Showing posts with label xbox pro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label xbox pro. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Reviews of 1800mAh Rechargeable Battery Pack for Xbox 360 Controller
Plugs in via the USB port just like any other, but instead it plugs into the battery itself so you can take out the battery from the controller and charge just the battery. I like it and found it to be a better replacement than an OEM.
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Reviews of Xbox 360 Call of Duty: Black Ops Controller Faceplate
A great fit, super easy install and awesome look. Paint holds up well (no chipping etc). 2nd cover from these guys, never a bad deal.
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Awesome one-of-a-kind looks, but feel isn't so smooth for gameplay. Also, this faceplate looks much better on a black (not white) controller.Best Deals for Xbox 360 Call of Duty: Black Ops Controller Faceplate
Perfect stocking stuffer for my Black Ops addicted son!! The item seems very durable, and was shipped promptly during the busy season!Honest reviews on Xbox 360 Call of Duty: Black Ops Controller Faceplate
how can you play without this? essential for pwning noobs, and becoming the XxleetxnoobxslayerxX you've always dreamed about! extra words
Friday, January 16, 2015
Review of Final Fantasy Protective Skin Decorative Decal for XBOX 360
Say true,This game I like it so much,I play it so much time,The game's story so exciting CG so beautiful,If you never play it you can try it,I still looking for the game's accessories,So I hope you have more about the game's accessories
Monday, December 15, 2014
Review of Alien Hominid HD
The Good: One-of-a-kind graphics and style, great weapon powerups, cool bosses, neat level design, PDA games are fun, gore!
The Bad: Difficulty is sometimes unbalanced, no downloadable main game levels, you can play this for free on the internet
I remember seeing this game back when it came out on consoles but the mixed reviews kind of turned me off from it. After picking up the GBA version I loved the game and now it's even better on XBA. This is a 2D sidescroller shooter that is very funny, fun, gory, and simple. You are an alien who is being chased by the FBI and you have to make your way back to your planet and on the way this one single kid helps you out. You can pick up weapon powerups which are cool and fun such as lasers, ice bursts, and slime. You also have a knife for when you are up close to enemies you can slice them apart. You have grenades as well and your default zapper gun that has infinite ammo. You can also jump on enemies and bite their heads off and what not. What's another great feature are the PDA games. They are 2D stick drawn graphics where you have to get to the end of the level without dying. You can also buy and download new levels for only 150MSP which is great. The only real gripe is the difficulty and sometimes be too hard and bosses are really neat yet take FOREVER to kill.
The Bad: Difficulty is sometimes unbalanced, no downloadable main game levels, you can play this for free on the internet
I remember seeing this game back when it came out on consoles but the mixed reviews kind of turned me off from it. After picking up the GBA version I loved the game and now it's even better on XBA. This is a 2D sidescroller shooter that is very funny, fun, gory, and simple. You are an alien who is being chased by the FBI and you have to make your way back to your planet and on the way this one single kid helps you out. You can pick up weapon powerups which are cool and fun such as lasers, ice bursts, and slime. You also have a knife for when you are up close to enemies you can slice them apart. You have grenades as well and your default zapper gun that has infinite ammo. You can also jump on enemies and bite their heads off and what not. What's another great feature are the PDA games. They are 2D stick drawn graphics where you have to get to the end of the level without dying. You can also buy and download new levels for only 150MSP which is great. The only real gripe is the difficulty and sometimes be too hard and bosses are really neat yet take FOREVER to kill.
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Alien Hominid HD is great fun. Simple to learn, yet it takes time to master. The graphics are cartoony and great, and the missions are sure to make you smirk. The weapons are a lot of fun but not very different in the end.Thursday, December 4, 2014
Xbox 360 Slim GhostCase Kit - Clear Smoke Review
List Price: $59.99
Sale Price: $39.98
Today's Bonus: 33% Off
This case is really cool looking on my Xbox 360. The plastic seems to be durable. The only thing that disappointed me about the product was that when ordering it the pictures shows the colors as (blue, green, and red) and you do not get an option to pick what color you want. Mine came with blue thankfully. I think the product needs to say what color lights it comes with. Also, there is NO directions on how to install anything or how to take anything apart. So, if you have never done anything to your Xbox I would recommend watching a video on YouTube on how to take apart Xbox 360 and how to install GhostCase. FYI there are a few things on the Xbox 360 that are tricky to get apart.
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This product is ok, but I don't think its worth the money. As others have said this case states it comes with blue, red, and green LEDs. However it in fact only comes with blue LEDs. Also I would like to state that the pictures show that is a clear case. That too is incorrect, if I had to say it's more of a black case which the inside can't be seen clearly until it is turned on and the LEDs are on. Overall this product looks great and was a fun install. Recommend if you don't mind blue LEDs and a darker case.Best Deals for Xbox 360 Slim GhostCase Kit - Clear Smoke
Great case but it is a bit difficult to install as the screw pegs are not per-threaded to the xbox360 long pin screws. As a result of this it can result in stripped screws. But after the case is properly installed it is amazing to look at and is beautiful to look at when lit up. Also the light kit that is sent with the case could be a but better shielded other then these small discrepancy the case is great.Honest reviews on Xbox 360 Slim GhostCase Kit - Clear Smoke
This is an awful product, i wouldn't suggest getting it, this isn't because i'm mad because i couldn't install it, i could very easily, the quality is horrible, since i'm a professional modder and have all the required tools, an average person who has purchased this wouldn't have the proper tools, the tools included are very hard to work with, the screw driver came defective, the quality of this case is horrible overall.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Xbox 360 Slim GhostCase Kit - Clear Smoke
This kit is really cool it comes with led strip lighting and looks great. The faceplate was a little tricky to install but overall the whole thing is very easy and simple to setup.Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Best UFC Undisputed 3 Deals
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $20.03
Today's Bonus: 33% Off
I'll do a somewhat quick run down of what there is to do in UFC Undisputed 3.
You have your standard exhibition mode where you can choose UFC rules or Pride rules. Being a fan of MMA you should already know the differences. Anyways, when choosing Pride for instance it isn't 100% open weight but you can choose Ex: BJ Penn (UFC) vs Anderson Silva (Pride/UFC). Fighters that fought in each organization will be featured in both, for instance Wanderlei Silva has a higher overall rating in Pride than he does in the UFC. And Anderson Silva has a lower overall rating in Pride than he does in the UFC. Also, you can choose either rule set then (UFC/Pride) then choose fighters from either. The entrances and locations are also different and the Pride entrances are badass!
Then you can either create your own event/ tournament or play in actual ones Ex: Play the main card of UFC 115 etc.
Create a fighter is pretty in depth with the customization abilities. The biggest is obviously the face and facial features. Then you have body build, hair, tattoos, stance, fighting back ground, age, height etc.
Career mode, you start out with creating a fighter. Your first few fights you are given instructional tips (from Mike Goldberg) on camps, training, sponsors, choosing fights, rankings etc. As you work your way up in your division (choose while creating your fighter) you earn title shots and options to fight for bigger organizations eventually ending up in the UFC. You are able to move up and down one division to earn multiple title shots as well.
Classic fights modes is pretty cool, Ex: Rampage Jackson vs Wanderlei Silva, you are given certain tasks for the fighter you select during the fight to complete (don't get taken down for 1:00, land 20 strikes, don't take more then 5 strikes etc.) upon completing them you unlock videos and progress towards achievements for your gamerscore.
Highlite reel modeBasically a theater mode where you can create videos of cool KOs, takedowns, submissions or whatever else you can think of. You can share these with all other gamers then they can be rated 0/5-5/5 stars. And you can also make highlites with multiple fighters.
The graphics are excellent, all fighters look very realistic and move and act just like they do in real life. Whether it's JDS's uppercut, Bones Jones spinning elbows, Anderson Silvas front kicks or GSPs ground and decisions (IM JUST KIDDING :P); they are all very realistic.
New improvements and some changes are more usuage of the cage and an entirely new submission set up of 'Chasing the submission', I wasn't a fan of it but you'll get used to it. And there's also different control sets, can't really remember what they were called maybe rookie and veteran but basically rookie is push up or down to advance in transitions and veteran would be flick and rotate to advance.
I'm sure I forgot a few things, but fopefully this review helps!
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The failure of UFC Undisputed 2010 to capitalize on the success of the first entry in the series forced THQ and UFC to reevaluate the viability of their product as a yearly release. The result has been a nearly two year gap that now culminates with the arrival of UFC Undisputed 3. The extra time has paid some substantial dividends but one design decision in particular and troubled online performance remain concerns.UFC Undisputed 3 carries with it a solid amount of content. There is the standard exhibition fights in UFC or Pride, Career, Title, Tournament, and Event modes along with Online which are all pretty straight forward in what they offer.
The Ultimate Fights mode is intriguing in that they attempt to recreate popular fights from the past while including video packages about them. There are tasks set up to complete throughout the fight at specific times and a percentage grade is given based on how much is achieved. It can be tough to fight in that manner though trying to complete the tasks rather than just do what is necessary to win doesn't feel completely natural or even necessarily make sense contextually at a given time. Career mode has stripped out frustrating elements while pushing the focus more on the fights and progression making that much more enjoyable.
Pride is a blast and a valuable addition to the series. Everything from the presentation to the varied rule sets and unique venue make it a lot of fun to play. It won't at all be surprising if fans tend to prefer playing in Pride vs UFC. Presenation has been enhanced elsewhere too and the new camera angle, though not going to feel drastically different, does bring the action much closer and the perspective works well for the fights.
Gameplay wise there isn't much to gripe about at least on the surface. Refs tend to stand up fighters a bit early this was probably done on purpose rather than just becoming an unexpected issue as maybe casual types don't want to be stuck maneuvering on the ground with little success whether they're on the offensive or stuck blocking transitions. Ultimately though the big problem comes down to the flawed submission system which, going back to E3 last year, was the most cited gripe with the game and for good reason.
What amounts to a mini-game of `cat and mouse' not only takes the user's eyes off the fighters in these critical moments but the success of submission attempts remains inconsistent and unrealistic. Against the CPU it seems nearly impossible to submit them at the same time there is little concern that the CPU will actually complete a submission against the user. There has yet to be a situation where either "caught" the opponent with a submission but instead the one in danger almost always escapes easily under the system. It's been the same way in head-to-head (both off and online) fights too with submissions easily escaped by evading in the mini-game.
That alters tactics and strategy greatly. Offensively I find there to be little reason to attempt submissions. Why risk advantageous position when the submission is likely to fail? Conversely I haven't found myself defending against submissions because they're easy to get out of and the result is actually a positive shift of positioning and momentum.
Otherwise the gameplay has proven to be fairly well balanced with counter-strategies to utilize based on any tactic an opponent could be throwing out there. There has yet to be any frustrating element beyond the submission system the clinch is handled much better and the ground game simpler to understand.
Fights have been challenging but fair. Those that I've lost I've never gotten upset about and in fact often been impressed by the outcome. That is usually the best indicator of a good game when the time spent with it is enjoyable regardless of a win or loss.
"Sim" stamina is an addition that the more hardcore crowd will enjoy. It makes a huge difference and forces fights to be much more realistic. Most will probably stick with the default stamina but the option is appreciated regardless.
The new "Amateur" controls have been a refreshing addition and something I quickly got comfortable with using. There is a slight advantage for those using the "Pro Controls" (as there should be) but in terms of simplicity and accessibility the "Amateur" set holds up well. The tutorials also can help get users accustomed to the game to an extent but aren't much more than just an introduction there are even a couple that took a while to complete because they weren't clear enough in what was expected. It's just tedious to go through them one to the next and invest that much time but it's probably worth it in the end.
Online performance continues to threaten the completeness of the product. Most of the fights have been so lag-plagued that they've essentially been complete wastes of time. It has been encouraging that at least there have been a few smooth and responsive fights and they've been recent ones but even then the masses haven't hit the servers yet so things are likely going to get worse before they get better. Quitters aren't getting losses or seeing DNF % rise either which means that'll be a serious problem to address and there's also no real reason not to choose the highest rated fighters so variety in match-ups will be sorely lacking. Since releasing the server has often been unavailable and the number of disconnects high. I'll update further in regards to online play in the near future.
Other notes: There is some sort of issue with installing the game to the hard drive on the 360 that requires being signed out of Xbox Live for it to begin the install. Tapping gloves at the start of the fight is seemingly dangerous as the CPU usually chooses to throw a cheap shot. The refs can be somewhat distracting as they vanish or appear out of thin air at times. They also don't end the fights as quickly as one would expect allowing for some awkward late shots. In replays collision detection looks iffy and there appears to be very little force on the blows. The "Highlight Reel" feature which was previously detailed is a nice addition but the best part comes with the game automatically storing the last 50 rounds of fights.
There is little doubt that UFC Undisputed 3 will be looked back on at the end of the year as one of the strongest efforts amongst the crop of sports games. Hopefully it won't fall into the category of "almost great" because of poor online play so that'll have to be monitored in the days and weeks ahead. Otherwise THQ has delivered a winner with refreshing accessibility, increased authenticity, stronger content, and fun balanced gameplay.
Best Deals for UFC Undisputed 3
Overall, UFC UNIDSPUTED 3 improved over its predecessors and is still the best MMA game out there. If you liked the previous games, it's definitely for you. If you didn't like the previous games, well then the gameplay is nearly identical.What's new
New submission system-Instead of shining (rotating the analog stick as quickly as possible), there is a new minigame. Upon initiating a submission by pushing in the analog stick, an octagon appears on screen. Both players are given a "bar". The player trying to submit attempts to trace his bar over the player's bar being submitted while the other player moves his bar trying to avoid from being traced. If the player can keep his bar over the others long enough, the submission will be successful. There is an onscreen display of how successful the submission is. The better your UFC fighter is at subs in skills, the longer you will have to sink in the sub, or vice versa. I like the new system better than the prior system. It takes more skill to sink in a sub and you can actually tell whether it should or should not work. I am looking forward to having a callus free hand from not having to shine but it is definitely going to take some getting used too.
Pride Mode-The third installment features PRIDE mode. Pride (a MMA league based in Japan) was bought out by Zuffa a few years ago but the game brings the ring fighting back to life. In PRIDE mode Foot stomps and knees to the head of grounded opponents are allowed. Yes please. Bas Rutten delivers some pretty funny commentating. Old Pride fights like Mark Hunt, dan sevren,Kevin Randleman.
Ring entrances
Bantam and featherweight divisions
Leg TKOs
Amateur controls-instead of rolling the right analog stick to transition, the player just hits up or down.
Career Mode-You can play through with UFC fighters now. The overall feel of career mode is different but extremely repetitive. There aren't as many menus and stats to implement. Instead, there is a focus on the actual fights. To me this is kind of a bad thing. I make my CAFs for online. It is a slow a tedious process to make a good online CAF when you have 2 times to improve your fighter before a boring fight with the computer.
Cutscenes with real UFC fighters are pretty cool
You can design your own logos
Online-Fight camps are back and improved. They have added the ability to share your fights with other online players.
Review
Graphics-The fighters look great as they are again based on real rendering-you can see your punches and kick show damage on your opponents pretty quickly.
Controls-If you liked previous versions of the game, then you will be accustomed to the controls. Noobs can try out the amateur controls. Myself, I like the normal controls. It's not a perfect system, but I prefer it to any other MMA game out there
Sound-The commentary gets old pretty quick but again it is improved. Bas Rutten and Stephen QUadros are added for pride mode.
Career mode-Some improvements but overall very tedious to create a good online CAF.
Online-much less lag than in previous games. Problem is there a ton of disconnects. I'd say one in three fights disconnect for me and I have cable internet. I have no problem with other games online like COD.
Honest reviews on UFC Undisputed 3
Warning: This is NOT a Button Masher! You need to practice!!! But after putting in the hours, the game becomes fun and feels rewarding because you earn every win. I'd recommend the UFC games for fans of the sport and fans of fighting games. There's a good deal of strategy here and the game is so realistic that you'll actually be able to get more enjoyment out of watching the UFC if you learn how to play this game. You'll have a better understanding of the strategies and how the techniques work together.Concept: 9/10
Sports games fall on a continuum of Difficult Simulation and Fun Arcade Game. This UFC Game is right in the Middle. It's got all of the current weight classes, fighters, personalities, graphics, introductions, from the sport, so it feels really authentic. The gameplay is complicated and takes about a week to learn. But, MMA is complicated because it combines punches, kicks, wrestling body control, and jujitsu submissions. All of these disciplines play pretty well and after you learn how to play, the game is fun.
Game Modes:
Exhibition 1 fight pick a weight class, 2 fighters, and go at it.
Title take a famous UFC fighter and fight your way through the contenders to become the champ.
Title Defense Once you are the champ, fight the best of the best to keep your title.
Career Mode Create and Manage your fighter, train to become better in certain aspects of MMA, and fight your way to the top.
VS Mode fight a buddy (Offline ONLY)
Gameplay: 8/10
It feels like there are so many ways to lose in an MMA fight. You can get beaten down for 3 rounds and lose a decision. You can get beaten down severely and get KO'ed. You can get hit with a flurry of powerful strikes in rapid succession and get a flash KO. You can get thrown onto the ground, dominated, and KO'ed. You can get thrown to the ground and submitted. But all of these techniques can be used on your opponent, too. Knowing when to use the techniques is as important as knowing how to use them.
Striking: 9/10
Standing and trading punches and kicks. You can target your opponent's head for a KO, the body to drain your opponent's stamina, or the legs to slow them down and nullify their takedowns. You get BONUS damage for excellent timing. If you catch an opponent coming in and beat them to the punch, you do more damage. If you dodge their attack and counter, you also deal Bonus damage. This takes a while to get used to, but once you do, it's pretty fun. You can also catch kicks by grabbing your opponent's leg and counter punch them in the face. Not only is this rewarding, but it also deals bonus damage. On the easier difficulties, the game is almost 100% striking. It's a good way to learn. As you play harder difficulties, the AI starts incorporating other aspects of MMA like grappling, transitions, clinches, ground and pound, and submissions.
Grappling: 8/10
You can grab your opponent in a clinch, deliver knees, elbows, and punches, or throw them onto the ground. Once you're on the ground, you can move the R Stick in semi-circles to change your position. You can pull the right stick to "block" or cancel an opponent's transitions and keep them where they are. You can grapple from the top and bottom while delivering punches and kicks to ground and pound your enemies. Certain positions on the ground yield better results. For example, if you are in your opponent's guard, you can't punch very hard because you can only swing your arms. If you get on top of them in a full mount, you can deliver haymakers to their body and head and go for a KO. Grappling is pretty easy once you learn the positions and how to block your opponent's transitions. But it takes a while to "get it."
Submissions: 8/10
When you are grappling, you can click the R stick to go for an arm bar, choke, etc... This brings up an Octagon with a Player 1 BAR and a Player 2 Bar. The length and speed of the bar is determined by your grappling skill and current stamina. Each Player can move their bar around the octagon shaped track. (like 2 trains) In order to submit your opponent, you just have to overlap part of their bar with part of yours. This is easy when you both have large bars. To make an opponent TAP OUT, you have to keep your bar over theirs and a gauge starts to fill. But you have a limited amount of time to fill it, otherwise your opponent escapes from the submission attempt. The bars can pass through each other, so you can try to move away, or move through the other Player's bar to escape. It's kinda fun, and very suspenseful.
Training: 7/10
In career mode, there are training exercises to boost your stats. These are 2 minute mini-games where you practice your moves. Depending on how well you did, you get stat boosts for your next fight! But training in opposite disciplines may actually lower your stats in the opposite discipline. So if you are a striker who wants to learn grappling or submissions, your punch and kick stats may drop a little bit. When training, it's important to be well rounded, but not abandon your most effective techniques. Most of the games are easy, but you don't get to practice them. They just throw you into them and you have to do your best in 2 minutes. It's frustrating at first, but gets easier later on.
Graphics: 8/10
The graphics look pretty good and authentic to the UFC. The venues, octagons, and crowds look great. The fighters all look like their real life counterparts, but they could look a bit better. When the fighters take damage, their face swells, they bleed, sweat, and their body and legs turn reddish-purple from the repeated hits.
Sound: 7/10
The music is great and the commentary is from Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg. Most of the time, the commentary is on the mark, but sometimes, they'll say something strange.
Multiplayer: NONE
The THQ servers are down because THQ went bankrupt. There was online support, but not anymore.
Maturity: Teen
If you like the sport, you've seen blood and fighting. There's no profanity or anything that you wouldn't expect while watching a UFC.
Replay Value: 8/10
Since the game takes a while to learn and even longer to master, you'll be playing it for a long time. However, the lack of an online multiplayer mode really hurts. I'd recommend going through the tutorial, then a bunch of exhibition fights first. Then take a pre-made fighter and fight your way to the title. Once you are familiar with ALL aspects of MMA, try the Career Mode.
Overall: 8.5/10
If you are willing to put in the hours, the game is fun! Because it's so difficult, every win feels great! You can enjoy the UFC game for at least a month, even without online mode. I'd recommend it if you are a fan or casual observer of the UFC.
Unfortunately, THQ is no more and EA bought the UFC license. Hopefully the EA Curse won't affect the UFC and hopefully, they'll make great games.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for UFC Undisputed 3
This game is the best for right now for 2012. The gameplay is a little tough but you will get use to it. The graphics are awesome. Better features than last year. You can do so much with your career fighter. This game is the best. I recommend everybody to get this game.Monday, September 22, 2014
Cheap Turtlebeach X31/X41/X11/PX21/PX5/XP400/XP500 Xbox Live Talkback
The length of it is a bit shorter than how I'd like it to be, but it does what its supposed to do. I love it.
Fits my controller perfectly.
Fits my controller perfectly.
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Works great, good quality and better than the original my headphones came with. Fits perfectly into my XBOX 360 controllerBest Deals for Turtlebeach X31/X41/X11/PX21/PX5/XP400/XP500 Xbox Live Talkback
Sometimes if not fit 100% snug it will provide an echo in my mic that disturbed teammates while playing CODHonest reviews on Turtlebeach X31/X41/X11/PX21/PX5/XP400/XP500 Xbox Live Talkback
I like this puck better than my original cord that came with my Turtle Beach X41's. It's much easier to control the volume and the on/off switch. Good purchase for the price too.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Turtlebeach X31/X41/X11/PX21/PX5/XP400/XP500 Xbox Live Talkback
Just what I needed. No problems with it at all and actually better than the original stock turtle beach wire.Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Reviews of Multi-Input VGA Box for DVD, PS2, PlayStation, Gamecube, XBOX
I bought it to use my N64 (W00t, retro gaming!)on my monitor, since I don't own a TV. It has four mini RCA inputs (Standard DVD player and console outputs, one video and two audio) and one VGA inputone 1/8th inch audio (standard for headphones/speakers) out and one VGA out. It has two other features, one button to change the resolution and a button for each input to change the input selection. The resolution settings are 640x480@60Hz, 640x480@75Hz, 800x600@60Hz, 800x600@75Hz, and 1024x768@60Hz. (I don't know why there isn't a 1024x768@75Hz option, maybe that's just too much demand on the machine.) If that's mumbo jumbo to you, just press the "RESOLUTION" button on the front repeatedly until you're happy with how your picture looks.
It's much cheaper than most mini RCA to VGA converters. I was told to expect about $100, and that is what I found for most of them, which seemed absurd to me. I think you will agree that this is a much happier price. I can have my N64, Dreamcast, Cube, and DVD player all hooked up to the same box and switch between them all by pressing their respective buttons, which is much quicker than swapping out cords.
But all is not happy. The picture's quality is noticeably reduced. The color is a bit off, and it seems a bit blurred as well, but that might be because I'm used to play my N64 games from further away on a TV much larger than my monitor, which might have made the image look sharper. You definitely do not want to hook up your XBox 360 or PS3 through this thing. I mostly play old video games, and you have to accept that the graphics suck anyway, so no big deal for me. Interestingly, I have noticed more of a problem with with color in Zelda than in Perfect Dark, and more of a problem with blurriness in Perfect Dark than in Zelda. I attribute the extra blurriness to more motion in the fast moving first-person shooter Perfect Dark and concentrating on other things and so not noticing the color being off. Where as in Zelda, I'm wandering around and taking my time to figure stuff out, so I notice the color being wrong (everything seems a bit more red, which is especially odd since I'm in the fire dungeon right now) but I'm not moving quickly enough to really notice the image blur.
Also, the resolution settings are not saved for each input, which is why I wouldn't plug my computer into this box if I could help it. I don't know for sure, maybe it doesn't mess with you VGA in, but I was happy that I use DVI for my computer, and so didn't have to try the little experiment. (So all of my mini-RCA things plug into my box which plugs into my monitor VIA a VGA cable, but my computer plugs into my monitor via my DVI cable, so to switch between my computer and my VGA converter box I just switch my input on my monitor.)
Because the resolution settings aren't saved, you'd have to manually change the resolution when you go from a N64, which likes a very low resolution, to a GameCube (Or any other newer console besides the 360 or PS3) which prefers a higher resolution. You could certainly get by without changing the resolution, but the picture really looks significantly better when at its proper resolution. (On a side note, if you want to see was Gears of War looks like at 640x480, this is how you could find out.)
As to the audio, this box adds a hum to it. It's really quiet, so if you're playing video games you'll only hear it during loading screens. Also, it's not a steady tone, or that "CHHHHH" sound that is annoying at any volume that you hear when your television's trying to get a station but can't. It's got a low, gentle oscillating up-down to it, which I actually find rather pleasant. Makes loading screens more interesting for me. =D
I would buy it again for what I am doing, but if I were into PS3 or Xbox 360 gaming, or I had a Wii and was a real Nazi about picture quality, I would probably go for something a little higher-end.
Pros:
Affordable!
4 mini RCA inputs
Easily change resolution
Easily change input
VGA input
Comes with a VGA cable ( I already have a half dozen of these laying around, so I opened the box and went, "Ohhhhhh, great.")
Might be pro or con: Whether or not the box messes with your resolution settings for the VGA input. The small instructions sheet doesn't say, and I'm too lazy to figure it out. (If you really must know, shoot me a message. =D )
Cons:
Picture quality diminished a bit
Resolution settings not saved for different inputs
Some might find audio hum annoying
Pros:
VERY convenient rather than unplugging and plugging systems to our old TV with only one input, this allows you to hook up 4 systems via composite, and one via VGA (I pass through my 360 in this way and it looks great). Also, all the sound is output through one 1/8" plug so we don't need to switch the speakers either. (Note: If you're using a VGA enabled system like we did, you will have to hook up your speakers in a different way for this system as there are no audio inputs next to the VGA port. Fortunately my speakers have both an auxiliary input and a standard 1/8" plug) Obviously this is functionality that you would expect out of a receiver, but for college students without such a thing, this was a blessing.
Colors are very bright and vibrant, at least compared to the 20 year old TV we used to play on.
Cons:
With my monitor at least, there was no real way to display the image correctly. The box outputs at 800x600 but I have a 16:10 monitor that thinks that all inputs should full the screen. As such, by default everything is a stretched out mess. There is a way I discovered in the manual menus to shrink the image horizontally, but this introduces vertical banding and it's not very pleasant to look at. While the composite video output is very soft and blurry (particularly so with a PS2, not so bad for Wii/GC), the Xbox 360 passed through looks sharp as a tack.
All in all it is not an ideal solution, especially if you are looking to use a widescreen monitor to play standard def consoles on. I was lucky that my monitor gave me some wiggle room in squishing it back to 4:3, but otherwise I would have been SOL.
In hind sight, we probably would have put the $X this cost towards a TV/receiver option, but it wasn't worth the hassle it would have taken to return it and all the shipping costs it would entail.
It DOES do the job: output the video signal to your pc monitor.
output audio to your sound system (or headphones!!!!)
it has a 5 way selector so that you can choose what you're gonna output to the display.
Overall, good. It did the job folks...
Note:(important) the video quality is base on your monitor, not the VGA box, the video quality can be standard or low base on your monitor resolution. If too high, the pixels will break apart, too low will cause blurriness.
Note:(important) If you have old DVD player, old video game console, and cable box that doesn't support widescreen. This VGA box will not auto-adjust your display setting. So play your new machine like Xbox 360 on widescreen monitor.
Again, is not a HD convertor, standard video quality, great for cable box and video game console! Don't blame the VGA box if video quality is low, blame your monitor, not the VGA box.
HOWEVER.
Please note that what you are buying outputs at, shall we say, less-than-perfect resolution. Using this with something like an XBOX 360 is nearly unfeasible given the 360's sharp graphics. With F-Zero's color palette and blockiness it's nearly unnoticeable, but with better systems it's a real drag.
However. It's $40, and it lets you play all your old systems on your monitor. That's pretty sweet.
I'm going to hook up my PS2 now! And I'll be able to switch between PS2, Dreamcast, SNES, at will, thanks to this. :)
It's much cheaper than most mini RCA to VGA converters. I was told to expect about $100, and that is what I found for most of them, which seemed absurd to me. I think you will agree that this is a much happier price. I can have my N64, Dreamcast, Cube, and DVD player all hooked up to the same box and switch between them all by pressing their respective buttons, which is much quicker than swapping out cords.
But all is not happy. The picture's quality is noticeably reduced. The color is a bit off, and it seems a bit blurred as well, but that might be because I'm used to play my N64 games from further away on a TV much larger than my monitor, which might have made the image look sharper. You definitely do not want to hook up your XBox 360 or PS3 through this thing. I mostly play old video games, and you have to accept that the graphics suck anyway, so no big deal for me. Interestingly, I have noticed more of a problem with with color in Zelda than in Perfect Dark, and more of a problem with blurriness in Perfect Dark than in Zelda. I attribute the extra blurriness to more motion in the fast moving first-person shooter Perfect Dark and concentrating on other things and so not noticing the color being off. Where as in Zelda, I'm wandering around and taking my time to figure stuff out, so I notice the color being wrong (everything seems a bit more red, which is especially odd since I'm in the fire dungeon right now) but I'm not moving quickly enough to really notice the image blur.
Also, the resolution settings are not saved for each input, which is why I wouldn't plug my computer into this box if I could help it. I don't know for sure, maybe it doesn't mess with you VGA in, but I was happy that I use DVI for my computer, and so didn't have to try the little experiment. (So all of my mini-RCA things plug into my box which plugs into my monitor VIA a VGA cable, but my computer plugs into my monitor via my DVI cable, so to switch between my computer and my VGA converter box I just switch my input on my monitor.)
Because the resolution settings aren't saved, you'd have to manually change the resolution when you go from a N64, which likes a very low resolution, to a GameCube (Or any other newer console besides the 360 or PS3) which prefers a higher resolution. You could certainly get by without changing the resolution, but the picture really looks significantly better when at its proper resolution. (On a side note, if you want to see was Gears of War looks like at 640x480, this is how you could find out.)
As to the audio, this box adds a hum to it. It's really quiet, so if you're playing video games you'll only hear it during loading screens. Also, it's not a steady tone, or that "CHHHHH" sound that is annoying at any volume that you hear when your television's trying to get a station but can't. It's got a low, gentle oscillating up-down to it, which I actually find rather pleasant. Makes loading screens more interesting for me. =D
I would buy it again for what I am doing, but if I were into PS3 or Xbox 360 gaming, or I had a Wii and was a real Nazi about picture quality, I would probably go for something a little higher-end.
Pros:
Affordable!
4 mini RCA inputs
Easily change resolution
Easily change input
VGA input
Comes with a VGA cable ( I already have a half dozen of these laying around, so I opened the box and went, "Ohhhhhh, great.")
Might be pro or con: Whether or not the box messes with your resolution settings for the VGA input. The small instructions sheet doesn't say, and I'm too lazy to figure it out. (If you really must know, shoot me a message. =D )
Cons:
Picture quality diminished a bit
Resolution settings not saved for different inputs
Some might find audio hum annoying
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
My roommates and I decided that we would use my 22" monitor and buy a VGA box rather than buy a whole new tv for our game systems. While this was certainly MUCH more cost effective, on the whole we were a little less than impressed.Pros:
VERY convenient rather than unplugging and plugging systems to our old TV with only one input, this allows you to hook up 4 systems via composite, and one via VGA (I pass through my 360 in this way and it looks great). Also, all the sound is output through one 1/8" plug so we don't need to switch the speakers either. (Note: If you're using a VGA enabled system like we did, you will have to hook up your speakers in a different way for this system as there are no audio inputs next to the VGA port. Fortunately my speakers have both an auxiliary input and a standard 1/8" plug) Obviously this is functionality that you would expect out of a receiver, but for college students without such a thing, this was a blessing.
Colors are very bright and vibrant, at least compared to the 20 year old TV we used to play on.
Cons:
With my monitor at least, there was no real way to display the image correctly. The box outputs at 800x600 but I have a 16:10 monitor that thinks that all inputs should full the screen. As such, by default everything is a stretched out mess. There is a way I discovered in the manual menus to shrink the image horizontally, but this introduces vertical banding and it's not very pleasant to look at. While the composite video output is very soft and blurry (particularly so with a PS2, not so bad for Wii/GC), the Xbox 360 passed through looks sharp as a tack.
All in all it is not an ideal solution, especially if you are looking to use a widescreen monitor to play standard def consoles on. I was lucky that my monitor gave me some wiggle room in squishing it back to 4:3, but otherwise I would have been SOL.
In hind sight, we probably would have put the $X this cost towards a TV/receiver option, but it wasn't worth the hassle it would have taken to return it and all the shipping costs it would entail.
Best Deals for Multi-Input VGA Box for DVD, PS2, PlayStation, Gamecube, XBOX
I don't know why people review this item as 'bad' because it didn't reach the expectations of high def. on something that uses RCA CABLES AS INPUTS.It DOES do the job: output the video signal to your pc monitor.
output audio to your sound system (or headphones!!!!)
it has a 5 way selector so that you can choose what you're gonna output to the display.
Overall, good. It did the job folks...
Honest reviews on Multi-Input VGA Box for DVD, PS2, PlayStation, Gamecube, XBOX
This VGA box is NOT HD convertor. The good thing about the VGA box it's the selector. Today all DVD player, video game console, and cable box had standard connection; AV input (Red, yellow, white). There're 3 AV input and 1 pc input, a lot of room for your Monitor.Note:(important) the video quality is base on your monitor, not the VGA box, the video quality can be standard or low base on your monitor resolution. If too high, the pixels will break apart, too low will cause blurriness.
Note:(important) If you have old DVD player, old video game console, and cable box that doesn't support widescreen. This VGA box will not auto-adjust your display setting. So play your new machine like Xbox 360 on widescreen monitor.
Again, is not a HD convertor, standard video quality, great for cable box and video game console! Don't blame the VGA box if video quality is low, blame your monitor, not the VGA box.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Multi-Input VGA Box for DVD, PS2, PlayStation, Gamecube, XBOX
Basically ... it does what it says it does. And it does it well. Which is pretty awesome. I bought it for my SNES, so no worries here.HOWEVER.
Please note that what you are buying outputs at, shall we say, less-than-perfect resolution. Using this with something like an XBOX 360 is nearly unfeasible given the 360's sharp graphics. With F-Zero's color palette and blockiness it's nearly unnoticeable, but with better systems it's a real drag.
However. It's $40, and it lets you play all your old systems on your monitor. That's pretty sweet.
I'm going to hook up my PS2 now! And I'll be able to switch between PS2, Dreamcast, SNES, at will, thanks to this. :)
Saturday, August 16, 2014
Buy Max Payne 3
List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $17.49
Today's Bonus: 56% Off
I bought this, and it took me, an old man, a long time to complete it.
It has a definite story, a beginning, middle, and end.
The ending is like a good book you are finishing, and Max once again rides off into the sunset successfully
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Review of Xbox 360 E 250GB Holiday Value Bundle
List Price: $299.99
Sale Price: $249.00
Today's Bonus: 17% Off
I am new to the Xbox 360 system, but my first impression is good. The console was easy to setup right out of the box, and everything seems high quality and durable. I've spent about a week trying out various games and features, and overall I'm satisfied with my purchase. I think this bundle would be a good starter set for casual gamers new to Xbox; it would also make a nice gift this holiday season.
The bundle features two best-selling and critically acclaimed games: "Halo 4", which comes in disc format; and "Tomb Raider", which comes in the form of a download code and instructions to redeem on Xbox Live. The unit also includes the trial versions of 6 games already downloaded my favorite is an arcade game called "Peggle", which was so much fun I spent the $9.99 and bought the full version. The other thing I should mention is that old games for the original XBOX will work on the 360 system that's a good thing because not all gaming systems have backward compatibility, although since those games are not HD they don't look/sound as good as the newer games.
Two accessories are included in the bundle: a Wireless Remote (which can apparently reach up to 20-30 ft. away from the console) and a Headset (very cheaply made). The bundle also includes all required cables to get the unit working right out of the box this includes a power cord and composite A/V cables. Unfortunately, an HDMI cable is NOT included, so you'll want to buy one if you wish to play/watch content in HD.
Xbox Kinect is a motion-based feature that allows you to play controller-free. This console is Kinect compatible, although it does not include the required sensor bar (so you won't be able to play Kinect games until you purchase it). If you are interested in the Kinect, then this bundle might be better for you: Xbox 360 E 250GB Kinect Holiday Value Bundle.
As a bonus, buyers get one month free of Xbox Live Gold membership. The Gold membership allows you to do online multiplayer and connect with your friends. You can also access video streaming services directly on the console examples include Netflix and Hulu (in fact, you get a one month trial subscription to Hulu when you purchase this bundle). I should note that after your free trial ends, a 12-month membership (optional) to Xbox Live Gold is going to cost you approximately $60, depending on what type of deal you can get.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
Pros:most compact model released
most silent model released
compatible with current "slim" removable hard drives
value ($50 gc came with my deal)
included games with this bundle are both 9/10 major AAA titles, not shovelware
Neutral:
only 4 USB ports instead of 5 (but so what who uses all of them)
swipe to turn on/off gone (i didn't hate swipe and don't miss it either)
no major improvements such as USB3, addition of blutooth, huge SSD or anything else (possible they can't do this without major issues)
Cons:
removal of digital optical output might render some high end (Turtle Beach) headsets unusable
biggest hard drive available is still only 320gb (won't be a con to some, but is to me) and isn't available with this bundle
flash data limited to 2x32gb (won't be a con to some, but is to me)
otherwise the same old 360 you already know...
Best Deals for Xbox 360 E 250GB Holiday Value Bundle
This is a great bundle for those looking for a new XBOX 360 or wanting to hold off on the XBOX One craze until more games come along.I highly recommend this one since it comes with a large HD which comes in handy now that more games are requiring installs of game data (GTA V was roughly 8 GB more than the arcade XBOX holds).
The new sleek E version of the 360 is nice and looks more professional than the odd shapes of the last 2 editions.
Tomb Raider and Halo 4 are excellent games to complete the package and they should provide a lot of gameplay hours.
Well worth the investment.
Honest reviews on Xbox 360 E 250GB Holiday Value Bundle
Bought this one to replace the arcade model i had for about 4 years after it took a s*** on me with the red ring of death. I'm very happy with this E model nice and shiny. Halo4 is a fun game just know tomb raider has to be downloaded.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Xbox 360 E 250GB Holiday Value Bundle
Really awesome, not much of a difference from the other Xbox 360 Slim Console but the quality of the console is great!Sunday, July 6, 2014
Cheap Amplitude - PlayStation 2
Musical fans will really get into Amplitude. Modern songs are pulled apart, and the game is actually playing out the various parts of the song, in time.
Sometimes you don't realize just how much intricacy there is to a song until you start to listen to each track separately. Look at how the drums counterpoint the rhythm guitar. The voice interweaves perfectly. It's fascinating to play along with a given part, to see just how well it fits into the mix.
The downside of any game like this is always going to be the music mix. For example, Amplitude includes songs by Garbage, Quarashi, Chris Child, Run-DMC, The Baldwin Brothers, Weezer, and more. If these bands appeal to you, you'll have a blast. If you really hate these bands, you might enjoy the game, but it will madden you to have to listen to the songs over and over again.
I fell somewhere in the middle. I really enjoyed some songs, but just didn't like others. Luckily, I only had to win through a given song once before I could put it behind me :)
Graphics are reasonably good, but really the sound is key here. You barely notice the graphics that swirl around you as you focus on the song, the track markers, and the notes you're aiming to hit.
The game has great difficulty progressions so you could literally play this game for a year or more before you master some of the more difficult levels. If you have any interest at all in being a musician at all, those skills aren't wasted, either. Being able to master those complex rhythms are a real life skill that will serve you well.
Highly recommended.
The game also allows you to remix songs but I did not get into that on Frequency and again fail to find it enjoyable. Also the head-to-head mode of this game is kind of strange the single player is much more enjoyable in my opinion.
One of the best parts about Frequency was getting introduced to groups I hadn't heard before and hopefully some of these artists will turn out the same. The music in Amplitude is a mix of familiar and unfamiliar artists. Strangely it seems to be harder to play the songs that I know (Weezer Dope Nose or Blink 182 Rock Show) than songs I haven't heard before. Some of my favorite songs on Amplitude are Baseline by Quarashi, Cherry Libs by Garbage, and Urban Tumbleweed by the Baldwin Brothers. Ultimately I feel like somehow these artists were picked to promote them for Sony I wish there were more variety of tracks.
Amplitude is easier to beat than Frequency was there are 4 difficult modes (Mellow, Normal, Brutal, and Insane) and I started on Brutal when I first got it and played through in about 2 1/2 hours. The expert mode of Frequency was much more difficult. Easy mode is easy enough for my 6 year old to play.
I would have been happy with the Frequency base game with new music what Sony needs to do in the future is modify this game with new music every 3 to 6 months and rerelease it for $20 or so. Much of the effort in the sequel seems to have gone into the system that allows you to create your own "guy" and as you play you unlock new clothes whatever. Your guy sort of plays along with you if you are on a guitar track he plays guitar and when you play drums he switches to drums.
A final word about the music. I love 4-letter words in my music as much as anybody but while I enjoyed playing Frequency with my kids, some of the songs in Amplitude have bleeped out words and are about mature subjects and some words that in my opinion should be bleeped aren't.
The gameplay is very similar to that of it's predecessor, Frequency, with some minor changes here and there to have it play smoother.
The graphics look a lot brighter and cleaner than Frequency. The little FreQ avatar is no longer just an icon but a 3D model that break dances and plays different instruments depending on what trpe of track you are currently on.
On the music side, Ampitude keeps it kickin' with popular artists such as blink-182, Garbage, Weezer, David Bowie, Run-DMC, and Pink. There are also quite a few returning artists from Frequency such as Freezepop and SymbionProject.
Multiplayer has had quite a bit of change. The play field is no longer divided into 4 squares when 4 people are playing. Instead, everyones is on the same screen and the tracks are laid out in a semi circle (as opposed to the "tunnel" in Frequency). There is also a new power-up: Slow-Mo. Which (obviously) slows down the music for a short period of time. There is built in net play for all of you with the network adapter (perfect for those times when you don't have anyone to play against).
I only got to play multiplayer at GDC, but from the limited time I spent with it I was hooked. The only disapointment came when I heard it wouldn't be realease till the end of March.
Amplitude has, without a doubt, the BIGGEST REPLAY VALUE EVER in a game. Not only with it improving the variety and amount of songs its has and the added extras from the first and all the improvements, but it also keeps the imfamous REMIX function(with even more functions this time around)
One of the most evident improvements is graphics-wise. The backgrounds and "scenery" while playing the game are no longer a killer to your eyes. The menus and "note-blaster" and all the little things are improved to give the game that added kick.
Another big improvement are the FreQs(your on-screen alter ego). They're now 3-D characters!! Woohoo!!(even though the FreQs in the last game were somewhat more customizable) The FreQs in this game don't just flash in your face. They dance and play all the instruments as you switch the different tracks. And as you progress through the game you can unlock different accessories for your characters.
In Remix mode, they also made some adjustments. The vocal tracks are now automatic, so now you don't have to go through and hold ONE button for EACH segment. And while your switching through the different sections of the song, its now AUTOMATIC!! Yay!(let me explain...in FreQuency you have to wait for the sections to play through before its switches...which makes sense, 'cause it plays through the sections smoothly that way...but thats not the point in Remix mode!!)
So, in conclusion, this is an amazing improvement to a seemingly perfect game. And hell, pick up the original FreQuency while you're at it. Believe me, its worth it.
later
-tom-
Like Tetris, the game is deceptively simple: you use your ship to shoot note capsules which release the energy of the music you're listening to. Shoot enough capsules to complete a phrase, and the track plays for 8 bars before you have to return and re-activate it. Each song has six tracks to keep active, so you spend a good bit of time moving back and forth to keep them all alive. The more consecutive phrases you complete, the more points you score.
The game features a wide variety of song styles, with artists ranging from old known hands like David Bowie, Herbie Hancock and Run-DMC to newer artists like Pink, Garbage, P.O.D., and Slipknot to some really obscure bands like Freezepop. The variety is part of what keeps the game compelling--going through a level or two comes off like the world's strangest mix tape...the songs have nothing in common except that, within the game, they get progressively harder to beat. With up to 25 songs available (depending on difficulty mode) and the ability to jump around as you unlock each new level, it's easy to find a new challenge: I typically warm up for "Brutal" mode by playing a song or two that I didn't score so well on in "Normal" mode. This not only warms up my fingers, but it gives me a chance to up my overall score in the lower levels.
The Freqs (characters who dance and play instruments while you perform) come in all shapes and sizes, and each Boss and Bonus song you complete (there's one on each level) will unlock more options for customizing your Freq. They're great fun, but they're really there for anyone who's watching you play: your attention will be focused on the music tracks, and you'll really only notice your Freq when you're between sections or songs.
If all this wasn't enough, the game has an edit mode where you can create your own game-playable remixes of the tracks in the game, uploading them to other players to give them new challenges with old songs.
I've yet to play anyone head-to-head or online, but I'm looking forward to the opportunity. I can only imagine what competition would bring to an already fast-paced game.
If you like music games, you have to have this one. This is the closest thing to a perfect game I've ever played. I have just one complaint...I WANT MORE!
Sometimes you don't realize just how much intricacy there is to a song until you start to listen to each track separately. Look at how the drums counterpoint the rhythm guitar. The voice interweaves perfectly. It's fascinating to play along with a given part, to see just how well it fits into the mix.
The downside of any game like this is always going to be the music mix. For example, Amplitude includes songs by Garbage, Quarashi, Chris Child, Run-DMC, The Baldwin Brothers, Weezer, and more. If these bands appeal to you, you'll have a blast. If you really hate these bands, you might enjoy the game, but it will madden you to have to listen to the songs over and over again.
I fell somewhere in the middle. I really enjoyed some songs, but just didn't like others. Luckily, I only had to win through a given song once before I could put it behind me :)
Graphics are reasonably good, but really the sound is key here. You barely notice the graphics that swirl around you as you focus on the song, the track markers, and the notes you're aiming to hit.
The game has great difficulty progressions so you could literally play this game for a year or more before you master some of the more difficult levels. If you have any interest at all in being a musician at all, those skills aren't wasted, either. Being able to master those complex rhythms are a real life skill that will serve you well.
Highly recommended.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
Amplitude is a music game which is unique in the fact that it uses songs from established artists some you most certainly have heard. If you are familiar with music games you would be at home here the music plays and you perform a part by "playing" the controller while the "music" moves by on the screen. It is the sequel to a game called Frequency and some of this review compares this game to that one.The game also allows you to remix songs but I did not get into that on Frequency and again fail to find it enjoyable. Also the head-to-head mode of this game is kind of strange the single player is much more enjoyable in my opinion.
One of the best parts about Frequency was getting introduced to groups I hadn't heard before and hopefully some of these artists will turn out the same. The music in Amplitude is a mix of familiar and unfamiliar artists. Strangely it seems to be harder to play the songs that I know (Weezer Dope Nose or Blink 182 Rock Show) than songs I haven't heard before. Some of my favorite songs on Amplitude are Baseline by Quarashi, Cherry Libs by Garbage, and Urban Tumbleweed by the Baldwin Brothers. Ultimately I feel like somehow these artists were picked to promote them for Sony I wish there were more variety of tracks.
Amplitude is easier to beat than Frequency was there are 4 difficult modes (Mellow, Normal, Brutal, and Insane) and I started on Brutal when I first got it and played through in about 2 1/2 hours. The expert mode of Frequency was much more difficult. Easy mode is easy enough for my 6 year old to play.
I would have been happy with the Frequency base game with new music what Sony needs to do in the future is modify this game with new music every 3 to 6 months and rerelease it for $20 or so. Much of the effort in the sequel seems to have gone into the system that allows you to create your own "guy" and as you play you unlock new clothes whatever. Your guy sort of plays along with you if you are on a guitar track he plays guitar and when you play drums he switches to drums.
A final word about the music. I love 4-letter words in my music as much as anybody but while I enjoyed playing Frequency with my kids, some of the songs in Amplitude have bleeped out words and are about mature subjects and some words that in my opinion should be bleeped aren't.
Best Deals for Amplitude - PlayStation 2
I had a chance to play Amplitude at this year's Game Developers Conference and I must say I was quite impressed.The gameplay is very similar to that of it's predecessor, Frequency, with some minor changes here and there to have it play smoother.
The graphics look a lot brighter and cleaner than Frequency. The little FreQ avatar is no longer just an icon but a 3D model that break dances and plays different instruments depending on what trpe of track you are currently on.
On the music side, Ampitude keeps it kickin' with popular artists such as blink-182, Garbage, Weezer, David Bowie, Run-DMC, and Pink. There are also quite a few returning artists from Frequency such as Freezepop and SymbionProject.
Multiplayer has had quite a bit of change. The play field is no longer divided into 4 squares when 4 people are playing. Instead, everyones is on the same screen and the tracks are laid out in a semi circle (as opposed to the "tunnel" in Frequency). There is also a new power-up: Slow-Mo. Which (obviously) slows down the music for a short period of time. There is built in net play for all of you with the network adapter (perfect for those times when you don't have anyone to play against).
I only got to play multiplayer at GDC, but from the limited time I spent with it I was hooked. The only disapointment came when I heard it wouldn't be realease till the end of March.
Honest reviews on Amplitude - PlayStation 2
Just when I thought they couldn't improve anymore, Harmonix goes full out and surprises even me. This is probably one of the best games I've ever own/played, and that's probably thanks to my love for music, but still.Amplitude has, without a doubt, the BIGGEST REPLAY VALUE EVER in a game. Not only with it improving the variety and amount of songs its has and the added extras from the first and all the improvements, but it also keeps the imfamous REMIX function(with even more functions this time around)
One of the most evident improvements is graphics-wise. The backgrounds and "scenery" while playing the game are no longer a killer to your eyes. The menus and "note-blaster" and all the little things are improved to give the game that added kick.
Another big improvement are the FreQs(your on-screen alter ego). They're now 3-D characters!! Woohoo!!(even though the FreQs in the last game were somewhat more customizable) The FreQs in this game don't just flash in your face. They dance and play all the instruments as you switch the different tracks. And as you progress through the game you can unlock different accessories for your characters.
In Remix mode, they also made some adjustments. The vocal tracks are now automatic, so now you don't have to go through and hold ONE button for EACH segment. And while your switching through the different sections of the song, its now AUTOMATIC!! Yay!(let me explain...in FreQuency you have to wait for the sections to play through before its switches...which makes sense, 'cause it plays through the sections smoothly that way...but thats not the point in Remix mode!!)
So, in conclusion, this is an amazing improvement to a seemingly perfect game. And hell, pick up the original FreQuency while you're at it. Believe me, its worth it.
later
-tom-
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Amplitude - PlayStation 2
This game has me in its grasp. I've been playing it for about 3 months now and have tried to beat it at every level. The slightly unusual controls (you use the shoulder buttons almost exclusively) took a bit of time to get used to, but the game makes it worth the effort.Like Tetris, the game is deceptively simple: you use your ship to shoot note capsules which release the energy of the music you're listening to. Shoot enough capsules to complete a phrase, and the track plays for 8 bars before you have to return and re-activate it. Each song has six tracks to keep active, so you spend a good bit of time moving back and forth to keep them all alive. The more consecutive phrases you complete, the more points you score.
The game features a wide variety of song styles, with artists ranging from old known hands like David Bowie, Herbie Hancock and Run-DMC to newer artists like Pink, Garbage, P.O.D., and Slipknot to some really obscure bands like Freezepop. The variety is part of what keeps the game compelling--going through a level or two comes off like the world's strangest mix tape...the songs have nothing in common except that, within the game, they get progressively harder to beat. With up to 25 songs available (depending on difficulty mode) and the ability to jump around as you unlock each new level, it's easy to find a new challenge: I typically warm up for "Brutal" mode by playing a song or two that I didn't score so well on in "Normal" mode. This not only warms up my fingers, but it gives me a chance to up my overall score in the lower levels.
The Freqs (characters who dance and play instruments while you perform) come in all shapes and sizes, and each Boss and Bonus song you complete (there's one on each level) will unlock more options for customizing your Freq. They're great fun, but they're really there for anyone who's watching you play: your attention will be focused on the music tracks, and you'll really only notice your Freq when you're between sections or songs.
If all this wasn't enough, the game has an edit mode where you can create your own game-playable remixes of the tracks in the game, uploading them to other players to give them new challenges with old songs.
I've yet to play anyone head-to-head or online, but I'm looking forward to the opportunity. I can only imagine what competition would bring to an already fast-paced game.
If you like music games, you have to have this one. This is the closest thing to a perfect game I've ever played. I have just one complaint...I WANT MORE!
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Cheap Advent Rising - Xbox
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $16.85
Today's Bonus: 44% Off
Advent Rising was announced a few years ago as the first in a trilogy that was epic in scope. It has all the workings of a great project as well. The original story began in the director's mind and he knew it would be such a grand story that he enlisted the help of notable sci-fi scribe Orson Scott Card to help work the script. Card worked on the script, getting the dialogue right and also assisted with the overall story. On top of an excellent author, they employed an orchestra and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to perform. All of these should spell out to be a recipe for sucess. And it does, sort of.
What holds this game back from glory are the myriad of technical issues. To begin with, the game is beautiful. Graphic-wise, it reminds me of Halo 2. Halo 2 had no loading after the initial load and the graphics, while nice, suffered at times from having to be rendered quickly. The same goes for Advent Rising. In fact, while you are watching a cutscene, the game is busy loading the next sequence. What this does is put a tremendous strain on the engine. If the engine is strong, it shouldn't pose much problem. But, unfortunately, this sometimes spells disaster for Advent Rising.
The first 40 minutes of the game did not give me a great first impression. During the training sequences, the game locked up three times. I had to replay the same sequence about 4 times to get through it simply because I did something the game didn't like and it froze. The game auto-saves onces you hit certain check points and if you have to reset the game, you're starting back over from the beginning of the checkpoint. Things became much better as the game progressed and I don't remember the game freezing again.
Added to the lock ups, the game stutters when there's too many things going on at once. I don't mean when little things are happening, I mean when you have a squad of 3-4 people on your team shooting at 4-6 enemies and there's two drop ships coming in and launching missles that explode with huge flames. When that happens, the game's audio begins to "click," the frame rate drops very noticeably and things become a bit annoying. But again, this only really happens when there's a ton going on.
Unfortunately, more technical issues abound. Namely in the sound. With the beautifully orchestrated music pounding, the screams of people fleeing certain destruction, the explosions, the lazers tearing apart buildings, you'd expect to have a lot of sound. Unfortunately, in the cutscenes the sound tends to be muted. To give you an example, on my surround sound receiver (which the game supports by the way), I usually keep the sound at 10-11 for a decent, full sound that doesn't also piss off my neighbors. For this game, generally I have to have the sound on at 16-17 and it's still muted. I know the reason is probably because the game is loading the next scene and the engine is faltering because of it.
A love it or hate it device is used for targeting. Called "flick targeting," you use the right stick to change between your targets, effectively "flicking" it in their general direction to lock onto them. For those who use their right stick to change the camera constantly, like me, this can take some time to get used to. But, if you can train yourself not to change the camera as much will find it works pretty well. Where it can get into a problem is when you are trying to run from the enemy to get to cover. When this happens, and you try to reorient the camera to find some place to run, it can become frustrating to continually lock onto targets. Also, when you receive your power to levitate objects, this becomes even more of a hindrance as you not only lock onto enemies now but also moveable objects. Click the right stick (R3 button) helps with this problem because it releases the camera but it still causes moments of annoyance. Honestly, though, it's a great system to handle more than one enemy at a time.
At the heart of the game, past all of the technical problems and targeting woes is a great story. The beginning of the story with the Seeker's attack of your home world reminded me of what Halo 2 was missing. Here we saw devastation on your homeworld, we fought on the homeworld and it generally stressed the feeling of your world at risk. From there, it's an epic event after epic event as the seekers cause untold problems, a few plot twists occur and a few deaths propel our protagonist toward his goal. It's a great story and the dialogue is terrific, bring to mind movie quality. The voice actors are a charm to listen to, and there are a couple funny moments. Card's influenced can be seen everywhere. In fact, I was waiting for the main characters to break out in a discussion of Varelese and Ramen in terms of aliens (read the Ender's series if you didn't get that).
For all that's good in this game, and there's plenty do not get me wrong, I feel semi-disappointed. This game has been pushed back countless times. Mostly, it's been pushed back to help fix the frame rate issues, and other technical problems I've noted. And so when the game was finally released I was shocked when the very things that made it miss release date upon release date were still causing problems. What is most annoying is that we are this far in the Xbox development cycle and bugs abound. We are currently waiting for Xbox 360 to come out and countless games have been made that are more beautiful and less buggy than this game. It's disappointing to see that even this far into the Xbox life problems are still occuring. Maybe the game was too grand for the Xbox and should have been an Xbox 360 launch title. Whatever the case, this game is really good, regardless of the problems. If you can overlook the technical issues above, you will find not only a good game, but a good game with a heart. And that's hard to find today.
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Let me start off by saying that all of the official reviews you have read for this game have been completely wrong. I have yet to see any positive feedback from professional reviewers about Advent Rising, which is proof that every one of them needs to be fired from their jobs.Now, with that aside, let me talk about the miraculous thing that is Advent Rising. I have never found myself so immersed in an experience as I have with this game. The gameplay is addictive, the story is compelling, and the music is to die for.
Bugs:
There isn't a game out there as unique as Advent Rising. Look past the glitches and slowdowns and you are clearly playing one of the most fun and incredible games ever released. Everyone has badmouthed the Flick Targeting, but all I have to say is that I play with an inverted camera, and I still found the targeting tolerable. Can you imagine targeting to the right and the camera moves left? It wasn't easy, but still, I gave the game a 5, so you know it can't be that bad.
-The framerate, in my opinion, isn't an issue, cause it only slows down about 4 times through the entire game, and not even enough to get you killed.
-Lockups are the same, rare.
-Music fades in and out, and will sometimes overpower the dialogue. (But music can be turned off)
-In fact, the only glitches worth mentioning are:
1. Every so often the camera will continue to lock on a target after they have been killed, meaning that you can't look ahead. It is quickly fixed though as another object is targeted.
2. While using Aeon Pulse alternate fire the character will get stuck in the air.
3. The health of the 2nd boss is inconsistent, one time it is easy to kill, other times it will take hours.
Gameplay:
Advent Rising delivers more surprises than any game out their. I've lost count of how many times I've just had to pause the game and think of how awesome what I've just pulled off was. You can do SO many things at one time that it is incredible, and I am STILL finding new things like...MINOR SPOILERS...the fact that you charge up the surge power and deliver a deadly blow that looks awesome. Also, that you can freeze the Seekers and then completely shatter them. Sure I'd heard people talking about it, but pulling it off is amazing. In what other game can I slow down time, kick a guy through the air, run across the room and then kick him again before he hits the ground? I can literally pick up 5 bad guys, throw them into Lava, and fire a rocket launcher at a mech-baddie while flying through the air in slow-motion, all at the same time. And then finish that one off by landing and spinning my launcher like some cowboy, it's incredible! End Spoilers.
-The coolest things however, are the RPG elements. Choices you make effect the storyline, and the powers/weapons you can level-up on create a unique character every time you play.
Story and Characters:
I won't spoil it, but it is the best storyline I've ever played in a game. This game made me cry, enough said.
-The characters are actually interesting! I want to learn about them, want to know where they came from. And Ethan is the man! One of the best characters out there. Gideon is cool too, but Ethan really made the game for me.
-(Minor Spoiler is you're sensitive like that) Just a hint that won't spoil it for people who haven't played it yet. If you want the story to reach its highest potential I'll just say this...pick the dude. The game makes more sense that way.
Problems:
-Other than the formentioned glitches, the character models other than Gideon and Ethan, and the Aliens, are rather dull. I would loved to have seen the females look better because during the city scenes there was only one skin for them, while the men had at least 4. Made it unbelievable.
-No subtitles. Without them it is hard to know what the characters are saying because the music, or mumble of their voice.
You have to play this game with an open mind, and whatever you do, don't play the entire game the same way. There are so many ways to kill things, that experimenting is so much fun. The landscapes are breathtaking and the weaponry is killer. And I don't care what anyone says, this game did not copy Halo with the Seekers. They look nothing like the Covenant, and the gamplay is actually much more fun than Halo.
Don't be deceived by the beginning of the game, I was, and I regretted getting the game, but by the end, I was completely immersed in the world and didn't want it to end. Let's hope the sequels fix the minor problems and expand on the already incredible gameplay.
I've already said this, but the game made me cry, and that's tough for me. It is truly one of the best games I've ever played, and IS the most fun.
Just remember, have an open mind, you'll love it! And as long as you aren't a picky and spoiled moron, the glitches won't bother you enough to keep you from this incredible experience.
We need more games like this!
Best Deals for Advent Rising - Xbox
In this generation of gaming, a dark age if ever there was one, where great games are few and far between, and sequel after sequel sells while great aspirations so often go unrealized, swept away in the flood of mediocrity, comes a game that turns me back into a true believer...I've been around. I've owned so many game systems, tried so many styles of games. I've looked and searched and hoped and dreamed...that there would one day come a game that took the strengths and lost the weaknesses that have plagued seemingly every action game.
What does a good action game need? What have they been lacking? Well, think of all those stupid first-person-shooters, all those mindless action games. They have you mowing down hordes of enemies...and then jumping across a gap and falling to your death! You're blasting your way through all kinds of madness, and then you can't find the key to open the stupid door to the next area! How often I would dream of a game where there's no stupid jumping puzzles! No stupid key searches! Instead...you blast enemies, the story progresses, and the doors OPEN when you approach them! YES!!!!! But I'm getting ahead of myself.
This game is what every Star Wars action game wishes it was. It's what Jedi Knight should have been. It's what Gun Valkyrie shoudl have been. It's what I've been waiting for...a fun game!
The beginning of the game you're walking around and talking and training. Then you meet the aliens. And all heck breaks loose. And wow! Suddenly with both X-box triggers you're blasting through hordes of enemies as the ship breaks apart. And from there the action almost never stops.
Your abilities level up as you go, and after a few levels you get POWERS. Then the game immediately goes from good to AWESOME. All powers have level ups that come from usage. And as the game progresses the powers get progressively cooler. But the real greatness comes not from the powers but what you can DO with them. You can grab weapons out of enemies hands, then shoot them with them. You can freeze time and run to enemies and take them down in hand-to-hand combat. You can put up energy shields and then backflip and cartwheel in and out of their path while firing energy blasts out of your hands. You can snipe with guns and toss enemies around with with telekinesis. And because you of the awesome targeting system and excellent control menus, it's painless to target enemies and switch weapons and powers.
Most of the complaints in this game seem to center around said flick-targeting system, glitches in the system, slow-down, and camera issues. Some also don't like the difficulty. To all of this I say...what's your problem?
The flick-targeting system is brilliant. It allows you to easily switch targets and focus the camera instantly. You can adjust it's sensitivity if it's not working for you quite right. Same with the camera. But honestly, this is an ACTION game. AJUST TO IT! Every game has camera issues! Most action games have slowdown! And as games with bugs go, please keep in mind that Knights of the Old Republic has more bugs than the state of Florida and people got over that! Honestly, the bugs, slow-down, jaggies, WHATEVER simply aren't big enough to even be an issue.
The game has INCREDIBLE level design. It has loads of cool weapons. It has GREAT boss battles (fighting a flying tank single-handedly for the first time was so much fun the first time!). It's LOADS of fun. It has a great story, great music, great controls, adjustable difficulty, inspired characters, good voice-acting, and simply limitless possibilities for gameplay.
For a long while I thought this was a four star game because of the bugs and slowdown and whatnot. But in light of the slow-motion dodging, the music, the gamespy, and the incredible amount of FUN that this game is, I simply cannot give it fewer than five stars. This is one of the most under-rated games I've ever played, and probably the best game for the X-Box, with only the phenomenal KOTOR games challenging it. Everyone who likes action or sci-fi games should definitely play this game. I don't think I'll ever get tired of it. It's just too deep and fun a game!
Honest reviews on Advent Rising - Xbox
Advent Rising is the first of what promises to be an amazing trilogy. The story is a great sci-fi adventure. To finally see a quality script and quality voiceacting in a video game is a treat. The soundtrack is nothing short of spectacular and completely immerses you the game, I may purchase it when it becomes available. What's more, even though this is the first part of a trilogy, you don't feel cheated at the end of the game (like in Halo 2). The first installment gives a nice feeling of completion. The only things keeping this game from a five star rating are the technical problems (which on the whole are minor) and the graphics (not what you would expect from a modern day epic video game). I trust that Xbox 360 will easily allow the developers to fix the framerate and graphics in the final two games of the trilogy. In the end, this series may surpass everything that's come before it, even Halo (that's right I said it).Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Advent Rising - Xbox
I saw Advent Rising on last year's E3 and was amazed, so I pre-ordered this game for US-launch (yes, I live in Germany). When I read some of the first reviews, I was disappointed and almost cosidered cancelling the order.Luckyly i didn't: I played this game for 6 hours now and it is just brilliant! Great graphics and sound (though some minor technical problems) are one thing, but the great story, voice acting and cutszenes are what makes Advent Rising a classic. This is one of the rare ocassions where a game's story truly captures me.
I read some complains about the controls, but don't agree: The auto-targetting system is efficient and fun, if you like running and shooting in fast pace, you don't have to bother with target-selecting and aiming you just concentrate on the action.
I know this is a short review, but there is not much to say: Ordering this game from the other side of the atlantic was totally worth it and I can clearly recommend it to any Sci-Fi and Action-Fan!
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Buy Beyblade: Metal Masters - Nintendo DS
List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $13.83
Today's Bonus: 31% Off
This is what I like about the beyblade metal masters game.You can use the buttons instead of using a stylus.You can use fire attacks when you are moving up and down and backwards.
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Fun game for kids who like Beyblades. Graphics not great and somewhat difficult to learn. But once you learn how to play, it provides many hours of entertainment.Best Deals for Beyblade: Metal Masters - Nintendo DS
5 STARS my godchild loves Beyblades. Shock to see that thisgame works on the Nintendo 3D DS. My godchild can't put it
down. It was a nice Xmas gift.
Honest reviews on Beyblade: Metal Masters - Nintendo DS
Bought this for my 9 year old. He has about 20 BB and really enjoys them. The game seems very simple to me and i would have never played it as a kid (and i am a gamer) but if they like BB then they will like this one.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Beyblade: Metal Masters - Nintendo DS
The Beyblades are a hit with my grandsons...this Nintendo ds is fun and full of the good kind of action for a child.Saturday, April 19, 2014
Buy Activision Anthology - PlayStation 2
If you owned an Atari 2600 or VCS in the 80s, you played these games. Activision made Atari games and kicked it up a notch in terms of graphics and game play. Practically the whole Activision library is here, and even a couple of Imagic games like Atlantis and Demon Attack. There's over 45 games on this disc, including:
Chopper Command
Crackpots
Freeway
Kaboom
Megamania
Pitfall 1 & 2
Plaque Attack
Pressure Cooker
River Raid 1 & 2
Seaquest
Spider Fighter
Stampede
Sports:
Boxing
Enduro
Fishing Derby
Grand Prix
Ice Hockey
Skiing
Tennis
In addition to the games, there's also an 80s music soundtrack to take you back in time as well. You can unlock various rewards for high scores (like patches and clips of the original commercials for these games) and play the games in different ways other than the standard one. There's something for everyone here. Some cute games like Barnstorming, Dolphin, Oink and Sky Jinks. Some games never released on compilations before, like Beamrider, Decathlon, Robot Tank and Space Shuttle. There's even a game of checkers on here. Hard to believe that games with four bits of memory were once the standard. This collection of games proves that going back in time can be fun. Get this game collection, you'll love it!
Some other great games included on it are,MegaMania,Frostbite, SpiderFighter,LaserBlaster,KeystoneKapers,RoboTank,and of course Pitfall.The 80s soundtrack put in the game made it even better;I mean playing these classics while listening to "Safety Dance",
"Tainted Love" or "Were Not Gonna Take It" is priceless in my opinion.If any of these songs do get on your nerves though( you can only listen to Mexican Radio so many times!) you are given the option to turn the music off.I just wish they would have given the option to only play certain songs while leaving other ones out..Oh well.
The only minor complaint I have for this title,is that some of the games included were really,REALLY bad!I mean I remember hating these games when I used to own them as cartridges for the atari 2600.The really bad games include,Dragster(terrible!), Dolphin,TomCat and the "bonus" games Kabobber and Thwoker. However there are enough fun games in here to justify buying it esp. since you can buy this new for pretty cheap. That's a great deal
for a gamer's trip down memory lane.
In conclusion,any gamer in his/her twentites would love this title.As for the younger generation,they probabaly couldn't appreciate this one;but everyone else sit back and have some fun!
And what a bargain! ... Well worth it. Although about half the games are not really worth playing today, there are several must-have classics:
Pitfall, Pitfall 2 (like 2D Metroid in a jungle), H.E.R.O., Kaboom, Cosmic Ark, Demon Attack.
Just like all of the reviews before this one, the sound track is great (love the Roxy Music), but too short and gets repetitive. I wish they had included more songs and you'll find yourself turning off the music after a few laps. I just about fell out of my chair laughing after unlocking the Hockey comercial with Phil Hartman from his pre SNL days. All of the add media you can unlock is hilarious (what geeks we all were). Like watching retro commercials on Nick at Night.
I remember the Activision games for being cutting edge, especially graphically, in an era where making a game grapically appealing was almost better than making a game that played well.
If you are a gammer and want to flash back to the early days of true gamming, then get this game. It's also fun to watch the look on your kids faces when they see an old Atari game for the first time. It's even funnier when you tell them it took a machine slightly larger than the PS2 to play them on; "Sonny, when I was your age, it took us two hours to get the vertical hold just right for playing, and then we walked five miles to school, in the snow, up-hill both ways, with no shoes".
If your kids are going to follow in your slacker foot-steps with gaming, then it's best they know their history.
Chopper Command
Crackpots
Freeway
Kaboom
Megamania
Pitfall 1 & 2
Plaque Attack
Pressure Cooker
River Raid 1 & 2
Seaquest
Spider Fighter
Stampede
Sports:
Boxing
Enduro
Fishing Derby
Grand Prix
Ice Hockey
Skiing
Tennis
In addition to the games, there's also an 80s music soundtrack to take you back in time as well. You can unlock various rewards for high scores (like patches and clips of the original commercials for these games) and play the games in different ways other than the standard one. There's something for everyone here. Some cute games like Barnstorming, Dolphin, Oink and Sky Jinks. Some games never released on compilations before, like Beamrider, Decathlon, Robot Tank and Space Shuttle. There's even a game of checkers on here. Hard to believe that games with four bits of memory were once the standard. This collection of games proves that going back in time can be fun. Get this game collection, you'll love it!
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
First off,I have to say that I grew up in the 80s and I used to play atari all the time,so my review may be a bit biased.For me, this game had so many memories in it that it was a blast!One of the main reasons I got this anthology was because it included the great game Seaquest in it.I used to play that game for hours on end back in the day!Some other great games included on it are,MegaMania,Frostbite, SpiderFighter,LaserBlaster,KeystoneKapers,RoboTank,and of course Pitfall.The 80s soundtrack put in the game made it even better;I mean playing these classics while listening to "Safety Dance",
"Tainted Love" or "Were Not Gonna Take It" is priceless in my opinion.If any of these songs do get on your nerves though( you can only listen to Mexican Radio so many times!) you are given the option to turn the music off.I just wish they would have given the option to only play certain songs while leaving other ones out..Oh well.
The only minor complaint I have for this title,is that some of the games included were really,REALLY bad!I mean I remember hating these games when I used to own them as cartridges for the atari 2600.The really bad games include,Dragster(terrible!), Dolphin,TomCat and the "bonus" games Kabobber and Thwoker. However there are enough fun games in here to justify buying it esp. since you can buy this new for pretty cheap. That's a great deal
for a gamer's trip down memory lane.
In conclusion,any gamer in his/her twentites would love this title.As for the younger generation,they probabaly couldn't appreciate this one;but everyone else sit back and have some fun!
Best Deals for Activision Anthology - PlayStation 2
For the past few years, Midway and Namco have been rereleasing old games in their collections. They would throw 6 to 8 early 80's games on a cd with nothing extra and charge an insane amount of money. Then along came Activision. Activision obviously learned from Midway and Namco's mistakes. Instead of 6 to 8, you get 45 Atari 2600 games. Want extra features? Ok, how about TV comercials from the 80s and those patches you could earn for their games. But they did not stop there. They added a truely impressive 80's soundtrack to keep you going. There are also added ways of playing the game. For example, one method overlays clouds over the game. Another has a large rotating cube with the game on each side. These extra ways of playing the game are interesting, but you will mostly just play the games the way they were. Overall, this is what a collection should be like. If you want to relive the classics or are interested in where the video game industry first got its start, you should check this out.Honest reviews on Activision Anthology - PlayStation 2
These are the classic games I played as a kid. Although primitive, they were *very* addictive and kept you saying, "Just one more game!"And what a bargain! ... Well worth it. Although about half the games are not really worth playing today, there are several must-have classics:
Pitfall, Pitfall 2 (like 2D Metroid in a jungle), H.E.R.O., Kaboom, Cosmic Ark, Demon Attack.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Activision Anthology - PlayStation 2
No kidding, the selection screen is just a few items short of looking like my childhood room. I had my Atari hooked up to a black and white TV because the costs of games kept me from up-grading to a color TV. Just too hard to do when your income was $4 a week for taking out the trash for your parents and $6 a week for delivering the now defunct Washington Star on Sunday mornings.Just like all of the reviews before this one, the sound track is great (love the Roxy Music), but too short and gets repetitive. I wish they had included more songs and you'll find yourself turning off the music after a few laps. I just about fell out of my chair laughing after unlocking the Hockey comercial with Phil Hartman from his pre SNL days. All of the add media you can unlock is hilarious (what geeks we all were). Like watching retro commercials on Nick at Night.
I remember the Activision games for being cutting edge, especially graphically, in an era where making a game grapically appealing was almost better than making a game that played well.
If you are a gammer and want to flash back to the early days of true gamming, then get this game. It's also fun to watch the look on your kids faces when they see an old Atari game for the first time. It's even funnier when you tell them it took a machine slightly larger than the PS2 to play them on; "Sonny, when I was your age, it took us two hours to get the vertical hold just right for playing, and then we walked five miles to school, in the snow, up-hill both ways, with no shoes".
If your kids are going to follow in your slacker foot-steps with gaming, then it's best they know their history.
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