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I played Elder Scrolls II for a little while but quit because of the mature content in it. Several years later I looked into the rest of the Elder Scrolls series and found out that this version of the game was very clean. We went ahead and bought it and my wife and I love it. It's still in an incredibly open environment (just not as huge as Daggerfall was, but that is good). You can still develop your skills by using them rather than the traditional gain experience by killing bad guys to level up. I think Morrowind is one of the best RPG games out there for a few reasons. It's not filled with pointless sex and violence, the game is actually well done and doesn't need those to hide weaknesses like so many other games these day do. Also it's a single player, so it has an ending, unlike MMORPG games that try to hook you and take your life away. This one ends so you can have fun without having to spend 20 hours a week leveling up your character. A LAN multiplayer would have been cool, but I think it's still fun without it.
Showing posts with label xbox one buy a 360. Show all posts
Showing posts with label xbox one buy a 360. Show all posts
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Review of Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Game of the Year Edition)
Title pretty much says it all. You get the full TES3: Morrowind, Bloodmoon, Tribunal, and the construction set (where you can make your own modifications to the game) all on one CD, and for a very great price. Aside from being a legendary game all by itself, you can download and install many mods that really improve the experience of this game. After installing the Morrowind Overhaul mod pack and several other personal favorite mods I was captivated by the outstanding graphic improvements and additions to this game. I recommend it to anyone who loves or enjoys a computer role playing game. This will be my favorite game for many years. (^-^)
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Buy James Bond 007 Nightfire - Xbox
007 Nightfire is out for all major platforms, in time for the latest Bond film. The graphics are stunning, gameplay is amazing. Well worthy of the series!
I'm a huge fan of the Bond games, and we have all of the previous ones. We got this one as soon as it came out, and were definitely not disappointed!
The graphics are a huge step up from previous versions. In the first 'training' mission, you're driving a car through city streets. The lights reflect off of the curves of the car, you can see inside to all of his controls and movements, the dents show up realistically, the back up lights glow softly, and if you bash it a bit, the trunk comes loose. The city around you has cobblestone streets, water rippling, streetlights that come down when you hit them. The attention to detail is just amazing!
As you then move on through the various levels, you see this same level of detail everywhere. From the Austrian castle and other alpine scenes, to the city scenes, watery scenes and more, each really shines.
The plot is very engaging and typically Bond. But in an attempt to show that this isn't about violence he's a SPY after all, not a Rambo you get bonus points for being stealthy instead of blasting in with guns, and for stunning or capturing enemies instead of killing them.
In fact, just about every area can be 'accomplished' in many ways. Bluster your way into an objective by a full frontal assault ... or sneak in the side way for extra points. Since you're also rewarded for your time and health, often the sneaky, non-violent way is the best.
You've got a huge array of equipment, weapons, armor and vehicles, and all work just the way you'd expect them to. I found the default controller configuration REALLY annoying, but a quicks stop in the config area got it back to the way I'm used to playing.
Plus, there's multiplayer! Play with up to four people at once on REALLY great maps with quite a bit of customization options on each one. Grab some bots for practice, and play arena, team arena, king of the hill, capture the flag, or other game types.
Definitely worthy of the Bond series, and highly, highly recommended to any first person shooter fan!
The game is mad fun for the 1-player mode. You see the screen as if out of your eyes, meaning you don't see yourselfonly the view in front of you. This style of play allows an awesome shooting game. Throughout the levels, you must stop Drake and his men from their evil plots, which means ALOT of gun action and suspense. It is a very fun and non-stop action.
This game has excellent graphics, the music is awesome, and the "suspense music" allows thrilling fights to be amplified. The sounds of the guns and the effects are just amazing. Mostly the game is very fun to play. Shooting with the many guns experienced are just fun. The vairety of guns are amazing from the Sniper Rifle, to the Grenades, the tribombs and mines, to the pistols, to my favorite: the rocket launcher. The game is one of the best in the action.
The coolest thing about Nightfire is the multi-player action. There is just so much to do. Various modes include the Death Match, Team Arena, King Of The Hill, Assasination, and much more. There are awesome gameplay options that allow mini-vecihles: helicopters and tanks, and there are plenty of other options. You can choose the types of guns in each level or make them completly random. You can customize computer opponents, and play on various stages.
Nightfire is an excellent game, and I certaintly reccomend it to any action-shooting game fans. Bond rules, and so does this awesome video game.
The plot lacks some 'Pa-ZAZ' I enjoyed the plot and story line of Agent Under Fire, but Nightfire has a much improved multiplayer mode.
Bond will keep you playing and playing, over and over again!
I'm a huge fan of the Bond games, and we have all of the previous ones. We got this one as soon as it came out, and were definitely not disappointed!
The graphics are a huge step up from previous versions. In the first 'training' mission, you're driving a car through city streets. The lights reflect off of the curves of the car, you can see inside to all of his controls and movements, the dents show up realistically, the back up lights glow softly, and if you bash it a bit, the trunk comes loose. The city around you has cobblestone streets, water rippling, streetlights that come down when you hit them. The attention to detail is just amazing!
As you then move on through the various levels, you see this same level of detail everywhere. From the Austrian castle and other alpine scenes, to the city scenes, watery scenes and more, each really shines.
The plot is very engaging and typically Bond. But in an attempt to show that this isn't about violence he's a SPY after all, not a Rambo you get bonus points for being stealthy instead of blasting in with guns, and for stunning or capturing enemies instead of killing them.
In fact, just about every area can be 'accomplished' in many ways. Bluster your way into an objective by a full frontal assault ... or sneak in the side way for extra points. Since you're also rewarded for your time and health, often the sneaky, non-violent way is the best.
You've got a huge array of equipment, weapons, armor and vehicles, and all work just the way you'd expect them to. I found the default controller configuration REALLY annoying, but a quicks stop in the config area got it back to the way I'm used to playing.
Plus, there's multiplayer! Play with up to four people at once on REALLY great maps with quite a bit of customization options on each one. Grab some bots for practice, and play arena, team arena, king of the hill, capture the flag, or other game types.
Definitely worthy of the Bond series, and highly, highly recommended to any first person shooter fan!
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Nightfire was released in 2002 and still 4 years later it stands strong. It is not as good a game as Everything or Nothing but from a first person shooter's stand point the game is very solid. The vehicle levels are very good as well. Your V12 Vanquish and other vehicles like snowmobiles will provide for some of the best chases ever in a Bond game. The game is a bit too short overall but is catchy enough for the Bond name. The story is interesting and the multiplayer is pretty fun. I can say with a clear consciense that if your a fan of Bond or just an action fan, nearly four years after it's release, Nightfire is still a solid choice when looking for a new game.Best Deals for James Bond 007 Nightfire - Xbox
Who dosen't love Bond? The guns, the action, the suspense, and the fancy tux and the cars. It all adds up to an awesome video game. Many have been made about the Bond series, but this is the newest. In the game you play, James Bond 007 agent in his new set of adventures that range from infiltrating a castle, protecting a French agent in Paris, destroying missles in outer space, and driving an underwater submarince.The game is mad fun for the 1-player mode. You see the screen as if out of your eyes, meaning you don't see yourselfonly the view in front of you. This style of play allows an awesome shooting game. Throughout the levels, you must stop Drake and his men from their evil plots, which means ALOT of gun action and suspense. It is a very fun and non-stop action.
This game has excellent graphics, the music is awesome, and the "suspense music" allows thrilling fights to be amplified. The sounds of the guns and the effects are just amazing. Mostly the game is very fun to play. Shooting with the many guns experienced are just fun. The vairety of guns are amazing from the Sniper Rifle, to the Grenades, the tribombs and mines, to the pistols, to my favorite: the rocket launcher. The game is one of the best in the action.
The coolest thing about Nightfire is the multi-player action. There is just so much to do. Various modes include the Death Match, Team Arena, King Of The Hill, Assasination, and much more. There are awesome gameplay options that allow mini-vecihles: helicopters and tanks, and there are plenty of other options. You can choose the types of guns in each level or make them completly random. You can customize computer opponents, and play on various stages.
Nightfire is an excellent game, and I certaintly reccomend it to any action-shooting game fans. Bond rules, and so does this awesome video game.
Honest reviews on James Bond 007 Nightfire - Xbox
This Bond game has a great plot. It may be a little out there at times, but is very enjoyable. Like "Agent Under Fire"game it was an original plot, but unlike it, I feel this plot was much more practical (in comparission). The best part was the multi player maps and actual characters from the movies (you can even use odd jobs hat as a wepon which kills in one hit). The addition of the self guided rockets make the multi player map much more challenging if you play with either bots, or real people.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for James Bond 007 Nightfire - Xbox
Nightfire is the best Bond game to be released since Goldeneye!The plot lacks some 'Pa-ZAZ' I enjoyed the plot and story line of Agent Under Fire, but Nightfire has a much improved multiplayer mode.
Bond will keep you playing and playing, over and over again!
Friday, February 7, 2014
Review of The Legend of Dragoon
The Legend of Dragoon has a very innovative battle system that uses combination attacks called "additions". This is innovative partly because it does require constant concentration and precise timing to execute. Basically, additions allow your characters to increase the damage caused by their physical attacks. You have to push the controller buttons at the precise moment in order to execute these additions. And, do not expect to master all of the additions for any of the characters. The most powerful additions require too many timed button presses to execute reliably.
The story is fairly standard RPG material. You play as the main character, Dart. Dart is on a journey to avenge the destruction of his village and the death of his parents. Along the way, he meets up with some very eccentric adventurers who follow him on his quests for their own personal reasons. What starts out as a journey for revenge turns out to be something more significant. As the story unfolds, it turns out that what people have believed for 10,000 years may not be the actual truth. What God had in mind for humans may not be in our best interest. Dart and company travel across three nations to try and unravel the mystery.
This game is a very good alternative to the Final Fantasy series for those who love to hack, slash, bash, and cast spells. The battle system here is much better than Final Fantasy X's. This is perhaps the most sophisticated RPG for the original playstation. Playing the game in a PS2 supposedly gives the graphics a boost, but I have not had a chance to compare them side by side. I can say that on a PS2, the graphics are very good. The soundtrack sounds great and the variety is wide enough so that the game is pleasant to play for long hours at a time. I believe it took me over 100 hours to finish the game and the side quests.
Though the battle system is familiar to any RPG fan, it is the graphics that really give this game the edge. Boasting "3 years in the making, with a design team of over 100", their efforts were well spent. The battles are challenging enough, while the enemies are challenging and diverse. In terms of control, it is similar to most of the FF games, so it doesn't take long to master battles and manouvering. As the game progresses, the characters get stronger, allowing them to inflict even more damage. Overall, this is a challenging and rewarding game.
But sadly, this game is tainted by a few minor flaws. The cliched "Unlock the mysteries of the past" plot is nothing we haven't seen before, add to this the paper thin characters that we couldn't care less about. There are some technical flaws that need addressing. First, the number is items that can be carried. Why is it that you can carry 256 "Armed" items (weapons and armor) but you can only cary 32 standard items (like healing potions and cure potions, which is what you most often need)? Another flaw is that, unlike the free roaming of FF games, you are confined to the dotted lines on the world map. So there is little room for exploration. One thing that particularly bugged me about this game is that the plot is so linear, meaning that the side quests that we enjoyed with Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy 3 are not prevelant here.
But these are minor flaws, considering that the point of the game is to fight until the end to save innocent people from bloodshed. This is not a deeply involved RPG, but rather more like an action game with RPG undertones. Not bad at all.
You play as a mercenary named "Dart" who is approximately 20 years of age. As the story begins war is quickly breaking out across the nation. Dart being somewhat naive hears about the arising conflict but takes it as no more than a rumor...until his village has been literally burnt to the ground. His long time childhood friend Shana is also taken captive and sent to the Hellena Prison. Dart then takes it upon himself to infiltrate this enemy fortress to get her back. Little does he know that by doing so he will have volunteered to bring an end to this war and the evil super-powers behind it.
I enjoy this game firstly for its creativity. Being an expressed fan of dragons and chivalry, I find myself easily immersed in this great game. The graphics are easily as great as those of Final Fantasy VII. The FMV sequences are breath-taking. The storyline in my opinion is very good. I enjoyed trying to figure out the many twists in the plot. That is one of the things that kept me playing...just to find out what kind of secrets the characters were hiding from one another. The battle system is quite enjoyable. Sony uses what they call an "addition" system. This where the classic turn-based RPG is brought into the real-time combat world. When your character moves in to strike the enemy you need to push the attack button a certain time to initiate another attack and so which can eventually turn into a devastating combo attack. Granted this can become tedious after putting many hours under your belt, but where would the experience of the battle be without it? Having one of your characters turn into a dragoon is much like Final Fantasy's limit breaks, but not only does your character gain immense attacking power but some impressive magical abilities. Not too mention some sweet armor.
Just about all the reviews I have read have compared Legend of Dragoon to many of Square's games. Square is renowned for their ability to produce amazing RPG's. Final Fantasy is where it all began! After nine Final Fantasy games something new (with a twist of lemon) can be a breath of fresh air to rekindle the RPG flames. I highly recommend this great game to any heart and soul RPG player.
The story is fairly standard RPG material. You play as the main character, Dart. Dart is on a journey to avenge the destruction of his village and the death of his parents. Along the way, he meets up with some very eccentric adventurers who follow him on his quests for their own personal reasons. What starts out as a journey for revenge turns out to be something more significant. As the story unfolds, it turns out that what people have believed for 10,000 years may not be the actual truth. What God had in mind for humans may not be in our best interest. Dart and company travel across three nations to try and unravel the mystery.
This game is a very good alternative to the Final Fantasy series for those who love to hack, slash, bash, and cast spells. The battle system here is much better than Final Fantasy X's. This is perhaps the most sophisticated RPG for the original playstation. Playing the game in a PS2 supposedly gives the graphics a boost, but I have not had a chance to compare them side by side. I can say that on a PS2, the graphics are very good. The soundtrack sounds great and the variety is wide enough so that the game is pleasant to play for long hours at a time. I believe it took me over 100 hours to finish the game and the side quests.
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"Legend of Dragoon" is similar to Final Fantasy games in that the battles are turn-based; involve weapons, items, and spells; and players get the option to levil up their characters for stronger attacks and more HP. On it's own, it is a fun, satisfying, and worthwile game. But it definitely doesn't hold a candle to the FF games.Though the battle system is familiar to any RPG fan, it is the graphics that really give this game the edge. Boasting "3 years in the making, with a design team of over 100", their efforts were well spent. The battles are challenging enough, while the enemies are challenging and diverse. In terms of control, it is similar to most of the FF games, so it doesn't take long to master battles and manouvering. As the game progresses, the characters get stronger, allowing them to inflict even more damage. Overall, this is a challenging and rewarding game.
But sadly, this game is tainted by a few minor flaws. The cliched "Unlock the mysteries of the past" plot is nothing we haven't seen before, add to this the paper thin characters that we couldn't care less about. There are some technical flaws that need addressing. First, the number is items that can be carried. Why is it that you can carry 256 "Armed" items (weapons and armor) but you can only cary 32 standard items (like healing potions and cure potions, which is what you most often need)? Another flaw is that, unlike the free roaming of FF games, you are confined to the dotted lines on the world map. So there is little room for exploration. One thing that particularly bugged me about this game is that the plot is so linear, meaning that the side quests that we enjoyed with Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy 3 are not prevelant here.
But these are minor flaws, considering that the point of the game is to fight until the end to save innocent people from bloodshed. This is not a deeply involved RPG, but rather more like an action game with RPG undertones. Not bad at all.
Best Deals for The Legend of Dragoon
The Legend of Dragoon is an awesome game that centers around a man in red armor (Dart) and the band of people he joins on his quest. It begins with a story of revenge for the death of his parents, but quickly morphs into battle scenes where he fights to save his friends, and eventually, a small love story works its way into the plot. Don't worry guys, it doesn't interfere the battle sequences. This game is tough in some parts, and easier in others, but it's well worth the money. You get a lot of challenging fights and you must solve puzzles in some areas to progress. The graphics are pretty good and personally, (DONT FLIP ON ME!!) I like this game a lot more than any of the Final Fantasies, except for FFX. I really liked this game a lot, and I own over 400 games for PS, PS2 and PC. This game is addicting, I come home and play for hours. You should get at least 40 hours of gameplay. By the way, the opening scenes made me mad the first time I played, but once you get past the beginning, you get 2 actually play the game. This game has a very involved plot, one of the better plots of RPG's. I hope this helped!Honest reviews on The Legend of Dragoon
Where to begin... I have read many reviews about this game. Some reviews that I have seen build this game up with positive comments but don't do it any justice. The majority of the reviews that I have read about "Legend of Dragoon" were so harsh I wonder what makes these people RPG fans at all. I have owned this game since its release back in June 2000. I was even able to complete the game within a month or so. To be totally honest I have thoroughly enjoyed this game.You play as a mercenary named "Dart" who is approximately 20 years of age. As the story begins war is quickly breaking out across the nation. Dart being somewhat naive hears about the arising conflict but takes it as no more than a rumor...until his village has been literally burnt to the ground. His long time childhood friend Shana is also taken captive and sent to the Hellena Prison. Dart then takes it upon himself to infiltrate this enemy fortress to get her back. Little does he know that by doing so he will have volunteered to bring an end to this war and the evil super-powers behind it.
I enjoy this game firstly for its creativity. Being an expressed fan of dragons and chivalry, I find myself easily immersed in this great game. The graphics are easily as great as those of Final Fantasy VII. The FMV sequences are breath-taking. The storyline in my opinion is very good. I enjoyed trying to figure out the many twists in the plot. That is one of the things that kept me playing...just to find out what kind of secrets the characters were hiding from one another. The battle system is quite enjoyable. Sony uses what they call an "addition" system. This where the classic turn-based RPG is brought into the real-time combat world. When your character moves in to strike the enemy you need to push the attack button a certain time to initiate another attack and so which can eventually turn into a devastating combo attack. Granted this can become tedious after putting many hours under your belt, but where would the experience of the battle be without it? Having one of your characters turn into a dragoon is much like Final Fantasy's limit breaks, but not only does your character gain immense attacking power but some impressive magical abilities. Not too mention some sweet armor.
Just about all the reviews I have read have compared Legend of Dragoon to many of Square's games. Square is renowned for their ability to produce amazing RPG's. Final Fantasy is where it all began! After nine Final Fantasy games something new (with a twist of lemon) can be a breath of fresh air to rekindle the RPG flames. I highly recommend this great game to any heart and soul RPG player.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for The Legend of Dragoon
I really enjoy this game. I'm in no way saying that it is perfect, I still prefer FFVIII, but it is a very nice game. The graphics are great. The regular play graphics (not CGI scenes) are shockingly good compared with my newly purchased FFIX. At the begining I was upset at the lack of CGI sequences (I'm a shallow CG major so I love that stuff), but my hunger was sated in disc 3. I enjoy the battle system. Having to master the complicated additions kept me active, when in FFVIII I would occasionally be getting a snack while my characters acted out the commands. Unfortunately, the battles were all too frequent. Random encounters slowed play with no option of walking on 'safe' roads. There was the abilty to reduce encounters with cheap charm potions, but it was altogether just as annoying. Finally, I didn't feel the same connection with the characters as I did in FFVIII. Several reviewers have called FFVIII's character development too complicated, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. While this might not become your favorite game, it is certainly worth a play or two.Monday, December 23, 2013
Sonic Generations - Xbox 360 Reviews
List Price: $49.95
Sale Price: $17.00
Today's Bonus: 66% Off
This game is such an accomplishment, such an amazing pinnacle of achievement, and such a beautiful mesh of gaming new and old-fused together underneath the bright red shoes and fleet feet of the world's most famous hedgehog. This game has finally done sonic justice, and has all the intense action and fun of sonic adventure 1 and 2, with the addition of that classic platforming brilliance of the sonic 1,2,3, and knuckles era. The level design and adaptation are incredible, bosses are true to form, as well as the feel and overall atmosphere of the game. The levels are INSANELY fast paced...and feel actually well, FUN! I have been a diehard sonic fan for years, and have become discouraged with alot of Sega's decisions...however this game takes the cake; and rights all previous wrongs. All the glitches have been fixed, and the game flows so continually and fluidly-(without the stupid side characters or annoying mini missions). There are other challenges which allow you to purchase upgrades from the shop-including the complete original sonic 1 game from the Sega Genesis console.
On top of this..there is so SO much more...the bosses, the music, OOOH GOD THE MUSIC
I have never felt this much nostalgia from just one game...and if you are either a sonic fan or ever enjoyed a sonic game...then you HAVE to pick up generations today.
Sonic is back and, although he may have skidded, slipped, or slid a bit here and there, he is running harder and faster than ever before...20 years later and never better.
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It seems like that due to Sonic Colors, Sega's finally taken 3D Sonic games to the right direction. It's further proven with the release of Sonic Generations, a game that takes nearly all of Sonic's history and compacts it into one game, with new levels in those familiar environments! Naturally, we Sonic fans were all hyped. And what's even better is that the final product was no letdown.Sonic Generations starts you off in the classic Green Hill Zone, re-imagined with entirely new level design, semi-remixed versions of the catchy level music, and brilliant graphical details! Once you start playing, it feels just like the Genesis Sonic games all over again, with the addition of X letting you automatically Spin-Dash (Although the original "Down+A" combination is still there), and...B to crouch ("Down" still present too).
In case you didn't get enough of the game's from-the-start brilliance, there's also the Dreamcast-era Modern Sonic, who, like in Sonic Colors, is complete with Boosting, Homing Attack, etc. He gets his own versions of the background music as well. Since Sega's finally doing it right for 3D Sonic games, playing as Modern Sonic is just fun as it is playing as his old pot-bellied counterpart.
Remember when there were scenes like that giant truck chasing Sonic down a road in Sonic Adventure 2? Sonic racing Metal Sonic? Shadow? How about that time when he ventured through the Sky Sanctuary, and nearly drowned in the pink water from Chemical Plant Zone? You get to relive all of that in this game, and these events fit perfectly with the game's new level layouts (The giant truck can destroy some construction sites, changing those bits of level design for Classic Sonic!).
Of all that Sonic had gone through, though, there are only 9 Zones in Generations, representing games like Sonics 1, 2, 3, Adventure, Adventure 2, Next-Gen (The 2006 game, but thankfully, its Zone, Crisis City is actually a lot of fun here), Unleashed, and, of course, the recent Sonic Colors. You would probably think that the game is as short/long as the Genesis games, and while you could say that, there are lots and lots of challenges and achievements you can do and get, making the replay value grow largely.
Even if you did beat the game by completing its minimal requirements, you can't hide the fact that you have enjoyed the thrill ride throughout, from beginning to end. Happy Birthday, Sonic....
UPDATE (7/4/2012): As I was looking at this recently on Amazon, I realized the prices have dipped for both new and used copies of the game! Now that you can find it for under $20, there's absolutely NO excuse to skip this game!
Best Deals for Sonic Generations - Xbox 360
Following on from last years platforming masterclass Sonic colours, Sonic Team returns to celebrate 20 years of the blue blur with Sonic Generations. Here Modern Sonic (the long quilled, homing attacking, boosting trickster from Sonic Adventure onwards) teams up with his former self Classic Sonic (the short, tubby, Spin Attacking, Spin Dashing hog of the 16-Bit era) via a time travelling plot involving an outer space beastie know as the Time Eater. As a 20 year celebration each of SG's nine stages have been selected from nine previous games in the series spanning three erasClassic, Dreamcast & Modern. All redesigned with entirely new layouts. Acts 1 are played with C Sonic as strictly side scrolling 2D levels (albeit stunningly rendered using the hedgehog engine) and Acts 2 are played with M Sonic were you will mostly be running into the screen at ridiculous speeds. A game for every Sonic fan then, genius. The nine stages are unlocked three at a time once you have cleared all acts of the current era as both Sonics in addition to a few of each stages' own Challenge Acts (more about them later).Classic Sonic Overview
This is what all the old fans have been waiting for. Ever since the release of last years craptastic Sonic 4 Sega fans worldwide have been clamouring for a return of the original hog from the early 90's. C Sonic can run, jump, roll, Spin Attack, Spin Dash and that's it. In the original games Yuji Naka's expert coding created an unrealistic pinball feel to Sonic's physics were he could build momentum bouncing from one enemy to another. For SG C Sonic uses the Havok engine to create a more realistic feeling of momentum and as such the player can no longer build momentum chaining enemy attacks. Also C Sonic's jump is slightly gimpedhe can't quite jump as far as he could in the classics after a small run up. But the main area in which ST have dropped the ball is the rolling. The roll friction is too high when going downhill causing Sonic to slowdown when he should be speeding up. Bizarrely this problem does not occur on flats were he can travel in a ball for some distance. To accommodate this deficiency the Spin Dash has been souped up and levels tend to be platform orientated. One noticeable exception to this is Chemical Plant which like the original is a mass of ramps and loops but to get him rolling at the correct speed he is sent through a series of boosters. Another anomaly are the invisible boosts at the top of most ramps throughout the game which overshoot Sonic into the air by meters. You more than build up enough momentum to clear them all without the unnecessary boosts (especially when using the overpowered Spin Dash) so why they exist is a mystery. Overall this is a valiant attempt at re-creating the Classic Sonic gameplay. The speed is there (the running itself improved over the originals), the physics are correct and veterans will get a big kick out of playing as the short spikey once again. But next to the classics? The gameplay is nowhere near as good.
Modern Sonic Overview
Modern Sonic's gameplay is the best it's ever been in Generations. As fusion of the Unleashed & Colours play styles Sonic primarily sprints into the screen but every so often switches to a 2D perspective to hop platforms. 3D sections revolve around the boost (built up by collecting rings and performing air tricks similar to Colours), the quick step (a lightning fast side step used to avoid obstacles), and of course the homing attack which can be used in either perspective to lock onto and destroy enemies. Due to their incredible speed M Sonic's acts are often more exhilarating than C Sonic, the downside to this being they also feel a lot more on-rails and linear despite the equal amount of branching routes due of the numerous choke points and fixed 3D angle camera making it difficult/impossible to backtrack. If C Sonic's acts are built for exploration M Sonic's are all about speed. The difference being you can also speed run the classic levels but the Modern Acts do not offer the same flexibility if you want to travel in any direction other than forwards. When played as the developer intended the Modern stages are a blast and there is nothing like executing a perfect run through Green Hill Act 2 (probably the greatest Modern Sonic level ever created) chaining boosts/homing attacks/air combos to achieve your best time. Boss/Rival battles of which there are six in the game are mostly handled by M Sonic with only the first two (from the Mega Drive era) played with the little guy. Once you have learnt their patterns Boss/Rivals are quite easy and best played on hard mode. Taking on Sonic Adventure's Perfect Chaos to the tune of 'Open your heart' by Crush 40 being a particular highlight.
Negatives
Aside from C Sonic's roll being broke there aren't too many. On the whole level design is of high quality but both acts of Planet Wisp are a letdown. In Act 1 the player only gets access to the Spikes Wisp, and in Act 2 we only get Rocket. This removes the puzzle element of the original Planet Wisp (Sonic Colours) were the player could use all eight Wisps to find secrets and access faster routes and because the same two Wisps are spammed they're not as fun. Another disappointing aspect is the stage selection. Of the nine stages we get four cities and two 'Hill's and while the cities are all very different a more diverse line up would have been nice. I really could have done without Seaside Hill and Rooftop Run in favour of something more distinct such as Hang Castle & Chun Nan. My final gripe concerns the Challenge Acts. Each stage once complete unlocks a series of challenges that range from races with doppelgangers to treasure hunting. They're a nice extra to help pad out content but being forced to backtrack and complete a few for each stage before the next era unlocks disrupts the flow of the game and feels like a chore.
Conclusion
Negatives aside Sonic Generations is a spectacular anniversary title the likes of which have never been seen. Making both Sonic's playable was a masterstroke and to finally play as Classic Sonic again, now in glorious 2.5D is a joy to behold. Sonic Team have out done themselves with the level design which often surpasses the Mega Drive games. Standout levels include City Escape Act 1 in which the pursuing GUN truck actually alters level geometry depending on how fast you are and the maddening Crisis City Act 1 which requires precision platforming skills but once mastered provides great satisfaction. S Ranks are easier to attain here than in previous outings and rely on memorising routes. The cut scenes also deserve mention as another highlight where C Sonic's distinct personality comes through despite the fact he is mute. There is a wealth of extra music, artwork & character upgrades awaiting those who unlock all achievements, all stages provide huge replay value and there is a great final boss battle which I won't spoil. Do not listen to negative reviews about this game. Framerate issues are barely noticible and do not affect gameplay at all. If you're a Sonic fan of any era, or even just a casual Platformer fan you can't afford to miss this one. Happy 20th Sonic!
Honest reviews on Sonic Generations - Xbox 360
Wow........just wow........my boy made a comeback :). This game is what die hard sonic fans have been waiting for. Also, with this game, it shows the new generations of gamers why sonic is such an iconic figure in gaming. For years Sonic has been on "vacation", appearing on sad sad games with his nemisis Mario >.>. Bouncing around from game to game, making cameos, appearing on defferent games, milk cartons, and various street corners across america. Well!!! The Blue Blur has finally got off of his blue rump and put it into overdrive with this game.....*tear,sniff*, i'm so proud of you!! :DOK! So here we go! This game is fast! I mean Fast! Probably the fastest installment in the sonic series to date, which is good, 'cause that means that he is getting back to his roots instead of following the bland platform games that have graced consoles as of lately. In this game you play as both, past sonic (small, chunky, spunky, and silent), and you also play as future sonic (all atitude, super-fast, all sonic.) You get to roll through some of the greatest sonic stages put together from past sonic games from the 90's on up, AND, you get to do them as both, past sonic and future sonic.
Alot of old friends appear in this game, well, i guess they would have to appear since they were KIDNAPPED O.O!! Hey, no one said that the story line was a top 10 N.Y. best sellers list candidate. :p. So yeah, sonic was chillin' at his B-day party his peeps through for him, you know, munchin' on a chilidog, when WHAM!!! a space time continu...um??? Thingy!? Popped out of the sky, and swipped up his friends!!! WOOOOSH!!! Now sonic is out to try to free his friends and save the day again since the plummer in the red hat can careless about Tails.
Both sonics are fun to play as. Past sonic is more reminiscent of the original games from back in the early 90's. A little platform mixed with 2d/3d changes. The enviroments are amazing looking, and you can easily get lost in it if your not careful. Future sonic is FAST!!!! I mean FAST!!!! He zips through stages at remarkable speed. Sometimes a little to fast. :p Now, every game has its draw backs and this game is of no exception. When running with Sonic, if you get hit, the speed stops instantly. It can slow down your momentum for a bit. Also, there are not to many boss battles to get involved in. But,these cons verses the pros really do not hurt the game in the least bit. You can purchase upgrades for the Blue Blur and run through a few challanges that a fun.
This game is a giant step in the right direction for Sonic, and i hope it is a taste of things to come. I'll give this game a 4.5 well deserving stars out of 5. Happy Birthday Sonic, and welcome back to the limelight! You were missed. :)
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Sonic Generations - Xbox 360
Sonic has gone through some tough times; he hasn't had an easy life. Not counting his multiple failures after the two solid efforts that were the Sonic Adventure games last generation, Sonic had the worst 15th birthday ever, where he stumbled out of the pub after partying too hard and fell right on his face. To put it bluntly, Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) was one of the most poorly made games I've ever had the displeasure of experiencing, due to an awful camera, poor level design, terrible physics and character movement, and glitches galore.Later on we'd see Sonic Unleashed, which was definitely a step in the right direction -until they revealed that half of the game would be played as the "Werehog". The other half, despite a few issues, offered what you'd expect out of a 3D evolution of the 2D formula. However, due to the introduction of the "Werehog," it just seemed that SEGA had no interest in making a pure Sonic game that was actually good.
Then came the Wii exclusive known as Sonic Colors, which was the beginning of Sonic's comeback. While the Wisps put a new spin on Sonic's formula, Sonic Colors was undeniably a Sonic game, and a pretty great one because of its well designed levels, art direction, music, and just epic space opera tone.
Following in the success of Sonic Colors, we now have Sonic Generations, which is the return of old school Sonic along with new school Sonic. The gameplay is excellent; the graphics are colorful and crisp; the old music and the remixes are tremendous; the hub world is classy and easy to navigate; Sonic is back and impresses on every front in Sonic Generations. Buy this game now!
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Reviews of PlayStation 3 Rock Band Wireless Guitar
When Rock Band rolled out last November, Harmonix/EA had some quality control problems with the first wave or two of guitar controllers. Being an early adopter, I lived through these issues and was rather frustrated that this much-anticipated game couldn't deliver on its promise.
It's April, now, and the separate guitar controller is finally available.
So, should you get it, or will you end up sending it off for repair, or returning it, or just plain smashing it out of frustration?
The first thing to address is the quality of the controller. It gets bashed a lot for the one serious defect the first batch of controllers had: the strum bar on many, many of them broke after just a few hours use.
Obviously, that's unacceptable, and Harmonix and EA both knew that. They jumped on the problem with both feet and by the end of January, virtually everyone who had problems finally had a controller in hand that wasn't defective.
So let's put that on the shelf. It's in the past now: I have two of these controllers and they both work as well as or better than any GH controller I ever had.
Let's address the real question: is this a controller you want to play with?
It's decidedly different from every Red Octane GH controller, to be sure, so if you're a big fan of the GH controllers, you will almost certainly not like this controller the first time you pick it up. Unless you're an absolute creature of habit, my suggestion is to give it some time: play with it for a few weeks, recognizing that your performance may actually degrade a bit while you get accustomed to the controller.
* * *
Here are the most obvious differences that affect performance:
1. The neck of the Rock Band controller is longer and thinner than the GH controllers. It feels more like a real guitar, which encourages you to position your hand more like you would on a real guitar. For me, this was a big plus, but I have a friend who much preferred the thicker neck of the more toy-like GH controller.
2. The fret buttons are flush with the neck and nestled directly next to one another, with each button being as wide as the distance between two frets on an actual guitar. The result, again, is that your hand is positioned more like it would be on a real guitar. The touch of the buttons is as good or better than the best of the GH controllers, but on some units, they produce a loud clacking sound. I've played with some that are loud and some that are quiet, and while it's a bit annoying, it's not a game-breaker.
When playing last night, I really felt the smoothness that the fret button design allows: I barely felt my fingers pressing the buttons, yet I was flying through song after song on Expert with better scores than I could ever have imagined getting when I played Guitar Hero.
3. This is the biggie, the game-breaker for most GH players: the strum bar. It all comes down to whether you like the click of the GH controllers or not. A working strum bar on the RB controller is a wonderful thing, frankly. Again, it was designed to feel more like playing a guitar or bass, and as a bass player myself, I'm impressed with the feel...you can really "twang" the bar like a string. The strum bar has a lot more touch than most people realize. Sure, in the end, it's still a switch that either connects or doesn't, but it doesn't have that "all-or-nothing" feel of the GH strum. I love this softer touch...it really allows for that casual/careless rock star feel that comes when you only have a few notes to play during an extended drum solo.
Yes, it feels very different from the GH bar. Learning to alt-strum (that is, alternating between up-strum and down-strum) with this controller is trickier and takes some patience, but once you've got it down, it's every bit as precise as it is with the GH strum bar.
Of course, a huge complaint is that this strum bar doesn't have the click that some people need as a reassurance that they've actually strummed.
I hate the click, myself. It destroys the illusion that I'm playing an instrument rather than a video game. "Match the clicking of your controller to the brightly colored dots!" No thanks.
* * *
I'll admit that moving from a Red Octane GH controller to the Rock Band Strat takes some getting used to, but it's absolutely worth the effort.
If you've never played a GH game before and you're interested in Rock Band, I'd ignore what anyone says about the comparisons between the two controllers: one is not objectively better than the other, and if you learn on the Strat, you'll probably find the GH controllers to be the annoying ones.
For me, games like this are all about feeling like you're actually playing a song, even though you know you're not. The more they can make me feel like this plastic thing is a real guitar, the happier I'll be.
The real measure of this controller for me is how much more I enjoy playing guitar-based games with it than I did with the GH controllers. As a result, my game has improved tremendously over what it was after months of Guitar Hero.
First one I got, it will not sense me have tilted the guitar, and not matter how hard I try to tilted it, it will go into overdrive mode, I have to press "select" button to use it.
Returned, and got another one. This time, when I tilted it, it does go into overdrive, but not as sensitive as the one that came with the whole package. The stock one will go into overdrive if it senses me slightly going upward. This one I have to do it hard, or maybe twice or three times before it would go into overdrive, it is kind of frustrating, but just to share with you guys the experience that I had.
The product information should note that it is not shipped in the original box and that it may be a resale item. The guitar itself is finicky and does not work as it should. The keys are loud (the clicking is very distracting) and tend to stick and do not always register when they are being pushed. This does not work as well as our original Rock Band 2 guitar that came with the set when we purchased it last year. We are not pleased with our purchase at all.
I wish I had read through the more recent reviews rather than the most helpful as apparently others have experienced similar issues. BUYER BEWARE!
The guitar is exactly like the one in the Rock Band box set and works seamlessly with my PS3 and the game. Now to win more fans and money.
It's April, now, and the separate guitar controller is finally available.
So, should you get it, or will you end up sending it off for repair, or returning it, or just plain smashing it out of frustration?
The first thing to address is the quality of the controller. It gets bashed a lot for the one serious defect the first batch of controllers had: the strum bar on many, many of them broke after just a few hours use.
Obviously, that's unacceptable, and Harmonix and EA both knew that. They jumped on the problem with both feet and by the end of January, virtually everyone who had problems finally had a controller in hand that wasn't defective.
So let's put that on the shelf. It's in the past now: I have two of these controllers and they both work as well as or better than any GH controller I ever had.
Let's address the real question: is this a controller you want to play with?
It's decidedly different from every Red Octane GH controller, to be sure, so if you're a big fan of the GH controllers, you will almost certainly not like this controller the first time you pick it up. Unless you're an absolute creature of habit, my suggestion is to give it some time: play with it for a few weeks, recognizing that your performance may actually degrade a bit while you get accustomed to the controller.
* * *
Here are the most obvious differences that affect performance:
1. The neck of the Rock Band controller is longer and thinner than the GH controllers. It feels more like a real guitar, which encourages you to position your hand more like you would on a real guitar. For me, this was a big plus, but I have a friend who much preferred the thicker neck of the more toy-like GH controller.
2. The fret buttons are flush with the neck and nestled directly next to one another, with each button being as wide as the distance between two frets on an actual guitar. The result, again, is that your hand is positioned more like it would be on a real guitar. The touch of the buttons is as good or better than the best of the GH controllers, but on some units, they produce a loud clacking sound. I've played with some that are loud and some that are quiet, and while it's a bit annoying, it's not a game-breaker.
When playing last night, I really felt the smoothness that the fret button design allows: I barely felt my fingers pressing the buttons, yet I was flying through song after song on Expert with better scores than I could ever have imagined getting when I played Guitar Hero.
3. This is the biggie, the game-breaker for most GH players: the strum bar. It all comes down to whether you like the click of the GH controllers or not. A working strum bar on the RB controller is a wonderful thing, frankly. Again, it was designed to feel more like playing a guitar or bass, and as a bass player myself, I'm impressed with the feel...you can really "twang" the bar like a string. The strum bar has a lot more touch than most people realize. Sure, in the end, it's still a switch that either connects or doesn't, but it doesn't have that "all-or-nothing" feel of the GH strum. I love this softer touch...it really allows for that casual/careless rock star feel that comes when you only have a few notes to play during an extended drum solo.
Yes, it feels very different from the GH bar. Learning to alt-strum (that is, alternating between up-strum and down-strum) with this controller is trickier and takes some patience, but once you've got it down, it's every bit as precise as it is with the GH strum bar.
Of course, a huge complaint is that this strum bar doesn't have the click that some people need as a reassurance that they've actually strummed.
I hate the click, myself. It destroys the illusion that I'm playing an instrument rather than a video game. "Match the clicking of your controller to the brightly colored dots!" No thanks.
* * *
I'll admit that moving from a Red Octane GH controller to the Rock Band Strat takes some getting used to, but it's absolutely worth the effort.
If you've never played a GH game before and you're interested in Rock Band, I'd ignore what anyone says about the comparisons between the two controllers: one is not objectively better than the other, and if you learn on the Strat, you'll probably find the GH controllers to be the annoying ones.
For me, games like this are all about feeling like you're actually playing a song, even though you know you're not. The more they can make me feel like this plastic thing is a real guitar, the happier I'll be.
The real measure of this controller for me is how much more I enjoy playing guitar-based games with it than I did with the GH controllers. As a result, my game has improved tremendously over what it was after months of Guitar Hero.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I didn't purchase mine from Amazon, but from gamestop store.First one I got, it will not sense me have tilted the guitar, and not matter how hard I try to tilted it, it will go into overdrive mode, I have to press "select" button to use it.
Returned, and got another one. This time, when I tilted it, it does go into overdrive, but not as sensitive as the one that came with the whole package. The stock one will go into overdrive if it senses me slightly going upward. This one I have to do it hard, or maybe twice or three times before it would go into overdrive, it is kind of frustrating, but just to share with you guys the experience that I had.
Best Deals for PlayStation 3 Rock Band Wireless Guitar
We purchased this to give as a Christmas gift to our children as they enjoy playing Rock Band / Band Hero with their friends and were wanting another guitar to allow for more players. When it arrived it came in a basic brown cardboard box with the item information printed on the side, not in the original box which was tacky in and of itself, but the box was also covered in large red dots leading my husband and I to believe these are seconds or refurbishments being sold as new.The product information should note that it is not shipped in the original box and that it may be a resale item. The guitar itself is finicky and does not work as it should. The keys are loud (the clicking is very distracting) and tend to stick and do not always register when they are being pushed. This does not work as well as our original Rock Band 2 guitar that came with the set when we purchased it last year. We are not pleased with our purchase at all.
I wish I had read through the more recent reviews rather than the most helpful as apparently others have experienced similar issues. BUYER BEWARE!
Honest reviews on PlayStation 3 Rock Band Wireless Guitar
I've waited 4 months for this guitar. Since the initial purchase of my Rock Band on PS3, I've waited patiently for the 2nd guitar to complete out the band. Choosing not to go the devious route to get my second guitar was hard, but worth it.The guitar is exactly like the one in the Rock Band box set and works seamlessly with my PS3 and the game. Now to win more fans and money.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for PlayStation 3 Rock Band Wireless Guitar
I just got this today, and it works perfectly fine if you don't want to go into overdrive. Trying to deploy overdrive with this thing made we want to scream. I felt like smashing it into tiny little bits because I would spend so much time frustrated at it while trying to deploy overdrive that I would completely fail out of the song. Don't buy this. Look for the newer model.Sunday, December 15, 2013
Best Wallace And Gromit Curse of the Were Rabbit - Xbox Deals
List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $18.99
Today's Bonus: 5% Off
I have enjoyed this game but think it would be a little bit tough for kids under 12. Definitely worth 10bux or less.
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We bought this game thinking it would be like Project Zoo which is a fantastic game for all ages. However, this game is considerably more challenging. There's a lot of tough game play to get through. So much so it has discouraged us from playing it further. And were only about 30% done.Now there are some really fun play like collecting rabbits but the overall goal seems unreachable. If you like challenging games with mystery and have a lot of time on your hands this might be for you. Children might find the basic play and interaction with the characters fun. But they will need a problem solving adult to guide them through the story.
Best Deals for Wallace And Gromit Curse of the Were Rabbit - Xbox
The guy who plays Wallace hams it up a bit, but the make-up is so good -he looks just like a little clay figure. Whoever plays the dog is great. I hear it's actually a woman; all the great dog actors were really actresses, you know.Honest reviews on Wallace And Gromit Curse of the Were Rabbit - Xbox
Item was stratched and only worked to a certain point and then froze, which was very disappointing. The game also has numerous glitches, where items are not there, but are. Not sure if this is from the scratch or the game program itself.Saturday, December 7, 2013
Review of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning - Xbox 360
List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $19.71
Today's Bonus: 1% Off
Background:
For those that do not know, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a new intellectual property and is the first in what is hoped to be a new line of RPG games. The game was created by 38 games/Big Huge Games and published by EA. There are quite a few properties that are out there populating the field that it wants to become part of. This game has quite an all star group that have helped to create the game and I believe it has earned its place in the gaming world. Also, for a while there, the RPG field was bare and dry especially on the XBOX and so I welcome the change to explore a new and interesting world.
Todd McFarlane, the genius behind Spawn and other adult themed comics has provided inspiration for the artwork. The storyline was written by R.A. Salvatore who has published 20+ books in the field of Sci-Fi/Fantasy. Executive Director was Ken Rolston, the lead designer of the Elder Scrolls III Morrowind and Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion.
Graphics:
The graphics on this game are beautiful and colorful. Over the past few months I have finished playing Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Dark Souls and it is refreshing wandering a world that is bright and colorful. It reminds me of some portions of World of Warcraft such as the Blood Elves on the Horde side. You can see Todd McFarlanes influence on the art department in the multitude of characters you encounter.
Combat:
The trend for RPG's have aimed for the hybrid of Action-RPG with most falling on RPG elements and action as a second thought. This game has chosen to put Action in the forefront. The combat resembles the God of War: Collection series. When you are at a certain point, a lot of button mashing is required to score the kill and extra experience that comes from it. After the extreme difficulty of Dark Souls and continuous dying, it was nice to be able to enjoy combat that I felt I had an actual fighting chance of winning.
World:
The game originally was going to be an online MMO. You can sense that in the way that the world is created and interactions with the characters. It feels like an online MMO in a way but without the interaction of other players. The world is a liner sandbox world. It resembles somewhat a game such as Fable: The Lost Chapters or some of the Final Fantasy X games. There is a lot to explore in the world around you, though, so there is plenty to keep you busy.
Other:
Communication is a lot like Mass Effect where you rotate to the conversation choice. You can have negative or positive communications but I have not really seen many that affect the outcome or interaction with my character too terribly much. I may find more later on.
There is pre-order download content. I received the game in the morning. Unfortunately, the codes for the DLC (mainly items to help you start off with) did not arrive via email until around midnight which made their use moot.
Overall Impression:
I am an old school RPG player ever since I received my first free copy of Final Fantasy 1/Dragon Warrior (Dragon Quest) with my paid subscription to Nintendo Power back in the day. The trend for RPG's has to continue to the action-RPG hybrid element which I feel it has successfully achieved. With todays world, simplicity is the key. The character creation and leveling I feel has been watered down. Not at the level that is the Fable series or other RPG's but it has been simplified. You really cannot go wrong in how you create your character and you can truly customize the character to your playing style. The bugs that were present in the demo have been cleaned up quite a bit although there are still technical issues here and there (not on the same level as the demo)
I highly recommend this game. There are simply not enough good RPG's out there even if the field seems to be filled with them. There are a lot of mediocre titles that dot the landscape in-between Elder Scroll and Final Fantasy releases. I believe this Game, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a worthwhile RPG to invest ones time and energy into and is a world that truly deserves to be lost in. I wish someone would re-visit Betrayal at Krondor (Enhanced CD-ROM)
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When Big Huge Games announced they were working on an RPG, I was both skeptical and hopeful. I knew them for their strategy titles, and while they created quality games I was dreading another slow-paced entry to the genre. Well, it looks like all my fears were for nothing. While they don't deliver anything extraordinarily ground breaking here, every element they have pulled into the game are ones I have found fun in other games. And one point I feel I have to make early on: This is nothing like Skyrim. Many people have asked me if it's like Skyrim/Oblivion, and I'm assuming this has to do with the designer being involved in the game. Really, the only thing familiar was the lockpicking, the rest of the game plays vastly differently from Skyrim and it's a good thing. So on to the key points I get asked about:Combat--
This is where Reckoning shines. The combat is slick and fun, and it's the first game I've heard touting the 'Play any style you want!' where it actually seems to work. Nothing like sneaking up, backstabbing someone, instantly throwing a fireball in the face of your next foe, and then switching to a two-hander and charging into the next group of enemies. If I had to compare the game to anything that would give you an instant idea, at first impression I felt like it was a mix of Fable and God of War. No, it's not quite as much of a slaughter fest as God of War, but the combat has that fluid, satisfying style that God of War brought to the table.
Environment--
It's big. It's not a sandbox, and you will find yourself in valleys and going down paths without any clear way to get to the other side (if there even is anything on the other side), and in this regard the world reminded me more of Fable. But there is a lot to explore and do here, and I never found myself thinking 'I really wish I could climb to the top of that mountain' because there was too much to keep me busy right in front of me.
Sound--
Aside from a few times where I just thought the environment music was a bit odd, the music is great and the voice acting actually surprised me. Though I've read Salvatore, I find him a bit cheesy and repetitive at times, and for some reason my brain associated that with terrible voice acting. Fear not, everyone you meet is voiced well, and while I did roll my eyes once or twice the reason I did so has been long forgotten. Also, there is a lot of voice acting here. Even NPCs who have nothing really important to do for the story have quite a bit of dialog for the purposes of lore.
Graphics--
The environments are gorgeous, but you know that from watching the trailers. There will be some who don't like the slightly cartoony direction that BHGs took with this, but I for one have thoroughly enjoyed it. I just got done putting in over a hundred hours with Skyrim (I know, I know, I'm running behind the rest of the pack), and I'm tired of looking at 'realistic' graphics. This was a refreshing change and one I thoroughly enjoyed. I will repeat what I've seen in other reviews because I agreed: As beautiful as the environments are, the character models are slightly lacking. They're not terrible, and probably would have done well in many other games, but in comparison to the environments they feel a bit underpolished. Given a choice between fluid combat and a fantastic looking model, though, and I'll take the combat any day. I know they had to make a choice here, and they made the right one.
I suppose it should be noted that I'm playing this on Steam, as I'm a bit once-bitten-twice-shy with Origin registration. I've seen reports of bugs and glitches, but aside from the odd texture popping up where it shouldn't maybe five times during my play, I haven't encountered anything that would bring me to a halt. Really, though, if you're not sure if you want this game, play the demo. It runs you through the tutorial portion of the game and then gives you 45 minutes to explore--and while you'll only touch the tip of the iceberg in that time, it will either save you sixty bucks if you don't like the style of the game or it will make you crave more. Personally, I'm betting on the latter.
Best Deals for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning - Xbox 360
I bought KoA: Reckoning for my boyfriend as a gift (he is a huge R.A. Salvatore fan)... needless to say, I've logged about 25+ hours and he has 4 or 5 hours. The gameplay is very fun, especially if you tend to play characters that rely on hand-to-hand combat as opposed to archery or magic. There is nothing about this game that isn't appealing to the eye-the colors are so bold and the landscapes really are gorgeous. The inventory system is pretty cool also; instead of giving your character a weight limit for what they carry, there is an item limit. Although this is kind of a bummer for smaller items, it really is beneficial when you're going through a cave or ruin and you find nothing but armor and weapons. The inventory menu also has a "junk pile," so as you're on a few quests and picking up everything (and I pick up EVERYTHING), you can add it to your junk pile, and when you get to a shop, there's an option to sell all of your junk, which makes your visits to the shops a lot quicker. For me, the controller setup had its high points and low points, but I really loved how your primary and secondary weapons are set on the X and Y buttons, which makes switching between them a breeze! I am a big fan of hand-to-hand and melee combat, so having this control setup allowed me to fight faster. Also, hitting left or right on the D-pad allows you to consume a minor healing or mana potion, which is awesome if you're in the midst of fighting several enemies (because it's rare that you'll only encounter one at a time). "Reckoning mode" also has its high and low point, which are, to me, the same thing-in Reckoning mode, you can beat anything or anyone, very quickly. While this rocks for any quest with a mini boss battle at the end (fill up your fate meter while going through a cave and it will be full when you get to the boss, and cut him down in a few sword swipes), it makes these boss battles forgettable and too easy. And let me say this now-I am not a super awesome gamer... I can hold my own, but I am a pretty casual gamer with a total weakness for a good RPG. Another little aspect of this game that I LOVE is the "hide helmet" option... I hate bulky armor because I can't see my character's face (I must not be the only weirdo like this, since there is this option), but being able to hide the helmet on the gameplay screen really made me happy. The ability to be able to change your character's destiny and appearance throughout the game is also nice and, although I didn't find the need for these options, it is definitely nice to have them available.Overall, I wish this game was a little more difficult; I know you can adjust the difficulty settings, but I don't feel like that would impact too much. I began this game working on the main quest, which is really interesting and fun. Side quests would come up, and I figured I would just get to them after or when I needed a break from the main quest. Well, I completed the main quest rather quickly (very rewarding, although I felt I should have paid more attention to the story line), and now I'm going back to the side quests and they just aren't that fulfilling compared to what I've done. They are fun and quick, but I'm completing them with more of a "well, what's the point?" attitude. Also, a bummer is that things in this game do not level up with you. After completing the main quest, I secured awesome armor, a kickass longsword, and a pretty dominant set of faeblades. So now, the enemies that used to take a little work to defeat are now cut down in 3-4 swipes of my sword... and if they do hit me, it barely registers on my life meter. Also the leveling up system isn't something I'm too excited about. When you are able to level up a skill, they are all things that I, personally, didn't care too much about because none of them are very difficult in the first place (exception to this-Detect Hidden, which is awesome). Sure, you can level up alchemy or blacksmithing, but to be honest, I beat the main quest without having once made a potion or building a piece of weaponry or armor; potions, money, and pretty awesome weaponry/armor are all easily found in this game, so why spend the time during a quest making these things if I can quickly buy them? I will probably force myself to play around with this things, but at this point in time, I just don't see much of the purpose for doing so. After this, you get three points to distribute in various skills, which will add various defensive/offensive moves to your combat style. My boyfriend uses these a lot, but I didn't as much because I'm a total button-masher. But they are cool nonetheless!
I hate to compare this game to Skyrim, but it is the last thing I played, so the comparisons are inevitable (I know, I know... "it isn't meant to be like that!" I get it!). I feel like KoA is geared towards gamer comfort-the inventory system and controls are smart and were assigned with the gamer in mind. The story is intriguing and rewarding, and I found this game to be a lot of fun. On the downside, though, it just wasn't difficult and I feel like the main quest was the only true gem. This threw me off because in Skyrim, I did everything else to delay doing the main quest. KoA's faction quests are fun, but again, it was kind of like "okay, so now what?" If developers took this game and built it on a giant scale, I would be first in line to purchase it.
Even with the several aspects of this game that I wasn't a huge fan of, I would replay this game or buy another game in this series in a heartbeat. I recommend it to anyone, but my advice is this-stay away from the main quest for a while to truly enjoy the side quests, and slow down and enjoy the capabilities and storylines within the gameplay.
Honest reviews on Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning - Xbox 360
I love this game. And it's been ages since I found one that made me say that. If you like World of Warcraft but got sick of relying on other people I'd suggest checking this out. Very similar questing and leveling up. A tiered point system like WoW so you can improve what skills you're using. Less limiting on what you can learn for skills. You aren't limited to a couple. You can customize you character based on how you like to play. Enjoy slinging spells? Focus on sorcery. Want to rush in to the thick of battle? Then might is for you. Several weapons choices and a primary and secondary weapon slot so you can make use of a long range and short, or fast and slow....whatever you want. Scenery is beautiful, lots of story choices so how things unfold is up to you. My b/f and I each have a game going and it's interesting what different choices we're each offered based on previous choices. We're both obsessed, check it out!Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning - Xbox 360
Okay so I've been playing for a few hours this morning and I must say that I agree with most of what Allison said in the first review on here, let me expand a few things that I was wondering about since the demo:First off everybody's fears about how awful the demo was (technically speaking) have been resolved. There have been no freezes, no glitchy weird behavior and nothing out of the ordinary; it runs very, very smooth. Also, one other thing to note from the discussion sections: you start over, it does not save your progress from the demo--there is an option to "load" a game, but when I tried that there was nothing there for me. This may be isolated and you may want to try, but be prepared to have to start over.
There is not much to add in way of gameplay from what Allison has mentioned, so just a quick recap: The combat is fluid--very awesome. I've unlocked 3 abilities and quite a few special moves for the "might" weapons--very smooth. If you're wondering what it's like, let me say this: I hate the GOW comparison and I find it much more like Devil May Cry, switch things up and kill multiple enemies and reap huge amounts of XP for it. *As long as we're talking combat let me also mention: no dual wielding swords or hammers--I know the cover shows differently, but unless there is a change later in the game, you just can't do it. Also on gameplay, just be prepared--so far it seems like a lot of "go-fetch" missions (i.e., meet this person, bring this back, find this sword, etc).
One point to mention that Allison touched on: This is not a sandbox game, while you can do lots of things in any order you want and the loot drops are different all around, you can't just "go anywhere" the map is huge but it is quite lineal. Reminds me of Diablo II but without the changing map with each new campaign. It is huge, but there is generally one way in and one way out of most areas/situations. ***After playing for awhile now it actually reminds me more of Zelda: OOT map-wise.
So far as graphics go: you either like it or you hate. I loved Torchlight's style and have been waiting for a bigger RPG in that type of art style; KOA is the answer. It's not completely cartoonish, but it's not super-realistic like Skyrim. I think it looks a bit more polished than the demo too--this could just be my imagination, but I'm very impressed with what I've seen so far.
This is looking to suck a lot of hours into gameplay, probably 100+ if you explore everything--that being said, you can probably explore (and thanks to the destiny/fate system) experience everything it has to offer in one play through--just my opinion. In no way does this diminish the game, it still has a lot of bang for the buck.
Okay, I don't want to get too crazy detailed because I'm only a few hours in, but if you're on the fence I would say it's probably worth it to go out and get it now. **Oh, and I just went to Walmart this morning and got it--no preorder bonus--the online pass will give you some armor and there is some DLC you can buy (240 MP) that gives you different armor and weapons. You probably aren't missing out on any meaningful benefits by not having it as far as I can tell. Within 5 hours of play I now have no use for any of Big Huge Game's "day 1 DLC". I can't speak for the fate touched weapons, but my guess is they would be worthless at this point too.
With that, I would rather answer questions for now than write everything else out. So please let me know what questions you have in the comments section and I will give you my OPINION. Remember that folks, reviews are opinions, not the Gospel.
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