Three stars for failure to mention this is only for black (slim) Xbox 360's.
The package comes with cooling base for vertically mounting the Xbox 360 and two (bonus!) batteries. The batteries feel pretty light, so I'm not sure how long they will last (probably good for an emergency). The base does not accommodate a white Xbox 360, but this can be overcome with some wedges or tape to make it fit tight. There is a lip around the base that helps secure the black Xbox with the white Xbox, it just sits on top and is not very stable.
Pro's
The charger charged all of my controller battery packs, which other chargers would not do (previous charger would only charge two of my 5 batteries)
2 Batteries included
Reasonable price
Charges 2 batteries simultaneously without removing them from the controllers
Red indicator lights tell you when the batteries are charging
Con's
On/Off switch is in back and hard to access
Doesn't fit white Xbox 360
Showing posts with label shop xbox. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shop xbox. Show all posts
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Monday, December 22, 2014
Armored Core 4 - Xbox 360 Reviews
Armored Core 4 Circa 2007
(Special note: If you never played an Armored Core game before and don't care much for huge battling mechs with endless menus of customization drop this score down to a one star. Also if you have Xbox Live and want to try this game you can download a demo for it over XBL Marketplace)
GOOD:
Armored Core finally comes Xbox ... well Xbox 360.
Online Play with up to 8 Players online (at once) and be able to trade schematics (your mechs blue prints) online with other gamers.
The Graphics in this title are pretty good and a step above the previous generation of Armored Core titles on PS2 with most levels having sweeping vistas and energy blades looking like glowing pillars of light. Although on a bit of a sour note the landscapes are as barren as ever with most levels taking place in abandoned cities and deserts.
More of the same great Armored Core action that fans of the series have come to expect (sorry fans this title seems to not have Nine-Ball thought). Over all, like in every Armored Core title the missions are a mixed-bag with some pretty lame missions mixed in with the over the top missions (so you can never expect what will come next).
BAD:
The Story is very confusing even to long time Armored Core fans. In this title companies own countries and well after that most people will quickly get lost as well as stop caring.
The store-garage section of the game has been redesigned as well from previous Armored Core games. Now you build your mech from a pool of available parts and after equipping you have the option to buy said parts before leaving the store-garage menu and going back to the main game. In this way the Shop and garage is now one place, and the effect is that it's all pretty confusing for both Armored Core fans and people new to the franchise.
The contrast in this game was odd sometimes, now for most missions you can see clearly, but in some missions it is so dark you can't see more then a few spaces in front of you, but in other levels it was so bright that your screen will look almost completely white.
IF IT FITS YOUR TASTE:
While in concept this game plays very much like Steel Battalion or Chromhounds the game play is much faster in pace.
Tons of customization options for your mech, think of this game like the Grand Turismo of mech games. For those who have never have played this series before it can be pretty overwhelming.
Paint your Mech (or any individual part/weapon) any color you want and have the option to have lots of different cameo styles too. On top of that you can even make your own patch/logo (using a bunch of clipart and such) and add this patch to any part of your mech as many times as you like (yes you can make your mech covered in logos and look like a Nascar if you wanted). Also, emblems or Patches that appeared in From Software's other mech game Chromehounds are also carried over into this game.
Have up to five different mechs in your garage as well as schematics for lots of mech you have beaten in combat (during the single player game).
With about 70 missions this Armored Core game is a bit shorted the previous ones, all missions have a normal and hard setting, unlock hard setting after you beaten the game.
This game comes with two controller options and one custom option (setting up your own custom option is most likely your best bet).
This Armored Core now has a totally redesigned HUD that has a minimalist look and takes up little space on your screen
All mech come with an energy field called Primal Armor (or PA), which is a protective energy barrier that cuts down on damage taken, Over Boosting (think nitro's for mechs) or prolonged normal boosting can and will drain the effectiveness of this energy barrier (although it can and will recharge).
The lockbox that is normally found in previous Armored Core games (which worked more like a gun sight) is now removed from the HUD all together; the game will now automatically try to lock on to enemies when in range. Holding down the lock button over an enemy (by default clicking in the Left analog) keeps the lock stuck on that target and makes a small window appear in the left corner of the screen with a zoomed up image of that target.
You can now fight on water (hover just above the water line) unlike past AC games where you would fall straight to the bottom if contact were made with the water. If the player stops boosting, they will sink into the water but they are still able to get out to the surface if they boost. The only way to sink now is to let your mech go to far (underwater) and not boost out of the water. It should also be noted that in the games options you could set you mech to auto-boost over water so you don't have to hold the button and never have to worry about sinking.
Boosting along the ground (slide boosting) no longer takes energy, now it will do the opposite and cause your energy bar to refill although more slowly the just standing still.
Stabilizers have been added, these are parts that shift the balance of your mech (in a few areas), and they also serve to add an aesthetic looks to your mech.
GAME ITS MOST ASSOCATED TOO:
Armored Core (PS1)
Steel Battalion (Xbox)
Chromhounds (360)
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
This game is also on PS3
Like I stated above if you have an Xbox-360 and Xbox Live (you don't even need a gold membership a sliver membership which is free will do) and want to try this game you can download the demo for it on Xbox Live Marketplace. It's a three missions long demo.
The Moon Light Laser blade is in this title (but it's a hidden part)
In this Xbox 360 version of the game you not only get achievements for beating chapters (6 in all) but also for beating certain mission on hard mode (usually the mission where you have to fight rival mechs) and for beating simulation packs which work as this games version of the Ranker Ladder that was found in previous Armored Core games.
The customization on this game is just as good or even better than the previous titles. Lots of weapons, but not as many body parts, kind of leaves the game feeling a little small, but then again, there are no useless parts, like which are found in previous AC games. But more parts could always be added, I love having a larger variety to choose from, and to make my mech look the best it can.
Some missions are ridiculously short, while some are moderate. I really appreciate the extremely long adventurous missions found in Armored Core: Silent Line. The missions could be improved, and there could be a lot more of them. Then again, I just wanted to get through with the game so I could finish up my mech and go battle it online.
Multiplayer is great, finally true online Armored Core. It's quite fun, but at the same time, there could be a lot more stages. And a lot of people like to build their heavyweight Surius cannon AC's and be able to blast down most ACs in two shots, or use the Kojima weapons to 1 shot an apponent who is busy trying to take care of someone else. I guess they are there for that reason though, so you can't complain.
Armored Core 4 is a great next gen game, however more could still be added, especially from previous Armored Core games. Custom cockpits, and maybe night vision, or a replay for multiplayer or the simulator (and the replay save system that was on Last Raven.) AC4 is a great start for next gen armored core, and the sequel will probably be much more promising and satisfy everyones hunger for what they want.
Stop and imagine this for a while. You work for a corporation and with you mechanical warrior of doom and destruction you fight against other corporations. You can run, fly glide and the arsenal you have at your disposal. If you like blowing things up you're just gonna love this. Missiles, lasers, machine guns and even swords. Have you ever heard of a big mech being super agile? Well they are in this game and then some. Armored Core 4 delivers to the mech gaming world where all others have failed. Think of this is your last hope, if this does not satisfy you nothing will and I have every confident that this one will. Yes....... It is that good of a game. Don't miss out on this guys Armored Core 4 is ready for you. The question is....... Are you ready for Armored Core????
1. Missions are too short
Although some missions can be played in less time then it takes to load the mission, this is generally not the case. In past armored core games they had missions that would take long amounts of time to complete. This went against one of the main focuses of this game which was trial and error. Now instead of realizing half way through a 30 min. mission that you can not complete it cause you have run out of ammo, you won't have to commit 30 min. to trying the mission over again. This makes the game more approachable.
2. Bad story and Control scheme
Although the Controls are hard to master, its hard to imagine a different control setup if there were real Armored Cores scouring the planet. As for the story, it is pretty bad, but for mech games its not too bad.
3. Custimizing the Armored Cores is too complicated
For your first hour playing the game, yes it is too complicated. It won't be so baffling though that you'll give up.
4. Someone else told me that the game is too hard
TOO HARD? Not at all. I got through it with only restarting four missions over again.
Overall
The game play is amazing, the story is bad, the missions are A little too short, and the online component is fairly robust. Right now there is a lack of fast paced action games. Armored core 4 fills that gap even if it is just for the purpose of having fun and of corse blowing things up.
(Special note: If you never played an Armored Core game before and don't care much for huge battling mechs with endless menus of customization drop this score down to a one star. Also if you have Xbox Live and want to try this game you can download a demo for it over XBL Marketplace)
GOOD:
Armored Core finally comes Xbox ... well Xbox 360.
Online Play with up to 8 Players online (at once) and be able to trade schematics (your mechs blue prints) online with other gamers.
The Graphics in this title are pretty good and a step above the previous generation of Armored Core titles on PS2 with most levels having sweeping vistas and energy blades looking like glowing pillars of light. Although on a bit of a sour note the landscapes are as barren as ever with most levels taking place in abandoned cities and deserts.
More of the same great Armored Core action that fans of the series have come to expect (sorry fans this title seems to not have Nine-Ball thought). Over all, like in every Armored Core title the missions are a mixed-bag with some pretty lame missions mixed in with the over the top missions (so you can never expect what will come next).
BAD:
The Story is very confusing even to long time Armored Core fans. In this title companies own countries and well after that most people will quickly get lost as well as stop caring.
The store-garage section of the game has been redesigned as well from previous Armored Core games. Now you build your mech from a pool of available parts and after equipping you have the option to buy said parts before leaving the store-garage menu and going back to the main game. In this way the Shop and garage is now one place, and the effect is that it's all pretty confusing for both Armored Core fans and people new to the franchise.
The contrast in this game was odd sometimes, now for most missions you can see clearly, but in some missions it is so dark you can't see more then a few spaces in front of you, but in other levels it was so bright that your screen will look almost completely white.
IF IT FITS YOUR TASTE:
While in concept this game plays very much like Steel Battalion or Chromhounds the game play is much faster in pace.
Tons of customization options for your mech, think of this game like the Grand Turismo of mech games. For those who have never have played this series before it can be pretty overwhelming.
Paint your Mech (or any individual part/weapon) any color you want and have the option to have lots of different cameo styles too. On top of that you can even make your own patch/logo (using a bunch of clipart and such) and add this patch to any part of your mech as many times as you like (yes you can make your mech covered in logos and look like a Nascar if you wanted). Also, emblems or Patches that appeared in From Software's other mech game Chromehounds are also carried over into this game.
Have up to five different mechs in your garage as well as schematics for lots of mech you have beaten in combat (during the single player game).
With about 70 missions this Armored Core game is a bit shorted the previous ones, all missions have a normal and hard setting, unlock hard setting after you beaten the game.
This game comes with two controller options and one custom option (setting up your own custom option is most likely your best bet).
This Armored Core now has a totally redesigned HUD that has a minimalist look and takes up little space on your screen
All mech come with an energy field called Primal Armor (or PA), which is a protective energy barrier that cuts down on damage taken, Over Boosting (think nitro's for mechs) or prolonged normal boosting can and will drain the effectiveness of this energy barrier (although it can and will recharge).
The lockbox that is normally found in previous Armored Core games (which worked more like a gun sight) is now removed from the HUD all together; the game will now automatically try to lock on to enemies when in range. Holding down the lock button over an enemy (by default clicking in the Left analog) keeps the lock stuck on that target and makes a small window appear in the left corner of the screen with a zoomed up image of that target.
You can now fight on water (hover just above the water line) unlike past AC games where you would fall straight to the bottom if contact were made with the water. If the player stops boosting, they will sink into the water but they are still able to get out to the surface if they boost. The only way to sink now is to let your mech go to far (underwater) and not boost out of the water. It should also be noted that in the games options you could set you mech to auto-boost over water so you don't have to hold the button and never have to worry about sinking.
Boosting along the ground (slide boosting) no longer takes energy, now it will do the opposite and cause your energy bar to refill although more slowly the just standing still.
Stabilizers have been added, these are parts that shift the balance of your mech (in a few areas), and they also serve to add an aesthetic looks to your mech.
GAME ITS MOST ASSOCATED TOO:
Armored Core (PS1)
Steel Battalion (Xbox)
Chromhounds (360)
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
This game is also on PS3
Like I stated above if you have an Xbox-360 and Xbox Live (you don't even need a gold membership a sliver membership which is free will do) and want to try this game you can download the demo for it on Xbox Live Marketplace. It's a three missions long demo.
The Moon Light Laser blade is in this title (but it's a hidden part)
In this Xbox 360 version of the game you not only get achievements for beating chapters (6 in all) but also for beating certain mission on hard mode (usually the mission where you have to fight rival mechs) and for beating simulation packs which work as this games version of the Ranker Ladder that was found in previous Armored Core games.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
This game is beyond epic, but its hard sometimes, the sites and action on the game are so stunning and fun, it lets you design a mech, every piece, top to bottom, and even put a custom paint job any were on the mech (and yes the paintjob includes emblems that are more custom design then halo), theres even another mode were you can fight 1 on 1 mech battles! This is perfect for mech fans!Best Deals for Armored Core 4 - Xbox 360
This is probably one of the most exciting to play Armored Core game in the series. Not only does the opening just get your blood boiling with anticipation, but once you got the controls down, and you were really able to get your hands on the action yourself, it gets very exciting! No more having to boost/strafe/jump like on the past armored core games, quick boosting changes all of that and makes the game a lot quicker. For a From Software title, the graphics are quite amazing, the explosions are better, your mech looks awesome all of the time, and despite what other reviews say, the environment looks great! (especially when compared to older Armored Core titles) However, I still wish you could see your mechs reflection in the buildings windows, but at least you can shoot them and actually watch the glass break.The customization on this game is just as good or even better than the previous titles. Lots of weapons, but not as many body parts, kind of leaves the game feeling a little small, but then again, there are no useless parts, like which are found in previous AC games. But more parts could always be added, I love having a larger variety to choose from, and to make my mech look the best it can.
Some missions are ridiculously short, while some are moderate. I really appreciate the extremely long adventurous missions found in Armored Core: Silent Line. The missions could be improved, and there could be a lot more of them. Then again, I just wanted to get through with the game so I could finish up my mech and go battle it online.
Multiplayer is great, finally true online Armored Core. It's quite fun, but at the same time, there could be a lot more stages. And a lot of people like to build their heavyweight Surius cannon AC's and be able to blast down most ACs in two shots, or use the Kojima weapons to 1 shot an apponent who is busy trying to take care of someone else. I guess they are there for that reason though, so you can't complain.
Armored Core 4 is a great next gen game, however more could still be added, especially from previous Armored Core games. Custom cockpits, and maybe night vision, or a replay for multiplayer or the simulator (and the replay save system that was on Last Raven.) AC4 is a great start for next gen armored core, and the sequel will probably be much more promising and satisfy everyones hunger for what they want.
Honest reviews on Armored Core 4 - Xbox 360
Armored Core 4 the last addition to the Armored Core Series and what a game it is, what a game. Awesome job by Sega. It's out on the XBOX360 and PS3. This game and these consoles were a match made in gaming heaven. The graphics and the sound are what is gonna do it for you complimented with awesome gameplay. You just cannot go wrong with AC4.Stop and imagine this for a while. You work for a corporation and with you mechanical warrior of doom and destruction you fight against other corporations. You can run, fly glide and the arsenal you have at your disposal. If you like blowing things up you're just gonna love this. Missiles, lasers, machine guns and even swords. Have you ever heard of a big mech being super agile? Well they are in this game and then some. Armored Core 4 delivers to the mech gaming world where all others have failed. Think of this is your last hope, if this does not satisfy you nothing will and I have every confident that this one will. Yes....... It is that good of a game. Don't miss out on this guys Armored Core 4 is ready for you. The question is....... Are you ready for Armored Core????
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Armored Core 4 - Xbox 360
Most professional game reviewers have three trends in their criticism of this game.1. Missions are too short
Although some missions can be played in less time then it takes to load the mission, this is generally not the case. In past armored core games they had missions that would take long amounts of time to complete. This went against one of the main focuses of this game which was trial and error. Now instead of realizing half way through a 30 min. mission that you can not complete it cause you have run out of ammo, you won't have to commit 30 min. to trying the mission over again. This makes the game more approachable.
2. Bad story and Control scheme
Although the Controls are hard to master, its hard to imagine a different control setup if there were real Armored Cores scouring the planet. As for the story, it is pretty bad, but for mech games its not too bad.
3. Custimizing the Armored Cores is too complicated
For your first hour playing the game, yes it is too complicated. It won't be so baffling though that you'll give up.
4. Someone else told me that the game is too hard
TOO HARD? Not at all. I got through it with only restarting four missions over again.
Overall
The game play is amazing, the story is bad, the missions are A little too short, and the online component is fairly robust. Right now there is a lack of fast paced action games. Armored core 4 fills that gap even if it is just for the purpose of having fun and of corse blowing things up.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Cheap DDR Multi-Platform Super Sensors Energy Non-Slip Dance Pad
My son loves this and it is easy to follow! Not sure yet on how durable it will be, but he is enjoying it and having fun, so I think I have gotten my monies worth.
Friday, October 24, 2014
Xbox 360 Slim - Kinect Stand + Wall Mount - Black - Kinect Mount Review
I only payed $20 for this thing and I thought for the most part it was gonna be a rickety piece of plastic with screw holes in it. This was not the case at all.
The reason I bought this was to be able to mount it to either my TV or my wall when I need too (I move houses/change my room around a lot). This was one of the only products that did this within my price range.
Before I get any further, I'd like to make a note as far as the finish on the product goes. In the picture it looks like more of a flat black color. It is actually the chrome-black color that the new xbox 360s come in. It also matches my TV perfectlyBonus.
Anyways, What I thought was going to be a piece of cardboard-plastic actually was a very high quality and well-engineered piece of plastic. It seems as though everything fits together so nicely and with very little gap and this thing was pretty well designed too.
I'll start with the packaging it came in from the mail and the box the product its self comes in:
The box came in one of those yellow envelopes that is lined inside with bubble wrapehh... When I opened it, The box had a bit of crinkle in it, but nothing that would harm the contents of it. The box even seemed thought out pretty well too. Everything inside was wrapped in bubble wrap and the mount comes with a 2 year warranty. all of the tools, plastic pieces, and screws are in separate plastic bags inside. It comes with 3 thick, square, plastic washers that have teeth on one side to lock the support in place on the mount. (It only uses 1 washer to screw in) The support arms (Comes with 2: One low profile one for small monitors and LED TVs and one for LCD/Plasma TVs) have brass nuts built into them where the screw will hold it on to the bracket. I currently have it mounted on my TV which is about EXACTLY 6 feet off the ground and it has been working wonderfully. The wall mount is also a very solid build quality though I have not yet used it. It even has a clip on the back the guides The wire for the Kinect sensor down to your console. The mount itself has good quality pads on it along with the supports. It is VERY adjustable and the support won't slide thanks to the interlocking washer with the teeth on the mount. It also has clips that hold the Kinect sensor in place.
Oh yea! it even comes with a mini screw driver. The only thing I would complain about is the length of the screws it comes with that hold on the support arm. They are very short. They work, but it would also be easy to over-tighten and strip the brass nuts or the screw itself. The mount is very sturdy.
I am REALLY impressed with the quality of this product. I would expect to pay $30-$40 for it.
The name of the company that makes it is "Kamikaze Gear". You know when you open up an instruction manual that is in different languages and English is usually the first page? Well the first language in this highly-detailed instruction manual is, I believe, GermanThrew me off quite a bit. But the manual has 4 languages in it: German, English, French, and Spanish.
I highly recommend buying this! You can't go wrong! It shipped to my house in 2 days on standard shipping. and I live in a rural area.This is not a game it is a mount but it works great, came to us as expected. It goes on easily.
The reason I bought this was to be able to mount it to either my TV or my wall when I need too (I move houses/change my room around a lot). This was one of the only products that did this within my price range.
Before I get any further, I'd like to make a note as far as the finish on the product goes. In the picture it looks like more of a flat black color. It is actually the chrome-black color that the new xbox 360s come in. It also matches my TV perfectlyBonus.
Anyways, What I thought was going to be a piece of cardboard-plastic actually was a very high quality and well-engineered piece of plastic. It seems as though everything fits together so nicely and with very little gap and this thing was pretty well designed too.
I'll start with the packaging it came in from the mail and the box the product its self comes in:
The box came in one of those yellow envelopes that is lined inside with bubble wrapehh... When I opened it, The box had a bit of crinkle in it, but nothing that would harm the contents of it. The box even seemed thought out pretty well too. Everything inside was wrapped in bubble wrap and the mount comes with a 2 year warranty. all of the tools, plastic pieces, and screws are in separate plastic bags inside. It comes with 3 thick, square, plastic washers that have teeth on one side to lock the support in place on the mount. (It only uses 1 washer to screw in) The support arms (Comes with 2: One low profile one for small monitors and LED TVs and one for LCD/Plasma TVs) have brass nuts built into them where the screw will hold it on to the bracket. I currently have it mounted on my TV which is about EXACTLY 6 feet off the ground and it has been working wonderfully. The wall mount is also a very solid build quality though I have not yet used it. It even has a clip on the back the guides The wire for the Kinect sensor down to your console. The mount itself has good quality pads on it along with the supports. It is VERY adjustable and the support won't slide thanks to the interlocking washer with the teeth on the mount. It also has clips that hold the Kinect sensor in place.
Oh yea! it even comes with a mini screw driver. The only thing I would complain about is the length of the screws it comes with that hold on the support arm. They are very short. They work, but it would also be easy to over-tighten and strip the brass nuts or the screw itself. The mount is very sturdy.
I am REALLY impressed with the quality of this product. I would expect to pay $30-$40 for it.
The name of the company that makes it is "Kamikaze Gear". You know when you open up an instruction manual that is in different languages and English is usually the first page? Well the first language in this highly-detailed instruction manual is, I believe, GermanThrew me off quite a bit. But the manual has 4 languages in it: German, English, French, and Spanish.
I highly recommend buying this! You can't go wrong! It shipped to my house in 2 days on standard shipping. and I live in a rural area.This is not a game it is a mount but it works great, came to us as expected. It goes on easily.
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Cheap Driving Force Pro Racing Wheel for PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3
. . .but whether or not you are truly a "wheel person" at all. The Logitech Driving Force Pro is a highly-regarded accessory for the PS2. Many serious enthusiasts of racing games will tell you that it's the only acceptable controller for the ultra-popular "Gran Turismo" and "Need for Speed" series. I'm not here to dispute any of that this is far and away the finest wheel available on the market today. However, given the number of impracticalities that come bundled with any wheel controller, anyone who's not a purist should honestly consider whether or not they'll get enough return on this hefty investment.
The chief impracticality is that any wheel must be anchored to something absolutely immovable in order to get the full effect out of it and how many among us happen to have a chair directly in front of the TV that is angled like a car seat AND a table in front of it that's oddly enough taller than a coffee table but shorter than a dining table? Exactly almost no one. Why do you think that stands custom-made for the Driving Force Pro sell on EBay for $80 and entire steel-framework cockpits with pre-set mounts are available at $500+ per? Your only other alternatives are to cook up a half-solution yourself. I've read how other reviewers have crafted lap desks out of boards or modified TV tables to be sturdier, but again, it raises my chief concern with any wheel controller: will you use/enjoy it enough to put in the extra money and effort necessary to properly use it?
The easiest solution is to sit on the floor and bolt the wheel to a coffee table, but that eliminates the possibility of using the pedals, which severely limits the realism. Plus, you'll feel more like an old lady hunched over the wheel about an inch from the windshield rather than a highly-skill professional guiding a performance vehicle toward the finish line. Finally, even this watered-down option won't work without cutting some foam to fit the base of the wheel; otherwise, its hard plastic will almost immediately scratch your tabletop.
The second issue is with gameplay the wheel has a very steep learning curve in the beginning. I consider myself an expert-level player in GT3, but making the switch to the wheel with GT4 almost took all of the fun out of the game for the first several days. It was difficult to even drive in a straight line, much less execute the maneuvering necessary to succeed in any worthwhile driving game. The purists will say that once mastered, it becomes second-nature just like riding a bike and that's true; however, the road to achieving that level of mastery is a frustrating one, and if you're a casual gamer who enjoys more of an arcade racing experience, the Driving Force Pro may simply be too demanding for you.
The third issue is that when you consider the wheel, the pedals, and whatever mounting apparatus you choose, it's going to eat up a lot of storage space. The pedals are even too tall to simply slide under the couch when you're not playing, so no help there. And given the number of cords (AC power, wheel-to-PS2, pedals-to-wheel) that are required, just leaving it around when not in use looks pretty sloppy and would be easy to trip over.
Once you've finally gotten your physical setup in order and gotten acclimated to using it, the wheel is excellent. It is solidly constructed and the force feedback is a real treat. The 900-degree mode offered in select games like "Gran Turismo 4" creates a new standard in realism; however, given the stoutness of the resistance in the motor and the relatively compact size of the wheel (other reviews have hit it right on the head it's sized like an Indy car, not a street car), your hands, wrists and/or forearms can get fatigued pretty quickly playing that way. Its motor is also pretty loud, which will be annoying to anyone else in the room not interested in hearing a never-ending symphony of mechanical grinding sounds.
(...)
The Driving Force Pro represents the best of the wheel controllers for both console and PC gaming. However, all but the most avid racing gamers would be hard-pressed to justify the undertaking of mounting, configuring and learning how to use the wheel on top of the steep price tag.
PROS
* Solid construction and nice rubber wheel wrap
* 900-degree turning really immerses you in the driving experience (for the handful of games that support it)
* Also compatible with many PC driving games via USB port
CONS
* Absolutely needs to be mounted in order to use to its fullest, often requiring a weird work-around or expensive add-on solution
* Creates a messy maze of cords when in use; very bulky to store when not in use
* A steep learning curve may frustrate more casual gamers who prefer an arcade racing feel
As the racing game freak I am, I decided to give it a try.
A couple of years ago I bought a MadCatz racing wheel for PC, I played with it for two or three weeks, and decided that it was easier and, in fact, more fun, to play with the keyboard instead of the wheel.
This totally changed when I got the Driving Force Pro.
The looks of this wheel is the first thing that let you realize that you made a good purchase, it looks really cool, and feels comfortable in every way. It doesn't feel like a cheap wheel at all.
Hooking it up is really easy because of its clamp system, which makes it very solid if you attach ot to a table...in my case I put a board across the arms of my Tv chair and attached the wheel to it. I works pretty good like that. The pedals feel real, the brake pedal is a little harder, just like in a real car.
When you connect the wheel and restart our PS2, it automatically turns left and right and finds the center point for you.
Once playing it takes a little while to get used to it...it took me about 1 hour to start matching my times on Grand Turismo 3, and about 2 to start cutting time down.
Now I'm playing Pro Race Driver, and it can't be better...I can't wait for the release of GT4 to test this baby on 900 degree mode!.
If you are thinking about buying a racing wheel for the PS2 this is the way to go, the money you pay for it is totally worth.
There's only one thing I didn't like too much about this wheel: there's too many cables hangin' around the pedals (power, connection to the wheel, and connection to the PS2), and sometimes you get those around your legs....no big deal though, just try to put them away, on the side, and you won't have anything to complaint about.
First, the clamping mechanism needs to open just a wee bit wider. I mean, like 1 mm. That's all I need to be able to attach the thing to a countertop. However, even having it on a countertop would not work really well, so I need to find something else to mount it to.
The other problem is the manual there really isn't one. This caused me a bit of confusion when I hooked it up the first time to play Gran Turismo 4 The thing powered on, did it's self centering, then proceeded to be ignored by the game. Only after some time spend messing around did I figure out that you need to remove the Player 1 joystick from the console when you want to use the wheel.
Other than that, this thing is killer.
The wheel is a little hard to turn, feels like manual steering. But you get used to it quickly. I'd rather have some resistance instead of just a freely-spinning wheel anyway. The force feedback effects are great. In Grand Turismo 3 when your car is going close to it's limit, you can feel the car lose adhesion to the road and pull left and right irregularly. If you pop over a hill and go airbourne for a second you can realistically feel the wheel lose turning resistance.
Burnout 3 and Grand Turismo 3 are a BLAST with this wheel.
Here are my tips:
1. You must have a table or similar surface to mount it to. Something flat and around 2 or 3 inches thick and sturdy, I would guess. You cannot hold it in your lap. I've got mine mounted to a wooden chair turned sideways for now, not an ideal setup but still fun nonetheless.
2. Plug it in the top USB port on your PS2, otherwise some games will only want to use it for player 2. I don't think the picture "manual" tells you that.
3. This wheel also works on a Windows PC. Download drivers at I'm not clear whether force feedback can/will work on a PC but I tried it in Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2 with good results. I've heard you can get the 900 degree mode working in a PC but haven't got that far yet.
4. You'll need to plug in the wheel to a standard electric outlet, so plan for that.
The Driving Force Pro is Logitech's second attempt at a steering wheel for a game console. Its most notable feature is the 900 degrees of steering, which is something that no other wheel on the market has. However, the 900-degree steering is only compatible with certain games. I am not sure which yet, but I do know that Gran Turismo 4 (scheduled for release in January/February 05) will. It will automatically switch to 200-degree steering for games that do not support 900-degree. The wheel's other big feature is the force-feedback. It is a little loud, but it really brings the game to life. Since it has force-feedback it has to be plugged in, so make sure you have a free outlet.
Other features include a textured rubber grip, easily adjustable clamps for your table or set-up, very nice styling with a steel GT (Gran Turismo) logo in the center of the wheel, paddle shifters which move with the wheel, L3 and R3 buttons, a sequential stick shifter, USB connection to the PS2 (Works with PC's too, but I haven't been able to get the Force Feedback to work with it yet), and a very functional carpet gripping system for the pedals. I do have a few complaints about it. For one, the wheel is a little bit small at 10 inches in diameter. The MC2 is about 11. It also doesn't have dual-shock (vibrating motors) like the MC2, but this is made up with the force-feedback. The addition of a sequential stick shifter is good, but I personally feel that they put it a little too close to the steering wheel. It also doesn't have much movement when you shift, which kind of takes the fun out of it.
Pros:
-900-Degree steering
-Force Feedback
-Nice design
-Steering unit and pedals stay in their respective places well
Cons:
-No Dual Shock
-Shifter leaves something to be desired
-No calibrating controls or throttle guage
-Price
I should also mention that I had a little bit of trouble with it freezing up briefly while playing GT3. It has happened a few times, but I'm not sure if it's a defect with my unit or an actual incompatibility with the PS2 or GT3. I plan on exchanging it for a new one soon to see if this is a universal problem. I hope this has helped.
The chief impracticality is that any wheel must be anchored to something absolutely immovable in order to get the full effect out of it and how many among us happen to have a chair directly in front of the TV that is angled like a car seat AND a table in front of it that's oddly enough taller than a coffee table but shorter than a dining table? Exactly almost no one. Why do you think that stands custom-made for the Driving Force Pro sell on EBay for $80 and entire steel-framework cockpits with pre-set mounts are available at $500+ per? Your only other alternatives are to cook up a half-solution yourself. I've read how other reviewers have crafted lap desks out of boards or modified TV tables to be sturdier, but again, it raises my chief concern with any wheel controller: will you use/enjoy it enough to put in the extra money and effort necessary to properly use it?
The easiest solution is to sit on the floor and bolt the wheel to a coffee table, but that eliminates the possibility of using the pedals, which severely limits the realism. Plus, you'll feel more like an old lady hunched over the wheel about an inch from the windshield rather than a highly-skill professional guiding a performance vehicle toward the finish line. Finally, even this watered-down option won't work without cutting some foam to fit the base of the wheel; otherwise, its hard plastic will almost immediately scratch your tabletop.
The second issue is with gameplay the wheel has a very steep learning curve in the beginning. I consider myself an expert-level player in GT3, but making the switch to the wheel with GT4 almost took all of the fun out of the game for the first several days. It was difficult to even drive in a straight line, much less execute the maneuvering necessary to succeed in any worthwhile driving game. The purists will say that once mastered, it becomes second-nature just like riding a bike and that's true; however, the road to achieving that level of mastery is a frustrating one, and if you're a casual gamer who enjoys more of an arcade racing experience, the Driving Force Pro may simply be too demanding for you.
The third issue is that when you consider the wheel, the pedals, and whatever mounting apparatus you choose, it's going to eat up a lot of storage space. The pedals are even too tall to simply slide under the couch when you're not playing, so no help there. And given the number of cords (AC power, wheel-to-PS2, pedals-to-wheel) that are required, just leaving it around when not in use looks pretty sloppy and would be easy to trip over.
Once you've finally gotten your physical setup in order and gotten acclimated to using it, the wheel is excellent. It is solidly constructed and the force feedback is a real treat. The 900-degree mode offered in select games like "Gran Turismo 4" creates a new standard in realism; however, given the stoutness of the resistance in the motor and the relatively compact size of the wheel (other reviews have hit it right on the head it's sized like an Indy car, not a street car), your hands, wrists and/or forearms can get fatigued pretty quickly playing that way. Its motor is also pretty loud, which will be annoying to anyone else in the room not interested in hearing a never-ending symphony of mechanical grinding sounds.
(...)
The Driving Force Pro represents the best of the wheel controllers for both console and PC gaming. However, all but the most avid racing gamers would be hard-pressed to justify the undertaking of mounting, configuring and learning how to use the wheel on top of the steep price tag.
PROS
* Solid construction and nice rubber wheel wrap
* 900-degree turning really immerses you in the driving experience (for the handful of games that support it)
* Also compatible with many PC driving games via USB port
CONS
* Absolutely needs to be mounted in order to use to its fullest, often requiring a weird work-around or expensive add-on solution
* Creates a messy maze of cords when in use; very bulky to store when not in use
* A steep learning curve may frustrate more casual gamers who prefer an arcade racing feel
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I wasn't very sure of my purchase at first, given the price tag on this PS2 Wheel.As the racing game freak I am, I decided to give it a try.
A couple of years ago I bought a MadCatz racing wheel for PC, I played with it for two or three weeks, and decided that it was easier and, in fact, more fun, to play with the keyboard instead of the wheel.
This totally changed when I got the Driving Force Pro.
The looks of this wheel is the first thing that let you realize that you made a good purchase, it looks really cool, and feels comfortable in every way. It doesn't feel like a cheap wheel at all.
Hooking it up is really easy because of its clamp system, which makes it very solid if you attach ot to a table...in my case I put a board across the arms of my Tv chair and attached the wheel to it. I works pretty good like that. The pedals feel real, the brake pedal is a little harder, just like in a real car.
When you connect the wheel and restart our PS2, it automatically turns left and right and finds the center point for you.
Once playing it takes a little while to get used to it...it took me about 1 hour to start matching my times on Grand Turismo 3, and about 2 to start cutting time down.
Now I'm playing Pro Race Driver, and it can't be better...I can't wait for the release of GT4 to test this baby on 900 degree mode!.
If you are thinking about buying a racing wheel for the PS2 this is the way to go, the money you pay for it is totally worth.
There's only one thing I didn't like too much about this wheel: there's too many cables hangin' around the pedals (power, connection to the wheel, and connection to the PS2), and sometimes you get those around your legs....no big deal though, just try to put them away, on the side, and you won't have anything to complaint about.
Best Deals for Driving Force Pro Racing Wheel for PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3
This thing rocks when it comes to driving games. There are a few things I wish were changed though.First, the clamping mechanism needs to open just a wee bit wider. I mean, like 1 mm. That's all I need to be able to attach the thing to a countertop. However, even having it on a countertop would not work really well, so I need to find something else to mount it to.
The other problem is the manual there really isn't one. This caused me a bit of confusion when I hooked it up the first time to play Gran Turismo 4 The thing powered on, did it's self centering, then proceeded to be ignored by the game. Only after some time spend messing around did I figure out that you need to remove the Player 1 joystick from the console when you want to use the wheel.
Other than that, this thing is killer.
Honest reviews on Driving Force Pro Racing Wheel for PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3
I'm a wheel newbie, but I liked the looks of this wheel when I saw it in a local retail store. It's very well made and solid, and includes gas/brake pedals and a +/gearshift as well. The diameter of the wheel is a bit small, but it doesn't really detract from the experience. Besides, I've noticed Indycar wheels are small.The wheel is a little hard to turn, feels like manual steering. But you get used to it quickly. I'd rather have some resistance instead of just a freely-spinning wheel anyway. The force feedback effects are great. In Grand Turismo 3 when your car is going close to it's limit, you can feel the car lose adhesion to the road and pull left and right irregularly. If you pop over a hill and go airbourne for a second you can realistically feel the wheel lose turning resistance.
Burnout 3 and Grand Turismo 3 are a BLAST with this wheel.
Here are my tips:
1. You must have a table or similar surface to mount it to. Something flat and around 2 or 3 inches thick and sturdy, I would guess. You cannot hold it in your lap. I've got mine mounted to a wooden chair turned sideways for now, not an ideal setup but still fun nonetheless.
2. Plug it in the top USB port on your PS2, otherwise some games will only want to use it for player 2. I don't think the picture "manual" tells you that.
3. This wheel also works on a Windows PC. Download drivers at I'm not clear whether force feedback can/will work on a PC but I tried it in Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2 with good results. I've heard you can get the 900 degree mode working in a PC but haven't got that far yet.
4. You'll need to plug in the wheel to a standard electric outlet, so plan for that.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Driving Force Pro Racing Wheel for PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3
All right, let my start by saying that this is indeed the best wheel on the market, but that doesn't say very much since 95% of the wheels out there suck. The Driving Force Pro and the Mad Catz MC2 are really the only ones worth paying for. If you are shopping for a wheel I'd suggest looking at the MC2 also. It is a lot cheaper and has a few better qualities than the DF Pro, although it doesn't have force-feedback or 900-degree steering.The Driving Force Pro is Logitech's second attempt at a steering wheel for a game console. Its most notable feature is the 900 degrees of steering, which is something that no other wheel on the market has. However, the 900-degree steering is only compatible with certain games. I am not sure which yet, but I do know that Gran Turismo 4 (scheduled for release in January/February 05) will. It will automatically switch to 200-degree steering for games that do not support 900-degree. The wheel's other big feature is the force-feedback. It is a little loud, but it really brings the game to life. Since it has force-feedback it has to be plugged in, so make sure you have a free outlet.
Other features include a textured rubber grip, easily adjustable clamps for your table or set-up, very nice styling with a steel GT (Gran Turismo) logo in the center of the wheel, paddle shifters which move with the wheel, L3 and R3 buttons, a sequential stick shifter, USB connection to the PS2 (Works with PC's too, but I haven't been able to get the Force Feedback to work with it yet), and a very functional carpet gripping system for the pedals. I do have a few complaints about it. For one, the wheel is a little bit small at 10 inches in diameter. The MC2 is about 11. It also doesn't have dual-shock (vibrating motors) like the MC2, but this is made up with the force-feedback. The addition of a sequential stick shifter is good, but I personally feel that they put it a little too close to the steering wheel. It also doesn't have much movement when you shift, which kind of takes the fun out of it.
Pros:
-900-Degree steering
-Force Feedback
-Nice design
-Steering unit and pedals stay in their respective places well
Cons:
-No Dual Shock
-Shifter leaves something to be desired
-No calibrating controls or throttle guage
-Price
I should also mention that I had a little bit of trouble with it freezing up briefly while playing GT3. It has happened a few times, but I'm not sure if it's a defect with my unit or an actual incompatibility with the PS2 or GT3. I plan on exchanging it for a new one soon to see if this is a universal problem. I hope this has helped.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Buy Def Jam Vendetta - PlayStation 2 (Jewel case)
Ok, first of all I hate wrestling games and have never liked one enough to buy it or even play it.
This one is way different.
It isn't like other wrestling games,you can break your opponents arms or legs if you perform submission moves on that part of the body enough times, for Submission wins, you can K.O. them with fatality-like Supermoves, or hey you can go for the tradition al pin.
You can pick from a variety of "def Jam" artists including: Method man, Ghostface Killah, Redman, DMX,Ludacris,Funk master flex, N.O.R.E.,Capone,Kieth Murray,WC, and Joe Budden(who is the only guy on def jam who hasn't released an actual album in the whole time he has been on their label,What's up with that?)
Anyway, the more you play the more money you get to make your "story mode" characters better(buy power, speed,stamina,etc.)there is a "Survival" mode,as well as up to four player multi player set up.
MY ONLY COMLAINT?
the fact that if you beat the game and get all the characters and all outfits and everything, and you go to play multi player?
the person you play against doesnt have all the characters.
They have to beat the game through with all the story mode characters to get them and save them to a seperate identity so that you can have all players for 2 player mode.
AND THE GAME IS LONG!!!!! 40 wrestlers to beat, it can take some time, and not all of them can be pinned.Some HAVE to be K.O'd like a fatality(like the end boss).Also there are some pretty unfair matches,One of which you have to fight 3 guys and you cant pin them, you have to K.O one of them! Hard stuff!
In my opinion fans of fighting games and wrestling games will like this game,but make no mistake about it this game relies on grapples very heavily like a wrestling game.If you want to do big damage you have to learn them.
Worth buying for sure!!!!!!!!!!! but hey , rent it first if you want to be %100 sure!!
Pros:
-Pretty good graphics
-Nicely done wrestling-style battle system
-Music from all the main Def Jam artist
-Some of the blaze finishers are Spectacular
-I get to be some of my favorite rappers(DMX, Ludacris, Mef/Red)
-Great voice acting(despite some voices arent in for long)
-Nice setups for devistating combos
-EA big has created another masterpiece, with the help of Def Jam
Cons:
-You don't have any weapons to use
-Where's the create a fighter mode
-Game's too short(beat it in just 3 days)
-Where's Jay-Z(So I can kick his copying...) Ja Rule(So I can kick his fake ...), Freeway, Beanie Seigl, Slick Rick, and LL Cool J? That would'ave made the game a lot better(getting revenge for artist who made me waste my money, and more artist whom I appreciate), and longer.
This game definitly made me forget about Smackdown real fast. Despite the cons, this game definitly will please fans of wrestling, and all of def jams fans as well. So if you are fans of either, this should be in your collection of PS2 games(or gamecube games)
Final Words:This game was superb, no doubt, but I just hope that if they make a sequel to this, let's just hope all of the problems this game has will definitly be tweaked, so everyone can enjoy a much better, and longer game.
Peace
This one is way different.
It isn't like other wrestling games,you can break your opponents arms or legs if you perform submission moves on that part of the body enough times, for Submission wins, you can K.O. them with fatality-like Supermoves, or hey you can go for the tradition al pin.
You can pick from a variety of "def Jam" artists including: Method man, Ghostface Killah, Redman, DMX,Ludacris,Funk master flex, N.O.R.E.,Capone,Kieth Murray,WC, and Joe Budden(who is the only guy on def jam who hasn't released an actual album in the whole time he has been on their label,What's up with that?)
Anyway, the more you play the more money you get to make your "story mode" characters better(buy power, speed,stamina,etc.)there is a "Survival" mode,as well as up to four player multi player set up.
MY ONLY COMLAINT?
the fact that if you beat the game and get all the characters and all outfits and everything, and you go to play multi player?
the person you play against doesnt have all the characters.
They have to beat the game through with all the story mode characters to get them and save them to a seperate identity so that you can have all players for 2 player mode.
AND THE GAME IS LONG!!!!! 40 wrestlers to beat, it can take some time, and not all of them can be pinned.Some HAVE to be K.O'd like a fatality(like the end boss).Also there are some pretty unfair matches,One of which you have to fight 3 guys and you cant pin them, you have to K.O one of them! Hard stuff!
In my opinion fans of fighting games and wrestling games will like this game,but make no mistake about it this game relies on grapples very heavily like a wrestling game.If you want to do big damage you have to learn them.
Worth buying for sure!!!!!!!!!!! but hey , rent it first if you want to be %100 sure!!
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
But, so are youPros:
-Pretty good graphics
-Nicely done wrestling-style battle system
-Music from all the main Def Jam artist
-Some of the blaze finishers are Spectacular
-I get to be some of my favorite rappers(DMX, Ludacris, Mef/Red)
-Great voice acting(despite some voices arent in for long)
-Nice setups for devistating combos
-EA big has created another masterpiece, with the help of Def Jam
Cons:
-You don't have any weapons to use
-Where's the create a fighter mode
-Game's too short(beat it in just 3 days)
-Where's Jay-Z(So I can kick his copying...) Ja Rule(So I can kick his fake ...), Freeway, Beanie Seigl, Slick Rick, and LL Cool J? That would'ave made the game a lot better(getting revenge for artist who made me waste my money, and more artist whom I appreciate), and longer.
This game definitly made me forget about Smackdown real fast. Despite the cons, this game definitly will please fans of wrestling, and all of def jams fans as well. So if you are fans of either, this should be in your collection of PS2 games(or gamecube games)
Final Words:This game was superb, no doubt, but I just hope that if they make a sequel to this, let's just hope all of the problems this game has will definitly be tweaked, so everyone can enjoy a much better, and longer game.
Peace
Best Deals for Def Jam Vendetta - PlayStation 2 (Jewel case)
this is a very good wrestling game.the graphics are very good.it is very cool.also dmx is my favorite rapper.if you are ooking for a challenging yet fun and entertaning game,this is the one for you.why play wwe or wwf when you can play this game.and for the person who does not like this game because it has rappers....shut up.Honest reviews on Def Jam Vendetta - PlayStation 2 (Jewel case)
I finally got a chance to play Def Jam Vendetta and something occurred to me this game is great! To think that the only games with rap and hip hop influences were Parappa the Rappa and Wu-Tang Shaolin Style (which was a great concept but the execution came up short). Now for Vendetta. It seems that EA just cant be stop when it comes to over the top action and sports. Okay now I know some will say wrestling is not a sport but how cares when you can pit Method Man against Ludacris. This game rocks tight controls great storyline, awesome audio, and outrageous moves. Now with such greatness you would think there would be no flaws but there very minute. The only thing most wrestling game fans may want is create a character and various match types like ladder or steel cage matches. Basically if you thats all you want then youre missing the big picture of what Vendetta is. Dont wait for the sequel go and get this game you will not be sorry! WAY TO GO EA! WAY TO GO DEF JAM!Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Def Jam Vendetta - PlayStation 2 (Jewel case)
yo this game is tight from the opening credit till the end yeah the game is a bit short but so what u can't get any beter than this. this game beats out wwe and all other wrestling games i mean look at the finishers every wrestler has 2 and there all different from the front and back pluss the def jam artist's yeah u can't create a wrestle but it's still tight graphic's are tight story mode could have had more characters but who cares it was great also overall theis game is dope u don't need another wrestling game expect when back yard wrestling comes out if it is good enoughFriday, August 29, 2014
Buy Kinectimals
List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $10.99
Today's Bonus: 45% Off
Kinectimals is structured and directed more to a younger audience. My 5 year old daughter is addicted! The game is however quite inviting to the older generation, especially when I see how much my kid was enjoying her new pet!
Kinectimals isn't too advance in the form of a Sims game, but you do get to teach your pet several tricks (i believe there is like 10). You teach your pet to do tricks by performing them yourself, and after he/she has learned the trick you can either perform the trick so your kinectimals will mimic you or you can just give voice commands. Also, you have to show your pet love--to do this you will take care of it by petting it, congratulating it, brushing it, playing fetch or with other toys, buying accessories for it, and more! All these actions help build up a type of discovery meter, the more you do with your pet the more the discovery meter builds up and in turn the more of the map/island you discover. The more you discover, the more you unlock!
There isn't much of an actual storyline, except for the introduction you get on how everything came about and how the previous pet owner (some pirate/captain) left many years ago. Overall, your main objective is to eventually discover the whole island and defeat mini games on the way. You can also, use a magnifying glass to scope out your surroundings in the meantime to look for buried hidden treasures.
The mini games are creative and fun but a little bit repetitive. They utilize the same games but dress them up differently so they appear different. "Bumble" the guide of the game, a half bee/half mouse looking animal, flies around talking and sometimes I found to be quite annoying. There is a marketplace within furr town which you can purchase items from all the discovery points you receive. The items sold there can be used to decorate the interior of your home, accessorize your pet, etc etc etc.
My daughter and I are still discovering the island and the game for now, but I will post more as more comes. I believe this is a great game and great buy if you have a child in the age range of 5 15. But, if you are just an adult looking for a Kinect game for yourself, you will find yourself bored with the title quicker then a child would be. I only played a few times, and don't care to play to much more except for letting my daughter play.
*For people who are wondering if you can buy the plush animals and use them over multiple gamertags--well you can! The scan card on the plush animal isn't unique in any way and can be scanned multiple times to any gamertag.
**For people who have pre-order bonus codes for exclusive animals (i.e. the gamestop exclusive red-n-black tiger), after redeeming the code and downloading the content, the game will not let you choose the red-n-black tiger from the start. You must pick any animal, and after you leave the bonding circle to head towards your home...a pop up message will show up in the top left corner of your screen alerting you of a new friend in furr town. That will be your red-n-black tiger.
***For achievement hunters, the achievements on this game are extremely easy to get because this game wasn't made very challenging at all.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I was astounded when Gametrailers gave this game an 8.5 rating and immediately had to pick it up for myself and my son. He is in love with this game and cannot stop talking about his pet Bengal tiger cub in which he affectionately named Patrick. Yes, he watches too much Spongebob.The visuals are breath-taking; I didn't expect the game to look this polished as a launch title. The gameplay is fun; you go around learning and teaching your pet new tricks while playing mini-games and unlocking new sections of your island. It has some mystery involved, but nothing too advanced that my son can't handle.
I highly recommend this game to ANYONE with children, it's a must have.
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Most video games seem to be made for older kids, but not Kinectimals. My daughter and her friends absolutely love playing this game. In fact I have to ration their playing time because they could play for hours if I let them. The interaction is great and the interface is easy to learn, even for little kids. Definitely glad I decided to purchase this game what surprised me is that I also found it fun to play with my daughter.Honest reviews on Kinectimals
OkayI am a 29 year old male, and I have no childrenyet I still played through this game. Why?because out of the many Kinect games I had the opportunity to try (I work in the game industry, and have the chance to play a lot of games), this stood out as something creative and appealing in a new way. Sure, virtual pet games are nothing new, but in the case of Kinectimals, the body motion driven interaction really adds something to the concept. Also, the execution and presentation of this game are very nice. I was honestly just refreshed to see a game that was clearly designed for kids, but wasn't rushed or lazy feeling. Oftentimes, games for children tend to be pretty... meh... like, the reasoning is that kids won't know any better; they won't realize that the graphics are mediocre or that the design is bad. But here, you have something that was approached with far more care, and even adults will enjoy it.The game structure is very simple, and quite forgiving if you only want to 'finish' the story; the only real challenge lies in obtaining a few of the gold medals in the various contests.
Overall, this is a great game for families and kids. It is engaging, entertaining, appealing to look at and listen to, and manages to be fun yet non-violent/aggressive (which is pretty hard to do in game design).
If the idea of this looks good to you already, don't worrygo ahead and pick it up, it is very well done.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Kinectimals
If you have a little boy or girl, you can't go wrong with this game. It's probably the best Kinect game next to Dance Central. The game is easy for anyone to jump into. My 7yo learned everything it had to offer in about an hours time. She has never been so addicted to a game before. It gets them off the couch, and is a very active game. Lots of kicking, rolling, running and jumping. Considering it's a launch game, I was very impressed how in depth and how much the player was able to do. Besides the kinect motions itself, what really impressed me was how great this game looks. It's obviously the best looking pet game in existence and kids will fall in love with these furry funny felines as soon as the game starts. It's a good mesh of taking care of your pet and setting off a big adventure with your pet on this tropical island. I myself find myself playing it a little bit and I was amazed how much I enjoyed it.The only down side with the game is that the controls can be frustrating for little ones and patience is the key. The kicking of the ball and throwing balls and toys at targets can be challenging. But it takes some patience and adjusting to the controls to get it down. The game also has voice recognition for your pet and sometimes it doesn't seem to always respond to your orders or tricks when called out. But overall, it seemed pretty consistent.
This is a must have game if you have the Kinect, and if you have children, it's a no brainer. Just make sure your kids do their homework before they play this one, because they won't want to quit!
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Best Hulk - Xbox (Jewel case) Deals
This is a very addictive and fun game.I got hooked the first
time I started playing.In this game you play as the hulk and
Bruce Banner.As Bruce Banner you have to sneak around past
sleeping gamma dogs,alpha guards and even gamma guards which
are as strong as the Hulk.Eric Bana does Bruce's voice.As the
Hulk your up against gamma dogs,alpha guards,gamma guards,tanks,
robots and gamma bosses such as Madman,Flux,Ravage,Half-Life and the Leader.You can destroy most anything for points and rage meters which will increase your strength.When you become enraged you can do more damage with super sonic clap,gamma stomps and punches You can break poles off of walls and use them to take out lots of enemys at once,You can pick up cars and throw them,Pick up dumsters and throw them and throw oil cans to explode which takes a lot of enemies out at once.You can punch soldiers,Throw them or throw them off of buildings.The object of the game is to track down professor Crawford who betrayed Bruce Banner and stole some of his gamma radiation to become Ravage another Hulk who is just as strong as the Hulk.Ravage takes the gamma orb and him and the Leader try to create mutants.Your job is to try to stop them.Although the Banner levels are fun I like
the Hulk ones better.Here is some cheat codes you can use to
help you until you get good at the game.
Invulnerability-In options at the code imput enter GMMSKIN
The Hulk or Banner Can't be killed.
Regenerator-Flshwind If you use this you won't need to use
Invulnerability as the Hulk regenerates fast and is hard to
kill.
Full Rage Meter-Angmngt If you have this on you can do a lot
of damage to enemies and objects with gamma clap.Useful for
guards,gamma guards and robots.With full rage meter on you
stay raged.
Unlimited Continues-Grnchtr This way you don't have to start over
at a level when you get killed or on some levels hulk out you
just continue were you started from.
Double Hulk's Health Points-Hlthdse This is similer to Invunriability.
Wicked Punch-Fstofry The hulk will have one punch kills.One punch
will take out everything from the human beings to big bosses
like Ravage,Flux,Madman and sometimes Half-Life.This is fine
with soldiers,robots,gamma dogs and gamma guards but it's
not a challange if you fight the big bosses as one punch
kills them.I like to fight them the fair way even though they
can sometimes give the Hulk a beating.As Banner you can kill
guards and dogs with just one punch.Wicked punch should be
used in combination with invanurability so the Hulk or Banner
can't be killed.
Puzzle Solved-Brcestn This solves all puzzles for Banner
Unlock All Levels-Trublvr This unlocks all levels.You can play
any level you want to.Note after you go to special features
and cut on this cheat you must enter story mode and choose
continue game.Than you can use the right thumb key to scroll
through all levels.
You must enter these cheats in the options mode code imput.
After you write the codes in the spaces mash the A button.
When you get thru entering codes press the b button till you
go back to special features than scroll to cheats and mash
tha A button and than cut the selected ones on.Than press
the b button till you get to story mode and start from there.
You can also play as the Gray Hulk however you will have to enter
a special code on a computer terminal in the infiltration level.
The universal code terminal is located in the building you
enter after you shut down the third generator switch.After you
complete this level quit and go to special features than cheats
and it should be the third cheat screen.Cut it on than go back
to story mode and continue.The code is Janitor.The Gray Hulk
is unique because he talks and is gray.If you like this game
I recommend Hulk the official strategy guide book by Tim Bogenn
and put out by brady games.This has pictures of every screen,
advice on getting past guards,deafeating enemies,Cheat codes
and characters in the game.This book has helped me go a long
way in the game and will you too.The book also shows what kind of combo attacks you can use against enemies as Banner and the
Hulk I also recommend the Spiderman game on xbox.
Also If you want to destroy helicopters as the hulk load a new
game it will be inner torment.Pick up a car using the b button
and jump on the roof of the building using the A button.Target
the copters with the right trigger and throw the car using
the b button and it will blow up.
I also recommend that you pick up the Hulk Game pad put out by
naki which you can probebly get at amazon.com or
your local gamespot store.This pad is smaller than the traditional xbox controller and all the buttons are in the
same place except the white and black buttons which are located
above the y and a buttons.This pad also has turbo
on it.The vibration on this pad is great too and
the pad has confotorble rubber grips.What attracted me to this
pad was the beautiful green color.This not only
works with the hulk game but with others.I played
spiderman on it.This is available for xbox,ps2 and gamecube.
I have the xbox version.
Update
Coming August 16th The Incredible Hulk Ultimate Destruction.This game will make the current Hulk game look primative.This game features free roam which will allow the Hulk to go anywhere.As the Hulk you will be able to smash and destroy anything even buildings.You will be able to destroy automobiles and use them for body gloves or even rollar skates.You will also be able to hurt and beatup goodguys as well as the bad ones.Hulk will be able to walk up and climb buildings and will have much more better moves.Bosses in the new Incredible Hulk Game will include Abomination,The Leader,Devil Hulk,Wendigo,Robots which will be more bigger than the Hulk and possibly others.Also this will be based on the comic not the movie so there are no Banner missions.It will be out on all platforms and the PC too.
You Play as The Hulk The Green Monster, and Bruce Banner as you sneak and smash your way through this epic adventure. Only by Controlling the incredible power of the beast within can you destroy the diabolical intentions of the Leader To save the world and your self!
BRUCE BANNER:as Bruce Banner you must rely on your intellect and Stealth . avoid Detection as much as Possible , if you didn't The guards will give you a hard time, and gather clues and fight only when Necessary, Don't Fight any Guard you see. and i know some of you don't like to Be Bruce Banner but i find it Fun.
HULK:There are no limits to the Destructive power of the Hulk. Capable of Smashing through buildings and defeating whole group of Enemies, The Hulk uses a Series of specialty Moves and his unmatched strength to unleash a whirlwind of Destruction.
In the Game there are:
*25 Fully Destructible and inter-active environments if you can see it you can smash it.
*Battle notorious classic Villans and massive new foes. Fight up to 10 enemies at once.
*45 Devastating attacks to dipose of your enemies.
*out smart your enemies as Dr.Bruce Banner, using Stealth and Disguise.
if You Are having Trouble with the game i can Help With Some Cheats Go to Options to Code input and Inter These Passwords:
GMMSKIN For Invinsible Powers, The Enemies can't kill You if you are the Hulk or Bruce Banner
HLTHDSE To Double Ur Health Power.
GRNCHTR For Unlimited Continues.
if You Use "GMMSKIN" You Will Finish the Game.
I played this Game and it's Really short i finished with in two days. But i Want MORE To Smash Things While You Are The Hulk.
You know the story. Smart scientist. Strange mutation. Turns into fury-filled Hulk monster. So the game goes back and forth between Bruce using his mind, and Hulk using his fists.
Both could have been really great, and there were hints of potential there. A neat number-swapping code breaking puzzle seems fascinating at first, but when you realize that it's just a matter of sliding numbers from right to left, the challenge vanishes rather quickly. The stealth usually involves crouching and standing behind boxes a far cry from Splinter Cell.
On the hulk side, the destructable environment is neat and brings to mind the Matrix and Red Faction games. But the Hulk's attacks get boring VERY quickly. Every soldier takes a punch-punch-punch and goes down. Don't you think one punch would flatten them? His remaining attacks aren't much better. So you wade through a pile of people. Punch punch punch. Pick up a box, smash. Punch Punch Punch.
There are moments that are sort of cool. You see a pipe grab it now water sprays out and you use the pipe to baseball-bat your enemies. But those moments are few and far between as you plod from room to room just bashing your way through. At least in other mindless-bashing games like Diablo you had a wide variety of weapons and armor and other skills that were constantly increasing. With the Hulk, there's just him and his green fists.
Good for a weekend rental, or for casual gameplay. But even in the "mindless bashing" category I can think of many other games I'd rather pick up for a few hours to release aggression.
time I started playing.In this game you play as the hulk and
Bruce Banner.As Bruce Banner you have to sneak around past
sleeping gamma dogs,alpha guards and even gamma guards which
are as strong as the Hulk.Eric Bana does Bruce's voice.As the
Hulk your up against gamma dogs,alpha guards,gamma guards,tanks,
robots and gamma bosses such as Madman,Flux,Ravage,Half-Life and the Leader.You can destroy most anything for points and rage meters which will increase your strength.When you become enraged you can do more damage with super sonic clap,gamma stomps and punches You can break poles off of walls and use them to take out lots of enemys at once,You can pick up cars and throw them,Pick up dumsters and throw them and throw oil cans to explode which takes a lot of enemies out at once.You can punch soldiers,Throw them or throw them off of buildings.The object of the game is to track down professor Crawford who betrayed Bruce Banner and stole some of his gamma radiation to become Ravage another Hulk who is just as strong as the Hulk.Ravage takes the gamma orb and him and the Leader try to create mutants.Your job is to try to stop them.Although the Banner levels are fun I like
the Hulk ones better.Here is some cheat codes you can use to
help you until you get good at the game.
Invulnerability-In options at the code imput enter GMMSKIN
The Hulk or Banner Can't be killed.
Regenerator-Flshwind If you use this you won't need to use
Invulnerability as the Hulk regenerates fast and is hard to
kill.
Full Rage Meter-Angmngt If you have this on you can do a lot
of damage to enemies and objects with gamma clap.Useful for
guards,gamma guards and robots.With full rage meter on you
stay raged.
Unlimited Continues-Grnchtr This way you don't have to start over
at a level when you get killed or on some levels hulk out you
just continue were you started from.
Double Hulk's Health Points-Hlthdse This is similer to Invunriability.
Wicked Punch-Fstofry The hulk will have one punch kills.One punch
will take out everything from the human beings to big bosses
like Ravage,Flux,Madman and sometimes Half-Life.This is fine
with soldiers,robots,gamma dogs and gamma guards but it's
not a challange if you fight the big bosses as one punch
kills them.I like to fight them the fair way even though they
can sometimes give the Hulk a beating.As Banner you can kill
guards and dogs with just one punch.Wicked punch should be
used in combination with invanurability so the Hulk or Banner
can't be killed.
Puzzle Solved-Brcestn This solves all puzzles for Banner
Unlock All Levels-Trublvr This unlocks all levels.You can play
any level you want to.Note after you go to special features
and cut on this cheat you must enter story mode and choose
continue game.Than you can use the right thumb key to scroll
through all levels.
You must enter these cheats in the options mode code imput.
After you write the codes in the spaces mash the A button.
When you get thru entering codes press the b button till you
go back to special features than scroll to cheats and mash
tha A button and than cut the selected ones on.Than press
the b button till you get to story mode and start from there.
You can also play as the Gray Hulk however you will have to enter
a special code on a computer terminal in the infiltration level.
The universal code terminal is located in the building you
enter after you shut down the third generator switch.After you
complete this level quit and go to special features than cheats
and it should be the third cheat screen.Cut it on than go back
to story mode and continue.The code is Janitor.The Gray Hulk
is unique because he talks and is gray.If you like this game
I recommend Hulk the official strategy guide book by Tim Bogenn
and put out by brady games.This has pictures of every screen,
advice on getting past guards,deafeating enemies,Cheat codes
and characters in the game.This book has helped me go a long
way in the game and will you too.The book also shows what kind of combo attacks you can use against enemies as Banner and the
Hulk I also recommend the Spiderman game on xbox.
Also If you want to destroy helicopters as the hulk load a new
game it will be inner torment.Pick up a car using the b button
and jump on the roof of the building using the A button.Target
the copters with the right trigger and throw the car using
the b button and it will blow up.
I also recommend that you pick up the Hulk Game pad put out by
naki which you can probebly get at amazon.com or
your local gamespot store.This pad is smaller than the traditional xbox controller and all the buttons are in the
same place except the white and black buttons which are located
above the y and a buttons.This pad also has turbo
on it.The vibration on this pad is great too and
the pad has confotorble rubber grips.What attracted me to this
pad was the beautiful green color.This not only
works with the hulk game but with others.I played
spiderman on it.This is available for xbox,ps2 and gamecube.
I have the xbox version.
Update
Coming August 16th The Incredible Hulk Ultimate Destruction.This game will make the current Hulk game look primative.This game features free roam which will allow the Hulk to go anywhere.As the Hulk you will be able to smash and destroy anything even buildings.You will be able to destroy automobiles and use them for body gloves or even rollar skates.You will also be able to hurt and beatup goodguys as well as the bad ones.Hulk will be able to walk up and climb buildings and will have much more better moves.Bosses in the new Incredible Hulk Game will include Abomination,The Leader,Devil Hulk,Wendigo,Robots which will be more bigger than the Hulk and possibly others.Also this will be based on the comic not the movie so there are no Banner missions.It will be out on all platforms and the PC too.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
i Bought This Game a month Ago, and it Turns out to be one of the coolest games.You Play as The Hulk The Green Monster, and Bruce Banner as you sneak and smash your way through this epic adventure. Only by Controlling the incredible power of the beast within can you destroy the diabolical intentions of the Leader To save the world and your self!
BRUCE BANNER:as Bruce Banner you must rely on your intellect and Stealth . avoid Detection as much as Possible , if you didn't The guards will give you a hard time, and gather clues and fight only when Necessary, Don't Fight any Guard you see. and i know some of you don't like to Be Bruce Banner but i find it Fun.
HULK:There are no limits to the Destructive power of the Hulk. Capable of Smashing through buildings and defeating whole group of Enemies, The Hulk uses a Series of specialty Moves and his unmatched strength to unleash a whirlwind of Destruction.
In the Game there are:
*25 Fully Destructible and inter-active environments if you can see it you can smash it.
*Battle notorious classic Villans and massive new foes. Fight up to 10 enemies at once.
*45 Devastating attacks to dipose of your enemies.
*out smart your enemies as Dr.Bruce Banner, using Stealth and Disguise.
if You Are having Trouble with the game i can Help With Some Cheats Go to Options to Code input and Inter These Passwords:
GMMSKIN For Invinsible Powers, The Enemies can't kill You if you are the Hulk or Bruce Banner
HLTHDSE To Double Ur Health Power.
GRNCHTR For Unlimited Continues.
if You Use "GMMSKIN" You Will Finish the Game.
I played this Game and it's Really short i finished with in two days. But i Want MORE To Smash Things While You Are The Hulk.
Best Deals for Hulk - Xbox (Jewel case)
This game is one the most basic action games there is. But some people may like that. I did for a while and most people will. The boss fights are very straightforward and the game is pretty easy (except for the stealth missions). The physics are very good and the graphics are different but still good. The smashing missions are cool but the stealth missions suck... bad. the voice acting is decent but the music really gets annoying. The controls are easy to just pick up and play. Although all these great features a huge drawback is that the game is extremely short and has pretty little replay value. I would just suggest a rental thats the only way you'll get your money's worth.Honest reviews on Hulk - Xbox (Jewel case)
The marketing blitz for the Hulk Move has been phenomonal. Cereals, magazines, toys, and of course computer games. The Hulk actually is fairly good, with a balance between Hulk smashing and Bruce Banner puzzle solving.You know the story. Smart scientist. Strange mutation. Turns into fury-filled Hulk monster. So the game goes back and forth between Bruce using his mind, and Hulk using his fists.
Both could have been really great, and there were hints of potential there. A neat number-swapping code breaking puzzle seems fascinating at first, but when you realize that it's just a matter of sliding numbers from right to left, the challenge vanishes rather quickly. The stealth usually involves crouching and standing behind boxes a far cry from Splinter Cell.
On the hulk side, the destructable environment is neat and brings to mind the Matrix and Red Faction games. But the Hulk's attacks get boring VERY quickly. Every soldier takes a punch-punch-punch and goes down. Don't you think one punch would flatten them? His remaining attacks aren't much better. So you wade through a pile of people. Punch punch punch. Pick up a box, smash. Punch Punch Punch.
There are moments that are sort of cool. You see a pipe grab it now water sprays out and you use the pipe to baseball-bat your enemies. But those moments are few and far between as you plod from room to room just bashing your way through. At least in other mindless-bashing games like Diablo you had a wide variety of weapons and armor and other skills that were constantly increasing. With the Hulk, there's just him and his green fists.
Good for a weekend rental, or for casual gameplay. But even in the "mindless bashing" category I can think of many other games I'd rather pick up for a few hours to release aggression.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Hulk - Xbox (Jewel case)
This game is just a run around as a green booger destructing stuff. I always rent a game b4 i buy just in case. I rented this game and its just running around smashing things. save your money or rent it first if u like it but i doubt anyone would like to play a booger on steroids.Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Review of The Sims 3 Collector's Edition - PC
I've played all the Sims games from the original to this one and pretty much all of the expansions and stuff packs. I have to say the changes in this version are well worth the purchase...though there are caveats. One thing to note: this is the first game released as part of EA's backstepping away from DRM. Just the CD key and the CD...no DRM required. Nice timing.
I'll split this review into two pieces and won't go into crazy depth as those depths are covered elsewhere anyway. If you've played the previous Sims games, skip the next section. Otherwise, newbies, read on.
------------------------------------------
New to the Sims Universe?
If you're new to the Sims Universe, the simple version is that you should just start here with Sims 3. A lot of the "updates" that were incorporated into this version are long needed and really enhance gameplay. The biggest problem we used to have was loading screens...constant loading screens. Those are gone so now the game is a lot more immersive.
You create and take control of a Sim which you can define with a number of traits and of course design from the ground up to look however you want. It's very RPG in the end but open-ended as you can follow any career or life path you want. Feel like creating an Evil slacker that mooches off the neighborhood? Go for it. Want to be the leader of the free world? By all means.
With a combination of skills you can learn/improve on (Cooking, Fishing, Logic, Charisma, and others), you gradually open up choices and opportunities. Speaking of which, as you progress through your sim life, you'll get opportunities which are essentially missions to undertake with rewards of money and other things tangible or intangible. These combined with random events (like grill-offs, or chess tournaments) are designed to get you out there interacting with other sims and advancing your sim. In the end, what happens is all up to you.
Your sims can eventually die (though you can turn this off) so you'll likely want to look at starting a family and progressing your family tree. This essentially means, the death of one character isn't the end of the game.
Now, this isn't a traditional RPG so you have to keep in mind that there are moments of boredom where you wait for something to happen (really that's only when your sim is at work). You can speed up time but for things like work, you're sitting around for a couple minutes waiting. Not terrible but it can become a drag at times. This combined with the needs for your sim (hunger, energy, etc.) which without help from lifetime rewards (rewards paid for with points you accumulate living your life) can sometimes leave you in a time management crunch. It's one of those things that you learn to deal with as you play but it can become tiresome after a while. Consider yourself warned.
There's also a huge community of people tossing up items, sims, and the like on the Sims Exchange online. EA's also got a store where you can buy more items, sims, lots, etc. for a price. The average item will cost you anywhere from 25-100 sim points. The exchange rate is $1 = 100 sim points. You can buy more points on the site. Just keep in mind that the bread and butter of this franchise is expansion packs and stuff packs which add features and content to the game every 6-9 months. You can either stash cash for these packs or just microtrans your way into a new car or new set of furniture that your sims can eventually buy.
All in all, though, the game is fun. There are interesting interactions and sometimes surprises. You have a lot of freedom which is great but if you're the type that really needs goals, unless you put your sim through the career paths offered in the game, you might find yourself bored with nothing to do. Yes, it's a bit like playing with a dollhouse but I look at it more like an open-ended RPG where you've got to kick your imagination into gear and have some fun playing around with your sim.
Take a look at the Sims 3 site () and watch some of the videos. If you like what you see, you'll probably have fun with this game. If you're a hard-core gamer, you're probably already steering clear of this game so you're good to go. :)
For newbies, I definitely don't recommend the Collector's Edition. Unless you really want that USB flash drive or the $10 of sim points (= 1000 sim points), it's not really worth the extra $20. The prima guide thing is ridiculously short and is more of a teaser to buy their full guide at 25% off. Ignore.
------------------------------------------
Sim Veterans, stop here!
What can I say? No more of those damned loading screens! You start up (which is a bit faster than the Sims 2) and load a saved game (no more lot saves) which takes a lot less time to load than lot loads in Sims2.
Once you're in, you've basically got a big map of a town that you're looking at top-down. You can zoom in to the house level but have to switch to sim mode in order to see inside. Kind of stupid...should've been one continuous movement but this is what you get.
At the map level, you get SimCity (3000) style bubbles attached to landmarks that you can click to show the bubble menu (like when you click on a sim) and select actions related to those places. Once you get the hang of it (which doesn't take long) it's really nice not having to go through all the hassles of picking a lot to go to and waiting for loads. It's such a big deal, I can't tell you. One thing they also did was move some of the functions you might have done at home (like ordering groceries) into the logic place for those functions (grocery store).
The UI is still familiar because most things are in their original places but a lot of things have also changed. No more aspiration points or influence. Now, you've got lifetime wishes (essentially your lifetime aspiration) and one off wishes which are sort of like selectable wants. So, instead of the Vegas-style slots where you just got random wants you could achieve, now there's a box with the Sim's wishes that pop-up for a short time. You can add up to four wishes to the Sim's wish list and try to fulfill them for lifetime happiness points. These points are sort of like an amalgam of achievement points, lifetime reward points and whoknowswhat. These points are generated from wish fulfillment but also by just being in a good mood. They buy enhancements or one-off benefits for your sim like Steel Bladder (which eliminates decay on your Bladder meter). Interesting idea but we'll see if it works in the long run.
The other big thing is the traits system. Instead of the five traits (Shy vs Outgoing, etc.), there are a lot more individual traits of which your sim can have up to five. These can be positive or negative traits. If you grow a sim from a baby, the traits are randomly picked (though slanted based on the mother's traits). If you create a sim from scratch, you get to pick them. The traits work a lot like those Sims 2 traits in that they affect the way the Sim responds to events, other people, etc. and also infer bonuses. For instance, you can add the Bookworm trait to make it easier for you to learn from books. They're pretty interesting and definitely add to the color of the game.
What else? 45 degree angles on furniture placement, free movement to anywhere in town without a loading screen, new interactions--some of them based on your skills--and the ability to upgrade some furniture items. There is a lot to see and discover. There are a lot of good enhancements. When you're on the job, you can change your actions so you can slack off or work harder.
What's missing? Vacation homes, pets, apartments, loading screens, etc.
What's wrong? Here's a dumb idea...let's take the interaction to Call someone off your Sim and put it on the landline only. Or you can click into your inventory and select the phone and then finally call out where there isn't a phone handy.
The main problem: we're starting over again. You know we're going to start seeing expansion packs and stuff packs or something like that by Christmas. Sure there are somethings (like hobbies) which are largely included and there are a lot of little things to do as you explore careers and locations and start building your own towns. It still sucks that you can't have pets, can't do the apartment thing, and can't do vacation homes/trips. It always feels like we're getting used again.
Still, all the new changes (and it runs pretty smoothly despite those changes) definitely help take the bite out of that snub. I still can't tell you how great it is not to deal with lot management any more. When you head to work or head off to the neighbor's that first time and follow your sim around, it's beautiful.
What can I say? You have to buy it. I kept my Sims 2 install in place just in case but I seriously doubt I'll head back there any time soon. Give it a little time and I'm sure they'll put out an expansion to rectify some of those missing activities. Then it'll be time to uninstall the old and let all those packs collect dust.
What about the Collector's Edition? It's the same as the newbies. Unless you really want that USB key, it's not really worth the extra $20. The guide is anemic, the sports car is interesting but you'll be able to find something else on the Exchange eventually, and you can just buy $10 of sim points online. If you can find it discounted to the price of the regular game ($49) then it's probably worth the pick up but by then you'd have missed out on a lot of gaming fun.
UPDATE: A few people complained about bugs (babysitter running off with kids, storytelling toggle not working, etc.). EA just released an update for the game, 1.2.7. Fire up the game to download it. Release notes are here:
I should have stuck with my original intent of not getting the game. To say I am completely underwhelmed with this release would be an understatement. Let's start with the Sims 3 Collector's Edition pack. The extra $20 spent over the basic edition is hardly worth it. The "extras" listed are actually quite misleading in the wording, making it sound as if you get a lot more than you do. You have essentially spent $20 on a thumbdrive that is compleetly impractical to carry around with you. The sports car download has yet to actually work for me, although I have applied the code at least 4 times so far (that in itself is amazing, as usually any codes used are immediately void once used once). The $10 worth of Sims points is beyond ridiculous, because you will burn through that fairly quickly if you decide to get anything worthwhile. Everything on the Sims Store page is riduclously expensive, and it is quite obvious that EA has held back considerable content to trick players into blowing even more money. I, for one, will not be falling into THAT trap.
Now onto the meat of the matter. This game has been shipped out with a considerable number of bugs. If anyone has checked out and the foum over there, there are tons of people having any number of issues with installing and running the game. Granted, many of these issues may stem from players having computer systems that do not meet the minimum requirements listed. However, my system more than meets these requirements, and I had issues with my system even being able to recognize the game disc as being in the drive. After waiting 40 minutes on hold for a tech support person, I was pretty much told that they didn't know what was wrong, and asked me to attach a file from my computer in a reply to an email they sent. I was then asked to send the SAME file no less than three times, but no solutions were ever forthcoming. Thankfully, my roommate is a computer tech himself, and was able to move some stuff around in the computer itself to get the game to work. Please note, this is the ONLY game I have ever had to do this with. Yeah, it could have been my setup causing the issue, but it just seems odd to me that this is the only game this has ever happened with. Moving along...
So after fighting all night on release day, I finally get to check out the game the next day. The quality of the game itself is just utterly poor; in fact, for a game released in this day and age, it borders on embarassing. The opening video quality was just terrible. It's the same video that's been played on youtube.com for some time... and it looks JUST like it. The quality is grainy as hell, and is a poor representation of what this supposed leap forward in graphics has been hyped to be. The Sims themselves are disappointing to the extreme. The advertisments all claim that you can create millions of unique, REALISTIC Sims. The Sims Creator in Sims 2 blows the Sims 3 out of the water. Every Sim I made looks like a freaking Muppet, and it's not because I don't know how to use the editor. There are maybe 10-12 harstyles for the men, each one more hideous than the last one. I did like the ability to assign 5 key personality traits to the Sim, but that is hardly a ringing endorsement on an otherwise lackluster release.
I didn't really get a chance to play around with the house building tools, but have been seeing that unlike before, where you could place a lot and then start building a house, you now either have to build onto an existing house, or plop a lot, move a Sim in, then build with the Sims remaining money. Hardly a selling point to folks like myself who actually prefer the game just for building and decorating.
I will give a kudos for the ability to change the pattern and color on clothes, walls, floors, and objects. I think that does add a degree of flexability to the game. However, unlike in Sims 2, where you had one item in the list, and clicking that item showed you the other colors available, each time you recolor an object and save it, it's added as an additional item in the list (at leats, that's what I saw. I could be wrong). Seems like that would get confusing very quickly.
The Sims 3 could have been a great game, if it even came close to living up to the hype of EA's marketing. At this point, the game is easily outclassed by The Sims 2's base game release. Too much has been withheld from the Sims 3 base game to make it enjoyable, and I am somewhat dubious as to just how much improvement will be seen from the mulitudes of expansion packs to follow. I personally wish I had waited, or better yet, stuck with my original intent to avoid another Sims franchise.
For one thing, there has been pretty much zero improvement in terms of graphics. The graphics are about the same as Sims 2, and where they differ, 2 usually looks better than 3. The sims in this game all look fat and deformed and there's nothing you can do about it with the primitive version of "Create A Sim" they included. The level of realism is a downgrade. Animations for sims getting into cars or getting bottles out of the fridge for babies are gone: instead they just magically appear. The interface is also clunky and counter-intuitive.
The game was released filled with bugs and, in some ways, just plain broken. Many people have problems with the game speed controls not functioning properly, and the Story Progression toggle, a major game feature, doesn't work at all. If you switch to play another family (which the game makes difficult to do to begin with), don't be surprised if your original family loses their inventory, spawns random babies (even single males), or moves out completely after all the work you put in with them.
As for the game play, the seamless neighborhood was a good idea, but executed poorly. You can't go into most of the buildings anyway. The fact that you can't see into something as simple as a one-floor diner suggests that this was a deliberate move by EA to ensure more expansion pack sales down the road. That and traits, the only other notable new feature, are okay, but seriously do not justify a brand new $70 game.
And lastly, the amount of content included is truly pitiful. Not surprising considering the launch of EA's new "Sims 3 Store" to rip people off. Looking for basic Sims items like a piano, diving board, or changing table? Not going to find it here. The game was deliberately crippled to sell more junk on their store.
That fact was made more apparent by the large amount of content already available on the "Sims 3 Store" on release day, content that would cost hundreds of dollars to buy altogetherhuh, we just paid $50-70 on a new game, content that was ready should have been included in the game in the first place! Not like there was a whole lot in the game to begin with that could somewhat justify this practice. To add insult to injury, prices are ridiculously high as well. $20 for one furniture set?
Also God forbid EA include previous expansion pack content so they would actually have to INNOVATE for new expansions. Instead we'll get the predictable Pets, Vacation, Nightlife, etc. lineup, dropping $30+ each to regain features we lost with the sequel.
And to the sycophantic EA defenders, drop all that "this is only the base game!" nonsense. After dropping $70 on a game, I shouldn't have to spend a single penny more to have a game that at least feels complete. Having major features broken, especially after the four-month release delay, is just lazy. The lack of polish and the bare-bones amount of content included is embarrassing for a costly AAA title. EA needs money, so it thinks it can squeeze its customers for all they're worth with dirty tricks. Well I'm not buying anymore.
I feel bad giving a Sim title 1 star, but I just can't fathom giving it any higher, at least until (and if!) EA addresses the issues. Major disappointment!
That said, considering the new gameplay experiences the game itself as a new incarnation of the Sims would be good but I can't help but feel there is much missing from the previous version.
For starters, you're buying a game with content withheld. You don't have a hot tub or even that many appealing hairstyles because EA decided to withhold these items from the game to coerce you to spend more money immediately after purchasing the game on their website. Additionally, you aren't only unnecessarily spending money for content that should've shipped with the game but you are forced to install the EA Download Manager which is how EA will infect your computer with their invasive Securom virus. While some may argue this unfair practice is A-okay, it's not, and as a consumer you should be appalled and find this absolutely unacceptable.
Secondly, the create-a-sim is extremely disappointing. Based on the ground game of S2 and S3 I found the customization tool in 2 to be far more advanced allowing greater customization. I'm sure in time as the community releases custom content we may have a greater degree of power in customizing our Sims to our likings but from the getgo I found the Sims 2 to be far superior. The only real improvement with 3 is the personalities and how we can tailor them.
Thirdly, the UI... I find the UI to be extremely tacky looking and I loathe the way the job requirements look (A smiley face, for reals?!!?). I can't help but feel EA has undermined the intelligence of those of us who play The Sims. When I first went into Buy mode I was taken aback by how the items are listed by "room" but fortunately you can switch to a category view, however, in Build mode you cannot... The listing of categories in Build mode is little pictures of the wall/fence/roof/etc... Very tacky and annoying and an insult to the intelligence of Sims players.
Less Realistic: Sims no longer visit the fridge to get a baby bottle, they magically swipe it from behind their back and diapers magically vanish in thin air... Rather upsetting at first but considering you can take your baby around town it makes sense (You don't want diapers all over the streets). However, you can call a repairman at any time and he'll be over within an hour. In previous Sims he'll be over the next day which is far more realistic. Children also can't call for repairs or even delivery anymore.
The graphics are far less realistic as well. I feel the Sims look very cartoony as does the entire town in comparison to the Sims 2. In 2 everything looked far more detailed and realistic where as in 3 it looks cartoony, dumbed down and far less realistic. Back to customizing your character, it's impossible to get a decently built male Sim without an oversize neck and it's impossible to get a female Sim with a proportionate bust-size without being obese, this was not the case in 2.
Overall I'm extremely disappointed in the game as I can't help but feel they took away too much. The only obvious improvement is the open town and the personalities but it certainly doesn't make up for what is missing. Also, the heinous practices of EA are unacceptable. Withholding content to charge consumers after paying a premium price (Would be okay if there was a price break in the game itself but at the regular price... No). Also, if you have to do reinstalls good luck trying to replace whatever you bought from EA's store, it's never as simple as claimed.
I would probably issue this game a 2 or 3 star rating but considering all the kool-aid drinkers that are just going to 5 star it blindly I'd prefer to even out the rating some. Nonetheless, the actions of EA easily warrant no stars or a call to boycott until it hits the sales bin.
It should also be known you can only have ONE active household in your town. You can switch to another home but it's almost like having to remove the battery from your cell phone just to switch memory cards, a hassle. You also lose wishes/promises when you switch so it's not at all as easy as it should be.
BUGS: I've experienced two freezes where I had to manually turn off my computer and one crash to desktop, all three incidents were pretty much isolated and not something I would say I fear from the game as I do believe they were attributed to a particular driver that when changed seemed to have resolved the problem.
There is an issue in sound, major issue. For one, 5.1 does not work, at least not for me. I get sound out of the three front speakers, mostly the middle, and that's it. Only when switching to stereo or using my speakers upmixing do I get "surround" which then sounds crappy. Also, an even greater issue, the music in Buy and Build mode sometimes does not play whatsoever which makes you feel very lonely and empty when building/decorating. An even greater issue is the sound cutting out when in Live mode. There are times when two Sims are talking and their voices just cut out and it takes some dramatic maneuvering of the camera to hear them again... It's extremely annoying.
I haven't encountered any game-breaking bugs and don't believe I will as I find myself pretty bored by this game already but what I did encounter is just annoying at best and hopefully will be resolved by a patch.
I like how my sims can go downtown or work easier.. That is pretty cool.. How I can follow them instead of seeing the loading screen or having them disappear all together. But it's pretty retarded that I cannot follow them into the stores stores that I cannot go into or help my sims interact with other sims while they are in the stores or even at work. To me that defeats the purpose. Also you can only load one house hold at a time. Each house hold has its own town.. Which makes it hard for two sims families to come together when their children marry later in life.. Also what is up with the way the pregnant sims walk????
I like the additional interactions with objects and books. The new triplets feature is cool too..
But even with the few cool things this game to me is a dud! I have since gone back to the sims 2. Maybe things will change as time goes on, maybe they will release an expansion pack that will cost another chunk of change that will fix the problems. But for now I would say stick with the sims 2..
I'll split this review into two pieces and won't go into crazy depth as those depths are covered elsewhere anyway. If you've played the previous Sims games, skip the next section. Otherwise, newbies, read on.
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New to the Sims Universe?
If you're new to the Sims Universe, the simple version is that you should just start here with Sims 3. A lot of the "updates" that were incorporated into this version are long needed and really enhance gameplay. The biggest problem we used to have was loading screens...constant loading screens. Those are gone so now the game is a lot more immersive.
You create and take control of a Sim which you can define with a number of traits and of course design from the ground up to look however you want. It's very RPG in the end but open-ended as you can follow any career or life path you want. Feel like creating an Evil slacker that mooches off the neighborhood? Go for it. Want to be the leader of the free world? By all means.
With a combination of skills you can learn/improve on (Cooking, Fishing, Logic, Charisma, and others), you gradually open up choices and opportunities. Speaking of which, as you progress through your sim life, you'll get opportunities which are essentially missions to undertake with rewards of money and other things tangible or intangible. These combined with random events (like grill-offs, or chess tournaments) are designed to get you out there interacting with other sims and advancing your sim. In the end, what happens is all up to you.
Your sims can eventually die (though you can turn this off) so you'll likely want to look at starting a family and progressing your family tree. This essentially means, the death of one character isn't the end of the game.
Now, this isn't a traditional RPG so you have to keep in mind that there are moments of boredom where you wait for something to happen (really that's only when your sim is at work). You can speed up time but for things like work, you're sitting around for a couple minutes waiting. Not terrible but it can become a drag at times. This combined with the needs for your sim (hunger, energy, etc.) which without help from lifetime rewards (rewards paid for with points you accumulate living your life) can sometimes leave you in a time management crunch. It's one of those things that you learn to deal with as you play but it can become tiresome after a while. Consider yourself warned.
There's also a huge community of people tossing up items, sims, and the like on the Sims Exchange online. EA's also got a store where you can buy more items, sims, lots, etc. for a price. The average item will cost you anywhere from 25-100 sim points. The exchange rate is $1 = 100 sim points. You can buy more points on the site. Just keep in mind that the bread and butter of this franchise is expansion packs and stuff packs which add features and content to the game every 6-9 months. You can either stash cash for these packs or just microtrans your way into a new car or new set of furniture that your sims can eventually buy.
All in all, though, the game is fun. There are interesting interactions and sometimes surprises. You have a lot of freedom which is great but if you're the type that really needs goals, unless you put your sim through the career paths offered in the game, you might find yourself bored with nothing to do. Yes, it's a bit like playing with a dollhouse but I look at it more like an open-ended RPG where you've got to kick your imagination into gear and have some fun playing around with your sim.
Take a look at the Sims 3 site () and watch some of the videos. If you like what you see, you'll probably have fun with this game. If you're a hard-core gamer, you're probably already steering clear of this game so you're good to go. :)
For newbies, I definitely don't recommend the Collector's Edition. Unless you really want that USB flash drive or the $10 of sim points (= 1000 sim points), it's not really worth the extra $20. The prima guide thing is ridiculously short and is more of a teaser to buy their full guide at 25% off. Ignore.
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Sim Veterans, stop here!
What can I say? No more of those damned loading screens! You start up (which is a bit faster than the Sims 2) and load a saved game (no more lot saves) which takes a lot less time to load than lot loads in Sims2.
Once you're in, you've basically got a big map of a town that you're looking at top-down. You can zoom in to the house level but have to switch to sim mode in order to see inside. Kind of stupid...should've been one continuous movement but this is what you get.
At the map level, you get SimCity (3000) style bubbles attached to landmarks that you can click to show the bubble menu (like when you click on a sim) and select actions related to those places. Once you get the hang of it (which doesn't take long) it's really nice not having to go through all the hassles of picking a lot to go to and waiting for loads. It's such a big deal, I can't tell you. One thing they also did was move some of the functions you might have done at home (like ordering groceries) into the logic place for those functions (grocery store).
The UI is still familiar because most things are in their original places but a lot of things have also changed. No more aspiration points or influence. Now, you've got lifetime wishes (essentially your lifetime aspiration) and one off wishes which are sort of like selectable wants. So, instead of the Vegas-style slots where you just got random wants you could achieve, now there's a box with the Sim's wishes that pop-up for a short time. You can add up to four wishes to the Sim's wish list and try to fulfill them for lifetime happiness points. These points are sort of like an amalgam of achievement points, lifetime reward points and whoknowswhat. These points are generated from wish fulfillment but also by just being in a good mood. They buy enhancements or one-off benefits for your sim like Steel Bladder (which eliminates decay on your Bladder meter). Interesting idea but we'll see if it works in the long run.
The other big thing is the traits system. Instead of the five traits (Shy vs Outgoing, etc.), there are a lot more individual traits of which your sim can have up to five. These can be positive or negative traits. If you grow a sim from a baby, the traits are randomly picked (though slanted based on the mother's traits). If you create a sim from scratch, you get to pick them. The traits work a lot like those Sims 2 traits in that they affect the way the Sim responds to events, other people, etc. and also infer bonuses. For instance, you can add the Bookworm trait to make it easier for you to learn from books. They're pretty interesting and definitely add to the color of the game.
What else? 45 degree angles on furniture placement, free movement to anywhere in town without a loading screen, new interactions--some of them based on your skills--and the ability to upgrade some furniture items. There is a lot to see and discover. There are a lot of good enhancements. When you're on the job, you can change your actions so you can slack off or work harder.
What's missing? Vacation homes, pets, apartments, loading screens, etc.
What's wrong? Here's a dumb idea...let's take the interaction to Call someone off your Sim and put it on the landline only. Or you can click into your inventory and select the phone and then finally call out where there isn't a phone handy.
The main problem: we're starting over again. You know we're going to start seeing expansion packs and stuff packs or something like that by Christmas. Sure there are somethings (like hobbies) which are largely included and there are a lot of little things to do as you explore careers and locations and start building your own towns. It still sucks that you can't have pets, can't do the apartment thing, and can't do vacation homes/trips. It always feels like we're getting used again.
Still, all the new changes (and it runs pretty smoothly despite those changes) definitely help take the bite out of that snub. I still can't tell you how great it is not to deal with lot management any more. When you head to work or head off to the neighbor's that first time and follow your sim around, it's beautiful.
What can I say? You have to buy it. I kept my Sims 2 install in place just in case but I seriously doubt I'll head back there any time soon. Give it a little time and I'm sure they'll put out an expansion to rectify some of those missing activities. Then it'll be time to uninstall the old and let all those packs collect dust.
What about the Collector's Edition? It's the same as the newbies. Unless you really want that USB key, it's not really worth the extra $20. The guide is anemic, the sports car is interesting but you'll be able to find something else on the Exchange eventually, and you can just buy $10 of sim points online. If you can find it discounted to the price of the regular game ($49) then it's probably worth the pick up but by then you'd have missed out on a lot of gaming fun.
UPDATE: A few people complained about bugs (babysitter running off with kids, storytelling toggle not working, etc.). EA just released an update for the game, 1.2.7. Fire up the game to download it. Release notes are here:
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I have been playing the Sims since the first incarnation, and purchased every single expansion. When Sims 2 came out, jumped right on that, and was thrilled and blown away by the game right from the get-go. Also bought every expansion pack for that game, too. When I heard about Sims 3, I seriously rolled my eyes and swore I wouldn't jump on the band wagon and get sucked into buying the game at all, envisioning the multitudes of expansion packs that would surely follow. After seeing the many videos and advertisements for Sims 3, I was blown away by what was shown, and I pre-ordered the game shortly after, even paying for Release Date Delivery.I should have stuck with my original intent of not getting the game. To say I am completely underwhelmed with this release would be an understatement. Let's start with the Sims 3 Collector's Edition pack. The extra $20 spent over the basic edition is hardly worth it. The "extras" listed are actually quite misleading in the wording, making it sound as if you get a lot more than you do. You have essentially spent $20 on a thumbdrive that is compleetly impractical to carry around with you. The sports car download has yet to actually work for me, although I have applied the code at least 4 times so far (that in itself is amazing, as usually any codes used are immediately void once used once). The $10 worth of Sims points is beyond ridiculous, because you will burn through that fairly quickly if you decide to get anything worthwhile. Everything on the Sims Store page is riduclously expensive, and it is quite obvious that EA has held back considerable content to trick players into blowing even more money. I, for one, will not be falling into THAT trap.
Now onto the meat of the matter. This game has been shipped out with a considerable number of bugs. If anyone has checked out and the foum over there, there are tons of people having any number of issues with installing and running the game. Granted, many of these issues may stem from players having computer systems that do not meet the minimum requirements listed. However, my system more than meets these requirements, and I had issues with my system even being able to recognize the game disc as being in the drive. After waiting 40 minutes on hold for a tech support person, I was pretty much told that they didn't know what was wrong, and asked me to attach a file from my computer in a reply to an email they sent. I was then asked to send the SAME file no less than three times, but no solutions were ever forthcoming. Thankfully, my roommate is a computer tech himself, and was able to move some stuff around in the computer itself to get the game to work. Please note, this is the ONLY game I have ever had to do this with. Yeah, it could have been my setup causing the issue, but it just seems odd to me that this is the only game this has ever happened with. Moving along...
So after fighting all night on release day, I finally get to check out the game the next day. The quality of the game itself is just utterly poor; in fact, for a game released in this day and age, it borders on embarassing. The opening video quality was just terrible. It's the same video that's been played on youtube.com for some time... and it looks JUST like it. The quality is grainy as hell, and is a poor representation of what this supposed leap forward in graphics has been hyped to be. The Sims themselves are disappointing to the extreme. The advertisments all claim that you can create millions of unique, REALISTIC Sims. The Sims Creator in Sims 2 blows the Sims 3 out of the water. Every Sim I made looks like a freaking Muppet, and it's not because I don't know how to use the editor. There are maybe 10-12 harstyles for the men, each one more hideous than the last one. I did like the ability to assign 5 key personality traits to the Sim, but that is hardly a ringing endorsement on an otherwise lackluster release.
I didn't really get a chance to play around with the house building tools, but have been seeing that unlike before, where you could place a lot and then start building a house, you now either have to build onto an existing house, or plop a lot, move a Sim in, then build with the Sims remaining money. Hardly a selling point to folks like myself who actually prefer the game just for building and decorating.
I will give a kudos for the ability to change the pattern and color on clothes, walls, floors, and objects. I think that does add a degree of flexability to the game. However, unlike in Sims 2, where you had one item in the list, and clicking that item showed you the other colors available, each time you recolor an object and save it, it's added as an additional item in the list (at leats, that's what I saw. I could be wrong). Seems like that would get confusing very quickly.
The Sims 3 could have been a great game, if it even came close to living up to the hype of EA's marketing. At this point, the game is easily outclassed by The Sims 2's base game release. Too much has been withheld from the Sims 3 base game to make it enjoyable, and I am somewhat dubious as to just how much improvement will be seen from the mulitudes of expansion packs to follow. I personally wish I had waited, or better yet, stuck with my original intent to avoid another Sims franchise.
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With all the hype surrounding this game, I had high hopes for it as a Sims fan since the original. I should have learned my lesson from 'Simcity Societies' and 'Spore'. This game is mediocre at best and vastly inferior to its predecessor.For one thing, there has been pretty much zero improvement in terms of graphics. The graphics are about the same as Sims 2, and where they differ, 2 usually looks better than 3. The sims in this game all look fat and deformed and there's nothing you can do about it with the primitive version of "Create A Sim" they included. The level of realism is a downgrade. Animations for sims getting into cars or getting bottles out of the fridge for babies are gone: instead they just magically appear. The interface is also clunky and counter-intuitive.
The game was released filled with bugs and, in some ways, just plain broken. Many people have problems with the game speed controls not functioning properly, and the Story Progression toggle, a major game feature, doesn't work at all. If you switch to play another family (which the game makes difficult to do to begin with), don't be surprised if your original family loses their inventory, spawns random babies (even single males), or moves out completely after all the work you put in with them.
As for the game play, the seamless neighborhood was a good idea, but executed poorly. You can't go into most of the buildings anyway. The fact that you can't see into something as simple as a one-floor diner suggests that this was a deliberate move by EA to ensure more expansion pack sales down the road. That and traits, the only other notable new feature, are okay, but seriously do not justify a brand new $70 game.
And lastly, the amount of content included is truly pitiful. Not surprising considering the launch of EA's new "Sims 3 Store" to rip people off. Looking for basic Sims items like a piano, diving board, or changing table? Not going to find it here. The game was deliberately crippled to sell more junk on their store.
That fact was made more apparent by the large amount of content already available on the "Sims 3 Store" on release day, content that would cost hundreds of dollars to buy altogetherhuh, we just paid $50-70 on a new game, content that was ready should have been included in the game in the first place! Not like there was a whole lot in the game to begin with that could somewhat justify this practice. To add insult to injury, prices are ridiculously high as well. $20 for one furniture set?
Also God forbid EA include previous expansion pack content so they would actually have to INNOVATE for new expansions. Instead we'll get the predictable Pets, Vacation, Nightlife, etc. lineup, dropping $30+ each to regain features we lost with the sequel.
And to the sycophantic EA defenders, drop all that "this is only the base game!" nonsense. After dropping $70 on a game, I shouldn't have to spend a single penny more to have a game that at least feels complete. Having major features broken, especially after the four-month release delay, is just lazy. The lack of polish and the bare-bones amount of content included is embarrassing for a costly AAA title. EA needs money, so it thinks it can squeeze its customers for all they're worth with dirty tricks. Well I'm not buying anymore.
I feel bad giving a Sim title 1 star, but I just can't fathom giving it any higher, at least until (and if!) EA addresses the issues. Major disappointment!
Honest reviews on The Sims 3 Collector's Edition - PC
The Sims 2 was a direct, undeniable sequel to the Sims that took everything from the base Sims game and added onto it. The Sims 3 feels much less like a direct sequel but an off-shoot of the series, more like a console version of the game but done right.That said, considering the new gameplay experiences the game itself as a new incarnation of the Sims would be good but I can't help but feel there is much missing from the previous version.
For starters, you're buying a game with content withheld. You don't have a hot tub or even that many appealing hairstyles because EA decided to withhold these items from the game to coerce you to spend more money immediately after purchasing the game on their website. Additionally, you aren't only unnecessarily spending money for content that should've shipped with the game but you are forced to install the EA Download Manager which is how EA will infect your computer with their invasive Securom virus. While some may argue this unfair practice is A-okay, it's not, and as a consumer you should be appalled and find this absolutely unacceptable.
Secondly, the create-a-sim is extremely disappointing. Based on the ground game of S2 and S3 I found the customization tool in 2 to be far more advanced allowing greater customization. I'm sure in time as the community releases custom content we may have a greater degree of power in customizing our Sims to our likings but from the getgo I found the Sims 2 to be far superior. The only real improvement with 3 is the personalities and how we can tailor them.
Thirdly, the UI... I find the UI to be extremely tacky looking and I loathe the way the job requirements look (A smiley face, for reals?!!?). I can't help but feel EA has undermined the intelligence of those of us who play The Sims. When I first went into Buy mode I was taken aback by how the items are listed by "room" but fortunately you can switch to a category view, however, in Build mode you cannot... The listing of categories in Build mode is little pictures of the wall/fence/roof/etc... Very tacky and annoying and an insult to the intelligence of Sims players.
Less Realistic: Sims no longer visit the fridge to get a baby bottle, they magically swipe it from behind their back and diapers magically vanish in thin air... Rather upsetting at first but considering you can take your baby around town it makes sense (You don't want diapers all over the streets). However, you can call a repairman at any time and he'll be over within an hour. In previous Sims he'll be over the next day which is far more realistic. Children also can't call for repairs or even delivery anymore.
The graphics are far less realistic as well. I feel the Sims look very cartoony as does the entire town in comparison to the Sims 2. In 2 everything looked far more detailed and realistic where as in 3 it looks cartoony, dumbed down and far less realistic. Back to customizing your character, it's impossible to get a decently built male Sim without an oversize neck and it's impossible to get a female Sim with a proportionate bust-size without being obese, this was not the case in 2.
Overall I'm extremely disappointed in the game as I can't help but feel they took away too much. The only obvious improvement is the open town and the personalities but it certainly doesn't make up for what is missing. Also, the heinous practices of EA are unacceptable. Withholding content to charge consumers after paying a premium price (Would be okay if there was a price break in the game itself but at the regular price... No). Also, if you have to do reinstalls good luck trying to replace whatever you bought from EA's store, it's never as simple as claimed.
I would probably issue this game a 2 or 3 star rating but considering all the kool-aid drinkers that are just going to 5 star it blindly I'd prefer to even out the rating some. Nonetheless, the actions of EA easily warrant no stars or a call to boycott until it hits the sales bin.
It should also be known you can only have ONE active household in your town. You can switch to another home but it's almost like having to remove the battery from your cell phone just to switch memory cards, a hassle. You also lose wishes/promises when you switch so it's not at all as easy as it should be.
BUGS: I've experienced two freezes where I had to manually turn off my computer and one crash to desktop, all three incidents were pretty much isolated and not something I would say I fear from the game as I do believe they were attributed to a particular driver that when changed seemed to have resolved the problem.
There is an issue in sound, major issue. For one, 5.1 does not work, at least not for me. I get sound out of the three front speakers, mostly the middle, and that's it. Only when switching to stereo or using my speakers upmixing do I get "surround" which then sounds crappy. Also, an even greater issue, the music in Buy and Build mode sometimes does not play whatsoever which makes you feel very lonely and empty when building/decorating. An even greater issue is the sound cutting out when in Live mode. There are times when two Sims are talking and their voices just cut out and it takes some dramatic maneuvering of the camera to hear them again... It's extremely annoying.
I haven't encountered any game-breaking bugs and don't believe I will as I find myself pretty bored by this game already but what I did encounter is just annoying at best and hopefully will be resolved by a patch.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for The Sims 3 Collector's Edition - PC
I have been addicted to the sims since the original game. I moved on to the sims 2 when it was released and purchased all of the expansion and most of the object packages along the way. So it was a no brainer for me to pre-order this game.. And I have to say I am completely disappointed. I have a quad core PC with plenty of ram and a decent graphics card. But the game is a bit dodgy even on my system. No longer can the direction of the mouse dictate where your view goes you actually have to click and drag now for the screen to move. It is a HUGE annoyance for anyone who played the other games. All of my sims look the same.. The faces are all round and they have chicken gullets. I have tried numerous times to get rid of those using the sims editor and no luck.. The color changing option is cool but it is a daunting task to change EVERY piece of furniture to match or coordinate using this feature.I like how my sims can go downtown or work easier.. That is pretty cool.. How I can follow them instead of seeing the loading screen or having them disappear all together. But it's pretty retarded that I cannot follow them into the stores stores that I cannot go into or help my sims interact with other sims while they are in the stores or even at work. To me that defeats the purpose. Also you can only load one house hold at a time. Each house hold has its own town.. Which makes it hard for two sims families to come together when their children marry later in life.. Also what is up with the way the pregnant sims walk????
I like the additional interactions with objects and books. The new triplets feature is cool too..
But even with the few cool things this game to me is a dud! I have since gone back to the sims 2. Maybe things will change as time goes on, maybe they will release an expansion pack that will cost another chunk of change that will fix the problems. But for now I would say stick with the sims 2..
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Discount NVIDIA SHIELD 16GB
You may have read other reviews about the Nvidia Shield before making it here to mine. What you'll see other reviewer's saying is that the Nvidia Shield is a nitch item. I'd have to agree with this claim. Its primarily a device to play your PC games on, and you have to own a lot of high-end hardware to use it properly. Let's talk about the requirements and about how it performs outside of the requirements.
So the Shield requires a modern gaming PC with at least a GTX 650 Video Card. If you have a lower 6 series or a 5/4 series, this will not work for you. And even if you have the bare minimum GTX 650, keep in mind that this card is not powerful enough to run many modern games on maxed out settings. So this will have an impact on how things look on the Shield (from a quality perspective). I am personally using a 4 GB GDDR5 GTX 680 in my rig, so keep in mind that what I'm saying is based on my experiences with that card. So having a very powerful PC is one half of the Shield equation. The other half is having a very high-end robust network. Nvidia recommends that you use a dual-band router capable of 5 Ghz. They also have a list of routers that are directly supported for PC Game Streaming (of which the Apple Airport Express 2nd Gen is the cheapest). I have personally tested the shield on several routers. It is possible to stream your PC games over a 2.4 Ghz frequency. However, there are a lot of considerations that will impact that sort of performance. If you live out in the middle of nowhere with no other nearby networks and paper-thin walls, then 2.4 Ghz may be enough for you. For me, I experienced about a 30 foot radius from my router where 2.4 Ghz was doable. Going farther way than that disconnected my session. I also get a noticeable amount of artifacting on the Shield's screen when streaming over 2.4 Ghz.
So the short answer is that it may be possible to use the Shield for PC gaming without a 5 Ghz router. Just realize that you'll be taking a risk if you buy it without the right kind of network to back it up. For me performance over 5 Ghz has been flawless. I'm using a Western Digital My Net N900 Router and I haven't had a single issue (other than range). 5 Ghz has a much lower range compared to 2.4 Ghz, so keep in mind that you may have to install repeaters or access points in your house to maintain game-level performance in all areas of the house.
So as far as PC Streaming goes, the question will be whether it is worth it. There is also not a direct answer to this. There are some unofficial things that you can do with the Shield such as connecting it to a VPN for gaming outside of your network. Nvidia is also working on adding functionality to play any PC game on the Shield. Right now the Shield only supports games that have included controller support. They will be adding the option to use programs like Xpadder or Pinnacle Game Profiler so that you can setup any game to work on the Shield's controller. So depending on your existing game library or your budget for buying games, this may be a serious thing to think about (The Shield's only good if you can play your favorite stuff on it, right?). When you do have the correct equipment, playing PC games on the Shield is amazing! I love having the ability to take my PC gaming to any room of the house (we just converted our garage to a lounge for my wife, and now I can sit there and play games with her). The controls feel solid, the sound is amazing, and the built-in microphone allows you to chat with people while you play. So if you're someone that already has the computer hardware and network to use the Shield, this may be an easier question to answer. However, if your computer is not up to spec, or if your network is not fast enough, then this becomes a deeper question. It takes a considerable investment to have the hardware to play PC games on the Shield. You'll have to REALLY want to play games on the Shield to spend the average $750 that it costs to get a computer and network upgraded to use it. For me it was definitely worth it, but I already had the computer and network to use the Shield, so my only cost was the $299 that the Shield goes for. I also already have 60+ games in my Steam Library that have built-in controller support. That's a pretty good launch list of titles.
So with the PC part clarified, let's talk about the other stuff that the Shield can do. One of the big things right off the bat is the ability to play emulators on it. I've personally played N64, PSX, SNES, NES, GBA, and Genesis on mine. This has been a really awesome experience. One cool thing that you may not know about the Shield is that the micro-usb port on the back can do a lot of stuff. I plugged in a micro-to-usb adapter and then connected a 4-port usb hub. I have 2 PS3 controllers, a wireless 360 controller, and a USB SNES gamepad all plugged in at the same time. And yes, they all show up as separate controllers for split screen gaming. And I finish this off by plugging my Shield via mini-HDMI to HDMI to my TV. It's like playing the original consoles, but better! Everything is very smooth and the graphics look great on the big screen. You can map the controls individually to each controller. So that's pretty awesome.
The third side of the Shield is the Android part. For me, this is probably the most disappointing side of the Shield. It's not that the Shield doesn't have the power to play any Android game out there, its that hardly anything supports the Shield's controller. There are a select group of "enhanced" titles in the Shield store, but many core titles are not available. One big thing that is missing is support for the majority of Gameloft's games. Certain titles sort of work like Modern Combat 4 and NOVA 3, but not all controls work. The only Gameloft title to date that works flawlessly with the Shield's controller is Asphalt 8. So Android gaming tends to be a bit underwhelming. Hopefully this will be something that gets dramatically better as developers become more aware of the Shield, but as of now there isn't much there for it.
So as a standalone device, the only really good thing about the Shield is emulators. There are several people on the Nvidia forums that bought it strictly as an emulator device. If you're looking at it as the next big Android platform, that's not happening as of yet.
Anyway, hopefully that gives you a bit of information to go off of. Feel free to ask me any questions that you may have about the Shield. I'll do my best to answer them for you.
The Shield is an emulation powerhouse and is the best device on the market today for playing classic games either on the go or connected to a TV. Pandora and the Xperia Play deserve honorable mention and the XP fills its niche as a much smaller device.
Build quality is apparently excellent and the unit is very solid. I don't love the small size of the screen relative to the bezel size, it looks a bit silly and is wasted real estate. I can't help but envy the Archos Gamepad and Wikipad for the larger screens on some level, even if they are using inferior hardware. The unit is also heavy but manageable at roughly 20 ounces, which is up is about twice a PS Vita or 3 times more than an Xperia Play. The speakers are very loud and reasonably clear, but I find it lacks low end. There is also no physical menu button which is a huge problem for some programs, like making it impossible to save in ScummVM. I also find the R1 and L1 buttons to be uncomfortably small. But I'm nitpicking; the Shield is a very cool device for anyone and a marvelous device for emulation enthusiasts. This must trump the Pandora as the ultimate handheld emulation console. If you love Retroarch on your phone then you'll love it even more on the Shield.
I haven't been able to test PC streaming because I have an ATI card in my gaming rig, but the reports are positive and improvements in the beat streaming program are forthcoming.
Pros: high build quality
High quality screen with excellent viewing angles
Emulation powerhouse. Get Retroarch and a few other emulators and you're good to go.
Strong hinge
Really nice analogs
Controls are comfortable but not PS3/Xbox360 comfortable. 8/10 I'd say. Everything's a compromise.
Fair price for the hardware
Just about the most powerful Android device you can buy today
Stock Android Jellybean unencumbered by bloatware. Thanks Nvidia.
Speakers are very loud and surprisingly clear but lack a satisfying low end for all their volume. Can pass for a boom box in a pinch.
Battery life so far seems very good.
Cons: Styling is not for me. Alienware-alike. The stock grey "shield" insert is very gaudy to me, it should of been matte black. Or even just have a Nvidia logo on it. It just looks bizarre, plain and out of place.
Only 780p video output through the HDMI, this will supposedly be upgraded through firmware in the future. Still..
L1 and R1 buttons are lousy, being too small and too awkward to access. Ugh.
Button travel on the ABXY buttons is excessive imo.
Heavy
No menu button
Screen could and should be larger. Bezel is huge for a modern device. For something this bulky, which will never fit in a normal pocket, it seems like you may as well have a 7 inch screen. 5 inches is lacking.
Uses the less popular and less affordable mini HDMI for no reason, instead of the better micro HDMI that all phones use
Non user replaceable batteries.
Packaging is needlessly flashy and probably expensive. In a day of asinine unboxing videos I guess it matters, but I'd rather of had an included mini HDMI cable for that expense.
Nvidia is a good company. I learned that they recently gave several Shields to the open-source Libretro project, and that earned them alot of my respect.
Some will compare this to the Vita or 3DS and call it expensive. Consider that the Vita outdoes the 3DS spec wise, while the shield is 4 times faster than the Vita IIRC and has 4 times the ram with a better screen and most importantly it runs ANDROID, an OPEN operating system. It's your device, not Sony's or Nintendo's. You decide what goes on it and what it can do. You do not lived in a walled garden. I would never, ever buy a 3DS or PS Vita while the Sony Xperia Play is only about $50 used and the amazing new Shield is so reasonable.
Buy buy buy. Totally awesome pice of kit.
I look forward to an updated model with a larger screen, light weight, and maybe a menu button for legacy software and forcing the keyboard to come up, a function I deeply miss.
Edit: hinge has gone noisy...
Hardware: tough like a tank
Battery: iPadish = lasts forever
Controls: Tight and well made
This thing is awesome and does everything and more that I ever wanted to do. Nice choice running vanilla Android OS 4.3...
Streaming: I have a GTX 780 so it may be different with lower end cards, but WOW!! No detectable lag streaming high end games like Skyrim, Borderlands 2, etc... Any Steam game that supports a controller rocks on this thing. If you've not looked at streaming capability on shield since it was in beta, now that it is live, it really is nice.
Size: many people put this in the negative side, but it has full size controls which is a dream when actually using the Shield.
neutral: I thought I was going to hate the recessed analog controls, but I don't hate them. They are fine, don't bother me in the slightest. Actually, after playing shield, it makes my Xbox 360 controller analog sticks feel too high LOL!!
The I wish was different parts:
-Screen-resolution is fine, but wish it was slightly bigger like 7"
-Size: it is big, so not as portable, but I've listed this as a good thing too
-weight: well it is heavy, but not been an issue, I'll gladly take the weight for the massive battery life it has.
-wish the screen disconnected or tethered from the body somehow, but that would make it more complex and less tough, so not sure I'd give that up to be able to remove the screen.
In whole, I am blown away by the shield. It is far and away the best handheld console on the market today. Easy enough for anyone to enjoy, and has all the open capabilities any gadgeteer would drool over. Also Tegra4 = awesome!!
BTW: you can even connect Bluetooth controllers to it, hook to a TV with HDMI and use it like a gaming console for Steam or any game.. !!!!!!!
Looking forward: Nvidia as promised is hammering out the updates on the shield and making it better and better every couple of weeks or so..
The controls are accurate and solid, the battery life superb, the screen is bright and clear, the pack in games are great, my Antutu benchmark is 38.000!
And its a "Vanilla Android" experience. There is no re-screened interface like Samsung, and others do. And constant and reliable updates from Nvidia. No wondering when YOU will get the next system update, unlike most non Nexus Android phones.
Its no replacement for a tablet, it is more than capable of tablet functions, but ergonomically its pure gaming. Fast with solid wireless and bluetooth.
I use this device primarily to play roms, and images from my library of Imported Japanese PS1 games, and I'm very happy I bought it. I don't think anyone else can touch it. I'd been looking for quite a while at nameless, non brand Chinese "gamepads" that had weak hardware and flimsy controls, and was about to give in and try one when this came along.
"Edited to remove complaints about the former price gouging"
Four months later, its still going strong, updates have only improved it, and with its new gamepad mapper software, many games that didn't have controller support now do. PewPew with dual joysticks is great! I still suggest it 100%, no regrets at all.
I knew what I was getting into before I bought the product. Although the streaming play was something I had no problem setting up (I meet all the requirements and then some) I had no real interest in that. They say that streaming play is the major selling point of this device... okay, I understand the draw of streaming play, but they really need to recheck their demographic. Of course, I guess that can't just say "emulation powerhouse."
Yes, yes, I know playing old Nintendo games is dull. Except it isn't. Aside from the nostalgia factor, many of those older games have more gameplay packed in one level than some modern games do. "But, you can buy a PS Vita and emulate!" Yes, sure you can, or you can buy a system that is unlocked already and use the emulators that are right there in the play store. "Why not just get a cheap laptop?" Why would I want to carry around a laptop and controller everywhere I go? I tend to be on the road a lot I need something to enjoy along the way (not while driving of course I might wind up running someone over again.)
If you can imagine the catalog of Nintendo games that one can carry in a very small space, you've got enough gameplay to last a lifetime (or until your battery runs out.) We're talking approximately 759 games released in the U.S. alone. Granted, you'd probably not play half of those, but if you've got some favorites, go for it.
That's not counting SNES and all the wonderful games on that, N64 (although emulation offerings for that didn't really float my boat), Gameboy / Color / Advance, Nintendo DS, PlayStation, PSP, Sega Master System, Sega Genesis, etc... That's a huge library of games on one little device that you can take anywhere. Throw in some movies, some android games, etc... and you're doing pretty good.
Speaking of android games, although I didn't get this for android games, many of the games in the shield store are actually quite good. Some are definitely handheld good (as in something released on PS Vita or 3DS,) and some are almost console good. Yes, there's a small library, but if you're buying this just for android gaming, maybe you're in a demographic that even I can't relate to.
Anyway, what this system does it does very well, and I can honestly say it is the most powerful tablet I've ever owned. I have seen no slowdown whatsoever on even some of my more demanding emulated titles (PSP and DS for instance), and have seen none on games I've seen slow down considerably even on other tegra tablets. The system is clean when you get it, coming without all the crapware that most tablets come with. It has a great battery life. A lot of people complain about heaviness, but I haven't really noticed. It is also very self-supporting, and feels solid when using its base as a stand for media. I have had no problems with it whatsoever, and everything has been easy.
For those who ARE interested in streaming, I've been getting 60fps on my games consistently since NVidia's latest update. And they have been updating it quite regularly.
So the Shield requires a modern gaming PC with at least a GTX 650 Video Card. If you have a lower 6 series or a 5/4 series, this will not work for you. And even if you have the bare minimum GTX 650, keep in mind that this card is not powerful enough to run many modern games on maxed out settings. So this will have an impact on how things look on the Shield (from a quality perspective). I am personally using a 4 GB GDDR5 GTX 680 in my rig, so keep in mind that what I'm saying is based on my experiences with that card. So having a very powerful PC is one half of the Shield equation. The other half is having a very high-end robust network. Nvidia recommends that you use a dual-band router capable of 5 Ghz. They also have a list of routers that are directly supported for PC Game Streaming (of which the Apple Airport Express 2nd Gen is the cheapest). I have personally tested the shield on several routers. It is possible to stream your PC games over a 2.4 Ghz frequency. However, there are a lot of considerations that will impact that sort of performance. If you live out in the middle of nowhere with no other nearby networks and paper-thin walls, then 2.4 Ghz may be enough for you. For me, I experienced about a 30 foot radius from my router where 2.4 Ghz was doable. Going farther way than that disconnected my session. I also get a noticeable amount of artifacting on the Shield's screen when streaming over 2.4 Ghz.
So the short answer is that it may be possible to use the Shield for PC gaming without a 5 Ghz router. Just realize that you'll be taking a risk if you buy it without the right kind of network to back it up. For me performance over 5 Ghz has been flawless. I'm using a Western Digital My Net N900 Router and I haven't had a single issue (other than range). 5 Ghz has a much lower range compared to 2.4 Ghz, so keep in mind that you may have to install repeaters or access points in your house to maintain game-level performance in all areas of the house.
So as far as PC Streaming goes, the question will be whether it is worth it. There is also not a direct answer to this. There are some unofficial things that you can do with the Shield such as connecting it to a VPN for gaming outside of your network. Nvidia is also working on adding functionality to play any PC game on the Shield. Right now the Shield only supports games that have included controller support. They will be adding the option to use programs like Xpadder or Pinnacle Game Profiler so that you can setup any game to work on the Shield's controller. So depending on your existing game library or your budget for buying games, this may be a serious thing to think about (The Shield's only good if you can play your favorite stuff on it, right?). When you do have the correct equipment, playing PC games on the Shield is amazing! I love having the ability to take my PC gaming to any room of the house (we just converted our garage to a lounge for my wife, and now I can sit there and play games with her). The controls feel solid, the sound is amazing, and the built-in microphone allows you to chat with people while you play. So if you're someone that already has the computer hardware and network to use the Shield, this may be an easier question to answer. However, if your computer is not up to spec, or if your network is not fast enough, then this becomes a deeper question. It takes a considerable investment to have the hardware to play PC games on the Shield. You'll have to REALLY want to play games on the Shield to spend the average $750 that it costs to get a computer and network upgraded to use it. For me it was definitely worth it, but I already had the computer and network to use the Shield, so my only cost was the $299 that the Shield goes for. I also already have 60+ games in my Steam Library that have built-in controller support. That's a pretty good launch list of titles.
So with the PC part clarified, let's talk about the other stuff that the Shield can do. One of the big things right off the bat is the ability to play emulators on it. I've personally played N64, PSX, SNES, NES, GBA, and Genesis on mine. This has been a really awesome experience. One cool thing that you may not know about the Shield is that the micro-usb port on the back can do a lot of stuff. I plugged in a micro-to-usb adapter and then connected a 4-port usb hub. I have 2 PS3 controllers, a wireless 360 controller, and a USB SNES gamepad all plugged in at the same time. And yes, they all show up as separate controllers for split screen gaming. And I finish this off by plugging my Shield via mini-HDMI to HDMI to my TV. It's like playing the original consoles, but better! Everything is very smooth and the graphics look great on the big screen. You can map the controls individually to each controller. So that's pretty awesome.
The third side of the Shield is the Android part. For me, this is probably the most disappointing side of the Shield. It's not that the Shield doesn't have the power to play any Android game out there, its that hardly anything supports the Shield's controller. There are a select group of "enhanced" titles in the Shield store, but many core titles are not available. One big thing that is missing is support for the majority of Gameloft's games. Certain titles sort of work like Modern Combat 4 and NOVA 3, but not all controls work. The only Gameloft title to date that works flawlessly with the Shield's controller is Asphalt 8. So Android gaming tends to be a bit underwhelming. Hopefully this will be something that gets dramatically better as developers become more aware of the Shield, but as of now there isn't much there for it.
So as a standalone device, the only really good thing about the Shield is emulators. There are several people on the Nvidia forums that bought it strictly as an emulator device. If you're looking at it as the next big Android platform, that's not happening as of yet.
Anyway, hopefully that gives you a bit of information to go off of. Feel free to ask me any questions that you may have about the Shield. I'll do my best to answer them for you.
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4.5/5 and worth its purchase price all day long. The RETAIL purchase price, not the inflated price asked by these resellers.The Shield is an emulation powerhouse and is the best device on the market today for playing classic games either on the go or connected to a TV. Pandora and the Xperia Play deserve honorable mention and the XP fills its niche as a much smaller device.
Build quality is apparently excellent and the unit is very solid. I don't love the small size of the screen relative to the bezel size, it looks a bit silly and is wasted real estate. I can't help but envy the Archos Gamepad and Wikipad for the larger screens on some level, even if they are using inferior hardware. The unit is also heavy but manageable at roughly 20 ounces, which is up is about twice a PS Vita or 3 times more than an Xperia Play. The speakers are very loud and reasonably clear, but I find it lacks low end. There is also no physical menu button which is a huge problem for some programs, like making it impossible to save in ScummVM. I also find the R1 and L1 buttons to be uncomfortably small. But I'm nitpicking; the Shield is a very cool device for anyone and a marvelous device for emulation enthusiasts. This must trump the Pandora as the ultimate handheld emulation console. If you love Retroarch on your phone then you'll love it even more on the Shield.
I haven't been able to test PC streaming because I have an ATI card in my gaming rig, but the reports are positive and improvements in the beat streaming program are forthcoming.
Pros: high build quality
High quality screen with excellent viewing angles
Emulation powerhouse. Get Retroarch and a few other emulators and you're good to go.
Strong hinge
Really nice analogs
Controls are comfortable but not PS3/Xbox360 comfortable. 8/10 I'd say. Everything's a compromise.
Fair price for the hardware
Just about the most powerful Android device you can buy today
Stock Android Jellybean unencumbered by bloatware. Thanks Nvidia.
Speakers are very loud and surprisingly clear but lack a satisfying low end for all their volume. Can pass for a boom box in a pinch.
Battery life so far seems very good.
Cons: Styling is not for me. Alienware-alike. The stock grey "shield" insert is very gaudy to me, it should of been matte black. Or even just have a Nvidia logo on it. It just looks bizarre, plain and out of place.
Only 780p video output through the HDMI, this will supposedly be upgraded through firmware in the future. Still..
L1 and R1 buttons are lousy, being too small and too awkward to access. Ugh.
Button travel on the ABXY buttons is excessive imo.
Heavy
No menu button
Screen could and should be larger. Bezel is huge for a modern device. For something this bulky, which will never fit in a normal pocket, it seems like you may as well have a 7 inch screen. 5 inches is lacking.
Uses the less popular and less affordable mini HDMI for no reason, instead of the better micro HDMI that all phones use
Non user replaceable batteries.
Packaging is needlessly flashy and probably expensive. In a day of asinine unboxing videos I guess it matters, but I'd rather of had an included mini HDMI cable for that expense.
Nvidia is a good company. I learned that they recently gave several Shields to the open-source Libretro project, and that earned them alot of my respect.
Some will compare this to the Vita or 3DS and call it expensive. Consider that the Vita outdoes the 3DS spec wise, while the shield is 4 times faster than the Vita IIRC and has 4 times the ram with a better screen and most importantly it runs ANDROID, an OPEN operating system. It's your device, not Sony's or Nintendo's. You decide what goes on it and what it can do. You do not lived in a walled garden. I would never, ever buy a 3DS or PS Vita while the Sony Xperia Play is only about $50 used and the amazing new Shield is so reasonable.
Buy buy buy. Totally awesome pice of kit.
I look forward to an updated model with a larger screen, light weight, and maybe a menu button for legacy software and forcing the keyboard to come up, a function I deeply miss.
Edit: hinge has gone noisy...
Best Deals for NVIDIA SHIELD 16GB
The Excellent:Hardware: tough like a tank
Battery: iPadish = lasts forever
Controls: Tight and well made
This thing is awesome and does everything and more that I ever wanted to do. Nice choice running vanilla Android OS 4.3...
Streaming: I have a GTX 780 so it may be different with lower end cards, but WOW!! No detectable lag streaming high end games like Skyrim, Borderlands 2, etc... Any Steam game that supports a controller rocks on this thing. If you've not looked at streaming capability on shield since it was in beta, now that it is live, it really is nice.
Size: many people put this in the negative side, but it has full size controls which is a dream when actually using the Shield.
neutral: I thought I was going to hate the recessed analog controls, but I don't hate them. They are fine, don't bother me in the slightest. Actually, after playing shield, it makes my Xbox 360 controller analog sticks feel too high LOL!!
The I wish was different parts:
-Screen-resolution is fine, but wish it was slightly bigger like 7"
-Size: it is big, so not as portable, but I've listed this as a good thing too
-weight: well it is heavy, but not been an issue, I'll gladly take the weight for the massive battery life it has.
-wish the screen disconnected or tethered from the body somehow, but that would make it more complex and less tough, so not sure I'd give that up to be able to remove the screen.
In whole, I am blown away by the shield. It is far and away the best handheld console on the market today. Easy enough for anyone to enjoy, and has all the open capabilities any gadgeteer would drool over. Also Tegra4 = awesome!!
BTW: you can even connect Bluetooth controllers to it, hook to a TV with HDMI and use it like a gaming console for Steam or any game.. !!!!!!!
Looking forward: Nvidia as promised is hammering out the updates on the shield and making it better and better every couple of weeks or so..
Honest reviews on NVIDIA SHIELD 16GB
I bought an Nvidia Shield. As a confirmed Apple Geek I'm probably not the intended market for this, especially considering I don't own a PC for game streaming and don't intend to. But as a handheld gaming system its great!The controls are accurate and solid, the battery life superb, the screen is bright and clear, the pack in games are great, my Antutu benchmark is 38.000!
And its a "Vanilla Android" experience. There is no re-screened interface like Samsung, and others do. And constant and reliable updates from Nvidia. No wondering when YOU will get the next system update, unlike most non Nexus Android phones.
Its no replacement for a tablet, it is more than capable of tablet functions, but ergonomically its pure gaming. Fast with solid wireless and bluetooth.
I use this device primarily to play roms, and images from my library of Imported Japanese PS1 games, and I'm very happy I bought it. I don't think anyone else can touch it. I'd been looking for quite a while at nameless, non brand Chinese "gamepads" that had weak hardware and flimsy controls, and was about to give in and try one when this came along.
"Edited to remove complaints about the former price gouging"
Four months later, its still going strong, updates have only improved it, and with its new gamepad mapper software, many games that didn't have controller support now do. PewPew with dual joysticks is great! I still suggest it 100%, no regrets at all.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for NVIDIA SHIELD 16GB
... and I've had a few. Over the years, I have owned the Gameboy, Gameboy color, Gameboy advance, DS, 3DS, PSP, PS Vita, and the Caanoo. The only game console that ever came close to the enjoyment I received from this was the Caanoo.I knew what I was getting into before I bought the product. Although the streaming play was something I had no problem setting up (I meet all the requirements and then some) I had no real interest in that. They say that streaming play is the major selling point of this device... okay, I understand the draw of streaming play, but they really need to recheck their demographic. Of course, I guess that can't just say "emulation powerhouse."
Yes, yes, I know playing old Nintendo games is dull. Except it isn't. Aside from the nostalgia factor, many of those older games have more gameplay packed in one level than some modern games do. "But, you can buy a PS Vita and emulate!" Yes, sure you can, or you can buy a system that is unlocked already and use the emulators that are right there in the play store. "Why not just get a cheap laptop?" Why would I want to carry around a laptop and controller everywhere I go? I tend to be on the road a lot I need something to enjoy along the way (not while driving of course I might wind up running someone over again.)
If you can imagine the catalog of Nintendo games that one can carry in a very small space, you've got enough gameplay to last a lifetime (or until your battery runs out.) We're talking approximately 759 games released in the U.S. alone. Granted, you'd probably not play half of those, but if you've got some favorites, go for it.
That's not counting SNES and all the wonderful games on that, N64 (although emulation offerings for that didn't really float my boat), Gameboy / Color / Advance, Nintendo DS, PlayStation, PSP, Sega Master System, Sega Genesis, etc... That's a huge library of games on one little device that you can take anywhere. Throw in some movies, some android games, etc... and you're doing pretty good.
Speaking of android games, although I didn't get this for android games, many of the games in the shield store are actually quite good. Some are definitely handheld good (as in something released on PS Vita or 3DS,) and some are almost console good. Yes, there's a small library, but if you're buying this just for android gaming, maybe you're in a demographic that even I can't relate to.
Anyway, what this system does it does very well, and I can honestly say it is the most powerful tablet I've ever owned. I have seen no slowdown whatsoever on even some of my more demanding emulated titles (PSP and DS for instance), and have seen none on games I've seen slow down considerably even on other tegra tablets. The system is clean when you get it, coming without all the crapware that most tablets come with. It has a great battery life. A lot of people complain about heaviness, but I haven't really noticed. It is also very self-supporting, and feels solid when using its base as a stand for media. I have had no problems with it whatsoever, and everything has been easy.
For those who ARE interested in streaming, I've been getting 60fps on my games consistently since NVidia's latest update. And they have been updating it quite regularly.
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