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Not a good fit for my use case, but may be for others if you can ignore the biggest con (last one I listed. Pros:
- Two completely separate audio and voice channels. This allows for independent muting and volume controls. A huge plus for gamers.
- Choice of built-in mic or boom mic.
- Decent sound quality.
- Good build quality.
- Robust connectivity options. I particularly like the fact that it has 3.5 mm stereo option. Unfortunately, mic no longer works in this mode as it is not a TRRS connector.
- Customer service seems to be fairly responsive.
Cons:
- Kind of clamps down on my ears even after a couple months of use.
- Poor ventilation. This results in my ears warming up after a couple hours of continuous use. I have to take a break every couple hours, unlike my Sennheiser HD558, which is so comfortable that I've often forgotten I'm wearing it and even fallen asleep with it on.
- Poor drivers design. Audio devices are detected by the OS (Windows 10 & Mac OS X) IF AND ONLY IF there is an active pairing between the transceiver and the headset. This is a HUGE annoyance for casual users and a HUGE deal breaker for gamers. This is because whenever it loses connection (i.e. out of range, RF interference, etc.), your OS would cease detecting the audio devices also. Some applications deal with this gracefully and resume the audio stream when the devices come back online, but that is not always the case. Some applications will stop streaming anymore audio until you restart the app, while others will outright crash (as I've personally experienced). This is simply unacceptable if you are a gamer.
A much better approach would be similar to my Logitech H800. Headset will lose connection and stop playing audio, but your audio device stays detected on your OS. Audio communication will simply resume once the headset and transceiver re-establish connectivity. This ensures that applications will still function normally without any sort of catastrophic failures.
- Volume control can occasionally become non-responsive. When this happens, you must power-cycle the headset and reconnect to the dongle to regain volume control functionality. I haven't yet worked out what triggers this anomaly, but when combined with the shortcoming I mentioned directly above this bullet point, it exacerbates an already hugely annoying problem even more.
Why did I rate only 2 stars despite the pros I listed? Simple, the fact that audio devices are tied to transceiver-headset connectivity (like bluetooth) is a deal breaker for my use case.
It may not be such a big deal for others and they may rate these higher, but for my personal use case, it is simply unusable in this state.
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video-games_xbox
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the assassin unleashed. assassin's creed 2 is the brilliant culmination and synthesis of the current state of the art in videogames. relying on the bink and havok engines, with facial animation by impersonator, it does nothing that can't be done in other games (including assassin's creed 1). the genius and beauty in this game is specifically what it has chosen to adopt from other games, how it has improved on what it borrowed, and how it has woven the pieces together into a "best of class" entertainment.
the marketing hype has it that ubisoft "listened to its users" when writing the second game. that may be true for the marketers, but it's clear that the scriptwriters and engineers played other games, and borrowed from them:
* GRAND THEFT AUTO -- the style of visual narrative, with many cut scenes and the basic premise of the crime and punishment of conspiracy, feels very much like GTA 4. there are many side missions, each involving somewhat different tactical or technical challenges, as in GTA. and the landscape and atmospheric rendering is also very similar, including the full diurnal (day/night) cycle of light and the distinctive, somewhat darkened and overcontrasted color palette of niko's liberty city. even niko's pigeon hunt is here, sardonically replaced by a hunt not for 100 birds, but for 100 bird feathers.
* FABLE 2 -- many details small and large have been adapted from fable 2: in narrative, from the "childhood" origin of the story to the developmental and moral changes across adulthood, including changes in appearance, and the presence of thieves, whores, brigands and pickpockets, who form a dynamic part of the landscape; in the game play, from the "timer" mechanism used to extract wealth from hidden treasure chests and in the mechanism of the assassin's firearm. more, AS2 borrows the conceit of a village that the hero nurtures through property investment, the "rents" the hero receives as a result, the RB selector wheel that the hero uses to choose one or another weapon, the creepy setting of a swampy, half submerged landscape (in AS2, the area outside forl), and dank catacombs that contain game tokens and complex puzzles. omitted (thankfully) are the expressions or japes that the hero must perform in fable 2 in order to win friends and unlock secrets.
* OBLIVION -- finally, AS2 adapts the landscape sandbox from the oblivion games to give the romanga and tuscan cities a rural setting. although there isn't much to do out there but run around on side missions or treasure hunts. but free running over these fields provides a welcome contrast to the cramped environment of the early renaissance city.
the urban settings -- florence, forl, san gimignano, the walled auditore family villa in monteriggioni, and venice -- are beautifully realized, each with a separate palette of stone, light and architectural metaphors. though some landmarks (the piazza di san marco in particular) are delightfully realistic, the city layouts are only metaphors for the actual buildings of the era: the rialto fish market is here, but the gorgeous ca' d'oro just across from it is missing; the towers of san gimignano are not so closely spaced. even as 15th century settings, these cities will seem inaccurate to people who have actually been there. and while the history is highly fabricated and the conspiracy theory elaborately far fetched, it is nevertheless fun to have leonardo and machiavelli as side kicks and to assault the borgia pope. it's no exaggeration of history to say that he deserves it!
aside from all these theatrical improvements over the original AS, a major pleasure in this game is the wider range of physical (climbing and jumping) capabilities at ezio's disposal, and the much more complex combat moves and battle opponents. the fights are also more arduous and realistic (ezio's gnads take a lot of punishment), and the various ways in which enemies can be dispatched are unexpected. my favorite move was the "disarm" maneuver when fighting an enemy with bare hands: it's the most effective way to put down a "brute" or heavily armed solider, though difficult to pull off when other soldiers are also attacking.
puzzles play a large part in the storyline; searching for glyphs and the intellectual or combinatorial puzzles they create are necessary to unlock the video "truth" segments (which end up showing that adam and eve were actually creations of alien beings, with the illusion creating teutonic weapon of AS as the edenic apple); physical climbing and leaping puzzles, some of them under time pressure, are necessary to unlock the armor of altair -- very handy, as it provides full health and never needs repairs. these are not really taxing for an advanced gamer, though they may require several attempts to figure out.
in fact, one of the things that AS2 does right is judge the skill level of an accomplished gamer. there were a few places in GTA4 or in dead space where i bascially gave up on the game for a month because i had reached a task or side mission that i found impossible to complete. this does not happen in AS2. i "died" only about 30 times, which happened primarily from physical falls during climbing puzzles (and the game spawns you immediately in place again). puzzles have numerous saved checkpoints, so you do not (as in GTA4) have to rebuild the task from the beginning. though i was severely tested several times (the last assassin sarcophagus is a difficult physical puzzle), i got through most tasks on the first try, and the most difficult after two dozen or so attempts. the point is that, by carefully adjusting the task difficulty, the game acquires a cinematic flow and narrative power: when ezio dies you are not embroiled in doing an impossible chore, but in living a virtual life. to reinforce this flow the "animus interruptus" is drastically reduced: the abstergo plot is limited to brief opening and closing episodes and to just two interruptions of the fantasy narrative. this flow is perhaps the greatest attraction in the game.
there are many charms and innovations in this game that i haven't mentioned. but i will say that AS2 clearly reveals the biggest flaw in current videogame technology: the impersonator facial simulation. as advanced and impressive as that is as a motion capture and animation technology, there is something hideous and creepy in the glossy, cadaverous hues in which most faces are painted, the weirdly illuminated glints of teeth in the mouth, and the bizarre effect of looking up under a beard that seems to be a curved piece of cardboard. i did miss the honeyed light and floating flecks in the air that made AS an atmospheric experience, but it's the waxy animation of human speech and the plastic rendering of human skin that grates each time, every time, it swims onto the screen.
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video-games_xbox
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A Brave reminder of how games should be made. Yes, this game is amazingly hard. Yes, you have to devote time and certain effort in order to give yourself a reasonable shot at beating the game. But Ninja Gaiden sets the standard (among other games) of how the final product should be. Most games have become so easy that most can be completed within a week and traded at the local Gamestop or EBgames without a second thought. This game does not do that simply by the fact that once you are beaten, you know that you could have done it differently and better. Every enemy has some sort of advantage over you whether it be strength, speed, or sheer number. Yet while that is the case, they all have weaknesses. Figuring out the weaknesses of the enemies and (especially) the bosses makes them go from insanely hard to simple enough to beat. Also the game plays like a fighting game (ie Street Fighter, Dead or Alive) which means blocking, countering, and combos aren't just some feature that the creators added that don't have to be used. Once you can pull off the combos and the counters you find yourself playing the game in a completely different way. Once you look at the game like this, you realize that there are many different ways to get through the game depending on what weapon you like using. The better you get, the more fun this game becomes. Secondly, there is the huge issue with the camera. While it is not perfect there is good logic as to why it is the way it is. The camera trys to stay still as much as possible so as to not throw you off in the heat of fighting someone, only changing if it's absolutely nessesary much like a fighting game. The tradeoff? The camera's focus doesn't like to pan out at all so you won't see the other guys until they run up to you or you change the camera yourself. Very frustrating when they are shooting you. The game's puzzles are easy. Pick this item up after beating up a bunch of enemies and use it over here a couple of minutes later. There is little backtracking and when you do, it might take you a whole 3 minutes at the most.
Visually, you will not find a better game. The frame rate plus the insanely great graphics show off just how much the xbox can do. I have YET to see any slowdown and there is only one giant loading screen in the very beginning which means that once the game starts, you will rarely see a break in the action. And since it's stored on the harddrive you don't have to wait for it every time you start it up.
Overall, this is not for the casual gamer. But if your up for a good challenge and you want something to master, buy Ninja Gaiden.
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video-games_xbox
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6 speed shifting is pretty error prone and it can quickly become out of . It works, but not the way I had hoped. I have the g27 with 6 speed shifter. It basically emulates the Xbox remote by converting the wheel into a regular controller. The game itself thinks your using a hand held controller. This creates some caveats which a native wheel doesn't have. 6 speed shifting is pretty error prone and it can quickly become out of sync when you crash or stop with the grear you want. Eg. 1st becomes Reverse and the only way to clear it is to shift into reverse then back to 1st.
Also, no support for 900 degree rotation and half the force feedback is missing. Object collision and large bumps work. Skidding and gravel vibrations do not. At least not with horizon 2.
Lastly, the way horizon drives with a hand controller is different than with a wheel. On the hand controller if you steer full left to right you have to wait for the virtual wheel to catch up. It's as though the wheel can only be turned so fast. If it were not, going left right back and forth would be impossibly fast steering. So the games have a max wheel turning rate. Since this device emulates a hand controller it is limited to the same turn rate. If you turn the wheel slowly, no problem. If you turn the wheel faster then you have to wait for the virtual wheel to catch up. This gives the impression of controller lag, but really is the game only turning the wheel at a fixed rate. There is no way around this other than to emulate a Xbox steering wheel.
The way this device gets around Microsoft hardware licenses is by making you plug in a official Xbox controller initially. It authenticates a Xbox remote, then you unplug the Xbox remote and connect the wheel.
This is why they can't emulate a native wheel. You would have to already have a wheel for it to piggy back off of.
Having said all that, the device does work. I just would not use the H shifter. Paddle shifters are ok.
Even with the steering lag, it's not too bad. No worse than the hand controller, and you have finer control.
I wish all the force feedback worked though. Feeling the tires slip helps a lot.
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video-games_xbox
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Proud of the commitment from Microsoft. I love it. Its taking its place over my PS4 Pro in the first HDMI slot thats for sure. Im pretty sure you already know what the Xbox One X does otherwise you wouldnt be here. Project Scorpio Edition is that same Xbox One X console just with a pretty coat of paint. It has poka dots on the top and goes to a gray color tone. The X really does look good with the black and hint of green lettering on the front.
This is a dense system very heavy but not difficult to move; You can tell Microsoft put their heart and soul into this product. The system have a lot of power in it and perfect for showcasing your 4K TV. Xbox One X is quick with the UI and it does open apps insanely fast. 4K HDR looks phenomenal Gears 4 and Forza 7 really shine on the system just wish they had more new first party games that took advantage of the system at release. The family loves using it and they loves the 4K Blu-ray built in. In my opinion it really is and remain an all in one box; that was Microsoft vision and I believe they promised on that.
$500 is a steep price to pay at first but I feel like the investment and value is there just not unlocked And the X is surely to come down in price with retailers in the next 6 months. Xbox 360 games look better but don't expect a massive improvement. All in all its the perfect streaming box and the most powerful console in the world right now. Spend the extra cash on the Xbox One X and have it all.
(Note: Get a external hard drive. It is a MUST. No really, AAA games now take up nearly 100GB of space or more. I get it with the massive 4K textures but this takes the cake. I now have 214GB left from the 1 TB and keep in mind that not all of these are UHD games but imagine 1-2 years from now. 1TB is not going to cut it.)
Update 11/23/17: Im already out of hard drive space not even a month away. So yeah I would highly recommend a 2 - 8 TB HDD if you certainly going to download a lot of games. Destiny 2 will get an 4K HDR patch next month. As it stands its 33 GB, the 4K textures on this game is going to be massive Im sure. I notice someone else said you shouldnt be shocked by games eating up space and questions people if they are gamers who are stunned by this. That is besides the point, Im not shocked by the space being so overblown. Im simply pointing out that these companies cant get away with such small storage for much longer going forward and for YOU to get an HDD as soon as possible. They are already working on improvements to how storage is handled. For expample: Devs can cut out things that don't matter to the local country games and giving you the opition deselect language packs. This is what is needed going forward and atlease glad they are going to do something and Im proud of that.
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video-games_xbox
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Infinity Ward Nailed it! Perfect Game. Dear Infinity Ward,
I just wanted to take this time to thank you for making the best Call of Duty Game ever! Your online multiplayer experience is one of the best! I'm really enjoying the wide variety of guns that all look and feel completely different from one another, but all take the same amount of bullets to put someone down. I didn't want there to be too much difference between the weapon damage in this game, so thank you for that.
I also want to thank you for completely redesigning the maps and straying far away from what Black Ops did with their maps. We all loved the maps in Black Ops, so I think its absolutely brilliant that you strayed far from what they did. No more choke points, plenty of objects to hide behind, lots of 2 story buildings, and the spawn flips when my team goes in to spawn trap... Just awesome... Really good stuff! And the fact that you've done everything in your power to make this the best "run and gun" game ever... Just stellar!
Speaking of "run and gun"... I was really starting to grow tired of the whole strategy thing anyway. So, that thing you did with making 700 different ways to get to an objective (demolition and capture the flag), is just freaking awesome. I mean, forget holding down an objective by playing good defense... No, no... I like the fact that a player on the opposing team can easily get to the objective by literally choosing from hundreds of routes.
Also, since the maps are so small, when I make a kill, and my teammates make a kill, you spawn the other team right around the corner from me, all in the same area. So, now I'm forced into a one versus six situation... Thank you for the opportunity to showcase my awesome killing abilities! It's just brilliant!
Oh, and I know I touched on it before, but I really want to give thanks to the game designer who thought it was necessary to add a bunch of miscellaneous debris in the alley's and streets. Giving my opponents plenty of crap to hide behind... That just really makes my day. I find a lot of joy and happiness in having a player from the opposing team shoot me through the window of a burning car. I hate being able to see who's shooting me, so kudos to whoever thought of that!
Sniper rifles with no recoil!!! I love you guys!!!
I almost forgot... I'm very pleased with the fact that you keep limiting us to 1 attachment for our weapons. I know there's the 2 attachment proficiency perk, but I just hate giving up the other AWESOME proficiency perks to get my rapid fire and much needed silencer. I mean battlefield 3 gives us 3 attachments for every gun without ever having to give up anything, but I mean, that's just really stupid.
I will say though... There are a couple of flaws with this game. As much as it pains me to say it, the whole killstreak rewards system is way wacked. Oh, and the killstreak rewards system... Just terrible.
Other than that, this game is perfect! Nicely Done!
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video-games_xbox
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Fun.....Very Fun. I'm writing this as your average female video game player, that is to say not much of one. I have a Nintendo DS that I love, and like to play Guitar Hero with my boyfriend (who is a musician, guitar, bass and drums) but suffice it to say I don't have mad skillz or anything even remotely resembling musical talent. With this, it doesn't matter. You'll find yourself drawn to it the first time you hear the strains of "Mississippi Queen" by Mountain or "Maps" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. My boyfriend loves it, and as a musician I expected him to be much more critical than he was.
The guitar is played like GH's, other than a few minor changes in the fret buttons and the addition of some sound effect slide buttons is basically the same. However, RB's has a much better look and "feel". (You will need an extra guitar to have a 4-piece band, so if you don't already have one from GH it's a good idea to pick one up.) So far (knock on wood) we haven't had any problems with ours in the way of breakage. Hopefully we won't.
The mic is a basic mic. While shy at first (myself included!), more than a few people will find themselves getting into it after one try, especially if you've got a few friends rocking out with you. (I knew I hadn't truly lived until I saw my boyfriend wailing away to Creep and another friend getting down to Mississippi Queen). It's not really that hard- especially if you've ever done, or even seen, karaoke. Of course, it helps to be able to somewhat carry a tune, but the trick to staying in key is either go higher or lower in your own range and you can pretty much stay in the game. Even if you don't, your band buds can go into overdrive to "save" you. I thought it would be the least interesting piece of the game but once I tried it, i's a lot more fun than I expected it to be. And I'm no singer, in the shower and car notwithstanding.
The drums is where it's at though folks. Yep, they rock. At first I thought I'd feel silly but once you start, just like with the guitar, you're hooked. They're very similiar to electronic kits in size and structure, except the pads are a bit "stiff" and if you're a heavy hitter, the whole set will move backwards as you play. It IS a game though, so it's a small price to pay. (My boyfriend just sets our ottoman in back of it to stop this progression.) The pads do seem to be more responsive if you hit dead center or thereabouts, rather than around the edges. However, once you get it down you'll be playing with wild abandon and enjoying every minute of it. I know I do (and I've got a blister to prove it, LOL). Timing is key, especially with the snare and kick pedal. If you get nothing else down, master these- they can get you through pretty much any song and you'll be seeing those colored buttons in your sleep before you know it :)
As mentioned in other reviews, all players (when playing in band mode) need to be playing at the same level in order to progress, get more fans, more money, etc., so you'll inevitably end up with those "hey, you're holding us back!" discussions. It's hilarious because it's all in good fun but still challenging enough to keep you interested and motivated. This is where you start to feel those "real" rock band moments. And therin my friends, is the point. Bringing the rock band life to the masses. So to speak, anyway.
Overall, it's a fantastic party game for all age levels- even more so on a big-screen HDTV. (I can't even recommend it on anything else, you simply wouldn't have the visual room.) Graphics and all the add-ons and options are great and extremely well thought out. You can customize and download to your heart's content. This game is so much fun (and strangely addictive) that friends of ours now want an XBox360 just for this after playing our set. (And they thougth we were crazy for getting it the day it came out. heh! Now we almost can't keep them away on weekends because everybody wants to come over and play Rock Band. Which is fine, it's no fun to solo - the Band is where it's at.)
Rock on!
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video-games_xbox
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Great game! I've been playing it every day since it was released. I decided to buy the digital version from the Microsoft store (I didn't feel like switching disc all the time). There were quite a few bugs on day one - I had to delete the game and spend another 4 hours downloading it. These issues, however, were resolved after the reinstallation.
This is NOT a single player game. It has been advertised as a multiplayer game everywhere. Why did I buy it? Because I only play multiplayer games. I bought Call of Duty: Ghost and played the single player mode for 20 minutes while spending over 50 hours on the multiplayer.
On that note, it is not Call of Duty with bots/robots/mechs/etc. There is a slight stealth feel in CoD because you get killed within a few shots. You have to be slow and careful in CoD. Titanfall has more of a Halo feel. I'm constantly jumping of roofs, running on walls, or rodeoing titans. It's very fast pace game; the pilot is agile and there is a lot of running and jumping. Actually, the running and jumping is really fun. Running on walls make your character move faster and it looks and feels really cool.
The bots add a nice feel to the game, much like Starwars: Battlefronts. They make the maps more active and you do not have to search the map for things to shoot. They are good for newer player who do not yet have the skills to match veteran players, but they are especially good for hiding within the ranks (and prevents annoying snipers from just shooting anything that moves).
The game is very balanced. Titans are very powerful and fun to drive around, but you can take them down pretty easily if you know what you're doing. Fortunately, killing grunts, titans, and other pilots decrease the respawn time of your own titan. This provides a play still for all kinds of players. I prefer to bounce around with the pilot and only use my titan as a walking suicide bomb (Nuclear ejection ftw =D), but I've seen other players value their titan much more than I do.
So apparently there are only 15-ish (?) maps. Campaign only last for about 2 hours and has only nine maps. It may feel a little bare bone for people who enjoys single player campaigns, but for multiplayer people, like myself, nine is plenty. Why? Because multiplayer games usually have about 10 maps they always cycle through. It's difficult to learn the nuances of each map if there are too many. The two hour campaign is actually really nice for me. Sometimes it's difficult to know when to stop playing and proceed with the rest of my busy life. The 9 map campaign makes sure there is an end point. Yes, I know it's easy to just say I'm going to play for an hour and then get some work done. Yes, I know that makes me sound a little undisciplined but for anybody who has played multiplayer games, there's always that feeling of "just one more game" that last for the entire night.
I do have a few criticisms though. Player customization is limited, both for the pilot and titan. There is only 3 special abilities, about 3 weapon modifications per weapon, and 6 "perks" in each of the two tiers (you may only have 1 perk per tier). Also, there are only 3 titans and can each one can be customized as much as your pilot (which isn't very much). It works, but it isn't as extensive as CoD. I have very mixed feelings about burn cards. One one hand they add a lot of diversity to your load out, and other the other, they are very inconsistent and it feels exhausting to keep using them to make sure you have room in your deck. EA technical support was really bad; they just passed me to Microsoft technical support.
All and all, I enjoyed the game. I did my research and I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. If you enjoy pure multiplayer modes in Call of Duty, Halo, or Battlefield, this is definitely the game to pick up right now. If you enjoy single player storylines and campaigns, you should stick with the Xbox 360 or PS3, because let's be honest - there aren't any good single player games for the new generation yet.
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video-games_xbox
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Meh. I obviously liked this game enough to beat it (twice), so I can't bash it that much.
What it does good:
Customization: Your character can have lots of different armor pieces and weapons that you can recolor, you get to name your character...
Graphics: Even for an old xbox 360 game, the graphics are very pleasing and appropriately sc-fi. Watching your character kill enemies and dash around the screen is fun and adrenalin-rushing
Gameplay: that's where the real fun is. To kill enemies you get to use your joystick to target them, and then you also use the joystick to fight and kill them. You can get combos too. As well you can toss enemies into the air with you gun and shoot at them there.
What it does bad:
The-Super-Long-Death-Sequence: An angel from vahalla descends and takes your character up into the sky, which is beautiful, but it's overly long at around 15 seconds. As you usually die a lot in this game, it gets really annoying.
Story: I never really understood the story, and if you don't have a good grasp on Norse mythology, this game will probably go right over your head.
Too many enemies: Once you get into a battle sequence, the enemies keep coming, and coming... and coming. There's always more and eventually your thumb will want to tear itself from your hand. Due to the fact that you often have to get in close to kill something, you'll die (A LOT) from all of them just storming you.
Length: maybe I'm just to used to RPGs being around 50 hours, but this game was really short (around 10/15 hours, depending on whether you explore)
Camera: just plain annoying, smh.
Death: You die a lot. At least 100 times throughout the game. I died 212 times on my first play through. When you get killed, you armor takes damage and will have to eventually be replaced or fixed, which takes away money.
-Overall
Could've been a great game if you people that made it put a little more effort in (they certainly didn't suffer for time). Still fun to play nonetheless.
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video-games_xbox
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Not as bad as I initially thought. I was reluctant to buy this game in base to the reviews I have seen in general. But since I enjoy sniping in different games (CoD MW2 by instance), I decided to give it a shoot :).
My first impression was the details of the graphics, comparing with CoD MW2 this game is not as realistic but in my opinion it has a decent high definition graphics engine that permits the immersion of the gamer, so not a big deal for me. During one of the first campaign Acts within an Oil Rig I used an M4A1, even it has the quick aim feature encountered in CoD MW2 is not as precise (more recoil, as seen in CoD Black Ops released videos), so I experienced a sense of scattered shooting, probably more realistic (never used one in real life), just different not bad at all.
I enjoy the sniping scenarios, and what it requires: stealth, compensation, wind velocity, sneaking, etc. This game has it all, during campaign, in the rifle's reticle appears the distance and a tiny red dot for compensation effects when aiming at a target, at first I had a basic clue how to compensate but the more I played the easiest became for me understand the ballistic principles (similar to the ones encountered in the sniping mission with the Cap Mc Millan of CoD MW when with a Barret .50 one has to shoot Zakharev in Chernobyl). This important BEFORE going to Multiplayer as the red tiny dot is not present there, you have to compensate by yourself. Believe me, is really difficult spot decent snipers during Multiplayer, and there is no kill-cam, which, in my opinion adds reality to the game experience and I love it.
Of course sniping is all about stealth techniques so the Multiplayer is a HUNTING in that sense the amount of kills are much less than the ones obtained in CoD MW2, in that sense I believe this is more a simulator than a game, cool for me. In general I like this game, since I have not experienced any flaw with it in my Xbox 360 console I recommend it for MATURE audiences.
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video-games_xbox
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Do NOT buy this console. I bought this console 7 months ago and it has had mild to moderate use. It probably gets played or used three to four times a week including gaming and DVD use.
As a whole my impressions were that it was somewhat mediocre. I had heard about how loud a console it was and all of the issues with overheating and would say both are true.
Gameplay is pretty good but in my opinion the number of games which sport both excellent gameplay and excellent graphics are fairly anemic. Instead I've seen too many games that look great but just don't live up to expected standards of gameplay, frame rate, realism, etc. However with Rainbow Six and the Call of Duty series providing some fun I rated the console a two in this area.
Now for my real issues with the console. After 7 months a red light began blinking on the console and an error message reporting the console required service appeared on my television. Called customer service and was told to unplug it, this despite telling the "technician" what the message said and the corresponding instructions in the manual. Nonetheless I tried it and as expected the problem continued. Good news though, its under warranty. I only have to wait a week for them to send me an empty box to pack it in and an authorization number. Then I get to wait an additional 4-6 business days for them to repair it, then an additional week for them to return it. Yes essentially a refurbished machine that was flawed to begin with so it can fail again in 6 months - after the warranty has expired.
The bottom line: Microsoft is clueless and a bunch of crooks. They released a product that they knew had problems. They've been in the software industry since the 80's and therefore should understand product development and therefore had to have been aware that the size of the processor was not adequately cooled by the machine. Yet they did nothing and continue to do nothing to rectify the problem.
Furthermore, Microsoft has been promoting this product as a "media center" for your home. So I'm supposed to be without my "media center" for three weeks because they build inferior products. In addition, this media center has been touted as being superior to the playstation3 and so much less expensive. Well here's the next suprise. If you purchase it it will support high-def gaming, but this fabulous "media center" doesn't support high-def DVD. You have to spend an additional $199 to get that feature making the total system cost $598. Playstation 3 comes with blu-ray (high-def) capabilities built in at $599. Furthermore it would appear that the HD DVD format is not going to survive and that Blu-ray is likely to become the medium of choice. So while Microsoft has been berating the price of the competitor's system and promoting their own as this great media or home entertainment center they've been peddling an inferior product.
In general I'm greatly disappointed. I purchased an extended warranty for the product when I purchased it and have been given the option of getting a new system or store credit. I'm undecided whether to get another one or take the credit because I've invested in several games at quite an expense and after only seven months I was hoping that the software makers would continue to improve their products. However for someone contemplating a purchase I would recommend waiting a year or so until all flaws are worked out and it becomes clear whether playstation will establish themselves as the leading system and then purchase a plystation 3.
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video-games_xbox
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The fun was cut short. I'm not a terribly avid gamer, but I'm also pretty picky about what I play.
I'm a huge fan of games like Devil May Cry, God of War, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, etc; so when I saw this I was pretty psyched. I'm also a pretty big fan of the Divine Comedy, so I figured best of both worlds, right?
It was a very enjoyable, albeit liberal, adaptation of the story. A lot of the folks I remembered from the books brought to life as graphic as possible. Moms and Dads, not for YOUNG kids. This is fine once they've had Sex Ed.
Hell was designed in they way I would have pictured it. Pretty disturbing images, especially as you climb down walls with people behind them struggling. Yeah, pretty effed up imagery, but I loved it. Overall Visually appealing, but I wouldn't say stunning.
Soundtrack was AWESOME, though I can tell if the massive distortion I was getting was from the game, or my sub-par all in one Home Theater (thanks samsung... sadface). Though, again, the music was AWESOME and the voice acting wasn't bad at all!
The gameplay was virtually God of War, except replace Blades of Chaos with Death's Scythe. I did like the idea of Forgiving and Punishing enemies. I feel like the punishments could have been a little more brutal, but hey I'm not a game designer. The controls felt sluggish at times, but not so much that it detracted from the overall experience.
My biggest complaint about the whole game, was play time. I beat the game in about 7 hours. Yes, I realize they are planning on doing at least 2 of the stories, but Hell could have really been drawn out more. They condense several of the circles into one rapid level, which was kind of disappointing. Fraud was a rapid succession of platform based mini-games, which... hooray. But I feel like they could have done SO MUCH more with Hell.
Who knows, maybe they just didn't have the budget. I look forward to the next game, and this is my first game from Visceral so I will try so more of their stuff out. But I hope the next one is a little more.... well, Epic.
Minus one star for length, but definitely recommended!
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video-games_xbox
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If you cant play ball, just buy NBA2k14. NBA2k14 is the best sports game thats out there in the world! The graphics are awesome; it looks like its a real life game thats live on TV. But, the only way to get these high quality graphics is you have to have a High Definition TV. Another cool part of the game is that there is a game mode called, My Career, and this game mode allows you to make your own player and play with your player in real NBA games and situations. This game mode also has a social media that tweets and critiques on how well you played in your NBA games. Also after the games you play interviewers will interview you on your performance of the game. What makes this game mode seem like real life is the endorsements they give you. When you start to play great in your My Career, they start putting you on front of a magazine, or on billboards, or choose to be with Nike brand or Jordan brand. Being on endorsements also makes you gets fans and be popular, just like in the real world. That is what makes the game mode really good. Then also if you don't want to make your own player, there is a game mode where you can just use a regular team, and its called, Association. This game mode allows you to play with a team and just play the games that are scheduled for that team. People usually just play this so that they don't just use one player like in the My Career game mode. But I recommend playing My Career because it is more fun and you get to be your own person you want to be.
What also makes this game special is having Xbox Live. When you have Xbox Live, you get the real stats for each player, teams, and records for the team. It tells you who is playing right now and updates the scores for each game that is being played in real life. Also, you could play someone else online anywhere in the world that has the game and just talk trash to them. Trash talking on the game is so funny because if your winning and your talking trash, the opponent will just quit because they are mad. Its pretty funny. In NBA2k13 they never had the professional International teams, but now in NBA2k14 they have the professional International teams! This is pretty cool because you can check out those teams and use them in game play when you want to play two players. So if you live like in France, they have your team in NBA2k14. Its pretty awesome how the makers of the game put the International teams because America is not the only ones that have professional basketball, it is Nation wide. In this game people like listening to music, so Jay-Z is the one that produced the music for this game and all the songs on the game are updated. They are the current music you listen to on the radio or ipod.
I encourage you gamers and athletes to go and buy this game now! I give this game five stars because it is worth buying! I am currently playing this game right now in the My Career mode and just won Most Valuable Player award, Rookie of the Year award, and Defensive Player of the Year. This game is really addicting and I play at least two-three games a day. I mean I can also play basketball but I cant dunk, so I don't ferocious dunks on NBA2k14! So all you gamers and athletes who do not have this game yet or is thinking about buying this game, just go and buy it because it is the best sports game in stores!
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video-games_xbox
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A small and soulless step forward. Don't believe the hype: "Titanfall" is not a transcendent classic in gaming. Indeed it adds a variety of slight innovations to the traditional FPS format, but none are so groundbreaking and revelatory as this "Xbox One exclusive" would like you to imagine. Perhaps it is one half of a great game, but there are numerous shortcomings which make one believe this was rushed to launch instead of being properly developed into a full experience.
"Players can scramble anywhere with crazy parkour!" - See "Brink" or "Mirror's Edge"
"Giant mechs are awesome!" - From "Lost Planet" to "Star Wars Battlefield," plenty of others have done it before and with far more personality in the bots.
What's most telling about the weaknesses of this game is how little attention is paid to the superfluous parts of the game beyond the online multiplayer. The campaign is minimal, there's no originality in design, and the "story" is completely forgettable. Future, space, aliens, whatever - "Titanfall" just wants you to plug in and shoot each other into oblivion in their generic and soulless sci-fi world.
There is much praise for the "speed" of the game, but really that just amounts to madcap scrambling and respawning, with hardly any unified strategy or teamwork. The touch and mechanics are identical to "Call of Duty" as well, for better or worse.
I would watch even the most experienced killers try and fail to execute various wall climbing/running maneuvers, making for a frustrating experience when you cannot get the character to do what you want it to.
Why no split-screen either? We have 2 systems even, but 4 players, so only half could play at a time. From other deficient features like the paucity of execution animations, the choppiness of the melee attack, to the dearth of weaponry, there is no doubt room to grow, but this version is half-baked at best.
It doesn't even look that great - The hud is both bland and muddled, while the environments feature little destruction of elemental flair.
This one is only for the most hardcore of FPS junkies. Its online base will predictably vanish soon once the mainstream gamer population realizes they've been duped. When our friends brought over the new "Metal Gear" and "Dark Souls" games, our group was all too eager to abandon this redundant shooter, since 10 minutes of play is the same as 100.
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video-games_xbox
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Is it good? Depends on what you're looking for. I've been a long time fan of the Resident Evil series, and I didn't balk at the changes that RE 4 & 5 brought along. I actually thought that moving from fixed camera angles to over the shoulder action was okay. However, this game is a mixed bag.
Resident Evil 6 is split up into four different campaigns, this isn't really spoiling anything, because the latest Xbox update unlocks everything from the get go. Anyway, all four of the campaigns are very different, and chances are, you'll like one more than the others, and hate one more than the others. A quick summary:
Leon's campaign: As close as it gets to traditional survival horror. More puzzles and more zombie like elements, but closer to Left 4 Dead than classic Resident Evil. I enjoyed this one the most for both gameplay and story.
Chris's: More action based and focused on bigger, badder monsters. Plenty of ammo to be found. This one was hit or miss for me, some parts I loved, some parts I did not, the story I didn't like at all.
Jake's: This campaign is combat focused, and it's okay. It has the most vehicle sequences, and one of the most annoying levels, a snow area that makes it hard to see. Gameplay wise, I liked it the least, but I thought the story was surprisingly good.
Ada's: I hated this one beginning to end. This is really a mixed bag, but mainly, this game is designed for two players and I did her campaign by myself. You can do co-op for this one though. Ada's story ties up some loose ends from the others.
Overall, I have no idea where Capcom wants to take this series, and I got this game as a special from Amazon for $8. If it hadn't been that cheap, I wouldn't have bought it, and having played it, my mind hasn't changed. I'm not saying it's an awful game, just know beforehand what you are getting yourself into. More than likely, you'll love one style and wish there was more, and hate another and beg for it to end.
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video-games_xbox
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Played Neverwinter for over 100 hours, 50+ level character, and dropped coinage to play this. I'm not disappointed. I grabbed this as a download from Xbox on their black Friday deals and I have to say, so far, I'm not disappointed in my purchase. I've played all the other ES games and this one is living up to be just as much fun as the others. I'm currently almost level 9 Sorcerer and wandered around trying to figure out how to get a staff...well, I had gotten out of the "flow" of quests and after much running around, finally accomplished a quest that gave me my first destruction staff.
I haven't had any server issues (North America) in the weeks that I've been playing. Whether it be in the wee morning hours, or weekend, or Friday evening, I log in and play without problem.
I'm currently playing the D&D Neverwinter on Xbox One which I feel is as close to ESO as you'll get. The major difference is price. Neverwinter is Free...as long you don't buy upgrades etc through micro transactions. I've taken a character to level 50+ rather easily in that game. My stats on that game show 107 hours put in, 24 achievements unlocked for 340 GP. I like this game too, but I think it is easier and more hack and slash than ESO. But for free, you can't go wrong.
ESO is a game that will require patience and time to get the full experience out of it...which I'm not sure anybody can actually do. For $35 bucks, this is an absolute no brainer for entertainment value...about the same as a night out with a friend to the movies and some food...done in 4 hours. ESO will go far beyond 4 hours of entertainment.
My only complain so far is the amount of quests you can actually have going at one time. If you start talking to people outside of the main story, watch out, your quests will pile up. And your 8th level character may walk right into a 13th level quest that will be more than challenging to complete (personal experience speaking there). So I would recommend a more methodical approach to the game rather than happenstance.
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video-games_xbox
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How many Skylander's do you need exactly?? . First of all, let me state that I, as a parent, hate any toy that takes the "gotta collect em all" approach. Not entirely sure how many times I can re-buy the same or slightly modified Skylander or any action figure just to line the pockets of XYZ company. That being said, my son's first introduction to Skylanders was with Giants, last year. We bought the portal, game, figure set and maybe a dozen other individual figures for him to tool around on.
Before going any further, from my research and what most parents I have run into in the store want to know is, do you NEED the new portal to make the swap figures work. The short answer is YES. This has been on and off sale at Amazon around the Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals and seems to be a decent value at the roughly $50 price point, especially if you already own one or both of the previous games.
As this is a Christmas gift for my son, we haven't opened it just yet, but from what I have gathered in my searching, the portal is slightly revised making it much easier to get multiple characters on the portal at any given time. This is great news because the Giants version of the portal posed some problems due to its raised edges (depending on which characters you were trying to play). Adding the ability to swap tops and bottoms of the new characters does increase the variety for sure, my only concern is the increased chance of parts getting lost or separated. Our 2 year old loves to grab her brother's existing Skylander figures and take off with them. This isn't much of a concern when the pieces are one piece, as the Swap Force characters are just held together via magnets... that's easy enough to pull apart.
This ranked pretty high on the boy's Christmas list, hopefully the new figures and new content will extend the life of the figures we already have purchased as well.
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video-games_xbox
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good game, good price. I've owned this game for a couple of months now, and I enjoy it very much. Tutorials are great, there are tons of games in the library, you can participate in rated games and tournaments and you have a wide selection of 3D and 2D boards. Handicap games are easy to create by simply entering the setup mode, you can even play masters such as Capablanca, Fischer and Judith Polgar with whatever odds you desire. But I think I should say the only downfalls about this game, which may be piffling to some. For all those complaining about having to pass the controller back and forth for a multiplayer game with a friend, wow, why not just announce your move to whoever has the controller? Doesn't take a genuis to figure that out. Some of the other things: the fact that some of the weaker opponents are not exactly what they claim to be ranked. For example, if you were to play someone rated about 1000, put him or her in a position where they would have a forced mate in 6 or 7, they would find it. Even the supposed beginners in this game are masters at finding any and all mating attacks, and that includes preventing any in which you may throw at them. When I first started playing the 800's, I was dumbfounded at how they were able to see some of the mate in 5 or 6 attacks which I had planned. Currently, I am rated about 1500 on the program and all of the opponents around my level are not what you would expect them to be. Many of the games which I will play will be easily won by me because out of nowhere they will hang a piece or lose an exchange (Bishop for a pawn). This is usually enough for me to win the game. It doesn't feel the same as if you were to play someone else at the same level; blunders by your opponent do not come so easy. But, the opponents do become exceptional at the 1700's, and regardless of what others think, playing computers will give you a big advantage when you play with humans. Other than that, this is a great and very instructional game for players of all levels, another friend of mine has this and he has risen from a strong beginner to the master levels. Anyone who enjoys the game will surely want to have this in their collection.
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video-games_xbox
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Good Value For Rechargeable Xbox One Controller Batteries. <div id="video-block-R1B4EYLLAXENH2" class="a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block"></div><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/C1cb03RUMlS.mp4" class="video-url"><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91IYpgmcCGS.png" class="video-slate-img-url"> We're reviewing the Ortz Xbox One Controller Charger. The Ortz charger saves you the inconvenience of using double A batteries, but is it worth buying over the official play and charge kit? Let's take a look at this charger.
The Ortz charger comes with two batteries for two controllers, the stand, a micro usb cable and ac adapter. Ortz includes two batteries that can be used to replace the AA batteries in two of your Xbox One controllers. The battery has an external micro usb for regular charging which is great because the official Xbox One play and charge kit doesn't even have this. The stand itself connects via micro usb and has an AC adapter for dedicated power. You just simply insert your controller into the stand top first and it will charge passively. The chargers gets the job done just fine, after all it's just a charger.
However, there are a few negatives with the overall package. The included micro usb cable is way too short. There's no way you could plug this into an outlet and have it sit on your desk or entertainment center. But since it's micro usb, you could swap out the cable for one of your own. You could also plug it directly into the console. My other complaint is that the controller does not really lock in to place. I can literally push it out of place with my finger. It's unlikely to fall out from bumping the tablet that it's sitting on, but you would definitely need to keep it out of the way.
I always judge price vs value and the Ortz charger does provide good value. The Ortz charger includes two batteries, the cable, and the dock where the official Xbox One Play And Charge kit only includes one battery and one cable for almost the same price.
I can recommend the Ortz Controller charger if you are tired of using AA batteries with your controller. Subscribe to my youtube for more gaming peripheral reviews: http://bit.ly/SkilledSubscribe
Features:
2 Batteries Included
Micro USB Port On Batteries
Charger Works via Micro USB
Negatives:
Included Cable is too short
Charger stand is flimsy
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video-games_xbox
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Fully loaded and worthy of a place on your shelf. For the price you'll pay for this game, whether you buy it at launch or at the inevitable discounted price further down the road, you get so much value and entertainment for your cash that it would simply be a shame not to pick this up. I'm here to tell you that this game pulls out all the stops and I'll try to keep it short.
The graphics are gorgeous. I've read people's comments on forums saying that the Gears series is no longer impressive due to the usage of an "outdated" graphics engine. Wow, really? On more than several occasions, I stopped just to take in the surroundings because they were just that beautifully rendered. For what it's worth, this is the best looking Gears game yet.
The sound is top notch. My subwoofer definitely got a workout playing this game and the sound design is very, very nice. If I had to pick one thing to comment on, I love the echoing calls of the gas barges. You'll know it when you hear them.
Storywise, this one is the most consistent throughout its playthrough. There may be some melodramatic moments and a couple of bad line deliveries peppered throughout but not once did I roll my eyes or pray to myself that the game would end already. It was a fitting end to the series and the fact that co-op play has been bumped from two players to four make this a worthy purchase on that facet alone.
Horde mode, the 2.0 version. I'm going to tell you here and now that this is where you'll get your money's worth. I simply adore the fact that they took the original horde and shaped it into something that the fans wanted and would be satisifed with. It is very obvious that Epic took this mode, which was already great to begin with and took every suggestion and consideration to heart when crafting this new, updated version. I've sunk most of my playtime into this mode and with good reason. It's intense, it's violent, it's insane... and it's the best wave-based gameplay you're likely to encounter. The bar has been set incredibly high with Horde 2.0 mode.
Look, that's not even mentioning all the different versus modes and the all new Beast mode which lets you play as the Locust Horde in a sort of reverse Horde mode. If you're a stat junkie, I can't think of one statistic that this game DOESN'T include. The online play is absolutely delectable, with the games running off of dedicated servers this time around.
This game is nothing less than a thank you to fans of the series, old and new alike. At a time when games seem to be giving you much less bang for your buck, think of this game like a suitcase that you can't close because it's been overpacked. Normally, that's a bad thing but most definitely not in this case. Fans of the series, rest easy. Epic has closed out this trilogy with fireworks, flying colors... however you wanna say it.
Easily and most highly recommended.
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video-games_xbox
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Frustration Guaranteed. Graphics: 8/10
Sound: 7/10
Gameplay: 8/10
Overall: 7.5/10
I'd like to start off by saying that the "Failed" screen of the game (equivalent to Game Over) simply isn't pretty enough for the amount of times you're going to see it. If you can overlook the several flaws it presents you'll be rewarded with the best action\shooting game since perhaps Max Payne.
Graphics: 8/10
The graphics of the game aren't all that special, the nicest thing that I have nothiced was perhaps the shading on the characters throughout the game. The game's graphics' value is diminished by some low-level models such as the cars on the streets or even some of the buildings themselves which are paved with mostly average textures. If bump-mapping would have been used this game could have really have had impressive looks even on the not so well designed levels.
Sound: 7/10
Truly and honestly the sound of this game is one of the draw backs, not for the actual sound effects themselves but for the somewhat annoying music. As far as the voice acting goes, it's obvious that they tried to maintain the melodramatic Max Payne feel to it with not as great success, for at times the voice seems to lack a sense of feeling, or seems downright out of place or badly timed.
Gameplay: 8/10
By far this is where the game truly shines. The game's gameplay is very similar to that of Max Payne, but it has an extra Kung-Fu twist to it. Both of the games feature a slow-mo mode however Dead to Rights also features some really awsome disarms and human shield abilities. Despite the entertaining Max Payne style fighting\shooting system DtR suffers from some major camera issues, you can only pivot the angle around the character (left or right) but not up or down, and often (especially when in halls or other small spaces) the camera become a real nuisance making enemies able to kill you with ease, thus having to restart the phase all over again. And although that may not sound like a big deal it is. The game's difficulty is simply too high, and there is no difficulty level selection. This may (and will) frustrate many gamers and turn some away completely from the game especially the average gamer. But some of the hardcore gamers may welcome the challenge. In the short time I have been playing the game I have seen the "Failed" screen about 20-35 times thus from that you could deduct an idea of how difficult the game is (or not...).
Pros and Cons
+Lengthy game
+Feels very similar to Max Payne
+Control scheme seems to work out nicely
+Great gameplay
+Cool intro movie
-Too friggin hard
-Bothersome camera angles
-Average sound and graphics
-Max Payne clone
Final Words:
In the end despite of all of Dead to Right's flaws I'd say that the game is worth of every (or almost) attention, I'm not telling you that it's a must have but that you might want to rent it or borrow it from a friend. But I can guarantee that almost everyone who plays this game will get frustrated more that once or twice.
Overall: 7.5
Letter grade: D
--Akira
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video-games_xbox
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The Last "Smackdown vs Raw" Video Game. In this sequel to Smackdown vs Raw 2010 comes Smackdown vs Raw 2011 that was just as good as the last game.
Graphics got a slight upgrade for PS3 and Xbox 360 users, while they stayed the same for PS2, PSP, and Wii players. One new feature the game was a physics mode that capitalized on the realism of weapons used like tables, ladders, and chairs. For example, tables would break differently depending on how an opponent was put through one, the impact of the crash, and the angle of the crash. In a way, it wasn't really new as Raw 2 had slightly similar physics.
The Hell In A Cell match got an overhaul and was bigger and much wider to better replicate the one that was being used on TV at the time. The cell door got removed in this game and developers made a new way for players to get out, where you must get a finisher and get your opponent, stunned against the cell wall near the announce tables. Once your opponent is stunned, you initiate your finisher where you can either spear, powerbomb, or suplex your opponent through the cell wall to the outside to escape the cell.
One new game feature that debuted was titled WWE Universe Mode which was pretty much a story mode--minus a lot of the story telling. Universe Mode allows you to play through pre-set matches on Raw, Superstars, Smackdown, and PPVs. Along the way, feuds will be developed and cutscenes will initiate a series of stories across all 3 brands between superstars and divas. Developers claimed Universe Mode had over 100 unique cutscenes to push storylines, which can revolve around alliances, rivalries and titles, forward. Each decision you make and each match you win will determine who a superstar's rivals and allies are. Unfortunately it was highly unlikely to get to witness all the cutscenes as a lot of them tend to repeat over and over and over again. Championship matches can only take place on PPVs, so forget trying to make it happen on a regular TV show. Each championship has a ranking of the top 10 superstars for each championship, so you'll know who's next in line for a title shot. Unfortunately, the rankings seemed to be rigged when it came to the WWE Championship because I constantly saw Orton, Cena, Edge, Shawn Michaels, and Chris Jericho in the top 5 contention for the title; no one else. It is possible to customize the match card to your liking for each show, but doing so will likely cause a big rift that will cause a lot of unwanted changes. Overall, Universe Mode wasn't horrendously bad for it's first go-around, but it gets boring really quick due to a lot of repetitiveness.
There were quite a few new faces added to the roster in SVR 2011. People making their WWE video game debut in 2011 include Yoshi Tatsu; Luke Gallows; Eve Torres; The Hart Dynasty; Drew McIntyre; Gail Kim; Sheamus; Alicia Fox; and Vance Archer. Nexus (remember them?) members Wade Barrett; Justin Gabriel; and David Otunga also made their video game debuts, as the only members of the illustrious group. In addition, the NXT arena; Layla; early 90s heel Shawn Michaels; Lex Luger; British Bulldog; the WCW arena; Ministry Undertaker; Bret Hart; and alternate attires for superstars were all a part of the game's DLC package.
Road To Wrestlemania was back for year 3 and this time, Chris Jericho; Rey Mysterio; Christian; John Cena; and The Undertaker all got their own unique stories to play. In Chris Jericho's story, you'll follow Jericho go after WWE Champion, Triple H in a desperate plea for his championship. Along the way, you'll have Y2J do many dirty, lowdown despicable things such as stealing the championship from Triple H and injuring his eye by slamming his face into the Jeritron on an episode of the Highlight Reel (take off of Jericho's 2008 heel turn). In Rey Mysterio's Wrestlemania season, the story begins with Mysterio being viciously hit by a car in his limo that causes him to get amnesia. In the weeks leading to the Royal Rumble, superstars Jack Swagger and Evan Bourne will attempt to help you get your memory back. After you regain your memory and find out who the culprit is, you have the option of turning heel and siding with the culprit or staying face and fighting against him. Whichever decision you decide will ultimately split the story into 2 different paths. Christian's RTWM is basically his 2009 comeback re-written as you'll play as Captain Charisma to help him get to the main event of Wrestlemania. It won't be easy as there will be several easy and difficult roadblocks that will try to derail you from achieving your mission. In John Cena's story, Cena becomes #1 Contender to Randy Orton's WWE Championship. After Orton screws Cena out of his shot, Cena goes over the edge, but Orton has numerous tricks up his sleeve to not only keep Cena from ever getting the championship, but to also turn on his friends, fans, and allies. In Undertaker's story, you don't actually play as Undertaker but rather Kofi Kingston, Dolph Ziggler, John Morrison, R-Truth, or a Created Superstar in their quest to face Undertaker at Wrestlemania and end his undefeated streak. Along the way you will be tested with a series of demonic mind games from the Deadman as well as facing a lot of his past Wrestlemania opponents. I thought SVR 2011 had a great selection of stories. My 2 personal favorites were Jericho's and Mysterio's. I also liked Undertaker's but hated the pre-selected superstars you had to choose from.
In addition, RTWM added a feature--or rather returned a feature--as for the first time since Shut Your Mouth/Here Comes The Pain, you could travel around backstage and interact with many different superstars and divas before going to your match. You start off in the parking lot and can travel all around the hallways; to the locker rooms; the training room; the make up area; the catering area; and the interview area. Certain superstars you talk to will initiate a conversation, cutscene, or challenge match that will take place on Superstars. Other superstars and divas will simply brush you off, telling you to get away from them. Before you go out for your match, there will be a whiteboard that will show you a list of matches/segments scheduled for that night's show. It was a really cool and interactive feature and it made a lot of people happy that they could finally travel backstage again in story modes. On a different note, this was the last WWE game to feature the modern ECW, be available for the PS2 and PSP, and stars like Shelton Benjamin; Mickie James; DH Smith; and Gail Kim.
Overall: Smackdown vs Raw 2011 wasn't a bad game. It had a lot of unique features and upgrades and some entertaining RTWM stories to play though. The roster was fairly admirable and the gameplay was plausible--but occasionally lagged. It was the last video game to contested under the "Smackdown vs Raw" title as the following year, the game would switch over to simply WWE 12. Once you finish RTWM, I suppose you could toy around with Universe Mode but you're very likely to get bored with it. Overall, SVR 2011 is a standard video game that's worth a play
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video-games_xbox
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The game itself is great. I really WANT to give it 5 stars. Where to start with this game. I've been a big fan of the Rainbow 6 series since the beginning. The game itself is great. I really WANT to give it 5 stars. The gameplay is fun and pretty realistic. It can be challenging as well. There were some server issues when the game was first released, but I have not had any issues as of the last update.
The game is broken down into 3 game modes. Situations, Muliplayer, and Terrorist Hunt (co-op).
Situations: There are 10 situations that you play through solo and complete the task at hand. It can be eliminate all the terrorists, protect a hostage, or rescue a hostage. There are 3 challenges per situation, usually finish with 50+ health, then others like finish in a certain amount of time, kill 2 terrorists with frag grenades, etc. There are also 3 difficulty levels, Normal, Hard, and Realistic. If you complete all 10 situations (not all challenges, just all situations), a bonus 11th situation unlocks. To do that one you have to be online as it is actually a coop mission. I won't give away what it is, but it is challenging.
Multiplayer: Basically it is 5 vs 5 where one team is protecting a bomb and the other is trying to disable it. I tried this mode out and it literally just became the first team to kill all players from the other team. That is fine, but just call it team death match. This mode is really about teamwork. If you have a 5 man group that communicates and works together, you can dominate 5 players playing randomly together. Multiplayer is pretty shallow at this point, hopefully it is addressed in future DLC. It is basically team death-match even though it is not laid out that way.
Terrorist Hunt: This is the meat and potatoes of the game in my opinion. It is up to 5 players coop to complete a task. You use premade "operators" (players) that each have their own strengths and weaknesses. For the most part, I found it fairly well balanced, and most players can find a few operators they are comfortable with. In this game mode, there are several different objectives randomly chosen by the servers. You can play classic terrorist hunt, disarm the bombs, protect the hostage, or rescue the hostage. The game inserts suicide bombers into the level that are armored. We call them "breathers" (Think of Juggernauts in COD only with bombs strapped to their vest) because you generally know they are near as you can hear them breathe before you can see them. If they get close to you, they will blow themselves up as well as anyone in the vicinity. There are 20 operators to choose from or you can use a "recruit" which is somewhat of a build your own guy, but not in the truest sense because you can't keep a player build or modify anything about him/her. There are 10 attacker operators and 10 defender operators. They are unlocked with the ingame currency known as "renown." There are 5 sets of operator classes. For instance, SAS, FBI, GST, etc. Each class has 2 Attackers and 2 Defenders. Each operator per class costs more then the first. For example, the first FBI Operator costs 500 renown, the second 1000, 1500, and the 4th is 2000. You pick which operator to buy and you can jump between classes so you could buy all FBI operators before buying an SAS operator if you want. After you have purchased an operator, you can upgrade their weapons with silencers, scopes, front handles, flash suppressors, etc. Those items all cost renown.
You can create a team of 5 friends in a group and jump in a game, or you can go with 4 or less friends. You even have the option to try a mission solo if you wish. Want to play with a full squad and don't have 4 friends to join you, you can jump into a game where you will be teamed up with random players to play the mission. You could also do a combination of 2 friends in your squad and join with 2 randoms to complete your 5 man squad.
Difficulty levels:
Normal: This is the easiest of the three levels. When you start out, this seems pretty difficult. After playing the game for a few hours, this level becomes almost too easy. I have not tried this level solo other then the situations which require you to play solo. I will play the terrorist hunt missions with one friend on this level and I have what I would estimate at about a 80% win percentage with just two players. In normal, the AI seems to be less accurate with their shooting, does less damage, and are easier to kill. Enemies will throw flash bangs, but they will not throw frag grenades. Their movements aren't dumb, but they aren't always smart. It is a good challenge when starting the game and building up renown to buy operators and weapons, but it also pretty much allows everyone to go on their own and go Leroy Jenkins on the map if you have a full squad. (If you don't know what the reference is, I beg you to do a youtube search of Leroy Jenkins).
Hard: This is a step up from normal obviously. The enemy AI is smarter, there are generally more suicide bombers, they are more accurate with their shooting and they cause more damage when they hit you. They will use more flash bangs/stun grenades and they will use frag grenades. Their movements are more intelligent, but still not great. I generally need a full size squad to beat a level on Hard and my completion percentage drops to about 20% depending upon my squad.
Realistic: Now I find this level really challenging. In fact, I would say my completion % is at or less then 5% and those were only when I played Hostage Rescue. Enemies are much smarter, there are several more suicide bombers, they do a great deal of damage when they hit you and they are pretty accurate with their shooting. There movements are much smarter, but still not perfect. They throw frag grenades when practical and sometimes they are almost too good. To complete this you have to be well coordinated and good and/or lucky and good. Going rogue is a death wish.
Overall: As much as I want to give this game 5 stars, I just can't. The game seems shallow for a full priced game. The lack of a single player story mode is sorely missing as I loved previous Rainbow 6 story modes. They removed the wall grab 3rd person view from previous games and replaced it with a side tilt of the gun. I actually like that because it is more realistic. The gameplay I feel is great and pretty well balanced. I wish the normal difficulty was a little bit harder or the hard difficulty level was a hair easier. I feel 4 difficulty levels would be a good thing as opposed to the included 3. Also, I miss the customization of the previous Rainbow 6. You don't get to build a player from scratch. Pick out his weapons and armor, race and sex, secondary weapons and so forth. For a game released in 2015, this is a major miss that i supposed could be addressed in future DLC. There are 11 maps, which is good for start up. Only one versus mode I think is very short sided as it doesn't even ship with a team death match or capture the flag or anything similar. With the expectation of DLC, the game can only get better. If Ubisoft releases DLC for free, the game will deserve all 4 stars it got. If it goes the route of charging for DLC, it will fall to a fun game, but a 3 star game because I don't feel this is a full retail priced game as it stands. Even at $50 (current price), you are missing out on a campaign story mode and you only get one versus mode so you are left basically with situations (which have no reason to play after you beat them) and the coop mode terrorist hunt.
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video-games_xbox
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Cool Controller, few issues. To start this off, I bought this product with some consumer bias. I think, in general, the XBOX 360 is a vastly superior controller to the XBOX ONE. The triggers and bumpers are satisfying to push, the D-Pad is great, and it's sturdy. XBONE controllers, in general, feel cheap. So, how do I end up feeling with this controller?
(Played only two games with this on my PC.)
*Pros*
Unlike most XBONE controllers, the D-Pad on this controller is actually pretty solid. It feels good to press, and is easy to use.
The control sticks are satisfying to the touch, and just feel good to wiggle around and play with.
The face buttons are fantastic. Great pushback without being overly clunky or stubborn.
The light affect, while seemingly gimmicky at first, is actually really neat. There's more settings to it than what can be assumed, and it's simple to alter.
The mouse wheels on the back, while not something I personally use, are a neat addition to the controller.
The ability to change the volume and audio priority of game audio and voice chat with the simple held press of a button and the D-Pad is very useful.
The price is very fair considering the great quality of the product and it's unique features.
Simple plug and play for PC.
*Cons*
Again, this controller has the same issues as most XBONE controller models, in which the triggers and bumpers feel clunky. They don't feel satisfying to press at all, and the bumpers have barely any pushback, while the triggers basically sink into the controller with your fingers.
I indeed complimented the sticks earlier, but, there seems to be a bit of an input issue. The first game I tried, Dragon Ball FighterZ, held some movement issues. When trying to input a dash (flick the stick forward twice), 40% of the time, the character would just crouch. Where as, with my XBOX360 Conrrollers, that would never happen. Heck, even an old $19 Logitech controller I have doesn't do that. Not only that, but, some combos end up messing up entirely, as the stick/button input doesn't come when expected. I wouldn't call it delay, persay, but, it's odd.
The sticks are a tad too sensitive in terms of movement. It's hard to explain. It isn't a matter of input, more so just how easy it is to move them.
*Conclusion/TL:DR*
For almost $30, this controller is a great purchase. Wonderful quality, great features, and a good feel to the controller in general. However, it still suffers from the awful feeling triggers and bumpers, and potentially some input/stick issues (could just be the one I purchased.)
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video-games_xbox
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Had for a few days, very impressed. A few years back I had a pair of Tritton 5.1 wired head phones with a rumble feature, they didn't get much use and over time one of the rumble packs started to click when it would go off. Fast forward a few years and I decided it was time to try out a new set and I don't think I could be more impressed.
My set up is pretty straight forward at the moment as most of my belongings are in a pod. I have my Xbox, phone, and this little netbook in a small room and I paired all three to the headset. Last night I was listening to music through the netbook, sound effects from the xbox and taking calls and listening to texts from the phone. Really cool, I felt like a cyborg. They only thing, and I can't fault Turtle Beach, is if you listening to music from the bluetooth pc and a call comes in the speakers on the pc cut back on when you take the call. That scared the hell out of me the first time it happened, it was also the first time I took a call with this product.
I think the sound is great, I don't do FPS so I can't testify to that, but with movies and games through the Xbox it sounds amazing, I heard things in games I didn't know existed. The sound with music from the netbook is light years better than I'm used to and I lost a few hours playing with VLC's equalizer and these head phones which I haven't done in years. Lots of fun!
The mic is good for calls, I don't chat much on Xbox Live so I can't say anything about that.
Construction seems solid and I think they will last a long time provided I can keep my five-year-old away from them. If she does I'll be sure to come back and follow up on how they fared against "The Mangler".
I did have some issues with interference at first when streaming video but the unit was between my router's line of sight (in another room) and the Xbox. I swapped the positions of the base and the Xbox and haven't had any clicks or static since.
The controls were a little overwhelming at first but once you get used to them they are very natural.
The only issue I have at the moment is I can't play with the preset program I got from the Turtle Beach site because the resolution is too small on this net book (1024x600)
All in all, I'm very, very happy with this purchase, highly recommended!
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video-games_xbox
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Stunning graphics, boring game mechanics. While the visuals are, for the most part, spectacular, the gameplay is at best average for a button masher. So, here's my dilemma about the next gen consoles. While this game should epitomize the first in a long line of next gen games, the game mechanics are so average as to be boring.
Graphics
Quite simply, the visuals are stunning. The characters look great. The environments look awesome. The armor is amazing. Also, when not in gameplay, the characters also move in realistic ways. Once thrown into battle, all that changes.
Gameplay and Mechanics
This is the crux of why you play a game. This is what makes the game worthy of the play through. Unfortunately, the designers of this game just threw any old random hack and slash button masher engine into what could have otherwise been a game of the year idea.
While I do like the occasional hack and slasher pieces in a game, I don't want it to become the entire focus of the game play. It's not what I look for in a game with a story. I want to be challenged. I want to have to think about my next move. I don't want to just go running in and hacking and stabbing up every single 'enemy' in view. When are game designers going to realize that people (even game characters) have a choice? Let the AI enemies make the choice to attack you or to join with you. I mean, having this clear and constant enemy idea is just so old-school it's boring.
I want games that push the envelope; that let me explore these worlds in ways other than by death and dismemberment. If I choose to go that route, my choice. If I choose to do it another way, let me.
Suffice it to say that Ryse's gameplay is simply an exercise in carpal tunnel. For a next gen game, give us next gen gameplay. Don't wrapper 1998 gameplay in a cotton candy coating.
Audio and Story
The voiceovers are good and the story seems okay if not just a bit shallow. Meaning, the gameplay threads are simply there to tie the carpal-tunnel-inducing gameplay segments together. It always irks me just a tad when I see game designers using the story merely as a vehicle to tie the gameplay together. I want to feel that both gameplay and story are one and the same, not two distinct and separate segments. Unfortunately, in Ryse, the game seems focused on the gameplay segments at the expense of fully cohesive story.
Overall
It's a 1.5 star game wrapped in 5 star graphics. Unfortunately, that doesn't make the game worthy of 5 stars. While it's pretty to behold, it completely fails to entice with the boring repetitive enemies. The enemies are so repetitive that the game designers couldn't even produce enemies with different behaviors and looks. There's all of about 3 enemy types in the game. A guy with an axe, a guy with a shield and axe and archers with an axe. The two most common enemies are the former two. And, they all look and act the same. If you're going to spend the time to set up battles with enemies, at least have the decency to come up with more than 2 character models and enemy tactics.
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video-games_xbox
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The sound was disappointing. Save your money. Now I'm not a big audio guy. I don't know a lot about it. I figured that 7.1 surround sound would be a great step up from stereo sound. When this headset arrived I was very pleased at the look and feel of this headset. I didn't like the fact that I had to update the firmware on my laptop right off the start, but that's not that big of a deal. I would say that the comfort level is pretty good. A very light headset. Decent for long gaming sessions. Although comfort depends more on the persons head. That shouldn't be an issue. The fully wireless is fantastic. I really do like that a lot. Chat works great. Mic is very good. The thing that is the deal breaker for me is the sound. The most important thing in a headset. Now I've read so many reviews about these headsets. You can never really get a good feel just from reviews though. So I went for it. Paid $200 And expected to get the best quality sound I could. Even after the firmware update I just do not like the sound of these headphones. The surround sound makes it sound like a speaker under a blanket(a little exaggerated but you get the point). Its very muffled. And the volume is just not as high as I want en your at 100%. I had them at 100% the whole time I used them. Which isn't what you'd expect from a 200 dollar pair of headphones. Also the presets on this thing are a bit ridicules. There are so many and they just don't make them good. The worst part is the best mode I found was to turn the surround sound off And go back to stereo And put on bass boost. And even then I the bass isn't really that good. I like to feel the experience in my sound. When I'm using stereo anyway why even bother spending the money on the 7.1. Also another thing I noticed was a delay in the sound, slight, but still would annoy me after a while. So I conclude this by saying if you are just a General gamer, go with one of the cheaper stereo headsets. I had the XO1 and they sounded better then these in my opinion. My reason for getting rid of those was they felt cheap and were kind of uncomfortable. I'm going to go with the XO4 stealth. They are half the price and will be just as good if not better then these.
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video-games_xbox
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Less, but also More, than it appears. I bought this game when it first came out, expecting to be able to just jump into dozens of arenas, handle a huge arsenal of the usual weapons, and enjoy some good split-screen deathmatch after tiring of Halo. (I don't have Xbox Live, so shoppers needing details on that should look elsewhere in these reviews).
My first reaction was disappointment. It is complicated to set up a character and to figure out how to play splitscreen. Most of this is due to a patchy instruction manual. The action was also very frenetic, almost too chaotic for me after months of playing the more moderately paced Halo. The graphics were pretty good, but I'd heard only glowing things about the characters and maps, and it just didn't look that good to me. Most disappointingly was a seeming lack of cool arenas for deathmatch -- only about eight or so. I wasn't interested in playing the other game styles, like capture the flag, double domination, and bombing run. I would have only given the game about three stars based on that experience.
That's where my mistake lay. I recently launched into the single player mode, which takes you through all the various kinds of matches. To my surprise, I discovered they are much more fun than I had imagined. There are seven or eight different arenas for each kind of match, and the outdoor ones really shine. Also, in the full-screen single-player mode, the graphics rock. The textures, detail and colors are great, and easy beat Halo in my estimate. I've also gotten a chance to get used to the weapons, and when you learn the ins and outs of them, it becomes fun to frag opponents in new and inventive ways.
A couple complaints still remain. It is hard to tell some of the weapons apart, so sometimes I'm not sure what I'm using until I fire it a couple times. And I still haven't fully masterd the arsenal yet -- it shouldn't be this hard to get a handle on the weapons. Though I may just be dense, I haven't fully figured out the health/shield/adrenaline power ups. I just pick up every power up I see, but don't really have a sense of how they are applied.
I wish I could play this on Xbox Live -- the awesome full-screen single player experience really makes me pine for some live opponents and teammates. But as a standalone shooter it actually plays a lot better than I orginally thought.
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video-games_xbox
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Better than expected but needs improvement. This game to me is better than expected but still needs improvement in a few areas. I know I'm going to get bashed for this review but hear me out for a second. When I got this game on release day, I felt the same as a lot of people, pissed off. For a lot of years, 2K put out great games that were better than their predecessors. But for some reason this year, I felt that NBA 2K14 was, in a lot a ways, the same as NBA 2K13. It pissed me off immediately. Now, after playing it for a week, I can see the subtle changes that keeps me wanting to play this game time and time again. Such as shot blocking, easier play calling, CREW, international teams, bounce-passing, fancy-passing, online association mode, and more signature skills. These features give 2K14 a different feel than 2K13 for me. Let me also add that I mostly play against other players online or head-to-head locally. I don't care about My Player, association off-line, or Labron James's new mode. And also, let me add that on last years 2K13, when my network connection would default, I used to get a lost. This year it looks like they fixed that problem. As of yet, when my internet connection would disconnect, I won't receive a win or a lost. For me that's huge.
Now my CON's on 2K14 are the following: No new camera angle, players still have sliding movement, much needed improvement on passing, and for me that's about it. Oh, I almost forgot, I wish that 2K would do an overhaul on the soundtracks. I wish they can set up almost a satelite radio within the game so I can pick and choose what type of music I want to hear. Or, have a mixture of everything. I love rap and R&B, so I don't want to hear any pop music when I'm about to beat-down an opponent online. LOL. That's just a thought.
Overall, its a GOOD game. At first I hated this game but after playing it a while, I'll give it an 8.5 out of 10. This is my honest opinion of this game and I hold nothing against anyone who doesn't feel the same.
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video-games_xbox
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CANNOT BEAT THE BARGAIN AT 20 BUCKS. When my son wanted this game I admit that I was hesitant. Afterall...why would you play any football game other than Madden.
But then I read a review in X-Box magazine where they actually gave it a higher rating than Madden 2005 raising an eyebrow. Then the Detroit News had two columnists debate the two games each taking the stance that one was better.
What the heck..for 20 bucks you can't go wrong. I don't have Madden 2005 yet and I'm still playing 2004. But ESPN 2K5 is one helluva game. I love the real game feel of having Chris Berman and Susie Kolber do pre, post, and halftime shows.
Reminds me of the old days of madden when they did cideo captures with James Brown in the studio. Really makes you feel like watching a TV presentation.
Let's be honest here...the graphics are BETTER than Madden...at least better than 2004 and from what I've heard, better than 2005. Much more realistic looking and fluid movements.
I also really like the playbooks. I've been playing Madden for about 14 years and frankly I am sick of seeing the same old plays every year. My detroit Lions have been through about 6 coaches and a dozen offensive coordinators in that time and yet I keep seeing the same plays over and over. VERY BORING!!!
I've found that It's easier to play defense in ESPN 2K5 as well, making it a bit of a better challenge to newbies.
It doesn't have the detail of Madden when it comes to scouting and drafting players in franchise mode but does have very detailed game preperation. some might say too detailed as it takes time to do before games.
I agree with some that the Cribs feature is a bit cheesy as well as the celebs calling you to play a game.
I did love the inclusion of 25 of the greatest plays/situations in NFL history that you can try and replay such as "the catch" and the Immaculate Reception. Very cool.
I could care less about the music. being over 40, I can't stand most of the music in Madden 2004 anyway although my kid likes it. I don't buy games for the soundtrack.
is ESPN 2K5 better than Madden 2005? I don't know. But i will tell you that it's a great game and more than worth the 20 bucks.
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video-games_xbox
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Jack's in the girl's club...wait, wait, no she's not...no she is not. I admit I am more of the casual shooter. By which I mean I am not very good. Still I enjoyed the shooting action in this game. Think gears of war lite. The main reason I played this game was for the story. The story is good if somewhat bland compared to the first game. I missed the presence of an uber Villain like Saren. I don't miss the Mako. I hate to pile on but all the missions in the Mako got tedious if you wanted to unlock the achievement to beat the majority of the game. Yep, riding that poor controlling vehicle around for a half hour on a planet only to get killed by a thresher maw and having to start the whole f'in level over again from the beginning was not too fun. Exploring planets is easier because once you have scanned all the planets with your little probs or just surveyed them it tells you the percentage of the system you have explored. I was always wondering in the first game if there was some planet or mission I had yet to discover. Less map musing for sure. The story involves commander Shepard getting hooked up with Cerberus a group he fought against(possibly) in the first game. If I can recall Cerberus did some terrible things in the first game. But now everyone seems eager to hop on board the train. Joker, your old pilot and Dr. Chakwas(who has to have the most low key entrances ever. I don't think she is even introduced. I just stumbled across her randomly. "Oh. Fancy seeing you here. Fantastic then. Let's Talk.")
The best part of this game is the cast of characters. You spend a good deal talking with your crew, shooting the breeze, going to odd places and killing people to put their minds at ease. As with the last Mass Effect game there are romance subplots. The romance options are both more open and restricted at the same time. (Makes sense since there are a lot more characters) From what I have read and seen there are six possible romance options. None of them are with Asari however(unless you count Morinth, the sadisitic murder who is as likely to kill you as kiss you, or both.) so there is little chance of any 'Asaris gone wild' action. My biggest disappointment in the game was having my female Shepard get turned down by the very 'women's prison' looking Jack. She might be the first female metrosexual I have seen. Plus, having my character act all flirty around Jacob made me not want to talk to him considering my characters actions in the previous game made such actions seem insincere at best and mocking at worst. On the other hand, I quite enjoyed all of my interactions with Mordin, the hyperactive Salarian, including his big Gilbert and sullivan revue. Even get turned down by him was entertaining. Needless to say there's no dude love going on either. (I remember my first mass effect character getting nowhere with Kaidan back in the first game and the same holds true here from what I've heard. Stewie Griffin would not like this game, I think. The only reason I make such a big deal of this rather minor part of the game is because the first game set the bar high(or low, depending on your viewpoint) in it's depiction of blue skinned girl love. Oh well, you can't always get what you want.
In regards to gear I say this game is a huge improvement. Mass Effect 1 portioned out so many weapons and armor and various other sundry enchancement items it could take good chunks of time to sell them or convert them to omnigell. Especially on a second playthrough. (And yet if you wanted to get to level 60 you felt obligated to hack every possiblle weapon cache for the xp.) It's nice to not have to deal with a closetfull piles of gear. It was also nice not having to have a tech with you at all times. In Mass Effect 1 if you didn't have decryption you pretty much had to have Garrus, Kaiden or Tali with you on just about every mission. Hacking is more interesting than in the previous game although I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it might not be doable if your color blind. (Just throwing that out there.)
Pros: Good combat(fun and exciting with just a taste of challenge but not too hard at least on casual)
-A lot of interesting interactions with an intriguing cast of characters
-Plenty of downloadable content make for hours of fun and new characters(even if Zaeed was kind of lame. For some reason I thought he would be a batarian to fill out the diverse cast but I guess for a human-centric group like Cerberus this would be too much diversity)
Cons:This kinda contradicts my earlier rant but I kinda miss the Mako. I'm glad you don't have to use it all the friggin' time but a couple of times for old times sake wouldn't hurt.(I haven't played all the sidequests or the DLC so I guess there could be a few I don't know about)
-No really cool villain like Saren
-The Romance options available are just a little too conservative for my liking. Kelly's flirting(?) is nice but mild. Jack is a bit of a tease by way of her looks. She's not into 'the girl's club' it ain't gonna happen.
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video-games_xbox
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Best Console Tru-skool RPG to date. Now let me start off by saying this game isn't for everyone. However, if you're blessed with patience, then as far as RPG's go, this game is the deepest. I won't recap the synapsis already described in the main editorial.
But if you are a fan of pen and paper RPG's, and have always felt that console RPG's just can't compete, then this one is surely for you. Starting with the character selection which can range from as simple to as complex as you'd like. Your character builds through your actions, rather then arbitrary level ups. If you fight alot, the weapons you use you build up skill for. If you sneak and pickpocket, those build up. Cast spells those build up. However you play, determines how your character ends up.... and that's really what role-playing is about.
What really draws one in, however, is the deep world. The dialogue isn't always the greatest (which is forgivable due to the world size) but the amount of villages, people, towns, forests, caves, castles, valleys, mountains, etc.. will keep you quite immersed. And each locale, is handcrafted as well. So as you walk along a simple path, you can actually pick the geographically specific flowers and herbs that grow. Or actually pick up and read the books you find in anyone's room. Want to steal the old man's silverware? Or raid the young lady's dresser... and wear her clothes. (if that's your kinda thing). Basically, you can do whatever you want in this game, which allows for endless freedom. However, a word of warning. The beginning is involves alot of building up your character before you can have much fun with him, or her. Other faults are long loading times as you get deeper in the game. Lots of dying in the beginning (if you're the fighting type) due to having a rather unskilled character...but all that changes as you get better. Also, the combat is less then stellar, i'm guessing in order to maintain a real-time, but stat based fight. Still it could use some more visual splendor. Speaking of visual splendor, while the world is absolutely beautiful, the characters aren't quite up to par with the rest of the graphics (also excusable due to world size). Sometimes the game is almost TOO open-ended for it's own good, but even if you get lost strolling through the woods, you'll still be dazzled by the engrossing atmosphere.
So all in all, if you have the patience, and like RPG's, then you should like this game...
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video-games_xbox
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I liked the game despite its issues...also people tend to be more wrong when they're angry. I want to start this review with the observation that most people rated this game before all the patches. If you see any reviews from before around December 27th, disregard them because those people were judging a game that hasn't had the patches released to fix errors and add features. That makes all those angry release day reviews wrong and you shouldn't pay any attention to them. Anything updated or written after December 27th is probably okay assuming it isn't an angry, dejected fanboi. Okay, so my quick review.
Pros
1. The multiplayer does, in fact, work. It's a little wonky here and there but it does work and it works about as well as prior Halo games (which have always been wonky). I don't know if people are mis-remembering "the good old days" or if they simply didn't play that much, but matchmaking always took 3-5 minutes on a good night and 5-10 minutes on a bad night to get into a game. That hasn't changed at all from any of the online Halo games. I've had matchmaking do its "search loop" twice since I started playing it and a quick "exit and re-enter" fixed it both times. It's not nearly as bad as the angry mob of 1-star reviewers make it seem. Some people like to just be angry.
2. The 60fps makes these games look intensely smooth. It's most notable during Halo 3 because it is so much smoother than it used to be. 60fps ftw.
3. The graphical enhancements are awesome. Especially for Halo 2. The ability to turn it on and off is not only amazing and impressive, but also tactically useful. When I need the textures turned down to differentiate from landscape and bad guy, putting it down to the old graphics settings with the older lighting and textures makes it way easier to see bad guys at a distance and in low-light scenarios. Cool!
4. Halo 1, 2, 3, and 4 campaigns in all of their glory for under $60 is glorious.
5. I like in matchmaking that any game could be any map from any title. You could play Blood Gulch one game then Valhalla the next. Halo 2 mechanics one game and Halo 4 mechanics the next. That's really fun and a good way to shake things up and keep matchmaking interesting. I think it would've been an inferior experience if playlists were done "by game".
6. Halo 5 Guardians preview until January 15th = win.
7. The ability to customize controls, armor suits (colors, etc), and more for each individual game was a good touch although I generally just leave everything the same from game to game.
Cons
1. The matchmaking stats don't report right. I went 5 kills, 17 deaths in my first match (I hadn't set the controls yet and kept tossing power drains at myself...oops). I came right back and went 13-10 in the next game, and then 17-9 in my third game. Despite winning 2 of 3 games, the game reports my wins at 1 and my Kill/Death as 5-17. This hasn't changed much in the week I've been playing it. The same goes for campaign. I've done 2 Halo 2 missions and it says I've done 6...and I even got some achievements I definitely didn't do.
2. The customization is about 50% there. You can change your armor colors but you can't actually see the change in the menu. In the later Halo games, you could pick your individual pieces of armor (especially Halo 4) which you can no longer do. Either let us customize or don't, but don't give us half of it...and not even the cool half.
3. There are small graphical glitches here and there. Parts of the menu kinda bug out (they still work) every now and then. I suspect future patches will fix this and it doesn't affect game play so I'm not overly concerned.
4. There is one ranked playlist on multiplayer and I don't like the game type. Lame.
5. I bought the game and the next day they announce that they're giving away ODST to people who bought it before I did. Lame.
6. No Halo: Reach online playlists, maps, or mechanics. Lame because I really liked Reach's multiplayer
7. After matches, the game bounces you from the lobby in matchmaking. Given that it's much harder to see who you've played with recently (compared to the Xbox 360), that means it's harder to find the people you just played with and invite them to a game. It's essentially anti-social unless you're already in a party with friends. This is as much Microsoft's fault as it is 343's because the Xbox One's menu system kind of puts the "social" aspect in the background for some silly reason.
Overall, this title has had a lot of problems. However, I bought the game anyway because even if multiplayer was broken, there are still 4 Halo games worth of campaign and that alone is worth the $60. As it turns out, 343 has been doing a LOT better than the reviewers here would have you believe. Multiplayer feels like a Halo game and the minor issues don't affect the game play very often. Given that 343 has announced that they're holding back work on their next Halo game (due out in Spring of 2015...and no I'm not talking about Guardians, I'm talking about another side game) to fix this one, I have confidence that the game will be more or less what was expected.
Yes, it sucks that the game was released in the shape it was in. Sometimes budget constraints and deadlines are a real pain. Anyone who has ever worked in a deadline-driven environment can tell you that sometimes you release things you didn't get to finish all the way. At least 343 is doing something to make it right. Take a lesson, Ubisoft, because Assassin's Creed Unity still sucks.
I would recommend this game to Halo fans who have dealt with "those Halo issues" through the first 4 Halo games (and those who believe those issues didn't exist are wrong or stupid, it's always taken several minutes to get into a matchmaking game). Casual gamers may want to wait a few more months for 343 to sort out the remaining issues...but there really aren't all that many.
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video-games_xbox
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Needs a patch - AI is much worse than Madden 13. This is pretty much a roster update to Madden 13 with some largely useless cosmetic and gameplay tweaks thrown in to make the game look/feel a bit different. But what is inexplicable is that the AI has some serious problems on both offense and defense that are new to this year's edition.
On offense, the run blocking AI is really messed up - particularly when blockers are pulling or going in motion, they will fail to block defenders right in front of them. As a result, the running game is pretty limited, particularly on outside runs, unless the defense lines up in a tight formation. On defense, good luck. Receivers constantly run wide open against zone coverage and it is very hard to get stops as a result. On any important passing down, you pretty much have to play man and get to the QB to have any hope of an incomplete pass (unless the receiver drops the ball, which also happens too frequently). Even then, once a pass is completed, defenders will often let the ball carrier run by without even pursuing him/attempting to tackle. The CPU doesn't have it much better, so it's very easy to have a potent passing attack if you have sure-handed WRs that don'r drop the ball. None of these issues were present (or at least, as glaring) in Madden 13, which is baffling because the game seems so similar. Hopefully they will patch the game and fix the AI, in which case this would at least be the best version of Madden yet (though still not enough change from 13 to justify a whole new purchase, in my opinion). As usual, EA has put out an unfinished product despite having a year to get it right.
I bought this game (Anniversary Edition) for the Sunday Ticket code and it'll be worth the price assuming that works as advertised, but as for the game itself, I'd rather play Madden 13 (which was itself far from perfect, but at least it more closely resembles NFL football).
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video-games_xbox
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I was expecting more. As a first time FIFA player, there are some things that seem a little limited and some other things that seem a little redundant and tedious. In Manager Career mode, players who randomly decide they need a new contract when they still have more than a year left gets very tedious very fast. Also, players are very difficult to loan and don't grow at all when you do loan them. So when a player with a 58-63 rating demands to play, you have to play him or deal with transferring him (which probably won't happen cuz it seems as though you can only transfer players out who are at least in the mid 70s). Getting teams to actually want your players or pay you what they are worth is incredibly difficult. It gets very tedious and takes a way from the fun of playing with the players you want to play with or develop. Another thing I don't like is the way you are constantly dealing with the expectations of the club. As I was learning the game, I played on the easiest setting to learn how to play. I won the Premier League, Champions League, F.A. Cup, and Capitol One Cup 2 seasons in a row with Wigan Athletic (a team that currently has been relegated to the championship and would be lucky to finish in the middle of the table in the Premier League in most years). You would think they would beg me to sign a 10 year contract but any time I lose a match I get emails telling me I need to make improvements to my squad or get run out of town. The same thing can be said with my National side. I have to have my contract renewed every single season even though I'm winning probably 80% of the games. If I don't win every single game, I get news stories that I might be fired when my contract nears an end. It all makes it pretty tedious and takes away from one of the things I like most about the game, which is the youth academy and developing young players. Even though there is nothing realistic about finding 5 16 year-olds who have the potential to be as good as Ronaldo and are capable of playing in the Premier League after only a few months of training, it seems necessary for the development to be accelerated because the Career mode only lasts 10 years (which is another thing not to like).
Things to like: The youth squad seems fairly new and is a good step. You don't have enough spots on your Youth Squad and sometimes 16 year-olds who are rated in the 50s demand to be signed or released (which doesn't seem realistic), but developing the young players through your system is pretty cool.
The skill stick, which you can use to make some slick moves, is a fun thing to use.
There's a good amount of control over the difficulty of the game competition when you play against the computer.
Players really do vary based on their various attributes. Players who have a low passing rating can't pass. Players who have a low shot accuracy can't score.
It really is a fun game but it has its flaws and I think I was expecting more.
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video-games_xbox
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Oblivion: #1 RPG for Xbox 360. My Review: This is by far the best RPG currently offered for Xbox 360, the only games it's rivaled by as far as graphics, gameplay, and storyline are Fallout 3 (also made by Bethsda) and the Mass Effect 1 & 2. Why? Because it's everything an RPG should be.
PROS:
-More than enough quests with a vast variety.
-A whole world to explore.
-Four different guilds and you can join them all: warrior's, thieve's, mage's, and assassin's guild.
-Great graphics, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
-Fantastic storyline.
-So many different characters and you can converse with them all.
-Can join the arena and fight against AI to become a champion gladiator.
-A huge market system. Several different stores to sell loot and buy new equipment.
-Very long RPG, unless you just focus on the main quests, then just mediocre.
-The expansion, Shivering Isles, brings about a whole new world with new quests, characters, and achievemants.
-Isn't a simple button masher. Have to actually learn to parry, use spells, & flee when you're overwhelmed.
-Have total control over your character's appearance from eyes to hair to skin color. You can also choose gender, race, birthday, etc.
-So many options for clothes, armor, spells, attributes, weapons, etc.
-Hours upon hours of looting and exploration.
-A mass amount of different enemies.
CONS:
-Occasionally glitchy and will freeze at least once, very seldom though.
-Can get tiring by the time you get to the expansions.
-I didn't even think about a second playthrough so very little replay value.
-No multiplayer or online play whatsoever.
-Somewhat of a lack of different landscapes and enviroments. Most of landscapes are mountains, meadows, and caves.
-The little, cheap add-ons like Battlehorn Castle are a bit of a rip-off. You get a lot of rewards like a home and supplies, but not a whole lot to offer as quests goes.
-Most AI comrades are idiots. You can't really command them, they get stuck behind doors, and aren't all that helpful in an actual fight other than being a great decoy.
Games it most compares to are: Fallout 3, Fable 2, & Dragon Age: Origins.
BOTTOM LINE: If you already own Oblivion and have bought the downloadable content from Xbox Live, then DO NOT purchase this game. If not, this is the #1 RPG for Xbox 360 and you should BUY IT!!!
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video-games_xbox
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I've Risen to write this review. Greetings Amazonites!
Risen is a 3rd-person action RPG game. There are promising elements of this game, and some really strong points, but I failed to find any lasting appeal. With some more work, this could be a great game.
My fun factor is a subjective experience, but my rating for this game has been carefully calculated using a patent-pending system called "Elements of the Game". Every game starts with 5 stars. Good one, huh?
GRAPHICS (-1 star): It could have been worse--maybe. The environments look okay, but the characters and enemies are rough. It's hard not to cringe when seeing some of the graphic hiccups and eyesores. There are some great scenes in the natural world, but it's not enough to make them game appealing. Cutscenes are especially painful. The graphics remind of the original Dungeon Siege for the PC--and that was a long time ago.
MUSIC (+/-0 stars): The music is of the appropriate genre, but it doesn't feel right for some reason. It doesn't draw you into the world. Maybe it wasn't made to suit the game or just didn't play at the right times. I can't say it took away from the game, though.
SOUND (-1 star): some of the sound effects were just ugly. The weapon attacks didn't sound right, and I swear I heard a blunt smashing sound when I hit with a sword. Some of the animal and enemy sounds were odd and out of place. The overall sound design was poor.
STORY (-1 star): the opening sequence was horrible. Visually it was nice, but I didn't understand a darn thing that was going on. Something about a boat, castaways, and a weird wizard-guy with a red eye who tried to blast a sea monster and failed--and then disappeared, leaving the boat to be destroyed. So I wake up on a beach with no idea what's going on or why I was even on the boat to begin with. Okey-dokey! Yeah, I gave up on it after running into some random guy who told me there was a crazy order of monks that would kill me if I went a certain direction--why? No idea.
CONTROLS (-1 star): the controls were clunky, unresponsive, and disorienting. The camera did little to help, as it seemed to move with a mind of its own. The combat controls were terrible! The worst I've seen in a 3rd person game in my long playing career. Most of the time I was just blocking and trying to figure out how to line up my attacks. The inventory and player management system was poorly organized and confusing; why was it mapped to the D-pad? No idea. There was no way to tell which D-pad direction brought up which inventory system, except by trial and error.
DESIGN (+1 star): there was plenty to do in this game; that was the only thing entertaining and worth playing it for. You could find all manner of different weapons, armor, and items. You could cook food, make weapons, brew potions, and more. These intriguing survival-sim elements were great, but they failed to make the rest of the game worthwhile. There seemed to be a lot of potential in the game, but it failed to put it together.
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video-games_xbox
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An open world game for people who don't play open world games. While it doesn't have the crazy replay ability of other games in it's genre (I'm looking at you, Grand Theft Auto), Sleeping Dogs is an incredible experience (until you finish it, more on that later). No, it's not GTA or Saints Row, nor is it trying to be. Sleeping Dogs has a more theatrical and story driven feeling to it than other open city games. Taking place in Hong Kong, the game follows Detective Way Shen, an undercover officer who is instructed to infiltrate and become a member of the Triads, Hong Kong's most elite gangsters. What follows is Way battling with his internal and external struggles with both the law and the Triads as he moves up the ranks. The story really pulls you in and you start to care for Way as you learn more about him and his past. The cinematics and writing rivals Red Dead Redemption (really good).
Gameplay is most similar to the Batman Arkham series; mashing buttons, doing blocks, and performing crazy combos. Sleeping Dogs incorporates both martial arts and standard street brawling that is brutal to watch (snapping peoples limbs and watching them react to it is extremely well done). Also included is minor gunplay and driving, but the star of the show is really brawling with the environment. Special environmental attacks have been scattered all around the city, such as being able to throw foes into garbage cans, slamming them into aquariums, and face first slams into electrical appliances. I really liked these as they help balance the odds. The driving is very arcady, taking from the Need for Speed series, and is far more realistic compared to GTA in that the more reckless you become, the more responsive the police are.
However, once you beat the game it offers little to nothing to keep you playing. Sure, you can go find the rest of the collectables scattered around the world, but that's it. I really would've liked something after the main story. Also, there is ZERO multiplayer. Having an open world to fool around with is always better with other people. This was a huge missed opportunity.
Despite this, Sleeping Dogs is still a great underrated game that is worthy of your time.
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video-games_xbox
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The best controller I've ever had. I purchased this a few months ago, from a local store, and I have loved it ever since. The LEDs had a great appeal, and one reason I actually got the controller was because my stock Xbox One controller's bumpers clicked way too loudly for my taste (I play Overwatch and it drove me crazy how loud the bumpers clicked). This controller's bumpers still have an audible click but nowhere near as loud as the stock controller.
Now onto programmable wheels. After even a week I can't see myself ever gaming without them. I rely so heavily on these wheels now I can't imagine playing any game without them. And one of the best things is that anytime I need to, I can remap any of the six wheel controls mid game. I can do it in less than half the time it takes to respawn in a game! I once tried to go back and use my stock controller for a game and not only did it not feel right in my hand anymore, but it literally felt impossible to use in a game.
The light up band around the controller is beautiful, as well. If you have the configuration app on your Xbox One, you can also turn on the cycle mode, which cycles the LEDs through the color spectrum on it's own, constantly. You can also change how bright/dim it glows at any time. Microphone and headphone controls are a breeze, too. With the button next to the right analog stick, you can mute/unmute your mic any time (red LED indicator will be on in middle of controller if you are muted), and you can adjust the headphone volume with it and the D-pad, as well as game/chat sound mixing. The controller feels smooth and comfortable in my hands, and I love how it looks. Alongside the LED lights all around it, you can also see the innards of the controller, as the outer shell is a clear, see through plastic.
Overall, this is, in my opinion, the last controller you will ever need. The one and only nitpick I have about it is that even if I do not have a headset with a microphone plugged into it, I will occasionally see my gamertag pop up on screen to show that I'm talking in game. I don't even have to be talking physically, but it pops up anyway. It's not a bad thing, just weird, and it is easily fixed my muting myself.
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video-games_xbox
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Poorly made product. I just got these in the mail today and they came with an outdate firmware but before i updated i wanted to make sure they had issues like people said they do and sure enough the mic just doesnt work well at all. I updated to the latest firmware and the mic got a little better but the issue of cutting out unless you talk really loud or yell never went away. The latest firmware update was released at the end of LAST YEAR and the fact that they just left it in its current state shows that this company just gave up on fixing the issues many customers are having. I shouldnt have to yell to use the mic. Thats just silly. Im returning these on monday for a refund because this just won't work. So much for an expensive "elite" headset.
Pros:
1. sound quality is good. no rattle when bassy sounds play.
2. different sound presets
3. BT compatible
4. built in battery that lasted multiple gaming sessions
Cons:
1. THE MIC SUCKS. this has to be the #1 negative part of the headset. whoever thought of using an internal mic should be fired from the dev team because this should never have hit a production model EVER. the firmware updates never fixed the issue and if you notice they stopped pushing out updates for this headset which tells me they game up on resolving the issues or this is as good as it gets which is terrible.
2. the headset hurt my ears after a while of using it. the fake leather also made my ears feel hot when other headsets don't have this issue.
the software doesnt allow you to customize the sound like they say it does. you can only select from presets not actually make your own preset configured just for you. i used the mac program so maybe this is on the windows version?
3. the second largest issue i had is the volume level when playing audio. i use pandora when playing games and i listen to my music pretty loud...its not the best for your ears i know but im being honest here and the volume level for this headset tops out way lower than any other headset i have owned (except the xbox one basic headset but that doesnt really count as a gaming headset now does it?) which is a pain in the but. i was left wanting to crank the volume up just a little more but was unable to unfortunate so this is a definite CON in my book. it also helps when someone elses mic isn't that loud or they are just a quiet speaker...so i cant jack the volume up enough to be able to hear people sometimes ad found my self asking what alot. its not a problem with my ears either...others in the group had to ask what alot too.
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video-games_xbox
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A decent game marred by strange, unsatisfying plot. "Condemned" is basically about Serial Crimes Unit Officer, Ethan Thomas, and his quest to track down a serial killer, the likes of which the world has never seen. He's like a "super serial killer", you see.
But Ethan has got his work cut out for him, because it just so happens that the answers he seeks are all found in the stinkiest, slimiest, most urine-soaked locales in all the land. To top it off, these places are all inhabited by morally-bankrupt drug addicts (plus the occasional mutant) who wield an array of blunt objects. Needless to say, they would like nothing better than to tenderize Ethan's beefy mug with the objects in question.
Admittedly, the gameplay in this title is mostly enjoyable. You creep around in the dark, largely unaware of where the next assault may be coming from. Every noise puts you on edge, and you will be pulling plenty of 180 degree turns to make sure a foe isn't about to get the drop on you. The fact that you use melee weapons most of the time definitely adds to the tension. Plus, vanquishing your enemies is quite satisfying in this game. There's lots of meaty thuds and bloody chicklets spewing forth, which is pretty much videogame paydirt.
The part of gameplay that gets old fast is searching for clues with Ethan's trick bag of hi-tech gizmos. Imagine using a black-lite to find organic matter in a room and not being able to fight while doing so. Next thing you know, a rather agitated chap comes out of the woodwork trying to bust your face in, and you are left fumbling with buttons, trying to put your black-lite away so you can exchange blows with your new pal. Irritating? You bet.
The cut-sequences are also off-putting, but not in a desirable way. Ethan and the rest of the characters all resemble ruddy, ungainly sacks of meat whose eyes squint and strain from under folds of fleshy flaps. I suppose this is in keeping with the rest of the gritty motif which the game pursues, but it just seems weird and unnecessary. Their appearences sort of remind you of a stinky, unemployed, middle-aged uncle who has been drinking far too hard and long and still never gets your name right at family gatherings.
However, what really dampens this game is the plot that's so surreal that it's silly. The very title of this game seems to be a parody of itself, because everywhere you go is, well, condemned. Ethan has no trouble finding a condemned variant of every possible location you could think of. Ethan goes to a condemned neighborhood. A condemned sewer. A condemned farm house. A condemned high school. A condemned shopping mall (that's right, a condemned mall in America. No joke). It's all silly enough to detract from the feelings of horror that the game attempts to evoke.
Beyond the unlikely settings, the storyline is also vague and unsatisfying. I'm sure the surrealism is meant to creep you out, but it ultimately ends up leaving you with more questions than answers and pissing you off. For instance, there's Ethan's mysterious past. Without spoiling anything, we slowly learn that there's something unusual about Ethan, but we never really learn what that "something" is. Also, I get the sense that the game tries to make a tawdry statement about "the evil that lurks in us all", but it is all done in such a murky, ill-defined way that it avoids being psychologically gratifying on any level.
In general, it's a passable piece of dreck that may be worthy of a few of your unoccupied nights. It's kind of like an 8oz can of Mountain Dew; short and sweet, and you'll soon forget you even had it.
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video-games_xbox
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get your old school on. I'll say one thing for the ps2, xbox, gamecube days companys were not shy about making a collection of the older games that people used to love. You had this one, The x collection (sadly not on xbox), street fighter anniversary, sonic and many more. While some of the collections varied in quality and quantity this one is on of the better collections out there and the best version. Each version of this game was different the ps2 version had a episode of the first megaman animated series, The gamecube had a interview with one of the designers. While the Xbox had both of that (I believe) along with remixed music. Anyway I'll give a short review of each game
Megaman- The original while this on hasn't stood the test of time and is very hard to sit through it is a good start for Megaman 8.5/10
Megaman 2- My personal favorite of the series also the best soundtrack 9.9/10
Megaman 3- Just slightly under the 2nd on in terms of faviorites but still awesome game 9.8/10
Megaman 4- Great I prefer the 1st 3 over the last 3 but this is good to 8.9/10
Megaman 5- at this point I felt the went a little overboard with them but its still a good game 8/10
Megaman 6- Probably the worst of the NES games but none of them were bad 7/10
Megaman 7- Even though some might disagree I think this is the only stinker of the Megaman games 5.5/10
Megaman 8-While maybe not quite as good as the NES classics this one is very enjoyable 8.4/10
UNLOCKABLE GAMES
Megaman The power battle- I never cared for it but its a nice bonus that its here 7/10
Megaman 2: The power fighters- I think its better then the other fighting game still not quite the greatest game on here though 7.5/10
Well there you have it this is the best way to play the original Megaman games and if you have a ps2, xbox, or gamecube I recemend getting it however if you have a choice get this version. The only problem is the controller is to big for this type of game but it has all the bonus features from the ps2 and gamecube and its playable on a backwards compatible 360.
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video-games_xbox
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Fable 1.5. I have played this game for about 12 hrs so far, and am surprised that it is pretty engrossing. Graphics and gameplay are what you could expect if there were a game to bridge the gap between Fable 1 and 2. There are some issues to consider however: Voice acting is bad at times and have some overlap on occasion (example while in a conversation with a NPC, your character may say "that looks good" about a merchants wares across the room while still in active conversation with the NPC along a quest line....kinda odd). But the story is overall decent, if somewhat predictable. The characters, quests, fighting etc all have a Fable like feeling to them, but that is hardly a knock, it is a style that has worked successfully, so why not borrow heavily?
On the plus side, there is actually a lot to like. This really was an ambitious attempt and the developers included a LOT they did not have to. You learn physical skills and mental skills throughout the game (you will quickly learn that most of them...like 90% you DO NOT NEED, but you can use just to customize your style of play). I think this is both a cop out, but still smart on their end. They probably did not really know what would work well vs what would not, so all the skills you learn, you can do without, or lean heavily on. In all there is something like 50 skills you can master, a lot of them have several tiers to master after initially learning them. This is pretty comprehensive for a game like this in my opinion. There are also what seems to be a lot of quests (mind you I have completed chapter two and think I am nearing the end of chapter 3). The game has a lot to explore, I do wish it had a few more dungeons/caves and the ilk, however each of the areas I have been (mountains, OUter and Inner Venice and Arsenal) each only have one 'dungeon/cave' like area.
You get your money's worth here, and there is a lot to like and in my opinion (without seeing yet how the game ends), there is room for improvement with a sequel......which I would happily purchase.
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video-games_xbox
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for halo fans alike. Writing this review actually makes me really sad. Growing up, I absolutely loved halo. I've played countless hours of this game. That being said, this game has completely ruined my memories of the originals. While their are some great things in the collection, I will only list the negative and some really horrible aspects of the game.
First off, the halo 2 campaign. The halo 2 campaign back in it's time was a masterpiece. Now it is a buggy mess. Many times I would see the bodies of dead enemies randomly fly ten feet after you shoot them, their bodies would be all 'twitchy' when dead, an enemy would suddenly would pop into my screen, and more. I also am befuddled on why 343 would make some parts of the remastered graphics so dark that I can't see anything. I also found at points in the game the original graphics were actually slightly better than the remastered. For example, the trees in the original look better. In the remastered they look surprisingly clumpy. To be honest, these new graphics aren't anything special. 343 could of done better, but it looks like they rushed to get this game out on time.
All the other campaigns are intact, so there is really nothing else to say about them.
As of 11/20/2014 the muliplayer has gotten slightly better. Instead of waiting an hour to get into a game, it takes about 10 minutes. Unfortunately, the teams are still extremely unbalanced and there are constant errors.
This game had so much potential, but sadly it has failed miserably. I give it 2 stars solely because of the greatness of the original campaigns. For people who own this game, I would try to return it and maybe buy it later(if 343 fixes the game). By then game will be vastly cheaper. For people who don't have it, just like I said wait until 343 possibly fixes it and the price drops. I personally will be returning this game to the microsoft store. Thank you for reading my review.
Just one more thing: Thank you Halo for giving me all those memories.
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video-games_xbox
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Good Concepts, Hard Controls....ONLY 4 AVID GAMERS. 1st of all i'd like to say I personally think this game is the best "underrated game" out there.
I'd like to start off by saying that this game is not for the average gamer. The control scheme is way too complex for any child too understand. Personally i found this too be the toughest Xbox game ie ever played including Halo (Legendary), Dead To Rights, Onimusha and then some others.
Some of the great concepts include the ability to walk on walls, and Drake's ability to slow time down/speed it up (A speed up, B slow down). But while Drake can slow time down he can also move fast and do double jumps. At 1st this is hard to master but once u got it down it is well worth it!! I am guessing that the "glitches" people are complaining about are the people who are having a hard time mastering the slow motion/speedinng up time and therefore it appears as a glitch.
As i mentioned before. Drake can also run up or sideways on walls and sometimes in order to run acrooss a really far wall u have to really know how to use the slowing motion/speeding up controls.
The shooting system is extremely difficult to master because it relies on the right thumbstick and the left and right triggers. Drake always has two weapons on him and the left trigger contorls the left hand and the right trigger the right hand so u can be aiming at 2 different enemies at once. The AI isn't very smart but it is hard becaue even if u try to get on top of a object the enemy will often go underneath it and it is near impossible to shoot him unless u go back and forth between to objects and get in 1 or 2 bullets when u can. Just because the AI isn't too smart thhough there are some things that are getting harder for me to figure out.(on level 12 so far)Plus it makes it harder cause all the levels are timed. SO DONT EXPECT A CAKEWALK BUT THE GAME DOES INVOLVE QUIT EA BIT OF STRATEGY! IF U WANT A GAME THAT WILL TRULY CHALLENGE YOUR SKILLS THEN THIS IS THE GAME FOR U!!
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video-games_xbox
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Frustration Island. Dead Island is best described as a hybrid between Fallout 3 and Left 4 Dead 2. It features RPG elements similar to Fallout 3 and 4 player zombie melee co-op action similar to Left 4 Dead 2. Unfortunately, Dead Island isn't nearly as good as those games.
STORY: Dead Island is pretty light on story. You play as one of four characters, each with their own backstory and paper thin reason for being on this resort island. Unfortunately, none of this matters as no one will refer to you by name nor mention your history. After you select your character, you wake up from a hard night of partying to find that zombies have overrun the island. You meet up with some survivors who inform you that you're immune to the zombie virus and they need your help getting off the island. Along the way you'll be given silly quests like fetching a necklace or fetching some spark plugs or fetching some food or fetching an armored vehicle. So basically, a lot of fetch quests.
GAMEPLAY: Dead Island can't decide if it wants to be a deep RPG or an action zombie game, and unfortunately the two don't mesh well. The RPG mechanics tend to get in the way of the action and interfere with the pacing of the game.
Controls: The game plays like a first person shooter, except instead of a gun you wield melee junk like a kitchen knife and a broken broom stick. Other games have tried the first person melee approach: Condemned, Left 4 Dead 2, Fallout 3. It didn't feel right in those games and it doesn't feel right in Dead Island.
Trying to aim is a chore, and the game has a kind of "auto-aim" system where the aiming reticle will move from it's home in the center of the screen and lock-on to nearby zombies. It's as if the game doesn't trust me to do my own aiming, and it's so wonky that it seems to lock on to random parts of the zombie regardless of where I'm trying to aim. There's also no way to shut this feature off in the options menu. Besides the difficulty of trying to aim a melee weapon while getting your face torn off by a dozen zombies is the difficulty of trying to judge distance on a 2D television screen. Without any way of perceiving depth, I often found myself swinging weapons and missing my target because I was a quarter of an inch too far. The only way I could land hits was to get right up in a zombie's face. Unfortunately the game punishes you for taking this approach as zombies will beat you to a pulp in a matter of seconds.
That is another frustration I encountered often. A single zombie is not too hard to kill, but in groups they will overpower you quickly. Most zombies can take more hits than you can, and I often found myself dead in a matter of seconds when encountering 3 or more of the fiends. The penalty for death is a loss of half your money and 5 seconds of your time. When you respawn, your inventory is intact, and your quest progress is not reset, however the game will respawn you in some odd locations. I was frequently respawned in rooms filled with zombies who would immediately tear me limb from limb for disturbing their peace.
There were other oddities I found with the controls, like the fact that your character's feet get stuck on objects and corners easily, and the movement felt floaty and uneven. Sometimes stronger zombies can knock you down to the ground, but once down there zombies will politely wait for you to get up on your feet, making me question what's the point of knocking me down in the first place?
On the RPG side, you talk to various survivors around the island and they give you quests to complete for rewards. What's strange is you are given the option to accept or decline any quest at the time it is given to you. There is no penalty for declining a quest, and people will wait patiently for you until you are ready to accept the quest. Once you accept a quest, there is no obligation to carry out the quest immediately or even ever. Since accepted quests are still optional, why even have the "Yes/No" choice in the first place? It's completely unnecessary.
Similar to Fallout 3, the game is an open world, and as you take up quests they appear as markers on your map. Unlike Fallout 3, which had you moving forward through the main story (if you chose to do so) from one new place to the next, Dead Island sets up a couple small bases and then has you fetch an item then bring it back to base, then fetch an item and bring it back to base, again and again. It's repetitive and boring. Eventually you'll progress far enough to make it to a new location, but then the cycle of tedium starts all over again.
As you complete quests you gain XP which will level you up and net you skill points that you can spend on skills to aid you in your journey. You will also find various weapons, items, and money that you can use along the way. The problem I found with leveling up was that enemies level up right beside you, so even though I was level 12 and had more power than when I started at level 1, encounters with zombies were just as tough. By having the zombies power up exactly along side me negated my leveling up and made it feel pointless.
Another pointless aspect was the inventory system. You can pick up and carry most items in the game, but food and drink (which restore precious health) cannot be carried. Instead you consume them immediately upon picking them up, regardless of your health status. Medical Kits can be carried, but they take up a weapon slot for some stupid reason. You can carry all the glue, duct tape, and batteries you want in your gigantic pockets, but MedKits use up your separate and limited weapon inventory slots. Navigating the inventory system is confusing and unintuitive, and equipping weapons takes some getting used to.
Each weapon you carry has a damage meter, and when a weapon is completely damaged it is nearly useless. Most weapons can't take very much damage, though, so after about 5 or 6 zombies you have to switch to another weapon. Why weapons are so damn fragile I don't know, but it was annoying. The only way to repair your extremely fragile weapons is with money.
Money makes the world go `round, even in times of zombie apocalypse. Money has to be the stupidest thing in Dead Island. Everywhere you go, you'll find wallets and copses that have a few bucks on them to loot. You can then use that money to buy weapons from characters around the island, although why they wouldn't just give you weapons is beyond me. You are, after all, their only hope for survival. But I guess that doesn't matter when there's money to be made. You can also use money to repair weapons, which would make some sense if you were paying a weapon smith to repair them, but you're doing the repairs by yourself at a work bench. So what is the money for? Do you rub the magic dollar bills on the broken knife until it heals? It's stupid! You can also use the money to buy snacks from vending machines for health. But why would you buy it when you could just smash the vending machine and steal all it's contents? You have the strength to smash a zombie's skull in, and clearly you have no qualms looting during this time of crisis. So, again, why are you forced to use money?
There is a game somewhere underneath all these bad design choices, but whatever fun I could have had with this game is squashed under the weight of all these poorly implemented and confusing mechanics. If the player is asking "Why am I doing this?" and "Why am I doing that?" eventually they're going to ask, "Why am I playing this game?"
GRAPHICS: You might think I'm going to tear the graphics a new one, but I won't. They're actually decent. The textures are sharp and detailed. The draw distance is impressive. The lighting effects are well done. The animation is serviceable. I did notices some small flaws like screen tearing and pop-in, but none of it was so bad it was distracting. Some of the human character's faces looked a little odd, but that's pretty common in most games today. Overall, pretty good graphics.
SOUND: The sound was there. It wasn't great, but it wasn't distracting. The voice acting was a bit hokey, but it is a game about zombies, and great voice acting isn't going to make or break this game. The music was repetitive and forgettable, but not annoying. Sound effects sounded canned, like they were taken from an audio library entitled "Video game SFX". One small gripe was that the player's character will repeat themselves a lot. You will hear the same three lines of dialogue from your character about a dozen times an hour. And this is not a short game.
MULTIPLAYER: Dead Island is meant to be played with other people. In fact, it feels very unbalanced as a single player affair. By default, the game puts you in a lobby with other players, and you have to change the settings manually in the options menu if you want to play alone. This game was designed for 4 friends to play co-op through the campaign. Unfortunately, I didn't have any friends who had this game, so I was relegated to playing with strangers. Strangers suck. They will wander around aimlessly, or rush ahead and die a lot, or just generally be a nuisance. IF you buy Dead Island, make sure you've got some friends to play it with.
OVERALL: Dead Island isn't a broken game(although IGN did find a game breaking bug), but it's just not a fun game. Personally, I find the frantic mayhem of CoD Zombies to be very fun. I wanted Dead Island to be like CoD Zombies but with a story. When I learned of it's RPG elements, I was still excited since it was likened to Fallout 3 and I LOVE Fallout 3. Unfortunately, Dead Island is just lame. Combat is a chore, quests are tedious, inventory is confusing, money is pointless, and the difficulty is off the charts. I really tried to like Dead Island, and I gave it 7 hours of my time, but with each passing hour I just grew more frustrated until I couldn't take it anymore.
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video-games_xbox
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Well built product! Great Sound Quality! Needs to be louder. Past Headset Experience:
I have been a loyal Tritton Headset user for the past four years or so. The first set i had were the AX 720's, and they still work perfectly. Gave them to a friend as a gift. They have great sound, quality, and get nice and loud for maximum immersion. Next, I upgraded to the Tritton 720+, and they were just as i expected from my previous experience with Tritton. Great build quality, solid crisp sound and bass.
Reason for Polk Melee Purchase: Wanted a headset to use on both Xbox One and Xbox 360, as well iPod uses as well.
With the release of Titanfall around the corner, I was in the market of upgrading to another headset that i could use on both the Xbox One and the 360. The Polk Melee had caught my attention, because it was made for the 360, but once you register your item with Polk, they will send you the Xbox One Chat Adaptor. I have already registered the headsets, and currently waiting for the adaptor to use with Titanfall. I had early access to the Xbox One Beta and the game is incredible. However i was unable to use my Tritton's because Microsoft had not updated their console's optical output to Dolby Digital 5.1 at the time, but NOW having released the March Xbox One update, i will test the Polk Melee against my Tritton 720+, and i am a bit worried, because the Polk's audio output is a bit too low for my taste...which is sad, because the sound quality is superb.
Unboxing:
This item is well-packaged and TIGHT! It comes with all necessary hardware and cables to get rolling on your 360, and even a separate audio cable you can use with any mobile device or tablet, which i do love.
Installation:
It is quite simple. Didn't even look at the instructions (who ever does?) lol. But its very straight forward. You have a DSP Box that plugs in via USB, and also has a digital optical input. The DSP Box amplifies the digital audio for a nice, clean sound to your headsets. Next is the Audio Mixer cable. This cable plugs into the DSP Box, and as it comes out also has the Audio Mixer which plugs into the 360 Controller Chat port. It fits tight, and works perfectly.
Features:
Retractable Mic is really nice. So when you just want to listen to music, you don't have a giant boom mic in front your face. The Audio Mixer is pretty nice as well. I also just love how versatile this headset is. (4) Sound Presets for certain games Shooter, Racer, Cinema, and Music.
First Impressions:
I had received the headset earlier this afternoon, and played:
Gaming:
60 min. CoD: Ghosts (360)
30 min. NBA 2K14 (Xbox One)
30 min. Forza 5 (Xbox One)
The sound quality is great! But i am so use to much louder, more explosive, sound that i was getting from the Tritton's! I always find myself maxing out the sound, and just craving more! I just really needed a few more db's. Just a few for the people who like it LOUD. That is the only thing preventing this review for a 5-Star Rating. It wouldve been perfect!
Music:
10 min. Music (iPad Mini)
Sound quality once again is great! However since it is music i can crank the volume higher and feel immersed in the nice clean sound designed by Polk. I just really wished the Gaming side of things were more....explosive.
Overall:
I really like these headsets, mainly because i can use them to game on both, my Xbox One and Xbox 360 Consoles, and listen to music on the go on any of my mobile devices. Im really impressed with Polk's first attempt into the Gaming community with these headsets, and i give them alot of props. I really hope they develop more gaming headsets, because they took a pretty big step forward imo, they just need to make the Gaming experience more explosive for the people who like LOUD like myself.
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video-games_xbox
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I hope there is more where this came from. My partner and I played this game in the co-op mode on realistic. It was a BLAST! The graphics are perfect (especially on a 46" Flat Screen HD TV). It took us almost a week (we didn't play all day long...but during our downtime) to beat the "secret labs" level. The last level...was a little disappointing because it took us one try and about 15 minutes to beat. (We were hoping for another week of this game!)
Highly recommended...I played Halo 1 and 2...and really enjoyed those games...this one is even better!! We were half way through Gears of War and stopped playing it all together to play all the way through RB6.
We found the AI to be very realistic...and challenging. The enemy would actually charge at us, take up sniper positions, and flank our positions which made it even more challenging. I found several positions to set up as a sniper while my partner would search and clear. We found ourselves actually verbally communicating actions to keep each other alive. ("Frag-out," "Clearing," "Contact, right" "Suppressive fire")
I like the controls for this game...yes, it would help to be able to sprint between locations. However, the one touch "change between" items was pretty impressive.
Recommendations for future games: We work in and around South West Asia...it would be pretty cool to have something with a "third world" feel. For example: Kids begging you for money and food, political unrest for what you are doing back on the home front, Improvised Explosive Devices, and an enemy who looks like everyone else in the local populace. (No that would be impossible)
Four player Co-op on same screen, more weapons (RPG's...call for indirect fire), and more bad guys.
I would love to have a game like this in a non-urban environment...or an urban environment with more innocent bystanders. Even more realistic.
I do recommend this game... now I am on the hunt for another game like this one.
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video-games_xbox
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Campy chokepoint maps. The maps for mp are really bizarre. Although they are small to medium small they are cluttered with chokepoints, objects to head glitch upon and elevated positions. Many of the maps resemble mazes. Also there about 70 uav's called in a game because of the support KS loadout making it pretty much radar always on, forcing you to use assassin and not be able to use the other perks. It is probably one of the most unbalanced and camp heavy COD's ever due to poor maps. They don't have any nice open small/medium maps like highrise, terminal, scrapyard etc that would have been awesome to play on w/o the noob tubes etc of mw2. Instead they replaced one problem with another due to poor map design.
This game had tons of potential as well, for smaller maps are what people love but these maps are just designed for head glitching and camping chokepoints (which are far too prevalent.) Forget about rushing, you have to move very tactically and camp if you want a high K/D and it is much slower than black ops. In this sense this game if anything is too much like Battlefield 3 with the excessive camping, and I'm not a big fan of that. Don't just take my word for it LVG teepee a pro MLG black ops player from Team Leverage who's team has won two events this year has had said the game is awful to due lack of symetry in the maps and how it's too often just head glitch vs head glitch, chokepoint vs chokepoint. Also many maps are circular, many times you will spawn and die, rather than the old maps that had two distinct sides.
That being said it is still a lot of fun and much more challenging, but I gave it 3 stars for this game would have been brilliant if there were more open maps like scrapyard and less "mazey" campfests like hardhat. 3 stars might be harsh but I hold Cod to a high standard, especially after Robert Bowling of Infinity Ward said the maps were going to be designed for run and gun and not camping, and the exact opposite seems to be the case. There are many pros to this game that should be mentioned. Amazing graphics and sound, and it still has much faster game play than BF3. The guns are awesome and seeing subtle things like how awesome the new sam turrets are etc are worth the price. All in all although this game gets very frustrating due to the maps it's still worth it, just forget about your K/d ratio for everyone I know is struggling a bit (wish they would let you keep K/d private, I think It would add a lot to the fun factor, that's another problem with the game) it is still lots of fun. I have not played the sp yet, but I and many others see the MP as the heart of the game. Edit: back to a two star after playing for 10 hours more, the maps are really bad except for about 5 or so..........camp city!
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video-games_xbox
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The Pressure to Make a Buck vs. A Quality Product. I would be lying if I said this game was a total waste of time that should be overlooked. It has a few virtues, though I am vastly disappointed with Obsidian's stewardship over this product. And, I think you will be disappointed too when you find out what we all missed out on. If I were the maker of this game, I would be ashamed to have my name attached to it. Why? Because it would mean that my work was rushed to the market before it was completed; I caved into the pressure to make an extra buck for the 2004 holiday season at the expense of making what could have been a classic game. Without dropping any spoilers, I can truthfully, tell you that I was pleased with the first 60% of the game, but after that, the game deteriorates into nothing more than a hack job. The bugs become frequent and obvious, and early plot developments are left unresolved. These faults have been documented in several websites that one can find easily on the internet if one were so inclined. Some affect gameplay, and others don't. Despite that fact, the careless crafting becomes painfully obvious when you can literally see areas of the map you were originally intended to explore, but they were "closed off" ungracefully because there wasn't time to finish them. Entire planets have been left off, and the outworking of the story after the climax is totally unacceptable to me. I for one enjoyed the game but then grew very disappointed when I realized what was happening. So who is to blame? I can only point the finger at myself and the folks who produced the game; not the programmers mind you, but rather the executive producers who take advantage of the obviously large demand for this game. If folks like me had not been so eager to buy it in the first place, perhaps Obsidian would have spent more time actually finishing what they started rather than wrapping it up and regurgitating it into the market. I believe if this game was under development for another 6 months, it would have truly been an experience to treasure, right up there with some of the all-time classics.
As I mentioned out the outset, this game does have a few virtues. Some may view this as a negative, but the d20 system from the first KOTOR has been overhauled and turned into to some kind of hybrid system that works much the same way but allows you to level up your characters all the way up to LEVEL 50. You can do this by taking advantage of some of the bugs in the game. However, this side effect allows you to create a more diversely skilled character. In addition, I really enjoyed the ability to influence others in the game. An added benefit would also be the ability to create new upgrades and modify nearly every weapon and armor you encounter in the game. This adds a serious level of depth to the game, and I also liked some of the numerous cameos in the game. The graphics and frame rate are at least a notch below the original game, but I was amazed at the amount of voice over dialog in this game. The plot makes the most sense if you play the game as a "light-side" Jedi and not so much sense when you play as a "dark-side" Jedi. Perhaps the most enjoyable part of the game are some of the humorous conversation options that appear. Three conversations in particular were absolutely hysterical. In these areas, KOTOR 2 has made a step up from the original.
I closely followed production of this game, and I know several items that were left out because of time constraints. Furthermore, I experienced several flaws in the final product also linked to time constraints. To me the time constraints are unacceptable because they affected the quality of the game. Sure, there are some really terrible games out there right now, but this is an OK game that could had potential to be one of the best games ever. That potential was wasted, and for that I will never trust this studio's products again. I will not buy the sequel (KOTOR 3) to this game unless it is a used copy.
If you have not bought this game yet, my advice is to buy it used. You may still enjoy the game, but at least Obsidian will not have it's apparent greed unsatiated.
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video-games_xbox
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Bravo" to Turtle Beach. Just received my TB Bravo wireless headset and so far so good. Lightweight and convenient, no batteries and ready to go fairly simple install. I have reviewed the Foxtrot as well, but returned them when I saw these go on sale for $109. If you are thinking of paying $169 or more, this headset is overpriced; for not too much more you can buy the Deltas on sale or PX5 ($210-225) and get Dolby 7.1 surround. First off, this headset is STEREO, while it produces good sound, it is not the same as Dolby. I own a DSS2 sound processor($65-$79) which pairs great with this set to give it Dolby surround. The reason I chose this over the Delta was price there is a $100 difference and batteries. You can plug in a USB cord, which is included, and use this set immediately. The receiver that gives it wireless ability is small and lightweight, about the size of a pack of cards. The headset features a flexible boom mic on the left earcup and all of your controls are on the right earcup. The learning curve for feeling out the buttons is easy. Each button is shaped different and has its own unique feel so you can adjust game or chat volume and mute your mic, as well as cycle through the customized sound presets and also power down. I will update after I get a better feel for this headset and if you own this or another stereo headset, check out my DSS2 review(must own) its pretty in depth. Overall good headset for this price, especially if you want wireless and don't want to deal with changing batteries. Thanks for reading and I hope I helped, feel free to comment.
*****UPDATE*****
Well I have put in the neccesary game and blu-ray hours I feel to make a judgement. I think once you find a good preset and if you got this on sale ( I bought three: 1.for $109 2.for $80 3.for $72 ). Very happy with the cost of all 3 which afforded me the luxury of the DSS2, which I highly reccomend if you already own a stereo headset; however, if you are looking at this for $140 to $180, try to find a Dolby set like the Deltas or PX5s on sale and pay about the same as the BRAVO not on sale with the DSS2. If you just want wireless and do not care about Dolby sound, BUY THIS if on sale(other headsets like PX3 are the same and run around $129 now). Get ready for a great gaming experience if its your first!
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video-games_xbox
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The Sennheiser X320 perform far better than their low price tag would indicate. As an avid adult gamer I've had, or used, several Xbox headsets over the years, ranging in price from $20 - $250+. I'm good to my electronics, ensuring gentle use and proper storage, so if I pay a lot, I expect a lot of use/life. Sounds reasonable, right? Unfortunately, the saying -- "you get what you pay for," is not only grammatically incorrect, it's also simply untrue. I've spent a lot more money for Turtle Beach and Tritton headsets that were ill-fitting and didn't hold up. Price does not equate quality, or lack thereof.
Also, I didn't make this purchase on a whim -- I researched a lot, and could find little to tell me that this headset would be a sound investment, but I decided to give them a chance as I have Sennheiser 570 headphones that I absolutely ADORE for their comfort, sound, and durability; purchased in 2002, and STILL going strong.
COMFORT: 8 of 10
Compared to Turtle Beach's PS3 Ear Force PX21 with their puny ear cups (as in really small) that sit right on top of the ear (ouch!), the X320s are heaven. However, when compared to my primary headset, the Astro A40s, the Sennheisers are less than optimal, as they need to be adjusted just right to keep the speaker cover from touching my ears. For most people this won't be an issue, but I wear glasses, and have my right ear pierced in the upper cartilage, and the earring pokes out a little. Also worth noting, the Sennheiser X320 headphones are molded at an angle so that the front of the earcups sit closer to the head than the back, which is actually rather ingenious considering that is also how ears are positioned on our heads. It's unusual though, but I like it.
SOUND: 8 of 10 *Please note: Our perception of sound is like our perception of color -- everyone hears and sees things subjectively.*
To me the stereo sound is, clear, but with enough bass to make it enjoyable (some games are more bass heavy than others), and I like it. Voice communications sound clear as well, but not everyone has a decent mic, or knows how to position them properly, so I am very happy to have the in-line volume control for both game and chat volumes (clearly indicated on the switch), as well as a bass boost switch.
For those who insist on surround sound, I strongly encourage you NOT to discount stereo headsets, especially this one. It you think you can't live without surround sound, you can purchase a DSS processor separately (Turtle Beach EarForce DSS), and you're good to go, but for a lot less money than if you were to purchase a Surround Sound headset. Trust me, I know. Been there, done that, and unless you're playing a lot of PVP where you *need* directional sound (footsteps and whatnot), then I wouldn't worry about it. When you have quality speakers right next to your ears, it matters less than you might think.
DURABILITIY:
I purchased my X320 headset in October 2013, and so far so good.
A bit more about me:
I'm a woman with average head and ear size, who wears glasses, and games almost daily. Comfort, Sound, Durability, and Price are all considerations I take seriously. Finding a decent sounding headset that works well, holds up to almost daily use, and fits comfortably for lengthy gaming sessions isn't as easy for me as it is for guys without glasses, since a majority of headsets are designed to appeal to a predominately male market. To meet my criteria and not cost an exorbitant amount, as the Sennheiser X320s have thus far, is a VERY pleasant surprise!
GAMING HEADSETS I'VE OWNED:
Astro A40 ($250+) - Expensive, but very good to excellent all around. Love it.
Tritton AX360 True 5.1 DSS ($250) - excellent sound, but a fail in every other aforementioned criteria.
Turtle Beach's PS3 Ear Force PX21 ($70) [also work on the 360] - TRULY UNCOMFORTABLE, and left speaker stopped working after only 5.5 months!
*Turtle Beach EarForce DSS ($50) - Surround Sound processor for making stereo headphones simulate surround sound. Great product.
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video-games_xbox
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Getting Lost in an Odyssey. One prominent feature of JRPGs is the emo male protagonist. Only a handful of games break this mold. One such game would be Lunar: Silver Star Story and Eternal Blue. While Lunar held to the same themes as most JRPGs by discussing the importance of friendship, the battle of Good versus Evil, it maintained a general sense of joviality. Even when things inevitably went dark, the characters kept their happy-go-lucky attitude.
Lost Odyssey is the antithesis of Lunar.
Kaim is your typical tortured soul protagonist, except that, unlike most others who write bad poetry while metaphorically slitting their wrists and bemoaning their wretched life, he actually has a reason to be. He's an immortal, apparently cursed to live forever and has already lived 1,000 years. So, when the game begins with a climactic battle involving a meteor, he's had many lifetimes of sorrow, guilt, death and tragedy that would obviously make anyone's existence incredibly dour. If you're a sucker for sad stories, Kaim's tale will undoubtably tug at your heart strings.
Basically, two stories are going on at once in Lost Odyssey. There's the current story that I'll get to in a bit. There's also the back story that comes flitting through in written form every once in awhile. You see, Kaim suffers from another JRPG staple: the amnesiac hero. He, and other immortals like him, don't remember much about their past for some reason. And so, as Kaim continues his quest, events will trigger memories and you have the option of reading them. These little vignettes are written by Kiyoshi Shigematsu, an award-winning Japanese novelist, and it shows.
These 34 stories, in fact, often overshadow the main story line. The main quest involves discovering why Kaim and the other immortals are amnesiac and they quickly become embroiled in a political landscape more polarizing than the current times we live in. A few different countries eye each other ominously and one of the main points of contention comes down to technology and magic. Add in some political backstabbing and enough emotional baggage to sink the Titanic and you basically have the very interesting and mature story in a nutshell.
The combat is typical JRPG; turn-based and random. Eschewing their previous game's encounter system (Blue Dragon), Lost Odyssey has plenty of random encounters. Fortunately, with the exception of a few areas, the encounters aren't as frequent as they have been in some games. A couple additions to the combat and leveling system add to the thrill. For instance, taking a cue from Shadow Hearts, you can equip various "Rings" on characters which will add various abilities to their attacks. The twist is that you have to trigger these additions by holding the right trigger and releasing it as a big circle perfectly shrinks to match a smaller circle. This little homage to Shadow Hearts should be expected since Feel Plus, a studio working with Mistwalker on this title, is comprised of some ex-Sacnoth employees who had created the Shadow Hearts series.
The leveling system is also pretty interesting as you have Immortals who don't learn skills when they level and Mortals who do. Consequently, you can "skill link" an Immortal to a specific Mortal Skill and learn it eventually. This creates an interesting dynamic where you want to have Mortals and Immortals in your party to gain their knowledge and also to have them level up. The one complaint I have is that members not in your party don't automatically gain experience. And due to the fact that you'll want your mortals to level so you can learn more skills, you'll constantly be flipping your formation around (you can have five members in your party at a time).
From a sound perspective, Lost Odyssey surprised me. The score from Final Fantasy mainstay Nobuo Uematsu is familiar and different, bringing to mind some of his excellent compositions from Final Fantasy. Meanwhile, this is one of the few JRPGs to offer a Japanese vocal track if you'd like to listen to that...and it's one of the only games where I don't want it. The English vocal staff is excellent for the most part. I really, really like it and the dialogue is (mostly) written well.
So there's obviously a big elephant in the room. Lost Odyssey is very reminiscient of Final Fantasy which is to be expected since you have Hironobu Sakaguchi, the father of the entire Final Fantasy series, and his cohort in musical crime onboard. Then you add in the fact that Feel Plus is made of ex-Sacnoth employees who were, in turn, former Square employees...and you have the recipe for a game that's pretty close to Square's long-winded series.
Along with the aforementioned party-swapping to level, a few other complaints bring the score down. For one, there's a lot of load times. And load times during cut scenes which is a huge no-no in my book. The frame rate does take a few dips every so often and while it's not a deal-breaker, it is noticeable. And the beautiful graphics are often marred with aliasing issues, resulting in what's called "jaggies." Combat also takes awhile to load into, as the game shows you various images, then the main characters are introduced before finally showing the enemies and the battle starts. All of this is to hide the load times, I'm sure, but it slows combat down a lot.
Ultimately, though, the complaints are minor nuisances in what is a great addition to the JRPG line. It's fun, mature, dark and sad, sometimes all at once. Unfortunately, Lost Odyssey seems to be taking a beating in the mainstream gaming press who have said it's "soooo old fashioned," a claim that probably wouldn't be made if you switch the words "Lost" and "Odyssey" with "Final" and "Fantasy" with some roman numeral...maybe with a dash and a number.
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video-games_xbox
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Hello? Hello? Is this thing on. I have had this headset for about a month now, so I can't comment on long term reliability, but there are some things that I noticed within even the first hour of use that may help others decide whether or not to invest in this product, things that I didn't see in other reviews. Besides, this thing doesn't have that "flimsy" feel to it so it will last if you take care of it.
The experts are now saying that gamers are great multitaskers, and you better hope they are right if you plan on getting this headset. There's no easy way to tell if the headset is muted or not. The OEM xbox communicator has a light on the controller insert that clearly indicates whether or not the mic is turned on and there's a volume dial. This Logitech controller insert does not have either; it has one light that seems to only indicate that it is plugged in. The volume control and a "multifunction" button are on the headset. The multifunction button powers the headset itself, and when it is on, toggles the mic muting. There's no way to tell if the thing is on mute other than trying to remember (short-term memory jokes aside, it's hard to remember after a 5 minute intense button-mashing battle) or asking the other person (after all, who wants to always be asking "can you hear me?").
Volume control is acceptable because there are min and max tones, but still no mute tone. Not even a different light color for a mute status. It's very frustrating, I figure with time I will get better at remembering, because I just can't live without the mute feature.
I operate this headset at full volume and its still barely loud enough to hear comfortably, especially when there's other background noise. One friend knew that I had gotten a new headset because I sounded farther away. If I push the earpiece toward my ear I it is almost too loud, so the low volume is probably due to my oversized ears, maybe it will fit your ear better.
I use this unit with a 2.4 GHz wireless controller, so the receiver part that is usually plugged into the controller is actually right at the xbox itself. There seemed to be not as much interference when I was using a wired controller; I could walk into the other room with the headset on and not get any crackling. By the way, I have a wireless internet network as well, and I could be getting a lot of interference there, too. As it is, I can walk about 15 feet before the crackling becomes too bad to stand.
However, the benefits of not being wired to the xbox outweigh the slight inconveniences of not knowing if your friend can hear you and some crackling. At least enough for me to stick with this setup. Overall, good Logitech quality and even if it's the only wireless xbox headset out there, it's ultimately up to you to decide if it's worth $60. If it lasts a while, it will be worth the investment to me.
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video-games_xbox
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It isn't horrible, but it isn't Game of the Year. Now, I may not be as informed or as wise as the older Star Wars fans who have lived through the first Xbox, but I have played classic older Star Wars games such as both previous Battlefront games and both Knights of the Old Republic games. I am incredibly fond of both of those series because of they're replay-ability and addition to the Star Wars fandom. When the announcement of this game came out, I was in disbelief that the footage they produced was from the in-game engine, but now that I've played it I can see that it was no pre-rendered cutscene. That actually leads me to my first point in my review. The graphics are unreal, so tip of the of the hat to DICE and EA in that regard. The weapons, though few there are, are balanced in a way for others to try and find what playstyle suits them best. If they don't do well, or don't like a particular style, then they can work towards something else and experiment with other weapons and Star Cards, which is next on my list. The Star Cards are a unique, allbeit somewhat annoying, addition to the game. Some of them, such as everyone's favorite Homing Launcher, should've just been included as battle pickups such as the Smart Rocket. While the game may be lacking in singleplayer content, one must first look at the other games DICE has produced, i.e the Battlefield franchise. That franchise appeals to those who seek and crave online action, and Battlefront is a game that delivers. While the offline content may be short and repetitive, the campaigns for Battlefields 3 and 4 are incredibly short and offer very little in terms of the game's success. In terms of multiplayer, there are only a few maps of the game, yes, and there are more being added in the future as DLC, but consoles are still limited in terms of what they can do, far more limited than a PC. DICE has to take in consideration how the game is going to be run on both console and PC. While many gripe about the lack of offline modes or Galactic Conquest or space conflicts, they don't realize that mnay other elements of the game would have to be sacrificed so they could run properly on consoles.
Anyway's, that's just my two cents. Take it or leave it, it's my opinion and you can disagree all you want.
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video-games_xbox
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Pull off the tricks and break no bones too. As I was leaving the store with "Skate", the new skateboarding franchise from EA, in my pocket, a thought occured to me: when was the last time I played a sports game anyway? I mean back in the old days, I used to play whatever: fighting, racing, sports, RPG's, movie tie-ins. And yet now it's mainly relegated to long adventures with twisty narratives and for some reason, I felt this urge to actually give "Skate" a go and though I find real skaters a bit annoying with their attempts at being as "gangsta" as possible and seeing how many times they can say "yo" in one sentenc, the game itself is actually quite fun though the learning curve is a bit steep but like the old saying goes: it's easy to play but harder to master though it's pretty sweet nailing that trick.
Story: After a hilarious live-action video, your character starts off and the basic premise really is just...skate. That explains the title I suppose since that seems to be the best thing to do and though there's challenges to take on and tutorials to lengthen your literal bag of tricks, the real goal of the game is just have fun and if you see a pipe or ledge then grind it. An obstacle then hop over it. Oh and look totally awesome while doing it.
Graphics: Like open world games like Saints Row, Grand Theft Auto and the like, the graphics are pretty good though if you're going for immense detail than that's usually found elsewhere since this game is all about the finer details. The skaters' faces look pretty well done though not Half-Life 2 or Mass Effect extraordinary but then their character animations during skating is spot-on. Cars and cities are pretty basic and interaction is minimal but then the wobbling of your tires and the wince-inducing crashes are excellent. Load times can be a problem for some though in my case (maybe because of this patch that popped up), they were pretty minimal.
Sound/Music: One thing I always hated about support character voices is the frequent clips they use since after awhile you feel like "I know!". One objective was to fliptrick into a manual (tilting the board front or back), staying that way than fliptricking out of it. Of course nailing it was tough enough but the other guy keep saying what I was supposed to be doing it's like you wanna slap the guy and say "shut up, I'm trying here". However, musically it's quite fun and who knew cruising to "Raining Blood" by Slayer would get you pumped for grinding the rails? There's many other tracks that popped up as well such as Nirvana's "Lounge Act" as well as a remix so that was quite cool. Again, voice clips are well done though repetitive but music's got no issues for me.
Gameplay: Instead of button presses a la Tony Hawk, "Skate" is controlled by using the Flickit system which moves your moves to the analog. To do an ollie/nollie or essentially a basic jump, push back or front than move it the other way. After awhile it's easy enough to use but I gotta say, with so many tricks, half the time I'd land some move I never heard of yet I was really trying to go for a basic heeljump or something. Speaking of which, the sensitivity on this is a bit too unforgiving at times; like going for a move that calls to push to the right or left (kickflip and heelflip) only the game interprets it as a rotate to the left or right, resulting in a pop shuv it. It's not enough to get annoyed at but more often than not, I couldn't nail a requirement because the stick movement was wrong and with a mini-game named "S.K.A.T.E" which is similar to H.O.R.S.E. or basically a Simon Says, trying to imitate a skater can be tricky.
The game's pretty free-reignas far as what you can do and new areas can be explored for more fun and a handy map works quite well. Music will dictate where most skaters are where you'll usually find a full on skating park with the big grooves and ramps to just simple parking lots with beams and ledges. One complaint is that outside of doing a flip trick or crashing, you're kind of glued to your board so if I want to do this awesome idea for a trick, I can't just walk up these stairs I tumbled down, I have to skate up these things, turn around and try again. Can't I just pick my board up, walk a few feet and give another go?
With sponsors, music tracks and of course the ever-popular achievements, there's plenty to do in Skate and even when you've done everything well hell, just go out there again and go for the fun of it which was a nice surprise. I haven't played a Tony Hawk game in years (one of the initial ones on the first Playstation is only attempt so far) but I don't think I'd go to that one after playing this. This one just seems so...free? And fun of course.
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video-games_xbox
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Not the most technically impressive XBOX game, but great FUN. I LOVE this game!!
I hate the Playstation so I have never played any of the earlier Oddworld titles. Taking a chance, I got this for Christmas based on early XBOX game reviews and I have not regretted it yet! While on the surface Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee looks like any other PS2 game out there, don't let that stop you from buying and enjoying this game. What's it like? Picture a game like Super Mario 64 or Sonic Adventure but with a much deeper plot, brain-busting puzzles and tons of technique and variety.
Yes, this game will require a great deal of thought and planning to complete. Don't wimp out and buy the [price] strategy guide just yet (wait until you beat the game on your own and then replay it with the strategy book to get to all the items/areas you may have missed!) part of this game's appeal is figuring out the puzzles yourself. There's a great deal of satisfaction that comes with overcoming a particularly tricky area of the game!
Your job as Abe and Munch is basically to rescue your friends and to pass through levels. When I mentioned variety, there are levels where you must switch between the two heroes, possess enemies, use a crane to drop explosives on unsuspecting rivals, and resurrecting fallen comrades. The powerups are actually useful and the story is both funny and interesting....I actually found myself laughing along with the nicely done between-level CGI movies! Control is crisp and I found it to be really fun when you get Munch in his wheelchair! Good stuff indeed! Oh, and you get to save at any point in the game-this is the way it SHOULD be!
Replayability is high because you are graded on your Qarma, in other words, the more friends you rescue, the higher your score. This is difficult in that you must also utilize your friends to engage the enemies and some will be killed in the process. The trick is to use your friends to fight only when absolutely necessary and only when you have sufficient numbers to do so.
All in all, I love this game! Buy this for your Xbox, you won't be disappointed!
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video-games_xbox
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An Incredible Game, The Best 2-D Platformer in Ages. I've played a lot of Skyrim since the holidays. Quite a bit of Arkham City, as well. Prior to that was a lot of Fallout, Streetfighter, Braid, and Limbo.
This, hands down, is the most fun I've had with a game in years.
It's hard to know where to start with Rayman: Origins. It is a challenging, technically genius, artistically gorgeous 2-D platformer. A crazy Francophile Mario, if you will. The game requires quite a bit of skill but it eases you into the mechanics very gracefully. If you are in any way a fan of this genre, then this game is an absolute must have.
2-D games are few and far between these days, especially on this scale. While games like Braid and Limbo, just to name two, have reinvigorated the genre recently (and they are both magical, brilliant games in their own right) I would be hard pressed to name another full-fledged, AAA title on the current generation of consoles besides Rayman. There are over 60 levels, and while you could blast through many of them in only a few minutes, in order to actually conquer them you will need to invest much more dedication. This will in turn allow you to unlock even more levels.
As a gamer who still remembers spending hours playing Super Mario Bros., this game was a really nice nostalgia trip for me, but make no mistake, it makes good use of the current generation's processing power. The graphics are incredible, like playing a cartoon in real time, with crisp HD sprites literally filling up the screen. Mechanics are intuitive and can be used in combination to achieve your goals in many different ways. There is a nice variety in the level design, including some great throwback 2-D shooter levels.
Multi-player is also a big draw. It can make some levels slightly easier, and others slightly harder, but it always multiplies the fun factor exponentially. This is the only video game that my girlfriend will play with me, and sometimes she'll even play it by herself.
There really is no excuse to not at least try this game. It is a refreshing change of pace from the majority of console games available. Give it a try and you will most definitely not be disappointed.
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video-games_xbox
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Nice quality keyboard, in-game use may not be exactly what you are looking for. The quality of this keyboard is really good. The keys are heavy, and it seems to play like a 'real' keyboard. I have no complaints at all about this piece of hardware.
I am also enjoying RB3 using the keyboard. Here are a few caveats that people who are debating on whether to buy it should know in regards to keyboard PRO mode:
First, reading the notes/chords on the scrolling RB screen is FAR more difficult than actually reading music (at least to me). I've played the piano since I was about 13, but I have trouble with the RB interface. It can sometimes be difficult to see what notes are linked together for the chords, especially for a faster song. Unlike with the guitar, I almost always have to go into practice mode and slow it down first before actually playing it with the band, as sight reading via the scroll is difficult. I then kind of translate the notes in my head into real music in order to "see" them better.
Second, you are only doing pro keyboard for your right hand. With the keyboard being limited to two octaves, this makes sense. It's just something that isn't fully explained prior to purchase.
Third, the songs for keyboard out of the box are somewhat limited. You really need to go the store and download additional stuff to get a good variety of songs that feature the keyboard/piano.
As for RB3 overall, we are enjoying it. Career mode seems a bit less structured than before, and we like that we can create our own set lists for some of the road gigs as well as just play whatever we want and still get credit for the career. I find the character models are pretty hideous though. It was difficult to make one that didn't look like a freak of nature.
Overall, I am pleased with the purchase, and the keyboard adds a whole new dimension to the game. Looking forward to trying out PRO Guitar mode in the future.
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video-games_xbox
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Another Monopoly Rendition. There so many renditions of the board game Monopoly in the console market that it may be difficult to figure out which is the best one. The new spin behind Monopoly Party is the fact that all the players can roll the dice and move their player pieces at the same time. Up to for players can be in the game; each player with their piece shown in their own mini-screen. Since everyone can roll and move at once, the gameplay is more fast pace and avoids the boredom of having to wait for other players (which is classic Monopoly). Another change they made in Monopoly Party; you can pick from five different game boards and players pieces with a theme like: sci-fi, fantasy and a few others. This adds nice asthetics, to the look of the game but does not really affect gameplay- so overall its just a weak gimmick. The gameplay still contains the same basic rules, where you buy, property, get chance cards or land in jail. If the game's creator really wanted to make this a better game, they should have included enhanced animations, user created rules and a bunch a mini-games to make it into a true party game. This is a fun rental because of its fast paced gameplay, but overall it is not worth a purchase.
So far the biggest complaints from most Monopoly players on the console is that the games are just fun for a short time and quickly become boring. Monopoly Party, is no exception it feels fun at first but then gets old fast. The whole problem with having board games translated onto a console game is the fact that you don't get to interact with your friends in the same way you would than if were to play the actual board games with all its physical pieces and cards. The exchange of jokes and engaging in conversations adds that social aspect which cannot be duplicated when playing a console game where all you do is stare at the television screen and press the controller's button. That's just my two cents.
Pros:
+easy to play
+four players at a time
+fast paced gameplay
+good graphics
+contains basic rules
+gameboard themes are cool
+best monopoly currently
available for consoles.
Cons:
-gets old fast
-needs enhanced animations
-needs mini-games to be
a true party game
-minimal sound effects
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video-games_xbox
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BORING. I swear, I don't see what people possibly like in this game. I bought it based on the overwhelmingly positive reviews only to find out that everyone is so so wrong on this game. The fact of the matter is, however, that this game is about as exciting and fun as NPR. This game is SO SO BORING! It may very well be the first game I've never finished because I dread wanting to pop it in my system about as much as I dread dental surgery. But at least dental work is more fun and a lot less painful.
This game is simply a "lather-rinse-repeat" style of game. You play as a cocky 12th century assassin who's arrogance has gotten him demoted from the Assassin's union, or whatever you want to call them. Your goal is then to re-work your way up the ranks of being the top assassin while killing all of your town's enemies off on the road and blending in with the townspeople, being stealthy, etc. All of this takes place within the flashbacks of a modern-day bartender who's being held captive against his will by a scientist and his assistant who's using him for their research in "genetic memories." The assassin you play as is a direct descendant of the guy and the scientists are viewing his ancestor's memories through a high tech machine. And in-between accessing the past, there isn't much else you can do.
Basically, you sneak into towns, save countless townspeople from the SAME soldiers accusing them of theft, and climb up HUNDREDS of towers in order to expand your map (you can't go any further without the semi-realistic way of seeing your overall area by climbing up the top of high towers in order to see everything to expand your map. That's right, you have to actually work just to see where you're going.) Doing all of these things, maybe, I don't know, 6 or 8 times is okay, but you'll be doing these things literally DOZENS of times in any given area, making the overall game very boring, very repetitive and not fun, whatsoever. Each of the three towns you go to has a rich, poor, and middle class district, and in any given district, you'll have to climb about 15 towers, save about 15 citizens from persecution and interrogate or spy on about 10 people. And that's PER district, per town. So, yeah. You can just imagine how boring this gets after a while. And doing the "research" on your enemy is about three-quarters of the game play. The actual fighting/killing is the last thing you actually do.
The sword fighting system is very archaic and simple. Basically, it's button mashing and dodging until everyone is killed. While I admit, the counters are cool, the overall sword fights are just as repetitive and boring as anything else in the game. And when you FINALLY get to face the enemy you're after, even HE is no different or unique from any other enemy you've faced.
This game isn't good at anything they claim to boast. It's not that good at being stealthy (all you do is blend into the crowd, which, considering your wardrobe, actually doesn't make any sense) and it's not that good at being fun (seriously, why all the climbing towers and saving people?) and it's not that good at doing much else of anything as far as game play is concerned. Sure, the game looks and sounds great, but is about as fun as the worst college History class you've ever been in. The whole game itself, draws a lot of knowledge and information and historical accuracy, so I can't help but feel like this game was made by a bunch of history geeks who know nothing about what the term 'fun' or 'entertaining' is, and that feeling seeps within every aspect of this game. It's simply boring as HELL, and that's about as much as you need to know.
Don't make the mistake I did in buying this game. While it may be a bit egotistical to go against so many other people, I just have to say that they simply just don't know what they're talking about. OR they're entertained easily by the graphics and feel of the game, because there is NO aspect of fun game play WHATSOEVER in this title! This game literally feels like a chore to play and I don't like taking a video game as a chore rather than as fun.
I'll end on this: DON'T PLAY THIS GODAWFUL GAME!
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video-games_xbox
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Great Game! However, I Will List Flaws. If you want glowing reviews, read the other one. I'm here to talk about the flaws so you guys can see both sides to the game. You will probably expect to feel similar when playing the game, but everyone's opinion differs. Again, great game, I'm not saying it isn't. I'm just here to analyze the flaws.
FLAWS and ISSUES
1. Can't delete spells. I don't understand why not.
2. No suspense or later on there's no real suspense. I have my difficulty slider all the way to the right now but I notice that the game doesn't really grip me and put me on the edge like "holy marshmallows! What was that??" It's like you just go and attack and the fighting isn't super indepth. You just slash and use spells to kill your opponent, I just don't see a huge amount of strategy when I fight my enemy. I mean sure you can use strategy to kill your opponent, but why use strategy when plain raw power and outright onslaughter will do just the same? I just back up a little and let me summon go in first then I pick at the enemy from the sides. You can give your enemies a bunch of handicaps to make the fighting more interesting, but who are you kidding? Winning with all your strength and smarts is the best kind of fighting. It's like playing tag for real and playing it with little kids that you know have no chance in catching you, but you pretend to let them catch you. Not much fun.
3. With the difficulty slider all the way to the right I notice a few things. Either the fighting remains easy as heck or I get beat the crap out of. Like there was the final mission for saving Kvatch, where you're about to open the gate after going through the underground place and there's enemies outside the gate in mass. I got murderized in like 3 seconds? I got hit with spells from A through Z and the only way I beated it at my current state was putting it on medium to easy. Anyway, then there's other times when I raid a whole cave with ease on difficulty max. I'm so thankful for the difficulty slider because without it I think this game would be completely wack. So this game is either not challenging or too hard. It might not be so wack for the experience players, but it will be for many.
4. I know your items are organized, but there's many stuff you can keep in this game I wish there was more organization or a different kind of system. I wish I can also scroll down to the bottom of my list with a click of a button, if there is someone tell me? I keep having to scroll alllll the way to the bottom.
5. I really hate how you can't have the option to have your map, local or world, on the actual screen. I admit, I have a bad sense of direction, I mean in real life I use my Garmin to go to the store that's 2 blocks away, but I get lost all the time in this game and I have to keep going into my menu over and over to see where I am.
6. I hate how you can accidentally steal stuff sometimes and get jumped for it and when you summon or have followers, you keep accidently hit them and then they turn on you. I hate that. I have to save all the time because of that. I like having a follower because I get lonely in the game walking around by myself, but mines is a little snitching dog when I kill people or steal stuff. Oh yeah I also hate how when you click on your follower there's not an option to not choose either one so when you accidently click on them, you have to choose either to dismiss them or tell them to wait and since that was on accident, you gotta click them again to tell them to follow you again.
7. Btw just wanted to add that FAST TRAVEL is one of the best thing in this game so I don't know why some people put it down. I would probably kill myself if I have to keep walking around in this gigantic land. Fast travel makes the world a lot smaller and exploring is a good idea. I love Oblivion's world, but getting lost in it is no fun especially when you want to get to that destination and do your thing. I remember yesturday trying to find this ruin, I continuously got blocked by slopes that I couldn't get over and had to do a round trip in order to find a way in. The glarmor and nice graphics are killed by built up anxiety, impatience, and frustration of actually getting to where you want.
8. Different types of missions. So far I've only encountered missions that dealt with:
a) Having to kill someone or fake someone's death or something relating to someone getting killed.
b) Being a messenger boy or getting somebody together.
c) Being a bodyguard
9. I wish this game mixed itself a bit with Fable 2, where you can form some businesses and whatnot. Fable 2's business real life simulation + Dead Space kind of suspense + Oblivion + Zelda Ocarina of Time's memorable gameplay = Ultimate RPG.
10. Not that many unique interesting enemies. You will continue to see rats, cats, bears, wolves, goblins throughout the game. Then in later levels, you find a few more. But there's nothing super cool or special about them and there's not many enemies in general.
11. Is it me or are most of the caves look the same? I mean if you go to caves like crayfish, haynote/heynote and greenmead cave, you'll sorta notice some places that look awfully the same. Other than a few different tunnels and endings here and there....once you raid one cave, you sorta raid them all. Another reason is because you also encounter pretty much the same type of enemies in most of them.
12. The loading is supposedly a lot better than Morrowind, however, it can get a bit abnoxious sometimes. Enter house, LOAD. Exit house, LOAD. Enter cave, LOAD. Go to the next level in the cave, LOAD. Go all the way back out of the cave, load load load. Fast travel, LOAD. Opps, made a mistake! LOAD. Was I suppose to take the left door instead? LOAD. If you enter and exit a place, sometimes you won't have to load though.
TIPS TO A GOOD GAME:
1. Look up UESP on google. UESP is something you must check out if you haven't. It's the wikipedia of this game.
2. Many of the stuff in this game is leveled including opponents and items. Many of the quest items are leveled, meaning you won't get the best of certain items until you're around lvl 25-30. You'll find much better stuff around lvl 20+++. You also encounter new enemies as you level up higher but some old enemies will still be there.
3. Leveling up any skill in this game works like this: The more / fast you use it, the faster you'll level up. So if you want to level up a skill like conjuration fast, use a conjuration type spell like bound item and continuously cast. The lower the magicka cost, the better it is for you. It's not how big or costly the spell is, it's how many times you use it. Same for the other skills, magic related or not.
4. Always save often. If you're the type that knows how and when to save and remembers to save, then turn off autosave. After every few saves, make a new save file and don't delete the older save files until you're sure you don't need them. Oblivion has many glitches. You should definitely dl the patches when and if you can, it's worth it. I usually save every few minutes, I find it very worthwhile.
5. Use Hotkeys. It's in your manual.
6. If you press START and go to GAMEPLAY, you can adjust the difficulty slider left to right. It helps you adjust your character's build and your gameplay to the game. You can adjust it throughout your gameplay on Oblivion.
7. If you start having glitch problems such as problems completing a quest and you don't know why, the first thing you should usually try is to reload your game and clear your system cache. Directions in the first sticky on this board.
8. The best weapons in this game is a weapon you enchant yourself and is not found in the game or given to you. I mean you can get pretty good stuff, but you'll find that enchanting your own item works best. Enchanting means bestowing magical properties into the items that you wear or the weapons that you use. You will, however, need an enchanting alter found in FrostCrag DLC or Arcane University which is only accessible later on.
9. Fast travel is......GOD! But you should also remember to explore. Fast travel by going into your Journal by pressing B. Then scroll to the Map and Quest menu and have your cursor over the location. If fast travel is possible, then the option to press A to fast travel will be available as long as there's no enemies trying to get you or you're in a house or something.
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video-games_xbox
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Looks great but prepare for a challenge. I just built up an A/V cabinet that looked good except for the eye catching XBOX360 sitting in there. My wife was more bothered by it than I was so she discovered skins here on Amazon.
Now lets talk about putting it on. Gey your hair dryer, a soft flexible credit card and your squirt bottle handy. You first clean the case well, then mist the case with water before applying the skin. This allows the skin to move reasonably while you position it. Perhaps this is by design, but all the pieces seemed a little big and there was no way to apply the skin aligning all the cut-outs at the same time - the sides pieces were particularly large. I did the front face first and thought the thing was a throw-away. It had air bubbles and bulges of extra skin everywhere. This is where the hair dryer comes in. The hair dryer on low at a distance of about 12" seems to both soften the glue and slightly shrink the skin. I worked it slowly with fingers trying to get the bulges down without making creases. If you make a crease try to pull the sides of the crease apart so you can distribute that extra skin. Once all the bulges are gone you can work the skin into the nooks and crannies and slide out the water/air bubbles with your fingers, and finally use the credit card for the last little ones. Make sure not to run the credit card across any creases as you will mar up the skin. If any bulges or air bubbles come back just go at them again with the hair dryer and fingers/credit card any they will eventually settle down.
As for my customizations, I used a sharpie to hide the white on a few spots where it could still be seen like in the crack between the front and side covers. I also trimmed down the power button cut-out so I could half black-out my power button.
The final word... It worked well and gave me a flawless end product but required a good 2 hours and some patience (and a few 4 letter words). I have an eye for mechanical things and reasonable patience, but I suspect some others might not have the same success. If you don't have the patience go ahead and get the skin, but get your most anal retentive friend to help you put it on.
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video-games_xbox
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Homefront Had Potential. Homefront had potential there was plenty of good thought in it but somewhere along the line THQ dropped the ball and Homefront was not the great game it was hyped as. The single player is in some ways gripping if your a patriotic American. But the game had many flaws for single player one of the most frustrating is that it seemed like no one in the enemy force used the same weapon and finding ammo for your gun was rather difficult. For those players who have even a basic understanding of guns will find yourself sitting there thinking what the heck? that gun is also a 5.56 why cant i have its ammo? Along with that it has a very short story that on normal will only take a couple hours to beat. That is a major downfall for this game, the single player would've been a great story with good replay value if they would've made it longer and developed it more. The Story is really this simple, break out of the city, steal fuel and escort it to the last few remaining heavy armor. For many games that would've been a few missions, 3 at the most, in Homefront that is the whole story. The short story makes the replay value fairly low.
I think the problem was that THQ like many game developers these days focused way too much on the online play which was not great for the most part. Its online is sort of like Battlefield meets Call of Duty. I found the online to be under developed also and seemed like they rushed it. The tanks kinda move like big boats and don't handle like real tanks would. I could go on for a long time pointing out the faults in the game.
The pros are that it can be fun even online. The story while short was in my opinion gripping and thought provoking.
The short story combined faults in single player and online only earned this game 3/5 stars. Its a mediocre game, its not great but its also not bad. I would say if you can get it for less than $20 you got yourself a fairly good deal.
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video-games_xbox
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Your Friendly Neighborhood Controller. my friends and I are pretty picky about xbox controllers. Being huge halo fans and other deathmatching type games we hold controls to the utmost importance. Being low on cash is often a problem, people bring cheap controllers over and they just suck. It's best to save up and get you a nice controller that will work for sure. For this I highly reccomend the Microsoft S controllers for anyone who wants to go the corded controller route.
With that being said, the spiderman controller is very nice. The layout is all the same as the S and things are very accurate. There's not much in the directions on how to get the controller going, as you mainly just plug and pray , turn on the xbox, turn on the controller and play.
But if you need to re-establish the link sometimes it's tricky. The only thing I can complain about this controller is like during Halo 2, the long cutscenes are enough time that the controller will lose connection. then you have to get up and press the little button on the box hanging out of the xbox, to get it working again. I don't know why this is and like I said the instructions don't explain much. But if you are playing a game without long cutscenes you never have to worry about it.
I actually got mine at Gamestop in the mall and it came with 4 spidey batteries with Doc Oc and Webhead graphics. I went ahead and loaded them but I keep thinking man why did I do that because they'd be collectors items or something .. who cares right? they're batteries and they'd die someday. I'll just keep em in a junk drawer or something anyway. I'm not sure if this ensemble will have the batteries or not they don't say.
ALWAYS keep 4 AA batteries with you when using this!! you never know when the batteries may cut out during a big game moment and you're screwed! I've seen it happen to wireless players before.
all in all this is a very nice colorful controller and I reccomend it to anyone who's bored with standard colored controllers.
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video-games_xbox
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Good racer, but AI is retarded. This game is fun for the first few levels, but then becomes a very tedious grind once you get past level 20. Tracks are too few, and not very interesting. Really need more variety and alot less super twisty tracks. Turn 10 needed more speedways, and less King Cobra type road courses.
Also don't help that the AI are horrible drivers. Racing is a game of giving and taking. I just wish the Forza 2 AI learned when to give ground when they are outbraked into the corner, or just much slower than you are. The AI also is way too overaggressive to the point they will drive through you at any given time. This happens alot if you ramp up the difficulty that forces you to break much sooner to stop from locking up your brakes. The AI also is quite slow in their cornering. It gets quite irriating wiping out as the AI for some dumb reason brakes on the exit of the corner instead of hitting the gas.
The damage seems a bit unrealistic. Even on the highest settings it seems more arcade style damage than anything else. A car shouldn't be competitive enough to go for the win after smoking the wall at 100 mph like the Forza 2 cars do with full damage on. I don't see the point of having damage if your going to use it more towards a gimmick move to promote sales. If your going to have racing damage do it right or don't do it at all. Forza 2 seems to go about half way and stop.
Its nice that they let you do cool stuff to your paint job. Wish they would have a spray brush option to do some fine tuning instead of doing everything with decals on top of decals.
Overall a good racer if all you have is the Xbox 360. I'd honestly suggest the GT series over the Forza series. Not as a fanboy, but from the fact the GT games are more better rounded on all fronts. The Forza series seems to go half way really good then seems to rush through the other half for some reason.
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video-games_xbox
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The Old School Debuts on New School Hardware Successfully. Wolfenstein: The New Order is the first game developed by MachineGames, a new game development studio comprised of industry veterans who worked on such titles as The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay and The Darkness. After leaving Starbreeze, these talents started MachineGames to continue their passion of making great games, and if Wolfenstein: The New Order is any indication, this studio has a bright future ahead of them.
First and foremost, Wolfenstein: The New Order is a single player game. Is that a negative? Not one bit. There are enough multiplayer games out there if that's what you're into, and only a few of them actually succeed, so it's best to leave multiplayer to the games that have people who want that and not waste resources on it when they could be better spent making a meatier and more satisfying single player game, and that's exactly what MachineGames did with Wolfenstein: The New Order. Depending on your style of play, you can get 20 hours out of this game on one playthrough, which is very long for a first-person shooter. In addition, both running & gunning and stealth are viable options since the level design allows for exploration and planning which is important if you're playing stealthily. This also adds replay since there are two different ways you can play the game. As for the shooting, it's so buttery smooth and packs a punch. I haven't played a shooter in a very long time that felt this good. As for stealth, it's pretty basic but satisfying. It's fun throwing knives at the enemy or using a silenced pistol. :)
Onto the graphics, this game is available on Xbox One, PS4, PC, Xbox 360 and PS3, so it's a cross-generational release, which means it won't be the most graphically impressive game you've ever seen. Sometimes it looks outstanding, sometimes it looks okay, and other times you'll notice that some textures aren't as detailed as they could be. With that said, Wolfenstein: The New Order is a rarity on consoles like Xbox One and PS4 since it outputs native 1080p resolution and 60 frames-per-second on both.
Now the big surprise for me is the story. Wolfenstein was never known for story, but The New Order changes that. Likable protagonists, despised antagonists, all wonderfully voiced and acted. In addition, the soundtrack is tops.
Wolfenstein: The New Order surprised me by how good it is. Probably my favorite FPS since Half-Life 2.
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video-games_xbox
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Initial thoughts. I absolutely loved DA: Origins. I probably played it through about a dozen times. I like DA II but I can't say I loved it. I'll start with the good...
They give the hero a voice. I played as a female and whoever did her voice was very good. I didn't mind that this story doesn't have much connection to the first game. I thought the whole refugee from Lothering was an interesting concept. I've just started my second playthrough, in which I have imported my Warden's history, so I can't comment on that aspect just yet. For those who are interested, they give you more hairstyle choices (thank goodness).
There are potential romances with party members, which is something I enjoyed in the first game and was glad to see again. There is also a fun little side-quest in which you must help a teammate with their own romance.
Your hero gets his/her own house and all the other party members have their own places, which is both a plus and a minus. It's good to see where they live and all but you have to be in your friend's home to trigger any of the special conversations you have with them. It's a pain to be trapsing all over town just to talk with your teammates.
I kind of like the fact that I didn't have to worry about my team's armor but it took me a while to get used to not looking at armor for for everyone and just focus on myself.
The music was really good and the graphics and scenery are amazing.
I also like that they made the Mabari (DLC) a spell/talent that you have to activate (much like how a Rogue could summon a bear, spider, or wolf in the first game). There was a glitch in my first playthrough and I was never able to name the dog but my second game did give me the option.
Now for the bad...
You're stuck in Kirkwall. You get to make a few trips to the mountains or the beach but for the most part are stuck in town.
There doesn't seem to be as many opportunities to get to know your party members. The romance felt especially rushed and unsatisfying. Coming from a woman's perspective, there was no satisfactory choice for male romances. Anders is an okay romance but I didn't like him anywhere near as much as Alistair. Fenris, did not appeal to me at all. If you get the DLC "Exiled Prince," Sebastian is romancable but from what I understand, he is more of a glorified flirtation. He was the most appealing to me of the three as far as looks and personality go. There is no option to kiss your boyfriend/girlfriend whenever you want like you could in the first game. There are one or two romantic scenes and that is all you get. I can live without that stuff but at the end there is no epilogue that tells you how you and your love interest ended up, so it all seems for naught.
The main conflict is not a clear cut good vs. evil fight. There are tough decisions to make and you know it will end badly no matter how you decide, and that took some of the fun out of the game. I can see putting a few scenarios like that in there but the entire game was one tough choice after another.
My character was a Rogue Archer and there were many times when she'd just stand there and do nothing while I pressed the attack button. I'd have an enemy selected and...nothing. It was more than a little annoying.
I also feel like they give you too many Rogues (3 with DLC, two of which are Archers) and too many Mages (3) in your party. Granted, one mage is unavailable through a good part of the game but I would have liked another Warrior choice(you get 2) or at least a Dual Weapon Rogue.
That's all I can thinnk of for now. I'll try to come back and edit after I've played through it again.
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video-games_xbox
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A Perfect Flop. This game is a perfect example of how a game can be executed flawlessly on the technical side, and still really, well, just stink. First off, I loved the first one. Loved the co-op, love the mechanics (though some were a bit simple), and even loved the (albeit VERY simple) story.
Bluntly, the developers take EVERYTHING they did well in the first one, lead it out back on it's knees, kick it in the privates, and put two in the back of it's dome.
The co-op is TERRIBLE in the second one. They spend just as much time FORCING your characters to act independently from one another as they do encouraging you to work together.
The mechanics are equally botched in the second one. I have never seen a weapon modification system in a game with SO MUCH in there to modify your weapons that... never.... actually.... modifies your... weapons... by... that.... much.... Wait. Did I miss the whole point of the weapon modification system? No. I don't think I did, but the developers sure as heck did. No weapon can be modified in a positive manner in ANY of its stats more than 25% by ALL of modification effects on a weapon cumulatively. However, a weapon's stats may FALL by 75% or more because of penalties applied by these very same modifications. There are exceptions to these two rules, but the exception are far and few between.
Lastly, the story..... Um... there is really nothing I can say about the story that is good, other than it is mercifully shorter and even simpler than the first AoT. I can't post spoilers here, but all I will say is there is no happy ending here. Their can't be. No matter what you do you loose people. No matter how hard you fight and how well you do the developers kick you in the teeth with FORCING the story to go the way THEY choose.
If I sound a little bitter about the game ending, well, perhaps that is because I am.
Bottom line: Unless you are someone who enjoys disappointment and punishment for you hard gaming work, skip this title. Don't give EA money for showing the paying fans this level of disdain.
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video-games_xbox
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Save your money. I Sold mine to a friend for $35.00! It's terrible!
This is a fine example of the greed EA and the gaming industry is headed to.
This game could have been game of the year but instead it was released too early with few maps and many unsolved problems, including uncontrollable snipping, terrible hit detection system, few and small maps and many other issues.
Being a BBC2 fan I was hoping for an improvement with this game and in fact it takes a few steps back in game developing and to my amazement they release a DLC pack only a couple weeks after the unfinished game was released!? WOW! Maybe they should have left that pack in the game and spent some more time smoothing out all the issues it has. It's rough!
You will get very frustrated at the constant sniping and your life span will be only a few seconds all the time. In fact you will spend more time actually waiting for the game to start then in actual combat. Worst letdown ever in a game for me!
I purchased an Xbox 360 slim and a PS3 slim this year with the hope of some great gaming. What I got was low quality games full of errors, rough and obviously rushed to release to increase revenue (Fable 3, Medal of Honor, Fallout NV) I have no problem with them making money, but I demand quality in the product! My only hope now is that COD Black Ops will be more like COD4 then MW2 or I may be done with the video game industry for good!
**********
Don't buy DLC (DownLoadable Content) from companies that release low quality games or games with errors and glitches until the fix them! If you support them buy buying DLC they will continue to release lower and lower quality games and try to sell more and more DLC! Greed has taken over the gaming industry, it's up to us to say no! Next they will try to charge us to play online on top of what you pay Microsoft! All the professional reviewers are being payed! You've been warned!
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video-games_xbox
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Simply Put, Amazing. I wound up buying Terraria based on a recommendation of a friend. I had initially written it off as some sort of Minecraft clone and to be perfectly honest, I think I am one of the only people in the world that do not really care for Minecraft. I just have a really hard time getting past the low resolution textures and graphics. Anyways, one of my good gaming freinds told me that while it did have similar aspects to it, that of building and resource gathering, it had many aspects that made it very different from Minecraft. I am a big fan of 2D sidescrolling games in general so I decided to take a chance and bought it on Xbox Live Arcade. I basically spent the next week completely immersed in this game.
For those unaware, Terraria is basically a 2D sandbox style exploration game. One of the best aspects to Terraria is the world is randomly generated at the start of the game. This type of randomly generated world/dungeon is becoming more and more popular in the gaming world and for good reason. It significantly adds to the replayability of a particular game. Terraria does have many things in common with Minecraft. Like Minecraft, the heart of the game is exploring, collecting materials, and crafting an ever increasing number of items available to you. You start off in the forest, but Terraria has many different biomes with which to explore, each offering unique items with which to craft with. By the time you get 8-10 hours into Terraria, you will already have a large number of items that you can create, including various types of armor and weapons. One of the best items in the game is the rocket boots that one can craft. They allow one to traverse long distances in quick measure. Not to mention, its just fun flying around in rocket boots!
One of the biggest differences between Minecraft and Terraria lies in the fact that combat plays a much larger role in Terraria and that is ultimately one of my favorite asepcts about the game. On top of there being enemies galore, all over Terraria's map, you also have the added bonus of multiple boss monsters that one can summon at certain points in the game. The big eye you see on the XBox 360 Terraria box art is one of these bosses, The Eye of Cthulu. The bosses are definitely challenging, especially if your playing the game solo. Playing Terraria with friends is definitely fun, but I actually prefer to play solo a lot of the time as its a much more challenging game when your going it solo.
There is a small tutorial at the beginning of the game that gives you a basic idea of the games mechanics and how you go about collecting resources and building items, but its short and not very in depth. That actually wound up being one of my favorite aspects to Terraria, the fact that it just basically throws you into the world and you have to really figure everything out on your own. I can see where this might annoy some people, but I absolutely loved this aspect of the game. Slowly buy surely you learn more and more about the world of Terraria. Its just makes the whole exploration aspect to Terraria that much more exciting. Another interesting aspect to Terraria is the NPC's that populate the world. There are NPC's that will come and live in your shelter, but only if they have thier own furnished rooms. There are various NPC's, each offering various services including healing, selling items, etc. It definitey adds incentive for creating a really nice home base.
If there is one aspect of Terraria that I found disappointing, its that its completely void of any sort of story or quests. As amazing as Terraria is, it would have just been that much better if the game actually had a story and quests. Personally, I think that is the next step for this genre, adding a story and various quests. A Terraria styled RPG, one that had a story and quests, now that would be an absolutely amazing game.
Bottom line - While Terraria definitely has a lot in common with Minecraft, it is most definitely not just another Minecraft clone. Terraria takes some of the best aspects of Minecraft, adds its own unique qualities, and ultimately creates a completely different kind of crafting/sandbox style game. I had serious doubts about wether I would enjoy this game, and then I wound up sinking like 100 hours into it in the first couple weeks alone. If you enjoy sandbox style games or games that have exploring at the center, then I highly recommend you give Terraria a try. Its one of the best games I have played yet on Xbox Live Arcade.
5 Stars!
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video-games_xbox
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Solid Hack & Slash. I have been interested in The Cursed Crusade for a while now, I enjoyed the demo but then reviews began coming out and were trashing the game pretty good so I wavered a bit on picking it up or not, however I had a 20 dollar gift card so I figured it would only set me back 20 bones so why not?
The Cursed Crusade is obviously not a AAA title as evidenced by it's small unknown development team and it's starting price of only 39.99 however while playing the game you can tell that the devs really did care about the game and did the absolute best they could with what they had. For starters the graphics are a mixed bag, they range from ugly to generic to decent to good to pretty darn cool looking (the cursed world). One thing that always looks quite good are the main character models, both Denz and Esteban look good and have some really nice animations.
Voice acting is again a mixed bag, the voice actors are at least trying, some are bad and some are decent and I would say that the decent outways the bad so the voice acting has not been a distraction for me. Its a good thing to that the voice acting is passable since there is a lot of it. The game contains a lot of cutscenes but the story has kept me interested thus far. The music score has been quite good and appropriate for the game.
Now on to the most important part of a game, the gameplay, a game can be the best looking and best sounding game ever but if the actual gameplay is a broken mess then whats the point? Cursed Crusade is a solid hack and slash game but its combat has more in common with Assassains Creed than God of War, its slow and methodical, lower end enemies can be dispatched with a few quick hits but higher end enemies will reguire you to parry and break their guard while other enemies will be heavily armored requiring you to break their armor before you can do any damage to them at all. Your weapons take damage as well and will eventually break and they actually degrade very quickly however you can pick up the weapons of vanquished enemies so there is never any lack of new weapons to pick up and holy cow are there a lot of different weapons and ways to combine them!
You can wield 2H swords, 1H swords, maces, spears, shields, crossbows, ect. and then you can combine them in many different ways like sword/shield, spear/shield, dual wield swords or maces or one of each and then every combination has several differnt combo moves that can be unlocked by upgrading using victory points that you earn at the end of each stage. You get graded at the end of each level and depending on how you did and how many collectibles you picked up you are awarded victory points to upgrade your character adding some rpg elements to the game, you can increase the usual suspects like strength and constitution but you can also upgrade your armor as well which adds another piece to your armor that an enemy must break before they can actually start damaging you and you can increase your curse mastery which I will touch on now.
The last and highly important gameplay element is the curse, Denz and Esteban and several other characters in the game are cursed which alows them to enter a cursed state which changes them and the world around them into a demonic flame engulfed realm. In this state you move and attack fatser and hit harder, you also gain access to curse powers like shooting fireballs, healing, seeing things that can't be seen in the normal world like lost souls and crucifixes that need purifying 2 of the things you need to find in stages to increase your victory points and the ability to destroy things that a normal person in the normal world would be unable to. The curse is the coolest part of the game, it looks fantastic and is a lot of fun to destroy guys however you obviously can't stay in cursed form forever, if you stay to long it will begin to consume your health and eventually kill you so you have to use it cautiously.
The Cursed Crusade really is a solid game, its disapointing that so many profesional reviews have pretty much dismissed it with a few sentences stating its crap when there is really so much to the game but its also understandable that with so many AAA games out right now they wouldn't want to devote much time to this diamond in the rough. So if you are interested in it, played the demo and enjoyed it then don't let the reviews scare you away, I only paid 20 bucks for it but would still have been happy if I spent the whole 40.
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video-games_xbox
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My Spidey Sense is Tingling --- it's saying this is a great game. Without a doubt, this game is fun simply because it's Spider-Man. Who doesn't love Spider-Man, despite it's somewhat over-hyped presence in pop culture? It's an enigmatic comic book figure, and has quadrupled in popularity since the debut of the action packed Spider-Man films.
Unfortunately, the game has a few flaws that can probably be attributed to the fact that they were trying to rush it's release in order to time it perfectly with the release of the Spider-Man 3 movie in theatres.
The web slinging controls are kind of complicated, and take a lot of getting used to. There are also bugs everywhere, which become very noticable at times when Spider-Man is attempting to climb a building or wall. Some of the voice acting becomes annoying pretty quickly. You'd think that with the budget this game must have had, it could have afforded to record a few different variations of the character's dialogue. If I have to hear Mary-Jane screech "Let's go higher!", or "I want to swing low" one more time, I'll go out of my mind.
Occasionally the camera becomes a worse enemy than the actual bad guys you're fighting. This is one of the bugs in the game, because sometimes the camera will just go crazy and do whatever it wants, making it very difficult to combat whatever villain you're engaged in at the moment.
Now on a more positive note, once you get used to the controls (which is always an initial challenge when beginning a new game, no matter how accomplished a gamer you are) the fighting sequences and combinations are actually pretty spectacular, and they make you feel like you really are Spider-Man, which is one of the best compliments a game like this could receive.
The graphics are phenomenal, which is expected, but it's truly a beautiful game. It has plenty of missions and challenges to choose from, and all in all has a very sandbox asthetic to it. You can roam around, choose your missions, fight the bad guys, and be wowed by the graphics and fighting combinations in the process. Despite some of it's flaws, this is a very engaging and entertaining game, and fans of Spider-Man (in addition to gamers everywhere) will not be disappointed.
Listen to your spidey sense, and give it a try. You'll have fun web-slinging your way around this city.
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video-games_xbox
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Comparison with saints row 2. This game is okay nothing special I'll make this short and sweet, comparison with saints row 2, although overall Saints row 3 is more fun as driving, shooting and everything is better than saints row 2 except many key factors why I still love saints row 2 way more than 3.
Why I still prefer Saints row 2 or why saints row 2 is still better in my expert opinion:
1: You had way more choice in clothes and colors overall where better than in saints row third an example white in third looks more like a dull Grey color for most outfits.
2: in saints row 2 you could have your clothes overlap each other, if you try on multiple clothes etc... in saints row third you cannot do this.
3: you can wear belts and socks and tights of various styles and sizes. You can't do these in SR3
4: There were more sport cars variety and vehicles to find. Overall more secrets to find in SR2.
5: You can change your walk animation in plastic surgery in SR3 your stuck with one walk animation only.
6: There were Strip clubs in saints row 2 you could enter at will, and random character animation when you leave your controller for a few minutes in many different places in the whole game there was something new to find all the time.
7: You could eat burgers and drink alcohol and would also include getting drunk and having some comedy after you'd drink alcohol say you would say some hilarious dialog in sr3 you cannot do this and the comedy died most of the time.
8: There are no music stores to buy music from, and the music in saints row 2 is so much better than what 3 has to offer.
9: You cannot customize your crib in saints row 3 but you can in Saints row 2 :)
10: you could play a zombie game in the main game itself you can't in 3.
11: saints row 2 had way more sex in it than sr3 you could visit a whore house and hoe yourself out for in game money. and the outfits in the shops have much more sex appeal to them.
12: you could play more mini games in 2
13: The storyline is cooler and more interesting in 2 with many more famous actors than they had in 3 no Eliza dushku in 3 :( but suffice to say 2 had better voices than 3, though 3 had some better actors I still prefer 2 because of the familiar voices.
14: I'm sure this exists but I promised I'd make this short and sweet.
The list continues on Saints row 2 is better than 3 overall but 3 is still fun in what it is, just not as good as its predecessor. I might of said saints row 2 and 3 a bit too much but I Wanted to make it clear for the reader what I was referring to.
edit: I have to say the headphones from the pack I bought aren't good sound quality wise, hardware seems to be decent but the sound quality are not all great even the sound effects built in are useless, because there is no use having cool sound effects when the actual voice speaker on the headset is crap and the other person can't hear me very clearly when hooked up to my 474 smart phone.
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video-games_xbox
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Pretty fun but with short comings. Update#1-I got it to turn back on using the ASE that had bricked it in the first place. For some reason resetting it to factory defaults didn't work the first time last night. Today it magically worked. Anyway I am starting to like it mainly because of the voice changer presets. They are fun to use and my girlfriend couldn't stop laughing at the voice changer. I had trouble trying to get her to give the headset back. The mic picks up my voice better so maybe the updated firmware did something but the chat quality is still bad. I'm going to continue tinkering with this. I take off 1 star because of how I followed the instructions to update the firmware and it bricked itself. Another star off for not being able to plug and play to get the chat quality the way it should be. I will update again if I can fix it or not.
Original review(12/31/13)These worked okay out of the box. I didn't get a chance to test the sound quality when playing a game because they only lasted less than a day before they turned off and wouldn't turn back on. Before they stopped working I only got to test the chat quality and I have to say for $200+ it's pretty bad. My girlfriend sounded a little distorted and some of her speech would cut out. She almost sounded like she was using a kinect to talk to me. I normally use the first generation of wireless Xbox 360 headsets that they discontinued which surprisingly have a much better chat quality than these Phantoms. I disliked the chat quality of the Phantoms so much I took them off and just went back to my old small wireless headsets.
I figured I would try updating the firmware on the phantoms and see if I can make the chat quality better through the computer later. When I decided to try and do this, the app you need to add presets and update the firmware for the Phantoms were updating like they should have except half way through it stopped and my headset shut off despite being fully charged. Now I can't get them to turn on. I have contacted TB and I am waiting for a response to see if I can try to get it to work or just exchange it for another. I will update my review if I get these to work or get a replacement.
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video-games_xbox
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crazy camera, crappy controls. One of the most disappointing titles of 08 is Alone in the Dark.
Pros:
- good visuals (but you often won't be able to appreciate them due to a crazy camera)
- good effects (fire and electrical)
- good soundtrack
- good (looking) inventory (it's only good conceptually though, NOT good in practice)
- a nice rebuild-a-world concept. Eden did this incredibly well with Test Drive Unlimited. I suggest you buy that game instead.
Cons:
- EVERYTHING ELSE
- the camera/view/perspective is insane and simply uncontrollable. This game has a 1st person/3rd person/3rd person (forced) perspective. It switches back and forth between these perspectives every 5 seconds against your will (you have no choice), disorienting you, and when the perspective changes the control layout also changes which is even further disorienting. This means that if you are looking around in 1st person (with right thumbstick - like every other game in the world) and the game sudden changes to 3rd person (because they think it's a neat cinematic gimmick), that right thumbstick no longer functions as it did before. In combat, it gets worse. that same thumbstick changes yet again depending on the weapon. Wow, that, is, nuts.
- first person view is too slow
- controls are insane and uncontrollable. As described above, they keep changing and you have to unlearn everything you just learned and relearn what the h*ll everything does based on what perspective you are in and what the situation is. That's the problem. Your brain will still be using the layout you were able to use 2 seconds ago, because that's natural, intuitive and the way most good games work. h*ll, even really bad games have consistent controls.
- there is NO option for the gamer to map the controller as in other games. If they'd put the controls in the gamer's hands, maybe this would have been a 2 or a 3.
- even if you master the constantly changing controls, they are still slow, clunky and unresponsive. Doing things like jumping and just trying to pick something up can be goofy.
- While the inventory system is interesting and has a professional looking interface, it functions like everything else in this game, with poor unintuitive controls. Beyond that, the inventory doesn't pause the action, so you'll get your butt kicked in combat trying to figure out what to do with the inventory...nice
- the use "fire to kill everything" gimmick is overused and seems a bit silly. Fire isn't ubiquitous in real life.
- dialog not really inspired
- story not really engaging
- don't really care about the characters
- driving is horrid. I won't even talk about it.
- combat is tedious, long, difficult and silly using the clunky controls. and again, UNINTUITIVE and utterly inconsistent.
- All of the above means POOR GAME TESTING. Somebody, somewhere at some point must have mentioned the camera and controls. My guess is that somebody did, they weren't the boss, and the boss never played the game.
Usually with bad games, you have things like bad AI which runs right at you, low-rez textures, bugs, poor collision detection, stuff like that. These are hallmarks of low budgets, rushed titles, noob programmers, etc...Alone in the Dark is very bad is UNUSUAL ways. Like they had a big budget, decent developers, and had good tools in their hands, but still managed to create a monstrosity. That crazy show "Cop Rock" comes to mind. A complete disaster.
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video-games_xbox
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It's a little different. So I'm a huge fan of Suda 51, but I've yet to play Shadows of the Damned so I'm basing my previous experience with Lolipop Chainsaw, No More Heroes, and Killer 7. This pales in comparison but feels like an updated No More Heroes, with a less likable character.
The 8 bit gimmick is gone, this game feels a lot more pure in the bizarre sense. If you're going in for the storyline, you're going to be thrown around until you figure out how the ends meet. I'm only on chapter 9 right now (I'm surprised I got there in less than 3 hours on hard mode...) but I'm slowly waiting for the story to build.
Storyline: NO SPOILERS
You're gong to get slapped in the face with facts that seem totally irrelevant, just wait for them to get tied back up. The main character is a bit of a buttface, he's extremely stiff and doesn't interact much but is a total man-whore. >_> He has assistant and 3 ladies that he's seeing kind of. he has the same killer7 feel and combat but with a LOT more cutscenes. The beginning levels are rather short, as in you could walk away from the game and prepare some food and come back to a cutscene that's still playing. (They are skippable!)
Bosses: If you're familiar with the Developers, you know what you're jumping into. The concept art is really neat and I've liked how all the bosses are so far, not too difficult... yet.
Combat: Dual weapons!... kind of.
You have two weapons but ones just a bionic arm with upgrades, it feels extremely weak to your main weapon until you start upgrading it.
Gameplay: Repetitive, a lot more cutscenes this time around. Less strategy this time around and button mashing can get past most levels and enemies without really caring about combos. (I'm on hard, so I can't imagine it on normal or easy...) Exploration is still fun and it's really easy to miss hints and bonuses!
Soundtrack: Still awesome as always!
Gigolo missions: So my cousin joined the gameplay then we decided to see what the hell the gigolo missions actually were ( i had been putting them off until later)
...Awkward, but funny. I like pretending that I'm staring straight into her soul with my sunglasses every 10 seconds. She gets uncomfortable then I try to offer her flowers and she likes me anyway. I'm hoping its satire, they're really weird missions but the upgrades are worth it!
AFTER BEATING IT
Pretty fun, not as difficult as Killer7 or No More Heroes in Bosses, but it was a fun game.
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video-games_xbox
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Feels like a Beta. First, I am a gamer that loves racing, especially racing simulation games, and I cannot express how disappointed I am in this particular game. I have played the EA NASCAR games and did thoroughly enjoy the most recent Activision release, Inside Line. It felt like it was trying to be a good simulation of NASCAR racing, but had some bugs. I was willing to overlook those issues as it was an early attempt for a new company making a NASCAR game. Unfortunately, they have not only failed to improve their offering, but have taken a step back.
First off, the AI, which was arguably the weakest point in the past Activision games, has seemingly gotten worse. While I do appreciate they tried to make the AI more aggressive, it seems to result in less of "putting their nose under you / giving a slight bump into a corner" effect and more them simply racing as if you didn't exist. On restarts occasionally, the car just above you will wobble back and forth. I thought originally it was simply them creating AI spinning their tires, but when it happened 3 times on subsequent restarts to the exact same car relative to my position in the starting lineup, it's obvious it's an AI failure.
The game modes are almost entirely the same. Career mode has gotten a bit of a polish, but the other modes show almost no effort into improving. One of my favorite modes, offline multiplayer racing with a full season, including standings, is not present, and with the marginally improved, yet still buggy and not satisfying online racing modes, one would think they would try to at least make offline split screening better.
One of my favorite features from the older EA games makes it's return, still with the same lack of thinking that made me hate the mode on the prior game, the highlights section. Re-racing scenarios that actually occurred from the past and current seasons sounds exciting, but the mode feels like a marketing department created it. They tout on the product that they use telemetry data to determine where the cars were at that point on the track, so when you race it is exactly the same as it was on television. This may sound exciting, but you quickly realize how entirely awful the concept is. When EA created the scenario mode, the AI would take over driving, so even though the scenario starts the same way, depending on how you drive the AI is forced to compensate and each try is different. With using telemetry, it does not matter what you do, the cars are simply on a given path and cannot be moved. I attempted at one track to cut an entire corner, turned to the right, and hit another car at essentially a 90 degree angle, not a glancing blow but my entire momentum going into his driver door. The impact threw my car completely backwards, towards the infield, and his car did not move in the slightest. In another example, more depressing since I was actually involved in the race, I was going down a straightaway at Indy. I was alongside another car to the inside, and he was directly behind another car. Apparently in the real race, he did not have anyone beside him because, halfway down the straightaway, he pulled out to pass, throwing my car completely into the inside wall and ruining the two prior laps I had put into the race. The "avoid the wreck" highlights are completely ruined as each car does exactly the same thing every single time, making avoiding the wreck a matter of two runs. First run to see the path, second run to take the path. I can remember EA's highlights where, even though the car would wreck at the same time each trial, the AI driving would cause different things to happen, leading to organically fun avoidance tests.
Finally, the graphics feel more "arcade-y" than the old series. The colors seem to bright, the bloom and spectacular lighting effects too intensified. I've been to races, both day and night, and the colors are not that vivid. I understand wanting a game to look good, but when you are trying to imitate real life, there is something to be said for discretion and subtlety.
The few positives I can find in this are mostly inconsequential. The main menu, rather than feeling like a lazy susan in the middle of a garage, now is condensed into one menu, making for much nicer navigation. The car views now include a view which has the camera in the exact same position as the view in which the wheel is shown, but with the wheel removed. This is different from the closer to the windshield view, which is still present, and is a welcome addition, although one wonders why "remove wheel" wasn't simply a graphics option. The career mode is deeper, although certainly not to a level of depth I would expect from a game that, based on it's split screen and online multiplayer disappointments, seems begging to be a single player racing game.
Overall, I would be ashamed to have my company's name on this particular product. If I put this into my Xbox and was not told anything about it, I would have guessed it to be a beta version. If you haven't played an Activision NASCAR game before and really, really want to, I can't say I wouldn't give it a go, but I would recommend Inside Line still. If you have played Inside Line, this will feel like a bit of a step backwards. The entire game has a feeling of a college student who has taken someone else's research paper, tried to copy it in their voice, but made multiple spelling and grammar mistakes, and turned it in. They took last year's game and somehow, with a cheat sheet to work from, somehow made it marginally worse. I am typically not this harsh on reviewing a game, but in this case it is particularly bad.
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video-games_xbox
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Terrible in every way. This is pretty much the worst and most over-hyped game of 2005 and made a lot of 'bottom 10' lists in many magazines last month. And it bloody deserves it.
The problems with this game begin before you even lift it off the shelf in the store. I mean take a look at the cover. It's 50 Cent, one of the few African American 'role models' around these days, in a defencive pose with a stereotypical 'angry black guy' look on his face (oh, please don't hurt me Mr. Cent!).
Now I am not a fuddy-duddy conservative who blames people like Marilyn Manson for corrupting kids or whatever because I know kids are more intelligent than adults give them credit for. But America is a very racist country and when 50 Cent misrepresents the Black Community and backs up the xenophobic myth that all Black people are evil or killers or gang-bangers in some way I can't help but get very annoyed.
Second of all is the fact that this drivel game is no more than a laughable male fantasy. Yes, I know Mr. Cent has been shot 9 times but it was all at once with low calibre bullets. It's not as if he goes out and gets shot at every day and is immune to all lead fired in the direction of his person. I know 50 Cent has had a really, REALLY, RE-EALLY tough life, that I would not wish upon anyone. But when violence and death have haunted you your whole life the LAST thing you should do is capitalise on a game that glorifies gun-play and gang warfare. That's just disgusting and perverse and if Mr. Cent truly 'kept it real' (what a ridiculous, meaningless phrase) he would treat his demons with respect. Using music as a way of working through them is fine but starring in a video game where the main enjoyment comes from blowing people away certainly is NOT. As I have said, there are few African American role models and he should set an example to those following behind him. While his innovative music may have made him a huge success this game smashes any credibility I feel he may have had.
Third? Well the story to the game is childish and stupid anyway. It's not even entertaining accidentally as it's just way too dull.
And fourth? Well don't get me started on the horrible targeting system and awful controls. It'll make you want to smash your control pad into your TV screen. What a horribly cheaply programmed game!
Fifth? Well, that would have to be the bland, graphics and tedious environments. It all adds up to a pretty (read VERY) unsatisfying experience. Mere days after being released most stores had zillions of copies traded in as those foolish enough to buy it blind quickly discovered what a rotten game it is as well as a hideously over-indulgent and grossly misjudged vanity piece. BEWARE!!!
Graphics C
Sound B-
Gameplay D-
Lasting Appeal D
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video-games_xbox
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The most entertaining multiplayer game I have played. I absolutely love this game. As a disclaimer, I have to say I have only played mulitplayer online and I have only played hardcore mode. I have been playing the online multiplayer for 3 days only and I am hooked. I am a fan of MW2 and that was my game of choice for a long time but I was getting tired of the same small maps, and running around and getting gunned down so quickly. I prefer to have some time to move around slowly, scan the areas, driving vehicles, blowing up buildings completely and being in a squad with other people who know what they are doing is rewarding when you get to play your role properly. I have read the negative review complaining that you have to be in party chat to talk with everyone and that is true to a certain extent but it is not a negative by any means. The game is not meant to be played where your entire team can sit and chat. It would do no good. In MW2, the maps are small so if I say, "There is a camper behind the barrels in the cave" everyone on the map can hear me and be there in a relatively short time and take action. However, in this game the maps are HUGE. It would do absolutely no good to be able to talk to everyone AND it would take away one of the joys of the game which is only talking to your squad and working as a team with your squad.
Originally I thought the graphics would bother me as I really like great visuals and appreciate games that have them. I have a 65" and a 70" television in my house that I have xboxes hooked up too. Because of the large size, it somewhat pixelates the images and makes them not nearly as crisp as looking at a 40" television. After playing for a few days, I can honestly say the visuals are great and don't discourage game play at all. I even popped MW2 back in and was surprised that I did not find it to be a huge difference. I think what is the most lacking in BC2 is the foliage but the game play immerses you so much that you don't care. You have to remember the maps are huge, and there are so many different vehicle that you can operate that they had to give somewhere.
The sound is phenomenal. If you have a surround sound system, you should purchase this game just to experience it. If you don't, this game is a great excuse to purchase one. The explosions really rock the room and are ground shaking. The planes screaming by overhead can be felt. No game I have played comes close in terms of realism (my experience from movies only). And let me be so bold to say if you are a medical marijuana patient living in a state that allows you to partake and you play this game while heavily medicated... oh boy are you in for a treat.
Now for what I do not like about the game. I am not used to not being able to go prone. I suppose that is good because it would make the snipers absolutely unstoppable. I don't like the snipers either. I will save judgment for whether or not they are too hard until I actually get better, but for now I think they ruin gameplay a little. As I said before though, I only play hardcore mode so perhaps in the regular mode when they shoot it shows on a map or something but in hardcore mode there is no map for you to see, no crosshairs, no HUD and because the maps are so huge and they can get these 12x optical scopes they can take you out long before you ever spot them. Regardless though, it is a game I look forward to playing before work, after work, and I am excited for my wife to leave this weekend so I can crank the surround sound up completely and just have a great time.
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video-games_xbox
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Aircombat gaming done right. First and foremost, Tom Clancy's HAWX is an "Air combat game" (at least that's what it calls itself) so if you are looking for a flight sim, this isn't it. That being said, my review is based upon the game itself, not the virtues/vices of it being a sim or "arcady"
Graphics: This game looks phenomenal. I have a 56" 1080P LCD and my jaw is constantly dropping. You will be flying over a variety of terrains and locations. Different times of day will skew color palettes, weather can affect visibility with clouds, and targets can be obscured by smoke. The terrain is incredibly detailed and looks wonderful even at close range...after you have unwittingly crashed your jet into it. Aircraft and missile contrails have that "puffy" look to them and flying into the sun is a great way to blind yourself.
Flight Mechanics: As I mentioned above, this is not a combat simulator. Hard banks and climbs do not kill speed. Depending on your difficulty setting your aircraft will take a number of direct missile hits. While this does take away from the realism factor (something Clancy games have been known for) it does make for a fun game. Even rookie pilots will quickly be flying low level and diving into "bandit" infested dog-fights. After several "training" missions which are used to introduce the player to the different aspects of the game (defend, escort, bombing, weapon types, etc) the game introduces the "Limit OFF" system (or OFF) in which the game is played from a zoomed out third person perspective. This mode allows players to "slide" their aircraft around, effectively making them much more agile (makes dodging missiles easier too). Opinions abound on this mode, but I found it a fun break from typical game play although lining up on a specific target can be more difficult. I recommend using OFF mode for evading missiles and getting your nose around on your adversary and then going quickly back to regular view mode.
Gameplay: This game uses a level scheme to unlock new aircraft and weapons load outs. Ever kill and achieving certain feats gives the player experience. Luckily the levels come fast and new aircraft abound. The aircraft themselves are beautifully rendered. Again since this is not a sim, most craft can (and do) hold several hundred missiles. This is a good thing since HAWX is a target rich environment and the player will be constantly tasked with prioritizing which targets to take down and in what order.
Since no one flys alone, the player has two wingmen who love to clutter the radio with chatter. They typically are talking about the plot and the mission, but will occasionally during a dog fight announce things an aware player had already seen a few minutes earlier. Not to say that the wingmen are useless, they just talk a lot. These wingmen can be given simple attack my target or defend me commands. My only real issue is that they seem to move at mach 10 whenever they feel like it and perform bizarre maneuvers to get back on you wing. While they will take down opponents if left to their own devices, it is best to take on important objectives yourself and let them cover your tail.
Each aircraft has individual stats and "bonuses" (if you will) some are good at engaging ground targets, others are limited in their weapons payload, each aircraft has a unique feel and a few moments of thought before selecting an aircraft for a mission will pay dividends. Trying to fly an escort mission in an AV-8 makes a mission a challenge, where a Mig-29 makes it much simpler.
The game give the player plenty of options to chose from, whether in aircraft, load outs, or how to approach a mission. The visuals are fantastic, and the fast paced gameplay will keep you glued to the screen. While OFF mode and the wingmen could have used a bit of tweaking I still feel this is an excellent game. But hey, that's my two cents. See you in the skies!
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video-games_xbox
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A once misunderstood & over exaggerated game, has been brought to Xbox 360 & HD. When people hear the name "Fable" it' reminds them of a man who claimed we could...
1. Raise our own children.
2. Fight with our children.
3. The game was expected to be over "40-50 hours long(but you could only put so much memory ram on the original Xbox at the time.
4. The map was to be over 50 miles long in each direction on a compass.
5. It was to be the greatest RPG of all time
Those are only some of the mistakes Peter Molyneux Overzealously revealed almost 10 years ago(2004).
But here's my thoughts on the game, If I may.
Fable/Fable Lost Chapters is one of the most nostalgic games I have ever played. The soundtrack mixed with the setting and scenery, really brings a Fantasy/Folk Tale feel to the whole 'Fable experience. I've always found the Gameplay really easy to pick up, but at the same time challenging when facing high leveled enemies. The humor is very Monty Python-esque & it even makes blatant references to The British film series. My only grief about the game was the constant bugs and glitches that plaugued the background music and the combat in which if too many enemies popped up, the frame rate would hit the floor.
But Thanks to the almost completely revamped Lionhead Inc. team, they have decided to take the once close to failing game series back to the basics. In my opinion, this is the best move the game studio has made since the launch of The captivating Fable II.
But I'm getting ahead of myself....
Let me introduce you to "Fable: The Lost Chapters anniversary!!!!!!!!!!.
So let's get into the aspects of the game...
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Graphics: 10/10
The grass is lush green, the sky is ocean blue. The original game was also gorgeous, but Fable HD has to be the best looking game I've seen on the 360 since Assassins Creed 4. The character models are well defined and lip synching is done seamlessly. It is overwhelming how much better the graphics are compared to the original. You just have to see for yourself....
Fable Anniversary should also be commended for its new 'Smart Save system. So now even if your on a mission, the game will Auto-Save regularly. Which is a massive improvement, easier to put down and easier to pick up.
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Combat/Gameplay: 10/10
Melee: The melee system is simple, yet satisfying. Basic hack and slash mechanics mixed in with roll every once in a while to dodge enemies attacks. Melee weapons range from Swords, Greatswords, Axes, PickHammers & Clubs
Range: The Range system Is also simple, but unless your Bow is upgraded well; it's not going to be as satisfying as Melee weapons.
Range weapons range from Bows & Crossbows.
Magic/Spells: Compared to the Original Fables Magic system, Lionhead has completely revamped and re-polished it this time around. Every time I played the Non HD Fable in the past, the only spell I ever used was heal. Now I'm spooling through using different spells that I never used before. Great new addition.
Augments: Augmentations are power stones you can use to add magic power to all kinds of weapons. Fire, Ice, Silver Etc.
Really useful items
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Story/Plot 10/10(No Spoilers)
I have always admired the story & lore of the 'Fable series. The characters are well thought out, the plot twists keep you on the edge of your seat & it really feels like your in a fantasy/fairy tale book.
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Music/Sound 10/10
The "Main Fable theme" is orchestrated & composed by the legendary Danny Elfman(known for his scores in movies like "Nighmare before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands, Tim Burton's Batman and many more classic movies. And the Background music for the entirety of the game is composed and orchestrated by Another Legendary musician, Russell Shaw. Your ears will be very pleased.
In my personal opinion, Fable 1's music is the best in the series; and should go down as one of video games best soundtracks.
Unlike the problem with the original launch of Fable 1, there seems to be no sound rips in the music or dialogue(at least with my playthrough).
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Voice Acting 8/10
The voice acting can go either way, and by that I mean some of it sucks and some of it doesn't. My main praise for voice acting would have to go to the actual story driven characters. The regular NPC's voice acting is very mediocre and will get easily repetitive to the ears. Nonetheless a very entertaining assortment of British voices that will keep your ears at attention.
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Game Size 9/10
It's easy to say this games map is definitely the smallest in the series. But there are a lot of areas to explore, And each area is different from the last. You'll find yourself trekking through dark wet forests, eerie caverns, dark dungeons, snowy mountain tops etc. Etc.
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Here's a list of the extras Fable. HD has to offer.
1. Darkwood Bordello(Yep that's right.)
2. New legendary weapons
3. A substantial storyline expansion(Complete with an ultimate showdown at the end.
4. Tons of new clothing & Armor.
5. New locations
6. Scrapped characters that weren't included in the original release of Fable
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Ending words:
The production of this game is notorious for broken promises and overreaching with the limited technology that was around at the time of this games release.
But with all the bugs and glitches that dragged down the original launch of the game, Lionhead has done this game justice and much more. This game is Nostalgia on a disc & will go down as one of the most beautiful and intriguing games of all time.
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My rating of this game is a 5/5
Thanks for reading
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video-games_xbox
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Mixed Feelings. I have mixed feelings about this game after playing it all day. Some of the things that other reviewers didn't like really don't bother me. For example, I don't mind that you can't pick a few different races this time around. That really only changed the first hour or so anyway. The reworked art style seems much better to me. In the original, although I loved the game, there was nothing spectacular or "dark" about the setting, considering they called it dark fantasy. I think they are closer this time around.
They really dumbed a lot of it down, just like with ME2, and I think that was a mistake in some respects. You can no longer deck out your other party members with the best gear, because the only thing you can do is upgrade their equipment with runes. Want them to use a different weapon or give them better armor? Too bad.
I actually also don't mind the narrative style of the storytelling either, although it does have its drawbacks. The real problems start with the new button-mash style of play. On the one hand the original system did need some fixing. When you'd highlight an opponent to attack, you would have to move into range. Sometimes the target was running towards you at the time, so you'd literally run by him without attacking, then have to chase him down. I think they could have fixed that problem without changing it to a button mash fest. I started with the rogue and after a few hours, frankly, I had to change to an archer. Now I paly a LOT of video games, but when you are hip-deep in darkspawn, having to mash that button hundreds of times will take its toll on your poor hands. And if you've played the rogue set up with dual weapons, you know that means a LOT of button presses. For goodness sakes if its going to be that way just let us hold the attack button in!
The combat is certainly more savage and fun to watch, but when you have to press a button for every single attack, it gets to the point where you can't enjoy it anymore. The original game play let you use strategy and then watch the results of your choices play out. This new system is almost too fast and hectic to be appreciated. They made a similar choice with the path they took after the original KOTOR, which I also loved and still play. When they moved on to Jade Empire they went with the button masher scheme. I was so thrilled when the first DA came out because they switched back to a truly great system, but now they have switched yet again.
Although I think many of the reviewers are being a little harsh in their assessment, I think there is a lot of truth to their comments. I'm enjoying the game, don't get me wrong, but I think they lost focus of the core audience that made the original such a hit. I also really don't like how there is no real connection to the first game. Yes you'll see some of the characters from the original game pop up here and there, but it still seems very disconnected. Its almost like--we know you played the first game, now come play it again--but with a different guy that we will create for you--oh and you have to mash a lot of buttons too.
Surprisingly, some folks are even unhappy with the fact that the main character actually has a voice this time. Frankly I love that. I thought it was REALLY a poor choice the first time around to not give the hero a voice because it really detracted from the epic feeling of the game. So I don't empathize with folks on that point. For what its worth, I also don't like how they stripped down ME2 in terms of skills and leveling, but I still really enjoyed the game.
I'm a little concerned not only about the future of this franchise, but of Bioware in general. When they made a game--I bought it--period. You KNEW it was going to be good. But this is a really shaky installment for the quality that I'm used to expecting from them, and I hope they turn things around if there is another one. I don't feel like the game was "rushed", like many reviewers. I just feel like they stripped it down a bit too much. I think they could have kept the original gameplay mechanics with a couple of fixes and still got the game out just as quickly.
Please, Bioware, think hard about how you move forward. You have never been satisifed making games that are like everyone elses, so please don't start now.
**Update
Now that I've finished the game its time for an update! I've cooled off on some of the criticisms I had early on but gotten a little more irritated with other things, so overall my rating will stay put. But a few things to comment on...
I don't know how some folks can say that the game only lasted 30 hours. The only way you could finish that fast is if you put it on casual difficulty and ignore all the side quests. I put in nearly twice that many hours, so I'm happy with the game length.
Originally I wasn't able to change my other characters' weapons and armor. I had tried initially and it wouldn't let me so I didn't try again until a fellow reviewer told me you could do that a little while into the game, at least as far as the weapons go. You can't change the armor for any of the other characters, aside from buying these stupid little mods for their armor. I thought it was a step in the wrong direction. The cool thing about the first game was that when your main character got a cool new set of armor, you passed on your old set to one of your crew. Not possible here.
The one unforgiveable thing about the game is the repetitive use of maps. You will go back to the same areas over and over and over again. Combined with the whole "stuck in town" feeling of the game, it really detracts from the epic nature of the original game. You were out there exploring the world, seeing new places all the time. Here you're in town and occasionally you go out of town briefly to do something, unfortunately its almost always back to the same three locations.
Another small matter was the lack of the party camp. I really liked that from the first game. All your characters were together in one place and it made you feel like your party was in this terrible mess together. Now you have everyone who has their own house around town--it feels very odd to me for some reason. Why not have them all hang out at Hawke's place?
All in all a very solid game. Takes a while to warm up to some of the changes but for the most part you will. I'd probably give it 3.5 stars if I could, but its definitely not a four star game the way it is. If they had added a little variety in the maps and put a little more work into the plot they could have easily made this better than the first game, even with the changes to the combat system. But now we know how they got the game on the market so fast.
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video-games_xbox
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This Game is the Bomb... the Ad Bomb. I'll not pretend I've played this game yet, but I was so angry after finally making it to the title screen that I immediately took it back to the store.
Here's why:
1. The Ad-Bomb - EA has decided that it's okay to make their gamers who just spent their hard earned $65 watch a 1:30 ad for their upcoming title, Shift 2 Unleashed. The ad runs just before making it to the title screen. The commercial isn't optional - it can't be skipped, no matter how many buttons you press. Early reports suggest that the ad was shipped on the disc but was not activated until a recent XBOX Live Update. Boom. After restarting my console, it does appear you only have to watch the ad once, but I'm not sure it won't re-surface from time to time without more testing.
2. Double-Dipping (Online Pass) - So apparently EA has been doing this for a little while now, but I was unaware of it. In order to play this game online, you have to have a code to activate your game. In order to do so, you have to create an online EA Account *separate* from your XBOX Live account. You then use an access code to activate your copy of the game for online play. After you've activated the copy for your account, the code can't be used again by someone else. If you trade the game with a friend, they'll have to dish out some cash for their OWN code (800 MS points or $10.00 cash I believe). I can hardly blame EA for trying to get in on some of the trade-in action, but I don't think this is the way to do it. Why should I have to sign up for more accounts? I'm already paying a premium fee to play games on XBOX Live, I don't need to pay additional ones just to play a used game online.
Before I see other reviews trashing this one because it doesn't review actual game play, I want to make it clear that these points matter greatly among some gamers evaluating whether or not to buy this game. I wish I had known these things ahead of time because I would have refused to buy the game on principal. As it stands now, I'm stuck with it though (Best Buy refused to take back an open game, and there were no quotes yet on trade-in values). So, I might play the thing in a few days after the bitter taste fades a bit and see if it lives up to IGN's score of 9.0
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video-games_xbox
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WOW what a POS. First i want to say the infinity engine makes the players move and play a lot better. Its the only reason i didn't give it 1 star.
That's about the only good thing im going to say about this game.
Ya franchise mode still exists even though people say it doesn't however they call it coach mode now, which is really just franchise mode except you can get fired.
As others have said there is no fantasy draft so you can't redraft the entire league and draft your own players.
No pregame show, no half time show, no post game show which was all last seen in madden 10 (madden 10 by far is the best version in my opinion)
Replays actually worked in madden 10, madden 12 and madden 13 are still f-ing broken, unless you only like to watch the last 10 seconds of a play. Example i threw a 97 yard touch down last night I wanted to see how i avoided the sack/safety... nope sorry, I only get to see from when the receiver caught the ball. Awesome i get to watch the receiver run 10 yards into the end zone as the replay.
The cherry on top of it all is sometimes watching the long replay will crash your game... its happened twice to me now, i've gone to try and watch the replay of my long bomb and got frozen, had to reboot the entire system.
The first time I wanted to see the play when it froze I was down by 1 point with 3 minutes to go... bam frozen. The second time i wanted to see the replay was a 70 yard td pass... i had it in the back of my mind that it could crash again but figured it was just a fluke. It wasn't. Game froze. I was down 10 points and that TD put me within 3 with 4 minutes left to go.
If you don't care about franchise mode and don't watch replays then this game is for you. If you like to redraft the nfl and play franchise mode this game is not for you.
**************************IMPORTANT EDIT****************************
I read last night that there was no co op mode in madden 13. I didn't want to believe it! My buddy and I are still wrapping up our madden 12 franchise so we hadn't had a change to play together yet. I just learned there is no CO OP option in connected careers! What does this mean??? This means I plugged in 2 controllers and I can no longer play franchise mode with my buddy, it is only SINGLE PLAYER. The 2-6 player option on the box is pretty much BS it only works for Play Now or their standard arcade mode which no one gives a crap about. I lowered my rating to 1 star. I feel like i just got screwed out of $60 because this game is pretty much worthless to me now. Only reason I get madden is to play offline franchise mode with my friend, cant do that in this game!
So basically if I want to play with my buddy in franchise mode or Coach mode, I have to buy an xbox live gold membership, and would have to play AGAINST him in online mode... that's all fine and dandy for people who don't want to play on the same team but we do. Most the fun in madden was working together managing our team. Thats all gone now.
Hands down worst madden to date.
**************************IMPORTANT EDIT #2 12/18/2012****************************
The issue with not being able to play with a friend on the same console has been patched. My friend and I just finished our first season. As usual with this version of the game things we've expected and have been relying on in past madden versions to manage our team are gone. If anyone has seen the patch notes, you'd think it was from The Onion. The fact that they had to patch than many standard features just makes you wonder what moron was leading this game development.
Examples:
Pre-playoffs we wanted to simulate individual games so that we would know the playoff scenarios before we played our last game, this option is gone, you can no longer simulate individual games, you have to play your game and then advance the entire week to find out who won or lost. We didn't make the playoffs... ok that's fine, lets go to league schedule and simulate the games 1 at a time and see who wins the superbowl. Nope can't do that anymore. Have to just advance the week and then go back to check the scores. Can't even watch the simulation like you could in previous versions. Granted not too many people like to sit around and watch a fake superbowl but its another feature that existed in previous versions that now gone.
Ok so we want to start preparing for next year, want to see who's leaving you? Guess what there's no way to tell easily anymore. You have to go into each player and click on their contract to see how many years they have left. There's no column for Years Left anymore. Awesome so now we have to click 53 players if we want to figure out what their contract status is rather than just having a column that existed in previous versions you could sort on. I got so annoyed with the game that I didn't have any motivation to see how crappy the offseason is going to be with other features that are likely going to be left out. When we find motivation to play this game again i'll put another update on how the offseason "features" compare to older versions. At this rate I might be going back to madden 10 by the new year.
**************************EDIT #3 6/30/2013****************************
We've given up on madden 13 after winning the superbowl in season 3 and have gone back to madden 10 where we have a weekly recap show The Extra Point, half time highlights, post game highlights, chris collinsworth backtrack which analyzes our play for us periodically so that we can improve our play, Years Left column when looking at our roster, fantasy draft, and players don't flop around like muppets anymore. I was able to update our roster so that we have Andrew Luck RG3 and all other current nfl players in madden 10 ported over from madden 13 so we're happy again.
Final note in my final review of madden 13, Madden 25 adds owner mode where you can manage ticket prices and relocate stadium your stadium, manage coaches etc... you can do all that in madden 10... nice work EA in being "innovative". I'm going to be passing on madden 25.
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video-games_xbox
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Once upon a time in the digital west. I really have a hard time figuring out what my basic feelings are for this game, not because of Grand Theft Auto IV of which I am completely not a fan, but rather this is one of those "this part is great but...", "this thing is cool but.....". The game isn't perfect and I have some serious gripes about the game yet it does so many cool things and it does have the labor-of-love feeling coming through but with the game getting so many high reviews and everyone ready to give it their Game of the Year awards for 2010, I'm sure my review will have some unhelpful votes thrown at me but keep in mind I really like this game and I prefer this a hell of a lot more than GTA 4 but at the same time there's some things that absolutely bug the **** out of me. If I was to base this completely on single player, I'd think it was an excellent single player and great game, but kind of familiar but if I take in the multiplayer as well my reception of the game as a whole is slightly tainted. This is one of the better games of the year for sure but I'm hoping this is a balanced review and I won't get blasted cause I won't call it anything less than perfect.
Story: You take the role of John Marston, a former outlaw trying to make a better life for himself and his family. However one thing that has to change is the life of Bill Williamson who needs to be dead, pronto. Arriving off the train, John gets mortally wounded but nursed back to health by a ranch owner named Bonnie MacFarlane and from there John meets a whole host of crazy and memorable characters as he tries to bring Williamson to justice.
Pretty small paragraph, no? Well that's all your getting cause the narrative is definately one of the better things of the game and the ending is really quite balls-y and really powerful. But then there's one thing that RDR does that bugs me...well two things: the first is that the story does have a good/evil dynamic where the more good natured stuff you do, the better attitudes you deal with and if you shoot random people well, imagine that reception. The problem is the cinematics and the dialogue doesn't change so if you play the most evil son-of-a-bitch the Old West has seen, you all of a sudden turn into a guy people walk over and characters that are clearly toying with you or jerking you around John still accepts it and goes along with it. The other is that the structure feels remarkably similar to GTA 4: you get on your horse/car, drive/ride to your destination while you have a conversation with your passenger/fellow rider(s), get somewhere and leave either being chased or eventually being chased and you have to fight them off. In a way, it starts to get a bit too noticeable and despite some occasional missions, it feels a bit too familiar if you've played GTA 4.
Graphics: From a looks point of view, this thing's gorgeous and when you see sunsets on the horizon as you're riding slowly on your horse down the path, it's hard not to think anything but it looks almost painter-ly. Character details is really impressive, especially on faces and there's barely any load screens. However, Rockstar does do what tends to be Bethesda's problem is that making big massive games with lots of areas, detail and characters is that the performance suffers and the glitches pop up. Seeing a horse carriage literally bounce on the ground making a rumble, seeing a guy literally twirling like a tornado as he runs to cover during a shootout and it can weigh down the game. Multiplayer is also no stranger to this as I saw boxes floating in midair with whatever was on the bottom of it completely see through (and can even be shot through) and a bit of lag. From the looks you'd think the game's gorgeous but the seam's show and they're noticeable but they're not that bad.
Sound/Music: Can't fault Rockstar on the audio side and the voice acting is excellent. If you can forgive Marston's frequent "mister"'s and "Miss MacFarlane"'s, everyone is really superb in their roles and there's never anyone that stands out as being outright bad. The music also has a great sound with whistling, acoustic guitar and one point I literally heard a song with words. This is a great soundtrack and worth listening to outside of the gang. Same thing with the sound design as it brings in the ambiance of what it would feel like to be on your own in the countryside from bird calls, animal sounds and distant gunfire really makes you feel you're in the environment.
Gameplay: If Fallout 3 was "Oblivion with guns", it wouldn't be too crazy to say Red Dead Redemption is "Grand Theft Auto in the Old West" or "Grand Theft Horse". The mini-map, icons for quests (which inexplicably jump to the next quest on the other side of the map even though he just walked away from me 4 seconds ago) and the cover system makes the game feel similar to GTA but the one thing that RDR does better is a willingness to actually explore the world. I felt Liberty City disappointed me in that it wasn't like San Andreas or Vice City where I wanted to just screw around and do random stuff but GTA 4 I felt like aside from doing it for achievements, I never felt like I actually wanted to explore the city, sure I could but I never felt the urge to. Red Dead changes that and half the time I was actually searching for things I normally ignore, find places to explore and do challenges which I quite liked. It might be a bit too open country with more sand and rock than side quests but the exploration felt a lot more pronounced here.
Gameplay wise there's nothing completely different than GTA aside from the better cover and shooting mechanics but the main difference is the Dead Eye which is similar to Fallout 3's VATS where pressing the Right analog slows down time allowing you for more accurate and more numerable shots where normally you couldn't. It actually works really cool but occasionally there's a couple "shoot the hostage taker" random events but in daytime they're fine...but at night and potentially in a thunderstorm? It's hard not to feel you'll shoot the hostage because of the darker, almost yellow-ish tint to the screen. There's also lots of challenges to complete which you can rank up, card and mini-games you can take part in such as Poker, Horseshoe and Five-Finger-Filet (the knife missing the fingers game). One thing I will lament on the game as a whole is that there's a couple of things that don't feel explained and even though the tutorial shows up, at times it feels too brief and it's hard to re-access them and on occasion it's hard to tell what certain things are required for your playthrough. For example, guy decided to go crazy in a saloon and started to shoot me and my horse yet shooting back at his buddies I get "evil points"...wait, what? Or when you notice a random event where 2 guys are shooting at someone running away which to me I kept thinking of one thing: is the pursuers lawmen trying to stop an escapee or 2 jerks who are harassing a civilian? Turns out it's the former which gives me evil points. Poo.
Then we get down to the multiplayer in which I kept thinking of one thing: it's "fine", it's "decent" but it's not something I'd spend so much time in ranking up to. Your first trip is an automatic visit to Free Roam in which most of the time you deal with spawn campers. You can't change where you spawn, you literally spawn within a good 50 feet from where you were last killed and your icon constantly tells you you're on the map so as soon as you're dead, they ride over and shoot you, spawn, find where you are, ride over and shoot. I can understand Rockstar's idea: join some players, group up and play competitive matches online but fat chance that happening with randoms who don't shoot you on sight since you get XP if you kill a player. The gang hideouts are really fun and having the option to replay them is welcome. But then there's the competitive multiplayer which feels imbalanced and just a bit unexceptional. Spawns are laughable (I literally spawned below the stairs of the guy who just killed me, drew my gun and blew his head off), 4 shots to the face with your rank 9 gun apparently does nothing since a rank 32 gun blows your head clean off in one shot and the lack of many game modes makes this an okay multiplayer but it's not the reason why you should buy Red Dead. It's nice that it's here but I could live if it wasn't included.
Red Dead Redemption is a really well-made game, glitches aside, and despite my gripes about the familiarity to Grand Theft Auto 4, the single player is really excellent but then in comes the multiplayer which completely frustrates me and I wouldn't bother with it though getting top rank for achievement makes me either suck it up and keep playing or say screw it. But the setting, story and gameplay in the single player is easily worth a playthrough. Don't know if it's my Game of the Year but it's impressive for sure.
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video-games_xbox
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One of the best fighting games ever to come out on Xbox. I think that Dead or Alive 3 is one of the best fighting games that has every come out on any console period. The smooth animations, the crisp and clear graphics, and the many single player modes equals to one great game!
Graphics- The graphics in DOA 3 are probobly the best graphics i have ever seen on the Xbox Console, and i'm serious. When a character gets thrown into the glass, the glass clearly shatters as little bits fall all over the place, its almost like watching a movie its so good!
The character models are also extremely well done and accurate as every feature is clearly shown on the body:)
The background design is also great, as the water is probobly the best i've seen in in console game history! When a character gets thrown into water it clearly splashes and once again looks realistic.
So all in all, the graphics are obviousely great in this game like i made clear above!
Gameplay- You can seriousely not complain about any aspect of the gameplay feature in this game. It is probobly the best fighting game ever to come out on any console besides the Mortal Kombat series. (In my opinion.) There are a few single player modes which i will describe below.
Story mode- Pretty simple, basically there is a story to it, you get to choose which character you want to live a story though. You go through quite a few rounds killing enemies (every so often there is a cutscene) and at the end you fight a fairly hard boss. Once you kill the boss, you unlock the ending for the character.
Tag Battle Mode- You basically choose two characters and while you are battling anytime you can tag your partner battler, and they will come in. You can do a double grapple which involves both fighters which is very cool. You go through five rounds of enemies.
Team battle mode- You basically create a team and fight enemies. When your fighter gets K.O'd, your next fighter comes into battle. When all the players in one team are eliminated the other team wins. Once again, there are five rounds.
Then of course there is multiplayer where you can battle in either 1 on 1, tag battle mode or team battle mode.
You can also watch the CPU fight against each other, or watch the endings for each character.
Audio- There is nothing special about the audio portion of the game. Pretty hardcore rock music is in the game, if you like rock, you will love the music, if you don't, you will hate it.
Unfortunetely, there is no online play for this game but there is for Dead Or Alive Ultimate which is out in stores now.
So in conclusion, for all of you fighting game lovers out there, this is definetely one of the best games out there for you, although Dead or Alive Ultimate might be a better deal considering that you can dual it out online aginst opponents which is very fun.
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video-games_xbox
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I feel lied to. I feel lied to by the entire video game review community. I asbolutely loved the first two Bioshock's, but this game was blatantly rushed during beta testing! There are so many bugs it's ridiculous!
-They constantly re-use the same character models
-The environment is buggy(opponents sometimes get stuck)
-the weapons are variable but there aren't clear advantages to using them (the shotgun is basically worthless on hard because if another character gets in close they start shooting you, not trying to melee, so you take too much damage trying to charge them to get within the meaty-1 shot 1-kill zone that a shotgun is associated with).
-There are too many drawers to search through, and if you open one up that has money it in and health (but are already at 100% health) it will consume both items.
- The money you get basically has to be used on weapon upgrades because they are 3x cheaper than the plasmid upgrades and you basically never have the money for them even if you search every draw and body in the game (which I do). and even if you do upgrade them, they aren't valuable (the weapon upgrades are like straight +25% damage increase, basically mandatory).
-The bosses are not fun, some are so easy that you just laugh, others are so tough that you basically have to glitch them (like finding a spot where you can empty an entire clip with the sniper rifle at a boss without it attacking you. The AI is completely stupid, you die easily because even with all the +health upgrades and all the +sheild upgrades, you are still reduced to nothing before you can run to hide (which is made even more annoying because auto-run is auto-disabled when you take damage, forcing you to constantly have to re-press sprint during combat).
- The plasmid stun isn't log-enough so even if a boss has a vulnerable spot (like some have shoot them in the back for 100% damage) it's ridiculously tedious to get to that position and you're better off just killing it the other way.
- You can only carry two weapons at any time, and given the relative power of some in situations, like the sniper rifle, it's basically mandatory to keep it in 1/2 slots
-I could go on and on. I liked it, but it's not even close to a 9/10 game or a 10/10 game that has been reported! These reviews are either paid reviews, or the reviewers are not playing them to completion!!
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video-games_xbox
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Lara Croft uses her cunning wits and skills on one of the best Remasters on XBOX One and PlayStation 4. Quick Glance:
Platform: XBOX One / PlayStation 4
Players - 1 through campaign, multiplayer Deathmatch
Achievements - Yes
Retail Price - $19.99
DLC - All DLC Included
High Level Premise - 3rd Person Action / Adventure game. Lara Croft and her friends are shipwrecked on a mysterious island. Gotta find a way home.
Graphics/Style - Beautiful palette of colors for the island locale. Caves are dark and gloomy, weather effects are top notch.
Music/Soundtrack - The soundtrack really sets the mood, the intense parts of the game have some excellent, adrenaline-pumping tunes, and the sound effects are spot on.
Story - The story is great, reintroduces the player to Lara Croft, as you progress the lore of the island is expanded upon. Character development for some of the other NPCs is a little weak, but still they do guide the story along as you go.
Replay-ability - Tons of stuff to find on the island. There is reason to keep playing after completion of the main storyline.
Time Commitment - I was surprised how often save points are between areas. This is excellent for someone like me who has to game in small bursts. The game is about 20-25 hours long for the initial storyline at a casual pace. Longer if you are a completionist and need to find everything.
Value - It was free on XBOX Live Games with Gold last month, but it is worth every penny of the current retail price of $19.99.
Favorite Element - There are so many! Jumping from rope to rope is cool, as well as riding a zip line down a giant mountain. This may be the best use of a bow I have ever seen in a video game.
I have been putting this game off for literally years. I bought it the year it came out for PC, and it sat on my Steam client waiting to be played. Everyone said how good of game it was, amazing etc. "I will get to it eventually!" I said. Good thing I did. Tomb Raider is one of those franchises that I was big into in the 90s, and then something happened and I lost all interest. I remember heavily playing the original Tomb Raider for Playstation and the sequel Tomb Raider II. This new Tomb Raider (2013) is developed by Crystal Dynamics, the people who have consistently brought you several games in this series. They decided to reboot the series to Lara's origin story, give it a gritty look, and make Lara Croft more realistic. The Definitive Edition puts a bunch of polish on the original title, upgrading the graphics for XBOX One and PlayStation 4, and including all of the DLC.
I feel wanting more after completing this title, and who can blame me? The game is excellent, one of the better modern gaming experiences I have had in a long time. The gameplay is smooth, the graphics are amazing, and the sound is some of the best I have heard on XBOX One so far. I really liked the ability to upgrade your weapons by finding scrap around the areas, it gives you extra incentive to go off the beaten path, rather than just march through a collect-a-thon. Luckily, the sequel Rise of the Tomb Raider comes out next month and I get to climb more mountains, utilize a bow and arrow, and raid some tombs all over again. I look forward to seeing what Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix have in store for Lara Croft!
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video-games_xbox
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Pleasantly Surprised. I just want to start out by saying that I would give this game a 9.5 since I can't. This is one of the only games that really created a battle within me trying to decide if I wanted to play it. On one hand I have always loved RPGs and from what I had seen the combat and exploration in this game looked to be right up my alley. However, I had heard and read about the brutal difficulty and it hardly offering anything of a tutorial.
I finally decided to buy a used copy for cheap and play it. While the game is definitely challenging and pretty much leaves you to figure out almost everything on your own, I have enjoyed exploring, fighting, and even dying within the world of Dark Souls. It's addicting.
I didn't enjoy the game at first, however. After you create your character from a wide variety of different classes and are shown a little bit how movement of your character works you get placed within the world of the game with not much direction. Sure, there is a guy within your proximity that explains a bit of what you need to do but offers little in terms of direction. This proved pretty frustrating for me since I kept going in different directions trying to find where to go only to get attacked by incredibly tough enemies and killed. I knew the game was going to be difficult but getting killed by one hit at the get go seemed too much. I have to admit, I looked up where to go on online guides from other players. Ever since then I have have been glued to my tv learning from past mistakes and figuring out how everything works(with the occasional help of forums of course).
This is one of the reasons I find the game so addicting. It's challenging but it rewards you greatly for overcoming obstacles that you once thought were impossible. Looking back a few hours of playing the game you can really see how much better you are presently. There have been boss fights that kept killing me over and over again but I would finally find the weakness, exploit it, and kill it while reaping the numerous rewards crucial for leveling up, upgrading equipment, buying equipment, etc. This also even applies to many of the smaller and more common enemies in the game as well. Your patience is always repaid.
This game would fall apart if the gameplay wasn't up to the task. Thankfully, it's fantastic. The control scheme is simple to understand but difficult to adapt to each enemy encounter. There is definitely the factor of the level of your character and the equipment being used, but largely its your quick thinking and reflexes that determine the outcome of each encounter. This makes it so its almost always your fault when you die. You need to always be aware of your surroundings and never take your hands off the controller. The only thing I really have to complain about is the fact that you can't really pause the game while playing. You better make darn sure you're in a safe place if you plan on taking a short break.
The game looks fantastic. Each area I have seen of the game has been vastly different from the last and they have all looked great. Whether its a forest area, castle grounds, or a dank dark sewer I have always enjoyed the incredible design and look of each of the environments I have found myself in. This doesn't just apply to environments, however. The character models(your character included) look fantastic. They are detailed and animated well. The bosses are exceptionally well done.
One thing that did surprise me about the game is how great the online aspect of the game is. In an RPG like this I figured that the MP experience would just be an afterthought. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying pretty much everything about it. You can use different markers that you acquire as items throughout the game to right messages to other players, spawn friends' characters into your game, and even invade a random player's world in an attempt to kill their character for some of their equipment. Im sure there's more but these are the ones that really stood out to me. There's nothing more satisfying that someone invading your game and killing them. It's a great feeling.
I could write a ton more about the game but I'll end it here. I can't believe how much Im enjoying the game. All I can say is that if you're an RPG fan then definitely give the game a try. Even if you're turned off by some of the descriptions about it you need to experience the game anyway. You'll probably be glad you did. Remember: you can always learn how things work from other players on the internet forums and such. I figure that everyone playing the game is in it together so I don't feel so bad in seeking help from others.
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video-games_xbox
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very unique. I must admit i was surprized at how good this game was. From all the prievews i saw and all the hype i figured it was just another over rated fps and the grahpics and enemies looked lame. But now that i rented this game and gave it a shot im very happy with it, they improved the grahpics and they are very good and also the enemies look uniqe and scary. This also has a very good story line with a fresh feel. The story is prety simple but good , you are an outlaw cowboy who robs trains in the west and you are very good at it until you make one big mistake and jack the wrong train,you end up releasing the original vampire and the most powerfull of them all he can resurect the dead and control them all. The only thing that saved humanity from the undead was the dark whatch for years but when Jericho releases lazarus from a train caried by dark whatch he unleashes hell on earth and he also becomes half vampire after being biten by lazarus himself. SO its your job to save the world and kill lazarus which will bring down all the other undead with him. But you will need the help of the dark whatch and also become an agent for them which is when the fun realy starts and you realy look like a bad ass. A very fun feature was the choice of good and evil for some things such as saving souls and drinking human blood, i chose mostly all the evil ways because it was funner and the evil side has beter powers to unlock through the game. SO this is just no average fps its very fun unique and has many good features and game play and also very fun online play which was a surprize. This game is not perfect tho it tends to get a litle boring at times when wave after wave of vampires come but it makes up for it later .Think of this game as a mix of red dead revolver and blade. This game is great and one of the best games to come out in a while seeing how this is a very bad time for games . So my advice rent it and have fun i wouldnt say its worth the 50 big bucks so rent it or wait a lil while till its cheaper but try it out soon because its very fun and something difrent instead of the same old fps's . TRY IT OUT NOW!!
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video-games_xbox
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The Game That Changed The Gaming Industry Forever. What can I say, this is Halo!!! This has to be one of the best games, of 2001!!! Halo reigned supreme as one of the best and most innovative games of all time, which gave the Xbox an edge over the other systems!!! This game has been declared game of the year in 2001 by major gaming giants which include:-IGN.com, -Electronic Gaming Monthly, -Official Xbox Magazine, and about 40 other companies!!! Some quotes by these companies include:
"One of the best shooters ever!"/ Videogames.com
"... one of the best games in recent times, on any console, bar none."/ Electronic Gaming Monthly
"This is the most important launch game for any console, ever."/ Edge Magazine
"... Halo's single player game is worth picking up an Xbox for alone."/ Videogames.com
... as you can see this game took the world by storm and began a new generation of first person shooters!!!
Most people, who own a xbox must have heard of Halo by now since it has been on the market for about 5 years, still one of the best games around too!!! Games like: Halo 2, Doom 3, Star Wars: Republic Commando, GoldenEye: Rogue Agent, and Area 51 are just some games that were influnced by Halo's example of what a real game is supposed to be!!! If you don't own Halo, you have been missing out on a lot, don't hesitate to BUY!!!!! You can now buy it cheaper than ever at prices $19.99 and under!!! Just buy it, you won't be sorry!!!!
Halo as a game is strongly put together from single player action to some great split screen action!!! If you wan't to hear the story you should buy the game but, I will you a brief idea what is going on!!! You are the last of the Spartans ( a elite group of cyborgs), the rest were destroyed at the human colony of reach by the Covenant or group of aliens battling against the human in an everlasting conflict!!! You and the Pillar of Autumn flee Reach and make a blind jump into space hoping to lose the Covenant, which didn't work out to good!!! The game begins with the level "Pillar of Autumn"!!! You start off with a quick tutorial and almost immediatly face the enemy!!! You make your way to the bridge and meet Captain Keyees an important person in the game, and Cortana another important role in Halo and Halo 2!!! Your mission is to make surse Cortana, a super computer who is a holographic projection of a women, that you put in your head as a chip, look I tried my best to explain about Cortana, but it is easier to buy the game!!! From there you help out some marines and fight your way off ot the ship!!! You and the survivors land on Halo, and from ther the story kicks off!!! You then play through the level "Halo"- during this level you rally the surving marines, in hope of forming a effective ressistance!!! Then you move on too "The Truth and Reconcilation"- Your objective is to board a Covenant Crusier and rescue Captain Keeyes, easier said then done!!! "The Cartographer"- Your missio is to find the map room to find the secrets Halo holds!!! Halo is a super weapon if you wanted to know, that is some what of religious immportance to the Covenant!!! Then you move on to "Assault on the Control Room" - You must defend the control room after wave after wave of enemy troops!!! After the first 5 missions you deal with the flood and everything breaks out in utter chaos and it is up to you to save the universe from Halo!!! Yes that is only a brief summary, to learn more buy the game!!!
The single player campaign is darn fun, and will be hooked on it for hours or even days!!! I bassiclly explained a little bit about the campaign, above so I will just talk about the multi player action!!! It is some great stuff, but the Cooperative mode is the definite highlight when you can play the campaign with a friend, which was pretty awesome!!! The Split Screen was pretty cool too with up to 16 player if you link four xbox consoles with 4 controllers each!!! It is stuff that has been done before but with the cool environments and weapons you can't loose!!! I was slightly dissapointed since there was no Xbox Live or online play, but that was new at the time so I understand!!!
The environments in the campaign mode are awesome, along with some nice graphics, weapons, and some marines!!!
The graphics were the best of the of the time and are still some of the best, though uncomparable to Halo 2 or some of the newer games!!! 4/5
The Environments and level design were breathtakingly beautiful, too bad I had to ruin it with those dead aliens and their blue blood splashed all over the place!!! Each level was unique and never the same, I give them lots of credit!!! 5/5
The marine A.I (Artifical Intelligence) and enemy were the best and most innovative of the time and opened the world of gaming to the limits!!! They are intellgent and can sometimes help you out, once you get into Legendary mode they don't do much good , but in all the other modes they can help you!!! The enemy A.I.is pretty good too but, not that smart, for example when you throw a gernade on a grunt they go running into a group of aliens and basically gets them all blow up, which my job easier though!!! Also when you kill an elite, the grunts, start running yelleing remarks "We're All Gonna' Die" and "Runaway!!!" it was hilarious though!!! Still the game is great and the A.I. is some of the best!!!4.5/5!!!
The Weapon were pretty cool especially the alien weaponry!!! The pistol and shotgun were the major highlights of the human weaponry!!! The pistol was light and had lots of ammo with a zoom too a very effective weapon!!! The Shotgun comes later in the game with the flood parasite!!! It is great for close quarters combat!!! All the weapons were cool except the Assault Rifle , which was a chunky and uneffective!!! The weapons were pretty cool but, new games with better weapon were released!!! The Plasma Rifle and Needler were both awesome and very effective too!!! 4.5/5... for sleek design on alien and human weapons!!!
The vechiles were pretty hot too with the Ghost and Warhog; The Ghost is the Covenat light attack weapon and the Warhog is a light moblie jeep with a machine gun and passanger seat for tatical fire!!! The Banshee is a high flying attack fighter that is a very valuable asset to the Covenant with laser cannons and a fuel rod cannon!!!! The Humans though have the heavily armored Scorpion tank which has a a huge gun with a machine gun too!!! The Scorpion is so big that you can just run over anything in your path!!! The Covenant Motar tank is a weapon you don't get to use until Halo 2 but, it is still nothing compared to the Scorpion Tank!!! 4.5/5... compare this to Halo 2!!!!
This game one of the best games on the market and opened the world of gaming to a new level of gaming to the entire world!!!
This is gold, start from finish, so buy it!!!
The game is awesome 4.8/5!!!!!
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video-games_xbox
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Brilliant improvement- Upgraded D-pad, Impulse triggers, and ridiculously and comfortably slick. Ok, first, let me get one thing out of the way.
The xbox 360 controller was probably one of the best, if not the best, gaming pads I have ever had the privilege to use. Even after all these years on market, it never gets old.
Now, the X1 controller is, without a doubt, a new standard in the xbox's line-up of controllers. I have bought this one from gamestop and it's in my home, ready to be played with the xbox one, so this review is a summary of using the controller from all of the events that I have attended (xbox one tours, microsoft store xbox one events, e3, gamescom, etc.) so I have had a fairly lengthy time using the controller. The ergonomics are simply brilliant as the controller fits snugly in your hand and it is a bit smaller and tighter so all the buttons are more easily reachable.
One of the best things about the new controller is the impulse triggers feature. Oh, man. These things are just great. They said that they integrated a whole bunch of tiny rumble parts so that when you shoot a weapon, drive a car, run in a game, etc.- whatever you do in a game will match the action to the rumble feedback for more realism. I tried this out with forza and man, this is a world of difference. This feature alone would warrant this controller 5 stars, but the improved grip on the thumbsticks, the more fluid trigger-to-button layout, and the removal of the battery pack bulge on the back add even more value to this controller.
Now, the last thing I have to mention. The D-pad has been finally fixed. It now rests in a depressed setting at the same location as the x360 controller, but now the D-pad is designed to work flawlessly with fighting games and other games that rely more on the D-pad. I tried this out with killer instinct at one of the events and it worked wonders. Huge, huge improvement over the xbox 360 D-pad (which was just awkward).
Overall, the Xbox One controller is brilliant, already piling more improvements and features on top of an already awesome xbox 360 controller.
The improved D-pad, innovative impulse-triggers feedback mechanism, insanely comfortable grip and ergonomics, and other tiny little things make the Xbox One controller a great new addition to the Xbox family of controllers.
Oh, and that sweet looking Xbox logo at the top looks slick as ever.
Hopefully, my impressions/review helped any of you guys and gals out.
Peace and game on.
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video-games_xbox
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Seriously Overhyped. I played every Call of duty ever made including this one. To me the last great Call of duty game was COD 4. Anything after that was just to milk the series. When I got this game I already knew that I would never touch single player cause it just sucks. My friend who own this game told me basically what happens at the end...I really didn't care. I don't get how can this game sells be worth $1 billion...there are lots of other great games gets overshadow by games that are BIG,big as in overhyped. I actually sold this game to get Batman Arkham City which is a much better game in all aspects even though that is not a FPS.(Read my review on it..worth it)Really the only thing good about this game is the mulitplayer,which is probably why this game sold so much. Only reason I got this was to play with my friend,and I can't lie it was fun,but after I got to level 80 the fun level just stopped right there. They could have put more guns in the game,or even allow you to customize the guns completely. It is not that hard to do. We all know they rushed this game to get paid. I am not bashing the game,I am just saying a used to be great series has been completely destroyed just to cash checks. I am not saying people that buys this game are stupid,I am saying there are plenty more better FPS games like Battlefield 3. Graphics wise the game looks good,no slowdown I think the game runs at 60fps on multiplayer but I am not sure.(I am talking about the console version by the way).All the sounds sound good. The controls are basically the same as all ways. The story isn't good. Multiplayer is great when you have friends to play it with. My one SERIOUSLY main gripe with this game and even since COD 4,that paying $20 for DLC is ridiculous.$20 is a whole game,$20 is enough money to feed my pet kitty for a month. Not only is it waste of money,most of time you got to buy them to even continue to play multiplayer,and most of the time you only like one of the maps. Also the usually produce at least 2 map packs for the lifespan of this game,which adds to $40. Don't get me started on the ELITE service. It is garbage. It cost as much as whole brand new game,but the cost of it do add of to the cost of two map packs so..it is up to you. Basically it turns down to this. Do you want this game to play with friends or just to be apart of the so called legendary COD series. Either way after a month of playing this game I just got sick of playing it,but thats me.
I wouldn't call this a must buy,but like I said it depends on the person. I am the type of person that plays JRPG,RPG,and strategy games,so if the game sucks it just sucks no matter what.
Graphics 7/10
Story 5/10
Controls 8/10(really easy to play)
Sound 7/10(guns to sound better)
Multiplayer 7/10(really the only reason to get it)
Overall 7/10
Also there are a lot of douches that set behind there couch and talk trash about people,and act racist just because they know the person they are talking to will probably never meet them. Of course you could just mute them,but I am warning you..you will meet those types of people while playing this game online.
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video-games_xbox
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Xbox One and Kinect Long Term 1 Year+ Review: Out of Storage Space, a Dead Kinect, Worn Controller and a Good Warranty. Original Review Posted May 2015: We've had our Xbox One and Kinect just shy of a year and since we just had our first experience with the Microsoft Xbox One's Warranty I thought it was the perfect time to leave a review and share my thoughts.
I like to wait until I've had a new piece of technology for a significant amount of time before leaving a review. You need to let the honeymoon period wear off and allow enough time to pass to reveal any bugs, flaws or defects. Fortunately we're pretty happy with Xbox One and the overall experience this far. I take writing reviews seriously and hopefully this one provides some insight for what is a pretty big purchase decision for most people. Enough intro. . . on with the review!
Here's a break down of the good and bad experiences we've had with the Xbox One over the course of the past 11 and a half months. (I'm a single dad so "We" consists of a father and teen son who spend a LOT of time with the Xbox One every week)
PROS:
- This version includes the Xbox One, the Kinect, one controller and a very basic chat headset.
- Installation is pretty straight forward even with the lack of a detailed instruction manual. The Xbox really does a good job of walking you through the process on its own.
- Quiet and Fast. Everything seems to run much more quietly and faster than on our Xbox 360 Slim.
- Boots very quickly unless you do a full reboot which takes a bit longer
- Integration with Windows and smart devices via Smart Glass app is nice
- One Xbox Live Gold account can now be shared via multiple users on one console/family (Unlike the Xbox 360)
- Kinect provides some very cool voice command capability. Controlling volume, recording game play moments and more with short voice commands is very cool and typically smoother than trying to do the same thing with the controller.
- The kinect also allows sign in via facial recognition and provides for gesture controls. (Two features we briefly played with but don't typically use)
-Connect most/many USB external hard drives to increase your storage space quickly and easily. (You'll need it!) No more restrictions on USB external drives or "Microsoft only" storage devices!
-The controller feels very similar to the Xbox 360 controller so there is a pretty seamless transition with little adjustment necessary in game play between the two consoles. If you've been playing one console more than the other for a significant period of time it feels "weird" to use the other controller for a few minutes at first but you rapidly forget about it.
-Being able to integrate your Xbox One with your Cable/Satellite TV is pretty sweet. (Too bad the Xbox One has to be on to watch TV . . . you can't just pass the signal through with the device off like you could in the old coaxial analog days.
- Watch DVD and Blu-ray movies using your Xbox One
-Our Kinect Sensor died just prior to the warranty period expiring. (More details in the "CONS" section below). We quickly realized how much we used the voice commands such as "Xbox Record That" or changing the volume while playing multiplayer games. It's so much easier to say "Xbox Volume Up" than it is to grab the remote etc. The bad sensor wasn't fun but Microsoft support was very easy to work with and we experienced no issues with getting a replacement refurbished certified Kinect under warranty. We shipped our bad sensor in and they shipped out a replacement sensor within two business days. Standard shipping was free both ways and we were able to open the claim and handle the entire process quickly online. We could even track the shipment of the replacement kinect with FedEx so we know exactly when we'd be back in the game. The broken Kinect stinks but the warranty and service were great! I was worried we'd receive a scratched up Kinect or something but it looked brand new.
The good outweigh the bad for us, but it's not all roses with the Xbox One. Let's take a look at what we haven't been so happy with over the past year.
*************
CONS:
- That 500 GB Hard fills up very quickly. 500 GB sounds like a lot but when you consider the fact that many games are weighing in at 40+ GB that free space fills very quickly. We made it about 7 months before we had to start deleting games and apps and ultimately just gave up and purchased a 1.0 TB Toshiba USB 3.0 Portable Hard drive. That's not the end of the world but for the price tag and the file size of most popular games these things really should come with a minimum 1 TB hard drive from the factory.
- Only One Controller: Nothing new here but needing to purchase another controller to play split screen and 2 player games always rubbed us the wrong way. It's still a tough pill to swallow when you're shelling out $500 or so.
- Random freezing of the Xbox and some games sometimes requires a full reboot to clear up. Not the end of the world but a little aggravating.
- New connections for the Xbox One chat headset means you'll need to either purchase a new gaming headset or an adapter to make your older Xbox 360 compatible chat headset work.
- Some games require mandatory updates that are often huge file sizes before you can even play the game. This isn't a big deal if you have a fast internet connection but if you're still crawling along with a slower DSL or cable internet connection the long download times can be frustrating. Fortunately it seems most games will let you play while the rest of the game or update downloads. This makes downloading many gigabytes a little more bearable. That being said we've still encountered a few scenarios where we buy/rent a new game on disc and come home on release day only to discover you need to download a hefty update . . . or discover we need to download half the game itself before we can even start playing. Don't even ask how frustrating it was when the first two games we played were Dead Rising 3 and Titanfall. ;). Fortunately since then we've encountered less demanding updates/downloads and a faster internet connection. This has decreased the desire to take a hammer to the Xbox One by about 95%!
- The ability to plug in your digital cable box to the Xbox One and control it with your controller or voice/gestures via the Kinect is cool, but it obviously requires you to have the Xbox One on whenever you want to watch TV. In other words you can't turn off the Xbox and just let the signal pass through to the TV. If you hook up cable TV to your Xbox you'll be stuck with turning on/leaving on the Xbox to watch TV through it all the time. While MS and others assure us the Xbox One can handle this we can't help but wonder if being on all the time shortens the Xbox One's lifespan. Maybe it's because our Kinect couldn't make it a year.
- Our Kinect just up and died one day without warning. A message suddenly popped up on screen to connect our Kinect and that was the end of it. We spent the next half a day trying every tutorial on the web and running through every troubleshooting suggestion Xbox support gave us to remedy the situation. No amount of unplugging, rebooting and reconnecting would make our Kinect power on again. We gave up and after learning we still had a few weeks before our standard warranty was up. We contacted Xbox support for a replacement. We sent our defective Kinect to Microsoft and they immediately sent a functioning/refurbished replacement out.
- We've experienced some weird issues with the Xbox not recognizing game discs right away when we put them in. For example, we'll be playing Forza Horizon and we'll decide to play Advanced Warfare. We exit out of Forza and then put in the Advanced Warfare disc. Sometimes the Xbox doesn't recognize the disc has been inserted. We'll then go to games/apps and select Advanced Warfare. It will pop up with a message that if we own the game we should insert the disc now. Duh. It's already in there! Sometimes ejecting the disc and putting it back fixes things. Many times it doesn't. The solution is a bit of a shot in the dark. This happens with a spotless clean disc so I'm confident it's not a dirty disc. Sometimes ejecting and reinserting the disc works. Sometimes rebooting the Xbox works. Sometimes putting the previous game's disc back in (or another game) waiting for it to be read and then swapping back to the intended game's disc works. We never know if it's going to act up or what will fix it. In Microsoft's defense I've done nothing to research solutions for this issue on my own. It doesn't happen often and when it does I simply just keep messing with things until it resolves.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Overall we love our Xbox One and have dealt with the minor bugs and annoyances we've encountered. Other than minor annoyances our two main complaints are the 500GB hard drive is just too small and the Kinect seems to have some quality control issues. Based on our experience and related research, the earlier versions of the Kinect sensor for the Xbox One seem to have issues with reliability. However, the one year warranty protects you and allows you to obtain a no cost replacement quickly and with little effort. (It sure beats plunking down another $150 to replace it out of pocket!) Should you be out of warranty Microsoft can offer repair or replacement on a defective connect at less than the cost of a new replacement.
We've put countless hours on our Xbox One and it's been an enjoyable experience for the most part. If you've been on the fence regarding the Xbox One I'd advise you to go ahead and make the purchase. My only piece of advice would be to purchase one of the newer versions with a larger 1TB hard drive if there isn't much difference in price. Otherwise plan on purchasing an external or portable USB hard drive within the first year. The other solution would be to resign yourself to deleting games you don't play often and reinstalling them later should you choose to play them.
.
.
Update 2/27/2015:
Just wanted to check in with another update on the Xbox one. (The full original review is posted above.) The replacement Kinect we received under warranty about 8-9 months ago is still working just fine. Not much has changed except for the fact that the storage capacity (or lack thereof) becomes ever more apparent the longer you own it.
In my opinion with the size of today's games they shouldn't even sell this thing with less than a full Terabyte of storage anymore. Over the past year alone game file sizes have gotten HUGE! 40-50 GB games with huge updates are the norm now and I'm sure things will continue to balloon. We've now got the Xbox One's 500 GB hardrive and a Toshiba 1TB External hard drive nearly full. We'll probably be upgrading yet again to a bigger external storage drive. If you're going to pay for external storage for this thing 1TB should be the minimum you consider. If your budget allows for 2TB or more I say go for it.
The good news is you can swap out multiple USB storage drives and/or use a USB hub with external USB drives attached. That seems sort of silly based on the price of the console. Swapping out the internal hard drive for a larger capacity drive is possible, but it isn't the easiest thing in the world. It also requires you to open your console and void your warranty. I haven't taken that route YET but it becomes more and more tempting as we keep running out of storage. I'd rather stuff a huge internal drive in it and be done. I guess the next best option is to get the biggest external hard drive my budget can accommodate and life with the solution.
The weird issue with discs not being recognized at first continues. The Xbox often refuses to identify a game disc. You can take the disc out, clean it so it is like new and it still won't recognize it. There are times when a disc has to be removed and reinserted many times. There are also times when the drive makes a horrible grinding noise when a disc is first inserted. Other times everything works fine without issue.
Thoughts on the Controller:
The original Xbox One controller just hasn't held up all that great. After some use I find them very noisy. I can't remember if they sounded like that when new but our controllers now have an annoying and cheap "clicky clack" sound. I think part of this is due to the design. The analog sticks (or at least the left analog stick) actually hits the controller shell. This is probably where a lot of the sound comes from. I'll try to get pictures when I think of it but it has actually chipped away and caused some jagged areas of plastic where the controller shell opening surrounds the stick. Again, I can't remember if this was a design flaw from new or if the controller has simply worn a bit and become sloppy. Never had this happen with even more prolonged use and abuse on our old Xbox 360 controllers.
Our second controller gets less use and has been having a weird problem lately where the right analog stick slowly drifts up. It's annoying and causes your character to sloooowly look up in first person games. I haven't updated the controller software to see if it helps but I doubt it will. Seems more likely to be a mechanical problem with the stick itself.
Overall the additional issues haven't soured my opinions too much. I don't think these issues warrant a full star reduction in my original 4 star rating.
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video-games_xbox
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My favorite sandbox. This game is an incredible amount of fun. It it as good as Assassin's Creed II? Not really-- that game boasted a superb fight system & fluid controls & character animations that made it a complete show stopper. However, one of the best things about Assassin's Creed, namely, its incredible evocation of a specific time and place, with a vast, gorgeous game world to explore and enjoy, is also the best thing about Saboteur.
The romance of WWII-era Paris, the characters that are right out of Casablanca, or an Indiana Jones movie, and the thrill of re-enacting the fabled Paris resistance, with it's intellectuals and hand grenades, just cannot be beat! The game world is just as rich and detailed as Assassin's Creed-- the city map is fully realized and shockingly accurate. If you've been to Paris, playing this game is like a repeat visit, but with the added glamor and charm of the Occupation-era milleau.
Personally, I prefer this setting and this group of characters to those found in the GTA games. Of course, this game is highly derivative of GTA games, but that being said, there's something much more exciting and novel about this setting and theme than GTA. Instead of wearing Timbs and blue jeans and a ball cap, our characters are wearing classic fashions of '40s Paris. Instead of driving today's cars, they are zooming around in classic roadsters from the period. Instead of stripclubs and taxi cab agencies, we get swanky cabarets and romantic, candle-lit catacombs stocked with contraband.
The gameplay is also highly addictive, from the accessible, yet very challenging gunplay, to the auto races, to the varied missions that range from assassination to demolitions to rescuing hostages, there is hours of fun to be had exploring and wreaking havoc in Paris and the environs.
Furthermore, this game actually has a very engaging plot and group of characters. The story is well-complimented by cracker jack dialog. The lines are always clever, and quite frequently laugh-out-loud funny. The voice acting is great. Of course it is campy. The drama plays like the espionage elements from Casablanca or a classic Noir film. It isn't supposed to be today's Hollywood version of "realism", instead, it is done in the style of classic films from the period when it was made.
It isn't particularly ground-breaking, which is why I cannot give it a full five stars- I reserve that rating for games that really push the genre forward. But that being said, The Saboteur is a fantastic game--comparable to/derivative of Assassin's Creed and GTA, but with a unique charm and intelligence that makes it really stand out.
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video-games_xbox
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Memorable sleuthing. I'm giving this game a rating of four stars, though my personal experience was closer to five. Taking in some bugs and slight clunkiness in story and objectives this is a solid four.
I've been a Sherlock Holmes fan since I was a youngster, and the recent portrayals in popular culture have nearly all been great. This is a smaller but equally fun take, with a great character model and voice for Sherlock. It hits on many classic settings that are quite evocative of original stories, but are new cases, like a salty old sea captain, a Greco-Roman-inspired cult, and the political machinations of various growing South American countries. Each case has memorable characters, events and settings. The actual gameplay is on the slower side, emphasizing the gathering of clues and observations of visual cues during interviews. A somewhat trippy interface allows you to connect clues by making certain inferences, leading to (hopefully) an eventually solid accusation. This game is somewhat unique in that it allows you to accuse the wrong person, based on - sometimes quite plausible - incorrect conclusions from the evidence gained. You are then treated to a bit of continuation of story which will show you the consequences of your choice. Since Sherlock is so well respected by members of Scotland Yard, they take his explanation and prosecute accordingly, so it's funny to see how a leap in logic is then solemnly executed by the boys in blue.
While the game is sometimes plodding, and occasionally frustrating when objectives aren't clearly explained or when a small detail is missed, this can easily be set back on course using a guide or other resource form the internet, and this only popped up once or twice in the course of the game. When played with an appreciation of setting and classic Sherlock sleuthing, this game really comes into its own. It's part adventure game, part point-and-click, part action game.
While this is a terrific standalone game, there have been entries both before and after this one that just don't work as well. On the one hand, if you enjoyed this game and want to experience more of it, it's fairly disappointing that the other games aren't as good. On the other hand, if you tried one of the others and didn't like it, it may still be worth your while to give this title a try. Recommended!
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video-games_xbox
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Experience has gone downhill. Everything started to break and die. Get a PS3 instead. I enjoyed the 360 up until about 2009-2010. I've been through 2 consoles (and the 2nd one died recently) and I've been rather disappointed about it. For starters, The new Metro dashboard is terrible and the best dashboard was the original dashboard from 2005-2008. The NXE was OK until the November 2010 update came along and blinds me when I play at night. Also, the build quality was shabby as both consoles broke. I bought my 1st on back in 2006 and it died of RROD in 2008. Microsoft said they would fix it for free and I sent it in and received another console in about a week. I had that console since then and it got RROD around 2010. I was going to get it repaired until I Microsoft wanted $100 to fix it. I did not want to pay so I decided to just fix it myself. I opened it up and it was just caused by a ton of dust. I thoroughly cleaned it up and slapped it back together and it ran great. Now noticing that heat was going to be an issue, I started to upgrade the hardware to improve airflow. Last year, I installed a Whisper cooling fan to replace the stock one and it remained cooler and was quieter than before. The other thing I did was purchase a custom shell and it helped out with the cooling a little. Also' the DVD drive started to go out afterwards and Halo Reach and a couple of other games quit reading. What I had to do is put my hard drive in a friends Xbox and install the game from there. Also for me trying to fix my DVD drive, my friend gave me a DVD drive out of one of his broken Xboxes which happened to die of RROD too. I installed the other drive to find that it would only read DVD's and not games. I did some research and the reason is the DVD drive is assigned with a unique ID for that console. The only way to change it is to flash the DVD drive (which will get you banned from Xbox Live). Also lastly, after I upgraded it to the most recent Metro Dashboard, It would not connect to networks anymore. I did not mess with any network settings and it did not work on any network. Also, Xbox Live is pretty strict with policies. I had my account for 3 and a half years before they decided to permanently ban me because my avatar was purple. I contacted support and they would not help me with the ban. So I decided I had enough of the 360 and me and a couple of friends took a sledgehammer to it to finish it off. Lastly saying, besides Windows, all other Microsoft products are bad
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video-games_xbox
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Great product, but get the premium version instead. I bought this when amazon had the special limited offer holiday sale for a super cheap price. First of all, Amazon has amazing shipping -- the super savers shipping got here blazingly fast -- incredible for being a free service.
Second of all, I immediately sold this item and bought a premium version for 100 dollars more than the core. Why? Simply because the premium version comes with things the core does not have like a harddrive, component cables, wireless controller, headset, and free month of xbox live gold. Basically, if you get a core, you will not be able to utilize many xbox live features. And if you decide to buy these additional items separately, you'll be paying much more than if you just bought the premium in the first place.
Don't get me wrong, the core is nice. If you're planning on playing without using live, all you additionally need is a memory card for your game saves.
The hardware itself runs a little hot during graphics intensive games and is prone to needing repairs, but Microsoft recently extended the 90-day warranty to 1 year, which is great if you don't plan on buying a warranty from the store you buy your system from. Also, this should go without saying, but make sure that you place your xbox360 on a study surface, and NEVER move the xbox while it's powered on. This thing will scratch up your disks if you move it while it's powered. My disks have barely noticible scuffs on them even though I've never moved the 360 at all. I just attribute this to normal wear and tear, though it's probably the fault of the console itself.
All-in-all the system has been a blast to play with. I bought a Wii and Xbox 360 at the same time, and the xbox is powered on far more often than the Wii, that's for sure. With games like Gears of War over xbox live, it just can't be beat. Speaking of xbox live, the downloadable content available with the premium version is excellent. You can download most game's demos before making the decision to buy the actual game. There's also HD content TV shows and movies that you can buy/rent on the Microsoft marketplace if you're interested in that sort of thing.
Anyhow, I highly recommend this product whether you plan on playing over xbox live or not. Happy gaming!
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video-games_xbox
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Dissapointing. First of all, I wasn't expecting a top tier fighting game, or a great storyline. However, the other reviews here made it sound like a promising diversion with at least adequate gameplay and charm.
However, after actually playing it a short time (but not short enough), it did not live up to even that. I found the gameplay to be fairly poor and not very engating. I found the animation of the characters to be disappointing (though, the actual art was somewhat interesting). The character designs were painful. The dialogue and stories were awful (and borderline offensive). I regret even paying $13 for this game. If you want to see examples, read on, otherwise just leave this game's page entirely.
Maybe it was a mistake to start off in Story Mode. Maybe it was a mistake to start off with the Dwarf King character. But let me tell you about the initial experience...
First of all, the introduction backstory was rather long for a fighting game. It seemed even longer because it was dumb. In a nutshell, The Dwarf King of the mighty Dwarven Empire gives up his throne in order to fight some terrible evil with three other heroes. After that, he settled down with the humans, opened up a company and just spent the rest of his days relaxing and drinking until now.
The first location in this story is the Dwarf King drinking heavily and harassing the serving girl. She tells him they are out of drink and he gets upset and demands more to drink. She says there isn't anymore, so he fights her...
He wins. There still isn't any drink. She mentions some connection between the drink being gone and rumors of some rumors of a rising evil...
Next setting and fight... He goes to some town and talks to this young kid, who calls the Dwarf King "Uncle", who wants to go out fighting and adventuring. Dwarf King says it's too dangerous for a young kid, and he is going to fight him to stop him from coming. He beats up the little kid, the kid cries, and doesn't go.
Next fight, same setting... This older kid (very feminine teenage male) shows up looking for the kid. The Dwarf King keeps referring to him as the kid's partner and wants the kid's partner to prove that he can take care of the kid... so they fight.
Now, he goes to an observatory to see an old friend. It's a freaking bunny. He and the Bunny get nostalgic and decide to fight for old time's sake, and to prove that the dwarf is still in shape...
Now after the Dwarf King wins this fight, he goes to a cave where he says there used to be demons. Now he finds a very young lady who also calls him Uncle. He says she's like a daughter to him and he can't let her go into danger... so he fights her to stop it. This is where I stopped playing because a big huge oafish character with slow clumsy movement and attacks was just getting wrecked by a fast moving medium ranged attacker.
However, in my first fights, I'm fighting such poorly conceived opponents as a serving girls because they run out of alcohol, a little boy (who seems to be portrayed as less than 10 years old), a feminine young teenage boy, a bunny, a teen girl who is supposed to be like a daughter to him, and for the stupidest reasons.
I'm sorry to put you through all that, but I just want you to see just really how bad it it is.
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video-games_xbox
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