Ben 10 Alien Force - PlayStation 2 Review

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A younger family member got this game a couple days ago. I figured it would be nice to try it out since I like the cartoon and the fact the game has a co-operative option. My nephew thought it was better than all of the better past gen beat em ups (Final Fight, Streets of Rage), but I thought this game was a TOTAL bore.

*This review is based on a two level playthrough*

Graphics weren't necessarily bad, but they were a little dull. Things were crisp and smooth looking, but I felt like the game could've had more visually happening on screen than it did. For example, when you used superpowers as one of the omnitrix creatures, there wasn't really anything overly flashy done on-screen.

Some of the pluses. It's nice that you could unlock new combos and moves as you progress. In addition, it was also a cool feature that a second player could drop in and out of the game at any point in time(which I did a lot in disgust as I played). You can also unlock other things like concept art as well being able to transform into some of the omnitrix monsters.

Unfortunately, the gameplay isn't a saving grace. In beat em up games, I like to be able to both hear and feel the power behind every hit I deal to somebody, but in this game, that facet isn't there. You just constantly wail and wail and wail on an enemy and as you do it, there's no real feedback from what you're doing. There's no "oof!" sounds or overly done punching noises that engage you in the fight and drive you to want to beat up more baddies. Instead, all they have are these barely audible sounds that resemble sounds of rain hitting windows.

Also, you can pull off "combos" in this game, but that's not to interesting or challenging to do either. It's just circle, circle, circle, circlex5(8 hit combo!) but there's nothing remarkable happening on-screen. All you see is your character constantly doing the same punch or kick animation until the baddie dies; they don't block (which they can do), or reverse what you're doing, but instead just sit there and take EVERY punch. Gosh, I think I had a 25 hit combo at one point, but I just didn't CARE.

Fighting with the omnitrix monsters isn't to exciting either. It's easy enough to transform, but when you do, it's really underwhelming. Like, you can do superpowers and everything with them, but it doesn't seem like what you do as an omnitrix monster is any more effective than Ben in his normal form. You're just wailing and wailing and wailing and wailing and wailing with superpowers and punches until these guys FINALLY decide to drop down.

One other annoying thing is the odd warping. It just feels so sudden and weird when you're both playing and you both keep warping all over the place as you approach new areas.

Enemy types seem a little limited to. I would assume there will be more types of enemies further in the game, but the first two levels had all of the same types: FREAKING NINJAS. Some might've had nunchucks and some might've had swords, but it was ALL I SAW. Geez, I was more annoyed than excited every time these ninjas appeared to fight with me. It was like, " I finally dropped them all!^_^" (more spawn) "ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh arghhhhhhhhh!"

The game is unbelievably easy to. I was playing it on the hardest difficulty and the game was a stinking cakewalk. Practically every area you enter has loads of health and dying isn't even a problem in the least. Gosh, I know this game is for kids and all but man, at least challenge these kids a LITTLE!

That's it! This game should've been released as one of those free games on the CN website to promote the show; it just has that "waste a couple minutes playing this game at your job to pass some time" feel.

Ugh...I gave this game 2 stars simply not because it's broken, but mainly because it's soooo unfun. It's unfortunate all the better beat em ups on the PS2 are a little to mature for a younger audience, but please....do not buy your kids this trash.

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Personally its 0 stars, but my 7 year old son likes it so its a 3. The game lacks polish and has bugs. Every time aliens show up the screen jerks and recenters. Occasional bugs put the player inside solid objects. On one level the screen blacks out.

My son just likes anything Ben 10 and doesnt seem to mind the poor quality of this game. I recommend the first Ben 10 game, Protector of the Earth, but not this one.

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My son is a huge Ben 10 fan. He has a whole section of play area devoted to Ben 10. We loved the first PS2 game Ben 10 and have it for both PS2 and Wii (he's beaten both many times = much replay value!)

This game was one of the biggest disappointments ever. As Steve noted (no I don't know him but he's right) this game is full of bugs and glitches. Game CRASHING glitches. How fun is that? Not.

Sadly the third one (Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks) does not save the franchise on PS2 either as it also has bugs (though not as severe) and is much harder than the first Ben 10 game which remains the best of the bunch.

Bottom line: For my ultimate fan this Ben 10 was a bust. Not very fun. Too easy or too hard in many places. Add in major bugs that crashed our game a couple of times and you get about two dollars trade for it at best.

Could not possibly recommend this game to anyone. Epic Fail.

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Ben Tennyson's back and badder than ever in his new series "Ben 10 Alien Force". Now you can live out his adventures in the new "Ben 10 Alien Force" video game !

Join Ben, Gwen, and Kevin as they head out to new places though some are familiar to the series' first season and take down some new foes in vast 3-D areas with many levels and stunning (though mostly dark) graphics. You'll encounter new creatures great and small, but as Ben, you'll take them down no problem with 5 of your favorite alien heroes: Swampfire, Big Chill, Spidermonkey, Jetray, and Humoungousaur.

This game is somewhat familiar to that of the first Ben 10 game, "Ben 10: Protector of Earth", but you're now playing new alien characters, AND Gwen and Kevin, too ! (Especially with the 2-player co-op mode.) There's also some new attacks and combo moves that you've gotta be quick on to take down the bad guys. But beating up baddies isn't enough; there are some parts in the game that require skill needed to solve puzzles and challenges in some levels. Also, use each alien form wisely, and you'll find some new secret areas with items that unlock new bonus content like artwork, cutscenes, and a special video behind the game which makes it very authentic.

So if you're a fan of "Ben 10" and "Ben 10 Alien Force", this game is rather enjoyable. And look for more new episodes of "Alien Force" real soon on Cartoon Network as well as a new movie coming this Fall !

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My grandson got this for Xmas and he plays it a lot. He just turned 7, I am 58 and it's way over my head!

Buy American Pickers

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I really enjoyed playing this game. If you like Hidden Objects without having to play a mystery adventure game, this is one for you!

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Love the TV show and I enjoyed searching for items. Its just too short looking for sequel. I recommend it.

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I watch the T.V. show and I like it, my husband found the game and I tried it and and the game is really fun.

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This game is not worth the money. It only allows you to go through once (and that can be done in a couple of hours). It does not open additional sites to "pick". They should just leave it on the History site and not try to sell it. Needs improvement.

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It was fun to search for the hidden objects, but it was difficult getting the game to progress to the next state to search for more objects. I restarted the game to try and get past the problem areas and it didn't change anything. Instructions were not clear as to how to proceed. Also, I think there is too much dialogue which i didn't want to skip for fear I would miss something necessary to finding objects or what to do with the objects. I love their TV show but find the game difficult to navigate.

Best Ghosts of Onyx (Halo) Mass Market Paperback Deals

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As usual, Eric Nylund delivers.

Lets face it. If you are a huge Halo universe fan, 'Ghosts of Onyx' is a must-read. The games don't give you the full picture of what's going on in the Halo-verse. Without reading the books (of which there are now four), you'll never know the full story behind the genesis of the SPARTAN project, Master Chief's origin, what started the conflict between us and the Convenant or the scope of the Forerunner's domain.

And if you are like me, you were pretty annoyed with the ending of Halo 2 and MC's cryptic statement "I'm finishing this fight, sir."

'Ghosts of Onyx' brings you up to speed with what's been happening to the other SPARTAN warriors whilst MC galavants around the galaxy throwing monkeywrenches in the Covenant's plan for universal suicide. He details the creation of yet another SPARTAN unit (the SPARTAN III) from orphans left behind by our war with the Covenant. He brings back some familiar characters from his previous Halo novels (Dr. Halsey, Col. Ackerman) and continues his penchant for giving these brave SPARTAN warriors overly simplistic names like Tom, Kelly and Kurt.

If yer a Halo fan, you'll be pleased as punch. Maybe its a bad thing that to get the full picture of the Halo-verse, you simply have to read the Halo books. But hey, it'd be kinda hard to cram all of that narrative between every reload of your assault rifle. Me? I'm of the mind that anything that gets you to read is inherently good. Maybe this series will get a few kids to drop their XBox360 controllers and head to a bookstore.

This book whetted my Halo appetite, if only for a little while. Finishing 'Ghosts of Onyx', you feel as if we are one step closer to finishing the fight.

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EPIC. yes yes that's the word. This book is packed with action, packed so hard that you'll trip! Picked it up yesterday and could not stop reading it. For those of you who have read the first three books, you will not be disappointed. This book will answer some key unanswered questions. Love the way Eric Nylund describes the battle/fight scenes, the intensity of fire fights and the brotherhood of SPARTANS. Stories of courage, valor and heroism from the farthest reaches of space. Rock on!

Other books you should read first or you'll be lost:

Book 1: Fall of Reach

Book 2: The Flood

Book 3: First Strike

Book 4: Ghosts of Onyx

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This book is great. The action and fight scenes come to life in you mind. Eric's mastery of describing a characters emotions and thought is perfect. This is a must read for all Halo and non-Halo fans. Can not wait for the next one!

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Honestly what can I say that already hasn't been said about this book? The writing is superb. Anybody remotely thinking about passing on this one because its major connection to a videogame property should think twice.

This is exactly the type of book that after you read you wish you are alive long enough for there to be a movie on the exact same subject matter you just finished reading or if that is too out of reach you atleast want as many people to read it as possible so they can (like you) understand just how great a piece of work it truly is. This is coming from someone that has never touched any of the Halo Novels, but I'm thoroughly impressed and because of this I plan to go back and read the previous entries into the series by Eric Nylund.

You get a take on the story from so many different perspectives its the complete package. You get to experience the story from the perspective of the Spartans, various UNSC ships and troops, Covenant, the genius that is Dr. Halsey.. just there is an all around variety to this book that I love. Now after becoming so impressed with what was happening with a specific group of characters naturally you'll be a bit disappointed when they go away from that group and start concentrating on another group, but as you read it becomes more clear as to why the author chose to present you with their perspective and you'll come to appreciate their inclusion.

This book will get you to care about the characters and what is going on the universe. this book firmly puts Halo up there with the best of them if there were any doubts before. The Halo universe can be just as popular if not more so than the likes of Star Wars. It really does feel fresh, interesting and new. When I say this book will get you care about the characters and everything going on around them I really do mean that. Without spoiling too much there is one character in particular that will leave you in awe and command your utmost respect and that is Kurt.

I may have singled him out, but that doesn't mean there wont be many other characters that you find yourself thoroughly impressed by, but Kurt's character will blow you away. This book is vivid, emotional and full of action. If there is anyone out there that is remotely interested in the games they'd be a complete fool to not read this book. I know there are some people that don't like to read, but I firmly believe that after reading this book it will be the catalyst that convinces you that books are just as entertaining if not more so than television.

This in my opinion is a great book and when a book is very well written there are things that you can get from a book that you can't get from a game or television and sometimes its the very simple practice of seeing how a writer describes what is going on in a scene of their book that really sells the vision to you tenfold and its so well done that at so many critical points during your reading you just have to stop and tell someone around you how great this book is or atleast read a specific part of the book to them.

So again let me finish off by saying you WILL care about the universe of this book, you WILL care about the characters and you WILL be tempted more aggressively as you progress through the book to keep on going even when you think its time to stop, but the book is so good that it gripts you and you WILL most certainly want more.

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Please let me explain. I wish there was a 4.5 star selection. Eric Nylund is one of the best writers out there. He has that "I can't put this book down" touch to his novels. The Fall of Reach was an awesome read, and it had so much information. So did First Strike. You never felt lost, and you always had a grasp of what was happening, where it was happening, and who it was happening to.

Ghosts of Onyx was a good read, with that hard to put down effect. I feel as though the book was a little lacking on the new information, and also stretched out. Sure it gave us new information about "things" (im not going to spoil it for you!!!), but it took those "things" and drew it out too long.

Also, the book was 380ish pages, but the book itself was bigger, and the font was gigantic compared to the other two, so it's a faster read.

Please don't think of this as a negative review, because it's not, I'm just allowing you the luxury of knowing what you are getting when you read it!

Thanks! Chris

Buy Battlefield Bad Company 2 - Greatest Hits - Playstation 3

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If you are like me and just enjoy working your way through a campaign (rather than getting involved in all the multiplayer aspects of the game) then this is too short. My assumption is that most people buying now, way after BC2 was originally released, fall into the same category of buyer as me. However, that being said, it's only $18 and the graphics and overall gameplay are great.

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Okay the game is fun, but anyone who plays Battlefield or Battlefield Bad Company, knows that most the fun is online play. However EA crippled the greatest hits edition by not including the VIP code for "first hand purchasers" so that you can't download new maps. Which means you can play all of 4 maps online. It sucks badly. Seriously I spent forever looking for my code and couldn't find it, then had to search the internet to find out this version didn't come with it.

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This game is only okay. The actual game is good, but it is easily beaten within a short time. However, the online gaming experience is what really makes this game good. The places are great and I like how there are different online games to play.

The one player game: Okay.

Multiplayer: Great.

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I love the battlefield series, but hate that EA didn't include the VIP code, that means you can only play 4 multi player maps, if you buy Greatest Hits, buy it used, because it won't have VIP anyways! It costs 10 dollars to unlock the other 12 maps, not including Vietnam

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It is a fun game. But it is very very short. It is finished in a week with around under 2 hours of playing each day. Of course, if you play online with other people, you can play much longer.

Best Injustice: Gods Among Us - Collector's Edition -Xbox 360 Deals

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I had extremely high expectations for injustice: gods among us, and I'm glad to say that this game surpassed them all easily. this is a true five star can't miss game.the controls are tight and responsive, the story mode is coherent, and there is an extreme degree of replayability.I would recommend this game to anyone who enjoys fighting games or video games for that matter.

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I'm a big fan of the DC Universe and of fighting games (Mortal Combat). I'm also a big Aquaman fan, and this game makes him awesome. I enjoyed the story but I really like the gameplay with friends over Xbox Live. I went with the Collector's edition for the statue and it's awesome. Would do so again in a heartbeat.

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This edition came with the collector's statue of Wonder Woman locked in battle with Batman. The detail is amazing down to the paint on Wonder Woman's fingernails. The expressions on their faces everything. Though if you're not into something like this then the extra price point is not worth the money. But the statue looks fine along side my other gaming related swag. The game is awesome! New fighting engine it's not just Mortal Kombat with a DC Universe skin on it. I have greatly enjoyed both statue and game and would definitely recommend this to someone who want's a little more with their game.

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This package comes with a copy of Justice League: Doom, the first comic book of the injustice series, a statue of Regime Wonder Woman fighting Main Universe Batman, and the New 52 comics skins for Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. For $90 when I got it, it still was the best deal out of all the collectors edition's I've bought, and I've bought a lot.

As for the game, the story is very well written, and has lots of in game content. Multiplayer is hit or miss, with a lot of spammers and glitchers as was with MK9, but Netherealm has awesome community support, offering tons of patches and bug fixes on their game. Would reccomend this Collector's Edition to die hard DC fans, and the game to anyone fighting game/Mortal Kombat fan.

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This is not Mortal Kombat but the pillars are still there and even though the animations are different the mechanics are still pretty much intact from the new MK which is really a very good thing. But be warned this is not MK!

Review of Alan Wake

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I went in expecting something similar to a silent hill resident evil clone/mix; what i got however was an excellent game that perfectly melds the craft of writing and video games for something that (to me at least) is a wholly new and unique experience; moreover being a somewhat avid reader I caught tons of allusions to other works (notably Stephen King, and H.P Lovecraft). I can easily say that this is amongst my top 5 favorite games of all time. The graphics are immaculate (though i must say the animation leaves a little to be desired (everyone talks as if they got a little excited with the Botox injections)) but ignoring that small fault the game is In my opinion, perfect.

If you like horror novels, believe me when i say this game is not something you'll regret spending money on.

but be warned, this is not similar to most games, in the sense that most of the story is left up to the player to discover, and if you're not ready to spend time deciphering the clues, then the game (the ending in particular) will only serve to annoy you.

in short 10/10 easily, much more deep compared to other games in the genre, doesn't rely on cheap thrills.

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The Good: Graphical upgrade looks great, memorable story and characters, great pacing, interesting gun play mechanics, included DLC is a bonus

The Bad: Gun play gets repetitive after awhile, can be tough in spots, driving isn't any fun, a little on the short side

Even after 2 years Alan Wake is still an excellent game. With updated visuals for PC, and the inclusion of both DLC, the PC version is worth the buy. Even 360 players should come back for another shot just to see the sweet new looks. Alan Wake was my favorite story of 2010 and is still great today. You play as Alan Wake, a famous New York author who takes a vacation to the Northwest in Bright Falls. He ends up renting a cabin, and before you know it his wife jumps into the lake. He then wakes up from a car accident and so your adventure begins. I can't give away anything except he is writing what is happening to him. The story is very novel like and has a great pace. The narrative is delivered with likeable characters and great voice acting.

You walk around collecting manuscript pages that will tell you kind of what's going to happen in the next scene. You can also find coffee thermoses as collectibles, but I wonder why thermoses? Is this a jab at the hot coffee mod for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, or a little sign that the guys at Remedy were up long nights trying to complete this? Who knows, but it is an interesting thing. There is also a strange phone barcode tag that has a strange stab at Max Payne. I think back when Alan Wake was released it was a hint at Max Payne 3.

The whole game is wrapped around light and dark gameplay, literally. You use your flashlight to burn away darkness from The Taken and then shoot them until they disappear. The gunplay is challenging and can be fun. There are various tools for burning away darkness like the flare gun, which does major area damage, flashbangs, and flares give you distance from enemies. You can also get bigger flashlights later on which burn away darkness faster. Most enemies will throw weapons at you or attack you directly with scythes, axes, and bats. The whole game is set in the countryside so The Taken look like farmers, sheriffs, loggers, and various other occupations in those areas. The Taken are pretty creepy because they spurt out lines about their occupation in mixed normal talk and deep creepy voices.

There are some environmental light sources you can use like giant spotlights, and some smaller ones to help you fight the darkness. The combat overall is fun and challenging, but never changes which means repetition sets in quickly. Thankfully the game is paced nicely so you aren't constantly fighting. A lot of the time you are running from the darkness and it can possess objects and throw them at you. Of course you have to burn it away so that stops. Large vehicles like tractors, bulldozers, and trucks act as bosses. A lot of the fighting is also broken up with cut scenes and in-game dialog.

This is pretty much all there is to it except the lame attempts at puzzles. There are a few spread out, but they really aren't puzzles at all. I think the game could have used some better ones, but what is here works well enough. There are some fun set pieces that are memorable, but there is one issue I don't understand. Why do survival horrors have crappy driving mechanics? First it was Alone in the Dark, then Deadly Premonition, and now Alan Wake. The cars drive like you're on ice, and despite boosting the lights to run Taken over, they damage the car real quick.

Anyways, the game looks gorgeous with nice DirectX 10 effects that are actually noticeable. The lighting is better, the effects are better, and the higher resolution textures are a sight for sore eyes. The Xbox 360 version, even when it was released, didn't look too hot with blurry textures which made it look ugly in spots. If you have the rig to run this game you are in for a visual treat. The nice effects like lens flare from the flares that blind your vision, and overall lighting effects look fantastic here.

Overall, for the $30 Alan Wake is a steal for PC gamers and a nice price for 360 owners so maybe traded in their game long ago and want another go. This game is memorable and so is the story. This is a game you will talk about amongst friends. From the Night Springs mini-shows you can watch, to the radio station commentary, there is a lot of ambiance and atmosphere that horror games need to learn from.

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First I would like to say thank you to who ever made the decision to bring alan wake to the PC in the end.

This was an awesome game and I had a lot of fun playing it. Gameplay was hella fun. Using the light to unmask the creatures of darkness yielding them to gun fire for final obliteration is plain simple fun. Besides the manuscripts the other collectables are pointless and I felt they didn't add anything to the game. I felt the urge to collect the coffee therms when I saw them but dreaded it every time. Must be an OCD thing. Interesting and dark storyline help motivate you to continue the game and adds to the overall gameplay. I found the story to drag a little bit towards the end but overall was still a fun "read". The graphics were very good. I played on high with my PC and only noticed a few slow downs during scenes with companions that also had light sources moving around the environment.

I would highly recommend this game in the $15-$20 price range. I played comfortably through the game (on normal mode) without rushing and had about 12 hours game time.

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I have a new HP envy dv6, which if I recall is perfectly capable to handle this game. I installed it which took over 10 hours total wirelessly and the game image and cut scenes were distorted. Sorta of like a black and white display. I would not recommend due to that fact that it did not work on my laptop which could preform this game. On the bright side though I emailed Amazon, show some pictures of what I am experiencing, and was able to get a refund. Just wish the game could've worked, oh well... money saved right?

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I liked the game, it has interesting story, but ending was a little bit weak, and the main problem that it was short. I wouldn't recommend paying more than 20$ for this game

Best Real Arcade Pro: 3 Premium VLX - Playstation 3 Deals

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This is the ultimate fighting stick and truly brings the arcade experience home. The sheer size and weight of the stick brings home the point that this is the king of all arcade stick controllers.

It is designed in collaboration with TAITO to recreate the TAITO "VEWLIX" Arcade cabinet. The stick uses authentic Sanwa stick and buttons and has other functions classic to the Real Arcade Pro. series like the turbo and the stick control toggle function. It also has a non-slip surface on the entire bottom and comes with an additional option board that you can mount the controller on to further enhance your stability.

The main feature for this controller has to be the fact that you can easily access the internal of the controller by simply unscrewing 3 screws. Maintenance and customization is a breeze to any other controllers out there.

Overall, this controller addresses all the players wants and needs and is a masterpiece of a arcade stick controller.

A must buy for any player serious for an authentic arcade experience.

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GENERAL:

I purchased the stick when it was on sale here for $65 off the list price and it was worth every penny.

I've used several joysticks (Hori Fighting Stick 2, HRAP3, MadCatz SE (with full Sanwa) and TE Round 1 FightSticks) and the VLX would be my weapon of choice any day. When using it on a table the rubber bottom ensures the stick will not move. The wooden option board is a nice touch as well if you want to mount your stick to it, but I find simply placing the stick on the board works well. Note the stick does not have any protruding rubber feet to potentially interfere with lap use. Lap use may not be as comfortable compared to other sticks due to the weight (12 lbs) but you'll get used to it. In comparison the HRAP3 weighs 5.7 lbs.

LOOKS:

The VLX is the most beautiful mass produced stick I've seen yet. While most of the black parts of the stick are matte the rest provides a nice glossy contrast. The top art is a nice metallic red with some mirror accents and you really need to either see the VLX in person or watch some videos to see how light interacts with the glossy parts.

SOUND:

The sound of the joystick and buttons are much more hollow when used and that's due to the sheer physical size of the housing. Not only is this much wider than the Round 1 TE FightStick but it is taller as well. The hollow sound doesn't bother me though.

USAGE:

Let me start by mentioning one of my favorite features: the angled palm rest. I was afraid I wasn't going to like it since I've been using the Round 1 MadCatz TE Stick with the flat surface, but I was able to make an immediate adjustment to the angled palm rest and love it. Using this stick feels much more natural to me.

The joystick (JLF) and buttons (OBSF) are your typical Sanwa variety and the general consensus on them is they are high quality arcade parts that can take a beating and are great to use. If you've ever used these Sanwa parts or own any variety of a MadCatz TE stick then you'll know what they feel like: the joystick is responsive and the buttons are sensitive.

I've opened the stick to replace the L1 and L2 buttons with the included button plugs and everything inside the stick is cleanly wired and organized. I put the 2 extra buttons in the button holders found inside the stick in case any of my main 6 have issues.

The USB cable storage compartment is large enough for the 3m cable to easily fit. I placed the included cleaning cloth in the back of the storage compartment to clean the surface here and there.

Transporting the stick has been an issue due to the irregular large size and fortunately Hori released a travel bag made to fit the VLX. Unfortunately they're charging a hefty price ($39.99) and since their site is the primary store selling it the shipping cost pushes the bag close to $50. For $50 you could almost get the HRAP3!

CONCLUSION:

To me this is the king of joysticks. It reminds me of the times I spent playing SF4 in Japanese arcades. At the price point this is a joystick for enthusiasts, collectors, and those who aren't hesitant to spend. However if you get this joystick you won't regret it.

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I've played in arcades in Japan, and until now, I have yet to feel anything close to the actual feel of the arcade machines.

Then a friend recommended this to me, and now I recommend this to all of you.

This fighting stick feels like heaven in your hands. The resistance of the joystick feels loose enough to not have to put your whole body weight into moving, but not light enough to input more commands than you want to.

The buttons have the right amount of spring to them, and the layout feels very natural to play on.

It's a great feeling to have this behemoth in your hands.

CONS:

The only thing that really bothers me is how big the stick is; it's roughly almost 2 feet in length. Also, the joystick and the buttons seem rather close for how long the stick itself is.

Over-all, it's a fantastic piece of equipment.

Honest reviews on Real Arcade Pro: 3 Premium VLX - Playstation 3

HRAP vlx is by far one of the most sturdiest, heaviest arcade joystick I've ever played with. With the addition to the sanwa parts that come with the joystick, feels like you're really in the arcades. I've been playing fighting games with this joystick, and I usually play aggressively, therefore my motions using the stick is pretty forceful, however, no matter how much force I put in, It is still extremely sturdy and strong and doesn't move as much. This product is definitely recomended if you're a die hard arcade fan and want the full experience of being in the arcades at your home.

The only thing that I see as something to look out for is that when pressing the buttons, it does feel slightly hollow compared with the MadCatz tournament edition fightstick. I believe it is because the box itself has a lot of space inside and the top is slightly thin. Yet this feel is really subjective, I personally don't mind it. Especially when Im focusing on beating the bosses, I don't even really notice it while i'm furiously trying to win a game. The price is pretty expensive too. All in all this is a great joystick and I do recommend this product for those die hard arcade gamers!

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man, pretty much what all other reviewers said about this stick is all true. it feels like i'm playing with silk. sooooo goood!

and that just made my disappointment THAT much worse when i came to find out that sony has yet to (and probably never will) release updates to get it to function with ps2 backwards compatibility. i have a ridiculous library of ps2 fighters, and that was one of the deciding factors on getting this stick.....

again. THIS STICK WILL NOT WORK WITH THE PS2 PORTION OF BACKWARDS COMPATIBLE PS3'S.

on the other hand, it DOES work wonderfully with everything else! playstation 1 games running on ps3 ARE compatible and play amazingly with it. and you can usb it into a pc and most things run fine with no other software involved (at least on win 7)!!!

the few problems i had (specifically with "super street fighter 4 ae") were all solved by using "x360ce"(search google. its easier than it looks to use it). any other issues are solved with "joy2key".

i went into this purchase expecting that people over-exaggerated how good it is. they weren't. they were under-exaggerating. within five minutes, i actually knew i was better at fighters than i had ever been before. what you attempt to input into this thing generally is what gets read by it. wanna do 90 dragon punches in a row in your sleep (on your first try, when you used to have trouble pulling even ONE off in the heat of the moment before)? no problem!!! i would compare "coming off a Mad Catz Street Fighter IV FightStick into THIS CONTROLLER" to "selling your old run down station wagon and getting a brand new sports car".

as sad/mad as i was that i couldn't play my ps2 fighters(and i was REALLY mad), after using it, i almost could care less. this controller is mad expensive, but if you can afford it (and don't care/are willing to overlook the lack of ps2 compatibility), then it's more than worth it! the fact i have no choice but to give it a perfect review even though it lacked an important (to me) feature should definitely say something about the product (and in hori's defense, sony is entirely responsible for the lack of functionality.)

(yes, i'm sure a custom made stick is probably better, but this might as well be one. and heck, it seems so easy to mod and repair, if you dislike something you can just change it!)

Enslaved: Odyssey To The West - Xbox 360 Review

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $13.50
Today's Bonus: 32% Off

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is a game that has been on my radar for some time now. Not only is it one of the only non sequel or non remakes of Q4, but it's a story driven game. The game actually has a writer who is known for such movies as The Beach and 28 Days Later. Not too shabby, especially in the video game world. So, it's to be expected that I was really excited about this game, the story buff (in video games at least) that I am. Did Enslaved live up to it's high hopes during the first few hours of gameplay or is this game destined for B game bargain bins? Read on to find out in my first impression.

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West takes place about 200 years or so after a nuclear holocaust in the United States. Vegetation is beginning to overtake structures and the world is beautiful in a despairing kind of way. You play as Monkey, a strong brute of a man who was captured by slavers and stored on a slave ship. In transit to wherever it is they were taking you, a girl breaks out of her cell and continues to sabotage the ship in her hasty attempt to get free and sets you loose. The ship is coming down and you need to make it to an escape pod. After some platforming, you eventually make it to the last escape pod, which is taken by the girl who caused the commotion. You hold on for dear life to the escape pod as she ejects and you land in a desolate NYC years after a nuclear war. Upon awaking, you find that the girl, named Trip, has fitted you with a slave headband that shocks you if you don't do her will. She can issue commands to you and you must do them for her. If she dies, you also die. So Monkey is a rough spot, but Trip isn't bad. She did this because she knows she would never get home without Monkeys brute strength. Her proposition to him, take her 300 miles to the west to her sanctuary village made by her father and she'll remove the collar. With no choice in the matter, Monkey agrees and the two set off on their Odyssey to the West.

And with that, Enslaved begins. The opening sequence is very epic and the graphics in the game are some of the best I have seen on the 360 this side of Gears of War 2. If you aren't familiar, the game is actually loosely based on Journey to the West, an old Chinese story that is apparently pretty popular in the UK due to some tv shows about it. I wasn't familiar with it until I googled it. Regardless, you don't need to know about the book to enjoy the game. They use some of the same names and try to leave subtle clues to the book, but it's really a different beast altogether.

The story so far is top notch and I'm really excited to see how Monkey and Trip make it to the west, but there are other things besides story in a game. Namely, gameplay. The gameplay is sort of reminiscent of a platformer like Prince of Persia. There's a lot of climbing and swinging, but at the same time combat plays a huge roll. You're going to be doing a lot of computer AI co-op to outsmart enemy mech's, the games most prevalent enemy. For instance, Monkey is the strength, Trip the brains. In one scenario, Monkey needs to make it across a huge area to take out an automated turret, less they be shredded to bits. So, Trip uses her armband to create an electronic diversion that draws their fire. That leaves you to circle around flank the enemy. In doing so, you rip the arm off the mech and use it to finish off the remaining turrets. But, the path you took here required a lot of jumping and swinging, something Trip can't do. You need to go back and carry her on your back across hazardous areas and throw her to places she can't jump to. At first, I thought it would be a pain in the ass, but I found I enjoy the times you have to carry her. During these times is when the next thing I loved about the game begins to shine...

The talking between the two characters is key in the game. You never know when it will start or end, but they talk a lot. It's in these times you learn the stories of the two travelers and what worlds they come from. Without spoiling anything, they come from two totally different backgrounds so relating is a little rough. Their banter is almost flirty in some regards so if you're into the chemistry between two co-op partners, you'll enjoy this portion of the game. I found it refreshing and a nice diversion. The world around them is crumbling but they have each other in rough times.

I already mentioned it but the graphics are amazing. The vistas and backdrops are truly breathtaking, especially when your ship crashes in the beginning. Take a long look at the NYC skyline and be sure to keep your jaw from hitting the floor. It's amazing and a true sight to see in a video game. Plus, this is a post apocalyptic game that isn't brown. How many games are out there that automatically equate post apocalyptic with brown, but in reality, after the fallout (if any) the world would be overtaken by nature. It's nice to see this in a game.

So far, I haven't had many complaints about the game. If I had to point out anything I'd say that maybe the gameplay could get repetitive, but that's just me trying to find gripes where none exist. There's an upgrade system that Trip performs that allows you to learn new combat options and new moves (as well as health and shields) that have the ability to keep things fresh. If you like platformers though, you already know how those games can get after a solid gaming marathon. It's something that comes with the territory, but most good platformers get around this by having varied level design, which Enslaved has in spades.

So, should you buy this game? Depends...do you like platformers that have heavy combat and some stealth scenarios? If so, I'd say yes. How about story? I'm a sucker for a good story in a game so this one was a no brainer. Enslaved could be a rent if you aren't too thrilled on the idea of platforming but be sure not to miss it. This has the possibility of being a sleeper hit of 2010. It won't compete in sales with the Call of Duty and Medal of Honor games, but it's a new IP in a world of sequels and remakes. Give it a shot so we can tell the industry we want to see new games, not just sequels.

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Wow...this game is amazing! I have played a ton of games this year, but I must say I have been blown away by how fantastic this game is. This game is extremely underrated. I'm really not sure why this game isn't more popular. Here is my small attempt to get the word out.

The game is set in a post-apocalyptic United States that has been overrun by vicious mechs. You play as a character named Monkey with awesome climbing and fighting abilities. With the "help" of female companion Trip, you escape a slave ship together. The gameplay involves solving puzzles and fighting mechs with your female companion throughout the game. Trip reminds me a lot of Elika from 2008's Prince of Persia. She is very helpful throughout the game, and although the game is one long escort mission she never gets in the way. The gameplay reminds me most of 2008's Prince of Persia, except the weapons are very different. The climbing in the game reminds me of both Prince of Persia and Uncharted 2.

The graphics are awesome! The scenery and character models are both very well done. The game world is extremely colorful and beautiful. The sound is also incredible. I really love the epic soundtrack. The voice acting is extremely well done and made me really care about the characters. Perhaps one of the best aspects of the game is the story. For me it's a tossup between Mass Effect 2, Alan Wake, and Enslaved: Odyssey to the West for best video game story of the year.

Don't take this game for granted. You need to play Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, especially if you enjoyed Uncharted 2 or Prince of Persia 2008. Really can't express enough how enjoyable this game is. On "Normal" settings the game took me about 10.5 hours to complete. I'm looking forward to another play through on "Hard" settings.

I have readjusted my Top 10 games of the year to the following:

1. Mass Effect 2

2. Battlefield: Bad Company 2

3. Enslaved: Odyssey to the West

4. Red Dead Redemption

5. God of War III

6. Halo Reach

7. Super Mario Galaxy 2

8. Alan Wake

9. Bioshock 2

10. Heavy Rain

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For those of you worried Enslaved will be a muddy black-brown mess visually like other games featuring post-apocalyptic settings (Fallout 3 comes to mind), rest assured Enslaved is a beautiful and COLORFUL!

The game itself is a mix of platforming and combat, coupled with occasional brief cutscenes. Combat is fluid and challenging. Monkey (the man on the game cover -the character you control) battles primarily with a staff. Slow, strong moves, and fast, weaker moves can be chained together as well as other powered-up abilities you can acquire with the game's upgrade system. You can also use the staff to shoot at enemies from a distance. Thankfully, you usually have to apply some thought to battles as some enemies frequently block, others hit very hard, and others attack from a distance.

Visually, Enslaved is impressive. The environments are vibrant and detailed. Enslaved truly makes ruins and wasteland look beautiful. The music of Enslaved is just as great. It has a haunting orchestral feel at times which fits perfectly with the desolate world Monkey and Trip inhabit. Natural, believable VA work rounds out the superb audio of Enslaved and enhances the characters.

My only issues with this game are on a technical level. My largest issue is with the camera, sometimes it works, other times it feels way too close or unresponsive. While not often, I do experience frame-rate drops at times. Also, there are occasional pathing issues with Monkey (you'll be positioned perfectly for a jump but the game simply won't recognize it), or when an enemy awakes from a stun, sometimes the game won't recognize your input till after the enemy lands a hit on you. These issues are nothing serious and should not detract too much from the beautiful visuals, engaging storytelling, and satisfying gameplay.

Honest reviews on Enslaved: Odyssey To The West - Xbox 360

Perhaps I'm pickier than other reviewers, but I just didn't find Enslaved to be the be-all and end-all action game others seem to rant about. For starters, the graphics engine fills the screen with soft, pixelated imagery but also has a habit of misplacing rendering. For instance, a bot you can see halfway behind a tree may be fully shielded anyway, while you can crouch behind a solid wall and still get shot (see also Hunted). This also leads to some frustrating glitching, including my most sigh-worthy in chapter 3 when I'd fought all the way to the end of the level and simply had to jump down a ledge to Trip and leave. Except when I jumped down I was too far to one side, so Monkey just hung in the air, caught on some invisible graphic, and nothing I could do would free him. So I had to do the whole level again. There are also MANY times when you'll try to jump (up or down) and Monkey will not respond correctly (sometimes rolling, sometimes jumping in place rather than to the designated target).

Furthermore the combat system suffers the same inadequacy, at times Monkey or enemies seem to just seize up until one or the other gets hit. Other times the game is just fundamentally flawed in its design, like when being chased by a mechdog and the camera insists on looking at Monkey and the giant mech behind it instead of ahead so you can actually see where you're going and get away. Your character is looking ahead, you just can't see what he sees, resulting in a trial-by-memorization-and-luck episode. The game gets points for breaking up the monotony of punch-shoot-repeat with some mini-games like lever puzzles and surfing.

What salvages the game is its engaging storyline and (mostly) excellent directing. There were at least five times I turned the game off, frustrated by poor game control and/or level design, then came back to it anyway because I wanted to know what happened. It just gnaws at the back of your mind, which is a testament to talented writing.

Overall I certainly wouldn't recommend Enslaved as highly as many others seem to, but if you're willing to put up with the game itself there's a well-crafted and engaging story in it.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Enslaved: Odyssey To The West - Xbox 360

So, where do I even start!?

Story line Outstanding to any other game I have played, I became emotionally attached to the characters

Graphics stunning to say the least, it encourages you to look at your surroundings, not around

Environment Eye gripping is an understatement, it actually pulls ur eyes into the game. The artwork that has gone into this is incredible

Music Unbelievably detailed and fixed at specific points to make the player feel the mood of the game

Controls good for what is involved. The combat is smooth and the controls themselves are simple and

easy to remember, camera angles are brilliantly placed at the right times to make the player feel a part of the world you play in

Overall if u love adventures, action, climbing abandoned buildings, stunning views, a gripping story line and characters who are humourous, irratating and heroric, then this is for you.

My view Totally underated, needs more love for a second. PLEASE BUY IT

Cheap PlayStation Vita - WiFi

Customer Ratings:

A few hours since delivery... I'm impressed. Just about everything about the PSV: display, controls, features, the games top of the line. This is a gaming machine that shouts "quality" and, after the first few hours of playing Uncharted and a couple of small games off the PSN, I can say that I've had the best portable gaming experience ever we currently have a PSP and a DSi in the house plus a couple of tablets and smart phones.

Briefly and I will update my review as I experience more of the PSV these are my findings so far.

HARDWARE AND FEATURES

I'm not going to get into details because Amazon's page has it all. Yes, it's quad-core this, and super-high-rez display that but what counts is that it translates into a super-smooth gaming experience with a bunch of non-gaming capabilities on top. I'm surprised how immersive playing a game on such a small screen with such tiny speakers can be. And it is so for a couple of reasons.

the sharpest, best looking display I've seen on a portable

the dual analog sticks make all the difference Sony learned from past mistakes

the back touch panel are something that it's better to experience because it's the one clear innovation on this machine and it won't give you headaches (sorry Nintendo :) )

games can be either downloaded or purchased and shared on physical media like I said, Sony is learning from past mistakes (sorry PSP Go)

seamless integration with the PS3 and the Playstation Network

a bunch of great multimedia apps including Netflix I'll have more to say about these after I stop playing Uncharted :)

cameras more later but I heard that some games allow you to build characters that look just like you

THE GAMING EXPERIENCE

Anyone who has a PS3 or a PSP should feel very familiar with the PSV. All the PS3 controls are there although some of the buttons are smaller. Add to that the 'touch' capabilities on both front and back with support for gestures and the gaming possibilities are almost endless. Because of its high resolution, there can be a lot happening at the same time on the PSV's screen and, don't forget, you can also feel the action while playing.

I don't feel like doing comparisons at this time but anyone who claims that the PSV is no big deal because we can play games on our phones should experience the PSV and then consider revising their statements. Vita can easily play any one-dollar game that a phone can play and I'm sure we'll get a couple of those and Vita can do just about everything a smart phone or tablet can do and most of the time do it better, but no phone or tablet can play Uncharted and no 'next generation' phone or tablet is likely to be able to play Uncharted or Little Big Planet. And, let's not forget that the Vita costs a less than most smart phones.

EVERYTHING ELSE

I haven't had time to explore all of Vita's features yet but, they're all in there. Multimedia, wireless connectivity, music playback... it's all in there. Add to that one of the best laid out, intuitive and responsive user interfaces and even non gamers should be happy to have a Vita around.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

A couple of things. The most annoying is, of course, the hyper-overpriced memory card. You can't play 'big games' without one and Sony decided to make lots of money on this proprietary 'must have' add-on which is anything but optional. Then there's of course Sony not making the Passport program available in the US. We have a PSP and lots of games on UMDs. Not being able to play them on the Vita is very frustrating.

Other than that... perhaps I should have titled my review 'gamer changer' because the Vita is likely to change me into a more active portable player. I used to prefer the PS3 over the PSP but I'm not sure this will always be the case in the future. I know that I won't put the Vita down until I'm done with Uncharted and once I complete that there are at least half a dozen games available on lunch date that I'd like to play.

Oh and... I don't really like sharing our Vita with the kids at this time but I have to :)

____________________________________________

NOTES OF CAUTION

Before deciding whether you want to buy a Vita and as you are budgeting for one, keep the following in mind:

* SINGLE-USER SYSTEM or so it is meant to be at this time. Like the PSP, the Vita will recognize only ONE account. Unlike the PS3, you can't have other members of your family or friends log with a sub-account. If you are planning to share the PSV, Sony suggests that individual users keep their game saves on separate memory cards but you will still be logged on the Vita as the one user who 'owns' it.

* TROPHIES A Sony representative confirmed to me that only the 'owner' will get credit for the trophies, no matter who may be earning them during gameplay because the PSV only recognized one user.

* DOWNLOADS If you buy a 'download' you will have to download that game on each of your family members memory cards who wish to play that game individually.

* MEMORY CARDS SIZE see above for the multiple users scenario. In addition, get the biggest memory card you can possibly afford. The size of downloaded games tends to be enormous. Uncharted alone is 3.2 GB which is just about all that a 4 GB card can hold. Most games I care about seem to be 2 GB or larger.

* DON'T PLAN ON BUYING MANY DOWNLOADABLE GAMES see above. Half a dozen downloaded games would fill up your 16 GB memory card with little room for anything else. I would buy games on physical media whenever possible.

--

>> Brush your teeth, it's the law!

The Good:

The Vita is a beautiful design, and it feels very solid in your hands. It's nice to finally have dual analog sticks, and the touch screen is very smooth and responsive. The rear touch pad has added an interesting new dimension to several games, such as Escape Plan and Mutant Blobs Attack.

The Vita's 5" screen is sharp and vibrant, vastly improved over the PSP. Look up 'mBVi3KbHPgY' on Youtube for a comparison of Hot Shots Golf on the Vita vs PSP. The Vita blows away the PSP!

The speakers are a definite improvement over my PSP, the sounds during Escape Plan were just amazing.

Speaker volume controls are under your right index finger, the perfect position!

Attaching the Vita to a PS3: I have a wireless keyboard receiver and USB mini-B cable coming off my PS3, so there are no open USB ports up front. I use the mini-B cable to charge my PS3 controller, and to attach my PSP. The PS Vita uses a new proprietary USB cable, so I found this adapter on Amazon that allows me to attach the Vita to the USB mini-B cable:

Your Cable Store USB Female A To USB Mini Female B 5 Pin Adapter

The Not-So-Good:

No video-out capability, which given the Vita's high resolution graphics is unfortunate.

The battery life has been decent for me so far, but a friend tells me that during an intense Uncharted gaming session, a full battery is empty in less than 3 hours.

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Cross-Platform Play & Remote Play: Most games are not compatible. Sony should change their webpage to say "Planned for Summer or Fall 2012 release", because right now this just doesn't work for most games.

Video file playback: The PS Vita is limited to specific MP4 and H.264 file types. Forget about avi, wmv, mkv, DVD files, etc. without doing a lengthy file conversion first. Android phone and tablet owners can download the free 'MX Player' application that will play back just about any video format, but Sony Vita owners don't have that option. I can copy a TV show from my home theater PC and watch it on my 5-inch Android tablet, but on the Vita the file will not play.

The Web Browser -This is just not up to par for a handheld released in 2012. I expect to rotate the Vita in my hand and have the browser change from portrait to landscape mode, but this DOES NOT WORK. I went to Youtube to check the latest FPS Russia video, and look for a video review of Hot Shots Golf, but this DOES NOT WORK. The Vita does not support Youtube, PERIOD. Then I went to Amazon's home page to check the daily Lightning Deals, and this DOES NOT WORK. Lastly, I was on movietickets(dot)com to buy some tickets to the show, and the Vita's browser DOES NOT WORK. Maybe there will be a browser update, or maybe we can buy the Dolphin HD or Opera browser in the Playstation Store in the near future, but as of right now, the Vita browser is limited.

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The first decision to make is how to buy the games, either Digital Download from the Playstation Store or order the physical game cartridge from Amazon.

We should support Amazon and buy the game cartridges here, for several reasons:

+game carts can be traded with friends, traded-in for store credit, or re-sold for cash. Digital downloads from the Sony PlayStation Store are locked to your online account and have zero resale or trade-in value.

+when I insert the Uncharted game cart into my Vita, in just a few seconds I have transferred 3.2 gigabytes of gaming goodness into my Vita. In comparison, the digital download might take several hours, then it has to be transferred from the PC or PS3 to the Vita using the slow USB cable. Then 3.2 gigabytes of memory card space is needed to hold the Uncharted game, memory space which is worth about 10 d0llars.

+physical game cards will naturally go down in price over time, due to normal supply & demand. For example, Pilotwings and Nintendogs were both launch titles for the 3DS, and they are now selling for HALF the price of launch day. Digital downloads may never see those kind of normal, market price adjustments. For examples of this, just look at PSP game prices on the Playstation Store, then compare to the better Amazon pricing.

Of course there are some games exclusively on the Playstation Store, but they are usually priced lower and with smaller file sizes. For example, Mutant Blobs Attack and Escape Plan are two excellent games that don't take long to download and are a great value.

>

I started out with Hotshots Golf, Lumines, and Rayman Origins.

I've played Hotshots Golf ever since the PS1 days, but this new Vita edition is still a blast to play, and looks great. Lumines is fun too, I was a big fan of Lumines 1 & 2 on the PSP.

Rayman Origins looks amazing and is fun, but I think it's the exact same game that is already on the PS3 and XBox360.

In the PS Store, I bought Escape Plan and Mutant Blobs attack, both highly recommended! My next purchase will be Super Stardust Delta, another great title.

Next I tried some PSP games on the Vita: Pinball Fantasies and Pinball Dreams are Mini's that work great on the Vita, they look better here than on the PSP. Also, Capcom Classics Collection works fine on the Vita.

>

The Playstation Store is part of the PS Vita experience. Even if we buy all our games here on Amazon, there are still a few online exclusives that must be purchased and downloaded from Sony.

I was browsing the store on my PS3, and found 27 Vita games were available for purchase. 18 of these games included a Preview, showing either screen shots or video clips. The other 9 showed nothing, expecting us to buy these games sight unseen, or go do our own research.

I can't believe that Sony still doesn't get it. EVERY game in the store should have a Preview. Sony should require it of the publishers. That's the way Microsoft runs their online store. Microsoft wants to be up-front and honest and lay the cards on the table, so there's no buyers remorse. Almost every game in the Microsoft store also has a free trial download. Sony could take a lesson from them.

Ok so then I went to the Playstation Store from my Vita, and was surprised to see that NONE of the games for sale had Preview screen shots or videos. Unbelievable!

>

The PS Vita is a beauty to behold, a BIG step-up from the PSP, with some truly good launch games.

Now Sony needs to bring their A-game and fix some of Vita's shortcomings. Make the PS Store more user friendly, get Remote Play and Cross Platform Play working, as advertised, and fix the browser. How can ANY handheld not support Youtube in 2012? Lastly, how about a better app for video playback?

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UPDATE May-30-2012

There is now a javascript webpage available that allows Sony Vita owners to watch Youtube videos! The downside is that you have to download the entire video to your memory card before you can watch it, there is no video streaming or previewing available. Just lookup 'vita youtube' on Youtube.

The Vita has been out for 6 months now, why can't Sony give us a proper Youtube application? Samsung and Apple (and others) support Youtube just fine, they get the job done for their customers.

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The answer to that question is both a yes and no. To be quite honest, if you are a casual smartphone user who plays games in their iOS or Android device and aren't concerned with games, the Vita is not for you. However, if you are a smartphone user and yearn to be able to plays higher quality games with controls that makes sense on a screen that won't hurt your eyes, the PS Vita is right up your alley. So let's get into it:

The Playstation Vita itself a beautiful piece of hardware itself with:

5in. OLED touchscreen that puts out ridiculous resolutions.

back touchpad like what you would use on your laptop

two analog sticks like your PS3 or 360 controller

and feels light but having the weight of something premium

A front facing and rear facing camera just like an iPhone

The OLED screen is gorgeous and you will never have a problem being able to read or touch anything on your screen. Also the power button has been placed on top of the unit to prevent accidental pushes while the headphone jack is underneath to prevent pulling anything out. The analog sticks themselves, while on the small side, are just as responsive and intuitive as their larger cousins on the PS3 Dualshock. Overall the unit is sleek, sexy, and pretty darn cool to hold and look at.

However there are some cons:

The right analog stick is a few centimeters away from the X button on the Vita. For people with smaller hand sizes this won't be a problem but as I have larger hands, I noticed my thumb will accidentally hit the stick while I press buttons. Not a big factor but slightly annoying.

The analog sticks themselves are fine but as I said before, people with large hands will have to learn how to adapt to using them. Hey, if we can text paragraphs at the speed of sound on an iPhone, a small joystick is a piece of cake.

Onto the actual software of the Vita, from the get go, Sony walks you through every step of the way while setting up your Vita. From accessing your Playstation Network account to applying for the AT&T Data plan (if you bought the 3G/WiFi model) to even adjusting the time, it's all done in an easy way. I was very impressed. Moving onward you have "apps" such as:

Welcome Park: A mini-game filled app that helps you learn all the features of your Vita and does it in an easy to understand manner. Even a child could understand this app.

Near: AN app that allows you to "see" other users in a few mile radius who also have Vitas. From here you can send friend requests, rate games, and even leave gifts for other users to find. Very neat.

Party: The biggest app you should pay attention too. It's basically Xbox Live on the Vita. You can add people to your party from different games, and talk to them (Yes I said talk!) on your Vita while doing other things. This is the killer app of Vita in my opinion.

Netflix: Looks amazing on the OLED screen.

Freetweet: Lets you post tweets on Twitter while playing games

etc.

I could go on and on but the interface on the Vita is very easy to navigate as all of your apps are cute bubbles you can move around just like on an iPhone. Also, you can press the Playstation button on your Vita and it will 'suspend' your current game or app (just like an iPhone) and let you "tear" the page away to delete it. Very cool.

CONCLUSION: This is where I have to draw the line. As a smartphone user who plays games on my phone, I see the value in the Vita as it provides social and gaming experiences that you truly cannot find anywhere else. The only thing a Vita doesn't do is make phone calls and even then the Vita is getting a Skype app soon to allow you to make calls. However, I know there will be people who don't need to have a Vita when their iPhone gets the job done and that is perfectly fine. However, if you want to take that next step and buy quite possibly the greatest gaming handheld ever made (Yes I can say that with a straight face), then get a Vita. It really is a gamechanger. :)

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First, let me say that I'm in my thirties and am busier than ever with family, career, school and living an active lifestyle. BUT, I've always enjoyed playing an occasional high production and fast twitch games since I can remember. I have an Xbox 360, but just no time to play it, a PS3, but my family really only uses it to watch movies and an IPad and IPhone, but those never satisfied my gaming "fix".

This PS Vita does the trick! Although I no longer sit down for hours and "game" anymore, I still get this real desire to play a high production or fast twitch game, but could never justify leaving my family to feed this small addiction. Now I can lie in bed and play for 30 minutes before crashing (while my wife shakes her head) and get that feeling like I'm playing a counsel in my hand...quite amazing and something that swiping on my Phone and Ipad could never seem to do.

PROS:

Great Screen

Great Controls (takes about 10 min to get used to)

Great product for the stage of life I'm in

CONS:

Pricy

Uncertain future of device and games

I'd recommend this product for those who have less free time as they used to have, but still enjoy playing a (high production) game here and there!

Honest reviews on PlayStation Vita - WiFi

The PSVITA in a nutshell

The Vita overall is an exceptional piece of gaming hardware.

PROS:

-OLED is clear, vivid, and best of all pretty resistant to finger prints.

-PSN is responsive and easy to use.

-Dual analog stick 100% functional (unlike the nub).

-Rear touch pad is innovative and very responsive.

-Front touch works as well as any apple device I've ever owned.

CONS:

-Battery life (5-6 hours with brightness down).

-No PS1 classic support as of 02-23-2012(there are plans to add support down the road per SONY).

I believe that the Vita is where Sony finally got it right, this is the first handheld from them that I love almost as much as I did my GBA.

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Let me preface this review. I'm an adult gamer, have a professional career, etc. I don't have time for PC games anymore, and even console games are a hard sell for me since the ones I want to play demand a lot of time (Mass Effect, Dragon Age, etc).

Mobile gaming is nice, but the PSP was very dated. iPhone games are not in depth enough for me, and most are too casual. iPad, same story. I bought a 3DS hoping for better graphics and games, and it just sucked. What a let down. Then, Nintendo pulls the price drop stunt to infuriate us already disappointed early adopters. I went back to my PSP.

I bought a PSVita on launch day-and it is EVERYTHING I'd hoped for. The screen is big, but not too big. The graphics are incredible. I picked up Uncharted, Wipeout and Ninja Gaiden-and they're incredible. The processing power of this thing is insane. The controls are all smooth and fluid, I mean this thing is near PS3 quality gaming experience-in a handheld!

To make it even better, the launch titles are all mostly very good, and a large variety. Also, tons of my favorite PSP titles are available in the Playstation Store already! The prices are reasonable, too.

I'm telling you, if you are sick of Angry Birds, mad at Nintendo over the 3DS mess, there is hope for us all. Get this thing. It is amazing.

Discount Nerf N-Strike Elite Bundle - Nintendo Wii (Bundle)

Customer Ratings:

Christmas gift for my 7 year old son. We bought an extra blaster so the two of us could play together.

Pros:

Decent graphics. About what you would expect from a Wii title.

Challenging. Normal difficulty presents a solid challenge for young kids and adults. Getting every bonus canister is quite difficult on any difficulty (more on that later). Elite difficulty is quite hard.

Lots of guns. If you are a Nerf Dart Gun fan you will love the variety of guns available in the game. 16 that run the gamut from sniper rifles to grenade launchers and everything in between.

Customize and upgrade your guns. You can spend your canister points on numerous upgrades and customizations for each gun. Clip size, damage, reload rate, color, dart (trails, whistling etc), extra barrels, scopes, sights and so on. Probably my son's favorite part of the game.

Replayability. The levels and game is challenging enough to replay the game over and over again. Good thing since the game itself is very short.

Red Reveal: A nice gameplay element. Kids will like it.

-Plot, It's pretty basic, but my son liked the characters, dialog and plot twist. He's 7, give him a break.

Cons:

The game is very short. 10 levels I believe. I suppose it's a "budget" title as you get a $20 gun included with the game, but we could finish the game in about 1-2 hours.

Only 2 player multiplayer. Why? There's 4 characters to use, they should all be allowed to play at once.

Bugs: some bugs that we had to overcome by restarting the level. Crosshairs go missing, game gets frozen in one spot. Not a huge number, but for such a short title and simple game, these things shouldn't exist. Rushed out for the holidays I susupect.

Aiming is a bit wonky. Make sure your controllers are calibrated properly before attempting to play this game. The shooting requires precision and jittery crosshairs make it an exercise in frustration. Even properly calibrated, there are some issues with keeping the crosshairs steady.

Weapon Switching. Each character can hold 4 weapons, unfortunately, switching between weapons requires the use of the D-Pad which is located on top of the gun. Not a comfortable way to switch. Furthermore, the D-Pad which could have been designed to have each gun selected by a different direction (U,D,L, R), is limited to only R & L, and there is a considerable delay between switches. Thus, going from gun #1 to gun #3 takes a long time. For a game predicated on the variety and speciality of it's guns, not being able to switch quickly and comfortably between them is a real pain.

Comments:

I don't have a problem with not being able to control where the players move. It eliminates alot of potential problems and adds some challenge to the shooting. This is a kid's game. I don't think complicating the control scheme and allowing the potential to get lost in a level is a benefit.

my wrist hurts. I wish the included gun was a rifle and not a pistol that required awkward positioning to switch weapons.

The bottom line is that this game is alot of fun, but not without it's flaws. I suppose the true test is how much my 7 year old likes it and he loves it. He hasn't even opened up the rest of his christmas presents (it's already the 27th too.) By far is favorite of the toys he's gotten. We've played the game about twice through already and are going back for thirds so we can get enough canisters to fully upgrade all the guns.

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A great shooting game that is appropriate for young children. Finding codes with the red view finder adds to the fun for kids. I thought including a foam dart launcher was unnecessary, but when my 9 year old was playing the video game and then asked if the gun could shoot real darts, I understood that the designers had done their research!

Best Deals for Nerf N-Strike Elite Bundle - Nintendo Wii (Bundle)

This game is the sequel to nerf n-strike and B.O.B. is back. Shane (the boy who B.O.B. recruits in the first game) and the rest of the trainees from the first game set out to destroy B.O.B.. This game is tons of fun and I love it, and the new red reveal was a nice touch. You can use this reveal to find enemy weak points and codes through out the game. The main point is if you love nerf you'll probally love this game.

Honest reviews on Nerf N-Strike Elite Bundle - Nintendo Wii (Bundle)

This game is pretty fun. My son really enjoys it. The gun is a versatile real nerf gun. So we break out his other nerf guns and run around the house having nerf wars. My wife would probably not agree with this review, for the running around the house issue, but we have fun doing it. The game is pretty good, it gets alittle redundant and old after awhile. It is still fun. Would recommend this game.

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I got this for Christmas for my 5 year old son. He has been playing this game non-stop! I love that there is a non-violent shooting game out there. He quickly realized that the gun shoots only nerf darts and thought that was pretty cool. I also like that the game only shoots at robots who are shooting nerf darts at you, there is no shooting at other people. My son really have loved playing this game and even though we have beat it on the easy setting he still goes back and plays the levels over and over again. Super fun game! Oh! and for those who don't want to listen to the talking portions you can hit "A" on the Wii remote and it will skip that. Happy shooting!

TekNmotion XJacKer Soniq Rush 2.0 Gaming Amplifier - Xbox 360 Review

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $24.39
Today's Bonus: 19% Off

This is a good item in theory but it needs some improvements to be more user friendly. The 2.5mm connector that plugs into the xbox controller (the most important connection in this system) is too small for xbox OEM controllers. This means you have to wedge it to one side so your friends can actually hear you talk (very annoying). I contacted Xjacker about this and received an email back asking if I wanted to try a strain relief they came up with to help hold the connector in the right place. I replied sure send one this was two months ago have not heard anything since. Now another huge oversight in my opinion is the lack of separate chat and game volume control like the turtle beach models. This requires you to go into your Xbox system settings and adjust the chat volume and then go into your game and adjust the game volume to where you can hear things somewhat ok. But if you have friends that are either very loud or very quiet you are screwed as there is no way to balance it out on the fly. You can lower the volume to tolerable for loud people but then you cannot hear quiet people. I used this for about two weeks before abandoning it for my Turtle Beaches again.

Updated Sept. 29th 2013

After a catastrophic failure of the turtle beaches I went back to this and an over the ear mic at the same time.

Now this gets a one star rating the stupid little adapter that plugs into the amplifier, your headphones, and the controller (yes all one piece!) has almost completely stopped functioning. I have two kids so I use my headset and mute the TV with this not functioning for chat already I bought a $10 over the ear mic at walmart and use the earbuds with this amp and the headset over top. well with the little adapter not working right I have to plug my earbuds in halfway and twist the cords just right to get any game audio. pretty much cheapest piece of junk head set out there. buyers beware

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Thought this would work with my PC headset although the sound is gives off is a wonderfully blistering white noise. Best to just throw the mini amp out and keep the adapter cords. This product is the worst product I have ever bought.

Best Deals for TekNmotion XJacKer Soniq Rush 2.0 Gaming Amplifier - Xbox 360

In regards to the Xbox version: Mine came with instructions for the Playstation version. The wiring part is simple to figure out, but many people will not know what Xbox settings need to be adjusted. Not a huge deal, thanks to the magic of internets.

My only real issue is that it doesn't come with the RCA adapter that is required for HDMI users... but it does come with an adapter for Beats by Dr Dre headphones. I can absolutely guarantee that more people are using HDMI and will require the $5 adapter than are using Beats and require what I'm sure is an overpriced adapter. Do they even sell Xbox's anymore with RCA connectors? It would've been nice to know so I would've ordered the adapter at the same time.

So heads up... if you're buying this and have your XBOX connected to your TV or home theater with an HDMI cable, you're going to need an RCA audio adapter.

Honest reviews on TekNmotion XJacKer Soniq Rush 2.0 Gaming Amplifier - Xbox 360

I was really looking forward to my xJacker Soniq Rush 2.0 for the Xbox 360. I already have the Razer Carcharias and I love using it on my PC. I rushed home from work and excitedly opened the package. Immediately I knew something was not included. Firstly, let me tell you about my set up. I hook up to my TV using HDMI which feeds the audio and video, no other cables. The xJacker *requires* that you either have analog out on your TV, which mine does not (42" LG Plasma, only a couple years old), or that you hook up via component cables which are no longer included with 360s. The only reason I got the xJacker was because Turtle Beach notes on their package that it requires a separate purchase of an adapter if you use HDMI. I figured this would be easier, wrong. I go out and buy some component cables out of desperation. Everything get hooked up and the microphone cable is *barely* held into place. Any tiny tug or light breeze will promptly remove it from your controller. Oh, what is that you say, another stumble? Yes, you must go to your settings and set voice to "play through speakers" meaning you can't easily control the game and voice volume independently unless you go through a few menus just to adjust it.

I appreciate the effort xJacker team, I really wanted to say I loved your product. It just wasn't the "everything you need and nothing you don't" as your website markets. It is missing a vital adapter that is $20 at most big box stores ($2 online). The audio and bass boost it provided were great, though it only managed to come out of the right headphone. I tried my brother's component cables and multiple devices, it certainly was not my headphones. I say you market the amplifier and come up with a new cabling solution. I don't think putting 4 or 5 different $1.00 cables in a box with a good amplifier is really the key to winning gamers, and people who hate multiple cables (really, I needed FIVE for my headphones) hearts. Maybe next time.

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I love the way this works. My beats work with it and the sound is amazing. The only reason i give it three stars is the some where int he middle it makes a lot of static sounds and i have to play with the wires till it goes away.

Review of Xbox 360 - MC2 MicroCon Racing Wheel - Black

Customer Ratings:

I bought this to play Forza 4 with. It seems to be good quality but is a bit small. Everything works and responds well though.

The only negative I have to say is it doesn't have forced feed-back (doesn't fight back). My roommate has a better wheel but dropped about 40 more on it.

If your looking for a quality wheel (a bit small), but don't want to spend a lot this is the one for you.

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OK, mea culpa, I thought this was a wireless device when I ordered it. It's not, and it was my mistake. I am not sending it back, it's quite light-years beyond what I was using for my racing games (held-in-the-air wireless wheel, )even with the wires. But there are issues, to wit:

1) It is quite small. The wheel is about the size of a salad plate; not a problem as far as I'm concerned. But if you want to sit this thing on your lap, as described in the instructions, you better have some skinny thighs. I'm a 5'8" out-of-shape cyclist, I can *barely* get the leg supports around my thighs, and I am not particularly comfortable once I wedge my legs in there. Certain important anatomical regions are compressed to an uncomfortable, but not distressing, degree. Problem solved by placing the steering unit on a stable wood TV tray.

2) There are suction cups on the bottom of the unit that are supposed to adhere to a flat surface. Mine work for about 30 seconds. Even so, it's not a problem, I push down on the steering wheel anyway. Doesn't slide or anything, just don't pull back, the wheel will jump off whatever surface you have it on.

3) The pedals are quite close together; not a problem if you use one foot and switch between gas/brake (there is a dedicated space for your left foot, and if you mash on that, it will hold the unit down) but I drive with two feet. It's alright, but kind of close. And that driving style contributes to the next issue.

4) I have wood floors; the pedal board slides. Solved by placing a 4x6 inch bit of non-slip material that we use underneath area rugs below the pedal board. I don't think this would be an issue on carpet.

All that being said, I like the unit, it's responsive, the vibration feel is intense, the wheel behaves like I think it should... I immediately drove quicker using this rather than the unattached "wheel in the air" I was using.

Disclaimer: I'm a novice at video games (but not a novice about auto racing). Expert video gamers might not agree with my opinions. Come to think of it, maybe NOBODY will agree with me.

I'm cool with this unit, for the price. If it was $50 more, I might complain more. But I'm pretty easy. This works for me.

Best Deals for Xbox 360 - MC2 MicroCon Racing Wheel - Black

Bought this for our xbox 360 and my husband and kids like it. The only thing is the cord is not as long as we would like. My husband likes it better then the xbox 360 remotes for driving and my kids do too.

Honest reviews on Xbox 360 - MC2 MicroCon Racing Wheel - Black

I bought this for my twin boys for their birthday as they are just 6 and have some difficulty using the regular controllers to steer and function in Forza 3, PG4 and other racing games they have. It is a bit on the small side but perfect for them and fits me fairly well too. My husband is a bigger guy and he doesn't care for using this much as it doesn't fit on his lap very well. I am terrible at racing games but this helps me control the cars a bit better and is more intuitive than using a controller. Overall, having a steering wheel and pedals to use when you're driving is great and helps enhance the enjoyment of the game. All the same buttons are there so once you figure out which one does what, this can be used as easily as the controllers for navigating within Xbox as well. I recommend this to anyone who doesn't want to fork out $150 for a wireless MC wheel set and is leery of the wireless one that looks more like a Wii peripheral and doesn't have all the buttons like this does. I prefer to have pedals too. The wires are a bit of a nuisance, we have 3 boys running around and dogs too so occasionally someone or something is getting tangled in a cord but that is a minor complaint and it wasn't worth double the price and then some to have the wireless set up.

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I bought this wheel go along with my recently attained Forza Motorsport 4. I had read the review about this wheel (and its playstation and universal counterpart) and decided to buy it because I didn't want to spend a whole lot on a video game.

The next wheel, pricewise, is the Madcatz wireless wheel for ~$100, it doesn't include vibration of any kind, the next is ~$150 which is virtually identical but with vibration, and beyond that there is the Fanatec (which I wish I could afford to spend the money on). So for any kind of feedback this is the wheel for under a hundred bucks. One review mentions a terrible squeaking after an hour, I have had this for over a week and not experienced anything different than when I got it(played with many hours a day).

(have had this wheel for over a week)

Pro's:

good quality

270 degree turn

cheap

really easy set up

vibration for under 100 bucks

Con's:

wheel diameter (8.75in {almost 20cm})

BAXY layout (A,B on left X,Y on right)

no clutch pedal