Xbox 360 Modern Warfare 2 Throat Communicator - Snow Review

Customer Ratings:

I was looking for something different. The OEM Xbox 360 headset would always become uncomfortable after an hour or so

of use for me. The foam/sponge "ear-speaker cover" would bother my ear and the hard plastic opposite end would dig into the other side of my head.

I had been looking all over (including in Japan) for a cool headset. I didn't want one that also played the sound from the game (ie. stereo or 5.1 audio),

I have an audio system for that, I just wanted a better communicator headset for talking with friends.

I saw this on a "popular game review site" and immediately went and got one.

I opened it. It felt like quality plastic and rubber. It had a durable feel to it. I was excited. Heck, I could even drink and not have to move the mic.

Perfect, right?

It fit a little tight around my lower neck, but I could deal with that. The ear pod was a little big and was deeper than say a traditional iPod ear bud.

It wasn't super comfy personally, but again, I could deal with it.

Problem #1

I plug it into the controller. The plug didn't fit super tight and it did that static thingy in my ear which made it seem like the connection wasn't all there.

it felt 3rd party-ish if you know what I mean. I was expecting it to kinda plug and lock in there, but it felt too loose for my liking.

Problem #2

So I connect with some friends. They say I sounded bad, too much static, so I looked closely and noticed that it came with the mute switch turned "on" (default setting? really?).

But if the mute was on, why could they hear me?

So I switched the mute to "off".

My friends said I sounded fine with the throat mic. I was actually surprised they said they couldn't tell the difference between my voice

with the Mad Catz product and the OEM Xbox headset.

Problem #3

My friends sounded drunk/inebriated. Their voices sounded horrible. I switched over to the OEM Xbox headset and they sounded fine. The ear piece had

horrible audio. It sounded like cheap equipment.

So basically the only good things are I can drink with it on and I sound OK, but the other issues were too much for me.

I can't express enough how bummed I am that this product isn't that good.

Oh well, I will repackage it up and return it.

The search continues.

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http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Modern-Warfare-Throat-Communicator/dp/B002NNFZT8/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1260937039&sr=8-8

Tested this thing multiple ways and the results were the same.

At first no one responded to me with multiple adjustments on the volume control and mute switch. So I hooked up system link(I have a line in a separate room for when my friends bring their box and they can use the other TV, that's why we use mics.) and nothing but static and a loud buzzing over the systems. Picks up background noise but not my voice.

The throat piece is not adjustable but comfortable after you adjust to it. But since no one can hear me...well doesn't matter how it fits.

switched between my turtle beach x1, the extremely uncomfortable stock mic and then this. Same problems each time with the throat mic.

I've used the real deal in the military so I thought this was a great idea, and it is, but that's all this is, a gimmick, and over priced at that.

Ironically the name snow attached to this product link is right on the mark, that's all anyone hears in game.

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bought this in camo not snow. i am a cool cat... works good enough. not saving the world with it and can eat and drink....

Razer Razer Mass Effects 3 Chimaera 5.1 Gaming Headset - Xbox 360 Review

Customer Ratings:

To preface: I've never owned a headset for my TV or XBox. After enjoying my roommate's Tritons for an hour, I decided to purchase my own game console headset. (I already owned a Logitech for my computer.)

I purchased my Razer Chimaeras last year in anticipation of MW3 and ESV: Skyrim. After using a Razer mouse for a year, I looked into their selection. The Chimaera's looked cool, had several features, and most importantly, offer 5.1 surround sound in a Wireless option, something which other companies did not have at the time. I pre-ordered it and waited.

When they arrived, I immediately hooked them up and inserted CoD: Black Ops. I had to hook up the required Optical connection to my TV, since my XBox 360 was first-gen, but it was a minor oversight. The Surround Sound functioned all the same. This is my total, flat review:

+ Sound=9/10: Arguably the most important aspect of the headset, the Chimaera does little to disappoint in this area. It has a smooth consistency and doesn't apply any limiters, so sounds that are supposed to be loud, are loud, and soft, soft. I was expecting the headphone bass to be jacked up in order to appeal to the current market, but the Normal Sound setting (more on that later) is very equalizer-neutral and allows the actual game sound to come through without changing it. My only complaint in this area is the very slight signal hum that the headphones emit. While playing Skyrim, I came upon a particularly quiet area, and turned the game sound to 0% to check. It's extremely low, but still exists, and shouldn't.

+ Comfort:=7/10: When I first donned the headset, it was quite tight around my ears and the foam within the top (cranial) pads was also quite stiff. I expected such, since it was a brand-new headset and would become looser over time. Well, five months later, it's still fairly tight around the ears, and the top foam is still just as stiff. I do not consider my head to be "wide," but I would have hoped that the band would loosen over time. A perfect headset rests on your head, and gently keeps the ear cuffs on top of your ears. The Chimaera's feel pressed. And the ear muffs themselves are not uncomfortable, just not padded enough to relieve the amount of pressure the headband forces on them. You can easily wear the Chimaera for extended periods (kinda, more on that later), but you will always be aware that you're wearing them, unlike some more-comfortable headsets on the market.

+ Voicechat=2/10: This is where the Chimaera tanked hard, and tanked fast. From my very first Call of Duty game, gamers asked me to turn down my volume (at %30 in the XBox menu) and joked that I was using a paper cup. I thought this couldn't be possible, on a brand-new $200 headset, so I recorded a voice message to playback and test....... It sounded ATROCIOUS. I could barely understand what I was saying in my own voice, the room tone was overwhelmingly obvious, and it almost sounded as if a robot filter had been pulled over it. However, I didn't even have to worry about that for long, since after three days, the microphone boom broke off. I was folding it down by boom, and the fragile plastic joint connecting it to the boom arm snapped. It was simply dangling by a wire, which eventually fell out too. As stated before, the Chimaera does require you to plug the XBox controller into the headset in order for Voicechat to function.

+ Features=9/10: Feature-wise, the Chimaera shines. The headset itself hosts four buttons and two levers to adjust Game volume, and Microphone volume separately. The two left buttons control Power and Microphone mute. The two right buttons control Game Sound mute and channel selection (for multiple Chimaera stations). The base station controls the Base Station power, Equalizer settings (Normal, More Bass, Less Bass), Stereo(2.0) / Surround(5.1) Sound modes, and Headset Sync. The Base station also has ports for Optical(5.1), Stereo RCA, and 3.5mm Mini-jack(MP3 Players). This means it can be used for XBox 360, PS3, PC(with separate cable), anything with a 3.5mm Mini-jack, and plain old TV. A fairly great amount of options for a wireless 5.1 headset. The only problem here is related to the Voicechat issues; it appears that the microphone has no noise-canceling power. Apart from being annoying, it's also a bad deal, considering headsets for half the Chimaera's price have it.

+ Quality=2/10: I expected Razer's infamous low-quality to show here, but I was still surprised at just how bad it is. First, the Chimaera's construction is all-plastic, and it's VERY apparent. You can feel and hear the plastic creak and bend when you open the band to cover your head. My Logitech headset cost was $55 less than the Chimaera's, yet it uses flippin' AIRCRAFT ALUMINUM. Second, the Chimaera uses rechargeable batteries.......that last barely five hours on a full charge. To any gamer dedicated enough to buy a $200 headset, five hours is a scam. I replaced the provided batteries with some "better" ones, yet on a full charge, I still started getting low battery warnings at five hours. Unacceptable. There is also the above-mentioned malfunction of the microphone boom arm. Double Unacceptable.

+ Overall=3/5 Stars: Razer's decreasing quality shows plainly in the 5.1 Chimaera Headset. Low Comfort, poor Construction, poor Battery life and very poor Voice quality, are three inexcusable offenses for a gaming headset, much less a $200 one. If you MUST HAVE a wireless 5.1 Surround headset for your game console, I could recommend the Chimaera. But if you would be happy with a corded Headset, you can find much better and more solid headsets for less price. I would look into the Triton AX series, in 5.1/7.1 and Dolby Digital flavors.

Thanks for reading this entire thing, and if you found it helpful, please click the button so others will see it.

-Evangeli

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I'm both and Xbox 360 and PC gamer so I needed a headset that would work for both. After a disappointing attempt with the Turtle Beach XP400s, I figured I'd give the Razer Chimaera 5.1 a try. In short, it does the job well but I needed some extra accessories and there were some quirks and cons to deal with. I'm giving it a 4/5 because of that. Below are the details:

Feature Highlights:

AAA Rechargable Batteries. It can charge them through the base on which it sits, so I never need to take them out and if they die I can get an industry-standard replacement. Love it! I use Eneloop brand and get several hours of game time, but I'm sure the runtime will vary depending on what batteries you use (duh!).

Wireless. No more running over the cord with your chair or tripping over it and sending the headset flying. The range is very good too, even going 20' through one wall or ceiling with no trouble. No clicking or hiss as in other headsets.

Surround Sound. Technically not "real" 5.1 surround, but it does take clear optical audio and make a very decent imitation using Dolby Headphone. I'm not kidding: the room ambiance effect when listening to music made it sound like I was listening to my speakers, not my headset. Very happy with the quality, but I'm sure there are audiophiles that may not agree with me.

Buttons. Easy to find without looking and the physical click gives you feedback that they registered.

Mic Quality: Picks-up well and decent clarity for what it is. It's not a pro mic by any stretch, but it's a step up from the "average" PC mic. Xbox live chat worked well. Sensitivity was reasonable since it didn't register when I wasn't speaking even with some low background noise.

Annoyances:

RCA Quality: These jacks don't provide the cleanest sound due to the limitations of the technology. This headset has noticable hiss when using them with the volume turned up to a reasonable level. Zero hiss on optical though.

No Mic in Optical Mode: This is my biggest beef with Razer. You can't go truly wireless with both mic and audio on PC or LAN chat unless you use the RCA ports. With Xbox online you need to use a cable between the controller and the headset anyway, which is not such a big deal and it can work with optical. But the voice output from the headset being sent via wireless to the base station can only be processed when using RCA. A stupid limitation. See my further notes on this below.

Tightness. For my average head size, the band is unusually tight which puts pressure on the sides of your head. It loosens over time and takes getting used to. Bigger heads would have trouble.

Loose Optical Ports: If you use the supplied cord, it fits just fine. But the cords from other online suppliers don't have enough friction to keep them in place when the base is moved.

Initial Drop Outs: If you have a router nearby and/or a lot of 2.4 ghz interference, the audio may cut in and out for a minute after turning it on before it finds an unused channel presumably in the cleaner 5 ghz range in my case. It's rock solid after that.

Possible Quality Issues: I had to RMA my set to Razer after the right-side buttons stopped working 35 days after purchase. The RMA was about a 8 business days there and back, and the replacement has being working fine since.

To Get Optical + Mic On A PC:

Essentially what you need to do is hook up the headset to the computer in the same way you hook up the xbox controller. You'll need a "Turtle Beach PC Chat Adapter Cable" (ironic I know) or something similar. One end is a 2.5mm two channel xbox-controller-style plug (mic + mono audio) that goes into the headset, and the other end splits those channels apart into two 3.5mm ends. The mic plug goes into the mic input on the back of your PC and the other is unused. The TB cable has the nice benefit of a slide mute button on it too. You'll need to fiddle with the mic input level a bit to get the right volume that doesn't distort, but it sounds decent after that. That's the same caution I would give with xbox users you need to adjust the input level. Is it completely wireless? No, and that stinks, but it is a compromise that works for the 20% of the time that I need a mic in a PC game.

Best Deals for Razer Razer Mass Effects 3 Chimaera 5.1 Gaming Headset - Xbox 360

build: it is made with mostly hard plastic matte plastic like 4gb xbox + glossy plastic like the 250 gb, plastic seems durable looks like it could take a beating but i wouldn't give it a drop test lol...but at the same time the plastic is kind of creaky like when picking it up by one cup or putting it on if you stretch them out to them out ull hear some creaks...it seems to have gotten better and less creaky the more i use it though.

fit: the headset is big, and opens up 10 notches...i wear glasses and have a semi big head i have them opened to 3 comfortably and i could take off my glasses without taking the headset off, thats a big plus for me because with other headphones ive owned they have seemed to be tight and uncomfortable on my glasses...the padding is thick on the ears and the head it has the form fitting feel if they make mesh ear cups available i would purchase them, the headset has some weight to it but as soon as they go on my head with the padding it seems to form to my head i dont feel them one bit and have wore them for 3 hours at once without taking them of or adjusting them it was like i didn't have anything on

buttons: theres 2 buttons on the outside of each cup power and mic mute on the left mode and sync on the left...if your like me and only play online and are not going to be around other razer chimaera 5.1 then you'll use the sync button 1 time...there is mic volume up and down buttons on the headset too and headset volume...i feel the placement of them is ok i pick up my headsets/phones from the cups and put them on my head, if you do that your most likely going to be raising the volume its not a big deal ive learned to not do it.

setup : setup is very easy...plug in dock, plug optical cable to dock then to xbox or tv and turn on dock then headphones and sync and your done...took about 3 mins couldn't get any easier...yes you need to put the cable into the xbox controller to talk...but if your just gonna sound ****** you dont have too...there is Dolby surround setting with normal, bass, treble also non dolby normal bass and treble

sound: this headset uses 5.8 frequency and wow was i surprised how clear sound they are, there is no hiss or white noise in the background its like your @ the movies playing a game...i played mw2 mk mass effect and black ops...im going to not count black ops because that games sound is terrible footstep sound is horrible in that game...but in mw2 on the other hand they work perfectly you can hear directional footsteps air support and gun fire easily playing mw2 i use the non dolby settings the dolby settings were too rich for me to hear directional footsteps and gun fire, one thing about this headset compared to others it gets loud but its never gotten to that scary loud, you know that loud where u think your ears are gonna explode and you rip the headset off these dont do that and thats a plus...i watched zombie land on netflix with the headset and it was great i used dolby normal and it you can hear the blood splatter and every little gushy sound really felt like i had surround sound going on

mic: hearing players voices is great its clear, the mic says flexible but its not it goes up and down but doesn't flex towards or away from you...if you put the mic up it automatically mutes...i personally felt like i had to talk a little bit louder than i normally do to get sound from the mic i havent had that much feedback from the mic i didn't tell no one i had a new mic so i guess no said anything

battery: it does take 3 hours to charge and i get about 7 hours and half of use from them...on razers site it states that you can use other rechargeable batteries and charge them with the dock so im gonna buy some extras just incase

i emailed razer asking them about daisy chaining with the astros mixamp they said "It depends on the functionality of the Mixamp. What connection are you trying to use 3.5 mm? It does sound possible, but it would depend on the connections you are trying to make and for what reasons."

if your in the market for a wireless headset for xbox i think these are the best that money can buy TODAY not being astros

i was going to get the px5 when they were 200$ but i seen these and took a chance...although the px5 have dual bluetooth and eq settings i think these are the better wireless headset FOR XBOX users your getting 5.1 sound 5.8 frequency rechargeable batteries that charge on the dock

Honest reviews on Razer Razer Mass Effects 3 Chimaera 5.1 Gaming Headset - Xbox 360

The Chimaera 5.1 was purchased to enjoy 5.1 sound and not bothering anyone in the vicinity (wife :)). While it worked I enjoyed the sound and construction, I usually got 4-5 hours on a full charge, communicating with friends also worked fine crisp and controllable. However, lately (~10 months after purchase) for some reason it started to turn the volume down till it gets mute by itself which makes it impossible to use if you are not willing to push volume up button every 2 seconds. Currently I am unable to use the product. Still waiting for response of support team.

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Here are a few excerpts from my full review. The full review, along with pictures and video, can be found at ()

Build Quality and Aesthetics

Razer products generally have a good reputation for good build quality, and the Chimaera 5.1 is no exception. The headset feels solid and sturdy and the choice of materials is excellent. The headset is mostly a matte soft-touch black, but there are contrasting areas of high-gloss black. The only moving part on the headset is the mic boom, and it doesn't feel fragile at all. The mic boom is also flexible, so it won't break if you drop it with the boom folded out. The base station also has a decent weight to it and feels solid, although it really shouldn't see any abuse or wear. The included cables are also completely adequate, though I did notice that the 2.5mm cable for Xbox Live chat fit a little loosely in my controller. This hasn't been a problem and the audio connection is still solid.

Sound Quality

Sound quality is where this headset really shines. I did not expect the surround sound effect to be so clear and accurate, so I was pleasantly surprised to hear how well it worked. As a gamer who is used to a full surround-sound setup on my PC, I now feel like I am not missing anything when playing on my Xbox. Not only can you easily tell the direction of the sound, but it's also much easier to discern the distance of the sound. This is great for both multiplayer games, such as Call of Duty, and atmospheric single player games, such as Alan Wake. The surround sound provides greater immersion in your games, along with a competitive advantage. The Chimaera 5.1 uses 50mm drivers, so they can reproduce a wide range of frequencies and can do so without distortion. The sound is clear, sharp, and isn't lacking any punch or impact. If I had to make a complaint, it would be that they are lacking in extremely low frequencies. For comparison, my studio monitor headphones (Audio Techinca M50) are able to reproduce sound from 15 hz to 28,000 hz. The Chimaera 5.1 have a frequency range of 130 hz to 10,000 hz. My guess is that Razer limits the frequency range slightly to help extend battery life. As a musician, I can hear the difference in frequency ranges, but I don't see this as an issue at all for gaming and movies. I wouldn't use the Chimaera 5.1s for critical music listening, but that's not what they're designed for. They sound exactly how they should for a high-end gaming and multimedia headset.

Charging

My favorite feature of the Chimaera 5.1 is how it charges. A set of rechargeable AAA batteries are included, and you simply set the headset back on the base station to begin recharging. The whole setup looks really slick and it provides a nice place to store the headset when you're not using it. Battery life is listed at 8 hours, but I usually only play for an hour or two at a time, so I have never tested that number. A fully drained battery will be charged in 3 hours. I don't believe any other headsets on the market use this charging dock solution; instead, they either use normal batteries, or you have to use a USB cable to recharge a battery pack. The advantage of the Chimaera 5.1s are that they are extremely easy to recharge, but if you do need to swap batteries during a super long gaming session, you can just use a standard set of AAA batteries (rechargeable or disposable).

Connectivity

The Chimeara 5.1 is designed for Xbox and PC, so the connections are centered around those applications. On the back of the base station, you'll find an optical input and output, 3.5mm input and output, and an RCA input. In order to take advantage of the Dolby Headphone surround sound processing, you'll need to use the optical input. You can plug it directly into your Xbox if it is the newer "slim" model, or you can use an adapter for older models. Some TVs also have an optical output, so if you are using an HDMI output to your TV, you can use the optical output from the TV to connect to the base station. The optical output lets you also send the audio signal to your TV or receiver, so you can use either a headset or speakers without swapping cables. You can also hook up a basic stereo source using the RCA input, but you won't get surround sound.

Conclusion

Overall, I have been extremely pleased with Chimaera 5.1 headset. The sound quality is fantastic and the surround sound can literally be a game changer. I also feel that Razer made all of the right decisions when it came to designing the headset, by opting for 5.8ghz wireless and a really nice charging solution. On top of all of that, the whole setup looks fantastic, feels comfortable, and performs extremely well.

Review of Plantronics GameCom 780 Surround Sound Stereo PC Gaming Headset

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $79.99
Sale Price: $71.59
Today's Bonus: 11% Off

Back Story:

I have had a lot of headphones over the years and the majority of them have been utter crap. I had one really good pair of headphones that were made by Sony back in the 1980s and I used them so much I broke both sides and had to tape them together to make them work. The sound was so good that I would have rather kept those beat up headphones than be forced to use the 2 or 3 pairs I bought after them. I was sad when I finally just had to throw them away and accept that it might be a while before I lucked out and got something that good. (It's taken a long time).

Fast forward to the late 1990s and early 2000s. I have gone through another 2 or 3 headsets. I had a Sony that was decent, but not nearly as good as my original Sony back in the day. I then went through Logitech, Microsoft (totally AWFUL) sound and some other headset that I threw away because it was crap. I even checked out Bose and was really underwhelmed by the sound. My definition of good sound is crisp clear highs, warm mids and booming bases. Not excessive, but enough to feel like it could be live.

Finally, I saw a $79 Plantronic "Gaming" set at Best Buy about 4 years ago and bought it. The sound was great, or at least a LOT better than I have had in a long time. But there were some quirks to the headset that annoyed me. The Microphone would flop down into position, so the only way to keep it up was with a rubber band. The voice input was sketchy and the device had problems working properly with Windows 7. Nevertheless it was a good enough headset that I decided I was going to give plantronics another shot with my new computer because I wanted a headset that addressed the annoying issues of my previous Plantronics.

Plantronics GameCom 780:

When I set up the GameCom 780 and fired up SWTOR to fly a few space battles (in 7.1 surround) my jaw nearly fell on the floor. The explosions are so lifelike you can almost feel them sitting in your chair. The sound is whole orders of magnitude better then my last Plantronics headset, and the directionality is dramatic. I actually had to relearn a few of my space battle moves because the audio cues were so noticably different that they were a distraction at first, but within about 10 minutes I really appreciated how much these headphones added a new dimension to my favorite game. Just to have something to compare to, I fired up Crysis 2, and I was equally impressed. The punch and clinks of a rapidly firing Scarab assault rifle were like music to my ears. The ambiance was a lot better and with the DX11 high resolution graphics, it's a whole new experience.

To say the sound is pretty good is, in my opinion, a massive understatement. The sound is the best I have ever owned. These headphones actually have 3 modes: Straight Dolby, 5.1 and 7.1 surround. Each of them sound great, but for games I find myself sticking heavily with the 7.1. Just to test out the music capabilities of this headset, I threw on some songs from "The English Patient" that I had backed up for my mom. I put on a song that was just a single woman singing backed up by light orchestra and again I was blown away. The richness, clarity and warmth of these headphones, along with the silence being exactly where it needs to be... it's not even so much what you hear, it's how you hear it and even what you don't hear.

Anyway, the sound alone would be reason enough to get these headphones, but there is more.

The construction is very good for an $80 pair of headphones. I have yet to see how long the plastic cylinders that house the metal adjustment bars lasts, but it looks pretty strong. The headphones are a bit tight at first, but after some adjustments I found they fit quite well. The over the ear design is really what I want in a pair of headphones because it frees up the ear to head the sound properly. The adjustment bars are metal (something you don't see much of these days). The upper rim is heavy duty plastic, but there is a soft foam under cushion that gives a very nice set on the head. The earmuffs are made from material instead of a more durable kind of material, but they will probably still last years, and they are comfortable.

Where these headphones really shine are the on ear controls. You can switch from surround sound to regular with a touch of a button. The audio control, rather than being just a knob is more like a control you would find in your car. Push one way, the sound goes down, push another the sound goes up. Moreover each time to press the button one direction or the other, the headphones actually play 2 different tones to let you know if you are going up or down in volume and when you have reached either end of the spectrum. You can also adjust the mic on/off switch with a button right above the volume wheel.These touches seem cosmetic at first, but you quickly begin to wonder how you ever lived without them.

The mic is another marked improvement from previous incarnations of Plantronics headsets (like my old one). The mic has enough tension on it to neatly stay tucked up and out of the way when not in use. Also, it doesn't have an "in front of mouth" design, and frankly from what I can see, it doesn't need one. The mic is good, and I was able to talk into Ventrilo without much adjustment at all. The "middle" volume and default application settings actually WORK like they are supposed to. I was able to get a very clean voice recording using a quiet voice.

The software that comes with the GameCom 780 seems to be perfectly Windows 7 x64 compatible, but it took me a few minutes to find the controls. There is an entry for the headset in Control Panel, but the actual controls for the headset are actually under "Configure" and "Properties" in the "Sound" options of control panel. There are a few ways to tweak these headphones to compensate for room noise and acoustics, which is a nice touch. It would have been nice to see an actual graphic equalizer to come with such a capable pair of headphones, but that's a minor gripe. I am not sure if any equalization setting would be better than the defaults.

One final note regarding Windows 7 compatibility: Windows 7 may gripe if you try and hook these up to a USB splitter. Windows will tell you that you don't have enough power for the headphones, but since they work fine under OS X with the same configuration, either Windows is being picky or it might not be a good idea to daisy chain these things. I ended up putting these headphones into a POWERED USB hub and they work beautifully. So, if you have a lot of connections either A) make sure you have an adequate power supply for your system that puts full power to your USB ports or B) Buy a POWERED USB hub. It's WORTH it.

Bottom line? I would absolutely recommend these headphones to anyone willing to spend $80 and have a decent USB connection.

If these break 6 months from now, I will buy them again. Period.

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I hope this review gets to as many people as people. First I'd like to begin by saying something very important.

PLEASE READ IF BUYING THIS HEADSET:

Make sure to go down to the 'Speaker' icon in the taskbar and right-click it. Click playback devices find the 'Speakers: Gamecom 780' entry, and right-click again. Then click 'Configure Speakers' and navigate down to 7.1 surround. Keep clicking Test and then the Next buttons until it says that 7.1 surround is set up. If you do not do this even if you enable Dolby Surround in the headset's software you'll only be getting 5.1 virtual surround, instead of 7.1. It does make a difference, and is considerably better. I wish it explained this more in the documentation. Also note if you switch to stereo mode it still is normal stereo, this changing in the options menu doesn't screw up the stereo option at all.

Now on to the review:

First off, this headset in pictures looks a bit silly with the orangish red cables and what-not, but let me tell you it actually is very pleasing to the eyes in person! It looks a lot cooler than my old Razer Carcharias, which was just a lame black everywhere. Not only does it look better than the Razer Carcharias, but it feels a lot better too. Weighing a little bit more than the Razer's it just simply feels like it is constructed out of better material. It's a lot sturdier. The only 'complaint' about the durability here is the earpads kind of spin tough at first, but personally I kind of like that because if they were super loose it would be spinning when you don't want it to.

On to the sound...

I read literally every single review here on Amazon before ordering, and let me tell you, they aren't kidding about the sound. It literally blew me away. Sure it's just a headset and there's only so good you can get with an earpad on each ear with a speaker in each, but this is SUCH AN UPGRADE from the Razer Carcharias which is actually more expensive. It's so good that I will definitely be buying a Plantronics headset when this one becomes obsolete. Even in stereo mode (button on earpad not lit blue), it still sounds amazing and better than the Razer's. It has crystal clear highs, clear and smooth mids, and a decent amount of bass. Sure the bass could be a little more, but it's a headset for goodness sakes and for bass in music I have my car with two 12" subs to hear the bass, in headphones I just want balanced audio and that's what this headset delivers. Don't think there isn't any bass though, you can definitely feel the bass and explosions and what-not, it's not non-existent by any means. In fact, it does have a lot more lower-end than my Razer's.

The mic is also crystal clear. It's so clear that I actually had to turn down my outbound because it was making me sound booming. The only complaint I have with the mic is that it picks up background noise a bit too well, but it's not the end of the world, I'd rather have it do that and be a clear good sounding mic than be super cancelling and sound subpar. So this is another plus, at least for me.

Overall for $60-70 this is an absolutely amazing headset. Especially for gaming! The software could have included a bit more, but what it does include is still perfectly fine.

The sound is great, the comfort is great, and it doesn't look bad either! The only gripe I have is the cord is a bit short, but it's not the end of the world I'll just buy a USB extender.

If you're contemplating buying a new headset, look no further. For more money you can get the Razer Carcharias which is only a stereo headset, and even the stereo functionality on the Gamecom 780 sounds better than the Razer, let alone the fabulous virtual 7.1 surround sound that is has. It doesn't sound fake like some cheap surround sound headsets, but obviously it's not true surround sound. Still, it sounds fantastic.

If you don't want to spend $150-200+ for a headset, than look no further. This is perfect for music, gaming, and even movies. It brought a new life to my music, despite some of the reviews here! Seriously, just buy this headset. I love it, and have become a fan of Plantronics having never bought their products before. 5 stars for sure, as opposed to my old 4 star Razer's. What an upgrade.

Best Deals for Plantronics GameCom 780 Surround Sound Stereo PC Gaming Headset

So when I got these headphones, I had been using earbuds and the microphone built into my laptop. As you might imagine, the sound quality was poor and the people I spoke to on Skype complained about the microphone. Then I upgraded to THESE things, and the audio was amazing, and the folks on Skype said I was coming through crystal clear. So everything was hunky dory, right? Nope.

One day I put these things on and SNAP. The connection between the left earcup and the headband--right on that curved area above the cylinder-looking thingy--suddenly snapped. Well, it didn't come off, but a rather large fracture appeared there and it coming off completely can't have been far behind. I looked on the other side of the headphones and saw stress lines on the plastic, so that side was well on its way to snapping off as well. Wow. Disappointed doesn't even begin to describe it.

Okay. Headphone manufacturers. Listen to me. No matter how much you might want to, you can't skimp on build quality, okay? You can use plastic, that's not the problem. But it has to be durable plastic, and not too thin. It can't put too much stress on the wrong locations. And you especially can't say to yourselves, "Well, if it breaks the customer will just buy another." NO. That's not what the customer will do. Your customer will return your product to the store AND you will lose his trust. Being cheap costs you MORE money, not less!

Honest reviews on Plantronics GameCom 780 Surround Sound Stereo PC Gaming Headset

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I have been a big fan of headphone audio and do a lot of my listening through a Headroom DAC and headphone amplifier coupled with AKG 701s (open) or beyerdynamic 770s (sealed). I also play some multiplayer games online through Steam, especially Team Fortress 2. Oddly enough, I never had a gaming headset. I used my headphone amplifier for audio and used the microphone on a webcam for voice. While the audio was great through the USB DAC, the voice solution left a lot to be desired.

So I jumped at the chance to try out a dedicated gaming headset. This Plantronics set acquits itself nicely.

I downloaded the headset's management software from the Plantronics website. (Seriously, who installs drivers from CDs included with products anymore? They're always stale! Get the latest version from the website.) It installed without a hitch. When I then plugged in the USB cable, Windows 7 detected the headset and loaded up the drivers. The Plantronics software is incredibly simple and allows you to toggle the Dolby surround mode on and off as well as offering a selection of a music or gaming/movie profile. You can access it in the system tray on the lower right or via the control panel's audio device menu, where it adds a GameCom icon.

I tried streaming some music through them from MediaMonkey, the audio software I use. It allows you to stream USB audio without involving the kernal mixer in Windows. I ran some lossless files through them. These are adequate for music in a pinch. It isn't really fair to compare them to the AKGs or beyerdynamics, and they don't come close. They are sealed headphones, so you don't get sound leakage (something that your spouse or roommate might appreciate); however, they do suffer from the typical acoustic problems many sealed headphones have. They're a bit chesty and boomy for music.

But, wow, they're nice for gaming. With the Dolby surround switched on, I played some TF2 and Terraria. The audio is great for gaming. There's good detail retrieval, and the simulated surround actually seems to work well.

The microphone works well, too. No problems getting it set up in Steam for voice chat or in TF2. People can hear me clearly now. That's a huge plus.

The construction of the headset is decent. It's not quite as solid as the beyerdynamics, but it doesn't feel cheap either. The earcups are padded with a velvety fabric covering the foam donuts. The headband also is padded. I was able to wear them for a few hours without feeling discomfort.

The controls on the headset are useful. The left earcup has a volume control, a mic on/off switch, and a switch that will toggle the Dolby effect. That last switch glows blue. The volume control beeps when you nudge it up or down, which is helpful because you can get a sense of where the volume is set before an explosion in-game blows your eardrums out.

In all, this is a solid product. It looks decent and doesn't have all the hype graphics and extraneous endorsements that some competing products have. It really is a form-follows-function headset.

I'm glad to have had the chance to use and review it. Given how well the microphone works, I'll probably check out their Bluetooth earpieces if I ever decide to get one of those.

Recommended as a great value at the price point.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Plantronics GameCom 780 Surround Sound Stereo PC Gaming Headset

The Plantronics GameCon 780 was received quickly and well-packaged. I had originally purchased it for gaming I do on on the PC some evenings to replace a headset not designed for such things. Though I did plenty of research and read many reviews, I finally settled this one. After a few weeks of using it, I'm ready to help others make a decision.

PROS:

Amazing -and I mean itbass & sound

Accessible physical controls on the headset

Flip up microphone

Good quality recording

Excellent noise drowning

CONS:

Controls are too easy to hit & change

USB cord should be a little longer

Prolonged wear causes discomfort on the sides of the head

OVERALL OPINION:

The pros, especially that amazing sound, outweigh the cons. As of this writing the GameCon 780 from Plantronics has a 4.5 star review on Amazon. I feel that is entirely appropriate and I plan on buying my girl one of these.

Now, for the detailed explanations if you're still interested in the headset:

FIRST IMPRESSION

Arrived on time and well packaged. First thing I noticed is that this headset has some heft to it, which could be a concern to some. Additionally, it's pretty solidly built. Like most, I appreciate a product that just feels durable and strong. The USB cord is a decent length. Like I do with most things, I plugged in the USB cord just to see how Windows 7 would react. It installed it in seconds without the need for the accompanying software, but I highly recommend installing it anyway.

EAR CUPS

The ear cups are something most people are concerned with, especially when it comes to the type meant to drown out at any peripheral noise. These should easily fit all but the biggest of ears out there and do a great job of keeping the sound you want in and outside noise out.

SOUND

You wouldn't believe it unless you tried it. Honestly fantastic sound comes out of this. Strong bass, great surround sound and clearer sounds than I've heard out of almost any headset. I was suddenly hearing noises in games I wasn't previously aware of and my situational awareness during shooters went way up. During some movies or online streaming media I did have to disable to the surround sound as it gave a tinny & almost echoing effect (you disable surround sound by simply hitting a button on the headset), but generally Plantronics did a great job. Music was as clear as I think it can get on anything.

MICROPHONE

For most uses, the microphone is great. The quality was a marked improvement from my previous headset's mic. Plus, it folds up & out of the way, is bendable and is the perfect length to position it easily. It does pick up a little ambient background noise, but no buzzing or static.

SOFTWARE & CONTROLS

The physical controls are placed entirely on the left ear cup (where the microphone is) which is awesome...and not so much. The mute is hard to toggle which is good to avoid doing it accidentally but bad if you'd like to do it quickly and without taking the headset off. The surround sound button lights up when on and isn't visible while wearing them, but is easy to accidentally hit. The volume control is the worst part; it's a half-wheel that you push up or down. You will hit this when moving the mic, picking up or setting down the headphones and it's very sensitive.

The software was extremely simply to install, uses nearly no system resources, and

primarily exists to change gaming/movie to music modes.

LONG-TERM WEAR

Comfort is a big thing for gamers. You don't want to know you're even wearing a headset. For the audio portion, that is the case. However, these do have a little heft to them. Additionally, I have an average-sized head for a man, and prolonged use causes a slight squeezed feeling especially around the ears. You will not be able to do much about this as trying to flex the headset to relax the pressure could cause it to crack at the bases of the headband.

AMENITIES:

The "built-in spin joints" that let the "earpods lay flat for easy storage" are more or less useless for that purpose. The headset is big so good luck throwing that in your drawer without worry. That being said, the feature does make the headset adjust a little easier to your head shape.

New Xbox 360 Controller Metal Silver 9mm ABXY/Guide bullet buttons Review

Customer Ratings:

Absolutely love the replacement buttons for my controller. These metal buttons are cool to the touch and do not in any way inhibit use. Would recommend for anyone wanting to customize their controller.

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on the new controllers they get stuck on the sensor but all you do is file the sensor a little but on the old controllers it works prefect you know if the controller is new it will look like it has gold lines all over the board but if you don't see gold than you will have no problems also I love theses buttons all mettle vary durable

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First of all the tumbsticks are the wrong size and they don't fit the motherboard also the ABXY/ bullet buttons are really loose they shake alot when the vibrators vibrate and they're not the real deal they're like really cheap feeling pretty much all that your paying for are for the bullet buttons so if I were you I wouldn't get this product.

Buy Damage Pacific Squadron WWII for Xbox 360 - Collectors Edition

Customer Ratings:

I'm a huge WWII buff and per-ordered this the day it went up.

I've been playing it since release, it's a good game, but very hard.

The Game 70 out of 100

You can play in arcade (3rd person view only) or simulation (3rd person, cockpit or wingtip)

It looks and sounds a lot like the real thing. When you max your speed (what they call warspeed) and aim towards the ground you get that roaring sound.

Bullets have drop and you have to lead the enemy, and you really really need to learn when to use yaw and when to bank.

The ground is ok, not terribly detailed even when you crash into it. They planes are very good, however the controls inside the cockpit don't work.

The biggest problem is with the scale of the planes. In cockpit view I head toward a line of zero head on. Since I am attacking from height they I should be able to see a nice view of the plane. Instead all I can see is a big yellow arrow pointing toward where they are.

I circle around behind and pick them off, but even getting up fairly close they are not more than an inch on a 50 inch screen.

I wish it was more like Secret weapons of the Luftwaffe (1990 game by lucas arts)

The Joystick (95)

First its big, real big. Put it on a table and it will not move. Yaw, pitch, bank. Three buttons on top, plus a rocker. The trigger is about the size of a mouse button, but oddly doesn't click all the way in. It rest on a giant spring.

The throttle has two parts that you can keep linked together, very smooth and quiet sliding action.

While using the yaw (rotating the stick around) I actually felt my wrist start to get sore (insert joke here). The spring does want to return the stick to a neutral position.

On note. The stick comes in two piece. You put the stick on the base and use the grey locknut to screw it all the way up. Make sure the pins are clean, then tighten it up all the way. If you don't the green (trigger) button will not work.

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My husband has played this game for about 3 hours today. He really enjoys it. I bought him this game for about Christmas even though the reviews weren't that good. He says the joystick is a must and improves the gaming experience .

Best Deals for Damage Pacific Squadron WWII for Xbox 360 - Collectors Edition

Decent game play but, not as good as I thought it would be. The joystick is not a high quality product and does not have the sensitivity needed for good game play. Does OK but, the joystick needs tweaked a little.

Honest reviews on Damage Pacific Squadron WWII for Xbox 360 - Collectors Edition

bought this on sale --the only time to do this is on sale as the joystick is what ya want to get for other flight games

the joystick

great stick all around great features for the price(on sale) works well with flight sims good layout of buttons and the throttle seems at this time made for 1 engine games but seems to be made for 2 engines -it as a plastic linky deal in between throttle handles (later on feature maybe for 2 engine games?). good button lay out and nice extra feeling on switches on base

the game

video --looks horrible

-the game is too light at all times and its not my TV --did this game on 2 different sets and still way too light

the effects too bland

the ground--for game that has ground attack missions in it --HAVE stuff look good there ya know on the ground.

missionsman talk about repeating the same stuff over and over take first area for example "pearl harbor". This was the attack on dec 7th bit in game BORING. You just shot down wave after wave of planes with little rhyme or reason. To the point after I was about 3/4's done I was "done!". The after action report said I had shot down over 150 planes "one man army" I hate games that make you have to do it all!!

flight sim part -ok

missions briefing or AKA what and where I am going and what to do --LACKING BIG TIME most of time found out what to do and how to do it via trail and error as the in game "this is where ya go" arrows are little help

the planes-

they at least look good and fly in general the way they should

2 stars mostly for the joy stick

buy--only on sale as the game is not what ya want the stick is

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My nephew loves it. He has been looking for a good flight sim and this one delivers. Plus it was affordable.

Buy Mega Man Maverick Hunter X - Sony PSP

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $14.99
Today's Bonus: 25% Off

The Mega Man X Collection was fantastic. It was a port, of course, but not a bad port. Now for the PSP we receive Maverick Hunter X which is nothing more than a recreation of a Super Nintendo classic. However, it is a fantastic recreation!

In 1993 CAPCOM began the Mega Man X series, which was a more action packed beefed up version of the original Mega Man games. The series takes place in the year 21XX, about one-hundred years after the original series. A band of renegade reploids known as Mavericks are waging war with humans, and they're being led by an evil reploid (and former hunter) named Sigma. It is up to Mega Man X to lead the band of Maverick Hunters against these mavericks.

To the veterans of the original 1993 classic on the SNES, the gameplay is virtually the same. In some areas it feel too familiar as the level layouts and enemy placements and patterns are about the same. This isn't such a bad thing, of course, if you enjoyed the original game. Like most every other Mega Man game, you'll choose a level and work your way to the boss and then collect his weapon.

Bosses typically use the same pattern they did in the original. They might alter them a little, but not so much that they don't seem familiar.

The 3D graphics are incredible. The enemies, backgrounds, platforms, everything from the loveable SNES version is there, only completely rendered in 3D. You'll recognize all the foes and all the levels. It's beautiful and perfect for a handheld such as the PSP.

The music is a mixed bag It's remixed from the SNES version, but you'll either like it or hate it. Some tracks sound really good, others really don't. The ones that sound good you'll love, but the ones that don't will definitely show.

A few differences are in place. If you remember where the location of the capsules were, you might as well forget them. Capsules are--for those who are new to the series--what will give X his power ups for his legs, X-Buster, helmet and body armor. They're not in the same location as the SNES. The capsules are located in different levels, and some of the power ups you'll have to have.

A game like Maverick Hunter X isn't very long at all. Luckily, there are a few extras that are worthwhile. The story is now told in Anime cutscenes. After completing the game you'll be able to view a half-hour cutscene that gives lots of backstory to the series. Likewise, after completing the game you'll be able to play as Vile! Vile is known as one of X's adversaries, but you'll be able to play as him here. He's got some pretty cool things he can do being that he's got weapons everywhere.

However, there will be times upon playing this game where those who were practically in love with the original will probably want to boot up the old SNES original. I say go for it, to compare. It'll help you appreciate just how beautiful this game is.

This is a remake of a game done right. The way it's done is absolutely perfect and something any Mega Man X fan should invest in. Yes, it is worthwhile. Sometimes even better than the SNES original.

The Good

+Remake of one the greatest 2D side-scrollers of all time

+The gameplay is still remarkable

+It look gorgeous

+There is a lot more story told

+Neat extras

The Bad

-Some of the music isn't great

For Hardcore Fans... definitely!

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I LOVE MegaMan (RockMan, actually). I bought this game expecting the story from the original SNES to still be there, just with more. What I got what a bit of a mixed bag. Good, bad, and...pretty. I'll explain in detail--

The good is that 90% of the game play is still there from the first. A few bosses, such as Spark Mandrill, have a new attack(s). Maps are about 80% the same, with a few differences, such as Capsule relocations, and major overhauls, especially in the Sigma Stages. It has a few anime cut scenes (the real 30 minute movie comes after you beat the game once), and some voices, which I hear over 14 characters voiced by just 5 actors...hm. Though greatly portrayed, X's voice gets annoying after the first 10 times of using his special weapons, as he calls it out nearly EVERY time. Despite this, the voice acting QUALITY is definetely there, and I can't think of any sub-par voice work (except I really wish the same actor from X8 did Dr. Light in this one). Vile Mode is something new to me, and I've only gone over it once, but it's a nice addition. It also comes with a demo of MegaMan Powered Up!

The Bad: The story has changed from MegaMan X1!! Sure, the premise is still there, but there are a lot of little things that happen in this game that completely compromise the future X games' story. I won't go into full detail, but I suppose my recommendation is to play the game with an open mind if you're familiar with anything before MegaMan X4. The energy bar has been reworked, and seems MUCH smaller than what I'm used to. Maybe it's just me, but it seems the charge takes a little bit longer. Other little annoyances that peeved me included suddenly-discarded power ups. Yeah, that little shooting thing you just destroyed left you an energy morsel, but when it dropped 4 pixels away from the screen, it disappeared!! I consider this more like an in-game flaw, but SOMEONE at Capcom should have done something about it...

The...pretty? Graphics, of course! The characters move very fluently, with bright, exuberant colors, and are very true to their 16-bit counterparts. The maps are also very nicely drawn, and also do the atmosphere justice, OVER the SNES one. The anime seems a bit outdated, however. There are some scenes that remind me of the slight cherub-like face of classic MegaMan yesteryear. One of my main reasons for getting this game was for the music, and it hasn't disappointed me. Well, maybe alittle. Zero's speech "theme" is played, but only for a few seconds!! The music is very nicely done, similar to X7 and Command Mission, and nearly all the themes can be identified if you've got a keen ear from X1. (On a side note, unlike the original, there is no Sound Test...at least, not that I've discovered yet)

In conclusion, it's a pretty decent game. However I will always support the SNES version, since it's story was told, and comes, first. I think with this game, Capcom proved you can improve, but not beat an original.

Best Deals for Mega Man Maverick Hunter X - Sony PSP

Capcom really did an outstanding job with this release. It features the same classic gameplay of the original and they do the original justice by enhancing the game without destroying the gameplay that makes the original such a Classic. Hardcore fans may dissaprove of the story changes but this is why in the opening sequence Capcom notes that this game is, "Based on Mega Man X" therefore they are asking the fans for permission to retell the story from the beginning and improving it with better dialog and plot developments and interplay between X and the bosses.

I played the original for a few hours from the Playstation 2's outstanding Mega Man X Collection and right after playing the original I jammed on my PSP so I could see the differences from a fresh perspective. The level changes are many and mostly minor and moving the Dr. Light capsules as well as some energy and heart tanks around made the game more challenging for those who have memorized the maps of the original. The delay in powering up the buster reported by earlier reviews was nonexistent or so minor a change I really did not notice.

As a fan of the original since the days of the SNES I was not dissapointed one bit.

Honest reviews on Mega Man Maverick Hunter X - Sony PSP

This game is great for younger children and early teens. My daughter loves to play it and she recommends to other children.

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This game is a really good remake of the very first Mega Man X game, with an extra treat Vile mode!

However, some of the armor capsules were moved to make things more interesting, and it tends to up the difficulty a little bit, which is not a bad thing. The biggest update to the game is the inclusion of Vile mode, which allows the player to take control of X's long time rival and borderline maverick, Vile (hence the name). Oddly enough, a Zero mode was not included. All in game dialogue is done with voice actors, which is a nice touch, and if you've played X8 or Command Mission, you'll recognize many of them.

X controls nearly exactly the same way he did in the first game, though it seems harder to obtain the hadouken in this version I kept hitting the birds, making me retry the section more than seemed reasonable.

Possibly my favorite part is Vile mode. At first, the difficulty feels extremely high, but by the end of the game, Vile seems overpowered (which is not a bad thing!). Vile does not receive upgrade capsules the way X does. Instead, he gets a speed upgrade and an armor upgrade by defeating two particular bosses. The difficulty level really seems to drop after the speed upgrade is acquired. Vile also must choose three weapons to take into a mission before he begins, and cannot change these until he returns to base. There are three weapon classes: Hand, Shoulder, and Knee, each of which have around fifteen variants, so you can customize Vile to your liking and play style. There's only one downside to Vile mode it's a little short. On normal difficulty, the final battle falls just short of epic, due to Vile being slightly overpowered. All the upgrades are scattered around yet some more from X mode, making it more fun and rewarding to go exploring. Vile also has his own stage music, which plays during almost every single level. It's a nice, aggressive tune, which fits Vile's personality perfectly and doesn't get old too quickly.

Cheap Spy vs. Spy

Customer Ratings:

Originally a hit when released in the arcades in the 80's Spy vs Spy also enjoyed success on just about every home console. I myself had it on the Commodore 64 along with the sequel 'Island Adventure' and the third one called 'Arctic Antics', which were better.

The trouble with the original Spy vs Spy is that the gameplay, while briefly fun, was too limited and the rooms of the big building you ran about in looked the same. It was easy to get lost and there was nothing particularly visually interesting about the game.

But for Spy vs Spy or MAD Magazine completest this game is a must. I've yet to play the new Spy vs Spy game (it only came out on PS2 and XBOX-I have a Gamecube) but it will probably be better than this. If you have a vintage console at home then get Spy vs Spy II or III.

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I Had a Blast with this Game! Me And my Big Brother played it all the time and we still do today, my cousin saw me play it and wanted to try it out and He had a blast with it as well. It makes it more of a challenge when you put it on hard mode, the weapons you have make it more fun such as a bomb,spring,waterbucket and a time bomb. i loved this game and would recommend anyone who is wanting to buy oldschool games.

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We love this, there is nothing like the good old cat and mouse type games, I wish Wii or Sony would make a version for their system.

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Reviews of Evolve360 Controller Faceplate *CHROME*

Customer Ratings:

I finally got the xbox 360 controller faceplate and when I was putting the controller back together I realized that the faceplate that I had just boughten doesn't have any threading inside the screw holes. This results in it being impossible to screw your controller back together so it does not stay together very well while playing. DO NOT BUY THIS UNLESS YOUR POSITIVE THIS ISSUE HAS CHANGED!

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When this piece showed up, the finish was a perfect mirror, it really looked incredible. Installing it involved disassembling the controller which was a pain but not too difficult. The screw holes in the new faceplate didn't seem threaded as the screws were nearly impossible to get started. Overall, the install was something I don't want to do again.

The finished product though made me feel the whole ordeal was worth it....however, after 20-30 hours of gaming, the finish started to fade. Now, after 60 or so hours, the sides of the controller where your palm contacts the faceplate, is a grayish white with no chrome left on those sections. Anywhere on the faceplate where your hands/fingers come in constant contact, such as near the thumbsticks, has no chrome finish left.

If you are a casual gamer that digs mods, it really looks great. If you plan on puttin in some hours, I'd look to a different product.

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I got this gift for my boyfriend for christmas and he loves it more then Halo 3. Perfect gift for any person who loves xbox live games.

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This works good, it works better than the stickers if you know what your doing.

Review of Lollipop Chainsaw Premium Edition

Customer Ratings:

This Japan import will not work in a US. XBOX 360. I guess I should have done my homework. Who would of thought!

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Fun game to have, if you like killing zombies, this a game to get, it a great game to have.

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I love this game! so nice it has different costumes! plus a ranking mode! definitely a buy worthy game! Go get it now!

Review of Xbox 360 Modded Stealth Controller Rapid Fire / Sniper Quick Scope

Customer Ratings:

I ordered this controller on the 8th of September. I received it on the 25th. If you are planning on buying this be prepared to wait because it is shipping in from China. First of all, the description says it comes with a detailed instructions manual. Didn't receive it. Had to ask a question on this page to figure out. When I first received it, it had several scratches on it. I'm assuming this is because the packaging is very thin and doesn't protect it very well. The first thing I realized when I picked it up was that it was not a Microsoft shell. The whole shell is made up of a cheap feeling material. This material is still pretty durable and I can see it surviving quite a few drops. It has stealth buttons and has a blue LEDs. You can look at my customer image. All of the modes work very well. Nine of them are adjustable for different games. This controller works in all of the COD series games. Overall I'm giving this a 4/5 because of the defects of the controller shell, and it didn't come with instructions. I would recommend this because of the overall low price for what you are getting.

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The controller is cool and all but I need instructions to figure out how to use the mods or this is just a normal controller

Best Deals for Xbox 360 Modded Stealth Controller Rapid Fire / Sniper Quick Scope

the controller did not come with any instructions to operate the controller nor hoow to activate the mods. please send me the instructions

Honest reviews on Xbox 360 Modded Stealth Controller Rapid Fire / Sniper Quick Scope

Got the item rather quickly, but didn't come with any instructions on how to use mods. Could be better if it came with instructions, otherwise it's just another controller.

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where are the instructions on how to operate this controller. I got nothing and im totally lost on how to operate it. will some one plz tell me how to use it. thank you

DDR Multi-Platform Super Sensors Energy Super Deluxe Dance Pad Review

Customer Ratings:

I was looking for an inexpensive dance pad, and this worked well for the price. It has a plastic top, not too slippery on the feet a little bit of texture to it which works.

It doesn't sit completely flat on the ground if you don't stick it down with something (perhaps some doubled-over duct tape) keep this in mind if you buy it. It can also slip around underneath you if you don't stick it down. I haven't tried it on carpet, so I can comment about how it does on that surface.

It also has a very strong plastic smell to it if you are sensative to new plastic smell as I am it takes awhile to air it out, up to several weeks of sitting out to take that smell away if it bothers you.

For the price, it is worth it, nice and large, though smaller than the arcade versions.

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Reviews of A.C.E.: Another Century's Episode R PS3 Game (Japanese Version)

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $79.99
Sale Price: $39.98
Today's Bonus: 50% Off

I've already beaten the game 6 times and I have to say, this game is fun; If you're a fan of mecha animes.

This game was very pretty, but very empty in terms of style and polish. Here's my review of it.

Pros:

+ This game is only fun if you're a mecha fan and know about the characters featured in this game.

+ You don't have to be fluent in Japanese to enjoy the gameplay and cutscenes.

+ Most of the mechs control very differently from each other. As you level up, you gain more attacks.

+ You can import songs! The basic themes for the characters and stages are basic and the voice acting is top-notch.

+ Starting the game is always different depending on which series you start with and they do have different ending scenes.

+ Giant boss battles!

+ Shift Chase mode is a welcomed addition to the game. It makes some of the scenes more engaging than just watching it. Some quick time events do pop up in this game too.

+ The tension meter is much like a fighting game special bar. It limits the amount of special attacks mechs can do (So no more constant missile spamming for Macross mechs).

Cons:

The controls are very awkward and will be the most challenging hurdle for gamers to overcome. Make sure you change the controls as soon as possible because the standard set-up is terrible.

This game has several glitches that can impede on game play. On my second run, the game froze on the mission with the unskipable cut scenes. There are Graphical glitches too, like disappearing flowers on the Aquarion stage cutscenes.

This game is very hard to start, but very easy to finish. Starting the game with under power mechs and pilots does make the game harder than is should be. I found myself completing mission at like 10% HP too many times when I was starting out (I chose the Mcross F route).

No style at all. What I mean is that in previous ACE games, you can see that they put a lot of effort into make each mechs launch sequence as well as render the pilots in cell-shaded full 3d for cutscenes. There are no launch scenes like that in ACE:R.

No mech shops or parts to acquire to upgrade mech abilities.

You will have to cycle through attack panels.

Mission difficulty is all over the place with this game. The later missions are easier than the starting ones.

Strange mech changes: This mainly applies to the Macross VFs. In prior games, you're able to hover in battroid mode. In this game, you fall like a rock. Other mechs can hover though, like King Gainer and the Gundams.

No multiplayer mode. I'm leaning towards a co-op option than a death match mode. It was something I really liked in ACE3 and I was hoping that this game would expand on that, like have 3 player co-op for certain campaign missions.

No DLC expansion such as more missions or other mechs from prior games.

Over all:

This was definitely not the next gen ACE game I've been waiting to play. This was more of a rushed attempt than a rebirth. Starting out the game gave me bad impression, that's why I held off on review it right after my first play through. Now that I've had more experience with it, I can give it a fair review. Anyway, I haven't mentioned the story because I can't read Japanese (I have read several summaries about the story). This game just lacks the style and polish that the past ACE games had. The controls are what really kills this game. My ratings for this game are that high (3 stars) because I'm a mecha fan. Any other gamer would probably hate this game.

If you're an ACE fan, be very careful about getting this game. You might be disappointed with what you buy. I'm not totally burned, since I got this game for $20, but I wouldn't get this game for any more than $20. There are simply too many bugs and control issues that hinders this game's fun factor. Only get this game if you're a hardcore mecha fan!

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this is a fun game I always wanted a game from this series but didn't have the funds 2 purchase a Japanese ps2 so now that the ps3 is free region codes from Japan I went for this game. I don't know the Japanese language but it still won't stop me from enjoying this game

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Well, it all started like this, I am one of those Gundam fans that are not satisfied by the whole Dinasty Warriors Gundam game saga, so I started taking a look at this game, it took me almost two years to actually buy it due to the little issue known as not knowing japanese (except the one you learn by watching subtitled anime) which made me indecisive about it, but I still decided to get it, after much thought.

Thing is, I had read a few things about this game, and they all claim, and I now agree with them, that the more of the featured series you know, the funnier it gets, so my first reccomendation would be having watched about half of the series included.

Well, now that that's said, let's get this review properly started, I'll divide it in 5 parts, each focusing on a part of the game, hopefully i'll cover everything, this is my firs review, after all:

1Story:

The story was, from my point of view at least, very well done and very fun to follow, taking the characters from their respective series through black holes to the world of Eria, their encounter with Autumm-4 (native of the planet) and the Seasons (Bad Guys from the planet) and their leader Winter-1. The interactions between all of the different characters have a nice feeling to it, a pity about those i do not get due to there being no voice over (though I am quite sure there is one about a pull up (or something like that) competition between Suzaku Kururugi and Sosuke Sagara, and Alto Saotome gets caught up in the middle of it), because the actual cutscenes are pretty easy to undestand.

Many stages reenact things that happened during the series included in the game, usually with almost no change in dialogue (those who have watched Code Geass R2 will notice that Zero's conversation with the High Eunuchs and Luciano Bradley's speech about life are inaltered from how they were in the anime, other examples are the Crossbone Gundam fight with the Deathgales and Macross Frontier's fight with the Vajra Queen, I could go on but you get the picture), so basically it's a crossover story that will please many fans (on another note for Code Geass fans, Zero tends to laugh, a lot, while you play him).

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2-Graphics:

The graphics are pretty good, I must admit most of the videos posted around about the game make it look slightly inferior in these section, but the scenery is really well done, and I assure you your favorite robot has been well designed, the only problem are 2-D cutscenes, the animation doesn't really fit. Apart from that, the only other thing is that there are a few failures with the graphics section, as of now I have found two of them, there may be more, one occurs in mission 18, if you use Lancelot Albion (haven't checked if Guren Seiten has the same problem) as your mech, during a scene, the Energy Wings become totally invisible, except the part they come out from, funny thing is, Lancelot Albion is flying in that scene. The other failure I found was in mission 19, in which the Aquarion fans (and everyone else, but they'll be the most affected) will see how the flowers on the Tree of Life sprout and vanish without reason. Still, despite these errors, it's really well designed.

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3-Controls & Specifics:

Here is the tricky part, since controls are a bit difficult get used to and the gameplay doesn't make them easier since your camera is fixed on an enemy all the time (unless there are no more, but if that's the case, either the mission is about to end or more will appear in 10 seconds). You'll have to be careful about not ending up out of the map by accident either, if you stay there too much, you'll start losing health at an incredible rate. The Tension System that allows for Special Attacks can be a bit difficult, but once you get how to properly use the robot you are using you'll charge it in no time.

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4-Gameplay:

This one is fairly simple, you arrive with your selected mech and two partners to the map of the mission and accomplish the objectives, wich may vary from protecting an spaceship, destroying target enemy unit/s, stay alive until the countdown reaches zero, reach target point, etc. the only problem is size, exactly that, yeah. The thing is, the robots available are not all identical in size, for example, Code Geass mechs (Knightmare Frames) are about 5m tall while Gundams are around 20m tall, and the Aquarion is three times as tall as a Gundam, so, while using a Gundam to pursue a Knightmare Frame, you'll end up looking for a pixel in your screen. Although I'll admit it is fun to crush them under your feet with Crossbone X1 and Hyaku Shiki's kicks. Also there's the fact that with each playthrough you unlock a new robot to use, which basically gives you an excuse to replay apart from the whole "I just played Code Geass story, now I wanna see what happened to the Macross guys to end up here".

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5-Music:

Now, this is the one part of the game I have really enjoyed, You do realize that when you join up all these series, the amount of epic music you can add is limitless, problem is, there's generally no money to afford all of it. So, what did From Software do. Well, they made their own sound track, which is pretty good, and added instrumental versions of the most famous songs of each anime. I bet you're thinking "that's good and all but you said you really enjoyed this and I still don't see any special reason for it", okay here's that reason, they also added the option of customizing the sountrack for each mission, with the exception of a few obligatory songs which were necessary for the plot, remember this game includes Macross Frontier afterall, that is not impressive enough though. What is impressive is that you can use songs stored in your ps3 as part of that soundtrack, basically customizing it to your tastes so that it fits better with you, they save money and you still get the big prize.

Well, that's about it for my review, I'm hesitant to give this game a mark since it really depends on who plays it and what you like, but if I was forced to do so I would give it a 9/10 for all the good moments it's given me, and will give considering I still have more than 8 playthroughs left.

I hope you enjoyed the review.

Hawkeyeriku.

Honest reviews on A.C.E.: Another Century's Episode R PS3 Game (Japanese Version)

It's an excellent game in my opinion, with fantastic graphics. I really loved it, and recommend it if u like the gundam series as I like.Well.....that's all I have to say. =)

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This game was an amazing crossover it had all the mechs from every anime I have ever wanted to play and it has amazing gameplay. In short the best crossover I have played.

Cheap Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition

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Two things first:

1) if you play this on PC, do not forget to find DSFix, an open-source fan-made patch to improve the game's visuals. This will remove almost all complaints about the game.

2) get a controller. I recommend a Wired (USB) Xbox 360 Gamepad, available here on Amazon for ~$20.

Now to the game:

Dark Souls is amazing. That's simply a fact. You will want to quit after your first play session. Don't. Take a break, maybe a night off, and then come back to it with a level head. The game is designed to have many different solutions to any give problem, but if you keep trying the only one you immediately see, and failing, you'll be very mad very fast. So, don't do that. Pace yourself. Look for alternative paths. Try different approaches (sneaking, sprinting, rolling, jumping, shield up, 2H weapon at the ready...). Whatever you do, don't give up after only a few hours. The real payoff in this game is your own successes.

The stress of the boss fights and PvP gives a stronger rush than any other game I've encountered in nearly a decade. It is so satisfying to win a challenging (and generally *fair*) fight.

I would highly recommend this game to anyone. While it is unforgiving, at its core, the game is very consistent, so not too difficult. It will teach you to practice. It will show you the sweet rewards from perseverance.

Don't give up and go hollow. You have this chance to show the world that your soul is yours, and that you are alive.

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I actually want to clear up a couple things first before I started the actual review

*FromSoftware came out months ago, informing everyone that this game is designed for and has to be played with a game controller. NOT mouse/WASD. If you play the game, it's extremely easy to see why.

*FromSoftware are console(!!!!!) developers, with no experience with the pc. The reason why it took so long for the port to happen was because FS openingly said it couldn't be done, that they had no idea how to do it.

*FromSoftware said they knew if they did do it, it would be terrible, and they wouldn't make the production money back. It wasn't until YOU, pc gamers, got together and started a petition, expecting about 10,000 signatures. Instead, you gathered 92,000+

*To make up for the bad port, FromSoftware threw in hours of extra content. Just for the heck of it.

*If you read any professional review from people who have been keeping up with the production, you'll see that the port had come out much better than we were warned about. From people who had no idea how to work with a pc and openenly stated it would have bad graphics and terrible frame rate. It still turned out better.

*They ARE letting players mod. And knowing the modder community, this game is about to get even more awesome

As for the actual review, what is there to say? It's the best rpg ever made. The art design is incredible with interesting monsters, depth to the gameplay, immersive level design, awesome gear, and incredibly challenging. And when I say challenging, I mean harder than any game you have ever played. And the sense of self-accomplishment when you beat these bosses can't even touched by any other game. It's a literal adrenaline rush. Not some whiny, fake marketing bogus. I mean like you're sweating, heart pumping, and entire body tingles. Not an exaggeration. This make Skyrim look like chutes and ladders. Not to mention it's almost open world like, where you will rarely see a loading screen even when going in and out of multiple buildings.

This game is poetry. If you have an 360 or PS3 controller, it is a must must must have.

Best RPG ever made

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**EDIT***

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DSfix by Durante on the DS Nexus website. Ridiculously easy mod gives you full HD resolution, and Durante continues to fix bugs. I have had zero issues after 50 hours. The game is gorgeous.

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Dark Souls isn't kidding when it comes to surviving and figuring out the best method to overcoming a situation (i.e. dungeons, bosses, tough enemies, item obtainment, etc.). I pre-ordered this game due to the high recommendation of a close friend of mine, who had played the PS3 version of it and also bought the PC version to experience the new expansion. While I had my doubts about how gritty and difficult parts of this game would be, I definitely did learn a lot in the first hours than I had in any other PC game.

Unlike other games that give you a fairly good tutorial to ease you into gameplay, DS doesn't baby you. Much of this game is either learning on your own or watching another player (in co-op). Annnd practice, practice, practice. Per the advice of a great gamer, study/learn your enemies/bosses and survive. Don't get discouraged if each death feels like a setback since each win will feel like several hurdles conquered.

Though there are people who claim that this is a terrible port, I find it quite satisfying. I'm very comfortable with playing my PC games (including MMOs) with a keyboard and mouse, but I highly recommend a controller (Microsoft Xbox 360 Controller for Windows) since DS is a port version from a console and inputs are better registered with it. For those who are adamant on using a keyboard and mouse set-up, there are online solutions to help improve/fix the default programming of the two.

DS isn't a game that is easily rushed, even in first playthrough. Expect to die often and become a better gamer for it. If you're still on the fence because the reviews that point at DS' various issues, these are easily resolved by player created mods that do everything from upscale the graphics to stabilize technical aspects of the game; all without unbalancing game. Steam, the client application through which the digital version is downloaded (I'm not sure about hardcopy versions of the game), tends to run random sales on their many games, so one can pick up a copy of the game at a steal of a price at times.

Overall review: Challenging, yet rewarding at the same time. Definitely recommended.

Honest reviews on Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition

My friend was in love with this game. I was hesitant to purchase it, after hearing so much praise for the difficulty. I don't enjoy frustration. But said friend convinced me, after a time, to get it.

The game isn't frustrating. It is fair. When you die in Dark Souls, it doesn't feel like you were cheated. It feels like you were beaten, but you have the chance to come back. It doesn't feel "old school," as some have been wont to call it. Instead, it has a very modern and thoughtful design. You fight, you lose, you come back stronger. You feel yourself improve. Few games genuinely offer that feeling, because few games allow you to increase your aptitude in very noticeable ways. This is one of them.

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Quick info for those running this on a Windows 8 PC...

(1) DSFix is basically mandatory. I was stunned at how terrible this looked on my monitor (1080p), but DSFix cleared it right up. Thank goodness.

(2) This will install Games for Windows Live. However! The version installed through Steam is NOT the right version for Windows 8. Your game will crash on startup. You need to uninstall both Games for Windows Live programs in your Uninstall list, then go to the Windows App Store and install the Games for Windows Win 8 App. Then, it will work properly.

(3) They say a gamepad is required. They are *not joking*. Mine has been ordered (the Rock Candy Xbox 360 one is inexpensive and well-reviewed). This is hard for me I'm a mouse/keyboard guy but you need a controller if you don't have one.

So with all that? I will finally get to play once my gamepad arrives. I'll revise my rating then. Right now, it's just reflective of the rather involved installation. A modern PC game shouldn't require this many steps to work right.