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Xbox 360 hackers cheat at Hexic, make inroads into hacking the 360 [Update1]
The hacking community has been very busy this weekend. Accomplishments include: Successfully ripping Hexic off of a kiosk disc and executing it in a PC browser (it runs very slowly) Successfully modifying Hexic and running it on an Xbox 360 connected to Xbox Live Hacking Hexic to earn several of the achievements without doing any of the work Successfully running simple Flash applications that were never on the Xbox 360 (such as a clock application) Modifying certain aspects of the King Kong kiosk demo to create the simple program pictured here Speculation: Could this third item be behind the reset of the Xbox Live leaderboards? We hear people were earning some sick scores in Hexic before the reset (according to a blog post by Xbox Live's Larry Hyrb, the reset is a technical glitch having nothing to do with security issues.) These findings might make it possible to run a flash-based browser, flash-based media players, or even other flash games not available on Xbox Live Arcade There are many avenues of research that the hacking community is exploring. Given the history of past efforts by Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft to prevent modification (all to no avail), it seems inevitable that one or more of these seeds of opportunity will yield fruit How far away are we from a gamer points reset, given that some gamers have been able to cheat to obtain them? Will it become possible to cheat at other games? That's the surest way to sap the enjoyment from any game, as Halo players on Xbox Live who have been the victims of cheaters can attest. [Update1: linked to statement from Microsoft's Larry Hyrb regarding the leaderboard reset.]
Fanboy QuickTake: Hexic
Our friends over at Joystiq have already reviewed Hexic HD, the Xbox Live Arcade puzzle game that comes preloaded on the 360's hard drive. Posing the best value for money out of all arcade games (provided you have the hard drive), it's an excellent starter into the world of Xbox Live Arcade and the concept that the 360 can be used for things other than expensive store-bought games. The gameplay is deceptively simple. Rotate triplets of hexagons to form clusters of three or more of the same colour, which vanish from the board. New hexagons drop in to replace them, repeat ad infinitum. It's like a psychedelic episode of Blockbuster. There are three game modes: Marathon has a gradual difficulty increase and is the most fun, while Timed mode provides those adrenaline rushes, and Survival mode is for patient nitpickers who like their boards kept clean. There are no real changes from the PC version, but somehow playing it on an Xbox 360 makes it more fun.
Joystiq's massive Xbox 360 launch weekend blowout: the aftermath
There's a strong possibility that many of you out there were cryogenically frozen in antarctic glaciers over the weekend, so we won't fault you if you missed out on our 48-hour Xbox 360 playathon. Just bought a 360 and wondering what games are worth your while? On the ropes about whether or not the console is for you? Or do you just want a peek at some hardcore uncensored unboxing action? Whatever it is you're looking for, chances are we've got you covered. And for more in-depth game and console coverage, check out James' hands-on Xbox 360 experience from last month's New York press event. The Setup Unpacking the Xbox 360; hot unboxing action Our sweet test setup Our sweet speaker setup Our sweet screen setup Fuel for a 48-hour gaming fiesta Blockbuster & Hollywood Video: 350 what? The Hardware Joystiq, PGR3 and faceplate. PGR3 and faceplate, Joystiq Invasion of the Xbox 360 faceplates Xbox 360 controller range: Can you hear me now? Side-by-side of Xbox 360 remotes Titlefight: 480p v. 720p for the championship! Parasitic Play-and-Charge controllers get juice from Windows, but Windows gets nothing in return Xbox 360 heat concerns are no concern Xbox 360 fan noise ranked The Services Visualize this: Xbox 360's visualizer taken for a spin Game trailers available on Xbox Live Live: best way to download game trailers Best and worst trailers from Xbox Live Marketplace Gaming trailers are insulting to gamers 360 plays videos, but controls are lacking MP3s streamed to Xbox 360 via laptop Xbox Live arcade titles added: free to try, $5 to $15 to buy Our first Xbox Live friend: you like us, you really like us Joystiq Guide: iPod on the Xbox 360 The Games 3 copies of Kameo = MS wants us to play it 2K on the 360: NBA 2K6, Amped 3, & NHL 2K6 Joyswag caption contest: win a copy of Kameo Joystiq review: Geometry Wars demo Joystiq review: Bankshot Billiards 2 demo Joystiq review: Gauntlet demo Joystiq review: Hexic HD Are we perverse? There's nothing retro about this experience! Joystiq review: Joust demo, thy game is over Joystiq review: Bejeweled 2 Deluxe demo Kameo's in the house, er... 360 tray Super-frustrating boss fight in Kameo Joystiq is better than GameSpot And the best Xbox 360 launch title is... Them's a lotta links! And while we're still recovering from a full weekend of hectic gaming, great fun was had by all, and we can hardly wait for our 48-hour Revolution blowout to roll around... You listening, Nintendo? And if that's still not enough reading material to quench your thirst for Xbox 360 coverage, check out the newest member of the Joystiq family, Xbox 360 Fanboy. Response has already been overwhelming, and it's all thanks to you guys!
Joystiq review: Hexic HD
Hexic HD is a single-player puzzle game that comes installed on the Xbox 360's hard drive when you buy/win/obtain the $399 system (at least in its current incarnation). Unlike the other Live Arcade games being made available in the Marketplace so far, you don't need to spend any Microsoft points to get the full version as it's fully unlocked from the get-go. Features include Xbox Live-enabled leaderboards, and game modes such as Marathon, Timed, and Survival. Ambient music ebbs and recedes in a mostly acceptable ways, though the total volume can swing quite a bit from soft to loud if you're trying to hit that late-night volume sweet spot at home. Hexic looks like your typical puzzle game from its shiny and brightly colored panels, but the way you play it is mainly by rotating trios of hexagons around central axes in a hexagonal grid to strategically remove clusters of tiles from the board. As the official Microsoft site for the game says, you must use "bonus pieces and starflowers to boost your score and discover new ways to play. But watch out for bombs--clear them before they explode or it's game over."
360 marathon results in sleepy bloggers
We knew that playing games was hard work, but who knew that system crashes would apply to our writers, too? Check out Vlad in his nightly best above, and then Chris next to one of his speakers after the jump. Lest you worry that the marathon fell apart due to human frailty, understand that this blogger dutifully kept at Hexic HD through thick and thin while some folks took their power naps. Expect more posts as the weekend marches on!
21 Xbox Live Arcade games at launch, 35 games by summer 2006
Microsoft has announced the list of titles expected to be available during the holiday season for Xbox Live arcade. Not all of these will be available from launch day, but all of them are expected within the next few months. We're particularly excited to play Joust. If there's an Xbox Live matchup feature for Joust, there's hope yet that 30-somethings will find at least one game where we can still hold our weight against whippersnappers with better reflexes and more free time. Robotron 2084 is in there too! Here's the list of titles:
Joystiq hands-on: Xbox 360--Live Arcade
I was pleasantly surprised with Microsoft's enthusiasm for the Xbox 360's Live Arcade. The team is determined to do it right this time around-no hunting around for an installation disk. At launch, 12-15 games should be available, 15-20 by the end of the holiday season. Here's a list of definite launch titles: Hexic HD (original game from the makers of Tetris; comes pre-installed on the HDD) Bankshot Billiards 2 (it's pool) Geometry Wars (upgraded port) Joust (upgraded port) Marble Blast Ultra (original title) Mutant Storm (upgraded port) Wiki: Fable of Souls (original title)
Xbox 360 hard drive content revealed
In another X05 announcement, our favorite Michael Stipe look-alike, J Allard, gave us the goods on the content that will be pre-installed on the 360 hard drive - for those of us who pony up for it (the more budget-conscious can stop reading now). This bonus content will showcase the 360's "user experience" features such as system wallpaper and gamer profile customization, as well as a sample soundtrack. Also included is the puzzle game, Hexic, and a behind-the-scenes video of the 360's evolution. While many were anticipating backward compatibility files for games like Halo 2, Microsoft has chosen to remain mum on the subject. Let's hope this isn't another Windows 95 Plus! pack. TyeDye desktop theme, anyone?
