Discount Rock Band Wireless Fender Wooden Stratocaster Replica for Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:

I got this guitar for $59.99, no shipping and no sales tax. I didn't really need it, as my plastic RB3 guitar was holding up nicely, but for that price (even cheaper than my plastic guitar) I just couldn't pass it up. I know that this guitar has been out for a while and that when it came out it was $300. There's no way I would have paid that much for it,especially since the pro mode guitars now out aren't even that much, but if you can get a good deal on it it's definitely worth checking out if you're into guitar-based rhythm games.

First of all the appearance is stunning. The sunburst finish on this thing is absolutely gorgeous. The pictures really don't do it justice. It's actually a nicer finish than I have on my real guitar. As advertised the entire body and neck of the guitar is actual wood. The fretboard and buttons however are plastic with a rosewood appearance (much like the appearance of the standardRB2/3 guitars). This isn't the plastic you're used to from these guitars though. It has a sort of weird "softer" feeling that you really have to feel to understand.And yes, those are actual tuning keys, that do turn. Completely useless on a video game controller, but a nice touch anyway that really adds to the appearance.

Onto how this guitar actually plays. The fret buttons are almost dead silent, which is very nice and they feel very well built and high quality. I've yet to miss a note that wasn't may fault. The strumbar is does make a "clicking" sound. It's not as loud as a GH guitars strumbar, but it's definitely noticeable. I know several people like the clicking, some don't like it, it's just personal preference. I've played enough with both types of strumbars that I really don't care which type a guitar has. Despite the clicking, it still looks and feels more like an RB strumbar, though it feels a little..."stiffer." You have to use a little more force to move it. It takes a minimal amount of time to get used to, but the result is a strumbar that feels more sturdy than any other I've ever used. The back and start button are modeled after volume and tone knobs, but with "back" and "start" printed on them. Despite the appearance, the back button is a simple push button. Like on the standard RB guitars, it's in the perfect position for pressing with your pinky if you're like me and like to activate overdrive that way (though the tilt sensor on this works great too, doesn't seem to be set too low or too high).The start "button" actually does turn a little bit until a little "click" indicates that you've "pressed" it. A good way to prevent accidental pausing. The whammy bar and selected switch are there as well and work perfectly. Nothing really special to note about them other than the fact that the whammy bar is a little longer than on the standard guitars.

A couple final thing to note. First of all, it does NOT come with a strap. If you don't have an extra one laying around somewhere it's probably bes you pick one up. For lefties, there is no strap peg on the other horn of the guitar and no way to put one on it unless you want to modify the guitar a bit. I was hitting the back button on occasion when whamming at first. This required a bit of an adjustment to my play style when whamming, but it didn't take long to adjust. Finally, the headset jack is in a very odd place. There's a plastic panel on the back of the guitar. On the side of this panel closest to the end of the body and the strap peg, there it is. I looked around for it for a while to find it, and at first I was worried I might end up rubbing against the plug of my headset with it's positioning. As it turns out though, it didn't affect me at all and didn't get in the way. Still definitely worth noting as it had me wondering it this guitar even had a headset port.

Overall this definitely gets a 5 from me. If you can find a good deal and you play guitar games at all you owe it to yourself to check it out.

UPDATE 9-21-12

I'm seeing a lot of comments below saying that a strap, as well as a couple other nonessential accessories ARE included, but in a rather unnoticeable and easy to miss part of the packaging. I'm normally very thorough in checking out my packaging, but it's possible I missed it. It's been a long time since this I wrote this review though and I no longer have the box so I can't confirm if this was an error on the seller's part or my part. It SOUNDS like it was my mistake, but again, I can't confirm. Either way I'm not too worried about it, from the comments it looks like it was nothing I really needed and I have too many straps laying around anyway lol.

While I'm updating, I might as well mention that this guitar is still holding up phenomenally well. It plays and looks every bit as good as the day it arrived, and that's after a LOT of extensive use. I went through I don't know how many plastic guitars back in the day, and it still amazes me that I can go on a marathon of some of the most insane songs in Rock Band and at the end of it all the buttons are still working perfectly and the strum bar is still as precise as when I took it out of the box. As these peripherals become more and more scarce over the years, durability is an enormous factor for those who are going to want to keep rocking out long after the controllers are impossible to find. This has served me well ever since I got it and it seems like it's not going to let me down any time soon.

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I bought two of these when they went on sale, and now own four of them. They are filled with some seriously strong components.

Over time I've used the standard Gh guitars, and liked neither the clicking, nor the size and buttons. I switched to the RB pack-in and killed it off within two months, all the while feeling the strum-bar get sloppy and the whammy bar do the same as time went on. I then picked up the Mad Catz wired P Bass, (The wireless wasn't out yet). It lasted for 3 months, and then I went to a wireless P Bass which lasted 4 months. Following that I bought the Wooden Fenders and have had them for over two years now with no signs of wear even now. There's still no trace of a problem with the strum bar, the whammy bar, or the fret buttons. They hold up remarkably well and are drop dead gorgeous.

The build quality is superb and the fit and finish is better than a lot of real guitars I've seen. The fret buttons, whammy bar, tilt sensor, and other parts are all excellent and work the way I'd hoped so many other controllers I've tried over the years would. If there's a problem playing the game it's your fault and not the fault of these controllers. An all around excellent product.

An added bonus is since I'm already used to using a full size and weight controller, it made the transition to the Pro-Strat easier.

These are expensive controllers if you don't pick them up on sale. But if you get them at the right price, they're a much better bargain than anything plastic out there. And both finishes are as beautiful as a high end guitar and gleam like a mirror. They also include a Fender labeled strap in the box, as well as a set of Duracell batteries and an adapter for the stomp-box, and one for the headset. These pack-ins are in an unmarked box in the package so don't throw it away by mistake!

Buy one of these beauties and you won't regret it.

As a side note, if you don't like controllers with clicky strum switches the clicking can be eliminated easily and for less than $8.00. I have posted a vid on YT on what you need and how to do it. Check the comments to find it.

The newest versions of these have a fairly heavy feeling strumbar return spring when they are brand new, but the spring will ease off after around 3-5 hours of play. After that initial break-in period the spring tension will be lighter and will stay very consistent, and it won't loose tension like most other controllers do over time.

Best Deals for Rock Band Wireless Fender Wooden Stratocaster Replica for Xbox 360

The Mad Catz Xbox 360 Rock Band Wireless Fender Stratocaster Replica Sunburst is as close to authentic as video game guitar controllers get.

== Design ==

As the price suggests, no expense is spared. This is the absolute pinnacle of gaming peripheral design and construction. The neccessary plastic buttons, knobs and switches are laid over a real fender stratocaster body, neck and headstock. Even the tuning pegs on the headstock are authentic and fully functional; unfortunately, they jangle about as you move the guitar (fixed with some weak, gentle glue). The glossy sunburst finish and the heft of the wood are just great. This is just a beautiful wireless (3 AA batteries) guitar that you may want to keep out on a stand rather than tossed into the back of a closet.

A few departures from a standard stratocaster are the neck finish, a slightly oversized whammy bar, and the fret spacing. Strats usually have a solid maple neck or a maple neck with rosewood overlay. This replica has (i believe) a real maple neck but with a plastic rosewood-like finished inlay. Rosewood would have been very impressive and slightly better on the fingers. The longer whammy bar makes it easier to use. The fret spacing, similarly eases play by conforming to the rock band guitar controller's spacing. An actual strat has wider frets at the top and narrower frets at the bottom, in a gradual transition. A real strat also has several more frets on the neck. It's understandable that Mad Catz would want to stick with the video game's convention for fret layout, but I would have preferred the layout of a real strat, as I'm sure most guitar players would. It would have been very slick to be able to pop off one set of buttons and pop on the differently spaced set at will.

== Performance ==

Playing with the Fender Strat Replica is a real pleasure. It is the most accurate controller I've tried. With the size and weight of a real stratocaster, it will add realism and comfort to the whole Rock Band experience. Overdrive is activated by tilt sensors, but unlike cheaper guitars, it works exactly the way it should. The clicking strum bar is fairly stiff and requires much more force than most other guitar controllers. It takes some getting used to, but after an hour or two you'll have no problem coaxing out a quick and rapid response. This is a guitar that feels like it will work just as well in 2 years as it does today. One negative, it lacks the auto-calibration of the Rock Band 2 guitar.

== Conclusion ==

While the price is steep, you're getting the best Rock Band guitar controller on the market and a work of art. Although I will have to report back a few months from now, I doubt I'll experience any sort of wear and tear, as I have with other guitar contorllers. A warning to parents some of the positives (heft and size) could be big negatives for someone under 54" tall. If you have already taken the plunge for most of the DLC, Xbox 360 Drum Rocker,Xbox 360 Rock Band Wireless Fender Precision Bass Replica Hot Rod Red, and a mic stand, I'll easily recommend this to complete your high-end set up. For those just looking to replace a faulty or broken plastic guitar to play a couple hours a week, obviously this may be overkill.

Honest reviews on Rock Band Wireless Fender Wooden Stratocaster Replica for Xbox 360

When I unwrapped the guitar from the box, I was immediately struck by its beauty. This is not a toy. The plastic fret keys are indistinguishable from the rest of the wooden frets on the fingerboard. The metal turn pins, tremolo and bridge are exactly like my real electric guitar, and the frets are also separated by metal. It is a hefty piece of equipment as well. I was concerned about playing for hours on end with a 7 pound guitar around my neck/shoulders, but I found it a very familiar feeling from playing real stringed instruments.

Some people have complained about the fret width, but I don't have a problem with it. I have big hands, and it was easier to play than the plastic RB Strat. I was putting a lot of pressure on the plastic guitar on the keys with opposing pressure on the back of the neck to make it work. I don't have to do that here. The pressure on the keys is all that's required. Now my thumb can simply provide support instead of pressure.

I flat out love this guitar.

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the controller is so awesome, I bought two....my best purchase of the year. makes the game so much more fun.

Best Air Conflicts Pacific Carriers - Playstation 3 Deals

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List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $9.99
Today's Bonus: 50% Off

This is a great simulation game based during WWII in the pacific as noted by another review, you play the US Navy and the Japan Navy. The graphics of the game is quite good and is an improvement from Air Conflicts: Secret Wars PlayStation 3. If you've played "Legends of War: Patton" this might be a little similar due to the campaign having some similarities; for example, you can manage your pilots, change different weapons on planes and have camouflage on the planes. The length of the campaign seemed a little long, but I think it depends on which decisions you choose. All of the battles take place at historic moments in WWII from Iwo Jima, Pearl Harbor, ocean battles, etc. As for the multiplayer there is hardly anyone online right now, but hopefully since this was just released in US there will be more players and this will be a great game. Overall this is a great game and is a great game for less than $20.

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My first thought was, "how can I say no to a $19.99 PS3 title?" Got it and it's well worth the 20 bucks. It's mainly based around the events of Pearl Harbor during WWII and you can play as either the Americans defending or the Japanese attacking. I like that the game is mainly aerial sim but also allow you to use the guns on the carrier ships. Graphics are decent and it was pretty fun to play. $20 well spent if you ask me.

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This game is a solid flight sim game. The graphics are good and it's definitely addicting. The historical content is accurate and the storyline is interesting. Good value overall.

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This game could have been so good . The graphic are good the concept is great the only thing that it lacks are the controls. The planes are to hard to handle in simulation flight and the arcade mode takes you out of feeling like you are flying the plane. you should be able to customize the control just once can developer make a airplane game right?

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this game is stupid. yeah you can play multiplayer but you will be by your self. Not impressed with the graphics .

Reviews of Rocksmith Guitar And Bass

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $59.99
Sale Price: $49.99
Today's Bonus: 17% Off

(Edit update: Steam is required for this game to run. If you don't already have Steam installed on your computer I recommend you INSTALL Steam FIRST. Get your account setup and working. THEN install this game.) Also, in the folder where Rocksmith installs in Steam is a PDF, RocksmithConfiguration. This goes into great detail on how to tell if the cable and everything is setup properly. Highly recommended reading. Installation does take a while.

I have taught myself many things over the decades so I know it takes time and dedication to start out slow and build skill over time. But for whatever reason I find traditional methods (buying a lesson book or DVD) of learning the guitar too boring for me.

With Rocksmith I don't feel that way. The very first song we start with is "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" by The Stones. I was playing with a band from the get go and I feel that's important for me to maintain interest. It started me off with very simple notes too. I haven't noticed any lag or have had any problems so far.

Rocksmith also has drills called Guitarcade that are unlocked by playing the game. The first Guitarcade unlock is Ducks. Shoot ducks by playing notes. It takes something that could be potentially boring (it would be for me, lol) and makes it fun. There is also a section called Techniques. The first suggested technique is called shifting. Teaching the player how to move up and down the neck. Associated Techniques are the techniques used in the song selected. So with this you can practice the techniques specifically for that song.

If you have had lessons in the past and was bored by it or lost interest in it this could be really great for you too.

Update: The Riff Repeater, allows practicing selected sections of the songs. You can choose from three different ways to practice the section. The sections are shown as a graphic at the top of the page plus the audio is played for each section.

10/31/2012: As songs are becoming harder to play I find myself going to the Riff Repeater much more often. The thing is when you practice the song itself it plays from start to finish., no pausing. Sometimes its easy to get lost. I can use the Riff Repeater to practice the section(s) I'm having trouble with. The cool thing about the Riff Repeater is I'm still playing with the band. I also use Guitarcade and Techniques much more now too.

11/12/2012: When I first started playing Ducks, a Guitarcade game, I played the wrong notes a lot of the time. But as time has went on I have noticed Ducks telling me I'm playing the wrong note, when in fact I'm playing the right note. Its always on the twelfth fret or higher and game shows me as playing one fret higher than I actually am. So I checked my intonation with my TU-15 meter and sure enough the guitar was sharp.

One minor criticism is the interface. I don't know if it was designed this way to accommodate consoles or what, but its a little clunky. For instance, from the Main Menu / Songs. Click on the left arrow next to first album and there are three options. Events, Filter, and Sort. Now I don't know if I'd call finding them an Easter Egg but it sure wasn't readily apparent that there was anything to the left, I just happened to click it (I thought it would just wrap around and I'd go to the last song). What else is hidden I haven't found yet?

01/11/2013: I was having problems with a song that has power cords. I wasn't playing them correctly but I wasn't sure what I was doing wrong. When you play something correctly it (the note or chord) lights up on the games fretboard. If you don't play it correctly it doesn't light up. At the end of the song the game recommended I go to Techniques and practice power chords. When practicing a technique it plays through and doesn't allow for pausing, just like when playing a song. So when having a problem trying to figure out whats going on it's easy to get lost. That's when I switch to my trusty Riff Repeater.

To get to the Riff Repeater its, main menu/songs. Select the song that you want to practice. Choose whether it's single note, combo, or chords and then go across to the Riff Repeater. Then choose the section of the song to practice. After that there are three choices: free speed, leveler, or accelerator. Choosing free speed will stop the song when making a mistake. This has been really great for me. It wont move on until I play the note or chord correctly. It would be very nice if in Techniques there was a free speed choice as well.

01/20/2013: A cool feature is you can adjust the Riff Repeater (Click Pause opens the adjustments menu. Click after tuning up). When selecting accelerator, for instance, you can set mastery and set speed. Set Mastery at 100% and you get all the notes, as you slide the scale back notes are removed to make song easier to play. Set Speed, 100% for songs normal speed and that can be reduced all the way down to 25% speed. So you can really customize how you want to practice the riff.

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I. DVD Installation short guide:

1. The DVD does contain the necessary files for installation. However it requires that the Steam program be installed first to activate your copy (see below). What you gain from that is that the game will be re-installable on any other computer you have, even if you've lost/destroyed the installation disk.

2. On the negative side, it seems that if you don't already have Steam installed on your computer, the installation process will take you to the steam page for the game, which as mentioned above allows you to download it from the internet. Don't do that. If necessary, just run the installation disk again.

3. The game officially requires Microsoft's DirectX 10 (although some people have reported that the game will work on Windows XP running DirectX 9.0c with DX9.0c-class hardware), which most graphic cards have been supporting for the past 5 years. The case with chipsets is a little iffier, especially for Intel ones. If you have a laptop boasting Intel integrated graphics, especially from the 2006-2008 era, (you can verify the model of your graphics chip in Control Panel->System->Device Manager->Display adapters), you should research whether others have had luck running the game.

4. Console gamers have been complaining about the latency introduced by HDMI in the game. Try other solutions first if you can. In my case, with USB in (the Real Tone cable) and USB out (my sound interface) I didn't hear any noticeable latency. If you do, you can play with the value in Options->Sound & Display->Audio Engine: the default of 4 is to prevent audio problems on weaker PCs, but with a resonable config you can lower it to 2. Conversely, if you hear audio crackling, increase the value. The PC config thread in the game forums has more info.

Now, this game requires Steam. Steam requires internet. The game's use of steam is actually Ubisoft trying to accommodate the gaming community, which was complaining about the more invasive DRM tools that their games were installing before. While Steam is not perfect, I think Ubisoft should be commended for at least (and at last) trying something else. Whether any sort of DRM, Steam or other, is a sensible approach to piracy or not is best left for another discussion.

As a positive point for Steam, they regularly run heavy discounts on games and DLC. I look forward to adding quite a few DLC songs around the end of the year.

II. My take on the game after 2 hours of playing with it:

While I've been playing guitar for many years as a hobby, I am really not good at it. Being self-taught as a teenager to save money, I only realized last year that the way I had been fretting strings all along was completely wrong! A teacher could have told me that the first week, had I ever taken lessons.

And that's something that Rocksmith will not be able to do for you. It doesn't care if your sound is bad, as long as the pitch is correct and the picking timely. What it is though, is a fun way to rehearse songs and practice exercises, if you already know the basics. With a steadily increasing library of songs and recently added support for bass, there's no denying its value.

I would rate Rocksmith 4 ½ stars, rounded to 5 to counter all the low ratings caused by installation issues for some people.

Update Nov 1, 2012: Reached Rank 3 after 5-6 hours of playing the game.

Two good things, one bad, that I've noticed

+ Rocksmith forces me to look at the screen. If I look at my fingers, like I always do, I'll miss the next note. Of course, once you know a song by Heart, you can go back to looking at your neck I suppose.

+ With tabs, I'm used to unwittingly slowing down when playing tricky sections of a song. The game lets you work on riffs at your speed but, when playing the whole song, you have to respect the tempo.

Because Rocksmith lets you be creative between the marked notes to play (wanna solo during that silent section? Go for it), it means you can cheat when playing a note too early by then playing it again.

Update Nov 5, 2012: Reached rank 5, more feedback.

+ Rocksmith taught me something! I would constantly fail the palm mute technique until I started to reposition my right hand when playing different strings. I can definitely hear that I sound better now when playing muted strings.

The game is way too forgiving. I've mastered sections of songs (speed 100%, mastery level 100%) only to play on my own later without the background music and noticing sound artifacts in my playing. The good news is that it only took me a couple of tries each time to get a much cleaner sound.

+ The guitarcade games, however, are quite hard, at least if you want to get the achievements.

Also, I've updated Installation step 3 to reflect the comment I've received that the game does work on Windows XP with DX9.0c.

Update Jan 13, 2013: Today, I mastered Soundgarden's Outshined solo (as a side note, with practice I've now reached a level where I'm good enough to unlock master mode for most songs).

Having attempted to play difficult solos in the past, with only tabs as my guide, I can only remember how incompetent I felt each time. Without Rocksmith, I know Outshined's solo would still be among them.

Until recently, I had assumed Rocksmith was simply a more fun way to rehearse songs but, over the past few days, using the Riff Repeater's Accelerator (more of a decelerator, really) to learn the timings and Free Speed to pinpoint where exactly my playing was off, I've managed to accomplish what I never could. And I could hear it sounded good too :)

Thank you Rocksmith!

PS: Some will think that the solo is not *that* hard. More power to them! As far as I am concerned, it was beyond my skills. Not anymore.

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Rocksmith is NOT a game! It's much more. As a struggling bass player, I had learned some of the fundamentals and techniques (not all by far), but I had yet to find a practical way to put those into actual music. I own several DVDs and 3-4 books, and had went through most of them, learning the "basics" but for some reason couldn't transfer those exercises and practices into making music. Rocksmith is bridging that gap. Let me be clear. I do not believe you can use Rocksmith to go from Zero to Hero because there's much more to playing bass (in a band) than it can teach. What it CAN do is transfer techniques into music, help you learn songs, improve those techniques you have learned and give you confidence to maybe join a band. It's also a lot more fun than playing 30 seconds of music to canned backing tracks. If you're just wanting a game, I suggest Guitar Hero or Rock Band. They're easier and less expensive than buying an actual guitar or bass. If you've always wanted to make REAL music on a real instrument, THIS is what you've been looking for.

Honest reviews on Rocksmith Guitar And Bass

This is an invaluable guitar AND bass learning tool in the first place and less so a game. There's nothing comparable to it on the market and the price is right for the very high value you'll get. You'll need the extra tone cable to play it, though.

I've been using the Xbox 360 version of Rocksmith since Oct 2011. If you just want to know how good the PC version is in comparison, you only need to know that I sold my Xbox about 1 week after I started using Rocksmith for the PC.

If you complain about Rocksmith PC being distributed via Steam, you're missing the point: you pay once for the right to install the game on any computer you own or will own, _without_ losing your saved progress (Steam cloud sync) and downloaded content (DLCs).

The first thing I noticed when using the PC version is that it is FAST. The loading times are massively better than on the Xbox and rightly so (DVD vs hard drive transfer rate). I don't have numbers for you, just that when I decide to practice or learn a song, it loads the song before I make myself comfortable with the guitar on the sofa.

PS: If you don't have a guitar yet, go with the Rocksmith bundle for $199. I now have 4 guitars, but that Epiphone Les Paul Jr from the bundle I rate very highly. That guitar has on online price of $110-120, the tone cable is $30 and the game is $60. Do the math.

PS2: My computer is your average modern desktop (custom built AMD 4100 Quad, Radeon HD 4850, 8 GB RAM, Windows 7 64 bit, non-SSD HDD for Steam and Rocksmith).

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This review is for the PC DVD version only. I'm a fairly experienced but rusty guitar and bass player so I thought this game looked like a fun chance to tighten some rhythm skills and generally make some noise. Be aware that it does require an internet connection and possibly some patience to install; I had some difficulty getting it installed due to their unfortunate use of the Steam client which has never once failed to cause me headaches when installing and launching games however, once running, I was quite impressed with overall sophistication of the game and overall playability. It quickly ramped up from very basic one string parts to more difficult combo riffs and incorporates more advanced techniques such as string slides, bends, hammer-ons, etc. Rocksmith seems to be balanced and adaptive enough to make it a fun and effective learning tool for both total beginners as well as more experienced players. I wish this game had been around 20 years ago. I'm quite happy with my purchase and I'm sure I'll be putting alot of time into this game especially if they add more indie and country-influenced tracks. If it were not for their use of Steam, I'd give it 5 stars.

Some points worth knowing:

1) This PC version does come with the required guitar-to-usb cable (1) in the box you can buy a second to play in tandem but I haven't tried this yet.

2) I had to run the sound out of my computer via analog line since the HDMI audio de facto causes too much latency, which they do a good job of documenting solutions for. HDMI video looks awesome though on the HD TV.

3) The data files are installed from the DVD but the installer client (Steam) requires an internet connection for account setup and whatever else it's quietly and often failing to do in the background. Plan on spending some time to get it installed since it still took about 25 minutes to complete once I got past the Steam issues.

Discount Resident Evil 5 Collector's Edition -Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:

Ok, me and a friend went to the midnight Gamestop opening to get the game, and we are on Chapter 3-3 I think. I started playing this game at about 1:15am, until 6:58am, and haven't slept yet. (I'm writing this review at work, heh.)

The game itself is very fun, especially with a friend. I must say I do not like the new inventory system, and I miss the creepy mysterious vendor that sold you goods in RE4, I felt that added more realism to the game, rather than the way you buy items in RE5, at the end of every stage, it seems very artificial, and kind of takes you away from the immersion of the game.

The game is definitely more action oriented, which makes sense when playing co-op, but I hope to see some wierd puzzles in the later levels.

I'll say that this Resident Evil is the most "Un-resident Evil" out of all of them, at least from what I have seen so far. The gameplay is still great, but most of the new additions and changes have detracted from what makes Resident Evil so cool and unique, and feels more like a generic shooter/action game. (The gatling gun/motorcycle thing. It's fun and all, but to me it just doesn't fit the Resident Evil vibe of previous games.) I do like the end of chapter stats though, that is cool.

This next part refers to the bonus stuff that comes with the Collector's Edition. I'll say first off that it honestly is not worth the $30 extra dollars I paid for it. I'm such a huge fan of the games though, that I bought it mainly just to support Capcom, and because of the cool looking metal case and bonus DVD. The action figure is pathetic, looks like a cheap GI Joe toy, except you can't even move the arms or legs, it's just cheap, badly painted plastic that is just stupid, and it doesn't even look like Chris Redfield.

The Tricel carry bag I thought I would use it to carry maybe books or some papers for whatever, but again, it's just a cheap poorly made canvas bag. I haven't even taken it out of the plastic wrapper since I don't want to waste my time with it.

The necklace is the same, fake looking pleather string with the Kijuju Africa symbol on it, I'll never wear it, it's still wrapped in it's plastic wrapper too.

The BSAA security patch, which I thought would be the dumbest item, turns out is actually the coolest to me. I might actually have to sew this on a denim jacket one day, it's actually a semi high quality material, and looks pretty official looking. I can at least pretend I'm Chris Redfield on a secret mission then.

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Resident Evil 5 has to be the greatest game I have ever played on any of the current-generation consoles (Xbox 360/PlayStation 3/Wii). The graphics are simply the best I have ever seen and the gameplay is full of action and suspense. Facial expressions are so incredibly realistic it's difficult to distinguish the cut-scenes between real movies. The voice-acting, music score, and sound effects are simply outstanding and unbelievable. The gameplay is full of hardcore action with a hint of suspense, all driven by a very compelling and ultimately conclusive plot. While I tried not to directly compare the game to its predecessor, Resident Evil 4, it is difficult not to do so as Resident Evil 5 is almost on par with the previous installment from the GameCube (which happened to be the greatest game on the previous generation consoles). There is one major flaw that the developers incorporated into Resident Evil 5 that does not make it as perfect as Resident Evil 4.

The one greatest, painstaking, heartbreaking flaw is the entire co-op addition. Don't misunderstand me; Capcom did a perfect job with incorporating cooperative play in this game. It's indescribably fun and addicting, and I completely give the mechanics and gameplay of co-op play a 5 out of 5. But this is true only when playing with another person (either online or offline). The Resident Evil series has always been a solo game, with only one character going through the entire game. This simply adds to the suspense (just look at Resident Evil 4). Much of the suspense and fun is taken away due to the addition of Sheva as your partner throughout the game. You're no longer alone on your mission; someone always has your back, and this completely destroys the foundation Resident Evil gameplay was founded upon. It's evident the developers made the game and the story around the cooperative aspect. The entire main game revolves around cooperative play with your partner, sadly. This is what ultimately hurts the whole game and the story as well, unfortunately. The plot incorporates Sheva heavily and this in turn results in a rather predictable and duller storyline as compared to Resident Evil 4 (and all of the other main Resident Evil installments, RE0 to RE3). Resident Evil is a survival-action game (as defined by Resident Evil 4); this is not supposed to be sloppy Halo 3.

Other than that, the game is fantastic. Do not let the addition of co-op play turn you away from this game, which continues from RE4. If you played RE4 (and hopefully RE0 through RE3), then RE5 is a must purchase; it must absolutely be played in order to truly experience Resident Evil on the next-gen consoles. Rather than looking down on the incorporation of Sheva and co-op, embrace it and have fun with it.

This game is made even better with the inclusion of the familiar Mercenaries mini-game, which was incredibly fun in RE4 and now better and improved in RE5. Once again like its predecessor, Resident Evil 5 contains a host of rewards and unlockables for you to accomplish. This only adds to the replay value of the entire game, besides the fact that playing the main game over and over again is incredibly fun. The rewards and unlockables in RE5 are as great, if not, better than those from RE4.

IGN gave Resident Evil 4 a deserving score of 9.8/10. For some strange reason, they scored Halo 3 with a 9.5/10 but Resident Evil 5 with a 9.0/10. This is entirely unjust. As Resident Evil 4 fittingly earned a 9.8, then Resident Evil 5 deserves a 9.7/10. As a rating from Amazon, I give it four-and-a-half stars (4.5/5, ****+).

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I've been a fan of the Resident Evil games since the very first one. I even bought a gamecube just to play Resident Evil 4. At any rate, I LOVE Resident Evil 5. It's so much fun and has so many achievements and unlockables that you can play it over and over without getting bored. It's not as creepy as its predecessors, but I love the edition of Sheva and the co-op play! I love playing this game online with my friends. Only downfall is that the versus mode should've come standard with the game. Other than that I highly recommend this game!!

Don't waste your money on the collector's edition, though. I was so excited to see it that I bought it right away. I was a bit disappointed with the "free" collector's stuff. The chris figurine is incredibly small, the messenger bag is rather small, the patch is cool, and the necklace is cool but I've never actually worn it out anywhere. So yeah, just stick with the "plain" version. No need to spend an extra $30 on toy-ish collectibles.

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This game is easily one of the most entertaining games I've played on my xbox. I know many complain that it's not as good as RE4, but even if that's true, this is STILL a fun game. I'll venture to say as it's already compared to, it's better than Gears of War.

Yes it's a different Resident Evil game, but just as many gamers would be complaining if it was an exact clone of a previous RE title. Judge it for what it is, and that would be a genuinely good game. I gave it 5/5 because during my spring break, I couldn't stop playing until I did just about everything you could do on this game. I can't wait for DLC. This game has replay value I've not seen in years, coming from a veteran gamer.

That being said, make sure you have a buddy to play with, because flying solo can be significantly less interesting and enjoyable which I think maybe why there are a few negative reviews. Get a friend and go kill some zombies!

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If you're looking for advice on whether you should purchase the collector's edition or not, my recommendation is no. $90 is very expensive for what you ultimately get. The figurine is maybe 2 inches tall and isn't an action figure, like the Resistance 2 one. The messenger bag is smaller than anticipated. Nifty, I suppose. The patch is, well it's a patch and the pendant is also very small. For $90, I'd recommend a pass. I really like the tin container, but you don't really get your money's worth; buyer's remorse hit me like a chainsaw-wielding majini.

Onto the actual review:

Not every game can be a paradigm-shifting masterpiece. After years of trying to perfect Resident Evil 4 (including at least two completely scrapped attempts), it hit the Gamecube like a storm and completely changed how people viewed the venerable survival horror series. It was as perfect a game as I've seen recently, with amazing pacing, the perfect meaty length, intense action sequences and enough horror to still call it a horror game. In an ironic twist, Gears of War took inspiration from Resident Evil 4 and now Capcom returns the favor by taking some inspiration from Gears of War for Resident Evil 5. Unfortunately, they didn't take it far enough.

If I had to sum up my Resident Evil 5 experience in a few words, I'd say it was frustrating, exciting, annoying, action-packed, thrilling and ultimately a little bit unsatisfying. If RE4 threw out the entire kitchen but kept the sink (the horror), RE5 ditches the sink entirely. And that's where my problems come in.

Before I get too far ahead, the story is probably the weakest part, unfortunately. As convoluted and B-grade as it is, part of my love for the RE series stems from the stories. Here we have Chris Redford and his partner Sheva, members of the BSAA, who are in Africa trying to track down a man named Irving. Of course, the area they go into is swarming with a new form of Plagas-infected townspeople and Chris has ulterior motives in going to Africa that ties into his backstory. The story is kind of a mess and is easily the weakest in the series. The best part comes at the end as it brings closure to some story fragments started way back in 1998.

A lot of people complain about the controls. While the emphasis on action seems counter-balanced by the stiff controls, its the same control scheme used in RE4. And that's fine with me, for the most part. The further reliance on action does tend to add some aggravating moments but I honestly didn't realize there was a control problem through most of the game. The action sequences run from very good to just decent, with a few set pieces that really deserve attention. And of course the boss fights are hugely over-the-top and add some of the best moments of the game in terms of variety.

No, my biggest grief with the game is that it feels like a strange alien copy of a series I've loved for over 10 years. Where's the horror, I kept asking myself. Where are the scares? I would have been satisifed with a cheap window-shattering scare by the time the game was over. Everything just felt so...run of the mill. Most of the great parts of Resident Evil 4 were recycled. The beginning sequence where you're chased around for a time, moving quietly to avoid detection, QTEs, fights against giant rejects from Lord of the Rings...it all felt so familiar. And it doesn't do much much to push the genre forward.

If anything, it takes a few steps back. I love co-op as much as the next gamer, but horror is based about feelings of isolation and it's hard to have that feeling when not only is there another person with you, but it seems as if at any time, the cavalry can arrive to shoot missiles and provide backup. Playing through the game with a real person is a fine and fun experience, but a lot of people will be forced to play with the sometimes good A.I. partner and that's a shame.

Sheva, as controlled by the computer, does an adequate job most of the time. She's a rapid healer and isn't selfish with ammo. But she also is guided by AI principles and does some absolutely stupid things at the worst possible time. Like jumping off a cliff and running back, through the final boss who insta-kills her (and ends your game). Try having that happen to you three or four times. I have never been so frustrated at a game, but when death is sometimes predetermined based on the whims of your partner and not actual skill, my frustration meter goes through the roof.

Overall, I enjoyed my ten (definitely not the 17 of RE4) hours spent in Resident Evil 5's twisted world. It provided enough variety and fun to warrant a couple play throughs, especially with a human partner. However, I never got the giddy feeling I felt playing Resident Evil, RE2 or RE4. I'd definitely recommend giving it a go because it does offer some great moments toward the end of the story and surprised me with how it ended, but don't go in with the same expectations of RE4. Here's hoping that Resident Evil 6, with its proposed "complete reboot," puts the kitchen sink back in.

Buy Quake 4 - Xbox 360

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This game starts out pretty boring but really gets better. I would recommend to people who like 1st person shooters. However, you do need to get through the first, boring part.

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I remember the original Quake on the PC and it was great fun to play this game and see how far the series has come. A great game with great weapons, environments, and enemies.

Discount Super Mario All Stars

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Every since the original Nintendo came out, Super Mario Brothers has been a favorite game for many people. The sequels were just a popular, just as much time wasters, and just as much fun.

When Nintendo released their new, better system (which is what, two or three generations old now), they knew they'd have to release these modern classics to convince people to upgrade. But they were smart about it. Instead of releasing them for the Super Nintendo as separate games, making people balk, they took advantage of the better format and released them all on one cartridge, with better graphics to boot. To sweeten the deal, they included "The Lost Levels," a new, harder version of the original Super Mario Bros. not previously available in the states. And they included the ability to save your game or continue on that level when you die, something I greatly missed in the originals.

Ok, I confess, I've never actually beaten any of these games in spite of the combined years I've had them for the original and Super Nintendo's. But I have had loads of fun over the years playing these games. And with four great games on one cartridge, how can you possibly go wrong?

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This game is the best game in my Nes series next to Donkey Kong(1994).You can play Super Mario Bros.(#1),Super Mario Bros.2,Super Mario Bros.3,and The Lost Levels(#4).This game is better than the Nintendo editions since they have better graphics and you can save games!

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I used to love this game when I was a little kid! It's cool because it is actually 4 games on one cartridge! Super Mario Bros., Mario Bros. 2, Mario Bros. 3, and Lost Levels. The best mario is still Super Marioworld though(sold on a separate cartridge.) There isn't much else to say, except these were the good mario games before they came out with the less-than-exceptional N64 ones.

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Super Mario All-Stars can be summed up simply as this: A great revamping effort done by Nintendo that combines the first three Super Mario games as well as a new game, titled The Lost Levels, that had previously only been released in Japan. Super Mario All-Stars is a great addition to an SNES collection, considering you were a fan of the Super Mario series the first time around. The save feature comes in handy at times, giving you four slots per game in which to save your progress. A great play for a real Super Mario fan.

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Super Mario All-Stars has 4 great NES Mario games, along with enhanced graphics, sound, music, and an added save feature! The games are:

Super Mario Bros: The one that started it all! This game is just plain fun!

Super Mario Bros. 2: Japan didn't want to release the real Mario 2 in America, because they thought it would be too hard for us! So they put a Japan-only game named, "Doki Doki Panic" and added Mario characters to it. Although it's the oddball of the series, it is pretty fun!

Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels: The REAL SMB2. This game is HARD! It's like SMB with some neat twists! You can be Mario or Luigi. Mario has medicore jumping power, but great traction. Luigi has great jumping power, but mediocre traction.

Super Mario Bros 3: Although not my favorite Mario game, [I prefer SMW] this is the best of the four. Mario has some cool powerups, tons of levels, and new challanges!

Got an SNES? Then get this!

USB Microphone for RockBand or Guitar Hero (PS3, Wii, Xbox360) Review

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I bought this microphone to further enhance my Rock Band experience. I was not disappointed. It kept in tune well (which was a problem I saw with other microphones) and was light enough to not be a burden of any kind. I don't mind that it is not wireless, since I wouldn't move around much anyways. Also, the fact that it doesn't have buttons didn't bother me, mainly because I don't mind using a controller to navigate. I do think it could have been packaged better, but I don't fault the microphone for it. Overall, a very simplistic, yet functional, design that works well.

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I bought the microphone with the cord after two (2) wireless microphone purchases. There is no lag time with the wired microphone.

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I got this microphone after my microphone that came with Rock Band fell apart (the wire became loose at the microphone). I like it better than the original. It is a little more sensitive so you don't have to have it right next to your mouth and easier to handle as it is shorter. I am really surprised that it cost so little and works so well.

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I got this microphone for an extra singer on Beatles Rock Band wii. It works just as good as the original and it's fairly cheap. It arrived quickly and it definitely enhances my Beatle Rock Band experience. Thank you!

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The microphones that I ordered look just like the ones that came with the Rock Band 2 game. I bought 2 extra microphones because I bought the Beatles Rock Band game and to do the 2 part harmony you need 3 microphones. What I am a little annoyed with is the fact that you need an adapter to plug in the 3rd microphone which I don't have and now have to go buy. Otherwise they work just fine. We are happy with it so far...

Parasite Eve Reviews

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This game was amazing. A cinematic masterpiece. I am a college student and borrowed this game from my younger brother, who hated it. I played it in my friends' apartment. After 5 minutes of gametime, we had 12 people sitting around the television completely hooked. The storyline was incredible debates among us were constant as to the next twist in the plot. The graphics were incredible, especially in the movie scenes... they rival the PS2 graphics EASILY. The fighting system takes some getting used to, but is very easy once you get the idea. The characters really start to rub off on you right away (Yells of "NOOOOOOO" were constant when we thought one of the characters would die... we honestly became attached!). So to put this whole synopsis into a single line: buy this game. If you're under the age of say 15 or so... don't it gets really tough. However, for the rest of us, it's a definate must have. The replay value is great, too I've played it three times already, and I'm STILL not tired of it!

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...and I still have the game in good condition. When i first bought my playstion, this was the frist game i played, hence the first RPG i ever played. I got it cause my friend said its good, and i saw the commerical (the one with the helicopter and the slime and Aya) and figured it would be good. Thank god i was right. Let's get into the battle system:

Now THIS is the meat of the game, for the most part.For me, in some games, I think that the battle system is the potatoes in an RPG. If its good, then you won't be bored. No, I will not compare this game to Final Fantasy or its sequel. This is Parasite Eve review, not my turn to play fan-boy. Your midocondria (i think) gives you powers. Like heal HP, Haste, Detox, and attacks. Your PE will we restored slowly in battle. While its restoring you can dodge your enemys attacks, and counter attack when your AT bar fills up. AT is active time, where a lil bar fills up depending your level and when its full you attack. And you can't attack just anywhere, mind you. You have a grid that is your range. Enemy out of range (grid) you will miss. Easy, but will keep you on your toes, and will be hard because you have usally more than one enemy to deal with.

Now THIS is the meat of the game, for the most part. The Story is Amazing. Just too short, but got me glued to my TV set. I will not say anything bou the story cause you already know by other reviews.

The sound is good, not great. Primal Eyes (the theme song) is geat with its fast paced piano solo.

Your ganna be hooked on this game, and will want to know what the title, Pasasite Eve, really means. You will know soon enough.

Like i said this game is great and its my first Playstion game. Now i own most of the final fantasy i own both chrono games, and i have a vast libary of Rpgs, and all because of this lil game. And it wasn't Final fantasy VII that got me hooked.

It was Parasite Eve.

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Parasite Eve's best feature is probably the story. It's hard to put down. You really want to play as long as possible just to see how the story will reveal itself. I like this one better than Parasite Eve II. The second game has better graphics, but you lose the ability to customize/modfiy your equipment. Setting up your own unique equipment is a huge factor in enjoying the game. Too bad the game is a little bit short. But you can got through it a second time. It's actually better the second time around, even though the monsters get tougher. You can allocate more bonus points and effects to your weapon to compensate somewhat. I highly recommend this game. Especially to someone new to this type of game. Moving Aya around in this first game is a very simple task, unlike in PEII. The story is so involving that you would become a big fan of RPGs.

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I'm thirty-one years old and I usually play nothing but RPGs, such as the Zelda series, the FF series, Chrono, Breath of Fire, etc. Started playing this one because my teen-age brother forgot to put the CD back in the case and left it in the playstation console by mistake. Have to say I got hooked immediately.

Story plays out like a movie, and the dialogue sounds like something real people in the 20th century will actually say. Though other folks may find the game too short, it was actually one of the things I liked about it, since I have to work and don't have hours to spend in front of the playstation. Some people may also compare it with survival horror games such as Silent Hill or Resident Evil, but I think this game isn't as creepy (just for info, my measure of a game's creepiness is totally subjective and depends on whether or not I can play it at night when I'm all by myself :).

The pacing of the story is just right, just enough to hook you in so that you'll want to know what happens next. Beating the game once also enables you to play in ex-mode, where you can enter another area and find out a little bit more about Aya. In addition, the game allows you to carry over stats or features from previous weapons and armors so that, if you're obsessive about perfection, like most RPGers I know, you end up spending a lot of time customizing in order to get the best possible weapon & armor.

Battle system is nice too, kind of like dothack (where you can run around the enemy and essentially pause the game while you bring up the menu and choose what you want to do next) but without the camera whiplashing around like crazy. Good music as well. Overall, a good buy.

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Parasite Eve is one of the creepiest games to ever come out on a console. No, it's not "horrifying" like Resident Evil where zombies eat your flesh. It's more of a psychological horror game, or the Alfred Hitchcock title of the gaming world. Just forget about the pseudo-scientifical chatter that ensues during the game. The point is, it is the best script and storyline to happen to the gaming world. Who would have thought up the idea for mitochondria taking over New York City? It's awesome for a game to come up with an orginal script like this. Also, the game operates like a movie, with many plot twists and a well-written story. The CG's are awesome, and the environments are cool, even if the graphics are a little off. There is no better setting than a nearly-empty New York City! And finally, Eve is one of the coolest video game characters ever created by Squaresoft, the makers of Final Fantasy. Overall, any RPG lover or a horror game fan will enjoy Parasite Eve, at least while the excitement lasts!My Rating-9.6!

Reviews of Gold Plated 6ft Premium VGA Cable w/ Digital Optical Audio Port

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I'm very happy with this purchase. It works as advertised, and it didn't break the bank. I can think of one way to improve this product... have a $5 bill included in the packaging.

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Works as described w/out video or audio artifact Seems to be well made Responsive vendor when questioned about what I thought was a problem with the product, which turned out to be a problem with one of my monitors and not the cable.

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Does exactly what it needs to do. It transfers the video and audio without any problems and with better quality than standard RCA cables would to a TV. I have had none of the problems that other people have been having, and this is totally worth the money, instead of paying too much for Microsoft brand that does the same exact thing. Worth it.

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Works just fine. I'm sure other pricier ones give you a bit better picture quality, but for what I paid, you can't beat it. Also make sure your xbox is on the correct black levels. Check by going to the settings. This helped me quite a bit.

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This is the best cheapest VGA Xbox 360 wire ever. The graphics look very clear and in HD 1080P Graphics on my monitor screen. I am glad I have made a purchase on this item. I would recommend buying this wire again in the future. Thank you so much :)

Blacksite: Area 51 - Xbox 360 (Special) Reviews

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I beat the game in just under 6 hours. Yikes! That figures to about $10 an hour for game play!

You're a soldier for the US Army, initially sent to Iran to gather some highly needed, top secret information. From there the story gets fleshed out rather hurridly along with some well over used cliches. The gameplay is fun, the sound an graphics are great. Grenade explosions are really cool and the machine gun is very satisfying to shoot.

However...

This one is a perfect weekend rental. There's a good mix of run and gunning, driving and shooting from a helicopter. I have to repeat that this game was allot of fun to play. There were 5-6 levels (I forget exactly) each broken up into smaller "episodes" similar to the Halo games. Each level was pretty unique and at first glance the game could easily be mistaken for a Call of Duty title. Only a handful of weapons to choose from that sadly, didn't follow you between episodes and I found that I stuck with the machine gun almost entirely through the game except for some of the mandatory sniper episodes. There was also a very limited amount of aliens as well, which was surprising because I was expecting more. However, the ones that were there were very fulfilling, especially the larger "boss" type characters.

I would have scored Blacksite allot higher had it been longer game. You can't imagine my dissappointment after spending $60 and then beating it the same day.

Save your money for the likes of Assassin's Creed and rent this one.

Dan.

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The graphics are sub par, and no far beyond what you might see on the original XBOX. The game is very, very short. It's unpolished and buggy.

I did play online one match and that was a little better. But this pales in comparison compared to some of the better shooters like Gears, Halo 3, and Bioshock. I picked this and Timeshift up at the same time, and Timeshift is a much better game.

It's probably worth a rental but not much more.

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A couple years back, Midway updated their light gun shooter Area 51 for the last-gen consoles in the form of an action, scare, and conspiracy theory-filled FPS that was surprisingly good. Blacksite: Area 51 is more or less a follow up to the aforementioned game, in which you play a soldier and find yourself searching for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, only to uncover an alien conspiracy. The first thing you'll notice about Blacksite: Area 51 is that the game is boasting some spectacular graphics. The characters, aliens, areas, and environments are beautifully rendered; making the game a joy to look at, but that's about it. The use of squad tactics doesn't work very well, and you'll mostly find yourself engaged in battles with your squad not doing much to lend a hand. It should also be noted that there are a fair amount of glitches and bugs that occur now and then, ranging from graphical glitches to bugs in the gameplay elements. The single-player campaign is decent enough, albeit much of the shock value and scares that were featured in the last Area 51 game are absent. The multiplayer mode is uninspired and boring to say the least as well, which is even more disappointing. For all its flaws though, Blacksite does offer some solid moments of intense action, and the political commentary does conjure a smirk. All in all though, Blacksite: Area 51 is a disappointing FPS that could have been so much better than what we get here. It is worth a rental at least for FPS addicts or fans of Midway's Area 51 license, but other than that, Blacksite can be avoided.

Honest reviews on Blacksite: Area 51 - Xbox 360 (Special)

This game realy let me down! I played the demo on X-Box and it seems prety good. However, when I got to play the whole thing I believe the creators could have done a better job on the graphics. The movement is not as life like as the most recent games out like Call of Duty 4 or Helo 3. The operation of the vehicle in the game is mechanical. I would recommend you rent it first.

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This game is bad. Bad, bad, baddity, bad. I hate it with the passion of a thousand suns. Here's why:

* It crashes. Constantly. It would crash at random moments, whenever the game tried to load the extremely detailed environments.

* There are a million load sequences that interrupt the flow of the game. And the load screens are repetitive. And the "hints" the game shares with you are useless. Reload frequently? Thanks, Blacksite, I never thought of that!

* It's linear. At one point, the resident tough guy character quotes Star Wars, cause, ya know, the area looks like one of the chasms on the Death Star. When a character points out how linear the game is, you know there's a problem.

* The enemies are boring. There's one actually freaky alien, and it's telling that the thing is showcased in all the art advertising the game. All the other creatures look like they were ripped out of Starship Troopers. There's also the stupid "exploding monsters" which are a tired staple of FPS. Did I mention that one of them is a giant tower that slowly rotates and farts out alien bugs?

* Squad-based tactics? Sure, that amounts to telling people where to go (they never listen) and telling them whom to shoot at (because it's not obvious?).

* Non-destructible environments. Sure, the fuel trucks can be shot. There are crates you can break, but there's nothing in them. The environment is largely static.

* There's also a rail game component. With monsters that shoot projectiles at you. I've never seen this before. All that's missing is the "shoot me in the head" game.

* You can't affect anything the game doesn't want you to shoot at. You can empty an entire clip into your allies heads, shoot their vehicles, and basically act like a moron without affecting the game. And when I get bored, I can really be a big moron.

* You can jump about two inches in the air. There is no purpose to jumping. You can't scale any environment, except to slowly fall down a zip-line like you're on an elevator. In the one area where you can fall to your death, the final boss battle, your dead body stutter-steps down to the ground. This is a fabulous piece of code, let me tell you.

* It's short. I mean, really short. Even for me. I tried to play the game on a much harder difficulty, but the crashing actually drove me so insane that I wanted to at least get my money worth. So I played it on easy to get it over with.

There are some redeeming traits, but none good enough to make the game worth buying. It's got some interesting environments, including a battle in a suburban neighborhood. At one point you receive air support from a chopper flying overhead while you're duking it out on the ground. And the rail gun battles, while rote, are at least scripted to be exciting. There's also the amusing, ripped from the headlines dialogue. None of that saves this stinking fetid pile of excrement.

In the era of Bioshock, Halo 3, and Gears of War, Blacksite is proof that graphics alone are not enough to make a great game. The developers should be ashamed of themselves, but I can't tell you who they are because while I was forced to watch the end credits...the game crashed.

Review of Skullcandy SLYR Gaming Headset, White (SMSLFY-205 )

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You may know me as Mad Lust Envy on Head-fi, and Shin CZ/Raven Crimson elsewhere. Google Mad Lust Envy, to find my full gaming headphone guide.

I'm sure that pretty much anyone interested in headphones know the Skullcandy brand. Their name is instantly recognizable, and their headphones can be found in many stores, ranging from their very entry level headphones, to their higher end Aviator and Mix Master headphones. They do not have a shortage of headphones, and as such, have been the target of a lot of criticism for not catering to audiophiles but to the domestic market. Personally, I can easily say that I do not have a lot of experience with Skullcandy products. My first pair of Skullcandy headphones were a pair of Ink'd IEMs that I bought ages ago loved. I didn't know a thing about headphones back then, but I do remember liking their sound signature, and their cheap price. The next product I had some time with was the Lowriders...a PINK pair, I had bought for my then girlfriend, hahaha. I have never been a fan of on ear headphones, and the Lowriders couldn't stay on my head. I honestly couldn't tell you if they were halfway decent or not. I have a slippery dome it seems, lol. I wasn't exactly pleased with them, and their build quality was quite lacking from what I'm used to today, but they were very inexpensive, and my girlfriend liked them well enough.

Anyways, my point is, I don't have a bias for OR against Skullcandy. What I DO know is that they have made great strides in improving their line and becoming more serious about the quality of their products. I can surely appreciate any company doing that. With the arrival of the SLYR, PLYR, and PLYR2 (with help from Astrogaming, which is well known in the gaming community, and which they now own), it's hard to not be curious about what Skullcandy has up their sleeves for us gamers.

So I'm approaching these headphones with a completely open mind. Okay, maybe not completely open. I do have ONE bias: I don't expect much from headsets. With as many headphones as I have owned and tested, gaming headsets have been, for the most part, disappointing. Save for the Sennheiser PC360 (which remains the best headset I have used, and still among the best competitively even among the amazing headphones I have owned), the next best headset for me was the Tritton AX720 which was decent, but not 'good' overall. They are excused as they come with a Dolby Headphone decoder box which more than makes up for their lack of pure sound quality. Everything else was borderline forgivable to 'blegh'. So, with that bad taste in headsets overall, the SLYR had an uphill battle, and that's before I even opened the package. Still, I was excited.

Hmm, the Skullcandy SLYR (pronounced Slayer). Upon opening the package and taking them out, I was still neutral. They were unassuming, and relatively stealthy in a dominantly matte black finish with sort of yellow/green 'windows' on the cups. From what I have seen of earlier Skullcandy designs, they tend to be fashion statements, with lots of urban/street flavors, etc. The SLYR is humble looking in comparison. I actually like this. I tend to prefer a more classy approach to my headphones, rather than ones that scream at you. The SLYR still has an edgy design to them with sharp angles, but it's not 'loud'. It's hip for the younger crowd, but still reserved enough for adults.

So that was my first impression on looks. Looks are not my top priority in a headphone. Comfort and sound first. How did they fare? Well, as soon as I put them on, I immediately thought: "Crap, these are on ear." I'm not a fan of on ears. Still, the pads were very soft, and they weren't pleather. Things I DEMAND in a headphone nowadays. I absolutely avoid pleather/leather like a plague. Then I realized, with a little bit of adjusting, the SLYR is actually circumaural/over ear! YES! Very happy about that. Certainly not the biggest cups, but they did fit my ears well enough (bigger openings than the Creative Aurvana Live, and much deeper pads). The SLYR is off too a good start, and I haven't even heard them yet.

As with every headphone I buy, my first listening test is ALWAYS music. Gaming comes later. I fired up some songs, let my ears adjust to their sound signature and soon after, I knew; Skullcandy meant business. These don't just sound like a good headset. They sound like a good headphone. PERIOD. I absolutely did not expect this sound coming from an $80 headset. The first thing that I immediately noticed was the balance between the bass, mids, and treble. I am not exaggerating in saying that headphones costing 3x the price of the SLYR can't manage to find such a great balance between fun and balance the way the SLYR does. I mean it. With the Sennheiser PC360, you get a really good and overall neutral-ish tonal balance, with not much sticking out of place, but not being exciting tonally. The SLYR on the other hand manages to sound balanced, with the right amount of bass emphasis and energy to make them exciting. They are forward sounding headphones, with not a hint of boredom in it anywhere. The Creative Aurvana Live sounds considerably more reserved in direct comparison, darker, and warmer. (which I had on hand at the time of review). While the CAL was still more refined overall, I have to say, I preferred the sonic signature of the SLYR. It was immediately more engaging and exciting. The SLYR isn't the fullest sounding headphone I've heard, nor the most refined, but they definitely got the balance right for my ears.

Bass: To be honest, I expected to have more bass than they did. I expected bloated bass. Bass that gets in the way of detail. This is NOT what I got. Instead, I got punchy, impactful, energetic bass that is quite present, but never overwhelming. It also has good speed and decay. Quite impressed with the SLYR's bass. A very good start. If I had to give the bass a quantity, I'd give them an 8. Plenty of bass for me. Not perfectly in line with mids and treble, but it's a GOOD emphasis.

Mids: I'm used to v-shaped curves, with bass and treble emphasis, and recessed mids. Yet, the SLYR has some pretty up front mids next to the typical v shaped can. Can't pinpoint if it's the smaller soundstage, or just the mids in general, but they certainly weren't what I consider really recessed. Maybe just slightly so next to the bass, but I'd say they're pretty in line with the treble. They are pretty forward in the sense that vocals are near you basically at all times unless a song purposely mixes them further back.

Treble: You either expect dull, veiled treble, or treble that is too sharp, too spiky, too peaky. Again, the SLYR surprises in it's sonic characteristics. The treble is energetic, but it's not harsh. It's very close in balance to the mids for me. It is RARE for treble to be in the safe zone between too soft, and too harsh. The SLYR is DEFINITELY in that safe zone. I honestly wish the DT990's treble had a similar line. That's right.

Amping: As to be expected, the SLYR is a very efficient headphone, and I didn't feel they needed any extra amping.

Soundstage: This is definitely the only aspect of their sound that I was personally not entirely happy with. Part of it is because I'm grown so accustomed to open headphones, with an airy, wide/deep soundstage, and going back to a closed headphone's soundstage and typical closed headphone signature is a bit jarring. After getting used to the closed headphone sound, I'd still say the SLYR's weakest aspect is the soundstage. It's relatively small even comparing other closed headphones. I have VERY little experience with closed headphones, and I feel that out of the few I have on this guide, the SLYR is near the bottom in terms of soundstage. Thankfully, everything else is so good, so this drawback doesn't hurt as much. Still, it is small, and everything sounds pretty packed together next to other headphones in direct comparison like the CAL and A40s (the two main headphones I had on hand).

Positioning: Now that we're getting into the gaming side of this review, the first thing to discuss is positioning. Since I feel that positioning is very dependent on soundstage, I feel they did suffer just slightly compared to my faves. That is the nature of closed headphones (with the exception of the D7000, and DT770s which have some truly large soundstages for closed headphones), and the Pro 900 which, with the aid of S-Logic helps give a sense of depth not typically found on closed headphones, though not by much. The SLYR does place positional cues properly around you, though with the lack of soundstage, there isn't much space between you and the virtual space to make pinpointing easy. Still, it does a good job. Not great. I was able to dominate pretty easily in Call of Duty 4, and didn't feel lie I was at all hampered by the SLYR's positional cues. I didn't feel like they gave me a huge advantage compared to some of my fave headphones, but they did their job well. Again, good. Bear in mind, the SLYR was definitely marketed as a stereo headset with a mixer that plugs into RCA cables. I'm fairly certain that those who play in stereo will have VERY little to complain about.

Clarity: The SLYR is a warm headphone, but with enough crispness to say that they are plenty detailed for gaming. The closed design hurts clarity again only compared to open headphones like the PC360 and K701. As a closed headphone, I found them to have a nice balance between fun and detail-whoring, so I'd say that if I had to rate clarity separately, they'd get a 7 (good). I doubt there will be any complaints about clarity, especially at their price range.

Comfort: Pads? Soft, deep, comfy velour. They could definitely be bigger as larger ears MIGHT make these on ear ear headphones. Clamp? Not too loose, not too firm. I find them just right. Weight? Very light. Check. They stay relatively in place at all times, with not a lot of readjusting needed. A huge win here.

Microphone: The microphone is permanently affixed to the SLYR, but like the PC360, you swing it upwards. Unlike the PC360, the mic on the SLYR tucks away nicely into the cup, and is relatively well hidden when not in use. it's also small, but sensitive enough to pick up my voice quite easily. My voice came through clearly on my PS3 device settings, so I have very little to say about it, other than it does it's job well. It may be just a little too sensitive for my setup, as I have a large, noisy fan near me, and the mic picks it up unless I sit further back than what I'm used to. Still, that shouldn't be an issue for most people.

Build Quality: The SLYR is made out of all plastic. The plastic feels sturdy enough for my taste, somewhat reminiscent of the PC360 plastic. I have more faith in tossing these around than I would the Creative Aurvana Live. Assuming you're not abusing the hell out of the SLYR, I don't see these breaking with normal use.

Accessories: The SLYR comes with a stereo mixer. Think of it as a stereo alternative to the Mixamp, with the ability to mix voice/game audio at your desired levels, with three different EQ presets. One bass heavy, one flat, and the other treble heavy. I personally don't have much use for the Mixer since I own the Mixamp and prefer gaming in Dolby Headphone surround, but I did test the mixer and found the presets to work relatively well, and the mixer to also work pretty well in mixing game and voice without a lot of distortion. If anything, the closest alternative to this Mixer is the Steelseries Spectrum Audio Mixer, which retails for $40 and is for the 360. The SLYR's mixer works for both the 360 and PS3 (as well as PC). I didn't find a need for the EQ presets as the SLYR already has such an agreeable sound signature.

The Mixer has a very lengthy cable terminated in RCA jacks with piggyback female inputs. The Mixer is powered by a standard USB plug, and comes with a 3.5mm input for ANY headphone, as well as the 2.5mm input for the 360's controller for chat audio. The SLYR comes with a detachable 3.5mm male/male cable (a bit on the short side, IMHO) that carries chat audio. You can indeed use your own 3.5mm male/male standard audio cables, though the entry on the headset side may not accommodate thicker plugs. I found that the CAL's extension cable fit, but the first gen Astro 3.5mm cables didn't. I used the CAL's extension on the headset side, and my own 3.5mm male/male cables on the female end of the CAL's extension cable when using the SLYR for music on my main headphone setup (non-gaming). Basically, you will want cables with thin 3.5mm plugs if you want a lengthy cable for the SLYR. I don't know where to get lengthy ones that also carry voice audio, unfortunately.

Value: $80 gets you a damn good headphone that just so happens to actually be a headset. Convenience, comfort, and a relatively forward, engaging, and still balanced tone makes the SLYR the very first headset in the sub-$100 bracket that I recommend to anyone who absolutely needs a headset.

Final Impressions: While the SLYR isn't perfect, and aren't as refined as to what I'm personally used to (hello "Head-fi standards"), I must say that even with my higher end tastes, I really, REALLY like the SLYR from the sound, all the way to the comfort. These are great for music, pretty good for fun gaming, and good enough for competitive use. Skullcandy's first serious gaming headset gets a solid B from me, and have made me a true believer. I can't wait to see what else Skullcandy has up their sleeve. If their $80 headset is this good, I have high hopes for their higher end models. One last thing that you will want to know: I prefer the SLYR over the A50s.

Final Scores...

Fun: 7.5 (Pretty good. They really did a great job in finding a great balance between fun and balance. Very impressive for this price.)

Competitive: 7 (Good. They absolutely do their job. I'd say stereo gamers will particularly love them, kind of like how I personally see the M50s if a little better in terms of positional cues. For us virtual surround gamers, I'd still say they are worth looking into if you absolutely need a headset.)

Comfort: 7.5 (Very good. Those with larger ears may have to use them as on ear as mentioned before, though they are still comfy in that way.)

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I've had this headset since about a month before Christmas and I must say that the sound from it is *above* what I'd normally expect from Skullcandy and I usually prefer the Skullcandy Ink'q headphones, which are usually pretty good sounding cheap ones. These however make them look like tin cans tied together on string! The bass is where I like it, the sound is so crisp and clear that when I played Mass Effect 3 with them on for the first time. I was noticing sounds that I had *never* noticed before. With even the TV at a loud setting, I don't recall hearing footsteps from whenever I walked but with the headset, I was doing much more than hearing them, I was *feeling* them with the bass! I played other games and could hear the bullets as they whizzed by my head (saved my life a few times too!) Oh, one thing to note about the sound. The headset can start out *loud* but the in-line controls can easily turn it down to a comfortable setting. Be sure to turn the tv to mute(won't affect the headset unless you use the TV headphones port) or you won't hear anything and the headset can adjust the sound for either voice or game sound. Oh, and the leather ear coverings can muffle sound quite a bit, combined with the high volume it can start out with, you might miss your boss calling you on your phone to tell you that you're late again. Lol!

I did test hearings of Turtlebeach X-12's, Astro's from Best Buy and the Slyr had the best sound, best mic (never did like having to move it in front of my mouth) and plus the Slyr mic could be put away making it look like a normal pair of over-the-ear headphones. The others that I tried were good sounding, tho the x-12's oddly sounded better than their higher number versions. The Astro's had good sound and comfort. The Slyr had great sound and was the most comfortable to me out of all the ones I tried. Like any over-the-hear deals, they could get a little warm when wearing them for prolonged periods but that may not be a bad thing when you're outside during cold weather. lol! :)

One thing I liked about the Slyr is that the default cord that goes from the in-line usb one to the headset is just the right size for going from the headset to my pocket, where the others where so long that I was left wondering what to do with all the extra cord. Another selling point for me was that the Slyr was Xbox,PS3, and of course PC/phone/mp3 player compatible. :)

I found you could plug them into a phone (if it took normal headphone jack) and use it for listening to music or use the mic and have a conversation with people. People would tell me that they couldn't tell that I was using the headset versus the normal phone mic. Although for me, it saved me from having a hot phone pressed against my cheek and freed my hands to do chores that required both hands.

The headset was also more easier to adjust upon my head than some others. Some headsets were the "one-sizes-fits-all" and thus required "stretching" to get comfortable in, if at all. The Slyr were comfortable and adjustable from the get-go since it had fabric padding on both the headband and ears. Both the headband slides up and down as well as the ear padding was big enough for someone like me with big ears to fit within them and even people with in-ear hearing aids can wear them without them squealing due to over-closeness. Even when wearing glasses, you can wear them comfortably as they don't press too tightly like some others do to leave them hurting you.

If the in-line boosting and volume controls are not important to you, you can use the headphone cable to connect to your tv's headphone port and still use the usb part of it to connect with the xbox to your xbox controller. It'll look weird but still work. So truthfully there are lots of ways of using a headset like this.

So whether you are using it for talking on a console, your phone, or just listening to your mp3 player blast music at you. You can't go wrong. This is just a plain awesome headset.

If anyone has used them for the PS3, I'd be happy to hear their experiences.

PS> Like any headset that costs more than $12, you should treat them with care. Don't grab them by the earpads. Grab them *gently* by the headband. These aren't your $12 headset that comes with the xbox, they are a sound investment in your hearing pleasure. So if you do grab it by the earmuffs, don't twist as you pull them off. That's the easiest way to break *any* headset. I've seen too many youtube reviews and friends where they break even $300 headsets by rough twisting or improper handling and in some cases just bad placing where they can get stepped on by a friend or family when one's not around or chewed on by the family pet. Remember: all things these days are made with a limited lifespan (on purpose) to get them to break and you buy them again. If you take gentle care of them, then they will last far longer than the manufacturer wants them to last. :)

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I liked the headset A LOT! There isn't many reviews on Amazon so I based most of my judgment of the product from the reviews on Skullcandy's website (very good reviews).

The problem I had was with the mic. First kind of annoyance is no mic monitoring, I think I get a little loud sometimes because of this. Second is the entire headset worked great for about a week before the mic started going dead one day while I was deep into a game that requires me speaking through the mic to get even further (Tranzit zombies on Black Ops 2). My friend suddenly couldn't hear me. I realized and made sure my connections were all good (they were) and finally just unplugged and replugged the USB, and the mic came right back up again. Literally a couple of minutes later the exact same thing happens.. So I go through the unplugging and replugging, problem solved... Then a couple minutes later the problem happens again.. This happened a good 10 or so times before the game finally ended.. Frustrated I just stopped playing and hoped it would never happen again. A couple of days went by and everything was fine. Then it happened again... same thing.. Every couple of minutes. even more frustrated I called Skullcandy who did offer to replace them which was great. They said it would take a couple of weeks. I opted to return them.

DON'T GET ME WRONG!!

I liked the headset A LOT until I had the mic problem. Very comfortable, awesome sound, and style. The wire is 5 meters long so plenty of length to reach anywhere in the room. Some people complain about the set up but even that took no more than 10 minutes.

I just have a hard time keeping an item I paid $85 for and having it fail in 1 week... Very disappointed skullcandy.

Last but not least. I submitted a review that almost exactly mirrored this one on Skullcandy's website (I didn't have it saved so I can't remember what I wrote word for word) and they rejected it in a noreply email. If nobody can leave an honest review on their website without it being rejected, then the reviews aren't valid in my opinion. Made me even more frustrated with Skullcandy.

Honest reviews on Skullcandy SLYR Gaming Headset, White (SMSLFY-205 )

lol dude. You can use an HDMI cable and just plug your component cables in also and only use the audio from it. Or you can buy a $5 piece made JUST FOR THIS. And on top of all that. The VGA cable used by MLG pro's that play on computer monitors because of the lag time, comes with component audio cables. Do your research before you leave a bad rating. This is an excellent headset. Great value for the money. You just need to stop being so technology illiterate.

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I've been using these headphones for a month now and I couldn't be happier with them. They provide great sound and the mic works great. Great for any gamer.