Xbox 360 Modern Warfare 2 Throat Communicator - Snow Review

Customer Ratings:

I was looking for something different. The OEM Xbox 360 headset would always become uncomfortable after an hour or so

of use for me. The foam/sponge "ear-speaker cover" would bother my ear and the hard plastic opposite end would dig into the other side of my head.

I had been looking all over (including in Japan) for a cool headset. I didn't want one that also played the sound from the game (ie. stereo or 5.1 audio),

I have an audio system for that, I just wanted a better communicator headset for talking with friends.

I saw this on a "popular game review site" and immediately went and got one.

I opened it. It felt like quality plastic and rubber. It had a durable feel to it. I was excited. Heck, I could even drink and not have to move the mic.

Perfect, right?

It fit a little tight around my lower neck, but I could deal with that. The ear pod was a little big and was deeper than say a traditional iPod ear bud.

It wasn't super comfy personally, but again, I could deal with it.

Problem #1

I plug it into the controller. The plug didn't fit super tight and it did that static thingy in my ear which made it seem like the connection wasn't all there.

it felt 3rd party-ish if you know what I mean. I was expecting it to kinda plug and lock in there, but it felt too loose for my liking.

Problem #2

So I connect with some friends. They say I sounded bad, too much static, so I looked closely and noticed that it came with the mute switch turned "on" (default setting? really?).

But if the mute was on, why could they hear me?

So I switched the mute to "off".

My friends said I sounded fine with the throat mic. I was actually surprised they said they couldn't tell the difference between my voice

with the Mad Catz product and the OEM Xbox headset.

Problem #3

My friends sounded drunk/inebriated. Their voices sounded horrible. I switched over to the OEM Xbox headset and they sounded fine. The ear piece had

horrible audio. It sounded like cheap equipment.

So basically the only good things are I can drink with it on and I sound OK, but the other issues were too much for me.

I can't express enough how bummed I am that this product isn't that good.

Oh well, I will repackage it up and return it.

The search continues.

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http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Modern-Warfare-Throat-Communicator/dp/B002NNFZT8/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1260937039&sr=8-8

Tested this thing multiple ways and the results were the same.

At first no one responded to me with multiple adjustments on the volume control and mute switch. So I hooked up system link(I have a line in a separate room for when my friends bring their box and they can use the other TV, that's why we use mics.) and nothing but static and a loud buzzing over the systems. Picks up background noise but not my voice.

The throat piece is not adjustable but comfortable after you adjust to it. But since no one can hear me...well doesn't matter how it fits.

switched between my turtle beach x1, the extremely uncomfortable stock mic and then this. Same problems each time with the throat mic.

I've used the real deal in the military so I thought this was a great idea, and it is, but that's all this is, a gimmick, and over priced at that.

Ironically the name snow attached to this product link is right on the mark, that's all anyone hears in game.

Best Deals for Xbox 360 Modern Warfare 2 Throat Communicator - Snow

bought this in camo not snow. i am a cool cat... works good enough. not saving the world with it and can eat and drink....

Reviews of Halo 2: The Official Game Guide

Customer Ratings:

The two negative reviewers seem to have forgotten that there is no law about using cheats or guides when gaming each to his own. Some people will slave away at a game for weeks refusing to get help, others rush through a game in a few hours by following a walkthrough to the letter. NEITHER WAY IS WRONG. It's no-one else's business how you choose to play your games. Personally, I like to try to make it through on my own first, but if I get really stuck I'd rather have the answer to hand than spend ages getting nowhere. And despite all the advantages of the internet, some of us still take pleasure in a well-produced book.

Piggyback are a small company who have been producing guides for a number of top games (including the Silent Hill and Metal Gear Solid series) in Europe for a few years now. Their guides are always beautifully produced, vastly superior to either Prima or Brady's efforts in terms of art design, and packed with clear information and this Halo 2 guide is no exception. I'm really pleased to see their work is now available to USA gamers as well. Take it from me; if you want help with Halo 2, this is the guide to have

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The Halo 2 campaign mode is simple enough that most players won't need a guide to negotiate it. The campaign is pretty straightforward in design; unlike some games (such as GTA), detailed level maps aren't really needed. However, the guide offers many extras that make it a worthwhile purchase.

For one, the detailed maps of the campaign mode offer weapon and vehicle locations and enemy weaknesses, useful when one's plasma rifle or SMG is running low on ammo and a pair of Hunters are closing fast. The detailed information on weapons allows newbies to acquaint themselves with Halo 2's large array of available armament and vehicles. Veterans of the original game will quickly become familiar with the new weapons of Halo 2. (Of course, there's something to be said for learning as you go). The guide also offers detailed information on the various creatures of the Covenant, adding to the ongoing story of Halo. A note of caution, however: If you don't want to spoil the ending, don't read the last chapter of the campaign mode. (I made that mistake...it was still cool, though).

The best reason to get the guide, however, is for the multiplayer maps, which include weapon and vehicle locations, strategic points for ambushes and sniping, detailed maps, and tips on setting up games and clans. Charging blindly into Halo 2's XBox Live levels can be suicidal; most of my friends who play on Live credit the strategy guide for giving them a heads-up on where to find what they need. So the guide does have its uses beyond the usual campaign walkthrough. Especially recommended to those who are new to the Halo universe.

I hope this review was helpful

--Christian Wheeler, gamer and games retailer.

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This guide was okay. Plain and simple. If you are stuck and don't know where to go don't use this book. One of the levels of Halo 2 the directions were so confusing I got lost for three hours, not knowing where to go (I know that your thinking "How can you get lost in a video game?"). However I would recommand this to you if you are one of those gamers with a good sense of direction. This would serve to you as a constant reminder of what you are going to do, not where. The multiplayer section is pretty cool but I don't really like the maps at the beginning of the level. They are incredibly confusing. My advice: Pick the guide up if you can't find a guide online. This guide although confusing has some helpful tips.

Honest reviews on Halo 2: The Official Game Guide

Let me start off addressing some things. Some people don't find a need for this guide, and that's fine, but that doesn't mean others won't need it. Secondly, those who keep saying "Go online, go online, go online," seem to have forgotten two things. One: There are people who want the information in their lap and don't have a computer right next to their gaming system. The second is simple, some people are more visual learners. They learn the game by using maps and screenshots. For some, text just doesn't cut it. Using online guides is fine, but remember when you review a strategy guide you should actually be REVIEWING THE GUIDE, not blabbering whether or not one should use an online guide (if they wanted an online guide, do you think they'd waste time coming to Amazon to buy it?).

Anyway, with that out of my system, let's move on. Piggyback Interactive, for those who don't know, is a guide company in the UK. The moment you pick up one of their guides you'll be blown away! If you thought VERSUS BOOKS was good (before they went out of business) allow Piggyback to correct you.

The guide begins with over 50 pages of game basics. This means getting you to learn the controls, weapons, vehicles and enemies before actually diving into the walkthrough. For newcomers to Halo 2, this is a lifesaver.

The walkthrough is pretty detailed as well. They actually tell you a couple of differences between difficulty levels. You really have to utilize the maps though (which are vastly detailed beyond anything Prima, Brady, Versus, or even Nintendo Power put out). It's a guide that is written in the sense of, find the corresponding number in the text. In other words, if a "1" is marked on the map, find section "1" in the text.

The secrets also tell you all you need to know, and should there be a spoiler, they alert you before moving on.

Of course, even this guide has it's problems. For one, the maps are ridiculously cluttered, and there are too many symbols to remember. It's a good thing they have a fold out legend. Second, while the secrets are in-depth they didn't pin-point out easter eggs. And lastly (and this isn't a big one) there is just too much artwork taking up space where valuble text could've been. I don't say this to be funny, I say this because this guide weighs a ton with it's thick paper and all.

A fantastic guide though. If you can, log on and import piggyback interactive guides. If you need a guide for Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy X (or better yet, get their FFIX guide, NO PLAYONLINE THERE!), Metal Gear Solid 3 and the like, get Piggyback. You won't be disappointed.

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While I rarely condone the use of strategy guides or walkthroughs for a game simply on the basis of the plot being ruined, this guide however differentiates itself from the masses of other guides out there. It does not give away the plot of the game, and simply leads you along through it while not giving away the story line. However this guide is simply nothing more then a walkthrough it offers great tactical data about ur enemies, weapons, and vehicles during the first few pages but nothing strategical during the actual walkthrough just a simply go here, there are gonna be enemies here kill them, and then do this, not a very strategical approach about how to take them out more easily or where the best vantage point to lay fire down at if you ask me. This guide does offer great maps and overviews of the single player levels as well as the multiplayer levels. Simply enough only buy this book if u are having a tough time figuring out where to go throughout the maps, or want some different routes that go through levels that you couldn't figure out on your own (which is easy by the way) all and all just buy it for multiplayer map overview if you must. In conclusion this is just a guide with no strategy or tactics offered hardly at all, so only buy it if you must.

Reviews of Brother's in Arms: Hell's Highway Limited Edition - Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:

I have been waiting a long time for Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway to come out. There have been numerous delays and the game was supposed to come out sometime last year. Well it finally came out and I picked up the game yesterday from my local Game Retailer.

The game follows up the first two Brothers in Arms games that came out earlier. You play the role of Sergeant Matt Baker who leads squads of men through Holland during Operation Market Garden in September 1944 during World War II. Operation Market Garden was the last German victory in Europe during the war.

I think the game has a great story line. The game in my opinion is very well done and acted out. It really shows what I think every soldier has to endure and go through during wartime. It is very emotional and gripping. You find out that soldiers have to make life or death decisions that can effect them the rest of their lives. This game shows not only soldiers struggling through this conflict, but also Dutch civilians who were caught in the crossfire between the Allies and the Germans.

If you are looking for a game where you make tactical decisions about how to fight battles during Operation Market Garden, this is it. Your decisions can decide the life's of your soldiers under your command.

The AI is very good in this game. I read some game reviews from other gaming websites where the game reviewers were complaining about German Soldiers who were just standing around when you shoot at them. First of all, you can now sneak up on German Soldiers to plan an attack without them knowing your there. In other words, you can set up an ambush. You set up you and your squads where you want them to fight the Germans. Of course the Germans are going to stand around if they don't know that you are there hiding. Second you can now set up you and your men where the Germans are caught in a cross fire when you fire at them with your weapons. The Germans get confused because there is no where to run and hide. So of course a lot of them are going to stand around because of the crossfire. That happens in real life too.

The graphics are real good in this game. I understand the developers of this game went to actual locations around Holland and took thousands of pictures to make the game looked like Holland during World War II. That is very impressive.

I think the game has a lot of replay value to it because the Germans react differently every time you play the game again. Each time you try to figure out how you will fight different battles throughout the game. I recommend buying this game especially if you like playing World War II games like me.

October 5, 2008

UPDATE: I just finished playing Brothers in Arms: Hells Highway and I noticed a couple of things I wanted to update about this game. I'm a true gamer who likes to give honest opinions about the games I play. The above opinions were given when I was only half way through the game. Here are the updates.

1. The graphics are great at the beginning of the game and toward the middle, but not at the end. It seems like the game developer got into a big hurry to finish this game and just threw in graphics from the "Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood" game into the end of this game. The trees and buildings at the end of game just look dull and not very detailed like at the beginning and the middle of the game. The game was already a year behind schedule and I'm sure the game developer got pressured into finishing the game as soon as possible. I was wondering why I never saw any game trailers that show any missions that were at the end of this game. Now I know why.

2. None of the mission maps you play through are very big throughout the game. You play a little way through a mission and then you get a cut scene. That scenario plays over and over again throughout the game. Too many cut scenes and not enough playing time. If you want a comparison in map sizes, try playing Battlefield: Bad Company and you'll see what I'm talking about as far as map sizes go. Battlefield: Bad Company maps are a lot bigger with less cut scenes.

3. Operation Market Garden was all about the Allies taking and holding major road bridges along Hell's Highway throughout Holland during World War II before the Germans could blow up any of the bridges. Well in the game I didn't see one major bridge shown in any missions. There is one small bridge in the game that goes over a small canal but I don't count that. I'm talking about big huge bridges over major rivers. I didn't see any at all. I was really disappointed. Why were there no major road bridges shown in the game? That is what Operation Market Garden was all about.

4. There were lots of different vehicles used during Operation Market Garden by both the Allies and the Germans. In the game, I only saw one kind of Allied tank (Sherman Firefly) used in the game and one kind of German tank (Panzer IV) used. I didn't see any German Panther tanks, Tiger tanks, German Halftracks, German Volkswagen Kubelwagen, etc. I also didn't see any other American tanks or any British tanks of any kind. What is up with that?

5. Not every mission in this game has you play with squads of men. In fact in some of the missions, you fight alone against the Germans. And in some missions you don't fight at all. Running through a building that is on fire is one of them. There is no shooting at all. I thought in every mission I would control squads of men.

This game reminds me a lot of Medal of Honor: Airborne. That game could of been awesome too if it had of been done right. I remember that game went through a lot of delays just like Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway did and it came out about a year later than it was suppose to. Medal of Honor: Airborne was great the first few missions and then it went downhill the last couple of missions. This game is the same way. After playing the game, I'll have to change my rating from 5 stars to 3 stars. Sorry. I just feel this game could of been made better.

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WWII-based shooters seem like a cliche at this point, but Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway stands above the rest. The tone is more like the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers, and the game's story follows this same method. This is the first WWII (or any for that matter) FPS that actually doesn't glorify war and doesn't dumb down the entire experience to a one-man-army taking down Nazi Germany by himself. Your squad actually does things. Tactics are actually rewarded while run-and-gun checkpoint racing (like Call of Duty or Medal of Honor) styles are punished severely. The cut-scenes throughout the missions and between the missions provide the depth that is often not in other FPS titles. The game does an excellent job of showing the stresses of war on your character, going as far as to show elements of post-traumatic stress through the game. The tone is hardly positive, which goes with the setting of Operation: Market Garden. Characters die, and there's a feeling of chaos through certain sections of the game. So far, this is one of the best single-player games I've played this year.

The single player mode alone is worth playing through. The multiplayer, however, is not. There's only one mode, and I don't think I've ever seen a full room. While the single player is mindblowing and amazing, this game won't have the legs that other shooters (Call of Duty, Halo, Gears of War, etc) will simply because of the lack of players.

Best Deals for Brother's in Arms: Hell's Highway Limited Edition - Xbox 360

Great game. Very realistic, but...it will lock you out from your save point without notice. I got two chapters from the end, and could no longer load my save point. Never got to finish the game. Saw similar comments on line about the game losing save points. Be forewarned. You may start the game, but may not ever be able to finish it. No updates available to fix this bug.

Honest reviews on Brother's in Arms: Hell's Highway Limited Edition - Xbox 360

Received the game on time...

I know it's an older game but I have had plenty of fun playing it.

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Well, the game itself is amazing. It's one of the well written and enjoyable games out there. Issue is, I cannot review the limited edition because the people I "Bought" it from only sent the game, not the LE box set. Thankfully it was taken care of, but I digress. can't really review.

Cheap Dance Revolution 3.5Version For XBOX PS2

Customer Ratings:

After much research last January, I picked this pad. I liked that it had a foam pad inside. So far, I have had no problems with this pad. The buttons are sensitive and I have no "missed steps". The pad is comfortable to use and seems to be built well.

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Best The Walking Dead Deals

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $24.99
Sale Price: $6.25
Today's Bonus: 75% Off

Disclosure: Game only review played on a PS3

If you're thinking about getting this game, you're probably thinking some things like: Uh oh...a game based on a book/TV show?....That usually doesn't work. Or maybe you're thinking: Point and click?...Check please! Or maybe you're not too excited about the month to month episode thing? Or maybe you didn't like some of Telltale's past titles?

And you know what, some of your concerns may even be valid; it really depends on your expectations for this awesome release, so let me try to set some of those expectations. First of all, The Walking Dead game is for and will be loved by--and loved by is a guarantee, graphic novel readers--any true fan of Robert Kirkman's source material. Anyone looking to run and gun down zombies will not get that out of this game. You certainly don't have to have read the book or seen the show to enjoy this game; just be sure that you are planning to get into and be part of a story-rich experience.

The Walking Dead game is no Burn Zombie Burn or some other bash as many zombies' brains in as possible game. This game is a lot more of an RPG than a shooter.

You start the game the day the zombie apocalypse begins concurrently from the start of the comic book series. You play as Lee, and just as in the book (and in the TV show) where the main character Rick was initially thrown into a chaotic journey by himself to find other survivors...that's you as Lee in The Walking Dead game.

There are plenty of action sequences, but your time in this game is mostly spent literally being a part of the story making some tough (and some not so tough) decisions. It's the tough decisions that will affect how the rest of the game unfolds for you, and you'll have to live with the consequences of every option you choose.

The game does give you the option of "rewinding" back to a specific checkpoint, and you can go forward from there and choose a different option that overwrites your original decision if that's your style. But I won't do that until I complete the entire series. I tried to make the main character call "the right move" when presented with choice; but there is a time limit when decision time comes, and sometimes you may regret a hasty decision. For example, you'll have to choose one life over another twice during just the first episode, and I'm not sure that I made the "right" choice in one of those moments. But I will live with my decision until after playing through the entire series just to "keep it real." The game sure does get an A for replay value.

Just as in the graphic novel (and the TV show), the story is much less about zombies and more about what happens to society, its morals, laws and standards when government is lost and the planet becomes mostly uninhabitable. But this time you don't just watch it unfold on paper or on your TV screen; in this game you're part of the story...you control your integrity, your morality and ultimately your destiny. And there's real, heartfelt emotion in The Walking Dead game combined with very believable scenarios. Color me a sissy, but I actually got a little misty over one of the decisions that "I had to" make.

The Walking Dead game is excellent...especially for just a point and click. It's as gritty and graphic as the comic book, and it's very story-rich. If you read the comic as I do...you'll love it. The graphics are appropriately very comic-bookesque. I really do feel like I'm part of a different story arc in the freakin' book! Best 20 bucks I've spent all year...so far. Plus anyone clamoring for a Platinum Trophy (or whatever the top achievement for getting all in-game achievements is on your platform) could get an easy one here; all the trophies are unmissable simply by finishing all the chapters in every episode.

The Walking Dead game is a deep, personal and emotional adventure.

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The Walking Dead Episode 1: A New Day

I picked up The Walking Dead a few days ago on the PC through Steam and just finished Episode 1: A New Day today. A New Day is the only episode out right now with four others coming out one at a time later on in the year. Telltale Games is well known for their adventure games and that's exactly what The Walking Dead is... and an amazing one at that.

During the course of the first episode you are given several different choices, most of which determine whether who lives and who dies. The game promises to roll these choices over in the next episodes, giving your play through a chance to differ than others playing it. Upon completion of the episode stats are shown at the end as far as where you stand with others who have played through it and the choices you made.

Graphically the game has a sort of cell shaded feel to it. Some of the textures are kind of muddy, but the overall feel of the game really goes well with the atmosphere. I've never read the comics of the same name before, but it definitely gives off a comic book feel. The Walking Dead is pretty brutal and bloody, but because of how the graphics is it really doesn't seem as bad as it probably should. Nonetheless, you still get the horror zombie feel that you know and love.

Controls are simple, mostly consisting of you either controlling the main character Lee or by controlling an on-screen cursor in order to find things in the environment to interact with... like smashing a zombie's head in or handing a little girl an energy bar because she's hungry.

The grunts and moans of the zombies sound great and the soundtrack really adds a spooky ambiance to each situation that arises whether it be an intense fight with a walker or a moody conversation about someone that has just been killed.

The first episode of The Walking Dead is a homerun in my opinion. If you love zombies and adventure games you really should pick this up. I just hope the great story telling and all the choices made in the first episode really transition well throughout the rest of the episodes.

9.0 out of 10

Transcendental Formulations

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Do you like bleak and terrible scenarios where s*** gets real on a regular basis? Do you enjoy moral quandaries where a common theme leads to inevitable mistakes that, while making you sympathetic to the characters, still piss you off when everything goes to hell? The Walking Dead is like Grey's Anatomy for boys: sans romance, add zombies, but still frustrating, depressing, random, gory, exciting, and with well written characters (for the most part.)

If you're expecting a shoot-em-up style game then this isn't for you. It's basically an animated Choose Your Own Adventure, and yes, just like a CYOA, you get railroaded into certain outcomes (which really sucks.) But more about that later.

First, the pros.

The writing is not bad, but it is very bleak. Don't get attached to the people you meet, they're most likely not going to make it--this is the zombie apocalypse, after all. I appreciated that characters are not simply written as good or bad people. Quite often, people you hate will redeem themselves and I was almost always sympathetic to their objectionable actions (didn't stop me from killing them, though.) There are plenty of moral quandaries and I advise you to reflect on them whenever you have a break between calamities because, in the heat of the moment, you will likely be forced to make life or death decisions based on their actions.

You can influence what people choose to an extent, but their choices are largely driven by their personalities. It is very important that you remember their individual quirks because they will come back to haunt you again and again. With some I found it irritating, because you feel like just when you've settled a matter it comes back up like last night's taco dinner, but you have to remember their priorities are not your own, except in a very general sense (survival.) In this way, people who are alone are the most agreeable. I think this is very realistic.

That doesn't mean people can't waver or won't overcome their (sometimes significant) personality flaws. Like I said, almost all choices by the characters are sympathetic, including your own, which makes it interesting.

Now the cons.

Despite having such a complex and intriguing cast and dialog options, some outcomes are set in stone. This completely blows! When you agonize over all your choices and the consequences are so dire, you really don't want to find out after the fact that it doesn't really matter. I restarted some chapters 3 or 4 times to try to save certain people or build different relationships only to change nothing. There is no re-playability in this game.

There are also some internal rules to this universe that never seem to change. I can't really explain without spoilers, but the game will urge you into certain actions as if they're universally acceptable to all people in all situations. This is stupid. Sometimes, the wrong thing is the right thing, depending on when or the people involved. The other characters seem blind to this fact and act like you've p*ssed in their cereal whenever you violate this absolute. They can be very childlike and irritating in this way. And some characters have some kind of omniscient hindsight into whenever you're lying, even when you're just being ambiguous. Seeing as you start out as a player with a criminal past, I'm not sure what they expect. Should I show off my prison tats before or after we shake and promise not to shoot one another outright?

Some minor issues are the bugs. I saw one of the characters turn invisible for an entire cutscene. Other than that, the gameplay is atrocious, but I think it's intentional. The mouse acceleration is completely bizarre and when you're not fumbling around trying to click on something, you're frantically mashing the Q button. I think this is supposed to engender a feeling of panic within the player, it's clumsy on purpose because you're not a superhero, you're just some dude. Sometimes the camera angles are idiotic as well.

Finally, the combat doesn't always make sense. Sometimes you'll get an aiming receptacle, other times not (also on purpose, but stupidly introduced, I think.) You'll also be goaded into performing useless actions when the game decides to trick you. You'll mash Q only to realize that you can never mash Q enough and so you've got to just let go. Or you'll be lured into punching a zombie when the only way to escape is to NOT punch the zombie. I did not find this aspect fun, but thankfully they don't pull this you often.

Overall, I'd recommend it, on sale, for those who like a story as long as they know that there's only one story to be told here.

Honest reviews on The Walking Dead

WARNING: IF YOU WANT TO RIDE AROUND ON A MOTORCYCLE WITH CHAINSAWS ATTACHED KILLING ZOMBIES, THIS ISN'T THE GAME FOR YOU.

This game has definitely given me one of the most interactive, realistic experiences I could ever ask for in a simulated zombie apocalypse.

The game is so much better by the fact that every little thing you do, say, and learn will effect the outcome of the game. This game isn't about killing zombies, it's about surviving. That's what we'd be trying to do for real if every boy's secret wish(zombie apocalypse) came true right?

This game is definitely a lot more humbling than L4D or the other popular zombie games.

I recommend this to anyone willing to try a realistic, that really puts you "in the character's shoes".

Not to mention that the graphics are really like out of the comics.

I'm just sad that I have to wait a little while for episode 2 to come out.

Note: I have nothing against other zombie apocalypse games out there.

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First off, I'd like to address some of the comments left by other users.

-The graphics are NOT supposed to look realistic. This is because the game is based off of the comics, not the show. In fact, the writer/artist for the comics actually worked with the developers to give the game a very similar look and feel to the style used in the comics. Imagine this game as a mix of zombies and borderlands. Yes, it s 2012, but again, the game is meant to have a comic-look like Borderlands and a few of the various super hero MMO's. While the graphics aren't as "stunning" or "breathtaking" as the first Crysis game, or Skyrim, or Kingdoms of Amalur, they are fantastic by comic standards. Don't think of this game as a real world game, but rather an interactive comic book.

-Just like the graphics, the story is NOT related at all to the show. The game is meant to tell a separate story from that of the show and comics. Why? If it followed the show it would have had to been from the first two seasons, otherwise season 3 (or later) would have been spoiled. The same works for basing it off the comic.

-I played this on a high end gaming computer, not a system, so I can't attest to the camera angles or "shoddy" controls. However, I did use an xBox 360 controller, and it played pretty fantastically.

This game is pretty fantastic. Although, I did kind of dislike the short time for responses when talking to other characters. But, I'm able to over look that one issue, because it adds a bit of a real world feel to it.

I definitely recommend at least finding the first chapter online and giving it a try. If you like it, than buy it. If you don't like it, than don't buy it, and post your own feedback to better help others decide whether or not to buy it.

Keep in mind, the game is separated into 5 chapters, that are released in 1 month intervals. While individually the chapters are fairly short, they will build into a fairly long game, with the added feature of being able to replay and make little decisions that can completely change the end of each chapter as well as how the preceding chapter(s) will play out.

Reviews of EA Sports Active Accessory Pack

Customer Ratings:

I purchased this package 4-1/2 months ago along with the Sports Active game. Today I noticed that the neoprene rubber backing on both of the leg bands is tearing along the seam at the end of the velcro strap. Each leg band has been used for approximately 24 workouts (equivalent to being worn for 12 hours). I contacted customer support and was told that EA's official policy was that the bands would only be replaced under warranty within 90 days of purchase, no matter how little they were used before the damage was discovered. The customer support representative commented that this has been a very common failure and that the warranty department has been absolutely inflexible on the expiration of the warranty period.

The flaw in the design is obvious. The line of stitches places holes (which concentrate stress) along the edge of where the inflexible velcro strap meets the flexible neoprene backing. That promotes formation of rips starting at those holes. EA should fix the design and replace all of the bands of the old design that fail.

The resistance band is very soft and does not provide nearly enough resistance for most adults. I purchased a 3-pack of light/medium/heavy resistance bands from sporting goods store, and even the light band was significantly stiffer than the EA Sports band.

Since this kit includes only the faulty leg band, a useless resistance band, and some uncomfortable handles, I rate it a 1.

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Since I'm not quite ready to review the actual game yet, here's my run-down on the accessories:

The leg strap that's used to hold the nun chuck for certain exercises works. It's pretty comfortable, and when set to the right tightness stays in place quite well. I'm not sure it has to do with the leg strap itself, but I find that doing alternating side lunges, the games doesn't recognize my positions well when I have to go left. To the right, no problem. Rather than over by shorts, I strap it straight to my leg it seems to stay in place better. I sweat a bit beneath it, but hey, I'm working out here so it's expected.

The elastic resistance band could have been thought out a bit better. First, you have to attach the handles to it yourself, though this isn't difficult. It seems to have good resistance and so far has been quite durable. My biggest complaint would have to be the handles they're not comfortable at all, especially since you'll be holding the remote and nun chuck in the same hands. Depending on the exercise you're doing, the position of the handle slips in your hands this is painfully obvious during tricep kickbacks. Also, it'd be better if the center of the strap was somehow marked that way when you're positioning it on the floor to step on, you could better ensure even resistances for both hands/arms. I find that I often have to readjust position and tension during the exercise which often results in those annoying reminders to 'Hold still' and 'Slow down'.

Overall these are cool accessories something more to provide resistance is a boon for any fitness title and the leg strap accomplishes its goal.

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I ordered this set to complement EA Sports Active More Workouts, which does not come with these accessories.

It was a bad choice: the resistance band broke after just three weeks of use (about eight workouts) and it's clear the leg strap is not far behind. The good news is that the EA Sports online customer service has been friendly and helpful. The bad news is that the replacement parts will be just as bad as the originals! This set might be ok if you are completely out of shape and put only minimal stress on both the strap and band.

Strongly recommend that you look at ordering a different strap there are lots of options on Amazon and your local sporting goods store. As for the leg strap, I've tried wearing tighter training shorts and rolling the controller inside the band. It's not perfect, but it seems to work.

Please read the other reviews carefully. Most of the high ratings are for the game, which is terrific. The reviews related to the quality and design of this product are generally pretty low.

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With this add-on my wife and I can work out together. Unlike some of the other one's like Wii Fit where you would have to take turns. You can workout "co-op" to to complete the exercises.

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I've owned EA Active since it came out and have loved every single minute of it. I'd workout then my roomy would workout since we only had 1 strap to use. So it made it not that much fun from a watching stand point. We just bought a 2nd leg strap and LOVE THIS workout all over again. It is so much fun working out with someone. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND buying the 2nd strap to workout with ANYONE who wants to try it with you or if you have kids that want to try it. It's a great addition. Not worth $20 (because the resistance tube is useless...you have to go and buy a better one which is more $) but just to buy the handles and the strap is worth it in the long run. The handles are uncomfortable and I'm going to try and put some foam padding on them and see if that helps any. It gets the job done after playing for about an hour. It gets me up and moving my butt each and every day along with Gold's Gym Cardio Boxing....LOVEEEEEEEEEE IT! Love burning over 1000 calories just between Active and Gold's Gym. FUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!

Reviews of Metro: Last Light Limited Edition - Xbox 360

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What a sweet game. Never in a console game has there been such detail. The sound and quality of graphics are among it's best attributes, as well as fantastic voice overs in thick well-done accents. And the story line continues off from that of the previous game Metro 2033 seamlessly. The story is abound with great little conversations you can listen in on in the metro. All of this creates a very stunning and enveloping capture of atmosphere. The length of the story is much far beyond your normal shooter. Coming in around 12+ hours (twice of that of any AAA shooter, say Call of Duty), and adds in a factor of replayabilty with the Ranger Mode (disabling HUD elements and creates a tougher, hardened experience), and the great new enhanced stealth features which are almost PERFECTLY executed. Did I mention the stunning detail and level desgings are among some of the best games to date? The only downside to this game is no multi-player or co-op features. All around it's a fantastic experience, and one you won't want to forget. It's a definite rent. And, if you dont mind paying the MSRP for a good quality story line with all these features then a solid buy. What a great franchise this turned into, especially considering from it's humble beginnings.

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Metro: Last Light is the second game in the Metro franchise and is based off of novels written by Dmitry Glukhovsky. The premise is simple; a post-apocalyptic Russia where humanity has been forced underground to live in the metro system and forge a semblance of normal life. As one would expect, a metro system is a dark and dreary place, and living there is not for the faint of heart. When pressed to describe just what the Metro games are like, I often say they're a little bit like Fallout with a hint of Resident Evil. The first Metro game, Metro 2033, has an almost cult-like following. Some gamers have never even heard of the series before, but I believe Metro: Last Light has the potential to introduce many more people to this wonderful, vibrant, and challenging world.

Gameplay

At its core, Metro is a first person shooter with some survival/horror elements sprinkled in. It plays exactly as you would expect a FPS to handle. To be honest, the gameplay here is not groundbreaking, but it doesn't need to be. Metro is, and always will be, greater than the sum of its parts. Individually, the parts of Last Light may be average or just above average, but when they are combined they offer a visceral, engaging shooter.

Gunplay in a first person shooter, well, any shooter for that matter, can make or break a game. In this installment of the Metro franchise, 4A Games keeps it simple, and it works well. Where Metro does veer off-course is with inventory control, swapping weapons, and gadget usage. To manage your headlamp, charger, lighter, etc., you need to hold down the left bumper to bring up separate radial menus. Holding Y brings up your items, throwing knife, pipe bomb, incendiary bomb, and claymore. While I understand the layout, and how it was intended, in practice it seems like a step back and adds a level of unnecessary interface for item control.

As this is a post-apocalyptic setting, you will need to scavenge for ammo and supplies. This is one area where I truly believe Metro separates itself from other shooters. You search for the common items such as med packs, ammo, bombs, throwing knives etc., but you will also need to find gas mask filters to use when you go above ground or venture into "hot zones. You have a meter on your left wrist that shows how much time you have left on the filter you are currently using. Once it reaches zero you either have to change it or quickly or get to a safe area or you will die. It adds another dynamic to an already cruel, dark world.

I would be remiss if I didn't discuss my favorite aspect of the Metro games -ammo. During your travels you will find a variety of ammo for the different weapons you can use: assault rifle rounds, pistol rounds, shotgun shells, pneumatic rounds, etc. But, you will also find some coveted military grade rounds. The rounds, as one would expect, can be switched out in your guns to do more damage during those fights where you need a little extra firepower. However, the game forces you to make a tough decision. Military Grade ammo, while offering a nice damage boost when used, is also the only form of currency in the metro. Do you use those rounds to stave off a tough mutant attack, or do you save them to buy more of what you can use later? It's a choice that is not always an easy one to make, yet that is exactly why I love that feature.

Stealth in the metro is also a very viable solution to tackling a situation. If you are a fan of the run-and-gun style you can certainly play that way, although ammo will become scarce. Personally, I love sneaking through a tunnel, unscrewing a light bulb, and moving past my enemies so stealthily they never knew I was there. There are even achievements and trophies related to going an entire playthrough without killing anyone you don't have to. As much as I love stealth-based games, the one aspect missing from Last Light is the ability to distract someone. You can, to an extent, by shooting lights or, but the true ability to distract a guard and get them to investigate, allowing you to choke them out or simply sneak past them, could have raised this game to a whole new level.

While there are a few things I would have liked to have seen done differently, they by no means ruin the gameplay experience. Last Light is a solid shooter that offers a variety of enemies and set pieces to explore and survive. Constantly being worried about enemies and the environment adds another layer of depth and enjoyment.

Graphics

In comparing the visuals from the two Metro games, Last Light's graphics are much more crisp and not as blurry. The biggest improvement over 2033 in my opinion is the usage of shadows and lighting. In 2033 there wasn't really a gradient of shadow, it was pretty much just dark or not. In Last Light the shadows are a valuable entity that you can use to your advantage. The ability to shoot out lights to create more shadow, or even the ability to unscrew a light bulb to be able to sneak past people adds another dimension to the game.

Much like the movie Schindler's List or even Sin City; there is not a lot of color, which is to be expected in a post-apocalyptic game. It's dark, depressing and has a feeling of despair to it. However, there are segments where splashes of color are used for maximum impact, such as the use of red when you meet a faction of the game. Splashes of green amid the rubble of the destroyed city above add a glimmer of hope amid a desolate harsh world.

While the graphics in Last Light will not measure up to heavy hitters such as Crysis 3, the visuals can be equally stunning. Looking over Moscow with a cracked gas mask, wiping rain away from your mask really draws you into the moment and you realize the extent of the devastation that you are living in.

Sound

Sound in a game can either tie everything together, fully immersing the player in the world, or be so utterly jarring that it completely removes the player from the game. To be perfectly honest, I experienced both during my time of exploring Metro: Last Light. Thankfully, it was much more of the former than the latter.

In a survival/horror game ambient noise, in my opinion, is one of the most critical aspects of the game. It's those little noises that make you hesitate, look around, and peer into the dark depths of a corner hoping something doesn't come charging out at you. One memorable experience for me was finding a colony of Watchmen. I could hear them all around me, growling, moving, and even eating. Yet, I couldn't see them because they were in the walls. With the weapons and ammo that I had at the time, I became very anxious of what I was walking into. That combination ratcheted up the suspense of the entire encounter.

4A Games also took great pains to do the little things right as well -walking in a darkened tunnel and hearing a steady drip of water, being above ground and hearing the popping of bubbles, rain effects, storms, etc. All the small ambient noises add so much depth to the overall experience.

That's not to say that the audio was perfect. Most of the time when I play games, I wear a surround sound headset so I hear things a little differently. One thing that happened to me a few times was the audio I was hearing didn't always match with what was going on. For example, there were a couple of times a character would be talking to me on my left, but the audio was mostly coming from my right speaker. There were also a few instances when multiple characters would speak their dialog at the same time. While issues do exist, they don't happen frequently enough to be problematic, but occur just enough to be mildly frustrating.

Pros

Amazing atmosphere and ambiance

Extremely rich narrative

Military grade ammo = currency. Forcing the player to make some difficult choices at times.

Cons

Clunky control interface

At times audio doesn't match to what is happening

Summary

I have made no secret to friends in the past that I am a big fan of Metro 2033. I have been looking forward to Last Light for quite some time. For people who are looking for a run-and-gun, shoot everything and have big amazing set pieces like Call of Duty or Battlefield, this game may not be for you. However, for those gamers who have said at one time or another that they wish the gaming industry would try something new and fresh where endless gun fights do not define the story then this is certainly a game that should be on your radar. Few games offer such a rich setting with the epitome of suffering and survival that Metro does. It forces you to plan ahead with things like ammo and filters and not rely on brute force to pass a level. While there may be a few things that could have been done better, the beauty of Metro is truly greater than the sum of its parts.

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I already wrote a review about the first game, so with this game it's all the same. Those things that aren't different I will mention. I loved the ending, and I loved the choices to be able to make. I am again very pleased that the game is nothing like the book. In fact I am not sure if the game took a few things from the plot of the book ''metro 2034''. The game is really well-made, once again having a lot of nice atmosphere and it's just no less than incredible. I would give this game a 10 or 9 /10. I also loved the fact that there is nudity in this game. Finally! :) I will be trying out the DLC for the game with big pleasure! Basically metro Last light is just as good as the first game! Can't go wrong with this game! Get it and try it out! I am also very curious as to why are there so few reviews? It's been a long time since the game was released. Last but not least, the books: ''Metro 2033'' and ''Metro 2034'' are incredible!

Limited edition, pre-order bonus and the season pass.. are all worth it.

P.S. the games and books show just how bad it is to make a nuclear war aka. extinction event of humanity, so let's not do it! X)

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When this game arrived to my house I was so excited to play it! When I opened up the game it was all "decently" packed, but I ignored that sign. When I put the game in my Xbox the game began to load, but then an error message popped saying the game is unreadable. Upon further inspection the game was horribly scratched! I contacted the seller but nothing was resolved, no refund, or anything. It was a very disappointing purchase. The only thing I have to tell people, is, be wary of this seller.

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It was new LOL I did scare me so I liked it, good game in the dark. The o ly thing I didn't like is how the only way to get the good ending is too listen to ALL conversations

Reviews of Jurassic Park 2: The Chaos Continues

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Yet another game by Ocean Software, this game if you don't know is a tie-in with the movie. The game is a typical side-scroller shoot-em-up. Unlike other Ocean releases, this game actually manages to get it right. The game effectively captures the exciting elements of the movie and the graphics are great for the monochrome gameboy. The sound is good and gameplay is great. This game is great from the start itself and along the game, you get to lock horns with the likes of the pterodactyl, the triceratops, the raptor and the ferocious T-Rex himself. The levels are intuitive. This is definately a game you shouldn't miss out on though the gameplay is short with about six or seven levels in total which can be finished in around 4-5 hours max if you are average gamer that is. All I can say is try it and buy it.

OVERALL

GRAPHICS-4/5

SOUND-4/5

GAMEPLAY-5/5

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Reviews of Metal Gear Rising Revengeance - Xbox 360

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This game far exceeded my expectations. It is truly the best action game so far this year, and one of the best actions games of this gen. If you're hankering for some action, or you're just a long time Metal Gear fan, check this title out.

It's certainly a Metal Gear game, though not a Metal Gear Solid game. If you want a focus on sneaking, Ground Zero was already announced a while ago. This game is all about fast, frenetic action... it is a veritable rollercoaster ride of ridiculous scenarios, absurd setpieces, and crisp clean combat. Despite this, there are actually quite a number of sneaking sections in the game, if you choose to go that route... certainly moreso than I expected. Alternatively, you can run into the fray swinging. It's up to you, and each has its advantages. There are over 500 codec conversations for you to explore that expands on the game's lore and characters.

The game focuses on ground based combat with a focus on counters, parries, and the new Zandatsu cutting mechanic. Parallels can be drawn to Ninja Gaiden. Essentially, you can slash your opponents open with the high frequency blade once you enter "Blade Mode" and pull out their electrolyte core to replenish your own health and energy meter.

What's truly revolutionary is the parry/dodge mechanic in the game. Rather than having a dedicated block button, Revengeance makes it a forward+attack input, which maintains offensive momentum. You need to parry every attack coming at you, but the game's window is generous, allowing for a lot of wiggle room until you nail down your timing. And once you nail down that timing? You get perfect parries with counterattacks that lead into Zandatsu (slowdown cutting mechanic where you can steal energy cores).

Even if you don't get the combat, or you're an action game novice, the game features a number of different difficulty levels to tailor the experience to what is most comfortable for you as a player.

The story is filled with its own levels of abrudity, but features a memorable cast and set of bosses. The bosses... Oh, the bosses. They're some of the best of this entire generationmeticulously crafted and exhilarating to fight.

The game is about 8-10 hours long, depending on your skill level and your starting difficulty, and that's not counting the plethora of VR Missions, unlockables, and successive playthroughs. Each difficulty will provide a unique experience with rearranged enemy encounters and enhanced boss behavior. The game is fast paced and addictive. Countless hours can be sunk into it.

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Being a long time MGS fan, my hopes were not particularly high with this game. The absurd title, the ludicrous box art (which looks like something from the 90s), the temporary cancellation of the project, and the departure from the MGS tradition, all led me to believe that this was a disaster in the making (despite Platinum's fine track record). Fortunately, I've been pleasantly surprised by the quality of this game... "Rising" is a blast to play for anybody who enjoys action games (whether you're an MGS fan or not).

Foremost, the game does manage to retain the feeling that it's actually occurring inside the MGS universe, despite its over-the-top nature (and in terms of physics, anything our protagonist does in "Rising" is not far from what Vamp achieved in MGS2 and 4). Longtime fans will be pleased by the inclusion of familiar sights, sounds, and themes, even if the gameplay is radically different. Raiden, of course, returns, and his inclusion as the protagonist is bound to please any MGS fan who has wanted to step into the shoes of a ninja on the level of the legendary Gray Fox.

The heart of this game, like any action title, is its combat mechanics, and here "Rising" shines. Raiden moves with an effortless grace, and when he strikes, it carries a convincing "weight" that exceeds even the likes of "God of War" and "Bayonetta". His "ninja run" while goofy in name, is a blast to execute, as are his assortment of magnificent combos.

When it comes to Japanese wackiness, I've pretty much seen it all at this point in my life. Giant robots, ninjas, and cyborgs generally come off as tired and cliched to me, but somehow, "Rising" makes these concepts seem fresh and EXCITING. What's the secret? The game uses a beautiful style of presentation that is incredibly slick, resulting in an artistic, vibrant mode of visual storytelling that is a pleasure to behold. Despite the ludicrous dialogue, mediocre voice acting, and marginal plot, the game's visual flair picks up the slack, and makes this somewhat-cheesy story work. It takes cyborg-ninjas (the "Winds of Destruction" are on par with finest of MGS bosses), and makes them viable, turning them into showmen that are simply a blast to watch and engage with. The gameplay is nicely balanced with expertly rendered cut scenes that always impress, and are kept to lengths that are actually appropriate (another breaking from MGS tradition). This game is so visually impressive, it actually made me want a bigger TV, to better digest the spectacle!

The limitations of this game are as follows: The camera will fight against you a bit too often, particularly during blade mode, when it will inexplicably perform a 180 and send you facing the wrong way (while you're using your limited energy to pull off this special move). I hope this is corrected with a future patch. Another weak spot is that the mechanics, while largely intuitive, could have been explained much better during the game. I must have missed the part where they tell you how to parry (a skill you need in order to even get past the first boss, much less complete the game), and I actually had to go online to figure out how to do it. There is no explanation of parrying anywhere in the menus. Hint: Press "square" (X on the 360) and flick the analog stick at the incoming attack at just the right moment, in order to parry.

The greatest weakness, however, is an ill-fitting soundtrack that simply does not fit with the world of MGS. Fortunately, you can go into the options from the menu and turn the music level down, while leaving the sound effects at their normal level. The soundtrack was a point of contention where Platinum butted heads with Konami. I feel that Platinum should have yielded to the judgement of Kojima and Konami on this subject, and once more retained the superb services of composer Harry Gregson-Williams.

I rate "Rising" at 4, possibly 4.5 stars. Depending on the enjoyment that can be gleaned from additional play-throughs and the acquisition of unlockables, I may bump that rating up to 5 stars. This is by no means the best Metal Gear game, but it's a fantastic, thrilling ride by any measure.

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So far this is the best game I've played in 2013, and probably the best hardcore action game since Bayonetta. Initially the parry system and lack of a dedicated dodge may seem to be detrimental, but once mastered the combat system is very intuitive and rewarding.

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The only game that I can think of that even comes close to the sheer genius and robustness of its combat system is God of War 2. But with the unique cutting system and enemy balance that rewards nay, DEMANDS hyper-aggression, MGR:R is something revolutionary. Don't listen to pooh-poohers saying "Blurgh this game is only 5 hours!" That in-game counter counts literally only your fastest time, doesn't count cutscenes, dialog, or exploration scenes, and doesn't take into account the many, many times you will die. Not to mention that this game was built from the ground up to constantly push your skills and leave you wanting for more each successive difficulty amps up enemy aggression and attack patterns, as well as entirely new Boss behaviors. Not to mention the VR Missions will punish you endlessly for your hubris There are 20 of them (30 to be released later as exclusive DLC for the PS3 I believe :( ), and they are brutally savage and can easily take you more than 15 hours to just complete those took me an hour of practice just to beat VR Mission 7.

If you're a fan of action games and you don't buy this game, then you are everything wrong with the video game market right now! Platinum games has made something truly revolutionary here, and Konami has trusted them with a spin-off of the enormously popular Metal Gear franchise. Reward that risk-taking, buy this game, full price. Support the developers, support this kind of innovation!

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I just beat it on hard mode. (normal is too easy. i usually start all my games on the harder difficulties)

I did try Revengeance mode & very hard but without moves & power-ups, let's just say i got destroyed. LOL

Incredible combos, crazy yet simple plot. (don't expect 5 hours of blahblah like previous Metal Gear titles)

This game is all about action. don't expect the stealth either. though you CAN one hit kill them if you sneak up on the & there is an achievement to finish stages without being spotted.

The bosses & sountrack are THE BEST!!! The fighting is all super stylish.

once you get used to the controllers, you will be a ninja master!

there are left hands to collect for Doktor. items to find for VR missions. different weapons. power-ups.

then if you feel you are up to it, get S rank on it.

you will have a ton of fun playing this.

ok, i'm off to start very hard mode & collect the items i was missing.

IF YOU REALLY LIKE ACTION GAMES GET THIS

Reviews of Ear Force HS1 Headset Stand

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Nice looking item but it is fairly flimsy. Once together you can rock it back an forth about a half inch at the top of the tower. It will hold your headset and looks pretty cool but it could be built a lot better. Just OK for the 20 bucks.

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Just because it's turtle beach, doesn't mean quality. The black portion is hollow plastic. When pushing the metal rods into the base, I thought I broke it from the loud cracking sound. It doesn't even sit flush on the desk, one side of the metal bar is raised off the desk. Does it work? Yes! That's why it gets 1 star. It holds my headset. The quality is just down right terrible.

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I picked up this headset stand to take care of my wireless PS3 headphones. This stand isn't as handsome as some of the pricier options out there, but I couldn't bring myself to spend $40 on a stand. Even at $20, I have two complaints about this product. First, it's a bit wobbly. Assembly is pretty simple you just insert the chrome parts into the black plastic parts. But it never feels 100% secure. It's not going to collapse or anything, but there's quite a bit of wiggling if you flex it.

Second, the narrow, upward-curving metal loop that actually holds the headphones will leave an imprint if your cans are made of certain materials. My PS3 headset is squishy leather so the stand's loop actually leaves an imprint on the inside of the headset band. I wouldn't quite call it damaging, but an annoying niggle to keep in mind nonetheless. If I could redesign this product, I would make the loop more gently curved and tighten up the thing's joints.

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I expected much more from turtle beach I have their PX21 headphones and got tired of picking them up off the floor.

Overall quality of the stand is 2/10.

Looks like a cheap replica and not something serious company should be selling.

Save your money and buy a better stand, wish I did.

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Simple construction and assembly, does its job of holding the headphone. Quite expensive for 1 triangular plastic and 2 U shape metal ring.

Cheap The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

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Zelda Twilight Princess has been eagerly awaited by legions of Zelda gaming fans. This version features a more adult Link who rides a horse, swings a sword and saves the day.

The title is available for both the GameCube and the Wii, and there are definitely some advantages with the Wii. First, you can see the game in 480p, which is DVD quality. It's not quite high definition, but it's still quite nice! Second, you get widescreen, which means you get much more game to see on the screen. Finally, you get to use the motion sensing controllers on your Wii to swing your sword, go fishing, aim your slingshot, and much more.

First, the gameplay. Most gamers will be thrilled to hear that Link is less cartooney in this game. That's not to say it's a mature title it's still a game without blood. You kill evil enemies who vanish in a puff of smoke. You go on a variety of quests, and it's very much good-against-evil. Rather, with this Link you're not a little 6 year old on a toy sailboat. Your Link is in his late teens, has his own house, owns a horse. He is harassed by three little tykes, but there's a certain young lady whose large eyes catch at Link's heart.

In no time at all Link is out in a world which is not all butterflies and daffodils. There are dark things afoot in Hyrle. The land is covered in twilight, and you turn into a wolf to deal with the shadows. Your senses serve you well in this realm. It's not too scary for kids but it gives the game much more depth for older players.

The graphics are rather impressive for a Link game. Remember, the game is still a cartoon, so you're not seeing detailed tanks or the pores in the characters faces. The world you are in is stylized. There is plenty of detail in 480p or even in regular TV resolution to show the orange pumpkins, green vines, and fluffy white chickens which make up Hyrule. The water ripples, the dust billows and the fire flickers in the fireplace.

How about the sound? The Link games were famous (or notorious) for the silly noises characters make. None talk. I suppose this makes it easy for them to convert the game to every language in the world they just change the text out and are all set. Also, you can change your name and your horse's name without any speaking issues. The voices might not know how to pronounce "Shadowfax".

Gameplay is just amazing in its length and depth. There are numerous worlds to traverse and dungeons to delve into. There are the standard collection of mini-games, quests, things to collect, puzzles to solve. You could easily play this for months and not be done. This isn't a game to race through to say "I solved it" and move on to something else. It's a world to immerse yourself in, to get to know every hill and dale, to track down those secret locations.

I really like how the Wii controllers integrate into the game. It's not like you are using them constantly, getting exhausted with hand movements. Instead, you do a fair portion with the regular joysticks for fine movement. The joysticks are used in a more general way, for sweeping sword attacks or relaxing fishing. You can use small movements if you want but it's much more fun if you get into the spirit of things and swing away. Just make sure you have that wrist strap properly connected!

Downsides? The little "he he he" voices can get annoying quickly, especially if you are stuck on a puzzle and they are tormenting you. Sometimes the checkpoints send you back further than you might like.

They do a good job of giving you little nudges if you get stuck, helping you figure out your way through the puzzles.

In general, I think they struck a great balance between "tame enough for younger kids" and "in depth enough for older players". There are a lot of teen and adult Zelda fans out there, and they'll be quite pleased with what the game offers. This is definitely one of those must-have for gamers who like adventure games even the slightest!

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If you loved Ocarina of Time as much as I did, this will make you happy.

The graphics are gorgeous. The scenery is amazing. Everything looks beautiful, and the best part is it still feels like a Zelda game. They decided to revert back to the N64 Ocarina of Time/Majora's Mask style graphics (but much cleaner, of course) rather than the cell shaded Wind Waker. I like the realistic character design much more for Zelda than the cartoonish one from the other recent games.

You can also get Twilight Princess on Gamecube, but the Wii version has some extra benefits. One such benefit is the interactivity. When you go fishing, you use the motion sensitive controller to cast the line into the water and reel the fish back. This makes it a lot more fun than the somewhat tedious sit-there-and-wait-to-press-A fishing game in Ocarina of Time. I'm glad they revamped the fishing and brought it back. Also, it is much more integrated in the gameplay than the last fishing minigame in a Zelda game (which was, of course, in Ocarina of Time). You use fish in sidequests and for other purposes.

As far as the control, it feels very natural. You use one Wii-Mote and one Nunchuck together for it. You control Link's movement and targeting with the left hand and you use the right hand to move your fairy around with the motion sensor, and to supplement the left hand with looking around, that action button, and other functions. It's hard to explain without trying it yourself, but trust me, the controls are great.

You start out the game with your horse, Epona. You also get the option to name both Link and Epona when you start your file, although I'm not sure if this will have any effect other than what NPC's in the game call you. Sometimes games use naming for codes ("If you enter your name as ___, ___ will happen" type things) but somehow I doubt it for this game. Anyway, the controls for Epona are great too. Just like Ocarina of Time, you can press A to speed her up and jump over fences. She is very beautiful and detailed too. When you make turns, you can see Link pull in the reins. You use Epona for many minigames as well as just getting around. In the beginnig of the game, for example, you use her to herd goats into a shed. It's a lot of fun, and horseback riding is another feature I'm glad they brough back.

Also, don't worry if you saw Link with the weird goatherder outfit in all of the previews he does get his original outfit later on. The dungeons are AWESOME. It's rated Teen, but Zelda games have never included inappropriate content in my opinion. You do kill monsters, but there is no realistic blood or gore, or suggestive themes. The rating says "Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence". Trust me, it's fine for kids. The action is all "hero against evil" type action. This game is a total blast, and both new and old-school Zelda fans will love it. Even if you've never played a Zelda game, try this one it'll get you hooked.

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Once again, Nintendo is able to give a stellar addition to the popular Legend of Zelda series. Despite the fact that the games usually contain the same three core characters (Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf), the games continue to be original. More importantly, though, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is engaging, challenging, and fun.

A few centuries after the events of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the descendents of Link and Zelda, who themselves are also named Link and Zelda (the various games in the series take place across various time periods, with the main characters being represented by ancestors and descendents, all of whom strangely share the same names). Link is a farmer in a southern province of Hyrule while Zelda is, as always, the princess of Hyrule. In an interesting move, the people that link lives with may not exactly be Hylians; Hylians, including Link and Zelda, have always been characterized by their pointed elf-like ears, but Link's fellow villagers have rounded ears that we have.

The first few tasks of the game have Link dealing with mundane tasks in order to learn the various controls for the game, which, for the Wii version, is extremely important. However, after being asked to bring a gift to the royal family, mysterious and shadowy beasts show up and enshroud the land in a mysterious twilight. Link is turned into a wolf while trying to fight the monsters, and is subsequently knocked out and jailed. While in jail, he meets Midna, who helps free Wolf-Link in exchange for help with a yet-to-be-revealed task.

From there, Link and Midna work as a team to rid the land of Hyrule of the strange twilight. The quest takes Link and Midna to previously seen locales of Hyrule such as Death Mountain (where Gorons live), Lake Hylia, Zora's River (home of the Zoras), and Gerudo Desert. New places include Snowpeak (home to one of the strangest dungeons I've encountered in a Zelda game) and Link's home of Ordon.

As the game goes on, Link's quest takes new turns and has events that are some of the most epic actions I've ever seen in a Zelda game. While Ocarina of Time was an epic tale overall of how Link, Ganondorf, and Zelda first crossed paths, there are moments in Twilight Princess that seem to be taken directly from The Lord of the Rings. The final battle of the game is also very well constructed and fun to engage in.

The Wii gameplay is amazing. Swinging the Wii Remote to swing Link's sword, pointing the Remote at the screen to aim the bow, and using it as a fishing rod truly bring the player into the game in ways the traditional control system could never attempt. It also allows for a much smoother form of horseback combat than that present in the N64 versions (though it was still difficult). If you have a Wii, I definitely reccomend this version over the Gamecube one (the only downside is a loss of continuity; since Link is usually left-handed, the programmers were afraid that right-handed people, who are the majority, would have trouble using the sword, so they flipped the game around; what this means is that Gerudo Desert is now in the East and Kakariko Village and Death Mountain are now in the West, though in the Hyrule in Ocarina of time, the desert was in the West and Kakariko and Death Mountain were in the East).

I have to say that the only thing that I would change about this game is the inclusion (or lack thereof) of magic. For some reason, even though magic exists, Link does not have a magic meter. Therefore, there are no spells or magic arrows (or green potions), and the Magic Armor, which makes Link invulnerable while wearing it) is powered by rupees, which can be very annoying. Still, aside from the complaint, this is an amazing game. The story is fantastic, the gameplay is top-notch, and the graphics are amazing. This game may not be as good as Ocarina of Time, but it is very, very close.

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With the Wii and the new controller, and Nintendo's new ideas about bringing in non-gamers, it's refreshing to see that Nintendo still wants to please the long-time gamers. People that have been fans of this classic franchise should do what they can to get a copy of this game. It proves that Nintendo still has the hardcore gamer in mind, and is still willing to put time and effort into games that will please us.

If you are new to gaming and the Wii is the first console you ever bought, you may find this title to be a pretty intense experience compared to Wii Sports. You may find it to be a little too much for you, though I suggest you give it a try eventually. If you're a hardcore gamer, and better yet a longtime Zelda fan, the game is everything you want.

As far as the Zelda experience goes, as in exploring caves and dungeons and towns and finding numrous items and weapons, Twilight Princess has it all. Lots of things from previous games have been improved upon. There are plenty more dungeons than Wind Waker, and now you can swing your sword while riding your horse, which you couldn't do in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask.

Much can be said about the story presentation in Twilight Princess. There's definitely been a lot of effort put into the story of Twilight Princess. The graphics are only at a GameCube level, but they look good. Some have reported that it is the darkest and most serious Zelda story made. Personally, I don't think it's that much darker and serious than Majora's Mask. A cloud of twilight overcoming Hyrule, a giant moon crashing into Termina, one does not seem more apocalyptic than the other.

I said the Zelda experience is great in Twilight Princess, but there are also elements to Twilight Princess that are new to the Zelda franchise. The wolf is one. For portions of the game you control Link as a wolf. While I prefer Link in his regular Hylian form, there are cool things about being a wolf. With wolf Link's sense of smell, you can locate and dig up items such as hearts and rupees in the ground. If you're low on either, become a wolf and do some sniffing. Combat is a little clumsy with the wolf, though. Link certainly has less power in his attacks as a wolf than as a Hylian, especially when you obtain more powerful weapons.

There's also the Wii remote control. The Wii remote is great with the projectile weapons and other such aiming devices, like the arrows and the clawshot. It's great to just point at the screen where you want to fire your arrows and take down an enemy. For sword slashing, you swing the remote like you would a sword. The sword controls are the weakest part of the game, as they could have been more immersive. You swing the remote to swing your sword. It doesn't matter how you swing the remote. Whether you swing it left, right, up, or down, Link will always swing in the same combinations. To make a stabbing motion with your sword, you hold forward on the nunchuck control while Z-targetting and swing the remote. You don't actually stab forward with the remote, which makes perfect sense to me, and, in fact, was what I was trying to do for a while. I wasn't expecting the sword control to be 1:1, but they could have made it a little more intuitive than it was. In the end, it would have been easier to just press a button to swing the sword.

The sword is my biggest complaint. A few other minor complaints include the lack of a magic meter and thus any magical attacks, the lack of Octoroks, one of the mainstays of the Zelda franchise, and the battle mechanics, which are kind of a step backward from Wind Waker. I might be in the minority with my opinion here, but Wind Waker's timed parries have been done away with, and I liked how the timing brought in an extra level of concentration. For Twilight Princess, all the parry moves from Wind Waker can be done manually, so long as you learn them. Some gamers may like that they can do those moves whenever they want, but personally I miss the concentration on timing that was involved. Also, in Twilight Princess you cannot pick up enemies' weapons, which was one of my favorite things about Wind Waker.

Overall, the things that make Zelda what it is are all here and in top form. There are plenty of dungeons, challenging puzzles, lots of items and weapons, cool boss fights, and a gigantic overworld to explore.

I also really like Midna. I wondered whether or not it was a good idea to bring a new character into the franchise. We all know how Navi and Tingle turned out, and I was afraid we were seeing the next Tingle in all those trailers. But you don't need to worry about Midna. She is a cool character, and I like the way she develops. She starts out as kind of a punk, who just seems to be using Link for her own purposes, but as the game goes on we see a softer side to her.

I subtract one star from the overall score because I am convinced the sword controls could have been much more immersive than they were, but I had a blast playing this game and it was just a straight run-through, without paying much attention to sidequests and minigames. It took me about forty hours to finish the main quest, so if you play this game totally, you'll have a lot of playing to do. Whether you get this Wii version or the GameCube version is up to you. You may just prefer pressing a button to randomly swinging the remote, but you may feel that the more precise aiming with the pointer makes the Wii version better. It's your choice. But I do recommend you get one or the other.

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There are a lot of good aspects and a lot of bad aspects of this highly anticipated launch title for the Nintendo Wii. I'll start with the good and end with the bad and my reasons for only giving this game 4 stars.

The Good:

--The game is HUGE. Once, just for fun, I decided to walk Link at a relaxed gait from one end of the game to the other in order to see how long it would take. I gave up it took so long.

--I'm very glad that Nintendo decided to put a lot of creative energy into the art and look of the game, given the graphical limitations of the Wii. The game is absolutely gorgeous with creative characters and mysterious temples. It's worth it to waste an hour or two and just ride your horse around Hyrule and look at everything.

--Great cinema scenes.

--Wii remote works and is responsive, and really does enhance the experience. But....

The Bad:

--The way the player swings the remote has no bearing on what kind of swing Link does.

--Sword combat with the remote is too easy. It doesn't require a lot of skill. I would say any novice could pick up the remote, Z-lock onto an enemy, start shaking the remote back and forth and defeat a lot of the enemies in the game. After you whack some enemies, they just stand there and sway back and forth, waiting you to whack them some more.

--Along the same lines, bosses are too easy. Very fun and impressive, but too easy.

--Overall, the game feels like an Ocarina of Time on steroids. A lot of parallels to the N64 classic, like places, characters, weapons, dungeons (you have to use Iron Boots and walk at the bottom of a lake to get to the Water Temple again), etc. Some find these parallels nostalgic and cool, but I think they're kinda lame.

What would have made this game the classic that everyone was expecting? In my opinion, Nintendo should have coordinated the movements of the remote with Link's sword swings better--when I slash right, Link slashes right, when I tomahawk swing downward, Link does the same. Ocarina of Time revolutionized video game combat with its Z-Targeting system, and it would have been great if Twilight Princess had a similar breakthrough. Legend of Zelda sword combat has always been very precise, but with this new game, we're left waving the remote willy nilly back and forth, hoping to hit something. An even more immersive sword combat experience would have justified the hype and 5 stars for this game.

Conclusion:

Even though I've emphasized the negatives more than the positives in this review (I'm a pessimist), Twilight Princess is a great gaming experience. Every Wii and Gamecube owner should check it out.

Review of Warcraft III Battle Chest - PC/Mac

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Every company these days has their own version of a real-time strategy (RTS) game and many aren't worth the price as they are cheap rip-offs of other popular ideas. However, if you'd like to play a game created by the company most responsible for the RTS craze, then look no further than Warcraft 3. Not only do you get the most balanced RTS game available which makes for better multiplayer competition but you also get one heck of a single-player campaign. The story in Warcraft 3 is terrific and probably better than most role-playing games. To top it off, Warcraft 3 combines superior graphics with the best artwork you will ever see in a real-time strategy game. The orcs, undead legions, humans, elves and many worlds they explore are a visual as well as strategic experience. And best of all, this game that was well worth the price when it was released is now packaged with the top notch expansion, The Frozen Throne, which is an expansion that is actually better than most regular RTS games these days. If you've never tried the Blizzard series of real-time strategy games, you're missing out. This company is pure class and even provides a free online gaming service called BattleNet that allows you to match your wits against thousands of online gamers. Whether it be releasing some of the most stable games in years or banning griefers on BattleNet that formed a childish organization whose only intention was to backstab allies in multi-player competition, Blizzard is known as one of the best gaming companies in the business, and it shows with their games.

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I don't think I need to go into detail about the game: you can just visit , , and and they'll tell you everything you need to know about the mechanics and the features of the game. There are some things that I can say about it.

The graphics are as good as you'd ever need, but that's not to say they're bad; quite the opposite actually. The game has a cartoonish tone to its graphics that really lends itself to the fantasy atmosphere and the spell effects are top-notch. At first glance, the game may seem to be about who gets the strongest hero first, but that's certainly not the case. The number of strategies are infinite and everything can be easily countered by an experienced player. There is a heavy emphasis on micromanagement and spellcasting in the thick of battle that is overwhelming even for me, a 6-year starcraft veteran. I recommend dialing down the game speed during especially large battles, because the computer will wipe you out if you give it the chance.

The single-player story is absolutely stellar. Photo-realistic CGI Cinematics precede and end each of the campaigns, and there are no traditional mission briefings as such. The in-game cinemas help to advance the story and serve to never take you out of the game world; this all adds up to a immersion in the story like no other. Since each of the campaigns revolve around a single hero, it's not hard to get emotionally involved in the story, and that's a rare feat. One of the reasons I love Blizzard's game so much is the wealth of detail they inject into the history of the worlds; in this case, the realm of Azeroth. Half of the instruction manual is devoted to the backstory of each of the four races and explanations of all of the units; far beyond just describing what they do.

It's very easy to pick up and play the orc tutorial mini-campaign at the beginning is really all you need, but practice helps to master the strategies and find the one that works for you. Battle.net can be a hostile place, inhabited mostly by boys in their early teens; but more often than not you get involved in a great game with several other likeable people who aren't having an ego trip.

The only complaints I have is that even though the story has as much depth as most novels have, it steals quite a lot of elements from Starcraft. Some of the spells/skills can be recognizable from Starcraft, and Diablo, both produced by Blizzard as well. While the story in Reign of Chaos (original warcraft III) is amazing in itself and ends on a great note, the story in The Frozen Throne (the expansion to warcraft III, also included in the battle chest) ends on quite a downer. You could stop at Reign of Chaos and not miss much story-wise, but it's only a minor complaint, because the Frozen Throne campaign is just as stellar, if not even more so than the RoC Campaign. The biggest complaint I have with this pack is the strategy guides included they're nothing like the ones included in the Starcraft Battle Chest. They're "Official Battle Chest Guides" which only provide strategys for the campaigns. They have no maps, unit descriptions, and only a few general tips for other game types. There are even references to maps that aren't even there. Not to mention they're very small, to fit in the box. I wasn't very happy with them at all.

Overall though, this is an incredible game, recommended to anyone who loves a challenge and a great story.

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AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!

I cannot stop playing this game. It has consumed my waking hours with the varacity of the most evil predator. It haunts my sleep with dreams of wisps building treant and my waking hours with visions of waypoints and health bars. I cannot escape this curse and so I revel in it!

Play not this game if you be of weak stomach! Play not this game if you lay claim to a social life. Play not this game if you cannot afford it. But most importantly, play not this game if thou liketh the sun or its golden rays, for they will be far from your sight once Warcraft 3 hath struck you.

Know then, all of you that the campaign of both WC3 and Frozen Throne is challenging as well as fun. Know well all of you that it's amazing mix of RPG style gaming and base building mesh seamlessly. Know you most of all that the story of the fallen lands of Lorderon and Azeroth is one of epic proportions and classic style.

Be you aware that as fun as the single player experience is, it pales when held to the light of its online brethren. The ease with which one can find and fight others online is amazing and revolutionary. The joy one gets from the various modes, including a custom battle option, is endless. But greatest of the achievements made by Blizzard, hallowed be thy name, is the continuous updates that not only make play most fair...but also add new features, such as mercenary heroes and extra campaigns.

I am the converted. I walked the path of Warcraft 2. I swam the seas of Starcraft. Now I lay in the valley of the Final Trimutive, Warcraft 3, fully sated and content. Only the promise of Starcraft Two has kept me on this plane of existence, hoping for a summer 2005 release but knowing it will never happen. Woe be to he of the path, for the tireless devotion to a false deity who has defiled himself with a release on console (Starcraft Ghost).

(Two Years Later)

Oh Yee who have tasted the sweet necter of Warcraft, I have supped of it! In my finest of hours I did what few have done! I defeated the leagons of undead and the Burning on the setting of hard! And I have been most abused. Blizzard, hallowed be thy name, has shown they can easily make a Starcraft 2 in its credits but still refuses to feed my needs... Oh well.

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I'm only a teenager, and yet I've always seemed to enjoy this game. No, I am not addicted to it. I play it everytime I have the chance to do so. Many reviews have been hating this game for A) Bad graphics and B) too little units and C) The Hero units.

First of all, the graphics are a sacrafice in order to enhance better online gaming quality. During Starcraft, Blizzard strived so hard to make units so realistic that the graphics basically killed the idea of playing a fluent game without lag. With Warcraft, it's much less often you get someone who's computer cannot support the graphics and therefore hold up the game.

Second is the fact of too little units. This is one of the reasons I love the game. You THINK!!! It's not a race who can build up the most units in ten seconds and attack. It's more of the idea of what you can do to the units they have with the units you have. You always have to be scouting their base, find out what untis they have, and get some perfect units to counter them. This way, a person with 10 units can take out 20 units with a weakness to those ten units.

I think the hero ability fairly ties in with B. The fact that you can have a certain unit with special abilities is excellent. It's like the commander. When the hero dies or is weakening, the units retreat. This is the sense of a real battle, not a suicide mass unit rush.

This game is one of the greatest I have played. It is so much more complex (in a positive way) than Starcraft or Diablo. I recommend it for anyone who is willing to have a concentrated mind in order to acheive skill in this game.

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This is a very good bargain, less than half of what you would pay if you bought each item seperate. The strategy guides are good, but not really necessary if you have played Warcraft 1 and 2, as well as the other similar games. Warcraft 3 is challenging, but not overly so. I was put to the test in many parts, but I never got frustrated. The storyline as always is excellent, and the graphics have improved ten fold from the last installment. This is certainly a must buy.