The Next Gen Watercooler

I decided to compile a list of  exclusives on each console going from this date forward.It’s not the entire list and It’s really just a look at what is in the pipeline and what we have to look forward to in the coming months.As always,it’s subjective on who actually has a better lineup,but it does look(at least in my opinion that a slight advantage to Sony.I used the best release dates I could find,so don’t be upset if it’s not entirely correct.

Xbox 360

Too Human(8/19)-It’s a Diabloish 3rd person RPG with a Norse mythology/future infused storyline.The demo plays fine,but the controls are wonky at best.The game is not for everyone and has garnered quite a bit of love and ire from the internet.

Tales of Vesperia(8/26)-Japanese RPG in the Tales series. It looks visually stunning,but I don’t care for JRPGs.

Infinite Undiscovery(9/1)-Another JRPG.See a pattern?An RPG for the Xbox 360 from tri-Ace, developers of the acclaimed Valkyrie Profile series. The game will make use of a realtime battle engine and have a fantasy enviroment.

Viva Pinata:Trouble in Paradise(9/?)-The sequel to the popular first gen 360 release.With more content and unique barcode scanning feature for adding pinatas,it looks to be better than the original.Looks to be arriving with a lower than normal price tag.

Fable 2 (10/21)-A larger and more envolved RPG than the first.Fable 2 seeks to redefine the RPG with unique concepts.Personally,I thought this game would be delayed to the fact it was very buggy at Microsoft’s gamers day.But,they seemed to be able to get it done in time.Not a fan of the games creator,but I’ll give it a try and see how it works.

Banjo Kazooie Nuts and Bolts(???) Banjo?,Where are you? When this game was first shown,many fans (myself included) were dissappointed.Now after seeing more of what is out there.There is platforming and the game does look very pretty,but what percentage is vehicle building and what is involved? Also,why the silence on Banjo? Makes me think this is 09 material.

Gears of War 2(11/7)-Epic’s sequel is going to have bigger bosses,more weapons and a actual decent storyline.Still only 2 player co-op though.Looks to be Microsoft’s powerhouse this fall. Can’t wait to play it.

Left 4 Dead(11/17)-A true co-op shooter where the AI learns and adapts to the situation.No,battle should be the same.This isn’t meant for  gamers with no friends and I’m not sure how “exclusive” it’s going to be.

Summary: If  you are a RPG fan,then you are going to be very happy with the 360 this year.MS might actually sell over 5k 360s in Japan too. Gears 2 will be the big seller for MS this fall no doubt,but you have to wonder if the rest of the titles are strong enough to drive software sales. I have no doubt that Too Human will sell,if not for the fact of people wanting to try it out. Also,I just don’t think Banjo will make it this year.It might,but it’s a little iffy right now.Microsoft’s lineup is strong,but just not as varied as Sony’s.

Sony

Disagea 3(8/26)  A quirky JRPG..Can’t say I’m interested,but it has a loyal fanbase.

Ferrari Challenge(8/26)-It’s looks great visually,but can a driving game based on one car maker be that interesting?We’ll see.

Socom:Confrontation(9/16)-It’s not Socom 4,but it’ll do nicely.Looking better and better everyday and containing 5 remakes of classic maps,this game will do well.It’s a BD/PSN release with the BD containing a special Bluetooth headset with mute feature.Socom fans are crazy loyal and will love it.

Buzz Quiz TV(9/23)-US version of the popular European quiz game.It’s interactive and social..But will it sell?

Motorstorm Pacific Rift(10/7)-Looking great with a few new classes of vehicles and you can use the enviroment to your advantage.Really excited to see this coming and hopefully the load screens are gone

Naurto Ultimate Ninja Storm(10/14)-I don’t care about Naurto,but this game looks just like the tv show.I mean spot on.It’s a very pretty game.No online though.

LittleBigPlanet(10/30) This going to be Sony’s hit game.Platforming,social gaming and bring a creative outlook to the world of gaming that we haven’t seen before.This game is #1 on my list. The possiblities are endless and anyone who has played it seems to love it. It just won Best E3 console game.

Resistance 2(11/4)-Insomniac’s alternative US vs Alien invasion shooter is back and bigger and badder than ever. 60 player,8 player co-op and large boss battles. Looking visually better everyday,it’s going on the list of must haves as soon as possible.

Valkriya Chronicles(11/11)- A tactical RPG from Sega that looks good and I’m not a JRPG fan at all.Utilizing  watercolor style graphics and new battle mechanic called BLiTZ, which allows players to move around the map and attack enemies using real-time controls.It looks to be a pretty good exclusive.

Summary

The way I look at it.Sony’s lineup just looks a little better to me.I judge that by how much I actually spend on a game.On the PS3,I’ll buy at least four of the games while on the 360 it’s only 2 I’m interested in.I’ll rent the rest because I like to try a lot of games,but overall it should be a strong fall for the PS3.That’s not to say the 360 wont be doing well either.If you are a RPG fan,you’ll be in love.