James Bond 007: Quantum of Solace - Xbox 360 Review

Customer Ratings:

When I heard about this game I wasn't expecting much. All the games after Goldeneye have been decent but overall a disappointment. Well Goldeneye fans rejoice, this is hands down the best Bond game to come out since the N64 classic.

The single player is very cinematic and exciting retaining the old school feel with modern touches. I think new fans and old fans will be very happy.

As for the multiplayer, it is amazing! It isn't redefining the genre by any means but it is just plain fun and highly addictive. The cover system works perfect and I really like the credit system to upgrade your weapons. It uses the same engine as Call Of Duty 4 and since I played the hell out of that jumping into a Team Conflict match in Quantum Of Solace feels very natural.

Even though Gears Of War 2 will be coming out soon and I will be spending most of my time playing that I am still very glad I bought this. Its a refreshing change from the games that try to do too much. Overall, highly recommended.

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This game absolutely nailed the James Bond experience. This is a fun and exciting Bond title that has some truly engaging situations and pretty production values. Certainly worth considering if you are a Bond fan or just want a good shooter.

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My Pre-playing Expectations:

I must say that if Casino Royale hadn't been a phenomenal release, then expectations for this game would not have been as high. My expectations for the game were very high, especially after experiancing thrills from 3rd person shooters like Gears of War and Dead Space as well as 1st person shooters like Call of Duty 4 and Far Cry 2. Not only did I have games to compare this game to, but I had found out that the original makers of the Bond videogames, Electronic Arts, had sold the rights to the franchise to the better known Activision and Treyarch. For those of you that are not familiar with these two companies listed above, they were extremely successful in their latest release, Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare.

About QoS:

Qos starts off the story right after Bond tracks down Mr. White to his mansion at the end of the Casino Royale movie. I know what your thinking, and yes, the best action scene from the first movie is in the game:(Bond chases down the bomb-maker with scars on his face through a constuction site and eventually to the Mbatu Embassy). The cut-scenes are brilliant and epic which ultimately keeps the plot closely tied with the upcoming QoS movie.

Gameplay:

The most innovative feature in QoS is the ability to transition from the traditional Bond 1st person view to the 3rd person view while wall covering. The wall covering feature takes a bit of time to master because not all objects can be used for cover, unlike Gears of War. Those of you that have watch the movie have noticed that Daniel Craig as Bond is very physical, so Activision and Treyarch did not forget to add stunningly realistic melee combat. Players can now choose to beat levels with stealth or the traditional "I'm James Bond, so I will take out an entire army of heavily trained soldiers and henchmen" style. Brilliant weapons, great variation in difficultly modes, but the game lacks a key concept. Its understandable that James Bond never dies, but seriously, he should not have the ability to automatically regain lost health when in cover like the robotic spartan, master chief, who we have grown so familiar with. I feel that the developers wanted to take everything everyone liked out of halo and gears of war and mutate it into a Bond game rather than create a new and innovative gameplay; apart of the reason why I cut down a star on my rating. Also, unfortunately the traditional offline multiplayer is not an option anymore. But don't fret 007 fanatics, there are tons of reasons why this game will give you the trigger finger and award you a license to kill.

MY RATINGS: Comments:

Gameplay:8/10

Visual:9.9/10 *Absolutely stunning visuals, .1 off because, unrealistically there are explosive gas canisters at a library, which did make me laugh for a while. Daniel Craig looks great, and so do the guns and enviornments. The melee combat will leave you speechless...it looks like the real thing. I just wish the future James Bond games will move up to the 'Mature' rating by adding blood; now in days shooting games without blood is like a flamethower filled with water.

Sound:9.5/10 *Features Daniel Craig's voice, along with Judi Dench as M. I took of .5 because the explosions could have used some tuning.

Storyline:9/10 *Follows the next movie and some extra stuff, great cutscenes, and the unknown story will leave the players with a taste to find out what happens next.

Controls:7.5/10 *The hassel with aiming at the location first then wall covering caused me some deaths at key locations.

Multiplayer:8/10 *Where's the offline?!? Xbox live multiplayer is phenomenal and includes traditional heart stoppers like Golden Gun mode, and License to Kill mode.

Lasting Appeal:7/10 *Sure. Everyone needs to beat it in 00 agent difficulty mode, but there are no Bond moments anymore nor are there any incentives for completing levels and different objectives in different difficulty modes; specifically no awards or unlockables offered besides the rushed and corny upgrades to weapons that can only be used in xbox live.

OVERALL SCORE:8.5/10 *This score of course translates to 9/10 for 007 fanatics, like my self.

CONCLUSION:JAMES BOND FANS, GET YOUR FINGER ON THE MOUSE AND CLICK BUY NOW. To others: If you liked Call of Duty 4, you'll like this, and if your still unsure, I suggest you rent it first. Keep icing that trigger finger my fellow 007 fanatics, and good luck.

END OF REVIEW

Honest reviews on James Bond 007: Quantum of Solace - Xbox 360

This is the first 007 game from Activision, who took over the franchise from Electronic Arts. I have no idea why EA would sell those rights, especially when they made some very fine games, the best being Everything or Nothing from 2004. Quantum of Solace is actually an amalgamation of the plots to Casino Royal and QoS, the first 'new' Bond films with Daniel Craig, whose voice and likeness are used here. There isn't much to solve in the missions, you just have to shoot a lot of goons. It's actually far less complicated than the previous Bond game plots, less produced (EoN had a large cast, its own theme song, etc), and more linear.

It's a strange game, though...it's really a step backward from the EA games, though it still retains the general feel of the earlier entries like Agent Under Fire and Nightfire. The innovations that EA brought to Everything or Nothing are completely absent. That game's engine, which had you control a third-person Pierce Brosnan (more reminiscent of the GTA games, and an engine that EA would further develop with the excellent The Godfather), had things like 'Bond Vision', Q-gadgets, and a far, far better hand-to-hand combat element. QoS returns us to the first-person mode, so you just see the gun barrel. Granted, there is a cover mode, which has Daniel Craig suddenly slide behind a wall or a box, but it's hardly anything new (it does work well in firefights, though).

There isn't a gadget in sight, and though the new Bond films are moving toward grittier action and less gimmicky tech-toys, for a video game it'd have been nice to incorporate something whacky like the Q-Laser/Claw/Spider/whatever. Also, the hand-to-hand action on QoS is very strange...there are a few 'boss' moments where you have to fight someone, but the screen tells you the button to press...you just have to time it. Very easy, and not necessary. The guns are pretty good, but no upgrades in 1P mode, and there is less variety--will they ever match the video-controlled rocket launcher from Nightfire? The villain AI is similar to Nightfire...even their speech ("Target acquired!" "I'm moving in!", etc).

Furthermore, QoS has no driving missions at all--how can a Bond game not have his Aston Martin or BMW? There are no 'Bond Moment's...at least none that give you bonuses, a fun part of the EA games, and there are no upgrades like special weapons (more power, a Golden Gun, etc) drastically cutting the replay value on this game (there is a weapons upgrade on the online multiplayer mode). QoS is also a very short game...far too short. You can finish this with no problem on the third difficulty in a few hours. Even the fourth/hardest difficult level is pretty easy...the enemies are quicker and more accurate, but you just replay and replay. The game is very linear with only one way to attack a board, and not enough interaction with the backgrounds.

Despite these drawbacks...I still liked the game, maybe because I've enjoyed all of the previous Bond games on the PS2 and before. There is still some classic Bond-esque action---cartoonish shooting with no blood or gore. Funny enough, this is actually more reminiscent of the 2002 game Nightfire (for the PS2), which also had the third-person mode. But it's definitely a step backwards in terms of features and overall game play. Mystifying as to why EA would surrender this lucrative franchise--and don't believe any hype that it's the best Bond game since Goldeneye (every Bond game has been called the best game since Goldeneye by someone).

Recommended if you can find it at reduced price. This review is biased because I've waited for a new-gen system Bond game, so I'll take what I can get. It's far too short, there is only an online multiplayer mode (once again, the makers cheap out on local multiplayer in order to push the XBox Live business), and it's way too easy. I would still recommend Everything or Nothing as perhaps the best-ever Bond video game, and far more innovative than this effort. Let's hope Activision steps up next time, or perhaps tries something before the next Craig Bond film, ala EA's From Russia With Love retro-effort.

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It's no secret that most Bond games since GoldenEye 64 have been sub-par, with the exception of Nightfire which I loved.

Then comes Quantum of Solace. I absolutley love this game. I have had it for over two weeks now and there have only been about 2 days that I have not played it.

First off, the campaign mode. A very entertaining and very fun mode to play. The only draw back of it is that it is on the short side. Since it is very fun though, you can play on a lesser difficulty first, then go back and beat it again for the achievements/enjoyment of it. The game is set just after the events of Casino Royale. You first play through a couple levels from Quantum of Solace, and then go back and play through Casino Royale, then go back and finish off QoS. The game keeps you very interested with the fast paced, fun gameplay and the interesting cut scenes.

This game is a first person shooter with hints of a third person shooter. At first this was a negative for me as I am not a huge fan of TPS, but it is done in a fantastic way. There is a cover system that allows you to take cover behind pillers and boxes and walls and whatever else you can hide behind. This allows you to blind fire as well as peek out when the time is right to conserve your health and make perfect shots. This system is also in multiplayer. Also there are fight scenes that you are able to "control". I say that because there will be a whole fight scene, but you will only be allowed to hit about two buttons, the rest is done for you. This is a bit weak, but does not take away from the fun of the game.

The multiplayer is VERY fun and addictive. Treyarch developed this game with Activision, the same team that procduced Call of Duty 3 and Call of Duty: World at War, so you know the multiplayer is quality. The system is set up just like Call of Duty 4 and World at War, with the different weapon classes that allow you to build your own weapon pack. You can choose which main gun, side arm, grenade, weapon attachments, and perks you want.

There are many different modes in multiplayer. There is Team Conflict which is just teams of 4 or 6 that battle each other, deathmatch style. Golden Gun mode is where one person has a golden gun that shoots explosive bullets and everybody else is trying to kill him and each other to get the golden gun. There is territory control in which two teams battle to take over a certain territory and hold it for an amount of time. Classic mode is just how it sounds, classic. This feels a lot like GoldenEye 64 where you just start with a pistol and you have to find other weapons on the map, everybody for themselves. There are about 4 other modes that are fun as well. Great weapon, great perks, and a very good multiplayer experience.

Overall I would recommend this game to anyone who loves shooting games. The campaign is awesome, and the multiplayer is very addictive and adds much replay value to this game. This is one of my favorite Xbox 360 games!! Go get it now!!

Graphics9/10

Sound9/10

Replay Value10/10

Gameplay9/10

Multiplayer9/10

Fun10/10

Overall9.3/10

Review of HDE® Xbox 360 To Playstation PS3 Controller Adapter

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List Price: $18.99
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Works great with any wired Xbox controller. I also used my Razer Sabertooth and it maintain full function and programmability.

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I got the cross adapter because I kept on breaking my PS3 Controller and I could not afford to get a replacement but I have a Xbox 360 my brother has and I prefer the 360 controller so I went on amazon searching for cross battle adapters I took a risk getting this one because there was no reviews on it so instead of buying the XMC ADAPTER WITH RUMBLE I got this one and it had a vibration funtion ! I did'nt expect it to have it and its a plus because it has turbo perfect for FPS'S I dont know why everyone is wasting there money on the expensive ones when there is a afforable one that does everything the other ones do

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This thing works great! I got it because I have never been able to get used to the PS3 controller when playing shooters like Uncharted and I am happy to report that it works perfectly. I do not feel any lag and the rumble works great as well! The turbo works just fine although I don't see myself using it.

If you have been wanting a cheap way to use your wired 360 controller on your PS3 then look no further!

Honest reviews on HDE® Xbox 360 To Playstation PS3 Controller Adapter

Plug and Play.., Only one draw back, at least for me, is the trigger on the ps3 controller, is the bumper on the xbox controller..

This isn't a deal breaker, but I wished it had an option to reverse the trigger / bumper.. It would then be using the Xbox

controller, as it was intended to be used... :)

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Shipping took less than 5 days though I ordered it on a Friday and it came on a Tuesday night so I was very pleased with how fast it delivered. Overall I'd rate this as an okay product to casual gamers or for gamers who want the feel of an Xbox Controller on a PS3 game. Although there was no setup required and it was just plug-n-play, this adapter is not 100% calibrated for the PS3. It has a slightly noticeable button/input delay compared to using an X360 controller on the X360. The only reason why I bought this converter was so I could play Tekken Tag 2 on the PS3 so perfect timing is necessary. It's a good worthwhile investment for people who have a PS3 and want to play shooters or any game really. For the low cost, I'd say it was a good buy even though I can't make much use of it.

Review of Otomedius Excellent - Xbox 360

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Im a longtime fan of shmups. R-Type, Gradius V and U.N. Squadron, 1943 and the more recent DeathSmiles and Akai Katana are some of my faves. After months of procrastinating I finally caved and bought this game. What a disappointment. Here's why:

1) In every shooter one of the most important things is to make sure the player can tell the difference in foreground/backgrond graphics, as well as being able to clearly see enemy bullets. OE does an amazing job of ruining that conceptobjects that look like youll crash into you'll go right through and vise versa, and enemy bullets are so hard to see against the bright backgrounds its impossible to tell whats going on.

2) Unlimited continues from the get-go and bosses that "run-away" after 3 or 4 minutes makes no sense. I just beat the game on a 2nd play-through doing this before writing this review. All you have to do is hit Start to continue when needed and you can beat the game just like that.

3) Voice acting. Its fine for some games but this in particular its like they got some 10 year old girl with the highest pitched voice to squeak out dialogue. There is a TON of chatter throughout the game and it doesn't let up much at all. I turned it all the way down, only to find out that when you die there's no voice going "ahhh!!" anymore, but there's no explosion sound to signify i got hit. Your character just slowwwwwwwwly falls toward you then off-screen to the left.

4)Your main gun shoots two bullets on screen at once. Two bullets. Thats it. Good luck trying to defeat a boss if this ever happens. (Oh wait! Just refer to #2, silly me!).

5)I paid just $12 for the disc (still a rip-off) but apparently there are 25 pieces of paid DLC. Not only that, the paid DLC consists of the usual gamerpics, skins, extra stages, extra characters, and...music tracks?!?! And the music tracks are.....440 points ($5.50). EACH. SERIOUSLY. Go look on xbox.com yourself. This is an insult, especially for such a niche market these days they have to nickel and dime us to death? Hey Konami, you do you think you are? Capcom?

6) There's this odd text bar that resides above your weapon layout, (bottom left of screen). So when certain characters are yabbering in Japanese it scrolls

the English text. Its small and hard to read but most importantly for a game like this its distracting with no option to turn off. Also, for each music track that plays it will show the song title and composer on the bottom right of the screen. Oh, and cant be turned off either.

7)To piggyback on parts of #5 and #6, the music sucks. Especially the boss musicdoesnt fit in at all. Not even in a Parodius kind-of-weird, (that game was actually fun and had some cool tunes though). OE is just blah and boring.

Id give this game zero stars if I could. Please dont make the same mistake I did. Buy DeathSmiles instead. Or DeathSmiles IIX off Games on Demand. Or Akai Katana. Or Espgaluda II. All are for Xbox 360 and are wonderful shoot-em-ups/shmups that are worth your time and money. Not this worthless piece of garbage!

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They totally blew it in a bad way. Instead of bringing us a souped-up Gradius or a crazier/zanier Parodius, we get this weird game. Now, I'm not completely against the idea of making more side-scrolling shoot-'em-ups, as they are not as popular as the vertical scrollers, but this one is definitely not representative of what is best about the genre. To add insult to injury, you end up feeling like you bought "part" of the game because of all the damn DLC they tried to shank their customers with: You have to download certain levels, download characters, download this, download that... what a buncha crap. The graphics aren't all that great either, sort of a mix of 2D and 3D I hate 3D and I can't recall the music at all. I wouldn't recommend this game to anyone. I only got it because it was free with "rewards points" from my credit card and I'm a bit of a completist. Am I glad I didn't shell out for the import copy.

Bollocks to your DLC, Konami!

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Otomedius is a horizontally scrolling shooter which touts itself as the successor to Konami's classic Gradius series. While it shares many of the base gameplay features as this legendary series, it unfortunately suffers many problems which results in a very mediocre experience.

Just to name a few, due to the size of your player character on the screen, it can become extremely difficult to correctly gauge your hitbox, especially on the harder difficulties when the screen is full of projectiles.

While the 2-D artwork which permeates the game is well done, the actual 3D models used within the game itself are very lackluster. This becomes especially apparent during times when the game zooms in during cutscenes.

The multiplayer aspect of the game is also a disappointment. The game does not allow for two people to play together in the normal "Story" mode of the game. Rather, the only way to play with friends is in a specific "Multiplayer" mode, where the second player is not able to gain experience, and no continues are allowed. So, you are completely out of luck if you want to just play the normal game with a friend.

The boss fights in the game can also be a source of frustration. While the bosses are not too difficult, they tend to have an unusually high amount of health, and it is a near impossibility to hit some of their weak points without using certain specific weapons. As a result, many of the weapons available to you are largely worthless, as it is nearly impossible to defeat the bosses using them before you run out of time.

While each of these complaints, when taken alone, are not horrendous faults, the fact that so many minor poor game design choices exist at once just makes the game seem amateurish. If the company behind the game was new, or at least new to making this genre of game, then it could almost be excused. But this game was made by Konami, a company whose experience making shooters stretches back over twenty five years. And while this game so proudly declares its decent from the Gradius series on the cover, the simple fact of the matter is that Gradius V, a game that was released nearly seven years before on an inferior console, completely surpasses Otomedius Excellent in pretty much every possible way.

The game does boast a decent, if not particularly memorable, soundtrack that has a decent amount of songs from classic Konami titles. And the large amount of playable characters, coupled with a copious amount of unlockables, does give it a fair amount of replay value. Trying to obtain all of the weapons in the game will definitely provide plenty of entertainment to fans who enjoy the collection aspect of games. I feel it is important to warn, however, that the game relies quite heavily on the use of paid DLC. In fact, two characters, who were quite prominently displayed in both the promotion of the game as well as the intro movie of the game itself, are only accessible by paying separately for them once you have already purchased the game.

One final important note is that the game's visual aesthetic was very clearly designed to cater entirely to a very specific group of fans. And it is very likely that your enjoyment of the game may drastically increase or decrease based entirely on whether or not you happen to belong to this group. I will say, though, that with the amount of minor problems prevalent throughout this title, one would almost wish that they had spent less time worrying about the visual appeal of the characters, and more on ironing out the actual gameplay.

Honest reviews on Otomedius Excellent - Xbox 360

There's really not much to say about the game except it's alright if you're looking for a classic star fighter 2D game,had a gift card so figured why not and for the price not all bad just not great either.

Don't expect any of the regular gameplay we expect from today's games obviously as all you really do is shoot the enemy fighters until the boss battle at the end of the level though you will give a chuckle or two at some of the voice comments from the characters in the game intentional or not.

If you can get the game under $10 I'd say go for it though even $10 maybe a little much for this game still if you're looking for a classic style of starfighter shooter type games overall it's not too bad.

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I love old school shmups and this one is a bit different than I'm used to but I couldn't not give it a shot for the price it was being offered at.

Best Sharkoon X-Tatic True 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound Gaming Deals

Customer Ratings:

This headset rocks! I definitely took a chance on these despite not having seen any previous reviews or ratings, but it was worth it. I wanted to test it out for a few weeks before writing a review. Also, this is my first Sharkoon product.

Along with the headset itself, it includes

optical cable

"sound control unit" (your little magic black box where all cables run to)

adapters for PC (comes with 5.1 analog for those w/o pc optical), 360, ps3

detachable boom mic (it does flex to your preference)

power supply (single cord which splits off to power your SCU and headset separately) Ex.) you can still disconnect the power to the SCU and still have power running to the headset by itself. The power supply comes with swappable heads. I guess this is if you go out of the country and want to use their foreign outlets.

It took me a little bit of time to figure out all these adapters, settings, and wires (there are a lot of wires.)

The Sound Control Unit (SCU) is where your optical, power supply and 9-pin headset connector come together. You can also adjust the general volume here, but I usually just use the volume adjust attached the the headset cord. There is a 5.1 analog output as another option for those PC users without an optical option. With two 9-pin headset jacks, a second person with the same headset may also listen in. Two Dolby options include Dolby Digital and Pro Logic. There are two included settings called Time-Delay and Dynamic Range Control located on the SCU.

Both of these passages taken directly from the manual. Either setting can be turned on or off.

"Time-Delay The Time-Delay function allows to define a time delay for the sound reproduction for each speaker. Thus a spacious playback of the audio signal can be achieved. Note that increasing the delay too much may cause unnatural results."

"Dynamic Range Control Dynamic Range control limits the dynamic, decreasing the level differences between loud and quiet passages in the Dolby Digital 5.1 signal thus balancing the effect of loudness."

Other nice features include a volume adjuster which is attached the headset cord. The X-tatic logo on the headset AND also the attached volume adjuster light up. Looks good to me! The volume is indicated by the different colors lighted up on the volume adjuster ranging from green (very low) to red (very high). The sound volume from each speaker can also be adjusted individually. So say you're sniping and you want to hear even more of the sounds behind you. You can "up" the volume on the rear speakers to do just that. Or you might be looking to get more "boom" from your sounds. You can increase the bass volume while keeping the other speakers at their current volume.

There is a switch to turn off your voice. You can't hear your own voice while speaking, but I prefer it that way. Voice volume from other people can also be adjusted independently from game volume. So when I hear a lobby full of annoying kids, I lower the voice volume and just "up" my awesome game volume. Bliss.

Comfort 5/5 Took a night of gameplay to "break-in", so now it fits comfortably. Good padding so it sits well on your head. The ear cups can be tilted and also swivel to match your unique head shape (a BIG plus for me.) I can wear these 4-5 hours easy.

Sound 5/5 Amazing! Playing MW2 and GOW2 is a whole new experience now! Sounds I never knew existed in these games gave me a whole new appreciation! Distant gunfire, rustling of bushes and grass around me, and even slight downpour can be heard. With that said, the 5.1 directionality will add a whole new dimension to your gameplay. For me, there is a clear distinction between if gunfire is coming from front, rear, front left, rear right, etc. Footsteps come in loud and clear. This keeps me more aware of my surroundings. Hurray for situational awareness!

Price 4/5 It is quite the steep investment for me at $159.99, even with the free shipping from Amazon (love ya for that Amazon!) I did have to think twice before my purchase solely because the price. Now that I look back on it, it was the right move.

Overall, this headset definitely meets my expectations. It looks good and has some surprisingly cool features. Maybe if they could fix the amount of wires, but I guess that what it takes to work on the pc, 360, and ps3.

Good Hunting!

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This isn't meant to be a very technical review, but I will share my opinion with hope that I can answer some questions that I had when reviewing these headphones.

I've been using these headphones mainly for PC and PS3 games. For those of you with intention of using these with an xbox 360, be warned you will need to purchase a specific xbox360 adapter for the optical audio (I would have tested MW2 already if I had the xbox360 connection). The PS3 has and most newer PC motherboards even have the optical audio connection. If you're really serious about having amazing PC audio, you might consider an aftermarket sound card ... but then again, if you ARE really serious, you'd be buying an ACTUAL 5.1 system and not just headphones.

These aren't meant for stereo sound and only do a mediocre job at best when just listening to music, unless you connect the 5.1 analog adapter and use the orange (center and sub channel), then it sounds better. I haven't compared these to any other gaming headset, but I have no complaints on the sound quality. You do have the ability to adjust the volume of the front, center, rear and sub channels which is very handy for getting the sound just right. You can go further and adjust other settings, but I haven't tinkered with that.

These headphones are also very comfortable. Most of the weight is on top of your head and not on or over your ears which greatly reduces ear fatigue. I have used them for 3+ hours with little discomfort!

Take note that these are in no way noise canceling headphones. If you have the volume down low, you will be able to hear what's going on around you, and those around you might hear what you are listening to if you've got the volume up very high. That's not a big problem though.

I've used the mic over Skype and in games such as SC2 and have had people comment on the good quality of the sound of my voice. It's nice that the mic is detachable, but honestly, it's never really in the way and I never detach it.

The headphones themselves glow green, quite brightly. This is a nice feature if you're trying to impress people with cool hardware, but it's annoying to have them sitting beside my bed on my desk at night when I'm trying to sleep -an acceptable annoyance.

The mess of cables isn't really an issue considering I already have a mess of cables on my desk where I have a PC, PS3 and Xbox360. If you are worried about the mess of cables, you might consider purchasing a longer optical cable as the supplied one is quite short (approx 2 feet). This way you can have the adapter and all the cables hidden somewhere. The cable from the headphone is very long, so don't worry about that.

One last note, this purchase was a shot in the dark. I had never heard of Sharkoon before and am quite pleased. I was debating over this and the TRITTON AXPRO and chose these. I don't regret my decision!

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I ordered the Sharkoon Xtatic after quite a bit of online research. I was at first going to buy a surround sound system to play my PS3 with. After considering this and the fact that my roommate might not appreciate my midnight Call of Duty "boom sessions," I decided to check out surround sound headphones. These can range widely in price, and my budget was admittedly low.

After some browsing the web and reading lots of reviews, I came to the Sharkoon Xtatic. Not much was available online about it, as far as reviews go. I couldn't find many other 5.1 headset for the PS3, so I decided to take a gamble.

The verdict: I like my headset. It is a lot of fun to use and really immerses me in my first-person shooters, like Call of Duty. I also enjoy having the mic built in, as opposed to a standard 5.1 headphone set. However, I don't think the performance justifies the price tag. I feel like a stereo headset would be only a hint behind the Xtatic in performance, as the surround sound in the Xtatic is not very great. It does have a somewhat surround feel to it, but not what I had hoped for. If I could go back, I would have either paid more for a surround sound speaker set (and annoyed my roommate), or I would have paid less money for a nice stereo headset. I just don't think this headset performs well enough to justify the price. Also, I will add that the Sharkoon has quite a tangle of cables to connect in order for everything to work properly. This isn't a deal breaker for me, but for anyone obsessed with maintaining a clean, clutter free wire setup, I don't think you want this headset.

One more thing. I have noticed some nasty distortion when I play Guitar Hero World Tour. This tends to happen during the loading screen when the crowd is cheering. Haven't had any sound problems in CoD:MW, or MW2.

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Astro? Turtle Beach? Tritton? I own many gaming headsets from these companies, including each of their flagship models. How do they fair against the $139 Sharkoon X-Tatic True?

In the interest of brevity:

Astro A40($250+): Although more comfortable, the Astro A40's do NOT come close in Sound or Build Quality. Winner: Sharkoon, by a long shot.

Turtle Beach PX5/XP500($213-$240+): Nothing shines with Turtle Beach PX5's/XP500's. Horrible even if they were to retail for $99. Winner: Sharkoon, NOT EVEN CLOSE.

Tritton AX Pro($160+): Better than the Turtle Beach Brand, even though Mad Catz shall lead them to their doom. Build quality: FAIL. True 5.1 Implementation: Fail. Even though they are considered to be exactly the same as the Sharkoon X-Tatic True... they are not. Winner: Sharkoon, Superior Sound & Build Quality.

Funny right? The headset with the lowest cost DOMINATES it's competitors that cost $21-$111 more.

Build Quality: 5/5 Most solid of any of my 20+ headsets.

Comfort: 3.25/5 Heavy & In-Line amp could use a belt clip like my A40's have.

Mic: 4.5/5 Clear & Flexible but could be a bit longer

Incoming Chat(PS3): 4/5 Clear but volume is a bit too low

Sound: 4.75/5 Superior Sound Quality. #1 Gaming Headset.

Sound Sub Categories:

Gaming: 5/5

Directional Recognition: 5/5

Gaming Booms(Bass): 5/5

Music: 4.5/5

Surround: 5/5

Music Bass: 4.25/5

Movies(BluRay): 5/5

Surround: 5/5

Movies Bass: 5/5

Top Quality Headset. Don't Fear this purchase as I did. You will not regret this great buy.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Sharkoon X-Tatic True 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound Gaming

Well based on the reviews, I purchased these headsets and I've had them for two days and I'm very satisfied. My review is from the point of view of a PC user and not X-Box.

I have a set of Klipsh 2:1 Speakers and was considering a surround sound system, but the family is already complaining about my loud music and games. I figured a better alternative was to get a surround sound headset which I can play loud as I'd like. I mostly watch movies and Game a little. I researched up and down and found that these have 4 speakers per side and claim to provide true surround sound in a headset.

Below are my impressions:

1. I have a Soundblaster Fatality Titanium Sound Card. Maybe your results will be different with a different card but these speakers work well with this model. I tried running the headsets both through the box connected to my Digital out put and through the analog plugs and by-passing the box. There is an option to not use the little box and connect the headset directly to your PC using analog cables. I had to pull out the manual because the color coding on these cables are European and don't match the Sound-blaster Color Coding. But using both manuals I matched up the right cables. There was no improvement without the box on any type of listening and you didn't get the full Dolby effect on the digital type sounds. The digital optical output through the box is the only way to run these you need the box to interpret the sound and bring out the beauty of Digital sound. Blue-Ray Digital Discs sound fantastic with these headsets.

2. Be careful there is a setting on the box (Button) that turns on Pro Logic. If the sound source is not Dolby or Digital than it sounds like crap. I believe this is why a few people may have given these Headsets bad reviews. Their fault they had the Dolby Prologic on with the wrong source. By the way the base is very strong on these at normal settings with options to turn it up directly through the headset control.

3. Music, If you are buying these to play YouTube stuff, forget it. It sounds fine but it just isn't Bose or Sennheiser Quality. If You are an audiophile about music and getting it from non digital sources, get a digital splitter and/or a different headset. This speaker set excels with gaming and movies and with anything that is using Digital DTS or Digital Dolby 5:1 or surround sound effects. Blue Ray Disks are incredible. You tube stuff is very mediocre.

4. Netflix When I first turned on Netflix it sounded horrible than I unchecked Dolby, wham 100% turnaround. I believe that my Soundblaster EAX took over because the next thing you know

I was listening to Apocalypse Now and Bullets are sounding all over the place I was wowed by the excellent sound. These don't just simulate surround sound, they are surround sound. I confirmed this in another scene from Apocalypse Now. In this scene near the end Sheen is first talking to Brando. The camera is switching perspectives. The stuff happening from behind sounded from behind and the stuff in front to the front. It confirmed without a shadow of a doubt that these do more than just simulate surround sound. I heard sounds behind in front and to the sides!!

4. Games. I played Crysis and it was very immersive. I haven't played enough games on this to comment but I believe that it excels at gaming, I was getting the forwards backwards sideways sounds and to it was great.I think alot is going to depend on the game and how it's programmed. But digital games are going to sound awesome!!

5. Comfort. I don't know why but even though these are huge they aren't hot and sweaty. This is the first two sided enclosed headset that I've used where I wasn't sweating rivulets. I really can't figure why they are so comfortable. I wear glasses and have no problems.

So in conclusion, don't buy these for Non-Digital Music. Buy them for gaming and High Def Movies and you'll be a happy camper. Be careful not to use the Dolby button with non Dolby sources. Use a Digital Optical output along with the box.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Add on to original Review.

One of the complaints I've heard is that you can't turn these off. Actually you can, funny thing is that I picked this trick up in the reviews of a competitors Headset that's supposed to be similar to this one. If you push the Volume button and the "Front" buttons in at the same time the Headset will turn off. Kind of nifty because you'll never turn it off by accident and once you know the trick it's very simple.

I also felt that when I raised the volumes on the Box and used the volume of the headsets at lower volume that quality increased.

Discount F1 2011 - Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $29.96
Sale Price: $11.12
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Last year I fell in love with what I believed was the best f1 game ever. This year I find myself unable to touch 2010 because 2011 is just that much better. The cars just feel so much better and the new changes allow me to unleash an aggressive driving style on the track. Curbs are now my best friends as I can trample them without fearing a loss of control. Everything about 2011 is just improved over 2010, especially the graphics. If you like a challenge and a great sense of speed, buy this game NOW!

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Not to sound dramatic, but this game is really pretty amazing. Admittedly, I have only spent an hour and a half behind the wheel, but so far the attention to detail is actually close to my expectations for an F1 game. I have a feeling that I will be investing a LOT of hours in this one.

Last year I had PS3 version of F1 2010 (G27 wheel so forced to get PS3) and I was kind of disappointed. Nothing wrong with the game for me, but just felt sterile and kind of blah. Visually the color palette was too drab, maybe handling wasn't lively enough, cockpit views kind of disappointing, and the McLaren wasn't even shiny? (Seriously, how could they not get that right in the year 2010 with all the experience they have developing games?)

I don't know if it is because I bought the Xbox 360 version this year or what, but WOW, I am impressed. The handling feels lively and the interaction with the AI cars has an exciting feel. The graphics are just beautiful, tons of detail that you might not even expect. I literally sat there with a huge grin on my face, like the feeling you get on a great ski run or after hitting a beautiful shot in golf. The McLaren is so shiny that its distracting (in a good way I couldn't stop staring at the beautiful reflections). The rain drops on the cars and little rivulets of water running across the body work add a level of detail that draws you in. The spray behind the cars feels "right", not sure how else to put it.

Overall, the game has the level of polish that I was hoping for. The good news is that it will only get better from here! I will enjoy this one for the next 364 days and have even higher expectations for next year. I have been playing with the Xbox 360 wheel from Microsoft, and am not overly thrilled with the performance of the wheel. Since the 360 version is much preferred, I'm going to order one of the Fanatect wheels and eventually eBay the G27. I'm trying to decide if I should get the GT2 or wait a few weeks for the new Forza wheel. Any feedback on that is appreciated.

Bottom line for me: I LOVE this game. I don't have PS3 version to compare to directly, but comparing last years PS3 version to this years Xbox 360 version, it is truly a HUGE upgrade and I think it will be many months before I'll be setting this one aside (unlike last year, when I just couldn't get into it, no matter how hard I tried nor how badly I wanted to love it).

Best Deals for F1 2011 - Xbox 360

The game is pretty good, Graphics are not as good as I thought they would be, but the realism is good, becareful when using the DRS during Qualifying because if you are not pointed straight you will lose the rear end very fast. You do not spin out as easily as in F1 2010 you atleast have a moment where you can get off throttle and save it. Really like the fact that you can start off in Force India or (either Williams or Torro Rosso can't remeber) instead of just the three new teams. This allows you to be more competive in the first race.

Honest reviews on F1 2011 - Xbox 360

Excellent Game very fun cooperativ play. If you have a xbox 360 weehl the play is realy cool and the simulate is more real.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for F1 2011 - Xbox 360

I've really enjoyed this game. I've never played any of the previous F1 titles, however I've always enjoyed watching F1 racing. The game actually made me even more interested. The graphics are pretty good, not amazing but considering the game overall the gameplay value is fantastic. A must have for F1 fans.

Review of Plantronics GameCom 780 Surround Sound Stereo PC Gaming Headset

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $79.99
Sale Price: $71.59
Today's Bonus: 11% Off

Back Story:

I have had a lot of headphones over the years and the majority of them have been utter crap. I had one really good pair of headphones that were made by Sony back in the 1980s and I used them so much I broke both sides and had to tape them together to make them work. The sound was so good that I would have rather kept those beat up headphones than be forced to use the 2 or 3 pairs I bought after them. I was sad when I finally just had to throw them away and accept that it might be a while before I lucked out and got something that good. (It's taken a long time).

Fast forward to the late 1990s and early 2000s. I have gone through another 2 or 3 headsets. I had a Sony that was decent, but not nearly as good as my original Sony back in the day. I then went through Logitech, Microsoft (totally AWFUL) sound and some other headset that I threw away because it was crap. I even checked out Bose and was really underwhelmed by the sound. My definition of good sound is crisp clear highs, warm mids and booming bases. Not excessive, but enough to feel like it could be live.

Finally, I saw a $79 Plantronic "Gaming" set at Best Buy about 4 years ago and bought it. The sound was great, or at least a LOT better than I have had in a long time. But there were some quirks to the headset that annoyed me. The Microphone would flop down into position, so the only way to keep it up was with a rubber band. The voice input was sketchy and the device had problems working properly with Windows 7. Nevertheless it was a good enough headset that I decided I was going to give plantronics another shot with my new computer because I wanted a headset that addressed the annoying issues of my previous Plantronics.

Plantronics GameCom 780:

When I set up the GameCom 780 and fired up SWTOR to fly a few space battles (in 7.1 surround) my jaw nearly fell on the floor. The explosions are so lifelike you can almost feel them sitting in your chair. The sound is whole orders of magnitude better then my last Plantronics headset, and the directionality is dramatic. I actually had to relearn a few of my space battle moves because the audio cues were so noticably different that they were a distraction at first, but within about 10 minutes I really appreciated how much these headphones added a new dimension to my favorite game. Just to have something to compare to, I fired up Crysis 2, and I was equally impressed. The punch and clinks of a rapidly firing Scarab assault rifle were like music to my ears. The ambiance was a lot better and with the DX11 high resolution graphics, it's a whole new experience.

To say the sound is pretty good is, in my opinion, a massive understatement. The sound is the best I have ever owned. These headphones actually have 3 modes: Straight Dolby, 5.1 and 7.1 surround. Each of them sound great, but for games I find myself sticking heavily with the 7.1. Just to test out the music capabilities of this headset, I threw on some songs from "The English Patient" that I had backed up for my mom. I put on a song that was just a single woman singing backed up by light orchestra and again I was blown away. The richness, clarity and warmth of these headphones, along with the silence being exactly where it needs to be... it's not even so much what you hear, it's how you hear it and even what you don't hear.

Anyway, the sound alone would be reason enough to get these headphones, but there is more.

The construction is very good for an $80 pair of headphones. I have yet to see how long the plastic cylinders that house the metal adjustment bars lasts, but it looks pretty strong. The headphones are a bit tight at first, but after some adjustments I found they fit quite well. The over the ear design is really what I want in a pair of headphones because it frees up the ear to head the sound properly. The adjustment bars are metal (something you don't see much of these days). The upper rim is heavy duty plastic, but there is a soft foam under cushion that gives a very nice set on the head. The earmuffs are made from material instead of a more durable kind of material, but they will probably still last years, and they are comfortable.

Where these headphones really shine are the on ear controls. You can switch from surround sound to regular with a touch of a button. The audio control, rather than being just a knob is more like a control you would find in your car. Push one way, the sound goes down, push another the sound goes up. Moreover each time to press the button one direction or the other, the headphones actually play 2 different tones to let you know if you are going up or down in volume and when you have reached either end of the spectrum. You can also adjust the mic on/off switch with a button right above the volume wheel.These touches seem cosmetic at first, but you quickly begin to wonder how you ever lived without them.

The mic is another marked improvement from previous incarnations of Plantronics headsets (like my old one). The mic has enough tension on it to neatly stay tucked up and out of the way when not in use. Also, it doesn't have an "in front of mouth" design, and frankly from what I can see, it doesn't need one. The mic is good, and I was able to talk into Ventrilo without much adjustment at all. The "middle" volume and default application settings actually WORK like they are supposed to. I was able to get a very clean voice recording using a quiet voice.

The software that comes with the GameCom 780 seems to be perfectly Windows 7 x64 compatible, but it took me a few minutes to find the controls. There is an entry for the headset in Control Panel, but the actual controls for the headset are actually under "Configure" and "Properties" in the "Sound" options of control panel. There are a few ways to tweak these headphones to compensate for room noise and acoustics, which is a nice touch. It would have been nice to see an actual graphic equalizer to come with such a capable pair of headphones, but that's a minor gripe. I am not sure if any equalization setting would be better than the defaults.

One final note regarding Windows 7 compatibility: Windows 7 may gripe if you try and hook these up to a USB splitter. Windows will tell you that you don't have enough power for the headphones, but since they work fine under OS X with the same configuration, either Windows is being picky or it might not be a good idea to daisy chain these things. I ended up putting these headphones into a POWERED USB hub and they work beautifully. So, if you have a lot of connections either A) make sure you have an adequate power supply for your system that puts full power to your USB ports or B) Buy a POWERED USB hub. It's WORTH it.

Bottom line? I would absolutely recommend these headphones to anyone willing to spend $80 and have a decent USB connection.

If these break 6 months from now, I will buy them again. Period.

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I hope this review gets to as many people as people. First I'd like to begin by saying something very important.

PLEASE READ IF BUYING THIS HEADSET:

Make sure to go down to the 'Speaker' icon in the taskbar and right-click it. Click playback devices find the 'Speakers: Gamecom 780' entry, and right-click again. Then click 'Configure Speakers' and navigate down to 7.1 surround. Keep clicking Test and then the Next buttons until it says that 7.1 surround is set up. If you do not do this even if you enable Dolby Surround in the headset's software you'll only be getting 5.1 virtual surround, instead of 7.1. It does make a difference, and is considerably better. I wish it explained this more in the documentation. Also note if you switch to stereo mode it still is normal stereo, this changing in the options menu doesn't screw up the stereo option at all.

Now on to the review:

First off, this headset in pictures looks a bit silly with the orangish red cables and what-not, but let me tell you it actually is very pleasing to the eyes in person! It looks a lot cooler than my old Razer Carcharias, which was just a lame black everywhere. Not only does it look better than the Razer Carcharias, but it feels a lot better too. Weighing a little bit more than the Razer's it just simply feels like it is constructed out of better material. It's a lot sturdier. The only 'complaint' about the durability here is the earpads kind of spin tough at first, but personally I kind of like that because if they were super loose it would be spinning when you don't want it to.

On to the sound...

I read literally every single review here on Amazon before ordering, and let me tell you, they aren't kidding about the sound. It literally blew me away. Sure it's just a headset and there's only so good you can get with an earpad on each ear with a speaker in each, but this is SUCH AN UPGRADE from the Razer Carcharias which is actually more expensive. It's so good that I will definitely be buying a Plantronics headset when this one becomes obsolete. Even in stereo mode (button on earpad not lit blue), it still sounds amazing and better than the Razer's. It has crystal clear highs, clear and smooth mids, and a decent amount of bass. Sure the bass could be a little more, but it's a headset for goodness sakes and for bass in music I have my car with two 12" subs to hear the bass, in headphones I just want balanced audio and that's what this headset delivers. Don't think there isn't any bass though, you can definitely feel the bass and explosions and what-not, it's not non-existent by any means. In fact, it does have a lot more lower-end than my Razer's.

The mic is also crystal clear. It's so clear that I actually had to turn down my outbound because it was making me sound booming. The only complaint I have with the mic is that it picks up background noise a bit too well, but it's not the end of the world, I'd rather have it do that and be a clear good sounding mic than be super cancelling and sound subpar. So this is another plus, at least for me.

Overall for $60-70 this is an absolutely amazing headset. Especially for gaming! The software could have included a bit more, but what it does include is still perfectly fine.

The sound is great, the comfort is great, and it doesn't look bad either! The only gripe I have is the cord is a bit short, but it's not the end of the world I'll just buy a USB extender.

If you're contemplating buying a new headset, look no further. For more money you can get the Razer Carcharias which is only a stereo headset, and even the stereo functionality on the Gamecom 780 sounds better than the Razer, let alone the fabulous virtual 7.1 surround sound that is has. It doesn't sound fake like some cheap surround sound headsets, but obviously it's not true surround sound. Still, it sounds fantastic.

If you don't want to spend $150-200+ for a headset, than look no further. This is perfect for music, gaming, and even movies. It brought a new life to my music, despite some of the reviews here! Seriously, just buy this headset. I love it, and have become a fan of Plantronics having never bought their products before. 5 stars for sure, as opposed to my old 4 star Razer's. What an upgrade.

Best Deals for Plantronics GameCom 780 Surround Sound Stereo PC Gaming Headset

So when I got these headphones, I had been using earbuds and the microphone built into my laptop. As you might imagine, the sound quality was poor and the people I spoke to on Skype complained about the microphone. Then I upgraded to THESE things, and the audio was amazing, and the folks on Skype said I was coming through crystal clear. So everything was hunky dory, right? Nope.

One day I put these things on and SNAP. The connection between the left earcup and the headband--right on that curved area above the cylinder-looking thingy--suddenly snapped. Well, it didn't come off, but a rather large fracture appeared there and it coming off completely can't have been far behind. I looked on the other side of the headphones and saw stress lines on the plastic, so that side was well on its way to snapping off as well. Wow. Disappointed doesn't even begin to describe it.

Okay. Headphone manufacturers. Listen to me. No matter how much you might want to, you can't skimp on build quality, okay? You can use plastic, that's not the problem. But it has to be durable plastic, and not too thin. It can't put too much stress on the wrong locations. And you especially can't say to yourselves, "Well, if it breaks the customer will just buy another." NO. That's not what the customer will do. Your customer will return your product to the store AND you will lose his trust. Being cheap costs you MORE money, not less!

Honest reviews on Plantronics GameCom 780 Surround Sound Stereo PC Gaming Headset

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I have been a big fan of headphone audio and do a lot of my listening through a Headroom DAC and headphone amplifier coupled with AKG 701s (open) or beyerdynamic 770s (sealed). I also play some multiplayer games online through Steam, especially Team Fortress 2. Oddly enough, I never had a gaming headset. I used my headphone amplifier for audio and used the microphone on a webcam for voice. While the audio was great through the USB DAC, the voice solution left a lot to be desired.

So I jumped at the chance to try out a dedicated gaming headset. This Plantronics set acquits itself nicely.

I downloaded the headset's management software from the Plantronics website. (Seriously, who installs drivers from CDs included with products anymore? They're always stale! Get the latest version from the website.) It installed without a hitch. When I then plugged in the USB cable, Windows 7 detected the headset and loaded up the drivers. The Plantronics software is incredibly simple and allows you to toggle the Dolby surround mode on and off as well as offering a selection of a music or gaming/movie profile. You can access it in the system tray on the lower right or via the control panel's audio device menu, where it adds a GameCom icon.

I tried streaming some music through them from MediaMonkey, the audio software I use. It allows you to stream USB audio without involving the kernal mixer in Windows. I ran some lossless files through them. These are adequate for music in a pinch. It isn't really fair to compare them to the AKGs or beyerdynamics, and they don't come close. They are sealed headphones, so you don't get sound leakage (something that your spouse or roommate might appreciate); however, they do suffer from the typical acoustic problems many sealed headphones have. They're a bit chesty and boomy for music.

But, wow, they're nice for gaming. With the Dolby surround switched on, I played some TF2 and Terraria. The audio is great for gaming. There's good detail retrieval, and the simulated surround actually seems to work well.

The microphone works well, too. No problems getting it set up in Steam for voice chat or in TF2. People can hear me clearly now. That's a huge plus.

The construction of the headset is decent. It's not quite as solid as the beyerdynamics, but it doesn't feel cheap either. The earcups are padded with a velvety fabric covering the foam donuts. The headband also is padded. I was able to wear them for a few hours without feeling discomfort.

The controls on the headset are useful. The left earcup has a volume control, a mic on/off switch, and a switch that will toggle the Dolby effect. That last switch glows blue. The volume control beeps when you nudge it up or down, which is helpful because you can get a sense of where the volume is set before an explosion in-game blows your eardrums out.

In all, this is a solid product. It looks decent and doesn't have all the hype graphics and extraneous endorsements that some competing products have. It really is a form-follows-function headset.

I'm glad to have had the chance to use and review it. Given how well the microphone works, I'll probably check out their Bluetooth earpieces if I ever decide to get one of those.

Recommended as a great value at the price point.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Plantronics GameCom 780 Surround Sound Stereo PC Gaming Headset

The Plantronics GameCon 780 was received quickly and well-packaged. I had originally purchased it for gaming I do on on the PC some evenings to replace a headset not designed for such things. Though I did plenty of research and read many reviews, I finally settled this one. After a few weeks of using it, I'm ready to help others make a decision.

PROS:

Amazing -and I mean itbass & sound

Accessible physical controls on the headset

Flip up microphone

Good quality recording

Excellent noise drowning

CONS:

Controls are too easy to hit & change

USB cord should be a little longer

Prolonged wear causes discomfort on the sides of the head

OVERALL OPINION:

The pros, especially that amazing sound, outweigh the cons. As of this writing the GameCon 780 from Plantronics has a 4.5 star review on Amazon. I feel that is entirely appropriate and I plan on buying my girl one of these.

Now, for the detailed explanations if you're still interested in the headset:

FIRST IMPRESSION

Arrived on time and well packaged. First thing I noticed is that this headset has some heft to it, which could be a concern to some. Additionally, it's pretty solidly built. Like most, I appreciate a product that just feels durable and strong. The USB cord is a decent length. Like I do with most things, I plugged in the USB cord just to see how Windows 7 would react. It installed it in seconds without the need for the accompanying software, but I highly recommend installing it anyway.

EAR CUPS

The ear cups are something most people are concerned with, especially when it comes to the type meant to drown out at any peripheral noise. These should easily fit all but the biggest of ears out there and do a great job of keeping the sound you want in and outside noise out.

SOUND

You wouldn't believe it unless you tried it. Honestly fantastic sound comes out of this. Strong bass, great surround sound and clearer sounds than I've heard out of almost any headset. I was suddenly hearing noises in games I wasn't previously aware of and my situational awareness during shooters went way up. During some movies or online streaming media I did have to disable to the surround sound as it gave a tinny & almost echoing effect (you disable surround sound by simply hitting a button on the headset), but generally Plantronics did a great job. Music was as clear as I think it can get on anything.

MICROPHONE

For most uses, the microphone is great. The quality was a marked improvement from my previous headset's mic. Plus, it folds up & out of the way, is bendable and is the perfect length to position it easily. It does pick up a little ambient background noise, but no buzzing or static.

SOFTWARE & CONTROLS

The physical controls are placed entirely on the left ear cup (where the microphone is) which is awesome...and not so much. The mute is hard to toggle which is good to avoid doing it accidentally but bad if you'd like to do it quickly and without taking the headset off. The surround sound button lights up when on and isn't visible while wearing them, but is easy to accidentally hit. The volume control is the worst part; it's a half-wheel that you push up or down. You will hit this when moving the mic, picking up or setting down the headphones and it's very sensitive.

The software was extremely simply to install, uses nearly no system resources, and

primarily exists to change gaming/movie to music modes.

LONG-TERM WEAR

Comfort is a big thing for gamers. You don't want to know you're even wearing a headset. For the audio portion, that is the case. However, these do have a little heft to them. Additionally, I have an average-sized head for a man, and prolonged use causes a slight squeezed feeling especially around the ears. You will not be able to do much about this as trying to flex the headset to relax the pressure could cause it to crack at the bases of the headband.

AMENITIES:

The "built-in spin joints" that let the "earpods lay flat for easy storage" are more or less useless for that purpose. The headset is big so good luck throwing that in your drawer without worry. That being said, the feature does make the headset adjust a little easier to your head shape.

Discount KontrolFreek GamerPack ULTRA

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

Bought the KontrolFreek extensions since i have big hands and the xbox controller is small to me. The extensions are great. I am using both styles and both work great.

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I've used the KontrolFreeks now for several weeks and have not found them to really be that useful unless you love sniping within your favorite FPS game. I found that my hand and even my wrist were uncomfortable after several hours of gameplay due to the elevated thumbs (These simply sit on top of your existing buttons making them easily 300% taller.) This also is a pain due to the fact that when you're transitioning your thumb to an analog button, the motion take just that much longer... All in all I would not recommend these and certainly would not purchase again.

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the most oddly shaped and hard to figure out, its a wast of money. put simply, sucks ass. complicated and poorly designed

Honest reviews on KontrolFreek GamerPack ULTRA

Due to the reviews and knowing my style of aiming in an FPS needed help I thought I would try these.

I was pleasantly surprised, again, for my gaming style in FPS games, such as COD Black Ops 2, BF3 etc..

that it really did calm down the aiming.

Product came as described, delivered on time as stated.

Would recommend to others that are looking to change up their game play in an FPS.

Very cool product!

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the steering is great for racing games on the left thumbs stick... but when you play cod or other shooter styles its makes your finger hurt and you cant get used to it... specially when you have to click in order to run.

the extra height on the right thumb is phenomenal for aiming though... it will improve your gaming scores once you get the hang on it.

i recommend for you left thumb some thing made or rubber than just slips on top and doesnt add height but rather surface area... i would not recommend any of the other style KrontrolFreek attachments for the left thumb.

IMO a rubber grip for the left thumb stick is the way to go... except for racing, then the steering one included in this kit works great...

Cheap Battlefield Bad Company 2 - Platinum Hits -Xbox 360

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List Price: $19.99
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I wasn't sure about this game, I bought it because it was cheap, but it has become one of my favorite games. You can blow your way through the levels, and don't have to take a specific path. It is hard to run out of ammo and the weapons and explosives are awesome. I would definitely recommend

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Game is wonderuful. Seller was an excellent seller. Great condition, and also, a great game.

If you buy this as a Platinum Hit game, you will have to buy a VIP Code on the Xbox 360 Marketplace to be able to play it online though, only downfall. Great game, and great seller otherwise.

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this game is awesome, fun single player campaign. there is also a coop mode available on xbox live. Multiplayer is very fun lots of maps..But you have to purchase a "VIP" code to unlock all of the maps and game modes off of XBL if you purchase the Platinum Edition anyways.. Im not sure about other editions that are bought new..

Honest reviews on Battlefield Bad Company 2 - Platinum Hits -Xbox 360

This game was better than anticipated and is a great alternative COD. Will definitely be buying the other games to move forward with the serious.

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Fun game ive been playing for a day now full servers cant beat the original battlefield dont be skeptical get this game also fast shipping

Reviews of Psychonauts - Xbox

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Everytime Tim Schafer creates a game, I know it will be a blast. Having been on a roll starting with The Day of the Tentacle up through The Grim Fandango, each game has been delightfully intelligent, creative and an overall wonderful experience. Psychonauts is no different. In fact, it is one of the best games I have played not only this year but in a long time.

The setup is that there is a camp for psychic children who feel different in the outside world. At the camp, the counselors teach children how to harness their power to become Psychonauts, psychics who actually enter people's minds and sort out their problems. Because of this setup, each and every world is completely different from the others. Connected to a hub world of the camp, each real "level" is a person's mind. And each mind reflects the person's personality, fears, phobias etc. For instance, the beginning level is that of your drill instructor. His level is a warzone complete with mines, air plane drops, explosions, barbed wire etc.

Tim Schafer's touch is also evident in the characters who are actually characters. They all have a personality and are very emotive. I haven't laughed at a video game so hard since Conker's Bad Fur Day. This game is hillarious. From the kid who practices looking through a peep hole in the day to get practice for when it's filled with girls to trashing a town Godzilla style, the game has it in spades. However, there are some surprisingly disturbing moments in the game that are also darkly humorous. Because you have psychic powers, you also can do some pretty cool stuff from pyrokinesis, telekinesis, levitation, invisibility, etc. These moves help you progress through the levels and pick up hidden items throughout the game.

Graphically, the game is awesome on the Xbox. The levels are done in vivid colors and with a wonderful cartoon style. The campground seems alive as there are creatures walking your path. From squirrels, crows, pigeons, lizards, bears, etc, the world seems populated and just feels real. You can tell a lot of time and effort was put in to make this game come alive and it works. The game is presented in 480p, for those interested.

Aurally, the characters are voiced to perfection. Some great voice actors have been employed and it really helps create characters that are lovable. The only audio glitch I've noticed is that sometimes my speakers will "click" as voices come in or as the sound changes sometimes. The game is also presented in 5.1 surround in game.

Since the game is a platformer, all of the standards apply. In the real world and in each person's mind, there are a ton of things to collect. In the real world, there are arrowheads that can be pulled from the ground that represent cash. There is a scavenger hunt also going on that will earn you rank (which gives you new powers) and there are cards that can be formed as more rank. In each person's mind, there are also different things to collect such as emotional baggage, mental cobwebs, figments of the imagination and safes which you much punch open to reveal some of the person's past. Some of these slide shows are funny and some are actually kind of sad as you see how these people came to be who they are. I list these items to collect just as a note that the game definitely exhibits all of the charms of a platformer. But there actually is a reason to collecting everything and they fit together in this humorous world.

The game moves quickly and besides one or two intstances of panning that had the game do a wave type pattern, it is perfect. My recommendation if you play the game is to take your time talking to everyone. It helps flesh out the story and if you listen and keep making rounds after each world you will see minor breakups, makeups, humorous instances involving squirrels who tell one kid to kill everyone, and plain funny dialogue. Take your time with this one and you will definitely be rewarded.

This game is great, it's just what I was looking for. It helped remind me why I play video games. When a person can create such wonderful worlds and allow you to play in them, you realize why you play games. It is so creative. Where else can you be chased by a giant fish, rage across town as a Godzilla-like creature, be in a disco world where you must race, pin-ball style, wage war against a Napolean complex and set fire to squirrels? If you want a creative and fun video game that will take approximately 10-15 hours of your time, then this is definitely a must buy. Sure some say the game is too easy and relies on platforming cliches but honestly when you are having this much fun, does it really matter? Why quibble over small faults when you will genuinely have a complete and utter blast playing the game? I absolutely cannot recommend this game enough. And unfortunately, it's one of those games that will end up like Ico or Beyond Good and Evil where no one hears of it and no one plays it. Don't let that happen. Play this game because its games like this that the industry needs to keep creating.

A must buy. Creative and excellent.

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Psychonauts was purchased solely on the Tim Schafer name. I loved Full Throttle, Day of the Tentacle and of course the Monkey Island range and so picked up this game as soon as I could without reading a single review.

First Impressions

After sitting through the various fun cut sequences (useful in getting you aclimated to the weird style of the people in the game), I was off. The initial control method borrows heavily from 3D platformers such as Donkey Kong 64, Banjo Kazooie and of course the Mario franchise and so whilst I felt at home when controlling Raz (the main character), I was somewhat concerned this game was nothing more than 'another' platformer.

But the game was fun and had lots of collecting so I plodded on in the apparent cutsy world of Psychonauts... As the game progresses, however, a much darker more interesting story unfolds. One which has you jumping into people's minds where you see their fragmented thoughts and the vaulted scary emotional baggage contained inside. This, along with the unique fighting control had me hooked. Sure I wanted to collect everything and there's lots of collecting to do but I also was genuinely fascinated by how the story was going to play out.

Controls

Psychonauts uses the usual third-person control of left thumbstick for movement and right thumbstick for camera. You can assign your offensive moves from a skillset of 'psych' powers to the R, white and black buttons. Fans of Zelda's Wind Waker will recognize that tidy way of ensuring you have the essential fighting tools to hand when you need them. Aside from the occasional auto-camera fubar, the controls are solid.

Graphics

Now this is where things get interesting. This game has some of the most varied and colorful graphics I've seen. When you get to the Matador's mind you'll see what I mean; it's like someone put a blacklight in my TV. And since a large portion of the game is played out inside people's minds the game is freed from logical imagery or even realistic forces (such as gravity). A guard that you enter has this bizarre paranoid mind for example; it's a rolling upside down/sideways forward world that's amazing to play on and so good to look at. I really cannot fault the in game graphics or the unique style. My only complaint on this front is most of the cut scenes are in-game rendered (that's good), but one or two are movies still using the game's engine. When these sequences appear it has the graininess of obvious compression and can break the spell of playing. Small point though.

Sound

What you'd expect in a zany game ochestral one minute and Benny Hill the next. Sound effects are put to good use and the voice over acting is stunning. Everything fits perfectly.

Overall

I love this game. I'm not done with it I'm about 70% in and I've been playing for 12 hours or so. I have taken the time to try to get a lot of the collecting done so if you whiz through it, it may be a quick affair. But this game deserves to be savoured no other platformer on the XBox has this depth, humor and gameplay. It's got everything it's a text adventure, a platformer, a shooter, a pinball game and a movie and it all blends perfectly. The puzzles are harder than the end of level bosses and that's the way it should be -there is no button mashing to win in this game. It's on par with epic game's such as Zelda Ocarina or Mario 64... and if these sorts of games appeal to you then you'd be doing yourself an injustice by not buying this one!

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Let me start off this review by saying that I play a lot of different videogames, and owe allegiance to no genre in specifics, which is why I'm not going to compare this game to others. There are a variety of aspects that the game has which make it awesome, and I will cover these individually, in seperate paragraphs.

First off, creativity. This is not a spoiler, so have no fear as I progress. The game revolves around a ten year old child with psychic abilities by the name of Razputin, or "Raz". Without his parent's knowledge, Raz sneaks into Whispering Rocks Psychic Summer camp, a secret government training facility for young psychics. Once discovered by the camp counsellors, he is informed that his parents have been called, and will pick him up in a couple of days. Until then, he is not allowed to participate in any psychic training or activities. Of course, this doesn't stop our young adventurer from doing exactly that, and this is where the game begins. The game invites you to actually explore other character's minds, usually to help them solve an internal problem (frequently due to insanity), and each of the levels creatively reflect that character's problems. For example, you are invited into the mind of Fred, a distant relative of Napoleon, who has a split personality disorder as a result of continually losing strategy games to one of the inmates at the asylum. As you enter his head to kick Napoleon out and restore Fred's sovereignty of his mind, you are invited to play a game of strategy versus Napoleon's embodiment in Fred's mind.

Humor: I have to admit that I have been particular to Tim Schafer's sense of humor ever since playing Grim Fandango, and this game made me laugh a lot. For instance, at one point in the game you find yourself in the mind of a former high school wrestler. The walls inside the sewers of his mind are decorated with high school lockers, and one passageway is designed as a gym shower room, at which Raz remarks "Man, I feel like I'm back in High School...Which is wierd, because I'm only ten years old" The game is full of clever little side comments which make the game a blast to play, and the interactions with the other characters are constantly amusing (My favorite character is a psychic camper by the name of Mikhail, who is from Russia and has an obsession with finding a hairless bear)

Gameplay: I like the style of gameplay a lot. This is one of the first platformers I've played in a long time that seems to actually get everything right. If it's possible, you just have to try. If it's not possible, then there's no way to hack around it until you're supposed to. Some games tend to screw this up and allow the impossible, and it's nice to play a game that has a good environment to it. Moving on, the control system is nice. You move with the left analog, adjust the view with the right analog. You can assign three psychic powers (out of a possible 8) to hot buttons, and the game pauses while you assign them (you assign by pushing right on the d-pad). You can pull items out of your backpack, which never gets full (which doesn't break realism because at any given time you only have a max of something like 13 items of small-medium size). The game allows double jumping, which I usually think is cheap, but Psychonauts excuses it by defining it as an innate psychic ability which can be improved once you get the active psychic ability "levitate". The only thing I disliked about the gameplay was the fact that when you tried to target things, you had to be fairly close to your target, which seems silly when the main reason you would target something in Psychonauts is to use a ranged weapon like Psi Blast.

Sound/Music: This game has an awesome soundtrack. Every mind you invade seems to have the perfect music written for it, from the Mexican-themed "Black Velvetopia", to the Godzilla-like "Lungfishopolis". I'm not really an expert on describing music, which is why this part is going to be short, but let it be known that the music is just as awesome as the rest of the game, I just can't describe it owing to my own deficiencies.

Graphics: This game uses the xbox's graphical potential fully. I experienced no lag at all while playing, and yet could see clearly that everything was richly textured, high on polys, and gorgeous to look at. The graphical style is a little cartoony, which is something that I love in videogames, but I understand it is an acquired taste, so that is something you should definitely be aware of. In addition, each mind uses the game's graphics slightly differently, and gameplay varies a lot from mind to mind. For example, the earlier mentioned "Black Velvetopia" has a somewhat inverted color scheme, as if the world was being viewed under a blacklight.

So here we go with a final summary, which is probably the only thing most of you readers will read anyways.

Creativity: 10

Humor: 9.5

Sound: 9

Gameplay: 8.8

Graphics: 10

Overall: 9.5 This game is one of the best games I've ever played, and is one of the best out there for xbox. Get it! :)

Honest reviews on Psychonauts - Xbox

I'm a huge Tim Schaeffer fan, no one makes games like he does. Grim Fandango, Monkey Island series, Day of the Tentacle, Full Throttle...Schaeffer was the king of the adventure game.

And then adventure games went away. Our loss, really.

So Mr. Schaeffer has been working on this gem instead, and I've got to say, the humour is still there even though this is a platformer. Do not rush through this game, talk to everyone. There's an awful lot of detail to this game, and a lot of laughs, but you have to talk to the people...you know, as you would in real life.

Anyway, Psychonauts is a quirky story about a camp of young psychics training to become Psychonauts. A psychonaut can enter another persons mind and help with things like emotional baggage, mental cobwebs, and uncover damage to that persons psyche. What makes this so great is every time you enter another persons mind, the reality of that person is reflected in the environment you walk around. The military guys brain is a warzone, there's a paranoid milkman whose brain is like all the conspiracy theories you've ever read wrapped into one universe.

Hard to explain, but a joy to play. It saddens me that there's only a few reviews out there, but if you're looking for a really fun platformer on the Xbox, there's none better.

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This is great news for people wanting to play this game on their next-gen, hi-def Xbox console! However, to get the emulator code for it, as well as many other Xbox games, the easiest way to do it would be to: make sure you have a CD or DVD burner, log on to type in the Search bar, "Backwards Compatibility", and find the article that says "Backwards Compatibility FAQ, which is a little step-by-step section that'll take you to burning all the emulator codes on to the CD and updating them on your Xbox 360 console.

Getting to the game, this is the most fun I've had for so long; a great platformer that's fresh, original, and really funny! End of story.

Discount uDraw Game tablet with uDraw Studio: Instant Artist - Xbox 360

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List Price: $49.99
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I bought the udraw a couple weeks back for my son and he seems to really enjoy it. I also played around with it and found the device fun but limited. There is a bit of a learning curve since you are confined to the space of the pad while your area on the Tv is much larger. The precision is decent although it seems that additional pressure points would have helped. To my son, I don't think he is that picky and just has fun doodling and also learning a few some techniques from the in game host. I also got him the Marvel Hero Squad game for the udraw and that game he plays daily and actually has some pretty clever controls. Unfortunely I paid $80 for the udraw, but at $50 now I think it is a good buy.

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I love my uDraw ! I'm 21 and I absolutely love it. Cool games, you can color, etc ... My friends teased me about the purchase, but after playing with it they all went and bought one for themselves.

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I bought this for my daughter and grandson. I tried it and it was ok you have to be watching the screen as you draw its like a black screen. So for the younger kids its hard, because you have to focus on where your pen is at on a dark screen. Overall everyone liked it.

Honest reviews on uDraw Game tablet with uDraw Studio: Instant Artist - Xbox 360

Kids love art. This tablet is great for the younger ones, while the older ones can use this in conjunction with uDraw Pictionary. That game is a lot of fun for the whole family. It's a great game and really builds on the creative side of everyone who plays. I recommend it.

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I got the U Draw Studio for my son and the whole family has had a great time with it. It was well worth the money!!

Reviews of Drop shot, Auto-aim, Jitter Xbox 360 Modded Controller COD MW3

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List Price: $179.99
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After I read all the positive reviews,I bought this controller thinking it would improve my game. It did not.

Comments like " it is the fastest controller on the market " are false. There was no additional speed or anything else.

You can configure any controller to do the same thing. It is a good controller but does not add anything to your game play.

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The different modes are nice but the microchips program drains your battery way too quickly, I constantly have my play and charge kit in because it dies so fast, and it annoying because the play and charge kit makes ur mic all fuzzy and annoying for others, and with black ops 2 out this controller only good for rapid fire on there.

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This controller is so cool. I started off with a sucky rapidmodz controller wich sucked so I decided that I needed a new one so searched for a new controller and found this one I love it i've had it for about three weeks and its so cool and mode 10 is super fast with the mk14. I also tested it out on mw2 and the jitter mod is so cool Thank you Geniusmods

Honest reviews on Drop shot, Auto-aim, Jitter Xbox 360 Modded Controller COD MW3

I bought this controller because the modded one i had i bought from a company (rapidmodz) that cost double what this one cost stopped working, Its a great thing because this controller is the one i need to start with! This controller has so many great and easy to use features that even the old one didn't have,Plus like i said it don't cost near as much as a controller from so call "better businesses" this controller is what i'd recommend for anyone wanting a modded xbox controller. I was also very happy with the shipping it came be for amazon or usps was even predicting. It truly is a amazing deal with this controller. GeniusMods is an amazing company and i will defiantly be buying more products from them.

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It is an amazing controller. Made my k/d go up a ton. The mk14 shoots super fast. It also comes with very detailed instructions for every mode. I love this controller and I got it for 75. Great price for an awsome controller that looks cool too.