Review of Cideko Air Keyboard Conqueror - Playstation 3

Customer Ratings:

I have never written a review before; I have never felt so inclined. I read enough of them, usually by idiots who don't own the product or know how to use it. I figure I'll write one for you guys who *really* want to know about the product. There is a lot of obvious things that are mentioned in *many* reviews, so I won't go into those things in detail, but this will be a *very* detailed review. I give this product 3 stars, because how you want to use it will either mean 5 stars or 1.

First, about the overall gamepad physically: the product feels cheap for such an expensive device. Very plastic-y, the grey grips on the side are not rubberized (they should be), and they are not perfectly smooth where they meet the black (You can actually feel the line in your hands--you shouldn't). It is otherwise well thought-out, comfortable, and functional. The keys are spaced well and tactile, the buttons press smoothly, and the analog sticks track well. Glad they put a receiver slot in the bottom if I take it with me.

The buttons show one of the problems with the company itself: They *really* need to get their act together. The particular model I have is AK08B (purchased from this listing *refurbished* from Warehouse Deals)...it has buttons that are squared on the outside, with numbers and PS logos on them. The start button has a power logo on it.

...Click through all the pictures of this listing. All of the buttons on all of the pictures are different! And they all exist! Cideko's website is *mostly* consistent, but it makes the problem actually worse, since there are different models--as far as their site is concerned, this *variant* doesn't exist, nor a couple other combinations I've seen. Hard to give a review when the "same" product is physically different depending on where/when it comes from...

There are so many combinations to this thing (possibly due to TM legal issues with Sony?) it's not even funny:

Regular buttons:

Squared or fully round (I would have preferred round)

numbers or numbers/PS shapes

Start button:

power logo or PS logo

You can get [I have seen pics of, at least] almost every combination of the above...do you like roulette? I don't. I should be able to buy something and know exactly what I am getting. Not with this product. There is a reason for model numbers. Sure, most of it is printing, but the *BUTTON SHAPE* is pretty friggin' important for a controller!

Here are the models I know of:

AK08 (Cideko.com) Air Keyboard Conquerer cideko shows it in white and black (*same* model number!), but is at least consistent, no PS logos and squared buttons...although other versions exist (and are shown in the manual from the same page).

AK08b (NOT even on Cideko.com) Air Keyboard Conquerer (What I got)...does the 'B' mean black? Is there even model # variations for different button shapes?

AK08c (Cideko.com) Bluetooth Air Keyboard Conquerer grey with black edges. Actually has more capability with less battery life. Shows round buttons, even though squared ones exist for this too. Yay.

AK10 (Cideko.com) Basic Air Keyboard Conquerer What is *basic* is their listed info. All of the specs listed match the regular one. Shown with rounded buttons.

Speaking of specs, the site shows 3 hr charge time. My *packaging* shows 3-4. Which is it? Their documentation conflicts, or isn't even present. Go to their site, download their manual (for US/"Candna" -really? I didn't know "Candna" was a country...) and you'll find no mention of the fact that holding 9/SELECT or 10/START will re-orient your mouse in "3D" (gyromouse) mode.

Their site lists multiple versions of the keymap software on the main page, with cryptic names. Not until you download them can you figure out which is the most recent version.

Which bring this long review to the functional aspects, which are *really* a mixed bag:

RF: is decent, but fickle. Their antennae placement in *my version* (AK08b) left me wondering why it worked fine for me @ ~15' away but not for my daughter...the reason? It was that she kept holding it vertically, and it would cut out sporadically. Really annoying. So at 15+ feet, make sure you hold the controller more horizontally.

The keyboard: works well, rarely misses a press. chiclet keys that are great for rare-typing HTPC use.

The gyromouse: works well and clearly has a good sensor. The tracking works to a pixel or 2 on my 18' screen and is as good as any gyration I have used, but lacking an *easily* accessible toggle like gyration products have. The mouse button placement is fair, but (thankfully) you can remap the clicks to any gamepad button.

The gamepad: is good; the buttons have good tension, but again I wish it had the round buttons I see advertised. The d-pad is odd, as the entire assembly is on a post and rocks like a hat switch with what feels like a small octagonal restrictor. It hits diagonals easily enough, the 4 cross edges are textured. The L2/R2 are very triangular--shaped very differently than most PS controllers I have seen, aftermarket or otherwise. I like them fine, but these things are personal preference.

USB charging: If you assume that this will turn it into a play and charge wired device, you are a fool like me. It *just* charges...you still have to play through the RF dongle. That said, for the MSRP, they should have included a high-amp 5V USB wall-wart and the ability to charge this in under 3 (3-4? lol) hours.

Putting all of these things together is where you will love this device, or be thoroughly pissed off (and return it). I bought this for everything it offers (*should* offer) on my living room pc. I love me some gyromouse, I use mostly HTPC and games. I wanted to kill the keyboard and mouse. I *almost* could. This device is *almost* awesome.

HTPC users will love it. Gamers *might*.

The keymap software is cludgy, with no real documentation. It could have made this product shine, but drags it down instead. It is a resident software that will let you configure *3* (nameless) profiles to remap any buttons to any keyboard or mouse clicks, and the 4 'D' buttons to launch apps or run (limited) pre-defined commands. It supports *simultaneous* multiple keypress assignment, but no ordering (macro). It also supports duration by ms (millisecond) input. Haven't tried specifying duration with multiple keys, but seriously doubt that has much use. After 3 profiles (hope you remember which one is for what game/program!), you have to export it a file, which you can also load.

The software should support many more profiles, names for them, and ideally either give you a quick button to pop up a selection window (since it is a resident background app and all), or track the active window and switch accordingly, or not require to be running at all. It keeps this good product from being great. The controller requires a dongle, so for $100, they couldn't throw a few megs of flash into it? Include the mapping software (autorun if need be) and store the profiles? They obviously design this to take with you (they put a receiver slot in it) but you'll have to load the software and profiles from a thumbdrive if you do.

The software also lets you map a thumbstick to mouse simulation. I was excited about this because my wife sucks at using a gyromouse (it is an acquired skill). However, this is only useful in a narrow range of scenarios, because it is non-adjustable. It moves ridiculously slow, with no speed setting or acceleration at all, defeating the purpose of using an analog stick, which gives the ability to set a speed/travel relationship. It was a feature that could (and should) have been great, that they *completely* dropped the ball on.

For gamepad-designed games, this controller can be better than my venerable 360 controller, because of it's digital trigger design. Assassin's Creed 2, for example, auto-maps the analog triggers of a 360 controller to the view (since analog s Z axis) so by default you only get a left-right camera control. Since the triggers on this are just buttons, it correctly gave the right thumbstick control, so I have full/proper view control. Some games control re-assignments don't let you remap axis' (axii?) so this can be useful.

The ability to hit the mode button to swap d-pad/thumbstick can be nice, but it doesn't change or help the mouse control.

If you are good with a gyromouse, and bought this to play a game designed for a mouse and limited keyboard keys, such as Diablo III (like I did) **THIS IS WHEN YOU WILL RETURN THE PRODUCT**. This is when the integration falls apart.

I got all my keys mapped to the gamepad buttons (including mouse-clicks), loaded up the game and started off (as a witch doctor, for all you d3 guys). In this scenario you hold shift and aim with the (gyro)mouse. *YOU CAN'T*!! (**If I am one of those idiots I mentioned, *please* let me know)

This device doesn't let you move the gyromouse when pressing a button. Even worse, I suspect this may have been by design, to assist in clicking on something in gyromouse mode (your hand naturally moves when pressing a button, possibly making things like clicking a link difficult to for some users).

There should be an ability to turn this off, as this is a *CRITCIAL DESIGN FLAW*. The fact that you can't use the mouse and gamepad simultaneously takes most of the functionality of this combination design and throws it right out the friggin' window. This makes this controller *WORTHLESS* for any combination where you need mouse+gamepad. You *can* use the thumbstick-mouse simulation with the buttons (as it is all part of the 'gamepad device') but due to the aforementioned issues, that is worthless too. For kicks and giggles, I tried the shift key on the onboard keyboard while using the gyromouse, and while using the gamepad, and that all works. Due to the chiclet keys and their locations, you can't really use this approach either.

This device was *almost* awesome.

keyboard + gyromouse = fine

keyboard + gamepad = fine

gamepad + gyromouse = *FAIL*

(If you are awesome enough to need all 3 simultaneously, you're screwed too, you octopus.)

So this device has some great features, and some really not-so-great. Cideko needs to fix their website, get all the models clarified, and fix the glaring flaw with the mouse+gamepad combo and thumbstick-mouse, which I suspect could be done with a software update. That software really needs fixing anyway.

Despite the not-so-great, if you are an HTPC user, or don't map buttons, or play Diablo III (or games like it), this piece of kit is a godsend.

If you just bought this $100 controller to play Diablo III, just remember that Amazon doesn't let you return a box of plastic pieces--before you shatter this thing against the wall.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program NOTE: This review is specifically about using this device for a MediaPC running Windows.

Prior to this device I used a wireless keyboard/mouse combo for a MediaPC in the living room. The wireless keyboard was not rechargeable and it used a touchpad on the right side as the mouse, with the buttons below it. It wasn't very user friendly and we actually had to disable the "tap" on the touchpad because it was so sensitive we were mouse clicking as we moved the cursor. The mouse buttons weren't in a great spot either, and the keyboard was full size and took up too much room.

So when I saw this product I was pretty jazzed. The keyboard is more like a mobile tablet or phone easy enough to use with just thumb typing perhaps. Plus with the mouse keys in more intuitive places at each finger, how can you go wrong?

And I was NOT disappointed. This device gets high scores from me for a number of reasons.

1. Rechargeable battery that is built-in. We've already got power at the MediaPC area so it's quick and easy to plug this remote in when it needs it. No more worrying about batteries. That's just a personal peeve of mine to run around looking for batteries ESPECIALLY when it's for the keyboard.

2. It behaves like a Wii remote. Just point the controller where you want the mouse to go and it does! It's very easy to manipulate the mouse no matter where you're pointing, because it's all done with motion/gyro. For me this is so much easier than having to move a joystick or run my finger along a trackpad. I know I've used the word several times already, but it's just INTUITIVE to point where you want to go. The level of granularity is sufficient that I'm not accidentally clicking on things I am not hovering over as well.

3. Which leads me to the buttons. On the keyboard aspect, the buttons are easy to click and provide sufficient tactile feedback that you know you've done it. Even for large fingered-people, you shouldn't have any trouble pressing a single button at a time. You'll also find your normal "windows key" and duplicated alt/ctrl for those who like to have them on both sides. As to the other buttons, there's plenty of programability here if you want to install the software and customize. I've only programmed one thing, and that's opening a browser window. It's just as easy to double click the icon, but I wanted to test it out. The mouse buttons are in the right places for this. Left click with your left hand, right click with your right. On previous keyboards I was having to hold the keyboard with my left and then mouse+click with my right.

Some other things the big button lights up blue when you're connected, and it connects FAST. Press it and your mouse/keyboard is ready to go almost instantly. I like not having to wait for some kind of wireless sync. Long press it again when you're done and it shuts off so you don't waste battery if you don't need to.

It works from all over the living room. Specs say 10 meters and I've walked all over the place and still been able to control it. Doesn't mean I can see where I'm clicking, but I can click ;-).

Because I'm using this for a MediaPC I am speaking strictly about those functions. I'm not using it for wireless gaming at all, so the joysticks and and PS2-style buttons are not useful for running around in Windows.

The device is very lightweight and can be controlled with just one hand if so desired, since much of the mousing is left click I can just point and click all with my left hand. Could never do that with a full size wireless keyboard/mouse combo.

And so for my purposes on a MediaPC in the living room this device is near perfection. I'm going to give it a full set of stars for MediaPC functions.

Best Deals for Cideko Air Keyboard Conqueror - Playstation 3

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I have a new 2011 Mac Mini that i use for my media center, running Windows 7 Ultimate. That is the front end for my Windows Home Server in the basement. So I get all my content through my TV and this computer, and I've been using various keyboards with it, and have tried a lot of options in keyboards on a home theater PC since I started even before the days of Microsoft's Media Center option.

Lately I've been using my Logitech Dinivo Mini, which has been an outstanding choice for an easy to use keyboard / mouse controller that is a small form factor. I also have the bluetooth wireless keyboard and trackpad from Mac for when I need something a little more full sized. But I like to find alternatives the Logitech one has some problems with the A button not being consistent... A couple months ago I tested one that was offered through the Vine program, but while it started out a very strong contender and very functional, it only took a few weeks before it was pretty much useless and inoperative unless you unplugged and replugged the receiver into your computer. Which was odd, since the computer never shuts down, never sleeps, so there should've been no reason for that.

So when I saw this offered on the Vine program, I grabbed it, since I also always like to try out replacement controllers for my PS3 I'm not at all a fan of their controllers. And their answer for a keyboard is laughable compared to the nice unit that the Xbox has. So here was my chance to try something to replace the lackluster PS3 controllers, allow me to type on the PS3 with a better keyboard than was presently available, and to boot it can work with my media center...

I had it on the media center PC first, and it worked very well. Keyboard has a nice feel to it for a mini sized thing like this, good tactile and audible feedback for button presses, you can feel and hear the click. The controller itself fits in the hands about as comfortably as the Xbox controllers do, which is high praise from me since they are by far my favorite as far as ergonomics go. It's shockingly lightweight, and easy to hold.

The gyroscopic control of the mouse takes a little getting used to, and has a tendency to get a little off track if you hit the borders, but the two buttons right next to the power button in the middle will reset it so that when you release either one, the cursor is reset to where the controller was positioned at that time. So just hold the button, get it oriented where you want it again, and let go. Easy enough, but a bit of a pain at times, yet should be easy to avoid if you just keep in mind the constraints in movement when you're controlling the mouse.

Buttons for left and right mouse buttons are in good positions as well, and work just fine in all the apps I've tried.

So onto the PS3. Got the receiver plugged in there and immediately it was recognized. But the mouse is so sensitive that it flies through the menus insanely quickly. And that's really a problem for people with PS3 use. I've found no way to disable the gyroscopic controls yet, the online PDF documentation is pretty sparse. But any little movement of the hypersensitive gyro sensors makes it sound like a kid with cards in the spokes going by, because it makes the menu options fly by so quickly. The game control itself is fine when you're in a game and doing normal controller movement with the sticks, but the main menus, or the menus in the online system just move so fast that it's easy to shoot right by what you wanted.

So for the mouse control of a computer, it does a nice job gyroscopic control on the PS3? Has more work to be done, at least options needed to disable them altogether so you can control things better.

Edit a commenter let me know which button kills the gyro, so I've upped this to 4 stars then since that alleviates the annoyance with the PS3. Thanks!

Honest reviews on Cideko Air Keyboard Conqueror - Playstation 3

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program The Cideko Air Keyboard Conqueror does a better job as a media PC controller and casual PC game controller than the Logitech diNovo Mini and I'm a big fan of the diNovo Mini! While the Cideko is a little larger and not as sleek looking, it wins in nearly every aspect of usability.

One of my pet peeves about the diNovo Mini are the missing keys. The absence of an escape key, basic function keys and several others can make for some frustration, especially for surfing the web (just think how many time you end up needing the "ESC" key). The Cideko has all the keys a standard QWERTY computer keyboard has, and a few more. I also prefer the tactile response of the Cideko over the diNovo. The diNovo keys are a little on the "mushy" side, while the Cideko keys give you a nice "crisp" click when a key is depressed.

My other major peeve with the diNovo is the mouse/cursor control. The finger pad on the diNovo is very difficult to use and just doesn't track at all well. I found the gyroscopic control system on the Cideko to be tons easier to use and muck better for "fine" movement.

There is plenty of programability on the Cideko. My initial interest in this keyboard was as a game controller for PC based games and I have not been disappointed. The key assignment is easy and flexible, allowing me to setup the keyboard just like I want.

I like being able to turn off the unit when I'm finished, rather then waiting for it to "time out".

I like how fast it connects.

I like its range. My living room is about 25-feet long and this unit works great from the furthest corner.

The response time for commands in games is great for a wireless controller. Give this little keyboard a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed!

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I have gamers in my family. Lots of them. In addition to owning a PS3, XBox 360 and a Wii, there are also multiple PCs in my home (which all have games on them).

I was drawn to this controller because I thought it would make entering text into PS3 games soooo much easier than using the on-screen keyboard. I really didn't expect the controller to be so exceptional! It doesn't feel much larger in your hands than a regular PS3 controller and the button and control pads are just as smooth so it is a big hit with my youngest son who plays Little Big Planet every chance he gets.

The biggest surprise is what a fantastic PC game controller this is. It also functions as a mouse and indeed, the second I plugged in the usb dongle, my PC picked it up as a mouse. It has additional supplied software to further refine the mouse and button functions but I've never even installed them because I didn't need to.

The controller on the PC is smooth and responsive and a pleasure to game with. We are currently playing Skyrim for PC and everyone remarks on how great the game play with this controller is. In fact, I am purchasing another one so we don't have to take turns using this one!

It is has a rechargeable battery and comes with a usb charging cable. Battery life is very good, IMO.

If you have gamers in your household, this is a great addition!

Buy Asura's Wrath - Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $49.99
Sale Price: $16.13
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The game looks great. REALLY great. But you already know that, and you already know it's a essentially an interactive movie. I don't see any reviews on here yet though pointing out that the game is only 75% here. To get the final act you HAVE to buy DLC. Disappointing tactic on Capcom's part, double dipping is never cool. Treat it as a $75 dollar game, not a $60 dollar game.

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People are either gonna love or hate this game, simple as that. Play the demo, it is definitely an accurate representation of what you are in store for. If you love anime like I do, well this is basically an anime, episodes and all, that involves the viewer, and makes the epic moments feel that much more epic, because you are instructed to press certain buttons. For instance, when Asura is punching rapidly, you may be instructed to press b rapidly. It really makes you feel the energy and emotions of the character. There's a little energy shooting and free-fighting too, that you could compare to any hack and slash, but this barely ever happens. The graphics are sweet and everything from the story to the visuals are over-the-top. Is it worth full price? No, you should wait a bit for a drop in price. I'm rating it 5, b/c Asura's Wrath accomplishes everything it sets out to do and then some. Definitely not a game for gamers, if that makes any sense, although maybe a gamer would find the unique approach refreshing.

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There are good games, and there are bad games. And typically you can make a recommendation to someone based off your primary complaints about the game itself. Asura's Wrath on the other hand is a little bit different.

If you're looking for something to play and are considering "Buying This Game" you may want to give this a miss. However if you are considering "Purchasing This Title" then you may want to read on. It's really the difference between a "game" (which you play) and a title (that you watch). The reality is that Asura's Wrath is only about 40% actual gameplay. The vast majority of the experience is spent watching the story unfold, and occasionally pressing a button or two (a'la God of War), which makes it hard to call this a "game" in the truest definition of the word.

Now the good news is that the both the story and gameplay (what little there is) are actually pretty good.

The story is your typical over-the-top anime. If you've ever read Masamune Shirow's "Orion" you're going to be right at home, as the story has that whole Buddhist/Shinto style of sci-fi as it's foundation. Outside of that it's your run of the mill protagonist curling his arms and yelling at the sky while he gets all powered up/glowing/on fire... while everybody wonders how he got all super powerful, right before he punches them through a mountain, etc. You know the drill. As much as it's not the most original kind of anime based story...it's not all that bad to be honest. They also break up each "stage" into more appropriately titled "Episodes". Each has a intro credit screen (even though it's the same info each time) to give it the feeling like you're watching a series of custom made animations. Which isn't too clever and can get annoying, but at the same time you can see why they did it that way.

The other bit of good news is that when you do actually get the opportunity to actually play the game it's fun. It's not deep, complex or really all that challenging. There's basically two types of gameplay = you're either going to be running around in a small arena/area punching enemies in a 3rd person style beat-em up, and/or playing a rail shooter. And while neither of these are mind-blowing per-se, it's that mindless kind of fun that is a great way to pass a Sunday afternoon. The only real downside is that when you do actually play the game...it makes you wish that they had done more with it, and that there was more of it. The gameplay really doesn't effect the way the experience unfolds that much either which can also be a bit of a bummer.

So if you like anime/manga like Orion or Naruto and enjoy the occasional mindless-easy-play-through kind of experience then Asura's Wrath is def worth checking out. If you've got any sort of expectations of paying money for a deep gameplay experience then this would officially be something to pass on.

Honest reviews on Asura's Wrath - Xbox 360

Let me start of by saying that with all of the reviews that I had read/watched I was expecting something along the lines of Heavy Rain, or TellTale's The Walking dead in terms of gameplay. However that is not the case, while this isn't an action game such as Bayonetta, Devil May Cry, or even God of War (as in you do not unlock, and master long difficult combos) it is still quite the action game. The action is quick, fast flashy, and fun. I honestly have no idea how you could not have fun with the gameplay as it is exactly how I described, and I find it sad to see some other supposed "action" games get less trash whilst having simpler combos, and slower gameplay.

I'll next talk about the style, which I will briefly say was absolutely fantastic. The amount of detail in each, and every character model is just stunning, it truly captures a manga look like I've never seen done before. The diverseness of the models is also quite impressive when you see how much detail is put into each, and every inch of the character. While the environment can be a little low res sometimes in the ship parts, the far off shots, explosions, lights, and the entirety of the scenery more than makes up for it in my opinion.

I'll quickly interject before I get to the story that the soundtrack was also top of the notch. Each, and every tune really felt like it had meaning behind it, and the over all epicness, and grandness of the sound is just a joy to absorb.

Lastly the story (Don't worry no spoilers) was absolutely fantastic. It really gives you the feel of the more modern action anime such as Naruto, and Bleach. While that may be a problem to some as it falls into some tropes that those anime also fall into, I never got a negative vibe from it, I felt sad when I was supposed to, happy when I was supposed to, laughing when I was supposed to, and most importantly angry when I was supposed to be (Which as the name implies you will be for a majority of the game).

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Does it worth the 25$ (with the final episode) I paid for it?

Yes, every peny. Rarelly I've felt the level of satisfaction I had after playing Asura's Wrath (Prince of Persia trilogy comes to my mind)

But... What is it Asura's Wrath? (AW from now on)

Well, as you might have read already, AW is more like an Interactive Anime. What does this mean? You can't change the course of the story, you rarelly die and the story develops even if you do nothing (most of the time)

STORY AND OTHER ELEMENTS:

The story is plain awesome. If you like anime then you're going to love AW, if you hate anime then stay away from it. I highly recommend to download the final chapter because it contains the real end. I was very satisfied with the story and the voie acting. Being it a japanese product highly influenced by anime, you can expect lots of screams and dramatic camera angles. The face gestures were perfect for every situation and they were rendered with extreme care. It almost appears as if they were trying to make a movie instead of a game.

The game is separated in episodes (a la tv show) and each episode even has its "middle part" with an intermission between parts that show you some art of the game (like japanese anime) It was a nice touch and does not interrupt the fight. They use it between scenes and never in the middle of dialogues or combat.

THE GAMEPLAY:

The gameplay was (as I said) limited. You do not do that much in the game, most of the time you're watching the dialogues and how the story develops and all of a sudden, QTE!!! (Quick time events) The game also has some parts where you can fight enemies (a la hack and slash but only with your fists, there are no weapons in the game... you need no weapons) and other times you have to press the inputs asked in the screen, might be a button or a button mashing or stick(s) movement. All the boss fights feel solid and this ones are a mix of the 3 things aforementioned: Free style combat, QTE, ButtonMash (at least most of them). No boss fight left me asking for more.

I would give the game a 4.5 stars because I have to be honest, I kinda hoped for a little more free style combat but even if it lacked a little in this field, I don't think the game deserves 4 stars so I rounded it to 5.

REPLAY VALUE

Kinda low. It comes from beating the game on a higher difficulty (only 3 levels of diff) and from the archievements. I hoped that after beating the game you would have the opportunity to watch the whole story in a single sit (like a movie) but there is no such option (makes sense in a way because the fighting parts) The REAL replay value, in my humble opinion, comes from the desire to watch the story again.

FINAL WORDS

I must admit it is hard to describe this game because I've never played something like this. Not because the gameplay is an innovation but because it is something highly focused on telling a story and it engages you. Look at it like this. It's a nice show that you can have for 20$ and that allows you to be part of it (even if it's only a little)

I highly recommend this game to anyone who likes a good story and does not mind the anime style. Do not expect a lot of gameplay like in any hack and slash but expect a satisfying experience with a game that is like nothing you've played before.

If, after reading my review, you're interested in the game; there is only one way to really know what is it about and how does it play: Download the demo, play it and WYSIWYG. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Half-Life 2: Episode Pack - PC Review

Customer Ratings:

If you've played Half-Life 2, then you've probably at the very least heard of HL2: Episode One and Two by now. Its pretty hard to finish Half-Life 2 and not want more, and thankfully Valve has supplied us with two short but exciting extensions to the Half-Life universe without making everyone wait 5+ years for a Half-Life 3.

In case you've never played Half-Life 2, these episodes take place right where the original leaves off, and it would be advisable to purchase the original game first so you know what's going on. The best way to do that is through the Orange Box available for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3, since you get these two episodes as well as the original and two other great games in the set for a good price.

And one more thing before I begin; I am not taking Steam into account on these reviews. I don't particularly relish the idea of having an internet program that locks the games I'm supposed to own in the closet and ultimately tells me whether or not I can play them or how many computers I can play them on, but I haven't had any major problems with Steam yet. It's something you should be aware of though if you're buying any PC versions of Half-Life games; you are required to "activate" them online at installation or you aren't able to play. It also appears that, for this particular set, the games must be fully downloaded from Steam when you insert this disc, rather than installing from there and simply patching, which would be much faster. If the idea of Steam bothers you, get a console version of the Orange Box if that's available to you.

Now, onto the episodes themselves... they're fantastic! Episode One picks up right at the "OMG what happens next!?" ending of the original and lays the foundation for an interesting new story arc. This episode features some slightly improved graphics and great facial animation, and manages to retain most of the orignal flavor of the original with some excellent story-telling scenes and action. The entire voice cast (of the characters still alive) makes a return too.

Unfortunately, while great, I didn't feel that Episode One lived up to it's predecessor. It was short and way too easy. There was also a point in the game where you are required to escort groups of citizens across a hot zone to a train station. I found this to be the worst part of the game since it required you to backtrack several times (something the original never required) and escort 2 or 3 citizens at a time. Plus, the boss battle at the end was just like a certain battle toward the end of the original HL2, except you're only fighting one (instead of like 5 at once) and there's plenty of cover (also unlike earlier), so I found it to be a real breeze and a poor choice for a final boss fight. I loved the character development Alyx underwent in this episode however, and I love the little details the game presents, like Alyx squinting and covering her eyes with her hand if you shine your flashlight in her face. Things like that go a long way to add a realistic feel to the experience.

I hate to use the term "epic," but it's really the only way to describe the next episode. Ep. 2 is a departure from the previous HL2 games as it doesn't take place in City 17 at all. You'll visit lots of places you've not seen before, like an antlion den, a mine, and a forest. I've heard some people complain that this episode doesn't contain the feel of the previous installments, but I found the change welcome and exciting. At the beginning of this episode and throughout, this episode further develops your female sidekick Alyx as a character and gets you more attached to her. IMHO, Alyx is the best female lead character I've ever seen in a video game. By this point in the series, I actually CARED what happened to her, so when she went though a couple of terrible experiences, I felt sorrow, anger, remorse, etc. Pretty amazing that somebody can make you care for something that doesn't really exist! The ending was amazing too; it'll really make you want to get Ep. 3 the day it comes out.

So in other words, if you played HL2 and enjoyed it, these episodes are successful at extending the excitement. You'll really be missing out on a great gaming experience if you pass these games by.

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Getting Episode 1 and 2 at this price is pretty good, especially with Portal being made available for free during a limited promotion in May.

The plot/story in Episode 1 and 2 are very short, but still immerse the player into the story. Episode 1 incorporated many mechanisms taken straight from Portal, such as the use of energy balls to open locks/doors.

Episode 2 utilized one too many convenient plot devices to keep the story moving, such as the the elevator during the mission where Gordon has to obtain the larvae essence. Gordon could have just used that elevator from the start rather than run through a long unnecessary gauntlet.

Episode 2 ends rather abruptly and leaves the player wanting more. Hopefully Episode 3 gives us the grand finale for Hl2 that we've all been waiting for.

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Two games for ten bucks, I couldn't resist! After all, the original Half-lie, and Half-Life 2, were both awesome! If you don't already have "Steam"(HL developer Valve's online gaming service) installed on your computer, you will need to install it to play these stand alone expansions to HL2. Steam membership is free they make their money by selling games, retail or via direct download. Game installation was a snap, I simply logged on to Steam and added the dvd key from the Episode pack sleeve, then downloaded both episodes at once didn't even insert the dvd. It took about twenty minutes on a medium speed dsl connection, and both games were up-to-date and ready to play.

Like other reviewers, I found Episode 1 to be a little bit anti-climactic after the totally amazing HL2. Good, but not great. Game play was excellent, no weird things like getting stuck on a wall or any of that. When Valve releases a game, it's the real deal they won't release anything buggy. Having Alyx as an almost constant companion is good, she often offers helpful tips, as well as being an indispensable ally during intense firefights. At the risk of sounding RPG-ish, it would be nice to be able to respond to her comments (and comments from other NPC's). One thing I'd really like to see in future HL episodes is a journal you can open, to refresh yourself on your current objective (and whether you've achieved it yet). Episode 1 ends with quite a bang, very good setup for Episode 2.

Episode 2 starts you out in the boondocks, the "Freeman" waking up weaponless in a sinking train car (the train trestle collapsed over a stream), waiting for Alyx to get the door open. There's plenty of action early in the game, and the pace ramps up nicely as the game goes on. Outdoor scenes, underground mines and caves, a little of everything. A few new "Combine" enemies, and lots of action. I have a tendency to want to fully explore an area before moving on, this game won't always let you do that there are times when you have to blast right through. Outdoor scenery was magnificent. The "Source" game engine still does an awesome job.

Okay, so I gave it a "4". 3-1/2 for episode 1, 4-1/2+ for episode 2. This rating is based totally on enjoyment and game play. If I were rating on value, it would be a 5 great gaming for $10!

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This is an awesome game. Big cliff hanger and now I'm dying for the the 3rd episode. Box and game were in perfect condition.

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This game is an absolute must have for any PC gamer. No complains at all.

Best Rock Band 3 Wireless Fender Mustang PRO-Guitar Controller for Wii Deals

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List Price: $59.99
Sale Price: $46.85
Today's Bonus: 22% Off

When I was contemplating buying this item I had two main questions on my mind:

1. Would upgrading from the basic five-button RB guitar to this Pro Guitar be worth the significant price tag?

2. If I owned this would I be able to learn how to play guitar from RB3?

Short Answers:

1. Yes

2. Mostly

Long Answers:

1. Like everyone else who ever played guitar/bass on Rock Bandbefore this came out, I have always played with the basic five-button strum bar controller. I most always had fun playing with this controller, occaisonally I would lose myself in the music, and feel like I was actually making the music with an instrument. However, the basic controller always has an arcade game vibe to it and this would sometimes deminish the experience.

The new Pro Guitar controller definitely takes the Rock Band experience to a whole new level. MadCatz did an excellent job designing the guitar and Harmonix did an excellent job integtrating it seamlessly into gameplay. When you first pick it up, it looks pretty intimidating (which is not suprising, as you've probably just moved from 5 buttons to 6x17 = 102 buttons), but the RB3 Pro Guitar tutorials will get you up and running really quickly. The notation is simple enough though it can be hard to figure as the notes and chords are coming towards you on the screen, and navigating the thing can be difficult these things honestly take some getting used to but if you are thinking about purchasing this item, you are probably up for the challenge. And the payoff is fantastic. Many songs are ridiculously fun on the Pro Guitar. Sometimes it can be really hard to put down because as you get better, the game only gets more fun and more intense, and it is not that hard to get better. What you ultimately get is something that takes time to get acclimated to, but gives you what has to be the most fun and rewarding experience in the rhythm game market.

The best thing Harmonix did with regard to the Pro Guitar is probably the "Learn a Song" mode. You can always jump right in to Quickplay mode, but if you want to get good at a song fast, Learn a Song is the way to go. This mode breaks down the song into the various riffs and progressions you need to know to play the song well. So you pick a difficulty, the game shows you the parts you need to know, you practice them (and the game will give you help if you are having trouble with a certain note/chord you can also start out at a slower speed and work up to full speed, like in the older games), and then you are ready to shred the song in Quickplay or Career Mode.

The only downside I can think of is the barrier to entry. This thing takes practice much more practice than the basic controller does. Rock Band is meant to be a party game, and this controller necessarily takes a little party out of the game. The cost of having a more serious peripheral, is... well, you have to be a little more serious about it. So more trips to practice mode; harder to just pick up and play. Friends will be intrigued by the new Rock Band item, but it won't be the hit of the party. The angle for this item is that people practice and get good at it on their own, which clashes with the party game philosophy and may be a turn-off for some.

2. I have never seriously picked up a real guitar, and to the length that you can trust someone who isn't really a guitarist, this will give a beginner the tools they need to play guitar. You learn several components of guitar playing: the terminology, fingering, strumming, notes, chords, arpeggios. And once you work up to it, expert mode is, according to Harmonix, "every note and every chord in a song" (Ref: From what I gather there are a few rare exceptions, done so you could play all the songs on the game on this controller which is a bit smaller than an actual guitar, but I don't think that should discourage anyone.

The reason I say "Mostly" and not "Yes", is that you won't learn tuning the guitar doesn't need to be tuned. The feel is still different; you are after all pushing buttons and not holding strings. You can't do everything on this that you can on a real guitar, bending strings is an example. So what you will end up with is many of the tools you need to play the real guitar, but you won't be a guitar virtuoso the second you put this controller down and switch to an actual stringed guitar.

Overall a fantastic experience, I definitely recommend it highly.

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My wife and I love it. Simple as that. And it shipped Amazon-fast overnight! For the price difference, I wouldn't consider the step down to non-pro unless you're just ordering it for a kid who doesn't care (no kids here). But even then... I think the training portion of Rock Band 3 alone makes the extra $$$ worth spending on this pro version just in case they might take to learning a few chords and graduate to a real starter guitar (not at all inconceivable). My friend who plays a little was really impressed by its training value, and even took out his real guitar to play along with songs so I could see and hear the difference and appreciate what I was learning while playing a game.

Pros: You can actually learn to play guitar. Really. Chords and all.

Cons: You can actually build-up calluses on your fingers if you press too hard and play too long.

Conclusion: If you really just want the 5-button game, then reconsider. If you want something you can take to the next level after playing classic RB, then go pro.

I only saw 2 reviews when we purchased, so I hope this helps...

Best Deals for Rock Band 3 Wireless Fender Mustang PRO-Guitar Controller for Wii

I'm an accomplished guitar player, and one thing I noticed right away with this guitar is that I sometimes cannot tell which string I am fingering or which string I am picking because there is no string vibration to provide "navigational cues" and all the buttons and "strings" are the same width. Maybe they could make the strings and buttons different widths, like the strings on a real guitar.

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I had this bad boy on pre-order since Aug 27th and it got delayed twice but it is now in my hands. Was it worth the wait? Yes!! I am a medium level Rock Band 3 and a Medium-Low level Guitar Hero Player. I wanted to step it up and this was the way to go. The cons... Does not appear to work with Guitar Hero games. The Frets are spaced father apart than my old Guitar. Because of this you have to re-learn how to play a bit. The pros. It feels good and plays well. Also the biggest plus is that I am now really learning the Electric guitar (in Pro Mode). Someday I will get a real guitar but for now this Axe fits the bill real fine.

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The PRO guitar met all expectations.

It's easy to assemble and disassemble: the neck is composed of two parts which connects to the guitar body through a solid, good-looking connector.

The strings were not to tight and looks like it's not easy to snap them.

The neck buttons do an excelent work when it comes to simulate the strings: it takes a while to get used to it, but when you do, it feels and works great.

Practicing some riffs in a real electric guitar was no shock after 2 hours of continuous play, which surprised me.

Cons:

-The frets could be a little higher, or the buttons a little lower.

-It's also a little too pricy, since my electric guitar's starter kit's price was very close to the price of this controller.

It ships with a guitar strap, stamped with "rockband" logo, two fender picks (one white, other black), wireless connector and batteries.

The wireless connector provides two USB ports.

I couldn't test the MIDI capabilities yet.

5 stars for fun, 4 overall just because the price.

Discount Quickscope, Jump Shot, Drop shot, Auto-aim, Battlefield

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $229.99
Sale Price: $109.99
Today's Bonus: 52% Off

I purchased this controller for my sons birthday,he's been wanting a modded controller for a year now,out of all his birthday gifts this was his favorite hands dowm,thanks geniusmods360 and amazon.

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The only game I play with this controller is Black Ops 2, and only in multi-player mode, so please keep that in mind and don't read any further if you're curious about how it works in the other games it supports or even in the original Black Ops as I do not play those and won't be making any further reference to them. There's an important tip specific to BO2 and rapid fire further down too so you may want to scan for that if you already have the controller and have found it not working quite as good as you expected.

I'm also going to be comparing this to another controller I have, the Scuf Gaming 'animal' controller. The Scuf is not a modded controller from a functionality perspective, but it is modded in that it has alternate locations for some buttons; i.e. it will not give you rapid fire or drop shot or any of that stuff but will let you have more than the standard Xbox 360 controller buttons.

So, getting started, this controller from Geniusmods has their 'master mod' setup which is a lot better than their older controllers. I believe only two or three have the master mod as of summer 2013 so you may want to be careful what you purchase in case you want some of the master mod features. Their website makes no mention of which ones have master mod and which do not, I had to email them to find out which had it and they sent me this and one other.

Master mod has the ability to do jump shot in addition to drop shot while many of the older controllers only have drop shot. Most of the time jump shot seems like something you'd never want to use but I've found it can be useful in the BO2 'gun game' or my runaround knife class where you may not be playing a typical game style and jumping would be more likely to help you out than dropping.

Master mod can do drop shot in either tactical or standard controller modes; the older ones can't. It also has sub-modes on the drop shot while the older ones only have one mode, drop/stand automatically any time the trigger is pressed and released.

I like to run tactical but their older mods had the drop shot functionality locked to the B button, which in my case is melee, so every time I'd shoot, the controller would try to stab. This controller fixes that issue. Regarding the sub-modes, it adds four drop shot sub-modes where the default is drop while shooting and stand when not, same thing but only if you're aiming down the sites, drop but don't stand, and drop but don't stand if aiming down the sites. I found the drop/stand while not aiming down the sites very useful if I'm using a scope on my FAL because most likely I'm stationary somewhere if I'm aiming down the sites, and don't want to drop, while if I'm running around and not aimed down the sites I do want to drop.

Master mod can lock the triggers for dual wield mode if you want both to fire. It can also do rapid fire on both triggers for dual-wield of semi-auto pistols.

It has burst fire that will give you higher accuracy of non-burst rifles; i.e. just shoot a full auto a few shots, then repeat, rather than just full on firing. This is useful for people who don't require full-auto and want higher accuracy while using full auto weapons.

I saw someone else's review that mentioned it being larger than a stock 360 controller as if it were some custom made piece. It's not, it's the same size plus whatever thickness the cover material is, which is not significant enough for it to matter. Takes the same batteries, uses the same connectors, so on and so forth because it is the same controller, but modded.

If you play Black Ops 2 and like either the FAL or SMR assault rifles, you will probably love this controller. Is it cheating? Yes. So you decide if you want to or not. Currently the game doesn't detect/disable this controller from doing what it does. The rifle rapid fire mode will let you use the FAL or SMR at a faster rate than the 'select fire' option gives you, much faster, so basically you're getting an improved version of select fire AND you're not wasting one of your slots on it that you can then use for different attachments, more perks, etc.

If you like any of the semi-auto pistols, it's awesome for those as well. However, there's one complaint there. You will probably not want to use a semi-auto rifle and pistol class in the same game. The problem is that there are two different rapid fire speeds that are meant specifically for Black Ops 2 pistols and rifles. So, if you have your rapid fire set to the rifle rate, it doesn't work well on pistols, and vice versa; so carry an auto pistol with your semi-auto rifle or semi-auto pistol with your auto rifle. Why can't you just change rates? Well doing so requires holding the mod button for 3+ seconds to switch speeds, and going back the other direction requires holding the trigger plus mod button for 3+ seconds, so it's not easy to do mid-game unless you're camping somewhere, and don't mind firing when trying to set it back to the previous rate.

Now, the important tip about rapid fire mode. It is very easy to overlook the fact that in the manual, it describes rapid fire mode 1 as for MW2, MW3 and Black Ops rifles. It is very very easy to overlook the fact that rapid fire mode 3 is for Black Ops 2 rifles. Huge difference. If you mistakenly use the Black Ops rifle mode, you'll randomly run into issues where the gun stutters upon the initial firing and you'll probably end up dead. What I mean is I'll start to fire and there will be some glitch between the speed at which it's trying to fire and the game and the first few shots will have long pauses before it kicks in to proper firing speed. As long as you make sure to use rapid fire mode 3, for Black Ops 2, it will work great with not only the FAL and SMR, but I've found that it works pretty well with the three burst rifles as well (Chicom, M8A1, SWAT-556), firing their bursts as fast as you could pull the trigger so might as well use it and just hold down.

Second tip. You can go back to a previous rapid fire mode by holding the trigger and mod button. So, if you play Black Ops 2, set it to rapid fire mode 3, and then you can easily step back to mode 2 for pistols, and forward for rifles.

Jitter fire is a mode it offers designed to fire quicker for all weapons. In reality I've found it does not work well at all for me in Black Ops 2; have not tried it with anything else. I've tried to use it on the M8A1 and SWAT-556 burst assault rifles, along with the full auto pistol, but it's pretty buggy; i.e. it manages to make the gun jump all around and can exhaust your whole magazine in a second or two so you'll end up out of bullets with hardly any put in your target, which means if you encounter multiple bad guys you're going to die.

Now, the comparison. I also have a Scuf Gaming 'animal' controller which I find myself alternating with this one. I find that when I run around, I prefer the Scuf, and when I tend to stay more stationary and shoot people from medium range with a FAL or SMR, I'll use this one. The reason is rapid fire on the Geniusmods controller means I save a slot when I'm using FAL or SMR, but I don't tend to run around as much with those weapons. If I'm running around, there's a much higher chance that I'll want to jump and stab, and although I like drop shot, I prefer being able to quickly jump or stab. What the Scuf controller gets me that the Geniusmods controller does not is two (or four in the case of the 'animal') paddles on the back of the controller under your fingers that you can use without having to take your thumbs off the sticks. So I run tactical setup on my Scuf and as I'm running, I can jump, aim and shoot without any thumbs or fingers coming off their default stick/button. I can also run tactical mode and stab using my index finger paddle instead of needing the B button. The inner paddles, which are harder to reach, I have set to swap weapons and sprint, so again, without having to move my thumbs, I can switch to pistol while in the middle of a fight or easily keep running without having to push on the stick.

So, if you only have the money for one controller, you may want to consider those options. Scuf with the under-side paddles and trigger stops if you run around a lot and want to easily jump and stab (or whatever you map the paddles to since you can customize it when you order), or Geniusmods if you like the idea of having a much faster version of select fire without even needing it, AND drop shot, etc.

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Hi, this control to Xbox, is superior, I like the shutter speed and the ability to shoot in bursts, the reload speed is very good, in general all the arrangements to have work very well. Thank you.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CIGHZQG/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_title

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We are a family of gamers, and this is one of the mods we recently purchased. This modded controller has some other features that our other ones don't. This is the highest upgradable controller available from Geniusmods and let me say it has TONS of mods.

Every controller we have gotten from Genusmods has been exceptional. Very professional product. Comes in a Genusmods package similar to the OEM controllers, not in a bubble mailer like other sellers have sold us controllers in. The instruction manual is an actual color booklet printing on nice paper, not just some word document someone printed on an inkjet printer.

So anyway, we normally like the rapid fire and drop shot features the best. They work EXCELLENT in Call of Duty Black Ops 2. This controller has some other useful features too though, like quickscope and jumpshot. I'm not much of a sniper, but the quickscope function is useful. Because of it, I may start sniping more often.

We do not play Battlefield or Gears of War so we did not test those functions, but the fast reload in Call of Duty definitely works. It is a bit tough to set up, because you have to first set it by timing it which can be tough, but once you get it you can see that it does work. Not exactly sure how effective it is, but it looks like it shaves some time off your reload. Just gotta get used to it I guess.

The zombies shell looks great, love the black buttons and red LED lights. Compliments the controller nicely, and the print on the controller is great quality. The print on the controller is professional and I have no idea how they made it but it is great.

HIGHLY recommended.

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I mostly use rapid fire for black ops 2 online multiplayer and zombies. It is very easy to use and the instructions are very simple. I also was very shocked that this controller was shipped very fast an delivered so quickly to me. I give Genius mods two thumbs up you guys know what gamers want. Yes I would recommend this product to a friend.

Buy Dance Central - Xbox 360

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List Price: $19.99
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Today's Bonus: 60% Off

The entire reason that I even wanted to get Kinect was this, for after watching them demo it on stage live at E3 I had full hope in what Kinect can do. I was not disappointed. From start to finish this game is a lot of fun to play and because of downloadable content I have a feeling it will have a long shelf life. Let me see if I can break it down to explain why this game is as amazing as it looks.

Menus: Menus are easily navigated and, because of a certain situation where my mother had friends over for the evening, even they were quickly able to pick up how to go through the menus. Its simple, hold your arm out to the right or left and make a slapping motion to select. This already made the game better. I played Kinect Adventures and I found the menus a little frustrating because you have to hold your hand there while it figures out that's what you want, but with Dance Central its just a quick swipe and you move on. Outside of that, all of the menus are very clear and easily navigated to find what you want, that hardest part of which was selecting songs (going up and down the list).

Gameplay: The no control experience is really shown off at its best here as you actually get a good workout moving your body to the beats. Yes, you will have to get off of the couch and start moving back and forth to the rhythms. Overall the Kinect cameras will do a wonderful job at figuring out your motions and, because the game was designed this way, you won't notice any lag. That's right, you dance in time with the person on screen (literally mirroring their actions) and then the game will take a moment (to which you won't notice because you are dancing) to decide how well you performed the action. In other words, don't worry about lag time because Harmonix has already factored that in perfectly, thus making gameplay smooth and easy to pick up on for even a beginner. Again, my mother's friends were very quick on picking up how to play the game.

Difficulty: This game ranges from anyone can do this easy (the first song) to ridiculously hard yet really cool looking moves (last song). It will give you a workout and it never tends to bore because of the variety of songs as well as dance moves. One thing that I also like about the game is that it forces you to start on easy and work your way up to hard. For a pro dancer (almost no one who will buy this game), that means you are forced to learn the different basic moves for the dance and then they get more complicated. That's right, the difficulty is actually used in this game to teach you the set-up for the next step. It works beautifully at getting you dancing to what was in the music videos.

Visuals: From start to finish this game is amazingly colorful and even the opening movie is rather fun to watch. On the other hand, none of the visuals block or distract the player from what is going on or seeing the next move. In fact, the set-up is so perfect that when you start getting your friends in there to dance along side you, it just feels natural for everyone. Now, I will also give this simple argument for visuals as well, because I am a fan of the hip-hop look the game sports (and thank God for that, Classical dancing would be so boring in a party game). If you don't like the hip-hop sort of streets style, then the visuals might not entertain you as much.

Overall: This game does what it says. It will teach you how to dance the moves from the music videos and it will go fairly smoothly along a learning curve as well. The use of the technology is impressive and it is probably the best party game out there since Guitar Hero became known as a party game (Honestly this one is better, because anyone can just start dancing and having a good time). It works great among all ages and all backgrounds since everything is done with visuals and because of the no-controller feel anyone can easily pick it up and start playing (though don't get me wrong, it is not easy to master).

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I can't dance... no seriously, I can't. That said, I have a lot of friend who love to go to clubs and love dancing. So I figured what the heck, I will give it a try.

This game ROCKS! It is one of the funnest games I have ever played. Let me break it down for you.

PROS:

1) Anyone can play. The game teaches you the dance moves. Then it gives you some practice trys. Then you get to "Perform".

2) The game gives really good feedback. When you miss a move, it shows you which part of your body wasn't moving right by outlining it in red.

3) The tracks are pretty good. There is a lot of music you would hear at clubs today and some that you haven't heard for a while.

4) The sound and visuals are pretty cool. I thought I would get bored listening to track during practice, but you really don't because you are concentrating on what is happening on screen.

5) Watching your friends play this is AWESOME. If they are good dancers (particularly hip-hop) it is a great way for them to perform. If they are not good dancers... well it is fun to watch them pretend.

CONS:

1) You are going to need a lot of space. That should go without saying (this is a dance game).

2) Don't let your friends record you playing this game and then post it on youtube.

If you have a Kinect, you must buy this game.

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I think that if I had to name my favorite developers over consistency, fun and quality I would rank Harmonix at the top of my list. Over the last 10+ years they've consistently produced product after product that has not only pushed the boundaries of what is expected from them but evolved the music game genre as a whole. As a "hard-core" gamer they've surprised me title after title in their ability to capture my (typically short) attention-span and Dance Central is no different. It's the first and currently, only game that I own for the Kinect (I don't even have Kinect Adventures which typically ships with the device), and it has made me a firm Kinect believer.

The game's just fun... from the moment you boot it up. Even the menus are simple and fun to use right hand selects menu choices, left hand takes you back a screen though the game might actually benefit from slightly larger or spread out menu select buttons and while you're systematically waving your hands you're already realizing that this feels something like the future. A few futuristic waves of your hands later you're ready to dance. 5 seconds into the first dance-breakdown, which is like dance practice before the performance, I was already smiling ear to ear... six seconds later I was giggling like a school girl.... and let me tell you... I'm a large man not prone to giggling in this manner... and I didn't stop giggling for almost an hour... your results may vary. Dance Central is a very special sort of game... no let me take that back... Dance Central is a special sort of EXPERIENCE.... the sort of experience that feels silly and immature and may even be embarrassing at times, but not the kind of experience that you'll feel ashamed of... en' contrar ... you'll want to tell everyone you know about it... you'll want to throw parties focused around it... it's the rare sort of experience that may actually end up being as fun as it looks on TV. And it will stay with you... which is perhaps the scariest thing I've noticed about it so far... I'm still waiting for the moment when my brain over-rides my pride in a public place, let's say the bank, or jury duty, in favor of a quick dance move combo set to the tune of The Commodore's "Brick House" ...playing in my head... oh please don't let this happen.

That said, it's not without it's annoyances... as I mentioned before the select menu buttons would be easier to trigger properly if they were represented as slightly larger icons on the screen... but this is really just a minor annoyance... A more significant annoyance, at least for me...you're mileage and taste may vary...is that the song selection is somewhat lame... mostly a collection of songs you're more likely to here being played at a Bar-Mitzvah, Quinceniera, or sweet 16 then what you would find at todays clubs. In fact I think anyone would be hard pressed to find a song on the list that's still getting consistent play. Aside from the 2 songs from Lady Gaga and the one song from MIA, most of the rest of the song list seems to be composed of 70's and 80's hits, the Commodores, Bil Bev Devoe, Erik B and Rakim (Sweat the Technique... not my first choice but what can you do), Kool and the Gang... the list goes on and on. (perhaps your memories of these songs are better than mine?). In addition to the 70's/80's blowout:

5 electronica songs (mostly from the late 90's and early 2000's including a Kylie Minogue song (which is arguably pop music)), "Satisfaction" by Benni Benassi (Which is maybe the most overplayed electronic song ever? You'll recognize it, trust me.), and "Days go by" by Dirty Vegas (Overplayed but at least it's good)...no BT? no Daft Punk, no Chemical Brothers, no Justice?... I mean come on guys, give me something... I thought it was a Harmonix tradition to at least include a Freezpop song?... a few hip hop songs (most of which I had always thought were best left forgotten), like Snoop Dogg's "Drop It Like it's Hot" and Pitbull's "I know you want me"... I mean WTF!... no Kanye? or Jay-Z? no Dr Dre? and no Eminem? ... and no Rock and Roll...at all... in any form... unless you consider No Doubt's "Hella Good" in that category, in which case... well, there's no reasoning with some people.

and despite what some may consider a sizeable disappointment on the music end here the game is still fun... really fun... really, really fun. And I wouldn't worry about the track list just yet, DLC is on the way... already a Missy Elliot song and a Blur song (a rock song, yay!) in the dlc list after a cursory glance. This is a great game... a great launch title for the kinect and a great accomplishment for games in general.

Now that i said all these nice things about you Harmonix, where the hell is my Amplitude/Frequency sequel?

thanks for reading,

-Ben

Honest reviews on Dance Central - Xbox 360

I'm a short little white guy with virtually zero dancing ability, and up until now dance games have held no interest for me. I have watched my little nieces and nephews scream and jump about playing Just Dance on Wii, but honestly the less than accurate Wii controls and lack of tracking anything but hand movements made me view the whole thing as a huge gimmick. Last week, however, my wife found out about Kinect, and of course demanded I get her one.

This morning I picked one up along with Dance Central, and for a guy who plays "serious" games, I am truly knocked off my feet by the technology and fun. You can't cheat your way through this game, standing still and waving your arms in just the right motions like my little relatives do with the Wii games.The Kinect sensor actually reads your hands, feet, hips, arms, legs...everything. The Kinect even knew if the back of my palm was facing the camera or I was simply holding it sideways.

The sound is fantastic coming through 5.1 with the subwoofer cranked up, and the track listings should please just about everybody with songs and rountines covering hip hop to disco. Plus, the game has promised downloadable tracks, and seeing as how this was developed by Harmonix (Rockband, which has an astounding download library) I think it's safe to assume plenty of music is coming down the pipeline.

And for all of you other guys out there like me who just stand like trees swaying in the wind when you go with your wives/girlfriends dancing, each song has a fantastic tutorial for every single move. The game will walk you thorough each motion, slowing it way down if need be. After a little practice and several runs through Lada Gaga's Poker Face, I actually felt half way competent and actually scored four stars (out of five) on medium difficulty. For the first time in my life I actually felt like I could dance. Sure, I know I must look insane shaking about my media room, but that's besides the point.

Most of all, though, I had an outrageous amount of fun...this coming from a guy who wouldn't be caught dead dacing around to Lady Gaga. So yes, I did in fact close the blinds as I boogied down for an hour...but dang, what a tremendous amount of fun. I can't imagine a better way to show off the technology of Microsoft's new peripheral, you're guaranteed to work up a sweat, and what better way to get a solid workout than by having some honest to goodness fun? Highly recommended.

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BACKGROUND ON ME: I'm a 29 year old female, married with two kids, 5 and 8. I wouldn't say I CAN dance but I like to.

Overall, the game is a lot of fun. I've played and enjoyed Just Dance 1 and 2 on the Wii but I like Dance Central better for a number of reasons.

SONG LIST: First, and I know this is a personal preference, but I love the song list on Dance Central. It is more hip hop than Just Dance but still very mainstream. There are tons of songs that I listened to as a kid or teenager as well as some newer ones I like, so I feel like it's a excellent mix of songs over the past few decades. In my family, there's something for everyone.

Here are the songs that come with the game:

* Audio Push Teach Me How To Jerk

* Basement Jaxx Rendez-vu

* Beastie Boys Body Movin' (Fatboy Slim Remix)

* Beenie Man King Of The Dancehall

* Bell Biv DeVoe Poison

* Benny Benassi Satisfaction

* Cascada Evacuate the Dancefloor

* Christina Milian Dip It Low

* The Commodores Brick House

* Craig Mack Flava In Ya Ear (Remix)

* Dirty Vegas Days Go By

* Eric B. & Rakim Don't Sweat the Technique

* Fannypack Hey Mami

* Jay Sean ft. Lil Wayne Down

* Kool & The Gang Jungle Boogie

* Kylie Minogue Can't Get You Out of My Head

* Lady Gaga Just Dance

* Lady Gaga Poker Face

* Lipps Inc Funky Town

* M.I.A. Galang '05

* Nelly Furtado Maneater

* Nina Sky Move Ya Body

* No Doubt Hella Good

* Pitbull I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)

* Quad City DJ's C'mon N' Ride It (TheTrain)

* Rihanna Pon de Replay

* Salt-N-Pepa Push It

* Snoop Dogg/Pharrell Drop It Like It's Hot

* Soulja Boy Tell 'Em Crank That (Soulja Boy)

* Wreckx-n-Effect Rump Shaker

* Young MC Bust A Move

DANCING: The moves are real dance moves with some talented choreographers behind the scenes. It never feels cheesy where as Just Dance sometimes does. Now I will say Just Dance seems to be easier for the kids to pick up the moves on, but I much prefer the actual dancing. I'm certainly no fantastic dancer but the game has a fairly quick learning curve. Once you've played a handful of songs, you get the hang of it and can score pretty high on the Easy songs. It's a nice confidence booster, keeps it fun and does really make you feel like you can dance. Medium ups the challenge perfectly, adding in more moves and combos. Easy feels like your just dancing where Hard feels like an actual music video routine. The progression is just right. The game is very responsive. I've never felt like it didn't recognize a correct move.

There is a tutorial mode (Break It Down) but we never use it. We think it's more fun to just throw yourself into the performance and see how you make out. But it's nice to know it's there in case it's needed on the more difficult choreography.

SOCIAL ASPECT: This is a fantastic party game. Fun to watch and easy for anyone to jump right in. We usually play with "backup dancers" so nobody feels self-conscious about performing in front of everyone by themselves. Guys and girls alike have a good time with it. We cheer and crack up for hours.

WORKOUT MODE: If you're not looking for a workout, then you'll get off the couch and burn a few calories. If you are looking for one, then the Workout Mode leaves much to be desired. I want to use this game as a supplement to my exercise routine on lighter intensity days but the only thing Workout Mode offers is a time and calorie counter. The biggest issue is that you must go back to the menu and select a new song after each one ends. That, along with waiting for your score to add up and intros on every song, means lots of down time between actual dancing which brings your heart rate down and hardly provides an effective workout. I get around this by doing jumping jacks or running in place in between but you still have to stop to navigate the menu. An easy fix to this in the next edition is to be able to create a song setlist for back-to-back dancing. Also, in Just Dance for Wii, the songs are noticeably longer. In Dance Central, the shortened versions are just right for casual play but an option for a longer version or full song wouldn't be bad.

OTHER IMPROVEMENTS: While it's perfect in a social setting, playing by yourself can become somewhat monotonous after you've run through the song list a few times. The lack of worthy solo play makes this great game lose a star. Adding some sort of Career Mode would help make it more entertaining. Again, some adjustments to the Workout Mode would also increase its replay value. And with all the great character customization we've grown used to in Rock Band, I would have hoped Harmonix would have brought a little of that over to Dance Central. Unfortunately there are no face/hair/body customizations and you can only unlock one extra outfit for each dancer. A limited amount of additional clothing is available for purchase in the online store. I personally would not pay real money for this and would like to see more options come with the game.

Another feature is the Freestyle. The game takes a video of you during the Freestyle and plays it back. Note you can turn this feature off if you want but it would be nice if the camera could also shoot you while you are actually doing the routine, then you can see how you look doing it.

BOTTOM LINE: The few issues don't take much away from the whole experience. The game is still a blast and worth the purchase even if only as a party game. The choreography can be more difficult for the smallest children but older kids to adults should have no problems. I expect Dance Central to follow in line with Rock Band: improving with each new release, and downloadable content ever expanding your song list. Harmonix has another winner.

Discount Shrek Extra Large

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $24.95
Sale Price: $20.37
Today's Bonus: 18% Off

Even as an adult who prefers gamecube to the other systems and usually goes for the less violent and more cartoony games, I was very disappointed in this game. It's very short, definitely not worth the money to buy, because you can beat it easily in the time it takes to rent it (and I'm not that good at video games). The programming is just shoddy. Shrek and the enemies give no auditory or visual signal when they've been hit, so Shrek can die and you'll get "Game Over" and you'll never even know you were hit. There are many other corners that the programmers have cut throughout the game. The camera is shaky, which gives me a headache. The game is a little funny at times, but the burping and farting thing (one of shrek's weapons) gets old rather quickly and you can get through most of the game without ever using it. I bought the game because I love Shrek's charm and humor, but all of this is lost in the game. The humor may be good for a 12 year old, but the characters scream the same lines over and over so much that you may find your twelve year old banging his head against the wall. She may also bang her head at the monotony of the tasks. They're all so similar, if you feel like you just did this one chances are you're right. All in all, if you're like me, a Shrek lover, you may have been dying to at least see the game, but I don't even think it's worth renting.

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My first objection is it's too easy to die, and you die without any warning. So I got a Game Replay and programmed infinite life. Then the camera angles are very difficult. It's not easy to see up, and sometimes up is where you need to go. And it's not easy to turn around and position yourself to jump. Then jumping is really hard because Shrek sort of jumps backward. He has to hurl himself in not the opposite but a slightly angled position from where he actually wants to jump to and bounce off something. This is just a pain. Then the final deal-breaker is you have to complete five or six tasks on each level. Two of them, catching fairies and finding Easter eggs, you don't need to complete to move to the next level, but all the rest you do, and if something is very difficult for you, then you're stuck. I am not good at time trials, and each level involves doing something really fast and perfectly, and as it got progressively harder, I had to quit and get rid of the game. My Achilles Heel was the time trial in Molasses Sewer where you had to speedily run to a switch in 30 seconds, and the run involved those dreaded backward jumps. And the visuals are kind of dark and dreary. The game is a real cheap-o considering how much care and excellence went into the movie. Why did they allow this to get made? And where's Donkey? And all that gas passing and lighting your own gas, how stupid. And some of the hints are misleading. Like you get a hint to light your own gas to blow open a door when you are standing next to a door which even has an onion so you can get more gas, but that turns out not to be the door you need to blow open. It's way somewhere else. That door does nothing. Why give it an onion and a hint?

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Overall, I enjoyed the game it is a typical quest storyline, with tasks to complete at each level, and there are many challenges to engage your mind. However, parents should note:

1. The game is far too difficult for small children Shrek can be difficult to manouver in some cases and directions are hard to understand.

2. It is not likely that a small child would have the skill necessary to look at some of Shrek's "problems" from different angles to solve them. I had to stop, retrace my steps, and try a different strategy numerous times.

3. The tasks to complete each level are basically simple... EXCEPT for the last task. The final task of every level includes one item/creature that must be found BUT this item/creature is hidden in such a way that you must search every last space on the level to find it. (This is extremely frustrating!

4. Finally, there are very poor help options the story book does not provide much information when you are looking for clues.

If you want a challenge, this is your game.

Honest reviews on Shrek Extra Large

Game was in great condition, service was great, i would buy from this seller again. thank you

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Unfortunately, they scratched it pretty bad after only 1 week of use. But for that one week, they enjoyed it.

Cheap Rock Band 8-in-1 Starter Kit - Nintendo Wii

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The drum sticks that they provide with this stand don't even fit in the holders (one of the drum sticks slips right through).

The battery does not fit the guitar. We even tried to see if it would fit in the drum set, but no luck.

Least of all, when you actually put the mic in the holder, the stand is top heavy and tips over.

We are VERY disappointed and hope that this review helps someone save their time, aggravation and money.

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I completely agree with everything the other reviewer said. The mic stand doesn't stay extended. I have to use duct tape at the two points where it adjusts to make it stay open. And the battery doesn't fit in the guitar. Don't waste your money on this poorly made junk.

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Pros

1. USB Rechargeable guitar battery. (Not tested yet)

Cons

1. Mic Stand

Summary

If you are thinking of buying this for the mic stand, please save your money because quality is not what you will receive. The MIC stand is 100% Chinese garbage plastic. The tripod legs are about 4 inches in three direction and are not collapsible only unscrew-able. I give this MIC stand a life span of 1 month, when facing drunk rockers. It stands about 5' 5.5' feet. So if you are a tall person, go get a chair. The only thing I would find this mic stand useful for, is maybe a mic stand for a drummer. When shrunk down it stands about 2'. So in closing if you are looking for a quality mic stand, you have successfully found something you do not want.

Honest reviews on Rock Band 8-in-1 Starter Kit - Nintendo Wii

Drum set didn't work and I couldn't get it replaced. The main reason this was purchased was for the drum set.

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The mic stand is really unstable so I used the drum sticks it came with, and a ruler, and taped them to the legs of the mic stand. Now it works just fine. I don't really care for all the rest of the stuff since I only bought it for the mic stand. But it was worth the money