Viva Piņata Review

By Tom Bramwell Published 16 November, 2006

Filled with fun! Like, actually.

Version tested: Xbox 360

If you'd asked me a year ago what I thought the first bit of Viva Piņata would be like, it's very unlikely that I would have guessed correctly that Earthraper and Soilhumper would have given birth to Conceivedinsin, and that I would then get Earthraper to have it off with Conceivedinsin to bring Incestibrate into the world, and then flog Soilhumper to a dodgy old lady so I could buy a lamp, before serving Earthraper and Incestibrate up to Flutterface and Gallantflaps so they could do the deed and produce Wingwrong.

After all, none of that makes sense. So let me translate: in the first hour that I played Viva Piņata, I got the worms I was encouraged to name and nurture to have sex multiple times, including with their own children, and then sold one of them to a hag and fed the others to sparrows because that's the only way to get them to go into their little birdhouse and pound the headboard.

This, by the way, is Microsoft's first attempt at a kids game for Xbox 360.

Of course it's all handled very tastefully - shagging is "romancing", played out as a little mini-game, and all the voice-over instructions are channelling CBeebies. Parents may need to help the sprogs out with certain things, because there's a fair bit of complexity to making a sparkling garden for all the little animals to live in, but children will probably like it anyway. They're quite good with complex systems, you know - my little brother drove my sister's car into the garage door aged 12. Also, there's a little child-safety pamphlet stuffed inside the box if you're worried about that.

But the point I'm trying to make is that adults will definitely enjoy it too. It's sort of a cross between an empire-building game like Caesar and a life management game like The Sims, and for the most part it's very well put together.

'Viva Piñata' Screenshot 1

He may be the poster-child, but you won't attract his interest in a hurry.

You start off with a patch of broken land with a crying woman on it. She's crying not because she has leaves growing out of her face (best not to mention it though), but because the garden's full of rubbish, so she gives you a crumbling spade - you're the new owner - and you set about smashing up the remains of skips and doghouses and beating down the hard earth until you have a soily base.

Then you get a very useful infinite-grass-seed pack, allowing you to carpet the place in greenery. By this stage some worms (sorry, whirlms - no wait, they should be sorry) will have turned up and taken an interest. Animals initially creep onto your lawn in black and white, but if their conditions for residency are met (and in this case they quickly are - the worms have low standards), they'll take on a more piņata-like colour scheme and allow you to name them and look up their stats.

Soon you're encouraged to give the worms names and build them a little house. So you do that, and they seem quite chirpy, and then they're "romancing" little Conceivedinsin to life. Obviously there aren't any restrictions on naming. Wise choice.

The initial stages of the game unfold through lots of prompts from your leaf-faced friend that introduce the mechanics. There's an alerts system that sends useful information to you - if you're busy, these items are stored in a queue at the bottom of the screen. Otherwise pretty much every control is handled by the left analogue stick and face buttons - you hit X to open your inventory, for example, and then use the analogue stick to point to the option you want (spade, watering can, etc.) and from then on it's just a case of using the A button.

'Viva Piñata' Screenshot 2

The piņata graphical effect is lovely to behold up close.

To choose where things go and to get about, you direct a little circular cursor with the left stick, using the right one to point the camera so you're looking where you want to look. In this way the same tool that builds a spooky tower for bats to sleep in is the one you use to direct bunnies to consummate, and the one you use to tell the sprinkling woman she's fired because she let your tree die.

Before long the seed-man presents himself, allowing you to start growing things, which obviously need to be watered occasionally. You gain access to the village shop, where a loony woman will sell you things like lamps and fences and other seeds. There's also a builder who will help you out with your animal homes and so on. As you grow in stature as a gardener you're awarded new contacts and tools - like an advanced shovel that can dig ponds. The unifying aspect of all of this is that it's geared toward helping you attract more piņata.

For example, building a big pond attract newts, which you'll need because a badger won't take up residence until he's eaten one, whereas rabbits will only hang about if they can eat a carrot first and foxes won't unless they can eat rabbits. There's a steady stream of animals presenting themselves, but early on leaf-woman is going a bit mental with alerts and instructions, so it's possible to become a bit overwhelmed and need to slow down - I was sustained through this period by the sudden realisation that I could give things names and then make them perform unspeakable acts, obviously, but less demented gamers will just have to be tolerant of the bluster and the occasional dead periods where you waiting for things to happen or the seed chap to turn up again. The good news is that once you've got the early days out of the way, mad leaf woman shuts up for the most part and it's up to you to uncover the garden's secrets.

Sooner or later, your garden's a bit lovely. You've got all sorts of animals running free, although you might need to fence some off from each other later on - it's very disappointing to discover there's proscribed inter-species death going on that's not on your hands. And even for a black-hearted cynic like me, there's something charming and satisfying about watching your residents frolic and play with each other. They're gorgeously styled and animated and the piņata effect - the ruffly paper skin - is one of Rare's best graphical innovations since they made us fall over with excitement in Donkey Kong Country all those years ago. Reports from trade shows of horrendous frame-rates were premature too; this runs fine, only chugging occasionally when it performs an auto-save. And yes, by this stage you've also managed to carve garden paths using soily tracts so that from above (click the right stick) the whole place resembles a dodgy fascist symbol.

But Viva Piņata would be rather boring if it were just about giving things funny names and then getting them to have it off and smiling a lot and being a fascist. Fortunately Rare's wise to that, and so the game gently and subtly takes on a different theme - where the mixture of pet sim and empire builder is more finely balanced.

If you want more piņata (you do), then you need to keep levelling up by doing new and interesting things. Your relationship with the basics evolves - you're no longer doing all the watering or weeding yourself, but instead employing helpers from the nearby pub (which sells milk - aww) to do it for you, and managing their contracts. You're no longer obsessed with naming every piņata because there are so many, so you concentrate on making sure they can play nicely and acquiring new ones through careful management of the relationship between the garden layout (which by now has expanded to give you more room) and the piņatas' residency and romance requirements.

'Viva Piñata' Screenshot 3

When you build houses for piņata, you can go up to them and look inside. And if you need one of them to come out and do something, you can tap the side with your shovel.

Some have pointed out that gentler gamers will be forced to make agonising choices: sacrificing piņata for the benefit of the clan, and ripping up the things you used to marvel at because the layout's become incredibly cluttered. But actually the way your relationship with the garden develops means that you won't be so precious about everything by the time these decisions matter. Your obsession becomes meeting the piņatas' requirements. Your joy stems from things like realising that the "tinker man" in the village can hollow out your pumpkin and give it a face - the nasty vampire bats will only become residents if they can eat one in that state. It's no longer just a pet sim - it's a game about disentangling the food chain so everyone's happy and flourishing, and ultimately Viva Piņata's much less reliant on Sims-style novelties as a result.

It's not just these complexities that you're up against though. You can run out of dosh, in which case you may need to take drastic steps and flog your piņata into god-knows-what. Doctors' costs are quite hefty, for example, and if you're not buying or smacking seed-man in the head for new produce to grow and sell, you won't be able to foment the accounts. Sinister players like me will discover though that you can set up a sort of production line of animals - the steady stream of worms allows easy matching of sparrows, whose offspring are quite valuable early on. But even with all these things to consider, the game never really gangs up on you the way some of its managementalist contemporaries do, and allows you to concentrate on the things that keep you interested instead.

'Viva Piñata' Screenshot 4

As well as managing your garden, you'll need to keep an eye on how happy your piņata are - otherwise they might bugger off.

There are some issues, sadly, but none so bothersome that I'd cut the head off the blossoming score. Xbox Live options are rather more limited than I expected - the biggest problem being your inability to invite people round to see your garden, with lesser citations for things like not being able to see what's in the gifts you're sent until you've opened them. It's also a bit annoying that you can't choose how your garden expands - you're just given bigger borders to work in on each side - and there are some interface niggles like having to open seed info pages that take you out of the garden before you've planted them, but being able to identify anything that's already in the soil at a glance. It's also worth pointing out that what narrative there is unfolds away from the action in unlockable storybook bits in your journal, and doesn't amount to much more than a dull bedtime story.

But there's so much to do before any of that starts to bother you, and by that time you'll be engaged enough to pay it no mind. You certainly don't have to be a complete psychopath to have fun with it - there's so much hidden in the earth to uncover and nurture. Piņata loan requests (the point at which you remember that these things are actually party attractions), the quirky mating ritual movies, and the wealth of ways to solve the puzzle of creating life are just a few among very many. "Converting" the evil piņata who turn up to cause trouble is very satisfying, too, and there's even a beggar who comes around - you can either pay him off with your chocolate coins, or whack him on the head with a spade.

You just need to invest yourself. If you do, you'll discover Viva Piņata to be a subtle blend of resource management and Origin of Species (albeit mad, wackily named species with cute sound effects). There is so much to unlock and achieve, and after some of Rare's recent sins this is a welcome return to form, and something into which I know I'll happily sink myself for many weekends to come.

(And I'm sorry, but I think "Horstachio" is an awesome name.)

8 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (158) Latest comment 5 years ago

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

  • Huntcjna #1 5 years ago

    Woohoo! Glad this is reviewing well should arrive on monday hopefully.

    /crosses fingers

  • HazyUK #2 5 years ago

    I'll have it soon, glad I imported now.

  • Darren #3 5 years ago

    Wonderful review of what must be one of the 360's most refreshingly unusual and most interestly different releases this year. I love the visual style and the game looks so engrossing from the 30 minutes of video footage I've seen over on Xboxyde.

    I really hope it sells well but somehow I think a lot of 360's owners will overlook it in the run up to Christmas because it looks too cute and kiddy and isn't violent enough... :(

  • jonnyreb #4 5 years ago

    The next few days are expensive for releases over here....

    Gears of War
    COD 3
    Rainbow Six LV
    Tony Hawks Project 8
    FEAR

    And this....shame because if it wasn't for the others I might give this a chance.....but my wallet is only so deep :(

  • fawe3 #5 5 years ago

    Yea, seriusly if this one got tens in all the reviews, it still wouldnt sell much.

  • asphaltcowboy #6 5 years ago

    Glad this has got a good score... one to get when I tire of shooting stuff!
    And glad that Rare have got some good scores back on the boards!
    Edited by 1 at 16/11/06 @ 11:18

  • Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #7 5 years ago

    But Doom XBLA scored more!

  • Der_tolle_Emil #8 5 years ago

    And yes, by this stage you've also managed to carve garden paths using soily tracts so that from above (click the right stick) the whole place resembles a dodgy fascist symbol.

    Doing this never gets boring in any sim game.

    I am really looking forward to this game, as I love the graphic style and really could take some change after all those 360 FPS/racing games. That doesn't hinder me though from buying Gears of War, Rainbow Six: Vegas and FEAR in the coming days. Should make the wait for Wii a bit shorter and more bearable.

    Edit: And yeah, I was a huge Rare fan and I am glad that they managed to bring out a good game after all these years. PDZ was a huge disappointment for me, the controls are just awful. I don't know why, I just don't manage to hit anything. Haven't had this problem with any other FPS on the 360. And besides PDZ there was nothing Rare developed that is worth mentioning. I definetly would like to see Conker on the BC list though because I loved the N64 game and playing it again with nicer graphics is intriguing.
    Edited by 1 at 16/11/06 @ 11:22

  • schoozzzmmii #9 5 years ago

    Wasn't really up for this before now, but this review might have just converted me. Actually looking forward to getting my hands on it.

  • Super_Zee #10 5 years ago

    Here we go again...

  • EmiliasHorse #11 5 years ago

    Why am I more excited about getting this than GoW?

  • sheepsteak #12 5 years ago

    Mine has just arrived! :D

  • krudster #13 5 years ago

    Because there are no guns in it?

  • lambtron #14 5 years ago

    You are ALLOWED to like a game more than GoW Emilia - its not teh Law you must love it above all else ;).

  • Krun #15 5 years ago

    After the talk about the 30+ age group not getting games. This sounds like just the game for parents with young kids. Mum and Dad will enjoy it and so will their sprogs. This could turn out to be a surprise hit, like the Sims was.

  • Lorka #16 5 years ago

    The reasons to buy a 360 are building....ow....my wallet...

  • ram #17 5 years ago

    I should get commission....

    Ģ28 of your english pounds at yes-asia. Might have to wait a couple of weeks though.

  • Psychotext #18 5 years ago

    Sweet. Looks like a chillout game. =)

  • #19 5 years ago

    Cool, looks like a winner for my children.

  • smoothpete #20 5 years ago

    My wallet just had a heart attack.

  • smoothpete #21 5 years ago

    Tom or Krudster, quick question, I wanted to love Harvest Moon but actually hated it, how similar is the Viva Pinata experience?
    Edited by 1 at 16/11/06 @ 11:52

  • bivith #22 5 years ago

    Ditto Animal Crossing. Just didn't get it.

  • Rirekon #23 5 years ago

    I actually lol'd at that opening paragraph!

  • pjmaybe #24 5 years ago

    \o/

    My order stays put then. Good stuff Tom.

    Peej

  • TripSkyway #25 5 years ago

    Sounds great, I'm glad there's some depth to it. Looking forward to getting my hands on it.

  • Carrybagma #26 5 years ago

    the biggest problem being your inability to invite people round to see your garden

    Not one for Gremmi then.

    :o)

  • smoothpete #27 5 years ago

    Nah gremmi will be the one sending boxes of evil pinatas to everyone :)

  • petebritish #28 5 years ago

    Great review and impressive score just hope import version arrives soon. Rare back on form...

    whatever next Goldeneye on Marketplace?

  • Mortified_Penguin #29 5 years ago

    It's good to see a bit more variety being added to the Xbox 360 with decent games like this and other games like Blue Dragon.

  • bonker #30 5 years ago

    Look everybody - the 360 can do more colours than the usual T/FPS shades of grey and brown and not a gun in sight too!

    Hurrah!

    40 years old or not, I'm very, very happy that this is looking and playing good, can't wait to grab it ...

    Thanks Rare.

  • bloodflowers #31 5 years ago

    And don't forget kids - VP comes with LOTS of content on the disc (which you'll need to pay to unlock). Yes really. Yes, already - check the marketplace. That's the only reason I'm not buying it, the business model offends me - and the rumour is there's a lot of "downloadable" content coming for this one.

  • escapedape #32 5 years ago

    So the fact that it's a great game out of the box is irrelevant? The DLC is optional stuff, not essential for gameplay at all. Not like you're forced to buy it - just ignore it if you have a problem with it.

    I understand people having issues with rip-off content like the EA stuff, or Lumines...but this is just daft.

  • peasoup #33 5 years ago

    If the content is all ready on the disc its a bit of a con

  • smoothpete #34 5 years ago

    Aye, your horse doesn't care if he's wearing a hat or not

  • Vin #35 5 years ago

    Fucking beautiful.

  • foamy #36 5 years ago

    nice to know it turned out to be good :D

  • rhinoxious #37 5 years ago

    Nice to see some bright colours for a change,

    all the games I've played recently have been dark or muted, not ideal for gaming in the winter.

  • bloodflowers #38 5 years ago

    escapedape: no, this is actually /worse/ than some of the EA stuff. With much of EAs "DLC", at least you can actually unlock it by playing. Not all, mind. I'd put money on future pinata species already being on the disc for later "download".

  • mattigan #39 5 years ago

    If they brought out GoldenEye on XBLA I would do a sex wee.

  • absolutezero #40 5 years ago

    Mine just arrived this morning from Tronix, ordered on Tuesday, gotta love that cheap FedEx shipping.

    The manual and everything about the game just makes me smile, I can't wait to get my garden up and running.

  • Scientist #41 5 years ago

    "And don't forget kids - VP comes with LOTS of content on the disc (which you'll need to pay to unlock). Yes really. Yes, already - check the marketplace. That's the only reason I'm not buying it, the business model offends me - and the rumour is there's a lot of "downloadable" content coming for this one."

    Could one not level the same criticism at Nintendo for its practice of releasing multiple versions of Pokemon or Nintendogs? Except with Nintendo you need to buy 2 or 3 cartridges at the same prices rather than micro-transactions?

  • Mugwum Verified Operations Director, Eurogamer Network #42 5 years ago

    Various answers:

    I think Viva Pinata will appeal to people in different ways to Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing. I suppose the difference is that those two are fairly item- and interaction-driven whereas Viva's more of an orchestration thing. You want to get new things for your garden, obviously, but your biggest desire is to unravel the puzzle of how everything works and find new ways to play in the process. It's very well considered and subtle about how it evolves, too. That said, AC and HM fans shouldn't be put off - there's a ton of customisation available like logos and obviously outfits for the pinata that I didn't delve too much into (largely because it doesn't interest me).

    DLC - I'm aware they're flogging things like hats on Marketplace that are already on the disc, and I don't really care much for the tactic whenever anyone does it. It doesn't have much of a bearing on my enjoyment of the game though - I barely dressed up my pinata at all, and still found myself devoted to the garden and everything in it. (Especially beating up the homeless man.)

  • Salubrious_K #43 5 years ago

    With all the other games coming out at the moment I don't think I can afford it, but it's definitely something I'll look to pick up second hand in a few months.

  • J*C #44 5 years ago

    Well done Rare, now make sure banjo is amazing, and do a proper 360 Perfect dark built from the ground up.

  • Jheronimus #45 5 years ago

    Good review! I'm really looking forward to the release of this game. Finally a title on the 360 (next to Lego Star Wars II) that the gf will like too! (Although one can doubt if that's a good thing ;D)

  • absolutezero #46 5 years ago

    On the subject of the multiplayer hats is just wait awhile, I've alot of things that were first being charged for being given away free at a later date, Ill wait a little while and get a hat for my cow for free.

  • jlaakso #47 5 years ago

    A sure Christmas buy.

  • sharpfish #48 5 years ago

    Actually this game is one of the reasons I was spurred on to buy a 360 ages ago, knowing it and gears of war were headed for the Box made it tempting EVEN though I didn't know if they would any good.

    I saw the videos of Viva P and new the 360 had more going on that I previously though, since then PGR3, Dead Rising etc have kept me going.. now Gears and This will see me through to the new year when even better stuff is coming to the 360.

  • Reapergold #49 5 years ago

    This game looks like you'd need to 'moke da Gan'ja to really truely appreciate it. So I shall :D

  • johnboy_johsnon #50 5 years ago

    This review convinced me to order. Not the typical kind of game I'd be in to but at €45 for the special edition it's hard to say no!

    I have Farenheit and Dead Rising to get through before Christmas and there will be an additional 6 games waiting under the tree for me (mostly from myself).

  • S.J.Rogers #51 5 years ago

    @ Jheronimus

    How do i make my Girl Friend like computer games.

    She complains every time I go near the 360.

    I may have to TWAT her around the head with my unused PS2 to keep her quiet.

    On the subject, VP looks great AND IS ON MY WISH LIST.

  • Tiger_Walts #52 5 years ago

    Better than JSRF then?

  • wizbob #53 5 years ago

    <em>Could one not level the same criticism at Nintendo for its practice of releasing multiple versions of Pokemon or Nintendogs? Except with Nintendo you need to buy 2 or 3 cartridges at the same prices rather than micro-transactions? </em>

    I believe all the dogs were unlockable, the cartridge just determines which ones you start with. Nice looking game Rare! The visual style is a real turnaround from Grabbed By The Ghoulies/PDZ/Conker.

  • Psychotext #54 5 years ago

    S.J.Rogers: Swap her for a better model. Either that or start her off slowly with something like a DS and work your way up from there. Try games that you can both get involved with... I found adventure games worked well for me as they're closer to watching a film than playing a game.

    You're not alone though, my brother's wife gets angry at him for playing his 360 even if she's not in the house!

    [Edit - Wizbob, each of the Nintendogs carts had different exclusive items so you would be buying every cart if you wanted all the stuff. The dogs are unlockable. : http://db .gamefaqs.com/portable/ds/file/...
    Edited by 1 at 16/11/06 @ 13:48

  • dudefella #55 5 years ago

    So... as good as Gears then?

    /coat


    someone HAD to!
    Edited by 1 at 16/11/06 @ 13:46

  • Wash #56 5 years ago

    Hmm people seem to forget Kameo. Good game :)

    Anywho this and GoW are the only 2 games i'll be getting this side of XMAS. :)
    Edited by 1 at 16/11/06 @ 13:47

  • Frogger #57 5 years ago

    This is exactly the kind of game I will pretend to buy for my wife, and then enjoy playing it as much as her ! \o/

  • Frogger #58 5 years ago

    same for me Wash ! ;-)

  • kangarootoo #59 5 years ago

    @peasoup

    "If the content is all ready on the disc its a bit of a con"

    Lets explore this a bit. What does it matter whether you get the data from the disc or a server somewhere. In this digital age, with networks so widespread, what it does matter anymore where something is physically located.

    if the data is on the disc, someone had to put it there, and surely its OK for them to get paid for their work? If anything, they have saved you waiting for it to download.

    I just don't get this attitude.

  • sharpfish #60 5 years ago

    "This game looks like you'd need to 'moke da Gan'ja to really truely appreciate it. So I shall :D"

    No, an imagination and curiosity are all that's needed.

  • kangarootoo #61 5 years ago

    @peasoup

    BTW, sorry if that seemed like I was just picking on you. You just happened to open the discussion, but I meant the questions to be general in nature rather than pointed down your throat.

  • Horstachio #62 5 years ago

    Yes, this is a fun game. If you are 8, or a retard. And it's sooooo gay.

  • Psychotext #63 5 years ago

    Horstachio: I'm assuming you'll love it then? Cos you've clearly got all the bases covered.
    Edited by 1 at 16/11/06 @ 14:00

  • Horstachio #64 5 years ago

    Exactly. That's WHY I got this nickname. You are yourself Sherlock Holmes and well you know it.

  • Shinji #65 5 years ago

    Hmm people seem to forget Kameo.

    I try. Oh god, how I try :(

  • groovychainsaw #66 5 years ago

    Damn - all importers are sold out...
    Is this going to be a much bigger hit than i was expecting?

  • SeanLB #67 5 years ago

    Whens the TV series due? You'd think they'd release the game after the tv series is established (not that I'm complaining at all that its being released now).

    Edit: Didn't realise the tv show had already hit the States, I knew I should have checked Youtube.
    Edited by 1 at 16/11/06 @ 14:29

  • S.J.Rogers #68 5 years ago



    @ Psychotext

    I got her a GB Advanced and she used it for about a week then gave up.

    Then the DS came out with the Nintendogs and I got her that ( She likes dogs ALOT...! )

    / Re-lives constant argument about not getting her a puppy... Ahhh

    She got board with the DS in under a week and it now sits on a shelf next to its cousin the Advanced and neither of them gets touched.

    Thanks for trying but I believe it’s a lost course.

    Also she keeps hiding the 360 wireless controllers so I cant play it while she is out..!

  • morriss #69 5 years ago

    Great stuff. Everything I'd hoped it would be it seems to have delivered on. Just hope Rare implement the 'viting others' garden' option for Live, which is something they've said they'll consider according to EG's preview.

    Can't wait.

  • Horstachio #70 5 years ago

    Girls don't always enjoy the games we think they should. I've been blessed enough to have some that liked games, and it wasn't Pokemon, or Nintendogs they liked. It was racing, beat em ups, adventures and tetris.

    Come to think about it: I'ts me that likes pokemon, animal crossing and the little dogs. I always suspected I was a troubled sweet little lesbian trapped in this, gorgeous, man body.
    Edited by 1 at 16/11/06 @ 14:37

  • Der_tolle_Emil #71 5 years ago

    Does anyone know if the US version is compatible with PAL consoles? It's half the price of the European version - plus it's out already.

  • SeanLB #72 5 years ago

    Your answer is here DTE:

    http://ww w.eurogamer.net/article.php?art...

  • Frogger #73 5 years ago

    @SJ Rogers

    I did the same as you (bought her a DS Lite), but I choosed Animal Crossing instead of Nintendogs (we already have chihuahuas). She played it at least 150 hours in the next two monthes and only stopped because her DS got stoled on a plane.

  • Der_tolle_Emil #74 5 years ago

    @SeanLB: Thanks a lot. With GoW and viva both region free I can afford Fear too because of the savings of the first too. Great!

  • Psychotext #75 5 years ago

    S.J.Rogers: Take my first suggestion then. =D

  • johnboy_johsnon #76 5 years ago

    Kameo was a good game, kept me going till the end. I'd definitely pick up a sequel.

  • Jheronimus #77 5 years ago

    @ S.J. Rogers

    Well, I started by playing coop Doom XBLA with her. In the same category, continiously fragging her in Death Match can challenge your relationship to some degree. At least I convinced her to place the 360 in our living room when we get our new house :D

  • S.J.Rogers #78 5 years ago

    @ Psychotext (Swap her for a better model)

    Do you know any better Models..?

    I could use this as a dating service.

    At least I know any ladies on this website like computer games..!

    Any ladies reading..?

  • psychokitten #79 5 years ago

    I'm dyin' here, we go weeks/months without decent games and then everything is released at once. I think I'm going to have to give up sleeping. Haven't had time to finish Splinter Cell DA, Gears is out friday, then Viva Pinata and Rainbow Six Vegas. And I just remembered COD3 is making it's way to me aswell. And that's just the 360 stuff...

    S.J.Rogers - good luck with that, heh
    Edited by 1 at 16/11/06 @ 15:24

  • Psychotext #80 5 years ago

    I'm gonna start a new site. [link url=http://www.girlsforgam ers.com
    ]http://www.girlsforgam ers.com
    [/link]

    Please don't click that, I have no idea if it's a real site or not. lol

  • YourMessageHere #81 5 years ago

    Surprising. Sounds like good gameplay. Got to disagree about the visuals though; if it's essentially an ecosystem sandbox game, why are real animals not as good as silly paper things? I'm not "a kids person" but I'd guess those who are likely to give a damn about this game in the first place like real animals just as much, if not more, than pretend ones. I'd be much more interested if they'd tried to create realistic animals.

    @ kangarootoo

    The "someone made this and should be paid" justification works if the content comes after the game releases, at least superficially, since the implication is that someone made a seperate effort just to make your add-in hat/grenade launcher/tin of tuna/etc. and hence deserve paying for that in addition to price you paid for the basic game. Content which is already on discs has been paid for when you bought the disc; it's pre-existing, it's right there alongside the game. What you pay for in these cases is the right to use it, not for its creation. I find it a bit unlikely to say that paying for DLC is necessarily fair in this case, as the thing's already made; the artist has already BEEN paid for his work. Plus, relying on DLC purchases to supply the basic funding for a game (as opposed to profit) after it is released sounds like very risky economics to me.

    The EA "pay for unlocks you could earn by playing" model is a different matter because you're paying for convenience only.

    Edit: clarity.
    Edited by 1 at 16/11/06 @ 15:28

  • Furbs #82 5 years ago

    Fix the forum. Theres work to be done here and I dont want to have to do it.

  • UncleLou #83 5 years ago

    What does "of score" mean?

  • CitizenGeek #84 5 years ago

    For the love of Jesus, review Dirge of Cerberus already!!!!11

  • widow88 #85 5 years ago

    "I'd be much more interested if they'd tried to create realistic animals. "

    In the game you poke and whack the Pinatas. Think about it. Also when you whack them enough they explode :) and out comes all the yummy Pinata candy for your other Pinatas to eat (cannibalism?).

  • CitizenGeek #86 5 years ago

    For the love of God, just review Dirge of Cerberus already!

  • El_MUERkO #87 5 years ago

    agh the forums are dead!

    /seeks refuge in comments

  • Ignatius_Cheese #88 5 years ago

    Was that you, Furbs...?

  • sharpkiddie Verified Lead Developer, Eurogamer Network #89 5 years ago

    Hello. Sorry the forum died. We're on the case. Shouldn't be long.

  • kincaide #90 5 years ago

    aarrrggghhhh - where are the forums???? How am I supposed to get through the next 40mins???

    I've been through the main site twice now, and looked at the Wii main European site AGAIN (lovely). Now, give me back the forum.

    PLEASE

  • UncleLou #91 5 years ago

    Oh, it only died, I was hoping you'd have a major surprise for us! :)

  • malteaserhead #92 5 years ago

    El_MUERkO
    agh the forums are dead!
    /seeks refuge in comments



    +11!!!
    /is afraid

  • caligari #93 5 years ago

    /walks out of the broken forum

    /sees the sunshine for the first time in months

    Th...thank you. THANK YOU!

  • Huntcjna #94 5 years ago

    I NEED THE FORUM BACK!

    /sits in a corner shivering

  • Dizzy #95 5 years ago

    Impressive... looks like the 360 streak of great games continues. I wasn't planning on getting this, but I guess I might have to taak a look after GoW :)

  • malteaserhead #96 5 years ago

    /tries to sneak a D hat on to hunty :)

  • Universal_Hamster #97 5 years ago

    I never knew how much I loved it till it was gone...
    /Weeps

  • El_MUERkO #98 5 years ago

    tick




    tick




    tick

  • oceanmotion #99 5 years ago

    LOL, I was thinking that. Me no like front page!

  • spindizzy #100 5 years ago

    I don't understand. What am I supposed to do at work if I can't browse the forums?

  • spindizzy #101 5 years ago

    I don't understand. What am I supposed to do at work if I can't browse the forums?

  • spindizzy #102 5 years ago

    So, I can't even comment here?

  • symmetry #103 5 years ago

    Ze German fourm ist down alzo:-

    http://www.eur ogamer.de/forum_dead.php

  • Furbs #104 5 years ago

    Do you think we should reclaim the comments?

    We could all party like its 199er..2001 or summat. Wheres Gestalt? Why was MS's flagship title only given an 8!?! Whats with all the orange?

  • kincaide #105 5 years ago

    /weeps

    I need the forum until at least Dec 8th. If I promise to be good, can I have the forum back?

  • Tiger_Walts #106 5 years ago

    "tick




    tick




    tick"

    Tick BOOM!

    Think it's a forum update?

  • Pike #107 5 years ago

    I don't like this. The comments section is scary and filled with wild eyed lunatics.

    At least that's what they say in the forums.

  • Blerk #108 5 years ago

    /knows a secret
    /isn't telling

  • Furbs #109 5 years ago

    WOW! Thanks for this Major! Its great how you are personally responsible for all this content yourself.

    Sorry, wrong site.

    /me knows Blerks secret
    Edited by 1 at 16/11/06 @ 16:42

  • sharpkiddie Verified Lead Developer, Eurogamer Network #110 5 years ago

    I predict this repair job I'm doing will take another 20 mins. So perhaps you could enjoy the rest of the site in the meantime. I can also recommend watching some tv ;-)

    Don't look at me like that!

  • UncleLou #111 5 years ago

    "What does "of score" mean?"

    Who said that?

    Someone named CockWeasel who subsequently deleted his post.

  • kincaide #112 5 years ago

    Can anyone remember the days before the forum - was it a bit empty like this?

    I didn't realise I was .... .. ... addicted

  • Tiger_Walts #113 5 years ago

    Blerk, we all know about your collection of JRPG erotic fan fiction.

  • Furbs #114 5 years ago

    We might end up talking about games if we did that sharpkiddie.

    I wonder if we could set up camp for an exiled Premiership thread here?

    Hmm, main site as a back up to the forum. Somethings wrong there.
    Edited by 1 at 16/11/06 @ 16:45

  • Chim_chimma_nee! #115 5 years ago

    Return to form.

    no.

  • Blerk #116 5 years ago

    Can anyone remember the days before the forum - was it a bit empty like this?

    Ultimately every single thread would descend into a conversation about sheds.

    So... sheds, then?

  • El_MUERkO #117 5 years ago

    /gets naked

    aghhjkkffp

    /runs around

  • BartonFink #118 5 years ago

    What is the EG code monkeys up to me wonders?

    Forum update perhaps?

    Could have told us!! Need forum back :(

  • El_MUERkO #119 5 years ago

    we could send kalel and the mafia to the pes6 comments and the rest of the premiership people could hide in the fifa 07 comments, he'll never think to look there

  • BartonFink #120 5 years ago

    Await's Razz....

    Oh a bit early for that particular type of thing I suppose.

  • kincaide #121 5 years ago

    TV - GREAT IDEA

    /wipes sweat from brow

  • kincaide #122 5 years ago

    So, Blerk-baby, what's it like having two sheds?

  • mouse Verified Graphic designer, Eurogamer Network #123 5 years ago

    Wow, this is old skool!

  • Blerk #124 5 years ago

    That's it. I'm going home. ;_;

  • BartonFink #125 5 years ago

    Looks like comments are broken now too. weird

  • Furbs #126 5 years ago

    What would be the effect of a "special" link on the front page?

  • Kay #127 5 years ago

    Ah, so this is where everyone is.

    I'm bored.

    K

  • JayPee #128 5 years ago

    Thought this may turn into a "WTF - Forum!" comments section!

    Let's all head over the the Gears review comments section, gush abou the game and get the comments up to 1000!?

  • kincaide #129 5 years ago

    WTF? Where's the forum?

  • IAmBatman #130 5 years ago

    kangarootoo - if it's on the disc then it was finished long enough ago to go through ESRB content rating (unless the dev is very naughtly and including things on the disc that haven't been rated, but that way hot beverages lie). So it's been done for a while. So why not have it unlock immediately?

    If something's on a server to download then I can believe that, even if it's available before the game is on the shelves, it was finished later than the rest of the game's content.

  • kincaide #131 5 years ago

    WTF? THE FORUM IS BACK!

  • absolutezero #132 5 years ago

    I hate you guys. I came here to ask if anyone knew an easy way to make some cash in VP and look at it. Just look at this comment section its like the Forum threw up all over.

    /posts like people do in the forum.


    lulz.

  • symmetry #133 5 years ago

    Erm, forum is back.

  • Kneesrs #134 5 years ago

    I've only seen one DLC on Marketplace and it's a couple of hats which are apparently an inside nod to another game altogether. I wouldn't consider those hats an integral part of the game to be unlocked.

    I'm just not clear on how one piece of DLC that's an inside joke can be "worse" than EA.

  • BartonFink #135 5 years ago

    Looks like the Forum is kinda half back

  • rauper Verified Managing Director, Eurogamer Network #136 5 years ago

    Back in a second.

    Sorry, we were just doing the database update (forum 2.0 coming next week) and someone cocked it all up.

    They shall be fired.

  • Royal Fool #137 5 years ago

    I think this could possibly become another 360 cult classic, that is if it bombs in the shops.

  • Yossarian #138 5 years ago

    what does forum 2.0 consist of?

  • MrFlintBlackman #139 5 years ago

    Rare proves all the haters AGAIN there still doing good games.

    Damn you Microsoft! too many games.....

  • kentmonkey #140 5 years ago

    Funniest first paragraph in a review...ever!

  • YourMessageHere #141 5 years ago

    "In the game you poke and whack the Pinatas. Think about it. Also when you whack them enough they explode :) and out comes all the yummy Pinata candy for your other Pinatas to eat (cannibalism?)."

    Er...the review didn't say that. I formed the impression that it was all about creating an ecosystem for the various creatures, and they were only piņatas for the looks. Hence my wish for real animals. Is the whole point in fact to grow the biggest bestest piņata and then kill it? If so, well, that's a whole different affair. And sucks. I dare say kids might interpret that as "Hey kids, gradually nurture this bright friendly thing you've created, watch it grow and help it develop, then MURDER IT AND FEED ITS INNARDS TO ITS FRIENDS!".

  • Horstachio #142 5 years ago

    I have to agree, Horstachio is an awesome name indeed.

  • The-Bodybuilder #143 5 years ago

    WHY DIDN'T THIS GET A 9?

    It can't be good (even after reading the review) if it got an 8.

  • Psychotext #144 5 years ago

    The Bodybuilder: After gears they can't give anything a nine unless god comes down personally to tell them to do so.... =)

  • smelly #145 5 years ago

    (comment aimed at everyone who keeps posting in nintendo threads):

    Meh.. kiddy looking rubbish for kids.

  • bonker #146 5 years ago

    Yeah and ain't it great!

  • Veldaban #147 5 years ago

    If only they made more colourful games like this that WEREN'T made for ehm... a younger audience (nothing against the game itself, of course). I probably won't buy it but even looking at the screenshots is a welcome break from the grey/brown colour schemes of most games.

  • bonker #148 5 years ago

    Absolutely - some games (like this) look 'fun' with only a still screenshot whereas with most others Ii can barely see what's supposed to be on the screen and they invariably look grim ...

  • kangarootoo #149 5 years ago

    @YourMessageHere

    "as the thing's already made; the artist has already BEEN paid for his work"

    I think that is a huge oversimplification of how cashflow works. An artist might have been paid their wage, but that doesn't mean that money must have come from the pot marked "profits from disc sales".

    If an extra artist was hired specifically to work on unlockable content, then they wouldn't have to wait until the content was sold before getting paid. They would get paid at exactly the same time as their colleagues working on the "starts unlocked" stuff.

    Really, it all comes down to normal cashflow mechanics. The books have to balance eventually, regardless of when the work is produced or when the maker gets paid. Including a payable asset on the disc means nothing more than it is physically located in your house rather than on a server. It is this concept that people seem to have an issue with, but I believe that attitude stems from misunderstanding (plus the bizarre attitude of a lot of gamers that games are fun and therefore providing fun to players should be more important to publishers than profit).

  • Martin #150 5 years ago

    What kangaraootoo said.

    Just because the content is on the disc doesn't mean that the developer has recouped the costs of creating the content in the first place.

  • monkfish #151 5 years ago

    Viva Pinata is great; it's cool that it's region free.

    at http://www.vivapinata forum.com there is TONS of information on the game; I've found it really useful for learning about crossbreeding and stuff. A pig with wings, anyone?

  • YourMessageHere #152 5 years ago

    Well, I'm no economist, I'll freely admit. Agreed, in the final analysis the developers are in it for the money, I've no illusions there, and of course all the content on the disc, when the game is new, hasn't been paid for, as the money's not changed hands.

    My point is that sales of the game are supposed to recoup the costs of making it, and since the stuff on the disc now offered as DLC was made at the same time as the rest of the game then there's no reason why it shouldn't be included in the price of the game. Offering stuff developed in a seperate initiative after the fact, well, that's more reasonable.

    To say that the price of creating the disc's content is greater than the money the developers make back from sales of the disc alone means, to me, that they've overspent. Why we should pay for them overspending I can't understand (even bearing in mind that it's optional rather than mandatory to buy DLC, it's not a reasonable expectation on their part). Perhaps the best way to put it is: Why doesn't the money consumers pay for the game, which for an X360 game is a lot, pay for all of what's on the disc?

  • YourMessageHere #153 5 years ago

    So...what's changed to make this necessary now? And why it if's as necessary as you say doesn't every game do this? (Not doubting you, just curious)

    Also, who gets the other 90%?

  • riz23 #154 5 years ago

    After getting this and GoW on Friday, I have to say Viva Piņata is a far more enjoyable game. Quite complex actually, christ knows how a kid could play it on their own. Definitely worth a buy.

  • Jheronimus #155 5 years ago

    Just picked it up during my break. They had it on sale 3 days before release :D

    Can't wait to get home!!!

  • darkbhudda #156 5 years ago

    Went to 5 different stores in Brisbane. Found the last copy. All the others sold out on the first day.

    Is this game designed for ADD sufferers?

    After getting 5 cutscenes within 30 seconds, including cutscenes triggering cutscenes, I think I'm going to start again and raise a vast army of extraordinary magnitude of whirlms.

    However I can see a kid doing well, because they would focus on one thing a time.
    Edited by 1 at 30/11/06 @ 02:22

  • the_dudefather #157 5 years ago

    for someone who goes mad trying to chainsaw everyone in deathmatch in GOW, why do I suddenly want to start an extensive rabbit farm (a la 'of mice and men')

    this is sugar for the brain, and i likes it

  • quantumsheep #158 5 years ago

    I got this today!

    Ģ25 from Argos!

    \o/