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Seems rushed out and will cost you more. The professional reviewers rave about this game (Game Informer gave it a 9.25). Playing it I was reminded reviewers don't actually pay for games. Be aware the game will cost you more than the $60 Valve want for the disc. This game is really designed for multiplayer. However, unlike PC and Wii games, multiplayer will cost you extra: $8/month or $50/year (XLA Gold). Want to play as the zombies? That will cost extra (XLA Gold). The game only comes with 4 maps, only 2 of which can be played in online vs mode. So you want more maps? That will cost you extra (DLC price TBD).
On to the game itself...This is a $60 game, so it's competing against games like Fallout 3, Fable II, RE5, Gears of War II, etc.
Pros:
- Audio and dialog are good
- Fun to read graffiti
- Atmosphere/Environment descent
- Enemy AI fits "Zombie" well
- MOG modes fun for a while
Cons:
- Graphics are average to below average.
- All 4 characters play exactly the same
- The AI is poor and frustrating (Can't use pipe bombs, can't make many jumps, won't follow to take cover in rooms)
- Only 4 short maps: I'm not a hard-core gamer, and I finished all 4 maps in less than 6 hours on "normal" difficulty.
- Maps/Paths are linear (though some items/enemies spawn randomly)
- Not a lot of reply value.
- Can't use scope on scoped rifle
- Only 6 types of enemies, two of which are rare (witch, tank). So most of the game involves fighting fodder zombies plus only 3 special types. (It gets boring pretty quickly.)
This really feels more like a $40 game - especially if the additional maps end up being $10, like most XLA DLC, and with the XLA Gold membership requirement for MOG play. Single player is so short, and there's little replay value - maybe each map twice. Valve nickle-and-diming buyers doesn't help. (I'll be wary of their games in the future.)
If Valve is saying at $60 this game holds it's own against Fallout 3 or GoW2, I think they're wrong. | video-games_xbox |
Buyer Beware: D-pad is Cheaply Made. The only major change to this controller is the D-pad. The silver color looks fantastic. The sticks have a completely concave rubber design -- no little raised dots inside them -- and I like the feel of them. If I had reviewed this controller soon after buying it, I would have given it 4 or 5 stars. The D-pad redesign was great - not perfect - but still, I found when the D-pad was set to the raised position it was more accurate than when lowered (like a standard MS 360 controller).
The major problem is that after just 2 months of use the D-pad popped off and is now completely unusable and unsalvageable. I would describe myself as an avid gamer, but not an excessive one. The main reason I personally purchased the redesign was to play fighting games using the raised D-pad. As I said, it worked great until it just popped right off. Now that it has popped off and I can see how it was put together, I'm not at all surprised that it broke or that other reviewers have mentioned the same problem. The plastic "cross" part is a completely separate piece and it is only lightly fastened to the rest of the D-pad construction at it's center. Once that piece wears out it's Game Over for the D-pad.
As I said, I love to game, but not excessively. Generally, I would say I put in anywhere from 0-2 hours during the week and maybe between 3 and 5 hours of use during weekends on this controller during the 2 months I had it. I have been gaming since the Atari days and have personally owned the following consoles at some point in time: NES, SNES, N64, PS1, PS2, Xbox, GCN, 360, PS3, Wii. I have NEVER before had a first party controller wear out in 2 months.
If you don't use the D-pad much and like the color or the rest of the very minor tweaks, this controller will probably work just fine for you; however, if you buy it for the redesigned D-pad you're probably in for an unpleasant surprise. The workmanship of the main selling point of the redesign is so shoddy that it can break in 2 months. Consider yourself warned. | video-games_xbox |
I personally am glad it is different. I have played about 5-6 hours of MP so far, but I did stay up all night and beat the campaign, and thus am writing a release-day review for those on the fence!
First off, this game is not just a rehash of BF4. All of the BF games have large amounts of similarities, as does this. But, I think it is the freshest take on BF since BC. Besides, I personally am glad it is different; If I want a military-based FPS, the BF4 community is still very active:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CXCCB64/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00CXCCB64&linkCode=as2&tag=amazon180-20&linkId=LWBWHKJOTPZNHBQ3
Reasons to play the campaign: There is a lot of effort spent by Visceral in creating an immersive campaign, and it is my favorite BF campaign, after BC2, obviously! (I realize that it being my "favorite" is not a good reason, but I think it conveys my enjoyment). Also, the campaign is more of a centerpiece than other BF games. And, I don't think I am the only one who feels that way; look at reviews by Polygon and other sources and you get more of the same feel. And its also have a touch from COD AW:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MU1YEE0/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00MU1YEE0&linkCode=as2&tag=amazon180-20&linkId=PVUUZNYTSOENJQ53
Campaign:
-The campaign took ~9.5 hours to beat (which is decently longer than it took me to beat BF4, as I recall)
-The campaign is divided into 10 episodes. I mean this literally; at the beginning of most of the episodes they have a "previously" on segment that highlights what happened. I actually found it very engrossing and was enjoying myself thoroughly because of things like this.
-It doesn't really highlight current relevant cultural questions regarding militarization of the police, in my opinion. I don't want to get into spoilers; but, the game absolutely does not take itself too seriously. Do NOT get me wrong, you ARE a cop running around with carbines blasting 100s of enemies. I just mean to say that while it may be odd if you were to look at it on paper without context, I recognize it as a platform for the audience to get to experience a slight twist on his or her typical Battlefield experience. That was wordy; I apologize.
-The graphics are better than average. They are definitely better than MP graphics, which I cannot explain, but I honestly feel they are. The facial expressions you can view are very good and remind me of L.A. Noire. Basically, I personally thought the graphics were more than adequate enough to keep me immersed.
-You can subdue enemies via handcuffs (arresting) if you are able to get within melee range without being detected. I did this probably less than 20 times, as it kind of felt out of place to me in this kind of game.
-The load times seem longer than usual for most FPS games, for some reason.
MP: As I stated above, I have only played over 5 hours of MP (not counting beta), so I do not want to give the impression that I know much about the progression system or how the game will ultimately play when things cool down. For now, I can say:
-NO CONNECTION ISSUES. I did not get disconnected ONCE last night/this morning. Very little lag. I think I had maybe 2 or 3 times where I thought I lagged; but, it was only for literally a second and then gone. MUCH better MP release than BF4, in this regard.
-The mini-map has been improved in one simple but fundamental way: it illustrates when an enemy is on a different elevation than you! WOoo! I wish this was on BF4. The enemy triangles are smaller when they are higher/lower than yourself. Yes, you don't know if they are above or below you, but still this simple mechanic is great, in my opinion.
-You can kill people with your zip-line arrow
-Tracer darts cause a very small amount of damage, but still hurt.
-The TTK (time to kill) is significantly less than in any other BF game that I have played (which is most of BF games). You can 2-shot someone with your pistol, I am quite sure. I haven't unlocked a large number of the guns, so I cannot attest to many of them.
-The unlock system is based on cash, instead of a tiered progression system. It adds to the whole Cops 'n Robbers theme, in my opinion.
-You can use the cash on classes other than the one you gained the cash with! So, if you are keen on being only the mechanic (engineer) but after a while you want to try as a sniper (professional), you can use your mechanic money to purchase professional items
-This is the ONLY thing that I will put about the MP that I remember from the demo, so take with a grain of salt: The body armor is hardly worth the slot it takes up in your inventory. There are numerous tests online about it, and they all show that it takes a couple extra bullets worth of damage. Which, yes, may save your life. But, you may find it more useful to put another of the many useful items there in its place.
-Hotwire is what I think will be the go-to new game mode. It is conquest, basically, but the flags are cars that you drive around. Simple enough, but a lot of fun, and really highlights the Cops 'n Robbers feel
-I love the amount of cursing between teammates and opposing teams. In most BF games, e.g. BF4, you do not speak English, so I have no idea what they are saying. It is immersive, I guess, but frustrating because it is hilarious hearing your curse out a cop in a husky African-American voice.
-There are limits to the number of players you can use for certain game modes. In BF4 you often had a choice, but for BFH you can only, for example, have 32 players on any Heist game. I think this is actually good because it will prevent the smaller maps from being too clustered.
-You can't beat conquest with tanks/helis/jets/LAVs/etc. You just cannot. But, we knew that going into this game. So, I suggest you don't see BFH for what it DOESN'T have, but for what it does: fast, action-packed infantry gameplay.
I highly recommend you to use a squid grip for perfect experience:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HHJBG5A/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00HHJBG5A&linkCode=as2&tag=amazon180-20&linkId=VXQXU3MZHWXIKZVH
I still love BF4. It has come a long way from the broken piece it was at first. That being said, I think BFH is largely a different beast and a game that you can own and play alongside BF4 without fear of them being too similar | video-games_xbox |
Great game, worth the bugs. I didn't actually buy this on Amazon, My copy came from a retail store as an impulse buy. I'd never played any of the Fable series and I was excited to give it a try with the anniversary edition. I haven't been playing it for very long, so this is primarily about my first impressions of the game. There are both good and bad things. ***UPDATED- I've been playing for a few days now and the experience is much improved.***
It's a pretty solid RPG with decent controls. (There doesn't seem to be an invert function so the camera is all over the place when I try to change the view and aiming with the bow is rather torturous.) But the overall game play is ***really*** good. I enjoy the story and the progression of the character. The ageing is an interesting factor. Exploring is one of my favorite parts of RPG's and this word looks pretty big and the scenery is great, so that's a plus. ***On the downside, one of the first core quests is an escort mission to take two traders on a really long run. I was so preoccupied keeping them alive and wanting it to be over as soon as possible, that I felt rushed in such a big new area. I had to go back to actually see anything and I missed a lot the first time around.***
The graphics are pretty good and the informational displays are well laid out once you get used to the controls. But the text is terrible on the equipment screens and it's impossible to read anything in green on my television even when I'm six inches away. I'm not sure if it's the game or just my display. The trading system is a little convoluted with the way prices vary from place to place vs. how much the item is worth. If you enjoy detail and want make a few bucks by sitting through multiple load screens to visit multiple vendors, then it's probably enjoyable. I'm not as interested in those kind of details so this is a mild negative for me. I just want to buy and sell my gear an move on. ***Even after getting more comfortable with the trading system, I still don't like it very much. There doesn't seem to be any place to unload some of my unwanted/low level items because no one will buy them from me.***
Here's the potentially bad part about this game which led to a 4 star review instead of a 5. This game can be buggy as hell. (There is a patch/update I have from the game maker that's supposed to correct some of these issues, but it does not fix all of them.)
Sometimes certain buttons will not work (X button during conversations.) ***I used the yellow button to skip all of the cut scenes on my second character which is where I had all of the x button issues. I'm not sure if that created a problem or not. I stopped skipping them and it's never happened again.***
My first day, the game froze several times at random moments and it completely locked up my xbox more than once. The first time I restarted the game, I didn't lose much data. I only had to go back one screen. But I had to step away when it froze up after I completed that long escort quest I mentioned earlier which crossed several zones. It completely locked up after I'd completed the quest and when I went back into the game, all of the quest progress had been lost. My displeasure was compounded by the fact that I despise escort missions with an unholy passion. It wasn't super hard, but the thought doing it all over again is giving me hives. ***Second time around, I had no problems. What I've been doing since then is creating manual save points every time I cross a checkpoint, especially if I picked anything up or gained experience. It may be overkill, but the game has not frozen at all since I started doing it.***
The game itself is ***great** and I'm willing to try and work around some of the bugs because it's worth it. ***It's fun and engaging, and I've been playing it all week. I recommend it to anyone who has the patience to deal with the occasional buggy mishap.*** | video-games_xbox |
Not necessary, but nice to have. This rechargeable battery is a nice item to have for your console, but it is not a necessity. This is my third rechargeable battery for an XBox 360 system. The first two were white, to match my 20G premium console. I have recently upgraded to an Elite console (for the reasons mentioned in a separate review of that system) and sold the last of my 20G models. I sold the two white rechargeable batteries with the white console to make the package more attractive to the buyer. My original intention was to simply buy a pair of regular AA rechargeable batteries and a charger.
I decided to go ahead and purchase this system because I wanted to have a battery system dedicated just for the Xbox. Like most people, I have a lot of electronic items that use size AA batteries. And they almost always use up their batteries at the most inconvenient of times. I have been known to take a set of batteries from one device and use it in another device just to avoid having to run to the store. I have taken batteries from my console's controller in the past and move them to a portable audio player, for example. And then end up with no batteries for my controller when I really want to play a game.
How much charge will this battery pack hold? Not as much as a pair of regular alkaline AAs. But more than a pair of rechargeable NiMH AAs. If you factor in the cost of the Quick Charger (which is still white, by the way), along with the price of this pack, you can see that it is more than the price of a pair of rechargeable AAs and a charger. Basically, with this product, you are paying for convenience. This product will only work for your Xbox, so you are assured of always having a fresh pack available. I suggest that you purchase two. If you have children and they use your console, I definitely suggest having a spare battery charged at all times. The last thing you want is for your child to pester you to drive to the store for some fresh, disposable batteries. You see, such events rarely happen at a time that is convenient for you. | video-games_xbox |
Actually, not that bad of a game. First off, unlike some reviews state, this game's controls are not as bad as they seem. I actually have not had any issues with controlling the player nor the cars.
True, the cars seem to handle poorly and they take awhile to get moving and to stop, but that's how they worked back then. The cars were heavy and this adds more realism to the game itself. They didn't have Porsche's and other sports cars that handled turns effectively. Cars were made of heavy-duty materials, not fiberglass and such. I think it compliments the era that you are playing in, which is the 1930's gangster era.
The graphics are not top-notch, but they are better than the GTA series. The acting is not bad and the story unfolds in a connected, linear fashion, but it's an engaging story.
Basically, you are Tommy Angelo, taxi cab driver who gets pulled into the seedy underground of the mob. The story itself is told from Tommy's perspective as he reports his history with the Salieri family to a policeman. I haven't completed the game yet, but I'm interested in seeing how it all plays out.
The first couple of missions will get you introduced to driving around the city. Here is where the game might stick in some peoples craw because there is a lot of driving from one mission to the next and the driving can be somewhat slow at times due to the era the game takes place in. The cars, as I stated, cannot go from zero to sixty in 6 seconds. But, that adds to the realism. Also, when you switch from one section of the city to the next, the game pauses for about 5 seconds as it loads. It's not bad and I hear it's worse on a competing console. On PCs, it's non-existent, but I've never played the PC game so I cannot say for sure. The driving is more of a "cut scene" to the actual mission. Luckily, from what I've read, the XBox version has made this go faster than the PC version, so you spend less time driving in the XBox version so you can get to the actual mission itself.
Once you make it to the destination, the real mission begins and so does the fun. There are different missions to do: drive people to where they need to be to make a pickup, shootouts and even a car chase. I've only just joined the family, and already, that is what I've experienced.
Overall, the gameplay itself, along with the story, definitely overshadow any graphical shortcomings in this game. Of course, with the Godfather already out on the market and Scarface on the horizon, Mafia might be something you would never decide to pickup. However, with current bargain-bin prices this game is worth getting, especially if you love games that allow you to play as a mafia member.
My only other gripe with the game is how linear it is. It's not free-form like GTA. When you finish one mission, you immediately move onto the next. There are areas where you can choose to roam free if you wish, but there aren't any hidden "packages" to find, so in many respects, it's not really worth it unless you just want to take break and sight see.
There is a free driving game that you can play outside of the actual story from the main menu. I haven't played it yet, but from what I hear, it's not that exciting and isn't really worth playing.
One thing I do like is when you reload your clips. In Mafia, unlike other games, if you throw a clip away with some rounds remaining in it, you will NOT get those carried over to your new clip. Just as in real life, throwing away a half-spent ammo clip results in those rounds being lost! So, you better be sure whether it's worth reloading now and throwing away some rounds, or emptying the clip completely and then reloading. MUCH more realistic and forces you to strategize how you spend your rounds in a gun fight.
Overall, the story is what engages you with this game. The GTA series had a story as well, but it felt disconnected at times and didn't flow completely due to the free-form nature of the game. With Mafia, the story continues to unfold uninterrupted and makes for a compelling story to watch. | video-games_xbox |
Great game. I have not played a battlefield game since bad company 2 and i must say this game is a blast to play. I read many negative reviews about bugs and DICE did a great job of patching those so the game is actually playable and free of 99 percent of any issues. It runs very smooth and the combat is unlike any other FPS game out there. The vehicles are fun to use although they do take time to get use to.
This game uses near perfect physics with the bullet trajectory and it is seen with long distance sniping and vehicle shots as you can the your shots drop after X- amount of meters. The unlock system is unique too. There are four classes; assault, engineer, support, and recon class. Each class has it's own weapon class but you can deviate from the primary weapon of the chosen class to three other weapon classes that are shared amongst the recon, engineer, support, and assault classes. The weapons behave as they should, no longer will you get "sniped" across the map with a SMG. Range actually matters unlike other FPS games *cough* call of duty *cough* Snipers take skill to use in this game, quickscopes are pretty much useless and just get a kill requires lots of practice and dying. LOL
This game is pretty real and sometimes too real that is does get frustrating. There are many game modes to choose from; the traditional conquest which can take up to 60 minutes but usually last 30. My favorite is obliteration which keeps the combat constant instead of spread out like conquest but large enough to still utilize all vehicles. Obliteration is the demolition of battlefield but both sides can plant the bomb because each team must destroy 3 points on the map in order to win or just destroy more than the opposing team.
Cons-
Vehicles can and do get stuck in parts of destructible areas, no matter what you do the vehicle cannot move and is just a sitting stuck.
You can get stuck in destroyed buildings and certain areas on maps, thankfully there is a redeploy option when you hit the "start" button which in turn kills your player, loses your team a ticket, and adds a death to your score.
Often times players will harass you with vehicles and seem impossible to destroy i think the game has some balancing issues
This is only my opinion i love the game others may not, it is no where near like call of duty. when i first picked up this game after playing call of duty i was terrible, still running around trying to kill people. This game requires you to think and be tactical to some degree. Teamwork is very important and critical to success. Lonewolf will make you get frustrated. | video-games_xbox |
terrible gameplay. I waited for weeks in anticipation of this the latest and last ncaa football for xbox. I have been a loyal EA customer for years, annually saving my money to buy NCAA and Madden each fall. This year I wish I would have saved my money.
As an experienced gamer, I automatically jump to the highest level, in this game Heisman level. I enjoy a good fair challenge from the A.I. when playing by myself, however this year the A.I. is an opponent on steriods, with the ref in their pocket, and a spy in my lockerroom. No matter if I'm playing USC or Florida International, the computer always knows exactly what play I plan to run. Not only that, the computer's players become super human. As a University of Michigan fan I tend to always play as the Wolverines. I literally played Eastern Michigan, and reset the game 12 times to repeat my first drive. 10 times I turned the ball over, once I was forced into a 4th and long, and once I scored. Against EASTERN MICHIGAN!!! Their no name defensive end ROUTINELY flattens T#77 (aka Jake Long top 5 pick in the 2008 NFL Draft). WR#86 (Mario Manningham) dropped 1 out of every 3 passes, while their defenders intercepted anything they touched, and made spectacular plays on balls bouncing off of one or two other players with ease.
Believe me, this is not a review made after a day or two of playing, I've had this game since its release date, and have played it pretty steadily. The computer defense is just beyond frustrating. Now on the flip side, playing defense is easier than ever, and I find myself with as many takeaways as turnovers. After totaling up giveaways and takeaways after 20 full games played, I had an AVERAGE of 8.6 turnovers between both teams per game. That is absolute insanity, and in no way makes for a realistic game.
Now I give it two stars thanks to an excellent dynasty mode (albeit as easy as ever to master). The addition of summer drills allows you to improve 17 players in addition to normal spring game training boosts, which is a great enhancement. Recruiting is improved as well, with new twists in the details of your focus on recruits and the ability to recruit year round. The My Shrine does a better job in detailing your accolades, and Campus Legend is back with some slight tweaks if that's your bag.
In conclusion, if you're looking for a realistic football simulation, this is not the place. Trust me, you'll get as sick of the computer as me after they get their 3rd straight Great Jump! no matter how many times you vary the snap count. I bought the game so I'm stuck with it, but I'm just counting down the days until Madden comes out, when I'll trade this pile of junk in for some trade value towards it. If college is your thing, save a few bucks in get a used copy of NCAA 07. | video-games_xbox |
Better Than Expected. After reading the mixed reviews for this controller, mostly leaning towards negative. I decided to go for it anyway. I grew up playing fighting games with a D-Pad not a joystick or an analog stick. Sega Genesis and Sega Saturn D-Pad's to be exact. But the Official Xbox 360 Controller D-Pad is horrible in comparison to those. So I needed something to replace it. Basically just about any other 3rd party D-Pad for the 360 is going to be better. Thats how bad the official 360 controllers D-Pad is. So yes this controller has a nice D-Pad. When I want to go forward or back. It does it and nothing else. Up or down. It does that as I wanted. up & forward or up & backward. Also does it, no problem. Special Movies...much easier. I can't say its the greatest D-Pad in the world. But it is more then good enough to make an old school Genesis/Saturn player like me happy. The button layout is also nice for old school fans. Having the buttons laid out similiar to a Genesis/Saturn Controller or Arcade button layout. It works great. The buttons are slightly more springy which is good for fighting games. All the buttons and controls worked perfect for me. No delay, improper or unresponsive controls. I didn't have to mash them to make them respond nor did I lightly tap them and they responded too quickly. It felt just right in response. Comparable to an Official 360 Controller. This is also a great controller for any game that is on live arcade that you may be used to playing on a D-Pad. Sonic The Hedgehog games for instance. It works nicely. The pad gives turbo which is a cheat basically but it works nicely for people who enjoy that sort of thing and isn't hard to use. The pad has a switch on the lower back that lets you change the D-Pad to the Left 360 Analog Stick Control or Right 360 Analog Stick Control. This is a limited feature but it makes a few newer 360 games playable that might otherwise not be, if you want to use this controller for such games. But overall this controller is for fighting games and old school games. The overall layout of the controller felt very nice in my hands. The Street Fighter IV photo (Blanka in my case) looks very nice. The controller had a light rubberized grip on the back. Felt very comfortable in my hands. People with large hands, small hands or anything in between, shouldn't have a problem with it.
But there is a few things one should know about this controller and understand first. Most games that use a 6 button layout such of Street Fighter II HD, Garou Mark Of The Wolves, Samurai Showdown II, etc. Will not automatically work with the controller. You'll need to manually map out the buttons. Usually by accessing the games settings screen. It's very easy to do and once you do it. Your playing the game like it should be played. No bumpers needed. Just a D-Pad and 6 buttons. Nice and simple. Street Fighter IV of course does worth perfectly with the controller from the start. It was afterall made for that game specifically. But most games which require six buttons will need to be manually set. The other issue is the controller does not feel very durable. After a few days of use, it still works fine for me. But it feels rather hollow. The build quality is certainly not that of an Official Xbox 360 Controller which feels strong in comparison.
The final two things I should mention are not the controller makers fault, but something you should rememeber, it's not wireless and it doesn't have rumble. So keep that in mind. I got over both of those issues very quickly when I felt the nostalgia of playing games like I used to when I was younger. The old Genesis style controllers. I got that feeling back right away. The official 360 controller doesn't give off that feel for older games.
And so I say, do not hesitate if your looking for a great controller for retro games, It works great, it looks great. It does exactly what I hoped it would do and more. | video-games_xbox |
The best Smackdown vs. Raw game in the series. I've had this game since the 17th, and have already maxed it out on achievements. This game is definitly an easy achievement game, a lot easier than 07, 08 or 09. If you're interested in a quick 1000, this could definitly be up your alley.
I will assume most people looking at this review have played at least one of the last 3 year's games (07,08 and 09). Having played all of them, I can easily say this is the best in the series. They made a ton of tiny changes, that make the game more realistic (More reversal animations, leap-frogging or ducking a running opponent, red marks on your chest/back after taking a Ric Flair-patented chop).
What's better this year in comparion to '09? Well pretty much everything. There's nothing '09 had '10 doesn't that makes a difference. The gameplay is almost identical, yes so much better with the addition of the tapping out system, the flipping bodys over. The only thing I miss about '09 was the two-button reversal. ('09 had a reversal system where LT was pushed to reverse strikes, and RT to reverse Grapples. Now pressing RT and timing it correctly will reverse both).
Create a superstar is SO MUCH BETTER. Looking online to see creations that were up, I saw "The Flash" from DC Comics fame, and it looked identical. Suicide from TNA was also found, and again that was almost identical to the real life version. I know I'll be having fun with this feature, months down the line. The loading times are almost gone entirely too.
Road to Wrestlemania bothered me a bit. They basically took old storylines, and added new twists, and remade the cast. For example, Edge's RTWM is a re-hash of the "La Familia" storyline that took place last year, however instead of it being Vicky Guerrero, it was WWE Diva Maria. The stories aren't identical, there are new changes, and new twists, but I already saw this storyline. I wanted something ENTIRELY brand new. There was a lot of "Holy crap" and "LMAO" moments. For anyone who doesn't mind playing through old storylines with new twists this isn't a problem. The stories aren't half-bad at least.
The soundtrack to the game has most of the WWE superstars tracks, but it does have a few songs that were very good. For a true WWE fan the soundtrack is perfect.
The videos in the game, like the opening cutscene to anybody's RTWM is crystal clear. Amazing quality, as are the entrace videos. These literally blew me away.
Scramble matches, intergender tag matches, Divas can now play pretty much every match type, interfereces were some nice new additions as well. I was surprised and happy to see unlockables in the game such as THE ROCK, and TRISH STRATUS. However dissapointed with pointless characters like the Red and Green dummies.
Lastly, the biggest mode in the game. What most were waiting for. The addition of Create-a-storyline. I do not believe this is as User-friendly as they wanted it to be, but once you start learning what to do, this will be the most used feature in my opinion. Not as many choices concerning promos, but for a first year attempt this was amazing. Hardcore WWE fans will go nuts over this. Now that I've maxed it out in achievements, I will be spending my time making stories, and putting them on youtube, in between matches with my other WWE-crazed fans.
Many people complain that any game that has a yearly installment is a rip-off. Not many changes are implemented, and that it's basically a $60 roster-update you're purchasing. I've heard this said for MLB, NBA, NFL games as well. With Smackdown 10, it's nowhere near the case. If you liked '09 in the slightest, or just felt that it had potential, well 2010 is what you've been waiting for. | video-games_xbox |
An instant classic (review from someone who is a fan of the original xcom. I will admit that I was extremely skeptical of this game. Being a fan of the original Xcom, I was upset about all the changes and simplifications they made. I was so skeptical I didn't preorder and opted instead to wait for metacritic reviews. Well I got the game yesterday, and the verdict is... AMAZING!!!
This game will challenge you MORE than the original Xcom. It does hinder you in some ways but it results in a more realistic experience. In the old Xcom for example I would send in rookies to the front line while my "A team" soldiers stayed behind and took cheap shots once the aliens where in sight. Distance wasn't an obstacle in the old Xcom, in the new one you would need a sniper to get those shots.
In the old one, I would give soldiers auto cannons with explosives ammo and blow up entire walls to see if there were aliens there. In the new one, I can still do that, but then I wouldn't have any more rockets when I really needed them.
I also thought this game wouldn't be scary because of the cartoon look that it was given. I was dead WRONG! Every battle is tense, every time I see the words "alien activity", I pray that I didn't make a wrong move or that I would be flanked. Every decision you make can turn the tide of battle and luck can be on your side sometimes and sometimes it will work against you. In Xcom you are never safe!
Enemy AI is good. I am playing on classic and ironman mode and the enemy is wise to my flank maneuvers. They will often try to outflank you as well so you need to think on your feet.
This game is not perfect however. The graphics are ok (which doesn't bother me), there are a few cutscene hiccups and sometimes you can take shots when the enemy is walking behind small covers even though it looks like there is no shot. This happens rarely and it does not detract from the game.
Base building is a little bit more difficult now. You can't just buy 100 scientists or engineers and do stuff fast. Now you have to earn them through missions. Which makes the game more tactical. Do you take the mission for money? Or should you take the mission for scientists and improve research?
Overall I love this game and I will say that it is not for everyone. This is a thinking mans game. This is not COD, so don't think that by running forward in a blaze of glory you will get far. I will say that the spirit of the original Xcom is in this game. It is not perfect, but from a tactical standpoint it improves from the original by making the game a lot more realistic. This will obviously upset some fans that are used to the little tricks you can do in the original.
This game is emotionally taxing as well, so be prepared to be laugh, cry, and relish in your victories.
In these days there are few games that take risks. Everything is either a FPS, or an RPG. Xcom is brings back some "fresh air" into gaming. I hope publishers take notice and put out games that go against the current trend. | video-games_xbox |
Excellent. If you're on the fence about whether to get this game or not, just go ahead and do it. You won't regret it.
I've been playing console and PC games rather hardcore since 1984, and this is finally the game that everyone has wanted to be created. I remember nearly three decades of games that have tried to reproduce an entire city, but it has *always* fallen well short in my opinion. L.A. Noire accomplishes it in amazing detail, from expansive non-repetitive streets and blocks and building exteriors, to very impressively detailed interiors. Fellow drivers behave in ways that real people do, sometimes swerving or making a turn that they shouldn't yet make, or being indecisive and slowing down for apparently no reason before deciding that they actually wanted to be in the left lane. Pedestrians are frustratingly realistic.
The story line is excellent, and I never got bored... and I'm one of those that has to look in every nook and cranny. One of the nice features is that a little musical change lets you know when you've discovered every clue in an area that there is to see. This in itself probably saved me a hundred hours of extra, needless snooping around. The only flaw in the story was that sometimes I didn't *want* to act the dirty cop, trampling warrantlessly on people's rights... but the game would force you to do it, often on the advice of your partner: "Don't bother knocking, just kick the door in".
The game is definitely *not* for children or teenagers. Some of the imagery is very disturbing, such as burned corpses or people killed violently. I would strongly encourage people to *not* let their kids or teenagers play this, as the nudity in the game is all centered around dead female corpses. I believe that teens shouldn't be getting aroused by looking at dead, naked corpses... that it could cause certain thinking and behavioral disorders down the road. And you know any teen seeing it would be getting a woody and sitting there with it on the screen for ten, fifteen minutes, or however long it takes. Not good.
I'm a little sad that the game is actually over. As I played, I began to ask myself where is the line between where a person would prefer to interact with the real world vs. a game world. As this is a single-player game, and you don't have human player characters with to interact, the answer lies in the interactivity of the NPCs and the realism of the in-game world. As the realism part is now clearly there, the interactivity of the NPCs portion is where the industry needs to improve-- and it is improving rapidly. I predict that, within a decade, there will be gaming worlds in which nearly all people would prefer to spend their time... perhaps even gaming worlds in which the NPCs can do real-world tasks such as secretarial work, teaching, or the like, and with endless interactivity on par with humans.
Get this game and enjoy. | video-games_xbox |
Halo 2. Halo 2 is, of course, the follow up to the great Halo. I've decided to split this review into two different reviews (both pretty short) one for the single player/co-op and one for the multiplayer (Over X-Box Live).
Single Player/Co-op: Halo 2's campaign mode is, in comparison to Halo 1, terrible. Halo 2's campaign is one leads you down one of the worst first person shooter adventures ever created. Bungie totally butchered the story and ACTUALLY managed to make the gameplay terrible as well. Campaign mode could - no - SHOULD have been much better than the finished product, which only has better graphics, and new guns - and the new guns is also a terrible mistake. Most of the weapons that worked so well in the game were replaced by crappier guns. For instance, the once excellent pistol has been traded for a crapped up magnum that has no zoom and simply fires quicker and does less damage than the pistol. The Assault Rifle has been traded for a close range, fast-firing SMG and a burst-fire battle rifle, both of which slouch in comparison to the Assault Rifle. The story is also extremely predictable and uncreative, also, being forced to play as the "Aribiter" (a covenant Elite) was extremely painful and boring. All in all, Halo 2's single player and co-op campaign stink and should not have been this way.
Halo 2's multiplayer over X-Box live, however, is extremely entertaining and is a blast to play, even with the newer, crappier weapons. All of the new features that don't work in the Single-Player mode seem to blend in and work magnificently in the multiplayer mode. It's a blast to be playing over X-Box live. There isn't much more that I can say about the game than that, you just have to play it to believe it.
Overall, Halo 2 is only fun if you have X-Box Live, if you have X-Box live, you don't have any excuse to not buy this game, if you don't have X-Box live, maybe just rent it if you want to keep up with the story. | video-games_xbox |
Great game killed by a million bugs. The game is really a lot of fun in the beginning, the story may be weak, but it's inspired by a real person and true events, which makes it interesting. In spite of all the criticism, I liked Sean's character.
The game style is exactly like the Hitman series, where you get the option of carrying out your operations using stealth and guile or using a shoot-em-up style attack. This game adds some racing missions too, which are not only fun, but they fit the story line and the actual events and characters that inspired the game (Sean's real life counterpart was a chauffeur and a mechanic)
Now to the bad part: this game is horribly finished. There is a significant amount of bugs and EA support is crappy. The studio that developed the game was closed almost a month before the release, EA--which owned Pandemic studios--kept a few employees Pandemic employees to support the release. I guess that's why the game is so buggy.
Here are some of the bugs:
1) After stealing a Nazi vehicle, I was stuck inside it, unable to drive or to abandon the car. I had to wait for the Nazis to blow up the car.
2) After knocking off Bryman and taking the truck (which was used to rescue Veronique from execution), I was stuck again and the vehicle kept going in a straight line through the city (penetrating people and buildings)
3) THE WORST BUG: The autosave fails to load and freeze your XBox and wastes the hours you spent playing the game. This has happened to me after 60% mission progression (almost 30 hours of game play). I tried to call EA support, but the wait time was 15 minutes and 25+ minutes for the online chat support!!! Needless to say I had to hang up. Checking the EA forums for this game, I saw that so many people are complaining about bugs with this game (all XBox, PS3 and PC versions) and I almost never saw an answer from EA.
EA has released a beta patch for PC, but nothing for XBox.
You risk loosing your time and money if you buy this game, even though it may seem fun, and it is actually fun - but only if you don't hit any of the bugs that block the progress of the game (which are A LOT - check the EA forums or other gaming forums to see people\s frustration).
Bottom line: this IS the buggiest game I've ever played. | video-games_xbox |
10/10 would buy again. Honestly after being an avid console gamer almost my entirely life this generation barely interested me what so ever. Especially with the Xbox One was originally announced I thought for certain I would never own one. Since the release of both the PS4 and the One I have been playing games on my PC MASTER RACE level system and enjoying it. But with that said..
This is a fantastic bundle for the price. The gears remaster is a lot of fun and looks much better than I expected an old 360 game to look (they really cranked up the detail). Rare replay is fantastic especially if you were a big fan of the Nintendo 64. You honestly can't beat the value of what's included. I have yet to delve into Ori, but I have heard excellent things and doubt I will be disappointed.
Microsoft have really come along way since introducing this system. Yes it is large and I also used to make fun of it for kind of looking like a VCR. The reality is, it is a very sleek and nice looking piece of equipment especially on an entertainment stand. It blends in beautiful and the subtle white glow of the logo looks top notch. I also like the slot loading drive. The system is whisper quiet (that is to say I can't hear it what so ever over anything else in my room) and it cools exceptionally well. It's barely warm to the touch after hours and hours of playing games. So while the PS4 may have a nice slim form factor, I'd rather have a well ventilated well cooled box than something more compact with one exhaust port shooting out burning hot air.
Overall last generation I owned far more games on PS3 than I did for my 360, but some where along the way Sony lost me. I have yet to see anything remotely interesting released for their system. I honestly believe at least as of now, the One has better exclusive games and Microsoft is far more aggressive at regaining market share which is improving the experience rapidly on their end. Xbox Live as always is a great experience (minus the children of course). The downloads are quick (Sonys servers have always seemed terrible in comparison). The UI is quick and you bounce in and out of menus fast which is a big plus. We also have the Windows 10 update right around the corner which seems to be filled with only good things.
Overall I highly recommend you pick up this system. I had been debating it over the last 6 months or so and was waiting and waiting for a better deal and of course a better deal will always come along, but it's hard to go wrong here. Lastly the controller is absolutely excellent. I used to be a die hard fan of Sony's controllers until I started using a 360 pad as my PC controller (pc hooked up to tv) and started to like it a bit better. I used a PS4 controller quite a lot as well (also on PC) and greatly prefer the size/shape/feel etc of the One pad. I should mention I have large hands and they feel much less cramped on this design.
I should also mention as this surprised me, the Gears and Rare replay are included on retail discs so they are not downloads. I saw this as a huge plus because it takes quite awhile to get the system up and running. That is the unfortunate thing in this day in age of massive GB download patches for the system and games.
Buy one! | video-games_xbox |
PC Call Of Duty is WAY BETTER! Finest Hour = Dissapointment. Activision should've reconsidered before hiring a game company like Spark Limited to ruin a whole epic. Why couldn't they hire Infinity Ward?
If you are a Call Of Duty crazer, avoid this. This game is more like designed by an un-skillful ametur company. Even if you see a teaser trailer of the actual game footage, they create a diversion to gimmick. The intro movie in the game has got nothing to do with the game at all.
Good things:
None.
Bad things:
Plenty you'll find them in Call Of Duty: Fines Hour. The modelling and graphics are rushed, and a few number of weapons are missing from the PC version - weapons omitted from the release like the MP44, and all the pistols are gone, and only one rocket launcher which is the Panzershrek. All the classic weapons from the original PC release isn't included.
Next downside point..tight aiming. The feel of the weapon your holding is absolutely a shocker. You can't even aim correctly at a far German - it will move too fast causing you to waste time and get asassinated. Comparing this to the PC version, aiming with the mouse is easier to use.
Why can't we not forget? Saving during missions. Guess what, there is no saving ability during missions and you can only save after a mission. PC Call of Duty has a in-mission saving ability, incase if you get stuck on something. Finest Hour doesn't - every time you die, you have to start sorrowly from the beginning all over again (back to square one), and builds up frustration.
Thirdly is the looping music. Ripped from the MP3 music from the PC version, but causes continuous looping at a point. Michael Giacchino deserves better than this.
And yes, it takes forever bloody hits to finally kill a German and it's unrealistic. If you shoot an enemy in the head on the PC Call of Duty then the enemy dies instantly. You won't see it happen on Finest Hour.
So sad, Spark Unlimited, get to learn how to program games, so sad. | video-games_xbox |
Awesome while it lasts. I finished the main story of this last night. Took me three play sessions, each played for an hour or two. My final score was a "D". But I was really proud of that "D"! Felt like I'd earned it :)
This game is fantastic! Yes, all the other reviewers are correct. It is short. It only has one mission. There's only one small base, etc. And if I had spent as much on this as it cost when it first came out, then yes, I would probably be a little irritated about that too. But the price has come down now, and is it worth it? In my opinion, YES.
I had never thought I was big on stealth games. I enjoyed the original Metal Gear Solid, but hadn't played any of them since. But I really liked this game. I like how you have to stop in the game, look at the map, and really think through your plan of attack. And the fact that there is a variety of avenues that you can choose is what makes this game so enjoyable. It is also very forgiving compared to a lot of other stealth games. If you get spotted by a guard, it could go badly for you, but it may not be the end of the world, either. It all depends on how you respond. Improvising on the fly can get you out of trouble, or into worse trouble! It all depends on what you do.
Sometimes when you are looking over the situation with your binoculars, it all looks quite impossible at first glance. You think, "They really want me to sneak through THAT?" But then as you keep looking, you start thinking, "Hmmm... Well, what if I were to try this?" That is the appeal of these games, forcing you to use your ingenuity. Actually, counting on you to have it. If you don't have the patience to think it through, then you won't survive for long.
This game was slow at first, but the action started getting really exciting and intense as things went on. And just as it reached its peak, it was Game Over. Too bad, but I don't mind. I see this game for what it is: A prologue story for "The Phantom Pain". It's also great for introducing new or rusty players (like me) to the game mechanics, so that I'll be ready for the real meat that's going to come in T.P.P. In fact, I'm totally sold at this point! I've already ordered T.P.P.
Not to spoil anything, but the final cut scene in this game was frickin' amazing! I was totally stoked, watching that. Let's face it, a lot of cut scenes in games like these can be pretty lame. Sometimes when I see a cut scene, I feel like rolling my eyes. Like, do I really have to watch this? But not this game. I was on the edge of my seat with this. I'm hoping that T.P.P. will be just as good.
Also, I had forgotten how cool Snake is. Kiefer Sutherland does an awesome job with the voicework. Fits Snake perfectly, IMO. Snake is so cool in this game, so unstoppable, that he reminds me of a slighter-built, more intelligent version of Rambo.
The storyline is kind of odd, with weird names and random stuff happening. I've just kind of accepted that as the norm for when you play a Japanese-made game though. After a while, you just sit back and enjoy the spectacle :) I'm hoping that T.P.P.'s story will be just as off-beat.
One thing that bothered me a little though was that in this game, you are attacking and killing U.S. Marines. As an American myself, it's a little disconcerting to see an American flag flapping overhead on the base, while you are sneaking around, attacking, possibly killing soldiers. It made sense in the context of the story with Snake's group being a mercenary organization and all, but I'm not used to the U.S. being the bad guys. Not trying to overthink that or anything - it is just a game, after all. And there has to be bad guys in every game. But that just felt a little odd.
Anyways, awesome game! I loved it! It was a nice appetizer. Can't wait for the main meal! | video-games_xbox |
Built Like The Original Xbox One Controller and work well for PC WINDOWS 8. <div id="video-block-R2J9KE2NONGC9P" class="a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block"></div><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/C1H3FXVlBzS.mp4" class="video-url"><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81GmvotYV8S.png" class="video-slate-img-url"> We're reviewing the Horipad Xbox One Controller. For our purposes, we're actually covering usage for PC Gaming on Windows. The Horipad works just like the Xbox 360 or Xbox One controller on PC. Just install the official drivers from Microsoft and it will work seamlessly through XInput with your PC Games just like the official Xbox controllers.
The Horipad has the same asymmetrical thumbstick layout. The thumbsticks are actually more similar to the 360 with larger size and 4 small groves. The D-Pad is square and precise as opposed to the 360 circular Dpad. Buttons are relatively flat and the handles actually feel similar to a dualshock controller. The triggers are a little more like big flat buttons. They are responsive, but they lack the degree of analog movement that the traditional Xbox controllers have.
This controller is wired with a USB connection on the end. This works very well on PC because Xbox One controllers do not currently have wireless support and you don't have to worry about bluetooth pairing or charging. The controller is built just as solid as the official Xbox controllers, so you don't have to worry about a cheap 3rd party controller falling apart on you. In fact, it's officially licensed by Microsoft for the Xbox One.
As far as quality and function, I can highly recommend the horipad. You won't have any problems using this for gaming. Comparing feel and grip to the official Xbox One Controller, it definitely is different and this is a matter of preference. It currently retails at $39.99 which is cheaper than the official Xbox One Controller and is a great solution of PC Gaming. Subscribe to my youtube channel for more gaming peripheral reviews: http://bit.ly/SkilledSubscribe | video-games_xbox |
Terrible - worst version yet. I have had a lot of fun with the TW PGA Golf series over the years (since the 2002 version), but it seems like EA Games is taking steps backwards in the past couple of years. The 2007 version is the worst of the bunch. The game itself runs smoothly and is pretty, but that doesn't really matter when the AI is stupid - like taking chip shots in the middle of the fairway 140 yards from the green, repeatedly doing the same failed shot over and over until forced to concede, and standing in the way of other player's shots.
When you set up your player, you have to choose a "home course" which you're pretty much forced to stay on until you get a low enough handicap - but there is no way to change it once selected, other than deleting your character and starting all over. This is not a big deal on easier courses, but EA has always had this thing where they put in one or two "fantasy" courses in the mix which are freaking impossible - and you won't know until you select the course if that's the one you picked. Case in point, the Central Park course (sounds innocuous, right?). This course is ridiculously hard, especially when you start with a new amateur player who can't even hit a driver more than 175 yards. On several of the holes you just have to keep hitting OOB until you concede, then go on from there. The problem is, doing that you will NEVER make it past your first season.
Sometimes I've been assessed an OOB penalty when my ball was clearly in bounds. Other times I've been forced to take drops when my ball is sitting in the fairway. Where's the fun in that?
And talk about frustrating bugs - I just finished an entire yearlong season, and was playing in the final championship 2-rounder before I was advancved to the Pro level, and the game came up and said "Congratulations! You just broke the season record for lowest average score! <OK>" Unfortunately, the <OK> button didn't work, forcing me to Ctrl-Alt-Del and kill the game from Windows, the result of which was that it "conceded" my second round in the championship. That means that I now have to go play an entire NEW season just to advance! ARRRGH!
If you want mindless golf play, this game might be for you - at a price of maybe $10.00. But for the price EA Games is charging it's a crime. I think I'm about to go back to Links (which I switched from in 2002). | video-games_xbox |
Not a classic but still great. After putting in over 400 hrs. on the original Ninja Gaiden and Ninja Gaiden Black I was looking forward to 2 and now my fix is here. Well I was initially a little disappointed and felt that they released the game too early but once I got to tweaking the camera, cinema playback and controller options it solved or eased alot of the problems I was encountering.
I'll keep this short by giveing the good points and bad.
Bad points first. There are frame rate issues if you have the auto cinema feature turned on they can get really bad when a lot of people are on the screen attacking you at one time. If you turn it off you probably won't see a problem with frame rates again.
Second problem is the camera, this can be a problem but you can manually adjust or speed up the auto adjust rate in the options menu and this helps a lot.
Graphically speaking it's a little inconsistent. The particle effects are great but at the same time some of the backgrounds are pretty bland. It's kind of a mixed bag but due to some of the things they've done regarding retaining chopped body parts long after you've left a room in the game it takes a toll on memory usage and thus taxes the 360 quite a bit. Add that to the size of the environments, the number of characters on screen at once and this game pushes the 360 pretty hard.
The other problem though not really a problem, but more of an annoyance is that the enemies are a little on the cheap side this time so you are forced to be a little more creative.
Now for the good:
Believe it or not they have actually improved the gameplay. You start off now with a long list of moves as opposed to hardly any in the original. Countering has been refinded so that you can properly time it. Weapons are now very varied and don't overlap in terms of usage. Enemy AI is incredible you can actually notice the enemies adjusting to your attack patterns. Granted this makes things more difficult but ultimately more satisfying when you win. The level design has gotten rid of a lot of the platforming and focuses much more on the fighting aspect of the game. Secondary weapons are chargable and are actually useful, can anyone actually admit that they used the bow much in the first one?
The story is actually a little more coherent now and makes a bit of sense, though not much. Last but not least It's a great game but a new Missions mode and a little more refinement of the default settings would have made this a classic. | video-games_xbox |
It seems the developers decided to go another direction with this one. My children (6 and 4) love the Lego games. Over the past couple of years they've unlocked every character, on their own, from the two Star Wars games and the Indiana Jones game. They also love Lego Batman. These games are great because they are basically no-fail games that stress working together, puzzle-solving, and are just plain fun. They are also extremely "wholesome". No gore, silly cartoon violence (people don't die, they just break a part like a Lego).
When we saw Lego Clone Wars at Target in a playable form their two heads nearly exploded in excitement. It was more than a month before release and each time we revisited Target we had to stop by the video game department so they could play that same level again. Lo and behold, the Easter Bunny tucked the game into my oldest son's basket. Needless to say, he was excited.
And then he played it.
Let's just say that this game is only a Lego game in the broadest sense when compared to the others. They are Lego pieces and the levels are no-fail. You unlock characters through level completion (and by buying them) and there are some cute moments. But something has happened to the gameplay - it got too hard. This game is difficult. When the previous games were difficult it was because they were throwing a lot of enemies at you. This one is difficult because the objectives are not always clear and sometimes you just don't know where to go/what to do. There have been a couple spots where it took me helping them to progress and, honestly, I was stumped for a bit on them. In all of the previous games these moments were RARE/non-existent.
Here's the thing - this game is rated E-10, just like the others. But this is probably the only game in the series that actually warrants that rating and this is important. Because a lot of parents are going to buy this game thinking it is appropriate for their 5-7 year old. There is a lot of fun to be had here, but my kids grow frustrated at times. Just be ready for that.
I know I sound like I have a negative slant, but taking the game on its own merits it is a great game. The graphics are literally twice as good as the previous games. It has a very epic feeling. Navigating the hub world and level selection is a little more confusing than any of the other games, but there are a lot of neat touches. For example, rather than buying unlockables at a counter you actually find it in the hub world somewhere. If it is a person, you'll see him walking around and when you approach you'll see his price.
The game really is good and if you are 10 or more you will love it. Younger than that and I suspect you will need some parental guidance at times. | video-games_xbox |
Excellent and unique platformer. Blinx is one of the better platformers I've played, and definitely worth purchasing. You play as Blinx, a cat whose job is to fix problems with time. To aid him in his job, Blinx has a number of abilities which allow him to control time, and that's what makes this game unique. You can collect various time-altering abilities such as pause, rewind, and record that will be necessary to solve the puzzles in each level.
For example: suppose you are at the base of a crumbled statue, and want to get at something that's high in the air. Jump on a part of the statue, hit rewind, and watch as the statue re-forms before your eyes, carrying you to the top. Suppose you need to activate two switches at the same time. Record yourself activating the first switch, then play it back, and hit the second while your duplicate hits the first. Sound cool? It is!
With 33 levels (including the final boss), this game will keep you playing for a good while. Many of the levels are rather difficult and will require several attempts, and you'll also have to re-visit old levels in order to stock up on time crystals from time to time. Furthermore, there are medals hidden in each stage that you can collect to unlock secrets in the game, so there is some replay value to be had. (The first few secrets are wholly unintersting, but keep going; the later ones are better.)
So, what keeps this from being a five-star game? Primarily, it's because of problems with the camera. The game's camera will often end up being positioned very badly, and although you can adjust it with the right analog stick, it won't always stay where you set it. Needless to say, this can be very frustrating. It's certainly not enough to make the game unplayable, but you'll likely lose a couple of lives because of it.
A related issue is the auto-aim system that Blinx uses. The game locks on to the nearest enemy to aid you in aiming, which is often helpful, except for one problem: you can't choose which enemy you're aiming at. If you're in the room with two enemies, and the one farther away is the greater threat, you might very well want to take out that one first. But the game will probably aim at the nearer one instead. The only thing you can do is move Blinx into a position where the enemy you want to shoot at is closer. Some way to deactivate the auto-aim would have been very welcome.
Aside from that, we have a few minor problems. There's no story to speak of except for one opening movie, and one at the end. It would be nice if there were some kind of brief story sequences between rounds, but that's not a huge complaint for a platformer. I also would have tightened up the collision detection between Blinx and the time crystals; sometimes when two crystals are very close together, I have trouble getting the one I want without ending up with the other as well.
Bottom line: this game gets a 7.5 out of 10. If they had cleaned up the camera and auto-aim issues, it would have been a 9. The game's problems don't detract from it enough to pass it by, though. Blinx makes an excellent addition to anyone's XBox library. | video-games_xbox |
Almost perfect. I wanted to love the kit so much but sadly the Hofner Bass left me disappointed. I've actually owned The Beatles Rock Band for the Playstation 3 since it came out. At first I used my Guitar Hero guitar with the game. I loved the game so much, I purchased the Gretsch-Duo Jet guitar which is fashioned after George Harrison's guitar. It fit me like a glove. I can go a long time with it. Feels great. The Beatles Rock Band Limited Edition comes with Paul McCartney's Hofner Bass which just feel uncomfortable to me (the neck is just too long), especially when playing it for a while. My left arm hurts after a while of playing. I wish I could trade in the Hofner Bass for another Gretsch-Duo Jet. I moved onto the other equipment. The instructions are a bit weak but it wasn't that hard to figure out. Also, the keys are not perfectly flat on my Hofner Bass. It looks like they really skimped on the QA for my unit. Sad really since my Gretsch-Duo Jet felt like top quality when I first purchased it.
The drums are pretty nice. I don't know if it is different from the Rock Band guitar but I remember my foot would get tired when I played with my friend's Rock Band 2 drums. The pedal feels better. Response is great. I admit. I am not a pro when it comes to drums but as far as fun factor is concerned, I like it a lot.
The microphone is a Logitech microphone rebranded as a Rock Band microphone. It's nice. I was actually surprised the microphone stand was better build quality than I expected. It has a lot of weight which means you microphone will not tip over easily when placed on the stand.
The song selection is pretty good. It has the most popular Ringo songs which is good because the songs Ringo sings in are songs which all four Beatles members sings...great songs to use when you have a party with lots of vocalists.
The graphics are beautifully done, especially songs which contain dreamscapes. It feels like you are inside of the Beatles dreams. I am not sure if the songs used in the game are the latest remastered ones but they do sound great when connected to a nice home theater receiver. I think what I enjoy best is that it appeals to so many different people because of the Beatles. My wife likes it (she is not into video games), my friends like it and my parents like it.
The one feature I do like about the Xbox 360 version over the PS3 version is that on the PS3, I need to use a USB wireless dongle whereas on the Xbox 360, it is not needed. One less thing to connect and also one less thing to lose. I highly recommend this package. I just wish MTV would have included George Harrison's guitar instead of Paul McCartneys.
Highly recommended except for the guitar. | video-games_xbox |
What"s not to like. I want to start by saying that i don't normally write reviews for anything, however with the mixed decisions i had on buying this game i felt i must. For anyone out there who is in the same mind set i was!!
When i first heard there was going to be a sequel i was pretty excited, but something told me to hold off preordering to see the reviews and maybe try a demo.
Well when it came to release week, all reviews pretty much said the same thing. Mainly that it was more of the same, improved multiplayer/ co-op play (which it definately is, you can just jump in and out of a friends game, or even a complete strangers if they have there online game setup that way).
After hearing this i played the demo. Well at first i tried to do as much gameplay as i could in 30 mins the demo provided.....and YEAH it kinda sucked. Just like the original it has the same issues with targeting. (Though as you play more it gets easier once you figure out that if your cursor is over an object or person before you lock on target it work better) Plus with a basic low level agent there wasn't much fun in climbing, fighting,and driving. So i left the demo very dissapointed and pretty much set on boycotting this game!
THEN...... i remembered why i enjoyed the first crackdown. Despite its flaws i remember all the fun in chasing down the bad guys by leaping from roof tops, throwing cars, blowing up everyone and everything, and watching my agent get bigger and more badass as it went on.
SO i went back on the demo and purely focused on leveling up my agent as much as possible in the 30 minutes provided....and i realised how awesome it was to be a big bad agent again. Also i played the demo on co-op with a friend and saw another fun addition to the game. Then i realised something.....
,........... though the game still suffers from some of the same problems the first one had (and has pretty much same graphics), it wasn't what the game was trying for. They weren't trying to improve every flaw, as some of these flaws actually make the game more challenging.
They did however make improvement to make the game last longer, and more fun to play.
Gone is the tiered system of eradicating gangs, working your way up to the kingpin. Instead your in a wasteland version of the city from the first one, and if your not fighting off the hordes of resistence fighters (a unit called CELL), and taking out they're footholds thru out the city. As night falls (excuse the cheesy song reference), well THE FREAKS COME OUT AT NIGHT!!!
And i mean a swarm of zombielike monsters coming at you thick and fast. Makes Left4Dead look like a walk in the park.
Anyway if like me you enjoyed the fun orb collecting, but kicking, fast driving, crazy stunts, and guns and explosions of the first crackdown....you will like this one!!
Throw in some new elements, likke pulling turrets off their homes as your own personal weapon, or taking a flight in the company chopper, maybe even a little base jumping with your fly suit. Then whats not to like!
This game goes back to a simpler time, when games didn't need huge twisting story lines, and mind blowing near life like visuals (i don't remember seeing any real life blue hedgehogs or a plumber who fought turtles).
And now amazon has dropped the game down $10 bucks, its worth the buy.
IF however you didn't really enjoy the first one, or maybe never played it before, try the demo, GO NUTS with it, ave fun! See if its for you! | video-games_xbox |
The RPG for people who don't like RPGs. You've played action games. You, one badass guy with a bunch of guns (or his fists and feet) against who knows how many enemies. Well what if he was a she? And you decided if they had to use a gun or their fists? And you decided where to kick ass first? Oh, and it took more than 4 hours to finish?
This is the action RPG. Or at least Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. My experiences with Role-Playing Games have been small, memories only including the likes of X-Men Legends and some samurai from the N64. I haven't had a problem with them; its just the battle systems I can never stand. Thats why I prefer the action RPG to the regular one. And I love this game.
Theres no need to explain what this is or about. If you don't know by now, you obviously have no interest in it. So Ill just get to my thoughts. Honestly, I put this on my Gamefly Q because when I heard you had to create someone, I knew that a female had to be in realm of possibility (dont ask). Anyway, I like the experience Ive had so far.
The customization is crazy. You create a person from scratch, and you choose which abilities your character is "born" with, like whether they hack and slash or they defeat enemies with magic. As you go on, you improve these abilities, which allows you to fight the tougher enemies later on.
For a game as complex and vast as this, I find it a bonus that every single person speaks lines and even say a varied amount of things (there is some repetition, but thats expected, and its not enough to worry about). I like the battle system, as its actually fighting, in either first or third person perspective, even though its secretly rock paper scissors based on your abilities compared to your opponents, like RPGs usually are.
The overall world looks just amazing, and youll realize why you have an Xbox 360 once you see this. I should note this is from a person using a SDTV, so I guess its even better in high def. The people look realistic (even the non-human looking races) the textures on vegetation just plain creeps me out its so detailed.
Thats pretty much it. Theres no way you could not like this game. Seriously. This comes from a person who plays usually plays racing and sports games. | video-games_xbox |
It's a so-so game. I bought this game to give me something to do while I'm sick with pregnancy at home. I needed to get my mind off of thinking about getting sick and I was hoping this game would do it for me like GTA did for me during my first pregnancy. It looked fun, had 4 stars so I thought I'd give it a chance.
It's immediately fun. While there is no real tutorial part of the game, you get hands-on experience as you play. This can be fun for some and annoying to others. If you don't have a large wide and flat screen tv, forget about it. The text is going to be extremely small and hard to read. If you are somehow able to get past that, you will find that while going through the training of shooting, roping, talking to town's people and so on, can be easy unless you find yourself in the middle of a shoot-out and *bam*, you're dead already. It's not hard to catch on quickly and learn the 'ropes' in the game. It's actually quite simple and you find yourself already looking into many quests along with the several main ones that lead to the ending story. The guide booklet doesn't explain much to you as to why you need or should want to shoot random wild animals as you trot along. It doesn't explain why there is an option to skin an animal or keep it's feathers, nor why you should pick up any wild flowers along the way to your destination. Once you're in Mexico, you find out that the flowers you pluck there can equal to some big bucks once taken back over the States. How much? You'll only know once you find a good place to sell them. With each hunting task you take, you move onto another. You'll even need to spread around bait to get near certain animals and fight them with your blade. There will be announcements once new guns are brought into a particular gunsmith's store which eventually contain automatic weapons. Some weapons are better than others but you won't always find the right type of bullets on any dead person's body so you don't have to constantly buy more. I've had no problems with keeping a lot of rounds but some might if they are more ready than I am to buy the newest guns. Unlike GTA, there is no prostitution. In fact, the main character will pass by some prostitutes in a bar and immediately let them know he is married. I found this better than just sleeping with a girl to get your energy up or whatever. It gives you more of a game play to find a better way to get better. The meters on the map are for the horse and your vision, not your life like in GTA. You don't know how sick you are until you get into a gun fight. You recover though if you can find shelter before you destroy your enemy. I liked this more that having a life meter that you had to renew with a hotdog or something like in GTA. It's more like Modern Warfare where the screen turns red and you know you're going to die soon. You will get a horse immediately in the game and learn to ride him. Later on as you gain money by doing special deeds for others or shooting random people on the trail and collecting their money, you'll be able to buy a different horse by color and by speed. Buy horse pills and apples to keep the horse up to speed.
I haven't even finished the game and I'm already bored. The reason is because it's a very quiet game. Unlike GTA and going around downtown with sirens, horns, people yelling and so on, this is a game exactly like...well...being in real life on a horse. It's quiet out on the trail and this game is exactly like that. It can be just like a western where it's a simple life, quiet and so on. Don't expect to constantly be entertained by this game. You'll be the one finding new things to do like skinning animals, finding flowers, following the story or helping others as you reach your destination.
All in all, it's a so-so game, probably best played at night when things are calming down more and not so much during the day when the sun is shining and there are things to do outside. You'll find yourself falling asleep. | video-games_xbox |
A Definite Improvement on PES 2008. I fully admit I have long been a Pro Evolution fan over the FIFA series, but I also must admit that I came very close to making the switch after last year's PES and having read all the great reviews for the new FIFA. However, I went with my gut and gave PES 2009 a shot, in part b/c the price of $39.99 for a new copy of the game is tough to beat. Boy, amd I glad I did.
First, the differences between Konami and FIFA are the same: PES 2009 is for true fans of the sport who genuinely understand how the game is played; if, however, you're looking for the arcade-style gameplay, then FIFA is your game. They have slowed the ball physics and player movement down a bit from last year, so the build-up play is more deliberate in PES 2009, which I think is a positive. Also, you cannot turn on a dime while dashing like you could last year, so you'll have to make smarter passes and movements. I view all of these as positives.
Although the graphics are a bit better in FIFA, this year's PES is a vast improvement on last year's. The stadiums and crowds, as well as player animations are better. Perhaps most importantly, they corrected whatever problem caused the terrible framerate on replays and cutscenes in PES 2008. Overall, I would say this is finally the next-gen advancement that the series needed, although as FIFA illustrates, there is still room for improvement.
Ah, the licensing issue...everyone's favorite complaint about PES. Well, frankly, it doesn't bother me that much, especially given the extensive editing feature of the game. First, many teams are fully licensed (Man Utd, Liverpool, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Villareal, Espanyol, all of the Italian and Dutch Leages, French League, etc.). So, Arsenal is still called North London; well, just open up the Edit mode and change the team name, all of the players are already featured, so changing the team name takes all of about 30 seconds. One disappointment was that the Spanish League used to be fully licensed, but now it is only about 50% licensed. However, once again, just change the team name...the uniforms are almost identical anyway, and once again, if it really bothers you, then edit the jerseys. Finally, the UEFA Champions League license is a pretty cool feature and adds a cinematic feel to the game.
Overall, the gameplay is what makes PES 2009 a better game than FIFA in my book. That, and I love the Konomi's Master League. I have yet to try out the new Become a Legend Mode, so I can't make a recommendation on that one way or another. Nevertheless, if you're a long-time PES fan, I don't think you'll be disappointed. | video-games_xbox |
Competent and fun, but bland. Remember the plot lines for Ghostbusters I and II? Well, get ready to do them again, only this time through the eyes of a stapled on rookie-new-guy. Basically the entire plot of both movies is rehammered into the mold of a video game, with a sufficient amount of entertaining banter and filler material to make a decent sized game.
The story line, if you haven't guessed from my barely concealed sarcasm, is rather unimagniative and pedantic, and feels more like a massive fan service than an attempt to do something new. This is offset by entertaining levels, enemies and sub-text that's good for a chuckle and combat, that, while on easy at least, is just hard enough to not feel like a cop-out, but fast enough to not be overly grindy. Combat is a fairly generic rinse and repeat with regards to ghosts, but the game manages to mix it up enough that you're still kept somewhat on your toes rather than just hitting the same buttom combination over and over.
There are quite a few annoying nits. You're constantly reminded to not cross the streams, but no matter how many times you do, nothing happens. The characters helpful hints are at times to rapid fire to pay attention to, and not appropriately timed when your trying to dodge a golem made of burning coals. The bloom from your beams can make seeing much of anything next to impossible, especially when your two teammates are focused on the same target. Moving in combat is hard and unwieldy at times, and makes many enemy attacks hard to spot, let alone dodge.
But, as my heading says, the game is competent, and most importantly, fun. While I'm still scratching my head that they just didn't cycle you through the actual characters rather than have you in a suit marked "Occupant #5," the separation from the storyline is only as deep as you let it be. The finding sub-mission and the ghost analysis compliment the normal pace and flow of the game, and serve as nice side tidbits between ghost wranglings. | video-games_xbox |
A game worth playing. I enjoyed this game (please note, I have the Signature Edition). But I like RPGs. I like story, I like details, I like characters. I read every entry in the codex, and I do all the sidequests. I missed exactly two things in DAII - one was a glitch, and for the other, I just forgot to go turn in the item before heading into the Deep Roads but didn't realize it until I was at the boss fight.
I didn't miss auto-attack, but then, I was playing a mage. My job was crowd-control and cleanup, not DPS. I didn't need to be attacking constantly. I suspect this will get annoying on my melee playthroughs, but it will still be worth it. All other aspects of gameplay are a major improvement over Dragon Age: Origins, in my opinion. My first run of the game clocked in at over 47 hours, at level 25. I did not experience any game-breaking bugs, however, I did get beaten senseless by a dragon because I was completely surprised by the (optional) fight.
The story of Dragon Age II focuses on the City of Kirkwall, which has some very serious problems, and the life of the main character. You must earn the respect and/or friendship of your companions. I lost one companion partway through the game because I had not earned their trust, and another at the end of the game because of the choices I made. Your companions are not just automatons who follow you mindlessly; they have opinions and they react to your behavior. You can even romance them, if you are so inclined. BioWare has taken a giant step in making genuine options available to all players. Based on your reactions, some of your companions will indicate interest, allowing you - the player - to choose your own romantic interest, instead of being forced into selecting one based strictly on your character's gender, or worse, being offered a degrading minigame of screwing every woman who crosses your path in exchange for pictures. You have the option to turn down a romance at any time, and just like in real life, your companions are slightly offended by this, but not enough to keep you from reaching 100% friendship or rivalry. Another fun feature of having a romance with one of your companions is that your other companions will comment on it, based on their relationship with you and their relationship with your love interest. Not all of your companions get along, of course. To have them all think and act the same would be boring and unrealistic.
It's clear from the small details in the storyline that Dragon Age II was written at the same time as Dragon Age: Origins. It builds on the hints given about Arlathan and the Tevinter Imperium, along with subtle hints about the nature of the Black City. I'm appalled by how many people don't realize who the Chantry Seeker is, as that means they're missing a part of the story that may turn out to be significant in DA3. I'm not sure what happened to other people, but my all of my imported choices seemed to be correctly reflected in my game. I wish that they had made mention of my Warden's race as well as my class, but it was enough that everyone knew that a mage had saved Ferelden. (Yes, I like mages. Sue me.)
The is a city campaign, unlike Dragon Age: Origins. All of the major conflicts take place inside the city. There are no armies marching across battlefields. You will spend time in a tavern, you will deal with political machinations, you will visit a brothel, all as part of the main story. You will also crawl through sewers, of course. Can't forget that. The area surrounding Kirkwall does play a part in the game, but it is not nearly as important as the city itself.
This game is not Dragon Age: Origins, nor does it aspire to be. It is its own story, and stands on its own. Many people came to this game with bizarre expectations, and were bitterly disappointed for something they had no reason to expect. This is Hawke's story, set in the same world as the Warden from Dragon Age: Origins, but with completely different goals and scope. The game expands the world of Dragon Age, but we won't fully know exactly how the two stories intersect until Dragon Age 3. I have some suspicions, of course (I hate you, Flemeth) but I can't prove anything.
There is apparently a bug with the friendship bonus of two characters - I say apparently, because I did not experience it myself in all the time I played. Your mileage may vary. The only bugs that really bothered me were the unusual amount of monstrous spiders lurking in caves that my companions kept insisting that we needed to explore.
One thing that I did dislike is that the game is designed for HD and displays quite poorly on a standard TV. However, that seems to be the wave of the future for console development. I guess I should start saving my pennies. | video-games_xbox |
Fun Multiplayer... It just isn't there. I have enjoyed most of the Call of Duty games over the years starting with COD 3. This game, however, just hasn't lived up to its expectations.
****
PROS:
- Campaign story line is good (even if it is hard to believe that Makarov is sooo good with his foresight and planning). Fans of the campaign will like the story.
- Many of the Spec Ops missions are fun alone or with a friend. Spec Ops makes its return in this game and includes a variety of missions from stealth missions to disarming IEDs.
- The new game mode with endless enemies, comparable to Horde Mode in Gear of War, is entertaining and fun to play with a friend.
****
CONS:
- Even though I touted the campaign above, it is extremely short - 6 hours on Veteran. (Although if it was any longer, I may have just skipped it entirely. Over 6 hours doing the SAME THING is rather annoying - thank god for the AC130 missions.)
- Multiplayer experience is lackluster due to reasons listed below.
- Multiplayer maps seem to be exactly the same. Seriously, how many run down shanty towns can there be to play in?
- Title and emblem system takes a step backwards from Black Ops and uses almost the EXACT SAME set from MW2.
- COD Elite service is not integrated into the game itself and requires exiting the game and starting another external application.
- Graphics show no improvement at all and, to me, seem to be a step down from MW2's graphics.
****
I, like many others, bought this game for the online multiplayer experience with the campaign and the spec ops being "bonuses." Due to all of the negative aspects of the multiplayer, though, the spec ops and the campaign are the only reason the game has scored as high as it has. The similar multiplayer maps paired with the fact that the game seems like an addition to MW2 rather than an improvement means that it will not get the play time that its predecessors had.
I thought that Black Ops was a bit annoying - it is gold compared to MW3. | video-games_xbox |
Still a gaming machine at its core, but its impressive media integration could be huge - It's lived up to the hype for me so far. In reality, my review is somewhere around a 4.5 (points deducted for minor gripes here and there), but Amazon doesn't do half/quarter stars. I originally had it reviewed at a 5, but I've since edited it as I've spent more time with the device and I've noticed some of the things that need to be improved (see below).
Also, this is not an "Amazon Verified Purchase" because I bought a Day One edition. I have posted the exact same review for the Day One edition, and you'll see the "Amazon Verified Purchase" tag on that review.
It's been a pretty amazing experience overall so far. Definitely a forward-thinking product, and I really appreciate all of the features that come in the box. There are negatives (as you'll see below), but the positives definitely outweigh them for me.
Great:
- Controller is still great. Minor issues with the bumpers, but overall a great controller still. If you loved the 360 controller, you'll notice minor differences, but after a few hours with the Xbox One controller, you'll adjust really quickly.
- Game selection: so far it's pretty good. Not great, but good. But the future looks bright, and the Xbox Live service is still top-notch. It's still hard to beat Xbox Live's infrastructure. When playing multiplayer games, dedicated servers make a HUGE difference, and MS has promised free dedicated servers going forward for all games (if publishers want it, of course, but it'd be silly for them to not take advantage of it). This is a really big deal if you care about gaming (especially multiplayer gaming). This advantage hasn't really been at the forefront yet, but I'm sure it'll really shine and be more important as the generation goes on
- The UI is awesome. Everything is fluid, fast, and responsive. It really is as fast as just saying where you want to go. Or you can just press the X button and it brings you to the home page where you can get to everything. Oh, and 2 apps running at the same time. You won't know you wanted it until you experience it on the Xbox One. From now on all entertainment boxes should have this.
- Xbox Live is still amazing. On launch day, there were minimal slowdowns with downloading updates and games. It's actually surprising how smooth it was on launch day and has been since. I'm looking forward to what free dedicated servers for all game developers and Azure cloud capabilities mean for future gaming. You do get your moneys worth with Xbox Live.
- Kinect integration: while a question mark in the beginning, it now makes so much sense as to why it is there. You can literally go anywhere in the system with a voice command. You can be in a game and say "watch TV" and be there instantly. Facial logins is pretty neat, too, but I really understand why it's there now. I look forward to the future potential for this technology in the system. I'll say more about the actual voice recognition below.
- TV: plugin your cable box and watch TV. The advantage to this is that your TV is now integrated into your system completely. You won't miss your game invites, messages, etc. Also, with Snap you can watch TV and play games at the same time. Great if you have a GF that hates games and just wants to watch TV...now you can do both! Amazing! Not understating this, it's so sweet.
- Game DVR: Love being able to say "Xbox record that" and being able to send out clips to friends. Looking forward to the future of this. Missing Twitch streaming for now. Not something I'd personally use (or care about), but serious gamers do want this, so it'll be a negative until they get that added.
- Skydrive: every user of an Xbox One gets 20 GB of storage for free! This is great for sharing movies, videos instantly.
Good (but not great):
- Kinect voice recognition: It's really awesome (especially the first time you use it) but it still is a little limited in certain ways. The Xbox team has said they will constantly be adding new commands that Kinect recognizes, so it'll get better. But for the time being, there is a little learning curve in understanding fully what Kinect recognizes. You'll get it pretty quickly, but don't expect 100% perfection since it's still improving and this is launch of the device (think of how much better it'll be in 5 years considering Kinect technology is only 2 years old now). I toyed with putting this in the "cons (needs work)" category, but it simply works well enough to be "good". If they improve it enough, it can go up in the "great" section.
- Media integration: It's awesome that you can listen to whatever music you want and also watch any movies you have on your computer. The only downside I have at the moment is client-based playback initiation (that is, being able to start music/movies from your Xbox One). You have you go to your computer to initiate playback. Not that big of a deal, but considering Xbox 360 had media streaming built-in, it's a slight disappointment. This is in the "good" category because the PS4 doesn't even have it at all yet, and also because MS has said they'll add it in the future. This just pertains to MP3 or videos on your computer that you own. It is also worth mentioning, you can play music from your Xbox using the Xbox Music (previously Zune), and this is irrespective of what music is on your computer (you can instantly listen to pretty much any song, regardless of whether you have the MP3 or not).
For videos, another option too is that you can watch movies from your Skydrive, so go ahead and put movies there if you want to be able to initiate playback from your Xbox One.
All of this stuff will be in the "great" category eventually (if MS steps up and improves like they did with the 360 over its life), but as of now it's just good.
Cons (needs work):
- There are slight bugs here and there. Being that the console just launched, I attribute these to growing pains and to the fact that the system just came out. The system is designed to be updated constantly, so I'm confident any small issues here and there will be improved.
- Game performance: Resolution differences to the PS4 aside, I'm looking forward to what developers will do when they have more time with the system and truly learn how it works. I know games right now are ported from old engines (made for old architectures), so I'm willing to look the other way for some slight performance hits on these launch/early games. But only for now...if things don't improve, I will be a little disappointed.
Final verdict:
I can't wait to see what this device delivers as the experience goes forward. The UI is awesome to start, but will only get better as time goes on. Kinect integration will be a game changer, and along with media integration, really will change the way our living room TVs work.
It's still a gaming system at its heart, though. And while the games are good for now, the future games look ridiculous. Quantum Break, Titanfall, and Halo 5 all look phenomenal. And these future games are built from the ground up for the Xbox One (most current games are ports or rushed launch games). I see a bight future for this device a a gaming machine (just as much as I see it as a game changing device on the media end of things).
An evolution of everything we liked about the Xbox 360 mixed with things we didn't even realize we wanted. This system has definitely been worth it to me.
Score: 4.5/5 | video-games_xbox |
Remember when games were a self contained experience. These games are really designed to chisel you for every last dollar in your pocket. The people who designed this type of incremental game purchase as genius that should also be lined up and flogged by parents everywhere. Let's break it down; the basic starter set costs around $75 and you get 3 figures. Then in order to really be able to exploit each of the basic worlds you need to purchase more figures at an additional cost of $12-$15. And if you want to explore new worlds you have to buy another pack of figures that come with a figural element that represents a new world at around $35. This model was created by the clever bastards at "SKYLANDERS" and has triggered a series of copy cats of which Disney Infinity is one of the better exploiters of the format.
The games themselves are okay. They aren't very deep and don't really push the kids in a linear enough format for them to feel a driving need to continue playing. The other way to play is in TOY BOX mode where you can build your own environments and challenges and populate it how you wish and as you play more of the actual game levels and purchase more figures and "coins/discs" you unlock more elements to include in your TOY BOX. It's fun for a while but to make anything truly engaging requires a lot of time and dedication which is good and bad depending on the kid.
Skylanders featured more linear gameplay and missions and as far as I know it didn't feature a "design you own world" feature. So there are some differences but at the root of it both games require additional purchases of figures to really exploit the entirety of the game and if you are a hardcore completionist be ready to spend around $400 for the entire experience.
My kids still occasionally play Skylanders but they lost interest in Disney Infinity about 3 weeks in. Last week my daughter saw a Donald Duck Infinity figure and was interested in playing again only to discover I would need to buy the starter pack for Infinity 2.0 if we wanted to use him because he doesn't work with the first version of the game. I'd have to drop another $75 if we wanted to be able to use another $15 figure of Donald Duck.
If you have the money and don't mind spending it on a middling experience then have at it but honestly I think the devil himself was behind this new game format. | video-games_xbox |
Providing INFINITE replay value through booster discs. Dead or Alive 3 is in every way a superb game.
The graphics, needless to say, are THE most impressive ever seen for any fighting game on ANY console. This is eye candy at it's best, but also has much depth to it. The gameplay could not get better. Many people say that DOA3 is "masher friendly," that a "rookie can take on pros without practicing." Statements like those simply are not true. It has just as much depth as Tekken or Virtua Fighter. Veteran players can truly utilize the counter system and interactive objects instead of getting lucky like newbies do. Positioning, wall combos, wall throws, and "late" counters are just a few of the ways that veteran players can use to easily dispose of a "button masher".
Along with being truly 3D unlike Tekken, DOA3 also takes items like wall combos and multi-tiered stages to a whole new level. Some stages are so small that you can't help but send your opponent off a cliff or smashing into a wall. This really forces you to strategize against an experienced player and shows that this game does in fact require some strategy. But enough about gameplay.
I LOVED the music in DOA3. Now I'm no fan of Aerosmith, but the character themes are completley un-orthodoxed, but very original. I really liked Hitomi's theme as well as Lei-Fang's. The sound effects are crisp and ride nicely over the music. The one area DOA3 comes up short is, unfortunately, its replay value. There isn't much to unlock in DOA3 and a lot of players were expecting dozens of secrets like in number 2. But that just didn't happen. Still the reason I give DOA3 a perfect 5, despite it's lack of replay value, is because it REALLY didn't come up short in this category. The game already has a booster disc available (found on the demo disc in the June 2002 issue of OXM) with extra costumes for the characters, extra moves, and a new intro movie found in the Japanese version. What this means is that instead of having little or no replay value, DOA3 could have INFINITE replay value. And for a hardcore DOA fan like myself, it doesn't get any sweeter than that!
Pixel for pixel. Poly for poly. Dead or Alive 3 has NO short comings. | video-games_xbox |
A Champion Gets Back Up. So I think most people will agree with the statement that Fight Night 3 was amazing and Fight Night 4 left a lot to be desired. But just like a good fighter, Fight Night bounces back big with this latest installment.
- Champion Mode: Fight Night Champion mode is a blast. The story sucks you in and doesn't let go. At first I was a little disappointed you couldn't use a created boxer for the "story" mode but it the end the story makes up for it. Instead of just fighting boxer after boxer you have to use strategy to get through the Champ mode. As you progress you get limited by story details. It's a little hard to explain and I don't want to spoil anything but let me tell you breaking your hand and having to fight one handed is a pain in the butt. The last fight is a blast, you can't just walking in and throw bombs you have to listen to your manager and stay alive.
- Legacy Mode: I have to admit I was more than a little worried that legacy mode would suffer due to the awesomeness of Champion mode. I'm glad to report it doesn't, you still create a boxer and work yourself up the rankings but they have added some cool new features that help you forget you are simply fighting match after match. Training is better than ever before with more options and non-interactive options which I found awesome. Once you start becoming popular you can spend time at events to help raise popularity and the trainer will even help schedule matches against high ranking boxers you otherwise would not have access to. It's a big step up from Fight Night 4
- Settings: I believe this is the first time you can do this, if it's not someone correct me but perhaps the best new feature is the ability to set power, speed and accuracy of all boxers in the settings. Another review was complaining that heavy weight fights only last 2 or 3 rounds until a KO. You can FIX THAT and its awesome. Turn down the power meters and your games are going 10 rounds no problems. If you are someone who wants to walk through legacy mode as a one man tank, turn up power, speed, stamina and accuracy meters and you can throw power hooks until the ring is covered in blood. (Not literally)
- Controls: My biggest problem with FN4 was the punch controls themselves FNC goes back to the old school way of throwing with either the stick or buttons. Stick control punches are much more fluid and feel almost natural once you get use to them. Gone is the way of circular motions to throw punches, each direction you flick the stick throws a different punch making combinations easier than ever.
- The Little Things: The Graphics in FNC are top notch. The rings, entrances and boxers all look amazing. The roster is huge and all our favorite boxers from the past half a century all make a return.
- The Little Things I don't care for: For those reading this review later on in the year please take note that this is an EA game therefor if you buy it used you will have to buy an on-line pass. (Money grubbing suits) The other thing I wish was "different" is the new corner system. I always liked to idea of fixing my boxer in the corner with an interactive system. That is gone and has been replaced with an automatic system that works based on your last rounds results.
All and all I would call Fight Night Champion a big step up from what Fight Night 4 offered. If you were a fan of the 3rd one you will love this edition. Hope you all enjoy it as much as I have so far. | video-games_xbox |
The potential to be as competitive as the bigger arcade sticks. If you've played fighting games in the last 10 years, then you're familiar with the high quality fight sticks that Hori produces. The Fighting Stick V3 is no exception to this.
But, you may ask... what makes it better than its predecessors? And, for that matter, what about the direct competitor, Mad Catz SE/WWE Brawl stick? Between the EX 2 and FS 3 and Mad Catz SF4 SE/WWE Brawl stick, the FS V3 has the benefit of being the perfect horizontal size. There is enough space on the sides of the stick for you to rest your hands. Plus, it's made with high-quality Hori parts. Or, if you prefer putting your fight stick on a tabletop, this thing does NOT budge.
The real magic of this is its potential. Inside the stick, the PCB and wiring is VERY clean. VERY easy to change parts out if you see fit.
However... there is one glaring thing I MUST point out. The Hori buttons are SOLDERED onto a PCB. Yes, it makes changing the buttons out is a bit of a pain.
Even novice modders can handle this. With a soldering iron and a solder sucker, you can simply remove the PCB from the buttons. At that, you can easily snap out the buttons and pop in your own Sanwa/Seimitsu buttons!
If you're like me, you're going to want to go with quick disconnects instead of RE-soldering the PCB back onto the buttons. That'll require some 22-guage wire, a bag of .110 quick disconnects, and a wire cutter/crimper.
As for the joystick, the Hori default in this stick is VERY good and changing out the restrictor plate is quite simplistic, as all it really takes is unscrewing the current square gate piece and replacing it with any Sanwa brand restrictor plate.
Yes, sounds like a lot of work. But, it really isn't.
Your bigger question is probably this... why go through all the trouble? Well, as I previously stated, this stick is a good size. Even better in terms of portability. Mad Catz TE sticks as well as the HRAP series are quite bulky. But this stick is lightweight (which, of course, CAN be remedied if you like your fightstick heavy)
It's really up to you, the buyer. Because for the price you pay for modding it, for a little more you can buy a the HRAP V3-SA which comes default with Sanwa parts.
But, if you're a hobbyist, this stick is a good thing to tear apart and make your own. | video-games_xbox |
Not a Zombie fan but I love this game. I didn't buy this game on day one ( release day ) , I bought it after I had played Ryse , COD Ghosts , Battlefield 4 and Assasins Creed Black Flag . I just don't tend to enjoy Zombie games , but I know now , that I was mistaken about this game and should have picked it up earlier..
The Zombies are more of a distraction in this game than an actual threat.. Don't get me wrong , they will kill you and they are numerous , actually more is going on at one time in this game than I have ever seen before in a game.. There are huge hords of these things on the screen at one time all doing something different and not once did it effect the game play.. No lag , no screen tearing , no loading while moving from place to place.. This game has simply amazed me.
When I said earlier that the Zombies are more of a distraction ( In my opinion ), is because of the broader picture ( what is happeneing in the story and with the individual characters in the story ) The game actually has a really good story to play through and interesting characters to meet.. I thought this game was just going to be just a mad Zombie killing fest , thats why I held out till after I played the other games I mentioned above , and I couldn't have been more wrong.
This is a full blown RPG with many , many , many side quests to complete , personal upgrades , weapon crafting , and also automotive crafting as well.. This game has so many crazy weapons and vehicles to craft that I never got tired of it and am going to start the game over again since I have now beaten it and do it all over again.. Its just that good , that I don't wan't to stop playing it.. The only thing that will change this time is that I am going to play throught that whole thing in co-op with a friend..
I just can't recomend this game enough , Microsoft and Capcom have made a master piece out of a Zombie game. I NEVER would have thought this game would be as good as it is... This is a solid 5 out of 5 game plain and simple.. With the numerous weapons & vehicles you can craft this could be your Zombie killing dream come true................................................................................. | video-games_xbox |
Interesting aesthetics, but an utter chore to play. El Shaddai is an oddball game. It's based on the book of Enoch, which is a record of Enoch's life after he was taken up to heaven, and how God sent him to judge the fallen angels who descended to earth, took human wives, and created half-angel Nephilim. When it comes to things like the art and the music, the game is awesome, with wild acid-trip visuals, a seriously great soundtrack, and some decent faithfulness to the source material.
It's just playing it is annoying as all get out.
The combat revolves around using three weapons. The Arc is your average dual-sword type; balanced. The gale is an interesting long-range collection of floating daggers. The veil is a powerful defensive shield/gauntlet combo. You switch them by either taking them from enemies or from spawn points during boss/platforming sections. The problem is the actual combat is repetitive and annoying. You're supposed to vary the timing of your attacks by the timing of the button presses, but it never feels natural or second nature. Enemies block frequently and have uninterruptible attacks you are supposed to dodge until they open up a short window of vulnerability. Sometimes you'll fight all three weapon types as normal enemies, and you're supposed to grab weapons and exploit rock paper scissors.
It really isn't all that fun. You wind up mashing the evade button because block only really works with the veil, and you wind up choosing one type of weapon rather than use all three situationally. I use the gale, mostly because you need distance to read enemies attacks anyways, and it has the best evade of the bunch. Your weapons also degrade, which you need to hit a button to repair during battle, and they even can break from a strong attack. Normal combat itself is a pain.
Boss attacks though are beyond compare. You actually lose most of the fights early in the game by design, and the first real boss fight (with Sariel) has basic strategy, but with tight unforgiving limits. It makes for tedious, long battles. Platforming is basic, but okay. It's basic and a little floaty, with the worst that you could say is that the segments last too long. The 2-D platforming segments are interesting in that the game uses them to tell stories.
It's fun at the start, but the tedium sets in quickly. Rental at best. | video-games_xbox |
Excellent build quality, but added features make the controller useless. Pros:
Rubber coating keeps the controller from becoming slippery, makes it more comfortable to hold
Adjustable tension analog sticks
backlit keys
Cons:
multifunction buttons are useless
triggers are impossible to pull quickly
horrible placement of the start/back buttons, makes pausing games quickly or spotting in battlfield 3 frustrating
short travel of "hyper response" buttons make the controller uncomfortable when holding down a,x,y, or b
cannot be used with standard xbox360 mics
extremely stiff cord means the controller is difficult to store
angular design makes the controller uncomfortable
ugly xbox button/logo
I bought this controller due to my excellent experience with the razer orochi mobile gaming mouse. Unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations at all. The "multi function buttons" above the right and left bumpers are useless 90% of the time and make using the controller confusing. While razer says that they can be used avoid discomfort due to clicking the left analog stick, holding the left mfb is even more uncomfortable, as it also presses the controller against the side of your left middle finger. The placement of the start and select buttons makes no sense, it's an uncomfortable reach and takes a long time to get used to. The "hyper response" buttons are extremely dissatisfying to use, they feel like clicking a mouse, which makes holding them down a bit more uncomfortable than holding down the softer microsoft buttons on a stock controller. The triggers on this controller are HORRIBLE. The way the controller sits in your hand, even if you have large hands like I do, means that your fingers will fit naturally towards where the triggers pivot. This means less leverage on the trigger, and makes it very difficult to pull the trigger rapidly or react quickly. The triggers also feel like they are more stiffly spring than the microsoft ones, which makes no sense to me. The D-pad is a matter of personal preference. Personally I wasn't a fan of it, but I see why people would like it. It's very difficult to accidentally hit the wrong button but it's a bit slower and less comfortable to use, the added height makes it a bit obtrusive and it takes a bit more force to use than the stock microsoft one. Though the build quality is typical razer, at the end of the day the controller is a solution looking for a problem. almost all the added features cause more problems than they solve. Though I would like a copy of the microsoft controller with razer build quality and adjustable tension in the analog sticks, the added "features" of the razer onza make it unusable. | video-games_xbox |
The music is a turnoff. If you don't know what Dance Dance Revolution is (DDR), its a rhythem game where you stand on a dance pad and stomp or touch the squares to the beat of the music. The game has arrows that flow from the bottom to the top of the screen and you step down when the arrow reaches the top. Its simple on easy for beginners, and insanely difficult for the pros.
The real selling point for this type of game is the music and quite honestly the music in Ultramix 4 a big turnoff. Its really unenjoyable. However, for $[...] you can download previous Ultramix soundtracks via X-Box Live (if you have the previous games).
Ultramix 4 has new features like a calorie counter, training mode and workout mode. Training mode is pretty good for new people like me just learning. Workout mode is continuous dancing and if calorie counter is enabled you can see that you burn about 100 calories an hour on easy. This is not a replacement workout, unless you are a hardcore DDR veteran.
There are several modes like Battle Mode, Callenge Mode, but the main mode is Adventure, where you go through a city via a map and pay game money to dance battle computer characters. Not only can you get two mats and DDR with a friend right there, but there is online compatibility that will keep you dancing.
You can even make your own dance patterns with an in game editor. You can even edit background videos, but both features are very cumbersome and not worth your time to do.
As for the dance pad, it shifts on carpet, so its best if you have a hard wood floor, but then all of the "dancing" might be hard on your feet.
You can and should skip this product.
Here is a list of the music that is not hidden:
Arms (Alpha Omega Mix) Monolithic
Because I Got It Like That (Freestylers Indett Mix) Jungle Brothers
Big Up (Binghi Ghost Remix) Drew Campbell
bitmania Akira Yamaoka
BLUE IMPULSE (for EXTREME) NAOKI feat. YUKI
Calico Cat Rock ANETTAI MAJI-SKA BAKUDAN
Cannibale Stereo Total
Cosmic Hammer Jondi & Spesh
CRASH! mr. BRIAN & THE FINAL BAND
Dead Man's Party Oingo Boingo
Desire (Comet Mix) Fracus feat. Lisa Abbott
Diverse City Toby Mac
Don't Cha (Ralphi's Hot Freak Mix) Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes
Don't Stop! (AMD 2nd Mix) Dr. VIBE feat. JP miles
Dual Love Gavin G & Dan Rolla J
Electric Air Amit
feeling of love youhei shimizu
Forever Young (Everlasting Mix) Ella
Free (Liberation Mix) Blue October
Frozen Ray (for EXTREME) dj. TAKA
Get Away Gridlok
Get Up! (Before the Night Is Over) Technotronic feat. Ya Kid K
GO! (Mahalo Mix) DM Ashura
Grandolin ZeroFuser
HYPNTIC CRISIS (Chris Fortier Mix) BLUE DESTROYERS
I Can Feel It Alien Six
It's Raining Men (ALMIGHTY MIX) Geri Halliwell
Jumping All Over the World Scooter
KISS KISS KISS NAOKI feat. SHANTI
Levitation Nation Shpongle
Listen to your Heart (Furious F. EZ Radio Edit) DHT
Masters of the Universe Juno Reactor
MONDO STREET Orange Lounge
More Serotonin Neuroactive
Music Revolution The Scumfrog
My Side Of the City Beulah
Nervous Excited Delighted Z.O.N.K.
No Good (Start The Dance) The Prodigy
No Parking (On The Dance Floor) Midnight Star
Oblivion (Nevarakka Mix) Real Life
Race Against Time Jeff Steinman
Rock This Town Stray Cats
Saturday (Morjac Radio Mix) Marly
Senses JT.1UP
Sigrev2 Richard Devine
Snake Charmer DIRTYHERTZ and Rena Jones
Sockem Steve Porter
The Drain Monolithic
The Problem Phunk Police
There's A Rhythm Dig Bear feat. Kat Blu
These Words (I Love You, I Love You) Natasha Bedingfield
Thrill Chaser DIRTYHERTZ
Tooryanse (teckno children mix)
Waka Laka (E=MC2 Mix) Jenny Rom vs. ZIPPERS
We Are Connected (Overdrive Mix) Jondi & Spesh
Yours To Command Rupesh Cartel
ZETSUBOUTEKIDA! nekoJIRA | video-games_xbox |
Infinite Disappointment is more accurate. I rented this game before purchasing it, and now I'm unbelievably glad that I did. I read other reviews first, and I thought to myself "Maybe these people just aren't right for this game. The concept is so interesting this game deserves at least an 8 or 9 even if it doesn't deliver as well as it could." I was wrong. The game offers huge areas of play, a much larger than normal cast of "playable" characters, large numbers of side quests, and the story certainly has promise, but in my opinion the designers dropped the ball on every one of these features and more.
-Story
The story is, as I said, full of promise. A young character mistaken for a hero who sets off to liberate the world from evil. Pretty epic stuff right? Poor dialogue and a lack of detail utterly destroyed this aspect of the game for me.
-Massive areas to explore
As far as area of play goes I don't think I've seen many other games that even come close to Infinite Undiscovery, but like the story, the designers flubbed it. The maps are massive, but none of the areas you visit feature the level of interactivity you would expect from an RPG game. The maps felt repetitive, and to make it worse there is no indication of where you should be going. The character interactions will give you a town/area name but no indication of how to get there. The map is next to useless as you actually have to visit every single "square" of the map to uncover it and it lacks any sort of objective indicator to point you in the right direction.
-Side quests
There are a ton of little errands you can run for NPCs in the game, but some are only accessible by "connecting" with a specific supporting character and then speaking to the NPC. This is unnecessarily tedious when you consider there are 18 playable characters in this game. Additionally, I found the rewards were rarely worth the effort considering the vague clues offered by the quest giver.
-Playable characters
Sure there are 18 playable characters in the game, but aside from menu commands you can only ever control 1 character for each little arc of the story. This was especially frustrating for me as I like experimenting with different characters in an RPG, but this game limits your ability to immerse yourself in the various characters so much that, once again, it becomes a chore because you have to try and keep top level armor and weapons on those characters you can't really enjoy.
-Miscellany
My TV is a 33in standard definition TV. It isn't the newest TV in the world, but a few years ago I dropped $300 on it at a fire sale and it still works fine so I've never seen a reason to upgrade while mine's still working. The text in this game was absolutely unreadable on my set from just 6ft away. I literally couldn't tell what was happening unless the characters were speaking (which only happens in cut scenes) leaving me feeling lost and confused during character interactions. Also when characters level up they occasionally learn a new ability and instead of spelling out "Capell learned Cutting Slash" or whatever they placed a little face next to the words "learned Cutting Slash", but once again the portrait is so small (smaller than the face on a dime) that even from 6 ft away I couldn't tell who earned it. Now I'm sure you're thinking "Well that doesn't sound like such a big deal." However, roughly 6-7hrs in I encountered my first multi-team situation. basically every character that has joined you is running around smashing things and everyone gets the same EXP for it. At one point I was trying to keep track of 10 character's abilities and getting mauled by a literally endless storm of enemies(they spawn until you complete a related objective). This made it so difficult that I had to forget about keeping anyone up to date except my main character.
-Summary
This game really did have infinite potential, it expanded on many areas that make RPGs popular. It had the chance to take everything to the next level, but I honestly feel that, with the possible exception of Final Fantasy XIII (another recent Square Enix project), this is the worst video game I've ever played. | video-games_xbox |
Mixed feelings. Seriously, for the number of people that have said this, this game should be called "Mixed feelings" instead.
First let me say that people calling this the "worst game ever" are engaging in hyperbole so overblown their issues with the game are drowned out. Can we really make this claim anymore in a world that has seen Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing?
People have complained about the loss of complexity in battle, but that doesn't really bother me. I'm bothered by several other things. First, you cannot outfit your party with armor or robes. You read that right. You cannot give anyone in your party new armor, only weapons. The setting is limited. You play in and around one city. Now, normally, this would be no handicap, as a city should provide enough different areas and neighborhoods to give you a diversity of settings. Not so here. Every street looks like every other street, every cave looks like every other, every subterranean hideout...well, you get the point. They don't just look kinda similar...they look the same. The game is glitchy. Maybe its just the 360 version (maybe its just me, but I doubt it) but oftentimes during the cut scenes characters would jump around like an old TV getting poor reception. At one point, a character held his arms as though he was aiming a bow, and the bow itself was floating about 2 feet above him (this was not supposed to be magical.) At one point, a character possessed by a demon was supposed to have what I assumed were glowing eyes. His eyes appeared normal while two glowing orbs hovered about 2 inches below them. When you start the 3rd act, you are presented with a cut scene that should appear after a mission later in that act. It has no other real affect on the game, except ruining that particular outcome.
On the plus side, the plot is interesting, and the voice acting is actually pretty good (having just played Heavy Rain, the difference good voice acting makes was evident). You get a solid 30-40 hours out of it, which is nice in the era of first person shooters with 5-6 hour solo campaigns.
My overall issue, then, is that there's no excuse for the game's faults. The game feels rushed, and these bugs could have been fixed with a little more time and effort. But I assume the higher ups at EA and BioWare knew we'd buy this game anyway, and we did, and they get the sales all the same, and get them sooner, and get them without spending the extra money on more beta testing and bug fixing. C'est la vie, I suppose. | video-games_xbox |
The mind of the subject will desperately struggle to create memories where none exist. Bioshock Infinite is an astounding creation - one that hits on levels (primarily narrative and story driven ones) that, for the most part, haven't been seen often enough in gaming. It is one of the crowning achievements in narrative storytelling throughout gaming history. While the gameplay is hit or miss and ultimately hinders Infinite's ability to hit on all levels, I am sure it will be hotly debated in terms of its merit, artistic value, and substance as a game for a long time to come. There are three primary reasons why:
1.) Its story, which by the end totally and absolutely casts a largely brilliant, beautiful shadow over everything you've encountered and explored through the game.
2.) Its themes and atmosphere, which I believe will be the most debated aspects of this game.
3.) Its gameplay, which I've listed lastly for a reason.
Let's start with the STORY:
Bioshock Infinite begins much the same way that Bioshock 1 does. You enter a lighthouse and discover an incredible new city in the clouds called Columbia. The only thing your character Booker DeWitt knows is that he must find the girl to "repay a debt." Briefly after your adventure begins, you meet the girl named Elizabeth and fly around the sky lines, listen to audio logs, and try to repay your debt (not monetarily, but via "returning the girl").
But as I played, I couldn't help but notice something...
In more ways than one, Bioshock Infinite mirrors but expands on the formula of Bioshock 1's story. For some, this will be seen as a turn off. Let me be absolutely clear - DO NOT let that impact your purchase decision ONE BIT when it comes to this game. Infinite's Columbia seems to be the "tails" to the "heads" of Bioshock 1's Rapture, but this is done for many reasons.
The game's story juggles multiple themes in arguably one of the most complex, well woven narratives we've ever seen in gaming. It takes its time. It gives you morsels throughout the game, and saves the feast until the very, very end. I knew when I was approaching the end and I still felt I hadn't gotten that "Bioshock moment" - well, be patient. Listen carefully, too. Because at the end you're going to experience a true achievement in storytelling. The ending is perhaps the best I've experienced in gaming, and one of the more mind blowing endings I've seen in any creative work. Period.
A huge risk with a huge payoff shows in the form of Elizabeth, your companion for a good 85%+ of this game. She is animated to perfection, and despite spending so much time with her, I only wish that we could've had even a few more personal moments to connect with her character. But rest assured that she is a believable character, and plays masterfully into Infinite's story. My only complaint with the protagonist-Elizabeth relationship is that it would've been nice to see Booker a bit more expressive himself. Not overly so, just a little bit more. But that is a very, very minor issue.
2.) Another high point is Infinite's willingness to take on MULTIPLE THEMES. Because the game is slower paced and takes its time, the developers managed to fit more themes into this game. You come to really know Columbia and its inhabitants. Such themes include: nationalism, racism, revolution, idealism, player agency, gaming, religion (Christianity is used here, but truly is replaceable with any major religion), and interestingly enough it takes its time to explore the "revolution" side of things in a less positive light than you'd think. I give Infinite major credit for doing that in particular - too many games have given the rebels a perfect image. Infinite makes sure to muddy up both sides.
The most impressive thing is that Infinite manages to present these themes seamlessly to you, but wraps them **ALL** up in such a genius, high intensity moment that you're left wondering how these guys could've been so clever to juggle so much and resolve things so effortlessly and perfectly.
One last note here - Although this has little to do with themes, one complaint I had with Columbia is that its citizens reuse many of the same character models. While Elizabeth is fantastically made and realized, many of the NPCs are the same few models in different clothes.
3.) The reason I listed GAMEPLAY last is because it is perhaps the weakest part of this game. This is the one area where Infinite's slower pacing comes back to bite its own hand.
At the beginning of the game, you'll feel exhilarated as you fly around sky lines, get into gun battles, and explore crannies for goodies. But by a certain point, which for me well preceded the actual ending, you'll find yourself using the same few very useful power(s) (especially on Hard mode or 1999 mode). I also found that cash, despite being everywhere, is not as valuable as it appears to be. I hardly managed to upgrade many of my powers and only got a few gun upgrades despite being the type who goes through every area methodically.
Gear is also included in the game, and while it is a nice addition it is not anything innately cool or resonating. I think one of the biggest mistakes Infinite made is that it provides a beautiful world, an even better story, and yet it misses out on basic gameplay fundamentals when it really shouldn't. Not when a team is this talented. The story makes you ask, "How could they get THAT so right when it's so difficult, but mess up on the gameplay like THAT?"
Do not get me wrong. The game is fun to play. The controls are easy to learn. The sky lines are incredibly well made and very easy and fun to use. It's just the sheer lack of imagination in the combat prevents me from saying that Infinite is indisputably an all time great game. even with Elizabeth's time "tears" to get goodies in battle, and her helpful aid when strapped for ammo/health, I found that the game suffered dearly from a few too many encounters, baffling decisions (there is, in particular, a 3-part boss battle in the falling action of the game that stands out as being incredibly uncreative and the lowest point of the game), and a lack of consistency.
Remember how Bioshock 1's gun upgrades and plasmid upgrades actually showed? Your guns started to glow and look very cool. Your plasmids fired differently. Infinite's guns never change their appearance and you have a limit of two to use at any time. The vigors (plasmids) in Infinite are less cool than 1's were, and I think less numerous to boot. I pretty much stuck with Bucking Bronco and upgrade it to hold enemies for longer and it was just about all I used on hard mode since it was so useful. Instead of the fun I got from Bioshock 1 setting up traps for big daddies with my crossbow, electrocuting water, fireballing oil, etc. I had to make due with "OK" vigors.
I believe that they worked so hard on the story, sky line system, and encounters that it figured in to the creativity surrounding the vigors and guns. While the sky lines seem very complicated and advanced in programming, the guns truly aren't.
So, I just did a whole lot of complaining about the gameplay. Fear not. The game is, as my score indicates, still a 4 out of 5 in "fun" factor and most definitely a 5 out of 5 overall. The only major complaint I have with this game is that its bread and butter - the gameplay - fails to live up to the world it builds and the story that is near perfectly told. The gameplay seems to indicate a lack of self confidence - from the occasional backtracking, to padding the middle of the game in order to try and feel "substantial/long enough" for the gamer. That was totally unnecessary.
You should go in expecting a mostly fun, if padded, gameplay experience that will leave you wanting just a bit more creativity to match Infinite's absolutely sublime, brilliant, gaming-as-a-whole impacting main story. The one thing about Bioshock as a series, though, is that it seems to almost be afraid or incapable of taking that last plunge. Letting go, and being able to fully, unequivocally get to that level of greatness that it's clearly aiming for (and barely missing). I believe that the next frontier for Irrational Games is to revolutionize the gameplay, and perhaps devise a new world on par with the sheer awe we all experienced when first descending into Rapture.
OVERALL SCORE: 9.3/10 | video-games_xbox |
Buying guide for Xbox One bundles. Presently Amazon is offering all current bundles (excepting Halo 5 bundle) with an extra game (Mad Max or Just Dance), or a $50 gift card (including Halo 5 bundle). I'd say the gift card option is preferable, but if you like the game option and don't want to mess with another purchase. Starting November 6th you get the game of your choice AND the $50 gift card, so wait until then at least!
A short list of features that may interest you, current and upcoming (November 12, 2015), shared by all Xbox Ones (more details can be found in product descriptions and Microsoft sites) -
HDMI pass through. You can hook up an HDMI device to the back of an Xbox One to view the content from that device without changing inputs or leaving the X1 interface. This allows for split screen viewing and if a cable box or the official TV tuner, you can view the channel guide, watch TV, and set recordings.
It is backwards compatible with some Xbox 360 games. This is great for those with backlogs (like me...) or those who want to revisit finished games without having another console plugged into the wall/TV. In the fall, owners of publisher approved disc or digital 360 games will be able to play them emulated on the X1. Some X1 games also include their 360 precursors with purchase for play on the X1 in case you missed them. Gears or War Ultimate Edition includes all 4 Xbox 360 Gears games and Fallout 4 includes Fallout 3, for example. List of games and other info here -[...]
It will stream content to Windows 10 devices.
Xbox Live Gold now applies to households instead of individuals; meaning that multiple accounts on the same console can have access to the same features but have differing account restrictions (I.E. parental controls). So you can let your kids play Garden Warfare online, but not Gears of War.
External USB 3.0 storage. This is great because, 1) you don't need to open the console and replace a hard disc to add storage, just plug in and the X1 will format the drive, 2) even disc-based games have compulsory installs and can be upwards of 50GB each, eating storage space quickly, 3) external drives can be spacious and cheap, and last but not least, 4) USB 3.0 is actually faster than the internal hard disc interface. This means that a game on an external drive will load faster than one on the internal drive, usually by a significant amount.
The bundles-
The bundles can be split into 3 different groups based on time of release. The upcoming and current bundles include a newer controller that has a standard 3.5mm audio jack built in and output both game and chat audio through it (excepting the new Kinect bundles). Legacy consoles include an older controller without the standard audio jack and shouldnt be expected to be widely available at the suggested price (and some I haven't included, due to their rarity at this point). There are no other functional differences. All bundles include a controller, HDMI cable, chat headset (with exceptions), and a 14 day Xbox Live Gold trial membership (paid $60/year service to play online and download the Games with Gold, a monthly rotation of full games you're free to download and keep (forever for 360 games and as long as you have Live Gold in active subscription for X1 games).
Upcoming bundles (with rating based on what you get for the money. Star and letter ratings are intended for the suggested price listed next to the bundle, not whatever current prices are.) -
Fallout 4 1TB bundle - $399. Includes 1TB console, Fallout 4 game (download - Per Microsoft Support - All bundled Xbox One games will be download codes, to avoid damage to discs in shipping), a download of the Xbox 360 version of Fallout 3, and a chat headset. Releases November 10th. B+ rating. Two open-world RPGs for grownups.
Rise of the Tomb Raider 1TB bundle - $399. Includes 1TB console, downloads of Rise of the Tomb Raider, DLC, and its predecessor, Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, and doesn't appear to include a headset. Releases November 3rd. B+ rating. The Tomb Raider reboot from 2013 was pretty good and I expect the sequel will be even better. Great for adults who love action adventure. Amazon won't be stocking this one, unfortunately...
Xbox One Elite 1TB bundle. $499. Includes a console with a 1TB hybrid SSD and hard disc for quicker load times for the items you access the most and the Elite controller, which has replaceable/customizable sticks, buttons, and triggers for the professionals or tinkerers. While the internal storage on this will be better than the standard HDDs in other X1s, the performance increase PROBABLY won't match external USB3.0 drives, due to the continued use of the SATA interface. There's little information about the size of the SSD partition and many hybrid drives don't allow you to choose what content is on which partition. The elite controller isn't yet available, but will retail for $150 (about triple the price of a regular controller). If you want the best/most storage and best controller out of the box, this is the bundle for you, but you won't get any games with it, or a headset, from the looks of it. B rating. Also note that this version releases earlier if purchased from the Microsoft Store or Gamestop.
Current bundles -
Kinect 500GB Bundle - $399. Includes 500GB console, the Kinect camera, a chat headset, the old model controller, and three Kinect-focused game downloads: Dance Central Spotlight, Kinect Sports Rivals and Zoo Tycoon. Finally another Kinect bundle! The X1 UI is made better and more easily navigable with the Kinect, and there are fun, energetic games to be played with it. A rating. Great for those who want to move and enjoy motion and voice controls, but its expensive and has little storage.
Holiday 1TB Bundle - $399. Includes 1TB console, Gears of War Ultimate Edition (as well as all 360 Gears games if you play online before the end of the year), Rare Replay, and Ori and the Blind Forest game downloads, the new controller, and doesn't appear to include a headset. Releases October 27th. A rating. Something(s) for everyone in this bundle, with 36 games included.
Halo 5 Limited Edition 1TB bundle. $499. Includes custom console with Halo sounds, and custom controller, with the Halo 5 Limited Edition (steelcase, guardian figure, game download and add-on content). Why a limited edition would come without a physical game is beyond me... It may not bother some, but it will upset many. This is a higher premium than the Forza 6 bundle (charging an extra $100 for an extra $40 package). For Halo aficionados/console collectors only.
Lego Movie 500GB bundle - $349. Includes 500GB console and download of the Lego Movie Videogame and no headset, apparently. C+ rating. Game is a cheap one and good for kids, but little value in this bundle compared to others.
FIFA and Madden 16 1TB bundles. $399. I'm grouping these together because other than the type of football you prefer, they are the same. Both include either the latest Madden NFL or FIFA soccer game download and a year of EA access, a paid ($30/yr) service which allows Xbox One users early access to EA releases, extended demos with progress that can be saved if a full game is purchased, discounts on EA games, and free access to the Vault, currently 13 (soon to be 14) full games. Great if you like EA's games. A- for each.
Gears of War 500GB bundle. $349. Includes Gears of War Ultimate Edition download (as well as all 360 Gears games if you play online before the end of the year). This 500GB model includes the new controller, but does not include a headset. B+ rating.
Legacy bundles-
Forza 6 1TB Bundle. $399. Custom Forza-inspired console with racing sounds and custom controller, and download code for Forza 6 and extra content, and a chat headset. A- rating, though some may not like the custom design and sounds.
Halo Master Chief Collection 1TB bundle. $399. Looks like this being phased out. Standard console, plus download code for the Master Chief Collection (the four numbered Halo games in a single package). B rating.
Halo Master Chief 500GB bundle. $349. If you can get it at the retail price, I'd consider it an A-, since the cost to upgrade storage to 1TB or greater is around or less than the $50 to get the 1TB model, and it'll perform better.
Keep in mind that the lowest prices and best bundles tend to happen around the winter holiday season, so unless you really want to get one now, you're probably best served waiting till around Black Friday, when multiple stores will be trying to entice you with lower prices and more pack-ins. This is especially true since Sony recently cut the price of the Playstation 4.
Hope you found this comparison useful. | video-games_xbox |
Are these reviews for real??? This is a terrible game. I have no idea what the other people who rated this game 5 stars are playing, but it is not obviously Uefa Champions League 2006-2007. This game is absolutely one of the most frustrating experiences I have found in a soccer game. This game is another joke from the same bunch of halfwits at EA Canada who brought you FIFA 07. Lead producer Ken Sayler and his whole team should be fired for ruining the FIFA series.
First, the basics. The game is really slow, your players feel really sluggish and hard to respond. It is hard to execute any tactics because your entire team can barely manage to keep up with what you are trying to do. If that isn't enough, trying to switch to the right player on the field is so hard, it should be created as one of the game achievements on the xbox 360. The game took away the skill moves starting FIFA 07 so good luck trying to tackle the computer, while on the other end watch the computer dribble past 6 of your players before one of yours finally manages to tackle him. Ofcourse once you have possesion, watch the entire opposition defense flawlessly converge in on to your player and you lose possession in no time. Then you should also absolutely try out the different difficulty levels: the difference between amateur and world class is almost negligible, so you are basically stuck playing a horribly frustrating game which clearly rewards button mashing rather than thoughtful play.
The game does have a few good points, the free kicks are much more easier to execute and the ball physics is a very nice addition, but good luck since the players have no damn clue what they are doing. It is also a lot harder to score goals which is perfectly fine since that how it should be, but then someone really smart decided to create challenges such as to score 4 goals in 20 minutes (translates to 3 minutes in the game) and theres no way you will have a pleasant experience unlocking those achievements.
Do not listen to anyone who says this is a good game. If you decide to waste your money on this, and have read this, you would wish otherwise. I firmly stand by my review. | video-games_xbox |
Same game, different console. If you liked Ace Combat 4 for PS2, I think you'll love this title for XBOX 360. The basic format hasn't changed. The game has the same look and feel, albeit better graphics and sound. The planes can be customized with different paint schemes and weapons. I'm glad they didn't make the payload count realistic (100-200 standard missles plus special weapons)because it would be boring to keep flying back to base to re-arm every 5 minutes.
The missions are expansive and, at times, frustrating. Yes, I do have to put the controller down once in a while to cool off. Wouldn't you after 40 minutes of playing and then get shot down? However, I find myself quickly picking up the controller to finish the mission soon after. There is a very addicting aspect to this game.
They've added a few nice features. You have a dedicated wingman who will try his best to keep up with you. You can order your wingman to engage a target or cover your 6. You also select his plane and ordinance before the mission, so he can be handy taking out airplanes while you take care of the ground targets. They've updated some of the special weapons, but you'll be familiar with their usage if you've played the other titles. They've added a t.v. camera view for the target you are locked onto. This allows you to see their vector up close to choose a better missle shot. Some of the missions have you bomb the bejeezus out of an airport and then you can land there to re-arm instead of flying all the way back to base. Nice touch!
Like the other AC titles, the cinematic plotline is lame. Skip it.
Overall, this is a great title but I am suspicious as to how long it will hold it's replay value. Yes, the missions are long and fun, but unlocking EXPERT and ACE mode doesn't seem enough. If you can wait for a used or discounted price on this title, do so. Either way, you will be enjoying the best fighter jet sim on the planet. Since I paid 60 bucks, I was hoping to find cheat codes to unlock all of the planes, cash, and weapons. No dice. | video-games_xbox |
Disappointing sound for the price. This headset by PDP is very slick looking. It comes with a lighted charging base which I like a lot. It provides a great place to keep the headset out of harms way when not in use and it looks cool, too.
I paired it with my PS3, my XBox 360 and my computer. I also tried to pair it with my XBox One but no luck. PDP does not claim it will work with XBox One but I've read conflicting accounts about whether they will work with that console or not. I will continue to try and update if I'm ever successful.
The included user's guide isn't the best but it does have all the info you need. I had to try it a couple of times with both game systems to finally get them working properly but had no problems setting them up with my PC.
The headset itself is fairly heavy and I don't find it comfortable after about an hour or so but my 11 year old son finds them completely comfortable for even long sessions of game play. Your mileage may vary.
I find the controls, which are on the headset itself and I don't find them convenient. I end up taking the headset off to make adjustments. It's not a deal breaker, tho, because where else can you put the controls on a wireless headset?
The sound is pretty good - especially the bass. I find the upper ranges lacking and a little muddy, though, and it disappoints me on a higher end headset.
My biggest complaint is the slight buzzing I hear when using the chat feature. This is crucial in a good gaming headset. Don't get me wrong - it still works. But the buzzing is annoying to me for a premium headset. However, my 11 year old doesn't find it bothersome at all so this may be an individual thing.
There is no way to turn off the lights on the charging station and it's pretty bright. It isn't a problem for me because I have this in the den and not in a bedroom but it's something to be aware of.
I received this headset through the Vine program and thus it was free to me but had I paid for it, I would be somewhat disappointed. But I'm also mindful that my 11 year old uses this set heavily with his game consoles and he thinks it's fantastic. Sound quality is in the ear of the listener so it may delight you, too. | video-games_xbox |
Not what I expected. As a lifelong fan of the Halo franchise, I could not wait to get this game. As I held it in my hands it felt like the epitome of everything I've ever dreamed of. Today I want to tell you why this is not so true.
1) I will give 343 credit, Halo 2 looks absolutely gorgeous. Flipping back and forth between the original and updated graphics is a trip. They did a great job there.
2) I'm glad they put all four games together but I'm disappointed in the way it is set up. Rather than one game, it feels like you're playing for separate games on one disk. I'm very disappointed in this.
3) The matchmaking is an utter disaster. Again, it feels like you are playing four different games. You have to set up your spartan for each game (Halo CE, 2, 3, & 4) and there's no customizing armor, just different sets of armor you can use and different colors. After this you find that after every game in matchmaking you're kicked back to the lobby rather than searching for another game with the people you just played with. Usually anyone in your party is kicked as well, into a separate lobby. One of my favorite parts of Halo was the social aspect. Hell, 99% of the people on my friends list are either people I know or people I've met on Halo matchmaking. That's ruined.
4) Though this isn't a big issue of mine, I still want to address it. To quote the case of the game, there are supposed to be "Over 100 Multiplayer Maps". This is untrue and again, I was disappointed to find this very untrue. I would say that there are maybe 30 to 40 maps at best. Not all the maps in every game made the cut. Maybe they'll release them as DLC but they're not there now.
Do I think you should buy this game? Absolutely. The newly rendered Halo 2 graphics will impress and amaze you. Anyone like me that played the original Halo 2 on the original Xbox will probably love it. Unfortunately I think most people will be taking this to Gamestop to trade it in. | video-games_xbox |
Don't buy this game. Just don't. Many are complaining about this 'microtransactions' thing, etc. I haven't really gotten into that. That's not my beef.
If you are interested in listening to the Top Gear guys drone on about the history of a particular track and how the weather of the area affects racing and what kind of substance was used for the surface, and on, and on, and on... while showing you pictures of the track... on, and on, and on, and on.... I tried every single button on the controller, there is no way to skip these things and they go on for MINUTES. I left the room, peed, grabbed a beer, poured it delicately into a glass and returned and he was still droning on about some stupid track I could care less about. Will I ever be actually be able to DRIVE on it?? EVER?!?
At over an hour into the game I had *literally* only run three races. (Yes, I know what *literally* means, and Yes, that's literally what I'm saying!) Actually, it's possibly I'm exaggerating... I might have only run two races...
Second, the graphics are great, but the only view I can seem to get is from inside the car. Yeah, I don't write games or anything, but I suspect any moron can make the graphics look great if they fill 50% of the screen with the static interior of the car!!
Third - loading times. Sure, the graphics are great. But it *literally* takes five minutes to load a track!! LITERALLY!! That beer I got while he was droning on: by the time I actually got to the race, I was out of beer!! (LITERALLY out of beer!!)
So, lets talk about the microtransactions thing that other reviewers are talking about... Honestly, I'm not entirely sure what that means, but as far as I can tell, this game progresses VERY slowly. I have access to one car and four tracks. I don't know if that's the whole game, or if there is more, or if I have to buy more tracks or what. I don't care. My free time is too precious to be running the same race over and over again with prodigious lecturing intermissions.
For $50, I expect more, and I expect to actually get to race not listen to a dissertation. If I wanted to listen to a dissertation, I would watch the stupid show!!
That said.. if you absolutely LOOVE Top Gear, think of it as buying a $50 episode that you can't turn off.
Going back to the 'microtransactions' thing. I gather from the reviews here that you can buy accelerated access to more tracks or something. I don't know anything about that. I have kids. There is no credit card assigned to my XBox Live account or they would have bankrupt me years ago. 'Microtransactions' are not up for discussion - all I see is a game that doesn't let me play.
Edit:
Okay, so it turns out that after you play for a while, THEN they open up the 'free play' model. Why do I have to play career to unlock 'free play'??? Why? ELI5!! (Explain it to me like I'm 5...) Actually, once unlocked, this is pretty fun for multi-player and that's what I was really looking for. However - even that is inexplicably damaged. There is a set of cars available to 'rent', but this is a relatively short list. When you set up the second controller, you have to designate which user is 'you.' Then only 'YOU' will have access to 'your' cars. WTF? What is the logic here? So, my friend can't race the car I set up in career mode?? Why? Seriously.. why not? *IT'S A GAME!!!!* *IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FUN!!!!* So.. if my friends come over, they can't drive my Forza cars? They are actually welcome to (and do) drive my REAL cars.. but God help me if they have access to my XBox car!! Are the developers afraid they might crash it or something!?
Edit2:
A couple nights ago I went back to career mode and played a bit. A typical race is 2-3 minutes. The time between races is a minimum of 2 minutes (yes, I timed it.) Just to view the damage to your car (mandatory) and then you have to scrolling your stats, etc... then loading for next track (couldn't you load while showing my the stupid damage to my car? You know what race is next.) Unfortunately I can't put the beers away fast enough to get another one every 2-3 minutes. I'm aspiring to it, but I'm just not there yet.
Edit3:
Okay played again last night. Uploaded picture. You race to get 'credits' to buy cars, but then when you try to buy a car, you can't use the credits - the only option is REALY MONEY! If I have to pay real money to get cars, the game should be free!! But it's not! It's $50! | video-games_xbox |
Xbox 360 Pro Holiday Bundle 2008 Review. DISCLAIMER: Before I get into the review, I want to let you, my fellow readers, know that I will solely be talking about the Xbox 360. I will not be mentioning, in any way, how good it is compared to the PlayStation 3 or vice versa. If you're looking for a comparison between the two consoles, you're reading the wrong review.
I just recently purchased this Holiday Bundle and have enjoyed having it every minute since. The console itself is pretty bulky and heavy, so as long as you won't be moving it around a lot, it's not bad at all. It comes with a wireless controller, and this controller is probably one of the most comfortable controllers I've ever had the privilege of using to play games with. It fits comfortably in your hands, the buttons are pretty close together so you don't have to move your hands at all, and the bumpers/triggers are conveniently located.
This holiday bundle comes with a wired headset (used for playing on Xbox Live so you can chat with other players), an A/V component video cable (so you can hook it up to your HDTV right out of the box), a 60 GB hard drive (giving you plenty of space to store your game data), an ethernet cable (allowing you to connect to Xbox Live right away), plus 2 games (Lego Indiana Jones and Kung Fu Panda). I'm guessing it comes with these two games because this bundle is targeted for the kids during the holiday season. I'm 24 years old, and I am having a great time playing those two games, so I'm sure if you're planning on giving this bundle as a gift to a non-child, they might enjoy it as much as I do.
The Xbox 360 Dashboard (which is the name of the user-interface) is quite easy to use. Microsoft recently provided an update for the Dashboard, and it looks a lot better than the previous version. There are so many options to explore and it's very easy to navigate.
Xbox Live is a neat feature. They have two membership options: Silver (free) and Gold (paid subscription). Silver membership is used for accessing and downloading free content from the Xbox Live Marketplace. You can also use Silver to download paid content as well (movies, TV shows, etc). Xbox Live Gold allows you to play online with other players from around the world. You can't play online without a Gold membership. With Gold, you also have some other privileges, as well. You can find out which exact privileges you get by reading the manual of the game you're playing, as they vary from game to game. Microsoft also starting using Netflix membership with Xbox Live. If you have Xbox Live Gold and a Netflix membership, you can stream HD movies directly to your Xbox via Marketplace!
Xbox 360's game selection is quite great and varied when it comes to target audience. There are games which are targeted for the younger crowd, and there are others which are targeted for 18+ players. Due to this, the Xbox 360 makes for a great gift for anybody who likes to play video games.
I will be honest with you. The Xbox 360 isn't as perfect as I want to make it sound.
First off, it will produce A LOT of heat. To prevent this from happening, you'll want to sit your console horizontally allowing the air to pass from both ends of the system. If your console is vertical, the air passage on the bottom is completely blocked, so the console will be trying to blow out all the hot air out of the vent on the top. Unfortunately, since the hard drive is also on the top, the vent is relatively smaller and may cause the system to overheat. Luckily the newer systems don't overheat as often as the older ones, but it's still a problem anybody can run into.
Another downside to the Xbox 360 is their accessories are still relatively expensive. A wired controller is still at $30, wireless network adapter is $100, a wireless controller costs nearly as much as a newly released game at $50, and these are to just name a few. That's the good thing with the Holiday Bundle. It comes with a lot of useful accessories that people would end up buying anyway (if they originally had purchased the Xbox 360 Core Console which only comes with the system and one wired controller).
The worst problem with the Xbox 360 is the infamous "Red Ring of Death." For those of you who don't know what this is, here's an explanation. After you turn on your console, and you see three red lights around the power button, that's a bad sign. This means there's a hardware issue with your 360, and can only be repaired by sending in your 360 to Microsoft's Repair Center. Microsoft now has a 3-year warranty covering the Red Ring of Death, but unfortunately, the RROD is inevitable. Whether it will be in 6 months or 2 years, more likely than not, Xbox 360 owners will run into this problem.
Overall, I'm definitely happy with the investment of the Xbox 360 Pro Holiday Bundle. It has everything I've been looking for in a console plus more. If you're considering getting someone a console for the upcoming holiday season, this bundle may be exactly what you're looking for. | video-games_xbox |
Big Improvement. The new menus are a welcome change. The old Madden menu had grown stale and bulky. The menu is sexy and I love the blocky look of it, it takes a page from Microsoft's Metro UI. Everything is well organized and you don't have to go through lists and lists to find what you want. While they can be a little laggy at times, it is the result of the hardware I believe. All the games that have been released recently seem to have some lag problems. I have the same issue in Saints Row IV. I have a brand new Xbox 360 E so I don't think it is on my end.
The running game is much improved. It's hard to break off a big run if you don't go through the right hole, but you're not stuck getting tackled at the goal line anymore. If you time your sprint right, you can burst through the hole and get a 20 yard run. Juke the safeties and you can take it to the house. Getting to the sideline is not a guaranteed score in this Madden.
Receivers tend to drop the ball a lot when hit after the catch, maybe a little too much. It can be very frustrating after a while, especially when a TE drops the ball when they should hold on to it. The deep ball isn't as easy to throw as it used to be. Compared to Madden games of the past, interceptions are way easier to throw. Don't even think about it if the receiver isn't open. It's very rare to have a catch in traffic, and if it is caught, it's usually dropped on the ensuing hit.
Franchise mode is fun. You have the option to play as a player, a coach, or an owner. You can use your face if you upload a GAMEFACE to madden, create a custom character, take control of an existing person, or bring back a legend. Player franchise is not that in-depth, and you spend most of your time simming the game until your player is on the field. Coach mode is able to control rosters and schemes, as well as contracts and depth charts. Owner mode allows you to relocate the team, create new jerseys, build a new stadium, and set prices for tickets and food.
One feature I like is the addition of a lot of jerseys, not just one or two for each team. For example, the Lions have their 2011 black alternates, 1997 home and away, 2012 Thanksgiving throwback, 2011 Thanksgiving throwback, and 2011 home and away jerseys. That's nine for the Lions, and some teams have more. | video-games_xbox |
A Kinect game worthy even for the most hardcore of COD MW3 fans. PROS
-a true immersive kinect experience
-great mini games
-great narrative work
-character design and voice acting superb
-drop in drop out coop
-easy to use menu using kinect or voice commands
-full set of options to tinker with
Cons
-to be honest......I CANT THINK OF ANY!
Frontier studios thought of everything and left no stone unturned!
This is one MUST HAVE kinect game for your library! Kinect controls, as always, work great and the games are great fun, even more than Kinect adventures! They really get into the story and adventure your playing.
Once you boot up the game, your presented with the main menu, which you can navigate using voice commands (very useful!) or your hands. One thing that is great about this game is that they have plenty of settings you can tinker with and they also allow you to turn of the music, which helps a lot when one needs to be quiet but can keep the sound effects on. You can start a new game, choose a location for your save file then your plunged into a virtual disneyland. Its been a while since ive been to the real disneyland, but I have to say they developers did a great job capturing the look and feel for disneyland. Even when you open the park map, it actually looks like the one they give you at the park! The visual and audio immersion coupled with kinects augmented reality creates an amazing experience that has you feel like you are part of the disney world. And if you ever need to pause, you hold up both hands and the menu comes down. if you don't feel like using ur hands, you can shout out your menu option, which can be much faster and easier.
So the game starts you off by having to do little tasks for mickey (getting autographs and pictures from other characters) which is slow and can get boring for older audiences, but great for kids. And they included a lot of disney universe characters, all of whom you would see at the park. Voice acting is great as well as the personalities of the characters so kids really get a blast out of high fiving, dancing, or taking pictures with some of their favorite old school disney characters.
Nonetheless, you are given you first foray into mini games fairly quick and let me say, it is GREAT FUN for all ages. The minigames are actually setup as park rides but are either re imagined rides or newly crafted minigames that help facilitate the story. And again, the cutscenes in between the games really bring the players into the game. Frontier studios did a great job with the narrative for this game as the story line really ties neatly together. But after taking it all in, you realize that the pattern is basically going to meet all the characters, some of whom give you quests which then require you to go on the "rides" aka play minigames to retrieve certain items or objectives for the characters. You get a quest log that details your adventures and your current quest and if you forget where to go, there is always a golden trail that can lead you to your next objective. Since the park is a virtual recreation of disneyland itself, its huge, but rest assured, frontier studios allows users to fast travel to any location by checking the map. A quick look at the map also shows you where your objectives are located.
That's basically it for the main game. if you want, you can just walk around the park as frontier did a great job creating an open world environment full of people having their side conversations, kids pulling their parents to their next rides, etc which again does a superb job getting the player fully immersed into the game. If your just into the mingames (which is the good stuff), you can ignore the characters around the park and just search for the minigame entrances. As I said before, mini games truly shine and each one seems unique with no repeats from the previous batch. You get to ski with goofy, fly and shoot your blaster with buzz lightyear, follow the rabbit down the hole with alice and dance with the hatter, and all of it is just great fun.
Best part of the game is drop in co-op. Frontier studios made it very easy for the initial player to setup their avatar (you get to create your person since this game does not use your xbox live's avatar) but at any time a friend or family member can join either and run around the park with you with no hassle of signing in or out, all the have to do is walk and stand right next to you.
All in all, this is one of the best kinect games out there, and is definitely a must have if you have a younger person in your family. Even if you don't but you're an avid kinect fan, then the minigames in this game outshine the games on kinect adventures, kinect sports, and just about any other game you could think of! Frontier was very creative in crafting them and truly spent their time designing each level and each minigame to have this game be the best experience for consumers. Thank you, Frontier! | video-games_xbox |
Teadious trial and error game play. Let me start by saying I am a late comer to Borderlands and quite recently got a free digital copy of the original game from Xbox live which is without doubt the best free game I have ever got from Microsoft!
Well let's start by saying this game doesn't seem to look as nice as the original both in the graphics and the user interface which I find awkward to use than before however the Music is an improvement as is the the funny things some characters say although being filled in with the story in the middle of combat is rather annoying.
I am not happy about the dreadful trial and error game play though especially the poor combat,lack of health packs and incredibly weedy weapons. Also the cheesy voices of the enemies really grates as well. What I really hate about this game is fighting through hordes of enemies and loosing a lot of health then having to run back to the vending machine every time because there are no longer any health packs in the game. Then to make matters worse on your way back to where you were you have to fight your way back through the enemies that just re spawned all over again thereby draining health and supplies all over again. You also cannot carry much ammo for your very under powered guns so frequently have to rummage around looking for some or backtrack again to the vending machine then having to whittle down bosses shields all over again .Some enemies are incredibly hard to kill and only appear once you are up to your neck in it so sniping is often out of the question and a head on fight means you die over and over again and don't even deplete their health which is very tedious indeed!
The original game got it right the first time so why the hell the changed it I don't know but I find it very annoying! Regarding others thinking it is great is probably for the online multi-player but the campaign is pretty terrible.
It seems to me that this game even in campaign mode was intended to be played by a team of friends over XBOX live not by a lone gamer like me but as I have bought this I might as well grind through it but had I known how tedious it is I would have left it well alone. | video-games_xbox |
Great Sound, No Interference, Feels Cheaper than Previous Models. These finally, finally arrived - were they worth the wait?
Let's start off with what's different from the X41, XP500 and earlier models - things that can be downright confusing. I'm NOT talking specs, which you can read on your own; I'm talking operability.
(For sake of reference, I've owned the EarForce Deltas (which are remodeled XP500s), the X41s and the earlier analog-version X4s.)
* The Unusual (and Not So Good) *
Unlike earlier Transmitters which were always "On" so long as they were attached to an active USB port and powered on, the X42 Transmitter and its LEDs will turn OFF when you turn off the headset OR if there is no active audio signal for around 5 minutes. (For this latter, the headset will also turn off - this information is hidden at the back of the User Manual in the "Technical Specifications" section - something we never read, right?)
There are two ways to turn the Transmitter back on: (1) power on the headset or (2) unplug/replug the Transmitter's USB connection. (Obviously, turn on the headset.) It takes a few seconds to power all the way back up, which is, again, an issue we never had with the previous, always-on Transmitters.
Frankly, this is a little confusing if you're expecting the X42s (and probably the XP400s) to function the same as previous wireless Turtle Beach models.
Build quality. I hate to say it, but these feel definitively cheaper than ALL of the models I've mentioned so far, especially the XP500 branch. The smaller and very portable X42 Transmitter feels flimsy and delicate. The headset feels like a light, hollow-plastic housing. And out-of-the-box, they're not as comfortable or well-fitting as previous headsets. This may change after a break-in period, so I'll update accordingly.
Paired Out-of-Box? My headset and Transmitter were not properly paired upon first use. Took a minute to figure out how to pair them, but it's something I shouldn't have had to do. The manual itself says they should be pre-paired to work together. Oops!
* What's good - or even great - about the X42s? *
Interference? NONE. Unlike other reviewers, I am NOT having any sound/buzzing issues. As a matter of fact, the X42s have eliminated all of the cracking issues I had with the X41s and XP500s. The sound is super-clear. We run a dual-wireless household here, with 2.4GHz/5GHz active, and the X42s have performed flawlessly. I am VERY happy and impressed by this.
Sound quality? Better. The lack of interference is no doubt at the heart of this, but I can't help but notice a marked improvement.
Transmitter Size? Excellent. Think 'the size of a square hockey puck.' While it feels incredibly delicate, it is SO SMALL compared to previous Transmitters, that you can put it pretty much anywhere. Early transmitters suffered from 'where the heck do I put this thing?'-itis. No more.
* The Questionable *
The Transmitter and USB cable are now hard-connected. I'm NOT a fan of this, as I used to move the Transmitter from one room to another. It was much easier to have two USB power cords, one in each room, and just move the Transmitter between the two. Can't do that anymore. Also, if anything happens to the USB cable, you can't buy a replacement cable. If you're crafty, perhaps you could open the Transmitter and replace the cable if something happens, but there are no obvious open-points on the Transmitter.
No Stereo Output Port? Previous models had a stereo output port, which allowed you to hook up a wired headset. Personally, this will be sorely missed, as I would hook up a wired headset for visiting friends if we were playing late at night, or if the batteries in my wireless headset were running low, I'd switch to wired. But no more.
Missing: An Additional Optical Input. With so many digitally capable audio devices, it's just unfortunate that there isn't more than one optical input. If you've got two of any of the following - Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Cable/DVR, Boxee Box, Apple TV, Google TV, Roku, etc. - you can only hook up one of these to the Transmitter at any given time. Some of these play well via HDMI->optical sound on some televisions and audio receivers (to date, the PS3 plays fine this way, but not the 360), but it's an unfortunate and missed-opportunity for Turtle Beach to make a more functional wireless headset.
* Conclusion *
A competent headset that suffers from change: eliminating inference and improving sound quality comes at the price of strange power issues and unexpectedly poor build-quality; a smaller form factor is offset by loss of functionality.
Whether or not the X42s are right for you will depend on whether you experienced interference with earlier 2.4GHz models. If you did, these should be a huge improvement.
If you've ever owned (touched or even seen) the XP500s, you'll be severely underwhelmed by the X42s sturdiness. For everyone else, they'll feel hollow.
If you've never owned a Turtle Beach surround sound headset, you won't be thrown-off by the changes. If you have, just be aware of the changes and differences, and set your expectations accordingly.
Personally, I haven't decided to keep them or send them back. I still have time to decide. Perhaps something more impressive is on the horizon. Your move, MadCatz? | video-games_xbox |
My fave console so far. after having a bad experience with a ps3 really wanting to buy another one however the times with our economy are so hard I decided to go another route. after hearing bad tales bout rrod and stuff I still wanted to try this route. I figured if it craps out these are more affordable right now for me then another playstation 3 would be not that I wouldn't get one of those again in the future should a price drop happen. I do love this one for the game selection as well It seems to have a broader spectrum of games not just limited to shooters and mature titles. This along with my wii I seem content for now. I don't have xbox live yet as I just got this I ordered the larger hard drive too cause like with the wii I love downloadable games and can max it out in notime probably .There are alotta features on this one neat feature if the family friendly settings time limits haha even a adult gamer like me can use that helps save on the system too and waistline. I can see why this one seems to be the top of the list for most people despite its problems and such its pocket friendly,and has the bigger game library, with a lcd hdtv the graphics are mindblowing. Too me too the main reason for picking this was affordability, and then game selection being the biggest outta the consoles out so far. I been a pc gamer for so many years I forgot what consoles were like til i picked up the wii and now the xbox boy was I missing the console gaming. I give this max rating cause its the best console I have ever had and I have had lots of them. Just so many cool feature on it. Just wish they would of put the wi-fi inside but thats just a minor issue. I just can't get over all the things this console is capable of and best looking graphics that I have seen so far it seems brighter to me then the playstation 3 graphics did Hopefully the price on the ps3 will drop so I can get a new one but til then I am happy with this the graphics rock and features best part about it. I would recommend this to people who love a large selection of games to choose from . | video-games_xbox |
From a seasoned FPS Console Gamer - Its Good, but not without flaws. I've been using this PDP Controller for playing online multiplayer for some time now (Titanfall 2 , Halo 5, Battlefield etc) which I feel is a true test of any enhanced controller of the advantages it offers to your gameplay. Another thing that I wanted to determine was how this controller compares to the OEM Xbox Controller (which I feel is an excellent design & the fact we're all just used to it ) . Does the PDP Battlefield 1 controller offer enough , despite being a wired controller to make it a better choice over the OEM Wireless Xbox controller? Below is my take :
Design & Build Quality
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- The main controller body is made of matte soft touch plastic with a faux-wood finish around the grips and a silver front plate - reminiscent of classic WW1 Guns which is in tune with its Battlefield 1 branding. It really looks much better in your hands than in pictures which don't do it enough justice
- The controller comes in a nice see thru folio type cardboard box with a magnetic flap.
- The LB & RB shoulder buttons are flatter and less angled than the OEM Xbox controller shoulder buttons (see pics) , however this does not affect or affect gameplay
- The left & right thumbsticks are thinner and do not have the same textured rubberized finish as the OEM Xbox controller , something that I missed (see pics)
- The Power button with the Xbox Logo is not backlit like the OEM controller
- This being a wired controller , one thing I would like to point out is that the Xbox One uses a proprietary wireless protocol for its wireless controllers which is probably very costly to license and as a result currently almost all wireless controllers are exclusive to Microsoft (with the sole exception of Scuff controllers which cost $170+) & most third party controllers (like this one) are going to be wired, so its hard to criticize it for being a wired controller
- Having said that the included 10 Ft nylon braided cable is durable and long enough for most gaming setups and can easily reach your couch
- The impulse triggers and rumble motors feel much STRONGER than the OEM Xbox One controller and makes FPS experience more immersive
- The Audio button next to the right thumbsitck allows you to quickly adjust your headset volume or mute the microphone
- Another very important aspect of this controller is that it feels adequately weighted in your hands (as we are used to the weight of the Xbox one controller with its batteries) .
Six Programmable Buttons for FPS Gaming ......
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- There are six customizable functions in the rear Mutlifunction wheels which can pivot UP/DOWN and can be depressed as a button as well , giving you three functions per wheel or 6 in total
- You can duplicate the "A,B,X,Y" buttons , the "LB, RB" Shoulder triggers , the Left & Right thumbstick buttons or the D-Pad buttons to the 6 six 'slots' offered by the rear multifuction wheels
- Programming the 6 functions of the rear wheels is done the controller itself which is straightforward and does not require any on-screen setup/software nor are they game specific.
- For example if you want to assign the Jump or the 'A' key to the rear-right wheel in the UP position - You simply have to (1) Press the Program Button at the rear in between the two wheels (2) Identify the Wheel position you want to map : In this case by moving the rear right wheel in the UP position (3) Assign the Button you Want to Duplicate : In this case by pressing the "A" button and Voila! The Jump or the (A) key is now duplicated to the Rear-Right Wheel when you move it in the 'UP' position
- The ability to map some of these functions to the wheels does offer an advantage in fast paced FPS play as you don't have to take your thumb away from the right thumbstick to say Jump/Crouch or reload in the heat of the battle and importantly it feels more natural and less jarring
..... But there's an Issue
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- I'll try my best to describe this - The way the multifunction Wheel mechanism works for its three positions UP/DOWN/PRESS is that when you PRESS the wheel it appears to travel into a slot & it does so only in the center position. This locks the UP/DOWN movement of the wheel when its pressed. That is you cannot simultaneously move the wheel in the UP/DOWN position when its PRESSED or vice-versa.
- This may seem minor at first , but very apparent in the heat of the battle where you subconsciously squeeze or grip the controller harder during intense moments. For example I had my Jump (A) key mapped to the Wheel PRESS and Weapons switch (Y) to the Wheel UP. And in a close head-to-head encounter with another player, when my primary weapon's ammo ran out , I wanted to start jumping around to throw off his aim (Wheel PRESS) and quickly switch to my sidearm (Wheel UP). In this tense moment I was subconsciously gripping the controller and mashing the buttons extra hard which half-pressed the Wheel locking it & prevented me switching to my sidearm quickly (Wheel UP). Boom! I was dead before I had the time to correct the pressure on the wheel button
- So I ended up using only 4 out of 6 of the Wheel functions (UP/DOWN on either wheel) and stopped using the Wheel PRESS function all together as it would frequently lock due to unintentional half-presses. The paddle mechanism of the Xbox One Elite controller works much better in this regard
- Also there is a tiny bump on the center of the wheel (to aid with its UP/DOWN movement), and pressing on the pointed bump for the PRESS function gets painful with repeated use after some time
Final Thoughts
----------------------
So in the end does it offer a better experience and advantage than the OEM Xbox controller ? And my answer to that is Yes, for the most part. I will am still using this controller for my online multiplayer games over the OEM Xbox controller because the UP/DOWN wheel movements allow to quickly perform mapped actions without taking off the thumb from the thumbsticks and also the stronger vibration of the impulse triggers and rumble motors give a more immersive experience. But for me, I consider only 4 out of the 6 available programmable functions actually usable with the PRESS function of the wheel being the controller's Achilles heel. | video-games_xbox |
Almost Great! But, Still Easy. **READ THIS IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE CONNECTING TO XBOX LIVE**
Well, I read everything I could find on the Microsoft MN-740 Xbox Adapter and the Linksys WRT54GS Wireless-G Broadband Router w/ SpeedBooster to prepare for installation. Hours reading before I even had the units in my hands. I was a bit worried after reading this review list. So, I did what I could.
The setup of both units was near automatic and needed little in the way of help from me. I got everything in order following the instructions the Xbox adapter and the Linksys Router were talking to each other. But, when I tried to get into Xbox LIVE...'bummer' the Xbox Adapter would not connect to LIVE. I thought it might have been an SSID problem, channel junk, or ISP information missing... So, I sat and tried to find out the problem for about 4 hours. Opting not to call customer services (feeling it to be jokeful). Frustrated and sleepy, I got online and re-read something tucked away at the Xbox site that I knew was not in any of the manuals. One setting change (see excerpt below) and it was running fast and the games began to fly with no lag what-so-ever!
If you have a Linksys router try this link and fix your Xbox LIVE connection problem.(...)
Excerpt: "Note: The UPnP implementation on the Linksys WRT54g with firmware 2.02.7 has been discovered to prevent users from being able to connect to Xbox Live. If a user is unable to connect to Xbox Live with this specific router model/firmware, they may get connected by turning off UPnP in the router's settings. Microsoft is working hard with Linksys to repair this issue as soon as possible."
Other than the one setting problem that they are working to correct... I am a bit disappointed with the weaker WEP security the Microsoft Xbox Adapter needs. Not cutting edge. But, for the ease of use this unit offers I'll take what I can get to get LIVE while my wife is online.
I hope this helps. If it did help you please click the "YES" button below. | video-games_xbox |
Fun Game. The Online Contributors Make It Perfect. Gameplay is fluid and full of options. There are not as many moves to choose from as the serires offered years ago, but there is still a huge list to help customize your CAWS or pro wrestlers.
Divas cannot clash with superstars, which I think is absolutely stupid. But the assortment of divas is not great anyway. In fact, I would say that the superstars offered in this version of the game are more varied and fun to play than in previous games. Including the DLC, there are some awesome legends like Macho Man, the Road Warriors, Demolition, Kevin Nash, Arn Anderson, Ricky Steamboat, original Kane, etc. A pretty nice mix of legends and current stars, but still not enough for true fans. Where is Andre? Where is Khali? Where is Piper? Junkyard Dog? Hogan?
Well, the answer to that question makes this game perfect: Online!
The online community has produced so many high-quality CAWS for players to download that you WILL run out of save slots. Players from all over are creating the superstars THQ will not or cannot. And the likenesses of most of them are incredible! Yes, there are kids producing superstars that look more like halloween costumes than the wrestlers they purport to be, but other serious creations are lifelike down to the facial expressions pasted onto the CAW. You can have Sting, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Tazz, the Dudley Boyz, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Giant Gonzales, Ted Dibiase, Kamala, Earthquake, Mike Tyson, Rob Van Dam, Matt Hardy, TNA wrestlers, Bill Demott, Japanese wrestlers, the Sandman, and MORE. There are hundreds of well-made CAWS. Not CAWS that kind of resemble the wrestlers--CAWS that look good enough to be a part of the line-up received when you buy the actual game!
This game is truly saved by the gaming community's creativity. If not for the contributors online, this game would feel like a well-made yet unfinished attempt. Yes, there are lots of types of matches, but who wants interesting matches without interesting superstars to pit against one another?
The ref is still getting in the way. The targeting system is pretty good, though. You shouldn't have too many matches screwed up by that little nutter butter.
The weapons to choose from are not that exciting, but they have grapple options. THQ could have been more creative with weapons. More moves to choose from and more illegal weapon choices. But that is not a big deal.
A big deal is the lack of names and announcer-vocalized terms a player can use to create a wrestler. THQ has obviously left out any word that could possibly be used to create a wrestler on Vince McMahon's doo-doo list. That really leaves us out in the cold, because they KNOW we are going to try to create the wrestlers THEY FAILED to make.
All in all, the game is smooth, fun to play, with controls that are not dumbed-down like that All Stars monstrosity. The animations are lifelike. Thanks to the players, the match-ups are pretty much the matches of your dreams. BUY IT. Pin it. Into your XBOX. | video-games_xbox |
Sadly, I Totally Agree with the Bad Reviews. I am a Amazon Prime Member, but didn't purchase my copy here, as I found it cheaper on eBay. And after playing a few missions, I'm glad I didn't pay the full price for the game. In any case, here are my grips with this game.
Combat: the worse I've ever seen on any game. (sometimes I let myself be killed just to get it over with)
Picking Locks: at times, horrible, as you have to use the LS to turn locks, which happens to be the same toggle you use for moving around and "swooshing". So guess what? You're attempting to pick a lock, and at times you're swooshed across the room -- what the...how the hell did I get way over here?
Accessories: if you go to any mission before loading up, you're dead. And even if you do, chance are pretty good that you'll run out of arrows, and everything else well before you complete your mission. So you're dead. And there are hardly any areas to reload along the way, so, you're dead.
Swooshing: the command is "LS" and press "A" to swoosh. You really shouldn't worry about using this command as chances are pretty good you'll be swooshing all over town anyway just by using "LS". As one reviewer said: "man this game will make you sea sick" I believe this is what they were referring to. And to make it worse, here I am trying to slowly creep up behind a guard to take them out, and guess what? Yep, you got, I damn swoosh by him, and yes, I'm dead. Oh! did I mention how bad combat is? You might as well go through the game holding a twinkie instead of a black jack, cause it'll do you no good. And, at mininum, you can eat the damn twinkie.
Graphics: I don't really think the graphics are bad, it's just the game. As many have also mentioned "the game is so dark, that no matter what you do to brighten it up, it remains really dark. But I can see it, a little. I guess going to night school paid off after all.
Well, that's my two cents worth of frustrations.
Wilfred | video-games_xbox |
Broken. The first 2 nights I played this game, it froze on me at least a dozen times. Had to hit the power button on the xbox each time.
After deleting the DLC, including the season pass I paid $20.00 for, the game then became stable.
Today after playing, I quit to go eat dinner and when the game returned me to the main menu, it said my save game was corrupted. I was not alone in this issue. On their support forum many people had the same problem. I thought I was safe by having my save in the xbox cloud but it did not protect me.
There are many design elements of the game that either make no sense or are signs of laziness. For those of you who played Arkham City you'll know what I'm talking about and for those of you who didn't, you'll get the idea anyway. There is a mission in Arkham City where you're tasked with destroying 6 containers of something. Well in Origins, someone gives you a task to destroy some containers of.. something.. Guess how many there are! 6!!! Then you receive another task to destroy some other containers of something else... Guess how many there are!!! 6!!!!!!! How lazy can you be. Make it 4. 7. 3. I know it is a minor nitpick but come on.
Also you cannot grapple onto all buildings. There are radio towers quite similar in design to those in arkham city. And oddly enough you were able to grapple onto the top of them in arkham city. In Origins? Nope. It won't let you. There is also a walled area of the city near a part that you cannot glide or grapple over, but you can glide around it. Same with the highest parts of the bridge and with a few other buildings.
The fighting system they actually made worse. The counters don't always seem to work, some guys attack you like they're on ice skates and will come sliding onto the screen and punch you in the back of the head with with the counter icon appearing as you get hit. I had all the achievements in the last two arkham games. I had no difficulty at all fighting. But in this game, there were a few fights I actually had to run away from because the framerate or lag would make it unplayable. I'd press counter or attempt to vault over someone and I'd just stand there and get hit. My button presses weren't registering.
There are some scenes in the story that are supposed to be dramatic but fail to be if you've played the other two arkham games. As the scenes are taking place you're thinking to yourself, wait a minute how is that possible? Oh right, it isn't unless we're creating some sort of paradox.
There are some bugs that exist that I haven't run into myself but others have. Some people have fallen through the map or floor and end up free falling in a grey void unable to escape. And since the game uses one save and saves it every time you transition screens or after a fight etc, if it saves and you've fallen through the map, guess what you're starting over.
They added a cool new system where there are 3 different tracks of challenges to complete in game. The problem is, they too are glitched. The final challenge in one of the tracks was to get a combo over 50, a variation score of 15 or higher, and not get hit. While hanging out near the bridge, I saw two thugs and decided to beat them down. At the end of the fight, the challenge came up as completed. My combo was around 8 and I did at most 3 different moves. Wow. Also there are 15 challenges for predator rooms. And those challenges are bugged. One was to lure someone with the sonic battarang and take him down, it must've taken me 5 or so attempts of doing the same thing for the challenge to unlock. And another problem is there aren't that many predator rooms in the game. And the predator rooms do not reset. So even if you complete the story and you go back to one of those rooms, they're empty. You'll have to finish the challenges by starting over on game plus. And if you didn't finish them on game plus you'll have to on I am the knight mode.
The voice acting only bothered me a little. What is humorous is the studio's claim that they needed a younger voice for batman and the joker. Yet the voices for other major characters are voiced by the same actors as the first two arkham games, Alfred, Jim Gordon, Barbara Gordon, etc. All the same.
Boss fights are repetitive. They mostly utilize the 3 stage system. Do something enough and get to stage 2, do more stuff get to stage 3, do more stuff its over. While that in and of itself gets tiresome, the repetitive cutscenes don't help either. One boss fight in particular, without giving spoilers, he/she is wearing some gear, and at each stage you rip what looks like the same part of it off. Ripping one part of it off would render it broken but apparently you need to do it 3 times. The first boss fight which is a piece of cake has the same cutscene in it twice, same exact one, where you're forced to mash a button to get out of it.
Game+ mode states you will start will all of the same gadgets you had when you completed the game. When you start game+ you find out quickly that is not true. The items you gain throughout the story are not present when you start game+. Whoops!
There are many other issues, bugs, glitches etc. Feel free to visit [...]
It is their own forum. Last I checked there are 3900 posts. While I did not read all of them, the vast majority of the ones I did read are not from happy campers.
Do not buy this game. | video-games_xbox |
Et Tu Gladius. OK! I have waited long enough to sing the praises of what I consider to be one of the best console game I have ever played. What makes a great game great, you may ask. It is when you keep coming back to it month after month (long past its initial release date) even while continuing to acquire and play the myriad of games that are flooding the market. No matter what "hot" games I am playing (and truly enjoy) - like THE SUFFERING, RESIDENT EVIL OUTBREAK, MANHUNT, MAX PAYNE 2, HALO, FIGHT NIGHT 2004, FIREFIGHTER, THE SIMS - I keep coming back to GLADIUS. Maybe it is my fondness for gladiator movies of my youth. Maybe it is the sight of muscular, sweaty men in skimpy outfits. Maybe it is the mythological aspects. Or the fact that beautiful and sexy women could hold their own in combat. Or maybe it is something much more Freudian. All I know is that this is one of the most enjoyable games I have come across! And I cannot praise GLADIUS enough! A few of the reasons:
* The turn based combat (where your careful acquistion of skills and weapons and gladiator placement can make the difference between victory and defeat)
*The ability to enlist specific gladiator types to join your school and compete by your side to win fame and fortune
*The chess-like strategy you employ to help win in the competitions
*The ability to customize your warriors
*The use of a "swing meter" to determine the power of your attacks
*Good enemy AI
*Good voice acting
The only negatives (and they are very minor): A gladiator game should be bloodier - it should have attempted an M rating (guess the T is a Lucas-Arts influence). Also the graphics, while good, could have been even better.
Other games may be flashier, and more polished, and more exciting and have more bells and whistles....but GLADIUS, like the gladiator movies of my youth, will always have a special place in my heart. After playing the latest and greatest, it is nice to have a comfortable place to keep coming back to. | video-games_xbox |
Potential, but Slightly Disappointing. Aiden is a hacker who got in too deep resulting in the loss of his family. Now he hacks to find out who ordered the hit on his family. While the game info tells us to expect to hack and control the city, chase down leads and ultimately find the person behind the tragedy the fact is that the game is very, very much like so many other open world games: drive here or there fast enough, lead the cops on a chase, follow the glowing blue lines to hack the box that will enable you to enter a building and expand your hacking powers and such. If this were GTA or Saint's Row you'd be doing a lot of the same things: drive here, kill these guys, expand your influence. It's really similar and what was supposed to make this game distictive really doesn't add much.
You can do cool stuff like mess with street lights and hack people's ATM accounts. You can listen in on their fictional conversations. You can hack gates to let you in to neighborhoods. You can set off explosions. Later, you can control even more of the city, but most of the stuff is really to help you get away from cops. Most of it is a shrug.
One cool thing you can do is to take control of cameras and then move between them and then hack from a distance. This does bring something new to the table. Consider this CtOS mission: you can inflitrate a building with a bunch of armed guards, collecting a key card, and gaining access to part of the city's network. If this were GTA or Saint's Row or even Assasin's Creed you could go in guns blazing or (in the case of AC) climb over walls and stealthily kill everyone. You could do that here in Watch Dogs but I found I got wasted a lot easier in this game going that route. In this level, for instance, I went another route altogether. I hacked camera to camera and then used set up lures to move guards into position for my expolosions. Then I hacked noisemakers to move them out of the way. Then I hacked lifts and lights and alarms. I hacked guy's explosives that they carried to cause them to detonate. Then when the guard with the key died I hacked the card. Then I hacked a guy who was carrying a camera (why? Who knows but you can then be on a moving camera to get to other places in the building.) I used the camera guy and noises to move him closer to the node where I hacked the system and got access to the network. I did all this from outside the compound, safely on the street, just another dude standing around. It was more rewarding than running in guns blazing.
When you do that kind of stuff - when the hacking actually enhances the game play - then this game shines. But too often I'm stuck trying to drive a car all over fictional Chicago within a time limit. I don't want to play a race car game. If I did I would've bought Gran Turismo. I want to play a hacking game in an open world. As such, I've been disappointed and frustrated at times playing this.
The game shows potential and likely sequels will be so much better. In the mean time, this is a fun diversion that never really lived up to the hype.
Note about the systems: I had both 360 and One. I felt like I lost nothing playing on the 360. The One looks better, of course, but how it played was very similar. If you only have a 360 don't worry about missing out on anything with what comes shipped. | video-games_xbox |
Beautiful But Broken. I usually don't write reviews But I felt obligated to on this one. I will preface this with the fact that I loved Battlefront 2 on the original XBox. Its gameplay was simple but it was so fluid and everything was perfectly balanced. The class system was great and though simple, really encouraged teamwork because each class brought something unique and necessary to the team. I lost count of the number of hours spent on Galactic Conquest somewhere in the 100s.
This game is not the Battlefront of the past. This game is, at its best, a bait and switch.
WHAT THIS GAME DOES RIGHT
When you first turn on the game, you'll be blown away by the visuals and sound design and the Star Wars fan in you will be thrilled with fighting in the most beautifully realized classic scenes from the Star Wars movie ever put on a console. The visuals are absolutely gorgeous and incredibly detailed. I remember being amazed at trying to fight off an empire assault from the hangar on Hoth and having trouble seeing out of the cave because of the realistic glare from the outside. The AT-ATs leave footprints in their wake. Explosions look realistic and really look impressive. Its little details like this that really impressed me. The sound design is also top notch. The first time a thermal detonator goes off next you will leave you stunned. You hear the classic TIE fighter sounds from the original movie as the fly overhead. What this game did right is to recreate Star Wars audiovisually.
WHAT THIS GAME DOES WRONG
Unfortunately about about 2 hours of gameplay you lose your sense of wonder and amazement because of all that is wrong with the game. The gameplay is rudimentary at best and unbelievably frustrating at worst. Your character is about as mobile as a tree stump. You can run by holding down the stick but you can't roll, take cover, or jump onto ledges. Battlefront 2's mechanics certainly weren't stellar but at least you could dodge. I also hold this game to a higher standard than its predecessor, which came out about a decade ago. FPS's have advanced so far since then. Titanfall and Halo 5 at least let you grab onto edges and really make you feel like you can move around freely on the battlefield. With Battlefront we get impassable chest high walls that for some reason my character isn't nimble enough to climb over. The scenery, while gorgeous to look at, is frustrating impassable in several places. This is a huge problem because several of the game's modes prioritize speed. For example, I was playing Walker Assault on Tatooine as the Empire and I needed to reach an Uplink station quickly to protect my AT-AT. I couldn't get there fast enough to shut down the uplink not because I did anything wrong, but because I had to walk all the way around a chest high wall that forced me through a choke-point where I was instantly sniped instead of doing the logical thing and climbing over the obstacle.
In addition, the guns are just completely unsatisfying to use. They just don't feel right. And the game doesn't provide you any audiovisual confirmations that you are actually hitting your target. Call of Duty at least gives you am audio click when you actually hit your target. This is incredibly frustrating when you are trying to hit your target from range. The game also only allows you to carry one weapon. Your other weapons are set to an alternate power-up slot that has a recharge time. So if you have a rocket launcher equipped, you can use it once but then you have a recharge time.
And there's the spawning issues. The game caters to spawn camping like no other. I remember spawning as an AT-ST and instantly getting killed because somebody on the other team figured out where our vehicles were spawning from (they only spawn from one place...) and placed a vehicle auto-turret right in front of it. In addition, enemies tend to spawn behind your position more often than not. Again, when so many of the game-types hinge on taking and holding key positions, this gets really frustrating.
Overall, there's just no teamwork in this game when so many of its modes are objective based. Battlefront 2 basically forced its players to work as a team by presenting a limited number of classes that are all great at one task but flawed in others. The sniper certainly couldn't just charge into combat while the heavy gunner was basically screwed at long range. It was a simple but effective setup that really made for some fun moments. Many people have argued that Battlefront (Xbox One) offers too little in terms of customization but I would say that it offers too much. Sure, some people tailor their classes towards specific roles in battle (holding objectives vs. taking down heavy targets vs. sniping) but they are the minority. Most people just customize in such a way as to make them the most effective at getting the most kills, which actually hurts the gameplay. You can get 60 kills in one game and still lose if your team doesn't hold the objectives.
Overall, this game gets 2 stars for being the most beautifully realized Star Wars game ever put on a console but gets 0 stars for gameplay. Its sad. We've come to far with FPS's to have to deal with the stuff presented to us in this game. And with the new systems we finally have the hardware to really make some superbly stunning games. The problems with Battlefront come down to laziness. They had 10 years, and what we got was a visually stunning game that is nonetheless severely broken. | video-games_xbox |
Notes from an old fan of FPS games. Many reviewers have already covered BioShock's story, features, and gameplay extensively, so I'm just going to talk about a few things that I've noticed as a long-time fan of first-person shooters.
*BioShock is one of the most well-written games ever. Even if you aren't familiar with Ayn Rand, the story is rich, moving, and deeply satisfying. The voice acting, character development, and cutscenes are all of very high quality.
*The underwater setting is unique (finally, a game not set on a distant planet, a tropical island, a military base, or some combination of those) and beautifully realized. The music, environmental sounds and Art Deco graphics are all well done and add a lot to the playing experience.
*Each level is designed well and contains a fair amount of territory to explore. You are on rails more or less, as in all FPS games, but there is enough freedom to avoid making the game feel oppressively linear.
*Overall, the game is not terribly difficult. Boss battles are only slightly harder than fights with generic enemies, for the most part, and there aren't any ridiculously difficult puzzles to solve. The developers focused more on the story and on making all aspects of the game fit together holistically, rather than on trying to come up with mega-challenges for diehard gamers.
*Replayability is high, due to the way weapons and powers are earned as well as to the ability to follow different strategies throughout the game. Having said that, BioShock isn't as chock full of hidden features, secret abilities, and obscure actions as Japanese games (the Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill, and Resident Evil series all come to mind here. And yes, I know SH and RE are survival horror games, not FPS's).
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Bottom line: despite showing its age a bit, BioShock is still one of the best games I've ever played. Anybody who enjoys FPS and action games will dig BioShock. Judged on gameplay mechanics alone, BioShock is a four star game but the stunning graphics, high production values, and outstanding storyline push it to five stars. | video-games_xbox |
Amazing co-op with family. I want to thank Blizzard for A) finally making Diablo 3 fun (compared to PC version), and B) finally getting my fiance to love video games.
When I got it, I told her I got us a game that we can play at the same time on the same screen and it won't get too crazy. She was interested, but wary at the same time. She can't really play FPS or 3rd Person games because she doesn't like having to look around, but with Diablo 3, she can focus on her character and know exactly where and what to shoot. And the funny thing is, she's AMAZING at it! She's currently a lvl 56 Demon Hunter doing over 45K damage in Hell mode and she's having a blast. I now have to be the one to say it's time to go to sleep.
As for the game, it's miles ahead of the PC version. Take everything bad about the PC one (always-online, RMAH (being removed from PC now), crappy loot drops) and completely remove it. The drops are great (have had 20+ legendaries drop just for my Barbarian, and my fiance's Demon Hunter too), you can play offline, co-op on the same screen, co-op over the internet. They also lowered prices for everything (jewel, crafting, etc.) to make up for no RMAH.
Graphics and sound are fantastic and the difficulty progression is challenging without being overwhelming (so far through Act 3 on Hell). Plus there's 8 different levels of difficulty beyond the Normal, Nightmare, Hell, and Inferno mode. If you fight Diablo on Normal but at Master Level 5 difficulty he might as well be Hell Diablo.
As far as people wondering what a good starting character is for someone new, the Demon Hunter seems to work great. The ranged attacks allow them to stay out of the way of too much damage (and dying and becoming frustrated), while helping them learn the mechanics of it. Like I said, my fiance's Demon Hunter absolutely rocks. She does 45K without increases, and her rapid fire shot does over 130K damage just in Hell mode.
We plan on staying awhile, listening and playing. | video-games_xbox |
Portable Platforming Bliss. Skylanders is definitely a game that has caused a stir among gamers. Some are completely put off by Spyro's new look and the fact that he isn't the main star anymore, while others think that purchasing characters for real money is disgraceful and a crime against humanity. Prior to playing the game, I could sort of see how those arguments could be valid (key word, sort of). However, after playing the game I will admit that I am completely in love with it.
First off, no, Spyro is not the primary protagonist, though his presence in the game is justified and more prevalent than you would have thought. The main website has a bio on Spyro that explains exactly how the Skylanders were blessed and lucky to have the legendary purple dragon on their side. This is a completely acceptable and satisfying reason for why he makes an appearance in the game, in my opinion.
Now, you probably want to know what you're going to be getting yourself into before you drop $69.99 on this game (which for some reason is the same price as the console counterparts). The 3DS version of Skylanders is a platforming game that plays not all too different from some of the earlier Spyro games, and unlike the console version, you can perform jumps to leap from platform to platform. There are 5 levels each with 5 sub-levels, three of which are traditional platforming segments, with the other two as a three-round brawl fest. Each main level has a different theme with levels that are vibrant and detailed, and is fun to play from start to finish.
As the Portal Master, you control the Skylanders that you received in the starter pack or from a character pack you bought in a retail store. Surprisingly, each Skylander is diverse and comes with his/her own unique playstyle and abilities. I was honestly expecting them to be nothing more than reskins. Also, despite what others may lead you to believe you do not need every single Skylander, nor do you need each element. You can still play and finish the game just fine with your starter characters.
Some people are complaining that the 3DS version is too short, but every game doesn't have to have an engrossing 35+ hour story mode with dozens of side quests. I would say I have completed about 50% of the objectives in the game so far (after I beat the final boss), and my 3DS's activity log clocked my total playtime at just under 6 hours. That's pretty impressive for a *platforming* game with a relatively simple story. Of course, additional Skylanders and level packs will no doubt keep me occupied for at least triple my current playtime. It's that fun.
I feel as though I've only scratched the surface of the game, but in an effort to keep this somewhat brief, I'll leave the review off here. I hope I've convinced you guys that Skylanders isn't the money-sucking game naysayers claim it to be.
Enjoy! | video-games_xbox |
Too Much Fun. I almost hate to admit this, but I had an absolute blast playing this game. I picked it up because it was $20 and I knew it was one of the more popular and better reviewed launch games. I actually had very low expectations for this game. At $20, I could throw it in the trash if I didn't like it. I now wish I had bought this game the day I bought my system, which was the first day it was available at my local store.
My initial fear about this game was that the cartoon nature of it would take something away. I like the hard edge on games like Gears of War or Saints Row. Not a problem at all. The game play to me was so much fun that I didn't even notice it.
Here is what I liked.
The game forces you to use your different skill sets in different areas, but often times allows you to uses multiple strategies to get through and area. One of your elemental forms may be better at destroying a specific enemy, but it is rarely the only choice that you have. This gives the game some replay value.
The concept of using different forms to gain different skills makes using your attacks so much more intuitive than button mashing games. As a "mature" gamer, I found this refreshing. Donkey Kong and Pacman didn't have five button combos to perform the moves. If you need a ranged attack, you switch to the form that has a ranged attack and pull the trigger.
The game also points out exactly where you need to go, so if you choose, you can simply complete the main quest very quickly or you can wander around a work the various side games and puzzles that have great entertainment value too.
The game isn't perfect. It is a little too easy, especially if you get the eye of regeneration. I think the only time I died after finding it is when I fell off a cliff or similar. I finally stopped using it because even the bosses were no problem when you had it equipped. While very useful, the help system was just a bit too eager and got annoying at times. Fortunately, you can turn it off. The shadow plain (or whatever similar name it had) where you get your elemental forms was very redundant. I wish there was better variety there. Finally, the Deep Blue elemental form was very annoying because of the camera angle when you were in shallow water bouncing in and out of the water.
Please don't let these relatively minor issues keep you from what can be a fun game for anyone in the family. It may be rated teen, but I don't recall anything in there that would prevent me from letting a 10 year old play and I'm 40 and had great time playing the game. Well worth $20. | video-games_xbox |
This game is nothing short of excellence . I put off getting this game for years ( The 360 versions ), and never knew what a disservice I was doing myself. The 360 versions stayed at a higher price and that was what kept me from picking them up , because I wasn't sure if I would like the game , and I hate wasting my money .. Well , the fact that the 360 versions kept a higher price through out the years should have been a clear indication to me that the Metro games were actually great games and I should have bought them , but I didn't. Well i saw this game on sale for 39.99 at best buy and finally decided to give it a go , I mean this way I am only paying 19.99 for each game.
After all my procrastination and money pinching I have finally played the games and they are OUTSTANDING !!! I kind of wish I had played them on the 360 years ago but at the same time not , because the game has had a complete make over and it looks and plays fantastic ..
Story : Both Metro 2033 and last light have a very gripping story , you can just feel the desperation and struggle just to live in the metro. All of the people in the story are doing nothing but trying to survive and just live to the next day , which is something of a task for some of them that have to venture outside into the wild. When I say the wild , I mean out of their secure comunities they have built under the city. Venturing outside of these comunities comes at great danger and is even worse above ground.
Graphics : This game has had a MAJOR face lift . It is VERY polished and very beautiful ( in a post Apocalyptic way ) from the character models to everything around you it looks stunning. when playing above ground you can really see the beauty , the sun on the horison , the snow on the ground , the detail on the buildings , absolutely everything looks fantastic. Since I have played this game I have actually gotten to see this game run on the 360 ( a friends house ) and even though the game looks ok it does NOT come close to the visuals this version supplies.. It is absoultely night and day difference. They even went so far as to change the looks of the character models in this version not to mention the total overhaul of everything else.
Sound : I always play my games with my Black Ops 2 Xray Turtle Beach headset. I can hear the faintest drop of water to the rats scurrying around in the dark. The music is perfect for every stiuation in the game , It keeps you on your toes and your finger on the trigger and you can always tell when things are going to get ugly very fast as the music ramps up . The sound and music just complete the game and give you that sense of emersion you are looking for. Here is a link to the headset I use. This is the absolute best I have ever owned , all you will need is a headset adapter that sells for around 25 bucks to make this work with the Xbox One. I bought several headsets for my Xbox one and NONE come close to this set. I bought the microsoft headset , the titanfall headset , the XO 4 and the XO 7 .. The only set that I kept were the Turtle Beach XO 7 , and I regret that because they simply do not have the Quality of sound I get from my Xray headset. Here is a link to the headset and adapter.
http://www.amazon.com/Turtle-Beach-Call-PlayStation-3-63057006306200/dp/B00886XQNQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1412031258&sr=1-1&keywords=black+ops+2+xray+headset
http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-One-Stereo-Headset-Adapter/dp/B00IAVDOS6/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1412032252&sr=1-1&keywords=xbox+one+headset+adapter
I just cannot reccomend this game enough , I think if you are a fan of the Metro series that you will enjoy another play through on the Xbox One just as much as you did with the 360 version. If you have never played the series like me , you are in for a treat.. This game just does not dissappoint in any way .. My hat is off to the developers for bringing us such a wonderful game..
SOLID 5 out of 5
<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Wolfenstein-The-New-Order-Xbox-One/dp/B00DHF39L2/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Wolfenstein: The New Order - Xbox One</a><a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Destiny-Xbox-One/dp/B00CX9T598/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Destiny - Xbox One</a><a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Ryse-Son-of-Rome/dp/B00FM5IY38/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Ryse: Son of Rome</a> | video-games_xbox |
Rainbow Six Vegas... You're favorite first person shooter, (you just don't know it yet. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas for the Xbox 360 is the 5th generation of Rainbow Six games. With over 30 realistic weapons, high tech explosives and cool gadgets, it's safe to say that you'll never go bored with this title.
I won't spoil you with details relating to the story line that goes along with the Campaign mode. All you need to know is that the campaign mode for this game is a lot of fun. The enemy AI is intelligent so it won't be a run and gun experience for you. They'll flank you, dodge bullets and throw a few flash bangs. You'll have to play smart and shoot accurate to move through the levels. Great enemy AI with cool weapons, rappelling, night vision, snake cams and well laid out levels, the Campaign mode really is a treat to play.
Now most of you however will purchase Rainbow Six Vegas for its online capabilities. This is what I want to focus this review on. You first build your character, changing body build, facial features and camo to your liking. Choose your primary weapon, pistol and 2 of your favorite Gadgets/explosives and your ready to play. You can search for a quick match, a custom match or create your own. When you create your own match you have the ability to lock weapons, change match time, change the amount of respawns and more. You can have up to 14 players per session although there is an option to have 16 with the "dedicated server" option on. This reduces any lag issues, however the person who is hosting the match cannot play.
Once you get to playing you can unlock new weapons and camo every-time you rank up. There are ten enlisted ranks and seven officer ranks that you have to go through until you reach "Elite" which is the grand daddy of all ranks. Currently there are 10 ways to enjoy online play... Survival, Team Survival, Sharpshooter, Team Sharpshooter, Retrieval, Co-op Terrorist Hunt, Attack & Defend, Co-op Campaign, Assassination, and Conquest.
Every weapon and explosion sounds really cool and the music is very well produced. Graphics are amazing but not as good as Gears of War or the highly anticipated Halo 3. Don't let this detour you away from this game though. The graphics are more than adequate and it looks as it should on the powerful Xbox 360.
I highly recommend this game. It's a challenging but fun first person shooter that will have you wondering why you didn't buy this title it a long time ago. For your enjoyment, I have included a complete weapons list for Rainbow Six Vegas... Enjoy!
Sub Machine Guns: MP5N, MP7A1, UMP45, P90, MP9, MAC 11
Light Machine guns: MK46, 21E, MG36, M249 SPW
Assault Rifles: 552 Commando, AK-47, Aug A3, FAMAS, G36C, G3Ka4, M8, MTAR21, SCAR-H CQC
Sniper Rifles: M40A1, SV-98, PSG1, SCOUT TACTICAL
Shotguns: M3, SPAS 12, 870MCS, XM-26 LSS
Pistols: MK.23, USP40, Glock 18, 92FS, Raging Bull Desert Eagle
Explosives: Frag Grenade, Flashbang, C4, Breaching Charge, Smoke, Incendiary, Tear Gas
Gadgets: GPS Device, Motion Sensor, Radar Jammer, Shield, XM50 Gas Mask, SF10 Gas Mask.
C'mon... You're using the same weapons and explosives that the police, swat and special forces use to this day. Glock handguns, Remington Rifles, Heckler & Koch sub machine guns and more. Why don't you have this game yet!? | video-games_xbox |
Parrying defect ruins games. Let me start by saying that I first got into videogames because of boxing games and have played almost everyone ever produced. That being said, I felt last year's version of Fight Night was awesome. The only weaknesses were that you could not clinch and also that you stopped on a dime when you punched or blocked. Hearing that those problems were fixed, I assumed that this version would be the ultimate boxing game. Well I was wrong. Like a previous reviewer said, why could they not have left well enough alone. My main problem with the game is: Parrying
In the old version, when you parried a punch, your opponents hands slipped upward leaving a very slight opening. It worked very well. In this years version, when you parry a punch, your opponent (or you if you are parried) literally drops his gloves and bends over exposing his face for a good second or two. It is literally like a dog gasping for air. At first I thought this was a defect in the game, but as I played I found out this literally was the parried punch reaction. So when you get into exchanges, you can expect at least one or two times an exchange to drop your hands and stick your face out. It is totally unrealistic and incredibly frustrating as you cannot prevent someone from parrying your punch (it is a defensive skill) and you cannot prevent yourself from being hit as your arms drop to your sides. I am amazed that they let this defect (and it is a defect) go through. It completely ruins the flow of the game. Whoever was responsible for the parrying effect ruined the work of all the other developers and much of the rest of the game is quite good.
My only other problem was the limited number of camera angles. There is NO long range camera so you cannot see the entire ring while you box. This is also a huge oversight as I like to see all the ring when I box.
So, despite the great reviews by mags and site, take it from a true fan that this game is actually an inferior game then last year's version (which I will continue to play simply due to the parrying defect). | video-games_xbox |
Very nice work and sweet graphics scheme. Very nice work and sweet graphics scheme. Looks identical to the original controller (aside from the obvious colors) except for a small LED near the charging port to let you know it is on/settings are changed/etc and the little button on the back to the right grip used to turn on and off the settings as well as make changes to the settings.
If there was one thing to criticize, it would be the instructions. They are a bit lacking in the write up and could do with a little more explanation. But as you use it, they start to make sense.
Looking at the instructions I thought it only came with Akimbo Rapid Fire, Mimic Fire, Quick Scope, Sniper Breath, Quick Aim, Rapid Fire (22 sps), Rapid Fire (16 sps), Rapid Fire (20 sps), Jitter (good for burst weapons), and Burst/Auto Burst Fire. It looked like the inside was random add ons I *could* have ordered,but accidentally playing around a bit too much with the settings, I discovered I had most of the add-ons too, like Jump Shot & Drop Shot.
I had planned on ordering a modded controller from BestBuy that came with a dongle to change settings and run to the system, but that was over $200. This was maybe $20 more than a regular wireless controller and had all the same stuff.
So if you are one of those gamers who just have issues getting that rapid trigger pull when it comes to pistols or semi-auto rifles, this things helps you BIG TIME. I also never noticed the number of people using modded controllers until I got one and noticed how it worked. Now, I see them in every match. Titanfall, Star Wars Baattlefront, Battlefield 4, COD, etc. Name the FPS and they are there.
The information sheet does tell you that rechargeable battery packs could cause issues with the mods, but I have no experienced any issues personally. I just keep my Insignia 2 battery charger pluged into my xBox One so there are always 2 fresh ones nearby.
EDIT: I had a very minor issue that required contacting the seller. Their response was very professional and we got the issue squared away quickly. Thank you. | video-games_xbox |
Spider-Man, you're AMAZING. I don't care what anyone says. The Spider-Man film reboots are a good thing. Why? We get new Spidey movies and GAMES. You know the free roaming games? I'll start off saying I am a huge Spider Man fan. He is my favorite super hero. I've played almost all of the Spider-Man games you can imagine.
This movie tie-in does several things right and only a few wrong. Unlike previous Beenox Spider-Man games this one is NOT linear. I still had a great time, like Spider-Man 2 on the Xbox, just web slinging around the city. The graphics were absolutely GORGEOUS. The voice acting was solid and the story just as good. Combat was pretty good. The web rush was a nice touch just like the stealth take downs. Side missions were fun but did get repetitive. Length was pretty average but the ride was great while it lasted. This game shines at adding sweet little details. Such as collecting comic pages around the city to get actual comics to read, "New York City Thoughts" in the loading screen, innovative ways to unlock new Spidey suits, and people responding to your web-swinging.
Glitches were few and far between. Some of the boss battles were kind of annoying to me. Some were grand. What I don't get is how Spider Man can take NO damage free-falling from a skyscraper? Huh. I guess that it's a super hero thing, we wouldn't understand. This game wasn't exactly what its predecessors were such as "Spider Man 2" and "Spider Man 3". You didn't feel quite as free but the free-roam WAS there. Many people criticized how the web slinging controls were laid out. I'll admit it is different but if just play it like you played the games, "hold RT then press A then hold RT and THEN tap LT", then it doesn't feel that different, but if you just hold RT then it gets annoying as Spidey will do it all for you.
The Amazing Spider-Man was just a good "movie" game just as the one's based off Raimi's were. Great game to pass time and have fun. So, in my eyes, this Spidey game gets 4 out of 5 radioactive spiders. | video-games_xbox |
Surpassed my expectations. I have driven over 900 miles in this game(More than enough to give a helpful review about it). I don't write reviews(This would be my first) but I felt compelled to write one simply for the amount of fun that you'll have playing this. From previous reviews you already get the idea that the majority have enjoyed playing it very much. I've have briefly played this game with the regular 360 controller which is fine and easy to get used to the controls. But, I highly recommend playing this with Logitech DriveFX Wheel and the Playseats Evolution Gaming Seat in the hood view or drivers view. This combination (if you can afford it) increases the fun factor tremendously. It can be a little frustrating when initially playing the game with the wheel but when you get used to the control(the wheel sensitivity can be adjusted in the game also), you don't want to go back to playing this with just the controller. When you get a chance to unlock the (Full) Pikes Peak Hill Climb(One of the last tiers) and purchase and drive the Celica GT 800hp+ 1100tq+ Monster, it is simply amazing! The speed with this car is ridiculously fast. Be prepared to reset after crashing often before getting the hang of it. (Note for all those with a lead foot). Braking/E-braking will be required! The graphics of course are beautiful. The sound effects really adds to the overall experience. (Unless you are just using TV speakers and not a 5.1 system) Game difficulty is selectable before each race so for beginners, selecting (Rookie) difficulty can allow you to get 1st place quite often which will allow you to unlock courses much faster. I tend to focus on Rally, Rallycross, Hill Climb races. A lot of the rally courses available have very technical sharp corners which can give you a good workout with the wheel. I had to put a fan next to my seat just to cool me off when I was racing. I did not intend to write this much about the game. The fun that you will have playing this will definitely make you want to add this to your collection. Go out and buy it already! | video-games_xbox |
Very High Quality for the Price Point. Let me start off my review saying that I am typically a PC gamer and I have a fancy shmancy 7.1 surround sound headset for my PC so I'm all spoiled when it comes to my on ear gaming audio. That being said this is the second best headset that I have ever owned, and I'm picky about my headsets.
I got this headset because a lot of my friends game on the Xbox One and the small headset that came with the console was just not cutting it for me. I bought a pair of Turtle Beaches a few years back for my XB360 and they were solid, nothing special but I was satisfied with the quality. The build quality of the XO One is very solid and sturdy and I never worry about breaking/bending them the wrong way. They are very comfortable to wear and my head has a tendency to get hot when wearing headsets for extended periods of time and the XO Ones did not give me any trouble there. I have a very large head but the adjust-ability of this headset allows me to wear it comfortably. The headset is considered "on ear" but when I wear them my ears fit entirely in the ear cups comfortably, which is a good thing to me! (maybe I just have small ears?) The sound quality is in my opinion spectacular for a pair of stereo headphones. The soundstage is some of the best I have ever heard on a pair of non-surround sound headphones. The amplified bass sounds excellent with games (explosions, gunfire) but the headphones play quieter sounds (footsteps) effectively as well. This allows you the edge in hearing footsteps and the like that you expect when playing games competitively, but also effectively letting you feel like you're in a Michael Bay movie with loud, booming sounds. The mic quality is excellent for in game chat. A friend of mine who I play with also owns this headset and I never have any trouble hearing him and the voice quality is crystal clear. He also wears these when he occasionally streams and the voice quality is really good over stream, but he just streams casually. (I would not recommend this for someone who is capturing voice audio professionally obviously). The fact that the mic is easily removable is nice, because it allows this headset to be able to quickly converted into a standard pair of headphones. The audio controller is nice and allows for easy volume control, not much else to say about that.
This is an excellent headset for the price and really does not seem like an entry level sub $100 headset. Probably one of the best headsets for your dollar for an XBox One owner. | video-games_xbox |
Fantastic Game. Pros:
+Astonishing graphics
+Even better music score
+Well performed voice actors
+A well told story that spans four discs
Cons:
-Load times are long and frequent
-There's some slowdown to deal with
Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator and producer of the Final Fantasy series, left Square-Enix and formed Mistwalker along with several of the staff members who made the Final Fantasy series. Their first effort, Blue Dragon, was, for the most part, a decent RPG but not what you'd expect from the man who brought you Final Fantasy. Lost Odyssey is a much better effort than Blue Dragon. From the creators of Final Fantasy comes another sprawling epic that's far better than Blue Dragon could ever hope to be.
If there's one thing Mistwalker has solidified themselves in doing, it's the ability to make a beautiful game with some decent production values. The story of Lost Odyssey centers on Kaim. An immortal who has lost his memory. As the game progresses, you learn more about Kaim and who he was. In spite of having several overly done moments, Lost Odyssey doesn't feature a bad storyline at all. Much of it is well written, the dialog well spoken and acted by their voice cast. Even better is that there are a lot of emotional moments going on that make the game a thrill to play. While there isn't anything too stark about the story itself, the characters are likeable enough to keep you going. And they should be. This game spans four discs.
Lost Odyssey doesn't do a whole lot to separate itself from a lot of JRPGs. It has a few good elements to it, but in truth, this is really just your average turned based battle system. There are a few tidbits to separate it from other JRPGs, however. Such as placing your characters in the front or back row. While Final Fantasy has already done this, Lost Odyssey puts much more emphasis on this. There's a guard gauge you must keep an eye on, and once it runs out you'll take much more damage from attacks. Learning skills is also somewhat different. Kaim, like other characters who will join you, is immortal. Immortals can, however, learn abilities from their mortal allies by battling with them in combat.
There are also attack rings. When a character attacks you can hold the right trigger and then release at the right time to do extra damage. While it doesn't really add much of anything to the combat, it keeps you focused. Combat isn't too hard to learn. Neither is the rest of the game. In fact, Lost Odyssey plays pretty much like a standard RPG.
Lost Odyssey looks absolutely beautiful, though. Helped along, of course, by a well told story. The characters and environments are absolutely beautiful. To compliment all this, the music score is astonishing. Done by former Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu The voice acting is also pretty good. If there was anything that might keep the game's production values down, it might be that it just doesn't run all that smoothly. Blue Dragon suffered similar problems. While the slowdown people may not mind, the frequent and somewhat long loading times might be problematic.
In short, Lost Odyssey is so far the best JRPG you can get on the XBOX360 at the moment. It's deep emotional story and focus on its characters make it a more memorable RPG. While it suffers briefly in the technical department, it's certainly not a bad game by any means. JRPG fans should definitely pick up. | video-games_xbox |
Too Much Expectations for anyone. So after playing this for about a month now and I have to say, I was a bit skeptical about the game, even being a veteran of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, X-2, and 11. I've been reading reviews about it from various websites, stating that this might not be open for the public or the fandom of the Final Fantasy series, so I bit the bullet and got a copy of the game for the Xbox 360. Let me do a rundown of what I think of the game in categories.
GAMEPLAY:
I can tell Square-Enix was trying something new here. The new system they have made is quite "different", if I had to say anything, from all of the other games. It does take a little while to get used to it, but after you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature to play. I do frown on Square-Enix on making you not able to control all of your characters in battle, and having most of the battles take almost forever to complete (and I'm not talking about boss battles). I really do like the new Crystarium system. It really does feel like the Sphere System from Final Fantasy X, but a bit more tedious to level up. Instead of gaining levels to move your pointer and use a sphere to level up a certain stat, you have to collect Crystal Points to progress to the next stat upgrade (HP, Strength, Magic or Abilities). At first, it's very easy to level up, but as you get farther into the game, it gets even harder to level up your characters' stats when you only get about 120 CP per battle (depending on who you fight). I also really like how you don't require MP anymore while casting spells. Now that's a big improvement in difficulty in my book. Another really great thing about gameplay is when you finish a battle, you are fully restored to full HP on everyone. I give this section a:
4/5
GRAPHICS
Now where do I start with this? Oh, how about how amazingly stunning and realistic cut-scenes are. It makes me really happy how Square-Enix made the facial movements look so "real". It makes it seem like I could reach out and touch their faces while watching it on my HDTV. It sure does make me surprised that even though I play it on the Xbox 360, which isn't as graphically prowest than the PS3, it still looks spectacular. I really do give kudos to Square for such a fantastic job with the graphics. If I knew someone with a PS3 and likes the game, I'll see about comparing the 360 version with that and see if I notice a difference. I give this section a:
5/5
STORY
Square-Enix has been well known for their unique ways of writing down a script for a game's story, but this one might not cut it for me. I started out playing the game, trying all I can to get into the story and after about 5-10 hours of gameplay, I'm still confused, but a friend of mine who got a little big farther than I did said that I should read the Entry Logs in the Character Menu. After I read everything in the Data Log, everything thing made more sense now, but later on, more questions came into mind and I got confused with the story again! I bet if someone was a bit more patient with the story, they would be more intertwined with the game's main plot, but I wasn't. Maybe you could be... I give this section a:
3/5
CHARACTERS:
Lighting was bitchy at the start, Snow is a bad-ass, Vanelle sounds like a porn-star with her moans are groans, Hope is a whiny bitch, Sazh is pretty cool for being a black guy and having a Chocobo chick in his affro, and Fang is just about as awesome as Snow and is a female. That's all I'm gonna say. I give this section a:
4/5
OVERALL:
4/5
The game is different and hard to get used to, but it's not like Square-Enix is gonna do the same thing for the last 13 games, right? You all have to understand, every Final Fantasy game introduced something new... | video-games_xbox |
Great Game. This game is fun, one of the best. High quality graphics, good gameplay.
Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk,
I'm a woman's man: no time to talk.
Music loud and women warm, I've been kicked around
Since I was born.
And now it's all right. It's OK.
And you may look the other way.
We can try to understand
The New York Times' effect on man.
Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother,
You're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Feel the city breakin' and everybody shakin',
And we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive.
Well now, I get low and I get high,
And if I can't get either, I really try.
Got the wings of heaven on my shoes.
I'm a dancin' man and I just can't lose.
You know it's all right. It's OK.
I'll live to see another day.
We can try to understand
The New York Times' effect on man.
Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother,
You're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Feel the city breakin' and everybody shakin',
And we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive.
Life goin' nowhere. Somebody help me.
Somebody help me, yeah.
Life goin' nowhere. Somebody help me, yeah.
Stayin' alive.
Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk,
I'm a woman's man: no time to talk.
Music loud and women warm,
I've been kicked around since I was born.
And now it's all right. It's OK.
And you may look the other way.
We can try to understand
The New York Times' effect on man.
Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother,
You're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Feel the city breakin' and everybody shakin',
And we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive.
Life goin' nowhere. Somebody help me.
Somebody help me, yeah.
Life goin' nowhere. Somebody help me, yeah.
I'm stayin' alive.
Life goin' nowhere. Somebody help me.
Somebody help me, yeah.
Life goin' nowhere. Somebody help me, yeah.
I'm stayin' alive.
Life goin' nowhere. Somebody help me.
Somebody help me, yeah.
Life goin' nowhere. Somebody help me, yeah.
I'm stayin' alive.
Life goin' nowhere. Somebody help me.
Somebody help me, yeah.
Life goin' nowhere. Somebody help me, yeah.
I'm stayin' alive. | video-games_xbox |
Only for the diehard Ferrari fan. I was desperately hoping this game would be one of those under the radar titles that turns out to be way better than anything might suggest.
Instead we're presented with an ambitious idea, that falls way short of what it could been. It's a shame because there are plenty of things the game does right, that are lost in what it does wrong.
Let me start off by saying that this game is difficult. Several other reviews have made mention that even on easy, they are struggling to get through the game. I opted to play the game through on hard difficulty. It is challenging to say the least. The real meat of the game is the campaign mode where the game is broken down into 3 different segments: Golden Era, Silver Era, and Modern Era. The Golden and Silver eras have 10 missions in each, and each mission has a different number of events that one must complete. The Modern Era has 15 missions instead of 10. It's a simple idea. However, where the problem comes in, is that the developers made it so you cannot skip around to different missions or different events in missions. You have to go through each one to unlock the next. In the Golden Era, you have the opening mission, no other mission is unlocked. You can only access the first event. Upon completing the main objective, the second event then unlocks. So you must play each event while successfully completing the main objective in order to unlock the next mission. It's tedious and unfortunate they chose to create the game in such a manner. About the only freedom one has, is that they can go into any era they would like. You do not have to start out with Golden, and then beat that in order to progress to Silver. While it might not sound particularly bad, the bulk of the tracks and cars in time trial mode are locked, and the only way to unlock them is by beating the Campaign mode. For anyone hoping to use classic cars such as the 1979 Ferrari F1 car right out of the gate, you will be disappointed. Not until you complete the mission and all the events in the Silver Era where the car is, will it be unlocked.
Now, if this game were easier, it's possible this could have been overlooked to a degree. The game has little flow in terms of difficulty. Some events are easy even on hard, others are brutal and enough to induce rage in the most calm gamers. The problem with the difficult arises mostly in the time trial events. After speaking to several others who have this game, we seem to have reached a general consensus that the time trial events are the absolute worst thing in this game. On hard difficulty, there were some time trials I did think were able to even be completed. You have to be capable of pulling qualifying pole position laps, lap after lap, much in the way Michael Schumacher did in his prime with the Ferrari F1 team. You also have to cut corners without having your lap time disallowed, as I cannot find any conceivable way of beating certain time trial times on hard without cutting corners. Some times are not too difficult, but if you are trying to reach the Legend rank, it appears that every main and bonus objective will need to be beaten. The bonus objectives tend to be where the more difficult times are. While beating the bonus objective times may not be of importance to those who do play the game, for anyone seeking to get the full 1000 gamer score will find it essential. On the other side of the coin, when events are actual races, these are incredibly easy for the most part. The only difficult aspect of races is avoiding the AI cars. Any contact with them whether your fault, or their fault, results in your car likely spinning off the track. It's easy to find yourself constantly restarting races because of contact early on that throws the pace off. Once you get past the AI cars, the race turns into a joke. They aren't capable of keeping up at all save for a few races where they appear to learn to race just for that event. That's not the norm. In one Modern era event on the Imola 1981 circuit, I found myself in a 10 lap race, lapping half the field before the final lap. The difficulty is probably the biggest drawback from this game, and is not for those who are just ok at racing games.
The controls are another issue. The handling can be downright awful. Certain cars can be incredibly twitchy. Too much back and forth to try to straighten a car out can cause a loss of grip with the track, and you'll find yourself smashing into walls/barriers/other cars. Most of this has to do with the car physics themselves. Some cars actually do feel like they have weight when you drive them. Other cars give a sense of weightlessness when driving them. If you learn to be smooth with turning the cars, it becomes easier to have better control over the cars. Do not expect Forza 4, or Gran Turismo 5 handling with a lot of the cars, more in the case of the older cars. From what I can tell though, the cars as they get newer do begin to handle much better. If you stick with the game, you'll likely develop a great feel for what you can, and cannot do with the cars. I found one of the tricks with the earlier cars is to get them to slide through turns as it makes it easier to handle them. The other trick is to learn to turn in on corners early because there are a lot of corners that can be taken much faster than you may think, but it is all dependent on turning in at the right time. The earlier versions of Monza are a great example. With some of the Golden era cars, I found if I turned into the Curva Grande at the right time, I was able to add 20+ KPH to the car speed through the corner. When you can find 20-30 more KPH on corners, it makes a huge difference in the time trial times you will set.
The graphics are a bit disappointing. They would have been acceptable around 2007, maybe 2008 at the latest. I have found pop-up to occur on certain tracks when you look into the distance. In 2012, there is no reason for pop-up in racing games. I lived with it in Gran Turismo 2 in 1999 on the PS1 when console hardware was not capable of what it is now. I expect a bit more from my games on the graphics front nowadays. The tracks themselves do not have the "pop" that you get from Forza 4. They are rather sterile in comparison. But this has more to do with the dated graphics than anything. The car models themselves are actually nice, still not up to Forza 4, or even Forza 3 levels, but it seems to be where the bulk of graphical development focus was spent. All Ferrari cars do have interior cockpit views, which is actually a nice touch. I enjoyed seeing it more for the F1 cars than anything.
If you like the sound of Ferrari engines, you'll enjoy the sound of the game. If you are expecting anything beyond engine sounds, such as an actual music soundtrack, you will be disappointed. There is no soundtrack for this game. The only "soundtrack" are the sounds of the engines. For me, I have absolutely no issue with this because Ferrari cars are known for their distinctive engine sounds. In other racing games that use real world cars, I turn the music off just to listen to the engine.
One of the things I do like about this game are the inclusion of certain tracks that to my knowledge have never been included in a regular console racing game. I know all of the tracks in the game do appear in the PC racing sim rFactor. For anyone who has played rFactor, the included tracks won't hold much value. For others, they may. The inclusion of the Imola circuit as it existed from 1981 till the deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger in 1994, is fantastic. I absolutely adored Imola in those days. I was never a fan of of the redesign that took out the Tamburello Corner, and reworked both the Variante Bassa and the Acqua Minerali chicanes. While I would have much more enjoyed the original 14KM Spa Francorchamps circuit, we get the 1980 version, which includes the Bus Stop chicane, as well as a lot of missing parking lot-sized runoff areas. Spa is always a fantastic track for everyone. The old Hockenheimring is here with the long straights through the forests. One of the more curious additions was of Rouen-Les-Essarts. It was the host for F1 back in the 1950s and 1960s, and it wasn't a track I would have expected to see in a modern racing video game simply because F1 last raced there in 1968. It's actually a fun track because of the elevation changes involved. Overall, while I do like some of the tracks included, there is not enough variety in this game. During the Campaign, racing the same few tracks over, and over again, in an Era grows very repetitive. The developers could, and should have added more tracks to this game. It's amazing that so many racing game developers make the mistake of not adding a lot of tracks to their games. The worst thing you can do is cause a game to feel repetitive due to a lack of track selection. There are more than enough cars in the game, but not enough tracks.
What is my final verdict on this game?
The truth about this game is it is geared mostly towards the tifosi (diehard Ferrari fans) who bleed Ferrari. It's not worth buying for more than $19.99, and even at that it may not be a good bargain if you are not able to handle the difficult level of this game. I actually have had some fun with the game, so that's why I rated it 2 stars. The other reason is because as a huge F1 fan, getting to drive the F1 cars such as the 312 F1-67, 312 T4, F1-87, and the F1-90 were actually a lot of fun. The F1 cars actually do handle much better than a lot of the cars in the game, and have a fantastic sense of speed. I was rather disappointed that for some inexplicable reason, they did not include the Ferrari F2004 in the game. The F2004 was the fastest F1 car Ferrari ever built, and absolutely dominated the 2004 season, yet they did not put it in the game. Beyond that, it's a niche game for a niche audience. If you aren't sure about the game, either rent it if possible, or wait till the price drops. If you still are not sure, ask yourself how hard you want to work at a video game. If you want to just put a game in and play it without too much frustration, avoid this game. If you absolutely need a challenge, then consider playing this game. As mentioned earlier, it's a good concept for a game, that unfortunately has just enough wrong with it that keeps it from being a good racing title.
For the achievement hunters: This game is not an easy 1000/1000. The achievement list is straightforward, but the difficulty can be such that it may deter you from ever finishing the game. | video-games_xbox |
Good Quality Headset (2+ years. As you may have gathered from my title, I have proudly worn this headset, specifically the Turtle Beach Ear-Force X1 model, for over two years. I bought them from the floor in a local Gamestop (60$) with little-to-no experience at all (Regarding headset purchases. This was my first one.), and was greatly rewarded.
Here I will list some simple points to state both others' experiences, then my own.
Known popular issues:
- Radio playing through headset.
- On multiple reviews, I have read that people have heard the radio playing over chat connections across all systems (particularly X-Box 360 LIVE) and in different scenarios, it would be either the people on the other end of the line, or the headset-bearer, but never both.
- Buzzing noize going through microphone. (Xbox LIVE.)
- Wire breaking free.
- The one cable that everything goes through (USB-power, 3.5 MM PC chat connector, 3.5MM audio connector, XBL-Chat cable) has a history of 'falling out' of the headset all-together.
- Ear piece falling off.
- The tiny piece of plastic that the ear cups rotate on; apparently some people have issues with that spontaneously cracking off too. Rendering the ear piece; loose.
- Weight
- "Oh it's so heavy, I feel like my head is going to fall off." So people say.
My Issues:
- Radio issue. (X-Box LIVE)
- Only one single time; out of my two + years of owning this headset, someone claimed that every time I spoke, they heard the radio bleeding through with my voice.
- Buzzing Issue. (X-Box LIVE)
- This was actually the fault of my xbox 360 charging kit. Whenever I would use it, the headset would buzz; regardless of if I used the X1, or any others.
I have not had any physical issues with this headset. My ear-pieces are 100% intact. My wire has stayed put; though there is a story to that. (When I heard of people claiming that it just falls out, I super-glued my cable to the inside of the headset; never had an issue.)
Though I might say, I have worn it so-much, I am literally wearing away the surfaces of the ear-cups. They have a cool leathery-finish which makes them super-comfortable, and I can now see through them due to their constant use.
I have not had weight issues either. I can wear this thing literally all-day-long. (Trust me, I've done it; many times.) I forget it's there sometimes, and I'll go walking off. Walking off, let me tell you something. This thing comes with a whopping 16-foot long cable. I can go all the way out to my living room, sit down, and go back to the computer in the back-bedroom; never having to take the thing off my head. Some people may say having a cable this long is a nuisance; I see no such problem.
See, I utilized a small hook; drilling it into the wall. With that, I utilize this headset as a 'stay-in-one-place' model, and wrap up my excess cable. Not only that, but it acts as a convenient pivot so I do not trip over wires on the floor. (I recommend hooks in the wall; people!)
Finally, the audio quality is decent. I can hear virtual surround sound, can listen to base-pumping music, and can utilize the plugs available to talk on my xbox 360, my cell-phone, and my PC. While not the best available, it's good for it's price. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a decent headset; would that is, until Voyetra Turtle Beach released their next model. And the model after that.
This headset has served me well over the years, I am extremely glad to have purchased it; and it still has no faults.
However, the time to upgrade has come. If you would like to see the headset I am upgrading to, view this link: <a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Turtle-Beach-TBS-2214-Ear-Force-Z6A-Gaming-Headset-with-Multi-Speaker-5-1-Surround-Sound/dp/B0056L959K/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Turtle Beach TBS-2214 Ear Force Z6A Gaming Headset with Multi Speaker 5.1 Surround Sound</a> | video-games_xbox |
It was short, but a lot of fun! - PC / Windows version rated. Didn't find the PC / Windows version to rate on Amazon, so here it is under the X-Box360 version.
Fired this up this weekend and had the following experience. . .
PRO's:
+ mindless mayhem and nonstop explosions. oh yeah!
+ Felt like I was in the movie starship troopers
+ Nice wide array of weapons
+ Five classes to play and all are unique enough to feel like it is a different gameplay style needed
+ Read a review that said if playing solo, then go with Tactical class for the special ability to drop turrets. It helped a lot! Especially against flying enemy.
+ Nice smart AI squad members. Love it when they resurrect my character!
+ Once I started using missile launchers I preferred that over driving mech's, tanks and turrets.
+ Kids loved the game!
+ No profanity or bad sayings. It was about the gameplay not shock value. Further reason I was okay with my kids playing this.
+ Just a few easy controls to play this, not over complicated or too many choices to worry about each mission
+ Between missions you can change up your character's equipment
CON's:
- Finished entire game on Normal in 4hrs 10min (stat's window told me exactly)
- In order to unlock more of the weapons you need to start the missions over with your leveled character on Hard difficulty. Some missions on Normal I'd never die. On Hard I'd die 5-7 times and even my entire squad would die.
- Inferno can't be attempted till you get your character to level 7 or 8.
- tank driving sucked
- tank only happened in one mission
- Reviews of Earth Defense Force 2017 said you got to drive combat craft, hover bikes, etc. Unfortunately this was all on foot, unless I totally walked right past the helpful vehicles
OVERALL:
Battles are a bit repetitious, but the point is just to lay waste and do it with a different variety of gun each time.
If you want a few hours of mindlessly destroying things, then this is your game.
And you get to save the earth (or not. . .can't spoil the end) while blasting aliens and bugs to kingdom come | video-games_xbox |
Glitchy, Freezes, Unrealistic and Unpredictable. The physic algorithms are way off in this game.
Tee off on top of a hill during Amateur tour with the wind at my back and the drive will only go 150 yards into the rough before the fairway with the driver. Drove it 260 last hole. The next tee on a flat track I can drive it 250 with the wind blowing into the player.
When putting you have an option to preview the putt. The ball will show to roll straight but come up short by 1 square. I upped the putt by one square past the hole and over stroked the putt and it still came up short where the preview showed before I moved it. Happens all the time when putting.
Torrey Pines; 3rd hole; Par 3. Hovering arrow shows that with a 5 iron I'll be in the sand wind blowing 11 mph in my face. Hit with 5 iron, land pin high and end up OB on the other side of hole.
Ball is in the center of the fairway and preparing for the next shot. Preview arrow shows with a 7 iron the ball will end up in the sand. Move the arrow to the center of the fairway; Switch club to 4 iron. Verify my impact spot is centered. Swing Perfect. End up in the sand right where the 7 iron would have hit it without adjustment.
Hit a leaf and the ball drops straight down like the ball hit netting. Pins that are used for stat boost don't seem to apply the boost. Tee off with the wind blowing 3mph left to right and blows the ball into the second cut. Same conditions on the next hole and the ball doesn't move an inch off center.
The game is unpredictable and hard to play when the equipment and physics do not work correctly.
Installed the patch from EA before I played the game. It freezes at load and save screens and I have to restart the game. Patch was supposed to fix that according to online postings.
With the focus on the history of golf and the players that made this game what it is today this could have been the best golf game ever made. Instead this has to be the worst golf game I've ever played. | video-games_xbox |
Very fun game and still worth playing. My wife loved the first game so i bought Fable 2 for her but i found myself playing this more than her. I loved the story and my quest for vengance but in the end, your stuck with a hard 3 way decision on what to do and how to end the game. After the game ends, you can contiue to travel and look for the Legandary weapons and acheivements. Game is not that hard but you earn experience on every fight. The exp is uesed in different collors of orbs. Each colore would upgrade a different ability or power and their are stors that sell potions for that quick exp. You can max out your fire or choose to bring back more dead guys to help you fight. All you have to do is power up to the max that you got and unlease the power. The downside is that you can be attacked and so you have to be careful. Their are different types of enemies so its not that repetative.
There are side thing you can do like get married and recieve something nasty. You can buy houses and remodel them, raise a famliy or two in two different towns, purchase weapons and on some you can add a crystal type thing to boost you sword power. Their is plenty of money to be earned so buy as much protery as you can. Its not just for the game but for online trading. Trading you say... Their is an acheivements to collect all 7 Hero Dolls but some poeple will only sell them for 7-10 million. Crazy but if you go to xbox360acheivements you will be able to find people that are willing to trade. The other reason is to trade legendary weapons or items that someone needs to get an acheivements like unlocking all the Demon doors.
I think there have been 2 DLC's that have been release for the game and each with its own missions and new perks. Get your dog back if it died and the ablility to change the type of dog you have. Dalmation, Bloodhound, Husky or your old Mutt are the potions that the guy sels and there not that expensive.
The co-op play is terrible and you have to share the same screen. So if my and my wife wanted to play, the screen does not split. If me and my friend from another sate wanted to play, you still share the same screen wich means you both have to stay close together within view range. The online aspect is that if you wanted to trade with a friend, you will have to look for their orb. Its in the setting menue and you can see several orbs running around and poeple asking to trade for hero dolls or weapons. If you are trading with someone, you have to go up to the orb and trasfer certain items and the game will save after each trasfered item.
The game is really fun and i hope this help you in what you need to know | video-games_xbox |
I Know It's 50 Cent, But This Game Is Actually Good. This is one of those games that don't get the props that it should, all due to the protagonist and the some what ridiculous premise of the story. But putting aside the main character and the fact that he's rapping in some cartel infested town in the middle of who knows where, the game actually delivers an action pack that is hard not to like.
You follow the steps of 50 cent after money is owed to him, at your side, you can chose to have a side kick, which unlike many games out there, does not act like dumbed AI that gets in your cross hairs. The game's mechanics and playability are well balanced and I can honestly say I didn't get frustrated once throught out the campaing. You will encounter small challenges that are easy to acomplish, I won't spoil the game for you, so I'll move onto other aspects of the game.
Sound wise, the game is decent, the soundtrack playing on the background, as you would guess, is 50 Cent material, which is pretty good, and I'm not that big on rap. You will hear your sidekick say "fitty, over here!" time and time again, but, it wasn't irritating at all, it was actually helpful when you don't know where to go next, which wasn't the case very often. If you have a surround system, lower the sound effects and voice, so you can hear the rap music a bit louder; by default, the music is played at a subtle level, it doens't interfere with the game's other sound effects. But, I did find myself having the music louder, because I really enjoyed shooting fools to rap tunes.
Graphics are a mixed bag, 50 cent is ugly by default, so not much they could do there; backgrounds were a bit washed out and characters as well, but overall, the game looks surprisingly good.
Controls are perfect, you've got your standard aim down the sights and shoot, covering, blind shooting and CQC.
In conclusion, this is one of those shooters that are easy to pick up and enjoy for a quick gaming session; it is mindless fun (in a good way). If you still have doubts, rent it first, but I know you'll like it as much as I do and will end up buying it, like I did. Hope this helps | video-games_xbox |
A quick, objective review. I ordered these straight from Astro as the shipping time on Amazon was 3-5 weeks at the time (which is why I don't have a verified purchase next to this review).
Pros:
-Wireless tech is great, never cuts out and has a solid 25 ft. range
-Audio quality is top notch
-Build quality is very good, headset feels like it could take a drop or two and be fine
-Built-in battery is nice, I got nearly 10 hours of it between charges
Cons:
-The mic is pretty bad, but more on that below
-It is pretty expensive for what it is, and it's missing a few bells and whistles that the Turtle Beach headsets in the same price range have (although the audio quality and comfort level with the Astros is better than most of the TBs).
-It has 3 EQs built in, but nowhere in the paperwork or on their website does it say what they are. It sounds like they are 'normal', 'bass heavy', and 'treble heavy' but proper documentation sure would've been nice
Mic Issues: I thought that people on here and in the Astro forums were probably overstating how bad the mic quality is, but after trying it for myself, they're right, it's pretty terrible. The mic feels fine and the flip-to-mute works well, but the audio quality is just plain bad. It sounds very 'tinny' and distant. A friend of mine described it as the kind of audio you'd get in an old aviation headset. You can tell what's being said but it's very hollow and flat. Someone else on here described it as sounding very "compressed" and I think that's a fair assessment. It's really disappointing for that aspect of this headset to be lacking so much, particularly considering the price point.
Bottom Line: if you're buying this for mostly single-player gaming with little-to-no multiplayer with friends, it's probably worth the money. But if you primarily play multiplayer games, do the right thing for your friends that have to listen to you talk all the time and invest in a headset with a better mic. | video-games_xbox |
Decent Managing Baseball Game But It Does Have Its Flaws. Updated 2/26/09 -
I'm updating this review I think I have given it a bit too high of a score the more I play it the more I am thinking it should be 3 stars. I still think it could be 4 star quality if 2K were to come out with patches to fix the problems it has. If I had a choice between Out Of The Park Baseball or Baseball Mogul on the PC with this game on the console I would much rather play the pc version of OOTP Baseball or Baseball Mogul but this is what we have to work with for the console version I can only hope that 2K will make another one next year that is much better then this years version.
This game does have its flaws but I found it very enjoyable. Really is fun having the arbitration rules and the rule 5 draft implemented into the game. This game starts right after the 2008 World Series. First thing you will do is resign your current players and when you go into the payroll screen it will show you what players you have that are type A & B make sure to offer them arbitration so you will get compensation picks if they sign with another team. January 18th is when you put your amount offer for arbitration eligible players and you will find out if you won or lost your case threw email. After all of these processes are done you can pretty much sim it til spring training and then on to start your career. I really do recommend this game if you love stats and are into the arbitration rules & rule 5 this is definitely the game for you especially for the price of it.
The Good -
-Finally a baseball managing game for the console
-Arbitration Rules & Rule 5 Draft
-A long managing career
The Bad -
-Game menus could of been made better.
-It's hard really to know if you are in the lead in the bidding for a free agent you will get an email saying he got better offers most times he will already sign with another team when you get this email.
-AI can make some very very stupid trades ex: TB David Price for Carl Pavano..... but when a team wants to make a trade with you they look to rip you off as best they can.
-Pitchers ERA's seem very unrealistic I have played a few seasons and notice alot of pitcher's era's 6+ even only starting pitcher I had under 6 was Sabathia. My bullpen is a mess Rivera having a 7+ ERA very very unrealistic. A patch is certainly needed to fix this problem. I also noticed the problem with other teams national league seems to be a bit better but still have alot of pitchers with very high unrealistic era's.
Mixed Bag Good/Bad -
-Online franchise/fantasy league I found to be pretty enjoyable but you really need to have patience for it cause it takes about 2 minutes 30 seconds to 3 minutes for each person to load after you want to move on to the next day. | video-games_xbox |
Discless system impossible unless willing to pay 200-300 percent markup for downloads. I bought one of the first XBOX 360s that were made and I never regretted it. So, after 10 years which is about double any console lifecycle in history, I decided that it was time to get into next gen gaming. This bundle is a great value, if you are going to buy a XB1 and don't want to pay for Kinect then this is the way to go. So, I got my new system and downloaded Battlefield 4 and was a little shocked a game that came out over a year ago was still $60, crap. Well, it has a lot of extra content, so I downloaded and started to play. It is a awesome game and looks fantastic on the XB1. Initially I was pretty happy, but then I went into the online store and found two very large problems I now will be facing:
1) All of the best games have two versions: an overpriced version and an extremely overpriced version. If you buy the first version you are sure to get ripped off on the extra content because adding on later is extremely expensive. So now you have a dilemma, buy the game and pay a ton of money for any extra content that may come out after or wait until the 'Premium' version is released and wait some more for it to drop to a reasonable price.
2) Digital downloads are way more expensive than buying the disc, what the bleep? I wanted to download my content and not hassle with discs. I was getting some good deals on 360 games for downloads, but they don't exist for XB1. NBA 2K15 is out and the 2014 version is still $60, I can buy the disc for $20. Now I am sad and angry. This is beyond idiotic. On my 360 I was able to find good values on downloadable content, but on the XBOX I am being forced to buy back disc versions.
I would not recommend going to next gen at this time, not until this experiment in exploitation is over. If you prefer owning a disc, this won't be a problem, but for me it is one of the major things that I was wanting to move away from. Even if you buy the disc, DLC and the multiple versions will still be a problem.
EDIT: Looking more at the Online Market, it looks like Microsoft removes the option to buy many game without bundling. For example, you can't buy a Call of Duty Ghosts without buying a bunch add-ons. If you had the option to buy just the original game it would be offered at a decent price, but it looks like they don't want to give you that option. I am sure Ghosts must have been available at some point with just the base game, but now I don't see it. I am going to restrain myself from drop this down to one star out of anger. | video-games_xbox |
A shooter game with a bit of a brain (hey, that rhymed. Think of Star Wars Starfighter (or comparable game). Now, think of any arcade car-combat game (Twisted Metal, for instance). Now, think of a 3d RTS game (Battlezone style). This is the odd amalgamation that comprises Battle Engine Aquila. The basic setup of BEA is that you are piloting a prototype military vehicle called the Aquila. Aquila is designed to both fly like a jet and walk like a six-legged mech, and switch between either mode on the fly. Aquila is the newest weapon in a long-lasting war between two archipelago nations. The thing that separates this game from most other shooters is that, though you are an extremely powerful weapon of war, you are not the only one. Battles in Aquila are really battles. That is, it's not you vs. an army, it's an army vs. an army. You can literally stand back and watch the war go on (though you won't win this way). This game is designed so your job is not to win the war, but to fight in it.
Gameplay:
Gameplay in BEA is similiar to Jedi Starfighter, but you can walk too. You basically have a mission goal, be it invasion, defense or target elimination. All of the game's missions take place on either islands or over the sea (the world of BEA consists entirely of archipelagos, groups of small islands). At the beginning of a level, you are given a mission objective, choice of Battle Engine weapons layout (starting later in the game), and choice of wingmen. You are then let free to basically complete your mission as you see fit.
Throughout the battles, you are given a small map of the island with a two-color overlay to show you in real-time who controls what part of the island you're on (missions over the ocean have no map, since there's no land to control). This lends a bit of strategy to the fights, since you can always tell where the relatively safe or hostile areas are, as well as how close your side is to winning or losing the island. Herein lies one of the problems with this game, however: there's not enough strategy to make the game really all that much deeper than Starfighter (though, if you enjoyed that game, you'll probably like this one).
Your Aquila is fitted with three weapons, a shield and some armor. Your three weapons are usually a rapid-fire weapon, a more powerful but slower energy weapon, and a missile/bomb weapon. Ammo is refilled at designated pads, which can even sometimes be placed on larger flying ships. Your are protected by an energy shield, which only operates while you're walking, and serves as a measure of how long you can stay aloft while flying. In the air, you're only protected by your armor, which can be repaired at the aforementioned pads.
Enemies consist of infantry, tank-like vehicles, flying vehicles, and walkers similiar to you. There are also emplaced guns, factories and training facilities, and various other buildings. Infantry are more or less cannon fodder, though it is sometimes fun to see them fight other infantry. Tanks and walkers are the majority of the enemy force. Enemies come from either factories (or training facilities, in the case of infantry) or flying transports. This lends some credibility to the large size of enemy forces, since you can actually see where they're coming from.
Overall, BEA plays like a very basic RTS style game, though its focus is pretty much entirely on action. Basically, if you liked Starfighter, you'll probably like BEA. The difficulty level is either middling or difficult, depending on whether you're playing the regular missions or their harder equivalents. This is dictated not by an options setting, but how succesful you are at fulfilling your secondary objectives. Do them all, and you'll switch to the difficult missions. Leave one undone, and you'll stay in the regular mode.
Graphics:
Graphics in BEA are pretty much average. Terrain is somewhat fuzzy, but you're never close enough to see extreme detail, and since you'll spend much of your time flying you won't really notice it. The islands are small enough that you can see from one end to another in the air, with ocean stretching past the coasts to the horizon. The islands vary in topography; from soft, grassy, hilly terrain to volcanic mountains. Trees are plentiful, decent looking, and can be shot down (one of the better special effects is seeing trees being felled by a travelling missile). Water also looks good, and seeing the frames of ancient buildings sticking out of the ocean is a nice detail.
Models aren't extremely detailed, but look pretty good considering there have to be hundreds active at once with no slowdown. All the vehicles are animated well, if somewhat basically, with moving turrets and treads. Textures are pretty detailed, and the actual look of different vehicles differ greatly depending on what side they're on. Your side is blue mostly, with the enemy as red. This makes it easy to see who's on your side and who isn't, even when flying. The most impressive unit feature is scale. Buildings are believably big, and being able to land on a flying fortress, while its in the air, to refill ammo is pretty neat. One of my favorite tricks, in fact, is to actually land on a flying enemy transport and blast it to heck while I'm standing on it.
Lighting effects are basic, but not bad. There are some particle effects, but not many. Weapons effects aren't bad, though, and seeing two armies exchange fire can be pretty impressive. The only real problem with BEA's graphics, overall, is their general generic appearance. Nothing's really going to make you whince, but nothing's going to take your breath away.
Audio:
BEA's audio is okay. Weapons effects are generic, but work. Music is nondescript, but not annoying. Again, it's the scale of the battles that'll get you. Nothing here's really bad enough to stand out, though. Just all pretty "okay".
Overall:
If you like Starfighter, get BEA. It's better. Otherwise, get it if you can find it for $... You'll definitely enjoy yourself. | video-games_xbox |
Good features but not for everyone. There really is no way to see from reading a review how well this controller will work for you until you actually put in some time with it. A lot of reviews online about this controller will be sorta biased because the review will be based on that user's experience. so rather than try to give you reasons why you should or shouldn't buy this controller, i'm just gonna explain to you my experience and hopefully this will help you decide on whether or not to buy it.
the first and foremost thing i look for with new controllers is the ergonomics of the controller. it has to feel good in my hands. i have fairly large hands -- i wear size L gloves. the buttons of a controller have to be placed in positions that will allow my hand to move naturally when pressing each button. that's where the original xbox controller excels. i don't have to make any motions that don't feel natural when pressing any of the buttons.
i can't say the same for the razer onza. the thing that i noticed right away was the positions of the triggers. when i place my hand naturally on the controller, my pointing finger doesn't rest on the "sweet spot" of the triggers. they rest closer to the front of the controller. so when i press down on the trigger, i'm pressing down more with the inside of my pointing finger (the side closer to my middle finger) rather than pressing down with the center of my pointing finger. this doesn't feel comfortable for me.
the next thing that was most noticeable for me was the placement of the bumper buttons. there are a total of 4 bumper buttons on the controller -- LB and RB and the new LMFB and RMFB which are towards the front of the controller and are remappable. the LB and RB buttons are placed too close to the triggers for my taste. i found myself accidentally pressing them when trying to press down one of the triggers. and LMFB and RMFB feel kinda far away from the triggers. i almost have to reposition my hand on the controller to just press them. and the bumper buttons are really sensitive. in Black Ops, i constantly found myself trying to cook a nade and releasing too early or releasing a tomahawk before my aim was on point. the bumper buttons are also really close to each other. i found myself pressing RB when trying to press RMFB a lot. it takes some time getting used to.
the ability to change the resistance of the sticks is where this controller excels. you can pretty much make the sticks really stiff or really loose depending on how you like it. within 15-20 minutes of so i found just the right amount of resistance that allowed me to aim very well.
the d-pad also works well. the buttons on the d-pad are separated which makes it easier to accurately press the direction you want to. as one of the other reviewers stated it doesn't work well at all for fighting games though. you can tell that the d-pad was made for first person shooters.
the position of the back and start buttons also take some time getting used to. not a big deal. i got used to them after about 2 matches in black ops.
so overall, this contoller has some nice features but the ergonomics of the controller keeps me from using it to its full potential. the remappable buttons are a good idea so that players like me can use the tactical setup and still have access to the other buttons without having to take my thumbs off the sticks. the controller is really light and responsive (maybe a little too responsive). but the placement of the buttons just doesn't feel as comfortable for my hands as the regular xbox controller. it results in sometimes delayed reactions in games where split seconds usually count.
like i said, there's no way for you to see how well this controller will work for you until you actually try it. at $50 its not that bad to try it out. i'm gonna give this conroller a lil bit more time but i think i'll eventually go back to the regular xbox controller with my FPS freeks. | video-games_xbox |
Unable to get to work on PS3 and PC. Other annoyances as well. Unfortunately the PDP Afterglow Dolby Prismatic Wireless Headset looked like an interesting product, but for me at least failed in execution.
My first test was to check these out on my PS3. Though I was able to get the game and chat audio out OK once setup was complete, I was disappointed to hear intermittent buzzing/static. I was even more upset that I was totally unable to get the chat microphone set up to work with the PS3. The PS3 refused to recognize the headset base, so I was unable to select it under the Accessory Settings / Audio Device Settings menu option. I double checked the enclosed instructions and the PDP videos on their website, confirmed the wiring setup was correct, but still couldn't get the mic working. To make sure it wasn't the PS3 I disconnected this headset and plugged in my $40 <a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Turtle-Beach-PS3-Ear-Force-P11-Amplified-Stereo-Gaming-Headset/dp/B00E5UHSXI/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Turtle Beach PS3 Ear Force P11 Amplified Stereo Gaming Headset</a>; the PS3 immediately recognized the TB headset and they worked for chat as expected.
I then tried to get these to work on my Dell laptop running 64-bit Windows 7. For listening they work OK, but again I was unable to get the microphone to work at all.
In addition to the PS3 and PC troubles I have some other practical issues with the headset:
- Ability to adjust color is fun, but there should be a way to adjust the brightness and/or turn off the lighting altogether, because sometimes you don't want the glow.
- There should be an option to use the base unit without the large plastic hanger (used to hold the headphones on), but as of now the hanger is non-removable. Oh, and the hanger glows as well, VERY bright and not adjustable in color (blue only) or brightness.
- Buzzing and interference as noted above. Otherwise sound quality is OK for games but there seems to be a big dips in the midrange (1500Hz and 3000Jz) and a rolloff in the treble that makes these less suitable for music.
As noted at the top these were given to me for review, but if I had purchased them I would be returning them for a refund. Perhaps the set I got was defective, but even then this is very disappointing considering the premium price. | video-games_xbox |
I <3 "Dragon Age" (and Alistair . Bioware has sucked me in yet again ... as happened with <a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Mass-Effect/dp/B000OLXX86/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Mass Effect</a>, my husband got this game, and we ended up battling for the Xbox! I'm not a huge gamer, but I do enjoy good RPGs, and Bioware games ("Mass Effect" and the "Neverwinter Nights" PC games) have been my favorites.
The graphics were good (though I'm not uber-picky), though not near the level of "Mass Effect." The voice acting was top-notch, and the dialogue was excellent, as well. (I did miss the "Mass Effect" type of dialogue, though, where you'd pick a general option and then your PC would say something hilarious that reflected your choice.) Especially funny was the banter between various members of your party.
If you don't enjoy "talky" RPGs, then "Dragon Age" may not be for you. There's a LOT of chatter, and some of it is crucial to how your game turns out. I personally like it, but if you don't, then you might be bored.
The fighting was ... well, fighting. I don't play RPGs primarily for the action, and I don't have a lot of finesse in this area anyway. I generally run in, whale away on the baddies with my sword and hope for the best! If I don't get anywhere after a few tries, I turn the difficulty down or hand the controller to my husband. So I probably don't have a lot to say on this topic that is of interest to most serious gamers :) (If you're a non-serious gamer, then I'd keep the difficulty at "casual" or "normal.)
Like other Bioware RPGs, "Dragon Age" has romance storylines -- something frankly, I love. I think it adds a lot of human interest to the game. Alistair was an insanely swoon-worthy hero -- cute and goofy and funny and innocent, with a wonderful British accent to boot! Women also have their choice to romance Zevran, the elven assassin/Lothario, or Leliana, a red-haired bisexual rogue/bard. Guys can choose Leliana or Morrigan, a hot but very sharp-tongued mage. (Warning to others who have their hearts set on a certain ending: A LOT depends on some of the choices you make earlier in the game. If you really really want your game to end a certain way, you may want to check out online spoilers to ensure you make the "right" decisions, or else you may end up replaying a lot of your game!)
My complaints are very minor. I would have liked to see better hair for the characters -- I thought that was one area that was poorly done. And the epilogues were rather buggy; some of the ones I got reflected things that didn't happen in my game. | video-games_xbox |
Don't Let the Lights Go Out. Dying Light is made by the fine folks who created Dead Island and its sequel Dead Island Riptide. There are therefore many obvious similarities to the earlier generation titles and Dying Light, but most have been improved.
One again you are a first person character (not choosable this game) dropped into the fictional middle eastern city of Harran. You work for a shadowy group who may or may not have direct involvement in the current outbreak. You are quickly accepted by one of the local survivor groups and you soon find yourself doing tasks to help out and earn your keep. You are overall very weak to start but quickly develop skills, greater health, blueprints (lending the ability to craft new and better weapons) and most importantly better parkour skills.
Parkour is one of the two greatest differences this game has from its predecessors. Your ability to run jump and climb, while tricky at first, soon becomes as natural as running. I can say with confidence more so than in Mirror's Edge or Assassin's Creed mind you. And you'll be doing that a lot. Vehicles are missing in this game so your travails will be on foot across the large, varied and highly detailed game world.
This game is a looker, no doubt about it. It looks fabulous and never hiccups once no matter what you're doing or where you're going.
Taking a page from its' roots, this game focuses on hand to hand combat. You can go eight hours without once holding a gun. But that it isn't to say that you're naked and exposed. The game quickly ramps up weapons by adding special damage elements (fire, electricity, freezing), and other more novel weapons become available such as explosive throwing stars (yes, throwing stars -- seriously awesome).
The second large difference in the game is how light and dark play a huge role in the world. When night falls new enemies crop up and they are not your everyday shuffling type zombie. They are big and fast and instantly deadly and once they sniff you out they charge after you and won't stop hunting you at full speed until you're dead. Except for the light. There are safe zones (many of which need liberating a la Far Cry outposts), which are well lit and keep the big guys at bay. There are also various light weapons and traps that can be rigged and set off in the nick of time saving your life.
Death comes frequently in the game if you aren't lucky, and needless to say zombies aren't your only problem. As the story progresses and unravels, many other dilemmas come to fruition. The game is unflinching in its brutal story telling, which has climbed more than a notch above the Dead Island series. Co-op can lighten your burden and is highly entertaining with a friend. There are also many challenges to be found throughout the gameworld which are also fun but I found them to be somewhat inorganic. Still an interesting distraction.
If you are looking toward a worthy successor to the Dead Island franchise you need not look any further. Anyone who is a fan of that series will find themselves at home in an excellent next-gen apocalyptic experience and will fill any void you may feel waiting for the inevitable arrival of Dead Island 2. | video-games_xbox |
Experience the Pacific Theater with Brutality. After skipping the first Modern Warfare and buying the second version (Modern Warfare 2). MW2 was a total letdown for me. Mulitplayer is way too hectic (pavelows, boosters, commando sprinters, and campers take away alot of the fun, and action).
Then I remembered how much fun I had from Call of Duty 3 and noticed World at War was developed by Treyarch the same who made COD 3, so I thought i'd give it a try.
It is extremely violent, which is realistic. Blow off people's arms,legs,and thier heads. Blood will spray over the walls. The bayonet stab is greatly detailed- If you pull a sucessful stab in the chest of an enemy he'll have a giant hole with blood spraying and him trying to cover it, screaming in agony.
The campaign is great and semi-lengthy. It is also friendly with those who don't have internet with a very addicting game mode called 'Nazi Zombies'. Which will provide hours of fun. Plus if you can't handle the brutality of war turn it off in the options menu! It censors cussing, blood, and gore. Great for kids as well. It brings the rating from Mature to Teen.
Multiplayer is great!
Choose a game mode, complete challenges, level up, and unlock new guns and perks. Guns are equally powerful in thier own way.
Bolt Action Rifles- are slow, but really accurate and powerful. High Range.
Rifles- Single shot, moderate power, accuracy, and range.
Submachine guns- Fully automactic, moderate-low power, and close range.
Shotguns- Super strong in close quarters but fail in long distances. Absoulutely no wall penetration.
Machine Guns- Huge clips, high-low power, long to medium range.
Perks help make you, your guns, or your tank stronger.
BTW the flamethrower is not classified as a weapon but as a perk. It is unlocked at the last level. Low range but powerful. Also has unlimited fuel!
Make friends and play in private matches (no xp will be gained).
Overall this game packs a serious punch for those single and multiplayer people. You won't be disapointed, especially if you were let down by MW2 like me.
If anyone likes to play Online add me on Xbox Live. My Gamertag is:
Cobra9597
I'm not the best online but I don't play to win. I play to have fun.
I hope I helped make your decision easier! | video-games_xbox |
Bloody Spectacular. An excellent but much underrated launch title for the Xbox One. Not content with being a typical hack-n-slash game, Ryse takes you on a cinematic action adventure that delivers on graphics, high production values, and impressive creative design; and even some replay-ability through its Gladiator mode. I heartily recommend this game to any new Xbox One owner because you won't get an experience like this on any other platform.
The graphics are what did it for me. I purchased this as my first XB1 game and I was floored. The level of detail, the production value, and the creative design are all excellent. It felt like playing Gears of War for the first time back on the Xbox 360. Games like this are made for the console - it deserves to be played on a large HD screen with a booming sound system. The characters are large and vivid. The environments look great and you'll want to take a moment between the action sets to take in the visuals. When you pause for a second and see the sun reflect off of your sword or helmet, you'll see what I mean.
The sound design is equally impressive. All cinematic scenes are voice acted, and you can hear every cut, clang, and bashing of weapons throughout the game.
Throw away what you know about typical console action games. In Ryse, the combat is up-close and brutal. Every swing of your sword and deflection of your shield counts. The execution moves are gory and visceral. You have a basic attack, a strong attack, a parry, and various execution moves. The combat and fighting mechanics aren't incredibly-deep, but there's enough depth and variation of moves that will take time to learn and master. By comparison, I stopped playing overly complicated fighting/action games, because who really has the time to memorize overly long button sequences to get something out of a game [see: Street Fighter 4 Ultra Super Hyper edition, or whatever version they're up to now]. We're gaming, not coding here. The combat system in Ryse lets you pick up and play and enjoy the action with ease. And really, the more you play it, the more you'll find your rhythm and get better.
The campaign takes you through various settings in and around Rome, and lends itself well to showcasing the game's graphics [again, one of the game's high-points]. I felt the campaign had an appropriate length. You couldn't beat it in a single sitting, and it didn't drag on for too long. Although I think if they incorporated a Gladiator mode or a stage halfway through the campaign, that would've been a nice break from the main story line. There was also an interesting supporting cast [Vitallion was the coolest, IMO] to keep things entertaining and moving along. In addition to campaign mode, you get to romp through Gladiator mode where you level up and build on your gladiator [using a point system to increase health, and other attributes], and lets you pair up through matchmaking or playing co-op with a friend, or going solo. The game mechanics may get a bit repetitive, since you're using the same mechanics over and over, though I would argue this keeps the game grounded and avoids getting overly complex.
Overall, an excellent action / cinematic-adventure game that any Xbox One owner should have. Get it for the graphics, enjoy the gruesome and satisfying combat, then stick around for gladiator mode. A solid, epic run through ancient Rome that you'll want to see through to the end. Recommended. | video-games_xbox |
I love Halo and I've put thousands of hours into each . I've been a hardcore Halo player for a very long time, beginning my adventure with the very first Halo game, Halo: CE, for the original Xbox in 2001. I love Halo and I've put thousands of hours into each game (except for Halo 5).
After being disappointed by the story of Halo 5 (I personally don't mind the multiplayer), I decided to replay all of the main Halo games. I replayed Reach on the 360 (the controller is just so much more familiar for me to use with that game), and then replayed CE on my original Xbox with some wear and tear that barely works. After having Chief telling us that our Halo journey was just beginning, I decided it was time to pop in my disc of Halo 2. And at the end of the first cutscene it... froze. I restarted it, but nothing worked. Not even split screen multiplayer. Instead of buying a new copy of Halo 2 for my busted Xbox, I decided to get The Master Chief Collection.
After replaying Halo 2 and 3 with NO errors with updated graphics (or with Halo 3 just updated resolution) at 60FPS, I decided to check out the "broken" Multiplayer. It may have been broken in 2014, but now there are NO errors or bugs in it whatsoever. Not even very long waiting times. I had a lot of fun with the Slayer playlist and was pleasantly surprised with an Infection playlist. Not only that, but there are playlists for Halo CE, Halo 2, Halo 2A, Halo 3, and Halo 4. There isn't a playlist for Halo CEA, but who cares? As long as the original's there with Blood Gulch! There are also playlists for Oddball, BTB, Action Sack, Snipers, Doubles (ESPECIALLY had a lot of fun playing this with a friends), SWAT, Rumble Pit, and Hardcore. They also have Forge for Halo 2-4, and Custom Games.
Also you have to buy Halo 3 ODST separately as $5 DLC, but it's well worth it. And this comes with Halo Nightfall. It's probably the worst series I ever watched, but it's canon and it leaves time for TMM to download. When I finished it everything was done except for Halo 2 (I guess they do that last), so I messed around with the Forge and Multiplayer until it was done.
They have EVERYTHING I'd ever want, and there honestly isn't a SINGLE reason not to get this, unless you hate the Halo CE, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 3 ODST, AND the Halo 4 Campaigns and Multiplayers. Also did I mention you could switch from the Anniversary and original game engines with the tap of the Select button? As a long time Halo fan from 2001, this is honestly one of my best buys (see what I did there?) for Halo ever. Period. | video-games_xbox |
Final Fantasy in title only. This game looks gorgeous. I've seen it on Xbox and PS3. The differences are very small. If you own both systems obviously buy it for PS3, but there is nothing wrong with the Xbox version. Don't let the PS3 fanboys make you buy a PS3 for this disappointing purchase if you are an "old school" Final Fantasy fan like myself.
Don't expect a Final Fantasy game.
I kept waiting for the game to open up, by the time it did I was really bored to death with the game. Square totally missed the mark with this one. I read an interview with the developers where they claimed the idle controls of Final Fantasies past wouldn't transfer well int HD, the combat would seem to "boring." I'm not sure how going from SD to HD is a larger change then going from 2d to 3d...how embarrassing.
Combat:
Combat is almost fully automated. There is an auto-battle system that picks what the one character you can actually control will do. 95% of battles consist of pushing the A button 10-15 times. Battles are timed and rated (this isn't guitar hero?) There is no explanation as to why battles are timed and rated on a 5 star system. I assume it effects the crystal points you gain. The battle is real time (first flag not a final fantasy game) so if you do choose to do one of your other options (your choices in the actual battle screen are auto-battle, ability, item) you are getting pummeled while you try to read. If the one character you actually control dies, you must retry the battle.
RPG elements:
There is no leveling, no experience points. You are given a few classes to start out with, and then you spend your points you earn from your rushed battles to add a stat points. Your weapon and accessory seem to play a large part in your "build" at lowers at least. Grinding is pointless for the vast majority of the game, as you are restricted to what you can even add points into. Not until the end when you gain access to ALL trees, and at this point you are left feeble and forced to do hours of grinding once again vs 3 or 4 different types of monsters...boring once again! Money is almost worthless, and not even dropped by monsters. There is apparently an "upgrade" system, but no real elaboration on how to use it. I do know that it just upgrades your old items... /yawn
Plot:
The story is so random, rushed, lacking, unemotional it almost makes me want to cry. Where did the writers go? The story is what always put final fantasy over the top in my book. While the past few games have been lacking, this really is boring. Lightning isn't the kind of character you have any attachment to, and you are FORCED to play as her. Maybe something was lost in translation (remember the good nes/snes days, when only half the story was translated, and in poor Engrish?) There are no towns, no vendors, no one to talk to...if you enjoy no interaction or problem solving then you are in luck.
I'll update this review as I get further into the game. As it stands now Mass Effect and or Borderlands actually have FAR more rpg elements then Final Fantasy XIII. I just wanted to give a heads up to not go into this looking for a rich story line, engaging battle, and emotional attachment. This is nothing like Final Fantasy 6,7,8,9,10, and strays worlds farther from the jrpg formula then Final Fantasy 12.
Do get this game if you enjoy stunning graphics, pushing the A button a lot, being confused, and rushed. It is an average title at best. 0 replayability due to its 99% linear nature - it's a rental not a purchase - wish I had grabbed it via gamefly. | video-games_xbox |
Frustrating Amount of Enjoyment. Project Soul has done it again with Soul Calibur V. However, not exactly in the good way.
Being a long-time fan of the series (owning every game since II, having played I at a friend's house extensively--even owning III to everyone's reaction "There was a III?"), I love the game. The graphics look as good as ever, combat (despite everyone playing the same) is simple and fun.
Having played III and IV, I know the best and worst aspects of the character creation in the past. III, while it had more limitations, was purely better than IV because of the lack of stat-changes to armor pieces. Well, they brought this back, along with everything that worked in IV and then some.
Now, for the absolute first time in Soul Calibur, the story is engaging, full of dialogue-heavy "cutscenes," character interaction, and exposition that is beyond one or two lines of text. This is a blessing and a breath of fresh air for anyone who loves a good story.
However, it is just a taste.
Unfortunately, the story mode, 1607 A.D. only follows Sophetia's children, Patroklos and Pyrrha. While I have not beaten the story yet, and I am enjoying the hell out of it, I know I will be disappointed when it ends. I would have loved to have this level of plot and story with each character, even if their plots only revolved around the main. It kind of feels incomplete in that way, which is heartbreaking. Perhaps they will release more story mode options as DLC. Despite the obvious ripoff, I would still dish out for it.
Speaking of incomplete, let me discuss the "Cutscenes." Perhaps they ran out of time when making this game, but the "Cutscenes" appear to be concept artwork put to voice acting. While they are still engaging and enjoyable, it feels as though the company simply said, "Okay, we have all the voice acting, but we're out of money to make any cutscenes... Johnson, can you hand me those concept sketches you did? Yep, these'll do. Just use them." Again, it feel disappointing, but it could have been worse. At least we have the story at all.
Regardless, the game is good. I am a huge fan of the series, and this game's shortcomings will not stop that. If you are a fan, and are up for some great fun, despite a few instances of disappointment, pick up this game. For a newcomer, I'd suggest picking up your old PS2 and a copy III, or even playing IV first to see if you'd enjoy V. | video-games_xbox |
Live is Crystal Clear & Everything Else is Great Too. My specific application is to play a couple games, golf (The Golf Club Game, EA's) and Halo with extended friends/family. San Diego to San Francisco.
I had the Xbox 360 and was doing the whole evaluation of Xbone 1TB, PC or PS4. I was cool with buying any one, but have always gone with Xbox, and again... after all my research, I chose the Xbone. Actually bought two... one in San Diego and one in San Francisco. After a couple days use. I am finding it to be just a stellar system. [Although the exec. at Microsoft that allowed the Xbone to be manufactured with less than the best hardware ought to be fired! Oh ... he already was ...]
I've been playing with family in San Fran (me in San Diego) on Halo and Golf. And I have to say ... it is like everyone is in the same room! From the moment we turn on our Xbones, we start a Party chat (under "Party" on the main screen) and from there we seamlessly start chartering and go into Halo . . . still chattering away all through the game. Exit the game, and we are still chattering away.
We have been stunned at the clarity of the Xbox live chat on the new controllers. With the new controllers on both ends, it is better than any of our phones in the house! There is no delay . . . no echo . . . not even a TV echo in the background. Again . . . the best sound I've ever heard on any device we have . . . land line, Ipads, cell phones . . . Xbox Live wins.
I have a 70' Vizio Ultra TV and the Xbone looks great. The Golf Club Game looks Great. Halo looks great. The whole who has the best spec hardware is only a small part of the total equation. And quite frankly, all software publishers should optimize their software to run on PS4 and Xbone at 1080. It all is optimization for the console.
Halo plays with virtually no lag in multiplayer from San Diego to San Fran with crystal clear chat ... like you were in the same room.
Real happy with the purchase(s). Would buy again. | video-games_xbox |
Near perfect, with a few problems. To keep it simple, this is one of the most entertaining games that I've played. The gameplay, graphics, story, replay value, sound design, and overall fun are near perfect. That being said, it has a few minor flaws. Pro/con list.
PROS
- The graphics are great. Along with that, the island is beautiful.
- Generic controls, but there's nothing wrong with that because they work well.
- Sound effects from gunshots to tigers and from explosions to cars sound great although the actual quality doesn't feel as genuine/crisp as Skyrim's.
- The soundtrack is unique.
- The map is big and there's a lot to do--mindlessly wandering around the island is fun.
- I love how customizable the options are. You can add/remove enemy tagging, enemy visibility, auto-aim, customize your weapons, and so much more.
- The sneaking system works very well--I'm really glad that Ubisoft concentrated so much on the stealth aspect.
CONS (but more along the lines of suggestions)
- The "X" button is used to loot enemy bodies and pick up their weapons, so it can be aggravating when you have to slowly maneuver your way around an opponent just to loot them without taking their weapon.
- I'd like a "quick 180" feature to turn around faster. If there is one that I don't know about, disregard this. Same goes for using takedowns when hunting game.
- Your character is highly flammable. By this, I mean if you sprint over a small campfire, you will ignite in flames. You can craft flame retardant potions and become more flame-resistant, but it's like he sweats lighter fluid.
- The save system should be more similar to that of Skyrim's. It's simpler and gives the player more control and responsibility. It's not as "death-friendly," either.
Overall, an amazing game, definitely worth the price. Those are just a few additions/adjustments that I think most everyone could agree on for the next release--which I'll most likely purchase. | video-games_xbox |
Not EA's best offering. I do like this game, I really do but it seems as though there EA may have rushed this one to the stands. I'll do some pros and cons.
Pros
1. The game play is phenomenal. Very fluid, you have full control, but it still has that "out of control" kinda feel that makes hockey so fun. The deking is easy to use (difficult to master), shooting, passing, and what-have-you are reasonably ergonomic.
2. The new Be A Pro mode is awesome. Interviews and endorsements add some much needed depth.
3. The other game modes are pretty fun too.
4. As usual, the soundtrack is awesome.
5. I like that by playing regular modes, you earn EA pucks which you can then spend in the card game mode. This is an awesome way to play through various game modes, enjoy the game, and still be able to advance in the card game without having to actually play it. Warning: you can only get 2500 pucks at once. Redeem them and you start back at zero. I lost a couple hundred pucks that way.
6. The graphics are really good as usual.
7. The fighting engine is orders of magnitude better than the First Person mode of NHL 13.
Now for the cons
1. The AI in this game is stupid. Like literally the dumbest sports AI I've encountered in the 3D era of video gaming. I've seen teammates stand perfectly still while the puck slips between their legs. Defensemen (on my team anyway) will let just anyone blow by them and are often out of position. There's a glitch in Be A Pro where, during a line change, the guy who is supposed to be replacing you is stuck on the boards behind the goaltender. Errant passes make it look like the AI is passing it to your opponents half the time. When in your own zone, the team will toss the puck along the boards every-single-time. I've seen them toss the puck , have another teammate intercept it and then toss it right back to the other side. I've seen it happen 3-4 times in a row until the opponent gets it. They'll do it when there are no opponents around too (especially annoying on the power play when there are no opponents around for half the rink). It gets VERY irritating very quickly.
2. something like 50% of the time you lay a good, clean check on someone, it forces you to fight. I've been in 3-4 fights a game for most of my player's career. In my first season in the CHL, I got 688 penalty minutes. I'm not exaggerating. You cannot turn down these fights, either. I mean I get it if the player is injured or it's an illegal hit, but 9/10 of the time it's just a solid, clean hit. This is very, very annoying. It forces you (in be a pro mode) or some of your best players (in other modes) to sit in the penalty box for a good portion of the game. The worst part is there is a fight slider. At its lowest setting there are no fights period (even if you want to initiate one yourself, the game stops you), at it's medium setting, everything I describe above happens (constant fighting). There is a max setting above that I've never tried because, frankly, the middle settings are fight-ridden enough. EA needs to tweak these settings hardcore. Patrick Marleau doesn't fight 3 times in one game. My Be A Pro character is 5'9" and weighs 180lbs being matched up (against my will) against guys who are 6'3" 220. Stupid, stupid system.
3. The interview system in Be A Pro mode gets old fast. Eventually it just cycles the same questions over and over again and you learn which ones affect which like-ability meter. Within a season you can game the meters to be full 100s all the time (or 0s, whatever you prefer). Probably would've been nice to add another several dozen questions in there with varying answers so it's not tedious.
Overall, I like the game (3 stars means "it's okay" on Amazon) but the frequent bugs, the constant fighting (I've turned fighting off, can't stand the 688PIM seasons anymore), and half-hearted attempt at depth in some game modes prevent me from really loving it. Here's hoping this is just a "filler" game and they're really working on the Xbox One one next year and just rushed this one. I'd hate to see what happened this year become a trend. | video-games_xbox |
EA games your days of making crappy war games is over. I just got this game yesterday and I was impressed with the over all presentation. Sure it's no Halo 2 (comes out in less than 30 days) mind you, but it's not supposed to be. This is a very accurate vietnam war game. I myself own some of the weapons that are avalible in the game (Colt 1911, SKS, M14), and they all sound and reload the way they do in real life. The single player game and 2 player cooperative mode is very well done. The trees, voices, and best of all the explosios all have very nice touches added to them. Both the enemy and allied AI is good but not great. The soundtrack is another stong point for the game it consists of 60's and 70's music combined with a classic modern battle score. The developers 2015,were previously with EA games and made allied assualt. The first medal of honor on ps1 was a breakthrough in ww2 games, and at the time was created by dreamworks interactive. Electronic Arts being as greedy as they are bought the small development team and like their sports franchises tried to create a monopoly. MOH Allied Assault was a great game on the PC but it lacked what war was all about, blood and more importantly the attitudes of the men who fought it. MOH frontline was a scaled down version of allied assault for PS2 and was a direct port to XBOX, as was Rising Sun. These were both ok games, but they were lacking something. Men of Valor powered by the unreal engine improves the over concept of the first person war game genre and adds several new game features like the ablitily to bandage your self when you are bleeding, and being able to search dead bodies of both enemies and allies. If you do not use cover and tactics you will not last long, you are not a geniticaly engineered superhuman cyborg that can jump 10 feet in the air and then do a 180 in mid-air, while shooting some one in the head with a sniper rifle from 200+ meters, you are an average soldier with a small amount of health and average abilities. I have not played the online multi-player enough yet but the class based system should be interesting. If the game would have come out a few months earlier like it was supposed to it would recieve much more praise, but with Halo 2 on the horizon it will quickly be over shadowed, and it might not recieve the following that it deserves. | video-games_xbox |
Xbox One Bundle Comparison. There are now several Xbox One bundles to choose from over the holidays, and this Call of Duty bundle is a good option. But just in case another one will be a better match for you, here is a comparison with holiday price drops:
Xbox One, no Kinect: $349
- Barebones, nothing extra, not a great deal, don't get this one.
Xbox One with Kinect: $449
- Same as above, but includes Kinect. No other bonuses, don't get this bundle.
Xbox One Assassin's Creed Bundle, no Kinect: $349
- This includes both Assassin's Creed black flag (digital version), which is playable immediately after download, and Assassin's Creed Unity, which you can pre-download, but it is not playable until release date, which is still 1-2 weeks away. As you can see, this is the same price as the barebones XBO, but includes 2 free games, making it a pretty sweet deal if you don't care about the Kinect.
Xbox One Assassin's Creed Bundle, with Kinect: $449
- Same as other AC bundle above, but also includes Kinect. It also includes a free Kinect game: Dance Central Spotlight. The Kinect sells separately alone for $149 MSRP, so this is an *extremely* good bundle. The standard MSRP prices would put this value at $399 console + $149 Kinect + $30 AC Black Flag + $60 AC Unity + $20 Dance Central Spotlight = about $650 total. Even if you believe the separate prices are kind of inflated, or they go down further over time, still a great deal.
Xbox One Sunset Overdrive Bundle: $349
- This bundle does not include a Kinect, but includes the new Sunset Overdrive game for the same price as the barebones bundle. But what makes this one stand out is that both the console and controller are white, which is pretty cool. Color preferences are subjective, so you'll need to look at it and decide if this bundle is right for you, or if SO is the type of game you'll like. It is currently the only way to get a white XBO. If you really want the Kinect, you'll have to buy it separately for $149, which makes the deal less awesome. But if you don't care about Kinect and like the look of white, this is a great choice.
Xbox One Call of Duty Advanced Warfare Bundle: $449
- This bundle is priced the same as the normal Kinect bundle, but this one does not actually include the Kinect. Instead, that $100 premium gets you Call of Duty Advanced Warfare (digital version, not physical), a custom Call of Duty themed console and controller design, and a 1TB hard drive. This is the only way to currently get a 1TB hard drive, which to me is the biggest selling point of all. But again, if you want the Kinect, you'll have to buy it separately for $149 which makes it not as great of a deal. But that 1TB is great, and with how large full games are, will quickly become necessary. I'm hoping 1TB becomes a standard hard drive size very soon for this console, but for now, you'll have to get this bundle to get that extra space (or get a separate external drive).
Note: The included game is download only, no physical game disc is included. The game is HUGE so plan on starting it before you go to bed, so it will be done downloading and installed by morning. :)
After the last few system updates, the Xbox One has become an even better gaming/media device that I am still using and enjoying just about every day. So pick the bundle that works best for you and you won't be disappointed! | video-games_xbox |
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