Pokémon Black Version 2 Reviews

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The answer is YES! YES YES YES!

I found Pokemon Black and White to be the first games in the Pokemon series that deeply disappointed me. I found the music to be, for the most part, boring and uninspired. They took away so many things that had come to make playing the Pokemon games so interesting and varied, such as the berry-growing and the Pokemon contests (which were replaced by musicals). And I disliked the direction they took with the story. I would have preferred if they actually just kept it as before, rather than introducing the idea that maybe having Pokemon battle each other wasn't ethical and then completely going with the argument that "It helps Pokemon reach their true potential." As a 20-year old college student, it just seems a bit ridiculous, though I wonder if children blindly accept this explanation. Also, I felt that the games were lacking post-game content that was varied. The Battle Subway is a challenge, but after a while it gets boring as there is not much variety to it.

Pokemon Black 2 and White 2, however, deliver where the first two games did not. First of all, the music in these two games is beautiful. There are many great new themes, especially in the new beginning cities and towns. The theme for Aspertia City (that's right, CITY it has its own gym and Pokemon Center) is a breath of fresh air, and completely different from all starting themes before it. Quite honestly, it is one of the best in the series.

Story wise, I feel that they toned it down with all of the ethical stuff and turned it more into a traditional hero-versus-Team Rocket story, which Game Freak has always done well.

In terms of post-game content, this game has a lot to offer.

First, there is the Pokemon World Tournament, where you can challenge past Gym Leaders and members of the Elite Four. You can also participate in competitions where you only battle in a certain style, such as double, rotation, and triple battles. I thought this was excellent since these modes are barely used in the storyline.

There is also the White Treehollow and Black Tower, where you have to go to the lowest levels of these locations. The trick is, you don't get to bring items with you and the place is infested with Pokemon trainers with strong Pokemon. I have actually lost various times here. It is challenging, and I like it!

In addition, there is also Join Avenue, a place where you can buy loads of new items, increase your Pokemon's friendliness, and even buy your Pokemon food that can raise their levels and their EV stats, which makes it easier to train Pokemon for competitive play.

Also, there is now a medal system basically, its a trophy system. It is pretty addictive. The game also gets a challenge mode! If you get the key yourself or have someone give you the challenge mode key, you can increase enemy levels and AI! Which is a big plus for me!

A few other changes that I liked about Pokemon Black 2 and White 2:

+When you run out of repels, a little text box pops up and asks you if you'd like to use another. It is faster than having to open your bag and pick it again.

+You are no longer limited to Unova Region Pokemon.

+It is easier to move Pokemon around in the PC. You can actually now choose whole groups of Pokemon to transfer at once.

+Every gym has its own theme! This is excellent! I hope they keep doing this for all new Pokemon games, because it really helps give each gym its own feel.

There are a ton of kool, new additions to the series this time around. So if you are wondering if you should get the sequels to Black and White, I say do it NOW!

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While HeartGold and SoulSilver will hold a special place in my heart as my favorites, Black 2 (I refer only to Black 2 in this review, though most commentary is transferable to White 2 as well) is a strong entry in the Pokemon series without a doubt,and may objectively be the best so far.

Game Freak made a surprising move in announcing "Black and White 2", as no games had ever had direct sequels before immediately visiting a new region ought to have killed the game while it was still an idea. It made it through somehow though, and I'm glad it did, because these games are packed so full of new content I have no doubt that I got my money's worth. From the new storyline to new areas to the medal system (a nod to Steam's "Achievements" and the like), there's no doubting that Game Freak took pains to make this a world worth revisiting.

All the old favorites are present (all... what, 649 of them not all catchable in-game of course) and some Pokemon come in new forms as well. The new starting area is especially appreciated, as starting off exactly the same way B/W did would have started things off on an old, expired note. Also updated is the necessity of HMs once a painful bane of a gamer's existence, they've been almost entirely eliminated from the main story, instead serving as paths to extra areas. They've really packed in the extras as well, though I'd prefer not to say much about them to keep the review relatively spoiler-free.

The game starts rather slowly as usual, and the graphics have received little update, always a weak point of the series. While Game Freak has recently started stepping into 3D territory, battle sprites and animations are as 2D as ever. Likewise, the plot is thin (though in recent games, has shown some improvement, especially in B/W and here). Those who missed out on the original B/W will not find themselves utterly stranded, as the game does a good job of filling in the gaps, though some of the nuances may be lost on them. However, combat is as finely-tuned as ever, and if you live around many other Pokemon fans, there is no end in the ways to compete. It's always a little harder on those living in Poke-isolation, and while wifi takes some steps to relieve that, the "Pal Pad" is always a burden.

Still, these are minor issues in comparison to the big picture. Pokemon has always been strong, and Black 2 is another, if surprising, improvement to the franchise.

Gotta catch em all!

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This game takes place 2 years after the events of Pokemon Black/White. I've played the Japanese version from the beginning to the end and I absolutely LOVE this game, much more than the prequel (even the games before black and white!). I also love this game enough to buy it again in English, even though I've already beaten it before.

And I'm very fond with the new characters and especially your new rival. He has great character development and feels more like a bro than anything else. I'd write more but that's where GameFAQs comes into place. Buy this game, it's very much worth it.

Honest reviews on Pokémon Black Version 2

I pre-ordered both Pokemon Black 2, as well as White 2. The story and flow has not been a disappointment in the least. All of what you can expect from the previous games has been tweaked a bit to improve the gameplay. There are a couple of new features and gimmicks, on of them being PokeStar studios which is a bit of a flunk in my opinion (you battle, and then they add a script to your battle to make it a "movie").

I have always been a fan of Pokemon games and so I know what to expect when I am purchasing. For someone completely new to the Pokemon games I would recommend this series first, I have noticed it has a bigger variety of wild pokemon early on to choose from. Pokemon HeartGold, Soulsilver and B/W are good choices as well but this game will definitely give a new player a bigger list of choices on which Pokemon they want to train.

They did not add any new pokemon in this game unique from B/W but they have expanded the Pokemon you can catch in single areas. There is a feature on your Pokedex that gives you a stamp when you have seen all the unique pokemon to an area (which is useful). With the combination of those features it allows for you to fill your pokedex with ease, as well as a quick and easy way to know where to look for a specific pokemon.

In the opposing light, this game is not extremely different from the others. If you have played the other games that have come out recently, this game is probably not going to be much different for you. If you didn't like Black or White you can assume that you will not really enjoy this one. That being said, this game is a continuation of B/W and you can link your games which has been fun. It provides flash backs and little dialogue occasionally about your previous character in B/W. For a list of the different features I would recommend looking into other reviews or using a guidebook. I have kept from them to reduce spoilers.

The story of this game is different, you will meet new characters and revisit others later on in a timeline. This game is great stand alone and I believe it is excellent if combined with your experience with B/W.

I give this game 5 stars because it has kept me thinking, even as an older player I have to have a new strategy for new types. There are some really nice new items that you can attach that will make your Pokemon more competitive. This game can have an increased difficulty which has been fun but you need to train quickly. It helps children and adults to use critical thinking on which Pokemon to use against the opponents Pokemon. I was also surprised to find out they do have some random difficult wild Pokemon that can wipe your team out if you suck... like me. Anyways.. I digress.

Enjoy!

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Yes I got both black2 and white2....I'm stupid, Nintendo take all my money but I still love their games.

By the way, my black2 was brought in Japan on the release day.(I'm Chinese and I made my travel plan to Japan base on the pokemon relase day) When I was in a huge line with all Japanese friends holding either a ds/3ds playing pokemon and wait for the new one come out, we start talking about why everyone in the world love pokemon so much.

I believe all pokemon fans have been asked the same question, Some people think the game have poor graphics and "naive" game style. They never truly understand what's fun in this game. Usually, I asked them to take a little bit of time and play the game. most people will understand why in short time.

Pokemon is just fun! For lite gamer, it has all cute pokemon and you feel relationships with them are real. even beat through the story is fun. If you are hard core gamer, no problem, Pokemon have the most creative, most competitive and most interesting battle system, and the battle tactics has always developed. pokemon is for everyone.

Now Let me talk about Black/white2

it is still gen5 of Pokemon series, if you know what that means...

It means, it is not a NEW Pokemon game. It is like yellow, you playing on basically the SAME map.

but, that story happened two year after black/white, there will be place that you know, but VERY different in details. a lot of ice is going to make secret pass which do not exist in b/w1. And just like it all time: the soundtracks are amazing!

This time when you are playing, you can catch old pokemon in the very beginning (if you remember in b/w1 you can only meet new pokemons before you beat N).

Of course there are new legendary Pokemons. All of them are awesome.

The story, for the reason to not blow the fun, I will not talk about the story. Everyone knows even pokemon game never actually have a big story, the b/w1 still made a lovely story which it much better that the old four generations. characters like N gave me a huge impact... B/W2 have the same stage, so you will enjoy the story just like b/w1. If you are huge pokemon fan and you want to know more pokemon story wise, there is a manga called "Pokemon special" that I huge recommend.

some weakness about b/w2:

1: Nintendo decided to make this game still, on the ds. So the graphic dis not improve. Personally, I'm super excited for a new pokemon game on 3DS. Hopefully release next year 2013.

2: They still didn't bring back the following pokemon like heart gold and soul silver did. I do not understand why.

3: The character we used in b/w 1. Did not have huge impact to the story.

Overall, B/W2 has all I expect to see, 5 star no question.

Discount Monster Rancher DS

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Monster Rancher has gotten a bad name in recent years due to the substandard games that have been produced in the series. Ask virtually any fan which was their favorite game, and the most common answer you would get would be "Monster Rancher 2". Well, the good news is that Monster Rancher DS plays very much like Monster Rancher 2, and this is a very good thing.

For those new to the franchise, Monster Rancher can be thought of as a cross between Pokemon and a virtual pet. Through various methods, you generate a monster and take it to your ranch where you have to carefully choose how to train it, what to feed it, and when to let it rest. In return, you can battle the monster in tournaments for money, fame, rare items, and the ability to unlock newer, more powerful monsters.

One thing lacking from previous games in the franchise was combining monsters to get a hybrid that combined the appearance of both base monsters. Lately, these monsters were simple recolorings of the base monster (as seen in the Monster Rancher Advance games), or where removed entirely (Monster Rancher 3). Combining makes a triumphant return in Monster Rancher DS, with not only different skins for the hybrid monsters, but new models as well.

All of the tournament styles we've come to know and love are included, from elimination to round robin, as are the more difficult training options that increase/decrease multiple stats at once. A new method of learning moves, called "Drills" creates an interactive board-game like experience instead of simply watching your monster succeed/fail in successive stages of errantry.

The monster list is a mixed bag, however. While we see the return of some "forgotten favorites" such as Monol and Centaur, others like Dino/Zuum are nowhere to be seen. Why the series insists on never having a "complete" monster list in a single game is perplexing, as the Pokemon games now have hundreds upon hundreds of monsters that can all be obtained in every game.

The lack of some classic monsters and more popular newer monsters, along with the somewhat random nature of what Main/Subtype combinations are allowed is the only thing that holds me back from a full 5 star review. Don't get me wrong, there are over 270 different monster combinations in this game, but it doesn't quite live up to Monster Rancher 2's "Everything combines with everything else" mantra, even if it does get almost everything else that made MR 2 great.

Its one of the best Monster Rancher games in the franchise, beaten out only by Monster Rancher 2. A must have for any Monster Rancher fan, and an excellent place to get into the series for new players.

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The Monster Rancher series has translated very well over to the DS system, bringing back many fond memories of the early titles. While it does not quite live up to Monster Rancher 2, and certain elements that were "improved upon" should have been left alone (the new exploring format doesn't quite work as well as in earlier games, for example), there is no doubt that anyone looking to relive the classic Monster Rancher experience will find it here. The new monster creation techniques are very fun to play with, the monsters have retained their capability for individual "personalities" I have one monster that is a spoiled brat no matter what, just like in the old games , and the battle system works very well. Unlike some port-type games (Kingdom Hearts comes to mind) everything on the screen is easy to read and the controls are not too cramped on the touchpad.

I would have preferred to give this four and a half stars for minor things, such as some of the smaller monsters looking very pixelated in battle scenes and how occasionally battles seem to drag on with nothing happening if both sides only have high-energy attacks. Some of the sound ballancing is very poor with monsters being VERY loud for the soundtrack, and it is occasionally frustrating to draw very different things in the generator and get the same monster. I would not say that any of these things take away from a very good game, however, and as a parent who played the originals for years I am happy I got to introduce my child to the series with this title.

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I never played the PlayStation versions, only Monster Rancher Advance and Monster Rancher Advance 2. I think this is a good next step from those versions, while preserving the feel of the franchise. The graphics are improved, and the fact that the models are other than just a change in color is a real plus, although a few of the models are quite ugly. I do not like the -ish monsters; they are useful for combining, but I wouldn't play them because they don't have faces! I was disappointed that they removed the Zuums, as they were one of my favorites to play.

I like the drills, which are a change from MRA trials. With good luck, you can raise your monster parameters pretty high in just one drill. I think the the errantry is a little bit of an improvement over the exploration, although tapping on the screen can be frustrating when he won't seem to listen. I found a lot of items when I was looking for the unlockable monsters, and they are good to sell if you don't want to use them.

To begin with, you get two ways of generating monsters, and I used both to get a good base of monsters. Later you get a third method of generating monsters. My favorite way to fill out the encyclopedia was by combining monsters. It is such an fun interface, and there is an improvement of how many monsters you can freeze at a time, so I could regenerate and combine to my heart's content.

Unlike the other versions, getting enough money to upgrade was not a problem. Some people might find that this lowers the challenge. I liked it because I was able to accommodate the bigger monsters much quicker.

This is an enjoyable little game with lots of neat-looking monsters to play. If you liked the Monster Rancher Advance games, this has a number of improvements. I am glad that I bought it!

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I was excited about this game. When I was much younger, I liked the Monster Rancher games for the PS1. However, thinking back on it, my favorite part was raiding the house for CDs to scan and to try and make a new cool monster from. The monster creation part on the DS is not nearly as satisfying. The gameplay was more dull and repetitive than I remember. Perhaps my nostalgia had just made the game more exciting in my mind, I don't know. Either way, I was disappointed, and I feel like there are more games out there now that have similar mechanics and are more fun.

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I love this game!

I've been playing Monster Rancher games since 2 was hot on the market, and this one is right up there with favorites. The concept of "drawing" your monster leads to hours of entertainment, and it's both easy and fun enough for kids and adults to understand.

It may seem really easy, but you'll be playing this game for weeks trying to collect every sub-type and get them all up to S-class. Plus the sidequests, errantries, and drills have gotten a revamp to make this even more fun!

I'd recommend this for any kid who likes the idea of monster raising :3

HDE ® Hard Drive HD CASE SHELL for Xbox 360 SLIM HDD US Reviews

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Should of done this to help the people and the seller/product out long ago.

1. It Works!

I bought a slim a couple years ago, didn't want to buy a huge hard drive because they were expensive. I googled if I could use the original Xbox 360 20Gig HD and somehow fit it to the slim. Answer popped up in 10 secs; remove the casing then slowly and perfectly fit it in the big slot in the slim. Was told to use electrical tape so that it wouldn't move around...it worked a few times then stopped. That kept happening so I just removed it and played without a Hard drive for about a year, until this gem found its way to my Amazon.com screen.

Decided to buy it and try it. I placed the Hard Drive in the case and just snapped it together, I then slid it in the slim and abrakadabra it works perfectly. It fits perfectly which is probably the reason why it wasn't working all the time before.

Some people may not need a case, but I like how mine is in a case just like the $99 hard drives out there, and I can pull it out anytime for whatever reason.

PEACE!

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Item shipped and was delivered fast. Thought it would arrive on the 21st, but received it on the 16th.

as for the Item itself.... its perfect, don't let the price scare you because its cheaper than the rest. the hard drive fit perfectly in the case and the case fits perfect in the xbox.popped my 2 drives into the 2 cases and both xbox's see the drives perfectly.

packaging was very professional and the plastic even had that sticky clear stuff on it to avoid any potential scratches.

I would definitly recommend this to anyone adding a drive on their own. matter of fact if i buy a third, i will definitly get another one of these, seller is bookmarked!!!

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Hard drive snapped right in and works great! Well worth the low cost of this item. Certainly better than springing for a new Xbox harddrive!

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Did everything it was required to.

its a simple piece of plastic.

everything fit together the way it was supposed to.

and it was cheap as balls.

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I had an original model 360 that red-ringed and I didn't want to get it fixed just to have the same issue again later on, so I bought a 4GB 360 E for GTA V(which will require a mandatory 8GB of installation space) and wanted to re-use my old 120GB drive.

Easiest swap ever, took me literally about 5 minutes. The original 360 drive enclosure has just 4 screws on the outside, and 4 on the inside holding the hard drive cage to the panel, and then the old hard drive unhooks from the cable and slides out. This voids the warranty but I bought mine from China off a popular auction site so I doubt it had one anyway, another bonus is I didn't need to use anything other than a regular Phillips head screwdriver, though I have read that the official ones require a Torx T10 for the outside screws and T6 for the inside screws. Installation into this new enclosure is just dropping the hard drive in with the label side facing up and then clicking the top cover shut on all sides. From there just open up your 360 S or E's hard drive slot and push it until it clicks all the way in and the 360 will instantly recognize the drive and everything on it when you start it up.

This is an absolute bargain over me buying the 250GB 360 E and a hard drive transfer kit. My 120GB still had 80GB free(in addition to having all my old savegames right there on it of course) and I really don't plan to play anything else on the 360 other than GTA V at this point with the Xbox One being right around the corner. It would've been an excessive amount money for an excessive amount of of space.

The only thing that bothers me is that the pull tab on the back says 250GB on it while a 120GB drive sits in the enclosure but it's not like I'll ever look at it again and for the convenience and the money this saved me, it's worth that minor OCD tax.

Sleeping Dogs - Xbox 360 Review

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I can not stress enough how generally uninterested I am in games like Grand Theft Auto, Saints Row, and other sandbox style games in a big city. I find, too often, that I get bored quickly with what there is to do and sadly the stories lack anything to keep me interested. That said,, I should note I loved Red Dead Redemption, LA Noire, and all of the sand boxing in the Assassin's Creed games. The stories and game mechanics are what get me more interested than anything else.

I expected this game to be as its peers in terms of having a relatively dull story, decent music, and fun guns/cars to play around with until I felt like I'd misspent my money. Sleeping Dogs, however, is absolutely phenomenal. I knew little about the game before I Redbox-ed it on a whim, but I was so incredibly impressed that I went out and bought it the following day. Few things these days are a release week purchase for me, especially games I had not anticipated buying or heard very little about. This game stands above and beyond its car jacking peers with a great story, tons of missions, and so many extra activities I'm not sure I'll be able to do them all.

Mechanically the game is an amalgam of an assortment of great titles. The gunplay is on par, if not smoother, with Uncharted; the brawling is as seamless as Arkham City or any of the Assassin's Creed games; and the driving is some of the best I have ever enjoyed, though I'm not much of a driving game player. The graphics are absolutely stunning and cutscenes are great! The texture quality is fantastic, and it's a game like this that stuns me completely that, visually especially, game designers are still able to do something better than the last new big thing on this generation's hardware!

I can not more highly recommend this game!

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Sleeping Dogs is a game that almost never saw the light of day, which is shocking considering how good this game turned out. Starting life as Black Lotus, a new original IP from United Front Games, it starred a female protagonist and had a lot of potential. Then Activision came in and basically said, "Hey, United Front Games, we have this IP called True Crime, so why not take the core parts of Black Lotus and turn it into a True Crime game?", and thus, True Crime: Hong Kong was born. Showing a ton of potential, True Crime: Hong Kong came out swinging with positive press and gamer reactions, then Activision suddenly canceled it out of nowhere, because they said it couldn't compete with other games in the genre, couldn't sell as many units as they wanted, couldn't crack a specific Metacritic rating, and didn't meet the standard for Activision games, even though they put out Prototype 2 this year, which isn't nearly as good as Sleeping Dogs in any category. Activision has also put out games like Blood Drive and has a new mediocre Nascar game in the pipeline. Needless to say, Activision was making up a bunch of excuses, as if their whole catalog is some masterful thing, but they only have two games out of many which are selling well, and those are Call of Duty and Skylanders. Like Tony Hawk and Guitar Hero, Activision will drive those into the ground, if they haven't already. Anyways, after a bunch of upset gamers voiced their concerns on the internet, Square Enix came to save the day, which was the greatest thing to ever happen, as described by one Sleeping Dogs developer. Square Enix allowed the game to get more polish, better publicity via game trailers and commercials, and have shown the game respect, whereas Activision probably would've just let it out into the wild and let it fend for itself. Square Enix has really shown their desire to succeed in the western game market with fantastic titles like Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Sleeping Dogs, and the upcoming Hitman: Absolution and Tomb Raider reboot.

Now onto the actual game.

Story, Voice Acting, Characters Sleeping Dogs has a lot of talent, all lending to the story, voice acting, and the cast of characters. In many pre-release trailers and previews, they pointed out Hollywood talent like Emma Stone, but just about everyone here contributes their voice talents to make the story and characters interesting and fully realized. While the story isn't original, it's done so well that originality isn't necessary. This is a game that knows what it wants to be and completely succeeds at it. This is a top notch production from beginning to end.

Graphics, Atmosphere Without a doubt, Sleeping Dogs is my favorite looking game of this kind. To compare, you have Grand Theft Auto IV and the Saints Row games, and I believe Sleeping Dogs is the most impressive looking of the bunch. While the map is smaller and surely allows for more details, it's those details that make the world feel like it's living and breathing, which adds to the overall atmosphere of this beautiful world that is yours to explore and discover all of the little secrets it has packed within it.

Driving, Shooting, Melee, Parkour The core gameplay in Sleeping Dogs offers a lot of variety. The driving is fun and arcade-like, so the handling is simple and intuitive, but it offers depth, like ramming your enemies off of the road or jumping from your car to another car and jacking it. The shooting is basic, so it doesn't offer much depth, but there is a bullet-time feature, a la Max Payne, which makes gun combat really fun, though it must be noted that gun combat is not the focus of the game. Now onto melee, which is the focus of the game, is similar to the combat in Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City, meaning it's a ton of fun and pretty stylish. In addition, you can use context-sensitive environmental attacks, allowing you to shove an enemy's head in a fan, throw him in a dumpster, impale him on swordfish, etc. It's all handled pretty gracefully and flows together nicely. Now onto the parkour, which is a real blast. Your character can climb, jump, leap, etc., so your character has real agility and makes you feel like you can get away from any bad situation or chase after those who are trying to escape you.

If you can't already tell, I love Sleeping Dogs. There's some minor draw-in or pop-in when driving at fast speeds, and there may be some tiny little issues like any other game of this scale, but every single thing that's important to the game is spot-on. This is a finely crafted world with a story to keep you interested and the gameplay to keep you having fun. Don't let this dog sleep, get Sleeping Dogs ASAP.

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I am admittedly a GTA fanboy. I play a lot of sandbox games, and I often enjoy them... but usually with the caveat "It's nowhere near as good as GTA, but it's still pretty good."

Well, Sleeping Dogs *is* nearly as good as GTA and that's saying a lot coming from me. Personally I think it's more similar to GTA IV than any other game. To many, that's an insult. From me, it's very high praise. The only real flaw I see here is that the driving is a tad wonky, with twitchy steering control. It takes a lot of getting used to. (So did GTA IV's driving, but once I was used to it I thought it was arguably the best driving control and physics outside of a few dedicated racing games. I don't see that happening here.) The fact that there's no option to switch to a first person or on-the-hood camera is an unforgivable sin. I can understand why they don't do that in Saints Row, but there's nothing stopping them from implementing it here. All of the driving mechanics would still work perfectly well, including the "Action Hijack" feature where you jump from your car to another. That's what the green arrow icon is for, after all. In the final analysis, this is the closest thing to a "major flaw" I can think of. It doesn't really make a dent in the overall awesomeness of the game. The relatively small city and lack of flying vehicles are non-issues.

The combat is more focused on hand to hand than gunplay. As I'm sure many others have said, it's pretty similar to the Arkham games. Another good comparison would be Assassin's Creed, which also emphasizes/rewards countering incoming attacks rather than simply attacking on your own.

The icing on the cake is the dialogue. The voice acting in general is surprisingly good. A lot of random dialogue is surprisingly hilarious. The kung fu instructor is a particular favorite, e.g. while you're hard at work traiing against a bunch of his students, he suggests that you previously studied martial arts at "the School of Never Winning" and that you worship "the God of Weakness".

All of that said, while I still wouldn't call these "major" flaws there are a couple of things that do annoy me a little:

* Disappearing weaponsIn this game, weapons are basically treated as temporary power ups. Melee weapons break after you use them too much, I'm fine with that. But guns just mysteriously disappear from your inventory for no apparent reason. I get what the developer was trying to do, i.e. keep the focus on martial arts hand-to-hand combat. But limiting what the player can do is anathema to the whole sandbox game play philosophy. It's about letting the player do what they want to do at all times. I can honestly say that I probably would have kept my weapon holstered and used martial arts for most of the combat, because the game has a robust combat system that's fun and satisfying. They should have trusted in that. It's just annoying that my weapons kept magically evaporating into thin air between missions. Breaks the immersion.

* Another immersion breaking problem I had was too much "warping" around the world. i.e. A cutscene plays out with dialogue which indicates where to go to begin a mission, the screen fades to black, and then suddenly I find myself halfway across the city, at the location. No, no, no. Just tell me where to go and then let me get there on my own. This is basic sandbox game design, guys.

Bottom line is that you get a nice decent sized city to mess around in, the missions are engaging with good variety (aside from standard combat "go to location X and kill person Y" there's hacking cameras, tracing cell phone calls, unscrewing air vent covers, planting bugs, etc.) the side activities are plentiful and fun, everything looks great, they did a good job on the music... it's just an excellent high quality package in general.

Honest reviews on Sleeping Dogs - Xbox 360

WOW! This is game is incredible. I just finished the story and I must say it is most impressive. I cannot recommend this game high enough. I have been playing games since the old Intellvision days and I must say this will be one of my favorites to keep in my collection. I enjoyed it a lot more than the GTA games mainly due to the fighting and in my opinion a better story. The fighting mimics the Batman games and I found myself often going out of my way to fight at the fight clubs to try new moves. Driving was fun, sometimes frustrating, but I must admit thrilled when I won a race. I liked the arcade feel of driving. The side quests were entertaining and a nice diversion.

I must admit I would have liked to see tougher enemies with different fighting styles and character models. Instead of using the same enemy types over and over again. Some other little cons are the in game GPS which can be frustrating as it does not always guide you on the shortest and direct path. Also the mini surveillance camera game should have mixed it up with different character models instead of using the same character model that you picked over and over again. It could have been more engaging as you should have watched the deal going down and then select the person to arrest with different character models.

Pros:

-Fighting system

-Upgrade system

-Arcade races

-Story

-Environmental hazards

Cons:

In game GPS system sometimes frustrating

Same character models recycled

Repetitive surveillance camera game

Same fighting moves with enemies need more diversity with fighting style and character models.

Camera view will sometimes flake out when driving around corners or backing up in traffic. Drive straight for a moment and the camera will correct itself.

Overall a must buy.

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So it seems that many popular sites are aimed at putting this title down. Hey after all we all have our agendas right. I personally think the ratings systems used by popular sites, books, etc are both money based, and biased. Enough of that though, so I will call it right down the middle.

Pros:

You can feel the amount of effort and thought that went into this game.

The world is huge, you will have plenty to do.

Fighting is rewarding because unlike Arkham you will get hit sometimes like in real life.

Voice acting, and synchronization are pretty good.

Music, has a awesome kick to it.

Side missions are okay, but what puts them above your standard side mission is because it all based in Hong Kong which makes it refreshing.

Cons:

Cars feel a bit stiff, not bad, but not all that good either.

Some things will be unclear to you. The game doesn't have a game manual to explain the unexplained.

Could have included more things to do in the world, you know things that have never reared it's face in open-world games. Come on developers INNOVATE for a change.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Review of Tropico 4

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There aren't many reviews on this game so I will try to close the gap. This game is a city simulation game in the tradition of Simcity, where the gamer is given an island to run in the Caribbean -but the tone is much less serious and much more playful. It is the only such game that I know of for Xbox 360, other than earlier iterations of Tropico. The player must manage competing factions and make economic choices regarding how his island will run. The game offers a campaign mode of loosely connected scenarios and a sandbox mode.

The player can choose a single economy type or mix and match. Basic raw materials can be produced, including logs, ores such as gold or iron, farming products such as coffee or sugar, oil, or fish. Raw materials can in many cases be processed into higher grade items: e.g. logs into timber into furniture, gold into jewelry, sugar into rum, or tobacco into cigars. Tropico 4 adds some new industries such as weapons and chemical manufacturing. There are many examples of this, and new to Tropico 4 players may import raw goods for manufacturing a substantial change. Players may also develop a tourism industry, which is always fun and provides constant income.

As players manage their economy they must also feed (the marketplace actually works now!), educate, entertain, and police their citizens. This sometimes connects directly to the economy: farm goods can be consumed or sold, and educated citizens are required to operate more advanced industry. Various interest groups compete for attention the religious faction may want churches, communists want more apartments, and the military faction may want more soldiers but you may not be able to afford all of the above right away. If you have too many unhappy citizens it will lead to higher numbers of rebels, which you can fend off by building lots of soldiers or just appeasing your citizens. It sounds complicated, but it is easy to learn.

You also have an avatar, which you can use to shorten construction times or help in fights. New to Tropico 4 you develop and level up your character attributes rather than just picking them. For example, Level one administrator gives you +2% to commodity prices (along these lines anyway), if you complete a mission with it, you will have +4%. Maximum of 5 levels.

The biggest potential problem with a game like this is the controls. Tropico has been moderately successful because their controls actually work pretty well it could be quite a bit more successful, but I think the broader Xbox 360 community simply assumes that games of this type simply don't work for the Xbox. Yet menus are surprisingly intuitive, and managing your city proves quite doable. [The Tropico 3 menus were somewhat easier I preferred using the bumpers to switch between building types; in Tropico 4, you use the stick for both the type of building and the individual building. Using two different buttons somehow made the menus easier in Tropico 3. Yet it is perfectly manageable.]

This game does suffer some programming issues. I have not had a city crash on me, but I have had it get choppy after playing for a few hours. I have the most recent Xbox and installed the game, so I do not think it is Xbox's fault. Graphically this game features more Hawaii-like weather, with more rain and varied weather. It is very pretty, and makes you appreciate the sun. There are some new disasters which are quite visually attractive. The tone of the game is always playful and never takes itself too seriously the unique, parody-like feel of Tropico is one of its hallmarks.

This game is a step up from Tropico 3. Graphics are better and gameplay is more varied and with more options, but I do wish that there were some more substantial additions to gameplay. Imports change the game the most, and the maps are generally more spacious, but I'd have liked to see a deeper international relations and trade system, or perhaps more varied maps with the option to connect multiple islands together on the same map with bridges or ferries (think Venice or Indonesia like layout). Perhaps they could have added a more serious health system requiring management of different tropical diseases. Something to distinguish it more from Tropico 3. Yet too many changes and perhaps I would be complaining that it is too different (I loved Tropico 3!). The game already has just enough complexity to make it manageable too much more and it might just be too much.

This game would sell better if it wasn't released in such a difficult season (think Skyrim, G of W 3, MW3, Bfld 3, Rage, etc. -all released around the same time). Yet I do not believe it has gotten the attention it deserves. I am a bit of a nerd and have bought all of the new releases for this gaming season; I sell back the ones I don't like after playing them for a while. I will be hanging on to Tropico 4.

EDIT 6/23/12

Tropico 4 has a fair amount of DLC, most of it only fine, but recently a rather large DLC called "Modern Times" was released for 1200 MS points. This expansion is one of the best DLCs available for the price for any game. Offering a new campaign, spanning 12 full size missions, and adding lots of new buildings, "Modern Times" has gotten me back into Tropico 4. Some buildings are entirely new like the SWAT team building or the new 7-Star Hotel, others replace the old buildings like the modern apartment building or the organic ranch. Each alter game play, and makes the game feel brand new. The population limit has been raised, and larger populations are much easier to manage with the new buildings. One scene had me watching the fireworks from "National Day" over new office buildings and skyscrapers, while dozens of balloons floated in when I enacted the brand new "balloon day" edict. It is well worth the money, and makes Tropico 4 feel like a true sequel to Tropico 3.

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I was a big fan of Tropico 3, while it took a while to learn and was a little 'convoluted' in some of the controls. This version is much like Tropico 3, but it seems like they have improved on some of the control issues and made it much easier to learn with a very useful tutorial. Over all, it hasn't changed that much since the last version but it is still very enjoyable. If you have not played older versions, then it may still take a while to catch on, but I find it addicting. I bought this out right because I knew I would like itbut if you have never played before it is certainly worth (at least) a rent before you buy.

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I am a big fan of Tropico 3 and spent many many hours playing it. Tropico 4 is virtually Tropico 3 with a large overhaul. The game is in HD, so the graphics are better. Most all of the buildings from Tropico 3 are in Tropico 4, but there are a lot of new ones, including the buildings that was on the computer expansion pack from Tropico 3 that never came out for the console version. Tropico 4 has a lot more government needs that will keep you busy through out your play time. The game is also more user friendly compared to Tropico 3. Some times the fine print is still hard to read but it has gotten better. If you like city building games then Tropico 4 is a great buy.

Honest reviews on Tropico 4

It's long been a figure of our imagination to create things to our liking. From stacking countless Lego bricks to make your own personal metropolis, to digital animation used today; or you could choose to avoid the building process entirely and become an el presidente and terrorize the citizens of Tropico Island. The options are up to you for what you want to create.

Tropico 4 by Haeminot Games has never been one to fool an audience. Tropico is real time simulator, which barrows many elements from Sim City, but brings many elements that aren't found in genre and help make it what it is today. One of the things that your easily going to like about the game is you are not invisible. Unlike other games, the citizens of Tropico Island dearly note your actions. If you end up acting like Fidel Castro, the citizens on the island will start a revolution (VIVA LA REVOULTION). Sooner or later, your military will have to suppress the uprising or else the citizen will over throw you from government.

When I first started playing Tropico 4, I killed every protester, let in ever immigrant and didn't supply enough housing for my citizens. Fast-forwarding three years in my el presidente term, my days were numbered with every citizen on the island trying to gun me down. It's these moments that make the series stand out because your actions have deep ramifications and help create a unique experience for yourself. My only gripe with this is I wish this was expanded on in the in the Modern Times expansion.

Tropico 4 finally welcomes it's self into the 21st century with the latest expansion called Modern Times and with that comes the latest goodies. New building, taller landmarks and a more traditional look that make cities resemble with what you are currently living in. If you think it was impressive how Tom Cruise scaled the tallest tower in the world in Dubai, then it's easily to do so (if you have the money of course) to create your own 21st century empire. Along with updated buildings, real time simulator fans will greatly appreciate the curved roads options to adequately customize your city. All together however, the look just feels like fancy re skin. Don't get me wrong, modern times gives the player more options from the outset and I love what it brings to the table, but the expansion fails to fix problem found in the original game.

The presentation values in Tropico 4: Modern Times are one of the biggest disappointments about the game. Either it's the Xbox 360 or the game it's self, the regardless of amount of time you spent ruling the city as el presidente. Tropico 4 fails to create a living breathing city, even though it dose a lot of things right with customizable buildings, eco friendly options and etc, but it miss a crucial part.

Citizens on Tropico Island won't appear on screen, even though you have a huge population in your city. Now to a certain extent the game dose do this, with the citizen's frequently revolting and sparking revolutions on the island, but it's still very few and far between. I wanted to see my citizens in my town crowded together, or see mass traffic jams due to the amount people on the island. For this reason alone, I felt kicked back from the experience and never was fully immersed.

Besides personal problems, the user interface on the Xbox 360 is still behind where it should be. Organize and micromanaging your city can be troublesome and frankly a pain to create your city to your liking. Rotating objects isn't as automatic as it should be, but it's still doable none else. What is going annoy most players is the of lack on screen guidance. Placing a farm in the right area can be a difficult for some because it doesn't explain what you should be aiming for and what to avoid. Now the game dose have a great tutorial system, but outside the tutorial system the game fails to teach you the proper success.

Modern Times is a good addition to the Tropico series, but the expansion still has the same mistakes. It's great that the Tropico 4 made the jump to the 21st century, but it's almost to little to late at this point. When you start digging and finding out what the expansion is all about. You will still see a game that has great potential, but is squandered by mistakes.

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Sometimes the sequels to games are not as good as the original. This is not the case with Tropico 4. I played Tropico on my PC. Missed 2 and 3, when a good sale came up I discovered this for the Xbox, and now fight with the kids for time on the Xbox! The first reviewer did a great job of summarizing what you have to do which is basically build an island, economy, people, housing, industry, transportation, and government. The graphics are great IMO. I love SIM games so this is right up my alley. My kids don't seem too interested, but my son is more the "shooter games" type, and my daughter is really not into games at all.

So for this 40 year old kid at heart I say go for it and enjoy that Xbox, not just for kids anymore thanks to Tropico 4!

NFL® Minnesota Vikings Distressed Vinyl Skin for 1 Microsoft Xbox Review

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The product is as described. The picture is a little misleading with two controllers shown but only 1 skin available. Don't know that I would have bought 1 skin for $14. My bad for not reading the ad better. The product and shipping were great, but gave it 4 stars only for the misleading picture/advertising.

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I guess i didnt read correctly but i thought i was buying my husband something nice for his xbox controller, turns out it was just a sticker.. .sticker looks nice and all but the price was way too high

Blade Kitten Review

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Due to some limitation with the engine, this game is capped at 30 frames per second. Normally, 30fps isn't so bad that's more or less what I get in Crysis, yet Crysis looks and feels fantastic on my machine. But on this game, 30fps feels WAY too low and makes everything feel blurry and choppy whenever you're moving, which is basically all the time. I gave it a few tries, but I eventually had to stop because of eye strain. The gameplay didn't seem particularly fun either (and I've read several reviews that say it's lacklustre), so it just didn't seem worth the trouble to plug through this blurfest and give myself a headache.

Maybe it looks great on a CRT monitor, and maybe different people's eyes have different sensitivies. But on my LCD monitor, it just looks horrible. I've played loads of games, and this is the the first time this has happened to me.

There's a free demo available on Steam (and no doubt elsewhere too) so I urge you to try that before you buy. I wish I did.

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I have the same problem as reported earlier the game does not activate even though the key supplied by Amazon is accepted by the game installer.

I will update if anything changes.

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Wish I could review the game itself, but all I get is the demo. It's the activation keys. Tech support at Securom tells me the key Amazon gave me wasn't valid. Try contacting the publisher. So I thought I'd try emailing Amazon instead, since I'd been working with Atari support already, and they were somewhat clueless. The nice folks at Amazon apologized for the problem, and gave me a different activation key. Unfortunately, it also doesn't work. Clearly there is some breakdown in communication between Atari, Securom & Amazon. Who, what or why that is, I can't say. What I can say is, do not to waste your time or money on this game. (purchased as digital download from Amazon)(Non-Steam version)

Honest reviews on Blade Kitten

Graphics look great, but its hard to enjoy this game when you are getting sick every 15 minutes. Don't know if the colors in the game are too bright or all the movement in the game thats causing it. I gotten sick playing First person shooter games and I never thought I'll get sick playing Side Strollers... Heard from friends they also gotten sick playing this when even though they never gotten sick before playing other games..The gameplay is not really fun either with the difficultly and frustration of fighting enemies with a floating sword...

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The game is short, the combat is simple and easy, and occasionally you will get stuck in a wall.

However, the game is a nice 2D platformer where you can go almost anywhere in the level. The focus is on exploration and gathering secret items, though you can just run through, sword swinging (which does earn an achievement if you're fast enough). It's a $5 game with a catgirl as the main character. It even has a good bit of humour. And when you inevitably end up stuck in a wall, it will move you out soon enough.

Buy Jeremy McGrath Supercross World - Gamecube

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I personally think this is one of the worst games ever. The graphcis are good but the gameplay [is not good]. It takes too long to get a stunt started, landing after going off of big jumps is near impossible, and for some reason during the race, the computer racers are able to crash into you and then keep riding, where you fall and lose positions. Try the game though, see if you like it or not. Though most of my friends and I hate it.

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This is my first Amazon.com review. The complete and utter unworthiness of this game is the motivation for this review. This game absolutely sucks. I bought it expecting "Excitebike 64" and then some, but this game does not come close. Don't even think of buying this game if you've played Excitebike 64, you'll be [angry]like me.

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Okay, so this is my first review on a Game Cube game, but it ROCKS! I enjoyed the single player and multiplayer very much. I don't really see how this game got poor reviews. I played Motorcross madness for PC, and I think this is worlds BETTER! If you have a Gamecube, or a PS2 buy this and enjoy it!

Honest reviews on Jeremy McGrath Supercross World - Gamecube

This is a fun game but the graphics bite so if you where going to buy this you should wait a while. The game its self is pretty fun so if you don't care about graphics much then buy it.

AGE 13

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...If I was you I would not buy it.The graphics are 0k,and sound is buddy.You can't land a jump ,or steer the hunk of junk.the game says you can get travis pastrana ,but you can't...

Review of Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 - Xbox 360

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I'm going to get this out of the way first: Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 is an excellent game. The character roster is expanded, the fighting engine is fine tuned to achieve a better balance, and online play is enhanced significantly from the previous incarnation. If you have friends at your palce often (or even if you don't, since you can play online), Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 is a great game to occupy yourself with. Finding the perfect three-combatant team and using their abilities to complement each other is, as always, very rewarding and fun. My personal team is Phoenix Wright/Frank West/Deadpool for laughs, and Zero/X-23/Strider Hiryu for actual rounds as you can see I used quite a few of the new characters, so they're definitely not just filler characters as some might say.

That being said, let's get to the obvious elephant in the room. This game comes just half a year after the original Marvel vs Capcom 3. Those who bought the original game (or, heaven forbid, the collector's edition) are now in possession of a useless copy less than a year after buying it. This is the latest in a long line of problematic business decisions by Capcom, who have by-and-large really dialed it in in regards to their game releases; recent games have been carbon copies and blatant cash grabs in an attempt to make as much money as fast as possible.

Though 12 characters larger, Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 is no different while other companies fix their fighting games through patches and downloadable characters (see: Mortal Kombat), Capcom has returned to its Street Fighter 2 days by rereleasing slightly updated versions of the same fighting game over and over (we're already seeing this in Street Fighter IV) something that actually led to the devastation of its fighting game franchises years back. Back when game systems had virtually no internet connections and games came on cartridges, this was defensible if not acceptable; now, with modernized game system constantly linking to the web, it's completely unacceptable.

On its own merits, Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 is a five-star game. A great lineup, a fun fighting system, and literally hundreds of hours worth of gameplay as a result of arcade, mission modes, and online features makes it one of the best fighters in recent years. Unfortunately, given Capcom's track record, I have no choice but to dock it one star for being an update that could've been relegated to DLC, and another star for coming out less than a year after the last game, making many players' previous investments worthless. Even at the $40 price point, it's still ever so slightly insulting. Still, I'd recommend a purchase if you, like me, didn't get the original upon release, or even if you did, because the new characters are honestly really great.

If you're still on the fence about this game either because you disapprove of Capcom's practices or because you bought MvC3 back in March, but still want to try out the new characters and enhanced online I say just bite the bullet and grab this game. However, once you do, send an email, snail mail, or message to Capcom's Twitter telling them that you disapprove of this kind of business practice and that they will lose you as a customer if they continue in this manner; you have a voice, use it!

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As the title speaks for itself if you have bought yourself a copy of regular marvel vs capcom 3 you don't really need this unless you really would like the 12 characters that are added.

Much like it's predecessors the characters require much time and discipline to understand and master so if you have the patience & time then this game is for you. The gameplay is very fast paced, and requires much knowledge of being able to read your opponents and being able to respond to what they may throw at you....Whether it is spamming from a far with lances (Arthur from Ghouls n' Goblins), or people comboing the living daylights out of you in a corner.

There are 3 modes included with UMVC3:

*Offline Mode: Here have you your basic Arcade, Training, Versus, and Mission mode (mission mode containing a staggering 480 combos to learn and do) at the final stage of arcade you have much to look forward to in battling Galactus and his Heralds (minions). *sidenote* there are 6 stages before the Galactus battle.

*Xbox Live: Here is where your skills will be put to the test where you can look for player matches or ranked matches, much time will be invested in training before you can plan on competing in this mode not to discourage anyone from buying this game.

*Heroes & Heralds Mode: In this mode you have 3 decks (A,B,C) each deck contains 3 slots for a card, each card has a perk that will aid you in battle where you can pick a main card for extra effects, as the name implies you pick either the heroes or heralds where you can save the earth, or takeover the earth. Each side has particular cards exclusive to each side.

Graphics:

* Nothing has changed from MVC3:FO2W, so don't look to this for improvements on graphics if it was one of your gripes about the latest installments, the style and texture of the graphics are completely appropriate for the gameplay being presented here.

Characters:

*With the original 36 characters in place UMVC3 adds 6 Marvel characters & 6 Capcom characters:

on the Marvel side you have: Ghost Rider, Doctor Strange, Rocket Raccoon, Hawkeye, Ironfist & Nova.

on the Capcom side you have: Firebrand, Frank West, Nemesis, Vergil, Phoenix Wright, & Strider Hiryu(for those that loved Strider in MVC2 you might still love Strider here)

In all the game is extremely fun and as mentioned is very fast paced UMVC3 piqued my interest and has instilled much adrenaline during each battle, it is that intense. Although I definitely don't recommend this game to those that aren't that great at fighting games and have a super competitive ego, to those people you have been warned.

*EDIT* One thing I did fail to mention as it was not an issue for me, was the lag while playing online you have little to no lag, and even before proceeding with a battle you have the opportunity to screen your opponent's connection and decide whether or not you still want to battle said opponent.

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More characters, more balanced gameplay. The online matches now have spectator mode. My only complaint is that all these features should have been present in MvC3 but hey, better late than never. Bare in mind that YOU MUST PLAY WITH SOMEONE ON YOUR SAME OR SIMILAR SKILL LEVEL or practice against the computer. Marvel is not like so many other games where a new player has a fighting chance if he button mashes or tries really hard. Spending time with this game and learning the nuances of each team really pays off. So if youre new and you jump into online matches, you will probably end up whining and crying like the little b****es that gave this game 1 star. There are NO 1 minute combos. Just sit back with some friends, and prepare to have a blast : )

Honest reviews on Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 - Xbox 360

This game is amazing! The new characters,stages,and gameplay tweaks are well worth the price.To be honest it feels like a brand new game. It actually is starting to have that mvc2 feel to it again,but with a more up to date improvements such as graphics and gameplay mechanisms. Like any capcom fighter you have to put the time in to get good,so don't expect to just be lights out right away. If they bring back more mvc 2 veterans and add some new fighters,this may be one of the best fighters ever.

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Another great PvP fighting game from Capcom! This game is essentially a more robust re-release of the Marvel VS Capcom 3 game, so if you already have a copy of that game, you don't really need this one. The only real difference to this game is the inclusion of more playable characters.

If you are not familiar with Capcom fighting games, you may be a bit surprised, at first, as to how fast-paced this game is. It is possibly the fastest-paced game I have ever played. Each character has their own signature moves and combos that must be executed perfectly and at just the right time to maximize their effectiveness. Due to the high amount of skill needed to pull off these moves, some players may find it frustrating at first. They will most DEFINITELY find it frustrating if they jump into the fray against a skilled opponent. Seeing an opponent give your character a smack-down with a 50+ hit combo that nearly vanquishes them in one assault will be more than a little intimidating and humbling. This is a game that really takes some invested time to master, and Capcom HAS included the option to play a "Simple" mode, that will allow most players to pull off some devastating moves without fully learning the controls and the nuances of the game. Once players get the hang of the game play and learn the strengths and weaknesses of each character, the game becomes much more fun to play. This is a game where there can be tremendous swings in advantage within mere moments. At one moment it could like like you're getting blown out and the next moment you could be on top. This adds to the fun of the game for me. I don't like games that are too easy or require no skill to play.

This game has three modes of play:

1) Offline Mode: Just as it sounds, this is where you play against the computer (Arcade), play against a friend (Versus), play through an advancing story line (Mission), or learn the moves of your character in practice sessions (Training).

2) Xbox Live: Once you feel as if you have an adequate grasp of the game (or have friends who are not-so-skilled that you feel like schooling, you can use this mode to go online and play against others.

3) Heroes & Heralds Mode: This mode of play was not included in the actual release, but was a part of a free download from the company to expand playing options. In this mode you have 3 decks (A,B,C) each deck contains 3 slots for a card. Each card has a buff that will aid you in your fights by boosting a stat or giving your character the ability to do something it would not normally be able to do. You can choose to be a Herald of Galactus or a Hero of Earth and you collect cards to build up your deck as you win battles. Each side has particular cards exclusive to each side.

In this game you have a variety of villains or heroes from each respective universe that you can choose to play as/against. (In a fight, you choose three characters for you "team" and you will fight against three opponent characters. You don't have to choose all characters from one specific universe, but can mix and match at will.) With the addition of 12 new playable characters compared to the original MVC3, there are a whopping 48 characters to choose from. The complete character roster is listed below, by side:

MARVEL:

New since MVC3: Ghost Rider, Doctor Strange, Rocket Raccoon, Hawkeye, Ironfist & Nova.

Previously released: Captain America, Thor, Spider-Man,Storm, Wolverine, Deadpool, Magneto, Iron Man, Doctor Doom, Dormammu, Super Skrull,M.O.D.O.K., Phoenix, X-23, Hulk, She-Hulk, Taskmaster, Sentinel.

CAPCOM:

New since MVC3: Firebrand, Frank West, Nemesis, Vergil, Phoenix Wright, & Strider Hiryu

Previously released: Ryu, Chun-Li, Dante, Trish, Crimson Viper, Viewtiful Joe, Spencer, Amaterash, Chris, Wesker, Zero, Tron, Morrigan, Felicia, Haggar, Arthur, Akuma, Hsien-Ko.

As you can see, there is an incredible diversity of characters, here. While there are a few characters that are conspicuously absent (such as Megaman from Capcom and Green Goblin or Venom from Marvel), the appearance of several characters that have never been included in a video games before was really nice to see. Each character has several alternate costumes that can also be chosen. Some of them are comic accurate and some aren't, but it's a nice little touch to add a bit more diversity to the game. I would suspect that there will be a fair amount of Marvel comics fans who will purchase this game based solely on their love of these characters. In fact, I'd say it will be a safe bet that the majority of people purchasing this game will be comic fans.

This game is a lot of fun to play, and any fans of fighting games are sure to love it. In my opinion, this is one game that is a MUST BUY title for the Xbox 360.

This game has a Teen rating due to cartoon fighting violence, a few instances of profanity (mostly from the character Deadpool), and some skimpy costumes worn by a few of the female characters (Felicia & Morrigan). I would personally say that a "T" rating is the proper rating for this game.

Reviews of Xbox Ear Force XC1 Communicator Headset

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I preordered this a few months ago, finally got it and I can finally do away with all of the regular Xbox live mics, this thing works great. I didn't need a stereo system mic as I have a wonderful surround sound system, all I wanted was a quality headset to chat with, and this is it. It is more comfortable than I expected it to be. The sound is clear and people have no problem hearing me. The boom is easily adjustable, but not flimsy. People did not hear me breathing when kept at normal distance from the mouth, and they did remark the voice quality was much more clear.

Also, I like to wear these on my right ear, although every mic pic always shows them on people's left ears. No problem because it is adjustable for either or. Wish it was cheaper than $25, but then again, I won't have to wait for Xbox live communicator and subscription packs to go on sale to always replace the cheap mics. Every other Xbox mic I have had has either quit working because of faulty wires or because of the cheap connector. This one has a solid connector that did not have to be moved around to get rid of static. The volume / mute button portion is about midway down the wire with a clip and again is quality construction.

I'm not one to spend money on accessories, especially ones that come free with the device, but this was worth it. Like they say about beds, if you're going to be using it a lot, might as well spend for the quality stuff, I'm sure my ear agrees.

Have any questions I'd be glad to answer. Will definately be buying a second one for my son.

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I wanted to replace my old microsoft headset so I decided to buy the XC1. It was a good deal and its turtle beach which is one of the best brands out there. So when I received the headset, it was comfortable and worked perfectly, but one day I try to use the headset and I couldn't hear my friends on the xbox live party. So I'm stuck with my old microsoft headset again, I'm probably going to save money for that new wireless bluetooth headset that is coming out this November. Do not get this headset, my microsoft headset lasted longer

*Update*: I ordered a replacement headset and it seems to work fine I will give an update after a month of usage

*Update 2*: So I got my second headset and its been around two months of usage and guess what it broke AGAIN! I was starting to like this headset but it broke. I don't understand I thought turtle beaches are made to last for a long time.

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I bought this for my son and he reported that it was the best headset he ever used.

After about 2 months the ear piece part (i.e. incoming voice chat) stopped working.

Very disappointing, this set (although very nicely designed) didn't last very long.

I would NOT recommend unless the company mentions something about this defect being addressed. Wait for version 2.0.

Honest reviews on Xbox Ear Force XC1 Communicator Headset

Hello from Australia!

Dream buy, with no problems at all. Packaging plastic seemed impenetrable and estimated delivery was spot on. The product itself is rock-solid, sound is perfect, very comfortable and all parts are well built.

The only reason I purchased this one was because I'm not a fan of headsets with both sides. This is not available in Australia so I took the risk. For the price it's amazing and it fullfils its promise of resting off the ear to allow me to still hear the tv/audio setup whilst listening to perfect speech from fellow gamers.

Great product, well built, the remote thingy doesn't feel cheap, audio also perfect and the price is amazing. I am getting a second for my missus as i dont want her to get any girly smell or make-up on mine.

Game: Battlefield Bad Company 2 exlusively

Gamer Tag: FlyingTunga

Hours of gaming with headset so far: approx 30hrs

If you want to hear it in action please purchase Battlefield BC2 (Xbox360) and look me up. I never play without it!

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So I've had these for probably 3 months now, no issues with anything breaking or falling apart. The mic is nice, very long boom which has always been the issue for me, I can finally talk without having to yell. Also, it doesn't seem to pick up every sound like the expensive Turtle Beaches.

I'm kind of annoyed with the volume adjuster. The volume adjuster seems to turn down the volume so easily it just brushes against my shirt and my volume's gone...this happens very often and I don't know why.

The only real issue with the headset is the two cutaways on the earpiece. I guess they're selling it as "be able to hear the game while you talk". Well..I hear the game, my fan, my dog, my air conditioner, cars passing by etc etc etc.... The one thing I have difficulty hearing sometimes is the people I'm trying to talk to. I really don't see why they put the big holes in the earpiece...I wish I could just hear the speaker, I mean, the whole reason I have this big round plastic piece strapped around my ear is to hear my xbox live party...not everything around me.

DuckTales - Remastered 360 - Xbox 360 Review

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While I can't remember too much of the original release I still had enough fondness of the game to get the digital copy of this game from XBL and am glad to have done so. The graphics have been redone incredibly and the gameplay feels a lot better then before though again hard to say if it's easier for me to play now or just how they redid it.

Also while I can't remember if the original version hard voice audio clips this new version does from most of the original cast of the series though there are a few you can tell they used different voice actors for the roles and cameos.

The gameplay is pretty simplistic to today's games as you have the basic jump and cane jump attack/swing for Scrooge McDuck to use and some of the puzzles will feel a little more easier then what we deal with today's games but still the nostalgic memories I get from playing this game more then make up for any small faults.

It'll be up to you which way to go with the purchase of the game,you can get the physical copy but I decided to go online and download it instead at a lesser price. Still a iconic and entertaining game awaits any who are willing to get it.

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Review of Infamous 2 - Playstation 3

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Infamous 2 has a pretty big set of shoes to fill after the success of the first. It seemed like it would be hard to improve upon the mechanics of the first game. Yet Sucker Punch studios managed to find a way, and produce a worthy sequel to Infamous.

GAMEPLAY

If you have played Infamous then you will feel right at home with Infamous 2. Not much has changed gameplay wise from the original except for loads of polish. Your character will keep his powers, avoiding a Metroid or God of War scenario, and earn additional powers throughout the game. Climbing mechanics, aiming, melee combat all feels more fluid and lively when compared to the original. You will explore a brand new city, take side quests and missions, find dead drops and shards... its all here all over again just with a new coat of paint. On top of new powers to unlock, Cole now has access to THE AMP which allows him additional combat moves especially with melee. To top it all off the map now has some destructible elements which add a nice bit of devastation to Cole's attacks, and goes along exceptionally well if you decide to take the EVIL path.

One thing that does put a damper on the gameplay however is the camera mechanics. This time around the camera got in my way a lot more than it did in the first installment, especially when it came to melee combat with the amp. The camera gave this really nice comic book effect sometimes, giving nice low angle close ups to the fight but it also cut off my view of oncoming danger; and sometimes when jumping would go behind a building or wall leaving me blind to my position. While not a major problem it does put a tiny damper on the gameplay

GRAPHICS

A big time improvement over the first game, and overall the game looks great! The graphics are rendered exceptionally well, and the effects of Cole's powers never looked better. The best part of all is the new city. It looks magnificent when compared to the previous. There is a lot more activity and visual effects going on that really do make the city feel more alive. It is a major improvement over the first title I feel.

SOUND/STORY

Sound wise, the game is very lively. Cole's powers have a lot more effect to them and overall the game just sounds great. Voice acting is of high quality in my book. The new voice actor for Cole at first might seem out of place, when compared with the original, but it grew on me over time. Story wise the game has a decent story, on par with the first game. Like in the original you can chose to be Good or Evil depending on your actions making for two endings and in a way; Two story arcs each leading to different sets of skill upgrades and storyline elements.

REPLAY/LENGTH

Depending on how obsessed you get with collecting shards, dead drops, side quests etc the game should take you anywhere from 14 17 hrs. Replay value is exceptionally high! Not only do you have both a Good and Evil storyline to complete, but shards, dead drops, side quests all return and then some. If you loved the first you will have no problem playing though this game twice with ease.

There is also an online element to Infamous 2 which allows you to create and play user created maps/content. While the controls and implementation of the creator do need some work (in my opinion) the level of creation available is high. Given some time expect to see some wild user-generated content online!

OVERALL A... 90%

Infamous 2 does the original game justice. It doesn't change the formula much, instead just improving upon what made the original a greatest hit; while also giving it a nice face lift graphically. Throw in new super-powers, user-generated content and online, and you have yourself a winner. While Infamous 2 is not a perfect game, it does more than enough to make itself out to be a powerful, high quality title well worth the price of admission.

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'Infamous 2' is the best video game I've played all year. It's a sequel that takes the strengths of the original game, polishes off the rough areas and injects a heavy dose of color and personality. The gameplay's more exciting, the setting is more appealing, and not since 'God of War' has there been a game that makes you feel like a super-powered badass!

'Infamous 2' puts you in the role of series protagonist Cole MacGrath, a person with electric superpowers who's done great good or evil (depending on how you play) for his home town of Empire City. After losing a battle with a super being known only as 'the Beast', Empire City is destroyed and Cole and his allies flee to New Marais (think New Orleans) to upgrade. The story is pretty straight-forward comic book fare with Cole getting involved in the conflicts of New Marais while powering up for his rematch with the Beast. The comic-style cutscenes from 'Infamous 1' are back and sharper than ever, but the real joy is the improved in-game cutscenes which seem movie-quality thanks to the engaging main characters. The cutscenes and story do change a little in 'Infamous 2' depending on whether you're a hero or villain but it's mostly towards the end of the game. The story DOES assume you've played 'Infamous 1' so interested gamers will want to start with the original game first.

The graphics in 'Infamous 2' (with a few exceptions) are excellent. While the actual graphics are a little more detailed in texture than in 'Infamous 1', the improved motion-capture makes Cole and other characters move naturally giving them an organic look. The setting of New Marais is also a big improvement over Empire City as each location looks fresh and varied with excellent use of color and details to make the town come alive. It's no Liberty City (and is a bit smaller than Empire City) but it suits 'Infamous 2's comic book world perfectly!

The audio in 'Infamous 2' is also a treat with more Bluegrass-inspired tunes to compliment the New Orleans-themed setting. The voice-work is top-notch with new voice and mo-cap actor Eric Laden (of 'Left 4 Dead 2' fame) making the character of Cole his own! Nika Futterman is also a standout as the fire-powered 'Nix'.

While 'Infamous 2' is aesthetically an improvement over 'Infamous 1' the basic gameplay is very much the same. You're still running/jumping/climbing/flying across buildings and covering and shooting with your powers. The side quests are much more varied than 'Infamous 1' but still not that complicated. The dead-drops (which I all but ignored in the original game) are now essential if you want to flesh out more of Infamous 2's story and characters. There are some racing-type missions (or 'overload' missions) on rooftops but they take a back seat to more super-powered battles in the streets. I personally liked this change as battling against other super-powered beings was my favorite part of Infamous 1 but some gamers might be put off with a more 'shooter'-minded approach. Also, the camera does get stuck sometimes (especially during the melee attacks) and while I never died as a result it did become a hassle.

The major gameplay change in 'Infamous 2' is your powers. You still need EXP to upgrade abilities (which get unlocked as the story goes), but to actually obtain a power you have to pull off certain stunts and moves with your current abilities. This makes the game much more involved in my opinion in that it makes you experiment with each power before upgrading. There's also a LOT more powers to obtain in 'Infamous 2', so much so that you have to go into your menu and assign different upgrades to different buttons. The Good/Evil powers are much more varied as 'Good' powers focus on precision and 'Evil' powers focus on destruction. For that reason alone the game is worth playing through twice!

While 'Infamous 2' won't impress detractors of the first game, it does just enough different and does it with more excitement and thrills that it'll easily entertain series fans! I want to stress that you DO want to complete the first 'Infamous' before diving into this sequel as certain story-elements may not make sense ( and hey, Infamous 1 is still a great game...which will hopefully make one kick-ass holiday bundle!!). Fans of Infamous 1 and empowering sandbox games, this is a must buy!

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...you will LOVE Infamous 2! Infamous 2 improves on Infamous 1 in almost every way.

Simply put, Infamous 2 is fun. Fun! Why?

-Satisfying combat

--The new combat system is much improved from Infamous 1, essential giving you a huge arsenal of unique powers to choose from. You will unlock different bolts, blasts, grenades, rockets, and ionic attacks (think lightning storm). You can only equip one of each type of attack at a time, but can switch which is equipped on the fly. I should point out Good and Evil paths unlock different powers.

--Combat is more difficult than Infamous 1 (I'm playing on hard), which is a heartily welcomed improvement. Enemies are tougher and your wounds don't heal as fast when you exit combat. Also unlike Infamous 1, you can challenge yourself by your selection of powers. I see myself going back and completed the game again with just weakest powers for an additional challenge.

--Stealth can play a larger role because enemies don't notice you as easily, which is nice.

--The amp! Melee combat is a blast thanks to it

--Interaction with environment means lots of ways to take down enemies

-The parkour platforming elements means traversing the city is never boring, and can be quite enjoyable

-Many many side missions to complete

-Many many blast shards to collect

-Many many powers to unlock

-Improved karma system from Infamous 1

-More random city events than Infamous 1

-User generated content. Although limited at the moment, seems to have much potential.

Negatives:

-The camera can be a bit wonky at times

-Cole sometimes falls through objects unexpectedly while climbing

-Side missions can become repetitive (but hey, there's 60 of them, what do you expect?)

All in all, Infamous 2 is an awesome blend of FPS, action/RPG, and platformer. I highly recommend it as one of the best games for PS3. But play Infamous 1 first so you know the story!

Honest reviews on Infamous 2 - Playstation 3

Just buy this game. I was a fan of the first infamous, but I felt like it just never was what it should be. THis game is the game it needed to be. THey have improved on every single aspect of this game. The beginning intro is right up there with the God of War 3 intro, and it sets the tone for the entire game. You are reminded every now and then just how far the Beast is, and hes coming for you! So many times when I was playing it, I just had to look around and take it all in. Thing is beautiful man. And the pre order dlc I got is pretty cool, the gold amp, sly cane, caveman stick, and samurai sword. WHats cool is that for all the other "amp" skins, they have their own unique electrical field when you use it. This game is a beast yo. No pun intended

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For the purpose of the review, I've played the standard edition of the game.

The game starts up with giving you an option of continuing a past inFAMOUS storyline. (As either good or evil, and will also import blast shards. I've had to format my hard drive since last beating the first game, so I'm unsure of how well this feature works) Once you've decided to continue your storyline or begin a new game, you're thrown in to a very exciting opening scene. From here on, I'll separate each major piece of the game into separate sections.

Graphics The game looks really good. The shadows glitching on the faces from the first game in the series is gone. Cole, as well as other characters have updated looks (and voices). The animations are really smooth as well. Power special effects are also really cleanly done. I have absolutely no complaints about the graphics of the game.

Audio The soundtrack to this game has a sort of overarching main melody, but is pulled off to play during separate feelings of emotion, and I have on more than one occasion gone to find the mission on a youtube video to hear the music again.

As mentioned before, Cole has a new voice actor. This is because they (Sucker Punch) have decided to do motion and facial capturing for scenes, whereas Cole's original voice actor did not have the physicality for the part. It took a few missions to get used to the new voice, but I find that it fits in just as well.

Audio effects for powers and firearms are also well done.

Controls For the most part, they are spot on. I especially love the addition of a powers quick change button. The only moments of 'wonkyness' I've experienced are in hand-to-hand combat while civilians are around. I was playing through as a good character, and on more than one occasion in a karma boosting side mission, I've hit the civilian while intending to hit the crooks. That aside, climbing controls, movement controls, and menu controls are great.

Gameplay This is the most important part, and it works incredibly well. The game's tempo runs similarly to the first one, but the substations charge differently, and in my own opinion, it is much more fun to do.

The power-ups are plentiful, and the side missions are many (60 in total!)

Part way through, you also receive an additional element as a power for Cole as well. These powers compliment an attribute of Cole's own arsenal. There are many Blast Shards and Dead Drops to find within the game, too. 306 Blast Shards, and 29 Dead Drops.

Throw this in to the fact that you can also play through at least twice, one for each karmic branch, as well as the addition of User Generated Content, and you have one really replayable game.

(Side note, while I don't agree with User Generated Content as a game attribute, it does work well with the game for extra experience and things to do. I feel as though developers using UGC as a means of adding in to a game really pulls away from the main story, or additional things that could also be fun to play with)

Total 94/100

I really do love the inFAMOUS games, and this one is a great enhancement on the first one. I find they've really fixed some things I may have had a small problem with from the first one, (Static Thrusters, to name one) I just feel as though there are some things that could have been fine-tuned (combat targeting civilians) and karma-choices lock out and potentially make a powers tree invalid if you choose incorrectly within your own game.

That aside, I definitely recommend this game to anyone with a Playstation 3.