Buy Infinite Undiscovery - Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:

Having loved many of Square-Enix's RPG games I was extremely excited to hear that this title was coming to the XBox 360 system. I preordered it, ignored review sites giving it mediocre reviews, and sat down for a good while to play it. Now I'll try to give a fair view of the game.

Story 3/5:

The idea behind the story of the game, in general, is that the moon is being chained down by some organization and there is a group that exists to cut down these chains. Quickly you learn that you have a giant case of mistaken identity to which people think you're the hero who does the chain cutting. Add in some annoying whining from the main character and you have a pretty basic story. As the game develops it gets a little better but there is nothing ground breaking regarding it and it leaves me wondering if they could have taken the concept further to make a more enjoyable game.

Graphics 5/5:

The game is beautiful from what I've seen while playing. Although at times the bloom effect seems a bit overused the majority of the game has a unique realistic look and is exciting to play. It definitely stands out in a market saturated with a more cell shaded and somewhat cartoonish look for video games (the xbox 360 RPG market).

Vocals 2/5:

The most surprising aspect of the voice acting in the game is the fact some scenes have it and some don't. You'll hear the main character talking in one scene and then the minute you go through a door you just see the words on the screen. It's almost as if the game developers just decided midway through to only have speech during key scenes? That would make sense but a lot of the scenes with voice acting aren't key so I highly doubt that.

The voice acting, on top of that, when you do hear it, is complete rubbish. The characters sound pained to be talking and often they seem not to fit the situation. The emotion and vocal tone often do not fit the scene and at times they sound unbelievable.

Gameplay 1/5:

This is where the game does its worst. I'm going to break off each area of the gameplay I want to focus on into mini paragraphs so bare with me for a moment.

Fighting:

Fighting seems to take a MMORPG approach in the game. The world does not deviate between battles and walking in a sense. When approached by enemies (or vise versa) you use the trigger button to arm your weapon and you can partake in battle. You use your two attack keys to either do short attacks or powerful attacks. There is also a button to parry but I found it hard to execute. Besides this there is the ability to connect (link) with other characters so the main character can take control of them and use their skills.

Connecting Issues:

One quick note about connecting (mentioned last in last mini)... you often find you need to connect at key parts in the story. One character has the ability to shoot arrows and you'll find that at one point in the story unless you use this ability in a short period of time it's game over. This is annoying because you often have no idea that the ability is needed and have to go back all the way to your last save if you didn't think to use it. Another annoying connect period is where you have to use a character's charm ability (which you are unaware he has unless you connect and try it) to lure enemies somewhere. This is unexplained and is unlikely anything a normal user will ever guess without hours of annoyance.

Items:

Items can be crafted in the game by using certain crafting skills for particular allies with you. When in the world items are used in real time so the enemy can attack you at any given point while you're cycling through as well. Likely this will lead most users to either prioritize items at the top of their item list or hope that the NPC allies pick the right medicine at any given time to help out.

Flute:

At times you will also need to use your flute for various means. This is annoying in the sense that you often will have no clue for the need of the flute. In one area to progress you need to use your flute in the vicinity of a particular area but there is no reason for this what-so-ever in the context of the area. It's like they wanted to throw in more flute time but didn't want to go through the trouble of making it intuitive.

Searching Missions:

Throughout the game you'll have annoying mini story pieces you'll need to accomplish. One of such is where you need to pick up a quantity of items from the general area. There is no significance to the story but you will need to just search and search for about 5 10 minutes time to find all the items without any way to skip. I don't understand the point of this really and it seems like just another attempt to add in more user game time without actually adding to the game at all.

Party System:

One thing I like about the game play is the party system. Often you'll find you have situations where more than one party is needed. The computer will take the assigned party teams that you make alternative to your own and have them follow a set course (you don't set it) that will lead to the objective. So at times you'll find your party of 4 with 8 other teammates on the screen battling it out epically. It's pulled off pretty well besides the fact each of these situations is overly easy because of the nature of them.

Linear:

The game is massively linear in that while each area is relatively large and allows you to explore a bit there is nothing to do but kill the enemies in the area without any other game paths. So there is nothing really special about searching a whole zone because while you often will find other treasure chests everything else you can find right in the same general vicinity.

Maps:

Finally, the mapping system in the game is completely outrageous. Often there will be one tiny cave that will connect one massive zone to the next and unless you search every nook and cranny of the zone you'll never find it. I spent a good hour searching for the one that led to the first mission after leaving the first town until I gave up and searched the web for walk-throughs. Funny enough, in my search, I found tons of other posts across the web asking for the same information. The area to area is completely massive but without any markers to keep the user on track.

In general the game play is very unintuitive and you'll spend an infinite amount of time trying to discover what the heck is going on many times throughout the story. If you can put up with this annoyance (and don't mind searching frequently asked questions on the net for help) then you may like the game for other reasons but else you should avoid altogether. I like the game it's just the game play stands out and has often led me to drop it, walk away for a couple hours, and retry some annoying sequence many a time.

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Nice title, isn't it? But don't expect a blatant fanboy review. Quite the contrary. If I had to summarize what you should need to know about this game, it's this: THIS GAME IS NOT FOR EVERYONE; DO NOT BUY IT UNLESS YOU ARE EITHER BLATANTLY OPEN-MINDED OR HAVE RENTED IT FIRST, OR HAVE A GREAT RETURN POLICY, OR SOMETHING.

Why do I emphasize that so? Because the nature of the game calls for that emphasis.

You see, Infinite Undiscovery is not a traditional RPG. It's an action RPG with some elements that emulate online gaming. That's issue #1. It's linear, but open at the same time. That's issue #2. It also doesn't pan out until you're a few hours into the game; you'll be lost on the story momentarily as it begins to develop itself; that's issue #3. There are others, but those are the first and foremost in my mind.

Your character starts out in jail. You get rescued eventually by Aya, who actually mistakes you for someone else who apparently looks identical to you. As you make your escape from the prison, you'll end up in a forest, and finally, meet some more of the key characters. Seems overly simple, but that's what I can give you without spoiling things.

In this game, you really have to think, I mean really think about what you're doing. Things like walking instead of running so you can attack someone from behind. Sound plays another big part of the game; if you don't have at least a 5.1 surround system you'll be impaired in this area. Even smell plays a small part if you stink, enemies can detect you. In the darkness you can get assaulted by enemies you can't see (but they can see you because they're nocturnal). Getting attacked from behind cripples you and makes you susceptible to critical attacks. There are tons of different elements you need to take into consideration as you fight, which increases the immersion and the challenge.

Additionally, the world is alive; there is no "pause to bring up the menu". You need to make sure there are no enemies in the close vicinity, or that they are out of visual range, or you're in a town before bringing up the menu, because you can still get assaulted during this time. A strategic element to be sure, and one I wouldn't mind seeing in a future RPG, just slightly better implemented (more on that later).

With the "Connect" system, you effectively are giving commands to your colleagues to either do special attacks, heal, or talk to NPCs on your behalf, revealing different information than you get. The game relies heavily on this system, as you will frequently have need to use a character's special technique to get through a certain area. This lends itself to problems, however (more on that later).

If you're a fan of pure aesthetics, this game will not disappoint. The graphics, music and sound effects are all excellently done, and quite frankly some of the best looking on any game released to date. Some people have mentioned framerate issues; to me, they're so infrequent I wouldn't even call it a dealbreaker. With graphics this good, and minimal load times (considering it's basically an open world), a half second framerate drop every now and then is forgivable. Just make sure you turn down the voice volume; it tends to come through rather loudly on your left rear speaker during battle for some reason.

That doesn't mean there aren't issues, because there are.

In the beginning of the game, you're evading a rather large foe. It seems almost impossible not to get hit by this guy. An option to turn and risk fighting him would have been nice.

In a forested area, you're told to "stick to shadows". Considering the whole forest is dark, this instruction is confusing to a newbie user.

Some areas are just ridiculous. Like when you have to cross an open field with some small ruins, and a creature is blowing fireballs at you which are possible, but extremely difficult, to dodge because of the camera angle. No instructions as to what to really do, except run. Might have been something there that I missed for all I know.

You have to press Right Trigger to draw your sword. I like that and all, but what I don't like is that your colleagues won't draw their weapons if you don't, even if the tactic says to go all out.

Quite a few things are not explained to you. In the beginning, Aya explains one of her Connect commands, which you use to take out a guard. That's great. Later, you're given Flute songs, yet never told what each song does or how/when to use them. I didn't even know I could use the flute until I was 2 hours into the game, even though I had it all along. I was also stuck on one area (and the web is lit up with boards about the same area) where I had to use another character's Connect command to charm enemies to a door; nowhere is this explained. That same character can talk to animals; not explained either.

Outside of the primary characters, the additional characters don't have very much development.

As I said before, you should test this game before actually buying it. It might not be for you. It's not a bad game; just different. I wouldn't say it's similar to an MMORPG, even though it has some of the qualities. I would say...if you took Final Fantasy 12, with a better story and more plot development...and a better battle engine with pseudo-full control...you'd get this game. IMO, it's what FF12 should have been. Take that for what it's worth.

Best Deals for Infinite Undiscovery - Xbox 360

In short, this is the real-time/seamless combat RPG that Final Fantasy XII could and should have been. Combat is relentless and very involving. However, the "connect" system is really just a gimmick, and ends up being used mostly in forced puzzle-minigame chores rather than as a useful skill in combat.

My #1 complaint for this game is the poor voice acting throughout, and the lack of selectable Japanese voices. With 2 DVD DLs worth of data, not including the Japanese voices as an option is inexcusable. You'll see what I mean once the twins join your party.

The graphics in the camera-perspective-restricted Eternal Sonata might make Undiscovery look a little dated. But the real-time battle system from Undiscovery more than makes up for it and proudly shows off the new direction most new J-RPGs are headed towards.

Honest reviews on Infinite Undiscovery - Xbox 360

Infinite Undiscovery is an objectively flawed jrpg that still manages to be fun despite--or possibly because of--its idiosyncrasies.

Gameplay is built around the familiar action-rpg formula of assigning specific attacks to face buttons and maneuvering freely about the field to unleash them as a finite pool of points is depleted (in greater chunks by greater spells).

As lead character Capell you'll also issue very basic orders to a close quarters AI squad, and the AI is generally competent. Uniquely, there are often separate squads (for which you determine the roster) which may be onscreen attacking a boss alongside your primary group or--less impressively--simply running off elsewhere to find a key as required by scripted dungeon progression.

On top of this base, you'll find a wide and often redundant array of skills, spells, food recipes, weapon production options, obtuse conversation/secrets trees, buff incantations, and even songs to collect. The development team was overflowing with new ideas but without the subsequent followthrough and/or skill to integrate them properly into the solid base gameplay.

Another form of variety is in the form of characters, of which you'll find a great many choices here. Most characters are likable enough, and every one of them is given some kind of unique gameplay system it can manipulate. One may be able to talk to animals, another be able to smash inconveniently placed boulders, etc. Here too though, the developers didn't know when to pull the reigns in. There are several characters that one can only place in the aforementioned separate squads for no other intelligible reason than perhpas they didn't have time to craft unique attacks for the characters if placed under direct command.

Despite what sound like damning flaws, it all comes back to the basic gameplay. And that remains fun to play. Most of the broken and or simply useless gameplay options can (and will be ) ignored to enjoy the entertaining spectacles of the colorful fighting.

The story also helps move things along, despite its own efforts at self-sabotage such as impressively mismatched facial animation and voice acting. The story of admirable if whiny young Capell, the energetic and enervating Aya, and many others is entertaining and generally efficiently told (judged under the low bar occupied by most jrpgs).

So, in the end, the game manages to earn a higher personal fun rating of 4 than I can objectively rate the overall game itself for others.

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Square has done it again. This is another great title with beautiful graphics and smooth gameplay. The few minor catches is that the main character is not the most exciting person. He starts off as a whiny nearly useless bard. If you can get past his personality early on the game pays off.

Combat is similar to many Action RPG's with the ability to pair up with one of the other party members and use one of thier 2 special abilities. In addition you can build a second or third party that will travel with the main party but you have no control over thier actions.

The game has a system for item crafting that is usefull but alot like a standard MMO and promises some grinding to master the best gear or food in the game.

If your a fan of Square this is a title to grab. Try to get the 'pre-order' download card that comes with the game to enable better items to be available eariler in the game. Also X-Box Live offers several cheap/free add-ons that add more items to the game.

Best Xbox 360 Headset Adapter Deals

Customer Ratings:

It would have cost Microsoft another 5 cents to make their headset adapter (which contains a volume and mute control) compatible with third-party headsets. But they didn't, so if you like having your volume and mute controls on the controller while using a third-party headset, then you probably need to get this adapter.

This adapter lets you use any standard 2.5mm headset with the Xbox 360, and you still get volume and mute controls (even if your headset doesn't provide that).

The bonus "two-way adapter" that's inclded is just a standard 2.5mm stereo audio splitter that you can get at Radio Shack for a few cents. I haven't tried it, but I think the purpose is to allow two players with two controllers to listen and talk on Xbox Live. Usually, when you have a "guest" player sitting next to you and playing on Xbox Live with a "guest" account (i.e. not his own Xbox Live account), he can't use a headset plugged into his controller. So he would plug his headset into your controller via this splitter.

On a side note, the company that makes this product, Intec, is sometimes known as Datel, so don't get confused by the product image.

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The Xbox Controller S communicator system was more robust and far superior to the Xbox 360 communicator system. It had a nice, heavy-duty communicator module (with great mute button/light and volume wheel) that was able to accept third-party headsets. Along comes the 360 and puts the communicator module on the end of the headset cable. That means you can't use your favorite Xbox headset with the 360 instant obsolescence. I guess Microsoft expected that would boost sales of their new 360-only headsets. Well forget that this adapter solves that problem by giving you the freedom to use any standard Xbox headset of your choosing. Since there are a lot more types on the market, and since most gamers already have an Xbox headset, this device can save you money as well as make your gaming more comfortable.

I bought two; the price is very reasonable compared to a new 360 headset. Some have complained that the fit in the controller slot is a bit loose. That was true for one of the two I bought. One time it backed out of the controller halfway. When I went to flip the mute switch, the audio plug broke off from the pressure required to move the switch. The audio plug is very small and weak (thanks for making the jack so tiny Microsoft), so if the adpater is not inserted fully into the controller, you do risk breaking off the audio plug.

The volume wheel is fine, a little stiff, but oddly the volume doesn't go down 100%. You can still hear the others players speaking even when it's turned all the way down.

Even though one unit broke, I would still buy another because the device is so versatile. I love using my favorite Xbox headset instead of any of the expensive and uncomfortable 360 sets that are on the market.

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I expected more from this adapter. Technically it does exactly what is advertised but there are some design flaws with it. It doesn't fit as tight to the controller as the original 360 headset connector. It feels loose when inserted into the controller. The volume wheel is tight just like someone else said. I also think the components might be low quality but I can't prove it. It could use some more engineering but shows good potential.

Honest reviews on Xbox 360 Headset Adapter

This little device is just what I was looking for. Microsoft lack of quality on the original 360 headsets caused many gamers to go to third party headsets. The only problem with third party headsets is the location of the mute and volume switches. Almost every headset has the mute and volume controls on the cord. Even the new Microsoft headsets have the controls on the cord. This sucks! Who wants to fumble around looking for the controls on the cord while you are saving the universe or smashing the enemies scull under your feet. And if your family is anything like mine with a lot of talking and distractions in the background you probably need to use your mute switch quite often to keep from annoying fellow gamers. I was going to make my own adapter but stumbled upon this little gem. I was a bit concerned about quality due to some of the other reviews but found it be of decent quality for the price. The mute switch moves smoothly and locks into position as it should. The volume control is firm enough to hold it's position but not too hard to adjust. I normally don't have to mess with the volume much but there is always the gamer that thinks he/she needs to add their own soundtrack or music to the game. You won't have to fumble around looking for a volume dial while you turn them down long enough to find them on the players list and mute them permanently. The adapter itself fits nicely into the 360 controller although it does appear to have a small gap even when fully inserted. This may have been done on purpose due to patent laws. I have been using this for over 2 weeks solid and haven't had a bit of problem with it. My Plantronics headset works perfectly with this and keeps online gaming enjoyable. I would recommend this little gadget to anyone who is fed up with cord mounted controls. It's definitely worth the $10! You couldn't build one this cheap.

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Please be aware that this adapter does not work for PC headsets. After I received this product and discovered that it was not compatible, I had to look very hard in the description to find out why. PC headsets apparently do not qualify as "any headset" like many of the glowing reviews seem to indicate, and the splitter does nothing to help with the PC headset. I wish someone had been much more clear about this before I purchased this product.

Review of Xbox 360 Official NFL Miami Dolphins Controller Faceplate

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This cover is very nice and fits the controller perfectly. My son is very pleased and would like to order another for his other controller.

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I ordered this to put in my husband's stocking for Christmas. He seems to like it, he just wishes I bought two so both of his controllers would have one on.

Review of Xbox 360 Data Transfer Cable

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UPDATE:

There is a NEWER cable that looks like it can transfer data from/to BOTH old-style OR Xbox360 "Slim" Hard Drives. Search for "Xbox 360 Hard Drive Transfer Cable" and the cable looks black instead of gray. It also has what looks like an added SATA connector for Slim style hard drives. Last I checked, that new product is here:

http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Hard-Drive-Transfer-Cable/dp/B005LBDOLA/

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I received the Xbox360 Data Transfer Cable and used it to transfer all my data from my Xbox360 Elite console to my Xbox360 Halo Reach "Slim" console.

Technically you are connecting ONLY the detached hard drive from your former console, hooking it up with this transfer cable, then connecting the other end to a USB port of the console you want to transfer data to.

The cable comes in a box that is branded/designed the way all the new Xbox360 peripherals and games are showing up this year (those green "waves" and such).

The process is very straightforward:

(I did this while the Xbox360 Slim was already on, sitting idle in the 360 dashboard):

1. Connect one specific end of the cable to the detached, non-slim 360 hard drive.

2. Connect other USB end to any available USB port in the slim system (I plugged it into one of the two front ports)

3. A prompt will appear, asking if you want to transfer TO or FROM the console.

4. You can then individually select items to move, or move everything.

One thing to note is that it transferred all my content to the Xbox360 Slim EXCEPT for games that were installed to the HDD (that is, disc games I installed to the HDD before for quicker access times). Not a big deal and it transferred everything else (some 800+ files) without incident.

Remember that if you transfer data you still may have to "transfer licenses" if you don't, then some content (such as downloaded XBLA games or other downloaded content) may not be playable if you aren't online and signed into Xbox Live. This isn't a big deal for me because I am always online when the Xbox is on. Do a google search for "xbox360 license transfer" and one of the first pages should be a link to the Microsoft page on the matter. This will move the actual 'licenses' over as well, allowing you to play your downloaded/purchased Xbox Live content when you are not signed on to the net. Additional note: you can only transfer licenses ONCE per year, technically. Then you just have to sit tight, or take it up with Microsoft via phone support (I can't vouch for having done the latter :)

Like other reviewers say, once you're done with it... well that's it :( I'll be holding onto mine as I have friends transitioning their data from one console to another. That said, save money by just pitching in for one then and using it amongst your 360-owning friends :)

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I purchased this product as I was upgrading from my old 20 GB pro to the new 250 GB slim. I decided on the cable to transfer over everything instead of using memory sticks as I wanted to get the licenses for my DLC transferred over as well.

Setup was a snap as all you need to do is place the old hard drive on one end of the cable and plug the other end into a 360 with the new hard drive, then follow the prompts that come up.

It took only about 7-8 minutes for all the data to be transferred over, and everything came over intact. I did not even need to recover any account profiles that were on the old hard drive.

All in all, I was very satisfied with the results and now intend to see how long it will take to fill up my new hard drive.

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I Bought this July 14 2010 The shipping was incredibly fast. I needed this to transfer my information from my old xbox to the new xbox and this cable was great it tranfered all my information.

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...then you do not need this cable. If you purchase the 250GB hard drive upgrade, then you will have both the 4GB memory unit and the 250GB hard drive available for use. You can transfer data directly between the two--you do not need this cable.

I state this because the instructions with the unit are not clear. I am surprised that Microsoft would not see how financially rewarding this upgrade path would be...

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The Data Transfer cable sounds like a great thing to have, and it does work. Unfortunately, it is pretty limited in usefulness. The only people who really get a benefit out of this, are people with a ton of DLC. Also, you are only likely to use it one time. It isn't very likely that you will be transferring your content back and forth between Xboxes. Also, it only copies over the data. You still have to manually transfer the licenses for any of your DLC by either going to the support site, or calling Microsoft. Not that it is a difficult process. Online, it takes less than 5 minutes. You still have to re-download your DLC, but each item only takes a couple seconds, because it isn't redownloading the stuff, just the licenses associated with it.

As far as the kit itself, as I said, it works correctly and pretty intuitively. You can either tell it to copy everything, or manually select just the things you want to copy over. Restoring it onto the target Xbox is just as easy. The kit is well constructed, and I'm sure it will last me for a long time, or at least until after I upgrade my second Xbox.

I know that there are some unofficial uses for this kit, which might make this worthwhile for more people, but in general, I wouldn't bother with this kit. Just redownload your DLC and be done with it. Yes it may take longer depending on your internet connection, but you end up saving yourself the cost of this kit. If you have a bunch of DLC (in my case, all of the Fallout 3 DLC plus hundreds of Rock Band and Guitar Hero tracks), and you don't mind spending a few bucks to save your self some time, then go for it.

For everyone else, I wouldn't bother.

Assassin's Creed: Revelations Reviews

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List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $16.23
Today's Bonus: 19% Off

I should say I'm an Assassin's Creed fan. I fervently defended the uniqueness of the first game, Assassin's Creed, which was ultimately revealed to be a bit of a mess compared to the stellar Assassin's Creed II. When Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood hit the scene, I initially saw it as a stalling tactic instead of releasing "AC 3", with some multiplayer slapped on, but I ended up loving that one too, and the MP, while needing some execution improvements, was refreshingly unique.

When Revelations finally rolled around, I was actually excited about both learning more of the Desmond/Ezio story and also seeing a cleaner, more user-friendly multiplayer experience. I picked up a copy of the game on Black Friday for $35 and have played the game a good amount, both SP and MP, since. Here are my thoughts, starting with the singleplayer:

GRAPHICS 8/10

Graphics are about on-par with what they were in AC:2, with some improvements in the facial movements during the cinematics. The game still runs the same engine as AC:2 and Brotherhood, so combat and climbing and crowd movement look almost identical. The new city, Constantinople, is different from the Italian cities but I think it doesn't quite show off the graphics like Rome or Florence from prior games.

GAMEPLAY 7/10

As I mentioned, climbing, combat and moving with the crowd is mostly the same as prior games, which isn't a bad thing necessarily. There are some new movement features, such as the grappling claw and (by proxy) the zipline. Nothing to write home about. Combat and crowd have the added factor of bombs, but as some have already pointed out, they are not exactly essential to Ezio's arsenal. 1-2 recipes are all that you'll need for most of the game. It can be interesting to use some of the other bomb types in various scenarios but again, in terms of combat experience, they aren't that fascinating.

The new gameplay additions come in the form of a tower-defense minigame as well as contracting recruited assassins and remotely controlling territory (I believe it's called the "Mediterranean Defense" minigame). These, honestly, I could do without. I liked the mission-style usage in the past game as a way to level up your recruits and score a bit of extra cash while you collected flags/chests and whatnot, but the new minigames just put too much pressure on you to keep up with what's going on. Tower defense is pretty lame; honestly I'd rather just go down on the ground and melee combat my way through attackers. Overall, I can appreciate UbiSoft wanting to expand their game but I would have done without the new minigames.

STORY 8/10

I don't want to give anything away. You'll have needed to play Brotherhood to really understand what is going on. The actual pacing of the story depends on your playstyle, but I myself found it adequate and in the same overall tone and style of the previous 2 games.

SOUND 9/10

Sound quality stays at the usual levels of excellence from the prior games. In my experience the voice actors do a good job all around, and the game's sound effects are solid too.

REPLAYABILITY (SP) 5/10

A low score here shouldn't be unexpected. Replayability from the single player perspective is mostly the same as it was with the prior games. You're free to roam the city, cause chaos, do the minigames and side missions as you please once the campaign is finished. Is it as fun? In my opinion, not really. I'd rather move on to another game, but that's just me; to each his own.

MULTIPLAYER 9/10

Here's where the game moves from a 3/5 star to a 4/5 star. The multiplayer is a great experience. Unless you've played Brotherhood, I guarantee you will not have tried something like this before. The multiplayer is completely unique and mostly involves trying to trick other players. Reflexes and coordination is almost secondary to how strategy and deception in this multiplayer; can you make other players think you are just an NPC (a computer controlled character), while figuring out which of the characters walking around on your screen is your player target? That's the gist of multiplayer and, while I can understand it's not for everyone, I find it to be a blast.

The good news here is the MP is MUCH more streamlined than it was in Brotherhood. There is an XP system much like most MP games these days (MW3, BF3) allowing you to level up and spend points unlocking and upgrading abilities to suit your playstyle. I'll admit there's a bit of a learning and leveling curve; high level players will have significant ability advantages over starting players, but the game can still be a lot of fun.

New MP game modes like Deathmatch, Assassination, and Corruption add even more depth to the multiplayer experience. I bought this game mostly for the multiplayer. If it sounds like it's something you're into, I'd heartily recommend giving it a shot.

OVERALL 7.5/10 (4 stars)

As I mentioned I bought this game for $35. November and October had heavy hitters in the video game world, and this game not only warranted a buy in my mind but the multiplayer has it as the #2 or #3 game that I'm playing now (behind Battlefield 3 and Skyrim depending on my mood). The fact that it can pull some of my interest and playtime given the other games out there should say something about Revelations.

However, I realize that the appeal of this game to me, personally, may not be something shared by all gamers. Would I pay $60 for this game? No. I would, myself, be happy to have paid $45, maybe even $50. For someone unsure about this game, I would wait until a $40 price point. For fans of Brotherhood, particularly of the multiplayer, however, you are probably like me and would be content with a $45 price tag.

I hope my review was helpful. Feel free to ask me any followup questions in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

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ACR finalizes Ezio Auditore's last journey in the AC Trilogy.

Individual reviews are very mixed. My opinion is that it's awesome and what weaknesses there are (features that I'm not crazy about) aren't enough to spoil my love of this game.

Some of the issues people have can just be ignored by not using things or altering what you do in the game to counter-balance it.

There are 2 aspects to this game for newbies to AC on the one hand it's the end of a trilogy and since AC is story intensive, it's important to get the backstory to understand what's going on, so I'd recommend picking up the previous 2 games if interested.

At the same time, the Missions and gameplay are not as difficult as previous versions making it a nice intro to new AC gamers less of a learning curve.

NEW ADDITIONS:

The HOOKBLADE for faster climbing, hook and run maneuvers and zooming down ziplines (fun but there are limited ziplines to use & I found myself unable to use some of them during gameplay due to being at the wrong end of them),

BOMBS are alot of fun and offer new applications for strategy during missions. They seem a little intimidating at first, but there are 4 side missions with a Bomb expert to get familiar with them and a mission tutorial on how to make them. It's not hard.

RECRUITING SYSTEM/MASTER ASSASSINS/DENS

This was a great revamp of the Assassin Recruit system. You now have several Assassin Dens and appoint a Master Assassin over each one.

You also get 2 separate missions with each one which are really good.

Also, Leveling up the Recruits is now turned into a relevant game on its own, so it isn't just random mission to gain them XP. It makes it more enjoyable.

STALKERS were a nice addition. They randomly surprise you from behind and try to kill and steal from you.

Yes, Ezio is 51 yrs old in this chapter but he isn't slowed down any, he almost moves faster than previous games thanks to the Hookblade addition.

What I liked most in this game were the excellent missions. They were less restrictive (better 'sync' objectives & less cumbersome) and they weren't long and tedious. Any longer missions were split into 2 parts.

However, there are a couple very difficult challenges, so it's not a complete cakewalk either.

Alot does depend on your skill level.

Some CONS:

The story is good but could have beem amped up to be more exciting, dramatic and intense even though there are some exciting parts in the later missions.

There are less main and side missions in ACR than previous games so it is shorter than others.

The majority of players didn't favor a new feature, DEN DEFENSE a mini game where Templars try to take back your Den and you organize Assassins to defeat them.

It's difficult, confusing and there's a learning curve to it.

However at the same time, they've made it somewhat avoidable so you can optionally work to keep from having to play it.

Level your Master Assassins up to Lvl. 15 which will "lock" the den so that Templars can't contest it.

Or keep your "notoriety" (now called Templar Awareness) low by taking out Officials that appear when it raises and/or bribing nearby Heralds.

High Awareness causes the den attacks.

The last Con to add is that there were bugs and glitches for some people and 1 Patch was just released to address that. I had no problems with my game.

Some missions were cinematic and had an "Indiana Jones" feel to them with high action. That was fun.

Some humor and romance sprinkled in with a now more mature Ezio which was done very well and was refreshing.

It made for a very nice, solid, enjoyable game where I didn't end up wanting to whip my controller into the tv screen.

Soundtrack is great (grows on you as you play), some great Characters, Graphics are well done (though less vibrant in color than ACB) and the City was interesting (there is also Cappadocia which you travel to for some new scenery).

Overall it's a very good game that I will replay often just for the fun of the missions.

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...even if alot of the other reviewers were less than thrilled. I mean it was a fantastic game that continued this great franchise with alot of in game variety, uniqueness, amazing visuals, great voice acting, and great music that really emerses you in the era of the game. Geez, i guess expectations these days are at an all time high with this video game generation.

Honest reviews on Assassin's Creed: Revelations

Assassin's Creed Revelations (ACR)

Ezio is back for one last hurrah before the third installment of the Assassin's Creed saga. He has traveled to Constantinople the Crossroads of the World to discover the knowledge of Masyaf from Altair's clues.

Pros

Combat works just like always

Graphics are outstanding

They've added bombs

Cons

Just about every extra or mini game was cut

Story is just unforgivably bad for many reasons

Weapons and game in general are nearly identical to previous

Cutscenes lack any familiar faces

Unsure what's happening outside Animus

Gameplay 5 of 10

It's really sad to see this happen to such a standout series, but they fell into the CoD mentality. And in many ways the lack of innovation is apparent in the game. In short, if you've played ACII or Brotherhood this will be a depressing game to play. At least it was for me. After playing for less than five hours you notice a few things that just show a complete lack of effort. First of all, the city is smaller than Rome. Is it like that in real life? Who really knows; but shouldn't it be at least the same size just for gaming purposes? Secondly, there are very few side missions. You have the assassin's guild where you level up your assassins and do imaginary side quests where you can't see what's going on. You have the thieves' guild, mercenary guild and collectables. They removed SO much from what AC: Brotherhood had. Sure it was a little scatterbrained at times, but the gaming value was great because you just had so much that could be done.

Aside from a few minor additions and this "defend the city" mini-game it is for all intents and purposes a large expansion for Brotherhood. If there were a number attached to it I'd say it's Assassin's Creed 2.75. That's right, it's ¼ of a game. It could have easily been a DLC for Brotherhood for $30 in my opinion. Sure it's a holdover for ACIII, but it is by no means worth paying $60 for. Thank God I didn't. Gameplay is the same exact engine from ACII in 2009 for obvious reasons. Combat is literally identical. Purchasing weapons, pouches, shops etc. is all the same. The map is the same, viewpoints same, same same same. What isn't the same is the magic that I first felt when I played ACII. It was the feeling I had when I first played Final Fantasy VII. You could tell they had made something truly brilliant. Instead of being ridiculous and just expanding on ACI, they listened to the critics and fans and fixed almost every problem the game had.

Features and Extras 3 of 10

The only extra I really count is the Animus Island. This is sort of a spoiler but you find out literally the minute the game starts. Desmond is stuck in the Animus and you go through these really weird simplistic platforming levels where Desmond reminisces about his life. It looks like Tron. Why does this not impress me? Because they were so rushed (or lazy) that you don't even get to see the videos from his life he just talks about them as you bounce from platform to platform. And you only have the ability to do basic jump and create walkways. You don't have any assassin capabilities. Gone are the interesting puzzles and historical data as well as almost anything that made the game worth a second play. A lot of assumptions are made by Ubisoft. First off, they assume you've played the game before because they don't even have optional tutorials or the training grounds from AC: BH. They also assume you won't notice they've cut so many things or that you understand the backstory of Altair and Ezio's past. Why Ubisoft, why?

Weapons 5 of 10

There is only one new weapon bombs which you can craft. And they tried to really "blow" this out of proportion like the combat was going to be way different. It's a nice feature and is occasionally helpful, but I find it cumbersome in the heat of the moment. Crafting is a little customized as you can use multiple ingredients for the three constituent parts. Aside from the bombs all the other weapons are minimally changed.

Story 4 of 10

The story is woeful, boring and hard to follow. Ezio is looking for the "wisdom of Nicolo Polo" who is Marco Polo's father. And honestly it's a cobbled together collection of uninspiring cutscenes. Prince Suleiman whom Ezio met on the boat coming to Constantinople is one of four main characters and probably the only one who isn't instantly forgettable. Ezio is in Constantinople for some reason but I have no idea why. I'm not even sure who the main antagonist is yet. This is just another reminder of how this is a shadow of ACII or even Brotherhood. The developers couldn't even be bothered to make cutscenes with Desmond's crew in them. This is because you're stuck in the Animus the whole time? Give me a break. The only redeeming quality to the story is it has one historical figure in it.

Graphics and Presentation 10 of 10

Visually the game is mind blowing. The detail put into every little thing creates a tapestry of beauty that borders on a pure work of art. For an action/adventure game it looks better than anything I've yet seen and that includes the Uncharted series. Every piece of armor has intricate engraving and lighting is lifelike. Textures are detailed even with close up views. The people's faces look so realistic it's hard to describe. Ezio's hair in particular appears to have individual strands. And this is hard to believe because the first game looked amazing at the time. But they managed to build on that and maybe spent a bit too much time on it.

Conclusion Maybe rent

Despite the unbelievably good graphics, it doesn't redeem the slovenly game development that was dropped in our laps. The gameplay is surprisingly much less fun that AC: BH even though it's so similar. To sum it up: the storyline sucks, the extras are non-existent, weapons are almost the same, map is smaller, graphics are better. There's less of everything aside from graphical content. I'm being generous when I give this game three stars as I really think it's closer to two. What is so painful and disappointing is how great the previous games were in comparison to this one. Stay away if you're not a huge AC fan, because this one is a money making machine nothing more. Let us hope that they dust off their keyboards and use the full capability of a multi-million dollar development company for ACIII.

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I enjoyed my time with AC:R and would recommend it to fans of the series, if just for some of the story content. Still, the amount of familiarity you experience is a little disappointing. You play in a new city, interact with new characters and a "new" story yet I rarely felt that I was doing something that I hadn't done multiple times in the previous games. To put it bluntly, the gameplay is starting to get stale.

Bomb crafting is new to the series and I will be concise. It can be cool at times, but it feels forced and is overall completely unnecessary to succeed in the game, especially considering the vast amount of options you usually have (hiring factions, ranged weapons, calling in assassins). Mediterranean defense returns but once I promoted Master Assassins to guard my dens, I never bothered with it again. "Missions" take only a few minutes and you eventually realize you're spending a lot of time sending your assassins out to do things that don't really affect the game. Den defense never bothered me because I always try to keep my notoriety down (I only had to do one den defense the mandatory tutorial one).

The multiplayer has been greatly improved over Brotherhood, but it still doesn't have that spark that would keep me playing for more than a week or two. There's still a huge amount of potential here, but AC:R has failed to nail it. You also run into the problem of 3-4 people spending every game blindly running around, causing half of your time to be spent in chase sequences. This isn't the game's fault, but it's still annoying.

Overall, fans of the series will probably get their money's worth here. Revelations is my least favorite AC game, but it's still polished and fun enough to earn my recommendation.

Nascar Thunder 2003 Xbox Review

Customer Ratings:

I thought EA had really improved with NASCAR 2002, but this is much better. Due to that, I had to go back and edit my rating for 2002 (5 to 4 stars). This is truly the best NASCAR game ever made. EA took all that was right from the 2002 version and made it tremendously better. You still race 43 cars at a time (1 player), you still get to upgrade your equipment, you still get to work out sponsorship deals, etc. However, now you get to to do R&D, hire your own crew and builders, and build your own engine and chassis. Not only those improvements but also better physics, more realistic racing action, fantasy tracks, and the best new additionLightning Challenges. In these, you actually get to recreate exciting moments that real NASCAR drivers experienced, such as taking over for DE Jr. on the last 2 laps at Talledega.

Gameplay: 9.5

If you like NASCAR and racing games, then this is the one. Get yourself an excellent steering wheel controller and it is that much better. Career mode is the tops: sponsorsand keeping them happy, hiring your own team and keeping them motivated by finishing well, and building new cars (including the engine and chassis). Also: unlocking fantasy courses and legend drivers, getting used to the tracks through Thunder Plates, and the Lightning Challenges. Also excellent multiplayer mode as well.

Replay: 9

Once you are ensconced in career mode and you have got yourself a steering wheel, you will keep coming back for more... and more. Excellent game.

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I played last years version and was pleased with the progress it was making. This year its 2002 version times 10!

Pros: 1. NASCAR is better than ever!

2. last years tweaks are fixed

3. an improvement in graphics

4. outstanding career mode

5. so many modes, that it will keep you busy for months!

6. the ability to import songs is available

Cons: 1. physics take some time to get used to

2. first years of career mode are frustrating due to crapiness of car and crew

Final Verdict: A definite buy! as i said earlier, it will keep you busy for months

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Where to start? This is easily the best racing game I've played for the xbox. One of the primary reasons is because before this the best was NT 2002, and this easily tops that.

The game has been stepped up so much, it has a lot more replay value than NT 2002. There are "Thunder Plates" which are similar to "Madden Cards" if you play any of the newer Madden games. You may not be buying them, but they do the same thing, just attained differently. More to add, they have a Lightning Challenges where you can relive great nascar moments to earn more thunder plates. There's a Thunder License mode where you can get what is basically a practice mode. Last of the new things (that i've found so far), there's more then one song on it, and it's the first EA Sports game (that i've played) that will let you use the songs saved on your xbox.

It's still got the Quick Race, Season, Career, Create a Car modes that are the same as they were last year. Career may have newer options to change to fix your car, i havn't gotten that far yet. But there's plenty of new things that add a lot to the replayability that made people tire of NT 2002. EA fixed that and added.

To shorten it up, if you liked NT 2002, or have ever like a Nascar game in the past, or any other racing game, buy it immediatly.

Honest reviews on Nascar Thunder 2003 Xbox

"NASCAR Thunder 2003" is really an excellent game. There is a variety of modes to play and a lot of different things you can do to keep your interest piqued.

"Thunder" lets you race at every track NASCAR races on as any one of the drivers on the Winston Cup circuit. There is also a Create-A-Car mode that lets you design and build your own car to race, as well as a career mode, where you start a team from scratch and race to the top over 20 years. You have to research new technology, sign sponsors and crew members, and meet certain goals in order to make money. It's a very deep mode, and you have to go through a few frustrating years before you really start to get good.

Part of what can help you is the Thunder License mode, which allows you to race by yourself at every track with the help of the driver of your choice. Richard Petty instructs you on how to race the track and then you try and complete laps in a certain amount of time. It sounds easy, but it's really not.

Probably the best mode is the Lightning Challenge, where you take control of race cars in certain situations and try to meet certain goals. Most of these are "win the race" goals, but there's a few other interesting ones, like avoiding crashes and trying to make it through a race on a less than full tank. Each challenge has a call from the race and is introduced by a driver. If you complete these and other things throughout the game, you're awarded with Thunder license plates, which unlock extras, like the cards in other EA Sports games.

Graphically, Thunder's not the best looking game, but it's still sharp. There's sort of a grainy look to it, but the tracks and cars are very well detailed. Soundwise, there's not much. The cars sound like, well, cars and the voices over the radio say the same thing over and over again. There's no crowd noise and minimal announcing, but, in reality, you couldn't hear any of that in an actual race anyway.

The gameplay is where Thunder really shines. The controls are very simple to learn, but tough to master. If you push the brake or the steering too hard, you might spin out, although there are assists that help you when you start out. There's also other little touches that race fans will appreciate, like drafting and deciding what you need in a pit stop. You also have to qualify for the races so you get the best positions.

Overall, this is a definite buy for every race fan or just a fan of driving games. And for only [$$$], it's well worth the price, especially since it's current with the early part of the season.

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This is a great Nascar game if your are just a casual fan or a hardcore Nascar fan. The multi-player mode is a blast and the graphics are awesome. You can build your own car and hire your pit crew. The better you do, the better your crew gets, and the more money you make allows you to buy better engines and cars. I would recommend this game!

Discount HDE® Xbox 360 Console Opening Tool

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $8.99
Sale Price: $0.47
Today's Bonus: 95% Off

Please be aware that this tool only opens the 360 console. It is NOT a disassembling tool. The hex (Torx) key you are given will not work on the black screws holding the X-clamps down because it is too big. Pick another tool set if you are planning on completely disassembling your console to fix a probable RRoD.

The other complaint that I had was that the aluminum opening tool doesn't it its job so well when you need to stick the 4 and 3 edges into the back of the console to pop it completely off. They are not long enough to reach the clip and so you must push with a lot of force to reach the clips on the back of the console.

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It works as advertised, just be careful using it as the edges are sharp enough that I managed to cut my thumb.

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My son has not been able to play his Xbox for over a year due to "red light issue". After watching a utube video recommending to purchase this tool to get the game working again. Well low and behold, it really worked. The game system is fully functional. He is ecstatic and loves Amazon. He will be recommending this site to all his friends.

Cheap Tales of Graces f - Playstation 3

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $59.99
Sale Price: $37.95
Today's Bonus: 37% Off

The Good:

+A very inventive battle system that has a focus on strategy

+A good story with great characters

+Lots of customization to do

+Lots of sidequests to do at some point

+A lengthy quest

The Bad:

-The voice acting could be better

-The story is very slow paced and has a tendency to get bogged down in too much exposition. It's a very enjoyable story but sometimes you really wish it would just move along rather than taking time to explain what we already know

Note: The Following Review is Long

The Tales series has had a shaky history in the states. Many of them haven't even seen release stateside. Case in point, Tales of Graces was first made available on the Wii in Japan in 2009. When Tales games do get a release outside of Japan there are small handful of fans who take note. The last major release in the United States was Tales of Vesperia on the XBOX360. Tales of Graces comes out amidst worry for some fans as it opts to try something new and different for the Tales series. The results are actually great. It may take a bit of time to learn, but Tales of Graces is certainly a welcome addition. It has a few things that keep it from being nearly as good as previous entries in the series however.

Our story centers on Asbel. A rebellious youth who doesn't desire to follow in his fathers footsteps. Instead of becoming ruler of the Lhant he'd rather be a knight and protect his friends. As a boy he has gotten into trouble and gotten into heated arguments with his father. When he and his brother Hubert go to Lhant Hill (against his father's wishes, of course) they stumble across a mysterious girl who doesn't seem to know anything. There is also their friend Cheria who has a mysterious illness no one can cure. Asbel wants adventure and excitement, and upon meeting another young boy named Richard, they all form a friendship that they hope will last a life time. Unfortunately, due to Asbel's reckless nature tragedy strikes... and that eventually leads to him leaving home to become a knight to better himself. Seven years later, amidst tragedy, he returns to Lhant and discovers that his father may not have been as terrible a man as he thought and that as a child things happened that he simply couldn't understand.

Tales of Graces, like so many other games in the series, has a relatively simple premise that eventually unfolds into an epic tales. Nothing you see at the beginning of the game is any indication of what you're in for. But more importantly than that, the characters are what make the story so worthwhile. We begin the game seeing them as annoying children, but once they mature we can take note of their changes. And the story still develops them as they go. It's a likable cast and you'll find a lot about them as the game progresses. The story is also filled with twists and turns. Some you'll see coming and some you'll be amazed at. One could accuse Tales of Graces of using overdone plot points (the mysterious girl with memory problems is a favorite, it seems) but it's the execution that works here and not the idea itself. The only issue with the story is that of all the Tales games to precede it, Tales of Graces certainly takes the slowest the develop. The prologue alone might take four or five hours, and beyond that you'll feel restricted as it builds up to what's really going on. It is definitely a game you have to be patient with. Once it gets going, however, the characters become endearing enough that it can be hard to put down. The themes presented here can be a little heavy handed (particularly the theme of friendship) but Tales of Graces spends less time preaching to the audience and more time trying to illustrate the importance of the themes it's trying to showcase. What you get, in the end, is a dramatic tale that is more about characters than it is the situation they find themselves involved in. This is what makes the story worth playing through.

While the formula for storytelling has remained consistent with the Tales series, the gameplay has not. There are changes. The feeling of a Tales game is certainly still there, but the complexity of the battle system will take even veterans of the series a moment to learn and establish. Every character has a chain capacity (CC) and each attack will drain your CC. Some attacks will use one CC while others might use two, three or even four. You can string them together so long as you have the CC for it, but it's certainly more than just a hack and slash game in this regard. Depending on which directional button you press as your attacking, you'll pull off different moves and combos. These are called Assault Artes. At first this seems limiting, but it gives Tales of Graces a layer of strategy that no Tales game has had before it. And you can easily restore your CC by guarding in battle. Later in the game, however, players will gain a second stance and perform Bursts Artes, which can also be chained together, but they're stronger attacks. They also consume CC. It can take a few moments to really let this sink in, especially because there's a lot to swallow with the battle system. Luckily, after each fight the game will offer you tips to consistently help you out. It's a little strange at first, given the lack of Tech Points found in other tales games. As I said, the strategy here is much more in depth than you may realize.

Enemies also have weak points. Each assault arte and burst arte has its own attributes and some of your enemies are going to be weak to them. This means that you can't always string together the same attacks for the same result on every enemy. If you want to succeed in Tales of Graces, you're going to have to try several different mix-ups when attacking your enemies. At first the whole battle system seems confusing and overwhelming, but after only a couple of hours it becomes second nature. If you're having trouble with the battle system or can't learn it at first, you can always adjust the difficulty level of the game any time you wish.

Sometimes when you get into battles you'll be challenged to certain tasks such as completing a battle in fifteen seconds, chain together four artes, don't get hit or something else along those lines. The reward for doing so is often more lucrative rewards. Complete the challenges consistently and you'll start getting better items. There's a bit more here to entice you to battle. The biggest addition, however, is the Eleth gauge. A gauge that continues to increase as you do battle. Perform well by dodging attacks or striking enemies and you'll gain an Eleth Burst which will temporarily let you perform all of your attacks without consuming CC. In boss battles this is a very useful tool.

Before in Tales games learning new artes usually entailed reaching a certain level, learning them from certain NPCs (or advancements in the story) or using some artes a certain number of times until it lead to learning a new arte. Here it's entirely different. Abilities are now learned through the title bestowed upon a character. As you battle you'll gain skill points, which will go toward learning certain abilities a title has. Once you've learned them all you can switch titles and learn more abilities. It's a bit deeper than other tales games, but it's relatively simple to grasp.

The battle system isn't the only thing that has changed. So have some of the other aspects of the game. You can combine items to make better ones. You can also combine certain items with your weapons and armor and make them stronger and change their attributes. But most important of all is the introduction of the Eleth Mixer. Place an item in it and the mixer will continue to duplicate them as time goes on. Put two ingredients in it and it'll cook food for you (that'll get used automatically in battle). Of all the additions to Tales, the Eleth mixer is certainly the most amusing of the batch.

That's not to say everything about Tales has changed. The game still has lots of skits. All of them are voiced this time, however, and they often add more development to characters. They don't just add to the characters. Some of the time they add to the overall story. Characters will speculate about events that just happened or comment on other characters as well. They're all optional, but if you want the most out of the story and characters, it's a good idea to take a look at all of them.

Tales of Graces isn't without any faults, however. The pacing of the story is incredibly slow, and in real Tales fashion the story can get bogged down in exposition and drama. The game will explain lots of things to you... several times. You'll also find yourself running from Point A to Point B and back to Point A with only hearing exposition and seeing events explained out to you. The Tales series has always done this, but it's particularly noticeable here as the first few hours of the game have you constantly running between the same places over and over again with slow progression across the overworld. It is by far the most restrictive the Tales series has ever been in terms of exploration. Story is the focus here as the game doesn't even want to let you stray from the main path for too long. Other times Asbel simply won't go certain places, instead informing you that there's no need to go there. Most of the characters are interesting enough at least, but you won't find them to nearly as memorable as characters you found in previous outings such as Tales of the Abyss or Tales of Symphonia.

Seeing as how Tales of Graces was originally on the Wii, one might be tempted to think the presentation would look the same as well. It actually doesn't. If there was one game to show off the difference between HD and standard definition this is it. The PS3 version of the game has crisper and smoother looking graphics. Not to mention there are more details added to the game itself. The character models, in particular, look a lot better than they did on the Wii. The cel-shaded graphics give a cartoon like quality to the game. That's not to say the game is gorgeous all around. It's easy on the eyes, but you'll wish there was more detail to the game itself. Towns are strangely underpopulated and environments feel scarce. Character models are nice, but the portraits in their skits look much more detailed than the models themselves. It's a mixed bag. You'll appreciate the upscaling, but Tales of Graces f certainly doesn't have as much life in it as other Tales games before it.

The games actual soundtrack is pretty good, however. Some tunes sound better than others. What won't always bode well is the voice acting. Once again we have a case of a game that has found the right voices for the characters, but isn't very good at expressing them emotionally. In instances where characters should be mad, they don't actually sound mad... just slightly louder. And this is a shame considering Tales of Graces has some pretty dramatic moments that, had the voice acting been better, would've made some of Tales of Graces best moments even better.

For Tales fans, Tales of Graces F is a pretty good game. It is not the best in the Tales series by far. But it continues to do some of the things the Tales series has done so well for so long. A great story with endearing characters and plenty to do along the way. If you're a fan of the Tales series then Tales of Graces F is a game worth trying.

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I didn't know before I started playing, but I have been waiting for this game for 6 years. It has all the strong Japanese flavor of Eternal Sonata, but without the abysmal writing and vocal performance. It's brightly colored, pretty to look at, with an extremely strong battle system, a decent story despite all the "power of friendship" cliches, strong characters, a fun and satisfying battle system, and an addictive growth mechanic. Not to mention the plethora of sidequests, item creation, and the like. Very little about this game is "bad."

However, the audience for this kind of game has dwindled rapidly this generation, and with little to no marketing, games like this are dying at retail. The modern gamer would be put off by it's bright colors and exceedingly foreign sensibilities. The modern gamer would be uncomfortable spending the first 3-5 hours playing as an 11 year old kid. The modern gamer would be embarrassed for any of his friends to see the anime artwork and cutscenes.

But the modern gamer would miss the depth, the fun, the humor, or the charm that pervades every inch of Tales of Graces. It is a great tragedy of this console generation that a title like this can fall by the wayside, with only the most hardcore of the hardcore JRPG fans purchasing it new and showing their support.

If, like me, you yearn for a return to the glory days where JRPGs ruled the roost and you always knew you were getting your money's worth when you bought one, you owe it to yourself to pick this game up. Not used. Pay the extra $10, eat at home one night this week, and buy this game new. Show Namco, and the rest of the Japanese developers, that it IS financially sound to release and market their games in North America. Wallet Votes mean everything in this business. You have the power to shape this industry. Start with supporting Tales of Graces. It is more than worth the price of admission.

Best Deals for Tales of Graces f - Playstation 3

First I should say that I have never played a Tales game before. I bought this on a whim. All I knew about the game was the childhood chapter that sets up the game. So with that said, I don't know how it compares to other Tales games and I don't know if there are common elements throughout each game.

I originally thought I would write this review over a month ago. I'm only writing it now, because I have invested around 100 hours into the game and only the last 5-10 are devoted to a new game+. Whenever I thought I was done, I either had the extended ending or discovered a secret dungeon that kept pulling me back into playing the game. When I played Tales it always felt like there was something else to do.

Battle System:

The most impressing thing about Tales of Graces f for me was the battle system. You only control one character at a time. You use the X and Circle buttons for the type of attacks you want, the left analogue stick to select the attack, and Square for blocking and dashing. Even if you don't quite understand how the game plays from reading my description, it is important to know that you don't look at a long list of commands or a list of 20 different spells when fighting enemies, yet you still have complete control of your character. Fighting feels like simple, yet exciting, because the pace of each battle is quick (an encounter that's over 2 or 3 minutes is really long for Tales of Graces) and it feels like you are actually making your character attack. The game also has 6 different difficulties which you can change at any time. Some are available when the game begins, some you have to unlock. Each difficulty above normal has its own rewards, so the game not only lets you change the game's difficulty based on how well or poorly you are doing, but also rewards you for taking on the extra challenge. I also loved how you are given the option on what to level up by selecting your character's title.

There is only one problem when it comes to gameplay, and it might sound like a weird thing to criticize. The game doesn't have a map for dungeons. On one hand it makes sense that the characters don't have a map to every place they go to in the game. After all, who has a map for some lost ancient ruins? However, a map that fills in as you progress would have been helpful. Basically several dungeons make you backtrack to previous locations or the dungeons are intentionally difficult to navigate. There are three main issues I had while playing the game.

#1) I actually got lost in a dungeon. I wasn't even fighting enemies anymore. Most if not all of them were killed already. I just couldn't find a lever that progresses the story.

#2) I got so lost during a dungeon, I actually left it. I spent 30-45 minutes walking around the middle of dungeon, going up and down rows and columns, and I actually managed to work my way backgrounds, all the way back to the entrance and I didn't even realize it. I only realized it when I actually left it and I was back outside. This dungeon was that confusing for me.

#3) I was trapped in this perpetual loop where I was consistently going back and forth between two or three areas. At one point, I thought the dungeon was impossible. I explored every square inch of the dungeon, but couldn't figure out how to reach the bottom floor. No matter what I did, I would eventually end up back to where I just was or at the beginning. It took me at least 2 hours to navigate something that only takes 3 to 5 minutes to walk through.

While this is the game's biggest issue for me, I would like to say two quick things.

First, numbers 2 and 3 were the last two dungeons of the game, and they were also the biggest offenders. So, I had been playing Tales of Graces around 70 hours before the most annoying part of the game happened. That doesn't negate the issue for me, but at the same time if you are playing a really fun game for 70-80 hours and something like this happens, chances are you are not going to rage quit and never touch the thing ever again. What I'm basically saying is don't discount the game, because I got annoyed at the 70 hour mark.

Secondly, I think I knew what the developers were trying to do with numbers 2 and 3. With the first example, I simply got lost. It had nothing to do with design, I just forgot where I was and where I needed to go. With the other two, I believe the developers made those dungeons intentionally difficult to navigate, like the levels were a puzzle to solve. However, with puzzles you typically know what you are trying to do. With those dungeons, I felt like I had no idea what I was doing or what I should be trying to do, so it was more enraging than a problem solving exercise.

Story and Characters:

As I mentioned earlier, I bought this game solely because I heard about how the game opens. Personally I really enjoyed the childhood section. Granted, it isn't the most exciting opening to a game and some people won't care for it, but I thought it was a great way to introduce the characters and set up the conflict of the story. It is further rewarding when you see the characters as adults and how they have changed since they were children. The plot itself is interesting, but I have to admit it isn't drastically different from anything that has ever existed. The story did keep me interested, especially with how the plot is often focused on one goal at a time. I also appreciate the game's lighter side. There are a lot of genuinely sweet and funny moments in the game. Some of it can be a bit too random. For instance, a few times when I finished a battle, Cheria said (I'm paraphrasing) "Now it's time to join high society. Ho ho ho ho! Like that?!" and looks at the viewer. I just don't know what to make of that. Again, most of the time these moments are funny or at least amusing, but some of them will leave you scratching your head.

The issue I had in terms of story involves some of the character's motivation. Don't get me wrong, the characters in Tales of Graces are likable (especially Sophie, Pascal, and Malik, for me) and the characterization is well done, especially if you look at how characters change from the childhood section, the main game, and the extended ending. However, throughout the entire game some characters will be concerned with something they have to do or something they're trying to overcome. Since this is so persistent with some characters, it feels like some characters (particularly Asbel) say the same thing over and over. One issue may appear in the first 5 hours and phrased more or less the same 45 hours later. There are a few too many instances where it feels like you are watching a replay of a cutscene you already watched. The game doesn't feel slow or anything, but a few moments do become repetitive.

Conclusion:

While the battle system doesn't truly open up until Chapter 2 (after the childhood section), it is incredibly fun, rewarding, and simultaneously gives the player complete control, while making battles real-time and fast paced. I wish there was a map for dungeons so I didn't get lost so much, but the game does so many other things right. The story is also rewarding, even if some characters won't stop talking about a certain dilemma. I don't think the plot is as cliched as some other reviewers. In fact, most of the story elements and characters are entertaining and make you want to know what's going to happen next. The game does have some dark and dramatic moments, but the story perhaps benefits more from the character's charm and the overall sense of humor found in the game.

If you want a fun and addicting JRPG that has plenty of value for your money, definitely give Tales of Graces f a shot. Some things like the the main conflict, how some characters feel like they have roles or are a certain type, the childhood section, and the sense of humor might not work for everyone. While I don't think it is, some people might find the game cliched and slow. Personally, I loved pretty much everything in the game.

Honest reviews on Tales of Graces f - Playstation 3

UPDATED REVIEW (4/2/2012)

I've found most of my original comments still stand. If anything, I have been more impressed with the game as time goes on.

Could the graphics be better? Sometimes, yeah, especially with architecture. But the watercolor effect the game uses for textures still looks quite good and the models for characters and enemies are well done and generally are just quite charming. I'd love if this was redone entirely for the PS3, but with very, very rare exceptions I haven't even found myself noticing.

As time goes on, some of the voices do become tiresome. A lot of the random NPC voices just sound goofy and some of the other main characters just seem strangely cast. Some sound overly robotic at times too, although I suspect a lot of the time this is due to a story element I'm not quite clear on yet (I've not finished the game, but I'm a good 18 hours in).

I really love the battle system and have found myself enjoying it significantly more than others in the series (I'm playing Tales of the Abyss on 3DS alongside this, for example). I love that you don't have to worry about a finite TP bar that can be a pain in the ass to regenerate. The CC system this game uses instead, at least to me, is just far more involving and interesting. As I've mentioned before, I feel like it requires more finesse on your part. I found the game to be a bit too easy on Moderate -I personally recommend setting it to Hard off the bat. But what's nice is that after boss battles, you're given the option to retry the battle and can change the difficulty settings and your character setup. So you rarely have any wasted time there (at least on these difficultly levels, I can't speak of Evil or Chaos yet -although I've unlocked the former), although if you lose to a standard enemy that's the end!

The crafting system becomes fairly more complex as new options are added in. You're given new options to combine equipment with special items, temper that equipment and then extract gems with stats on them. More importantly, you're eventually given access to something called a Eleth Mixer. This has its own set of rules, but it essentially allows you to create items outside of battle (based on how far you travel) and items in battle (based on fulfilling certain needs like getting >30 a hit combo). It's actually fairly interesting and it allows you to craft items that are otherwise fairly difficult to find in the field and makes you feel a bit more invested in bothering to craft (dualize) in the first place.

As far as the story goes, I think it's really ramped up. The game is admittedly fairly slow at first, but I expect that from any general "intro" in these titles. But I will say I've found some of the story "complaints" to be slightly surprising. Many professional reviews talk about how this game goes on and on about "true friends!. And to some extent that is true. But few, if any, seem to mention that this shifts pretty dramatically several hours in -it never goes away entirely, but I have to say given what reviews led me to expect I was surprised to see that the story got fairly dark and dramatic. The characters aren't quite as two-dimensional as it might seem initially -and this is coming from someone who rarely enjoys the typical JRPG/anime tropes we see in these types of games.

Overall I'm very happy with the game. I'd greatly recommend it.

ORIGINAL REVIEW

I'm only several hours in, but I figured a review at this stage could be of use. Overall, the game is great and offers what I imagine most Tales fans want. Still, there were some notable things I would have wanted to know:

1.) Initially I was a bit confused by the battle system, as I expected it to be very similar to the last few Tales games I had played. It's not like Tales of Symphonia or Tales of Vesperia, for example. There's not a dedicated TP/MP/whatever bar for skills; instead you have a new, very small meter (that expands via equipment) that's constantly regenerating depending on what you do in battle (evading attacks, charging abilities, chaining things together). Once you get used to it, you'll realize it's quite well done and does require a level of finesse. I felt like I could get away with a lot of random mashing in games like Vesperia (at least on normal difficulty) and that seems a lot less likely here.

The way Artes are applied is a bit different as well. It uses a skill tree some skills are gated behind others. I'm not a pro at it yet, but from what I can tell this means you have to do a skill from List A before you can launch into one from List B, etc. It's possible this was in another Tales game, but I've not played one with this concept.

2.) The game only offers Semi-Auto and Auto modes initially. In the first town, you can buy a book for 500 Gald that enables manual mode. No idea why they did this.

The game offers various battle difficulties from the start. You can also unlock Evil difficulty through gameplay (I think after so many battles on Hard), and Chaos after 300 battles on Evil. There are incentives to use higher difficulty settings. You get more bonuses and I'd say the game is a bit more rewarding.

The game has trophies based upon difficulty settings. Just know that you are awarded the trophy only based on killing the last boss. This means you can play the entire game on Easy, change the difficulty for the boss and still get the trophy.

If you do lose a boss battle, you're offered a few options which include the ability to retry the battle and change the difficulty.

3.) There's no Japanese voices in the game. I find this a lot less excusable on Blu-rays. The space is obviously available. I personally don't mind the English voice overs, they're on par with Vesperia.

4.) Graphically this clearly looks better than the Wii original. You can tell what they've redone or improved. Animation overall is excellent and the game looks quite good in HD. That said, there are still places where textures are notably poor or areas where you know this would have looked better if the 360 or PS3 were the lead platform. Overall, I would say Vesperia is a far better looking game... but Graces f still is far from unattractive.

Overall, though, I've found the game entertaining, the systems interesting and everything in general just fun. I'd recommend it to fans of the series.

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Asbel Lhant and the mysterious young girl Sofie are the protagonists of a beautiful HD remade story originally on Wii. This game will have lots of hours for both old and new fans to enjoy and lots of quest and kameo battles in the arena. One of the coolest kameo appearances is Tales of Hearts female protagonist Kohaku Hearts, but they're plenty to enjoy and trophies for doing various boss fights. There are leaderboards for the extra battle mode feature and plenty of costumes to choose from so enjoy the options and freedom to mix up your looks. I don't really wish to spoil anything, but I'll just say take your time and enjoy the unravelling of the story's done in an arc fashion this time around. There are a lot of beautiful Anime cutscenes in this game and sidequests some of which have to be completed early like other Tales titles. You'll meet all of the characters very early into the game and by this time most of you will know who you use best as a team or have a personal preference. This game once again has the infamous level 200 which can be hit easily if you are using 10x eperience, but the long trophies will be the level 9999 Arles Pot and a Gentleman's Defeat. The opening theme is Mamoritai White Wishes by BoA, but anyways I hope this review helps you or gives you the desire to try this game out because you won't reget it. There's a new battle system feature called Axel Mode which is how you pull off extreme combos and Lv4 Blast Caliburs. All characters can and will eventually learn this awesome technique via a title and it really can heat up a battle. Last thing I'll note is that there's a cool feature on Efina that can make you're characters all the same character on the battle screen, but it's extremely pricy so save your gald for it. If anyone has questions about Tales of Graces F feel free to ask me and I will help out as best I can. Thanks for reading and I hope this helped! :D

~Metragoon

Buy Super Meat Boy Ultra Edition - PC

Customer Ratings:

I had been watching this game for a bit on Xbox Live Arcade, but hesitated to buy it because I'm mainly a cinematic action gamer, and FPS gamer. However, I made a realization that lately I've been enjoying the smaller more arcadey games. They are easier to pick up and play when I get time now that I'm busy with work and family. So, you could say, SUPER MEAT BOY SAVED MY FAMILY.

No more do I have to spend $60+ on a game that I only play twice! NO MORE, do I have to be slave to hour long cutscenes. SUPER MEAT BOY SAVED MY LIFE.

Get in. Die 249 times. FINALLY reach the end. Win. This game is frustrating, satisfying, aggravating, relaxing, funny, sad, high protein and low fat.

Do yourself a favor, and get Super Meat Boy in some form or another. WHY NOT THIS VERSION? It has things in it which look neat.

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Oh, yes. You will get angry. You will curse. You may even heave your controller across the room.

You will cry out in agony and frustration. You will play the same level hundreds of times.

But, at the end of the day, you find yourself grinning like an idiot.

You just had the most fun with a game since you had your NES.

Super Meat Boy is the most ridiculous game that has been released in a long while, and therein lies its' charm. It is such a unique, quirky idea, it reminds one of NAMCO's gem, Katamari Damacy. I mean, this is a game about a hunk of meat trying to save his latex girlfriend from a ugly robo-fetus.

What's not to love?

The gameplay is the tightest, best controlled platformer I've ever laid hands on. Each of the hundreds of levels seems like it was meticulously designed for the player, with all the narrow misses and 'I ALMOST HAD IT!'s. The game lasts and lasts forever. If you want to complete the light world (the normal difficulty) and the dark world (the hard difficulty) it will take you hours upon hours. And then there are the hidden bandages that unlock awesome characters (including original ones and ones from other games). The look on my face when I was jumping around these levels as Tim from Braid must have been priceless. In between levels you are often treated to hilarious animated cutscenes setting the stage for the next zone or level. They are great, and it almost seems like Meat Boy could have his own cartoon.

The music deserves its own paragraph. A little bit 8-bit, a little bit metal, a little bit electronica, Meat Boys' music will have you rocking out in no time. From the awesome opening theme to each area's unique song, it's all stuck-in-your-head-humming-it-all-day greatness. And the best part? It comes with the soundtrack.

If you like platformers, you have no reason not to buy Team Meats' baby. It's $20, and for that you're getting one of the best platform games in existence. So go to it, and watch out for all the saw blades! ;)

10/10

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This is one of the best games to come out of the last decade. The price is perfect and includes tons of extra goodies. Every pixel is just oozing with personality and quality. This is a must buy for anyone who plays and enjoys games.

Honest reviews on Super Meat Boy Ultra Edition - PC

The Good: Pixel perfect controls, tons of charming visuals, catchy music, humorous story and characters, replays are a blast to watch

The Bad: Brutal difficulty, extra characters are hard to unlock

2D platformers are always compared to a 20 year old game known as Super Mario Bros. and they have every right to. That game was flawless and literally created the 2D platforming genre. Super Meat Boy is probably the only game in recent history that comes close to that kind of pixel perfect jumping and tight responsive controls. SMB also has a ton of humor infused with it, and the game is a blast to play and is highly addictive.

You play as Super Meat Boy who is trying to save Bandage Girl from Dr. Fetus. It's a simple story, but its hilarious and the cut scenes are drawn beautifully. The art style is very unique and there's so much detail infused in this game it's nuts. When SMB gets destroyed he splatters his meaty goodness all over the walls and it stays there. He makes a splooshing sound when running and his facial animations are very funny. There are other characters you can unlock by completing warp levels and these guys are just as detailed and have their unique abilities.

The controls in the game are what really surprised me. They're just absolutely perfect. They are super responsive and tight and it feels like your controlling the characters with your fingers instead of buttons. Using the Games for Windows controller (or any other) is essential, but the keyboard works too. Jumping around corners and manuvering though the games brutal levels can be conquered thanks to these tight controls. I'm dead serious about the game being hard because every corner and jump requires extreme precision or you will die 30+ times. Oh sure, you'll die that many times thanks to a quick reset button that has zero loading. What's cool is after you beat the level you get to see a replay of every time you died, so every SMB goes off and you can follow them until the last one makes it. It's awesome, unique, and makes you want to watch every replay and save them for friends to laugh at.

The warp levels bring the graphics back to 8 bit with amazing music and tend to be more challenging than the regular levels. Usually you get to play the characters you will unlock, but game play varies in these levels. You can also find bandages in the regular levels, but these require extra extreme precision (if that's possible), so this game is really for hardcore gamers only. Casual gamers will give up quick and there's no difficulty levels to set. From the frantic boss fights to the constant dishing out of new obstacles to overcome the game ramps up after the first few stages, so you must stay on your toes.

With a crap ton of charming visuals, catchy music, and perfect controls the game shines above all other 2D platformers. It wouldn't hurt to say it's probably the best 2D platformer in the last decade, but the brutal difficulty is very forgiving thanks to the feeling of accomplishment once you trump that level. Try beating the record time to feel even better about that victory! I highly recommend SMB to any platforming fan or even fans of the 16/8 bit eras.

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How much do you value your precious free time and the amount of blood, sweat and tears that you may lose from being frustrated at a game? Well, regardless of what bodily fluids you may lose over playing this game, SMB is an awesome game. It is hardcore tough. Completionists may take a liking to this game because there is a lot to do and masochists...well, you get the point. This game is tough.

You play as Meat Boy, a lovable wad of meat who is trying to rescue Bandage Girl from being kidnapped by Dr. Fetus. Awesome already isn't it? You must get from point A to point B in each stage while maneuvering sometimes very difficult obstacles. There are 7 worlds to beat, usually with 20 stages each, an additional 20 stages that are more challenging, boss stages, and secret hidden levels. There are extra characters to unlock (many of them you may recognize from other games) and each with their own special ability.

Cons: Tough as nails platformer may be a turn off to some looking to play a casual game. Also, turn back now if you don't want to realize you actually have a potty mouth.