OXM - April reviews - looks like we are in for a treat

[Noggin1980]

Oblivion - 9.5
Fight Night - 10.0 (The first ever OXM 10)
Tomb Raider - 8.0
GRAW - 9.0
Burnout - 8.5
College Hoops 2k6 - 8.0
The Outfit - 8.5

7 360 games all above an 8 with an average of 8.8

Positives and Negatives for the games

Oblivion:
+ Pick any synonym for fun, deep, or huge.
+ Stunning presentation w/ luscious viduals and a memorable music score
- The envelope pushing comes at a price
? If you took a week to play, would it be enough?

Fight Night:
+ No HUD
+ The ripples in a guy's face when you punch him
- Kinda light on the number of venues and real life boxers
? If games look this good now, what will they look like in 5 years?

GRAW:
+ Fantastic Multiplayer
+ Awesome presentation; graphics are amazing and sound effects are up to the excellent Clancy standard
- Ghost AI is lousy
? What's with the jarring EA Trax-inizing of the in-helicopter soundtrack?

Burnout:
+ Save and Share Mode
- Not enough new content. How about a new city?
- Graphics, espec damage models, leave us wanting more
? Could EA Trax maybe hire someone who doesn't love only pop punk?

Hoops:
+ Plays great; excellent coaching options
+ Terrific presentation and animations
- Awkward controls, particularly in the post
? What's with the scary, Barbi-doll faced cheerleaders?

Outfit:
+ Great concept executed well. Not great, but well.
+ Multiplayer modes up the yay-hoo
-Jeeps handle more like tanks
? Will a sequel that works the little kinks out be made? We hope so.

 

[D J C 197]

Superb.

But just FN and GR for me. Starts getting too expensive otherwise.

 

[Kopite4Ever]

Starts getting too expensive otherwise.

exactly if i had the cash id probably have all the games Not good at all

 

[Noggin1980]

Sorry forgot to give thanks to darthswal from the teamxbox forums where I shamelessly got this information.

 

[Razor]

Dont forget this is OXM not the best unbaised reviews around.

10/10 for Fight Night. Is it really worth a perfect 10 out of 10. I am sure they did this with Halo 2 and that wasnt a perfect 10/10.

With OXM I usually knock 1 or 2 points off for a realistic score.

 

[Noggin1980]

With OXM I usually knock 1 or 2 points off for a realistic score.

They gave full auto a 5.5. They gave Kameo a 6 (I think) I don't think they are biased just that these reviews just like any others are simply someones opinion and as such could be completely different to your own.

I'm surprised at the 10 out of 10 for fight night. From other reviews and other peoples thoughts the game certainly isn't perfect but does look amazing.

Reviews are never something to take as gospel, but 7 games with an average of a high 8 certainly indicates our next month or 2 of gameing should be special

 

[is1111]

Dont forget this is OXM not the best unbaised reviews around.

10/10 for Fight Night. Is it really worth a perfect 10 out of 10. I am sure they did this with Halo 2 and that wasnt a perfect 10/10.

With OXM I usually knock 1 or 2 points off for a realistic score.

yeah i agree razor , i don't take OXM's reviews to be accurate. did expect them to rate GRAW higher though taking into account their usual form for marking high although their minus points for graw ain't too worrying. wasn't expecting ghost AI to be great , more concerned about the multiplayer over live anyway.

 

[featherhall]

does anyone really take the scores as gospel ? granted if it gets a really high score it does grab you, but realistically they are only one persons score. For me FN3 looks to be the dogs danglies, as for GRAW - well the next 8 days will be the longest in my life.
360 really is gasping for these releases, as I haven't been inclined to go on LIVE with any of the released titles so far for too long.
COD2 was a mess, PGR3 never held the same wow as PGR2 did, and PD0 was a mess.
Looks like a brilliant month, however when Oblivion gets released I may as well write my will, as I will be dead to all and sundry when this baby comes out

 

[dimples]

Personally I'll wait for a unbiased review form the excellent team behind GameTM to decide on Fight Night. Oblivion was ordered over a week ago

 

[Razor]

I personally use gamerankings.com for my info.

FN3 - http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/930863.asp

 

[GJD]

Are there any demos on the disk worth having? Having them to download for free on live has made OXM mag non-essential for me these days.. I barely get enough time to read Car and Evo each month

 

[hot-fuzz]

EA probably have enough cash/clout to "persuade" OXM of a good score.

How the hell FN3 got 10 i'll never know. Lastability ?? Surely its just a boxing game, whereas Oblivion can be played on many levels in differing ways, not just punch stab, jab, punch, repeat til win. No doubt its a good gaem, but not worth 10/10.

 

[dodger747]

EA probably have enough cash/clout to "persuade" OXM of a good score.

How the hell FN3 got 10 i'll never know. Lastability ?? Surely its just a boxing game, whereas Oblivion can be played on many levels in differing ways, not just punch stab, jab, punch, repeat til win. No doubt its a good gaem, but not worth 10/10.

Have to disagree. Most games can be broken down into one or two components that make them up. However, as already mentioned it is only the reviewers opinion...

I am pleasantly surprised by the Tomb Raider score. After an abismal last few outings, it appears that Lara may well be back on form

 

[orange66]

360 really is gasping for these releases, as I haven't been inclined to go on LIVE with any of the released titles so far for too long.
COD2 was a mess, PGR3 never held the same wow as PGR2 did, and PD0 was a mess.
Looks like a brilliant month, however when Oblivion gets released I may as well write my will, as I will be dead to all and sundry when this baby comes out

will respectfully disagree there, I would be frankly amazed if GRAW will top PDZ on Live.

 

[i-bert]

GRAW will pee on PDZ from a great hight.I can see this becoming the number 1 game on live for quite a while.

 

[davet010]

Talking to my Yank mates who have already got FN3, they are quickly finding the usual EA Sports 'Can't be arsed finishing it properly' problems - stupid cutscenes, repetitive and unrealistic gameplay, incomplete franchise/career mode etc.

Gonna give this one a miss, I think.

 

[drskhaled]

FN3 really does showcase the potential graphical prowess on the 360. Its a real show your mates type game. I doubt it'll have anywhere near the depth of oblivion mind.

10/10 is too much too early. oxm should really reserve the perfect score for a truly outstanding game which there'll no doubt be in due course. Giving a 10/10 so early reduces their credibility in my opinion.

 

[Craigy]

I bought the first two issues of that mag, but never again, very poorly written, I prefer Edge or GamesTM.

Each to their own though.

 

[mercapto]

Rendering 2 boxers and a boxing ring doesnt really strain the 360...its looking nice cos its pretty simple

 

[orange66]

GRAW will pee on PDZ from a great hight.I can see this becoming the number 1 game on live for quite a while.

and you base that assumption on what exactly?

What we know about PDZ on live, ZERO lag. AI bots that can be user defined in terms of numbers and AI levels. PLUS lots of interesting twists on the yawn a second death match.



oh, and your graw thingie, and I quote from gamespot who have actually played it;

"While there are only four real co-op campaign missions at this point, the promise of more in the future should hopefully tantalize cooperative players and leave them wanting more. Can you say "imminent Internet petition"?"

um, thats not exactly out of the packet "pee on", now is it?

To pee on PDZ it has to kick its ass in all online areas, and we are getting grumbles in previews already. I read soemwhere else that the AI in graw leaves room to be desired too.

 

[hot-fuzz]

Dunno if this is true or not, but the scores mentioned are for the US OXM not the UK one, as the UK one doesnt use .5's.