Xbox 360 Month-in-Review: August (Dead Rising, Saints Row, Madden 07, Enchanted Arms, Poker...)

8/08/06
Dead Rising (Capcom) $59.99
Dead Rising is the surprise hit of the Summer. There was a lot of hype behind it, but who really expected it to be so good, occasionally reaching Metal Gear Solid-levels of details? The game looks breathtaking, downright photorealistic here and there, and the somewhat open-ended gameplay is excellent fun! This is the kind of rare game that people are always wishing someone would make. Well, here it is! Just next time, add some better AI to your wishes…

8/15/06
Ninety-Nine Nights (Microsoft Game Studios) $49.99
N3 is a mixed bag. Its not nearly as good as it should have been, but far eclipses titles like Dynasty/Samurai Warriors. It feels like a next-gen predecessor to Capcoms Devil Kings, minus all the ridiculous "WTF?' cutscenes. Its not bad, and it looks absolutely gorgeous at times, but it all comes down to the repetitive button-mashing this genre has seriously got to grow out of.

8/28/06
Saints Row (THQ)$59.99
What initially appears to be an outright GTA clone with slightly better graphics is actually a game with a bit of flavor all its own. Anyone who has played San Andreas will feel uncomfortably familiar with the game, but a few design decisions, an excellent destruction and physics engine (the kind the Driver series was always striving for), and some interesting Live-enabled multiplayer features elevate this title from "GTA rip-off" to "respectable GTA homage".

8/29/06
Enchanted Arms (From Software)$59.99
The first traditional next-gen RPG finally hits American consoles, and while it isn't the first, second, and third coming that Final Fantasy 7 was at the time, it is still an exciting and visually appealing adventure that's worth checking out, if for no other reason than to keep you busy until its time to dust off those PS2's on October 31st. Aside from a single-player adventure, Enchanted Arms also features Live-enabled battle modes which should add a bit of replayability.

OTHER AUGUST RELEASES
Bomberman: Act Zero
Konami

Madden NFL 07
Electronic Arts

XBOX LIVE ARCADE RELEASES

8/02/06
Street Fighter II Hyper Fighting (Capcom)$10
Anyone still scratching their head over why Capcom would opt for SF2 (the version without Cammy) rather than a gold mine like Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 or even an entry from the Alpha series, will be even more perplexed by the fact that this port is utter crap. Sound and shoddy presentation issues that simply scream "rushed!" aside, the Live matchmaking process is completely broken. Getting into a match is unnecessarily frustrating, and the lag is just plain inexcusable. Capcom is scrambling to release a fix, but instead they should just port a better game next time.

8/09/06
Pac-Man (Namco)$5

8/23/06
Texas Hold'em (TikGames) $10
For those gamers who were unfortunate to miss this game during the free 48-hour download period, $10 may seem like a bit much for what is essentially a bare bones poker game with absolutely no bells, whistles, or other shiny objects with which to impress you.
Add to the stripped-down presentation and claustrophobic graphics the fact that losing money has no penalty whatsoever in player matches and the snooze-inducing AI, and youd be better off sticking with UNO until Activision's proper World Series of Poker touches down next month.

8/30/06
Time Pilot (Konami)$5