Review of Hauppauge WinTV DCR-2650 Dual Tuner Cable Card TV Tuner

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List Price: $139.99
Sale Price: $129.03
Today's Bonus: 8% Off

I just received this tuner today, and have had it running for about four hours, so I will edit if I encounter any issues in the next few weeks.

Preliminary review good tuner for its price range. If you don't need the four tuners in the Ceton InfiniTV, or the three tuners in the SiliconDust HDHomeRun Prime, this two-tuner box from Hauppauge is worth the look. As for me, I already had a card for ClearQAM, so I didn't really need more than two tuners. HD quality on my HTPC is equal to the quality from the cable company DVR (which is going back tomorrow!).

First things first don't even mess with the CD in the box, download the latest software and firmware directly from Hauppauge. The firmware has been updated at least twice in the last two weeks, and will probably be updated quite frequently as more features are added.

Following the instructions in the box, installation went smoothly. I did encounter a bit of a hiccup in getting my CableCard activated, but it is a known issue with activating CableCard equipment on Cox's network (short version just ask the tech to send two "cold hits" to your box, about five to ten minutes apart it seemed to work for me).

If your cableco uses SDV / tuning adapters, you may want to wait Hauppauge is still working on getting tuning adapter support. However, I don't, so it was a non-issue for me.

You'll probably want to run a clean line to this box no splitters just to make sure you have sufficient strength and quality of signal.

Overall, my early impression from this box is very favorable. If it continues to work well, I will be recommending that all my friends abandon the cable company DVR and build their own HTPC's.

EDIT 11/8/2011: I've been using the WinTV-DCR-2650 for about two months now. In that time, Hauppauge has released several firmware and driver updates, and the tuner appears to be quite stable now. In the two-month period, I did miss one recording, but that was due to issues with Windows Media Center moreso than the tuner (the tuner and WMC didn't communicate very well on whether I could record a "copy once" flagged channel); the issue was resolved by reconfiguring WMC. If two tuners are sufficient for your needs or you are using in combination with a QAM tuner, I continue to recommend this tuner.

EDIT 3/3/2012: Almost six months since I bought this tuner, and I still highly recommend it. By my calculations, it will have paid for itself in another month over Cox DVR rental rates. The firmware has been stable for about three months.

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I bought this mainly for the price... it was $75.00 cheaper than the HD Homerun Prime by Silicon Dust. It has one less tuner (2 instead of 3) and lacks the network sharing feature of the HD Homerun. Basically, you plug it into the wall, and connect it to your computer (via USB). Then plug a coax in for your cable line. You have to have an M-Card from your cable company. I have Comcast in South Jersey and I was able to go to my local Comcast office and pick up a cablecard free of charge.

Once you plug everything in, you go into Media Center and run through the setup. At one point during the setup, you'll get a screen with three numbers that you have to give to Comcast to activate the card. There's a self-install line that you should call instead of the general number. It's mentioned in another review on here, so search the reviews for Comcast and you should find it.

After I called, I completed the setup in Media Center and I was good except I didn't get any of my premium channels. A follow-up call the same day resolved that issue.

All-in-all, the device worked well for the first few days. Eventually though, I started getting "turner unavailable" messages in Media Center on startup and also while the device had been in use for a few hours. The only solution was to unplug the unit and plug it back in. It's not that big of a deal but if you are buying this to get rid of your cable box (like me), this can get annoying.

In the end, I ended up returning it to Amazon and ordering the HD Homerun Prime. As I said, it costs more but it has an extra tuner (which is nice) and you can view it from any computer on your network (like a slingbox). I didn't think I would need more than two tuners, but if you are recording something and watching something else, you need an extra tuner if you're watching on a second computer. Also, if you want to record two things at the same time and watch tv, you need three tuners.

In sum, it works pretty well with the exception of the error that causes it to loose connection ever now and then. If you are looking for something to use in addition to your cable box (like, for instance, if you only want to use it as a DVR), this is probably your best bet, but if you're looking to replace your cable box, I'd go for the HD Homerun Prime.

Best Deals for Hauppauge WinTV DCR-2650 Dual Tuner Cable Card TV Tuner

As most of the reviews on these cable card tuners go the tuner itself works great but dealing with the cable company to get it setup was a huge pain. I had to call Comcast around 10 times before they finally got the card paired and initialized correctly at the same time. If you are a Comcast customer don't waste your time calling the normal phone number to setup your card. Call 1-877-405-2298 that is their cable card department and you get connect to a person right away. Most of them still don't seem to know what they are doing but eventually you will get bumped up to tier 2 tech support where your chances are higher. As of now I have all my digital channels working and working well. What they don't make clear in the description is this is a DIGITAL ONLY tuner so if your cable company still has some analog only channels you won't get them with this tuner. All my basic channels are still analog only so I'm going to have to buy a regular tuner so I can pick them up too. Took me a while to figure that out. On the plus side that will give me 3 tuners kind of. Channels changes are about the same speed as my Comcast box which isn't great but at least this isn't even slower. I'm using my xbox 360 as a windows media center extender and that is working well too. Once I get my analog tuner I'll be able to ditch my $18 a month comcast HD DVR box.

update 11/22/11

Just wanted to ad I installed a Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1250 to take care of my analog basic cable channels and all is working well together. Windows Media Center integrates all three tuners seamlessly. It even knows to record a show using the 1250 if the two tuners on the 2650 are busy automatically.

Update 7/30/12

Just had my first issue with my tuner. For some reason I lost all the channels that require the cable card to receive. Called Comcast twice to try and resolve thinking it had lost its pairing and hoping Comcast had improved but they haven't at all lol. Just for the hell of it before calling the third time I updated my firmware since it claimed to offer better diagnostics and it fixed the issue and I started getting all my channels again for some reason.

Honest reviews on Hauppauge WinTV DCR-2650 Dual Tuner Cable Card TV Tuner

Firmware fixes (2 releases in September) have made this much better, still drops occasionally, but now this with WMC is a viable HTPC and a good vendor STB replacement. Got this a a couple weeks ago, setup was easy; cable card activation a breeze. But after anywhere from 1-30 minutes tuner loses signal (tuner light flashes), WMC freezes, and the the device becomes unknown as a USB device. Half the time the PC then locks up; power cycle of both HTPC and DCR-2650 is required, but then again next time only works for ~10 minutes so wash-rinse-repeat. Opened support case, got essentially a one line response of "updated firmware." That would have been my first troubleshooting step but from 8/22-8/30 (first week I had the device) there was no updates on their support page. Firmware update (from 8/30) has NOT fixed the issue. Only saving grace is that it looks like it heavily based on the SiliconDust HDHomeRun Prime which has reports of similar experiences, and they seem to be actively pushing out beta firmware to address these issues. Hopefully Hauppauge will quickly leverage SiliconDust's work to get functional units. Has promise, but in its current state unusable. I had to break down much of my HTPC and extender infrastructure and just revert to provider issued STB to placate family.

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I bought the Hauppauge Win-TV 2650 because Amazon had the best price and I am cheap. First, I have it up and running and want to pass on some information to help others.

If you have Time Warner Cable and the local office doesn't have the cable card ($2.50 a month) and free tuner adapter (required by my TWC) order it first when you order the Win-TV 2650. My cable card and tuner adapter came UPS from NC to NY. That way you won't lose any time hooking everything up when you get your Win-TV 2650. The Win-TV 2650 box says no remote, most reviews at Amazon and other sites says no remote. It does come with a remote and it works great. The IR receiver is built into the Win-TV 2650. At the time it was with-out remote because of 2011 Black Friday specials. So don't buy a remote.

Follow the guide that comes with your Win-TV 2650 and the instructions that you get with the Cable card and tuning adapter. Don't use the CD that comes with your Win-TV 2650. Go to Hauppauge web support page and download the latest software/firmware versions. I also installed the beta from their web site. In order to get HD channels the tuning adapter has to be used. Both cable card and tuning adapter need to be plugged into your computer with USB cable provided. I am using a 3-way cable splitter so that I have direct access to my TV, Win-TV 2650 and tuning adapter (my adapter is a Cisco STA1520). Time Warner Cable broadcast their channels thru SDV (HD) and this is why you need the tuning adapter. Otherwise you get a lot of channels but no HD channels.

The tech support, Barbara at TWC 1-866-606-5889; George at Hauppauge 1-631-434-3197 know what they are doing in their respective area. I spend approximate 2 hours total from hook-up, cable card activation and tuner adapter connectivity. Everything works and just love watching HD and the ability to record programs that I want to watch later. Just a note, the remote that came with the Win-TV 2650 stopped working and Hauppauge had me run the exe program in the downloaded zip file wintv-dcr-2650_ver_29310 .zip in a folder named IR and the program called WinTV-DCR-2650-IR.exe this will get your remote working.

I wrote most of this about 2 weeks ago and I am still having no issues other than WMC 7 in full screen locks the cursor so if you have dual monitors you need to make WMC smaller if you want to use the cursor on main monitor.

I have a Sceptre 23" HDTV, Samsung 22" monitor a WD Media player hooked up using a 3 to 1 way HDMI switch, model number: PET0301S ( which I bought from Amazon) so I can use HDMI for best picture.

WWE '12 Reviews

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List Price: $49.99
Sale Price: $14.96
Today's Bonus: 70% Off

I think THQ has done a great job with the latest WWE game. If there is one thing I totally dislike about this game its the fact that the controls are different from the previous game. In SVR 2011, the right analog stick was used to perform the grapple moves. In this game, they've changed that. There have also been other changes made. To make matters worse, you can't adjust it in the options. I don't like the changes they've made to getting out of an opponent's pin attempt. Used to you caould mash buttons to break a pin, but now its more like a mini-game. There is a bar that appears. You have to hold the A button & release it in a small shaded area. This takes some getting used to. Those are about the only negative things about this game.

I like the limb target system in this game. I just wish that you could target the individual legs like you can with the arms. The struggle submission system has been replaced by the Breaking Point submission, which consists of mashing buttons to get your opponent to submit. You also have the ability to perform a wake up taunt. This will cause your opponent to get up in a daze allowing to do your finisher more effectively.

As for the newest customization feature, you can now customize an arena. This feature allows you to customize the apron, the inner part of the ring, the ropes, turnbuckle pads, the mat outside the ring, the announce table, the ring posts, the barricades, & the electronic bill boards. Plus you can also decide what name plate you want to use during the character's entrance (that displays their name). I would have added the ability to customize the stage area such as the Titantron & stage decorations.

When you create a wrestler, you can choose up to four different words that the ring announcer addresses you by. This is very similar to THQ's WWE Raw 2 for Xbox. I wish they would have also used this for the play-by-play commentary name as well. I have a character that I normally create called Jack Hammer. Its cool that the ring annoucer will call him Jack Hammer as he's going out to the ring, but Michale Cole & Jerry Lawler will only address him by one of the limited names listed.

WWE Universe Mode has also been given some better features too. While I haven't played too much into this mode yet, there are some matches that are called "Today's Remarkable Match". When you play that, something will happen. This could be anything from you getting attacked by somebody after a match to an alliance being formed. You can also customize the shows that are being used by changing their logo & the name of the show. While I haven't seen it yet, I've also heard that you can customize which titles are used in Raw & Smackdown.

Road to Wrestlemania Mode is different than last year's installment. Rather than choosing one of six characters to play as, you play in three different storylines. First you play as a villan, then you play as an outsider, then as a hero. The presentation is almost like watching it on TV. The pay-per-view events now actually have a narrator that says, "WWE proudly presents (PPV name)". This is where you will also unlock various items.

This game is a must have for any wrestling fan. While it isn't controller friendly, its still worth buying because of the newer features that it has.

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I enjoy the graphics, smoothness, and the excitement of the matches, but you can read about all of that in the other reviews, and there's no sense in me repeating it. The controls are a bit of challenge for a newbie like me, but that doesn't really bother me.

What I like in particular is that there's a real sense of drama to the matches that doesn't really exist in the previous games, where there's a lot more of one wrestler (or "superstar" as the WWE calls them) dominating the other. But with WWE 12, the method of kicking out from a pin, and the way a match can seesaw back and forth, etc., creates a really compelling tension and excitement each time. I would compare it to a basketball game in which the scoring goes back and forth and one side or the other can still win all the way until the very end, as compared to football games in which the outcome is usually a foregone conclusion way before the end.

I'm also amazed at how they got the facial expressions on the wrestlers so accurately. Part of the emotion of the TV shows (the soap opera aspect, if you will) comes from the expression on the faces of the characters, which of course helps to develop those characters and make the viewer feel more involved.

All in all this game is a must-have for all fans of Raw and Smackdown.

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For this year's edition game publisher THQ drops the Smackdown Vs Raw moniker in favor of the new and simpler "WWE 12" but it's still clearly a continuation of the franchise, and I can't say that there any drastic change except perhaps the controls. Each year there are things to like and things to hate about every WWE/Smackdown Vs Raw titles, rarely do we get perfect or near perfect games (Smackdown Here Comes The Pain and Smackdown Vs Raw 2006 both come to mind as excellent wrestling games) and WWE 12 is no different. It hits and misses in some departments but it's playable and offers some WWE fun.

I like the new controls, when I first heard of them I was skeptical and thought I would hate them. They're a little hard to figure out initially but as with any games it gets easier and now they've grown on me. They pretty much ditched the previous controls and now you use A for grapples, B for strikes etc. and for the most part the controls are just fine. I can appreciate that they were trying to mix up the gameplay a little, the old controls were working fine as they were I think there should have been the option of keeping the old controls at least. The only real problem in the gameplay is probably the AI level. On Road To Wrestlemania the AI can be pretty harsh on you at times and often it's very difficult to execute a reversal. Something about the reversals is just not right with WWE 12.To make things worse, sometimes the game will indicate the need to repeatedly press the A button to regain balance but 95% of the time it never works, no matter how many times you press A. The AI beat me plenty of times and I've had to replay some matches more than I would like to admit. It's "challenging" alright but also frustrating. Graphics are excellent this year and look better than ever. The superstars, their facial expressions, the arenas and the crowds...everything looks gorgeous.

I find most of the problems with the game to be in the Road To Wrestlemania mode. First off, everything is scripted, every match has been pre-determined. You can't lose technically, because the game won't let you continue past a match until you win it OR have the outcome pre-determined that you lost. It's all about wrestling until you either win or beat your opponent enough to press Y and then a cut scene sequence is launched and all you do is watch. While you're backstage you can't run or turn the camera which makes backstage play fairly mediocre. All you do is walk slowly until you get from point A to B (and most of the time it doesn't lead to anything interesting) and sometimes you have to guess where you need to go. The backstage fights however, are fun. You unlock a lot of the roster, different suits, titles etc through the completition of the mode. Add to this the mode isn't all that long; you go on for basically a few weeks per wrestler. I remember when story mode used to be about a year long, leading up to Wrestlemania and all the Pay-Per-View events.

You get The Rock as a free downloadable character with the game already, but I feel roster isn't exactly WWE 12's strong point. There aren't as much wrestlers as I would've expected and not enough Legends and Divas unfortunately. THQ has announced some download packs for Wrestlers like Batista, Trish Stratus, Shawn Michaels, Mick Foley and Jerry Lawler but I feel that this is a cheap move from THQ's part and that they should have been included at least as unlockables. Why pay $59.99 and then have to pay extra for superstars that should have been included in the first place? Sad move by THQ. I've noticed that occasionally bugs will happen, but not the kind that freezes the game. It happened twice so far that an opponent performed an Irish Whip in the ring and sent me in a frozen motion in the crowd. One of these happened in an Elimination Chamber match.

I was certainly glad to see the WWE Universe mode again. In the past I would spend hours making my own scenarios in my head and executing them in WWE games. Maybe I'm one of the few who likes this mode but this helps justify my purchase of WWE 12. Create matches is still here and this year they've added create an Arena which is a very cool addition, you can build your own Arena to your liking. Create A Wrestler is for many one of the best aspects of the WWE series and it continues to be excellent here. For me, a lot of the fun is found in exhibition play with some friends defending titles and playing our favorite match types over and over. It never gets old.

The game is very fluid which is what THQ goes for, looks and feels fantastic, and it plays very much like a real wrestling match by which I mean you can interrupt finishers and grapples from another wrestler, you won't just stand there waiting like previous titles. For all its flaws, WWE 12 remains a fun and entertaining wrestling game. The in-ring action is spectacular at times and always appealing. It offers the most realistic possible WWE experience a video game can offer. It even has all the "WWE Presents..." before the PPVs adding to the realism factor. I also like the commentaries in this title. In retrospect if THQ offered a larger roster and didn't try to rip us off into buying wrestler "packs", had a better and longer Road To Wrestlemania it would've made WWE 12 a better game. For all its worth I'll give WWE 12 3-3.5/5 stars, I like the gameplay and I'll be playing and enjoying the game for some time but I think the average gamer and WWE fan should rent before buying this title at full price.

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Excellent game . My kid love it. They stay busy for hours.I would definitly recommend this game to my friends and family.

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The new Predator graphics engine brings the WWE franchise to a whole new level. The Road to Wrestlemania is a little weak, but the game is just pure non-stop fun. Brock Lesnar vs. The Rock. Enough said.

Discount Xbox 360 8 MODE Rapid Fire Controller for COD4 COD5 MW2

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When I purchase a rapid fire I expect it to be rapid..meaning it didn't shoot any faster than I could tap the trigger. Good for beginner.

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I bought this at very good price and arrived very quickly. My son start playing with this remote and it worked well for few days and then it start giving him problems. I contacted the seller and the seller was very responsive and helpful. After few days it start working again and after that it did not give any problem.

Katamari Damacy - PlayStation 2 Review

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List Price: $29.99
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One thing can be said for certain: you haven't played a game like this before. Everything about this game is off-the-wall, but it works. When you load the game for the first time, you will be greeted with giraffes, rainbows, bicycles, and a plethora of other thingsall performing some contorted dancejust for you. Welcome to the world of Katamari Damacy, where the gameplay is original and surprisingly addictive. Your goal?roll your sticky ball around to collect the "objects from earth". As your ball gets bigger, you can pick up bigger things. So you go on a hunt to keep growing your ball. The levels you play in are simply hugeI never felt like I had seen everything in a levelso replay level is quite high. Meanwhile, the background music is a lot of fun, good enough to put you in a good mood if the rest of the game doesn't. And the storywithout ruining anythinghas to be the product of mixing drugs and alcohol. The controls are quite simple, employing only the analog sticks and a couple shoulder buttons (although I never found much use for the shoulder buttons). When I heard about and found the game, I worried that it would be too simplistic to entertain meit seems my worries were unfounded; Katamari Damacy is a great game for everyone....and cheap, too!

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I really hope the success of this game convinces publishers to bring over more off-the-wall Japanese titles. This game is awesome. Gameplay is very simple: you roll around a ball (using the analog sticks in a control scheme reminiscent of Battlezone) and things stick to it. That's it. There are basically two kind of challenges: get the ball to be a certain size, or pick up as many of something as you can find. (Katamari Damacy loosely translates as "ball of stuff.")

While this may not sound like the world's most exciting way to spend your time, the flawless execution gives Katamari Damacy the simple, in-the-zone addictiveness of Tetris. The backstory is bizzare: your father, the King of All Cosmos, goes on what sounds very much like an acid trip and breaks all the stars. When he sobers up, he finds that everyone is annoyed, so he tasks you with going to Earth to collect raw material to rebuild the sky. The raw material turns out to be anything from thumbtacks to people to ships. The King's disconnected, slightly deranged speech patterns add much to the style of the game, as does the intro video, which is better seen than described. Add to that another side of the story told by following a Japanese family in very weird, stylistic interstitials and you've got a very surreal experience.

Katamari Damacy is backed by a soundtrack that would be worth $20 by itself. With replay value assured by levels that are easy to conquer but difficult to do perfectly, this game is a great addition to anyone's console library.

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After first reading about this game in PSM, in a small article in the back of the magazine, and then finding discussions everywhere on the web I was intrigued. I found it in a bigbox for cheap so I bought it. It is great. It is a nice diversion from killing people, and scoring touchdowns (both of which I enjoy tremendously). The game is a trip. It is very odd, but the music rocks, the graphics are trippy and the controls are flawless. THIS IS THE BEST BARGAIN THERE IS IN PS2 GAMES.

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A true sleeper hit in the video game market. This formerly little known Japanese game from Namco (makers of Pac Man) has slowly but surely become a big hit with fans here in the North American Continent.

You are the prince of the King of Cosmos and you have to fix a mess the King has made of the stars. It seems that the King accidently ruined the stars, moon and constilations that once glittered the Earth night sky, so being you are his son and he doesn't want to do it, it's up to you to fix it. So what's a little 5 cm green guy to do? Roll a huge ball that can pick up any item smaller then it as it rolls around. The more items you pick up the bigger the sphere gets. Each stage has a size you must get the ball to within a time limit so you can restore the stars of the sky.

The game is a very 'unique' and quite addicting. The early stages start off with very small sized goals like having to pick up items on the floor of a room in a house, then progresses to outside, into small towns, to whole cities and eventualy the planet. The real joy of this game is how simplistic and how many items there are in the game. Each item in this game eventualy you will be able to collect on this sphere of yours. Whether its a small button on the floor or a huge skyscraper , there is nothing in this game you won't be able to collect, as long as your sphere is the proper size to do so.

The game takes on a very Japanese anime type of feel to it. It has very addicting and catchy Japanese music, with a theme song that will get stuck in your head. It has a full inventory for you to look at all the items you collected along with the size you had to be to collect it and what the item actualy is. There are thousands of items in the game to pick up and while the challenges are few, the fun is constant. There are even some clips after you finish each star restoration as you follow a family noticing the weird stuff going on with the stars missing.

I can't recomend this game enough. You may get through the game in a few sessions but the replayability and fun is so high it just won't matter. It also has a mulitplayer mode where you can battle with a friend. There are hidden presents you can find in every stage and so much more. It's such a simple yet complex game and most of all.. its fun! You won't be sorry adding this game to your collections. Anyone will enjoy this and the price is most defintely right.

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Something that's tugged at the back of my mind for years now is the question of what, exactly, happened to the ingenuity, simplicity and sense of wonder that was traditionally associated with video games throughout the seventies, eighties and early nineties. There's no question, today's games are a much more detailed, beautiful, realistic and life-altering bunch than the titles that filled the SNES, NES and 2600. As a NES owner, you'd never get an experience quite like what Metal Gear Solid or Grand Theft Auto can give you today. You're afforded much more freedom on an Xbox than you were on a Sega Master System, everything's in crystal-clear high definition and the soundtracks routinely eat up several CDs all on their own. You take it for granted that Mario can fly, because that's just the way it's (almost) always been. To introduce a similarly outlandish game in this day and age where anything new is scrutinized by the overcritical eye of parents, teachers, internal boards, the media, the government, the FCC and, perhaps harshest of all, the critics is almost unthinkable.

That's why I'm amazed a game like Katamari Damacy made it to our shores virtually untouched. This game's a throwback to the absent-minded titles of gaming's infancy, when everything didn't need to make sense under the restrictions of the Earth's gravitational pull, didn't need to abide by the dynamic lighting of the sun as it floats across the sky, and didn't send you on missions that would give a real life government operative nightmares. Things just happen in Katamari, and you accept them as fact because that's just they way they are.

Basically, Katamari Damacy is a telling of the life of a dung beetle on a cosmic scale. You control "The Prince," heir to an apparently galactic kingdom, as he rolls tiny, sticky balls called Katamaris around the Earth's floors, streets and continents. When you roll over something, the item sticks and the size of the Katamari snowballs. The size of your ball is directly proportionate to the size of the items you can pick up. If you're piloting a tiny trash heap, you're just gonna bounce off if you try to roll up a tree or a fencepost. Your Katamari usually starts small, barely large enough to roll up an acorn or thumbtack, (not to mention easily tossed aside by the numerous mice that roam the city streets) and slowly increases in size to the point where it's picking up cats, then large dogs, then children, adults, motorcycles, cars, wrestling rings, houses, office buildings, etc. The real star of this show is the incredible scale of the game, how nothing is off limits so long as your Katamari is big enough.

And that's really all there is to the game. You get a time limit and a certain size that your Katamari ball must reach within that timeframe, you're dropped out onto the floor somewhere, and you just start rollin'. It's incredibly simple, yet indescribably inspirational. While it may sound lacking in depth and replay value, I dare you to spend an hour with this disc and then casually put it away. It's physically impossible. I've never been one to immediately replay a game after finishing it, but I did just that in Katamari. The only thing that'll keep you playing is the never-ending challenge to top your existing high scores... well, that and your need to constantly explore this bizarre, psuedo-Eastern world... and it's been quite a while since I felt this motivated by nothing more than a number saved onto a memory card somewhere.

Alongside its outlandishly original gameplay and story, Damacy is equally original with its simple, understated control scheme. The only buttons you'll need to use in this game are the PS2 controller's dual analog sticks and the "X" button. It plays like a weird mixture of Pac-Man and the old Midway tank-based arcade game, Vindicators. Pushing both sticks forward moves you forward. Pulling both sticks back moves you back. Pushing both sticks left strafes you left, two rights strafe you right, pushing the left stick forward and the right stick back turns the whole thing (camera and all) right, and vice versa performs the exact opposite function. The only time your fingers should leave the analog sticks is when you're reading some dialog (unfortunately, there's no prominent voice acting in Katamari) and you need to hit the "X" button to move things along.

Visually, this is far from the most stunning game on the PS2 today. Honestly, I don't think there's a single object in the game that couldn't be faithfully reproduced on the Sega Dreamcast a thousand times over. Now that I think about it, the original Shenmue puts the graphics of Katamari to shame. But if you still think the visuals are the point, you obviously haven't been paying attention. However, one thing I'm relatively sure the old Dreamcast couldn't do is scale every one of those millions of objects, both moving and still, from full-screen to ant-size with no slowdown in sight. It's not right up in your face and obvious, like the majestic beauty of Gran Turismo 3 or Final Fantasy X, but this is a great display of the PS2's sheer polygon-crunching power.

This is seriously one of the greatest games of 2004. If you haven't already played it and were waiting on some sort of official endorsement to do so, consider this your call to action. It's discount-priced right out of the gates at twenty bucks, (which makes perfect sense, because no matter how good this game is, I don't think I could've justified fifty dollars on it) and will reward you and your friends with hours upon hours of entertainment, even after you've completed all of the single-player quests.

Review of Skylanders Spyro's Adventure Zook

Customer Ratings:

Added this beast to the group and opened up new characters to the game. Enjoyed the adventure it brings to the game, works with both spyro and giants platforms.

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Ugh.... obvious point-out aside. I had a feeling that Zook would be a fun character to play (and NOT just because he's a walking, Rastafarian-accented, bamboo guy with a bamboo bazooka.), over all, he's a decently reliable far-range-attack Skylander, a few notches down from Flameslinger and Gill Grunt. He also has MIRV mortars which allow an elevated attack (with a pineapple missile, lol), and he "grows" a barrier to slow down oncoming enemies, making him more effective at KEEPING his enemies far. His speed is good, but his armor and attack lack a bit (at first, until you boost with with challenges).

His tactics.... along WITH being a reggae plant-man with an awesome, somewhat scruffy face with a big toothy grin... makes him a worthy add-on to your Skylander cast.

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Love Skylanders for my boys. They love them!! They love all the characters! They don't have one they don't like. They like them all & I like these toys for my boys.

Honest reviews on Skylanders Spyro's Adventure Zook

The packaging was excellent. arrived a day before promised. Good quality.The colors were bright good price.I would recommend this product.

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Bought this to complete the collection and found it to be a great character on the game and worth having over other Skylanders in I and my kids prime lineup. It has since been released in Skylanders Giants with a new look but same functionality. However I still have the original and it works on all three games so far. Great character for the game.

Buy Chrome Purple/White Xbox 360 Modded Controller (Rapid Fire) COD

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List Price: $139.99
Sale Price: $89.99
Today's Bonus: 36% Off

I have 4 controllers. The GOW3 limited edition, an old black controller that has a mod that I bought a long time ago, the plain black controller that came with my console, and this one.

This blows every other controller out of the water. The controller has endured lots of heavy gaming, and the mod has helped give me the edge on so many occasions. That extra split second of shooting faster does wonders. Everyone seems to play with mods now so unless you have one you can't really keep up. And I'm pretty sure this mod is better than a lot of other ones out there since I'm definitely shooting faster.

I am really happy with my purchase. The price was right as well. I really feel that it was a great value since the GOW3 controller I bought was only $15 cheaper and it didn't have a mod or the cool look like this. Highly recommended.

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The controller has a mind of its own most of the time it doesn't respond to the orders I'm telling it do.

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I love almost everything about this controller except for it's connection range. It's beautiful to look at, works exceeding well in game play, once you figure out the codes the mods are easy to change and very helpful, and even though I was afraid the glossy mirror cover would get sweaty from extended usage, it's actually no worse than the standard black matte covering (maybe even a little better).

However, the controller's range is only about 9 feet, once past that the connection drops frequently. I've tried both rechargeable and AA batteries, but still experience the same problem. Since the edge of my couch is about 10 feet from my Xbox, I have to lean forward hunched over to play with any reliability. If it weren't for this problem, I would easily give 5 stars as other than this one issue its the best controller I've ever used.

If you normally play close to your Xbox then you should definitely give this puppy a shot, but if you sit 9+ feet away be ready for some massive frustration as you continually lose your controller for 15 seconds while it reconnects.

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My son ordered this with his christmas money and hasn't stopped using it. It has become his favorite xbox controller.

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This controller is awesome. Although I did have some issues with it disconnecting. I spoke with one of the techs at geniusmods and they told me not to use my rechargeable battery pack. Apparently they do not provide enough voltage. Awesome customer service always.

Reviews of Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 - Nintendo Wii

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List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $13.49
Today's Bonus: 33% Off

I've had this game for about a week now, and after putting in many hours of play I thought I'd put a quick "first impressions" review up, and then update it later on. Just a bit of background: my last version of PES was 2009 for Wii and I've played it almost continuously for the several years I've had it. The control that Wii interface gives you is pretty amazing and addictive and it's easily the best sports game I've ever played.

Other than different menus, the first thing I've noticed is that the physics of player movement and momentum have been updated to be more realistic I haven't played any more recent versions, so this may be the same from last year. It's subtle, but it's unmistakeable and a big improvement, IMO. You can now run after a ball heading toward the sideline and stop & control it, rather than just running out of bounds as in PES 2009. Not always, but these world-class athletes now act more like world-class athletes. Another big change is that when holding Z to pressure the player with the ball, your defender will now sometimes knock the other guy over. Mostly this just results in a free kick, though I've gotten a couple of yellow cards and one very frustrating penalty kick in the 89th minute to lose a game. I guess the lesson is that you can't just hold Z forever at some point the pressure is too much and your defender steamrolls the player he's pressuring.

I primarily play Master League and that's the only part of PES 2013 I've touched, other than to edit the EPL teams to their proper names. Champions League is now integrated into Master League (finally!) and you can rename the FA Cup to the FA Cup (which you could in 2009, but for whatever reason it didn't make the change within Master League).

Now, here's my big disappointment: there is no more second division. You start in the Premier League, and there is no relegation. WHY, Konami, WHY? Ideally I would've loved them to put in MORE lower divisions, not remove them altogether. Why not give us 50-60 teams from each country, then we can edit them as we like and set up whatever level of promotion/relegation we want? It seems that this wouldn't be that difficult since it was already there to one level in past versions.

So, what this means is that when I start with a team of unknowns (which is how I like to do it) you now have a 1.5 star team playing against EPL squads! In the past my low-quality team would've been in the lower division playing against better-but-still-middling competition. Makes it pretty tough to get any progress going. I cut as much of the dead wood from my team (it seems you start with a bunch of guys with really poor stamina so many of them are useless) at the January transfer window, traded an aging striker (with poor stamina) for a much better goalkeeper, and was able to get a couple of good midfielders, but no improved strikers. With limited funds to work with, this has put me in only a slightly improved position for the remainder of the season. But that's ok. Progress is being made and it shouldn't be too easy. But I had bids for 6-8 different strikers rejected. Oh, and there are far fewer "bargains" to be found. No more young strikers waiting to blossom for only 250 points, etc. Overall the players seem more expensive which makes sense, I guess, if we're only dealing with top division teams. So far with my slightly upgraded team but with still far too many poor quality players goals are hard to come by, so I've got a lot of 1-0, 0-1, 0-0 & 1-1 results.

One new feature (to me, anyway, it may have been there in the past) is that you can now take free kicks from a "behind the kicker" perspecive and choose the arc/curve of the ball based on the kicker's abilities, of course. Kind of cool, and it's nice to have a bit more control on free kicks.

So, overall, I think this is a big improvement. I don't know if it's a big change from 2012, but that's part of why I don't buy the update every year for sports games usually the small changes don't justify the price. But this is only $20, so kudos to Konami for that. I'm very happy with PES 2013 so far. The gameplay mechanics are unchanged, for the most part, but the feel of the gameplay has improved for the better. I can't wait to get some better players up front to see how that helps.

A couple more quick notes: the in-game graphics are pretty much the same, maybe slightly better, but there's only so much the Wii can do. (I'm looking forward to a Wii U version) The cut-scene graphics are improved, mostly in the fact that the player models are more varied, and they've done a better job of making famous players more recognizable, though many players now look vaguely cro-magnon.

Lastly I think the AI is much improved. AI is one of those effemeral things that game companies like to tout and give fancy names to, but I think Konami have actually done something here. In 2009, even at the highest difficulty level, defenders would sometimes just move out of your way. Now they mostly position themselves intelligently and make it much more difficult to get off a clear shot. They crowd the box, they hound you constantly, they make intelligent passes, they will play to open space, and keep the ball moving. Plus they dive in the penalty box or at least that's my take on it. A penalty in the 89th minute! It had to be a dive! :)

UPDATE 12/29/12: So I'm still enjoying this game. I've now upgraded my team and I'm leading the EPL just past the January transfer window of my second season. Negotiations are much tougher than they were in 2009. Most offers seem to get rejected, but that's probably more realistic oh, and I have all of the Master League transfer settings at their defaults. One last note on AI: it's improved, the box is often crowded with defenders. It's tough to get a cross to your men in the box, shots and passes are blocked much more frequently and you really have to work to find open space. Still love this game, still disappointed by the lack of a second division.

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This is from my son who is 10 yrs old and loves to play, watch and play video-games with soccer..

This game is very good. The graphics are great, and there are many more features in this game than FIFA for WII, like in PES, you can go straight to penalty shoot-outs,(instead of having to play a full game, like FIFA) also you can choose the order of your pk takers, and free kickers. This didn't matter to much, but Chelsea F.C. and Arsenal F.C. are called London F.C. and North London F.C. And their jerseys are differnt, but what matters is that the players are all there with their numbers like Chelsea's new signing Edin Hazard, and Arsenal's new signings Lucas Podolski, Oliver Giroud, and Santi Cazorla. The graphics are also incredible, and what I like is most players has it's own playing style, like for example, in PES 2013 WII, when Cristiano Ronaldo steps up to take a penalty kick for Real Madrid and Portugal, he stops at the last second like in real life. The controls are good, but in my opinion, there are too many controls. Almost every control is used for gameplay like 1 and 2 and plus and minus.

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this game is pretty much the same as 2011 and 2012. there really needs to be some changes to make this a little more comparable to the versions on other consoles.

the online/multiplayer part needs to be fixed. searching for an opponent is really inefficient and it doesnt even tell you how many people are online. if a party quits the game before it ends (especially towards the end when they are losing) it doesnt count negatively towards them or indicate that for future match ups.

Honest reviews on Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 - Nintendo Wii

Tough game to learn how to play. Will take some time to get used to it, but I'm trying and not giving up.

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The graphics are good, but is not much different from other versions. They enjoy playing it for long periods, so they are not bored.

Cheap Hdmi Cable and Adapter for Xbox 360

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The cable that came with my xbox would block the hdmi port when plugged in, so I couldn't plug both an hdmi cable and digital audio in at the same time (my receiver doesn't have hdmi). However, it is a fairly easy process to remove the plastiic casing around the cable with the digital audio and then both will fit and it works like a charm.

Just take a flat edge screwdriver to the crease in the side of the casing, give it a light tap with a hammer if necessary, and the plastic casing will pop off. Once this is done, both cables fit without a problem. You may want to wrap with electrical tape once the casing is removed.

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I purchased this HDMI AV dongle because it was half the price of the official MS dongle but works exactly the same. Why would you want to use this? Well basically it allows you to use a separate HDMI cable for HD video but still able to output analog or digital audio to a separate amp or speaker system without requiring special HDMI audio equipment. Without this dongle you'd have to get audio straight from the HDMI cable which requires one of the newer amps or TVs that can receive HDMI audio.

My LCD doesn't have component inputs so my only choices were HDMI or VGA. I didn't want to go VGA because the video quality is inferior to HDMI so I went for this HDMI AV dongle. The digital HD video quality through HDMI is amazing and for only half the price of the Microsoft dongle. The dongle and included HDMI cable all have gold plated connectors too so the quality is pretty good. I would recommend this HDMI AV dongle/cable to anyone who wants to get clean digital HD video through a simple single HDMI connection.

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If you have a surround sound system and want the best quality for a fraction of the cost get this dongle! This also comes with an HDMI cable which I already have enough of but even for the price of what this is I would pay for it just for the dongle! I was so tempted to go out and buy the Microsoft bundle because I wanted my sound ASAP as I was using a headphone jack to audio to my surround sound system. Note that you will need this if you want the best in digital audio as the connection that comes with the Xbox 360 blocks the HDMI port so you can't use both HDMI and optical/analog outputs at the same time... With this dongle you can! 5 out of 5 stars... Gotta run! I hear footsteps behind me in Call of Duty:MW2 due to this great buy!

Honest reviews on Hdmi Cable and Adapter for Xbox 360

I'd recently been in the market for an good HDMI cable for my Xbox360 / HDTV, as component cables are a bit dated now... and I also needed an optical adapter for my new surround headset. I saw them both in a cheap bundle, and decided to take a chance. I'm solidly satisfied with the purchase. The products arrived the next day, neatly packaged, and exactly as the picture shows them. The HDMI works like it should, and is of very sturdy materials. The optical adapter is quite light, and feels kind of cheap and plasticky, but nonetheless does what it should. I'd suggest this product (both) to anyone who needs or wants them. It's worth it!

*NOTE*

1. The component adapter that comes standard on Xbox360's are bigger than this optical adapter, obstructing the HDMI port right next to it, thus making use of an HDMI cable impossible with the old adapter. This adapter is much skinner, and slides in perfectly next to the HDMI.

2. The old Xbox360 adapter sent audio (red / white cables) straight to the television. This adapter has no cords included. With this adapter, separate double-ended cables are needed for the audio. I thankfully found some that came with my new HDTV that I used until I switched over to an optical connection with my headset. You can find them very easily here on Amazon.com, or an electronics store for less than 10 USD or so.

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These work flawlessly at a fracion of the price of the official cables. I've never had a problem. If you're wondering whether or not you should shell out the money for the official cables because you're unsure about getting something different....wonder no longer. These are fantastic. I highly recommend them and you can't beat the price. Sometimes the old adage "you get what you pay for" doesn't apply...

EDIT:

I purchased mine from the seller Ultra Spec for around $10.

Review of Heroes Over Europe - Xbox 360

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Bottom line: if you liked Secret Weapons over Europe, Heroes of the Pacific, and Blazing Angels then you'll like this game. It's more of the same i.e. shoot down enough bombers before they make the red graph on the upper right hand side fill up. Here are the drawbacks: (1) some slowdown during the more intense battle sequences, (2) inability to customize aircraft I really liked that feature from Blazing Angels 2, and (3) there are no wingmen to speak of no one is coming to bail you out if an enemy is on your tail again, another feature from Blazing Angels 2 that I liked. The biggest new addition they have is the "Ace Kill" if you get close enough to an enemy for a few seconds you will get a closeup of the enemy plane. If you can hit the vital part of the enemy plane in a few seconds, you can destroy it with a single shot. The single player campaign is about the length of that for the other games, though the variety of missions didn't seem as good. Simply put, even without playing it, you've been down this road before. I personnally like these games so it was still a worthwile purchase for me.

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To be fair, I haven't touched the single player yet, so this is strictly for multiplayer. I am ALWAYS up for a good dogfight. I had deep hopes that this game would offer more than the standard "fly in big loops until you line up a target play. Boy, does this deliver! Very tight controls mean that you can truly utilize your flying skills and the abilities of your aircraft in order to capture what it must have been like to blast at enemies in the air using these WW11 craft. Responsive, intense, fun modes (by yourself or team dogfights, dive bombing, hiding in the clouds, battle and war odes, there is all kinds of stuff to enjoy in multiplayer. Add to that a boatload of planes available right off the bat and we have a winner! This game is loads of fun online, it's probably going to be meaty in single player too. Maybe I'll write up another review once I've torn myself away from the amazing multiplayer component of the game.

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This was easily as much fun as Crimson Skies, which is an Xbox legend, but with authentic WWII planes! Great fun and very addicting.

Honest reviews on Heroes Over Europe - Xbox 360

Great one player game if you're a WW2 buff. I loved it. Some of it was pretty tuff so I had to put it on Rookie be able to beat that level. It's worth it with that low price.

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this game is very short, i thought it would be a bit longer, the controls were fairly easy to pick up on, and the graphics and action are both pretty good. it it was a bit longer and had different single player games other than just a campaign it would be a little more fun.

Reviews of Official Microsoft Xbox 360 SLIM Power Supply AC Adapter (Bulk

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I was originally going to buy this since it's an 'Official' replacement. The reviews are good and I am guessing that many people were satisfied after they received their new power supply. I hated this price for just that piece of the xbox. Read somewhere that it was $35 from the Xbox site/microsoft store. Looking around, couldn't find just the individual piece. Eventually I came upon a link for ordering repairs/replacements from the Xbox service.

Finally, found the link to order the power supply for just $35.00.

I suggest that you just buy the item here to save the money. I posted up a link before but they removed it. Here it is again, I will try to keep it updated, just removed the spaces. myservice . xbox . com

You will have to register your product before you can order any of the pieces from xbox. Which was easy, it's right on the back of your xbox. After you buy this item from them it's a total of $38.15 due to taxes. Still a better deal.

Just a Note; It usually stops working because of the overheating and the failure of the fan inside the power bar. If you buy the special Torx bits to open it up and periodically clean out the product then it increases the longevity of it immensely.

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After searching for quite a while I found this power supply. I have no idea why microsoft makes the official ac power cord so hard to find. If you don't have the new xbox you can find the old cables at gamestop. Call ahead because they might even sell this new one, none of the stores in boston had one. This is no knock off product and its exactly what I wanted, beware of buying the adapters and fake models because they could ruin your xbox or be to loud.

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Considered purchasing this here but concerned about the price as well. Called Xbox support 800-469-9269 to check the price there. They base the order from the serial number on your Xbox system to ensure you are getting the correct power supply. Brick and cord are $35 including shipping. Careful!! Ordering directly from manufacturer this time was a MUCH better deal and I know I'm getting the right product.

Honest reviews on Official Microsoft Xbox 360 SLIM Power Supply AC Adapter (Bulk

The official XBOX website is selling the complete AC adapter (brick and cord) for $35, this is just the brick for $61.99. I almost got ripped off until i check the site to see if my Adapter was covered.

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Works like a charm. Was worried that it would be noisy, as reported by buyers of other brands, but this one works just like the original. It is very quiet and I am very happy!!!

Cheap Dead or Alive Ultimate

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List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $13.25
Today's Bonus: 34% Off

From the same people that brought you Ninja Gaiden, Dead or Alive 3 and Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball comes Dead or Alive Ultimate, packaging the original Saturn version of Dead or Alive with a completely redesigned Dead or Alive 2.

What Makes DOA Ultimate Special??

For first the first time ever on any console-gamers can enjoy 3-D fighting online! Both games are Xbox Live-enabled, giving players the chance to test their fighting skills against a vast community of highly competitive gamers across the globe.

Why should I care about the 1st DOA???

In 1997, the original Dead or Alive was released on the SEGA Saturn, pushing its processing power to the limits. The original Dead or Alive has long been considered one of the greatest masterpieces in the series, but it was never released in the North American Territory. Now, the graphics of the SEGA Saturn version, make their first appearance on the Xbox-perfectly rendered.

But I've Already Played DOA 2.

Not this DOA 2. Redesigned on a brand new engine, the new DOA 2 boasts amazing new interactive environments that are made possible by the incredible power of the Xbox. Gorgeous new graphics, hard-hitting new fighting moves, and never-before-seen costumes were added to create the "ultimate" fighting game.

What else is there???

The new Dead or Alive Ultimate features never-before-seen episodes from the characters' pasts, revealing new details about each character. These new movies feature unbelievable graphics that will you breathless. These movies will finally answer questions such as the reasons for Ayane's birth and the meaning of the flower in Kasumi's ending. Dead or Alive Ultimate also features a bunch of brand-new costumes.

I would say if you are a fighting game fan, pick this one up. And if you are not one, this could be the game to change your mind. The online feature will now add hours and hours of gameplay. I hope to see you on XBOX LIVE!!!!

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In Dead or Alive Ultimate, you get to play both Dead or Alive 1 and an improved version of Dead or Alive 2 plus online gameplay as well!

XBox fans who enjoy fighting are thrilled about this because while Dead or Alive 3 was on the XBox, until now there was no way to play the older games on this console. The Dead or Alive 1 gameplay is just like the original, bringing the classic feel and fun. On the other hand, Dead or Alive 2 is definitely updated. You get the same characters and locations, but the graphics have been revamped to take advantage of the XBox's engine.

I have to say this is GREAT because I'm a huge fan of Dead or Alive 3 and its amazing graphics. To be able to have that same level of graphic achievement with blowing leaves, footprints in the snow, and so on is just great. The costumes and characters are all quite distinctive and really let you get a feel for the personality of each individual.

The main theme is done by Aerosmith, but each level has its own music that fits well with the scenario. You get to fight in Japanese gardens, on the Great Wall of China, in a peaceful forest, and in other quite detailed spots. Not only are the three dimensional areas visually spectacular, but you can knock a character off a given section of the map and continue the fight on lower levels. It really adds to the strategy and gameplay.

There are great new scenes to help you learn more about the Dead or Alive universe. It's like reading a prequel to your favorite story suddenly the characters and their actions take on new meanings.

The online gameplay lets you take your skills and techniques online, to test against players around the world. Instead of being 'stuck' with the gameplay in the game (which can easily last for weeks), you could play 24 hours a day and never run out of new opponents to face.

If I have any complaint about this game, it's that while the guys are in really cool costumes, the women all seem to be wearing costumes that clearly show off their underwear and big breasts. Some people DO play these games who aren't obsessed with women's underwear and inflatable chests.

That being said, it is at least great that female fighters are treated with respect, and it's considered normal to have just as many female characters in a fighting game as males. It wasn't that long ago that a fighting game would be males only, with women stuck on the sidelines waving little flags.

A great fighting game in general, and a must-have for DOA fans to fill in the storyline.

4.5/5

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Because this hard hittin' renowed 2-game classic blows them out of the water.

Pros:

-Excellent Graphics(Both games got a graphical tune-up, especially DOA2)

-Superb Voice acting

-Simple, but addictive button mashing gameplay

-It has the DOA 1 that didn't make it to America(Not the modified PS1 version)

-So much to do:

--Unlocking costumes(All wemon have over 20!(DOA2) Allright!!)

--Unlocking the CGI gallery

--Unlocking short videos

--Unlocking Hitomi(Who wasn't in DOA2)

-DOAXBV don't get left out in the rain, because the valuptiunous hunnies that got this game on the map get bakinis in this. Oh Yea!!)

-New enviornments, and a opening FMV have been added to DOA2

-Stage falls are for-jorkin' hillarious(Especially when they roll down stairs. Tumble-Tumble-Tumble)

-As always the sex appeal is very high, and lookin at the wemon sometimes makes me laugh(If you know what I mean)

-The replay value is very high

-Online play is really the jam in the doughnut. It's fun and it shows the world how good, or bad you are.

-Limited edition version incluedes trading cards(Nice)

-This is the ultimate package for DOA fans, that should not be missed by any fan of fighting

Cons:

-Not much has been improved in DOA1

-You must have data from DOA3 or DOAXBV to unlock Hitomi. (I feel bad for those that don't have that)

-Story mode for both games make no sense

-Why couldn't they put FMVs for endings for DOA2

-Online play shows how bad I am.(In other words, I suck against real pros at this game)

This game is, so far the best DOA game to his the market, and the goodness of extras and online play definitly made me grab this. For those who love fighting, you must get this game. If you're a DOA fan and don't have this, then get it. This title should definitly not be missed.

peace

Honest reviews on Dead or Alive Ultimate

Dead or Alive Ultimate is a compilation of Dead or Alive 1 and Dead or Alive 2, each on its own disk. Dead or Alive 1 is an exact replica of the same game that was released on the Sega Saturn so many years ago. This is a really nice treat because this might be the first time that players get the chance to play the game that started it all for this series. Since it is an exact replica the graphics remain the same, so players will be playing with more "boxy" polygonal character models. It is amazing that even though this game has changed so much it still feels the same.

The arenas in this mode are a riot. The rings are composed of two squares, the inside one is "safe zone", so if you fall down or get knocked down to the ground, the only damage you take is from the force it took you to get down there. If you go outside of this zone, the rest of the arena is what I like to call "lava." What I mean by this is if you get knocked down on this part of the game, your life will get deducted by how much force it took to get you down there plus once you hit the ground you will be knocked upwards, like a volcano blast, and you will receive more damage. Since there are no walls to get cornered, players will always have to be aware of where they are located so they don't take additional damage. If you want to play online with Dead or Alive 1, you will be able to. All you have to do is sign on and get your "fight on."

The main focus of this compilation was placed on Dead or Alive 2, and it will become apparent when you first boot up this game and see the intro CGI movie. This game looks better then Dead or Alive 3, which became one of the benchmarks of the graphical power of the Xbox when it was released. This game truly shows the power of the Xbox. The character models look just as good as the CGI movie, which looks awesome itself. The clothes on the characters move and have their own set of physics that move realistically as clothing might be expected to if you are fighting someone.

The most noticeable thing is the arenas that the characters fight in; they are a jaw-dropping awesome sight to behold. Every level there is some interactivity involved, from things going on in the background, breaking through walls and going to new parts of the level, or little subtle things. There is always something going on in the background, in one level you will be fighting in a chained off arena, and ever so often there will be cops chasing cars throughout the level, which gives it a very surreal feeling while you are playing. Just like in Dead or Alive 3, there are many different "levels" to particular arenas. One of my favorite is on the snowy mountain. While you are fighting through the level you can make the snow move around, and if you get the person close enough to the cliff you can knock them down to an icy lake below. From there you can even knock the players into icicles and make them shatter. This is truly a sight to behold.

The subtle things throughout each level might be the hundreds of leaves or cherry blossoms that are floating around the level, get stirred up if you walk through a pile of them. While this might not seem like much, you will have to remember that each of those leaves have a polygonal count and move throughout the level while you are performing a beat down on an enemy. All of this is going on without any slowdown, how remarkable is that! It is literally amazing all of the details that went into making this game look this great, and still remain highly playable without any hint of slowdown.

The roster for this game is the exact same as it was back on the Playstation 2. You will find all of your old favorites included with the exact same fighting moves. Some might be disappointed that several moves might be missing that were in Dead or Alive 3, but you will have to remember that this is a remake. One of the biggest draws for this game is the amount of costumes unlockable for each character. Many of the girls have over fifteen completely different costumes, and I am not talking about one costume is purple while the other exact same one is red. The costumes are 100% different from one another, such as School girl outfit, bathing suits, Santa Outfits, to many other things. It will take players a long time to collect them all, but it is rewarding once you have done it.

The audio portion of Dead or Alive 2 is great, but could have been better. It features Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, which makes the fights feel more "alive," especially in certain levels such as the one where the cops are chasing cars around the block. The Japanese voiceovers are what one might expect from this game, and fit the characters really well. The only disappointing thing is that this game doesn't support custom soundtracks. While it is nice to hear all of the music from the game, I would have liked to fight with the music of my choice, especially after playing the game for many hours.

Here is the part you are waiting most for, the online portion of this game that has been talked about for months on end. Before I get into specific details, I will say that it is one of the best features of the game! As you know if you have an Xbox Live account you can fight anyone across the world and it feels just like they are sitting next to you. There are times when you might have a few fights that are "laggy" but they are few and far between. Another thing of interest is when you unlock a new costume you will be able to use it while you are online, so if you see someone using your favorite character with a costume you have not seen before, you will know that it can be unlocked and used for your character as well.

The modes that are available online are: Spectator, Winner-Stays, Tournament, Team Battle, Survival, Loser-Stays, Kumite. In spectator mode, players will be able to view the battles currently raging on. In Winner-Stay players fight a one on one match, and the winner of the match will stay and take on the next challenger. In Tournament players will advance to each round until one person is declared a winner. Team Battle, players will be able to challenge other players in Tag-Team Battles. Survival mode players fight battle after battle until their health is depleted. In Loser-Stays, is the exact opposite of winner-stays. Kumite is a non stop battle, in which win or lose a person fights all the challengers until they quit. With all of these modes available, you will not be able to get any sleep as there is so much to do!

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I have not exactly played a lot of fighting games. In fact, ever since they took the Mortal Kombat 2 machine out of the video rental place, I haven't really seen that much of the fighting game. But here goes:

I have to say this game was pretty good. There were good characters, great backgrounds, interesting moves and that colorful sheen that Team Ninja casts upon its games. The story was a bit iffy, in my opinion. Although the intro, played out to Aerosmith's "Dream On," was an excellent piece, it has absolutely nothing to do with the game! There are similarities between it and certain characters' motivations, but in the long run, it has more to do with the Dead or Alive 1 that is tacked in as a bonus feature.

The characters' motivations are clearly enough represented, even if their stories are not up front. And you will get some back-story on all the characters, but it turns in a soap operatic thingy. For example: the wrassler must face his daughter; the phrase, "haven't we met before?" is all over the place; there are some people revealed to be family members at various moments; the karate champ has lost his memory, and a ninja lady must face her evil twin.

Also, the designers put in some really neat-o moves. In doing this, they forgot that most human only have so many fingers and a pair of thumbs. The controls are workable, but workable at best. This can lead to the dreaded button mashing. On that note, I can say that this game remains true to the original. It is also fairly unforgiving.

By the way, "ultimate" means "the best, biggest, and last." This collection does not have that many extra features. Most "ultimate" games should be dripping with readily unlockable stuff. Although you can collect more outfits for the ninja babes to fight in, that's all she wrote.

However, the game is pretty good. Why? Well, for one thing, it's beautiful. The girls in skimpy outfits don't hurt. Neither does the fact that that guy from Ninja Gaiden is here. Familiarity breeds content.

Plus, the fighting, although a bit clumsy at first, will grow on you. Of course, a side effect to this might be that you cannot play any other game for a while, but for a while you won't want to.

And of course, the crowning achievement of this game is its unlockable soundtrack. I have a soft spot for those, and this on includes the previously mentioned "Dream On." So if you're a fan of battling ninjas, girls in bikinis, and classic rock, give this game a try.

Review of X-Files: Resist or Serve - PlayStation 2

Customer Ratings:

Though it suffered a number of release delays and with the dreaded fact that it is a licensed video game, The X-Files: Resist or Serve is a surprisingly good game, even though it draws many comparisons to various Resident Evil games because of it's presentation. While it suffers from graphical glitches and a few gameplay and control issues, Resist or Serve still shines thanks to it's mix of survival horror and puzzle elements. Playing as FBI Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully; you investigate a series of bizarre and brutal murders in the town of Red Falls, Colorado. The game's story is written by veteran X-Files show writers, so the game's story plays out much like the lost episode that it is claimed to be. Mulder's story is more action oriented as you take on hordes of zombie-ish creatures, while Scully's story is puzzle oriented as you combine various toxins and perform autopsies. The puzzle elements are a nice diversion than the usual "find the key to open the door" type puzzles that are populated throughout other games of the genre, and that alone is refreshing. The character models of Mulder, Scully, A.D. Skinner, the Lone Gunmen, Alex Krycek, and the Cancer Man are nicely rendered so that each character resembles their series counterpart, but the character movement comes off as wooden. The sound of the game is where Resist or Serve shines as each actor reprises their role (thats right, David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are on board as Mulder and Scully) and the music recycles various episode scores and sounds brilliant. All in all, The X-Files: Resist or Serve is a surprisingly good game that any and every X-Files fan should check out.

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Fabulous that they were able to get the stars to agree to do the voices for the Game! This game isn't perfect, but for me it was just what I was looking for in a new game. It had a little Resident Evil(Zombies), Silent Hill (Eerie Surroundings) and then the X-files storyline! After I got used to the controls and what the game was about I was hooked. The main complaint for me was it wasn't longer! If they do a sequel I will have it on preorder as soon as I hear about it.

It has the bit of mystery of the X-files but is basically a combo game with shooting/puzzles and even a few Autopsy's thrown in. They really have a place to go with this game if they choose to.

I know that doesn't answer all your questions about the game, but it's worth trying. If you don't want to buy it check it out at your rental store.

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First of all, I am not a huge gamer and am at times horrible at them. However, I am a huge fan of The X-Files TV show and searched all over local video game stores to find a copy of this game. It was worth it. I ended up playing this game for 10 hours. There are some things you should know.

First, this game has been designed with the X-Files fan in mind. They brought in all of the cast members to do voice work. The storyline is engaging, entertaining and is a total mythology episode. There is a lot of animated sequences in this game, where all you can do is sit and watch the story progress. Just like a epsode of the show! The music, theme song, and sound effects are all from the TV show. It's great!

Secondly, while the emphasis was on the fans of the TV show, die hard gamers might get a little annoyed with this game. Playing this game, the camera angles will change on you and of instead of seeing Mulder or Scully's point of view from the back, you see them from the front and your reaction will be to change your direction with the controller. Don't! It is aggravating, but you'll get used to it.

Also, there are many doors that will not open, so your reaction will be to search everywhere for keys, but you should know that not all the doors are meant to be opened. Also, look at Mulder or Scully's notebook frequently to get clues to the game.

Also, and it might not be kosher to say this, but if you get stuck with the game and aren't a big gamer like myself, there are a number of websites with cheat codes and game play hints.

If you go into this game with the idea that it was designed with fans of the TV show in mind, you will have an excellent experience with this game. It's just like the show!

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This game is *really* creepy, and interesting to follow even for non-X-Philers! If you have the episodes on DVD, a must is to review the episodes "Tunguska" and "Terma", as you will hit all the characters, and heck, your X-File has to do with an incident in Tunguska, Russia.

There's lots of inside jokes for the fans, I'm not even finished with the first episode, but I've noticed "Lazarus street", the beer bottles have the betty tattoo from "Never Again" on them, the soda machine from the movie is in the garage stop, and going into the "Adult" section of the video store when you're Mulder is a must...

On the main menu there's a really cool (but long) "intro" which is a bunch of X-Files moments set to a Mark Snow tune. Really awesome.

This game is really awesome. If you've played Resident Evil then you will have the buttons down in no time.

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It's true. Movie/TV-Show tie in games really can work. And this one does perfectly.

From the opening CGI teaser to the X-Files opening credits, you know you are about to play something special.

The best way to describe X-Files Resist or Serve, is Silent Hill with your favorite TV characters thrown in. But don't let that put you off. The game is scary. I mean, really scary. The music adds an awesome atmosphere to the game and the graphics are impressive.

All the horror, humor and suspense from the series, are included in this game.

The only negative comment I would make on the game is weapon control. I found it hard to shoot at my attackers before they were bearing down on me and biting my neck. But then, I find it hard to have good control when I'm jumping so much and panicking so maybe it's just me.

The game contains two paths that you can take and this is decided by choosing either Mulder or Scully as the character you wish to be. So, you have two games in one.

X-Files fans, you have to have this game.

For those that aren't fans of the series but like scary games such as Silent Hill and the drawn out franchise, Resident Evil, this is definitely one for the collection.

Be warned, I can't put this game down for hours. I just have to keep searching for the truth.

Xbox 360 Limited Edition Kinect Star Wars Bundle Reviews

Customer Ratings:

I'll be honest with you guys, I really agonized over buying this bundle. I already had an old Xbox 360 elite and another backup unit to boot so really I didn't NEED it. But when it comes to being an Xbox & Star Wars fan it's not about reason, it's about WANT!!! So what did I do? I bought it, albeit I had tremendous buyers remorse the second I got it until I finally hooked it up (and transferred the data from my old HD to the new one). From the moment I powered up the system I was 100% glad I got it.

Here's why I'm glad I got it.

1) The unit looks awesome, and it is a Star Wars fan's dream come true. The R2D2 exterior is well crafted and looks/feels very nice.

2) I love how the Xbox makes those beeping/booping/squealing R2 sounds when you open/close the tray and power on/off the system. The only drawback is you have to physically press the buttons, you won't get the sounds if you use a remote or the controller.

3) The gold C3P0 controller is GREAT! It has a nice finish, great feel, the D-pad is nice and it just really makes you feel special for buying the bundle.

4) The white kinect is nice, and it is the only one of its kind (so far), with everything else being black. It's a minor thing, but it does make you feel better about paying for the bundle. As for performance, mine was fine out of the box though as with all Kinects you do get the occasional and annoying "player input lost" messages that kind of interrupt the action.

Now should you buy it?

Well here's who I think should get it.

1) Die hard Star Wars fans who need a new Xbox or just have money to burn

2) Someone (like me) who had an old Elite clunker and want to upgrade to the new 360 design before the 720 (allegedly) comes out at the end of 2013. At least if you buy this now you'll still get at least a year and a half with it, assuming R2's circuits don't get fried by the Jawas.

3) Someone who doesn't have a Kinect and needs an excuse to get one by buying a cool, limited edition bundle

4) Someone who needs a 320 GB hard drive and wants a cool Star Wars motif to boot

So who should NOT buy this?

1) Don't buy it if you're tight on cash, and especially if you already have an Xbox that would be just foolish, and you'll just end up being bantha fodder down the road if you're in debt. This bundle is cool, but it's not "I'm willing to go broke for it" cool.

2) Don't buy it because you think it's a cool way to play Star Wars Kinect. It's not. (I'll explain more later)

3) Don't buy it if you think this performance is superior to any other 360. It's not.

**Important Note**

4) Don't buy this if you only have a 5.0 GHZ N connection in your home not unless you have a spare Microsoft Xbox 360 wireless adapter hanging around. The reason?

The Xbox included in this bundle only works on a 2.4 GHZ connection. For people like me who have a dual band router, I assigned the 2.4 GHZ to my G connection (for my G-only devices) and the 5 GHZ to my N connection (to take advantage of the high speed for my other useful gadgets like the new iPad, etc).

FORTUNATELY for me, I was able to unplug my old wireless adapter on my old Xbox and plug it into my new Xbox thru the USB port (thankfully there are 3 ports on this new Xbox too), and voila I was able to pick up my wireless 5.0 N connection again (it wasn't able to do it beforehand). So just keep this in mind, if your wireless connection is only 5.0 GHZ N band at home, you'll need to have the extra adapter around to take full advantage of the higher speed.

I don't think this should affect a lot of people, but just keep this in mind when you are upgrading or buying it for the first time.

As for the extras ... well

1) It looks like Star Wars, but on your Xbox yay!

2) You get 2 games!

3) You get a poster of R2 & C3P0 (eeh)

4) Kinect Adventures is fun, and a nice demo of what the Kinect can do, but other games do it better.

As for Star Wars Kinect (which is also included)

This game is fun, initially

You feel kind of cool when you are training and realizing you can whip out a lightsaber and kill stuff ... until you realize ... a lot of the duels are done in a rock/paper/scissors way. Meaning, when you "duel" you get in a screen where you have to time your blocks, then you get a narrow window of time to attack your opponent. That is REALLY lame.

It's fun to use force powers with your other hand, while you slash with one hand, but after awhile all the slashing gets a bit repetitive and a lot of times I just ended up using my force powers for most enemies by flinging them around. It saves me the trouble of slashing the 1000th stupid droid with my tired arms.

The driving/flying missions/controls are okay, but it's nothing we haven't seen before.

The dance mini game is okay, but the rancor rampage thing is fun. It's basically the old Midway RAMPAGE game, but with a kinect.

The duel mode stinks, for the reason I listed above.

BUT you DO get an extra C3P0 thing for the dance mini game!

So is it worth buying the bundle just for this game? Hell no! But I'm sure most people are buying it because of the eye candy, and for that I gotta say it is really worth it. The unit looks special, I love the beeping R2 sounds and most importantly, it's a great upgrade for people who love Star Wars and Xbox at the same time. You just feel happy looking at it when it's in your living room or den or man cave.

Just keep in mind the Star Wars game itself isn't that great.

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Never had interest in buying an xbox 360 before (I have multiple PS3s and a gaming PC), but when I saw the video of this thing coming out, combined with my son's interest in Kinect, I knew I would purchase it. The system itself has a really cool look to it and the controller is great as well. Not entirely thrilled with a white Kinect, but that's a matter of taste and no reflection on the device itself. We've played the game a little and thus far it's been fun. Using voice commands for Netflix and downloading games has been very easy. I'd say this is a purchase for someone who doesn't own an xbox 360 or doesn't have a slim model or of course the die hard fan.

A couple things to take note of, the R2 noises only happen when you use the physical eject or power button on the machine itself. Using the controller or voice command on the kinect does not trigger the R2 noises. Not a big deal to me, but wanted to pass that on. The controller comes with AA batteries, so a recharge kit would also be a good purchase to combine with this if you don't have one already.

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I purchased this unit for my girlfriend a few weeks ago. She was without a proper console until then. She thinks R2D2 is cute, wanted an XBox badly and hasn't really had much for birthdays.

She cried when she opened it.

The console itself is exactly as advertised. I don't know what some people were expecting. Why is it a big deal that you have to physically approach the system and actually press the buttons to get a fun sound or two? The blue light and the R2D2 noises are awesome and add a lighthearted aesthetic to the experience. The C3PO controller is pretty cool looking and I'd purchase it alone, even if I didn't know what it was supposed to resemble. The games were the only part I wasn't stoked about but they were far from central to the general coolness of this package. She traded 'em in @ CEX in Boston and got Mass Effect 1, Fable 2 and Assassin's Creed. That's a win.

I am a fan of the Kinect, whatever the color. Some people want to hate on it and complain. It's not supposed to be the Pre-Crime Video Display from Minority Report. It's a kitschy effort to make gaming interactive and get your ass out of a chair. Vocally commanding your XBox to do stuff is awesome, especially when alcohol is involved. It bestows a fleeting yet satisfying sense of power.

If you like Star Wars, you'll be pleased. If you don't, why are you even reading this? This XBox is a killer deal and sports a fun design.

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The Xbox, Controller, and Kinect all work great, but I wanted to mention a couple of nits for potential buyers who might be on the fence for making a purchase:

There is only one C3PO controller included. This is clearly noted, but seems a bit chincy when the Halo Xbox included two silver Halo Reach controllers. The controller does look great though.

The Xbox only makes R2D2 noises when you push the buttons on the Xbox. The controller and Kinnect voice command makes the normal Xbox noises.

Speaking of R2D2, the paint job on the fron of the Xbox feels backwards to me. If you stand the Xbox up on end, the blue lght and R2D2 dome are below the disc drive and not near the top like they would be on a "real" R2.

I never stood my other Xbox up on end, so maybe this is normal, but the drive sounds really loud when it is accessed with the Xbox standing up on end.

I would have thought Microsoft could have included some more Star Wars items with the "Star Wars" Xbox. A custom Star Wars theme or the C3PO/R2D2 avatar items would have been nice extras.

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This is an Xbox. It is also an R2-D2. It plays Gears of War 3 and beeps like a sassy space robot. A+