Discount Dance Dance Revolution Konamix and Gamesis Multi-Platform Dance

Customer Ratings:

I've owned this pad for about 6 months now and all together I'm fairly satisfied with it. As the description says it is the cheapest pad (that I could find) that will work with the PS1, PS2, Xbox, and the PC. Quality wise I would say that this pad is worse than the official pads from Konami. When I received mine it wouldn't lie flat on the floor until I had used it for awhile and there were some creases in the foam on the bottom that still have not gone away. As far as sensitivity originally it seemed fine but recently I have noticed that I have needed to hit the buttons harder to get them to register but that might be the result of my increase in skill level since I started using the pad. Still for $20 I don't think I would be overly disappointed if the pad broke down after 6 or so months of fairly heavy use. Overall I would say that if you plan on only using the pad for console playing stick with an official brand but if you are looking for a pad to use with a PC program (like Stepmania) and still be able to play console DDR titles this pad is a fairly economical choice.

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Cheap Plantronics Gamecom X10 - Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $24.95
Sale Price: $14.15
Today's Bonus: 43% Off

My Microsoft headset microphone stopped working after 7 months and my identical spare did not work out of the box (Microsoft did replace one with one that did work), so I swore off all Microsoft 360 headsets and went with the Plantronics X10 for Xbox 360. At first, it was a little snug but soon I got used to it. Works like a charm and all of my friends can now hear me loud and clear. I really like the volume/mute switch being inline because I can clip it to where I need it. At $14.99, this head set was cheaper than the Microsoft version. Hopefully, the Plantronics headset will last longer than the Microsoft set. I gave this headset 4 stars due to it's tighter than expected fit. All in all a better choice....so far.

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I ordered this headset cause of two reasons. I wanted my own (cause I only had one and I was sharing it my sister) and for best performance under a reasonable price. So I found this headset here on Amazon. It had good reviews so that was easy enough to convince me. Now let me go into detail about this headset. First of all the most notable thing about the Plantronics Xbox 360 (Xbox compatible too) headset is it's durability. The regular Microsoft headset is kinda ok but it looks like it could break easily as most people have reported this. It's design is very great. The head band is a little bit off curved but that's still ok. The microphone is flexible that way you can have it face to your mouth. It is also switchable in sides so that you can have it either on your left or right side of your face. The output sound on the speaker is like 2x better than the regular Microsoft headset. The shape of the speaker is comfortable than the circle shape. I have been told by my Xbox Live friends that they can hear me very well. Lastly is the headset's color. It's very xbox traditional color Black and Green. Anyways, I love my headset. If you're looking for something cheap yet very good at performance then this headset is the way to go. Hands down. Of course I wouldn't say it's the very best other than those hundred dollar headsets, but it's still good. So yeah that's it. I will try to put a video review soon. So look out for that.

*******UPDATE*******

Sept 23, 2011

My headset continues to work great after so much use. There are minor things that have happen but keep in mind when I say "MINOR". The little icons on the controller of the headset which indicates the mic being off or on have faded completely. That's normal because of switching it and how fingers have oil and what not, you get the idea. The pad opposite to the speaker came off but I have replaced it using super glue. I have noticed that some people say that they sound quiet to their friends with the headset. It's not the headset's fault. It's your internet connection. My friends can clearly hear me on this headset.

So anyways just wanted to give this brief update on this great product. Keep on gaming!

*******UPDATE*******

July 27, 2012

Over time my headset started to get tears and openings along the wire coat. I've patched them up with electrical tape. That held it together for a good amount of time. These started to happen around late May of this year. Now jumping to this late into the month my headset has been cutting out on me a lot. My friends would even noticed this. So I knew it would be only soon that my headset would officially die on me. Just yesterday it did. For two years and a half I have had this headset. I have taken care of it the best I can and it lasted this long. Well it was worth my money. I do say it's the quality of the wire's coat that made it die. Oh well. Oh! Also to note that the soft covering over the earpiece will indeed tear off.

I have found a new replacement. I have my eyes set on the Plantronics M214C headset. I hope to buy it. Soon.

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After the "official" microsoft headset broke, I looked at lots of different headsets to replace it. This is a great alternative to the other one, and it's the same price! Though it has a similar design style at first glance, this headset is larger and wider than the Microsoft one, and doesn't dig into your head. It fits comfortably, and sometimes I don't even know it's there. Plus, I have not heard any complaints online about the microphone, so I assume it is adequate. Overall, a great product at a great price.

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The XBOX 360 headset was purchased after the Microsoft headset that arrived with the XBOX 360 console suddenly stopped working. The new headset is much sturdier and clearer. My grandson uses it for XBOX live and can communicate with the other gamers without any problems. I would recommend this headset as a replacement for the Microsoft headset.

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This works great! Don't be afraid of 3rd party products, this works quite well. The inline volume control is nice, and the unit looks fine. It's a little cheaper than the standard headset, and much cheaper than Microsoft's wireless one. Get this if you got the core console and want Xbox Live, or if you need a replacement.

Discount Quick-Play Charger Kit W/ Battery Pack Compatible with XBOX 360

Customer Ratings:

batteries never worked. they do not charge/function at all, and tried them in different controllers with the same results. the chargers work fine however with other batteries. very disappointed

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Not only did this arrive quickly, but it works great. After opening it, we charged the batteries that came with it and within an hour or so, they were ready to go! Been using one of the batteries since then (2 days later) and still going strong! Highly recommend!

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11 bucks. Cheap. Came in on time. However, one of the batteries dosen't hold a charge or the connector doesn't work. Going to order something different.

XBRdepot Deluxe Unlock Special Open Tool Kit for Complete XBOX 360 Review

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $7.99
Sale Price: $6.99
Today's Bonus: 13% Off

Why are any other XBOX 360 tools being sold? They are made of cheapo aluminum and come with the wrong Torx drivers. THIS one has the correct Torx drivers, and is made of a much more reliable material will open XBOX 360 case after case without warranting a replacement!

Seriously, if you need to open your 360 case for whatever reason, this is the tool you need. You also can't beat the price!

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this is a good opening tool but the pointy thing tens to bend it does not open the xbox 360 slim if your wondering but it opens the fat very nice

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If i didnt have these tools getting into my xbox to fix it wouldve been a night mare........ But Amazon comes through and delivers me a awesome tool kit. This kit gets you all the way to the mother board and beyond. Its all you need.

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I had already disassembled my 360 slim when I ordered these Torx screwdrivers so I can't comment on the tool that they sent to help me disassemble the 360 but the screwdrivers worked just fine. I was able to replace the laser inside the drive and fix my 360 so I couldn't be happier!

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I bought these tools to dissect my Xbox and replace the dead DVD drive. This plus a nice walk-through that I found online made replacing the drive a 1/2 hour job. I imagine that getting the case apart would be very hard without the opening tool since you need to press in on about 4 or 5 tabs at once. The tool takes care of that for you with just one hand.

Review of Wii/PS3 VGA HDTV AV Cable

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $22.89
Today's Bonus: 43% Off

GENERAL:

(PLEASE NOTE: this review is for the cable while using a PS3, I did not have a wii to test it with)

I bought this because I am deployed and I didnt want to have to buy an hdtv when I already have a 19' monitor I use for my laptop. I was pleasantly suprised at all the subtle features included with this cable. It came with a gender adapter for the cable which was a lifesaver for me because I didnt want to have to unplug the cable everytime I switched between my PS3 and Laptop. Also notable is the extension cables for the audio which even includes a headphone jack! (brilliant inclusion as far as im concerned because I can play my PS3 without waking people up!) And now the bad parts: Right away my biggest peeve was the installation. It requires you to hook the cable to a tv and your pc monitor silmantaneously when you first install it. This is frustrating mainly because they give you very little cable slack between the av plug and the vga plug. I was forced to hold the tv up with one hand and adjust the settings because I couldnt make the cords reach between the tv and monitor otherwise. And now the Ugly: Theoretically this adapter can support all the way up to 1080P. But because it is only a cable and it doesnt have its own dedicated box your images look a little washed out, the picture was also dark on both monitors I tried even after I adjusted brightness and contrast, and worst of all you have to adjust the screen with your monitor controls to make the image fit properly... something you will be doing almost every time you insert a different game or movie. 720p Gave me the best results on the two monitors I tried this cable with. (19 and 21 inch lcd monitors)

PROS:

-Cheap Solution For a Hi-Def Experience

-99% Artifact Free Image

-Inclusion of gender adapter was a nice courtesy

-Headphone jack a much appreciated add-on

-Great Value Considering you can use this for PS3 and WII

CONS:

-Image appears a little washed out, Though still noticeably improved over the regular AV cable.

-Lack of Dedicated box means you will be rescaling the image manually...often...

-Initial setup is clunky and frustrating.

-Even after adjusting you are sometimes forced to let parts of the screen be cut off.

OVERALL:

I was slightly dissapointed with the overall package. I have owned a vga adapter for Dreamcast as Well as XBX360 and both would beat the snot out of this cable. The fact that I had to manually adjust my picture every time it changed resolutions wasnt just frustrating but seemed ridiculous to me. However on the same token I am enjoying my ps3 games in high def without having to spend moolah on an hdtv. With this cable it was easy for me to switch between my stereo system or a pair of headphones which is convenient. Overall it was a decent buy for the price, but I hope some other company (or god forbid Sony themselves!) will step up and release something better in the future. Get it if you cant afford an hdtv or are short on space, etc. But if you have an hdtv handy, just spring for the official Sony Component Cables, youll be much happier I promise.

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Note this cable works to perfection for I have one etc... When using it for PS3 go to display settings and select D-terminal so you can get 720p or higher display. I would recommend to stay at 720p for 1080 i and p is not suited for a analog connection. For the Wii it works wonders just like using a regular component cable for the system. All you have to do with Wii is just hook it up correctly and it should automatically be in 480p. This device is good for consumers who would like to use their PC monitors for a high-res picture.

Pros:

Works with any PC monitor that has a VGA male input. (note that this vga cable has a female output)

Can get 720p for PS3 and 480p with Wii with no hassle

Great Picture

Cons:

Sometimes when playing certain Wii games like Call of Duty World at War and Mario Kart the screen may go black when you get killed/Hit by a explosion

Image may distort if trying to do full HD on a monitor

you may have to adjust your monitor's screen to get the right picture.

Best Deals for Wii/PS3 VGA HDTV AV Cable

SUMMARY:

Purchased this cable to avoid buying a tv so that I could play a Wii. Tried first on an old generic lcd monitor, and had many problems adjusting the image location on the screen. Factory reset finally centered the image, but image was still dim with full brightness and contrast.

Next tried on my main monitor, a Samsung 2253LW. Looked excellent. Audio connectors are short, but included it an extension (female rca to FEMALE 1/8 inch.) Could not get widescreen mode to show up as widescreen, input showed up as a squished widescreen image, this is more likely an signal/monitor-issue than a cable-issue. One flaw is during Mario Kart Wii, whenever someone uses the lighting weapon, the screen goes black, as if the cable cant deal with the flashing. Other than that no problems.

IN SUMMARY:

Pros:

Works well over on a newer, higher end monitor. No other options for vga input at this price. Picture clear, bugs don't disable enjoyable play.

Cons: If you plan to plug the audio through your computer's sound card, you will need an adapter (female rca to male 1/8".) Screen goes black during Mario Kart when lighting weapon is used (suspect flashing disagrees with the cable.)

Overall works well with a new monitor if you can deal with some minor bugs, if you don't have space or money for the tv, and have a nicer monitor I would recommend it.

Honest reviews on Wii/PS3 VGA HDTV AV Cable

First I want to say that this cable came with an extra headphone adapter cable, that is not shown in the picture. So EVERYTHING you need is in the box! Be warned, that you should use headphones that have volume control built into them because there will not be a way to adjust the volume without it.

Setting up for the Wii to work with the VGA cable took a couple of steps that could be a hassle for some, however this a Wii setup issue and has NOTHING to do with the cable. The directions are printed on the back and are easy to follow so Im not sure why people are having such a hard time with using this cable.

You must change an option in the Wii settings to get the Wii to display properly out of the VGA portion of the cable. Unfortunately in order for this option to be selectable, the VGA cable must be connected to something as well. Thankfully, I have a TV downstairs that has a "VGA" input, so I connected my Wii to the TV with the Green, Red & yellow heads and also connected the VGA head to the same TV. Powered up the Wii, went to settings,selected the VGA option, I don't remember the exact wording, and then the screen went dark. This indicated to me that the Wii had successfully switched to the "VGA" output mode. I powered down the Wii and it works PERFECTLY on my LCD monitor upstairs.

Shipping was fast and the packaging was top quality.

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If you need another confirmation if this will work with the Wii, it worked on mine!

Before checking Amazon, I checked with Best Buy, Fry's, and Gamestop. They all said there is no such cable for this. So I'm so glad this thing worked!

Anyway, I initially thought it wasn't going to work. I had to change the video settings on the Wii to 480p (EDTV), which was initially disabled.

Then I had to carefully re-read the instruction sheet to know what to do to enable the settings. After that, it worked on my VGA monitor flawlessly!

Hope this helps.

Cheap No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise - Playstation 3

Customer Ratings:

As a long time fan of the original NMH on the Nintendo Wii, I was happy to see the PS3 "Heroe's Paradise" port make it to the NA market.

This review focuses on the port and its differences from the original rather than the game itself and is intended for those who have already played NMH on the Nintendo Wii.

SCE's addition of the Move made it an obvious candidate for Move support as NMH was one of the handful of games I personally found to be enhanced in the fun factor on the Wii due to the addition of motion controls. In all fairness these are basically limited to vertical shaking (to recharge the Beam Katana), rapid circular motions (during weapons clashes) and motion specific slashes (finishing moves or throws), but I still found them more satisfying than basic game pad controls. Many of the mini-games dispersed throughout NMH also make fair use of motion controls, which have, for the most part, been replicated with the Move.

While the game is fully playable with both the original SIXAXIX controller or the DS3, the game may lose some of its charm for those who originally played it on the Wii, so for those players, Move is the preferred controller choice.

Despite the better technology utilized by the PS Move over that of the original Wii motion controls (back in Q1 2008), there are some flaws with the PS3 port, in particular, responsiveness. This was never an issue with the original Wii code yet the failure to recognize user input flawlessly with the PS Move has been an issue regularly during play testing, whether that's due to the tolerances being tighter or simple unoptimized port code, I can't comment.

What the port does offer over the original is 1280x720 native output resolution, which is quite an improvement over the original's 720x480. Small details and distant object renders are now visible and the general issue of jagged/stepped pixel visuals (which are simply characteristic of any game on the Nintendo Wii) has been drastically reduced on HD displays. Texture-wise, I'm noticing bump maps where there were either none or just weren't noticeable on the Nintendo Wii, making the characteristic NMH flat shaded texture work look considerably less flat.

Additions the the Heroe's Paradise edition include new "dream sequences" spaced in-between boss fights, featuring characters from NMH2: Desperate Struggle, which can be unlocked to play against in the new score centric boss fight mode (scores uploaded to online leaderboards). Also added was the ability to watch cut scenes after they have been unlocked while in Travis' apartment, a minor (and somewhat hidden) feature that is nonetheless a welcome addition for those who enjoyed NMH for the over the top storyline and cut scenes.

Other negatives include a significant amount of frame tearing under many conditions (something that was a non-issue on the Wii's SD visuals) which points to poorly optimized code as the visuals of NMH are anywhere between extremely modest and sub-par for a console that features games with visuals such as Killzone 3, Uncharted 2, etc. Intentionally stylized was where the art direction went with NMH (much like Valkyria Chronicles or the more recent Catherine) rather than any attempt at photorealism, yet this works perfectly for the manga/anime style story of Travis Touchdown and No More Heroes.

As a budget title, NMH is worth a second trip for PS3 owners who enjoyed the original (it was this reviewer's most played Wii game dating back to Q1 2007) due to the enhanced resolution, modestly updated visuals and minor additions. For those who haven't, even as a game that dates back to 2007, the bizarre storyline and over the top characters will still appeal to many, particularly those who delve into the odder side of Japanese pop culture and anime.

While not a perfect port (it's actually fairly flawed due to the screen tearing issue, slower game save times, and Move controller responsiveness that is actually worse than that of the Nintendo Wii Remote), it is still No More Heroes and the world of Santa Destroy looks sharper and more detailed than it ever has.

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So I've been playing this game for a couple of hours and I think I'm ready to lay down my verdict. I had been anticipating this game for quite some time, as I had never had the chance to play through the Wii version. In some respects I am very disappointed, but the game does deliver in others.

I'm an optimist, so let's start with the good. Quite frankly, this game has some of the best cutscenes I've ever seen in a video game. I'm saying that while openly stating that the graphics are pretty awful for a PS3 game. However, the sense of humor and style in each of the boss scenes will at the very least elicit a chuckle out of you, which is something that most new games fail to do. I openly cracked up laughing during one of the scenes when Travis is asked if he feels fear, and his response is "Wouldn't know, never felt it." It's somewhat reminiscent of the movie Kill Bill, except with more humor and less intellectualism. In addition, the boss battles are truly entertaining. There's a great deal of variety, and each boss has his/her own distinct sense of style. You have 10 assassins to kill to get to the top, and you'll have a blast with every single one of them.

Now let's get to the bad. Quite frankly, any battle that isn't a boss fight is dreadfully boring. It essentially boils down to hold down the lock on button to block every single attack (there's almost no reason to let go of this button ever) and then spam buttons until the enemies die. The motion gimmick where you flick the controller in a direction to finish off an enemy may have been fun when the Wii was new, but now it's just a jarring and unwelcome interruption during combat. Pretty much every fight boils down to holding down L2, and spamming triangle and square until everything dies. I got so bored, I was literally watching youtube videos while playing the levels leading up the bosses. With the combat out of the way, No More Heroes has its own city which you can navigate in a GTA style fashion. Except...there's no reason for the city to be there at all because there's NOTHING in it. If there are only a few places you can visit (less than 10), why bother creating a huge city to house it? They might as well just have designed the city like your bedroom, and have you just select the destination. The sandbox style city construction isn't conducive to anything when there's absolutely nothing to do in the sandbox... Another gripe of mine is the saving. It's a huge pain in the ass. To save, you have to enter a restroom. It takes about 10 seconds just to enter the restroom, then it has to load, then you have to watch another 10 seconds of Travis sitting down on the toilet, and then toilet paper wrapping across the screen. Then you press save, and it takes 20-30 seconds at times, then you have to watch him stand back up, it has to load again, and then you'll reappear at the main screen. Saving shouldn't be a two minute endeavor! The game wasn't hard enough to justify saving since I wouldn't die, and I hated dealing with saving so much that I would only save when I was planning to turn the game off. It doesn't need to be that damn annoying!

So anyways, this is a lengthy review so I'll try to sum it up. If you're the kind of gamer that actually loves watching cutscenes (think Metal Gear), you'll probably enjoy this game because the cutscenes are quite amusing. And basically, that's what this games boils down to. I found myself playing just because I wanted to see the cutscenes, and the actual game itself was just a punishment I had to endure before watching the scenes. I know, I know, I could just youtube the cutscenes but for some inexplicable reason my brain tells me that that would be "cheating." The boss battles are an exception of course, the boss battles are fantastic. With that said, if you're the kind of gamer who hates cutscenes, repetitive gameplay, or button-mashing style beat em ups, this game is really not for you. I can almost guarantee that you will hate it. 90% of the game really does boil down to holding the lock on button and mashing on square and triangle.

With that said, I hope this review was helpful, I know the diehard No More Heroes fans out there will want to murder me but I tried to be as objective as possible.

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I hate the term, but No More Heroes could certainly be called a "guilty pleasure." Crass language, over-sexed characters, glitchy graphics... But honestly, I loved this game on the Wii and I love it more on the PS3. The graphics have vastly improved coming over to the world of HD, but they're still average when compared to the PS3 library of games. The horrible bike driving remains, and some extra boss battles from NMH2 have been added. The game works well with the PS Move, but I'm enjoying playing it with a standard controller, for accuracy's sake.

And really, the awful translations and dialogue really are part of the charm of this game. Santa Destroy is a bland city, but for some reason I love it, and the story that's being told. For $40, this probably isn't a good buy, but for $30 and under it's a worthy addition to your collection if you have a dark sense of humor.

Honest reviews on No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise - Playstation 3

There is no way around the fact that this game is awesome at it's core. Unique, fun and has plenty of suda 51 style.

People complain about the job missions but they are not bad and very few are annoying. On average they last 2-3 min anyway. The battle stages are awesome and have very interesting boss battles.

Honestly I tend to dislike open world games, but this one does it right, in fact better than most. While the world is a lot less detailed than GTA or red dead redemption, almost everything has a purpose. Everything I do in the open world helps lead me to my next fight. That is called MOTIVATION boys and girls. A lot of the Rockstar games are garbage because they fail to offer in game motivation for doing anything in the open world. They are the equivalent of virtual ADD since you are surrounded by meaningless distractions that do not cause any development or forward momentum at all. OK, so if you think its like that, and you enjoy those immersive environment based games, the open world will feel shallow to you.

The battles are a combonation hack n slash with some times button presses and elements that discourage mindless mashing.

This game contains some screen tearing that normally pisses me off, but it is so unique and fun that I almost do not notice. Driving around the overworld was unwieldy at first but you will get the hang of it. There is some odd stuff going on with collision while on the bike also. This is why I docked the game a star.

In the end I think how much you like this game may rest on how you feel about the style of it and how much you can look past blemishes to appreciate the unique aspects.

***I cannot compare to the wii version and used a dualshock durring my playthrough (not Move).

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My first introduction to Suda51 was Shadows of the Damned. I really enjoyed the quirky, adult humor and characters of that game. It also made me want to try one of his most well known games, No More Heroes. It's quite interesting reading the reviews for the PS3 version, because the majority of people who have played the original Wii version don't sound all too impressed with this copy of the game. As for me being an individual who never played the original, I can definitely say it was one of the more enjoyable PS3 games I've had pleasure to experience, simply due to the fun factor. Shadows of the Damned was "ok" and cute (yes, you read that correctly, I said cute), but I didn't enjoy it as much as NMH. In No More Heroes, the story is cheesey, completely dumb and waaaaay over-the-top. That may sound like a negative to some people, but I found it works so well in this. It's like if Quentin Tarantino suddenly became obsessed with Star Wars one day and decided to make a game, only to reference it like crazy. The story, gameplay, side missions and bosses in No More Heroes never got old for me, even after three playthroughs. The upscaled graphics I thought looked nice as well.

I did run into quite a few screen tearing issues and glitches (DLC Saber/Mine Mission, Bike getting stuck next to objects), but those are little things and not really game breaking. I know this sounds like a 4 or 5 star review, but I gave it a 3 star because it becomes a really short game after playing it once. You can get to Rank 1 in a matter of a few hours if you decide to skip all the side mission tasks.

If Amazon allowed an extra half star to their review system, I would add that half star just for the amount of fun I had while playing this. Good game.

Reviews of Batman: Arkham Asylum - Xbox 360

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $20.45
Today's Bonus: 32% Off

Video games haven't been too kind to Batman. Often times when we think of a Batman game, the first thing that comes to mind is that the game just isn't going to be all that spectacular. What is it about the Batman that hasn't always worked in the past? It's hard to point out. What we can point out, however, is that Batman Arkham Asylum doesn't fall into that category. In fact, it is easily one of the best Batman games to be released. From its humble beginnings, the game is fine tuned video game that does most of what it does incredibly well.

Let's begin with the production values. This is by far one of Arkham Asylum's strong points. The game begins with the Joker being caught and taken to Arkham Asylum, but he seems to be pretty non-chalant about it, and Batman doesn't like that one bit. And it turns out he was right to be suspicious. The Joker springs a trap and Batman is caught in the middle. Now he's trapped inside the Asylum with the Joker controlling things, as well as several other adversaries.

One of the nice things about Arkham Asylum is that it presents its story very well. The art style feels comic book like, but it doesn't skimp on the overall visual presentation either. There's a lot of artistic flair and technical goodness to behold with the graphics. Most of the environments look fascinating and will really draw you into the game. The tone is perfect. The other good aspect is the voice acting. If you remember that Batman: The Animated Television series you'll be surprised to see its the same voices. Kevin Conroy is Batman and Mark Hamill is the Joker. And the voices are done very well. The production values of the game are absolutely stellar.

Of course, a game just isn't much if it only goes off of visual flair alone. In the past gameplay seems to be one of the areas in which Batman games often stumble. In the past the games have had a hard time crafting together good gameplay elements or sometimes being unreasonably clunky. This is mostly Batman's past. The games sometimes felt rushed. This isn't the case with Arkham. In fact, the game mostly keeps things pretty simple. The combat is really easy to pick up on, having you string together simple combos. But the game hardly devolves into button mashing. This is because your enemies will take advantage of the situation, and the game makes sure you can't rush head on into things. First and foremost, most of your foes are willing to take advantage of their surroundings. Second, you can't go head to head with several enemies all toting guns at once. This is definitely not a beat 'em up kind of game. In fact, in some areas, caution and stealth are required.

There has rarely been a Batman game where you actually feel like Batman. In some places you'll be able to swoop down and leave your enemies hanging from gargoyles... or perform a glide kick or use some of Batman's gadgets to get the job done. For such simple gameplay concepts, there are actually quite a few ways to implement them into the game. The game also lets you upgrade and improve on your techniques as you progress. So there actually happens to be quite a bit of variety.

At the same time, though, the game is accessible to just about everyone. You can also enter what's called "Detective Mode" if you so choose. Within this mode, Batman can see certain things he otherwise couldn't. You can tell where your enemies are easier and find some hidden goodies. You'll no doubt be playing a large portion of the game in this mode, but it's very worth it to do so. Choosing not to means missing out on some of Arkham Asylum's secrets, and there are a lot of secrets. The most prominent of which is that you can find riddles scattered all over that will unlock lots of different things for you to do. You'll also be able to unlock small character bios and audio samples about certain characters. These are other things that really make the game come alive in its own way. And in the midst of all this, the game doesn't appear too challenging or intimidating.

That's not to say you won't be challenged. You will. Particularly when you reach something new. It's nice to know, however, that the game isn't overly difficult. It's just to say that when trumping through it at least doesn't feel easy. When helping you get acquainted to things, Arkham Asylum is pretty easy going. But once the game takes away the training wheels you may find yourself hitting a few snags every now and then.

The visual look of the game isn't all that adds to the game's atmosphere. So does the music and so do some of the animations when you're fighting. Sometimes it's fun to battle just to look at some of the animations as they take place. Other times exploring can be absorbing because the music really knows how to set the tone. Arkham Asylum has a lot of strength, but the game seems well aware of just what those strengths are.

There's really not much that keeps Arkham Asylum down. In many ways it's exciting to play a Batman game that's good. After getting several Batman games that felt like a throwaway of the license, Batman Arkham Asylum feels like a breath of fresh air. Most of its gameplay conventions have been done before, but it's mostly how the game mixes them together that works well, and the absorbing atmosphere it emits in the process. Batman fans might find themselves pleased by this one. It's a simple game to play, but there is definitely a lot in it that could keep you busy for some time, and a lot to explore. It's great to see a Batman game come to fruition, and to do it so smoothly.

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I was skeptical about Batman. I've never been the hugest fan of Batman, but have seen all the movies, and played most of his games. The games have always been mediocre at best, so one could imagine why I would be skeptical to dish out $60 for what has always been a mediocre gaming franchise.

Boy, was I wrong. I kept hearing how good the game was, that it was Game of the year potential. I didn't believe it. I waited for more trailers. Loved what I saw, decided to get it the day it came out. I fell in love with the game, not even 10 minutes in.

There's almost nothing negative I can say about this game. The only thing that I wish it would have, is some type of multiplayer but due to the way the game is, it's understandable why they decided to not include multiplayer. The story is amazing, and even if you're not a Batman fan, this is still a must-play game.

Owning more than 85 Xbox360 games, one thing I hate is collectables. Batman has 240 collectables known as "riddles". As much as I hate them, I've gotten all 240 and they were the most fun I had getting collectables. Then there's challenges, and you can literally spend hours here, trying to master combos, counters, and earning your medals.

As I said, the only negative is this game is the lack of multiplayer. This game was a blast both times I ran thru it. The story is amazing, the achievements are not easy, yet not too hard, and you can easily spend all day playing this game without getting bored. Batman:AA is near perfection and was a great way to open the gaming season this year.

Best Deals for Batman: Arkham Asylum - Xbox 360

I cannot begin to express how wonderful this game is! I've purchased several comic games in the past (all of which have ended up on ebay) hoping that one might capture the magic of how it would feel to websling or fly or shred an enemy to bits with Wolverine's claws. But game after game, I have always come away thoroughly disappointed. I mean, is it really so hard to approach a comic game with the same level of production as Gears of War or Fallout 3 or Mass Effect? I suppose many publishers just assume a comic game will sell no matter what the product value, and therefore they rush it to store shelves.

But Arkham Asylum is different, and is everything I have ever wanted in a Batman video game.

First off, you actually feel like Batman. By the end of the game, you have all his gadgets and all of them are actually useful. I found the detective vision, the grappling hook, and the exploding jelly (great for setting traps) to be the best, but the others are almost equally great.

If you've seen the in-game pictures then you know what to expect from the graphics. Arkham Asylum is an extremely gritty place that is displayed in surprising detail. There were several pictures I saw before the game's release that I swore were cut-scenes (the one where Batman is standing on a cliff ledge overlooking Arkham Island comes to mind). But, quite surprisingly, nearly all of them were still-frames of actual in-game footage (the cliff ledge included). Even in the beginning when you first deliver the Joker to the island, you are in full control of Batman.

Other reviews I've seen on Amazon have explained the storyline, so I won't delve into detail. By now, you probably know the premise. Just know the story is intriguing and well thought out.

Another aspect of the game that surprised me was the Joker. The voice acting by Mark Hamill was superb, which is expected, but he is actually funny. Sometimes in the Animated Series I found the Joker to be a little too campy, but they've certainly given him more of an edge in the game and have allowed him to be more risqué. Every time I sit down to play, he blurts out something over the loud speaker that makes me laugh out loud. The Riddler's audio recordings are also pretty funny, with a punch-line at the end of each of them. Great stuff!

Also, every scene involving the Scarecrow is worth the price of admission alone. Many of them are the spookiest things I've seen in a video game in quite some time! Don't worry, I won't ruin it. Just make sure when you hear Dr. Crane's name mentioned or you see gas fumes hanging in the air you have the lights out and the sound way up. Chills!

The only gripe I have is that the faces and mouths are stiffer than they should be, not quite matching the vocal inflection. However, the outstanding voice acting and wonderful look/feel of the rest of the game makes this quibble seem tiny and forgivable.

I really could go on and on about how cool it is to sneak around in the shadows, striking fear in your enemies, or how great the combat feels -all the moves are tight and powerful, just like in Chris Nolan's movies. Please, do yourself a favor and pick this game up. If you're even mildly interested in Batman you'll LOVE it. I for one can't wait for the sequel! A+

Honest reviews on Batman: Arkham Asylum - Xbox 360

After countless unremarkable or even terrible Batman games, few had hope that the venerable character would ever become anything more than a blemish in video game history. But, with Batman: Arkham Asylum, Rocksteady, an up and coming developer that has only put out one other title, might have single handedly reversed that perception.

From the beginning, there is no doubt that this is a game which has been given the utmost thought and polish. Much like Half-Life games or Bioshock, there aren't lengthy cutscenes that may make you want to skip over vital information. After a brief clip of Batman transporting the Joker to the Asylum, the introduction becomes interactive. Throughout the game too, the story is mostly told through audio logs and in-game communication between Batman and the Joker, various guards, or Oracle, Batman's sidekick who provides him with useful intelligence. The story is a basic plot about a science experiment that goes wrong, but the in-game method of storytelling has moments of brilliance, using some interesting plot devices to keep things exciting. Voice acting is on the money, with a few voice actors from the Batman: The Animated Series reprising their classic roles. The Joker is definitely in his element, often referring to his diabolical plan as a "party" and making gags seem like life or death situations.

The music isn't overbearing, but it is appropriate and memorable when it is there. Several major Batman villains make appearances, and plenty of those that don't are given awesome allusions, often involving puzzles planted by the Riddler.

Technically, the game is quite impressive as well, with detailed character models and environments. Batman's cape flaps as he runs through Arkham Island, and his costume even accumulates tears and rips that remain as you progress further in the game. Notably, there is very little loading in the game, and when there is, it is cleverly masked as in the Metroid Prime games.

Where Arkham Asylum really shines though, is in its gameplay. This isn't only a stealth game, an action game, or an adventure game. It's all three genres fused into something even greater than the sum of its parts. As you stalk enemies and whittle them down, they'll grow increasingly terrified and eventually, they'll jump at any noise they hear. The Joker seems to find just as much pleasure in trying to kill Batman as he does in frightening and denigrating his own crew, as you'll notice that he mocks them rather frequently.

Also, taking these enemies down is just as much fun as watching them squirm in fear. There's a variety of ways you can knock out your enemies, and in keeping with Batman tradition, like the rest of the game, these methods will never kill, but only temporarily incapacitate. Among the best is the inverted takedown, which lets you hang a thug upside down from a gargoyle. After, you could wait for more thugs to come underneath the gargoyle, and cut the victim down with a batarang, knocking out even more henchmen. These moments are priceless, and evoke a feeling that this is the quintessential Batman game.

When you aren't skulking around oblivious enemies, you'll be using gadgets to explore the massive island. Like in any Metroid game, some areas can only be accessed with an upgraded arsenal. Otherwise, you can search for Riddle Trophies, Riddle Challenges, destroy chattering Joker Teeth, or try to find Spirit of Arkham entries. Regardless of what you're doing though, you're likely to find the overall experience seamless and very addictive. The campaign can likely be finished in around 10 hours or so, but it is so entertaining while it lasts, that it's still worth the price.

One of the few minor issues I have with the game is that it has a severely impaired saving system. Rather than simply allowing players to save whenever they want, the game will only save automatically each time you enter or exit any area. Consequentially, if you unwittingly turn off the console power while the game saves, your save file will be corrupted. Also, without custom saves, you can't replay your favorite sections of the game whenever you want, which is unfortunat for a game with such entertaining sequences.

I have found that the aforementioned saving problem, and the "boss fights" are really the only snags in this excellent game. The encounters with humongous Titan-fueled enemies, especially the very last battle, really doesn't seem to fit the gameplay at all. I found them more frustrating than amusing. Yet, the rest of the game is so ahead of most others that it doesn't bother me much. I don't care much for the bonus challenge stages, but they are there too for added replay value, in case you found the main campaign too short.

Overall, this is a game that can't be missed. It is one of the enthralling video games you can play, with enough mind blowing moments and engaging gameplay to even surpass games like Bioshock.

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First things first, forget the demo. It's bad and doesn't even come close to conveying the feel of this game, in-fact it's misleading. Do not even play it if you haven't already. Just buy this game, it deserves a spot in your collection, trust me.

This game is dark and gritty, similar to BioShock, a tone which is set at the beginning of the game. A cutscene shows Batman en route to deliver the Joker back to the Asylum. Upon arrival, the cutscene ends and you control a perturbed Batman as he simply walks alongside the Joker, who is strapped into an upright gurney and towed into the depths of Arkham by the asylum's guards. This walking alongside him is probably a good five minutes, all the while the Joker heckles you and the guards. Finally, the Joker manages to break free just before he's put into lockdown and gets away, sealing Batman inside--his elaborate plan just beginning to unfold. Arkham Asylum, with loose papers, broken wheelchairs, and dead bodies throughout every corridor, exudes a similar feeling to that of Rapture of BioShock; this place is scary, it's a mental institution that houses the most dangerous people in the world, and they run amuck while the craziest of them controls everything.

The voice acting is perhaps the best I've heard in a videogame; Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) is hauntingly brilliant as this incarnation of the Joker, equally as good or better than his animated series protrayal, while Kevin Conroy and Arleen Sorkin continue to be THE voices of Batman and Harley Quinn, respectively. It's more than notable that even the voice acting of the guards is spot-on and you may hear familiar voices if you've played Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic or seen Ratatouille.

The story so far (i'm only 3-4 hours in) is surprisingly pretty unpredictable and could easily be translated into of one the better Batman graphic novels. I refuse to spoil any plot points, as you should enjoy them for yourself but I will say the boss fights are cool, particularly the run-ins with Scarecrow. Note that if you are Batman fan, as in one who reads the comic books, there will be a lot here for you. Interview tapes, as they're called, are recordings of therapy sessions with a doctor of the asylum and an inmate. From what I can tell, it appears that each of the famous super-criminals (joker, harley, killer croc, etc.) all have 5 interview tapes each strewn about the several buildings that make up Arkham Asylum. This brings me to the Riddler challenges, which sometimes include the finding of and collecting interview tapes. These challenges are a more fun re-imagining of the challenges you'll find in games like the Spiderman series, Prototype, Infamous, etc. There are 240 of them, and although some are just the flinging of your batarangs at wind-up chattering teeth, which can occasionally be found lying on the floor, or finding hidden trophies, some are riddles, which are rewarding for you yourself when you manage to solve them, but also, like all of Riddler's challenges, award valuable experience.

Finally, this game has the best combat system I've ever played in a video game. I've enjoyed all types, but at this point button-mashing combat systems have become so very trite to me. At first glance, Arkham Asylum's combat system might sound like it's a button-masher, as X button is attack, Y is counter, B is stun, and A is used to flip over enemies, while other moves include the simultaneous pressing of X and B, A and X, or RT and Y. However, in truth, the combat has so much more depth. Rocksteady has dubbed the system FreeFlow; your goal is to attack a group of enemies, sometimes as many as a dozen at once, using one continuous and fluid combo of punches and kicks and flips all the while dodging and countering the thugs' persistent attempts at hitting you, often with pipes or knives or stun batons. Every move has to be calculated quickly and on the fly, but with the occasional slow-motion hit to help you keep your bearings. This can be quite a challenge, but it's so much fun. I can burn away hours easily just fighting in challenge mode, another mode of gameplay apart from story mode. During story mode these large run-ins are not rare per-se but they aren't frequent either. The other combat mechanic involves hiding above the rafters and one-by-one incapacitating an oft-large number of gun-toting foes. Swinging from the rafters and using detective vision, which allows you to see enemies through walls and other obstructions, as well as detect heart rates and therefore deduce emotional response, and watching chaos ensue as everyone runs around, shooting at random things, close to tears, REALLY makes you feel like Batman. Doing this well, which entails being quick and silent, is so much fun.

I have but two qualms about the entire game: the fact that it's too tempting to just leave detective vision on all the time, which is akin to reading a beautifully colored comic book in black and white, and the fact that enemies apparently do not have peripheral vision.

All in all, this game is as close to perfect as games get, with extraordinary attention to detail and brilliant and fun gameplay, and is a must own for everyone over the age of 13.

P.S. I've never written a review before, for anything. so any tips or criticisms are welcome

Cheap Rayman 3D - Nintendo 3DS

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List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $17.24
Today's Bonus: 43% Off

Oh yes. We have a new gaming system release, which means it's time for publishers to dig through their past catalogues to release old games that won't take very long to port over. Such is the case with Rayman 3D, which is essentially Rayman 2 but with the added 3D. Here we have a port of a game that dates back to 1999 and has been ported to so many game systems (Dreamcast, N64, PS1, PS2, Game Boy, DS, iOS, etc.) that it seems a bit ridiculous to even consider reviewing the game. What's left to say? Pretty much the entire gaming population at this point has had the opportunity to play the game. I am actually one of the minority, a gamer that has never played a Rayman title, let alone Rayman 2. So I figured that since the 3DS launch titles are severely lacking, I'd take a chance and see why, exactly, the game's been ported a million times.

The gist of the story is that space pirates are invading a world called The Glade of Dreams. Led by Admirable Razorbeard, these robot pirates destroys The Heart of the World, capture Rayman and his friend Globox and generally are making a huge mess of things. Rayman escapes, is separated from Globox and sets out on a quest to locate four ancient masks, awaken some dude name Polokus and put a stop to the pirates. Somewhere in there, you also are trying to locate 1,000 Lums to give you access to new parts of the world. Not exactly the strongest story, but it does its job and takes a backseat to the action. I'd always been curious about Rayman since it was designed by Michel Ancel who would go on to create one of the better games in the Xbox/PS2/Gamecube era, Beyond Good & Evil. The framework for that game can be seen here, but Rayman's strengths lie in the gameplay.

I'm not sure if this is a compliment to the timelessness of Rayman or a critique on how little we've changed in the last ten years, but Rayman could be released today (with a fresh coat of paint, natch) and no one would probably tell that it's a game from the 90s. It's built on a strong framework of platforming, small puzzle-solving and collecting that you can still see in platforming games today. Enemies are shot at with glowing balls. You can lock on them with a press of the Left bumper and strafe while shooting at them. Platforms will be jumped on and tons of items (in this case, Lums) will be collected. Upgrades (such as the ability to swing from purple lums) will be acquired. Pretty standard stuff, even today. But Rayman has that little spark of magic that's really difficult to quantify that makes it fun. The Lums are hidden around the world and most of the time they can be very difficult to locate. If you are a completionist, Rayman 3D will keep you busy for quite some time.

The chief upgrade here comes in the graphics and 3D implementation. While you'll never mistake Rayman 3D for a new game, it does looks really good on the 3DS, especially in the little touches. Bugs will fly in the air, groups of mushrooms will reassemble themselves, butterflies will circle in the air. These little flourishes look fantastic, both on the 3DS and in 3D. This is my first game on the 3DS and the first real experience with its 3D capabilities and I have to say I'm surprised. It adds a level of depth to the game that not only looks amazing (as when the bugs fly toward the screen or when you're moving through a tunnel and the depth can be seen) but also aids in platforming, I've found. With this truly three dimensional playing field, timing jumps and knowing where to land is even easier to judge. Simply put, this definitely showcases the potential of the 3DS and I can't wait to see how games will utilize the 3D as developers have more time to devote to it and get more familiar with the hardware.

Ultimately, Rayman 3D is an excellent launch title. It's simply a port of a relatively old video game, but in some ways you wouldn't even know it. I was a little nervous, dropping my $40 on this game when it's had such an up and down history in terms of ports, but this was a very fun game that plays really well, looks pretty good for its age and showcases the potential the 3DS has in terms of 3D. If you're a fan of platformers and/or collectathons, I'd recommend Rayman 3D.

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Let me start off by saying that Rayman 2 is one of my all-time favorite childhood games. In fact, back in the day I had both the PS1 version AND the Dreamcast version, which was and still is the definitive version. It had the best graphics, and utilized the greater power that the Dreamcast held in comparison to the Playstation and N64. This is both good and bad because what you're paying a full price for in Rayman 3D, is Rayman 2: The Great Escape (the Dreamcast version), with only minimal, near non-existent additions and tweaks.

First off, Rayman 2 itself is a fantastic, classic platformer. It was and still is considered one of the greatest, most imaginative platforming experiences of the late 90's, early 00's, and rightly so. Ubisoft's beloved Rayman franchise has always been known for humor, imagination, excellent, dreamlike art design, a silly, fantastical story, and solid platforming. Rayman 2 contains the pinnacle of all of these traits and is undoubtedly the best of Rayman's adventures. Unfortunately, what was considered pretty awesome in terms of control and platforming execution in 1999, may seem pretty irritating, maybe even broken, in 2011. If you approach Rayman 3D with an open mind, however, you'll have more than enough here to entertain you. It really is a classic for a reason, it's an awesome game.

The ONLY new addition here in Rayman 3D is ... well... 3-D. It definitely isn't the best implementation of 3-D on the system, but it is adequate and actually enhances the experience, even if only by a marginal amount. Butterflies, particle effects, and just those small, very imaginative touches that are characteristic of a Rayman title, are all complimented by the 3-D.

As much as I like Rayman 3D, however, I do have quite a few qualms with it. In comparision to 3DS remakes like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D and Star Fox 64 3D, Rayman 3D comes across as extremely lazy. There are absolutely no additions or enhancements besides a decidedly average, sometimes even mediocre, 3-D effect. There are no new graphics or audio. There are no improvements to the controls. There are no enhancements to the sound, visuals, gameplay, nothing. This is literally a 1999 Dreamcast game slapped onto a 3DS cartridge, given a 3D option, and then given a new name to pretend it's a new game, along with a new game price. That's just plain insulting to Rayman fans, and a poor treatment of loyal customers by Ubisoft, in my humble opinion. Keep in mind that I'm not like those trolls that just bash a game simply because it is a remake. I think Ocarina of Time 3D and Star Fox 64 3D are exceptional examples of what remakes could and should be and would never hesitate to recommend those games to others. Again, Rayman 3D seems hideously lazy in comparison. There are even problems in this version that don't exist in others, like big frame-rate problems that can really mar the experience with lag, which is unfortunate.

Considering the fact you can get basically get this very same game on the PlayStation, Playstation 2, Playstation Network, Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, Gameboy Color, PC, iOS, DS, and now the 3DS, it's hard to justify recommending purchasing this particular version new. Such lazy efforts by publishers should not be encouraged, in my opinion. If there were notable enhancements to the visuals, audio, and gameplay aspects, then I would say this is a definitely good purchase to make. This is a tough dilemma for me though, as it is genuinely hard not to recommend Rayman 2: The Great Escape, which is truly worthy of its place as one of the better video games of its time. If you have never played Rayman 2 and you have a 3DS, then I say get it now. If you have played it before, but don't have a copy, I'd say get this. If you're like me and love Rayman 2: The Great Escape, even then I'd recommend this game. However, I would say to all that if you do buy this, buy it used and cheap, because that is all this version is worth.

Best Deals for Rayman 3D - Nintendo 3DS

I picked up Rayman when I got my 3DS, and have since played it. I never played the original, so I have no feel for how faithful of a port it is, but it seems pretty dang good to me. So far I love the platforming, and the 3D is amazing to me. The butterflies and the plants come at you, and you get a true feeling of depth. This is an excellent launch game for the 3DS, I'd high recommend this.

Honest reviews on Rayman 3D - Nintendo 3DS

I remember playing the game on the Nintendo 64. What I remember the most about it, is the fact I couldn't play it, because the red mist got in the way of the actual game play. I know that this possibly wasn't a problem for some of the people who played a ton of video games and were simply good at playing these games, but this made it frustrating for me, because I really wanted to play this particular game.

So then, I heard that it was coming out on the 3DS. It was the first game I got that was geared for this particular system, and I found myself playing for quite a few hours at a time. I also didn't have the red mist blocking my view, and the game sped up as I was able to determine where I needed to go and what I had to do, simply by seeing. I finally got to enjoy this game and its game play for what it is worth.

Of course, the removal of the red mist may not be favored by some of the gamers, who felt it added an actual challenge to the game. I still like that it was done. I also like the three dimentional graphics that were added into it, thanks to the system upgrades. For me, it is a replayable game, and not one that I am likely to ever trade in.

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Are they ever going to release a new Rayman game? This is just a 3DS port of Rayman DS, which is a DS port of Rayman Revolution, which is a PS2 port of the DreamCast's Rayman 2. It's just the same game ported over and over. I love the game, It's still fun to play, and despite what some others here said, I think the graphics are very nice for a DS game.

I just saw this at the game store and thought I was buying a new Rayman game.

Best The Borderlands 2 Season Pass Deals

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So far, by buying this Season Pass, you'd get the following:

1. Ultimate Vault Hunter mode, which increases max level from 50 to 61 and add a new grade of weapon, Pearlescent.

2. DLC 1 Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate's Booty

3. DLC 2 Mr. Torgue's Campaign of Carnage

4. DLC 3 Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt

5. DLC 4 not yet released (expected to happen in this June, so should be coming soon)

Of DLC 1~3, probably only DLC 1 has a fulfilling length of main story line and map sizes. DLC 2 and 3, though not necessarily bad, are sort of more rushed releases, with shorter main stories and smaller maps, plus some inexcusable sloppiness.

It is pretty much an inherited trend from Borderlands 1 --so we could expect DLC 4 to be much greater in all aspects than DLC 1~3.

DLC 1 has two raid bosses (invincible bosses): Hyperius and Master Gee

Master Gee is disparaged by many, if not most, players, though I am one of the rare exceptions.

Additionally, DLC 1 introduces a mission reward unique weapon, Sand Hawk, which is extremely powerful in certain cases.

DLC 2 has one raid boss: Pyrocaustic Pete

Pete is likely the most favorable raid boss of Borderlands 2 so far, due to its relatively easy difficulty and relatively high drop rate of legendary items.

DLC 2 also has vending machine that would sell legendary items, torque-brand (Explooooooooosion!) only, however.

DLC 3 has two raid bosses: Voracidous and Dexiduous

Voracidous is the most challenging raid boss so far, although there are game design flaws to kill it in an instant or greatly reduced the difficulty.

Dexiduous is considered the crappiest boss designed in general, but a few players find it entertaining to fight against.

DLC 3's normal enemies are probably the most unique, but they are a lot harder to kill compared with other enemies.

The Season Pass likely would be considered worth its price (29.99), and it is almost a must-have if you'd like to play online with other people.

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If you loved Borderlands 2 you should get this I like Mr. Torgues DLC as you can get legendaries from the vending machins & farming Pyro Pete is easy too. A great deal for the DLC IMO.

This season pass includes the $4.99 level cap increase from 50 to 61 and allows you to add 11 more skill points to your character.

At the time of writing this I use the code: CAGROCKS at got it for $16 :) Hope it still works for you. If you can get this for under $20 bucks it is a great deal.

Mac Vault Hunter These will work on Mac steam versions of Borderlands 2 unsure if it works on the version you buy from the Mac App store. To activate on steam got to the game in the menu bar and click "activate product on steam."

Best Deals for The Borderlands 2 Season Pass

If you're intending to buy all the DLC then getting the Season Pass is a no brainer as you'll essentially get one of the DLC for free (when purchased at full retail price) when you add all the prices up. Since the season pass also includes the new level increase as well you can cut $5 more off your total cost by getting the SP. I was lucky enough to get this on sale for PC for only $10 and since I have to buy two copies (one for myself and one for my partner) I saved about $70 off the total combined prices of all the DLC and the Ultimate Vault Hunter Upgrade pack. Installation is very simple as well. You'll download a tiny app that connects to the net and gives you an alphanumeric code that you copy. Start up Steam, click activate product on Steam, paste in the code, and BAM! you're done.

What's included?

Captain Scarlett and Her Pirates Booty

Mr. Torgue's Campaign of Carnage

Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt

Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep (to be released in June 2013)

and

Ultimate Vault Hunter Upgrade Pack

What's not included?

Everything that I've not listed above including the DLC playable characters

Tips:

Follow Borderlands2/Gearbox Software on Facebook and Twitter for Shift codes. These codes can be entered into the game to get Golden Keys as well as special items from events. Golden Keys are used on a special chest in the main city of Sanctuary for Epic quality items (Weapons, Shields, Class Mods, and Relics.)

Use your preferred search engine to search for "Borderlands 2 Shift Codes List" to find a list of unexpired Shift codes to load up on Golden Keys. Personally I just use the ORCZ site for a listing of codes as it's updated constantly.

And finally, to get the most out of this game or any other, have fun, play with friends, and don't cheat. Cheating just denies you the experience you paid for.

Honest reviews on The Borderlands 2 Season Pass

Borderlands 2, in my opinion, is notable for its creative storyline, gameplay, and characters throughout the mystical world of Pandora. With the Season Pass, you meet even more characters, play through even more campaigns, and get even more guns than you thought were possible. Every DLC is fantastic, and this is a must buy for any fan.

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Bought this on sale (normally $30, sale $10). Great deal for lots of extra content. The game itself is amazing and should be played by everyone! The co-op multi-player and multi-player scalability are the best features of this game. Gonna buy it at some point cause it was a deal for the DLCs, but this sale made it all the better!

Buy New U Mind Body Yoga and Pilates Workout - Nintendo Wii

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It's been a long and hard road for those looking for good Yoga and Pilates programs on the Wii. Wii Fit provided some Yoga exercises which by most accounts, while a decent demonstration of the potential of the Wii balance board, were a bit rudimentary and disjointed. The first "pure Yoga" title for the Wii, Dreamcatcher Yoga, was an unmitigated disaster both from a Yoga perspective and a technical perspective. The first "pure Pilates" title, Daisy Fuentes Pilates, didn't fare much better.

NewU Fitness Yoga and Pilates is actually the second "NewU" fitness game developed by Lightning Fish games to hit the US Market. The first was a game originally released in Europe as "NewU: Fitness First Personal Trainer". However, when Ubisoft (the US publisher) brought the game to the US they inexplicably changed its name "My Fitness Coach 2" (In a boneheaded move, they apparently attempted to cash in on the huge success of the original "My Fitness Coach", but ended up alienating fans of the original My Fitness Coach and short-circuiting any possible interest in the NewU title, which was a decent workout title on its own merits). Anyway, I'm happy to see that the new publisher, Deep silver, was wise enough to keep the original name for NewU Fitness First Yoga & Pilates.

In any case, if you have My Fitness Coach 2, you'll see similarities between that game and this game, most notably the "swooshing" 3-D menus and the cheeky reaction of the trainers after you've done something well.

When you start NewU Fitness First Yoga and Pilates, you first create a profile. You'll enter your name, sex, your "build" (skinny, average, or overweight), and you'll also select your experience level with yoga and Pilates (a complete beginner, someone who's taken a few classes, or an expert). You then enter your date of birth, height, handedness, and then choose from one of 10 goals (ranging from weight loss to relieving back pain to improving posture to de-stress; women will also see an option for post-natal exercise).

You then choose one of three "teachers" (all female) each with different personalities and styles who will take you through all the exercises. They tried to make the teacher selection as realistic as possible--you can even read each teacher's bio and hear a taped introduction from each of them. Finally, you choose a location (relaxing nature vistas ranging from a mountain valley to a beachfront), and then have the Wii balance board calculate your weight. By the way, the balance board is not required for this game, but it definitely does augment most of the exercises.

You then see a series of menus:

Toning This is where you can do your daily classes, each of which is basically a string of yoga or Pilates exercises put together one after the other for about 30 minutes. You can have the system select a class for you, if you're in a hurry you can choose a "quick class", or if there are certain exercises you like you can create a custom class. From here, you can also practice exercises, perform Pilates Core Skills (Water Tilt, Zip Up, and Drawing In), or try some Challenges which really do test your endurance (e.g. Pilates 100, Side Plank, Crescent Moon Standing, Tree Pose, or Perfect Warrior III).

Meditation This is a very interesting part of the program where you can try different meditation techniques, such as Healing, Let Go, Third Eye, Energizing, and Calming. After a particularly stressful week, I did try the "Let Go" exercises and I have to say it helped. The instructor will calmly say instructions to you, calm images will appear on the screen, and peaceful music will play. You can choose Meditation any time from this menu, or you'll be given the option to meditate after a workout.

As for the workouts themselves, they are typical yoga and Pilates moves (weighted more on the yoga side), such as airplane, dancer's pose, dog tilt, crescent moon standing, and sun salutation (I counted 30 moves total under the "Advanced" setting; other settings will have fewer). As you perform each, you'll see a video image of your instructor in front of the vista you selected (the teacher was basically filmed in front of a blue screen and is superimposed over a picture of your environment).

I do like the fact that they used video, because you can see exactly what the instructor is doing. In addition, before each exercise, you can select "show me first" where the teacher will literally talk you through a step-by-step tutorial. You can also view an 'About this Exercise' blurb which explains the goal of the exercise.

I'm a total novice when it comes to yoga, so I chose the beginner's path. The exercises were just right for my level, not too complex, not too strenuous. At the more advanced levels, the instructor goes much faster, and there's a presumption that you know the moves already (she'll yell out instructions like "step back into a downward dog" or "lower chest down into a baby cobra").

I asked my girlfriend, who has taken both yoga and Pilates classes, to go through a class at the "advanced" level and let me know her opinion. She did, and afterwards told me she did get a pretty good workout, comparable to a class. She said the moves were indeed accurate and that exercises like the "Sun Salutation" sequence were challenging in a very good way.

On the negative side, she said the instructors at times seemed a little "robotic" and dry in their explanations--they'll shout out literal instructions, whereas the best "real" instructors would have put a little more personality and creativity into them. Also, some of the sequences were much too fast, and at times it was a bit awkward to have to look up at the screen while performing the move (this is where more descriptive vocal commands would have helped). Still, after a few rounds of practice, she got the moves down and was doing them naturally. And she did like details such as the instructors telling her how to breathe, as she did the relaxing music.

The controls are decent. The system makes good use of both the balance board (to check how much in balance your forearms or feet are as you perform certain exercises) and the Wii MotionPlus (to check how steady your hand is for certain exercises where you need to stretch your hands). An indicator in the upper left-hand corner will show how steady and centered you are. While most exercises are intuitive, there are some where no matter how "correctly" you think you're doing the exercises, the system will tell you you're not--and will not tell you what's wrong. That, of course, is a frustration many of us have gotten used to with Wii games.

Overall, I'd say if you're interested in "Western Style" fitness, your best bet is EA Sports Active 2, Biggest Loser Challenge or Zumba Fitness. However, if you're interested in "Eastern Style" fitness, this one is clearly the best choice to date, although admittedly there wasn't a very high bar set. While it's no substitute for a real class, it's a great way to get a decent yoga and Pilates workout in the privacy of your own home when you just don't feel like going out.

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Don't get me wrong -I love my Wii and its balance board, but the fitness games that come with the board can only take you so far. This is especially true of the Yoga poses. Do one pose, stop, do another pose, stop. Very little of the fluidity and grace of the yoga I know.

So I was eager to try the New U Fitness First Yoga and Pilates. And I give it a resounding Yes!

Here's my take on this "game."

PROS:

1. Even though I have practiced a little yoga, I began as a rank beginner and got a solid workout. I can see that as I improve, the yoga routines will become more challenging. Just what I wanted.

2. When you set up your profile, you can indicate your goal for your practice. For example, I want to lose weight, but someone else might practice to relieve stress.

3. You can see your weight in the profile section, and the program will track your progress.

4. It's not just exercises. There are a number of meditations, and each practice will end with the option of a meditation session.

5. The program offers a number of options for background, and the teacher has the look of a video rather than a flat cartoon. Put it all together and you have a very pleasant yoga session.

CONS:

The yoga instructor moves faster than I like. Slowing it down a bit would increase the benefits of yoga.

OVERALL:

I am pleased with this program and expect it will challenge me for months rather than weeks. I recommend you take a look if you're wanting more for your Wii.

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I was hesitant to purchase this as Wii exercise games have been hit or miss, and with far more misses in the Yoga / Pilates category. This last Pilates offering was terrible and the reviews on the Yoga game were so poor I did not even bother to give it a try!

This game has favorable reviews on the web and as someone who likes and practices Yoga on a regular basis, I decided to give it a try! I was pleased I did!

I have practiced Yoga on and off for 10 years, and regularly attend Yoga classes ranging from a basic Hatha 1 to a more challenging Vinyasa 3 However, I would like to practice more often but not all classes are convenient to my work schedule. I was looking for something that offered a challenge and a format that differed from a traditional workout DVD. I found it in this.

It begins in much the same way as other exercise related games asking your height, body shape, taking your weight then asking what you are looking to achieve from your workout there are some excellent options as you can chose to target problem areas such as a back issues or tummy toning, you can chose an all over toning, arm strength or even a workout to help alleviate stress there are plenty of options and you can go back at any time to change your goals. Also importantly it asks what your past knowledge of yoga is to allow the game to challenge you in the right ways and allow for a workout that is appropriate to your skill level. There are also options to chose the instructor (accompanied by a brief bio) and backgrounds.

I picked experienced so my review is based on this. One side note though, if you have no experience at all, this does have instructional guides so you will be able to participate and get a taste for yoga as well as a good workout , but it is no substitute for a class. The greatest benefits from yoga are derived from correct form and sometimes incorrect form can lead to strain or injuries so a class or two might help with correct posture and allow for greater benefit. But this game is available and adaptable to all levels.

Once you chose all your options there are numerous ways to proceed a class that gives a complete workout, lessons on the poses, challenges, specific targeting poses and meditation. The classes are excellent you can customize the class to pick what poses you want to incorporate, how many repetitions where applicable, and how long to hold the poses! I found the classes easy to follow, there are instructional guides to explain each pose should you need them and the flow of the class was just right.

I found I got a challenging workout that incorporated sun salutations, strength flows, deep twists and balancing poses after working out I felt muscle fatigue; as though I had really been through a good yoga workout! If you are looking for something deeply traditional then this might not be for you, but if you are looking for a really good, effective yoga workout that you can change as your goals change, then this is it! It is fun, challenging and keeps you interested!

The only issue I have noticed (and I have just added it to the review as it is quite a major issue), is that in a traditional yoga class, they usually do a counter pose that is, if you do a back bend, a pose that allows you to stretch the back in a reverse manner will follow but this is absent from this game. In the advanced class there are several moves that can out some strain on the lower back and I found I ached the next day so I have began adding my own counter moves to make sure I get both an effective and safe workout

I found the graphics to be excellent, I have a traditional Wii remote not Wii motion and found this works just as well.

Finally the meditation section is really nice. Again there are a choice of different mediations, about 5 minutes in length, each designed to address a particular goal such as calming or energizing. The music / sounds were appropriate, the voice guidance about right and if you chose to keep your eyes open (some folks might want to) there are relaxing images such as a candle flame, to help!

For me as someone who loves Yoga, this is a great offering, exactly what I was looking for, and a great addition to fitness games for the Wii!

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The title says it, this is the most useful yoga game out there. The menus are very easy to navigate and so is the setup. The exercises are great. This game really concentrates on holding the poses and toning. I consider myself to be in pretty decent shape, fairly fit individual but like most people, there are places I feel I need to tone up. I really think this game will help. I wake up sore in places I'm not generally with my regular workout. Yea! And I love the meditation portion afterwards. I didn't even know how much I'd use the meditation I use it after every workout.

HOWEVER, for future releases and people who are not familiar with yoga, how to hold the poses, breathe, etc., you will want to start elsewhere (Brian Kest's DVD is pretty killer). There is not nearly enough instruction on how you should be holding the poses. They should be describing how the pose should feel, where you should be looking, what muscles you are using the most and most importantly (listen up New U), MODIFICATIONS! What if I'm not strechy enough to do the pose as described? Also, for the next version, they need to have a "timed" option. Like they do in EA Sports Active 2, I have 15 mins to work out put together a routine. I would also like the option to do the same with the meditation portion. This program doesn't give you as good of feedback on your balance and posture as the Wii Fit Plus. It is a much better yoga workout though.

Bottom line I'd give it 3.5 stars. It's a good start, but needs some pretty important improvements. If you are familiar with yoga/pilates, have taken some classes or worked out to DVDs, you'll like this game.

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I had never thought I would ever have the patience for yoga but the time came when something needed to happen and I decided to give this a shot. Because I am a beginner, I went back and forth between this game and a yoga DVD. I read all of the reviews before I decided to go with the game and I haven't been disappointed. I have been at it for 6-weeks and yes, the instructor does move a little fast in some spots, even for my liking (like the Sun Salutation Flow 1) but the more I keep at the game, the more I am able to mirror her timing. The drive for my purchasing of this game was for the De-Stress side of it as I have all of the other games (Wii Fit Plus, EA Sports Active 2, Zumba, etc) for the cardio and strength workouts. At first I thought the scenes to choose from were a bit corny but now I don't even pay attention to them. The game gives you ample time and repetition to get familiar with the poses before they give you new poses -some of which I love, most which I am OK with and only two that I dislike -all of which offer a challenge in their own way. They even have a "show me" option before each pose so you can double check yourself or learn the pose. I love the meditation sessions at the end and I find that I feel energized and ready to face world. After 6-weeks, I do find that I am less stressed, able to react to stressful situations better than I had, and feel calmer and more focused in my days. I look forward to my yoga sessions each morning.

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Customer Ratings:

Installed in under 15 mins works just as good if not better during game play great product for any gamer looking to stand out and express themselve. Also I'm a huge Batman fan and now I've got a fresh black and yellow custom control for under 15 bucks great company fast shipping and great quality thanks

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Bought it for my son (age 12) who thought having a custom controller was pretty cool. Looks good when assembled.

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The buttons don't really match and they seem like a cheap plastic, but it gets the job done. Okay on a budget.

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i got missing parts the X button was not there i was mad but i got over it is what ever. it came from japan anyway so go JAPAN.

Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force Collector's Edition Bundle Review

Customer Ratings:

(parent & child co-review): I bought this for my 3rd grade son who has been doing Club Penguin on line for a year. He loves Club Penguin and also loves his Nintendo DS (indispensable for us parents on long trips). It was a no brainer for the Thanksgiving long plane trip. The game has the exact visual appearance and game play style of Club Penguin's spy missions. My son basically disappeared for hours with this (for better or for worse). He played for a 3 hour stretch on the plane coming home. That's direct evidence that this game has some serious game play value.

Ben's review:

"I think the game is very fun. When you get used to it, playing is more fun than you'd expect stepping down from the PC to a DS game. It is fun in lots of different ways 1) because you get to solve missions you don't see on the regular on line game. 2) You get to earn badges, get to wear stuff that helps you on your way. 3) You can help people for prizes. The code that comes with the DS game gets you 1500 coins and a spy phone for the on-line world."

For those who have never heard of Club Penguin it's Disney's virtual on-line community for kids where Penguin shaped avatars throw snowballs, make friends, play games (such as unloading fish from trucks I kid you not), and hang out. There are also longer structured adventures such as spy missions with more involved puzzles and detective work. Lately there's a whole hierarchical game of becoming a Ninja with card based combat (but that's on-line, not in the DS game). The DS game has spy missions that include destroying robots, train special spy puffles (the puff ball pets of the Club Penguin world), and rescue other penguins in need (and harvest the prizes the grateful saved penguins give you). There's a wireless head to head mode, but we haven't tried that yet. All in all a real winner.

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My 8 year old daughter received this game for Christmas. At first, it was fun playing the mini games and solving the missions. Now that we are 97% done with the game (it won't tell us what we are missing to be at 100%) it has become a bore. My daughter doesn't even want to play it any more she wants ME to play it so I can upload coins to her online club penguin account every day.

Pros -

can upload 2,000 coins to online account every day

some of the missions really make you think.

Cons -

The mini games are fun until you realize that the coin location in JetPack and Snow Trekker are always the same. Once you memorize them, they're not fun any more.

The dance game seems to have a bug in it. Once you get past 8 moves, it starts telling you that you made wrong moves when you didn't!

Playing with 2 DS's and one catridge is a joke. You can only play the dance game against your friend and when the game is over, your friend's DS shuts itself off and he/she has to power it back up.

There are a lot of "locked" rooms that you are never able to open and many of the rooms that you can enter might have a hidden coin or two, but nothing else for you to do.

I've tried downloading new missions, but I keep getting the same one and it's just a message there's nothing to do.

What started off looking like it had a lot of potential to be a fun game fizzled out very quickly. Hopefully Disney is working on new mission downloads to help keep the game worth playing.

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I purchased this game for my daughter who absolutely loved it. This game is similar to the online game, but with new games that won't be found online. Great buy! Kept my daughter entertained.

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My 10 year old daughter loves Club Penguin on the computer. She is an excellent judge, therefore, to say if the DS version is at least as good as the online version. She plays this game very frequently and said it is as good if not better than the online version, esp. since you have the dual screens providing information, etc.

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Disney's Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force for DS is a great addition to any DS library. Based upon the online game, but with one cool difference: you become part of a special group...the 'ELITE' Penguin Force via this game.

You begin with a mini-mission, followed with a meeting with Agent 'D' who leads you to Elite Penguin Force Training. The game itself is 'Top Secret', but once you complete training you'll have all access and be able to upload (to Club Penguin online) 'coins' earned by your Elite Force penguin on the DS game. You'll also be able to upload missions, or do it in the reverse and download from your online account to your DS. **This is a cool feature, as earning coins gives you more things for your penguins to play with on Club Penguin.**

NOTE: you will have to have a wireless connection between your PC and the DS to upload and download information (coins/missions) between the two.

Cute and fun, this game will entertain kids ages 6 to 16, and maybe a few adults too!