Sonic Free Riders - Xbox 360 Review

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List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $14.96
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Let me introduce Sonic, master of the most grueling thigh workout on the Kinect. You probably thought you'd need to buy an exercise title featuring a screaming trainer to get a good workout. Well, it turns out this little racer will bring you to your knees as you use your whole body to twist, turn and jump your hoverboard through 16 tracks.

You can upgrade your board gear temporarily with energy pickups like a soda rocket or fully to extreme gear, which is available in both board and bike formats. The hoverboard reacts like a snowboard on steroids. Maneuvering requires your whole body:

* Cornering involves bending your body forward at the waist or backwards to steer;

* Jumping is self-explanatory but power jumping requires you to crouch down for a few seconds before leaping into the air;

* A kick dash is completed using a kick gesture using your back foot with a good follow-through;

* Braking requires squaring your shoulders toward the screen; and

* Your hands are kept busy to catch rings, grab horizontal bars, wipe away foggy screens and to cling to the bottom of trains (?!).

The game provides an extensive tutorial along with a host named Omochao, who also serves as the game commentator. I highly recommend casual gamers take the time to go through the tutorials. This isn't a bowling game you can simply step up and play.

I completed two racetracks and slumped into the couch. A trickle of sweat ran along my spine, my legs trembling. Brain synapse fired in all directions and soon I was hearing Robert Klein wailing on the harmonica and singing "I can't stop my leg."

The gameplay is not as extensive as the granddaddy of kart racers, Mario Kart DS. However, what Sonic Free Riders lacks in depth is more than made up with by the physical racing experience that comes from using the Kinect system. Even my 8-year old son stopped after competing in four consecutive races to catch his breath and get a drink of water.

So, what are the negatives?

* The controls are not perfect. Don't let early frustration turn you away. The game doesn't respond as smoothly as it would if we were gripping steering wheels. We found it helped to recalibrate the Kinect for this game and widen our playing area a couple feet to allow side-by-side racing.

* The menus are maddening. I'm tired of sweeping options left and right. Game designers need to hold back their Kinect zeal. Keep the menus basic, like a simple drop-down menu format, and save the wild moves for the game itself.

* The online features aren't that attractive. Fortunately for us, with four in our family, there's plenty of competition at home.

In summary, if you are willing to invest practice time, this is a fun, family game that also delivers a good full-body workout, too. With the initial library of Kinect games including dogs like Game Party: In Motion, "Sonic Free Riders" is a good value, especially for kids. Rating: Four stars.

Hey, look. My leg stopped.

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Well, Sonic Free Riders starts off with this frustratingly long/annoying tutorial, and once you're past it, and hit a few rounds of "World Grand Prix" you BEGIN to get the movement down. The first day of playing, my body was all over the place, trying to lean left & right way too hard and by habit, turning my body forward instead off to the side (like a skateboarder). The character was drifting way off course and I was just getting angrier". Well, After a about the 3rd track in, the frustration began to dissipate, as I was able to nail a good deal of the controls, which felt rewarding. Sonic feels more like a non-Kinect launch title as it has more depth then the other titles. Yes, it's definitely true that sometimes, the game can be super finicky with your movement, but not enough to ruin the game like I originally thought. Sega crammed a lot of moves in this game, so it's going to take practice, as this has a bit of a learning curve. I also like that it's the only debut game (I think) that has menu driven voice commands. Overall, thumbs up but I would not recommended Sonic Free Riders to the casual gamer (lol the irony).

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I have seen this game recieve negative reviews overall, and I'm still trying to figure out why. Sonic Free Riders is my favorite game for the Kinect, and I am totally hooked on it. It's like riding a snowboard, and I think I actually get a better work out from the game than actaully snowboarding. You have to lean left and right as you steer your way around the course, and actually crouch down and then jump when you hit a ramp. And it's not just leg movements either. There are weapons which require different types of hand moves to be deployed, and even a special ability to let you punch through obstacles in your path. After playing this game for awhile, you are definitely going to be sore from the intense workout you just recived. And even better, it's a much more enjoyable workout rather than a treadmill or stationary bike, for instance.

Honest reviews on Sonic Free Riders - Xbox 360

This game is terrible at tracking the movements with kinect. If it had been the only game I had tried, I would have thought the kinect system itself was a failure. But many of the other games are great: especially Dance Central, and Kinect Adventures.

Besides being bad at tracking they take way too long explaining how to do the movements,and if you mess up, you have to hear the same LONG explanation over and over... they should just allow you to skip the explanation and try again.

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Name: Mike

Age: 21

Sonic Free Riders is the only Kinect game i find myself booting up when I don't have company over. When I'm entertaining guests it's always Kinect Sports or Dance Central; but if it's just myself, this has been my go-to game for single play. Once you get past the long (admittedly annoying) tutorial and begin to learn the ins and outs of the controls the game proves to be very fun. This is not a pickup and play casual game. It takes time and patience to learn the controls and exactly how to move your body. Because of this, Sonic Free Riders is one of my most played Kinect games. It has the hardcore-ish appeal that I need for a single player game, PLUS I get to use my Kinect and get a good workout.

I'd recommend this game for anyone looking for a reason to use their Kinect when they don't have guests over. It has its flaws here and there, but overall it's a solid game and i always have a good time with it.

Buy Halo 3 Legendary Edition -Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:

With the literally thousands of reviews of Halo 3 available throughout the internet and print media, I'll let you decide for yourself. Instead I will focus on merely THIS edition of Halo 3.

First off, if the price tag didn't let you know, this is for serious fans only. If you're a casual fan, or maybe you like having the occasional local match, youd be better off with the Limited edition, or just the normal. This is purely for those who live for Halo.

The packaging is mythic. It's a hell of a lot bigger than it looks in these pictures. The helmet is the size of an adult's head, plus the base. The box is wrapped with a VERY cool Legendary Edition poster, so be careful opening it. Inside it's pretty straightforward. A helmet, a Base, and two DVD cases.

The helmet is beautiful. It's plastic, so it wont weigh a ton, but man, it looks the part. it slides over the base, which is also quite impressive. on the back of it is a serial number.

The discs. first off you get the game disc in a black dvd style case with a darker cover art than the other editions. this disc is identical to all other editions.

the other dvd case has two dvd's in it with special features. one is the same as the limited edition, with behind the scenes, interviews, etc etc. lots of fun there, very comparable to Halo 2's special eidtion.

the 2nd bonus disc has a few features on it, like the voice of cortana going on a PR tour, bonus episodes of Red vs. Blue and This Spartan Life, and a full bestiary which was really cool for any fan of the canon.

the base has a lot of room for DVDs in it. I took out the bonus dvd case and keep halo 1 2 and 3 all in there, they fit nicely, with room to spare.

i think the legendary was originally going to get the metallic case like the limited edition, hence the wider space in the base.

Was it worth $130? yes, but barely. The helmet is what really sells it. the extra bonus features are cool, especially the Red vs. Blue episodes, but unless youre a MAJOR and im talking friggin MAJOR halo fan (as in accounts on halo.bungie.org, read all the novels, own the soundtracks, have downloaded every movie on XBL, and have a Halo 3 Zune) then its not necessary.

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Halo 3 is the game to buy right now. One would think that wouldn't be the case with that monstrous ad campaign that's made it's way not only to Burger King but to the sides of Pontiac cars but believe it or not, this game lives up to the hype and surpasses it in just about every way imaginable.

Whether you play the game in single player mode or online against or alongside other people, you're pretty much guaranteed to be entertained from start to finish. I particularly enjoyed the storyline to the single player game this time around as Halo 2 wasn't exactly the most fun I've had playing a single player campaign. Not only that but you can play with up to three others online in cooperative mode and it's a lot of fun if a little too easy, even on Legendary difficulty. Graphics, sound and control are all exactly what you'd expect from the franchise and they've added so many bells and whistles to all the modes and all the new modes that what you're left with is an astounding package that is pretty much guaranteed to give you plenty of entertainment for the next couple of years, no question.

Now.... here's the question: which edition do you get? I've got the Legendary edition with the helmet and while it is a cool piece of art, it is a little steep for what you get. You get an extra disc of content as well, so it's not like you're paying an extra $70 or so dollars to get just a helmet but it is a lot of money to blow on a game, no matter how you cut it. The extra disc has one feature worth mentioning: a film of all the cinematics from the first two games combined into one two hour plus "movie", if you will. It's pretty cool, not to mention it makes for a good refresher on the events from the earlier part of the story.

I guess it's just a question of how much of a fan you are and whether or not you have the cash to blow. I wouldn't consider this a must-have on the blood of all your children and your children's children but it is kind of cool in a strange kind of way. It's about the same size as a human head and it's detailed and instantly recognizable.

I don't regret purchasing it but at the same time, if you look at the special edition for the upcoming GTA IV, you do notice that you get a lot more stuff (and pretty cool stuff it is) for a lot less. If you've got the cash to blow on it and you don't mind, I'd say go for it but only if you're really sure you want a fancy-shmancy case for your games. And if you don't have space for it, don't even bother.

And no, you can't wear the thing. It's just for show.

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Halo 3 Circa 2007

GOOD:

Four-player online (or offline) co-op Gameplay allows two; three, or four players play through the game from start to end. A co-op player can come into the game at any time and leave at any time (note only one of you will play as the Master Chief, while another will play as the Arbiter, and the other two players will be Elites that work with humans)

Great looking graphics and animation, that look even better then Halo 2, F.E.A.R. and just as good as Bioshock, while these graphics might not look as good as Gears of War do to some people these graphics still are some of the best seen to date.

Intense multiplayer action online through Xbox Live with matches as small as one on one and as big as 16 players (and offline with out using Xbox Live using either spilt screen, or system link). Halo 3 is set up similar to Halo 2 in the sense that you're given a rank when you play multiplayer (this rank can go up or down at any time) this rank is representative of your skill and your matched with others of your skill type, that way new unskilled players and hardcore veterans will not often play against one another, unless they make a special match themselves that ignores rank.

BAD:

Confusing plot to new players of this franchise Playing Pervious games and read the Halo Novels will fill you in on the details, if you are incline to learn them.

No Clan Support (like in Halo 2) This might get fixed in a future patch

Game is considered short to some (Campaign Story Mode).

IF IT FITS YOUR TASTE:

A Sci-Fi First Person Shooter with quick pacing and vehicle combat.

Co-op and online versus/team games is the big draw here.

NEW MODE: Forge is a mode that lets you edit all the maps in Halo 3, while you cannot rebuild the maps themselves you can in this mode, add and take away any and all of the objects from vehicles and guns to spawning points and flag zones. This is all done in real time and you can invite friends to this mode while your customizing the map(s), they can play a multiplayer game while your doing this (instead of just waiting for you) and if you want you can forgo editing the map and join the game at hand as either a player or the map editor (who looks like 343 Guilty Spark), while playing as the map editor you can still add and take away any and all objects from vehicles and guns to spawning points and flag zones any time you want.

NEW MODE: Theater Mode is a video editor that lets you record and play back any and all matches from Campaign, Multiplayer, and Forge modes from the point of view of any player either in first person or third person (even in a orbit-cam where the camera circles around the player) all in real time (you can also pause this at any time as well as fast forward and rewind), even use your camera to fly around the match and see the match from any angle you want, Don't forget you must save your videos before you turn off the game or you will lose said videos. Also you can take a picture at any time and save it to your Xbox 360 then download your picture at Bungie.com.

GAME ITS MOST ASSOCATED TOO:

Halo 2 (Xbox)

Halo (Xbox)

Resistance: Fall of Man (PS3)

Bioshock (360)

Gears of War (360)

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

There are bonus items scattered through the Campaign Story Mode called Skulls getting these "Skulls" will make the game harder (by doing things like turning off radar for the rest of the Campaign Mode your playing it) but will also greatly increase your meta game score for the Campaign Mode.

There are two different limited collectors editions of this game. One is called the limited edition, which comes in a metal tin and has a bonus disc (with behind the scene videos and such) and also comes with an art book. While the other limited edition (called Legendary edition) you will find an art book a mini poster two bonus DVDs (with behind the scene videos and such as well as a collection of all the cut scenes form Halo and Halo 2 and themes you can download to your 360) And the it comes with a plastic Master Chief Helmet to keep your DVDs in (Helmet as big a volley ball).

At Bungie.com you can sign up and pay a small fee to upgrade your Halo 3 account (default is free) to hold more space on their serves for your videos/pictures/clips that you made.

Honest reviews on Halo 3 Legendary Edition -Xbox 360

The Game:

I am not a true gamer. I'm 34 and just can't keep up with the kids. :) Still, Halo is the most fun I've had in years. The music is wonderful, and everything about the game seems to work well together. It's obvious there was a lot of time put into polish and balance. The first time I finished the campaign I couldn't wait to play again. Halo 3 has enormous depth and replayability. As a huge Firefly / Serenity fan I was absolutely thrilled by ... eh, I'm not going to spoil it.

The Legendary Edition:

The helmet is much higher quality than I had anticipated. It's solid, put together with screws (not simply snap-lock), and the paint has real depth. The packaging, while larger than that of the 360 console is good, but not great; it's obviously still paper and cardboard, with some less-than-legendary rough edges and downright cheap molded plastic positioners inside. Microsoft should have hired Apple's packaging designer for this one. The DVD case insert for the game disc is different (and cooler) than that of the standard Halo 3 package.

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The game is the game, nothing different. You can find reviews of that all over the web.

The other special features, like behind the scenes, etc., you can find those all over too.

The HELMET: That's one thing you can't get anywhere else. This review is for people who want to know: is the helmet worth it?

In short: YES

When I first saw pictures of this version with the helmet, it seemed to me that the helmet would be a hollow, plastic, Halloween-costume-type toy. But being a hard core fan, I bought it anyway.

You may already know that the helmet is not full-size. Also, it is not wearable. However, what you can't tell from the pictures is that the helmet is HEAVY and SOLID.

It is not gutted out and hollow inside, but rather it has a slight rectangular cavity that fits over the base (where you can store your Halo games). It comes in the box covered with a special cloth cover fitted specifically for the helmet.

Each one also has a unique serial number (big deal, but still cool).

I don't think of it is spending $130 bucks for the Legendary version; Rather, I think of it as spending an additional 70 bucks for the helmet. To me, this helmet is definitely worth the $70 as a collector's item.

Buy Shawn Johnson Gymnastics - Nintendo Wii

Customer Ratings:

I am 33 and I love this game. I have always loved gymnastics and this game has everything. I get exercise, I get to watch gymnastics and play a game all at the same time. I find it easier to play with the balance board and great execrcise. I was using muscles I don't normally use and it was alot of standing/getting on and off the balance board to calibrate. You can compete in championships, create your own routines, play against Shawn and you can learn facts about gymnastics.

I can see this game being great for kids. Because there was nothing out like this when I was a kid I play it now :) I can see how it would be good for kids to play each other and you can unlock new hairstyles and leotards as incentive. I love this game! My favorite Wii game so far.

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OK, so I have to admit, I was a bit hesitant when I bought this game for my little sister; as an ex-gymnast, the quality of gymnastics video games out there is abysmal, but I adore Shawn Johnson and decided to give it a try. I was very pleasantly surprised.

The moves are authentic, the graphics are about as good as Wii can get, and after reading some interviews Shawn did, I love that she was part of the process of making this game. A lot of the time, you expect that these celebrities have nothing to do with their branded products, but she actually had a lot of input on how this game together which makes me like this game even more. My little sister is now insisting on gymnastics lessons. :) If there's anyone who can inspire young girls, it's Shawn Johnson. Thanks for putting out such a great representation of a sport that means so much to me.

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Was thinking of buying for thanksgiving fun time, but once I brought it home I thought what the heck. The kids can compete against each other and have not stopped playing since I brought it home.

Great game, not too difficult to get the hang of, but challenging as you want it to be. A real winner and great price.

Honest reviews on Shawn Johnson Gymnastics - Nintendo Wii

I love this game. I am 26 and I play it all day long ( well when I am not working). It is great for exercise and so much fun to play. I love earning new leos! I am huge gymnastics fan, so it is about time they came out with something this awesome! I love Shawn Johnson!

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My 10 year old daughter got this game for Christmas. Her favorite parts about the game are the uneven bar routines, being able to make her own routines, and unlocking new leotards when earning enough points. The graphics are pretty close to real. She was in gymnastics for 4 years, but she quit about 3 years ago. It was easy for her to learn to play the game but not so easy that she got bored with it. She doesn't have any other gymnastics games for comparison. She has fun playing,though, and said she thinks if you like gymnastics, you will like this game.

Xbox 360 6 in 1 Bundle - Black Reviews

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $28.70
Today's Bonus: 28% Off

I cannot disagree more with the only other review listed. This starter kit has been great for me, especially for the price point we are talking about here. If you just acquired an Xbox 360 for Christmas or you have had one for years and are in need of an all in one accessory pack, this is it. You aren't going to get the sound quality of other headsets that cost over $100, but you are saving all that money, and you get the extra batteries to boot! The comfort of this headset vs the original one that comes with the system is alone worth the money. Also I blow through batteries all the time, and they aren't cheap either, so for me, this pack has worked out nicely. The HDMI and ethernet cable are of average quality, but have worked just fine. The charger is also a useful item to have if you play for hours at a time or have friends play with you. It's always good to have a battery charging as you play! Hope this helps people make a more informed decision, enjoy!

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Nice set especially for the price, but headphones stopped working after 4 days use...not good! Was going to return but other parts seem to be okay. I'm not going to say: "don't buy" because over-all with other packaged parts, it's still a good deal.

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This bundle is a good starter pack. The batteries still hold their charge and give a solid 5 to 6 hours of play when used constantly. If we use them for short periods of time the charge will actually last about 2 days. The HMDI cable at the time in this bundle was the cheapest way to purchase one. The headset was comfortable, but you pay for what you get. The microphone worked, but if it wasn't right up against your mouth other parties had a hard time hearing you. Overall, it is a good starter pack, but there are many better quality components out there.

Honest reviews on Xbox 360 6 in 1 Bundle - Black

All the accessories are okay in this bundle. The hdmi is probably the best. The headset broke after a week and the charging station holds very little charge but if you keep swapping out it works fine. I don't use any of these things anymore. Not the best bundle but okay for starters.

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After about a month the headset broke and was no longer able to be used. For the money expected more

Discount Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker

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If this game was called Metal Gear Solid 5: Peace Walker, I would not hesitate to call it that. This game is astounding. It's a technical marvel. A feat on portable platforms. There was not a single time where I said I wanted this game to be on a console. In fact, if this was on a console and cost $60, I would buy it in a heartbeat. From the gameplay, to the graphics, to the sound, to the length of the story, this is a huge console adventure, right in the palm of your hand. It's absolutely amazing that so much could be crammed into a little disc. I still can't get over it.

Unlike Portable Ops, the controls did not hinder the gameplay. Apparently, the developers learned from their mistake and made the controls work. Not once did I wish for a second analog stick. It works. It's Metal Gear Solid on a handheld. No exceptions. Do you remember the ability to recruit soldiers and use them in Portable OPs? Well, that's now more streamlined, it's improved, and overall more enjoyable. Knock out a soldier, hook a Fulton Recovery System balloon onto him, and continue your mission. No more dragging across the map anymore. Just pop on on there and continue your mission. When you go back to your Mother Base (GEE I WONDER IF THIS COULD BE THE START OF OUTER HEAVEN) you can put them in different units (such as combat and engineering) to have them do missions or build weapons or do other things of great wonder. However, you mainly want to build up your engineering (called R&D) sections. This is highly improved, because instead of getting random weapons ever so often like in Portable Ops, you choose which weapons to develop, and you can upgrade them. You can even upgrade your items, like your sonar system and Fulton Recovery System. It's awesome, useful, and you actually want to spend the time to upgrade it. And not only do you have this wildly improved Portable Ops system, but you have the main story missions, which are on-par with the likes of any of the console predecessors, and you have side-missions as well, which you can complete at any time. Let's just say this game will last for a long, long time.

The graphics are without a doubt amazing. I honestly kept forgetting I was playing a handheld. There is a ruddy texture or two, but let's cut the PSP some slack, eh? The graphic novel cutscenes are not only well done, but they fit the game. They don't feel out of place. Also, there are quicktime events inside the graphic novel cutscenes, which are beautifully animated. Also, did I mention the quicktime events don't suck?They're (shock and awe) fairly exciting, and do not seem forced at all.

The sound is also wonderfully done. Usually, I hardly ever pay attention to the sound when playing handhelds, because it usually ranges from 'alright' to 'mediocre'. Or maybe I don't even notice it at all. Well, I did this time. Do yourself a favor, play this with headphones. You won't regret it.

Storyline is your typical Metal Gear Solid fare: unmanned robots, nuclear weapons, Snake grunting in agreement, remembering the basics of CQC, etc. For those of you who have played Metal Gear Solid from the beginning will enjoy many plot points that tie in various people and objects from different games. Overall, very enjoyable, but I presume many will prefer the story lines from the console brethren.

I have only one gripe with this game: co-op. Now, usually, I would be extremely happy with having co-op for the game, but the developers put so much emphasis on co-op that some missions nearly require it, even if they don't say so. This can lead to frustration, but it is not impossible. Prepare for some difficult times, but most of the time, you will be having a blast.

Buy this game. It's only $40. $40 for one of the best video games you can get your hands on. Do it.

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"Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker" may very well be the best handheld video game I've played in my life. After ten

straight hours of complete immersion in Hideo Kojima's world of sci-fi political espionage, there is nothing that

can convince me any other game on a handheld system has presented such an epic scope, heart-wrenching story and

tight gameplay as the latest entry in the venerable "Metal Gear" franchise.

Taking place a decade after "MGS 3: Snake Eater", "Peace Walker" finds Snake, aka "Big Boss", a shell of his former

self. Sure, he's still strong, deadly and ruthless, but he's an emotional trainwreck after being forced to kill

the woman whom he loved and was trained by. Ten years still can't wipe away the pain he feels, and even distracting

himself with the private mercenary organization he's founded can't make him forget. But one fateful day, a mysterious

man and young girl come forth with a mission that involves restoring peace to Cuba. Snake initially refuses, but

when the man presents an audio tape which suggests that the woman he thought dead to still be living, he rushes headlong

into the mission, unaware of the consequences which await him. On the surface, it may seem like a simple "stop the

bad guys from nuking the world" type of plot, but fans of the series will realize that it's much more; this game is

a spiritual journey for our tortured protagonist, filled with twists and turns every step of the way.

The gameplay has gotten an overhaul from previous PSP entries of MGS, and I have to admit: it's really for the better.

Close-quarters combat (CQC) has been streamlined and assigned to one button, making it incredibly easy to dispatch

whole mobs of foes with nothing more than your fists and a quick trigger finger. Also more simple this time around

is the gunplay; no longer do you have to stand in an awkward position to get off a good shot on your enemies. Kojima

took the fast-paced gun battles of "MGS 4: Guns of the Patriots" and put them onto the PSP with no complications

whatsoever, and without anything being lost in the process.

Speaking of "MGS 4", the very thing I liked about that entry in the series is prevalent in this one as well: options.

You don't HAVE to stealthily dispatch hostiles; you can walk in with guns a'blazing, and easily get through each

section, and vice versa. There is no wrong way to play "Peace Walker", in the sense that how it's played is

completely dependent on your own playing style. I prefer the "sneak in undetected" approach, but my friend operates

by the "might makes right" strategy. We both get through each level with our respective plans, albeit with some

complications exclusive to those plans (sneaking around often involves hiding in awkward places that you can

easily get trapped in if detected; taking the forceful approach can often leave room for unseen enemies to sneak up from

behind and take you out without any warning.) But that's the beauty of this game, really: learning from your mistakes,

taking what you've learned and then applying it to the next level. Very few games have rules that are as broadly-defined

as these.

Another key strategy that will differ from player to player is the vast recruitment system. Much less convoluted than

the previous PSP entries, getting soldiers on your side is as simple as knocking them out, then strapping a

balloon harness (yes, a balloon harness) on them to be sent straight to your Mother Base, which is incidentally a

prototype for the pivotal Outer Heaven base seen later in the series. The soldiers can then be assigned to their

respective units, such as Combat or R&D, or even Mess Hall. As the game progresses, the more soldiers you have,

the more weapons and resources you'll gain. You can even play side-missions with your recruits to unlock more

weapons to aid Snake in the main story missions. Catching and training new blood adds an addictive "Pokemon"-like

aspect to "Peace Walker", one which I found myself spending a vast amount of time with.

Now, on to minor matters (sort of): graphics and sound. And folks, these are just two more of this game's good points.

How the developers got a game this beautiful and rich in detail to fit onto a UMD, I'll never know. I won't question

their magic, though, because I'm just too blown away to even consider doing anything of the sort. The quality

and effort bleeds from each micro-pixel, putting other PSP graphics darlings such as "God of War: Chains of

Olympus" to shame. Not a single time did I feel the game was constricted because of the PSP's graphical limitations.

Kojima Productions has created the single most immersing world ever rendered on a handheld.

The music is great (as per usual for the series), and the voice acting, featuring the likes of Steve Blum and Tara

Strong, is absolutely phenomenal (again, as per usual for the series). Sound effects are also great, complimenting

the graphics to form the aforementioned immersing world. After playing this game for a few hours, it's hard

to go outside and not think of the game. It's that mind-altering.

In the end, there is no reason any PSP owner shouldn't own this, unless of course you haven't played any previous

entries in the series. In that case, go back and play "MGS 3: Snake Eater" before playing. But for veterans of the

series, buy this without delay. As a longtime fan, I can firmly say this may be one of the franchise's high points,

easily topping "Snake Eater", which was previously my favorite entry until this came along. It's also the

largest in terms of content and replay value. All subsequent entries will be greatly affected by "Peace Walker", and

thus you owe it to yourself to play it.

Then again, I won't be surprised if all PSP games are greatly affected by "Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker." It reminds

me of how good the PSP can be, to be sure, but more importantly: it reminds me of just how good a video game can

truly be.

Story: A+ (Jaw-dropping, tearjerking, and pulsepounding; there's never a dull moment.)

Gameplay: A+ (As tight as the series has ever been; nothing is lost on the PSP.)

Graphics: A+ (The very best the system has to offer.)

Sound: A+ (Great music, great voice acting... Just great in general.)

Overall: A+ (One of the rare examples of a perfect game; Easily the best I've played all year.)

NOTE: I apologize for not being able to review the multiplayer; my friend lives in another state,

and this game only supports local Ad-Hoc play. I have no other PSP-owning friends (they all have

DS's, which I have one of as well), and thus can't give a review on the multiplayer. Again,

I apologize.

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The stealth genre is an odd duck, as it is too slow paced to appeal to most action fans and too linear to appeal to most WRPG fans. There's only 3 or 4 major stealth franchises, which stop by every other year to remind us that the genre still thrives despite its niche appeal. We here in Massachusetts we have our local-favorite, the THIEF series, whose fantasy-based stealth sets it apart from fellow genre entries, and Canada brought us SPLINTER CELL, marked by the militarist protagonist Sam Fisher. Both are terrific series, but neither invoke the near-universal appeal of Japan's METAL GEAR saga, which has been re-birthing itself again and again since its debut on the MSX over 20 years ago.

Though I make an effort to remain objective, I can't seem to control myself around METAL GEAR. There's something about the series' unique combination of over-the-top political sci-fi, pitch-perfect stealth, and quirky comedy that just keeps tugging at my heartstrings (and my limited finances). I was young when I picked up METAL GEAR SOLID 2, and it was love at first sneak. I've been following the series ever since, picking up every damned release and re-release like Gibson to Salinger in "Conspiracy Theory". It is, in my opinion, the fillet of the genre.

And, with one notable exception (where my GHOST BABEL fans at?), the series' quality has floundered on the handheld. Desperate to adapt to the PSP's limitations, entries like AC!D and PORTABLE OPS did their best to shrink SOLID's pedigree to pocket-size through heavy redesign. Though the result was usually overall good, these games weren't fit to wipe the shoes of the canon console entries. Enter METAL GEAR SOLID PEACE WALKER.

PEACE WALKER succeeds not only as a canon entry to the saga's lore, but as the best of sequels do: by completely reworking the franchise. The sneaking mechanic the true heart of the game is largely unchanged (but say goodbye to "crawl"), though just about everything else has been tuned to fit portable gaming. Rather than having a continuous narrative, gameplay is broken up into chapters which are then broken up into missions. Missions vary in length usually the side missions take about 5 minutes, while story entries can take upwards of a half hour. Almost every one of these missions can be played either by yourself or with up to 3 friends. I haven't touched AD-HOC multiplayer, but it's quite clear that certain missions have been programmed with multiplayer in mind. The boss fights in particular are absolutely brutal. Much like my experience with MONSTER HUNTER, taking down these mammoth mechanical beasts took me many attempts, each swing taking around 20 minutes. It can be pretty frustrating; the boss battles are an impressive spectacle, and yet still the low-point of the game. Outside of the missions, there's a lot of micro-management to do. As Big Boss, you are charged with running MSF, and from forming and sending out small strike squads to managing your food supply, constructing your army is a significant portion of PEACE WALKER's gameplay offerings. Much like GRAND THEFT AUTO: CHINATOWN WARS' drug-running feature, managing MSF is tremendously satisfying and productive while lending itself to short-bursts of portable gaming.

I'd be happy to yammer on about how this is the best game on the PSP, the best METAL GEAR game since SNAKE EATER, and a serious candidate for GOTY, but I'd hate to risk credibility with hyperbole. Gaming-on-the-go can be a trying experience, but with PEACE WALKER, you're in good hands.

Honest reviews on Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker

A sequel to the PSP's earlier "Portable Ops", MGS: Peace Walker is a surprising technical improvement when compared against earlier games. Focusing on the management of a larger mercenary organization, "Peace Walker" still has its share of stealth-based tactical action.

Peace Walker returns to the world of Big Boss, rather than the series' usual protagonist, Solid Snake. In the period between Portable Ops and now, Big Boss has left the US government and assembled his own mercenary team, the MSF. Peace Walker centers around managing the MSF by carrying out missions, recruiting new members, developing new technologies, and building up the off-shore platform used as the MSF's main base.

Gameplay is divided into story missions (main ops) and side missions (extra ops). The main ops constitute normal gameplay, broken up into segments. The extra ops are closer to the VR missions from MGS2 short, timed scenarios with some twist or quirk to them, like "rescue the hostage" or "find the mines". Mission maps are wider and more detailed than in Portable Ops, and many missions take place in an area consisting of several connected maps, which makes the world seem larger. There are a lot of areas that are wooded or swampy, which calls back to MGS3 and its more natural environments. Another MGS3-like feature is the lack of a "standard" radar items like sonar must be equipped in the item slot and have limited battery life, making players more reliant on their own senses to spot enemies.

Managing the MSF is one of the game's major features. New recruits can be captured in the field either by subduing enemies or rescuing hostages. These recruits have a diverse set of stats, and can be assigned to different units, like combat, R&D, or intelligence in a manner similar to Portable Ops. Unlike Portable Ops, every recruit wears the basic MSF uniforms; there's no difference between capturing a guard or a sniper. Characters are instead distinguished by portraits and codenames, both of which are randomly assigned. This allows for some level of identification, although it unfortunately doesn't carry over to actual gameplay. Every character is now represented by a generic masked figure (male or female) except for Snake himself. However, there are different costumes and camouflage uniforms (all of which have masks), and the uniforms have different stealth values and inventory slots. This allows for different types of gameplay depending on the uniform selected.

Bosses come in two main types: vehicles and mechs. Vehicles consist of things like tanks and helicopters. Vehicle fights often involve supporting troops if they're out of the way, the vehicle's commander can be incapacitated or killed and the vehicle can be captured for MSF's usage. Mech fights are more traditional MGS boss fare; instead of capturing them, however, it's possible to salvage parts and AI cores to build your own mech. Both vehicles and mechs can be sent off (along with troops) to missions in other parts of the world. These "Outer Ops" are automatically resolved, but provide a way for the majority of your combat forces to get experience (since only one person can sneak at a time).

Peace Walker focuses a lot on multiplayer, as well. There's a fairly standard versus mode, but the main attraction of multiplayer is a cooperative mode. This allows for players to attempt missions, or even fight bosses, in groups of up to four. However, multiplayer is limited to nearby PSPs there's no online match-making mode or anything of the sort, despite the presence of pre-written communication (which should only really be useful if you can't talk to the person in real life). The relative rarity of the PSP means that this feature will most likely go unused.

Overall, Peace Walker does a lot of things right that Metal Gear should do right. The bosses are fun, the environments are detailed, and the controls are tight enough to not be a problem. It's not quite the second coming of MGS3, detail-wise, but it's definitely a worthy successor, considering its handheld status. The management aspect is fun and addictive, though the actual logistics of the whole thing could have used some fleshing out. Peace Walker is a solid game both for fans of the series and for those who aren't usually interested in it.

Rating: 9/10.

Game purchased through Playstation Network.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker

I have always loved the metal gear solid universe. I have immense respect for Mr Kojima out of all the game designers directors producers he is on top of the list he really shows that he care's for his game there's so much quality that all game developers should look at him for inspiration i did have my reservations about this one even thou i really loved the story of portable ops the gameplay i must admit just felt crap there was for me at least to much compromise with the control that it felt awkward! But Hideo has mastered the controls in this game by adding all the best bits from all the previous installments. Storyline wise it's just as good as the rest very engaging and big boss is always a pleasure to play his such a badass overall this game is a must have for any fans of the series

Buy AmazonBasics High-Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet - Flat Cable

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Had already bought a Philips HDMI Swivel Cable but this FLAT AmazonBasics is 100 times better than the Philips one. Great construction. Till now, ZERO problems...

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This Amazon Basics High Speed HDMI Cable articulates two directions (very cool). The cable is clean looking, well put together and does not look cheap. At this price a guy can buy several, just to have around.

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Super cable! Love the fact that it's flat and that the actual connector swivels to make room. Don't know if the internet component works because I wasn't aware that you needed a compatible device for it's proper use. Solidly built. Worth every cent.

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I liked the concept of the cables but had problems with the implementation. I was really pleased with the idea, but had problems a few weeks after I started using them with "digital artifacts" on some channels from my HD TV box. Since they were brand new cables and we had been having off and on problems with the HD box, I didn't even suspect the cables. But after going around with the cable company for a bit and setting up a service call, I decided to change out cables just to be sure. I tried a few other cables and all the others worked fine, but every time I switched back to the AmazonBasics cable I had the artifacts show up. I ended up switching back to a regular cable. I purchased these so they would tuck back nicely behind my TV and not stick out visibly from the side (which they did) but I figured if they were going to give me problems it wasn't worth it. So I returned them. I *may* have simply had a bad cable, but I didn't want to go through the hassle since I had some working cables available.

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Great games, just have issues with PC vs. MAC. My mistake. The fellow who sent it to me was lovely and quick to send.

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I didn't care for this game not as much fun as Rapala and the graphics aren't as good.

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I bought this controller for my son because he is Buc fan.

But I have used it to make sure it works and it works as well as his $60 xbox 360 wireless controller. Only draw back is the football controller is not wireless and the start, select and xbox button are in different places, some games you need to hit the select button so it throws you off because it's not in the same place as on the xbox 360 controller. But you get use to it after a while.

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The idea is great, the product looks good and is convenient (when it works). After owning this for about a month and a half, the ps3 ports stopped working. The controllers were no longer being charged and the lights stopped working. The xbox ports are still functional however, (as of now, 3 months in). At this point it's a charger for my xbox controllers and a display stand for the ps3 controllers. I contacted the manufacturer but they have yet to get back to me.

Update:

The day after I wrote this review the company contacted me regarding the product. They were very professional, courteous and promptly replied to my emails. They shipped out a new product to me within a few days. This one is working as it should at me moment. I give this product 5 stars because of its functionality and the company provided a level of customer service that seemed to be lost in today's market. I would definitely purchase other products from them.

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I purchased the Konnet Power Pyramid Charger from Amazon and received the delivery in the time frame promised. I needed a charger and an organizer and the item was perfect. It worked without issue until about a week ago. One of the PS3 charge slots simply stopped working and the LED light is inoperable. There was no indication that a problem even existed. It just simply won't charge. I checked to see if I could return it for a fully operational replacement however the return window closed just the day before. So I have three working charge ports, which will have to suffice, but I am really disappointed as I LIKED this product a lot and had recommended it to several friends who also purchased the pyramid charger. I expected better durability especially considering the cost. But as careful as I was inserting the controllers, I am stuck with a now less than desirable product. After all, the charge lights are cool and create a great ambiance, but without one working, it has lost a bit of that something special. I am reluctant to recommend or not recommend this product. On one hand, a cool product with serious functionality potential. On the other hand, a pricey toy that only lasted 10 weeks with two grown ups being very careful with its use. I couldn't imagine what a house full of kids might do to this. If you do buy this item, I hope you have better luck. It is almost a great product but I feel just a bit cheated because it WAS so cool for a while.

Update: I contacted Konnet via e-mail about a warranty replacement for this item. They were very courteous and accommodating. There were some minor hoops to jump through in order to satisfy their requirements to receive a replacement but nothing too frustrating. My initial contact with them was on 11 Feb 10 and I received to replacement item on 06 Mar 10. The entire ordeal consisted of 11 e-mails back and forth, re-packaging the item and mailing it at my expense (about $5 USPS), and waiting a couple of weeks for the replacement as it was shipped via "Air Mail" from Hong Kong. It would have been nice if the entire process was more streamlined but I give Konnet credit, they did exactly what they said they would do. I commend them for that. As a side note....I used the original PS3 charging method to maintain a charge for those two controllers. As for my XBox 360 controllers, I was prepared to simply use the "AA" battery compartment until I got the charging unit back but as it turns out, I was able to use them, frequently mind you, without ever having to charge them the entire time my Konnet Power Pyramid was in transit. One controller eventually lost charge but the second controller continued to hold a charge until the replacement charging device was received. I thought that was pretty cool. I use my XBox 360 about 4 times as much as my PS3. I have increased my star rating 1 star due to Konnet's customer service response.

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with the charging cables gone from sight and the 4 controllers all in 1 storage space, the tv area looks much cleaner.

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nice product until one of the ps3 port died after of two months using it. hoping future product fix it.

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The Pyramid Looks Great and Kept all my controllers in one place but I have had to return it twice. The PS3 Slots break with in 3-6 months. It works Great for the X-Box 360 controllers and I Returned it with zero hassle to the Company and they did even want the old Pyramid back which tells me they know this model is defective. I give it two stars because the X-Box Part works very well and it cost about what I would have Paid for just a X-Box Charger. Don't waste your $$$$$

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I recieved this Power adapter super fast after I had ordered it. The power brick works great and doesn't over heat like the old one. Its in great condition and might as well be brand new.

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The pieces that came were useless as they didn't have have matching plugs. It didn't work at all so was a waste of money. Feel completely robbed!

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I got this adapter for my European xbox 360 unit. The unit used to operate on 220V, but after moving to North America I needed to buy a new adapter since the voltage is different. I was afraid it might not work out because I got my xbox from overseas, but so far I had no troubles at all, both the adapter and the xbox 360 unit are working in perfect harmony. I was encouraged to buy this item because it's an original piece (has Microsoft label on it).

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Product worked great. Might give you a power issue at first but the customer service is excellent so you're ensured to get what you want one way or another (also, it's easily fixed by leaving it plugged in to the console and powered off for a day). Would recommend.

Discount WWE '13

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $39.99
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I am the kind of fan that buys this game every year no matter how different it is from the previous year. But what drew me to this year's game the most was its tribute to the famous attitude era that played a huge part in the industry from 96-01 (from Austin winning the 96 KOTR to the demise of WCW). In it we get dozens of wrestlers from the attitute era (from The Rock and Stone to Billy Gunn). We event get a mod,e that replaces Road To Wrestlemania mode/storymode, that lets us reinanct the great matches from that era. Of course we still get most of the current roster. Although despite the game's large roster (over 100) we get duplicates. Meaning certain wrestlers take up multiple spots (three HHHs, three Foleys, 2 Cenas, 2 rocks, etc) so some wrestlers missed the cut especially popular guys like Tyson Kidd and William Regal. However a good ammount of guys excluded are included in DLC and for once all of the dlc wrestlers are ones fans were hoping were going to be in.

One of the big issues last year was online. Most of the time, players cried in anger as they werent able to download created content or even play online. Fans were hoping this year would be different. For the most part it is. We can easily download created content with no problem. But online plays has a tendency to freeze or just no work. Sometimes you will win a grueling match and despite it being a rated match you wont get the win. Now these issues dont happen all the time so it shouldnt take too much fun out of it.

Universe 3.0 is vastly better then past years. In the mode that allows you to create your own wwe world, this year the included the ability to make more shows on any day of the week (mon-sat) and even delete/edit current shows to your pleasing which is something fans have been wanting for a while. Now Universe mode still has its problems but its still a fun expereince. One big feature have been begging to return is create a belt which allowed players to create their own championship. The good news is it returns however ownly as edit a belt. Meaning we can edit an existing championship belt by changing its color, name and call name. Its still cool as we can assign it as a belt for your original show. Now what is always expected in any game, there are bugs and glitches. Stuff that even defies the laws of physics. I wont get into details but if you played past games, its the same.

Overall this is a great game. Its far from perfect but being able to make dream matches featuring stars from today and the attitude era makes this the perfect game for current and old school wrestling fans

Pros:

-Attitude era mode and wrestlers

-Huge improvement to create an arena

-DLC we actually want

-Being able to make a third brand in Universe

-Ability to make dream matches

-Create a belt is back....sort of

Cons:

-Online is still annoying at times

-Duplicate wrestlers

-Exclussion of popular wrestlers (Regal, Kidd, etc)

-Bugs

-Create a belt isnt what we expected

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First and foremost, I feel it's important to list my favorite wrestling games so that you can see wrestling games I enjoyed prior to WWE '13.

In no specific order:

WWF No Mercy

WWF Wrestlemania 2000

WWE Smackdown: Shut Your Mouth

WWE Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain

WWE Wrestlemania XIX

WWE Day of Reckoning

WWE Day of Reckoning 2

I've played a lot of the more recent wrestling games. The last ones I found somewhat enjoyable but did not love were WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2006 and 2007. While not incredible wrestling games, they were much better than the games that would come out in the years to follow. I played 2008, 2010, and 2011, but I didn't stick with any of them, as I didn't care for the rosters or the gameplay. Due to the disappointment of recent wrestling games, I skipped WWE '12 entirely. But WWE '13 felt like a good time to jump back in since it brought back the Attitude era. I'm happy to say I jumped back in at the right time.

While the graphics are still a bit off at times, because long hair still looks goofy and some wrestlers don't look quite right, the game's overall presentation is still really good. The lack of HUD features allows you to feel more immersed in the action, allowing it to feel more like a live wrestling show and less like a game. Some goofy animations and glitches still rear their ugly head every once in a while, too, but this is the best a wrestling game has been in years.

As far as gameplay goes, honestly, I can't go too deep into this since I'm more of a casual wrestling game fan that just likes tight controls and smooth gameplay. It's generally a smooth game the majority of the time, but some animations are still pretty robotic and dated. However, I do believe the controls are much better than the controls in the 2008-2011 Smackdown vs. Raw games, as the controls in those games threw me for a loop and I didn't care one iota for them. The controls are vastly superior in WWE '13, in my opinion.

The greatest thing about WWE '13, aside from the improved gameplay, is the roster and Attitude storylines. This is a game built for those of us with a fond remembrance of that era. The Attitude era was controversial, unpredictable, and exciting, which are all qualities missing from the current product. WWE changed their rating to entice the family and not the young male demographic, but it's lost a lot of its appeal in the process. Granted, you have some great wrestling talent like Daniel Bryan, CM Punk, Dolph Ziggler, etc., but it feels as though the product has become too dull, predictable, and, quite frankly, boring. Less weapons, less attractive Divas doing scandalous things, less top notch storylines and character building, less theatrics, etc. Most matches are pretty formulaic these days. Divas have definitely suffered under the current brand. Anyways, just because WWE's current product is lacking doesn't mean you can't find something WWE related that brings back the good ol' days, which is what WWE '13 does. Sure, they censor Austin's middle finger, which is pretty lame, and they censor anything that has to do with "World Wrestling Federation," which is equally lame, but the rest of the Attitude mode is a top notch blast from the past that reminds us just how good that era of wrestling was.

WWE '13 is a great game, but it's even better if your favorite era was the Attitude era.

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Let me start by saying that I have not experienced any bugs, or glitches while playing this game. Just for starters let me tell you I have been playing WWF/E games since the very first one was released way back in the 80's. I currently own every WWF/E, WCW, ECW, New Japan Pro Wrestling, etc game that has ever been made, with one exception, WWE '12. I loathed that game. Hated almost everything about it. It was the one game that I was glad I rented before buying. That game was full of glitches, and some would stop you from ever going past a certain point in the game. With all of that said, here's my review of WWE '13.

Now a lot of people have already touched on the major points of the game. So I won't go too deep into details.

Attitude Era was my sole reason for picking this up. I was a little gun shy on the purchase due to hating WWE '12 but I actually got to get hands on at a comic convention, and all my worries went away.

If you were a fan between '95-'01 you know how amazing this period was, it was amazingly fun to replay some of the key moments like DX, Stone Cold vs McMahon, Mankind, Kane, the Undertaker, etc. It was great hearing the audio we all know and love from those matches, and boy what a relief it is to here good ol' JR and The King back together again. Hearing JR call the Mankind vs Undertaker Hell in a cell still gives me chills to this day, and it did so in this game. I had more fun than I can ever tell you playing this. My full intention was to go home, open this, download Fan Axxess to get DDP, Goldust, and Gangrel, and the accelerator to unlock all characters, then play a few matches, and put it away until I finished Assassin's Creed 3. That didn't happen, and as of this writing, I still have not touched Assassin's Creed 3. I really can't put this down.

Attitude Era 10/10

Now onto the WWE Xbox Live portion.

I don't play these online much if at all, and even though they can be played online, I don't feel like this is an online game. I would rather play with a friend sitting in the same room, than online, but hey that's just me, and my opinion. To each his own. I did however play 3-4 matches, and have to say it was rather slow, and buggy.

I love the Community creations more than anything. I can't tell you how dead on accurate a lot of these Arena's and Wrestler's are, and they are free to download. I already have 50 characters, and 15 arena's downloaded, and the download took seconds. If you do download please rate as it helps to weed out the bad ones.

Community Creations 10/10

Online Play 7/10

WWE creations. Where to begin here, this is where this game stands out above and beyond all other console games. The creations are amazing. Want a logo, t-shirt, arena, wrestler, make it here. The options are beyond deep.I love being able to upload music to this as well. I gave DDP his music from WCW. i have the Outsiders, i have all the WCW arena's, Impact arena, ECW arena's, etc. There is nearly no limit to what you can create. Now I admit I am not great at creating, but I made some pretty solid creations, and uploaded them to the community.

WWE Creations 10/10

WWE Universe. Have you ever sat there and thought you can do a far better job than the creative team, well get to work, and have a blast. Create stables, create tv, make WWE on 7 days a week. This makes you Vince McMahon.

10/10

Let me get into Fan Axxess for a minute. I like the concept, but I absolutely hate having to throw down another $20 for characters, and move set's that should already be in the game.I bought it because it was the only way to get DDP, and Goldust. I don't really care for Brian Christopher, Scotty too Hotty, and some of the other's that are going to be released. Forcing me to buy this to get 2 characters is BS. What is also BS is that Ryback, Aj Lee, and some of the current superstars won't be out until next month, and the move set for Brock's Kimura, and Jericho's Lionsault won't be available until January. I believe they did this to help boost sells. If you didn't grow up on Attitude Era, or just don't care about the older Superstars, then you really are being shafted in having to wait. When the next pack releases in December it will boost sells because main current stars will be available to download.

Fan Axxess 6/10

Current Superstars. I still watch Raw, Smackdown, and Impact. There aren't a huge number of current stars that I really like. The ones that I do are all here, and are fun to play as. CM Punk, Ziggler, Daniel Bryan, kane, Undertaker, etc. So if you are a fan of the current roster, they are all here.

My final rating is 5 stars for the sole reason that I have had ridiculous fun playing this. The controls are smooth, the damage is great, the online community adds to this game so much, and it's just flat out fun.

While at the Comicon I did get one of the developers to slip that the next is geared towards WCW. That is not set in stone, but that is the way they want to take it. Imagine Attitude Era from WCW's perspective.

If you liked the SvR, or if you somehow managed to like WWE '12 you will love this.

Honest reviews on WWE '13

I placed the order for this game nearly a week ago...and it still has not even shipped. Now patience is a virtue, but just understand that ordering games (this is the 2nd game purchase and 2nd delay) from Amazon means a week and a half-two weeks before you will receive your game. I've ordered many non-video game items from Amazon and without fail the item ships withing 24 hours, so I'm flummoxed as to why an item can be listed as in stock, directly from Amazon, and yet for some reason video game orders take a week just to be processed.

That being said I have played the game elsewhere and it is a lot of fun. So many cool features to take up plenty of time. The one request I might have for next year may be a little too insider, but wrestling is a performance art and yet WWE games present it as a legit fight. It would be cool if you could take a show, book it, and then pick which characters to control. You execute your offense and you decide when your opponent takes over, when to sell, when to feed him, when you come back, how many momentum shifts, near falls, and the pace. Essentially you get to call the match within an allotted time frame, then afterwards the match receives a rating. I don't know how much widespread appeal this would have...but I'd love it.

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This is the first WWE game I've played in a very long time and as such, for me, there was a fairly steep learning curve. Once I figured it out the game plays really really well, I thought the wrestling was quite enjoyable.

However the reason I bought this was for the Attitude Era and frankly without this I would have hated the game. But the Attitude Era is done fantastically well and its where I spent 90% of my time. My understanding was that it was written out by Paul Heyman and it covers most of the early attitude era, like 1997-98. I'm really really disappointed that the WWE 14 will apparently feature Wrestlemania instead of the 99-00 years since that would have been amazing. Hopefully they'll get to that in the next year or two.

Anyways for this game I give it 5 stars, it was truly fantastic and it really really makes me hate the current WWE since it's so lame now and made for children (although that seems to be changing lately, hopefully it's a full change).

I highly recommend this for any wrestling fan OR any fighting game fan, there is a ton of depth in mastering the moves.

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1.4 HDMI, run 3D through them from my PS3/Xbox to my TV. They work great, and are thick and have ferrite cores on them. Cant complain on the build / functional quality, work as expected and provide a great picture.

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Reviews of Thor: God of Thunder - Xbox 360

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Not As Bad As The Reviews Make It Seem.

I've been eyeing this game ever since the movie came out over the summer. I've notice the price drop gradually week after week and sometimes even day after day. Well, the movie is finally out on DVD and I ended up getting the game to coincide with the DVD release. I thought long and hard before buying this title. The price is RIGHT! It finally dropped to fifteen bucks, so i caved in, and brought it. With all these one star reviews, i refused to purchase it at anything higher than twenty bucks. The one star reviews are being way to critical. Yes, this game has some flaws, but all those flaws have nothing to do with technical glitches and are more about the game play itself. This is an action adventure game. Thor walks around and beats up bad guys (The same ones over and over, no variety whatsoever), goes from level to level, encounters a villain for the final boss battle and moves on. Nothing groundbreaking, same formula found in games from the 80's. Except that formula worked well in the 80's during the NES and Sega Genesis era when there wasn't much variety or options and home gaming and arcades games were relatively new to t he masses. Remember 'Streets of Rage 2'? It was repetitive, but worked. Anyways, it could have worked well here also, but it doesn't. Does that mean it makes this game awful? Absolutely not, but it does make the game very repetitious. THOR lacks the excitement for the gamer to continue on. Games these days need to offer more variety especially with the capabilities that game developers have at their fingertips. With cutting edge Mario games, other game developers really need to step up to the plate to deliver addictive titles.

I know the game has been trashed for its graphics as being too PS2-esque, but that didn't bother me so much. I am a comic book fan and for fifteen dollars, this is a decent game. Hell, i even enjoyed the 'Catwoman' video game for goodness sakes. Trust me, there are far worst games out there than this. This just happened to get a truly bad wrap because THOR has never had a video game of his own and i believe gamers had high expectations for his first outing. Unfortunately, the movie was FANTASTIC and the game is mediocre at best, but still has its high and low points. This game manages to throw in `God of War' and `Ghostrider' elements into its game play which keeps things interesting and I appreciated that. I'm also being very generous with my four-star review. It is more like three and a half.

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Well I've never seen the movie but I really enjoyed this game.I usually enjoy any game with action/fighting and adventure. No problems with it at all!I love the boss battles in this and the combat!I couldn't be more satisfied with it =)

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Thor: God of Thunder is a movie tie-in game that could of been very unique and fun but instead turns out to be a very bad clone of God of War mixed with some The Force Unleashed (in my opinion). While I do not own a physical copy of Thor I was given the opportunity to play through the game by a friend and in doing so I was glad I did not purchase the title, despite being a big fan of Thor.

GAMEPLAY

This is one of the major problem this game has in my opinion. What we have here is a bad clone of God of War mixed with a little The Force Unleashed style gameplay. I enjoyed both titles and the hack and slash style of gameplay. However, Thor's execution of this gameplay style was poorly implemented. After the first hour of smashing and electrocuting mobs I began to notice there is very little in the way of enemy variety or reason to even use your combos. Just mashing attack is often good enough (on normal difficulty setting) to get past most mobs with the occasional need to perform a simple combo attack to break a mob's armor and such. Like in God of War, when you kill mobs you will get experience points pretty much and can use them on a grid to level Thor's abilities up. The grid I felt was easy to use despite having a complex look to it. Included in the gameplay are numerous bugs that plague the title. Animation glitches, sound glitches, bad dialogue, poor physics engine the list goes on. While the problems are not game breaking, they are annoying and some of the bugs I ran into were down right inexcusable to have in a game. ( Next objective did not load for me twice during my playthrough. Restarting at the last checkpoint/save resolved it ). My biggest gripe about the gameplay is the poor execution of the grapple. Sometimes you will get the grapple notification and I would grapple the mob only to have the mob "automatically" counter my grapple and throw me away. It seemed completely random and I never could figure out why the enemy was able to just randomly counter me(could of been a PS3 bug as it didn't happen nearly as much on the 360).

GRAPHICS

I would say the graphics in this game are lacking. In fact early 360/PS3 or perhaps almost PS2/Xbox level at times. At times it felt like the Remastered God of War II where they took a 480p game and remastered it in 720p. It looked nice but you can tell something wasn't right. There are plenty of graphical hiccups throughout the game including a funny moment where Thor's cap actually rendered backwards and he was walking around with his cape over his chest for about 5 minutes. Don't expect mind blowing graphics from this title pretty much.. however the game is 3D capable. I was not able to test this feature out however due to a lack of a 3DTV.

SOUND/STORY

When it comes to music and sound effects I would say they are fair. The game uses the actors from the movie so there is some care and thought put into the dialogue, even if it was sometimes very cheesy. Game sound effects were not bad either but seemed to lack some power/muscle to them at times. STORY wise, this is a movie tie-in game which technically does not follow the movie. In a way this is good since it tries to be its own entity while using the movie actors and voices. However the storyline is very shallow and is essentially there to give you a reason to move to the next room of bad guys to smash.

REPLAY/LENGTH

It took me about 7-8 hours to beat the game on the standard difficulty setting (Midguardian). Throughout the game you will find various bosses to slay and of course hidden collectibles. The placement and nature of the collectibles reminds me a bit of The Force Unleashed here as these collectibles will unlock additional costumes, colors for Thor's lightning, etc. The added replay value here really isn't in the gameplay or storyline... but that these collectible items have DIFFICULTY REQUIREMENTS. Some of the collectibles you will be unable to pick up unless you are playing on the proper difficulty.

OVERALL F (58%)

Sadly I have to give THOR 1 star (an F rating in my book). The game is plagued with problems, and feels a bit like a fancy PS2 / Xbox title trying to mimic God of War II but left off much of what made that game fun. Is Thor: God of War a horrible game that should be avoided like the Lunchroom Meatloaf? No. It is a game that just has many problems and feels rushed and badly executed. Playing through the game, you can feel and even see the potential for a great game here that could of even brought some unique aspects into the genre but instead just got thrown out there to capitalize on the movie. With that said I feel Thor: God of Thunder is the kind of game that is perfect as a weekend RENTAL

Honest reviews on Thor: God of Thunder - Xbox 360

I'm kind of confused as to why so many people have hated this game. Its really not as bad as people make it seem. I don't like how much it differs from the movie, though. That really bugs me. But I like killing Frost Giants so that's a plus.

Also Tom Hiddleston's voice is in there so...that's always fantastic.

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Its a Thor game, & it is fun..what else does anyone need? Good story, fun to play, easy to understand what to do.

Cheap Endless Ocean: Blue World - Nintendo Wii

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Ever since I watched those old 80's Jacques Cousteau documentaries, the idea of one day snorkeling myself never left my mind. So far I never had the opportunity to dive but I often catch myself daydreaming about underwater excursions. Until I can add a check-mark beside that item on my before-I-turn-forty-list this game offers an excellent substitute.

Dive & Relax. Leave the world behind you and become on with the underwater realm.

The locales are beautifully designed, the fish, whales, dolphins and the rest of the marine life move in a very realistic fashion. The missions are pretty simple and most have an educational parameter but it is mostly about exploring at your own pace. Well, you do have to mind the oxygen level...

The underwater sounds are very well made and placed whereas the background music is a soothing companion. All in all ENDLESS OCEAN: BLUE WORLD is an excellently designed and produced diving-simulation game.

This is a game that will bring you home early, it will put a smile in your face and it will relax you like no other game.

I cannot emphasize this enough: this game is DIGITAL MASSAGE. It soothes your nerves, relaxes your body and puts you in a very easygoing mindset.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

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I'd love to go diving someday, but I'd probably not get to do more than a day of diving on a vacation. This game is about as close as I'll ever to living a worldwide underwater documentary.

This is a game that builds your underwater imagination and gives you true adventures. Movies and video games teach our kids that there is no adventure without stuffing every moment with action and explosions. Instead of shoving entertainment down a kid's throat, this game brings back memories of exploring the woods behind my house when I was younger and creating my own experiences. Those who've already been brainwashed into modern movie ideology might find it too dumb because of it's lack of violence or their type of "action", but imaginative kids will have exciting trips into underwater worlds!

It's fun to play, and the only violence is when a shark or something attacks (and you subdue them in a non-violent way). I could swim for a few hours in the area I'm in now and not cover the same ground twice! The little bad I can say about the game is really irrelevant compared to the good!

The good:

-large areas to explore with lots of stuff to find.

-goals and freedom. A better non-violent sandbox game than animal crossing! (ok, low violence)

-while the graphics won't knock your socks off, they're great wii graphics.

-I like the relaxing music. A lot of people say it's new-agey, but I think of new-agey being all synthy and blobus. But it just seems to be relaxing music that fits the pace of the game.

-$30. I mean really, this is a full game being released at a budget price.

The bad:

-The story isn't so amazing.

-No spoken text.

The not sure yet:

-There's some fantasy in the special tool you have to heal and calm fish and the story has some supernatural influences. At first I thought I thought the stuff took me out of the reality of the game, but the story and the tool are starting to grow on me.

-You don't swim very fast. But this both relaxes you and adds more tension to when you're low on air (even though there isn't much of a penalty to run out of air).

-Haven't had time to try the multiplayer, but I hope to soon! I'm sad that you can't complete the game co-op online, but it still sounds cool.

A small note is that I was concerned because the box's ESRB rating says "mild suggestive themes" for playing with my nephews and nieces. I looked it up on the ESRB website and the mild suggestive theme is: "And a collection book containing information about constellations and legendary Greek gods includes the following passage: 'Apollo, god of the sun, was deceived by the raven, who acted as his messenger, into believing that his lover had been unfaithful to him.'" So there seems to be no real "suggestive themes".

I've only had this for today, so I know my review is only based on the beginning of the game. I promise to update in a week or so when I'm much deeper into it. But, I do suggest you pick this up while it comes with the free wii speak since the wii speak is currently $16 alone. $30 for both is a steal!

Had the game for a few weeks now. I'm still playing and enjoying it. My 2 1/2 year old boy loves watching me play. He seems to especially like sharks and whales. I got it for my nephews and nieces too and they just excitedly told me about the sunken castle they found... I will do multiplayer online with my my relatives soon and let you know how that goes.

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I thoroughly enjoyed the first Endless Ocean, but found that once I had explored all the areas on the map, the game became a bit repetitive. The sequel corrects most of the gripes I had about the original. Improvements include:

No more having to repeatedly "touch" or feed new creatures in order to have their names appear. Simply hitting the 'A' button when a creature is selected focuses on the creature and shows its name.

A more expansive storyline. Still a bit simplistic, but more interesting than the original.

A much larger world to explore. I am several hours into the game, so I don't know just how much more there is to be revealed, but already there are far more diving locales, than the single one in the original. You can also go exploring on the shoreline. This is how you discover new marine mammals, as opposed to having them randomly pop-up on your boat in the original.

More to do. There are side quests, and special requests that are separate from the main storyline.

Some dangers are present. Diving is an inherently dangerous pursuit, something not apparent in the original. It took forever to run out of air in the original, and there were no creatures that posed any danger. Now you need to plan your dives more careful, as air doesn't last as long (though you can earn money to upgrade your gear and get longer dive times). There are encounters with dangerous creatures that you can calm with your "pulsar" tool. Coming into contact with them hastens the use of your air. This adds some more excitement value.

I have not yet tried the Wii Speak feature, nor cooperative online play. I don't believe either feature is necessary to enjoy the game, though they may be nice extras.

In summary if you liked the original, I expect that you will like the sequel even more. If you like role playing and quest driven games, you will probably enjoy this. It is a nice way to unwind, as opposed to the typical more frantic game. This is a single player game that all ages can enjoy.

Honest reviews on Endless Ocean: Blue World - Nintendo Wii

Our ten year old daughter loves this game!

It encourages reading skills (both content and expression), map skills, compass use, tracking characters and plot to the conclusion, identification and classification of various ocean life, geography, myths and legends, and more...

She has both Endless Ocean games and loves them both. She was particularly engrossed in Endless Ocean 2: Blue World. So much so that she cried when she thought it was done after solving the Song of Dragons... Thank goodness you can keep going after that! She wants to know when more Endless Ocean games are coming out.

Over the past two years of owning both Endless Ocean games, she took up swim classes and begged us to go to Discovery Cove in Orlando, FL so we could all swim with the dolphins. So she completed several sessions of swim classes and we went to Discovery Cove. She got to swim with the dolphins and snorkel through the "river" there and the artificial reef full of different kinds of fish and stingrays. Seeing her swim with the dolphin at Discovery Cove and the look of SHEER JOY on her face was worth the price of this game a thousand times over. It's one of my best family vacation memories and it's all because of these two Wii games.

As a former teacher (my husband still teaches), I love the learning opportunities and quality family time that you can have with this game if you choose to explore it together. Yes, you can play the game alone, but if you want to be involved with your child's play of the game, there are opportunities to do that together that are very rewarding. We have looked up different countries (information, photos, maps, etc.), mythical gods, various fish and marine mammals, etc. on the internet while she has played the game. She just pauses the game and we stop to look things up.

I ***HIGHLY RECOMMEND*** this game. Our game came packaged with the Wii Speak, which I believe sells for $16 separately. This is a tremendous bargain on an already fantastic game.

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When I bought this game I had gone out planning to buy "Wii Sports Resort," but saw this next to it on the shelf and decided to give it a go (the excellent price-wii speak included for $30, and the salesperson's opinion-he liked the original, and heard good thing about this one-influenced my decision). After playing the first night it left such an impression I even had dreams about it...If you have any inclination to get this (I had only the slightest, admittedly), you will not be disappointed.

Con's:

1. This isn't so much a "con" as a warning,-this is truly a one person game (the wii-speak aspect not included, since I have yet to use that). Watching others play this game is not that fun,it's not a "party/social game" in any respects, just FYI.

2. The controls: I read in a review that the previous title used the nun chuck and if I can imagine how that worked I think it might be better...I found myself clutching the wiimote within an inch of my life during some parts, and getting back and forth between the directional controls and tools was a bit unwieldy.

3. As other reviewers have said, it's a shame they didn't add voices to the story narrative.

Pro's:

1. Really beautiful, and once you give it a chance (35 min or so) totally entertaining and captivating.

2.Good mix of soothing (tranquil exploring type stuff), thoughtful (how the heck do I get past these whirlpools? what's in this cave?), and normal 'action'(here comes another shark!)

3. Good graphics,the "zoom in" spots are especially cool.

4. Large "world" of exploration. So far, not repetitive or boring at all.

Basically, if you are willing to give this game a chance (like I said, it starts slow-especially if you typically play games with a partner) you will hopefully be as thrilled as I am. If you are harboring any restless intellectual curiosity re:deep sea environs, you should find this especially fun.