Warlocked Reviews

Customer Ratings:

I think this is the best game for GBC if you are a RTS fan I have ben playing it nonstop for over a week. Basically it is a copy of war craft and/or Age of Kings but with less units, even with les units you dont realy need anyting but Knights and Archers... but calvery would be nice.... At first it may seem too easy but it gets HARD later on ex. killing giant spiders, rescuing wizards with only 2 grunts (grunts can't attack), repelling attacks on your main hall... even though you can only build 3 types of units the MANY different wizards and dragons keep you busy. Once you beat a campaign you think " I'm done" but you still have the other race to play as, plus the army's menu and the wizards will keep you busy ( it seemes that you can never have enough wizards.) also you can fied bonis games will keep you playing like puzles and five card stud. Over all.....BUY IT! It's like having a PC game that you can play any where and keep in you'r pocket!!!!!!!!

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Hi i have been gaming for a while and i enjoy all types, since most reviews afther say the game is awesome or horible, but i will give a fair review.But to start I would like to say i would give this game a 3.5 but there is no half of a star rating, but i felt that the game wasn't good enough to be awared a 4 mark. Warlock is a neat little rts and is fun to play while travling, be sure to bring extra batteries! this game can get addicting, but it's pathetic when you compare it to other rts's like age of empires and startcraft etc. But you have to think. This little pak did pretty well and i enjoyed the game very much. You have to read the manual for a bit and practice the controls for a bit. But once you got those the game becomes easier to understand. The graphics are like 1980 ones but you can make things out, which is really all a games needs to have. Sound is good, and music changes during the battles, so it creates more of a mood. When you selecting on one of your troops (1 of 4 posible types) they give a little grunt that you can hear to know that you selected one. The game is really easy at first but it gets hard, you'll find yourself planning your attacks more carefully. Each game contains wizzards that have special abilities. and everytime you beat a level all your troops,wood and gold are put into a chest called "the War chest", after you completed one races game (there are two Humans [good, can use knights elfin archers and grunts] and Monsters {bad, can use wariors, skeleton archers and goblins]) niether has the any advantages over the other, but i found the humans quest easier then the monsters. Any way i would recomend this game to any one who read this reveiw and wants the game. But you may want to rent it before buying, so you spend less money.

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This is the best gameboy gameboy game I've ever played. The best way to describe it is to say it's a portable Warcraft. The game is as good as Warcraft II except for 3 things:

1.The graphics aren't great.(It's GAMEBOY) 2.There are no tech trees and only 2 buildings you can build. 3.You tell your units to go left and they go all over the map.

Here's the jist of the game: You're either the humans or the weird beast things. both start with a town hall, which builds little guys which are the same as Peons in Warcraft. With them you build a wide varity of buildings (2) which are barraks and gaurd towers. The guard towers look like they are made of toothpicks and shoot arrows which look like toothpicks, the barraks make men. The men are little guys with something sharp that looks like a toothpick and the other are little guts that shoot arrows that look like toothpicks. You can also get mages and stuff later in the game.

I said it allready but this is the best game on gameboy, just watch out for the toothpicks.

Best Hauppauge HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition High Definition Game Capture Deals

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $199.99
Sale Price: $166.32
Today's Bonus: 17% Off

To start off, I'm writing this review solely from the perspective of someone using this to record footage from video game consoles (an Xbox 360, in my case), because that's why I bought it and that's all I've used it for so far.

Upon opening the box, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that there was a component cable included, a nice bonus. The first thing you'll notice is how light the device itself is. The all-plastic body and the lack of weight contribute to give it a slight cheap feeling, but this is not reflective of the overall quality of the device, as I'm about to explain.

The HD PVR has pass-through outputs, which means you can plug your console into the PVR and then the PVR into your TV (with the included component cable), eliminating the need to split the signal. I was a little bit worried about any input lag caused by the pass-through, but I was thankful to discover that there is absolutely none. The one downside of this, if any, is that the PVR has to be on for the pass-through outputs to work. It doesn't have to be recording and the software doesn't have to be open, so it's not that big of a deal, but it's just one more device that is sapping power.

After getting everything hooked up, you have to install the included software on whatever PC you're going to be using to record. The software installation was pain-free, although I recommend getting the latest driver updates from their website and the latest software updates through the software itself. Make sure that you do NOT lose the CD, as you can only download the driver from Hauppauge's website, not the included software. One of the downsides of the PVR is that only the included software and a small list of 3rd party software will work with the device. Luckily, this isn't that big of an issue as the included software works great, with minimal issues.

One of the great things about the HD PVR is that it does all of the H.264 encoding on the box itself. In other words, you won't need a high-end PC to record in HD because the HD PVR does all of the heavy processing. You will need a high-end PC to watch and edit HD video, however. Unless you're just archiving or using the PC as a storage device (and then accessing the recorded videos on your 360, for instance), you're going to want a high-end PC to edit and playback the video that you record. There's simply no getting around this: if you want to produce videos in HD, you're going to need the tools for it.

The preview window provides smooth, full-quality video. There is a significant amount of lag between the source and the software preview window, however. If you were hoping to sit at your PC and play by watching the preview window, you can forget it. The input lag will make it impossible.

Overall, the video and audio quality are excellent. This will produce video miles beyond any SDi capture card you have. The device will record in whatever format you input (1080i, 720p, etc.). I would recommend going with 720p over 1080i. The lack of interlacing outweighs the gain in resolution, in my opinion (unless you're taking a screenshot or taking video with little movement). It support frame rates up to 60fps, maybe beyond. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 in 720p at 60fps looks absolutely beautiful. The device lets you change the bitrate from 1MBps to 13.5MBps, so you can increase the quality of the video and sacrifice a small file size, if you wish. I find 8MBps to be a good balance. It allows you to fit 1 1.5 hours into around 5GB, and it still provides video that's good enough for YouTube HD uploads and similar casual usage. If you're going for production-quality video with almost no compression artifacts, you can easily increase the bit rate, but you're going to pay for it in file size and the power it requires to process.

All video is encoded in H.264. The software lets you record in 3 container formats: .TS, which is a generic 'transport stream' compatible with many digital media players; .M2TS, which is compatible with the Sony Playstation 3; and .MP4, which is compatible with the Xbox 360. These are somewhat-confusingly labeled "AVCHD", "PlayStation 3", and "Xbox 360" in the software, respectively. It's important to note that *this has nothing to do with what you're recording from* it only has bearing on what device you want to play back the recorded footage. The MP4 format will play back on an Xbox 360, while the other formats will not. I recommend choosing the format that works best with whatever software you're going to use to edit the video, or whatever device you plan on using to watch the video. Note that most software will be able to open/edit an MP4 file, while I've found less compatibility with the other formats. If you plan to burn footage to Blu-Ray disk, though, go with .TS, as it's the format used on Blu-Ray disks and so your video won't require any transcoding, which is very nice (you can burn a Blu-Ray disk in just a few minutes).

If you don't want your footage encoded in H.264, there is an included converter program that can convert to variety of formats, but I haven't tried it yet, so I can't tell you how well it works.

The only two minor issues that I've had have involved the software. Sometimes the capture program will not recognize the device, requiring you to unplug it from the computer and plug it back in, at which point it should work normally. It's not that big of an issue, and it may be specific to my computer, but it's worth noting.

Secondly, the included playback application, TotalMedia Theater, causes a hard reboot whenever I try to start it. This also isn't that big of a deal because there's lots of other software that can play back the recorded files. Based on searches in which I've found only a couple of mentions about the problem it appears to be a very rare issue, but it's still worth noting. (I'm using Vista 32-bit, for reference).

Overall, the HD PVR is great for recording footage from hi-def consoles like the 360 and PS3. It's easy to use, doesn't require an insanely powerful PC, and produces good-quality video and audio in a good format at a reasonable file-size. Although the price is a bit steep, it's worth it if you really want to record high-quality, high-definition game footage from your 360 or PS3. If you have any questions, feel free to post them in a response and I'll try to answer them as best as I can.

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Here's the summary:

Not a DVR. This is a pass-thru from audio/video source to PC.

Generates H.264 at Baseline Profile 1.0 only -not the High Profile 4.1 that x264.exe-based programs generate. The Baseline H.264 quality is not as good as the High Profile quality using the same bit rate.

Generates default .M2TS files which are difficult to edit -use the .TS file output instead for easier editing.

Arcsoft software is good for capturing and that's it. The software for creating a disk always seems to re-encode -a process that takes my PC days or makes my PC hang.

After capture, I have to use third-party software to finish production.

The product is not an easy out-of-the box solution. Hookup is easy, and the Arcsoft software installation is easy, capturing is easy, but it gets tricky after that.

When you capture, you can set bitrates. I set my 720x480i broadcast to 4.1 MB/s thinking it would be fine. When I made a disk and played it on the Blu Ray player, the video had a horribly compressed look. That was a straight H.264 file from the HD-PVR 1212 unit to disk without transcoding. But when I transcode some other high-quality 480i video using an x264.exe-based application with 4.1 MB/s the video quality is fine.

Now I made the mistake of capturing my first video in .M2TS. Tried to edit it. Lots of software doesn't like .M2TS. I didn't know that then, but I know now. Fortunately I was able to use the freeware TSRemux to convert the .M2TS file to a .TS file. Now apps like H264TS_Cutter and multiAVCHD are happier. Lots of crashes and failures with .M2TS.

Editing. I use H264TS_Cutter to cut out commercials. This app is handy -you take clips you want to save and create a cut without transcoding. This is important in the H.264 video world because transcoding takes days on my PCs, but the H264TS_Cutter makes a cut in minutes. You can also join two files in this manner. H264TS_Cutter has never crashed on me with .TS files. I tried using a little more complicated app for cutting -TS Packet Editor -but I had to reboot my PC after each file edit.

Creating a video disk. I use multiAVCHD. It lets me make a simple menu for the multiple titles. To get this to generate a Blu-Ray format file structure, I had to (after clicking Start) select the button [AVCHD compatible players] -the button [For all Blu-ray players] wouldn't work in my Blu-Ray player.

The size of the output files determines what size disk I can use. I use Imgburn to burn to DVD-5, DVD-9, or BD-25 -this plays in my Blu-Ray player as long as I choose the UDF physical format and UDF 2.50.

That's the quick way of taking the output from the HD-PVR 1212 and placing it on Blu-Ray compatible disk. If all this that I've described sounds like Greek, be wary of this purchase. You'll need to do your homework on using these 3rd-party apps (though fortunately the ones I've described are free) to keep the production time to a minimum and spare yourself days of needless suffering. Had these tools been included and described in the bundled software for this purchase, it would have saved me about two weeks of trial, research, and error.

Best Deals for Hauppauge HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition High Definition Game Capture

June posting

ok I would have given this 5 stars but this comes with current problem with it, this has optical in for 5.1DD recording at this time hauppuage can not get this to work so you are stuck with PCM 2.0 or audio from the analog imputs, now to the rest, it records video at 1920x1080 at same or near Blu ray discs, you have a choice of bitrate constant from 1 to 13.5 Kb or on variable all the way up to 20.2, this records in the same codeec (AVCHD) as blu ray and HD DVD discs, it will take any component imput, I have mine through my receiver where my Dishnet PVR HD, PS3, HD DVD and Oppo DVD player runs through, just for test purposes I tried all my devices and what I test recorded from dishnet, blu ray, DVD and HD DVD the test disc looked no different than the original source, once you capture your source you can then edit or add chapters then you get to add a real cheapo menu and then put in what disc you need to burn either a DVD-R or a dual layer DVD Disc, it takes about 10 minutes to author your recording to Blu ray standard and burn on your normal DVD as a true Blu ray playable Disc, beware once you burn your DVD as a blu ray playback DVD you will not be able to read it in your computer again unless you have a Blu ray Rom or Blu Ray Burner, once and if Hauppuage ever gets the 5.1 DD fixed this could be the killer to blu ray Discs, hauppuage claims by next driver release they will include the 5.1 fix. Beware this is Xp service pack 2 or Vista operating system only, also you must have a fast computer to use this device and its programs, I have a dual core 3.4 gig Intel, 2gigs of ram, 2 500 sata HDD and had to buy a nvidia 7600 512 meg video card to get this up to speed and at the fastest bitrate 13,500 I cant do anything else on the computer, but this is the problem with Hi def, its power hungry, now I can finally put my hi def movies of all 6 star wars and 3 lord of the rings on DVD for 1080i blu ray playback, you can also convert the finished files over to movie factory 6 to burn on a normal DVD for HD DVD playback also.

August update...

Ok been doing alot of capturing, have made 40 dual layer DVDs for blu ray playback and 10 dual layers for HD DVD playback. the video qua;ity is great if you keep it above 7.8 bitrate, only major drawback is no 5.1DD audio, I am now Beta tesing the 5.1DD audio driver right now, wow this makes a huge difference with the sound. Problems still, wont work with the arch software yet, sync problems, but works with TSmuxer. There seems to be heat related issues with some boxes, mine stays on 7, 10, 15 hours at a time never gets overly warm and never locks up. I have done well over 100 captures with this device. Having an Lg blu ray burner and blanks getting below $8 each, this might be the future for capturing and buring HD content at the PVR's full 13.2 to 20.0 bitrate in the future. If hauppauge can just tweak this 5.1DD driver a bit more I think this will be a great little device.

October update,

I am now a beta tester for hauppauge and I finally got 5.1DD drivers and TME software that works, so now I got a card that finally works capturing movies the way I wanted it to, 5.1DD and can also edit with the software and no more sync issues, burn to dual layers DVD's or $4 blu ray discs.

December Update

Ok Hauppauge support finally has Drivers and software out for general public that makes this device work properly. you can capture 1080i from any component ouput using the 5.1DD and you get a great captured TS or M2TS file ready to burn to a blu ray or dual layer DVD with or without menu. since october I have captured and burned over 50 movies onto disc in 5.1DD and they look great, the ones from the 1080p sources look really great. Now I manually record all my movies, so I do not know how this works with a timer or sageTV.

Feb Posting

some here wanted me to post to let you know of known problems with this and dishnet, I find there is no exact problems per say with the PVR1212 and Dishnet, you should know that sometimes when you use this device with the dishnet you get out of sync problems and digital tears in the picture, most, if no all is the blame of dishnet or most likey the channel the show is broadcast from. Example: I have tried 7-8 times to capture and record Spaceballs from MGM HD channel every time its out of sync and every time its being played out of sync on MGM HD over dishnet before I even capture it. Please keep in mind when using this device, HD content is never perfect and they "big hollywood" does not want you to capture and record their programs. So dont be surprised if "they" are always trying anything to foil you capturing a Hi Def Digital program, be it dish, cable, PS3 or HD-DVD. so far I have captured and burned onto dual layer DVD's 130 movies from all such sources all coming out perfect, be it analog, 2DD or 5.1DD audio. yeah where else can you watch on a disc, star wars, lord of the rings, batman, star trek movies in hi def, way to go hauppauge. :)

Honest reviews on Hauppauge HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition High Definition Game Capture

(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)As long as you know exactly what you are getting with the Hauppauge HD PVR, you won't be disappointed with the performance of this little black box. It is designed for PC Windows users only, although Mac owners can use it with some add-ons.

First, you'll need to understand and accept what this PVR does not do: without any memory or hard drive inside, it does not store video itself, making the PVR label somewhat misleading, and it does not burn video to DVD. To use it, you must hook it up to a PC or Mac (more on the Mac later) for both recording and playback. And it relies entirely on software running on your computer to record, edit, program, and burn Blu-ray format DVDs. The box itself has no controls other than a power button. It has component, composite, and S-video connections (no HDMI) for video, and optical and stereo audio inputs.

So what does it do? It takes the HD signals streaming into it and compresses them in a format that preserves the HD quality in a savable AVCHD file; you can record/save manually or on a schedule. These signals can come from a set top box, camcorder or other video source that can connect with the above inputs. The included ArcSoft Media software for Windows allows you to record on either the computer hard drive or an external one. Once the files are saved, you may use your computer's DVD-R drive to burn a Blu-Ray-compatible DVD or HD-DVD, edit, play back on your computer or television, convert to iPod-, Xbox-, or PS3-friendly format (MOV, MP4, M2TS, or WMV), or share playback within the same wireless network. The included IR blaster can change the channels on your set top box to the one you've programmed to record. Note: the blaster works with the included software and therefore only on Windows.

Chances are, you're going to have to do some thinking before you decide how to set up the PVR. The conversion box is 7.5" w by 6.5" d by 2/5 " h, so it doesn't take up much space itself. However, you will need a computer next to the HD source. For those who don't have their computer in the same room as the set top box, this may mean buying a computer specifically for video, and naturally, that increases the price of the set-up. However, if you don't plan on recording every day, you can hook up/unhook a laptop very easily just pull out the USB cable and your connection, if any, to the television. Hauppauge includes the basic component cables (HD source to PVR) and USB cable (PVR to your computer), but, if you want to play the video back on your TV, you will need to buy the necessary cables/connections for that. As of June 2009, the bundled PC software includes a program that allows your PC DVD drive to play the PVR Blu-Ray-format recordings. Depending on your set-up, you may want to add a USB hub, an external hard drive, and/or Apple TV.

Unfortunately for Mac users, Hauppauge does not support OS X, which means you'll have an additional software expense. Two software packages currently work with the Mac and the Hauppauge. The cheaper and less elegant solution is a program called HDPVR Capture, developed and sold privately by a Hauppauge engineer. The fuller featured, more versatile option is Elgato's EyeTV , but unfortunately, you can't use several of the features because it doesn't communicate with the IR Blaster to change channels. Both programs are available only online, although EyeTV 3 comes bundled with Elgato hardware products. If you can find a workaround for the blaster issue, the EyeTV 3 will be nothing short of awesome. It converts the PVR files to a wide variety of formats used by iLife programs. Hauppauge really needs to work more closely with Elgato to satisfy the rapidly growing Mac population. If you are a serious videophile and Mac user, you'll probably also want a product like Roxio Toast 10 Titanium Pro.

The minimum systems requirements for the PVR are: Intel Core Duo processor, 512 MB RAM (1 GB recommended), graphics card with at least 256 MB memory, and a sound card. Windows users need either the XP Service Pack or Vista 32. I'm using a three year old Intel Core Duo MacBook without any difficulty. I bypass the MacBook's hard drive to save all my recordings on a portable external hard drive, the Iomega eGo 320 GB USB 2.0/FireWire 400 Portable External Hard Drive 34403 (Ruby Red).

Consumers expecting a DVR with onboard memory and playback may be frustrated with the Hauppauge since it requires a computer, but for those who want to capture HD content and do something with it, you've found your equipment.

With special thanks to fellow reviewer Frank Miller.

-Debbie Lee Wesselmann

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Hauppauge HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition High Definition Game Capture

Let me say on the record I am very experienced with Hauppauge's line of HD PVRs, having owned the original HD PVR for years. When I heard about the HD PVR 2, I was ecstatic. On to the product.

The unit comes in a slightly smaller, stout box than the HD PVR1. It came with the main unit, power adapter, 2 HDMI cables (cheap, generic kind), AV connector, PS3 Component Cable, USB cable, Install CD, and various booklets.

Installation: 3/5

I plugged the unit in immediately to my Windows 7 PC hoping the advertised pass-through would work out of the box. Nope. The unit requires being on and the driver installed. So, I installed the latest drivers from the website. I eventually reverted to the on-disc drivers because of audio being flipped on the website drivers and problems with the component recording side. I also installed the Arcsoft Showbiz application included easily.

Software: 3/5

I'll say right now I'm not a fan of the bundled software, as I was not a fan of the TotalMediaExtreme software from the HD PVR1. This software does the job, but it is sluggish to record. Before you could disable the picture of whatever you were recording, but that option is now out. Initially, the button on the top would work and simply launch the application and begin recording. However, now it no longer works and I have to manually open the application, which isn't that big of a problem since I don't use it. To get to the capture software, you have to open Showbiz which to me is a bunch of bloatware. It would be much better if the actual recording program was separate from ShowBiz, if it was, I might actually stick with their software. I actually use a command line interface which doesn't use CPU or memory at all compared to the ShowBiz software. Google rcTVCap for more information.

Tweaking the encoder overall works fine. You can adjust the bitrate and recording scaling just fine through the encoder settings. The only problem I have is that when feeding a 480p signal (HDMI or component), it doesn't come out through the recording as 16:9, but correctly through the pass-through. I've tried this with both on disc and website drivers. If for some reason you were to feed a 16:9 480p, it'll be 720x480 which isn't 16:9 (854x480 is 16:9). Oddly enough, there is aspect ratio control in the encoder settings, but they'r grayed out, most likely because it's getting the wrong source resolution. But for 720p and 1080p the unit takes 16:9 ratios just fine.

Build Quality: 4/5

The unit looks much better than the original HD PVR. It's also much smaller, I'd estimate about 30% smaller. The unit doesn't get hot, even running or recording for extended periods. The cables included were of course bare minimum. But I think it was a bonus that they included a component cable for the PS3 and 2 HDMI cables to boot. Really, as long as the HDMI cable works, it's just as good as those "high-end" and high priced HDMI calbes (looking at you Monster). As for sturdiness, it's pretty light and I would guess that if you dropped something heavy like a brick, it would break. However, it should be common sense to not load anything heavy on top of the unit. It's sturdy enough for just placing on a table for extended periods.

Pros:

-Cheaper than other HDMI capture solutions.

-HDMI Capture 1080p30 and 720p60

-"Pass-through" for lag free gameplay (i have a couple thoughts about this).

-Doesn't have very specific requirements (i.e. Blackmagic Shuttle) at least for Windows Platform.

-Comes with HDMI and Component cables

-External, no need for PCI-E slot or high-end computer for that matter.

Cons:

-Installation can be a headache for some people

-PS3 can only be recorded via component (not Hauppauge's fault, due to HDCP on PS3)

-Website support and drivers can be iffy

-Component capture doesn't work half the time (have to restart computer to correct).

-Pass-through requires unit to be on and switched to appropriate channel (hdmi or av/component)

Other thoughts:

As for the pass through. I'll just say I don't exactly believe in it providing lagless gameplay. I compared a straight connection from source to monitor to having the unit connected. The pictures differ. The picture out of the HD PVR2 is ever so slightly fuzzier or less sharp. The colors also seem slightly washed out. I also play fighting games with a passion and I can most often tell if there is some sort of input delay. Unfortunately, I haven't tested through the hdmi connection, but from just playing on the PS3 hooked up via component, it felt like there was some sort of input delay. From my understanding, when converting analog to digital, which I assume is what happens when recording through component, there is definitely delay introduced. To not worry about all this, I use a powered HDMI splitter.

Conclusion:

Overall, the HD PVR has its share of plus-es and minus-es. Normally, I would think about returning a product like this. However, it gets the job done. Right now, it's the only way I can effectively record from HDMI (1080p) without need of PCI-E slots, or ridiculous specific requirements. Plus, I'm able to record via command line which makes the unit even better. I mostly use the unit for recording PC gameplay and so far without a hitch. I won't be using this to record anything from the PS3.

PC Specs:

Windows 7

Intel i7 3.4GhZ

Nvidia GTX 670

16 GB RAM

2x 2TB RAID 0

I will try to update this review as I get more experience with the unit and tack on more hours of recording.

Update: Apparently, the delay introduced when hooking up component through the unit is 60 microseconds, which is no where near one frame delay (60fps setting). So my gut feeling about input delay is most likely wrong. Again, I don't have equipment to scientifically test input delay and can only go off conjecture.

Best Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games - Nintendo Wii Deals

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $49.99
Sale Price: $37.40
Today's Bonus: 25% Off

Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games has many games (listed below) and play options so there's something for everyone. It also has variety for different situations, such as playing alone, as a team or against others, which make it a great all-around game.

Initial events:

Alpine Skiing (Downhill and Giant Slalom)

Ski Jumping (Individual and Team Large Hill)

Freestyle Skiing (Moguls and Ski Cross)

Snowboard (Halfpipe and Snowboard Cross)

Speed Skating (500m, Short Track 1000m, Short Track Relay)

Figure Skating

Skeleton

Bobsleigh

Ice Hockey

Curling

Dream Ski Cross

Dream Snowboard Cross

Other "Dream" events are unlocked as you play. These involve variations on the main events and some new ones. In the Dream versions you collect and use items, face obstacles, use different tracks, etc.

There are also 3 "Party Games" that seem silly when playing them on your own but should be a fun way to play many events quickly with a group of people.

Pros:

Multiple modes--Single Match allows you to select your events and choose Versus, Team Versus, or Co-op Play. Festival allows an individual or team of up to 4 players to take on events and rival challenges as assigned over 16 "days" of the Olympic games. This is like arcade mode. You can also check your records against others' on WFC.

Balance board option--you don't have to use the Wii Fit balance board but, if you have one, you can do 1-player games with it. It changes the game play and provides additional variety. (It's harder than the regular controls though!)

Multiple characters--the characters all have different attributes and special moves so it keeps the play interesting.

Many games--as mentioned there is something for everyone due to nice breadth and depth--and all ages should enjoy it. It's easier to unlock things than in Mario Kart. It even lets you accumulate points and "shop" for decals so you can customize your skis, bobsleighs and snowboard, outfits for your Mii, etc.

Cons:

Controls--if you want to play something that actually simulates hockey moves, skating, etc. this isn't it. The controls are fun and pretty responsive but not similar to Wii Sports or Wii Sports Resort (although using the balance board helps.) Also, the instructions for Curling tell you to use a bowling swing but neither my boyfriend nor I can get it to work that way consistently. We've found that you have to snap your wrist and then it works fine.

Balance board option--a pro but a con too as you can only use it for 1-player games.

No Wii Motion Plus option--it would be fun if WM+ worked with this.

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Kids if you're looking for a game that has a lot of action, this is it. Parents if you're looking for a clean game that you can even occasionally play with the kids, this is it. Some of you may be returning to this title after playing the Mario/Sonic Beijing 2008 game. Although that game was good in its own right, this one is even better. There is no violence in this game, and it introduces you to the world of the Olympic Winter Games using the familiarity of your favorite characters from two of the most popular frachises in the industry. I would suggest that this game is probably even better if you are new to the Wii.

The best part of this game is that there are challenges for players of every skill level. Certain events are easy enough for inexperienced gamers (such as very young children or non-gamer parents), while other events may challenge even the more experienced gamer. The gameplay is organized very well; you can either play Olympic events freely or aim for a high score in a structured "Festival Mode". As for the Olypmic events, this game includes a wealth of favorite sports some of which will be new to the Olympics in real life, appearing for the first time in Vancouver this winter. There are familiar events such as Alpine Skiing, Figure Skating, and Ice Hockey; and there are some fantasy events that you can unlock, as well. If you have a Wii Balance Board, you can use that as a controller for certain events but the game does not require it. Many of the events in this game do not even require the Nunchuk accessory (though I would highly recommend purchasing one if you plan to buy this game).

Just as in Mario & Sonic at the Beijing Olympics, this game allows you to use your Mii in the different events. As an added bonus in this game, however, you can customize your Mii by "purchasing" items in the shop (you purchase these items using points you earn by completing events giving you yet another way to structure your gameplay). You can also unlock books at the library, where you can learn about different aspects of the real Olympic Games. I, myself, never knew how Curling was played until I played this game. The multiplayer in this game, by the sheer nature of the type of game it is, is excellent. You can play cooperatively or competetively with friends and/or family. If you like to use the online features of the Wii, you can connect this game and check your high scores against those of other players all over the world. The background and theme music is outstanding, and the graphics are simply gorgeous. This game is a must-have for any die-hard sports fan, but especially for fans of the Olympic Games.

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My family enjoyed the original summer games version. I was a little pessimistic going into this Olympic Winter Games since, in general, I am not a big fan of the winter olympic events. But I was happily surprised to see the great improvements made to gameplay from the previous summer olympics release. After playing this game, I am hoping the they release the next summer olympic game and incorporate the improvements made for this Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games. In the summer games, you could play in a season-like mode, but only as an individual. The Winter Games allows multiple players, as a team or vs., to go through an entire 16(?) day campaign, full of unlockable features. The other great new addition are the "Dream" events. They are kind of silly at times, but if you're a fan of the Mario and Sonic series, you'll really appreciate the features built into these events. The other key addition for this game release is support for the Wii Balance Board in several events, but I have not tried using the board yet. The only negative comment I have is that going into the Dream Events for the first time, there is no real direction, explanation of what to expect or how to accomplish the goalswhich can be very tricky for some of the events that are really quite different from the standard events.

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What more can I say when I bought this game my kids played it for the whole day! They had a blast with this game and loved the interaction together playing it! Its def. a family game and a very fun one for everyone! All aspects of the winter games was well received. I would YES recommend this game and be prepared to play it all day long!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I had high hopes for this game and my hopes were exceeded. If you liked Mario and sonic at the Summer Games, trust me, you will like this on ten times more.

Pros

-This game has superb graphics that really get you into the winter feel

-It is not as strenuos as the first one which leaves more playing time and less rest time

-The wii motion controls are excellent whether it is skiing or speed skating you feel like you are sonic or mario

-Some of the games aren't even in the winter olymics. You may think this is a bab thing but having a snow ball fight is one of my favorite things to do in this game. use thhe nunchuck to build a snowball nd flick the wii remote to throw it

-excellent replay value unlike the previous mario and sonic game that had no replay value this game you can paly over and over and still break new records

Cons

-just like last game multy player is very unfair like , whoever has the fatest or strongest guy wins

All in all this is a great game for wii players of all ages and i highly recommend it to anybody who wants to have a good time

Review of Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings - Nintendo Wii

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List Price: $19.99
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I had high expectations for this game. I don't know why. The last two Indiana Jones action games (Infernal Machine and Emperor's Tomb) were fun, but not great. That is what this game is: fun, but not great...just good.

The first problem is the story, which moves along without much context, logic, or narrative. Indy just moves from place to place following the mystery. The story is all bones, but no meat, which is disappointing for an Indiana Jones story, as well as one from LucasArts, which used to tell amazing stories through their games.

Another thing that really annoyed me was the controls, specifically, the fighting controls. A quick swing of the remote is a quick jab, that works fine. But a hard swing is a full on left or right hook (depending on which you swing, the nunchuk or the wiimote). This should have been a lot more intuitive, I found myself often swinging really hard with Indy not moving, which resulted in me getting pummeled from the 4 different enemies who were attacking me. This is the same control mechanic that is necessary for swinging one of the many weapons you can have in your hand, which means that swinging the weapon hardly works, and never worked when I wanted it to. I found myself dying during many of these brawls, and heading back to a checkpoint (you regenerate with full health), but there is no way to skip a cut scene (Really? This is game programmer 101!), so you could find yourself watching the same scene over and over if you die often. Also...I would have liked the puzzles to be challenging. They weren't challenging, and to be honest I never really felt like there were any actual puzzles to solve. This is an action game, pure and simple.

On the plus side, the voice acting is great. The actor who plays Indy really sounds pretty close to Harrison Ford. When saying one-liners he is nearly indistinguishable. No matter what flaws there are in this game, it is still fun, even through the frustration. Oh, did I mention it has Fate of Atlantis, LucasArts' classic adventure game, bundled in? (You don't have to finish the whole game to unlock it Fate of Atlantis can be unlocked within 30 minutes of Staff of Kings game play).I doubt I'll replay Staff of Kings anytime soon, but I'll spend a lot of time on Fate of Atlantis, which plays beautifully (in all it's talkie glory) with the wiimote.

Threadbare story, unintuitive controls, and a very heavy focus on action over puzzles bring the game down. Good voice acting, pure fun, and one of the greatest adventure games ever made bundled in make the package still worthy of buying. Who am I kidding? LucasArts should have sold this as Fate of Atlantis with Staff of Kings bundled in.

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Indiana Jones is back in a really good way.

The Wii is a natural fit for the adventurer, allowing you not only to crack the whip, but to crack it in interesting ways (grab your enemy by the neck, waist, feet!). Also, the controls for fist fights, while being explained to you in detail during your first fight, still is a natural fit that doesn't bear repeating nor consulting the manual during "pause" to figure out what's what.

I have read some reviews on gaming sites that complain about "autosaves" being few and far between and that the controls didn't always respond as expected. I, for one, can definitively say that I encountered NO SUCH PROBLEMS. My controls work just fine and I have had no mis-cues so far.

If there was ever a complaint that I could have for this game, it would be his facial expressions. They are definitely comical and cartoonish...and not in a good way. That, and the graphics are toned down...which is expected for a Wii game, but after seeing the beautiful colors and sharpness in Super Mario Galaxy, the game developers clearly were not giving the Wii enough credit.

That said, the graphics aren't THAT bad; I'm simply pointing out that they could have done better. Apart from that minor quip, the gameplay more than makes up for it.

There might be other complaints that the game might be too easy. Keep in mind, however, that the game is targeted to a broader age group and therefore is intended to be enjoyable by all ages. I won't say who it's made easier for, but you gamers know who I'm talking about. ;)

It's a fun ride that will get your nunchuck and wiimote moving. The multi-player game mode is also fun.

And, if game reviews are to be believed, the original Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis is an unlockable reward for this game...2 for the price of 1!

Best Deals for Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings - Nintendo Wii

I have to start off by saying that I'm an Indiana Jones fanboy. `Raiders of the Lost Ark' is one of my "Five Desert Island Movies". That along with the idea of using the Wii-mote as the whip and being able to pummel Nazis using the Wii sensor controls was too good to pass up. There was no way I was not going to pick this game up the day it came out.

I can't say this game surpassed any expectations I had but I will say that I was not disappointed. The graphics don't set any new standards but are good for the Wii. The sound is pretty good and the soundtrack is dominated by well placed cues from the legendary scores of all four films. Some new music is thrown in as well but the newer cuts are few and far between. The voice acting is as good as one could hope for without having any of the original cast. Indy is well done as is Henry Sr. in the multiplayer co-op mode. The dialog has the tendency to be drowned out on occasion by music or other sound effects but no key plot points are missed. Also, a staple of the Indy film series, the "Wilhelm Scream" is featured a couple of times, for those who know what I'm talking about.

The story is okay. There's no scene that really sets up plot and tells you what the ultimate artifact is that you are after. It could have been developed better but I honestly didn't buy an Indiana Jones game for the Wii to experience and award winning story. There's an artifact the Nazi's are out to get, you need to get it first. Save the better developed stories for the movies.

The controls are good but may take a bit of time to get used to. Using your six-shooter takes some practice but taking out the bad guys is easy once you get it down. Sometimes the only way to defeat an enemy is to shoot objects around where they are taking cover. Throwing punches and using your whip to swing across pits is easy enough but things can get a bit more difficult when you are facing multiple enemies. There is a simple strategy that I employ when I find myself outnumbered; stay near a wall, grapple your enemy, ram them into the wall. This will either kill them or take away 90% of their health. If there are no walls nearby then stay on the move, whip a baddie around the neck, reel him in and deliver a knee to the face. The brutes are easy; just wait until they rear back to throw a punch and simply dodge.

One difficult spot I ran into was in the Istanbul level. There comes a part when you need to throw a skull into a gear to jam it so Indy can move on without being flattened. I must have thrown hundreds of skulls and was almost ready to throw my Wii-mote through the wall but I found out the solution was amazingly simple. When you come to this part just pick up a skull, go to the gear, and make a throwing motion. Don't push the `A' button.

The levels are well designed and definitely add to the "Indy" feel of the game. The first level is pretty much just a tutorial on how to use the controls. It's capped off by Indy having to make his escape by flying a German plane through a narrow canyon. My favorite level has to be the one in Panama, especially when Indy gets to the temple. That entire part of the level completely captures the spirit and inventiveness of the opening temple scene of `Raiders'.

I have completed the game on both the Wii and PS2 and the versions are nearly identical. Pretty much the only difference is that the combat tutorials on the Wii are narrated by Indy and therefore take a bit longer. The Wii also serves up slightly better graphics. Shooting is obviously easier on the Wii but controlling vehicles and other modes of transport is easier on the PS2. Taking on multiple bad guys is also a bit easier on the PS2 but once you get your strategy down on the Wii, it's nearly as simple.

I have to say I prefer the Wii version for the fact that it serves up a more authentic Indy experience with the use of the motion controls. Also, having the ability to unlock 1992's `Fate of Atlantis' is a huge selling point. It is presented exclusively on the Wii platform in all of its talkie glory which makes for a great trip down memory lane. The co-op levels on the Wii are neat if for no other reason than it features Indy and Henry Sr. on an adventure together. I've actually been able to complete the first two co-op levels on my own, with a controller in each hand, and they were pretty fun.

In all honesty, this is a pretty short game but I, and I imagine most other Indiana Jones fans, will find reason to go back for more. Hardcore and more experienced gamers may not find it all that challenging. It's a great introduction to the Wii for Indiana Jones and hopefully just the first of more adventures to come.

Honest reviews on Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings - Nintendo Wii

This game is so much fun! It is so much more interactive with the wii remote and nunchuck. You get to punch, grapple, whip, shoot (and reload your gun manually), and even fly planes! It's so much more satisfying to be able to feel like you are punching the enemy, and not just pushing a little button. I think I've played pretty much every Indiana Jones game ever made (all the way back to Indiana Jones and His Desktop Adventures), and this one does not disappoint. It also has some great nostalgia value by including Fate of Atlantis as a bonus game. I can't comment on the multi-player mode, since I haven't tried it yet. It might be helpful to have an extra helping hand when you have three goons coming after you and trying to beat you up! I think the graphics are really nice, but then again, I'm not a major gamer, and I don't have any other system than my Wii, so I don't have much to compare it to. The average game player will have a lot of fun!

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This games is great. Who cares that it is not as visually stunning as it would be on PS3 or 360. You can not sacrifice graphics for gameplay. The added bonus of Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis from the early 90's PC days is outstanding! This is a game that any fan of Indiana Jones must buy.

Review of Obscure

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"Obscure" is a slick, enjoyable survival horror game that compensates for its flaws with budget appeal and a high school setting that, while trite by now in the realm of Hollywood feature films, is virgin territory for a video game. Whether or not the setting and characters suit your tastes as a gamer is entirely another matter. Even so, most fans of the survival horror experience will find something to enjoy in "Obscure."

The storyline is a bit contrived and convoluted, ultimately boiling down to the usual illegal genetic experimentation. Predictably, this work results in horrific mutations and zombies that stalk the living. Oh well, at least the fact that all of this takes place within the confines of a high school sets it apart from all the other games recycling that premise. And like 1998's The Faculty, it's ultimately up to a ragtag band of grade schoolers to step up and save the day. Yes, definitely keep The Faculty in mind and see if you can't spot the similarities the resemblance of the hoodlum character to said feature's Josh Hartnett being almost criminal. Despite the fact that the game's developers are French, the depiction of American high school students is not as offensive as it could have been save for a few misfires here and there, primarily each and every character's obsession with basketball.

Each of the five different characters represents a sort of high school archetype, such as the aforementioned hoodlum (easily the most likable of the gang), the jock (not as bad as it sounds), and the nerd (so irritating it's hard to convince yourself to take on his mantle). They have their own personal strengths and weaknesses, most of which make sense given the nature of their characters. For instance, the jock is the strongest of the bunch while the hoodlum can pick locks. When it comes down to gunplay, however, each and every one of the five is, perhaps disturbingly, quite adapt with a firearm to the point where it's hard to tell if any one is more qualified than another.

When all five characters are available, you can choose to play as one while a second computer-controlled companion joins you switching back and forth between them is a snap. Unfortunately the rest of the game's interface is a chore. Switching between weapons in times of desperate need is maddening, as is using that first aid kit before you take a final, killer blow. Compensating for this, however, is a game that's fairly merciful in terms of its difficulty on the normal settings.

The game's environments are quite well done, if not very subtle. You've never seen a high school like this one it looks more like an insane asylum that's been shut down for years than a place of study. Each room and location still has a functionality to it, though. None of them feel like they were designed by guys making a video game so much as guys trying to create a fairly convincing high school setting that just happens to serve as the backdrop for a video game, complete with horrific overtones. All in all, the ambience is perhaps the game's strongest quality.

The monsters in "Obscure" are the usual sort, for the most part, but a few of them do stand out (particularly the nasties that appear later on, very H.P. Lovecraft in appearance). In any case killing them is more interesting than it might have been thanks to some satisfying weapons and, more importantly, the use of real or artificial light. Light actually harms these creatures, so taping a high-powered torch to your pump action shotgun is a good way to even the odds. Each monster comes complete with its own shadowy field, however, and only the strongest beams can break through it, making said creatures particularly vulnerable to physical attacks for a short period of time. This element gives combat a little extra something.

The puzzles in "Obscure" are boilerplate for the genre nothing really special or mind-bending is on display here. On top of this, the game is a fairly brief affair, so gamers looking for more to sink their teeth into may want to look elsewhere. However, one of the best features of "Obscure" is its budget price. Though it would have been a decent game at normal cost, the added bonus of paying less here equals getting more, and must be factored in to any review. In other words, "Obscure" doesn't break the mold, but it does what it does pretty well, complete with some impressive production values and at this price, it's hard to go wrong if you've even a passing interest in the material.

(Note: Five stars on a curve given the budget price tag)

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Yeah, it's got a crappy story and acting, but it's got alright controls, nice action, and cooperative play that ISN'T ONLINE! That's right, not everyone has high speed internet. If you know someone who can stand your presence enough to sit beside you and play a horror game, then get this game.

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This game is great in everyway for a game that got it done with a low budget the game is more like resident evil not "Silent Hill" the game goes places resident evil hasnt even tried yet

the +'s

First off its really two players/the second player can just start with you whenever---also the game gives you much better/quicker character switch then Resident evil Zero

you can reload in game without pressing start

you can shoot while you walking/running etc.

the game is good for its price and its a game capcom needs to take notes from.........but if your going to buy any game research it check review and .......you know

Honest reviews on Obscure

This game is like a low budget horror film, but has a pretty good story and some what interesting characters. My only complaint is that the first quarter of the game is too hard. There is almost no health and bashing weapons do almost no damage. Once you get a gun with a light on it is gets a lot easier and the is a suplus of healing items. Great game!!

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A friend and I have been on a pretty big horror kick lately, movies and what not. We decided to pick this up and play it on the original xbox, sadly it isn't backwards compatible for the 360.

The game starts out with a friend of the main characters being taken hostage by some kind of mad scientist in the basement of the high school. The high school is then over taken by these odd looking plant like monsters. The story unfolds through notes and photos found in the school, and cut scenes on occasion.

The game play is fairly simple but can be difficult, and you need to find CDs within the game to save your game, and ammo is a bit scarce at times. But overall we had a lot of fun with this, the game lasted about eight hours but the time flew by. We really had to use co-op strategy to run and gun against the bad guys and swap items among each other and what not.

I would recommend this to survival horror game fans who don't mind their games being tongue in cheek in the vein of Buffy the vampire slayer. And would also definitely recommend taking this game apart in a co-op setting. It's definitely more fun that way.

Graphics: B( Nice graphics for the old school xbox, cut scenes are OK. But overall the game looked pretty nice, especially some of the backgrounds.)

Sound: B(The voices can be a touch annoying, but the grumbles and scary noises are a nice touch. )

Fun: C+ ( My friend and I had a good time with this and really enjoyed the survival horror co-op game play. Besides one part in the very beginning being the only part we jumped at, I would say give it a pass if you truly like your games to scare you. Plus the story line is pretty cliche. )

Overall: C+ (A nice package overall, decent length, good difficulty, eh storyline, but fun on the whole. Would recommend it for co-op fans, not someone who likes to go into survival horror alone. Give it a try, you might dig it's cheese factor LOL. )

Worms Ultimate Mayhem: Deluxe Edition (PC DVD) (UK IMPORT) Review

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This game is very fun and I have it on PC and will soon have it on XBOX 360. On the PC version, configuring controls for an XBOX 360 controller is difficult, so I recommend using Keyboard+Mouse. It is a remake of Worms 4 Mayhem with enhanced graphics. It also includes a remake of WORMS 3D's Campaign mode which means all you need to buy for your PC/XBOX 360 is Worms Ultimate Mayhem, not WORMS 3D and Worms 4 Mayhem. Very good game.

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MICROSOFT B4F00014 Xbox 360® Wireless Controller Review

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If you've got an XBox 360, you really need to get your hand on one or two wireless controllers. These controllers are GREAT for keeping your gaming area free of clutter. To start with, the controller is much smaller than the standard XBox controller was.

For control items, you start with the standard blue X, yellow Y, red B and green A buttons. There are two thumbsticks, one on the upper left and one in the center right. There is also a directional (d-pad) in the lower left.

Next, you have a pair of shoulder buttons at the "top" of the unit, up above the other buttons. You also have a pair of triggers below those shoulder buttons.

Finally, you have a center X button that can be used to turn the console on and off, plus a "start" and "back" tiny white buttons on either side of it.

The unit has a rechargeable battery unit inside it, the size of two AA batteries. You have to buy a recharger set SEPARATELY that lets you charge up while you play. In essence you plug the charger into the back of the controller and the other end into the USB port in the front of the XBox 360 unit. So you play with the controller "wired" as it charges up. When it's fully charged again, you just pop off the wire and keep playing.

The range of the wireless unit is 30', which is probably much further than anybody is really going to even try playing a game at. The wireless is much easier on your hand no cable holding you down plus it's a great help in keeping your gaming area organized. You can easily pass the controller from person to person, and visitors can come and go without tripping over wires.

The documentation says you can get 40 hours of gameplay between charges, but if you have features such as vibration on, that sucks the time down to maybe 8-10 hours. It's up to you of course I personally like having vibration on because it is often important for gameplay to get those warning signals.

Still, even if I have to plug the cables in every 10 hours or so to give it a juice boost, I still love wireless!! Highly recommended.

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Truly a fascinating controller! This controller's performance is outstanding. There is no delay at all and is much more comfortable than even the first XBOX controller. Do not buy third-part wireless controllers. This is it if you are looking for quality and precision. It is so powerful that even if I, just for testing, try it from the most outrageous angle, it works.

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I've gamed with almost every gamepad imaginable and never before have I used a controller that is so comfortable and easy to use. The Xbox 360 wireless controller is near flawless. Everything from its button layout to its build quality to its comfort level; it's all just perfect.

Never before have my hands wrapped around a controller so naturally. Typically with a controller, you have to make your hands form to the controller in order to access all of the buttons, typically resulting in fingers getting jammed into each other uncomfortably or strecthed out across the controller awkwardly. With the 360 controller, my hands just mold into every angle of the design and my fingers effortlessly wrap around the controller's button layout.

The button layout is as follows: Two analog sticks, D-Pad, four face buttons, two triggers, two shoulder buttons, start & back buttons, and the Xbox Guide Button. I'd give the layout and button design a 10/10. Everything is accessible without having to move your hands from the controller and everything has a solid, durable design. The triggers are smooth and glide with the motion of your fingers and are truly perfect. The shoulder buttons work just fine and are easily accessible (these are where the black and white buttons the from Xbox controller S went). The face buttons have great spring to them and don't feel mushy like the Playstation controller. The analog sticks are an 11/10. Compared to the PS controller in which you jam your fingers into each other and trying to correct out the play in the analog sticks, the 360's sticks are awesome; firm, precise, smooth gliding, and simply perfect. The D-Pad is unchanged from the Xbox controller, which wasn't good to begin with. It works and get the job done, but it could be better. The start and back buttons have moved to the middle of the controller and are better off in the center. And last but not least, the Xbox guide button (which needs a paragraph of its own).

The Xbox guide button is a feature that is running 24/7 and is implemented straight into the 360 architecture and games. Even in the middle of a game, you can hit the Xbox guide button and access everything from your gamerscore, friend's lists, messages, music, achievements, game invites, etc. It can even take you back to the dashboard without even having to restart the console or remove the disc. When you're done with the dashboard, you just fire the game back up with even leaving the couch. When you want to turn off individual controllers or even turn off the console, simply hit the guide button. Want to turn on the console? Just hit the guide button. It's easily the best feature of the controller.

Wireless technology = 10/10 Seamless integration with the console and an incredible stable connection with the console, even through walls, doors, etc; it'll even stay connected through different stories of a house. In over a year's time with the 360 wireless controller, I have NEVER lost my connection with the console. That's right, never. No interference with my wireless network, 2.4 ghz cordless phones, nothing. It is incredible how seamless it is. To connect a controller to a console, turn it on, press the link button on the controller and then the connect button on the console and almost magically, your controller is hooked right up and playing. And once your controller is connected to your console, you never have to link them together again; the next time you turn on your 360, the controller is automatically synched with the 360. If you want to add controllers to your 360, you simply synch them together with the same method that I just mentioned. Want to use your controller on a different 360? Simply synch them together and you're playing. The wireless technology with the 360 and its seamless integration is top-notch. Simply the fact that I will never have to deal with cords again makes the wireless controller more than worth the extra money. But with wireless, you have the issue with charging and batteries...

I average about 25 hours per charge with my controller, although intense vibration feedback in games can drop that number down to about 20 hours. I get plenty of charge to last me through a week or two and when I run out of juice, I simply switch out my battery pack with the fresh pack sitting on my quick charge kit. The biggest problem with the wireless controller is the fact that you are literally forced into buying the rechargeable battery pack with the Play & Charge kit or the Quick Charge kit. It's not that big of a deal, but if you think you can get away with AA batteries, this controller will eat them for lunch, especially with rumble. Speaking of rumble, the motors in the 360 controller pack quite a punch and you'll end up paying more in batteries than the mere rechargeable pack costs. Everything from the roar of a machine gun to the light vibration of deflecting a pass to the jolt of a hard impact, everything on-screen is brought to life in your hands with this controller. And no, this isn't the same rumble like the PS2 or Xbox controller. The 360's rumble is more seamlessly integrated into games and serves a much more useful purpose in immersing you within the experience and can create all kinds of varied feedback effects like never before. I'd take this over six degrees of tilt any day.

Overall, this controller is near flawless and hands down the best I have ever used. Comfort, wireless precision, durability; this controller packs it all into one sleek little controller.

Honest reviews on MICROSOFT B4F00014 Xbox 360® Wireless Controller

I really feel Microsoft has done a great job with this pad. After the original XBox controller that felt like it was made backwards this one feels great. The buttons are placed right and it fits well in your hands. Generally I would say it's a toss up between the PS3 and 360 control. They both do the job right. The trigger buttons feel placed well and even the analog sticks are in a good place. This paddle also gets excellent range without loosing it's signal. My only qualm is personal. My experience after playing long hours is that right hand gets a little tight from gripping the control pad. I am sure most people feel just fine gripping this pad. Make sure you get a rechargable batterey pack so you don't spend a fortune on batteries. This pad is obviously a must have for anyone with a 360.

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I have used this controler many times at my neighbors house, and it is basical the same thing as the S-controler, but with the start button moved to the center, and the white and black butttons mooved to the "shoulder" of the controler. This is a very comfortable controler and has great wireless range and the controllers precision is Phenomenal from the pressure sensitive triggers to the joysticks there flawles in my mind.

this controller is WELL worht the money!! you sould also buy the play and charge kit so when the batterie runs low you can play uninterupted.

Best Turtle Beach Call of Duty: Ghosts Ear Force Shadow Limited Edition Deals

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List Price: $99.95
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program

Turtle Beach Shadow stands up well to his sibling headsets Turtle Beach Specte and Turtle Beach Phantom. Sound quality is the same you'd expect from Turtle Beach gaming headsets. Just like the other two headsets, you can go ahead and hook up Shadow to other devices. The only major difference I see is it seems to be more fragile than the other two. Therefore, if you take care of it and not be reckless, it will reward you back! The purpose of this video is to compare Shadow and Spectre. Obviously everyone's sound quality tolerance is different, therefore I did not go over that in much detail, but hopefully you will get some idea of how different(and the same) these two headsets really are.

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My brother loves them but the color on the picture looks white but it is really faded gray. The skull was a bit faded. But my brother loved them so I gave it for stars for the quality of sound :)

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program The name Turtle beach has come to be known for their quality headsets. While this is the first headset of this brand I own, friends of mine who own different models have been telling me how quality seems to have been decreasing recently. The picture in the Amazon product description page and or course, in the box in which these come in, depicts a sturdy good looking headset. The first thing I noticed when I got these out of the box is how different they looked and felt when compared to those pictures, they are good looking, but kind of fragile. They do not feel that flimsy, but they certainly do not feel like a high quality headset like I expected for the price, this is more evident when comparing them to my Elite headset for the PS3, this limited edition headset pales when compared to the PS3 Elite.

 

Which brings me to another point, I got so used to a wireless headset that wearing these was a pain, the amount of cables make them very uncomfortable to wear; while these cables do bring benefits like several hook up methods or a lighter headset, in my case it resulted more of an inconvenience than an advantage. My recommendation, for the same amount or money you may be able to get a wireless set. If you are into these because of them being a limited edition for Call of Duty and don't mind the lack of wireless capabilities, you will not be disappointed. The sound that comes from these is simply amazing and they are comfortable to wear; something I would like to mention, as someone who has to wear glasses, it is very difficult to find a headset that does not adjust tightly (pressing the glasses against one's ears), this does not seem to be a problem with the COD headset.

 

Additionally, you can use this with several other devices, I read somewhere they even work with a PS3 (even though these are being marketed for XBox360), I have yet to test it and will update my review if I am able to successfully use these on a PS3.

 

Overall, these perform well but I cannot help but think they are more a gimmick than anything else. As stated before, there may be better options in the same price range; for a COD fan on a budget these may be a little pricey when all you get is a wired headset with some COD designs in them. Having used both types of headsets, my recommendation would go to a wireless one.

Honest reviews on Turtle Beach Call of Duty: Ghosts Ear Force Shadow Limited Edition

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program Turtle Beach have launched three new variations of their Call Of Duty: Ghosts headphones, and the "Shadow" version is the lowest price available, currently at $100 MSRP. While the "Phantom" and "Spectre" versions will cost you more dough, they will come with more bells and whistles, so if you're looking to spend $100 for a pair of quality headphones that sound pretty darn good, these may be the right set for you.

I have tested these with a PS3 and Xbox 360 set up, and both are serviceable and sounded fine through various games and tests. The setup is pretty self-explanatory, and they are more or less ready to go right out of the box with minimal hassle. I played the new Call of Duty, as well as Skyrim, Left 4 Dead, and Mass Effect 3 on the Xbox 360, and they actually sounded quite advanced for a headset at this price point. The ambient noise as well as gunfire, voices, and music were well-adjusted and balanced enough to really make a solid enhancement to the gameplay. Typically I have experienced worse luck on Xbox 360's with corded headphones than I do the PS3, but these sounded surprisingly good. I tested these on my PS3 with games Last Of Us, Bioshock Infinite, and Grand Theft Auto 5, and all sounded very nice. For 100 bucks, you can do a heck of a lot worse, and Turtle Beach's quality of craftsmanship comes through here.

I always have the same complaints with video game headphones, be them made from Turtle Beach, Creative Soundlabs, Tritton, Monoprice, etc., and that is the cheaper you go, the less comfort you'll have, all while having a mountain of cords to deal with. These "Shadow"s are no different, and the amount of cords and wires included here mars the experience somewhat. With all the technology out there, video game headphones just need to be cordless, and affordable. Period. These "Shadow"s present quite the challenge in cord length, so if you plan on sitting far away from your console, you may want to think twice before purchasing these. I'm assuming that most people are aware of cord length before they purchase, so this may go without saying.

I have also used the "Spectre" variation, and without going into too much detail on those here, the biggest difference between the two is comfort, and to me, that is a biggie. These headphones are pretty uncomfortable, and I wouldn't want to be wearing them for much longer than an hour at a time. They're cheap plastic with thin ear cups that don't make long periods of gaming too comfy. Again, you get what you pay for, but I feel this needs to be mentioned regardless of the price.

In summation, for 100 dollars you can't do much better than these. With their relative cheapness comes the unsightly cords and rigid physical design, but sound-wise these are of quite a high quality. One thing I love about Turtle Beach headsets is they last forever, so if duration and affordability take precedence over comfort and design, I recommend these without hesitation. I would, however, urge buyers that, if you have a few more bucks to spend, check out the "Spectre" variation, or better yet, the "Phantom"!

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Turtle Beach Call of Duty: Ghosts Ear Force Shadow Limited Edition

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program Turtle Beach's CoD: Ghosts Ear Force Shadow is the most affordable of a trio of new headsets released in conjunction with the latest Call of Duty offering. The primary trade-off for the lower cost of the Shadow is that they are wired vs. wireless. This restricts movement and adds some complexity to the setup, but it also means that you never need to worry about supplying or recharging batteries. So it's not automatically a bad thing just a reminder that you need to carefully consider how you'll be using them when making the choice.

One of the first things that I wanted to check out was the size of the headset itself. I've been using an older Turtle Beach (The Ear Force Delta that was co-branded with Modern Warfare 3) and while I always liked its sound and performance, the headset itself was just small enough that I never could get the earcups 100% over my ears. The Shadow has that extra bit of room so that I can do so, and the resulting comfort and blocking of outside noise is very good. The headset's frame is molded plastic that has a bit of a click-clack feel, but the hinges and connections seem to be solidly built. The earcups are soft breathable material and the top of the headband is padded. The color that appears to be white in the product shots is actually closer to light grey in person. I'm actually not a fan of the Ghosts logo, particularly on the Shadow, where it looks small, like an obligatory afterthought shoehorned into the design.

In terms of setup, the Shadow consists of the headset, a separate amplifier box (about the size of a box of Tic-Tacs) and a the cords to connect the two to whatever device you choose. The Shadow includes a number of different audio cables to support however you might have your console and A/V system configured. The main USB cable is about 6 feet long, which may be too short to support the distance between most people's console and their couch. You can also connect a second device to add to the sound mix (e.g. a phone or audio player). I tried combinations of my iPhone, a PC and an Xbox360 Slim and they were pretty easy to set up.

Sound-wise, the Shadow does very well. Of course it's not audiophile standard, but few-to-no gaming headsets are, and given the Shadow's entry-level price, the sound is better than expected. Mid and treble were clear and pretty crisp, although I found that the bass was on the light side despite the size of the Shadow's drivers. The amplifier box has separate dials for adjusting the treble and bass mix. I was able to turn up the headset's volume to about 70% before I heard any distortion and they were already well beyond the loudest I would ever consider using for a sustained amount of time.

Gaming with the Shadow also worked very well. I particularly liked the separate volume dials for game and chat sound, and having them on the amplifier box (as opposed to the headset itself) made it easy to find on the fly. Chat sound was great on my end and other reported that my voice sounded good with minimal background noise. The game sound from the headset was clear and plenty loud, although I did quickly miss the surround sound of my Ear Force Deltas (which, to be fair, were over twice as expensive as the Shadow).

For $99, you're getting a comfortable headset with good sound quality, great mic pickup, and the versatility to use with a variety of devices, including the next-generation consoles. Given my experience with Turtle Beach quality, this makes them a good investment. If you're a CoD fan, then the branding touches make it a no-brainer.

Review of Lucha Libre Heroes Del Ring - Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $10.21
Today's Bonus: 49% Off

This is a great start for what I hope is a new series of wrestling games. Although it's very limited in match types and features, the inside the ring action is really fun.

Pros:

* Controls like the old WCW vs NWO Revenge games:

Weak grapple then the face buttons for moves or Strong grapple then the face buttons for moves.

* It's not a huge reversal fest like TNA Impact

* The wrestlers themselves look very cool and move really nice in the ring.

* Suicide dives out of the ring are awesome

* Submissions are easy to execute and understand

* 30ish fighters to use

Cons:

* Very bare bones: no title defense in exhibition

* No titles worn to the ring during quick ring entrances

* Super limited match types

* Only 4 Creation slots

People seem to be comparing this to TNA Impact but it's almost nothing like it. The in ring action is way more smooth and more "No Mercy" like. If you are a hard core wrestling game fan like me, you might like it. Just don't expect crazy amounts of polish and options.

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I bought this game along with Smackdown vs. RAW 2011 as an early CHristmas gift to myself because it was something different. Never before has there been an exclusive lucha libre wrestling game. Here's hoping it won't be the last.

Despite the very basic control system, this game is a blast. After playing through both the Tenicos and Rudos story lines and unlocking most of the characters. I decided to go back and complete some of the X-Box Achievements. I actually like how only most of the characters are unlocked after completing both story lines, because it gives the player a reason to go back and get some of the achievements. In fact, I JUST got the "Espectro the King" achievement Friday night. Look it up. :) The achievements give HofTR good replay value.

The CAW creation mode is very basic as far as the move sets go, but creating the look far surpasses my expectations given the limited motifs and things. You can edit everything, including every part of the mask including the eyes, nose, ears, mouth, and the top of the head. The outfit creation is also very basic, but the motifs are cool.

The roster is full of well-known wrestlers, if you watch AAA and CMLL wrestling like myself. There are a few stars in this game that made it in the States: Psychosis, Konnan, Silver King, El Mesias (Judas Mesias from TNA), and of course everyone's favorite the cult icon La Parka. I did a lot of research on some of the Mexican wrestlers on YouTube just so I could see them in action, and sometimes I do watch CMLL wrestling on TV.

All in all, Lucha Libre AAA: Heroes of the Ring is a good game. I recommend it if you are a hardcore wrestling fan. What some of the reviewers fail to understand about this game is that it is the firs of its type. I am not saying that AAA Lucha LIbre cannot be improved on. Indeed it should be and probably will be. For a first attempt, though, it's not bad. There could be such things as title defenses, a few different match types, and definitely a change in the moveset roster. But give this game a few days to get used to and you'll see its potential.

Best Deals for Lucha Libre Heroes Del Ring - Xbox 360

I have a limited amount of knowledge with most of these wrestlers in the game, I know a few from the states during WCW and ECW stints. Such as Konnan, La Parka, Psychosis, and my personal favorite, Vampiro.

The controls are fairly simple and are usually compared to the old wcw/nwo games on N64. They can be a little cumbersome mind you, and are most definitely slow and not lucha like for the most part. The graphics are nice but not outstanding, and the sound is good but the announcers just act way too goofy and call things that aren't even happening. ex. I made my character stand still for five minutes to gain an achievement, and the whole time the announcers talked about what a great match that was happening, perhaps they were watching something else? =).

The story mode doesn't change much depending on your Rudo (Bad Guy) or Técnico (Good Guy) alliance. It's a quick story mode clocking in at about an hour and change for each run through. The length of the game is expanded upon by trying to gain achievements, or unlock more luchadores. Some you gain by playing the story mode, others by pulling through in different matches or the like.

Sadly there is no title mode, the tournament mode (king of kings) can only be played on normal which gets to be extremely difficult against the last competitor as the game reverses every move you throw at it, and the Hair vs Mask match is a cool idea, but is only playable online... In the end the matches lack diversity, no cages, minimal weapons, no hair vs mask (only online), no american tag matches, no royal rumbles...etc

I enjoy the cheesy Lucha flair, and the matches are fun but not as fast paced at one would think they should be for a Lucha game. A wrestling fan will probably like it, but a mainstream person who enjoys the polish of WWE games will likely turn up their noses at it, and they'd be right to, to a degree.

On a final note the create a lucha option is decent and I had some fun picking different masks and tattoos for each wrestler. However it is pretty limited, and could use a nice DLC to add more options, and wrestlers, and match types.

Game-play: C(a solid game, but lacks polish and any matches besides the norm which greatly reduces this grade)

Graphics: B (The wrestlers and audience look nice.)

Sound: C(The noises are decent, the announcers are bad and don't usually coincide with the match.)

Fun: B (It should hold a wrestling fan's interest, at least for a little while)

Difficulty: B (can be difficult on normal during the King of Kings tourney, frustrating at times)

Overall: C (Would have gotten a much higher grade had it brought more matches to the table. Decent otherwise and I have enjoyed my time with it thus far.)

Honest reviews on Lucha Libre Heroes Del Ring - Xbox 360

What I love about this game is that it plays so much like the NWO/WCW games back on the N64. I loved how simple the controls were with those games and how it was focused more on the visceral action and the sometimes chaotic aspects of professional wrestling. Lucha Libre totally captures the spirit of those early games.

The controls are extremely simple you use the trigger buttons for weak/strong grapples in conjunction with specific moves mapped to the A/B/X/Y buttons (that you can choose from a long list when you create your wrestler). You use the left bumper to dash and right bumper for counters. You use the left stick to move, right stick to change directions and the d-pad for taunts. The control scheme is VERY simple and easy to pick up and most importantly feels very logical. Again it's much like what made the old NWO/WCW games so much fun and easy to pick up and play with friends for hours on end.

The game has several modes. I personally just flew through both story modes (one you play as the hero, the other as the heel) and they were fun, albeit not particularly different besides just who you fight. The storylines are not that deep and that's why I docked one star. However, the fighting engine is well designed, based on a tried and true proven forumla. You will especially love this game if you're familiar with the world of Lucha Libre.

The create-a-wrestler function is decent. You can pick from a nice list of different motifs and masks. The moves list is also very comprehensive, though I wish they had a few more options in certain instances. However, given the fast pace of this game (very similar to that of NWO/WCW), it's not that big of a deal to me. Some of the moves are hilarious to watch, especially when your wrestler is doing things like running full speed and flying out of a ring onto your unsuspecting opponent.

This is definitely a good pick up and play game for wrestling lovers and non-hardcore fans alike.

PROS:

Easy to pick up and play

Intuitive and easy to use control scheme

Decent lineup of wrestlers

Decent create-a-wrestler function

Great game for the low price

CONS:

Far too easy to breeze through career mode (took me about 1.5 hours)

Needs some more moves

Not much in the way of storyline or plot

Net net this is definitely a good buy especially at the low price point

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Lucha Libre Heroes Del Ring - Xbox 360

This is the second copy i have bought. The wrestlers are fun and interesting and the two storylines are good. the controls are a bit spotty at times.Theres not enough match variety.The commentary is dull and repetitive. So while it is fun it could have been much better.

Discount PC Wireless Gaming Receiver Replacement for XBOX 360 - Black

Customer Ratings:

The CD is garbage. the driver wont install and there is no support anywhere but it does work if you know where to look. fallow these directions from anderson and it will work perfectly

Right click on Computer

Go to Properties

Click on Device Manager

Right click on the Unidentified Device

Go to Properties

Go to the Drive tab

Click on Update Driver...

Browse my computer for driver software

Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer

Microsoft Common Controller for Window Class

Xbox 360 Wireless Receiver for Windows Version: [Whichever is the newest]

Update Driver Warning

Click Yes

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Followed the installation instructions posted and managed to get the PC to recognize the device no problem. My wireless controller, however, will not stay connected and every 3 seconds disconnects, searches, then reconnects making any gameplay impossible. Reading up on this problem I found that it was either that the controller was faulty, my wireless keyboard/mouse were producing too much RF interference, or that the wireless receiver draws too much power from the USB port. I have no evidence that it is the controller, as it worked perfectly before my OEM receiver gave up the ghost, and my wireless keyboard and mouse were never an issue before either, so I figured it had to be the USB problem and followed the online advice in purchasing a self-powered USB hub. Of course, this didn't resolve the issue. Now I have the option of purchasing a new controller (perhaps the issue is because this receiver is black and my controller is white?), purchasing a wired mouse and keyboard (no), or breaking down and paying $60 for a whole new wireless controller for windows pack (which are becoming rare and more expensive). Well, wish I'd done that in the first place This item: $12, USB Hub: $30, time put into waiting and trying to make this work: 30+ days. My advice is to stay away I might be the rare exception with whom this device will just not work properly, but instead I suggest trying to fix the original one (plenty of tuts out there on bypassing the broken F1 fuse) or to instead just purchase the whole package over again. $12 isn't too bad to waste, but the time sunk into making it work could be super frustrating.

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Ok, there are multiple reviews out there that are helpful. Here's what I did to get the receiver working (in Windows 7, 64-bit).

1. Right-click "Computer"

2. Click "Properties"

3. Click "Device Manager" (this will require an admin account/password)

4. Expand the "Other devices" selection

5. Right-click on "Unknown device"

6. Click "Update Driver Software"

7. Click "Browse my computer for driver software"

8. Click "Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer"

9. Click "Microsoft Common Controller For Windows Class" then Click "Next"

10. Click "Xbox 360 Wireless Receiver for Windows" then Click "Next"

11. On the "Update Driver Warning" Click "Yes"

12. Celebrate because it's installed

Please Note:

If Xbox 360 Wireless Receiver for Windows does not exist in your options at step 10 then you'll need to download the newest drivers from windows. Go to microsoft.com/hardware/en-us/d/xbox-360-controller-for-windows then select your operating system and Download "Xbox 360 Accessories Software ". This will give you an executable, run it and it will install the drivers you need to continue.

Honest reviews on PC Wireless Gaming Receiver Replacement for XBOX 360 - Black

Works great! one problem, there is about a 50/50 chance the disk driver is corrupted. here instructions to fix on windows8 if it doesn't work:

1. go to the control panel

2. make sure its in "small icons" and open driver manager

3.under "other devices" select but don't double-click "unknown device"

4. go to the top of the window and hit "update driver"

5. "Browse my computer for driver software"

6."let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer"

scroll to "xbox360 peripherals"

7.chooses the latest driver for the wireless xbox 360 controller, usually version 6.xxxx.

8. sync your controller(s), etc... to the adapter as you would to your xbox-see step 9

9. plug in adapter and turn on controller. hold down sync button on controller until lights circle around, hold down on adapter until it flashes, they should connect just like a console and controller should.

10. test it on any controller-enabled game!

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for PC Wireless Gaming Receiver Replacement for XBOX 360 - Black

Software is garbage and had to install all myself using online help. Receiver works occasionally but most of times drops out and does not respond. Buy a better one somewhere else.