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This is a inexpensive way to "bling" up your controllers. I bought 3 of them and they all fit great. The noly downside is if you use a key pad on your controller it will not fit on with the face plate.
Showing posts with label xbox live for xbox one. Show all posts
Showing posts with label xbox live for xbox one. Show all posts
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Xbox 360 Official NFL Jacksonville Jaguars Controller Faceplate Review
Product is easy to install, and satys secure. Much cheaper option than buying the actual controller. Definitely getting another one!!!
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Just Dance 3 - Xbox 360 Reviews
List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $19.89
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Like most of you, I was curious about a few questions with Just Dance 3. First, how does Just Dance 3 for Kinect compare to its counterpart on the Wii? Second, how does it compare to the gold standard for dance games on the Kinect, Dance Central? Third, how does it stand on its own as a game? I'll try to cover all those questions in this review.
As with the Wii version, the opening menu of Just Dance 3 is delightfully simple. You're given four choices:
* Dance
* Just Create
* Extras
* Shop
"Dance" has four options. "Songs" allows you to jump into the songs and start dancing. You scroll through a list of songs. As with the Wii version, you'll see icons signifying the difficulty level (gears) and the intensity level (drops of sweat).
If you know and love the Wii version, it'll be an easy transition to play the Kinect version. The gameplay and the graphics are virtually identical. A colorful silhouetted figure will dance on the screen and you have to dance the "mirror image" to it. The more accurately you dance, the more "stars" you'll earn. At the end of the dance, you'll see your point total and earn "Mojo Points" to unlock new songs, choreography, and playing modes (the first gift is "Jamaican Dance Mashup")
Ubisoft has wisely kept the songs and the choreography identical across the platforms, which means you can learn the dances on a Wii and know the routines inside and out when visiting a friend with an Xbox (and presumably with a PS3, once that version is finally released).
There are two important distinctions from the Wii version: first, you're not holding a remote in your hands so you have complete freedom of movement. Second, you see a little postage-sized silhouette of yourself in the upper left-hand corner which lets you easily compare how well you're performing the dance with the on-screen silhouette. Both of these things are definitely an improvement over the Wii.
One thing that is decidedly not an improvement over the Wii version is multiplayer mode. It says that up to four players can play together, but all four players have to squeeze together in a staggered pattern to fit within the Kinect camera range, and players are so tight that you invariably end up hitting and bumping into each other. The way the system tries to automatically detect players can be spotty as well. Before the song, each player has to stand in front of the silhouette whose moves they want to follow and follow it throughout the dance routine. I found that it can take several tries before getting it right, but once you get it right it's a lot of fun, especially if you have four players (You can see from the song selection icon whether the choreography is designed for one, two, or four dancers).
Before each song you can choose a "difficulty level" by raising your hand. You can choose between "Easy" and "Normal". The "Easy" setting icon shows a person whose torso is highlighted but whose lower body is white; presumably this was added to the Kinect version because some folks' Kinects (like mine) are set up in a small room where there's not enough space to capture the whole body. But to be honest, I tried dancing to the same songs on both settings and I really didn't notice a difference between either.
The motion tracking seems to be spot on, if a little lenient. The first time I danced to "California Gurls", I easily got 10,295 points and 5 stars. I started to think pretty highly of myself until I noticed that for practically every song I tried (even ones I never tried before), I'd get 4 or 5 stars. As an experiment, I tried just standing still and flailing my arms up and down through the whole song, and I still ended up getting 3,613 points and one star. I think Ubisoft learned from their experience with the original Just Dance that it's better to be a little more lenient in scoring than to be overly harsh. Some people (particularly kids or newbies dancing in a party setting) will welcome this, while others may be a little annoyed that there's not much of a challenge in racking up a high score. As for me, I've learned to ignore the score and just enjoy the game on its own merits.
The best way to sum how up Just Dance 3 deals with motion detection is that it seems that the greatest emphasis (as with the Wii version) is placed on arm movements and general body movements, more so than precise detection of where your hands and feet are at any given time.
This is probably a good way to describe the difference between Just Dance and Dance Central. Dance Central definitely is a superior title if you're looking for a much higher degree of precision or something approaching "detailed dance instruction". On the other hand, Just Dance 3 is arguably the better title if you just want to hang out with friends and have a fun time. And this is just personal preference, but I much prefer the simplicity of Just Dance's silhouetted characters over the overly stylized hipster doofus characters in Dance Central.
The other options under "Dance" include "Playlists", which lets you choose from similar types of songs grouped together (e.g. oldies, songs that make you sweat, duets, etc.); "Specials", which lets you play unlocked play modes; and "Sweat", which lets you activate "Sweat Mode" and accumulate "Sweat Points" with every song you play. Just as in the Wii version, about 4.2 sweat points = 1 calorie burned. As you hit milestones, the system will offer encouraging comments (after 1000 sweat points, it'll tell you that you just exercised the equivalent of walking across Central Park).
The "Just Create" menu is unique to the Kinect, and it is where Just Dance 3 for Kinect really shines. In it, you can record your own choreography. You can select "Coach Me", where you can create your choreography based on the existing Just Dance 3 choreography (the dancers will be dancing the standard routine behind you as you record your movements in front), or "Freestyle", where there are no background dancers and you just create your choreography from scratch. There's also "Dance Off" mode, where you'll dance most of the song to the pre-set choreography, but be able to go off and freestyle during specific parts in the song. In all these modes, you appear on screen as a grainy silhouetted figure yourself, not exactly the same as the usual on-screen characters, but close enough.
After you create your dance moves, you or your friends can play them just like any other Just Dance song, complete with scoring (not as accurate as the pre-set choreography, but you'll have so much fun you won't care). You can even share your original creation with the world in the online "Gallery", or play other peoples' creations. While no doubt there are some dancers who will use this to create intricate and professionally choreographed dance routines, I get the sense most people will use it to just goof around and have a lot of fun with friends to see who can come up with the silliest moves. The good news is, it works well for both.
Under Extras, you can view Credits, enter an Unlock Code (presumably a future feature that Ubisoft will use for promotional purposes), select a Hard Drive "for loading and saving your progression", and turn on/off Pictograms, Lyrics, How to Play Tips, Short Dance, or Short Create.
Under Shop, there are only three choices as of this writing: Fame by Irene Cara, Heart of Glass by Blondie, and U Can't Touch this by MC Hammer (these were songs that were available on the original Just Dance for the Wii; I assume over time they will port all of those over eventually).
You may notice that I give the game 5 stars for "fun" but overall 4 stars. And this is mainly because of Ubisoft's very poor execution of the Kinect user interface, which seems like a trivial point but really impacts the overall enjoyment of this title.
The first indication of a problem was when I was selecting the list of songs. It was painful to try to choose one. There's a very long list of songs to scroll through, and you have no control over the scroll speed. You just lift your arm to scroll up and lower your arm to scroll down. When you find the song you want, it takes several tries before you can pinpoint the one you want, and then you have to keep completely still to select and "swipe" it in a very precise way. The controls are so hypersensitive that the slightest body movement in the wrong way and you need to start over, which can get very annoying. This could have been executed much, much better.
The hypersensitivity of the controls is a problem throughout the menu selection process. Here is a true story: I played a few songs before sitting down to write this review in front of the TV. I then looked up at the screen and saw a purchase of downloadable content had been made. What happened was, the Kinect continued to track my body movements and had, completely on its own, selected "Shop" > "You Can't Touch This" > "Buy It", and then checked out (deducting 240 Microsoft Points from my account) all without me realizing it! So the poor execution of Just Dance 3's user interface ended up costing me in a very real sense. The irony is, while the system is horrifically hypersensitive on screens like the home screen, in other parts of the program you have to swipe and swipe at a menu option before it'll let you select anything.
At the end of the day, I turned on my Xbox Controller and stopped trying to use the Kinect to navigate the menus. That made things a thousand times better.
Poor execution of the Kinect user interface notwithstanding, Just Dance 3 is overall an extremely enjoyable game. If you're more of a dancing purist, I would hold off and see what Dance Central 2 has to offer. On the other hand, if your goal is to just have fun and get exercise, I think Just Dance 3 definitely rates just as high or higher than Dance Central on these fronts with its easy-to-master dance moves and its whimsical sense of humor and fun graphics. And the Just Create mode, unique to the Kinect for now (time will tell if and how well they incorporate it into the PS3 version) is worth the price of admission--it really expands the fun you can have with the game and ensures that it'll be one you play with friends over and over again.
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After its hugely successful predecessors, the third installment of the JUST DANCE series has arrived and this time it is also available for both the Xbox and the PS3 (you can thank UBISOFT being in financial trouble due to the overzealous DRM scheme they use in their PC releases). Anyway, JD3 comes with tons of fun and it will make you sweat while having it. If you are or feeling young, if you want to get your kids out of the couch or if you want to burn calories yourself, this is the game for you.A MODE FOR EVERYONE
On top of the good old Classic Mode, fans of the series will be able to enjoy their favorite exergame in numerous different ways.
Duet Mode & Simon Says: Duet and group dances as well as the dance version of Simon Says make JD3 a good idea for parties and sleepovers. If, like me, you are over 35, this also offers the opportunity for numerous very humiliating experiences with your young ones.
Medley, Non-Stop Shuffle & Just Sweat: Very good for getting your heart rate up and keeping it in the aerobic range for as long as you can handle it, without interruptions. If you are really pumped, try giving the Dance Til Dawn Mode a try. unfortunately there is still no calculations for calories burned.
Just Create: a mode that is not available for the Wii. It allows the player to create his or her own dancing moves, save them and either repeat them or have his friends try to match them.
INCENTIVES
But the game is all carrot, no stick. The better you match the song's moves (and the Kinect here is veeery forgiving!), the more points you accumulate. mention getting the background to animate!). Increasing your points first allows you to animate the background and it also increases your mojo. And the more mojo you `ve got, the more dancing modes and songs become available to you.
IMPROVEMENTS
Graphics received a boost, in both details and backgrounds. You prefer singing to dancing? No problem, JD3 comes with all the lyrics showing on the screen for you to accompany your favorite group or singer (no, no points for turning this dancing game into a karaoke but who cares, right?).
NEW SONGS
If truth be told at first glance I liked the song collection of JD2 better. However, I think this will keep happening with every new installment of the series. These games just grow on you. You are having so much fun that the new songs will simply become as dear to you as your old favorites. Give it time.
So, yes, the song list may not contain the latest hits but it has some very uplifting dance songs and your list can be enriched online (although not cheaply).
This is the COMPLETE LIST of the songs contained in the game, alphabetically:
1. 2 Unlimited: No Limit
2. A-Ha: Take On Me
3. Anja: Dance All Nite
4. Aretha Franklin: Think
5. Bananarama: Venus
6. Black Eyed Peas: Pump It
7. Bollywood Dream: Kurio ko Uddah le Jana
8. Cee Lo Green: Forget You
9. Countdown Mix Masters: Beautiful Liar
10.Daft Punk: Da Funk
11.Danny Elfman: This is Halloween
12.Donna Summer: I Feel Love
13.Dr. Creole: Baby Zouk
14.Duck Sauce: Barbra Streisand
15.Girls Aloud: Jump (For My Love)
16.Groove Century: Boogie Wonderland
17.Gwen Stefani: What You Waiting For
18.Inspector Marceau: The Master Blaster
19.Janelle Monae: Tightrope (Solo Version)
20.Jessie J featuring B.o.B: Price Tag
21.Brahms by Just Dance Classical Orchestra: Hungarian Dance No.5
22.Katy Perry: E.T (BONUS only in the Special edition)
23.Katy Perry: Teenage Dream (BONUS only in the Special edition)
24.Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg: California Gurls
25.Kiss: I Was Made For Lovin' You
26.Konshens: Jamaican Dance
27.African Ladies: Pata Pata
28.Latino Sunset: Mamasita
29.Laura Bell Bundy: Giddy On Up (Giddy On Out)
30.Lena Meyer-Landrut: Satellite
31.Lenny Kravitz: Are You Gonna Go My Way
32.LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett & GoonRock: Party Rock Anthem
33.Madness: Night Boat To Cairo
34.MIKA: Lollipop
35.Nelly Furtado ft. Timbaland: Promiscuous 832. Pointer Sisters: I'm So Excited
36.Pointer Sisters: I'm So Excited
37.Queen: Crazy Little Thing Called Love
38.Reggaeton Explosion: Boom
39.Rita Mitsouko: Marcia Baila
40.Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman: Somethin' Stupid
41.Robin Sparkles: Let's Go To The Mall
42.Scissor Sisters: I Don't Feel Like Dancin'
43.Sentai Express: Spectronizer
44.Sweat Invaders: Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)
45.Taio Cruz: Dynamite
46.The Buggles: Video Killed The Radio Star
47.The Chemical Brothers: Hey Boy Hey Girl
48.The Girly Team: Baby One More Time
49.The Sugarhill Gang: Apache (Jump On It)
50.Tommy Sparks: She's Got Me Dancing
51.Wilson Pickett: Land of 1000 Dances
Notice that the two extra bonus tracks by Kate Perry are only included with the Special edition. On top of that, more songs will become available online. Some of them may be free but expect most to be sold for...240 MS-Points each. So far three songs are offered online:
52.Blondie: Heart of Glass
53.Irene Cara: Fame
54.MC Hammer: U Can't Touch This
The Xbox-360 offers better graphics than the Wii, however the application of Kinect is a mixed blessing. One one hand, one does not have to hold the remote, since the camera takes care of finding you, and there is an extra mode. On the other, this also comes with the known restrictions of said camera: its range is not very wide and it requires the player to be at least 6ft/2m from the Kinect sensor. Not a problem when doing aerobics but dancing is quite another thing. I tried them both, and found that, for this exergame, the Wii to have a slight edge.
Overall, JD3 is a great game for the young of all ages.
RECOMMENDED!
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There isn't a dance game around that has had the success of the Just Dance brand. Selling over five million copies worldwide, Just Dance 2 was a dance game juggernaut on the Wii. This time, the party has returned bigger and better than ever with Just Dance 3. And this time, the party is on the Kinect for Xbox 360.No review of Just Dance 3 would feel correct without mentioning the other giant Kinect dance title, Dance Central. Once Dance Central 2 comes out, I will do a review of the game and then do another separate article comparing the two games. Do they compete or is there room enough for both? We'll soon see.
For now, my immediate thoughts on Just Dance 3 are about a game trying to make itself accessible to a larger crowd. The playlist (found here) represents a variety of songs from various generations, genres, and ethnicity. There are no opportunities to slow things down and learn each step. The idea of Just Dance is simple, just dance.
Those familiar with Kinect's other major dancing game will feel right at home here. As soon as the game starts, move your hands up and down to find the right menu, and swipe to select. Here is where I have to give Just Dance 3 some worthy credit, because there is a lot of content to play around with.
The first mode that will draw your attention is the Just Dance mode. Hop in, pick a song, and you are off. Instead of a menu of options, everything is decided on stage. Before you start the dance, you set the difficulty and number of players. Raise your hand to pick from easy or hard. If you have multiple players, have them stand side-by-side or by staggering, where they will all show in the feedback panel.
The difference between easy and hard modes is how the Kinect tracks you. For just upper body tracking, pick easy. This is a good way to ease in players coming from the Wii version. It is also a good mode for players that don't want to jump or spin. For full body tracking, pick hard. The tracking is where I have a small problem with the game. There is nothing to tell you what you are doing wrong or right. You are given a "X", an "OK", a "good", or a "perfect". This can be a bit frustrating when trying for high scores or to earn certain achievements.
Speaking of tracking, the tracking in Just Dance 3 seems very well done. If your living room allows for it, you can have up to four people dancing and tracked at the same time. I was able to cram myself and both kids into the routine and I scored just as well as when playing solo. For added fun, Just Dance has brought back Duets and added a Dance Crew for several songs. Duets is where two players can do complementary dances during the song. Dance Crew is similar, but for four people and usually involves an orchestrated performance. For those solo artists out there, don't fret. You can still have your own one-person party by selecting whichever Dance Crew coach to follow and then square dance the night away with your invincible friends.
The routines of Just Dance 3 are what separates it from most dance games. You will either love them or hate them. You will either let loose and have fun or you will dismiss them as being a bit too corny. If you are fine with dancing as a cheerleader to Britney or acting like Mr. Pumpkin man in a Halloween themed song, you'll be fine here. As I said earlier, the main thrust of Just Dance games is accessibility. Nothing says accessibility like swinging a lasso or playing a virtual guitar. Everything is done in fun and is choreographed perfectly with the music. The dances are easy to learn and follow. Instead of the choreography changing to reflect the difficulty level, the difficulty level is set by how the game tracks you (upper versus entire body).
Each song is scored on a five-star scale. Higher points are awarded to "perfect" moves and even more points are given to players hitting several perfect moves in a row, which is also called being "on fire". There are extra points available in the song through Gold Moves and Shout Outs. Gold Moves are specially highlighted moves during the song, which are an added bonus to the score. Shout Outs are specially selected portions of the lyrics, which are sung for even more points. Earning more stars after each song will fill up the Mojo Bar, which is a currency used to unlock items in the game.
There are several nice unlocks in the game, either through the Mojo Bar or by uPlay. The Mojo Bar is simply filled up by dancing. uPlay points are earned through special feats and can be used to buy anything from Ubisoft game themes for your Xbox Dashboard to in-game unlocks. The game specific selection for uPlay is about four items, while the unlocks from the Mojo Bar are many. Just in my first time playing, I unlocked special modes and new choreography for current songs. For instance, instead of rocking out to one song, I was taken to a gym to do aerobics. This is a very nice way to keep things fresh in the game.
Just Dance 3 features downloadable songs, with three available at launch. What is nice about these songs is the ability to demo them before purchasing them. At 240 points a piece, they can get a bit pricey, even though they are pretty fun. Hopefully we will see the store exclusive songs that were made for Best Buy and Target. I'm also hoping Ubisoft follows the pattern of Just Dance 2 and makes a couple of songs free down the road.
Now for my favorite, the Just Sweat mode. Essentially, this is a switch that is turned on and follows you around whatever you are doing. Everything you do is given a `Sweat Points' score. The more you dance, the more points you earn. The points rack up pretty fast and I don't think they can be associated with calories. They do give you an idea of intensity though. An added touch to the last game is various summaries of your progress. For instance, when I earned 1,000 Sweat Points, I was told this was the same as a brisk walk across Central Park.
The best thing to do while in Sweat Mode is to use the set play lists. Unfortunately, you can't create your own play lists, but there are many to choose from. My personal favorite is the Non-Stop Shuffle and Speed Shuffle. Each of these is a non-interrupted cycle of songs in the game. I wish there was a way to skip the slow songs, which I'm not really sure why they are included in the game anyhow. The difference between Non-Stop and Speed Shuffle is the length of the song. Just like in the regular song mode, you can pick to dance to a minute and a half or to the full song.
One of the last features, which is very unique to the Kinect, is the Just Create mode. Here you are given the chance to create your own routine and challenge friends to it. You are actually recording an image very similar to Ubisoft's other Kinect games, such as Michael Jackson: The Experience (reviewed here). The dance can then be saved to your Xbox for challenging others later. Or, you can upload your video to Just Dance Planet and have it ranked and downloaded for more competition.
Speaking of competition, any song that you are about to play, that has been played by one of your friends, will show the current high score and the person with that score. This keeps the game fresh and competition heated, but a leaderboard would have been even more appreciated. Perhaps some kind of stat tracking will show up on Just Dance Planet at a later date.
The presentation of Just Dance 3 is fairly solid with nice visuals and most music being song by the original artist. My only complaint about the visuals is how similar the Xbox version is to the Wii version. Not that this is a bad thing, considering how vibrant most of the visuals are with a changing background. There just seems to be that extra level of polish missing. This by no means subtracts from the fun or usability of the game, but I can't help to wonder why the two versions look and act so similar.
In reviewing games, I look at the five f's: fitness, fun, functionality, family, and firsts. As far as fitness, you can definitely expect to see some motivational stories come out of this. Just look at what this woman and this woman did with Dance Central. Now you have Just Dance 3`s approachable dance game, added with a non-stop playlist, and you have yourself a fitness masterpiece. What will produce those future success stories is the amount of fun Just Dance gives you. There are a large number of songs with a wide variety to choose from, with each being easy to learn. The functionality is spot-on. Occasionally I had an issue where the game thought I slid, when I meant to raise, but that is pretty minor. I wish there was a feedback on my dance performance to tell me what parts I'm missing or how. As for being a family game, everything is edited for proper language. If you are fine with the occasional Britney or B.o.B song in your house, there shouldn't be a problem here. Younger kids can play along with joy, but may have trouble navigating the menus by themselves. And, as for firsts, this is the first dancing game to allow up to four people dancing at one time. This is also the first dancing game that allows you to upload videos and use them as challenges for other people to follow.
In summary, Just Dance 3 is an extremely fun and accessible dance game that anyone can enjoy. There is a huge variety of music and styles to dance to, so this may not appeal to someone looking to perfect their club dance moves. This is a pick up and play type of game, with a lot of variety and content. People playing by themselves or in a party will find something to enjoy here. The bottom line is, if you own a Kinect and you like to have fun, you should definitely pick up Just Dance 3.
Honest reviews on Just Dance 3 - Xbox 360
I originally set out to purchase the Zumba Fitness game because a friend of mine lost weight playing it. I wanted a game that would give me a workout to burn some extra calories. In my search for videos of Zumba Fitness gameplay, I came across videos of people playing Just Dance 3. The game looked so much fun, so I bought it instead. I do not regret it. The songs come from several different decades and different styles of music, which I'm very happy about because sometimes it gets old dancing to the same style of music over and over again (like on other dance games). The dances are also different styles. It has hip hop, pop, Bollywood, African, 80's style, disco, jazz, etc. It even has a Halloween-like dance to the song This Is Halloween from the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas. I also bought Dance Central 2, but I find it boring compared to Just Dance 3 and the Dance Central characters make me cringe. Just Dance 3 has better characters. They are real people put through a filter to make them almost psychedelic looking and are very entertaining. The characters have more variety in clothing/costume style and also are in costume for each song (for example: the Apache (Jump On It) dancer is dressed like an Apache). I had never danced a day in my life and was very uncoordinated, and I realized just how uncoordinated I actually was when I first played the game. It seemed so hard, but just after playing that day and the next, I already noticed I was getting better. Since I've had it, I already notice a big difference in my coordination and I actually have some rhythm and can dance better now. It has different difficulty settings if you're not feeling comfortable at first. You can put it on easy where it's only tracking your arm and top half movement, or you can put it on easy where it's tracking only your leg movement, and so on. Besides just general dancing, it also has other modes you can play. You can choreograph your own routines and dance to them as well as other choreographed routines. One mode can record yourself dancing next to one of the dancers on the screen and play it back for you to see what you were doing wrong in comparison. You can play Simon Says. During Simon Says, you do one of the normal dances, but every once in a while a random command will pop up telling you to jump, twirl, stop, etc. and you have to do it just like in the regular game Simon Says. There is also a Sweat Mode to get you sweating (even though the regular dancing gets me sweating). Every time you dance you earn Mojo points. These points unlock more dances and games (like the Simon Says game). Some of the dances that are unlocked are new and some are mixes of the old dances, which are very fun to do. There are many different songs/dances on this game, but you can also buy more individual songs later from the XBox marketplace if you get bored of these routines. I don't exercise much because I get so bored with it, but this game is so much fun that I find myself dancing for hours and still don't want to stop. It definitely gets my heart rate going and makes me drink more water and burn calories as well as getting toned muscles. One more plus, this game is multi-player so you can have partner dancing or group dancing (up to 4 people). You can even do the group dances alone. You just pick which dancer you want to mimic and follow their movements and the Kinect will track you. If Just Dance comes out with more games for the Kinect I will definitely buy them. I really love this game, and that's coming from someone who thought dance games were dorky. I didn't think I would ever play one, let alone buy one and love it.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Just Dance 3 - Xbox 360
I really love the look of this game and the music. The problem is that it is very difficult to learn. Dance Central has "Break it Down" mode which makes it playable even for uncoordinated people like me. If there was a way to slow down or learn the moves in a different mode this game would get 4 or 5 stars. But, otherwise the moves are too fast and complicated for me. :(Saturday, November 15, 2014
Discount UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves - Game of The Year Edition - Playstation
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $19.49
Today's Bonus: 35% Off
I've only had a PS3 for a few months and to be honest, I wasn't initially that interested in the Uncharted games. But a friend of mine told me that they were the first games I should be playing, saying they were like Tomb Raider with a Gears of War cover system and with voice acting that made it seem as if you were watching a movie. Well, he was right.
While Uncharted was a really fun game, Uncharted 2 surpasses it in every way and wowed me enough to inspire writing this review. While number one took me a couple hours to really get into, number two hooked me from the very beginning. Trying to climb up a train that's slowly working its way to sliding off a cliff in the opening sequence was intense and I enjoyed how the story jumped backward and let you play the events that led up to that point. The story and the characters in this game are also more interesting. Plenty of new and old faces, great dialogue, sarcastic wit, betrayals and everything you could want from a game about pillaging ancient treasure.
What really makes Uncharted 2 shine is the gameplay itself. The fighting feels much more fluid with a lot more variety. Having only six or so weapons in the first game got to be a little boring considering how many freaking guys you had to kill (yes I know it's a video game but how many pirates can possibly be on one island? Even if they found El Dorado, were they planning to split it 500 ways?) In this game, there are plenty more weapons to choose from and a larger variety of enemies to use them on. And the sheer amount of enemies at least makes more sense, being an army led by a mad general and not just some treasure hunting brigands.
The environments were also much more various, as well as the action sequences. The train sequence alone almost makes the game worth playing. Rather than jumping and climbing from one tropical environment to another, you're climbing mountains, jumping through caves, dodging helicopters on rooftops and... well there's also some tropical jungles but, aren't there always when you're hunting fabled treasure?
Graphically... easily the best looking game I've ever played. Sound like a bold statement? Well it's true. What really sold me were the water effects. While everything else looks great as it is, the water was the most outstanding and I've never seen its like in a game. In one of the levels in the city, there is a swimming pool on top of a roof that you can jump in (try it, Drake tries to play Marco Polo with Chloe) and I just sat for a good minute looking at different angles of that pool and marvelling at how amazing it looks. In a game as fast moving as this one, that's saying a lot.
Finally, what has to be said about the Uncharted games is the character of Nathan Drake himself. He is easily one of my top 5 favorite video game characters (maybe just a little bit behind John Marston.) The character's humor, irreverent dialogue, sarcasm and off sense of morals make him just plain likeable. I'd say that I would love to see him portrayed in a movie, but if Marky Mark is going to play him, I'm boycotting. Nathan Fillion should be Nathan Drake in my eyes. (If you don't agree just watch a compilation of Drake quotes and compare it to Nathan in Firefly/Serenity. He even looks like him.)
This game rocks. Looks great, plays great, story is great and so on and so forth. Play it!
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(UPDATE: This review was put up right when the game came out in October of last year to notify current owners who had an interest in the new edition like myself. Item is still a Great Package for newcomers, except that now it comes in a red case for being part of the Greatest Hits Collection now. Red cases are ugly in my opinion. Game can be described as a hight quality cinematic action title at its best. It mixes cutscenes and gameplay very well at a great pace that will make you want to keep on playing. If you don't like long drawn out games, this is quite the opposite. You can probably finish it in 2-3 sittings, but since there are chapters and tweaks you can unlock after beating the game. It has a lot of replay value. There's also online multiplayer for the hardcore gamers, so its got the complete package. It's a game that I like to go back to from time to time.)Uncharted 2 Game of the Year Edition is a Must Buy if you've never played the game before as it includes almost all downloadable content that later came after its release (Sidekick Skin Pack not included). If you have the original case, beware for you're just buying the same game with a code to get all the dlc. I sold my original copy to get this version and realized there really wasn't much of a difference besides having a new maybe better cover.
If you have the original game, no need to get this version for you really don't lose out. Here's an example. I sold my original copy for 25$. This version costs $49.99 plus tax which comes out to be like $54 bucks or something. That's a difference of $29.00. This edition comes with extra content that values up to $35. If you do the math I really only saved $6 by getting all this content. It'a deal, but not much. Also who knows if you can even get a value of $25 dollars for your original. Gamestop was only going to give me 12 bucks for it. Of course I didn't accept and gave them a big "you know what".
I actually don't mind this purchase at all for I never bought any of the add ons, but I can imagine others who might have or just some. You'll probably be a little peeved after the purchase. To make my point, New Buyers for sure get this version. This game is awesome and it's a Great Deal. Original game owners, just keep your game with the content you bought.
Best Deals for UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves - Game of The Year Edition - Playstation
UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves Game of the Year Edition.The DLC content codes shipped with the game expired 9/5/2012. The only reason I purchased this particular version was to get the DLC.
This is one of my first PS3 purchases for the first PS3 bought for the kids.
Very disappointed in my VIP Group Corporation purchase. Really wish I had seen the customer review who already had this issue prior to ordering the game. Buyer beware!
Now I am hoping that the game which arrived on disk is playable and I don't have the problems I am now seeing and reading about on Amazon which others are having once loaded on the PS3.
***UPDATE BELOW*********2013-APRIL-22nd****************>>>
After receiving a comment from another buyer for this same title who was able to activate expired listed codes in his game I tried again last week and the expiration is clearly September 5th 2012 but entering the codes which came with the game NOW DO WORK. I hope this helps someone else who purchased this title if the codes did not originally work. The content appears now, is downloadable and useable.
Honest reviews on UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves - Game of The Year Edition - Playstation
GOTY Edition reviewApparently Sony thinks that GOTY edition just means including a code inside the case thats only good for a limited amount of time to redeem for the extra content. Problem is, they put no indication on the outside of the box saying its a limited time offer. Once you open the case you will find out the only way to get the extra content is to redeem a code and that theres an expiration date on the GOTY content, and if you buy it anytime after Oct 2012, then you never will be able to get the $35 worth of extra content that was advertised.
Just save your money and buy a used copy of the standard edition. Sony should be ashamed at the bait and switch tactics used
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There is no DLC on the disc itself, all DLC is accessible through a code that comes with the game. All of the codes for Uncharted 2: Game of the Year Edition expired in 2010. In other words, this product NO LONGER EXISTS as advertised. It is simply the standard Uncharted 2 in a different case now. Please be forewarned.Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Buy Backyard Soccer (Jewel Case) - PC/Mac
Bought this for my 8 year old daughter, and she loves it. She and her friends especially love to pick their teams from the bleacher full of kids, and getting to see how they are rated on individual skills. It took us a little bit of time to figure out how to move your player, since the player that you represent changes often, but once you get used to that, it gets easier to play. Overall, we really enjoy our Backyard Soccer game.
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My kids loved this. We then ordered Backyard Football and Basketball, which they've also enjoyed.Best Deals for Backyard Soccer (Jewel Case) - PC/Mac
I bought this game, hoping to bring back the nostalgia I felt when I first had this game. When I installed it, I eagerly began playing and remembering all the memories I made. However, when I let my son download the game, I couldn't play anymore because it required the disc to be in at all times.Honest reviews on Backyard Soccer (Jewel Case) - PC/Mac
The sellers description of the game leads you believe that it will work on the newer computers. The words used were "works or windows 2000/me/xp 32 bit or higher". If you have windows 7 with a 64 bit, it does not work. False advertisement.Monday, October 20, 2014
Discount Rock Revolution with Drum Kit -Xbox 360
Keep in mind, paid $8.96 for the game and drum set...
My take is this This game really isn't bad, just isn't as good as it's competitors.
Start with the drum set, I'd read nothing but bad things about it. I have to say, I disagree with all of them. The set feels tough, works well, and has one feature that I really like... The drumsticks rest comfortably on this set, well out of the way and won't just fall off if you nudge it. My 15 month old has given it quite a beating, knocking it over and such, still works great. Oh, this has the kick pedal of any of the drum sets I've used with game systems (and I've used all of the ones currently out there).
The really good about this game starts and ends with the drum set. Everything else is fairly average. Use drums and two guitar hero/rock band guitars, and that's your game. No vocals, in this one. Not sure what happened, there. Also, I believe the tracks are all covers, but they sound pretty good. Can't complain.
This game is the perfect starting point, to see if you like the music game genre. Low price of entry, all that.
But remember, before you know it, you have 4 drum sets and 8 plastic guitars in the house...
As far as the game goes.... I never played it. I read enough reviews to know that I do not want the actual game anywhere near my 360.
Big mistake. The game is 99% covers (not original Master Recordings) and the one Master is a Linkin Park song.
For parents or family shopping for an inexpensive music game as a gift: Please do your loved-one a favor and do not get them this game.
If you've read this far and still haven't run for the hills, the game is horrible. Graphics are sub-par and the cover songs sound like someone singing in the shower. Oh, the drumkit is shoddy and the note-highway is a vertical waterfall of jumbled mess. Just skip this poor attempt at cashing-in on rythm game popularity.
My take is this This game really isn't bad, just isn't as good as it's competitors.
Start with the drum set, I'd read nothing but bad things about it. I have to say, I disagree with all of them. The set feels tough, works well, and has one feature that I really like... The drumsticks rest comfortably on this set, well out of the way and won't just fall off if you nudge it. My 15 month old has given it quite a beating, knocking it over and such, still works great. Oh, this has the kick pedal of any of the drum sets I've used with game systems (and I've used all of the ones currently out there).
The really good about this game starts and ends with the drum set. Everything else is fairly average. Use drums and two guitar hero/rock band guitars, and that's your game. No vocals, in this one. Not sure what happened, there. Also, I believe the tracks are all covers, but they sound pretty good. Can't complain.
This game is the perfect starting point, to see if you like the music game genre. Low price of entry, all that.
But remember, before you know it, you have 4 drum sets and 8 plastic guitars in the house...
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My original Rockband 2 drum kit broke, and I needed a new kit. After looking around and finding that new or used official kit was really expensive($125+) I decided look for some alternatives. I found this bundle for $20 and decided to try it. The drum kit looks nothing like the original Rockband drumkit, and it does take some time to get use to. This design is inferior to the original Rockband drums, and can make playing the drums on any level above medium very difficult(it can be done, but expect frustration) there are also issues with the responsiveness of the drums, but again, it is something that can be dealt with, just expect frustration on harder difficulity levels. The kit itself is pretty cool the frame is metal and I really like the pedal, the only thing that hurts the product is the nonsensical layout of the drums. I would suggest this kit to anyone looking for an incredibly cheap drum kit to use with friends whenever you have a couple of people over, but do not get this kit if you want to master the drums at the expert level.As far as the game goes.... I never played it. I read enough reviews to know that I do not want the actual game anywhere near my 360.
Best Deals for Rock Revolution with Drum Kit -Xbox 360
So we received the Drum Set and tried it out right away its going to take a little getting use to, but once we have the hang of it, it should be fun. ThanksHonest reviews on Rock Revolution with Drum Kit -Xbox 360
Got this for my handicapped son for Christmas for a great price. He is a little hesitant to play because he has to get accustomed to it. But he is getting more accurate and seems to really like it. Easy to assemble, way better quality than I thought it would be, I suggest it as a fun toy to go with the Guitar Hero game(s) since the guitars can be used with this game and these drums can be used with some GH games.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Rock Revolution with Drum Kit -Xbox 360
I bought this because it was the Videogame Deal of the Day.Big mistake. The game is 99% covers (not original Master Recordings) and the one Master is a Linkin Park song.
For parents or family shopping for an inexpensive music game as a gift: Please do your loved-one a favor and do not get them this game.
If you've read this far and still haven't run for the hills, the game is horrible. Graphics are sub-par and the cover songs sound like someone singing in the shower. Oh, the drumkit is shoddy and the note-highway is a vertical waterfall of jumbled mess. Just skip this poor attempt at cashing-in on rythm game popularity.
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Review of James Bond 007: GoldenEye - Nintendo Wii
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $28.99
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Goleneye for the Wii has some high expectations to live up to. The original N64 game was a classic, revolutionizing the FPS genre on consoles. Could this Wii game of the same name be just as important?
I think your enjoyment depends on just how into modern FPS you are. Personally, I absolutely loved Goldeneye Wii. But that's because I love the Call of Duty games...
Finishing the single-player campaign and logging in dozens of hours into the multi-player game is an ENORMOUS amount of time for me to invest in a game, in fact the last time I can think of spending that much time gaming was when Modern Warfare 2 came out. Which makes sense, since the game is so similar to that series.
Goldeneye isn't at all a remake of the Rare game. Everyone throws out "re-imagining", but that doesn't really explain it. The game is completely new, relying only on elements of the movie script to move along the gameplay. Eurocom uses a few familiar locations to invoke memories of playing through the N64 title, and then promplty throw you off with completely new level designs. The game is definitely its own beast.
The single player game is very fun. There's four difficulty levels, and it follows the mission structure Rare made famous. On the lower two difficulty settings only one or two missions are required per level, and they are usually simplistic (like "follow the bad guy" or "get out alive"). The higher two difficulty settings, including classic mode, involve more missions, and while you can finish levels without completing everything, you'll be unable to move on with that specific difficulty. I've been playing it on 007 difficulty (the equivalent of Secret Agent in the original) and have had to redo missions when missing something.
Goldeneye apes a lot from the Call of Duty series. The single player is very cinematic, the gameplay is almost exactly the same (from the constant location icon, to the look down the sight of your gun, to the icon indicating you're crouching), and the multiplayer might as well be called Call of Duty: James Bond. But is that such a bad thing?
Yes, the game is much more cinematic than the original, but it's VERY well-done. The voice acting is superb, the animation is excellent, and the pre-scripted events in the game just make it feel so much more alive than the original. And while you may or may not like the pop-up targeting, replenishing health, and down the sights view, you don't have to play that way. Eurocom had the great sense to make Goldeneye extremely flexible, and that's very much appreciated. Classic mode might be for you, and there's a wealth of more traditional control options available.
That said, I'm a big fan of the COD games, and I enjoyed playing Bond in that style. What separates Goldeneye from, say, Modern Warfare 2 is its reliance on stealth gameplay. I always thought the original's focus on stealth gameplay was a bit artificial, I never felt overwhelmed when setting off alarms or having enemies call for backup. In this game, it's practically required at the higher difficulty settings. This game does great job of allowing for different play styles. There's usually more than a couple paths to get around enemies (including a large number of vents) and you'll really have to take advantage of silencers on your pistol and sniper guns. The game also allows for melee stealth kills, which work great. Sneak up behind an enemy (by crouch-walking), and then snap your nunchuck forward and Bond will pull off a cinematic, and silent, kill. It works VERY well and gives the game its own feel.
The enemy AI is certainly better than the original, which is to say it isn't brain-dead, but not the best in the world. That's partially because there's a focus on stealth; because the game encourages you to sneak up and silently take out enemies, sometimes a fellow adversary a couple feet away might not even take notice. Again, it's not that big of a deal. It always feels like the AI smartens up once a large firefight ensues. Backups are called in and they become aggressive about taking you out. They'll flank you, throw well placed grenades to smoke you out, use cover, etc...
While not as deliberate as in something like Gears of War, Goldeneye has a pretty well implemented cover system. There's barriers around everywhere, and it's always smart to crouch behind them and pop up for a couple of shots. The best part, of course, is that most cover options are destructible, forcing you to constantly search for a better cover option. It's nothing super new, but it's really obvious that more attention was given to this game than most other third-party Wii games.
I've tried using three separate control schemes: Wiimote + Nunchuck, Classic Controller Pro, and the GC controller. And while the CCPro was instantly familiar and well-done, the Wiimote + nunchuck ultimately won out. There's a number of preset sensitivity preferences, of which I used "Experienced 3" the highest sensitivity. On top of those presets, you can customize the sensitivity further. I upped the sensitivity of movement while looking down the sight of the gun, as well as the turning axis (which helps making a 180 turn while in multiplayer matches).
Pointer controls take a little getting used to, especially getting your pointer hand to sit still, but once you've figured out that sweet spot (like I did above), the controls can't be topped on a console. Whether looking down the sights of my gun or mowing down enemies on the fly, the shooting feels silky smooth. As long as the frame-rate is running just as well, which it is 90% of the time.
Unfortunately, there is that 10% in which the game stutters. This usually happens when there's not only a ton of enemies on screen but also when some fancy particle effects are being used. In one way you'll appreciate the effort to make this game look good, in another you'll just wish the game had been created with optimized gameplay in mind. Again, drops in frame-rate are fairly rare, and if you were a fan of the original...
The multiplayer may be the best FPS experience on the Wii. Like Call of Duty, the game features an XP system that rewards players for kills, wins, and a whole bunch of conditions met. First time playing the complex? Here's +25XP for ya. Assisted in a kill by finishing it with a grenade? Here's an extra +20XP. It always feels like the game is constantly rewarding you in the beginning, probably because of how unbalanced you'll be against more experienced players.
Obviously the more XP you earn, the more you'll level up. Leveling up leads to unlocking better weapons, stat boosts, and "gadgets" Goldeneye's version of perks. These include gun modifiers like silencers (that will keep you off enemy radars), different sights, etc... The highest levels yield the best extras, like fan-favorite proximity mines. You can even customize you character with multiple "loadouts". Nothing I've said will be new to you if you've played a COD game since Modern Warfare.
None of these features would matter if the levels weren't well-designed and the matches ran smoothly, and so far so good. While I can't yet say if the maps are as memorable as the original's (that will warrant dozens more hours in gameplay) my suspicions tell me they aren't. They're a bit generic, and the levels that aren't meant to resemble the original's slightly resemble the original Modern Warfare's least popular maps. Not a big surprise there. With a max of eight players online at once, the maps typically run a bit small, which may be fine for fans of the original, but will disappoint anyone who became a FPS fan following the original Halo.
Luckily though they are small, the maps are fairly well designed with numerous access points, decent camping spots, and recognizable features that help in familiarizing yourself with the maps. Again, you might be disappointed if you're expecting maps from the original. Nothing is as good as the Temple,Facility, Complex, or Archives, though some replacements (Facility and Archives) are still pretty well done.
The multiplayer modes are also worth mentioning. While Conflict and Team Conflict are your standard deathmatch modes, there's also Golden Gun mode, Heroes mode, Goldeneye mode, etc... all fun and unique modes that really do separate Goldeneye from Halo and COD. You'll also be able to unlock a few hardcore modes that lower health and lose the radar. There's a lot of game here.
Of the dozens of hours I've put into the game so far, the majority have been dedicated to the multiplayer. Matches typically run smooth, which is somewhat rare for Wii games not made by Nintendo. I use a WiFi connection rather than the USB ethernet dongle, which is what I've always been told is a contributor to choppy online play, yet Goldeneye runs smooth almost all the time. I've only had a couple of matches run choppy, both of which took place in the nightclub level (which may be a factor, as the lighting is a bit hectic), but the game was still playable, there weren't any delay in input and on-screen action, simply a slower pace. I've also yet to have a dropped match, though when the host does leave the game after a match you might as well back out. The game will attempt to reassign a host, but it takes a bit, and usually fails since everyone else drops out.
I didn't intend for this to turn into such a long review, but there's just so many things to talk about when the topic is Goldeneye Wii. I think it's a great game. By far the best FPS on the Wii, which just seems right Goldeneye on a Nintendo console. The game is a complete package with a very well produced single player game and a very deep multiplayer that should satisfy until the next big thing comes along. And let's be honest, it might take until Wii 2 before we see another high-profile exclusive Wii FPS worth buying.
Ultimately, the only people who should be cautious approaching this game are those who don't like FPShooters and those who only want an exact remake of their beloved Goldenye. This isn't that classic, but it's probably the best Bond game since the original Goldeneye. Judged solely on its own merits, it should be in every Wii owner's collection.
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The Classic is back.007 Goldeneye for the Wii is the classic redone, only this time with the controls that we all know and love from Metroid Prime 3. It remains the same solid FPS that we all grew up with, with a few improvements in storyline and graphics (relatively speaking).
THE GOOD:
-The motion controls make this game so much easier than any other FPS I have played. Please see Halo for example.
-Improved nuance. Ex. The sound of ears ringing when a grenade goes off nearby, or the way the head shifts with the movement of Bond's body
-Bring in the Daniel Craig. While the original GE was done with Pierce Brosnan, the modern Bond is a nice addition to an old classic.
-The familiar: Judi Dench as our beloved M.
-New Weapons: now kill with more ways than ever!
-Options: Go in stealth or guns blazing. Take your pick. Either usually works in any scenario if you're careful.
-Multiplayer: It is incredibly true when they say "bringing multiplayer back to its roots."
THE BAD:
-Graphics, dammit! "Metroid: Other M" is a clear example of what can be achieved with the Wii's limited graphics. Or how about Mario Galaxy 2? The machine is better than most give it credit for.
-The graphics again: Seriously, Nintendo, time to go HD. Gamecube graphics + 1 does not cut it anymore.
-A bit of change to the original story. Forgivable, however. It's GoldenEye.
OVERALL:
It's a solid FPS for the Wii, something that is desperately lacking. We have Metroid Prime and that's more of a puzzle/adventure than a true FPS. The controls are fluid, the nuance is great, and we have the lovely Judi Dench narrating our mission objectives to us. It is easily the best Bond game since Nightfire or Agent Under Fire for the GCN.
Highly recommended.
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As a teenager I spent countless hours with friends playing GoldenEye for the N64, and to this day I rate it as the second best multiplayer experience that I have ever had on a console (Perfect Dark takes the cake). Naturally I had high expectations for a reboot of the GoldenEye brand, but it seems that I set my sights too high and Eurocom set its sights too low.GoldenEye for the Wii is not simply a remake, but a reboot. Daniel Craig takes the place of Pierce Brosnan as James Bond (I prefer Brosnan, but it doesn't really matter), and the story has been tweaked to reflect more modern technologies, namely a cell phone that does just about everything. The story is far from cerebral and hardly memorable, except for the scenes and areas you might recognize from the original game. While the single player campaign is enjoyable for the first runthrough if you like gratuitous explosions and dispatching a ton of enemies, it is ultimately short (under 10 hours), unrewarding (unlockables are few and far between), and plagued with annoying quick time events (moments that take you away from the gun action and ask you to press a button or waggle your controller so that you don't die). The thing that kills me most is the lack of replay value in the levels. Yes there are multiple difficulty settings and time trials, but, as far as I can tell after beating the game on the default difficulty setting, there are no mods like in the original game (such as infinite ammo or invincibility). Luckily the controls are outstanding, the graphics, while not great in the scheme of things, look decent for the Wii, and the nostalgia factor is there. And sound... Meh. Voice acting is good, but the synching is not ideal, and the music is simply not as interesting as the original game, despite using the same composer.
Multiplayer is the sole reason to lay down any amount of money for this game. You can play with 4 people split screen, which I think any console FPS worth its salt should do well, and GoldenEye does it well enough. However, where are the options that we knew and loved from the original game? Modifiers are limited, and so are the number of characters to choose from. I don't even think you can do License to Kill mode (1 hit kills) while offline! You also cannot put away your weapon. In the original putting away your weapon not only allowed you to karate chop, but it also made it so that players could not automatically target you. And why the heck is there regenerating health, like just about every shooter has today? If you get shot doesn't it make more sense that you don't suddenly heal? I miss running around like a madman, weapon put away to make myself a harder target, while trying to reach armor. Also there are no weapon sets and respawning ammo; now there are only loadouts (a collection of three or so weapons that you must use together until you die, unless you pick up something a dead player dropped). Really the lack of modes and weapon selection is what bothers me in offline multiplayer. Maps are largely disappointing (not to mention surprisingly dark) and the Facility, my favorite level in the original, is sadly one of the worst.
Online multiplayer is addicting because you VERY SLOWLY earn experience to unlock new weapons and gadgets for your custom loadouts (you pick the three weapons that you use). The games run smoothly for the most part (it gets choppy if you're hosting) but the implementation is miserable. Low level players are lumped together in games with high level ones who unfairly have access to more powerful weapons (presumably because not enough people play the game to warrant a separation of levels), you lose all of your hard-earned experience in a match if the host leaves the game, and you cannot choose your skin (there is one mode that lets you choose what you look like, but good luck unlocking it considering how long it takes to level up). Before a match you get a choice between two randomly chosen levels that you can vote on, so you don't even really get to pick the map.
In conclusion, do not buy this game for the single player experience. If you get it, do it for the multiplayer. The linear gameplay in single player, lack of modes, modifiers, and overall options make this game a sad addition to the GoldenEye brand (perhaps one day some cheats will be released--there is a cheat menu--that prove me wrong). While online multiplayer is undeniably addicting if you feel like you must unlock and try out all of the weapons and limited modes, it falls short in many other departments. What made the original game great was tons of unlockables (many of which were incredibly challenging to earn), a non-linear single-player experience, top-notch multiplayer level design, and a HUGE variety of gameplay options. GoldenEye for the Wii does not offer a similar experience.
Honest reviews on James Bond 007: GoldenEye - Nintendo Wii
When it comes to videogames, there is nothing I enjoy more than a good remake of a classic game. I'd rather have a remake of a superb, 13 year old game (like N64's "Goldeneye"), than a new and original but lousy one. This has been done a few times before with great results: PS1's "Resident Evil" was remade (from scratch) for the Gamecube in 2002, PS1's "Metal Gear Solid" was remade (from scratch) for the Gamecube in 2004 (under the name "Twin Snakes"), and PS1's "Silent Hill" was remade (from scratch) for the Wii in 2009 (under the name "Shattered Memories"). This remake of "Goldeneye" is just as good as those. However, this is more than just a remake of N64's "Goldeneye" from 1997. This is like "Goldeneye" + "all the other cool stuff from the James Bond-franchise" thrown together in the mix and shaken (not stirred). Classic guns (including the golden one) and characters from past Bond-movies are playable in the multiplayer mode. These characters include:-Jaws (That big scary 7'2'' tall guy with metal teeth played by Richard Kiel in "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977) and "Moonraker" (1979))
-Francisco Scaramanga (Played by Christopher Lee in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974))
-Oddjob (The Hawaiian guy with the lethal hat played by Harold Sakata in Goldfinger (1964))
-Ernst Stavro Blofeld (This is the Blofeld played by Charles Gray in Diamonds Are Forever (1971). Not the Blofeld played by Donald Pleasence or Telly Savalas)
-Baron Samedi (That scary voodoo-guy with the peculiar laughter and face-paint played by Geoffrey Holder in Live and Let Die (1973))
-Rosa Klebb (The dangerous little lady with the red hair and lethal shoe played by Lotte Lenya in From Russia with Love (1963))
-Red Grant (That blond henchman played by Robert Shaw in From Russia with Love (1963))
-Julius No (Played by Joseph Wiseman in Dr. No (1962))
The multiplayer is split-screen just like old times (up to 4 players), but an 8-player online multiplayer is also available. The single player story mode pretty much follows the same story as N64's "Goldeneye" from 1997. The only big difference is that you will be seeing the face and hearing the voice of Daniel Craig, rather than that of Pierce Brosnan. Personally I would have preferred Brosnan. Also, the rest of the cast (except Judi Dench) has been replaced by new "actors". Trevelyan, Ourumov, Onatopp etc. have different faces and voices than you see in the movie. Also here I would have preferred the old cast: Famke Janssen, Sean Bean, Robbie Coltrane etc.. But this isn't enough to ruin the game. Like I insinuated earlier, this is a remake made completely from scratch. This is not the Nintendo 64-game just printed onto Wii-discs. So you will have the pleasure of seeing the best graphics around. You can play this game with almost every controller ever released by Nintendo since the release of Gamecube: The Wii Remote with Nunchuk, Wii Zapper, Classic Controller, Classic Controller Pro, and the Nintendo GameCube controller can all be used with this game. I'm a bit old fashioned, so I prefer using the Gamecube-controller. Some parts of the story in this game are actually closer to what happened in the movie than the N64-game ever was. Like in that park in St. Petersburg when the identity of Janus is revealed, this time you will actually be sitting in the helicopter when those two rockets are fired. And you'll have to find a way to escape, just like in the movie. Some changes are made regarding locations I might add. The things that in the movie happened in Monaco, are here happening in Dubai, and what usually happened on Cuba is now happening in Nigeria etc.. I think this game is perfect as it is. Would have been fun with even more than 8 classic characters in multiplayer though. I am missing the likes of Auric Goldfinger, and I wouldn't mind having seen some of the newer characters like Jinx from Die Another Day (2002) and Solange from Casino Royale (2006) if you know what I mean :-). This game also lacks some of the humour that made the original so great. The AK-47 is among the weaponry here (wouldn't be Goldeneye without one) along with MP5 and SPAS 12, but nearly all the weapons have fictional names. Another thing that would improve this game: The original N64-game hidden somewhere like an easter-egg (just like "Maniac Mansion" was hidden in "Day of the Tentacle", and the original "Donkey Kong" was hidden in "Donkey Kong 64"). For example, in a video game arcade cabinet standing somewhere in that nightclub in Barcelona. I would even say this is the game of this decade (the 00s) I have been looking forward to the most, and for good reason. Oh, and unless you have been living under a rock the last 13 years, you know this is a first-person-shooter.
P.S. Is it just me or did they stop making games like "Goldeneye"(N64) and "Ocarina of Time"(N64)? Miss those times....
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You should know what you are getting with Goldeneye for the Wii. This is a sort of remake of the Goldeneye story. Although many characters and events from the movie are in the game they are done so in a more realistic "Daniel Craig" way, and thats great. The controls take some getting used to if you are using the nunchuk and remote. For a Wii game the animations are great. From a bad guy running away and shooting at you at the same time, to an enemy stumbling because you shot him in the leg. The only downside to the game is that the graphics make it hard to see enemies. In the second level you are in a dance club and must fight your way out, the problem is that the environment is blue and dark and you have enemies shooting at you from everywhere. Its just a small annoyance in an otherwise fantastic game.Best Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy - Nintendo Wii Deals
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Brake your self...or at least others.
The game is in the vein of the show so if you like the destruction and absurdity of the show you'll enjoy the game. This is a button masher game, but it does have a little skill requirement as it uses just about every part of the wii remote. Worth it for anyone who wants a party beat 'm up game. A little boring in single mode. It's a battle game threw-n-threw.
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It's the hit show on Cartoon Network like you've never seen or played before !The "Billy and Mandy" video game may look like your garden variety multiplayer combat game with weapons and destructible environments, but this has some of your favorite characters from the show such as the hapless Irwin, the chaotic Eris, the sinister Nergal and Nergal Jr., the prank-pulling Jack O. Lantern, the annoying Fred Fredburger, and much more. Each character has a special power move and alternate costumes that you can unlock. There are various modes of play including a "Mission Mode" that unlocks characters and other neat extras like a sneak peek at a brand new "Grim Adventures" special coming soon ! Plus the Wii exclusively has a SIXTH tier of missions that unlock even more cool stuff !
So if you like "The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy" on Cartoon Network, and if you like no-holds-barred fighting games, then this is definitely the game for you. You know you want it !
Best Deals for Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy - Nintendo Wii
Billy and Mandy prove to be quite fun for children. The graphics are quite good. I find the game fast paced and hard to follow but the kids love it! It has some qualities that remind one of days gone by with atari and nintendo at their earliest.Honest reviews on Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy - Nintendo Wii
I bought this based on the good reviews. My 9yo son was very disappointed in the game. It sounds way more fun than it actually is. Glad I bought it cheep!Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy - Nintendo Wii
I bought this game because i once played it at a friend's house, it was fun, although characters dont move fast its still fun to kick and punch and throw stuff at other characters.Monday, August 18, 2014
Buy Matek: 320GB Hard Disk Driver For Xbox 360
320G's what can I say? I upgraded my son from his 12g Xbox to this monster of a storage unit & he's in heaven! lol I didn't even know they made 320g's for the older system so grab it if you see it because they are hard to come by & at this price? Only online!
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Buy Lethal Enforcers
The basic premise of Lethal Enforcers is that you are a police officer whose task is to eliminate terrorists by means of shooting to save the city. The controls work surprisingly well and are never a hassle. This game is a lot of fun of multiplayer or singe-player. It has a high replay value as well because of its wonderful arcade-style shooting. You shoot bad guys you get points or even new weapons, you shoot an innocent person and you lose a life. This game tests your reflexes and how well you pay attention to who you shoot. The graphics look great and the framerate is smooth. There is also the ability to shoot out windows which provides even more fun. This game is not without flaws though. When you play in multiplayer mode sometimes you can get confused as to whose reticle is whose or who is shooting what, and the game does dock points for missing enemies. If you love arcade shooters this game is definite must-have for you.
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this game has it's moments, but it is very short and not as good as it could have been. 2 stars.Best Deals for Lethal Enforcers
i played this arcade game at a pizza place and it roxTuesday, July 29, 2014
Buy Yoshi's Story
As you may have read, the general consensus is that Yoshi's Story is a fine 2D platformer for children to play, but offers little challenge for the rest of the market. I strongly disagree with this.
I have been an avid gamesplayer for nigh on 11 years, from the NES (Famicom) right through to the N64. I own virtually every Mario/Yoshi title, and Yoshi's Story is my favourite to date.
True, if a player just plunders through the game, it can be finished within an hour, two at most. But dedicated gamers will find themselves caught in the real groove. The hook in this game is to NURUTRE your Yoshi.
Different fruits are favoured/disfavoured by each Yoshi. A casual gamer who just wants another straightforward platformer will find such mushy sentiment ludicrous and down as many of any kind of fruit possible to finish the game. However, a devoted gamer will discover the joy in sniffing out and hunting down their Yoshi's favourite fruit.
All Yoshi's love melons, and to find all 30 in one course, as well as the three hearts needed to unlock each world, AND to discover the secret White and Black Yoshis, PLUS killing every shyguy to make Yoshi's happiness quota higher, not to mention finding power bees, and collecting every coin from every course to unlock a rumoured 'hidden' Yoshi, is a gargantuan task indeed. Of course, there a those who just won't care about all this. But to those few dedicated gamers, who, like me, appreciate the subtler side of computer entertainment, I urge you, BUY THIS GAME!
FYI, I got to the end credits in an hour. A year on, I'm still looking for all the secrets. And this is a gamer whos finished each and every Zelda game (excluding Majora's Mask) within six weeks, tops.
I have been an avid gamesplayer for nigh on 11 years, from the NES (Famicom) right through to the N64. I own virtually every Mario/Yoshi title, and Yoshi's Story is my favourite to date.
True, if a player just plunders through the game, it can be finished within an hour, two at most. But dedicated gamers will find themselves caught in the real groove. The hook in this game is to NURUTRE your Yoshi.
Different fruits are favoured/disfavoured by each Yoshi. A casual gamer who just wants another straightforward platformer will find such mushy sentiment ludicrous and down as many of any kind of fruit possible to finish the game. However, a devoted gamer will discover the joy in sniffing out and hunting down their Yoshi's favourite fruit.
All Yoshi's love melons, and to find all 30 in one course, as well as the three hearts needed to unlock each world, AND to discover the secret White and Black Yoshis, PLUS killing every shyguy to make Yoshi's happiness quota higher, not to mention finding power bees, and collecting every coin from every course to unlock a rumoured 'hidden' Yoshi, is a gargantuan task indeed. Of course, there a those who just won't care about all this. But to those few dedicated gamers, who, like me, appreciate the subtler side of computer entertainment, I urge you, BUY THIS GAME!
FYI, I got to the end credits in an hour. A year on, I'm still looking for all the secrets. And this is a gamer whos finished each and every Zelda game (excluding Majora's Mask) within six weeks, tops.
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the game has great graphics, and good gameplay, good characters, and great levels. But, this game is not quite for people 11 years old and up. The game is a great game for little kids, its one of those non-violent, friendly games. Even the boss, that thing could hardly scare anything. So, if you have little kids(3-8) buy the game for them, they'll love it, especially since its short and difficult looking, that way, when your kids finish the game, they'll think they can master anything! Plus, it has good kid music and friendly cute looking worlds, and all those cute yoshis make such cute noices. I bought the game being the "good nintendo fan", also, if you collect nintendo character games(mario, zelda, donkey kong, etc.) you can't miss this one.Thursday, July 10, 2014
Review of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 PS3 Controller Faceplate - Camo
I like the look of it but it is more difficult to pop onto than the black ops one. I think this is because the black ops one is newer and higher quality, for example the paint on the mw2 one flicks off in the creases.
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Discount s
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $18.67
Today's Bonus: 38% Off
This game kicks ass. it is the only baseball game i like and i have played them all. You get to manage your team trade players for better ones and hire free agents wich are really good for trading. Once you get a guy on fire by strong pithching or good batting he can throw faster hit farther and run faster which is a really good deal. Everytime you throw five strikes you get a special which are pitches like the whammy or the volcnao and are really good for striking out the batter. So overall this game ROCKS.
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I bought this game since it was one of my favorites as a child. The game came in great condition and was a good price. I would recommend this gamers that play older video games.Best Deals for s
Great baseball game. Fun, entertaining, smooth gameplay, decent graphics, good party game. This game will keep you on the edge of your seat while you make crazy diving catches and hit huge home runs against your friends.Saturday, June 28, 2014
You're in the Movies - Xbox 360 Reviews
List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $9.90
Today's Bonus: 50% Off
This is a video that my family and I created using You're In The Movies. From within the game, you are able to send a download link to your registered Live account email. The link is to a page where you can download a WMV-format version of the video that you created in the game. This is one of those videos.
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I read a LOT of reviews on this product before buying it for my kids this Christmas nearly all of them were written by serious "gamers" and 20-somethings who viewed this as a potential drinking/party game......none of those people liked this game AT ALL. they became bored with it quickly, the camera wasn't sophisticated enough, on and on. However, when I came to the 1st review on amazon by a family ( who posted an actual video of their game play, thank you very much!!!) I knew right away this was a game my kids would love. ( I think it is pretty fun myself!) The camera does act up once in awhile, but the kids really don't get that upset about it usually if you mess with the lighting a bit or change the angle you can get it back on track. Every kid in my neighborhood has been over to play it ( even the new WII owners ditched their game time to come play at our house!) We have kids ranging from age 6 to 14 playing this game and they all think it's a blast! So. my review is , great for families-Best Deals for You're in the Movies - Xbox 360
The game is a lot of fun, but has it's minor annoyances. Such as, you have to reset the background every so often because it won't recognize you, and you feel mildly pathetic playing it by yourself. Call your friends over.The best parts about this game are this: It costs $20. The camera alone casts $30-$40. You're saving $10 and getting a game with it.
If you have your friends over or family, it is a boat load of fun, especially when you decide to stop listening to the director and do whatever you want.
You can e-mail the videos to yourself if you have an internet connection.
I'd recommend it for nothing more than $25. It's fun, has some party value to it.
Honest reviews on You're in the Movies - Xbox 360
I bought this game for my son who is 9. I was a little skeptical based on the reviews that say your background is in the game as well. There is a point when you set it up that it takes a picture of the background so it know what to cut out. Is it perfect? No. However it is a lot of fun. We had Nephews, Nieces, Uncles all lining up to be in the movies. There is a fair amount of movies to choose from off the bat and more to be unlocked.Overall the camera alone sells for $30 so to get it for $10 cheaper with the game was definitely worth it.
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My husband and 16 yr old granddaughter thought the game looked stupid when i brought it home. My ten yr granddaughter and hubby made the first movie clip and found it hilarious. We did another and soon the 16yr old was joining in the fun. We have only had it for a weekend and have done probably ten clips. Even got the dogs in it. Had friends come over and had them doing it. Everyone was laughing. Great ice breaker for those quiet kids. Looking forward to directing our own.
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