Best Xbox 360 Rock Band Special Edition Deals

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Let me first admit that I'm a Guitar Hero fan. I adore playing all of the Guitar Hero games, and we have multiple guitars in the house (for multiple platforms) so that we can jam together. When Harmonix turned over Guitar Hero III to another company, I was really curious what they would choose to do next. I am THRILLED with the result Rock Band, which combines together all the fun of singing karaoke, playing guitar (lead and bass) plus DRUMS!!!

My boyfriend is in several bands, and he plays lead guitar, bass guitar and drums. I love to sing. So we have played many, many games in all of these genres (including the Donkey Kong Konga game which is surprisingly fun). We were quite interested to see how the Harmonix guys would merge these variety of instruments into a single game.

First, the instruments. The guitar is FAR better than the guitars previously released for Guitar Hero. The buttons are "full fret" making the much easier to press. You don't have that annoying ridge line. You get TWO sets of buttons in fact one for easier guitar solo play. You have sound settings. I can't say enough about this guitar. The only thing it lacks is stickers :) Really, couldn't they include a sticker set or two, to customize the thing? A minor flaw :)

The drum set is REALLY cool. It comes with a stand and it has a very nice feel to it. My boyfriend complained a bit about the wood sticks not being smooth, but heck, you're not paying for high quality sticks here.

There is a four-plug USB hub so you can actually plug all these items into your XBox 360 :) And there's a few headset adaptors, and a microphone. We already had several of these.

Now for gameplay. The graphics are visually lovely, although really, with up to four people playing and singing, the background stuff is pretty meaningless. The screen is taken up by all of the progress bars and alert bars and so on. I do have to comment that the customization for your characters is AWESOME. You customize their style of movement (punk, rock, etc), their facial look, hair style, eye color and much more. Plus you can buy all sorts of great outfits in the store. Never mind equipment. They really went overboard in this area.

I found when I played an instrument whose track was on the far left (the lead guitar, for example) that I could easily see the "overall progress" bar showing how everyone in the band was doing. I could see that the drum guy was doing poorly and slipping down into the red. However, when *I* was playing the drums and the visual for my drum track was on the far right I had NO idea how well or poorly I was doing. That overall band progress display was on the far left (past the other instruments' tracks) and there was no way to watch both my own drum note list and see how I was doing at the same time. So you almost need to designate whoever is playing in that far left track as the "band alert person" to yell out if someone is doing not so well.

The band works as a unit. If for example the drums are doing poorly, but the guitarist is doing well, the guitarist can use their energy the rev up the crowd which helps everyone in the band. So the guitarist can save the drummer, for example. On the other hand, if the drummer is really bad, after a few failures, the crowd gives up. You can't have the remaining players try to play the song out.

Which brings up one of my only complaints about the game. Let's say you start a band "Asia" with the leader being a drummer. Now any time Asia wants to continue on their career, the drummer MUST BE PLAYING. In real life, band members change positions sometimes. You have a drummer who also likes to sing. But here, if you have a position set as the leader, the game can't be played (with that band and the songs it's unlocked) without that instrument being played. We found that really annoying. You should be able to say that person X now wants to play instrument Y and keep going.

Now, interestingly, my boyfriend plays the drums. He found the drum pads AWFUL to use and thought they were broken. We swapped off and he took over guitar while I played with the drums. I did a 100% performance. So it's something about the way you hit them. I *think* they have to be hit pretty close to dead center, with a sharp rap. I'm not a drummer so undoubtedly I'm not hitting them "technically right" but I am able to sail through many songs on easy with 100%. So it's a matter of getting used to how they work.

The vocal / mike track is much like any karaoke game, and you "yell" to activate overdrive. It's a lot of fun. I did try several songs with a mike stand setup so I could play guitar and sing at the same time. It was a lot of fun but part of the mike track is "cowbells" where you're supposed to thwap the microphone in time to the beat. Unfortunately if you're busy playing the guitar or drums you no longer can thwap the microphone. I tried yelling "POP" and it worked about half the time, if I used a very snappy sound to my POP. Still, it's a shame you can't sing and play because of this.

The songs in this list are GREAT. I really love some of them, and there were few that I simply didn't like at all. It's cool that they have multiple venues per location, instead of the Guitar Hero games where there was just "one Boston" and so on. You have to actually earn a Van or Bus or whatever to move on to a new city. You actually build up a fan base as you go, and lose it if you do poorly. That is all very cool. On the down side, the progression of songs is rather odd. You can play 2 songs you like in Boston, and then go to Chicago and play the exact two songs again to earn more stars there. The songs seem to unlock slowly. I'm also not overly fond of several modes where you have no idea what songs are coming up until 2 seconds before the songs begin.

They do have a training mode and solo mode, but really you figure the great appeal of this game is to play with your friends, using the various instruments. So we found that interface where you are stuck with a single leader, and it is very much one-person-one-instrument oriented, to be a bit frustrating. Sure, I love playing drums but I love playing guitar too! Sometimes I love to sing. It didn't seem like it should be THAT bad to let a person switch instruments once you'd unlocked a bunch of venues and songs.

Finally, I really like that right from the start you have access to all difficulty modes, and can set them by person. So if you have a really great guitarist in your family, and someone who is perhaps younger or just getting started, the great guitarist can set themselves to difficult and the younger person can set to easy and both can have a really fun, challenging time.

I am really looking forward to new song downloads too, and imagine that could make this game last years and years and be just as much fun.

Highly, highly recommended if you can get your hands on this thing. We were there right when the store opened to get our hands on ours, and it sold out immediately. Well worth tracking down!! Note that I have photos of the instruments on my website and am happy to answer any other questions you guys have about this game.

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When I first heard that Harmonix was creating Rock Band, I thought to myself, "Guitar Hero Remix". Until I heard about the mic and then the sweet drum set. So I was amped for this to come out. Then GH3 came out and all I could think of was "Dang...Rock Band better be awesome cause I just can not put GH3 down". Then I hit up my local Best Buy with a mock set-up of RB..and once I hit those sticks on those drum pads..I was in heaven. I was already going to buy RB, but now I HAD to have it.

I bought it the day it came out as soooon as my local Target opened up. Went straight home (with Kane & Lynch also...which at this time hasnt been played..heh) and began opening it up. After a few minutes of setting up (drums take a few parts to put together..nothing hard though..no tools), I was ready to go.

I started off with the drums (like probably most people). I'm gonna have to say..they are a lot tougher than I thought they were gonna be. I've never played drums in my life so it's gonna take a little time to get used to them. When I tried them at Best Buy...they had a demo that didnt include the base pedal. Well now I have to worry about stepping on that, while also worrying about where I'm slamming my two sticks at also. Sounds easy right? I really dont think so..least not yet..lol. By no means am I dogging this part though. I can see that this will be a lot of fun, especially when you start playing on Hard. On Easy the beats are so slow that I really do not feel like a rocker... I feel more like I'm some slow drummer in some jazz band. But I know it's like that to get people like myself accustomed to this new piece of equipment.

Secondly, I grabbed the new guitar. I put it on Medium and began playing a bunch of songs. I looovveee this guitar. The top fret buttons feel so good. One the edge of the green button and the orange button, there is a lift about half an inch high. So when you start playing on Hard or Expert and you start moving up and down the fret buttons trying to hit every button, you won't get lost cause you'll bump into those lifts. Definitely helps out. Also at the bottom you have 5 more fret buttons with the same color. Once a 'solo' appears on screen (the background will be a shade of blue) you can use these buttons and not even have to strum. Just hit the buttons once the button appears on the line. So much fun and you feel like even more of a rocker. The selector on the guitar has a bunch of sound effects that you can do on the fly. Pretty cool I guess, but I swear I cant hear a difference. Not saying it's not there, but I just havent heard the difference yet. The ONLY gripe I have about the guitar is the Whammy Bar. Its so dang long and almost gets in the way of my strummer. It looks very good, but I'm just not diggin it. It's not crazy bad where you would hate the guitar, but I would have liked it just a bit shorter. One last thing about the guitar. My roommate is insanely good at Guitar Hero and he is in absolute love with this new guitar and the new way it plays out on Rock Band. He doesnt even want to look at the GH guitars anymore..lol. He has issues with the whammy also though.

The Mic is next. I've never played a karaoke game before on any system. I never really cared for it (even though I do like Karaoke sometimes...when I'm drinking). I also didnt really know how it worked. Well before I stopped playing RB for a while, I decided to try it out. HOOKED. Seriously hooked on this part of the game right now. I was laughing at first while singing cause it was just funny to me, but then I really started getting into it. Then my roommate wanted to join in with the guitar. So we picked Creep and aced the crap out of it. Next thing you know we had Mississippi Queen playing and then I'm standing up and just rockin the mic. Right then I could just TELL this was going to be a very fun party game. I'm getting off track here. Ok, back on. When you sing you have to keep the pitch or tone of your voice on track with the line that shows on the screen. There is an arrow that will let you know if you are to high or to low. When it's time for your 'energy' meter (star power), you can just make any noise or statement you want to to activate it. I just usually hold out the note of the last word longer than usual to activate it...or scream ARE YOU READY TO ROCK?! (cause it always gets a laugh..lol). The only thing I dont care for is that you have to tap the mic on certain parts to make a tambourine sound or a cow bell sound. It's not bad if you are JUST singing, but I can see how that would be crap if you were playing a guitar or drum also. It doesnt HURT you if you miss those beats, but you dont get extra points. So far I love the mic, but probably cause I've never played those Karaoke games before like I said.

Although the 360 version isnt wireless cause of Microsofts greedy self (they use a proprietary wireless that they charge companies to use and Harmonix didnt want to pay for it so they could keep the PS3 and the 360 versions the same price), it's not TOOOO bad. The wires are a lot longer than the GH guitar wires. Plus the 4 port USB that comes with the game is a godsend for this game (make sure you have one more outlet for the USB plug). Hopefully they'll make some wireless stuff later.

When you start your career, you'll get to start customizing your guy or gal you want to use. Lot of different things you can do also...I was very surprised. If you ever played any of the Def Jam fighting games, then you might think back to those games like I did. Faces, Rock Styles (fighting styles on Def Jam), Hair, Height, Color, Rings, Bracelets, Pants, Shoes, Shirts, Tattoos. It's crazy. Lots of items to choose from the start and more and more as you get farther into the game. I unlocked 5 things in 5 songs I believe. I cant talk much about career mode since I stopped after my first 5 songs since I had to get ready for work. What I played though was really fun and what I've read and seen on videos (mainly from the rockbands website) its seems like it's going to be a blast.

I still love Guitar Hero. 1, 2 and 3. Not 80's, but whatever. I'm still gonna play them because of certain songs. But I think Rock Band has become my new favorite. Especially since once in a while, we have a good group of people show up to just drink and play GH. I think Rock Band is gonna replace that thanks to the 4 player support, GREAT song list, and more than just a guitar or two to play with. Actually I know it is..lol.

While you are reading this... I'm pretty sure I'm playing Rock Band. =D

***UPDATE for 22 Nov 07.***

2 more gripes about this game.

1. Harmonix seemed to use a LOT of constant repetitious notes..for example..you have to hit the blue button say...6 times in a row..then the red..6 times in a row..then back to blue..6 times in a row...then yellow..six times in a row...and on and on. I dont mind this on some songs...but I'm just saying they used it a lot this time around. Even my roommate was getting aggravated with it.

2. I believe my guitar is starting to act up like others that I have read. My strum bar after only a day is getting less responsive on the down strokes. I'm missing notes for no reason. I started using the up stroke instead and now I'm hitting ever note. I'm gonna send a request for a new guitar soon. Usually I'm not a victim of the faulty hardware that many people come across (I've never even seen a red ring of death in person on the 360...knock on wood), but this time I think I am. *sigh*

Cool stuff I like though since I first posted.

1. I figured out how to use the Guitar sound effects switch. Gotta be using star power (energy..whatever). Very fun!

2. Love how the star power adds up even while you are using it. Huge improvement over GH's.

Thats it for now.

LOVE this game...really I do. Just wish the guitar didnt start messing up. =(

***UPDATE for 23 Nov 07.***

2 really cool new things I like.

1. I REALLY love how when you are doing good during a song...the crowd starts to sing along with the song. WOW! That made me feel more like I was there than GH ever did. Very cool feature.

2. During Thanksgiving...I took my game over to a friends house. We had enough people to put a 4 player group together. Talk about A LOT of fun. 2 people never even touched GH before. Yet they had a blast playing all three instruments. The one girl I was playing with who I would have thought would've been on the mic more since she likes karaoke STOLE the drum set almost the whole time..she loved it. It was a lot of fun watching her beat the crap out of the set..lol. I was on mic most of the time since most were scared of it. Sometimes other people took the mic over, and even though they were sometimes bad..it was never embarrassing. Most of the time the other people were to engaged into their own playing or either it was so bad that it wasnt embarrassing, but just down right funny.

I had way to much fun with that game this Thanksgiving. Like I said way earlier..I knew this would be a great party game. We didnt even think about putting GH in.

Best Deals for Xbox 360 Rock Band Special Edition

I pre-ordered the Special Edition of the game and had it delivered in time for Thanksgiving with the family and the kids. As the other reviewers have commented, this is a great game, lots of fun especially when playing multiplayer.

Only problem is, there seems to be a production flaw in the guitar's strum bar. Strumming down only works a fraction of the time, and at times it will think you've hit it multiple times when in fact you only hit it once. As a result, even if you're playing perfectly, you end up getting booed off the stage because the guitar controller is not working properly. On the other hand, strumming "up" works fine. I tried tweaking the "calibration" on the game through setting after setting, but it didn't work.

After doing a quick internet search on the EA RockBand community bulletin board, I realized that many other users have been having the same problem, and that the guitar controller is to blame. The manufacturer/publisher must know about these problems, because it only took me a few clicks at the EA Games website to order a replacement.

Until the replacement guitar controller gets here, I found that you can still play the game by strumming up--finger plucking, like you would do on a bass--but this makes fast songs like "Highway Star" almost impossible to complete, though I was able to do it. Once they get these defective guitars out of circulation, I might give this game five stars. But I would wait until these defects are worked out before shelling out the big bucks for the game.

Honest reviews on Xbox 360 Rock Band Special Edition

I am a parent and purchased this game for my kids for Christmas. I gave it to them early so they could get more enjoyment out of it. The first time they played it the drum foot pedal broke in half. I contacted EA support and was told they would send me another one in 3-5 days, which would have been okay, but they would charge my credit card $125, which they would refund once they received the old one, or they would send me packaging to return the old one and they would send me another 2 weeks after they received it. I asked how much it was just to purchase another one and was told it was $25 but I couldn't get one that way due to demand, but I was free to purchase them when they released individual instruments later in the year. I have to say my kids did get to play this game as their cousins got one and they loved it, but obviously the customer is not important to EA. I do not understand why they feel the need to charge their customers 5 times the price of the hardware to replace their broken product, I would gladly have paid for a replacement so this wouldn't ruin my kids Christmas, but I think 5 times is excessive. Overall I think the game is a lot of fun for the kids but I am very unhappy with the hardware support.

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I've only had Rock Band for XBox 360 one day, but I can easily recommend it to any and all. This special edition comes with everything you need to play the game a guitar, mic, drum set and the game. There is a fourth instrument however bass, which is played using the guitar. If you want to play guitar and bass at the same time, a second guitar is needed. Fortunately, the guitar hero guitars work well if you have them. If not, I recommend buying Guitar Hero 3 bundle for xbox360, which comes with a wireless guitar. The instruments for rock band are all wired (to USB ports on xbox 360), which can be annoying, but on the plus side, they don't require any batteries!

Thanks to Karaoke Revolution and Guitar Hero, singing and playing faux-guitar are nothing new for video games. They've been done, and done well. In fact, you should check them out too.

What hasn't been done before is the drum set. The set you receive is made from mostly aluminum and hard molded plastic, extremely durable. Gaming magazines have reported the drum set as taking tons of abuse without being worse for the wear. The 4 well-sized drum pads are on a ~30° tilt, are adjustable in height and have a good, rubbery spring to them. The foot pedal is awkward at first and could be more responsive, but certainly does the job. Everyone in the family will be eager to give it a try, and once won't be enough. One word of caution unless you're a percussionist, start off with Easy and expect to make plenty of mistakes. It will probably take a LOT of practice to make it up to Hard, but then again, being a good drummer takes a lot of practice too. And perhaps the best feature of Rock Band, unlike other music video games, is by the time you hit Expert, you'll actually be able to play drums.

The special edition bundle may be pricey, but if you and/or your family are at all musically inclined, you'll get more than your money's worth. Just one note of caution although far from the volume or noise of a real drum set, between the drums and singing, you may want to set this one up in the basement.

Fallout: New Vegas - Playstation 3 Review

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List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $16.00
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As of September 2011, the game is fully playable and patched. I have played the main campaign twice and completed most of the side quests while exploring the entire map. Allow me to say that during the 60+ hours, the game never froze. There was one issue when I got stuck in a window and could not move, but apart from that I have not experienced a single glitch whatsoever.

The game is definitely worth buying at this point. The map is huge, the weapon selection is considerably larger than Fallout 3, the characters have great voice actors, and the side quests are filled with solid detail. Whatever bugs may have plagued the game when it launched are totally gone and what's left is a gaming experience I give my full faith to. I encourage and ensure you that this game is worth the money now.

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The intricate storyline, interesting quests, and endearing side-kicks (Lily the grandmother super mutant is, quite possibly one of the best characters I've ever encountered in a video game, despite her limited role and interactions...) are not enough to save this pitiful excuse for a game. For the life of me I do not understand how game companies can release games in these states, without ANY repercussions. 40 hours into the game, I couldn't exit a casino, and had to replay 13 hours (good thing I had the save filesit could have been worse). The games locks CONSTANTLY, requiring hard resents. Certain key areas I can't even enter because of the locking.

We aren't talking a few annoying graphics glitches here we are talking game ***unplayability***

I'm running a new 120Gb PS3 Slim with only a few other saved game files from Dragon's Age and Fallout 3.

A look on the Bethesda forums reveals innumerable gamers with the exact same (as well as many many more) complaints.

Before you buy this game I suggest reading the Bethesda Forums to get an idea what state the game is in.

And they have the gall to announce new DLC while the game is not fixed.

What other industry would be allowed to charge consumers for a product that doesn't work? It just boggles the mind.

Best Deals for Fallout: New Vegas - Playstation 3

Well, I loved Fallout 3 on the PS3 so much I preordered New Vegas. But I would advise people not to buy it, at least until after the price drops to $29 or so. Now that I think of it, I bought Fallout 3 when it had dropped to $29 so it had massive patches by then. There is absolutely no excuse for selling an unfinished game like this at $60. This is a slap in the face and an insult to game buying consumers. Obviously Obsidian and Bethesda are kicking back laughing their way to the bank at how gullible gamers are and intend to keep pushing the envelope of just how unfinished and defective of a product people will buy. As long as people keep buying garbage like this, they will keep pushing out even more unfinished games, these are big, greedy corporations after all.

Good: pretty much just like Fallout 3

Bad: too much like Fallout 3 right down to the same textures and colored building interiors, same npc baddies, etc.

A lot of worthless items to get and hold onto in order to craft relatively low value items from them. Adds more RPG aspect I guess but its pretty useless if you ask me.

Lots and lots of bugs and glitches. Lots of characters stuck halfway in the ground and walls. Lots of characters just getting stuck walking up against stuff and never moving away. Lots of black holes where suddenly everything is black until you get passed the area. Lots of invisible barriers in weird places to keep you from going past. Lots of game freezes. Lots of auto saves being corrupt. Lots of other glitches as well.

My suggestion to Obsidian and Bethesda: try a beta release or two or three and then, after you get a completely functioning game sell it. I feel like I should be paid as a debugger for having even tried out this refried potato.

Consensus: It smells like yesterdays lunch with Garlic added. Unfortunately the microwave is on the fritz so you best wait til they at least heat it up for you.

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BROKEN! You're better off playing Fallout 3 again. The same issues that plagued Fallout 3 only worse.

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This is a great game. It's fun, innovative, improves upon many things from Fallout 3, I couldn't ask for anything more.

Except for it to work.

I've had it crash numerous times. Sometimes little crashes where I just need to restart my PS3. Sometimes larger crashes where the power button won't turn the machine off, so I need to switch it off from the back. And then when it goes back on, it won't recognize the disc until I remove the disk, power cycle it again, and put the disc back in. And then, typically, it won't load.

Issue has happened both pre and post 1.01 patch. I gave the developer time to patch before going on a warpath.

Trying to return this game to Amazon as a defective product, which it is. If they're half as good as people claim they are for customer service, they'll honor that, because this product is absolute garbage. And it may be the game of the year if it worked. But that's like giving me an Aston Martin that has a 4 cylinder engine. It doesn't work, so there's no point.

Bethesda needs to worry more about the developers and less about getting Chandler to do annoying faux greaser voiceacting.

/rage

360 Controller Thumbstick and D Pad Replacement Set Clear with Free Reviews

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i ordered a replacement shell for my beat up xbox 360 controller but the thumbsticks did not fit right and were pretty cheap, so i ordered these from llama. They came and they looked awesome, didnt have that cheap plastic smell and the rubber grip was pretty good it had less grip than the microsoft ones but they get the job done and are pretty comfortable even after long sessions of play and respond well with fps. The d pad isnt really that great but it works and the 360 never had a decent d pad anyway. Make sure you install them correctly i didnt push them down enough at first and they got stuck but after making sure it went in all they way (hehe) it was smooth sailing from there. Now the pair i got had some left over plastic on the underside of the grip im guessing from the mold and it kinda messed up the sprinting in some games but just pulled it off and it was good. Even with its faults these are really good replacements and i am very happy with them.

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i recieved my package today and i took apart my controler with the FREE t8 driver and i tried putting the thumbsticks on but the tabs u put the sticks on were to big and needed to be sanded down just a bit.

the d-pad has no issues :D

Activision Skylanders Giants Single Character Granite Crusher Reviews

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Folks, you can see from the picture that it says "Only at Target", so this should come as a surprise to no one that this is a resell. The question is, do you need it? If you've already got a regular Crusher figure, this one just has a different name and appearance. There is nothing he does differently in the game. Do yourself a favor and find it retail or just go with the regular one. If you need to have every single figure variation, then by all means pay twice as much as you should. If you're just looking to complete the collection of figures to enable in the game, there's no need.

BTW, I haven't played the game yet as it's a Christmas gift. I'm basing my rating on my experience with last year's game, which my son and I had a blast. It's gratifying to see that Activision was a little more prepared with supply this time around. I can find just about every Singleand Three-Figure pack on shelves or online. For those looking for other figures whose prices are jacked up at this time (i.e. Hot Dog, Ninjini, Eye Brawl, Thumpback, etc.), have some patience as it's more than likely what you're seeing is someone who somehow got their hands on an advance release. Just like the last game, Activision is releasing the figures in groups, though it does appear that there are significantly more available now than they had during the initial release of Spyro's Adventure.

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My son loves this limited edition Skylander Giant Character. He is a fun Giant who runs around bashing things in with a huge club-like weapon. When you are a 6yr old boy, it doesn't really get any better.

We picked one up today(12/28) at our local Target, where they had 62 of them in stock. This is the 4 Points Target in Austin, TX, if anyone is wondering. Yes, it's limited edition, they will not be on the floor, but apparently, there was a whole box of them in the back if you asked. So, we paid the normal $14.99 plus tax for this figure, not $30.

I would seriously call around to your local Target stores and ask them to look at their back-stock before paying twice the price for this figure. They guy in electronics said they were told to take them off the floor after a certain date, since they are supposed to be "limited edition", but they can continue selling them. I don't know what's up with that, but I bought two, one for my son, and one as a gift.

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This item when at target is so much cheaper. That's the problem. When Target is out and the child wants the item very badly. So we go out and pay more to please them

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My son loves everything Skylanders, he calls himself a "gamer" and we go "Skylander Hunting" often on Amazon, they have the best selection!

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like many people have said this is just like the toys r us exclusive legendary characters it is just a recolor. but its just like how mario is red and luigi is green it makes it easier to tell who is who if you are both the same character. i actually got this one for myself so that i could play with my kids without having to worry about which characters were what. either way i like this dude compared to other characters he is fairly strong straight out of the package but like the other giants he is yawn inducingly slow. otherwise great for crushing.

Buy G.H.O.S.T. Hunters - The Haunting of Majesty Manor

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In "G.H.O.S.T. Hunters: the Haunting of Majesty Manor", your job is to figure out who, or what, is haunting the manor by finding lists of items embedded in various rooms throughout the house.

I found this game to be very similar to the "Mystery Case Files" series as both are of the same "search & find" genre and they are about equal in terms of fun & difficulty level.

One neat addition to "Ghost Hunters" is the spectrometer. This tool becomes activated when you ask for a hint, allowing you to scan the room looking for "psychic energy" which will eventually lead you to one of the hidden items on the list.

Overall, I found this game to be really fun & addictive, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys "search & find" type games.

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I purchased this for my wife and 5 year old son to play as I play real time strategy games on the PC. Well my wife asked me to sit and help the other night and im HOOKED.

This game was lots of fun and we had a blast trying to find the hidden pictures as a team. The spooky music and playing it at night with the lights off made it that much more fun.

I purchased 2 others from the maker as this was a blast and really keeps you on your toes....

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This game came with a trojan horse. Luckily my computer protection captured it but I had to install more safety software to render it ineffective. Where do some of these games come from? How can we feel safe ordering them?

Robin

Honest reviews on G.H.O.S.T. Hunters - The Haunting of Majesty Manor

Viola Majesty is troubled by odd events at her Manor. She's been hearing strange noises, items are missing, and objects seem to be moving on their own. Desperate, she hires Ghost Hunters, Inc. to discover what is going on at Majesty Manor. As one of the members of the team you are given fifteen days to solve the case by looking for hidden objects in 19 rooms and eliminating 15 suspects. At the end of those 15 days, you will uncover the culprit in a final, fast paced round.

While "G.H.O.S.T. Hunters, the Haunting of Majesty Manor" is loosely wrapped around a mystery, players are not really actively involved in solving the mystery they do not question suspects, find clues, or play any part in really solving the mystery the game itself does all that for you. What players do is look for hidden objects in various locations. The hidden objects can be obvious for example if you are looking for a tie, look for a man wearing a tie. Other items are a bit more difficult to find for example a bat could be either a baseball bat or the mammal.

"G.H.O.S.T. Hunters, the Haunting of Majesty Manor" is a good game for players new to hidden object games. Unlike some hidden object games, there is more than enough time to solve each puzzle. There are also plenty of hints and a chance to get even more hints by locating batteries hidden in certain scenes. You do lose time if you click too fast or too randomly on objects, but there's no need to do either since there's so much time allowed. Once you find all the required objets you can either move on or stay for the "bonus" round which simply means find the remaining objects in each location (you have to find a set number of objects in each room to move to the next level). Unlike other hidden object games (such as the Mystery Case Files Series) there are no real bonus sections involving puzzles like jigsaw puzzles once you finish one level you move on to the next level. Even though you only have five minutes to solve each puzzle in the final round (which eliminates suspect after suspect), I found it incredibly easy to solve. Finally, while I usually find music in hidden object games add a lot of atmosphere to the game, the music in this game kept cutting in and out, disappearing completely for large stretches of the game, which means the majority of the game was played in silence (even the meter used for hints didn't always have sound, which made it hard to use the hints).

While "G.H.O.S.T. Hunters, the Haunting of Majesty Manor" can be played over and over because the hidden objects and guilty party change each time you play it, seasoned hidden object game players will quickly get tired of the game. However, this is an excellent game for players new to hidden object games.

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"G.H.O.S.T Hunters" is 100% a hidden object game--no minigames, no puzzles, NOTHING else. If you like hidden object fun, this is for you! The pictures are stuffed full, yet the hidden objects aren't too small (at least, not to me). An unusual aspect of the game is the use of a "spectrometer" to give hints; when activated, the tool shows more lights and faster clicking the closer you are to a hidden object.

Because of the visual aspect of the spectrometer, this game is highly suitable for playing by the hearing impaired or with speakers off. I found myself turning the sound up when I caught the whispery voices, although I never could figure out what they were saying. LOL. In that case, I wished for captions too, although it's entirely possible that they weren't saying anything, and, certainly, they weren't saying anything noteworthy for the game. As far as I know, the soundtrack was just spooky sounds, footsteps, etc.

If you don't like HOGs (hidden object games), don't bother, but if you do, especially if you like them pure, this is a can't miss!!

Best Sly Cooper And The Thievius Raccoonus - PlayStation 2 Deals

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List Price: $19.99
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Don't let the title of this game throw you. Almost undoubtedly, many PS2 owners will overlook this game, thinking it's simply kid's stuff. Well, know now that Sly Cooper is the most original game to come along in quite awhile, and for kids and adults alike, it's one of the best titles out there, hands down. Everything, from gameplay to presentation, is perfect, and it's truly a rewarding gaming experience.

The game is a typical 3D platformer, with the hero, Sly Cooper, master thief, trekking through various locales in hopes of restoring the five pieces of his "Thievius Raccoonus", his family's great book of stealing. The book was torn apart by the group known as the Five Fiends, and now, it's up to Sly and his buddies to overcome the villians and steal what is rightfully theirs.

The graphics are splendid, taking full command of the PS2's capabilities with gorgeous -and fitting -cel-shading. The voice-acting, while a little hokey, has its moments, but the real prize of the game is its overall presentation. From opening credits to cut-scenes, Sly Cooper weaves a fun, truly original tale that can only beg for more sequels.

The gameplay is precise, with Sly a cinch to control. A quick tutorial mission acts as the first "stage," so novice gamers will have no problems figuring out how to make Sly climb, jump, swing, and do other marvelous things with his unique cane. Special "Super Sneaky" moves are available with a simple press of a button, and special techniques can be unlocked by finding "clues" (bottles) throughout the levels. These special techniques are fun to use and add some flavor to the game, but they're not necessary to complete your missions.

With colorful characters, memorable villains, rewarding gameplay, rich graphics, and a terrific story, Sly Cooper should find its way onto your PS2 soon. It won't take many days to finish, but the ride through is well worth it!

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I was lucky enough to pick this up used at Blockbusters for a very reasonable price. I bought it based on the reviews I had read here. My 7 year old daughter immediately began to play it and has been going at it for a few days now. She has reached 40% completion now, so it has not been a terribly difficult game up to this level, but she has had to replay several sections more than once in order to continue. The game save works very nicely and you can start your saved game up quickly with a minimal load time. The fastest I have seen so far. It also hasn't sent her back to the beginning after Sly dies, avoiding frustration. We also have Ratchet & Clank as well as Jak & Daxter, but this one seems to hold her attention more. It may be that this is a more linear game, where she doesn't get stuck wandering around on an island, wondering where to go next. With this game, you just keep going forward and the obstacles appear right there, sort of like the old style Crash Bandicoot games. This game is also a pleasure to watch as the graphics are so nice. Put this on your list of games to buy, but be patient, find a good deal on it to make it all the more enjoyable.

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Hmm... I wonder. Can I still give this game a perfect 5 stars despite the fact that it is not perfect? Sure I can! Why? Because the flaw is only in your mind!

Ok ok, now that I have you all confused, I guess I'll just have to explain myself. Everything about this game is utterly phenomenal, the Graphics drip with style and flair, the Sound is exceptionally well done, Gameplay is pure gaming goodness (my second favorite kind also, platformer), the Plot will grasp you tight, and well.. then there's the Replayability. I will break everything down individually though, so that you can see more clearly what I think of this masterpiece.

Graphics: 5 stars

For all those of you who have been living under a rock, in a cave, or on the moon these last couple of months, a new kind of graphics craze is headed to gaming, ''Cell-Shading.'' Cell-shading is a technique that makes 3d animations look like cartoony sprites, but still retains a sharp crisp look. Unfortunately, many of these games end up looking like a kiddy title because of this. Sly Cooper however is able to master this design by mixing cell-shaded characters and objects with pure three dimensional backgrounds. The result is quite astounding and you'll even enjoy watching other people play the game (but you'll like playing it more yourself). Every level but one runs at a fantastic 60 fps, beautifully sharp and quick. There is a little slowdown in the swamp level of Mz. Ruby due to the enormous amount of detail, but that hardly makes the level unplayable. With this great level of detail and a useful first person binocu-com view, you'll often find yourself staring at the beauty in amazement.

Sound: 5 stars

There aren't really any scores of music, but rather on-going dynamic tracks or themes for the levels. What I mean by dynamic is that the current situation affects the way the music is played. Many games have used this idea recently but SC&TR really masters it, creating an almost emotional result. I truly got frightened when I was seen by one odd looking guard in the haunted swamp; the music turned from its eery low flow to a blaring roar of sounds that quickly got my attention to the fact that I was in trouble. The music really also sounds like spy or thief music, which is a pretty impressive feat, it quiets down when you're in ''sneaking'' mode, and it just makes you feel like an overall badass. The main draw here I would say, is some of the best voice-acting ever done in a game. This is probably third in quality on the ps2 to MGS2 and FFX (sans Yuna). The characters voices match their personality and don't have any of the trademark videogame awkwardness.

Gameplay: 5 stars

In all honesty, I have never felt like I had this much control over a game, despite a rather simple 3 button setup. The triangle controls your specials, the x controls your jump (or double-jump), and the circle controls everything else. I have to admit I thought it was going to be too simple just using the circle button for all action, but I quickly grew accustomed to it, and was clinging on rails, hooks, and pointy tower tops like there was no tommorow. It's a very comfortable way to play a game, and an ingenious setup. The superb graphics allowed you to see the clear route along each level. The game managed to be linear but without fault as it didn't make any levels exceedingly easy. It also presented some nice variety in every boss level.

Plot: 5 stars

The plot was much, much more than I was expecting. I actually felt attached to the characters, angry at the villains, and excited to be a part of such a cool family (the Coopers). The story was basically about recovering you family's ancient thieving book, the Thievius Raccoonus, and the shenanigans along the way. That's about all I can say without giving away any spoilers, but believe me, it's very well presented. The plot is relayed through animated scenes as well as in-game cutscenes, along with some of that great voice-acting I was telling you about earlier. Without being a behemoth RPG-type game, the plot manages to keep you excited for more, and in the last level, you'll be on the edge of your seat.

Replayability: 5 stars

A perfect 5? I thought I was saying that this was the flaw with the game before. Well, to some extent it is. I could beat this game over and over and not really get tired, but that's not exactly the type of replay people look forward to. No, the replay that makes this game great is found after you beat the game for the first time, in the Master Thief Sprints. These are basically times to get through the level in as fast as you can, for a reward, mostly pride though. The reward is a dialogue about the level going on while you play through that particular area again, and some of the stuff is pretty cool to hear, especially if you're interested in making games (mostly design type stuff, which kept me interested even though I'm more of a programmer). But the flaw that I said was in your mind, and which may draw some people away from playing these Sprints, is the difficulty. For novice gamers, and on some levels, even for experts, these challenges can prove to be just that, challenging. But in the end, the feeling of pride you'll get to reach 100% will guide you through all of them. And don't worry, it's no Battletoads!

The Bottom Line: 5 stars!

Overall, I'd have to say this is definitely one of the best games I have ever played. I rented this, and kept it long enough to rack up a 7 dollar late fee, so that tells you something (if you know me). I'd suggest buying it, as I'll no doubt feel the urge to play it again soon.

Honest reviews on Sly Cooper And The Thievius Raccoonus - PlayStation 2

This game is a very, very simple platform game. But it's also pretty darn good. The cell shading graphics are simply amazing, and the gameplay is consistent, fun, and easy to begin with. It's a little platform game that combines elements of stealth and action. Sort of like Metal Gear Solid 2, but actually fun.

This game is a short game. It means that maybe they could have added another element, but it also means that there isn't needless repetition in any of the levels, except for the last boss.

You are this raccoon from a long line of thieving relatives. You're mission is to find all parts of the secret family thieving book, all while running away from a female cop who is constantly on your tail (I'll let you decipher the meaning of that sentence yourself).

The thing that strikes me most is the presentation of the characters. While the background consists of 3-D objects, the characters are smooth, cartoon like, cell-shaded animals. It's a nice change. It's especially pleasing since the new, unreleased Zelda is going to use this type of "revolutionary" technology.

The game itself is straightforward. You have to jump, attack, and sneak your way through levels to eventually reach a boss. Then once you realize how to defeat the boss, it's on to the next level. Nothing original at all, but then again, it didn't claim to be. The beauty of this is that you rarely go through the same level more than three times, and you don't have to refer to walkthrough to pass any of the levels.

I would recommend this, it's good, clean fun.

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At first, I'll admit, I didn't like Sly Cooper too much. My initial reaction was that this was just another ordinary action platform game. After playing it awhile, I soon realized it wasn't your 'ordinary' action platformer. Developer Sucker Punch proves you can still innovate in a genre that's beginning to get old and show its' age. By combining stealth with great platform action, you got one killer game on your hands. You play as Sly Cooper and, with the help of your two friends:Murray and Bentley, you go on a quest to find pages from your family heirloom(the Thievius Raccoonus)which is a guidebook for thieves. Rest assured, it's not teaching anything bad here as its' taking back what is rightfully yours. Everything from plot to presentation to control and gameplay, everything is dead-on in this game. Even the cel-shaded graphics compliment the games' cartoony atmosphere. No boring sleep-inducing fetch quests here...Oh no! You can collect clues to unlock new moves to use in the game but it isn't neccessary just to finish the game. Sucker Punch keeps thing fresh and simple in this game. You can tell this was a labor of love for them because alot was put into this game and that's why it is so great. I, personally, look forward to a sequel. It's easily the best action platformer on the Playstation2 thus far.

I highly recommend this game to everyone, young or old.

Discount 320GB HDD Hard Drive Disk Kit FOR XBOX 360 320G Internal Slim Black

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its been three months since I've had this xBox HD. Works as advertised, fits just like the OEM version.

If using it with the 4GB xBox Arcade version it will mount as an additional drive NOT replacing the internal HD. This means when doing game saves you have to select one of the two drives. No option to set a default drive. For the price I can live with that.

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Worked out of the box perfectly. Unpack, open Xbox 360 side panel, slide in hard drive, close back up, turn on Xbox and it's there and ready to store data. :)

Best Deals for 320GB HDD Hard Drive Disk Kit FOR XBOX 360 320G Internal Slim Black

I purchased this for our xbox and it could not have been simpler. No more kids complaining about hard drive space!!! Works just like the one for $130.

Honest reviews on 320GB HDD Hard Drive Disk Kit FOR XBOX 360 320G Internal Slim Black

The HD was just what i wanted. Works perfect. Except that it came with around 290gb instead of 320gb. But otherwise. I recommend!

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BUY IT! My Xbox 360s now has so much memory, I don't even know what to do with myself, I am able to install all my games so they run nice and smooth. It also tricks your Xbox into thinking its a genuine Microsoft hard drive.

NHL 12 - Xbox 360 Reviews

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Every year EA makes a few additions to the gameplay although it has basically been kept the same as NHL 11. They have found a successful formula in keeping the best of the old and adding a few new things. This year we now have the helmet coming off, hitting a player to send him in the bench area, contacts with the goalie (you can hit the goalie, he can hit you), goalie fights which is really cool, shattered glass and the nets can be moved more easily. EA Sports claim there is a better physical engine and I have to say they're right. This is especially true when playing Be a Pro/Legend where you can notice some improvements when it comes to control, hitting other players and shooting. EA have always been about realism and this year it's a little better than the last. However it doesn't "look" any different from what I've experienced it's very much the same graphics. The one big change is in Be a Pro when it comes to gameplay. Now unlike previous titles you can't spend 45 minutes on the ice. Before you could play pretty much as long as you wanted by pressing the B button and taking another player's place on the Ice. Instead of doing that you "simulate" until your next shift on the ice. Now the amount of play your player gets depends on the line you're on. Basically the big new thing in NHL 12 is that you can now play as select legends in whatever team you want. Say what you will playing as those legends is a cool option that should've been available before this year, I'm glad this addition was made.

The Be a Pro mode now offers the possibility of developing in the CHL before being drafted to the NHL which is a nice option and enhance realism factor. Plus there are all time records you can beat which makes it all the more challenging. As far as I know NHL 12 also marks the first time you can play as a female in Be a Pro. Also you have much more choices for the player faces this time around. Be a Legend is basically like Be a Pro where you take the role of a legend and earn career achievements. It's a fun addition to be able to play as legends and its one thing I've wanted EA to add to the franchise for years. The legends you can play as are Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Steve Yzerman, Chris Chelios , Gordie Howe, Ray Bourque, Patrick Roy, Jeremy Roenick and Borj Salming . You each have to unlock them except Roenick which is already playable and each of those legends have a degree you need to reach ex: Legend, Legend 2, Pro and so on while in Be a Pro. As far as I can tell, Be a GM has not changed much they basically kept it the same as the previous edition. There are some slight new additions but basically its the same thing with the same options. The 2011 Winter Classic match between the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins is also playable and you also have the option of playing with the two teams of your choice. It's a fun novelty, you play in a snowy environment that looks nice (and the arena/crowd area looks great) but otherwise I don't think its one I will play too often, except maybe to show some friends.

Due to recent changes in the NHL the Atlanta Trashers aren't part of this game and the Winnipeg Jets have been added. I noticed that you have the classic Jets jersey but not the new logo, instead you a plain NHL jersey. You can bet that EA Sports will put them in the game as a form of downloadable content sometime soon (hopefully). On a side note,there is no booklet with this game for some reason. The controls are displayed during the waiting screens like NHL 11.

If you thought that NHL 12 would see a whole new gameplay, and major changes it's obviously not happening. Maybe for a future title but this is basically the same as the previous edition with a few changes and things added to it. It does what it sets out to do which is improving on the last one and I think it did just that. I particularly like the legends (an all legends team anyone?) and the fact that Be a Pro offers up to four years in the CHL before being drafted. If you like the new additions I listed and being able to play as legends appeals to you NHL 12 is a great buy, if not you may be just fine with one of the past editions but for the fans who buy those yearly editions each year will want to play it. I won't say it's the best or my favorite title in the series but NHL 12 is a good game overall that will please hockey fans. 4/5

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THIS is what happens when there's no competition.

Let's see, what's broken about NHL 12?

1. Your AI D will still go behind the net, hug the boards, and wait to turn the puck over.

2. Goalie fights in EASHL are a complete waste. I play RW and really REALLY enjoy sitting around doing nothing for 5 minutes because of a goalie fight (it's the RW who goes into the penalty box).

3. I love how if I'm standing near the goalie, I seemingly HAVE to fight him if he so chooses.

4. The hitting was toned down to the point where you can absolutely crush someone, and they will often just shrug you off.

5. The puck still loves to fall off your stick for no reason, and you still fall down at points that are ridiculous.

6. I am the leading scorer in the league in Be A Pro, and guess what ... no power play time. I can not press B and play on the PP. Yeah, that seems to make sense. Oh yeah, you can sit and watch the shootout, too, because apparently your sixth defenseman is far more dangerous than you and your 4 points-per-game average.

7. Boosts are still there. And I still hate them. I either pay a bunch of money to have my online character better, or have to suffer through Be A Pro.

8. Players online clearly know exactly what attributes to use, as per usual. So, at this point in time, they skate so much faster than the AI D, that they skate consistently right past them. And I'm sure they'll find more exploits and cheats.

And the following needs to be addressed NOW!!!

9. FIX THE MATCHING SYSTEM! I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO tired of ONE person ruining a Lobby game because they did not get the position they wanted. Let us choose the position BEFORE. How hard is this? Because, apparently, its too difficult for someone to pick a position or leave.

Thanks EA! I'm SURE NHL 13' will be better! (the common refrain of the EA damned).

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This game is unacceptably bad.

I'm a very big fan of EA's NHL series. I have religious played each game released in the series since NHL 08, and I've seen the series come a long way in that time. The forward progress of the series, and, indeed, the quality of the experience as a whole, has come to a crashing halt with this year's rendition. This game has barely more content than its predecessor, and, worse, it plays in highly unrealistic fashion and is riddled with bugs.

The major addition touted by the EA NHL team for this year's rendition--indeed, it was the main feature in the game's Internet and television advertisements--was Legend Mode, which allows one to play as a legendary player (i.e. Patrick Roy, Jeremy Roenick, etc.). This is far less fun than it sounds. This mode is essentially Be a Pro--a mode present since NHL 09--played with a highly-rated player. In other words, literally the only difference between this mode and standard Be a Pro is that your player will start out with excellent attributes, something which makes the experience immensely easy. This game mode no doubt took almost no work by the developers, the necessary changes being limited to simply creating these players within the game and making them selectable. As for the legends themselves, you initially only have access to Jeremy Roenick; the other legends are unlockable only by playing the Be a Pro or Be a Legend modes and achieving certain milestones, something that can take a long while. Indeed, it takes such a long time to unlock such players as Lemieux and Gretzky that you'll likely have become tired of the game mode by the time you have access to them. All told, this mode is not anything special; it's ridiculous that it was the main addition in this year's rendition.

On that subject, the changes to Be a Pro do not work properly. This year's rendition gives you a more real-time experience, with your shifts being played in real time rather than time passing at an accelerated rate. Your time off the ice can either be simulated or watched from the bench; in the latter case, it likewise occurs in real time. This leads to some significant issues. For one, it's not out of the question for you to sit on the bench for five or six minutes at a time, regardless of if you're the team's top scorer. Too, you'll run into maddening situations in which instead of being put on the ice with the empty net so as to help your team score a goal--as before, this occurs even if you're the top scorer on your team, or even in the league--you're dumped onto the ice with one second left in the game. This happens on a regular basis. Further asinine quirks in Be a Pro include being traded for peanuts to another team even if you've scored 200 points in a season, and not being played on the power play--regardless of your stats and abilities--unless you've put sufficient points into offensive awareness, a statistic that is of extremely marginal value and not at all a good use of your hard-earned experience points. I'd call this year's Be a Pro substantially less enjoyable than it was in NHL 11.

Be a GM, too, suffers from substantial issues, issues even greater than those found in prior renditions of the game. First, the AI makes a horrendous GM, often failing to re-sign effective players who are not asking for much money; worse, it's not uncommon to see the AI inexplicably waive a player who is leading the league in scoring. Too, the players make asinine choices during negotiations; many of them ask for ludicrously long contracts at ridiculous price, leading the UFA list to often feature numerous top-tier players whom neither the AI GM nor the player GM are willing to take at the players` asking prices. Like Be a Pro mode, Be a GM mode has taken a step backward from last year's version.

The general experience on the ice has, too, taken a step backwards. Player AI--both for your opponent and for your unselected players--is horrid. Players often make nonsensical decisions, for example failing to keep proper position on a 2-on-1 or hanging around in ridiculous spots in the offensive and defensive zones. The degree to which players can maintain control of the puck is ludicrous, as is the agility possessed by every player; players can routinely make turns that would, in real life, result in spectacular wipe-outs. Also excessive is passing accuracy; an average fourth-liner can be expected to have the pass accuracy of a real-life superstar. The main addition to on-ice play in NHL 12, goaltender collision, is a disaster. It is very common to see goaltender interference penalties called when no contact was made, and it is very possible for a human goaltender to initiate contact with a player outside the crease and draw a penalty. Worse, flagrant goaltender interference is often not called. It is not uncommon to see a goaltender deliberately crushed without a penalty being called, a play which almost invariably results in the team with the puck scoring into the empty net. Another, more minor addition to the game is tie-ups by defenders. Essentially, defenders may tie up forwards in front of the net to prevent them from making deflections or banging in loose pucks--at least, this was the intent of the developers, because the function actually does not at all function properly. It is, instead, almost utterly useless; offensive players can disengage from a tie-up with ridiculous ease, and taking oneself out of the play in this manner as a defenseman almost invariably decreases one's ability to protect the net. Just about the only practical use of this feature lies in a defender's ability to tie up with a forward and drag him into a goalie; this will result in a goaltender interference penalty. Also of issue are such matters as deflections being utterly useless, shots being overly accurate, and checking being often pitifully useless. The new player animations are more lifelike and well-tuned than those found in earlier games of the series, but this is about all that NHL 12 has going for it over previous renditions. As with the two previous categories, general on-ice play has, in sum, taken a step backward.

EASHL--online team play--one of the biggest draws of the series, is a disaster. Every forward is capable of feats unmatched by real NHL players. Each forward with a legend card is a mix of the best qualities of the league's best-ever players: the passing ability of Gretzky, the balance of Lemieux, the speed of Bure, the shot of Hull, and the stickhandling and agility of Datsyuk. Meanwhile, defenders have roughly the ability level of second-line defenseman in today's NHL. This results in infuriatingly-imbalanced gameplay that bears little similarity to that found in the NHL. Instead of being rewarded for cycling the puck in the offensive zone, forwards will find the most success in hogging the puck low in the zone and repeatedly attempting a cross-crease pass until such inevitably succeeds. There are, as well, certain moves on the AI goalies that have a ridiculously high percentage of success. Too, defenders often will have an immensely difficult time of impeding the forwards at all; forwards can stop, twirl or turn on a dime and maintain the puck through numerous pokechecks--there is no stick-on-stick collision, and the defender's stick will also often sweep directly through the puck without dislodging it from the forward's stick--sticklifting will nearly always result in the forward maintaining possession of the puck, and hits will often simply encounter an almost literal force field in existence around the forward; the forward will, indeed, often be completely unfazed. This results in defenders generally being at the mercy of the forwards. The issues with this game mode could be described at much greater length, but there's no use; it works just as well to note that this it is horrendously imbalanced and neither fun nor realistic... unless, that is, you like playing as a puck-hogging forward in arcade style.

It also bears mention that the EA NHL team has shown little or no interest in solving these issues. Their level of communication with the community is horrendous, and little work has been put into improving the game's myriad issues. In sum, it feels as if this game was rushed and was released in incomplete state, yet with no plans of supporting it such that the issues inherent to the release version would be eventually fixed. Indeed, no premium whatsoever was, either, put on making the game exceptional in any way.

I advise against purchasing this game. If you have NHL 11, stick with that. NHL 12 is likely to provide you with more frustration than fun, and it does not justify its price tag.

Honest reviews on NHL 12 - Xbox 360

Like the title says, it's a great and fluent game but EA Sports is yet again stealing our money by releasing these sports games every year and still making the presentation horrible.

The teams always come out to the same intro and with the same animation.

The commentators still say the same things.

My Be a Pro goalie always goes through the same routines and animations.

The AI can be anticipated (meaning a skater will stop near the boards for someone to come and trip him up).

It's sad, really. Overall, it's a good game but after your second game played in Be a Pro you will have seen and heard everything at least twice already. Come on, EA. Don't be idiots.

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Been playing the NHL franchise for well over 20 years and this year's version is great once again, online team play in the EASHL is awesome. Many small improvements over last year's game but when combined make for a decent impact. Not sure EA shouldn't start selling these franchise games as $35 updates, but NHL 12 is definitely the best hockey game on the video game market (maybe the only hockey game).

Cheap Skylanders Giants Battlepack #1 - Chop Chop - Dragonfire Cannon

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This is a fun add-on to Skylanders Giants, and includes a cool magic item and two enjoyable but not dominant characters, which I'll describe separately. First, though, a slight word of warning. While these three toys are compatible with the Skylanders Giants game, it does not include any actual "Giant" figures, just the three figures listed below. Also, unlike the Adventure Packs in the last game, this battle pack does not unlock a new playable level, just a new battle mode area for PVP fights.

1) Silver Cannon: This is a "magic item" that you can use in the game for approximately for approximately 45 seconds each time you play a level. (You will see a circle on screen winding down the time, and can remove and re-add the cannon until your time is up.) If you add it to the portal, a cannon will appear in game, follow your Skylanders around, and shoot blasts of flame at your enemies. It's helpful in the boss battles and is also just fun. Adding the cannon also unlocks a new PVP battle area. Note another store has the exclusive right to sell the limited edition version of this pack, which comes with a gold cannon instead of silver. I'm not sure what the difference is, if any.

2) Shroomboom: This is a new life skylander. He's not the most powerful, but he's very cute, so we've been playing him a lot. He shoots explosive mushrooms with his slingshot, and can raise a defensive ring of mushrooms to slow down enemies. As you power him up, he gets more mushroom abilities, like a different explosive mushroom and the ability to launch himself at enemies. As I said, he doesn't dominate, but he's cute. After upgrading, Shroomboom can hold down his z-button to continually spam the screen with "paratrooper" explosive mushrooms, which is different and actually sort of effective, assuming you can still see him well enough to avoid the enemies while you wait for them to blow up.

Note: Shroomboom is not currently for sale as an individual figure, but he is on the list to be released in a "lightcore" version later, so if you're planning to collect the lightcore figures, you might want to wait.

3) Series 2 Chop Chop: This is the updated version of one of the undead figures from the original game. As in the original game, he's a sword and shield wielding beast. He does reasonable damage and his shield can protects him from most threats. He's basically the same as Series 1, except that he has access to a "Wow Pow" in his case, an upgraded shield bash.

Lastly, although you can use Chop Chop in both Giants and Spiro's Adventure, the other two figures are only compatible with Giants. Enjoy!

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My 5-yr-old son's been begging for this game for the past two Christmases and it doesn't disappoint. Being able to change characters mid-game by removing and replacing them on the pedestal is a nifty little idea. He absolutely loves it.

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The younger kids love this game and cannot get enough of swapping the players to make the game more interesting. Each character has a different skill/power and all of the them are helpful to get through the game.

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Originally, we purchased this battle pack, simply for Chop-Chop, but since opening and playing with it, we have enjoyed all three pieces.

Shroom boom is pretty cool, with his "walls" to stand behind as he attacks.

The battle cannon is useful in long battles, or with bigger, more powerful characters that could take you out quickly, otherwise.

Chop-Chop is my fav though. I played with my niece's first, and then started looking for one of my own, and Amazon had this pack on sale, so we bought it! I enjoy using his attacks, and he looks fabulous in the Showtime Hat. ;)

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This was a birthday gift for my grandson, that he requested and seems to just love. Enjoy this baby boy.

Full Metal Alchemist: The Broken Angel Review

Customer Ratings:

For people that arent aware this game goes hand in hand with the Fullmetal Alchemist anime series. So if you havent seen that and are planning to get this game then i'd hold off on that. With that being said for the amount time it took me to finish this game. I believe that it was time maybe not well spent but it wasnt a waste of time either. I only had a couple issues with the game one being the controls are a bit on the wacked out side and the other being the AI of your character partner. I dont know how many times. I was screaming at the TV for him to come to my aid and he keeps saying "okay" like a thousand times and wouldnt come over. Or he would and i'd be trying to get around him and he's blocking my path.

I mean dont get me wrong i did enjoy being able to change items into different ones and make new weapons to own the various enemies that you face. But for me to have a partner they should be actively contributing to the battle not watching me. Get swarmed by a horde of enemies not that they were hard. But what's the point. The story again follow the anime series so you kind of need to get into that beforehand, graphics are decent not really top notch but crappy. The levelling system didnt seem like it made any real difference in the game to me.

I rarely ever had problems getting past an enemy or a level. Only a rare occasion usually due to my own error. Was able to finish the game in a few sittings. I got sucked in by the story and when it was all said and done. I feel that it was an okay purchase, but i wouldn't pay 49.99 for it. I'd wait til it was cheaper or rent the game over a long weekend.

Hope the second one is a bit better than this one.

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When I just started to play I was already addicted to the game. The bosses look good(exept for that ugly boss that cammila makes in the end) and the story is perfect. The best part has to be the fighting style. Its very easy to fight any enemy but some need a certain type of weapon to do great damage and almost all the bosses don't require a complicated plan. Sometimes you might get lossed(you might get lossed a lot in the cave and in New Hiessgart Castle) but you normally find your way out in 10 minutes. All around this game is very fun and very addicting and it is my favorite game right now and I reccomend this game to all Full Metal Alchemist fans out there.

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Well I was having my doubts about getting this game, because I noticed a lot people did give some bad reviews on it, that it was just plain awful...But in my opinion I thought of this game as rather interesting and entertaining. I believed it had a good and touching story behind it, and all the written dialogue given in it, makes it even more entertaining. I beat this game today, so I thought it would be reasonable to leave this review now.

All can say is if you are fan of Full Metal Alchemist, then this game should be a must for you. It doesn't follow off the anime series, but it has just as much action in it, as does the series. The only CON I would see in this game, is some of boss fighting is a little repetive (sp? repeating), but other then that...Nothing else. The graphics were exceptal to me. The animation clips were awesome, which was one of my favorite things to see in the game. And overall of beating it, I enjoyed it very much. 5 Stars up! I now noticed I can't take all reviews answers from it, so if you are one of those edgy people that has doubts like me, my best advice would be either to buy it or rent it. Luckily I wasn't disappointed when I bought this game, so I kept it. :)

Honest reviews on Full Metal Alchemist: The Broken Angel

I love the voice overs! I think it's great they kept the same voices from the Anime.

*cough*

Well anyway, this game is pretty fun. It's impressive how you can focus a park bench into like... a javelin or something. That's one of the main things that gives the game it's edge.

It's real time battling can be pretty intense. You could be surrounded by multiple enemies and beaten to a pulp in no time.

The story line is so-so from what I played (I haven't finished it yet). I wish they would make that more interesting. I mean, that's what give me the motivation to actually PLAY the game.

One thing I didn't like was it was too easy to get stuck. The dungeons were confusing; you could take a million turns and STILL not get there yet. Another was you simply don't know where to go next.

I'm going to have to read a walkthrough for this game... but I'll finish this game someday.

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Fullmetal Alchemist and the Broken Angel is in short awesome, just like the series on which it is based. It took me about ten hours to complete the fist try of my game, and I've played it over twice in search of treasures I missed, so, as you can see, it has good replay value.

Turning things into weapons was awesome. Who ever knew a lamppost could be so deadly? The graphics were a bit choppy, yes, but I never focused on that aspect. The storyline was the part of the game that pulled me in, and I wanted to cry at the end. If you don't want to cry at the end, you are either heartless, or have paid no attention.

I would give this game ten stars if I could!

Xbox 360 3-In-1 Power Kit Reviews

Customer Ratings:

Ordered this to be a Christmas gift. I was so happy to get the box, but when I opened it....it wasn't even the right thing. Something completely different ( a fan for an original xbox). Contacted them and they said they would send me the real thing I ordered, no extra $, and I could keep the fan for free (even though its useless and is still in the package as I'm typing this almost 2 months later).

So I waited and waited and I knew it wasn't coming before Christmas so I had to file a claim and get my money back. First time ordering from this company and I am not impressed by them. They were very polite and that was nice of them, but the actual service is "iffy".

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So far, so solid. Had it about a month now, and it works as described. I am dinging it a star for slow, SLOW charging, but it's still a solid pick up.

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I'm new 2 da hard core gaming world so I feel dumb when I say that I really didn't know this produt exsisted at first. now that I have it it is awesome and saves batteries. I love it!

Reviews of BioShock Infinite - Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $39.99
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The Good

+Solid story and narrative that really draws the player in

+Very thematically ambitious

+Gorgeous world really draws you into the experience

+Solid gameplay mechanics

+A lot of variety in ability and gear to help change up the experience

+Elizabeth is a very well crafted character

+The music and audio is very good; the voice acting is fantastic

The Bad

-Slight dips in framerate from time to time

-Death can feel a little disorienting

-Some choice decisions fail to have an impact

---

Note: The Following Review is Long

In 2007 the original Bioshock came out and added a layer to gaming that few games have been able to do. The game was not nearly as big of a success as other titles of the year such as Halo or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, but it quickly seized hold of an enormous cult following that became very emotionally attached to the game. The game was so beloved and so much of a success that when Bioshock 2 came out a year later it couldn't have hoped to be as beloved. After all, the original Bioshock was groundbreaking from a narrative standpoint. A game that reached so high any game which followed it couldn't hope to come within an arms length of its legacy. Nevertheless, Bioshock Infinite is here and it reaches. In some regards, perhaps even higher than the one that started it all.

You play as Booker Dewitt. He's got some debts to settle and believes he can do so. He must first venture to the floating city of Columbia. There he must rescue a young woman named Elizabeth. But it will not be easy. Columbia is a city ruled under the watchful eye of Father Comstock, a prophet who can supposedly see the future. It isn't long before Booker realizes that rescuing Elizabeth and escaping the city of Columbia will be much more difficult than he imagined. Quickly branded as a false prophet, Booker comes under attack.

Like the first game, Bioshock Infinite is a very thematically ambitious game. One that begins to elevate storytelling in gaming. There will surely be a lot of discussion to follow with this one. There's a lot of care taken with the world in which it takes place in, as well as with some of the themes it handles. And Bioshock Infinite opts to hold very little back. Here you'll be tackling themes such as racism, religion, false prophets, gender roles, even moments that will test your own morals. It's got a lot to say. The story and the world also come to life in the same way that Rapture does. While Columbia is not as dazzling as the trip into the underwater world, it does have a pulse just the same. You'll find Voxphones scattered throughout. These, like the original Bioshocks audio diaries, add a lot more to the tale at hand. They add to the story, the world and the atmosphere. To ignore them is to miss out on a considerable portion of the game. For those very curious about the world they're playing in, they will most certainly want to pick these up.

From the outset it doesn't seem as though there is much which separates Bioshock Infinite from it's predecessor. Indeed, it takes a moment to get there. Many aspects will be familiar to you from the outset. Instead of Plasmids, for example, you have Vigors. These allow you to do things such as possess machines and make them attack your enemies, or hurl explosive fireballs at your foes. If there are crows an area you can even turn them against your foes. There's a lot variety with the vigors, as well as many different ways to use them. There is a limit, of course, you need salts to be able to use them. Like the original there are also vending machines around where you can use currency to buy upgrades for your vigors or guns. You can also restore health.

Unlike the original, however, you don't stock up on health packs that will be used immediately when your life reaches zero. Rather you have one life gauge that doesn't recharge at all. You must find food or other means of sustenance to restore your health. There is, however, a shield you'll get early on that does recharge. If you can find cover in the midst of a gun fight or keep from taking damage your shield will recharge and you'll be ready again. This seems like it'll make the game particularly difficult at first, but Bioshock Infinite is not too challenging in and of itself. Sometimes the enemies can come in large waves. But should you bite the dust you are never punished too harshly. You'll respawn really close to where you died and you'll be given some health and some ammo. Your enemies will also have some of their health restored as well, so whatever killed you is usually still lurking. The only downside is that there will be times when you respawn and you'll need to take time to adjust to your surroundings. Though you never respawn far from where you've died, there are times when you'll feel disoriented and turned around when you do.

There is also gear you can put on to help you out along the way. These will enhance your abilities. And if you mix and match things will change. One piece of gear, for instance, allows you to run faster when your shield burst. Another lets you set people on fire when you attack them. This adds a layer of strategy and gives you a different means of approaching the bad guys. Get enough variety of gear and you'll be able to create different "builds" for your character. You might think of these builds as various job classes from an RPG. This all provides many different ways to tackle many of the big firefights in Bioshock Infinite.

Chances are you won't die too many times. Bioshock Infinite's biggest change to gameplay is adding Elizabeth into the equation. Elizabeth will accompany you throughout much of the experience and as such she is a companion. This isn't some game where you'll have to babysit, though. Elizabeth can't die. Although she will supply you with ammunition and health if you need it. This little tweak can make the game a bit easier than it has to be, but it won't make death impossible. She also helps you unlock doors when you come across them, although it is just a tad bit strange that you

What really helps Elizabeth along is how well realized of a character she is. How she develops and her facial expressions give her a lot of life. To say much more than that would be to spoil a lot of the fun of the game. Booker is not a bad character, by any means, but the story quickly lets you know it isn't about him. He's a man with a simple mission, but this is much more her story than his. She is truly a loveable and charming character. Not that Booker is bad, but he's primarily there to make sure you experience the story more so than to add a lot. While he makes commentary and quips (that are mostly to provide hints of where to go) every now and then the game makes no illusions about who is the star of the show here.

That being said, because of such a huge emphasis on its narrative and story, Bioshock Infinite often has a real clear path for you to go. It's a very linear game where you'll rarely (if ever) find yourself lost. That doesn't mean you can't explore. There is plenty off the beaten path where you can go off track for a moment to find gear, vigors and sometimes even going so far as to find a sidequest or two. If you ever find yourself exploring too much, a tap of a button will show the way to go in order to get back onto the right path.

Most areas are not too big, but they are filled to the brim with a lot of details. For the most part, Bioshock Infinite doesn't look that much different than the previous two games. This is fine as they were gorgeous looking. Here there is a lot of detail to the world. One of the chief criticisms lodged at Bioshock 2 was that we'd already explored quite a bit of Rapture. A return there wasn't exciting enough. Columbia definitely is. The tone is very similar, but the atmosphere is not. Instead of going down dark corridors you're exploring a lot of open spaces. Not everyone you meet is someone who has lost their mind either (and some do not even care to try to kill you). Especially in the beginning moments of the game, you may come across citizens having idle conversation. Likewise, where as the original Bioshock was pretty dark in its environment, Infinite is not afraid to let the sunshine in. Many of its set piece moments stand in contrast to the original.

The audio is just as good. The sound effects are great. But what is the most rewarding is listening to the voice acting. All the performances are great. Comstock, in some cases, can be downright haunting (particularly listening to him on Voxphone). It helps to make a pretty engaging experience. If there was anything about the presentation that might be a bit of a nuisance it might be that from time to time the frame rate can get a little choppy.

Bioshock Infinite is not for the weak-hearted however. It's a violent game with some pretty gruesome death moments. Nothing to cringe worthy for those who have played the original Bioshock or other violent games. What makes it more startling is that there is a much deeper context to much of it here. As in, moments in which you'll see innocent people brutally murdered before your eyes or treated very poorly. Much of this is put forth for thematic or story driven purposes. It can be brutal, but it isn't here just for the sake of shock or as a means to see how far they can push the envelope. There are many things thrown into Bioshock Infinite as a means of either reinforcing how horrible the bad guys are, or reinforcing how horrible the society you're in is. In particular, a lot of it seems to be done as a means of showing the player just how cruel this world really is to those they do not deem to actually be worthy. The enforcement here is to show the player how wrong this "utopia" they've found themselves on is.

If there was anything about Bioshock Infinite that immediately sticks out like a sore thumb, it would be some of the "choices" and "decisions." Some moments you're able to make certain choices by pushing one trigger or another. The problem is that the impact of these choices isn't really clear--if they even manage to change anything at all. At the beginning of the game, for instance you can choose to throw a baseball at a couple or throw it at the MC on stage. Regardless of your decision things will play out the same. It isn't particularly obvious if this has any lasting impact. It has a bit of an impact later on, but it doesn't really have a major impact on the story.

Bioshock Infinite isn't a perfect game, but it is a great one. A thematically ambitious game with a well told story, Bioshock Infinite is sure to delight fans who fell in love with the original back in 2007. It is a game that not only delivers well from a gameplay standpoint, but from a narrative one as well. If you enjoyed exploring the world of Rapture in 2007, then you'll love going through the land of Columbia, here.

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Bioshock Infinite is just about everything I've spent the last three years or so dreaming it would be. Many of the more cynical folks out there seem to be annoyed by all of the glowing praise this game is getting. Personally, I can understand how this game could drive even a professional critic to embarrassing hyperbole. Bioshock was always in a 3-way tie with Dead Space and Assassin's Creed as my #1 favorite new franchise that started this console gen. The shoddy and bug-ridden AC3 late last year pretty much knocked it out of the running. I really enjoyed Dead Space 3 last month, in spite of some changes I didn't agree with. This game puts Bioshock way, way out in front. I definitely have a clear winner in mind now.

What I *really* want to comment on is how much of a shame it is that last week's exclusive IGN review poisoned the waters for those who will play the console versions of this game. Their reviewer went out of his way to point out that the Xbox and PS3 versions are not as graphically impressive as the PC version (gee thanks for the news, Capt. Obvious) and he accused them of having "sup-par lo-res textures, even for consoles" or something along those lines. As soon as that review went up, the disappointment spread like wildfire. Gaming forums all across the internet were awash in the blood and tears of console owners who were devastated to hear that Bioshock Infinite was disappointingly not up to snuff.

Well, I'm happy to tell you that, thankfully, it's a big load of b.s. As far as 360 games go, Bioshock Infinite looks absolutely fantastic. It compares with games like Gears of War Judgement and Halo 4 in virtually the same way that Bioshock 1 compared with Gears 1 and Halo 3. Like any 360 game, including Halo 4, if you go looking for blurry textures you will find them. Some textures are not meant to be viewed up close, jackass.

Bottom line, this game is beautiful, even on the 360. If you haven't played the PC version, you should have no cause for disappointment. And y'know, even if the graphics did suck, the awesome game play would make up for it. This is way more of a robust shooter than either Bioshock 1 or 2 ever were. And don't get me started on the sound. I just bought a set of Astro A40 headphones w/ mixamp last week, and using them while playing this game is proof enough that they were worth every penny.

I admit I did see one flaw in this game: They dropped the "save anywhere" system (which I always abused and will not apologize) and converted to a typical checkpoint/auto-save. In a lot of games, this wouldn't bother me at all. But in Bioshock, where you spend so much of your time roaming around huge areas scrounging for resources in every nook and cranny you can find, this is a big mistake. It really sucks when you get killed and have to back and re-scrounge everything you'd spent the last 10 minutes gathering. Also, I felt some mild disappointment when I realized that some of the cooler/weirder new game play features shown in demos back in 2010 and 2011 ended up on the cutting room floor. But all in all, this doesn't even put a dent in the overall quality. Nothing worth removing a star over.

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Really. The best.

I came into playing this game with high expectations, and was not let down at all. This masterpiece of a game will never be sold or traded.

Honest reviews on BioShock Infinite - Xbox 360

A review from a REAL gamer and fan of the Bioshock series... ME!

I waited to finish the whole game on PC before writing a review as I am quite a fan of the first 2 Bioshock games. I played with a 360 Controller and it worked beautifully, so this review applies to the Xbox version as well. You will definately want to install this to the HDD if your Xbox 360 has the space as loading from disc can sometimes cause hangups on loading in the Xbox version.

I know that the rumor mills and PAID game reviews are saying this is the best game of all time and has achieved the mythical 10 out of 10 and that every gamer should own a copy... Well... I have to say that is just not true. The coveted 5 star, 10 points, or 100 point review scores are lying. A 100% score from a gamer is basically saying that a game with that coveted score is a GOD among all other games and that all other games should bow down before it and kiss its feet. Everyone should own a copy even if they only play flash games online. I do not feel that is the case here and is pretty much hype or just new players that have never played the first two Bioshock games.

Before people start exploding with anger as to why I only give it a "meh" 3 out of 5 and not 4 or higher is that, as a part of a SERIES of games, this one is a step BACKWARDS from the previous games. If this was its own game, in its own universe, and not connected any way to the original 2 Bioshock games; I would give it 4 out of 5.

I have to say this is a VERY SHORT GAME, they could have done so much more with this to get it up towards the amount of content that the first two games had, near 15 hours or more, but it looks like the Bioshock series has fallen to the DLC monster and time constraints that so many big game companies are forcing upon games now. I went all through the game and explored every little inch I could in the game, and it came out to under 9 hours of play time.

Since this game IS titled as part of a series/established universe, I will rate it as such and compare it to the previous games. I believe that ANY new game in an established series should ALWAYS try to out-do and improve upon the previous games.

Here we go:

FirstReplay Value: The original Bioshock games were all about CHOICE and DIFFERENT paths and MULTIPLE ENDINGS to add what gamers like me call the holy grail of gaming known as "Replay Value" or "Replayability" and what companies call "Lots of people buying our games"... This is what makes a game worth buying over just renting, beating, and never playing again. Bioshock 1&2 had SUBSTANTIAL side quests that sometimes took an hour or more to complete, and were quite in-depth. There were many choices to be made that would change all manner of outcomes in the game and would give different endings. Bioshock Infinite seems to give you the ILLUSION of choice during the first 1/3rd of the game and then everything is set on rails from there. As for side quests, there really are none other than quickly exploring a side building with under 3 rooms in it and a few cypher loot hunts. You get the same ending in Bioshock Infinite no matter what you do in the game.

SecondSetting/Atmosphere: While the settings of the first two games are underwater and quite gloomy and atmospheric, even claustrophobic and frightening with sporradic placing of some enemies... Infinite is mostly in the open air and bright sun shine with open spaces, and what I call "Arenas" where you KNOW bad guys will be attacking you, so it has a completely different feel from the first two games, and just does not feel very... Bioshocky.

ThirdThe Weapons... In The first two games the weapons were very steam punk like, and you could see the upgrades you bought as they were added to the weapons. Such as spinning gears on the shotgun or the extended capacity add-on sticking out the side of the revolver. I loved the design of the weapons in the first 2 Bioshock games. In Bioshock Infinite you get rather plain weapons, some of them feel like copies of other weapons you already get in the game with maybe some red paint on them or such... They get no visible upgrades either. Instead, the upgrades are in name and text only with no change to the weapons visually.

FourthAmmo Types: There were DIFFERENT types of ammo in the first two Bioshock games: Armor Piercing, Exploding, Electric, and so on, with varying strategies to go along with nearly every enemy... Bioshock Infinite, none of that, just one type for each weapon and, to me, it felt like the basic enemies took a lot more hits to go down and ammo was much more scarce, especially near the end of the game. Pray and spray.

FifthPlayer Engagement: Bioshock 1&2 were very engaging all throughout the game, always making you wonder what might happen next or when some enemy may pop out at you since enemies were not constrained to just appearing in wide open spaces. There was quite a bit of backtracking and revisiting old areas with new things unlocked. Much fun could be had while playing the game in a darkened room. With Bioshock Infinite it felt so.... FPS Typical... Enemies drop out from the sky, shoot em', clear this area, move on, clear next area, move on, with very little backtracking or encouraged exploring or random encounters.

SixthEnemy AI/Character Design: This is where Bioshock Infinite FAILS MASSIVELY! In Bioshock 1&2 the enemies were downright scary in how creative they were, they would stalk you, or flank you to get you from behind, or would run away and hide at times, popping up in entirely different areas. They would look for you if you ran away or hid. Every fight was different. The enemies/splicers in the first two games all seemed to be different, unique, and quite memorable in their own ways. One thing Infinite gets right is the main story characters facial expressions, especially Elizabeth... If they had spent as much time working on the game as they did her expressions, this would have been a much better game. As for the AI in Bioshock Infinite the enemies just come at you in mindless waves as if this was a Serious Sam game, they don't hide, they don't stalk you or look for you... They all know where you are with their magic radar sense. So just lots of shooting at generic police, rebels, robots, and heavies that all stand out in the open waiting for your bullets and powers to splatter their faces. Or the opposite, friggin' stands right on top of you Zerg rush style. All while they shoot mindlessly at you or at the item you may be hiding behind while you are required to run around like a chicken with your head cut off. I really did not expect Bioshock Infinite to have AI that is this downright TERRIBLE after the amazing experience from the first two games.

SeventhPowers and Abilities: Those that have played Bioshock 1&2 know the massive amount of plasmids and abilities you could get and upgrade, you could play the game how you wanted, even as a stealthy character with some of the upgrades. In Bioshock Infinite it has been broken down into weapon upgrades, and I believe only 8 vigor abilities, with 4 clothing power up options. Infinite just feels "Dumbed Down" and over simplified from the previous games with NO STEALTH/invisibility this time. It has had most of the strategy taken out and just turned into a "run and shoot".

EighthGraphics/immersion: The game is quite stunning graphically; in the first 1/3rd of the game it is engrossing and enjoyable... But... As the game moves on it feels like they were in a rush to reach the end so it is just not as immersive as the first two Bioshock games. The graphics from the first two Bioshock games were and are still amazing, especially when it comes to water effects. Infinite just did not feel "on par" with the previous games or even when comparing to some of the newer games out there. It does look good but not jaw dropping good. Though, in all honesty, I couldn't care less about graphics as some people are but it seems important to some.

NinthControls: I played the game for a short bit with keyboard and mouse and the controls were decently simple, typical FPS. Same for using the controller which I played the rest of the game with... Obviously the game feels better with a controller than the keyboard and mouse, since it was made for a controller.

TenthThe Writing/Story Telling: Bioshock 1&2 were absolute masterpieces in original Videogame writing and storytelling, fully fleshing out the world and characters and making it hard to guess what was coming next, while giving some rather hard choices at times that would change the game play and ending possibilities while in the end giving a good feeling of closure and satisfaction. Bioshock Infinite is more of a... Well... Without spoiling the story, as convoluted as it seems to become, look up the definition of "String theory" and the game may make more sense in the end. Otherwise the story of Bioshock Infinite may sail over the heads of certain gamers. Since there is only one ending for infinite, it just doesn't feel complete or like it would have made a difference any way you went.

THE BOTTOM LINE TL;DR: Short Game... NO REPLAY VALUE! Horrible AI. Fun, but not very Bioshock feeling compared to previous games... It IS a fun FPS game on its own, but just didn't feel like Bioshock. Biosomething but not Shock in any way.

RENT IT for a console system and play through it before you even THINK about buying it.

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Or so it would seem. How can you top Bioshock? It would seem like an impossible task. But Ken Levine and Irrational thrive when being challenged. Similar to his days at Looking Glass and the critical success of System Shock 2, Ken Levine and Irrational floored people with Bioshock. When Bioshock released in 2007, its creativity made people notice the work of Irrational in a more mainstream capacity, giving Irrational a lot more credibility with publishers, which would ultimately lead to many, many years of developments on Infinite. Was the wait worth it? Two words: Hell yes!

Bioshock Infinite is a Bioshock game, period. I know it looks different and may seem different, but a lot of the things from Bioshock are in Bioshock Infinite. While Infinite has its own look and everything, which makes it feel new and fresh, this is a Shock game through and through, so you have a mix of the familiar with something entirely new. The combat is very similar to the first game, but guns have more of a kick this time around. Plasmids also make a comeback in the form of Vigors, which allow for a lot of variation and experimentation in combat. There's also the inclusion of sky-lines, which make some fights really exciting and frantic. I'd say the combat scenarios are an improvement from the first Bioshock. You'll also be looting the environment and corpses for money, food, salt (for Vigors), etc.

Bioshock's art direction is simply stunning. It takes a very talented art team to pull off something like Infinite, and the team at Irrational was definitely up to the task. The amount of detail in each and every environment is staggering. You'll definitely understand why this game was such an undertaking and took so many years to create when you see it in action. Then you have Elizabeth, which is one of the most realized characters in all of gaming. Elizabeth's animations and interactions are one of Infinite's many highlights.

But Bioshock Infinite is ultimately all about the narrative, which it delivers on from beginning to end. This game's story is hands down one of the best in the business, even going as far as surpassing the original Bioshock. While Bioshock was a masterpiece, its ending left a little something to be desired. But this isn't the case with Bioshock Infinite. This game has an ending that'll blow you away.

Irrational chose the impossible, they chose Infinite. Would you kindly buy this game immediately?