Chrono Trigger Reviews

Customer Ratings:

Pros:

+A very well done storyline

+A good battle system

+Several sidequests to undertake

+Some new content to experience

+Lots of replay value

Cons:

-There's a good amount of new content but it might not be worthwhile to those who've already experienced Chrono Trigger before; likewise, there's no improvement in the visuals... this may or may not please some gamers

In 1995 Square released Chrono Trigger. A game commonly hailed as one of the greatest games of all time. In the years following it became one of the most highly sought after Super Nintendo games of all time. The game saw a rerelease on the Playstation in 2001 along with Final Fantasy IV in the Final Fantasy Chronicles package. This marks the third time Chrono Trigger has seen a release since it first debuted. The game has aged very well but some gamers may find there needs to be more of an update.

Chrono Trigger has a well known story but it never hurts to go over it for some who may not have played this gem. In the year 1000 AD, the Kingdom of Guardia has the Millennial Fair. You play as Crono, who goes to the fair and bumps into a girl named Marle. After wandering the fair with her for a while, Crono and Marle decide to check out his friend Lucca's new invention, a teleportation device. When Marle steps into the device, it reacts to her pendent and she is suddenly transported through time. Feeling somewhat responsible, Crono decides to go through time after her. What begins as a simple rescue mission turns into something so much more when you go into the distant future and see that the world has ended. Now, in an attempt to save the future, Crono and his friends will stop the apocalypse from happening. Their adventure will take them through time and they'll meet several interesting characters.

It is because of the characters and the well put together story that Chrono Trigger is so memorable. This version features a newly translated script that is much better than the original (as if the original needed a tune up).

Another aspect that makes Chrono Trigger stand the test of time is the gameplay. You'll roam the field normally until you come into contact with an enemy. Where as most RPGs have to transition from the field mode to the battle mode, Chrono Trigger instead has your characters spread out and pull out their weapons. The battle system itself utilizes the ATB battle system from Final Fantasy for some fast paced action.

Where the game truly shines, however, is its Tech system. Every character has a series of unique techniques that they can utilize. At first the system doesn't sound that interesting, but your characters can combine their techniques together to pull off double and triple techs. It helps to make battling more interesting and fun. It also assures that you'll try using every character at least once just to uncover all the double and triple techniques out there. More than that, however, it adds a lot of strategy to the game given that each characters techniques are unique to them. You may find that what makes the difference between sending a character into battle and not has to do more with their techniques than their base statistics.

There are plenty of side quests to keep you busy, and the time traveling element makes some of them more fun to partake in than others. As if that wasn't enough, the DS version also includes all the animated cutscenes from the Playstation release. If you'd prefer to enjoy the game in a completely classic way, you can turn them off if you desire. There are also a few extras added to the DS version such as new dungeons and touch screen controls. The touch screen controls themselves work fairly well, although you may still find that using the buttons and D-pad is still much easier.

Chrono Trigger is by no means a challenging game. It's also a fairly short one. At most you'll probably take twenty hours to complete it your first time through. Veterans may find themselves completing the game in less than fifteen hours. Chrono Trigger makes up for being a short game by having a lot of replay value. First there's the New Game+ feature which lets you go through the game again carrying over your techniques, items and equipment. The game also throws in multiple endings, which will encourage you to play the game again.

Musically, Chrono Trigger has one of the best soundtracks around. Some of it sounds better than the original Super Nintendo game. Many tunes will be stuck in your head for years to come, mainly because so much of it can convey so much emotion.

Graphically, however, is where Chrono Trigger can be a mixed bag. The character models and backgrounds look incredibly detailed, and in the DS port some things have been smoothed out. Artistically, Chrono Trigger will probably never fade into oblivion. On the other hand, Square-Enix released Final Fantasy IV and Dragon Quest IV earlier this year with improved graphics, bringing the games into 3D. Final Fantasy IV, in particular, showed major improvements in its presentation that made the story more emotionally gripping. It's a wonder why Square-Enix wouldn't do the same with Chrono Trigger. It would've been stunning to see some of Chrono Trigger's best moments in a new light.

The good news, however, is that Chrono Trigger hasn't had many releases, and there's so much more added than simply a new dungeon. This means even if you did play an older version of the game, there's a good berth of new content worth checking out. Whether or not it's worth forty dollars is subjective.

Chrono Trigger is a remarkable game. If you've played it before, one more go can't hurt. If you've never played it, this is the definitive version. Every RPGer should play this timeless classic at least once. Age has not slowed Chrono Trigger down one bit.

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Finding Chrono Trigger for the DS was like finding a free $100 bill on the ground when you're starving for a dollar cheeseburger.

This game is an immense breath of fresh air, and is a time-tested classic RPG that delivers on every element of what a good RPG should be.

The story is intricate, the characters are colorful and inviting, the gameplay is smooth and interesting, the graphics are pleasant and crisp for the DS, and there is never a dull moment. I found myself playing Chrono Trigger with the same ferocity as reading a good book you can't put down.

The menus are customizable and easily navigated, especially with the use of the touch screen (which is optional). The battle system flows in a very traditional style, with the options of using Active Time Battle or Wait styles. The story has a multitude of endings depending on the choices you make in the game and other factors, guaranteeing even more playability past the first run-through.

This is, hands-down, the best RPG for Nintendo DS (and maybe other platforms) I have played. It has a sense of beauty and intrigue that transcends modern RPGs, and will have you playing until your hands cramp up.

It has successfully been ported from the Super Nintendo to the Playstation Entertainment System and now to the Nintendo DS with new dungeons and touch-screen capability.

A must for RPG lovers everywhere, and a great Christmas gift idea!

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If you consider yourself a gamer, and have not experienced this title, you owe it too yourself to pick it up. It doesn't have to be on the DS, though I believe that version to be the definitive one.

The SNES version is the original masterpiece and I just bet you could find it here on Amazon.

The PSX (Play Station 1) version has all the extras of the DS version but loses stars for strange load times before and after battles and while opening the menus which can detract from the over all immersion of the experience.

Sound:

This is the only video game I have ever ordered the sound track for! Haunting melodies from the forests of Guardia, epic themes while rocketing through time, and a sweeping final theme you may find yourself humming for hours. The battle music is standard Final Fantasy fare, but hey, is that such a bad thing? The sound effects are witty and even though this is still midi sound you can tell a lot of thought went into putting it together.

Graphics:

This is a game for the Super Nintendo. It has sixteen-bit graphics. No particle effects, no bump/mip/or any other form of texturing, no specular lighting or bloom effects, but let me tell you... the art direction and simple, yet sometimes powerful animations of the characters convey a sense of nostalgia that's hard to come by these days.

Game play:

You won't find another Final Fantasy game like this. And I find that hard to understand. The tech system is brilliant, combining techs to create effects is sometimes a greater joy then that last 10 minute mega summons you pulled off in the last Final Fantasy game. you just can't wait to get to the next one and see whose battle strategies it will effect.

Presentation:

Highly customizable. Everything is tweakable right down to the backgrounds you look at on the text and menu screens. Battle speeds, active/wait battle gauges. Best of all the battle menus are now removed from the play field and pushed down onto the second screen so you can watch everything unfold without any clutter.

Lasting appeal:

If you grind through this epic game the first time, you'll find a feature waiting for you the next time you fire it up(and you will!!)on the menu screen called new game plus. It allows you to keep your stats and items collected from the previous game and go through for another round. Which is handy becuase beating this game at different stages of the story will give you new endings. There is a multi player mode for raising monsters(haven't had time to review this yet) and two new dungeons that seem to be placed just right for grinding out those 99 levels for each character. They also add some new story elements and a new ending.

Just go get this game...you won't regret it, and if you do, well, it makes a great christmas present for that other nerd you know with the DS....happy time traveling!!.....

Edit: I stand corrected....you will find all the extra content from the playstation version on here....as well as quite a bit more...including much much more powerful weapons and armor for each character...if you can put the time in to find it. And if that doesn't tweek an RPG enthusiasts interest, I don't know what will....

Honest reviews on Chrono Trigger

There's something to be said for nostalgia in games; the games that were awesome then might be a little formulaic and even boring now but still, that game managed to entertain for long, long periods of time back when cartridges had to be blown into to get to run and the war was either Sonic or Mario. Now with so many high-tech graphics, vast amounts of sidequests and things to do as well as multiplayer options, is it worth going through "Chrono Trigger", an old-school RPG with appropriately old-school graphics. Well if you're a DS owner, the question isn't "why would you" to "why haven't you by now?"

Story: Taking place literally across all ages, Crono and his friends Lucca, Marle and several others they encounter throughout time have to prevent a possible future from happening: that of the being Lavos and his complete destruction of the world in 1999. Together, you'll travel from the dinosaur-laden Prehistoric times to apocalyptic 2300 A.D. and hopefully stop the world from falling into ruin.

Graphics: Square Enix released a port of "Final Fantasy IV" originally for the Gameboy Advance with some spiffier, less pixelly graphics while also providing a remake of the game with more improved graphics and CG sequences for cutscenes. What does Chrono Trigger do then? The former. Not that I mind since the game's a classic either way and the art style is still as strong as ever for each era and the cutscenes made for the "Final Fantasy Chronicles" package on the Playstation are here (though rather compressed quality), it's not the most technically accomplished game but I welcome keeping the original look intact despite cries of outdatedness...as opposed to the "why can't we have the original" cries.

Sound/Music: Arguably, Square Enix's most well-known composer to work on their games is Nobuo Uematsu though they also have another musical weapon, that of Yasunori Mitsuda who also provided the soundtracks for "Chrono Cross" and "Xenogears", his 2 masterworks. His soundtrack here is just as noteworthy with several notable themes and unlike some soundtracks which work solely with the game, this is easily a soundtrack to own. Voice acting? Pssh, don't be silly.

Gameplay: Typical RPG with levelling up, new equipment, specialized attacks for certain characters though there's a couple unique features. The more popular "enemy on screen" system is here rather than random encounters and it doesn't take long to be thrown into battle so thankfully no stylish battle entrances here. Characters have unique attacks called "Techs" which can be combined with other characters for even more special attacks/benefits. The techs also can hit more than one enemy should the attack be close enough so for example, a straight fire attack by Lucca might eat one enemy but line up enough and it can nail them all. This adds a bit of strategy since a well-timed wide area attack can clear the battle arena much faster.

The usual sidequests are a-plenty here, not a single character is wasted and the story is quite engaging but is there more to see beyond just re-experiencing the game's greatness? Well it's common now but back then the concept of New Game + and multiple endings were relatively new if not brand-new and should you defeat the final boss at a certain point in the story the second time, you got to see a different ending which ranged from the interesting to hilarious. As far as new DS content, it's really just new dungeons, touch screen controls for battle (though being able to specifically click a menu page than scrolling like the original is welcome) and a handy map is good to see.

Ultimately,if you're a DS owner and you like RPG's, Chrono Trigger needs to be bought right now. I know its 10$ more than most but honestly, it beats the absurb Ebay prices. No longer an illegal download or a rare and expensive find, every DS owner can now experience the timeless game that is "Chrono Trigger".

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Ever since its debut on the Super Nintendo way back in 1995, Chrono Trigger has remained one of my favorite games of all time. I had played it over again so many times that I had the game script memorized. When Chrono Trigger (CT) was announced for the DS in 2008, I rushed out to pre-order a copy. In fact, this game was the reason I bought a DS. I was in no way disappointed in my decision!

What makes Chrono Trigger great

The original game was ahead of its time (no pun intended) and groundbreaking in many ways. The graphics and music were jaw-dropping in their day, and while they have no doubt aged, there's nothing ugly about them. Toriyama's style definitely comes through, characters' expressions are clear, and tech attacks look like they would actually hurt! The music is moving and always fits the situation. The story really shines; I have not seen another RPG (or any other game for that matter) before or since that has incorporated all of the aspects of time travel the way CT has. You travel back and forth through time, from prehistory to the post-apocalypse to try to find a way to stop the inevitable evil coming to destroy the planet. Your actions in one time period have consequences, affecting an individual or even an entire town in the future. And there's never a place in the story that feels slow or seems to drag on. The characters are also unique, ranging from a robot from the future to a feisty, barefisted cavewoman, to a chivalrous knightly frog-man. Each character's magic or "tech" attacks are unique to them and can even be combined with other teammates to perform devastating (and just plain cool looking) double or even triple tech attacks. This is such a fun and cool idea and adds so much more to the battle experience and game strategy; I wonder why Square hasn't incorporated this into other games.

As others have pointed out, the game is fairly short for an RPG, especially by today's standards. On my first play through, I completed every single side quest and the DS extra content (more on that later) and still finished the game in about 26 hours. But this isn't so bad. I've found that in RPGs of the last decade, there's usually a point in the latter part of the game where I'm just ready to be done with it and that the story feels unnecessarily dragged out just for the sake of having extra hours of gameplay (I'm looking at you Final Fantasy!). But as much as I've played CT, I've never felt that way. The story moves forward and concludes at a good pace. And this game is definitely meant for replay. CT was one of the first (if not the first) games to introduce the New Game + feature. This allows you to replay the game but with all of your previous experience and items. This makes subsequent playthroughs easier and faster, and you're also able to challenge the final boss at just about any time, which allows you to unlock the game's multiple endings. The game boasts 10 different endings, ranging from just silly (Good Night) to showing the consequences of beating the game before certain storylines or time periods were concluded. There are also variations on the standard ending, ranging from small to great, depending on how you faced the final boss and what actions you took or didn't take beforehand. And as much as I've played and re-played CT, it seems like I always find something new I had missed before.

DS Version = better Chrono Trigger

In my opinion, the DS version is the definitive one. Keep in mind that this is a port of the original 16-bit game, not a complete remake like, say, Final Fantasy IV DS. The Playstation port was nice in that it included anime cutscenes by the game's art and character designer, Akira Toriyama (of Dragonball fame), and also the extras feature that allowed you to unlock art illustration, music, a catalog of the endings you unlocked, etc. But I didn't like how the game had to load between each "map" (sometimes a single room, walking from one door to another) or how the background music would reset itself if you went to your menu, got into a battle, changed rooms, etc. And the music is definitely great enough to want to listen to. The DS version has everything that the PS version had (cutscenes, extras feature already unlocked) plus new content, without any loading or slow down or resetting.

You can choose to play the game in classic mode or DS mode, which moves menu choices and enemy data in battle to the lower screen, effectively freeing up the top screen. Outside of battle (in both modes), the lower screen displays the map of whatever area you are in and also allows you easy access to different menu functions (items, magic, equipment, changing characters, etc.) with a simple tap. Wisely, the developers made the game so that you run by default while moving (because who walks all the time?) and only walk by holding down a button.

DS Extra Content

Had this game been released without any extra content, I still would have snatched it up and loved it. These extras that are included are nothing spectacular but a nice little bonus.

Arena of the Ages this is basically a monster raising/battling mini-game, where you train up a little monster that resembles a nu. I personally don't care for these type of games. I played with this the first playthrough and have not bothered doing it again since. For me, it distracted too much from the real fun of the game, which was the story!

Lost Sanctum This extra town/dungeon appears near the end of the game and spans two time periods. It involves a lot of "go-fer" quests that can get annoying. But doing so can earn you many rare and new items and weapons/armor that can even rival your already-ultimate weapons/armor.

Dimensional Vortex opens up after beating the game for the first time. The vortices span three time periods. It's a mixture of randomly-generated previous-dungeon rooms plus new areas with new monsters (mostly palette-swaps of previous enemies). Like the Lost Sanctum, completing these provides more better-than-ultimate gear and maxes out the stats of your present-age heroes. It also unlocks a new final boss (and ending) and works to tie together some story elements to the game's somewhat-sequel, Chrono Cross (another good but very different game). Very cool. Definitely the best of the extra content IMO.

New Translation Controversy

I feel like I should mention this since others here have brought this up. The DS version does have a new translation so that dialogue and the names of some items are different than how they were translated in the original game. I suspect this won't matter to anyone but people like me who have played the game enough times to have the original Ted Woolsey translation memorized.

I feel that, in some areas, the new translation has improved the game and in other ways it hasn't. I don't think it would be fair to call it a "bad" translation just because it isn't the original. On one hand, I think the original translation had a certain light-heartedness to it that added to the humor and fun of the experience while the new one seems to add some depth and seriousness to the game. The Woolsey translation was also overly PC in that it edited out references pertaining to alcohol, etc., which did cause some (unintentionally?) funny moments (Taban: "Yum! Lemonade sure tastes great outdoors!" when he's clearly chugging from a large beer stein. And soup races with Ayla??). I do miss some of the jokes from the original, such as the references to the Knights of the Square(soft/EA) Table. Frog's Shakespearean speech is also missed since it added so much to his chivalrous character. On the other hand, the new translation clarifies and adds humor to some otherwise odd moments in the game (Dalton's: "what's that behind you?" and Nizbel II explaining why you had to fight him after walking right past him).

The DS at least acknowledges Woolsey's creativity by letting most of the names of characters remain the same. For instance, the three villains from the Middle Ages, Ozzie, Slash, and Flea, are all named after rockers; in the original Japanese, they're named after condiments I believe. But why are Mystics renamed as Fiends? I'll never know.

All in all, there's nothing in the new translation that doesn't match the essence of what's contained in the original one. Sure, I admit I'm nostalgic and I miss the original one many times, but I personally don't think it's fair to knock an awesome game to a one star review just because of that.

The Verdict on Chrono Trigger DS

To summarize what I meant to be a shorter review: This is a truly great game. And this version of it on the DS is super. I have never come across another RPG (or game for that matter) before or since that has matched it in its variety and depth of story, its simplicity and fun, and its replayability. This version has everything that the PS version had and more. And it's going for such a bargain price right now. I bought the game at full price (30-something dollars!) in November 08. I just recently bought another copy here on Amazon when it was going for $16 (because three save slots doesn't seem like much sometimes). That should say something about how great a game it is. I can highly recommend this game to anyone looking for a superb RPG. If you haven't experienced CT before, you owe it to yourself to see what this game is all about!

Cheap Metro Last Light

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2034, post-apocalyptic Moscow. A year has passed since the Spartan Rangers discovered and occupied the D6 bunker, making them one of the powerhouses of the Metro. Artyom is now a respected ranger, but is haunted by his decision to nuke the mysterious 'Dark Ones'. When word arrives of a Dark One infant that survived the cataclysm, Artyom sets out to rescue the creature and atone for his actions. Along the way, he discovers that one of the other factions in the Metro has discovered a secret weapon that could turn the tide of power amongst the survivors forever.

Metro: Last Light is the sequel to Metro 2033, picking up where that game left off and building on its storylines and characters. Last Light is pretty unforgiving to those who haven't played the first game, not bothering with backstory or exposition, so I recommend that players either pick up the first game before this one, or make full use of online plot summaries to get them up to speed.

As before, this is a first-person shooter which alternates combat with exploration and survival elements. Combat is great fun and enhanced this time around by the addition of better stealth mechanics: Artyom can knife opponents from the shadows or knock them out if he can sneak up behind them. Given a fairly frugal approach to ammo in the game (although it's not as punishingly stingy as the first game), conserving firepower and resorting to stealth rapidly becomes the first choice in every situation. Stealth is even more important when fighting the game's mutated wildlife, who can't be stealth-killed but can be avoided by hugging the shadows and extinguishing light sources.

The survival element comes in the form of the handy gas mask, which is necessary to survive on the surface and exposed parts of the underground. The mask's filters need to be changed on a regular basis and it can get covered in debris, gunk from exploded enemies and water quite easily, forcing you to wipe it clean. This is fine in general exploration, but mid-combat it can add a panicky moment of blindness which adds to the chaos of combat. The survival element is tremendously enhanced by the impressive visuals and the bleak, lonely atmosphere. Metro: Last Light does atmosphere better than almost any other FPS game I've played.

The moments of bleakness are counterbalanced by the towns (former Metro stations that have been taken over as habitations for survivors), which are bright, warmer and packed with people. The towns are a good place to chill out and restock on supplies before heading out. Unfortunately, as with the first game, they are essentially just shops with only modest improvements in giving you more to do (though a couple of optional missions can be found, along with a dubious strip club and a shooting range mini-game). The towns are crying out for more development, and as with the recent BioShock Infinite there is a feeling that maybe this would have been a stronger game if it had been more of an RPG than a FPS.

Still, an FPS it is and a good one at that. Making the linear corridor FPS (which is what Last Light is, apart from a couple of enormous arena-like outdoor areas where you have more freedom to choose what approach to take next) compelling and interesting is difficult, but 4A Games has managed it by giving the game a sense of place and atmosphere that is second to none. The limited nature of the genre means that you can't explore the people and places as much as you might want to, but through overhead dialogue, some excellent art design and Artyom's own notes, they successfully engross the player in this strange world.

Voice-acting is good and characterisation is fairly strong, although a romance with another character does kind of come out of nowhere. Whilst you spend a good chunk of the game going solo, you also team up with other characters for chunks of it, and they manage to be effective aids in combat without hogging the limelight. One character 'buffs' you by providing you with intelligence on enemy positions and numbers rather than fighting outright, which is a great idea that the game executes well.

Metro: Last Light (****½) is an improvement on its predecessor in almost every department: it's slightly longer, with more impressive graphics, more satisfying combat, vastly superior stealth and a more interesting storyline. On the minus front, it does feel very reminiscent of its forebear, more the second half of the same game rather than a sequel, and arguably the game makes a few too many concessions to the mainstream, with more plentiful ammo and supplies meaning less moments of nerve-shredding terror. Still, it's a bleak, atmospheric and gripping game.

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Both Metro games have an incredible atmosphere. (Think STALKER, Cryostatis, etc.) IIRC, this game has a bit more emphasis on human enemies than the first, but there are still some strong mutant sections. The various stations are full of life and there are plenty of tidbits if you stick around and listen.

This is a solid single player experience; and IMHO well worth the purchase price.

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UPDATE: There's a new patch that was released which fixes FOV and performance improvement on AMD hardware. It seems that the game is much more smoother now and I get 10+ extra fps now. So I guess it wasn't an issue with the AMD's GPUs but it was the game itself causing the low fps. I just finished beating the game and it took around 8hrs or so on hard-mode which was totally worth it. Read my review if you want to know why I recommend playing the game on hard-mode. If you guys have any specific questions about the game then just leave me a comment and I will reply as soon as possible. If you guys want customize the FOV then do this:

After starting the game up, the user.cfg will be updated with the r_base_fov attribute. You can find this in %LOCALAPPDATA%\4A Games\Metro LL\. Don't change the FOV to a really high value because it can causes random crashes and character models to look awkward.

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I am a huge fan of Metro 2033 and Last Light is even better in my opinion. I haven't finished the story yet but so far it has been awesome. These are some of the things that I have noticed so far from playing the game.

If you were a fan of the atmospheric underground parts in Metro 2033 then you will love this game even more. The character models and animations are unbelievably good. The textures look great and the lighting/graphical effects are amazing. The textures in this game are crazy good and if you stare very close to the objects, you can see all the tiny details and they are not blurry like in most games that you see today. You need a pretty strong computer to run the game and make sure to wait for the beta drivers from both AMD and Nvidia to play the game. I will talk more about that.

The graphics are awesome and when I say awesome, I really mean awesome. The game looks a lot better than Metro 2033 and I am having no issues playing it on my rig: 3770K overclocked at 4.8Ghz, 16GB of ram and CF HD7970. I have the game set at maximum settings at 1920x1080 and while the game is smooth most of the time, there are still moments when my fps dips below 30 which is frustrating. From what I have read online, it seems that this game isn't very well optimized for AMD hardware at the moment. I'm hoping that the new beta drivers from AMD will fix some of slowdowns that I'm currently experiencing. I will update my review once AMD releases the beta drivers and will let you guys know if there are any improvements.

The gameplay in Metro Last Light is excellent and you have almost immediate access to a decent range of customizable weapons that suit numerous combat styles. This makes the game too easy on normal mode which is why I recommend you guys playing the game on hard mode if you want to get the most out of this game. The AI in this game is not perfect and could defiantly use a little bit of work if you ask me. There were a few times where the enemy would get stuck behind objects or not attack me at all.

So far the game feels very solid and I easily give it a 10/10 despite some issues with the game being choppy but hopefully the beta driver from AMD will fix that. Now if you'll excuse me, I will go back and finish the game and I will update my review once I'm done with it.

My full rig:

Sapphire 2xHD7970 @ 1.2 GHz

16GB of RAM

Windows 7 64bit

Intel Core i7 3770K @ 4.8 GHz

Samsung 840 Pro 256GB

Honest reviews on Metro Last Light

This game is very well done. It is quite linear but the game play and the graphics and the story are pretty solid.

My biggest issue is the Hardcore setting. I got to a level where I could not complete it because I did not have the right guns, so I had to go back 4 levels and get them. This is just plain poor design.

Other than that quite fun.

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Perfect sequel to Metro 2033. Story and gameplay are addicting and graphics are just beautiful. Good for even 30 bucks. Play 2033 first though!

Alan Wake: Limited Edition -Xbox 360 Review

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I decide to make a quick unboxing video to show exactly what you get in this Limited Edition version of Alan Wake. Check out my video review to see it all with your own eyes!

Here's the quick rundown on Limited Edition bonus features:

Cool 'hardcover book'-style slipcase

Bonus disc.

CD soundtrack.

Free DLC

Avatar unlockables.

Hardcover book/novel

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I got my copy of the game yesterday and have been playing it non-stop. First, let me say that if you have the money to spring for the limited collectors edition it is worth it. You get a very well written book, the soundtrack, a bonus disc that includes themes and avatar items, etc. And the case that holds it all is a book. It is a surprisingly well crafted edition of the game. Also, if you buy this new (you might get lucky if the person you are buying this from doesn't use the free token when the DLC comes out) you get a code to download a free add-on for the game to be released in the following months.

Now to the game. I'm not going to reveal any spoilers but rather comment on the gameplay and mechanics. First, the two things that bothered me, but did not take away from the experience and pull me out of the immersion. There is some screen tearing, although it's not much it is noticeable. And the other thing is the mouth to voice sync. A character will be talking to you and sometimes the mouth expressions do not match up to what is being said. It doesn't happen too often, but it makes you wonder why a game in development for so long would have this problem.

Now the good. The graphics are amazing. The developers make the best use of motion blur and focus that I have seen in a game as of this date on a console. The use of dark and light is almost perfect and the atmosphere is even enhanced by this fact. The controls are tight and not complex. It might take you a few minutes to get used to the flashlight and gun combo but you will learn quick. My problem was that I thought I would only hit the target if the flashlight was aimed at the bad guy, but it seems that you will still hit the enemy even without the flashlight on them. I'm used to first person shooter games where you have a cross-hair to help you aim so I was using the flashlight beam as the cross-hair. After I learned that I didn't have to do that it was awesome and much easier. Also, the flow of the game is very well suited to the episodic nature. I think if they tried to tell the story like a start to finish movie it wouldn't have had the level of immersion that it does. When an episode is over and the next one is starting I really felt like I was excited to watch a new episode of my favorite show. Kudos to the developers for trying something that few others have in this genre.

The sound is also superior. You could have the best looking game in the world but one of the foundations that you need is good audio if you want the player to be immersed in the game. I played this game with a 7.1 surround and it was great. The creaks, chirps, grasshoppers and all the little sound effects seem to be in the right speaker at the right time. I'm not sure if they are using compressed audio, but from my experience with sound in most games you can tell the difference in the sound quality when you have your system blasting full surround. The sound and music did not sound muffled or of a low frequency sample rate.

I hope I didn't confuse too many of you with my review and I tried to get my opinion across as simple as I could. Simply put, this game is very good if you are a fan of the suspense/horror genre. Another good thing is that it is rated T, which means that it can appeal to a larger group of gamers under 17. You want to play this game with the lights off.

At the moment you can also download the six episodes entitled "Bright Falls" (each episode has it's own subtitle) that is the prequel to Alan Wake on Xbox Live! It is live action and the run-time if you put all the episodes together is about 37 minutes so you get a pretty good look of the mysteries and people of Bright Falls.

As always I make it clear that this is only my opinion of the game and should not be taken as a fact, but rather a small consideration if you are wondering about the game or wanting some small tidbits of information if you are planning on buying it. If you do plan on buying it you won't regret it. Even if you aren't a fan of the genre I think this game could get your attention and give you an enjoyable experience.

Best Deals for Alan Wake: Limited Edition -Xbox 360

Not much to be said that has not already been posted. I have been anticipating this game for some time simply because the plot looked very interesting and it just seemed like my kind of game. When my release day package arrived via UPS along with RED DEAD REDEMPTION I was extremely pleased to see the level of quality that went into making this LIMITED EDITION COPY. Comes with Avatar unlockables, a hard cover book as well as CD audio soundtrack (how many games offer that) as well as a bonus (content) disc including several themes and gamer pictures, as well as AVATAR unlockables and a code that allows you to download the upcoming DLC coming out in July? for free provided your XBOX LIVE email address is current so they can send you the code. I think it's an awesome game and the Collectors edition is one of the best I have ever seen. Right up there with the Gears of War Limited Edition. Super worth the money. Gameplay is what I expected and I have already been frightened a few times and I am not that far into the game. Seems like a great game with a great story. Look forward to playing through a couple times. Highly recommended.

Honest reviews on Alan Wake: Limited Edition -Xbox 360

It seems that David Lynch missed the boat somewhere. With the current rush of thriller style horror games hitting the market, he could have produced a game of epic proportions. In his absence, however, Remedy Entertainment has stepped up to the plate. If Deadly Premonition managed to capture the quirky characters and almost farcical style of Twin Peaks, Alan Wake has nailed the foreboding, fear-filled side of the series.

Author Alan Wake is trapped in a story that he doesn't remember writing and his wife's life is at stake. Armed with his trusty flashlight and an assortment of weapons, he must stave off the forces of darkness lurking throughout the town of Bright Falls while uncovering the clues to his own memory loss, his mysterious, new novel Departure and the location of his abducted spouse. And it all plays out as cinematically as any game has ever managed to do.

The Story

Penned by the deft hand of Sam Lake, there are definite echoes of Max Payne within this game--primarily the ongoing introspection and voice-over that narrates the story as it unfolds before the gamer. Otherwise, Alan Wake is a completely unique experience. Twists and turns in the plot manage to keep the story within grasp while introducing new and interesting tidbits throughout the game.

Game levels are scripted as 'episodes'--much as they were in Deadly Premonition--beginning with flashbacks of what has happened previously in the story/game. It gives the game a television-like vibe that brings to mind series like Lost and the X-Files--and is spoofed by the game itself with glimpses of a popular program (called Night Springs) that resembles the Twilight Zone on in-game televisions. In addition to the 'what happened before' flashbacks, gamers are also treated to a unique song between each of the episodes (such as the eerily appropriate In Dreams by Roy Orbison that also made an appearance in David Lynch's Blue Velvet).

Admittedly, the game is a little long on cut-scenes/cinematics--but they are absolutely forgivable within Alan Wake as they enhance the game experience and almost give the gamer the feeling they are 'playing within a movie.' Don't ignore the cut-scenes in this game; they are as beautiful as they are relevant.

Sights and Sounds

If Alan Wake is not the most gorgeous game ever released on the Xbox 360, then I don't know what is! Daytime in Bright Falls reveals a rustic Pacific Northwestern town that has been exquisitely detailed and constructed--but when night falls, the game is drenched in some of the best uses of light and shadow ever included within a game. Seriously, just watch how the flashlight bursts through the mists rising from the woodland trail in front of you, and take a peak at the white-capped mountains in the distance rimmed with moonlight and dare to disagree with me.

The sound design of the game is equally evocative; choosing to feature ambient music and sound effects for the background pays off with a steady build of fear and dread throughout the game. Enjoy the 'between the episodes' music for what it is: A break from the tension!

One last thing I want to mention in this section is the fine detail of facial expressions and character mannerisms throughout the game. They give a uniqueness to every person you encounter and make interactions throughout Alan Wake a pleasure.

The Game Play

Alan Wake's game play is structured much like other Third Person Shooters, so if you have fears of the tough-to-handle style of movement associated with other horror games (think Silent Hill and Alone in the Dark), you can rest easy. The mechanics involved with using the dual weapon system (flashlight/gun, etc.) are extremely user-friendly as well: Point the light at the enemy and that's where your bullets will hit.

In addition to the main storyline of the game, there are other, ongoing mini-missions as well--though they are mostly of the 'collectibles' variety. So be sure to pay attention to your surroundings and don't be afraid of leaving the well-trodden path to search for hidden caches of ammo, manuscript pages or the occasional thermos of coffee.

While the vast majority of this game is a pleasure to play, there are a few short comings that I would be remiss in not mentioning. The driving element of this game is mediocre at best; the drivable vehicles (not every car/truck is available to Wake) are a bit sluggish and handle a bit clumsily--though this, admittedly, does add to the tension of the game when bad guys are swarming you. But this is a minor thing since Wake is rarely forced to use a vehicle.

The continuous navigation of woodland paths (with the occasional handful of enemies jumping out) can also get a bit repetitive--though the game does manage to stay (for the most part) fun. And it would have been nice to have had a bit more of a map, rather than a simple GPS dot to follow--especially when you are trying to navigate through some of the more open areas of the game.

Summation

Though no game is perfect, I have to admit that in a lot of ways, Alan Wake is damn close! I give it 4.5 stars out of 5 (due to the minor shortcomings already mentioned). Alan Wake is the perfect mix of story and game play--and a fine example of how applying cinematic film techniques to a game can give it a depth that other titles can only dream of achieving. Do yourself a favor: Buy Alan Wake, fire it up and turn down the lights. Just don't forget to catch your breath during the musical interludes...

You can check out more of my game reviews on my Amazon Author's Page (http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001JRWEAC).

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Alan Wake: Limited Edition -Xbox 360

I got the original game back when it first came out in May. I got the collector's edition, as I was chomping at the bit to finally play this game ever since I first heard about it in 2006. Like most collector's editions, the extra material isn't really worth the trouble, but that's par for the course with most games. I later got the first downloadable pack when it became available during the summer and the second when it released a few months ago. I've cleared the game's full gambit of achievements, part of which involved finding stuff (damn you, thermoses!) listening to radio and tv shows, shooting piles of tin cans and of course, manuscript pages. I've gone from one side of the Dark Presence to the other and back again to help the eponymous character regain his fractured sanity and face the demons that he created for himself.

You'll probably notice that I don't focus a lot of time on the graphics, sound and controls; my main emphasis is on the story and the characters. There's a reason for that. Even if I didn't already believe that story and characters are the most important aspects of a video game after gameplay, Alan Wake is story-driven game. If the story falls flat, it doesn't have the crazy, over-the-top gameplay Gears 2 has to fall back on. Nor does it have the branching gameplay decisions that you'd have with a Fable or Mass Effect game. It's a very linear game; you go from point A to B to C to D and the game will pretty much play the same way out each time. Perhaps worst of all, it doesn't have a lot of replay value (more on that later.) So, without the story, it's really not much of a game.

So how was it? We all know how the game didn't sell too well, but was it good?

It's best for me to get what I don't like out of the way first. Like with a lot of games, it's short. Even when taking into consideration the amount of time it took to collect everything and the few extra hours the DLC packs added, Alan Wake is a short game. It's also not a very difficult one, even on the hardest mode. The mechanics for the game are very simple. You're going through the dark, and you need light. This works out in many interesting ways for the puzzles you come across (especially in the DLC packs) but fights are pretty similar to one another. Point your flashlight, wait for the darkness to burn away, shoot the enemy, dodge the attack from the other enemy, point your flashlight at him, pop a battery or two in, and you're good. Once you have these basics down, there aren't too many encounters that will prove difficult. And you probably already know about Verizon. It was bad enough that they had billboards, but an actual achievement to watch a Verizon commercial? Seriously guys? Also, the second chapter could've really used a start point after the scene with Mott, given the number of collectibles in that part of the chapter. And the third chapter was long. Really, really, really long. More than once I found myself saying "Are you effing kidding me?" as it became obvious that I *still* wasn't done with that chapter. Yeah, the game as a whole is short, but this chapter went on a little bit too long, especially since the latter half of said chapter had very little story development. Fortunately, when you do get past the third chapter, that's when the story starts to pick up. Ultimately, though, once you've collected everything, there's little to come back to, as, again, the game is so very linear.

Remedy was clever when it came to roping in us completionists, as some of the manuscript pages can only be found on the hardest mode of difficulty, and this can only be unlocked after playing through the game on one of the two easier modes at least once from start to finish. There is no shortage of people who criticize one of the plot twists towards the end of the game. I would ask that those critics play through the DLC packs, as a dialogue in the second makes it clear that there's more to that twist than what meets the eye, which ties in with the fact that Remedy from day 1 has said that there's a larger story than just the one game. The story itself is a very unique video game story, and the voice acting is very good. Alan himself is a conflicted man who wants to do the right thing and loves his wife, but fights his temper, alcoholism, fatalism, depression, insomnia, self-loathing, fits of rage and just in general being a bit of a donkey. His wife is on her last nerve trying to find someway to get Alan to snap out of his rut and return to being the man she married, which leads to them going to Bright Falls. I enjoyed listening to him narrate his story as he fights against the darkness as well as his own personal demons. As he's a writer, he's used to getting in the heads of his characters, figuring out what makes them tick. Now, he's the character in his own story and he's got to find a way to finish it.

The stock game ends on a cliffhanger which has polarized the gaming community. I personally liked it, and to those who don't, I also suggest playing the DLC, as the story truly finishes. You can complain all you want about Remedy "forcing" you to pay to get the real ending, but let's not forget these facts:

1) Remedy is a business. They're not your spouse, your friend or family member. Remedy is a business, and businesses are in it to make money. This notion that you've somehow been "betrayed" by them because they want a little more money for the fruits of their labor is far more asinine than Wake could ever hope to be.

2) We have at least one thing in common; you didn't make the game. Nor did you put any of your time, money and energy into it; instead, you're enjoying the finished product that other people, not you, made.

3) You're *not* being forced to pay for it; either don't buy it, or find a friend who did buy it and play it on their system.

4) Finally, it's really not that expensive, anyway. Especially if you got that token that let you get the first pack for free.

The DLC is truly bizarre. The stock game takes place in the real world (even though there isn't an actual Bright Falls) and many references to the real world are made. Alan, his wife Alice and best friend/agent Barry are New Yorkers through and through. Stephen King is mentioned in the opening scene. There are also references to The Shining, other authors like Dan Brown, James Elroy and HP Lovecraft, etc. The DLC, on the other hand is in this weird zone known as the Dark Place, and reality there is as steadfast, reliable and reproducible as that of a dream. It's always shifting around, and the further Alan goes into it, the more bizarre it becomes. Early on in the first pack, Alan finds a page, but reading it doesn't net the same result as one of the real pages in the real world does. Instead of reading a clear, coherent page, Alan hears himself saying disjointed, seemingly random fragments. This is to be expected to some extent, though, because the Dark Place is presented as a dream-like realm, and the part of the brain that you use to read is shut off while you're asleep. It also gives what is from that point on the main gameplay mechanic (aside from the light/dark aspect) the proper introduction it deserves. While introduced at the end of the main game, the whole concept of shining the light at a word to have it create and/or do something comes to the fore here, and this is where the interesting light/dark puzzles come into play. That's not to say that they're complex; it doesn't take a whole lot to work out how to move forward. But they are interesting and I look forward to seeing what else Remedy can do.

Ultimately, Alan Wake ends on a high note. The main game and especially the first DLC pack end on low notes, but the end to the second pack is very satisfying. Alan's journey isn't over; far from it, but he is bound and determined to do what he must to survive and rejoin Alice's side. He now knows just how far he fell from being the man he once was. He's been at rock bottom and is now going to use that rock to stand back up so that he can climb out of the hole he's dug for himself.

Humor is sprinkled in rather well here. Most of it comes from Barry. He has a monologue that simply cannot be missed in the latter part of the game, and I nearly peed when I saw him after he left the general store to met up with Alan and the sheriff. There's a line not long after this that Alan gives that's also great.

Graphically, the game has a very unique feel to it. This is definitely a Remedy game. The shaking of the trees, the darkness looming, the active cameraman, all of comes together quite well. And I couldn't help but love how towards the end we see the actor who provided Wake's likeness on a mock TV show; thought that was a nice touch. The soundtrack is simply amazing. My favorite song is War by Poets of the Fall, who also provided the music for the game's fictional band. There's even a radio broadcast that pokes a little fun at this. I get goosebumps every time I hear that song. The controls are pretty easy and straightforward; the only thing that takes a little getting used to is the fact that Alan couldn't do a marathon to save his life. He can run for a little bit but gets winded easily. But as long as you shine the light on your pursuers before taking off again, they'll get stunned for a moment, giving you a window of time to get closer towards the light.

So all in all, I don't regret purchasing this game and should Remedy proceed with the sequel I'll probably get the limited edition of that too. I know, I'm a glutton for punishment; what can I say? So give it a rental, it's a real love it or hate it kind of game. Now, if you're excuse me, I have some more thermoses to find.....

Disney's High School Musical 3: Senior Year Bundle with Mat -Xbox Review

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $10.48
Today's Bonus: 65% Off

The game is OK. But I was REALLY disappointed that the HSM cast is not actually singing these songs they use some knock-off singers that sounds VERY karaoke. I don't know why they just couldn't have used the music from the CD. Other than that, the graphics are OK and it is decently fun. I didn't (and probably wouldn't have ever) paid full price for it.

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An extra star for only costing $10 including dance pad!

Simple, limited, fun. Great for kids. Daughers age 5 & 12 both enjoyed it. Repative sure. However, not annoyingly so (yet anyway).

Even if one only plays it a short time, it's only $10 and can be resold.

Best Deals for Disney's High School Musical 3: Senior Year Bundle with Mat -Xbox

I just bought this and received it Wednesday and it is already messing up! The wiring is screwed up to where when you press and hold the right arrow it is connected to the start button and it ends the song.. also when you press the left arrow it will also press the right arrow.

Honest reviews on Disney's High School Musical 3: Senior Year Bundle with Mat -Xbox

Sure, its not the most original game.. or have very good graphics.. and the gameplay is very basic..

That said, that doesn't mean you won't lose the HSM fan in your household for 2 hours a day for the next month! Because sure enough, this is a fun game, and my 8 year old daughter can't get enough of it.

I was actually fairly impressed with the dance pad...for the price of this game, I was expecting something cheaper. I really like how they put the < and > buttons (Back and Start) on the plastic piece at the top of the pad -which is not how the DDR dance pads are. It makes it more difficult to accidentally hit them, and therefore less annoyances for the over-ambitious dancers in your family (my son, at 6 years old basically just jumps around like a maniac on the pad, yet he somehow manages to beat his sister!)

Anyway, there are times when the dance beats don't really match up with the rythm of the songs -and more often than not they are matching up to the vocals of the songs not the beats. I'm not sure why they did that, it makes it feel like you aren't really dancing to the song, just doing some wierd stepping.

It's still worth the shipped from Amazon, and it will certainly brighten your daughter/granddaughter/neice's day!

PS wifey already played through all 3 difficulties too - works pretty good for an aerobic exercise!

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Disney's High School Musical 3: Senior Year Bundle with Mat -Xbox

I bought this for my 4 year old daughter who loves singing and dancing. She doesn't even really need the game in to get the enjoyment. We can simply put out the mat and put on some music and she will start signing and dancing all around.

Max Payne 3 - Rockstar Pass Reviews

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $7.49
Today's Bonus: 75% Off

OK guys deal is really outstanding , i 'll just give u a tip about activation this key can activate on steam but u cannot activate on the steam menu u have to enter the game and u have to enter the code to social club code redeem menu (under store on main menu) after that u will see steam starting to add all ur add-on contents to ur game ...I hope this will help cuz most of the time amazon not saying if the key is for steam or not ...

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I don't think people should have to pay for new maps, they should be able to just download them like we used to do with old Rainbow Six multiplayer games. Barely anyone is online for Max Payne 3, DLC isn't worth the $$

Best Deals for Max Payne 3 - Rockstar Pass

bought it during christmas sales deal, worth it and hope more deals will come in the future! thanks amazon again!

Honest reviews on Max Payne 3 - Rockstar Pass

i just pass my card and activate the code on the social club from rockstar and everything is ok. It will show on your marketplace menu in the game.

WORKS FINE!, THANKS AMAZON, THANKS ROCKSTAR!.

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If you own Max Payne 3, this is essential. Contains a plethora of new maps and weapons, as well as 2 player co-op mode. What are you waiting for? Buy it!

Review of Razer Banshee StarCraft II Gaming Headset

Customer Ratings:

Here is a small video review of the headset and here are the numbers for my custom EQ settings from left to right (3) (10) (3) (-5) (-3) (-5) (3) (-5) (3) (10)

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I bought these at Gamestop($129.99) and have been using them heavily for about a month, particularly for Starcraft2 and listening to music. The fit and finish on the headset is very high quality. The plastic and metal bits seem very durable and should hold up to normal use. The headset is also very comfortable to wear, although it does not seal securely around the ear, which allows in a lot of ambient sound. The colors of the lights can be easily changed, or mix and matched to your particular preference. There is a lot to like about the design, however in function this headset is absolute garbage. The first week was ok, but it all quickly went south. The mic, when it works, will just randomly stop working at the most inconvenient times (often while in SC2). Occasionally when launching games, the sound will stop working altogether, and requires you to re-seat the usb connector to reestablish the connection to the computer. This process baselines all of your previously saved software settings, and requires you to reset everything. When it is working, the sound is great, however I always know whats coming. I own or have owned 4 Razer mice, 1 keyboard, and 1 other headset. This product is not up to Razer standards, and it appears they got the SC2 naming license and just phoned it in for some easy cash. Disappointing at best. I have decided to pitch this into the Land of Unused Electronics and go with another brand, preferably one that's manufactured in the United States. As a footnote, I have a technical background and have worked in I.T. for over fifteen years. I have put numerous hours into trying multiple configurations to get this headset to work with no luck.

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I got this headset on a lightning deal for $59.99. I was hesitant because while I like Starcraft, I'm not a fanboy. I was pleased to find that I could completely turn off the Starcraft II logo lights when customizing the light scheme. The lack of a padded microphone allows for some background noise to come through, but it's still decent quality.

Keep in mind that the body of the headset is a metallic gray; not nearly as dark as the images suggest. That's just a vain little gripe, though.

They are comfortable and effective. However, unless you have an intense love of Starcraft, I would recommend one of the other Razer headsets instead of paying full price for this product.

Honest reviews on Razer Banshee StarCraft II Gaming Headset

This is really a good headphone. Very perfect for starcraft 2! Forget everybad thing those user said, if you update the newest driver, those won't appear at all. Be sure to install the razer startcraft II driver v1.02.exr

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The headset itself is very solid. The size may be a little off-putting to those not used to larger headsets, but it is very comfortable to wear and exceptionally easy to get used to.

It looks great, the lights are bright and the sound quality is on-par for the price of the headset.

The microphone, however, is designed poorly.

It will stop working quickly. Everyone I've ever known to own one of these has either had to get a new headset or a new microphone to use externally. It's a very unfortunate and fatal flaw of an otherwise good headset.

To sum it up, the audio and comfort are great, but the microphone is almost guaranteed to fail you after a very short time.

Buy Xbox 360 Special Edition 4GB Kinect Sports Bundle

Customer Ratings:

The white version of the Xbox 360 Slim is the same as the black one in all functions, so I will be reviewing the actual package and Xbox 360 itself.

The Xbox 360 Slim is hands-down the best console I have ever owned. (This white version especially looks good.) The main differences between the new Xbox 360's and the older models (Arcades/Elites) are as follows: It has built-in wireless internet capabilities, built-in 4GB memory (via flashed internal memory), a port for the Kinect, and a slightly smaller power supply.

This package comes with all of the hook-ups and a white wireless controller (and let me say, I'm really digging this new white one), as well as a Kinect. Now, if you've never played on a Kinect, you are truly missing out. It makes the Wii (and the PS3 Move) look outdated. I was a bit skeptical at first, but the controller-less gaming actually works pretty well, and the Kinect technology is pretty accurate, which surprised me. Kinect Adventures is a standard (but fun) game to show off its capabilities. Kinect Sports also comes in this bundle and I think it's probably one of the best Kinect games out there, so I am glad it is included. And let me say, my friends who have seen my new shiny white Kinect are very jealous... I think it looks a lot better than the black ones.

Lastly, this bundle also comes with a 3-month Xbox Live gold membership. Generally, a 12-month gold membership to Xbox Live will cost you $59.99 per year, or even more if you pay by the month or every three months. However, you definitely get a ton of features for what you pay for, including ESPN, Last.fm radio, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and multiplayer access. Having a 3-month card included really gives everyone a chance just to see how great having a gold membership really is.

Overall, this Xbox 360 bundle is top-notch since it includes a nice shiny white console, Kinect, two great games, and a 3-month Xbox Live gold membership card. You will not be disappointed in this bundle, unless if you just prefer black over white.

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Spend the extra $100 and buy the Kinect Sports Bundle. The only reason we initially upgraded was so my younger kiddos would have some games to play as most of the non-kinect games were not for younger ages. I had no idea the Kinect was so much fun now all kiddos love this. including the older ones who only wanted it for battle games. Another plus with this bundle is it comes with 2 games that are all family friendly. The only complaint about the xbox is that it only comes with 1 controller. Luckily with kinect you dont need the controllers.

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We got this as a gift on Mother's Day (from the best sister ever!) and we've enjoyed the games immensly. We were thrilled to have a video game system that makes our kids get up off the couch and move their bodies! I played the boxing and beach volleyball games with my 8 year-old and my upper body is still sore...in a good way. It gives a nice workout and is fun for everyone in the family. I wish we'd gotten on years ago.

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WOW I GOTTA SAY, IM GLAD I SOLD MY BLACK XBOX SLIM AND GOT THIS LIMITED EDITION WHITE ONE, IT LOOKS SUPER ELEGANT AND VERY HAPPY WITH MY PURCHASE. I GOT IT USED THRU A SELLER AND IT LOOKS LIKE NEW...WOW ITS AN AWESOME CONSOLE AND THE WHITE KINECT AND WHITE CONTROLLER IS AMAZING...HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

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A W E S O M E ! But I would highly recommend buying a larger internal hard drive so you can save all of the games you play. It came and only had 1.1-3 gb free but you can delete some of the demo games to solve that problem.

Discount All-in-One Gorgeous Wireless 2.4 GHZ Mini Guitar - For Guitar Hero

Customer Ratings:

Its not obvious from the product description (or instructions), but this guitar will work with the WII system both with and without the WII remote attached.

Without the Wii-mote attached, you must plug in the included usb reciever into your WII system, find and press the tiny button on the usb reciever until the led for WII lights up, then flip the switch on the guitar to one of the WII modes. The nice thing about this mode is you don't need another Wii-mote. The one drawback I found was that you lose the ability to trigger the "motion activated" game controls found in some of the games.

With the Wii-mote attached, you DO NOT plug in the usb reciever, or even need to put batteries into the guitar. It functions just as any other passive Wii guitar body. One problem you will find with inserting the Wii-mote is that somewhere down the line someone in manufacturing was able to cut costs by getting dongle-plugs with the little plastic nub that the strap can go through. But the slot for the Wii-mote was obvously not designed to accomodate the plastic nub. It makes the Wii-mote stick up an eight of an inch too high, where the back cover plate rubs against the buttons making them get stuck down, or pressed randomly. Which makes game playing impossible. Fortunately, snapping off the plastic nub with a pair of pliers is a quick simple solution that anyone should be able to apply. This guitar now works just as well as my origial Band Hero version.

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Review of Buzz! Quiz World (Game Only)

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $13.06
Today's Bonus: 35% Off

Buzz! Quiz TV was my introduction to Buzz Quiz. I fully enjoyed that game and found it to be perfect for parties, family events or having fun when I feel like playing a game that uses my knowledge against opponents rather than my virtual bullets. This year, Buzz! Quiz World has come along and instantly taken the place of Quiz TV.

Buzz! Quiz World

9/10

The Good:

+ Slick new presentation with improved visuals all around.

+ Player Profiles allows individual stat keeping.

+ Much improved online gameplay over Quiz TV.

+ Cimpatibe with Quiz TV Quiz Pack DLC.

+ The categories are improved and many new game types.

+ Customizeable game types allows you to pick your rounds.

+ Buzz is less repetitive in his remarks, yet every bit as cheeky.

The Bad:

Characters from Quiz Tv seem to be absent.

Still no custom character editor.

Only features English, no Spanish or French language options.

Buzz! Quiz world does what few games can do Please all ages and types of gamers and non gamers at once. I have played an 8-player game with children, teens, twenty-somethings like myself and older adults. Buzz! managed to pull everyone in so we were all crying foul as the current winner answered correctly. It is so perfect for anyone that likes socializing.

With Quiz world, many of my complaints with the Quiz TV have been addressed. For starters, you can now customize what rounds you play. Don't like the pie round? Now you can turn it off to make a custom game suitable to the group playing. Many people I play with complain about the Final Countdown round (which now plays the titular song by Europe) and you can even cut that out. Quiz World also features several new rounds such as Boilng Point, which gives the points to the first player to answer six correct questions.

Buzz now personally addresses player by asking you to pick from a list of names. It goes a long way and makes it feel more like you really are in the game and Buzz is more than just a virtual muppet. Also, this allows tracking of individual profiles, and Buzz remembers your tendencies. For example Buzz said to Kevin, one player who is frequently winning but had fallen into 4th, "Kevin, good to see you back at the top where you belong" after he had regained the lead in one round.

It's many of these small little details that really adds to the longevity and overall fun a game offers. At the end of every game, Accolades are given. It reports who was the fastest buzzer, who had the most right answers (which doesn't always equate to a win), who had the least and who got to pick the most categories just to name a few.

An 8 player game of Buzz! Quiz is a great experience, but Quiz TV had made it lite on rounds and features. Thankfully, Quiz World now allows full games for 8 players too, whereas Quiz TV only had 3 round 8 player games. This may not sound important, but it really does make the game more interesting to have it more than 3 round if you 'd like. Now you won't have 7 other people surprised the game is over already.

Another area where Quiz World shine is the online mode. You can now play with 1-4 people on the same PS3! In Quiz TV 4 people could play, but would all control the same character. Quiz World gives everyone control over their own character and allows up to 8 players to play online on multiple PS3s, or 2 if you have 4 players on each one. Of course, it still features My Buzz quizzes so you can create and share your own custom trivia packs.

The only thing I would like to see Buzz! add is more characters to choose from, or even better the ability to use PSN Home avatars or create your own character to use. There needs to be more characters for practical reasons too. In the instance that you have 5 females players or more, some will have to choose a male character. It's a minor gripe, but something they could have easily remedied by at least including all the characters from Quiz Tv. Where are Cave Girl and Disco Man?

Overall, Quiz World is much improved and a worthwhile purchase for Quiz TV owners and those new to Buzz. You will most certainly be happy with. For those like me who had a Quiz Tv, this is a nice upgrade that will be thourughly enjoyed!

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The buzzers, both wired or wireless, are required! I found out the hard way. The product description is confusing and lead me to believe they "might" work with wireless controllers. I assumed it was the PS3 wireless controllers but they are referring to the wireless buzzers. I didn't know this and now I do.

I have not played the game yet so don't know if it's fun or not.

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Note to the casual buyer: This game requires "buzz buzzers" in order to play. While I now see that the game case states this, as does the product description, it still states the fact non-obviously (buried in a myriad of colors or marketing language). I literally did not notice the message on the case until I went looking for it. Putting the disc in is what made me aware of this fact. The buzzers themselves cost more than this disc currently does, and therefore I will be returning the item.

I have heard some good things about this game. How sad then that I will never play it. Any game which requires a piece of hardware that you've probably never heard of and will likely never use again should not be made available on the console in question.

I normally deplore the kind of ranting and raving I find myself doing here. But the warning should be crystal clear to everyone who purchases. It's one thing for a game to be online only and find yourself with no internet, or require move controllers that you might not yet have. But no newcomer will purchase this game without needing the controllers. The solo disc exists strictly for those buying a second copy therefore.

And so I've a feeling that most consumers, who aren't willing to pay more than double what they expected during the initial purchase, will receive this item only to feel as though they've been had. Rather tragic; especially when considering that there appears to be no valid reason why the regular controller would not have sufficed as a functional means of controlling. And the game itself appears to be better than decent. But this reviewer is never going to pay more to find out.

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This version picks up where the last leaves off. Its not perfect, but it is more difficult than the first. The questions aren't as straight forward which makes them more challenging. The end credits actually do serve a quite entertaining purpose.

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I have played the older version of buzz with my friends many times. We find this newer version of buzz to be more fun, we didn't know about the new features where the host will say your name and that there would be new types of games. I recommend this to anyone who has tried the first buzz game or anyone who has heard of buzz. It's a blast!

Worms 3D Reviews

Customer Ratings:

I have grown up with the Worms game. Ok, well, more like it entered my childhood one day when my cousins brought over their Dreamcast and their new game...Worms Armageddon. We played for HOURS! I was laughing so hard I had to change pants because I wet myself, and I thought I was gonna die, as I was laughing so hard I couldn't breath. I've been playing often since. From Worms Armageddon, to Worms World Party, now to this. I was never able to play the origonal or Worms 2 (and any other before Armageddon, but I can't remember any at the moment), but I sure am glad I was introduced to this franchise. When I heard of Worms 3D, I was so excited. And finally, this morning after a gaming party, I got to play for about an hour. I am hooked. After everyone packed up their games, computers, etc. I had an urge to keep playing. I finally found a working mirror for the PC Demo, and I have just got done playing a few matches. I also plan on getting the game as soon as possiable. I am rarely pleased when my favorite 2D games go 3D, but this made a good transition. A good game, great price (A $26 launch price!?), and loads of fun...what more can you ask for! So grab your 3 friends, one controller, and a TV and get ready to laugh yourself to the Worms!

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was more then i asked for got the product almost brand new works great and the most fun i had on the GameCube since super smash bros!

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My four kids (ages 11, 9, 7, and 5) all think this game is great, including the biggest kid of them all, my husband! One of the best features is they can all play together.

NARUTO Protector Skin Decal Sticker for Xbox 360 Slim (1 piece Review

Customer Ratings:

i got this for my xbox and i have to say it really goood i love the way .. the xbox look now

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It a great design for your game if you like the show. The only thing bad about it is when your Xbox get to hot it starts to peel off. Other then that it great

Review of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD

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The Legend of Zelda is my favorite series in all of gaming, a lifelong hobby of mine and a favorite pastime in and of itself, and The Wind Waker just happens to be my favorite entry in that series. When I first glimpsed the screenshots Nintendo revealed of this remake, I literally danced for joy all the way to my bedroom to wake my wife with the blessed news. I just couldn't contain my excitement, and now that I finally have Wind Waker HD in my possession, it's nearly everything I could have hoped for from one of my personal favorite and most influential video games of all time. Although I was pretty skeptical it could be *that* much of an upgrade when I first bought it, Nintendo really went all-out here, way beyond my expectations. Before you read this review any further, I need to insert this disclaimer: this review will be quite long (hopefully in an informative-from-a-superfan sort of way) and (mostly) full of gushing praise from a lifelong gamer who is super passionate about The Wind Waker. If long, detailed reviews are not your thing, then skip this one. You've been warned.

For fans of Wind Waker who already know how amazing the core game is and just want to know what Nintendo upgraded and how this remake works out, skip the next two paragraphs. I bought the downloadable eshop version two weeks ago, and have become intimately acquainted with this remake by now, and I've played the original more times than I care to count. That been said, I think I'm more than capable of judging this version fairly.

*What's So Great About The Wind Waker?*

If you're unfamiliar with the game at all, you might wonder why I love Wind Waker so much. Well, it'd take a full-on dissertation to cover all that and I want this to mainly be about the remake itself, so I'll try to sum up my feelings quickly. It's true that pretty much every game in the Zelda series does a wonderful job capturing the epic tale of the "hero's journey." However, few Zelda games, and hardly any other games in general for that matter, have managed to capture the genuine and amazing feelings of discovery, exploration, and adventure like The Wind Waker did, at least for me anyway (Disclaimer: I love all Zelda games and am not bashing *insert your favorite Zelda title here* with that statement by any means. It's all subjective, right?). The timeless graphical style is so vibrantly colorful and imagination fueled/fueling, complimented very well by its timeless sound design and stirring, iconic musical score from Koji Kondo. The surprisingly mature, deep, and impactful narrative is juxtaposed beautifully against the colorful "Toon" aesthetics. The entire cast of characters is lovable and unique because of the fantastic writing and localization. The graphical style helped in this area as well, as the cartoon/anime style made for beautifully expressive characters (I personally find character expressions in WW to be preferable to the prevalent motion capturing and photo-realism you see in games these days. I like video games that don't always try to be interactive movies like so many modern "games" these days do. In my opinion, that approach ditches what makes video games such a unique, magical medium). In my opinion, The Wind Waker also features the most deep/interesting/engaging/sympathetic depiction of the series' mainstay villain, Ganondorf/Ganon. Even to this day, the brand new oceanic setting and nautical theme makes the game feel so fresh in comparison with other entries in the series. Every race and island feels genuinely real and likable, giving an amazing sense of connection to the world despite its gargantuan size, which in turn makes the quest feel all the more urgent. When it comes to gameplay, the established LoZ mechanics were more refined than ever, and the new gameplay mechanics fit the series perfectly. The swordplay is still among the best of any traditional 3D Zelda game to date, in my opinion. It all just screams top-notch, timeless masterpiece for me. The game literally changed my tastes and gaming horizons forever when I first played it all those years ago, and my love for it has only deepened with time. To see it get a genuine HD remake treatment is an absolute dream-come-true for me.

The original was not a perfect game though and I readily admit that. The game has a few noticeable flaws that keep it from the status of perfection that masterpieces such as Link's Awakening, Ocarina of Time, A Link to the Past, and (arguably) Twilight Princess have attained. No, the original was not quite perfect, but WW got so much right, it still ranks as my favorite Zelda entry. I have so many fond memories of playing it when I was younger; my baby sister used to love sitting at my feet and just watching me play, unable to read yet so I would read the words to her with the best acting ability I could muster (Grandma was read with my best sweet ol' granny voice, for example, lol). I've played this game so many times since then, it's the definition of a seminal game for me. Thankfully, this remake fixes almost all of the issues that weighed the original down, which I'll get to later. With WWHD, now I do consider it a flawless masterpiece, like the aforementioned legendary Zelda classics.

*A Review of The Wind Waker HD as a Remake*

That's enough about my nostalgic rambling though. This is a review of Wind Waker HD after all, so the real question is, how does this game fare with regards to the remake treatment it received? To put it simply, fantastic, amazing, utterly beautiful. It feels like a brand new game again.

The first thing you'll notice when starting up the game is its revamped graphics. The original Wind Waker's graphical style may have been hugely controversial when it was first announced, but the Toon design eventually won most fans over and actually lives on as one of its most timeless aspects. Seriously, the original Gamecube game still looks gorgeous compared to its contemporaries and it is because of this that I was kind of shocked when WWHD was announced (I readily admit that other Zelda titles, even ones newer than WW, seem to beg for a remake treatment more, but I'm not complaining). Still, Nintendo managed to find several ways to visually enhance Toon Link's world. It's all cel shaded still, and most 3D models seem to have little change, aside from much softer, more realistic shadows and edges on them. All textures have been redone completely and look fantastic in HD! Colors are far more vibrant than ever before and the range of colors has increased dramatically. The most noticeable graphical addition here are some very impressive enhanced lighting and shading effects. Because of all these new upgrades to the visuals, the majestic atmosphere of an endless deep blue ocean or encountering a thunderstorm at sunset while at sea (one of my favorite memories of the original) is simply unmatched. Seriously, take a look at the moon at night and marvel at how the world seems to be bathed in that lunar light, or the forbidden fortress with its incredibly thick level of atmosphere, or heck, even just soaking in the sun with the salty sea air breezing by. It's unbelievably gorgeous and immersive. The lighting shines through even in small moments, such as when weapons clash and sparks fly or when an opened treasure chest lets out a heavenly light. It's just awesome. Memorable locales and events (and anyone who has played the original knows this game has many of them) all have new life breathed into them because of the awesome new updated presentation. Some events have been really enhanced to new levels. Watching the game play out almost feels as if Pixar made a Zelda movie. Seriously, fantastic job here!

Contrary to my expectations, Nintendo made substantial upgrades to WW's formula in other ways too. Even the basic gameplay mechanics have been improved. The overall experience feels much smoother and more refined than the original. For example. the grappling hook item now wraps around your target much faster. Also, you don't have to come to a complete stop to switch your direction while swinging with the hook; you can just naturally change direction in mid-swing. These tweaks make using the grappling hook much more enjoyable and streamlined. Text scrolls much faster now in conversations than in the original. The Wind Waker itself is always mapped to "up" on the d-pad making it much more convenient to use. Little tweaks like this are everywhere in WWHD. These little gameplay refinements add up very quickly, and the overall experience is all the better for it. Controls feel more responsive, movement feels smoother, and everything just feels refined to perfection. Add this to the graphical improvements and new features exclusive to this version, and you get what feels like a brand new game. It's hard to explain, but you'll see what I mean when you play it for yourself. Some new ideas are neat and fit in with the classic experience very well too. One example of this is that you can now enter a basic first-person view and actually walk around and use some items like the boomerang or bow in this perspective. Don't expect an experience like Skyrim, but it is a pretty cool addition.

As far as new, system specific features goes, the Wii-U's signature hallmark, the gamepad, is utilized very well. Off-TV play works like a charm. Being able to relax in bed and enjoy the game is a very welcome addition. The touch screen is also used to good effect, making inventory management, accessing items like the hook or canon while at sea, or looking at the map of the great sea without having to pause the game a breeze. It makes for a smoother, more seamless experience. Being able to direct Link's use of the Wind Waker baton using touch controls feels natural. You can use the gamepad's gyroscopic feature to better aim things like your bow, picto-box, telescope, you name it, and it all feels fantastic. It's games like this that really show the potential and unique benefits of the gamepad. The Wii-U's button layout also makes the game better, as you now have many more buttons to map items to compared to the GameCube original. If you don't want to use the gamepad, you have the option to switch control to the Pro Controller for a more traditional experience. I think it's very nice that they put in that choice for players.

Another Wii-U feature that has been integrated really well is Miiverse. The original Wind Waker allowed you to connect your Gameboy Advance to your GameCube to access some unique but nonessential features involving Tingle and even a little co-op mode of sorts. That has all been taken out and replaced with the Tingle Bottle. This is where Miiverse comes in. At any time, you can take the bottle out and use the gamepad to type a message, draw a picture, or even take a photo with the in-game pictograph, put it in the bottle, and hurl it into the sea. Then, somewhere else in the real world, another player may see your glittering bottle washed up on a beach in their game. They can pick it up and see whatever message you put in the bottle. It's such a neat feature, and it fits right in with the rest of the themes of adventure on the high seas so prevalent in the game. Seriously, just the concept of a message in a bottle is so magical by itself, and using that as the Miiverse feature in WWHD feels like a perfect match. Awesome.

Remember how I mentioned the original Wind Waker had some caveats earlier? Most of them have been fixed in this remake! A bit into the game, you gain the ability to speed up sailing to a massive degree, via a "red sail" upgrade purchasable at the in-game auction house. You don't even need wind in the direction you're going to get this super speed. This update erases any frustration from getting from one locale to another using the "slow" sailing of the original almost entirely (Many people complain about the sailing in the original, but I personally loved the sailing a lot and think complaining about is missing the point, but oh well. The fast sailing feature here is a welcome addition, at any rate). The non-confrontational, easier difficulty of the original has been "fixed" via a much more challenging "hero mode" option similar to the one found in Skyward Sword, where enemies do double damage and the only method of healing Link is through potions. Even better, this more difficult mode is available right off the bat without having to play the whole game first! Best of all, they addressed my biggest gripe about the original: the infamous, horrendous Tri-Force piece fetch quest that all but ruined the otherwise perfect pace of the original. They fixed this by making it MUCH more streamlined and actually engaging, and that's awesome! Thank you so much for listening to fans and fixing these issues Aonuma-San. You're the best!

As much as this remake enhances the original WW's magic in many ways, it is, once again, not quite *all* I had hoped for. I really wish they had gone all-out in every aspect since this is a home console remake. They did nothing to add any substantial new content. Just one new dungeon would have made me so happy, and it's not unheard of for Nintendo to do this with enhanced Zelda titles (Link's Awakening DX comes to mind), but no. I know Aonuma wanted to keep the core experience intact here, and much of the original WW's cut content ended up in later Zelda games, but still, it's a slight shame. Ah well, at least the core game is such a masterpiece. Also, Koji Kondo's soundtrack for this game is one of my favorites of any video game ever. Yet, not much work was done to enhance it for this remake beyond some remastering of the original tunes. To be fair, some tunes do come across as a lot beefier and sound amazing, but not all. It would have been awesome to get Skyward Sword quality orchestration of at least some of this iconic soundtrack, but alas. Finally, and this is an admittedly nit-picky gripe, you can't invert the Y-axis of the second analog stick while in normal view. You can only invert right/left and you can invert the Y-axis of first-person view, but not the general Y-axis? Talk about jarring and difficult to get used to, at least for me anyway (I'm one of those guys who likes inverted controls). Why not put that option in for players, huh?! As you can tell by my score, these issues didn't keep me from loving the game, but I still feel they must be said. It's only fair for me to voice some criticism, right? I don't want you to think I'm completely blinded by bias, after all.

I understand some don't like reading long reviews, but if any remake deserved an in-depth analysis, it's this one. I'm so glad Nintendo decided to remake and enhance it to the degree that they did. Few games have made the huge impact on me the way that Wind Waker has. It's so surreal to think that when I first played it, I was just a kid not much older than Link is in this game, so young and naive. Now I'm an older (but still young) man with his own family and yet I feel the same childlike excitement when I play The Wind Waker HD, having gone though my own journey in life (with a lot left to go, hopefully :P). Everything about WWHD, the characters, the settings, the story, just the overall experience, it all just feels so familiar and yet brand new and magical again. It's a beautiful and surreal thing. Thank you so much Nintendo, for giving me the definitive version of one of my most beloved games of all time. The Wind Waker was always a flawed gem, but this remake has made it into a virtually caveat-free masterpiece and can now stand tall and proud among other flawless Zelda games. Not only that, but it stands tall among all video games, period. It really feels like a modern masterpiece, despite the fact that the core here is over a decade old, in much the same way playing other fantastic remakes like Halo Anniversary, Klonoa, and Ocarina of Time 3D feels. All great remakes, and WWHD fits in that high-quality group perfectly.

To you readers who stuck with this review until now, I hope my sappiness and wordiness hasn't been too annoying. I sincerely hoped to be helpful to all of you out there wondering if you should get this. Most "remakes" these days end up being incredibly lazy ports with no real effort put into the rerelease beyond upscaling resolution and no more. WWHD is so much grander and better than 95% of today's "remakes," remasters, and rereleases, it's not even funny. Trust me, I went into this remake with a huge amount of skepticism that they could really improve this game, and I really did wonder if the changes could justify buying it again, but I did anyway and boy am I glad I did! I say it's absolutely worth it. This is, without a doubt, the definitive version of a true classic and revitalizes it to the point where it feels brand new again. Go out and buy it immediately, and enjoy one of the greatest Legends of Zelda that has ever been told. Buy it, prepare for the adventure of your life, and go discover, and save, a vast, beautiful new world.

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I'm not going to give a lengthy review full of minute details, spoilers and pros and cons. This game is fun, pure and simple. It is hard enough to be a challenge, yet simple enough to encourage continued playing. It is appropriate for children; no close-up exploding headshots with exotic weapons or multiplayer battlefield death arenas that seem to be popular nowadays. I've had this game for 4 hours now. It is already much better than twilight princess or skyward sword. Sometimes, simpler is better.

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One of the most amazing things about Wind Waker HD is how well it holds up today. The gameplay is fine-tuned to near perfection, showcasing some of the best sword combat in the series. Focusing on horizontal and vertical attacks, combined with dodge and parry, taking down foes is easy and fun. Dungeons are littered with clever puzzles that were fun to rediscover. The intricacy of their design has always been one of the highlights of the series. Bosses are also a highlight, sticking with the traditional Zelda formula, each one is dispensed cleverly by the dungeon's obtained item, and each one is bigger, and more impressive than the last.

The opening few hours definitely feel like an extended tutorial, but that is pretty standard with Zelda games. Anyone coming in fresh should note that until Dragon Roost Island is introduced, and sailing begins, it definitely takes some time to get moving.

When Wind Waker was originally released, it had a few drawbacks that players to this daystill can't get over. The biggest is the massive fetch quest at the end of the game that forces Link to find eight treasure charts throughout the world. Not only that, but he then had to pay Tingle (the charming side character in the game) 398 rupees to decipher each one. It took way too long, and actually prevented me from finishing the game initially. With Wind Waker HD this has been remedied. Five of the eight pieces are found without maps, which speed up the process substantially, and makes the endgame portion much more bearable.

The other drawback to the original was the sailing. While it starts out novel and fun, it quickly becomes tiresome due to the fact that Link has to play a magical tune on his Wind Waker to change the direction of the wind. In this version however, I purchased a new item immediately after the first dungeon called the Swift Sail. This allows Link to changed direction without the Wind Waker, and also increases the speed of travel by a noticeable margin. This makes travelling around the world of Hyrule much, much quicker.

The rest of the changes are less impactful, but still extremely helpful. Little tweaks like a larger wallet from the outset made opening chests and cutting bushes early on more useful. The Wind Waker is now mapped to the d-pad, making it take up one less space on my items bar. Inventory management is also now done on the gamepad, granted I wasn't playing with the Pro Controller. This makes swapping out what I need quicker, and more efficient, and of course the map can be accessed from the gamepad as well. Almost every gripe about the original has been fixed or tweaked, making this feel like much more than a visual upgrade.

I don't think I have to mention also just how massive this game is. For anyone who has never played Wind Waker, there is a glorious amount of content here just waiting to be discovered. Those that are returning for a second dose will be thrilled with the improvements, making it worth returning, especially after all of these years. For anyone that owns a Wii U this game is a must-have. This is much more than just a visual upgrade, this new version brings back one of the last great Zelda games to not focus on motion control. The art style may be polarizing, but the gameplay is undeniable. This is one of the most memorable experiences in the history of gaming, and it is a shame if anyone misses out on it.

Honest reviews on The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD

So many reviews here focussed on comparisons with the original version, I thought someone needed to pipe in who'd never played it before.

At first glance this is a surprisingly charming game (and that's from someone, who tends to ignore the text and story). As you get more involved, you'll discover what an incredibly vast, rich game it is. The sheer amount of content is almost overwhelming. But for me the real enjoyment comes from the endlessly clever puzzles/mysteries and villains built into the game. The dungeons are the a wonderful mixture of brain and braun challenges in a graphically rich environment.

Controls: Part of the joy of play comes from being rewarded with new tools/weapons as you progress. Most are really fun to play with. However, I personally found a few very awkward: arrows especially at least till I switched to using GamePad's gyroscope controls. I still find trying to manipulate the canon very difficult. But I don't feel comfortable deducting a star here, since this could be user error. I much prefer the motion controls as in the Wii Zelda's but I think I'm in the minority here

Graphics: INMO This is strictly a matter of personal taste. If you like hyper-real blood-dripping graphics this game is NOT for you. I actually prefer the cartoonish characters and the artistically stunning interiors.

Overall, I think this is a fabulous game, lots of play for your bucks, and there's really nothing comparable (short of the best of Zelda games) on the market.

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This game is a classic remade with HD visuals. It's heartwarming adventure brings out the inner child in you. For a classic remake its such a fresh distraction from all the fps(which I do play)and open world sand-box games that are just flooding the market. I'm not going to go into a lot of details and just keep it brief. If you're not close-minded and insecure about your maturity then get or at least rent this game, and then get it cause it is beautiful. It's just a simple delight and joy to play.