Discount ArmA2: Combined Operations

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Armed Assault, the franchise with a pretty standard love/hate relationship factor. You'll love the free-form, gigantic sandbox that it has to offer, but you'll hate it at the same time for it's (unavoidable) bugs and complications.

Combined Operations is simply a package-deal with the latest "Operation Arrowhead" (Takistan, Zargabad, Desert environments) standalone expansion, as well as the original ARMA II (Chernarus) in the same box. The value is great, as you're basically buying the keys to a massive mil-sim amusement park, free to do whatever you please with not too many constraints. There isn't a good method in describing what kind of game this is if you haven't played it before. If you're used to Call of Duty and similar shooters, then you're in for a surprise if you play this game. It's a lot like the original Operation Flashpoint, except on a much grander scale, with more flexibility. I could spend a couple hours writing up an essay on what this game is, or I could just give a quick rundown on what one should expect.

PROS:

Flexibility in doing what you want. Create your own missions, scenarios, dynamic environments, etc.

Striking visuals with the proper hardware. (Proper, as in: Very nice rig, $2,000+) A lot of things going on at once, leads to amazing scenes.

Community and it's modding counterpart is amazing. First thing one should do after buying this game, is visit or the forums.

Extremely *massive* environments, with land-air-sea mobility. Jets, tanks, helicopters, armored humvees, the works.

CONS:

Can be ridiculously complicated for first-time users, even for PC game veterans. Patience is a virtue.

Quite a system hog, especially when the action is at it's finest.

Large, open-world, sandbox environment = plenty of bugs that one has to come to accept with such an undertaking.

Overall, this is a game for PC gamer veterans and enthusiasts. This is not something you just jump into all the while expecting a simulation to be handed to you on a silver platter. Time and patience has to be put in to be able to get a great experience. Is that really a problem, or is it more of a quality? When typical gamers spend a large chunk of their lives dying-and-respawning in Call of Duty, with no change in pace and with little rewards... I would say it's a quality with it's own rewards. This is the kind of game you purchase as an investment, one that you will keep coming back to when you feel like trying something different. Making a new scenario, having a tactical battle online with others, etc.

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ARMA2 is a realistic military simulator, probably the most realistic on the market. It's not just infantry combat, although you can play it that way. ARMA2 also has cars, trucks, tanks, helicopters, planes, and more. It even models ballistics and bullet drop, if someone fires at you from 200 meters away you even hear the bullet hit the ground before you hear the rifle. It's a big sandbox, which is good and bad.

The game ships with 2 islands, a large and a small. Both have forests, hills, roads, towns, fields, mountains, etc. I'd say you would spend a good 15 minutes driving from one side of the island to the other. If you can see it you can go there, there are NO invisible walls. The game locations are fictional, although they are based on real-life topography. ARMA2 is set in Eastern Europe, Operation Arrowhead is set in the Middle East. The possibilities on the huge playing areas are almost endless. You can also download user-created islands, some of which are impressive in both scope and detail.

A mission designer is included to make your own missions, along with sophisticated scripting capabilities. In addition, there are hundreds of user-created mods and missions, everything from a simple "destroy the enemy" mission to new weapons, vehicles, sounds, etc, to new game modes like "capture the island" and a GTA clone.

In a way there are almost too many possibilities between official and user-made content, and the quality varies. The official missions have some neat tricks, although they don't expose you to everything the game has to offer. Some things work well, others don't. You'll have to find a way to manage missions/mods and all your time gathering, installing, and playing all the different things. A launcher like "ARMA II Launcher" helps you manage what mods you want to use. There is plenty of help on the official Bohemia Interactive forums, although they are picky about posting in the appropriate forums.

Although the visuals and presentation are quite good, ARMA2 is quirky and not without bugs and oddities. Just mapping the controls is an adventure, what's the difference between "Prone" and "Go Prone?" You'll use practically every key on the keyboard, although remember you can map something like Control-G for landing gear or Control-E to eject. With a large playing area and so much going on, performance is also an issue, ARMA2 benefits from tweaking and downloading mods to do things like get rid of motion blur and tame the tall grass a bit.

There is plenty to do in this game for both single player and multiplayer. Setting up local, LAN, or Internet games is smooth and easy. It even remembers the last IP address you manually typed in (I'm looking at you OFP Dragon Rising!) Co-op missions, deathmatch, capture the flag, and more are all there, and with mission designers being able to do scripting plenty of different game modes are out there. There are "Warfare" or "capture the island" missions that add strategic and real-time-strategy elements as you build your base, build units and vehicles, and try to take over towns while searching for the enemy base. You can choose to be a soldier and take orders, command a squad, or be in high command mode and command all the units. The learning curve on Warfare modes is moderately high and documentation is scarce, but they are very unique and rewarding.

If you have the time and patience and like realistic military combat simulators, ARMA2 will delight and amaze you. If you're a run-and-gun sort of player with a short attention span, this probably isn't your game. It also helps to be somewhat computer knowledgeable and have good hardware. I have a 2.4 GHz dual core AMD, 4GB of RAM, Windows XP, and a GTX 250 video card. With tweaking it runs acceptably on my system, but I wouldn't want to play with much less. I'm saving my dollars for a solid state drive (SSD), from what I read ARMA2 does a lot of small file reads and greatly benefits from the almost 0 access time of SSDs.

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I owned the original Flashpoint and the first ARMA game both decent but not without bugs. But this game, ARMA II has way too many bugs for me to bother with it. I gave up after a few hours of gameplay. It was simply too frustrating trying to complete a mission when the scripted events wouldn't occur or execute properly. For example, my squad leader was supposed to lead us in clearing out the village and then move on to the next objective. He instead stood in the middle of the street for 3 hours. I had to shoot him in the end. Ok if a bug happens once, but it happened mission after mission some new, frustrating, roadblock of a bug that killed the action. Maybe a patch will fix it, but I can't recommend this to any non-ARMA fan. You have to really want to play this game to put up with the shortcomings.

If the game runs properly then it is a lot of fun. This is a realistic combat game and it's great to have games like this coming out in the age of Call of Duty. The graphics and shooting mechanics are well done in ARMA II and it's quite a rush to come up on the enemy when you have been marching quietly over the terrain scanning for signs of activity. The firefights are brutal and make the point that combat isn't easy.

Honest reviews on ArmA2: Combined Operations

If you are a soloist, a Rambo, a loner, this is probably not the game for you. The majority of people playing video games now days, are multiplayers. They play online for that extra challenge. This game involves not only multiplayer but teamwork on a high level. That high level is set by the players. Once you immerse into the land of Arma II, you will find yourself talking as if you have been in the military for years. This is a military simulation, not the average arcade game. You will not hear people talking about face rolling, and total pwnage and all that crap. You will only hear the calls for close air support, transport and long ranged artillery. If you are that role playing, military game guru, you will love the multiplayer associated with this game. However if you are into points and worrying about your kill to death ratio, find a server with Player Vs. Player. Some snipers pride themselves on taking out those loners. The Delta Force will work together on special operations missions, the pilots will be in their own group, and don't be surprised to see a Shooter and a Spotter acting as one Sniper. This is an incredible game, if you play it the way it was intended to be played.

If you are considering picking up the game. Check out the guys at 7th Cav, they always keep a populated server, and they really use that teamwork you are looking for.

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if you plan on playing DAy Z buy through steam. Couldn't get amazon version to work.. wait untill the stand alone version comes out

Best Hunter The Reckoning: Wayward - PlayStation 2 Deals

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I've always been a fan of table top rpg's, and I must say that this is one franchise that was able to make the transformation from the table to a console with ease. The game is fun, and beautiful to look at, with a variety of characters to play. Though somewhat repetitive, it has more action than you could ever get in any other zombie game (COUGHresidentevilCOUGH) and plays more like a movie than any game I have ever come across. The monsters seem to keep coming, and the levels don't drag, nor are they too short. Wayward is a pseudo-sequel, but if you didn't play the first one, you will still understand and enjoy this one.

Don't get me wrong, the original game was great, but there are a few things I like better about this one, some of them seem to be disliked by others who have reviewed this game, and I will discuss those first:

1.)Limited ammo: No, there is no longer unlimited ammo for your default weapon, but you start with max at every level, and enemies drop lots of it, so stop crying.

2.)I love the fact that you have a home base in this one, where you go back to after every level, so instead of having random glyps of info in rediculous places, you have a computer that you can check for info about your enemies, or for clues on things you've picked up along the way. In your base, you have a map of the city where you pick the level you wanna do, an entertainment area where you can see easter eggs you've unlocked during levels (music and movie clips mainly), and a trophy room that allows you to enter codes after you beat the game depending on the trophies you've earned.

3.)The combos that your charater can pull off are more effective, smoother, and much longer than in the first game, making melee attacks better to use, and just plain cooler to look at (making up for the limited ammo no doubt).

4.)A lot of the objectives in the game are optional, and unlock different things like alternate costumes. Also, you can go back to the map and re-enter parts of the city (levels) you have already cleared, and each time it becomes more difficult, and secret objectives become available.

The petpieves that I have with this game (and they are very small) are with the people who make it. It annoys me that Wayward's predecessor is on every other system except PS2. Other than that, Wayward is only 2 player. A 4 player squad of Hunters would be much more enjoyable than just 2 because it would allow you to see all the characters at once, just like you would in a movie, or in real life (towns are attacked by undead hordes all the time in real life... right?)

All-in-All, its a great game, and now that its only 20 bucks you can afford to give it a chance. So if you like good graphics, zombies, or even hot asian chicks with guns o' plenty, kicking ass, while doing cart-wheels, go get it. If you don't... then somethings wrong with you.

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"Hunter the Reckoning: Wayward" is a full-on sequel to the Xbox hit "Hunter the Reckoning," though you do not see a number 2 anywhere in the title. The storyline that developed on the Xbox game continues on this Playstation 2 follow-up, and probably won't make much sense to the uninitiated. On the other hand, those who are familiar with its predecessor will almost certainly wish that "Wayward" had a few more new tricks up its sleeve. Even so, both of the aforementioned camps should find something to enjoy despite the game's failings particularly when it goes down in price.

"Wayward" reintroduces you to the original game's cast of hunters (the tank-like Avenger, the spiritual Judge, the sleek Martyr, and the well-rounded Defender), who are contacted by a Wayward hunter who requires their assistance in the town of Ashcroft. It seems that Ashcroft has once again become a hotbed for undead and demonic activity, and it's time for the hunters to finish what they started by cleansing the place once and for all. That means hacking, slashing, and shooting the living dead right out of every walking corpse and horrid specter in the vicinity. Half-way through the game, the Wayward becomes a fourth playable character, if you should opt to take on his mantle.

Though "Wayward" has its flaws, it is certainly a step forward in terms of design. The original game was difficult to the point of absurdity (it offered the player a limited number of continues in a very antiquated fashion), but while "Wayward" is certainly challenging, it is thankfully more merciful than its Xbox counterpart. If you are running low on continues, you can always revisit a previous location in the game and rescue more innocents (who respawn even if you've rescued them before). It's helpful as well that you can revisit levels to boost your experience, or find weapons and items you might have missed before. In other words, ammunition and health packs will be considerably easier to come by! This newfound freedom is a major improvement to the series, and probably makes "Wayward" a better game than its forebear. It definitely makes it less frustrating to play.

Unfortunately, "Wayward" lacks the storytelling chops of the original game (which provided a convoluted if somewhat compelling backdrop to all the action), and no longer presents the cinematics with the in-game engine an engine, I hasten to add, that is more than capable of rendering believable movie segments, even on the less graphically intensive PS2 console. It is annoying to me that all four hunters are depicted during the cut-scenes even if you're only playing through the game with one of them. It is doubly annoying because you can't even run through the game with three friends. Only 2 players are supported, which is a shame although it's better than nothing, since going solo is not half as much fun.

If you have never played a "Hunter" game before, you probably won't be too disappointed by the levels themselves. On the other hand, if you've been through the original game, prepare to be disappointed. Many of the exact levels have been recycled in "Wayward," albeit slightly altered (different enemies roam through them, maybe, or you move through the area in reverse fashion). You will also encounter many enemies that are all too familiar though the bosses are brand new, at least. Other than that, there are perhaps three new beasties to destroy, and you will quickly grow tired of dispatching them over and over again during the later levels. Still, to be fair, this complaint is only valid if you've played the original, and that was made for another console.

The action has retained its strangely addictive quality, and is very much in the "Gauntlet" tradition (minus all those power-ups). If you've played any of the "Gauntlet" games you know that it can be mindlessly compelling for one player, but becomes far more engaging when you're playing alongside a friend. Again, this is entirely true in "Wayward." If you have friends who enjoy games like this, I recommend this game considerably more heartily than if you're a solo player looking for a solo ride. Even so, I'm not saying there's nothing to enjoy while going it alone in "Wayward," but it loses some of its appeal.

I also regret the fact that "Wayward" forces you to repeat many of the same levels you've already played through. For instance, your objective in a level might be to rescue another hunter. When you have done that and completed the level, you may be required to return to that level and collect silver so that you can kill a werewolf. The level you are repeating offers up the same monsters and the same scenery, and a whole lot of repetition. Besides, "Wayward" sends you on one too many scavenger hunts. The search for missing data CDs in the Ashcroft cemetery is particularly grating. Fortunately, these kinds of missions are not as frequent as they could have been.

All in all, "Wayward" is a good game, but severely flawed. It takes the series a few steps in the right direction while simultaneously dragging it backwards as well. I do know the series will continue (a third sequel for the Xbox arrives in stores just weeks after the series' PS2 debut), and I do think that it has the potential to achieve greatness... but it has yet to reach the potential, and is instead content with an addictive, challenging, but ultimately shallow experience. If you like mindless action garbed in a veneer of horror, "Wayward" is right for you. If you like mindless action garbed in a veneer of horror and have a friend who likes the same, "Wayward" is even more right for you. Otherwise, I suggest letting the price go down a little, since "Wayward" comes off as a glorified expansion to its Xbox cousin, and provides only so much meat for your gaming dollar. Forget all the unlockable extras it's still a little emaciated. Here's hoping the next game in the series takes a larger leap forward.

Final Score: C+

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My husband and I rented this game over the weekend. Here's my thoughts, especially compared to the original.

To start off, the storyline. It's two years after you defeated the evil spirits at Ashcroft, and your foursome catches word that there's nastiness going on again at the old stomping grounds. Two hunters have been captured and Esteban, Samantha, Kassandra, and Deuce go to investigate. Of course, there's another conspiracy afoot that your rag-tag group needs to bust open, with lots of undead to kill in the process.

Some of the pros:

You get several other characters to play in this PS2 game. Halfway through you unlock one of the Hunters you go to save, Joshua. This guy is fun to play, he's almost as strong as Deuce but has more speed and a better default ranged weapon. His crowbar melee weapon is also fun for hack and slash. After you defeat the game once, you unlock Devan, the other captured hunter as a playable character. Beat the game in Nightmare Mode, and you get Carpenter (!) to play. Fans of the Xbox game should especially like this.

More edges. Some of them really improve the game (I loved running into the middle of an attacking group with Joshua and using Spiral), but some of them are pretty lame. Kassandra has an edge called Blast, which is supposed to shoot a concentrated ray of light at enemies, but it never seemed to hurt them.

In this game, you have a headquarters and a map of each game section. This allows you to go back to previous boards and gain more experience points or save more innocents (save 2 innocents and you get another continue in the game). Don't get all the secrets on the board, though, or it'll become unavailable to play again.

Voice acting is great. The voices fit the characters perfectly. Graphics are killer, especially in the cutscenes. Music is good and creepy without being obtrusive. All very similar to the Xbox version.

Lots of easter eggs and secrets for new music, alternate costumes, models, etc. Also, you unlock cheats (i.e. unlimited health/conviction, max edge power) as you go through the levels, and can use them once you beat the game.

Cons:

The big one, it's only two player max! I shouldn't complain, since it's hard enough to find two player cooperative mission games, but having 4 players tear it up at the same time in the original was too much fun. On the flip side of that, as the original was almost impossible to beat single-player, it would definitely be possible with this game.

The hunter's default ranged weapon no longer has unlimited ammo. As killing certain bad guys gives you health or conviction, you can also get ammo now. Still, this took some getting used to, as I liked to play Kassandra and, with her speed run around and shoot everyone while my husband used Deuce to slash away. However, Vivendi seemed to know this and there aren't the mass amounts of enemies to fight in this version. There's still plenty to keep your hands full, though.

You can only choose one special weapon at the start of the board. For instance, say in a board you picked up a shotgun, a machine gun, and a flamethrower. When you go to the next board, you can only pick one of those three to take with you! During each board, you can pick up other guns that are laying around and use them, but in the original, you kept all the weapons you picked up from board to board. The only time you couldn't use them was when you ran out of ammo! This is the only feature I found to be outright annoying.

There are fewer bosses than in the original. These bosses are cool, though, with a witch and another hunter gone bad really mixing it up. But nothing beats the possessed teddy bear from the first game.

The controls take a lot of getting used to for new players, but those who played the original will find everything to be the same. Also, you still can't control the camera position. It'd be nice if Vivendi would improve this feature.

In short, it's a fun game to rent and play, especially if there's a friend around to join in the pandemonium. It makes me anxious for the October release of Hunter: Redeemer.

Honest reviews on Hunter The Reckoning: Wayward - PlayStation 2

First off,I don't own an Xbox,so I haven't played the original to compare this title to.But in this game the four from the original return to rid the same city of undeads and mutants.I figured this would be something along the lines of "pick a character and slash through the levels until you beat the game."

But actually you can play as all four,taking turns and building up levels and magic.Very nice suprise.

Now I rented this game yesterday,and although it does have some really cool aspects to it,I was a little bit annoyed because of

certain details that took away from the fun.The controls can be pretty awkward,here's an example:to side-attack you have to hold the right analog stick to fire in a certain direction,and use the left analog stick to strafe in a certain direction.This can get really complicated trying to figure out what stick you have to push where when a group of zombies pops out in a random direction.Why didn't the developers just add a semi-automatic lock-on feature?This would have made the game alot less

frustrating.

The players' attacks can also get out of control when using a melee attack.There are many times when the character keeps attacking in a single direction when you need them to stop.This leads to leaving yourself wide open for attacks from enemies in other directions.This was how I got hurt in the game about 90% of the time.

The last negative issue I have with this game is the camera. Although you are given the option to zoom in or zoom out;

really neither is that great of a choice.If you zoom out,you miss alot of detail/graphics as everything is so distant.On the other hand if you zoom in,you can't tell where the enemies are until they're right up on you.You also do NOT have the option to swivel the camera.Say you are running forward,the camera will sometimes face towards you,and not display what's coming ahead.

With the bad aside,I praise The Hunter:Wayward game for adding lots of nice "easter egg" bonuses for completing optional missions.The other good thing about this is that if you don't complete optional missons,you can keep going back until you do.

This translates into building up alot of skill and experience over and over with diffrent hunters.(Try the church level)

Voice acting was pretty good as was the music,and I thought all of the characters were cool esp. raver girl!I guess in the end,I

give this game a mixed bag of feelings with 3 and a half stars.

Rent first,then buy.

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Good games, lots of fun, more action than you can shake a stick at, and if you like zombies, and dark fantaxsy stuff like that, then this game will never get old.

Dead to Rights - PlayStation 2 Review

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"Dead to Rights" is the kind of non-stop action game that will remind you why you play console games in the first place. Though the game's premise, style, and source of inspiration are easy to compare to "Max Payne," the games themselves are readily distinguishable from one another, and both are equally as worthy of your gaming attentions.

"Dead to Rights" casts you as Jack Slate, a larger-than-life cop in the fictional cesspool of Grant City, whose only real friend appears to be his canine partner, Shadow. Early on, Slate discovers the body of his murdered father in a construction yard, and then the action comes hot and heavy from then on.

Slate's gun-slinging antics and martial arts brawls are quick to remind one of a John Woo film. The hand-to-hand fighting system is immensely enjoyable and reminiscent of updated classics like "Double Dragon" and "Final Fight." The majority of the game's setpeices, though, involve thousands of flying bullets, and the gunplay is truly extraordinary. Capping the bad guys is rarely this satisfying, particularly in a game viewed from a 3rd person perspective. To add icing to the cake, Slate has a series of violent "disarms" he can employ to turn a battle in his favor, and executing them properly is gratifying in all its M-rated glory. "Dead to Rights" wisely switches between hand-to-hand battles and fierce gunfights at a fairly regular interval to ensure that the game doesn't get repetitive.

Unfortunately, "Dead to Rights" also favors mini-games and puzzles that crop up every now and again to slow down the action. The idea is a sound one, but most of these sessions are just exercises in button-mashing frenzy. On the plus side, though, the mini-games segue into the storyline almost seamlessly, so they're not as jarring as they might otherwise have been. And speaking of the storyline, it's sure to entertain, and is helped tremendously by talented voice-actors and some truly cinematic cut-scenes.

Aside from the mini-games and some questionable decisions in level design (which are an exception rather than a rule), "Dead to Rights" is a triumph. The game is bloody good fun from beginning to end, and more addictive than a set of Max Payne's painkillers. This remains one of the best action titles available on the PS2, and it should not, under any circumstances, be missed by fans of the genre.

Final Score: A-

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Dead to Rights is about a K-9 cop Jack Slate who patrols Grant City with his trusty dog Shadow. While patrolling a construction site, Slate finds someone (I won't ruin it for you) very close to him murdered. Against orders, Slate sets off in search answers and revenge. The story in Dead to Rights is narrated by Jack himself, and involves some pretty decent twists and turns. All told, by the time the player reaches the end of the game, NAMCO does a good job in tying up all of the loose ends in the plot. Dead to Rights is one of those games that are excellent in simulating what it would be like left on your own surrounded by a ridiculously large amount of or when his weapon is hostered. Jack can holster his weapon at any point in the game. While fighting without a weapon, the player can use Jack to kick, punch, and perform combo's (unlock them all!) on the enemies. He can even creep up behind them, disarm them (take their weapon). and use them as a human shield. The plot itself in DtR is plenty engaging and never boring due to a plethora of different inventive scenarios and mini-games. Mini games range from trying to pick locks to making strippers dance. You will surely never find the gameplay in Dead to Rights boring, dull, or uncreative. Weapons Slate can carry are also widely varied, and while using them 'bad guys,' just like in the movies. In this sense, Dead to Rights will remind many people of Max Payne. Dead to rights is objective-based, and Jack Slate will have to gun down / beat up countless enemies before reaching each next one.

Gameplay in Dead to Rights is extremely inventive and varied, whether staged that way or made that way by the player's choice of fingerstrokes. For example, there are two whole sets of controls for when Jack Slate is armed or when his weapon is hostered. Jack can holster his weapon at any point in the game. While fighting without a weapon, the player can use Jack to kick, punch, and perform combo's (unlock them all!) on the enemies. He can even creep up behind them, disarm them (take their weapon). and use them as a human shield. The plot itself in DtR is plenty engaging and never boring due to a plethora of different inventive scenarios and mini-games. Mini games range from trying to pick locks to making strippers dance. You will surely never find the gameplay in Dead to Rights boring, dull, or uncreative. Weapons Slate can carry are also widely varied, and while using them he can do everything from melee the enemy, to jumping while keeping his sights trained on the enemy in midair. fire from the safety of a trash can. The aiming system in Dead to Rights is very intuitive and the user can choose to turn auto-aim on or off. Jack's dog, Shadow, serves as a great help in getting him out of many a tight situation. The user can manuever Shadow manually, and can use him to attack people, turn switches, or sniff at objects.

Perhaps the only depriving element in Dead to Rights is its graphics quality. While audio quality is fine, and is of average quality for such a relatively old game, graphics seem slightly below par in some situations. For example, camera angles can be difficult to handle (being unpredictable and sometimes locking in place) when in tight hallways or corridors. While graphics can be a bit disappointing in some situations, they are certainly not lacking throughout the entire game. I aspect I especially appreciate is the way the camera swivels and "locks on" to the enemy Jack is targeting. Gun effects and explosions are also very good during boss fights. The only thing that lacks there is the texture quality. Overall, I say Dead to Rights is still (and will never not be) a very enjoyable and engaging game. While graphical presentation lacks in some areas, it can only be expected due to when it was made. I myself am have not yet beaten this game, and at this point I am still very excited to finish it. I would certainly recommend Dead to Rights to you action game freaks, especially those of you who are movie-lovers or Max Payne fans. Enjoy! -Derek Ricciuto

SCORES

Gameplay 8.9 Graphics 7.4 Sound 7.9 Presentation 8.0 Replay Value 8.4 OVERALL 8.2

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POSTED BY DEREK RICCIUTO DarkRider007@hotmail.com

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this game is one of the best that namco has developed in he last year. It's awsome storyline and tense playing makes it a perfct gae for all you action/shooter lovers out there...It has over 20 different weapons to hose from... It is a game that you could never put down...It's slow mo action feature makes it all the better. Just imagein you dodgeing a bullet by millimeters and laughing at he fact the(opponent) shooting you has missed...you'll enjy this game for weeks or months to come.

Honest reviews on Dead to Rights - PlayStation 2

When I first rented this game, I didn't expect much.

NAMCO products don't exactly make me do a double take.

I only gave it a chance because it's a shooter game.

Boy was I surprised! I was totally addicted. I don't

care for hand-to-hand combat, but, overall, the battle

scheme was user friendly. Too bad you can only slow-mo

while diving, and you're dog meat if you dive in a

direction in which you can't see your enemy. I just

love the disarm sequences. My dog Shadow got plenty of

action if I wasn't being hurried by the enemies. This

game kept me excited the whole way through. You can

actually change the difficulty at any time during the

game, which is cool for those harder to beat situations.

Thanks Namco. This one's a keeper.

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I won't write a lengthy review, as many others on here have said enough. However, I would like to inject my own thoughts, as I enjoyed this game immensely. Sure, It may be a Max Payne spinoff, ripoff,or whatever you may label it, but it does have some unique qualities of it's own. I played Max payne one and two, and both games have some striking similarities. Both Max and Jack are cops who have lost loved ones to horrific violence, and are intent on revenge and retribution, no matter what it takes. Heck, the two even resemble each other physically. One thing Max did not have, was Shadow, the faithful k9.

I just finished this game a few days ago, and I'll be honest..for me, this was one of the most challenging games I have played for a while. The bosses in this game are the toughest I have faced so far, and I spent many nights tossing my controller down in frustration. Overall, if you are into the noir, this is for you. Despite my liking this game, it's not without it's flaws

Pros:

Good graphics

Nice array of weapons

great storyline

Excellent controls

Cons:

Mini-games..This is a true waste of time, especially the lifting part. I'm surprised i did not damage my controller buttons, lol.

Awkward camera angles on some levels.

Other than that, I highly suggest this game, as it's super cheap now. Enjoy!

Buy Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks - Xbox 360

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List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $37.43
Today's Bonus: 6% Off

This Ben 10 game is probably the least in line of the other Ben 10 games. Not alot of features other than one person getting to play, and no multiplayer at home or online play

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Buy Gioteck TX1 THROAT MIC for XBOX 360

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This is yet another standard microphone being passed off as a throat mic, ala the MadCatz MW2 throat mic. This mic at least lets you adjust the pickups, but is still only built to fit up to a small to average neck, large necks still left out. audio clarity is much better, but is only on par with the OEM headset. the air vibration mic in this throat mic is more sensetive, so my friends could hear me just fine... They also could hear just fine all that was occurring in the game. They indicated the sounds from the tv nearly drowned me out when speaking, and on the occasions that a friend in our party chat was placed on the other team he was able to use my mic for advanced warning when we called in strikes, or started taking objectives.

I recommend avoiding the entire category of throat mics for the XBOX till someone creates a throat mic actually based off the skin contact microphone. Looks like I will be loking at the throat mics created for hunting/paintballing as many of them use the correct technology and have multiple pin adapters, maybe one wil work with the 360.

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I don't want to sound fake, but the mic works perfectly. I'm a bigger guy (19inch neck) and it sits very well, albeit at maximum alignment. I was skeptical when I bought it, but it was worth every penny.

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I can finally see why this product had been discontinued after such a short lifespan. This doesn't go without saying I'll keep using it, though.

I like with how the product was designed, so I didn't have to worry about how to put it on.

Being very concerned about the mic attached to the product, I tested it using the Xbox LIVE voice messaging system. It sounded pretty oversensitive since it could hear my button presses and stick and bumper clicks. Turns out that it faces away from the neck to pick up sound from around the user instead of directly from the user. When tested in-game, though, I haven't heard any complaints.

I also tried testing the mute switch. Although the console says it hears nothing, I could still hear some unbearable noise from it... Until I realized that the earpiece is a LOT louder than a stock headset. Honestly, I find this beneficial.

This product may make or break a relationship with the manufacturer because of these loose ends. Take precautions between you and the audio coming from your game console if and when you decide on this one.

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This mic is awsome. The technology involved is pretty sweet also. I like this mic because you don't have a mic hanging in front of your face when you are trying to eat. The earpiece fits nicely in your ear. The only down side is you can't adjust the sensetivity of the mic; it will pic up someone talking across the room. Overall I highly recomend this mic to anyone.

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Don't listen to these people who are rough critics who say it is a rip off or what ever. I believe it is a great mic especially for the price. The quality is pretty good but its not a mic that can only hear you. It hears things outside the throat like the game your are playing, but thats what the default mic does too so I dont really find it that big of a deal.

Great product

i highly reccomend it

PlayStation 3 40GB Metal Gear Solid 4 Gray Kojima Bundle Review

Customer Ratings:

Necessary disclosure: I do not own this model but do I own the 60GB model, recently upgraded to 320GB. I am also very familiar with the latest 80GB model (which is basically this one with a larger disk) because one of my neighbors has one and I am the neighborhood's unofficial and unpaid 'computer' consultant :). I did some research in anticipation of us purchasing a second unit because I promised the kids 'their own' if their grades were going to meet a certain standard.

As compared to the 60GB model (see this model's pluses and minuses and what all PS3s have in common):

______________________________________________

+ Less expensive (I paid $599 for my 60GB PS3)

+ Improved power efficiency 110w vs. 180w for my old 60GB

+ Dual shock controller (rumble)

+ Bundled MGS4 game and extras

+ Amazon Blu-ray movies promotion (buy 4 movies from list and get $100 off through end of 2008)

+ Mate, easier to maintain finish (can't see the fingerprints)

= Wireless Wi-Fi or wired Ethernet network connections

= Bluetooth for controllers, keyboards, earpieces, etc.

= Controllers charged via USB wires

= Free, unlimited access to the PSN network, including online play

= Full PSOne compatibility

= Blu-ray player

= DVD player

= CD player

= HDMI, component video (component wire included)

= Surround sound

= Internet browser

= Allows for installation of third-party operating systems such as Linux

= Disk is easily upgradeable without voiding warranty

= Quiet operation

No memory card interfaces

50% less storage (not really a problem if you upgrade)

2 USB ports vs. 4 USB ports on the 60GB

No PS2 compatibility

No chrome trim

______________________________________________

STORAGE and STORAGE UPGRADE:

----------------------------

This model comes with an 40GB drive. As crazy as this may sound, this is the best machine your money can buy today IF you are planning to upgrade and IF you dig MGS4. On the other hand, DO NOT buy this model if you do not consider upgrading the disk because 40GB won't take you very far.

To give you an idea of the amount of storage you may need on your PS3, I recently checked the status of my 320GB disk and I found that I had 198GB free. That means that, one year after purchasing my (then) 60GB box I was using 122GB already. The space is taken by family pictures, a little music, lots of demos, many 'disk' games that dump gigabytes of data to the disk to improve performance, many videos the kids are making with the 'Eye' camera, game saves. I suspect that 'Home', when it becomes available, may require a few more GB's for its own use so 320GB may be what you need if you don't want to constantly worry about deleting old stuff before you run out of space.

If you are on the upgrade path, $100 would buy you a 320GB drive. I used the Western Digital WD3200BEVT 320 GB Scorpio Sata 5400 Rpm 8MB 2.5 inch myself. 1TB drives are available these days for a few $$ more and you should try to get one of those if you are planning to store lots of videos. The nice thing about upgrading your disk is that you are also going to be left with a perfectly good 40GB drive which you can place into a cheap enclosure, and the StarTech AT2510U2 InfoSafe 2.5-Inch USB/SATA Hard Drive Enclosure worked for me. I am using the free leftover drive as a backup device for family photos.

Upgrading the disk is (relatively) easy and you can find a lot of advice on the Net. Search for "PlayStation 3 Hard Drive Upgrade (HOWTO)" for a nice video so you'll decide if you are comfortable with it. If upgrading is the first thing you do, everything becomes very easy because you need not worry about backups or restores. I upgraded my box in a couple of hours WITH the backup/restore steps.

MEMORY CARD INTERFACES:

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The lack of memory card interfaces is annoying but you can get around it. Copy your stuff to a USB drive or flash drive and... problem solved. You can then upload your things through the USB. It's somewhat inconvenient but it's no big deal.

USB PORTS:

----------

My old 60GB model has 4 USB ports and I am using all of them. One for the PS3 Eye (camera), a second has a wireless keyboard dongle, the third is where the racing wheel plugs in and the last one I use to charge controllers. Of course, you can and you WILL be able to live with 2 slots but it is likely that you will be doing some plugging/unplugging if you begin adding peripherals. One way around it is to get a USB port multiplexer. Another solution is seek Bluetooth peripherals (wireless) if you can find them. Bluetooth keyboards, for example, are available.

PS2 COMPATIBILITY:

------------------

This model does not support PS2 software. Since the original PS2-compatible PS3's are hard to get, this has to be accepted as reality. I assume that Sony, after polling existing and future PS3 users, found that most users don't need PS2 compatibility. Soon after we upgraded to a PS3 my kids were playing Kingdom Hearts and Destroy All Humans but I haven't seen them doing so in quite a while. It is nice to have PS2 compatibility but its lacking would not stop me from buying a PS3.

PSOne GAMES:

------------

The PS3 has full PSOne compatilibity. Lots of them are available for download at the PSN store. They are quite inexpensive and some of them are still fun to play.

SUMMARY:

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If you like MGS4 and you consider upgrading, buy THIS model.

If you are planning to upgrade regardless, you're better off with this model because you can use the $100 you save to upgrade, you get the MGS4 and you should be able to get Drake's Fortune (new) for about $40 from Amazon. Not to mention that you don't have to wait for 3 more weeks.

If you don't care much about MGS4 AND you feel that you can live with 160GB AND you think Drake's Fortune is a cool game, then wait for a few more weeks for the 160GB bundle.

Get yourself a USB port multiplexer if you need more than 2 ports.

Transfer your photos to flash drives to get around the missing memory card interfaces.

Keep your PS2 if you have one and still wish to play PS2 games in the future.

Enjoy your new PS3.

_____________________

Note: I am not taking off one star for the lack of PS2 compatibility. I understand that Sony must compete on price and make a profit and times are tough. However, I simply can't see why Sony cut the number of USB ports from 4 down to 2 and this explains why this unit gets 4 stars instead of 5. This is a relatively significant inconvenience and I can't see how it would cost Sony more than a dollar or 2 if it provided 4 ports instead of 2.

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This model is different from the current 80 gig playstation 3 in the following ways: it has a 40 gig HD, it is gun metal instead of piano black, and it includes a limited edition copy of Metal Gear Solid 4.

If you plan on using this system as a true media center, than the HD is probably too small. This would most likely be the case with an 80 gig HD as well. Fortunately, the PS3 uses laptop HDs which are plentiful and cheap. Another reviewer has already addressed this.

The system itself is beautiful and the production run of this package is supposedly very limited. This means you will have a unique PS3 many will envy. It also means that many accessories (ie: additional control, headset, etc.) will not match the color scheme. If you have never played MGS, the series is very engrossing; this game was created to sell systems. Despite the smaller HD and the lack of matching accessories, I am very pleased with this purchase.

Best Deals for PlayStation 3 40GB Metal Gear Solid 4 Gray Kojima Bundle

I had a PS3 before but it was too noisy and overheated so I sold it. I read that they had fixed the problem. I wanted this Grey PS3 when it first was offered by Konami. I couldn't pay $600 so I stuck with my PS2 until the right time. I just lately typed in "Playstation Console Metal Gear" in the Amazon search thinking I was going to get the 80gb version and this popped and I couldn't believe that this was still for sale and for $400. I grabbed it as fast as I could. I've heard that this is basically the same as the new 80gb version, I don't care about storage that much and I don't like the Piano Black the only other color for me would be the Ceramic White but they never have sold it in the United States.

The Grey is very nice and I got MGS4 with it. I am very satisfied!

Honest reviews on PlayStation 3 40GB Metal Gear Solid 4 Gray Kojima Bundle

I ordered this through Amazon and they shipped the next business day. Got the item very fast, even when I picked "Free Shipping." Now on to business....my initial impression of the item was just...WOW. The system looked awesome when I took it out of the box (it still does). The gray finish went well with the system. What's best is that you won't have to worry about finger prints showing up all over the system nor about visible dust particles. It came with all the regular wires which it normally comes with (no HDMI cable which you have to buy seperately). The bundle came with Metal Gear Solid 4 and two bonus disks (one BlueRay with the background story of Metal Gear and one music CD). They included a cool case for the DVDs (you can see the picture of the case on the snapshot of the PS3 box). As for performance...it's really quiet when I was playing the BlueRay disk. It didn't make any sound at all. It took pretty long to upgrade the system software though (it was upgrading from 2.30 to 2.52 or something like that). Overall, I am extermely pleased with the purchase of this special edition. Not only it's in different color but also MGS4 and bonus contents are included. It's 40GB and the price is the same for the 80GB system. But the bonus contents and the different color of the system more than makes up for the hard drive space difference. And the PS3 box looks really cool as well. In conclusion...if you're a Metal Gear Solid fan (I wouldn't consider myself as a fan as I've played only a few games of the series, none for the PS2), thinking of buying a new PS3; now's your chance to get the "limited edition" for the fraction of the price for which it was being offered earlier (this is the main reason I bought the system).

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I have one of the original 60GB PS3 systems but always wanted the gunmetal gray. Unfortunately the crazy price this was originally selling for through Konami was not justified based on the specs. The amazon price is a great deal love the gunmetal color. The fact that it doesn't retain fingerprints is a real bonus.

The biggest upgrade in my opinion is that this PS3 system is so much quieter than my old 60GB. The fan is nearly silent whereas my old system would ramp up to a level that was VERY audible in quiet parts of movies.

The 40GB was not a drawback at all in my opinion. Just swap out for a bigger one its easy to do and the drives are not that expensive. I already had a 160GB 7200rpm drive that was waiting to go.

Since I already had MGS4 game I didn't need the LE version, but since it is going for big $ on auction that will further offset the cost. I don't care about being able to play PS2 games cause they look like bad on the big screen anyway. The memory card slots were used a total of 1 times on my old system so I don't think I'll miss this either.

Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged Reviews

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List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $9.45
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Xbox Arcade Unplugged is a collection of some of the best-selling games from the Xbox Live Arcade on the Xbox 360. Included is 6 games, 3 demos and a 1 month subscription to live.

1 month of live (retail $8) It is a great service for online play of any game. You can download and rent movies, buy tv episodic content, and chat with friends, families, and strangers around the world.

Bejeweled 2 (retail $10)A popular puzzle game in which you try to match up jewels in order to get to the next level. There are several modes to Bejeweled, some unlockable. The game is a real challenge, and if you like puzzle games, you will be pleased with Bejeweled 2.

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved (retail $5) An instant classic in the tradition of Asteroids. You fly around in a 'ship' trying to destroy geometric shapes, each having their own characteristics. As you progress, the games elements get harder, and more shapes are introduced. A fantastic game that is fun for just about everyone.

Hardwood Backgammon (retail $5) Classic Backgammon action. You can play against a friend on the couch, vs. the computer, or take on someone online on Xbox Live. Hardwood Backgammon is also Camera Enabled.

Outpost Kaloki X (retail $10) A strategy game in which you are in outer space, attempting to manage power and research. A variety of missions and scenarios to keep you busy are included.

Wik and the Fable of Souls (retail $10) A crazy game about a small creature who uses his tongue to eat bugs and whip around treelimbs. Part puzzle game, part action, this game can be very challenging. There are over 120 levels in the game, each one being more difficult than the last.

Texas Hold 'em (retail $10) This may be the junk of the bundle. A poorly executed attempted interface leaves most poker players wondering why they didn't copy any of the popular online poker sites and their interface. Often multiplayer works too slow, while you wait for others to take their turn. There are some scenarios to work on in single player. Overall, it isn't too bad, but it leaves a lot to be desired amongst poker players.

Also included are demos of Uno, Marble Blast Ultra, and Feeding Frenzy.

Uno is the classic card game everyone knows. It translates to Xbox Live very well and is camera enabled. It has a wide variety of gameplay options, including partner play. Marble Blast Ultra is a game in which you try to move your marble around to the exit point. Each level is brilliantly designed, colorful, and challenging. Feeding Frenzy is a great game for all ages, in which you start each level as a small fish, eating other fish and growing as you do so.

If you bought everything in this package for retail price, it would cost you $58. Even if you only need a couple of the $10 games, it's still agreat bargain with the 1 month of Xbox Live for free.

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I bought this game just for Texas Hold'em and Geometry Wars, but with the free Xbox live Gold month and Bejewled 2 is a great *CHEAP* addition to any collection. Particularly, I thought Bejeweled 2 was a boring PC game, wich I had played, but it happens to be a lot more fun without a mouse and in a big HD screen with great sound. Wik is a great puzzle game, you have to think thru each level, although it might be less shiny than Eets but its good. The backgammon game is fun in LIVE and with a partner in the same room, of course not for people looking for action and explosions. I haven't played Outpost Kaloki X much, but it's another thinking game, some strategy like the "Something" tycoon games or ye olde good Sim City. In all this are games for thinkers, even Geometry wars in a way, so I recommend this great collection just for those tired of the shooters, races, aliens, etc. or just for the in between battle moments!

Best Deals for Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged

Geometry wars is the main reason I bought this compilation, so it's pretty sweet. Outpost Kaloki X is surprisingly fun as a space tycoon / sim. The other games aren't really worth anything, fun for a little while I suppose.

I bought it for less than $10, so for that price, 2 fun arcade games is pretty nice.

Honest reviews on Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged

Geometry wars, Kaloki X, Wik: Fable of souls, they're all awesome. This is a great value for some casual gaming. I'd buy it again any day. And for >$10, it's a steal. Worth every penny.

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The games on this are available for download from XBOX Live (XBL), so if you have already purchased one or more that way it may not be a good value for you.

This went on sale during Christmas 2007 for $7.99 and was an absolute bargain. It includes 1 month of XBOX Live Gold which alone is worth $3.33/month if you average it by the typical cost of $40/year.

I believe most of the games on here run 400 Microsoft Points on XBL or $5 each when you extrapolate the cost of the points. Given that, it is a good deal even at the current list price.

UPDATE: I have read that the XBL 1 month offer is expired. Yes, the date on it is expired. However, I have yet not been able to use an 'expired' XBL code. I purchased an XBL 1 year card and lost it for 2 years... when I found it again (yay) I decided to give it a try even though it was well over a year past expiration. It worked without any issue, just like the 1 month code that came with this game.

Best Halo 2 - Xbox Deals

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List Price: $19.99
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I loved the original Halo. It had everything I wanted in a game. Good graphics, excellent story, and lots of action.

Halo 2 is essentially its predecessor, except better. I know that sounds unlikely, but the few things that I didn't like about the original game such as bad Marine AI and monotonous maps are gone in this version.

For example, I was playing last night, and I was on the second level where you and a team of Marines are going through an African city killing everything. A Marine in front of me gets killed as soon as he rounds a corner. Instead of charging ahead, the rest of the squad hugs the wall. So, I swap my sniper rifle for Sarge's auto rifle (another kickass feature, you can swap guns with marines). Since the Marines are better shots, Sarge charges ahead and takes out the Covenant sniper. The marines and I then charge ahead and waste the covenant.

Here is a summary of cons and pros about the game.

PROS: Marines are much, much more intelligent.

You can swap guns with marines.

marines can drive vehicles on their own now.

the flood return

AH TOO MANY TO LIST CANT LIST THEM ALL

Cons: The only bad things I noticed so far were some minor graphial glitches, such as guns and vehicles sticking through walls. Also, every time it loads a charecter in a cutscene, a milisecond later the game seems to "draw" the person. It is kind of wierd looking, but in no way hurts the game.

If you are into a good sci-fi story or lots of action get this game. Also, Halo 1 fans wont be dissapointed, all changes were for the better.

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I just finished the full walkthrough for Halo 2, as well as played a number of multiplayer games. I'm finally ready with the review of this awesome game!

First off, this is obviously the sequel to the hugely popular initial Halo game. You are Master Chief, a space marine who is sent out to battle the enemies. You are fighting the Covenant, who are your main foes, but you also run into the Flood, who are a space parasite that wants to eat all life. In addition, there are mechanical creatures on Halo who want to kill pretty much anything including the Flood. So each location and creature type has its own look, feel, attitudes and reactions.

The graphics are simply gorgeous, from the rippling water to the clouds in the sky and reflections off of surfaces. I love taking screenshots of this game. The music is also extremely well done, in that the quality is always very high. But it's a little bizarre to be going from new age lilting softness in one heated battle to high intensity rock music in another and so on. It doesn't necessary track to the location you're in, either. It's just whatever the designers felt like putting in.

The gameplay and plot is where this game really shines. Your characters that interact with you are simply BRILLIANT in how they each do what a real live creature would do. Grunts are my favorite these little Covenant front-liners are brave and talkative when they're in groups, but when you whittle them down they suddenly turn and flee, shrieking at the top of their lungs. Your teammates leap into vehicles with you, either driving or shooting depending on your preference. They'll come alongside you to give you support, and duck for cover when appropriate.

The quips the characters come out with mid-battle still make me laugh out loud. In one sequence you are the covenant Arbitor and are working your way through a room. You come across a pair of grunts and a jackal under attack, and take out the enemies. The grunt comes running to you in glee, shouting, "Arbitor! My savior!" Then he pauses and adds, "Jackal, say thank you to the Arbitor!" :)

The cut scenes are equally as brilliant and are truly movie quality in the interactions. The timing, dialogue, everything is great. The little touches are everywhere. In one sequence, the Sergeant is preparing his troops to get ejected in pods down to the surface of Halo. He walks past the Master Chief's pod and thumps twice on it, as if to say "All OK in there, ready to go?" Right on beat, you see Master Chief inside his pod, thumping once back in response. You really forget that these are just computer generated characters.

Multiplayer is the stellar addition to this release and there are reasons to be thrilled. You can play on a large variety of maps, in a number of styles, and there is even going to be downloadable content in the future.

That all being said, there are of course a few non-stellar aspects to this release. First, the ending SUCKS. The first one was bad enough with its "Oh I bet there is another Halo out there" so you don't even feel like you really saved the world. In this one, not only is it not a "you're done but it's not over" ending it's pretty much cut off mid-battle! That is INCREDIBLY frustrating for a gameplayer. Obviously they want you to buy Halo 3, but that's going to be a year or two away. Can't we have some satisfaction in the meantime?

Next, the game is really short, even on normal mode. We had a friend start the game up Sunday morning at about 12:30 and he was done with the entire game by around 8. You can have fun replaying it on the harder levels, but that's a rather quick game.

Finally, the multiplayer, while brilliant in concept, is lacking in implementation right now. There are two general ways to play either you set up a game yourself for friends ONLY, or you launch into the ether to play a quick match. If you get up your own game you can control all the settings, but you can only invites people on your friends list. That limits the chances of having a full game unless you are VERY proactive in seeking friends. The quick match game only lets you make a few choices, and then in essence you are auto-connected with other people who are also actively seeking those game types. You can't browse or look. You just say "I want to play X type of game" and then you wait literally for 5 minutes or more sometimes as the servers gather together other people who are also actively seeking that game type. Then the game auto launches without you even knowing who is on your team or if you want to play with them. It's very frustrating to people who are used to the more customizeable lobby situations.

Still, the online experience can always be tweaked going forward, and the base gameplay is amazingly good. I highly recommend the game to anyone who enjoys shooting / strategy games but you might want to rent it for a week first, to see if what it offers to you after that point is going to keep you playing.

Best Deals for Halo 2 - Xbox

Halo 2 has good gaphics, good game play, and a good story. This game is a great sequel to the first. It has great multiplayer split screen game play.You get to be spartan and the Elite alien, you get to play both sides of the Halo 2 story! The thing that I don't like about Halo 2 is that the Flood returns. I hated fighting the flood in the first Halo, and wasn't expecting to fight them again in Halo 2. The main theme of Halo 2 was that you were going to have to protect earth from the aliens, you did do that, but I was expecting to fight them on earth the intire game, but you don't, you fight on earth for 2 levels and then you don't come back untill the end of the game.

This game still is a great game despite the few flaws. When you beat the game, split screen is still a very fun part of the game if you have a friend to play with (its acually my favorite part of the game).This is a great game so go play it!

Honest reviews on Halo 2 - Xbox

That's right, I've actually finished the game and I enjoyed the game thoroughly. The graphics are really cool, and the game play is nice. Overall, everything is more or less better than before. That is everything, except for a few things like having to hold X longer to get into a vehicle, not always knowing where to go in a level (a personal difficulty,) and the lack of a true health bar.

Now, my main problem with the game, don't worry no spoiling here, is the end of the campaign mode. Put simply, it pre-empts Halo 3, and it better come out soon!. Yet, ignoring that the game is great fun, because, well it's a Halo game.

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There are many things I can say about this game, but having also played the first game and read the firts two books like most of have. I have grown to understand how the story is connected with the books and the game.

Needless to say if you havent read the books I suggest you do so because you wont have a clue as to whats going on. Even if you pay attention to the details given in the game it will leave many unanswered questions for you.

Now onto the game. I loved the first game and this is no different. Well with the added new features such as duel wielding, faster shield recharge, new enemies, weapons, missions, locations and the included XBOX LIVE MUTLIPLAYER. Which everyone has heard about.

I couldnt take part in that however becuase of lack of xbox live but the single-player, coopertive campaigns, and two-four multiplayer it kept me busy for a long time. Which shows that you can take the single or multiplayer path or both for that matter.

Which proves how good this game is.

NFL Fever 2003 (Xbox) Reviews

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List Price: $19.99
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With all the high quality football games on the market, there's really only one final determining factor for your purchase: personal preference. If you're a Madden fan, you'll probably buy Madden. Same with the 2K series or Blitz or whatever else floats your boat. I happen to be a Fever fan, so when Fever 2003 came out, it didn't take me long to decide which one I was going to buy.

For those of you in the "undecided" bracket, let me plead the case. Fever is a great game. To me, it is somewhere in the middle of 2k3's great graphics and Maddens realistic play. I think it's the most well rounded of the football games. There are lots of plays, and they're easy to understand. The Dynasty mode is by far the best in any game, in my opinion, and the play editor is easy to use. The big reason for X-box owners to get Fever is that it will be a marquee game on the new X-Box Live platform.

For those of you who've already played 2002, there are only a few subtle changes to 2003. Probably only die-hard fans will notice anything past the roster changes. The graphics are only slightly improved over 2002, and it looks like the exact same engine. I guess they figured if it aint broke, don't fix it. The tackles and runs are far more animated than in 2002 which showed the same tackles over and over. While the engine is pretty much the same, the shading and lighting has improved, and the weather features look a little more realistic, especially field damage.

Once you get past the superficial aspects of the game, you can tell there have been other needed changes.

1. Defense: the secondary is much more of a threat than in 2002. The computer still passes 99% of the time (unfortunately) and instead of confronting the key issue and making the comp stay on the ground more, the secondary is better at blocking passes and breaking up plays. The A.I. is much imroved. If you throw all the time like the comp does, the secondary will adapt and become more aggressive. If you try to run every play, the same thing will occur. It becomes more obvious when playing the computer, but it's also a major factor when playing against friends.

2. Officiating. Anyone who played 2002 knows there were only about 2 calls the refs ever gave unless you accidentally encroached or made a false start on your own. One was holding, the other was pass interference. The officiating seems a lot tighter in 2003, and there's a lot mroe going on with the A.I controlled characters. I've already heard one too many "holding" calls, but I guess you can't eliminate it completely.

3. Dynasty mode. Not much has changed here, but one major difference is the way players improve. First, they improve far more slowly and less dramatic than in 2002. Having a stellar game in the box score does not guarantee improvement. In fact, I'm not sure what does. On them same side of that coin, it's also difficult to get worse. One cool feature is, after every game, they show you exactly who did or didn't improve. It saves you the trouble of having to go to management after every game.

4. Gameplay: Overall, the teams are a lot more balanced than in 2002. I think they've obviously tried to represent the salary caps this way. There are dominant teams, but they're not as dominanat as in 2002 where the margins were often huge. Teams and players now average somewhere in the 80's, and there are a lot fewer players with overall ratigns higher than 90. Far fewer than last year. I think they're trying to avoid players with unrealistic ratings that can achieve the superhuman (Cory Dillan on 2002 for example). This is probably the most dramatic change, and the one that is bound to have a big impact on people used to dominating on 2002. I used to play on the veteran or all-pro setting, but I'm getting my a$$ waxed at anything higher than novice right now.

Bottom line: if you liked Fever before, you'll still like it. They've done a lot to make the game more realisitc, without becoming tediously realistic. If you didn't like Fever, you probably still won't. Stick with what you like and stop hating. To each their own.

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First off, I'm a huge EA Sports Fan, and have been playing Madden since way back in the day. I just bought my X-Box, and wanted the best football game to start things off. Trust me, I don't buy with haste, and these past few weeks, I've been collecting material on all three of the biggie football titles on X-Box (Fever, Madden, NFL2K), and trying to decide...

Well, I just played my first full game, of Fever 2003, and I really had nothing to complain about. The graphics are very crisp, and clear, and there is a very good amount of detail, although the players faces do tend to be generic looking.

The sound (I have surround dolby 5.1) was realistic to the sport, and it was fun to hear slightly muted sounds of the opposing team yelling out taunts to you. The announcers worked well, and I was pleased with the commentary, although at some points it does get repetative.

The gameplay, which is the biggie, worked well. There was good responce from the controller, and the timing is right on. If you have played Fever 2002, it is very similar, with a few minor upgrades...all in all, It's a fun time, and if you're not into the very technical Madden, this is a fun game to own.

At this time, Madden 2003 is yet to be released...I'm going to rent it, and if it's better, you better believe I'm returning Fever for it...on a side note, NCAA 2003 is a fab football game too, if you dig the college scene.

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Well, I was intrigued to see if Microsoft could complete another quality football game from scratch for 2003. After playing the game at my friends house for the first time, I decided two things. One, it is identical in gameplay/graphics to Fever 2003. Two, Kevin Calabro should stick to Seattle Sonic basketball commentating. After getting NFL Fever 2002 for christmas last year, I decided that it was way better than Madden for many reasons. The main reason was my ignorance. I hadnt even played Madden and thought it was terrible. Since that time, I have changed my mind. Both Madden and NCAA 2003 (another EA title) are dominant over the Fever series (or duo rather). EA sports is the clear dominant contendor in the XBOX football competition and I plan on buying Madden 2003 as well as NCAA 2003 now that I know how much better they are in terms of graphics, gameplay and commentating (Lee Corso is hilarious on NCAA). Overall, if you liked Fever 2002, save your money and keep playing it. If you didn't, don't expect this one to have anything the '02 version didn't. Stick to EA Sports if you're into realism. Microsoft knows how to create very arcade like, unrealistic games, which caters to a certain crowd, yet realism is my department, so I have to go with EA.

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Finally a game that has the nice graphics WITH the realistic game speed. PLaying at the rookie level makes it easy, but if you just turn it up to Veteran level, then the computer opponents are significantly tougher. This game will also be great for online playing when Xbox Live goes live in November. Now I can't wait to see how Madden 2003 and Sega NFL 2K3 has responded to the challenge from NFL Fever 2003. Football on Xbox has never been this good, and I hope Madden and 2K3 also has taken advantage of Xbox's capabilities.

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I bought NFL Fever 2003 for my Xbox because I wanted to be able to play it on Xbox Live, the new internet gaming service. I had played it a few times with my friends and I found it quite fun, so I got it. After playing it more and more, I have found certain flaws in the gameplay. These include interceptions and dropped passes when it seems impossible or an easy catch, certain plays that work every single time no matter what. I am not someone that is very interested in the stats and building a team from scratch. I think this game would be good for people like that, because of the Dynasty mode, where one can trade players, make their own plays and even make their own players. For someone not looking for a perfect or totally realistic football game, Nfl Fever is a great choice. Also, for online gamers, looking for a football game, this is one many people have and is good online. I would not reccomend it to anyone that gets frustrated easily when things happen that should not happen, or it seems like the computer always gets the call, or the pass caught or whatever it may be. Overall a fun game, but not perfect.

Reviews of Evolve360 Controller Faceplate *CHROME*

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I finally got the xbox 360 controller faceplate and when I was putting the controller back together I realized that the faceplate that I had just boughten doesn't have any threading inside the screw holes. This results in it being impossible to screw your controller back together so it does not stay together very well while playing. DO NOT BUY THIS UNLESS YOUR POSITIVE THIS ISSUE HAS CHANGED!

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When this piece showed up, the finish was a perfect mirror, it really looked incredible. Installing it involved disassembling the controller which was a pain but not too difficult. The screw holes in the new faceplate didn't seem threaded as the screws were nearly impossible to get started. Overall, the install was something I don't want to do again.

The finished product though made me feel the whole ordeal was worth it....however, after 20-30 hours of gaming, the finish started to fade. Now, after 60 or so hours, the sides of the controller where your palm contacts the faceplate, is a grayish white with no chrome left on those sections. Anywhere on the faceplate where your hands/fingers come in constant contact, such as near the thumbsticks, has no chrome finish left.

If you are a casual gamer that digs mods, it really looks great. If you plan on puttin in some hours, I'd look to a different product.

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I got this gift for my boyfriend for christmas and he loves it more then Halo 3. Perfect gift for any person who loves xbox live games.

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This works good, it works better than the stickers if you know what your doing.

Discount Frogger Beyond

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Frogger Beyond is the next in the line of "new" Frogger games made by Konami. Konami and Hasbro have been battling it out for the contracts to create these games, Konami got the contract but this go-around, they took some careful notes from Hasbro.

First and foremost, if you like Frogger 2: Swampy's Revenge, you'll love this game, period. I loved Swampy's Revenge and was apprehensive about this game because I played Frogger: The Great Quest for Playstation 2. That was by far one of the worst console games I've ever played. It was full of problems and seemed completely under-developed. The Frogger character had poor control and in a couple parts he even got stuck to the point I had to reboot my PS2 to continue. You will see nothing of the sort in this sequel.

This game has clean and crisp graphics. The cell shading technique is done so well that you'll rarely see any jagged edges except for in a few of the FMVs (full motion videos). If you've played any of the other Frogger games, this aspect is one of the first things you'll notice. Most people do not buy this genre of game for the graphics themselves, but they really do look nice (this is in reference to the XBOX version). Some of the top-down levels are a little disorienting and difficult to get used to, but this does not take longer than loosing a few lives. I think younger kids will get past this without difficulty.

I read a complaint about the sound being poor but I have to disagree. This game features full Dolby 5.1 surround and it sounds great on my Dolby system. My only complaint about the sound, is the music done for the menus is out of place and annoying. It's sort of rap music that just gets on your nerves. It's best to type fast, pick your level and start playing!

I'm a 24 year old guy and this game has a lot of replay value and challenge. My wife and I both enjoy this game even at different gaming levels. I would recommend this for any child age 7 and up. There are several wonderful features that were added to this new version of Frogger in addition to the stuff mentioned above. You now only have to push one button to perform a double-jump. In Swampy's Revenge you had to hit the button twice to do a double jump and the timing was sometimes difficult. You also have a super jump that allows you to jump straight up in the air much higher than normal to get coins. You can also buy power-ups with you coins. In Swampy's Revenge when you got 100 coins you got a free life. In Frogger Beyond you now have a shop you can visit in-between levels to purchase power-ups which can be used during game play.

Here's the bottom line, this game is worth picking up. Konami did a great job and I truly appreciate the affordable price tag for a brand new game. If you have a gamer in the house that enjoys a great adventure game, this will be a great game for people of all ages.

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Frogger is one of the most addictive games I've ever played, and the new Frogger Beyond for XBox is even better! There are virtually endless levels and the graphics are exceptional--much better than the arcade version. It's kind of fun to see what the developers have imagined for Froggy's home world over the years since the original Frogger game came out. I think any fan of that arcade classic will approve of the new and massively improved version. This is money--and time--well spent!

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This game is addictive, and so much fun. If any of you actually remember the old frogger for Atari, and liked it, this game is a must. Frogger gets a make-over, and what a great make-over it is. I love this game. It has been in my xbox since I bought it a week ago. I can't stop playing it.

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I first got this game when the xbox first came out. Now I am playing it again for the first time nearly 10 years later. It is a great, challenging game.

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This modern 3-D update on the classic arcade game is very enjoyable. It is perfect for kids and even adults who aren't advanced enough for some of the faster paced technical games that are out there. There are plenty of levels so it doesn't get boring and is complicated enough to make it challenging without being overwhelming.

Rocksmith Guitar and Bass - Xbox 360 Reviews

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List Price: $59.99
Sale Price: $44.99
Today's Bonus: 25% Off

I have been messing around trying to teach myself bass for a few years now.

My problem is that I love the instrument but playing it along to youtube or a cd gets boring after awhile. Of course I would love to join a band but as a work in a job which means I travel a lot I could never commit.

I was thinking about selling my bass and try acoustic guitar. Then a friend of mine told me about Rocksmith and the new Bass version that was coming out.

To be honest I was apprehensive, I mean plugging my bass into the Xbox? Also I wondered if it was a gimmick and it would not improve my playing at all. Lets be honest at least on Rock Band/GH the drums resemble an actual drumset the guitars do not so that wont teach you. (Not that is it meant to)

I read about lag issues and being a non techie had expected issues but no it was pretty much plug and play. I do not have a complicated set up.

I have only played it a few hours and like the events, the set lists, the downloadable content and the technique exercises.

Will it help me to play Bass? Yes for sure, it won't teach me too much theory but it will help with fingering, shifting and plucking for sure. It will also give me a lot more confidence in my playing.

I will update this review the more I play it. I wanted to give this game 5 star for any budding bassists out there who are also thinking of giving this up. Try Rocksmith first!

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I originally started playing guitar when I was 12. I became fairly good at it by the time I hung it up at 17. Now, 22 years later, I purchased Rocksmith to help me pretty much start all over again.

After spending hours playing it, I can tell you, I LOVE it! The way it teaches you is awesome. Between the games and tutorials, it really helps you learn and hone your skills.

It also teaches you songs. The game gives you a few notes to begin with. It then slowly adds more as you progress, by seeing how many you can hit in a row. Before you know it, you are playing the entire song. And don't worry if you don't play for a little. It will tell you are struggling and give you less notes until you get back to where you were.

I really wish this was available when I originally started playing. It is a fantastic way to learn , or even re-learn!

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So happy about this "game".

I wanted to share my experience with lag.

In the beginning, it's pretty bad if you are using HDMI. The good news is it's fixable by grabbing one of those Xbox AV splitter dongles.

I originally ran HDMI from my Xbox to my receiver then the receiver passed the HDMI video to the TV. That caused lots of audio lag with this game so I changed my set up to this. Xbox HDMI straight to TV for video. For this game I ran RCA cables from the dongle to the CD input of my receiver. Audio lag was gone after that. Now running my receiver in this mode cuts out my subwoofer. I wondered how to bring the bass back and I ended up using an ART CoolSWITCH ABY Pedal to route sound to the Xbox and my bass amp from my bass guitar simultaneously. It worked perfect with no added lag. I also use quality Spectraflex cables.

Here's the tidbit that I would add. I was worried about losing my surround set up for other games but the cool thing is that the dongle passes S/PDIF and RCA audio signals simultaneously so I just attached that to a different input of my receiver for games like BF3. Now I have the best of both worlds.

This worked great but was really made possible by the fact that I have a beast Pioneer Elite receiver with tons of connection options. Also, all cables are available really cheap on Amazon so don't stress. I also use a low-tier Harmony remote to keep track of the different settings. Finally, as I now run HDMI video straight from the Xbox to the TV, I found that the game's video lag setting is too high. I simply backed it down from 50 (MS?) to 0 and the video lag went away and I was all good.

Honest reviews on Rocksmith Guitar and Bass - Xbox 360

Rocksmith is a pretty awesome tool for guitarists of all levels. I consider myself an intermediate guitarist. I am self-taught and mostly play acoustic/fingerstyle guitar. I caught Rocksmith on sale and decided to pick up an electric guitar to give it a shot. So far, I am not disappointed. The games main premise is to teach you songs. Learn the songs on a real guitar, score high enough and you unlock rewards and even more songs.

PROS:

+Rocksmith magically adjusts to match your skill level. It catches on pretty quickly to how many notes or chords you can handle. You never have to worry about never getting to the end of the song because Rocksmith constantly adjusts the song difficulty.

+Different rehearsal modes help master songs. I really enjoy the riff repeater feature. It takes a section of the song and you can either play the section slowly, gradually picking up speed each time you complete the section perfectly. My favorite is the Leveler mode. Each time you complete the section, it adds on more notes until you reach 100% mastery. If you feel that rehearsal mode doesn't give you enough credit in attempting more complexity you can manually adjust the settings in riff repeater.

+Song selection is varied. While i'm not familiar with a lot of the songs, it was a great way to get to know other genres of music and gain appreciation for them. I think for added variety they can add some jazz and blues types of songs.

+Virtual amp & cable: You only get one tone until you start unlocking custom tones and other gears. The virtual amp is pretty awesome and is one of the biggest reasons I invested in Rocksmith. I didn't want to invest in an amp, and for a beginner, I think what Rocksmith has to offer is more than adequate. Once you start unlocking gear, you can mess around and create your own tones. Score high enough on songs and you get that song tones as well. The cable is cross-platform so you can also turn your PC into a virtual amp if you have the right software.

TO BE IMPROVED I found the game really innovative and interesting that it's difficult to really find anything that I absolutely didn't like. Here are a few points that could be improved upon, though.

-Rhythm/Strumming There is zero instruction on rhythm and strumming patterns. Beginning guitarists will have to go elsewhere to learn how to create appropriate strumming patterns. For strumming sections, you can get away with all downstrokes.

-Finger placement I think that Rocksmith could have easily added an option to display suggest finger placement on the fretboard. It already shows you, quite uselessly with fingerprints, that you should move your finger from one fret to another. However, it doesn't suggest which ones.

-Guitarcade Guitarcade is a bit of a letdown. Some of the games can be useful tools such as Ducks/Superducks which lets you practice finding the right note on the fretboard. however, for many of the games, they are just that, games. I think there could have been more added value with a bit more focus on learning or another mode that was focused on learning scales/chords rather than playing (yes, I know it's a game).

-Audio latency This really wasn't such a huge issue for me since I knew about it beforehand. We have HDMI audio set up and there is a pretty significant delay from when you pluck a note and when you hear it from the speakers. We left our HDMI set up as is and plugged into the standard audio port of the Xbox 360. When I play Rocksmith, I mute our HDMI audio and just use the audio coming out of the regular port through a separate set of speakers or headphones. Our HDMI set-up is still in tact and we don't deal with latency issues. It's not a huge deal to get around but for some of you may have to go a little out of your way to get it to work.

-Visual display The Rocksmith display is innovative but as someone with a bit of experience reading music and tablature, it was confusing. Standard tab is read so that you look at the tablature or chord diagram and then project it onto the guitar fretboard. The Rocksmith display, however, is read as if the notes are coming towards your guitar. This may be simple for absolute beginners but for guitar tab readers, it looks backwards/upside down and downright confusing. There is an option to invert the display so it more closely resembles tab (high e-string on the top rather than the bottom. Honestly, I recommend that you immediately start playing the game with the inverted setting as it will be easier to read standard tab when you want to play outside of Rocksmith.

On top of that, the display moves around unnecessarily at times and can be a bit disconcerting or distracting.

-Tuner Before every song, the game asks you to pluck each string so it can check the guitar's tuning. Unless it's absolutely off, it really won't care or ask you to adjust the tuning. It's a pretty useless and tedious feature since it doesn't really check for precision. I recommend using the built-in precision tuner or your own guitar tuner at the start of each game session to ensure that your guitar is well-tuned.

Conclusion

If you really want to give guitar a shot, this isn't a bad way to start out. Rocksmith has its faults but it can be a really great tool for learning songs. I want to remind buyers that is a game/tool. There are still a lot of missing elements that you won't get from Rocksmith (like how to strum a guitar) but for it provides, it's an excellent practice and learning tool, especially if you want to simulate playing guitar in a band-like environment.

If it's important to you, I am using a short-scale Ibanez GRGM21 Mikro Electric Guitar (Black Night). If you also get a cheap guitar to play Rocksmith, I recommend getting it profesionally set-up as having good intonation is key to playing this game. Out of the box, the guitar did not work that great with the game. After getting the intonation fixed, it works like a charm with the game.

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Bought rocksmith just out of pure interest of the concept. I really enjoy it, the game is not easy,learning an instrument is never easy but it is fun and a cool change from using sheet music and scales. The free play mode is worth buying alone it lets you use all of the different FX pedals and equipment right on your Xbox (instead of buying all the expensive real equipment) so once again for $30 buy this game

BTW the game does come with one cable.