Project Natal Renamed to Spark Energy

     With the announcement that Microsoft's Project Natal controller system has been renamed the Kinect, and will go on sale in November of this year(the fourth to be precise), all I can say is that it stinks of been-there-done-that.
     And I don't just mean the whole motion control aspect of it either.  The whole marketing campaign, the technology used to achieve this project, and the hype they are trying to throw in about how much this will revolutionize gaming.  Nintendo and Sony have all done this before, and the XBox 360 is so late in the game to get around to it, and at such a higher price point, that I can only see it failing.  I mean, come on, renaming the project publicly just prior to its release?  Nintendo did that when they changed the name of the revolution to the Wii.  It wasn't because they thought that Wii was a better name, but because they knew it would bring a lot more hype to the a system that game developers were starting to lose interest in.  While it seems that developers really have been losing interest in Project Natal, the sort of naming trick Nintendo used usually works a single time.
     As to the technology; all it is is a web cam, that's all.  What should be touted as the impressive part is the motion sensing software, but from what I've been able to read about on the web, even that didn't make a great showing at E3.  Here is where the problem is with motion control being tied to a camera come in; the camera has to be able to see you!  Now I know I'm going to hear complaints about how the sensor bar in the Wii has to see you too, but that is a fallacy.  Only one aspect of the Wii remote is based on the sensor bar, and that is the screen pointer.  And none of Sony's PS3 motion aspects are attributed to a sensor of any sort.  Heck, with both these systems, thanks to wireless technologies like Bluetooth, most of the controller functions can be performed from behind the TV if you wanted too.  So in that respect, I see a major failing.
     And the one thing I can not ignore is Microsoft's track record with hardware.  Zune anyone?  And when was the last time you purchased a decent keyboard or mouse from Microsoft?  What about joysticks?  If any of you can relate with me, these are all places where Microsoft tried to move their way in and failed.  They suck at hardware.  So why would this be any different.  Even the Xbox 360 is an example of Microsoft's failure with hardware.  When was the last time you heard of a game company that had to shell out 1 billion dollars for an extension to the hardware warranty on a console they built?  I have never heard of one.
     So, as it stands, I put my personal mark on this Kinect as something that will fail to generate force for Microsoft's dieing entertainment division.  Farewell to Microsoft in the home as a multimedia staple.

Game Pick

     Well, it has been a really, really long time since I've done a product pick, but today's is one of my personal favorites, So I hope it makes up for all the times I've missed.  Today's product pick is the ambitious trilogy of video games that started on the GameCube and ended on the Wii, only to be re-incarnated as a single entity available completely redone for the Wii console, the Metroid Prime Trilogy.

     For those who are not familiar with the Metroid series, it is one of the oldest and longest running video game series on the market.  Starting with the original Metroid on the NES, this series has had plenty of additions to its story line.  Chronicling the adventures of Samus Aran, and interstellar bounty hunter raised by an alien race of bird-like beings called the Chozo, the series shows the struggles Aran faces in battling the marauding band of baddies, the Space Pirates.
     The Metroid Prime Trilogy is a story arc taking place almost immediately after the first game in the series, straying from Aran's usual plight of stopping energy-sucking Metriods from being released on the galaxy, to hunt down an even greater evil, Metroid Prime.  Metroid Prime differs from the usual metroids in that it seems to be sentient, and has a voracious appetite for a radioactive material called Phazon.
     Reeking havoc on a colonized world of the Chozo that has been abandoned by its inhabitants, the space pirates came across the substance Phazon as well, and decided that it held untold potential for their military applications, and began using it in all sorts of experiments.
     Playing as Samus, you must battle both the space pirates and the many incarnations of Metroid Prime that continue to resurface through-out the galaxy, and get to the bottom of the mystery of the substance called Phazon.
     With refreshing game play and mechanics for a console, and amazing graphics, plus engrossing story to boot, this series is a must play for die-hard Metroid fans and neophytes to the series as well.
     This series has consumed more of my time since I finally got it last December for Christmas than any other game I think I've ever purchased on the Wii.  A fresh re-imagining of how a First Person Shooter can work, and blending in elements of a non-linear adventure game, the Metroid Prime trilogy is a Nintendo hallmark.
    Probably my favorite part about this particular set is the ability to get the whole series in one purchase, making it tons cheaper, and the fact that the original two games were not just tossed in for replay value, but were actually re-engineered to work with the Wiimote instead of the old GameCube controllers.  This made playing back through the first two games an exciting new thrill rather than a melancholy trip down memory lane.  Being able to face off against old bosses with better reactions and new tactics really made playing them again a joy instead of a chore.

Product Pick Delayed

     Well, it has been a few days since I've done a product pick, but now I'm here again and ready to get to the nitty-gritty.
     Today's product pick will be the start of a small off-shoot product pick category, Video Games. So, on that note, we will start with the first of our video-game related products listing; The Nintendo Wii® .
     The funny thing is that what makes this system top of the line is not the fact that it is different from its competitors, which have all come out with motion controllers, and even have better graphics than the Wii, but the fact that the Wii®  has less to work with and still seems to come up with more enjoyable games and mechanics. I've been more impressed with what this little system has put out since it was released than the Xbox® or the Playstation 3® . Its just seems to work better in my opinion.
     Also, as I mentioned before, there seems to be a larger amount of fresh ideas floating around on the Wii® , which is certainly helping the world market for video games.
     But all philosophy aside, the Wii® has an amazing motion system, which has recently been enhanced even more.  Also, with the ability to use multiple controler types and motion styles, the system has such a wide range of gameplay that no one will be disappointed.  The one that I was most shocked about was how well First Person Shooter style games went.  Most game connoisseurs feel that a FPS should be played on the PC, and have proven many times over that it is the fastest method to play these games.  But on the Wii I was shocked with how well many of the FPSs I tried played fluidly, and the controls just seemed to work.  This one is definitely my pick for a game system.