Discount Razer Onza tournament edition -Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:

Update!

I'm updating this review because the directional pad gets stiff after mild use and the stick itself registers motions that I never inputted (when I tap up.. it registers, then goes down). I've since gotten a replacement, but only to sell it online (couldn't get a refund, just an exchange). Don't have faith in the long-term durability of this controller. Was great when it worked, but I'm sticking to first party controllers from now on.

My old review is below for when it does work properly.

Here are the games I've tested this on to get a wide range of various button/control uses:

* Battlefield: Bad Company 2

* Crysis 2

* Super Street Fighter IV

* Dragon Age 2

I'll cut to the chase since other people have already commented on the great build quality, ergos, and not being able to use the FPS Freek on this.

Here are some of my observations:

Of the games I've tested, it was painfully apparent that fighting games would not do well with the directional pad. Earlier reviews on other sites have already mentioned this, but being the skeptic, I had to test for myself. Verdict is in.. its really lacking for fighting games. The separation of each direction, and the amount you have to push makes for quick combos really difficult. I may dare even say that the original 360 directional pad might be better for this purpose. That said.. if you played fighting games with the analog, then this is where the strength of the controller shines. The adjustable tension on the analogs really help tailor it to your liking. Also, being able to remap your buttons on the extra shoulder allows you to avoid using the triggers.

On the topic of remapping buttons...

this is my number one complaint about the controller... YOU CAN'T REMAP LEFT SHOULDER BUTTON OR TRIGGER TO THE RIGHT RE-MAP BUTTON, and vice versa. I'm guessing this was done on purpose because they still had the Major League Gaming or other professional gaming leagues in mind. From what I understand, they're not accepting this control pad to be legal in those tourneys (subject to change), so I really wish there was full re-mappability. Perhaps it might cause some abuse down the lines, but in Crysis 2, it would have come in really handy if I could remap my shield (usually left bumper) to the right re-map. This would allow me to activate shield on the fly when I'm aiming down the iron sights (holding down the left trigger). Unfortunately this is a no go.

New placement of "Back" and "Start/Play" buttons...

is a mixed bag for me. The reason Razer moved them is to avoid accidental pushes of those buttons. I've never done so myself and I have medium to large hands. To me, the new placement is more of a negative because now its harder to push the Select/Back button on Bad Company 2 to spot your enemies. Luckily this can be re-mapped to any of the remappable buttons and actually works better than its original implementation. Just something to look out for. I can see it helping those who had issues before.

New directional pad...

is again a mixed bag. As mentioned before, it didn't perform too hot for fighting games. It does make it easier for FPS games though to not select the wrong direction. However, I found the button themselves to be clunky and feel like they "stick" a little. Not as responsive as the other buttons on this controller. They work though and work better than the original 360 directional pad for FPS games. Worked fine in Dragon Age 2 when trying to select targeted enemies, but had slight trouble selecting skills during level up with skills that were placed very strangely in the tree. I blame that more on BioWare though for their awkward placement as I had the same issue with the original 360 control pad too.

On the topic of the other buttons...

I like them, but still not 100% sold on them. They are responsive, but admittedly I miss the tactile feedback the original 360 controller had. Don't get me wrong, there is a "click" that assures you that you're pressing the button much like a mouse button, but I actually missed how much the buttons are raised on the original 360 and the amount of force needed to push them maybe I'm just heavy handed.

One very minor gripe of the design...

is that the "face" of the control pad has this sharp taper at the top near the shoulder buttons. It does make the controller aesthetically pleasing, but it looks like that area can easily chip or dent in the future after prolonged use or aggressive handling. Running your finger along it is sharp, but I've never really done it in a way that it was detrimental in my gameplay. I only noticed it when I was fondling the controller outside of actual gameplay.

I'll keep updated postings on new findings and possibly on the topic of long-term durability.

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Excellent controller for FPS, programmable shoulder buttons worked for me. Can't speak to D-pad use, not important in Halo.

But quality sucks. After 1 month first controller left thumbstick developed dead-zone. Worked in all directions but up. Return was no hassle with Amazon

After 20 days, replacement controller developed dead zone in right thumbstick.

(I think it has to do with the adjustable thumbstick tension: great feature but plagued with problems)

Return again no hassle.

No 3rd strike for me, I'll stick to less buttons but a controller that works.

Best Deals for Razer Onza tournament edition -Xbox 360

Here is my small review of this controller.

Honest reviews on Razer Onza tournament edition -Xbox 360

Out of the box it's a great product but unfortunately after some usage things start to go haywire and literally fall apart.

Direction sticks move your character. Around without you touching them.

Button pushes do not register.

I really wish this product worked but it does not.

Top it off with the companies ridiculous return requirements and it's not a good mix

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Since the wireless controllers on the Xbox are junk I saw this one, it looked like it could work fine. I've purchased from Razer in the past as well, for PC Gaming. They sell real half-assed expensive products that are cheaply made. They lure you into buying their products by their cosmetic appearance and hefty price tag. It appears here..... it's no different. I hardly play my Xbox as it is as well.. maybe 3 hours a week, I only go this around early May as well. The problem is... the controller has started to become very choppy and unusable. I've noticed that the R Trigger has begun to have input lag, the left stick has start to move on it's OWN as well, the L stick is completely stationary as well. I've tried unplugging solution to controller as well, sometimes even removing it and then shutting the Xbox and then putting it back in, it's hopeless. These are the is the worst and most common errors with these Xbox controllers, hands down.

Pros-

Light-up buttons, easy to see in the dark.

The buttons have a less-delayed pressure timing, it's quicker and ultimately easier to press down.

Much sleeker look than the standard controllers.

The D-pad is has separated buttons. You aren't as prone to slipping your finger and pressing the wrong button anymore.

The gripping is solid.

The L and R triggers are quicker to use. They are not as limited in length as the standard controllers. This proves very useful if you are playing a button mashing type game.

Cons-

The tightening system on the L and R sticks is junky, it weighs down INSIDE the controller as well. It moves more precisely when you move the sticks slowly, when you move it faster it loses the grip.

The macro system is a total gimmick. You do not need macros on console games, it's useless.

The start and select buttons are in a very awkward position.

It's cheaply made and breaks very quickly.

NOTE: Don't listen to those who rated this product with 5-stars. They clearly just opened, used it once.. and rated it.

Best The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection Deals

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $18.82
Today's Bonus: 6% Off

It's difficult to believe that over 10 years have passed since Ico was first released, alongside other 2001 classics like Metal Gear Solid 2 and Final Fantasy X. Unlike those two games, Ico fared poorly in the sales charts, despite its incredible graphics, great story and gameplay.

However, this was not the end, as 4 years later, the second game by "Team Ico", Shadow of the Colossus (SotC), was strongly promoted and achieved much better sales figures.

Now, Sony has breathed a second life into these games, thanks to this hi-def PS3 re-release.

Both games have been significantly enhanced in this PS3 remastery by Bluepoint Games (who also remastered the God of War Collection and the upcoming Metal Gear Solid 2 & 3 games), with the most important changes being:

+ 720p or 1080p @ 30fps framerate, with very little slowdown as found in the PS2 version during intense Colossus battles

+ Native widescreen support for Ico

+ Gameplay is ported from the European version, with the extra puzzle, weapon, and other small changes

+ Trophies! [16 for Ico, 31 for SotC]

+ 7.1 surround sound

+ Behind the scenes videos + 2 dynamic themes (yours to keep!)

+ Reversible cover insert containing original cover art for both games

= 3D support (but only at 720p, and framerate reduces down to 15fps during some of the battles in SotC)

Textures appear to be more detailed, but they still look blocky close up, and the polygons look the same

The menu/map in SotC is stretched on a widescreen TV, while the menu for Ico looks sharp and completely redone

I have already beaten Ico and the first few battles of SotC on PS2, and am finding this remake just as enjoyable, especially since there is virtually no slowdown even at 1080p. Do realize that both of these games are relatively short with limited replay value (

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Reviews of Batman: Arkham Asylum -Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:

First off, thank you Eidos for finally producing a comic book game that lives up to its source material! The graphics and character animations are nothing short of spectacular. Be sure to take a good long look at the Joker model from every possible angle, amazing detail all the way from the spats on his shoes to the holes in his tattered suit and on to his lifelike hair.... simply beautiful.

Another tip of the hat for bringing in the voice talent from the animated series. As far as I'm concerned, Mark Hamill is THE voice of the Joker and Kevin Conroy's menacing voice never has to resort to the sometimes ridiculous rasp that live-action actors insist on bringing to the role of Batman. Another big plus I haven't heard a single line of dialog repeated yet... not even from the generic thugs.

As for the gameplay, I'm loving the free-flowing fight system, very cinematic. I'm not very far into the game as yet, but the what I've played so far has been outstanding. All of the moves I'd hoped to see are there, not to mention those wonderful toys!

Now for the ugly... I wouldn't bother with the Collector's Edition unless you're a big fan, very disappointing. The game case is great... huge, but cool. My big issue is with the batarang, what a piece of plastic garbage!

When I first opened the box I thought the batarang had been damaged during packing, it seemed to be covered in random scratches. Upon closer inspection I realized that these scratches were intended to simulate a brushed metal surface. I'm pretty sure someone just takes it and runs it randomly over a belt sander before placing it in the box. As it stands, I'd be embarrassed to display it with my other memorabilia. I'll probably end up doing some work on it myself in order to make it display worthy.

The leather bound journal is also a bit disappointing, I was really hoping for a bunch of new artwork, but all that's there is illustrations and character bios from the game itself.

I'm hoping the "making of" DVD will compensate for the other weak extras, but unfortunately, I can't review it until I finish the game and avoid any spoilers.

To sum it up... BUY THE GAME!!!!... but buyer beware of the Collector's Edition.

p.s. Another big shout out to Amazon for their "deliver on date of release" shipping option. It was well worth the $5 and change to receive the game on its release date. I probably would have bought the game locally if they hadn't offered the option. Gotta love instant gratification!!

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Okay, so the game itself is Excellent!! Just buy the regular edition game. SAVE YOUR MONEY.

WARNING!!! Do NOT buy this special edition! This is the second worst special edition game I have ever bought. The Batarang is NOT made of metal, nor is it highly detailed, nor does it have any articulated accents!!! It IS however made out of horribly molded plastic and it is FUSED to an extremely cheap grey plastic base!!! To make matters worse, someone took a box cutter and scraped it up all over so it just looks like a complete piece of junk!!! It looks like they literally rubbed this plastic piece of garbage on the sidewalk too!!!

I saw this special edition at E3 and thought WOW!! They have pulled a complete switch on us, this is NOT the finely crafted Batarang they had in the display case.

I payed full price for this garbage too!! $100!!! That's $40 for a box (which is the best part sadly), a leather book with some pictures and this horrible horrible horrible excuse for a Batarang.

I am extremely disappointed. Just get the great game. The people who put this special edition together are jerks, thieves and ripoff artists.

Best Deals for Batman: Arkham Asylum -Xbox 360

Amazing game with an awesome story that fits nicely in Batman lore. Graphics are unbelievabely detailed right down to damage to the bat suit as you progress through the game. The slight collection side quest of Riddler trophies actually adds to the game rather than being frustrating like the collection sides in games like GTA.

I haven't even finished this game yet and am already looking forward to the next Batman game from Eidos. Just simply an amazing game.

My only very minor gripe is that there is a fair bit of back-tracking in the game, but unlike other games with a back-tracking issue this one fills the areas where you have already been witn new and sometimes tougher enemies. Still I'd rather continue on a different path to get to the next area than going back through the same rooms/paths I've already been on.

That is a seriously minor gripe though and like I said because the areas are repopulated with enemies it really isn't much of an issue at all.

All in all I was considering this as a rental because I'd heard it was pretty short, but got tired of finding the empty shelf at Blockbuster and went ahead and bought it and I'm really glad I did. Outstanding game worth every penny.

***EDIT***

I didn't realize I was on the Special edition when I decided to review the game. My review is for the Standard edition and solely on the game.

Honest reviews on Batman: Arkham Asylum -Xbox 360

I had been waiting for this game since I seen the previews for it a year ago and it was well worth the wait! First off 5 stars go toward the game itself, the collectors edition however gets 2. When I heard about the sweet 14 inch batarang that was going to come with it I was willing to spend the extra money thinking it would at least be a full fledged replica, sadly it is not. It's made out of what feels like ceramic not really a plastic at all and worst is the stand is permantly attached and feels like it will break if you even try to take it off. And even worse is the paint is crap, just solid black no silver on what would be the "blade". The only item I was pleased with other than the game itself was the leather bound journal which contains character bios and some really great artwork. Also included were downloadable crime ally challenge maps and since I got it at game stop I also got one called "dem bones" which features the scarecrow both of which I have yet to try. Anyways all that aside time to talk about the game. I picked it up at midnight last night but only got to play for 2 hours before I had to go to work and so far its been one of the best games I played on the 360. I'm a huge batman fan and I grew up with the animated series from the early 90's which I was hit with a great feeling of nostalgia when I heard Kevin Conroy as Batman, Mark Hamill as The Joker and Arlien Sorkin as the lovely Harley Quinn, I don't know yet if any of the other actors reprised their roles yet beside them. On that note, I'm in awe at what they have done with Batman's rogues gallery in terms of looks, Joker looks more like a twisted version of Jack Nicholson's Joker, Harley looks very sexy and this is how she should look if they make a sequel to The Dark Knight haha, Killer Croc is very intimidating and I can't wait to face him one on one, and The Scarecrow looks like a mix between a tagger and err... a scarecrow. Fanservice aside, Batman AA looks beautiful and really reminds me of Bioshock in terms of sheer details in buildings,character models, lighting, etc. I'm really glad the developers took their time in making this game. As for gameplay the perspective is over the shoulder just like RE 5 and Gears of War which I didn't like in games at first but after awhile I don't mind it as much. Combat is very very entertaining, its great to just get out numbers by some of The Jokers thugs and just clear the room with little effort (when unarmed that is). Attack buttons are hit, counter and stun. While it is easy to button mass on the x button the whole time, you won't get the most out of it as you would if you utilize all the moves in combat which is very easy to learn. Right now all Batman has is his trusty batarangs which can be used in a varitey of ways: stuning enemies, breaking locks and stuff like that and are also very useful during a fight. Certain parts of the game require you to do into detective mode which turns everything into a x-ray screen that can detect armed thugs and help with puzzles. A feature that I really loved was the grappling hook, with it batman can shoot from object to object without alerting anyone plus when an unlucky victim walks under you, you can repel down, get him in a choke hold and string him from the roof to set a trap for more bad guys. Arkham Asylum really gets a hold of all Bruce Wayne's qualities as a fighter and a detective and no other Batman game had ever succeded in doing this. So all of this is just a taste of what to expect I don't want to ruin too much for all of you, just go and buy it if you are a Batman fan or just rent it if you are looking one of the few good action games out there.

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The Game is good, am planning to trash the collectors items so i can make space for something else. I really can't complain as i got the collector's edition on a lighting deal for about 50 dollars.... If you are planning to buy the collectors edition, it is not worth the money, just go buy the game...

Review of NHL 10 - Xbox 360

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List Price: $24.99
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That title sounds like hyperbole, but it's true from my perspective. I love sports video games and hockey most of all, and I thought NHL 09 was the best hockey game ever...until NHL 10 came around. I have probably played hundreds of hours of NHL 09 over the past year, and this game does an excellent job of taking everything that was good about that game and making it even better. I don't see myself getting sick of it anytime soon.

As a caveat, I do not play online. This is a review based on my single-player experience, which is my preferred way to play.

While the changes in NHL 10 are in large part subtle refinements of NHL 09, this isn't just a roster update. The "Be a GM" mode formerly franchise mode has been completely overhauled to give you GM-specific challenges and rewards as you play through the seasons. A few other new game modes single playoff and single season modes, basically have been added as well.

The main improvements in my opinion are found in the on-ice gameplay, which has been enriched by the ability to control the aim on passes, board play, the new fighting engine, scuffles after the whistle, better goalie animations, and better AI. The game experience is completely customizable and there are slider pre-sets for arcade-like, simulation-like, and intermediate gameplay (intermediate is the default).

Professional reviews will be able to tell you a lot more about this game than I will, so let me just say that everything you love about NHL 09 has only been improved. It's rare to see an EA Sports development team that really delivers and works hard year-after-year, and this team does exactly that. You can tell that there is a real passion and desire among the developers to make the best hockey game possible. They did it last year, and they did it again.

I have not encountered the AI problems that the other reviewer did in playing this game in single-player mode. Perhaps I am just used to the way the game plays, or perhaps that reviewer needs to explore the create a play option to get better performance from his AI teammates.

If you like hockey, buy this game. If you love sports games (and don't HATE hockey), buy this game. I've been let down by EA Sports many, many times in the past (most recently with Madden 10). This game is nothing short of triumphant.

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nothing in this game has changed to much..only real different game play is fighting along the boards for the puck, (which you dont use to to much) and an actual fighting system which had many people scratching there heads in NHL 09 on how to fight. other then that gameplays seems about the same, i noticed shots from the point give more realistic chances for rebound goals then in 09.

another really great upgrade is the GM mode. wow...this almost gets complex. players have trade values, buyouts, teams have rumors of whos on the chopping block, you can put 3 players you want traded into the rumor mill, you can tell other teams what your looking for ex. offensive defense athelitic or draft picks.

its such an upgrade over last years, your general manager actually has a reputation,

anyway this is a good game, my review kinda rambled and went on longer then i wanted but if your a fan of the NHL EA series i would suggest buying this, no turn offs that i can see nothing drastic has changed. enjoy

Best Deals for NHL 10 - Xbox 360

NHL 10 is a fantastic game, and it's amazing to see how far hockey games have come over the years. The gameplay and controls take a bit of time to get used to, but once you do the NHL10 experience really is a lot of fun. The graphics are great, there are tons of teams to choose from, and the whole experience is a decent step forward from NHL 09.

One of the major gameplay upgrades I've noticed is that in NHL 09 interference penalties in front of your opponent's net were very common. Since 'check' and 'shoot' are both mapped to the right analog stick, if you were positioned in front of your opponent's goal trying to jam the puck in you would often end up getting an interference penalty for shoving a guy off the puck. This was VERY frustrating, but thankfully the problem is solved in NHL 10.

I play a decent amount of games online with one of my buddies, and it works great except for one situation. When we play in person, we like to play with the two of us against one CPU-controlled team. Unfortunately this isn't possible online. You can play against each other, or against another team of humans but there is no way to team up cooperatively against a CPU-controlled team. This is pretty much my biggest problem with an otherwise fantastic game.

Honest reviews on NHL 10 - Xbox 360

Let's start this review with this tip: If you ignore me and buy the game anyway, IMMEDIATELY turn off the in-game music. Thank me later.

Now, if you do have it and your game hasn't frozen by now just give it some time you've very likely noticed that some of the problems of NHL 09 still reside in NHL 10, and this iteration created a few of its own.

Offline Gameplay:

Essentially every game I play is like this: I drive the wing hard, look for someone to pass to heading to the net, don't find anyone, have to curl and pass it to the point. At the point, usually the other forwards are hanging out at the side of the net, on a smoke break and of no help when I blast a shot low for rebounds. Playing that way for a few games is as dull as reading this paragraph again. Go ahead, try it.

There's a double standard to this game. The defense AI (on superstar, anyway) is always covering my guys and it's not simple to get a pass through, whereas my defensive AI leaves people alone in front of the net. My offensive AI is rarely near the net, there AI is ALWAYS near the net (regardless of settings--the best I've found is to choose collapse).

The best setting I can come up with is crash the net and full attack, and even with this they are not as aggressive as the opponents AI.

Be A Pro Mode:

Be a Pro mode suffers from the same problem, although my impression is that your teammates were far more useful in that mode this year. In NHL 09, you had to dictate every pass and shot, otherwise you'd never get anything done in Be a Pro. However, based on more games played in this mode, it's darn near unplayable, except for as a goalie.

Let's Pause for A Second:

To reply to the user about create a play: I know all about it. And unfortunately it's a must. You have to go to these pre-assigned circles in order to get your team to do what they should do when you tell them to "crash the net." It's a problem to me when the opponent's AI does it automatically, and I have to sit around making plays and it's of little use on the rush, as your teammates are always 3-5 strides behind.

Further Gameplay Discussion:

Sometimes, for added frustration in the game, before even getting the zone, when I lead my passes as I'm heading to the blueline, my teammate AI just stops. They are letting me know they've got better things to do. Or they are afraid of the blue line?

Moving on to other problems, we have a faulty neutral zone AI. The computer will pass the puck for sometimes 1015 seconds back and forth through the neutral zone looking for a hole to open up. When they finally cross the blue line, they are apt to pass the puck indefinitely wing to D, D to wing, wing back to D, D back to wing, wing back to D unless you get out of position to attack. Once you do that, since your defense AI is lacking and likes to guard spaces instead of players, you'll get scored on with a wide open one-timer, because their forwards are always around the net. Must be nice.

Other problems, so far, include pucks sliding through my body and stick when I dive, nearly every poke check is a tripping penalty for me (solution to this is holding down the left trigger forces your player to face opposition better), and near perfect stick-lift abilities from the AI (Superstar-Normal mode).

What's "new?":

Talking about the new features: On the plus side, the board play adds a little to this game. Instead of either checking someone along the boards or sliding off, now you can pin someone for a few moments either in a fight for the puck or to keep them out of the play (don't hold on too long, or you'll get called for interference). There is a problem with this feature though, because even if you are past someone, they can still pin you to the boards. Most refer to that as a "magnet" effect, and it needs fixing (a perfect excuse for NHL 11!).

Also, on the good side, it's more enjoyable to play as a goalie, as you can now make a "spread eagle" move and a "windmill move" (stacked pads on one side, then you throw your legs in the air and stack pads on the other). Also, you don't automatically hug the posts anymore when you are pressed to either side, which was a nuisance to me last year.

So, What Should You Do?

For me, this is an online game only, as a forward, just as NHL 09 was. The EASHL (EA Sports Hockey League) is where you get to play with a character you create, along with up to 11 other people (each playing a position). So, all of the problems with the AI (not going to the net, passing in the neutral zone forever) are gone. Only to be replaced by people who really don't know where they are suppose to be if you don't join a good team -so join a good team!

My hope is that this update of NHL 09 has removed most of the cheats that were around in 09's online play (curve shot, wrap around, so on) without adding new ones of its own. Time will tell on that and I have my doubts, but what I can say immediately about online play is EA's desire to take every dollar you have will very soon turn me off as a customer. I paid for the game. Give me the whole game.

This season, EA has introduced special equipment "booster packs" you can buy for your Be a Pro player. These "booster packs" make your player better than the other people on line, by increasing your speed or other attributes. In other words, you are getting better not because you are improving (when you did well in NHL 09, you would get player cards that would let you increase your skills this is still in NHL 10) but because you paid to be better.

If You Only Have Time, Read This!:

For now, NHL 10 is fun for me only as an online game. But, as I fight against more people with these artificially better players, if this is the path EA wants to tread, I'm not sure how much longer I'll be playing.

So, should you buy NHL 10? If you are going to play this in a season mode on your own, offline, I'd say no. If you are going to play online, I say rent it, see how much fun you have, and go from there. If you don't get around to buying it, it's not as though there won't be an NHL 11 or an NHL 110 down the road. And since it looks like the NHL2K series is done for now (rumored to be no NHL2K11), it's either this or bust.

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No hockey video game seems to be as memorable as the ones I played on Sega Genesis. Still, this one is fun for a while.

Review of Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes

Customer Ratings:

I can't please everybody with one review, so I'm gonna give you two:

Never Played The Original PS-one Title?

---"This is the game that created stealth gaming as we know it. The emphasis is on avoiding the enemies to reach your objectives, though enemy contact is sometimes unavoidable and will result in some bloody gunfights. There are creative boss battles, each vastly different from each other. Simply put, this game never runs out of ideas to keep the experience fresh. Like the great "God of War" or "Zelda" titles, it's an epic game, but not so big that it's overwhelming it's got just the perfect balance of familiarity and discovery. The basic story is that six terrorists have taken over a nuclear weapons base in Alaska, and a retired covert operative named Solid Snake is sent to stop the crisis. Make no mistake, this plot is one hell of a labyrinth. This story goes from double crosses and political intrigue, to figurative subjects like the nature of love and the ethics of genetic research. Also, even though this is the third game in the 'Metal Gear' franchise, the game includes summaries of the first two 'Metal Gear' games. However, I hadn't played those, and found this game just as easy to follow. You will be doing more watching than playing, but both are experiences like no other. Give it a rental, as this game is only 8 hours tops, and see what you think."

{For more info, skip to the end of the review}

Already Finished The Original PS-one Title?

---"This game is identical to the original in almost every way. The levels design hasn't changed at all, although the graphics are much prettier. The written dialogue is pretty much the same, however the new voice-acting make it feel less forced. The cutscenes are the biggest change, as fight choreography and cinematography are given a breath-taking facelift. As many have said, the story from the first MGS merges with the gameplay of MGS 2: Sons of Liberty. Unfortunately, this makes the game much easier to beat, which is the only reason I'm giving this game an overall 4-Star rating. But that's a small price to pay, because this is a proper tribute to the PS-one classic's gripping story and innovative gameplay. In short, 'The Twin Snakes" isn't different enough in order to guarantee a purchase for the skeptical, but it's defintely worth a rental even if you've already beaten it."

FOR THE NEW PLAYERS

Original versions

"Metal Gear Solid" (PSone, 1999) and (PC, 2001)

"Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty" (PS2, 2001)

"Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater" (PS2, 2004)

"Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots" (PS3, 2007 we hope!)

New versions of the old titles

"Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes" (Cube, 2004)

"Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance" (PS2/X-Box/PC, 2002)

"Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence" (PS2, 2006)

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Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes is the remake to Konami's Playstation smash hit Metal Gear Solid where we were reintroduced to our favorite super spy of the 1980's Solid Snake. In both the original and Silicon Knight's remake, Solid Snake is pulled out of retirement and sent to a nuclear test base in Antartica called "Shadow Moses" to stop a bunch of geneticly enhanced super soldiers from unleashing the new Metal Gear. Along the way Snake is going to meet up with some people from previous missions, make new allies, and unravel a conspiracy far beyond Snake's comprehention.

Twin Snakes is straight up one of the most action packed games I played, even though you are supposed to rely more on stealth then fighting. However, you will find yourself taking on a tank with grenades, crossing a minefield, repeling down a wall while being fired at by a Hind chopper which you will later be shooting rockets at, fist fights, a massive firefight going up a large tower, and the most intense sniper shootout protrayed in any video game. Obviously you will be doing more than this, but I think I caught your attention by now =]

So the story is told, so how does the game play fair up? The basic idea behind MGS: TS is this: You run around using your enviroment to your advantage, such as pressing against a wall or crawling under a table, to avoid being seen. You have guns, like the SOCOM pistol or the FAMAS machine gun, but in all reality those are supposed to be used as a last resort. Anyway, when you approach a guard you can grab him and snap his neck, when he falls you can grab his body and hide it in a locker or other various areas. If you wish, you can go into first person mode, aim with your weapon and shoot out a camera or a guard in his head.. its really up to you. You get grenades too chaff (which jams electric devises) and stun (which knocks out enemies for a short period of time). Also, you can do a small melee combo, which at first, doesn't look like much but I guarentee you will use it almost constantly when in tight spots.

From the original, pixalated Playstation version, Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes looks almost life like with fluid motions both in-game and in FMV sequences, realistic (for the most part) physics, and some of the best graphics I have ever seen thanks to Silicon Knight's hardwork and Nintendo's awesome Gamecube system. Everything looks magnificent, and at the same time, dark, lonley, and terrifying. The character models look so real its hard to tell if its simply a video game, and that goes double time for Snake & all the bosses he fights. The codec sequences seem a little corny, that same as it was back in the original, so that sorta sucks.. but oh well.

Musically speaking, this game has one of the best scores I have heard in a video game. It is just very catchy, and always adds elements to the atmosphere. Ontop of that, the sound effects are awesome as well. Each guard lets out a satisfying scream when he is either shot or beaten up, and the guns sound virtually like their real life counter parts. The voice acting is superb; David Hayter did an excellent job on Snake.. the same goes for the rest of the cast.

You can unlock things too, depending on what you do during the torture scene with Ocelot. If you give in and let Meryl die, then at the end of the game, Otacon will give you a stealth suit. If you insisted on enduring the torture to let Meryl live, then you are rewarded with a special bandana that gives you unlimited ammo. Also, if you take certain pictures with your camera you are given the chance to see the "ghosts" of the creators of the game in the pictures. There are other unlockables, but I will let you find them yourself.

But no game comes without some sort of flaw. Two major problems I have with MGS: TW is the excessive amount of talking (but thats found in EVERY Metal Gear game.. so we can't blame Silicon Knights) and in the movie sequences, Snake does almost impossible moves. For instance, when he first meets up with Meryl, she shoots at him with a FAMAS Snake quickly does a flip in matrix mode and the bullets miss him.. sort of lame.

To wrap it up, you need to buy & play Twin Snakes. It is, by far, the best Metal Gear game in the series. It is even better than the original.

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Ok. If you played the Original MGS you need to buy this now. There's added stuff and improved graphics. If your new to the Metal Gear stuff, just ask yourself "Do I like Stealth/Action Games?" If you answer yes...Buy it you fool! A MUST HAVE FOR THE GAME CUBE OWNERS!

Honest reviews on Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes

youll always have those that retest remakes of great classics, but why? the visuals of MGS1 for PS1 are poor..this is a full blown remake of Metal Gear Solid 1, one of the best MGS games, one of the best games of all time. Unless you are anti good graphics, or anti gamecube, you cannot pass this up simply put. Everyone should play this game once, this is the pinnacle of gaming right here. 5 stars.

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The idea of remaking one of the most beloved games of the 32/64 bit generation was bold, to say the least. However, with a Tri-Force of fantastic talent, the creative geniuses as Konami (Metal Gear Solid), Silicon Knights (Eternal Darkness), and Nintendo (video games as we know them) let their powers combine to recreate a masterpiece of both story and gameplay, even going so far as to draft an action movie director to bring the game's dramatic cinemas up to date. Many thought that, even with the obvious talent available, the taks of recreating the magic of Metal Gear Solid was too monumental to ever be accomplished. They were wrong.

Popping the disk into my cubular Nintendo system and beginning the now-familiar quest to rid the island of Shadow Moses of those naughty super-terrorists proved to elicit the same magic that it did when I first played the game on the Playstation. The plot, the characters, the action, all were as great as I rememberd them, and even more so in places. With the help of new gameplay mechanics, re-directed cinemas, and a complete graphical overhawl, this game feels comfortingly familiar without being tired.

Firstly, the graphics are easily some of the best on any game released for the GameCube, or any game this generation for that matter. Throughout, they handiliy hold their own against the acclaimed Metal Gear Solid 2, and in some places (particularly when it comes to face detail, physics, and animation), they completely blow MGS 2 away. Gone are the clustered pixels that served for eyes and mouths in the original. In the place of the then-astounding but now-dated character polys are incredibly detailed models, each with texture, style, and a hint of humanity in their eerily realistic eyes. In addition, weather effects, like the snow in the opening of the second area, now look a hundred times better, with more detailed environments both inside and out. There are a few textures here and there that look a little blurry, but overall, everthing is crips, clean, and purddy as h*ll.

The newly redone real-time cinemas substantially add to the look of the game, both in quality and style. Even measuring them against the high standard set by MGS 2, these are true works of art that stand unequaled in their field today. The animation and detail make the viewer somtimes wonder wheather or not these are truly real-time, or instead are the more detailed (and more expensive) Full Motion Video scenes favored by the likes of Final Fantasy. However, all is done with the existing game engine, which stands as both a testament to the architecture of the engine that Silicon Knights built for this game, and the talented crew at Konami who made the cinemas.

The central figure of Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes is its story, as well it should be, as such a wonderful narrative rarely strikes the cinema, let along the world of video games. With its intricate turns, palpable emotion, stunning revelations, and numerous double-crossings, Metal Gear Solid's narrative had to be told well for both the veterans and rookies who would experience it. The new cut scenes do just that, making what was old new again, giving the familiar plot points a fresh coat of paint, as it were. Sometimes, new action scenes altogether appear, and are so gorgeously coreographed and stylishly presented that they'll have you muttering "Matrix-who?" on several occasions.

Finally, a game, no matter how good looking, lives or dies by its gameplay. The mechanics of Metal Gear Solid raised bars, set standards, and blew minds when they were first revealed in 1998, and it speaks of their quality that they hold up so well today. Solid Snake, super-spy extraordinare, must sneak into and through the nuclear weapons disposal facility on Shadow Moses, and though he can handle himself in a fight, it's far better (and a good deal more fun) to slip past the guards unnoticed. That's not easy. They're smart, even more intelligent than they were in the first game, with better sight, hearing, and more thorough seaching methods. However, added to Snake's original move set are some actions that were first seen in Metal Gear Solid 2, such as hanging from ledges, aiming and shooting in first-person, dragging and hiding guards, and hiding yourself in lockers.

This is something of a double-edged sword as far as working the new gameplay elements into the title. Foremost, the lay of Shadow Moses hasn't changed much at all, making the inclusion of these new abilities rather questionable. Where would we use them. The answer to which is "Wherever the heck you want." Twin Snakes puts the power in the hands of the gamer to play the game how they want to, which is a refreshing change from the customary hand-holding and linear nature of the original. There are times when the game is made more difficult by these inclusions (particularly in the case of the new bullet-proof shield-bearing guards), but more difficulty in this case is welcome. The original game could be downright easy on the, even on the Normal setting, but even the Easy mode in Twin Snakes will offer a decent challenge to both rookies to the series and veterans of the original.

Last, but not least, is the soundtrack. This is a rather hot topic, as it were, as the main theme of Metal Gear Solid is unrecognizable in The Twin Snakes. Some purists would cry fould that such a masterpiece wasn't left alone. However, though its nostalgic value is missed, the existing music fits the new game's presentation like a glove, and stands toe-to-toe with its grandaddy in terms of quality.

All in all, this is the best version of one of the best games of a generation. It has aged spectacularly well, with both its narrative AND gameplay being as impressive today as they were in 1998. However, even this is not enough. We also have more gameplay, new cinemas to tell the fantastic story, and a general polish that makes a game six years old feel as new as it did when it was first released. That, ladies and gentlemen, is no mean feat.

With polish, detail, and gameplay that few games even today can boast of, Twin Snakes excels at its task and meets some high expectations, and starts the gaming year with a memorable "bang." This game deserves both respect and purchasing, and it deserves them now.

Review of XBRdepot eXtreme Complete Drill-free Uniclamp (TM) Essentials Kit

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $14.99
Today's Bonus: 50% Off

Fixed two machines, no issues. Cheaper than buying a new XBox. Just make sure you are using it for the right diagnosis codes.

And the email customer service was awesome, quick, and accommodating!

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I tried this and used it to the T according to the instructions. It was a total waste of time but not sure if that was due to the xbox or this kit. If I had to do it again, I'd use the money on a new xbox and wouldn't have thrown it down the drain with this kit.

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First off if you are gonna go through an upgrade like this you have to ask yourself first is it worth it? If your Xbox is still under warranty then no it is not worth it unless you enjoy tinkering around with projects like this. Second, if you are not familiar with opening an Xbox 360 and the internal parts then you need to sit down first and Google this stuff and get a good competent background and orientation so you have a good idea of what is involved. This project will take probably 2 to 3 hours depending on numerous different factors.

As for my experience with installation, it was pretty frustrating. Now I'm not sure if there would be an easier way to install these parts and I don't have any better ideas but certain aspects of the installation really annoyed and frustrated me. It is very tedious and you need to have a lot of patience. I followed the instructions which didn't even come with the product (it had a sheet with a website where I had to go to for the instructions) perfectly. After all was said and done I got everything put back together and when I turned on my newly upgraded Xbox, I unfortunately got the 3rrod. Took every back apart to adjust the uniclamp a little because supposedly from what I have read, the trick to getting the uniclamp to work is you have to have equal pressure all across the clamp which is very frustrating regardless of technique. I tweaked and tested till I got it to boot up without a hitch and then after I put back everything once more I booted it back up only to find 3rrod again.

After 3 more days of tweaking and testing and trying every possible way I could think of, I could not get it to boot up properly again after that one time. In fact I even got 3 different 3rrod codes throughout this installation process. Eventually I gave up and luckily they were having a black friday sale on Xbox 360 slims so I went ahead and just purchased one of those for pretty darn cheap.

In short mine could just have been a problem waiting to happen regardless, can't really say now but if you have an Xbox that is out of warranty and has 3rrod I would suggest re-flowing the chips if you are familiar with that and then trying this kit out to see if you can get it going again. Good Luck.

Best Magic the Gathering: Duels of the Planewalkers - PC Deals

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $195.99
Sale Price: $93.99
Today's Bonus: 52% Off

I began playing the card game several years ago, and when the PC software came out, I knew I had to have it. I have just about worn mine out playing it over and over again. I would say it is a must have game, but since the online version was released they have shown no interest in upgrading this version. Therefore, if you are running Windows 2000 or XP, or plan to upgrade soon then you are out of luck as far as enjoying this marvelous game. I recently upgraded to XP and now I wish I hadn't. Only the oline version works on a newer OS, but you have to buy electronic cards. This really ..., especially for those of us who started out playing the original game and spent hundreds of dollars on the cards already.

In closing, the game is awesome and if you have Windows 95/98 and plan to stick with that OS for a while then definitely add this to your gaming collection. Windows 2000 & XP users, on the other hand, are just out of luck!

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Look, if you guys do not have the game, it is not nice to keep it posted that you will have it in. Either supply Duel of the Planeswalkers, or take it off your page and stop wasting our time and taking advantage of us and our hopes to get a hold of that game.

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"Duel of the Planeswalkers" is a GREAT game. It was released in 1998 AFTER the initial release of "Magic the Gathering" (for PC) and the expansion pack "Spells of the Ancients". "Duel of the Planeswalkers" includes BOTH of the initial releases and also allows you to play online or via LAN. There are even a few "cards" that were designed specifially for playing on the PC... you will never find this in an actual MTG deck, they have random effects assigned by the computer when you play them!

My biggest complaint about MTG the CARD game was that it was impossible to keep up with all the rules... banned cards... and if I use this card with that card in this particular circumstance this will happen... MIND boggling problems. Its true MTG was the "father" of all other card games since 1992, and most are a far cry from MTG... but trying to seriously play and keep up on every expansion set was insane!! THUS MTG Duel of the Planeswalkers was born and is the answer to every "causal" MTG player's Prayers.

My 2 complaints about this game are as follows:

1) On today's 1.5+ Gigahertz machines this game needs to be slowed down if you play the "single player" theme game. Not a problem at all during actual DUELS, but in the "Shandalar" world everything moves WAY too fast. No big deal, just find a CPU reducer utility on the internet. Older machines might not have a problem in the "Shandalar" area, but might bog down in the middle of a duel where over 20 cards are on the "table". The CPU really has to do some massive computing to figure out it's next move.... (newer machines DON'T have this problem!)

2) This game hasn't been updated/added on to since 1998... great game... an expansion would be exquisite!

I have yet to take advantage of the online/lan playability... and I wonder if anyone is STILL playing this online... I'm not sure.

It's 2003 and I still find myself going back to this game... fun to play, easy to walk away from when necessary, no long term monatary investment.

If you are a casual player or fan of Magic the Gathering, this game is an excellent purchase. Serious players might find the game slightly old and outdated... but may yet enjoy it.

Honest reviews on Magic the Gathering: Duels of the Planewalkers - PC

With the release of the new MTG Online game and the ludicrous rarity of this older version of the game, you might wonder why you should even be looking for this at all. The good and bad news is that this game was originally released without an online option, so it came with a LOT of fourth edition cards. When it was re-released (still a few years back) with an online option (which is what this item is, the re-release), they still kept the plethora of cards intact, and the game is a lot of fun. Unlike the nee Online version, you won't get bored too quickly and have to PAY for new cards almost right off the bat. You get the game, the action and can build some cool decks with some old school Magic cards.

However.

The game flew so far under the radar that even if you can actually find a copy of this, you probably won't find anyone online to play with now and will have to resolve yourself to playing against the computer. There was an expansion set that was released for this ("Spells of the Ancients"; 2 more themed sets), but it's almost as hard to find as the game itself.

In the end, you're left with a game that's GREAT for beginners of Magic (it automates all of the turns and asks your permission along the way so you get to learn the flow of the game) or for old heads who want a low-impact version of the game to put on a computer that may not be stocked with vast amounts of hardware or memory. I played it on a pretty stripped down laptop to completely adequate effect.

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Magic: the Gathering has always been a great CCG... far and away the favorite of the handful I've tried. This software allows you to play the game against the computer or friends in a network, building any decks you want from it's stock of several hundred cards. It's awesome to have that kind of freedom without having to pay for it... the cards in this game are from the first sets of cards released, so any deck you build would no doubt cost you thousands of dollars if you tried to recreate it in real life! That's the main reason I loved this game, it let me indulge in the strategy of Magic without turning it into a game of who-has-the-bigger-wallet, which would oftentimes happen in the real game. The interface is quite full-featured and facilitates quick play. The game has a handful of other features too... like a humourously archaic face editor to create your wizardly visage, a video tutorial featuring people in funny costumes, and a simple adventure mode where you run around collecting cards to battle the ultimate evil fiend. Banzai!

This game isn't without it's problems, though. This is a Windows 95 game, which means newer operating systems may have trouble running it (as usual, Compatibility Mode is useless). Also, the computer's AI is far from perfect, making what many would consider awful mistakes even on the highest difficulty. There are a lot of cards in this game, but seeing as how a lot came out for this game after 5th edition (the latest set this game covers), people who also play MtG or MtG Online may wish the sets were updated.

The Verdict:

For fans of Magic and other collectible card games, I have to recommend this one. You won't find anywhere ekse where you can play Magic, against others, with the deck of your design for $40. If you're a fan of CCGs and not a fan of the price (like I am), this is your ticket. I kindof wished they'd kept making expansions like this, but once WotC realized how cool it was they decided they were going to make Magic the Gathering Online and charge people for cards.

Pros:

+Full featured MtG action

+Deck editor with 800 cards you don't have to pay for

+Online and offline play

Cons:

-It's an old game

-Doesn't include newer cards

-AI is servicable, but never good

Buy Riven: The Sequel to Myst - PC/Mac

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List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $17.70
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Riven is a visual masterpiece. Set in a beautifully rendered world of still images and animated cut scenes, Riven takes you through an intriguing story and wonderfully creative places. Riven isn't just a pretty game though... it is composed of challenging (and often frustrating) interactive puzzles that must be solved to complete the game.

If you've played games like the 7th Guest, or Myst, you'll find Riven challenging. If you've never played any puzzle-based games before, you'll find Riven insanely hard. If you are not familiar with interactive puzzles, I would highly recommend starting with Myst. Not only is it easier and almost as beautifully rendered as Riven, but it'll do a great job priming you for the more difficult puzzles you'll encounter in this game.

While I cannot praise the creators of Riven enough for the depth of their creativity, I cannot recommend this game to just anyone. Riven is perfect for the avid puzzle solver, but much too difficult for the casual game player. Younger children (and most teens) may lose interest in this game very quickly, as the puzzles will often stop a player dead in their tracks until they can muster up the brainpower to figure them out. If you're looking for action, this isn't the place you'll find it.

On the other hand, Riven contains no violence, and is definitely a game that will make you think. You can't say that about many games these days, which is one of the reasons why this game is perfectly suited for a more cognitive crowd.

Riven gets four out of five stars because I believe that some puzzles may be out of the reach of most people without the use of a hint book. Regardless of this drawback, it's one of the best games in it's class... and I highly recommend it.

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Pros:

1. Graphics that are fantastically detailed, intricate, and achingly beautiful. Some astonishing joy rides. Sound effects and music approach perfection.

2. Gameplay is wonderfully balanced. You are never bored, and only occasionally frustrated by the harder puzzles. All the puzzles are logical, and give you a great feeling of accomplishment when you solve them. There is a vast area to explore while you are figuring things out. You turn a corner, and startle mysterious creatures who are sunning themselves on a rock. You climb up another path, turn, and the view makes you gasp.

3. Riven creates a fantasy world that is alien; yet it evokes a sense of reality that is, in my experience, unparalleled in computer gaming. I wish I could find a way to live in Riven.

Cons:

1. If you like exploring new worlds by dashing through them and shooting things, you may find that the pace of this particular game is too slow.

2. While the storyline is intriguing, it is possible to nearly finish Riven before discovering the diaries that further explain the plot. I wish I had known more of the background of the story a little sooner in the game.

3. Riven is so immersive that you forget the everyday world. Your children will wonder why you haven't cooked dinner. Your friends will speculate as to why you have stopped answering the phone. Your spouse will become jealous of your relationship with a computer game (easiest solution: play it together).

Bottom Line: IMHO, this game is IT, the Numero Uno, the King. Nobody's made one better.

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... I had no clue what I was doing, was hopelessly stuck, and was in general LOST. But then the other day it started coming together for me. I started figuring out what I needed to do and what the nature of the puzzles were. They're not all in one place as in you have to pass one to get to another.

Yes, the graphics are lovely, the sound effects are dead-on REAL, the music (when it appears) is fitting. But it's how different this is from everything else I've ever played! Though I was sooo lost at first, now I'm having a blast and don't want it to end.

To play Riven you have to be OBSERVANT, patient, and tireless. Don't be in a hurry to finish or you'll just get frustrated like I did and will give up before even getting into it. If that sounds like you then this game is IT. It works on your mind like few other computer games do and you really really have to think to get it.

If you like being around other characters, violence, and fast action, or archade style games, don't even spend a dime on Riven. If you like being able to completely explore a world without barriers save logistic ones, puzzle-solving, using your powers of observation then RUN and get this cuz you'll love it!

For those out there playing it or thinking of playing it, I recommend taking notes (you'll know when) and making several copies of games as you go. As in use your "Save as" command. Not like you'll get stuck irrevocably as in other games but it makes it easier to go back and look at something you missed as you proceed.

Minuses are that I wish there was more constant music in the background since it's lovely music. It seems to come and go when you enter certain area. And that the transitions from screen to screen were a bit smoother in places. But that's it. Reason I didn't give it 5 stars is cuz I'm not done yet :)

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Riven is a worthy sequel to Myst, and takes the Myst "mystique" to another level with five new worlds and an expanded story line. The brilliantly realized environments and mood-setting soundtrack draw you in immediately and keep you there until the sun comes up. Riven is not for gamers with short attention spans--simply navigating and charting the accessible areas of the Age of Riven take patience and time, and solving what I would characterize as the two major puzzles requires all of the intelligence and tenacity one can muster. As some reviewers have said, having played Myst first is helpful background to have, but this is not because the puzzles of Riven are similar to those of Myst, but because Myst will acquaint you with how the creators conceive puzzles, and heighten your sensitivity to factors in the environment that bear noting and investigating. I gave Riven 4 stars, rather than 5, for two reasons: (a) one of the major puzzles is sound-based, and after some long and frustrating efforts at solving it on my own, I obtained some hints on the internet and found that the solution required matching up particular sounds from the game that, in fact, simply did not match up (at least not in the version that I bought); and (b) one other crucial clue is a tiny, blurry image. In these respects, I felt that the creators did not play fair. Two other points:(i) contrary to what some have said, it is indeed possible to lose this game and meet an untimely end, so be careful out there, and (ii) recognize that the CD-Rom version is on 5 discs, which need to be changed every time you travel from one world to another--if you have a DVD-Rom player, by all means spring for the DVD version, which consists of one disc.

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What more can I say that hasn't already been said about this incredible game. I'm not into computer games and only bought this because the store wouldn't give me a refund on a returned item. It sat on the shelf, unopened, for a month then I opened the box and my life wasn't the same for the next week (or so).

The immediate thing I liked about Riven was its first person perspective no figure or character to control just an environment to explore as if you were really there. Secondly, there's no instruction or rule book. This game doesn't patronize the user you are dropped into a strange and exotic world and it's up to you to discover why you're there and what you have to do. It's this journey of discovery that's so addictive. The superior quality of the graphics and sound just add to the effect you MUST play Riven with the lights turned down and with a decent pair of headphones (I literally jumped out of my chair when my partner tapped me on the shoulder!)

I would also suggest avoiding the online hint sites the thrill of Riven is solving the puzzles after being stumped for hours when you crack the solution to entering the Moiety Age (Circle of Stones) it'll make the hair on the back of your neck stand up.

If you read a lot, you'll love this game. It requires thought and concentration and patience take plenty of notes, examine everything, including the notebooks (there's a lot of reading in Riven). Those with short attention spans will get bored with Riven very quickly, but for me, I lived and breathed its world for hours (much to the annoyance of my partner). The solution to one of the puzzles came to me whilst shopping!

One final note play Myst first. It's a bit of a letdown after Riven, and it will prime you for this superior sequel.

Next up: Myst III: Exile I cannot wait!

Loons, Fight for Fame Reviews

Customer Ratings:

Make sure you see this in person before you spend the bucks to buy it...much more juvenile than even the description leads you to believe. A very "simple" game that is more chaos than anything.

Basically, you run around one screen wacking all of your opponents while listening to Yosemite Sam bark orders in the background. Your goal is not to lose your "star power" by getting wacked by others. You gain "star power" by being the first to run to the location spouted by the director.

The main reason I bought this game was because it sounded like it might be a good multiplayer game (why are most good games single player??); even this falls short there. It is only fun running around the same room for about 10 minutes before you get bored.

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This game is simply spectacular in the way of graphics. Never have I seen something so close to an interactive cartoon. It is a pleasure to watch the game. Unfortunately, playing it isn�t so great. It is a typical run-around-and-smack-people-over-the-head-with-various-objects-type game. It is too repetitive and predictable for the older audience, and a bit to complex for the younger kids. I would recommend not purchasing this game unless you have rented it and really like it. It might be worth having around the house if you can get it used at a good price, though.

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Loons is cartoon fighting in a small space. The characters look good,but watching a Bugs Bunny cartoon is more fun.

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This game stays true to the characters and is great fun for kids (and parents!).

You play on stages at a studio. There is a saloon, a labratory, beach, and more.

Fun ways to nail your opponent, just like the cartoons! Your weapon hanges with the new stage you are on. Some are anvils, huge mallets, pan, axe, bone, electricity, bubble gun, bombs, pumpkin shooter, bee hive, a mini storm, flame thrower.

There are not many games on XBOX that are kid friendly. This one hits the mark!

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Here's another Loon-license game. Nice graphics, no overview in multiplayer mode, boring single player mode and difficult character control. I don't know what made me buy that game. If you're a loons fan you may buy it, but don't come banging on my door for your fourty bucks.

Cheap Assassin's Creed Protector Skin Decal Sticker for Xbox 360 Slim (1

Customer Ratings:

I loved this Skin Decal Sticker! I didn't have much trouble applying it to my 360 or the controllers.

The stickers haven't started peeling off or anything. My main controller has a little bit of wear on the right bottom side where my hand stays but it's not much to really complain about!

The only reason that I didn't give this 5 stars is because of the design on the controller stickers. one of them you can hardly tell is AC related. But I still love it and I would buy it all over again because I'm a hardcore Assassin's Creed fan!!

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Cheap Ear Force HPA2 5.1 Surround PC Gaming Headset

Customer Ratings:

I can't believe how "right" Turtle Beach got these. It is rare that a manufacture actually makes a product that does everything exactly right.

True 5.1 sound in headphones without cheesy DSP or simulation.

Does NOT use it's own crappy USB based sound card. So it works on ANY system. (no drivers needed)

They place the 'mic' sound right in the middle of your head using the center channel speakers...so it doesn't kill the stereo and surround sound when talking.

They are VERY cozy. Wore for over 4 hours with no complaints.

They don't block outside noise so much that you can't hear your phone ring.

The mic is very clean sounding.

The mini amp is USB powered! With separate channel controls in case your computer 5.1 audio sucks and doesn't let you set levels.

When watching Blurays I get about 85% of the sound with these that I get with my full blown $8,000 home theater system. I am not kidding. Put these on, watch any Michael Bay movie. You'll poo your pants.

BUY THESE IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR 5.1 HEADPHONE MOVIE WATCHING OR GAMING.

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Let me start by telling you what headsets I actually tried out before I ended up with this one, also, I have a Creative Sound Blaster X-fi Fatality Platinum Champion edition, so my sound card is not an issue at all...anyway, here's my story:

First, I bought the Tritton AX 51 Pro, which, if you read my review, was not that great. With the AX 51 Pro, I had a lot of issues with the surround sound, directional sound was out of place, I played COD4 and Crysis, both games sounded terrible, enemies trying to flank me from the left sounded like they were coming from my back, also, in-game com. was useless, there was so much distortion, I could barely hear anything, the sound quality was simply horrible. Music sounded awful as well, the bass, no matter how much I tweaked it, did not sound good at all. The trebs both in games and in music where not crisp at all, it was very scratchy in a way? not sure how to explain it. Anyway, I returned the headset to amazon the next day after I got it.

I decided to give Tritton another chance, thinking that I probably got a low quality headset or a low end headset from their line of products, so I go the Tritton AX PRO from Why Costco? One reason only, I could take the headset back to my local warehouse right away if I didn't like it and get a full refund right away. Also, amazon did not have them in stock. Anyway, I tried them with an optical cable, not the one provided with the set though, I bought my own, a 8 foot toslink from amazon; so I tried them and I got the same result as the AX 51 Pro., same awful sound, same distortion, same issues.

Now, I forgot to mention that a few headsets were on my list together with the Trittons, I had the Logitech's G15 and the Astros, both with emulated surround sound, they both use Dolby's technology, but I thought, well, if I have a good sound card that supports Dolby, why not try true surround sound first, instead of emulated (fake)?. I'm glad I did, at the end I decided to give Turtle Beach a go and I can NOT be more satisfied with my purchase, and here's why:

I found out that this Turtle Beach headset has four 40mm drivers!!(speakers) in each ear cup. Let me explain, before I tried the Trittons, I was using my good old Sony MDR-V6 headset that have two 40mm drivers, one on each cup, and which I must say, sounded quite decent in games and VERY good with music, but of course, they were using Dolby Live from my sound card for surround sound, not truly 5.1 sound, but good enough. Anyway, two factors influenced my decision to try Turtle Beach; one, I had a pair of Turtle Beach X1s long long ago, when they were first out and quite pricey, I loved them, but they broke after endless abuse from my gaming nights...two, I simply wanted to give it a try, having had an old pair before, I thought, why not? plus the 40mm driver thing really caught my attention...

Now, the Turtle Beach HPA2PC headset, WOW, simply wow! Bass sounds nice and deep, trebs are crisp, crisp, so clean I can't believe it. Surround sound in games is awesome, I tried them with COD4 and Crysis, and the sound was amazing. Directional sound is on spot, one may want to lower the bass, but I don't, I like deep, solid explosions. The headset comes with standard connections (3mm jack) for your sound card, an inline control pod that tweaks the bass, center, front and surround levels and a master volume knob that turns the headset off. I tried some music, 50 cent's pimp and Cypress Hill's Illusions, the sound was great. Bass again, was deep and solid. I'm so happy for two reasons, one, I saved a ton of cash, the Tritton run for 160 plus bucks and the Astros a whopping 250 plus tax and shipping!!! I can't put into words how great the this Turtle Beach headset sounds, it is both an eye opening and a true money saver,simply great.

A couple of issues I have with this headset is, the inline volume/control pod, does not have any sort of sticky feet to put it on your desk, etc. What I did was, I removed the cable clip and replaced it closer to the pod, so the pod does not fall accidentally to the ground and instead is closer to me when I'm playing. The other issue is, the pods controls are not lit, they are completely dark, so before I start gaming, I have to make sure I have the right levels on my bass, etc. Or I also turn a my desk lamp on, in case I have to tweak them. All in all, these issues, do not really justify not getting this headset in my opinion. The headset delivers, it sounds great. I'm not a music expert, but I know what I like and expect from a headset, good, deep, solid bass and crisp trebs. And in games, I expect great directional surround sound, all of which, this headset delivers with no problems at all.

I saved so much money. I still can not believe it.

BTW. This review is based on a PC setup, I did not try this headset on my 360, Wii or PS3.

Best Deals for Ear Force HPA2 5.1 Surround PC Gaming Headset

I purchased my current pair of these a little while back. I'd read some reviews in a few places but read a good one in PC Gamer and decided I'd get them. For the price, these are a great deal (and with the current price at the time of this writing, 5/16/2009, it's even better). I purchased my current pair from a bricks-and-mortar store but I'm buying a replacement right now from Amazon.

The Good

While there are plenty of headsets out there, few do 5.1 surround sound properly and this is one of them. I play FPSes and have played a lot of COD4 of late and a serious competitive advantage when playing is knowing where people are with surround sound. With most modern shooters supporting surround sound, these headphones really work well for me. I don't know how many times people accused me of cheating because I knew where they were...they never considered how much noise they make running around like they do. :) It's rock solid for gaming!

Sound quality with music is also really good, though I'm using iTunes with mp3s so I haven't tried it with a 5.1 stereo system. I've got a Creative X-Fi card with the 5.1 ports on the back which I plugged direct into and used the splitter cables included to pass my regular speakers through. This way, I can switch to headphones at night so I don't wake the wife.

Also, these suckers are big so you're not gonna win any beauty contests with them (I feel like I should be piloting a helo or something) but because of that even big ears like mine are almost completely surrounded by the speakers/padding. You do feel them after a long while but this is something like four hours of near non-stop use. And, my big head fits well within these as well. One size does seem to fit all.

The Mediocre

I really do like these headphones but I have slight issues with some aspects. Let's talk about the mic...no pun intended. The mic plugs into the left speaker so you can remove it if you're not going to use it for extended periods. Sound quality is good for what it's for (gaming). You can be heard (assuming you've got your settings right...Windows doesn't always make it easy to find the booster setting which you will likely need for this mic) and it's clear but you're not going for American Idol here (not that you want to). It's directional so you'll likely end up having it close to your face but even so, a lot of background noise doesn't get picked up (a good thing!). I can't say it's bad but unless you're loud and clear (i.e. not trying to keep your voice down at night or something), your voice will sound pretty small. It's not a deal breaker but it can be annoying at times.

The Bad

Now, these are good headphones but there are a couple drawbacks. First, the cable requires a bit of management. The cable runs from the left speaker down but isn't a continuous cable. It connects to a segment with the volume controller. The connector and the volume controller can be a nuisance at times depending on how you run the cable. Turtle Beach obviously expected you to run it across a desk so the controller ended up on the desk before the cable dropped down toward the computer. Not everyone does this (me!) so I end up banging it up against my desk or chair as I move around. Also, it has a light with the sole purpose of telling you the headphones are powered...but for whatever reason, it's a piercing bright light. In a dimmed room (like when you're playing games at night), it's a distraction and even annoying.

These are relatively minor quibbles but there are better ways of handling those issues.

Still, overall, I highly recommend these headphones. You can always pay more for higher end headsets (like Sennheiser) but for less than $80, why would you?

Edit: I almost forgot. The reason I'm getting a new pair is because I broke the previous pair. I tend to be rough with my headsets and it seems I managed to breach one of the connectors to the right speaker. Not sure how since it looks pretty clean. It's almost like the screw just got loose and fell out...I mention it because the way these are engineered, I can still wear them pretty comfortably. I just want a new pair in case the stress on the other connector finally breaks the right speaker completely off. Sort of speaks both to the fact that a) the speakers aren't invulnerable but b) the engineering makes them still pretty solid despite the damage of abusive use. :)

Honest reviews on Ear Force HPA2 5.1 Surround PC Gaming Headset

I have used this headset for almost two years. The one I am using is finally breaking (the plastic used to connect the leather headband to the earphones is breaking after heavy use). I tried a number of other headsets and a lot of them are USB, or SIMULATED surround sound. I even put down $160 to try a wireless headset. (Btw, if you need wireless, the best one out there is the Creative Soundblaster World of Warcraft headset insanely expensive but very good.)

This is the best surround sound I have experienced in a headset as it actually has 8 speakers and the mini-plugs for each channel. You DO need a 5.1 capable sound card (most Mobos have them standard now anyway) but it's well worth it.

This version does not use USB and so ignore those people complaining about static. It is as clear as your soundcard is capable of. It's the same as plugging in a surround sound speaker set. It is durable, comfortable for hours of game play, actually helps a LOT in games to hear people around you (I can track footsteps anywhere around through walls in MW2) and is amazingly dirt cheap at only $70 right now. Buy this, you won't be disappointed. I'm returning my way too expensive wireless set for this one...It's better sound at $100 cheaper.

-It includes a splitter so you can plug your speakers in as well with no fiddling with plugs. It has adjustable volume for each speaker and sub in the line. There is no software to install and works immediately..just plug it in. They are powered and so need a plug for the in line Amp, FYI.

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I got these headphones yesterday. Honestly, I only purchased these headphones because my older, cheaper headphones had died out (right earphone quit playing sound); these older headphones had a bass amp in them and worked great for music and games as well as movies.

Anyway, I bought these headphones because I wanted to retain the bassy feel I got so used to when I would play games. However, when I saw that these headphones were 5.1 surround sound including the subwoofer, I figured I had to try it.

Delivery could have been better considering I paid one-day shipping and got it 4 days later. When I finally got them, first thing I noticed was the weight of the packaging. When you have it all in one place, these headphones and the amplifier can be a heavy thing to lug around.

I tried them on to see if it was true what people were saying about the headphones clamping onto your head and the earcups pressing against your ear. Yes, the headphones clamp on just a bit, but a little adjustment fixed that issue. As for the earcups pressing against your ear, I didn't feel a thing. I guess that depends on the person wearing them.

The sound took quite a bit to configure, as to getting the right volume for each channel. It definitely needs to be changed around if you want to get the perfect sound for a song, for example. But usually, once you get how the sound works, its very quick to set up for gaming.

Quality. Man. These headphones can give out a clear sound in any direction. The game I tested this with was Amnesia: The Dark Descent. Good lord, that was the freakiest playthrough I have done in a while. These headphones work great for directional cues; anyone whose played this game will know that Amnesia has a lot of ambience, and that the protagonist seems to hallucinate a lot of the noise around him. With these headphones, this only brings you into the game that much more, making you feel like you are the one trying to survive instead of controlling the person that does. I would hear a whisper down a hall on my left, and I immediately knew where it came from because of the directional cue.

I would recommend this for the gamer that wants more out of their gameplay. Especially the gamers that do "lets play" series videos on YouTube.

Discount Assassin's Creed III Liberation PlayStation Vita Wi-Fi Bundle

Customer Ratings:

Ever since I saw this bundle announced at E3, I knew I had to buy it, finally October 30th came around and I received it in the mail just 1 day later.

The Bundle: It comes with a USB cable which doubles as a PC connector and a charger (when you connect the USB to the other piece that plugs into the wall), AC Liberation, 4gb memory card, AR cards, and all your usual manuals.

The Looks: What else can I say, the vita is beautiful, it really stands out when compared to the black Vita, which is not bad looking itself, but this one just blows it away in my opinion. It really helps against finger prints as well, they are very hard to spot on the system so as long as you don't touch it with dirty hands or anything, it will look nice and clean most of the time, of course I recommend wiping it down with a microfiber cloth every now and then just to keep it looking pristine. The details are beautiful, the little playstation symbols on the back touch pad are a very cool touch and the dark gray metallic streak it has going around the outside of the system adds to the overall great look of the Vita. I also have a special edition Big Boss Camo psp, which I love how it looks, but when I put them side by side, honestly this White Vita put it to shame, haha.

Features: I've spend the 2 days I've had this Vita mostly exploring the features and different options it has, it has some great apps like Netflix, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Skype, Paint Park and Treasure park to name a couple.

So it has quite a few multimedia options, you can also add your own pictures, music and videos off of your computer or if you buy them from PSN if you choose. The screen is very vibrant and looks great, you can play HD videos and pictures on it, when comparing it to the 3DS, the screen quality is leaps better. It also has a from and rear camera which you can use to record videos and take pictures as well as play some AR games like with the 3DS. It also has Sixaxis motion control like the ps3 controller.I haven't explored all the features yet, but so far its really cool and you can do many different things with it, I'm gonna connect it to my ps3 and see what I can do with both of them linked together.

AC Liberation: Like I said I spent the last 2 days mainly checking out the features so I've only gotten about an hour of gameplay in on Liberation, so far I must say its definitely a portable AC game, it has all you would expect from an AC game, the stealth kills, the climbing, the combat...etc. One thing I noticed though is that it suffers from framerate dips at some points which can get really jarring at times. The game's graphics are pretty impressive, nothing revolutionary or anything, but then again the system is still young and we usually don't see developers push the hardware to its limits until later in the console's life, take God of War Ghost of Sparta for example, great looking game and it was on the psp!

Final thoughts: I am extremely happy with this bundle and think it was worth every penny spent, you get a free game and a free memory card as well as an exclusive beautiful color for the same price as a regular black Vita. My biggest gripe with this is that AC Liberation didn't come with its case, it just came in a plastic holder along with the memory card. I have no idea why sony has been doing this with their bundles, I also bought the Metal Gear Solid Big Boss psp bundle back when Peace Walker came out and that one didn't come with the game case either, just the disc in a little cardboard sleeve. Case is just a minor gripe though, my other one is the memory card size, 4gb is fine for your basic saving and apps and a demo download here and there, but if you want to buy some digital games, 4 gb will not be enough for long, I downloaded a few demos off PSN when I was playing with it and I just about filled up my memory card, I can't even download Resistance demo because that alone takes over 3gb! I'd have to delete all my other demos first. Definitely need to upgrade if you're planning on storing digital games in there, which I am. I hate how Sony chose the expensive route of having you buy their own brand of memory cards as opposed to the 3DS (which I also love) which uses your good old SD cards.

This Review is getting pretty long so let me wrap this up, all in all this is a great bundle, you save a good amount of money since it comes with a free game and memory card and the system looks beautiful, I'd say if you're interested even remotely in the Vita, get this bundle NOW!

Update:

It has now been almost a month since I bought the system, the Vita has gotten even sweeter, some new apps have been added, you now have an email app where you link an email account and check your email on the Vita, I don't know if you can link more than one account though. Also the browser has been much improved. You are also now able to play a game, pause it and enter the browser all without quitting your game in case you need to check a walkthrough or maybe you just want to check facebook or twitter for a quick second. Google maps has now been added with a temperature feature and the "Near" app has been improved (this is an app that lets you see what people around you are playing and you can send and receive in game gifts with them, kind of like the 3DS streetpass feature, but a bit more elaborate).

Now for the juiciest update, the Vita has been updated to support Playstation plus (which is basically a subscription service for ps3 and Vita. It gives you various bonuses, like exclusive discounts, free games, early access to demos, betas, free themes for ps3 or free avatars. As well as cloud saving storage for your games.) Anyways this service is completely optional and you can still play online for free and download demos, videos and games like always. I HIGHLY recommend getting this service because while the discounts and early access...etc are great, the free games are the real icing on the cake. On the Vita you get 6 free games (Uncharted, Gravity Rush, Wipeout 2048, FF Tactics War of the Lions, Mutant Blobs and Jet Set Radio) these have a combined value of at least 100$ if not more. Vita + PS Plus = a must buy for gamers. I am extremely happy with my Vita.

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A lot of Sony haters say that the system has no games but for those wondering about great games to buy, here is a list of 24 games and you can decide for yourself if it is worth it. (look at the variety):

-(RPG's)

Persona 4

Disgaea 3

Ragnarok Odyssey

-(Action/Adventure)

Gravity Rush

Uncharted: Golden Abyss

Retro City Rampage

Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus

New Little kings Story

Assassins Creed 3: Liberation

-(Adventure/Platformer)

Little Big Planet Vita

Rayman Origins

-(Action/Shooter)

Super Stardust Delta

Resistance: Burning Skies

Call Of Duty: Black Ops Declassified

-(Fighting)

Street Fighter Cross Tekken

Playstation All-stars Battle Royale

Mortal Combat

Blazblue Continuum Shift

Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3

-(Racing)

Wipeout 2048

Need For Speed Most Wanted (2012)

Modnation Racers

-(Sports)

Fifa Soccer

Madden 13

Best Deals for Assassin's Creed III Liberation PlayStation Vita Wi-Fi Bundle

I'm in complete agreement with the great reviews posted by Josh and Alex; pretty much sums up my thoughts on this bundle.

Crystal White PS Vita: I think the crystal white Vita is beautiful. BEAUTIFUL! It was the main reason I bought this bundle; black is just blasé.

4GB Memory Card: The 4GB seems small but I'll decide later if it's too small. I have 8GB in my PSP and did use up to 5 GB due to adding my own music and photos to it, so I think the 4GB will be fine for game saves and the occcasional download from PSN

ACIII Liberation: I'm disappointed that the game comes without a case, which could easily have been engineered to fix in the bundle's box. When I bought the Madden 2009 PSP bundle I sold the game to Gamestop after playing it. In this case, I will wait a few months for a price drop and pick up another copy.

Having made this purchase also prompted me to order some additional titles so I'm looking forward to receiving Ragnarok Odyssey Mercenary Edition (here) and Persona 4 Golden Solid Gold Edition (from Gamestop).

The PS Vita is definitely my primary handheld now!

Honest reviews on Assassin's Creed III Liberation PlayStation Vita Wi-Fi Bundle

The crystal white PS Vita is gorgeous. Much better looking than the dull black version. And the Vita itself is an impressive piece of hardware, capable of doing a lot (which by now you can read any number of reviews all across the internet if you're interested in specifics).

AC:L is Assassin's Creed on the go, no doubt about it. They did an excellent job taking a console experience and putting it in a handheld; which is exactly what the Vita was built for. I've only had it for a day and I'm still trying to soak it in.

The 4GB memory card is fine at the moment but I can see myself upgrading sometime in the future.

My only complaint is the lack of a game case for AC:L. You would think they'd include one, especially since the freakin' box shows it front and center. But it's a minor gripe, and doesn't deter from the overall value.

Persona 4: Golden and this bundle releasing within a month of each other is really what sold me on it. I knew I would end up buying a Vita for P4G, so why not take a free game/memory card while I was at it?

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The Assassin's Creed 3 Liberation bundle is my first foray into the PS Vita world. I was a huge fan of the PSP, and although I was initially excited for the Vita, it's launch price kept me at bay. The AC3 Liberation bundle solved that issue however. So now I finally have my hands on this magnificent machine.

The bundle includes:

1.) Crystal White Playstation Vita

2.) Assassin's Creed 3 Liberation (in a crappy plastic case)

3.) 4GB memory stick (with AC3 in the same crappy plastic case)

4.) USB Charging cable

5.) AR Cards

Review of the PS Vita system:

Upon taking the system out of it's box, I was astounded at its weight and size. This thing is huge! Its at least 2 times the size of my PSP 3000 and twice as heavy as well. It even dwarfs my old PSP 1000. The buttons are tiny and probably half the size of the PSP's. The same goes for both analog sticks.

As I mentioned earlier, this bundle's PS Vita is crystal white. Very nice! I just can't stop looking at it! It is very beautiful. Oh and the screen? Exquisite! Its the most beautiful screen I've seen in any handheld gaming machine.

Here is a screen issue that may stump some new PS Vita owners as it did me. Whenever you play it at night, dark blotches will be visible all over the screen.. When the game enters a black screen, the blotches (at least on my system) will seem to be in the dozens, covering the whole screen. However, the game will display perfectly during gameplay.. At first I thought my PS Vita was defective, but after a little google search, I came to find out that it was actually a normal feature of OLED screens. The system's safety guide even describes this issue in page 8. So if you find dark blotches on your screen while playing at night, don't panic. It's normal :)

The system itself gets 10/10 stars. It is the handheld gaming system I have always wanted; powerful, dual analog controls and incredible graphics with the potential to provide a true home console experience on the go. Its too bad that it just isn't receiving the love it deserves. Here's hoping that the Vita will pull through and be even more successful than the PSP, which I also love.

Assassin's Creed 3 Liberations Short Review (You can read my VERY LONG review of this game at the AC3L page):

7/10 Very good game but I think it could've been handled with a little more care. The bugs don't kill the experience completely, but the amount of glitches that are present in the game makes you wonder who the hell was in charge of quality assurance. The story though presented well, is uninteresting. The gameplay is very very fun. Overall I would recommend it, but be aware that you WILL come across many bugs. The game would be an 8/10 were it not for these glitches.