Reviews of Phantom Breaker

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This game has so many famouse CV. I love this game not only because of CV also the designer of the charcter. The character settings are perfect.

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this was like one of the best thing have happend to me and i was hopeing there will be some come to the us more but anyways i still loved it

Nascar Heat 2002 Review

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This is the best NASCAR game out there bar none. I am a huge NASCAR fan and I love this game! The playability of the game is excellent and you can spend hours making highly technical adjustments on the car in the garage and they make an amazing difference to how the car handles. If you're not up for such technical things and just want to race, go for it! The cars are set up very well from the get go and you can be very competetive without making any adjustments to the car. Most of the NASCAR stars are depicted in this game along with quite a few drivers that I've never heard of. The tutorial is great as are the one on one challenges against the NASCAR stars. The only complaints I have about this game are the graphics which at times simulate the sun glaring on your windshield which gets annoying at times. Also, I ran into a problem while racing at Martinsville. The race went under caution after the 4th lap and the pace car kept coming off and on to the track. The race didn't go back to green again and it was very frustrating. I haven't faced any other problems with this game. Fix this minor glitch and you've got an AMAZINGLY stunning game!

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When I first popped "Nascar Heat" into my X-Box I have to admit, I was a little disappointed. The graphics don't look as impressive as they do with "Nascar Thunder". But as I started to play they game I realized there was no comparison. The race cars have a better feel about them. If you play in the Hardcore mode, (No driver aids) the way I always do, you quickly realize this game is tough too beat. It's harder to win than any other racing game I have. (That's saying a lot.) Both "Thunder" and "Heat have problems with their two road racing courses, way too much slow down. "Heat" is almost impossible to drive on the two road courses with the driving aids turned off. But on the short Nascar ovals "Heat" has it all over "Thunder". The one funny thing about "Heat" is that there is no way to speed up the process when a yellow comes out. You have to wait for the pits to open, (Just like the real Nascar) and then you have to wait several laps before going back to green. My advice, get up and stretch and have a cup and coffee, and be ready to go back to green. Can't wait for this game to get updated. Now get out there and buy a racing wheel and pedals, and you'll never go back to hand controllers again.

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This game is so much fun still 6 years after i bought it. Me and my brother still play this game every weekend and have a blast playing it. There are 27 real nascar drivers and 16 fantasy drivers (unfortunately no #15 michael waltrip NAPA car) kind of a bummer that they don't have the 2001 winner of the daytona 500 in here since the game takes place during the 2001 season and no dale earnhardt sr. in the game. Other than that this game rocks, every track except bristol is awesome and even though they left out indy, pocono, chicago, and kansas the rest of the game makes up for it. If you are a NASCAR fan I WOULD HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND BUYING THIS GAME, it blows away any EA Sports title in a landslide becasue unlike EA this game actually has a real simulation feel to it along with spectacular crashes and pile ups. The multiplayer is a blast once you get a couple of your friends over and the racing can get pretty intense at times. The beat the heat mode and Race the pro modes are fun also and can really help you become good at the game. Bottom line is this is the BEST NASCAR GAME FOR THE XBOX STILL.

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THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD GAME.IT HAS SEVERAL GOOD GAMES TO CHOOSE FROM. IT I HAD TO GIVE IT A GRADE.B

THIS WAS A USED GAME.

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This is the best NASCAR game out there bar none. I am a huge NASCAR fan and I love this game! The playability of the game is excellent and you can spend hours making highly technical adjustments on the car in the garage and they make an amazing difference to how the car handles. If you're not up for such technical things and just want to race, go for it! The cars are set up very well from the get go and you can be very competetive without making any adjustments to the car. Most of the NASCAR stars are depicted in this game along with quite a few drivers that I've never heard of. The tutorial is great as are the one on one challenges against the NASCAR stars. The only complaints I have about this game are the graphics which at times simulate the sun glaring on your windshield which gets annoying at times. Also, I ran into a problem while racing at Martinsville. The race went under caution after the 4th lap and the pace car kept coming off and on to the track. The race didn't go back to green again and it was very frustrating. I haven't faced any other problems with this game. Fix this minor glitch and you've got an AMAZINGLY stunning game!

Cheap Sonic Ultimate Genesis Collection

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Right to the point: There is nothing not to like about this collection. I've played it for the last few days and have loved every moment.

This disc brings together a huge collection of almost all of Sega's best games from the Genesis era. All the expected titles are here -the Sonic the Hedgehog games, the Golden Axe series, Space Harrier, Shinobi and much more -plus some awesome stuff you might not expect. (Presumably we'll see games like Afterburner and the lock-on version of Sonic 3 + S&Knuckles in a second installment.)

Two of the biggest reasons to be wowed by this set are:

Phantasy Star series -With the four games included here (1-4), you get some of the best RPGs of the era and dozens upon dozens of hours of gameplay. The ahead-of-its-time Phantasy Star, the stunning Phantasy Star II (which influenced the direction of Final Fantasy in a big way), the amazing epic Phantasy Star IV. Just these four games alone are worth the $30. Heck, DOUBLE that. No fan of JRPG's should go without playing these.

Shining series -Two predecessors of the popular Final Fantasy Tactics series (Shining paved the way for this sort of game) as well as a first-person dungeon crawler, these are fan favorites for a reason. They're great. Ahead of their time and they hold up great.

And SO many more. Shinobi. The difficult roguelike Fatal Labyrinth. Fun platformer Alex Kidd. Tetris clone Columns. Even coin-op classic Zaxxon! A HUGE collection!

All games allow you to save at any time, in any game, anywhere. This is a GREAT feature. Plus it saves high scores, has full 16:9 support for widescreen TVs, and you can toggle on graphics smoothing to make the games look even better than they did upon release. It's a dynamite feature. (The "museum" and interview extras are a nice bonus, too.)

All in all this is one of the best retro gaming bargains of the year. Got my copy a few days ago and already have loads of hours under my belt. The inclusion of not one but TWO fan favorite RPG series gives this disc an enormous amount of play value.

If you have any interest at all in retro gaming, ESPECIALLY if you were a fan of the Genesis era or if you missed out on the Genesis because you had a SNES, you owe it to yourself to grab this collection.

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Late last year, Sonic Team over at Sega released "Sonic Unleashed" which did have its problems, mind you, but didn't really do anything stellar the entire way through. Reviewers pointed out that Sonic's previous games were miles ahead better and I find nostalgia can help make a game's success. After all, that one game that critics hated at the time might've been one of your favorites but looking at it now you go "wow did that game have issues". Therein lies the major issue/fun with the Ultimate Genesis Collection: does the bulk of these games stand the test of time? Some definately do while others will probably get barely a few minutes before you decide it's awful but there's a lot of work to be done here if you get this.

One of the most important and influential game series that kickstarted the Sega Genesis was Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega's answer to Nintendo's Mario and included is a truckload of Sonic games: 1, 2, 3, Sonic and Knuckles, 3D Blast, Pinball and to a degree, Dr. Beatnik's Mean Bean Machine, a puzzle game akin to Dr. Wario, Yoshi's Cookie and Super Puzzle Fighter II. The first 4 are great and well worth the purchase while 3D Blast controls awkwardly, Pinball is decent but not stellar and Mean Bean Machine is good though later stages work a bit too damn fast for my tastes.

Another group featured is the side scroller platformer which run the gamut from Ristar to Kid Chameleon (woo!) to Decap Attack to E-Swat (big eh) to 2 Vectorman games. Beat-em-ups like Streets of Rage and Golden Axe are included and for RPG fans: all 4 Phantasy Stars. It's safe to say that nearly every kind of game is available on here from long drawn-out games to quicker arcade-y stuff but be warned: some of these games are...kind of hard. Not in that underpowered "everyone's better than you" way like a Ninja Gaiden but rather many times in the games you won't even get continues so if you die, boom, Game Over and you're sent back to the title screen which is really disheartening and I'm surprised I don't remember getting more furious when I was younger.

Now of course any collection from greatest hits to game collections is bound to have some stuff missing or curious additions. Fatal Labyrinth well...sucks, the Ecco games are familiar but playing through them, they're surprisingly boring and Super Thunder Blade is too easy to die in. But then, most likely because of dual releases on the Super Nintendo we're missing some other favorites: Battletoads, Toe Jam and Earl, the awesome WWF games, Maximum Carnage, any of the Road Rashes and to be honest, I quite liked the Aero the Acro-Bat games. Most of these games you probably wouldn't give the time of day too while other ones like Ristar and Comix Zone actually surprised me.

Naturally like all Xbox 360 games, there's achievements and these aren't just simply beat game, beat game kind but rather objective based so for example one of Golden Axe's achievements is to use magic a certain amount of times. Easy right? Every time you get a magic ability, use it and eventually, there we go. And thanks to the ability to save games anywhere you want but pressing the Back button, some achievements like the ones for Mean Bean Machine, Columns or Sonic Pinball can be done just by saving states after a certain time and loading save if you die. There's a couple like "Yatta!" that can potentially drive you crazy since it's more luck than anything while others are just simply "Turn to easy, max lives, play".

Another disappointing factor is that the games don't have online play, whether co-op for Golden Axe or Streets of Rage or leaderboards. Imagine competing against somebody to see who can get the highest score in Columns or taking on enemies with other buddies but sadly none of it are implemented and it's strictly offline co-op. But there's quite a few unlockables from videos of the games' developers to additional games (while unlocking Shinobi is cool, Congo Bongo flat out sucks) but it's the games that are important and for completionists, having so much games to beat will surely keep you busy.

The Ultimate Genesis Collection is tough to judge as a game because for every Sonic the Hedgehog or surprising gem like Ristar there's godawfulness from Fatal Labyrinth to Flicky to Bonanza Bros. However getting all Sonics, Phantasy Stars, Streets of Rage, and Golden Axes on one disc is reason enough to get it.

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First let's talk about the value of this game. Essentially, it's 49 Sega games (including the unlockable titles) for about 20 dollars! If I was buying these games separately, it would be well over 100s of dollars because these titles tend to go for 5-6 dollars each. And some are not available on the wii, ps3, or xbox live outside of this disc. Good luck finding a genesis and cartridges too. I most likely would have never played most of these titles if it wasn't for this compilation. Example: Alex Kidd, Bonanza Bros. and Dynamite Headdy. I never even heard of these games but I love them so much after I played them.

This game is great for its nostalgia factor too. I feel like a gaming archeologist playing Flicky and the arcade version of Altered Beast. It's like exploring your grandparents attic for the first time. There's so many interesting things inside this disc. Playing Alien Storm for the first time was crazy cause I didn't expect to play a robot that self-destructed. There were moments in Streets of Rage 3 where I couldn't stop laughing at the sheer silliness of the game.

I also love the multiplayer games like Golden Axe, Streets of Rage, etc. There were times when my husband and i were just "accidentally" beating each other up in Streets of Rage and it was so hilariously fun. I loved every minute of it.

Here's my only problem with the game. The manual isn't really complete. You need to go to to download a complete game manual. I understand this because it is 49 games, and I think if they had to re-print all the manuals to each game, it probably cost a heck of a lot more than 20 dollars. The HD graphic improvements are hit or miss for some games, but it's OK cause you can turn that option off. It's kinda sad that you can't lock Sonic and Knuckles with Sonic 3, but I'm fine with that cause this has 49 games!

Finally, Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine just makes me angry.

Honest reviews on Sonic Ultimate Genesis Collection

I was ecstatic to hear the collection of titles for this collection. Since I sold my genesis a few weeks ago to buy this I figured it would be a great trade off and I could now play all my favorites on the XBOX360 without having to fuss with having another console hooked up.

I want to point out a few of the things for people on the fence about this collection. First if you enjoyed these games growing up you will love this collection. They play great, look great, and each game has a museum where there is tidbits of information about the game and box art.

Now to the negatives:

1. Sonic and Knuckles in the collection can not be used in "Lock on" mode. So you can not play Sonic 2 or Sonic 3 with Knuckles. This is disappointing considering the fact that Sonic Jam on the Sega Saturn has this feature.

2. No online leaderboards. I was surprised by this announcement. Other gaming collections feature online leaderboards and it would have gave all the games a greater sense of replay value. I am one of those people who loved and conquered Sonic 3 so many times I would have played it over and over just to make a leaderboard.

3. Achievements are fairly easy. ( Where the heck is the achievement for beating Streets of Rage 3 on hard? I can not tell you how many nights I stayed up when I was younger trying to beat it on hard with a friend. This leads me to my next point.

4. No online multiplayer. I will not go into this. Obviously this feature would have been awesome.

Some positive feature include being able to save your game and being able to organize the games by list so that your favorite game will always appear at the top of the list when you start up the collection.

Regarding the video quality. I have a 42 inch 1080p Westinghouse LCD TV and all the games look really bright and colorful when stretched to full screen. By default all games start in a windowed mode and you have to press the "Start" button and select "Video Options". From there you can stretch the game to full screen and enable a "Smoothing" option that makes the colors a little better. You have to do this for every game so it makes a little annoying when starting up each game for the first time.

In the end if you are a die hard Sega fan and want to relive the games of the past you owe it to yourself to pick up the collection. If you are hoping for something new then you might as well skip this collection for now. I doubt Sega will patch in online leaderboards or multiplayer.

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First off, this collection of games is probably only going to appeal to big fans of 16-bit gaming, although I'm sure that it would also appeal to people that have a strong curiosity in playing games from about 20 years ago, and children that are just getting into video games The children in my family (ages 5 to 9) seem to really dig it, while the slightly older crowd (ages 10 to 13) don't seem to be too interested in the older technology.

I think the collection is completely worth it just for the Phantasy Star and Shining Force games, so when all the Genesis Sonic, Streets of Rage, Vectorman, and Golden Axe games are also included, this really does start to feel like a major bargain.

If I have minor gripes with the collection, it's that a couple of strong first party games like Toejam and Earl, and Outrun, would have been nice additions over weaker games like Alex Kidd, or Super Thunderblade Two games that I'm pretty sure most wouldn't spend much time with. The bonus arcade games is a nice touch, although Altered Beast is the only one that I thought was worthwhile (and that's only for the few old schoolers that like Altered Beast to begin with). The addition of the original Phantasy Star was a really nice bonus, and I wish that could have done a little more of that with a couple more Master System games. However, for the 10-20 bucks you can get this collection for, it really is hard to complain that they didn't add enough, so these are really minor gripes.

For people that REALLY love their Genesis games, this collection probably won't be a suitable substitute for the original hardware (and software). The 360 d-pad is really iffy, and I personally prefer playing on the original Genesis controllers. Although it really won't matter on the RPGs, you will notice a difference trying to pull off moves in Streets of Rage. I'm not completely sure if 3rd party controllers are available with better D-pads, so I guess it's worth looking into.

All in all, this is a very solid collection of games for the price. Diehard oldschoolers will probably find a few things to complain about, but I think that most that enjoy this era of gaming will probably walk away with thier nostalgia itch satisfied.

Reviews of Rocksmith Guitar And Bass

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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I. DVD Installation short guide:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thank you Rocksmith!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Some points worth knowing:

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

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

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

PS2 USB Energy Metal Arcade 3 in 1 Dance Pad with Handle Bars Review

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $299.99
Sale Price: $289.99
Today's Bonus: 3% Off

If you are like me, you are shopping for pads because you are afraid that eventually you won't be able to buy them anymore. I have ALWAYS wanted metal pads, and it took me 8 years to solidly convince myself to take the plunge, and months of shopping around to find the ones right for me. These pads are as close to perfect as you are going to get in this price range.

They feel solid. They are well built, and feel like they will last a good while. The USB units are plug and play (Windows 7 64 bit here), and they are read in as 2 axis 16 button (?!) controllers. There are only 6 buttons on it total, counting the "axis' but at least windows names them. Once windows knew what they were, stepmania was able to incorperate them right away in the config keys screen.

There is only one con to these, and really I don't feel so bad about it. The arrows. You can't just tap them like you would regular DDR (ITG/Pump/Whatever) arrows. They sit recessed in the pad, but they are about a half inch up from the actual sensor themselves, so when you set on one you have to make sure to add enough pressure to touch the arrow to sensor. At first this is difficult, because once you reach the 9 foot difficulty and up songs you tend to learn to glide over arrows to conserve energy. For me this has meant relearning a very basic part of game play, and after a day solid of playing on these I barely notice it anymore. My first song on the pads each day will be a 'D' followed by 'A's and 'AA's. It really doesn't detract at all, and now I feel it might actually be a good thing seeing as after working in an arcade I know how often those sensitive to tapping DDR sensors need to be replaced. These will probably last a good while longer.

One final note, when I got these home, their boxes that connected the pads to my computer would show up as malfunctioning in windows. I could only play on one of them, and was scared I received a broken one. After some snooping around, I discovered a possible solution. All I needed was a powered USB hub (CyberPower High-Speed 7-Port USB Hub) to get my pads up and running flawlessly. Apparently my choice of using a 620w Antec psu to power my i5 560ti rig meant there wasn't enough power left being sent to the usb to power these pads. If you are considering buying these, OR already have them and are facing this problem try out this solution before you try to mail back 50 pounds of metal and awesome.

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My friends and I are all decent DDR players (MyselfDouble Pad: 6-7 Steps; My friendSingle Pad: 9-10 Steps). The arrows are highly responsive and it feels like the arcade with the recessed buttons. You can play with shoes or socks. The bar is nice and sturdy if you follow that instructions; make sure to fasten it in tight. There is no lag from consoles and if you set it up on PC get Stepmania 4 (not 3.9), a free DDR emulator, for the best results.

NOTE: For PC, a newer computer will help reduce lag, as well as unplugging any USB devices that are not in use.

NOTE: If you set it up to a large TV with a stereo system, there may be audio lag. Newer DDR games and Stepmania both have tools to adjust this.

I'm very satisfied with my purchase, as all the DDR machines in the area are either broken or crappy.

Buy from Amazon.com for great price and reliability.

Best Deals for PS2 USB Energy Metal Arcade 3 in 1 Dance Pad with Handle Bars

****UPDATE*****

I have had these pads for a couple months now and the up arrow no longer functions.

The DDR Game only offers a 30 day warranty so I am S.O.L. If I would of known these pads would die after only a few months I would have never purchased them.

I do not recommend these pads to anyone and I recommend you look elsewhere for DDR Pads.

STAY AWAY FROM DDR GAME PRODUCTS!

Honest reviews on PS2 USB Energy Metal Arcade 3 in 1 Dance Pad with Handle Bars

It is sturdy, well made, and a good value at the price I purchased it considering it's weight (I paid around $250 shipped). Everyone notes how great it looks. I really looks better in person than the pictures.

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Simple to set up, simple to use, and does exactly you want. The weight keeps it from slipping around like a foldable, however that blessing is a burden when you're trying to move it.

Penguin United Eagle Eye Mouse and Keyboard Converter for Xbox 360 Review

Customer Ratings:

After using the Eagle eye PS3 3.0 version I see no difference in performance on the Eagle eye Xbox 360 version. Very responsive movements and nice micro aiming. I was impressed with the quick twitch wrist aiming translating to screen movements even though not 100% 1:1 definitely close. Having used all the emulator products on the market the last 4 years this product has excellent price to performance. This is a very good option for keyboard and mouse users who want to play on console. The video basically shows the movements I observed right out of the box I tuned the sensitivity that was it.

Slight jaggy vertical aiming no scoped without tuning out of the box but this wasn't an issue just something to be noted. I also noticed this on the ps3 version and on the xim3 it very well may be my mousepad... Anyway hope this helps people out.

Pros

Keyboard and choice of gamer mouse

Nice alternative to gamepad

Price

Cons

None that I found

Mousepad used Rocketfish control side.

I will update this review if anything changes but as of right now I found no bugs and I torture tested this product on MW3 stay sharp.

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So...as you have probably read from other reviews, This product performs very well once you take the time to properly calibrate it. With a little bit of trial and error I was able to fine tune it into to near perfection.

Buyer Beware:

Must have a wired xbox360 controller (a wireless one with a play and charge adapter wont work)

Not all devices will work. Most will, but only a few are "officially" approved by the company. (I have a wow cataclysm mouse from steel series that works great)

******Deal breaker for me****** Does not support headsets. (which is why I give it a 3 outta 5) The only way to chat with this device is to use a wireless headset that syncs with the xbox and does not require a controller. If you have a normal headset and feel like upgrading, i believe you can pick one up for $30, which isn't too bad. Unless, like me, you have a high end 5.1 surround sound headset that you never play without. This wasn't something i came across when reading reviews (and i did read a few) so here is your heads up.

If this supported headsets i would keep it. As it is, I am returning it and will be spending an extra $20 on the xim edge

Best Deals for Penguin United Eagle Eye Mouse and Keyboard Converter for Xbox 360

I picked one of these up at Frys Electronics after reading a few reviews on the internet.

Although the specification clearly said that it wouldn't work with a wireless keyboard, I decided to try one anyways. It's working 100% with no problems for me.

I am using it with the keyboard from the "Microsoft Wireless Desktop 800" for the Mouse I am using a Razer Deathadder. I will definitely update this post If I start getting any issues with this wireless keyboard, for now I'm thrilled it's working even though it shouldn't.

I downloaded one of the available profiles for Modern Warfare 3 from the company website, and after playing with it for a few minutes I was planning on returning it. The movement seemed erratic and jumpy.

Then I decided I would give the calibration a try before returning it. calibration wasn't super easy, but it wasn't rocket science either. It took me about 30 minutes to get all the different calibrations and sensitivity settings the way I thought I they should be.

Not more than 5 minutes into an Xbox Live multi-player Free for all match and I got used to this thing and was thrilled at how well It was working.

It's a definite keeper, but it NEEDS TO BE CALIBRATED. I'm a recent PC to Xbox 360 convert and while this does not provide the exact accuracy and speed a computer keyboard and mouse does; It's much easier to get accustomed to than a gamepad controller. And for me the bottom line is that Xbox games are just funner with it, I'm looking forward to trying it out on more games.

Honest reviews on Penguin United Eagle Eye Mouse and Keyboard Converter for Xbox 360

I think it may have just been the one that I ordered but when I plugged the proven and tested keyboard and mouse into the Eagle Eye it only worked half the time. I was using the Razer Naga and Razer Lycosa. Every time I would plug them in the light on the 360 would go out saying that the converter was not plugged in. Having said that, I would recommend this to any user who does not want to throw down 150+ on the Xim3. When it worked...it worked flawlessly. It took a little tuning to get it to the way that I liked it but after that it worked wonders.

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Make sure you have the right tools to use this hardware. You absolutely should check and make sure your mouse and keyboard are compatible with this device prior to buying, and make sure you also have an official xbox 360 wired controller.

Apart from the peripherals. this product works wonderfully. Setup was quite easy, you must have to make sure you run the software as administrator on your computer when setting up your device.

In game the controls worked perfectly for modern warfare 3.here is an ingame demo of how well it works.

Best Disney Infinity Power Disc Rapunzel's Kingdom Deals

Customer Ratings:

I was lucky and got this disc with my starter kit it's pretty awesome! If you put down a sky-changer, you can turn your sky into a night-sky with a bunch of castles and candles in the background. It even changes the music, and you get a tranquil-sounding guitar song.

I don't have any other discs so I can't say how this compares to the others (haven't bought any booster packs or anything), but I'm really happy I got this one, haha.

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My children love, love, love Disney Infinity the game. They are also huge fans of Tangled movie, so this was a must have for our toybox. Thank you for the wonderful product and fast service.

Discount KontrolFreek GamerPack RECON

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $34.99
Sale Price: $20.99
Today's Bonus: 40% Off

I play COD MW3 and I heard about these little guys and thought they were a gimmick, but Something made me try them. I bought this pack because I wanted to see which one works better for me since I mostly use AR's. I put the original FPS freek on my right stick and haven't taken it off since. ALMOST EVERY SINGLE ROUND I RECEIVED THE MOST HEADSHOT REWARD. I was flabbergasted. The trick to these: you have to turn your sensitivity up high so not only can you spin around like a tornado but you still have precise control over your weapon when lining up a shot. It's beautiful. I would recommend these if you're already a somewhat decent player but just need that little edge to take you over the top.

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Let me first start of by saying that I already consider myself an above average player at Call of Duty. I have a 3.8 K/D in Black Ops, and a 2.4 K/D in MW3. This surely isn't amazing but above average.

I purchased the FPS Freek Recon because I didn't know which would be better for me: the CQC, or the Original.

FPS FREEK-----------------------------

So I actually received this from my friend a year ago, but I used them once, thought they were stupid, and gave them away. A couple months later, I realized that my analog sticks were very slippery, and I felt the need for grips.

This takes getting used to. I approximately took 3 or 4 hours to finally get the hang of it.

What the FPS Freek does is that it extends the analog stick, so that if you are playing on a 10 sensitivity, you will be able to move the stick more precisely. I was originally playing on a 6 sensitivity, but I have upped it to 8 with this purchase.

IT DOES NOT MAKE YOU A BETTER PLAYER! It basically just gives you the opportunity to spin like a tornado, and move precisely at the same time.

By the way, for the PS3 controller, it touches the D-PAD at times, but not too big of a deal.

It definitely adds grip to the stick. The CQC is better if you're just looking for grip.

FPS FREEK CQC----------------------------

These definitely feel better to use if you're looking for "grip". They are flatter, which means they will not change your game too much.

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Purchased this after multiple recommendations from gamer friends to see if it would assist. The item has assisted greatly in overall accuracy with large tip on right directional stick and smaller tip on left directional stick. Greatly improved overall grip as well. Thanks for a great product KontrolFreek!

Honest reviews on KontrolFreek GamerPack RECON

A really great little accessory that increases your range of movement with the sticks. It takes a few hours to really get used to them, but once you do you'll never go back. You'll really notice an improvement in your ability to track moving targets at range. And they're also great for racing game too!

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once you try them you wont want anything else, my son says it feels funny when you don't use them, so I will buy them and the price is great

NFL Fever 2002 Reviews

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List Price: $29.95
Sale Price: $28.45
Today's Bonus: 5% Off

Everyone wants to know "How does NFL Fever 2002 compare to Madden 2002?" The answer is that Fever compares favorably, but is ultimately a different sort of football game. If you always thought Madden was "too arcadey" then you might want to steer clear of this one, as it plants itself somewhere between the simulation efforts of Madden and Sega's NFL 2K2, and the kamikaze kinetics of the NFL Blitz series. Fever is actually a very compelling and fun game once you get over the fact that you aren't playing Madden.

Fever easily pulls off the best graphics ever in a console football game. From the integration of many different intro shots for each play, to the exacting detail which accompanies every hit, jump, and stiff-arm, it is fantastically clear that the developers went the extra mile to really draw you in to the game and create an exciting & colorful world. The players jabber at one another, celebrate successful offensive achievements, and showboat after a steller defensive effort. It really does make Madden look fairly pale and colorless as a result.

The commentary suffers from some uneven choppiness ("FIVE... yard... reception by... ENGRAM!") but does give some timely insight in certain situations ("The defense is in a 3-4, a run would be successful here.") The much-touted graphics are indeed a step-up from Madden, but are not letter-perfect. The detailed faces are a very nice addition, but disappoint when Jerome Bettis looks nothing like Jerome Bettis. He's detailed, but looks nothing like the real guy. But it sure beats Madden's cheesy Kewpie-Doll faces.

The bottom-line really comes down to gameplay, and Fever tends toward "the big play." Interceptions are more common than in Madden, big runs, big returns, long gains, freight-train tackles, all of it brings make Fever seem a little over-the-top, and really makes Madden seem slow & pensive in comparison. Which is why some won't take to this more reactive arcade style of gameplay. Traditional football playcalling & tactics still apply, but the realism factor is purposefully loosened to create a more no-holds-barred atmosphere designed to ramp up the fun-factor.

Honestly, it took me a few times before I was ready to accept this type of football (not to mention getting used to the XBox controller) but once I did, I really started to appreciate the flair and style that Fever brings. I guess the telling thing is that I tried to go back to Madden and really had to mentally shift gears to prepare for a different sort of football experience. NFL Fever 2002 is fun, easy to pick up and play, easy to like, great 2-player fun, and a lot deeper than your average console football game. And they did an admirable job of injecting some life into a stale genre by pushing the fun-factor way up while still retaining the confines of real football.

If too many years of Madden is gradually putting you to sleep, get into the Fever and see how much fun a football game can be.

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I first thought of NFL fever as a blow off game like gameday for PSx. but this game is BETTER than madden, at least this yr. 2003 may be another story. i played it at babbages and the controls are basically the same, and Fever is completely new and does show off the power of Xbox.

Ive been playing Madden since it first came out for Genesis, and im surprised to say Fever is better.

Best Deals for NFL Fever 2002

I am one of those diehard Madden fans (aka stat-freaks) and the only reason I get video game consoles such as the Genesis, Psone, DreamCast, Ps2,and now the X-Box is for the Basketball and Football. For all except the Dreamcast, its been all about EA sports. When I finally got my hands on NFL Fever (which was the whole purpose of me getting an x box) I was drooling. I turned it on and I was just blown away by the graphics.....It was unreal....actually it was soooo real! I have the "PIP screen"(picture-in-screen) on my TV, and I put NFL FEVER in the pip screen while I watched my Bucs beat up on the Lions this Sunday, and I must tell you....it actually looked as if I was watching 2 real games. The speed of the game was as close to the real football players as I have ever seen. I started playing and I was not disappointed...well, actually I was..... If only the developers would have included a more variety of tackle animations (I have only seen 4), and include all the penalties ( I have only seen 4)--if they didn't want to include all the penalties they could have provided the option to turn specific ones off ala madden---...also if they could have made the computer AI a little better (realistic) this COULD have been the best game ever.....and that's saying alot comming from a die hard madden fan....BUT THE GAME IS FUN ...

Honest reviews on NFL Fever 2002

You want a football game? This is the one.Great graphics,fast loading time,and realistic players not those fake ones that look like zombies. You can change teames names to the Gladiators, Flowers etc. You can create your own players and set everyting to 100%. It even explains the game to you who have no clue what football is. It has traning modes which teach you how to tackel run, and throw. You can unlock teams in fantsy mode.I hope you get this game. Everyone will have it.

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After playing this game extensively in a kiosk, all I've got to say is WOW. Madden and the Nfl 2k series are in for some serious competition. This game is incredible. It plays much better then I was expecting it to. The running game is the best I have played, with holes that open up if you hit them right. The passing games is spectacular as well, but no so easy at first. You have to have your QB set, especially if your throwing into the secondary as the pass gets will get disrupted easily. Defense on this game is also top-notch. The pass rushing is incredible as is the receiver coverage.

As for the interface on choosing the plays, it is easy, straight-forward and quick. The graphics are the best amongst football games, and some of the replays are absolutely hilarious. I can't really comment on the sound as I was ata kiosk, I can't wait to hear some of the bone-crunching hits in full 5.1 SS glory.

This game gets 5 stars as it easily beats Madden for football game of the year

Best Xbox 360 Slim Crystal Clear GhostCase - CRYSTAL CLEAR Deals

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $59.99
Sale Price: $39.98
Today's Bonus: 33% Off

Ok Guys Pros and Cons

Pros Very Durable and Not cheap plastic, Crystal Clear, Looks great with light kits inside

Cons A little tideous to put together, not in bad way, but for like the srews that attach top of case to metal interior the holes have to be made, and its not exact fit together, will be some trimming and nudging

Overall guys this is a great product and has an awesome look when done.

I will post a video of finished product when done

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this case looks great although it is very cheesy the side panels do not stay on, none of the clips line up properly every step of this case was frustrating. the fan gromit doesn't come with a seal and the Xbox runs a little bit hotter. when securing the top pannel the screws didnt screw all the way so the chassis is loose, all in all i would have been satisfied if this case cost me 20, 30 or even 40 dollars at the most but for 60 dollars i was very disapointed. i was expecting to just be able to put it together but it took a couple hours. im being serious when i say EVERY clip didnt line up or came up short. i did enjoy the led kit very to the point it was plug and play although it seems to put stress on the cd drive games come out very hot only after 10 minutes of play

Best Deals for Xbox 360 Slim Crystal Clear GhostCase - CRYSTAL CLEAR

CovenantModsRep has it right, it's a great product but requires some finesse. Quality is great and once completed it looks sick, however; have a little patience and take a good look at things before you start mashing it together. Some clips and voids will inevitably need to be shaved and trimmed (nothing huge) and be careful when screwing it back together, microsoft screw heads are kinda soft: pre drilling the recieving plastic rods might be a good idea if your comfortable with it (if not leaving the screws a little loose is'nt a big deal it clips together uber tight). Be sure to remove the rubber feet on the side and bottom of your old case and bring them over (any foam padding on the inside as well but ive found many an xbox to be inconsistent with this), the stuff goes a long way towards keeping it quiet. Take your time with it and your efforts will produce wonderful led lit fruits for your friends to ooh and ahh over, you may even be back for more so many people have asked me to do it for them. pretty bomb.

Honest reviews on Xbox 360 Slim Crystal Clear GhostCase - CRYSTAL CLEAR

Came new everything as pictured but it's a pretty flawed product, as expert as you might think you are this thing is a pain to put together and is more hassle than its worth. I had to trim plastic off the clips and nothing really fits you have to force everything together. By the time I managed to put it together I was so annoyed I was just over it and it had no appeal to me. I'm sure there are better cases than this.

All in all, it works it looks decent but be prepared to work for it.

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What Happen with the bottom Shell part. Is not came with the package. Now I have to pay 3.99 of shipping for refund.

I am very upset with the purchase.

Reviews of XBOX 360 Bulk Lot of 60 XBOX 360 Repair Kits 500 Low-Profile Screws

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $99.99
Sale Price: $29.99
Today's Bonus: 70% Off

I've been fixing Xbox 360's for a few years now, and I've never seen such a good deal come across Amazon. Bought individually, this kit should cost well over what I paid for it ($39).

The "Special White Nylon Washers" look and feel like they are made out of plastic. That being said, they do their job amicably. They are exactly the same depth as the steel washers, and they don't carry electricity, both of which make them the perfect fit for Xbox 360 repairs.

It's not mentioned anywhere in this description, but my package came with about 60 small packages of thermal grease. It's not any name brand, but it'll suffice if you run out of the good/expensive stuff.

The "Complementary Deluxe Instruction Manual" mentioned in this description is nothing more than a card containing a link to their website, which I will not list here.

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Great product really helps get the job done and at a excellent price! Worked great and able to fix up to 60 xboxs

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

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

I have been waiting a long time for Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway to come out. There have been numerous delays and the game was supposed to come out sometime last year. Well it finally came out and I picked up the game yesterday from my local Game Retailer.

The game follows up the first two Brothers in Arms games that came out earlier. You play the role of Sergeant Matt Baker who leads squads of men through Holland during Operation Market Garden in September 1944 during World War II. Operation Market Garden was the last German victory in Europe during the war.

I think the game has a great story line. The game in my opinion is very well done and acted out. It really shows what I think every soldier has to endure and go through during wartime. It is very emotional and gripping. You find out that soldiers have to make life or death decisions that can effect them the rest of their lives. This game shows not only soldiers struggling through this conflict, but also Dutch civilians who were caught in the crossfire between the Allies and the Germans.

If you are looking for a game where you make tactical decisions about how to fight battles during Operation Market Garden, this is it. Your decisions can decide the life's of your soldiers under your command.

The AI is very good in this game. I read some game reviews from other gaming websites where the game reviewers were complaining about German Soldiers who were just standing around when you shoot at them. First of all, you can now sneak up on German Soldiers to plan an attack without them knowing your there. In other words, you can set up an ambush. You set up you and your squads where you want them to fight the Germans. Of course the Germans are going to stand around if they don't know that you are there hiding. Second you can now set up you and your men where the Germans are caught in a cross fire when you fire at them with your weapons. The Germans get confused because there is no where to run and hide. So of course a lot of them are going to stand around because of the crossfire. That happens in real life too.

The graphics are real good in this game. I understand the developers of this game went to actual locations around Holland and took thousands of pictures to make the game looked like Holland during World War II. That is very impressive.

I think the game has a lot of replay value to it because the Germans react differently every time you play the game again. Each time you try to figure out how you will fight different battles throughout the game. I recommend buying this game especially if you like playing World War II games like me.

October 5, 2008

UPDATE: I just finished playing Brothers in Arms: Hells Highway and I noticed a couple of things I wanted to update about this game. I'm a true gamer who likes to give honest opinions about the games I play. The above opinions were given when I was only half way through the game. Here are the updates.

1. The graphics are great at the beginning of the game and toward the middle, but not at the end. It seems like the game developer got into a big hurry to finish this game and just threw in graphics from the "Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood" game into the end of this game. The trees and buildings at the end of game just look dull and not very detailed like at the beginning and the middle of the game. The game was already a year behind schedule and I'm sure the game developer got pressured into finishing the game as soon as possible. I was wondering why I never saw any game trailers that show any missions that were at the end of this game. Now I know why.

2. None of the mission maps you play through are very big throughout the game. You play a little way through a mission and then you get a cut scene. That scenario plays over and over again throughout the game. Too many cut scenes and not enough playing time. If you want a comparison in map sizes, try playing Battlefield: Bad Company and you'll see what I'm talking about as far as map sizes go. Battlefield: Bad Company maps are a lot bigger with less cut scenes.

3. Operation Market Garden was all about the Allies taking and holding major road bridges along Hell's Highway throughout Holland during World War II before the Germans could blow up any of the bridges. Well in the game I didn't see one major bridge shown in any missions. There is one small bridge in the game that goes over a small canal but I don't count that. I'm talking about big huge bridges over major rivers. I didn't see any at all. I was really disappointed. Why were there no major road bridges shown in the game? That is what Operation Market Garden was all about.

4. There were lots of different vehicles used during Operation Market Garden by both the Allies and the Germans. In the game, I only saw one kind of Allied tank (Sherman Firefly) used in the game and one kind of German tank (Panzer IV) used. I didn't see any German Panther tanks, Tiger tanks, German Halftracks, German Volkswagen Kubelwagen, etc. I also didn't see any other American tanks or any British tanks of any kind. What is up with that?

5. Not every mission in this game has you play with squads of men. In fact in some of the missions, you fight alone against the Germans. And in some missions you don't fight at all. Running through a building that is on fire is one of them. There is no shooting at all. I thought in every mission I would control squads of men.

This game reminds me a lot of Medal of Honor: Airborne. That game could of been awesome too if it had of been done right. I remember that game went through a lot of delays just like Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway did and it came out about a year later than it was suppose to. Medal of Honor: Airborne was great the first few missions and then it went downhill the last couple of missions. This game is the same way. After playing the game, I'll have to change my rating from 5 stars to 3 stars. Sorry. I just feel this game could of been made better.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Buy SSX Tricky

Customer Ratings:

This is by far the best Snowboarding game available in the market. This game is not a simulation, but is a little more realistic than Amped. It is certainly an arcade racer with an arcade feel on it, you will be amazed how much strategy you will need to perform the "Uber" trick. Unlike the orginal SSX, which was just a racer, SSX tricky is a major overhaul of SSX. In tricky performing tricks will give you access to the "UBER" trick and an infinite turbo gauge, unlike in the original where you perform tricks just because you could.

Is this just a port from the PS2 version? The answer is no, the Xbox version certainly has lesser load times and plays much faster than its counterpart. Though it's essentially identical to the PS2 version, the Xbox incarnation does come with a handful of graphical frills that you will no doubt appreciate. The graphics are much more clear, you can actually look in the snow and notice the snow flakes. Frame rate is crisp and characters are also self-shadowed. There is also some DVD extras with the package where you can see Lucy Lui!!

All in all the best SSX Tricky verion is XboX. But if you have it in another system, same gameplay, so stick with your other versions. But if you have Ps2 and XboX like me, go for the XboX version.

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I really liked the description of the game so I bought it.

Frist, lets start with the bad things:

1. When you play two player mode, the screen divides vertically. Making it hard to see where you are going.

(Wow! Only one bad thing!)

Now, Lets start with the good things:

1. The characters kick butt!

2. The tracks are wild, crazy, and challenging and has many different regions. And looks really realistic.

3. The amazing, impossible, tricks add excitement to the game.

4. You have to complete races and trick levels to "unlock" more powerful boards and gain access to different outfits. (That makes it fun!)

5. The ability to "hit" other opponents. *grin*

6. Uber Tricks

The list can go on amd on... If you want a fun, arcade type of racing game, This is definatly the game for you. I love it and I can't stop playing it!

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SSX Tricky has got to be the MOST FUN snowboarding game ever. I bought AMPED and it was okay, but a bit slow for my tastes. I am not a snowboarder so I didn't really care for how "realistic" AMPED claimed to be.

SSX Tricky on the other hand is taking up all of my time. It is fun fun fun. Why? Because it is a game that doesn't pretend to be anything else. You race against other snowboarders, knock them down, make friends, pull off insanely impossible tricks that are just the coolest things to see. I have spent about 6 hours playing this so far and haven't even finished one character all the way through! I'll be playing this game for a LONG LONG time.!

Honest reviews on SSX Tricky

SSX Tricky is more of an upgrade than a sequal to SSX, but it is still an exceptional game. Two brand new cources, Garibaldi and Alaska are added and both are really fun courses. The old levels are all changed, and some like Snowdream and Pipedream are really different. (Even better, in my opinion) There are 5 new characters, along with all of the old ones from SSX except for 2. There are lots of different grabs you can do, and then you can tweak them all out. The addition of UBER tricks makes the game even more interesting and fun. Each rider has his or her signature move, along with a few other UBER tricks that a couple other riders might be able to do. The only con is the fact that there are only 3 grab buttons on the Xbox version, as opposed to the 4 on the PS2 version, so you can't do as many tricks. But don't let that stop you, this is a really great game that is 1000 times better than Amped or Dark Summit combined. Buy SSX Tricky and see for yourself.

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As with so many sports games, the market provides a choice between simulation and stimulation. If you want the former, pick AMPED. But if you're looking for pure adrenaline, go with SSX TRICKY. You'll quickly become addicted to the way it serves up fantasy.

Most obviously, it's pixel magic. Graphics, with the possible exception of a few brief milliseconds, are stunning. There is, as another reviewer has pointed out, a slight frame-rate drop if a number of characters get bunched up in the same frame. And there are some dimensionality problems with some of the crowds. But both of these are incredibly brief phenomena, which are only rarely encountered. The far more usual reaction you'll have is simply being wowed. I'm particularly impressed with the way that the designers handle the late afternoon sun on the Mesablanca circuit. You actually have to squint to see, just as if you were experiencing the setting Southwestern sun.

More impressive, though, is the game play itself. You'll spend days just trying to find all the nooks and crannies of each track-much less how to make them work point magic for you. The two basic modes of play-whether for show or for speed-provide plenty of challenge until you're ready to take on other players in competitive runs. In fact, the race mode against computer opponents is particularly challenging at the higher levels. Because doing tricks can add speed to your run, you can't just hope to find shortcuts and nose out your competitors. Throw in the fact that computer-controlled characters can change their attitude toward you depending on how you treat them on the course, and the racing element of this game becomes a strategic battle that is often won or lost on a single decision.

Still, TRICKY is not perfect. If you play it at length you'll probably become annoyed most of all at three main features. First, it's musically dead, compared with AMPED. While TRICKY's ambient sound is great, you'll become bored with the main soundtrack-and the inability to use imported mp3's. Second, you'll grow to hate the main interface. It takes forever to set up for a race, and longer to just save your data. There are no fewer than six screens you have to flip through just to save. It's kind of ridiculous that the thing should ask you multiple times if you're sure you want to save. Finally, though, the biggest problem with the game is that it has no facility to save user records. With most sports games for Xbox, extensive stats are saved for each different user profile, meaning that you can brag to your friends as you get better at the game. With TRICKY, though, the best you have are a top 5 for each race and a character profile that's stuck away in a pretty obscure location. So another user could take control of your character and throw your stats with ease-or, worse, deprive you of the joy of improving her. It's a surprisingly big mistake from a company that prides itself on having the premier sports games on the market.

None of this, however, should seriously deter you from buying this highly addicting game. Even if you've never snowboarded a day in your life, you'll find it hard to resist the madness of SSX TRICKY.