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GAMES FOR WINDOWS LIVE LAUNCHES MAY 8TH

Microsoft has announced that their Games for Windows – Live service will be launching on May 8th and, as with Xbox Live, will be available in 2 flavors – Gold and Silver. For those of you who missed the memo, Games for Windows – Live is Microsoft’s attempt to bring an "Xbox Live" type experience to PC gamers. Before we talk about just what GFW – Live is, let’s first talk about the biggest issue that’s been floated about on this one, and that’s the subject of PC gamers having to pay a fee in order to play games online.

Despite rumors to the contrary, it would appear that Microsoft is not expecting PC gamers to pay for the privilege of playing their purchases online. According to the press release, the ability for PC gamers to play against other PC gamers will be included in the free Games for Windows – Live Silver membership. Based on the information available, it would appear that pay "Gold" level membership (priced at $50 per year) is geared towards those who want to use custom online matchmaking tools or those who wish to play the upcoming cross-platform PC/Xbox 360 titles against Xbox 360 owners. In addition, Microsoft has also advised that the two services (Xbox Live and GFW-Live) are part of a unified service. If you have one, you have both – so there are no additional fees involved for Gold members of either service. Gamertags will also be linked across the two services, so existing Xbox Live members won’t have to stress over having to use two different identities between the services..

So what do you get with each service? Well, according to yesterday’s press release the following features are included with the two levels of service;

  • Silver (Free) Membership Features
    • Single gamertag
    • Common gamer profile
    • Common gamerscore
    • Single player achievements
    • Private chat via text and voice
    • Common friends list and online presence
    • PC only multiplayer including browsing a list of active PC games
  • Gold ($50 per year) Membership Features
    • All Silver membership features
    • Multiplayer matchmaking with friends
    • TrueSkill™ matchmaking
    • Multiplayer achievements
    • Cross-platform gameplay

While I for one would certainly welcome a simple, universal way to play PC titles against friends, I really do wonder just how Microsoft plans on pulling this one off. Unlike the Xbox brand, Microsoft really has little control over the PC game market, so the idea of them being able to control a universal service for online PC gameplay seems a bit far-fetched. Rather, I see this as becoming more of a service that PC developers will be able to use as an additional advertising tool for their titles. Further, with the direction Microsoft seems to be taking Games for Windows (using it to push games that will only run under Windows Vista), I really do have to wonder just how much of a benefit the service will be in the near future.

For those of you who want all the juicy details about the upcoming service, check out the full press release at this link. If that’s not enough for you, check out this FAQ on the service over at the Games for Windows site. For those of you who don’t, you may now return to your regularly scheduled internet surfing.

March 15, 2007 Posted by | Announcements, Games for Windows, Microsoft, PC Games, Windows, Windows Live | Leave a comment

GEOMETRY WARS: RETRO EVOLVED RELEASED FOR WINDOWS VISTA

Ever since the first time I played Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved on the Xbox 360, I’ve been hoping that Microsoft would port the game over to Windows – specifically so I could run the game on my arcade machine and perhaps someday build a replica of the Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved machine seen in the player garages of Project Gotham Racing 3. When Microsoft announced that Bizarre Creations was working on a PC version of the game a few months back, I was damn near overjoyed – it looked like my hopes were about to become reality.

Well, consider those hopes dashed – at least for the foreseeable future. Microsoft has indeed made Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved available on the PC, but unfortunately it will only run under Windows Vista – which effectively kills any plans I had for running it on the arcade machine as I really don’t plan on upgrading it’s o/s anytime soon. Regardless, for those of you who don’t have an Xbox 360 and do happen to have Windows Vista, the arcade goodness that is Geometry Wars is now available to you for $7.95 plus tax at MSN Games – there’s even a free trial available for those of you who may not be willing to take my word about how great the game is.

Geometry Wars release is part of Microsoft’s new "Vista-Optimized Casual Games" series that debuted at MSN Games this week. I’ve taken the liberty of listing the full range of titles currently available below based on the information at Gamerscore Blog and MSN Games. Please remember that all of the titles listed require Windows Vista to run. You know, Looking at the prices listed, it appears Geometry Wars is being used as a lure to get people interested in the service, because if you ask me, all of the other titles seem wildly overpriced.

  • Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved

    • Remaining faithful to the gameplay that made this “Retro Evolved” shooter an Xbox 360 favorite, the Windows Vista-optimized version has players navigating their geometric ship through a retro grid world, facing off against waves of deadly spinners, snakes and repulsars. Combining mind-blowing 21st-century graphics and retro-arcade “Asteroids”-like gameplay, “Geometry Wars” is easy to play yet nearly impossible to master. Developed by Bizarre Creations Ltd. Price: $7.95
  • Bliss Island
    • Enter the world of “Bliss Island,” mixing all the fun and addictive action of an arcade-style puzzler with the frenetic energy of pinball. Help the adorable, furry blue Hoshi the Zwooph compete in more than 90 mini-game challenges, all requiring player dexterity and skill. From guiding fruit into hungry mouths to blasting creatures through an obstacle course, players complete each challenge by navigating objects and creatures with small blasts of air delivered from Hoshi’s trunk. Developed by Codemasters Software Company Ltd. Price: $19.95
  • Crystal Quest
    • In this action title, players must pilot their ship through 60 waves of frenzied action, collecting crystals and evading the ever present, out-to-get-you Nasties. These unique baddies spawn from portals on each side of the screen; firing the main gun or deploying a smart bomb quickly vaporizes every Nasty on the screen. Players must work quickly to grab all the crystals, opening the gateway that completes each level. Players can also gather up the goodies in each wave to grab bonus points, extra smart bombs and even an occasional mega-crystal for massive points. Developed by Codemasters Software Company Ltd. Price: $19.95
  • Darwinia
    • Combining fast-paced action with strategic battle planning, “Darwinia” features intuitive gameplay and a graphical style ripped from ’80s retro classics such as “Tron” and “Defender.” It’s a game that can quickly turn a 10-minute game-playing break into an absorbing 10-hour experience. “Darwinia” has an easy-to-follow story line concerning a tribe of nomadic sprites trapped in a modern 3-D world who must be saved from the threat of extinction. The game’s addictive action is deceptively simple, providing endless entertainment for novices while challenging even the most seasoned battle strategist. Developed by Introversion Software. Price: $19.95
  • Jewel Quest II
    • In the jewel-matching adventure “Jewel Quest II®,” players are immersed in the wilds of Africa as they solve more than 50 new puzzles to complete the “jewel quest.” Players must race against the clock as they rearrange precious relics to create columns or rows of three or more of the same type, turning tiles into gold as they advance through an increasingly challenging series of puzzles. As players progress, the playing fields also take on different shapes, making this puzzler a true visual adventure. Developed by iWin Inc. Price: $19.95
  • LUXOR 2

    • The much anticipated sequel to the No. 1 casual game of 2005, “LUXOR 2” sets a new standard for action puzzlers. “LUXOR 2” takes players on a beautiful voyage through 88 all-new, gorgeously rendered levels set amid the scenery of ancient Egypt. Offering all the brain-teasing fun of the original and packing more explosive power-ups than ever before, “LUXOR 2” challenges players to control the mystical winged scarab to shoot and destroy the approaching magical spheres before they reach the pyramids at the end of their path. Developed by MumboJumbo. Price: $19.95
  • Spinword

    • “Spinword” combines puzzles and arcade action in a fun word-making challenge. A mix of the best of “Scrabble,” “Tetris” and “Bejeweled,” “Spinword” challenges players with frenetic tests of vocabulary dexterity. The players’ goal is to make as many words as they can, as fast as they can. Words are created from a selection of letter cubes and must be at least three letters long and spelled left to right or top to bottom. “Spinword” offers more than 60 levels based on word, action and puzzle challenges. Developed by Slam Games. Price: $19.95

The funny part about all the titles listed above is that while I might actually pay $19.95 for Geometry Wars – the one title that isn’t $19.95, I would never pay that much for any of the other titles listed.

March 9, 2007 Posted by | Casual Gaming, Microsoft, Windows Live, Windows Vista | Leave a comment