Reviews of NCAA Football 08 - Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $13.98
Today's Bonus: 53% Off

Let me start off by saying that when your playing in a game scenario, this game can be fun, But problems start rather quickly. One of my biggest complaints is in the passing game, the lack of location based passing makes throwing the ball nerve racking, often times on a crossing route your receiver will have to spin around backwards just to make the catch. And if your hoping to throw over your receivers shoulder where a defender cant reach it.... good luck, once again, most of the time he will spin around and try to make a dramatic catch, often times losing the chance to get extra yardage. Then theres one of my favorite pass plays, the deep comeback. This play is insanely frustrating, your reciever will go out the usual 10-15 yards, the problem is, when he turns back for the pass, he comes back a few yards, you throw, he catches, BUT KEEPS COMING BACK!!! It takes him so long to turn back around, that when he gets tackled he has turned what should have been a gain of 10-15 yards or more into a gain of 4-8 yards. And also if your not a fan of using tight ends in the passing game, you better be damn good at this game, because in the harder difficulty levels it is extremely hard to get the ball into your receivers, since the defense is so tough. Make friends with your tight end, he could save you. And also make good use of your hot routes and motions, and remember, just becuase your pass isnt a huge gain, as long as your not losing yards, your doing pretty good. My next problem is the running game in campus legend mode, when you are the quarterback, or any other position, your running back is often a lame duck, unless your on a team with a excellent running back, even then you will have to turn your running backs AI waaayyy up so that he doesnt just do a spin move and get dropped in the backfield. Also in Campus legend mode, when you are the quarterbackback, you want to make sure that you do choose a balanced or running quarterback, otherwise you may be on the wrong side of a sack very often, especially since the offensive line this year is very inconsistant. Now I know that your gonna get sacked sometimes, that obvious, and also part of the game. But what i mean by inconsistant is that, one play the O-line will do a pretty good job, but then on the next two of your guys will grind together trying to pick up a block, and allow the whole D-line to get through and take you down (thats why you want a mobile quarterback). The load times are long, which can be frustrating, especailly in campus legend mode, where the games are considerably shorter since you only play when your player is on the field. But one place the 360 version of the game shines over the ps3 version is the framerate, which is at a lovely 60 frames per second, while the ps3 struggles at 30fps. But so many frames a second can cause some hiccups.

The main menu can be frustrating and confusing at times, but nothing too hard to overcome. i also find myself wishing there was more to do with your player during the week in campus legend mode. Every week goes as follows: Practice, night event (you only read about what you did that night), then comes the next day. You do this all week, then you can play the game at the end of the week. the night event can earn you stats (which will help you for the week), and popularity points (Which will help fill up your legend meter). You cant even do anything during the offseason, no training, no mini camps, not even a spring game. :(

Thats not to say that everythng is bad in this game. Like I said, this game can be pretty fun. The new ESPN.com feature is very nice, and does a good job keeping up with stats, although often I find that a team that was ranked 25th or lower in the BCS one week, is ranked in the top 5 the next, which for anybody who knows college football, can be irritating since this is NOT supposed to happen. To be fair, I have not played on defense very much, so I can't really discuss that. But let me just say, being a middle linebacker is tough.

All in all this isnt a horrible game, its actually very addicting, its just easier to point out the flaws than it is to talk about the good stuff. The frustrating things do happen, but if you love college football, its easy to overlook...Creating your own highlight reel can be fun, but if your like me and dont have box live (at the moment), its just a sad reminder of how you cant show off your skills. The Stadiums are well done, as well as the whether effects, in the winter you could be having a snow shower, then the next thing you know, it has turned into a blizzard that has completely covered the field. Oddly though, you never see a player slip on the slippery surface (as in Madden 08). The Announcers do a good job with the emotion factor. I cant really say much bad about them. They are a little inconsistant though. For example: they will be very excited over the 4th game of the season, but then in the National Championship, they will be very mellow.

If you have a problem with little irritations and flaws, pass on this game, but if you can overlook these thing, trust me... this game makes for a satisfying experience. I just hope this review has helped all who are reading. and i hope it didnt take too much time out of your day.

Thanks for your time! :)

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Normally I just dig right into the dynasty mode expecting to lose a few games learning the particulars of the game engine, but this time I started by trying out some of the other features. First I tried the minigames of Tug of War (you get 1 play to move the ball and then the opponent gets the same, first to touchdown wins) and also Bowling (10 yards to goal, each yard is a pin with two shots at the end zone).

Next I moved on to Campus Legend Mode. And to be honest it is good enough that I have not left it. First you start out by designing a player and picking a position for them. Next you select your home school and state (high school that is) and you get put right into the high school state playoffs. I picked ROLB to start with figuring that defense is a good place for me. So first off, the only person you can control is the player you have created, so many plays are just not going to involve you. Although there is a lot more pressure because when you blow a coverage or tackle you can't switch to another nearby player to make the tackle. Once you have completed the high school playoffs, you have to select the college that you want to go to. In my case I picked Penn State because I would not be a starter, but I also wouldn't be 3rd string.

Your college career consists of 2 things per day. First is practice where you get 10 reps at various plays (coach calls all plays in both practices and real games). When you make a play it is worth points. These points eventually will earn you a spot on the starting line. For me, I earned my starting spot right before the 3rd game in the season. The different strings make it interesting in the game as well. When you are second string, you are hoping for a blow out so that you can get some field time other than on special teams, where as you hope for a close one during regular play.

One of the nice things in this mode, and frustrating is that the games tend to be really short. This gets a tad annoying as the load times in this game are incredibly long. Another drawback to this mode is that you may play your heart out and do an incredible job, but the team could still lose because the other half of the team is unable to get the job done. Besides the long load times, I have also seen a lot of very screen stutters and lots of xbox 360 fan and drive noise. Just seems to be slightly too intensive.

Graphics wise, this game is good, but not really something you are going to shout from the mountain tops about. Sounds are incredible and after 9 games, I can't complain about the announcers yet. So with all the problems, I still give this game a must buy for Football fans. It is just as fun as it's previous versions (I have played NCAA 01, 04, and 05).

Best Deals for NCAA Football 08 - Xbox 360

I've been a fan of the NCAA series for the past 5 years. I owned last year's version on the original Xbox and thought it was great. Now that I've moved to the 360, it feels like the game has regressed (except in the graphics area). There are too many bugs and problems and it really seems like the game was rushed to meet the shipping date. I think it would have been a lot better if extra time were taken to test and work out the kinks. The basic gameplay is still good but the number of interceptions is completely insane. I found I can beat any player on-line by not throwing any passes while my opponent will usually have 5 or more interceptions. Since I don't even take control of the DBs, it's totally the game's AI that's doing it. I hope that next year's version can iron out these problems as it will be the 3rd year on the 360 and blaming being on a new platform won't be a valid argument anymore. With all this being said, I wouldn't recommend skipping the game since it's still plays well overall, but I would be prepared for a number of annoyances and frustrations.

Honest reviews on NCAA Football 08 - Xbox 360

My major issue with this game is the lagging of the gameplay as well as the announcing. It seemed it took a quarter of a second too long to switch between players on defense, which of course can cause undesired results. The gameplay was akward as well especially on defense. I found playing on the defensive line was nearly impossible. I could never get any pressure on the QB. The graphics are out of this world and the game is very nice to look at overall. The football aesthetics is aplenty but the gameplay needs to be fun in order to have a good game. I found the gameplay and the lagging was too much to overcome. I sold the game and have not looked back.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for NCAA Football 08 - Xbox 360

This year's game is a step ahead from last year's...except for in one (and the largest i.m.o.) category fps. The gameplay is so slow a lot of times, imagine the worst lag you've had playing online in Madden or any shooter game; that's what normal off-line gameplay is like on ncaa '08. If you played last year's title, the offline lag is worse this year...Other than that it's a great game and EA is almost there in terms of a great game. The graphics are wonderful, the gametypes are extremely fun ("You decide to veg out on the couch and watch movies with friends...Popularity +1"), and the achievements are a little more challenging this year (getting six interceptions with one player in one game....grrr).

Overall, it's a fun game to rent and play for a weekend when you have nothing to do, but I wouldn't buy it...next year's should be the one to put the series over the top.

Reviews of Ghost Recon Future Soldier Signature Edition

Customer Ratings:

This is the Signature Edition which was offered through Gamestop. If you can get your hands on one I would recommend it because the guns included are excellent. Overall this game is fun whether playing the campaign or multiplayer. The campaign is very good and I don't mean very good for a shooter. Anyone who has played the Battlefield 3 campaign knows how terrible most games like this usually are. The campaign is actually worth playing. It can be played alone or with three of your friends. Playing the campaign helps unlock items for use in the multiplayer game also. I found the story itself to be less than great but the gameplay makes up for it. The use of different weapons that aid the entire squad adds a realistic feel and a reason to have a team. You actually work with other team members and the AI is really pretty good. Squad coordinated sniper kills are very fun to do and the team members find their own targets quickly and accurately. Drones are usable in campaign and multiplayer and can serve as spotters or attack drones. The drones are controlled by the player which gives players a good idea of enemy placements and map layouts. This is fun and helpful. Who doesn't want to rain a barrage of frags on those enemies hunkered down in a well defended area? Multiplayer is fun and challenging. It is based off of team work and team objectives not the number of kills. This makes multiplayer much more rewarding than in other shooters as you get to see team mates looking out for each other and working towards goals. It helps to eliminate the selfish elements found in so shooters today. Give the game a chance or just come back to an old favorite if you are familiar with the franchise and I doubt you will be disappointed.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I bought the special edition for a reason, game came to me with a broken case and no code for the game extrasnone of this was listed on posting. Game disk has no scratches and plays well.

Best Deals for Ghost Recon Future Soldier Signature Edition

good looking tom clancy game! game play is very unique for a tom clancy GRAW shooter. awesome cover system and battle camera effects adds to the realism during fire-fights. good solid strategy is needed to make it through this game holding in the military simulation genre pretty well i think. this is no run & gun game!

Honest reviews on Ghost Recon Future Soldier Signature Edition

Games is ok...kewl,toys to use in the game...i should have waited for the price to go down...wasnt really worth the price

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Ghost Recon Future Soldier Signature Edition

Good game just not my type of game. Multiplayer gameplay is to weird for me. Haven't got around to campaign yet but I hears its good.

Portal 2 - Xbox 360 Review

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $22.90
Today's Bonus: 24% Off

Portal 2 really has it all. The characters are likable, the story line is engaging and intriguing, and the game play requires you to use your brain. Having played Portal 1, I can say that in my opinion this game is better.

I have to start with Wheatley. This character is voiced by Stephen Merchant, who is from The Ricky Gervais Show and An Idiot Abroad. He's hilarious in his own right, and he voice acts Wheatley to perfection. You can't overstate just how much Stephen Merchant's voice talents lend to the success of this title.

Depending on your ability to solve the puzzles quickly, Portal 2 will give you anywhere from 10-13 hours of game play with a single player play through. There's more, though! Portal 2 has a co-op mode, so you and a friend can take on the Portal 2 landscape together, which is a lot of fun. The downside of all puzzle games, of course, is that the replay value is relatively low. That shouldn't disuade anyone from purchasing this game, though. It's that much fun.

The puzzles are definitely challenging and require you to think, but they're not unreasonable to the point you want to quit in frustration.

I gave it a 4 out of 5 overall due to the replay value not being high. This should not take away from the game itself in any way. It was handicapped from the get go just due to the genre. Had they added the ability for users to create and upload their own puzzles to the rest of the Portal 2 community, this game would get a solid 5 out of 5 from me.

Portal 2 is a great game worthy of your collection.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I know a lot of people are going to write excellent reviews about game play etc. I wanted to make a quick note about how outstandingly funny this game is. The comedic writing is excellent throughout, the timing and general performances (from Stephen Merchant in particular, but the whole cast too) are spot on and I have been laughing out loud while playing the game on my own. I never laugh when I'm alone.

The game is rated E for everyone, but I'm pretty sure that some of the jokes might go slightly over a 8 year-old's head. That is a huge plus in my book. I have played a few other Xbox360 games that were supposedly funny (Battlefield Bad Company 1 + 2 for example), and they left me cold. Juvenile this game is not.

So yeah: Challenging puzzles, original and hilarious writing. What more could you ask for?

Best Deals for Portal 2 - Xbox 360

I've only played the 2 player, but I'll update after I finish the single player campaign:

Wow, just wow. When I got this game, the first thing I did with a pal was tear into the coop. This is one of the freshest, most original games in a long time. Having 4 portals is just insane. The map is divided into what are essentially "worlds" connected to a large hub, and you select which you want to go in. At first my friend and I were worried because we were flying through it, but suddenly right in the middle of world 2 we had to slow waaaay down and really think it through. It only gets harder from there, but never unbearable. Glados also keeps the mood up with constant cracks at the players, so just when you start to get frustrated, she'll say something to make you laugh.

CONCERNING CAMPAIGN LENGTH: I have 3 sections left in what is the last "world", but it's safe to say that the coop campaign length clocks in at roughly 7 hours.

There are a multitude of fps's released so far this year and most of them feel very much like you've played them before. If you want a truly unique experience, pick this up.

Honest reviews on Portal 2 - Xbox 360

Creative, entertaining and extremely funny. I wish there were more games like this for the Xbox. Unfortunately, it seems that they all involve massive amounts of blood and gore instead of thought provoking puzzles.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Portal 2 - Xbox 360

I am really enjoying this game. The puzzles are challenging and game play is fun. Beware though if you have issues with motion sickness. I can only get through about 20 minutes of gameplay before I get queasy. Online, I found many people suffering from the same problem. It has not stopped me from playing!

Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy (Grand Theft Auto 3 / Grand Theft Review

Customer Ratings:

This a collection of probably 3 of the best GTA games and I highly recommend this for a GTA new comer (only played GTA IV), if you are you will definitely enjoy the freedom and features located in San Andreas that you cannot get from IV. If you are not a new comer you will still enjoy these games a lot and chances are you have some experience with them. If you enjoyed this I recommend Grand Theft Auto Classics Collection (it's only about $10) and it's fun to see where GTA started. Also if you purchase GTA the classics collection and GTA the trilogy you will have all the GTA games except for GTA IV. Overall this product is great it includes the 3 games: GTA III, GTA Vice City and GTA San Andreas. Each game is on two (2) discs and comes with the manual and a poster for each game. At first I had problems with the small clips in the case being very flimsy but it should be fine now (I called and had them fix the problem). If the clips are an Issue call them right away! Once again this is a really fun game and I highly recommend it.

*** UPDATE 05/06/2010 ***

The game worked fine on windows 7 for me. I don't understand what Micheal Wang is saying everything worked fine on 7 (which is even newer then vista). There were no issues and you can buy it with confidence even if you have a new machine.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Nothing I can say about these games that you don't already know. You have played them a million times, now play them again on your computer in this nice collectors package for cheap. Oh yea and all these ran fine on my Windows 7 64 bit system, in case you are wondering about compatibility issues.

Best Deals for Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy (Grand Theft Auto 3 / Grand Theft

I'm going to review each game separately, then the collection.

GTA3 is my personal favourite Grand Theft Auto game. It's so simple, yet powerful. It's a tad challenging on PC with a keyboard, so I tried to use my Xbox 360 controller... what an adventure. I'll get to that later. GTA3 is pretty fun.

GTA:VC is awesome. Everything that made GTA3 had been multiplied. Interesting storyling, fun gameplay... and it's always a blast to go on a rampage.

GTA:SA is the best Grand Theft Auto game I've ever played.

If you want to use a 360 controller, good luck. You'll have to download drivers, programs to get it to work with the games, as the triggers don't work. But once you get it to work, then use it. It's better than a keyboard and makes the game that much enjoyable. Or, save yourself the trouble and get a Logitech PS2 controller. So much easier.

Great game. I highly recommend it to anyone.

Honest reviews on Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy (Grand Theft Auto 3 / Grand Theft

checkout this review on grand theft auto triligy set.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy (Grand Theft Auto 3 / Grand Theft

You can't beat the price. You do have to install the nVidea graphics driver if you don't have it already. It is compatible with my logitech dual action controller, and i've gotten hours of play time out of the games. I may be biased because I do adore the GTA series.

Metal Slug Anthology - Nintendo Wii Review

Customer Ratings:

Rather than write a long review about Metal Slug Anthology for the Nintendo Wii. I decided to give a simple pros and cons review. I hope this review is easy for you to read and understand.

Pro.

* 7 Metal Slugs games in one (Metal Slug 1, 2, X, 3, 4, 5, 6).

* Metal Slugs fans finally get a chance to play Metal Slugs 6 (The arcade game was available to play in Japan but not here in the USA).

* 6 unique, odd, and interesting ways to play Metal Slug Anthology for the Nintendo Wii including the uses of the Nintendo GameCube Controller.

* You can play Metal Slug Anthology anytime you want so no more bringing a butt load of quarters to the arcade plus if you prefer a real challenge you can turn off the Unlimited Continue options and go for the Limited Continues option. (Easy-30 Credits, Normal-20 Credits, and finally Hard-10 Credits. Good luck for those who choose hard mode.)

* Rapid Fire Mode-No more button mashing (You can turn this feature off if you like in options menu or the pause menu.)

With all the good things I just wrote about Metal Slug Anthology for the Nintendo Wii now come the bad things.

Con.

* Annoying loading time between levels. (Don't worry the loading time only last for about a few seconds)

* Out of the 6 ways to play Metal Slug Anthology only 3 seem useful. The other 3 seem useless. (Nunchuk mode should be dubbed lazy mode, Tilt Wii Remote mode and Arcade mode are very difficult and almost impossible to play because you have to hold the Wii Remote up or on it side and tilt the Wii Remote Up, Down, Left, and Right.)

* Depending on which way you play Metal Slug Anthology (not counting the GameCube Controller option.) you have to flick the controller to throw grenades. (which can be a pain sometimes)

* Metal Slug Anthology won't support the Wii Classics Controller. (Come on Nintendo and SNK. A game like this has Classics Controller writing all over it.)

* If you are using the Wii Remote or Nunchuk and you have the Rapid Fire Mode on be very careful because if you are in any slug vehicles and you push the jump button while rapid fire mode is on the game will think you activated the metal slug attack thus you lose your slug vehicles easily especially when you are in a tight spot. ( In case if you are wondering the metal slug attack happen when you push the jump & fire button and the same time thus killing any enemies and enemies vehicles along the way.)

Overall I still recommend Metal Slug Anthology to anyone. Especially those who are looking for some good old 2-D shooter games.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

The Metal Slug games are arcade classics. Giving classic shooters such as Contra a run for their money, Metal Slug truly made shooters a completely different experience. These arcade classics are now available in an anthology package. The games include Metal Slug 1-5, Metal Slug X and the never before officially released Metal Slug 6.

When you begin the game you have all the Metal Slug games from the get go. So you don't have to unlock any of the games, they're all right there from the get go. It's fun to play these games for two reasons. One, it's nice to see just how each game changes from one to the next. The series really evolves as time goes on. Also, they're really tough games that even the most experienced of gamers will have trouble with.

Each game has a unique art style going for it. Each level in every game is literally littered with thousands of enemies and troops. You'll be able to get a hold of weapons like a flamethrower or shotgun to thwart your enemies. You'll also be able to throw grenades. The challenge in these games don't let up, though. It's a good thing that you can give yourself infinite continues. You'll certainly need them. The look and feel of these games hasn't really changed much. It's all still there. The blood, the explosions, the tough bosses. They're perfect emulations.

Part of the excitement with the Metal Slug Anthology, specifically for the Wii, is the immense number of control set ups you can have. There's the standard classic set up which involves you holding your wii remote horizontally (as if you were playing Excitetruck or a Classic NES title from the virtual console) and mowing through your enemies in a classic fashion. You'll flick the remote to use grenades. Another style involves you using the wii remote as a joystick. Another is the basic nunchuck for movement/wii remote to activate actions. There's even a control mode for you to use just the nunchuck. Another control mode involves you tilting your remote to do certain actions. Finally, the Gamecube controller itself can be used to play these games.

All these control set ups seem fantastic, but only two of them are really all that comforting. The wii remote being used like an NES controller and the Gamecube controller setup. Other than that, most of these controls mode are a pain. Also, it's a shame that the classic controller isn't one of the controller setups at all. Metal Slug Anthology is a classic game, yet it doesn't utilize the classic controller at all.

The extras are even more mundane. As you complete games you'll unlock some neat artwork for the art gallery, and some interviews but that's about it. Nothing really outside of that. The interviews aren't spectacular at all. No audio or video to speak of. Just text on your screen for you to read. While the art is nice, it seemed that far more extras could've been included.

To give credit to the Metal Slug Anthology, however, you are getting seven games for a relatively cheap price. To make it even more worthwhile all seven games are actually good, unlike some anthologies where there's usually one black sheep. In the Metal Slug Anthology there is no "blacksheep" in the flock, they're all marvelous games. It's just sad that there weren't enough extras to be included here, and that the majority of the six control schemes are just worthless.

They're fantastic games, but they could've done more with the package.

The Good

+For seven games, the price tag is just right

+All seven games are good games

+Intense, fast, and exhilarating gameplay

+Quite a challenge

The Bad

-What extras there are lack; there could've been more extras

-Of the six control schemes, only two of them seem particularly useful

-Of the six control schemes, the classic controller isn't one of them

Best Deals for Metal Slug Anthology - Nintendo Wii

Metal Slug Anthology provides Metal Slugs 1, 2, X, 3, 4, 5 and 6 all in one package. There are a few extras as well, including artwork and text interviews.

This includes every Metal Slug game made, and includes the brand new, never seen Metal Slug 6. In Metal Slug 6, the enemies of the old games join forces with you against a new, nasty enemy. You also get new characters the Ikari Warriors Clark and Ralf from the Kingdom Fighter game.

There are varying levels of difficulty, and also a variety of controller setups to choose from. For example, in one mode you hold the Wii controller sideways, use the buttons to move and fire, but have to actually make a throwing motion with your hand to launch a grenade. Be sure to experiment with all of the different controller styles for a little while to figure out which one best suits your style. It's going to be an adjustment no matter which one you go with, compared with the old style standard controller with lots of button pressing. Yes, it'll be annoying at first. Just tough it out through that period and soon it'll start to seem second nature to do the movements.

The graphics are typical Metal Slug, which means they're not incredibly detailed close-ups of human style faces they are just flying bullets, scrolling landscapes and lots of explosions. Really, you don't play Metal Slug to ogle at finely detailed castles and flowing capes. You play it to blast away thousands of bullets at a never ending stream of enemies, alone or with a friend. These are the types of games where you have a buddy over for the afternoon, sit down for a few hours with a bowl of popcorn and rip through an entire game for fun. It's mindless, it's relaxing, and it's satisfying to win the game.

If you're a fan of the previous games, it's of course great fun to play Metal Slug 6, with its all new enemies, storyline, and levels. If you've memorized all the previous games and levels, this gives you a new challenge to take on. If you've not played the others before, you can catch up on the entire franchise all on one game disc. It's pretty amazing that you can get seven full different games on one disc, for one price.

There's still no speech, but they do provide cut scenes to give you a sense of the story that is unfolding. Easy mode gives unlimited machine gun fire but not as many reward tokens graduate up to harder mode to get the standard pistol fire as your default and to unlock secrets more quickly.

It's a little frustrating when you take on the enemies, because they do not flash to show you if you're hitting an area that can actually take damage. Still, that's a minor complaint in a game this fun. Highly recommended for old school side scrolling fans!

Honest reviews on Metal Slug Anthology - Nintendo Wii

The Metal Slug arcade machines are notorious for being unbelievably hard. It's not uncommon to find yourself feeding well over $10 into a machine just to finish the game. Multiply that by 7 and you might come close to even $100 if you are playing with a partner.

Instead, invest your dough in the Metal Slug Anthology. The games are perfect arcade emulations and you get infinite continues. They are still very, very hard and you'll never finish a single level with all of your stats intact, but it's a fun ride nonetheless. Some of the games can be a bit samey and you'll finish them all in about an hour. But for chaotic, button-bashing mayhem with loads of explosions and firepower, you can't go wrong with Metal Slug.

Graphics A

Sound B

Gameplay B

Lasting Appeal B-

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Metal Slug Anthology - Nintendo Wii

Classic games and motion control do not mix.

I bought the Wii version of the MSA as it was cheaper than the PS2 version. I figured since there was a GC controller option, I could hook up my PS2 controller via my controller adapter. I was disappointed to find out the D-Pad does not work. And it wasn't because the adapter isn't compatible since I also tried hooking up a GC controller and using the D-Pad on that, and it turns out that the D-Pad is just not activated in GC controller mode. So the only way to play with a D-Pad is with the Wiimote, which would've been fine, except you have to shake it to throw a grenade. They didn't even give the option for the classic controller. I like using motion controls on Wii games meant for motion control. I like thumbsticks for 3D games. For classic 2D gaming, however, I prefer to keep the controls classic; with good ol'-fashioned D-Pad and buttons.

I highly recommend Metal Slug Anthology; just not on the Wii.

Discount Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath - Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $28.89
Today's Bonus: 4% Off

The good:

C&C continues to have the best controls on a console. The new radial interface is an improvement and helps with gaining some 'speed' when selecting the commands. I was worried that this interface would be as sensitive as Mass Effect, but it's not. Selecting what you want is easy.

The missions are well balanced and are not necessarily harder than C&C3. The problem as usual is not with the game difficulty, but with selecting the controls as fast as with a mouse. I don't know if difficulty has been toned a little for this XBox 360 version, but it's manageable.

This is an expansion pack, but doesn't require the other game to play it. Missions start similarly to C&C3, without having the entire Tech Tree available from the early missions. This will help out people that never played this before, as will give them a chance to learn the game. There is also a Boot Camp section but it's too basic. SPOILER ALERT: Skipping the Boot Camp unlocks an achievement.

The bad:

C&C games have never been known for deep stories, but this game really has the most confusing one. In the end, you watch the cut scenes for what they are and enjoy what follows after them.

My favorite faction is GDI and this game only covers NOD. However again, the good thing is that the missions bring the best out of what NOD can do, so this works out pretty good in the end.

Bottom line: If you like C&C games, you will like this one too. Until Red Alert 3 is released, there is enough material here to keep you busy, from Multiplayer, to Skirmish and Kane's Challenge matches. If you are new to this game, maybe C&C3 would be a better starting point, because it has more missions and more variety. In any case C&C games continue to be the best RTS offering on consoles.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

RTS games have a bad rap on non-computer entertainment systems and for good reason. A mouse and keyboard is better for these types of games. Its excellent to see that the control scheme has been redone for the consoles. It is very fluid and easy to use. I still prefer the PC version but this comes really close. Its a very fun game but the story expects you to have played command and conquer 3 which I found to be a more interesting game with missions that were more fun and varied.

Best Deals for Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath - Xbox 360

It's a good real time strategy game and it got here the day it said it would my new copy was 15$ so great deal! but less than a week these scam artists honestly think anyone should pay 50+$ for a game that originally sold for 30$?! The game is fun but the asking price currently for a new copy is laughable!

Honest reviews on Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath - Xbox 360

The game is beyond fun. Much better than Tiberium Wars. Amazon.com had this product for $20+ CHEAPER than Wal-Mart. Gameplay is easy to master, easy to control everything, great settings, and of course, Amazon.com sent my package and it arrived a day sooner than expected. Really appreciate it.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath - Xbox 360

Command and Conquer 3 Kanes wrath Is in my opinion the best RTS for consoles.

It arrived before the predicted time, and In perfect condition.

Buy Snakebyte PlayStation Vita Screen Protector, Clear (SB00474)

Customer Ratings:

It gets the job done. although getting it on the VITA in the first place is a little difficult. only to seperate it with the other plastic that is there. but its nice. probably not the best plastic for a screen protector but it doesnt cost to much and im not taking keys or a knife to my vita any time soon. Must buy

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I'm glad I did a fit check before peeling off the covers and applying the screen. This screen is about a millimeter too short on each side, so even if you apply it perfectly, it still looks like it's off a little. The microfiber cloth seems better than others that I have but in the end I won't be using this screen protector.

Best Deals for Snakebyte PlayStation Vita Screen Protector, Clear (SB00474)

This little screen cover was exactly what my kids' PS Vita needed -I bought two so that I could replace the first one when it got beat up, but I've had the first one on for several months and haven't had to replace it yet. They don't even know it's there, but it protects the screen from getting all scratched up like their other screens have gotten. Great way to protect the investment in expensive gaming equipment.

Discount House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $29.95
Sale Price: $17.05
Today's Bonus: 43% Off

This game is a no-brainer. If you were ever a fan of the House of the Dead in the arcade, then you have to dish the $30 to get it. If you're as bad a shot as I was in the arcade, you'll make up the money in about 10 minutes worth of play. :)

If you've never played the game but are looking for a new title to use your snazzy Wii Zapper on, then this is also the game for you. It's super responsive and accurate, and gives you lots of satisfaction based on the sound effects and gore.

For those expecting something new and fantastic for the Wii release, you may be disappointed. The graphics are the same as the tried and true versions, and the voice overs are still the very poorly-acted (but admittedly nostalgic) ones you love to hate.

Parents, fear not. You can "censor" the level of gore if you're still OK with your child playing this type of game. (It's rated M for mature, i.e. 17+). You can make the blood be green instead of red, and also minimize the amount of gore in the options menu. Accessory-wise, you don't need the Wii Zapper or other comparable shooting peripheral. It works fine with the controllers as they come out of the box, but since the arcade version had guns, it's nice to have this extra.

Here's what you get with the game: House of the Dead 2, with arcade and original modes, boss mode and training mode. You start with the basics, and as you get further and further into these modes, you unlock more and more things. House of the Dead 3 has arcade mode and extreme mode, with the same ability to unlock more and more as you go through the game.

The only minus for this game (which still doesn't affect my rating of it) is the occasional lag you may experience during zombie-intense shooting moments (maybe once or twice during an entire start-to-finish game). It doesn't affect game play, but I'm sure some of you avid gamers out there would find it very annoying.

Overall, getting 2 games in one for 30 bucks is a great deal, and I'm a very, very happy camper that my arcade fave has made a return for Wii.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Sega's long running arcade light gun shooter series makes a welcome return with this compilation. The House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return features nearly perfect ports of the original games, which in itself tells you everything you need to know right there, as both games are showing their age. The shooting calibration using the Wii remote is nearly perfect, while Extreme Mode is also included as a bonus of sorts. Sadly, that's the only real bonus that Sega included in this package, which really would have benefited from other extras or at least enhancements to the games themselves. Flaws aside though, The House of the Dead 2 & 3 are still great and fun shooters that new and old fans alike will get some enjoyment out of, but old fans of the series will be left wanting a little bit more bang for their buck with this package.

Best Deals for House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return

I'm a huge fan of the House of the Dead 2 arcade game from the 90s and have been waiting for a good console reprint to come out. This game plus the Wii perfect shot gun is as close as it comes to the original arcade game. I initially tried the zapper, but it didn't have the right feel. I now have an order out for another perfect shot gun, so I can play multi-player as it was intended.

Overall, the game is exactly like the old arcade. They didn't change or add anything from what I can tell, so if you looking for an upgrade to the old game, this isn't it. As such, you cant save your games and need to restart from the beginning when your credits run out. You do receive additional credits as you accumulate play time though. If your looking for a no-brainer FUN shooter, this is absolutely it.

Honest reviews on House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return

House of Dead is a lot of fun, but it's also rather dated and very brief. Each game is actually only about 30 minutes long if you can make it to the end. I like it a lot and I think it's worth the price, but if you're expecting a full game you'll be really disappointed. There's a whole lot more to Umbrella Chronicles, which also boasts better graphics and voice acting (except for the 8yo girl who voices a grown woman of course). I still easily prefer House of Dead over Umbrella Chronicles for one huge reason your bullets have an effect on the zombies. It takes way too many shots to kill a zombie in UC, and you can barely even see that you hit them. When you shoot a zombie in the head in HoD, their head explodes and little chunks go spinning off into the air... MUCH BETTER!

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return

ITS AWESOME. SERIOUSLY. AS CLOSE AS YOURE GONNA GET TO THE ARCADE EXPERIENCE. NOT BUYING THIS GAME WOULD CAUSE ONE TO SUFFER, LIKE G DID.

Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga - Xbox 360 Reviews

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $19.33
Today's Bonus: 3% Off

This is a new edition of the previous Star Wars Lego games. They have been repackaged and some extras have been added. The biggest difference is the improvement in graphics and continuity. You can play the game by yourself, with a partner or on-line. And, after you have completed everything, you can do it all in one fell swoop! That is what the game claims, I haven't reached that point yet!

I was introduced to the Star Wars Lego series with the last installment, Star Wars Lego II: The Original Trilogy and I must admit I was a bit disappointed the first time I played this game. There is a significant difference between the difficulty of the games as well as the playability. But, once I realized that it was unreasonable to expect the entire set to be 2007 X-Box 360 quality, I started having a lot of fun.

Now, I should add that my daughter has loved this game from day one. She had played some of the older games at her friend's and was extremely excited to get the game (she made me pre-order it!)

Short and sweet: the game is a lot of fun. It is not too difficult, but that doesn't really matter. There are so many hidden items and very funny scenes that the game is a joy to play. You don't find yourself laughing out loud too often playing video games, but you will be in this one. Storm Troopers in speedos, enough said......

The game is good for children and adults. This is also a game you can play with your children. The two player mode works very well. The two player mode is also good for helping children (and adults) understand the concepts of cooperation and sharing---a definite plus in the world of gaming! There isn't anything too bad in any of the games. Characters explode into a pile of legos and you can shoot buildings apart---that is about it on the violence scale. It is definitely a fun game and you will not be disappointed!

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

The original Lego Star Wars was an unprecedented success. Who'd have thought that a game where the you played through the prequel episodes entirely made of Legos would've been such a huge success? Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy soon followed and was overall a better game because they were based off better movies (and some of the gameplay had been refined to be better). The Complete Saga now sees both games put together in one package. You can now play through all six episodes without any interruption. There are new levels to explore, the refined gameplay of the second game is used all throughout and that also means there are more characters.

You'll play through the saga's best lived moments, and there's a multiplayer aspect thrown in for good measure. You and a friend will conquer all six episodes by solving puzzles and using the force. The game is filled to brim with a great sense of humor and you'll be drowned in nostalgia as you play through episodes IV, V and VI. There's nothing to difficult about the gameplay either. You'll take down the bad guys and solve puzzles to open doors. You'll build things to help you out and pilot vehicles like the Pod Racer from Episode I and the X-Wing. You'll also collect studs to by many of the games unlockables including characters and vehicles. Then, of course, there's the customization that'll let you make a custom character. And with well over 100 characters, there are literally thousands of possibilities.

The only real big problem with Lego Star Wars is simply that the game is way too easy. There's no such thing as a game over. Should you die, the only bad thing that happens to you is you lose some studs. At least the game is so much fun that you really don't care. Also, while cooperating with a friend, you can both battle each other and to the victor go the spoils. Its great fun even if you can't die permanently.

This is great for someone who has never played the Lego Star Wars games before, but what about if you have? There's really not a whole lot of new content here for those who played the first two games to begin with. Some levels have been altered, but for the most part, it's all the same stuff. True there are a bunch of new levels, but if you've already got the first two games... the list price just isn't worth it to play what will virtually be the same two games all over again. Even if there are some extras, it's just too much of the same thing.

This then, brings about the question as to whether or not it would just be better to find used copies of the first two games. That really depends. The XBOX360 version has better graphics. It's smoother and runs better. If you buy the original games separate and used, you'll have to downgrade to the PS2, Gamecube or XBOX to have both (since the first game didn't come to 360 at all). The simple solution is this: If you have one, but not the other, it's easier (and cheaper) just to go pick up the game you don't have. If you have neither of them then by all means pick up The Complete Saga.

Best Deals for Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga - Xbox 360

I owned both Lego Star Wars for the xbox and Lego Star Wars II for the 360. When this came out, I traded them both in and bought this new. It might not be worth it for everyone to do this, but it was for me. If you're already familiar with LSW, here's the differences I've noticed between having this edition vs. having the original two games:

Episodes I, II, and III (the first Lego Star Wars game) are now fully 360 compatible, so they're in HD and you can earn achievements

There's a new Cantina menu, so you can access all six episodes from one place

The improvements made for LSW2 have been retroactively applied to LSW1, like being able to use vehicles

Twice as many power bricks, which means twice as many special powers (consistently, many of them are funny and useless)

The levels are the same, however there are several additions such as "power-up" bubbles (which make you briefly invincible and I think increase your weapons power) and blue minikit canisters

A two-player section was added with a variety of arcade-style games.

The points where the game was notoriously prone to crashing (crossing the river in Ep. VI superstory, for instance) seem to have been fixed. These problems didn't seem to affect everyone, but they did happen to a lot of people, and prevented me from finishing LSW2.

For me, it was worth buying just to get everything in HD and for the possibility of actually finishing the game this time!

If you haven't played the LSW games before, they're awesome. It's redundant for me to give all the reasons the games are awesome, so I'll just mention that one of my favorite things about it is that it's pretty easy. I can play it and unwind without worrying about dying over and over, and I still get through a level even if I'm distracted or not 100% sober. However, if you're a hardcore gamer, you may find the game to be too easy. The changes for The Complete Saga have made the game even easier. On the other hand, if you go for all the achievements, like undefeated on some of the vehicle levels, you will be challenged.

Honest reviews on Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga - Xbox 360

The Complete Saga improves over LEGO Star Wars II.

Load time is faster especially for character based levels.

The local co-op camera push bug (first AT-ST floating forward in Battle of Endor, and TIE Fighter turrets popping one player out every 30 seconds) was fixed. One player (in local at least) still needs to drop out sometimes to grab some minikits. (Still get stuck at the farthest, last Death Star Escape platform; don't go there.)

True Jedi only needs to be accomplished in Story or Free Play mode. I sort of miss having to get True Jedi in both modes. They replace that gold brick with a Challenge mode where they take away all extras enabled and give you a time limit to find 10 different (blue) minikits. I'd rather take the old trade since time based levels suck in general.

The lobby is better overall. While the outdoor area is smaller than ever, they make up for it by having two cars available! They also added "Beep-Beep" Extra for honking the horns while in the car. My girlfriend thinks that's the best thing ever. They add the band characters in the bar this time. The mini-kits are no longer in the way. They have a gallery for them which you scroll through. There is nothing for bounty hunters/super ewoks in the lobby.

The Jedi glow detection remains the same. Wish they improved it (needed some work -should prioritize to items and characters over your own buddy). Some NPCs get stuck randomly (but rarely) and twitch in place like crazy. I think it's a new bug.

The grass areas have added lush. It's a nice touch.

There is a new LEGO City: "New Town". It's an improved version of LEGO City with dumber stuff removed and cooler stuff added (boat in water and power lines). Easier to unlock (just 50 gold bricks). They also kept LEGO City as an option too.

There is an alternative New Hope level where you play as Darth Vader and Stormtrooper.

All the stuff from LEGO Star Wars I is definitely improved to at least LSWII standards or better.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga - Xbox 360

My 8 year old son loves this game. With the complete saga you get quite a bit of gaming here for a very reasonable price. My favorite feature of the game is that a second player can jump in and play or leave at any time, even when the game is in progress. This is nice for a Dad who can't quite keep up with his son's video game habits.

Review of NBA Jam - Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:

So, if you are like me and my friends and spent lots of quarters on the original arcade game, this will take you back.

We played the heck out of the older versions on the Sega Genesis, N64, Sega Dreamcast and the odd Xbox 3-on-3 version.

Since Jam went away we switched to EA's NBA Street.

Street was fun, but it was almost became as complicated as a fighting game with all of the combos you needed to do.

This Xbox 360 version is a total remake of the original arcade game. Big Head mode and all.

This isn't a deep game, but there is more to it than just "Play Now", but it isn't NBA 2K11.

So the question is, is Jam worth the full retail price? I would say no unless you are dying for a multiplayer game that doesn't involve a gun or you

are an old school fan like me.

This is one of the few multiplayer games I can play with my son and his friends. Most games, like the Lego series are only two player games.

I rated it four stars because it is a great re-make of a great game.

It plays just like the old arcade machine.

I love the gameplay. I love the graphics and the play by play is fun.

There are some quirks.

The on-line gameplay is broken for now. That is inexcusable. You can't play anyone, I assuming this will be fixed ASAP. (right EA?)

The rosters are not the latest. Miami has Lebron and the Knick have Amare' but Ariza is still on the Rockets.

There is a championship mode which is fun for single player action and they have some unique challenges they call "Re-Mix", but the heart of the game

is just playing with one to three other friends.

This is classic Midway video game. If you have played NBA Jam or NFL Blitz you know the rules, who ever is in last place, they will have the advantage (ala Mario Kart).

This is done so every game is close, it is a fun challenge to try to put someone down by 20.

The computer cheats big time, but there are some tricks you can do to keep the CPU at bay.

The game has some fun rewards that you will earn when playing, for example if your player scores all the points you get a ball hog award.

I have tried most the teams.

I found the surprise player is Arenas on Washington.

So basically, if you are looking for a more arcade like basketball game that is not a sim like NBA 2K11, this might be for you.

If you want something to compete with your friends that will have you all screaming, yelling and insulting each other, this is it.

But if you want a deep single player type game, I would pass on this.

Try NBA Street. It has more to it.

Update: OK, the single player is more fun than I thought.

I am addicted to unlocking every player....

The campaign mode tasks you with beating every team, there are boss battles after

every few matches. This is one way you unlock the legends from the fist NBA Jam (Arcade Version).

For example you have to challenge Spud Webb and Dominique Wilkens or go to Golden State and take on Chris Mullins andTim Hardaway.

If you beat them, you can play them in the multi-player.

Also, it you pull off certain tasks like 10 blocks in a game and such you will unlock more legends.

These Legends are added to the rosters of the respective teams they played for.

So Worthy is now available with Kobe, Lamar and Pau.

i haven't gotten to the main boss battle which looks to be Magic and Bird on the same team.

The hardest team to beat on Hard Mode has been Orlando. Dwight blocks everything and he and Vince Carter dunk really hard.

It is hard to block them.

I have been using Arenas and Minute Bol as my tandem.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

If you liked the original NBA Jam back in the rip roarin' 90's, you can stop reading here. Just go and buy the game.

If you're on the fence, here's the low down on the game.

If you're expecting something deep like what you seeing in the 2K or NBA Live series, you probably won't like this game.

If you're not a fan of arcade sports games, don't bother buying it.

But if you like simple & mindless arcade fun, this game is for your. Much like the original NBA Jam, this game is basically is 2 on 2 basketball. I won't go into detail about the rules & nuances, but you pretty much just do insane dunks, ridiculous flying elbows and pushoffs and crazy 3-pointers back and forth until someone wins the game. There are no fouls, and you can also opt to turn goaltending off. With every big score comes some crazy 1-liners from the game's (somewhat famous if you played the original) announcer.

From a gamer point of view, if you like your sports games rough, fast and fun then NBA Jam is for you. If you're looking for realism, look elsewhere, you won't find it here.

The game plays extremely well, and the graphics are fancy. Basically you can now have an NBA JAM arcade deck in your home now thanks to this game. From a fun point of view, this game rocks house. Virtually anybody can pick up and play this game, which is wonderful.

My only small gripes are that:

1) They took away the injury aspect of the game. I liked how in the old NBA Jam you take into account injuries to a player. Considering I play like a jerk and stop at nothing to shove people, I used to like seeing how badly I could KO someone like Scottie Pippen back in the old game and force the AI to replace him in the 2nd half. You can't do that here, and that sort of eliminates the incentive of changing lineups during halftime.

2) The game really isn't worth $50 bucks. I got it dirt cheap thanks to a store discount, so that's why I got it. But frankly I think you should wait for the price to come down before purchasing this game.

3) The lineups get old ... like now that Orlando made that big trade, you really wish you could move Gilbert Arenas to the Magic et al. I wish you could move ppl around.

But those are minor gripes. In the end, I think the game is really fun and retains the fast paced spirit of the original NBA JAM. Just wait for the price to go down before you buy.

Best Deals for NBA Jam - Xbox 360

I wanted to love this game but it is missing so much, that much of the fun factor has been taken out.

There is NO TAG MODE. This means that you can never control the other player on your team. Makes for clumsy controls.

No HOT SPOTS. I liked the SNES version with hot spots but this doesn't have the option.

PROS:

The announcer is solid but he uses the BOOM SHAKA LAKA to death. A couple of other entertaining quotes though.

The new break the backboard challenge. This is where you square off and the first team to execute a number of dunks to beak the other team's backboard.

OVERALL Not worth . $20 tops. Skip it.

Honest reviews on NBA Jam - Xbox 360

I just wanted people to know kmart is selling nba jam for xbox & ps3 for 29.99 untill dec 11 2010 good luck I got mine sweet not worth 50 or 40 just right at 30

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for NBA Jam - Xbox 360

If you are looking for a fun sports game then be sure to check out NBA Jam for the Xbox 360! I started playing NBA Jam at the arcades back in the '90s and was a huge fan. I also owned copies of NBA Jam and NBA Jam Tournament Edition for the Sega Genesis and played those a ton too back in the day.

This new version of NBA Jam for the Xbox 360 has totally met my expectations and then some!

It took me a couple of games to get good with the new control layout. It can be frustrating at first but I guess no more than a lot of other games out there. My kids (ages 7 and 10) were frustrated too when they started playing but I told them to stick with it and now they are playing great.

The online play has been fun. It's not without some glitches but it works almost all of the time and each game only takes 12 mins to play so even if there is an error it is not like you waste a bunch of time.

And speaking of 12 minutes per game, that's one of the things that makes NBA Jam so much better than a lot of games out there where you have to devote hours to each session. I like the fact that I can come home from work and play a few games, make some progress on my campaign, and then shut it down. No need to set aside hours for this game.

I agree fully that playing against human opponents is the most fun. What others have written here is certainly true. But I find that playing the CPU is a lot too and trying to unlock all the accomplishments and secret players will keep me happy for many hours to come.

Buy Skylanders Giants Single Character Pack Core Series 2 Gill Grunt

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $9.99
Sale Price: $9.15
Today's Bonus: 8% Off

Gill Grunt inititally didn't appeal to me, and was one of the reasons I was hesitant to get Skylanders. But since he came with the initial starter pack, I couldn't help but have him. He isn't so bad to have though, as he does play decently.

Speed: Slow

Gill Grunt is verrrry slow. Although less pronounced in Giants than in the original Skylander's, his steps are also accompanied by a semi-annoying aquatic squish sound. I digress though; just don't use him for any timed challenges.

Primary Attack:

Gill Grunt's main attack is his wicked looking harpoon. It starts off, much like his pace, very slow. It deals a decent blow, but the gun reloads slowly. Once upgraded, however, they reload much quicker, and are a force to be reckoned with. If you choose the Harpooner upgrade path, you can shoot three harpoons at once, and the harpoons shoot straight through one enemy so it can deal damage to another target.

Secondary Attack:

The secondary ability, and in my opinion the more damaging one, is the water hose. A high powered stream of water knocks back your enemies and deals a constant blow. It starts off with a limited amount of water and the player must wait about ten seconds for it to fill back up but, like most abilities, it just needs to be upgraded to be at its most efficent. If you choose the Water Weaver upgrade path, the hose will deal more damage, the water will never run out, and while using the hose explosive sea creatures can be fired out as well.

Tertiary Attack

Gill Grunt's third ability is not so much an attack as an ability. The water barrels on his back can be used as a jet pack, and greatly increases his speed. This, like the hose, will run out eventually unless you pick the Water Weaver path, unless you use it to travel over water.

Soul Gem

This is definitely a great ability to have! If you hold in the primary attack button for a few seconds, your tiny harpoon will become a giant anchor! This deals a great blow, the only downside is that you can't really load it up and take it with you, as it slows down your movement considerably.

Wow Pow

This plays off your Soul Gem ability. Rather than one anchor, you can shoot off THREE giant anchors. I personally don't have this in game yet, but it seems like it'll come in handy.

Overall

I'd give him a 6/10. He really does come in handy, you just have to put a lot into him first.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Still one of the better Skylanders out there. This one features a new power and a neat new scuplt (more water!)

Best Deals for Skylanders Giants Single Character Pack Core Series 2 Gill Grunt

Haven't used him in the game yet, but the kids say that he looks cool.

The figures are cute and a nice motivational treat for the kids, and unlike the ever increasingly popular "in-game purchases" of other games, you get a physical possession. Since the characters can be used on any platform (Xbox, PS3, 3DS, Wii), it's kind of cool that the figures remember their experience. If you ever get rid of the figures, they can be reset in the game.

Honest reviews on Skylanders Giants Single Character Pack Core Series 2 Gill Grunt

My 10 year old son loves playing this game and talks about it non-stop. The product is exactly as described in the ad.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Skylanders Giants Single Character Pack Core Series 2 Gill Grunt

This review isn't about the character in the game so much as the actual toy figure itself. The character seems great, kind of funny and my daughter likes it. But the figure broke on the first day! The harpoon snapped off. We didn't bother to return it because it was just the little harpoon and you can still use it. I am still giving it 3 stars because we do like the character and its not a huge deal. I just wish the figures were made of better quality. And this isn't the first figure we have had break on us, even with very gentle play, not being rough at all . I will try to super glue it and see what happens.

Buy Rock Band 3 - Xbox 360 (Game)

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $23.68
Today's Bonus: 21% Off

Things have changed, it's a fact. And I know some people are not going to like it. Back when I first played Guitar Hero 2, all the way up through playing Rock Band 3 most of tonight with my brother, what I have always loved about all of these games is shredding on a tasty solo. Something entirely self-indulgent, and an obscene amount of fun. That being said, that is not what Rock Band 3 aimed for this time. The emphasis has shifted and is now on the entire band. One could argue as Rock Band was the first to come out with the drums / bass / vocal parts to create the band performance, the emphasis has always been on the band. But for me it always seemed like for the most part the vocals, drums and bass parts were all secondary to most of the songs that really have stand-out guitar parts. The selection of songs is indicative of a change in focus, from being the "guitar" game, to being the "band game." No where is this more obvious than in Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody.' I was looking forward to playing the two awesome guitar solos in it, but when playing the song, a lot of it has me either sitting through vocal / drum / keyboard sections, or playing very easy note sequences. The songs are more mellowed-out, more easily accessible to those people looking to play as a group. Some people will not like that, but I don't mind so much.

As far as songs go, I was disappointed to a certain extent. While we do get 'Free Bird,' 'The Beast and the Harlot,' and 'No One Knows,' as the other reviewer pointed out, those songs have been in previous Guitar Hero games. There are so many songs that would be so cool on Rock Band, but some of these are just recycled, and I'm not sure why. But since all of my downloaded songs carried over it really wasn't too big a deal. What we are really paying for in this game is the new ways in which songs play out, and the upgraded features the new software offers.

You know that feeling in a sequel where you're having fun, but it's a tentative kind of fun, where you're waiting to see or experience something that they changed from the previous game that you are really not going to like? That's how I felt for the first couple of hours while I was playing tonight. But I have to give Harmonix credit once again. It seems that they left everything that worked in Rock Band 2, and then added features that were lacking from that game. For instance, when playing a set I was always disappointed that the only song you could see your note streak on was the last of them. It's been changed now. Rock Band has taken a page out of Guitar Hero's book here, and made your song stats viewable between songs. They even offer breakdowns of every section of the song, as well as a breakdown of how many points you earned in what ways (ie keeping a streak, overdrive, sustained, etc.). On top of that, when you are playing a song with more than just yourself, it shows you how many points each player got individually, minus the combined overdrive effect, which is neat. And you can rate songs right after you play them, which is a nice feature when you have ~500 songs so sift through.

Solos are slightly different looking, not so much in your face anymore. Instead of the note track glowing glue, the edges of the track glow blue. Most of the time you won't even realize you're playing a solo until you notice it counting your percentage. Same thing with a new addition to overdrive. There are still the white-note sequences that earn you 25% of overdrive, but now there is also a new kind, where the edges of the note track will glow yellow, and for getting those parts perfectly you earn 50% overdrive automatically. I'm ambivalent on that point though. I didn't see as the overdrive needed changing, but it's definitely not something I'm complaining about.

Setlists can now be saved to be played whenever you want, and the filters for organizing or displaying songs has been greatly expanded (Artist, Album, Genre, Decade, Instrument, Pro Mode Difficulty, Keyboard Part, Rating, Alphabetical by song, etc). Some things have been altered a bit, but it takes a learning curve or just a few minutes. As with recent Guitar Hero games, you can now drop in or out of a song or set at any time, as well as change profiles during any menu screen, which is a really nice new addition to the Rock Band repertoire. Another little thing that I noticed was pausing during a song. We've all done it, and it seems to happen unavoidably when we have a streak going, we've all been there. Rock Band 3 has solved the issue, and it's incredibly simple. Guitar Hero: World Tour made it so when you unpause it gives you a few seconds to see what notes are coming, which was cool...but it was a frozen screen, and you had no clear idea of how fast the notes might come at you. With this game, when you unpause the song rewinds a few seconds, and while it doesn't let you replay notes, it scrolls a blank note chart for a few seconds so you can get the feel of the speed, and then you pick up right back where you left off. Awesome new addition to the game.

I think the only negative thing I can say about the game is that I miss the fun facts about bands that would display while the songs were loading. But again Harmonix won't even let me complain about that, because the reason they're gone is because loading times are insanely faster than they used to be. You pick your set, and within a few seconds the song is starting. I don't know how they pulled that off, but it's impressive. In fact, I think the only loading screen I've had so far was the first time I loaded the game, and the game was updating my downloadable songs. A+ for efficiency.

The only REAL complaint I can make is that the Pro Mode guitar controller isn't coming out for a couple more weeks (what's up with that, Madcatz?). But I can say this, I browsed the training tutorials for both Pro Guitar and Keyboard, and they are extensive. It really is an impressive accomplishment, and I'm really looking forward to trying it out when the guitar gets here.

The bottom line really is this: Even if you don't like any of the songs that come with Rock Band 3, you should still buy it to play your old songs with the news features, because it's so worth it.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I've been playing Rock Band 3 for the past couple of days with my friends. Before I continue, I'll outline my set up. We got the new keyboard, but have not yet bought the cymbals for the drums, and not planning on a pro-guitar until the Squier is released next year. So this is not a review about the touted 'Pro-Mode'.

This is a review for the people who have been waiting for the next evolution of their beloved Rock Band franchise.

At this moment, I'm hesitant to recommend this game too highly over Rock Band 2. Peripheral-wise, the keyboards sound like a great idea on paper. There is sufficient Pro-mode Piano instruction to get you started, and it looked like it could be fun, but the majority of songs we've played so far indicate that there are long pauses of nothing to do when on the keyboards for most songs. In addition, if you are playing with the game's 'random set-lists', you will be limited to songs that support it specifically--which amounts to maybe 60~ of our library of 250 songs. A little annoying to say the least. When making a set-list, you can use the keyboard as a guitar or bass, but it only seems relevant and fun in a few rare songs, like the Gorillaz 'Clint Eastwood'. When playing the game normally, we always have a tendency to avoid picking up the keyboard because it will limit our set-list so tremendously, which absolutely sucks.

Moving on to the gameplay and campaign, it is set up in an interesting, yet disjointed fashion now. Character creation is an absolute blast, and seeing my friends and I strutting through the city looks absolutely awesome! But there are no longer personalities to choose from, and so all characters on stage seem rather...the same? In Rock Band 2 we all laughed as our friend with a mohawk rampaged on stage; now my girlfriend's character may be doing that...or me. Eh. Also, is it just me or do the stages themselves seem more bland? In Rock Band 2 it was always a joy to go to a new venue and see our band's art on the stage somehow, and examine the stage's quirks. The fret-lanes that you play on as well take some time getting used to, and are decidedly more busy, but functional after spending some time on it. Not entirely sure if it is for the better.

The story is the typical 'rags to riches' fare, with a more personal feel to it as cut-scenes you unlock contain your characters in them and are usually pretty humorous. Getting your first van was one of my favorites. Also, instead of choosing venues to play at, you will now go on tours which revolve mostly around America. Your band is hypothetically located around the North-East, and the whole game's tours unveil around that fact. This creates a more linear affair, but also more personal. I like it.

What I don't like are questionable changes and ideas, and for lack of a better word, glitches. For one, Rock Band Stage Kit no longer works with the game. The game also has a tendency to stutter and have frame-rate issues in the middle of songs, which makes it heck on the singer every once in a while(it gives me headaches). The lack of personalities leads to odd sights on stage, where in one scene two people will be singing together, and a split-second camera change later, they will be on opposite sides of the stage. Huh? This omission really cuts down on the immersion when you realize that all of the videos are completely cookie-cutter and in no specific, logical order. The costume pieces(and every other character customization feature outside of body-sculpting) are mostly hand-me-downs from Rock Band 2. Disappointing.

And forget about playing Guitar, Bass, and Keyboards with your friends; you'll have to turn on All-instrument mode if you use this combination at all, and so drums and vocals will be turned on, with the vocals defaulted to easy, no-fail 'karaoke mode'. This was designed around the idea that only 4 players can be logged in at once, so the vocalist is the odd-player out by default...but even if you don't want a vocalist, or don't want a drummer, this is what you will have to use. You also won't be able to play on xbox live with this mode. And did I mention the venue will default to 'trippy music video' since the game doesn't want to render the crowd?

This All-Instrument Mode(AIM) is a complete fail in my mind. You wont even be able to pick your character as the vocalist. There HAS to be a better way to do this.

However, the set list is insanely fun, and you will be doing a double-take on many of the songs you hadn't thought you had heard before. You have. Trust me.

All in all, a fun game, but it has several glaring issues that have me wondering out loud, "What were they thinking!?"

Best Deals for Rock Band 3 - Xbox 360 (Game)

Been playing since RB1, and have had the pleasure of experiencing those crazy gotchas with RB1 and RB2.

(1) New tour mode: Got through the first two locations (accessible by train) last night. I've got to say it's much better now, instead of being forced to play a particular song now they give you some options for each location. Each gig will present to you what you would like to choose to play, what I saw was:

Random set list (but at the top of the screen you could see the two songs that we're selected, instead of waiting until you're about to play to see the songs)

Random or Select 90s songs (some were random 90s genre songs, or you could select what songs you want to play from that genre).

Random or Select Classic Rock songs (^^)

(2) Achievements during game play: So, instead of just playing to collect stars you are also collecting spades. In which at one gig we had to get as many overdrives during the song, or another gig we were going for accuracy. Definitely adds to the gameplay I feel.

(3) People can now jump in or out during the song, no more having to start over! This will be put to the test this weekend, our son (17) is having his halloween party this weekend with a bunch of friends.

(4) Song interface is way better and much easier to use.

As we continue to play more I will update my review. If you are Rockband fan, this is a definite must have as you will not be disappointed!

Honest reviews on Rock Band 3 - Xbox 360 (Game)

Okay these music games have been floating around for a while now. And between all the different versions, game sequels, cheap knockoffs (PowerGig), instruments, and band games, the genre is more than a little confusing to navigate.

So I will attempt to put it as simply and plainly as possible... this is a triple-A title and the best one on the market, bar none.

Really the best part is that there is no "wrong" way to play it. There are single player goals to achieve. It has the best cooperative multiplayer out there. Online play. Modes for the most casual players all the way up to the hardcore elite. It can be enjoyed as a standalone disc or you can grow your music collection up to 2000 downloadable songs online. It will work with your existing music game hardware or you can endulge the cool new hardware versions which have recently released.

The few criticisms I have seen in reviews are mostly unfounded, or are nitpicking from a hardcore elite with no sense of perspective. This game delivers in spades at a time when the competition is resting on their laurels. I have been following the series since its inception and it has not disappointed me yet.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Rock Band 3 - Xbox 360 (Game)

OK, I'm not an expert on the inner workings of the past Rock Band games, nor do I play the instruments. I do vocals. My husband and boys play drums and guitar. It's a great game for the serious players as well as people like us! We like the fact that there is instrument expansion with this latest version. Definitely we will be buying the keyboard and upgraded guitar in the future.

While I appreciate and find the other reviews very interesting and informative, my main interest in this game is just to have family fun. And, Rock Band 3 brought a new level of entertainment to us!

On a side note, my boys (who have been gamers for years) had been trying to get me to play video games with them for some time, but not until Rock Band 2 and the Beatles Rock Band came out did I finally branch out and "tentatively" try the game. Little did I know, I would be sucked into the Rock Band gaming community, forever. After all, girls just wanna have fun!

Reviews of Venetica - Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $12.10
Today's Bonus: 70% Off

I have played this game for about 12 hrs so far, and am surprised that it is pretty engrossing. Graphics and gameplay are what you could expect if there were a game to bridge the gap between Fable 1 and 2. There are some issues to consider however: Voice acting is bad at times and have some overlap on occasion (example while in a conversation with a NPC, your character may say "that looks good" about a merchants wares across the room while still in active conversation with the NPC along a quest line....kinda odd). But the story is overall decent, if somewhat predictable. The characters, quests, fighting etc all have a Fable like feeling to them, but that is hardly a knock, it is a style that has worked successfully, so why not borrow heavily?

On the plus side, there is actually a lot to like. This really was an ambitious attempt and the developers included a LOT they did not have to. You learn physical skills and mental skills throughout the game (you will quickly learn that most of them...like 90% you DO NOT NEED, but you can use just to customize your style of play). I think this is both a cop out, but still smart on their end. They probably did not really know what would work well vs what would not, so all the skills you learn, you can do without, or lean heavily on. In all there is something like 50 skills you can master, a lot of them have several tiers to master after initially learning them. This is pretty comprehensive for a game like this in my opinion. There are also what seems to be a lot of quests (mind you I have completed chapter two and think I am nearing the end of chapter 3). The game has a lot to explore, I do wish it had a few more dungeons/caves and the ilk, however each of the areas I have been (mountains, OUter and Inner Venice and Arsenal) each only have one 'dungeon/cave' like area.

You get your money's worth here, and there is a lot to like and in my opinion (without seeing yet how the game ends), there is room for improvement with a sequel......which I would happily purchase.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I am an avid action RPG (console) gamer. I love games like this. Sure, it isn't without it's flaws, but what do you expect for a title that started at $40 brand new and is from a smaller game developer? It best compares to the original Fable, in my opinion, than any other recent game.

Story: The story in this game can be cheesy at times, but overall it's pretty good. It is pretty straight forward, but not linear. You basically unlock more and more areas, and can go back to them at any time. There isn't a new game plus, or free roam mode, which is disappointing since there are things like treasure you will want to go back to. But they are pretty clear about "The Point of No Return." So as long as you create a separate save before the final boss battle, you can go back and do everything. There are also 3 different endings, depending on whether you went out for revenge or love. And one somewhere in between.

Gameplay: Overall the fighting and powers works pretty well, you can quick map only 5 things. This is limiting when it comes to magic, but once you start playing you find yourself only using about a couple of different spells. The swordplay overall is pretty basic. Lock-on, attack, roll, ect. You can choose between a sword, two-handed weapon, spear and shield, or your moonblade which is with you at all times. They all play a little differently. The game is damn hard though on normal and hard. It can even be a challenge on easy in some areas.

Graphics: The graphics aren't the best on this game, but it can really shine in some parts. The caves and catacombs look amazing, but sometimes the city can look generic. It's hit or miss. The character design is pretty cartoony, similar to Fable, but it never really bothered me. The enemy design isn't too varied, as each section you go into has only a few sets of enemies.

Sound: The background music works well with the game, and the voice acting is also hit or miss. Some characters, like Death, the bosses, as well as Scarlett, do a fantastic job. Some of the NPCs aren't up there. With some just shouting out random sayings, to really odd conversation. Overall if you can look at it with a humorous eye you will have a good time with the NPC dialog.

Overall it is a pretty good action RPG if you take it lightly, and don't expect it to be a Dragon Age or Elder Scrolls quality game. If you were a fan of Fable 1, this is a must buy. The humor is there (intentional or not) and there is a certain charm to the game that made me love it. I definitely recommend it.

Best Deals for Venetica - Xbox 360

I love RPGs. Mainly Bethesda and BioWare offerings but have had some fun with JRPGs also, so when I heard about this title (a week before it came out) it was a no brainer for me.

In defense I must say that there is no way this game should get slammed with a one star rating. It did not advertise itself, it did not claim to be anything, it offered itself up at a budget price and it is no where near as bad as some ratings may imply.

Completely Fable-esque in its delivery. Simple in story. The RPG elements are all in place. Pick only one guild. The game unfolds differently depending on choices. Slight character customization. Several weapon choices though simplistic combat.

Graphically there are some hiccups. But there are also some decent moments where it is worth taking in the scenery. The closest graphical comparison I can give is Fable meets Divinity II Ego Draconis but not as polished as either of those.

I had heard the RPG lite term applied to this game and I will agree. Almost feminine in its personality, maybe because your main character is female. The music also adds to the 'lite' atmosphere.

It gets 3.5 stars from me but will bump it to 4 considering the game came with no promises and a low price tag.

Honest reviews on Venetica - Xbox 360

The game is awesome. For me it was one of those games that you love from the first minute you start playing it and then love every last minute of it.

The game reminded me of a mix between Beyond Good and Evil and Risen. Same as in Beyond Good and Evil, we have a courageous young girl Scarlet who suffered a loss of her loved one and now on the quest to avenge him and to figure out what is going on. In turn, similar to Risen, it is a "Shield n' Sword" game where you acquire a good sword and an armor or a set of spells and then explore the environment fighting the bad guys and monsters. The game offers life-like atmosphere of the living city where people walk around, have conversations with each other, or respond to what you are doing. The only thing that might ruin the game is an ugly glitch, which I will discuss in the end.

GAMEPLAY

Venetica is very much an RPG game you have the main quest that you have to follow. In the course of this quest you get to explore the city of Venice and its surrounding suburbs. On the way you encounter various people who ask you to do things for them. Completion of the quests gives you experience points, money, and sometimes some useful objects (weapons, magic rings, etc). In the course of your travels you might find or loot some items that may or may not be useful; these items can be sold to the vendors who, in turn, may offer weapons, potions, or pieces of armor that could be customized to fit you. To open locks, you get to play a mini game where you should press the buttons in certain order.

COMBAT

The gameplay encourages you to fight. Any place you visit might have various enemies or demonic creatures that you may try to fight or just may run away from. Of course, fighting the enemies is a great source of experience points. The enemies are the assassins, the nighttime rogues or violent soldiers, demons in the houses or on the rooftops, and giant crab-like creatures in the catacombs. To fight them, Scarlet can employ swords of various strengths, spears, or blunt weapons (most of them can be taken off of enemies or purchased). If you are into magic, you can become proficient at spell casting; however, you would be more efficient if you use weapons and spells together. The game introduces a fairly original concept of dying if your health runs out and you "die" you temporarily go into the "afterlife world" and can attack your enemies with the Moon Blade while they remain frozen. In the course of the game, you will encounter various instructors who can teach you different levels of fighting skills and combos or special magic skills in exchange for your experience points.

ENVIRONMENT

It is an open-world game; however, the space of exploration is limited to streets, certain houses you can enter, catacombs and mines, and the rooftops. In other words, the movement is restricted to long narrow spaces between things. Though limited in exploration, the world looks vast and open. It changes from day to night with different things happening in the course of each (you can always select the time of the day by sleeping or resting). The environment is very beautiful and feels life-like. There is a map that allows you to indicate your place in the world and later, with the help of gondoliers, to fast travel from place to place.

Bottom line is, the game is very enjoyable and, chances are, you are going to love it. You can have up to 25 hours of gameplay at first playthrough. My main issue with the game was a very small font of the letters in the menu. It was hard to read the descriptions of items I was going to buy or spells I was going to learn. Reading the mission objectives was a torture. Then again, I don't have a high definition television set; perhaps, if you do, you wouldn't have this problem.

TIPS (some SPOILERS are present)

You have to watch out for the glitch that would bring your game to a screeching halt. Within the first four hours of the game you have to find Sophistos. To get to him, you have to talk to a certain guy named Nox. Though short, this part of the game can frieze your progression in the game and make you start from the beginning because the glitch makes Nox... disappear; without him you cannot move on. To avoid the glitch, follow this. The minute you enter Venice, a little boy will approach you. Exit conversation with him as soon as possible and turn right. Enter the Cursed Temple and you will see Nox running out of it. After the temple, follow the mark on the map and go directly to Nox. DO NOT save inside or outside of his house and DO NOT become a member of any guild before you see him (don't save inside the guilds either). After he tells you to become a member of a guild, choose the one you please. The game will be fine from this point on.

Get Blood Toll and Blood Vortex spells from Nox they suck the life out of your enemies and give you health points at the same time. Don't improve them too high they would waste too much of your spell energy.

To get the key to the Inner City you have to kill a Bat demon, which does not attack you. Use the Blood Toll or Blood Vortex spell against it.

Choose the quest you want to follow and mark it this would place a white dot on the map.

After talking to the ghost of Sophisto, the map gives you no indication of where to go. You should use a gondolier to take you to the Eastern Island.

In the course of the game, you will come across Stone Lions. Remember their locations as you see them after you return from Africa they begin to come alive as part of the Pale Hearts quest.

On the Claw ship you will have to collect the medicine "without killing the guards." Just run around from mark to mark without engaging the guards, collect the medicine, and then exit the upper deck. Easy.

Have fun.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Venetica - Xbox 360

Venetica is a colorful and charming Action/RPG from Germany. I didn't expect this game to make it stateside, but after many, many years, Venetica has been released in the North American market. It surely won't change any minds of the people who dislike this game genre, but for those that do like RPG titles and are in for something a little different than the norm, Venetica just might be the ticket!

Positives:

A Colorful, Vibrant World The environments in Venetica are beautiful. Pedestrians roam the streets, street merchants sell their goods, gondola's ride the waters, etc. There is a real nice variety to the locales you'll visit on your journey.

A Good Cast of Characters Venetica has a certain charm to its character design, animations of said characters, voice acting, and more.

A Nice Storyline with a Female Protagonist Venetica is the tale of Scarlett, and a rather sad one at that; however it's a tale that ultimately allows her to get the revenge she seeks.

Some Pretty Solid Gameplay The combat is pretty standard stuff, like attack and dodge, etc., but it works well and is fluid.

Budget Price Venetica released not too long ago at $40, but now it's only $20!

Negatives:

Not a Technical Marvel Venetica certainly isn't pushing graphics, however it's not a big negative since it makes up for it with visual charm.

Lacks Polish This is a budget game and it shows. Venetica doesn't have AAA polish. However, it works and does most things rather well.

In the end, I really, really enjoyed Venetica. It has the same charm as the Fable games. It's not the deepest RPG, but it still offers some very deep customization in terms of upgrades and such. It's just a game that wins you over with its colorful and quirky world. Try it out, you might just find a gem like I did.