D_Skin 20 Pack (DVD/Game/CD) - PlayStation Reviews

Customer Ratings:

These are great because I have little kids who like to put their own DVDs in the player and of course get fingerprints or worse all over them. So this is a way for them to be independent and for me not to be paranoid about their hurting the disks. Having said that, there does seem to be one drawback. The skins work better on new or unblemished disks. If the disk is already a little scratched, the device seems less able to read the disk with a skin on. However, I have never had a problem with a new disk. So it may be that the skin does add a little interference which only serves to magnify any problem the disk has. I still give it 5 stars because it's such an awesome product.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I bought these in hope that they would be the great thing that they are advertised to be. They weren't! First of all, when using them on an Xbox game, it GREATLY slows down the game, to the point that it is unplayable. When I tried to use these in my laptop, they were a no go! It wouldn't even read the disk and it sounded like my laptop was an airplane taking off due to my cd drive frantically trying to read the disk to no avail. On a desktop computer, it will read some data disks with the d-skin on it, but it's slow. You won't be watching an mpg or vcd movie with the d-skin on for instance. I don't know how well they work on a cd player with musical cd's, but anything else is definately out. Since I am an mp3 man, I have no need to play music cd's, so I haven't tried them. I wish these worked as promised, I REALLY do, it would be a dream. Perhaps someday this idea will be perfected and then I can give FIVE stars instead of ONE!

Best Deals for D_Skin 20 Pack (DVD/Game/CD) - PlayStation

I primarily use these for music CD's and they are great. I was hesitant about putting it in my CD player because it's a 6-disc in-dash changer and I was worried it would get stuck or something. It didn't and I now use them on all of my cd's, One 20-pack cost the same as it would cost to replace one scratched CD. Overall a great product.

Honest reviews on D_Skin 20 Pack (DVD/Game/CD) - PlayStation

I decided go give these D_Skin protectors a try, even though there have been some pretty poor reviews. I've had no problem with them. I've put them on a bunch of my favorite DVDs and tested them on my Sony Vaio Laptop computer, and my Sony 5 disc DVD player, and an old Sony DVD player ( 5 or 6 years old) and it works fine on all of them. It does not work in my XBox. The XBox finds the disk unreadable with a skin on.

Seems a very nice way to protect my favorite and most expensive or hard-to-replace DVDs.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for D_Skin 20 Pack (DVD/Game/CD) - PlayStation

okayb first off i just got this today so far its half good and half bad it plays my ps2 games pretty fine a little noise on some but not enough to effect the way it plays for use of ps2 games in the ps2 slim when ps2 slim is modded 5 stars i don't know if it plays in the slim when the slim ps2 is not modded, i tryed to play dvds in my modded ps2 slim with d-skin's on and it won't read the disk and i put it in a new dvd player it would not work so for use of protecting your dvds on a mac dvd player ps2 or laptop 1 star. for use of protecting ps2 games 5 stars... one of the reasons i rated this 5 stars i because its the thing that protects it while it plays

Reviews of Halo Reach - Legendary Edition

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $149.99
Sale Price: $139.54
Today's Bonus: 7% Off

Let's face it: even as collector's editions go the one for Halo Reach is unusually expensive. It's easily twice the price of those I've seen for other games. Yet this is honestly the first time I've ever felt that a game's special edition was well worth the money. No matter how impressive the Legendary Edition might look in the pictures, seeing the real thing in person is simply astonishing. Bungie went all out when it came to this product.

First is the size. It's huge. The whole box is about 14" x 15" x 12". That may not sound like a lot on paper and that is possibly the problem. I've seen frag box computers that are smaller. The weight is equally impressive; I was astonished when the UPS driver handed it to me. A friend of mine sent his wife to pick up his pre-order through a local retailer today and warned her ahead of time that she wasn't going to be prepared for how big it was. A few minutes later she called him -shocked by the size, despite his warning.

Once you actually open the box, though, is when the real magic begins. Yes, the figurine/statuette is big and beautiful but in some ways it's eclipsed by the little details tucked away everywhere. There are "hand written" notes from the person who tracked down these artifacts and shipped them to you. There's a notebook bound with heavy string that contains pages upon pages of research notes. ID cards, data cards, an embroidered Noble Team service patch, maps, biometric data -you name it, this package has it. You really feel like you're poring over a slice of history. (A second friend received his copy at work today. All afternoon he had people coming to his desk to enviously take a look at the package's contents.)

As for the game, it's every bit as fun as can be expected from previous games -this, coming from a person who usually shies away from first-person shooters. In many ways it's also a lot more open. As an example, at one point I accidentally got split off from the friends I was playing with. Not sure how to catch up with them again I struck out in a direction that seemed promising. It actually led me to a Covenant outpost where I started picking off the enemy, clearing out the building with such tactics as happily firing into it with a rocket launcher that I'd found. After about 15 minutes of that, the storyline led my friends back around to where I was and all hell broke loose. Sure, I'd missed a bit of what they were doing but I also made a big difference at a key point.

I also have to say that the graphics are astonishing. The new engine truly outdoes itself. There are times when the Xbox can't quite meet its demands, leading to a briefly stuttering frame rate but this is easily overlooked. The world is just too beautiful and epic-feeling to nitpick. Especially since I've often seen worse issues in games that didn't begin to compare visually.

If you can still find a Legendary or Limited edition of Reach, by all means get it. I can't imagine anyone regretting this purchase.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Writing a review for the Legendary Edition of Halo: Reach is difficult, because there's a lot to talk about. Here's a quick rundown of everything that you get, in terms of packaging:

-Comes in a large printed cardboard box, styled like in-game crates.

-Right on top is a hand-written note (actually printed), which seems to be a message between in-universe characters regarding the shipping of this crate, and you're down the rabbit hole.

-Right below the note is a guide to assembling a few bits on your Noble Team Statue, and instructions on how to remove the statue from the box without damaging it.

-There's a large and incredibly detailed statue of Noble Team included, which is absolutely breath-taking.

-And you get the whole Collector's edition of the game.

Inside the Collector's Edition:

-The game, in a normal Xbox 360 game case.

-A journal, ostensibly from the character Dr. Hallsey, who is central in the Halo series' plot. This book is absolutely gorgeous. The spine is sewn, and the book has a magnetic clasp. The pages are filled with intricate insights into the Halo universe, and there's a pocket in back stuffed with additional materials. Some of the additional materials include a real cloth Noble Team iron-on patch, and a map of Planet Reach with annotations as to major story points.

When you finally fire up the game:

-Reach's singleplayer campaign is incredible. Every mission is something new, from outright slugfest going toe-to-toe with the Covenant, to driving missions, to new space combat missions. Everything is wonderfully presented and fun. You can also play Campaign in 4-player co-op.

-Firefight mode, wherein you face wave after wave of increasingly difficult enemies. This mode is loaded with customizable options, and can be played over Xbox Live like all the other modes.

-Multiplayer, which includes everything from ranked deathmatch playlists to king of the hill games to capture the flag to who even knows what? Bungie rotates these lists frequently, so things are always fresh.

-Forge 2.0, the highly improved map editor that was so flexible in Halo 3 that players invented whole new gametypessome of which became standardized for Halo: Reach (such as Zombie/Infection). Forge has improved massively, and the possibilities are endless.

And that's not all!

-A new Armory system allows you to gain credits with everything you do, from playing Campaign to online multiplayer. Spend your credits to unlock visual flair for your Spartan (cosmetic only), and even different voices for your character to use in Firefight mode. The most expensive items will reward the stalwart player who keeps coming back.

In short, there is a LOT of content in the Halo: Reach Legendary edition. The price at launch was absolutely worth it. The Noble Team statue is a centerpiece in my Halo collection now, right beside the SPARTAN helmet from the Halo 3 Legendary Edition. The game itself is rocking fun, and an incredibly appropriate farewell to the series since Bungie has sworn this is their last Halo title (at least for now). There's so much extra content that this space is too short to cover it all. If you are a Halo fan, this is the ultimate edition of Bungie's ultimate game.

Best Deals for Halo Reach - Legendary Edition

Halo: Reach Circa 2010

GOOD:

Tried and true (Halo) FPS experience that many other games have copied over the years.

Great Co-op Gameplay allows up to four players to go through the entire game from start to end.

Great graphics which look way better than that of Halo 3 and ODST; also there are a lots of new animations for the characters as well as tons of new unique enemy voice work to boot.

Vehicle and turret shooting are the same as ever (for a Halo game); which is good; but the nice addition here is the new helicopter type of vehicle and even a small section of the game where you can control a space fighter.

Armor Abilities really help out and give you a new edge in combat. Also you have a night vision mode which works and looks like the one from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

Intense multiplayer versus action either by yourself on a team; the mode has plenty of different options to choose from. This is a pretty good upgraded version of the famed Halo 3 multiplayer that now has new maps, modes, abilities, and graphics for you to enjoy.

Fire Fight mode allows up to four players to fight waves of enemies on unique maps (based on those in the campaign) using team work and skill.

BAD:

Some slight lag and slight blurring at the more intensive moments in the game (with lots of things happening all at once).

Can't play Forge maps in Fire Fight mode.

IF IT FITS YOUR TASTE:

A Sci-Fi First Person Shooter with quick pacing and intense fire fights. Note: that unlike Call of Duty: Modern Warfare this is a sci-fi First Person Shooter and as such your guns must first break an enemy's energy shield before you can really hurt them also everyone is wearing battle armor so you'll still need lots of shots to kill an opponent. The thing to do here is make your shots count more so you will need to do overall less of them to an opponent; example use energy type guns to break an enemy's energy shield and always try to do head shots to your enemy for extra damage. Coming at an enemy guns blazing and either not using the right guns and/or not aiming well will only get you killed pretty quickly.

Gameplay wise this plays pretty much like Halo 3 but with the life bar from Halo 3: ODST. The missions themselves are pretty fun and take the best bits from Halo 3 and ODST into new experiences.

The campaign levels can be played by either yourself or with up to four other players cooperatively at one time on any stage.

The Story is an overall a combat story going from mission to mission with nothing really tying into the overall Halo lore until the last chapter.

Intense multiplayer action online through Xbox Live with matches as small as one on one and as big as 16 players (and even offline without using Xbox Live using either spilt screen, or system link). Halo Reach is set up similar to that of Halo 3 but with some new modes and all new maps. But much like Halo 3 in the sense that you're given a rank when you play multiplayer (this rank can go up or down at any time) this rank is representative of your skill and your matched with others of your skill type, that way new unskilled players and hardcore veterans will not often play against one another, unless they make a special match themselves that ignores rank.

An all new Fire Fight mode (Fire Fight was originally in Halo 3: ODST), Fire Fight which plays similar to Hoard Mode in Gears of War 2 is a mode where either by yourself or with up to four other players cooperatively can play a stage about the size of a multiplayer stage and you fight against enemies that are found in the games story campaign levels in waves. You get points and an overall score on your performance for these stages.

There is no Master Chief in the game as well (the famed character from Halo's 1 through 3). Instead you play an assortment of different SPARTANS who were on the planet Reach when it was attacked. As far as the overall Halo story goes, your team is made up of SPARTAN IIIs (with one SPARTAN II). SPARTAN IIIs are cheaper to produce and have a bit less overall combat ability then the famed SPARTAN IIs (Master Chief is a SPARTAN II). Luckily for your team they have been given all sorts of prototype armor and weapons normally left only for the SPARTAN II's to have (note not even the Master Chief had a chance to get this stuff yet).

NO FLOOD, it should be noted this Halo title has no FLOOD aliens within it (if you've played Halo's 1 through 3 you'll know what I am talking about).

Forge World works like a much upgraded version of Halo 3's Forge mode is a mode that lets you make and edit your own map and build your very own maps from the ground up but adding/placing walls, ramps, towers, ect you can add or take away any and all of the objects, weapons, vehicles, spawning points and flag zones. This is all done in real time in one huge worlds (and not separate maps like in Halo 3) and you can even invite your friends into this mode while you're making the map(s) or just goofing off.

Theater Mode works just like in Halo 3 it is a video editor that lets you record and play back any and all matches from Campaign, Multiplayer, and Fire Fight, and even Forge World from the point of view of any player that was there in either first person or third person (you can even swap to a in a orbit-cam where the camera circles around the player) all of this in real time. You can also pause the video/action at anytime and still look around as a camera as well as well as fast forward and rewind the events as they unfold. BUT don't forget you must save your videos before you turn off the game or you will lose the ability to save those matches. Also note that while viewing these "videos" you can take a picture or record a snippet of footage at any time and save it to your Xbox 360 and have your friends check them out later on your profile.

GAME IT'S MOST ASSOCATED TOO:

Halo 3: ODST (Xbox 360)

Halo 3 (Xbox 360)

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

There is three small cameos from characters from previous halo games, honestly the cameos are very small and are not earth shattering to the games over all story.

Don't put down that controller once you beat the game as there is a surprise post credits.

People who pre-ordered this game either at Amazon.com or Gamestop got a preorder code for some extra armor parts for their characters.

The Limited edition comes with a download code for more extra armor parts for your character as well as a Halo Reach patch and a mini book with some back story on the game from the point of view of one of the stories characters.

The Legendary edition comes with everything found in the limited edition plus even more download codes for more extra armor parts for your character (like giving you a avatar a flaming helmet much like the Bungie staff had in Halo 3's multiplayer) as well as a small figure set of the games main characters design by Todd Mcfarlane of Spawn fame.

Honest reviews on Halo Reach - Legendary Edition

I rarely write reviews but i was impressed enough with the product when it arrived that I decided that it was time to give it a good review as well. No matter how much the reviews prepare you for a big box, you never really realize how big the entire box it till it arrives. The details on the box to the figurines are immaculately amazing and impressive.The details in the Limited Edition journal is amazing. There are pullouts, maps, patches, and other goodies hidden in it. I haven't gone through it slowly so I can't really list out what is inside. I guess i feel like it is worth it because i got this for the retail price of the original game when this was on discount on Amazon so I definitely got it on a bargain. However, even with the price increase, the contents of this edition make it worth the full price. It is worth mentioning that it has been a long time since i've seen a Limited Edition Video Game with such good reviews. For example: Splinter Cell: Conviction had faulty USB with cheaply printed material. Dead Space 2's model weapon was cheaply assembled and lacked detail. Black Ops Prestige Edition has a remote control car that has a badly angled camera that makes it difficult to drive. Arkham Asylum Limited Edition had a sad looking Batarang.

Halo Reach Legendary Edition has surpassed all standards. :) So worth the cash... Especially for fans :)

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Halo Reach - Legendary Edition

Was this worth the money? Yes. Not only are you getting a piece of Video game history when you buy this. But your getting a HUGE monument of Noble Team. It is very large. It easily takes up half the box. The marketing, with the hand written notes, and the back story is all very sweet.

Also, to comment on the PRICE. When you have marketing/packaging that is this customized, this themed, its going to cost. Period. There's no way to get around it. If you just look at whats in the box, and think simple packaging.. you have no idea about all the work that had to go on behind the scenes, to pull this together. Logistics.. That stuff cost money, big time. Don't buy it unless your a hardcore fan. Because there is no denying to lay down a 150 dollars.. that's a decent amount of money.

Really, if your a solid fan of the Halo games, if you've been with them from the begging, this is a set to buy.

Admittingly, I didn't buy the Halo 3, limited edition. I didn't feel it was worth it. I bought #2 Limited edition, though. But this set, is definitely worth it to me.

I don't regret the purchase one bit.

Honestly I could go into a lot of depth, about the intricacies of the packaging, but I would just be repeating everything else everyone else said, and same goes for the game, so I am going to be vague.

The game is very enjoyable, mainly firefight co-op. Especially infection. That' cracks me up.

The online is a blast.

Now the story is good, compared to the other games. You really feel for some of the characters. But its not a story I think.. that any of the Halo fans are going to be used to. You'll see why when you play through campaign.

One of the biggest things I love about this game, is the Customizable armor. It rocks. I love this feature the most. Really adds individuality to your character online. But the credits are tight.. It really takes a lot of grinding to earn the credits needed for armor upgrades.

Daily and Weekly challenges help boost this though. Sucks I have to do these though just to get more credits. Luckily so far I have been able to accomplish most challenges.

Now one thing that did bother me. IS there still lacking on the emblems you can concoct. Your still limited it seems, to pretty much what was in ODST. There seem to be a few new ones.. but it really needs expanded on. And you can't rotate them or do any real editing to them...

Gioteck EX05 Wireless Multi Format Headset Reviews

Customer Ratings:

Although the description was rather vague, (the communication portion is not wireless), the headset is wirelessly connected to the Xbox for sound.

There is a slight cutoff for party chat, but the game sound is not effected too much. The sound quality is great for the price!

The one qualm I had was shipping time...it took way too long to receive the order.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Katamari Damacy - PlayStation 2 Review

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $15.60
Today's Bonus: 48% Off

One thing can be said for certain: you haven't played a game like this before. Everything about this game is off-the-wall, but it works. When you load the game for the first time, you will be greeted with giraffes, rainbows, bicycles, and a plethora of other thingsall performing some contorted dancejust for you. Welcome to the world of Katamari Damacy, where the gameplay is original and surprisingly addictive. Your goal?roll your sticky ball around to collect the "objects from earth". As your ball gets bigger, you can pick up bigger things. So you go on a hunt to keep growing your ball. The levels you play in are simply hugeI never felt like I had seen everything in a levelso replay level is quite high. Meanwhile, the background music is a lot of fun, good enough to put you in a good mood if the rest of the game doesn't. And the storywithout ruining anythinghas to be the product of mixing drugs and alcohol. The controls are quite simple, employing only the analog sticks and a couple shoulder buttons (although I never found much use for the shoulder buttons). When I heard about and found the game, I worried that it would be too simplistic to entertain meit seems my worries were unfounded; Katamari Damacy is a great game for everyone....and cheap, too!

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I really hope the success of this game convinces publishers to bring over more off-the-wall Japanese titles. This game is awesome. Gameplay is very simple: you roll around a ball (using the analog sticks in a control scheme reminiscent of Battlezone) and things stick to it. That's it. There are basically two kind of challenges: get the ball to be a certain size, or pick up as many of something as you can find. (Katamari Damacy loosely translates as "ball of stuff.")

While this may not sound like the world's most exciting way to spend your time, the flawless execution gives Katamari Damacy the simple, in-the-zone addictiveness of Tetris. The backstory is bizzare: your father, the King of All Cosmos, goes on what sounds very much like an acid trip and breaks all the stars. When he sobers up, he finds that everyone is annoyed, so he tasks you with going to Earth to collect raw material to rebuild the sky. The raw material turns out to be anything from thumbtacks to people to ships. The King's disconnected, slightly deranged speech patterns add much to the style of the game, as does the intro video, which is better seen than described. Add to that another side of the story told by following a Japanese family in very weird, stylistic interstitials and you've got a very surreal experience.

Katamari Damacy is backed by a soundtrack that would be worth $20 by itself. With replay value assured by levels that are easy to conquer but difficult to do perfectly, this game is a great addition to anyone's console library.

Best Deals for Katamari Damacy - PlayStation 2

After first reading about this game in PSM, in a small article in the back of the magazine, and then finding discussions everywhere on the web I was intrigued. I found it in a bigbox for cheap so I bought it. It is great. It is a nice diversion from killing people, and scoring touchdowns (both of which I enjoy tremendously). The game is a trip. It is very odd, but the music rocks, the graphics are trippy and the controls are flawless. THIS IS THE BEST BARGAIN THERE IS IN PS2 GAMES.

Honest reviews on Katamari Damacy - PlayStation 2

A true sleeper hit in the video game market. This formerly little known Japanese game from Namco (makers of Pac Man) has slowly but surely become a big hit with fans here in the North American Continent.

You are the prince of the King of Cosmos and you have to fix a mess the King has made of the stars. It seems that the King accidently ruined the stars, moon and constilations that once glittered the Earth night sky, so being you are his son and he doesn't want to do it, it's up to you to fix it. So what's a little 5 cm green guy to do? Roll a huge ball that can pick up any item smaller then it as it rolls around. The more items you pick up the bigger the sphere gets. Each stage has a size you must get the ball to within a time limit so you can restore the stars of the sky.

The game is a very 'unique' and quite addicting. The early stages start off with very small sized goals like having to pick up items on the floor of a room in a house, then progresses to outside, into small towns, to whole cities and eventualy the planet. The real joy of this game is how simplistic and how many items there are in the game. Each item in this game eventualy you will be able to collect on this sphere of yours. Whether its a small button on the floor or a huge skyscraper , there is nothing in this game you won't be able to collect, as long as your sphere is the proper size to do so.

The game takes on a very Japanese anime type of feel to it. It has very addicting and catchy Japanese music, with a theme song that will get stuck in your head. It has a full inventory for you to look at all the items you collected along with the size you had to be to collect it and what the item actualy is. There are thousands of items in the game to pick up and while the challenges are few, the fun is constant. There are even some clips after you finish each star restoration as you follow a family noticing the weird stuff going on with the stars missing.

I can't recomend this game enough. You may get through the game in a few sessions but the replayability and fun is so high it just won't matter. It also has a mulitplayer mode where you can battle with a friend. There are hidden presents you can find in every stage and so much more. It's such a simple yet complex game and most of all.. its fun! You won't be sorry adding this game to your collections. Anyone will enjoy this and the price is most defintely right.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Katamari Damacy - PlayStation 2

Something that's tugged at the back of my mind for years now is the question of what, exactly, happened to the ingenuity, simplicity and sense of wonder that was traditionally associated with video games throughout the seventies, eighties and early nineties. There's no question, today's games are a much more detailed, beautiful, realistic and life-altering bunch than the titles that filled the SNES, NES and 2600. As a NES owner, you'd never get an experience quite like what Metal Gear Solid or Grand Theft Auto can give you today. You're afforded much more freedom on an Xbox than you were on a Sega Master System, everything's in crystal-clear high definition and the soundtracks routinely eat up several CDs all on their own. You take it for granted that Mario can fly, because that's just the way it's (almost) always been. To introduce a similarly outlandish game in this day and age where anything new is scrutinized by the overcritical eye of parents, teachers, internal boards, the media, the government, the FCC and, perhaps harshest of all, the critics is almost unthinkable.

That's why I'm amazed a game like Katamari Damacy made it to our shores virtually untouched. This game's a throwback to the absent-minded titles of gaming's infancy, when everything didn't need to make sense under the restrictions of the Earth's gravitational pull, didn't need to abide by the dynamic lighting of the sun as it floats across the sky, and didn't send you on missions that would give a real life government operative nightmares. Things just happen in Katamari, and you accept them as fact because that's just they way they are.

Basically, Katamari Damacy is a telling of the life of a dung beetle on a cosmic scale. You control "The Prince," heir to an apparently galactic kingdom, as he rolls tiny, sticky balls called Katamaris around the Earth's floors, streets and continents. When you roll over something, the item sticks and the size of the Katamari snowballs. The size of your ball is directly proportionate to the size of the items you can pick up. If you're piloting a tiny trash heap, you're just gonna bounce off if you try to roll up a tree or a fencepost. Your Katamari usually starts small, barely large enough to roll up an acorn or thumbtack, (not to mention easily tossed aside by the numerous mice that roam the city streets) and slowly increases in size to the point where it's picking up cats, then large dogs, then children, adults, motorcycles, cars, wrestling rings, houses, office buildings, etc. The real star of this show is the incredible scale of the game, how nothing is off limits so long as your Katamari is big enough.

And that's really all there is to the game. You get a time limit and a certain size that your Katamari ball must reach within that timeframe, you're dropped out onto the floor somewhere, and you just start rollin'. It's incredibly simple, yet indescribably inspirational. While it may sound lacking in depth and replay value, I dare you to spend an hour with this disc and then casually put it away. It's physically impossible. I've never been one to immediately replay a game after finishing it, but I did just that in Katamari. The only thing that'll keep you playing is the never-ending challenge to top your existing high scores... well, that and your need to constantly explore this bizarre, psuedo-Eastern world... and it's been quite a while since I felt this motivated by nothing more than a number saved onto a memory card somewhere.

Alongside its outlandishly original gameplay and story, Damacy is equally original with its simple, understated control scheme. The only buttons you'll need to use in this game are the PS2 controller's dual analog sticks and the "X" button. It plays like a weird mixture of Pac-Man and the old Midway tank-based arcade game, Vindicators. Pushing both sticks forward moves you forward. Pulling both sticks back moves you back. Pushing both sticks left strafes you left, two rights strafe you right, pushing the left stick forward and the right stick back turns the whole thing (camera and all) right, and vice versa performs the exact opposite function. The only time your fingers should leave the analog sticks is when you're reading some dialog (unfortunately, there's no prominent voice acting in Katamari) and you need to hit the "X" button to move things along.

Visually, this is far from the most stunning game on the PS2 today. Honestly, I don't think there's a single object in the game that couldn't be faithfully reproduced on the Sega Dreamcast a thousand times over. Now that I think about it, the original Shenmue puts the graphics of Katamari to shame. But if you still think the visuals are the point, you obviously haven't been paying attention. However, one thing I'm relatively sure the old Dreamcast couldn't do is scale every one of those millions of objects, both moving and still, from full-screen to ant-size with no slowdown in sight. It's not right up in your face and obvious, like the majestic beauty of Gran Turismo 3 or Final Fantasy X, but this is a great display of the PS2's sheer polygon-crunching power.

This is seriously one of the greatest games of 2004. If you haven't already played it and were waiting on some sort of official endorsement to do so, consider this your call to action. It's discount-priced right out of the gates at twenty bucks, (which makes perfect sense, because no matter how good this game is, I don't think I could've justified fifty dollars on it) and will reward you and your friends with hours upon hours of entertainment, even after you've completed all of the single-player quests.

Reviews of Autobahn Polizei - Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:

This is a great title for those who loved Wreckless. The mission structures are great, because they encompass an entire section of the city for you to take down the enemy/enemies. Which wouldnt be all that great if the AI was bad. The AI in this game is some of the best AI I have seen in any game. They know the layout of the city and use any means necessary to lose you. I had a mission where I had to track down and run 3 enemies off the road... I followed one a good 10 miles, he proceeded to pull into a circus area and do burnouts around a center divider 3 times... before taking off in an entirely different direction and losing me. The next time I tried the same mission, the same enemy went a different direction in the city and lost me on the highway. If it wasnt for the awesome AI... this game wouldnt be half as good.

The visuals are incredible, given that this is a game developed by a sort of no-name developer. Large, open cities with a ton of life going on around you. Planes flying in the sky, trains stopping and going, picking up products with cranes putting them on board, other traffic that seems to have something to get to. Everything adds to the believability of the city. The only knock against the visuals, which isnt really a knock against them as much as one in the design, is that areas of the city are generally sectioned off by bridges or tunnels that include short load times(generally under 5-10 seconds). This is due to the extreme amount of detail in the cities, as well as the cars/trucks in them. Again, there is a lot going on at any one time, so this is excusable. That and each of the city sections are huge in themselves, so it isnt as if the sections are small and you have to pull out of them.

The controls are well done and each of the cars feel different. There is a lot to unlock, also. Truthfully, this game was a surprise. I bought it because I had some left over credit and I was longing for something like Wreckless... well, since Wreckless. If you never played Wreckless, the gameplay has you finding and ramming other enemy drivers off of the road. There are also delivery and escort missions. Again, the city is huge and the enemy uses every square inch of it to try and lose you. You can and will be chasing the enemy through the city, to the countryside up and around the mountains and back in order to take them down. That is the exciting part of this game. You never know what direction the chase will lead you in and every time you play, it will be different.

I truly suggest that everyone at least give this game a rental, but it is really worth the money to buy. You get a lot of game for your money with this title... and one that you can go back through again, knowing that the experience will be completely different from the last time you played, even though the mission structure is the same.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

NOT AS GOOD OBVIOUSLY AS THE ACTUAL RACING GAMES

BUT THEN AGAIN THESE ARE CHALLENGES ONLY,YOUR NOT

REALLY RACING YOUR COMPLETING CHALLENGES,

WHICH IS ALSO FUN IN ITS OWN RIGHT. THAT IS WHY

I RATED THIS THE WAY I DID.

Review of Xbox 360 NFL Miami Dolphins Controller

Customer Ratings:

Firstly, it's the freakin Miami Dolphins XBOX 360 controller.

Secondly, it's corded, and the cord is about 7-9 feet long, perfect for a dorm room college student who doesn't like to waste his money on batteries.

Thirdly, the sticks and triggers are made of a hard, more rugged feeling, plastic than the original 360 controller's. This takes about ten minutes of game time to get used to; however, after wards it has a better feel to it than the original.

Fourth, this is a little smaller than the original controller, and it has grips along the side to keep sweaty hands from dropping it in those intense plays that require a firm grip on the ba--controller.

Fifthly, the only way it could be better is if Dan Marino would sign mine.

"The slightly smaller size also gives you a slight advantage in that you can get to the buttons just a little bit faster," so my friends say, but they just have slower fingers than I do.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I am very satisfied with how fast I recieved my purchase. I also am please with the condition it was in. The controller is a lot of fun.

Cheap River Raid

Customer Ratings:

Now I don't care what anyone else says, even though River Raid was designed by a woman it turned out to be one of the greatest games released from Activision. It was banned in Germany untill recently when Activision wanted to release a greatest hits collection for PS3 so they had it renamed and re released. It was always my favorite Atari game as a kid in the early 80's and still remains to be one of my favorites because it stands the test of time so well. The controls are perfect and the ever changing river scenery is really cool compared to games that dont even have second levels. The object of the game is to blow up the bridges crossing the river to halt enemy advancements and blow away any enemy helecopters and ships on the way keeping an eye on your fuel for the refueling stations that become few and far the further up the river you go and unlike most Atari games this game actually does have an ending. A very fun game and the more skilled at it you become the more it becomes addicting. Happy gaming my fellow River Raiders.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

the product came in fast and was in very good condition. there was no writing on it and only minor scratches. also you can still read all the words. I don't know if it works yet but everything else is in great condition. this is a fun game and I recommend it for buyers or owners of the system.

Best Deals for River Raid

River Raid is a vertically scrolling shmup. The game field takes the shape of a river, which widens and narrows and has other terrain features to avoid. At the end of each river section is a bridge; destroying these bridges is the object of the game.

The controls work nicely here, with acceleration and deceleration to navigate the trickier sections. Sound plays an important role here as well, as you can hear your engine roar up or down based on your speed.

Along the way you've got enemy ships, helicopters, and jets to destroy. These give extra points, or can be avoided. Watch for targets at the entrance or exit of a narrow section, as these are common ambush points.

Finally, we have the fuel dumps. Fly over these to refuel, or shoot them for more points. Or, if you're in a particularly nasty mood, fly over them to refuel, then shoot them just before leaving. Thanks suckers! *insert evil grin here*

There are no breaks between river sections, nor is your fuel refilled between stages. You have to stay on your toes at all times and keep the fuel gauge up.

This is a really fun game, with good variety and a steady difficulty curve. It may seem easy at first, but some of the later sections definitely get harder.

Honest reviews on River Raid

I know some people who really enjoy this game. I on the other hand do not. I find it repetitive. You are just going up this river and everything can kill you and you have all these fuel options that may get you killed if you go for it. And when you finally do want to pick up a fuel canister, a bad guy manages to jump in front of it and get destroyed in the cross fire. Yeah...I really don't like this game, but I do own a copy. And it does play on the 7800!!!

Buy Xbox 360 Elite

Customer Ratings:

I ORDERED THE X-BOX 360 ELITE ALTHOUGH IT WAS $183.00 IT WAS NOT A GIFT. I PAID REAL MONEY AND I DIDN'T GET A COMPLETE ORDER LIKE HE ADVERTISED. I WAS MISSING THE CONTROLLERS, THE HEADSET, AND THE CABLES. ALL YOU ARE GOING TO GET FROM THIS SELLER IS BAD ATTITUDE. DO NOT EXPECT TO GET ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT HE POSTS. DON'T COMPLAIN BECAUSE HE WILL LET YOU KNOW. DON'T ASK FOR A REFUND BECAUSE YOU AREN'T GOING TO GET ONE FROM THIS SELLER. SO, IF YOU WANT TO GAMBLE AWAY YOUR MONEY LIKE I JUST DID, THEN ORDER FROM HIM.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Don't get fooled by the name, "Elite." Its not really an Elite Xbox 360. One it doesn't have a hardrive. Plus it doesnt come with any controllers or av-cords. Just the console and the power cord. Fortunately I had a controller and an av cord lying around the house. But the price was okay, so I guess thats good.

Best Deals for Xbox 360 Elite

The Xbox arrive on time and was wrapped under the tree. My son opened it Christmas Morning, hooked it up and it work perfectly for 4 days, then it red ringed (3). I contacted the seller and they did agree to take the item back. I sent the item back and was refunded my money. Thank you. Though my son was very disappointed about his gift not working, I was pleased that they took the item back and refunded the money.

Honest reviews on Xbox 360 Elite

The unit works great, but one of the controllers was missing the rubber on the thumb joystick. I'll have to buy a new one.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Xbox 360 Elite

Turned on my Xbox today and got the red ring of death. I bought it April 16 and it died October 9, not even 6 months. Maybe its time to buy a PS3!

Cheap Condemned: Criminal Origins

Customer Ratings:

First off, I will say that I have not been as genuinely frightened since playing F.E.A.R. Condemned's atmosphere provides enough fear, it doesn't need to rely on the "Boo!" tactics of games such as Doom 3.

The storyline is captivating, although the end leaves a bit to be desired. Some things go unexplained; I'm hoping that means a sequel is in store.

The gameplay is very nice, and the rough melee action leaves you a twisted satisfaction nothing quite like slashing someone with a meat cleaver :).

Some of the complaints people had were 'the enemies look the same' and 'it was too short.' The first of these complaints I would not agree with. Some enemies are recycled late in the game, but it certainly didn't make it any less fun. The length of the game, however, was slightly disappointing. Although, I suppose I would rather have a very fun 10 hour game than a mediocre 15 hour game.

All in all, a VERY underrated game. I strongly recommend this for all gamers.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Condemned has to be one of the more screwed up games I've played in the last years...Actually, until now, this would be one of the first bizarre games I've played. It's about a serial killer who is playing around with the police by committing a series of brutal murders. These people who were killed were not random people, no, they were other serial killers. You are an FBI Agent (Ethan Thomas) who is sent in to track a serial killer down by unraveling the clues he leaves behind. With the story, you encounter a lot of other beings who are unexplainably deranged and they come at you with either a pipe ripped from the inside of an old wall or a piece of thick wood with rusty nails sticking out of it. You usually only find guns on occassion, but you mainly do whatever you can to survive...You use a pipe, big pieces of wood with either nails or bolts sticking out of them, or anything else from big signs or boards. You beat the living hell out of anything and everything that comes at you to stay alive and keep coming closer to the truth behind this killer. That isn't it though, you discover more about yourself (the character you play in the game) and learn that you've had exams with a doctor and he finds some abnormalities in your brain, but I'll stop at that. You begin to go a little bit insane yourself as you keep seeing this strange monster-looking being in black and white illusions...All the way to the end. This game gets into your skin. People often compare this game to FEAR because it uses the FEAR engine (which I don't think it does, but I could be wrong). Don't compare this game to FEAR because they are not the same. Overall, an interesting game.

Best Deals for Condemned: Criminal Origins

The the first thing this game reminded me of was Doom 3. It's dark, creepy and there are bad guys who sneak up on you and all that good happy stuff. But then again, this game is nothing like Doom 3 because I actually enjoyed it. You're an FBI dude and you are investigating a killing when a bunch of crazy stuff starts happening and that's all I'm going to say so as not to give it all away. Now that we got that over and done with, the action in this game is brutal! You're only allowed one weapon at a time and you can't save ammo either. Creepy homeless crackheads will come up to you, reach over into the wall, pull out 2x4s and start trying to bash your head in and you'll have to do the same thing to them if you want to survive. The story behind this game is really pretty cool, but there are some loose ends left open when you finish it. The game also isn't very long, I believe it took me about 14 hours to finish, but it was still very fun and I enjoyed every minute of it. Overall, this is a good game if you want something with a slightly different take on the way the action in a game should be and if you want something dark, creepy and attention grabbing.

Honest reviews on Condemned: Criminal Origins

Condemned: Criminal Origins was unlike any FPS/Survival horror game I've ever played. It wasn't a run and gun nor was it a typical limited ammo survival game. It was more like a run from your enemies and make every swing/bullet count type of game. The story starts out pretty straight forward, you're an FBI agent framed for murder by an unknown serial killer. As you progress through the story there are some twists and turns making things a somewhat convoluted but still understandable. The story however isn't what the key part of the game is but rather the combat. It's probably the most brutal and realistic game I've ever played when it comes to melee combat. Not for the player who is turned off by violence and in your face scares. Here's my take;

Pros

+ Extremely scary and creepy atmosphere. I play a lot of survival horror and FPS games and I honestly don't think I've jumped/gasped/let out startled yells this much since I played the Silent Hill series. It's also the first game I've played where I've never been so afraid of an enemy with a gun. (If an enemy has a gun, get to them as quick as you can and get it out of their hands. Not only will you live longer but you'll be able to pick up more bullets as they won't be wasting them on trying to kill you.)

+ Excellent ambient music and atmospheric sounds. Once again very Silent Hillesque with everything from whispered voices, screams, banging noises and labored breathing. The gun sounds are also very realistic. Do yourself a favor and play with all lights off and the sound turned up to fully experience what the game has to offer.

+ Brutal melee combat. The combat is unforgiving and violent. You really feel like you're fighting for your own life against your attackers. They're absolutely merciless forcing you to tap into a primal urge just to survive.

+ Insanely clever AI. Opponents will flank, use cover, gang up and outmaneuver you in any way they can. I've honestly never seen a game with enemies so clever it turns you into the poor AI that many games normally have.

+ Superb and realistic physics. The way enemies attack and react to blows is amazing almost to the point of disturbing. I'd flinch EVERY time an enemy hit me with a pipe or some other object as you could almost feel it.

+ Vast array of weapons or items to use as weapons. Everything from pipes, nail studded 2x4's, electrical conduit tubes, sledgehammers, fire axes and the occasional pistol or shotgun.

+ Great graphics especially the environments and character models. The graphics did take a slight dip when it came to facial close ups during cut-scenes however and could have been a bit smoother.

+ Hallucination scenes (very similar to those in F.E.A.R.) were tense and spooky. One in particular still sticks out in my mind which was in Bart's Department store. There was a sequence where you would hallucinate and constantly be surrounded by mannequins. It may not sound like much but it was incredibly creepy.

+ Decent voice acting. Greg Grunberg (aka Matt Parkman the police officer from the TV show Heroes) does the voice acting for Ethan Thomas, the FBI agent you play.

Cons

Character movement was a bit too slow even when you were supposedly sprinting/running. And when you'd hit a section of stairs you stopped sprinting and walked up them normally. It would have helped to be able to move a bit faster but perhaps it was the developer's intention to add to the tension of the game.

No jumping or crouching. These two options seem to be an industry standard in any FPS game and Condemned had neither. It wasn't a game breaking issue but it was frustrating when you're being shot at or are trying to get over an object. It made the game feel a bit too linear for my tastes.

Repetitive level design. Even though you may be in a subway station, office building or department store they all felt the same despite the fact they were totally different environments.

Story became somewhat disjointed and confusing at times.

Tool use to collect evidence felt a bit too forced. More freedom using these tools would have been preferable.

All in all this was a great game a something quite different for a change. In an industry plagued with plodding FPS' this was a welcome and enjoyable surprise. I would highly recommend giving it a try if you're into the genre's of Survival Horror, FPS or CSI style games. I do have to confess that it took me a while to finish this game because I could only play it in small sessions. The stress of the scare factor got to be a bit much at times and as I said I love survival horror games. Just keep in mind it's not for the timid or faint of heart!

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Condemned: Criminal Origins

The scary feeling is well done, especially the sound, the footsteps behind you when no one is really there...well done. The gameplay is good, but repetitive. Mostly the same bad guys, different building.

Review of Croc 2

Customer Ratings:

I love this game! Croc 2 is about a crocidile who lost his parents a long time ago. His friends are fuzzy little guys named Gobbos. They speak a gibberish language. Croc travels all over the different worlds to find his parents. All i can say?

Grapics are smooth and well done

it is hard to control croc at first, but then it smooths out.

Croc has bad camera angles

Very hard and challenging, but hey, i beat it!!!

Gobbos are really funny!

The worlds are elaborate, and the players need good thinking skills.

A lot of the people who wrote reviews hated it. They said it was too hard! Well, they must not be very good players, because there are harder games than Croc 2! You need patience, and skill. Well, i guess thats how the world works.

I hope you enjoy this game as much as i do!

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I do love the CROC series. As though this game may seem pretty difficult to play and not have a very good game rating score. But to me i like challenges. This adventure is definitely a one in a time classic. Who cannot love their favorite toony crocodile character in this game. I like him. He's funny and cool. I am not saying this is the best game. I had tough times with it when i was just a child but now it's a piece of cake. I would consider people trying this game.

Best Deals for Croc 2

Classic game from when i was a kid! It was here fast and neer perfect condition!! Very happy with the price as well!

Honest reviews on Croc 2

Excellent sequel to an excellent game which will leave you wanting more of this lovable character that everybody will enjoy

Discount Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway - Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $29.74
Today's Bonus: 1% Off

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.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

If you are looking for another Call of Duty 4, this is NOT it. Sure its an FPS with shooting and explosions, but there is so much more to this game. Don't get me wrong, COD 4 is awesome in its own right, filled with fast paced action, great graphics, explosions and Hollywood moments; the Golden Standard for any new FPS to come out. So, with that in mind, if you play Hell's Highway with this mindset, you might disappoint yourself, which is too bad because Brothers in Arms is a great game in a category all of it's own.

If you have ever seen the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers, that same look and feel from the series is obvious within the first 15 minutes of the game. The opening of the game is presented in a style similar to a Hollywood picture, with great camera angles, music score, and just overall presentation. If you enjoy playing games with a good story and enjoy seeing what is happening behind the scenes of all the shooting and gameplay, then you will certainly enjoy the ride as the folks at Gearbox went to painstaking efforts to portray a grand story filled with emotion and presentation.

Now on to the bread and butter, gameplay. If you enjoyed the previous installments of the Brothers in Arms games you will be pleased to know that the formula has remained the same, albeit with some minor changes. You can now hug the walls similar to Rainbow Six: Vegas for added cover, as well as issue orders to a machine gun team for fire suppression, and a bazooka team to battle entrenched enemies and tanks. Now, if you want a challenge from the simple run and gun gameplay of most shooters, then you will love employing your own strategies to tackle every single mission. There are multiple ways to tackle every single firefight, from setting up a base of fire and flanking left or right, using grenades, or just throwing caution to the wind going head-on and hoping for the best (which doesn't bode well at all). I remember one instance when two big groups of Germans were walking towards me in formation and I had about 5 seconds to set up an ambush or risk being slaughtered since I was out in the open. Naturally, it took several tries, but when I got it right the feeling of victory was SWEET!! It is times like this when you feel your adrenaline pump because while you have to accomplish your missions, you still have to take out the Germans while issuing orders to your teams with loads of bullets whizzing all around you. This sort of action gets your brain going this way and that, and though it may be hard to concentrate and keep your focus, you begin to understand how hard and stressful war really can be, and not just another Hollywood-sized Call of Duty 4 spectacle.

Best Deals for Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway - Xbox 360

I'm getting a little tired of WWII games. Well, that's what I said before I played Hell's Highway. This game has reassured me that there are aspects that even the terribly whored out WWII genre has yet to touch. But with that aside, everyone's asking the same question, "Should I get this over Call of Duty: World at War?" Well...no. This is Call of Duty we're talking about! But Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway is just too good to pass up.

Hell's Highway follows the mission of Operation Market Garden, and if you know your history you would know that the mission wasn't necessarily the Allies' finest hour. You assume the roll of Sgt. Matt Baker, and you're tasked with leading your squad through war ravaged Holland in order to push through the heavily fortified, tank ridden, and infamous route known as "Hell's Highway".

In many ways, Brothers in Arms is a black sheep when compared to other conventional WWII shooters. Hell's Highway is no exception. One of the biggest differences is it's emphasis on it's story and narrative. The game plays out kind of like your average high-budget war drama, like Band of Brothers or Saving Private Ryan. We've seen these kinds of stories in movies and TV shows, but you'll probably never find a WWII game this side of Call of Duty with this kind of dark and complex narrative that just sucks you in. You'll find a plethora of truly cinematic cut scenes and A plus dialog through out the game that all advance the story. That's right, it has a story. A good story as a matter of fact. The characters all look and sound like real people in a real life-or-death situation. In some ways, you start to care about some of them, and sometimes you'll hope that they'll make it out of this alive. To be frank, the story is not a pleasant one. Not only is Hell's Highway trying to focus on the horrors war, but also on the major loss of the mission the game is based off of. So when you do beat the game, you probably won't be feeling too good.

Besides focusing on it's story and narrative, Brothers in Arms also plays unlike any other WWII shooter. While most games like Call of Duty or Medal of Honor have you running into the battle and tell you to start shooting anything that speaks German, Brothers in Arms is the total opposite. The game is more strategy than a straight shoot-em-up. If you try to tackle the game like a run 'n' gun FPS, you're not going to last very long. Hell's Highway tries to focus on what it calls "The Four 'F's." "Find him. Fix him. Flank him. Finish him." This mechanic is presented virtually flawlessly with the command controls and suppression meters. Giving commands is easy and practically impossible to unlearn once you learn it. You select the team you want use with either the D-Pad or the B button, and you issue commands by holding down the left trigger. Depending on where you point the curser, the team will go to that destination selected, or start suppressing the enemy you selected. This brings up the art of suppression. Your enemies all have red circles hovering over their heads called suppression meters. They might look like the enemy's health meter, but they aren't, so don't get confused. When the suppression meter is red, it means the enemy isn't suppressed and the moment they see your movement, they'll open fire on you and your squad and probably kill you in the process. To counter this, your squad must open fire on the enemy to make the suppression meter turn gray. This will mean that the enemy is now suppressed, and this is the perfect time for you or one of your teams to go around and flank the enemy and finish them off from behind. Yes, the meters sort of make the game a bit easy. So if you want a little more challenge, just turn them off. But this whole suppression thing wouldn't work if the game didn't have good friendly and enemy AI, and boy, do they have good AI!

Brothers in Arms also tries to focus on realism. Not just in it's story, but in the battle field as well. Yes, the cover system can be used on virtually any kind of wall or barrier, but depending on what it is (like say a picket fence or wooden barrels) they can be destroyed with a few well placed shots. Even sand bags can be demolished with a well placed rocket or grenade. Hell's Highway also implements an incredibly brutal gore system. Depending on what kind of stopping power the weapon you used has, heads and limbs can be blown off and even entire bodies can be blown apart. Right when something like this happens, the game will slow down and zoom in on the, ahem, action. So if you're a fan of gratuitous blood and guts, you might find a liking here.

But probably one main thing that sets Hell's Highway apart from all other WWII shooters (that I've played at least) is that it has one thing most of them don't have, color. When ever I play Call of Duty, Medal of Honor, heck, even Wolfenstein, the main color I see is grey. Lots, and lots of boring, uninteresting grey. Grey buildings, roads, skies, everything is just so... grey! That's not the case with Hell's Highway. Blue skies, different colored buildings, sharp green foliage, red orange fires, and of course, dark scarlet blood.

I think you get the jest of my review. If you're one of those gamers that believe that WWII shooters have all but lost their touch, you NEED to play Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway. Just, don't start playing it like you would with Call of Duty or something similar. In order to really appreciate this game, you need to play it using your squad and not your trigger finger. This is one highway you should really consider going through!

Honest reviews on Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway - Xbox 360

The Good: Engaging story, great audio/visual package, squad based gameplay keeps it separated from the rest, decent length

The Bad: Still WWII..., relies too much on knowing other BiA games, pointless slow-mo cams, must...be...patient...

I never really liked BiA back when they first came out because 1. I didn't have a PC that could run it or an Xbox. 2. I preferred the run & gun aspect like in Medal of Honor and Call of Duty, and 3. I was too impatient back then for the tactical gameplay. I have changed since then and am not an impatient little teenager with raging testosterone. I have picked up Hell's Highway expecting a bit of a mix and thankfully there was. BiA has been known for it's tactical squad command gameplay with great AI, a great non-fictional story around the fictional WWII setting, and that's here, but it's even better.

The story goes a little something like this: You are Baker who goes through an emotional roller coaster ride with his squad mates and you really feel what the soldiers are feeling...and even tear jerking at the end. The only problem is that you have to have played previous BiA games to fully understand the story from the beginning. The story does one of those looping plot twists where it starts out at the end and goes 3 days back, then goes forward after that. The plot holes are jerking when they are filled and you really get pulled into the story. As far as I know this is the only WWII story like this. I guess you can say this is my favorite WWII game story wise and it makes me want to pick up the other two original Xbox games.

What really counts though is the game play in one of these types of games right? Well the impatient should steer clear because you CAN NOT, I repeat, CAN NOT run out and go Rambo and their Kraut @$$es. You WILL be shot down almost instantly, and this is not good if you want to restart constantly (and experience the almost too long long time). You have to position your squad mates around the various cover on the battlefield and slowly have them pin the enemies down so you can go around and flank them with...whatever you want, no you can't melee in the game so that's out...sorry only Call of Duty 3 lets you do that. Each batch of enemies has a red circle above them and when it's red they can blow your beehiney apart if you run out, but if you command your squad mates to suppress them with fire it will turn gray and you can run out...for a few seconds. The game gives you plenty of ammo so don't worry about wasting shots. I mainly used single shot rifles since head shots were mostly needed due to enemies taking cover. That's what also makes the AI so great, so say for instance you run up to the cover the enemy is behind they'll run away and hide somewhere else. Throw a grenade and they'll boogy on out of there even if their on a Flak 88!

Now you can command four types of squads: Bazooka, Base Fire, Assault, and MG. Go figure on what those all do, but they are all essential to keep you alive. Another thing that makes you REALLY think is that if you send your squad out in open fire they'll die to (but only until the next cut scene because they are all main characters...) so you have to have one squad pin the enemy down while that squad runs, so it's a leap frog type thing. This is really great and keeps things from being boring since you have to think...psh yeah who woulda thunk that a WWII shooter would make you think! Of course you have grenades, but you get a grenade ring and it's basically an auto-lock thing so just hold RB and the grenade will fly over to the enemy on it's own.

Speaking of all of that something new here is the "action cam" thing. It's kinda cool since BiA is the only game that seems to realize there was actually blood and guts in war...they don't try to purty it up for kids. Sometimes when you make a cool headshot you get a cut-a-way cam of the guys head getting all bloodied up and his helmet falling off. The same goes for explosions so you'll see guts go everywhere (get a clue EA and Activision!!! Stop being sissies!!)

If you've been wondering about the audio/visual experience this whole time it's because its good or I would have said something! The game uses the UT3 engine (you know the same one in BioShock and Gears of War?) Its nice and all yet still seems like the game came out last year. Maybe that's because the game was delayed almost a year (yet I have NO idea why). The game has great lighting effects, explosions, fire, concrete, rebar that blocks your view sometimes in the 3rd person cover...it's good but not amazing. The voice acting is really great and the whole game feels like WWII (you probably wouldn't give a damn at this point though...)

If you want to know about multiplayer don't come here because I never bothered playing it since it was a rental. I'm sure it's great and has all the multiplayer goodness that most WWII shooters have. I highly recommend this game since it has a pretty long campaign (takes about 8 hours to beat) and really concentrates on Operation Market Garden instead of the whole damn war!!! So, you really get a good idea of what that battle felt like. Don't spend $60 on this though just rent it or wait for a price drop...please...get Fallout 3!!!

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway - Xbox 360

First off, let me start by saying that this game is definately NOT for those who love the Call of Duty WW2 games where you're pretty much a one man army. This game has to be one of the most intense shooters I've ever played, mainly because it's so realistic and graphic. BIA is very similar to Rainbow Six Vegas (1 & 2), so if you liked those games, then you'll probably like this one. This game is a squad game, where you take the place of the man barking out commands, and your guys listen to you (most of the time). Issuing commands is VERY simple: you pick your squad (sometimes you have more than onne) then pick your target, and issue your command to attack where to go. The enemy AI is good, they fire at you and give you a good challenge, sometimes to good of a challenge. our friendly AI is fairly decent, but sometimes they do get a little mixed up. For example, they may stop firing at an enemy, they ight be on the wrong side of cover, or even get lost...but they're still decent enough.

The gameplay is pretty solid, intense, and fairly realistic. The guns are good, each has good stopping power and a good feel. The sound is AMAZING! Bullets whiz all around you, explosions leave your ears ringing, etc, etc.

All in all, this game is good. I didn't play the online mode, only the single player, but I still recommend the game to anyone seeking an intense, graphic, and fun World War 2 shooter.

Discount Nintendo Wii U Console 8GB Basic Set - White

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $299.99
Sale Price: $289.95
Today's Bonus: 3% Off

There are a lot of places you can learn about the Wii U. So in the beginning of my review I'm going to talk about whether you want the regular or the deluxe. And I'm here to tell you: maybe you don't have to buy the deluxe.

I've checked it out and here is the deal.

The Deluxe gives you:

1) 24 GB more memory than a basic. Of course, you can add a cheap USB drive and duplicate this.

2) A cradle for charging, but, the battery on my video remote isn't lasting long so I usually have the video remote plugged directly into the wall (because you can't play when its in the cradle!). So the cradle is not worth any extra money.

3) NintendoLand, which you can buy separately. Nintendoland is a suite of mini games. Nintendoland does a good job of introducing you to everything the Wii U can do. If you love minigames, maybe you should buy the deluxe. If you just want dedicated titles like "ZombiU" or "Pikmin 3" then you might choose the basic Wii. After 2 weeks my daughter wants us to buy another game, because none of the mini games in Nintendo Land are very deep, and some are about as good as a $1 game you'd buy in an app store. (race game, balloon game, yoshi game: I'm talking to you)

4) The Deluxe also gives you 10% back on all digital purchases, for each $50 you spend. So to get $5 back, you have to spend $50. Most people I know prefer to buy hard copies of their game so they can resell or trade them. But if you like to buy software online then you would want to get the deluxe.

You would want to consider the basic Wii U if:

1) You don't like minigames (aka Nintendoland)

2) You only buy hard copies of games.

Otherwise, consider the deluxe.

In regards to the memory: A 32GB memory stick will run you about $15-25, in fact, you wouldn't even know this one was there: SanDisk Cruzer Fit CZ33 32GB USB Flash Drive (SDCZ33-032G-B35). And you get to keep that USB drive even if you get rid of your Wii U.

You will see in the comments that someone claims the SanDisk won't work on the wii, but, I'm using one right now. What can I say? One test is worth 1,000 expert opinions... Installing the SanDisk was easy. In my case, I inserted it when the Wii U was off. Then I turned the Wii U on and it said "There is a new USB drive... do you want to format it and yes it?" I hit the button that said "yes" and it was set up just like that!

I'm a positive person in general, so I will be happy with my 32GB, but, if you are considering the 8GB, take heed.

If you are on the fence about the wii U, here is my main review:

I remember that Nintendo came under a lot of criticism for not having an HD version of the Wii. HD was around when the first Wii came out, and a lot of people were a bit skeptical that they stuck to the lower resolution. As HD became common, Nintendo told fans that they had to do something "more" than just come out with an HD version of the Wii.

Well, thats just what Nintendo did. The Wii U is more than "just Wii HD". But Nintendo hasn't changed the Wii experience very much. You still use Wii remotes every time you play. The Wii U is not "completely different" like the Wii was when it came out. The Wii U is the Wii's younger, smarter brother. And if you liked the Wii, you'll like the Wii U.

The 3 main features of the Wii U are:

1) Its HD, which brings it (finally) up to speed with the Xbox and Playstation ... and everything else out there.

2) The Wii U has a single video controller. The video controller opens up new game experiences. Whoever is playing on the video controller sees something different than the other players. For generations people have wanted multiplayer games that didn't use a "split TV screen", and the Wii U gives you that in one console. This is a really big deal. The video controller is also a touchscreen which you use to flick something at the screen, or move things on screen. The new video controller allows for new control options ... just like the "Wii balance board" allowed Nintendo to sell yoga and ski games.

3) Videos, videos, videos. Netflix, youtube, TiVo, amazon instant video. It will keep track of the TV shows you want to watch, and when they will be on. You'll also be able to use the Wii U as a social outlet to chat about TV shows and movies. Nintendo calls this Wii TVii, and it would be a revolution in TV watching... if only all the features were available now. So you can use the Wii U as a control for all your Video experiences with your TV. The video controller will act like "PIP Picture in Picture in the palm of your hand". I use the Wii U with Amazon Video to watch movies for free, and the Wii remote lets me see information about the movie on IMDB WHILE the movie is playing. For sports, you'll be able to watch instant replays on the small screen... while the rest of your buddies continue to watch the big game on the main screen. So its going to be a remote controller on steroids. To be honest, this is going to be a really big big deal but since not all the features roll until "later" I can't give the WIi U a star for it yet. Maybe it will change your life, maybe not. Time will tell.

And that concludes the main appeal of the Wii U. We finally get HD, the video controller adds a new dimension to the usual Wii gaming, and it also serves as a "TV command center".

FAQ:::Some people have asked me about the Wii U, and the short answers are:

1) No, you don't have to own a Wii to have a Wii U.

2) You can only use ONE video controller with your Wii U. All other players use the old Wii remote.

3) 5 people can play at once, making it even more of a "game party" console than before.

4) You can't play DVDs or Blu Ray discs. Blue Ray is Sony Playstation territory, as you probably know.

5) You can surf the internet on it (why would you want to? I don't know)

6) Should I get the deluxe? Probably. You get 32gb of memory, which will become more important the longer you have the console, and the more you do with it. You get the Nintendo Land game. You get the cradle for charging the video gamepad. And until 2014 they will give you a store credit of 10% every time you make a purchase of digital content (games). If you buy digital content regularly, you might "earn back" the extra $50 you pay for the deluxe Wii U. (I tried this yesterday, read below for more info on the credit)

The Wii U has a host of "lesser" features:

1) A person can play the Wii U without having the TV on. Expect a smack on your head if you want to play ZombiU while your wife watches a movie.

2) Its backwards compatible with all older Wii games (but maybe not dance pads!), which is nice if you bought Zelda Skyward Sword this summer.

3) Just as with the old Wii, you can download games from the Nintendo store. If you buy online content for your iPhone, Xbox, or PS3, you know that this is a big deal. I used to buy songs for guitar hero to add to the songs that came in the box. If you buy this DELUXE version, you get a 10% credit back for all online purchases, see more about this credit in "The Bad" below.

4) The Wii U video controller is like a universal remote. You can turn on your TV and change the volume from the gamepad which is a convenience.

5) Most of the old Wii hardware is compatible too, which is nice, EXCEPT that round "gamecube style" connector is not present on the Wii U. Games that use a mat like "outdoor challenge" and "Dance Dance Revolution" become history in your house.

6) There is a big, easy to find "download again" button for all digital content, so if your Wii U got fried by a power surge you wouldn't lose your purchases. That's always nice.

The bad:

1) The menus aren't intuitive. There are two menus... the Wii U menu and the Home menu. The Home menu is found by pressing the Home button. Note that now that downloads are automatic, the unintuitive menus aren't so bad. But they still seem redundant.

2) Transferring data from the Wii to the Wii U should be easier. In particular I didn't like that when I imported my Miis, I had to do a separate step on the Wii U before I could actually use them in the games. The day I got it the patch took way too long to download and install, and after I transferred my data from my Wii I felt like I had spent 2 hours on the whole thing. But, since then, there has been no problem.

3) Freezing. I did have a problem with NintendoLand locking up, but, that went away after one day. This will be something they fix and becomes a thing of the past. I wouldn't sweat it.

4) Long updates. I feel that the time that it takes to download stuff and install it has improved over time.

5) Installing downloaded content. I wrote a long rant about how annoying this was, but as of the most recent update you can buy items in the store and they download and install automatically, as they should.

Ok now that I'm done complaining...

Your decision matrix:

1) If you still like playing on your Wii, and you have the money to spend, buy a Wii U and sell your Wii. You'll enjoy it.

2) If you are considering between an Xbox+Kinect and a Wii U, I think its a tough call. I really like the "second screen" gaming, it really opens up a lot of possibilities. But most of the wii U stuff looks really juvenile. The kid down the street told me he still wanted an Xbox because the Xbox has games for teenagers. I said "whatev."

3) As a side note, every kid who has seen and played our Wii U in the last two weeks has put this as the top item on the Christmas list. Its the "next big thing" for them and you can be sure that the little things that I complain about in this review won't matter to them. Not at all.

Games: Nintendo now has decent amount of digital content to buy online. I paid .35 for "kirby's great adventure" or something like that. Its a grainy looking old game, but it was only thirty five cents. Nintendo has started offering games at the $2, $5, and $8 price points as well. I'm VERY pleased to see this, because I want to be able to log into the shop and grab a game for cheap when I want to.

I rate this item 3 stars out of 5 because three stars means "it's ok". Nintendo has made a lot of improvements in 6 months, and while they have fixed most of the problems with the system, I find myself reluctant to raise the review to 4 stars until some more exclusive games are released. Pikmin 3 has been delayed until August, for example.

The Wii U is getting better. I think it may turn into my favorite console of all time, if they can just get some good exclusive games out, and improve the use of the video controller in those games. I really don't want another game where the video controller shows a map. Gimmie a break.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Plenty of people have given lengthy reviews on everything you want to know about the Wii U, so I won't rehash the basics here. I'll just share my initial reactions after unboxing my Wii U Basic last night.

The box for the Wii U contains an owners manual and "Quick Start" guides in English, French, and Spanish. There's also a card advertising Club Nintendo; you'll get a hefty 160 points for linking your Wii U to your Club Nintendo account, which is more than halfway to Gold Status (you'll get a calendar or some other crappy gift if you hit 300 points in a year). Nintendo giveth and taketh away; unlike previous systems there's no warranty extension for registering a Wii U with Club Nintendo.

You'll get an AC adapter for the Wii U console, as well as a charger for the GamePad. You'll also get an HDMI cable to attach to a TV (if you prefer to use your old component (YPbPr) cable or composite (RCA) cables from your Wii, you can do that as well). Finally, you get a new Wii sensor, but no Wii remotes. The Wii sensor is the same as on the Wii, so if you it set up for your Wii already, you can just swap your old one out and swap this one in (you can save the sensor in the box in case you need a replacement or you want to resell it).

The Wii U itself is sleeker than the Wii, with rounded corners and a slightly longer body. It's still much, much lighter and more compact than either the Xbox or the PS3. The unit has four USB ports and an SD card slot. A lot of people are decrying the fact that 8GB won't hold a lot, but you can effectively expand the memory by using USB jump drives, SD cards, or even USB hard drives that you probably already have for your camera or PC. From that sense, I didn't see the memory size as as much as a downside as others.

I wasn't sure what to expect from the GamePad, but my first impressions were very good. It's comfortable to hold, and the joysticks and buttons are easily accessible by your thumbs. I was impressed by the crystal clear picture quality, and the surprisingly loud and clear sound coming out of the two stereo speakers. There's a little slider on the back of the unit where you can adjust the volume, and there's a headphone jack. Something I missed at first was the stylus at the top of the unit that pops in and out of it like on a DS. While you can use either your finger or the stylus for most touchscreen interaction, the stylus does keep the screen free of fingerprints, plus it gives better precision on certain games.

There's also a camera and a microphone built in--a clever differentiating move considering that Xbox and PS3 cameras are usually on the other side of the room. It'll be interesting to see what applications developers come up with for these. Nintendo has already released a small handful of cool applications that make use of the camera such as Video Chat and the ability to make a Mii from your real face (similar to the 3DS). One of the most anticipated features of the GamePad will be the ability to use it as a TV remote. RIght now you can turn your TV on and off, but in the future the TVii app (which will be a free download in December) promises to let you control your TV from your GamePad; if this means the end of confusing, esoteric universal remote controls, I'll welcome it.

Setting up the hardware was pretty simple, just plug in the AC adapter to the console, plug in your HDMI cable to the TV, and plug in either your existing or your new Wii sensor.

I wish I could say the software setup was as simple. Let's put it this way: I started the process at about midnight, thinking it'd take about 5 minutes. I ended up going to bed at 3 AM. It's not a terribly complex process (you actually get your first taste of "two screen action" as you use the GamePad to make your choices, while detailed instructions can be read on the TV), but it does drag on and has a few awkward moments. But it's critical to make sure the process completes without interruption; some people are reporting their units are getting bricked if they power down in the middle of the update.

You start out by syncing the GamePad to the console, which is simply a matter of pressing the red "sync" button on front of the console and the same kind of button on the back of the GamePad. Once you do this, you'll be able to control the console from the GamePad (including turning it on and off).

You start by setting the time and date, which was disappointing to me; it's the 21st century, and there's no reason they couldn't have put the Wi-Fi setup up front so the system could pull this from the Internet. You then confirm the resolution of your TV, which read a glorious 1080i. You can configure your GamePad to turn your TV on and off (I decided to hold off until TVii becomes available), and then as with the Wii you designate the position of your sensor bar. You, of course, have to accept the obligatory legal stuff, and then you get to the Wi-Fi setup.

Wi-Fi setup was a snap. The system found my Wi-Fi network right away, and unlike other devices I could walk my GamePad over to my router and key in the WEP key without running back and forth or using up Post-It notes. You do all your typing on the GamePad; the digital keyboard was a little small for my fingers, but I made do.

The next step is when the system asks you to connect to the Internet and check for updates. It took, I kid you not, a full hour for it to download the latest update and install it. So if you're giving the Wii U as a gift, you might want to open the box and set it up for your recipients first if you plan to play it with them.

The next step is setting up your user accounts. I found this part very, very confusing, but I figured it out. Basically, you have to create your personal account on your console first, including creating a new Mii with a nickname and month and date of birth. Once you're done with that, you'll have the option of linking that account to what's called a "Nintendo Network ID", which is a completely separate process where you set up a username, full date of birth, and e-mail address, and you have to confirm the account via e-mail. The Nintendo Network ID is optional and not required to play most games, but to get the most out of the online experience, as well as be able to download apps and make purchases, you'll need to sign up for it.

Now the burning question I had, which I couldn't find an answer to easily, is how can I get my Mii from my old Wii? After all, I spent a long, long time getting him perfect and I've grown quite attached to him (I tried to re-create him on the Wii U but it didn't quite look the same, and when I tried to create a Mii from my photo, it was a cool process but a little too lifelike for my taste :P). The good news is that it's possible to grab your Mii's from your old Wii, but the bad news is that it's a pretty convoluted process. You basically have to go to the "Wii menu", go to the Wii Shop Channel, download a Channel called "System Transfer", and follow some pretty complicated steps to transfer your old system data to a SD card (512K or greater) with both consoles attached to the Internet. I ended up doing this a few days later and it took yet another hour, which I wasn't thrilled with.

Which brings me to the second thing I found a little off, which was the fact that there's a "Wii U menu" and a "Wii menu". My guess is that they're trying to relegate all the gaming related stuff to the "Wii menu" and start positioning the "Wii U menu" as more of a general entertainment console (there are already pre-installed icons for NetFlix, Amazon Video, YouTube, and Hulu Plus). But I wasn't thrilled at having to deal with two menus and figuring out what goes where. Surprising, as Nintendo has usually been pretty good at user interface design.

One other annoyance is that there are times that the system will appear to hang for many seconds, even minutes at a time, particularly when going from Channels or games back to the Wii U menu. At first I thought it was something I was doing, but many others appear to be experiencing the same thing. Hopefully Nintendo is working on a fix, as this behavior can get really annoying really fast.

Since this review is on the console and not the games (which I'll post reviews for separately), I'm basing my review on my impressions of the hardware, the software, and the setup process. The hardware easily gets 5 out of 5 stars from me; you can see right away that the GamePad was an impressive feat of engineering, although there is a part of me that is disappointed that they didn't see fit to improve their motion controls (the MotionPlus is evidently the most advanced they'll take the Wiimotes for a while). My initial thoughts with the two-screen approach is that it's going to take some getting used to (I found myself fixated on the GamePad for most of the setup process and ignoring the TV), but they've proven with the DS that it can enhance gameplay.

The setup process and the user interface, on the other hand, could have been improved. Not to say that features are missing, but the interface is just a little confusing for my tastes, and since I work with user experience for a living, I think I have a higher tolerance than most. The good news is that since these flaws are in software and not in hardware, they're certainly things that Nintendo can improve over time.

A lot of people might be wondering whether to get the Basic unit, or to splurge and get the Deluxe unit for an extra $50. With the Deluxe unit, you get more built-in memory, the Nintendo Land game, and a charging stand for the GamePad. As I mentioned, you can easily expand the Wii U Basic with USB drives or SD cards at very low cost to meet or exceed 32GB, so that's not a huge deal. A lot of people are saying that New Super Mario Bros U is by far a better "showcase" game for the Wii U than Nintendo Land is, so I don't think missing that is a huge deal breaker either (especially considering that in a few months the secondary market will likely be flooded with used copies of Nintendo Land). And finally, a charging stand is a nice thing to have, but certainly not necessary. So at the end of the day for me, it came down to color: did I prefer white or black?

To sum up, I'll give the system in itself a solid four stars--it didn't give me the knock-my-socks-off experience that unboxing the original Wii gave me, but I see a ton of potential if game developers can truly use the new features that the GamePad (combined with other peripherals like the Balance Board and Wiimotes) offer. I will definitely be a fan.

Best Deals for Nintendo Wii U Console 8GB Basic Set - White

Okay, first a little background, and then I'll get to the review: I'm not a Nintendo fan. Yes, I'm in my 40s, and I owned a Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Nintendo Entertainment System in the 80s and 90s. I enjoyed both quite a lot, but then, didn't everybody? Nintendo really had it going back then.

When they introduced the N64, however, I was nonplussed. Mostly, I was ticked that they stuck with cartridges in an era when CDs were king. This choice limited what they could do with the N64, and I still cringe when I think about how much more awesome games like Mario 64, Conker's Bad Fur Day, and WWF No Mercy would have been if they had a little more room for data on a CD. Still, I did enjoy those few games, and a couple others got my attention. Ultimately, though, the N64 was a flop for me. I was unimpressed with the game lineup.

When Nintendo threw the GameCube at the public, I held off. It seemed like it was "too little, too late" and for the most part, I was right. The games didn't impress me all that much. The forced jump to 3D for Metroid didn't make me happy. The lack of third party titles was glaring. The choice to use proprietary discs made me wonder what could have been if they'd used DVDs instead, like the PS2 and Dreamcast. Eventually I picked one up, used, and played with it for a while, but ultimately sold it because there were no games I wanted to play.

And then, finally, the Wii arrived and I totally skipped it. I wasn't into the gimmick, and I was really not interested in another standard definition console after shelling out the big bucks for an HDTV when they were first out, and still quite expensive. As the years went by, a few games piqued my curiosity, but I still never jumped at the Wii.

In-between all this, I enjoyed the original Game Boy, the Gameboy Advance, and even the Virtual Boy. I messed around with the DS, but didn't keep it, and didn't transition to the DSi or 3DS.

So basically, I bailed on Nintendo in the late 90s because I felt that they were losing touch with what I wanted as a gamer. They always seemed late to the party with new technology, or if they were first with something, it was kind of gimmicky and I just didn't see the appeal. When they announced the Wii U, I said pretty much the same thing: "A gimmick controller, and they're release all the same games again. I really don't want to play another Mario, Zelda, or Metroid title."

Boy, was I wrong!

I got a Wii U because I happened to be in the right place at the right time, and figured that if I could decide later whether to keep it, or sell it. Eventually, being the gadget freak I am, I had to hook it up and give it a try, and I was pleasantly surprised.

THE SETUP

The first pleasant surprise was that the box contained some nice things. This was just the Basic Set-The white one-And it was still packed with an HDMI cord, a nice, low-profile Wii sensor bar, and of course the GamePad and console along with all the necessary cords. It's packaged smartly, with everything neatly wrapped and in its place. It reminded me a bit of a 1990s Apple product in this regard-Simple, elegant packaging with everything you'll need to get started. The HDMI cable was almost like a little apology from Nintendo for making us wait for an HD console.

There are two AC adapters with the Wii U. One is for the console, and the other is for charging the GamePad. The Deluxe Set comes with a charging cradle, too, but in the Basic Set the charging cable is plenty to keep you gaming, and if you want the cradle I'm sure there will be tons of them on the market soon (aside from the first-party version that's already out there, I mean.)

Once everything was connected, I powered on and was taken through a very simple start-up procedure which included a system update after establishing an Internet connection. On the screen (despite what some "journalists" might have told you) is a message telling you not to remove the power supply while the system updates. Even if you do, though, the system is dummy-proof. You'll get a black screen while it finishes the update (in a "recovery" mode) and then it will apply the update and come back to the Wii U menu. If you see the black screen (if you're stupid enough to unplug the device while it's doing a system update, that is) then don't panic. Your console is not "bricked"-It's just fixing your mistake.

For most of us, this will not be a big problem.

After the update (1GB, not 5GB as some people are reporting) the system is ready to go. You're encouraged to make a Mii, which is pretty easy and done on the GamePad, and then you're let free in the Wii U menu to start playing. You'll be greeted by a screen full of Mii characters, all popping up little messages and drawings. Oh, yes... you can send drawings done on the GamePad's touch screen as messages in the Miiverse. Kinda nifty.

THE ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE

As I have the Basic Set, I do not have NintendoLand. It sounds cool, but I'll wait for that one. Instead, being a big fan of zombies, I picked up ZombiU. I also picked up Super Mario Bros U because I was told it's fantastic. Without getting into game reviews here, I'll just say that I'm very pleased with both games-Especially with the integration of the GamePad's touch screen into regular gameplay. It's very cool. Nintendo has lots of practice doing this sort of thing, too, with the Nintendo DS systems.

Rather than talking about individual games here, I'll talk about the other things that impressed me about the Wii U. Namely, the Web Browser, Netflix, and TV Remote functions.

WEB BROWSER

The Wii U has one of the best TV Web browsing interfaces ever. Via the GamePad, you can surf the web seamlessly. You have a keyboard on the touchscreen for when you need it. You have the ability to smoothly zoom web pages in and out and pan them left and right via the analog sticks, as well as handling basic up/down scrolling the same way. You can save bookmarks, open multiple tabs, and do anything on the Web that doesn't require Flash. Apple fans will feel at home, and really, anybody still reliant on Flash these days (as opposed to HTML 5) is just dragging their heels.

The Web Browser interface of the Wii U simply shines. I've used Web TV, MSN TV, PS3, Dreamcast, and a variety of other methods to access the Web on my television (including an HTPC with a standard web browser), and by far the Wii U outstrips them all in ease of use. Some have a bonus mark due to Flash compatibility, but the Wii U's GamePad interface makes up for that omission in a big way. I didn't expect to use the Wii U as a web browsing device, but now I could see skipping the HTPC or PS3, and going straight to the Wii U if I need to get online on the TV.

And here's the kicker: You can also access the Web on the GamePad screen itself. You don't need to rely on the TV at all. If you want to walk away (to within about 25 feet of the console, anyway), the GamePad will act like a tablet and let you get online via the wireless connection with the console. Very cool.

NETFLIX

Again, the Wii U beats the pants off other devices. I have a PS3, HTPC, Sony Set-top "Smart TV" box, and have used several other Netflix devices (Roku, WDTV, Xbox 360, etc.) and I'm here to tell you that the Wii U's Netflix integration is beautifully done. You can scroll through titles on the GamePad, control movie functions on the GamePad, and even have the video transferred to display on the GamePad so you can watch as if it's a tablet. When watching a movie on the TV screen, the GamePad provides information about the film you're watching (cover art, title, length, summary, scrubber/time bar, controls, etc.) -It's the best way to watch Netflix, hands down. The only negative-one I hope will be fixed in a future update-is that the GamePad screen does not shut off after a while, so you're burning a couple hours of battery if you watch a movie with it unplugged, even if it's displaying the movie on the TV. I suspect this was an oversight, and that future versions will offer a "turn off GamePad screen" option due to popular demand. Right now you can turn off the GamePad screen, but when you tap a button to bring back your movie, the GamePad screen wakes up.

Still, this is the best Netflix device out there. I stand by that. I'm not the only one saying it, either. Go ahead and look it up. I'll wait. . .

See? Pretty cool, huh?

TV REMOTE FUNCTIONS

Right now, this is very basic, but it's just so easy to use! You pick your TV's manufacturer from a list, and test the settings until it works. For my Zenith TV, it worked on the second try. Once you do this, hitting the "TV" button on the GamePad turns it into a TV remote. You can change channels, adjust volume, and change inputs (to switch between Wii U and TV shows, I'd suppose!) all from the GamePad screen. No more juggling two remotes to jump between console and TV!

Here's a tip: The "A" button on the GamePad works as the "Enter" button for the TV Remote functions.

In the future this mode will be made even more useful with Nintendo's TVii service. We won't know what's up with that until December, but Nintendo seems pretty stoked about it.

OTHER THINGS

[*] The Stylus: It's cool that they have a nice little stylus built into the GamePad, much like on the DS.

[*] Rearranged Buttons: It takes some getting used to, but the four buttons on the right side don't respond in American style, with the bottom button as "Yes/Enter" and the right button as "No/Back". Instead, they're Japanese/European style, with the right button (A) being "Yes/Enter" and the bottom button being "No/Back". At first this seems an odd choice for a market that Nintendo themselves spoiled with the rearranged American-style buttons, but it becomes obvious that they made the choice because they put their right analog stick ABOVE the buttons, instead of below or to the side of them. This means that when you reach down from the analog stick, it's easier to hit the right button than it is to hit the bottom button. Just bear in mind that you may need to get used to a change if you come from any other American console.

[*] Wii Remote: The system does not come with a Wii Remote. You need to pick one up separately. Until you have one, you can't enter the Wii Menu or play multiplayer (local) games on Wii U. Luckily, the Wii Remote is ubiquitous these days, and you can find them dirt cheap if you shop around. Once I acquired mine, I was pleased to see how easily it synced and then worked to control the Wii U's cursor in Wii U and Wii modes. I was also very pleased with the way it worked for Super Mario Bros U as an old-school NES-style controller.

[*] Nintendo's Store: The online store is frankly a little sparse right now. There's no Wii U Virtual Console at the moment, though if you go into the Wii Menu and enter the Wii shop, you'll find the Wii Virtual Console games are still available and seem to be perfectly capable of functioning on the Wii U, in Wii mode. This leads me to address the way they handle backwards compatibility... This is not like the PS3 or Xbox 360. When you inserted a legacy title into those consoles, they'd just start the game in an emulation mode. With the Wii U, you have to actually enter the Wii Menu to find the Wii games. In effect, you're switching the Wii U to Wii mode and then loading games from that mode. When in this mode, it's just a Wii, without Wii U functions. I found this to be a strange choice, and no doubt it will curtail the use of the GamePad's advanced functions for any Virtual Console titles bought from the Wii mode. Sadly, when in Wii mode, the Wii U will not do anything fancy with the GamePad. That is saved only for Wii U games and software.

[*] Storage Questions: A lot of you are saying "Why did you get the white console? The black one has more storage capacity!" and my answer is pretty simple: Because Nintendo intends for us to use external storage with the Wii U. Hooking up an external 500GB hard drive was no problem for me, and now it sits quietly in my entertainment center with the Wii U as its eternal partner, doing its thing. Why bother spending extra and getting the fingerprint-prone black version when I could have a nifty white Wii U and end up with approximately the same amount of storage space? The 32GB will be burned through quickly enough, and I suspect Deluxe Set owners will be connecting hard drives to their Wii U shortly after they buy the console. If you're worried about storage, you're fretting over nothing. Unlike Microsoft, Nintendo was kind to console owners and let us use our own hard drive to upgrade without needing a special caddy or partition. Just connect the drive, and let the Wii U format it. Voila, you're done.

[*] Disc Playback: This is my biggest gripe. Nintendo decided, once again, to use proprietary discs. What this means is that the Wii U can't play DVDs or Blu-ray Discs. While this doesn't affect me personally (I have a PS3, after all), I suspect there will be people out there who only justify having one gaming console, and it would be really nice to integrate disc playback so that the number of HDMI ports taken by hardware isn't continually expanding. I don't dock Nintendo any stars for this decision, but I do think it was a cheap choice.

[*] GamePad Concerns: The GamePad is a great controller. It's not as heavy as you'd think, and it's not what I'd consider bulky, though it is big and unusual. As a controller, I like it. However, as a tablet it suffers. The GamePad is limited by range and line-of-sight with the Wii U console. If you put a wall between the GamePad and the Wii U, the signal is in danger of dropping past about ten feet. That's unfortunate, because being able to wander all around the house with the GamePad to play SMBU or watch Netflix would be very handy. As it stands, unless you have your Wii U in a wall-less zone, your mileage (or footage, rather) may vary. The other concern is battery power. The GamePad lasts about four hours, give or take, depending on what power-saving settings you choose. Remember to dock/plug in the GamePad whenever you're done using it! Hopefully, better batteries come along in later years.

[*] Fun Factor: When it comes down to it, Nintendo knows how to make a console fun. Little touches like Miiverse really add to the experience. The fact that the console comes with a camera, motion detector, touch screen, and discrete wireless speakers is a testament to Nintendo's understanding of small things adding up. Some tiny omissions, such as the lack of a TOSlink/optical audio port (meaning you MUST be able to pass-through surround from your TV or have a surround receiver that handles HDMI if you want surround sound), are a detriment to this fun factor, but ultimately Nintendo hits most of the right highs and avoids the lows that drag a console down.

FINAL VERDICT

I am a former Nintendo owner who never quite became a "fan", per se, of the Nintendo brand. You could even say that I was disgruntled by the time the N64 launched. The Wii U turned that around. I may not be a "fan" yet, but I do like the hardware and the software that goes with it. So far. If third party developers continue to show up, and if Nintendo continues to do cool stuff with the GamePad and services like TVii, Amazon Video on Demand, and Hulu Plus, then the Wii U will be a must-have console for a family of gamers. Not just for the kids. Not just for grandma and grandpa. Not just for mom and dad. Not just for hardcore gamers. It will be the console for everybody in the family, no matter how seriously or flippantly they take video gaming. Even when viewed as just a Web browsing console with Smart TV functions, the Wii U is a winner.

So as it stands at the moment, Nintendo managed to turn this nay-sayer into a yeah-sayer. We'll see if they can maintain this level of happiness with future updates, software releases, and other goodies. For now, the Wii U remains in my entertainment center, and I'm certain it will get much use.

Honest reviews on Nintendo Wii U Console 8GB Basic Set - White

Much more appropriate for my 5 year old than an Xbox which is all about how much blood and guts they can fit in.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Nintendo Wii U Console 8GB Basic Set - White

This is by far one of the best platforms I have ever owned. We have had original Wii and Xbox but the new Wii U has got to have the best realistic looking graphics I have seen so far with any game platform I have had. The price is compatable with Xbox and Playstation. Graphics are by far better that Xbox and playstation at least from my point of view. Wii U positives are:

1 Plays all of Wii U and Wii games so if your Wii platform is breaking this would be best bet so you do not have to get Xbox or playstation and get all new games again

2. more advanced Graphics, very realistic looking

3. Affordable games

Cons:

1. Has limited games being so new, but you can play all your old Wii games on it. The wii discs work just as good as wii u discs

I am really happy with my Wii U system. My old Wii has had trouble for about a year now and its time to get rid of it. I am very happy I get to keep and play all my wii original games on a new Wii U platform. I definately recommend this if you have an old wii platform.