20
February 20Ç£
Technology
Next Generation Consoles bring new light to gaming
_ M ike G orgone _____________
Entertainment Editor
In the last year, video
games have taken a huge
step forward, not only
graphically, but in terms of
intuitive game play as well.
Out of the myriad of choices
though, the three newest
next generation consoles
have proved to be fully
capable of keeping up the
pedigree.
The first of these consoles
to be released was the Xbox
360, the heir to Microsoft's
gaming juggernaut, the
Xbox. Running for about
$400, a 360 comes out of the
box with one controller, the
system and a built-in hard
drive for those who didn't
skimp out and buy the
cheaper "core" system.
Since its release
in late 2005, the
360 has offered
dozens of
new games
alongside
quite a
few new
installments
in time
honored
franchises.
One of
the most
anticipated
games for
the 360
wasn't
released
until recently
though
when on
Nov. 7
"Gears of
War" was
launched.
"Gears" is
a unique game,
blending both third
and first person aspects of
the shooter genre. It features
amazingly detailed graphics,
a twisting story line that
only sci-fi can deliver, and
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AI opponents so devious
you'd swear there was
another person playing the
game with you. On top of it
all, "Gears" has a spectacular
multi-player that can
support up to eight players.
All in all, the Xbox 360
has been a huge success,
having been able to build up
its sales over the last year,
and with "Halo 3" having
been slated
for
release
later this
year,
the only
place the
360 can go
is up.
The
second of
the next
generation
consoles to
be released
was Sony's
third console
in their
capabilities.
Unfortunately,
since its release last
November the PS3 has
been crippled by a line
of lack luster launch
titles, most of which
put pretty graphics
ahead of actual game
play.
The only gem to
be presented by Sony
at the moment is the
Futuristic sci-fi shooter
by Insomniac Games
"Resistance: Fall of Man."
Staff Reporter
Ward Lewis, English
teacher, sings to Himself
when he's stressed.
"I've been part of choir
groups for most of my
life, from church choirs
to barbershop quartets,"
Lewis said.
Music is a large part of
0
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Playstation
line, the
Playstation 3, PS3 for short.
By far, the PS3 is the most
powerful of the new systems
when it comes to processing
speed and pure graphical
This is undoubtedly the
PS3's "killer app" and with
graphics that are nothing
short of breathtaking, this
is one of the only early PS3
titles to offer up some real
gaming potential. Gobbling
up the PS3's graphical
prowess, "Resistance" is not
only shiny to look at but
engaging to play as well. It
features a wide assortment
of gadgetry for blasting
the ever-living-pooh out of
anything that stands in your
way. This game will make
you goggle at its images
even as blood is soaking
every inch of the screen.
Strangely enough, the
his life, whether it's his
singing for stress relief or
piano playing during class.
"Whenever I clean my
house, I'm usually listening
to a rock album, and when
I grade papers I'm listening
to classical. I would much
rather be listening to Celtic
or folk though," Lewis
said of his usual music
schedule.
His choice of tunes
range from "Can't You
Hear Me Knocking?" by
The Rolling Stones to
Beethoven's Symphony No.
9. Lewis is in his thirty-first
year teaching at West Linn,
and his twenty-third year
coaching the Boys' Tennis
Team.
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a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
Somebody to Love
Helmet
Symphony No. 9, Op. 125
You Never Give Me Your Money
The Ressurection
Can't You Hear Me Knocking
The Renish
Behind Blue Eyes
Klonderstucks for Piano
Touch Me
24 Variations on a theme
Ride My Sea-saw
Good Night Irene
The Valley of Strathmore
Slovanic Dances
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PS3's controller is the
only one of the three next
generation systems to not
have a rumble feature.
Now, this may not seem like
much, but this, on top of
the already disappointing
launch lineup
and the hefty
price of $600 per
console, the PS3
hasn't shared
the phenomenal
success of its
- I^
athan
——
——■ F isher
- —
predecessors.
co-Editor-in-Chief
Last, but
Nintendo Entertainment System
certainly not
• Kid Icarus
least, of last
• Super Mario Brothers / Duck Hunt
year's new
• Mega Man
systems was
the Nintendo
SEGA Genesis
Wii. This oddly
•Sonic the Hedgehog Series
named console
•Aladdin
seems to be
• Bubsy
the epitome
of how many
features you
Super NES
can cram into
one console.
• Zelda: Link to the Past
The Wii features
• Chrono Trigger
a unique
"channel"
Sony Playstation
system on its
• Final Fantasy 7 & 8 & 9
main menu
• Crash Bandicoot Series
screen. Already,
• Spyro The Dragon Series
it contains a
news channel,
Nintendo 64
a weather
• Mario 64
channel, a
• Zelda: Ocarina of Time
channel for
• Starfox 64
editing pictures,
a channel for a
downloading
SEGA Dreamcast
retro games
• Sonic Adventure
from earlier
• Soul Caliber
Nintendo
• Phantasy Star Online
v.jx
consoles and a
message board
Sony Playstation 2
channel that
• Jak and Daxter Series
allows users to
• God of War
e-mail friends
• Guitar Hero I & II
via an internet
connection.
Nintendo Gamecube
The console
• Metroid Prime 1 & 2
features an
• Super Smash Bros. Melee
incredibly
innovative
• Resident Evil 4
control scheme
where most
Xbox
games are
• Halo 1 & 2
controlled via
• Splinter Cell
the motion
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
sensitive "Wii-
mote" and
Multi-Platform
Nunchuck
• Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Trilogy
attachment.
• Grand Theft Auto Series
[See previous
• Half Life
/
issue for more
Vintage games
still fun to play
Ftoyltet Spotlight- Ward Lewis
u HlLLl ClAVARELLO____________
details.]
The Wii's launch
line up has, in all truth,
exceeded the expectations
of most fans with titles
from such venerated
franchises such as "Legend
of Zelda," "Rayman"
and an incredibly fun
game based on the NES
(Nintendo Entertainment
System) classic "Excite
Bike." The Wii has dozens
of extremely fun games
available from the get-go.
And with a price of only
$250, the Wii is the most
cost effective of the next
generation consoles.
In the end though,
it's really up to you,
the consumer, as to what
system you prefer be it
the innovative Wii, the
established Xbox 360 or the
graphical leviathan that is
the PS3.
Jefferson Airplane
The Bobs
Beethoven
The Beatles
Mahler
The Rolling Stones
Schumann
The Who
Schubert
The Doors
Rachmaninoff
The Moody Blues
The Chieftains
Silly Wizard
Dvorak
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Surrealistic Pillow
The Best of the Bobs
Symphony No. 9 in D Minor
Abbey Road
Symphont No. 2
Sticky Fingers
Symphony No. 2
Who's Next
Symphony No. 9
Morrison Hotel
Piano Concerto No. 3
In Search of a Lost Chord
Another Country
Best of Silly Wizard
Cello Concerto
.