Thoughts?

I like the new consoles because of the ability for the consumer to have a better access to demos. I don't know how many times I bought a game for PS2 or the original Xbox and got burned. There was no way to tell if I would like the game. I have been bitter lots of times because of blind buying.

I think demos are great of developers to get something playable into the hands of consumers. One great example was Bio Shock. I was a little interested in Bio Shock, but after playing that demo, I almost peed my pants with anticipation. I was stoked for that game. A good example of how a game will basically put your game on a players list of games to avoid is Turning Point. That demo was horrible. When you play a demo that comes out before your game releases, I understand you want it out to add to the hype. In their case, it killed the game. It was that bad.

The most recent two demos I played were the Borne Supremacy demo and the Grid demo.

I was excited when I saw the trailers for the Borne game coming out. However, I wasn't to impressed by the demo. The fighting was ok, more combos need to be added. I understand Borne is all about hand-to-hand and the game does a good job in bringing to life that style. The graphics have to be beefed up a little more. They are using the Unreal Engine and it doesn’t really show. The last thing I'm going to nit pick about, I could go on, is the gun play. The aiming isn't very good. It's just a little dot. It's not that responsive either. I wasn't a fan. I took a lot of shots to the body before I get my sights lined up to take someone down.

Grid totally took my by surprise. It's a great looking game...if you like racing games. It's a combination of Forza and the Need for Speed series with the control of the car. You can totally tell the difference between the different models of cars and the representation of speed is great. The all around presentation of the game before the races is fantastic. This game took me by surprise. I found myself tying the different tracks out on different difficulties. I played that demo for a good long time. That's unusual for a demo. This is something that I will definitely be keeping an eye on. It was a great example of a demo getting someone excited for a game they might not even have given two thoughts to.

I know what some people are thinking, "you can't judge a demo, because it's a demo". I disagree with you on that. If a demo comes out before the game does, that means the developer or publisher want you to get a taste of what the game is about and want you to go pre-order this game based on the demo. If the demo is good, I'm all for it. However, sometimes the demo can totally turn you off from the game. Demos are a way to get you to play the game without having to buy it. The big titles like GTA, Halo, and COD don't need demos because the name will carry them. However, if you are lesser known title or releasing around the time a big title, a demo is a great way to get people excited for your game. There should be more of them.