Buy Mad Catz Xbox 360 Controller (Black)

Customer Ratings:

A review of a controller is a funny thing. To a certain extent it comes down to "do the buttons work, yes or no?" :-) And obviously this third party Madcatz controller's durability over time as compared to the official Xbox controller can't be quickly compared. But I will say this I bought it for use on a Windows 7 running laptop (because playing Batman Arkham Asylum with a keyboard and mouse isn't quite the same) and was worried it would not work since there was nothing specific about it being for use on a computer and no driver disk. It linked up and the laptop installed it no problem. It works flawlessly. The button layout works well as do the analog sticks. I suppose overall all I can say is that I'm happy with the purchase at this time.

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This controller is very good and functions exactly the same as a regular Xbox 360 controller. I used it to play Saints Row 2 since the controls for PC are terrible. I also used it with Beat Hazard, an indie game on Steam. It seems to be durable enough. It hooks up with USB, and is plug and play. No need to install any drivers or discs or batteries or anything like that. You can also use it on a normal Xbox 360. My only complaint is that the analog sticks do not have the rubber bumps on them like a regular 360 controller. But it's no big deal since those rub off eventually anyway.

**Use the controller as a mouse download a free program called 7plus. It will enable you to use the controller like a mouse, with right click/left click functionality, etc. 7plus also has a bunch of good hotkeys that some of you may find useful.

Best Deals for Mad Catz Xbox 360 Controller (Black)

My grandson sent me Lego Star Wars for the PC for my birthday so that the next time we we visited, he and I could play it together. I realized very quickly that it would be no fun to play from the keyboard, so I did some research and found that the Xbox 360 game pad would work on a PC and work with this game. The Mad Catz version of the game pad came with the adapter included and at a very good price on Amazon. I checked reviews on it and found them to be generally positive, so I bought two of them for the game. The only real knock I read on the game pad was its construction, which was described as flimsy. In my evaluation, if this is flimsy, the original must be built like a tank. As for the playability, I have found it very responsive and easy to use on this game. I have not used it with anything else, but I would give it high marks overall.

Honest reviews on Mad Catz Xbox 360 Controller (Black)

So far, I've had no problems with this controller. It's been working amazingly well.

Of course, I've read reviews where they said that along the lines of owning it, in a few months the thumbstick will be acting weird.

I play a lot of first person shooter, and obviously since it's a different type of controller, you have to get used to the sensitivity or change the sensitivity on your gameplay.

I don't rough up my controller so much so I know that this'll last me awhile.

I used to have a Microsoft controller that needed to be re-calibrated (is that what you call it? o.o) and I was still able to play it, just had to know how. So if this ever did that, I'd still be able to use it.

It's a cheap controller and if you don't have heavy or big hands to where you use the controller brutally, I'd say this is great for you.

Get this if:

-You know that it won't last you that long, a few months to a year

-You're a light user

-Don't mind the start and select buttons being on the top

-If you have small hands like I do

-Am on a budget and don't mind replacing it in a few months to a year

-Don't mind it being a wired controller (Hey no replacing batteries right?)

Dont get this if:

-You're a constant first person shooter who roughs up his controller

-Have big hands

-Mind the start and select buttons being on top

-Doesn't want to replace the controller in a few months to a year

-Have a couple of ten's more to spend on a controller that'll last you longer

-Don't like wires.

Of course, all controllers have their life span. This one's just shorter than the Microsoft ones.

For me Microsoft ones don't last too long either, a year to 2 years is a pretty good life span and this controller may be half the life span but for this much money. It's still a good deal. I only got this for around $12 bucks, so $24 bucks for two controllers that'll last 2 years is still cheaper than $40 to $60 bucks for a Microsoft controller that'll last 2 years too. :]

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After a month of usuage, the analog stick is stuck on the down position. the stick itself is neutral but whenever i move it, even just slightly, the movements on screen moves down. i checked the calibration setting on the pc and even then, it still moves down.

i knew i should have spent the extra 10 bucks to buy the official microsoft pad. i felt duped after purchasing their great TE fight stick. never again madcatz (unless they're fight sticks)

Best Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 12: The Masters - Xbox 360 Deals

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $29.99
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Basically, as far as the game goes, if you've played 2010 or 2011 Tiger Woods, you've played this game. The only real differences are the yearly "gimmick" feature (caddy recommended shots this year), improved graphics and a different course mixture. The caddy feature is golf on training wheels. I'm just going to come out swinging with that. Its kind of unnecessary. You're able to turn it off, and I understand why its there, to help newer players not get so frustrated but I just don't think its very necessary. Game looks great, I won't knock that. It gets better and better looking each year. Also, the gameplay is great, as it always has been for this franchise.

Its just too bad that there is literally no competition in the golf game space on Xbox 360. It might actually force EA to appreciate their customers a little bit more. Regardless of whether you paid $35, $45 or $60 for this game new, you shouldn't be supporting a publishing company that does this to its customers regarding this DLC situation. I'm sorry, but releasing a game 75% complete as a full priced game and then having to buy the remaining parts of the completed game as "DLC" is nothing short of a slap in the face to a loyal fan and there is no justification. Unless you are an absolute diehard fan, with a disposable income willing to shell out over $100 to get the complete experience as it SHOULD HAVE BEEN by buying all these stupid courses they strategically set aside to squeeze more money out, then I would recommend a pass. To give you an idea of what I am talking about, the $60 game you buy has 16 courses total in it. At launch, 19 courses were available as DLC for $50+ And to add insult to injury, these courses appear during your career. You are given the choice to buy the course to play it, or skip that part of your career. These couldn't have been included in the game I just bought, seriously? Or, if it was a disc space issue, as free DLC to the person who just shelled out money to get a new copy of this game instead of grabbing it used from GameStop? Shame on you EA.

I am not purchasing EA products from here on as a result of this year's offering. Its just thrown up a red flag for me that this company is not to be trusted to provide a full and complete game at $60.

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Best Tiger Woods I have played in a LONG time. But, seriously, come on. How do you justify charging $50.00 dollars for DLC courses that were done when the game came out? Some courses that you NEED to own in order to play a season.

Think about it that is $110.00 dollars if you want a "complete" game.

It's really unfortunate the developers made such good game and EA SPORTS has to go and screw over everyone who buys the game.

5 stars for Tiburon. 0 stars EA.

Best Deals for Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 12: The Masters - Xbox 360

If you expect to get a full game for the $60.00 price, then you should pass on this game. EA has decided to pack this game with "micro-transactions". In past Tiger games, you would have options to purchase additional courses that were separate from the overall game. This was a nice option for some people that wanted to try out some new courses. In this years Masters Edition, they have incorporated several courses into the game that you need to purchase in order to play through the PGA season. You can 'skip' these events, but you will miss out on several events in the PGA season that the CPU players are able to play in. This will be the last Tiger Woods game I purchase until EA gets their act together. This game should not be sold at full price and EA knows it. You would need to pay $100.00 (maybe more) to get the courses that are inlcuded in the regular season events. The way EA is going, I would not be surprised if the next Madden game has you paying to unlock teams, playoffs, or whatever else they can come up with.

Honest reviews on Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 12: The Masters - Xbox 360

The game overall is very good, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. $50 for the game and $50 for the dlc golf courses is ridiculous. I loved this game in the past, but I do not enjoy EA screwing us by charging for the game and charging for the golf courses which are used during the career progression. I think I am finished with EA sports...

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Gotta say I love just about every feature of the new Tiger Woods, and I too have played almost all of em.

Obviously Augusta is the huge hook, and I'm looking forward to getting there, but so many other elements are far superior, including:

1. Sponsors -they bring back the sponsor system they abandoned years ago, where winning tournaments allows you to align yourself with a new sponsor and thus a whole new set of clothes & clubs to buy; meaning you actually care when you get prize winnings. Even has individual challenges to unlock 3rd tier sponsors (like Oakley watches, Footjoy gloves, etc).

2. Enhanced graphics engine -just better & better each year.

3. Jim Nantz over that Kelly chick from last year -she wasn't bad, but this is the PGA, not the European tour; I need Nantz.

4. The intertwining of the Sponsor challenges, Pro Challenges (called Training) & the tournaments themselves is so engrossing, it no longer feels like you're playing 3 isolated mini-games like in year's past

5. Q School & earning your Tour Card -just kinda cool to earn your stripes

But despite all that awesomeness, there's one glaring detractor that undermines the entire gaming experience....the Caddy.

The Caddy is there to give you shot advice. This means he lines up 2 shots for you to hit, you pick one, swing, and all skill is instantly removed from the game. When you get to the green, he puts a little circle where you should aim your shot.

This idea belongs aside the Microsoft Office Clippy & Fox's glowing hockey puck as technological insults to our collective intelligence.

To make matters more annoying, the game has a feature where as you get better at courses, your caddy circles & shot ideas become more accurate...meaning that initially his circles are a bit off. Try to keep that in mind when you're trying to line up your putt amid the distraction of a flashing green circle directing you to a putt that will most likely be 6 inches outside the cup.

It's a nice novelty for about half a hole...then you just want him to go away. But you can't. You can silence him via the Audio settings, and you can hit B to make him hang out off camera, and you have the option of picking your own 'custom' shots (custom -like it's outside the box to wanna do more than just move the left stick up & down)...but the shot selection options & the awful putting circle won't go away.

Again, EA did a fantastic job with most of the game, correcting all the errors of the past. Unfortunately they tried to get too cute.

Let Lego release a Tiger Woods game if you want to take the skill out of it. In the meantime, please EA, release a patch that lets us turn the Caddy off...

Review of Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Collector's Edition (Amazon.com

Customer Ratings:

Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Circa 2007

GOOD:

Tight fitting responsive controls (which can be adjusted).

Great looking graphics and effects, also the animations are done very well.

Shooting feels spot on, with more then a few guns (a grenades) to choose from (like rocket launchers, energy guns, ect... as for different types of grenades, you get ones like sticky and EMP to name a few). It should be also noted that while on foot you could pull weapons off mechs (only when the mechs are not in use) and use these over sized weapons.

Grappling hook -Shot (like the one in the Legend of Zelda Series or like the grappling hook from Tenchu), which lets you scale tall buildings, and fly across the landscape.

Online Gameplay (versus other players), this really helps extend the life/fun of the game long after you have beaten it.

BAD:

Enemies can be pretty cheap, Example, after you get hit with a powerful weapon like a rocket you go into a fall and have to get up to recover, during your recover animation many enemies will strike at you making you fall over again. What ends up happening is you get stuck into a cycle where you fall over after getting get shot at or hit and while getting up it happens again (enemies shoot you or hit you) so you never fully get back up and fight back, you just fall again. It is very hard to break this cycle after it starts; usually it only ends if the enemies miss or you die.

Using mechs or any energy weapon uses up you reserve of "Heat Energy". If your "Heat Energy" runs out you can't pilot any Vital Suit or use any energy weapon. It should be noted that in this game "Heat Energy" ties directly into your life bar if you run out of this "Heat Energy" your life will slowly drain till you die. This makes prolong use of any Vital Suit (Mech) or any energy weapon a risk to your health.

Pretty confusing story which many people will not get nor care to understand.

IF IT FITS YOUR TASTE:

Sci-Fi 3rd Person Shooter (camera behind the player).

The game takes place on a world covered in ice and snow, lots of levels have snow and winter theme.

Life energy or Heat energy plays a big role in this game, this energy ties directly into your life bar if you run out of this energy your life will slowly drain till you die. It should also be noted that this happens even while in doors and underground not just outside in the cold. The only way to refill this energy is to kill enemies or destroy objects in the game, by doing so you'll see a pool of gold colored substance when your characters body touches it your energy bar will refill.

Fight lots of "Bug" like enemies as well as human enemies.

Lots of mechs and Mech Combat mechs are robotic suits of armor you pilot, in this game they are called Vital Suits, they can also equip their own weapons.

Game is broken up into 11 levels (so essentially this a fairly short game).

Shoot at to collect "markers" for a higher score (there are "markers" in every level and the look like big spinning coins).

Wining matches online unlocks new character dress options for your online avatar.

Online portion of this game has your standard set-up with Death Match, Team Versus, ect...

GAME ITS MOST ASSOCATED TOO:

Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction (Xbox, PS2)

Armored Core: Last Raven (PS2)

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

This is the Special Edition of this game that comes in a metal case and comes with an Art book as well as a Mixed media CD (that contains Videos, Wallpapers/Photos, Music, and windows icons for your PC). This Special Edition also comes with a new multiplayer level (Battleground), which will be available to all Xbox Live players for free a few more months from now (people who got/get this Special Edition can play this multiplayer level early).

There are already a few new multiplayer levels available to buy over Xbox Live. The 4 new Levels ready for download and use in online multiplayer action they are called Radar Field and Island 902, which come in one pack and then there is Hive Complex and Trial Point which come in a second package. Both packages sell for 400 Microsoft Points or $5.00 USD each.

The Korean actor Lee Byung-Hun is the model for the main character named Wayne.

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Lost Planet is a third person shooter spearheaded by Keiji Inafune (creator of the Megaman series) in which manages to place equal emphasis on both on-ground and mecha battle sequences. The setting takes place on an entirely cold driven planet. So cold in fact, that the player is required to gather "Thermal Energy" while in battle to maintain their body at a substantial temperature. You play the role of an amnesiac character by the name of Wayne of whom must unravel the secrets of his past, in the process bringing unity to the land.

The graphics and physics in Lost Planet are easily some of the best seen on a console game by far (rivaling that of Gears of War). In some instances (where the climate is cold as can be) excess snow can be seen accumulating on your character's clothing and track (on the ground) once having entered an opened door area. The particle effects and audio are perfectly done, along with debris physics. There are cases where you can interact with the environment, like say, shooting down a boulder (which will dissipate into rubble) on a mountain or fort to clear from an enemy stronghold. Another instance, is how you're enabled to shoot down a steel rail from a ceiling ontop of the enemy. The smoke effects can come with a price, as at times, it can be hard to maneuver yourself once enshrouded in large amounts. This helps add to the intensity of the battle. Music is also very coherently composed. Mostly orchestral, which helps give the game it's cinematic feel.

The detail in each enemy is simply amazing. Some boss characters are so well detailed and animated that they practically look tangible on the screen. Several enemies can been onscreen at once with rarely a trace of slowdown or a single drop in framerate (and some bosses take up nearly the entire screen).

However, that doesn't go without saying, as there are a few notable issues (nothing breathtaking) in LP. For one, the enemy A.I. is dimwitted for the most part. Snow pirates can easily be mowed down with simple run and gun tactics. It's also discouraging as to how (in some instances) an enemy can be knocked off of a mech, and won't even bother to get back on it. This is especially questionalable when there are several unused vehicles spotted on point, yet the enemy won't even bother to use any of them to their advantage. In other cases, the a.i. comes off too sensible, with the slightest sound setting them off on full alert without scrutiny. All in all, the enemy a.i. is a mixed bag.

Another complaint is it seems as though your character is constantly getting knocked down, then heaving (rinse, repeat). For instance, there was this time in which I was hit by a laser (which sent me sprawling to the ground) only for my character to raise and immediately get blown away by a rocket launcher. This can be frustrating at times. A better wake-up mechanic/command could have helped out to suppress this problem. Especially when you're having a hard time locating your character on screen due to all of the smoke and debris particles surrounding.

Last complaint is the lack of NPCs'. During the very first mission in LP, (the backstory stage) your character Wayne is fighting alongside multiple NPCs. This was a unique trait and feature, and it was rather disappointing to discover that none of this was carried into any of the latter stages in the game (unless you count the online mutiplayer). From that point on, you're all on your own.

With all of that said, Lost Planet is still an exceptional action-shooter. Some critics have panned the game for it's lack of innovation. Who said the game needed to be innovative, much less claimed to be unprecedented? The title does what it promises; deliver an action filled (but rather short, the game can be completed in under ten hours) shooting experience. While LP's not tactical like say, Rainbow Six or Gears of War, it's still a masterful shooter in it's own right, in how it manages to blend the words of third-person shooting and mecha immersively into one.

Lost Planet managed to sell over a million copies just two days after it's release in both the US and Europe. It's fairly safe to say that we'll be seeing more from the franchise on the 360 in the near future.

Best Deals for Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Collector's Edition (Amazon.com

Part mech warrior, part fps, Lost Planet is an enjoyable shooter with a simple run and gun approach featuring linear boss based level design that is appealing as a throwback for long time gamers, though it will likely hurt the campaign replayability. For a $60 game thats a bit unfortunate, but if you have xbox live the multiplayer content should make up for that. Elsewise it would be better off as a rental.

As far as the controls and what not, it's not overly complicated but remembering which mech you are in and what the controls are would really be the only issue there. Well that and the annoyance of trying to pick up weapons for the mech itself. The B button serves several functions and if you don't line up properly over the weapon on the ground and press B you will exit the vehicle, especially bothersome during boss fights when you need to get weapons on the ground as quickly as possible...

The graphics are amazing, no arguing that, however the story really is pretty weak. It feels foreign, like something was lost in translation, which probably wouldnn't bother anime fans because the characters are basically cookie cutter stereotypes from the genre.

All in all, its fun but I must admit I was hoping for a more tactic based campaign with intuitive AI more in the vein of Gears, but LP is still a lot of fun and while not really offering anything new the gameplay feels very familiar. But like most others have already stated the multiplayer is really where the game shines.

Honest reviews on Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Collector's Edition (Amazon.com

I don't really like TPS (Third Person Shooters) as much as FPS (First Person Shooters) and mecha doesn't thrill me (I hated Mechassault) but this one does a pretty decent job.

PROS:

excellent graphics, good environments, snow, smoke, etc

some fantastic fire fights

multitudes of enemies and bosses all with there own behaviors and characteristics gradually introduced to you throughout the game

tons of work put into the cut-scenes (as much as a half-hour or an hour or so almost like a mini-movie) and you can thankfully bypass them!

decent amount of weapon variety with there own characteristics; you can also detach mecha weapons and drag them around

decent length to the game

although a TPS, you can zoom in with many weapons to make it appear as if you're in an FPS (although certain actions like reloading will throw you back into TPS).

vehicles the game shines here. It's a mecha game (they call it a V-suit) so you get a lot of different things to operate. Big boss anime-style mecha toward the end.

decent button/stick configurations (although no exact mapping)

never had to consult the internet because of some glitch or something I was required to do that wasn't intuitive.

CONS:

No save anywhere (though for the most part you will not need it)

the entire game bends on you collecting thermal energy (like collecting health packs or armor) or you die, but there is so much of it laying around that it never affects game play. There is no dire urgency to collect it much of the time. Plus, collecting 100 bits of it scattered all over the battlefield is rather annoying. Why not have the game require you to collect 1 pool of the stuff every so often.

camera isn't always cooperative. your view will occasionally go off into a place you didn't want it to.

main protagonist character acting leaves much to be desired. Plus he's a bit of a puss and never hits on any of the hot anime chicks in the cut-scenes. 10 million cut scenes and he never even gets to first base.

I'm going to place the story/plot somewhere in the middle even though I didn't really get into it. They put a lot of effort into it (you can tell with all the cut-scenes) and it's a little unfair to criticize games for bad or non-stories (Doom3 didn't need one). Overall a good combo of mecha/TPS.

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I bought this game and played it all the way through on single player and it was about a 4/5 star game. It has great graphics, great gameplay but needed something else. Well then I played multiplayer on Xbox Live and this should have a 10 star rating, this is by far the best online gameplay of any game I have played to date, even better than Gears of War.

Reviews of Skate - Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:

Without a doubt this is the most realistic bad-a$$ skating game out there. I could go on and on about how realistic this is in style, sound and intuition, but you'll just have to see it for yourselves. I am 31, and this had me so pumped up I actually busted out my old skateboard I hadn't been on in 4 years and hit the local skatepark, it's that good. If you were like me and were restricted to curb grinding and sluggish rail slides on wooden park benches, but always wanted to do the big boy stuff... buy this game. It will bring back great memories. Absolutely outstanding!

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A new series, walking into the mouth of a lion, skate is one of the most innovative and fresh games in the genera. A new control scheme paired with amazingly detailed graphics and challenging game play make for a sure buy if you're a fan of any extreme game series.

First and foremost, if you have a obsessive personality or are a perfectionist stay away from this game, because you'll not be getting any sleep. For everyone else the new flickit controls have a very hard learning curve, but after 15 minutes you should get the hang of it. A few problems with the controls plague this game, its super frustrating to hit the tiniest bump and have your skater turn around in the opposite direction but this is minor in a sea full of awesome.

The story doesn't have a lot of variety but what it does have is entertaining and enough to keep you going to the end.

Overall a solid game with room for great improvement that will leave it on the top of the ramp compared to everything else in the long run. Go pick this up if you've enjoyed other skating games, or if you want to try something new that will leave you having great times for a long time.

Best Deals for Skate - Xbox 360

To be truly honest, I do not know where to start this review whether it's the smooth gameplay, the interactive environments, the realistic controls, the media,or the way the game just develops a true and realistic skate community is beyond me, but EA does it no less with style and accurate precision.

I got a quick glimpse of this game a couple of months in advance due to Ign.com in depth review along with some other sources. Ign was not exaggerating when they said, "It's hard to imagine ever going back to a regular action sports game." They are absolutely right in the sense that Skate changes the entire standard for actions sports games; moreover, they are still innovating and growing. But enough of the blabber and i'll get down to the nitty gritty and convince you Xbox 360 owners why this is a must own for new comers of the genre or for the stubborn skateboarders who refuse to let go of their Tony Hawk Franchise.

Right when you start your career mode your going to notice right off the bat how EA designed a beautiful world made not only for people who actually skateboard but for people who even might be remotely interested in buying an Xbox 360 because this game shows off the console's true potential. If it's not the scintillating sun igniting the crisp and smooth cement or the vibrant trees capturing mother nature at it's finest, skate regardless got my attention immediately. The minute you press that A button you feel like your truly are skating through a limitless environment because the truth of the matter is you will always discover something new. The second the wheels start turning you'll feel the motion of a real skateboard, Ea somehow renders this game into a skateboard simulator, (Well, maybe a slight exaggeration, but not far from it) The sound also contributes to the authenticity of a skateboarding game, between the ollie or the metal axel grinding against a steep stairway rail or possibly a 30 ft ledge next to a set of 20 stairs, you name it EA delivers with style. Now the controls of course are not easy to get used to especially if you have been playing the Tony Hawk Franchise for quite some time including myself. But let me tell you the gameplay is so innovative and different that it truly becomes addictive and fun because just when you think you've mastered some basic flip tricks there are plenty of more to complete. The true icing on the cake is when your finally able to kick flip or heel flip on command because the motion of the skateboard actually coincides with the analog stick. Its amazing. The way you position your board or the way you set up for a grind is the way you really do this in real life. If my explanation is still not good enough for you let me provide an example, lets say you want to execute a backside tail slide, something basic, (well in the video game world ) ok? In the Tony Hawk franchise you would approach a rail, a curb you name by either holding the left directional pad and pressing the "Y" button; however, in skate you align your board by holding down on the analog stick, (the harder you hold down, the bigger the ollie) then simply ollie slightly out or on angle to get the tail of the board to land on directly on the tail. You execute by just releasing the analog. For a video game they truly imitate the motion of a skateboard. Now they are so many skate spots inundated with slick ledges, skate buddies, rails you literally will be in awe and quite possibly might faint with anxiety. trust me you won't know where the hell to begin, but thats a good thing considering this game will keep you occupied regardless of the challenges or the rankings. Im just simply talking about free skate.

The challenges are incredibly innovative and incredibly challenging with some of the pro's giving tips as well as some tutorials such as Jason Dill teaching you how to manuel or to kick flip out. These challenges are also for you to deicide to engage in maybe you want to free skate the environment and you want to step up your reputation in the skate community go right ahead, no pressure. Or Maybe you want to hangout with some of the fellow skate buddies by impressing them with your new skills. oh yeah did i mention you can capture yourself with the fun editing option that Skate provides. Sure, you want your footage to have a retro 80's style or maybe you even want to show it off to the rest of the world by uploading it in the xbox live community, Bingo! EA's got you covered. Now the skate world is so vast that you could get some exercise by going on classic foot, but this is SKATE you can just take the subway. Literally, skate to the subway station, 8 second loading screen pops up and your in the heart of the downtown financial district where you skate the city for hours and hours without any redundancy. Sure some skate spots might be restricted in terms of security, (for example, the hospital) a security guard will run after you, meanwhile you'll be popping nollie hard flips in his face, but thats called realism and that where Skate succeeds in every aspect in this game, it truly is amazing; And if you think you can just automatically skate on any ground without falling, YOUR WRONG. Try skating into a curb, you won't make it without falling flat on your face. The power slides and the way you stop is a whole new category that deserves attention, because nothing feels automatic as opposed to Tony Hawk, you feel like you have complete control over your skateboard thats when you develop the skills of course. For example, I am a big fan of kick flipping on cement banks, when executed with skate, depending upon the momentum of the flip or your speed the board just flows gently and just feels like your on a steep bank. It difficult to explain, but the EA's Skate is able to capture a sort of realistic momentum that no other actions sports game has. What also so great is that you build yourself from scratch, authentic clothes authentic skate shoes, your good to go except you need practice. Enter competitions or just skate at your own ease with no pressure its solely your decision. Now I know I have been bashing Tony Hawk, but I have alot of respect for that franchise as well, now going on it's 8th title. The problem with long running franchises is that it gets harder and harder to innovate, as a result you get diminishing returns. Without Tony Hawk there probably wouldn't be a SKATE, I still remember being in 8th grade picking up my fresh new copy of PS1 tony hawk, also simply amazing. Here Skate is redefining the whole new action sports game genre. It's probably a good thing a game like this didn't come in my youthful skating days because I might have dropped out of school, Well, all in all, deff worth the 60 dollars, and with that in mind i think skate is here to stay hopefully spawning off some new and improved sequels.

Honest reviews on Skate - Xbox 360

First, I would like to say that I've been a die-hard Tony Hawk fan since the original Tony Hawk's Pro Skater dropped in 1999. I started skating in 1995 and at that time I dreamed about a REAL skateboarding game that would allow me to pull off some realistic tricks. Tony Hawk games have always been filled with an insane amount of real tricks and some cool environments, but they have never been considered simulation games. The goals, the environments, the speed, the crazy 1 million point combos it's always been very over-the-top and very fictional. It has basically always been an action/adventure arcade game that happens to feature pro skaters and a crazy amount of skateboarding tricks. This is extremely fun for the first few games, but started to grow a little stale by the time the series went "underground". They have been consistent with adding new features and upgrades, but overall the entire concept had just become stale and boring.

Enter SKATE, EA's first attempt to de-throne King Tony. And we have a new champion on our hands, folks. This game makes Tony Hawk games look WEAK in comparison. Seriously, it's that good. Every trick is controlled with various "flicks" of the right analog stick. The only buttons that are used are the triggers (to grab the board with your left or right hand) and the X and A buttons (used for pumping with the left or right foot). This may sound limiting at first, but the different motions are almost endless. Basically every street trick (minus flatland, unfortunately) is in the game the catch is that you have to LEARN the tricks.

I have to tell you that this game is hard and will take a lot of patience and practice to nail every trick. Grinds can be really difficult sometimes. Timing is everything in this game. For example, if you see a rail in the distance and you want to grind it, you must hold the analog stick down to crouch and then flick it up when you're close to the rail to ollie onto it (or flick it a different direction, such as diagonal, to do a kickflip or heelflip). If you're not lined up perfectly then you'll bail every time. You just have to think like a real skater. If you only have a casual interest in skating or if you want a more arcade-like experience where you can do crazy tricks and link together massive combos, just stick with Tony Hawk.

The graphics are amazing. Everything looks very real. The city is HUGE and is scaled perfectly. As an added bonus, the entire city (minus the skateparks) is unlocked from the beginning so you can freeskate the city for hours and find new spots. Unlike the Hawk games, you could easily spend 10 minutes trying to nail that perfect grind on a 10-stair handrail. Freeskate is actually more fun than the career mode sometimes.

The career mode is pretty sweet and includes a good variety of challenges. Not some goofy challenges like you would find in Tony Hawk, like "launch your skater into some life sized bowling pins" or "do a triple backflip off a 10 story building". I'm talking about REAL challenges like "follow homeboy to the 10 stair gap without hitting any pedestrians" or "do a kickflip to nosegrind on the handrail" or "win a game of S-K-A-T-E against your competitor."

The amount of clothing and accessories is also insane. Many big skate brands are in the game, such as DC, Etnies, eS, Circa, Lakai, and more. If you're a real skater, you might find the same t-shirt and shoes that you own! I decked my skater out with some nice threads and the same pair of Etnies shoes that I plan to buy in a month or so.

There is a good selection of tracks that include rock, rap, and everything in between. The soundtrack is fully customizable, too.

I haven't messed with the video editor yet, but it looks pretty sweet. You can add music, switch camera angles, add slow-mo effects, and more. That's more than I've ever seen in a skateboarding game (thus far), so I have no complaints here.

The bails look pretty brutal when you take a big fall or get hit by a car. Ouch! No blood though.

There is a map that you can access from your backpack that shows different spots and challenges. You can choose to skate to each spot or you can be warped there automatically to save time.

If you're skating on a long downhill street, start at the top and pump a few times. Then hold one of the triggers to crouch and grab your board. You will pick up some good speed. Just watch out for traffic, which can be pretty heavy sometimes!

The pedestrians react to you in funny ways. Sometimes they will yell at you if you skate too close or hit them. Sometimes they will praise you for an awesome trick. Sometimes they will even run over to you after you bail and ask if you're okay. There are other skaters around the best spots, so you have to be respectful and watch out for them, or else you will probably get hit and bail.

There is just so much to like about this game. I could go on forever, but I won't. Just do yourself a favor if you're a skater or a fan of skateboarding and BUY THIS GAME!!!

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This game is just bananas, plain and simple. I actually just returned tony hawks project 8 to get this game and wow what a difference. Its totally different then tony's previous games and is like a breath of fresh air. Just when i was thinking what else can tony hawk games do they are getting kind of repetitive and I was getting tired of jumping off buildings onto electrical poles and all that silly unrealistic stuff, here comes the savior of the skate games category. After this game you best believe skating games will have there own little spot in the sports game section. The game plays so smooth and I was blown away by the amount of detail that goes to the skater such as you can see the shoe laces perfectly and even the bearings on the freakin skate wheels! The create skater mode is sweet, the clothes look so realistic and sneakers are insane (especially those sweet Supra's with the concrete tone)If you are a skater or ever skated before in your life, you will cherish this game. Now to the gameplay, first thing that came to my mind is that this game is pretty hard at first, because ain't no button mashing allowed here! but after a little practice the game gets very comfortable and you get used to the camera angle which is different then tony's previous games. But the feeling you get when you land a nice grind or flip trick is great, almost as good as when you land one in real life. I'm actually very surprised this game would do so well after Tony hawks game have reigned supreme for skating games since like 1998, but looks like now there is a new kid on the block. I also look forward to proving ground but for now and a long time we will have S.K.A.T.E. Hey the more skate games the better!

Reviews of Konami Classics Volume 1 - Xbox 360

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Yes, there are only three games on the disc and it does retail for $20, which is the same amount you would pay to download them on Xbox Live Arcade, so I don't care about the price (not to mention you could buy it used and it would actually be cheaper than downloading them). All the games are playable off the disc, you do not have to download them so for those of you trying to conserve hard drive space, this is ideal. It's also not like the PopCap compilations as you can play these games right off the disc instead of having to redirect to the arcade to play, small time saver, but I like it. Symphony of the Night was the big draw for me because I wanted to replace my PS copy but the other two games are also enjoyable. And yes, they do have achievements, 200 points each. If you are only interested in one or two of the games, you may as well just download them off the marketplace, but if you don't have any of them and want them all, pick up the disc and spare your hard drive a few extra megabytes of space.

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The other reviewer brought up the point that $20 is a little expensive for a "classics pack". Most of the time, I would say that is a valid argument when deciding to purchase a game, but in this case, I beg to differ. Consider this:

A)Contra is awesome.

B)Frogger, while not an amazing title, is still pretty fun.

C)This package includes Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

For me SotN is the big draw here. This classic game was the epitomy of sidescrolling action, and had incredible graphics and controls. Now, Symphony of the Night was released on the original PS more than ten years ago, but it's fun and value have not diminished in the slightest. In fact, the value of SotN has skyrocketed (one word?), with the original game selling for about $130. Besides getting the game itself, the graphics have been upgraded to 720p HD (you can choose to play with the classic graphics or the upgraded ones)! An incredible deal when you consider the price of the orignal game. And you get two other classic games!

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I purchased this for Castlevania, symphony of the night. Contra was a nice addition and I haven't played frogger, so I can't comment on that.

Castlevania is excellent. It's the same as the original game and worth picking up for the Castlevania fan. Contra was a fun game, but one play through should be enough.

Honest reviews on Konami Classics Volume 1 - Xbox 360

I really lie this game remainds me of my teen age years when these games were popular, I am glad to have these games

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I bought it because catelvania, i im satisfied, but the price was to hight that is why 4 stars, but excellent game

Review of Siren - PlayStation 2

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I'm not a wimp or a gaming novice, so its not often I think that a game is too difficult...but this is exactly how I feel about Siren. I was very excited about playing it after seeing advance demos and previews of it, but I was unprepared for the challenge that was ahead of me.

The game plays like a cross-breed of Silent Hill and Metal Gear Solid, in that your adventure takes place in a nightmare world of derelict locations populated by sub-human zombie type monsters, but, with little or no means of attacking them, your success is largely down to using stealth tactics to sneak your way through the game, or to surprise and attack the enemy from strategic hiding places. Unlike the radar map in MSG, here your characters have the ability to see through the eyes of other people, which helps you plan your safest route, or warns you of attack when you suddenly "tune in" to the sight of yourself being run towards from behind! The game's setting is spot on. The many locations are on the small side, but all fully detailed and explorable. The enemies are horrifically realistic, mostly made up of zombified townsfolk who are all bleeding from the eyes and lurching around armed with various weapons and torches to seek you out with. It has been said that survival in this game is tough, and it's true. Be prepared to spend a lot of time watching your characters die as you try to work out the various strategies to passing each stage. The try-die-try again gameplay echoes that of the PS game "Fear Effect", so if that drove you crazy, expect more of the same. The playable characters are exceptionally vunerable to attack, and two swipes with a knife or one well-placed bullet will be then end of you, and the zombie enemies are relentless in their pursuit. In addition to this, when you do actually get a weapon with which to attack the zombies, you have to act fast because they always get up again after being knocked out for a minute or so. It adds up to an exceedingly punishing game, but I guess its actually far more realistic than the life bar and instant healing products of other survival horror games.

More problematic than actually just surviving, though, is working out what on earth you are supposed to be doing. The game is split between several playable characters, each of whom have separate "missions" to complete, and all are played non-chronologically at varying times within the game's 3 day timescale. The levels usually require a very obscure set of conditions to be met before you can accomplish each mission, and sometimes, the same stage will also feature a further, hidden puzzle that needs solving so that different characters can proceed through later missions. The menu for this is a kind of 3 day plan-o-gram with slots for all the characters at different days and times, with coloured lines linking them all up...it's quite a mental feat to piece all this together to work out what is going on. One really annoying aspect of the game is that if the hidden conditions to "open up" later missions are not met in the levels you have already completed, you are forced into a loop of replaying the same levels over and over again until you realise that there is a part of the river you did not think to look in (if you went that way), or a spot on the ground that the game prompts you can be dug up (if you happen to be standing in exactly the right place). Many players may suffer immense frustration whilst playing when they find they are never allowed to go anywhere new. I know I did, and it leads me to believe that only a truly dedicated player is going to put in the amount of work needed to make it through to the end.

This is a real shame, because the general concept and story behind the game is truly original, and there are some genuinely unsettling scenes to be encountered, which should startle even survival horror veterans. The graphics are amazing, characters look and move like real people, but sadly the obviously authentic Japanese setting has been weakened by the saddling of all the speaking characters with British (sometimes even cockney) accents, which is a terrible mistake. Still, the other design strengths just about manage to make up for it. Characters have recognisable personalities and all play differently. You'll soon find yourself with favourites and don't be surprised if you occasionally find yourself moved to sadness at their plight, or terrified along with them.

In conclusion, this is a teeth-grittingly hard game to play. Combining all too easily killed characters with obscure puzzle hunting, in levels where you have no pointers towards what to do or where to go, is a triple whammy that the game struggles to win you over with. Otherwise it is so near to being the most terrifying game on the PS2.

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I took a risk and bought Siren even though I had read many conflicting reviews. I really enjoyed playing this game. However, baring the assumption that you can foresee the future, I wouldn't even dream of recommending this game without a guide. The puzzles and items that you are some how magically supposed to solve are absurd. If you don't heed this warning you will waste hours of backtracking through unforgivably hard levels to get them (after you magically figure out that you forget to grab them in the first place). In fact, completely ignore the fact that there are puzzles (use a guide) because it is hard enough to survive getting from point A to point B. Also, the voice acting isn't that bad the first time you hear it (as bad as using American accent to translate, instead of leaving in Japanese with subtitles), it is that it becomes grating because you will die and have to hear it again and again. Oh yeah, you will get killed by snipers repeatedly, so a great deal of patience is needed to get through this game.

I liked everything else about Siren. It is the first survival horror game since the original Silent Hill (original designer of Silent Hill worked on this title) that really felt sprawling and immersing. The Shibito and incarnations of fallen characters are creepy as hell. The visuals are superbly minimal which makes them far more effective and ethereal. The false "heavy metal" ending was really funny. So if you have enjoyed any of the Silent Hill series and always wished they were a little longer, a little more threatening and more challenging give this title a chance.

Again, don't bother with attempting to figure out the puzzles on your own.

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I'm sure I'll be jeered by some for not appreciating how "original" this title is. I like games that are original, but I also like games that are scary, fun, and well-crafted. Nothing akin to this game has ever been attempted before, and one can see why, as Siren is completely unplayable. It's as if someone said "You know how those horrible, clunky, Resident Evil style controls severely hamper player enjoyment? Well those controls are too intuitive, lets make the player use a pull-down menu whenever he wants to pick up or use an item!" The visuals are so full of artful (read pretentious) "fog" and film scratches, they turn out to be no better than PS-1 graphics. The sound might be passable, except for the fact that all the Japanese characters have been inexplicably dubbed with cheesy British accents. The sight-jacking feature allows you to see through the eyes of your enemy, as strategy it's all but completely useless, as unless you've run through a level (and died) many, many, many times, you have no clue what the zombies are looking at (Ooh! He sees a twig, and his own hand! That will save my life!) This is one of the most frustrating and pointless games I have ever played in my life, and to make matters worse, ever game-mag I've read is giving this one high marks! As a huge Silent Hill fan, and working from such reviews, I was ready to plunk down cold hard cash to buy this title sight unseen, until I read some reviews from actual gamers. Thank God I rented it first! This is why I write this review, as a service to you. Do not buy into the hype! This game is as scary as athlete's foot, and twice as irritating. Unless of course your idea of the ultimate in terror involves crouching behind shrubbery to avoid un-killable jerks (it's a moot point anyway, as you almost never have a weapon, and the fighting mechanics are awful) who giggle like drunken yokels while looking for you with a flashlight. Or perhaps running through poorly rendered woods while trying to lead a spastically controlled, simpering woman-child, who constantly shrieks "It's about time! Hurry up!...Wait! Don't run so fast!" I rented this game with a discount coupon, I'd like to be pithy and say I overpaid But after that imbecile had run away from me into the waiting maw of a giggling pseudo-zombie for the tenth time whilst mewling orders at me, I found out that you can "accidentally" use weapons on your companions. Bludgeoning that twit to death was worth every penny!

Honest reviews on Siren - PlayStation 2

If you want a game that will last as long as GTA then get this. The story is actually quite amazing to say the least but you will be in it for the long haul.

There are several maps and over twelve characters that meet in the story at different times. It is like Silent Hill but slower as you are not given great weapons to defeat the enemy. Instead you have the power of second sight. You do things in the map that are for the characters benefit and to set up something for another character who will arrive there later. The story is sort of like Pulp Fiction in that all the characters finally meet as you take them through the story.

It is very very very difficult and very easy to die but there is a method to the game and once you manage to use the second site to run around the place so that the monsters do not see you it gets a lot easier.

Stick with it, but this is by no means an out-of-box couple of days game play. It is more like twenty minutes a day for the next 12 months.

Addictive but slow.

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Fans of the survival horror gaming genre were no doubt excited by unraveling the mystery of Sirens errie Japanese town with the terrifying past. Sadly, the premise is about as exciting as the game gets.

The Pros

This game is a really gorgeous visual treat. The chracters are rendered with a new technolgy that actually wraps realistic images onto 3d computerized planes.

The setting has been developed well. The village of Hanuda is a scary place cast in eternal darkness surrounded by a sea of blood and of course the Siren going off in the background.

The Cons (and there are many)

The game developers dubbed the game with a British voice over crew which in the beginning is comical but after awhile just feels ridiculous. For some people this may not be an issue at all but for me it just seemed distracting playing a Japanese guy and to hear him shout "Oi Mate! wait up!"

Secondly, the gameplay is terribly limited and re-do's abound. More skilled gamers may not have to replay missions as much but I found it hard not to be killed as 80% of the time your only defense is to run and hide. The game employs a drop down menu to issue command to your character. The menu is easy to use but truly annoying. A good example occurs on the first mission. Your goal is to escape a bad guy via car. The drop down menu asks you 1) Would you like to pick up the car key? 2) Would you like get in the car? 3) Put key in ignition? 4) Turn key to start car?truly gets to be cumbersome to game play.

Lastly, the game uses a event system/ time table for you to keep track of events as they happen to all 10 playable chracters. While that sounds convoluted in itself it only gets worse that you have to play all ten characters and not one at a time. The game is broken up into missions. For example,one mission may involve a journalist and reveal certian parts of the mystery and these events are recorded on the time table. The next mission you are introduced to a new character and complete the next mission and learn more. You must refer back to the time table to try and piece it all together.

Siren was a truly exciting idea thta really failed to deliver. I don't feel many people actually completed as I myself grew bored and gave up halfway through. If you truly want to be scared and enetertained I recommend Fatal Frame 1 or 2 as both are in my opinion the best (and scariest) the genre has to offer.

Reviews of Xbox Ear Force XC1 Communicator Headset

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List Price: $24.95
Sale Price: $19.96
Today's Bonus: 20% Off

I preordered this a few months ago, finally got it and I can finally do away with all of the regular Xbox live mics, this thing works great. I didn't need a stereo system mic as I have a wonderful surround sound system, all I wanted was a quality headset to chat with, and this is it. It is more comfortable than I expected it to be. The sound is clear and people have no problem hearing me. The boom is easily adjustable, but not flimsy. People did not hear me breathing when kept at normal distance from the mouth, and they did remark the voice quality was much more clear.

Also, I like to wear these on my right ear, although every mic pic always shows them on people's left ears. No problem because it is adjustable for either or. Wish it was cheaper than $25, but then again, I won't have to wait for Xbox live communicator and subscription packs to go on sale to always replace the cheap mics. Every other Xbox mic I have had has either quit working because of faulty wires or because of the cheap connector. This one has a solid connector that did not have to be moved around to get rid of static. The volume / mute button portion is about midway down the wire with a clip and again is quality construction.

I'm not one to spend money on accessories, especially ones that come free with the device, but this was worth it. Like they say about beds, if you're going to be using it a lot, might as well spend for the quality stuff, I'm sure my ear agrees.

Have any questions I'd be glad to answer. Will definately be buying a second one for my son.

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I wanted to replace my old microsoft headset so I decided to buy the XC1. It was a good deal and its turtle beach which is one of the best brands out there. So when I received the headset, it was comfortable and worked perfectly, but one day I try to use the headset and I couldn't hear my friends on the xbox live party. So I'm stuck with my old microsoft headset again, I'm probably going to save money for that new wireless bluetooth headset that is coming out this November. Do not get this headset, my microsoft headset lasted longer

*Update*: I ordered a replacement headset and it seems to work fine I will give an update after a month of usage

*Update 2*: So I got my second headset and its been around two months of usage and guess what it broke AGAIN! I was starting to like this headset but it broke. I don't understand I thought turtle beaches are made to last for a long time.

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I bought this for my son and he reported that it was the best headset he ever used.

After about 2 months the ear piece part (i.e. incoming voice chat) stopped working.

Very disappointing, this set (although very nicely designed) didn't last very long.

I would NOT recommend unless the company mentions something about this defect being addressed. Wait for version 2.0.

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Hello from Australia!

Dream buy, with no problems at all. Packaging plastic seemed impenetrable and estimated delivery was spot on. The product itself is rock-solid, sound is perfect, very comfortable and all parts are well built.

The only reason I purchased this one was because I'm not a fan of headsets with both sides. This is not available in Australia so I took the risk. For the price it's amazing and it fullfils its promise of resting off the ear to allow me to still hear the tv/audio setup whilst listening to perfect speech from fellow gamers.

Great product, well built, the remote thingy doesn't feel cheap, audio also perfect and the price is amazing. I am getting a second for my missus as i dont want her to get any girly smell or make-up on mine.

Game: Battlefield Bad Company 2 exlusively

Gamer Tag: FlyingTunga

Hours of gaming with headset so far: approx 30hrs

If you want to hear it in action please purchase Battlefield BC2 (Xbox360) and look me up. I never play without it!

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So I've had these for probably 3 months now, no issues with anything breaking or falling apart. The mic is nice, very long boom which has always been the issue for me, I can finally talk without having to yell. Also, it doesn't seem to pick up every sound like the expensive Turtle Beaches.

I'm kind of annoyed with the volume adjuster. The volume adjuster seems to turn down the volume so easily it just brushes against my shirt and my volume's gone...this happens very often and I don't know why.

The only real issue with the headset is the two cutaways on the earpiece. I guess they're selling it as "be able to hear the game while you talk". Well..I hear the game, my fan, my dog, my air conditioner, cars passing by etc etc etc.... The one thing I have difficulty hearing sometimes is the people I'm trying to talk to. I really don't see why they put the big holes in the earpiece...I wish I could just hear the speaker, I mean, the whole reason I have this big round plastic piece strapped around my ear is to hear my xbox live party...not everything around me.

Best Madden NFL 09 - Xbox Deals

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When Madden '09 came out, I bought it for the Nintendo Wii. That was a mistake. Being a longtime Madden player since the Nintendo days, I was looking for more than updated rosters. I knew that the wii version would not have graphis like the ps3 or 360, but they were not even close to being legit. The gameplay and overall appearance of the wii version was made for first-time madden players. I then found out that it came out for the ORIGINAL XBOX.

The new features are very nice. Along w/ updated rosters, the gameplay is very smooth and they added "stringed-together" moves while carrying the ball and the QB evade which I was glad to see. My favorite new addition is the sideline catches. Unlike the old Madden, if the ball is thrown towards the sideline, the receiver will go for the ball while attempting to stay in bounds, trust me...it's really nice to have. I played the 360 version, and I read other xbox1 version reviews and I think it is safe to say that the orginal xbox madden runs smoother than the 360. That is just an opinion, which obviously will vary by who you ask. They still have the mini-camps and all the stuff from the '08 version.

Basically, they tweaked Madden from the '08 version and though they did not change a whole lot, the few things that they did add definitely makes this game worth buying.

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Since I bought my first Madden in '05, I have played thousands of games. This is the best product and it is the biggest year-over-year improvement they have produced to date. They have finally have the running game right.

I am 62, hate golf, ride my bike 40 miles a week and spend my 'hobby' time playing Madden, smoking cigars, and pretending to give interviews to the press about how a team owner can create a team that wins every game for thirty years.

Winning is easy, get a 99 throwing power QB, a couple of 99 speed receivers streaking down the sidelines, and learn to pitch and catch to the side of the field that the defensive safeties aren't. Add a good tight-end running a post pattern just in case the safeties are in a cover-two: and you are the king! I play on All-Madden, with the CPU-AI turned all the way up and only lose a couple of games out of a hundred.

Until this year, I couldn't run the ball successfully on the higher levels, and my offense was 80% passing. This year they have finally supported good moves for the running back, and my offense has developed a good running game: much more fun.

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This game is lots of fun. My whole family enjoys playing it. I would recommend this to anyone wanting to have fun.

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My husband loves Madden Football and it was awesome to find regular Xbox games still available. He was thrilled to be able to play again. His other football games have been used so much that they are unreadable.

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This was a GREAT swan song for the 1st gen Xbox Madden games. The ONLY pan I have is that a lot of the 2nd year player names were not updated and there was not a NCAA companion to cross draft for future seasons.

Buy X360 Slim Vault - MLG Special Edition

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List Price: $89.95
Sale Price: $24.99
Today's Bonus: 72% Off

This case is a definite plus if you own a Xbox slim, it raises the bottom to allow more airflow. The wider feet help keep the system from falling over (I have 5 children), we have a small collection of games with "the ring" on the disc from systems falling over. Another plus of having this case on is the touch sensitive buttons for opening the disc tray, and the power button are now recessed, preventing accidental powering on/off, or opening the disc tray inadvertently. The controller/headset hook works well, it has a groove that the battery side of the controller fits into. The mask is quality made, there's a button on the USB plug for cycling through all the different light modes. Assembly was also very easy.

Now for the negatives. If you are like me, you will do some searches and watch a few videos online for this product. You will see there is a retractable "hook" on the top of the mask for holding a headset, this is not included with this case. Next the MLG logo nameplate seen on the front in all the pictures isn't included either, being a MLG case you would think it would be. I raised my concerns with the seller Rover Mall, and they went above and beyond trying to locate a nameplate to send me. Turns out none of them come with it. So it would appear Caliber just didn't include these items, this is no fault of the seller. This case normally retails for $90. and is substantially less here on Amazon, combined with "Prime" free 2-day shipping makes this deal even better.

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The Calibur Vault is great! very simple to install, and it gives a great overall look to you xbox 360....it also comes with a controller slot as well which is aweosme! the LED lights from the eyes give it an awesome look at night....great price, great item, and it arrived fast......

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Nice my kids love it they show it off all the time to friends and family and take pictures and send to everyone

Honest reviews on X360 Slim Vault - MLG Special Edition

First let me say I have been extremely impressed with this entire package. The box the vault came in was cool all by itself, opening up like Jambi's box (Yes, that's a Pee-Wee's Playhouse reference) revealing the MLG Vault stored quite safely inside. A big shout-out to the shippers for dropping this off 3 full days before the expected shipping period even started! The assembly of the Vault was amazingly easy..... it took me about 3 minutes. The LED eyes on the mask have a few different modes, including solid colors, fade outs, and colour rotations, all of which are operated with the push of a button. The MLG plate beside the usb ports was included, with an option to get a customized nameplate for the front of the Vault, which I plan on doing. This makes my Xbox360 look totally custom, the sturdy base keeps it from tipping over and also keeps it elevated for better airflow to the system. Amazing product, amazing shipping, amazing experience!

One word of caution for people (like me) who live in Canada and are planning on ordering this:

Be prepared for around $40 in "brokerage fees" (aka taxes) for them to let this across the border. Keep in mind this is no fault of the manufacturer, distributor, shipper, or Amazon. Just our Canadian government. Even with the brokerage fees I'm still incredibly happy with my purchase and would recommend it to all my friends, it just would've been nice to know about beforehand.

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I received my x360 slim vault -mag special edition promptly love it ordered it for my son he would recommend to all his friends

Best PS2 USB Energy Non-Slip 4 in 1 Dance Pad Deals

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List Price: $29.99
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These are ok if you are doing easy or medium difficulty (light/standard). On hard/heavy I can't get A's though, it's annoying. You have to hit the sensors dead center or it doesn't like to register. Normally with pads you can hit kinda in the vicinity and they will pick it up. Not so with these ones. Compounding this problem is the fact that the pads do slip. All soft pads will slip no matter what the box says. Non-slip is bogus. I've seen ppl duct tape them down and maybe if you do this they will stay in place. I don't bother as I tend to move them here and there a lot and I don't want them sitting in the middle of my living room all the time.

They're cheap pads and I wasn't sure what to expect. I guess they are pretty much what I thought they would be...actually a little less. I'm left wondering if I should've bought some other pads instead. Maybe I will if I end up playing a lot with my friends. If you are pretty into DDR it's unlikely these pads will satisfy you. If you just play recreationally and not aggressively they might be ok. I've gotten A's on songs I'm playing now with other pads (check RedOctane, they make good ones but they are costly) and I'm getting much lower now, frustrating.

If you've got a little extra cash you may want to spring for some pads with foam inserts. This helps you orient yourself so you don't start veering, and it also keeps the pad somewhat in place. With this soft one you will have to readjust it after every song--oftentimes I have to do it mid-song or I will run into something. On a positive note, these pads worked well with my PC--just plug them in by USB and they are good to go, StepMania pretty much recognizes them too, no drivers or all of that. However I'm struggling to get them to work with a USB hub, they may not do that.

Conclusion: Newbies and recreational players go ahead I guess; more serious or competitive players probably don't bother. Biggest complaint is probably the seemingly small sensors. The rest of the negatives are mostly common to soft pads and not really unique to these ones. DDR is incredibly fun, but I have to take away a star of fun since my scores aren't accurately reflecting my performance. Well the songs are still good at least.

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The dance pad that i bought was very awesome. It was really good to use because most pads that i have played on have a flat surface and you have to stomp on it. For the one i just bought i just have to put my weight on it and it reads it. I enjoy this product.

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This pad probably isn't the best for expert dancers, but it HAS held up for 30 minute workouts 4+ times a week for over a month now. I guess that's better than a lot of dance pads I've heard of. For the price, I'd highly recommend this one and will probably get the same one once it wears out.

Great dance pad!!!

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The reviews for the dance pad said that it is not good for experts but might be OK for beginners. Not true. It is bad for beginners as well. The pad slips too much. Within a month of buying it the sensors are already weak and have moved from their original position. I don't recommend buying this dance pad.

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Works most of the time, but often does not register a step because sensor buttons are relatively small and not that sensitive, despite the advertising hype. In other words, it's a piece of junk until you compare it with what other dance pads are available at this price then it starts to look pretty good. Sad isn't it? Still, it's good enough to play DDR3 and Stepmania and have fun if you don't get too bent about scores and it's slightly better than the pad that comes bundled with the DDR games and I can't afford to spend $300+ for one of the metal arcade-quality dance pads (and who knows how long one of those would last it's not like the quality control on the soft pads instills confidence). I will say that this dance pad is one of the best I've tried unmodified and it's the best option I know of if you want one dance pad to work with both the Wii and the PC to play DDR3 and Stepmania (unless you can find 2 pads that fit your needs, the combined cost of which is less than the cost for this pad). The good news is, as another reviewer noted, you can modify this pad to make it work much better and last longer the bad news is that all soft dance pads are so poorly made as sold that they need to be modified to be decent (yes, ALL soft dance pads, even the ones with foam because they are the SAME pad as cheaper ones, just with foam and a zipper added oh and they cost $50+ more cough, ripoff, cough).

Bottom line, if you can get a dance pad with 1" foam already inserted for under $30, buy it and even then, you should STILL modify it to add a board back, fasten wires in place, etc. Otherwise, your best option is to buy the cheapest dance pad you can find which is returnable with no restocking fee and compatible with your hardware/software, check that it works and then modify it per the great directions available all over the web (just search for "mod dance pad").

R.U.S.E. - Xbox 360 Reviews

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List Price: $29.99
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I desperately wanted to love RUSE and for the first two hours I did. You begin the game as an (initially) interesting US Army Major of the 1st Armored Division in the infamous Kasserine Pass. At your command are historical units engaged in deliberately paced and tactically based action all presented in an attractive and zoom-able tabletop environment. What's not to love?

Unfortunately as the Single Player Campaign progresses the game's mechanics begin to breakdown. RUSE is a game that wants you to look at the "big picture" but ends up forcing you to micromanage on the ground. The combat revolves around the tried and true "rock, paper, scissors" concept. Here this translates as tank units kill infantry units who kill anti-tank units who then kill tank units. This is then reapplied to air units. Pretty simple right? Well not entirely.

RUSE is many enjoyable things but a historically accurate or realistic war game it is most defiantly not. Many of your units, which were historically very versatile platforms, are represented in this game as part time assets that must be babysat so as not to turn into total liabilities. It's very shocking the first time you see armored, self propelled anti-tank units with 88mm cannons and 7.92mm machine guns retreating from Infantry advancing across open terrain because they're "rock" to the infantry's "paper". This creates an environment where the tactical level becomes a burden which must be borne instead of a fun challenge to overcome. The player will also note with frustration that the developers have thrown any and all semblance of historical accuracy out the window at the strategic level as well. Being presented with a situation where you're asked to take part in a counter offensive after the Battle of the Bulge where the Germans have dominating air superiority would be amusing if said level where not so infuriating.

Not to say the tactical level is not without its pleasures. The designers made excellent use of line of sight concepts (despite the ability to shoot through forests which is simply bizarre) and the ambush. The first time I saw a light tank from an advance element sprinting down the cobblestone street of a small Italian town and then the whoosh of my waiting infantry's bazooka and the resulting fireball I had an ear to ear grin of pleasure. This combined with the emphasis placed on recon units allows the true use of enfilade, L-shaped ambushes and some other realistic tactics. Unfortunately, again, as the game progresses you are forced to fumble with poorly grouped and managed units at the strategic level which simply doesn't allow for the implementation of much of the careful attention required to do these things.

While I'd like to be able to say that the Campaign is, by far and away, the worst portion of RUSE the truth is that it has some very stiff competition from the poorly constructed, stand alone "what if" scenarios available. Some are embarrassingly easy, others incomprehensibly hard but none of them are actually fun.

The one aspect of RUSE that does translate well is the multi-player. Because your opponent doesn't have the ability to simply spam you with units like the computer does the tactical aspect becomes fun again and the strategic level becomes as important as it should actually be. The "RUSE ability", which is a collection of psychological actions, fakes, feints, espionage and counter-espionage tactics, actually has a use against a human opponent whereas they are often left either forgotten or unpleasantly forced into use in a linear fashion during the campaign.

The bottom line is that RUSE is not a realistic war or historical strategy game. It's simply an RTS set in World War II which is usually frustrating but occasionally brilliant. The bulk of the enjoyment the player will get out of the game is in playing other people so I'd recommend a rental to WWII and RTS enthusiast so they can try out the multi-player and before they sink the retail price into the game.

Pros:

*Looks great with very smooth camera action.

*Terrain details and map lavished with attention.

*When ambushes and complex plans work the game comes to life.

*Tactical mechanics conductive to multi-player.

*A wide variety of units and factions which play slightly different.

*Real time saves/loads.

Subjective qualities:

*A deliberate, even slow, pace of game play.

*Game play forces player to play on both tactical and strategic levels.

* Campaign missions "unfold" with progressive goals.

Cons:

*Silly unit attributes and abilities.

*Tedious micromanagement which robs the strategic level of any fun.

*A sub par AI which spams the player with units.

*Really poor level design.

*Some missions are frustrating in their difficulty.

*Obvious, eye roll inducing, storyline.

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This game is like risk, axis and allies, and chess all put into one game with crisp graphics and nice animations. Its the true "thinking man's" game. By a long shot R.U.S.E. is the best strategy game for consoles yet! The solo campaign is a little weak story wise, but there are levels where you are tested on how well you can command and keep your men alive from ceaseless attacks on key cities. (which is super fun) The multiplayer is very diverse and well crafted. 9/10 for me!

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This game is amazing. Graphics are good, it's well-polished, and has very strong multiplayer. It's a thinking man's RTS, not a "Micro" player, as you have more control over the strategic actions of your army then micro-control of every individual unit (you do control them, but they have an AI of their own--think End War, but way better, more polished, and on more of a 'grand' scale).

The premise of the game is like chess, except with the old adage from Sun Tsu of "All Warfare is Based Upon Deception". This game is almost a tactics simulator--do you go for cutting off the enemy supply lines, inhibiting his ability to make new units? Do you use feints or "Ruse's" to trick the enemy you're attacking somewhere you're not? Is that enemy armor attack real that's about to hit your base, or fake, even though your scouts do not report any enemy armor bases? Do you go for the heart, destroying the enemy HQ directly inhibiting his command/control and logistics?

I love this game, Well done Ubisoft! Thank you for this sleeper hit!

Pro's:

-Strong Multiplayer

-Amazing graphics/detail during combat

-Thousands of different strategy combinations with RUSE system

Con's:

-"Micro" type players may be disappointed. This game is less about individually microing every unit (ala Starcraft) and more about thinking before you act (chess), and creating a winning strategy.

Honest reviews on R.U.S.E. - Xbox 360

First, let me say this game is not for everyone. The pace is slower than, say, Call of Duty, but the amazing graphics and replay ability make this an RTS lover's dream. The maps ( over 25 of them) are gorgeous and zooming in doesn't make them grainy at all and the units have wonderful detail. The refresh rate is fast and makes for a smooth game. Iv'e been replaying this game in the battle mode (ienot the campaign) for four months now and it just doesnt get old.

The reviewer that likened the gameplay to rock paper scissors is only correct in the basest sense. One on one (like anti-tank vs. tank) one type of unit does win, but rarely, if ever, does that occur on the battlefield. It is always a combination of unit types used together to accomplish objectives. For example: a grouping of five infantry, two medium artillery pieces and four light tanks VS. An anti-tank pillbox 3 infantry and 2 machine gun nests. In addition, every nationality has very different types of units to produce with different prices. Combine these two aspects and you have a complex and engaging game.

So, the campaign is a bit weak and the cutscenes are really pitiful with awful voice acting. The main issue with the campaign is that it's so linear. If you lose, you must replay the same map. If you win you go onto the next one. That said. The campaign is a great tutorial that should be played fully and this can be done in one day if you like.

The community for this game is small and it can be difficult to find games during day and night. This is not so much the game's fault as it is the gamers. Once you do connect with a ranked match be prepared to have some serious fun and get beat early and often: the ones that do play alot have their strategies and they are good.

RTS games have suffered for years from poor graphics or poor gameplay. If you had a fun playing game the graphics would let you down or vice versa. Now we have a game for the console that gets both features right. Thanks Ubisoft!!!

This game will stand the test of time. Please buy it if you like RTS or even turn based strategy so developers with make more of these for the consoles.

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I like the game controls. There are lots of options for different scenarios. Sometimes hard to find opponents on multiplayer.

Review of Zatch Bell! Mamodo Battles

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Ever since Zatch Bell went off of Toonami I still watch it to this day, it's a great anime (though the slightly more mature version "Konjiki no Gash Bell!!" is far superior)

However I expected a fun game but all this is is a repetitive mess.

It's entertaining for a while but after you unlock everything (which I've done) it gets boring.

Only for Zatch Bell fans really.

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Excelente producto muy buen precio excelente tiempo de entrega y enmpaque, realmente es igual al que se aprecia en la imagen.

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The game is a good game for the fans of the show. You can use all the spells from the show even with a little extra. There aren't that many characters you can be (14 characters) and they're easy to unlock, There's only two main modes being story mode and time attack, and there's only fighting and nothing else. 2 player mode is really fun because it's cool if both of the players are good at the game. There is only one character that can't use spells and that's Ponygon. If you're a Zatch Bell fan I suggest you get the other game, Mamodo Fury. It's a lot more fun.

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it doesn't make me feel good to open the bagpack were it was the ame and found this %3A%2F%2F%2Fq%2Fcd-centro%2F&ei=JCmAUcqcJsXT0wHZtIDQCA&bvm=bv.45645796,d.dmQ&psig=AFQjCNGilVQ9SovdeMWibvzGr7rd7_ar0w&ust=1367440010440635, so the next improve.

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List Price: $19.99
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Ok so I was pretty down on this game when I read about it. First I have never been in CCG games(collectible card games I think?). Although I applauded SONY for the idea, I never planned to get the game myself. However because it came with the PSEYE (EyeToy camera v2) and I saw it on a pre-order sale on Amazon for 59.99, I snatched it up. It also comes with a starter pack (30 cards) and a random booster pack (8 cards) both which are worth $15 and $4 respectively. The PS EYE cost $39.99 which in total comes out close to 50 dollars in value without the game! Then you have the camera stand and the mat and you can see why this game is a steal at $60 and extremely well priced at 69.99. Of course it can add up to much more than a hundred if you're a serious card collector

Anyway so on to my story, I am still learning the game but I can honestly say I am hooked. My brain cannot stop thinking of strategies, which reminds of of the days I used to be addicted to Age Of EmpireII. A Few matches in and the whole day is gone! Its scary actually and I am afraid this game will take over and leave me no time for SingStar and Uncharted during the holidays :(

Well, I have to say this is a great little package to an addictive card game which is best played with friends. Even if you never tried these types of card games before you should give this one a try. The battle system is deep and adds randomness to card choice which will be immediately clear when you start playing. In other words don't worry too much about not having the best cards. Playing online, I have seen some crazy cards out there in the wild which may clean your wallet due to jealousy since you will be buying up crazy amounts of booster packs!

If you want to play with me my PSN Id is PistolGrip. Add me! Though I am taking two days rest from it.

As always,

Pros

+ Addicting gameplay

+ Great Value

+ Comes with the PSEye camera. You can also download a cool program called Eye Create which allows you to make some cool movie effects with the camera from your PS3

+ Great fun playing with friends and even strangers online.

Cons

Addicting gameplay, may take over free time

I had some issues with the camera reading my cards. I did a few tricks with light and placement which greatly improve this though.

Hard to find other geek friends that would play in person with you. :*(

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I am no fan of Collectible Card Games with little time or patience for them. I however, desperately wanted a Playstation Eye and decided to get this pack to get it early.

I tried the game and I am absolutely hooked. I have been playing against the computer for a while and have finally started winning a bit. Have already unlocked two new packs for the computer.

I am going to dock a point overall because of the need to buy new cards. I haven't needed them as yet but I am guessing that in the future it will be impossible to win with the standard deck.

Overall, for those who haven't tried a CCG .. this is a cheap way to start and you get the Eye which is a must have for the PS3.

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This is, by far, the most enjoyable PS3 game I have played. The concept is original (at least to the game consoles), the graphics are wonderful and most importantly, the thing is a blast to play. It's definitely going to be a "must have" for card game collectors (Magic, Star Wars, VS, etc.) but I think the game will ultimately do just as well with other gamers. Everyone who watched my friend and me play eventually asked, "Can I play the winner?"

The keys to this game is the depth of the game itself (learned quickly but hard to master) and the ability to play against the computer, against a friend in the room or over the Internet.

What rocks most about this game is that it will evolve as new cards are created and/or new rules are added through software updates. Now THAT is a game with replay value. The appeal of most games lasts for a few months (you either beat it or see everything it has to offer), but EYE is a game I believe most owners will be playing for YEARS to come.

I HIGHLY recommend this game to families. I love it, and my young son and teen daughter are now hooked too. How many PS3 games offer that kind of broad appeal?

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Marking this so low simply for the false advertising in the pictures. This item shows it packaged with the camera and cards, however it is just the game. No camera, no cards, total waste of time.

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I just received my Eye of Judgement. I have to say that it is amazing. I couldnt believe the cards are recognized immediately. If you enjoy card games like Magic I think you will love this adaptation. The idea of using and obtaining fields adds more of an element of strategy to the game. Now you not only have to think about creatures but also how and where you place them. When you play a spell the animation is great and the sound effects are so much fun. You actually feel like a sorcerer playing a spell. I know that sounds silly but believe me its an experience!