Reviews of Halo 3: ODST - Xbox 360

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Concept: 7/10

Halo 3: ODST introduces a new Special Forces Recon Soldier for the Halo Universe. The Orbital Drop Shock Trooper is a darker, ligher armored version of a Spartan with silent weapons. That's pretty much it.

Story: 9/10

The story is very well written, well told, and well acted by Firefly and BSG veterans. It is really entertaining and one of the best parts of the game. However, it is told through flashbacks and is somewhat difficult to understand your first time through. You might be confused at times, but in the end, it all makes sense.

Gameplay: 8/10

It's Halo 3, with a couple new guns and a slight improvement to the health system. Your character sounds 'in pain' when your health is low, reminding you to stay behind cover. There's also a night vision visor that you can toggle on and off. Unfortunately, the game seems too dark if you don't have your night vision on, and if you use it in areas that are fairly well lit, you're almost blinded. In the end, the night vision seems extraneous. The game would have been better if the dark areas were just a bit brighter, but still cloaked in shadows.

Level Designs: 6/10

There is an open ended city area where you can explore and Convenant troops are being dropped in to battle. This is new to the Halo Universe and it works quite well. Most of the game takes place in New Mobasa, a futuristic African City that is being invaded by the Covenant. The look and feel of the city is pretty impressive, but overall, the levels feel redundant. Fight in corridors, defend an area... You know you've got problems when the Campaign is only 5 hours long, and the Missions feel repetitive.

Sound: 9/10

The music is foreboding and adds to the grim atmosphere while the effects bring the battles to life.

Replay Value: 7/10

You can start the campaign after lunch and finish it before dinner.

There is a Firefight Mode which is like Gears of War 2's Horde Mode, but ODST features an additional challenge where each wave of enemies has a special behavior like "Dodges Grenades." This mode is for friends and invites only. I understand that Bungie is trying to prevent the Leroy Jenkins of the world from ruining the fun, but it really sucks to not be able to play a pickup game.

There are 3 new Multiplayer Maps for Halo 3, too.

Maturity The game is rated M because the Halo series is rated M, even though the action is pretty tame.

Overall: 7/10

Buy this game if you're a Halo Collector, you've got a bunch of buddies that still play Halo 3 and will use the Maps and Firefight Mode.

Rent this game if you just want to play the Campaign. It's only 5-6 hours long.

I'd recommend waiting for the price to drop before buying ODST because if you spend $60, you're going to feel ripped off.

$35 for this game feels about right.

NOTE: Amazon and a bunch of other stores are selling ODST for under $40 now!

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I've read a few reviews here, and I think that, although there are some valid points, people are treating ODST as something that it was never meant to be.

So, what is ODST? It's an expansion. Expensive? Yes, but one has to realize that in reality, it's several expansions built into one, a `collectors pack' for Halo 3 fans. (After all, it's named Halo 3: ODST, not just Halo: ODST)

So, before I break the game down, let's examine what ODST really is.

1. Campaign (Short, yes...Fun? Very.)

2. Fire Fight (One could say a different campaign. After all, a single match with good people can be hours long, and that's one match.)

3. All the maps (A $20+ value, considering there's two map packs worth 1600 Microsoft points, not to mention the three new ones.)

4. Halo: Reach Beta (Remember lockdown, with it's Halo 3 Beta? Yeah...)

Okay, first things first. The Campaign:

This is fun. It's far more tactical than any Halo game before it, and allows for so many new opportunities. Once in Heroic, you find yourself planning assaults, sneaking, factoring in how many grenades you have. Ammo is so sparse that you're constantly forced to re-adapt and pick up new weapons, rather than keeping with the same two weapons (As was much the case with the first three halo's). The characters are new, which again, is interesting. The Visor?...Man, probably my favorite addition. It's so cool to able to switch around views, to get tactical or go all out. Wonderful. Not to mention the addition of engineers, which do nothing but add to the depth of game play and emphasize strategy.

Fire Fight:

Let's be honest. Mention Gears 2? You hear about horde. Mention Call of Duty WaW? Nazi zombies. Now halo has it's own, and it is beautiful. Fuller maps, with each offering their own advantages and disadvantages. The new call-sign features allow for quicker identification, and the new drop-off system (The enemies come in on Phantoms, rather than just spawning) allow, again, for strategy. Ammo shortages are common here, so know your weapons. The skulls always add a bit of flair and make each and every round a new experience. My only complaint? When I play with my Australian friends, the game is pretty laggy.

All the maps:

I wish I had known this going in. Woulda saved me twenty bucks. You know about new maps, right? The new three; awesome. A much called for remake of midship, an open map that will make for interesting swat, and a dock that features dingies and floating crates. Awesome, right?

Halo Reach: Beta trailer:

-Thisis Halo 4. This is the one that's going to blow people away. (For those who know the story, well done. Reach is actually...er, Halo -1? It's a prequel). This is the unsung hero of ODST, as I already can't wait. Remember people buying Crackdown ($60) for Halo 3 alone? This is much the same thing; only you also get the above mentioned features. No brainer, right?

So, overall? If I knew someone who only had 60 to spend, I'd point them in the direction of Oblivion or Fallout or the like. But, for someone who knows they're getting a huge expansion, and loves Halo? This is all but a must have. Just know what you're getting into; it's not a standalone, but it's still pretty awesome.

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First off, that's pronounced Oh-Dee-Ess-Tee, fellow gamers. The game store clerks wish to punch you in the face when you attempt to say a game's acronym as an actual word. Trust me. Anyhow, "Halo 3: ODST" is a separate Haloverse story that strips itself of the series' iconic hero Master Chief. There are no super-powered Spartan cyborgs to pull humanity out of the fire in this one. Just you and your squad of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers standing between the hostile alien alliance known as The Covenant and the death of humanity. No pressure, though. The game was originally formulated as a mere add-on to Halo 3, but eventually grew to full-fledged game status. This has offended a lot of sniveling whiners who ran out and pre-ordered their copies based solely on the typical Halo hype and then sobbed themselves to sleep because they have no concept of story and ran through the game with 3 friends on Easy difficulty and found it too short on action for the money they spent. Real gamers will find that while the price tag may be a bit high if you already paid for all of the downloadable maps and don't gather your friends together regularly to partake in the phenomenally fun "Firefight" mode. But if you plan on enjoying this game to the fullest, you will not be disappointed.

As a single-player game, "ODST" runs a bit short and may be less bang for the buck then one might hope for. However, the manner in which the story is told is absolutely phenomenal. You begin your ill-fated mission hurling towards the Earth (which has just been invaded by Covenant forces) on a special-ops mission. But something goes wrong and your pods are separated and crash in different locations all over the Covenant-occupied African city of New Mombasa. You wake up as a trooper known only as as "the Rookie" many hours after hitting the ground in the dead of night. From there you search the city for clues about the whereabouts of your comrades. Each time you find a clue (such as a fractured helmet or bent sniper rifle) the game flashes back to a different member of the squad and you play out the scenario as that character and witness the events leading up to the object finding it's resting place where it will be discovered hours later by The Rookie. In addition, there is another side story littered throughout the city in the form of 30 audio files that chronicle the adventures of a young girl caught in the middle of the invasion. It's quite enthralling and I found myself looking forward to finding more pieces of that puzzle even more then the main story. "ODST" is a masterpiece of storytelling in that rite and it's why a lot of people won't enjoy it. They prefer to skip past the story segments and run around with their friends teabagging each other along the way. To really experience the game as it's meant to be played, you need to go it alone and absorb the atmosphere,loneliness and ambient noise of the ruined cityscape. Half of this game is enjoying the tension of relying on cover of darkness, using your excellent night-vision visor to it's utmost, hearing the amazing soundtrack, and exploring the city looking for audio files or finding the best ways to get the drop on roving patrols of enemies or the entrenched Covenant forces.

Same old Halo gameplay here. That is to say it's as good as first-person shooters get. But since you are not a Spartan, there are differences. First off, no shield. Your armor can take a few hits before your screen will turn red, indicating that you are fatigued and are taking damage to your health bar. To recover, you must stay out of combat for a time. It's not a lot different from past games, but you can't take quite as much punishment. You also no longer have gravity-defying jumps or one-hit kill melee capabilities, and no more dual-wielding. Don't go jumping off any cliffs either. Wipes your stamina right out. You also get one new Covenant race -whose mystery turns out to be central to the story-, a brand new weapon in the form of a silenced SMG which quickly became a favorite of mine, and the extremely welcome return of zoom capabilities on the pistol. I was hoping for more of a focus on stealth aspects, but Bungie couldn't help but make most of the levels typical shoot-em-ups. This definitely diminishes Master Chief's importance as I felt I kicked as much or more tail as an ODST compared to when I played the penultimate Spartan. But I sure as hell did have a great time doing it. There's also plenty of vehicular mayhem to enjoy. They could have easily recycled the epic score from previous games, but instead they crafted a new one that is as good as any they've done. And that says a lot considering every Halo score is among the greatest in gaming.

Okay, enough about single-player. Games like Gears of War 2 and Left 4 Dead gave us a new mode of gameplay where you are challenged to take on wave after wave of increasingly difficult enemy attacks and survive with a little help from your friends. Not to be outdone, Bungie has crafted their answer in Firefight mode, which can go on for hours at a time if you're good enough. If the campaign wasn't action-packed enough for you, get three buds together and get ready to be dropped in a very defensible position with a set number of lives (more can be gained) to endure endless waves of attack from every baddie in the game. Watch those snipers! The longer you survive, the more difficult the game makes it for you. It will start turning on "skulls" which make the game harder by decreasing ammo drops, empowering enemies, or otherwise making your life harder to keep. This mode is ODST's crown jewel, for sure. They've even added extra kinds of medals for you to earn based on your performance in battle. Firefight is unlimited fun and a FPS fan's co-op wet dream, plain and simple. If that still is not enough, the second disc of the set contains "the complete Halo 3 multi-player experience" which consists of every map ever made for the game and three brand new ones. 24 in all. That is a ton of maps and seeing as they run a few bucks apiece if you download them from Xbox Live that is a large value if you've been holding out. Even if you haven't bought Halo 3, you can join in the fun and madness of murdering complete strangers and then desecrating their corpse while they are forced to watch with all of the extra content using this bonus disc. If you are that guy, then this game is a steal. But I don't know that that guy exists.

Killer story: check. Awesome action: check. Multiplayer badness: check. New additions to the ever-growing Haloverse mythology: check. Incredible soundtrack: check. Yup; this is one fine game. Haters, keep on hating. Bungie gave the hardcore fans a treat with this. I'd have liked to see it priced about $20 cheaper, but I also want my very own Spartan armor and that ain't happening either. The fact is, I'm happy with this game in spite of it's brevity and the fact that I've already purchased most of the maps. If you've no interest in the story and mythology of Halo, I'd suggest you pass on this. The campaign is no challenge with 4 player co-op even on Legendary difficulty and there often are not enough enemies to go around so you will have to look for trouble to find it at times which will enrage many a fratboy. Firefight mode will still be a blast, but one can hardly be expected to shell out $60 for a single gameplay mode. And considering their is no matchmaking on that mode, you can only play it with people on your Friends List which is a pain. ODST isn't perfect, but it's obvious a whole lot of care went into it and it's a great experience all around. Plus, with a dream team cast featuring a Firefly reunion of Nathan Fillion, Alyn Tudyk, and Adam Baldwin plus Battlestar Galactica sex goddess Tricia Helfer and voiceover mainstay Nolan North -who has provided the voice for Deadpool and various other animated comic book characterswho the hell can really complain? It's more Halo, and that's never something to whine about.

4 1/2 stars, rounded up for a new wrinkle in the series.

Honest reviews on Halo 3: ODST - Xbox 360

There are plenty of detailed reviews for this game here already. With that said, I won't breakdown the finer points of the game. I will say that this game is somewhat underrated and quite a gem amongst the other 4 Halo shooters. Those players that enjoy some story and a bit more strategy in their Halo experience will definitely enjoy ODST in my opinion.

I first saw the game in action a few days after release. Someone I know purchases games 1-2 days after they come out. I was not really impressed at the time and had lost interest in Halo since the second game. Didn't even want to play it. Fast forward some years; I enjoyed Halo:Reach. Finding ODST here on Amazon for $14 new -vs$20 used at Gamestop, I decided to give it another chance.

The first 30 minutes of the game were a bit awkward. Playing the campaign on heroic wasn't a problem. Playing and being acquainted with Reach was.

No sprinting

No radar

Can't sneak up on enemies for stealthy melee kills

Patrols?! And they are fairly frequent

Patrols can aggro

Jackels with beam rifles can be head-shot deadly

No shields.

I continued playing however and soon realized how much I was really enjoying such a change in pace.

1) It was critical to "choose" your fights. If you had to fight, you quickly analyzed the threat and prioritized targets.

2) If you do engage some enemies, don't linger in the area too long. Other nearby patrols could be rushing in after hearing the fire fight you just survived.

3) Finding cover and checking your map is a must almost every minute to get the latest intelligence on patrol movement in relation to your position.

4) As you travel through the city, you learn to take note of the environment so you can always engage the enemy on your terms. You also learn areas are never "clear" in ODST.

5) It seems ammunition is a bit scarce as compared to other games. You try to utilize specific weapons for specific enemies rather than just pouring it on and wasting ammo.

6) The visor is a nice feature and the fact that you need to keep it on 80% of the time helps remind you how human your character is.

Gameplay, plot and the story are a unique aspect in ODST. While playing an elite Spartan super soldier is enjoyable, it is refreshing to have another take on the battle against the Covenant.

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A side-story taking place in the Halo universe, "ODST" puts you in the role of the titular Orbital Drop Ship Trooper a regular marine compared to the Master Chief, the series' normal protagonist. Using the basic gameplay and graphics of Halo 3, ODST is neat and different in some ways and disappointingly samey in others.

ODST follows a squad of drop troopers primarily through the eyes of Rookie, a silent protagonist. Rookie proceeds through the abandoned, dead city of New Mombasa looking for records of his teammates, who he was separated from. Finding these records allows you to play a segment as another trooper Buck, the leader, Mickey, the tech specialist, Dutch, the tough guy, or Romeo, the sniper.

Rookie's segments are really freeform and open you explore the city, going through apartments and back alleys and occasionally running into random patrols of Covenant soldiers. The city's AI, the Supervisor, will occasionally try to get your attention by hijacking various city systems signs will change to point you in the right direction, phones will start ringing, ticket machines will start spewing tickets, crosswalks and traffic lights will change, and so on. These directions will lead you to audio diaries clues to a side-story or weapon/ammo caches. All in all, it makes for a really great feel almost to the level of Silent Hill and it's backed up by some of the best music in the series.

The action stages are pretty good, too, but far more traditional. There is some openness in the levels, but for the most part they're similar to normal Halo 3. This is where the main promise of ODST the fact that you're playing as a normal soldier kind of falls flat. You can basically do everything that the Master Chief can do, including but not limited to flipping over cars and punching through tanks. Your health works slightly differently, but it still basically equates to "if you get hit, go duck behind cover until you recover". You can get away with running up to Brutes and punching them in the face until they die. All in all, you basically demonstrate the same level of "super-soldier" that the actual super soldiers have, as opposed to having to rely on your wits and your guns to overcome your weakness.

In addition to the campaign mode, ODST also offers a four-person co-op mode called "Firefight". In this mode, the human players attempt to hold out as long as they can against waves of Covenant troops. Like Gears of War 2's Horde mode, this can be a blast with the right people. To add a bit of difficulty into the mix, each wave of Covenant has a special effect attached to them the ability to dodge grenades, or being more resistant to plasma, and so on. This ensures that the endless waves of Covenant continue to be challenging for as long as you play.

The graphics are similar to Halo 3's, but the urban environment is much more well-designed than those in Halo 3. A lot of care went into designing the city and the various signs and objects scattered around it, and the end result feels pretty natural. The sound is really good, too. The most obvious change, sound-wise, is that an injured ODST will pant and groan realistically instead of offering a single grunt like the Master Chief does. This makes it feel a lot more immersive, and is almost worth the fact that for game reasons you can heal up really easily and dying's not really that big of a deal.

On the whole, I understand why ODST didn't take a more realistic approach, but that doesn't mean it's not disappointing. As a game, ODST is good, but with some eye-rolling flaws that could've been turned into something more meaningful than "another Halo game".

8/10.

Reviews of Grandia II

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Ok I was a little mad when I saw the reviews of this game. How can you write a review when you don't even HAVE this game? Well I have this game and I am here to tell you how good it is. First of all this game is fantastic, the graphics are the best for Dreamcast yet and the battle system is completely amazing. The best way to describe the battle system is like lunar: SCCC's battle system in 3D. Also in the battles everyone can be moving at the same time. Another thing about this game is it is SO detailed. In some of the stores you can knock over bottles or knock a picture out of place. Another example of the great detail is in the battles. When a character hits a bad monster, the character blinks there eyes, and when you hit them, you might yell AAAHHHHH or another thing. These are just some of the great things about this game. I won't keep going on telling you how good this game is, you will just have to play it for yourself. This game took me about 30 hours to beat and I literally spent about 10 of my hours battling because it was so fun. Now after you read this I hope you buy this game, the story is excellent and it can be emotional at times. Do not pass up a great game like this, because I can not tell you how good it is and how it changed my life.

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At first when I played this game I wasn't that impressed. The story and characters tended to be your standard RPG fare: a young, arrogant, spikey haired hero who yields a big sword; a young beutiful innocent female sidekick who knows magic; typical good vs. evil storyline. However, several hours into the game I got hooked. The graphics don't start out that impressively, but by the time you get to the meat of the game and experience the battles for the first time, I was really impressed. The music is standard RPG fare with a mix of pop, rock, and classical. By far the big draw of Grandia 2 is it's amazing battle system. For the first time in an RPG, I actually look forward to battling monsters. In fact, I'm actually running into monsters on purpose in order to experience a fight. The battles load fairly quickly and are beatifully presented in 3-D. There's a great mix of real time 3-D and prerendered FMV in the hundereds of spells that you can cast. The FMV is refreshingly unique and makes it appear as if you're looking at an anime movie. This battle system should be the standard for all future RPGs. Its that good.

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"Grandia II." What else is there to say? The original Grandia was an instant masterpiece (the Saturn version, mind you). Does this one live up to the first? Hmmm....

To start off, the story (spoiler-free) is as follows: Ryudo, a cold-hearted, cynical Geohound (a mercenary for hire), is entrusted to bring Elena to a ceremony. However, something goes wrong, and Ryudo must go on a journey to protect those which he hates the most.

The gameplay is very straight-forward and linear. Alright, let's compare it to "Zelda: Majora's Mask." in Zelda, you could go ANYWHERE in the field. In Grandia II, you are only allowed a choice of going to three places in the entire game. Which is truly sad, because that could have made this a much better game.

The character development in this game is something that is truly rare. You will see romance blossoming between Ryudo and Elena, and many other relationships with the other members of your party. Not to forget the truly sad and dramatic interaction between Ryudo and his brother.

Now, here's the highlight of the entire game: the battle system. It combines real-time and turn-based fighting into the best system ever invented ever. Here's a brief description of how it works:

All the members in your party are located on a bar that has COM in the middle-right, and ACT at the far right. Once your character reaches COM, he/she can input a command. The character then moves from COM to ACT and right when it reaches ACT, the character will perform the command. Amazing, isn't it?

The graphics in this game are awesome. Not in the realistic way, as you might think, though (like in "Shenmue"). The characters have no mouths (which is also kinda good, as there is more flexibility in voice-acting translation). Most Special and Magic moves have CG effects and the actual overworld has some great cinema movies.

The replay value is so-so. Once you beat the game, there are no real reasons except just to fight some enemies (which is still fun).

Overall, this is a great RPG that has no equal on Dreamcast, save for "Skies of Arcadia" and "Phantasy Star Online." If you have Dreamcast and are a RPG fan, you'd be an idiot to skip this one.

Honest reviews on Grandia II

After beating ... out of Skies of Arcadia twice, I told myself, "Self? You need another RPG." So I picked up Grandia II. Good points first. The battle engine is excellent. Characters just don't run up to the enemy, strike, then go back to their original position. They are moving around, which makes you think out a battle strategy. Everything from which magic our item to use, down to the basic question in this game, especially when fighting bosses, "Do I have enough time to cancel this guy's attack before he wipes me out?" The graphics are very good, too. It's a funky mix between polygons, CGI, and Japanese anime. pretty wicked. You'll understand what I mean when you use Ryudo's Dragon Zap, or Millenia's Fallen Wings. The storyine starts out great, but somewhere along the line it turns into a theological discussion on good, evil, and religious beliefs. But it was enough to keep me interested. To this date, other than Soul Reaver, I haven't heard better voice acting in a game. you will definitely be suprised. By far, my biggest problem with this game is that it was way too short. Ususally, when I play an RPG, I like to fight whatever I can, whenever I can. Being that in this game, you can see where you enemies are, I was in heaven. By doing that I put myself slightly ahead of the game. Beating bosses were not a problem. So, in the end, I ended up clearing Grandia II in 3 days (it didn't help that I purchased the game on a Friday. I played it all weekend). Also, don't be fooled. The jewel case says that there are 2 discs. This is true, but one disc is the game's soundtrack. But all in all, this game is great. But to this date, Skies of Arcadia is a better game. If you have neither game, buy Grandia II first, then buy Skies, so you won't be dissapointed.

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I don't know what kind of personal vendetta the above reviewer has against Grandia 2. Whether the game beat him up, or peed in his shoes is beyond my knowledge, I have to step up and defend this aweseom Dreamcast game.

As one of few stellar and eagerly awaited RPG's for the system, and for it's time. Grandia 2 shines. Whether it is the deeply constructed battle system, or the better than ever voice acting, Grandia 2 was a game that I couldn't stop playing.

The story, while it was not up there with the giants like Chrono Trigger, Panzer Dragoon Saga, or Phantasy Star, it had it's moments to be remembered. Despite being typical RPG character cliches, (The female healer, the angsty young buck that'll save the world once he confronts his feelings, the huge axe wielding silent guy) they do an above average job of fulfilling these requirements.

Get this game, especially since its cheap now.

Buy Battlefield Bad Company 2 Ultimate Edition

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I've gotten burned out on the Call of Duty series, so a co-worker recommended I pick up Battlefield: Bad Company 2. I must say, this game has exceeded my expectations in almost every way: the team play is rock solid, the "new" game style (new for me) is refreshing, and the vehicles, in my opinion, are quite possibly one of the best parts of the game (though I REALLY DO wish the developers would add some kind of portable, self-guided AA weapon, like a Stinger or Javalin missile). This has to be one of the most realistic military shooters I've played in a while. I especially like how the bullets drop due to gravity (which makes sniping a bit more challenging, yet *a lot* more gratifying when you can get that long distance head shot). There are, however, a couple of things I dislike about the game, so let me get those out of the way first, before I state some of the reasons why BF:BC2 is one of *the most* entertaining shooters of this year.

First off, I have no idea why the developers didn't add the ability to go prone. In real life, if someone is shooting at you, you're first reactions are probably going to be to drop to the ground to make your silhouette as small as possible. I understand how this might make "camping" a bigger issue, but there are so many things in the game that seem to discourage it (including the fact that the maps are so large), that I feel it shouldn't have been an issue. Another thing I found odd, is that unlike most games, there is no button or "action" to climb through windows. Not a huge problem, but definitely inconvenient at times (one work-around is to jump on the window sill, and then crouch to go through it, but it's tricky and takes a little practice). Finally, I wish that you could "take cover" and peek around corners (much like you can in Gears of War), though I guess that's just one of those "niceties" that are a personal preference. Anyways, on to the good parts.

Right off the bat, I think one of the many things I find appealing about BC2 (especially when compared to CoD: MW2) is how they quasi-limit what each class can equip, which I feel like prevents people from creating "super troopers" that can dominate the entire game. Speaking of which, something that used to *drive me nuts* is how it seemed like one person could win the entire match for their team (which has never made sense to me). In Battlefield BC2, it relies on, and fairly generously rewards especially in reguards to your own squad, the team players (as in those players who perform actions that benefit the team), which is much more realistic than everyone trying to go in like some kind of Rambo/Bourne "Army of One" (just ask anyone in the military and they'll tell you that is they first thing they train you not to do). Although it requires a different mindset from most First Person Shooters (and just FYI, it definitely helps if you have a squad full of friends you can talk to, instead of some random PUG), I've seen it work on many occasions, and in my opinion, creates a much more interactive and interesting game. Secondly, the destructible buildings are a HUGE win. Although it can suck when you're trying to take cover in a building that all of a sudden comes crashing down on you, it adds another layer of realism to an already immersive environment. Finally, I *really* like how intuitive and easy they made the game for linking up with your friends in multiplayer. I would have to argue that it's one of the best interfaces I've seen lately, making it very easy to start a squad with your friends and then connect to a game together, or you can just pick up in the middle of whatever game/squad they're already in (assuming, of course, there's room).

All in all, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 has definitely changed the way I think about and view what a FPS (and for that matter, a military-styled FPS) should be. I think this game has raised the bar, and hopefully set the standard, as to what is possible in a vast, multifaceted, interactive world where you almost feel like you're in the middle of a real war. I was very tempted to give this game 5 stars, but I'm pretty selective/picky when it comes to giving out "perfect scores", and feel that there were enough (very) minor issues to prevent me from doing so; however, if I could give it a 4.9, I would. If you're looking for an alternative to the repetative "run & gun" shooters that a lot of companies seem to be trying to emulate and/or imitate, I *highly* recommend you pick up Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and give it a try.

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I've been playing this game for a little over 2 months now and so far it still delivers every single day. I play mainly on line with other people through the Rush and Conquest modes. Even though the maps do repeat on a daily basis, there are now about a dozen maps to play, and because they are so big, and because every player uses different tactics, the game is never the same twice.

The graphics are still IMHO better than the on line version of CoD Black Ops and the play is still more realistic as far as I am concerned. Buildings crumble or can be demolished. A huge assortment of weapons keeps gameplay very entertaining and I often find myself going back to some of the earliest weapons available in play just so I can get more points killing. (there is an objective to this game in multiplayer other than just killing for points)

A new map pack 7 was just released with 4 new great maps and the Vietnam expansion is coming on December 21st. I simply can't wait and will probably spend my entire Christmas weekend playing on my xBox.

For those that don't know, the on line experience can be played with as little as one or two people a team, though the game allows up to 12 people per side. Each "team" can be broken up into groups of 4 called squads. Squad members can chat with each other and spawn off each other in the game. if the squad is a good one, they will typically have one of each type of character. (Recon, Medic, Assault, and Engineer) Having a multitude of characters enables the best fighting IMHO because people can more easily "cover your back" As an example:

Medic the medic typically carries a machine gun that holds a very large capacity of bullets. This is exceptional for clearing out large numbers of enemies who may be spawning off each other. When other guns are used, one sometimes has to stop to reload and gets killed. the medic also carries a defib device and can revive teammates who have gotten killed. (or kill enemies with it)

Engineer, the engineer can carry around anti vehicle weapons and plant tracer darts so other team members can more easily shoot down choppers and identify enemy vehicles. the engineer can also plant anti tank mines, which work great for destroying heavy armor. The engineer can also use his repair tool to effectively repair vehicles in battle.

Assault, The assault person generally carries a machine gun and a pile of grenades, though depending on the weapon chosen, the assault person can carry large amounts of C4 which is great for blowing up anything and everything including building, vehicles, A and B objectives, or even people. The assault person can also drop ammo packs which re-supply the others on your team and in your unit.

Recon, this is the last of 4 and in no way is this charater any less important. The recon person has a huge choice of weapons available and uses stealth to move around. One weapon might be a long range sniper rifle with scope, or if involved in urban combat, maybe even a shotgun. the recon person can also carry C4 explosives or call in a mortar strike wich is deadly against virtually anything and over time can even destroy buildings. Because of the nature ofthe recon person, this person also often spots enemies for others in the group and "saves" others by sniping enemies who lie in wait to get your teammates.

So there you have it, a brief summary of the play and available characters in the game. At the cuirrent price, it is one heck of a deal and well worthy of getting someone for a gift if they do not yet have this game. Good luck and have fun!

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Okay game it self is fun but let me tell you about the things it comes with. I got the game used little did i know all the stuff is a one time use code that Expires August 31,2011 i thought it was all on the disc. Now if you want to buy BFBC2 that's fine just don't buy Ultimate Edition.

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This game gives you alot for its price.

+ battlefield 1943

+ onslaught mode

Battlefield takes a new depth into the fps. it makes your gameplay change depending on the guns you use. though i can't really say one gun class dominates multiplayer because the maps make it so that you have the options of sniping, running and gunning, hide and shoot, and blow stuff up.

+ the games online play is unique in a sense that it is more real than mw2

+ the campaign is pretty sick

+ onslaught mode basically prepares you for multiplayer against the very competitive xbox live community

+ the rankings don't reflect on your k-d of games as much as mw2.

the only negative i can think of for this game would have to be that the servers may kick you out every now and then. otherwise this game blows out mw2 in the strategy department of online play. for instance you can't expect to flank the other team and kill everyone unless you have a sniper and find great clearing. It makes you work more as a team than lone wolf play.

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This game IMO is better than Battlefield 3. This game beats MW2, MW3, This game is for hardcore players (ONLY) no running around knifing people like Rambo. Your skills will be put to the test. Also for the ones saying the codes expire August 31, 2011 you are all wrong! The codes still work, learn to try before you cry. To those of you who want a realistic modern day shooter than go with BC2 you won't regret it.

Best Ms. Pac-Man Deals

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Ms. Pac-Man was, as we all know, a smash hit in the arcades. The Game Boy version had barely anything unharmed. However, if you buy this, then you'll only be getting the Ms. Pac-Man game, with no options (Except for 2-Player and Hard Mode).

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X-Blades - PC Reviews

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List Price: $49.99
Sale Price: $2.81
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X-Blades is pretty much a mindless hack and slash with guns and magic thrown in for good measure. You play as Ayumi, a treasure hunter whose come across a map to a temple where the powers of two gods, The Light and The Dark, are being held. Or something like that, being the type of game this is, the story was kind of lacking.

Ayumi carries two gun-blades that she can either hack and slash at monsters, or she can shoot them. Also, as you collect souls from fallen monsters and broken objects in the environment, you'll be able to purchase magic spells to help aid you in your quest.

The gameplay is simple, yet fun. Of course it doesn't hurt that the main character is pretty hot and wearing a thong. You go from one level to the next and can't pass on to the next until you've killed all the monsters in the area. Sometimes you have to just kill everything, sometimes there are monster generators that you have to destroy, sometimes there are special elemental monsters that can only be killed with a certain spell, and then there are boss fights.

The graphics in this game are actually really good. The only thing that I found odd with the graphics is the lighting, which they seem to overuse alot. There were sometimes when Ayumi would just disappear into a bright glowing light. And there's a couple of levels that take place on a beach, and it looks like Ayumi's skin in glowing red like she's got the worst tan ever. Other than that, the character models and the environments look really good.

Sound wise...the soundtrack is actually pretty good with it's rock and techno beats. However, the voice acting was just god awful. The guns sound powerful like they should though.

The game is kinda short, maybe 5 or 6 hours long. You could probably beat it in one aftertoon if you really wanted. But I personally had so much fun playing through it the first time that a few days after I beat it I started a new game and am about to beat the game for a second time. After you beat the game, you unlock new costumes for Ayumi to wear, which is kinda nice.

All in all, it was a fun experience. Just don't go in expecting a great story with well thought out characters. If you're just looking for some mindless fun with some good eye candy to look at while you're doing it, then you probably can't go wrong with X-Blades.

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I'll be honest, I bought the game primarily for the main reason that most other guys bought it. However, the game itself is pretty good. The use of magic and intuitive, and doesn't impede her progress as she's battling with her swords. The only negative I have with the game is that I have to turn the graphics way down to play the game without it slowing, and I've got a Core-2-Quad. Well, I guess it's time to ge tthat new graphics card.

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I bought X Blades primarily because I like 3rd person games with attractive heroines (I'm a long time fan of the Tomb Raider series). After a few hours of game play I can say that I am not disappointed: the whole game is gorgeous (not just the main character); the PC controls are very responsive without being twitchy; the bosses are difficult enough without being impossible, and; the soundtrack adds nicely to the combat experience. Also, gameplay is surprisingly smooth on my "last generation" PC (3.2Ghz P4, Radeon x1950, 2GB DDR400 RAM, Vista Home Premium, 160GB 7200RPM SATA HDD, 1440 X 900 resolution display) at the game's default settings. Since I play games for the mindlessness and the eye candy I won't comment on the quality of the plot. Overall I feel it was money well spent.

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Well, this game gave me what I deserve for 10 dollars.

It is a game that is...well, worth the money for a couple hours of try out but I would not recommend it to anybody.

1. The hits are water-like and weak

The main purpose of hack and slash game is not HD graphic hot chick but the actual excitement of beating stuff up.

This game, compared to Devil May Cry series, feels like I am swinging a pain brush. No 'HIT'. No realism. No excitement.

2. Some enemies are rather annoying to kill.

Enemies who fly are probably what made me quit this game. Since they fly so fast and high I feel impossible to catch em with my sword

in mid air and eventually find myself just shooting over, and over, and over, and some fire balls.

I remember in D.M.C 4 that I can jump and perform some amazing actions while staying in mid air. Here? nope.

3. Story line is probably even worse than Skyrim.

Simply said, I think whoever made this thought of this story line during a 15 minute nap time.

I write a couple fictions as hobby, and I am not being narcissistic or big-headed but my amateurish 200 page fictions sound better than

She went into dungeon for ash-she got a sick treasure-the treasure granted her some power-time to die everybody-the end.

...I mean, really? The characters are 1 sided and rather feel like dolls saying lines rather than a 'live' person.

I do understand that this is a game, but I remember seeing some amazing story lines from these cartoonist chars from Final Fantasy Series.

Overall this game is something you could just try out instead of a big mac meal.

I do not recommend it. I really don't.

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X-Blades is your basic hack and slash type game with a scantly clad chick going against countless monsters. The game's main character Ayumi, comes off as a stuck up cheerleader that has not matured since high school. The story line is interesting, despite its linear context, and the graphics is out of this world (I am not just talking about Ayumi). Overall the game leaves one with a Tomb Raider like feel and game play. The controls are good for the keyboard and mouse users, but game pad wise can be kind of iffy at best. Overall I give the game 4 stars.

P.S. ignore the first reviewer for this download edition of the game; that person either has an issue with his/her controller setup or something else is not configured correctly.

Cheap uDraw GameTablet with uDraw Disney Princess: Enchanting Storybooks

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First of all, this is a fantastic deal because not only does the tablet come with uDraw Disney Princess, but also uDraw Studio.

The pros: easy to set up and use right out of the boxsimply plug your Wiimote into the tablet and you are good to go! It doesn't require batteries. I also love the "storybook" environment of the game (and love the fact that it reads the text out loudit's encouraging my daughter to read along and for little ones, no adult "can you read this for me?" is necessary)

The only criticism I have is that the Princess game is a bit simple for kids who are familiar with other Wii games. My daughter is six and regularly plays Rio, Tangled, Wii Party, Wii sports, etc. and she blazed through all the levels of UDraw Disney Princess in pretty much one sitting. There's not much room for creative "free play"instead it's a lot of painting by numbers (not actually painting, but dragging a paint bucket over a certain area of the screen and dropping it), filling in missing items, waving the "wand" over areas of the image to fill things in, etc. My daughter is really enjoying it, but I can tell that one's she's done with all the levels and earns all her gems (which will probably be this evening), she probably won't pick up the game again. It doesn't have much of a repeat play factor.

Overall, I'm very happy with this purchase. I'm excited to check out also titles in the uDraw series. I think for girls 3-5, this is a great game. For older girls, I think the Princess game may hold only limited interest, but it's a good way to get into the uDraw series of gamesit provides a great introduction into using the tablet and the stylus.

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I purchased this for my 4 yr old princess who loves to draw and color. She loves this and would stay on it all day if I would let her! The studio is awesome and not only does it let her do the art that she likes it also teaches her and gives her new ideas! Everyone in my house uses this and I cant wait to buy more titles for it!

Best Deals for uDraw GameTablet with uDraw Disney Princess: Enchanting Storybooks

This game was a gift for my 5 year old. She played it, but it was very easy and boring. The connect the dots was from 1-10, paint by number was a drop and fill, no level choices and no drawing. It would be OK for my 3 year old, but even she would be finished with it in a day or two. Not at all what I expected. I am very disappointed with this game. It will be going to a used game store less than a week after receiving it :(

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I bought this as a gift for my niece for Christmas and I also bought the SpongeBob game to go along with it. Haven't played it yet but I did open the package to make sure everything was there and it all looked good. I am giving this game 5 stars becuase I recieved a bonus game. I got the princess game, the udraw game and I also recieved the Dood's Big Adventure. For the price you can't beat it. Even if she blows through the Princess game, as some reviews said it was very easy, she will still have the other 2 games to play. Love this deal!

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I don't want to give this a bad review because I can't say whether it's a good product or not. I bought this as a gift for my daughter for Christmas. I found it for a lot cheaper somewhere else. Amazon wanted to charge me a huge fee to return it. I've never returned anything before, so they were able to waive the charge. I bought it somewhere else, and after we checked it out we realized that it was too difficult for our daughter(5) to use, so we returned it again.

Rock Band 3 Wireless Fender Mustang PRO-Guitar Controller Review

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List Price: $59.99
Sale Price: $47.31
Today's Bonus: 21% Off

I was very excited about the Rock Band 3 Wireless Fender Mustang Pro-Guitar when it was first announced.

I received mine yesterday (11/29) and was eager to try it out of the box. Straight out of the box, I noted that the overall body was still plastic but its heft and build are quite solid. The guitar comes in 3 pieces and snap together quite easily. I plugged it in along with the USB dongle into the PS3...and the game crashed. Tried it again, same result. So, I thought that maybe I had too many USB dongles in at once so I tried just plugging in the Mustang dongle by itself. At that point, the game launched fine. So here are a couple of warnings up front for you:

1. This guitar is not like you other guitar controllers. It actually functions as an alternate PS3 controller, so be sure that you are actually synced up with the dongle.

2. This guitar is a little bit finicky straight off the bat. I would suggest that you sync this guitar up prior to syncing up with other instruments. I haven't found the right combination yet as to what WON'T make it crash, but plugging in 1 at a time appears to work so far.

So, with the unpleasantness out of the way, how does it play? Wonderfully!! All 6 strings are nylon coated steel (which disconcertingly sound like plastic, but they hold up) and all 102 buttons along the 17 frets respond accurately and with no visible delay. If you're a real guitar player, you'll marvel at the realistic response; however, you may complain (and justifiably) that the fret buttons are all the same width and you won't be able to tell which "string" is which. If you're hung up on this, wait until the Squier (which doubles as a real, fully-stringed guitar AND a controller) comes out in the Spring for a rumored value of $280 +/-. The only other complaint that purists may have is that the "notes" on the guitar highway are a combination of numbers placed over strings. No, they aren't notes they just tell you which fret/string you have to hit. If you're used to reading sheet music, you may not be familiar about the 16th fret on the 2nd string...you may know it only as a note and a place to put your finger without consciously thinking how many frets down it is. If you're looking for actual notes, you're out of luck there.

The video game tutorials on RB3 were also fairly helpful in getting a beginner guitar player up to speed, but don't expect these lessons alone to make you a bona fide guitar player on their own steam. Still, they WILL teach you about the numbering and string schematics and also instruct you which fingers are appropriate for which chords. It's not a bad primer.

Overall, it's a fun guitar and the gameplay is phenomenal. Why they can support over 102 different possible fret/string combinations and yet be unable to support drums/keyboard/guitar/bass/vocalists without entering you into All Instrument Mode (as I explain in my review of Rock Band 3) is quite beyond me. My only other complaint is that for a guitar which costs so much, it would have been nice if they had opted for something other than a plastic body; I do feel entitled to something better for that kind of cash. Beyond that, it does work as advertised.

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When I got my MadCatz Fender Mustang Guitar Controller, I felt kind of sorry for it because for some reason someone felt it was necessary to put this message on the front of its packaging: "Not A Real Guitar". No, I guess not. A "real guitar" is like my Fender Strat which sat in the closet unplayed for 20 years due to a disheartening lack of real guitar playing talent. To me, that's a real guitar.

I've had my MFMGC for only a week now and I'm sure I've played it more than I played my Strat in 20 years. The disheartening lack of real guitar playing talent is not a problem on an instrument that is not a real guitar! With some computer help, playing this thing is a ton of actual fun and I actually feel like I'm gaining some real guitar playing talent as a bonus.

I'm not a great judge of whether a guitar-like object is big or small, so I'll provide some useful dimensions for you to decide for yourself.

Neck length (nut to 17th fret): 405mm

Width head (E to E centers at nut): 34mm

Width tail (E to E centers at 17th fret): 45mm

Width strings (E to E centers on strings): 47mm

Some things about playing this are a lot easier than a "real guitar" and some things are harder. Obviously I don't have wires slicing into my finger tips. However, I think that if you play with this thing for hours a day (which is easy to do), you'll go far in preparing your fingertips for real guitar strings. The button action is definitely not real strings, but it's not a terrible substitute if you're not fussy. The button action seems pretty capable of doing what needs to be done. I have had a button get stuck pressed in, but it's very rare and the RockBand feedback points it out right away. Tapping that button cures the problem.

I'm no expert but playing RockBand3 with this seems to foster good habits. The weird one is that you never look at the thing. Never. Harmonix made a fuss about how cool their fret fingering feedback is and that's true, however, they intentionally kept quiet about string feedback because, of course, there is none. I find myself resting the pick on a string just so I can know where it or its neighbor is when I need it. On a "real guitar" that would mute that string.

Some RockBand specific features are good, some not so good. For example, this device can automatically calibrate your audio and video latency for optimal game play. The menu in RockBand to use this feature was kind of confusing, but eventually it seemed to work. I do not like the overdrive feature being tied to the "Select" button. It would have been better had they put it on the down pad or maybe the X. Overdrive still works fine if you tip the neck up to some steep angle, but with complex playing that can be tricky if you're sitting down.

I've played this probably over 50 hours now and I'm still on the original 3 AA batteries. Could be worse for a wireless device. I should note that the battery compartment doesn't have a stupid retaining screw so you don't have to find a small screwdriver just to change the batteries like you did on other RockBand guitar controllers.

Now we come to the coolest part about this unreal guitar. I had thought that if I were going to design such a thing I wouldn't reinvent the wheel but instead I'd use a standard music instrument digital interface. And indeed, they did and they even put a standard MIDI output port on this. This feature makes the price suddenly pretty interesting just for a MIDI controller. After some fussing, I was finally able to hook the Mustang up to a MIDI to USB converter and get Ubuntu on my laptop to see the MIDI events. Then I used the awesome and free music editor Rosegarden to redirect the MIDI events back out to Fluidsynth, a free software synthesizer. This allowed me to play the guitar controller and have the sound come out my laptop. There's a bit of latency with such a setup, but it proves the controller is serious about standard MIDI output. It's not going to be the best guitar-like MIDI controller in the world, but for educational purposes and simple guitar track recording, I think it's great. One odd thing is that if you hit an open string, it tends not to ever decay depending on the patch. However, when you hit a fretted note, the note decays after you let up on the fret button. The way to cancel an open string note is to press a button on that string. It's workable. There's even a mode (press "Start") to send note events by pressing the fret buttons and ignoring strumming (think fretboard tapping). I also confirmed that the strings were velocity sensitive I don't think it's extremely fine, but there are at least two levels of intensity for hitting a string. I should also mention the mysterious headphone jack which disables the MIDI output. I don't know what it's for, but I didn't hear anything with headphones.

So there you have it. This is not a "real guitar". But it is a real musical instrument (technically a part of one) and a pretty fancy one at that. I'm having a great time with it and for me it's a better way to improve "real guitar" playing skills than playing a real guitar.

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Unable to find a Logitech G27 racing wheel last night I ended up buying the pro guitar for RB3. So far I have found it just as hard as learning to play a real guitar except my fingers don't hurt from holding down strings. I think this guitar is a good aid in helping one learn to play because it keeps your interest longer than say a real guitar and book or lesson. However if you are expecting to pick this up and be a pro playing medium or even hard in a months time than you might not have much fun. It will take time patience and dedication. I'm sure it will be months before I get past easy, even if I find the time to practice\play everyday. On a real guitar I know about 5 chords barely. On the normal guitar controllers I was able to complete all songs in Guitar Hero 1-3 on hard with all stars (except for one song on GH 3) but anyway... Right now I'm having trouble playing songs with the PRO Guitar for RB3 that use two strings and 3 buttons. I certainly don't feel like a rockstar when I'm struggling with only 2 strings and 3 fret buttons. I find RB3 overly challenging using this guitar(games are fun right?), but at the same time I feel like I'm going to be able to apply what I am trying to do with the RB3 pro guitar to my real acoustic guitar. And after all it would be pretty awesome if I'm ever able to play Free Bird on Pro Medium. I mean much much cooler and rockstar-esque than using that 5 button regular guitar controller.

Honest reviews on Rock Band 3 Wireless Fender Mustang PRO-Guitar Controller

Please try this product before you buy, if you are a real guitar player, it at first, doesn't quite feel like a real guitar. Although, after about an hour of an adjustment period (and a pick is necessary), it starts feeling better and works quite well. I have also tried out the more expensive Squire Pro Guitar model, which has a much better feel, but is slightly less accurate than this one. If you don't already own an electric, the Squire one would be ideal, and if you have one, the Mustang Pro should be fine. The Pros on this guitar are the realistic strumming mechanism, close to the size and scale of a Mustang Guitar, wireless functionality and the amazing accuracy of hitting complex chords and strums. The only downside is getting used to the buttons vs real strings, but after the adjustment period, its not so frustrating.

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I just got my guitar controller today,

I have been a semi pro guitar player for 35 years (meaning I have been paid to play, but never made a living at it) I have turned my nose up at the guitar hero and rock band franchises because of the unrealistic guitars but I have been having a great time with the pro drumset and had the mustang guitar on pre order for more than a month before it arrived.

Well it arrived in the mail today and I rushed to put it together and start playing.

I am pleasantly surprised that there doesn't seem to be any notable latency at all. The fret buttons don't feel very much like guitar strings, but they do not take long to get used to at all. This could be a big plus for those who do not play guitar regularly and are not prepared to deal with the pain of getting your fingers accustomed to guitar strings.

I don't like that RB3 docks points for hitting extra notes, but I can't imagine how they would score otherwise. I am not used to reading music or playing songs "note for note" I usually do a great deal of improvisation when playing actual guitar, so this game is teaching me discipline I have never had before. Over all its a great accessory and I am enjoying it quite a bit. My biggest disappointment is the lack of pro guitar tracks in the DLC.

Cheap Medal of Honor Warfighter Project Honor Edition (Xbox 360) Plus

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Awesome game you will want to buy this game from anyone in the world. If you don't, I don't know what to tell you.

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MoH Warfighter reminded me of BF3, obviously since it was made by the same developers. Overall, I like the way the game was designed and the way it plays. Not too many people play this online, but I enjoyed that experience, too. I think this was an 'in between' game to keep people buying from EA & Frostbite. It delivered for me, and I would recommend it to anyone.

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My review of this game is this is better then cod I highly recommend this.. also join my platoon black hawk soldiers

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I played the beta and thought it was fun enough to give it a try again plus I love Battlefield so who doesn't want access to the Battlefield 4 beta. The game seems like a mix of CoD and BF to me.

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Pretty cool game.I thought it was kind of a short game though,I finished it in about 10-12 hours.That was kind of disappointing since I was sent the game but it was for xbox,when I ordered the version for PS3,so I had to wait for the correct version to arrive.

If you like FPS,youll probably like it.

Rock Band 3 Wireless Keyboard for Xbox 360 Review

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List Price: $39.99
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Today's Bonus: 18% Off

I will kinda cut the actual Rock Band 3 part of this thing out, because the focus here is on the instrument, the 360 version specifically. I'll just say that it does its job perfectly fine with the game and move along.

So, on to the actual keyboard. Anyone who's ever spent ten seconds messing around with one will either know or secretly understand there are usually two things about keyboards when it comes to their construction: the keys have a certain weight to them, and the instrument is usually solidly built (not plastic-y). The MadCatz keyboard fits both of those roles perfectly. It does NOT feel like the vast majority of the other Rock Band 3 instruments, namely the guitar: thin, hollow plastic things which feel like you could snap them over your knee. No, this cat is pretty solid and feels like it could take a battering if need be. The keys have a natural weighted feel and respond just as they should, but with a single addition of ridges over the left ends of some, likely to help newbies with the game align their fingers with the colored sections without having to look down...as much.

If I've given the impression that this thing has a built-in speaker, think otherwise. And Rock Band 3 doesn't, as far as I can remember, have a freestyle mode to let you play whatever on the keys. But, this does come with a 5-pin MIDI outlet, and all of its buttons and keys and I'm pretty sure literally ALL of them, even the touch strip are programmed for use with MIDI software. This puts it further into something more of an actual instrument than just a game controller.

It makes for a compact, fairly versatile item, albeit for the niche market of music gamers and creative keyboardists. As for its interplay with Rock Band 3, there's no real need to mention it here other than it works, because anything deeper is on the game side, which I'll save for a review of it rather than this peripheral.

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There is little to say about the keyboard... it's two octaves, the keys feel pretty nice, and it responds quite well. Overall it's well built and functions nicely with Rock Band 3.

The real problem with it is not in the hardware, but in the game itself. You'll find that the disc only has 63 songs with keys out of the 83, and at least 6 of those 63 tracks aren't really worth playing, unless you enjoy hitting 5 notes and then playing nothing for half the song. The songs that do have a reasonable amount of keys, however, are incredibly fun on both standard and pro, and certainly makes the purchase worthwhile. Additionally, downloadable songs will come with keyboard parts when there is one in the song, so you'll quickly be able to add to the small library of key songs.

The pro keyboard mode works very nicely, offering a nice extra challenge on top of the standard instruments for those who want it, and you may even learn a few things from doing it. My only complaint here being that, in practice mode, you can only slow down to 60%, which is still to fast to properly learn some of the more complex songs like Roundabout.

Overall, the keyboard is a really nice instrument and a nice addition to Rock Band.

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Being a piano player for the last 30 years and finding that most rock bands don't have a place for piano players, I was really excited for Rock Band 3 to come out! But then my excitement turned to frustration when I tried to play the pro keyboard setting, and here's why. You have to learn how to read music all over again using Rock Band 3's vertical scrolling-style, and the lines and spaces are so close together that even though the notes are color-coded white and black it's still hard to read on a regular TV screen. Plus the game puts symbols over the special bonus-point notes, and then it's impossible to tell if they're white or black. If they had just put the keyboard part scrolling horizontally across the top of the screen as they do for vocals, and using real ledger lines and notes, this would have been a pianist's dream! As it is, you feel like a 5-year old learning piano for the first time with music as a foreign language. I switched over to the regular keyboard setting within 48 hours and haven't looked back.

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The keyboard was pretty exciting to play with and get the hang of. Having had some piano experience in the past, it wasn't too difficult to pick up on but there are some pro's and cons to be aware of.

Pros:

1) The keys are spaced out pretty much like a regular keyboard, and there's a strap if you want to use it as a keytar.

2) Its pretty easy on battery life and there are normal AXYB buttons on the pad, unlike the old RB guitars, to allow easier navigation.

3) Sits pretty comfortable in the lap on a couch too if you prefer not to use the strap, or if you have a stand.

Cons:

1) The keys are REALLY sensitive. You've got to get in the habit of not resting any weight on the keys because it'll set off a press which can screw up a combo sometimes.

2) You only play with 1 hand. 2 hand play can be done but because of the size of the piano, its kinda awkward, and when the key segments shift in game, it takes some practice to learn where to replace the hands.

3) For non pro-mode keyboarding, the 5 keys to play are hard to find at first because there are 2 sets of color coordination on the board itself. Smaller color codes are right above the keys, under the large color boards, showing where to play.

All in all, its fun to play, as Rock Band has been since it came out and the keyboard adds a little more flavor to a pretty immersive game already.

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Honestly .. I had no expectations when I bought this. My worst fear was that I would use it with Rock Band 3 before it would be retired to the corner of the room reserved for the plastic guitars. Never did I dream that I would be using it even when my XBox was sent to the shop for repairs. I use this instrument every single day.

First off, unlike the mustang guitar, this doesn't feel cheap. The keys have a nice feel to them. The instrument itself also has nice weight that feels snug in my lap, but I can also pass it over to any nearby person by the "neck" without arm strain. It works as designed with the XBox and in Rock Band itself.

It takes a little while to get used to the Rock Band tablature. The trainers are pretty horrific. They don't explain much of anything such as it is only designed for one hand. That said, it is still pretty awesome to jam out with friends. Overdrive works by pressing a button and the touch sensor makes audio distorting pretty fun (I couldn't stand the whammy bar on the guitars). On easy and medium songs, I found I could laze back in my couch when playing, but once I hit the hard songs with the keyboard shifts, I needed to sit up and maintain good posture.

The instrument really shined for me when I bought a midi-to-usb converter. I'm currently doing eMedia's piano teaching software (which is pretty awesome) and the keytar makes for a wonderful practice tool. I'm able to play it through the computer with the software, enabling it to watch my playing and provide feedback. I'm also able to practice when I take a break from work. I just plop it on my desk, fire up my piano trainer, then play along for ten or so minutes. After which, I return to work feeling refreshed.

This is so much more than a game controller and definitely worth every cent. And hey, if you play at work like I do, maybe your co-workers will appreciate it as well (probably not, but you can still hope)

Record of Agarest War Zero Limited Edition -Xbox 360 Reviews

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List Price: $59.99
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This game is one of the best strategic RPGs I've ever played. It requires the player to take their time and delicately balance out their characters with upgraded weapons, enhanced skills, and even (or uneven) stats. The plotline is intriguing and the jokes are often hilarious. In many strategic RPGs I find myself level grinding in one exact area for a set period of time before I'm strong enough to move on, slaying the same monster over and over again. This game has an extensive map that grows with the conversations that you have with your party members. The gameplay itself requires logical thinking and strategy (because it IS a strategic RPG, you know.), something that other games lack. As for graphics, this game doesn't push the limit, but the designers clearly know that there are much more important things than being as showy and shallow as games such as Call of Duty, and Halo. It's in standard strategic RPG format, and I love it. Until now, all strategic RPGs were on handhelds, and it got a little tiring.

This is NOT a game that you can blow through in one night. This game DOES require you to actually enjoy the game you're playing instead of just mindlessly killing drones and copies of monstes with terrible AI systems.

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This is quite a fun game. The mechanics may take a little getting used to, but once everything clicks it is an enjoyable ride. The limited edition features are very well done and quite extensive. I recommend this game to those seeking out an enjoyable tactical experience.

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My son was very happy to get this. He was surprised to receive it. He had been looking for this set for some time. Thank you for your quick shipping.

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This is my 3rd favorite limited set of any games so far. I love the cards that came with it; and also the small guide. The guide helped a lot more then i thought it would. the art book is not bad either.The game reminds me of the old Finalfantasy series.

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just what i wanted it worked as i planed it thx i would perfer this to any one who likes this game

Hidden Expedition: Titanic - PC Reviews

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As an adult who has purchased this game, I'm thinking one shouldn't have high expectations for things that give them hours of mindless fun. That's why I'm giving it 4 stars, instead of 3 or less. If you're looking for something that will hold your attention while you kill some time, or give your mind a bit of a rest, then this game is perfect. In fact, it can be rather addictive in that respect. I'm not one for complicated games, so personally, I love it.

I don't think a synopsis of the game is necessary (it's a game of "find the hidden object" not too many ways to elaborate on that), so I'll just say that the graphics are nice, and I like how the lists of items to be found change each time. Some objects are easy to find, others take a minute to locate. I'd prefer it if the extra "challenges" (they're really not all that challenging, especially after you've completed the game once) in between the levels changed as well, but sadly, they don't.

My biggest peeve with the game, if I can really even call it a peeve, is how it ends. While cracking that particular challenge is fun (again, in the mindless way), not only is it vague about how you actually accomplish it, it's rather anticlimactic. I won't ruin it with details, but suffice it to say that if you're playing the game for the most appropriate reasons (see above), the fact that the ending is kind of ho-hum shouldn't be a problem.

I'd definitely recommend it for anyone who'd like something that will keep them amused as they kill some time, but if you're looking for something more exciting or something that requires more a complex thought process this isn't it.

That said, my nephews (who are 4 and 9) love it! So, if you're looking for something that just about anyone in the family will enjoy, regardless of age, then my recommendation increases tenfold. I'm not an expert in childhood development, but I'm sure it doesn't do any harm to kids when developing their hunting skills on an intellectual/visual level, and it would probably do their attention spans a bit of good, too.

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I actually ordered this game from Big Fish Games several months ago, and have been playing it on & off ever since I finally finished my last "dive" tonight.

The goal of "Hidden Expedition: Titanic" is to search for lost artifacts & gems that are currently hidden within the ship-wrecked Titanic with the ultimate goal being to find the priceless crown which had once belonged to the queen. You do this by going on various dives in which you search for a list of specific items which have been embedded in the pictures of various locales.

At the start of each dive, you are given a certain amount of oxygen, as well as a time limit. You're also given the ability to ask for hints but be careful, each time you ask for a hint or guess wrong you lose a bit of time & oxygen. If you run out of time &/or oxygen, you'll have to start that particular dive again from the beginning.

Once you've found all of the items for a particular dive, you'll have to solve another type of puzzle in order to move on. These puzzles include searching for additional items that match the silhoettes given & restoring old photographs.

Overall, I found "Hidden Expedition: Titanic" to be a fun game & I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys "search & find" type games. I would also recommend the games from the Mystery Case File series, as they are of the same genre and are even more fun & addictive.

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While the game is certainly fun, it is not really fairly represented by the "Features" and "Description" used to describe it above.

Yes, you do search this game version of the Titanic (bearling little resemblance to the real thing). However there is no mystery to answer. You just search the areas and rooms of the boat and find a variety of items "hidden in plain sight" (harder than it sounds) in the huge clutter of miscellaneous junk and other 'stuff'. If you get though all of the ship, you do get to see the contents of the ship's safe (not a big deal). The version I have does not have a "Super Search Mode" though I suppose you could use your own magnifying glass (not a bad idea). The "precious treasures" you can collect are just sparkly little gem stones which are also buried/hidden in the clutter. Of much more use are the obscured air tanks that, if found, can increase your search time. The version I have does not have hard and easy "modes", but just one level of play. Yes, nice fish and bubbles do float by (and sometimes get in the way), but the music can become annoying (fortunately you can turn it off). With all that said, this game does provide an enjoyable way to spend some hours. For those wishing to try out the game before buying, go to the Pogo website and download the free trial version. It is not the whole game, but you'll get the idea.

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I play a lot of hidden object games. I had exhausted all the MCF games and thought I'd give this a try as it was highly rated. It looks really good and it was over-all ok to pass some time. It does have a little humor and some nice facts about the Titanic. My issues with it are these:

1) You are penalized for wrong clicks and for hints. Clicks chew up a little time and hints chew up A LOT of time. I prefer games that just give you a certain number of hints, instead of penalizing you for hints.

2) It sometimes has more than one object in the picture that might fit the search term, but only one is correct. I had this problem most with clocks. Combine this with the fact that wrong clicks are penalized and you get a recipe for frustration. This problem only occurred a few times though.

3) The background music can get annoying. The music loops are short and the theme is kind of intense in some places. Also, if you turn down the music, it doesn't stay that way next time you load the game.

4) Finally the game is kind of short. It is not the same value as games like Mystery Case Files: Madame Fate.

5) You have to wait for each item to float away and for its name to disappear from the item list before you can click the next item. This animation takes too long.

Overall, it's certainly not the worst hidden object game I've tried, but I won't be buying "Hidden Expedition: Everest."

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I bought this as a Christmas gift for my father, who played it online and liked it. I was happy I was able to buy a CD to give him instead of buying the game as a download so he had a gift to open. If you enjoy the I Spy CDs you'll enjoy this game too. The only thing is you have to find everything before you run out of time or oxygen. We've been enjoying it.

Cheap The Incredible Hulk - Xbox 360

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A few years ago, a little game called Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction was released, and was a surprisingly great take on the Marvel character with free-roaming and destructive environments, plus the overall feeling gameplay-wise that you really were the Hulk. This new movie tie-in Incredible Hulk game from Sega seems to want to follow in the same footsteps, but alas, it is a disappointing, and quite frankly boring, next-gen smash-a-thon. Smashing up a pretty looking New York City is as fun as one would hope, and is by far the best aspect of the game to be sure. After that though, things begin to go downhill in terms of gameplay and overall presentation. Once you get bored with just causing destruction, the gameplay elements at their core just aren't that varied, and the boss fights are underwhelming as well. Graphically, the game looks halfway decent, but there are noticeable graphical glitches and occasional bugs that hamper the experience. Oddly enough as well, just like with the Iron Man game that was recently released, the game's cut-scenes are just plain bad. The good points of the game once again involve laying waste to the environment, and film star Edward Norton lends his voice as Bruce Banner as well. Considering how enjoyable Ultimate Destruction was and still is, it's disappointing how Incredible Hulk ends up faring. It's worth a look for Hulk fans, but in the end, you're better off sticking with an old copy of Ultimate Destruction.

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Overall, this is a pretty good game. There are some things that they took out of it that were in the previous hulk game that would've gone great in it. Also, the game froze up completely on me sometimes and i had to shut the console off and turn it back on again to play the game, so i did lose some progress because of these annoyances. But otherwise I really liked the game.

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I have the version from GS, the one with the Red Hulk, and it is a good game. It could have been much better. Basically it is a trimmed down Ultimate Destruction. Now that game was great. I still play it on my 360 it is that good. Bottom line: if they wanted UD2 they should have kept things the same and just updated the graphics and story, if they wanted a whole new game they should have made one. The games seems a rushed movie game built around UD. If you like the Hulk or smashing stuff this game will deliver, just don't expect a revolutionary game.

PS 7-11 has a $5 off coupon = Red Hulk version for 54.

Honest reviews on The Incredible Hulk - Xbox 360

My son loves this game..The game was in great shape no problems with it my son plays it over and over. I would buy more games from this Amazon .. Thank You!!

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Probably one of the few games based off a movie that doesn't totally suck. Simply put, if you enjoyed "Ultimate Destruction" you'll get a kick out of this game for sure. The destruction element is ramped from UD quite a bit and the story I thought was decent. Not the best story ever but not crappy either. If anything it's like Grand Theft Auto meets Rampage.

The game does have its downfalls with certain moves from UD not being in this one but the game tries to make up for that with different moves and abilities replacing them. One particular thing that I noticed is that the game has a tendency to freeze up a lot whether you're running it off the hard drive or on CD. Not sure what causes this (maybe something in the game engine), but may become an annoyance.

For 20 bucks off of amazon here, you'll have a great time smashing stuff with this fun game.

Cheap Warriors Orochi 3 Hyper - Nintendo Wii U

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Good ol' Slashy-Slashy

This game is a lot of fun, and I'm a huge fan of crossover games. I get way too hyped up whenever I see characters from one franchise meeting characters from another.

If you like slashy-slashy action adventure games, there's nothing better than the Warriors series. The graphics are amazing, gameplay is a lot of fun, and there are a TON of characters to play as each with their own unique skills and weapons.

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This game is pretty standard fare for anybody used to the dynasty warriors franchise. Sub par visuals and retentive gameplay are the only real draw backs that i can find. The character roster is extensive and the weapon crafting is incredibly deep for a game that comes off simple in the surface. It can and will become an addiction as it did for me. It can be found pretty cheap if you shop around as i did but it's worth every penny no matter if used or price. I'm not really a fan of this type if game but still had a hell of a good time with it and i recommend it to anyone looking for a game that's just fun without being very serious.

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I enjoyed playing this with my brother. There are a lot of characters to choose from and the game can be challenging!

Honest reviews on Warriors Orochi 3 Hyper - Nintendo Wii U

Awesome game especially for the Wii U. I have been playing Dynasty Warriors since Dynasty Warriors 2 for ps2. Do not buy this game if you have it for PS3 because it is the same. I really like this game because you can play it on the gamepad.

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I Have been playing this game for the past week and i can't seem to stop. It is so much fun trying to unlock 127 characters that time simply just flies by. Me and my friend played story mode together and have been unlocking multiple characters and buying new weapons for them. This is a must buy game for the wiiU unless you already own warrior orochi 3 for PS3 AND XBOX360.