text stringlengths 503 33.4k | labels stringclasses 23 values |
|---|---|
Graphics from 2008, gameplay from 1990. Yes, it's beautiful. Unfortunately, the beauty is a facade, the voice acting is mediocre, and the gameplay stinks.
Let's cover some of the basics:
- Huge world, no rapid travel. No teleports, vehicles, even transit animals. You have to walk everywhere, and it takes forever.
- Enjoy running around in the dark. A lot. Because everything is more fun when you can't see the traps and the enemies, to say nothing of where you're going! ... Or just turn up the gamma on your television and get on with the game.
- As other commenters have mentioned, the difference between one combo skill and another is holding versus pressing a button down. The game frequently misinterprets your actions.
- Someone apparently thought that allowing your crafting abilities to fail, destroying the items la FFXI, was wonderful and kept things interesting. Except that, here, there's not even the flimsy justification of "keeping the server economy stable" behind this incredibly stupid idea.
- The boss battles have strange objectives that are often unclear, and when there hasn't been a save point in a long time, the frequent deaths on these become especially punishing.
- Having to herd cats -- excuse me, party members -- in towns is a strange abstraction that only serves to make crafting, equipping items, and other mundane tasks annoying and excruciating.
- Your party members love to ignore you when you die, leading to game over more often than not. Nevermind that they have plenty of opportunity and resources to resurrect you: conservation is the game here, and you're obviously expendable. The fact that you get to watch them ignore you, before you truly have to restart from your last save two hours ago, makes this all the more frustrating.
- I suppose one of the conditions from Square as a publisher was that they needed a pretty (and oblivious) male main character, and several bouncy women with extraordinarily high-pitched voices. If that's what you look for in your JRPGs, look no further. | video-games_xbox |
Sad. Hoped for better. Unfortunately poor game. The graphics are decent, and some of the sounds are good, though I'm not too impressed with the music. Sadly that's about it for positives. It's supposed to be an arcade game. OK, fine. So get rid of the long delays getting from one section to another, particularly if you have to go back to reload. The biggest problem I have with it, though, as an arcade game, is the controls. It's very easy to overcontrol and lose your direction. Worse, the targeting is abominable. There are WAY too many targets and no good way to choose the one you want. It picks one and shows which is "next." One button cycles through the available choices, and often there are dozens. You can't filter them or cycle backwards, so if you miss selecting the one that's in front of you, you have to keep hitting y-y-y-y-y until it comes up again. By that time you've flown past it. IMMENSELY frustrating, especially since it doesn't lock on as fast as it should.
Lots of other gameplay issues. The targets you need to clear to complete a mission are marked in red, but the constant chatter has nothing to do with your assigned tasks. It goes on and on about stuff related to the overall mission, but nothing to clearly direct you to your targets. I guess it's more realistic that way, and provides some atmosphere, but listening to the same stupid script the twentieth time you try to complete a mission is just annoying. Oh, and the wing man is useless.
The overall story line is completely lame, and pretty dark, all at the same time. Again, if it's supposed to be an arcade game, lighten up a bit. If it's supposed to be a realistic war-and-battle simulation, it needs to be more realistic. I don't know of any real plane that can carry multiple hundreds of missiles.
Clearing some missions opens up new planes and even new tutorials. Then it auto-saves. So far so good. So now you purchase and select a new plane and work through the tutorials. The planes are in your "hanger" and the tutorials are marked "complete." But then it DOESN'T save progress. If you fail to complete the next mission (the usual case, since they're long), the next time you play you have to buy the planes again and do the tutorials again! Wow! If I want frustration, I can just go to work. . . .
The manual is about par for the course, that is to say, pretty incomplete.
I bought my first computer in 1979, and bought the original "Flight Simulator" along with it. This one, sadly, goes in the stack of "makes me want to throw the controller at the screen." | video-games_xbox |
Awesome baseball game! What TP 2002 should have been. What a difference! Having played Triple Play 2002 as my first basball video game and what a dissappointment it was, boy is this game awesome. Whereas before I wasn't biased by previous versions, now I am by the lesser game TP2002. ASB 2003 is not without its glitches, as it does have many, but you can easily overlook them as the game has so many rewards to give you.
Lets start with the graphics. In comparison to TP, they are awesome. In comparison to other games on the box they are pretty good. The players are well proportioned even if not individually modelled perfectly like the real player, and you can identify the player clearly in his face. The stadiums look good, although there are a few glitches, blurs, and pixels here and there. The crowds like in most sports games looks funny, strange, and overall not too great. The field texture looks flat although not as bad as TP, and could use stadium field shadows (which TP has). Overall, the graphics look quite realistic and do not distract from the game (unlike TP which has its own bad review).
The sound overall is pretty good. I love the commentary and overall TV feel. One problem though is the problem of Sudden Silence. Too many times during a game you'll have a replay without commentary or almost anything else...just silence. The crowd should be stronger volumed and keyed to the plays which at times it is but not to the extent of other sports games (NBA Inside Drive 2002 for example). Unforgivable is the fact of not being able to hear the umpire call strikes or base umps call safe or out. Sure it supposedly gives it a "TV" feel, but I hear it when I watch a game on TV and expect it when playing it on the X-box.
The gameplay is really good. Batting is tough, like in real life, but not impossible. It took about 20 minutes in batting practice, and a Home Run Derby, but I won my fourth game 8 to 1 with 1 home run. I've been batting without a hitch ever since. You don't have to aim perfectly, just watch the ball like in a real game. I love the batting and pitching realistic feel. (TP was really disappointing in this area, 10 home runs in a single game). The fielding has a lot of glitches which need work, but overall it doesn't detract too much from the game (Did I mention that players go through each other? Collision detection anyone? Although not in a disppointing manner.). Oh and the fouling out thing is major. Boy was that a surprise. Third foul, player is gone. What?! Overall the gameplay is great and promises a lot of hours of really enjoyable baseball fun.
The game also has some nice details, such as the crowd throwing back the ball when you hit a home run and you're not the home team. The mascot dances on the dugout. The players in the dugout react to gameplay. Etcetera.
In conclusion, feel free to buy this one. You'll really enjoy it. Make sure to get your batting down first and the rest will be more enjoyable. Enjoy. | video-games_xbox |
Before you buy this controller. **UPDATE**
This controller has vibrations in the triggers. It feels weird because I normally don't feel them while I'm using the controller on my PC. Imagine my surprise when I felt the controller triggers vibrating while I was playing Forza 6 on my PC. The impulse triggers work for that game on Windows 10. I hope to see this work on Halo for pc as well.
**UPDATE**
Apparently there is a technique into using the Xbox controller properly, a simple search on YouTube will show you how. In summary, you hold the controller in your hands resting both left and right index fingers on top of the the left and right triggers and keep them there while playing. Once you need to push Left bumper or Right Bumper, simply SLIDE your index finger over to it. This takes a bit of effort to get use to. I'm still sticking to my 4/5 rating.
Also, the rumbles in the triggers are working but not for PC games. The rumbles in the trigger only work when connected to Xbox One it seems.
**UPDATE**
Should you buy it?
Hmmm, if you have a 360 controller already and nothing is wrong with it, then short answer; Nah!
If you don't have a 360 controller, then I would definitely recommend this one as the one to buy!
Nothing is wrong with my 360 controller that I still got hooked up to my PC from ancient times, but my friend has a Xbox One with One Controller to only play single player games. Finally I got both the 360 controller and Xbox One Controller plugged in my PC, tried them both for a few hours and here are my thoughts so far.
Now, this controller I can easily say looks and feels great in my hands. Yes it is lighter than the 360 controller, and yes the D-pad feels a lot better to use. Here's the thing, the right and left bumpers do feel different, feels like clicking a mouse button. BE VERY CAREFUL WITH HOW YOU PRESS THEM AS THEY WILL BREAK!!!!!!!! The triggers are a lot better to press this time around. The VERY good thing about it is now I can go over my friend's home and with 2x AA batteries, I simply hold down the Wi-Fi button on the controller and IT PICKS UP FOR HIS XBOX ONE!!!! Yay!
That's where the differences stop. This is the same Xbox 360 controller folks which is a very good thing. [Though it would be cool if I could use it to turn on my PC].
One more thing; for some of the games I play on the PC, the games will lean more on the 360 controller as the default controller when I want to use the Xbox One controller. Maybe it's because both controllers are plugged in at the same time. I hope I can fix that soon or my PC is trying to tell me something.
**UPDATE: I got it to work now however, I have been warned to be very careful on how I press the left and right bumpers as they are easy to break. Yikes!
*UPDATE*
Xbox One Controller not working properly after Windows 10 Upgrade FIXED
my Xbox One controller is having a problem with this game. it is like a button is being perminatly pushed. Used to work fine on windows 8.
also having the same issue with Oddworld
**fixed**
Hi all
I have managed to resolve the issue for me on my computer.
With the controller plugged in go to your device manager.
at the bottom the is a Xbox Peripherals container.
On my PC the controller listed was listed as Xbox Controller
I right clicked on this and clicked update Driver Software, then browse for driver and then pick from a list.
My PC had 4 listed in the compatible hardware
Microsoft Xbox One Controller
Xbox Controller
Xbox Gaming Device Version 10.x
Xbox Gaming Device Version 6.2.x
I selected xbox one controller and this seems to have done the trick.
[...] | video-games_xbox |
MP3 Importer Cloaked by Worthless Trash of a game. My mother bought this for the family since it had to do with Karaoke and one could sing into a microphone and hear their voice out of the Television for all to admire or painfully listen through because they love you. And maybe do some of the many "options" available while you're at it. But the reason I liked this game is the option to import MP3's and WMA's onto the Xbox. Unfortunately, except for the importer, this game is a heedlessly made abnormality trying to make it on the karaoke scene. Be Warned: This game is NOTHING like the hit Karaoke Revolution on the PS2. In fact, it is not even close to it at all. Sadly, I am too late with this warning for consumers. So many of you are most likely disappointed with this game. But with the cheap genius that is Microsoft, they took out a page from a little game called Madden 2002. Where EA made very few changes to the game at all, yet they just put on the Madden trademark and they had turned trash into gold. Just substitute few changes to Windows-style eye candy and Madden trademark with an MP3 Importer, and you have a match made in heaven! And even worse than this is that people have bought this game and they will continue to buy this game only for the Importer. It is Sheer Madness!!!!
Pros: 1. The MP3 Importer (Finally fixes the infamous unreadable CD-RW problem on the Xbox)
2. Windows-Style Eye Candy (SO distracted)
Cons: 1. Windows-Style Eye Candy (SO hypnotizing)
2. Actual songs, but very cheesy versions of them (If we wanted this, we'd torture ourselves with Kidz Bop!!!)
3. Very Limited Video making capabilities.
4. Songs downloadable for $5 (like any poor sap would download them anyway?)
5. WIll cost more money for Peripherals for Importing (you first have to download the PC exporter off the internet (free), but the System link cable for connecting the two will cost you $30!)
6. And the worst sin of all for a Karaoke game: You can barely hear yourself out of the speakers!!!!!! Even with the mic set on the highest volume you still can barely hear yourself over the voices (hey, maybe they were saving the family members from certain torture) But as I said, Sheer Madness!!!!!
Final Verdict: The only reason you are ever going to come along this game in the future is for the MP3 importer and only for the MP3 Importer. This is NOT a party tool, that Abominaton that is named Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing is a better party tool than this (Okay, maybe i'm stretching it way too far, let's just leave it at Halo) But yes, If you have MP3's and you want to put them on the Xbox, this is your only option (makes me sad to say that.) | video-games_xbox |
The Deception of Dishonored. In one of the beginnings of the game, there is a moment where you, the main character, are prompted by the screen to perform a stealth execute on a guard with his back turned. These options are designed with the game maker's intentions to give you a real choice on how to deal with unsuspecting guards according to the complex morality system created within the game. After many tries, I came to "my" right answer: sneak around, because doing either admittedly cool option will land you in a fight that's next to impossible to leave with any measure of grace. But perhaps I'm just not that good enough.
This situation, I feel, summed up my experience playing the first few hours of Dishonored. I was lured into the game by the promises of the game's marketers: go anywhere, do anything, kill like a madman or stealth your way through the game's narrative. Unfortunately, Corvo Attano, ex-bodyguard to a slain Empress of a steam-punk city, is neither equipped to kill anything much stronger than a rat in a fair fight (and only if that rat is alone), or able to sneak past the hyper-observant guards. How he came to such a position in this fantasy empire, I don't know, but not even with the magic powers granted to him by the game's mythological deity help him out much. Sure, you could go through the game avoiding combat, but you also have to wisely avoid side missions where you'll be forced to kill people to complete (perhaps with careful planning this too, can be avoided, but my time is precious). Killing people might be an expedient solution, but this becomes a distasteful act with in game messages during loading screens informing you that killing will lead to the "dark ending". Perhaps someone with a stronger moral constitution than mine will not mind the warning, but I wanted to get lost inside this dark, fantastical world.
And a world it is, so for those who collected books in Skyrim and actually read them (like me), all the notes and audiographs I managed to listen to color a world that's not quite Victorian America, not quite steampunk, and not quite dark urban fantasy, but a bit of all three. Being a fan of the Metal Gear Solid and Assassin's Creed games, I really wanted to be the blade in the dark of this gorgeous world, but not enough to want to play through a game where I'm hesitant to defend myself against the guards and goons lying in wait between me and my targets. | video-games_xbox |
hated the game, but i finished it. First off, I will say what I did like about the game. I loved the environment and I thought the graphics in this game were amazing. For instance, the tree's and grass sway in the wind and will catch fire causing a brush blaze. You can use this to your advantage to trap/kill enemies. Also, the real time shadows and the sun cycle that changes as the day goes on, are also amazing; if you stand in the same spot for a long time you can see the sun as it moves through the sky and all the shadows change position. The last thing I liked was the effect that happens when you are really hurt and you try to heal yourself; your character will do something like push a bullet through his arm by sticking his finger in the bullet hole. Another thing is that if you pick up an enemy gun it would be in crappy condition and jam; another amazing effect but also stupid because why would i pick up a gun when it jams and why doesn't it jam for the enemies when they are firing it? Anyway still cool. All of these things I just mentioned about the game I loved and I don't think I had really seen anything like the effects in this game (at the time it was released). I basically did not like anything else about the game, I would probably say that I hated everything else but that could be because I think I did play it on hard. Ok, I hated how... it would always take me about a full magazine of ammo from my gun to kill a guy, hated taking 10 min per quest to drive back and forth across the map, hated driving because every half mile there is a camp of men shooting and then following me(that just reappear), I didn't really like the guns- didn't work well and it was hard for me to get one I liked and then you have to store them to use later. So, overall I do have some respect for this game because it did have some great small features that I had not seen before, but overall I would just be really frustrated the whole time playing it and was sick off all the crappy game play and stupid parts of the game that I had to keep putting up with. Not the storyline of the original, didn't like multiplayer, hated most everything important about the game. If you want to try it- rent it. | video-games_xbox |
Good, but needs a lot of work. There was another review by someone who posted a list of issues that weren't there in the Xbox One's predecessor. Stuff like small UI changes that didn't need to be changed. Microsoft should've listened to the adage: If it ain't broken, don't fix it. You can't at this point in time access your storage so you can't see how much memory you have left, The layers of menus you have to go through in order to see your achievements. I'm not a fan of the UI here, it's meant to have Kinect otherwise it's just awkward to use with a controller. Little things like these boggle my mind as to why Microsoft couldn't just carry over the successful and not to mention simple features from the Xbox 360.
I have yet to purchase any games for this system but I tried putting in a DVD and haven't gotten the infamous disk drive crunching noises. Another complaint I have is the controller, or rather the battery cover - it's a nice change that they got rid of that protruding battery pack in the 360 (I preferred it, however) but the way the cover is shaped now is awkward to hold and grip onto to slide it out from the controller. By force of removing it, I accidentally scratched it though that was my fault.
So far the system is working fine, but I will edit my review once I spend more time with it.
EDIT (12/7/13): Okay, so I have purchased Need For Speed: Rivals and Battlefield 4. And so far from playing these two games, the graphics look really nice. Unfortunately, the bumpers are really cumbersome to press! On the old Xbox 360 they were so easy to press, but here the bumpers are actually bigger and sit higher on the controller so you'd have to really bring your fingers up to press them and sort of messes your grip (which will be to your detriment when you're maintaining accuracy of your weapon on a game like Battlefield 4).
So far no issues with my Xbox One or Kinect. Everything's working well and I'm enjoying the games I have right now. | video-games_xbox |
Polk Audio is Superior 5Stars. Ok, after 24 hrs of testing the 4Shots, I must say the sound,the experience and the comfort is far superior than any audio headsets I have purchased. I tested these headsets on shooters,RPGs, music and mobile. I used these headsets on the Xboxone and tested COD Ghost, while playing HSR, in that match I went 13 and 2. I was able to distinctively hear body movement, footsteps without killing my ears. It was such a awesome comfort level, it felt like it was made for clutch players. I used them to also play Thief. Playing Thief, with these headsets, made me appreciate these headphones ever more because of the superior audio mix in this game. The issue with COD,is that it just has a bad audio mix. Plus,it does not have a headphone setting in the game. The best setup I found for COD, is Bitstream and DTS Surround Sound. You will go HAM, with or without Amplify. Moving on, I was up to 5am listening to Beats Music on my Phone. I was able to make seamless calls on my Phone and my friends heard me well and the audio was great. My. Clan mate also pick up the Polk 4shots, so yes we have both gone beast with these, effortless. So, frankly do not waste your money on "turtles", they will never be Polk Audio.
For,those that are having issues with their Mic, make sure your using the right cord. The cord with the "L" shaped end is for mobile phones,the dual straight end cord (male ends), is for the Xboxone connection.
You made need to find the best settings between the gamechat volume and game volume that's Best for you.
The only desire to make these headphones even more boss, who be to increase the sound balance between game volume and chat volume, which should be done via software update on the controller, but I will let the Brains of Polk Audio and Microsoft focus on that.
Thank you Polk for making such a great and difficult to open headset. It was worth the wait. You know what you need to do regarding the update, so get it done and the market is yours for the taking. | video-games_xbox |
Great game that you will enjoy for every second. First off, I had been waiting for this game for about 3 months when I got it. I was thinking about it everyday, hoping it would live up to the hype and not be a huge disappointment. Well I can honestly say that it DEFINETLY did not disappoint. While this game does have a few glitches and some that could be game-breaking, or so i've heard, I haven't experienced any of those. I liked the first fable but this one was much better. There were so many features that weren't in the first one but are in this one.
There were a few things that were in the first that they improved dramatically in this one. When you try to flirt with someone instead of having just a few expressions and just clicking a button you have many expressions and you can extend them to have a greater effect on the person. Also, instead of fable 1 where you had to go collect money from every house that you rented out you will automatically get the money in Fable 2. You can also own shops and sets the prices and affect the economy.
One of the biggest features of Fable 2 is the dog. The dog is truly everything PM promised. He is never annoying, he will find treasure that would take you awhile to search for in just a few seconds, and he will help you fight off your foes. One of the other big features is the addition of guns. This fable is set 500 years after the first so it is appropriate that they have guns. The guns are a great addition and are much better than bows. You can aim at individual body parts on enemies and take them out stealthly. The melee combat is also very smooth. There are many different types of melee weapons and there are once again many legendary weapons to find. You can also add augments to your weapons. The magic system features only eight spells but is very nice. You can level all the spells up to level 5 to make them do alot of damage. Also when you use a lot of magic you get these nice blue lines on your body.
Another big feature that alot of people thought wouldn't work was no armor. That is correct, there is no more plate, chain, or any other type of armor. The only thing that affects your defence is your toughness skill. In Fable 2 you are free to where whatever you like without worrying about how it will affect you.
These are just some of the features of Fable 2, some old things fable fans will remember have been included: silver keys, demon doors, and a new one: gargoyles. You can also change your hairstyle and dye any piece of clothing.
There are only minor problems with Fable 2. One thing is that the game wasn't as long as PM Promised and that the few glitches that are in the game are sometimes pretty annoying. I don't know why people are flaming this game so much saying, "I was looking for something like Oblivion" well of course there not going to make it like Oblivion. They want to make something new and not the same old thing.
If you liked Fable 1 you will absolutely love this game! So don't listen to the flamers and PS3 fanboys and buy this game.
Oh and by the way PM= Peter Molyneux, creator of Fable 2. | video-games_xbox |
so i love the X1 this is way. So I have owned a lot of game console over the year's the NES, super Nintendo, all sonic console, PS1, PS2, PS3, Xbox, X360, X1, and I've also play the PS4, and out of all of they best hands down is the Xbox one. Now u have most likely see some of the s*** the "game press" is talking about the X1 will they should just work for FOX News or the PS magazine they want Sony to winning because they scared of MS winning again .
So all talk to the hardcore gamers first I've been a core game most of my life and the X1 is a dream come true and here way the X1 has better games it gets all the big game + titanfall and no matter what you might have heard EA and respawn has reapply said its not coming to PS4 Sony is just hoping the rumors will hurt X1 hardware sales off of titanfall and X1 also has Halo 5 and Halo 2 anniversary, gears of war, KI is great, a partnership with EA, DR3, the best racing games, and Xbox live you can't be a core MP gamer with out X live its light year better then PSN + MS has never lost cord numbers so its more safe for your $ and the X1 OS is fast and mind blowing 5 app and one game can be running at the same time and you can switch instantly between them, with your X1 controller or much faster and cool with Kinect now that not because the controller is slow its because you can said what you want and it instantly go to it the first time 95% of the time and MS will release updates, so I can be play BF4 or TB and with 2 words be watching Dexter on Netflix and instantly switch back to TB and it'll just be paused waiting for you and then you can go back to Netflix with one word and it will continue what you were watching instantly or you can use the guide button and just going to the Netflix app and you'll get the same thing has use Kinect just not has fast . And about the Kinect, will I didn't like the idea to start with but now I love it make everything so quick and it has been really cool in game like in TB you can just say what gun you want and it will switch instantly so I can be using my bow at long range and say shotgun to soot the guy who coming up on were I'm aiming at him and it will switch so I don't have to stop aiming, and of this cool Tony Stark and star trek s*** does not interest you can't always turn the Kinect off or just unplug it from your X1 and run it over with your car and you can still do everything with your X1 you could do with your X1 with the Kinect plugged in. The Xbox one is just getting start of you don't get one you'll be sorry latter way pay 400$ now just so you can pay 500$ in a year or so or let Sony loose your cord numbers or get a f up console the PS4 is the most over rated console I ever play its doesn't do anything new or interest I can't believe how many people are acting like its better then X1 so I fill very strongly about this because I feel like people or being lied to so they don't even give the X1 a chance and don't know that they're missing something special .
And for the casual gamer I on the 100$ less is tempting but you are really loosing at lest 150$ in value . The X1 is great for everyone with its movie a TV apps it will take over your living room and everyone in your household will want to use it your teenagers son or will love all the games your wife will love the Kinect and its game like zoo tycoon and everyone will love the TV and Movie apps and the Kinect is great of you are cooking or working .
And if you're the kind of parson who love game but only has like a hour a week the X1 is sweet because it will always keep your place and restart instantly so when you have to leave you can just say Xbox off and it will not loose your place and its with restart in like 10 sec when you get home I love the X1 and I think you will too I hope you will give it a try | video-games_xbox |
They should have tested it before releasing it. The advertisement needs to reflect the fact that if you have your Kinect sensor mounted on top of the TV, IT WILL NOT WORK.
When I set it up and turned on the system, the Kinect unit looked up at the ceiling instead of down at the player area.
Calibration-frustration - it only saw the top half of the players during set up. and very blurry. It was registering hips and knees as feet. Kinect ID setup, the avatar's legs kept folding up into really abnormal positions, and it was hard to "step on the square" indicated. Tried the "smiley card" calibration. Had to hold the card way up over my head to get it in the target box for one setting, the last setting was so blurry it took 10 minutes for it to recognize the eyes enough to capture it. So how is this going to improve game play???
Navigating the Kinect Hub with it - the icon you need to hold in place to activate stuff kept flickering or jumping around the screen and took forever to get anywhere with.
Tried it with Kinectimals -- couldn't aim at all for throwing, and had to fling my arms several times just to get it to let go during the throw.. and when it did let go the toys kept hitting the cub in the head. Difficult to lock in on toys or yes/no buttons to select things.
Don't get me started on the soccer/kicking challenge.. it was a mess, to keep it simple.
The biggest disaster - the training round where the cub follows your cues to do tricks. Since it was seeing my lower body as feet, or no feet... the cub kept jumping all over the place like he had nerve damage. When I was able to get him into a sit or stand for a moment, and try the signals for barrel roll or flips, he just looked at me like I was insane. Mind you without the Zoom I can get him to dance, spin, roll, and do most of the other tricks with no problem. This game was a good test for the Zoom.. the makers of the Zoom should have used the unit with Kinectimals as a quality control test. I assume that it may work better with games that require less detailed movement but they should be honest about that, and where the unit should be placed before they just put it out there.
I've seen several other reviews on here saying that even with it below the TV, there are the same glitchy control issues for navigating the Kinect hub and basic game menus, even if the games themselves work "ok". Major disappointment with this product. After fighting with it for an hour I've decided it's a lot less annoying to occasionally bump into the couch when I'm playing... and that being stuck in the 1 player zone for all games and taking turns is better than nothing.
I'm glad Amazon is willing to honor the return of this thing for full refund. | video-games_xbox |
A poor copy of NCAA FOOTBALL 12. It has been a long time since I bought a college football game or madden football and I was getting tired of waiting on EA to make a good madden football game. The last good football game I got was madden 10.
The last ncaa football game I got was 2005.
Now back to ncaa 13, this game is the worse football game I have ever bought and I am not trying to be funny. This game has been copy and paste to another disc from last year's game but it is terrible.
The colors of the grass, uniforms, and everything is washed out in this game. The Sound effects is terrible and the tackling sounds is gone.
The crowds in the stands are like cutout cardboard pictures. Nothing looks real and there are no cheerleaders on the field making you feel like you are playing a real college football game. The colors are washed out so bad that it hurts my eyes to look at the game while I am playing it. out Do not buy this game. even though other reviews give this game a 5 and called this game a great game. They are not telling the truth at all. There are some reviews who will not write the truth about EA games for some unknown reason. But I am here to tell you the truth and I have nothing to gain or lose.
NCAA FOOTBALL 12 got a rating of 7.0
NCAA FOOTBALL 13 got a 6.5 but it should have gotten a 4.0 byy gamespot.com
So I took NCAA FOOTBALL 13 back to the game store and trade it in for NCAA 12 and I was pleased. You better get rid of NCAA FOOTBALL 13 before you will not get any money back for it, especially if you paid $65. I paid $44.99 for that copy and I lost about $15 on it.
EA is also making madden 13 and I will not buy this game until I see it even if there are great reviews and rating. If it is not better than madden 10, I will not buy it even though I love playing football. I got a bad feeling that madden 13 is going to be made very similar to ncaa 13 because EA makes both games and it looks like they do a lot of copying and pasting.
Do not buy this game. Rent it first
Do not buy!!! | video-games_xbox |
A decent Gaming headset. Note: I bought this headset a few years ago via the Tritton website.
Is the Kunai decent for its price point?
For an explanation, I have the older version of the Kunai Xbox One (I think the 2014 version). The retail price was originally $70, but I guess for a odd website issue/bug maybe, I bought the headset for $60. It's a decent headset for sure; the sound quality is great, voice quality is great but the durability/build lacks.
The build of the headset is flimsy compared to other the Tritton headset I had (Tritton 720 for Xbox 360). The headset feels like a low ranged headset, but in reality, it's like a middle ranged headset because at the price point it was at. The 720 was sturdy and NEVER broke, this one, not so much. After having the headset for 3 or so years later (I still use it to this day), I guess I yanked it too hard and the headset socket/adjustable headrail came off. At this point, it can be put back into the headrail and the headset still works perfectly. BUT when you try to adjust it now, it won't adjust it goes to the lowest adjustable point.
Pros:
- Boom mic can be taken out (but can be a hassle to put back in, read con).
- 3.5mm jack is great for listening to music because of the headset bass.
- The audio controller adapter that goes from the controller > adapter > 3.5mm jack that connects from the headset.
- The audio controller adapter can control voice volume, game volume and mute mic (muting mic causes a buzz sound, read con).
Cons:
- The earcups grip to your ears hard, after long sessions or even short sessions (depending on your ears) it will hurt.
- It's NOT a sturdy build headset.
- If you mute your mic via the adapter, it makes a weird static/buzz sound once you mute it (its very annoying).
- If you take out the boom mic, putting it back in can be a hassle because you have to twist it around until it locks in place. If the mic doesn't go in properly, it will create a static noise or even your voice won't even be picked up by the mic.
The headset is decent for its price, but you have been warned. I don't know if these Cons were fixed in the newest version, but they might still be there.
-----
Edit: 9/14/16, it seems like my headrest broke. | video-games_xbox |
Fun game, but this is NOT Naruto UNS 4. Warning, may contain some spoilers and this is a bit lengthy. OK, first of all, I am a HUGE fan of Naruto, and while this game is entertaining, it doesn't live up to the previous installments. I definitely should have paid more attention when I bought this game. I figured they put out 1, 2, and 3 so this was 4.....It's not.....It's sooooooo not. This game consists of 6 elements - 1) The Ninja World Tournament. Basically a very oddly styled fighting tournament ranked from D to S+ consisting of multiple rounds in which the winner is determined by who collects the most orbs by beating up their opponents in a fatal 4-way format. In between tournaments you go around completing mini quests for various characters to get them to join your team and become a support option for your main character. 2) The Mecha Naruto Story - OK, I have no idea what the hell they were thinking when they cooked this one up. This had the feel of the old Uzumaki Chronicles games storylines. Naruto and Hinata are preparing to enter the Ninja World Tournament when they come across an abandoned robot half buried in rubble. This robot is, you guessed it, Mecha Naruto. The rest of the story consists of trying to recover Mecha Naruto's memories and dealing with the consequences of that with a few twists in between. 3) Online Battle - this is probably the most fun part of the game. The obvious part of it is you battle online in ranked battles, tournaments, or just single matches for fun. A kind of bonus is you can also customize characters and send them off to battle as AI against real people playing their games and pick up rewards for winning. 4-6) These are the mini mini arcs that could have been handled as a very small DLC addition to UNS 3. The first is the creation of the Akatsuki where you get to witness the birth of the Akatsuki by recruiting your new teammates (by force). This was fun to see if you're a fan and wanted a little more detail on how the group was put together. This would have been INFINITELY more fun had their been boss battles. The second arc is The Two Uchiha, chronicling the events leading up to the destruction of the Uchiha clan by Itachi. This follows Itachi and Shisui as they both seek a solution to preventing the Uchiha coup-de-tat, including how Shisui really died and how Itachi's path was laid out for him to becoming the Leaf's hero in the shadows. Again, no boss battles. The final arc is just a closer look at Minato and Kushina's lives and their interactions with Minato's team, not sure why this was even included as it doesn't provide anything noteworthy.
Overall, fun game to play, but calling this game Ultimate Ninja Storm is just wrong. | video-games_xbox |
The same old story. I have been a fan of Rainbow Studio since Motocross Madness and this game carries on the tradition of fun off road action. But don't expect a drastic revamp this time around, this is a very tried and trued formula with a bit of refinement. If you have played any of the other Rainbow Studio motocross games you know what to expect in this installment. It is certainly fun but its not really fresh, you can see it growing a bit long in the tooth. They have added some new race modes and vehicles but doesn't seem to add much to the series overall, granted they are fun but there seems to very little difference between racing the trucks, desert sleds, and monster trucks, just hold the gas and go for the most part.
The ATV and MX portions are of course were MX vx ATV shines as usual. The handling is arcadey but its also intuitive and distinct. The customization is also very fun as is the vehicle set up. The different race modes are very distinct and it takes a very different strategy to win in Supercross than it does in the Nationals. The AI is unfortunitly rather Road Rash than in outlook. Meaning of course they might not be able to beat you in the race but the are going to wreck the heck out of you. This can make things very frustrating at times but its just all the more reason to stay way out front.
The soundtrack is very good, it has a good mix of music and has the SoCal feeling to it with bands like Pennywise playing in the background. There song list isn't too long though and it can get repetitive as you make your way through the series. Speaking of series this can also be a drag at times. You will have to compete in all the race types to advance in the series point standings which means you will be racing events you might not be too fond off. Many of the races are also in the two race format which means it can be tedious at times.
Overall this is the best game in the series, the environments are good, as are the graphics and physics. I can certainly recommend this to veterans of the series and those new to it as well. | video-games_xbox |
The Best NBA LIVE Game To Date. NBA Live 2005 for the Xbox is beyond good--it's an amazing basketball simulation with tons of extras. Those extras being the "NBA All-STAR WEEKEND" packed with the Rookie/Sophomores game, the Slam-Dunk contest, and the 3-point Shootout. Also, you can now play "online" against real competition via Xbox Live.
There has already been reviews on the dunk contest and All-Star Weekend from various Web sites, so I don't want to water it all down and PR it to death as it has been lately.
Let me just say, when you get the timing of your dunks right, it's a lot of fun. Practice, practice. Even watching the computer perform the dunks, it's fun.
I want to say something about the actual game play and Dynasty mode. EA has totally revamped their Dynasty mode (and finally tweaked the arcade-ish play of previous versions of NBA Live). The actual dunks in a game are realistic, sounding real for once. The motion of the players are better, too. Last year, the players bumped into each other in 10-Man Freestyle. But not this year! EA has put together a realistic version of an actual NBA game. I am totally amazed! In Dynasty mode, you work from a better designed calendar and your PDA. There, you can locate player injuries, contracts, and e-mails by teams who may be interested in one of your star players. Players now respond with agents, which makes the game very realistic.
And when your season is over, the calendar continues throughout the summer where training and working out rookies you've scouted at the beginning of your season. But the game play is what I still love about NBA LIVE.
For example, my second game playing with the Lakers at Detroit, Brian Grant stole a pass from Rip Hamilton. As he tried to lay the ball off the glass, Tayshaun Price out of nowhere swats the ball (almost like his block against Reggie Miller in last season's playoff game). And in another game, LeBron James steals the ball and excels down the court for a two-handed windmill dunk! It looked very realistic. In Live 04 the dunks were choppy, sounding like a bomb had gone off under the hoop.
There are a few issues in NBA LIVE 2005 I found annoying. First, I hated going back and changing the zoom-in feature in the camera selection (I still think Press Box zoomed-in is the best angle). For some reason when you start a new game it doesn't adjust or save it. ESPN'S 2K5 has the right idea on the broadcast camera view. EA needs to implement that into NBA Live next year, or do a similar view. And the instant replay system is awful. It's very confusing and awkward. I found it hard just to find the original angle of my play. Other signifcant glitches as I play the game more is that EA totally blocked out the fastbreak. If you're lucky you may get one or two in a game, but you won't be able to pass it off to the wingman for a layup or dunk. However, I think LIVE 05 is a lot better than last's years. Still needs fine-tuning, though. | video-games_xbox |
mediocre, game freezes, disc errors. tired of a mediocre (at best) game freezing on me or mucking up every time i load it up.
CONS:
- game freezes more than any other or recent memory (other than FarCry2's corrupted saves problem).
- story is dumb.
- combo button moves are childishly stupid and reduce the game to button mashing.
- i could never get the controls solid and ended up killing people i am supposed to consume half the time (in most games, right trigger is some form of attack, in this game it's sprint? except when you're in a vehicle? but not when you have a gun? ya...confusing...or just stupid.)
- stuff, enemies movie so fast, knock you down so often, you can't get your bearings and end up having to run around like a stupid chicken with your head cut off.
- the "powers" don't really make any sense. why does he have a blade growing out of his hand? why can he make a spike go underground? odd powers can be cool (shooting bees out of your arm in bioshock), but here it just seems silly and not story-driven.
- trying to survive in a helicopter with other helicopters around attacking you seems impossible.
- auto-targeting is GTA-style, ie, not good.
- map is ugly and uninspired.
- getting "disc is unreadable" errors now. lovely. the disc looks brand new and spotless. POS. Been on the same "guys like phones" or whatever it's called mission for an hour now to too freezes and dumb disc errors.
There's more, but why go on. I have no reason to "hate" on this game. It's just mediocre, and I don't feel like playing a mediocre game that won't even let me play it without freezing or getting some goofy error every time I try to do something...Thankfully Point Lookout is coming out soon for Fallout3 and I don't have to put up with this garbage anymore. Very disappointing. The early videos made this game look great...like it might be a sleeper hit. Instead, it's just a sandbox with a lot of sand and not many toys to play with. | video-games_xbox |
We Needed This. When THQ went belly up at the end of 2012, the future of their gaming titles were in question. The two bigger ones were WWE and UFC. Once EA Sports grabbed up UFC, it was left in the air who would get WWE. After some negotiating, 2K Sports took WWE under their wing with promise to keep the same development team on board. Thus, WWE 2K14 was born. Now, the hard part is topping WWE 13's phenomenal storyline of the Attitude Era. Wrestlemania 30 is coming up in April of 2014 so why not do a tribute to such a landmark?
WWE 2K14 offers very little to change the game just at first glance. The graphics look pretty identical as do the commentary and WWE 2k14 loading screens. The little changes I noticed were: fixed chokeslam (no longer do people turn inside out when getting a chokeslam, it actually looks natural...when you bust someone open to bleed you can see the blood start to trickle down their face...when you land a big move on an opponent you can see them spread out on the mat almost lifeless....Slobber Knocker mode is back!!....reversals and grapples feel more natural and smoother to operate.
The new game mode, 30 Years of Wrestlemania, brings back a lot of warm and fuzzy nostalgic moments for wrestling fans of yesteryear. In chronological order, you will relive at least one, if not more, moments from each and every Wrestlemania until you get to 29. You have historical objectives required to complete the match so that you can be assured everything is how it happened in real life. This mode is insanely fun. Being there when Hogan bodyslammed Andre the Giant, Hogan defeated Yokozuna in record time, Razor Ramon beat HBK in ladder match, Undertakers greatest matches and when HBK retired Ric Flair...it's all there! The roster from this is very impressive. Older, almost forgotten names like Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy, bigger names that haven't been in games like Yokozuna and Razor Ramon all the way to just retro versions of HBK, Undertaker, Triple H and The Rock. Added to this game is also a Rivalry mode to Universe. This will allow you to have programs with superstars just like in real life that play over a set amount of time.
This game is such a huge improvement on WWE 13 and breathes new life into the series. Hopefully this will bring jaded wrestling fans back to the genre. I don't watch wrestling in real life, but playing this game reminds me of all the awesome moments that I got to live through as a child watching. | video-games_xbox |
Ninja Gaiden has gotten better. Team Ninja has made what has been one of the best games on the XBox even better. As impossible as that sounds, it's true. But, if you've never played Ninja Gaiden before, this may not be the game for you. It CAN be frustrating. I just beat Ninja Gaiden Black on the Hard level and let me tell you, it was aggravating but oh so sweet to have beat it on hard.
If you've played the original Ninja Gaiden for XBox, this includes the Hurricane Packs plus a new mission mode that is tough as nails! However, gone are the three NES games. They have been replaced with the original arcade version of Ninja Gaiden, so if you want to keep playing the 3 NES games, you'd better hold onto your original copy of Ninja Gaiden. Still, for the reduced price NJB comes at, it's worth having both!
Ninja Gaiden is NOT a game for everyone. If you are easily frustrated by games that dump loads of enemies on you that are tough to defeat, I suggest you look elsewhere. But, if you enjoy challenges with some of the most awesome boss characters ever to grace your TV screen, fast and furious action, and an arsenal of weapons that would make any ninja shed a tear of joy, then it's time to get your ninja skills in check and play NJB.
First off, the graphics - 5/5
The animation is top notch. I have never seen characters move so fluidly like they do in Ninja Gaiden. Ryu and the enemies move almost so realistically, it's scary. Ryu's ninja suite even has fabric that sways as you walk and moves with the wind. This hasn't changed since the previous version but it's STILL excellent. There is not a single frame rate studder in here, and when you see the huge dino-skeleton boss, you won't believe that they were able to pull this off with no frame rate slow down.
Sound - 5/5
Breathtaking! The music, the sound FX, everything just sets the mood in this game. What else can be said? You HAVE to have a 5.1 system which pumps out the bass with this game. My wife has told me to turn it down a notch or two sometimes.
Storyline - 5/5
Pretty intriguing. The FMVs are awesome. Team Ninja (like in DoA) has done an excellent job with the FMVs on this one as well. They blend in well with the gameplay and really add to the story. Team Ninja has also added new cut scenes that help flesh out the story even more and now you know who kept throwing those information stars at you throughout the game! For the original game, I rated this a 4 out 5. Due to the new cut scenes, I've upped it to 5 out of 5!
Gameplay - 5/5
For me, the gameplay is excellent. For others, it's going to be a sticking point. Believe me, this game is HARD! Not hard, but HARD as in SICK!!! And that's on the normal level! But, to let you know, this is not a button masher. I think that's where the problem resides for some people. People expect to just mash buttons and eventually win. No, you have to learn all the different moves that can be applied to a particular weapon and when to use those moves. The nunchucks are awesome, but the flail weapon (nunchucks with blades) is nasty, especially when you can get a 25+ hit combo going with it. I've even gotten up to 100 hits with it against an arsenal of demons. Again, it's learning each of the weapons strengths and weaknesses and when to use them that will help you progress in this game. The addition of the Hurricane Packs that were previously downloadable for the original NG, gives you one of the most ultimate weapons - the Lunar Staff. This thing is sick. The combos it can release are fast and far reaching. Get the Hurricane move going and Ryu is invincibile! Also added are Smoke Bombs. Drop one of these in the midst of a bunch of enemies and blind them temporarily so you can unleash a nasty combo attack and watch the body parts fly!
When an enemy is defeated, it will give off one of three "essence" globes:
- yellow for experience and money (you use these to upgrade weapons and purchase items)
- blue for healing
- red for ninpo (magic)
But, instead of just picking these up immediately, hold down on your massive attack button to absorb the essence floating around and watch the blade fly as Ryu goes into overdrive and hacks and slashes for you. Depending on the amount of essence you've picked up, it can result in some major damage to the enemy and then it releases even BIGGER amounts of essence, resulting in more "money". This allows you to buy things to such as weapons, healing potions, and items to expand your life bar as well as your ninpo magic levels. Underneath all of this is an RPG-type system. But, rather than increasing stats such as strength, charisma, etc, you increase your health and ninpo bar (HP and Magic points for you role playing hounds), and upgrade the strength of your weapons, which unlocks more combos and special moves. It's a wonderful twist on the RPG model that makes for an awesome game and upgrade system that doesn't seemed "forced" or old.
Enemies are abundant in supply and each chapter brings in a new set of enemies, much harder than the ones before. Demons, soldiers, mummies, bats, it's got it all in this game. But, that's not all. Many of the boss characters have been beefed up with harder skills to defeat as well as minions to help out. You thought Alma was tough in the first round? You haven't seen anything yet!
Other Extras - 5/5
Well, Tema Ninja has outdone themselves once again. This time around, you can unlock the original Ninja Gaiden arcade game. Also, costumes for Ryu can be unlocked and now there are 50 new missions to battle through along with the story-line mode.
After completing the game, you can upload your Karma scores to compare with other players from around the world. Think your NG skills don't stink? Upload them and make sure!
If you have a completed game from the previous version of NG, you will automatically unlock the Hard mode so you don't have to play through the Normal mode. But, I must warn you. I've played this level and it was unreal at times, especially Alma. I hate to think what Ultimate Ninja mode is like, if I ever get to that point! OUCH!
If you die enough times, you can unlock the Ninja Dog level. But, do you really want to be classified as a wimp? Ayane will really dig into you, basically stating she over estimated your skills, and if you really need it, she'll hold your hand for you. Plus, you'll have to walk around with a pink ribbon on your arm. Are you sure you want to do that?
On Ninja Dog mode, the enemey's skill don't decrease, but they will not have as much health as on normal mode, and you will find more health items lying around to help you. It's your choice - Ninja Dog or Master Ninja. Choose your destiny!
This is THE premiere fighting/adventure/ninja game out there. If you want to show off how well an Xbox game can still look and sound in the pre-dawn era of the next-gen consoles, this is the game to do it with. | video-games_xbox |
Dead Fractured Gorillas. 5 stars? 10, if it were possible! Sibling gamers, I have procrastinated long enough. After several months of playing what I've called "Dead Fractured Gorillas," I am compelled to do this, my FIRST review of any of the dozens of video games I own and enjoy. And that started waaaaay back in the so innocent prehistoric days of MYST I! Red Faction is simply the BEST ALL AROUND SHOOTER OF THEM ALL...and that includes the Halo series. Blasphemy, you scream? I shall elucidate.
First, I did play this entire game through to its designed conclusion, twice, following the suggestions and advice in the manual. Great action, sure; and the most realistic vehicular action ever--outside those games specificially designed as pure racers, of course. No true gore, 'though it's rated Mature 17+, but that's not what this is about. Still, very nice melee with the sledge hammer when you want to get close and personal. Just the correct balance of challenge and sense of victory that makes a deep sigh, natch. Complete freedom of movement, anywhere within the total boundary of "explored" Mars. Excellent variety of weapons and vehicles, each with its own character and handling that comes quite naturally with midling experience. Remember to get, later in the game, from a fallen enemy in the all-white armor, the rail gun when first encountered. It is the most easily used and deadliest small arms weapon in this game: IR scope enhanced and fires its projectile through ANYTHING, including inside vehicles and tanks, to kill with one shot. No scavenger hunt this, just hit 'em and run, and follow the leads given until Victory. Ok, fine.
But the real glory of Red Faction is in NOT pursuing the manual game goals. And I have not even tried online multiplayer, so I can't comment on that. But, after you have conquered Mars once or twice, and familiarized yourself with the details, try this. Instead of freeing each of the five sectors, free only Parker, then start to explore the rest of the others. Only exception is the final one, Eos, which you can't enter without first freeing the others (The Free Fire Zone will dust you in seconds of entering!), so SAVE it after the first success so you can load Eos in later on. Regardless, you can spend your time picking your fights, going back and forth from zone to zone as you choose, and they don't have to be hit and run either. Sustained battles (up to an hour for me) are possible, once you know the "sweet spots" in this well-detailed and varied terrain (or is it marain?). You, along with your cartoonish if trustworthy cannon-fodder citizen "reinforcements," can stand off the evil EDF forces almost indefinitely...or until you run out of heat-seeking rockets (why you should get this asap, 'though two shots from the nano-rifle or enough fire from any gun and/or your buddies will work too) to shoot down the dreaded gunships. (The only quibble I have: wanted to commandeer one of these and rain down death as they so often did on me! Alas, not in the program.) Instead you can take over any of the types of tanks and then blow away or ram through everything in sight! (Why you should also equip with the arc welder and all its upgrades asap; just point it at any close enemy vehicle and fire off about 25 units of power and it's yours. Will take out whole groups of EDF too. Just be within about 25 feet. And to take over a fresh tank when yours is used up, just ram the new one so it doesn't run away, hop out and onto it and electrocute it. Punch Y) Certainly, I revelled in exploding dozens of the EDF "cockroach" cars and blasting the corpses to watch them skip down the road (record is seven times in a row, hitting the brown body just as it comes back down. "Stand at attention when I shoot you!")
However, this is still not the real pleasure herein. This is, without equal, the FUNNIEST VIDEO GAME I HAVE EVER PLAYED! Due the depth and breadth of the software (and these people at Volition are truly geniuses and deserve extreme kudos), as with all such complexity, there are unexpected consequences that arise, not planned nor programmed, but inevitable by the math of Chaos. I have never played this game, after becoming very familiar with it, that something new did not occur! Either in action or dialogue, a surprise awaited me each time I went back to Mars. And it was always a delight and sometimes totally hilarious.
Example: during one Transporter race, bringing a vehicle back, with the EDF hot on my tail, I realized I was not going to beat the clock, even though I was only meters from the Oasis safehouse. So, in desperation, I jumped the car over the embankment above it and hoped to land like Evil Knieval right in the yellow safety circle. Fat chance. Rather than just fail, I bailed midjump by punching the Y button. Mason the Magnificent flies out of the car while airborne, spreadeagled like Rocky the Freeking Squirrel. At that instant the screen freezes and the out-of-time Failure message pops up, then asks me if I want to retry or exit. Exit naturally. Well, when control returns, Mason is suddenly standing in the driveway to the safehouse, holding the rocket launcher, which I surely never ordered. Then he fires it and destroys the entire garage, kills several guerrillas, and gets killed by the retaliating survivors! Not part of the software, of course. Just an unexpected consequence. I screamed so hard that I went stiff, slid out of my Lazy Boy onto the floor, dropped my controller, and laughed hysterically, hard enough to pull an intercostal (rib) muscle!!!!! Well, guess you hadda be there.
Example: three of the safehouses sit on or near cliffs. Since this is Mars, the gravity is lower. And, although this is not perfectly represented in the human movements (high jumps, 'though), it is with the vehicles. To whit, you can jump any vehicle off these cliffs, equivalent to hundreds of feet, and they will just hit, crunch up a bit, and keep on truckin'! Great fun, especially when they can be used as moving bombs. Shoot them, or whack with the hammer, till they just start smoking, then drive them at, or jump them off elevations above, enemies; then bail midway by hitting the Y, and watch what happens! Takes practice. Even better after you get the jetpack on Mason. When he bails midair, you can fire off the pack and he'll fly to safety, if a bit too horizontally. Don't try this over a Mars mohole, he'll just die anyway. And, oh yeah, he'll die a lot regardless...just remember when his hearing and color vision start to fade: retreat!
Example: in Oasis, one of the safehouse vehicles at your disposal (no pun intended) is a big blue garbage truck with a blaster cannon mounted on the cab. Slow, but with the best firepower in the Guerrilla arsenal. Too powerful at times. I have killed almost as many citizens, unintentially of course, as I have EDF troopers with this gun. At one point I arrived at a spot full of blastable targets (the smokestacks) and started demolition. But, instead of coming to my aid as "reinforcements" as usual, EVERY citizen present ran away screaming. And, one of them seemed to say, "It's Mason and his atomic powered garbage can! Run for your lives! Don't try to help him; he'll just kill you!" I swear. More pulled rib muscles.
The pleasure of satisfaction and deep humor. When the journey is more important than the goal, this is the game for you. Enjoy! | video-games_xbox |
Lack of Content. I'm not going to pretend that I love this game, I'll be honest. I bought this game at Game Stop, one day later, 100% completed. No Joke! I unlocked all the missions, collectibles and nearly all of the achievements. This is such a short game, and I take my sweet time. I had a whole day off to play it, sure, but I also took very long brakes in-between missions. These missions are both short and repetitive. There were very few places in the game were I struggled; mainly in places like the obstacle courses and simply not knowing what to do. This game probably took me about 4 hours to complete. I wish the game wasn't so short, that kind of bums me out. When it comes to the game play, (as I mentioned), it is very repetitive. The overall activities are basically a collection of obstacles courses and "puzzles". You will soon recognize an identical pattern that is repeated over and over in each of the missions. To amplify how short this game feels, a lot of abilities are rather under-used; the "magnet-cube" is introduced at one point, then barely ever used again. Believe it or not, I looked forward to playing this game. I did my best to find it locally for a cheap price (Amazon is charging way too much for this IMO). This is a 2008 game, so expect low quality graphics for today's standards. Due to the fact that this also based on a movie, will also lower the quality. I find that movie license games release mostly poor quality games. Movie licensed games are generally rushed projects that are made only to be released at a very specific time and to feed consumers merchandise for a currently popular movie. This feels like an incomplete game, there is VERY little that it offers. For those who enjoy this for nostalgia, I'm happy for you. I don't mean to discourage anyone from playing this game. I just want to let those who are less familiar with this what little they will be getting for the price that they pay. This game doesn't do the movie justice. Because I am a HUGE fan of WALL-E, I am going easy on it, believe me. If I compared this to modern games, this might get a 2.5 out of 10 for lack of content. It's too bad, one day, and I've ALREADY outgrown this game. | video-games_xbox |
GRAPHICS AND STORY ARE SICK. You are able to stealth your kills,swim under water,make smoke out of open cans.there are times that your going to have to stop and think.
Lara Croft comes across a wide variety of weaponry in Rise of the Tomb Raider. She can use her bow with multiple arrows, handguns, assault rifles, shotguns and her trusty axe. You start with the bow and axe, but as you location strongboxes you can piece together more powerful weapons. While some weapons are better than others, every weapon is lethal. Your weapon choice should depend more on the situation at hand and less on the stats of each weapon.
Bow
The bow and arrow should be your go-to weapon early in the game. Lara starts with a regular makeshift bow, but youll quickly come across the Recurve Bow and eventually the Compound Bow. You should be netting head shots if you're using the bow as your primary weapon, which means the extra damage of the Compound Bow won't be necessary.
If you are having trouble hitting head shots consistently, you should switch to the Recurve Bow for better draw speed, hold time and rate of fire. However, if you still cant hit head shots more often than not, you shouldnt be using the bow as your primary weapon of choice unless you need stealth kills. In every other situation you should switch to one of Laras guns as they're generally the better option if you cant score consistent head shots.
Assault Rifle
Youll find the SMG first, but as you progress through the game youll come across the Assault Rifle and Bolt Action Rifle. Once again, if you're hitting head shots, all of these options are lethal. However, if you're not, damage will be important as ammo may be limited. The Assault Rifle holds the most ammo by default, which is a good choice if you're not great with accuracy. You can miss quite a bit and still have ammo to burn.
The Bolt Action has the least amount of ammo, reloads the slowest and has the slowest rate of fire, but if you're exception at head shots, it has the highest accuracy and inflicts the most damage. Meanwhile the SMG offers a nice median between the two and should be used for experience shooters until you find the Bolt Action Rifle.
Shotgun
Depending on how many optional tombs you raid, you may not have more than one shotgun on your first play through of the game. Fear not, because the shotgun has one primary use, and thats big damage at close range. You don't want to use the shotgun from even a moderate distance, as virtually every other gun is superior. However, at close range you can knock an enemy off their feet in an instance with the shotgun. This is especially true if you upgrade the damage on the shotgun. With high damage, even a shot to the chest or legs can potentially one-shot an enemy. You shouldnt be worried about running right up to an enemy and opening fire with the shotgun, knowing you can down them before you take too much damage.
Axe
You may be wondering why the axe is listed as one of Lara Crofts best weapons. Until you have the shotgun, this is one of the best close-range weapons Lara can use. Its not overly powerful, but if you're only facing off against one of two enemies, its still just as lethal as any of Laras guns. It may take two or three attacks, but you can finish off almost any enemy at close range with the axe.
It should also be noted that the axe is the only weapon in Laras arsenal that doesnt run out of ammunition. Depending on your skill with the other weapons, you may be running out of ammo more often than youd like. In these situations, relying on the axe for close-range kills will not only save your ammunition, but potentially provide faster kills if your aim is really that bad. | video-games_xbox |
This review is for the new Turtle Beach i30 Headphones, not the 500X. I have been asked to review these 500X headphones but the manufacturer instead gave me the brand new Turtle Beach i30 Bluetooth Headphones:
http://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Cancelling-Boomless-Microphone-TBS-7010-01-Mac/dp/B00EDNLO32/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1415659170&sr=1-1&keywords=i30+turtle+beach
As of this writing, this model has not been released to the general public so this will be a little bit of advanced info for those interested.
Many of the features for the 500X also appear on the i30, such as noise cancellation and individual adjustments for the mic and headphones. The i30 is pretty easy to explain: you can use it wirelessly exactly the same way you would use any Bluetooth headset. One difference between the 500X and the i30 is that the mic is completely hidden on the i30; there is no mic boom. Once you connect by Bluetooth, both the headphones and mic will be active unless you turn off the mic. The internal rechargeable battery is charged by a USB to microB cable. You can also just plug the headphones into any device with a standard male to male 3.5mm audio cable.
The sound is absolutely topnotch! It doesn't get much better. Some have said that the 500X has poor volume. Well, that definitely is not the case with the i30. It can be extremely loud, so be careful! I had it plugged into my computer and I was listening to youtube and had to turn the volume down to less than half of max. I then went to a different website and a message came on that almost blew out my eardrums! Very painful. So, these can be so loud as to cause damage, so please be careful. If you are not sure of the volume, check it with the headphone a few inches off of your ear first. The headphones are also very comfortable, being fully adjustable in every direction. These are a great choice in high-end headphones. | video-games_xbox |
Not the game fans of the 1999 game remember. Sigh...Aliens vs Predator. Most of us that have been gaming long enough remember playing this on PC back in 1999 and even as far back as 1994 on the Jaguar. And it's hard to believe that over the years there have been very few. if any, successful titles that has come from this franchise. Don't believe me, look it up in wikipedia.
So, when word had it back in 2008, that Rebellion was going to work on this game for the current gen systems almost every fan had a nerdgasm waiting for this game because they just thought that this time around it would be done justice by the studio that had done the other 2 iterations from years before.
This is where we have our problems.
Fans, on first look it is soooo hard to hate this game. Most of the environments looks about right and the sound fx sound right but when you really start getting into the game, you realize that there is so much that is off that it becomes very hard to like this game.
Let get my biggest nitpick out of the way first and when you read what I have to say it will become clear from a fan's POV. I got this game to play the predator levels and while the game lets you play with all 3 species interchangeably, this is where I really wanted to start. First off, I cannot believe that Rebellion totally missed on the Predator mask filtering sound effects. It was PERFECT back in the 1999 game. Some of you are probably asking if I am serious, so let's do a comparison. If any of you watched the first 2 films there is a noticeable hum and thrum to the filter from the Predator view in infrared. Stop reading here and go pop in your old VHS if you still have it! It's not in this game! The sound is iconic! It's the same as if there was a Star Wars game released and you KNOW there are lightsabers there and there are but you hear everything else about the lightsabers BUT the hum. I tried to grit my teeth and keep going but then other issues started popping up and then this is where it starts to spread game wide.
For one, the control scheme is hit or miss because in some cases you have entirely too many combos you have to use and while you DO use each and every button, your combos will easily have you hitting the wrong buttons when you don't need to. Worst of all is your melee buttons are on the bumpers and most of us who are FPS players are so hard wired to using triggers that when it comes time to use those bumpers in the game will find ourselves pulling the trigger instead. Although you have a heavy and light melee attack sometimes trying to use each or both will leave you vulnerable especially since some are used as QTE. And truth be told, for the Marines, the controls are probably most workable because it's a human. The predator it takes a bit more work because you have jumping combos and weapon combos and with the xenomorph it's probably most difficult because while you are trying to get the control scheme down you also have to orient yourself in particular rooms especially since it clings and crawls on everything and most of your attacks are melee attacks.
Next up is the HUD and level design. In many cases, you will find yourself in the dark and trying to figure where you are going. For one there is no map to guide and the pointer in your HUD sometimes become useless because as you follow it can sometimes flip back and forth and will render you entirely lost and in the dark. Also on some levels when you need to find an objective, it may be clear as day on one portion where it is and other times you have no clue. For instance, one level I needed to extinguish a fire by breaking a pipe open and I found myself fighting hordes of baddies rather than taking time out to find the pipe because the HUD wasn't concisely marked as it could have been especially since the objective and the exit were right smack together. Worst was because I had to switch the mask filter to "see" the enemy I ran past the objective at least 3 times before I realized I needed to switch to regular view to see it which at that point put me in near blackness and a few cheap deaths. On the other hand there was a level I played and if you followed the voice prompts you knew where to go. But then the worst offender is that this game actually tried to throw puzzles in here. There is a level where you have to open a door by finding switches scattered thru the level. No problem. Take your time and find the switches. The problem was placement and spawning. Because the levers were on a cliff ledge, as soon as you turned a switch on, 3 or four monsters jumped you and if you weren't careful you instantly fell off of the cliff which you have to repeat getting to again. One thing that Rebellion did bring back and something I wished to see in other FPSs is that when you shoot a light, it goes out and makes rooms darker. But, why is it if I am using laser weapons, I have to shoot a light 2 and three times for it to go out? It's hard enough that you are wasting energy and finding recharge stations on levels are so willy nilly it's frustrating.
Another issue is the AI and interaction. This is straightforward and short. The AI for the marines is just dumb. It doesn't take much to get a whole gaggle of soldiers to run in your general direction for an easy kill problem is, most of the time you are the ones being killed because they all just blindly run and fire at you. In an age when most AI are programmed with unpredictable flanking schemes, it's really a shame to see AI behavior almost reminiscent of the 1999 game. Also for pushing buttons and switches, you have to be exactly in the right spot or else it just won't work and in a game with the frenetic pace that this has, it's inexcusable especially when pulling off trophy or stealth games and after you have seen one head with a spine attached ripped off, you have seen it all.
Last up are the character designs. It's a mixed bag. On one hand, all of the races are represented and detailed. On the other hand it's again that 1999 issue popping up. For one almost anything that you kill `dies' the same way, no ragdoll effects or anything. There are really no variety of characters and it really would have been noticeable among the Predators and somewhat on the Marines but almost everyone is the same and it sucks to know that the 1999 game actually had a little bit more enemy variety. Even the weapons loadouts are imbalanced. Marines have very limited ammo and very few places to reload and once you find yourself engaging a horde it's very easy to see your rifle ammo exhausted long before you have cut down a good number of Aliens before you complete your objective. The predator mode is imbalanced because certain things you need early on (like enhanced vision) you don't get until well after levels where you really need them and some of the weapons you get really don't work all that well like they should when you are in the middle of a fight. The Xenomorph mode can sometimes be frustrating because it walks ON EVERYTHING and pulling off stealth kills is difficult if you are not exactly in the right spot.
So in conclusion, AVP disappoints with so many inexcusable issues that it will made die hard fans run off and load up the PC game (yes I still have mine) just to get the bad tase of this iteration out of your mouth. It starts off with a fleeting promise of a good game and immediately descends in to sub par mediocrity. This was so painful, I didn't bother getting into multiplayer mode. I would strictly advise that anyone wanting this game, get this as a rental only.
2/5 stars. | video-games_xbox |
Highly Recommended Entertainment Console. This review will be about the console and the Kinect 2.0, first starting with the console. I love the design on the console myself, the colors and materials flow so well together and the fact that the power brick and the HDMI cables match the design makes it even better, also the HDMI cables and unit itself support 4k at 60fps. The console's size doesn't bother me at all really nor do all the vents, Microsoft intended on this blinding into your entertainment center which is why they went with a plain box design and a decent size. I used the unit non-stop for the first two weeks and the last two weeks I've been using it for roughly 5 or 6 hours per day and so far no overheating problems at all and the unit is extremely quiet, actually surprised me cause it literally can only be heard slightly if you put your head right beside it. The games look great, not as good as PS4 due to the better hardware, however when you buy this you buy it for either the online or all the entertainment purposes. The dedicated servers that will be on all XB1 games insure no host advantage, host migrations, or lag if you have good internet, also sense the xbox is cloud powered so the games will actually increase in quality as developers learn to use this feature and even the console itself will become more powerful overtime due to the cloud as well, but I won't go into how that's all going to work. The HDMI input and output is a very awesome integration, works best for live TV however I did hook my Xbox360 up to it and worked good but did have a sec or 2 delay and was impossible to play with, however with live TV it becomes very useful for switching back and fourth or the snap chat feature which is something else very unique. It hasn't crashed or froze on me, and also they are a few reports of bad disc drives in a couple units however if you get one that has this or any other problem, simply call them and they'll immediately ship you out a brand new unit and you don't even have to ship yours back until after the new one arrives if you wish, you keep the new one and they scrap your old one for parts, 3-5 days. They are a few things I don't like bout the system as of now and most of these will be updated in the future and trust me the positives heavily out weigh the negatives.
Cons:
-No support for 3D Bluray
-No support for music playback via USB
-No support for video playback via USB
-No official support for surround sound through the HDMI input or Optical output as of right now (they do have a beta out for Dolby Digital support on the HDMI input and are working on the final version)
-No external hard drive storage support (have heard that it will be added in via update sometime in Q1 of 2014)
-Built in DVR only records at a max of 720p/30fps
-UI can sometimes be confusing to navigate or find exactly what you're looking for
-No notifications when a friend or even someone from you're favorites sign on
Time for the Kinect review! The Kinect 2.0 is much more responsive then I thought it would be to be honest, I have a lisp, speech impediment, and a southern accent and out of every 20 commands it picks up 19 of them on average, and I actually had it re-calibrated today so it's working even better now, the facial recognition works perfectly, it registers the voice commands rather quickly and once more I love the design of the Kinect 2.0 much better then the original, the fact that it can detect heart rate, stress levels, and how much force is being exerted onto an object makes it the perfect tool for working out. Also the unit can actually sync up too your TV and control it with commands such as Xbox Mute or unmute and Xbox Volume Up or Down, and when you say Xbox on or off, it automatically does the same to your TV as well. If you have you're cable box ran through the Xbox One and setup correctly with the new XB1 guide you can actually tell the kinect to go to channels and ask it what's on and when and even favorite your shows and keep track of your fantasy team during the big games, also the new bing is simply mind blowing when using the Kinect. Once more I will list a few things they might wanna try improving upon for the Kinect 2.0, though it's a very short list.
Cons:
-Could use a few more voice commands such as Xbox Eject or Xbox Reboot, new voice commands should be rather easy to install in a future update
-Could make it the motion tracking a bit better along with the background noise cancellation.
-Still wouldn't recommend using this instead of an actual Mic
-Size could be smaller
-I find the "Xbox On" command to hardly ever work when a controller is plugged in for some reason, so if you have this trouble, unplug the controller, say the command, plug it back in. | video-games_xbox |
I have higher hopes for Borderlands 3. If you want to go in game order, this is essentially Borderlands 1.5, and that is the number of stars I'd give this game. I'll round up because I am a genuinely huge fan on this series. I played Borderlands quite a bit, but played Borderlands 2 so much I must have done every mission at least a few dozen times, and both of these are two of my favorite games of all times.
I'll start with the few pluses I had in this game:
1. Characters- I have so far only played as Athena, but I have to say I have a lot of fun playing as her. I really like that you can get your action skill at level three as opposed to level five, which I think works out a lot better as, before you get your action skill and start building your skill trees up, all the characters play basically the same.
2. Combat- Combat is always fun in Borderlands games, and this wasn't an exception. I'm glad the enemy health scaling wasn't as ridiculous as in BL2, though I really think in future games they should use the original BL system for scaling health and weapon damage. That being said, these games are heavily built around the combat, and I found myself able to easily lose myself in the midst of a horde of enemies or a challenging boss fight.
3. Oz Kits- I really like this idea, as increasing the jump distance, adding double jumps, and slam damage really give a more versatile array of combat abilities. A good replacement for Relics in my opinion.
4. The Voicing- All the voice actors in this did a really amazing job acting their roles, and helped to immerse me into the plot of the game (as best as possible). Even if I didn't always like what they were saying, I really enjoyed how they said it.
Now, we'll go on to the much more extensive list, the bad:
1. The Story of Handsome Jack- I will start by saying I really like how it began, having Athena tell Handsome Jack's rise to power after being taken by the Crimson Raiders. But how that story went was another matter. I really think Handsome Jack's character change was very poorly written. He started out a naive, ambitious, and slightly snarky character with dreams of being a hero, but I found his progression from this to a true villain didn't really taken place throughout the story, but instead you end up with three versions of Jack. The original Jack I mentioned above, his shift after he kills the Meriff, and the villain he becomes at the end. It really seemed to me like Jack shot the Meriff, and instantly became a villain. From that point, he would do seemingly anything to achieve his goals with no moral limits. I really would have preferred to have seen a slower progression into villainy, rather than the sudden shifts shown in this game.
2. The Humor- Or relative lack their of. Borderlands games have always been on the raunchier side of humor, and while I'll admit that raunchy humor doesn't have to be intelligent to be good in every instance, that you should consider your target audience when designing humor for your game. The jokes in this, were just too immature for my tastes. It seemed like this game's humor was targeted for the pre-teen to young teen market. Considering this is a game rated for 17 up, I'd like to think that wasn't their intention. I really think I laughed, more than a chuckle, about three times through the entirety of this game, and even the chuckles weren't that frequent. A few of the NPC's gimmicks are really just screaming loudly with lots of energy, while not actually saying or doing anything funny (save Mister Torgue). A lot of the innuendo were also highly forced, and just not very well done, and sometimes just a little creepy. I also think it was a nice idea to make Elpis like Pandoran Australia in theory, but the problem is a lot of the references that are made to Australian things make little sense to me, because I don't really know anything about Australian idioms in general, and I'd wager most people don't either.
3. Mission Flow- I know BL2 featured a few missions where there are objective shifts, sometimes major ones that redirect you, but this game has to do it on literally every mission multiple times. To get to the Bosun, you have to cross a bridge. He then retracts the bridge so you can't cross it. You are then sent to the manual override, which causes him to blow up the bridge. The bridge is over a molten lake, where you are then directed to methane directly into in order to cross, BUT, there is no methane, so you have to wander half way across the map to a methane pumping station in order to get methane to freeze the lake. Does it really need to take me five additional objectives to cross a bridge? This is the worse example of this in my opinion, but I think random objective changes happen far too often in this game.
4. The Loot- I will start out by saying, I don't farm or grind for loot in this game. I personally don't really enjoy farming the same boss over and over again. For some people it's about the journey, but when I play a game, I'm really more about getting to the destination, and having awesome loot when I get their. Most of the legendaries in this game are just the same stuff from BL2. A few have slightly changed features and names that typically make them a less powerful version (88 Fragnum anyone?) of a gun from BL2. The legendary pool is also very very small in this game. I don't even think every manufacturer has a version of each legendary weapon in this game. I only use four legendaries all that commonly, and two of those are from BL2, and one of them is my class mod so that doesn't really count since it didn't exist in BL2. I'd like to see some original loot put in this game, and expand what each manufacturer has.
5. Lazy Programming- One of my biggest complaints in this game is how players and NPC's interact with terrain. This game is made on the same engine as BL2, and obviously uses a lot of the same systems. The problem becomes this. The terrain, while looking visually different, is not dense areas where it should be in many instances. In a game where enemies commonly fly, they very often get stuck in ceilings, or in debris. This happens A LOT. I'd wager they just took the old terrain from BL2 and re-skinned it to look different, while in reality the terrain is not different at all. I often got stuck when walking on Elpis on slight notches of terrain that visibly were about an inch or two off the ground, which you then have to do an excessively high low gravity jump just to walk over. Another classic example is the golden key glitch on PC in BL2. You could literally edit your golden keys to whatever number you wanted in BL2 on the PC version when it first came out. The bug was found and patched fairly early, but, that same exact bug appeared again in this game. I get that it was made on the same engine and everything, but that doesn't mean you literally have to re-use all the same coding from BL2 for it. You charged $60 American when this game first came out, which is normal retail value for a game, and that means customers should expect a new game. Not a just a re-skinned Borderlands 2.
So far, I have low expectations for replay value on this game. I've only been playing it for a month and I'm already pretty bored. The first DLC came out, and it was in all honestly horrible. It really reminds me of Underdome Riot, but a lot worse. There is almost no new loot, the game play is just round based fighting, and that's it. I have heard rumors of a massive DLC in the works, but unless 2K and Gearbox really put their all into it, I don't see this game improving for me. I'm baffled as to why it has such a high rating on here to begin with, as all the things I read elsewhere shows people having very similar opinions to mine. I think this game really just tried to capitalize off the great success of the Borderlands franchise without putting the effort into making a real game. This game just doesn't do the Borderlands series justice in my opinion. | video-games_xbox |
I wish I had my Earforce HPA2's back. Well, let's get started off with the good. The surround sound works as you would expect it to, good for gaming or media or whatever you feel like you need a pair of surround sound headsets for. The overall sound quality is decent, and that's really about all that there is.
The cons are as follows - build quality. This thing feels like it's going to fall apart in my hands. The HPA2 (the predecessor to this) looked flimsy, but felt sturdy in your hands. I haven't had any actual build quality issues yet, but as it's about 8 hours into day one, this is to be expected. My HPA2's broke after two years of constant use, so I was expecting better.
Comfort. These headphones never feel like you're not wearing them. They're always there, and there's always a weight hanging down from the ear the dongle is on. The HPA2's took care of this by simply ensuring cord length was as such that the controls didn't dangle at your arm. We don't need a mic mute button that causes neck pain after hours of use, we have keyboards that serve that function. Wearing comfort was ridiculous with the HPA2s you could wear them for days on end and never notice them, these are always crimping down, scrunching at your ears and just being noticeable. Uncomfortable.
Sound. I don't understand where these went wrong, I could ignore every other fault if this wasn't such a huge issue. The HPA2s had house-rattling bass. You'd feel it in your hands when you were typing something while listening to music. These are a muted version. I don't even understand why they put a subwoofer knob on the control panel. I do a lot of things on my computer, listening to music and gaming are pretty big for me. To have to have two different headsets to achieve this end when the HPA2 did it just fine on it's own is astounding to me. Honestly, I wanted this to work. I was heartbroken when my HPA2s broke, and felt great when I saw they had a newer version. But this is just another example of how far the brand has fallen since it started marketing to consoles. Avoid. At all costs. | video-games_xbox |
Nerve Racking. I couldn't wait untill this game came out I had read all the reviews and the trailers had me on the edge of my seat. The minute it hit the shelf i took it home filled with anxious anticapation for what this game had in store for me.
First off let me say that the loading times in between levels and restarts is way to long and the cutscenes and comments before missions tend to get really boring. I started play and within 5 minutes was allready frustrated you cant hit crap in this game you can fire a 1,000 rounds and not hit what you have your sights pinned on.then your so caught up in trying to set up your team you end up getting wasted giving out orders. I played full spectrum warrior and thought it really sucked main reason you couldn't fire and was just giving out orders so i figured the mix of being able to shoot and give out team orders would work great. And Im all for strategic games insted of just putting in a code and rushing the enemy but this game took it to far. They needed to make it a little easier to shoot the enemy I know that if I was in a war and had the enemy in my sights at 50 yards and all i had to shoot at was the top of his head he would be a dead soldier,but not in Brothers I n Arms you practically have to be within inches to kill them. Im glad they where as acurate as they were with the story of this game but being acurate with a true story and making a fun game to play are two different things. Medal of Honor Frontlines from my point of view was a heck of alot better game than BIA.
I tried to get into this game but just couldnt,you have to have a ton of patients to play this game and it might help to pad your controller because this game makes you want to throw it at something. I love all the war games that are based on real military action and stratagies but this one isn't for me and probaly not for alot of people. I suggest that you rent this game before you pay 50 bucks for it. Its a great game but if i would of played it before buying it i wouldnt of bought it. If you like setting up soldiers to do tasks for you and extreme strategic postioning and spending all you time worrying about where all your guys are and like dying then this game will suit you fine. I think that alot of people that play this game will love it and say its the best they ever played,but I also think that just as many that play it will not like it say its to hard and to frustrating. Like I said rent it first see if you like it then make your decision. | video-games_xbox |
My impressions after passing BIA. First of, let me just mention this, the game is good!!!. How good depends on you, but certainly a lot of fun and challenging. Its not hard, but you have to think, no rush and gun gameplay here.
Let me start with the controls. The controls take getting used to. It took me about 30 to 60 minutes to learn, a long time. You can change the controller's button layout, but they are all predetermined, and none are exactly what you want. A custom layout would have been welcomed. You can hardly turn when you run, but you get used to it.
The game has a LOT of glitches, from guys walking infinitely toward a wall, to you pressing the zoom button only to recognize two second later the game never registered that you are pressing the button, so he never zooms and you have to release the trigger and press it again. This still doesn't take away from the fun, which is amazing.
The game is simple and complicated at the same time. Lemme explain. Its simple in you move from one field to another and you find cover, and then flank them so you can shoot them yourself. Its complicated as the commands you issue aren't always followed (dam you bazooka team, always dying on me, when I tell you to move, MOVE!!!).
Multiplayer is HORRIBLE. I don't wish it on anyone. It is torture. It was just put in as a feature. Its the same mechanics as the single player, (so bad controls!!!), and basically there are two flags on the stage to capture. You are assigned to a squad and CANT change,so you are stuck with said squad's weapon loadout, not fun.
The story is well written and will keep you interested, but I had a hard time remembering who is who as the graphic are mostly Xbox 1 quality. Most memorable moments where setting up an ambush against incoming enemies in a warehouse in 10 seconds and watch as my team makes it to position just in time and slaughters them without any help. The tank segments are fun, and the areas are well planned and make you think everytime. Definitely a must play, but I can't justify its $60 dollar price tag to everyone. This is not a typical FPS game, but a lot of fun if you get into it. | video-games_xbox |
It's not bad, but it's not the Xbox 360 controller, either. To celebrate to Tron's return to theaters with 2010's Tron Legacy, and just in time for for the tie-in game Tron Evolution, Disney had PDP, known for their Afterglow line of game controllers, create for them a pad themed after the iconic look of the films. The Tron controllers for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and Nintendo Wii were the result. Multiple color schemes, made to mimic the color schemes of various characters from the films, were produced, and similar to the Afterglow line of controllers, plugging in these controllers caused them to light up in a similar fashion to the films.
The controllers definitely look cool, especially if you like the look of the Grid and near everything on it, but do they perform well as controllers?
...yes and no.
Aside from the glowing sections of the controller and rubberized grips, there aren't any special features that separate this controller from the stock wired Xbox 360 gamepad; there's no turbo or programming functions, the layout is largely the same as the Xbox 360 controller (the shape of the controller itself is a little different, more on that later), and it has a decently long wire (a few inches longer than the stock 360 pad's). As mentioned before, the grips are rubberized, so there's even less chance of somehow, miraculously, letting slip your controller in the heat of battle, or something. It's a neat-looking 360 controller with decent grips, no more, no less. Also, this works well on the PC as easily as the stock 360 pad, it even shows up as a "Disney Tron Controller for Xbox 360," which is a nice touch.
Using the controller feels quite good; it takes less force to move the joysticks around, same for pulling the triggers, the face buttons themselves have a nice click to them that the stock 360 pad lacks, and the d-pad is a nice, cross-shaped setup that's a good deal better than the stock 360 dpad, but still not something I would use to play BlazBlue with.
Overall, it's not a bad controller, and would be great if not for some caveats.
The most obvious thing holding this controller back is the shape. Whereas the 360 pad has a nice, gentle curve to the grips on the controller that made using both the triggers and shoulder buttons perfectly comfortable to use, the grips on the Tron controller are at a steeper angle, making resting your fingers on the triggers perfectly comfortable, but reaching the shoulder buttons less so. This isn't that much of a deal-breaker if you play games that make heavy use of the triggers, but games that use the bumpers a lot will start to wear on you. So Bayonetta and Devil May Cry are going to get uncomfortable, while Ninja Gaiden Black and II won't.
The second issue with this controller is the build quality. It's not the worst I have experienced, but several months after getting the controller and using it regularly, the right bumper stopped clicking when pressed. The button itself still works fine, but every time I press it, it provides no feedback, making me wonder if I even pressed the thing in the first place. It makes me want to press the button even harder just to be sure. Fortunately I can resist the temptation, but it's still bothersome when my 360 pad still works perfectly well since 2008.
Finally, it's wired. For those who like wired controllers, this one has an even longer cord than the stock controller, so hooray for you. Those who prefer wireless controllers will have one less thing to like about this controller. It's a hit and a miss for me; I don't like messing with batteries or constantly charging the rechargeable packs, but I don't like tripping over cords either.
Finally, this is less of a minus and more of a "not-plus," but the glow effect can be distracting to some, especially in a dark room when you're trying to focus on your game, as the glow can show up in your peripheral vision and start to get annoying.
So yeah, if you love all things Tron, this is the controller for you. It might not replace your stock 360 pad, however, but it'll probably do a better job of putting you in the mood when you play Tron Evolution than the stock pad, too. | video-games_xbox |
Fantastic Sounding 5.1 Headset. Pros:
Sound quality, sound quality, sound quality. I am not an audiophile, but these are without question the best sounding headphones I have ever used. Audio is crystal clear across the board, with deep, full bass that I never thought possible from a headphone. As I'm not an audiophile, I am keeping this section of the review brief, but know that this is the most important thing in this review and why these are getting 5 stars. The sound quality is like a constant orgasm for your ear.
The 5.1 effect is indeed a simulated 5.1, but whatever magic they use to simulate it works extremely well - I can easily hear noises behind me in games or movies.
Battery life is quite good at 8 hours+
They are comfortable to wear for hours at a time. Initially took a little getting used to, but after using these for well over a year now, I find them super comfy.
I REALLY like two things about the connectivity options: the TOSLINK passthrough and the RCA in. RCA in allows you to easily connect sources that only have a 3.5mm jack via a cheap adapter, and TOSLINK passthrough means you can do something crazy like what I did:
PC/Xbox 360/Blu-Ray --> 3 to 1 optical toslink selector --> Razer Chimaera 5.1 --> Logitech Z906
Microphone is clear and works well for Xbox 360 gaming.
The controls on the headphones themselves are varied and nice to use (volume/mic volume/mute/sync/mode)
Use of standard rechargable AAA batteries means that you can replace them when they die. After about a year of use, the batteries that came with the headset were definitely dying - I rarely got more than 3 hours use out of a full charge. So I just replaced them with some new rechargeable Duracell AAAs and now I'm back to 10 hours battery life!
Cons:
The build quality is decent, but could be better for a $200 headset. I wish that more metal had been used in the construction instead of almost all plastic. Though they did survive me accidentally sitting on them one time (oops) - only the foam earpiece came off (I got some epoxy to reattach it which worked fine).
I wish there was a direct 3.5mm input/output in addition to the connectivity options already there.
There is no reason I can see that the microphone shouldn't work on PC. You should NOT plan on using this as a PC headset. This doesn't matter to me much since I don't talk when I play PC games, but it's a feature that really should be there.
The microphone does pick up too much ambient noise. I typically only talk with friends on Xbox Live and none of them have ever complained about it being obnoxious, but they can hear my wife talking in the background or whatever else is going on.
Overall:
I highly recommend this headset. The combination of sound quality and 5.1 is just sooooooooooooo good for gaming, music, and movies, that I can't imagine ever using another wireless headset. | video-games_xbox |
Crazy Taxi is back and better than ever. Before I begin, I have to say that I loved the first Crazy Taxi in the arcade and on Dreamcast. It was an extremely fun game with great graphics, sounds, and controls. A year later, Sega unleashed a sequel onto the public in the guise of Crazy Taxi 2. In retrospect, I think I was harder on it then I should have been, but the controls did not feel right and it was not that much fun in comparison to the original. I was not sure if I would like Crazy Taxi 3 that much (considering how disappointing the last one was), but I was so happy to find that this is the series best installment yet.
The first thing that surprised me with this game was with its much improved controls. The game engine feels closer to the first game than the second, which is a good thing. All of the tricks you need to learn become second nature after a while. The Drift Hop, which I labeled "absolutely useless" in Crazy Taxi 2, is actually easier to use then before, and I am eating my previous words: The Drift Hop is useful. Also, the carpool feature spent some time in the shop. This fixes another problem I had with CT2. The radar is not confusing anymore, so you can now carpool with ease. Thanks, Sega!
Graphically, it looks nice, but most other next-gen consoles could pull this off with relative ease. However, there are some impressive touches, such as your taxi's headlights and the city lights at night. In the sound department, the game is a treat with good sound effects, music by the Offspring, Bad Religion, and others that perfectly set the pace of the game, and good voices. With the sound, however, I do have couple complaints. One, I wish Sega would have enabled a Custom Soundtrack option, although I really like the music here, so I am just nitpicking. Second, I wish that some of the voice actors from the first game would have reprised their roles for this 3rd incarnation (all the voice actors from CT2 are in this game). I really say this because I loved hearing Kent Frick as B. D. Joe, and he does not sound quite as good anymore. As I said above, though, I am just nitpicking here.
As far as features go, this game has a plethora of them. You get the arcade course from the first Crazy Taxi, the Small Apple course from CT2, and a new course, Glitter Oasis. This course is really great and just as fun as the older courses. In addition, the older courses have undergone some changes. This means that there are more locations to take passengers to and the CT1 course received a face lift. It now utilizes the jump feature allowing you to jump on top of buildings, cutting your times even shorter than before. In addition, you have the Crazy X mode. Much like the Crazy Box and Crazy Pyramid from the first two titles, these involve playing fun and inventive mini-games to unlock game features. One favorite game of mine is the Crazy Football game. You have to take the passenger to the end zone of a football field. All the while, cars, trucks, and 18-wheelers try to crash into you and knock you out of bounds (which, of course, makes you lose); it's a hoot. Furthermore, you can save your runs with replays (this is useful when you want to prove to a friend that you beat a very difficult challenge). Be warned though, some of these challenges are really hard, but the rewards are worth the blood, sweat, and tears.
The real star of Crazy Taxi 3, however, is the fun factor. This game is extremely fun and addictive; I could not stop playing it. The game is full of character and personality that will keep you smiling for many miles. I really loved this game. Sure any next-gen system (maybe even the Dreamcast) could handle the graphics, but who cares? This game is ultimate proof that gameplay and overall fun are much more important than graphics, resulting in one of the best games of the year. | video-games_xbox |
Take the Fight Online. Soul Calibur 4 - Circa 2008
GOOD:
- Good/Tight controls.
- Overall balanced gameplay.
- Tons of different and unique fighters.
- Minutes to learn years to master type gameplay.
- Lots content to unlock such as new Fighters, costume pieces, stages, and extra modes of play - this might keep you busy for some time.
- All returning characters from Soul Calibur 1, 2 and 3 have their move sets/styles upgraded and slightly changed sometimes.
- Two new Soul Calibur fighters Hilde a woman Knight who uses a lance and a new playable boss called Algol. Also note there is a few bonus characters designed by Japanese manga artists and the inclusion of two Star Wars characters.
- Build your own unique characters from tons of costume items (and you can change the colors on any one of these items as well). You can pretty much make any character you want. Also you can edit the clothing of any of the regular fighters as well.
- Finally be able to play Soul Calibur online over Xbox Live (note this is only for Gold users).
BAD:
- A lot of the cheesy/easy win moves discovered in Soul Calibur 3 are back and there are some new ones are well. This is really a pain online and worse with laggy.
- The story is total nonsense and thankfully be just ignored.
- Laggy online, while this is more of an issue with your internet connection if you don't have a strong connection your gonna see lots of lag online.
IF IT FITS YOUR TASTE:
- Has medieval theme, both European and Chinese/Japanese.
- Not traditional fighting game in the sense that there is no real combos and or supers, and there is limited projectile moves.
- Fight with weapons, like a 3D Samurai Showdown type of game or a Tekken/Dead or Alive with weapons.
- A 3D fighting game that really uses the 3D space (with eight way run).
- Build your own unique characters (pretty much costume only, you pick a pre-set fighting style) and fight with them in Versus, Tower, as well as online modes, (Lots of the new items and costume parts should be unlock to really get a better selection of costume accessories, not much to pick at default).
- Have to unlock most of the game content like fighters, stages and items through many different modes of play, which takes time and skill (some people do not have either and will be upset with this).
- Tower modes help you earn in-game money to unlock stuff. This tower mode is broken down into two different areas. The first Ascending the tower has you playing matches against the CPU in harder and harder matches and you can save and rest at the end of every level. Descending now has you doing a similar trial but you can not save after each level, since it more like endurance encounters.
- Earn in-game money (like in Tower mode and playing ranked online matches) to unlock tons and tons of stuff from new fighters to new costume items for your custom character, or art work and videos.
- A new finished system makes it so if you get enough powerful hits on your opponent with our being interrupted you can now do a splashy finisher type move to them, wining the match.
GAME ITS MOST ASSOCATED TOO:
- Soul Calibur 3
- Tekken 6
- Samurai Showdown
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
- The Premium edition comes with the game, a download code for more exclusive costume items, a real world t-shirt (with Yoda on it), a mini comic, art book and it all comes in a metal case for save keeping.
- There are a few download packs for this game in terms of new costume pieces and weapons, but be careful some downloads for this game are nothing more then unlocks for content already found within the game. There is also a download the add music from the first Soul Calibur game from Dreamcast.
- There are two Star Wars characters in Soul Calibur 4, Yoda the little green Jedi master from the movies and The Apprentice from the game Star Wars: Force Unleashed. These new Star Wars characters can use Force abilities (limited use energy use but they can recharge). There is no real good reason (story wise) for these characters to be in this game.
- Darth Vader from the Star Wars movies and who was once only exclusive on the PS3 version is now a Download for the Xbox 360 version. | video-games_xbox |
The Pros outweigh the Cons. This game had tickled my love for RPGs as well as my love for spy/stealth games. I pretty much had to buy it. It has it's positives, as well as it's obvious negatives, but overall it's a damn fun game I can't put down. And I will be doing a 2nd playthough.
Graphics - 3.5/5 Nothing special here, just your average looking game. The environments look bland, the character models are actually pretty damn good looking up close. But the voices don't always match up with what they are saying.
Sound - 5/5 The voice acting is top notch, one of the key features that helps make a great story better in any game. The background music isn't too spectacular, but it does the job. The sounds of guns, as well as some of the other sound effects are pretty generic, but don't distract from the game.
Gameplay - 2/5 This is where most people have a problem with this game. The AI is terrible, with enemies getting stuck on corners, and all the things that would normally make this a bad game. The shooting is flawed until you level up, which in theory sounds good, but is poorly excecuted.. There is a bright light at the end of this tunnel however, when you beat the game on recruit you unlock veteran, which grants you a lot more skills right off the bat, thus making the game more enjoyable to a HUGE degree.
Story - 5/5 This is where the game shines. Every choice you make results in a differnt game. I don't want to spoil anything, but sometimes when you make friends with the right people, they will assist you during a mission. (resulting in friendly AI, which is also quite stupid, but nice as a distraction). The story and in-game cutscenes along with the top notch voice acting make it feel very much like an interactive movie at points.
Overall - 4/5 I would say if you are an action RPG fan, or a fan of the spy/espionage genre (Tom Clancy novel type stories) I would say this is a must play. Just be patient, because if you can look past the obvious flaws, this is a really enjoyable game.
*Achievement/Trophy note: How can you not love a game that gives you an achievement/trophy for scoring with all the ladies in one playthrough? | video-games_xbox |
Game breaking glitches and seasons pass issues galore. Have completed the game and have trying to go back through... I don't even know where to start with the game breaking glitches this game has; where you just can't progress at all until the problems are fixed.
First, lets start with regular game play. The flight ceiling is capped extremely low, and rappel points for this game are sparse to say the least. Even when you should be able to rappel onto a building, you can't, and just running around simple boxes block your paths, inability to climb basic walls without the rappel. Interactions with password terminals is intermittent, basically the only way to describe this nonsense is the developer has a certain way for you to interact with the item. Even though it absolutely breaks the mechanic of the game and the way items function. Then there are invisible walls where they shouldn't be. So batarangs will bounce off structures that simply are not there. This is an invisible wall in gaming that usually activates something. So the player would have to cross this wall and then it activates something like an enemy spawn or an action. In gaming you don't see it, but in coding its a necessity. Basically the objects aren't coded to ignore these barriers. Its embarrassing as even batman himself seems to grab onto thin are for a moment and then FALL.
Game stopping glitch. Joker fun house (Now Corrected by patch which took a week) When going back through the game, you get to the joker fun house the water would electrify and a timer would start. The buttons you used to use to escape the situation are now not there. Now matter what you would do the timer would run out and you would lose and see the joker mocking you.
Second game breaking glitch. (Not corrected) Under the GCPD building in the sewers if you have ventured into the open sewer pits. You can get across in the first playthrough, but now going after the data packs with all your tech, there are no rappel points, no gadgets, nothing at all allows you to get across. In fact I thought I was doing something wrong, but after launching a youtube video and posting it on the WB Facebook page I found that I was among others who were stuck.
Another thing is absolutely no improvements were made over Arkham city. The city is just a reskin of the old city and areas you should be able to fly to are completely off limits. Its no where near open world as Arkham City was.
Super Bane? The grates work completely differently in this one fight than throughout the entire game... What a joke. Its like the developers just didn't care. They needed something to work a certain way and changed it for the one level. I mean WOW....
The fight mechanic is glitchy and buttons are unresponsive in large scale fights. They overload you with snipers and shield enemies, then they add.
Things that were not broken in the game such as tech were changed and that charge gun has only two shots when you need 3 for riddler trophies, but have to leave and wait for recharge...
Villains. Not enough of them, for the important villains that should have been in there you get this shocker guy who you NEVER get to fight he is just in there for gloves you eventually need. Then there is the Pyro guy which batman canon or not, I felt like I was playing Metal Gear 3. Black masks was alright but there is no real boss fight with him. He is easily defeated and in fact most of the Assassins out to kill you are few and far between. They literally recapitalize on Arkham city fights that more or less take place the same way.
The game was clearly rushed, The story is extremely short and what should be used to establish ALL villains and the relationship between Gordon and Batman is a missed opportunity. It basically becomes an uneasy. "I'll stay out of your way if you stay out of mine thing," but not the relationship they build where you see the bat signal and TRUST. Its embarrassing and I am guessing they plan more character development with DLC and more villains with DLC.
Season Pass DLC issues. So a season pass means you pay a one time fee and you get everything for a year for that one time price. Well not with this game. Not only did the season pass not work, but after purchasing the season pass you still had to pay for items that should be free under the season pass.
Game stop COdes were also not working correctly, as I paid for my season pass at game stop and then got charged again through my paypal account through the Arkham Origins store.
DO NOT BUY THIS game and I would recommend buying it used. The reason is the DLC they have is a joke. Costumes you'll never wear and skin packs for a glitchy multiplayer. Thats right they now have a multiplayer with packs.... | video-games_xbox |
Nothing new here, move along. Unlike those professional reviewers, I'm just an average guy that pays for their games. Pro reviews tend to review their free complimentary copies and have a conflict of interest because the same companies have ads on their site or magazines paying for their paycheck. I on the other hand tells it like it is. If you are a fanboy, good! having passion for something is a good thing. If you have a different opinion than I do, than lets discuss it intelligently and not call each other names. Here is my review for NFS Hot Pursuit:
Pros -
- Cop mode
- It didn't freeze on me yet.
Cons - O where do I start? Do you like games with the following features?
- Like burnout, there are places all over the map where there is divider that comes out of no-where and causes your car to crash. Hence ending any chance of finishing the race within the allowed time. VERY CHEAP. No one likes this.
- Around 50 cars with a chance to buy more cars from their online store. 320 MS points for 3 cars.
- Terrible race courses that all look the same. Trees, fences, rocks.. blah blah blah. Feels very rushed.
- Annoying CRASH animations, after seeing it for the 1000th time, it ruins the immersion.
- Buggy AI where the NPC cars don't pull to the side when your cop car has the sirens on.
- Super annoying sirens that can't be turned off. Whats the point of having the sirens on if the NPC's (not the car I'm chasing) not pull over? At least have the option to turn off the sirens. I read the manual, there is a button to turn off the sirens, but it doesn't work. BUG!
- Earn gold medals like Burnout, with impossible times without taking the shortcuts.
- Slippery soap physics that makes your car slide around like Ridge Racer 6.
- Same game as Burnout (but with cop mode) earn nitrous when you drive on the wrong side of the road, near miss, or tailgate another driver.
- Wall posts, a feature like facebook, but not really.
- All the cars in the same class feels the same. Because the physics of this game is all out of wack, all cars are the same regardless of the attributes on your screen. I'll give Criteron a break here since this is their first game with real world cars. Amateurs. Just their top speeds are different between classes.
Fun? If like dropping $60 on a piece of crap fun. Chances of selling this to someone else could be a stretch because I've already redeemed the online code. Don't make the mistake of buying this game, just download the demo and call it a day.
Basically, the same game as Burnout, minus a lot of the fun burnout stuff, like stunt mode. Same takedown stuff, but now you are a cop and can take down others. Drivers can take out cops too. Why don't you buy Burnout instead for $20.
Thanks for reading my review. | video-games_xbox |
BEWARE- If you live with Satelite Internet -BEWARE. I chose the Xbox One over the PS4 because it had DLNA. That is, it was able to stream movies from my computer to my TV. I've been trying to get an all in one entertainment system for some time. I also like more of the games that are supposed to be coming out for the Xbox One. Like Dead Rising 3. Dead Rising 3 is a fun game......until you have to download an update for it. A 13GB update!
I live too far in the sticks to get anything but satellite internet. I did the download after midnight because I can use as much internet as I want between midnight and 5:00am. The problem is that it took longer than 5 hours to download. My internet speed is supposed to be 12mbs. I know that cable internet is closer to 30mbs. The tech said that it should only take about an hour on DSL or Cable. So you would think that it would take maybe 3 hours on mine. NOPE...It went over the five hours plus used up 5GB of my 10GB.
So after an update the game disk needs to be reloaded into the Xbox One. Mine was stuck on 94% for 3 days before I decide to get support. After about 30 minutes with support I finally got it thru his head that the disk wouldn't download. It was the very first thing that I typed to him.
He told me the usual, disconnect everything from the Xbox and let it sit for 2 minutes. Then hook everything back up and try it again. Still didn't work. He told me to disconnect the internet could and erase the game from the disk. I asked him if that would erase the 13GB update and my 2 weeks of game play. He led me to believe that it wouldn't so I erased the game from the disk. He then had me reload the disk. After 15 minutes or so, the disk was loaded. I hooked back up the internet so that the game could get my info off of the cloud (Yes, the cloud. I'm pretty sure that none of my game play has been saved on my machine. If I can not connect to the internet, I can only play the game for about 30 seconds then it boots me back to the home.) and it wouldn't let me play until I downloaded the 13GB update again!
So heres my dilemma. Do I hook up to the internet and play games hoping that this never happens again or do I just play the games without internet? If I just play the games without the internet, then I won't have to worry about gigantic updates that eat up all of my internet. But then again, I would be missing out on some cool new stuff. Also, a lot of the games need internet to work so I would buy them and end up taking them back the next day.
Does Microsoft plan on gigantic updates for the box and the games all of the time or will they come out with a way to do the downloads on an external so that you can transfer it to the box? I keep an eye on all of the techie news about xbox that I can. I hope that they do something better because those of us that live too deep in the sticks are pretty much screwed if we have an Xbox One. | video-games_xbox |
Cover and Shoot... with Friends. Epic saved the best for last. In the final installment of Gears, there's more of everything. More Weapons, more creatures, more Multiplayer Modes, more Co-op Options, and a longer Campaign. But the basic cover and shoot gameplay remains the same.
Concept: 9/10
The Gears Trilogy Concludes with more of everything and significantly expanded Multiplayer. It's definitely the best game of the series.
Story: 8/10
As in the other Gears games, the story is told through cutscenes and character dialogue. The overall pacing of the game is cutscene, encounter, cutscene, encounter, repeat. The story is simple and to the point, and basically explains where you need to go next. You progress through an adventure to kill alien invaders. The dialogue is typical tough guy stuff with as many curse words thrown in as possible voiced by actors who sound like they've smoked about 4 million cigarettes. Like the other Gears games, there are a few dramatic moments in the cutscenes that you'll remember. The story would have been better if it went into a bit more detail about the Evil Queen or the Lambent. As it stands, they're just things to kill as you save the world.
Gameplay: 8/10
Gears of War gameplay revolves around cover and shoot. Take cover, shoot at enemies, duck down if you are injured, wait to heal, repeat. If you want to expand on the strategy, flanking enemies will take away their cover advantage and allow you to easily gun them down. If you get seriously injured, you fall to the ground, and you can crawl around for about 10 seconds before you die. In that time, an ally can `rescue you' and you're back on your feet at full health.
Weapons: 8/10
You can categorize weapons by distance, accuracy, and cover. All of the rapid fire weapons have a preferred distance where they are most effective vs. other weapons. Shotguns are close range, Lancers are medium range, Hammerbursts are good at long range because they have a zoom. The right weapon at the right distance vs an enemy with the wrong weapon will usually get you a kill.
Single Shot Weapons reward accuracy. The Long Shot rifle is a sniper rifle that insta-kills on a head shot. The Boltok Pistol has a zoom, and is also good at head shots. The torque bow is a slow winding mechanical bow that fires a single arrow with an explosive head.
Other weapons are great at making the enemy move out of cover. Grenades explode, Incendiary Grenades leave an area of fire, Ink Grenades leave a toxic cloud, the Digger fires an explosive grenade that burrows underground... If you can make your enemy move, you can either get a clear shot at him, or advance on his position and flank him.
The weapon selection is very straightforward and easy to understand. If you have the right weapon in the right situation, it's almost like rock, paper, scissors.
Melee attacks are a bit clunky because the characters' turning radius is quite slow. The exception is the Retro-Lancer, which allows you to perform a bayonet charge in a straight line. The Lancer and Retro Lancers can insta-kill. Grenades can also be stuck to a wall which will detonate when an enemy comes in range, or Grenades can be stuck directly to an enemy... and they explode.
The Meat Shield is still in the game, too.
Levels: 8/10
The levels are fairly straightforward and consist of an arena with some cover areas and enemies typically coming from one or two sides. You and your friends or AI's, engage them. The levels look beautiful and they're exciting as parts of them explode during the battle. Gears 3 does an excellent job at making you feel like you are in a war. A few of the encounters of Gears 2 were more exciting than anything that Gears 3 had, but for the most part, Gears 3 delivers.
As I was playing the levels, I had a few problems with them:
- My AI buddies were too powerful. It seemed like they'd kill 30% of the bad guys before I figured out where they were coming from, found a good cover spot, and equipped the right weapon.
- Melee attacks killing me through walls from a sub-boss. One particular enemy has a very long tentacle attack that just passes through level geometry, so you just have to blast him from a distance.
- Poor Timing. When I was injured and got "Downed" I was often the victim of bad timing. I would get knocked to the ground by a lambent blast, an AI would help me up, as soon as I got to my feet, I would get knocked down by another lambent blast, an AI would help me, as soon as I got to my feet, I would get knocked down by another lambent blast, an AI would help me, as soon as I got to my feet, the encounter was over.
- The AI's don't really try to flank you and take full advantage of the encounter's cover. They basically just hang back, duck, and shoot. I think Gears would have been much better if there was squad AI on the harder difficulty settings, where they actually did flank, and drive you back.
Multiplayer: 9/10
Gears 3 has a ton of Cooperative Modes and Versus Modes.
The Campaign is now playable with you and 3 friends.
There's Horde Mode, where you fight against waves of enemies.
There's a Beast Mode, where you and some friends play as the locusts (tickers, grunts, beast riders, boomers, etc...) and try to kill a squad of humans in a time limit. You get more time during the battle by killing them or destroying their defenses and bonus time at the end of each round. When you complete the 12 rounds, you win.
There are a plethora of Versus Modes that are all pretty fun. Each match lasts 2-10 minutes and you can join in, play, earn XP, and leave at the end. Because the games are short, fun, and rewarding, it gets pretty addictive.
There's Team Death Match, where each side gets a pool of respawns and you battle it out. However, if the teams aren't balanced, this is NO FUN. The last time I played, we got a Level 1 Noob, on our team that got NO KILLS and used up almost all of our Spawn Pool. Unfortunately, all it takes is one bad player to ruin this. If the Teams are somewhat equal, then you'll have a great time.
There's Team Death Match, where everyone gets 1 life. When you're dead, you stay dead until the next round.
There's an assassination game called Wingman, where you hunt down and kill enemy players. The first two man team to 15 kills wins. This mode encourages aggression and team work.
There's a game called King of the Hill where a ring spawns randomly on the map. The first team to touch it, gains points for every second they hold it. The opposing team must kill them and move into the ring to take it over. After a specific amount of points are earned, the ring respawns in another part of the map. This mode really encourages team work and good defense.
There's definitely enough modes here to keep you busy.
And when you play any mode, you gain XP, go up levels, and unlock new character skins. Your level shows up on all of the stat screens too, so it is a good indicator of who has skills.
Graphics: 10/10
Graphically, Gears feels like it squeezes as much power as it can out of your Xbox. The game looks fantastic! There's good variety in the levels, the characters and enemies look great, and the visual effects are outstanding! There are giant enemies, epic vista shots, and some impressive looking levels.
Sound: 10/10
The music sets the atmosphere and the combat effects punctuate the action! If you're playing Gears 3 right, your neighbors will complain about the noise.
Replay Value: 8/10
Gears offers an 8-10 hour Campaign with 4 difficulty levels, and a ton of Cooperative and Versus Modes. But because the game mostly revolves around cover and shoot in arenas, there isn't a great deal of depth to the combat. The game starts to feel stale after a while. You can only cover, shoot, shotgun, so many times before you are ready to move onto the next game.
Maturity: Older Teens
Swearing, War Violence, Gore, and you Chainsaw guys to death. There is a maturity filter that tones down the violence and gets rid of the language, but this game will never be suitable for all ages.
Overall: 8.5/10
This is definitely a very good action game and the most complete Gears game. The atmosphere is crazy-over-the-top and the structured gameplay makes it very easy to learn. The multiplayer modes will also keep you busy for days. Unfortunately, the gameplay never really breaks out of the cover-shoot-flank pattern and it does start to feel stale after a while.
Buy it if you love the Gears series and you want more. This one has the most to offer.
Buy it if you like very polished levels with over the top action.
Buy it if you love great graphics and the sounds of battle!
Buy it if you will take advantage of multiplayer!
Rent it if you have about 8-9 hours to complete the campaign and you aren't interested in multiplayer.
Avoid it if you want a breakout game that turns the Gears Universe on its head. This game is more of the same... Better... but more of the same. | video-games_xbox |
Does what Destiny couldn't do for me. Yes, I am going to be that guy to say it. The Division for me does what Star Wars Battlefront and Destiny couldn't do. I will even go as far as saying that if Star Wars Battlefront had anywhere near as good of a single player experience as The Division right now, I may not have picked this game up in the first place. Now, mind you, The Divisions story isn't great but the single player experience is good thus far for this to be an online shooter.
The story is simple and yet scary. A mystery group of people tainted some money with a super virus and unleashed it on New York on Black Friday. The virus shut down the city and much of the US as a whole in less than a month. New York becomes an every human for themselves environment and its up to you and your clandestine group known as The Division to not only restore order but to find out who is behind the virus and fight 3 rival factions looking to take over. Thats good enough to get you into the game and the insane part is the feeling that something like this could happen. The games story mode does an excellent job keeping you updated on the situation as well as directing you areas where help is needed. Whether you are freeing hostages, salvaging medical supplies or bringing in a bounty hunter, you always feel like whatever you are doing progresses the game.
Some of you have gotten this far and may be wondering what makes this a great single player game beyond what Destiny has to offer. For me, its the idea that with the exception of a few hubs you hit that you may share with other players, your player world during the campaign is instanced. Once you decide to take on a mission in the PVE environment, its you vs the mean streets of NYC and its not to be taken lightly. You will not have other players in your game taking you out of the immersion that its you alone or with your fire team. As far as game settings, you can opt to have a completely closed affair giving it a solo experience, somewhat open to allow only your friends to enter or totally opened to allow anyone to drop in and drop out of your game. The best part is that the game will ramp your difficulty up or down depending on who is playing and their skill level. One thing that I have noticed so far is that while there are some areas that you may or may not get through without a little extra help from a companion, thus far the missions haven't proved to be overwhelming like Destiny. One of the issues I had with Destiny is that early on, no matter how well-leveled you were, there were some missions especially main missions, that you just weren't going to complete unless you had 2 or more people to help and again, if you are of my targeted reading audience, sometimes our friends aren't always on to play and some of us aren't crazy about having random strangers to drop in. So far, I may have run two missions where I may have gotten in over my head but I wasn't frustrated but hopeful. Eventually when one of my friends jumped in, we managed to tackle two such side missions with little problem and a lot of fun. So far, every main objective played at my level so that I didn't feel frustrated in making multiple attempts to complete it.
One of the aspects that makes co-op play with a friend optimal is that as long as you have a working headset, its much easier to coordinate your attacks. Even early on, the enemy AI isn't just going to roll over and die for you. They will flank you, the will rush you, they will use hit and fade tactics that makes players have a need for patience in taking them down. Sorry Call of Duty players, this is not a run and gun game. This is a game where you need to watch what your enemy is plotting and attack accordingly as well as pay attention to your surroundings. My friend and I had several instances where we finished a side mission or was just exploring and we walked right into hot spots and after the second or third time, we knew not to take completed areas for granted. One thing that makes this game a little more realistic is that unlike Destiny, enemies are not readily marked off. Unless you have the early perk allowing you to do so, when you see a crowd of NPCs, its best to ping that area to pick out enemy AI.
Graphically speaking, the game so far is beautiful. I would really love to call in some of my friends from New York to see how accurately some of the areas stack up in this game with its real life counterpart. One of the most impressive portions about the graphics is the dynamic light as the game does have a day/night cycle and dynamic weather. I have been treated to missions where its been bright as day and as the day wore on it would get gray and then a fog set in. One of those times that happened, I got into a bit of a long range gun fight which took a little bit longer due to the fog.
Did I mention anything about the loot? If anything that compares to Destiny its the fact that in the course of playing, there is always the chance of finding items to use, sell or mod. With any game of this type, the dangling carrot is the idea that the more you play, the more stuff you may find and as you pick up new gear, you can increase your health, find better weapons and so on. Better yet, once you establish a base of operations, you can really do some serious modding of items as long as you meet the prerequisites first. I am not going to spend a lot of time talking about the loot system suffice to say, its similar to any other game that you have played; certain colored loot gives better abilities and so on.
As far as the controls are concerned, so far on the Xbox One, they feel ok for a standard third person shooter. My only concern right now is the cover system which feels like its from the early Gears of Wars games. Sometimes, it can act a bit funky getting in and out of cover as there are times I came out of cover when I didn't want to and occasionally got stuck to walls as well. The cover shooting mechanics work well enough and players will learn early enough don't stay in one place too long. In fact, sometimes shooting and moving works best as occasionally the AI will lose track and head to the least place you were. Another aspect in shooting is that you can suppress an enemy and which they are hiding, take advantage of cover to flank them and finish them.
So, are there any bad points to this game? So far a few and its mostly been on the server side. First of all, anyone getting this game has to remember that its an online only game. If the server goes down, you are not playing, plain and simple. I do have to give kudos in the fact in the long line of online games that released on day one, The Division by far, had the fewest issues of being able to pick up and play without crowded servers or any other hassles that have plagued the likes of Diablo III, Star Wars Battlefront, Evolve or another other online game on day one release. The only other hiccup I have had happen have been a few times, the games have frozen mid-fight and when it unfreezes, the enemies have reappeared in another location and you are taking damage. Also, my friend and I did have an issue when he dropped into my game we had to work out the party chat issue so we could hear each other.
Another nitpick I have is that the environments aren't more destructible. I think it would mean so much more if I chucked a grenade at someone who is behind a car and have the satisfaction of seeing the car blow up along with my enemy. Another issue is that there are no one shot, one kills in this game. I could understand enemies being bullet sponges in Destiny, but in some ways on a game like this, its a bit disconcerting butits an RPG after all and this game plays stronger to the side of Mass Effect than it does to conventional shooters. You do get credits for headshots but its disappointing getting one and seeing your enemy returning fire.
Before I wrap up, just a bit about multiplayer.
Outside of server issues I had yesterday, my and a few of my friends actually managed to make time to team up and play. It's just as fun to play as single player. To be honest, playing with friends does tend to cut down on the grind as you try to reach higher levels. If you and your friends have headphones, use them as you will need to coordinate fire from multiple directions. As much as this game is fun for single players, it doesn't hurt to have at minimum one more person joining your team. We did eventually try to tackle the dark zone but opted quickly to wait until our levels were higher to go in. | video-games_xbox |
A great entry into the Dragon Ball gaming franchise. Dragon Ball Xenoverse Game Review
Please note that this is a review for the Xbox 360 version of the game
Well let me start off saying that I haven't had this much fun playing a Dragon Ball game in a long time. In fact, I think the last Dragon Ball game I had so much fun playing may have been Budokai 3. (Full disclaimer: the most recent Dragon Ball Z game I played was Raging Blast, I hadnt played any of the more recent games until Xenoverse came out). So I was pleasantly surprised by how fun, original, and engaging this game was and is. Its still a lot of fun despite playing it a lot for the past few weeks.
Story-9/10
I loved the story in Dragon Ball Xenoverse because it was new and original. This time around, its not just a repeat of the battles of Dragon Ball Z and GT that so many of us know and love. This time around, you are a time patroller trained initially by Trunks to fix time errors in the storyline of Dragon Ball Z and GT. This was a fresh approach on a storyline that was getting dull and repeated over and over again.
Sound/Audio-7/10
The sound and voice acting are crisp and clear. The use of the Kai cast however I do have a few issues with. The Frieza voice I amok with. I prefer the older, original Frieza voice to this one. The kid Gohan voice was both whiny and annoying, especially during a Parallel Quest where his entry line is Waaaaah!!! Also another BIG problem I have with the sound/audio is the swearing! There is WAY too much swearing in this game! In fact, Id prefer it if there were no swear words at all! (Ive got sensitive ears). Also I prefer the older, more rock based approach to the music (especially the intro music). That being said, its not all negative, there are some good parts and the voice acting (especially with the option of listening to the Japanese voices too) is spot on and well done.
Visuals-9/10
This game is beautiful. There is simply no other way to adequately describe the visuals for this game. The characters are well done, with the visuals looking true to form for the characters. The newly drawn cut scenes were a welcome addition as well. I love the visuals in this game.
Gameplay-7/10
Here we have some of the more obvious flaws of the game. The fighting system is a new approach (please remember the most recent Dragon Ball game I played before this game was Raging Blast, so this whole system is new to me). I like the 3v3, 2v2, and 1v1 option. The maps are big and explorable, and I like how there are teleport locations to other segments, as opposed to being limited to just the one map at a time. The fact that you cant get out of a ki blast combo (where the enemy is firing multiple ki blasts at you) ordinarily is just ridiculous in my opinion. I mean, you cant even escape and evade out of it with a teleport! The only way I think to get out of this nightmare is to use a super attack, and thats absurd. Another issue with the gameplay is the combo system and the lack of coordination on the fighters part. Sometimes Ill be starting a combo to try and attack the person with some strike attacks, the enemy will dodge out of the way, and Ill wait for what I thought was a sufficient length of time to start a new combo, and the character just continues the old combo punching and kicking nothing but the air in front of them! I wasn't impressed with this.
Online-7/10
Online is beautiful when it works properly. However, it doesnt always work all the time, and Im playing this with all 3 packs downloaded more than a year after the game was released! These issues should have been fixed by now! I hope things get better with Xenoverse 2, because the fact that this is still a problem baffles me. When you go to online parallel quests and check out one option, the game has you wait again to find some more rooms. Why cant it just go back to the original menu? Im not aware of all the technical details as to what make the Xenoverse server work properly, but the fact that you have to wait, and wait, and wait some more just seems way out of date. I wouldve been more sympathetic if this was 2005, but its 2016.
The RNG-5/10
Ah yes, the bane of most players existence. The RNG was probably the worst choice that developers could have made when planning this game. As a way to get players to keep playing the game over and over again, this makes sense. But the sheer frustration and how maddening it is to try and get super or ultimate skills is just abominable. For instance, I literally tried to get the ultimate skill Super Vegeta over 50 times. I played the quest at least that many times, and I got the Ultimate Finish roughly 30 times, and I still didn't get the skill! To say that this was frustrating was an understatement; I had to take a break because it was so infuriating. I like what they did in the old games, if you performed a particular set of skills or fulfilled certain requirements, you got the skill or whatever item it was that you were seeking. Some claim that this has been fixed with the DLC 3 with Elder Kai as a mentor, yet I don't recall the predictions working perfectly every time, although this may have been an error on my part.
Miscellaneous-6/10
The DLC is overpriced. There is simply no way around it. I didn't even bother with DLC Packs 1 and 2 because I didn't think they were worth the money. I got DLC 3 because I loved SSGSS Goku and Vegeta and I wanted more parallel quests that would give more experience.
Final Verdict-8/10
Dragon Ball Xenoverse is a great game, and it is a great indicator for (hopefully) what future Dragon Ball games will be like in the future. I do not believe it is coincidence that this game sold over 3 million copies, because it is a great game. Is it perfect? No, it is not. But I think any Dragon Ball fan should pick up this game (if they can still find it, its pretty hard to find nowadays). Or they should just wait for Xenoverse 2 (I have high hopes for that game). | video-games_xbox |
Potentially awesome... but ultimately a sad follow-up. At first glance this game looks like quite an improvement on Gauntlet: Dark Legacy. Alas, it really is not in the grand scheme of things. I picked this up because of the cooperative multiplayer and the fact that it seemed to be a pretty interesting role playing game. In order to properly review this game I first had to go back and play "Dark Legacy" to see what the difference was. Boy, are there some huge ones. Some go in the right direction, but some are just horrible.
One benefit I will point out is that the graphics were improved upon immensely. They're heavily detailed and actually use the Xbox graphic abilities the way it's supposed to be used. You don't have that major overhead view anymore and it's more like playing a Tomb Raider third person view. However, despite all this grand improvement, the camera is still fixed! Why they improved the graphics on a grand scale and didn't make a rotating camera is anyone's guess. "Here's this grand lush world to look at... but you can only see it from one camera view, sorry." Great, thanks. Overall it was one of the dumbest things they could have done. They also dropped the whole "everyone has long ranged attack" type of combat and actually had their melee characters fight like regular melee characters. Sure they can get special abilities/magic to give them a more long distance attack, but they're not on the same level as the sorcerer. Along with this added melee attack feature you can do some pretty awesome combo's and basically every character has this option, though naturally the sorcerer's melee attacks won't be of the same strength as the Valkyrie. I thought these were some pretty cool additions to the game. Oh and they also fixed that pesky walking problem like I mentioned in my "Dark Legacy" review, your characters no longer trip over each other when they walk next to each other.
Some of the things they kept the same were the way the enemies spawn. They come from those strange spawning gates and constantly keep being created until you destroy their spawn point. This is pretty awesome if you want to sit down and just kill a bunch of stuff to try and level up your characters faster. The cast of characters is mostly the same, but they really did cut a lot out of this game. Leveling up is loosely the same, only I think it's based on kills now, not hits and you can't buy any nifty items from a "store". There are no unlockable characters like we had in the previous game, and that's one of the things that made that game kind of fun. I guess this leads me into the negatives.
The absolute worst part about this game is that it took my friends and I only four hours to beat this thing. Frankly, this just isn't worth the money! FOUR hours. Seriously, "Dark Legacy" took a long time to beat and the follow-up takes only four? Despite the faults of "Dark Legacy" it's a heck of a lot better than this given the four hour playtime. It's like they spent all their time making graphical improvements and then spent twenty minutes throwing together some lame story line. Yes, the story line for this one is even lamer than "Dark Legacy". At least "Dark Legacy" was overly clich, but this is about some emperor who took over the land and committed great evil. Now he feels remorseful and the seven creatures he put in charge of the land need to be destroyed. That would kind of be cool, but they do look kind of lame and non-threatening. I don't know, the real problem is this game starts out and you think it's kind of fun regardless of the silly story. Then you get to the end in such a short time, with no major revelation, that you just feel you wasted your time. I would've rather they designed the standard overhead modeling for the graphics and just wrote a game with a length that didn't make me feel ripped off.
Combined with the non-rotating camera and the ridiculously short length of the game, I just can't give this my hearty endorsement. There are far superior games out there and this definitely doesn't live up to the spirit of Gauntlet, from what I can tell. Even the maps are more confusing this time around. There's no crystals you need to find to unlock areas, there are no secret areas to get into. There are just the seven sorrows and then you're done. It's practically less than a single area from "Dark Legacy", what a wasted follow-up. The game is fun in it's own right, but there just should've been more. | video-games_xbox |
One of the best games i have ever played. Fable 2
One of the best games i have ever played and i am a serious gamer.
Simply one of the best combat system i have ever used. Very simple and easy to handle, but it offers the most important features, block, dodge, run, attack, power attack, shoot, magic, and easy selection. Genius way to use spells(one button can use six spells without any complication)
Compelling story
Simple but entertaining rpg elements. (This may be a selling point for people that want a true rpg experience but for me it wasn't. You don't have complete control over character appearance and customization on experience isn't incredibly deep. But it is a big part of the game and doesn't suffer from being to complicated. The rpg elements are more on line with mass effect than oblivion or a d and d based game like neverwinter)
Great Visuals.
Hours of game play.
***Best Open world and mapping system hands down.*** similar to baldur's gate 2 but even better.(Mid way through the game huge changes are made to the world you already know.)
Side quest that gives you independence from the main story not as huge as oblivion but that may be a good thing, and it still gives you hours from the main quest. Albeit some quests can become repetitive. But its up to you how many times you want to repeat them.
Maybe a better way to know if you would like this game is to know games that i consider my favorites with this being one of them. Baldurs gate 2, Ovlivion, Assassins creed, bioshock, half life 2, portal, trine, halo, to name a few.
Advice: take the game slow and don't be compelled to fly through the main quest.
Bottom line: I would i have recommended this game to my friends. This is a very complete and passionately made game.
Most reviews complain about conventional missing rpg elements but i like how this game is unconventional. Your character doesn't speak so you aren't bogged down in conversation. The character type customization isn't deep but this means you are more focused on the story and fighting than tying to devise the perfect combination of character classes and experience allocation(which i admit is addicting but sometimes feels like work and not like play). Other complaints arise from the map which is merited because there essentially isn't one. Its hard to tell what areas are next to which without using you memory, and the character interactions which are sims like, so its hit or miss with me. But I love this game and consider it one of the all time greats | video-games_xbox |
Massively Overrated Game With Countless Flaws. Flaw List and Game Tips. I have to say this game is littered with countless amounts of flaws and cheap shots. Please read the bottom most conclusion for a summary of my complete thought on the game before assuming that I'm only here to bash the game. There's also game tips near the bottom to for all new beginners. So far I've played all of the main mission and have taken on 95% of the side mission.
Flaws are not listed in any specific order:
1. Copy and paste planets, terrains, and buildings. It is one of the most common, lowest, most pathetic thing in this whole game. You'll see it a lot plaguing most of your side missions. It gives the illusion of you being in another area but it is so common and to a high extent that it becomes way too obvious. Once you raid a few planets and do a few side missions, you've pretty much seen it all.
2. Elevator rides. I know it's not a biggie but does the elevator rides have to be so darn long and slow? This is a very minor issue though unless you happen to need to go from one spot to another and it requires a use of an elevator with no teleportation device to alleviate the problem.
3. Long scroll down when in sell or buy mode in shops. When you try to scroll down your list of things to buy or sell, it is extremely slow and you sort of have to wait around depending on the length of the list.
4. Side quests are crappy, just to prolong game. They are also only fun the first time around, but many players would probably be reluctant in doing them for another playthrough. 95% or so of the game's positive side relies on its main missions.
5. What's with the scanning of planets for minerals and certain objects and whatnot? That's just pathetic. Obviously desperate in increasing the play time for the game.
6. Not much variety of enemies. Thresher maw is the only huge creature you encounter on a planet. I would like to know that there's more variety to encounter...at least some that will require more fun use of the Mako in order to defeat. Also variety in terms of creative character and creature design.
7. Planetary environments are nicely made, but are very basic and have no creatures or other details that makes the planet completely different or unique from another. Once you've been to one planet, you've been to pretty much all of them.
8. Minerals and rare metals you mine in each planet are always conveniently at the top and they all look like poop.
9. Organization of items in your inventory and in the store is very bad. They are not organized in grade or names. Sometimes they are slightly, but not really. This is bad when you're trying to determine and compare on what to sell etc.
10. The use of the D pad is very inefficient and clunky.
11. Dialogue renegade choices usually makes the player seem like a jerk than a cool bad a**.
12. Dialogue is also weak. When the game gives you choices to pick a variety of dialogues, you would think that one dialogue option will give you a completely different speech and reaction, however, this is not so many times. Another pathetic illusion that the game created in order to make you feel like you have any sort of option.
13. Storyline is weak and completely overrated. Nothing special, nothing revolutionary to the gaming industry.
14. Game usually gets easy halfway through assuming you have some sort of common sense when it comes to gaming.
15. The landing and departing scenes of your Normandy and Mako is another example of copy and pasting in this game. At least change it and have a bigger variety of scenes? Cheap shots!
16. The Mako, your infantry fighting and exploring vehicle that you use when on planet surfaces, is used to the bare minimum. The game needs to have better use of the Mako, maybe in some sort of minigame or Mako only mission. Most of the time you just use it for transportation, that's it. Maybe they can increase the variety of huge monsters that you have to use the Mako in order to destroy.
17. Character design including monster creation is very uncreative. There's nothing cool or magical or awesome about the monsters or aliens....
-----
I just feel this game lacks major in creativity.
If you're going to portray a game that deals with outworldly, futuristic, spacey kind of environments, you need to make sure that the creators think completely out of the box when designing it.
This game thinks inside the box way too much.
Think about the creation of the characters that you see?
1. Hanars look like man-of-war jellyfish
2. In our current reality, having two to four legs is common. Things that come in two is common. This game is plagued with things like that. I'm tired of seeing worms, two to four legged creatures, animals or creatures that resemble what we already have on Earth.
The alien species and monsters are very uncreative not to mention there's only a handful. Also, even though there's a bunch of different species you have to deal with, they all act pretty much the same. It's like they look different, but under the skin they're just like a normal human. Of course there's an exception here or there.
GAME TIPS:
1. Most items in shops can be found randomly during missions, exceptions being upgrades to medigel and grenades and certain items. Best weapons are spectre weapons so save up your money until you have 1 million which shouldn't take too long. This will unlock Rich achievement and will unlock the weapons as well. You can get Spectre grade weapons in the C Sec officer on citadel and Normany seller. So don't buy items in the store unless you really need it or you have tons of cash later on after getting that achievement.
2. Best license to get is Serrice, Kessa Fabrication, and Geth Armory. Serrice for bioamps and such, Kessa for Colossus armor, Geth for Geth armor.
3. Best armor for all class is Colossus armor. Best armor for Geth aka Wrex is Battlemaster or something from the Geth Armory.
4. The highest grade for any item you'll buy or find is X. You'll start seeing X grade items after you reach level 50.
5. Side missions are good for leveling up and preparing yourself for the main missions. You also find more items in side missions (either for selling or using).
6. Investing on intimidate or charm is good for the storyline and opens up extra dialogue, but from my personal experience, I would put them in a more useful spot instead. I just don't find them very great....however you should consider it for a first time playthrough to increase your experience with the game.
7. One of the best ammo upgrades is Shredder or Tungsten rounds. Also combining ones that reduce cooltime for weapons and another one that increase weapon damage but also increase cooltime is a good idea, however, you won't find them until later levels.
8. Best armor upgrades IMO is those that deal with recovery of shield and addition to hardening. I like them better than those that increase health because later on most likely a player will have much more shields than health. Once an enemy gets over your shield, that's not good.
9. Usually when you first play a new game, you would like to pump more points into barrier and damage reducing talents. It's great if you want them to deal more damage, but it's useless if they don't survive long enough to do it, so basically the longer they live the more damage they do.
10. Check out Mass Effect on Wiki for maps and guides.
11. Never kill stuff in your Mako, you only get 1/3rd the experience, you can use it to weaken a tough opponent, but always do the finishing move with your team outside of the Mako.
12. Saving before certain shop keepers and checking them out and reloading your game if you don't find anything good is a nice idea if you want to find a specific item that you know they should be carrying. Doesn't always pay off, but sometimes it does, especially with the one on the Normandy.
IN CONCLUSION:
Even though this game has a lot of flaws and just plain out low cheap shot styles of level design, it is still fun. On Peak 15 on Noveria, it feels very much like Dead Space; suspenseful with things popping out of nowhere. However, like I said, most of the action that you'll want will probably be found doing the main mission.
Is this game worth it? For the price it is now, definitely. It is actually a pretty decent game. You can finish the game very quickly by doing mostly the main missions. If you choose to do the side missions as well, it will usually take you around 20-25 hours give or take. | video-games_xbox |
Simply Amazing. There's really not much I can say about this game that hasn't already been said. This game is amazing, there's really no other way to put it. From the moment one enters Rapture (the city in which the game takes place) you are immediately immersed in the game's rich architecture. The AI is great, graphics awesome, controls nice, and the abilities and customization options really separate this game from your standard shooter.
However, what truly makes this game what it is, is the atmosphere. You really feel as if you're in a post-apocalyptic world. The deranged, mutated citizens, wandering around looking for ADAM to quench their addiction. Wandering through a level and seeing flickering lights, you hear voices, and see a shadow run down the hallway. You see dead bodies on the ground, apparently in their last moments of life trying to spell out something on the floor in their own blood. It's just amazing the detail the developers put into this game.
But of course, if you don't trust my opinion (and I can't blame you, I can't describe in words how good this game is) then simply look at all the critics praising this game.
EGM: 10, 10, 10 (perfect score, 3 10's from 3 different reviewers)
Eurogamer: 10/10
Gamespot: 9/10
Game Informer: 10/10
Gametrailers: 9.5/10
IGN: 9.7/10
Official Xbox Magazine: 10/10
It should also be noted that gamerankings.com, a site that takes all critic reviews of a game and averages the score, has given Bioshock a 95% based on 74 different media outlets. That makes Bioshock the #1 best reviewed Xbox 360 game OF ALL TIME. It also makes Bioshock the 12th best reviewed game of all time, across all consoles. Check gamerankings.com yourself if you don't believe me.
So, not much else I can say. I love this game, and apparently so do critics. This is the best reviewed Xbox 360 game so far; if you have a 360, there really is no reason why shouldn't own this game. | video-games_xbox |
Highly Recommended for the Mature Gamer. If you're a fan of Grand Theft Auto, then you should definitely check out Saints Row. This GTA style game features the gang attacks, carjacking and other mature fun that can be played for months.
Let me first make it clear that this was never intended to be a game for kids. There is a TON of hard core swearing, and it is pretty much constant. Even walking the streets gets you baragged with swearing. Your missions involve driving prostitutes around and listening to them "at work", helping drug dealers make their rounds, bashing up gang members in very violent ways, and so on. This is very clearly aimed towards a mature market, the kind that loves to watch The Sopranos and Scarface.
That being said, Saint's Row provides extremely fun escapist fantasy for those who enjoy those worlds. The graphics quality is extremely impressive. You get day-night cycles, and the sunset with the twinkling stars is gorgeous. Each area of your city has its own personality. You can really enjoy walking along the chinatown waterfront in the early morning. The cars have fun touches like spinning wheel add-ons.
Many things that were annoying about the Grand Theft Auto series are fixed here. I like the aiming system much better, I like how it saves and how it handles death in missions. Most of the minigames are quite fun and ramp up in difficulty at a reasonable rate. For example you can - right from the start - do a ton of "Insurance Fraud" missions and get just about as much money as you could possibly want, and respect as well.
Even the basic character customization is impressive. You can be caucasian, African-American, hispanic, or asian - with a lot of details on each type. Yes, you can only be a guy. Someday they'll let girls into these games, in a way other than a prostitute! The hair, tattoo, body piercings, clothing, etc. choices are pretty impressive.
The voice acting is stellar. You get David Carradine, Keith David, Michael Clarke Duncan, Tia Carrere, and much more. It really helps you to get involved in the storyline. The story is sometimes predictable, but heck, this is a gang story. Of course you know that your gang will gain power while you defeat the others. It wouldn't be much of a game if your gang was destroyed quickly :)
There are of course a few things they could have done better. There aren't motorcycles. There are a few strange glitches - like when you're hit by a car sometimes and fly up, it teleports you to a train station. The game has frozen once or twice but it seems to be after full-day gaming marathons, so it could easily be the XBox having a temporary meltdown. The cars don't seem to be affected much by damage.
In general, this is amazingly fun to play, the world is simply fun to "be in" with its graphics and details, and there are always new things to do.
Highly, highly recommended for a mature gamer. | video-games_xbox |
Permanent part of my library. To reduce words and not repeat what has been said in earlier reviews, this game is a permanent part of my gaming library. That should say enough.
Graphics: Still, even in 2011, the satirical New York that is Liberty City is one of the most beautiful graphical masterpieces in next-gen gaming. I recommend installing this game to the Xbox hard-drive as well. It appeared to me that it increased the frame rate and other enhanced graphics overall. Facial models are not that great, especially now. The movements of the characters in the cutscenes are kind of stiff and robotic as well... but that's not a huge deal. The rag-doll physics are brilliant, however. There is no better way to enjoy the physics than plowing down pedestrians in slow-mo cinematic view (make sure you try that).
Sound: Excellent. I love [visiting] New York City and the sounds of the city are some of the things I love the most. This game does a great job of capturing that. Walking from a busy road to the center of the park, I found the sound transistion perfect. The sounds of shootouts at a distance (reverberating between buildings) sounds realistic as well. Weapons sound realistic when fired. Vehicles sound good, but not excellent. Music variety is excellent, something for [almost] everybody. The satirical commericals and talk shows can get a little old, but they are hilarious at first.
Gameplay: Good, but not great. Controls are a slight improvement from its predecessors. The cover mechanism is a huge improvement, however. You still have to fight with the camera (the auto-default view and going up and down stairs) at times and scroll through your entire weapon inventory to choose the weapon you want. I really liked the handling on the cars so I don't know where the complaints are coming from. I hated flying helicopters... they are a pain in the a**.
Story: It could have been better had they chosen to make it more serious. I think the satire caused me to detach from an otherwise good storyline and I failed to grow attached to any of the characters because they were caricatures/stereotypes of so many American (immigrants included). It didn't help that Niko, the main character, does nothing but belittle everyone around him by pointing out their obvious flaws in relation to the caricatures they represented (this was totally unnecessary for those of us who "got the joke" the first time). Basically, the cynicism actually detracted from the storyline. It worked well with its predecessors, but I think that they intended a more immersive experience with this one, and the cynicism definitely brought me back to the surface.
Multiplayer: Very fun and there are still tons of people to play with online. Surprisingly, I found the racing a real treat. I hadn't been that excited playing an online racing game since Burnout 2. There are some modes that you will NEVER play, though that doesn't count negatively against multiplayer in general.
Annoyances: The "friend" system in the game is very tedious. If you get your friends to like you, they give you great perks accessible from your cell phone. However, getting them to like you and keeping it that way sucks. They are extremely high maintenance and just get in the way. Also, if you are an achievement hunter, unlocking achievements is not a pleasant experience. There is too much focus on "hidden packages" (which are really 200 wee pigeons placed througout the entire city), very tedious mini-games, and generally things totally unrelated to the storyline itself. Though some of them are fun, the high-scoring ones are generally tedious and boring.
I still play this game on occassion. In fact, I played a bit yesterday to just fool around. I can't recommend this game enough. | video-games_xbox |
GREATEST GAMING HEADSET FOR UNDER 100. Best Headset I've ever owned. I've only purchased headsets under 100$ because I feel any price above that is a little silly to buy unless your life is video games. THESE ARE ONLY COMPATIBLE WITH THE XBOX ONE. The sound is loud and clear. The headset itself is comfortable. Some people find it to be rather TOO small for a headset, which I can see if you have a LARGE HEAD. But my head inside small and I actually find that THEY FIT PERFECTLY! It is adjustable, and can give about an extra 2 inches size. You can hear yourself talk so NO MORE SHOUTING into the mic and having your friends get mad at you and tell you to "stop yelling!" (That was always my problem). Yes, you can HEAR FOOTSTEPS VERY CLEARLY. I've tested that out in Call of Duty and its just wonderful. I've always been a fan of Turtle Beach and there's a reason why
TURTLE BEACH IS THE MOST TRUSTED NAME IN GAMING HEADSETS! This controller does NOT hook up to the console but does hook up to controller. That doesn't bother me. I believe a wired controller is better because it prevents connection problems that some people have with Bluetooth Wireless Headsets. I also like how you can disconnect the mic if you don't want to talk to anyone and just want to listen to music or if you like that stealthy feel with staying silent while listening to footsteps and enemies around you. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT.
PROS:
-its not bulky and large
-Incredible sound that's clear
-Can hear yourself talk
-Disconnectable Mic
-Semi-Wireless (Does not have to be plugged into Console)
-Comes with everything you need
-Price on Amazon beat Best Buy AND Gamestop!!
CONS:
-On the Small Side for people with Big Heads (Works great for me and my heads average size)
-Only Available for Xbox One players (Sorry PS4 players, keep looking for different headsets)
-Not fully wireless (Has to connect to controller. Doesn't bother me but some people don't like that)
-Material is ALL Plastic, besides the cushions of course. (Another thing that doesn't bother me, but ya know.)
Been using since March 26th, 2016
Final Thoughts is that its a MUST BUY FOR XBOX ONE PLAYERS. Especially if you play Shooters.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND BUYING PROTECTION FOR HEADSET (7$ FOR 3 YEARS) | video-games_xbox |
A good console, with potential to be great. Now that I've moved past the frustrating rollout, I will offer my opinion on the experience of owning this console and game. Xbox One is an advance from the 360 in a lot of ways, but it still needs some polish. I enjoy that it launches into games quickly, but the interface is still too slow to be commended. Hopping into the party menu or going to notifications takes too much time; you would think by this point they would be virtually instant with the press of the button. In just three weeks of ownership, I've already had to power cycle the console several times for a litany of reasons; sometimes my controller will lose connection to the console (even when using a play and charge cable), and sometimes the mic stops working for seemingly no reason. Xbox 360's interface was improved over time, so I expect the same will happen with Xbox One. Downloading titles can take hours at a time. Once I was finally able to get my AW code accepted, it took about 12 hours to download. The Master Chief Collection took a few hours as well, and that was a hard copy. Not a very gratifying experience when you buy a new game, and can't play it for several hours.
As for Advanced Warfare, it's a great entry in the Call of Duty series, but one that also needs some cleanup. It's challenging joining games with friends on multiplayer; you essentially have to have an invitation, and even then it fails at times. They boasted about dedicated servers for the game, but it certainly doesn't seem like they've implemented it. Even at 4-bar ping, everything seems a fraction of a second off. It's impossible to put scorestreaks together, because the vertical dimension means you can quickly be shot from countless directions. Lots of players use suppressors as a result, which is frustrating for objective-oriented players. I play very aggressively in Call of Duty, but that style doesn't seem to play well in this one. I've had much less success in this game compared to others in the franchise. That being said, this game deserves high praise for implementing the exoskeleton, and the graphics and customization are top notch. I expect to get a ton of gameplay out of this title. | video-games_xbox |
Fun for all, Value for some. I really enjoyed this game, despite the fact that I already own the original Halo 3. I bought the game primarily for the campaign and I was definitely pleased with it. The campaign definitely feels different from that of its predecessors, and that is, for the most part, a good thing. Halo 3 felt a bit boring; nothing interesting really happened. In ODST, though, I felt like each campaign level did something different and fun. I enjoyed the campaign, though, admittedly, it is considerably shorter than previous Halo games.
FireFight is a ton of fun. It doesn't feel like other survival games, like Nazi Zombies or Horde. It definitely has its own feel that makes it unique. After you play through and pass a few rounds, you begin to dread what's next because you know it will be more difficult and you can't just have one strategy through the entire game. It's definitely the most fun with friends, but in the first few weeks, FireFight is extremely laggy over Xbox Live, just as Halo 3 was in campaign online co-op. It has since fixed itself due to less people online at once playing it. If Firefight were an Arcade game, it would be a steal at $10 and worth it at $20.
The multiplayer disc is what makes or breaks the "value" factor for many people. If you already own Halo 3 and you have purchased some or all of the map packs, you feel as though you have bought them twice, which you have. I do own Halo 3, but I still found value in it due to the increased performance from having all of the maps on one disc plus the new Mythic 2 maps (Love 'em!). If you don't own Halo 3, or have not purchased any map packs, this is what makes it a true value. Halo 3 shipped with 13 maps. ODST Ships with 24 maps. The amount of play time you will get out of this one disc is absolutely astounding. I played several thousands of games pre-ODST on Xbox Live in Halo 3 just because it is so much fun. Campaign might get boring, Firefight might get boring, but I always know that I can come back on Halo 3 multiplayer and have a good time.
Because of the amount of time I spend playing multiplayer, this truly was a good value. Plus, the Halo Reach Beta will surely be an awesome glimpse of what is to come next year... I absolutely can't wait. | video-games_xbox |
Not that bad, and that's coming from a huge RE fan. Honestly, I have never written a review for anything, but after thinking about it and reading some other really bad reviews on this game, I figured I'd put my two cents in.
Where to begin? I was super excited about another RE game, especially one taking place in raccoon city, my old stomping grounds from when I played and replayed RE2 and RE3 for hours on end. And the concept of a non-canon/alternative reality seemed pretty intriguing, So I figured, why not? I didn't care for RE4 or RE5. I lost interest after the T-virus was no longer a threat, and Jill dyed her hair blonde. I know, kinda dumb, but hey, to each his own.
Let me also say this to preface, because i've heard it mentioned in other reviews; This is not Gears of War. This is not Call Of Duty. I don't know where anyone even gets the idea that this is Call of Duty. It shares nothing with that game besides shooting stuff. That's like getting irritated because your kia is copying a Bugatti Veyron. They both have four wheels, does that mean they are the same?
Anyways, my favorite part of this game is how nostalgic it is to be back in Raccoon city again. It was awesome to see those familiar places from a different perspective, and to be able to explore more, and be a lot better armed this time. I would have loved to have some frag grenades on hand, or a decent assault rifle, when I walked past that window in the police station and saw that first licker go crawling up it. (I won't lie, i first played RE2 at 2:00 AM, the event made me jump.) And it was cool seeing more back story to Nicholai, and HUNK. I also think they did a great job remaking Nemesis. He looked a whole lot more dangerous and better over all compared to the pixely and blocky RE3 version. It was also good and interesting to be working from Umbrella's perspective, and it only made sense that they would send some shady U.S.S. types to cover up their tracks. The game did a good job at showing how vile and evil they really are/were, and the unsavory, souless killers that they employ. For these things, the game is definitely worth playing, and this is why I gave it a 4 out of 5.
What this game royally screwed up on was the things that like so many others I feel there is no excuse for. The combat is just retarded. I've never seen so many precision weapons with such crappy accuracy when firing within ten feet. Good luck with those head shots! And the glorious team AI...I think these U.S.S. types are trained that when their team mates begin firing at an enemy, they are to walk over and into the line of fire, maybe as some sort of Human tracer round. Seriously, as If on command, every time I shoot at a zombie or spec-ops monkey, like clockwork, i'd see BELTWAY, or BERTHA, (who came up with these horrible names?) every time, walk right into the path of my bullets. I think the only thing that saved them was the poor accuracy of my rifle. And seriously, what IS up with those callsigns? I might as well call my team by their real names: MINESWEEPER, BULLET MAGNET, LUNCH BOX, and HUMAN SHIELD. Because really, that's all they are good for. And i'm pretty sure they are all laughing in the mission ready room every time as they load their weapons with blanks when i'm not looking, because i'll be damned if they killed ANYTHING BUT THEMSELVES through the campaign. I don't know why Leon or Claire are running from us, These morons couldn't kill a glow in the dark cow with no legs doped on 6 gallons of nyquil chained to a refrigerator. Yup, these overpaid (judging on their cheeky uniforms) Umbrella lackies are trained to pretty much do the absolute opposite of anything you are supposed to in a combat situation. They purposefully walk into mines, fire, hoards of zombies, you name it. In fact, they really should have programmed in one of the achievements to be just for reviving your team mates, since that's all you do(Achievement unlocked:"MEDIC!"(revive all of your team mates 60 times in the first mission 50G)). If i'm going to spend 30 seconds of my playing time picking you up after you walked right into three trip mines in a row, do you think you could at least, i dunno, kill SOMETHING? I don't know why people complain about not being able to issue commands, do you honestly think they would listen? The commands would only be these: STAND STILL/ATTRACT ZOMBIES, DON'T DO THAT/DON'T DO THAT EITHER, JUST GO THE F$%# BACK TO HQ.
The other poor element is the lighting. I remember thinking after the first mission, all this fancy gear and they couldn't equip a damned tactical light on their weapons? Seriously? even some guns in Saints Row The Third have that. WTF??
And moving on to my final issue with the game...The ECHO SIX team. So much wrong. For starters, if they were going to go through the trouble of adding a U.S. military element in the game, at least try to make it some what accurate? The cute little emblem they came up with is stupid. No military unit refers to themselves as "SPEC-OPS". And if they did, they wouldn't hire someone from disney to do their identifying patch. I picture the unit that went in to raccoon city that night as being part of SFOD-D (Delta Force) or at least an ODA of Green Berets. Heck, even mall cops look more serious then the muppets they sent in. Most of the characters are typical stereo-types. HARLEY is an ex-biker? No way?! And girls on the team aren't serious either, they look like they were added to "sex it up", which is stupid in and of itself. Is it so difficult to at least copy rainbow six and how they portray counter terrorism units? I know, reality is that if the raccoon city incident actually happened, they would probably send National guard units to lock down the city, then if civilian rescue was necessary, the CDC would be working in conjunction with Army Special Forces or whoever else was tasked with it. I guess the reason I'm ranting so heavily about this one issue is that I got super excited when I heard you had the option of fighting against umbrella as a U.S. Army Special forces soldier. I thought, how cool is that? No more running, send in some professionals, let umbrella pick on someone their own size. And then the cast from MTV's The Real World showed up. Frowns ensued...
Aside from those issues, this game is still fun. I know a ton of people didn't like it, but it's still entertaining, and these days, people's expectations are a lot higher. I got hooked fairly quickly, and I haven't even touched the multiplayer modes. I really expected a resident evil flavored rainbow six, and I still feel it is sorta like that. But all in all, the game really isn't that bad. I recommend it. | video-games_xbox |
Great Game. Morrowind is the best RPG game I have ever played. Better than the FF series. There is hundreds of hours of gameplay. The sidequests seem countless. I just beat this game and it took me about 100 hours. I was just trying to become stronger so I could defeat the boss. I've almost explored the entire map. About 1/10 left to see, but boy did it take a long time. I have played it for about 150 hours now. You can do almost anything you want in this game. You can be a notorious owtlaw or a guy everyone knows and loves. The choice on what you do in this world is yours. You can even beat the game without following the main quest. So you could probably beat this game in 20 - 30 hours but then you would still have all the sidequest's to do. I don't see how you could get bored in this game if you are the kind of person that goes for story. I'll tell you the bad right here though. The graphics of people aren't great (the surroundings are better than the people), there isn't instant/constant action (this isn't Halo you know), you have to read. That's right, they make you read. But thats ok if you don't mind reading. There are also some freezing problems with this game, but that isn't a problem if you save frequently. That's all the bad I can think of. If you are a book worm then there are also plenty of books in the game to read. I heard some were pretty interesting. This game's terrain is the most realistic terrain I have ever seen in the game (besides the fact that you don't splash in the water). You can take anything you want, but you know thats a crime and it will be reported, unless you aren't caught. That's all I can tell you. If you want proof of this game's greatness rent it and play at least 10 hours. You will be sucked in. If you don't want to loose your social life this game is a bad choice. You will be inside for weeks, unless you get kicked out of the house like I do. | video-games_xbox |
Survival Horror FPS. I picked it up last night and so far I think its absolutely awesome. I have never felt this immersed in an FPS environment since I first played Half Life on the PC. The graphics are simply jaw dropping, but I think the vaunted sound effects are a mixed bag. The radio chatter is great. The dependence on sound to alert you to the presence of unseen enemies has never been done better. On the other hand, some of the weapons sound pretty weak. And in some instances, crucial sound effects such as dialogue, gunfire, and monster noises are too drowned out and muted by background noise. But still, these aren't really major issues.
The whole idea of having to switch between a flashlight and your weapon does seem ridiculous from a logical perspective, but I quickly forgot about this and began loving this mechanic while actually playing the game. It definitely adds a strategic element to the game and enhances the overall creepiness and immersion.
Although the actual gameplay mechanics are very basic, this is unlike any other FPS I've played in awhile. The feel of the old Doom is definitely there though. But this time the presentation is 100 times more effective. But as far as FPS games go, this is not a Halo style shooting rampage. Its more of a 'survival horror FPS'. The pacing is more similar to that of a Resident Evil game than Halo. In the Halo campaigns you always feel like the unstoppable predator. But in Doom 3 you feel like you're the prey... like YOU'RE the one who's being hunted. You're not running forward, spraying bullets like a juggernaut, as in Halo. You're moving slowly and very cautiously. You're shining the flashlight in every corner of a room before you dare take another step forward. There's a constant sense of tension, and the effect is just awesome. I'm not necessarily saying its better than Halo. Both games are great in their own way. But they have a very different vibe from one another, which I find refreshing. Although its too soon in the game for me to know for sure, I'd guess that Halo probably has more longevity in the long run. But there's no denying the powerful experience in Doom 3. Its very obvious to me that the Id Software folks are true masters of the art form. Only true masters can stick to such a simple barebones gameplay formula, yet make it so fresh and effective.
To those who might be worried about the game being repetitive, I'd remind you that the entire FPS genre is repetitive. An FPS game is basically built around one moment of fun repeated over and over again. But when its done right (such as in Halo or Doom3) it keeps you enjoying every moment. Here's one scenario that has already happened to me numerous times in Doom 3: An imp pops up in the dark out of nowhere. I crouch just in time to avoid the fireball he chucks at my head (sometimes he hits me). I strafe/duck to avoid a few more fireballs as he closes the distance. When he's almost right in my face, I explode him like a watermelon with a well aimed shotgun blast. As I said, this scenario has happened numerous times, in a bunch of slightly different variations. And not once has it failed to put a big smile on my face. Doom 3 is great! | video-games_xbox |
Gorgeous, engaging, stimulating and just all out fun. Quick notes about me: I'm a casual gamer, easily intimidated in multiplayer situations and arenas and I feel that darker games depress me. I also love to take my time playing a game.
This game was an *absolute delight*! Even though I'm not a master at FPS titles, I was able to get good enough at this game to really enjoy it and not struggle much.
Pros:
- Lots of daylight, makes the environment feel lively and friendly.
- Plot is relatively straightforward and blase, but the characters are very entertaining and interesting; they breathe life into the mundane story. Great voice acting!
- There's always something fun to do. If you are yearning for battle, take down a bunch of outposts or take up "Wanted Dead" quests. Hunt predators if you feel like something non-combat but still aggressive, hunt deer for something more relaxed. Find "relics" or "letters of the lost" if you feel like exploring. Play poker if you feel like doing something that doesn't need quick responses. Go racing if you feel like driving!
- Lots of vehicles - you could ride an ATV, or a gokart-like race car, or a jeep, or a water scooter or even a hand-glider!
- Your own combat style. You could become the next Rambo (complete with explosive arrows), or be a demolition man (with grenades, molatovs, mines and remote detonated C4), sniper or a stealthy ninja-like assassin. The play style can be completely your own and it is a lot of fun. Being stealthy is challenging in its own way, but if you go in guns blazing, it attracts a LOT of attention and then you have to deal with hordes of aggressive enemies which isn't easy either. There will be a few situations though when the game-story explicitly requires you to do one or the other.
- You can keep track of your stats like bullets fired/accuracy/favorite weapon/kills etc if you love numbers :).
- Personalize your gear, buy/sell goods.
Cons:
- Cutscenes aren't skippable.
- Loading times are relatively long. If you die a lot you'll spend a fair amount of time at the loading screen.
- I've heard bad things about multi-player and co-op modes.
This is probably my favorite game yet; hope you enjoy it too! | video-games_xbox |
Fabulous headset. The sound quality is remarkable. It levels the volume a bit, which I like. I've played a few games (cough AC Unity cough) where the background noise can be loud and then the dialog drops inexplicably. This makes it all a bit more even. The tonal range, bass to treble, is quite good. I noticed no distortion. You can hear yourself in the headset, which I find important. It is very good at blocking out external sound, so don't expect to hear someone calling to you from the next room.
One thing to keep in mind, the microphone can sort of kind of go in backwards, and it's nasty uncomfortable if you do that. It should be set up such that the mike is on the left hand side. I have no idea if it works the other way. I didn't want to deal with that. I do know it seems to click in and it stays. I wouldn't think it should make a difference in terms of comfort, but it does. Even when using them without the microphone, having them not be backwards makes a big difference in comfort.
I found these to be snug, but comfortable. They adjust easily. The mute button is the only button on the right front, so it is easy to access. I would have liked a visual indicator if the mike is muted, but that's a small thing. Again, remember to shut off the chat feature on the Kinect if you want to be able to speak to someone privately (or to not annoy your teammates with the blare of an air raid siren, if you're in a neighborhood like mine that has one -- no air raids, just a peaceful siren to herald in the calm of the weekend).
These charge on USB and they charge fairly quickly. An indicator light on the earpiece tells you if they are charged, and if they are on. And of course the XBox will show you on screen to whom the device is paired.
I know it's not supposed to work with a hub, but I had a spare and I needed this and a keyboard to go into the same port, so I experimented. I used http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H0PLQHO?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00 as the hub and http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003SVSJ1K?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage as the keyboard and mouse. I then went into Kinect and turned off the Use Kinect for Chat feature. I tried first a Skype call (call testing service) to keep things simple, and that worked. I then tried it in game, and that worked too. I put them in the port on the side towards the front, not the back port--no choice because the back ports are used for external drives but work mentioning as that has given my trouble in the past with the keyboard and I suspect the headset would fare no better. So if you aren't getting a good signal, try that port.
I tried one more thing it's not supposed to do, and it doesn't do it. It doesn't work with the PS4. Unusual, since normally any headset with a 3.5mm connection can work with that. It will function as headphones, but it cannot detect the microphone. If you want one headset for multiple systems, this isn't it. If you want a truly excellent headset for the XBox One, this most definitely qualifies. | video-games_xbox |
Amazing Game Feels Old. The reason you buy the Legacy edition is because of the inclusion of Modern Warfare Remastered obviously. Infinite Warfare's campaign so far is basically a playable Michael Bay movie, big explosions and set pieces. It does give you a wonderful feeling of scale though, that you are but a small soldier in a huge world when these moments play out. The multiplayer I can't really comment on, the guns all do essentially the same thing, there isn't a clear gun to pick over others it really all the depends on your play-style. I haven't played IW MP a lot because I'm one of the many that is tired of the futuristic Call of Duty setting, the jump packs and wall running just aren't my thing and in my opinion makes for a very frantic game.
Now on to the reason I give this game 5 stars. Call of Duty Modern Warfare Remastered is everything you remember is was and more but with time comes those rose-tinted glasses that gloss over the negatives of the game. So first, if you have never played Modern Warfare because you are too young or CoD wasn't your thing at the time, it is a wonderful game that shows the roots of where CoD became the juggernaut of a franchise it is today. This game was the turning point for CoD. If you're like me though and you've played CoD for years and wanted to go back I have some reminders for you that you've probably forgotten.
Okay so to start off reminder martyrdom? It's a perk where upon death your drop a live grenade. Now this is fine if you're a long range person but if you ever get the urge to get closer or "run and gun" this perk will frustrate you till no end. On the topic of grenades, you probably don't remember how overpowered they are, they can be far enough away that the grenade icon barely shows up and you will die. Another thing with grenades you've probably forgotten is that the map design though amazing as it is, is very small and lends itself easily to other players having the Frags x3 perk on and just chucking grenades over buildings or across maps, this is especially frustrating in Search and Destroy (a 1 life per round game mode).
MWR really shows its age in a lot of other ways also, there is a limited selections of weapons, the majority of players will either play with M16A (assault rifle), MP5 (sub-machine gun), or M40A (sniper). Those three are by far the most common weapons used and there are limited number of perks again, there is no pick-10 system either so you can't customize much.
Despite all this however there are a lot of pros, the maps design though small is so phenomenal, this was Infinity Ward at its peak. You don't generally feel cheated out of anything like kills because the balancing is superb and everything has an effective counter.
Raven Software and the other studios tasked with this remastered did alter it, this isn't the same exact game as in 2007. They didn't change the core mechanics, but they did add in calling cards and emblems, you can also get skins for you weapons (these aren't just camos from the original game but actual skins that change the appearance). The underlying theme to keep in mind with the additions is, micro-transactions.
To Long Didn't Read: This game is old and it shows but if you played the original it will make you feel young again.
Now should you buy this game? If you have the extra cash sure, but it isn't worth $70-80 in my opinion. I got mine on a good deal for 50% off that brought the price down to around $40 or so, at that price it is worth it. If you are like so many others and waiting for MWR to release separately, I'd suggest you give up that hope. This again is just my opinion, but with the game bundled already together and them obviously willing to reduce the price to get sales, why would they sell it separate instead of just lowering the overall price? If Activision does the latter it will also artificially boost sales for Infinite Warfare because technically there is only one SKU and it's for Infinite Warfare. Another thing is, if they do release a standalone MWR, what do you think the price will be? $19.99, with Activision that's not happening, $29.99? Maybe... but again I'd doubt it because they know they can get more, so most likely it will go for $39.99 or above while also lowering the price on this edition. So I guess what I'm trying to say is, if the game were $40 for both, would you not buy it even if you don't want IW? | video-games_xbox |
Far Cry 3: GamesScanner.com Review. With 2012 almost behind us, Far Cry 3 is the last to cross the finish line. Does this mean it's last but not least? Maybe. Could Far Cry 3 be the best shooter this year? Maybe. Wait... Did I ever tell you, the definition... of insanity? In Ubisoft`s latest installment to the Far Cry series an open world FPS-RPG. This time we find ourselves in South Pacific. Once again among the beautiful jungles and beaches, reminiscent of the original, and lands beyond the African plains of the second. In Far Cry 3 you play as Jason Brody, your typical college bro. He and some friends are vacationing on the island when you are kidnapped by local pirates, all working for local madman Vaas Montenegro. Jason starts out as an every-man and the main goal of Far Cry 3 is watching Jason's transformation into the savior of the native people on the island.
Machinima.com has said, and it has been greatly embraced by Ubisoft, that Far Cry 3 is "Skyrim with guns". That statement is absolutely true. The scope and beauty of this game can only be rivaled by fellow FPS-RPG Skyrim. In FC3, there are 3 skill tress to fill with each level you acquire. Each tree representing Combat, Movement, and Survival. There also is a crafting element to FC3. By hunting animals and harvesting skins & pelts, Jason is able create new holsters, new wallets, and other useful items to improve odds of survival. You are also able to craft syringes of healing and combat boosters, there's even one that allows you to breathe under water longer.
The wildlife interaction in FC3 is phenomenal. Animals can be a great ally or a crippling foe. Most compounds have exotic animals that are in cages, which you can use to your advantage with a well placed sniper round. Exploring the island has it's dangers as crossing murky water can lead to spontaneous gator attacks, or night time wandering in the jungles can end in an assault by a jaguar, you just never know when you are safe on the island.
The gameplay itself is very fluid, a good mix between the movement style of a Battlefield title, and the gunplay of Crysis. The inventory system can take a moment to get used to, but after that you'll be able to traverse the inventory wheel with ease. Driving mechanics are great, hit detection is spot on, all the animations leave nothing to be desired.
FC3 has 3 game modes, Campaign, Online Multiplayer, and Co-op. The online is very standard, as with most FPS titles, there's Deathmatch, TDM, CTF, and other objective game modes. Co-op is it's own parallel storyline. It start 4 mismatched partners in there vendetta fueled quest to seek revenge on "The Captain". XP is married between the competitive and co-operative modes, allowing players to unlock some guns and attachments before jumping into the VS moshpit.
Everyone from fans of the series, to fans of FPSs, to die-hard FPS-RPG fans should be playing FC3 this holiday season.
Let's see how it stacks up...
Graphics - 10/10
Squeaky clean, some of the most gorgeous graphics to date.
Soundtrack - 8/10
Immersive soundtrack, great voice acting, both set for an epic cinematic experience.
Gameplay - 8/10
Solid gameplay with hints of added excitement with the wildlife interactions keep this title from getting stale.
Controls - 9/10
Controls are solid.
Replayability - 8/10
Massive single-player, co-op, and competitive modes give an opportunity for plenty of replayability.
Final Score 43 X 2 = 86 B+
One of the best shooters on the Xbox 360, would have probably made the essentials list if it were released earlier. | video-games_xbox |
Great for those looking for an all-in-one solution to A/V and cooling...with a catch. What can I say, Pelican's Air Flo Cooler (also known as the Cooler King in Europe; where it was first released by Datel or some other company) is pretty much a do-all be-all add-on for your Xbox 360.
Note: As mentioned previously, the Air Flo Cooler should probably be recommended only to those who have a non-HDMI Xbox 360. Essentially for
those who purchased their Xbox 360 in 2005-2006; possibly 2007 as well.
Anyway, it has pretty much every connection (minus HDMI) you could dream of as far as audio and video are concerned. You can hook up the 360 to a regular / standard definition TV via the red / white / yellow RCA plugs, connect to a TV with RGB / composite connections, S-Video is also available for those who want a clearer picture on a SDTV or even connect the 360 via VGA to either a PC monitor or an HDTV with a VGA connector. You select which output you'd like to use by flipping a set of two switches; there's text right on the add-on that tells you exactly what setting you should set for each output type.
Audio is supplied via the red / white plugs or a digital optical port.
There is also 4 USB ports on the Air Flo Cooler so it pretty much acts like a USB hub giving you more USB ports for your 360 accessories.
There is a pass-through Ethernet port to connect your broadband connection to your 360 for online gaming.
The last feature of the Air Flo Cooler (as the name clearly suggests) is the addition of two fans. These supposedly help your 360 out by increasing the air flow and possibly keeping your 360 cooler. Whether it works or not is beyond me. I guess it's great if you're deadset in having an extra set of fans helping out your 360 fans.
Oh yeah, it also comes with a cable that features 5 connectors to cover almost all of your possible needs. S-Video and VGA cables will have to be supplied by you.
So all-in-all, it's a great add-on for the 360 and it's reasonably priced. For a little more than the price of Microsoft brand VGA cable (or a little less than the Microsoft brand HD AV cable), you can get an add-on that does all of the following:
Video: SDTV RCA, SDTV / HDTV composite, S-video, VGA
Audio: Stereo RCA, Digital Optical out
USB ports: 4 USB
Cooling fans: 2 fans to help (?) cool your 360
Of course, I didn't rate this add-on 4/5 stars because it was perfect.
You see, the debate is still on whether cooling fans actually help or hurt the Xbox 360. Some argue that the extra fans put strain on the built-in fans and others argue that it increases air flow so the built-in fans have less work to do and thus last longer. I actually took my Dremel and cut the fan portion of the unit off so I just have the connector portion. Sure, it definitely voids the warranty and it doesn't look all that pretty, but I wasn't so sure I needed the extra cooling power of the Air Flo Cooler, so I just cut it off. Definitely not for the faint of heart, but it gives me pretty much all the benefits with none of the worry of possibly killing my 360's built-in fans.
One other problem / con is that Digital Optical audio doesn't seem to work if you use the VGA connection. I haven't personally tried the other connections with the Digital Optical output, but I did a search on Google and others seemed to have problems with the DOO not working with VGA. So if you MUST have a HD signal via VGA AND DOO, the Air Flo Cooler probably isn't for you. | video-games_xbox |
About as good as a 3rd person game gets. Buffy is an amazing action oozing filled romp with stunning visuals (4 out of 5), one of the best fighting engines I've ever seen (4 out of 5), top notch sound design (4 out of 5) and a character (Buffy) that's so incredibly adorable you can't help but fall in love with (5 out of 5). Few games can suck you in like Buffy for wonder machine Xbox (you just knew a vampire pun was coming didn't you?). What's truly amazing to me is that I've never watched the show, don't know anything about the characters or stars but it only took 5 minutes with this game to be helplessly drawn into their creepy, gool infested universe. The visuals are drop dead gorgeous, the character models are absolutely razor sharp, so brilliant in fact that I quite often catch myself stopping mid level to spin the camera back on Buffy to marvel at her brilliant detail and quirky fully animated facial expressions that seem to say with some annoyance 'I know I'm cute but would please in the name of all that's holy, get on with the bloody game already?' And bloody it is, but not to a distracting fault, sure you get to kick the undead stuffing out of a fair share of teenage mutant vampires and crush the bones of zombie skeletons to dust with relish but it's very tasteful and the lighting and graphic effects that follow the evil doers demise only leave you screaming for much, much more and you get it. The environments and lighting are striking, the camera is solid and although it can leave your back uncovered from time to time it's never enough to distract from the over all glory of the visuals and game play. And the attention to detail from school hallways with trashcans ablaze to goose bump-inducing cemeteries is WAY above par.
The action is driven along by great music; the stunning soundtrack taunts your pounding heart with every step you take and corner you turn, with ambient sound used to great effect, filling every hallway and outdoor venue with chirping crickets, distant wailing train horns, creepy creaks, groans
The weapon's are quirky and cool, ranging from the obvious vampire stopping stakes, racks, cross bow and skull crushing shovels (very cool). Buffy's control also offer a buffet of options for throwing, kicking, spinning and my favorite the double kick, spin Matrix bad guy smash!
The play is just difficult enough to keep it fresh and drive you on with making you pull your hair out in frustration, with level bosses offering fair but beatable resistance. And there's just enough save points allow you an occasional and much needed potty break.
Buffy's a blast, Buffy's great silly fun and to top it off a pleasure to look at and play. Matter of fact the only thing that keeps Buffy from earning 5 stars is that she can't cure cancer. | video-games_xbox |
How can you stray so far from the path. Ill start out saying a couple things: 1) I was super hyped for this game. I played the first one through 3 or 4 times, and I LOVED it. 2) That being said, I realise that being over hyped for a game makes it more likely to be a let down, and I took that into consideration as I started playing the game. 3) Im giving the game an overall 1-Star review even though Ill admit many aspects of the game deserve maybe 3- or 4-Stars.
Ok, on to the review. Ill start out with the positives: The game looks good, and for the most part plays pretty well. The dialogue and story building I have enjoyed so far. To me the way the game is broken into "chapters" makes it a little too linear for me, but I can imagine some people will enjoy this aspect. Im glad that they ME1 party members that don't join your party are still in the game to interact with. (Maybe they will take a hint from Disgaea and give a patch that lets you recruit your old party members after the storyline of the game). I understand why they broke up the first crew and had you hunt down new crew members, so no gripe there.
Now for the negative:
Starting with exploring. In the first game one of my favorite things to do was to go to the different planets and moons and land on them and explore and to look at the creative environments. (see how a distant blue giant sun, or a near red dwarf, or binary star effect lighting.. seeing the gas giant planet fill the sky because you're on the planets moon. The different weather an atmosphere effects.. so on and so forth.) I felt (and remember reading many over reviews agreeing) how it would be nice in the sequel if they added a few planets to explore like that that had plant life or colonies on them for variety. So while people loved that aspect, and even wanted more detail and depth, what did Bioware do? Stripped and simplified it all down. Now all you get to do is wave a "metal detector" over different globes for minerals... and a few prerendered tiny locations you can land on. Not much for exploring there. And you have to buy fuel to travel between systems, and you have to buy probes to check planets for resources.
Inventory: Where in the first game you had inventory as you would expect to find in any RPG, weapons and armor of different properties and strengths that improve as you go through the game and that you can find on enemies you kill to evolve your combat abilities even while on missions, this game (AGAIN) strips any intelligent design from the game and says "Here, you get two kinds of assault rifle and instead of designing any new weapons to pick up along the way (thats too boring for players) we are going to give you this SUPER EXCITING 10% damage upgrade instead." On top of that you only get one suit of armor, and get to choose which near meaningless upgrade you with to add to it. Also, I distinctly remember the first game taking the time to POINT OUT that the guns didn't require ammo because of the particle accelerator and blah blah and the only thing you had to worry about was overheating the gun. So why the sudden addition of "ammo" in this game? I know its not actually bullets in ME2 (the bullets are still unlimited) but the "thermal discharge units" or whatever. Thats as ridiculous as a bolt action sniper rifle in this game (yes, the sniper rifle in ME2 IS bolt action).
Leveling and Abilities: In ME1 you had a wealth of abilities and customization that made you WANT to level up to get that next ability point. In ME2 Sheperd has 5 abilities (as a soldier), 3 of which are merely ammo types (incendiary, freeze, and warp. which were covered by bullet types you could customise the wearpons with in ME1). One slows time, and one is like "force push". And each ability has only 4 levels.
All in all they took one of the BEST games released on Xbox (ME1), they glossed and polished all the shiny pretty parts and removed the intelligent aspects that made the game deep and unique. I cant tell if they decided that they didn't want to take the time to develop the aspects that make a game an RPG and tried to distract us from that fact by making it more shiny and gimmicky, or if they just felt we were too stupid to decide "hey do I want a super powerful gun that overheats faster, or a weaker gun that practically never overheats". Either way, coming from where they left off in ME1 this game is a slap in the face. If ME1 had never existed, or I had never played it, then I would be much happier with ME2, but even so ME2 is not even a SHADOW of ME1. Its not a horrible game, but it is horrible what they did to what they already had in ME1. | video-games_xbox |
Amazing game. I have been an elder scrolls fan for a while, but they really outdid themselves on this one.
So the graphics are awesome (even for an older game). There is beautiful scenery, great spell effects, detailed characters, interesting/unique architectural features in different towns, and lots of random fun objects and gear.
Character creation is intense (if you want it to be). You can spend a LONG time perfecting your character if you want. They give you an insane amount of control on this one, from skin tone to how far apart and how large the facial features are... it's crazy. If you're not into that though, you can randomly generate a combination and be on your way.
As with other games like Morrowind, you can pick a class, or create a custom class.
The user interface and controls are very clear and easy to use on the xbox 360 (I dislike the preset controls on the pc version, which is unusual for me, but that's beside the point). The tabs are well organized and easy to go through.
The gameplay itself is awesome as with previous elder scrolls games. There are many quests outside of the main quests that you can pursue at will. There are guilds to join, houses to buy, items to enchant, potions to mix, and plenty of creatures to slay. There is so much detail and so much freedom, it should have something for any type of player.
The maps are easy to use, very simple and handy instant travel from map markers, which saves time. You can also set your own temporary map markers while you're in a dungeon or just want to mark something randomly. There is also a navigational compass that marks where you should be heading for your active quest - again, a huge time saver.
One of my only complaints isn't really with the game, it is with the saved games menu - it's a mess. There is autosave and regular save, and you cannot (as far as I can tell) name them or sort them. Mine are a mixed up non-chronological disaster - there are so many, and it is near impossible to locate the one I want sometimes, unless it was the last one I played (then you can load your most recent one, which is fine). I feel like they could have done something more organized with the saved games... but I guess it's not the end of the world. I still thing the game rocks, but they kind of dropped the ball on the saved game menu in my opinion.
The only other semi-complaint I have is that I will admit that the main quest is a bit repetitive. However, it yields a cool reward, and it's not especially time consuming. Also, there are SO many other quests to do, that if you want a break from the main quest, you have plenty of opportunities to do those side quests in between. I really don't consider this a complaint, but I think it should be acknowledged. The main quest is not the most exciting thing ever, but you can get over it and do whatever else you want in the meantime. And then you can get into the expansions...
Overall, one of my favorite games OF ALL TIME. I would highly recommend it, especially if you are already an RPG fan. It also is still fun to play and is still impressive even though it is not a new game anymore. They seriously did an excellent job when they designed this game. | video-games_xbox |
Wake Up. The Coffee is great. Alan Wake is a shining example of storytelling in a video game. I must admit i knew very little of this game until I played it. The basic premise is Alan Wake is an Author who goes on a vacation with his wife to the small town of Bright Falls. Unbeknown to Alan his wife was hoping to rid him of his writers block as he hadn't written a hit novel in 3 years. Immediately the game falls into a dark and twisted world of reality, anguish, confusion, a bit of comedy and a lot of thrills. The game is played in an almost episodic way which is good if you only have time for an hour or two to play as the game catches you up with a Previously on Alan Wake..... Now, I had never heard of the show Twin Peaks before Alan Wake, and I never thought that a game could make me appreciate a show(or is it the other way around) as much as this did. As soon as I finished the game I watched Twin Peaks. The similarities of the two are there but they are subtle and somewhat intelligently placed. I will say the biggest selling point initially for me was the atmosphere. This game carries it in spades. Everything about the graphics will draw you in, The lighting, shadows, the vistas, rivers, mountains, it's amazing. Riding the boat into Bright Falls is both a visual and audible treat. I immediately noticed the music as exceptionally standout. Now as much as i've gushed over this game it is not without it's faults. I will tell you that the combat in this game is a lot of fun. It seems perfectly in tune and tight. Well, the enemy variety is lacking. As in 6 or so different character models, some stronger/faster than others...oh and birds. There are possessed objects in the game but there more annoying and rarer to come across than the main enemies. I was surprised that there weren't any wildlife. As in none. Some chapters are longer than others(lookin' at you chpt. 3) but overall this a finely paced and tight game. The ending of this game left me satisfied and wonderfully perplexed. It is quite fun to go online after playing this game and checking others thoughts and theories of the ending. I will say right now, do not go online and read about Alan Wake at all. Don't spoil this deliciously crafted tale of madness and love. | video-games_xbox |
Worth the Price Tag. I ordered the Astro A40 gaming headset and mixamp. I live in an apartment and recently started receiving complaints about "gunfire" late at night. In addition, my girlfriend has been complaining for a few months about the "gunfire" coming from the living room. I decided that it was time to get a gaming headset. I opted for the Astros because of the outstanding reviews that I've read across various sites. My requirements were simple. It had to be compatible with the Xbox 360 and the PS3. These were compatible with the Xbox 360 directly out of the box. I had to buy an adapter to get this working on the PS3, which can be purchased directly from Astro's site. I play a ton of COD4 (anxiously awaiting MW2) and can honestly say that I am glad I spent the money. The build quality is hi. It is easy to use and came with a ton of extras for hooking it up to whatever your little heart desires. The mic boom is easy to install on whatever side you choose. I love the adjustable sound knob to keep the volume level the same and quickly change the in game voice volume. I typically play with other people on Xbox live and can easily "mute" them by turning down their volume if I choose (not that i do this often, but the option is nice). The Dolby 5.1 Headphone is remarkable. I never gamed with surround sound, but after using these, everyone should. I've played through Quantum of Solace, Killzone 2, and am currently playing through Mass Effect. It really makes a difference, all while keeping my girlfriend and neighbors happy. I chose these for their high build quality, robustness to be used with other electronics, looks (I chose white with the walrus, which wasn't available on amazon), and high reviews. If you're on the fence, you should pull the trigger. You won't regret it. I've owned for two months now. Also, it comes with a sweet carrying case for storing. I can easily detach after I'm done using each night, so my cat doesn't go to town on the wires.... | video-games_xbox |
A New Highpoint for Graphics. Written by my son, James Shea
A stealth game set in the time of the Crusades, Assassin's Creed takes the basic concepts of "stealth games" and adds many more realistic and dynamic features to it. The mainly-urban setting of the game forces the player to consider many more variables than in previous stealth-style games.
The player takes the role of Desmond Miles, who himself is taking the role of his ancestor, Altair, an ancient assassin. Reliving the life of his ancestor through the use of a genetic memory machine called the Animus, Desmond's story intertwines with the events that his ancestor lived through. The mysterious group forcing Desmond to use the Animus, as well as details about the characters Desmond and Altair interact with, are fleshed out as the game continues.
Almost the entire game - except for short sessions between Animus uses - is spent as Altair, and thus he is the focal character in the game. Altair is tasked to kill 9 key figures in the Templar and Crusader hierarchy, each in a different part of one of the game's three cities (not including the assassin's stronghold). To achieve this, Altair must gather intelligence by eavesdropping, pickpocketing valuable documents, and getting information from informants. Furthermore, Altair must prepare for the assassination itself; mapping out the city from high points and helping the local populace, who will then return the favor if Altair is being pursued by guards. The cities are vibrant and dynamic, and interaction with its people is a key trait. Activities that will not arouse suspicion, for example, tend to be low-key things like gently moving through a crowd (pushing people softly aside), walking at a normal pace, and using ladders. In contrast, running or sprinting through a crowded marketplace (knocking people and objects aside) and climbing up the sides of buildings using windows and handholds are things that will draw the attention of the guards.
The gameplay handles excellently. Swordfighting is graceful and fluid, and tends to be "realistic" more than "stylized" despite the inclusion of several "finishing move"-type attacks. Altair's weapons include a hidden blade (useful for quiet, non-suspicious attacks), a sword (more damaging, but heavier), a long dagger (quicker and better for counter-attacking), and throwing knives. Altair is graceful and athletic, and can climb almost any building in the game by moving from various handholds. He can also jump from roof to roof and from various other points; the feeling of speed is emphasized especially when Altair stumbles after hitting someone going full speed, or hits the ground and rolls after a jump. Traveling between cities (in the unsettled middle area known as the Kingdom) requires a horse, and horse handling is also done very well.
The graphics are absolutely beautiful. The environments, the characters, the effects, and even the heads up display are all both stylized and realistic. Characters animate and move very naturally, and the cities are expansive and don't seem like the same 10 buildings over and over. The heads up display, especially, is seamlessly integrated into the story; it represents the Animus, which is noted in the manual to be designed to work like a game to better acclimate subjects to it. The game is a cinematic experience most of the way through, and its visuals are of the highest quality.
The sound is not particularly notable, and is possibly the weakest part of the game. Music is rare, only illuminating fight scenes, and is mostly forgettable. Voices tend to be well-done, in terms of accents and voicing, but are repetitive. Mostly, the sound is a side-part of the game, and not as notable as the other parts.
As a whole, this game is fantastic. It's fun, it looks great, and it's got an interesting urban and medieval twist on the usual sneaking missions. It's definitely recommended to most game fans.
Rating: 9/10
Note: We enjoyed this game so thoroughly that one of us went through the entire game to write a full walkthrough, and the other went all the way through to validate it. The graphics are just amazingly realistic in terms of movement and fighting style. | video-games_xbox |
Great with Xbox 360, OK with Xbox One. To begin, I must let readers know that the Polk Melee gaming headset is the very first gaming headset I have ever bought/owned. Before this, I simply listened to game audio through regular TV speakers and thus I cannot give a comparison between other current headsets in the market. The reason I chose the Polk Melee over any other headset is because Polk Audio promised a free Xbox One Stereo adapter to those who registered their product online (Polk delivered on this front).
I have a very big head, and so at first I was very surprised at how small the headset looked when I saw them in the packaging. Within a few minutes however, my concern had left as I learned that the Melee had considerable band adjustments which allow them to fit snugly on nearly all head sizes and shapes, including mine. The synthetic leather that covers each ear cup is very comfortable and will encompass the entirety of your ear, which provides some level of noise-cancelling but not entirely. Unfortunately, this material has the side-effect of getting sticky after prolonged gaming sessions but I don't find this to be that annoying. The actual band is made of steel which makes it almost impossible to break unless you purposefully want to, and the covering around the band is also made of synthetic leather which again provides comfort. Overall, the headset has a very sturdy and well-built quality that I can see lasting for many years (if your not throwing them around often LOL).
The DSP amplifier that comes with the Melee enables simulated surround sound (Dolby Digital 5.1) when playing on Xbox 360 and so far, my experience with this feature has been phenomenal. I have played around 10 hours of Mass Effect 3 and about 25 hours of Fallout 3 since getting this headset and I am completely immersed from beginning to end in the rich sounds that emit from each ear cup. In Fallout 3, I can actually hear footsteps coming from each NPC character and the gun sounds all pack their own explosive punch that would be easily missed when coming from a TV speaker. Suffice to say, my gaming experience has been completely magnified with the simulated surround sound.
I have heard complaints from people stating that the max volume does is not loud enough but I have no such problem. I normally keep my volume setting to around 75% and I sometimes even have to lower it down as it can get too loud for me. Perhaps I have untrained ears for this sort of thing (again, this is my first gaming headset) but I wouldn't worry about the volume unless you really like your eardrums to hurt after your done playing ;)
The retractable mic that brought much attention to this headset is definitely not the best. First off, the actual spring-loaded click system that is used to enable/disable the mic can be unreliable at times and may require you to press very hard for it to even come out/tuck-in. The headset itself has a great build quality but the mic just looks out of place and not very well made. When I spoke to a few friends online using the Melee, I could hear them completely fine but not crystal clear. Out of the 3 people in the chat party, 2 of them said I sounded fine while one said I sounded as if i were far away and so I had to speak up a few times over the course of our conversation. If crystal-clear chat communication is a vital requirement of yours, I would not recommend this product as it functions little better than a simple chat headset (remember, the Xbox 360 5.1 audio was superb!).
Just yesterday, I received my Xbox One stereo adapter from Polk (free of charge!) and I gave it a few rounds. First off, I updated my Xbox One controller's firmware in order for it to work with the adapter, using a micro-usb cable (provided by Polk) and then played some Battlefield 4. Let me say this as clearly as possible, the Xbox One sound quality which is transmitted wireless and is ONLY stereo cannot even begin to touch the quality I experienced on my Xbox 360 with the DSP amplifier. Some sounds like gun-fire and explosions do sound good, but other ambient sounds like footsteps, engine roars, waves, etc. sound very washed-out and just plain bad. Overall, my experience using wireless stereo on Xbox One was worse than when I used to play from TV speakers. I should clarify that the audio quality on Xbox One is NOT a deficiency of the headset or Polk Audio's fault, the fault lies in Microsoft for not being able to transmit wireless simulated surround sound at the moment (apparently, a patch will enable this in the near future).
Basically, the Polk Melee headset is an amazing product when playing on Xbox 360 due to the DSP amplifier that allows for simulated surround sound and a 3D sense of immersion. The retractable mic quality is nothing to gloat about and has some issues that need patching quickly, chief among them the muffled quality of the user's voice. Lastly, the Xbox One functionality is an utter disappointment as stereo sound can be painfully bad at times and ok at other times. The build quality of the headset (apart from the mic) is very solid and should offer no worries concerning durability.
Pros:
- Very Comfortable and fits nearly all head types
- Solid construction due to steel headband
- Great audio with DSP amplifier (5.1 Dolby Digital & Xbox 360 exclusive)
Cons:
- Mic construction unreliable at times
- Others may experience trouble hearing you
- Xbox One audio quality is sometimes worse than a TV speaker | video-games_xbox |
What to expect. while the graphics are better than the PC versions there are some glitches and some things have certainly been taken away.
taken away:
less animals (xbox 360 has EVEN LESS than the xbox one does and the only downloadable content animals have been for...Xboxone)
there is now a zoo limit so less space allowed
some of the challenges for xbox one are not available for the 360 version.
no pedigrees to monitor inbreeding
no hand to hand interaction you must interact with a camera and cannot enter exhibits..
you can not mess up with trial and error by trying to mix certain animals into certain exhibits.
Glitches:
graphics fail in odd places for me it was the lion pen i would suddenly have no lions, black shapes or lions walking several feet off the ground.
the next thing i have noticed is failure for pick up. i will issue the command for lvl 15 animals to be released into the wild or moved to another exhibit and it will never do it, simply leaving the animal in the exhibit taking up the zoo limit because now you cannot remove it or the animal in it from the zoo, the animal gets depressed because zoo keepers do not always recognize it's existence.
added:
better graphics
some interesting interactions can be added to CERTAIN exhibits for instance a hose, viewing glass and feeding station. however only work with certain animals.
you cannot release animals on guests
the mini exhibits we saw in zoo tycoon 2 are now larger more elaborate and have more animal options...however you cannot breed them nor do you have the option of purchasing a baby for the exhibit..
variants now exist in game 1 variant for every breedable animal:
hippo
bear
lion
elephant
apes
giraffe
tiger
of which they have subspecies. (HOWEVER in the case of lions they fully admit ...they are the same lion just with a different name because they are from a separate region with no differences...to further add to that none of the lions actions are different or in any way special from the others they simply made one character design altered them slightly or not at all and covered it with a mesh...this goes for ALL of them)
the camera records your progress however automatically the first picture of any species you take a picture of...no matter how bad is used for the species.
i love the franchise as a whole and have played it since it was first released on PC loyally buying expansions...this simply could have been better it seems as if the xbox 360 was a poorly thought out plan and they have no intention of giving us any of what they have given xbox one owners. | video-games_xbox |
Worst Madden to date. Alot of negative reviews, so I won't cover the basics. The overall problems are glitches and poorly executed mulitplayer.
First the multiplayer. The problem comes in connected careers online.
1) Allowing people to be either coaches or players in the same league. This should never happen. Pick one or the other. If your a player, guess what, your team will always be horrid. Your AI GM/Coaching staff will make stupid decisions, while the player coaches will scout out good players, and make the right moves for their teams.
2) Unless the league commish advances the week forcefully, you have to wait for each player to check the box "advance week". When its a few of your buddies, not that bad of an idea. When your in an online league of 32 players, you can wait weeks to advance one week in the season. Unplayable.
3) Why not make a online league where 3-4 people can be players on the same team, and play just the CPU?
Glitches (this is what will cause you the most grief), in no particular order.
Rate from never to always: rare, sometimes, 50/50, more often than not, always
1) Randomly throwing to the wrong receiver.
Rate: Rare.
When it happens most: When the receiver you want is way too wide open (glitch in coverage?)
What happens: You push B and it throws to X or vice versa. Same with Y and A (of course these are xbox controls). I have not noticed any effect on RB. usually results in an interception as well.
2) Clock not stopping for ball carrier going out of bounds.
Rate: More often than not to always
When it happens most: N/A
What happens: Player has the ball and runs or is pushed out of bounds. Even the announcers will comment that the ball carrier went or was pushed out of bounds. The clock will not stop but continue running. (Maybe EA has programmed in the replacement officals?)
3) Random turnovers between quarters
Rate: Sometimes in regular season, 50/50 in playoffs and suoperbowl.
When it happens most: Between 3rd and 4th (Especially in playoffs or superbowl.)
What happens: You have the ball on first or second down at the end of a quarter (not the half). At the start of the next quarter (usually 4th when it happens) it is miraculously the other teams ball.
4) Random turnovers after huge gain plays
Rate: Sometimes
when it happens most: 4 quarter/2 minute drill, especially in playoffs or superbowl in connected career player
What happens: You throw or run for a huge gain, get the ball way down the field for a come from behind score, with not much time left on the clock. All of a sudden, you are at the "next play, sim to next human control play" screen. You click either and the game is over. At first I thought it happened b/c I was qb and we had 23 seconds left and down by 2 and on the 5 yrd line. I thought the FG unit was brought on, but no. The play log just had my 40 yrd pass to Calvin Johnson, and then the next line was game over. I have since had this happen to me a total of 7 times in 3 seasons. Luckily, I was in offline connected career so it didn't autosave.
5) Impossible Interceptions
Rate: Sometimes
When it happens most: In connected careers, player, qb. Two games in the season, and the conference championship, and superbowl.
What happens: You go to throw a bomb down the field for a 40/50 yrd pass, and a lineman intercepts the ball. Yes a lineman, or sometimes a LB close to the DL. Your throwing a bomb down the field? At the point of the DL, its like 15ft in the air. Especially cause I drop back about 10 yards from the snap. Other times, you throw to a wide open receiver, and the safety somehow makes it across the field in the time it takes you to throw a 10 yrd pass.
6) Increased rate of interceptions, fumbles, and penalties
Rate: More often than not in playoffs
When it happens most: Playoffs and superbowl.
What happens: See title. You make it too the playoffs, the game forces your team to commit more penalties and turnovers.
Overall, too many glitches for a franchise that has been around this long. Alot of improvements/options, but 10 steps back in playability. Seriously, I would rather dig out my Sega Genesis and play Madden 96. | video-games_xbox |
almost... but not yet there. Even with all the gripes added up, the game is still fun. If you loved other tri-Ace games like Star Ocean, Valkyrie Profile, or Radiata Stories, you owe it to yourself to at least try this one. It was too easy for me to say just another hour and end up playing for another three.
Pros-----------------
Battle system - it's awesome... except for using items (more in cons). This action-adventure-ish battle system never really gets boring, and if it ever does, you have the option to just run by the enemies. Unless you grind to raise your levels, you have to use your skills and equipment well to get through the dungeons and beat the boss.
Short loading times - Pretty self-explanatory. I haven't experienced another game on the 360 with shorter loading times.
Main story/characters - The main story is well told and the main characters are well developed by the end.
Cons-------------------------------
Items in battle - Opening the menu to use items doesn't stop time, and there's no way to assign items to a button. Also, getting knocked down while having the menu open closes the menu... meaning if you (or anyone in your party) are in the process of getting clobbered up, you (or that person in your party) can't use any items. Which is bad because when you want to revive someone, you're usually being clobbered up.
Unfinished towns - When you visit a town, you'll find doors that don't open, stairs that are crudely blocked by crates, and invisible barriers that block you from going down an alley. It makes me believe the developers didn't have enough time to execute their initial plans.
Not many save points - Mainly because of the problem with using items during battle, you will die at some point in this game. You're then sent back a half an hour or two to the beginning of the dungeon. And you don't get to keep your experience points you accumilated since the last save point.
Non-main characters - aside from the main party members, the characters don't have much of a backstory. This is a tri-Ace game, and I expected something like from the Star Ocean series where there'll be some optional events around a character to flesh him out. This game doesn't have much of them, and when it does have them, it's a chore to get through. | video-games_xbox |
WOW . I had to purchase this game again since my little newphew crushed on my sofa by accident u_u" .I first bought this game in 2007 and I paid $60 and up to the date I don't regret speding a penny of that money ,because I think it's worth twice ,if not 3 times as much!.I mean when do you ever get 5 complete video games for the price of one?! NEVER! ,that's considered blasphemy among the retailers. It's just the greatest video game deal you'll ever get.
But I know ,it would be credible at some degree if it was any 5 regular games crammed into 1 of course, but no we are not just talking about any games, no we are talking about probably the best video game ever created (Half Life 2) which is considered a Sci-Fi masterpiece I don't think I have to say more tahn that .Then there's 2 more to continue Half life 2's story (Half life 2 episode 2/ Half Life 2 episode 3) Both episode 2 and 3 are amazing and I really loved them ,as they continue the story of it's master predecessor extremely well and leave you satisfied. Also included in the package is Portal ,I mean Portal itself is one of the greatest puzzle games in existance ,it's a ton of fun and head scratching, I really enjoyed the fun story and gameplay, and if you consider what you would pay for it at xbox live ,that game alone there costs 1200 microsoft points (around $15 dollars!) almost the value of this one! .Included also there's Team fortress 2 , which is multiplayer based game, and honetsly I didn't care for it that much since I don't really like multiplayer as much as story based gameplay ,but from hat I know,the game it's really fun and contains many classes to choose from as well as weapons ,but I don't think it can even be compared to the other 4 ..still ,Valve wanted to give us a multiplayer too, so that's pretty awesome on their part!
Let's re-cap ,that's (Half Life 2 - Half Life 2 :episode 2 - Half Life 2 :episode 3 - Portal - Team Fortress 2)...5 complete games in 1!.
And I know that many of you have doubts about buying this game, being 4 years old ,let me tell you the graphics still look incredible and up to date ,I have an HD 55" LED TV and the game looks impressive for it's age ,and I even dare to say that you can compare it's graphics to those of some of the new video games of today and it still look much better! Valve was definitely ahead of it's time when they made this one!!
All that for under $20? ...are you kidding me? seriously all I have say ,is that if this game is not among your collection ,then stop watching this and ((((BUY IT RIGHT NOW)))!! really, just add it to your cart and press that checkout button like you've never have before! XD .Trust me, you will not regret it and it will be one of the best purchases you've ever made!....And if for some reason you think other wise ,then you should get your head checked , because there must be something seriously wrong with you! | video-games_xbox |
Most of what you remember and loved is now gone. Just know this before you buy this new Guitar hero. Most of what you remember and loved is now gone. Sure, the new guitar is fantastic. That is without doubt. But when it comes to the game, this package is light. The core game has forty something songs, not more. Second, the mode where you play songs in a pseudo online mode, well, there are currently around 200, and you can't buy any of them to own, none. Why? Well, it's so that they can charge you to play them, over and over and over. Now, it's true that you can play the online mode to earn free tokens, but I think for every set of three songs you play, you earn between seventy to 150, it may be more than that when you level up. Regardless, those points are not simply there to "rent" songs. A single coin is worthless, never use that option. Save up for at least the 10 coin option, and even that is ripping you off. The top tier option gives you 100 plays, but it's going to take you weeks to get that if your casually playing along.
Even worse, those same coins are what you use to upgrade your clothing, your guitar's design for the lane where the notes drop down, everything like combo meters or other power ups, it's all locked behind your free currency, so if you want to unlock more than tokens used for one time play on any song, your going to be splitting up your coins between everything, and you'll have few coins to play what you want.
And again, making things worse, there is a second form of currency. This one is called "The slap in the face" money. With this, you pay real money, again, to simply "rent" a song, for a single use. Remember when you bought all those songs on the older Guitar hero's because you loved them and wanted to play them a lot, well, that's gone. Forget it, you're not going to do that at all. Instead, if you want, you can pay six dollars for a 24 hour pass to play anything you want, as much as you want. So, let's say your interested in playing for a weekend, that's 12 dollars. When that's over, if you want more time, you can buy another day pass, or pay up to 20 dollars for the slap in your face currency, and you'll probably hate the game from that moment on.
Let me say, it's a shame, because I absolutely love the new Guitar. The new button layout is genius. It's just great, and the new features that use its layout are perfect. It just feels like it's what it always should have been. The major letdown is that when I purchased Rock Band 4, I got sixty or seventy songs with the game, and since I preordered it, I got thirty something additional free songs. Think about that, one hundred and something songs, vs forty two ish, give or take a few.
If this is the new format, as a fan that owns every single game after the second guitar hero, I'll never be buying this game again. There is no way I'm going to be forced to play what "they want", and in order to play what I want, I have to "rent" a song, each single play, over and over, because you will never unlock it permanently. It's a joke.
Again, the hardware aka the guitar is fantastic. The new layout is amazing. But the game, oh the game. Avoid it. You deserve better, I deserved better. If you've always thought Activision is a company known for nickle and dimeing people over, your right, they are. This is the single worst case of abuse I've ever seen. You have zero choice. It's either you play their way, or your going to pay up.
Hopefully, not many people purchased this game, forcing them to change the online mode. If that's how it's going to stay, simply don't buy it. | video-games_xbox |
Lara Croft approves of this controller. I absolutely love this controller! I have the Microsoft-made keyboard plugged into the headphone jack and it doesn't impede playing at all. I am personally, a huge fan of the Tomb Raider franchise. Lara Croft is my favorite character out of all the characters I've played as.
As far as the controller goes, Microsoft went balls-to-the-wall with this one. The texturing is great and I love running my thumb over the bandages and the carved-in scratches. The colors are beautiful, and paired with a good set of black thumbstick caps, this controller is perfect! I had to replace the standard-issue xbox controller a week after I got my xbox, because the RB button on the controller my xbox came with broke and refused to depress or spring back if I got it to depress, which rendered the controller pretty much useless.
I was looking for an excuse to buy this controller anyway, so that served perfectly. You should definitely invest in this controller if you're a huge Tomb Raider fan. The transforming D-pad is fun to play with, although I haven't found a game that has a practical use for it. I just like turning it around and around if I'm using Netflix or something. I honestly think the chrome finish of the transforming D-pad gives the remote a more polished look and feel. I really do not like the solid D-pad on the standard-issue Xbox controller. I mean, it's not like the xbox controller has ever been famous for its exceptional D-pad, but the transforming one really steps it up a notch.
I bought my boyfriend the purple chrome controller and had it engraved with a message for our one-year anniversary and he says the D-pad is his favorite part of it (aside from the engraving, of course!)
10/10, do recommend. You definitely won't regret it.
**I have also posted a customer image that hopefully does more justice to the details than the stock image that Amazon has. definitely check out the customer image section if you want to see the details up close. | video-games_xbox |
The graphics are fantastic, and it's a welcome return for team Rainbow. This game is insanely addictive. The graphics are fantastic, and it's a welcome return for team Rainbow. I love the fact that this is not your typical
"run and gun" online game. Now, those are definitely fun but it got to a point were most franchises were becoming that type of game. Luckily, Rainbow Six | Siege is more of a team strategy game.
NOTE: The is no campaign mode. This game will be play 90% online.
There is only a series of 'situations' which are fun, but act as a training program to learn how to play the game. They also server to get you 'renown' points, which let you unlock new 'operators'. (what's an operator? I'll get to that in a minute.) There is also 'Terrorist Hunt' which you can play solo or with an online team. Playing this solo is extremely difficult even on 'normal'.
I'm not going into great detail on how the game works etc., since if you're thinking of buying it you probably have an idea. But the basics are: It's 5 on 5, one team attacks and one team defends. Everybody on each team selects an 'operator', and each operator as a different skill (and there is a specific team of operators for attack and others for defend). No two people on a team can choose the same operator. The first minute of each road for attackers, they are using drones to survey the area and find the target (bomb or hostage) - if the target is found it will show a diamond on the screen once the round starts so attacks can get to the target faster. If it is not found there is no location diamond. On the other side during that first minute, the Defenders are 'fortifying the area' (the room with the hostage or bomb). This means they are barricading windows, doors, walls, setting up drone signal blockers and shields, etc. They are also figuring out some sort of strategy for the coming onslaught by the attackers. There's a lot more to it, but that's the basics.
WHAT I LIKE:
I like mostly everything about this game. The online strategy is best when people chat - and don't act crazy - since it's a team effort. This makes you feel like part of a team and that you're actually playing with other humans. Some games no one talks and besides the user names one the screen or the strange game tactics, they might as will be a computer AI. I like the graphics and the destructible walls, doors, floors, etc. Nowhere is safe, which makes it exciting. The cinematic are amazing. The graphics and direction in them make me with there were more. When you unlock a new operator they each have unique cinematic video - and I wouldn't skip it if I could. The gameplay is smooth and there's not a ton of glitches (although there are some.)
WHAT I DON'T LIKE:
The servers.
The online servers are SO backed up it constantly gets "connection issue to Rainbow Six servers" or "connection lost." This is mostly when you're playing with friends in a squad. When you ready up and go to load your squad into and online multiplayer match it often fails or kicks one member of the squad out (which makes the rest of you quit and try again). Last night myself, my uncle, cousin, and 2 friends tried for (no exaggeration) 2 HOURS. People are resetting routers, quitting, restarting consoles, trying to have other start the match, etc. etc. etc. and in the end it barely let us play. That tells you 2 things. One, how bad/busy their servers are (as of 1/4/16) but also, two, how truly addictive and fun this game is that we were willing to get insane trying to play.
The other thing that bothers me a little is how repetitive the game types are. There's protect an area, 2 bombs, or a hostage but at their heart they are all the same: attack and defend. The only difference is the hostage can be killed, and if they are, the team who killed them loses. So with a hostage less grenades are being thrown in that room. When it's a bomb people can play more recklessly, as a bomb isn't affected by grenades or bullets in the game. Also these types are pretty irrelevant because if either team has all their players killed, the other team wins (obviously). So almost all games each by one team entirely dying, not by the disarming of a bomb or the capture and escape of a hostage. But luckily it's still insanely fun and so far it hasn't affected my experience too much.
Overall, once they get the servers up to snuff I will have very little negative things to say about Rainbow Six | Siege, and I highly recommend it if you like they types of games especially the old Rainbows.
NOTE: My reason for 5 stars is the amount of reviews giving 2 or below due to server issues. Truly I give this game 4 stars according to what you read above, but the servers will be fixed by Ubisoft (and it's only because they game is so popular) so my extra star is to offset those reviews. | video-games_xbox |
Ehhhh, a 20 dollar add on to BF3 at best. I really want to like this game, but overall I'm still very frustrated.
Single Player: Good story line, but lots of bugs. Had to restart from last save several times as the game basically stopped - I could move around but nothing I did would get the game to progress any more. Restart from save, and I was good to go...until the next time(s) it happened. On three different occasions after a gun fight the only sound I could hear was automatic fire (from an obviously dead/glitched bot), once I passed the next checkpoint the sound of that phantom gunner would disappear.
Multi Player: On some matches it seems to be a good mix of MW3 and BF3 and a lot of fun, other matches you spawn and get killed before you even get control of your player. That happened to me 6 times in a row....6!!! This was not on a buddy spawn either, this was "falling back". I've also noticed that the game takes no account for incoming artillery when it decides to spawn you - that's right, just as your character loads - boom - explosion - death. Other games (BF3, BOPs, MW3) have the same issue occasionally, but this is much more frequent and completely pointless.
And on to what I see as the dumbest addition to a FPS. Any time you kill someone their fireteam buddy can see a bright red outline of you for several seconds, so they know exactly where you are anywhere on the map. Might seem a good way to balance things, but it makes getting kills pretty much suicide when you spawn into a game with no buddy, or when the game puts your friend on the other team in order to balance the team numbers. Why even bother giving the guns suppressors if the buddy can see where you are, what you are doing, what direction you're facing...etc.
Graphics are really nothing special, not a big surprise as I think were kind of reaching the limits of what the consoles can currently do.
I say wait a month or two, see if any improvements have been made, then decide. Right now, I'd say save your money and stick with BF3.
Come on Developers, fix this game and make it what it could be. | video-games_xbox |
I've got 99 problems and this game is one. Hacking and slashing, along with a bit of strategy, was the name of the game in Phantagram's last projects, the somewhat popular Xbox games Kingdom Under Fire and Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes. The team's latest game, N3: Ninety-Nine Nights, follows a similar structure and familiar gameplay, but it lacks the heart and soul, and anything outstanding, that would put it above other similar games.
N3 tells the tales of several different characters, none of whom have a very interesting or captivating story. From the blessed, powerful Imperial Knights Inphyy and Aspharr to the brutal mercenary Myifee, you'll encounter characters who have slightly stereotypical roles, appearances, attitudes, and styles. I personally couldn't ever take the game's story seriously simply because of the character names. I already mentioned Aspharr, but you'll also meet Dwikfarrio and Dwingvatt, as well as a giant frog king named Phakk the Third. What were they thinking?
For days I tried to give N3 a lot of credit for its gameplay, but there isn't a lot that you wouldn't expect from other Dynasty Warriors-esque titles. You'll run straight into hordes of enemies that range in the dozens to the hundreds. These crowds are fun to run into, but once you start attacking, N3 loses its massive charm. The combo attacks for each character are disgustingly simple to pull off and require very little skill in terms of timing. Combos aren't even necessary, in the end, because a player could quite easily mash the basic attack button and finish the game in a few hours. The only challenges I ever encountered were the boss characters, who seemed overpowered and often untouchable.
Once you kill enough of the horde, you'll accumulate orbs that power up a special attack meter. Each character has two levels of special attacks. The first attack, which is activated after a red orb meter fills up, is interactive: you'll mash buttons and generally watch things die. This series of attacks is simply a beefy combo that you'd normally pull off. The second attack is charged up while killing things in the "red attack." You'll earn blue orbs that charge up for a super mega ultimate attack (haha) that kills just about every non-boss character on-screen. Some of these attacks look cool (especially Dwikfarrio's storm of doom), but once you've killed ten thousand orcs, you've killed `em all, right?
N3 lacks checkpoints or in-game saves, making each and every mission quite punishing. Should you parish 20 minutes into a long mission, you're forced to do it all over again. That's right, you'll kill the same crowd of orcs, destroy the same catapults that are firing at the castle walls, and fend off the same cheap boss character.
There don't seem to be any rewards for putting yourself through the pain of playing through this game other than unlocking more characters, which simply forces you to play through more of the same [...] you stomached with a previous character. You'll even revisit the same levels multiple times with different characters. Exciting.
At least N3 looks alright. The staggering amount of enemies on the screen is impressive to say the least, and the minimal slowdown is pretty nice as well. It's too bad the character models get so repetitious, because the heroes that you'll use look amazing. Inphyy, the cover girl, is my personal favorite character, with her glittering golden wings and blood-red and shiny silver armor. It's also too bad that everything in this game sounds awful. The voice acting is some of the worst I've ever heard, and the lip sync is so ridiculously off that I began to believe Phantagram didn't even make an attempt at realistic syncing. The sound effects get old within seconds of starting the game up, and the soundtrack didn't seem to kick in enough when it should have.
N3: Ninety-Nine Nights may very well be the biggest disappointment that the Xbox 360 has had to date. What should have been a gripping, intense action game is nothing more than a game that could have been. Move along, play Dead Rising and enjoy your fall until the winter blockbusters release. | video-games_xbox |
Game of the year and then some. I have been gaming for almost 20 years now, and this is hands down one of the best games I have ever played in my entire life. It's a vast, sprawling post-apocalyptic world that you can freely roam around, explore and interact with. It's like living in the Mad Max universe. I've probably put at least 50 hours into this thing, completed nearly all the quests (including the 2 downloadable add-ons The Pitt and Operation Anchorage) and I have yet to get bored of it. I can roam the wastelands for hours, scavenging, fighting off raiders and mutated wildlife, and helping out people I find along the way. Of course, you're free to play the bad guy if you like, killing, looting and enslaving innocent wastelanders as you see fit (not my thing, but you're free to choose).
Honestly, the game is so vast that for the first few hours of gameplay I was completely overwhelmed. This game does not hold your hand at all, throwing you out into the wastelands to fend for yourself right off the bat, and for the most part you are free to do whatever you want in any order. Just set out to explore, find some people and places to interact with and help or harm as you please. Once you get the hang of the mechanics and the world, you'll be totally hooked.
As far as technical stuff, yes, there are many glitches, which seem unavoidable for a game on such a massive scale. But you know what? You'll be so wrapped up in this wonderfully realized alternate world that you will probably overlook these minor inconveniences.
Another complaint I've heard is that people don't like the option you have of playing through with realtime, first person shooter mechanics. They'd rather have turn-based, traditional RPG battles. In my opinion, turn-based battles would completely remove you from the sense of reality and urgency this game is trying to create. Being able to play in realtime makes you feel even more like you are there, face to face with the harsh elements of post-apocalyptic Washington DC. And if you're really into turn based combat, the VATS system is a much more intriguing and innovative spin on this. Turn based mechanics are not the end-all-be-all, and in my opinion are becoming quite dated. VATS is a much more appropriate solution for this game. Besides, what's really more important to a good role playing game: rolling some dice in order to battle, or being able to explore and interact with an alternate, new world? For me it's the latter, hands down, and the former gets in the way of the latter.
Others have complained of the relatively short and, apparently, not sufficiently "epic" main storyline. In my opinion, the ability to explore the open world and seek out the many other side quests on your own is much more appealing to me, and thus any "lack of depth" in the main quest is easily forgivable. | video-games_xbox |
Engaging & fun, with some issues. I think the Tom Clancy games are for the most part fantastic, especially the old school Rainbow Six for original Xbox/PS. I am a big fan of stealth-shooters, which is why I think I enjoy Ghost Recon Future Soldier (GRFS) as much as I do. That being said though, it is apparent that Ubisoft is changing direction a bit in terms of pacing and gameplay in all of the Tom Clancy games. GRFS is a fun and engaging game that most would/should enjoy, if you can look past some minor flaws.
The gameplay is great. There is a new cover system that allows players to move from cover to cover just by holding down the A/X button. This makes flanking/moving under fire a bit easier. From my perspective, the game is somewhat linear, as it pushes you from area to area as you complete different objectives. This may sound bad, but I don't think so. Each area is different, and I have spent lots of time planning the best ways to tackle each area, and let me tell you that eliminating a bunch of guards without raising any alarm is quite satisfying. There is a new sync shot system taken right out of splinter cell conviction where you can mark targets and issue the fire order, which is also very satisfying. (The first time did this I jumped up and was like what?! awesome!) And it doesn't get old. You can also tackle different areas as you please: stealth or running in guns blazing, although some areas require no alerts to be raised. There are 12 missions, which I completed on Elite difficulty. I'm not quite sure how long it took, but I didn't feel cheated by a short story.
The story is your typical Russians being bad and trying to take over shenanigan. Again, done before, but GRFS has its own take on it. I don't want to spoil anything, but it was engaging and I liked it.
Lets get into one of the biggest gripes I have with this game: Visuals. Some visuals look fantastic and overall the game looks good. BUT, cutscenes look terrible! The character models just look weird, and they got the lip syncing all wrong. Also, some of the in game environment looks like something out of a PS1 game. This game was constantly delayed. That,the fact that it is 2012 AND there are so many other games that don't have a problem looking fantastic, makes the poor visuals in GRFS completely unacceptable.
Multiplayer is good and addicting. There are several different modes, three classes to choose from, and a horde of weapons to use. There is also gunsmith which lets you customize almost every part of your weapon, so it's likely your ACR won't match your teammates. So far, I like the maps, some better than others, but I feel they did a good job here. However, I have heard of some issues with lag and constant host migrations. I havn't experience much lag at all, and only about one match ruined by host migration. Also, some lobbies are just broken, meaning they won't count down to the next match and youll just be stuck there until you realize its time to back out and try another. It should be noted that every game I have been in there have been other players with mics communicating and using teamwork. I was very impressed and working with your team is a huge necessity and also makes the game more fun. Overall though I am pleased with the MP experience, but Ubisoft needs to address some issues.
There is also a guerrilla mode, similar to GOW3's horde mode, which every game seems to have nowadays. I've only tried it once, but I had fun with it even while playing by myself. Myself...oh yea there is NO matchmaking for co-op and guerrilla mode which amazes me. So you're either gonna have to play split screen, or have a friend online with you the same time, or your SOL. This was a mistake Ubisoft.
In closing, GRFS is a great game. It's fun, enjoyable, and very satisfying. If you can look past the issues with visuals and some connection issues, you will thoroughly enjoy this game. | video-games_xbox |
Poor Design; No Variable Fan Speed; Overheats. I received this item as a warranty replacement from Best Buy. My original power supply was having trouble with cold starts and also does not always seem to power my Kinect sensor. I waited 2 weeks for Best Buy to order in a replacement power supply. When I got it I was very disappointed. Here are the major issues.
Poor Design
The aesthetics are fine and match the original well enough, except for the unevenly lit LED indicator. What I am primarily referring to is the actual internal power supply itself. The design of this item is clearly not up to par with the original Microsoft design and it leads to some problems. This power supply generates an extreme amount of heat.
No Variable Fan Speed
One of the first things I noticed with this power supply is that the fan speed is not throttled at all. The Microsoft documentation all references a throttled fan which will rev up in order to manage extra heat. This power supply sounds like a jet ready to take off when all it has to do is power the standby function of my Xbox One which only draws ~13W. The fan constantly runs at full speed. After using it more it is clear that this is because whatever circuit they chose to use in this unit is generating a lot more heat than the Microsoft units.
Overheats
The worst offense of all. When using this power supply it only takes 30 minutes of intense gaming for my Xbox One to reboot due to the power supply output becoming unstable from overheating. I have my power supply in the bottom of my entertainment center with air vents nearby. Technically it is an "enclosed" area, but I never had any issues with my original power supply overheating. After running tests with both this power supply and my original it is clear that this unit is cheap and poorly designed resulting in very high operating temperature. Using an external probe on the outside of both units after 30 minutes of intense gaming showed a temperature of 80F with the Microsoft unit and 110F with this unit just after it caused a console reboot.
Avoid this power supply at all costs. If Best Buy orders you a replacement power supply make sure that it is not from this company. | video-games_xbox |
1 star for no split-screen? Really? 5 stars for me. I love the limited edition. Feels very luxurious. The steelbook is a little bigger than I would have liked, but I enjoy it's presence. The disc art is cool too, it's nice to have a unique looking disc. Overall I feel the $40 premium for this version is worth it, you get loads of goodies, and the DLC content is nice too, the Warzone REQ bundle and Fall of Reach series are pretty dope. Now on to the game. First of all, all of the people rating the game 1 star are complete idiots. Sure, it sucks, but rating a game 1 star merely because of this is ludicrous. 3 stars at worst for this. Honestly, I don't care about it that much. I don't do split screen all that often, and when I do, I can always play the MCC. This is largely the reason the game has a 3 star average. If it weren't for all these door-knob head people misrating the game, it would easily get a 4.0+. I think the the game is great. I have a problem with the campaign plot, and how short it apparently is, (I haven't finished it yet); and also how multiplayer is lacking in content at the moment, but otherwise I find the game very enjoyable. Gameplay is some of the most balanced and fun in the whole series, and looks very promising. The lack of content for the multiplayer really bothers me, as custom game customization is nearly non-existent, and there aren't very many maps, and only 6-7 game modes, but the Forge update should fix this problems, and the free maps coming in the future will certainly help. As of right now, I rate the game a 4. But I give it a 5, because I have faith that the multiplayer will reach its full potential, and also because I'm very impressed with the limited edition. And again, I just want to make a point that ALL of the people giving 1 stars for the game strictly because they're butthurt that there is no split screen need to just accept it and stop whining, | video-games_xbox |
What the 360 should have been out of the gate. I just bought this today, and have to say I'm very impressed with the case design. It seems like Microsoft finally hired a bunch of designers that not only could make something aesthetically pleasing but something that will also enhance the systems performance.
The very first Xbox, was a giant square. This was considered ugly to the japanese market, but frankly the original xbox was built like a tank. It was built right and solid.
The 360 on the other hand... was designed clearly with a looks first, and get it to the market first mindset. I don't think I have to really mention here to anyone just how many Red Rings of Death really have popped up involving the first waves of 360s (failure rates as high as sixty percent in estimates) And the ultimately expensive steps microsoft took to ensure that the 360 wasn't going to Tank in sales. They backed it up with one hell of a repair gaurantee. One that I had to use three years ago on my 360 as it Ringed me. Out, and back in roughly one week the console performed flawlessly, until Tuesday night. Where I believe one of the patches I downloaded screwed up the OS of the 360 and left it a freezing mess. Unfortunately it seems we can no longer totally format the 360s OS leaving me with a broken console.
I was well past warranty date at this point. I had been thinking about getting this 360 anyway so it was time to get a new one. I picked the 250gb slim. Just as further insurance I bought the extra protection plan at walmart (naturally. Been burned by consoles that die past the warranty date many times. With my 360, having the ocassional disc read error issues ((which I fixed myself after the warranty ran out)), and my ps2 before it out right suicided. (Third console was the charm there. Still have the thing three and a half years later fingers crossed)
Onto the review.
The Case design is nothing short of miraculous. It's design is such that the stupid tiny pin holes are gone. That's right they are gone. Those horrible pinholes which in no way possible could allow for a console to breath are now Gone. In their place, we have actual grills, on both sides, the top and bottom. The space between each grill fin, is substantial enough to actually allow air inside and out of the system, so now it can actually breathe, and not fry itself. So the single biggest contributor to the 360 overheating and cooking off is removed. Not only were actual grills put into place, the system is designed with some angles in mind, which while incredibly pleasing on the eye also has a nice bonus effect of some much needed noise cancellation, as the angles on the console make it resemble the inside of a chambered muffler system.
There is now finally touch button activation on the system, which is really slick. My favorite part about this feature, is it will save tremendously on wear involving microswitches. Also I imagine it would make reassembly of the case easier as you don't have to make -perfectly sure- that the microswitch and it's contact point perfectly line up like on the old 360. The other two features of the touch activation, are more aesthetic and personal taste oriented, it gives the console a much sleeker look (like frenched in headlights on an old 30s car)and in the case of the tray opener actually chimes just before the tray slides out.
The color choice is impeccable. Jet black, with subtle "chrome" accents. Much akin to the original PS3s color scheme, but imo much more classy. This thing makes me think less home appliance and more sleek and lean computer. (The original PS3 just seemed so utterly bulky, and so bland in shape... I felt it looked like an appliance.... but the color scheme was good... now if sony would just get smart and use the jet black of the original on their new slim 3.....) Compared to the old 360, you can scarcely believe that they are from the same company, let alone packing alot of the same hardware. The old 360 I felt looked kind of... well I thought it looked like a Camry. White, Bland and dull as dishwater with only the barest hint of styling added to it. (and still managed to have an utter Failure as far as ventilation went)
Onto some of the meat and bones, these two have gotten a massive overhaul compared to the original. The sliding tray seems much more stable and solid than the original line's. It doesn't seem nearly as prone to flopping around, it seems much better made on the sliders which again is going to save on wear and tear.
The processor is of the much more sturdy and resilient Jasper model found on the newer Elites which is a Godsend to anyone that has ever had a Ring. And is also a Godsend to anyone thinking about a new console. The Ringing issues are going to be much less common now, meaning it's only going to happen on defects. It's not something you should spend every waking moment fearing when you go to turn on your console.
The harddrive is literally more than 10 times the capacity of the original 20 gig unit. Something which for me is a godsend because I really really didn't feel that 20 gigs was ever enough. It is also internal, so unfortunately there's no way to put your old HDD one the new one if you wanted to try and keep you old save files and just use the new hardware (like I wanted to do) But hey, it gives me an excuse to replay all of my favorite games I guess. And I do love my favorite games.
There are more USB ports than there were before, so everyone can have a corded controller. (no more hunting for batteries! Or hoping the set you let your buddy borrow is fully charged)
It also comes with a built in wireless. And here is one of my small complaints. It should have been a G card. Not an N. I do understand that Microsoft does infact have a budget with these things but it seems to me kind of odd that they chose to save a miniscule amount of money here given what they already saved with the smaller case, smaller power supply brick, and more uniform parts commonality between Elite and non Elite. But hey I didn't have to go fishing around for some wire to get onto xbox live and get all my dlc in a row... and I don't have yet another cord around my computer/entertainment desk.
It also has a much improved quality of headset compared to the original 360. It's the spiffy one you could -buy- instead of that horribly uncomfortable one you could wear if you were too cheap to get the nice one.
So why only 4 stars?
For one it makes me somewhat sad to look at my older 360 (now deceased, and soon to be taken apart for every last bit of salvageable stuff like fans....) and think about what could have been from the start. Honestly if this 360 had been the one to come out ....five years ago? I don't think anyone would have had a leg to stand on in the so called Console War. the Xbox's reputation likely wouldn't have been tarnished (even if in the long run this sort of paid off for Microsoft. Now they learned the lesson, don't make it Cheap... make it Solid. It's not worth the multiple billions they are projected to lose to Rings....) as being unreliable. And frankly the styling would have face trounced the competition.
This is the Xbox that should have been. Honestly, I almost feel as if -now- finally the original Xbox has gotten a worthy successor. This unit provides such a lovely nod to, and steller improvement in every way to the original that THIS should have been the original 360. I'd have waited an extra year for it.
So who do I recommend this console to exactly?
Anyone, that wants a very well rounded console with an incredible variety of games on it. If you're console shopping for the first time, this thing is definitely worth checking out and I would call this a First Buy, with the PS3 second. You're going to get a very enjoyable long term experience with the 360 (and the Ps3 too. I think you can guess which console -I- don't like) and this is definitely the one to get, the sheer amount of stuff you are essentially getting For Free make this easily the best buy of the trinity of consoles on the market.
If you are thinking about upgrading your 360 two times (once for that Harddrive, and once for that wireless card) just get this instead, sure it's 100 dollars more, but you also get -yet another- controller (which is 50, so now you only have a 50 dollar disparity) and the peace of mind having the by far best designed console case this generation (just for sheer cooling and quietness value. Let alone the killer styling) This is something you could proudly place in plain view in my opinion as a focal point in a room it's that pretty to look at. And the other peace of mind knowing you now have the best designed processor the 360 comes with at this time. It's more stable, it's far less prone to heat failure and in my opinion seems slightly quicker than the original.
If you've got a Ps3 or Wii and want a second console I'd get this one. Believe me when I say this, Xbox Live is easily worth the money, (40 for a full year) as it has the best matchmaking, the best chat setups, support and etc. If you're serious about multiplayer or want to get into it 360 is the way to go. Also, Ps3 guys you'll finally be able to experience some of the best games ever made if you do :P yes Mass Effect 1 and 2 really are that good. (also the controller design is better... you actually have a trigger guard for your shoulder buttons... Remember those?) and for the Wii guy that finally wants to step up into a less Party Game system, this thing's got a spectacular library of games, a brilliant controller and frankly one of the nicest looking consoles ever released. (Second in my opinion to the Original PS2) | video-games_xbox |
Ultimate Edition of Gears 1 is great, but. Gears Of War Ultimate Edition is an updated version of the first Gears, and for Xbox One. The game has better graphics (of course). Xbox One's controller is nice to get in a Gears session with either friends,randoms online in multiplayer, or just in campaign. As you progress through the campaign, you unlock parts of digital comics which you can check out. The game has many different weapon skins available through DLC. I have not yet had the time to play entirely through the campaign on it. But from what I have heard and read....This Ultimate Edtion has like five extra levels? So those of us that played through the original can have some new things for us to experience too! Of course making this game price set at just $39.99 new was nice. As far as the golden weapon skin, nitifications would appear saying all you had to do was play the game (not specifying what mode) from the release date throught today (9/4/15). And in doing so, you would get the gold skin. However I played several times from the release date to today and have yet to see the gold skin in my options for weapon skins. The gameplay is great, and playing through this again after not playing the 360's Gears Of War for years is nice!! There is a multiplayer as I mentioned earlier. Some different modes within the multiplayer too. The only thing I don't like about this game is that there is NO HORDE in this. Supposedly it lacks a horde mode cause the first one didn't have horde. And they were trying to keep it as original as possible. Which is fine. I like games staying true to the original when a new version comes out. However, if that's the case why add 5 levels? I'm not saying don't have them....I'm glad there is some new stuff to see too! But it wouldn't kill them to have added horde mode into the game. This game is awesome regardless and I highly recommend it!! Oh yeah....in multiplayer beware of the Gnasher, it is just waiting for you everywhere, lol!!! | video-games_xbox |
You know what........I am unhappy right about now. Okay listen up people, the Razer Onza is a top-class gaming controller. It has ridiculous performance, and features such as the hyper-response buttons,adjustable tension for analog sticks, and the extra two bumpers give a lot of customization in terms of how to play. The rubberized finish on the Tournament Edition give you a very good ergonomic edge.
And now to ruin what I thought would be a dream come true. After extended use, I found out that the Razer Onza Tournament Edition (and likely the standard edition as well). Is made from what I'd believe to be cheap material. Now I don't want to get into "specifications" or anything, but if my onza's joystick pads (the squishy things you put your thumbs on)BREAK off from use, BEFORE my microsoft xbox controllers from 2007......there is literally something wrong here.
I treat all of my equipment with utmost care. In fact the Onza itself is in great cosmetic condition. Shiny and still very rubbery, this baby feels great in my hand. But now I face greater issues. My left analog stick is not only uncomfortable to put my thumb on, but it now has an internal locking issue forcing it to curve slightly left.
Normally, this wouldn't be a problem (at least not cosmetically) but it has truly started to affect my gaming. I'll be walking out of a spawn strafing left, or I'll be behind cover in Gears of War 3 and moving left, exposing myself to the enemy.
Now to top this all off my right trigger (RT) has internal issues, causing it not to fire about 35% of the time. I have to literally shift my middle finger three times to have it function properly.
So perhaps I game a lot; that doesn't mean that my controller should be dying already. I have 2-3 year old controllers that still function properly, they have minor issues, but not nearly as great as my Razer Onza TE.
I'd like to end this review by stating that Razer makes great products; I've used their mice and keyboards and they're definitely up to snuff. I LOVE the functions that this controller is capable of, but it needs to be put in a stronger shell. All of my issues stem directly from poor materials, something even Microsoft themselves were able to beat. I sincerely hope that Razer makes a new line of xbox 360 gaming controllers with the same (if not more) functions and stronger materials; I'd be first in line to purchase them.
As a final note: I would buy this product continually just to have the ability to use such professional grade controllers, but money just really doesn't grow out of trees. | video-games_xbox |
Glen Schofield was right--MW3 is the Porsche of gaming. Glen Schofield, co-creator of Modern Warfare 3, likened this newest game to a Porsche, and after playing it, I think he was right. Incremental, thoughtful, and polished improvements have made what looks to be "the same game" into that rare, thrilling experience where everything just works. For some, this fact is a letdown. And the Porsche analogy works here too--if you're looking for the 911 to change in dramatic ways, you will be disappointed. But drivers choose 911's for the same reason players gravitate to Call of Duty, because the rush can't be found elsewhere.
Modern Warfare 3 continues with slick 60-frames-per-second performance, giving players fast, twitchy online kills and yeah, deaths. The deaths seem more sudden, at least to me, causing me to jump a little. I haven't found a game, Gears, Battlefield, or Halo, which has me so concerned with not dying, with trying to eek out a bit more life of my admittedly-doomed multiplayer character. This game gets your adrenaline going, and from players I've talked to, that's the number one reason Call of Duty continues to dominate. You are physiologically invested in what is happening on screen at all times.
New modes abound in MW3, which take inspiration from player feedback. In Kill Confirmed, you must retrieve the dog tags of fallen enemies. This requirements draws you in closer to the battle. It could easily be called "no sniper/camper" mode, because to sit back means you're losing points needed for victory. Also, weapons like the grenade launcher (noob tube) have been weakened, removing the cheap and easy kills of previous Call of Duty games.
Shipping with almost twice the multiplayer maps of other games, MW3 stands alone, but every gamer knows: you have to play enough of the other great shooters--and they are all great, in their own ways--to understand what Modern Warfare 3 does so well. For example, Battlefield 3 is a worthy alternative for big team battles (its sound design is amazing) but it is still plagued with unforgivable glitches from previous entries in that series. I can't walk through a doorway sometimes in BF3, am forced to "hop" over it, due to a bug. A squad of friends is split up routinely in DICE's matchmaking system. If you happen to play alone and aren't put in a squad at all, you will be walking miles to the battlefield upon respawn. You will find none of these issues within the refined system of Modern Warfare 3. You will spend zero time fighting the game, and all your time fighting the enemy, which many frustrated gamers know is a win by omission.
Then there's Halo Reach, the kind of game that many critics say Infinity Ward should have made--a prominent deviation from the winning formula, with new ideas that aim for a new style of play. Change the game, they say. Don't phone it in. But for all the "work" Bungie put into remaking Halo, Reach has lost players faster than Halo 2 and 3, and is falling down the ladder of Xbox Live activity. Why? Because Bungie fixed what wasn't even close to being broken, and alienated a core fan base with ideas that turned Reach into a different game. Now fans like me wish 343 would make a spiritual successor to Halo 2 and 3--which were very similar sequels. Do we see a pattern here? Who really wants Modern Warfare to drastically change, its fans, or its enemies?
And Gears? EPIC wisely avoided sequel-choke and stuck to the formula, polishing the dull spots. The result--matchmaking that's flawless, stable, and just works. Same can be said for MW3.
Sure, the Modern Warfare series isn't the most original anymore, if only because it paved the way for competitors that appropriated its ideas, from perks, loadouts and progressive unlock system, to over-the-top storytelling. But even today, three games later, what it does it does better than any other multiplayer shooter, which is why it will be at the top of the most-played charts for the next year. Gamers know what works, and if you had to buy one game for online, you would find more to like about Modern Warfare 3's refined approach. Others can keep asking, and waiting, for the newest and greatest--which will likely arrive with the next-gen consoles. Meanwhile, I'll take the Porsche. | video-games_xbox |
Approaching greatness. This is basically a slightly enhanced version of World Series 2002 for the Sega Dreamcast. As such, if you liked WS2K2, you will like WS2K3. Others have focused on the many, many positives of the game (graphics, player animation, pitching control, franchise mode, etc) so I'm going to focus on the few aspects of the game that prevent it from being perfect:
A) I realize that the developers wanted the graphics & animation to be silky smooth, and they are, but that hi-res visual goodness comes at the expense of fielding accuracy. I'll echo the complaint that double-play grounders that should be automatic are far too often not. I'm sorry, but Kevin Young hasn't been seen beating out a DP ball ever. Same goes for outfielders after catching a fly ball. The CPU AI is tight and will run on you at a moment's notice, but the throws from the outfielders are very slow to react when they throw to a base, thus giving an unnecessary edge to baserunners. Both problems would be solved by ironing out the "molasses effect" that restricts fielding.
B) The commentary, while not often incorrect, is horribly bland. The play-by-play is strictly meat-&-potatoes stuff (name & position) and the color commentary is often too generalized and rote. Besides the opening of the game, and maybe during a relief appearance, the announce team will say nothing individualized about any of the players. And there is a glitch when it comes to CPU pinch-hitters: they are 100% always announced as pinch-runners by the color commentator (former SF Giant pitcher Mike Krukow). This might be being tough on the game, but a powerful next-gen console like the XBox deserves better than PS1-era play-by-play announcing. You'll be begging for NFL 2K2's cheesy announce crew by the time 9 innings are up.
C) Make sure you know what base you want to throw to as a fielder, because once you press the button, that's where the throw is going. I have botched a few plays at the plate because at the time I caught it, the runner wasn't tagging, but then he decides to go, but the fielder will throw to whatever base you initially chose. In other words, there is no button override function. This goes similarly for baserunning: if you are halfway down the 1st-base line and push the button to go to second base, then decide against it, make sure you return to 1st base because the game keeps that first button press in memory, but luckily the baserunning allows you to return fairly easily.
D) The graphics often fail to match up to the play being made. A runner attempting to steal might be called out merely because the throw was in time, though the tag was obviously (via replay) not applied at all. The fielders will occasionally pull a Matrix move and magically slide across the field on their feet to make a diving catch. Once again, it's not to much positioning deciding the catch, but general timing. Which again, might be harsh, but in a next-gen universe, these same old shoddy corner-cutting measures need to be cured, or we all might as well go back to MLB '99.
Even with the small gripes, WSB2K3 is still far and away the best choice for baseball on the XBox. And perhaps because the game is so strong in most areas, it leaves itself open to minor criticism in lesser areas. Sorta like pointing out a handful of weeds on an otherwise lush, green lawn. I can only imagine if Sega remedies these small issues, we might be as close to perfection as possible. | video-games_xbox |
Xbox one is great if you know what you're getting into. This was my first next gen console and let me tell ya...it's exactly what i thought it was. Not to say it was bad or i had low expectations, i just wasn't blown away shifting my experience from the 360 to the one. The UI largely feels the same and the controller is improved but alot of it is 'more of the same'.
Kinect: I thought i would use this alot more. Really. When i first got my xbox one at launch i thought it was one of the coolest things ever but after about a month i found that i had to force myself to really use it. Even the voice commands are pretty crappy as you have to repeatedly yell at the damn thing to get it to recognize you. The fact that it isn't like Siri where you can talk to it naturally is a huge pain. It can only understand certain things and those certain things aren't immediately apparent. You really have to train yourself on how to use this thing and since this is a mass market device, it should be alot more intuitive.
I may even disconnect it altogether because in mid conversation i'll say something that doesn't even remotely sound like xbox and it pops up saying "it's listening" like i'm making voice commands. Lame. Really lame. The only use i can find for it is maybe skype and xbox fitness, aside from that...i doubt you'll be gaming with the kinect very much.
The system itself is pretty good. Although i can actually notice the graphics downgrade between xbox one and ps4 on multiplatforms. It was a weird experience playing cod ghosts on xbox one since launch and picking it up for ps4 just recently. I felt like the graphics looked completely different. Way more next gen on ps4. I guess it's the 1080p vs- whatever else situation. But if that doesn't affect you, then this is a solid console. Just don't buy it for the kinect.
The xbox one has had solid feature updates every single month though and it's clear MS is fully supporting this console so you really can't go wrong. The UI, xbox live and controller put it head and shoulders above everything else | video-games_xbox |
The Dangerous Addiction. If you own any system, then you no doubt must've heard about Demon's Souls, and it's spiritual successor, Dark Souls. Hailed as the most difficult game of all time, most enthusiasts call it more of a torture chamber than a video game. The game's back cover (and website) reads in bold letters "PREPARE TO DIE!". Without sounding too cliche'...yeah, do just that...cause' you'll be dying a lot.
The story is fairly simple: undead comes back to steal souls to undo his hollow-self, is dropped into a land by an over-sized crow, and it set out into an open world to discover...and die. First-off, the game is HUGE. Second, there's no maps. Third, there's surprises behind every corner. Your character can be highly customized depending on just how big a badass you are, or the ballsy decisions you make. The problem, however, is that you have to watch those moves, as they could quickly become your downfall.
Playing Dark Souls is less like playing a video game, and much moreso like learning an art. Every aspect is so technical, straight down to the swordplay, class specifications, and boss strategies. Sure, you can run past a boss the first time you meet, but are you ready to forego some huge, strong helmet? Or a gigantic, powerful sword?
Dark Souls is, however, bewildering when you first pick it up. It's not a game for everyone, by any means, and those who are easily aggravated, present company included, may want to just forget this one was ever released. As pansy I can be about difficult games, Dark Souls--ironically the most "difficult" game made--is easily becoming an addiction. Although I've got other games to play, I find myself forgetting that I own anything else in lieu to spend some more time with Dark Souls.
On my first playthrough, I locked-up 12 hours of straight grinding. Early on, I met a vendor with a samurai sword...so I killed him and took the sword. What I didn't know is that he, and only he, sold certain weapons needed to continue through the game a bit easier. It took me three more restarts from there to get the hang of it (and to decide which path I wanted to take).
Dark Souls is truly more than just a game...it's a moral, a life lesson...and a life sentence if you get involved.
OVERALL: 5/5
Find more reviews of music, movies, games, and more at:
[...] | video-games_xbox |
Come Get SOME. I'm reviewing the collectors version (limited edition), so my review is based more on this, than the actual game.
I bought Gears of War Limited edition when it first came out (1), it was nice, came in a tin, and was really something special. With other collectors editions that have come out since, The original gears still fares pretty well in comparison.
Gears 2 (as with everything related to this game) is bigger, and better.
This has some of the coolest packaging I have seen thus far.
When you pick up this game, you will first be impressed by the sheer weight, this sucker is heavy. When you remove the slipcase your greeted to a box holding the items, when you take them out, you get the artbook (which comes with a picture --the picture you see in the game of doms wife--) and the game case.
Now, I have to say, I wasn't impressed with this artbook. I do some 3d work, and love Epic games more than anything. But this artbook is very weak. It was a big letdown for me. There is a book you can buy which features the art from 1, so beautifully, I treasure it and display it proudly on my desk. <a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/D-ARTISTE-CHARACTER-MODELING-2/dp/1921002352/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">D'ARTISTE CHARACTER MODELING 2</a> If your a fan, and also enjoy making games, I highly recommend it. It is high priced, and not currently for sale here, but the printing and everything is very high quality.
The picture that is included is very low quality too. I guess it looks the same as it does in the game, but why bother?
On to the good stuff.
After you look at the artbook you see a nice shiny case housing your gears of war 2 dvds. This case is very similar to the halo 2 collectors edition case, and I love it. Even if this game (LE) had nothing else going for it, the case alone is worth the extra price for me. Rarely does a case give off such a cool and impressive vibe, as this one case does!
You also have a bonus disc inside, which has some interesting features on it (similar to the bonus disc from Gears 1)
You also get a golden lancer (not a big deal, its only a golden lancer).
All in all, considering the price is 10 dollars more than the standard. I highly recommend it.
This is a wonderful game. How the graphics can be improved so greatly is beyond me. Gears 1 is still a beautiful game, a game I love replaying. Gears 2 is much much better. Some of the gameplay is harder, the level designs are "epic", and the graphics and lighting, wow, the graphics and lighting, they take your breathe away.
I played the campaign all the way through twice now. And I can honestly say, its the best behind the back third person shooter of the year.
The online multiplayer is addictive, and very strategy based. You cant just run out and start blasting, if you do, you will die. COD this is not. This is more akin to counterstrike, because when you die, you are dead. You do not come back until the next round. The game also encourages you to stick with your teammates so that you can revive each other and stick around longer.
The AI is not cheap, your teammates are sometimes ignored in favor of the badguys going after you, but it is no where near as bad as Resistance 2 for the ps3. All in all this is a good game, and the Limited Edition only enhances that.
By far, the coolest mode for this game is horde mode. On this mode, you and some buddies can go crazy taking on "hordes" of baddies on a level by level basis. If you have played some fighting games before, its like a survival mode. You keep going as long as you can, you have to stick together, and play this very strategically. The multiplayer in this game will not get old. It is so good, and encourages you to replay the game countless times.
I must warn you. DO NOT BUY THIS GAME USED. If you buy gears used, you will not get access to the flashback maps, which are 5 maps redone using the new engine. You get these free when you buy the game new (and the codes are not used). So be careful and take notice.
This game is easily worth the price of admission, and if you look at the current price of gears 1, used or new, you will see that the price did not get much below 30 dollars on the used marketplace (standard version), the collectors edition still holds its value today. It is worth your investment to get it new, there is no need to hold off on buying it.
I encourage parents to NOT buy this game used, as your loved ones will be unable to experience the game to its fullest potential. And again, the Limited edition IS a worthwhile upgrade.
Also, if you have not yet, I recommend playing Gears 1 again, the achievements you unlock on 1, relate to what characters you can unlock on gears 2 for online play. Specifically, you want to beat the game on hardcore mode, so you can get RAAM on multiplayer. If not, at least play normal, and you can unlock everybody but RAAM. | video-games_xbox |
Letdown of the Year. I was fortunate enough to get to play through the game recently, here's what i thought of it
Graphics:
Character Models are are really good, but the environments don't look nearly as good. There's little to no atmospheric effects (fog, rain, etc). All in all the game looks bland. Special effects, like bullet time, are well done. Motion captured moves have choppy transtitions. (for example, the end of a punching animation does not smoothly flow into the animation for kicking, leaving the game looking jerky) . I saw a special on mtv about the game. It was pretty clear that ETM uses a modified version of the Messiah engine. The programmer was demonstarting the same tessellating polygon technique used in Messiah. It's interesting to see how powerful some aspects of the game's graphics engine can be, and yet the game still looks so bland.
Sound:
No problems here, uses mostly the ochestral score from the first movie.
Gameplay:
Kung Fu battles can easily be won by mashing buttons, except against agents. Go into focus mode and then mash buttons to hit an agent.
Gunplay is awkward, at least on Xbox. Using the black button to fire your gun is not very intuitive. Sniping is very frustrating, you push the right analog stick to enter first person mode, then you must push fire to bring up the reticle if you did not already have your gun drawn.
Running up the walls, backflips, etc. are all easy to execute and can be useful in doding enemy fire. Strafing is a pain in the neck, i don't understand why shiny chose not to let you strafe with the right analog stick.
Overall the 3rd person missions are usually short in length, The combat is unvaried. Many sub-levels are very similar. Once you've seen a couple, you've seen them all (with a few exceptions)
The driving in the game is mediocre at best. There are about 4-6 driving levels. The environments are empty, very few cars, even on the highway levels. The enemy AI is downright stupid. The physics are horrible.
The flying levels are downright unplayable, i didn't play as ghost, so i can't comment on the gunning levels.
The cinema scenes range from great to poor, but some are definitly worth seeing.
Hacking the Matrix:
a fun aside, one of the best parts of the game. I think i've completed everything possible in it, in which case it doesn't add more than an hour or 2 to game length.
Playing through as both characters:
More of a chore than anything else. Alot of repeat levels, through there is some new content. It's like how you used to have to play through Tony Hawk games with multiple characters to unlock things: you've seen most of it the first time through.
RENT it, it's not very long about 8 hrs, and it certainly does not have much replay value. It seems like they got way too caught up with all the technology they had available and didn't take the time to fix the gameplay problems. | video-games_xbox |
Good, but not as good as everyone makes it out to be. Let me start by saying this is a solid, fun game. If you are considering it, you probably won't be disappointed. But while everyone and their grandmother seems to love the game, I think the game shines more like aluminum than silver.
PROS
* Combat is fun
* Not too long or short
* Good balance between stealth, combat and ranged fighting
* Planning your kills according to the enemies' weaknesses
* Plans going awry when some other captain/war-chief (or 3) interrupts you current battle, requiring you to stay on your toes
CONS
* Nemesis system is forgettable
* Too easy
* Finding artifacts is also too easy
* Most captains/war-chiefs can easily be killed with stealth, or with the special ability that allows unlimited combat finishers
* Sometimes I was defeated by the controls
* After finding dead bodies, uruks will stop hunting you in about a minute
Ok, the nemesis system. Some people love that you keep fighting the same uruks over and over, but I don't get why. I didn't even notice I was fighting the same ones because they are all mostly interchangeable. I only cared about the weaknesses of my targets. Is the little bit of changed dialog really that cool? Between stealth kills, the ability that allows unlimited combat finishers, and the ability to leap over your foes, combat was not much of a challenge. I died several times in the beginning, then almost never after these abilities were unlocked. Oh, and a bit of a spoiler here, after you get the brand ability... fuggetaboutit! Nothing can stand in your way. This was all very cool and made me feel powerful, but I still like a challenge. Oh, and a couple of times I had some control issues, but I guess that is what comes with the ability to fluently hop onto and climb walls.
Anyway, like I said I had lots of fun playing the game, I just hope the game offers more of a challenge next time around. | video-games_xbox |
Kinect 2.0. I have the Kinect for my Xbox 360 and love it . When I first saw that the Xbox One was launching with the Kinect 2.0 I was actually pretty excited because I didn't get the Kinect for my 360 until a few years after it was released. Well I picked up my Xbox One with Kinect when it was released on day one and I have not regretted my purchase yet. Since I have had my hands on this awesome piece of hardware since November 2013 I think I might be able to share a few things about it.
Voice detection and recognition : This is all you have to do lady's and Gents to get your Kinect to recognize your commands every time. Speak in a clear and normal tone of voice . Screaming at the thing does nothing but frustrate you and still the Kinect won't understand your ranting. Remember the Kinect has software that learns as you use it , the more you talk to it the easier it will be for it to recognize you and work for you when you want it to.
I use my Kinect daily, mostly for launching apps , using the game DVR ( Xbox Record that ) , opening my friends list and starting a party and I also use it for launching Netflix and navigating the menus without ever touching my controller.. Those are just a few of the things I use it for and there are many more.
Another thing that you need to know is the proper commands , without the proper commands the Kinect simply will not work as desired. You will get a tutorial when you first set up your Kinect and I urge you to pay attention to what it says , DO NOT SKIP AHEAD .. This will make your life easier with Kinect and it will work for you as it has for me.
One last important thing is placement of your Kinect. Make sure you put it in a place where it will not get bumped or moved around. If you move it , it will need to be recalibrated again and again. I recommend purchasing a mount and placing it on top of your TV where it is out of the way and less likely to get bumped or moved. Here is a link to the one I purchased back in December 2013 and it has been working great ever since.
http://www.amazon.com/PDP-Kinect-TV-Mount-Xbox-One/dp/B00FYMTUQY/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1426331598&sr=1-1&keywords=pdp+xbox+one+kinect+mount
Conclusion : The Kinect 2.0 is a spectacular device if used properly and in my opinion a necessity if you own an Xbox One. I don't know if it's because I have had mine since the launch of the Xbox One or simply because it just makes navigating the Xbox and all it's features so much simpler but I can't imagine not having one. I know if something ever does happen to mine I will be getting a replacement , I just love it that much. I highly recommend this device to all Xbox One owners , If you have a Kinectless Xbox One you really don't know what you are missing out on.
Solid 5 out of 5 | video-games_xbox |
Worked Great But I Think They've Died. [Update 4/18/16] They've started working again and I haven't had any issues since I wrote the review. It took a few days but all's good now. I've adjust my rating from 3 stars back up to 5.
Sound: They sound really good for stereo.
Chat: Chat works great. Mic is bendable so you can move it around and completely disconnect it if you don't need.
Battery Life: Battery life has been really good. I think I've gotten around 10-12 hours minimum of use before recharging.
Comfort: These are pretty comfortable. I've worn them for hours at time and didn't experience any discomfort. I didn't sweat from the cups and they weren't too tight. They are a tad but you get used to the weight pretty quickly.
Design: Power button is in a good spot, but the sound volume and chat volume wheels could be better placed. There's also a very good chance that when you remove them, you'll hit one or both of the volume wheels so you have to adjust the volume every time you put them on.
Value: These are expensive for stereo headphones, but the are truly wireless. But at around $150, I would like to have 5.1 or simulated 5.1 rather than stereo.
Overall these are great headphones that are on the expensive side.
=========================
[Original Review Below]
Bought these from Best Buy back in September 2015 and they really are a great headset. I had some minor annoyances with them related to design (placement of volume wheels, mute button, etc), but overall they worked great and were comfortable. That's why they're getting 3 stars.
They appear to have died this week. I'll be contacting TB support but with everything I've been reading, I'm not expecting to get them repaired any time soon.
Here's my issue: the device is paired properly with the USB dongle. The dongle LED fades in and out when I don't have the headset on but the Xbox still recognizes it and displays the connected message upon booting up. When I turn on the headset, the headset says connected and the USB dongle LED turns to solid green. I get audio for maybe a few seconds then all I hear is a buzzing sound. After about 10 seconds or so of that, the audio dies completely. Turning off the headset and disconnecting the dongle doesn't not entirely fix the issue. I might get audio/chat for a few seconds but then the buzzing/no audio starts again.
I did check the audio hub but there are no firmware updates for this headset. I'll try them again wired to my controller to see if that works but it kind of defeats the purpose of having a truly wireless headset. Even if these get fixed, I might splurging and trying the 500x. It seems reviews on pretty much all headsets from Turtle Beach and Astro are mediocre. | video-games_xbox |
Dead Space was a wonderful example of a sci-fi survival horror game. I bought the Dead Space trilogy wholesale, and while I have yet to play the Awakening DLC for 3 yet, the game by itself warrants reviewing.
Dead Space was a wonderful example of a sci-fi survival horror game, and Dead Space 2 improved quite a bit of the mechanics and game-play while staying true to the feel and experience of the first game. Then you have this one. To quote another reviewer of the game, it is indeed like EA decided to cash in on the trendy gamer market and just tried to make Dead Space 3 as much like Call of Duty as humanly possible, and none of it in a good way.
The single player campaign is painfully evident of this, as it was obviously never designed to strictly be a single player campaign, but is merely their co-op campaign restricted to certain areas and focusing on Isaac's point of view. Enemies come at you in swarming numbers tiered to the difficulty level based on TWO players, not one, so you will be going through ammo, health and resources twice as much to get through what should be a rightful single player experience. This is even more evident by the boss fights, where the combat cycles of the bosses are so rapid and hard hitting that the only way to survive without draining most of your ammo and using up all your health items IS to have a second player there to divide their attention and take half the hits. The final boss battle becomes so fast paced and reliant on a one-hit death maneuver, even on Easy mode, that unless you know of it ahead of time and set up your weapons and ammo accordingly, you will do nothing but die endlessly during the portions of the fight meant to be beaten through the means of having two players in the fight, not just one.
The weapons are their own issue as well. While the weapon options are larger than before, the details of the weapon crafting and customization are laughably underdeveloped, mainly in the use of the circuits that replace the Power Nodes of the previous games. The series' iconic alternate firing modes, most notable in the game's poster child weapon, the Plasma Cutter, are completely removed for the option of simply fusing two weapons together, one upper and one lower weapon, and both with a maximum of only four circuit slots per combined weapon for a total of eight. Which isn't bad, except for the fact that only four count towards each weapon. Even if you have a weapon that only fills the upper or lower slot of the frame, like the Plasma Cutter does due to the lower slot being filled with a rotator part that replicates it's original 90 degree barrel rotation from the first two games, only the four circuits of it's slot count towards enhancing it. Putting circuits in the other four slots do nothing. So the advantage of the Planet Cracker Plasma Cutter from loading a Dead Space 2 save file, with all eight of it's circuit slots already unlocked, does little for the actual weapon itself. The only improvements to the weapon set up is the universal ammo and the added effect attachments, such as acid or electrical rounds. Not having to manage different ammo types does save time, and with as tough and numerous as the Necromorphs are in the game, added bits of damage does help. As to the weapons themselves, they do make for a variety of play styles, but as the enemies are all so much tougher now, even maxed out damage weapons take time and bleed ammo to kill them.
The Necromorphs themselves would technically be something else they improved, if not for throwing them at the player in obscene numbers with no horror or suspense in the game-play WHATSOEVER. Having one or a trio of hard enemies surprise you in a dark spaceship corridor and scare you to death is one thing. Having legions of them swarm you and all cut you to pieces at once, forcing you to use up numerous health items at once and drain most of your ammo just trying to get some breathing room is another. And the whole 'dismember them to kill them faster' part that was the key to fighting them in the first two games is now barely helpful at all. Even on Easy mode their limbs take as many hits to take off as torso shots took to outright kill them in the previous games, and they move faster as well so lining up proper dismembering shots is far more difficult unless you use Statis to slow them down every two seconds, again draining your resources all the faster.
The new resources dedicated to crafting takes up the majority of the experience as well, not just the weapons. Upgrades to your RIG, replacing everything about getting new suits except for the additional inventory slots, now requires use of vast amounts of various resource materials, rather than all of it falling under the use of Power Nodes, as again from the previous games. The scavenger bots in the game that you can use to detect hidden resources and then send them out to find them are helpful in eventually gaining more than you need to fulfill these required amounts, but the way the game proceeds you only find the bots one at a time in certain spots, so the bonus resources are limited as you go along. Plus for all the bonus areas to go searching for more resources and circuits and weapon parts, the plot of the game proceeds in a way that you can't go back to some areas you missed or didn't have the means to access, so if you don't get them right away, you miss them until the new game plus.
The plot itself is decent, and fits within the Dead Space story, but the characters that advance it have become boring and almost unlikable. Isaac doesn't really have anything going for his character anymore, he just kinda bounces along with things as they happen and doesn't make any real decisions on his own anymore. His relationship with Ellie from the second game holds no real water because we don't get to see any of it when it happened, only after it was over, and Ellie's former badass character type has become bland and doesn't really feel genuine in how she interacts with others. The other side characters, especially Carver who is the co-op character, don't lend very much to the story or the game-play at all.
Overall the game is decent, by standards of being a sci-fi action shooter. But being the survival horror story that is Dead Space, it doesn't really manage at all. I'm told the DLC is much more what the previous games were, but a tack-on ending doesn't make the overall bulk of the game any more improved. I'd have rather had the DLC as a standalone then, rather than need it attached. If you want to see how the story continues from Dead Space 2, it's worth a rent and at least one play through, though whether spending the money for the DLC is worth it after that I can't really tell you, it'd have to be what you think of it yourself. | video-games_xbox |
Great game... not worth the full $60. Quick background: I was a huge of fan of PES last gen and followed PES since PES3. I switched to Fifa from 2010-2012. Got bored with FIFA and decided to find my way back.
Here is a quick bullet point review of PES 2013
PROS:
1)The game has been fine tuned to favour tactics and not the "dribble through the team" strategy.
2)Goal Keepers have improved so when you score a goal you feel like you earned it.
3)Team Management (or Game Plan) is easy to navigate and surprisingly deep. The ability to reposition players, change position and tactics is something FIFA should have be "inspired by" and adopted
4)Reworked skill move system is good but not over powered like Fifa's.
5)Team-mate AI has been vastly improved as players make great runs and dummy runs.
6)Defending has done a great thing. Give players the ability to Pressure & manually tackle if necessary. No choosing between 2 defensive styles, both are available and both can be used if needed.
CONS:
1)PES 13 was released with outdated transfers. The transfer window ended since Aug 31st, how can this not be implemented into the game or given as a Day 1 release? We have to wait till Oct 11th for updated transfers.
2)Renaming all BPL teams (save Man U) is a pain! No German League and a number of International teams have fake players (Holland anyone)
3)Physics need some work. Michael Dawson of Spurs was bodied of the ball by a much smaller Arsenal forward. Speedy players like Robben and Lennon still cannot outrun defenders... they WILL catch you!
4) For some strange reason the AI skies the ball up-field to no one when they have possession and are not under any pressure. THIS is highly annoying.
5) Most if not all AI teams play alike. Would be nice to see individual personalities for each team.
CONCLUSION:
A great game to own and a solid PES entry... but I would have felt much better if it was $40. Solid game of football brought down by lack of licenses for club and country squads.
--UPDATE-----------
I cam across through Google, a guy who has a good option file available for download that fixes all the kits and team names plus logos. Only the Tottenham Hotspur logo looks bad but everything else looks professional. This ads value to the game and gives you a glimpse of how awesome this game would look if it had all licenses. | video-games_xbox |
Mediocreman Returns. Now, historically speaking, Superman games, in every single incarnation, haven't been worth the materials they were made with. From the old 16-bit piece of crap for the Nintendo, to the flop of epic proportions on the N64. This game breaks that trend, but just barely.
The good news first- Superman Returns is a free roamer, much to the effect of GTA or more genre appropriate Ultimate Spider-man. You can go wherever you want to go accross the vast city of Metropolis. And let me tell you, the city was beautifully designed. You can tell great effort was put forth on this engine to make every detail of the cityscape worth exploring. The characters look great, including the main one Superman, whos cape is beatifully rendered, and the detail on his outfit is phenominal. The gameplay is unique in the fact that the developers took into account Superman's invulnerability, and made the city itself with a health bar. This is a unique idea, but this also brings me to the bad news.
The bad new- The city's vulnerability makes some missions in this game down right frustrating. When you have 5 or 6 robots scattering at super speed in all different directions, its more than a chore to have to round them up and take them down without doing damage to the city yourself. This also brings to mind the control problems. While you may act and work in super speed, your camera doesn't, often hindering you, espcially when taking on threats in flight. You spend much of your time with the camera trying to locate the threat, only to be outrun because your camera doesn't respond very quickly. And when you finally do get to lay the smack down, the combos have awful responses, especially the bigger ones, which often leaves you using the same attacks over and over just to beat the threat. The story, while loosely based on the movie, is very 1 dimensional, and you find the FMV sequences to be more of an annoyance than helpful and fun. Also, you'll find that it takes you about as much time to complete the game as it does to actually watch the movie.
The game is definately one you want to rent before you decide to buy. While its a definate treat for the die hard Superman fans (such as myself) the quality of game is sorely lacking, though not to the extent of previous incarnations. It's a game thats fun to go back to every once in a while to soar the skies of Metropolis and wail on some baddies, but its not the gaming experience I'm sure the die hard fans were hoping for. | video-games_xbox |
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within (PoP4, not PoP2. Tomb Raiders followed by the Soul Reavers and now its the era of Prince of Persia. I haven't played Sands of Time merely because I never went out to buy it. I started with Warrior Within and me being a fan of the Legacy of Kain series, I was thinking the game would be similar to that. I was wrong! This game surpasses all that I was expecting.
Combat was very nice and varied. I enjoyed having control over how I killed my enemies. Also the dual weapon system is nice once you get used to it. Took me a while to figure out that you get higher combos with two weapons and with the single weapon you are best to use acrobatics and throwing moves. My favorite thing to do is to throw a weapon at a weak enemy to take them out. Sometimes the camera even follows the thrown weapon as it hits its target. Excellent! The bosses in the game are all unique in how you fight them as well as looks. Nothing like fighting someone hand-to-hand in a fight of swords or something more tactical like how to beat a golem that towers high above you.
Another aspect of the game is the storyline. This game's storyline has what I like most in movies... twists. Like with movies I will not tell more as that spoils the fun. The full motion videos in this game are excellent and just the first 5mins of the game plays like you are watching and adventure movie on television. I will say that the plot of the game does make for an introduction of a new type of beast that is nearly indestructible.... the Dahaka!
This guy will either be your best friend or worst enemy depending on how you form your opinions. I for one think the Dahaka adds a lot more entertainment. He chases you and you have to use your speed and agility to keep him from catching you and at some times it may take many tries to figure out how the terrain around you can help you.
As with the very first Prince of Persia (yes this game is actually Prince of Persia number 4), the acrobatics and the running around and getting from point A to point B is the majority of what the game is about. Swing on poles, balance on beams, slide down curtains, dodge traps, do whatever you can but do not die in the process. This is one of the common themes of all 4 Prince of Persia games. (The original was a 2-D game that featured very smooth character animations.)
Ok, so what else is there in this game? Oh yeah, how can I forget.. Just like in Sands of Time, you have time controlling abilities that make your quest easier. Nothing like being able to kill yourself, back up time, and do it different to have success. Not only that but you can slow down time and make it into closing doors and even slow down time to kill off enemies behind you. Lots of fun to do adds more to the game.
So, whether you like the battle system, the storyline, the enemies, the acrobatics, or the abilities you gain, this game is definitely one to play. If you loved the Soul Reaver games and Tomb Raider games, this one will have you saying, "Soul What? Tomb who?" Well the Prince will never replace Laura, so maybe not, but it definitely will impress you more than these other games. | video-games_xbox |
Just Alright. So I've been out of the loop of Madden for a few years now, mainly because the games got boring. I moved on to NCAA and fell in love with it and flat out stopped buying Madden, until this year. I was really disappointed in EA's NCAA Football game this year and refused to buy it out of spite. After watching some gameplay videos online and seeing that IGN gave Madden 13 a 9/10 I decided to pull the trigger. What IGN was smoking, I'm not sure. I'm guessing EA bought them off because this game really doesn't deserve higher then a 6.5! The new physics behind every hit gets really old really fast! It doesn't feel like a real hit like they said it would. Limbs go flying everywhere! Try running it up the middle and run into your linemen and your running back practically falls down. I don't know how many times I've run the ball with Steven Jackson of the Rams, only to have him slightly bumped and brought down... Hasn't EA seen Jackson play? It takes 2-3 guys to bring him down, the guy is a beast! When was the last time someone brought him down by grazing him? NEVER! The worst part is when a play ends and all the players are walking back to the huddle, they trip over each other and stumble all of the place! The physics hits are a good idea, but they need to be really fine tuned! It took me forever to find a franchise mode, but its there. Its no longer called franchise mode, its under the career coach mode. I haven't played around with it to much, spent more time trying to find the dang thing, but it seems really watered down. No more control of your front office, ticket prices, etc... Your new main goal in franchise mode is to keep your job!
All in all, I'm disappointed with EA's line of football games this year! Thats what happens when you have an exclusive deal over a sport, theres no need to put out a good game because you are guaranteed to sell millions of copies! I don't think I'll be investing in another Madden game for awhile. I just hope the NCAA series gets back on top of things. Oh and another negative I forgot to mention, no importing draft class, again? Really? Glad I didn't get both games this year!
On a side not tho, the graphics for the Xbox are pretty amazing. It does look and feel like you are watching the game live. But then the game play starts and it starts to fall apart. | video-games_xbox |
Overall, a good game. I think if Square called this game anything other than Final Fantasy, it would have been much better received. Not saying that I think they should have done that, but it just seems that much of the problem many people have with this game is that it is a MAIN FF game.
So far, I've played 5 FF games (1 4 6 12 13). And I think all of them are good games. So Square tried something different this time. Honestly, I liked most of the changes they made.
-Everyone talks about the linearity. I liked it. I hate running around like a fool not knowing where to go next. Not a problem in this game!
-Loved the fact that your health is automatically replenished after every battle. What's more, all negative status effects are removed once the battle is done. And on top of that, you can use regular magic to your hearts content. There is no MP meter. Only special techniques have a limit.
-You only have to worry about equipping weapons and accessories. No shields or armor.
-Liked that you only have to control 1 character. The battles are too crazy. If I had to control all my characters, the battles would have to go a lot slower in order to compensate.
-People say there are no towns. But there are! They are just presented in a nontraditional way.
-Of course the graphics are wonderful. Can't complain there.
-Didn't like the most of the music. It's way too light and "airy" for me. Would have liked something with more "weight".
-Wasn't crazy about the story, but it's the rare video game story that I like, so I won't hold that against it. But it's typical JRPG melodrama.
-For FF15 I really hope they do not try to make the gameplay even more complex. Yes, they have made things simpler in a number of ways, but, to me, that was almost necessary, because they made things so complicated in other ways. The sheer amount of tutorials you need to be put through just to understand how the game works is just ridiculous. IMO, no game should require that many tutorials. Anyway, after awhile, you get into the swing of things, but there needs to be a way to make things a bit more intuitive for future installments.
I appreciate Square for trying something different. Don't like the idea of holding on to tradition just for traditions sake.
Overall, a good game. | video-games_xbox |
halo is turtle poo. i am dissapointed with the lack of serious gripes that the halo-haters, mostly pc fpsers, are able to post on this site. it is true that halo is turtle-poo, the worst first person shooter since the original doom, but it needs more than just one sentence to sum up exactly how god awful it is. first off the graphics. pc gamers have long been aware of the superior resolution available on computer monitors. those 14 and 15 inch screens display graphics with unbelievable clarity. there's no need to purchase a large screen (say 60" plasma) to play half life when you could instead sit 2 ft away from the monitor perched on your desk. the overwhelming feeling that you get from watching halo dominating your room on a big screen is just intimidating. no pc gamer likes to be intimidated. and the clarity of the graphics themselves can create a "false sense of reality". this has been known to cause nausea in susceptible players. not something to be desired, i'm certain. and the sound. downright terrible. played through 100 watts per channel dolby 5.1 surround (with a sunfire subwoofer) halo can actually shake a room and fool the law enforcement agencies into thinking that a localized war has broken out in your living room. when taking the threat of the swat team breaking down your door into consideration, playing a video game on a pc, with those dainty pc speakers and $50 subwoofer is surely a safer bet. oh, and control. die hard gamers assume a certain amount of risk in the pursuit of their passions. what could be scarier than the possibilty of developing carpal tunnel syndrome from all those hours leaning over a keyboard and mouse keyboard. it's almost cheating to play a game with an ergonimically designed and instinctive controller relaxing on a couch or lounge chair. i could go on. the difficult ai. the childish, almost refreshing, humor of the allied marines and covenant grunts. the intricate and novel plot. it's clear why many people can't stand this abomination of a game. pc's are the domain of the fps. if you can't afford a pc, or if it's not your thing, then a ps2's tried and trusted last generation technology is the next best thing. red faction is worth purchasing for it's graphically destructible environments alone. easily worth any of the innovations in bungies tired halo. halo is doggy doo doo. don't buy it. and definitely don't buy the sequel. i don't want to have to wait behind you on line. | video-games_xbox |
BUY THIS GAME! Madden does NOT compare. First of all, to explain my title, I admit that I am, primarily a Hockey fan. I love Football as well, but Hockey is my #1 sport.
Ok, that being said, I didn't write the title because I prefer Hockey over Football...I wrote it because EA Canada has truly added a boat-load of features and innovations to this game, rather than take the route that EA Tiburon has taken year in and year out, and recycle last year's game.
I have been playing NHL games since the dawn of time...or at least since the first NHL game was released way back in the day.
Yes, of course I LOVED NHL '94. I loved it so much, I still wish I could play it...I've been hoping EA would make it an unlockable game in this year's version...but no such luck.
Anyway, by the time NHL '07 came out, I was starting to get frustrated by the NHL games. The controls were getting more complicated, the games were becoming less arcadey, and slower, and I just found myself losing interest and hope that the perfect Hockey game would EVER appear.
NHL '08 I know restored most peoples' hope in the series, but I wasn't convinced. I just couldn't get the dual analog stick handling down.
Then...the demo for NHL '09 came out.
I was skeptical at first, but the demo forces you to go through a series of tests of skill with the stick handling before it lets you play a game.
This was BRILLIANT on EA Canada's part.
By the third time through the tutorial, I felt comfortable enough with the controls to try the Be A Pro mode.
I went out and pre-ordered the game the same day.
BE A PRO mode is what I've been waiting all my Hockey-loving life for.
It's Hockey with RPG elements.
You basically create a player with your name, and choose whatever play-style you like (ie, Power Forward, Sniper, Dangler, etc.).
You then start your career as an amateur in the AHL, on your favorite team's actual NHL minor league club, playing on the 3rd line.
I cannot believe EA Canada went out and got EVERY AHL team, and player for this. The AHL could be a game by itself!
After each shift on the ice, your coach evaluates you, and the GM will also let you know if they are impressed enough with your performance to move you up to the 2nd or 1st line, with the ultimate goal of making it to the NHL and becoming a legend.
You can either play this mode ONLY as your player, or if you get bored watching the game while waiting for your next shift, there is a position lock option, so if you're a RW, when your shift is over, you will control EVERY RW on your team.
With every game you play, you will earn experience points, which you can use to "level up" your character...basically to increase different attributes which improves the performance of your player.
I can't tell you how realistic this mode is, and how immersive. I never would have thought it.
When you play as yourself and only your position, it becomes less about accumulating ridiculous stats, and more about being an actual part of a TEAM.
Also, for those people who love online play, this same feature is basically available online in the EASHL (EA Sports Hockey League).
You take your created player, and either create or join a team of 6 (up to 50) and compete online for the EA Cup.
This is really incredible. If you have a team of 30 people, only 6 people can play in a game at a time...there are no line changes online...but it also means, if all 30 people are playing 5 different games, your team will benefit by earning points and rank.
Awesome feature.
If that wasn't enough for you, this game is chock full of modes.
You can simply play a single game, or you can play Dynasty mode, practice drills, and even a shootout mode, that my girlfriend was enjoying playing with me.
You can also play as the goalie in any of the modes, and while that's not my usual choice of position, after trying it out, I was really surprised by how well implemented it is, and how fun.
EA Canada also took the Saved Replays option that Madden annoyingly limited and one-upped it. You can not only upload your replays to EASports.com, but you can edit them, and save them to your hard-drive.
You can also take in-game screenshots of your character and put them on your player's Hockey card.
I could go on and on with this review, but it all boils down to this:
BUY THIS GAME!
Please support games like this, where the developers prove that they care more about their sport, than just cashing in on a new year.
EA Canada has restored my faith in video-game Hockey. They took what worked from last year, and added tons of features, and value to their game.
There is truly something here for everyone, and if you are a Hockey fan, or a sports fan at all, you owe it to yourself to go out and buy this game.
Go Rangers!!!
10/10
**UPDATE 10/19/08**
While I still agree that this is the BEST Hockey game, or sports game for that matter, that I have ever played...I have to warn consumers about a MAJOR issue with the game.
That being, the DISC READ ERROR. At first, my game played beautifully for 3 or so weeks. I never had the problems I read about on message boards.
But now, as of the past 2 1/2 weeks, I have been unable to play more than ONE game. In the Be A Pro mode (the greatest mode ever), when I have to sim days between games, the game will literally lock up, and a message will appear saying the 360 cannot read the disc. I then get booted out to the dashboard, completely unable to PLAY the game.
This is a MAJOR BUG, and one that EA has yet to fix or even address as widespread.
Until EA releases a patch, I have to drop my score down to 3 stars.
Please EA, don't ignore your fans...stop counting the money and release a patch.
Be warned consumers...it is a great GAME...just not a great PRODUCT right now.
**UPDATE 11/02/08**
EA Canada's David Littman has stated on the EA Sports NHL '09 blog that a patch is indeed in the works, which will address the disc-read issue I mentioned, as well as fix a number of other problems some people (not me) have been having, including the "glitch goals", etc.
So, I haven't seen it yet, but now that they are addressing these problems, I would not hesitate to HIGHLY recommend this game if you like Hockey or really, sports at all!
Get it.
[...]
**UPDATE 12/13/08**
Have downloaded the patch since its release, and also installed the game to my Hard-drive after the NXE was live, and I have had ZERO problems with this game!
On EA's message boards, some owners are still complaining about game-freezing (mostly online), and disc-read errors (which I no longer have), so just be aware.
I don't know if these people have downloaded the patch or not, or if they installed the game on their HDD's...but just be aware an issue exists.
I, personally have no problems anymore, and stand by my review as this being the BEST NHL game ever, and in my opinion (only an opinion), the best SPORTS game ever.
Good luck! | video-games_xbox |
Another 360 hit. Soul Calibur 4
Namco-Bandai has impressed me once again, they really raised the bar with the release of the newest installment of the Soul Calibur franchise on the Xbox 360. Soul Calibur 4 delivers beautiful graphics, an epic soundtrack, creative new gameplay, and an incredible cast of characters. With all this and more Soul Calibur 4 is not only the best in the series, but one of the best fighters to hit any console. However, there are a few flaws that keep it from being a perfect 10, and in this review I will shed light on those flaws and point out what makes this game so great.
The first topic I will touch upon are the graphics. Soul Calibur 4 is one of the most impressive games to date for the fighter genre. Whether viewing it in standard definition or high definition, the visuals are simply stunning. The game offers a high amount of detail in all areas of the game from character designs, to the backgrounds. I still notice small details even after weeks of owning and playing it. Even the custom characters look just as impressive as the original cast. Soul Calibur games have always been one of the most graphically stunning games in the fighting game genre, and the fourth installment is no exception. Infact I would go as far to say that it even raised the bar graphically.
The game's soundtrack is awesome. It is has several note worthy tracks. They all fit with the game, but may not be as good when played alone. However, if you truly are a fan of the soundtrack, it is included with the limited edition strategy guide.
Next is game play. The game modes are less enjoyable in Soul Calibur 4 than in Soul Calibur 3. I was disappointed that the Chronicles of the Sword feature from Soul Calibur 3 was replaced with the Tower of Souls. Although it was fun to play, I feel it was a little tacked on. Only the most hardcore players will really get enjoyment from this mode because it only really offers the player a chance to hone their skills and serve as a challenge. While its very challenging, any items it offers for completion of the secret missions can be unlocked just by playing the game. Which in my opinion feels rather pointless if it doesn't offer any real prizes or unlockables only an achievement. However, if achievements are your thing, the only achievement involving this mode is simply beating the higher levels. Story mode is extremely short, but addicting for completion's sake, as each ending for each character is unique and interesting. I found myself enjoying working towards getting every ending. Arcade mode is just what arcade mode is, but it's good for earning those secret characters and money. The training mode offers some cool features like programming the other player's movements. Overall, the game play modes are really well done in this installment.
The game plays' mechanics doesn't seem too different from the past games with the exception of the Critical Finishers. I think they added a cool new element to the game. They are easy to learn, and fun to see. The only real issue some players may have with the newest installment is that the characters returning from the past games have new move lists, so if you are expecting to be familiar with a certain character make sure to be ready start practicing again.
I give Soul Calibur 4 a 9.75 out of 10. I think that any fan of the series or fighting games should add this game to their collection. I look forward to seeing what is in store for the next addition to the series. | video-games_xbox |
There is fun to be had here. Alright I will get all of the negatives out of the way first. #1. NO MULTIPLAYER!!! Why, why? Why would the company do this? It even stated in my OXM magazine a couple of months ago that there would, in fact be online capabilities. This could have been sooooo much fun. I pictured the online mode just like Gears of War 2's, hence the whole game seems like a Gears of War knock off. There could have even been AI bots that you can face off against just in case you didn't feel like playing with real people at the time. What a missed oportunity. I really wanted to be able to choose sides. I WANTED TO PLAY AS THE TERMINATORS as well as the human resistance side. WHY!!!!!
Now, a lot of people are ripping this game to pieces already. Mainly due to the lack of online multiplayer. While I do agree with them on that aspect, the actual single player campaign itself IMOP is very well done. To me, the graffics looked great. I really got a sense of an apocolyptic torn battlefield. You can see the Los Angeles war torn sky line off in the distance. The buildings are all rotting and falling apart. The character models look pretty decent, especially the T-600's. They look freakin' intimidating as all hell. Another problem is the lack of enemies. Not in overall numbers, mind you but that you only end up fighting maybe 4 different types of the enemy. Not enough diversity in that aspect. Another plus in favor of the game is that I did not see or come across any hicups. No frame drops or freezing of any sort. That to me shows that they took a decent amount of time fleshing out the kinks. The game is, however way too short. Why are more and more game developers doing this and charging $60.00 +. We as game consumers are being ripped off and need to stand up and do something about this. You would ask that with all of my gripes against this game " how could you give this 4 stars "? Well, because there is actually a lot of fun to be had here. You really get into some really intense firefights with Skynet. You actually have to outflank you're opponents. Also, its the Terminator and you really feel like you are in this " end of the world " scenario. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that maybe the developers just weren't able to finish the online multiplayer in time and maybe they will release it over XBOX live and the Playstation network soon. One can only hope! | video-games_xbox |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.