Color-Changing LED Xbox 360 Modded Controller (Rapid Fire Mod) MW3 Reviews

Customer Ratings:

This modded controller was way over priced and I would not recommend it to people who just want it for the cool lights or if they don't use a Xbox that much

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My son thought the controller was absolutely awesome and has had fun with it ever since he got it. It was also delivered very quickly. Excellent purchase.

Cheap Uncharted 2: Among Thieves - Playstation 3

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List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $23.79
Today's Bonus: 21% Off

I don't quite know how to describe how great this game really is...I just sat down for 15 hours straight and couldn't put the controller down until the end of the credits. This game combines everything and anything you could ever want in a movie, a game or any entertainment experience. Uncharted 2 has incredible characters, wonderful story, some of the best acting I've ever seen (Not just the voice acting, but the actual animations of the characters, their facial expressions), everything is done so beautifully I'm absolutely speechless. Among Thieves exceeded the hype in my mind, it immerses you in this incredibly detailed and lush environment, seamlessly bouncing you back and forth from gameplay to breathtaking cinematic wonder, and most often, combines them both at the same time. Just the attention to detail is astounding. I wish I had a better vocabulary so I could give this review justice but you should just see for yourself! You will not regret this purchase one bit, the multiplayer is even fun! If you own a PS3 and don't have this game, then you should sell your PS3.

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I'm sure if you're reading this you've already read countless other reviews praising the game for it's superb voice acting, mind blowing graphics, wonderful story telling, and it's riveting gameplay. I'm only writing this to enforce all of these things and hopefully tip you over the fence into buying this game immediately. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves contains almost every element that was in the first and improves upon it. For those of you who haven't played the first game it is essentially Gears of War meets Tomb Raider + Awesomeness all rolled into one. For those of you who did play Uncharted: Drake's Fortune you're all too aware of how short the first game was and I'm pleased to tell you that this game is substantially worth it. Not only does it last about 3-4 hours longer buy it features something to do when you're done, multiplayer. The multiplayer is essentially what you'd expect from Call of Duty 4 with and a 3rd person twist and several unique modes to shake up the formula. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is like buying a three entree plate from Panda Express. It leaves you completely full and satisfied and although you'd happily enjoy another serving of Orange Chicken you can leave the restaurant knowing you got what you paid for. Buy this game and enjoy it because although it's built upon the qualities of other games, there's really nothing out there quite like it.

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I promise to make this 100% Spoiler free, but I must say that after experiencing that which is Uncharted 2, this game is pretty solid indeed. If you enjoyed the first Uncharted then this one will be an extremely enjoyable experience. This game lasts more than 2-4 hours longer than the previous one, tops the cake for having some of the best cinematics, graphics, and sound experience offered on the PS3.

One of the features that I was a bit weary about was the multiplayer because I do not really consider myself a multiplayer fan,however, I must say that that which is in Uncharted 2 is enough to last those who just like multiplayer games a long time. There doesnt seem to be anyway to do offline multiplayer however, for an experience online (with up to 3 player co-op), and about 10 people in the deathmatch modes, there is little to crave. It seems that they developed an amazing Single player experience and added a great multiplayer experience.

Ultimately, with a heartpounding action packed story, a landmark presentation value, and exciting multiplayer and single player modes, I can not really find anything to criticize the game for. (well perhaps the most criticism would be the amount of logo's on the back of the boxart, or even the at times difficulty of AI).

One more thing, the game has trophy support, headset support, (upcoming twitter support), a multiplayer shop system (to buy skins, and boosts), future DLC, and unlockables.

Please add this game to your PS3 library.

Honest reviews on Uncharted 2: Among Thieves - Playstation 3

It's been a couple of weeks since the bomb that is Uncharted 2: Among Thieves has dropped. Did you get caught in its blast? Or have you avoided its fallout? If you have then I say what the hell are you waiting for?? Go get contaminated!

It's not all the time a game like Uncharted 2 comes around. A game that will say hello to you, then grab you by the neck and slam you around the room a few times, stop, then kiss you a bit and get you all emotionally connected only to take your lips 2 minutes later and tuck them between your legs and pull them up over your ass so fast it'll make your head spin right off your neck. Ok, so that won't literally happen, but if you were to take that energy, passion, climactic intensity, and overall jaw dropping action and crush it all up into one neat little ball of beauty, power, and downright coolness, then you my friend might as well call that little ball Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.

You should know the story by now. You're the hero, who goes on a journey of personal fulfillment, only to find yourself in a situation where you have to save to world. It may sound big scale because it is. The way the game starts equals that of most Hollywood blockbusters. And know, that it does not let up.

From start to finish all you will find yourself doing is sitting on the edge of your seat wanting more and more. It has been said that this is not a game, but more like an interactive movie. The nail couldn't have been hit more dead on. The way the story rolls with sequences that take control for seconds at a time and are so fluid you don't even realize you're back in control of the character are amazing to watch. The timing of the action, the dialogue, the scenery, there is absolutely nothing small about this game and it let's you know that with every shoot out, car explosion and helicopter chase. The level of detail from a murky jungle to the ruins of a lost city, would be done no justice by explaining them with nothing but simple words. The character designs, not just the way they look, but their attitudes, their demeanor, the way they act and the things they do, all will leave you loving, hating, laughing and mourning with every step they take, every thing they do and every word they say.

There are moments where you're hurt and can't run at full speed. Moments where you'll be dragging someone around and you feel it in the way you walk, you feel the tense moments of trying to shoot someone with your one free hand. It's almost as if the people of Naughty Dog sat down and asked what would be the most over the top things to experience in a game? And amazingly, without a lack of polish, or quality, they managed to have you saying "no effing way, did that just happen?!" over and over again.

Now, being over the top is not necessarily a good thing. But when it's scripted moments that when thought about, you can actually see happening in the given situation, then over the top is definitely a good thing. Thinking realistically, the outcome may not always be the hero coming out unscathed, but then again, like I said, this is a Hollywood blockbuster type game. So don't expect anything less.

Now, as far as negatives go. It really is hard to sit and look for something bad in something so good. But being on the last leg of my second playthrough of this averaged 10-12 hour game, I can honestly say there is almost nothing I can point out and say this is a flaw. I'd love to sit here and say there is but there really isn't. The only solitary thing I noticed on my second playthrough is the issue of trying to take cover on a wall when it is right next to another wall. The proximity of the two walls make it a little difficult to attach yourself to the one you want to if you're not looking at it at the right angle and it can leave you open for a serious hurting at the wrong time. But like I said, that was noticed on my second playthrough so it's not even really a problem or issue, more of a gripe. Other than that there are people who will nit pick and say something wasn't rendered right or say that's B.S., that can't ever really happen, but when it comes down to it, as far as gameplay, mechanics, background environments, and story go, this package is virtually flawless. The flaws of the first game have been fixed and improved upon, the animation is on point and like I said, the characters make you feel like you know them. I can promise you, if you enjoy playing video games, and enjoy a story driven experience then there is nothing that will stop you from loving this game.

Now, as far as multiplayer goes, I've given my impressions on it before. You can find it here: . And it all still stands. The multiplayer mode of this single player monster was always worried about. But in the end it turned out to be a solid piece of work that surprised a lot of people. It's fun, it's addicting, easy to get used to and full of things to unlock and use. It captures the essence of the single player experience amazingly well and you can't help but feel like you walked out of the store buying 2 games for the price of 1. The only problem with the multiplayer is that more than likely, by the time you read this, a monstrous behemoth of the multiplayer world known as Modern Warfare 2 would have came out. And no matter how amazingly great the multiplayer of Uncharted 2 is, there are few that will be able to contend with the likes of what Infinity Ward is going to bring to the online table. And it's because of that fact this aspect of the game will be considered a lost gem for online players in the near future.

Ok. You've seen the videos, you've read the reviews, and heard the praise. I'm telling you nothing different. Since day one I've had the pleasure of enjoying Uncharted 2 and couldn't be happier. I know this is more of a commercial than a review but it is so hard not to love this game, and even harder to find something wrong with it. Everything I've said is as close to the truth as I know it. There are honestly no games out there that I can say I've completed and not 5 minutes later, started all over again just for fun. The replay value is grand with 100 collectible treasures cleverly scattered throughout the game. Trophies with matching in-game medals that will net you money to spend on their little storefront where you can buy behind the scenes movies, and various items that you can use and apply to a very robust multiplayer if Modern Warfare 2 isn't your thing.

All in all Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is thee must buy for any Playstation 3 owner. Sure, you can rent it, just be warned that by the time you finish it, or maybe even start it, you're going to be wishing you didn't have to send it back and that it was all yours to play whenever you want. This is what gaming is all about. This is why I have a passion for my hobby. And it is the reason why I love my PS3 again.

On my rating scale, I give this experience a stunning:

5 Water Bottles Full of Pee, out of 5.... (that scale should be self explanatory)

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This is one of those games that will keep you glued to your TV for hours until you manage to beat it or your bladder explodes, whatever happens first.

Right from the start it will submerge you into its world of friendship, adventure, action, betrayal, mystery, and love. The heroes are so likable that you wish they were real so you could go have a beer with them.

But the story is not the only thing that shines, the graphics are just breath-taking and the controls are very responsive. This time around I enjoyed the stealth sections.

And I'm only talking about the single-player campaign. I was afraid multiplayer would be an after-thought, yet the Dogs managed to create a very solid and entertaining experience, not to mention addictive.

But enough blah blah blah, if you like great games get off your chair right now and go buy it!... You're welcome :)

Discount Half-Life 2 - PC

Customer Ratings:

I stopped keeping time after 2am so I can't be sure what hour it is, nor can I tell you when I ran out of the cannister of Malt Balls and Peanut M&M's I brought as supplementation. What I can tell you however (in the humble opinion of a dedicated PC gamer for 15 years), is that Half Life 2 is the the most mind blowing game I've ever played.

I was at E3 with my pyscho gaming buddy cleaning the Pizza flavored drool off his chin when we got a preview of HL2. Like most, I counted the days, cursed Valve and Sierra for delay after delay, put all my faith and hope into Doom 3, was underwhelmed, went back to playing Desert Combat...basically went insane with anticipation.

In the brief moments before firing up HL2 for the first time, I was hopeful, but expecting to be dissapointed.

And I was.

Really, no multi-player! I'm one of those that have an absolute allergy to single-player games. Small beads of angry sweat began to form on my back...

But I soldiered on, and in:

10 minutes I was impressed,

at 30 minutes I was completely immersed,

at 1 hour chills were running up and down my spine, and occasional girlish yelps of horror began emanating from my pitch dark office...

...by the third hour I came to the conclusion that HL2 was/is the most impressive game software I've ever had the privilege of living in. Some highlights:

1. The engine is truly revolutionary. Doom 3 has a darn good engine, HL2 in my opinion is vastly better. Indoor AND outdoor environments are near photo-realistic (I have a 3.2GHZ w/ 1GB RAM), the physics are jaw-dropping AND deeply integrated into the play of the game, texture and lighting, faces, water, you name it, this engine is now The Standard.

2. Vehicles. Well, not only do they have them, they're really fun to operate (or be chased by as the case may be).

3. The Gravity Gun. This weapon comes later in the game, and in my humble opinion, is easily the most fun weapon I've ever used. Picking up and throwing items, using it to activate latent elements of the environment (often as weapons) is unbelievably fun. Which brings me to:

4. Humor. This game has some really funny moments. I almost busted a gut when I ran out of heavy/sharp things to fire at zombified creatures that were teaming up on me in close quarters. I desperately pulled over a large can of paint, fired, and splattered huge gobs of white paint all over their (now more upset) faces. I died, but I died laughing. And finally:

5. Immersion. The screams were obvious signs of immersion, but beyond that, I noticed myself making facial expressions of anger, empathy, anticipation...all throughout the game I found myself genuinely caring. That's a first for me.

I really could go on and on, but I can't, literally, I fear that dawn isn't far from my window and I'd like to pretend that I myself won't be a zombie tomorrow.

Enjoy,

Christian Hunter

Santa Barbara, California

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As one of the 3 people in the universe who didn't much care for the original Half-Life, I was hardly awaiting with baited breath the release of this sequel. The things I didn't like about the original, namely the clunky and flawed controls, dated graphics even for 1998, outweighed the undeniable genius of the game as a story. I wasn't ruling out Half Life 2, but I was much more interested and looking forward to Doom 3.

Fast forward to the present. Having just built myself a top-notch gaming PC capable of running both games with ease, I took the plunge, but decided to install and play Doom 3 first. My initial reaction to that game --awe at the graphics and production value, creepy atmosphere-was quickly replaced with tedium and boredom as the game played out like a 21st century scavenger hunt (find the key card! Get lost in the dark!). When I played Half-Life 2, however, I was BLOWN AWAY. The graphics are as good as Doom 3, but the big difference is that you can actually see them, because the entire game is not in dark tunnels, but rather takes place over a variety of terrains, ranging from beautiful coastline to wonderfully post-apocalyptic cityscapes. This game is truly deserving of all of the "Game of the Year" awards, and here is why:

GRAPHICS: Simply stellar. The textures are terrific, and the water effects are super, second only to Far Cry. The character models are very nicely done, and the way their eyes follow you around the room is both creepy and amazing.

SOUND: Very, very good. The sounds and music are very well done, and complement the game's moods quite ably.

GAMEPLAY: A gift from heaven. The game engine is ruled by physics so real, you're going to try picking up every object just to see what happens. A brick feels and reacts different that a doll, a tire swing responds realistically to a push, and bodies fall convincingly when shot or falling. The control is simple, smooth and effective, and the weapons are generally balanced. I wish there had been a better sniping weapon than the crossbow, but hey, that's what mods are for!

STORY: Again, stellar. It's so noticeable when a story grabs you, and when a story is just filler, a pretext for the setting of the game. In Doom 3, I couldn't care less why I was there. I certainly wasn't about to read the myriad boring PDA's you find on corpses, and the story is really trite. Half-Life 2, much like Knights of the Old Republic, makes YOU the star of the game, and gives you little chunks of info, but never overwhelms you with random names that mean nothing to you. As a result, you internalize the info, and actually come to care about the other characters. The scripted scenes are always logical and never forced, and they are just plain funny at times. I can't say enough about the great immersive world of this game.

NEGATIVES: Much like everyone, I dislike the "Steam" program which basically means that each time you play half life, you need an active internet connection. It's the company's way of authenticating your software, and while it's logical to be paranoid, (after all, this game's code was famously stolen by a hacker last year) it's a bit much. That said, most people have internet, so this is somewhat moot.

OVERALL: I personally don't care for online games; I find that people often act like children or jerks, and that the few games that are fun to play in multiplayer are shooters like Unreal Tournament of the Battlefield series. I can't express enthusiastically enough how happy I am to see that a game developer still cares about putting out a polished and amazing single player game.

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I followed this game from about a year after it was announced and I had the privilige of sitting through all of the releace date set-backs and I can tell you, it was worth it.

I will now list the games pros and cons as to catagory

Grafics:

This game looked exellent and near-photo realistic. The grafics were also very stable and I had no problem running them on my mid-range PC. Lip-synching was dead on and all of the emotional ranges the charicters could go through was amazing. All of the enviromental effects were superb as well, the water was amazing and reflected EVERYTHING, enemies, geografic features and even explosions. All of the items were extemely well off and all of them were photo-realistic in quality. Metalic objects had a sheen to them, and textures even up close looked very beleveable.

Sound:

The sound design was incredible, halfway through the game, my ear was trained to hear the individual, distinctive sounds of any number of the multiple creatures that could be just around the corner. Nothing is more freaky than hearing a poison headcrab and tring to find it just by tring to listen for it. The dialog was exellent, and the music, while rather artificial, fit the mood of the game.

Level design:

The levels were well spaced out and very well planned. The only issue I have with this part of the game is that the level take FOREVER to load on a 2.1 GHZ prosessor, which is above average (It takes about 1.5 minautes to load a new area, just count those seconds out without anything to do, its a very long time)

Gameplay:

With an extremely impressive physics system and a way to impress your will upon that system, the average gameplay is addictive and you can play in any form you want to. Imagne running through a hallway, and there is a zombie at the other end! so you pick up a 2X4 with the gravity gun and hurl it at the zombie! The zombie hunches over and slides down against the wall. You pick up a radiator to block the bullets from a man with a machine gun across the hall, then you throw it at him! It beans him in the head and his entire upper body flips around and he flies over a railing to crash down on the floor below! That is the standard in half life 2 if you play with the gravity gun.

Overall:

This game is worth a 10 out of 10 for all of the great things that are in this game. And this game has almost infinate replay value. This one is for the ages.

Honest reviews on Half-Life 2 - PC

I don't know about other gamers, but I've been getting frustrated with games recently. They look better than ever, but there's still a lot of room for improvement. Game play, also, is in desperate need of betterment. So without further ado, allow me to make Half-Life 2 the "poster boy" of recent PC games. I like this game a lot, but I just feel that it reflects some of the contempt that the gaming industry is showing toward its customers.

I won't say too much about Steam because other people have been very vocal about the troubles it's causing. I needed to wait about an hour to install the five CDs and then sign up with Steam. It was an unpleasant experience, but not that bad.

As for the graphics, they're better than anything else I've seen including Doom 3, but they're not perfect either. Outdoor levels have low resolution, and as a result the trees often look fuzzy. Nevertheless, buildings look good with vivid colors and lots of detail. This graphical sophistication comes at a price, and my system really strained under the weight. I'd recommend a 3 Ghz CPU, 1 GB RAM, and a 256 MB graphics card if you want to run the game smoothly.

Sound is very good although it often stuttered. Evidently my hardware is a little slow for this game, and I believe the demanding graphics slows your system which can adversely affect the sound.

Considering the game play, it's very similar to the first game. The crowbar is back along with the head crabs. You can really get engaged in the game play, but in some parts of the game it fell flat. I found myself fending off tough enemies while having little idea of how to either escape or destroy them. It could be as much fun as swatting at a cloud of pesky gnats! Finally, after several tries, I would find the place to get away or the weapon to kill the thing attacking me. Do yourself a favor and get a good strategy guide for this game. It will save you a lot of frustration.

In closing, I find myself wishing that game developers and publishers would take better care to see that the customer is getting a good product. Half-Life 2 delivers some fantastic experiences, but these achievements are marred by frustrating and annoying game play on some of the levels, the demanding system requirements, and a bug or two that disallows continuation of the game. And I must really protest the requirement to set up that annoying account with Steam. Personally, I'm fed up with all this, and as a result, I have no plans to buy anymore computer games for the foreseeable future. So developers and publishers, you just lost a customer.

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Well, after having shelled out what, after all, is a lot of money, I haven't been able to play this game yet. They've got got this little anti-piracy software called Steam (Completely understandible, after how much the developers went through prior to launch) on there that you have to register with before so much as running the application. Too bad that this has been an unpleasent surprise and a heretofore insurmountable obstacle! So we understand how often this is mentioned:

On the website: 1 time (a link to the Steam site.)

On the box: 0 times.

In the documentation: 1 time (mentioning that an account with Steam is required.)

Well, now as I've got it and have gotten mired in it, I find that it takes forever to register, and that you can more or less kiss any hope of it working goodbye if you do not have complete control over your network settings (i.e. if you are on a college campus). One day I will get this to work, but I will not purchase another game that has something like this. Assuming that I even get notice of it. I have no doubt in my mind that Half Life 2 is as revolutionary as the original, but I suggest everybody make sure they know what they're getting into.

For those who want to see the volumes of things that impede Steam working, check out the support section of their website:

Hasbro Family Game Night 1 and 2 Bundle - Nintendo Wii Reviews

Customer Ratings:

There are past memories galore for the adults from the live games that are included this video game. Many of the classics are included: Connect Four, Battleship, Yahtzee, Boggle, Sorry, Operation, Jenga, Connect 4x4, Bop-it, Pictureka.

They are set so it takes work to master them, which keeps the players interested.

I especially like these because it helps develop the cognitive skills and fine motor control without the violence of the typical games. It's important to come with the expectations of a different experience from the board games, similar to reading a book and seeing a movie with the same title. The games are based on the board games, but the experience will be different. Both are enjoyable; just different.

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My family and I all love this game. I like the Yahtzee and Sorry the most. It is a good way to get all the family together and play a game and when you are done all you have to do is turn the Wii off...no mess!

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I bought this for my brother-in-law and his family. We happened to be visiting them when they played it, so we got a chance to play it ourselves. We had kids ranging in age from 5 to 10 years old and everybody had a great time!

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We have been having a great time playing all the games. Some of the games that I do not like or know how to play; then my children enjoy. I like the fact that several of the games are old school games that they have updated to make fun for all. My youngest child is 6 years old. I also have a 8 year old, 12 year old and 16 year old. It is great because with the games age really does not matter much as to how well you will do with the game. On the negative side; I would have to agree with many of the past reviews that do not like the battle ship game. It requires that the other person not look while you place your pieces. Only way the is really fair is if you have the leave the room or something. I guess if you do that it can be still as fun as the other way to play it. Also Jenga is kind of crazy to play. My daughter who is the best at most all of these games; was not able to really get this one and I definetly could not play it. In the games defence; we have never really like to play the really game of Jenga. My 12 year old has played the other really version and she states that she actually liked it. We really enjoy the game over all.

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MY FAMILY HAS BEEN DOING GAME NIGHT FOR ALMOST 13 YEARS! THESE GAMES ARE AWESOME! 5 OR MORE GAMES PER DISK, NO MISSING PIESES, TORN MONEY, OR ARGUEMENT ABOUT SOMEONE CHEATING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLUS SET UP AND PUTTING AWAY ARE TAKEN CARE OF FOR YOU!!!!! CAN'T WAIT TIL WE GET THE NEXT ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best God of War III: Ultimate Edition - Playstation 3 Deals

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $99.99
Sale Price: $95.99
Today's Bonus: 4% Off

God of War III: Ultimate Edition

This is my video review of God of war 3 ultimate edition. I made the video to show a little more detail than what can be written.

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This review's coming from someone who doesn't flip out over everything God of War-related, or says that you should get something just because it has to do with God of War. Face itfor the price this 'ultimate' edition's going for, you probably want to be getting your money's worth, right? I hadn't played God of War 3 until I got this set just last week, and I didn't spend more than retail for it, but even then, I can't see how this is an 'ultimate' edition of God of War 3.

First up, the main selling point of this editionPandora's Box. It's a cheaply made plastic box that looks just like the one in the game. The plastic they used to make this is very soft, and you can probably snap the horns off of the sides with even a tiny bit of effort. There isn't a lot of fine detail on this, and it looks a lot like some kind of Halloween decoration you'd find at a party store in October. The bottom of the box has no detail at all either. This could make a decent box to hold candy in style, but given how it looks in-person, there's not a lot of style to it.

When you open Pandora's Box, the art book is waiting for you. This is probably the best thing about this set, aside from the game, and it's a lot better than the one that got released in the UK, which was rushed and had the same quality as your typical instruction manual. The US art book is a hardcover book, about 100 pages, and features tons of great art. Enemies, scenery, sketches, there's a lot of impressive work and if you're one of those fans that wants a GoW tattoo, this would be a good book to scout. The book isn't that big since it had to fit in Pandora's Box, but I don't have any complaints about it because you can see everything clearly.

Under the book, you'll see a black ribbon on the side of the 'bottom' of the box. Pull it up and it turns out that it was guarding a secret compartment (well, I use that term loosely) where the game is. Nope, there are no cds for the soundtracks that the box advertises, but instead, they're included as DLC, along with the Dominus skin, Exile Arena and documentary. There's a code for each bonus inside of the game case. The game features the same art as the retail version, and is identical except it doesn't have a bar code, and just says 'not for resale' in its place.

When it comes down to it, this sucker going for over a Benjamin is a rip-off. The game alone is worth around half of that, the DLC is cheap on its own (hint hint), the art book is nice but you can always find the same images online, and Pandora's Box is a joke. I know you can't expect much of a replica for the price, but they sure as heck coulda tried harder. Maybe if they included the God of War Collection like the UK version did, I'd be more forgiving since it'd be more for your buck. And if this is supposed to be the be-all edition of God of War 3, why include just one of the many skins available? Why not include all of them? But as it is, you're better off just getting the game on its own, and then getting the DLC separately.

I think Kratos would've went off about REVENGE(!) and tracked down those responsible for making it if he had seen this set.

Best Deals for God of War III: Ultimate Edition - Playstation 3

The advertisement showed a special offer when buying the God of War box which should come with a bonus features. However the printed promotion codes which came inside the box were valid only until 2011. I contact PlayStation customers services asking for updated codes to download the extras, but they informed is not possible to produce a new voucher or extend the expiration date of the promotion codes. I'm very desapointed.

Honest reviews on God of War III: Ultimate Edition - Playstation 3

The Good: Mass amounts of improvements, absolutely beautiful and epic on every scale, excellent boss fights, lots of extras

The Bad: Unbalanced difficulty, story takes a dive towards the end, it ends

Well here it is. After waiting 3 years we finally get the ending to one of the best video game series ever created. The biggest question that people have is if the game is enough to stand on its own out of the other next generation games. The answer is yes, so let's get down to it.

The game's story picks up right after God of War II with Kratos riding on the back of Gaia climbing Mount Olympus. The game starts out on the back of Gaia with Kratos fighting hordes of monsters (and learning the controls). The game starts out more epic than ever with an epic boss fight with Poseidon. Giant water serpents come up and try to kill Gaia, so not only do you have to kill Poseidon, but you have to protect Gaia as well. The boss fights are bigger and more epic than ever with Titans that are miles high (fighting Cronos is the most epic of all) and you really feel like your taking these beasts down with satisfying results.

I have to first talk about how the game looks. Yes, God of War III is probably the best looking game made to date and it really shows on every aspect. The sweeping camera angles, the high-resolution textures and models. The gorgeous lighting effects, and everything just feels updated and like it should on the PS3. You can see the pores and details in every characters, the animation is more fluid, the combat even feels better and more fluid, especially if you just played the God of War Collection. I can't really describe just how beautiful this game is. You can see and feel the passion and detail every artist put into the game from the creatures, levels, and even small things like blood, scrapes and nicks on metal just everything.

The combat is what has the biggest upgrades. No longer are you confined to having all your magic items come from your magic meter. There are a ton more weapons (four in total) to get, and each weapon has its own magic attack instead of collecting them separately. The Blades of Exile (yes the name has changed again) have the Spartan Army attack, the Nemean Cestus have a pounding attack, Hades Hooks that let you summon different creatures, and a whip type weapon that sends electric shocks. All the weapons are similar to the Blades of Exile, and the Blade of Olympus is now used during Rage of Sparta mode (yes it's changed and everything turns black). There is now an item meter which is used for your bow, Helios head, and Hermes shoes. All these items sound crazy, but let me explain.

The bow lets you set certain things on fire and is mainly used during the beginning of the game, but not so much later on. The Helios head is used to reveal secrets and blind enemies, and the Hermes shoes are used during wall running sections. The grapple hook still exists, but all of these changes let you use all your items and weapons all the time, and don't rely so much on just magic. Some other changes to combat were made so everything feels more fluid and you never have to stop fighting no matter where you are. You can evade in the air, there is now a grapple attack that pulls you towards your enemy in the air or on the ground. The combat system is just super fun to use now, and all the additions perfect the combat system and make a fitting end to the trilogy.

The QTE's are still in tact, but with a bit of a change. They appear on the edge of the screen according the controller layout so you can now watch what's going on. Using your peripheral vision is see these really helps keep you drawn in, so you don't have to concentrate so much on the buttons. It is a little confusing at first, but after a while you will get used to it. The QTE's are also better placed especially during boss fights. You really feel like your making the big kill this time around with a new camera angle that lets you see in a POV of the enemy your pummeling or in Kratos' view. This adds to the cinematic excitement and brutality of that game.

Another thing I need to talk about is just how much more brutal and explicit the game is. The gore is more detailed with guts hanging out, cuts being visible where you slashed an enemy, skin stretching when heads are pulled, tendons popping, veins breaking etc. All this is visible thanks to the power of the PS3 and is really makes you wince in sympathy. The game even has a more explicit sex mini-game that is about mid way through with Aphrodite. Instead of just panning over to a table with a vase you see two topless women talking about what Kratos is doing to Aphrodite and it is both hot to watch and funny.

The puzzles in the game are what you would expect from a God of War game: Clever, fun, and unique. Just like all God of War games some puzzles are an entire level with little puzzles within that, and Daedalus's labyrinth is one example. They aren't as confusing as the last two games, and are easier to figure out, but just as clever, and some puzzles are now part of the environment so timing and speed are of the essence.

While there are a lot of game changes like the combat, additional weapons, and even Icarus' Ascension (which is a flying section where you dodge falling debris), the game stays true to the series. Everything is just bigger, badder, and meaner but it does have a few slight flaws. The ending story is cut a bit short, there aren't enough epic boss fights, and the difficulty is highly unbalanced. These are really all I could find, but they aren't necessarily flaws. If the game were a bit longer, and those three issues didn't exist it would get a 10. The game is perfect except that little tic-tac sized piece that you feeling is missing and can never pin it. The game has high replay value to unlock trophies, challenges, costumes, and there are a ton of making-of videos for die-hard fans to watch.

I just can't describe the improvements of this game unless you play it yourself. It is probably the best PS3 game out there so far, and is so enjoyable and chock full of excellence that it's almost too much to contain. The amazing scale, beauty, and vast improvements make the game worth a purchase tenfold. I just wish this weren't the end of Kratos' adventures or is it...

ULTIMATE EDITION: If you pre-ordered a copy or can still find one floating around, and want to shell out an extra $40 you can get the Ultimate Edition. It includes a very detailed Pandora's Box, a code to get the God of War Trilogy OST, the Blood and Metal soundtrack, an hour length making-of video, and full color art book. The package is a bit disappointing since the box is made of hard plastic and not die-cast metal, the soundtracks were a pain to get during launch day since the site was bogged down and wouldn't load half the time. The Blood & Metal OST is pretty disappointing since it's nothing special. It has a couple of big names like Trivium and Killswitch Engage, but only three of the songs on the album were any good. I also wished the soundtracks came in physical CD format, but digital is fine. The making of video is filmed like a History Channel documentary and can be a snooze fest for hardcore fans who already know all about the game. The Trilogy OST is fantastic and is probably the best part of the whole package along with the detailed art book. Is it worth $40? Sure, if you're a hardcore fan otherwise pass.

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This is by far the best game I have ever played. The pandora's box is quite good and looks as is it was made of seel. The art book, is really sweet addition. This package is a must for every god of war fan, and all the others should at least get the game.

Nintendo Wii Console Black with Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort Reviews

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Of course the WII is awesome. Bought the extended range bar because we have a huge living room. Works great, got here on time, good price, can't complain. I got mine for 138 bucks and they are at walmart for 129.99. No biggie though. Saved me from having to make a trip to that hell hole. Thanks!

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I like to shop Amazon to save money. But this is one item I have found you can pick up at Wal-Mart or Hastings for about $130.00. Now keep in mind other that the DSI XL. The last system I bought was the PS2. But I am amazed at all this system does. It kinda turns your TV into a smart TV. The one thing I really do like is you can use it with the Amazon instant video channel to play your Amazon unbox videos on your tv, which has brought me back to watching movies and tv shows I had bought some time ago. The console includes 2 games on 1 disc WII sports and WII sports resort which combined give you about 18 games to play. I havent tried them all but I have tried a few of the games. So I feel it is a nice starter kit. Also Comes with a WII motion plus remote and a numchuck. I am well pleased with this purchase.

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We are happy with our wii, but so disappointed that we cannot play our gamecube games on it. I called customer support and they said any new wii with a serial number that starts with "KU" is no longer compatible with gamecube. The older wii consoles could play those games with the gamecube remotes plugged into ports on the side.

I might have bought a used one had I known that!

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It's a perfect gift for my son(5and half years old). we really enjoyed almost all the games! we highly recommend to all parents who has a young child.

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My Wii came very fast and works great. I love the fact I do not need Dish any more to see movies.

Best Kinect Sensor with Kinect Adventures and Gunstringer Token Code Deals

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List Price: $149.99
Sale Price: $132.99
Today's Bonus: 11% Off

First off, I'd like to say that I'm a motion gaming addict. Microsoft offers this package, which is their best package to date. If you plan on just buying this package, and a couple other Microsoft games, I'd say go for it. Gunstringer, in my opinion, shows off what the Kinect can do, as well as Fruit Ninja Kinect. Most people who have played Kinect Adventures get bored after a week, although when I first played it, it was fascinating.

In Gunstringer, you raise your left arm out and navigate your character. Your right arm is your trigger arm, and when you roll over characters, you raise your arm to shoot. It's a lot of fun, as I have to say that it's a good choice for this package, although there is an adult theme that one must be aware of. Fruit Ninja Kinect is a downloadable title, and has high replayability value. It's lots of fun to swipe your arm across the picture to chop fruits in half.

Now, for my gripes. I've always thought that boxing and tennis would be the hottest selling games, and games that wouldn't require much space. Exercise games are awesome also, but until the Kinect can allow you to play in a smaller space, there is a problem a lot of people will have. Many users claim you only need 6 feet, but I find this untrue. 6 feet only will work with a lot of games(the games in this package work great with only 6 feet), but I've found that when other developers games all of a sudden require me to step back, the whole formula doesn't work.

Most of the other developers games are by Ubisoft and THQ. Ubisoft is better of the two, but in my opinion, neither can compete with a game developed by Microsoft, which really takes limited space into account.

Kinect is still based off of hope for the future:

A year ago, many high reviews based this off of HOPE. A year later, and I'd say there are only a handful Microsoft exclusives, and a lot is still based off of hope. I'd say the best of the bunch are the Kinect Sports 1 and 2, but I'd prefer to see each sport focused on more, in a stand alone title like a Grand Slam Tennis, for instance. Star Wars Kinect seems to be promising, but as of today the release date is December 31. 2012.

In conclusion, I feel this is a generous deal by Microsoft for the 2011 holiday season, and is a bargain with the included games worth fifty dollars. Who knows? In a few months, you may end up like me, always checking to see if there are any new releases for the Kinect. Have a good one. Peace out!

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I bought a Kinect mostly so I could play the dance games for a little extra exercise to hopefully rid me of my slightly chunky thighs. I ended up buying several games for it along with the three it came with. So far it has worked almost perfectly with each game. I think it's great that it can track my movement so I can be interactive with the games rather than just sitting their pressing buttons on a controller while drooling down the front of my shirt. I also like that I can select options by a swipe of my hand through the air so I don't have to be attached to a controller while playing. I only have one complaint. While playing Just Dance 3 and other games, I noticed that the Kinect seemed to have a mind of its own and was selecting songs and options even when I wasn't moving. I realized after moving out of the screen altogether that it was picking up my cat sleeping on the couch behind me, even though my cat wasn't moving other than breathing. It sometimes counts my sleeping cat as another player and turns what should have been a solo dance into a partner dance, in which, obviously, my cat does not score well. Now, if my cat could get up and dance with me, I would be very happy and have lots of funny videos to post on the internet, but it can't, so I don't like that the Kinect picks it up as a player, especially when it's just sleeping behind me. Why can't its sensors just pick up things that are human-shaped? Now, I try to keep my cats out of the way, but that's not always easy because they have these four little things called legs. Sometimes I notice when no one (not even my cat) is in the screen with me, the Kinect will still seem to have a mind of its own and select things while I'm not moving. Sometimes it scrolls up and down jerkily through the song selection when I'm standing still or even out of the screen completely. I discovered it was picking up a throw blanket that was behind me (moving it out of the way made the Kinect stop scrolling on its own), a foot stool, and another time it picked up the corner of a computer chair. I don't know why it does this when the items are not moving or even remotely human. This messes up my game play at times and it's very annoying. I think maybe it's too sensitive and acting like a drama queen. That said, I still love my Kinect and I'm happy to have it. It has made playing video games more fun for me. I usually only played Left 4 Dead 2, Halo: Reach, and Borderlands, but now I play more of a variety of games and don't get fat doing it. Sometimes it feels good to take a break from shooting things and stand up and do the Carlton instead.

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Once my wife saw the dancing games for the Kinect, she just had to have it. We have the wii and that is always good fun, but not having to hold a motion controller in your hand with the Kinect seems like a great idea. It takes a little time to get use to, and overall it's not bad but it's not perfect. I find navigating the xbox menu using the Kinect is a great idea but it's a bit troubling. It doesn't always pick up your movements and sometime it will pick up your movements half way through. So far we have only played Dance Central 2, Just Dance 3 and the games that game with it. Fruit Ninja is great fun and Gunstringer is OK but awkward to play, Kinect Adventures is also OK but more for the kids. Overall I think it's fun to play at parties and I can't wait to try the new Star Wars game coming with force powers. I hope lives up to the hype.

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I had the Kinect for a little over a year and we used it about once a week for an hour. Not a ton of use. A week ago it stopped working and gave an error message and a red light. When I contacted Microsoft they essentially told me that i should have bought the extended warranty and fixing it will cost as much as buying a new one. Junk,

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I must admit, I was a little worried about how the add-on Kinect system would work with an existing XBOX 360 Console.

I am very happy to say it works great. The movements were tracked very well and the kids loved it.

I would recommend this as an add-on.

Buy Skylanders Spyros Adventure LOOSE Mini Figure Slam Bam Includes

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Slam Bam is awesome. Of the 32 original Skylanders he's definately one of the coolest get it? But seriously, his playability is fun and he's a really neat figurine compared to some of the others. His upgrades are cool as well. I mean c'mon, he gets sunglasses with 'Yeti Cooling Factor.' We love him.

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My son played with this character at one of his friend's place, and he loved it. Having 4 arms has a lot of advantages. BTW I have seen the whole pack on sale at ebgames (Australian equivalent of Gamestop) for AUD$28 (~US$30). They have Cynder at AUD$14.95 and also many other characters. I don't think they do international shipping though. In any case, most characters are now easily available, so please be patient for a few weeks and you can then pick them up at below retail prices.

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We had looked everywhere in local stores to find Slam Bam without success, so we finally ordered him here. He apparently has special powers (I don't play, sorry!) that make him a real asset to my son's Skylanders Giants experience.

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My child loves this Skylander! We had difficulty finding it in stores and I was able to order it and have it in time for his birthday.

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It just upsets me that when I get a "loose figure from Amazon directly, it is nicely packaged in the original package and is new and nice. When I get these "loose" figures from other places, they are in a glad bag and I don't know if they are used or what. And to make it worse, I am charged over $4.00 to have one figure shipped that probably didn't weigh an ounce!! I wouldn't order except that I can't find the figure directly through Amazon or in a store.

Best XBOX 360 SKATE Deals

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The only reason I am writting this review is because the other review is from what a gamer would call a "noob", to balance out the rating on here. This game rules and is totally worth the price!

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i would not buy this game. it is way too complicated you have use the joysticks to do anyhing, i cant even Ollie right.

Review of eForCity 100FT FOR PS3 XBOX 360 ETHERNET CAT 5 CAT5 E CABLE

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I bought this item thinking it was too good to be true...well it was. It turns out that the product I recieved was not the 100ft cable. Instead they sent me a 15m cable which is just under 50 feet. Typical for an online purchase like this. Last time I will be buying from these guys.

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Great company to do business with. I had the cable in a few days and it works perfect. I was a little confused with the description "for PS3 XBOX 360" All I wanted was a plain old cable and that is what I got. The price was much cheaper than the big box stores(including the shipping) plus they don't even sell it in 100 foot lengths.

Disney Fairies: Tinker Bell - Nintendo DS Reviews

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I was expecting this game to be junk. Most of the licensed DS games are, unfortunately. However, this is one exception to the rule. I bought it for my daughter who is frankly, too young to play it. She is almost four and loves Tinkerbell. This game requires you to be able to read though, and at a second or third grade level. The "game" basically is like a fetch-it RPG without any battles. You talk to other fairies that populate the Disney Fairies world and they will ask you to help them find things or to retrieve items from other fairies. Once you complete a set of tasks and gather enough items you go through a change of seasons, and then have to help collect various things to make autumn come, (or winter, spring, summer).

Some fairies have mini games that you can play that will earn you various items in the game. You arrange spots on ladybugs, capture dewdrops and other simple games. All of this is fairly standard fare for a kid's DS title.

What makes the game standout is the GRAPHICS. They are absolutely GORGEOUS. Using still backgrounds (that look to be from the movie), the TinkerBell world is absolutely gorgeous. From sunflower fields to TinkerBell's quaint little fairy home (looks a bit like an acorn), to falling leaves, every screen is a treat. The music is nice too and the animations for the fairies are gorgeous. Tinkerbell is easy to move around and looks great flying. I was very impressed with the visual presentation, despite the fact that the backgrounds are mostly static. There's alot of variety, too.

My daughter likes to just fly TinkerBell around, but other, older girls would probably enjoy the game alot. Its simple, but pretty and has no violence either.

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My 8 year old daughter is a big Disney Never Fairy fan. She has read all the books and loved the new Tinkerbell movie. I was excited to see this game. She has never enjoyed playing games, since she outgrew her Leapster. Once she opened the game and began playing it, it was difficult to get her to stop. It is like the magic of the fairy world has come alive for her.

There is a lot of reading on about a 3rd grade level involved with this game. There is also a certain amount of dexterity required to accomplish some of the game features.

I have also played the game, and as an adult, I enjoy it too!

I recommend this game to Disney Never Fairy fans!

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(I'm using my mom's account) I thought this game was going to stink because it's a game from a movie, and most games that come from movies are horrible. But this game is my favorite out of the 3 DS games that I have!!! You play as Tinkerbell but you can change her outfit. It's like an RPG game JUST for girls! You go around playing fun minigames, bringing the four seasons to the Mainland, fixing things for friends, making accessories, finding things for your friends, and you can have your "fortune" told to you by Tinkerbell. If you LOVE Tinkerbell as much as I do, then you should get this game!!!

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I feel that the chat rooms that come with this title are not appropriate for the target age group. This is a very nice game for a 6-10 year old girl. It can keep them occupied for hours. What I don't understand is why the chat rooms are available on this title. True, a user can not input their own text if they are not registered, but they can get into the chat rooms and view the text that others input. I think that it is a major flaw with this title, and something that parents should be aware of. I think that Nintendo Wi-fi for games like Mario Kart is great fun and completely harmless, but I think the chat rooms should not be included on titles for young kids, or at least should not allow text entry by any users, whether they are registered or not. They should include text entry only on titles directed to older users.

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My daughter is 6 1/2 and has never liked video games very much. She will play for a little while and then move on to other things. We rented Tinkerbell to see if she would like it (she loves the Fairy series books). It was the FIRST time she has ever not wanted to put a game down. She figured the game out without any instructions and loved flying Tinkerbell around and meeting other fairies. Graphics are outstanding and Tinkerbell and the other fairies are adorable. It was a sad day when we had to return the rental but I have already picked one up for Christmas.

NOTE: As other posters have mentioned, you do need to be an independent reader to play without parental help.

Reviews of Rocksmith Guitar Bundle -Xbox 360

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I purchased this game after a lot of decision making on whether or not to buy it.

I did not own or even played a guitar before so I purchased the bundle for the 360. The reason that I could not decide to buy this game or not revolved around two items. 1:Was I really going to play it, with my knowledge of the guitar it will take a lot of commitment. 2: I heard that there was a audit lag. this was a break or not break deal. I did not want to put a lot of extra work and configuration into getting this game playable.

Here is my experiance with this game (I played about 1 hour so far). First of all I have a old Xbox 360 using component cables and the HD TV internal speakers. (with this setup, I cannot detect any audio lag additionally there was some instructions to set the TV and Xbox to the TVs native resolution (I did noting about this works great).

Guitar tuning: Knowing nothing about the guitar, I was very nevous with this point. The game does a volume test (annoying)and a Guitar tune up. the Guitar in the bundle had very loose strings, So it took me a while to get what the game told me to do. But I did get the guitar tuned after about 10 minutes on trial and error. The game does do a excellent job in this area, I was just dense and did not what to screw things up.

Game play: This was very fun. I picked up the concepts very fast. I did put on the fret number stickers (Very helpful to me). Played the first song, and felt very satisfed with my first attempts. With the first song on Rocksmith, The difficulty started to ramp up rather quickly, this also made me feel that I do have some hope with a guitar. I also have Rockband 3 and the PRO Fake guitar. the Rockband guitar tutorial is not so intuitive, I usually drop the guitar part and go to the Key Board which is more fun on that game. To wrap this up, I am very glad that I bought this game, and I am very happy with the included guitar and quality of the interface.

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This is more a review of the guitar that comes bundled with game, not so much the game itself. There are lots of game reviews to read.

The guitar bundled with Rocksmith is a Epiphone Les Paul Jr. Epiphone is basically a Gibson but made overseas and without the refinement. Think of it this way, if Gibson had studied music at Julliard, Ephiphone would have gone to state college. While Epiphone makes some damn fine guitars, Gibson is just more refined.

That said the guitar bundled here is a very, very nice guitar. There are two options, sunburst, which is what's pictured on this site, and pure black. I chose the sunburst. This is a full sized guitar, not a 3/4 scale. There are two knobs, one for volume, the other for tone. One humbucker style bridge pickup is located centerally on the body. The bridge itself is of fair quality and non-tremolo style. The string tensioners are good and seem to hold tune. I played for about three hours and didn't even have to make minor adjustments. The strings are okay. For starting out they will work well but you may quickly outgrow them. Their tone seems overly bright to me but I come from a background playing bass so what do I know.

With the provided strap the guitar rests comfortably and does not seem overly heavy nor overly light. There is zero head dive which surprised me considering that every Epiphone bass I've played dove like crazy (anyone ever playing an SG-2 knows what I'm talking about here)

All in all this is a very good quality guitar. Considering the game retails without the guitar for $80 and $200 with I would say the price is fair. If price is of concern there are dozens of used Epiphones to be had for about half of what this one retails for new however I certainly don't feel cheated having bought this bundle.

Game 5/5 stars

Guitar 4.5/5 stars (half a star down for strings)

Best Deals for Rocksmith Guitar Bundle -Xbox 360

I have had this game for a few hours now, and I can already feel myself getting better. It comes with the guitar, two picks, a strap, a USB cord, and a regular guitar cord (for plugging into an amp). It's very easy to set up. You take it out, plug it in, and you're good to go. It takes you through a brief tutorial on how to play, and then tunes the strings, telling you how to do it. Before every song, it has you retune your guitar for that song, or makes sure your guitar is still in tune. Then you play. At first glance, it is very intimidating, especially if you're used to playing Rock Band or Guitar Hero. Stick with it, though. It gets easier as you go. As you get better, it introduces new techniques, and offers a "challenge" to better teach you how to play using those techniques. I am a beginner guitar player. I played a number of years ago, and didn't take formal lessons. I jumped right in and felt at home. You have two options; you can play your "journey," where you practice a few songs, get a high enough score to qualify, then go perform them to move on. Your other option is to just jump into whatever song you wish. I found myself doing both.

The bottom line is, if you were having second thoughts about buying this game, just go for it. If you want to learn how to play, you will. It really is wonderful. Yes, the guitar is a "cheaper" version, but if you're just starting to learn, you don't need anything better. And the good thing is, once you get better, you can buy a better guitar and use it for this game because it works with ANY GUITAR. It honestly is wonderful. You won't regret this purchase.

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I am a beginner. No experience at all. I bought the bundle that had the guitar. The guitar that comes with it is a low end cheap guitar but in my opinion it's perfect for someone who knows nothing about guitar. This guitar is very simple. 1 humbucker, 1 tone knob, 1 volume knob. I've read alot of reviews of people bashing this guitar and I can see why someone with alot of experience would not like this guitar. I've read that this guitar won't stay in tune (bad tuners) and the pickups (humbuckers) are cheap. Maybe so, but for this game, I think it is perfect. The guitar is plugged up to the game anyway and is amp'd to the sound it needs for the song you are playing. so you're really not going to notice that it is not "perfectly" tuned. Unless you are great at guitar. (and if you are you won't buy the bundle)

But if you are planning to plug this guitar up to an amp and jam, you will probably find that it's not that great.

Ok, here's what most of us do...(what I did anyway).

We want to learn and play guitar. So we research, ask around, and go out and buy a real nice guitar (expensive) and sign up for lessons and after a few lessons and hours of boring exercises, we get aggravated and quit. sell the guitar for a loss and later we get the itch again and wish we hadn't. LOL.

Guitar is hard. Don't let anyone tell you different. Those boring finger exercise are CRITICAL for learning and this is where, in my opinion, this game rocks!

This game will not teach you music theory and alot of other very important tips and techniques. But it is great for finger muscle memory, fretting, shifting and other cool stuff. I believe this is a wonderful starting point that very well could get you ready for the next level. Get you over that "hump" if you will. Because it is alot of fun to play this game. When something is fun, you will more likely stick with it. And this definately is!

Been playing six hours and already seeing improvement. Very little mind you but any improvement is awesome! Motivation! That is the key. And this game definately will do that for you. Now don't get me wrong, it's still hard but this game starts off very slow and if you are doing well, it speeds up. If you start back sucking (and you will), it goes back down to easy. If you are having difficult with a certain section of a song, it has a riff repeater so you can pratice just that section. Has mini games that are designed to work on your finger exercises and develope muscle memory.

Lots of people complain about the track selection but these tracks were chosen for a reason, ease of play. It starts you off on a song that is designed for beginners and then builds from there. There was alot of thought put into these tracks and the progression of the play. If you are a beginner like me you won't mind the tracks so much. They're not that bad, I like em.

I don't know if I'd go as far as saying that this will teach you guitar, but It will teach you alot of techniques and get your fingers going where they should. I will say you will definately get alot of good from this and having loads of fun in the process.

If you are great at guitar, you *may* find this boring.

But for the rest of us, It gives us hope. I bought the bundle but the game works with any guitar.

This is what I don't like about the game so far...

Load times...Long load times. Hate waiting on it to load.

Tuneing every song.

The menu can be a bit confusing.

Wish the learning curve was more spaced out...seems like there is too big of a jump between super easy and to where it starts getting tougher. wish there were more inbetween if that makes sense. But then again that is what the riff repeater is for.

Overall, If you are brand new to guitar or have some experience, this is tons of fun and great exercises. Like I said, If you can master this game while haveing fun, In my opinion, you will be ready to go out and hire a great instructor and take off and not look back. No more quitting this time.

Oh and as far as the lag some people describe, for me it was opposite, set my tv on game mode. Had to use HDMI instead of av cables. There was lag with the av for me and none with the HDMI. I've notice others said the opposite. anyway

Great game/exercise tool.

Best advice I ever heard with guitar is..., "Stop dreaming and start playing".

Hope this helps.

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I've played Rock Band for quite a while. This is no game, it's learning to play a real guitar. I bought the kit with the guitar and it's a nice one. You pay $80 just for the game, the guitar at $120 is a steal! Heavy and decent quality. I am a beginner and this is very challenging. Not frustrating, but challenging. For $200 it's a must have. The guitar looks and feels awesome and you can go as fast or as slow as you want. Patience and practice really does equal fun!

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Ratchet and Clank is probably my favorite franchise of all time, and certainly my favorite Sony franchise. Of all the great titles from the PS2 era, this is the one series that I still return to. The gameplay, the humor, the art direction, the creature and robot design, the characters... it all just comes together perfectly in the strange, whacky universe that Ratchet, Clank, and Captain Quark live within.

Now, I can finally play those PS2 classics in HD format, and boy, does it make a difference. I was reserved about the graphics, based on the available photos, but the pictures look nowhere as good as the actual games when they're in action on your HDTV. It's great to see the visuals so crisply sharpened up, and tailored to fit a widescreen. Understandably, these games look nowhere near as good as "Tools of Destruction" or "A Crack in Time", since those were developed from the ground up for a more sophisticated console. But that's okay. The gameplay is so rock solid, and the improvement to the visuals is so significant, I quickly lost myself in these adventures once again... it was like a reunion with a great friend. Insanely addictive and enjoyable, I immediately resumed trying to scoop up every last bolt, and acquire every last, whacky weapon and gadget. The mechanics/controls have aged remarkably well (even with the lack of strafing in #1), as have the storytelling and voice acting aspects.

The addition of trophies, along with the ever popular "skill points" that the series is known for, is a huge bonus for players who want to reinvest time exploring these fantastic alien worlds. I obviously have not had time to explore every nook and cranny of this enormous collection, but so far, so good, and I'm looking forward to every moment of revisiting these adventures. It sure took a while, but it was worth the wait. My one minor gripe is that "Deadlocked" is not included, making this one title short of a complete R&C collection from the PS2 era. Insomniac, if you're listening... please consider adding "Deadlocked" as a DLC to reward your loyal fans. Thanks!

Update: Some have commented about the Sly Cooper demo. It comes in the form of a "voucher" code, which must be redeemed on PSN.

Update #2: Maybe somebody at Insomniac heard us, because they just announced that "Deadlocked" will be available on PSN later this year!

Update #3: After thoroughly putting RC#1 HD through its paces, here are my further thoughts (all good):

I picked up RC for the PS2 when it was first released in 2002. At the time, I was wowed by the game. It seemed to take platformers to a whole new level, and it was one of the most enjoyable experiences I ever had with the PS2 console. It combined great humor, storytelling, platforming, combat, weapons, gadgets, and variety. The variety came from a number of tastefully implemented elements that broke up the gameplay, including using your Trespasser gadget to crack hi-tech locks, using Clank to control miniature "Gadgetbots" and solve puzzles, piloting starships in intergalactic battles, and even transforming into a gigantic robot to get into some arena-style combat.

More than anything else, this game got me HOOKEDI had to play it right to the end, and after that, I wanted to uncover all the hidden bolts, skill points, weapons, and gadgets. Never did I imagine that I would have as much fun when I went back to revisit RC with the RC Collection on PS3. But I'm happy to report that I did!

I CANNOT believe this game is TEN years old! It's true that it's been given the "HD makeover", but the content and gameplay mechanics are identical to the original. Even though this was the first RC entry, and improvements would slowly occur over time (such as strafing and an enhanced "quick select"), this game has aged remarkably well, and it's still as gripping and fun as it was ten years ago. What's just as impressive is how incredibly GOOD this game looks. Nothing was "rebuilt"; developer Idol Minds simply enhanced the resolution to HD and fit it to widescreen format. Yet, this game looks better than most PS3 games... and it's only a PS2 game! That speaks volumes about the fantastic, cartoony art direction that this series has always embraced, and the wonderful passion with which developer Insomniac poured into this game.

Ratchet and Clank fans, and newcomers alikerejoice!

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I didn't really start gaming again until I bought a PS3 back in 2010. At the time, I wasn't sure what to get so I curiously perused IGN's TOP 25 PS3 games and saw that Ratchet & Clank Future Tools Of Destruction had made the list. With its tantalizing Pixar-like imagery, I was intrigued and purchased it.

And played it to death. I immediately followed up with Quest for Booty and A Crack In Time.

I was hooked. Then, my 8-year old daughter and I saw an opportunity in Ratchet and Clank All 4 One. Was it Ratchet and Clank Future? No, but it allowed the father/daughter team that had previously bested Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2 to play again and we enjoyed it despite the sneers that some greeted it with.

Then I learned that the original Ratchet and Clank trilogy was being re-released on the PS3 in one collection. My daughter and I traded a look and the pre-purchase was instant; our PS3 slim model won't support PS2 disc-based games so we knew that this was going to be our one and only shot of experiencing how such a remarkable game series that ensnared us both got started to begin with.

Of course, I was a little apprehensive. Some HD updates have worked and others haven't (Silent Hill anyone? although they DID finally patch it on PS3). Was a PS2-era game going to wow me?

Unequivocally, yes yes YES! The work is phenomenal. An IGN reviewer stated that the controls were "buttery" (extremely smooth) and OH, they ARE! You can tell that the games were from a PS2 era, but you can also see how Insomniac must have definitely and quite fully utilized the PS2's potential just as much as the Future trilogy used the PS3. Gameplay levels are beautifully remastered. Cutscenes do show their age, but it's not as bad as some of the others that I've seen out there.

If you're familiar with a number of the Future controls, you'll almost feel instantly at home from the startup of the original and it won't take long for you to work out the few controls that are different. The 3D is also quite well-done, although it will drop to 30 fps instead of the 60 fps that you'll experience without it. That said, it's still pretty smooth and if 3D is your thing, then you don't have anything to fear. If it's not, you still will be quite pleased with the work done on this title. This is a remaster that was done RIGHT.

My daughter and I are loving it immensely and if you've never played Ratchet and Clank before, you should...now! Insomniac's beloved duo has made a much welcomed return...and, in our case, a welcome first-time arrival. Fully recommended!

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Ratchet and Clank are my heroes. They are the stuff legends are made of. Ever since I popped the original "Ratchet and Clank" game into my PS2 I've been hooked, and the series just kept getting better through the course of the three games that make up the original trilogy. Yes, Insomniac's epic saga of a lethal but lovable Lombax and his diminutive but dedicated robot sidekick, though it has had its rough spots (Ratchet: Deadlocked, Size Matters, All 4 One), has never failed to remind me why it is that I love it so much. The series' near perfection in its dynamic characters, epic storytelling, endlessly fun gameplay, eye-popping art style, and witty adult humor long ago made it my favorite videogame series of all time.

Just like any good legend, Ratchet and Clank are alive and well years after their maiden voyages took place. And now fans new and old can experience these voyages in HD. I am blown away by the improvements in all three games' graphics, but especially by those of the original game. Being ten years old, this title definitely needed a graphical upgrade and it certainly got it. "Ratchet and Clank" now looks as good as or better than anything on the PS2 and that is very gratifying. The same goes for R&C 2 and 3 as well.

Another thing that I noticed was the very welcome addition of trophy sets for each of the titles. Personally, I would have bought this collection even if trophies had not been included because I have never needed any extra incentive to immerse myself in these stellar games; however the trophies are a nice touch, giving me just one more reason to keep playing.

The bottom line is all three games look excellent with noticeably improved graphics. The games, as far as I can tell are not changed in any other way (good thing). And the experience is as exhilarating as ever. What more can one ask from an HD remastering?

Rather than prolong this review with more praise for my most beloved game series I will end by saying that for fans like me there was no question of whether or not to buy this collection. These classics are worth every penny. And if you, like me, have nearly worn out your PS2 copies of each of the three games included, this collection is not just a desire, it's a necessity. Lastly, to newcomers to the series I would simply say that I have never enjoyed three videogames as much as I have enjoyed the Ratchet and Clank original trilogy, and at the amazingly low price of 30 bucks these gaming gems should not be missed.

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When the whole "HD compilation of last generation games" move began a few years ago, the question on many people's minds was when the @$#@#! Sony was going to release a Ratchet and Clank HD collection. After all, Ratchet and Clank was one of the few franchises identified with Sony that had successfully transitioned to the PS3, and was one of the few surviving, somewhat traditional platforming franchises with some degree of critical and commercial success. The PS2 adventures of the mechanically inclined, tabby cat-like Ratchet, and his somewhat nerdish, diminutive robot companion Clank still remained absent, even as God of War, Metal Gear Solid, Sly Cooper, and Jak and Daxter collections all were released for the PS3. In 2012, Sony finally relented, and has released the original PS2 trilogy of Ratchet and Clank games for the PS3, in high definition. The question, as is the case in any of these HD re-releases, is whether games released so long ago, and in a lower resolution, can retain the same magic under the stark light of modern gaming conventions and high-definition expectations.

The good news is that the Ratchet and Clank games do stand up to that scrutiny. The collection includes the self-titled debut (RC1), Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando (GC), and Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal (UYA). The franchise is essentially a mix of Super Mario Brothers style platforming, the over-the-top gunplay of Contra, and the cartoon aesthetics/sensibilities of Looney Tunes (Duck Dodgers in particular) mixed with Pixar films, all in 3D. Unlike Jak and Daxter, the core principles and approach of the games have remained relatively consistent (more on the differences between the 3 games later). In terms of how this collection is put together overall, I have to admit that, like many of these collections, there's not a lot of polish. The title screen has artwork obviously ripped from 2011's Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One, the skimpy digital manual (there's no physical one) fails to retain all the detail and charm of the original PS2 manuals, and there's no extra features to be found. As is the case for almost all HD compilations, some of the in-game movies are either sub-HD or have had their aspect ratios altered, and switching games requires exiting entirely back to the PS3 dashboard.

That being said, I was shocked at how much care they put into restoring the first Ratchet and Clank game. Despite the general conventional wisdom that RC1 was inferior to its successors, I always felt that it had the strongest level design and best aesthetics of the series, and as a result, liked it a bit better than the others. The planets are memorable: the lush, open plains of Novalis, Eudora's forested greenery, the night-time desert frontier of Aridia, Hoven's wintry chill, the vast skyscrapers and hovercars of Metropolis, Pokitaru's blue water, and Gaspar's vivid red and orange lava fields all made quite an impression the first time around. Each of the many worlds also felt fairly busy and filled with things to do; there were usually at least a couple of distinct main paths to take. I'm not sure if it was due to the game possibly being originally designed at a higher resolution than its original PS2 release, but the HD version seems to be significantly more detailed and cleaned up than one would expect after playing the original on a PS2. Textures mostly seem more detailed than before, and the colors really "pop". The gameplay in RC1 is very much focused on "meat and potatoes" platforming and 3rd person gunplay, with a few diversions (hoverboard racing, turret gun sequences, one-off starfighter sections) thrown in to keep things fresh. The Clank solo sections provide an interesting change of pace, as the focus shifts from shooting and jumping to managing herds of robotic helpers, a la Lemmings. The gunplay is solid and very entertaining (Contra fans should note the probably unintentional tribute to the game's influence when on Batalia), albeit with a slightly wonky auto-aim mechanism, made up for by the sheer variety of crazy weapons. The platforming is pretty good, too, with rail-grinding sections that acknowledge that sometimes you just want a Sonic-esque roll-coaster ride, and magnet-boot sections that confound the player's orientation. Perhaps most importantly, RC1 has a camera-centering buttonsomething that Naughty Dog never implemented to the detriment of its Jak and Daxter series.

GC was developed well within the timeframe of "Grand Theft Auto fever", when focus group testing pushed gaming towards "grittier", less cheerful fare, and "open world gaming" became the new bandwagon to hop on, even if the concept of a game didn't mesh with that. Insomniac mostly stuck to their guns in terms of developing GC, but some of the new sensibilities still crept in. One thing that sticks out is that the worlds in GC were gloomier than those in RC1, with duller color palettes. The level design also felt somewhat stripped down and simpler as well. With that being said, Insomniac also took cues in terms of making the gameplay broader in scope, in line with the GTA games. Hoverbike racing challenges were made deeper than the prior game's hoverboard races, space combat/fighter racing took greater prominence, and the series' signature arena combat was introduced. RPG leveling aspects (for both Ratchet's health and his weapons) were worked in as well, while new gadgets such as the glider, and 2 distinct hacking mechanisms (each with its own minigame) further varied things. Targeting and movement were improved quite a bit, and RC1's unforgiving checkpoints were replaced with something a little more palatable. And despite the more spare aesthetics, GC had its share of memorable locations, including a desert world and a tundra world with large open sections for harvesting crystals while fighting enemies. Let's not forget the escalation in weaponry from the prior installment (you'll be tossing portable mini-nukes, unleashing balls of plasma-lightning, and spraying enemies with lava on a regular basis before all is said and done).

By the time UYA was released, the "next big thing" was the rising popularity of linear, accessible shooters, even as open world gaming was still settling into its place as a genre that was here to stay. UYA shows that influence, even if still within the stalwart Ratchet and Clank approach. UYA returns to a more vivid art style, while the wide scope of GC has been scaled back a bit for something more focused on set-pieces and visceral combat (with yet another bump in the arsenal providing the player with plasma whips and a space-rift creator). Gone are the racing aspects, and rail-grinding is a no show. Instead of space combat, UYA introduces sets of military-style "missions" on certain worlds, with both ground combat and gunship sequences. The arena combat does return, while the spherical moon sections from GC (years before Super Mario Galaxy hit the shelves) also return with more polish (check out the vista on the Obani moons!). UYA is probably the quickest-paced of these 3 games, and weapon-leveling has been segmented further so that you see more immediate improvements through continued use of any given weapon. While my game's save file clock indicates I've put in something like 16-17 hours to finish UYA, it feels like the "shortest" of the games. I should also note that UYA has the distinction of being one of the few platformers to have an online multiplayer component, which has been included here.

Overall, the games themselves are fantastic, with each bringing a distinct enough strong point to the series, so that it's hard to say which is "the best". Unfortunately, there are a few odd glitches here and there (Ratchet's space helmet in cutscenes from GC and UYA, some players having occasional freezing at points, issues with how meters appear on the screen, and whatever you do, don't go right back into single player after playing multiplayer in UYA, unless you want to permanently disable the weapons wheel pause). In addition, there are a couple points where for some reason, the graphics look a bit....unpolished (notably in UYA, where the very first world of Veldin has a grotesquely fake-looking sun-glare "ring"). This, however, may simply be due to higher resolutions drawing attention to the occasional lapse in fidelity that was present in the originals. All told, the diligent gamer will get 40+ hours out of this compilation on the first playthrough (there's also a "new game+" challenge mode for each game), while the obsessive player could tack on another 10 or more hours before revisiting the games via challenge mode. While all 3 of Sony's platforming collections are, in my opinion, essential PS3 purchases, this collection is the best of them, simply due to the consistently high quality of all 3 games.

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I've been known to get my hands on a lot of games and play them. During the PS2 era I managed to get my hands on a ton of games. Strangely, however, I never actually picked up Ratchet and Clank. Despite the games being one of the biggest selling franchises on the PS2, I never got around to playing them. My first foray into the Lombax's universe and the little robot backpack was playing Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction. Upon playing that game, I was in pure awe of everything it had to offer. As I planned to dust off my PS2 and find the previous three games used, I was told by the clerk that perhaps I should wait, as an HD collection was right around the corner. Sure enough, that collection hit and I got to experience the first three games for the very first time in splendid HD.

It has been ten years since Ratchet and Clank debuted, and as I sat there playing the collection I found myself in awe. They were amazing games. Games that, with each installment, actually got better and better. And what was remarkable about this progression was that at no point in time did I ever feel one game had to "fix" the flaws of another. No, rather each new game just adds the right amount of new stuff to keep it interesting and make the experience more rewarding.

HD Collections are slowly being debated about in the gaming industry. But Ratchet and Clank is most certainly one of the better ones. When it comes to gaming and graphics one little known aspect that is hardly talked about is the aesthetics themselves and how sometimes that is what makes a game hold up. During the Playstation 2 era a lot of games tried to do character models that were closer to looking photo-realistic or something along those lines. This makes HD Collections like Metal Gear Solid look great, but their age shows a little bit more. A game like Ratchet and Clank, however, uses incredibly vibrant colors and cartoon like qualities. And one thing seems to be certain: These kinds of aesthetics most definitely age better than the ones going for a more "realistic" look. Case in point, if you didn't know the Ratchet and Clank games were originally Playstation 2 titles you might not assume they were right off the bat. There's A LOT of detail put into these games and they've actually aged rather well. No, they've got nothing on say... Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, but it's still admirable the amount of detail put into these games. In crisp HD they're amazing on the eyes. It is by far one of the best looking HD Collections you can find. It made that transition smoothly.

There are moments where the aspect ratio is still 4:3 and, of course, that can't be helped. They're pre-rendered cutscenes. But at the very least these scenes were updated as well. This is really only noticeable in the first Ratchet and Clank, however. The sides of your television will be black for these scenes. However, it's a step up from some HD collections that left their pre-rendered stuff untouched. There are moments in game, however, where it's still kept at the 4:3 ratio when it could've been stretched. Again, this mostly noticeable in the first one, as it has a lot of those moments.

Gameplay wise, Ratchet and Clank is familiar. You usually play as Ratchet, running around with Clank on your back. You'll be able to buy and find an assortment of weapons throughout the entire experience of all three games. In the first game it's merely finding and equipping them. But in the second there is more variety and they level up. By the time you get to the third you'll have a whole host of weapons to play with. As you move from one game to the next you can also carry over some weapons from one game to the next. Although with some weapons there isn't much point to carrying them over. For instance, in Going Commando, you start off with a Gravity Bomb that has a huge blast radius as it is. There's not much reason to carry over the original Bomb Glove from Ratchet and Clank in this instance. Often you'll find the new arsenal in each new game better than the last.

As with most HD Collections, however, you begin to see how some games have really aged. Despite just being ten years old, it may take some gamers a bit of time to adjust to some of the controls. In the instances of swimming it took a moment to adjust. It also took a moment to adjust to the camera controls and to the idea of pressing the O button to fire when most modern day games rely on using R1. These are, of course, minor complaints. Namely because the Ratchet and Clank games were state of the art. It's just how games were made in 2002. The controls, for the most part, don't really improve much as you go from one game to another. This is actually not so bad as once you settle in you'll pretty much be okay for the whole set. The games aren't long either so you'll easily pass through all of them. There is trophy support added for those who want it, though, and some of them are quite fun to try for while others just seem silly to go for (collecting 1 million bolts in the first game is just tedious without exploiting a well known glitch).

That's not to say everything about the collection is perfect. There were times when there was some noticeable frame rate issues. And normally this happens when a game is overcrowded with a lot of data on screen, but this wasn't the case here. Sometimes the frame rate seemed to dip for essentially no reason. Likewise, sometimes when the audio would loop it would hiccup for just a second or two.

It's actually quite amazing how well the games have aged. I am sitting here playing these games for the first time after having played Future: Tools of Destruction and it's hard not to be impressed. Certainly the controls aren't up to speed, but they're still solid and tight that learning them is all that is necessary. It never really trips you up. The progression through each planet is also simply amazing. It's also nice to see how the games evolved in every standpoint. The production values in the first one are stellar as it is, for instance, and jumping into Going Commando once I was finished with my first adventure showed a major step. Simply put, each game just kept getting better in every sense of the word. More weapons. More variety of levels and exploration. Other aspects just simply got better. The cutscenes in each game looked and sounded better. The voice acting got better with each game. The writing got better with each game. The humor got better with each game. And most important, each new adventure was better.

It's hard not to recommend the collection. All small hiccups aside, these are phenomenal games. There are hardly any platformers out there that can best Ratchet and Clank. Many come close but few truly eclipse it in terms of quality and substance. Not to mention it has moments of just pure action and amazement. To revisit them in HD or (as is my case) to discover these gems for the first time is well worth the investment.