BioShock Ultimate Rapture Edition - Playstation 3 Reviews

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If you are like me and mad late catching up with series, download the Bioshock demo off of PSN first to see if this your cup of tea. I usually avoid first person shooters like the plague. I have no interest in Call Of Duty, Battlefield or any other war crap. Yet, I was very impressed by what I played in the Bioshock demo. I was very close to purchasing Bioshock until I saw this great package was about to be released.

Take heed to the 'Mature' rating before purchasing this for little Billy or Suzie. These games may be extremely graphic, violent, bloody, and bizarre for those who do not have an open mind or the patience to understand what is going on. The rest of you will love it! A mix of survival horror, rpg elements and a fast paced shooter all blended together to make a classic series.

A perfect deal for only $30 plus tax. 1 disc, and 3 Bioshock Infinite promo stickers are included. Best to have disc auto start turned off before inserting these combo pack discs to avoid a game from automatically loading up like Assassin's Creed Revelations does with the Ezio Trilogy disc. You can disable disc auto start by navigating to Settings > [System Settings] in the XMB menu.

With disc auto start turned off, when you first insert the disc, 2 icons will appear. 1 icon to install Bioshock 1. A 2nd icon to install Bioshock 2 plus all DLC's for both Bioshock 1 and 2 which you can install separately from the disc anytime you choose. In other words, if you only want to install Bioshock 2 and then decide to install Minerva's Den, you can do so at anytime you choose.

Install times are nowhere near as long as the Ezio Trilogy pack. In fact, when you install Bioshock, you are treated to a musical loading screen playing 1950's music with interesting in game ads while the games install.

Graphics still look great and stand the test of time. The voice acting is very convincing and sets the tone for an eerie, creepy world to explore filled with various sinister, psychotic characters all with their own evil, twisted agenda. A lot of time and thought went into creating the story and the very believable city of Rapture. If you are not a first person shooter fan, give this a shot.

Here are a list of DLC's included:

Bioshock: DLC's Plasmids Pack, Challenge Rooms Pack, Bonus Museum Level

Bioshock 2: DLC's Minerva's Den, Sinclair Solutions Tester, Rapture Metro, Kill Em Kindly, The Protector Trials

SUBTITLES FOR BIOSHOCK 1:

Minor spoiler for Bioshock 1. To access the subtitles, start a game of Bioshock. After the opening plane crash scene, you will assume control of Jack who surfaces from underwater. Pause the game, select 'options' and you will see an option to turn on subtitles.

HOW TO FIX 'CONTINUE' / LOAD GAME ERRORS:

There was a common issue with Bioshock 1 and 2 where loading up a saved game by selecting 'Contnue' or 'Load Game' would result in a freeze error where your saves never load up. Unfortunately this issue still carries over to the Ultimate Rapture Edition. This happened to me recently and luckily there is an easy fix for this.

On your PS3 in the XMB menu, simply navigate to your 'Game Data' folder under the Games menu and delete all Bioshock files.

DO NOT DELETE ANY SAVED GAME DATA WHICH IS LOCATED IN A DIFFERENT FOLDER, SAVED GAME DATA FOLDER.

Once you delete all Bioshock game data files, simply reinstall Bioshock and your saves should load just fine.

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Welcome to the Circus of Values! The first two BioShock games are two of the best games this console generation has seen and now we have the opportunity to get both of them, complete with all their downloadable content, here in one package.

There really isn't anything new I can say about these two games that hasn't already been said when the games were originally released. Both are amazing story-driven FPSs that showcase some of the best imagination and creativity in video games. The graphics were great for their time and still hold up well today but will show their age when compared to some of the more recent game releases. Since so many reviews have already been released about the original games I am going to instead focus on the extra content that is included. If you are on the fence about the games themselves, I would encourage you to view the reviews on the original product pages to get a better understanding of the games.

!WARNING! These games have great stories and it would be a shame to have them spoiled for those of you new to the series. A few inconsiderate reviewers will contain details that will spoil the story for you, so proceed with caution!

Bioshock

Bioshock 2

Now on to the added content!

The DLC is included on the disc which means no codes to enter and nothing to download. The case says 22 GB are required to install all the content but its not one huge install; you can pick and choose which pieces of DLC to install and each has to be installed separately.

The first BioShock comes with the Plasmids Pack, the Challenge Rooms Pack, and the Bonus Museum Level. All content is single-player; there was no multiplayer in the first game. While all the DLC from the second game is installed separately, the DLC for the first is installed in one package. This isn't that big of a deal since most of the DLC included is for the second game anyhow.

The Plasmids Pack isn't really worth mentioning; this was a free update that anyone with an internet hookup had access to. This patch/DLC brought in a handful of new Plasmid powers and added new trophies/achievements. While this update was free of charge, its convenient to have it on disk and not have to download it.

The Challenge Rooms pack were three independent levels that were separate from the game's story and originally only available on the PS3 and now 360 owners get to enjoy them for the first time. The name says it all; they are rooms with a challenge. Sometimes puzzle-driven, sometimes combat. They aren't really a necessity to fully enjoy BioShock; they're a nice bonus but easily done without. The Challenge Rooms originally released for $9.99 and come with their own set of trophies. Unclear at this time if the trophies were translated to achievements for this edition but I would assume so.

The Bonus Museum Level is a great addition for the big BioShock fans out there. Unfortunately, there's not much to it. It consists of one medium-sized room with several "exhibits" and concept art lining the walls. Here we get to see the different ideas that were played around with and ultimately scrapped before the game was finalized. Walking up to each piece provides a small description in paragraph form. Its nice to see actual detailed 3D models of these ideas, but without any movement or sound they're simply lifeless statues that you will quickly get bored with. Even the biggest BioShock fans will spend a limited amount of time in here; I consider myself one of these fans and I was out after 20 minutes. Very interesting and a nice bonus, but I doubt I'll go back anytime soon.

The added content for BioShock 2 are the Sinclair Solutions Tester pack, Rapture Metro map pack, Kill'em Kindly mode, The Protector Trials, Minerva's Den, and a Character Pack (apparently not mentioned on the case). Assuming that you're interested in the multiplayer aspect of the game at least somewhat, there's a lot of value here. Being that the game is nearing its 4-year anniversary, its understandable that the multiplayer has fallen off quite a bit from where it was. Many of the modes are simply impossible to find games for without setting them up yourself with invites to friends and the "players met" list. Most of the action takes place in the Civil War mode, which is simply Team Deathmatch. Getting into a Civil War match is fairly easy, but there are times when it will take a few minutes to find one. Also, without dedicated servers you're left at the mercy of the host. That means if they have a horrible connection you might see some lag and if they leave the game you're forced to return to the lobby to restart the match. I don't see lag too much, but be prepared for a host leaving every so often. Still a lot of fun and there's always hope that new players will emerge with the release of the Ultimate Rapture edition. Time will tell, but for now be warned; while playable, the multiplayer is far from thriving.

!NOTE! IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PLATINUMING THIS GAME, PLAYING MULTIPLAYER TO LEVEL 40 IS REQUIRED. This isn't impossible but will require about 15-30 hours depending on your skill level. I'm a fairly decent player and it took me around 22 hours.

The Sinclair Solutions Tester pack added a level cap increase to the multiplayer from level 40 to 50. Two new playable characters and 5 masks were added along with a third upgrade option to all weapons. The pack released for $4.99.

The Rapture Metro map pack features six new maps that you will likely never play. Seriously... if one person enters the lobby without this map pack then these maps are excluded from the rotation. Finding a lobby full of people with this map pack is next to impossible. The best way to ensure you see these maps (other than setting up a private match by yourself and roaming around) is to set up sessions on gaming forums. There are trophies tied to this pack, but as with all DLC trophies, they aren't required for the Platinum. This pack also included the option to "rebirth" at level 50, allowing you to start over at level 1 (like prestige in COD). The map pack released for $9.99 and had three new trophies/achievements.

The Kill'em Kindly mode is simply a melee only game mode for multiplayer. This was offered free of charge to anyone with an internet connection so again, this was mentioned only because its now included on disc without the hassle of downloading. Remember when I said most of the action took place in Civil War? Guess which game mode you won't be playing much of...

The Character Pack is the last multiplayer content and it wasn't mentioned on the case. It includes two playable characters that were originally only available for those that pre-ordered the game. The pack eventually released for $1.99. (And just to be clear, when I say "playable characters" I mean skins. There is no difference in stats or weapons available from one character to the next and choosing one from another is purely for cosmetics, though they each have their own set of one-liners that they spout off during the match.)

The Protector Trials is a single-player horde mode that contains somewhat of a side story. In each level you must protect the harvesting little sister from a wave of splicers. You are graded on your performance on each level and, much like the Challenge Rooms from the first game, your arsenal is pre-selected making you strategize accordingly. It released for $4.99 and had seven new trophies/achievements.

Minerva's Den is more of a traditional single-player side-story offering that is probably the best content included in this package. I don't want to go into too much detail for the sake of spoilers. It will probably take you anywhere from 2-6 hours depending on how your playstyle is. It released for $9.99 and had eight new trophies/achievements.

CONCLUSION

Now, after all that you can see that this Ultimate Rapture edition is a great value but more for new players that have never experienced the BioShock series or for huge BioShock fans. If you've played the games before but don't consider yourself a big fan then its safe to pass. For those of you getting pumped over the new BioShock: Infinite that's releasing soon, an exclusive pack of 3 collectible stickers are included. As mentioned by other reviewers a HUGE chunk of hard drive space (22GB) is required to install all of the content, HOWEVER... you are not required to install everything all at once. Meaning that if you are limited on hard drive space you can always install one game and play it, then delete it before installing the second one. This will cut that 22GB size down substantially(When checking my folders it seems BioShock measures in at just over 6GB including the DLC. BioShock 2 is 9.3GB for the game and just over 4GB for all of the DLC. Even if you include save data we don't reach the 22GB listed on the case, but its close enough).

Also, if you like the BioShock games and enjoy reading, be sure to check out John Shirley's prequel to the series. A great read if you're a fan!

Best Deals for BioShock Ultimate Rapture Edition - Playstation 3

First off, these games are amazing, and with all the DLC included (on disc, no codes included), this bundle is a steal.

Now, both games and the DLC are all on one disc ( a dual layered Blu-ray disc to be precise). Once you insert the disc, two icons will appear, one for "Bioshock" and one for "Bioshock and Bioshock 2 Additional Content". When you start Bioshock 1, the only thing you have to install is game data, which is about 5GB. When you choose the "Bioshock and Bioshock 2 Additional Content" icon, Bioshock 2 and all the DLC for both games will be listed. Unlike Bioshock 1, Bioshock 2 (the entire game) has to be completely installed, which amounts to 9.4 GB of space. The DLC has to be installed as well, which is about 5.6GB all together.

Adding all three totals together, it's really 20GB instead of 22GB, but it's still a lot.

Despite all that, this is a great bundle, and at $30, it's one that should not be missed

Honest reviews on BioShock Ultimate Rapture Edition - Playstation 3

There's not much to say about Bioshock that hasn't been said before: it's an awesome franchise (so far) and the story is VERY good (among the best I've seen); it's one of my top recommendations for video games. Still, it may not be for everyone: its a survival horror (think Silent Hill or the first Resident evil) in first-person view, but with a much more immersive story well sewn into the gameplay.

True Story's user review recommends downloading the demo before buying and I agree completely, because the game compels you to think stategically: in normal difficulty you'd be mostly fine just taking cover and shooting, but in the higher difficulties (or when aiming for the platinum torphy) you'll be slaughtered if you don't use every part of the environment to your advantage (and I do mean EVERY PART, as the game is designed for this)... Unless you play in the easy but not-so-enjoyable difficulty.

If you don't care much for serious storytelling, scarce resources, startegic thinking over bullets flying, and sensitive moral questioning, you'll not enjoy Bioshock to its fullest.

Anyroad, is this Ultimate Rapture edition (URE) worth it? Maybe: some factors may strongly influence the decision depending on what you're looking for. One thing, though: only Bioshock 1 comes in disc version; Bioshock 2 MUST be completely installed in the HDD, so if you're the kind of user who downloads most of your games into you PS3, think well about available room in your PS3 (about 20 Gb) before buying this bundle.

One kind of gamer I picture buying this is someone that hasn't played Bioshock before but is interested in it or has played it (either through a lent copy or through the demo) and liked it. They should actually get this edition, for Bioshock 1 will most likely absorb them so much they'll crave the sequel (and probably the prequel in book format: BioShock: Rapture) AND the DLC, because Minerva's den gives more story background, so why not get it all in one shot? Probably the continue glitch (see below) won't apply to you (just install the DLC for Bioshock 1 before beginning your playthrough).

Other kind of gamer I picture is the collector of all things Bioshock. This one has the collectors edition of the three Bioshocks, so, who are you kidding? You need this to complete your collection regardless of the very few new things it will give you (the stickers and the Museum).

But maybe you only have Bioshock 1. Then this could still be for you, as it inlcudes almost all the DLC (see below) available. Even if you've played both games (either finished them or not) but not own them and think this is a good deal to get them, you're probably right, though only the first game comes in disc format. Bioshock 2 is a digital version of the game (like the ones you donwload from the PlayStation Store). If this is your case, keep in mind there's an issue with the PS3 URE where the load screen freezes when you choose to continue or load a save file. Delete the game data (not saved game data, mind you) from your PS3 and install the game again to arguably fix this. It works, but when you install the DLC again, the problem will be back. This stems from the fact that the DLC for Bioshock 1 seems to conflict with pre-DLC save files (I don't know if the same happens with PS Store-downloaded DLC), so deleting game data and installing again reverts the game to a pre-DLC status, thus allowing you to use your save files albeit without DLC, which means that if you want to keep your save files, your URE DLC won't work. Looks like the "real" solution consists of starting a new game after installing URE DLC because, somehow, the save files don't conflict with downloaded content if you created the save file AFTER installing DLC (?). I did it and worked fine, but I only played the first level, so I can't say it's a permanent solution. I had already finished the game (platinum trophy included), so it's no big nuisance, but consider this if you haven't finished it and were thinking to do it on URE from a previous save file: either finish first and install DLC later or begin anew after installing DLC. This seems to be only a problem for Bioshock 1 (I checked for Bioshock 2 and everything works fine).

If you already own Bioshock 2 but not Bioshock 1 nor any DLC, this is a good buy. If you own Bioshock 2 and the DLC, better get the first game and Challenge rooms separately (unless you're willing to cough up $30.00 for one game and three stickers).

IF YOU HAVE BOTH GAMES BUT NO DLC, DON'T BUY THIS (unless you're a hardcore collector of Bioshock). It's better to buy the DLC directly from the PlayStation Store, as I will now explain.

The Plasmid pack will likely be irrelevant for PS3 because it was always there and it was made for Xbox 360 users, who didn't get it when the game came out (NOTE: this is just my memory speaking and I haven't been able to confirm this with online research). The Museum isn't a real playable level: it's just an in-game big room with 3D renderings of some of the content from the "Bioshock: breaking the mold" art book with new captions. The DLC for Bioshock 1 includes the New Game Plus feature (use your overpowered character from the beginning of a new game) for unlock when finishing the game (use wisely, as no trophies are awarded in NGP and, again, if you already finished the game, beware of the continue glitch, as deleting game data will wipe the memory of you having finished already).

That said, here's the total cost of the DLC from the PlayStation Store:

Challenge rooms: $9.99

The Protector trials: $4.99

Minerva's den: $9.99

Sinclair Solutions tester: $4.99

Rapture Metro & Kill 'em kindly: $9.99

Total: $39.95, which still makes "Over $40 of add-on content" an overstatement (would be true with base DLC prices plus the characters pack; see below).

If you think this is a good deal for the DLC and stickers alone, you'd be right, were it not for another option available: the $24.99 Bioshock 2 DLC bundle from the PlayStation Store that includes all of the above (save the Challenge rooms, which are Bioshock 1 DLC) AND the Exclusive character pack (two additional characters for multiplayer; $1.99 if bought separately). If you throw in the Challenge rooms pack ($9.99), you'd be spending $34.98 for the same DLC as in URE and getting two extra MP characters not included in URE. If you're looking to net the DLC alone, URE is only $4.98 cheaper with the Museum and the three Infinite stickers, but no characters pack (or a mere $2.99 if you buy the characters separately), so in my opinion you'll be better off with the $34.98 PlayStation Store option.

And then, there's me... I got this because I physically hate my Greatest Hits versions of both games (the red case doesn't appeal to me), because of the DLC, and because of the stickers, but there's something weird: for some reason, if you already own Bioshock 1 and want to play from the URE disc, you'll have to install the game all over again (if you use your regular version you'll only face a short install for the Challenge rooms). I thought this was because of some sort of "specific-disc-linked data", but the first time I played Bioshock 1 was on a disc a friend lent me and when I got mine (the Greatest Hits edition, :S ) I didn't have to install again, so I'm clueless as to why this happens with the URE... And there's the continue glitch, but still, for me, those are no biggies.

In all, if you don't own any Bioshocks and want to, this is for you (four stars). If you're a hardcore collector of Bioshock, this is for you (nevermind ratings). If you only own the first (or second) Bioshock AND no DLC, this is still for you (three stars because of the continue glitch). If you own both games but no DLC, this isn't for you.

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there are comprehensive reviews for both games elsewhere, so i will limit this review to this edition and its contents.

but that being said, both bioshock 1 and 2 are truly amazing gaming experiences.

this edition is a stellar value, no question. some of the dlc was previously available, some was not, but one thing that is totally new is the addition of STICKERS!

first off, all dlc is ON DISC. this is great news for those folks who are not fans of psn codes.

here is what is included:

bioshock1

plasmid pack

challenge room pack

bonus museum level

bioshock2

sinclair solutions tester

rapture metro

kill 'em kindly

the protector trials

minerva's den

3 stickers from the upcoming bioshock infinite

the stickers are a little lackluster, to be honest. i was really hoping for some of the vigors (murder of crows, anyone?) or even the beautiful concept art, however what we get are three stickers (about three inches by four inches) showcasing the following:

monument island

the first lady's aerodome

hall of heroes memorial giftshop

the real silliness involved in this set is the amount of time it takes to install. if both games and all dlc's can fit on one disk, i mistakenly thought install for everything would be a one-step snap. WRONG. just about every item must be installed separately, with some things taking an inordinate amount of time to do so. bioshock one took about twenty minutes (not a huge deal), however bioshock two took nearly an HOUR. this is easily the longest install i've ever seen...which is odd, because i already owned both games, and neither took so long to originally install. that being said, i recently upgraded to the 500gb ps3, so i know it isn't the system.

the box says the game/s require 4997mb of space...however looking at my ps3 i am more than a little confused. bioshock 2 installed to my ps3 game folder, and that game alone states 9343mb. and if bioshock2 installed directly to my hard drive, then why didn't bioshock1? color me confused on this one for sure.

all technical installation nonsense aside, i am super pleased to have the new content, and i will certainly be playing through both games again to experience as much as i can. bioshock1 holds the honor as my personal favorite gaming experience of all time.

i will update my review after i have seen how all the new dlc plays out. be warned: some of the dlc is multiplayer only. my only experience with the multiplayer aspect was not such a fun experience. i guess i was late to the multiplayer experience and was killed literally seconds after entering the game by other folks. that happened three times in a row before i decided that maybe it wasn't for me. i will probably give it another try in hopes that the online community has gotten less kill happy with the newcomers.

you really can't go wrong with this set. i would pay full price for bioshock1 all over again, let alone to get all this new dlc, PLUS the second game and the new dlc available with that. if you are on the fence at all, i'd encourage you to sieze this opportunity.

Review of Deadliest Warrior: Ancient Combat - Xbox 360

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As an arcade release, I was never interested in this game. Fighting games are not my forte. Once I saw that it was a full disc release, the collector in me wanted to add this to my wall. I am not a fan of fighting games because I suck at memorizing fight patterns, move lists, and combos. That said, this game is a fun addition to my collection. The graphics and physics are solid. This is a fun game to bust out with a few people over as you can turn in games quickly and it's different. Given the fact that it's cheap, it's even better. Definately worth the

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Review of Monopoly Tycoon - PC

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This isn't a bad game. I tend to use the full range of stars for reviews, so truly fantastic items get fives. Threes don't mean the game isn't worth your time, it just might not be your taste.

Positives: A well thought out spin on the classic monopoly game. All the elements are there. Railroads, properties, color groups, hotels, and of course, monopolies.

Looking for a competitive game that won't drain your whole afternoon? Want to know exactly how long the game will last? This game can be played with definite limits. A plus for those who have time windows to play in.

Differences: The game isn't so much about controlling the whole gameboard (in this case a city) or driving others to bankruptcy. Instead, you play against others in a race to complete the goals of the scenario. This might be overall sales, empire value, or election to mayor. Some scenarios do pick off players one at a time (in a Weakest Link style fashion), but this doesn't mean that player went bankrupt, just that they were in last place in some fashion when voting was conducted in the town by its "citizens".

Negatives: Marketing fluff This isn't really a sim, but a complex game. To call this the world's first competitive sim isn't anywhere near the mark. Rollercoaster Tycoon is more of a traditional sim, and Simcity more so. This is definitely a souped up boardgame that is complex enough to require a computer to model it. Second complaint, this game has nothing to do with Rollercoaster Tycoon (Chris Sawyer). The folks at Deep Red have made a great game, but the association by the publisher ("brought to you by the folks who brought you") is plain irresponsible. That's like saying Activision "makes" Quake.

Depth: The game seems to have a lot of different strategy. I have gone down several paths to win scenarios. In other words, I don't feel like I've played the game out, yet. The Computer AI is challenging, but doesn't seem to practice the same depth of strategy I do. You get the feeling you can manipulate it. Online play may be a key here (haven't played online as of this writing).

Overall, I find this game fun and challenging, with enough variation to allow for subtle strategy changes mid game. Some people ARE reporting lockups and freezes on the community boards, but its unclear whether something is really wrong with the code itself, or these are jsut isolated issues. I myself am not dropping a warning on this for game stability.

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Update: This will not play on Vista/Windows7 unless you disable the music/sound in the game menu. Which is disappointing because it's cool when the decade changes...the music changes to suit that decade. You may also have to right-click on the icon, choose properties, Compatibility and change to XP SP2.

Monopoly for the PC has been out for some time, so I don't know why the complaints about how this "isn't Monopoly". What's so exciting about regular Monopoly that take hours to play?

This game is fast pace and cut-throat. I can just imagine what the multi-player is like. Being that I haven't played that yet, I'll just stick to the single-player. It has the familiar game pieces (as their 3D representative character) and blocks. The premise is similar, but with a twist. Instead of hopping around a board via die roles, you pick a block and start building. The single player gives you progressive challenges each with 3 difficulty levels. You only need to complete the easiest level to progress to the next. You also have railroad and utilities that you can buy in some scenarios.

In single mode, you are pitted against 2 computer challengers and get scenarios such as "Be the first to make $2,000 in 1 day of business." This is where the "sim" comes in--you're not only building a wide array of shops, you're trying to build what will draw the consumers and shut out the competition. You poll the people in the neighborhoods near where you want to build to find their desires, which change over time. Fill a block with businesses and take it to auction--if you outbid the others, all of your stores get free rent/utilities for a period of time so that your bottom line grows. The game starts in the 1930s but ever 1 "day" is a five year advancement in time and you gain the ability to build new business that weren't available in the previous time period. Fads come and go so a store that was popular in the 1940s may not be in 1960s. That's okay because you can renovate and change the type of business it is.

If it sounds like you get bogged down with all this, don't worry, you don't. You don't have time as it's very fast paced. Building is a matter of choosing a business type and dragging the mouse over x-number of squares and it zooms to completion immediately. The larger the building and/or the nicer the frontage, the more it costs. You can also sell off businesses that aren't doing well or change them into a different business. You have day businesses and night ones so you have to pick your building time well. Money comes in from customers, but goes out when it's time to re-order supplies and pay rent at 6 a.m. Also, you want to keep an eye on your cash levels and those of your opponents so you can send your block to auction at the best advantage for you.

Like the traditional Monopoly, you can get "Chance" cards, some good, some bad. No passing go or landing in jail, though. One thing that's a neat touch is that the music changes to the appropriate period as you move through the decades.

The only things that can be frustrating is the auctions--the characters can be tediously the same. (If you decide to quit the auction, you can click a button and speed up the pace. I wish it would just do that itself instead of bidding continuing to come from the computerized opponents.) The other thing is that it takes you through specific challenges--you're not just allowed to play a regular multiplayer against the computer (at least at first--I haven't finished all of the challenges.) The scenarios do help you get started if you didn't do the tutorial, but it would be nice if you could pick and choose which ones you want to play instead of forcing you to complete each challenge before moving on to the next.

All in all, they've kept true to the idea of Monopoly, but have given a new spin to an old game.

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Monopoly Tycoon is significantly different from the Monopoly board game we've all played, so even if you liked the original game, you might not like this one. Monopoly Tycoon is a real-time strategy game where the object is to build up city blocks and satisfy the needs of the city's residents in order to win. The pace is fast, and the computer opponents know the rules and play hard even on the easy difficulty level.

Let me point out that you CAN play games against the computer without playing a scenario. I've read reviews that say this is impossible, but they are mistaken. The game allows you to host a multiplayer game with up to five computer opponents. You can also select various types of win conditions. Even though you are hosting a multiplayer game, if you want to play by yourself, simply start the game without any human opponents. Simple. But be warned; when playing multiplayer, you cannot pause the game nor speed up the clock.

There are a lot of positives to this game. I've had no problems installing or playing the game, and I only have a Pentium III/500 Mhz. The graphics are excellent -true 3D with easy camera controls, wonderful lighting effects, night and day, cars and people that move about the streets, and more. The environment really makes the game -it is well done and fun to look at.

Unfortunately, you don't spend much time looking at your creations. You're always on the lookout for new business opportunities, which typically means identifying a need for a given block (for example, your citizens might want a grocery store) and then building the appropriate store to service that need. Repeat indefinitely. You rarely have time to sit back and appreciate what you've built! The game does have some time-saving features that become easy to use with practice. But ultimately I found myself wishing that I had some time to enjoy my city.

There's some fun buried beneath the surface of this game, but it won't appeal to the average gamer. Unless you like economic warfare mixed with real-time strategy, this game probably isn't for you. And it really doesn't bear much relation to Monopoly. But it's still an innovative game, and it's certainly fun to look at -when you feel you can spare the time just to look!

Honest reviews on Monopoly Tycoon - PC

The guys at Deep Red have done it again. The last time I was driven to write a review was when I had lost an entire weekend playing Risk II, created by the same bunch that have developed this little gem.

If you're into tycoon games or the best of the Sim games, you will surely love this baby. It will blow your Monopolies clean off! I've not long had my copy because I had to import it, but I've barely stopped playing it since I tore the pack open.

The AI provides great opposition, the 3D is genuinely gorgeous, the learning curve is nice and shallow, the entire game oozes quality from the moment you install it. I've just finished playing 10 hours straight over a LAN with my girlfriend. She's got bigger monopolies than me but boy, did I have fun beating her, and winning the race to be Mayor. The scenarios are so varied in this one all of the citizen's of the city vote each day for the player that they want to be Mayor. How cool.

I guarantee, if you're like me, it will turn out to be the best 40 bucks you've ever spent. Be quick though, it seems to keep selling out. I guess that's confirmation of the fact that this is one awesome product.

Way to go, Infogrames this is your best yet!

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Monopoly Tycoon - PC

There is in computer games (as everywhere) an attempt to mine existing licenses for extra cash. That's why you get things like "Clue: The Movie" and "Lord of the Rings: The Dental Floss". The results of this are often tedious and atrocious, keeping the wrong elements while discarding the stuff that might be fun. Developer Deep Red has gotten it right with "Monopoly Tycoon" by keeping the property names and a few key concepts of "Monopoly" and combining them with business simulation concepts and real-time action as found in "Roller Coaster Tycoon".

First thing to keep in mind is that this is NOT Monopoly-The-Board-Game nor even Monopoly-The-Computerized-Version-Of-The-Board-Game. It's a Real Time Strategy game, and time moves rather quickly. It requires far more "twitch" than, say, Roller Coaster Tycoon or Trevor Chan's marvellous (but far more complex) "Capitalism" series.

It's also a business simulation: You can buy property, build hotels and apartments, and even the railroads and four utilities (Gas Works and Telecoms are added to the board game's Electric Company and Water Works)--but most of the time you're surveying the people of the city, building businesses, and adjusting prices when your competitors try to undercut you.

A few things make this work: A good selection of scenarios with different goals; pleasant, fully 3D graphics which capture the flair of the board game, AI which does a pretty good job of thwarting the obvious plans, and brevity, brevity, brevity. You =can= play a long game but the scenarios are mostly on the short side and it's possible for a game to swivel back and forth between players rather dramatically.

The titular "monopoly" itself carries over nicely from the board game: With it, you can build hotels AND it allows you take over a competitors' businesses. (You can do that without a monopoly, too, but it's drastically more expensive.)

There are downsides: the overall coolness of the 3D presentation is offset by the rather bland building graphics (where every store more-or-less looks like every other), the musical score consists of one short-ish (albeit good) track, the vital data you need to get to quickly is spread out in a couple of places--and this seems to stem from the developers' desire to make the game a little harder--and some things about the mechanics are not entirely clear (again, perhaps from the same desire to make the game harder).

But, all-in-all, as a short diversion, Monopoly Tycoon is pretty sweet. It's a shame that a sequel is so unlikely.

Reviews of Skate - Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:

Without a doubt this is the most realistic bad-a$$ skating game out there. I could go on and on about how realistic this is in style, sound and intuition, but you'll just have to see it for yourselves. I am 31, and this had me so pumped up I actually busted out my old skateboard I hadn't been on in 4 years and hit the local skatepark, it's that good. If you were like me and were restricted to curb grinding and sluggish rail slides on wooden park benches, but always wanted to do the big boy stuff... buy this game. It will bring back great memories. Absolutely outstanding!

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A new series, walking into the mouth of a lion, skate is one of the most innovative and fresh games in the genera. A new control scheme paired with amazingly detailed graphics and challenging game play make for a sure buy if you're a fan of any extreme game series.

First and foremost, if you have a obsessive personality or are a perfectionist stay away from this game, because you'll not be getting any sleep. For everyone else the new flickit controls have a very hard learning curve, but after 15 minutes you should get the hang of it. A few problems with the controls plague this game, its super frustrating to hit the tiniest bump and have your skater turn around in the opposite direction but this is minor in a sea full of awesome.

The story doesn't have a lot of variety but what it does have is entertaining and enough to keep you going to the end.

Overall a solid game with room for great improvement that will leave it on the top of the ramp compared to everything else in the long run. Go pick this up if you've enjoyed other skating games, or if you want to try something new that will leave you having great times for a long time.

Best Deals for Skate - Xbox 360

To be truly honest, I do not know where to start this review whether it's the smooth gameplay, the interactive environments, the realistic controls, the media,or the way the game just develops a true and realistic skate community is beyond me, but EA does it no less with style and accurate precision.

I got a quick glimpse of this game a couple of months in advance due to Ign.com in depth review along with some other sources. Ign was not exaggerating when they said, "It's hard to imagine ever going back to a regular action sports game." They are absolutely right in the sense that Skate changes the entire standard for actions sports games; moreover, they are still innovating and growing. But enough of the blabber and i'll get down to the nitty gritty and convince you Xbox 360 owners why this is a must own for new comers of the genre or for the stubborn skateboarders who refuse to let go of their Tony Hawk Franchise.

Right when you start your career mode your going to notice right off the bat how EA designed a beautiful world made not only for people who actually skateboard but for people who even might be remotely interested in buying an Xbox 360 because this game shows off the console's true potential. If it's not the scintillating sun igniting the crisp and smooth cement or the vibrant trees capturing mother nature at it's finest, skate regardless got my attention immediately. The minute you press that A button you feel like your truly are skating through a limitless environment because the truth of the matter is you will always discover something new. The second the wheels start turning you'll feel the motion of a real skateboard, Ea somehow renders this game into a skateboard simulator, (Well, maybe a slight exaggeration, but not far from it) The sound also contributes to the authenticity of a skateboarding game, between the ollie or the metal axel grinding against a steep stairway rail or possibly a 30 ft ledge next to a set of 20 stairs, you name it EA delivers with style. Now the controls of course are not easy to get used to especially if you have been playing the Tony Hawk Franchise for quite some time including myself. But let me tell you the gameplay is so innovative and different that it truly becomes addictive and fun because just when you think you've mastered some basic flip tricks there are plenty of more to complete. The true icing on the cake is when your finally able to kick flip or heel flip on command because the motion of the skateboard actually coincides with the analog stick. Its amazing. The way you position your board or the way you set up for a grind is the way you really do this in real life. If my explanation is still not good enough for you let me provide an example, lets say you want to execute a backside tail slide, something basic, (well in the video game world ) ok? In the Tony Hawk franchise you would approach a rail, a curb you name by either holding the left directional pad and pressing the "Y" button; however, in skate you align your board by holding down on the analog stick, (the harder you hold down, the bigger the ollie) then simply ollie slightly out or on angle to get the tail of the board to land on directly on the tail. You execute by just releasing the analog. For a video game they truly imitate the motion of a skateboard. Now they are so many skate spots inundated with slick ledges, skate buddies, rails you literally will be in awe and quite possibly might faint with anxiety. trust me you won't know where the hell to begin, but thats a good thing considering this game will keep you occupied regardless of the challenges or the rankings. Im just simply talking about free skate.

The challenges are incredibly innovative and incredibly challenging with some of the pro's giving tips as well as some tutorials such as Jason Dill teaching you how to manuel or to kick flip out. These challenges are also for you to deicide to engage in maybe you want to free skate the environment and you want to step up your reputation in the skate community go right ahead, no pressure. Or Maybe you want to hangout with some of the fellow skate buddies by impressing them with your new skills. oh yeah did i mention you can capture yourself with the fun editing option that Skate provides. Sure, you want your footage to have a retro 80's style or maybe you even want to show it off to the rest of the world by uploading it in the xbox live community, Bingo! EA's got you covered. Now the skate world is so vast that you could get some exercise by going on classic foot, but this is SKATE you can just take the subway. Literally, skate to the subway station, 8 second loading screen pops up and your in the heart of the downtown financial district where you skate the city for hours and hours without any redundancy. Sure some skate spots might be restricted in terms of security, (for example, the hospital) a security guard will run after you, meanwhile you'll be popping nollie hard flips in his face, but thats called realism and that where Skate succeeds in every aspect in this game, it truly is amazing; And if you think you can just automatically skate on any ground without falling, YOUR WRONG. Try skating into a curb, you won't make it without falling flat on your face. The power slides and the way you stop is a whole new category that deserves attention, because nothing feels automatic as opposed to Tony Hawk, you feel like you have complete control over your skateboard thats when you develop the skills of course. For example, I am a big fan of kick flipping on cement banks, when executed with skate, depending upon the momentum of the flip or your speed the board just flows gently and just feels like your on a steep bank. It difficult to explain, but the EA's Skate is able to capture a sort of realistic momentum that no other actions sports game has. What also so great is that you build yourself from scratch, authentic clothes authentic skate shoes, your good to go except you need practice. Enter competitions or just skate at your own ease with no pressure its solely your decision. Now I know I have been bashing Tony Hawk, but I have alot of respect for that franchise as well, now going on it's 8th title. The problem with long running franchises is that it gets harder and harder to innovate, as a result you get diminishing returns. Without Tony Hawk there probably wouldn't be a SKATE, I still remember being in 8th grade picking up my fresh new copy of PS1 tony hawk, also simply amazing. Here Skate is redefining the whole new action sports game genre. It's probably a good thing a game like this didn't come in my youthful skating days because I might have dropped out of school, Well, all in all, deff worth the 60 dollars, and with that in mind i think skate is here to stay hopefully spawning off some new and improved sequels.

Honest reviews on Skate - Xbox 360

First, I would like to say that I've been a die-hard Tony Hawk fan since the original Tony Hawk's Pro Skater dropped in 1999. I started skating in 1995 and at that time I dreamed about a REAL skateboarding game that would allow me to pull off some realistic tricks. Tony Hawk games have always been filled with an insane amount of real tricks and some cool environments, but they have never been considered simulation games. The goals, the environments, the speed, the crazy 1 million point combos it's always been very over-the-top and very fictional. It has basically always been an action/adventure arcade game that happens to feature pro skaters and a crazy amount of skateboarding tricks. This is extremely fun for the first few games, but started to grow a little stale by the time the series went "underground". They have been consistent with adding new features and upgrades, but overall the entire concept had just become stale and boring.

Enter SKATE, EA's first attempt to de-throne King Tony. And we have a new champion on our hands, folks. This game makes Tony Hawk games look WEAK in comparison. Seriously, it's that good. Every trick is controlled with various "flicks" of the right analog stick. The only buttons that are used are the triggers (to grab the board with your left or right hand) and the X and A buttons (used for pumping with the left or right foot). This may sound limiting at first, but the different motions are almost endless. Basically every street trick (minus flatland, unfortunately) is in the game the catch is that you have to LEARN the tricks.

I have to tell you that this game is hard and will take a lot of patience and practice to nail every trick. Grinds can be really difficult sometimes. Timing is everything in this game. For example, if you see a rail in the distance and you want to grind it, you must hold the analog stick down to crouch and then flick it up when you're close to the rail to ollie onto it (or flick it a different direction, such as diagonal, to do a kickflip or heelflip). If you're not lined up perfectly then you'll bail every time. You just have to think like a real skater. If you only have a casual interest in skating or if you want a more arcade-like experience where you can do crazy tricks and link together massive combos, just stick with Tony Hawk.

The graphics are amazing. Everything looks very real. The city is HUGE and is scaled perfectly. As an added bonus, the entire city (minus the skateparks) is unlocked from the beginning so you can freeskate the city for hours and find new spots. Unlike the Hawk games, you could easily spend 10 minutes trying to nail that perfect grind on a 10-stair handrail. Freeskate is actually more fun than the career mode sometimes.

The career mode is pretty sweet and includes a good variety of challenges. Not some goofy challenges like you would find in Tony Hawk, like "launch your skater into some life sized bowling pins" or "do a triple backflip off a 10 story building". I'm talking about REAL challenges like "follow homeboy to the 10 stair gap without hitting any pedestrians" or "do a kickflip to nosegrind on the handrail" or "win a game of S-K-A-T-E against your competitor."

The amount of clothing and accessories is also insane. Many big skate brands are in the game, such as DC, Etnies, eS, Circa, Lakai, and more. If you're a real skater, you might find the same t-shirt and shoes that you own! I decked my skater out with some nice threads and the same pair of Etnies shoes that I plan to buy in a month or so.

There is a good selection of tracks that include rock, rap, and everything in between. The soundtrack is fully customizable, too.

I haven't messed with the video editor yet, but it looks pretty sweet. You can add music, switch camera angles, add slow-mo effects, and more. That's more than I've ever seen in a skateboarding game (thus far), so I have no complaints here.

The bails look pretty brutal when you take a big fall or get hit by a car. Ouch! No blood though.

There is a map that you can access from your backpack that shows different spots and challenges. You can choose to skate to each spot or you can be warped there automatically to save time.

If you're skating on a long downhill street, start at the top and pump a few times. Then hold one of the triggers to crouch and grab your board. You will pick up some good speed. Just watch out for traffic, which can be pretty heavy sometimes!

The pedestrians react to you in funny ways. Sometimes they will yell at you if you skate too close or hit them. Sometimes they will praise you for an awesome trick. Sometimes they will even run over to you after you bail and ask if you're okay. There are other skaters around the best spots, so you have to be respectful and watch out for them, or else you will probably get hit and bail.

There is just so much to like about this game. I could go on forever, but I won't. Just do yourself a favor if you're a skater or a fan of skateboarding and BUY THIS GAME!!!

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This game is just bananas, plain and simple. I actually just returned tony hawks project 8 to get this game and wow what a difference. Its totally different then tony's previous games and is like a breath of fresh air. Just when i was thinking what else can tony hawk games do they are getting kind of repetitive and I was getting tired of jumping off buildings onto electrical poles and all that silly unrealistic stuff, here comes the savior of the skate games category. After this game you best believe skating games will have there own little spot in the sports game section. The game plays so smooth and I was blown away by the amount of detail that goes to the skater such as you can see the shoe laces perfectly and even the bearings on the freakin skate wheels! The create skater mode is sweet, the clothes look so realistic and sneakers are insane (especially those sweet Supra's with the concrete tone)If you are a skater or ever skated before in your life, you will cherish this game. Now to the gameplay, first thing that came to my mind is that this game is pretty hard at first, because ain't no button mashing allowed here! but after a little practice the game gets very comfortable and you get used to the camera angle which is different then tony's previous games. But the feeling you get when you land a nice grind or flip trick is great, almost as good as when you land one in real life. I'm actually very surprised this game would do so well after Tony hawks game have reigned supreme for skating games since like 1998, but looks like now there is a new kid on the block. I also look forward to proving ground but for now and a long time we will have S.K.A.T.E. Hey the more skate games the better!

Armored Core 4 - Xbox 360 Reviews

Customer Ratings:

Armored Core 4 Circa 2007

(Special note: If you never played an Armored Core game before and don't care much for huge battling mechs with endless menus of customization drop this score down to a one star. Also if you have Xbox Live and want to try this game you can download a demo for it over XBL Marketplace)

GOOD:

Armored Core finally comes Xbox ... well Xbox 360.

Online Play with up to 8 Players online (at once) and be able to trade schematics (your mechs blue prints) online with other gamers.

The Graphics in this title are pretty good and a step above the previous generation of Armored Core titles on PS2 with most levels having sweeping vistas and energy blades looking like glowing pillars of light. Although on a bit of a sour note the landscapes are as barren as ever with most levels taking place in abandoned cities and deserts.

More of the same great Armored Core action that fans of the series have come to expect (sorry fans this title seems to not have Nine-Ball thought). Over all, like in every Armored Core title the missions are a mixed-bag with some pretty lame missions mixed in with the over the top missions (so you can never expect what will come next).

BAD:

The Story is very confusing even to long time Armored Core fans. In this title companies own countries and well after that most people will quickly get lost as well as stop caring.

The store-garage section of the game has been redesigned as well from previous Armored Core games. Now you build your mech from a pool of available parts and after equipping you have the option to buy said parts before leaving the store-garage menu and going back to the main game. In this way the Shop and garage is now one place, and the effect is that it's all pretty confusing for both Armored Core fans and people new to the franchise.

The contrast in this game was odd sometimes, now for most missions you can see clearly, but in some missions it is so dark you can't see more then a few spaces in front of you, but in other levels it was so bright that your screen will look almost completely white.

IF IT FITS YOUR TASTE:

While in concept this game plays very much like Steel Battalion or Chromhounds the game play is much faster in pace.

Tons of customization options for your mech, think of this game like the Grand Turismo of mech games. For those who have never have played this series before it can be pretty overwhelming.

Paint your Mech (or any individual part/weapon) any color you want and have the option to have lots of different cameo styles too. On top of that you can even make your own patch/logo (using a bunch of clipart and such) and add this patch to any part of your mech as many times as you like (yes you can make your mech covered in logos and look like a Nascar if you wanted). Also, emblems or Patches that appeared in From Software's other mech game Chromehounds are also carried over into this game.

Have up to five different mechs in your garage as well as schematics for lots of mech you have beaten in combat (during the single player game).

With about 70 missions this Armored Core game is a bit shorted the previous ones, all missions have a normal and hard setting, unlock hard setting after you beaten the game.

This game comes with two controller options and one custom option (setting up your own custom option is most likely your best bet).

This Armored Core now has a totally redesigned HUD that has a minimalist look and takes up little space on your screen

All mech come with an energy field called Primal Armor (or PA), which is a protective energy barrier that cuts down on damage taken, Over Boosting (think nitro's for mechs) or prolonged normal boosting can and will drain the effectiveness of this energy barrier (although it can and will recharge).

The lockbox that is normally found in previous Armored Core games (which worked more like a gun sight) is now removed from the HUD all together; the game will now automatically try to lock on to enemies when in range. Holding down the lock button over an enemy (by default clicking in the Left analog) keeps the lock stuck on that target and makes a small window appear in the left corner of the screen with a zoomed up image of that target.

You can now fight on water (hover just above the water line) unlike past AC games where you would fall straight to the bottom if contact were made with the water. If the player stops boosting, they will sink into the water but they are still able to get out to the surface if they boost. The only way to sink now is to let your mech go to far (underwater) and not boost out of the water. It should also be noted that in the games options you could set you mech to auto-boost over water so you don't have to hold the button and never have to worry about sinking.

Boosting along the ground (slide boosting) no longer takes energy, now it will do the opposite and cause your energy bar to refill although more slowly the just standing still.

Stabilizers have been added, these are parts that shift the balance of your mech (in a few areas), and they also serve to add an aesthetic looks to your mech.

GAME ITS MOST ASSOCATED TOO:

Armored Core (PS1)

Steel Battalion (Xbox)

Chromhounds (360)

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

This game is also on PS3

Like I stated above if you have an Xbox-360 and Xbox Live (you don't even need a gold membership a sliver membership which is free will do) and want to try this game you can download the demo for it on Xbox Live Marketplace. It's a three missions long demo.

The Moon Light Laser blade is in this title (but it's a hidden part)

In this Xbox 360 version of the game you not only get achievements for beating chapters (6 in all) but also for beating certain mission on hard mode (usually the mission where you have to fight rival mechs) and for beating simulation packs which work as this games version of the Ranker Ladder that was found in previous Armored Core games.

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This game is beyond epic, but its hard sometimes, the sites and action on the game are so stunning and fun, it lets you design a mech, every piece, top to bottom, and even put a custom paint job any were on the mech (and yes the paintjob includes emblems that are more custom design then halo), theres even another mode were you can fight 1 on 1 mech battles! This is perfect for mech fans!

Best Deals for Armored Core 4 - Xbox 360

This is probably one of the most exciting to play Armored Core game in the series. Not only does the opening just get your blood boiling with anticipation, but once you got the controls down, and you were really able to get your hands on the action yourself, it gets very exciting! No more having to boost/strafe/jump like on the past armored core games, quick boosting changes all of that and makes the game a lot quicker. For a From Software title, the graphics are quite amazing, the explosions are better, your mech looks awesome all of the time, and despite what other reviews say, the environment looks great! (especially when compared to older Armored Core titles) However, I still wish you could see your mechs reflection in the buildings windows, but at least you can shoot them and actually watch the glass break.

The customization on this game is just as good or even better than the previous titles. Lots of weapons, but not as many body parts, kind of leaves the game feeling a little small, but then again, there are no useless parts, like which are found in previous AC games. But more parts could always be added, I love having a larger variety to choose from, and to make my mech look the best it can.

Some missions are ridiculously short, while some are moderate. I really appreciate the extremely long adventurous missions found in Armored Core: Silent Line. The missions could be improved, and there could be a lot more of them. Then again, I just wanted to get through with the game so I could finish up my mech and go battle it online.

Multiplayer is great, finally true online Armored Core. It's quite fun, but at the same time, there could be a lot more stages. And a lot of people like to build their heavyweight Surius cannon AC's and be able to blast down most ACs in two shots, or use the Kojima weapons to 1 shot an apponent who is busy trying to take care of someone else. I guess they are there for that reason though, so you can't complain.

Armored Core 4 is a great next gen game, however more could still be added, especially from previous Armored Core games. Custom cockpits, and maybe night vision, or a replay for multiplayer or the simulator (and the replay save system that was on Last Raven.) AC4 is a great start for next gen armored core, and the sequel will probably be much more promising and satisfy everyones hunger for what they want.

Honest reviews on Armored Core 4 - Xbox 360

Armored Core 4 the last addition to the Armored Core Series and what a game it is, what a game. Awesome job by Sega. It's out on the XBOX360 and PS3. This game and these consoles were a match made in gaming heaven. The graphics and the sound are what is gonna do it for you complimented with awesome gameplay. You just cannot go wrong with AC4.

Stop and imagine this for a while. You work for a corporation and with you mechanical warrior of doom and destruction you fight against other corporations. You can run, fly glide and the arsenal you have at your disposal. If you like blowing things up you're just gonna love this. Missiles, lasers, machine guns and even swords. Have you ever heard of a big mech being super agile? Well they are in this game and then some. Armored Core 4 delivers to the mech gaming world where all others have failed. Think of this is your last hope, if this does not satisfy you nothing will and I have every confident that this one will. Yes....... It is that good of a game. Don't miss out on this guys Armored Core 4 is ready for you. The question is....... Are you ready for Armored Core????

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Armored Core 4 - Xbox 360

Most professional game reviewers have three trends in their criticism of this game.

1. Missions are too short

Although some missions can be played in less time then it takes to load the mission, this is generally not the case. In past armored core games they had missions that would take long amounts of time to complete. This went against one of the main focuses of this game which was trial and error. Now instead of realizing half way through a 30 min. mission that you can not complete it cause you have run out of ammo, you won't have to commit 30 min. to trying the mission over again. This makes the game more approachable.

2. Bad story and Control scheme

Although the Controls are hard to master, its hard to imagine a different control setup if there were real Armored Cores scouring the planet. As for the story, it is pretty bad, but for mech games its not too bad.

3. Custimizing the Armored Cores is too complicated

For your first hour playing the game, yes it is too complicated. It won't be so baffling though that you'll give up.

4. Someone else told me that the game is too hard

TOO HARD? Not at all. I got through it with only restarting four missions over again.

Overall

The game play is amazing, the story is bad, the missions are A little too short, and the online component is fairly robust. Right now there is a lack of fast paced action games. Armored core 4 fills that gap even if it is just for the purpose of having fun and of corse blowing things up.

Best Rock Band 2 Triple Cymbal Expansion Kit (PS and PS3 compatible) Deals

Customer Ratings:

Second Update 12/16/2008: UPS just dropped a package from Mad Catz. They didn't fix my broken cymbal, they sent me an entirely new package, cymbal, mounting hardware and all.

No note included saying what was wrong, or anything, just a new cymbal. It looks like it's been handled, which probably means that someone tested it out to make sure it worked right, before they sent it to me (or that it's a refurbished.)

I tried it out, and all seems well. Kudos to Mad Catz for the excellent customer service. Their site says 4 to 6 weeks, and it only took 12 days from drop off, to return. I'm psyched.

Update: After playing for an hour or so this afternoon, it's evident that one of my cymbals is defective. It's sometimes registering two hits, instead of one. I called Mad Catz, and the guy I got was super friendly, extremely understanding, and set me up with an RMA. He said the website suggested 4-6 weeks, but realistically, it's more like 2 to 3. I'll update again when I get the new cymbal to see if it's working properly. I'm glad I didn't just try returning it to Amazon to get another, they appear to be completely sold out everywhere I've checked today. Glad I pre-ordered mine 3 months ago.

My three pack finally arrived last night, and I was psyched to get them. Ever since they were announced, I've been excited about them. The way I assumed they worked, was actually different than how they do work. More on that later.

First, some images, to show how freaking cool they look:

The whole kitHi-Hat CymbalRide Cymbal

The cymbals certainly give the drums the look of a real drumkit (okay, at least a real electronic drumkit,) but how do they play?

They take some getting used to, that's for sure. I just got them last night, so I'm still in the adjusting phase. But right from the get go, my wife said "You look like you're having more fun." Which I totally was. It felt like I was playing more realistically than I had without the cymbals.

When I first bought the cymbals, I assumed that they would just act as extenders of their respective colors. So when you'd hit the blue, it made whatever sound the blue one should at that specific point in time. As Rock Banders know, the drums pretty much all double as cymbals or drums, depending on the part of the song. I was pleasantly surprised that the new cymbal pads are dedicated as cymbals. So, if you hit the "ride" cymbal, it makes the ride cymbal no matter what. Same for the hi-hat, and crash cymbals.

It may throw your brain off, when you hit the cymbal when it's a tom-tom in the game, and you hear the wrong sound, but it won't break your streak, or count against your overall score. As long as you hit the right color, the sound that the game makes doesn't matter.

My favorite thing about the other game, you know, that one I returned already, was that there were dedicated cymbal pads with their drumkit. The Rock Band 2 drumkit, with the Mad Catz add-on cymbal pack (a measely $29.99) is 100% totally, absolutely better than GHWT's, hands down.

The game is more fun when playing drums, with the cymbals. It's more realistic, and more creative. I especially dig that during the "Overdrive fills", you can be a lot more musical with the drums, with dedicated toms/cymbals. If you're a die hard drummer for a Rock Band band, you absolutely need to spend the $29.99 to get these cymbals, pronto.

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First of all the Mad Catz Triple Expansion Cymbals works like a charm. It adds great depth of play when playing as the drummer in Rock Band.

I've seen several reviews here that says that the cymbals slips when it was hit too hard and sometimes the cymbals double-hits when hit too hard.

Well I found a fix for these problems.

Cymbals Slipping:

You must ensure that the plastic locks that holds the aluminum tube snaps 'locks' into place with the other half of it. There must not be a space in between the two plastic locks other than the circular areas which hold the drum aluminum tube and the cymbal aluminum tube. But be careful once they're locked it can be very difficult to separate the two plastics.

Cymbals Double-hit:

I noticed that one of the three cymbals I got was too sensitive. When I hit it hard, the game registers two hits. You can try this by going to the main menu and assigning the sensitive cymbal into the BLUE (ride) port. Try hitting it hard and you will notice that on the Menu selection screen it will go down from QUICKPLAY -> TOUR -> TRAINING. This is clearly a double hit because it skipped the TOUR on the menu. And for the fix, try loosening up the wing nuts in such a way that the cymbals will bounce a little when hit. This would transfer the bounce force into the foam and not the cymbal sensor. After trying this and testing with songs with lots of cymbals (Dead on Arrival) I noticed that I never missed a note again when hitting the sensitive cymbal.

I hope this helps lots of people having problems with the Mad Catz Cymbals Triple Pack.

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I think it's great to expand the RB2 kit--just four pads and a pedal--using cymbals to add some variety to playing the tracks, but these come up a little short in that area.

Admittedly, they're something of a bargain when you compare them to real electronic cymbals, so the question becomes whether the shortcomings are worth the price.

Ultimately, I'd say these are for two types of player:

1. people who are really starting to get into drumming and are wondering if they'd want to take the big leap into the Ion Drum Rocker.

2. people who want to expand their Rock Band gameplay.

In the end, I'd say they really don't serve either group completely. They're a lot louder than the standard RB2 pads and have a tendency to come loose if you hit them a lot, so they're not really comparable to the sort of professional experience you get with the Ion.

The other aspect is a bit trickier to explain. While the cymbals add a lot of flash to fills and free-form playing by being mapped to their own sounds (Yellow Hi-Hat, Blue Ride, Green Crash), giving you eight total sounds in those modes, that flash doesn't carry over to the songs themselves.

In the main of the song, the game only knows you're playing Yellow, not that it's the Hi-Hat. As a result, you end up listening to the song while you play to determine if you're on the "right" target for the sound that's coming out...is that green note a Tom or a Crash? This adds an extra layer of complexity to playing and requires that you learn the song a bit differently from if you're just playing the drum pads.

The volume of striking the cymbals is kind of a turn-off, too: now that Harmonix has delivered a much quieter drum kit, adding the cymbals suddenly makes it about as loud to hit as the RB1 kit had been. It's not bad if you've got the volume up, but if you're playing at night and trying to keep the noise down, you may find yourself hearing the tap of your sticks against the cymbals and little else.

The last minus is the way they mount. The hardware is secure enough, though a bit difficult to assemble exactly as directed and very difficult to disassemble, but the design of the cymbal mounts doesn't work quite the way the instructions imply. Supporting the cymbal is a wedge that serves the dual purpose of keeping the cymbal's active edge turned toward you and which also allows it some tilt. The problem is, to get it to tilt, you need to loosen the nut that secures it in place. Given that that nut likes to ride the vibrations and unscrew itself while you play, getting it loose enough to allow for significant tilt can be pretty frustrating.

As a result, they end up mounted more-or-less horizontally, which takes away from the "real drummer" experience they're supposed to be providing.

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UPDATE: See the pictures I added at the top to get an idea of what the kit looks like, and what the clamps should look like when properly installed if you're having trouble.

I've has this set almost two months now and they still work and look perfect. No problems at all, and well worth the $. These have been played by both of my teen aged boys, and a professional drummer, and they all love them!

I bought these on release day and have not had the slightest regret.

My biggest gripe with the basic drums you get with Rock Band 1 and 2 is that they have no cymbals, and the pads aren't laid out like the real deal. It's not as big of a deal when you play the guitar parts, you expect them to be a cut down version of the real thing. It doesn't matter how much you play the guitar parts, it's not going to help much when it comes to playing a real guitar. The drums are different. If you actually learn the tempos, and get good at your timing, this will transfer to the real thing.

If you use these in practice mode they will output the sounds of a real set of electronic drums, including the bass, snare, toms, and floor tom, as well as the high hat, crash, and ride cymbals. You can play this set in practice mode, and accompany any song you choose to play through your system.

Are they as big a deal in the game itself? Not quite. But it's better to get used to playing on something laid out like a real set and a lot more fun. If you just want to play the game and aren't interested in getting good at drumming they aren't as big of a deal.

These are velocity sensitive and will react with more volume the harder they're hit.

These DO NOT work with the Rock Band 1 set of drums. They do work with all sets of RB2 drums as well as all game systems.

This set is very well constructed and well worth the money. If you like to play the drums on RB and GHWT, and want the extra challenge of playing with cymbals, don't pass up either this three piece kit, or the two piece kit.

For some reason the picture shows the cymbals really close together. If you set them up right they can be positioned like a normal drum and cymbal set. Not the bunched up mess the Madcatz picture shows.

See my photos at the top to get a better understanding of how the clamps work, and also how they can be spaced out better.

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Cymbals work, as advertised, and are a great supplement to the overall drum system.

I am a little bit perplexed about the negative reviews stating that they are "too sensitive" or that it was difficult to put together.

After reading said reviews, I timed myself to see how long it would take to put all 3 together. The result was 9 minutes and 23 seconds with no difficulties.

As for the "too sensitive" part, I tried 5 different songs and alternated between drum pad and cymbal use. Both pads and cymbals still responded with single hits, no missed hits, and no "double" hits. I suggest that if you are experiencing double hits, it might be that the cymbals are not screwed down tight enough and the wobbling could introduce more than one hit.

As for my own personal experience, the product is well-made and has already enhanced the overall experience. They are by no means a necessary addition, but they are certainly a fun one. What makes them even more fun is that they can be used in the drums' "free style mode" where all 4 pads play as different sounding drums with 3 different sounding cymbals. It's not a professional drum set, but you can certainly play it like one and it sounds great. Hit the "-" sign and you can play different drum kits programmed into Rock Band 2.

From an experienced gamer, I highly recommend this product and rock on!

Review of Call of Duty: Ghosts - Xbox One

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To start I have owned every Call of Duty and have been quite a loyal player. BUT

This is without a shadow of a doubt the worst put together game I have every seen published by Activision.

I have played this game on both the 360 and the Xbox One. Its like Infinity Ward went about making this game for every console under the sun and didn't pay attention to what made their multiplayer tick. Which was a simplistic yet customizable multiplayer.

People buy COD for the multiplayer, and for me this one was the largest let down of any game in the series thus far... they would have been better off just making this a single generation game instead of making it for FOUR consoles and PC... that's just too much to ask for from any studio...

Ghosts multiplayer is just... broken... that is the only way to put it... the guard dog kill streaks will LITERALLY jump over buildings and bite you in the throat, C4 IEDs are timed so short if you set one off their is no chance of survival. Map design for this COD just doesn't seem to jive with me either, their are points in pretty much every game where it seems that everyone has just lit up the camp fires and busted out the smores... the maps are too large for the current low player cap. If the count was doubled these maps would be great fast paced shoot em ups like COD used to be.

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Been playing since COD 2 so I consider myself a seasoned player. The game is enjoyable just as all the previous have been to me. The game mechanics are the same with a few new things here and there but essentially it's the same COD that you either love.. Or hate.

The "Next Gen" graphics are not good, the game looks like it belongs on the previous generation. The environment and buildings look really plain and outdated but I guess the future games will look better. The game however plays flawlessly without a hiccup. Steady frame rates and no choppiness or lag.

I bought it because my friends play it and that's really what it boils down to for me, who's playing what, because my enjoyment comes from gaming with friends. Nothing revolutionary but I would recommend the game, just don't expect nice scenery.

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I was skeptical about buying COD Ghosts after everything that i've heard the last few weeks. I was thinking this game is going to look horrible and honestly suck. I have loved every Call Of Duty and Ghosts lives upto the name. I loved every level and something that a few people were saying that the dog will be with you in every level is false he's only in a few levels to be exact. The game runs at 60 frames per second and looks gorgeous. It is stealthier then the other Call Of Duty games in my opinion and have some amazing set pieces where when something blows up you usually are saying wow i'm filming a movie. The sound is perfect, controls perfect, will take 2 seconds to learn, graphics can be mind blowing and this game isn't even built for next gen but a port. I say if your a shooter fan or Call Of Duty fan pickup this because your missing out on so much fun. It is what you've come to expect from the Call Of Duty series which if like me is a fun/interesting single player and frantic multiplayer. If I could say one complaint I would love to see tanks/jeeps/jets added to multiplayer. Besides that in my opinion best Call Of Duty yet.

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It's Call of Duty, what were you expecting. The story is decent enough, and the multiplayer is the standard COD run and gun arcade style FPS. It should be an absolute ZERO surprise to anyone. The graphics are mediocre but that's because this isn't a next-gen game, it came out on PS3 and X360 first. I enjoyed it, but I knew what it was!

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Calm Down all my COD fans things will get better but I completely understand all the hate this game is getting. The maps first off are very large most of them with stonehaven being the worst its a campers paradise just play smart and don't run out in the open. If your into running and gunning like me then youll probably like the maps Warhawk, Tremor and Prison Break even though that's a medium size map. Just have to be patient and wait until all the bugs are worked out then it should help clean up the spawn issues but the size of some maps your just gonna have to learn to adapt youll get it. I really don't care how people play you can run or hide hey its up to you but bottom line I liked the game and will be playing it through the holidays.

Sesame Street: Once Upon A Monster - Xbox 360 Reviews

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Every once in a while, a game comes along that transports you to a magical destination. These types of games are full of adventure, charm, and whimsical fun. Sometimes a game can lift the burden of every day life and let you be a kid again. Sometimes a game can let your kids be the decision maker. And sometimes there are games that blend both perfectly.

If you have small kids in the house and are looking for something fun and educational, then "Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster" may be the perfect thing for them. Once upon a monster is a kid-friendly Kinect game that brings to life the same show that has been watched by kids around the globe. All the favorite characters, and even some new ones, stop by and help teach some great life lessons.

The free demo is available on the Xbox marketplace and is a fairly good representation of what the game is about. Although there is a huge market for people seeking nostalgia, adults probably will not be playing this game solo. While there are some kid themed games on the Kinect that adults may enjoy, Once Upon a Monster really comes to life with a younger audience in the room. Playing side-by-side with a younger participant can yield great rewards. This is perhaps the best game on the Kinect where the parent can play with the child at the same time. This is perhaps also the best game on the Kienct where two siblings can be playing at the same time. Having a shuffling living room is no problem, because Once Upon a Monster follows whomever is playing without any hitch. Players can jump in and out as they please, at any point in the game.

There are six chapters in this living story, with the ability to add content through possible future downloadable expansions. There are a set number of activities in this game, but they don't become boring or repetitive thanks to the changing story. Some of the activities include: posing, dress up, flying, drumming, tossing, and much more. All of the activities are fairly simple, but those trickier tasks can be aided with the help of parents. Each activity page of the chapter is given a star rating and each activity can be played over to achieve up to a 5 stars.

As chapters are unlocked, they are then made accessible for returning at any time. This game doesn't have free play areas, like some other Kinect kids games, but again all the activities can be played as many times and whenever the player desires. The story seems like it takes about 6-8 hours to complete, with a little over an hour to go through each chapter.

There are some areas that may be a little frustrating for little ones, but all is made fixable by the incredibly easy partner assist and/or tag team approach to playing. The only problem with jumping in and out of the game so easily is earning achievements. The Kinect does a really good job of spotting who is playing and who is earning the achievements, but doesn't like to give them out for playing as a family affair. In other words, if you are sitting down when your kid earns an achievement, don't expect it to show up in your profile. You have to earn it yourself.

The graphics, sounds, and presentation are all totally on par with what you would expect from a Sesame Street show. This game really feels like the show, but made more interactive. I was hoping to see more of Double Fine's fingerprint here, but Sesame Street is clearly the main theme in this game. This is actually a great design choice, because it really encourages kids to play along. I was amazed at how active my kids were in each activity. They picked it up and were carried away to a whole different world. They were literally in Sesame Street's universe.

In reviewing games, I like to look for the five f's: fitness, fun, family, functionality, and firsts. This game is not billed as a fitness game, but will definitely get your kids moving (and you too). They will be jumping, flapping, dancing and more. There is definite fun to be had by kids who are of the Sesame Street watching age. The older fans of Sesame Street may have some fun, but nothing is like playing the game with or as a child. The game is very family friendly and has a lot of great life lessons to share. As for functionality, the game is technically great. There are a couple of places young kids could get hung up on, but nothing an able-bodied parent wouldn't be able to fix. And as for firsts, this is the first story themed game for Kinect and one of the first games to absolutely nail the in and out ability of different players.

In summary, if you have kids in the house of the Sesame Street watching age, this is a true gem to add to your Kinect collection. The game is easy to pick up and lots of fun to go through. While there aren't really any free play areas, each activity and story section can be played over. Once Upon a Monster may be a bit repetitive for the older crowd playing solo, but will bring a golden smile to anyone who plays with kids.

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At its simplest core, Once Upon A Monster is an incredibly well done collection of mini-games suited for children; however, this game has both the quality and whimsical tone that many adults will find heartwarming. In the same way Pixar films can be viewed and appreciated by everyone, I believe Once Upon A Monster is very much the same. Granted, it's still something that's more geared towards kids, but many will find Double Fine's work on this title admirable regardless of age. Hey, kids deserve quality games, as well as adults, and this game is a perfect buy for those out there with kids of their own, as it's a good time for any family.

There are a bunch of different mini-games in Once Upon A Monster, all with very intuitive and well done Kinect controls. Sadly, outside of the main dish, there's no other additional game modes, which makes the package a bit slim when it comes to content. However, while it's not packed with a ton of features, what's here is good and quality gameplay, nice graphics, and some enjoyable scenes with your favorite Sesame Street characters.

Once Upon A Monster is right up there with The Gunstringer as one of the best examples of what the Kinect can do if developers take their time and make something good.

4.5/5 Docked a little because it's on the short side, but I do believe it's a very replayable game.

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Absolutely love this game for my 3 year old daughter... she can do most activities on her own but when she needs help i can just go stand next to her and it turns into a two player team activity. Love the stories music and graphics too

Honest reviews on Sesame Street: Once Upon A Monster - Xbox 360

The ideas here are really neat, and the kids *desperately* want to like this game. I just don't think the Kinect is designed for very young kids. My 3-year-old can play Cosmic Family on the Wii with only a little help, but getting the sensor to actually recognize her and let her play this has been an uphill battle of frustration and disappointment. Sometimes it sees her without incident, but a lot of the time it just doesn't even notice that she's there.

Like most Kinect games, some of the gestures don't get picked up right away, or are misinterpreted, but at least this is designed to be really forgiving. The animation is very well done, though, and of course she loves the familiar characters. I'd gladly give it 5 stars if it worked as well for the target audience (my daughter) as it does for me.

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After wanting to throw it in the garbage, we just gave the game another try. Can someone please explain why my 3 and 5 y/o can easily navigate Kinect "Adventures" and "Sports" but can not even open the first chapter of this game without extensive help from us? SAVE YOUR TIME AND MONEY! Watch the real Sesame Street and buy your kids a different game; you will spare yourself and your family frustration.

RCA Audio Cable Adapter for XBOX 360 + Slim Reviews

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The adapter is perfect for connecting my turtle beach headset to my xbox without sacrificing my HDMI video feed. Now i can experience superior video and audio on everything my xbox has to offer including movies and live chat.

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Bought this and a HDMI cable for under $25 from Amazon.com. What can I say, it works perfectly with my Xbox 360.

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I got this for my Turtle Beach digital connection. Def does what its meant to do although it should have been part of the connections on the back of the xbox.

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Works just as well as the adapter that comes with the Xbox, but much cheaper if you need a replacement.

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mass produced product that works well with appropriate pricing. Thx. We paid some thing like $10 for this compared to the other sellers asking for $25.