I messed around with COD2 and Kameo on an X360 Demo earlier yesterday, but just got around to writing this about it.

Well in my eyes, COD2 is highly worthy of next gen. It's like COD taken to a new level, making it much more intense than before. The graphics don't look super spectacular, and it doesn't seem like it's due to hardware issues, it's just like DOA4, they are keeping to a specific art-style for their game that sometimes makes look like a higher-res current-gen game (when you take a quick glance). And honestly, I like that. I liked the look and feel of the current COD and COD2 takes that and just adds MORE to it. To me, it was perfect, and at the same time definitely something that wouldn't look as well and run as well on current console tech.

As for Shitmeo. I fucking hate Rare, because they still reek of the Nintendo stench (low budget, low quality game production -- I don't think they even classify as 'games' any more since they have no entertainment value). Their games are trash. From NES, SNES, N64, Gamecube and Xbox, they just do not have what it takes to compete with real developers. I hate to break it to you nostalgic motards, but PD and Golden Eye were complete pieces of shits no matter how you try to convince people like myself, they're not. Naturally I expect the same Rare disaster to fall upon Kameo. To tell you the truth, it ain't half bad. In fact I can imagine that this is what a Nintendo game done right would be like in this day and age. The graphics definitely look beyond the abilities of current console tech, but again it's art style may not impress some people (art looks like trash, as expected). But technically, it was smooth, clean and pulled a few "oh wow" moments.

The controller is a very attractive sex toy. I would totally fuck myself with it, especially the wireless one. Looks like MS may win next-gen solely with that pad.

The console itself looks much better in person than in pics. For some reason it just looks ugly in pics (I guess the color/contour doesn't do well in a flat image) , but in person looks like a very hi-tech yet classy appliance that would make your entertainment center look fancy. It's got that kind of Apple feel to it and it's probably going to attract a lot of non-gamers to it.

Anyway I didn't stay to long with it, too many people were crowded around it, all awe'd by the demos/videos being played. But don't let jackasses like rastalant fool you, these kind of people seem to be all over the internet purposely giving you false information about the demos. The games do look great, but they are more or less limited to the style of art the developers have chosen and not because of hardware (fortunately I can differentiate between good/bad Art and Technical). From the looks of it, this is going to be a very strong case of Art vs. Technical which is going to cause lots of scrutiny for X360. I can already see it's going to be under a lot more pressure from people who WANT a reason, any reason, to downplay it's abilities. The actual next-gen look and feel of the games are in the actual motion, everything feels less static and more dynamic and alive when you see it with your own eyes.

I'd say the 1st Gen X360 games are looking much better than games did for 1st Gen Xbox and definitely better than 1st Gen Cube/PS2 games did for them.

THANK you for saying what you did about Rare; they are the laziest bastards this side of France. Everything they do is behind schedule, and it never looks like they were behind schedule because they wanted to make the games look as good as possible. Conker.... for Christ's sake, it was a port! Not only did it come out late, but it came out shitty; if you can't make an Xbox game look much better than an N64 game, you have issues. Microsoft bought themselves a real pile of crap. I haven't seen Kameo, but I know that a lot of my friends are looking forward to it. We shall see.

COD2 looks really good; glad I pre-ordered that one. With all the footage I've watched, I feel like I've already played it. I'm looking forward to Condemned the most, though; I love games that can engage me and scare the crap out of me at the same time.

Rare = shit stain on bottom of my shoe.