Discount Nike+ Kinect Training - Xbox 360

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I tend to divide fitness video games into two categories: "fun" motion games like Kinect Star Wars and Kung Fu Live where you get a workout just in the course of playing a game, and "pure" exercise games that are designed from the ground-up to be workout games. In the world of "pure" fitness games, so far there have been two contenders for being the best on the Kinect: Your Shape: Fitness Evolved and Adidas MiCoach.

I'm happy to say that from what I've seen do far, Nike+ Kinect Training powers its way to the top of the list. It has the most accurate motion detection and interface of all the workout games I've seen to date, has a truly innovative fitness test, and puts together workout routines that really feel personalized for you.

While the Adidas game had appearances by animated versions of very recognizable athletes such as Dwight Howard and Eric Berry, with Nike you have animated versions of Alex Molden or Marie Pervis, both best known as Nike certified trainers (although Molden did spend 9 years in the NFL). I found that fact that these are actual trainers lends a bit more credibility to the training, as opposed to other games which hire big name athletes or pop stars to drive sales.

The concept of the game is quite simple. You start out by selecting your goal (such as Get Strong to increase your power and build explosiveness, Get Toned to develop lean muscle and muscle definition, or Get Lean to maximize calorie and fat burn). Then, you go through a fitness assessment, after which you'll get a customized circuit training routine to do over the next four weeks. In other video games I tried, the assessment is really just smoke and mirrors--however you do on your "fitness test" those games will give you the exact same workout routine and call it a "personalized one". With Nike+ Kinect, the workouts I was given really feel customized to my exact goals.

The Fitness Challenge basically runs you through a series of exercises, using the Kinect to measure both how well your form is and how many reps of each exercise you're doing. You'll see a video image of your animated trainer and a silhouette of yourself next to him or her. One thing to keep in mind is that you need a minimum of 8 feet in front of your Kinect sensor with a clear view of the floor, and you'll also need a good 8-10 feet from left to right for certain exercises where you'll be jumping from side to side. [EDIT: some have reported that 8 feet is not even enough for certain exercises; in any case, if you get stuck with the system unable to track you, just use voice command "XBOX TRACKING OFF" to proceed with the exercises. Thanks to Hans for the tip!]

Each exercise is similar in that you'll see your trainer to the left of the screen, and you'll see a silhouette of your body to the right. Your silhouette will be orange at first but will glow blue when you're using the correct form. The Kinect is extremely precise and did a great job of gauging whether I was doing the exercises right each time.

The first part of the assessment tests your lower body and upper body mobility by having you strike a few poses (first lying down and raising each leg, and then standing up and stretching with your arms behind your back).

The next part of the assessment has you doing a variety of exercises, from a hop and stick (this is the one that requires a ton of space from left to right), a squat jump. What's really cool about this is that not only does the system judge your performance, it'll also give you detailed data that you can try to beat each time you do the exercise; for example, the squat jump will tell you your vertical leap in inches.

There's a cool exercise that tests your speed, reaction and agility, where you have to hop and jump to various targets on the ground. You're also tested on squats, push-ups, and high knee sprints. Again, I loved how you could set a benchmark and then try to beat it with each rep you do. A bar on the bottom of the screen will show you how good your form is; the more it fills up the better you're doing. I also loved how the system displayed things like time and reps; it's stylistically integrated into the background of the scenery in a way that's easy to read and has a certain "coolness" factor.

Motion sensing was excellent, something I always try to test with these kinds of games. I tried to throw it off several times, but it seemed to do a great job of keeping up with me.

After your evaluation you're given something called a "unique fuel print" an interesting metric that tracks your "Fitness Score" on one side and your "Athleticism" on the other side. During the test you basically establish a benchmark and then every four week you're given the same test to see how much you've improved. I started with both numbers in the 30s, which I knew meant I had a LOT of room for improvement.

You're also set up with a custom 4-week workout that focuses on your goals as well as things from your fitness evaluation that need improvement. There's a cool visual representation that shows the system picking the right exercises for you. The exercises in the workout routine are along the line of what I described above: doing various exercises where you're evaluated on how well your form and your execution are. The virtual trainer does give excellent feedback of your performance.

At first, I was excited because all the marketing material pointed to this game being tightly integrated into the whole Nike+ system. It turns out the integration is not very deep at all. If you have a Nike+ Fuelband, you'll earn "NikeFuel" playing this game just like you would doing any other exercise, but other than that there's not direct connection nor interaction between the FuelBand and Kinect Training. Kinect Training will sync (in summary form) to your NikePlus.com profile, so you can view your overall Kinect Training statistics on the site next to your FuelBand statistics, but that's it.

One thing I also love about the game is that it's supported by Kinect PlayFit, so calories burned will be counted along with all your other PlayFit-compatible games.

The one thing I wish this title had was more "fun" activities where you could get exercise by simulating real sports or activities. This is something that other titles such as Your Shape: Fitness Evolved and EA Sports Active 2 both have that provide some nice variety and diversion to keep the workouts from getting too monotonous. While Nike+ Training has some of that (there's an interesting game where you need to move your body to avoid shattering a pane of glass that's coming toward you), for the most part it's still mostly like a virtual experience at a gym, so if you have a tough time getting motivated to go to the gym every day, chances are you might have a tough time keeping up with regular workouts with this game. That said, the game does "basic training and exercise" better than any game before it, and makes a great addition to your Kinect workout game collection.

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The software (because it isn't really a "game") is pretty good. It's very personalized and has a lot of potential. If you are looking for a personal trainer at home via your Xbox this is easily your best option. But, it takes a lot more space than the average kinetic game for this to work. I have played plenty of other mincer titles and never really had an issue with them. This one seems to want to get me further and further from the sensor. Ideally you need to be about ten feet back with 5-6 feet of open space (to be able to complete all the tasks) in any direction around you. That's a pretty big space premium to get full functionality out of the game. My Xbox is in a pretty big room, but I also have this stuff called furniture. In addition to needing the extra space, it can be a little picky about how closely you mimic the trainer's activity. You have to be pretty dead on for it to register a rep. For example, after doing 22 lunges in the fitness calibration to try to get it to register three that are done correctly I just skipped it. Maybe I just needed to be more than 8 feet from the sensor.

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I've just completed the first 4-week "program" of Nike Kinect Training and started in on the next 4-week cycle, so I figure it's time for a review. I've used the Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012 dvd for about 9 months before this, so that's my point of comparison. They're very different, so one might suit you better than another.

Nike uses a traditional 4-week fitness training program designed around your goal (lean, toning, or strength)and capabilities (determined by a fitness and agility "test"). It tells you what exercises to do to meet your goal and guides you through your workout. This is a plus for those who want to be told what to do, rather than choosing (as one must do on the Your Shape title). That is the main way in which they are very different. If you like choice and variety, Your Shape gives plenty of that, but if you want to be told which exercises to do and when to do them, Nike is more of that approach, like having a personal trainer.

Another big difference is that Nike does NOT use any weights, as many Your Shape exercises do. Instead, Nike exercises get all their resistance from fighting gravity with your own body weight. So, if you want to use dumbbells (as I like to do), Nike will disappoint.

What the Nike exercises to better than Your Shape is push you to your cardio limit. I've quickly lost weight using Nike, even after 8 months using Your Shape. It's based on reaching your cardio limit repeatedly over short "sprints," and then resting before the next "sprint." That burns a lot of fat quickly. Another thing I like is that its "recommended" daily routine is fairly short (25 minutes or so), but then it asks if you want to "add on" one or two more rounds of the same exercises. I find that motivates me because it's easy to start a 25-minute workout, but then I always add on more once I'm warmed up and sweaty. It's good fitness psychology.

I'm a little disappointed (and the reason I'm giving it only 4 stars) that now starting my 2nd 4-week program, things aren't much different than the first program. The rest periods are a little shorter, but the exercises are the same. I was hoping it would add on some different exercises. It feels a bit over-priced in that respect --there actually aren't that many different exercises in here, but what there is is of high quality (with some qualifications noted below).

Something to watch out for if you have any issues with knees, ankles, hips, etc.: The exercises here are quite "high impact". Many of them give the joints quite a pounding (such as running with high knees, star jumps, etc.). Many would qualify as "plyometric" exercises with lots of leaving the ground in order to generate resistance.

Technically, the dvd looks and sounds good, with good music, etc. Sometimes, the timing of the trainer's voice commands don't quite match up with what's shown on the screen. Typically, right when the clock gets to 0:00, he'll say "OK, give me just a few more" but the time's already up. That's a bit annoying over time. Also (just as with Your Shape), the Kinect sensor doesn't do too well with the lying down on the ground postures, failing to register correctly. That's also annoying. But, generally this is mostly free of bugs.

So, if you like a guided workout, have sound joints and like to have a good, sweaty cardio workout, this is a great addition. However, if you like to choose from a lot of different options, like to use dumbbells, and like to design your own workout, then Your Shape will be more to your liking.

UPDATE (2/5/13): A few weeks after writing this review, I started to develop some significant knee pain, which I attribute to the quite jarring cardio exercises used in this video. So, I now use only the strength portion of the workout and get my cardio elsewhere. Hopefully, the knee pain will subside over time, but I'm taking a star off my initial review and repeating this warning that the cardio exercises in this workout are very high-impact and probably not suitable for many people. The workout would be more appropriate for more people if it had lower-impact cardio options.

Honest reviews on Nike+ Kinect Training - Xbox 360

I love this game! After many workouts and routines, I feel the burn more every time. This game has made me feel as though it knows exactly what I need to achieve my fitness goals, it is completely customized to my body, health level and ability. One point of mention, it likes me to be like ten feet or so from the TV, totally cool in my case, just an FYI. I recommend this game because I paid full price for it, and I feel as though I underpaid. Good luck in executing all of your health betterment plans.

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This game is not perfect. There are plenty of flaws in tracking form and counting reps, thanks, in part, to the imperfections in the Kinect tracking system. Regardless, the Nike + Kinect Training "Game" represents such a huge step forward that it deserves five full stars. It's hard to consider this product a game. It's a pretty serious training program built on training methodologies that are better than many of the personal trainers at the local gym.

The program puts you through a modified version of Gray Cook's and Lee Burton's Functional Movement Screen, a seven-step functional movement assessment that may cost as much as $150. As a personal trainer, I've never understood charging that much. I just build it into my total training fee. Many trainers haven't even heard of this valuable screen, and the fact that you can do a less comprehensive and less accurate, but still valuable version of this assessment is pretty amazing.

Two major flaws in the FMS part of this program are the Inline Lunge and the less then perfect tracking of the Kinect. In the real test, the spacing is longer and you have to balance on a beam, making it more of a true test of functional movement. On the first try of another part of the test, the Kinect didn't even track my pushups and would have scored me a 0, meaning that I would be doing knee pushups instead of full pushups. When I was able to get the Kinect tracking properly, I got a 3, the highest score, completely changing the strength programming to something more challenging and appropriate.

It's also easy to cheat the system. A couple of perfectly executed lunges may score zeroes, but you can kneel on the floor and get credit for perfect reps. I've even done pushups where I would lie on my stomach and then push up, only to get perfects.

The actual programs aren't perfect either. The Kinect gives you the option of going for Power/Strength, Toning or Fat Burning/Cardio. A high school athlete new to training would probably get a bit more faster and powerful with the Power/Strength option thanks to the improved balance and functional movement gained by this training. But the weights are not heavy enough, the movements not explosive enough and the emphasis not specific enough to speed to create the types of gains on the field or the track he or she might expect. Toning is really tough, and probably more in line with the goals. I haven't tested Cardio, but it would be hard to mess that one up, and the interval-based training in the other programs is spot-on.

For $50, the price of one gym membership, you can get some pretty darn good training, probably better than what you'd find at your local gym. Nike + Kinect Training won't replace a really good trainer, but it will definitely give you a great workout based on a strong methodology that will get you results in your living room.

Reviews of Turtle Beach Ear Force DSS2 Dolby Surround Sound Processor - Xbox

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I just purchased this sound processor to go with my COD Foxtrot headset (px21). I was waiting for the DSS to go on sale and this was just released and the DSS mysteriously dissapeared. One question I have that concerns me about this device is the original DSS advertises Dolby 5.1/7.1 surround sound and the NEW DSS2 which is $10 less brand new with the added option of adjusting speaker angles with 6 presets, is why did the Dolby 7.1/5.1 disappear? The old one says it all over, this one just says Dolby. I am wondering if it is a lesser quality of surround sound or why would it not mention anywhere on the new one it has 5.1/7.1 surround? I did some research and could not find an answer, but never having the first one I am sure I will be happy with this. Just a few things I was wondering before purchasing and seeing as the old one is nowhere to be found at a reasonable price, made me think something is fishy. I will update once I get some use after it is shipped to me. I hope this helps a little and feel free to comment if you know something I dont. Thanks

**** UPDATE ****

I spoke with several Turtle Beach employees after being transferred to someone who could answer my questions, he assured me this was an improved model over the first and TB decided to go with a different price point and for licensing reasons they may have excluded putting the DOLBY 5.1/7.1 on the DSS2(even though he did not sound like he knew 100%). From what I gathered it sounds like they dont know. I will update actual product usage after I test it out some. Feel free to comment again and thanks for the info. By the way, Amazon is overcharging $10 more for this at $89.99, go to Turtle Beach direct for $79.99

*********BREAKTHROUGH UPDATE!!!!**********

Well, well, well, I figured out the mystery of the DSS vs. DSS 2. The new Dss2 is not dolby 7.1 or 5.1 it is closer to 4.1. Thats right, after massive research and some calls to Turtle Beach(which got me knowwhere); I have discovered why the old one dissappeared and the new one is lacking the labels of 7.1/5.1 Dolby. Ready for it, drum roll please..... The new DSS2 has adjustable speaker angles as an added option because you only get 4 sound outputs, thats right ONLY 4: front right, rear right, front left, and rear left. If you look at the amazon video from a Turtle Beach representative showcasing the original DSS, it has a diagram of the sound outputs, seven in total which some are front right and left, rear right and left as well as a center and behind. I knew something was fishy and if you look at Turtle Beachs website at the new and IMPROVED?, DSS2 it has specifications and its own sound diagram, displaying only 4 sounds, FR, FL, RR, and RL. The big upgrade is the speaker angles which are preset and you will need to adjust just to get sound in front and back. You can see for yourself at TB website and under Amazon as well for the DSS 1. I feel like I solved this case and I hope i saved someone else the headache. Please comment if you have more to add and like before I will update with actual usage.for DSS

******DSS2 USAGE UPDATE******

The DSS2 is packaged nicely, with a TB sticker, manual, and all the necessary wires. For my PS3, I simply plugged in the digital optical cord supplied from the unit to my console and a usb cord as well which is supplied with the DSS2. Plug in your headphone jack and usb cord into the dss2 and you are pretty much ready to go! There is a setting you have to change in your XMB menu, but it is explained in the manual. First thought was, wow more wires, but that was expected. The 6 speaker angle presets are pretty good. The equalizer presets go from horrible sounding to great, depending on your sound preference. The burning question for most I would think is, is it worth it? Well that is up to you, I wanted the best sound possible for a wired headset and for the most part it is an upgrade from stereo headsets, nothing major, it wont help your kill to death ratio go from 1 to 2, but it is a must have for audiophiles and people that want the best sound they can get from their headsets. If you go through TB they have it coming soon packaged with the p11 headset for $119. The manual does mention 5.1 Dolby and for less money than the original DSS, this is a good buy. If you own the original, I would keep it. Thanks for all the comments and I will include future updates after I have had this a month or two.

*****New Headset with DSS2*****

Well, I decided to return my Foxtrot headset, which paired with the DSS2 was great! I jumped on the TB MW3 BRAVO wireless headset when I saw the price dropped to $93. Gamestop sells this headset for $180 and it is just a stereo headset. I love the fact 1) Its wireless(DSS2 plus a wired headset = lots of wires) 2) Unlike most wireless headsets the Bravo has a rechargeable battery with USB(No Batteries!), however this is not a review of headsets but I just wanted to add the DSS2 takes my Bravo Headset to another level! I now have wireless, Dolby surround, and all for around $160 ($93 for BRAVO headset and $73 with shipping for DSS2). If you want to spend $200 plus you can skip the DSS2 and go for a wireless Dolby headset, but for under that I am extremely satisfied with my set now, and I love the speaker angles the more I use them. Please add comments about your DSS2 experiences, I would love to hear other opinions!

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Alright, I'm new to surround sound through headsets. I have surround sound speakers in a family room (a 5.1 setup with a really nice center speaker and good-sized satellite surround speakers) and it sounds fantastic. But sometimes, you don't want your family or neighbors to hear the noise from gaming. I couldn't justify buying $100+ surround sound headsets as I do have to watch my spending (buy way too many games and other stuff). So I started off with the Turtle Beach X12 headset (fantastic, by the way) which was an excellent deal at the time. However, the X12 headset is only stereo. Which is fine and has excellent sound but it's not surround sound. I could only tell left and right and in a crowded gaming situation, you lose track of where objects are in space.

Another reason why I wanted to upgrade to surround sound is I like to record my gameplay with my Hauppauge HD-PVR. If I set the HD-PVR to record 5.1 optical, I couldn't hear audio through my stereo headset which is RCA stereo. So I was forced to play with the full surround sound speakers of my room which is not convenient when you need to be quiet. So I ended up recording my videos in stereo so I could play with the X12 headset. But with the DSS2, I can do my recordings in 5.1 as well as use my X12 in 5.1 with the DSS2.

At the time, the DSS1 was still around but was a bit pricey. I missed out on some sales for it unfortunately. So I waited for it to come down in price again, but before I could get another sale, the DSS1 was quietly removed from the marketplace and replaced with the DSS2. I heard the DSS1 was superior to the DSS2, but it was a moot point as the DSS1 became harder to find and more expensive while the DSS2 dropped in price. So when the DSS2 was on sale for $49.99, I jumped on it.

Now, I'm not going to comment on the DSS1. Whether it's really better or not is not for me to say as I never got to try them out. These comments are purely for the DSS2, and how I use them with my X12. And so far, I am loving the DSS2 with my TB X12 headset. Setup is pretty simple. The hardest part was setting the the cabling to be tidy so that my Xbox 360 could switch back and forth between the headset and the receiver with true surround speakers in the room without having to unplug cables as constant unplugging and replugging is not good for longevity of the cables.

Now, the X12 has a little box that contains the volume, bass boost, and mic controls. It's advised to turn off the bass boost and use the bass boost on the DSS2 as both devices boosting simultaneously can distort the audio. The next thing was figuring out the right volume level for both the X12 volume knob and the DSS2 volume knob. Do you set the X12 knob to the middle and then dial mostly with the DSS2?

On the DSS2, there is a button to turn the Dolby Digital Surround Sound off and on. When it is turned off, the audio is digital stereo. When it is on, it creates a virtual 5.1 setup. I read comments that state 4.1. I don't know about that. All I know is in multiple places in the manual (both in text and pictures), it shows 5.1. And really, all I care about is having a deep, full sound environment and being able to figure out the positions of the bad guys.

There are buttons for surround sound angles and equalizer presets. Unfortunately, there are no dedicated LEDs to indicate which preset or surround sound angle is currently selected. However, the LEDs that are present will blink in sequence and this tells you what preset is selected (you have to look in the instruction manual). So you're going to have to be very attentive if you need to keep track of what presets for which game or presets between different users of the system.

The game I first used to test out the surround sound was Halo Reach as I got recommendations on its excellent sound separation. At first, I couldn't tell much difference, but the more I played, the more I notice how good the sound separation was from before. We were driving in a warthog and as an animal ran behind the warthog, I could tell it was behind. When some NPC was doing a conversation, I rotated my character around and I could tell the NPC was in front or behind me. I even did a blind test and rotated around and checked if I was really telling if it was in front or behind and I was correct.

In a crazy firefight, sounds are coming from all directions so I couldn't always pinpoint where but the sound was fuller than before I had the DSS2. When the combat was more intimate, I could definitely tell where the enemy was.

The next game I played was Left 4 Dead 2 and the DSS/X12 combination was awesome! I could tell where the boomers, spitters, etc. were coming from! You can't hide from me anymore! Stereo helps out a little in identifying where baddies are but nowhere near as well as the surround sound setup!

Some other games I recommend to test surround sound include the Dead Space series, the Bioshock series, Battlefield Bad Company 2, and Modern Warfare 2.

Now, the DSS2 is not perfect. There were a few times I heard some audio crackles/noise. I solved this by moving the USB cord to a different port which led to really clean audio.

Also note that the included optical cable must be the thinnest cable ever made. I swapped it for one of my regular optical cables as someone told me it makes a difference.

For the $50 that I got the DSS2 for, it's amazing and will stay on my 360. It comes completely ready to use as it includes a USB cable and an optical cable. You just plug in your headset and go. This is one of the best budget methods to get a surround sound headset. Around Black Friday, I got the X12's for about $35 and with this $50, I got a darn good setup going. $85 over the course of 8 months versus $100+ upfront is a good deal for a person on a budget. There was some trepidation over the DSS2 due to the negative comments I read, but having tried it myself, I can allay those fears. Sure, the DSS1 may be better (I'll never know) but I'm really enjoying the DSS2 and its sound effects.

And don't forget, the DSS2 is for any stereo headphones/headset so your experience and results may differ depending on the model you have since headphones have different designs. Also, your ears shape and structure differ as well so one person's comments won't necessarily apply to you. You just have to try it for yourself to determine whether it works for you. And luckily for me, it works great! The DSS2 is a fairly good 5 stars with the only complaint being that there are no dedicated LEDs to indicate the chosen preset. If it had dedicated LEDs for presets, it would be a strong 5 stars. This has been one of my best gaming purchases in a long time.

There are some more features of the DSS2 which I haven't really had a chance to try out so I'll update the review appropriately after playing with them. One question I'll briefly cover (but will test out more) is how regular music sounds with the surround settings enabled and so far, the music sounds great.

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I bought the DSS2 in a bundle with the XL1, but I'm using the X12 headphones instead.

I've been using the device for over 2 months and I hardly play without them anymore. I had 2 Tritton products before, but I had to send them back because one was not working properly and the other broke after 2 months.

ABOUT THE DEVICE:

The DSS2 is a device which is meant to enhance audio sound by simulating surround sound (multiple speakers) in stereo headphones (2 speakers). There is a video called "Turtle Beach Surround Sound Demo" on Youtube and on the Turtle Beach website that explains how simulated surround sound works.

In case of the DSS2 it really works. One can really approximately tell from which direction sound is being emitted.

Now the DX12 headphones already are very good so the DSS2 is not a dramatic improvement, but still the difference is noticeable.

SETUP:

Setting up the system is quite easy. Most of the things which are needed to set it up are in the box.

The audio is being transmitted from the console to the DSS2 via an optical audio cable (older Xbox 360 models require an adapter for that). There are nice, detailed instructions in the manual to help with the setup.

I had to buy an overpriced Amigo II USB adapter so I can use the microphone of my X12 headset while playing on the PS3.

DSS2 VS. TRUE 5.1 HEADPHONES:

Comparing the DSS2 in combination with a good Turtle Beach headset to the Tritton AX Pro (a true 5.1 headset, it has 4 speakers on each side), the AX Pro has an advantage in finding the direction of a sound, but it has smaller speakers built into the headset offering a weak sound quality.

DSS2 VS. DSS:

The DSS2 has a few nice additional features compared to the older DSS device. You can choose the virtual angle of the surround sound speakers, select an equalizer which improve or worsen the sound quality depending on your headphones. It also has an AUX IN (auxiliary input) which I assume it lets you connect your music player and mixes it with the game's sound to be able to listen to your own songs while playing. Unfortunately I haven't been able to test that feature.

There is also a difference in the audio/surround quality between the DSS and the DSS2. The DSS is being marketed as a 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound Processor featuring Dolby Pro Logic IIx. The DSS2 is only a 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound processor. I took the time to ask the Turtle Beach online support what the mystery is behind this. It turns out that the Dolby Surround decoder chip in the DSS was not made by Turtle Beach, having them pay higher licensing fees. The DSS2 has a Dolby Surround decoder chip made by Turtle Beach.

From my tests I cam to the conclusion that the DSS doesn't sound as clear as the DSS2 and the telling the direction of the sound isn't quite as clear. There is also a slight echo with the DSS that sounds like you are in an empty room. It makes music sound better but during gaming I prefer the DSS2.

CONCLUSION:

In my opinion the initial price was way to high for what the device has to offer. The audio surround improvement can be noticed but it is not a dramatic difference. For players who want to hear surround sound without bothering others this is a great alternative.

Here's a list of games and videos which I have used to test the audio:

WipeOut HD (PS3) Audio Test

Halo DVD (Xbox 360) Surround Sound Test

Crysis 2 (Xbox 360)

Tomb Raider Underworld Teaser (orchestral music)

Ghost Recon Future Soldier Teaser (strong bass)

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I purchased the Turtle Beach DSS2 to give my Call Of Duty: Black Ops II Turtle Beach (Kilo Wired) headset full digital surround without spending an arm and leg. The package was delivered in less than twenty-four hours for less than ten dollars, was brand new (unopened), and required minimal installation. The set-up was easy, as the DSS2 connected to my Xbox 360 (slim) via USB and Digital Audio, and had my headset connect to the other side of the unit, no adapters required. The headset's USB connection plugs directly into one end of the DSS2, therefore powering the device, and still only requiring one USB slot on your game system (unless you are using a wireless headset, then requiring each to be powered separately). As far as sound quality goes, even my non-techie fiance noticed quite the difference. Playing Black Ops II became an entirely new experience, as I was immersed into the game as I have never been before; enemy footsteps could be heard from all around, the direction in which shots were being fired from could be easily identified, and game audio was truly distinguishable from players chatting using microphones. The angles of sound (Dolby Digital), though not fully 7.1 surround, can be adjusted to your own personal preference by selecting one of six predetermined presets on the device, as well as being able to decide among several bass, middle, and treble boosts. I highly recommend this product to any gamer or audio enthusiast looking for phenomenal sound from your already purchased stereo headset at a reasonable price point. 4.5*/5*

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Turtle Beach Ear Force DSS2 Dolby Surround Sound Processor - Xbox

I purchased the DSS2 to go along with my Turtle Beach, Call of Duty Foxtrot stereo headset. I play alot of Call of Duty and I noticed that with my Foxtrot headset I could not distinguish what direction I was hearing footsteps and shots from. So I purchased the DSS2 hoping to correct this issue and it has definetly done the job. I am now able to determine in what direction footsteps, shots, etc.. are coming from. I must say, however, that I havn't noticed a huge improvement in overall sound quality but the sound quality was already very good with the Foxtrots. So, if you play COD or any other shooters that knowing the direction of a sound is important then the DSS2 is very nice to have. If you don't play alot of shooter games then you may want to save your money and just get a nice stereo headset like the Foxtrots or soon to be available Kilos. If you don't already have a headset yet and you also want surround sound, it is cheaper to just buy a surround sound headset from the start. Something like the Turtle Beach DPX21.

Now to the DSS2 setup. The DSS2 was very easy to set up. Just plug in the provided optical cable and USB cable. (The optical cable is very thin but it still works fine). Then plug in the headset to the DSS2. Very simple. It is recommended that you control your volume with the DSS2 and not the headset but I do not do it that way. The optical cable and usb cord are too short to reach where I sit so I leave the DSS2 sitting on top of the XBOX. I have the DSS2 set at max volume and I control my game and chat volumes with the headset. I have the DSS2 set on EQ preset 3 (aggressive bass boost) and I turn down the bass boost on the headset. And lastly, I use Surround Sound Angle 3. Honestly, any of the surround sound angles would work but #3 is the one that I decided to use.

In conclusion, I am happy that I purchased the DSS2 even though I think that it is a little overpriced (Which is why it gets 4 stars instead 5). It is a nice addition for anyone who already has a stereo headset and plays alot of COD or other shooters.

Discount NBA 2K10 Anniversary Edition -Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:

This review is not about the game, it is about the Tenth Anniversary box set.

Pro's:

The Box is massive, stands about 2ft tall.

Packaging is top notch, outer packaging alone makes for a great display piece

Locker itself is really cool, each locker is individually numbered out of 30,000

Locker construction is solid, and made really well

Access to the 2k10 Live Gold Room (haven't accessed it yet so I don't know how cool it is)

Cool poster from Shepard Fairey's Studio No.1 (made on a high quality stock paper)

Cons:

The Box is massive so it might be tough for you to display.

I was disappointed with the Mcfarlane figure, I thought it would be a full size figure (should have read more, "it stands at 6" tall, not the figure is 6" tall)

Overall I was really happy with this purchase. Now that I look back I am not sure if I can justify paying $40 extra for this set. If they would have given you a normal size Mcfarlane figure this would have been well worth it.

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I have to order this from the USA, because I live in Italy. Everything is fine and the cabinet idea is awesome.

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Excellent game! Different gameplay modes including the "My Player" mode that is funny and complex, it is very realistic and you can customize the difficulty of the game with sliders and adjust it to your liking.

The locker is very useful and well made, all my friends have seen it and fallen in love with it.

Honest reviews on NBA 2K10 Anniversary Edition -Xbox 360

The game is the truth, and I had my minor problems with it at first in the beginning but since then, the game has been nothing other than the perfect simulation of real life counterpart to the real game of Basketball. One of the best modes this game has is the "My Player" mode. It's so addictive and gives you a lot to do and aim for. I have yet to play the normal game as much simply because I am enjoying living the life of a NBA rookie trying to make a name for myself and become an All~Star. The game is worth checking out, even if you're not a basketball fan. Give it a shot, you will not be disappointed. Also, they have 24/7 Roster updates which is a great addition as well.

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The box (which is the size of a hobbits wardrobe) is just the first suprising thing about the 2K10 special anniversary edition. The thought that has gone into assembling a package worthy of celebrating 10 yrs of this game franchise is superb. The well made metal locker, along with the ltd edition print of kobe and all the other bits and pieces make for some real eye candy. The addition of the 'gold room' entry pass is a wonderful idea that gives the feeling of exclusivity you want when you buy somthing that is in limited supply. The game itself is as you would expect,packed with smooth graphics, kick ass soundtrack, and realistic gameplay, with really atmospheric arenas and crowd reaction during the matches themselves. The rendering on the player in game graphics is enough to make you weep tears of joy as you control Lebron, koby, and all the other NBA superstars and legends. a highly recommended package well worth the extra bucks. And Amazon.com were one of the only people prepared to supply it to us mere mortals in the UK. Well done ESPN and many thanks Amazon.

Cheap Warriors of Might and Magic PS1 DISC ONLY

Customer Ratings:

First of all they flat out lied. 12 hours of intense gameplay my but! I beat it in two and a half. A whole arsenal of intense spells. How about 7 or 8 spells. The story made little sense. and the battle was weird. The first of three bosses you fight is harder than the last. and a enemy who you caN't hurt fears him? Don't buy this game. Pitty those at 3DO who spent good time making it

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not bad game for the time it came out, i'm a big fan of the might&magic games, i think they should make more games like that

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I bought this thinking it would be like Crusaders, it was similar but warped. You couldn't chose your runes on your weapons for example and the spells were weaker. The enemies were ok, i guess. The worst part is I paid [money] for 2.5 hours of pointless, storyless, crap. Don't waste your money, wait for Crusaders 2 to come out.

Honest reviews on Warriors of Might and Magic PS1 DISC ONLY

This game was good but to short, and even though you did not really need all that much skill to play it, it did offer some interesting challenges. I wouldn't really call it a RPG, it was more like an action game. Other Might and Magic games are more thought out and more complicated, ie.. "Warriors of Might and Magic" does NOT have a map or a FLYING spell to get around with. Unlike other M&M PC games that do. Warriors does have some really cool movies that further the plot and are, combined with the game, worth the 20.00. but if you can get it cheaper it would be better.

Best NHL Hitz 20-02 Deals

Customer Ratings:

Quite simply, this is one of the best games I've ever encountered in my twenty-plus years of gaming. I've never liked sports games before, but from the moment I started this game I was hooked. I've always loved hocky, but found that most games were either too dull, too complicated or just didn't have the graphics that make this game light up the way it does on the Game Cube. If you don't own this game, buy it!

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I was going to the video store one weekend (actually, my dad went for me), and I wanted to rent a game. Our video store has a large selection of GCN games. I couldn't seem to make up my mind (but I'm sure that you have probably already igured out what game I rented). So I picked NHL Hitz 20-02.

I was a bit skeptical about the game at first. I mean, I've got the 'awsome, eyecandy' of a hockey game called NHL 2002 by EA Sports for my computer, so I didn't really know if I was gonna like this. I tried it out a little...and...GUESS WHAT!?!?!? I fell in love with this game. It's NHL hockey as it was MEAN'T to be; Big Hits (and I mean BIG HITS!!!), dramatic goals, HUGE FIGHTS, and CHEAT CODES! ;)

This game is the NHL version of the Midway classic known as NFL Blitz (which also had sequels each year for roster updates, graphics improvment, and more features). You start the game off with 3 gameplay modes: Exhibition, Season, and Franchise. And there is also some extras like: the Hockey Store, and Create-a-Team feature.

Exhibition is the basic mode of the game if you want some classic fun (and you can also play this mode multiplayer with up to 3 other people). You pick your team from a colection of ALL the NHL teams in the league (but I am sorry to say: NO international teams). You can also buy more teams at the hockey shop. Once your done picking your teams, you pick three players (from a list of six) for your team to have as your line for the first period. After that you will procede to the section where you have 5 seconds to type in cheat codes (like bigger hits, huge heads, tennis ball puck, ect.) Once your done picking your hockey dudes and doing cheats, you will go to a cool, and somethimes comical, Pre-game show.

There are NO penalties in this game; the only way for your player to be kicked out of a game is...LOSE a FIGHT!!! If you lose a fight, the player that lost the fight is out of the game. The fights are awsome: VERY DRAMATIC.

In season mode, it is basically that same as most hockey games: you go through the season and try to win the STANLEY CUP.

In franchise mode, you try to make your created team better (as you get more points to improve created players with each franchise win). You try to win the MIDWAY CUP.

At the Hockey Shop, you can buy various nostalgic jerseys, new arenas, new teams, and special heads for created players. You earn points for playing exhibition games and season games, and you use these points for the hockey shop.

It create-a-team mode, you can create a team by customizing your jersey logo, jersey color scheme, and team name. You can create six players and one goalie for your team. You start out with a limited amount of points to make your player attributes. BUT that is what franchise mode is for: yo earn points to make your players better. You can chose different faces for your player. You also custumize your player's body size and stuff: the players can look any way you want.

There are also alot of options to customize like game speed and music style. The Graphics are a bit on the weak side (as they could have been better). The sound is awesome. The commentator is pretty funny. Also, the controls are pretty easy to learn.

If you are looking for adrenaline pumping hockey action, NHL Hitz is for you. It's no were near a hockey sim, but that's WHY it's fun. If you want a hockey sim, I suggest buying NHL 2002 by EA Sports for PS2, X-Box, or computer...or you can wait till fall of 2002 till the SEGA NHL 2K3 comes out for the GCN. But if you want a FUN, arcade style hockey game, this game is for you.

I also have one more thing to say: GO WINGS!!!!!!! ;)

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Hey Lets Face it if you like hockey at all you like nhl hitz 2002. Its the best hockey game ever yeah so maybe there is only three guys on the ice, but how often do you get to smash a guy thru the glass or knock the helmet off Mario Lemieux(example not that i hate lemieux i love him.)The best part about this game isthe killer graphics on the winnable arenas the one arena i have saved at my house you play on apond and if you go to replay you see under the ice little fish swimming around. This Game rules in every and any aspect.

Go Buy It Or Sit At Home and Sulk With Regret!!!

Honest reviews on NHL Hitz 20-02

As a die hard hockey fan, I eagerly awaited this game. I was not disappointed. Midway has kept true to its style of pro sports games. Having the GameCube as a system to work with, Midway excelled in all areas! The graphics are excellent for a hockey game(only NHL2K for Dreamcast is better). Game play is intense! Fast, furious and nonstop! Although you can control the speed of the game in the options screen and slow things down, but why would you? Control of the skaters is a bit awkward and difficult at first, but is easily overcome with practice. Smooth player movements and precise commentary add to the game. Options, and many of them!! Choose your favorite NHL team, one of Midway's "special teams" or create your own. Choose your teams colors, jerseys, logos, your teams stadium and yes, even nicknames that the announcers will say during the game! And plenty more options to choose from! Trade players, fights, and even trivia questions that can earn you points to increase your players skills. There is even a "Skills" game that helps you increase your hockey skills to be a better opponent for the computer! This game has more features and options than I have mentioned here. Bottom line is this, NHL Hitz is the best 3 on 3 hockey game for any game system! This is a MUST for any video game player, even if are not a hockey fan! Go Avalanche!!

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I bought NHL HITZ for my son, Mark, who just turned 18.

Since he is now on Christmas Break from school, he plays

it every night before bed...so, I can safely say, he loves

the game!

Discount Skylanders Giants Triple Pack 7: Fright Rider, Wrecking Ball

Customer Ratings:

This is one of the late releases of 3 triple packs (#8 and #9 have not hit the US yet) where you can get Wrecking Ball Series 2 and Flameslinger Series 2 (as they have become scarce in current single pack shipments). New dead type Fright Rider is also in limited availability in a single pack.

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shipping came fast and in good condition. My kids love this game and it's pretty fun playing with them, even tho they beat me all the time.

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All the triple packs are great value and good to get three characters in one go. This packs characters were an excellent mix of abilities and element types.

Honest reviews on Skylanders Giants Triple Pack 7: Fright Rider, Wrecking Ball

He leveled them up as soon as he got them. Skylanders Giants figurines are now on his Bday and Christmas lists.

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I started playing with my roommates kid and quickly got hooked. This is just pure silly upgrade the good guy fun!!

Buy Tomb Raider Anniversary

Customer Ratings:

If you were around to enjoy the original Tomb Raider, playing this game is like meeting a girl you thought was hot in junior high, only now you're both in your 30s and she's still just as hot as you remember. As for you, well. The less said, the better.

If you think that's just a questionable metaphor for the character of Lara Croft herself, you may be right, because she does look just as good in this iteration (given today's graphic advances) as we old-timers thought she looked back in '96, triangles and all. I was actually in college when I played the first TR on the PS1, and at the time, I was (along with legions of other gamers and non-gamers alike) smitten with the heroine that helped launch the 3D action-adventure genre. A few increasingly tired sequels...bad movies...and countless 3D action-adventure games later...and the magic was all but gone.

10 years later, this "re-imagining" takes what was great about the original TR (level design, puzzle solving, a great sense of exploration, tight control), and dresses it up in a new coat of paint, adding tweaks here and there for modern sensibilities. It looks a lot better, Lara's got new moves, everything has a bigger sense of scale. Some changes have been made some for the better, some seemingly for change's sake. Most importantly, the soul the essence, if you will of the original TR is here, and that's why I give this game a hearty recommendation. I can think of few other games that deliver a sense of grandeur, danger and giddy pleasure in quite the same way Tomb Raider can when it's firing an all cylinders.

If you're feeling nostalgic, you'll love the developer commentary you can toggle on or off in the option menu, then trigger by activating one of the purple diamonds in the level (they look like the original's save points). If you're a fan, it's pretty interesting to hear Toby Gard, the designer of the original, and Jason Botta, the game director of the new version, go back and forth about the challenges and changes involved with both the original and this remake. If you're the "gotta catch 'em all" type, you'll probably enjoy replaying levels to collect hidden relics and artifacts, finish the time trials (speed runs) and take a run through Croft Manor.

Obviously, as a person who played and enjoyed the original, I'm bringing a lot of mental baggage along. If you're new to the franchise, the experience certainly won't have the same impact, but I suspect you'll still have a grand time anyway. In this day and age of first-person-shooter over-saturation, this game may even come as a breath of fresh air.

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This game kills two birds with one stone. Basically it's cool being retro these days, the team at Edios redressed the whole game improving Lara, the physics, the levels, the graphics, and detailing the story. Plus this games grants Edios the chance to start from scratch with Lara and the series. It was also a cool way to give something neat back to the fans: especially after the backlash from fans over "Angel of Darkness". Anyway, The graphics and the story are awesome and do Lady Croft and the scenery justice.

I enjoy when a developer respects it's audience by staying true to the character it created while still improving, expanding, and evolving that characters development. The developers thoughtfully intertwine the plot to suit "Tomb Raider: Underworld" (which in-turn resolved both the stories from this game and "Legend"). The reintroduction of Natla's character also helps to explain to fans what happened prior to "Underworld". While "Anniversary" can stand on it's own as a cool game, it does set up the other two games. Though all the games were released out of order: Legend in 2005, Anniversary in 2006, and Underworld in 2008. Anniversary does create a time line that is respectful to the fans that appreciate continuity.

The Tomb Raider series is not for kids and this game is no exception. Tomb Raider: Anniversary is a reintroduction of Lara and a spring board for new story lines and a way to introduce new fans to a classic game and story. As a fan of the series it's nice to be able to play the original Tomb Raider on today's graphic superior platforms. I don't know how they do it but each adaptation of Lara Croft and her abilities is stunning in every game and this game does not disappoint. I might add that the ability to earn and wear different outfits (introduced in "Legend") is included in this game as well the added fun of finding artifacts, relics, completing time trials and the use of the grappling-hook.

All in all, I recommend this game to new and old fans alike. It's the old game with improved graphics, physics, clothing, and abilities. It is joy to play and experience time and again.

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Prior to the current generation of video game consoles, I had last played Tomb Raider when it was introduced on the PC in the 90's. Before this release, I had already played Tomb Raider: Legend, which I had really enjoyed, so I figured I would give this title a try. Fortunately, it did not disappoint.

From a graphics perspective, this game provided an incremental improvement over Tomb Raider: Legend. The environments are beautifully detailed, and they are extremely large. Not only are the environments big, but they are also extremely high -be prepared to climb a lot. Once you enter an area, nothing additional needs to load, so you are not disturbed by "loading" screens, and you end up totally immersed in the environment. I encountered no framerate issues. The sound is excellent, and compliments the environments perfectly. Music is kept to a minimum, so you won't be distracted during gameplay.

From a control perspective, this game introduces a new "adrenaline dodge" move, which may take a bit for novice players master. The move is extremely important to gameplay, and it will be necessary to master the move in order to complete the game. This move replaces the "bullet time" move, which became standard in many games in recent years. Otherwise, the control scheme is exactly the same as Tomb Raider: Legend, and Lara's movements have not changed. If you played Tomb Raider: Legend, you can play Anniversary.

The level bosses are amazing. The T-Rex is probably the most enjoyable challenge I have ever encountered in a video game. There are some other challenging moments, and you may find yourself reaching for a strategy guide, but if you are patient and continue to practice, you should be able to master the game and complete it.

"Completion", however, is subject to interpretation. The game's achievements are challenging, and it will take some effort to achieve a 1,000 GS on this game. Reaching the end of the game may take between 10-15 hours, but completing everything and collecting all of the items in the game could take an additional 10-15 hours -without a strategy guide. Fortunately, the game has decent replay value because of the way the achievements are structured.

The only thing that keeps me from giving this title a perfect score is the poor development that went into the CGI transitions between levels. They are simply too short, and they don't provide enough information to really get immersed in the story. The final CGI presented upon completion of the game is somewhat disappointing, when compared to the ending in Tomb Raider: Legend.

This title may only appeal to Tomb Raider fans, but I believe it is a must-play for this console generation. It's exactly the type of title that I would like to demonstrate for friends and family. Given its solid gameplay and replay value, it will retain its place in my collection indefinitely.

Honest reviews on Tomb Raider Anniversary

As a Veteran to all Tomb Raiders created from the 1st Playstation to current game consoles now. I am well familiar with the Croft chronicle line. Due to this game was a remake as a remembrance anniversary to the 1st Tomb Raider created for PS1. I was not disappointed, it was well remade and the graphics are to die for. Lara never lets you down in this game with her new gadgets and my personal favorite, new costumes. I say take a shot at this remake and sit back and enjoy the best selling shooter female heroine of the year Lara Croft Tomb Raider Anniversary. – P.S. > This game does have a lot of violence and as a mother of two, maybe not a good gift for the young ones.

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A lot of people say how terrible this game is. You'll have that with any remake of a game because they're soo focused on what the game used to look like that they become too close minded to appreciate it for how interesting and visually complex it really is. I've had this on my pc for years. I played it almost completely through soo many times and eventually my hard drive would crash or I would forget to back up my saved games when doing maintenance I finally just decided to order it for the 360. My computer would run this fine on lower graphic settings but once I popped it in the Xbox I realized that I had no limitations anymore and the scenery is impressive. The content and game play is sort of like Prince of Persia without that annoying control type where you can only jump as you reach a ledge and in this game, you can actually tap a button to make you move faster when hanging from the side of a cliff. This title is very memorable and something I could play over and over. I would recommend it to anybody.

KONNET PS3 and Xbox 360 ExpressHD 150 - HDMI CAT 2 Cable, 1.5M Review

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $25.32
Today's Bonus: 16% Off

To be honest the only reason why I'm getting this HDMI cable because of its low price and color (green yellow). I'm a big Green Bay Packers fan.

I know this HDMI cable is ver. 1.3 which is below the 1.4 ver for 3D TV. But surprisingly the picture quality on my Panasonic Plasma TV is better than when I'm using my Sony HDMI cable ver. 1.4 that I got from Gamestop when I purchased my PS3. I dont know why, but the color on my TV using this cable is more vibrant.

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i was using a regular av cable for xbox360 on my hdtv and the picture was really bad.For 7 dollars i got this hdmi cable and DAMN it works well and picture is crystal clear.WAS worth the money.

Buy Call of Duty: Ghosts Hardened Edition

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $119.99
Sale Price: $97.75
Today's Bonus: 19% Off

Every year with Call of Duty I usually get the hardened edition. especially since they've been including the season pass (the season Pass gives you access to all the downloadable content or DLC for the year) because usually it's a savings. But this year the hardened edition is $10 more than buying the game at $60 and the season pass at $50. So unless you want the collectors edition boxes and things like that you probably should just go for them individually.

But I think Call of Duty Ghosts is a fun call of duty I usually enjoy Infinity Ward call of duty's more and this delivers in the modern warfare feel for the series. There are a lot of things you need to take note of though as they have revamped so many of the things that we were used to in previous iterations of the game.

One thing I want let you know your squad points are tokens you can earn while playing the game, completing challenges, winning matches etc. be very cautious how you spend these tokens and what you unlock with them as they are kind of a pain in the butt to earn and it sucks to drop a bunch of tokens on a really crappy piece of gear. I would recommend going into local multiplayer because all your gear is unlock there and you can try out everything before you spend your valuable tokens on them.

One last thing I have to say about call of duty ghosts is I really kind of think some of the maps are way too big. I mean some maps I spent 15 minutes in a game of Kill Confirmed and my team only collected 40 tags because we couldn't find the other team. And it really sucks that you can only play 6v6 whereas on the next generation of consoles they will be doing 9v9.

Thanks for reading.

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This will be a long, disjointed review. I like it better than Black Ops 2 (which is saying something) and 1000x more than MW3 (which isn't saying anything).

I bought Arkham Origins, GTA5, AND Assasin's Creed:Black Flag in recent weeks. They are all going to be shelved for months while I play this game. LOVE IT!

Minus 1 star for no manual. I want a manual included.

The package itself is awesome. Was a little confused at which disc to install and play off of, but figured it out (I'll leave that fun to you). Quick to boot up. Fairly quick to get into a game. Coming from Black Ops 2, took me a bit to figure out how best to configure my soldier.

I don't EVER play the single player part, so all those locked characters you can choose from that are blacked out... I don't know who is what there.

The action is crazy as ever. More "realistic" as you don't have a pack of 8 dogs rampaging around. No spy planes to shoot down.

You can lean again, which is nice. The Clan thing, I signed up for one online, and then ingame its not there.

Not having a instruction manual was not helpful at all. Bought the Kindle version of the Guide and doesn't work on my computer... YAY?

Much larger, mult-layered maps. Games last longer as a result.

Graphics are still just so/so.

Gameplay is fun as usual. All kinds of attachments, and scopes, and sights, etc.

So if it'd had an acutal manual (and at $119 you think you could expect that?).

The squads things to train with is nice, but I want my stats and XP to count, so going up against bots doesn't do it for me.

None of my friends play at the same time (or that I can count on anyway), so the Clan thing is lost on me.

But its a long marathon, not a sprint. By the time Black Ops 3 comes out, I can be maxed out Prestige wise.

Still have my yellow name ingame for being an Elite Founder.

If I had to buy one game for the next gen systems, it'd be this one. Not on XBOX One though, as 720 was state of the art back in '99. ;)

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As expected. Great camos included and season pass.And the metal case is a nice collectors item. Glad I bought it

Honest reviews on Call of Duty: Ghosts Hardened Edition

Great game and great series!!! The only thing I do not like is having to re-buy weapons between characters. The active environments are awesome!

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I hate it. I bought it for my son. He loves it. He says that it had a little bit of a learning curve and thought he wasn't going to like it, but after a day or so he likes it better than the previous game.

Microsoft Xbox 360 Black HDMI Cable (Retail Packaging) Reviews

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $49.99
Sale Price: $8.50
Today's Bonus: 83% Off

I Love my XBOX 360 with it's Microsoft VGA Cable.

Just wanted to Clear this up for people with the older 360's looking to boost their graphics. (This Cable dose exactly what it is meant to do, that is why I give it 5 Stars).

I have a non-HDMI XBOX 360 core system mfg. 7/2007, the picture doesn't show it well, but all this package contains is a Standard HDMI cable and a adapter that connects to the large A/V port on the back of the 360 and goes out to SOUND ONLY.

This WILL NOT Adapt your Standard 360 A/V port to HDMI.

This product only works if your XBOX 360 Already has a HDMI port in the back and it just gives you ports for audio so you can attach your 360 to HDMI and your surround sound receiver. where as with just HDMI cable, the sound is just coming from your TV's speakers.

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What you see is what you get. Take a look at the package. You see two ends of an HDMI cable. That is a plain vanilla HDMI cable that you could get anywhere. Over on the right is the audio dongle, and you are seeing just about the whole thing except for the part that connects to the Xbox 360. It all works fine. This audio dongle is slimmer that the standard Microsoft A/V progressive cable, which is what gives you the room to put the HDMI cable in.

Don't get this unless you have one of the newer HDMI Xbox's. This is not a conversion kit.

Don't get this if you plan on running the HDMI cable from the Xbox 360 to your receiver, with another HDMI out from your receiver to your TV. If that is your setup, just get a plain HDMI cable and save money.

Don't get this if you plan on running the HDMI cable from the Xbox 360 to your TV, AND you have a Digital Audio Out on your TV that you can run to your receiver, AND you have verified that the Digital Audio Out will not truncate any Dolby Digital 5.1 HDMI signal down to 2 channel audio, which can happen with some TVs. Of course, you'll need a spare HDMI cable to test with first, but if you still get DD 5.1 out of the Digital out on your TV, then no need to get this.

Otherwise, if you still need this for the separate optical audio connection between the Xbox 360 and your receiver, then this is perfectly acceptable, though much more expensive than a plain HDMI cable you can get online.

Best Deals for Microsoft Xbox 360 Black HDMI Cable (Retail Packaging)

Maybe I'm dumb, but it wasn't clear from the other reviews that all you need to hook up your XBox360 elite to a HDMI connection is a regular $5 HDMI cable. Period.

The only reason you need to buy this (except if you're dumb like me and didn't pay enough attention to the other reviews) is if you want to hook up video to one place (like your tv) but have the audio go somewhere else (like a receiver that doesn't have any HDMI inputs, or has run out of them).

Unless you are in this rare case, go to your cable closet, pull out a spare HDMI cable, and you'll be fine without wasting your money on this.

Oh, it works fine, just like any $5 HDMI cable would. :-P

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To clarify and hopefully help some of you; from what I understand, the Xbox HDMI only supports 2-channel PCM audio over HDMI. Also, if your tv happens to have an optical output, it most likely only outputs 2 channels and not 5.1. It is therefore that microsoft includes the adapter in this package so that you can get 5.1 true the optical output. There is a hack you can do if you have a component cable, however, leaving the metal part exposed, increases the chance of a short circuit. In short, if you'd like to have Surround sound, you may need this, else, you don't need the adapter and are better off buying a cheap $5 HDMI cable.

It is unfortunate that MSFT didn't build this into the system and is charging this much for it.

Edit: As T Berry clarifies in his comment, you can get 5.1 through the HDMI cable if you have a reciever that supports hdmi (which I don't) and go from there to your tv. This cable is needed if you need optical audio. The xbox supports HDMI 1.2 and not 1.3 and so you cannot get Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio streams through HDMI (if that's important to you).

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Microsoft Xbox 360 Black HDMI Cable (Retail Packaging)

The HDMI AV kit includes an HDMI cable (which you can find online for about $5.00 if you look around) and the XBox HDMI AV adapter. The reason they sell this kit is because they designed the standard HD-AV (component) cable connector to be too big to work in conjunction with an HDMI cable, so if you want HDMI video -ANDoptical or Red/White RCA audio, you have to use this adapter to get the audio connections into the XBox 360's rear port.

...Or so they want you to think.

The truth is that this is just the same connector as the HD-AV cable (Component cable) but it lacks the video connection, and the housing is slightly smaller. No technological wizardry involved. It's just a smaller plastic box, and thus your HDMI cable will fit next to this in your XBox 360's connector port.

You could spend the money for this if you're not very handy. By all means, I'm sure Microsoft needs the money!

OR, you could take a dremel to a used XBox 360 HD-AV (component) cable, cut out some of the extra plastic, and use THAT in conjunction with your HDMI cable.

I take no responsibility for your clumsiness or if you mess up your XBox 360, but I can attest to the fact that a cut-away HD-AV cable works fine for transmitting audio while your HDMI cable transmits video.

So the choice is yours: $50 for this thing, or use your existing cable (the one that came with your XBox 360) and a Dremel, and save yourself some cash.

Cheap Wings of War - PC

Customer Ratings:

World War 1 is back and shunning the actual historical impact of the bi-planes of old, it is your duty as Benjamin, (you're always Benjamin regardless of your pilot name) British Ace supreme, to rid the world of the evil Triple Alliance. WoW (false moniker mind you) takes the misery of trench warfare to the skies where you shoot down generic plane after generic plane after generic plane in a series of unconnected missions spread throughout thirteen unconnected levels which each greatly resemble each other.

The game boasts a number of planes for both the Germans and the British, each with listed Speed, Maneuverability, Firepower, and Endurance levels. Unfortunately, the planes are so similar that these numbers are largely meaningless. Instead, the only thing to look at is whether the plane you're flying falls within the fighter, scout, or bomber classifications. Those really translate to fast, slower, and slower still when it comes to comparisons. As you play through campaign levels, which are all British, you can unlock these planes, but due to their great similarity, there is no real sense of accomplishment even after finishing the entire game and unlocking the supposedly uber fighters.

Within each campaign mission you have no control over which plane you get to fly. You're given one in the beginning, and unless you decide to take on one of the many bonus missions strewn throughout the level, odds are it will be the only plane you get to fly. Unless, of course, you go through one of the many rail-shooter sub-missions where you get put in back seat of the mysteriously appearing bomber and you have to keep German fighters off your tail while dropping bombs on enemy installations.

The flight controls for the game have been dumbed down, even for an arcade flight sim. They would be very well suited for mouse control, but unfortunately that is not possible. You can turn off the arcade controls, effectively separating your rudder from your ailerons. Still, it's impossible to stall and your ability to bounce off obstacles is laughable. If you combine this mindless control with the mindless turkey-shoot set-up of the levels, you find yourself with a game that becomes tedious after the first few levels.

That's not to say that everything is just blah. If the game can redeem itself, it's on the graphics end of the spectrum. It has a nearly limitless horizon and the weather effects are amazingly well done. Starting with the second half of the campaign, you find yourself in well crafted levels with gulleys and ravines that just beg to be flown through. These are a great departure from the standard flat levels found before and after this little slice of heaven.

The sound effects aren't bad though the engine power-up makes your fighter sound like a shop-class Honda with straight pipes. The voice-acting is amazingly well done, the entire pre-mission briefing is read out-loud and there are a number of in-flight voices as well. Anything from mission briefings, personal comments, and the taunts of an approaching Ace will pop up from time-to-time to disrupt the incessant engine drone. Unfortunately, there's not enough variety and you'll hear everything there is to hear within the first mission.

This game is a steal though, it started on the bargain list and can only go cheaper. If you're looking for something that doesn't require much effort or skill then this would be a nice buy. It's great for a couple hours of stick time, but don't expect any great replay value. Try the demo, if you can play that through a couple times, then you won't be seeing anything new if you buy the game.

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I found this WW I flying game very fun to play. The graphics are outstanding and I would strongly suggest your computer meet the minimums for graphics, memory and processor speed. Just going through "flying school" presented a real challenge. Much detail was programmed into this flight game and it presents a very realistic presentation. I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys well detailed and challenging air war games.

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This is TRULY grand!

I've been waiting for 5 years, for Microsoft to get their butts in gear & stroke this original xbox game for the XBOX360...and I was just about to buy a used console to be able to play it. BUT, I took this chance on this PC version. Got a fright when, after installing this on my Windows 7 rig, I did get an error message telling me that it wouldn't be compatible...BUT that it would tweak itself a tad. Viola!, it instantly began-to-work...even recognizing the joy-stick and calibrating it!

The game is hugely entertaining and vivid, in an arcade way...although you CAN adjust the experience to a more realistic handling environment. I'll have to "grow a few", first, before I do so. And THAT will not be easy as I am a gal.

Honest reviews on Wings of War - PC

This review is for the single player option only. A joystick was used. I can't imagine playing it with keyboard and mouse.

You can play a quick action game where you can set various options: location, time of day, weather, number of combatants, etc. You get to pick your plane (several different color schemes available). The model of your plane is limited at first since most are "locked". You have to progress through the campaign game to unlock more models.

The campaign game is a set of about a dozen missions. Each one has about a dozen objectives. You must complete them in a set order so the game can be called linear even though you are flying around in the sky. Some of the objectives are timed, fail and you have to start over. The save system was horrible. It basically saves the game after each completed objective IF you continue playing. Exit the game and return later you have to start over at the start of the mission. Confused? Say you quit after completing objective 6 of mission 4. When you restart the game you start at objective 1 of mission 4. When you play make sure you have enough time to get through the whole mission.

You have an option to choose between "arcade" and "classic" but there was not much difference between the two. Classic is harder as the plane does not handle so precisely. Turns are wider, etc. Both are basically arcade though. You have unlimited fuel and machine gun ammo. You carry up to 50 bombs AND 50 rockets!

(I don't remember reading about air-to-air and air-to-ground rockets in WWI) You also apparently have radios as you receive updated instructions as you proceed through the missions. Many times you will jump out of your plane and land in a different plane, complete an objective, then jump out again (in mid air mind you) and land back in your original plane which was apparently flying along by itself. There are also floating colored orbs in the sky. Fly through them and you get power-ups like a faster engine, more bombs, machine guns, etc. Sometimes they are colored flags attached to planes, vehicles, or buildings. In that case you have to destroy it to get the power up.

Overall, it is a fun game for what it is. The planes look nice as does the terrain. It is in no way a simulation though.

Note to designers: What I would have liked for a campaign game pick your nationality (British, French, American, or German) Name your character. Go to flight school. Be assigned to a squadron and given a plane. You would generally start off with an unarmed reconnaissance model. From what I remember (of what I have read) the missions were not so specific as in the game. The front lines were very static for much of the time. Pilots would usually just fly over the enemy lines and note any activity. They would engage enemy planes as encountered and maybe harass ground forces. They certainly didn't shoot down dozens of planes on every flight. Fuel and ammo should be limited. See how many missions you could survive. Encounters would be randomly generated so it would not be linear. Live long enough, get promoted, have access to the newest planes. The game could proceed along a historical timeline. I guess some people would find that boring but to me it would have been a much better game.

NEW 9 Pairs X Thumbstick Stick Grip Case for XBOX 360 PS2 PS3 Review

Customer Ratings:
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They are better than the GRIP-IT brand thumbstick covers. I like them because I have 3 controllers and I am able to put the grip covers on all of them...

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I wasn't very happy with the other caps that I tried. These, however, really help prevent sliding. This material is less slippery. The dots provide good traction. Some may find these to be a bit uncomfortable due to the aggressive dots.

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i bought these grips for better grip and also improve my overall game i am a compitive and pub player

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IT WAS OKAY I GUESS DIDNT HATE IT BUT DIDNT REALLY ENJOY IT. IT WAS OKAY PEOPLE IF U GUYS WANT TO BUY IT GO AHEAD PPL

Reviews of Skylanders Spyro's Adventure Zap

Customer Ratings:

We just got the Skylanders game/set for Christmas, and it has quickly become a family obsession. This game has been a lot of fun, and something my 7 year old, my husband, AND I have all enjoyed playing together.

Zap was one of the first characters we purchased outside of the starter kit, and he came in a 3 character pack that also included Hex and Dino Rang (will review those characters separately).

Zap is a Water Dragon of the Water Element. His starting abilities include:

* Health: 260

* Speed: 50

* Armor: 24

* Critical Hit: 30

* Elemental Power: 25

His primary power (A Button) allows him to breathe bursts of electricity. His secondary power (B Button) allows him to leave a trail of sea slime behind him that enemies can get stuck in. The trail is temporary and only lasts a few minutes. He's a decent character, not the fastest runner, but not super slow either. And of course, being a water character means that he can swim, which allows him access to some areas that other characters can't get to.

Now, all of this is BEFORE any upgrades. Once you've collected enough gems, coins, and other treasure, you can use these to trade in to Persephone the Fairy (once you find her) in exchange for Character Upgrades. Character upgrades give you options to improve Primary and Secondary abilities, and to even add a Tertiary ability.

Some of Zap's upgrades include: increasing his Primary Power to shoot his electricity blasts further and do increased damage, and increasing his Secondary Power (Sea Slime) to electrify the slime trail and zap enemies that get caught in it (this one is my favorite of Zap's upgrades). Then there is also a Tertiary Ability (Z Button) that you can add on once you have accumulated enough points: the Wave Rider Ability. This allows Zap to create and ride a big wave that sort of mows down attackers in it's path. It also allows Zap to move over distances more quickly which makes for a nice bonus there too.

All things considered, Zap is a decent addition to your Skylander collection.

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This was a Christmas gift for an 11 year old boy. He says he loves it and based on the amount of time he has spent on it, I believe him! Bought the starter pack too, both were a better price than anywhere in town and I loved having it delivered to my door quickly instead of dealing with holiday crowds.

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If you want a really fun character, Zap is your critter!

Starting off with an electric bolt spit, and a stunning power slide ((Think of a snail slime trail, that stuns enemies for you to slaughter them)) Zap leads the way to power-housing most of the game. He also shocks anything that gets close to him, giving you a light edge to whatever draws near.

I've had a blast playing with friends using him. :) I'm sure you will too.

Honest reviews on Skylanders Spyro's Adventure Zap

Take a look at Zap. He looks cool, doesn't he? A little blue dragon with big horns, wearing some kinda scuba suitthat's certainly a cool design. But when you start to use the guy in Skylanders, it's clear that Zap's going to need a heck of a lot of stat upgrades to be of much use. What really bites is that Gill Grunt, one of the Skylanders that comes with the game, outclasses Zap in every possible way. Who would've guessed that about what most would assume is a lower level character? I think Zap and Gill Grunt should've switched roles, with Gill Grunt being the one available in character packs or on his own.

It's hard to say much good about Zap apart from the design. The one thing he has going for him is speed. Zap is very fast, with one of his moves being a 'sea slime' move that propels him forward, leaving a trail of slime behind that stuns and damages enemies. This will be your main way of getting around because it's so quick, and navigating through levels is a breeze.

And that about does it for the pros! What's so bad about Zap, you might be asking? While I did say in my review of the Skylanders game that there's no such thing as a bad Skylander...that every one is good in their own way, I still stand by that. But compared to all the others, Zap is at the bottom of the barrel. His two main powers are a lightning bolt shock that he can shoot, and the sea slime rush. The lightning bolts are incredibly weak and only worth using if you choose to upgrade this attack as fast as possible. If you're in an area with a lot of enemies, there's a good chance that by the time you've killed one of them, the others will have ganged up on you. Your best bet is to slide around with the sea slime move while shooting or play tag with the enemies. Zap's unique move that makes use of the circle button on the ps3, is basically the same thing as the sea slime move, but with a water shield in front of Zap that lets him attempt to plow through enemies. Of all the things they could've given him...this was the best they could do. Great. On top of this, Zap has very lower HP, making him prone to dying quickly by those enemies or obstacles that hit repeatedly. Finally, his Soul Gem ability lets him recover HP while in water. Yeah, I'm sure that'll come in handy for all those levels that don't have a whole lot of water.

But if you go through all of the Challenges to boost Zap's stats as far as they can go, he can be a pretty decent character. That's if you're willing to invest the time though. If you're looking for another water type, I'd suggest any of the others instead.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Skylanders Spyro's Adventure Zap

since this was a gift I am giving it 5 stars since my grand son wanted it so badly !!