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I've always been a fan of table top rpg's, and I must say that this is one franchise that was able to make the transformation from the table to a console with ease. The game is fun, and beautiful to look at, with a variety of characters to play. Though somewhat repetitive, it has more action than you could ever get in any other zombie game (COUGHresidentevilCOUGH) and plays more like a movie than any game I have ever come across. The monsters seem to keep coming, and the levels don't drag, nor are they too short. Wayward is a pseudo-sequel, but if you didn't play the first one, you will still understand and enjoy this one.

Don't get me wrong, the original game was great, but there are a few things I like better about this one, some of them seem to be disliked by others who have reviewed this game, and I will discuss those first:

1.)Limited ammo: No, there is no longer unlimited ammo for your default weapon, but you start with max at every level, and enemies drop lots of it, so stop crying.

2.)I love the fact that you have a home base in this one, where you go back to after every level, so instead of having random glyps of info in rediculous places, you have a computer that you can check for info about your enemies, or for clues on things you've picked up along the way. In your base, you have a map of the city where you pick the level you wanna do, an entertainment area where you can see easter eggs you've unlocked during levels (music and movie clips mainly), and a trophy room that allows you to enter codes after you beat the game depending on the trophies you've earned.

3.)The combos that your charater can pull off are more effective, smoother, and much longer than in the first game, making melee attacks better to use, and just plain cooler to look at (making up for the limited ammo no doubt).

4.)A lot of the objectives in the game are optional, and unlock different things like alternate costumes. Also, you can go back to the map and re-enter parts of the city (levels) you have already cleared, and each time it becomes more difficult, and secret objectives become available.

The petpieves that I have with this game (and they are very small) are with the people who make it. It annoys me that Wayward's predecessor is on every other system except PS2. Other than that, Wayward is only 2 player. A 4 player squad of Hunters would be much more enjoyable than just 2 because it would allow you to see all the characters at once, just like you would in a movie, or in real life (towns are attacked by undead hordes all the time in real life... right?)

All-in-All, its a great game, and now that its only 20 bucks you can afford to give it a chance. So if you like good graphics, zombies, or even hot asian chicks with guns o' plenty, kicking ass, while doing cart-wheels, go get it. If you don't... then somethings wrong with you.

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"Hunter the Reckoning: Wayward" is a full-on sequel to the Xbox hit "Hunter the Reckoning," though you do not see a number 2 anywhere in the title. The storyline that developed on the Xbox game continues on this Playstation 2 follow-up, and probably won't make much sense to the uninitiated. On the other hand, those who are familiar with its predecessor will almost certainly wish that "Wayward" had a few more new tricks up its sleeve. Even so, both of the aforementioned camps should find something to enjoy despite the game's failings particularly when it goes down in price.

"Wayward" reintroduces you to the original game's cast of hunters (the tank-like Avenger, the spiritual Judge, the sleek Martyr, and the well-rounded Defender), who are contacted by a Wayward hunter who requires their assistance in the town of Ashcroft. It seems that Ashcroft has once again become a hotbed for undead and demonic activity, and it's time for the hunters to finish what they started by cleansing the place once and for all. That means hacking, slashing, and shooting the living dead right out of every walking corpse and horrid specter in the vicinity. Half-way through the game, the Wayward becomes a fourth playable character, if you should opt to take on his mantle.

Though "Wayward" has its flaws, it is certainly a step forward in terms of design. The original game was difficult to the point of absurdity (it offered the player a limited number of continues in a very antiquated fashion), but while "Wayward" is certainly challenging, it is thankfully more merciful than its Xbox counterpart. If you are running low on continues, you can always revisit a previous location in the game and rescue more innocents (who respawn even if you've rescued them before). It's helpful as well that you can revisit levels to boost your experience, or find weapons and items you might have missed before. In other words, ammunition and health packs will be considerably easier to come by! This newfound freedom is a major improvement to the series, and probably makes "Wayward" a better game than its forebear. It definitely makes it less frustrating to play.

Unfortunately, "Wayward" lacks the storytelling chops of the original game (which provided a convoluted if somewhat compelling backdrop to all the action), and no longer presents the cinematics with the in-game engine an engine, I hasten to add, that is more than capable of rendering believable movie segments, even on the less graphically intensive PS2 console. It is annoying to me that all four hunters are depicted during the cut-scenes even if you're only playing through the game with one of them. It is doubly annoying because you can't even run through the game with three friends. Only 2 players are supported, which is a shame although it's better than nothing, since going solo is not half as much fun.

If you have never played a "Hunter" game before, you probably won't be too disappointed by the levels themselves. On the other hand, if you've been through the original game, prepare to be disappointed. Many of the exact levels have been recycled in "Wayward," albeit slightly altered (different enemies roam through them, maybe, or you move through the area in reverse fashion). You will also encounter many enemies that are all too familiar though the bosses are brand new, at least. Other than that, there are perhaps three new beasties to destroy, and you will quickly grow tired of dispatching them over and over again during the later levels. Still, to be fair, this complaint is only valid if you've played the original, and that was made for another console.

The action has retained its strangely addictive quality, and is very much in the "Gauntlet" tradition (minus all those power-ups). If you've played any of the "Gauntlet" games you know that it can be mindlessly compelling for one player, but becomes far more engaging when you're playing alongside a friend. Again, this is entirely true in "Wayward." If you have friends who enjoy games like this, I recommend this game considerably more heartily than if you're a solo player looking for a solo ride. Even so, I'm not saying there's nothing to enjoy while going it alone in "Wayward," but it loses some of its appeal.

I also regret the fact that "Wayward" forces you to repeat many of the same levels you've already played through. For instance, your objective in a level might be to rescue another hunter. When you have done that and completed the level, you may be required to return to that level and collect silver so that you can kill a werewolf. The level you are repeating offers up the same monsters and the same scenery, and a whole lot of repetition. Besides, "Wayward" sends you on one too many scavenger hunts. The search for missing data CDs in the Ashcroft cemetery is particularly grating. Fortunately, these kinds of missions are not as frequent as they could have been.

All in all, "Wayward" is a good game, but severely flawed. It takes the series a few steps in the right direction while simultaneously dragging it backwards as well. I do know the series will continue (a third sequel for the Xbox arrives in stores just weeks after the series' PS2 debut), and I do think that it has the potential to achieve greatness... but it has yet to reach the potential, and is instead content with an addictive, challenging, but ultimately shallow experience. If you like mindless action garbed in a veneer of horror, "Wayward" is right for you. If you like mindless action garbed in a veneer of horror and have a friend who likes the same, "Wayward" is even more right for you. Otherwise, I suggest letting the price go down a little, since "Wayward" comes off as a glorified expansion to its Xbox cousin, and provides only so much meat for your gaming dollar. Forget all the unlockable extras it's still a little emaciated. Here's hoping the next game in the series takes a larger leap forward.

Final Score: C+

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My husband and I rented this game over the weekend. Here's my thoughts, especially compared to the original.

To start off, the storyline. It's two years after you defeated the evil spirits at Ashcroft, and your foursome catches word that there's nastiness going on again at the old stomping grounds. Two hunters have been captured and Esteban, Samantha, Kassandra, and Deuce go to investigate. Of course, there's another conspiracy afoot that your rag-tag group needs to bust open, with lots of undead to kill in the process.

Some of the pros:

You get several other characters to play in this PS2 game. Halfway through you unlock one of the Hunters you go to save, Joshua. This guy is fun to play, he's almost as strong as Deuce but has more speed and a better default ranged weapon. His crowbar melee weapon is also fun for hack and slash. After you defeat the game once, you unlock Devan, the other captured hunter as a playable character. Beat the game in Nightmare Mode, and you get Carpenter (!) to play. Fans of the Xbox game should especially like this.

More edges. Some of them really improve the game (I loved running into the middle of an attacking group with Joshua and using Spiral), but some of them are pretty lame. Kassandra has an edge called Blast, which is supposed to shoot a concentrated ray of light at enemies, but it never seemed to hurt them.

In this game, you have a headquarters and a map of each game section. This allows you to go back to previous boards and gain more experience points or save more innocents (save 2 innocents and you get another continue in the game). Don't get all the secrets on the board, though, or it'll become unavailable to play again.

Voice acting is great. The voices fit the characters perfectly. Graphics are killer, especially in the cutscenes. Music is good and creepy without being obtrusive. All very similar to the Xbox version.

Lots of easter eggs and secrets for new music, alternate costumes, models, etc. Also, you unlock cheats (i.e. unlimited health/conviction, max edge power) as you go through the levels, and can use them once you beat the game.

Cons:

The big one, it's only two player max! I shouldn't complain, since it's hard enough to find two player cooperative mission games, but having 4 players tear it up at the same time in the original was too much fun. On the flip side of that, as the original was almost impossible to beat single-player, it would definitely be possible with this game.

The hunter's default ranged weapon no longer has unlimited ammo. As killing certain bad guys gives you health or conviction, you can also get ammo now. Still, this took some getting used to, as I liked to play Kassandra and, with her speed run around and shoot everyone while my husband used Deuce to slash away. However, Vivendi seemed to know this and there aren't the mass amounts of enemies to fight in this version. There's still plenty to keep your hands full, though.

You can only choose one special weapon at the start of the board. For instance, say in a board you picked up a shotgun, a machine gun, and a flamethrower. When you go to the next board, you can only pick one of those three to take with you! During each board, you can pick up other guns that are laying around and use them, but in the original, you kept all the weapons you picked up from board to board. The only time you couldn't use them was when you ran out of ammo! This is the only feature I found to be outright annoying.

There are fewer bosses than in the original. These bosses are cool, though, with a witch and another hunter gone bad really mixing it up. But nothing beats the possessed teddy bear from the first game.

The controls take a lot of getting used to for new players, but those who played the original will find everything to be the same. Also, you still can't control the camera position. It'd be nice if Vivendi would improve this feature.

In short, it's a fun game to rent and play, especially if there's a friend around to join in the pandemonium. It makes me anxious for the October release of Hunter: Redeemer.

Honest reviews on Hunter The Reckoning: Wayward - PlayStation 2

First off,I don't own an Xbox,so I haven't played the original to compare this title to.But in this game the four from the original return to rid the same city of undeads and mutants.I figured this would be something along the lines of "pick a character and slash through the levels until you beat the game."

But actually you can play as all four,taking turns and building up levels and magic.Very nice suprise.

Now I rented this game yesterday,and although it does have some really cool aspects to it,I was a little bit annoyed because of

certain details that took away from the fun.The controls can be pretty awkward,here's an example:to side-attack you have to hold the right analog stick to fire in a certain direction,and use the left analog stick to strafe in a certain direction.This can get really complicated trying to figure out what stick you have to push where when a group of zombies pops out in a random direction.Why didn't the developers just add a semi-automatic lock-on feature?This would have made the game alot less

frustrating.

The players' attacks can also get out of control when using a melee attack.There are many times when the character keeps attacking in a single direction when you need them to stop.This leads to leaving yourself wide open for attacks from enemies in other directions.This was how I got hurt in the game about 90% of the time.

The last negative issue I have with this game is the camera. Although you are given the option to zoom in or zoom out;

really neither is that great of a choice.If you zoom out,you miss alot of detail/graphics as everything is so distant.On the other hand if you zoom in,you can't tell where the enemies are until they're right up on you.You also do NOT have the option to swivel the camera.Say you are running forward,the camera will sometimes face towards you,and not display what's coming ahead.

With the bad aside,I praise The Hunter:Wayward game for adding lots of nice "easter egg" bonuses for completing optional missions.The other good thing about this is that if you don't complete optional missons,you can keep going back until you do.

This translates into building up alot of skill and experience over and over with diffrent hunters.(Try the church level)

Voice acting was pretty good as was the music,and I thought all of the characters were cool esp. raver girl!I guess in the end,I

give this game a mixed bag of feelings with 3 and a half stars.

Rent first,then buy.

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Good games, lots of fun, more action than you can shake a stick at, and if you like zombies, and dark fantaxsy stuff like that, then this game will never get old.

Resident Evil 2 Reviews

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Resident Evil 2: Greatest Hits (2000). The re-release of the 1998 blockbuster sequel to Capcom's survival horror series.

When the Playstation first started out, one of the first games to put the system on the map was Capcom's first foray into survival horror games, Resident Evil. Aside from the earlier series Alone In The Dark, Resident Evil was the first game of its kind to really bring the survival horror genre to life, complete with various puzzles and zombie blasting action. Since RE1 managed to build up a solid fanbase, Capcom was soon called to make a sequel the following year. Initially, they had 60% of the game completed and it was supposed to be released in early 97, but the creators weren't satisfied with the way it was going, saying that "it needed a huge overhaul". So the original plans were scrapped, forcing the fans to wait longer. But come early 1998, the wait was well worth it when Capcom unleashed the new and improved sequel, THE must-own PSX game of 98.

RE2 was the first title in the series I played, and from the get-go, I was hooked. When I say that it's the best RE title to date, I'm not joking, as just about everything from the first game went through a MASSIVE IMPROVEMENT. I'm very glad that Capcom ditched their original plans so that a better sequel could be made. Now I'm not trying to turn this review into just gushing praise, but honestly there's so much to like about this game that beats out the original.

For starters, the graphics are VASTLY superior to the first-generation visuals of the previous game. The character models are much more detailed, the still-screen environments are more vibrant (but dark and pale enough to convey the game's atmosphere), and the crappy B-movie quality intro of the original is gone in place of excellent CG movies. The characters and monsters, while still somewhat blocky, are all brought to life much better now with numerous animations, such as head tracking, and physical gestures during cutscenes. Also, when your character takes damage, you can now tell how hurt they are by the way they walk. If they hold onto their side and limp on one foot, you know that they're close to death. In addition, the newer game engine allows many more creatures to be in the area at one time, like when you stumble into a room with 7 zombies.

Secondly, the sound is brought more into the front this time, with howls and screams of the monsters standing out more so than in the last game. It's especially noteworthy when something suddenly jumps through glass or breaks a wall. When this happens, you'll definitely jump out of your seat. As far as scares go, it'll certainly keep you on the edge until the end. Same thing with the musical score. Compared to the last game, the music is quite a bit more chilling and it seems to know just when something will come out after you. And most importantly, the voice acting is thankfully much better this time around. It's not perfect, but the dialogue and characters are very believable. For instance, Leon's character shows real determination, Claire is quite sympathetic yet assertive, and Chief Irons comes off as just plain creepy. These traits help distinguish the characters.

The story is also brought out very well. Just a few months after the events in the first game, Raccoon City is overtaken by the T-Virus, and nearly every citizen has been turned into a zombie. Two outsiders, a rookie cop named Leon Kennedy, and Chris Redfield's (from the first game) younger sister Claire, wander into the monster infested city. The two get split up from one another only to end up in the police station. They soon find more characters and monsters to contend with, and discover the deep secrets of the Umbrella Corporation as the game goes on.

The controls for the most part remain the same as in the first game, as do the menu options. You still have to backtrack often to "item boxes" to store items you can't hold in your limited inventory menu. This grows tedious, but oh well. I did find that the controls are a bit more responsive this time around. The characters have plenty of differentiation in gameplay, such as how Leon starts with the lighter, whereas Claire can open locks. Plus, both feature different weapon arsenals, so there are plenty of guns.

Perhaps the best aspect of the game is the alternate scenario options introduced for the first time. What this means is that if you started and beat the game as Leon, you then play through the same story through Claire's perspective, and vice versa. The alternate scenario takes place in most of the same areas as the first time, but this time you have to contend with the menacing 7-foot, trenchcoat wearing Neo Tyrant. The idea is that he's constantly stalking you and could appear at any time (this idea was perfected with the Nemesis in RE3). The scenario features might make the game feel shorter than the original, but technically you'd be beating the game 4 times to see all the different endings. There's also a few cool mini games and sidequests to unlock, so you've got plenty of replayability here.

About the only bad thing I can say about RE2 was the fact that the puzzles were a lot more simple and not very challenging compared to the others in the series. It's a minor flaw though and doesn't take much away from the game.

Overall, RE2 is an excellent addition to the series, and expands the original game to new heights. Since it's available on multiple platforms now, it's very easy to come across. NEW FANS SHOULD START HERE, OR ALSO THE GAMECUBE REMAKE, THEN MOVE ONTO THE OTHERS.

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When my cousin started talking about the Resident Evil series, I thought I should give them a try. I got this one first, since the first one was all out. I got home and put it in the Playstation. I loved the beginning part, although I was confused not having the first one. First off there are 2 discs for 2 different characters, Leon and Claire. I found out later Claire is related to Chris from the first one.

The graphics are cool, and the zombies are awesome. I played the game in the dark, recommended by a friend and I thought it was as suspenseful as a real movie! The controls are a little confusing at first, but then I got used to them. The puzzles are the only really drawback in this cool game. It took me days just to figure out one puzzle. But I got the hang of it.

If you starve for a grusome game with awesome graphics, look no further than Resident Evil 2. In fact try all the Resident Evil games, I love them all!!

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These kinds of game deserves to be recognized and should never be forgotten. There isn't a person on earth that can easily turn away a game like Resident Evil 2 without having tasting it. This is what expect from a game that revolves around zombies and corporate conspiracies. From beginning to end you are hooked maybe not scared but hooked until you have completed the game. Learn your roots!!

Honest reviews on Resident Evil 2

First off, this is an example from someone who didn't finish the game completly, or lost the game: A gamer, August 15, 2000 Reviewer: A 10-year old gamer from Whittier, CA USA "This is the worst game I have ever played .It is way to short and has no real reason to play becuase its so boreing .So you should not buy this game its a waste of money."

Now, I had played it over and over and over; and yet I still jump at the suprises! This reviewer needs to get a life, as many of us gamers out there loved it, and the only thing that he probably didn't like was the violence and the scarryness of the game, because he is only 10. But if you know the company Capcom, get this game! And if you don't know Capcom, get the first Resident Evil before this one, it helps you know what is going on in this town! This game was one of the few in the world to be good, and I mean really good. So get it or get out because it's not a waste of money, it's a reall good use for money. And don't even think about not getting one for your kids, because they will love it to pieces! Capcom is the creator of Survival Horror and the savior of Survival Horror. So quit reading and get it already!

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When you bought a Sony PlayStation in 1998, there were three essential games to buy along with it Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid, and Resident Evil 2. Why? Because they were more than just video games, they were interactive cinematic experiences that elevated the medium.

The original Resident Evil was a flawed yet fun zombie game that was heavily inspired by George Romero's zombie films. Night of the Living Dead trapped frightened survivors in a house surrounded by flesh-eating zombies, but Resident Evil trapped the zombies inside the house with you. Dawn of the Dead expanded the zombie threat to a city setting, and Resident Evil 2 follows suit.

Resident Evil 2 sees the fictional Raccoon City overtaken with the T-Virus, turning its citizens into zombies. The player assumes the roles of rookie cop Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield, sister to Chris Redfield, hero of the first game. It's Leon's first day on the job, and Claire hasn't heard from her brother in months. Their paths cross as they discover that they're smack-dab in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. They head for the Raccoon City Police Station, believing it to be safe from the zombie hordes. But they couldn't be more wrong, and it's up to you to help them make it out of Raccoon City alive.

While the first game has a slow burn to it as the player gradually unocvers the truth of the Umbrella Corporation's zombie virus, Resident Evil 2 immediately drops the player into the postapocalyptic world of a zombie-infested city. immersing the player in the seemingly doomed situation. A creepy, ethereal soundtrack and horrific monsters you often hear before you see futher magnify the player's fear and sense of dread about just what terrible surprise could be awaiting them behind the next door or around the next corner.

The game possesses two different scenarios. Which character you play as and the choices you make in Scenario A affect how you play Scenario B with the other character. There are also unlockable features like special weapons, unlimited ammunition, hidden playable characters, and challenge scenarios that further increase the game's replay factor that'll keep you busy for days, if not weeks.

But the game is not without its flaws. For one, the dialogue and voice acting are still in the realm of cheesiness, but it's still a vast improvement over the original game. Controiling your character's movements is still akin to repeatedly trying to do a K-turn with a tractor-trailer. And puzzles often feel out of place for a location like a police station. However, these are minor gripes compared to the overall product's presentation. You really get a feel that you're fighting to survive throughout the course of the game, and you get a sense of accomplishment once you master the game's control scheme because it further aids your survival.

Though the graphics are dated by today's standards and despite its flaws, Resident Evil 2 still ranks as one of the best installments if not THE best installment in the Resident Evil franchise, and its one of the best games in the survival horror genre.

Reviews of BlazBlue: Continuum Shift

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It wasn't long after the console release of the first BlazBlue entry subtitled Calamity Trigger that developers Arcsys (makers of the legendary Guilty Gear) unveiled the next: Continuum Shift. It's been a long wait (well, long for those of us who have been counting down the days to import it from Japan), but Continuum Shift has finally arrived. With plenty of new content, features, and changes, Continuum Shift shows that BlazBlue is here to stay.

Continuum Shift adds a whole lot of new things to the series, but I'll start with the 3 brand new playable characters: Hazama, Tsubaki, and Mu-12. Hazama and Tsubaki are available to be played as from the start; Mu-12 however must be unlocked through the story mode. Hazama can use his drive to shoot out a long chain with a monstrous mouth at the end (vaguely similar to Scorpion's from Mortal Kombat but much larger). He can use this to halt his opponent, throw his opponent, or even pull himself to the opponent to get up close and personal. He has a good mix up game and an extremely dangerous distortion drive that launches his opponent way up into the air, allowing him to follow it up with a combo as they fall back to the ground. Tsubaki uses her Drive to charge up a meter which she can expend to pull off improved versions of her special moves. She is very fast which grants her great potential to rush down and pressure the opponent. Her damage is fairly weak, but with a fully charged meter she can be a big threat. Lastly, Mu-12's drive summons several turrets/mirrors called Steins that can fire/reflect lasers. Not only that, but she can cause them to explode, halting her opponent's attempts to rush in. She has an excellent reversal and plenty of options to keep her opponent at bay. All three of the characters are unique (Mu-12's design does share some similarities with Lamda-11's, but their fighting styles differ greatly) and are great fun to play as.

As of now, three additional characters have been announced and will be included as Downloadable Content (DLC) in the future. The word is that these characters are Makoto, Noel's squirrel-like friend; Velkenhayn, Rachel's polite butler; and Platinum the Trinity, a brand new character with 3 different personalities that is introduced in Continuum Shift's story. It's stated that these will cost money (rumor is $7 as of writing this).

All 15 of the characters in Continuum Shift come with unlock able unlimited forms (unlike Calamity Trigger which only had 4 unlimited characters unless one purchased the DLC). If you're not familiar with what they are, unlimited characters are basically overpowered "boss" versions of the games playable cast. They have been created with almost no thought of balance in mind and are meant only for playing in a non competitive setting for fun. Don't think that these are the same unlimited characters from Calamity Trigger as most of them have had pretty significant changes to make them even more over the top and fun. Unfortunately, the only way to unlock these unlimited characters is by completing Score Attack mode with the character whose unlimited form you wish to unlock. This is a very hard thing to accomplish. There is DLC that can be purchased to unlock the unlimited characters if you do not wish to go through the agony of unlocking them all yourself, but I can't help but feel that method for unlocking the unlimited characters was made extremely difficult in an attempt to get players to cave and buy the DLC. The unlimited characters are more of a fun side attraction than a crucial part of the game, but it's still disappointing that they are not so easily accessible.

Continuum Shift features a massive amount of new stages. All the previous stages from Calamity Trigger have had complete redesigns made of them (the Calamity Trigger original's are of course here as well should you choose to use them). One stage from Calamity Trigger had you fight on a platform with pedestrians during a sunny afternoon as giant airships passed behind you. The Continuum Shift version has you fighting on the same platform but in a heavy downpour of rain which gradually stops to have the clouds break, revealing a sunset. Knowing that, the redesigns aren't necessarily meant to replace the originals rather than give them a different kind of style. Some brand new stages have been included as well like a lush royal garden, a historic museum, and a suburban bridge on the brink of the city. Calamity Trigger had absolutely astounding stages, but I find that Continuum Shift's new stages and redesigned stages take it to the next level. To be straight forward, Continuum shift has the best stages I've seen in any fighting game yet.

Several Tweaks to the characters have been made. All the characters from Calamity Trigger sport new moves, move commands, and changes to their mechanics in Continuum Shift. For instance, Ragna has a new special move called Belial Edge which he can use to rapidly dive downward when in the air. Most people will find that this new move leads to much better air combos when compared to Calamity Trigger which will cause them to relearn and play Ragna quite differently. Another example is Arakune who now has much larger and much more powerful insects, but must build a meter instead of landing a single hit to use them. Also, many changes to frame data have been made in an attempt to progressively make the game more balanced. In general, it's a much more balanced game than Calamity Trigger was and it is pretty well balanced over all, but there are still some flaws. Rachel for instance has been weakened to a point where she is at a pretty large disadvantage to the rest of the cast. Fortunately, an announcement has been made that Arcsys plans to patch the game in the future to further improve the balancing.

The core mechanics of the game have undergone some tweaking. The bursting system is no longer tied to your character's barrier gauge. Instead, both players start a match with one burst each. Another burst is given when a player loses a round. Players can gain and store up to two bursts at once. I like this system much more than Calamity Trigger's which made it effective to burst only when your character was nearly dead, taking away the strategic aspect of bursting. Ultimately though, I still find the burst system from Guilty Gear (which is tied to its own meter) to function the best out of all of them. I personally would much like to see it implemented into BlazBlue.

Another change to the game's mechanics is the new guard break system. Characters don't play tug of war with a meter in an attempt to break through the opponent's defense anymore. Instead we have the new Guard Libra system. Each character has their own set number of Guard Libras that break when an opponent attacks with a few select moves in their arsenal. Once all of a character's Guard Libras are broken, they become stunned for a long period of time which allows the opponent go in for a free combo. I, again, like this system more than Calamity Trigger's because it's a much more permanent penalty rather than a regenerating one. These moves with the potential to break Guard Libras can also cause new counter attacks (counter hits are performed by hitting an opponent while they are in an attack animation) called Fatal Counters which lead to even more powerful combos than before.

The Controls remain the same (Buttons for A, B, C, and Drive), but a new beginner mode (which is of course optional to use) has been added which replaces the easy specials from Calamity Trigger. Beginner mode really simplifies the game by giving the player 2 buttons for attack (normal and heavy) as well as a button for specials and a button for grabs. Basic combos can be easily strung together by mindlessly mashing buttons. Distortion Drives are performed by pressing and holding one of the two attack buttons and Astral Finishes are performed by holding both together. It's a nice function for those with absolutely no experience with fighting games who just want to jump in on the fun. I really do wish the easy specials option wasn't removed though. I know two friends in particular who are capable of pulling off simple commands like quarter circles, but have difficulty stringing more complex commands into combos. Because easy specials have been removed, they must either play in the extremely simplified beginner mode or buy better controllers and spend time they really don't have practicing. A quick side note is that an option for mapping the controls has been added right to the character select screen which is a very nice touch.

The sound is still top notch. New songs have been added for the new characters and game instances. "Gluttony Fang" and "Endless Despair" in particular have more of a heavy and jazzy Guilty Gear vibe to them and are easily my favorites of the game. You can also choose to have the character's voiceovers done in the original Japanese or the dubbed English. Like in Calamity Trigger, the English voiceovers are surprisingly good. It is still a bit of a downside that you cannot select the English or Japanese languages specifically for each character, only for the entire cast. The announcer has been changed too, but I found her to be somewhat obnoxious. Again, downloadable content is available so players can download individual announcer voiceovers done by some of the actual BlazBlue character's cast (if you wish to pay for them that is).

All the modes from Calamity Trigger have come to Continuum Shift (Arcade, Story, Versus, Online, Training, Replay, Gallery and Score Attack). Continuum Shift also features 3 brand new ones. The new tutorial mode shows new players the ins and outs of the mechanics as well as character strategies through several playable lessons. Challenge mode on the other hand allows players to take on 10 challenges for each character. These challenges have the player learn and perform special moves and several combos. These two modes are a welcome addition that helps newer players to familiarize themselves with the game's mechanics and the characters of their choice. Legion Mode (while not necessarily new as it was in BlazBlue Portable) has players attempt to strategically take over a map with a growing army. This mode is still rather disappointing as you can only play one of three different maps that never change, otherwise meaning that they're only worth playing once. It could be a fun mode if it is ever expanded upon in the future.

The story in Continuum Shift is just as massive as in Calamity Trigger. There's a nice "on the previous installment of BlazBlue" segment which helps explain the story of Calamity Trigger for those who didn't play the Calamity Trigger's story or where confused by it. I enjoy the BlazBlue story and I like the direction that Continuum Shift takes it, even if the final revelation feels a bit like a dues ex machina. The story is still presented in a convoluted way though, so don't be surprised if you find yourself lost and confused at times. There are also more hilarious Teach Me Miss Litchi episodes included.

The online mode is pretty much exactly the same. This is a bit disappointing as I was hoping that there might be some kind of team or tournament modes added. The net code has apparently been improved, but I didn't really notice a change since I found the Calamity Trigger net code to be near perfect to begin with. The online mode is still great; I just wish Arcsys added more to it (seeing as how it is kind of the bread and butter of the game).

Overall, I'm very pleased with how the console version of Continuum Shift turned out. When compared with standards that other sequels set today, I certainly think that Continuum Shift fits the mold of rightfully being called a sequel. If one does not believe that, then certainly everything that has been changed and added is worth the discounted price tag. Continuum Shift gives the BlazBlue name a firmer footing and proves that it is filled with potential and is one of the best, if not the best fighting game of this current generation.

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Blazblue CS is not a fighter I'm good at. As a matter of fact I was mediocre at Calamity Trigger as well. Yet it goes without saying you can love and admire something even when you totally suck at it! As you know Continuum shift is the spiritual successor of the first BlazBlue game. It's stylized presentation is also a tribute to the zany anime fighter Guilty Gear. The same people were mostly responsible for both franchises.

On the surface Continuum shift is more of the same. The characters exist in a world where magic, technology, and science hold together a fragile civilization. Because of a corrupting atmospheric essence called "sethr" most cities are constructed on mountain tops. However sethr also acts as fuel for mystic weapons that are given to an elite group of chosen defenders of the realm . Sadly using these wondrous devices comes with a heavy price. Some people go insane while others begin to become less human. Blazblue seems bent on melancholy tragic plot devices. Either you become a tar like blob swarming with insects due to sethr radiation or you wield some sort of life sucking blade which is prophesized to bring forth the apocalypse. This ground work actually makes for some interesting characters and somehow arc system works was still able to throw in a lot of cheesy humor just like in the last installment!

Assuming you know what Calamity Trigger offered it is important I go over what is new. First of there is "Legion mode". After selecting your "Leader character" you move around on a grid to defeat then recruit other combatants. Sometimes you'll get a bonus for progressing such as a health restore. Unlike a one on one confrontation you will often have to fight a whole squad. Luckily the game shows you all the rival portraits so you have plenty of time to strategize who you'll pick in the upcoming bout. If all your platoon dies its' a big fat game over as you would expect.

Worried about this game being frustrating? No problem. Continuum shift boasts a tutorial mode voiced by the sharp tongued Goth vampire "rabbit girl" Rachel as well as a Challenge mode. These are detrimental in teaching you about combos, cancels, dashes, back steps, and more complicated special techniques such as each flamboyant protagonist's distortion drives and astral finishers. Frankly these things should have been in Calamity trigger as well.

The regular cast have received upgrades and tweaks. Whether you will like them or not is highly subjective. I did notice when playing as Ragna he had one new arching slash that made chaining hits together much easier. Carl's clap trap isn't quite as effective but he seems a bit faster with more evasive tricks to rush to safety as his robotic marionette "sister" pummels away at the competition. Though a few BB fans complained Rachel was "nerfed" she still seemed plenty effective to me. That stated keep in mind I'm not the best at understanding these intricate fighting physics. However, when I asked a much more knowledgeable hardcore fighting fan friend of mine if he liked the changes he gave me a big thumbs up. That should count for something right?

In theory Continuum shift has 4 new characters. However the ones that stand out the most are Hazama and Tsubaki. Hazama manipulated events in the first game. He had green hair and dressed in a sharp black suit. His favorite weapon is a soul sucking chained grappling hook which he can use to swing himself around the environment or harpoon opponents and draw them in for the kill. Picture a cross between a knife wielding maniac Joker fan and Scorpion from Mortal kombat and you got the basic idea. Tsubaki is a red headed beauty from a noble family wearing a strange feather winged sentient hat with one eye as her hands clutch an oddly shaped book that doubles as a shield and a European styled sword. She is very fast at rush attacks and has a fighting style that resembles a valkyrie maiden. By story line Tsubaki is Jin's love interest and her "artifacts" will grant her great power yet gradually make her go blind. Her major theme seems to be "justice" thus we can surmise her situation is based on the quote "Justice is blind".

Lambda is just like V-13 (Nu) with slightly weaker attacks. "Mu" is a hyped up flying Noel with a HUGE sword which floats behind her. Why the switch from guns to a bus sized Cleaver of destruction? I have no idea but it likely involves the usual cliché of "true forms" and using naïve sweet girls as weapons of mass destruction! Aka the standard anime fare! "Mu" has to be unlocked by completing story mode and getting the true ending. Will she be worth it? Because I haven't gotten my hands on her yet I cannot say.

This brings me to my next topic. If you pride yourself on following the plot in your fighting games Continuum shift continues to deliver that in spades. Not only that but you can "continue" after being defeated in story mode. This means it does not force you to start over and if you really want to you can lose once to each character than press onward with no penalty afterwards to get a higher completion percentage rating. There are also decisions leading to branching paths that can change events aka multiple play-throughs are still highly recommended.

How is the online play you ask? Splendid! Another buddy and I played a few matches with no lag what so ever. He might as well have been visiting me in the flesh while sitting on my couch. The net-code seems near flawless.

The voice acting, music, and vibrant artwork are still top notch and there are many more breath taking lively locales to unlock for a change of scenery.

Whether you love anime or fighting games Continuum shift aims to please. It's good to see old school 2D brawlers are still alive and able to offer tons of content for an affordable price!

Pros

+ Bigger cast of characters

+ Things like "story mode" which are usually nixed from fighting game sequels have continued to stick around in Continuum shift.

+Better humor and more well thought out character development

+Tutorial mode and challenge mode make the game's complex fighting engine easier to learn.

+We finally get "Legion mode" which was only in the psp version of Blazblue before hand.

+Great net-code and smooth online play.

Cons

-Cynical about predictable anime clichés? If so this game will make you wince!

-Fan-service borders on being embarrassing at times. (Boobie Lady!)

-The combat physics and difficulty may in fact be a little too complicated for some individuals even though gamers are given plenty of training wheels in this second installment.

-The fashion choices, flaws, and epic powers of the diverse cast of characters are blown so out of proportion that it's hard to relate to them on a human level.

-Though Continuum shift is vastly improved if you own Calamity trigger this will come off as déjà vu. Aka it's the same ride with a tad more horse power!

Ps: Special Thanks goes out to Cary,IceRaven,and Carly!

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This game is a step forward in from the first blazblue. Balance improvements, and system improvements like the changes in the guard break system and bursting make the strategy simpler in these regards. The addition of 3 characters in the game and 3 dlc character will make a total of 18. People might think this is low amount of character but all of them are different in style and play so that this game does not suffer from clones like street fighter does with ryu, ken, akuma, and etc. Highly balanced but attention to individual match ups and strategy between two characters is very important to learn. Youtube videos and dustloop.com can help a beginner get into the game learning combos and strategy. also the game has some mode that help teach some basics to new player unfamiliar to the game. Besides these differences Ark System Works made the game patchable so that balance changes made could be done keeping it in line with arcade versions that come out.

Online is the best among fighters but nothing beats playing some face to face. Lay is rarely a issue because you could set it so you only play people with a connection of a certain strength.

Get this game learn how to really play and stop mashing buttons. This game has depth and is just fun to match.

Honest reviews on BlazBlue: Continuum Shift

I cannot suggest this game highly enough. Lovely hand drawn 2D sprites, over the top presentation, and an incredibly deep fighting system.

The training and challenge modes will help introduce new players to the game mechanics so you're not left out in the cold. Just stick with it.

There's also a beginner mode if you just want to play through the elaborate story mode; or in general aren't particularly skilled at fighting games.

Top notch online play so you'll never be left alone with nobody to play.

If you love 2D sprite based fighters, you must purchase BlazBlue. Support the medium!

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I love this game. Definitely a worthy followup to Calamity Trigger.

Except for Rachel players~ ;P

Review of X360 Slim Vault - Villian Black

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $59.99
Sale Price: $14.99
Today's Bonus: 75% Off

I was looking for something to give my XBox more stability in the upright position. This is a pretty good item but maybe a little overpriced. Cost me just under $30 to get it, seems more like a $20 item. Could have gotten the blue at that price point but the color did not appeal to me. So lets get started.

ArrivalWhen I get the item it is in a very impressive, heavily constructed box. The packaging on this item has got to be a significant part of the price. The pieces are wrapped in plastic wrap which has left kind of a mottling on the pieces. I was able to get that off by wiping it w/ windex but I did not attain the kind of sheen seen in the promo pics. Probably need some kind of polish to get that. There are 4 main pieces, the base, left and right sides, and the controller holder. You don't have to install the controller holder if you don't want to. Good thing since I didn't want to, I thought as much looking at the product pics but if anyone else is wondering the same thing, there's your answer. If you want to lay your xbox flat the controller holder is the right height and on the right side for you to be able to do that. Unfortunately the base is all one piece construction so you will have two of those legs sticking up in the air.

AssemblyPretty easy. My only problem has to do with the screws. If you look closely at the promo pics you will see a silver bar across the top, that is a threaded aluminum tube, there is a matching one on the back. You put the two clamshell pieces around your xbox hold the metal bar in place and hand screw plastic screws into each side. Did I say plastic? Yes I did. Additionally the manufacturing quality on the aluminum tubes isn't the highest. One side of one of the tubes was determined to crossthread, after 6 or so tries with all the different screws I let it have its way and forced the plastic screw in.

Final ThoughtsMy XBox is very stable now. Since the case ends up recessing the touch buttons a little I can actually look at my XBox without the disc ejecting. It does not seem to interfere with any of the ports on the XBox. While the individual pieces are made from pressed plastic they seem to be well made with no detectable burrs or scratches. Unless I was lucky their QC is pretty good.(They probably outsource those aluminum tubes)

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This thing is awesome, keeps my Xbox noticeably cooler. The stand lifts it slightly off the ground helping to increase airflow. And it looks super cool

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this item fits my xbox box perfectly, and do not take up much space at all, minimal assemble is required.

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This is a great addition to your Xbox 360 if you keep your console standing. It provides great support and also adds a noticeable increase in air flow to help with cooling. The packaging is awesome and each piece is well protected. I purchased the black version, but the other color options are really cool for fitting your console to your gaming style. As I add more consoles to my home I will be casing them with the Vault.

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This is a reasonably price, easy to assemble, and stable stand for your Xbox. I no longer worry about the console tipping over when in its upright position, and the extra lift off the surface increases ventilation.

Review of Xbox 360 250GB Holiday Value Bundle (Amazon exclusive Bonus Value)

Customer Ratings:

I bought a couple 360 bundles this year. Why? Well, the Halo4 bundle was something I really couldnt pass up and have it set up in a Vanguard portable rig, a couple were gifts, but this one here is the console I set up next to my PS3 in my living room. The 250 gig drive is big enough to contain my collection of games with plenty of room to spare. The inclusion of Forza 4 and the Skyrim download was pretty sweet, the extra 4 months of Live Gold was cool (3 for the promotion plus 1 already in the box), the controller is the standard issue of course as is the carppy headset, lol (replace the headset....they are flimsy and wont last long). My only gripe is probably the same as everybody elses....no HDMI cable included. That seems like a poor oversight for a relatively cheap and fairly essential piece (at least if you plan to get the most out of your xbox...without it, you'll be running at like 480p). You also get a handful of Arcade game codes (which are basically glorified demos).

Anyways, there isnt really anything magnificent or special here except for the savings from buying the bundle vs buying everything separately, but hey, that's why you buy a bundle. Better value. From that standpoint, this bundle truly shines.

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Great! it arrived a day earlier than stated on the tracking page. intead of the four months it says we are supposed to get of live mine got five. this was a great deal!

Best Deals for Xbox 360 250GB Holiday Value Bundle (Amazon exclusive Bonus Value)

Bought it for my birthday, more or less just for Skyrim. The downloadable token alone makes the deal worth it, I hardly plan on playing Forza considering I have always been a Need for Speed fan above all other racing games, but whatever a free cookie is better than no cookies so i'm not really complaining.

Compatibility issues with Skyrim on the Playstation 3 were really the winning push that compelled me to return once again to the Xbox 360. I would honestly resume upgrading my computer, considering I already own skyrim on Steam, however with the introduction of Windows 8 and the PC gaming community slowly in decline due to piracy, lack of developer support and in general the fact that a lot of games being made today are crappy ports of console games to PC, it makes it extremely unnecessary to have a gaming rig in the first place in the 21st century.

Regardless, considering the individual price for each specific product, the Xbox 360 4GB running at 199.99 fresh out of the box, Forza and Skyrim 34.99 each respectively, the hard drive alone hovering close to 30.00 (not OEM which means no backwards compatibility), this really is the best deal out for the Xbox if you don't plan on doing anything kinect related.

All things considered for the total price of the console before tax and shipping you're saving about 30 bucks. In my case a little less considering Forza is junk to me but who knows, I may turn out to like it after all, we will see.

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I couldn't believe the deal they had here. I get a new xbox slim console with the 250gb hard drive, 5 arcade games, Skyrim, Forza, 4 months xbox live, and two free month subcriptions to epix and hulu. You can't beat that value. Xbox alos has come along way. The new layouts are very easy to use and not as confusing as the ps3. There are also way more features xbox has been adding over the years that made the switch from ps3 to xbox truly worth it.

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So these Holiday Bundles are available at best buy, walmart, and probably most stores that sell xbox's.

I chose to buy from Amazon, because of the "extras", and of course 2 days later no signs of any extras.

Now from reading other reviews and comments, I see I am not the only one....

When you open the amazon box, there should be 5 codes for download of arcade games, 1 code for 3 months of xbox live, go to your account and a $10 video credit should be there

Where is the difficulty in that??

Now I am a big fan of amazon, but in the case of another "bundle" with extras, i'll forgo the extras and just buy it locally.

Very poorly handled Amazon

Xbox itself 5 stars

Skyrim 5 Stars

Forza not interested

Rating for Amazon on this one 2 stars

Cheap Shift 2 - Unleashed (Limited Edition) - XBOX 360

Customer Ratings:

The game is definitely better than what most people seem to say about the game. If you're someone who never wants to take your finger off the accelerator like a five year old than I understand why the game isn't for you. This game is very realistic and almost too realistic for video gaming. But coming from me, someone who races cars and understands that paying attention to every detail is everything with racing, I'd say the game is great. Heck I paid next to nothing for this game and I'd say its ALMOST as good as the racing game "GRID" which was one of the best ever made. No clue why people bash the game... Solid game for those who want a very close experience with real-life racing.

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I bought this game and its okay, however, the one I got which was new, is extremely buggy. It is forever locking up on the loading screens and sometimes it locks and sometimes when loading the screen is just black but you can hear your car revving up to race and everything, just no picture. Also sometimes while drifting, the game will completely stop tallying points and will have to restart to get it going again. The green drive line flickers at times and sometimes dissapears completely. And I do not know what they were thinking but reverse on the cars in this game is AWFUL! It is faster to just reset the car on the track thats how pathetically slow it is. In comparison to other racing games, this one is not one of the most memorable. I would stick with the real "Need for Speed" games.

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I bought this as a gift for my grandson. It was recommended by his father. He received it for Christmas and was very pleased with it.

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this is a fun game, but it does have some flaws. like the drifting, its pretty much garbage.i love drifting, but i dont even play them on this game. the racing is awesome,it gets intense at some points. but if your looking for a more well rounded game, grid is probably better. but if your looking for some serious racing action, go with this game. they didnt really accomplish much with this game except the helmet cam, i would really like to see that in some other games.all in all not to bad, worth the $20 at gamestop.

Review of Skinit Dallas Cowboys Distressed Vinyl Skin for Microsoft Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:

I THINK IT IS AWSOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I realy recomend you get this if your a cowboys fan. It may take a few times to get it on but its AWSOME!! IM 12 And i think its a good deal. But one thing i think they should lower the price. But every thing else is awsome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TOTALLY LOVE IT!!!!

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Discount Mad Catz F.L.Y.5 Stick for PC

Customer Ratings:

I purchased a Saitek Cyborg X joystick for use with the excellent IL-2 Sturmovik 1946 combat flight sim, also purchased from Amazon.com. It's a great joystick, with only a few small shortcomings.

First the good stuff--there are a total of 12 programmable buttons, a programmable rotating trim wheel just below the weapon switches, a rudder control operated by twisting the stick, and a dual throttle lever that can be locked for single engine use. There is an eight-position hat switch in the middle of the four weapon switches at the top of the stick, and two LED's that illuminate the weapon switches, hat switch and trim wheel from above.

On top of all the controls, the Cyborg X is highly adjustable. The top head including the trigger and weapon switches can tilt fore and aft, the length of the stick can be adjusted with the push of a button, and the stick itself can be adjusted fore and aft. A tabbed hex key used for most of the adjustments stows in one of the three joystick supports.

As for smoothness and ease of use, I really like the way Saitek centers this joystick. A spring seats a shallow cone-shaped disk inside another cone when the stick is at center. When the joystick is moved off of center, this makes for very smooth action in all axes, unlike the joysticks used in radio control transmitters. There is about five degrees of slop evident in the stick when it is centered though, due to play between the screw adapter the stick attaches to and the joystick base arm. (The joystick comes disconnected from the base as packaged.) It wouldn't hurt if the manufacturing tolerances were a little tighter here.

All this adjustability comes at a slight price. When you press any of the four weapons switches, the top of the joystick flexes, making them feel somewhat imprecise. The weapons switches also don't close as crisply as the trigger switch does. The last fault I found with it is that, when pushing the joystick far forward, the base can tip forward too. This is because while there is a base leg to the rear of the stick, there are none forward. The two front base legs are mounted laterally.

These are minor quibbles. The Saitek Cyborg X is the best joystick I've ever bought.

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Shipping:

Shipping was great. I actually got it in exactly 48 hours via UPS.

Packaging:

When you first get the device, it will be easy to set up ( I won't spoil the assembly for you if you haven't seen it before ). I was really impressed with the packaging for starters.

Software:

I installed the drivers ; quick and easy. I didn't install anything additional but that's up to you. I'm using a iMac (2008) with windows vista ( not sure anymore what level ).

Hardware:

I use this stick with Flight Simulator X. At first the stick was uncomfortable for my hand.

I had to adjust it , which it then became a perfect fit. If you're worried about force feedback, don't. My logitech stick's FF motor died after maybe a year of use. The spring which hold it center and provides a force is good enough.

What I was most excited about but a tad bit disappointed by was the throttle ( more so with FS X than the stick it self ) . It's a dual throttle which can also become single throttle isn't able to control individual engines. They both control all engines whether or not you use one or both. There is also a button that will join the two throttles.

You also have lot of options when it comes to buttons. I actually have less use for my keyboard now that I can put those commands on the stick. There are 10 number keys, a "shift" key , a trigger and dual throttles. The book says you can assign them to commands such as the trim and different engines but you'll have to play around with that in the game you're using it with.

The base can be folded and be put behind your monitor if you have a flat screen LCD monitor to save space. The over all texture and stainless steal of the device is very smooth.

There is a light under the hat switch which can become distracting at times when you push the stick forward during flight. The light for some reason is very intense on that angle so don't look directly into it.

Another thing is when you're pushing the stick forward, the base lifts up. I personally do not mind when flying because the only time I'm really pushing the stick forward is when I'm landing. Even then, I don't even push that hard for the stick to really lift. I only notice that when I'm flying freehand. It might bother some but it's fine with me.

Final:

I would suggest this to anyone who is interested in an adjustable stick, great over all feel and style. Of course there are more advanced sticks around but this certainly is worth the buy for what it offers.

Good:

Easy to instal drivers

Great feel ( texture )

Adjustable

Great Style

Lots of buttons

Space saver

Bad:

Intense blue light

Lifts when pushing stick forward

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i own allot of Cyborg products..but this is my first stick..bought it to play HAWX for PC

the GOOD:

-love the finish on the stick its top notch smooth and soft

-blue LED lit thumb trigger

-fully adjustable to the max

-more buttons then you could of dreamed of

-locking/unlockable dual throttle

-comes with its own built in tool for adjustment

-expandable base

-really does assemble in seconds

-great response in Hawx

-overall looks are very impressive

-controllable dead zones..

the OK:

-stick assembly is a little loose, more play than i would like

-all plastic

-nose down the stick and it comes off the table do to ill support-Velcro required

The Bad:

its programmable just not with the software...programmable via the game your playing..a Cyborg X SST profile dose not exist for this stick to create custom profiles for it

-is a tad on the sensitive side as once of the censors on mine died in a week..causing the stick to fail to center..i have received another one...

it hasn't died yet..

-while the driver support is good in its own right, it sometimes has an issue with its fellow cyborg products..like the cyborg mouse or keyboard...can, will and has knocked out the driver configs for them..on my end, but problem solved by moving stick to a diff USB bus..its most stable on the primary MB USB bus..it also properly power's off when its on the MB usb busexpanded shared bus's at least for my MB cause it to remain powered on..when the machine is off..which is why i think the first one died..

-packaging for stick looks good..but main base unit is just jammed against cardboard-thus jamming the plug connector-that plugs into the main body of the sick..luckily 2 sticks down and no damage

-support for this item is surprising weak, im not sure if its cause its new or its on the verge of being discontinued....

Honest reviews on Mad Catz F.L.Y.5 Stick for PC

I got this for Christmas a few years ago because I had really gotten into Flight Simming. This thing is THE PERFECT JOYSTICK if you want to get an all-in one, affordable control system.

Features:

TONS of Buttons. On FSX I use them for Throttling, Flap adjustment, landing gear, tailhook, brakes, differential brakes, speedbrakes, lights, and view switching. The twisting function works well as a rudder and if you're like me, you don't even need it that much except for ground steering (I seldom use the rudder when flying).

Easy programmingand if it gets sensitive/sticky you can adjuts it.

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Started by having an hard time to get it to work on Windows 7 64, the throttle is stiff, and it ended up breaking after 2 weeks of normal usage ( from 30-to 1 hr daily usage, Falcon 4 ). What happened is that all of a sudden the rudder control was going off randomly. Returned for a refund and the shipping costed me a whopping 17$ ( although the estimate cost was 6$). Definitely won't order hardware from Amazon again unless they start giving free shipping of returns.

Buy Rock Band: Country Track Pack - Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:

Yes, there are songs that already been released. But if you don't have the songs (I only had one or two), the bang for the buck is tremendous. Twenty-one songs at $2 per song would be $42. This pack saves you $12. There are also a dozen songs not out yet, which is a perk not seen in previous packs.

PLUS you get "The Gambler." How can you go wrong?

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There are some good songs in this track pack. Please don't pick it up if you are going to complain about some songs being DLC or in guitar hero. Guitar Hero is not run by the same company that runs Rock Band. 21 songs divided by 30 dollars = $1.43 per song. I usually download the tracks to my Hard Drive and then give/sell the Game Disc. The achievements on this one are also a little trickier to get (but more enjoyable).

Best Deals for Rock Band: Country Track Pack - Xbox 360

NOTE: As of this review I have played through all the song on Expert Guitar but have not done any on vocals of drums.

I like country music, but was a little wary of this track pack because I did not know all the songs on it. After playing with them, it is definitely worth buying. The expert guitar is interesting on majority of the songs. There are many nice hammer-on songs like Mud on the Tires, The Gambler, and Satellite Radio. There are also numerous songs that require some moderate chord hopping like Suds in the Bucket and Any Man of Mine. Also the Banjo solos in Sin Wagon are very difficult. It is a five star in terms of how the songs play. They could have made some better selections from a musical standpoint (She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy), but none of them are unlistenable. If you like some of the songs on the disk or are looking for a decently hard selection of new guitar songs, consider buying this set.

One thing to note from a technical standpoint. The note charts appear as they would in Rock Band 1 when you play the songs directly from the disk. This means none of the hammer-on chord that you see when playing these from the hard drive using Rock Band 2 will appear.

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I am not a fan of country music, but I'll be damned if these songs aren't a lot of fun to play. I only play drums, but I know many of the songs have very challenging guitar riffs.

If you don't have this load of DLC yet, then the price is absolutely worth it. If you have everything but the exclusives, it's still right around $2 a track, which is what they are likely to cost when they are available for download a couple months from now. If you are an impatient person who doesn't want to wait months for the exclusives to become DLC, like myself, it is easy to justify the purchase. There are achievements to earn, but other than those and the export code on the manual, there is probably little incentive to hold onto the disc for long after purchase.

Don't forget, if you already have the Going Country 01 track pack from the Rock Band Music Store, you can delete that when you import this disc to save some space. (It doesn't have all the songs from the Alt Country pack, though, so you will need to keep that installed.)

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The music in this game is all country so don't expect anything else. The songs in here are relatively easier to play than other genres such as the metal track pack.

Batarang Wired Controller for Xbox 360 Reviews

Customer Ratings:

yes this controller looks amazing with LED's that change color and the layout is very close to the 360 so it feels great in your hand. this sounds great right? well the greatness ends there because the analog sticks are some of the most inaccurate i have ever used and as others have stated the dead zone is awful. also the bumper buttons are real flimsy feeling and sometimes do not mash correctly. i would say buy this controller if you're a collector or play games other that first person shooters.

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The controller looks really cool, and the lighting effect is awesome. The sticks are very sensitive and buttons work fine. But looks can be deceiving. the controller is prone to losing connection to the Xbox, and also is not durable. The headset jack is hit and miss, and the light feature can cause the controller to get very warm after prolonged use.

In my opinion, stick with the MS controllers, I've tried multiple aftermarket ones and they all fall short.

Best Deals for Batarang Wired Controller for Xbox 360

I borrowed this controller from a friend after getting Skyrim PC. I ended up falling in love with the style, shape, and size of this controller. I bought my own and have used it for nearly 30+ hours of gameplay. I'm not necessarily a huge Batman fan, nor even a Xbox 360 platform user, but this controller fits well with my style and what I'm looking for in a controller.

I see a lot of complaints about the size of the controller. I do have smaller, dexterous hands, but I can't see why someone with larger hands couldn't use it as well. The controller does have different ergonomics than original Xbox controllers.

The lights are cool, but normally I keep them off. Due to the brightness of the LEDs it becomes more of a distraction than added aesthetic style. It is wired so no batteries to worry about and the chord is a good 9 feet.

Overall a good buy and if you're a Batman fan this would definitely be for you.

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I've had this controller just over a month, probably used it around 100 hours total. It works great, all the buttons & sticks are nice & responsive, & the only difference I noticed between this & my official Microsoft controllers are in feel. It is lighter, due to not having batteries, & is slightly wider. The back of the handle grips have angled Batarang edges, which are the most marked difference compared to the MS's curved, wide grips. I don't have any discomfort playing long periods with it, though. I play with the decorative lights on with friends, around 1/2 the time used, & have not noticed any additional heating of the controller versus without the lights on. I paid $20 for this controller, & I consider it a steal!

[Update 1/25/2013]: After playing around 2 hours the controller began to disconnect & reconnect to the console as it was slightly moved. Twisting the cable near the controller causes it to stay connected, so I'm assuming a wire has become loosened. Because its become unusable after three months of pretty light usage, having not dropped it or stored it with the cable wrapped around the controller, I've lowered my rating accordingly. I've contacted PowerA describing my issue, & hope they hold true to their 2 year limited warranty on this controller. Hopefully this is just a defective unit, & not indicative of an overall poor product design.

[Update 11/3/21013]: I received a new Medal of Honor Air Flow from Power A about a month ago. There was some problems with my home address not being the one UPS delivered to, so that's why it took quite a few months. I'm happy with the new controller, & its working great.

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I bought this exactly 1 month ago. Loved it & still do. Feels great & the lights are awesome. Although, after one month of daily gaming & gentle use, the triggers stopped working. I called Gamestop & they said that since it was over a month, I could not return it. With that said, I opted to fix it myself by swapping parts with my old controller. Upon taking it apart, I realized that the triggers themselves were fine, the plastic that was holding the triggers in place broke off & the plastic that connects the triggers to the motherboard was broken as well. I checked online & it seems that I'm not the only one going through some type of issues with this controller. Most of the issues tend to deal with the triggers & bumpers.

Discount Xbox 360 Wireless Network Adapter

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $54.99
Sale Price: $46.50
Today's Bonus: 15% Off

Great WiFi range. Works extremely well. I am always nervous about buying a 3rd party product but this did not disappoint me. I don't know why you would pay more for the official wifi adapter. This gets the job done for less money.

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I bought this wireless adapter at Walmart. I have a wireless N router setup in my home which it seems everything runs off of. My XBOX 360 is located across the house from the router and I have all but one bar. The system runs fast. The wireless adapter I purchased is black which is not a big deal so long as it works. I have no complaints at this time about the adapter.

Best Deals for Xbox 360 Wireless Network Adapter

I purchased this for my son for Easter, hooked it up to the back of the xbox360 and entered my wireless code and away he went. It has the prongs to fit directly onto the Xbox360, I was afraid that this was going to be some eye-sore off to the side of the console but it mates up beautifully even though not officially supported by microsoft. Range is very good sons room(xbox location) and study (router location) are on seperate floors and opposite ends of a large home. Highly recommend this product.

Honest reviews on Xbox 360 Wireless Network Adapter

I'm not a huge fan of 3rd party company products for gaming consoles. Their products usually break easily, stop working randomly, or just don't do what they advertise to do. So needless to say I was more than skeptical to shell out $50 for this wireless adapted from Datel, a company I'd never heard of. It was side-by-side next to a Microsoft branded adapter, but was half the price. But I figured if I didn't like it, to just keep the receipt if I needed my money back.

Well, it's been a few months now, and I'm happy to say that it still works as well as it did the day I bought it. The main reason I bought it in the first place was my wireless connectivity. My Xbox 360S has built-in WiFi, but my router is on the COMPLETE opposite side of my house and my connectivity would sometimes drop. Unfortunately moving my router or wiring my Xbox to the internet were not options for me, do I decided to go the external adapter route with this product. After unboxing it and plugging it in, not only did my connection STAY connected, but I had solid full bars on the WiFi reception. Keep in mind there are many things in the space between my router and my Xbox 360 that can suck away at signal strength (computers, digital devices, walls, etc.) and my Xbox is still at maximum wireless connectivity.

It's constructed about the same way as a Microsoft adapter. Doesn't feel cheap or flimsy, picks up wifi signal VERY well (I was getting connections from my neighbors routers after installing this), and seems to be made to last. I play about 2 hours a day/every other day and I haven't had any issues in the past 3-4 months I've had it.

Of course not all 3rd party accessories are not made the same, so keep your receipt if you do get a lemon. But I can't give this adapted enough praise for it's cost effectiveness. Before you pay twice the price for a Microsoft brand wireless-n adapted, give this a try. It's budget friendly and it works. Well... mine does.

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I originally bought the 360 cheap knowing the dorms I lived in, and my home, has a wired option to connect to the internet. However, moving off-campus changed that radically. This was recommended to me by friends and a worker at a nearby Target as a well priced, effective wifi adapter. I received my adapter today (Sept 1st, 2011), and so far it is running of the House Network wonderfully. The Netflix is running on HD with no problems, and their is no lag that I can notice from online gaming.

I'll have to write more during peak internet usage, but it seems to run well enough that it would compensate for added wifi-usage.

Highly recommended this for anyone in a similar situation to my own, or in need of the adapter.

Reviews of FINAL FANTASY XI Ultimate Collection Seekers Edition

Customer Ratings:

The game has changed a lot since I first played when it was released. For me the game has gotten better and easier, but still gives you a good challenge. Preparation is key in this game. Also, the community is still strong. My server (Ragnarock) averages 1,600 at any given time and up 2,000 during peak hours. There are still tons of linkshells to join and are well worth getting into.

Buying this package is great idea even if you already own the the previous expansions or are returning and have some of the expansions. This will give you everything that you might be missing, the new expansion, two virtual items, plus access to the two new jobs. The virtual items are quite helpful in the game especially if you are starting fresh. You get a Destrier Beret which gives you Regen, Refresh, Auto-Reraise, Increased Movement Speed, Increases Skill Gain Rate and will last up until level 30. Then there is the Choco TShirt this gives you +50 Accuracy, Ranged Accuracy, Magic Accuracy and helps you loose less when crafting. (They have some other features, but these are most useful to someone starting fresh.) For old players these items only existed in our dreams.

Of course with an all new area to explore we get two new jobs. This now makes it possible to play 22 different jobs in FFXI. The two new jobs released are Geomancer(GEO) and Rune Fencer(RUN). I won't go into to much detail but GEO is like a BRD with BLM spells. RUN a is new style tank that uses a Great Sword and can change his resistance to different elements and can inflict elemental damage. They have limited to access to WHM, BLM, and RDM spells.

Another good note:

Solo until, at least, level 13-14. (Don't forget to check the Field of Valors/Ground Tomes the quests are repeatable and can give a decent amount of extra EXP.)

Then head to:

Gusgen Mines (usually Book Page 1, in Grounds Tome, I have been in some that did page 2). Stay here till around 30~33.

(At 30 you can begin the Abyssea Quest, you want to start this quest ASAP to start collecting stones. The stones give you 30 minutes of time in Abyssea and take 20 hours to regenerate.)

Then go to Crawlers Nest (Book Page 1) you can easily stay here till over 60. (If it is a new character, then don't forget you will have a limit break quest starting at 50, a good idea is to get 50 and get 1 exp from 51, do the limit break for 50 then go out and kill an easy prey to get 51, you will then be able to do the 55 limit break quest and level to 60 before having to do another. This can be done all the way to 99, just look up the quests and pay attention to the minimum level required to start the quest and plan accordingly. Once you do these quests on a job, you do not have to do them again.)

After 60 head to Bostaunieux Oubliette (Page 4) there is usually a party here. You can level all the way to 99 here, I usually get to around 80 then head to Abyssea Areas. (If you started your Abyssea Quest at 30, by this time you should have a few stones to get you started.) (To access Bostaunieux Oubliette you either need to be on mission 2-3 in Bastok/Windhurst or Rank 2 in San d'Oria.)

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First a Disclaimer: If you're pressed for time, or enjoy the World of Warcraft style of play, I don't mind telling you this game is probably NOT for you. I don't mean to discourage you, please try it if you're so inclined as I would love to be proven wrong. However, I've been playing for over a decade and I've seen the different types of player come and go. FFXI will NOT spoon-feed your game to you; expect to read web-pages to find out what needs to be done next, expect to get stumped on missions/quests, expect to have to party with other people in order to accomplish your goals, expect to work on a single task all evening. If you have a high degree of patience, and love the Final Fantasy series, by all means give it a spin, you won't regret it.

If however (and be honest with yourself, you're looking for a game "YOU" are going to enjoy) you're one of the afore mentioned individuals and are a bit more pressed for time; maybe you have a demanding job, or 3 kids, or a full schedule of college classes, or just have too many other hobbies and would prefer a less time intensive game. Might I suggest you give the newest Square-Enix MMO a try ---> Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, is a game more suited to today's gaming expectations and will assist your quests with a "go here next" icon and much shorter time requirements. if you've only got an hour... well, I wouldn't expect to get much done in FFXI. :)

As far as FFXI is concerned, I've been playing for SEVERAL years now, despite it's age it's actually still quite an enjoyable game. Unfortunately the game does suffer from a few limitations in order to support the "Playstation and XBox" console players, such as a maximum resolution of 1920x1080, that's right you'll not be getting any multiple screen resolutions out of this game, sorry guys a bit before it's time. Also the game doesn't like 'Alt-Tabbing' so without using a third-party program like "Windower" (which is against the EULA) don't plan to alt-tab out and look at any web pages while playing.

The game itself is a lot easier now than it used to be, a lot more 'solo' options available to you now then were ever available before. But parties are still a necessary evil for some storyline content and advancement and I would probably still rank it as one of the more challenging MMO's out there on the market today as far as party mechanics are concerned. There's plenty of content, in fact there's so much content it'll make your head reel at first trying to absorb all the information. Don't. Take the game in stride, one thing at a time, keep to the content of your level and the rest will come on it's own. I don't recall exactly how many expansions we're up to, but easily close to 10 expansions now if not more (all included in the Ultimate Collection Seekers Edition as of 8/21/13 later expansions will not be included), Seeker's of Adoulin being the most recent expansion. Maximum level has been increased and now sits at lv99. Events are held on a regular basis, with prizes to match. And the social environment is one of a friendly atmosphere (social experiences will vary based on your personality, of course) but overall the populace is generally very friendly and helpful.

That being said... I hope to see you in-game sometime!

Phoenix Server is by far the best (My shameless plug, lol) come on in!

Best Deals for FINAL FANTASY XI Ultimate Collection Seekers Edition

I have always loved Final Fantasy XI, so this review may be a bit biased. I will say that this package is the whole deal. You get all of the expansions and extra content that there is for this game, including the one that just came out this year. That's 10 years of storyline, quests, missions, etc. The game graphics do show their age a bit, but there are many inspired level designs, and I get a feeling of total immersion while playing on my big screen. The servers still have decent populations, and you can still find low level players to group with, especially with the introduction of two new jobs in this latest expansion. All told, I'm glad to be back, and plan to be around at least until I can see all of the new content I've missed in the last couple of years.

Final Rating: Still one of the best MMOs I've ever played.

Honest reviews on FINAL FANTASY XI Ultimate Collection Seekers Edition

Bought it for my oldest son who was hooked with WOW, finally he is a playing something different 24/7, lol . He is very happy with game, says it started slow , but now, he's hooked! .

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I came back to the game after a few years to try this new expansion out and I was shocked how crowded my server had become. When I left the game back in 2011 my server was pretty dead. The content of this game is massive now you would have to play a long time to get it all done really enjoying it.