Reviews of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Greatest Hits)

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COD4 is truly one of the best first person shooter games. You can play the story mode which takes you through an entire war, with a detailed and intriguing story, and has many different styles of play. Some stages will require straight gun fights, while others will require you to be stealth and snipe your enemies from afar.

The best thing about this game is the Multiplayer function. This is such a great feature as it extends the play value of the game. In most games, once you beat the story mode, there is hardly any reason to play again. however, in multiplayer mode, you will be playing with other gamers around the world online, for free, and get to eliminate each other. Multiplayer mode has many different modes to choose from such as "capture the flag", or "free for all" but the main objectives are all the same. eliminate your opponents!

If you need more detailed footage of the game, just youtube it and see how the game play is in action.

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This is the game that made me decide to buy a PS3. I'd only had a Wii before, and figured that was enough. Then for Christmas one of my friends bought this for himself as a "present" along with a PS3, and invited me over to play it. The moment it started up I realized I needed to get this game.

The cinematics and graphics really are top-notch. Even though it's an older game by now (the next Call of Duty is already slated to drop in less than a month), this still holds up among many of the newer games coming out. I dare you not to drop your jaw when you go through the "Shock and Awe" level...just amazing.

The gameplay is really easy to get ahold of. I'd always been a fairly loyal Nintendo fan, so I hadn't played a lot of First Person shooters, but within 20 minutes or so I was blowing through the easy difficulty. The game does ramp up considerably for the hardcore crowd though, so if you really want to put your skills to the test, this is the game for you.

Speaking of putting your skills to the test. This is the one warning and the one "bad" thing I have to say about the game. This game has been out for almost a year, and some people have been playing it non-stop since it came out. If you go online you will die. A lot. I mean it, you will not know what hit you for your first few rounds. The online component is fantastic, but I would really recommend spending a good deal of time on the campaign mode before you even try to hop online. Or better yet, start a game with some of your friends so the odds might be a little more even.

A quick note about the Game of the Year edition. It's cool looking, but if you can get the regular edition for cheaper you should probably go for it. The only difference is a voucher to download the 4 extra maps for multiplayer, and you can only use them online if every one you're playing with has downloaded them as well. Most people haven't, so I've only gotten to use them a handful of times. They look neat, but ultimately you won't get to use them much.

There's a good reason this game was given a game of the year edition. It's probably the best FPS to come out on the PS3 so far, and possibly this generation. On the 360 it even managed to dethrone Halo 3 on Live for awhile because so many people were into it. Buy it and see, odds are you will not be dissapointed.

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If you love playing Unreal or Halo, this game will probably catch you off guard. However, in the recent surge of "realistic" shooters, COD4 really seems to take the cake. The story mode is enthralling through most of the missions. If you haven't played many next-gen games before this, you'll likely play through the first mission with your jaw on the floor. The game looks very detailed and gameplay is smooth and entertaining.

Even as good as the one-player missions are, the real reason for buying this or most shooters is for the online play. You'll find plenty of opponents waiting online in one of the many gameplay types. Online games range from 4-18 players depending on the mode, and it has a big effect. Smaller games will make you feel a little more adrenaline because you don't know where the next enemy is going to jump out. Some of the bigger games can be a little more laid back, and make it easier to play without be afraid of dying.

The interface of the game is well-made, controls are smooth, even if they may take a few plays to get used to, and sounds and visuals are realistic for the weapons and maps. This is not a game where you can run straight through the middle of a field and come out on the other side alive, since 3-4 bullets from many guns will kill you. That said, a lot of the games will require you to out-think your online foes, or at least be quicker to the draw.

This Game of the Year edition of COD4 comes with (I believe) 4 extra maps in a "map pack", a $10 value for free. This was not a breaking point for me in the purchase, but some of them are pretty cool. When you enter the code in the Playstation Store and download the maps, you then install them to the HDD and they are immediately playable in split-screen and online modes. They are all pretty fun to play, but if you can find COD4 without the GOTY distinction for a cheaper price (I'd say at least $10) go ahead and pick it up. The extra maps aren't really used enough to be necessary.

All in all, it's the best shooter in terms of realism I've played to this point, and I'd recommend this game for anyone who enjoys shooters (with a little strategy) or anyone who likes military games, because this game immerses you in military lingo and strategy, especially in the solo missions.

Honest reviews on Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Greatest Hits)

I bought this excited that it was the game of the year edition for PS3. Game of the year edition comes with all the extra multiplayer maps that others had to pay for on the Playstation Network. I was disappointed when I really received the Greatest Hits version. I checked the website to make sure and it said

"This game has recently become part of the "Greatest Hits" program and the packaging has been updated. You may receive the standard or greatest hits version of the game; while packaging may vary, the game content is the same. "

This is an outright lie. The game content is not the same and now I will have to pay an extra $15 to get the multiplayer maps that should have been included according to Amazon.

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There's one very annoying thing about the Game of the Year Edition for the PS3 that makes me glad I didn't pay extra for it: it's no different than the regular edition. While the PC version offers extras, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare for the PS3 no longer gives you the bonus map pack (or anything else) for paying extra and purchasing the Game of the Year Edition. Any additional map packs (I found one, the "Variety Map Pack") have to be downloaded from the PlayStation store for an extra fee. If you're looking at the GotY edition for the purpose of multiplayer, keep this in mind as nothing extra comes in the GotY and the "Variety" map pack costs extra to purchase. The "bonus map pack" referred to on Activision's site was a limited-time-only promotion.

Now that I've played this game on the PC, XBox 360, and PS3, I have to say that the XBox 360 feels just a bit better--but the PS3's translation is still very good. As a PC Gamer coming to consoles, I have a hard time finding a first-person shooter that I'm even barely competent in. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare for the PS3 has been one of the best translations for me (my other favorite is the Orange Box). It has a very "playable" feel, making my WASD-familiar brain feel very comfortable switching over to the PS3's controller. While I've seen more than one title using very obvious auto-aim, making your reticle snap-to and stick or making anyone in the neighborhood of your shots magically sprout magnets and pull fire to them, CoD: Modern Warfare doesn't do this. Instead it just makes it easier for me to center on my target while I'm running and/or crouching, jumping, etc.--it's like the right stick moves consistently smoother. That makes it just plain easier to multi-task. Given that I typically have some pretty hefty hardware on the PC, I wasn't certain if the PS3 version would match the quality of my high-end gaming machine. I was pleasantly surprised when things looked just as sharp on the console as they do on the PC: the programmers definitely took advantage of the PS3's unique hardware.

I've now played this game's Single-Player Campaign through more than once, and loved it. Like other titles in the Call of Duty series, it uses team-based play, and simulates your team using the computer to "drive" your teammates. Continuing in the tradition of the other titles, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare adds more structure to the missions, more life to the characters, and more depth to the story. You spend most of the game as new recruit 'Soap' MacTavish, but you also get to flash back to an earlier point in the story, play as your commanding officer, and learn more about him.

One odd departure from other games is that there are storyline sequences that are not exactly "playable", but neither are they cutscenes. You live a segment of the storyline through the eyes of the person going through it. These are short, so they don't frustrate, and what they do is heighten the drama. It's an interesting technique, and because it isn't overused, it works well here to keep the storyline going.

Another great pacing trick is that the storyline spans countries. It crosses continents and it puts you in more than one spot: one of my favorites was manning three guns using night-vision cameras aboard a large plane as it provides air support to your team on the ground. Overall, the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare graphics are very detailed, the environments feel authentic, and the sounds impressed me. I liked the dialogue and I really enjoyed the fact that my teammates seemed to be somewhat intelligent. There were some really neat goals in each mission, and I have fond memories of the adrenaline rush. I'm delighted that they made a Modern Warfare 2.

Review of PROTOTYPE - Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:

I'll say this right off: If you own Hulk: Ultimate Destruction or a Spider-Man game, then you can probably pass up on this game because it is practically the same type of gameplay. However, this game does not have a MARVEL label and can be considered an original piece of work.

-Graphics. The overall look of the game is good. Manhattan island is replicated beautifully, and it shows. If you need to figure out where Gold's Gym is, just have Alex Mercer (the Prototype) jump around the city until you find the sign. Then maybe you can find it while you're driving around! However, some textures seemed stretched or PS2-esque when you look closely. However, this can be somewhat forgiven as the city looks gorgeous when looked at from a tall building.

The animations are smooth and well done. From Alex running over cars and up buildings, to the solider that was just the victim of a Patsy maneuver, to the simple pedestrian puking their guts out because of the virus, everyone seems to come to life, regardless of the outdated graphics.

-Gameplay. I will admit, I was a bit surprised as to the simplicity of the controls. My original thoughts were that you would need more buttons than one could fit on a blackberry just to pull off some of the stunts. But with a nice upgrade system and button layout, wreaking havoc on the army is a breeze that looks fantastic. Some moves don't need to be bought to beat the game (in fact, a lot of them don't even need investing into), but its just fun to watch you uppercut someone into the air and then grab them in mid-air and slam them into the ground. And in case you forgot how to do that one move you love performing in front of your friends, the skill-purchase screen gives a wonderful diagram that tells you what to push in what order.

-Story. Let's face it, the people who buy this game are in it for the action and chaos. However, if you pay attention to what is going on in the life of the protagonist, you may find yourself CARING and WONDERING how the virus got to this point. To enhance the story and make you care, the game shells out people that contain memories vital to Alex Mercer's own mind. Apparently he has some kind of amnesia, so instead of waiting for the effects to tide over he simply abosorbs the people that know something about him. The more memories you collect, the more the puzzle fits together, and the more you want to absorb to find things out...and the more tanks that get destroyed when they kill someone that has a vital memory you need.

-Other Comments. I enjoy this game very much, regardless of what others may think. This is just an opinion that you don't have to listen to. In the end, you will have to play the game yourself to see if you like it or not.

Also, I would like for people to consider this when talking about the graphics: should under-par graphics get in the way of an enjoyable experience? That's like saying a super model is ugly because she's wearing a hand-me-down dress from her mother's side in the 50's. A game's replay value should not be based on graphics alone. Besides, texture loading and framerate would be major issues if released with next-gen graphics. Mass Effect had that problem, Gears of War had it, and so did GTA IV.

Overall, the game is great. [PROTOTYPE] is one of those games that sticks with you until you beat it, then you want to start over to see if you can beat it on hard mode or try a different skill set. The only major downside is that there is no multiplayer. Period. If you want co-op action as you run down the streets of a fear-stricken neighborhood, go play Crackdown.

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Prototype allows you to grow organic body armor with blades sharp enough to cut 10 people in half, jump 50 yards, run up a skyscraper, karate kick a helicopter, grab onto it, force open the cockpit, throw the pilot to his death, fly the helicopter through the streets of New York unleashing guns and missiles on traffic, zombies, tanks, and soldiers, bail out of the helicopter crashing it into a building, glide to the ground, grab an unsuspecting human, digest him, steal his appearance, and blame someone else for what you just did. If that sounds awesome to you, buy Prototype!

Concept: 10/10

Take Spiderman's Symbiotic Suit (aka Venom & Carnage) push it to the limit, give it to a maniac, have him kill an army of zombies and a misguided military in, around, and above the streets of New York. You get to be that maniac!

Story: 9/10

You are Alex Mercer, a very bad man who has inherited superhuman powers. You're on a quest to stop a viral outbreak that turns people into mutant zombies and to stop a rogue general with the military at his disposal. The story is told through cutscenes and missions. Additional story detail can be obtained through "Digesting" key NPC's and stealing their memories. It's exciting, compelling, and well acted.

Gameplay: 9/10

The abilities bestowed upon Alex Mercer are amazing! You get an arsenal of military weapons. You can hijack tanks on the ground and helicopters out of the air! You can run up skyscrapers. You can glide through New York. Your body can morph into different types of weapons. You can take the shape of any NPC, so stealth is also an option. When you destroy things or complete missions, you get points that you can use to upgrade Alex. Rampaging through New York is fun, but it does take time to learn how to use all of Alex's upgrades and there isn't much guidance on what you should upgrade. There is a lot of depth in the game, and you won't fully understand it until you are about 90% of the way through. Once you understand how to fully use all of the powers, the game becomes amazing!

Graphics: 8/10

The graphics are good, considering that the game has to draw all of New York from the ground and the air. The character models are also pretty good. You can expect to see 100 characters, tanks, cars, helicopters, zombies... on screen at once!

Level Design: 7/10

Some levels are better than others. There's a good variety, showcasing all of Alex's Powers. The difficulty differs between easy and you'll die before you can read the Mission Objective. There is no 'right' way to complete a mission. You can use speed, stealth, brute force, or hijack military vehicles. If you fail a mission, you can always upgrade and try new tactics.

Replay Value: 7/10

The game is open ended, there are a ton of optional missions, and different difficulty settings. Prototype's single player campaign is 11-20 hours long, depending on how many optional missions you do. I would strongly suggest taking your time and learning how to use Alex's powers before attempting the later missions. You'll have more fun that way.

Maturity:

The game is rated M for throwing people to their deaths, chopping them in half, blowing them up, crushing their skulls, impaling them, running them over, gunning them down, and splattering them against the ground... Oh, and there's some harsh language, too.

Overall: 9/10

Prototype is a very fun open world superhero game. Trashing New York with super powers and military vehicles is a great way to blow off some steam. Some of the gameplay could use a bit more polish, but the scope of this game is so huge any slight faults are forgiven.

Buy it if you want New York as your playground and you're feeling destructive, if you've ever wanted to play a Venom game without Venom, or you loved Hulk: Ultimate Destruction.

Actually, this game could have been called "Skinny Guy: Ultimate Destruction."

Rent it if you like action games, have an extra 15 hours, and only play through games once.

Avoid it if you like linear missions, playing good guys, or you don't like violence.

If you like this game, I can recommend Red Faction Guerilla, Crackdown, or Infamous (if you own a PS3.)

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A lot of reviewers have discussed a lot of the finer points of the game. I will only to add a few things that I felt were inadequately treated.

GAMEPLAY: PROTOTYPE has two features in this category that work very well for it. Indeed, I think that these are its only two selling points and the source of all its fun. First, its leveling content. You gain evolution points by defeating baddies (no surprise there), and use them to unlock a wide array of abilities. One thing PROTOTYPE can boast is its library-sized selection of powers suitable for almost any style of play with relatively simply controls to execute what amounts to visual ecstasy. I found the ability to skyjack helicopters to be extremely satisfying, but being able to dash up and down buildings and cut hordes of enemies into ribbons was thrilling. And all this points to what I have already mentioned as its second strength: namely, that these abilities should be so flexible and yet so easy to execute. A final positive thing worth mentioning is its use of shape-shifting. Catch the unwanted attention of military personnel? Quick run around the corner after consuming someone and mimic their form. If you were out of line of sight, you'll no longer be sounding the alarms. This is an innovative way of escape, which lets you get right back into the action.

Unfortunately, the game play is not perfect. The targeting system is the cause of great frustration. Since all it takes is a flick of a thumb-stick to switch targets, dashing around or trying to maneuver the camera to get a better view of what you're doing can cause you to switch targets. It might seem like a relatively small complaint, but when you become surrounded by tons of them and you need to target specific foes then, well, it will be an exercise of self-control to not throw your controller across the room. Only choppers have target lock, and this needed to be implemented globally, especially while on foot.

Another sore spot is the redundancy of the game's features. Go here, kill this, go there, kill that. The only break in the monotony is the ability to infiltrate military bases, which thankfully shows up in a fair amount of the story missions. But this is only of minor concern, since people who buy this type of game myself included are more interested in causing chaos than a whole lot else.

GRAPHICS: As some others have indicated, PROTOTYPE's graphics really do not make use of what the 360 has to offer. It seems somewhat reminiscent of PS2 days. I would agree that at high elevations, the city's artful rendering is something worth marveling over, but the truth of the matter is that you spend the great majority of the game close to the ground (especially since nearly all of your powers revolve around this kind of play). You cannot help but notice the inferiority of the detail with respect to other 360 games. But this is not to pooh-pooh on them altogether: the individuated animations do, as other reviewers have mentioned, allow the city to seem as it has a life of its own. But at the same time, we should demand that we, as consumers who spend so much on a game, get both. They should not be mutually exclusive, and in PROTOTYPE they are.

PLOT/STORY: The protagonist of PROTOTYPE is subject to the cliché, yawn-inducing condition of amnesia as a result of his contact with the game's virus. While this presents a novel way of learning the details of the story consuming others to collect their memories it does not really speak to any originality on the part of Activision/Blizzard. You spend your time, as you might expect, working way the up informational chain until the AH-HA! moment is revealed by eliminating the game's pesky antagonists. Unfortunately, the AH-HA! moment is less of a eureka and more of a head-scratching anticlimax. Though story is not usually a primary driver for the design of a sandbox video game, it would seem as if PROTOTYPE has clearly announced that it has no interest in delivering one. By the last third of the game, any interest that the evolution system might have generated for me had worn away and I was scrambling to beat it only so that I would not feel compelled to play the game anymore.

All characters are flimsy and one-dimensional. Even the main character lacked any really interesting features that would set him apart from any other generic antihero. He wants his memory back and he wants revenge for what happened to him. His sister drop an f-bomb every third word even though there really isn't any reason to. The military is super evil because they like making weapons. Nothing new here.

SUMMARY: The game can be quite a bit of fun, but it seems like Activision/Blizzard did not actualize all the game's potential. I would suggest that it is worth at least renting, seeing as it would not take more than ten or twelve hours to beat, but it is certainly not worth sixty or even forty dollars. I regret spending so much. I would advise everyone to wait until it's in the discount bin, and then pick it up.

Honest reviews on PROTOTYPE - Xbox 360

She: "Oh my god. This is the most violent thing I've ever seen. Why are you crushing all those people?"

Me: "No! Watch this. Even if I tried to steer the tank around them, real slow like..."

[demostrating...]

"Look, they keep running in front of the tank. They are stupid! Plus if I get out of the tank and kill enough them for the purposes of eating, I get to do this thing where I look like I am going to take a dump, except instead of s**t, tendrils shoot out of my head and impales everyone in a 20ft radius."

She: [speechless]

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I truly believe that if the developers took a few more months to polish it up, [PROTOTYPE] would have been a real jaw-dropper. There are so many moments that the game almost becomes immensely fun to play, but for me, there always seems to be some irritation the prevents the game from really dropping into "5th gear" so to speak.

I won't rehash the plot. It's a little different and modestly interesting, but the way that it's told, in my opinion, makes it extremely difficult to really immerse yourself in it. The basic idea is that you wake up with amnesia and need to "consume" certain people who are flagged in the city as having a small piece of your memory. Doing this triggers a flash-back and from there, you put together what happened to you. In a nut-shell, it plays like a big jigsaw puzzle. The issue is that you start off knowing so little, that for me, it was difficult to feel like you're understanding what's going on. This lends the game to degenerating into a "run here" "Hit this check-point" "Take out the target" without really understanding why you're doing it. This might be something that certain gamers don't mind, but for me, the style of story-telling was a bit of a turn-off.

The city itself is a replica of New York City. Unfortunately though, it's really pretty ugly. There not a lot of color or variety and it can make it difficult to just "know" what part of the city you're in just by looking at your surroundings and not checking the map. Think for a second, for comparison's sake, at GTA 4. That game was stone-brilliant at the way it crafted its environment! This definitely is a missed opportunity here. Even the citizens don't have a whole lot of variety to them. You can probably count the number of character models on one hand.

The graphics are a pretty interesting mish-mosh of above and below average points. On one hand, the frame-rate is absolutely absurd. There are points where there is so much going on that the feeling of complete chaos will be totally and convincingly conveyed. This is one of the things that [PROTOTYPE] is doing really well and it's impressive! On the other hand, on top of a fairly ugly city, the amount of "pop-in" graphics, I thought, was unacceptable. For example, there's a mini-game throughout [PROTOTYPE] that has you collecting these "landmark" and "hint" orbs of light. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to hijack a helicopter and do a fly-over of the city in order to look for them in open-areas or building-tops. The orbs won't show though, unless you're virtually right on top of them. The ability to see objects at a distance is really poor.

The controls definitely needed work. I had the same complaint about 'Star Wars: The Force Unleashed', but the environment being as destructive as it is, is both a blessing and a curse. There's so much debris to pick up and potentially so many enemies on screen, that in highly-chaotic situations (which is often) it becomes frustrating to try and target the object that you want. I could be mistaken, but the AI seems to default to selecting artificial targets for me to attack, regardless of distance. So lets say I'm in the middle of a war-zone and I'm being besieged by both tanks and a bunch of these mutant hunter-things. If I just hit the "target-lock" button, it'll default to selecting the tank, NOT the monsters that are directly in front of me and beating me senseless. That extra second or two it takes to get the targeting correct makes a huge difference in maintaining your character's health on the higher difficulty levels. The other thing about the targeting is that it's being controlled on the same joy-stick that controls your camera. This isn't doing you any favors when you feel you have a good angle on the action ...

Where [PROTOTYPE] really becomes a game worth checking out though, is your super-powers and your ability to upgrade them! There's a ton of really cool stuff that'll keep you playing just for the chance to unleash some of these beauties! Organic blades, whips, Hulk-like biceps and fists, full body armor, a shield, the ability to glide ... [PROTOTYPE] has got it all! It's wildly fun to drop yourself in a military base (for example) and just go bananas, you really start to feel invincible! Conceal your identity by absorbing a military officer and sneak into a military base. You can then turn around and take an APC, tank, or helicopter for whatever use you please. Wreaking havoc is what you gain experience from, and that's how you earn the ability to upgrade your powers. It's all very cool and a lot of fun!

It's just frustrating that a lot of, what I felt were, missed opportunities here were totally fixable, if the proper time was just taken to do it. Whether it was because of time or money, I was left with the impression that [PROTOTYPE]'s designers really wanted to do more then they were ultimately able to. I'd still have no reservation about giving it a thumbs up though, especially now that it's been released for a while. I'm not sure it was worth fifty or sixty dollars, but at this point you should be able to grab a copy at a price that's more then fair.

Razer Razer Mass Effects 3 Chimaera 5.1 Gaming Headset - Xbox 360 Review

Customer Ratings:

To preface: I've never owned a headset for my TV or XBox. After enjoying my roommate's Tritons for an hour, I decided to purchase my own game console headset. (I already owned a Logitech for my computer.)

I purchased my Razer Chimaeras last year in anticipation of MW3 and ESV: Skyrim. After using a Razer mouse for a year, I looked into their selection. The Chimaera's looked cool, had several features, and most importantly, offer 5.1 surround sound in a Wireless option, something which other companies did not have at the time. I pre-ordered it and waited.

When they arrived, I immediately hooked them up and inserted CoD: Black Ops. I had to hook up the required Optical connection to my TV, since my XBox 360 was first-gen, but it was a minor oversight. The Surround Sound functioned all the same. This is my total, flat review:

+ Sound=9/10: Arguably the most important aspect of the headset, the Chimaera does little to disappoint in this area. It has a smooth consistency and doesn't apply any limiters, so sounds that are supposed to be loud, are loud, and soft, soft. I was expecting the headphone bass to be jacked up in order to appeal to the current market, but the Normal Sound setting (more on that later) is very equalizer-neutral and allows the actual game sound to come through without changing it. My only complaint in this area is the very slight signal hum that the headphones emit. While playing Skyrim, I came upon a particularly quiet area, and turned the game sound to 0% to check. It's extremely low, but still exists, and shouldn't.

+ Comfort:=7/10: When I first donned the headset, it was quite tight around my ears and the foam within the top (cranial) pads was also quite stiff. I expected such, since it was a brand-new headset and would become looser over time. Well, five months later, it's still fairly tight around the ears, and the top foam is still just as stiff. I do not consider my head to be "wide," but I would have hoped that the band would loosen over time. A perfect headset rests on your head, and gently keeps the ear cuffs on top of your ears. The Chimaera's feel pressed. And the ear muffs themselves are not uncomfortable, just not padded enough to relieve the amount of pressure the headband forces on them. You can easily wear the Chimaera for extended periods (kinda, more on that later), but you will always be aware that you're wearing them, unlike some more-comfortable headsets on the market.

+ Voicechat=2/10: This is where the Chimaera tanked hard, and tanked fast. From my very first Call of Duty game, gamers asked me to turn down my volume (at %30 in the XBox menu) and joked that I was using a paper cup. I thought this couldn't be possible, on a brand-new $200 headset, so I recorded a voice message to playback and test....... It sounded ATROCIOUS. I could barely understand what I was saying in my own voice, the room tone was overwhelmingly obvious, and it almost sounded as if a robot filter had been pulled over it. However, I didn't even have to worry about that for long, since after three days, the microphone boom broke off. I was folding it down by boom, and the fragile plastic joint connecting it to the boom arm snapped. It was simply dangling by a wire, which eventually fell out too. As stated before, the Chimaera does require you to plug the XBox controller into the headset in order for Voicechat to function.

+ Features=9/10: Feature-wise, the Chimaera shines. The headset itself hosts four buttons and two levers to adjust Game volume, and Microphone volume separately. The two left buttons control Power and Microphone mute. The two right buttons control Game Sound mute and channel selection (for multiple Chimaera stations). The base station controls the Base Station power, Equalizer settings (Normal, More Bass, Less Bass), Stereo(2.0) / Surround(5.1) Sound modes, and Headset Sync. The Base station also has ports for Optical(5.1), Stereo RCA, and 3.5mm Mini-jack(MP3 Players). This means it can be used for XBox 360, PS3, PC(with separate cable), anything with a 3.5mm Mini-jack, and plain old TV. A fairly great amount of options for a wireless 5.1 headset. The only problem here is related to the Voicechat issues; it appears that the microphone has no noise-canceling power. Apart from being annoying, it's also a bad deal, considering headsets for half the Chimaera's price have it.

+ Quality=2/10: I expected Razer's infamous low-quality to show here, but I was still surprised at just how bad it is. First, the Chimaera's construction is all-plastic, and it's VERY apparent. You can feel and hear the plastic creak and bend when you open the band to cover your head. My Logitech headset cost was $55 less than the Chimaera's, yet it uses flippin' AIRCRAFT ALUMINUM. Second, the Chimaera uses rechargeable batteries.......that last barely five hours on a full charge. To any gamer dedicated enough to buy a $200 headset, five hours is a scam. I replaced the provided batteries with some "better" ones, yet on a full charge, I still started getting low battery warnings at five hours. Unacceptable. There is also the above-mentioned malfunction of the microphone boom arm. Double Unacceptable.

+ Overall=3/5 Stars: Razer's decreasing quality shows plainly in the 5.1 Chimaera Headset. Low Comfort, poor Construction, poor Battery life and very poor Voice quality, are three inexcusable offenses for a gaming headset, much less a $200 one. If you MUST HAVE a wireless 5.1 Surround headset for your game console, I could recommend the Chimaera. But if you would be happy with a corded Headset, you can find much better and more solid headsets for less price. I would look into the Triton AX series, in 5.1/7.1 and Dolby Digital flavors.

Thanks for reading this entire thing, and if you found it helpful, please click the button so others will see it.

-Evangeli

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I'm both and Xbox 360 and PC gamer so I needed a headset that would work for both. After a disappointing attempt with the Turtle Beach XP400s, I figured I'd give the Razer Chimaera 5.1 a try. In short, it does the job well but I needed some extra accessories and there were some quirks and cons to deal with. I'm giving it a 4/5 because of that. Below are the details:

Feature Highlights:

AAA Rechargable Batteries. It can charge them through the base on which it sits, so I never need to take them out and if they die I can get an industry-standard replacement. Love it! I use Eneloop brand and get several hours of game time, but I'm sure the runtime will vary depending on what batteries you use (duh!).

Wireless. No more running over the cord with your chair or tripping over it and sending the headset flying. The range is very good too, even going 20' through one wall or ceiling with no trouble. No clicking or hiss as in other headsets.

Surround Sound. Technically not "real" 5.1 surround, but it does take clear optical audio and make a very decent imitation using Dolby Headphone. I'm not kidding: the room ambiance effect when listening to music made it sound like I was listening to my speakers, not my headset. Very happy with the quality, but I'm sure there are audiophiles that may not agree with me.

Buttons. Easy to find without looking and the physical click gives you feedback that they registered.

Mic Quality: Picks-up well and decent clarity for what it is. It's not a pro mic by any stretch, but it's a step up from the "average" PC mic. Xbox live chat worked well. Sensitivity was reasonable since it didn't register when I wasn't speaking even with some low background noise.

Annoyances:

RCA Quality: These jacks don't provide the cleanest sound due to the limitations of the technology. This headset has noticable hiss when using them with the volume turned up to a reasonable level. Zero hiss on optical though.

No Mic in Optical Mode: This is my biggest beef with Razer. You can't go truly wireless with both mic and audio on PC or LAN chat unless you use the RCA ports. With Xbox online you need to use a cable between the controller and the headset anyway, which is not such a big deal and it can work with optical. But the voice output from the headset being sent via wireless to the base station can only be processed when using RCA. A stupid limitation. See my further notes on this below.

Tightness. For my average head size, the band is unusually tight which puts pressure on the sides of your head. It loosens over time and takes getting used to. Bigger heads would have trouble.

Loose Optical Ports: If you use the supplied cord, it fits just fine. But the cords from other online suppliers don't have enough friction to keep them in place when the base is moved.

Initial Drop Outs: If you have a router nearby and/or a lot of 2.4 ghz interference, the audio may cut in and out for a minute after turning it on before it finds an unused channel presumably in the cleaner 5 ghz range in my case. It's rock solid after that.

Possible Quality Issues: I had to RMA my set to Razer after the right-side buttons stopped working 35 days after purchase. The RMA was about a 8 business days there and back, and the replacement has being working fine since.

To Get Optical + Mic On A PC:

Essentially what you need to do is hook up the headset to the computer in the same way you hook up the xbox controller. You'll need a "Turtle Beach PC Chat Adapter Cable" (ironic I know) or something similar. One end is a 2.5mm two channel xbox-controller-style plug (mic + mono audio) that goes into the headset, and the other end splits those channels apart into two 3.5mm ends. The mic plug goes into the mic input on the back of your PC and the other is unused. The TB cable has the nice benefit of a slide mute button on it too. You'll need to fiddle with the mic input level a bit to get the right volume that doesn't distort, but it sounds decent after that. That's the same caution I would give with xbox users you need to adjust the input level. Is it completely wireless? No, and that stinks, but it is a compromise that works for the 20% of the time that I need a mic in a PC game.

Best Deals for Razer Razer Mass Effects 3 Chimaera 5.1 Gaming Headset - Xbox 360

build: it is made with mostly hard plastic matte plastic like 4gb xbox + glossy plastic like the 250 gb, plastic seems durable looks like it could take a beating but i wouldn't give it a drop test lol...but at the same time the plastic is kind of creaky like when picking it up by one cup or putting it on if you stretch them out to them out ull hear some creaks...it seems to have gotten better and less creaky the more i use it though.

fit: the headset is big, and opens up 10 notches...i wear glasses and have a semi big head i have them opened to 3 comfortably and i could take off my glasses without taking the headset off, thats a big plus for me because with other headphones ive owned they have seemed to be tight and uncomfortable on my glasses...the padding is thick on the ears and the head it has the form fitting feel if they make mesh ear cups available i would purchase them, the headset has some weight to it but as soon as they go on my head with the padding it seems to form to my head i dont feel them one bit and have wore them for 3 hours at once without taking them of or adjusting them it was like i didn't have anything on

buttons: theres 2 buttons on the outside of each cup power and mic mute on the left mode and sync on the left...if your like me and only play online and are not going to be around other razer chimaera 5.1 then you'll use the sync button 1 time...there is mic volume up and down buttons on the headset too and headset volume...i feel the placement of them is ok i pick up my headsets/phones from the cups and put them on my head, if you do that your most likely going to be raising the volume its not a big deal ive learned to not do it.

setup : setup is very easy...plug in dock, plug optical cable to dock then to xbox or tv and turn on dock then headphones and sync and your done...took about 3 mins couldn't get any easier...yes you need to put the cable into the xbox controller to talk...but if your just gonna sound ****** you dont have too...there is Dolby surround setting with normal, bass, treble also non dolby normal bass and treble

sound: this headset uses 5.8 frequency and wow was i surprised how clear sound they are, there is no hiss or white noise in the background its like your @ the movies playing a game...i played mw2 mk mass effect and black ops...im going to not count black ops because that games sound is terrible footstep sound is horrible in that game...but in mw2 on the other hand they work perfectly you can hear directional footsteps air support and gun fire easily playing mw2 i use the non dolby settings the dolby settings were too rich for me to hear directional footsteps and gun fire, one thing about this headset compared to others it gets loud but its never gotten to that scary loud, you know that loud where u think your ears are gonna explode and you rip the headset off these dont do that and thats a plus...i watched zombie land on netflix with the headset and it was great i used dolby normal and it you can hear the blood splatter and every little gushy sound really felt like i had surround sound going on

mic: hearing players voices is great its clear, the mic says flexible but its not it goes up and down but doesn't flex towards or away from you...if you put the mic up it automatically mutes...i personally felt like i had to talk a little bit louder than i normally do to get sound from the mic i havent had that much feedback from the mic i didn't tell no one i had a new mic so i guess no said anything

battery: it does take 3 hours to charge and i get about 7 hours and half of use from them...on razers site it states that you can use other rechargeable batteries and charge them with the dock so im gonna buy some extras just incase

i emailed razer asking them about daisy chaining with the astros mixamp they said "It depends on the functionality of the Mixamp. What connection are you trying to use 3.5 mm? It does sound possible, but it would depend on the connections you are trying to make and for what reasons."

if your in the market for a wireless headset for xbox i think these are the best that money can buy TODAY not being astros

i was going to get the px5 when they were 200$ but i seen these and took a chance...although the px5 have dual bluetooth and eq settings i think these are the better wireless headset FOR XBOX users your getting 5.1 sound 5.8 frequency rechargeable batteries that charge on the dock

Honest reviews on Razer Razer Mass Effects 3 Chimaera 5.1 Gaming Headset - Xbox 360

The Chimaera 5.1 was purchased to enjoy 5.1 sound and not bothering anyone in the vicinity (wife :)). While it worked I enjoyed the sound and construction, I usually got 4-5 hours on a full charge, communicating with friends also worked fine crisp and controllable. However, lately (~10 months after purchase) for some reason it started to turn the volume down till it gets mute by itself which makes it impossible to use if you are not willing to push volume up button every 2 seconds. Currently I am unable to use the product. Still waiting for response of support team.

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Here are a few excerpts from my full review. The full review, along with pictures and video, can be found at ()

Build Quality and Aesthetics

Razer products generally have a good reputation for good build quality, and the Chimaera 5.1 is no exception. The headset feels solid and sturdy and the choice of materials is excellent. The headset is mostly a matte soft-touch black, but there are contrasting areas of high-gloss black. The only moving part on the headset is the mic boom, and it doesn't feel fragile at all. The mic boom is also flexible, so it won't break if you drop it with the boom folded out. The base station also has a decent weight to it and feels solid, although it really shouldn't see any abuse or wear. The included cables are also completely adequate, though I did notice that the 2.5mm cable for Xbox Live chat fit a little loosely in my controller. This hasn't been a problem and the audio connection is still solid.

Sound Quality

Sound quality is where this headset really shines. I did not expect the surround sound effect to be so clear and accurate, so I was pleasantly surprised to hear how well it worked. As a gamer who is used to a full surround-sound setup on my PC, I now feel like I am not missing anything when playing on my Xbox. Not only can you easily tell the direction of the sound, but it's also much easier to discern the distance of the sound. This is great for both multiplayer games, such as Call of Duty, and atmospheric single player games, such as Alan Wake. The surround sound provides greater immersion in your games, along with a competitive advantage. The Chimaera 5.1 uses 50mm drivers, so they can reproduce a wide range of frequencies and can do so without distortion. The sound is clear, sharp, and isn't lacking any punch or impact. If I had to make a complaint, it would be that they are lacking in extremely low frequencies. For comparison, my studio monitor headphones (Audio Techinca M50) are able to reproduce sound from 15 hz to 28,000 hz. The Chimaera 5.1 have a frequency range of 130 hz to 10,000 hz. My guess is that Razer limits the frequency range slightly to help extend battery life. As a musician, I can hear the difference in frequency ranges, but I don't see this as an issue at all for gaming and movies. I wouldn't use the Chimaera 5.1s for critical music listening, but that's not what they're designed for. They sound exactly how they should for a high-end gaming and multimedia headset.

Charging

My favorite feature of the Chimaera 5.1 is how it charges. A set of rechargeable AAA batteries are included, and you simply set the headset back on the base station to begin recharging. The whole setup looks really slick and it provides a nice place to store the headset when you're not using it. Battery life is listed at 8 hours, but I usually only play for an hour or two at a time, so I have never tested that number. A fully drained battery will be charged in 3 hours. I don't believe any other headsets on the market use this charging dock solution; instead, they either use normal batteries, or you have to use a USB cable to recharge a battery pack. The advantage of the Chimaera 5.1s are that they are extremely easy to recharge, but if you do need to swap batteries during a super long gaming session, you can just use a standard set of AAA batteries (rechargeable or disposable).

Connectivity

The Chimeara 5.1 is designed for Xbox and PC, so the connections are centered around those applications. On the back of the base station, you'll find an optical input and output, 3.5mm input and output, and an RCA input. In order to take advantage of the Dolby Headphone surround sound processing, you'll need to use the optical input. You can plug it directly into your Xbox if it is the newer "slim" model, or you can use an adapter for older models. Some TVs also have an optical output, so if you are using an HDMI output to your TV, you can use the optical output from the TV to connect to the base station. The optical output lets you also send the audio signal to your TV or receiver, so you can use either a headset or speakers without swapping cables. You can also hook up a basic stereo source using the RCA input, but you won't get surround sound.

Conclusion

Overall, I have been extremely pleased with Chimaera 5.1 headset. The sound quality is fantastic and the surround sound can literally be a game changer. I also feel that Razer made all of the right decisions when it came to designing the headset, by opting for 5.8ghz wireless and a really nice charging solution. On top of all of that, the whole setup looks fantastic, feels comfortable, and performs extremely well.

Buy Turtle Beach Ear Force X32 Digital Headset - Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $99.95
Sale Price: $78.74
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I bought this headset because I had the old X11's and wanted to upgrade to wireless because the wire for the X11 is ridiculously long and was never needed for my gaming since I play about 5 feet away from my tv.

Let me just say this headset is great. I read a bunch of reviews before I bought it because I wanted to be sure it would be worth the $100 price tag. I read complaints from people saying that it produced static constantly and others saying the game sound or voice chat drops out a lot. This worried me but I ended up trying them out anyway.

I've owned the X32's for a good month now and as of yet I haven't had a single technical issue that made me question my purchase. So I'll keep the review nice and simple:

Pros:

+For the most part a very solid connection. The headset's wireless capabilities are very reliable.

+Sound is very clear and voice chat is incredibly audible. The difference from this and a typical headset it very easy to notice. I now can't stand to chat online with a regular mic.

+Has an auxiliary connection for mobile devices. I love this for listening to music while I play. The game sounds, chat and music all blend perfectly.

+Nice battery life. I bought some rechargeable batteries so I'm set for a long time. I get a good 20+ hours of use before the headset tells me to change the batteries.

Cons

-It does produce a few minor hiccups in connection that last no more than around 3 seconds every once in a while.

-I decided to list this as a con even though it doesn't bother me one bit. It does produce static if the volume is cranked up high and there isn't constant sound coming in. So if you're watching a movie with the volume up it will have some static during the quiet parts. But I don't play or watch anything with the volume high enough for the static to be an annoyance.

^^^Others may find this extremely annoying though.

-It can become a bit uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. But this could just be me.

-Although the chat and game sounds are vivid, it does often take me some time to adjust the two volumes to get a good balance. If this is not done, I have trouble hearing my friends over the game or hearing the game over my friends' voices. But this is easy to fix.

-A few other very minor and insignificant annoyances that don't hinder the experience whatsoever for me. An example is that people you are chatting with can hear pretty much any noise around your mic. So if there's a window open next to you with a loud noise outside, they will probably be able to hear it.

Hope this helps you decide if these are for you. I didn't have any issues because my setup is very simple and there isn't much room for error or interference with the sounds. More complex setups may encounter issues that I don't have. All I know is that they work wonders for me.

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I bought this a week ago at a local retailer and have LOVED being able to play without disturbing anyone.

So, for the review:

The headset is very comfortable. It fits my big head very well, and the padded top does not "dig in" to your head like most headsets do. The ear cups also are comfortable around my ears, and I haven't had any issues whatsoever with them.

Bass/Treble/Mids Surprisingly clear and loud. Bass sounds really good and deep to be coming from such small speakers.

Chat: great! the boom mic is very clear and folds out of the way when not in use (like all of them).

Setup: pretty easy. I just used the included splitters for audio, and plugged the transmitter into the xbox USB port. It comes pre-paired with the transmitter and headset, so don't do what I did and attempt to re-pair the two! That is actually my biggest complaint. Pairing per the instruction manual never worked for me. I had to turn off headset, hold down the transmitter "pairing: button until it rapid flashed, then hold down the headset "on" button for 6 seconds until it beeped (not the normal on/off beep!!!). After that the unit paired.

I've read some people having issues with a hiss or whine on the older wireless headsets, but I have not had any issues with this one.

Hope my review helped! I would buy these again in a heartbeat.

Best Deals for Turtle Beach Ear Force X32 Digital Headset - Xbox 360

I love the sound quality and microphone quality of this headset. They fit comfortably and being able to use them without having a wire going from your headset to your Xbox is a huge plus. Please note, you do have a wire that goes from your headset to the xbox controller, just like the plain Microsoft headsets that come with some of the consoles.

The most annoying thing was getting them setup. As someone else said in another review, the instructions in the manual for "pairing" the headset and transmitter are incorrect. Go to turtle beach's website, and on their knowledgebase, pick this headset model, and there will be an article called NO GAME AUDIO, with a pdf attached titled the same. Follow the instructions there. Once I had the headset and transmitter paired correctly, I was still not getting game audio. I had to adjust a setting on my HDTV to make the "audio out" ports work, and then it worked perfectly.

But once they are finally working its worth it. Great audio quality in terms of both game audio and chat audio, and your voice will sound better to the peeps you are chatting with. Very happy with my purchase.

Honest reviews on Turtle Beach Ear Force X32 Digital Headset - Xbox 360

I bought this headset to replace my old set of Turtle Beach x41 headphones, since they had recently broken and I wanted something to fill the gap until the release date of the x42s.

The headset itself is of good quality and is on par with what I had in the x41s, although I was a bit disappointed that it was only offered as a RCA input style. The sound effect modulators that are built in also do a fairly good job of boosting bass/treble and adjusting the sound field without becoming overwhelming, although certain combinations of the two can get quite loud.

I had two major problems with this headset that caused me to return it.

First and foremost, there is a constant mechanical buzzing or hum in the left earphone whenever you are not perfectly aligned with the transmitter base. I found that if you were at a certain distance and position from it (i.e. within 3 feet and straight in front of it, destroying the purpose of a wireless headset) that this effect was nearly non-existent, but the other 99% of the time it completely detracted from the game audio and even began to give me headaches. I tried removing all sources of possible wifi signal interference and even tried plugging the headset into a USB-AC adapter yet I still got the buzz. Very disappointing, and I'm surprised that TB would allow a product to go to market with that problem, given the quality of their other headsets I've used.

Second, the game audio would occasionally completely disappear for random periods of time (anywhere from 10 seconds to a full minute), yet chat would still work, suggesting some sort of connection issue. Again, I tried removing all outside sources of wifi interference with no luck. I understand that the nature of this technology is going to cause some interference, but it happened too frequently for my liking.

I would expect these kinds of issues from a lower-tier headset manufacturer or one that's new to the industry, so needless to say I was not impressed with this headset. I'm hoping the x42s will be an improvement, as the x41s were generally amazing.

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Having used professional headsets most of my life I certainly was disappointed when the maximum freq. response was only 20kHz on this headset. However, the crystal clear audio, flexible high-gain microphone, chat monitor and easy wireless setup easily outweigh the cons here. While I don't doubt that some people have experienced genuine issues with wireless interference, I have routers and wireless audio equipment (professional grade) and cell phones in a small room, and through the wall this headset works in the lounge with ZERO buzzing, clipping or interference. It leads me to believe a lot of it is user error, but there are probably genuine cases mixed throughout.

Overall, this is NOT a professional or even that high-end headphones considering the driver size is 50mm but the frequency response is so low. However, for the purpose they serve at the cost they come at...I can't find a good reason NOT to own these if you play any amount of Xbox in an environment where quiet is key, or up late after-hours.

Side note: The build quality on this headset is a fantastic example of quality construction and comfortable wear. These are easy to wear for hours on end.

Nintendo Wii U Console - 32GB Black Deluxe Set Reviews

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List Price: $349.99
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Great News. Today (4/30/2013) Nintendo released an update that resolved a lot of the problems that the Wii U had. My personal favorite is that you can now download and install games in the background and fully automatically. Yes, it should have been like that since the beginning. Three cheers! I've updated my review to reflect this new information.

-----------------

Original review (edited due to improvements by Nintendo):

I remember that Nintendo came under a lot of criticism for not having an HD version of the Wii. HD was around when the first Wii came out, and a lot of people were a bit skeptical that they stuck to the lower resolution. As HD became common, Nintendo told fans that they had to do something "more" than just come out with an HD version of the Wii.

Well, thats just what Nintendo did. The Wii U is more than "just Wii HD". But Nintendo hasn't changed the Wii experience very much. You still use Wii remotes every time you play. The Wii U is not "completely different" like the Wii was when it came out. The Wii U is the Wii's younger, smarter brother. And if you liked the Wii, you'll like the Wii U.

The 3 main features of the Wii U are:

1) Its HD, which brings it (finally) up to speed with the Xbox and Playstation ... and everything else out there.

2) The Wii U has a single video controller. The video controller opens up new game experiences. Whoever is playing on the video controller sees something different than the other players. For generations people have wanted multiplayer games that didn't use a "split TV screen", and the Wii U gives you that in one console. This is a really big deal. The video controller is also a touchscreen which you use to flick something at the screen, or move things on screen. The new video controller allows for new control options ... just like the "Wii balance board" allowed Nintendo to sell yoga and ski games.

3) Videos, videos, videos. Netflix, youtube, TiVo, amazon instant video. It will keep track of the TV shows you want to watch, and when they will be on. You'll also be able to use the Wii U as a social outlet to chat about TV shows and movies. Nintendo calls this Wii TVii, and it would be a revolution in TV watching... if only all the features were available now. So you can use the Wii U as a control for all your Video experiences with your TV. The video controller will act like "PIP Picture in Picture in the palm of your hand". I use the Wii U with Amazon Video to watch movies for free, and the Wii remote lets me see information about the movie on IMDB WHILE the movie is playing. For sports, you'll be able to watch instant replays on the small screen... while the rest of your buddies continue to watch the big game on the main screen. So its going to be a remote controller on steroids. To be honest, this is going to be a really big big deal but since not all the features roll until "later" I can't give the WIi U a star for it yet. Maybe it will change your life, maybe not. Time will tell.

And that concludes the main appeal of the Wii U. We finally get HD, the video controller adds a new dimension to the usual Wii gaming, and it also serves as a "TV command center".

FAQ:::Some people have asked me about the Wii U, and the short answers are:

1) No, you don't have to own a Wii to have a Wii U.

2) You can only use ONE video controller with your Wii U. All other players use the old Wii remote.

3) 5 people can play at once, making it even more of a "game party" console than before.

4) You can't play DVDs or Blu Ray discs. Blue Ray is Sony Playstation territory, as you probably know.

5) You can surf the internet on it (why would you want to? I don't know)

6) Should I get the deluxe? Probably. You get 32gb of memory, which will become more important the longer you have the console, and the more you do with it. You get the Nintendo Land game. You get the cradle for charging the video gamepad. And until 2014 they will give you a store credit of 10% every time you make a purchase of digital content (games). If you buy digital content regularly, you might "earn back" the extra $50 you pay for the deluxe Wii U. (I tried this yesterday, read below for more info on the credit)

NintendoLAND:

Nintendo Land has a nice set of games that introduce you to life with the video controller:

1) Some of the games are a lot of fun. The most popular minigames in our house are the game where one player pretends to be a ghost and scares other players. This is accomplished by having two screens, the ghost can see everyone, but nobody else knows where the ghost is. This is always a howling good time at our house. The Mario hide and seek works the same way and is also popular with us. (update: after a month of play, the Kids now play Zelda and Metroid the most)

2) Some of the games would be worth about $1 in an "app store". (race game, balloon game, and yoshi game: I'm talking to you!)

3) Some games have more than one control scheme. The Pikmin game is enjoyed by my 4 year old because he can use a stylus to direct "Captain Olimar" instead of the joysticks/d-pads. He just points at what he wants to do. So for the first time even my youngest can join in on at least some of the action.

4) Metroid and Zelda show off what the Wii U can do for multiplayer combat/FPS. In Metroid, the player with the video controller operates a "helicopter" while everyone else are "ground troops". The two screens allow for different perspectives in battle.

NintendoLand has satisfied my kids for a whole month, but its really starting to wear off now. NintendoLand is particularly good if you have a lot of friends come over to your house. But, its just a variety game and not very deep. You'll probably want to buy another game shortly after buying the Wii U. (PS I bought Trine2 from the Nintendo eShop for $20, but, I think it was worth about $10.)

Other games: since I wrote my original review, I have bought a lot of other wii U games. However, I'm generally disappointed in the use of the video controller. In many games, the video controller either shows you a map of the area, or, shows a version of whats on the big TV screen. Party games, like the Rabbids game and Nintendo Land, make the best use of the video controller. Single player games tend to make the worst use of it. I don't have all the games for the Wii U, but, thats been my general experience.

The Wii U has a host of "lesser" features:

1) A person can play the Wii U without having the TV on. Expect a smack on your head if you want to play ZombiU while your wife watches a movie.

2) Its backwards compatible with all older Wii games (but maybe not dance pads!), which is nice if you bought Zelda Skyward Sword this summer.

3) Just as with the old Wii, you can download games from the Nintendo store. If you buy online content for your iPhone, Xbox, or PS3, you know that this is a big deal. I used to buy songs for guitar hero to add to the songs that came in the box. If you buy this DELUXE version, you get a 10% credit back for all online purchases, see more about this credit in "The Bad" below.

4) The Wii U video controller is like a universal remote. You can turn on your TV and change the volume from the gamepad which is a convenience.

5) Most of the old Wii hardware is compatible too, which is nice, EXCEPT that round "gamecube style" connector is not present on the Wii U. Games that use a mat like "outdoor challenge" and "Dance Dance Revolution" become history in your house.

6) There is a big, easy to find "download again" button for all digital content, so if your Wii U got fried by a power surge you wouldn't lose your purchases. That's always nice.

The bad:

1) The menus aren't intuitive. There are two menus... the Wii U menu and the Home menu. The Home menu is found by pressing the Home button. Note that now that downloads are automatic, the unintuitive menus aren't so bad. But they still seem redundant.

2) Transferring data from the Wii to the Wii U should be easier. In particular I didn't like that when I imported my Miis, I had to do a separate step on the Wii U before I could actually use them in the games. The day I got it the patch took way too long to download and install, and after I transferred my data from my Wii I felt like I had spent 2 hours on the whole thing. But, since then, there has been no problem.

3) Freezing. I did have a problem with NintendoLand locking up, but, that went away after one day. This will be something they fix and becomes a thing of the past. I wouldn't sweat it.

4) Long updates. I feel that the time that it takes to download stuff and install it has improved over time.

5) Installing downloaded content. I wrote a long rant about how annoying this was, but as of the most recent update you can buy items in the store and they download and install automatically, as they should.

6) Digital Content 10% back has a $50 minimum, and I feel that its high. For every $50 in digital content you get a $5 credit. If you spend $65 on digital content, then you still get $5, until you spend another $35 to get it to $100. You go to a separate website using your computer, and log in, and then copy the code onto a piece of paper. Then you go to your wii u and put in the code. I've become accustomed to the process and I've decided its not very restrictive, but I still wish that credits just "appeared" in your account 24-48 hours later. The codes are good until 2015. The codes remain on that website even after you've used them, they don't disappear. When you add the codes to the eShop there is no expiration date.

Ok now that I'm done complaining...

Your decision matrix:

1) If you still like playing on your Wii, and you have the money to spend, buy a Wii U and sell your Wii. You'll enjoy it.

2) If you are considering between an Xbox+Kinect and a Wii U, I think its a tough call. I really like the "second screen" gaming, it really opens up a lot of possibilities. But most of the wii U stuff looks really juvenile. The kid down the street told me he still wanted an Xbox because the Xbox has games for teenagers. I said "whatev."

3) As a side note, every kid who has seen and played our Wii U in the last two weeks has put this as the top item on the Christmas list. Its the "next big thing" for them and you can be sure that the little things that I complain about in this review won't matter to them. Not at all.

Games: Nintendo now has decent amount of digital content to buy online. I paid .35 for "kirby's great adventure" or something like that. Its a grainy looking old game, but it was only thirty five cents. Nintendo has started offering games at the $2, $5, and $8 price points as well. I'm VERY pleased to see this, because I want to be able to log into the shop and grab a game for cheap when I want to.

I rate this item 3 stars out of 5 because three stars means "it's ok". Nintendo has made a lot of improvements in 6 months, and while they have fixed most of the problems with the system, I find myself reluctant to raise the review to 4 stars until some more exclusive games are released. Pikmin 3 has been delayed until August, for example.

1 month UPDATE:

We've become "heavy users" of the Wii U. My wife, who always preferred the Kinect, has started to warm up to the Wii U. But I think its because my son is converting her, I sure couldn't.

Big negative: CRADLE and battery have limitations: The battery on the video controller can't hold up to extended play. I picked up one of these cables: Global Game Gear GGG0040 Deluxe Split Extension Cable for Wii U Video Controller which resolved my problems. Now its easier to keep the video controller charged. I've removed my rant about the video controller battery not lasting.

DOWNLOADS: I removed my rant about problems with downloads because its been fixed.

The Wii U is getting better. I think it may turn into my favorite console of all time, if they can just get some good exclusive games out, and improve the use of the video controller in those games. I really don't want another game where the Wii U video controller shows a map. Gimmie a break.

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If you are giving this Wii-U as a childrens' gift, PLEASE do yourself a favor and hook the system up and do the downloads/updates before you wrap it up. I am a grown man, but still grew impatient waiting for the Wii-U to become playable. A child waiting to play this is unbearable! This was a gift for my young son, although I must admit that I've played it just as much as he has.

Best Deals for Nintendo Wii U Console - 32GB Black Deluxe Set

Having been a student for many years, the Wii U is the first console that I've ever pre-ordered. Now I've got a job that has something resembling a salary. Having gotten so many years of fun and excitement out of my first-gen Wii, I decided to roll the dice on the Wii U by pre-ordering the 32 GB black deluxe set. So far, I'm glad that I did. This is a review of the Deluxe set that I've ordered specifically, however you can compare the two sets and fill in the blanks concerning what you may be missing with the basic set

What is (and isn't) included:

The black deluxe set comes with (almost) everything that you need to get started. It comes with the black console, power brick, sensor bar, HDMI cable (if you need component you'll have to pick it up separately), stand, tablet, tablet charger and dock, a plastic stand for the tablet, and the packaged-in game NintendoLand. What the game does not come with is one or more wii remotes. If you already have a Wii, you'll be able to use your current remotes. If you don't have wii motion plus enabled remotes, you will need to pick up a set of wii motion plus dongles in order to use them (at least for the game I've tried, which I will get into later).

Setup:

Set up is pretty easy, although you may have to wait a bit (at least close to release day). Setting up the tablet controller, wires, internet, etc. was a breeze. Internet setup was standard. The system recognized the HDMI connection and selected the correct resolution and aspect ratio immediately. Yes, you now have the ability to play the new Wii games in HD like the rest of the world ; ) I understand the cost reasons related to the SD choice on the Wii, but for most Nintendo fans these days I suspect that the upgrade is going to be a nice change of pace.

Before playing any games I can tell that I'm going to like the tablet a bit. Even during set-up you can tell that the tablet is well integrated with the overall use of the system. At times the tablet display mirrors the TV content, and at others you see something different on the tablet screen while you are working. The resolution, colors, and refresh rate of the tablet are all rather pleasing on the eyes. The screen is touch sensitive, allowing you to interact with the tablet and games with both a press of the screen and the press of a button. Hidden away in the back is a stylus, which is a nice touch. I like being able to keep the screen clean while I'm playing with it.

One word of warning: You may want to bring a book along (at least at first)--the initial setup required two downloads to be made over the internet. The first was for the system itself, and the second was after I inserted the first game. The tablet showed the progress bar while the initial update was downloading, and it took at least 15 minutes for me to see any real progress. I switched to another activity for a while and eventually came back when the tablet alerted me that the download was finished. This is most likely going to be an early adopter problem--I suspect since today is the release date that Nintendo's servers are getting slammed.

Once setup is complete you're greeted by the Wii U main screen. While the 3D organization is different from the Wii, you should figure out navigation fairly quickly. One of the options is a standard Wii view, which appears to give you access to the original Wii OS for navigation and applications (very cool, I look forward to figuring out how to port over my apps and data from my old Wii).

Just like the original Wii, you create Mii avatars. This time you can use the tablet controller's built-in camera to create them for you. After selecting hair and eye color, you can snap a shot of yourself. The system configures several miis for you to choose from. It automatically recognized my glasses, and gave me an option to add my full beard to my mii (making avatar selection much quicker than before).

If you choose, you can also set up the tablet as a RF remote that controls all of the other devices in your media center. This is a nice feature, and is quick to configure. I selected my TV brand (Vizio), and the first remote configuration that I tried worked right out of the box.

In order to use many of the Wii U's features you'll need to create an ID for the new Nintendo Network. This in turn requires you to configure (among other things) a unique ID (that it says you cannot change), regional info, birthdate, etc. If you are uncomfortable providing this information you may have to limit the features that you're able to use. Personally, I don't care so it isn't a problem (they don't need phone, SSN, or anything that I felt was terribly invasive).

NintendoLand & first impressions of gaming experience:

The packaged-in disc for NintendoLand seems to serve the same purpose as Wii Sports did for the original Wii--to demonstrate how to use the features of the new system and show the user how to use the system's hardware and software. While Sports was ultimately very simplistic in graphics and purpose, it ended up being a lot of fun for most Wii users. Despite its relative simplicity, NintendoLand has a very similar feel, and it may be enjoyable for some time to come.

In NintendoLand you are greeted by Monita, a floating screen with a single arm. Monita shows you around the NintendoLand system, and introduces you to the tablet's controls as well as the mini games that are available to you. Mini games include fan favorites such as Metroid, Link, Mario, Yoshi, Pikmin, and several others. Despite the fact that I've already picked up two other games (which I will review later) my wife and I have been playing NintendoLand for several hours. It is a lot of fun. The interaction with the wii plus remote and nun chuck are (not surprisingly) very similar to the predecessor system, so I'm not going to go to deep into those features here.

The tablet provides a real gem here. Various games have different requirements--at least one tablet, at least one remote, just remotes, remotes and tablet, etc. Multiplayer games that include both remote and tablet (for at least two users, of course) are a lot of fun. No longer are you restricted to just one view on the TV or a split-screened view used in previous systems. Now one user can use the TV as a primary display while the other user can use the mobile screen of the tablet as well as the larger display of their TV. Simply put, the table offers exactly what you would expect--a combination of the benefits of a handheld with the benefits of a full console experience. It is simultaneously interesting and difficult to describe without trying it.

I've got to say, NintendoLand's combination of remote and tablet make me excited for future games. I have a feeling that we're just scratching the surface of what the combo can do. Hopefully game makers use their imagination and provide a new and unique gaming experience the same way that the Wii remotes changed the way that we view console I/O in the previous generation.

As a whole, NintendoLand is a great game offering firsts person shooter, puzzles, and more.

As a media center:

One of the things that Nintendo seems to be trying to do with the new system is tie together the media center the same way that the Wii did seemingly by accident. The tablet serves as a remote for your devices, the system gives you the ability to play games, and the system also comes preloaded with the biggest streaming players: Amazon, Netflix, and Hulu. I have currently tested the Netflix application and it seems to work quite well. Otherwise, they do exactly what you would expect. As a streaming player, the Wii U works just fine and the tablet controller (again) makes for a great remote.

Overall:

If my 5 star rating doesn't speak for itself, I am definitely excited by the prospects of this new system. As far as I can tell with my initial interactions, Nintendo may have hit another home run. This last statement is worth qualifying, because as far as I can see all of the potential of the predecessor is here--it will just be a matter of Nintendo and other game makers living up to that promise. I can't wait to see what else the WIi U has in store for the future. (Especially the not-yet-deployed TVii feature.)

Honest reviews on Nintendo Wii U Console - 32GB Black Deluxe Set

At least that's what I would have called it lol. So while I'm downloading the extensive (or at least time-consuming) updates for the Wii U I thought I'd offer my first impressions and some general advice for potential buyers. I've seen a lot of complaints about early adopters annoyed that they can't play a game 5 minutes after unpacking their system, but this being Nintendo's first committed effort into things like Gamertags and full-HD current-generation downloadable content I'm willing to be very patient.

I picked the system up for exactly the MSRP on a whim at a store that got a couple as I was passing through with some friends, but I've actually played a few games already in some stores around the area so I'm not just guessing about gameplay or the tablet. Also if it matters to anyone, I've owned every Nintendo system but not since the Super Nintendo have I gotten one less than 2 years old. I own a 360/PS3 and enjoy both so no "Fanboy Bias" here.

I use a simple + and system. More +'s mean the positive is important to me, more -'s mean more negative. So 5 +'s is a major selling point to me, while one doesn't affect me much but might affect someone else.

General Hardware:

+++++ System is very stylish, quiet, and simple.

+++++ Wii Games, Wii Motion Plus and Accessories are compatible saving lots of money

+++++ Graphics are finally breathtaking on a Nintendo console

+++ 4 USB Ports, 1 SD card port for Wii games/saves and hard drive expansion up to 2TB

++ 2 AC adapters and HDMI cable for both bundles cuts Nintendo's profits but they made the right decision for consumers

---- Nintendo STILL does not include ability to play DVD/Blu-Ray 12 years after the PS2 first launched.

- System is still a shiny surface and is a fingerprint and dust magnet. Especially annoying in US Navy room inspections lol.

Moving Wii saves and game data takes several extra unnecessary steps.

Wii Points can be transferred, but only for Wii purchases, not converted to currency in the Wii U/3DS eShop.

It's getting more and more expensive to throw your controller during a tantrum.

Deluxe vs. Basic Model:

I would recommend the Deluxe model hands-down, there are too many extras that will save you money.

+++++ Nintendo Deluxe Points Rewards means you'll be saving about 10% on ALL purchases from the digital store.

+++ Cradle makes charging the tablet simple and protects it

++ Nintendo Land is really fun and shows off a lot of what the system can do

++ 32GB makes downloading multiple games possible even without a USB hard drive

+ Wii U stand is simple and fits snugly, making the system look great

- Could have included a headset or headphones for the Tablet despite it having its own mic

Tablet stand feels cheap and unnecessary, the Cradle could easily perform double-duty and had a little more invested in it

I would have liked the option of either color (or a dozen colors) for each bundle

I'd rather have a Pro Controller or Black Ops 2 than Nintendo Land and I'm guessing most core gamers from 360/PS3 feel the same way

Tablet:

+++++ For $300-$350 you get a system with 6x the processing speed of the PS3 and a freaking tablet lol

+++++ The tablet can be a game-changer for browsing the web, controlling your TV, and communicating with friends.

++++ Screen looks and feels great and is much bigger than I thought at 6.3"

++++ Buttons are smartly placed and ergonomic for many hand sizes

++ Additional features and inputs allow for growth and expansion in the device

+ Tilting the gyroscope features while playing a console video game has the same Fun-In-A-Completely-New-Way feel as the original Wii

+ Joysticks are clickable so porting over 360/PS3 games won't result in the loss of functional play.

---- There's no plan at this time for more than one tablet per Wii U to be possible. This could be due to keeping up with demand.

-- The screen is lower refresh/resolution than an iPad or 5-star tablet and takes some getting used to, I had a small headache after the first hour and rarely get them.

-- After browsing the eShop and playing Nintendo Land I realized I hadn't actually looked at my TV for about an hour. This is interesting but potentially gimmicky.

eShop

*The new eShop uses real currency instead of the Wii Points, and Wii Cards can't be converted into money like X-Box cards*

+++++ Many games are day-one digital releases. NSMB 2, ZombiU, Assassin's Creed 3, Darksiders 2 and others are available.

++++ Early Deluxe adopters will receive a 10% discount in the eShop through mid-2014 when linking a Nintendo Club account.

+++ Purchased titles can be downloaded any number of times if you're short on space.

++ Nintendo didn't demand any unnecessary information for me to create an account, demonstrating they respect privacy as much as I do.

---- Triple-A launch titles like Mass Effect 3: SE, Arkham City: Armored and CoD: Black Ops 2 are NOT available online (yet?)

---- Nintendo is notoriously slow to lower their first-party games and will not update digital prices to reflect the age of certain games.

-- In other words, expect games like Super Mario Bros. to stay above 50 dollars for several years.

Launch Titles:

+++++ New Super Mario Bros. Wii 2, Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition, Assassin's Creed 3

++++ Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, Mass Effect 3: Special Edition, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (Wii costumes and Mushroom Mode!)

+++ Darksiders II, ZombiU, Sonic All-Stars Racing

++ Nintendo Land, Just Dance 4, Scibblenauts, Ninja Gaiden

Sports: Madden, FIFA, NBA 2k13

Overall I'm very impressed with the device. I was skeptical when I heard the name Wii U and pictured trying to play a video game on something like an iPad, and even moreso when I saw the system looks like a longer Wii, but what's going to make me fall in love with this console is the ability to control my games anyway I want. The tablet feels fantastic, the new Pro Controller finally brings Nintendo into the fold with games like Call of Duty, and it's refreshing (and great for the environment ha) that all those Wii Motion Pluses aren't going to sit in a box and never be used again. Backward compatibility and the ability to move Wii Shop Purchases over is a bonus because without an account system I didn't think that would be possible.

I can't say enough about the implications and potential of the tablet on console gaming. Imagine a Zelda game being developed from the ground up right now (maybe an Ocarina of Time remake?) to be released around 2014 where your item screen or map is on the tablet with Link firing arrows riding Epona while you tilt the controller's gyroscope to steer and aim at targets. Or a Metal Gear game where your codec is always open. Or a Final Fantasy RPG that literally has nothing but cinema-quality action on the main screen with battle info and subtitles on the tablet.

Or planting a sentry gun in Call of Duty and being able to glance down and see what it sees in case you want to switch to gun down some enemies quickly. Or aiming a shell in Mario Kart without guessing. Or for you younger gamers, getting to a critical cut scene when your parents want to watch something else on the TV and being able to keep playing your game on the tablet with the same stellar quality and no graphical letdown.

The Wii proved that there was an interest and a new experience to be had in motion gaming, and the Wii U builds on that. There will be failures as some companies port over gimmick touchscreen features in hardly-used menus or mini-games. And there will be games that miss because they try to do too much or rely too heavily on the tablet just like the Wii Remote/Nunchuck. The tablet is a device that can be used to help engage more senses than ever before, but that doesn't mean it always needs to be the main focus or even turned on. I learned that lesson after playing Nintendo Land for twenty minutes.

A lot of people will consider the battle of the next generation of systems as each of the companies fight for position and have their own challenges. Sony has more quality exclusives than X-Box and used sheer graphical force to overpower the Wii but isn't as financially secure as they used to be. Microsoft has the least innovation but hit a homerun with X-Box Live and tailoring their entire console around internet play, friends and accessibility of entertainment and social networking. Nintendo has the most interesting ideas but still doesn't seem to understand how important online play is to the "core gamer audience" they need to bring big developers back.

Will Valve, EA, UbiSoft or Activision partner with someone? And no one can decide if Apple is going to make a move, or if Apple already made their move with the iPad and casual market and just didn't bother telling anybody. Ultimately for me, if a console delivers a new, innovative experience then it's worth checking out. How innovative that experience is and what games are available depends on my investment.

I didn't buy a Wii until late 2010 when I was sure there were at least 15-20 great games that were completely different from anything on the PS3/360. I got a Wii U as soon as I saw one available because right now I'm watching HD video and controlling it with my tablet with headphones plugged into it while downloading Super Mario for the first time in HD (although, ironically, 2D ha.)

I'm going to update and edit this review later on to clean it up and take a lot of unncessary opinion out. BTW, the Wii U comes with a Wii sensor bar so you don't need to buy that separately if you never had a Wii. For now I'll simply say if you're on the fence, I was too. I let my Wii U box sit unopened for almost a week debating whether to keep it, sell it for a profit, or sell it at cost to a family member to give as a gift to a child. Today I opened the box, and clearly if I regretted it this would have been a much shorter and angrier review ;)

By the way, it amazes me how few people had any idea the Wii U was coming or what the heck it is. Some think it's the same system in HD, some think it's literally just a tablet accessory for the Wii. Nintendo needs to hit the Super Bowl with some ads or something before their true post-launch lineup lands in spring. Finally here is some basic opinion and info about the tablet.

There's a female-adapter on the back that looks like it will be used for some sort of tripod add-on later, or to tether two tablets or even something to communicate directly with the system. There's an NFC (near-field communications) area that I've heard will be used to write and store simple data like accepting payments, applying gift cards or those ridiculous Skylander things you see everywhere but have no clue what they are.

There is a volume slider on the top with a headphone jack. The sticks aren't as firm as I'd like but they do feel durable and better than the Classic Pro Controller. There is an adapter on the bottom that will probably have something like a Super Nunchuck later on. You can use the camera to take pictures of yourself and upload it into games or let the system create a Mii similar to your features. The L/R and ZL/ZR buttons feel great. The D-Pad feels slightly too far from the left outside of the tablet and too big but this may be a good thing.

Pretty soon someone is going to have to question whether we even need D-pads anymore or if another set of 4-buttons or third joystick resembling the 8-sided Classic controller joystick is the way to go. Because the only thing I could see using a D-pad for is a fighting game and you wouldn't do that seriously on the tablet anyway. I have a Sony HDTV and the tablet found the code and started controlling it before I was even connected to the internet, very cool. There are two open tab slots on the bottom that help it seat perfectly into the cradle.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Nintendo Wii U Console - 32GB Black Deluxe Set

No need to be skeptical about this console, once you get the gamepad in your hands and start playing, all your skepticism will go away. I love how the Wii U plays and feels, the gamepad is super lightweight so don't worry about it being too heavy for anyone to use. I have a 4 year old son that absolutely loves this system! Can't tear him away from it, which is the only drawback. The system also has the capability to transfer game play to the gamepad and allow the TV to be freed up, imagine that! Your kid is playing a game that just can't be turned off or he or she will lose their progress and at the same time you would like to watch TV. Your kid can simply take the gamepad to another room and continue playing the game while you watch TV. In addition the gamepad is extremely durable and seems unbreakable. My kids have dropped it, stepped on it and thrown it and not even a scratch. Absolutely Awesome system!

Most of the bad reviews out there are by so called 'hardcore' gamers who just love to put down Nintendo, so you can't listen to 99 percent of them, and the 1 percent of them, want a system that would cost you hundreds more to purchase. The Wii U is a powerhouse and a next gen Nintendo System. It also brings that fun Nintendo experience, hands down, like no other system can.

Currently Target is having an an awesome sale on the white system!

Reviews of Frag FX Shark Controller for PS3, PC and Mac

Customer Ratings:

i'm a pc gamer. hardcore. mouse and keyboard since the quake 3 arena days. i have never been able to compete on the consoles because i can't get my thumbs to make a controller do what i want. while all of my friends play on consoles.

for people like me the Shark is a godsend.

i own the original wired fragfx, a fragenstein, and a scorch. the shark performs well above all of these.

the mouse movement on the shark is perfect. playing mw2 with the in game sensitivity at 9 and the shark set around 2.

my only problem with it is the size. the mouse is just too big. i need to hold my hand a certain way just to reach all of the buttons..kind of annoying. and we can really do without the rapid fire and macros.

when i wear this one out i'll definitely buy another.

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I play games in bed with my TV at the foot. It gets uncomfortable after awhile with my arms holding a dualshock 3 over my stomach. This controller allows them to rest on either side of me. You can also set this controller to the same input as your dualshock Eg. 1. That way you can have a dualshock in your right hand and the fragchuck in your left. I love the "fragchuck". It fits well in hand and everything for the left hand is there, plus motion sensitivity, macros, rapid fire, and more! Could pack 2-3 more buttons in, though.

The mouse feels good, the buttons take a little getting used to, but are intuitive and easy to adapt to. The mous pad is good too. However, it's a little too big for me and I have good sized hands 7 inches from my middle finger to the bottom of my palm. Because of the shape, It actually fits better in my left hand than my right, of course then the buttons are imposable to use. I could have gotton used to the size but didn't want to since it wasen't very compatable with some of my games (See details section below).

There is a lot of disinformation surrounding this product. There are a lot of positive reviews from people playing Calld of Duty (Newer ones) and a lot of bad reviews calling it a "rip off". Aparently compatbility is hit or miss since PS3 was not made for a mouse and the fragfx shark has to emulate a thumb stick. To be fair to Splitfish they made a niche product, great for some of todays most popular games, but it's game manufacturers that are not making their titles compatible with Splitfish controllers. But then, why should they? It is a 3rd party controller. Also, why would Sony make the PS3 compatable with mice when most console gamers like the dualshock 3? I should add that some users don't like to use mice and the only refuge they have from the advantage a mouse gives users is on a console.

Pros:

The Concept is sound

Wireless, no lag

The design looks sweet

The "fragchuck" is almost perfect!

Great Battery life

Works with some F.P.S. games

Cons:

Price!!!

Dosen't work with some F.P.S. games

PS3 Games were ment for Dualshock controllers

3rd parties don't get much support from developers

OK as an optical mouse (Not great, Not laser)

Mouse is a little too big in my opinion

Disinformation about it

THE BOTTOM LINE: DOES IT WORK, AND IS IT WORTH $89?

Yes and no to both points! It works with some games and not with others. It may be worth it if your game is supported, you get past the learning curve, and you really want to take your "hard core" gameing up a level, or if you seriously want to get into PC gaming without the keboard. Otherwise, it's not for you and you will end up unsatisfied. I suggest you keep everything, and thouroughly test out all your games as soon as you get it, then you can get a refund if it does not meet your expectations.

Price I would consider keeping it for (Opinion):

$34.99

Price I would buy the Fragchuck alone (Opinion):

$29.99

DETAILS:

There was no combination of ingame look sensitivity and "dead zone" sensitivity that removed diagonal "staircasing" without making tracking too slow for most of the games I've tested. I saw reviews that mentioned the same thing before I purchased. I decided to give it a try anyway. To their defence, I tried evey combination of dead zone to ingame look sensitivity in the games below with limited success.

Homefront (Demo):

Staircased at dead zones of 0-5 and required too much mouse tracking with 6-9. 6.5 was almost workable except it required me to repeatedly pick up the mouse and reset it to look around. Was less efiecient than the dualshock.

Call of Duty: Classic

Same as aboave, but worse.

Call of Duty: Black Ops (Demo)

Works really well but seems to move up/Down slower than lept/right. No staircasing/jittering with ingame sensitvity at max (Insane) and deadzone = 3. Workable but will take some getting used to. Recommended for this game but it's not perfect.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Demo)

Same as black ops aboave. Abviously, these are the game it was intended for.

Killzone 2 (Demo):

I was able to resolve staircasing and jittering. Requires maximum ingame sensitivity and a deadzone of 4. Too slow of movement, mouse has to be picked up and drageed all over in this one. Not recomended.

Killzone 3 (Demo):

Better than above but not as good as COD:MW2 or black ops. It is still too slow. too much mouse tracking.

Battlefield 1943:

No staircasing. I needed a dead zone of about 3 to get rid of the jittery/jumping when trying to "pixle point" at an object. Although better, I found tracking was still too slow/difficult to play with. Would take some getting used to. It makes driving vehicals or flying extreemly difficult, if not imposable.

Infamous:

Works well enough to play. Better feel than the dualshock but jittery/staircasing not completly gone.

PC USERS:

When set as a mouse it is fine, sweet to have four extra buttons! Not as good as my logetech MX 5000 laser mouse but it tracks as well as an optical (A cheap one). Also, since I was a console gamer before PC, I tried this on a game I have always dreamed of having a "fragchuck" for...The Descent series. Although windows 7 x64 recognizes it as a gamepad and all of the buttons/analog stick work, it would not recognize the anolog or mouse movement in Descent 1. In Descent 2 this problem is fixed but the mouse has dead zone issues, and when that is ajusted it's too slow, requires too much movement, and is'nt as accurate as my MX5000 laser (Not even close). So, it was esentially useless. Too bad! Fine, I can just use the MX5000 instead by choosing the mouse and joystick option. Worked perfect, very addicting. I set drop bombs to the motion sensative melee and afterburners to the joystick button (L3)! That is sweet and there are 10 buttons on the fragchuck, if you count L3 and the D-Pad, to assign functions to. They could have packed 2-3 more buttons in though. I also, tested a few other FPS games (Older School) that did not work to my satisfaction. Bottom line: if your game supports joystick and mouse operation in tandom (and gives you complete control over button reassignments) then it "might" work like you want it to, otherwise it's a crap shoot. Don't know about newer games like far cry, fallout, and etc.

Note:

I really wanted it to work for me and to give it a fair review. I even pulled it back out of the return box to test it agian on a few titles I forgot about, just to make sure I wanted to return it. No go. Given the range of experiance I got out of it and the problems I was able to almost resolve, I would say my unit was not defective. It just almost works. Maybe it will work better for the games you want it for. Good Luck.

PS:

that guy on youtube (zDD) is displayed prominantly on the packaging and endorsed by Splitfish. Not to say his videos are fake, but his incentive is to paint the product in a positive light. Therefore he's not going to post a video showing what games it doesn't work in! A one sided story is at best a half-truth. So, don't be supprised if your experiance is different form his.

Best Deals for Frag FX Shark Controller for PS3, PC and Mac

After several hours of researching the Frag FX Shark, AIMON PS, EagleEye, and XIM3, I finally settled on purchasing the Frag FX Shark controller. Here's the lowdown:

The Frag FX Shark does work as promised, depending on the game being played (based on what I've read). I have only tried it on COD MW3. The best thing about the Frag FX specifically is the sensitivity dial on the controller. This makes it as plug and play as can be with this type of setup. No need to download game specific firmware or any other garbage. The controller is fully customizable as well (remap buttons, macros, blah blah). Basically, you plug in the wireless stick into a USB slot, turn on the mouse and controller, and presto -it works. It is recommended to set in game sensitivity to max and then adjust using the dial on the controller. I've found slightly past 2 to work best for me.

Yes, there is some staircasing with the Frag FX. It won't affect gameplay much for the average gamer and it might even get sorted out with a firmware update later on.

The wireless works well and I had 0 problems with interference. I have a wifi TV, 2 routers, cellphone, cordless house phone, iPad, and the ps3 all in the same area. Did not have any problems at all.

My biggest issue with the product is the ridiculous size of the mouse. I can get over the cheap feel of the plastic, but the size of the mouse is as if it was designed for Captain Banana-hands. This isn't enough to make me return the product.. it is, however, the MAIN reason I knocked the Shark down to 4 stars. The only other issue is more of an annoyance than anything else... even when the controller and mouse are turned off, if the USB stick is plugged in, the ps3 will assign it to controller 1-4. This is annoying in 2-player games if you want to use the dual shock controller and play by yourself as the game will ask player 2 to hit X to join (or automatically add player 2 into the game).

If you are a typical gamer, this is a great product at a great price. It's not as great as a PC mouse in terms of accuracy or quality, but it does do the job.

If you are a hard-core FPS gamer looking to dominate everyone just get the XIM3. This is one area where you definitely get what you pay for.

For reference: (based on my e-findings)

FRAG FX SHARK $60 (when I purchased) $90 now

See above for review

pros (no setup, sensitivity dial, includes lap board, great fragchuck design, 'snipe' button which slows mouse movement)

cons (cost, mouse size, staircasing, works better on some games than others)

AIMON PS ELITE $80

pros (better mouse, less staircasing, better 'quality')

cons (complicated setup, firmware flashing required for each game, no MAC support to do said flashing, possible wireless signal issues, cost, no sensitivity dial)

EAGLE EYE $55

pros (real keyboard and mouse, cost)

cons (complicated setup, need PC to set up the hardware, game specific settings required)

XIM3 $150

pros (unsurpassed accuracy and quality, real mouse and keyboard, LCD screen to assist setup, 1:1 conversion)

cons (requires an xbox controller to be plugged in, can make a mess with all the cables necessary to use product, very high cost, no mac support for updating firmware, made for xbox and requires adapters to use on ps3)

note: $300 on amazon market. It costs $150 at the maker's website (google xim3)

SUMMARY:

Average gamer who wants a plug and play solution? Get the FRAG FX SHARK

Want a higher quality product and don't mind tweaking settings and tinkering? Get the AIMON PS ELITE (then head to their forums and read up)

Want to use a real keyboard and mouse at low cost? Get the EAGLE EYE (then head to their forums and read up)

Insist on the absolute best, regardless of price (hardcore gamer)? Get the XIM3 (then head to their forums and read up)

You can't really go wrong with any of the 4 options.. I got the Frag FX because there's no setup and amazon prime shipping was offered.

I will update this review after testing the Frag FX on Battlefield 3.. I've held off because I doubt it will work very well as the game itself currently has lag issues.

Honest reviews on Frag FX Shark Controller for PS3, PC and Mac

I was scared when ordering the shark. I thought it may not be worth the money. but i am glad i did get it. It works great in call of duty and battlefield bad company 2. i also tried it in fall out 3 and new vegas. I works ok but it does smoothly go diagonally in these games. ALso in the fallouts you can not get the sensitivity high enough to make it seem like you are playing on computer i have to constantly pick up the mouse. In call of duty is where it shines it gives me pixel by pixel aiming i can turn quickly up down side to side diagonally it all works really good.

i mostly play call of duty black ops so the controller was worth it to me if you play games other than fps it might not work good but for fps it is alot of fun. It makes target acquisition much easier as well as following moving targets.

the build feels sturdy doesnt feel cheap. It is really easy to set up

comes with a mouse pad that is pretty good

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Frag FX Shark Controller for PS3, PC and Mac

I just picked up the new fragfx shark... I have never used a mouse for gaming before, as I never game on a pc. Been gaming on consoles since Atari, but wanted to try this out based on all the hype about mouse being better than analog sticks for aiming and all. The thing cst $90 plus shipping, but I took the plunge to try it out with black ops. Got it in thursday after playing black ops for a few days with my dualshock 3. The first day I thought i had wasted over $100 on something that I could never learn. My first 3 matches I went roughly 1 kill and 23 deaths average. Considering I had been going 21-16 K/D with the dualshock it wasn't very promising. I decided to stick it out for a week before putting it on craigslist and ebay.. I am sooooo glad i did that, because after only 2 or 3 days I finally got used to using the mouse to aim, and now I feel quicker and better in game. Played a round of Battlefield and went 36-9 K/D playing conquest on white pass, No camping , moving from flag to flag the whole time. On Black Ops had my first ever 7 kill streak and did it twice with a k/d of 21-9 in one game. granted the game is new and I undoubtedly got better as I learned the maps, but I have been playing BFBC2 since launch and this was my best round ever.. I got the Shark which is wireless, and I have noticed no lag, but the price is steep. I have no experience with any of the other models, but this one works great for me and I will probably never go back to using the dualshock for an fps.

A few side notes. I have heard reviews say the mousepad isn't good. I am hoping to buy a better mousepad to compare but the one it comes with does seem a little smaller than I would like.

I bought a 4 pack of pre charged duracell 2000 MaH rechargeable batteries with the charger at walmart for $13 and still haven't ran the first 2 batteries dead. The battery life is very good, and with rechargeable batteries cost should be minimal.

UPDATE...... I bought a rocketfish gaming mousepad from best buy and would highly recommend it. A little bigger, way more responsive, and has a speed and control side. I prefer the speed side but both are better than the one provided by splitfish.