for any other platform. And they seem unable to take what they give - they're first in the queue to talk about the 'piss poor PS2 graphics', but get annoyed if anyone dares to mark an Xbox title anything less than perfect or suggest that Xbox isn't doing as well as it ought to be.

    We all need to chill out some and recognise the pros and cons of each individual platform. Group hug, everyone - come on.

  • Whizzo #39 9 years ago

    I still can't work out why you lot say 'Xboxen' and not 'Xboxes'. Can anyone enlighten me at all perhaps?
    Using extensive research, actually just typing the word into the search option on the left, the first use of the word here was done by Mugwum on the Euro Xbox launch, because he felt it sounded better than Xboxes. It just stuck.

  • Killerbee #40 9 years ago

    Well, I suppose the plural of "ox" is "oxen", so it does have some kind of weird logic to it...

  • skalmanxl #41 9 years ago

    If you think its just a PC in a box then thats your thoughts

    All PC's are in a box, so there.

  • binky #42 9 years ago

    I havent read ALL the comments on here, coz frankly ive read enough.

    Kruds Thnx for the review, very enlightening, as this game sounded like it had potential. Think i'll be renting it rather than buying now tho.

    To the regulars i apologise for this, to the rest of u that are once again console bashing, quoting boring stats and covering tired ground on yet another xbx thread,,, please do this for me...

    SHUT THE F*CK UP!!!!

    there. ive said it.

  • eviltobz #43 9 years ago

    All PC's are in a box, so there.

    I think you'll find it's perfectly possible to have a pc not in a box. I know I've run machines that way :p

  • Russty Cage #44 9 years ago

    Microsoft must be doing something wrong...

    It just seems like so many of their "X-box exclusive" titels fall flat on their asses!

    Just by looking at some ofthe games IGN scores it looks pretty bad...

    Kakuto Chojin 6.2
    TransWorld Snowboarding 6.7
    ToeJam & Earl III 6.3
    Kabuki Warriors 2.0
    Smashing Drive 3.3
    Bruce Lee: Quest of the Dragon 3.9
    Star Wars: Obi-Wan 5.9
    Shreck 5.6
    AirForce Delta Storm Action 6.2
    Quantum Redshift 6.2
    Totaled! (Crash) 6.1
    Crazy Taxi 3 6.5
    Whacked! 6.6
    Azurik: Rise of Perathia 6.5
    GunMetal 6.7

  • hahakid #45 9 years ago

    my point is that if these people really loved gaming and had been trough a couple of generations of hardware, shouting about which one is best would be something they did the first time around and have since since grew out of, focusing on playing the good games out there.
    Or maybe they are just idiots..
    I don't have an Xbox or a GC yet, I'm definately thiking of getting the Sega Xbox pack, if nothing else so that at least a few of us that actually love GAMES and not some stupid brand have the thing!
    I can see it now, the game cube is for kids, the PS2 for 25-30 years olds and the Xbox for stupid spoilt 15 years olds that listen to Slipknot.

  • Ciaran #46 9 years ago

    *applauds binky*

    Really, it's getting more than tiresome.

  • Nemesis #47 9 years ago

    As for poor skillZZ - can anyone else claim to have got every single egg in Jak & Daxter? And try telling me that was a piece of piss!

    Yes. 100% on everything. Was it worth it? Hmmmmmmmmm, not sure. Took me ages to get 100%, lost some of the eggs in the snow level. Grr.

    So if you're waiting to kill that impatience for J&D2, maybe Blinx isn't the way to go. Bugger.

  • Blerk #48 9 years ago

    stupid spoilt 15 years olds that listen to Slipknot

    Can anyone really listen to Slipknot? It kind of implies that they make music.

  • Tiitiz #49 9 years ago

    Tricky - Its an opinion of mine of Mario v Blinx. Dont like it then dont carry on reading it. Should i and others stop giving opinions on this site just because you dont like it?

  • BartonFink #50 9 years ago

    Have to say I'm a little disappointed with some of the reviews Blinx has been getting.
    I'm not saying I'm disappointed with Krudsters review (excellent as usual) but they have ranged from 5(GameSpy) to 10 (Play Magazine) however looking at all the reviews the majority are eight and above.
    If you were to go on the strength of just one review then I would be tempted not to buy this.
    However since there seems to be such mixed reaction I think myself like many other xbox owners looking for a platformer (a genre sorely under represented on the xbox) will buy this probably on the strength of the OXM review where it received a 9.3.

    On the 'Is this better than Mario' thingy I haven't played SMS but I seriously doubt it.

    Will I be getting this? Oh yes.
    Will this sell loads? Oh yes.
    Will this help xbox sales? hmmm maybe, cutesy platformy thingy for junior for crimbo and all that. I think the new bundle and Splinter Cell will help a lot more, Oh and hang on Unreal Championship, Mech Assault and Phantom Crash should also help a bit in the crimbo period.

    Now where did I put those money tree seeds I bought from that farmer.

  • Tiitiz #51 9 years ago

    Russty Cage - which ever way you look at the bad scores you posted. It had a better start than the PS2 in terms of games on IGN. After 1 Year PS2 games have rocketed through the roof. Who knows, same might happen with the Cube and Box hopefully

  • Tiitiz #52 9 years ago

    Will this help xbox sales? hmmm maybe

    It will mate. Blinx is one of the 4 adverts M$ are chucking on our small screens over christmas Holidays along with Splinter Cell and 2 unknown others.

  • Blerk #53 9 years ago

    will buy this probably on the strength of the OXM review where it received a 9.3

    Careful with those 'official' magazines, Barton. :-)

    Personally if a game has received wildly mixed reviews (like this one) I always attempt to try it for myself before deciding whether to buy or not. A demo or a rental might be in order for this one, maybe?

  • Nemesis #54 9 years ago

    Or use the 10 day return policy from GAME/HMV. ;-)

    I must say the covermount vid of Blinx this month looked very tasty on OXBM.

  • Errol #55 9 years ago

    Vacuum Wielding pussy !

    lol. Just my type of gag.

  • #56 9 years ago

    Mr Do!: Actually the 2 million lead that Gamecube has looks pretty secure, it keeps selling so much more in Japan that it's impossible for Xbox to catch it.

  • BartonFink #57 9 years ago

    Careful with those 'official' magazines, Barton. :-)
    Not saying I am going to buy it on the strength of that review.
    I will however buy it on the strength of that review and the umpteen others I have read and I love platformers.
    One thing I will give OXM as an official mag is that it does seem to get it right most of the time. However in this case I get the feeling that MS has had some influence. As I am sure Sony would in the case GTA:VC with it's official mag (not taking anything away from GTS:VC I am sure it deserves the review scores it's getting all over the shop).
    One thing I like about it is unlike other official mags, I won't mention here, it has yet to give a game a perfect 10.
    Can't go with the try before you buy option as I don't have a Blockbuster anywhere nearby. May try the GAME/HMV thingy though.

  • Nemesis #58 9 years ago

    Standard Fanboy Linkage

  • Tiitiz #59 9 years ago

    duc - Lets see your figures for that because i have a 800k to 1mill lead source

  • BartonFink #60 9 years ago

    Yup duc I would love to see what orifice you pulled those figures out of. :p

  • Blerk #61 9 years ago

    Can't go with the try before you buy option as I don't have a Blockbuster anywhere nearby

    Has nobody done a playable demo of this one? Weird... with it being such an important release I figured it would have been near the top of the list. :-/

  • Nemesis #62 9 years ago

    Blerk, not yet :-(

    SC on the latest covermount, but they did chuck in another video.



  • Mugwum Verified Operations Director, Eurogamer Network #63 9 years ago

    Admittedly, I'm skipping most of the latter half of this thread, but I just thought I'd point out that I agree with BGIE for the most part. Although I'd like to contest this point:

    "i'd also argue that it had the best software launch of all time. Halo, Project Gotham, and DOA3? That was an excellent performance by Microsoft"

    If Xbox had launched at Ł199 in Europe with Halo bundled, it would have been second place from the get go, developers wouldn't necessarily be designing for PS2 then porting to Xbox, and the Cube would be having an even more torrid time than it evidently is. As much as I like the Xbox and reckon it will do well in the long run (for many of the reasons BGIE offers), I don't think they had the best launch of all three consoles. In fact I think all three received botched launches in Europe - PS2 had no triple-A software, Xbox was priced and positioned badly (and arrogantly) and Cube lacked software support. Microsoft are only just starting to behave sensibly and they're seeing gains on account of it.

  • #64 9 years ago

    Well, let's see...
    North America:
    Xbox: 2.6 million GC: 2.3 million
    Europe:
    Xbox: 800,000 GC: 1.3 million
    Japan:
    Xbox: 280,000 GC: 2.1 million

    These numbers seem to be pretty accurate for most part, and it adds about 2 million lead total. There's not accurate number for Europe though, so it is only an estimate.
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/02 @ 12:07

  • BartonFink #65 9 years ago

    And not next month either ...

  • krudster #66 9 years ago

    Ok, so J&D wasn't the *hardest* game in the world, but the point was you wanted to finish it, because it was so damned enjoyable. Blinx is a game I might get around to finishing, but the incentive just isn't there, because it's just such pain in the arse to play. You die, not through your lack of 'skillZZ', but through the game's rubbish camera, the crystal system, and the laborious ammo pick up mechnanic.
    Otherwise I'd have given it an 8/10 all day long.

  • Mugwum Verified Operations Director, Eurogamer Network #67 9 years ago

    And getting back to Blinx (which is the topic for discussion here let's not forget!), having played both Blinx and Mario, I know which I prefer. Mario is frustrating in places, and also suffers from numerous design flaws, but it wins out because it's been designed from the ground up to keep you happy, with plenty of impressive sights and sounds, and a far more enjoyable gameplay dynamic. At times, Blinx feels like it's been designed to stop you succeeding, its main design revelation is too much of a gimmick, and on the whole it fails to capitalise on the opportunities Xbox offered it. That's a shame.

  • Viktor #68 9 years ago

    I love to see the insecurity of the XbOxen who hijack every thread to start shouting about the sales figures, which are as good/disappointing as the GC ones.

    With quality software on both consoles, it's strange to see the 200 euros (2,5 games, for f's sake) being a horrible hurdle to buy both of them to accompany the PS2.

    It should be about gaming, and with games like Halo, Eternal Darkness, Quantum Redshift, SMS, MotoGP, Pikmin etc. the ownership of all three platforms should be more than reasonable.

    Of course there is the problem of fitting the Xbox inside a living room :)

  • mentat #69 9 years ago

    I believe the Xboxen thing stems from a joke made when it first appeared. Linux based pcs are often referred to as Boxen, and someone made the link between Xbox and pc and Boxen. or something like that.

    As for signal to noise on this site, it's getting decidedly annoying. I'm going to have to start ignoring posters soon, which i don't want to have to do.

    Can't we all just get along, hmm?
    Act like adults and all that?

  • Tiitiz #70 9 years ago

    duc - we asked for the source not the numbers made up.

    Provide us with a source then your post might mean something

  • Tiitiz #71 9 years ago

    Viktor - Of course there is the problem of fitting the Xbox inside a living room

    Looks great on top of my video recorder. Gamecube has a problem to fit in as i have to keep moving it about so the controller reaches my sofa. Dont like having consoles sitting on the outside causing a hell of a mess either. Got to try and keep the wife happy after all.

  • brutal #72 9 years ago

    ", but the point was you wanted to finish it, because it was so damned enjoyable. "

    im with you on that one... i actually kind of cared about the story for once.

    i enjoyed j&d much more than sms

  • Nemesis #73 9 years ago

    Ok, so J&D wasn't the *hardest* game in the world, but the point was you wanted to finish it, because it was so damned enjoyable.

    Aye! Just when you were getting fed up collecting crystals they'd have you off on a zoomer doing time trials or a boss level or a different environment.

    Gah, I'm going to pass on this because the issues raised in various reviews and exactly the things that irritate me.

    A class reader review from gamerankings...

    Gameplay: The first round is EASY as hell. You shouldn't have a single problem. It just shows you the ropes. Then in the second round you will begin to see what the game is capable of. The third round is where the game shows you how it can be challenging. I died over 25 times in the round compared to once around in the first 2. The game play is simple, yet fun.

    DIED 25 TIMES. Jesus, that'd be back to the retailer straight away. What's fun about that!

  • krudster #74 9 years ago

    no fun, is the short answer. That reader review completely sums it up. It reminds me of the days of Manic Miner FFS!

  • Tiitiz #75 9 years ago

    krudster - sorry but ever since your review for this game on the points that i added before at the top of the page i really dont have a whole lot of care on what you find is fun. Although i did enjoy J&D when i played it on a friends machine for a couple of hours. Though she was a girlfriend of a friend who wanted help through the game.

    Edit - I went through the 3rd world by dying like 2-3 times. Either you dont have the skills, had a bad day, tired or just set out not to like this game from the word go.
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/02 @ 12:50

  • Blerk #76 9 years ago

    Blimey Tiitiz, it's just his opinion. You don't have to agree with it if you don't want, but if he didn't like it then there's no point him scoring it highly, surely? :-/

  • krudster #77 9 years ago

    Did you read my first impressions? I liked it for hours. I then progressively found tons of irritating things about the game, and I wasn't too happy to discover them because I was really looking forward to Blinx. So you liked it? That's fine. I'm not questioning anyone's right to like Blinx.
    6, after all, isn't a terrible score.
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/02 @ 13:03

  • binky #78 9 years ago

    Tiitz. just becoz kruds didnt like the game, doenst mean u have to agree and automatically dislike it. its 6/10 - just above average, clearly with some good ideas poorly executed. IN HIS OPINION. FFS let it go, and go play the damn game :p


    ::ok, beaten to it::
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/02 @ 13:02

  • hahakid #79 9 years ago

    I don't see what the problem is, the guy doesn't like it, neither do any of the people whose reviews I've learnt to take into consideration over the years, it seems the game is not as good as they said it was going to be, surely this isn't the first time that has happened..

  • Tiitiz #80 9 years ago

    Sorry Blerk, i know its his opinion but his review is not correct as i stated up top. If he didnt like it fair enough but he helped make the game look worse by just not putting the correct info. Again, check what i put up top so i dont have to write it all again

  • #81 9 years ago

    "we asked for the source not the numbers made up."

    And what part of those numbers was made up? The numbers are collected from various Japanese and American sales reports and (old) European sales reports from Microsoft and Nintendo. If you read E3 sales reports and Famitsu and Dangeki lists you will see that these numbers match. Your 800 000 to 1 000 000 figure is ridiculous. It probably fails to count Gamecube sales from 2001 in Japan.

  • krudster #82 9 years ago

    Tiitiz, you may not agree with my opinion, which is fair enough, but if you can point out anything that is factually incorrect then be my guest.
    So the camera isn't broken and doesn't lead to multiple deaths? The ammo system isn't laborious and unnecessary? The availability and distribution of the time crystals doesn't get on your nerves? The game is not linear and restrictive?
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/02 @ 13:13

  • sam_spade #83 9 years ago

    Another poor Xbox game, another 100 comments.

  • Tricky #84 9 years ago

    "Tricky - Its an opinion of mine of Mario v Blinx. Dont like it then dont carry on reading it. Should i and others stop giving opinions on this site just because you dont like it?"

    Not at all Tiitiz (after all I was expressing an opinion myself and from the broadest possible view seeing as I own and like all three consoles) - I just can't see how anyone can think of Blinx as a better platformer than Mario. The only thing you can count against Mario is the camera but it's not *that* bad. Also, you claim that the lack of an aiming system for the FLUDD system causes problems... well quite frankly I like the fact that it doesn't use an aiming cursor because it just feels more natural somehow.

    I have to say though that you're getting extremely defensive here about Blinx. Some of your posts have been extremely agressive... you didn't have a hand in the development of Blinx at all did you because some of what you're saying smacks almost of wounded pride.

  • Sly9 #85 9 years ago

    He can't answer at the moment, he's playing Blinx :)

  • Tricky #86 9 years ago

    I'll have what he's having.

  • Blerk #87 9 years ago

    Even if it's a lobotomy?

  • Tiitiz #88 9 years ago

    krudster - I'm not gonna repeat my self. I just disagree with the way you done the review and missed a few valid points. With regards to Mario and Blinx, i simply put my opinion down like everyone else. In this case i gave my reasons and understand it's not for everyone like Mario ended up not really for me. Some people will find some camera controls better than others. I prefer the one in Blinx and dislike the way they done it in Mario.

    God damn, it's my opinion of the review and my opinion of Mario with Blinx.

    If i came out with I prefer Blinx than Mario. people would have been 'What!?'

    I say it yet again, it's an opinion people. Or are the comments here for just conversations about the weather?

    Anyway, RE on PS and Cube was fantastic and one of my fav games to date. Please, its just an opinion.

  • Sly9 #89 9 years ago

    Go on Tiitiz!

  • Mr_Sleep #90 9 years ago

    @Tiitz, Isn't Blinx on the Xboxen and SMS on the GC or did I miss something? Thus the comparison between the two has little value. Unless you are comparing consoles which this review isn't and the comments probably shouldn't either.

  • Tricky #91 9 years ago

    Awful weather we're having isn't it? ;-)

    Mr. Sleep - it's a fair comparison really. They're both platformers so it seems fine to me to compare the two.
    Edited by 2 at 06/11/02 @ 14:33

  • brutal #92 9 years ago

    platform games across the different consoles have always been compared. eg. Sonic Vs Mario,

  • Mr_Sleep #93 9 years ago

    I still think zool is better ;)

  • Blerk #94 9 years ago

    Zool sucks! Rainbow Islands rules! :-)

  • Tricky #95 9 years ago

    Really? I never got what people saw in Zool. I gave it a while and then just turned off the Amiga and powered up the Megadrive instead ;-)

  • Mr_Sleep #96 9 years ago

    Using them as a mehtod of debating which is the better console seems to be prompting the old reamergence of fanboys, base the game on the merits not the console...*sigh*

  • Tiitiz #97 9 years ago

    I loved Rainbow Island but my mummy never bought me Zool ;/

    /me sniffs


    hehe

  • Dirtbox #98 9 years ago

    i think the point, Mr Sleep, is that both games are a similar genre and that despite set backs on each they are both essentially crud... or did i also miss something?

    hell, personally, i say mario forever. a cheap plastic looking cat designed purely to play catch-up on the platform genre just doesn't wash with this seasoned veterain. no sir.

    points to tiitiz for sticking up for his opinion though.

    note to self pt.2: must type faster
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/02 @ 14:48

  • mentat #99 9 years ago

    What gets me is this instict that people have: Any score below 9 means that the game is crap.

    Get real people. It doesn't mean the game is bad. Normally a score of 5 or 6 means that the game is average. Average is not bad.
    Not all games should get good scores.

    Perhaps some of the whiners could be shut up by having Eurogamer's specifications of what the points mean? Might stop some of the 'Halo, 8 points, WTF?' comments...
    I hope.

    How about it Krudster? Can we know what exactly a score of 6 means etc?

    *edit* Finger trouble...
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/02 @ 14:59

  • Tiitiz #100 9 years ago

    mentat - that is the best idea i have seen on this site for ages!

  • ssuellid #101 9 years ago

    Tiitiz, game ranking was being discussed in the forum and the same ideas came up.

  • Dirtbox #102 9 years ago

    how about a rating bar that looks more like the left/right volume bias controls on winamp (or whatever).

    the middle being zero bias (average) and right or left being above or below zero respectively. it goes to illustrate the term "average" in ratings at any rate.

    hell, its also a new slant on a tired old ratings system.

    mentat is correct in his point.

  • jaa #103 9 years ago

    Ah, more than 100 posts again! :) Oh, it's mostly with console wars again... :(

    I'm buying this. I'll probably live to regret it. Or not. I don't mind games being hard (I liked GunValkyrie a lot). But the camera and the aiming system being sh*t... that's a different story.

    Anyway, to be honest, I'm more hesitant about Splinter Cell. I didn't like MGS2. I found it boring. And I'm not talking about the cutscenes. Played it for a couple of hours months ago and keep telling myself I must give it another chance. Doubt I'll ever will. So...

    Nothing wrong with the review, btw.

    Oh, and my consoles are better than yours. All three of them.

  • ssuellid #104 9 years ago

    Jaa, I hated MGS2 but I like the splinter cell demo.

    Jaa, Dirtbox, Tiitz are you aware of the new Eurogamer forum for on and off topic discussions? Both Game Ranking systems and the Splinter Cell demo have there own threads.

  • jaa #105 9 years ago

    Yes, ssuellid, I'm aware of it. Too confusing. Too many threads. Read the "Has EG lost a bit of its charme due to the new forum?" thread for my opinion.

    But I'll go there anyway. Oh, and about Splinter Cell: thanks for helping me go bankrupt. :)

  • Tricky #106 9 years ago

    jimbo - try looking at the Doom 3 alpha for something that beats Splinter Cell. Only just mind you because Splinter Cell's lighting effects are extremely good.

  • Bill Gates is Evil #107 9 years ago

    All those sales figures are making my head spin. Duc-- Why do you keep making things up? What do you use to make those estimates? Where are sources?

  • Tiitiz #108 9 years ago

    Doom 3 Alpha has not great lighting effects. Splinter Cell is better at the moment but im 110% sure Doom 3 will be much better at the time of release.

    Jimbo, Halo 2 and the lighting effects (from the In Game Trailer) rock over both thus far.

    Dont forget that Mr Carmack said himself that Doom III will come as good looking on the Xbox seeing as it's based on the GF3 hardware (which the Xbox uses) anyway but will have to cut sown on a few other things.

  • Razz #109 9 years ago

    Is this the XBOX2
    http://packweb.free.fr/sitexbox/la%20xbox/accessoi re/xbox2.jpg

  • Bill Gates is Evil #110 9 years ago

    lol razz

  • cyber_nicco #111 9 years ago

    It's been suggested around here a number of times that the Xbox supporters are the ones that are starting the flame-wars.

    I have to disagree.

    When I first came to this site, it was well before the Xbox was released in Europe. There was already a lot of anti-Microsoft, anti-Xbox junk on these threads. I own consoles by Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft (not all current generation), and felt affinity for all of them (especially Nintendo). Then I came here and read over and over again about how the Xbox was going to crash and burn and how all these pissy Eurogamers were going to dance on the ashes of Microsoft. There was genuine vitriol. These Xbox bashers (and there were a hell of a lot of you - don't lie, damnit) weren't going to be happy unless the Xbox turned out to be a huge embarrassment to Microsoft in particular, and the United States in general. I found myself sinking into a pit of previously unrealized fanboyism. I was constantly reading posts from people that wanted to see my console FAIL. They didn't want to just profess the greatness of their gaming choice, but, rather, wanted to grind my fun into the ground.

    I say many of you need to go back and take a long hard look at just how things ended up in their current condition.

    p.s. I don't read as many different threads here as most of you do, so I can't really say what was being said all over the forums. However, this was definitely my experience.
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/02 @ 21:06

  • Razz #112 9 years ago

    "lol razz"

    finally somebody understands my humour
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/02 @ 21:03

  • krudster #113 9 years ago

    Well, cyber nicco, you can be sure they'll will never be anti xbox bias from me. I long for the day when we just argue about a game's merit, and the idea of which platform is best isn't even on the agenda. When people discuss books, movies, or music, do you think they waste their time quibbling over the hardware?
    For the record I've spent most of the evening playing Unreal Championship. On Xbox.
    Sure, Xbox has more power, but in the end it's the games we give a shit about.

  • #114 9 years ago

    screenshots look ok, i guess. *what am I doing in this review?*

  • cyber_nicco #115 9 years ago

    Mr. Doh,

    You're missing the point...

    I've said things I regret. It's the impression of being attacked that inspires these reactions. I'm only suggesting that there was/is a unprecedented number of folks looking for an Xbox failure - possibly stoking the flames of fanboyism.

    This isn't meant to excuse my (or anyone's) over exuberance. It's merely meant to stab at an explanation.

    p.s. Krudster, one has to admit that quality of games is a function of sales and quality of hardware. Logically, if everyone were to buy whatever hardware platform was the most powerful, over time those people would be rewarded with the best games. I am taken aback by the implication that these things are unrelated. I'm not even going to suggest what platform might meet any of these standards, but I think most of you don't need me to spell it out for you.

  • #116 9 years ago

    if everyone were to buy whatever hardware platform was the most powerful, over time those people would be rewarded with the best games.

    So you are saying that everybody should always buy the newest PC hardware that is released? This sounds pretty expensive and not at all practical.

  • Viktor #117 9 years ago


    Just look at Sega Dreamcast: it was the best platform available for 2 years, with the best games, and it didn't do that well... I mean, Soul Calibur can still hack it with the best of next gen gfx.

    So let's dump the "it's all about games" -argument shall we?

  • Bill Gates is Evil #118 9 years ago

    "It's the impression of being attacked that inspires these reactions."

    I can completely relate to that.

    It's funny Cyber, I feel like i'm in the same corner. All over the web there had been rampant Xbox bashing, not too sure why. Part of it's because it's Microsoft, another part is Microsoft's a U.S. corporation.

    But atleast the entire time I knew that regardless of all the haters, plenty of people will still buy it. Xbox is doing quite nicely for a first console, and not just in sales but in software quality. It's got triple A games, my friends. It is a very good console backed by a very larger corporation. The promise of a future on Xbox is great. Microsoft's mountain of cash and profits and it's willingness to allocate so much of it to the industry is freakin' the best thing if you're an xbox gamer. We've got big-name sequels, and unheard of could be, couldn't be big hits.

    There's a lot of new, exclusive software that is constantly released for Xbox. You'll have your misses (Blinx), but most importantly you'll have your hits (Deathrow, Halo, etc..)

    BTW, quick Deathrow review. BUY IT. It's damn great and it is damn intense. Cyber-- go! Get it! Just don't choose the seacats, they're damn fast but your opponent will just kick your ass everytime. Love that game-- my favorite game of the year so far. Splinter Cell's demo is a close 2nd...hah

  • Bill Gates is Evil #119 9 years ago

    "So you are saying that everybody should always buy the newest PC hardware that is released? This sounds pretty expensive and not at all practical."

    I'm beginning to wonder why you even exist. I think i've been cursed. Duc might be Otto's evil side. No, that was not at all what he was saying Duc.
    Edited by 1 at 07/11/02 @ 07:42

  • Blerk #120 9 years ago

    These Xbox bashers weren't going to be happy unless the Xbox turned out to be a huge embarrassment to Microsoft in particular, and the United States in general.

    It's nothing to do with the United States in general, why does the US currently have this persecution complex that everyone wants it to fail? It's just to do with Microsoft. I can appreciate the quality of some Xbox games, but I love to see Bill with egg on his face. Doesn't everyone? So you want to play the games, but you just can't help but keep on wishing that Bill would meet some nasty fate. What a dilemma! The answer? Microsoft should have set up a new company to create and market the Xbox and disassociated the product entirely from MS. I'm sure they'd have done a lot better.

  • Ciaran #121 9 years ago

    why does the US currently have this persecution complex that everyone wants it to fail?

    That's being carefully cultivated by the US media. Probably because the perception that the whole world is against you, leads people to more readily back hard-line governmental policies.

  • Mr_Sleep #122 9 years ago

    "Logically, if everyone were to buy whatever hardware platform was the most powerful, over time those people would be rewarded with the best games."

    That is just untrue, having a standard to work on that is the most powerful does not make the best games, innovation and vision from games designers/developers is what makes a good game. The hardware has next to nothing relevant to the quality of the game, just the graphics.

    Case in point is Morrowind vs Gothic, Gothic is by far the better constructed game, the story is better, the combat system is better and the overall feel is more fluid. However Morrowind looked a lot prettier and was by an established software house, so it sold by the bucket load, even though it's graphically inferior and actual gameplay superior Gothic was basically ignored.

    Graphics does not a good game make.

  • Merefield #123 9 years ago

    XBox won't fail, imho.

    Bill has too much cash and will throw it at the problem til its fixed

  • Mr_Sleep #124 9 years ago

    "Bill has too much cash and will throw it at the problem til its fixed"

    Money however doesn't make good games, which is, lets face it, what a console is sold for.

  • Dirtbox #125 9 years ago

    on the contrary, cash can buy the earth.

    i can see bill goats buying up everything, including paying us to take the xbox and the games off the shop's shelves (at this rate he's going to have to pay me to).
    Edited by 1 at 07/11/02 @ 13:08

  • Sly9 #126 9 years ago

    According to this weeks Japanese hardware charts...oh dear...

    Xbox | 1,400 | (Annual: 267,800)
    Wonder Swan Crystal | 1,300 | (Annual: 98,500)

  • Dirtbox #127 9 years ago

    BWAHA!!

  • Tiitiz #128 9 years ago

    Mumba - you do kinda have some points but the total sales are not down to Sly9.
    You also missed a fatal thing. Cube sold the same total amount before 2002 I believe i heard. Yea the sales should have been more than Sony's seeing as Nintendo have a bigger and more stable background with consoles in the world, but is'nt that because the PSX came out before the N64? which is what started to put Nintendo in the Shadow of Sony? I might be wrong with that, as i never followed the N64 and PSX consoles, but i do know the PSX came out first.

    oh and P.S. Mumba, dont get me wrong but you sound like a Fanboy to me ;)

  • BartonFink #129 9 years ago

    Keep your fanboyism to yourself if you have to reply please LOL pot kettle black?

  • cyber_nicco #130 9 years ago

    Mr. Sleep,

    Wakeup! (Sorry - couldn't resist)

    "That is just untrue, having a standard to work on that is the most powerful does not make the best games, innovation and vision from games designers/developers is what makes a good game. The hardware has next to nothing relevant to the quality of the game, just the graphics."

    You've essentially misquoted me. What I said is that quality of games will be largely a function of the number of consoles sold (thus, stimulating development), and quality of hardware (which has to do with a lot more than graphics, btw - sound, harddrive, etc.)

    You will find first(and second)-party development happen that's completely outside of this formula, because of obvious reasons (contracts, owenership, etc.) You will also find other factors become apparent - for instance, maybe some Japanese developers would prefer to develop for a Japanes console (pure speculation on my part). However, over time, simple free-market economics will prevail. Most developers will be inclined to develop for the platform that has the widest audience. If that platform is also the most technically advanced, this will result (on average) in the highest quality games available during that technology cycle.

    I don't see how you can really argue against this, but go ahead and try.

  • cyber_nicco #131 9 years ago

    "It's nothing to do with the United States in general, why does the US currently have this persecution complex that everyone wants it to fail?"

    I'm not sure if that's meant tongue-in-cheek, or not. I'll assume you're being serious.

    Yes, there is a lot of anti-American sentiment throughout the world - including in many European countries (even amongst our most staunch allies). How do I know this? Well, for starters, I had a lengthy vacation in England early this year, and saw plenty of it first hand. How else? I have a number of friends that either live in Europe, or have recently moved from there, and they tell me this is so (many of them non-
    americans). All you really have to do is read the foreign (to me) press, and you will see this.

    It's a seperate argument as to whether or not this feeling is warranted, but I think it's rather silly to suggest that it doesn't exist.

    That being said, I don't KNOW that any of the anti-Xbox rhetoric that I experienced was due to anti-American sentiment, but the language often suggested it.

    Furthermore, I'm constantly surprised by how much Bill Gates is disliked. Compare him to pretty much any other billionaire, and he comes up modest, unpretentious, the antithesis of flashy, and personally quite generous (by the accounts I've read). I'm not suggesting that he's Mister Wonderful, but I doubt he deserves the dislike he's often subjected to.

  • cyber_nicco #132 9 years ago

    By the way, I'd be very pleased to find out that I'm wrong about the anti-American sentiment. Really.

    Maybe it is largely a product of the media (not just ours - I saw plenty of English TV when I was there).

    So, now's your chance to chime in all you Eurogamers. Here's today's question: Americans, love 'em or leave 'em?

  • UncleLou #133 9 years ago

    cyber nicco, there's a great solo piano album by Bill Evans that might be of interest for you.

    It's called "Conversation with myself".

  • [Alt][F4] #134 9 years ago

    "Here's today's question: Americans, love 'em or leave 'em?"

    Could care less about 'em :)
    Hope that answers your question.
    Live and let live.

  • Bill Gates is Evil #135 9 years ago

    "Money however doesn't make good games, which is, lets face it, what a console is sold for."

    Money makes good games. I don't have any money, and if I made a game it would suck. Square, Nintendo, Rare, Bungie, Enix, Konami, Sega, and Capcom have lots of money. They have good games. They tend to correlate, but not always, which I think was your point anyway.

    And a lot of people hate Bill Gates, apparently. But I never really see any reason why. Sure, he bundled Internet Explorer and destroys most competitors, but he doesn't kill babies. He's evil because he has 50 billion dollars. Which is about 3.5% of the UK's GDP hehehe. He could buy 7 million of your citizens.

  • Bill Gates is Evil #136 9 years ago

    Mr.Do!, please register so I can block you.

  • pjmaybe #137 9 years ago

    Did someone say Vacuum welded pussy? Oh you've met "the wife" then?

    Peej

  • Mr_Sleep #138 9 years ago

    "However, over time, simple free-market economics will prevail."

    And you come to this conclusion how?

    Numerous companies make games for whichever platform they want, not everyone does it to make money, some people actually enjoy their jobs and do them to be artistic. Are you going to tell me that the maker of Longest Journey who wrote, directed and VO'd (some of) it did it for money?

    "Most developers will be inclined to develop for the platform that has the widest audience."

    Perhaps, I think however you are confusing developers and producers. The development house make the game for the producers who then deal with distribution to however millions. The developers are hardly involved at all.

    "If that platform is also the most technically advanced, this will result (on average) in the highest quality games available during that technology cycle."

    Quality of story and game are not relevant to hardware abilities. Morrowind looked brilliant but the story and the gameplay were boring. Gothic looked pants in comparison but the story is interesting and the combat is somewhat dynamic. The point I am trying to make is that I have just as much fun on the First Street Fighter as the ten million suquels, all those upgrades to hardware and it's still in essence the same game...and it's boring. I think the Xbox is a good example of the high level technology not making better games, the few exclusives that the Xbox has are not very impressive and frankly I am more wowed by the PS2 and it's host of exclusive and interesting titles that have developed over time. I mean Blinx is excessively derivative.

    Oh and btw, I can argue anything :p

    @BGIE, yeah, sorry I should have explained that a little better, what I meant to say was that good games and a large finance are not mutually exclusive, there have been many good games on low budgets.

    Heh, my longest EG reply ever!
    Edited by 2 at 11/11/02 @ 12:51

  • Tiitiz #139 9 years ago

    I mean Blinx is excessively derivative

    Not played it then. Cause as you know. I enjoy it as well has others.

  • Mr_Sleep #140 9 years ago

    Derivative as in it brings nothing new to the genre and it is a standard platform game just as Mario is. I am not saying that it isn't enjoyable, just that the game brings nothing new to a stale genre.
    Edited by 1 at 11/11/02 @ 13:12

  • BartonFink #141 9 years ago

    I'm with Tiitiz on this, obviously haven't played the game then Mr Sleep.

  • Mr_Sleep #142 9 years ago

    Nope, feel free to tell me it's differing facets :)

  • Mr_Sleep #143 9 years ago

    I assume for the record that you mean the time stopping issue, yes that is an innovation, well done to them, anything else?

  • Tiitiz #144 9 years ago

    The way I play Blinx the whole time control is used often. It plays and works very smooth.
    For example, when you die you use a retry (if you have one) which rewinds you back like 5-10secs so you can correct the mistake you made. None of this pain in the arse Oh im dead, Oh! Ill start from the begining again and do the same damn thing, again. Not that i die a whole lot, but im now on world 5 stage 2 which is starting to get really hard and challenging. I know someone on 7.3 so i still have a small chance to complete it before he does :)) Raaa!

  • Machiavel #145 9 years ago

    ...initial sense of innovation and strangely addictive gameplay makes Blinx initially an enjoyable experience

    Well that's exactly where I'm at. The first two worlds are superb and eminently replayable. The third world is more of a chore (sorry Geography fans). Is the best already over?

  • binky #146 9 years ago

    hi all.

    Got myself a copy of Blinx today. and after initial, hhmpph i dont like this camera control, i must say im quite enjoying it. not too far in (only on the hourglass level) but so far its a fairly interesting platofrm romp. and certainly the best i have played on the xbx. bravo. oooh and that TORK demo on it looked interesting too :)

  • Polymath #147 9 years ago

    Xboxen.

    I was always under the impression that this was derived from German plural forms. I faintly remember reading someone coining this term on this site before the Xbox launch.

    Anyone else remember all this?

    Re: Anti-american sentiment
    In general, I think that there are many places in the world that this exists. I'll leave that to your personal reading.

    In particular, there are a couple posters on this forum that leave some of their distate thinly veiled.

    In general, on this site, I think it's rather neutral, all things considered. Perhaps why it remains my favorite site and place to post.

    In corresponding US sites, there is rarely an intelligently articulated thread. I suspect it's partially a function of the increased internet access for younger persons in the states. It does, however make for colourful "discussion".

  • binky #148 9 years ago

    hhhmmm ok. played blinx a bit more last night. Im at the 4th world now. stage one.

    got a bit annoyed i must say. i could be wrong, but this is twice this has happened now.... If u mess up the see-saw bit where u need to record urself, u are left with no choice but to restart the level. am i right? Same happened a few levels ago, where i had to stand on 2 buttons at once. bodged it up, and had no chance of doing it again. this one is worse tho, coz theres no where else to go!!

    hhmm, that IS bad design... have been enjoying it tho, but u shouldnt get THIS frustrated playing a game with quite good potential. ooohhh and short levels :) Ive been dying for a game with short levels for a while now!

  • Machiavel #149 9 years ago

    "at the 4th world now. stage one."

    Same place I've got to. I think there are four record crystals in the two rooms near to the see-saw so you can get two goes at recording correctly.

    I'm stuck (hell, running out of time) at the end, trying to hit that 'door spirit' when all I've got left is bombs.