What makes a good video game? Strong visuals are important. Good controls are essential. A well-crafted concept helps too. These days, most games can boast at least two-thirds of that criteria.

So, then what makes a game great? Feeling. Emotion. Surprise. Interaction. Even addiction. It's a magical feeling when a game offers all these elements.

Here are the titles L.A. Times deemed the best experiences of 2007. Admittedly, they didn't play everything (because that would probably be impossible), but of the titles that did cross their paths, these are the ones that resonated most. Their favorites in order:

Best of the Year:
¿ BioShock
¿ Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
¿ Assassin's Creed
¿ Super Mario Galaxy
¿ The Orange Box

Honorable Mention:
¿ Halo 3
¿ Rock Band
¿ Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation
¿ Cooking Mama: Cook Off
¿ Lost Planet

Worst of the Year:
¿ Lair

Dishonorable Mention:
¿ Fusion Frenzy 2
¿ 300: March to Glory
¿ Tenchu Z

[ By Pete Metzger, December 21, 2007 ]
» Read More 

Atari have today released the details on the latest planes which are now available to download on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation:

Mirage2000-5 ¿ SCARFACE EMBLEM ¿ (Free)
F-22A Raptor ¿ MOBIUS ¿ (200 Microsoft Points)
F-15E Strike Eagle ¿ CIPHER ¿ (200 Microsoft Points)
F-15E Strike Eagle ¿ PIXY ¿ (200 Microsoft Points)
A-10A ThunderBolt ¿ XMAS ¿ (200 Microsoft Points)
F-117A Night Hawk ¿ THE IDOLMASTER YUKIHO ¿ (400 Microsoft Points)

Description of all planes at source.
» Read More 

The Bitbag writes, "NamcoBandai Games has provided us with screenshots of the new planes available in the upcoming DLC. Included in the new DLC is the new IDOLM@STER plane, complete with artwork."
» Read More 

Namco Bandai continues support for Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation on Xbox 360 with a second slate of downloadable content, this time with homage to previous Ace Combat titles and the holidays. No word on the exact pricing, but Namco Bandai said it should be similar to the previous planes.
» Read More 

Kotaku reports the following news from the Famitsu Ace Combat 6 announcement.

"November 22nd brings a new bundle of downloadable Ace Combat 6 hits Xbox LIVE. So? Well, that bundle includes a Su-33 Flanker THE iDOLM@STER Miki. Yes, that means you can dogfight in an iDOLM@STER plane. Right there, that's Bandai Namco making nerd dreams come true!"
» Read More 

Nov 9, 2007 Weekly Xbox 360 sales jumped phenomenally in Japan during the week ended November 4 to outsell Sony's rival next-gen console. The latest data from Media Create shows that weekly Xbox 360 sales rose from 3,718 to 17,673, while PS3 sales fell slightly to 17,434. The rise in 360 sales is most likely attributable to the successful release of Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation, which sold almost 80,000 copies in its first week on sale to enter the Japanese software chart at No2. In ...
» Read More

Translated from Famitsu source:

Software sales:
1. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
2. Ace Combat 6 (360)
3. FFTA2 (DS)
4. Nishimura Kyoutarou suspense: trap of murderous intent (DS)
5. Super Robot Wars Scramble Comander 2nd (PS2)
6. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon (DS)
7. DS complete literature works (DS)
8. Wii Sports (Wii)
9. Wii Play (Wii)
10. Ar tonelico 2 (PS2)

Hardware sales:
Wii : about 40k
PS3 : about 16k
PS2 : about 10k
360 : about 16k
» Read More 

According to Japanese blogger 'Sinobi', which regularly updates with early sales figures, Koei's Wii-exclusive RPG 'Opoona' - which has been getting positive previews and good magazine coverage - has sold only 2,500 copies on its first day with 3.7 million Wii's in Japan. Ace Combat 6, with fewer than 500,000 Xbox 360 in Japan, has passed 35,000 units.

Super Mario Galaxy has sold... only 130,000 units on its first day. Cubed³ provides comparative sale data to show why a lot of forum-dwellers appear to be shocked by that number.
» Read More 

As you can see from the Gamestop mem GamersReprts.com obtained, Gamestop is no longer offering Xbox360 Product Replacement Plans on any new console. The plans currently out in circulation will stay good until they expire.
» Read More 

Namco Bandai is no stranger to micotransactions. If gamers need any proof just look at the list of character outfits in Culdcept Saga and the lengthy amount of optional content for the Idolm@ster. So what extras can Namco Bandai sell for Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation? Planes and each one costs 200 Microsoft Points ($2.50).
» Read More