The long wait is over. So far things appear to be going smoothly with few problems. Occassional timeout issues have been reported while downloading (overworked servers), but nothing real serious like bricked Xbox 360s similar to an infamous PS3 update... yet. The update took me about 2 minutes.
I immediately made my avatar and then dove into Netflix. Which I have to say is somewhat better than what Xbox Marketplace offers, but nothing to be jumping up and down about. There simply aren't that many movies I'm into available on Netflix's streaming service, but we all have different tastes and for $8 month after a free trial you can dig into it.
I ripped COD: WAW to the hard drive and notice some increase in loading time. It loads content before an epilogue is finished, but that happened before I ripped it. I'll be adding more on my next day off work. COD4, Halo and perhaps whatever other game I'm more actively playing will make it on the hard disk.
Discuss what you like/don't like about the NXE here.
- Login to post comments
It's up. It's working. And we're still working on it. Big thanks to Keegan for helping with the banner (and he's still revising it). Other changes have been made. For example, when you login to the forums you're logged into the main site (this one) too.
So we're interested to hear what you think. Click "add comment" below and you can post one - it's fun! If you don't see the "add comment" link, log in on the forums and try again.
Ready for NXE? It's coming on Wednesday. This means if you're one of the poor people without a 512mb memory card or a hard drive, you need to get a move on and acquire one or you'll be left out! The rest of us will be making our avatars and laughing at their bodily functions they do on command.
But really, I'm looking forward to this interface they boast will be easier to use. I'd also like a more intuitive mini-dashboard because picking music on the current interface is about as much fun as clawing your way through a wall with your toes. The Netflix feature will be pretty sweet too. With an unlimited Netflix account, you'll be able to watch any of their movies (and they have a myriad of them) whenever you like.
- Login to post comments
The NXE is coming and everyone is excited. Unless you're one of those Xbox 360 owners without a hard drive installed. You may have found out that you'll have to buy a 512 megabyte memory pack for $50.
After a bit of criticizing journalism on the internet and the subsequent consumer outrage, Microsoft has started an upgrade program for owners of the Xbox 360 Arcade and Core packages. Albeit I found it a little confusing when I first read of it: they kept calling it a memory upgrade. Wait, since when does some Xbox 360s have more RAM than others? Oh, wait, they're talking about the hard drives - so the proper term would be storage upgrade.
Aside my confusion, if you own the now defunkt Xbox 360 Core, you can upgrade to a 20 gigabyte hard drive or a 512 megabyte memory pack for $20. Arcade owners can purchase the 20 gigabyte hard drive with a 3 month free Xbox Live Gold subscription for $30. Which is a pretty decent deal since that hard drive usually goes for $80. It's a shame they didn't drop the price of the 120 gig drive, which is still selling for an outrageous $150.
- Login to post comments
Once upon a time, in the days of Nintendo 64, Rareware released a great game. Sure, it did follow the normal formula of a bunch of games (Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, etc.): run around, jump on bad guys, collect one or more forms of iconic currency to progress. It was Banjo-Kazooie. You took on the dual-role of a fuzzy lazy, banjo-playing bear Banjo and his feisty red bird Kazooie.
Now I long grew tired of that aformentioned formula, but Banjo-Kazooie had another element to the game that captured my interest. Every level had some sort of puzzle and a new way to play to defeat the level. Hell, if you put the game away for a few weeks and went back to it you'd find yourself struggling to remember all the moves you learned from the beginning. The actual content was pleasing as well since characters and levels were amazingly imaginative and detailed.
Rareware is now teaming up with Microsoft and the release of Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts is set for November, 11th. Not only will we see the return of Banjo and Kazooie in an Xbox 360 developed game, but the original Banjo-Kazooie is being ported and upgraded for download on Xbox Live arcade and planned to be released on November 26th.
- Login to post comments
How long has it been since you played Halo 3's campaign? When I ask myself, "Halo 3 XBL or campaign?" my sentiments come close to "Not long enough!" Bungie is attempting to revive the spark in Halo 3 by releasing an add-on stand-alone campaign called Recon.
While you won't take on the role as the Master Chief, you don't have to worry because you won't be a retarded Elite. Halo 3: Recon puts the player in the shoes of a UNSC Orbital Drop Shock Trooper (ODST) during the events of Halo 2 while everyone is battling it out on Delta Halo. And if everyone else is having a blast on Delta Halo, where are you? Smack in the middle of the Convenant invasion tempest on Earth in New Mombasa.
Keep in mind that not playing as the Master Chief has its consequences that none of us are looking forward to. No MJOLNIR armor means no Spartan damage resistance and no finishing the game without picking up health packs (unless you're really good). It's an element returning from Halo: Combat Evolved that I'm not looking forward to. However, Bungie will continue to put the player in the shoes of a faceless protagonist to make assuming that role easier just as they did with the Master Chief.
When will we see this expansion to keep us away from our jobs, school work, and significant others? Fall of 2009.
- Login to post comments
Not sure what's really the best in this video: the kid getting tasered or the cop falling down chasing him.
- Login to post comments
- Login to post comments
In case you're wondering, NXE stands for New Xbox Experience, which is what all the cool kids are calling it now. I'm not precisely sure when it happened, but I do know I'm sure as hell going to use the new monicker from now on. It'll be available for download November 19th as part of the Xbox fall update.
Now for those who are somehow playing online without a hard drive (does that even work???) you'll have to buy a 512 megabyte memory card to install the upgrade. Yikes! $50 for an upgrade. Just goes to show you that spending the extra cash for a hard disk in your Xbox 360 doesn't make you a tool... buying the memory card to install the upgrade does.
- Login to post comments
