Review of Armored Core 2

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When we got a Playstation 2, the first PS2 game we put into it was Armored Core 2, by Agetec. This game style is definitely one we enjoy a great deal. Unfortunately, it appears they rushed this game out the door a bit too quickly.

The game design is really neat. Like most mech games, you start out slowly, getting money to customize your mech as you go. There are 50 'ranked' robots for you to fight your way through, as well as 35 missions to undertake to earn fame and fortune. There are hundreds of parts to choose from to customize your bot.

You can also go head-to-head by linking your PS2 to a friend's with the cable. Unfortunately the PS2 doesn't currently support modem play, so someone has to carry the unit to someone else's house to do this.

The plots are interesting with three factions trying to get control of Mars, the missions you choose help influence the fate of these companies. The customization is almost overwhelming. You can custom-design your own logo with their built in paint program, buy parts for a huge variety of systems on your mech, and then test it out in various arenas against various foes.

Why the disappointment, then? The learning curve on this is VERY steep the screens and layout could have been done much more intuitively. The game also runs extremely slowly. Sounds lock up, visuals will stick on the screen, etc. If you've spent hours and hours (if not weeks and weeks) working on designing the perfect mech, the last thing you want is for system failures to cause you to lose missions and die in battles.

A true mech fan might overlook these problems and enjoy the game, but those out to test the true power of their PS2 might want to look at other options.

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I bought this game because I was looking for a non-sports title for my PS2 and wanted something with a little more combat than SSX (excellent game see reviews). I'm glad I read reviews of it before I bought it! Armored Core 2 is a very good game, but it does have its flaws, and there is a learning curve involved. Some people may not want to take the time to get past the initial phase of the game.

The premise is simple you're on Mars and own a mech, a remote-controlled, armed robot. Mars is controlled by several corporations, each with their own agenda, and they're looking for hired help to help them get what they want. That means you. You provide help by way of accepting missions. From time to time, corporations will contact your advisor with opportunities. You can review the mission, see how much it pays (sometimes you get an advance), and choose to accept or decline. Upon completion of the mission, you'll get whatever portion of the reward you're owed, as well as any bonuses you may have earned, but you have to pay to repair any damage to your mech and you have to pay for ammunition that you've used.

You can also earn credits (money) and parts by beating other mechs in head-to-head combat in the Arena. The Arena is a ladder-based challenge system as you beat each opponent, you move up one rung and receive a correspondingly larger bonus. You don't have to pay for damage or ammunition in the Arena.

Here's where the work comes in. At first, you've got a very basic mech. Especially if you're not familiar with mech combat, as I wasn't, you'll get beat in the Arena or fail to complete missions. The expense of failing a mission is usually enough to set you back too far to continue, so you'll want to restart the mission. Easy enough? Think again.

The game doesn't lend itself well to this kind of progress (intentionally so, I think). If you want to redo a mission, you have to load a saved game (save after EVERY mission!), accept the mission, and start over again. It's not a quick process. Then again, it can still be done. In Arena mode, you can simply choose to fight the battle again, and can do so over and over until you win, although the losses are kept in your record.

As you progress through the missions, you get more offers, your ranking improves (you have a completion percentage based on how far you've gone), and you learn more about Mars, the corporations, and other things that are happening. Eventually, you'll have a well-armed mech and will be more able to do what you want. Corporations will also make more parts available to you, especially if you've been working for them, so don't think you're limited to the weapons, legs, and other parts you see when you start.

After each mission and Arena battle, you can take your credits and spend them in the Shop. Here's where Agetec makes up for the missions you sell parts back for 100% of the purchase price, so you can experiment to your heart's content (well, maybe your wallet's) when you upgrade your mech. However, you can't get everything you want. Your mech has an energy limit and weight limits for the legs and the core, and you can't spend more money than you have. If you're too heavy or can't afford required parts, you can't go into battle.

The control scheme is typical for mech games, which means if you were expecting to use the analog sticks for movement, you'll be disappointed. In their defense, this system is more realistic. After all, if your mech has legs, it's not going to be able to spin around very easily! It takes a bit of getting used to (and you need to know that the L3 and R3 buttons are the analog sticks push in to use), but once you've got the controls down, you'll be ready for battle. You can even use a USB mouse to design your emblem (the logo for your mech), and if you've got skills, you can design a really cool emblem.

The gameplay itself is good, although if there are many missiles on the screen, you'll definitely see some slowdown. Aside from that, it's nice once you've become accustomed to the controls, and there's something satisfying about taking out a plane or a chopper with one well-aimed missile. It's not all brute force, though. You'd love to be able to lay waste to a facility, but when you finish the mission and get your bill for the ammo, you'll wish you were a little more conservative.

You can play head-to-head against a friend, either in split-screen mode if you've got one PS2, or if you have two PS2s, two TVs, you each have the game, and you have one i.Link cable, you can play on your own systems.

There are many different types of mechs you can build, and the missions that you accept, in theory, steer your progress through the game (I've not played more than one game, so I can't verify that). I think the replay value of the game is pretty good, if you're a mech player, and I'm looking forward to going back and replaying some missions.

I've had a lot of fun with this game, but I've also had to be patient with it. If you've got the time, and if you like mech combat, this is a good game for you. If you're considering this for a younger person, or if you're new to the mech arena, you may want to look for something else.

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First off, this game is very hard. You have 32 difficult missions to complete, all the while trying to advance through around 50 other challengers in the Arena. The graphics are smooth and are beautifully rendered using the PlayStation 2's great processor. You didn't need to play this game's predecessors, because the storyline in this game kicks off from the beginning. It is an intertwining plot about heroism, sacrifice, betrayal, and mysteries of another race, particularly, the Martians.

Another great thing is that there are over 200 parts you can earn and find in missions, the shop, and the Arena. Customizing your mech is one of the great aspects of this game. There are thousands of combinations, insuring you that your mech is unique.

For all of you parents out there, this game has only robot violence, no "blood and guts" as in most other video games. For the kids, this game insures a challenge, so don't be afraid to lose.

Honest reviews on Armored Core 2

Dont let the title of this review turn you away from the game. But belive me, it is completely true. I loved AC 1 and PS2 I knew would deliver. It did thankfully. The graphics are smooth and there is absolutely no clipping. No pixels when your up close and only minor slow down in mission levels (this happens very seldom, usually when 10 missles are flying at you with 20 MTs shooting at you, which is only like 2 levels.) AThe game is fun, but only once you break through the begining of the game because I couldnt tell you how many times I got the ... kicked out of me and had to dig myself out of debt. Some of the first couple levels are [very] hard, as are some of the later missions. As the title reads, once you play the 4-5 mission you will hurl your Dual Shock 2 controller through your window and sit there meticulously thinkin of how you can get your self out of a -30k debt. Once you get a chance to build up your mech, this game shines through the darkness. You can create a really personalized mech, changing color, parts, weapons, speed. Everything is customizable. I am now begining to truely enjoy this game because if you have patience you will get to the point of this game which makes this a must have. Piloting your AC through Arena mode is a definite plus to get your mind off of frustrating mission battles. The story even progress fluidly with "Mail" that you get after certain missions or arena battles. The graphics are awesome, story is awesome, and after some broken controllers, gameplay is awesome and definitly warrants this a purchase.

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Apples versus oranges some might shout, but to me there are several parallels between this mech-warfare game and the highly structured race game, Gran Turismo.

In both games, you begin with a basic "vehicle" (the first and Armored Core or AC, the latter a race car). Both vehicles are customizeable and upgradeable, and both require money to make your vehicles better. Both involve competitions (the former in the Arena against other ACs or on missions for assorted corporations that, upon success, pay for services rendered the latter in races) to raise money to pay for your upgrades. Both require practice to master your machines. And, in my opinion, both are great games. In other words, if you like the features of Gran Turismo the building and bettering of a vehicles the challenge of mastering its operation the thrill of victory over difficult opponents and want a break from race games, give AC2 a try!

The play control isn't too tricky, I feel, once you learn the basic important movements. However, as you upgrade and switch your AC around, factors such as defense, mobility, energy, and the like, are all affected in different ways. This leads to countless combinations that, in my opinion, add to the fun.

The graphics are beautiful and the explosions are spectacular. There are so many different types of weapons from rocket launchers to machine guns, shotguns to missle launchers to bombs all featuring differing strengths and weaknesses (and ways to blow up your enemies!) that create yet more eye candy for the MechWar fiend.

The sound is nothing special, but once again, the explosions are quite exhilerating. I don't think the sound is bad, just typical of action based games, easily left to the background. For those of you who prefer female or male computer voices for your ACs, depending on how you upgrade, this sound can change.

Artisans have the option of customizing the colors of your mechs. There are many preset colors for impatient folks like myself to change the look of your AC with one click, or you can create your own combinations of colors out of scratch. ACs can also feature emblems which can be customized or created.

Thanks to all the combinations you can formulate when it comes to machinery, and all the missions and competitions, I feel this game will keep me entertained for quite awhile. If you like strategy, customization, competition, and just blowing things up, give AC2 a try. I think you, too, will find entertainment value in this for months to come.

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Works great. Would recommend this item to anyone looking to buy a good quality item like this one. Very happy with it. however; seller is terrible. Never responded to why it came all chewed up like a dog had played with it before shipping it.

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Cheap Skylanders Spyro's Adventure Character Pack Legendary Trigger Happy

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***UPDATE*** I went to Toys'r'us over Easter weekend and there were about a dozen of these for MSRP of 9.99USD, and when I went to a different Toys'r'Us on April 9th 2012 there were more than twenty of these exclusive toys on display. Now that they are apparently in stock I wouldn't recommend paying more than MSRP for them. The original review continues below, unchanged.

I haven't seen any of the legendary figures in Toys 'r' Us since Christmas, and I've never seen this guy in there at all. Trigger Happy is one of our favorites, so when I saw the legendary version for about $20 I decided to get him. His starting stats are better than regular Trigger Happy's starting stats, and he shows up in the game with the same color palette as his figure. I know the other exclusive figures (Whirlwind, Drill Seargent, etc.) are now available everywhere that sells the figures, but I think in order to keep these legendary figures exclusive to Toys 'r' Us only a limited run of them was made. I couldn't find any information on the game company's website about this though.

When I purchased this item it came with Prime shipping and came new in the package. All new figures are packaged with a collectable card, a collectable sticker card, and a webcode card for the browser based game.

This product by itself is not a game, it is an accessory for the Skylanders Spyro's Adventure Starter Pack. The video game is available on PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, 3DS and PC. The 3DS game is a different game than the console/PC game.

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legendary trigger happy is one of the most powerful skylanders, and in my opinion is preaty cool. iv had some experience with him and iv found that he is really helpful fighting bosses, mainly because he has 100 luck. so he can out of some preaty nasty fights. i highly recomend him

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The little boy who wanted this loves his skylanders and is always happy to get them as soon as they come out.

Honest reviews on Skylanders Spyro's Adventure Character Pack Legendary Trigger Happy

Ok, Before i start, I must say that i am a big time Spyro Fan, and as a Result, i got myself into the Skylanders craze, which at its core, is nothing but a corperate scheme to make a game the should only cost $60 at retail cost more then $200+ dolors by selling some of its pieces individually.

I hunted down almost every skylander that isent rediculusly rare, and as a result, i got through the game just fine. But out of curiosity, i saved some cash to try the the legendarey version of trigger happy out. NOW if you think you should buy this lengendarey piece because he is stronger with diffrent abilitys well think again. He Has the exact same abilitys as the normal Trigger Happy that Comes with the Game. Yes he is stronger then the normal one, But i found it cheaper to spend some time grinding up the powers of the normal one powers up so use in the game.

Bottom line is, your better off buying the 33 other Skylanders that should of been in the game in the first place. Buying this is just a waste of money.

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I really don't know much about this item, but my grandson sure does. He is into anything that has to do with skylanders.

So he was very excited about his gift!

Hasbro Family Game Night 1 and 2 Bundle - Nintendo Wii Reviews

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There are past memories galore for the adults from the live games that are included this video game. Many of the classics are included: Connect Four, Battleship, Yahtzee, Boggle, Sorry, Operation, Jenga, Connect 4x4, Bop-it, Pictureka.

They are set so it takes work to master them, which keeps the players interested.

I especially like these because it helps develop the cognitive skills and fine motor control without the violence of the typical games. It's important to come with the expectations of a different experience from the board games, similar to reading a book and seeing a movie with the same title. The games are based on the board games, but the experience will be different. Both are enjoyable; just different.

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My family and I all love this game. I like the Yahtzee and Sorry the most. It is a good way to get all the family together and play a game and when you are done all you have to do is turn the Wii off...no mess!

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I bought this for my brother-in-law and his family. We happened to be visiting them when they played it, so we got a chance to play it ourselves. We had kids ranging in age from 5 to 10 years old and everybody had a great time!

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We have been having a great time playing all the games. Some of the games that I do not like or know how to play; then my children enjoy. I like the fact that several of the games are old school games that they have updated to make fun for all. My youngest child is 6 years old. I also have a 8 year old, 12 year old and 16 year old. It is great because with the games age really does not matter much as to how well you will do with the game. On the negative side; I would have to agree with many of the past reviews that do not like the battle ship game. It requires that the other person not look while you place your pieces. Only way the is really fair is if you have the leave the room or something. I guess if you do that it can be still as fun as the other way to play it. Also Jenga is kind of crazy to play. My daughter who is the best at most all of these games; was not able to really get this one and I definetly could not play it. In the games defence; we have never really like to play the really game of Jenga. My 12 year old has played the other really version and she states that she actually liked it. We really enjoy the game over all.

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MY FAMILY HAS BEEN DOING GAME NIGHT FOR ALMOST 13 YEARS! THESE GAMES ARE AWESOME! 5 OR MORE GAMES PER DISK, NO MISSING PIESES, TORN MONEY, OR ARGUEMENT ABOUT SOMEONE CHEATING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLUS SET UP AND PUTTING AWAY ARE TAKEN CARE OF FOR YOU!!!!! CAN'T WAIT TIL WE GET THE NEXT ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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This being an original xbox game, I was told to buy a hard drive for my 4Gb console. It took 2 tries to get a hard drive that works. And now that I bought and installed a 250Gb, and it still will not work. Original xbox my rear! Since I bought an xbox 360, the 360 would infer it encompasses all xbox games!!! Too bad...so weak.

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Disney Epic Mickey - Nintendo Wii Reviews

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Without a doubt, Epic Mickey is a game that is going to polarize people. This is possible the hardest I've ever had to struggle to rate something. You can rate Epic Mickey anywhere between 3-5 stars and it never feels appropriate. It almost defies rating.

Disney Epic Mickey is a Wii exclusive developed by Junction Point Studio, headed by the legendary Warren Spector. The game was released November 30th and came in the mail for me far earlier than it should have. Disney and Junction Point intend to revitalize Mickey Mouse into a more relevant figure through video games, and reintroduce Oswald to the world. A monumental task to be sure, but in pursuit of that goal, Warren Spector has created a game unlike any other.

The game is simple and intuitive in its control. Mickey is equipped with a double jump, and spin attack, as well as the ability to use paint and thinner with his brush. It's very natural and is utilized quite well in the game itself. For two simple choices of painting and thinning, the game gets quite creative with level design, questing, exploration and boss battles.

One the biggest issue with this game is knowing how to approach it. This game will undoubtedly draw comparisons to the two Mario Galaxy games and I will say right now that those comparisons are, for the most part, going to be wrong because of the simple fact that the Mario Galaxy games are as linear as 3D platforming gets while Epic Mickey's maps are mostly nonlinear. There is nothing wrong with either approach, but it's important to know and understand the benefits and limitations of both to be able to appreciate what Epic Mickey has to offer.

The Super Mario Galaxy games used their linearity to craft obstacle courses with extremely well tuned challenges that are second to none. However the games gave up any sense of exploration or giving the world any coherency in order to do so. With Epic Mickey, it's an entirely different beast. Not only is it non linear, but it also has to resemble a functioning cartoon world. Because of this, the challenges you are expected to go through aren't and will never be as perfectly tuned as in the Galaxy games but that works fine with the game because it compensates with a sense of freedom, exploration and free roaming. Comparing the two based only on how fine tuned the platforming is would be akin to comparing Oblivion or Minecraft to Halo and saying those two are inferior because the archery in those games aren't as fun as shooting in Halo is. Epic Mickey stands with the best nonlinear 3D platformers and this is and this achievement of it is going to get lost in the Super Mario Galaxy comparisons.

While the game and its levels have a slow start for about an hour or so, the game manages to pick up pace and provide some creative, breath taking, atmospheric (A word you will see repeated many times in this review) nonlinear levels. The game's reimagining of known Disney locations provides an incredibly varied game world that is just a blast to explore for both Disney fans and nonfans alike thanks to being well executed both technical and artistically. While much of the magic will be lost on nonfans, the game's dark, colorful, creative and varied environments will still be engaging. The game is also one of the atmospheric and immersive platformers ever made. The mood and tone practically creeps off the stages and pulls you in. The game's frame rate does drop from time to time but this is a rare enough happening to keep from ruining the experience.

Speaking of engaging, Epic Mickey sports a fantastic narrative and story that runs the gamut of emotions from hilarious, to tragic, scary and very heartwarming. The game's narrative stands as one of the better video game stories and holds its own with the better Disney and Pixar films. The game gives Mickey and Oswald a startling amount of depth. And the game's many NCPs and quest givers are just a blast to talk to, just to hear what they want to say.

The game's music is simply award worthy. The score does what it needs to perfectly well, always serving to enhance to mood, the action and atmosphere of the game. It masterfully dances back and forth between ambient tracks, truly epic combat music, and strange, surreal twisted ones such as an awesome remix of "Its a Small World",

Unfortunately, the game is hit by some considerable flaws. The camera is the single biggest problem in the game. There is a good chance the camera will kill you more than anything else in the game. It can be auto focused on Mickey with the press of a button, but this option isn't always available. While there is certainly an impressive number of quests in the game, far too many of them are simple fetch quests.

Combat isn't this game's forte either. Mickey can befriend enemies with paint, or erase them with thinner. There are also animatronic enemies that require other methods to defeat. Unfortunately, all enemies feel a bit too bloated with hit points, requiring a bit too much paint or thinner to deal with them. At the same time, enemy variety is very dull. Combat could be improved by speeding it up and adding more enemies each with unique ways of taking them down. Boss battles are exempt from this, however. They are all fun, imaginative and have multiple ways of dealing with them. Unfortunately, the game could have used several more bosses to break up periods of exploration and questing.

When moving between game worlds, Mickey jumps through a projector, taking him to a 2D creation of a classic Disney short that he has to traverse to reach the next game world. While these are provide really neat recreations, the feel out of place with the rest of the game mostly because of the lack of danger or challenge in them. It simply feels as though they are padding between the game zones, rather than an integral part of the game play and pacing. I suppose they work as nice pallet cleansers between zones, but they still feel like they're missing something. That said, most all of these can be completed in less than a minute and aren't that distracting.

Overall, Epic Mickey's numerous flaws are particularly frustrating, not because they ruin the game, but because the game is so good. With better enemy variety and combat, more boss battles, improved and a better camera, and less reliance on fetch quests, Epic Mickey really could have been one of the all time greats. Instead it is simply a rock solid game for Wii owners, and a must have for Disney fans, story loving gamers and fans of platforming and exploration.

Pros:

+ A fantastic, modernized take on the nonlinear plaformers from the N64 days.

+ Solid control.

+ Looks amazing thanks to being both Technically and artistically well executed.

+ a 15+ Hour adventure with lots of replay value.

+ Unique in its addition of a fairly well done moral choice system.

+ Paint and Thinner are quite fun.

+ A treasure trove of classic Disney lore.

+ Fantastic, Pixar quality narrative and writing.

Cons

+ Camera is difficult to manage.

+ Combat could be improved.

+ The 2D segments don't quite jell with the rest of the game.

+ Over reliance on fetch quests.

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"This game is so close."

This is the thought that continued to fly through my head as I played Epic Mickey. Honestly, Epic Mickey is a victim to two years of hype more than anything, well that and its abysmal camera, but we will get to that.

Most anyone intersted in this game knows the story by now. Yensid (right) created a world where Disney's forgotten works have a place to live, even though they aren't being used anymore. Mickey accidentally spills ink and paint thinner all over this world and creates an evil blot and damages the world greatly. Later, Mickey is pulled into what is now known as the Wasteland.

It starts with a Mad Scientist getting ready to literally plunge Mickey's heart out, but Oswald the Lucky Rabbit saves him. Mickey meets Gus the Gremlin who helps you through that first section with serves as a tutorial on the controls and the paint/thin element of the game. Also note this Nintendo. Gus basically plays the Navi of this game, and Gus isn't annoying. See? It can be done, please do so with Skyward Sword.

Mickey has a magic paintbrush that can create as well as destroy. B creates, Z uses thinner to erase the world piece by piece. The mechanic is almost limitless and works well. I won't spoil all the surprises, but early on you will create and remove gears for platforms, make rocks disappear and a variety of other interesting things.

You chase Oswald through a number of early worlds, saving other Gremlins (or not) and performing tasks for them. Most familiar of course being the Small World Ride.

Which brings us to the games problems. First it relies wholly too much on fetch quests to artificially lengthen the game. At one point you reach Main Street and have to get several items prior to leaving the area. This requires you to basically criss cross across the town several times over talking to different characters. It is annoying to say the least.

Second problem, which has been harped on by everyone is the abysmal camera. Luckily, the Epic Mickey team realized it was awful and put in a manual control scheme, however, that is little solace when making tough jumps onto moving planes above a lake of thinner. At one point, I made that jump and it looked like someone has dropped the camera. Needless to say, I wound up missing the jump and starting again.

Finally, for all of its hype, it is an awfully linear game. It plays more like a cross between Zelda and Mario than something truly epic and new. Each world is filled with large arenas that have multiple things to do. You basically methodically complete each room until you reach the end boss. This isn't necessarily bad, but you should be expecting it. I was not.

But the positives outweigh the negatives.

The game is just beautiful. The world is fleshed out and you can tell great love was put into this game by people who love Disney. Little things like the remade "Partners" statue from the parks will get the Disney lovers (like myself) smiling. But overall, the art direction is just amazing. And while the 2D "projector" stages may seem a bit incongruous in the game, they look and play beautiful.

Furthermore, the story is as good as any on the Wii right now. It is Disney and it comes with Disney quality. What struck me about the story is its sadness. Mickey has a long discussion with Clarabelle the Cow early in the game and it is heartwrenching. It is a story of loss and redemption. A story of memory and longing. It is a true experience, told through great cut scenes (though bizarrely unvoiced).

Finally, the decision engine works well. There is no "right and wrong" as many decision engine games have had. There is only what you want to do. Not only does it affect the ending, but it affects the gameplay. If you help Little Pete early for example, he will give you a treasure trove before you fight the Clock Tower. It feels organic and it works.

Epic Mickey is awfully close to being a great game, but in the end, it winds up being a very good one. There are spots that will bore you and others that will make you scream in frustration. But overall, the game will give you that same warm feeling that seeing a great Disney movie will.

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after reading a feature in game informer about epic mickey a while back, i couldn't wait to get my hands on this game. as many other reviewers, i have been an avid fan of vintage disney (and poor little oswald!) for most of my life.

i want to start with the good, as there is definitely some there.

the art direction is AMAZING. there are so many wonderful little touches that are delightful (walt's apartment!). the music is AMAZING! i loved seeing wasteland...a very ridden-hard/put-away-wet version of disneyland. dark, sometimes bizarre, but always intriguing.

the concept for the game, i loved. that being said, i have never been more frustrated or said "oh what the crap" so many times while playing a video game.

the game bugs are too frequent. i would get stuck in a view where not only could i not see mickey, but i couldn't center the camera behind me either. there were bugs where i could use paint or thinner, however instead of the desired medium going where i was pointing, it would shoot straight back as if i was trying to paint or thin the "fourth wall" if you will.

the camera...oh that dreaded camera. so many times the dedicated camera would take over (when you can not center it behind you), and i could not see where i was going, i sometimes could not see where i was, and would end up dying because i couldn't see a jump, a platform, an enemy, anything. this factor ruined a majority of the game for me. call me old fashioned, but i like to see where i'm going.

the aiming system was...really something. you get used to it over time, but many times when you aim at something, even when your target is centered on it, your medium does not go there. you can overshoot and usually hit your intended target, but that seems a little funky to me. you also can not paint or thin an area you are standing on.

the save points are a little wonky. sometimes i had no idea when it last saved. sometimes if you had to start a level over (which is frequent when you die from things you can't see), some of the things you had done were saved, and some were not (oh you dreaded mad doctor sequence!). there seemed to be no rhyme or reason to it.

i didn't understand the benefit to painting in the scenery (even though i did) when you have to paint it again each time you return to the same area. it was like, what's the point?

i am at the final stages, so i did plow through, and that was mainly because i didn't want to miss the scenery. i think it was a little silly that you have to play the side scrolling levels each time you go back and forth between "worlds" but i did find the side scrolling levels to be very well done. i loved the art in the cut scenes, and the ability to collect concept art overall. i just spent too much time frustrated at the poor controls to ever want to play this again after i have completed it. i don't even want to keep it, which for me is rare.

a weird review, for sure. a confusing experience most definitely. if they restructured the controls, i would pick this back up in a heartbeat. but i can not recommend this to anyone in the state it is in. :(

long live oswald!

*** UPDATE ***

after completing the game last night i feel i have to adjust my review slightly (no spoilers, don't worry!).

i was so moved by the ending that i no longer want to get rid of the game. i am now set upon re-playing to complete as many quests as possible.

i just thought it was worth putting out there. tremendous ending. (02.02.11)

Honest reviews on Disney Epic Mickey - Nintendo Wii

As the title implies, this game is a mash up of Who Framed Roger Rabbit and various Mario games. Which is not a bad thing at all, both properties are great in their own right and very much worthy of imitation. Epic Mickey borrows some storyline ideas from Who Framed Roger Rabbit and game play mechanics from Mario with a side of Disney and makes it their own.

There is a lot of history to be had with this game, if you're an avid Disney fan this is a must buy. Now with that being said it is still just as enjoyable even if you're a casual fan to even really not being one at all. I believe this game would be a good time for just about any age group, and any gamer just looking for a fun game to play, there's a little something for everyone.

The controls are pretty fluid and intuitive for the most part, and very easy to pick up from the start. The graphics are amazing by Wii standards, you really feel as if you're in the cartoon itself. The characters are engaging and the story is well thought out and entertaining. As stated above the history is rich and actually pretty interesting.

A couple of cons would be that sometimes the aiming system is a little off, takes some playing around with depending on where you're located. The camera takes a little time to get used to, it would be better if it was fixed but since it's not I wish there was another way to control it rather than using the cross pad. My final complaint would be that I wished they used real voices instead of the dialogue being in a text format; realistically this isn't really a con as more as it is a preference.

Overall the cons don't really do much to hinder the game experience, and for sure the pros out weight them. Honestly the only people who wouldn't find this title enjoyable would be the hardcore guns blazing FPS fans and/or Microsoft/Sony fan boys that refuse to play the Wii for some crazy loyalty to their system of choice.

Worth picking up for full price, you won't be sorry.

Michael

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I've been looking forward to this game quite a bit, but was very disappointed by the camera. It causes game play issues as many have noted, but it also is really bad for those of us with motion sickness.

The camera doesn't move smoothly, and often requires manual movement with the D-Pad. Either of these issues would be enough to make me ill. Both together were far more than my body could handle. I was deeply ill with nausea in a very short time of playing, and unfortunately I won't be able to play this Epic adventure that I've looked forward to so much.

Notably I haven't had any motion sickness with many games. Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3, Zelda: Twilight Princess and Endless Ocean have all been great for me (to name a few...and they're all GREAT games!) However, this title didn't work for me to my sadness. Looking around the internet my plight isn't uncommon. I found several reviews suggesting that people with motion sickness should avoid this game, I was sorry I hadn't seen those reviews sooner and hope this review will be useful for others who deal with Motion Sickness.

Cheap Final Stretch-Horse Racing Sim - PC

Customer Ratings:

This game wasn't quite what I was expecting, but now that I have figured it out I am really enjoying it!

The basic idea of the game is centered around horse racing. You have three options: You can be a stable manager, a jockey, or a better. If you choose stable manager, you actually can do all three!

I've found the jockey option to be quite maddening. It drove me absolutely crazy. I rode horses in about a hundred races and finished dead last, or second to last every single time. I tried every strategy I could come up with and could not even ONCE win a race with any horse I tried. And that was on easy level! I think this portion of the game needs serious work it's way too difficult.

The betting portion is just "ok." You can bet on horses when you're playing the stable manager version as well, so I don't see the fun in playing where you JUST bet. Especially since sometimes it seems completely random which horse wins a race (maybe like real life .. heh!).

The stable manager version is where it gets fun. While it has some serious downfalls, now that I've figured it out I've been having a fantastic time. When you're a stable manager you get to hire staff, build up your stable (buy and improve your buildings), buy and train horses, board other people's horses for cash. You can also go to auctions and buy horses as well as breed and race your own horses.

I'll talk about the cons first.

STAFF: Basically you have no control over your staff. You can hire them, give them raises, and that's about it. You also can choose which Lad works with which horse. I was hoping for more control over staff, and for the staff you have to make a bigger difference.

INCOME: At the start of the game, it is VERY difficult to balance your income and expenditures. I "lost" the game at least 3 times because I ran out of money. The only ways to make money are 1) race 2) sell a horse and 3) boarding. Once you get in to the game and get some international level horses, racing brings in a LOT of cash. In the beginning though, you only will get $2000-$10000 per race if you WIN (which is hard) and you have to subtract from that the fee to enter the race and the jockey fee. Selling a horse is an option, but in the beginning you may have one or two horses... so selling isn't really an option. The last way to get income is boarding, which hardly covers your expenses. For the first hour I played I basically just clicked "next week" dozens of times trying to make enough money from my boarders to afford a new horse (since I had sold mine to pay off my negative bank balance and have an extra stall to board). I think that there are some serious issues with money making in the beginning, and once you get nice horses it becomes too easy to make money.

NO TUTORIAL: This game isn't easy to figure out. The manual is horrible, there is no tutorial and when you hover over a button, there is no indication of what it does. I had to learn by trial and error.

PRACTICALLY NO GRAPHICS: The only time there are any graphics is during a horse race. Even then, it's kind of boring. Every horse looks exactly the same (different colors, same exact body/movement).

HORSES DIE YOUNG: My horses tend to die at age 14-15. In real life, it's normal for horses to live well past 20! I currently own a horse that is 23 and still going strong!

Ok, so those are all the bad things. There are plenty of good things too else I wouldn't have given this game four stars!

Once you get lucky enough to have an upper level (national/international) race horse, money comes easily and you can afford to buy more horses and rely less on boarding for income. An average purse in an international race is $500,000-$1,000,000!

I've been having a LOT of fun breeding my horses, training and racing them. It's become quite addicting! The training part of the game is fun. You get to pick which activity you want your horse to do each week, and you have to pick well to optimize your horse so that he is in top form and healthy for the race, yet still has the speed and stamina to do well.

People who like games that are heavy in graphics will probably not enjoy this game. This game is mostly text! I occasionally watch my horses race, but normally I skip the race and go right to the results. For those who enjoy text games, and also those who enjoy horse racing and strategy games, this game is a lot of fun! You just have to get past the awkward trial and error learning stage and then the game becomes addicting and incredibly fun!

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This game allows you to manage a stable, jockey the horses and bet or do any one of these things. Even on the easiest level, it is very difficult to make money at the beginning, though it becomes very easy once you have some good horses. There is sort of a critical mass situation, which is a problem in many other "economic" games (you have to have money to make money but then it becomes almost too easy). I have to admit to having to resort to some "creative" reloads after certain races or if the horse suddenly becomes ill right before the race you have been training so long for (which they often do, despite all your health management).

It's nice to be able to control the breeding and training and management of the horses as that seems to get left out of most horse racing sims. You can actually see your horses improving as a result of your training priorities. This is much more intricate than other games of its type, but there are still some limitations.

1. The jockey program is very hard to figure out, even on "easy" mode. I had more luck racing halfway well with the standardbreds than the throroughbreds, perhaps because they are slower paced...My ability to estimate how well my horse is doing , my reaction times and my ability to keep an eye on the screen while adjusting the buttons for speed and steering etc. are not as good as the computer's, obviously. I just can't seem to figure the best time to consistently hit the accelerator coming out of the gate (the computer always gets it right) and so nearly always break last, regardless of the horse's stats.

2. You are forced to rise to the level of your incompetence, in that you do not (as you would in ral life) have the option of staying at a level where you are doing well but not outclassing everyone. Once your horse has a certain amount of money, they MUST move up in class, even if they are outclassed at that level. You can never move down in class. Also, some of the race options are bizarre. There don't seem to be any races for two year olds (makes it hard to move your horse up to G1 class by the first week in May for the kentucky derby). And you can "accidentally" enter your flat racer in a steeplechase. And there are mounted trotting races (ow). Very odd. Not bad, but not super realistic.

3. These other things are minor issues, though. The main issue is that there is not a real goal in the game besides making money and becoming famous. There are tons of races of different lengths and on different surfaces. So you finally get to a point in the game where you have several good horses and you are famous and making tons of money and have upgraded your farm to the highest level in everything, and you are at that "what now?" stage. If they ever come out with a new version of this, having some kind of championship (perhaps invitational for different lengths, surfaces, genders, ages etc.) akin to the breeder's cup races and maybe a 3 year old "triple crown" for each nation and perhaps "horse of the year" awards and "halls of fame" would be a nice addition. Maybe an international championship too. I mostly follow U.S. racing, and very few of even the best horses from the U.S. go overseas to race (maybe because our purses are richest), but if international is going to be part of the game, maybe some world "breeder's" cup that is in a different place every year or something would be nice. Maybe they also should consider having races that correspond more closely to real races in terms of their rules for entry, at least at the G1 level. It seems odd that I can enter a 5 year old male horse in the "brader's cup filly". It's also a bit strange that horses continue to race after they have foals. Maybe it's different in Europe, but in the U.S. horses are always retired once they become breeders. Choosing whether to risk the health of a possible good breeder by keeping it on the track for another year versus retiring a proven winner (who may turn out to be a dud, or even sterile, at stud) is part of the game in real life.

I don't go im for online games, because of all the conneting, politics and coordinating that's needed with other players don't appeal to me, so maybe there's more to it if you play it on line against other humans?

Still, it's much better than other PC horse racing sims I've seen that mostly focus on just the betting and racing aspects of the sports and not the actual stable management, breeding and training. The graphics and simulations of what happens during the races are quite good and being able to upgrade your stable facilities and hire different staff is a nice touch.

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Be warned: this is not your typical "tycoon" or management game, nor is it for people who only have a passing interest in horse racing. It is very dry and in depth, but you can learn a lot of things if you are willing to give it a lot of time and effort. Did I mention most of the game takes place in a planner screen?

Horse racing manager started out by surprising me there were 3 modes of play. Betting, Racing and Stable. In Stable mode you are put in charge of managing every little nuance of the stable. In this mode you also get opportunities to bet at any races that come up as well as having the racing option. Whenever your horse is entered in a race, you have the choice of watching, going straight to the results, or racing the horse yourself. Of course the jockey you choose to sit on the horse, specifically their temperament (harsh, gentle, strict etc) has a lot to say. This is the only part of the game that has actual moving graphics. The learning curve for racing is fairly high, learning how to balance endurance and speed and positioning, as well as picking one of three things your jockey should focus on: Wind protection, whipping, and regaining energy to whip. Not to mention the days and weeks of training to help your horse have a greater chance to win. But just like real life, sometimes lady luck throws you for a spiral. A victory is never assured.

To greater or lesser extents you can manage the training, breeding, gambling, racing and management parts of the game, but only through management methods. You pick out tasks and make decisions from your planner book. You never actually get to see your horse being fed or trained nor your employees performing any of their tasks. It's all done through numbers and directions. You can buy about 6 buildings on the building map, and 3 levels of each type. A pretty boring and basic map with little points of colour and shapes where different buildings are. The various buildings increase different things such as training time, horse nutrition, fame etc. Some buildings become available only after you've built others. What you can build is also dependent on what country and stable you purchased at the beginning (difficulty level, weather conditions, types of racing etc is determined by which site you choose),

There is an amazing amount of detail that has gone into the information and numbers part of the game. This can actually get confusing and makes the learning curve even higher. The tutorial is basically one of the read and click variety which doesn't help out the difficulty. It is quite a simulator, but I am left with the feeling that it could have been more FUN somehow. The game is rather like looking at a horseracing magazine with the long lists of numbers and breeding etc, and the learning curve is high. Graphics are practically non-existent and the sound is mediocre. It is by no means a bad game, but be prepared for some seriously heavy management and lots of time to learn the game. A great idea, very dry implementation, but I hope to see more to come in this sub genre of simulators.

Honest reviews on Final Stretch-Horse Racing Sim - PC

If you're just a horse lover who isn't into way high tech games, then this is really fun. It's not very interactive though. For building a stable, that's kinda a lie, you really pick a structure and press build. The racing part is fun, but frustrating at first. No matter what you do you almost always come in last. (my record is third to last right now.) You do, however get to buy horses and breed them. Then, when you want to race your horse, (not in jockey mode) always look at your horse's prefances. Oh yeah, and get expensive horses and press sim, because that will get you more money in the end.

You can call a dietician for your horse too, but they do all the work so there's really no point. And training too, if you want to get the most out of this use a lad. All you do though is pick how you want your horse to be trained and press ok. There are three modes of this game.stable manager, which is the funnest, but you run out of money really quick and have to quit. Jocky, where it can be frustrating to get any higher than 16th place (unless you sim, then you will probably come in firt, but it is not as much fun.). And Bet mode, where you watch the races and bet on horses I think, but you can do that in the other modes to so, once again...pointless.

In short if you love horse, and love a good challange, and arn't likly to thow shoes at the computer screen if you don't win, then this game is a lot of fun.

P.S. I never did throw a shoe at the computer screen if your wondering.

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This was some incredible design job and the graphics are truly incredible as are the sounds and sights. Its like a virtual reality day at the Races.

The only slight drawback to this game is that even when you select a race in the USA, all the races arr in Euro distances and measurements, making it tough for many of us to be sure of the distance.

However that said, this game is complete in every other way and a must buy for the Horse Racing fan.

I would tell the programmers of this one to go back to the start phase and make a USA Version of the game and use American Tracks, and this one will sell like hotcakes ! If it is not doing so already.

Best Regards to All, MC TheStickRules.Com

Lord of the Rings: Return of the King - PlayStation 2 Reviews

Customer Ratings:

This game is really really fun to play! I bought it the day after it was released, and I still haven't been able to put it down. It is such a great improvement over Two Towers that you'll be hooked as well. The story itself centers around 3 different paths: Gandalf as he defends Minas Tirith from another Helm's Deep-sized army, Frodo+Sam on their journey to Mordor, and Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli as they travel through the Paths of the Dead, to Minas Tirith, and so forth. The levels themselves are beautifully rendered, and the addition of weapons in specific environments really makes for a completely new feeling game. The controls are much more detailed, so now if you get surrounded you can easily engage multiple enemies at a time. And finally after all the complaints about it not being in Two Towers, you can also play Co-op with a friend! No more having split screens, you both play on a normal sized screen! This game also features the option to play online, but since I don't have the capabilities to do so, I can't really review that part. The only thing stopping me from giving this 5 stars is that some of the levels are incredibly hard, even when set on easy. I guarantee that you'll go through each level a few times before you beat it. All in all this game is definitely worth the money and your time, so I recommend that you purchase it.

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The first two Lord of the Rings titles belonged to that rare group of worthy film-based games. How many movie tie-in games have been less-than-stellar garbage capitalizing on a film's popularity? With "The Return of the King," EA concludes their trilogy with one of the best games of the year. A warning to those who have not read the books and do not know how the trilogy ends: As expected, the game contains many spoilers.

The biggest difference between ROTK and its predecessors may be the amount of action: Fellowship was mostly plot-oriented, and Two Towers featured one great action piece--Helm's Deep. ROTK, however, thrives on action. From start to finish, this game is non-stop action and adventure: gargantuan Siege Towers, monstrous trolls, bloodthirsty Uruk-Hai--this game gives you all you can handle, and then some. You'll be thankful for the occasional pauses to rest your thumbs--before the next attack begins. The game features voice-work from the film's actors and some of the most amazing backgrounds and environments I've ever seen in a video game, with perfect contrast between light and dark elements Like the films, there's meticulous attention to detail. Character design and appearance is first-rate, and character animation (thanks to motion-capture technology) is smooth and even. In addition, the sound quality (THX, no less) is outstanding--every roar, every clash of steel resounds through your speakers.

ROTK features three distinct playable storylines: The Path of the King, The Path of the Hobbits, and The Path of the Wizard. One can play as Aragorn, Legolas, Gandalf, Gimli, Frodo, or Sam, and beating the game unlocks three new characters. Follow Aragorn on the Paths of the Dead and recruit the undead to fight alongside you, from Minas Tirith to the Black Gate (and you'll get to battle the Mouth Of Sauron in an epic conflict). Follow Frodo and Sam from Osgiliath to Shelob's Lair to Mount Doom. Take the wizard's path, and have Gandalf fight from Orthanc to Minas Tirith. There are thirteen levels, and the three storylines converge in a final level only accessible when all thirteen are finished. Some levels are relatively easy (Shelob's Lair wasn't too tough) and some are barbaric in their difficulty (Paths of the Dead took me six tries before I beat it). Each character has their own unique style and weapons, with plenty of enemies to battle: Shelob, Orcs, Mumakils (Oliphaunts), Uruk-Hai, The King of the Dead, and more. Attacks are pretty straightforward: Quick attack, Fierce attack, parry, or fire (arrows and the like). As you gain experience points from defeating enemies, you can acquire better weapons and skills (such as invisibility and the truly awesome Balrog's Revenge) to combat the increasingly difficult foes one faces as the game progresses. And, one can choose to retain those points for oneself, or share them with other characters.

The game has three difficulty settings: Easy, normal, and hard. Easy is just that: easy. Normal is moderately challenging, but beatable for most average gamers. Select hard, and you're asking for it. The enemies seem to never end, and even the lowliest orcs take incredible amounts of punishment before falling. Hard difficulty may be best tackled with the game's Co-Op mode, which allows a friend to participate. A major problem with the game, however, is that you can't replay a level until you've beaten it. But once you complete it, every level opens up and can be played by any character--which gives the game better long-term replayability than most movie titles (and many non-movie ones, as well). PS2 gamers will have to contend with occasionally slow framerates due to the PS2's low-end processor. This usually only occurs when a horde of enemies are present, but it's still a little annoying. Another thing I didn't like was the occasional difficulty caused by the game's third-person perspective. Like most TP games, certain positions or angles create blind spots. In close combat, this can prove to be a major aggravation. But those are relatively minor things that detract little from the overall quality of this game. For anyone looking for an excellent action/adventure game, this can't be beat. Highly recommended.

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This game, though frustrating at times, is one of the best adventure/action games ever. I did not want to stop playing it. Here is what happens:

You can play as up to 9 characters:

Aragorn

Legolas

Gimli

Gandalf

Sam

Frodo

Pippen

Merry

Faramir

(Pippen, Merry and Faramir can only be unlocked once you have beaten the game)

There are 3 paths you can choose from: The Path of the Wizard, King or Hobbit. The Path of the Wizard takes you to Minas Tirith and eventually the Black Gate. The Path of the King takes you to the Paths of the Dead, Pelennor Fields and the Black Gate. The Hobbit takes you to Shelobs Lair, Cirith Ungol and of course the Cracks of Doom. Most levels are pretty fun and addicting.

Now I'll give you a few helpful pointers. Number one, don't get frustrated with Top of the Wall, the 2nd level on the Path of the Wizard. You have to keep the orcs off of Minas Tirith's wall otherwise the overrun meter will go up causing you to lose the level, whether you died or not. Just hold off the orcs until the seige towers come. There should be four. Destroy the first 3 using your staff. The 4th one is supposed to make it to the wall. Destroy it and kill all the orcs around it the run down stairs to finish the level. The level can sometimes be hard but overall its not to bad and can be a fun level to go back and play several times.

Another hint: Most people think that the final level, the crack of Doom, is hard. Actually its not. This is the first level you can use Frodo. What happens is you have to defeat Gollum. Its really easy. Just get him over to the edge near the lava and do Orc Hewer or something similar like Fierce Attack. Gollum will start to lose his balance and lean backwards. Continue hitting him until he's just hanging on by his hands then do a finishing blow and send him falling. He will continue to crawl back up until his health bar is depleated. Dont worry, its not that hard.

My final hint is for the Black Gate. This level is also pretty easy on co-op mode but if you haven't beat it on single player mode, it can be tricky. First off choose Gandalf. After you defeat the Mouth of Sauron, a pretty easy boss, prepare to fight back 6 waves of orc attacks. All waves come in through the front until the third one when they come in from all sides. Just be sure you guard your 3 fellowship members (if you were Gandalf they would be Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli) if they die, game over. One thing that make a major difference is orc archers. Kill them before they get to your fellowship heroes because the heroes usually just stand there while they get pelted with arrows. After the 6th wave, 3 Nazgul will come. This is why you pcik Gandalf. Shoot them a couple times with your staff and they will die. His staff works way better then arrows. After that, you've beat it.

I hope my hints have helped you. Enjoy the game and happy playing

Honest reviews on Lord of the Rings: Return of the King - PlayStation 2

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE SEEN THE '' TRILOGY '' EITHER IN THE MOVIES OR ON DVD, THIS GAME RELIVES ALL THE SAME FUN THAT THE MOVIES HAD!THE '' TWO TOWERS '' WAS A LOT OF FUN AS WELL, BUT A FEW LEVELS WERE RIDICULOUSLY HARD TO BEAT..THE SAME CAN BE SAID OF THE LEVEL '' MINAS TIRITH-TOP OF THE WALL '' LEVEL.ALL OF THE LEVELS ARE PRETTY MUCH STRAIGHTFORWARD AND SIMPLE TO GRASP, BUT NOT ALL ARE EASY.THE COOL THING IS YOU GET TO PLAY CERTAIN LEVELS AS SAM, OR GANDALF .AND THE OTHER LEVELS YOU CAN CHOOSE FROM GIMLI,ARAGORN,OR LEGOLAS. BUT WHEN YOU FINISH THE GAME YOU UNLOCK FAROMIR,GANDALF, PIPPIN, MERRIN ,FRODO ,AND SAM WHICH YOU CAN PLAY IN ALL THE LEVELS , EXCEPT THE FIRST ONE.YOU REALLY DON'T NEED TO BUY ALL THE CHARACTERS UPGRADES , BUT IT IS COOL TO PULL OFF A FEW COOL NEW MOVES IN THE HEAT OF BATTLE..BUT REMEMBER TO PARRY AND USE THE FIERCE ATTACK TO SHATTER THE ENEMIES SHIELDS .AND PARRY WHILE SHOOTING YOUR ARROWS, AS THE ARCHERS RETURN FIRE.AND LIKE THE '' THE TWO TOWERS ''GAME THEIR IS ALSO A 20 LEVEL FIGHTING ARENA WHICH YOU CAN PLAY.YOU DON'T GET ANYTHING FOR COMPLETING IT, JUST THE SATISFACTION OF SURVIVING IT..SO GET IT TODAY, AND YOU'LL BE ENTERTAINED FOR HOURS..ENJOY '' THE LORD OF THE RINGS ''!!

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First of all, the game has actual scenes included from the movies. Yes, it has scenes from both the Two Towers AND the Return of the King. This is because you fight in Helm's Deep in the beginning of the game and work your way up from there. The actors from the movies did the voices of the characters as well.

Second, the actors are interviewed for the game, and they are shown playing the game themselves and talking about it. A little something extra to make it even more interesting.

Third, the graphics are great! I love how they morph from a scene in the movie to the game characters and vice versa. The game characters look very much like the real actors too. Beware: the movie scenes will morph back to the game characters without warning so you'd better be ready to begin playing again or you may find yourself the victim of a nasty orc or mountain troll.

Basically, you fight in the same battles that occur in the movie, but because it's a game, your battles may involve more than is in the movie. You can play as Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Sam, Frodo, or Gandalf and when you beat the game you get 3 more special characters to play as. I won't tell you who they are I don't want to ruin the surprise. Hint: After you beat the game you will be given secret codes and secret levels. Now, usually I don't like to use secret codes to win, but in this case the makers of the game GIVE you the codes, and they do it for a reason. Once you've beaten the game fair and square, in order to beat the scret levels you WILL need those codes or you won't beat the secret levels! Trust me, we tried it with Aragorn at level 16 and Legolas at level 12 we could not beat "the Palantir of Sauron" without the codes, and even then it's tough to do! Hint 2: After you beat the game, you can play ANY character in ANY path you want. For example, you can take Aragorn and Legolas to "The Crack of Doom" with Gollum instead of Frodo and Sam. Or you can take Frodo and Sam along the "Path of the Dead." It's great, and much more than the 10 hours of play time one other reviewer mentioned.

In the game you choose between three different paths: The path of the King, the path of Gandalf, or the path of the Hobbits. As you level up and win battles you get to learn new techniques and purchase new weapons for your character. You need this in order to win at higher levels. One interesting feature is in the battle at the Black Gate. You not only have to fight the enemy but protect your party as well. If any of your party members die, you lose.

Finally, you can play as a single player, multi player, or if you have network capability, you can go online and play in the online world of Return of the King. My only complaint is that I wish there were more places to save the game. You have to finish a battle before you can save it there's no saving part way through a battle. Also, some of the camera angles are not the best, but oh well. Don't let it ruin your fun. Overall, it's a great game! Of course, eventually you'll beat the game or grow tired of it just like all your other adventure/action games, but that's to be expected. However, if you play as all possible characters and take all possible paths, you will end up with quite a bit of playing time. I highly recommend the game!!

One last word. I've read some people's reviews saying it's just a slashing game well, duh! The movie is one battle after another, not an adventure as it may have been in the Fellowship of the Ring. This is a fighter's game, not an adventure lover's game. If you want to search and explore in a game, and you love Lord of the Rings, I suggest you try "The Fellowship of the Ring." That game is not made by EA, so the graphics are very, very different, but it's a good game none the less, and the storyline actually follows the book rather than the movie. Also, the first four levels of "Return of the King" are NOT fighting the dead. The only place where you fight the dead is in "the Path of the King" ON "the path of the dead."

My son and I have beaten the game, and we still love to play it. It has great replay value, so buy it and enjoy!!!

Best Turtle Beach Ear Force DX11 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound Headset Bundle Deals

Customer Ratings:

I bought this headset from Best Buy when it first came out. My brother has the Turtle Beach X41, and I've gotta say, I love the DX11 so much more! This headset is much better than the X41s because you don't have to worry about charging multiple batteries since they only last a few hours of playing. The DSS Module is also much smaller than the X41's, and there is only one extra cord you have to worry about (connecting the headset itself to the DSS), but it's incredibly long so you don't have to worry about having to sit too close.

The headset itself is very similar to the X41, but it's not the exact same. This one feels a little lighter and actually stays on my head a little nicer than the X41. There are also no controls on the headset itself, as the bass boost and volume are moved to the DSS Module, while the chat and game volume controls are shown in the picture, which is about a foot and a half down wire from the headset. The mic is the standard mic on Turtle Beach headsets, allowing for near unlimited flexibility.

The sound quality is unbelievable. The bass the DSS Processor produces is amazing. In games, you can hear people's footsteps from far far away. I'm a Call of Duty player, and paired with Ninja/Pro, you can be unstoppable because you can figure out where everyone is. The only problem is that it also makes your footsteps quite loud, so Ninja is almost a necessity. I also plug this headset into my PC to listen to music. Listening to the Final Fantasy XIII OST on here conjures quite possibly the most soothing, amazing, awesome, uplifting, inspiring, straight-up emotional feelings you can get from any music period. The headset is worth the money just by its amazing ability to make any music you listen to so much better.

In all, this headset was the best investment I've ever made! Beautiful music/sound quality paired with being incredibly useful in video games make this headset worth well more than $140. I would also say that after shopping around for months trying to find the perfect headset, this could possibly be the one. Great buy, 5 stars.

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I was a tritton 5.1 ax360 owner for 2 years. My headphone band snapped so I needed a new pair. I came across these and was a little worried. They are only have 2 speakers in the headphones vs my ax360 who had 4 in each ear.

Does not matter. These things sound so much better and event he surround effect is much better. I can pinpoint sounds much better and the headphones overall is much more comfortable.

The beauty is that is your headphones ever break you can buy another pair for $40 and plug it into the box and you are good to go. This is my first Turtle beach headphone and am very impressed when it's connected to the DX11 box. Fantastic product.

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This is a great pair of headphones. Beware, when buying, though: make sure that your X-Box360 is a new model that has an optical port. Without it, or an adapter (sold separately), you will not be able to connect the DSS that gives you the full Dolby 7.1 experience advertised. Without the DSS, these are literally just a $50 pair of X11s.

Also, with regards to price, the $130 tag on Amazon is ridiculous. Best Buy has them on sale for $109 in their B&M stores so, until the prices change, I'd suggest looking locally to buy rather than buying on Amazon.

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I bought these because I didn't want to disturb my family at night while i game and compute. These things are loud and sound great. They feel great and i can wear them comfortably for hours and hours. Build quality isn't bad. I've had them for months and they're still just as good as they were when i bought them. The surround sound is great for pinpointing enemy locations if you're playing a shooter like MW3. You can tell exactly which direction the action is taking place at. The microphone works perfect and I can hear the chat convos perfectly. You can adjust the chat volume and game volume independently of each other, which is great if i want to hear more footsteps and less whining. The only things i didn't like about these was that they were white when my xbox is black. I wouldn't recommend it, but i took mine headset a part and spray painted the white parts black and they're just as black and shiny as my xbox now. Looks great, sounds great, feels great. Definite buy.

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I bought these at Best Buy with some gift cards that I was saving. If I didn't have the gift cards, I am not sure I would have spent $99 to buy them..... BUT they are totally worth it. The sound is amazing! You can hear everything. They are also very light & comfortable. I gamed for hours as well as watched movies with them and they didn't bother me a bit.

I can't compare them to any other headphones but from my experience with these, I wouldn't buy any other ones. The only downfall is the wires but I would rather have to deal with wires than buying batteries all the time. Even rechargeable ones. I don't have to worry about sound cutting out in the middle of a heated battle.

The first time I played with the headphones, I was blown away. I even got some achievements that I don't think I would have gotten without them. My gaming experience has totally changed. You can hear people trying to creep up on you, bullets flying from the left or right side. It feels like you are in the game. You can even control how loud you want the voice chat.

Overall, TOTALLY AWESOME!!!

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I tried to fix by RROD by just applying new thermal paste, but that only worked for a day. This kit has kept my xbox 360 running great since I fixed it several months ago. This fix saved me the cost of a new xbox 360

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Reviews of Xbox 360 250GB Halo Reach Console Bundle

Customer Ratings:

I sold my older model Xbox and purchased this Reach bundle as a replacement. After unboxing and testing it out, I have to say its a huge upgrade from my previous model. It runs quieter and cooler since the "Slims" are built on the new 45nm "Valhalla" motherboard architecture which also require less power. Finally some built-in Wi-Fi too.

It looks beautiful...Bungie's custom artwork really sets this thing apart from the rest....work of art. The custom Reach controllers also look great and compliment the Xbox's Reach design theme. Not to mention you get "two" of them in this bundle....in my case I have a brand new spare now to store away for later.

The custom sounds when powering up this Xbox and opening the disc tray were neat, I liked them. Further adds to the Halo theme.

Also included as a bonus with the Reach Xbox bundle were codes for: Falcon Avatar accessory, Elite officer armor, Spartan Recon helmet, an episode of Halo Legends called "The Package", and a 2-day Xbox Live Gold trial. The console is also Kinect-ready.

5-stars, anything less would be absurd.

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**This review is for the console itself, not the game.**

My Pro was getting old, slow, and loud. Having to reallocate memory as DLC, arcade games, and save files accumulate on the 20 GB HDD was getting old, too. So my love for the Halo universe convinced me that things had lined up such that I could upgrade in style with the new Halo: Reach bundle.

Overall, fantastic console.

LOOKS:

Stylish silver matte coating with gray and black Halo-themed decorations sprinkled over it. Does not retain finger prints (know this was a big issue a lot of people over-exaggerated with the other 360-S's -though why you're fondling your 360 after you get it set up is unclear to me). Controllers look very nice, too I love the new look. New power block (downsized from the clunky original "brick") is black and more aesthetically streamlined.

PERFORMANCE:

Loads quickly, smoothly, and without problems. Does exactly what it's supposed to. Have not tried the wireless yet, as I used a wired connection. Controllers respond very well (though it might just be that I'm used to old/worn controllers). Standard headset mic still requires you to yell into it, but if you don't have to worry about keeping your voice down, it works just fine.

HEAT MANAGEMENT:

Console itself stays pretty cool for such a device. The S's new heat sink system appears to whisk away most of the heat from the internal components and out the vents, presumably keeping the CPU, GPU, and other chipsets cooler.

**NOTE: I've read a lot of reviews complaining the S runs hotter than the original. This is not accurate. The air coming out of the console is hotter. This means more heat is being expelled and that less heat is trapped inside the console, meaning what matters the temp of your hardware is staying cooler.

NOISE:

Runs whisper-quiet. I played it for 7-8 hours straight (judge if you will I was just, you know, testing the hardware =P), stayed consistently quiet the entire time.

Overall, again, great console. I'm quite happy with this purchase.

Plus the game made it that much better. Quite simply the best Halo game since Halo: CE (Reach is now the king of the Halo games, offering the most gameplay features, co-op opportunities, fearsome and unpredictable AI, game options/customization, sexy visual/audio experience, replayability, character variety, and overall value ever in a Halo game).

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Well, a week or so before Halo: Reach came out, my 360 decided it would be a great time to start freezing up for no reason, and I wasn't going to pay to get it fixed when I got a replacement refurbished console just 9 months ago (finally got RROD'd but fell under the seemingly unlimited extended warranty for the 3 flashing lights). So I decided to go ahead and get the Halo: Reach bundle as a replacement. I fixed the old console anyway (unsurprisingly, the shoddy X-Clamps were the culprit), but figured it would be a nice upgrade to have regardless since my old one is the original model.

The bundle is pretty nice for the $400 price tag. You get two controllers, a copy of Reach (with some extras thrown in for good measure) and of course, the console itself. Being an owner of an original Xbox 360, it's easy to notice the advantages the 360 S has over the old model. The biggest improvement is ventilation; you'll notice a lot of hot air coming out of the console and might worry it's overheating as a result, but it's actually doing a better job of pushing more air out (unlike the old console, which had terrible overheating problems). I haven't cracked open the console itself to see what they changed on the inside since I just got it and don't feel like voiding my brand new warranty (here's to hoping they got rid of the horribly cheap X-Clamps in the old model and replaced them with actual screws this time) but overall it seems like it does a much better job of dissipating heat so it seems like everything inside should work fine. There's numerous other improvements as well; built in Wireless N (which works great and takes almost no time to set up), touch sensitive buttons (which make cool Halo noises when used), and a sleeker, more angular design than the original 360 model. Oh, and one of the best parts of the new design? The console no longer sounds like a freight train! I wouldn't say it's "whisper quiet" like it's advertised as, but it is definitely quieter. The disc drive no longer makes your console sound like your Xbox is blasting off into space when in use. And if you install your games (which you should, with 250g of space to spare) it's even quieter. It still makes some noise, but at least it doesn't sound like your Xbox is trying to calculate the true value of Pi anymore. As for the design of the console, the console in this package is Halo-themed; it's silver and has the ONI logo on it and is labeled as an "Archive Reader." The Silver finish is great looking, so it will fit in well with the rest of your electronics so you won't have to be embarrassed to have it in your entertainment center.

The two wireless controllers are also themed in a similar fashion to the console (again, a nice silver finish with black used for the shoulder buttons and the bottom part). Everything else about the controllers is the same, they just look cooler.

The new Xbox also comes with a smaller power brick (albeit, there still is one). No, it isn't Reach themed (that would be sort of weird anyway) but it's smaller and the console itself uses less power overall.

There are a few disappointments with the system (specifically related to all Xbox 360S'es, not the Halo: Reach one in particular since they're the same anyway). There's no memory card slot, so if you overpaid for one of those years ago (like I did) so you could carry your profile to your friend's house, well, you can basically throw it out since now you'll have to use USB drives. Also, the package doesn't come with an HDMI cable or a component HD AV cable, even though they had no issues packing one in with the Pro models almost 5 years ago. Guess Microsoft is trying to squeeze a few extra dollars out of purchasers. I had a spare HDMI cable anyway, so it didn't matter to me, but make sure you get some sort of HD capable cable if you buy this bundle and have an HDTV because otherwise you're stuck with standard def (and don't go and buy MS's overpriced cables, you can get an HDMI cable that's just as good for way less here on Amazon).

I won't review Halo: Reach in depth here since there's already a ton of reviews about the game, but it is a potential Game of the Year candidate. It can definitely keep you entertained until the next generation of consoles, and probably even longer (after all, Halo 2 was more popular than any Xbox 360 game till Gears of War came out about a year later). It's worth buying a 360 for in my opinion, or more specifically, this bundle.

In addition to Halo: Reach, you get some extras as well. You get a code for a Recon helmet variant (normally in any pre-order or launch day copy), a code for the Elite Officer armor permutation (Limited/Legendary edition normally), a Falcon for your Avatar (better than nothing I guess, although if you really like Avatars, I guess it's cool) and an episode of Halo: Legends. Some nice extras that certainly aren't going to make or break the package, but are nice extras nonetheless.

Overall, you get a great value here. If you don't own a 360 but are interested in getting one so you can play Reach, this bundle is excellent and sports some cool looking controllers and a sexy console. If you're looking to upgrade and have the cash to spare, it's also worth the price (can always sell any extra stuff you don't need anyway). Aside from a few complaints about the console (complaints which apply to all 360 S consoles, not just the Reach one) the package is excellent.

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System is worth the money. Like I already mentioned, when you start up the xbox, it sounds like your shields recharging and when you power down, the same. The disc drive has cool non button button that open and closes it. The two controllers are very sharp and seem a bit heavier, better quality than standard wireless controllers. This package includes two of them which is nice. There are going to be a million reviews on halo reach, so I am just going to comment on the system package, which I personally am very happy with.

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Let me preface this by saying that I have been lucky to own a launch edition Pro model that never died. However, right before getting this one, that one was starting to act up. It did ok, as long as I installed games to the hard drive. But when playing games from the game discs themselves, more often than not, the console would give a disc unreadable error, often accompanied by a terrible grinding noise and sudden halt from the drive itself. It was becoming tiresome to install games with the limited HD space of the Pro model. The last nail was that my controller broke. The left trigger quit working properly. Thankfully my wife had bought this package for me as a Christmas gift. When she saw me trying to repair the controller, she went ahead and gave it to me early. Ahh, some guys are so lucky.

Now for the meat and potatoes. This console is slick. It finally went on a diet. It runs very quiet. With my old box I had to install games to the hard drive. This one runs quieter when running a game from the disc than the old one did playing from the hard drive. Of course, I still install the games, I recommend that everyone do that. I believe it adds life to the system by saving wear and tear on the DVD drive. I guess one could say that it is adding wear and tear to the hard drive, so it is a trade off. But it has been my experience over the years that hard drives are a little more robust when it comes to longevity as compared to a DVD drive spinning 100mph.

Speaking of the hard drive. I have never been happy with Microsoft's choice to not let you use other hard drives with the 360. The PS3 is much better in that regard. That wouldn't have been so bad if Microsoft hadn't also been gouging so much on the price of their hard drives. $130 for a 120 GB hard drive is ridiculous. Thankfully, this one is plenty large enough for my needs. You can install 20-25 normal games and still have room.

The other nicety is the console finally has wi-fi built in. Again, this is another area that was completely silly before. I know it was for cost cutting at the time when the systems first launched, but that doesn't explain the abnormally high price of the network adapter if you bought it separately before. In the end though, it never was an issue for me. I have a wired/wireless router. Since my 360 doesn't get moved too often in the house, using ethernet was never a problem, and I still use it with this model. I did test the wi-fi for functionality. It worked very well and was easy to setup. But since this model sits in the same place as my old box, I am continuing to use the "wire".

As mentioned before, the 360 Slim is just that. It has lost a lot of weight and bulk in the redesign. This particular version is quite attractive as well. I like the "touch" sensitive buttons on the console. Just place your finger over the disc eject button or the power button. No need to press anything. It's a small thing, but it is a nice touch, no pun intended. The accompanying sound effects are cool. However, I mostly use the controller for everything. When I want to play another game, I use the controller to open the disc tray.

The inclusion of two controllers was a nice bonus. They share the same paint scheme as the unit itself. For a Halo fanatic, this would be the ultimate. I enjoy Halo, but with perspective. It is a great series, but I like many other games, some much more. One thing of note though is that despite that manual saying otherwise, there were no batteries for the controllers in the box that I received. Surely a mixup at the factory, as I know others have stated theirs came with batteries.

One glaring omission that must be mentioned though is the lack of any HD cables. The only AV cable included is a composite cable with Left and Right audio. When paying $400 for a new system, some option for HD output should have been included. I didn't have any spare HDMI cables either. Thankfully, the HD AV cable from my old Pro model fit this one, so I am able to use component as before. Still this is silly, this is their "Best of the Best" and they didn't accommodate owners of HD televisions? (quite a few people these days)

But then again, that allows them to make money selling cables at inflated prices. If you need cables, I suggest alternatives. I am definitely a fan of the 360, I am not however, a fan of Microsoft's pricing scheme for accessories.

Hopefully this review didn't seem too harsh. The system overall is exactly what I mentioned in the title. This is the package that we should have been offered all along--sans the HD cables. It is a slick looking unit that functions very well. It is also very quiet and runs very cool. Compared to buying a new slim and all the included goodies, it is a very good value.

Buy Xbox 360 Les Paul Wireless Guitar

Customer Ratings:

This is the second guitar to come packaged with a Guitar Hero game on Xbox 360. This product is guitar only; click the bundle option if you need to buy Guitar Hero III as well. Buy this to get another copy of the best--for playing purposes--guitar on the Xbox 360.

This guitar is great and works on both GH II/III as well as on Rock Band. The strum is reliable, though loud, and the frets are responsive. Other nice features are that it is black, can be customized with faceplates, and is wireless. Two AA batteries last a good while, maybe 20-40 hours.

The sole downside is that the edge of the guitar where your lower arm may rest is not really comfortable, so your skin may feel a bit chafed after extended play. Still recommended over anything else, especially that Rock Band guitar, which doesn't even work on Guitar Hero.

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I'm in a tough spot. I loathe the design of the Rockband guitars the strum bars feel too stiff, the buttons are loud, the guitar is terrible at sensing when you raise it vertical for star power. That leaves the guitar hero guitars as a backup. Fortunately, the Les Paul frets, strum bar and star power accelerometer all work exactly as they should. I like precision when I'm playing, so I like to hear the click from the strum bar and a super-fast reset back to the neutral position so you can strum again. In short, when the les paul is working, it is *perfect.*

The problem is, the guitar is never really working properly. This is mostly due to some really terrible design decisions. The neck detatches (presumably for easy transport), and as such there is another set of contacts between the neck and body. Turns out they really screwed up the design of this section and most people's guitar neck and bodies tend to separate and lose contact with eachother. This leads to buttons not working properly.

To make matters worse, Activision and Red Octane's return system is a travesty compared to EA's and rockband. When something in RB breaks(and believe me, it does. Often.), I can go to the EA website, tell them it is broken and within about 2 minutes, they are sending me a replacement drum set or guitar or kick pedal, as well as a prepaid box to send back the broken instrument.

When I tried to replace my les paul after the red and blue buttons stopped working after *two weeks* I had to send them an email which took a few days to get a response on, then it was MY responsibility to send them their defective product, then I got to wait 4-6 weeks while they deduce that it is, indeed, broken, then they sent me a refurbished one back. Oh, and the only reason I even got this pathetic level of service was because my guitar was still under 90-day warranty.

p.s., The replacement guitar also stopped picking up the green button after about 10 days. I ended up unhooking and repositioning the circuitboard/contact plate on the neck of the guitar myself, and it was upgraded from "unplayable" to "merely irritating."

Weak.

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Guitar works fine when it's working. The detachable neck sucks though. The contacts lose connection and you are stuck with a guitar that doesn't work.

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We have had two broken guitars within 1 year. On both occasions, the green buttons stopped working. 1st guitar had problems within a month.. second one lasted about 6 months. Thankfully we bought at Costco, so the returns were painless. While we love Guitar Hero III, the guitar is problematic to say the least.

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the wireless les paul sucks. the game is fun id rate it 5*, but this guitar sucks.

they made it so the neck of the guitar comes off, which is apparently for better storage but who cares. now thanks to that sometimes when u hit long notes and hold them, they break off randonly because of that stupid detachable neck.

on my guitar i have the green button like everyone else but it is hard to press in i dont think all the guitars are like that but it bugs me, and for some reason the select button doesnt work wen i try to use it to activate star power. which is something i need for star power (ill explain down below) and again i dont think that that will happen with all the les pauls but that also bugs me. and maybe the select button doesnt activate star power on GH II but it does on GH III and i tested it and it didnt work.

the reason i need the select button is because the les paul is so touchy. im telling the truth, you will not move and star power will go off. but then sometimes you will throw that guitar around and star power wont go off. its retarded. so to control the star power, i have to stand up with the guitar slightly pointed down. at first star power always went off, but then i just straightened the guitar, but it still happened, so now, like i said up above, i hold it slightly tilted downwards wen i get starpower. and doing that is annoying and uncomfortable, and sometimes i will lift the guitar up adn fly around my room with that thing and star power still wont go off. man this guitar sucks most of the time.

but two good things, batteries come with it, and the guitar doesnt eat up up the batteries. and its wireless so there is no cord to hassle with.

but yea id reccomend another type of wireless guitar if there is one, or a wired one cuz this one is just to touchy, and also for me (i dont know if u have this problem but i do) the green button is hard to press down, and the select button doesnt work so that sux.