EEEEKK ZOMG DROOL!! My prophesized dream has come true! I have long thought Virtua Fighter 5 would be coming to X360, but the SEGA exclusitivity announcement pretty much killed off that old rumour. Heck, I bought a 360 supposedly because I thought lots of games will be going multi-platform, so the console wars would be a thing of the past (DOA4 and GOW notwithstanding).

So let's see... I've already owned all the VF games on consoles: VF, VF Remix, VF2, VF3tb, VF4, VF4: E. I was NOT counting on getting a PS3, unless it had a must-have-if-not-I-will-die killer app... and then I heard the (old) VF5 announcement . Major headache +5. Now, with the very uplifting news from SEGA, I have 0 reason(s) to buy a PS3! For the first time in a long, long time, I won't actually have to own multiple platforms. My poor wallet can finally rest easy. SEGA!!

Sure do. Although now I've resigned the game since getting an Xbox (later an X360), I remember playing an insane amount of playtime. Goh and Aoi are my favourite fighers, though I would also like to call myself a Sarah and Kage expert. I'm even crazy enough to own 3 (!!) different copies of Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution.

Joystick? No problem. Got a few arcade-grade joysticks for play. Stun Palm of Doom? Dragon Lance Combo? No problem. I just have to practise a bit in case my hands have gotten stiff.

Hello people. I need your opinion on the feasibility of getting the 360 HD DVD drive. My friend's currently in Hong Kong shopping. Along with the copy of Blue Dragon I asked him to buy, I was also interested to get the HD DVD drive. But then, I hesitated. Too many what-ifs.

What if HD DVD will integrate region locking? What if Bluray wins the next-gen format war? What if ALL the major studios abandon HD DVD? Most importantly at this point, at least, is what can HD DVD offer that DVD can't? I have already amassed a huge collection of DVDs (Region 1 + Region 3), and I don't feel too hot about buying those titles again.

To a certain HD DVD drive owner, I want to know whether there's a HD DVD movie that you own that can be considered a showcase for the potential of HD DVD? That movie might just be the tie-breaker I need for getting the drive. Thanks in advance.

Thanks for the feedback. I also know how much it cost to own a DVD player back then. My first DVD player cost me quite a mint too.


And therein lies the problem. Since I don't know where to see the difference (online screenshots don't count), that's why my concern was valid. Would it be a marginal difference or a noticeable one? Also, I know my concerns will never be answered properly for a while. Still, many thanks for your opinion.


I agree with you in that both Bluray and HD DVD should be savoured for its strengths and offerings. I never intended to be a "fanboy" of sorts, based only on my purchasing decision. But my concern will always be of merit; if support for either party becomes lopsided, then the original reason to own the particular format is moot. Thanks a lot for your feedback on the matter.

Yes, I do own a HDTV. In fact, the reason I'm thinking of getting HD DVD has something to do with me getting used to HD resolutions. Case in point? Many people like to say that DOA4 looks about the same as DOA3. So I fired up the old DOA3, and... I have to say, I can't go back to lower resolutions. There's something about the visual clarity that have to be seen to be appreciated.

Thanks everyone for your valuable feedback! Guess I'll be coming back here sometime soon with news of the HD DVD drive. Now, to look for HD DVD titles...

Hey, welcome to the world of Xbox 360! And thanks for the HD DVD drive as well

Following up on what I stated above, I have to say that the visual quality of HD DVD is amazing! I have to say, the difference compared to standard definition DVDs is considerable. It's not just the cleanliness of the picture; there's also overall increased detail in pretty much everything. Comparing the DVD version with the HD DVD version is a real eye opener. Kinda like how it was when I watched my first DVD ever back in 2000. I'll be on the hunt for even more HD DVDs from now on...

At the moment HD DVD does not have any region coding. Existing HD DVD players (including the 360 HD DVD drive) and HD DVD titles do not have any regions assigned to them. Except for the HD-DVD/DVD combo titles, where the DVD version has a region assigned.

Well, the HD DVD format itself is region free. Neither the player nor the HD DVDs themselves contain any region code information. But remember that HD DVD is derived from the DVD format. Therefore, it contains region coding information for DVDs. In this case, if your HD DVD player is a region 1 player, you can only play region 1 DVD movies. However, in the case of HD DVD playback, you can play any movies from any region, since technically, there're no regions to speak of


Dead on. A HD DVD/DVD combo is a disc with two formats on it; HD DVD on one side, and DVD on the other side. You can play the DVD side on standard DVD players and DVD ROM drives. Of course, playback is dependent on your region setting.

For example, my Xbox 360 is also an NTSC/J Asian set. That means I can only play region 3 DVD titles. In the case of my Superman Returns HD DVD, the DVD side is region 1 encoded. Therefore, I won't be able to play it on the 360. I do have a region free DVD player to play it on, though.

So desu wa

Tumpang order? I'm kinda interested in Ridge Racer 6. Would it be possible for me to ask for a copy?

Yes, it does come in 3 discs. Blue Dragon was always meant to be the Xbox 360's answer to a certain Square Enix title: epic in scope, grand in presentation. Remember when all "epic" RPGs used to span multiple discs in the PS1 days? Well, get used to seeing multiple DVD9s throughout the Xbox 360's lifespan. At least, that's what I think.

Guitar Hero II review out at IGN! So when will it be coming here? Any word yet DjiNn? Getting itchy to rock out...