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i got this game as soon as i could because ive been closely following its development since i first heard about it two months ago. seeing screenshots and reading the previews only brought images of grand turismo and my favorite of all racing games, tokyo extreme racer zero.

the game is beautiful. the courses are gorgeous. the cars are realistic. blah blah blah, youve heard it before and you will hear it again.

the gameplay? its very fun and challenging. Apex, however, is by no means a driving sim. true, the engine sounds are very close to their real world counterparts, and the licensed cars are meticulously cloned, but the driving is very biased, and elementary. but its very fun. imagine ridge racer with grand turismos looks. this is something that will split gamers opinions.

Apex, does have one big, and nearly fatal flaw. its AI. its the one AI in the playground that doesnt play well with others --that means you. ive played the game for 15+ hours now and i gotta say, getting started was extremely tough and the AI can become nausiatingly frustrating. if you show signs that youll ever have to attend anger management classes, consider Apex a rental first...youll save yourself a lot of money, because i was on the verge of throwing my xbox out the window. first of all, the CPU will never spin out. NO MATTER WHAT, THE CPU WILL NEVER EVER SPIN OUT. you may be able to get in front of a car and pin him against something else, but that almost never happens. second, if youre trailing, either the car in front of you will use his nitrous oxide tanks (which you dont get as far as i know) and will leave you in its rear view mirror, or get right in front of you to make passing very difficult. dont think of making the slightest mistake like a late breaking manuver, or the cars you thought were 4 seconds behind you will come out of nowhere (whoever was in charge of creating the AI should me smacked)

the music is boring and forgetable...some sort of generic, ambient, jazz techno...i dont know. but the sound effects are a lot better. their what youd expect, which is good engine noise.

despite Apex's AI with a god complex, you cant deny the unique gameplay, or its enthralling nature. from the start i was immersed and couldnt get enough. you get to name your company and choose a logo for it. the characters you hire for your production company are all charasmatic and quirky (as charasmatic and quirky as game characters get).

personally, i think rallisport challenge is the ultimate xbox driving game. the graphics are very detailed, and even ambiant at times (but you knew this). and the gameplay is a lot better. but what apex has that rallisport doesn't, is a very personal element that more than makes up for the things it falls short on.

oh yea, this game would have been rad with xbox live support.

** i recommend this game to anyone, even non racing fans, but if you are at all easily irritated, rent first**

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When I first loaded this game it looked great. The graphics are extremly good. The feeling of speed is there and both the tracks and cars are very detail. it works alot to drag you into feeling like racing.

It has a really great feature. You get this run down metal shack. As you win races and do well this building changes. Constant upgrades and soon you can have a complex. That coupled with personalities within. The builder, the designer, the pretty secretary and sales all goes towards adding that something extra. The cars themselves have 3 levels with the end one fully decked out in racing colors. you get to chose which cars are built. This made the game immensly fun.

But where it really counts the game falls short. The racing. Yes the speed is there. But I found it very hard to win races and I am not a bad racer. The other cars do not spin out and anytime you connect with them they will get the better of it. You can hit thier front bumper with your rear and they will slide infront. It can be extremly hard to catch the leaders and you will always start in last place and have to race through the field.

I like to race clean. I like to race and not have to bang off other cars. But that is not possible in this game. I found more often than not that the only way to get in front was to wait till they were braking at a slow corner and ram them to brake.

For all the good of this game it just keeps falling short. A tragedy really as this game was so close to being the most fun I have had in a car game since Gran Turismo 1.

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Apex definitely has a lot going for it: excellent racetracks, stunning graphics, great car control, custom soundtracks and cheesy-but-fun characters to "interact" with.

But--and this is a big one--even though the game *looks* very realistic, the gameplay is not. Not at all. Specifically, the game is constantly adjusting the other cars based on *your* performance. If you wreck badly and travel the wrong way, you can easily (very easily) turn around and catch right back up with the pack. As soon as you catch up to them, they start moving faster again.

That by itself might not be too bad, but the opposite thing happens, too. If you work your way into first place, the other cars will virtually always remain right on your tail--no matter what you do. The computer *adjusts* them to make sure they are right behind you. If you edge onto the shoulder for just a moment, expect to be passed by one car. If you get all 4 tires off the track, expect to be passed by at least a couple of cars.

So, the cars you are racing perform, not based on their stats or characteristics, but on *your* performance. Essentially, having a superb 3rd lap will guarantee that you will be passed lap 4, even if you are near perfect. The incentive--don't do *too* well until the last lap.

In most races, there ends up being less than one second difference in the top three spots. No doubt the designers thought this approach would make the game competive for all skill levels. And no doubt they thought it would make the game more exciting to always have the cars so close. But, really, it's more like being punished for doing well. (Lightly graze your bumper on the final turn... expect to fall into 3rd, 4th or 5th place.)

They have this disclaimer when the game starts: "Results of the game will only reflect the ability of the player." Why would they feel the need to say that?

The only time I was ever able to pull more than a few car lengths ahead was at the end of the Roadster level. On the track with the very long straight-ways, I was able to get significantly ahead. (My car's top speed was then apparently greater than the top speed of all others.)

For the record, I've played through Project Gotham *twice* and I've got over 260,000 Kudos. I breezed through Sega GT 2002 in a couple of days. I think I've got reasonable "ability". Sorry Apex, close but no cigar.

Ok, I'm done. :-)

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"APEX Racing" for the XBOX is deep. There's not one negative thing I could say about it. Lavishly smooth graphics with NO slowdown. That's always a plus in my book. The cars handle great. I love how the car never feels like it's going to spin into a fish-tail at every turn like many racing games. While it's a bit arcadish, it still has a fantastic feel to it. Lastly, there's 54 tracks(as it claims on the back of the game case). I'm sick of spending a fortune on a race game, only for it to have 8 or 12 tracks. I have a feeling I'll be playing this one for awhile.

2 thumbs up to Atari and Milestone for a fantastic racer.

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It is the best racing game ever because you create your own car company and race against other cars like Ford, Chevy, and Toyota!! When you win you get sales for the car you raced and can get better and cooler cars if you get enough!!!!!!!!!!!

Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. Reviews

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After Prince of Persia and EndWar, this is the third major Ubisoft retail release to come out protected not by any intrusive yet ineffective DRM scheme but simply by gamers' honor. And, on top of that, it is a very good game.

There hasn't been a similar game released for some time now: simplified arcade-like action with easy controls, breath-taking cinematics and impressive graphics that will run in full even in mid-range PC systems. My advice: as with any flight combat game, using a joystick will make things so much more enjoyable and intuitive.

If you are more of an authenticity buff (and still have tons of free time to spare) I would advise going with a combat AddOn for Flight Simulator or a good old Jane's title. You will find no realistic cockpit and detailed controls in H.A.W.X. So, is this flight combat game dummied down? Well, yes. But I promise you: you will have FUN like never before!

Hammerheading over cityscapes and coming in from the Sun over the desert has never been more easy to master. The electronic aids and bare-minimum controls will let you enjoy the fights and start mastering them early on.

This is a 4star game but I decided to give it full marks just because the Canadians at UBISOFT keep walking the narrow path towards a DRM-free future. It cannot be easy to take such bold decisions during such a tight economy. They deserve our support.

RECOMMENDED!

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This is a pretty game, lots of action, lots of things to blow up, makes a lot of noise and seems to be a game aimed at kids. It is not in any way a flight sim except that it happens to take place in airplanes. And thats where any similarity to a flight sim ends.

The planes fly like they are on rails, there is no inertia whatsoever. Engines accelerate the planes with vertical climbs not making much difference to speed. You can jerk a high AOA turn and the speed stays pretty much constant. You can go inverted and pull loop a few thousand feet off the ground~ and make it. There is no speed compression, you can turn as sharp as you want at any speed. You can target enemy aircraft and ground targets about 2-3 seconds apart and fire on them from high off angles and speed at close range and still hit.

Not much of a sim, but fun as a game. EZ entry for people with no knowledge of flight sims or desire to learn all the stuff that goes with it. Its a console game adapted to a PC platform~ nuff said.

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UPDATE

I have to say that I continue to be impressed with this game as I play it more. I may have under appreciated the graphics, I find that the use of the satellite imagery to be a great thing and probably much cheaper than having designers start from scratch in a fictional world like Ace Combat series.

I think the Cape Canaveral map is cool but while playing I was reminded of an Ace Combat 4 map of basically the same thing, the Magellan Straits, Caribbean, Afghanistan, Middle East(Probably Arabia), Central African, and all of the 17 maps are really great. Another thing is that in the first mission, Juarez, Mexico, you support the Ghosts in the earlier GRAW games which is a nice tie in and I'm pretty sure you support the Rainbow Team from Rainbow Six Vegas in the Nevada map. Other noteworthy planes are the YF-23 that lost out to the F-22, the XA-20 Razorback which I've never seen anywhere else, X-29 demostrator, Harrier, EA-6B Prowler, Mig-21, A12 Wing, and other curiosities.

Something I wish was included was fully destructible environments, your missiles splash in the water but don't effect buildings or trees. Another thing that would be great would be add-on maps or a map editor in which we could use google earth imagery or some kind of expansion packs for helos, gunships or even prop planes. All in all I have to update my rating to an 8.5, since I'm a non-console player I can't compare it to the latest Ace Combat but I'm sure it more than holds it's own against it.

GENERAL THOUGHTS

Yeah this is a fun game that reminds me very much of the Ace Combat series for consoles of which I have not played since I became a PC only gamer. It's not a sim by any means but if you want that get the Microsoft flight sim or any of the other ones available on PC. I have to disagree with IGN's review of 6.7, the author clearly misses a lot of the details, such as the ability to release flares when an enemy has you locked, the changeable paint schemes and others, and has an animosity towards this game that is not called for, for me this game is between a 7.5 to 8.5 depending on how much you like the arcade modern jet combat game. I would say for me it's an 8 and that's 4/5 stars here.

The novelty of this game is really what is cool. I'm not much of a sim player and outside of that ,at least for PC gamers, there's not much in the way of cool jet fighter games. Who wouldn't want to fly one of these technological masterpieces but not have to worry about all the details that the real guys do? Not to mention the real-world locations, which is not offered in the Ace Combat series. My review is from a single player offline only POV and not really using any of the bots you can command, as it didn't really make much of a difference but I have to say I have not played this game to the end yet.

STORY

Well it's a pretty minimal story, and thanks for that I don't really follow that much in a game like this or racing games either. I still remember the silly and embarrassing Ace Combat 4 story although I did like the art style involved. This has just an ex-air force pilot(YOU) switching to a private security company that has no loyalties other than money and when it takes a contract to attack your country you rebel. That's all I'll get into as you can get a summary from the official reviews elsewhere. It takes place in 2014, standard Tom Clancy near future time setting.

GAMEPLAY

Well like I said this is an arcade game, meaning you can do about anything with your jet and as long as it doesn't hit the ground you will not be punished for it with things like flameouts or losing control. The combat is non-realistic as well, when you are under attack you can use flares and wildly maneuver your plane in any which way and it always works. Also it's a little too easy on normal difficulty, I had no trouble killing Su-27's, Apaches and various ground targets in the older FA-18 Hornet; I would expect and Su-27 to be a bigger challenge.

Also there is no need to worry about fuel as it's not even on your HUD as well as you being armed with nearly 200 missiles for every mission, even AceCombat5 had limitations that made the game a bit more strategic and challenging. Missiles can't be instantly fired in succession there's a bit of a waiting period after firing 2 to fire more. Your cannon/machinegun is unlimited as well but can't be used continuously as it get's hot and is a primarily burst weapon. The cluster bombs are awesome as well as the conventional large ground bombs with the usual HUD visualizations of trajectory and spread area.

That said it is kind of interesting to turn off the "assistance(HUD Forward View)" with left-ctrl and switch to a side view of the plane you are flying instead of the assisted normal swingman view, it's a little weird and I have not tried any missions with it on. There are no landing sequences to worry about either.

Another thing is if you hold down the missile fire button the camera will switch to the missiles view which is pretty cool. There's also something called the ERS which takes you step by step to an enemy kill, it makes it way too easy and really should be used for training purposes only.

TECHNICAL

I had no problems with the installation on Windows XP and the game picked up my Logitech Rumblepad 2 when I went into the controls settings and specified the joystick. The default settings were fine for my joypad. I have a midrange system and had no trouble getting 1680x1050 with all high. I'm using Q6600@2.4Ghz, 4GB RAM, 8800GT512.

GRAPHICS

These were standard to good, I would say nothing mind blowing but nothing too bad either. The jets all look like their real world counterparts and the real world cities look accurate since they are supposedly based on real satellite images, although they are limited in area. I wasn't hugely impressed with the Los Angeles area, being a resident of LA, I didn't see the Hollywood sign or other things other than the main downtown section. Also the Southern Nevada part is OK I suppose, mainly empty desert and what I assume to be Lake Mead, I used to live in S. Nevada and didn't really see much that was recognizable, I don't remember there being a Hoover Dam but I could be wrong.

The maps that stood out were Chicago, DC, Tokyo, and Rio. There's about 17 maps. The stars are really the planes as they should be.

I liked the water on the screen effect you get when going through rain. The explosions are standard this generation to look at but the explosions from the ground battles are pretty neat if nothing special. The way to really get a good view of the plane and surroundings, if not really all that conducive to play, is to use the assistance off setting using left-control. In summary the graphics are good this generation, that's not really a problem though since it's just cool to have a game like this finally for PC gamers.

SOUND

Pretty standard, everything sounds right from what I know. I turn off/down the music since I don't thing most fighter pilots are allowed that sort of thing in combat anyways and I don't need it to give me a better gaming experience as this is only a game. Some may like the drama enhancement you get from it but I'm not one of them. The explosions are pretty nice, you would of course never hear them like that in a jet but it's a game!

EXTRAS

One thing you should go and get from a third party is a plane and mission unlocker. There are massive amounts of real world planes here and I want access to them immediately, like the SR-71 Blackbird, F-117 Nighthawk, F16, F15,F14,all the migs, Mirage, Typhoon, A10 Warthog, F35 Joint Strike FIghter, F4, older 60's planes, awesome new looking Russian planes, experimental planes, F22 Raptor, next next generation USA planes, Jaguar, F-111, and probably others I've missed. As well as different loadouts of missiles for each planes specialties like precision bombs, ground target bombs, cluster bombs, air to air bombs or a mix of them particular to each plane and it's capabilities. I would guess there are at least 50 planes here not counting the variants of the same plane. My favorites include the F-15 Active, F-117, A10, SR-71, etc.

There are no helos,prop planes, gunships or heavy bombers here, this is all jets, but you do take down Apaches and other helos in missions. The planes also have at least one more selectable paint job, like the F-117 Nighthawk has the standard Stealth Black and also has the Camo pattern for daytime missions. Also there are multiple variants of each jet like the standard F16 and the upgraded F16c which I believe is the non-export USA edition or exported to close allies only as well as variants with different selectable paint jobs.

All of this stuff is unlockable only after finishing in the different difficulty settings or getting better ratings after missions or some online only stuff but who wants to do all that, search for the Hawx unlock on google and have a blast right away!

CLOSING

I recommend this to anyone who likes arcade flying games and doesn't want too much of a challenge. This game is great if you like jets in general and want the chance to fly them in a game with a wide variety. It's not a must have game, unless you are a lover of modern jets, but if you are looking for more variety in your game collection get this one. Of course this is not a fifty dollar game by any means so get it used when the prices come down, I'd say new in the forty dollar range. I'd say if you have the latest Burnout PC game or miss/enjoy the Ace Combat console series and seek a breather from the FPS's, RPG's, MMOG's and other dominant game types, this would fit nicely into your collection.

Honest reviews on Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X.

First off, I'll admit I'm a simulation type guy. I've played in-depth games like the JANES series, Microsoft FSX, and the sort. However, even I get tired of managing all those switches all the time and I just want to dance around the sky and blow things up. If thats what you want, than HAWX is definitely worth a look.

First off, the graphics are the game's strong attribute. The landscape and the planes are beautifully modeled. The effects however, such as flak, missiles, enemy fire, and certain explosions, seem to be lacking in authenticity when compared to the graphical quality of everything else.

The flight model is obviously very simple and easy to use; I wouldn't recommend hooking up a complex control system to play this game. I tried my Saitek X52 system with rudder pedals, didn't work so well. But a Microsoft Sidewinder with a throttle slider and twist-style stick works outstanding.

The one area that will be a challenge is when the assistence mode (AKA the alpha limiters for those aviation buffs) is turned off. This will allow some very high angle-of-attack manuevering and snap turns. However, the other reason this mode is challenging is because the camera viewpoint in this mode is normally off to the side of your plane, keeping your plane and your target in the same line of sight. But when you get into these close-in tight dogfights, the camera can't seem to keep the enemy plane in view for more than a few moments, and good luck trying to engage with guns in this mode if you run out of your three dozen missiles. Luckily, gun ammo is infinite, and bursts are limited to the gun's heat build-up.

Overall, this game makes me appreciate the other flight sims out there that are extremely realistic, but works in a pinch if I need to give my brain a break and blow stuff up. The one remaining downfall of this game is it is VERY much like the Ace Combat series, its practically a twin. And the missions can get somewhat repetitive. At the time of this review, I've only played ten missions in, so we'll see what remaining missions have in store.

Bottom line, definitely a console arcade game for the PC, shallow learning curve, repetitive gameplay, but awesome graphics and fun, if unrealistic flight modeling. Head to head matches will probably be the main focus of HAWX fans...Lastly, this is just one man's opinion, so feel free to try the game and make your own conclusions.

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When you don't even pay $6 for a game like this....how can you complain. (I bought the PC Download that is less than $5.50)

Seriously though, I played a couple missions and it's a good looking and interesting fighter/flight game. It's certainly not a sim, and it takes some getting use too..but as I said before...it's worth 4 stars in my book as far as price versus content.

Hasbro Family Game Night 1 and 2 Bundle - Nintendo Wii Reviews

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There are past memories galore for the adults from the live games that are included this video game. Many of the classics are included: Connect Four, Battleship, Yahtzee, Boggle, Sorry, Operation, Jenga, Connect 4x4, Bop-it, Pictureka.

They are set so it takes work to master them, which keeps the players interested.

I especially like these because it helps develop the cognitive skills and fine motor control without the violence of the typical games. It's important to come with the expectations of a different experience from the board games, similar to reading a book and seeing a movie with the same title. The games are based on the board games, but the experience will be different. Both are enjoyable; just different.

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My family and I all love this game. I like the Yahtzee and Sorry the most. It is a good way to get all the family together and play a game and when you are done all you have to do is turn the Wii off...no mess!

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I bought this for my brother-in-law and his family. We happened to be visiting them when they played it, so we got a chance to play it ourselves. We had kids ranging in age from 5 to 10 years old and everybody had a great time!

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We have been having a great time playing all the games. Some of the games that I do not like or know how to play; then my children enjoy. I like the fact that several of the games are old school games that they have updated to make fun for all. My youngest child is 6 years old. I also have a 8 year old, 12 year old and 16 year old. It is great because with the games age really does not matter much as to how well you will do with the game. On the negative side; I would have to agree with many of the past reviews that do not like the battle ship game. It requires that the other person not look while you place your pieces. Only way the is really fair is if you have the leave the room or something. I guess if you do that it can be still as fun as the other way to play it. Also Jenga is kind of crazy to play. My daughter who is the best at most all of these games; was not able to really get this one and I definetly could not play it. In the games defence; we have never really like to play the really game of Jenga. My 12 year old has played the other really version and she states that she actually liked it. We really enjoy the game over all.

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MY FAMILY HAS BEEN DOING GAME NIGHT FOR ALMOST 13 YEARS! THESE GAMES ARE AWESOME! 5 OR MORE GAMES PER DISK, NO MISSING PIESES, TORN MONEY, OR ARGUEMENT ABOUT SOMEONE CHEATING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLUS SET UP AND PUTTING AWAY ARE TAKEN CARE OF FOR YOU!!!!! CAN'T WAIT TIL WE GET THE NEXT ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Conviction Deluxe Reviews

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I was disappointed that Splinter Cell Conviction did not have as many gadgets as Splinter Cell Double Agent. I think that for the next Splinter Cell, it should incorporate the stealth features of the previous versions as well as upgrades. Overall, it was a good play.

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I just want to say that this game is THE best espionage action game I ever played. Despite minor inconveniences, such as buggy xbox 360 controller support on windows 7, the game is indeed solid. The studios at UBISOFT Montreal really have outdone themselves. The graphics are stellar, even though the game uses DirectX 9.0c and not 10 or even 11. I like the way the story is told to the player and the way the developers just envelop you, the player, in a very exciting and interesting world. The learning curve is not too bad and actually maybe easier for players who think "outside the box". Finally, the game's difficulty is augmented by the excellent AI portrayed by enemy combatants and excellent level design that encourages creative solutions and problem solving for the player to manuever through.

As I have stated initially, the only gripe that can truly be found about this game is the issues of usage with an xbox 360 controller with the game and maybe the fact that you need a permenant internet connection to play the game. Basically, when playing this game on I believe only windows 7, the buttons on the controller are not mapped properly. To remedy this, I use a Logitech F310 gamepad that can switch between xinput and logitech's own driver set, the latter being the appropriate mode for the game to play beautifully. Just have Logitech's profiler point to the game's executable, run the executable, and enjoy.

If you enjoy being a hero with untold precision and menacing military tactics at his disposal, you will indeed love playing this game. You can make Sam Fisher be a real killing machine once you get a hang of the game.

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The graphics are the most lifelike I have seen. No glitches so far, playing off and on for a few days. This was definately worth the money! Story line ok, using keyboard and mouse now, works fine but have controler on the way.

Windows 7 64 bit

GTX 275 x 2 SLI

Intel Q6600 quad

8 G Crucial

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Love the splinter cell series and this was a great deal I couldn't pass up! Wish it was a steam code but i'll settle for this as well!

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A good single-player experience, but be warned that there is ZERO SUPPORT for multiplayer. Use your best discretion... and probably don't buy this.

Skylanders Spyro's Adventure Pack - Empire of Ice Review

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Great addition to the game. You get a new Skylander for your collection, an extra level and two magic items. Really fun to play with your kids or by yourself.

Please, don't give in to these insane prices. Do not pay more than 19.99 for this or any other adventure pack out there. I went to buy it today at my local Wal Mart and the guy that got to the rack before me grabbed the last four because they are going for more than $50 online. I drove down two miles and bought it at Target for $20. So be patient and let these scalpers sit on their stock. As a parent of three I ask you to help stop the abuse and the greed. :)

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Slam Bam is a fun addition to the Skylander's game and the Empire of Ice features an Ice Fortress level that you can access in the game as well as to two magic items that can be invoked.

On another note, you can find this in stores now (normally retails for 19.99), so please don't support these scalpers by paying these exorbitant prices.

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THIS WAS THE MOST DISAPPOINTING ADVENTURE PACK FOR ME..FOR THE MONEY! We own all four that have been released..

DARKLIGHT CRYPT was the most fun and challenging of the four with VERY helpful extra items and GHOST ROASTER is VERY POWERFUL and FAST!

IF YOU CAN WAIT..SAVE YOUR MONEY AN PUT IT TOWARDS SKYLANDERS GIANTS!!!!! SCHEDULED FOR RELEASE IN OCTOBER 2012!!!

GREAT NEWS!!!! Current figures released will be able to be used with in it too!!!

It seems like they tried to get it out before Christmas...but didn't quite make it!! Your targets wear SANTA HATS!!! The idea was really cool with the ice world and uneven ground so you slip and slide into cactus's and holes. But it was way TOO SHORT AND EASY.. when my just turned six year old (in Kindergarten!!!) son can complete it in 15 minutes or less on his first try, and WITHOUT my help!

SLAM BAM is very slow when you first get him, but eventually he gets his very own surfboard that lets him move quickly over any surface (like Zap). He is a Yeti and his primary power is a 4 fisted punch and his second power is ice that comes from underground and can trap his opponents (like Prism Break). With the eventual "choose your path" upgrades you can either strengthen his punch attacks and acquire armor or you can upgrade his ice prison attacks. His soul gem is found within this Adventure Pack of course, and consists of a YETI-COOLING factor where he can surf even faster and gets upgraded snow goggles too surf in.. The extras consists of an "Anvil Rain" that randomly land (and can even get in YOUR way when you are running away from something) and a "Sky-Iron Shield". The "Sky-Iron Shield" consists of two shields that rotate slowly around you when you choose to place them on the portal. There is some distance between them, so you can still be hit. My son likes Slam Bam, but I would have rather paid $8.00 for him alone! In a way he resembles Terrafin (with his punch attacks)...save your money and buy Pirate Seas (the treasure chest and pirate swords are much more helpful that come with Terrafin) if his skills sound appealing or buy this one used later on.

UPDATE: SKYLANDERS GIANTS will be out OCT 21st. This Adventure Pack is worthy of purchasing now. I've even seen sales for buy one, get one 50% off. It will work in both the first Skylanders game (of course) and it will work in SKYLANDERS GIANTS! This purchase will expand your levels in Giants too! The figure will have a re-pose that will be coming out as a Series 2 for Giants as well. The series 2 figures that are re-poses will work on the first Skylanders game too. If you prefer, you can buy the figure as a part of a Legendary Triple Pack. Either way, Slam Bam is here to stay for a while!

*Evidently the Anvil is quite helpful for the Wii players in accomplishing Drobot's Heroic challenge in hitting only the green chompies. Unfortunately I have a PS3 and it doesn't work for me.

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It's disturbing to see what these sellers are asking for some of these Skylanders sets. You can pre-order this at WM today for $19.96.

I would encourage Amazon shoppers to take note of the stores scalping these and not purchase anything from them in the future.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Skylanders Spyro's Adventure Pack - Empire of Ice

Empire of Ice is the first Adventure Pack we've bought, with the main reason being for Slam Bam. Of the 4 water types, he's the only one with ice-based moves, and that makes him unique. Plus it doesn't hurt that he looks like Bumble from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer on steroids. This Pack's been selling out like crazy in the last few weeks, but if you're patient and keep checking this page, it's bound to show up again in no time.

As you can see in the picture, this set includes the following: the character Slam Bam, the Empire of Ice level, and Anvil Rain and Sky-Iron Shield, two items that are used immediately upon being placed on the portal. Slam Bam is a very strong and durable Skylander who fights with his powerful punches and can freeze enemies in a prison of ice. His special move, used by pressing the circle button (if you're playing on a ps3) lets him slide on the ground for a short distance. Sadly, this slide, which is a lot like Zap's Sea Slime move, is just for transportation and doesn't offer any kind of offense or defense. It's still a fast way of getting around compared to running. The punches are good when fully upgraded, but the best path for Slam Bam is upgrading his ice prison skill. With enemies immobilized, they're in for a world of hurt when Slam Bam comes stomping over. And for what it's worth, Mr. Bam can also surf on water with an ice surf board. Man this guy is stylin'!

The two items are both good but it felt weird using these since you don't get things like this during standard play. Place either item on the Portal, and they're activated instantly. Anvil Rain does exactly what the name impliesa ton of anvils fall from the sky for a short period of time, squashing everything they hit. As cool as it sounds, there are times when the anvils barely hit anything because they don't fall that rapidly, so enemies can move around before the next one hits the ground. Iron-Sky Shield is a nice item that protects your character for a limited time too. Both items are nice to have if an area's giving you a tough time, though the shield is the better of the two.

As for the Empire of Ice level itself, it's about the same length as any other level in the game. Many have complained about this, but with most levels in Skylanders being 15-25 minutes long, it fits right in with the others. To open the level, place the Empire of Ice piece on the Portal, and an area on the left side of the Ruins will open up. To get there, just go down to the beach, go past the boat on the left side and you can't miss it. The stage is a little frustrating since you're constantly sliding around on the icy floor, but it has some cool new enemies and two of my favorite hats in the gamea cossack hat and a Santa hat! The Santa one looks like your typical Santa hat but with spikes along the white fur bottom. Throw this baby on Slam Bam and it'll be a sure sign to evil-doers that he means business. I won't spoil anything about the stage and what's all in there, except I have to say that it ends in a very underwhelming way, and is the main reason why I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5. They couldn't have given us a more exciting final part? Hopefully the other Adventure Pack levels have better endings.

If you pay the original retail price for Empire of Ice, you're getting your money's worth. By now everyone knows that Skylanders is the huge thing in gaming, with Adventure Packs and characters selling out like crazy, which means inflated prices. Just be patient and you'll get one soon. And hey, by the time Giants comes out in a few months, all the focus will be on the new stuff that game brings along.

Discount Black - Xbox

Customer Ratings:

"Black" is a thrilling, if temporary, diversion from other games with more depth and replay value. This is a fast-paced shooter that the developers have described as "gun porn". It's made by Critereon, the team that does the outstanding "Burnout" racing series. If you've ever played those games, you know they specialize in spectacular scenes of destruction.

"Black" doesn't disappoint in that regard. In fact, that's the whole point of the game. Basically, you are handed an arsenal of weapons and expected to expend as much ammo as possible shooting everything that moves, and a great deal of what doesn't. You shoot until something either dies or blows up, and there ain't much that doesn't blow up. Wooden planks blow up in this game, for crying out loud.

The gun models are highly detailed. Supposedly the head of Critereon decided to make the game after spending time at a Las Vegas gun range. The scenery graphics are decent, perhaps on par with "Mercenaries" but well shy of the Xbox gold standard set by the likes of the "Splinter Cell" series. From what I've seen of the first couple levels it's a bit dark. The trick is to find the fuel cans and crates of explosives littered around the maps, and blast those to light up the area with serious fireworks.

Let me talk about the sound. Oh, the glorious sound! This game probably has the best sound of any Xbox game I've played. Despite the inclusion of 5.1 Dolby on a lot of Xbox games, I have never found in-game sounds to be especially satisfying. Not so here. Each gun sounds distinct, and deafeningly loud. Since I can only enjoy the smell of virtual napalm and cordite after my kid goes to bed, I have to keep things quiet. But this game is so outrageously noisy that I have to turn the sound system down to a setting that, if I was watching a DVD or TV, would be nearly inaudible. I'm not complaining, mind you. This is a good thing. At a normal setting, the sound effects rumble and boom like a thunderstorm in your living. Seriously, this is a huge component of the game's enjoyability, and I find it puzzling that more developers don't get this right.

I said "Black" will only be a temporary diversion for most people. That's because it's apparently really short. Seasoned FPS fans will probably be able to blow through it in 6 hours or so. I expect it will take a butterfingers like me more along the lines of 10 hours or more. There's no multiplayer whatever and very little replay value beyond unlocking silver weapons with unlimited ammo and finally an M16.

But what a ride in the meantime!

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"Black" is a great FPS game. It is more of a "shoot everything that moves" game than a strategy shooter. It does require some thought to the tactics you need to complete a level and some of the levels are very tough. If you don't do some planning you probably won't get very far. The graphics are good, the sound effects great. There are several different weapons available, shotguns, SMG's, pistols etc. The AI is average with the bad guys being pretty predictable but still tough. It is an excting game that should be very challenging at the higher difficulty levels. I have been playing on "Normal" and it is tough. The violence and language are pretty rough so this is definitely not for young kids.

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I'm hunkered down in a corner of a room on the second floor of what once was a metal hospital. The limp body of the last soldier to cross my path lies across a thin, stained mattress on the floor. I'm down to the last of my shotgun ammo, my AK's down to 20 bullets and my heartbeat is thrumping insistently. I try to regain my composure and take stock of my surroundings, using precious time to plan my next move while the enemy closes in. That is, until the world begins exploding around my ears. Above my head, a section of the wall is ripped away by a teeth-clenching shotgun blast. As I stand and turn to face my assailant, the windows to my right are diced with a spray of automatic fire. It's pointless to return fire as the afternoon sun has made any attempts to pinpoint the shooter(s) location blindingly unrealistic. I run for the door, only to find two more armed goons awaiting my arrival. Unfortunately, they remembered to bring heavy machine guns with them.

This is the world of Black one of the more realistic and satisfying shooters to come out in the past few years. The graphics are at times stunning, owing much to the realistic lighting. The way moonlight reflects from the barrel of your gun is often breathtaking, and the harsh glare of the afternoon sun is as beautiful as it is frustrating.

Much has been made of the designer's attempts to create fully destructible environments, and they do succeed to a point. But keep in mind that it's impossible to turn a city street into a flat, rubble garden. While you can fire a rocket launcher and take out a few stories of a building, the building will (in most cases) remain standing. Also, barriers such as fences, walls, and other obstacles that delineate each level are indestructible, which only makes sense. That it's impossible to pull a "Rampage" and level everything in sight is a minor quibble, and those who claim otherwise are missing the point.

This game is all about the guns and the pleasure that firing these guns provides. If your enemies are behind cover, then destroy their cover and pick them off. If your being shot at by a sniper in a building, then a few shots into an adjoining propane container will take out your foe and necessitate several architectural refurbishments.

The designers intentionally make your enemies harder to kill, thus necessitating an assessment of your environment, the positions of the enemy, and ways in which to exploit your surroundings to your advantage. While this can, at times, be frustrating you'll certainly find yourself killed at least once by an opponent that you just emptied a clip into with little effect, causing you to swear like a sailor and throw down the controller in disgust. But trust me, in five minutes you'll be back. In time, you'll recognize the importance of strategy over run-and-gun heroics, and will reap the satisfying rewards of several well-placed headshots and a nicely timed grenade throw or two.

Now, the game has some problems, which does bring down the rating. For one, it is short and an experienced gamer who takes his or her time playing at the "normal" level will likely finish the game in about 10 hours. While this doesn't affect the initial excitement and playability, the lack of a multiplayer mode (either online or otherwise) seriously diminishes the replayability. Also, since the "Hard" difficulty and "Black Ops" difficulty are so insanely HARD (no health packs!!!) and the save points few and far between, few players will glean any satisfaction from making incremental progress through a game they have already completed. Like the real field of battle, there is no learning curve and while the enemy may not wear as much armor in earlier levels and use cover less effectively, their bullets still do as much damage.

Another problem comes from the AI. While they are semi-intelligent and do a good job of working co-operatively and defensively, you will soon figure out that, in a fire-fight, they move in a predictable pattern from position to position over and over again. Therefore, it makes it easier to take down your opponents, but not in a satisfying way. In certain missions you'll be teamed up with AI soldiers who will help you during the level. Fortunately, they're tenacious fighters who cannot, under any circumstances, be killed. Unfortunately, they also can't hit the wide side of a barn from 10 feet and will let enemies shoot you without bothering to assist. It seems that they were included to make the game feel a bit less Rambo, and help alert you to dangers as they appear. They also shout orders like "Take out that RPG!" which becomes even more annoying when you've just taken your third hit of collateral damage from that RPG and realize that if you were working with soldiers who knew how to aim, RPGs wouldn't be much of a problem. As far as the co-op missions go, you're still on your own.

Finally, the lack of save points has been a major complaint from people who've reviewed this game in the past. While it's understandable and would have been nice to have more of them it also would have made the game too easy and equally unsatisfying. There's an exciting sense of dread when you're hunkered down, health meter close to gone, surrounded by heavily armed opponents and know that, if you get killed it means spending another 45 minutes getting back to this point. It gives you a reason to weigh your options, proceed with caution, and maybe just maybe you'll make it through this alive.

That said, the game probably isn't worth owning. But once the price drops a bit, it'll be worth checking out. For now, renting is probably the best option since the long term possibilities are limited (4 difficulty levels and that's it) although the ability to drop into a level once you've completed the game and cause some mayhem may help you while away a few hours when you're bored.

As for the pickle I'd gotten myself into in the mental hospital, the second I stepped into the hall I knew it was over. I managed to take one guy down with a hip shot from the shotgun, but caught one round too many as I furiously tried to reload. Then, everything went to grey. Then I screamed for the tenth time that day and loud enough for my neighbors to hear, how I would never "play this *$%#@ game again." And I'd shout the same thing ten times more before I was through. When a game can be equally frustrating, satifying, and fun it's definitely worth a gamer's attention.

Honest reviews on Black - Xbox

Black is a pretty cool game. You're a special ops guy who uses a bunch of different machine guns, sniper rifle, RPG, grenades and an assortment of handguns. The problem is....every other game has that stuff, too. Add in the fact that there is no online play and you have a game that's been done a million times before. Black does have one thing that most FPS don't...NO JUMP BUTTON. Fancy that! You can't jump over stuff so often times you get stuck on the edge of a box or railing and the enemy just blows you away. Also, you can't get to the places where your enemies are sometimes. That's bunk!

Anyway, Black is simply ok. Its fun for a while, but the entire time you are playing you just keep thinking, "haven't I played this game before?"

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Black - Xbox

I just got through playing this game for the first time and have to say I absolutely loved it. For someone who has played so many FPS type games being a staunch fan of all the WW2 Shooters Ghost Recon series Halo Medal of Honor Tom Clancy Splinter Cell etc etc etc; let me tell you, I was in heaven with this game. Maybe it's just the type of shooter I am but this is the first game that has ever given me such a cinematic thrill in gun play terms!

The game has a few quirks such as the lack of a jump button hey, I like to be able to jump! but you soon get over the lack thereof. The way things look in this game is just lush and pure noir. For lighting and graphics think Splinter Cell but whereas others may find Splinter Cell superior I found BLACK better for some reason. Perhaps Splinter Cell can look a little too much on the bleeding side of saturated colour that it's a tiny bit Disney for me at times. With BLACK I was in a very gritty, visceral environment at all times and with some really convincing scenery that only enhanced my playing experience.

The guns are superb in this game you may have played games with similar or even identical weapons before but they never looked and handled like these I promise you. The sound and feel when in use is second to none in gaming for my money and when you hit something it actually does what it should ... shatter, fray, splinter, split, shard, crumble, explode, obliterate, implode, crumple, twist, break, snap ... you get the idea?!!! No game I've played delivers like this one for target response to fire this is just killer! There are so many things to hit and detonate in this game and it's never been so much fun having at it with weapons.

The AI are pretty darn fun to go at it with there are some mean mofos out there, look out for the cats with the extra padding and hockey masks! Then later come the same cats but with bullet proof riot sheilds humping shotguns!!! The AI are excellent all round and act fairly consistently but not stupidly I was all at once challenged and kept in a high state of tension whilst gunning against them. Any game that puts me on the edge of my seat like this game did deserves 5 stars. The music in this game and the overall atmosphere are pure Noir ... perhaps the French version got called what I reckon it ought to be called, Noir!

It may have had some short comings overall I was a bit annoyed at not being able to adjust the panning ( left/right/up/down ) sensitivity of my weapons but who cares, there are so many things going for this game that I can't find a thing to complain about. You won't find a better FPS this year.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines - Xbox Review

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List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $18.59
Today's Bonus: 7% Off

Ummm, this game is ok to play but just.

I mean you go around and shoot things from one level to another skipping between the future and the past.The game play DOES become tedious and you should lose any enagaement with it after the first say 3 to 5 levels. Its not a particulary hard game, basically all get is swarms of AI coming for yah over and over and over AND OVER again with the occasional punch up.

The story begins with a prelude to the T3 film it is based on and then becomes involved with the events within the movie itself.

Graphically the CG scenes are quite good but still quite average and the actual gaming graphics is, at times horrid, but always never above average.

Game play is ok with you just knocking things off and there is an auto aim by pressing yah left trigger which can either help of hinder yah shooting depending on what yah trying to aim at, (auto aim will only lock on to one thing at a time). The flying AI will drive yah a bit insane.

Immersion is pretty bad for the average player but for fans of the films you make get a kick from being the Terminator and shooting other models of terminators, but i think this will be average and eventually dull gameplay for even the most die hard fan.

The extras are a bonus but are certainly not worth the full price of this game (maybe a cheap second hand copy would be a good purchase for fans).

Arnold's voice is a good addition to the game but becomes repeative and even though the Terminator is meant to be quite dry in tone and response, this Terminator tone sounds plained bored and its quite clear that Arnold was given a list of responses and quoted them quickly, picked up his pay cheque and left the sound recording thinking " Hasta La Vista Baby". There is just no enthusaim in this game.

The controls are just ok and its not hard to adjust to with about a 5 to 20 min learning time depending on yah experience and ability. For the most you will be shooting but occasionally you get a punch up and though the creators have justified the combot moving like a tank as these are Terminators not Kung-foo heros, it still just doesn't feel right and looks terrible. I don't expect them to do high, slow mode kicks and punches but i do expect some sort of fluidity with the controls. The fighting in this game is blocky, heavy and tank-like with you feeling your moving a 2 ton mach truck and moving it badly. I mean remeber the fight in the passage way of the shopping mall between Arnold and the T-1000. The one where John Connor realises he is in some serious doggy doo. Well this was heavy handed fighting, but was fluid. The way they oushed each other into the walls and through them. Each move moved into another gracefully but forcefully. Thats what this game should have adapted to . More combos might have helped this situation and tighter controls. Basically more care with the game and more creative ways of combat would have helped.

Overall the game is just poorly average and is one to buy at full price ONLY for those that have the cash to waste or consider themselfs to be die hard fans that simply must have everything Terminator. Personally id rather watch the movies but i may pick this up when its in a bargin bin somewhere so i have the extras.

Rent this game lads Don't buy buy the movies instead !!!!

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Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines is bar none the worst game tied to a movie license that I've ever played. The graphics are drab and lifeless, the controls are clunky, and the missions are boring and tedious. The game's only saving grace is the plethora of unlockables (CG in-game movies, theatrical clips, behind the scenes clips, stills, etc.) available to you as you progress through the game as well as a playable demo of a much better, currently unannounced, terminator game called T3: Redemption. There were times when I found myself playing the demo rather than the actual game itself. In it, you play as Arnold from a third person perspective as you blast away cyborgs and HK's on foot or on vehicle through a nuclear-scorched Los Angeles. This was the game that I should have been playing, not the rushed hack job I got instead. For die-hard fans, save you money till T3: Redemption comes out. Rise of the Machines by itself, is just an expensive demo.

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Well, what can one say about this game.

I guess your here wanting to know whether this game is any good or not ?

Answer : By far it is a sub average game with VERY tedious gameplay and poorly exucuted story fragments and cutscenes. The whole game is a bit of a mish mash of CGI footage and actual movie footage which really makes the game feel like it is cut and pasted.

The CGI is pretty good though a bit foggy looking like the beginning of Resident Evil Remake for Nintendo ( meaning there is a slight blur to it all). The movie scenes are good but just seemed un-nesccary and really didn't add anything to the game (if i wanted to see the film id get that).

The controls are relatively easy and don't take much time to pick up. Probabely because you will be doing the same thing over and over again. The AI in the game respawn in certain areas and you will be contiunally shooting those damn flying machines forever thinking " im getting bored of this". The developers just throws AI at you with the occasional mission directive (like find Sarah Connors coffin)and think they have this new sensational game. No they don't !!!!!!

Don't be fooled either by there campaign that they have the REAL man himself and that this makes the game better than any other. Arnold really doesn't have alot to do with this game. Basically all Arnold had to do for this game was go in a sound booth for a minute say 10 words like " excellent" " reloaded" and so forth and here we have the result. A game that really is repeative in every way and has no real distinction over other Terminators games for having the big fella involved.

The environments are mostly from the future setting with black charcol skys and burnt building and out of 22 levels about 18 of these are all like this. Boring, Dull and just too similar for anyone to care.

And this whole first person shooter cross bred with fist fighting ????? Yer, it works and i didn't mind the bouts with the T-X. I even get the lack of fluidity with the controls as these are machines fighting not kung-fu max payne rip offs. But still, it nuthin revoultionary or really adds a great deal for the game play. Though this was my favourite part of the game and trust me thats not saying much.

I played the whole thing through even though i got bored after the first 4 levels. The whole thing is a un-insipring mess that is not the NEXT big thing in gaming nor a decent add on to the Terminator mythos.

Conclusion: A big commerical mess that does not deliver on any of it's promises. RENT DONT BUY even if your a fan !!!!

Honest reviews on Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines - Xbox

This game is very good. You get to play as Arnold and play in the future and in the present and fight the t-x along the way.It does justice to T3 and if you enjoyed the movie, any of the movies, or you just like first person shooters than youll like this. Its not as good as Halo, but what is? you wont be dissapointed.

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its pretty good game but myn locked up in the middle and wouldnt play again so i never finished this game but from what i played was good

Discount Licensed Vault: Gears of War 3

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List Price: $89.95
Sale Price: $21.95
Today's Bonus: 76% Off

Normally, I don't write reviews. I'm more of a reader and analyzer; but in this case I can't keep my mouth shut. The Gears of War 3 Xbox 360 Vault by Calibur 11 is simply awesome. It's made out of very solid plastic, and has in-game interaction; the famous Gears logo glows red when you are downed in the game! It also has multiple light settings, so you can set it to turn on once in a while, or constantly, or just the perimeter, etc. It's a really nice case for my Xbox and it's very durable. You don't have to worry about this falling over on your entertainment center. Also, some added perks are it includes a code to enter into a contest to win a life-sized COG suit of armor, as well as the option to create nameplates that you can install onto your vault (I have my gamertag on mine). This is an excellent alternative to anyone who would consider getting a limited edition Xbox 360 for a much more affordable price, but still have it look unique and stand out in your living room. Highly recommended for all Gears fans especially!

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To begin with, I bought this for my brother as a birthday gift. I ordered it directly from Calibur11's website. After they charged my card, I heard nothing from them for about a week. Then I emailed them and asked what was going on. They emailed me back saying that they apologize but the Mass Effect 3 vault is on backorder (How does this work when you're the manufacturer?) and my order would be delayed for three weeks to a month. I told them that was fine, since I didn't order the Mass Effect 3 vault, I then asked them to cancel my order, as I would order it from Amazon instead, since there were multiple sellers selling it.

I placed the order, and it arrived. This thing is amazing looking. It really is, and I want that to be clear. I put it together on my brothers Xbox and plugged in the USB, only to find that the USB isn't working. Its either the USB thats not working, or the Vault came with dead LEDs. For some reason, which I admit I am unsure about, this just doesn't work. Brand new and it doesn't work.

My next step was to look online for support or help about this. I thought that perhaps others have had this issue. Good luck with that, is all I can say now. I couldn't find ANY support or help for any of the Calibur11 products, even on their own website. I resorted to posting a comment on their youtube video for the product in hopes of them seeing it and contacting me back.

This is horrible customer service on their part, on both accounts (the original order, and the lack of a help section). This was supposed to work out of the box, it does not. I am left with no other options but to leave this review so that others may know about my experience. I'll update this, accordingly, when or if I hear from Calibur11.

September 29th Update:

I finally got this working. The connector for the USB power that plugs in to the led's seemed to be slightly damaged, upon removing it and investigating. Luckily, I know a guy good with stuff like this and he fixed it up for me. The product now works as it should and glows properly.

I never heard ANYTHING from Calibur11, and as such, will probably not be a returning customer.

September 29th Update 2:

Apparently Calibur11 did contact me on Youtube. They sent me a link they called a "Troubleshooter". It was a link to

Nowhere on that website is there a troubleshooter. It describes how to set up the sound function, and nothing else. They did not help at all and I had to fix this issues myself (with the help of a friend).

To reiterate, I will not purchase from Calibur11 again.

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I bought the Gears 3 Bundle at release, and I bought this to go with it. Never have I felt it was a poor buy. Is it needed? No way! Yet, is it awesome? Hell yeah! It flashes and adds to my XBox that makes Gears noises. A match made in bloody C.O.G. Combat!

Honest reviews on Licensed Vault: Gears of War 3

This item is absolutely amazing and is well worth buying. It has many different light up settings which are so cool and everyone that sees them love it!

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love it love it keeps my xbox gears of war 3 edition upright and off of its side so it stays cool,it lights up when your playing the game,it even lit up when i was watching cable tv to certain sounds love it,what else can i say

Buy Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations - Playstation 3

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List Price: $59.95
Sale Price: $29.99
Today's Bonus: 50% Off

what can i say!! am a huge fan of this great anime and actually this is my first naruto game i play on the ps3. i've been playing ps2 games though.

anyway, i rarely write reviews on amazon but i couldn't resist writing this one because CyperConnect created an awesome game for an awesome anime!!!

you gonna laugh so bad when you reach the ending of the story mode i don't wanna spoil it but i personally laughed and danced.

this review gonna be short because i really want to go back playing this addictive game i'll just mention pros and cons...

pros:

1fluid and very responsive game play

2a huge number of characters!!

3some anime scenes and comic you never seen before not a lot of them but still will interest the Fans.

4an awesome story mode where you gonna see different aspects of the anime story.

5few modes that will keep you playing this game for along time such as tournament , survival ,and online battle mode.

cons:

1-they did not include what happens after naruto defeats pain like how he got this new yellow power from the nine tails daemon (Kyuubi)

2-No Adventure mode this time is such a disappointment, the developer decided not to include one this time.. WHY!!!!!!

to conclude this review i want to say if you are Hesitant whether this game is worth your money don't be if you like the anime i guarantee this game you will love it. and i hope this review was helpful to you

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I Have played both Ultimate Ninja Storm 1 and 2 and I can happily say that Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Storm Generations is without a doubt my favorite Naruto Game out there! With more than 70 playable characters this has the largest roster in a Naruto game to date! I have been playing it non stop since I picked it up this morning and wow am i really enjoying it! While i can say a bit was taken away from the story as a whole most major points are covered and of course more stories are told not included in the other two games.The graphics ars stunning as always and combat is really fun! Do yourself a favor and pick it up

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The creators of the Ultimate Storm video game series seemed to shoot themselves in the feet with UNS: Generations. This game appeared to be, at least to me, a sort of buffer between UNS: 2 and UNS: 3. The fact that Generations came right in the middle of the Storm 2 and Storm 3, combined with the lower quality of this game, makes it obvious that developers were trying to keep fans of the video game series interested while waiting patiently for the 3rd installment. Unfortunately, as a fan of the series, I was not satisfied with this game as I anticipated to be.

PROBLEM AREAS: (Sadly, there are many.)

-Lack of story mode: Obviously because developers were putting Naruto Shippuden UNS: 3 into process, and did not have the money to spend and the time to promote a more extensive game with longer game play and larger worlds. Taking away a key component of the game series to be able to move around as Naruto, Sasuke and other characters in a story mode where one can gather items and interact with the environment is a HUGE draw back to me. It'll lead me into my next point...

-Fixed, narrated story mode: This made up for the lack of free play. To me, the narration was inconsistent and the individuals used for narration in the Japanese version, which I vastly prefer over the dub did not seem to mesh well with the personalities/storylines of the characters they were narrating for. That's just an opinion, but for example, the Japanese narration for Sasuke's arc was heavy, drawn-out and awkward sounding. Not to mention that I didn't feel like sitting through a lengthy, verbose narration about things I already knew well of the characters in the game! With this new and mediocre mode, one unlocks new arcs without free play by finishing initial arcs first if you beat Sasuke's tale, you unlock Itachi's, and so on and so forth. To me, this didn't seem challenging.

-Lack of difficulty: Again, this game did not have a difficult layout. You beat one arc, you unlock another, and if you are very bored of watching 5-10 minute narrations about things you already know [if you've watched the show or read up to date what is happening], you skip the cutscenes, head into battles we've sometimes even seen before in previous games, and then move onto another narration/cutscene. The game itself is very FLAT.

-Some CGI glitches: Just something I noticed. Movement could get awkward at times. The developers aimed high to make character movement more fluid but now and then it becomes difficult to maneuver the characters and how they move. Hopefully it will be better in UNS: 3.

-Poor concept art: I might be picky with this since I am an artist myself, but I found the art for this game the drawings of characters as we select them for battle in the free play arena/computer vs. player, etc. mode to be poorer than previous concept art we have seen with the UNS series. I found the new drawings of our favorite characters to be somewhat... off, and not as aligned to Kishimoto's vision. Essentially they seemed like a fan artist's version of these characters, a very good version, but not the Kishimoto version. This irked me, and seemed to reinforce that the time put into this makes it a cheap buffer game and nothing more.

-New substitution meter: For some reason, developers put in a substitution bar for doing substitutions that makes it impossible for one to do an unlimited number as we could in Storm: 2. You have a certain number of substitutions available and if the bar runs out, even if you have chakra at your demand, well... good luck! This was annoying. Substitution is a huge win factor in the Storm series. Without it, you could very well die...all the time.

POSITIVE AREAS: (Yes, this game does have some positives, but not many!)

-An attempt at more fluid game play. Stated in the above. It was a major improvement from the last game and I appreciate this despite some glitches.

-Very attractive visuals, which is always a huge plus for this game series.

-A wide range of characters to unlock and play... but perhaps too many? It's really a matter of opinion. I see the 'generations' theme they were going for though. I think that the wide range of characters could be fun for individuals who are newer to the Naruto/Shippuden series.

-Some interesting new battle areas. Not fabulous, but the effort is put in and you can tell. They were going for variety here.

VERDICT: This game is definitely a buffer game, and take that as you will. You will NOT find the high quality, free play story mode of Storm 2 and previous games, and this might make some of you out there, if you're anything like me, very frustrated. The visuals are excellent, but is that worth paying even 27 or 28 dollars for this game, when you could save up to pre-order Ultimate Ninja Storm: 3? Absolutely not. If you're a big fan of this series you're bound to face disappointment.

Don't waste the cash. Even though I was thinking of giving this 1 star, the effort put into SOME areas, like visuals, more fluid game play, and a greater variety prevented me from giving this game 1 star, but it still not worth paying the money for. It's only so-so.

Honest reviews on Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations - Playstation 3

I'm pretty sure I've played most, if not all, of the Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm games. While this one is my favorite (mainly because of the new characters you can use), there are some things of the past I wished this game had.

Game Modes: There's no explore Konoha and surrouding areas RPG mode! While this aspect isn't necessary in a fighting game, and I've seen other recent fighting games also eliniate this part, it definitely allows the player to take a break from the sometimes monotony of continuously battling. I'm not a big online battler either, so an RPG mode would have been greatly appreciated. The story mode is interesting as it takes you through the perspectives of different characters. I was definitely looking forward to the new Anime scenes that were being promoted, but, honestly, only a couple of them were of any real worth or fun to watch. Another downside to the story mode is that, even though you do get to play as different characters, some of them have intertwining stories, and therefore it's possible for you to fight the same battle two or three times...just as different people. That to me became too monotonous to a point. Also, the lack of "cinematic/quick time" battles leaves the mode a bit lacking. Free Battle Mode has your typical VS, Online Battle, and Training. There's also a Survival Mode and Tournament Mode. I have tried Tournament yet, but I do like the survival. It provides a good amount of chalenge at times, and I'm only at the intermmediate level right now. You have to start at Basic or Beginner Level (can't remember what it's called) and work your way up. The other modes are the Store and Collection, which are all self-explanatory.

Gameplay: The battle system really hasn't change from the past couple games. The attack, jump, item, and chakra charge buttons are all the same. Every character has one jutsu attack and one Ultimate Jutsu (which, sadly, were all recycled from the last game except for the new characters). This is actually one of the things I hate the most about the last couple games. in the past, although you could still use only one Ultimate Jutsu, but at least almost every character had a few of them to chose from. There's still Awakening Mode. For those new to the series, this mode becomes available when your HP gets below 50%. You charge your chakra to the max, and your characters gain heightened defense, attack, etc. You also still have to support characters, each with pre-assigned characteristics (attack, defense, or balance). You have a team gauge, and the more you use your support characters, the more the gauge fills. When you fill the gauge up once, it automatically activates your supports' passive abilities. If the ability is Attack, your support will join you for a few hits when you attack your opponent with regular attacks, and when you knock and opponent back (either with a jutsu or regular attack) your support will appear to knock them back for an extra hit. If their ability is defense, your support will protect you while you chakra charge or when an opponent tries to dash at you in order to stun you. Finally, if their ability is balance then your support will join you when you when you chakra charge and throw shuriken and they will also take your opponent's Ultimate's Jutsu instead of you getting hit (which can be useful but it also knocks out that support for the remainder of the battle). Now, if you fill the gauge up a second time, it allows you to do a team attack, which is always fun to watch and can take away almost 50% of the enemy's HP. The one thing I wish the game implemented was switching out your team of characters during battle, kind of like Marvel vs Capcom instead of having one main fighter and two supports. The only really big change that I noticed was that you can't spam the subtitution jutsu. You have a gauge that lets you do it a maximum of four times, and then you'll have to wait for the gauge to refill any of the four bars before you can use it again. This definitely adds more strategy to the game, which is good.

Characters: Yes, there are over 70 characters that span from the beginning of the Naruto timeline to the 5 Hokage Summit Arc. Here's my beef though. Only like 20 of those characters are from before Shippuuden, which is disappointing to me because I was really looking forward to playing as characters that they stopped using in the recent games like (Anko, Kurenai, the Sound 4) and maybe even some new ones from that generation like (Genma, Raido, Ibiki). Oh, but it's not that those characters don't appear in the game, they're just support only. So not only are there less characters from teh first generation, the ones you can use are just younger versions of Naruto and his friends. More diversity would have been nice.

The only other thing I can think to comment on are the stages. There's a good number of them, but there is also some repetition. A few of the stages are the same place just different times of day or different weather.

Despite all of the things that I found to be a downside (they are all personal opinions), this game is a ton of fun, and the new characters are a definite welcome addition.

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Well, I bought this like three months ago, I usually don't care about online playing so I just spend my playing time against the computer or completing the story modes, so for a fighting game is the same than all the others naruto games for ps3 very repetitive, so the only way you enjoy this game is if you love this tv show otherwise it doesn't have much to offer, besides the big character roster.

I will by ultimate ninja storm 3 when the price drops because even if it's like the second part which was very good, naruto games don't deserve to be so expensive. They are too silly for being so expensive :P

HDE USB Hard Disk Data Transfer Cable for Xbox 360 Slim Review

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $15.99
Sale Price: $5.37
Today's Bonus: 66% Off

This product is meant to be used on PC. I tried to transfer data from my old Xbox hard drive to the new one using an Xbox 360 slim. I did not receive any pop-up message when I connected the transfer cable. Thus, I had no way of transferring data to my new hard drive. Just to be sure, I went to the xbox storage menu (system). The transfer cable showed up as a usb (no id or text beside it, just a picture of a grey usb). The only way to get it to work was to configure the device as a compatible xbox 360 usb using the "Configure Now" option. DON'T DO THIS, IT WILL FORMAT YOUR HARD DRIVE LEAVING YOU WITH AN UNDETECTABLE HARD DRIVE. THE HARD DRIVE WILL NO LONGER WORK AS AN OFFICIAL XBOX 360 HARD DRIVE. IT WILL ONLY BE DETECTED THROUGH THE USE OF THIS TRANSFER CABLE. THIS WILL ONLY GIVE YOU UP TO 32GB OF STORAGE WHEN YOU COULD HAVE UP TO 320GB INSTEAD. Although this device isn't meant to be used as a transfer cable on an xbox 360, you can use this cable to connect internal laptop hard drives (2.5 inch drives)externally. Basically, you can use an old internal hard drive as an external portable hard drive. Just format your old drive and it will show up like any other external WD HDD. Overall, this product will not transfer data between hard drives on your xbox. But the product is good at completing other tasks. There might be a way to transfer data between hard drives using a third party program like Xplorer 360 (its free). You will need a specific Xplorer 360 application for your hard drive. There is an Xplorer 360 320gb version along with 20gb, 60gb, 120gb, and 250gb versions. I would need Xplorer360 320GB edition for my 320GB (not an official microsoft product) hard drive. I haven't tried this method but I believe it could work. Its too late for me to try this method because I already used the "Configure Now" option on my 320GB hard drive. After formating my useless drive on my PC using the transfer cable, my 320GB drive is just another internal/external drive that can't be used on an xbox. Btw, I tried HDDHACKR. Its not compatible with my Samsung/Seagate hard drive because HDDHACKR only supports WD HDDs (mostly Scorpio versions). After a few hours of browsing and searching, I couldn't find a solution to fix my hard drive. There isn't a safe and effective way of hacking a Samsung/Seagate hard drive to work on an xbox 360/xbox 360 slim. I know i went off topic but I just wanted to warn you and let you know about what problems you might have encountered. Sorry for the long review, I hope I helped or prevented something... :)

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Works for all hard drives xbox 360 and computer hard drives. I haven't found any problems with this data transfer cable.

Cheap Gears of War (2-Disc Edition) -Xbox 360

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List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $14.49
Today's Bonus: 28% Off

Gears of War shouldn't be a stranger to any gamer's ears at this point. It's won an absolute truckload of awards and is far and away one of the best shooters available today. It's really a game that should not be missed.

Enter the 2-Disc edition, which with it's reduced price and bonus content is perfect for those that didn't get to jump on board the first time around. A lot of this content is available to download from Xbox LIVE, however as a new purchase its nice to receive all the maps and such already in the box. Also you'll get the exclusive "Emergence Day" gamer themes and pics that were only available at a limited time during the launch in 2006.

If you're already a Gears owner, then this is not the package for you, but as someone looking to get in on the action before the fall of Gears of War 2, this is a great package at an awesome value.

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As is obvious from all its acclaim, Gears is an excellent game.

All of the bonus content is free online and on xbox live. For those with high-speed internet, I don't think it is worth getting the 2-disc edition.

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Very cool game, charged with lot of action and good story, this title has to be part of your game collection!

And also get the second part!

Honest reviews on Gears of War (2-Disc Edition) -Xbox 360

This is perhaps THE MOST polished third-person shooter I've played since Resident Evil 4. Its cover-combat system is highly influential in its genre and its influence can be felt in more recent efforts such as Mass Effect 2 and GTA IV. The game knows not to bore us with plot and introduces us to a variety of hilarious macho characters. The action is intense and non-stop. The night-time levels are superbly atmospheric. I can see why this franchise is so popular!

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Campaign review: GoW is a nice change of pace from Halo 3 in that you're fighting a losing battle in GoW and the fighting is more "gritty." For whatever reason, GoW seems like more of a challenge to me than Halo 3.

Review of Xbox 360 250GB Holiday Value Bundle (Amazon exclusive Bonus Value)

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I bought a couple 360 bundles this year. Why? Well, the Halo4 bundle was something I really couldnt pass up and have it set up in a Vanguard portable rig, a couple were gifts, but this one here is the console I set up next to my PS3 in my living room. The 250 gig drive is big enough to contain my collection of games with plenty of room to spare. The inclusion of Forza 4 and the Skyrim download was pretty sweet, the extra 4 months of Live Gold was cool (3 for the promotion plus 1 already in the box), the controller is the standard issue of course as is the carppy headset, lol (replace the headset....they are flimsy and wont last long). My only gripe is probably the same as everybody elses....no HDMI cable included. That seems like a poor oversight for a relatively cheap and fairly essential piece (at least if you plan to get the most out of your xbox...without it, you'll be running at like 480p). You also get a handful of Arcade game codes (which are basically glorified demos).

Anyways, there isnt really anything magnificent or special here except for the savings from buying the bundle vs buying everything separately, but hey, that's why you buy a bundle. Better value. From that standpoint, this bundle truly shines.

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Great! it arrived a day earlier than stated on the tracking page. intead of the four months it says we are supposed to get of live mine got five. this was a great deal!

Best Deals for Xbox 360 250GB Holiday Value Bundle (Amazon exclusive Bonus Value)

Bought it for my birthday, more or less just for Skyrim. The downloadable token alone makes the deal worth it, I hardly plan on playing Forza considering I have always been a Need for Speed fan above all other racing games, but whatever a free cookie is better than no cookies so i'm not really complaining.

Compatibility issues with Skyrim on the Playstation 3 were really the winning push that compelled me to return once again to the Xbox 360. I would honestly resume upgrading my computer, considering I already own skyrim on Steam, however with the introduction of Windows 8 and the PC gaming community slowly in decline due to piracy, lack of developer support and in general the fact that a lot of games being made today are crappy ports of console games to PC, it makes it extremely unnecessary to have a gaming rig in the first place in the 21st century.

Regardless, considering the individual price for each specific product, the Xbox 360 4GB running at 199.99 fresh out of the box, Forza and Skyrim 34.99 each respectively, the hard drive alone hovering close to 30.00 (not OEM which means no backwards compatibility), this really is the best deal out for the Xbox if you don't plan on doing anything kinect related.

All things considered for the total price of the console before tax and shipping you're saving about 30 bucks. In my case a little less considering Forza is junk to me but who knows, I may turn out to like it after all, we will see.

Honest reviews on Xbox 360 250GB Holiday Value Bundle (Amazon exclusive Bonus Value)

I couldn't believe the deal they had here. I get a new xbox slim console with the 250gb hard drive, 5 arcade games, Skyrim, Forza, 4 months xbox live, and two free month subcriptions to epix and hulu. You can't beat that value. Xbox alos has come along way. The new layouts are very easy to use and not as confusing as the ps3. There are also way more features xbox has been adding over the years that made the switch from ps3 to xbox truly worth it.

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So these Holiday Bundles are available at best buy, walmart, and probably most stores that sell xbox's.

I chose to buy from Amazon, because of the "extras", and of course 2 days later no signs of any extras.

Now from reading other reviews and comments, I see I am not the only one....

When you open the amazon box, there should be 5 codes for download of arcade games, 1 code for 3 months of xbox live, go to your account and a $10 video credit should be there

Where is the difficulty in that??

Now I am a big fan of amazon, but in the case of another "bundle" with extras, i'll forgo the extras and just buy it locally.

Very poorly handled Amazon

Xbox itself 5 stars

Skyrim 5 Stars

Forza not interested

Rating for Amazon on this one 2 stars

ATV: Quad Power Racing 2 Review

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As an adult who doesn't have a whole lotta time to spare, this game is great for short 5-20 minute gaming, but can easily result in longer play time because of how addicting it is. The greatest things about this game are 1) the vastness of the tracks, 2) the serious air you can get with the ATVs, 3) the flexibility of the ATVs and 4) the wide range of play options.

The wide tracks allow a lot of room for mistaken swerving. Although there are some narrow spots, even if you bump into the walls lightly you won't fall off. This game is very forgiving when landing basic jumps. I've landed 50 yard jumps on only one wheel or even at an angle and still continued on racing. Landing after tricks is a bit more challenging but a good one for casual gamers. Speaking of tricks, only on another planet would you be able to pull off some of the crazy jumps in this game, but that's part of the fun. Who cares if you can't pull off a 360 backflip on an ATV in the middle of a rock quarry in real life. You can in this game and it's a lot of fun seeing how high and far you can jump during a mad dash to the finish line.

Some of the cons:

-The soundtracks do get old after awhile and allowing an option to upload your own MP3s onto the playlist would have been sweet.

This doesn't detract much from the game though.

-No replay cam. Would have been nice to rewatch some of the insane tricks.

I bought this game for $... at Fry's and it's worth a lot more than what I paid for.

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This is a very fun game. End of story.

Well, there is a bit more to it, actually: This game is not a mile stone in entertainment software. It is not going to rival games such as Rallysport Challenge, Project Gotham, or MotoGP. But it is a lot of fun to play.

It is also easy to learn, which makes this game one of the few games one can play with friends that do not normally play a lot of games. Today, most games are so sophisticated, they just don't allow serious and casual gamers to play together. This game is different! (And has a few nasty features such as kicking the other drivers off their ATV... this can add some spice to a friendly rivalry...)

Just for being a fun party game, I would give this game 5 stars. Of course, that wouldn't be quite fair to games such as Splinter Cell.

Best Deals for ATV: Quad Power Racing 2

If you like laugh-out-loud, arcade-style racers, then you'll love ATV 2.

It's fast, the physics are totally spot-on, and it's just a ton of fun. Knocing other bikers off their rides, a-la Road Rash, is very satisfying, and will have you yelling at the screen with evil delight.

The graphics are smooth and beautiful, with bump mapping, specular level-mapping, and lots of road-side detail, as well as bikes that articulate and respond to the road in a very realistic manner. Each "world" in the game (there are 15) is unique not only in appearance, but in how the races within it are strategically won. Some have more twists and turns, others are wider and flatter, others still are so foggy that visibility is very short, and some depend more on obstacles suddenly smashing into view after a tight corner.

I only give the game 4 stars because:

The arcade mode makes no sense. You race against other riders, but the only thing that matters is beating the timer, so who cares? Stick to the career mode. It's much more fun.

Tricks are, well, tricky. You have to press a button while simultaneously pressing a direction on the thumbstick. Seems to me this could have been better implemented.

The other modes (Freestyle, etc.) should have been integrated into Career. This would have made Career longer and more enjoyable, and would have given the game more structure. (Hey game designers, write me a book, don't just hand me a typewriter, you know what I mean?)

This is more of a tip, but the default controls are awful. You can change them to something very functional in Options by selecting "controller one". Use "setup C".

Overall though, I in no way regret buying this game, and play it very often.

Honest reviews on ATV: Quad Power Racing 2

Don't you hate when someone makes a sequel to a already bad game?You do? Then it's time to quit hating, Climax's latest is light years better than it's ugly-as-sin predecessor and is already worthy to compete against Sony's Offroad Fury series. The visuals have taken a giantic leap forward, the tracks are more intelligently designed (but still have stupid obstacles that require no memorization to avoid), and the controls have gotten the reworking they desperately deserved. If you can live without that "other" game's online support, then this is golden.

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My freinds and i played challenge taking turns for hours. In challenge you ride through courses, based on fastest time. We laughed so hard. I also own ATV Offroad Fury 1-2. Atv QP2 is fun and isn't just racing and tricks. Day 3 pro level in game I still have more to unlock. A must try. It's just that good. Rent or buy it's worth the trip.

--PS- (Change the controls to type C).