Showing posts with label xbox sales. Show all posts
Showing posts with label xbox sales. Show all posts
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Best Game Gripper - Samsung Epic Game Controller, Xbox Style Buttons Deals
Works great. Would recommend this item to anyone looking to buy a good quality item like this one. Very happy with it. however; seller is terrible. Never responded to why it came all chewed up like a dog had played with it before shipping it.
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Reviews of LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 - Xbox 360
List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $15.79
Today's Bonus: 21% Off
My wife and I played through the first Lego Harry Potter game, and we loved it. We've played other lego games, but by far the Harry Potter game was our favorite. So, we were way excited when we got the second Lego Harry Potter today. After playing it for several hours, I am very pleased with how similar the gameplay is to the first game, yet it's different enough to keep it interesting. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who has played and enjoyed the first game. It's great!
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
Having owned every Lego game in recent years we were excited about this game, unfortunatly they rushed it out the door for the holidays. The common glitches are using pets and item assembly. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to use a pet for a puzzle and the game will not let you unless you are standing in an exact invisible spot to release the pet. Some assembly challenges had to be abandoned and retried because of lego parts getting stuck so assembly could not be completed at that time.Game play is similar to previous lego games, but it is not always clear what needs to be done to continue the story. Couple this with game glitches and it can be a frustrating game at times.
If the game maker fixes the glitches in an update then I would change my rating to a 4+. Until them the game is a mixture of pleasure and pain for any age.
Best Deals for LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 - Xbox 360
This game is just as fun as the first! There are a few updates to hogwarts and the spells, but that makes everything new and exciting. The game is very in depth, there are so many levels and side stories to play through. I have experienced a few glitches but no freezing unlike all the other lego games.Honest reviews on LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 - Xbox 360
I'd wait to get this, a few bugs need to be worked out and it should be about ten bucks cheaper than what it is right now.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 - Xbox 360
An improvement over the first. They incorporated some elements from the books that were missing from the films. Gameplay and controls work well. Music is film fare which I enjoy. Graphics, well its a Lego game but the backgrounds are done well and the pieces are well done. Overall a funny enjoyable game for fans of the series.
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Buy Jet Grind Radio
I just picked up this import and have not quit playing it! This game finally lets you be the "thug" you've always dreamed about being. The game is presented beautifully, from the cartoon-ish graphics right down to the city's themselves. The breaks between stages are absolutely AMAZING! The animation is beautiful! I also love the option to create your own tags or download them via internet. But all in all, we can't forget the music. If this game had a soundtrack, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. The music goes along perfectly with the games atmosphere and frantic play. My only complaint on this game is (with almost every other game with it) is the camera. Hopefully this will be fixed for the American version. This game is THE reason to buy a dreamcast. I can safely say this game blows Crazy Taxi out of the water. If you have a DC, BUY THIS GAME!
The concept is simple, you skate around towns, tagging (spraypainting) certain objects while evading police officers, police dogs, rockets from helicopters, and other baddies. The animation style is really what cements the experience as being something out of the ordinary, though. Dubbed "cel-shading", the end result is something that looks very much like a cartoon. It's really beautiful to watch as well as play.
The gameplay is fun, but has some problems. The first, which likely everyone has addressed, is camera control. There are 3 unused buttons on the controller, and the developers still decided for some unknown reason to double up controls. It's annoying, but you learn to live with it. The other issue that bugs me is that you're constantly on the run from police with no real defense other than fleeing.
One other problem I have is with the menu system. When you boot up, you're given the choice of starting a new game, playing a tutorial, or loading an existing file. However, once you have a game in play (through creating a new game or loading), you have to reboot the system to load another. This is really a patently ridiculous feature and particularly annoying if you like alternating w/ a friend but keep seperate game files.
One other note I should make is that the worlds may seem smaller than they were described by other reviewers at first. I was pretty aggravated and disappointed for a while until I got far enough that I was actually given the opportunity to skate more or less freely without worry of harassment by police, etc.. It's a bit into the game, but worth noting if you get discouraged.
All in all, Jet Grind Radio is still a fantastic game, and definitely a game to get for the Dreamcast. There are minor points that really should have been taken care of, but other than that, a solid effort.
Awesome gameplay, good cohesive storyline, fresh stylish animation, very inventive and compelling level design that shows how much the Dreamcast as a system is capable of. Not to mention a fairly decent amount of playtime in order to beat it, no arcade 5-minutes-and-you're-done syndrome. Cruise around a portion of the city, bumping off opponents & painting over their graffiti. Eventually the cops show up, which you can usually deal with just be keeping active and running away. But then the Chief shows up, and this dirtbag has a loaded gun! I still get freaked out when I try to run away and the dude is firing live rounds in my general direction as he's chasing. Yikes!
All I can say is "Try it, you'll like it!" It may not be the ultimate skating simulator, but it isn't meant to be. There really are so few decent original action games for the Dreamcast and that makes Jet Grind Radio stand out that much more. The game is pure fun, no matter what age you are.
If there has been one thing that I have wanted to applaud Sega for, it was for trying something different. Attacking the norm and attempting to elicit a reaction from it. Games like Crazy Taxi; Shenmue, Metropolis Street Racer, and now Jet Grind Radio have all tried to do something different from the competition (with varying results and success). Which is what brings me to Jet Grind Radio. I think its entire purpose was to try some thing different and be able to get a person to put down another rehashed, "up-dated" and try something new for a change. That alone was why I took notice of the game (I'm a sucker for creative, quality products).
…And quality is what JGR shows. From its unique and very colorful "cel-shaded" graphics, to it's amazingly good J-pop/hip-hop/trance/electronica soundtrack (I'm not normally keen on most of the for mentioned, but I found it quite endearing this time), this game is bursting at the seems with personality. The characters (a bizarre and interesting mix of roller skating punks called "Rudies"), the graffiti tags (which look great) and the cityscapes are all well crafted and implemented well.
But with out quality game-play, this game would just be another pretty face for the next-generation systems (something that seems all too common in most games these days). Luckily JGR talented team of designers also made this game an absolute blast to play. Essentially what JGR is non-linear mix of roller-blading and spray painting in which you must paint designated areas as fast and as smoothly as possible. The painting is done simply by walking up to an arrow and pressing the spray button while avoiding cops and other evil figures. Follow the simple analog commands and you're finished. It takes some time getting used to, but the learning curve is so smooth in the game, you won't even notice. But as you will learn the more you play the game, the game's enjoyment is limited only to your own level of creativity. Nearly everything can be grinded or pushed off of to start a combo of linked tricks. And since the spaces of the game are so varied, the possibilities are endless. With a quick, effective and simple trick system, it becomes even more enjoyable.
But alas, this game is not perfect. The camera work tends to be a bit iffy sometimes (and with limited control over it, it can become frustrating). Not all the music is as great as others (songs like "Super Brother", "Dragula", and a few others are just really irritating). The simplistic trick system, though I love it, is certainly going to annoy others who weaned off of Tony Hawk for so long. But none of these things destroy (or even really dent a marvelous game).
So in the end, I guess its up to you. Do you really want another boring, uninspired shooting game? Or how about another dreadful RPG? Jet Grind Radio is the game for people who want something different in their library of games. Heck, it doesn't even have to be that. Buy it because it's fun game. Period.
But you can't help but laugh and smile while playing the game. It has a Parappa the Rapper quality. The gameplay isn't perfect, but the fun factor is absolutely over the top. Some of the Japanese tunes are a little quirky, but the majority are hip with deep beats that get even the most jaded gamer (and sister who hates video games) to tap their foot in unison.
Buy it. It's original. It's fun.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
Jet Grind Radio is yet another impressively creative title to come out of Sega (which is why I'm so fond of Sega), and definitely rates as a success.The concept is simple, you skate around towns, tagging (spraypainting) certain objects while evading police officers, police dogs, rockets from helicopters, and other baddies. The animation style is really what cements the experience as being something out of the ordinary, though. Dubbed "cel-shading", the end result is something that looks very much like a cartoon. It's really beautiful to watch as well as play.
The gameplay is fun, but has some problems. The first, which likely everyone has addressed, is camera control. There are 3 unused buttons on the controller, and the developers still decided for some unknown reason to double up controls. It's annoying, but you learn to live with it. The other issue that bugs me is that you're constantly on the run from police with no real defense other than fleeing.
One other problem I have is with the menu system. When you boot up, you're given the choice of starting a new game, playing a tutorial, or loading an existing file. However, once you have a game in play (through creating a new game or loading), you have to reboot the system to load another. This is really a patently ridiculous feature and particularly annoying if you like alternating w/ a friend but keep seperate game files.
One other note I should make is that the worlds may seem smaller than they were described by other reviewers at first. I was pretty aggravated and disappointed for a while until I got far enough that I was actually given the opportunity to skate more or less freely without worry of harassment by police, etc.. It's a bit into the game, but worth noting if you get discouraged.
All in all, Jet Grind Radio is still a fantastic game, and definitely a game to get for the Dreamcast. There are minor points that really should have been taken care of, but other than that, a solid effort.
Best Deals for Jet Grind Radio
Really worth much more than the price tag, this is a game that anyone will like. The fairly juvenile premise did turn a lot of folks off when the game was first released (myself included) but I am very glad I looked past that and picked it up.Awesome gameplay, good cohesive storyline, fresh stylish animation, very inventive and compelling level design that shows how much the Dreamcast as a system is capable of. Not to mention a fairly decent amount of playtime in order to beat it, no arcade 5-minutes-and-you're-done syndrome. Cruise around a portion of the city, bumping off opponents & painting over their graffiti. Eventually the cops show up, which you can usually deal with just be keeping active and running away. But then the Chief shows up, and this dirtbag has a loaded gun! I still get freaked out when I try to run away and the dude is firing live rounds in my general direction as he's chasing. Yikes!
All I can say is "Try it, you'll like it!" It may not be the ultimate skating simulator, but it isn't meant to be. There really are so few decent original action games for the Dreamcast and that makes Jet Grind Radio stand out that much more. The game is pure fun, no matter what age you are.
Honest reviews on Jet Grind Radio
…But the world turns a deaf ear. ...As gazed at, I really began to wonder to myself; "Did it do that bad commercially?" Apparently so. But then again, brilliance is often over-looked at first.If there has been one thing that I have wanted to applaud Sega for, it was for trying something different. Attacking the norm and attempting to elicit a reaction from it. Games like Crazy Taxi; Shenmue, Metropolis Street Racer, and now Jet Grind Radio have all tried to do something different from the competition (with varying results and success). Which is what brings me to Jet Grind Radio. I think its entire purpose was to try some thing different and be able to get a person to put down another rehashed, "up-dated" and try something new for a change. That alone was why I took notice of the game (I'm a sucker for creative, quality products).
…And quality is what JGR shows. From its unique and very colorful "cel-shaded" graphics, to it's amazingly good J-pop/hip-hop/trance/electronica soundtrack (I'm not normally keen on most of the for mentioned, but I found it quite endearing this time), this game is bursting at the seems with personality. The characters (a bizarre and interesting mix of roller skating punks called "Rudies"), the graffiti tags (which look great) and the cityscapes are all well crafted and implemented well.
But with out quality game-play, this game would just be another pretty face for the next-generation systems (something that seems all too common in most games these days). Luckily JGR talented team of designers also made this game an absolute blast to play. Essentially what JGR is non-linear mix of roller-blading and spray painting in which you must paint designated areas as fast and as smoothly as possible. The painting is done simply by walking up to an arrow and pressing the spray button while avoiding cops and other evil figures. Follow the simple analog commands and you're finished. It takes some time getting used to, but the learning curve is so smooth in the game, you won't even notice. But as you will learn the more you play the game, the game's enjoyment is limited only to your own level of creativity. Nearly everything can be grinded or pushed off of to start a combo of linked tricks. And since the spaces of the game are so varied, the possibilities are endless. With a quick, effective and simple trick system, it becomes even more enjoyable.
But alas, this game is not perfect. The camera work tends to be a bit iffy sometimes (and with limited control over it, it can become frustrating). Not all the music is as great as others (songs like "Super Brother", "Dragula", and a few others are just really irritating). The simplistic trick system, though I love it, is certainly going to annoy others who weaned off of Tony Hawk for so long. But none of these things destroy (or even really dent a marvelous game).
So in the end, I guess its up to you. Do you really want another boring, uninspired shooting game? Or how about another dreadful RPG? Jet Grind Radio is the game for people who want something different in their library of games. Heck, it doesn't even have to be that. Buy it because it's fun game. Period.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Jet Grind Radio
It's not perfect. The controls could use some work, and some of the levels are overly difficult.But you can't help but laugh and smile while playing the game. It has a Parappa the Rapper quality. The gameplay isn't perfect, but the fun factor is absolutely over the top. Some of the Japanese tunes are a little quirky, but the majority are hip with deep beats that get even the most jaded gamer (and sister who hates video games) to tap their foot in unison.
Buy it. It's original. It's fun.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Best Dragon Age 2 - Bioware Signature Edition -Xbox 360 Deals
I love DA's story, the first game I played at night in the dark, just like Mass Effects, and jumped at every corner.. it was great! I'm 25 somthing hours into the game, have done all of the side quests I can, but have'nt really left Kirkwall, hmmmmm. Please tell me there is an outside world?? In the first one you were out exploring and meeting different races and traveling everywhere, the world was huge! I'm feeling alittle claustraphobic here. I wish you could buy better armor for your team and that it was alittle less.."duh! you didnt want that anyway! Lets just put that in your trash." and stuff. That being said, I still love the game and will play itthrough to the end, though I may pick up the first one again and play as someone else.
I didn't miss auto-attack, but then, I was playing a mage. My job was crowd-control and cleanup, not DPS. I didn't need to be attacking constantly. I suspect this will get annoying on my melee playthroughs, but it will still be worth it. All other aspects of gameplay are a major improvement over Dragon Age: Origins, in my opinion. My first run of the game clocked in at over 47 hours, at level 25. I did not experience any game-breaking bugs, however, I did get beaten senseless by a dragon because I was completely surprised by the (optional) fight.
The story of Dragon Age II focuses on the City of Kirkwall, which has some very serious problems, and the life of the main character. You must earn the respect and/or friendship of your companions. I lost one companion partway through the game because I had not earned their trust, and another at the end of the game because of the choices I made. Your companions are not just automatons who follow you mindlessly; they have opinions and they react to your behavior. You can even romance them, if you are so inclined. BioWare has taken a giant step in making genuine options available to all players. Based on your reactions, some of your companions will indicate interest, allowing you the player to choose your own romantic interest, instead of being forced into selecting one based strictly on your character's gender, or worse, being offered a degrading minigame of screwing every woman who crosses your path in exchange for pictures. You have the option to turn down a romance at any time, and just like in real life, your companions are slightly offended by this, but not enough to keep you from reaching 100% friendship or rivalry. Another fun feature of having a romance with one of your companions is that your other companions will comment on it, based on their relationship with you and their relationship with your love interest. Not all of your companions get along, of course. To have them all think and act the same would be boring and unrealistic.
It's clear from the small details in the storyline that Dragon Age II was written at the same time as Dragon Age: Origins. It builds on the hints given about Arlathan and the Tevinter Imperium, along with subtle hints about the nature of the Black City. I'm appalled by how many people don't realize who the Chantry Seeker is, as that means they're missing a part of the story that may turn out to be significant in DA3. I'm not sure what happened to other people, but my all of my imported choices seemed to be correctly reflected in my game. I wish that they had made mention of my Warden's race as well as my class, but it was enough that everyone knew that a mage had saved Ferelden. (Yes, I like mages. Sue me.)
The is a city campaign, unlike Dragon Age: Origins. All of the major conflicts take place inside the city. There are no armies marching across battlefields. You will spend time in a tavern, you will deal with political machinations, you will visit a brothel, all as part of the main story. You will also crawl through sewers, of course. Can't forget that. The area surrounding Kirkwall does play a part in the game, but it is not nearly as important as the city itself.
This game is not Dragon Age: Origins, nor does it aspire to be. It is its own story, and stands on its own. Many people came to this game with bizarre expectations, and were bitterly disappointed for something they had no reason to expect. This is Hawke's story, set in the same world as the Warden from Dragon Age: Origins, but with completely different goals and scope. The game expands the world of Dragon Age, but we won't fully know exactly how the two stories intersect until Dragon Age 3. I have some suspicions, of course (I hate you, Flemeth) but I can't prove anything.
There is apparently a bug with the friendship bonus of two characters I say apparently, because I did not experience it myself in all the time I played. Your mileage may vary. The only bugs that really bothered me were the unusual amount of monstrous spiders lurking in caves that my companions kept insisting that we needed to explore.
One thing that I did dislike is that the game is designed for HD and displays quite poorly on a standard TV. However, that seems to be the wave of the future for console development. I guess I should start saving my pennies.
Unfortunately it did not live up to the hype or my expectations.
Dragon Age II looks good. The graphics are solid and an improvement upon the first entry. The voice work is also good (though I find DA:O still superior) as is the music. That is where the game succeeds, it fails elsewhere.
The gameplay itself was changed to be more fast paced and actiony. For any of the warrior classes this turned it into a pure button masher, which made longer fights less then thrilling. You spend about 90% of the game within the city of Kirkwall, only venturing out for occasional side quests. The city itself is ok sized but not massive, this leads to a large amount of reused sights and scenes. Even the side quest dungeons are reused repeatedly, with certain sectons just blocked off.
Character customization has also decreased. You are always the human Hawke, though you can pick your class and develop your skill trees as you see fit. Bioware went the Mass Effect route to give their character a defined "voice".
The story is also nothing amazing. I understand it is intended to be a more "personal" story then DA:O but you really don't feel like what are you doing matters much. Events go forward and feel like they would be close to the same without your involvement. The side characters with a few exceptions (Varric) are also not as interesting or sympathetic, nor are your interactions or relationships with them.
Dragon Age II is an ok or even good game. It does not however live up to the high bar set by the series with Dragon Age: Origins or expected by a Bioware product.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I enjoyed this game (please note, I have the Signature Edition). But I like RPGs. I like story, I like details, I like characters. I read every entry in the codex, and I do all the sidequests. I missed exactly two things in DAII one was a glitch, and for the other, I just forgot to go turn in the item before heading into the Deep Roads but didn't realize it until I was at the boss fight.I didn't miss auto-attack, but then, I was playing a mage. My job was crowd-control and cleanup, not DPS. I didn't need to be attacking constantly. I suspect this will get annoying on my melee playthroughs, but it will still be worth it. All other aspects of gameplay are a major improvement over Dragon Age: Origins, in my opinion. My first run of the game clocked in at over 47 hours, at level 25. I did not experience any game-breaking bugs, however, I did get beaten senseless by a dragon because I was completely surprised by the (optional) fight.
The story of Dragon Age II focuses on the City of Kirkwall, which has some very serious problems, and the life of the main character. You must earn the respect and/or friendship of your companions. I lost one companion partway through the game because I had not earned their trust, and another at the end of the game because of the choices I made. Your companions are not just automatons who follow you mindlessly; they have opinions and they react to your behavior. You can even romance them, if you are so inclined. BioWare has taken a giant step in making genuine options available to all players. Based on your reactions, some of your companions will indicate interest, allowing you the player to choose your own romantic interest, instead of being forced into selecting one based strictly on your character's gender, or worse, being offered a degrading minigame of screwing every woman who crosses your path in exchange for pictures. You have the option to turn down a romance at any time, and just like in real life, your companions are slightly offended by this, but not enough to keep you from reaching 100% friendship or rivalry. Another fun feature of having a romance with one of your companions is that your other companions will comment on it, based on their relationship with you and their relationship with your love interest. Not all of your companions get along, of course. To have them all think and act the same would be boring and unrealistic.
It's clear from the small details in the storyline that Dragon Age II was written at the same time as Dragon Age: Origins. It builds on the hints given about Arlathan and the Tevinter Imperium, along with subtle hints about the nature of the Black City. I'm appalled by how many people don't realize who the Chantry Seeker is, as that means they're missing a part of the story that may turn out to be significant in DA3. I'm not sure what happened to other people, but my all of my imported choices seemed to be correctly reflected in my game. I wish that they had made mention of my Warden's race as well as my class, but it was enough that everyone knew that a mage had saved Ferelden. (Yes, I like mages. Sue me.)
The is a city campaign, unlike Dragon Age: Origins. All of the major conflicts take place inside the city. There are no armies marching across battlefields. You will spend time in a tavern, you will deal with political machinations, you will visit a brothel, all as part of the main story. You will also crawl through sewers, of course. Can't forget that. The area surrounding Kirkwall does play a part in the game, but it is not nearly as important as the city itself.
This game is not Dragon Age: Origins, nor does it aspire to be. It is its own story, and stands on its own. Many people came to this game with bizarre expectations, and were bitterly disappointed for something they had no reason to expect. This is Hawke's story, set in the same world as the Warden from Dragon Age: Origins, but with completely different goals and scope. The game expands the world of Dragon Age, but we won't fully know exactly how the two stories intersect until Dragon Age 3. I have some suspicions, of course (I hate you, Flemeth) but I can't prove anything.
There is apparently a bug with the friendship bonus of two characters I say apparently, because I did not experience it myself in all the time I played. Your mileage may vary. The only bugs that really bothered me were the unusual amount of monstrous spiders lurking in caves that my companions kept insisting that we needed to explore.
One thing that I did dislike is that the game is designed for HD and displays quite poorly on a standard TV. However, that seems to be the wave of the future for console development. I guess I should start saving my pennies.
Best Deals for Dragon Age 2 - Bioware Signature Edition -Xbox 360
Let me first say I own Dragon Age: Origins on the 360 and LOVE IT! This game however is Ok but doesnt offer the flare that Dragon Are: origins offered. Immediatly when you start to play teh game you keep asking yourself, man this game is different in a weird way. I ended up buying Dragon Age: origins Ultimate Edition on Steam and playing it again and running through the premium content. Sadly Dragon Age II is gathering dust.Honest reviews on Dragon Age 2 - Bioware Signature Edition -Xbox 360
I loved Dragon Age: Origins. I beat it with three characters and completed all the DLC. I was beyond excited for Dragon Age II when it was announaced.Unfortunately it did not live up to the hype or my expectations.
Dragon Age II looks good. The graphics are solid and an improvement upon the first entry. The voice work is also good (though I find DA:O still superior) as is the music. That is where the game succeeds, it fails elsewhere.
The gameplay itself was changed to be more fast paced and actiony. For any of the warrior classes this turned it into a pure button masher, which made longer fights less then thrilling. You spend about 90% of the game within the city of Kirkwall, only venturing out for occasional side quests. The city itself is ok sized but not massive, this leads to a large amount of reused sights and scenes. Even the side quest dungeons are reused repeatedly, with certain sectons just blocked off.
Character customization has also decreased. You are always the human Hawke, though you can pick your class and develop your skill trees as you see fit. Bioware went the Mass Effect route to give their character a defined "voice".
The story is also nothing amazing. I understand it is intended to be a more "personal" story then DA:O but you really don't feel like what are you doing matters much. Events go forward and feel like they would be close to the same without your involvement. The side characters with a few exceptions (Varric) are also not as interesting or sympathetic, nor are your interactions or relationships with them.
Dragon Age II is an ok or even good game. It does not however live up to the high bar set by the series with Dragon Age: Origins or expected by a Bioware product.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Dragon Age 2 - Bioware Signature Edition -Xbox 360
Really liked the first game, but was surprised to find how far this game strayed from that more 'old school' formula. Have to admit that combat was fun, especially when my dual wielding berzerker speed class really got rolling. Still worth a look for fans of the first game, even if it's just to keep in touch while waiting for the third game.Monday, December 8, 2014
Buy Universal Adapter for XBOX360/PS3/PS2/PC USB
I bought this for 2 purposes: so I could use my PS2 pad on PS3 as well as use my XBOX 360 Madcatz TE stick on PS3.
The good news is that the PS2 pad works really well. I haven't noticed a single problem yet.
The bad news is that my TE works but has problems. It seemed to be working fine at first with no detectable input lag. Then after about 5 minutes in training mode I noticed that sometimes my directional inputs (using the stick) didn't register at all. It happens infrequently but seems to occur at least once every 15 minutes. What's even worse is that sometimes when pressing right on the stick my character will get 'stuck' running to the right even after I take my hand off the stick and I have to press the opposite direction to get him to stop. Obviously, this is a problem if you intend to play in tournaments as a single missed block can cost you your life in fighting games.
The stick's USB connector doesn't fit snugly into the adapter either, so it kind of hangs loose which makes the slightest movement disconnect the cord.
For reference, I'm using an OEM original PS2 pad and the stick is a Madcatz Tournament Edition S, SSF4 edition. From what I've read on various forums this adapter prefers 'Brand Name' controllers, meaning products by Sony or Microsoft as opposed to Madcatz or Hori. I plan to test it with a few other sticks and I'll report my findings here in the future.
**UPDATE: I tried the adapter with a generic Gamestop brand Xbox 360 Controller (actually made by Madcatz). It worked well aside from the analog seeming a bit over-sensitive. No dropped inputs or detectable lag.
...basically so I would only need to buy one expensive set of joysticks instead of two and be out $300 more.
At first, this convertor worked great. I plugged in my stick and had marvelous response, perhaps only being off by 0.01 of a frame if at all (not that I could approximate it, just trying to convey a feeling using a number).
However, after a few weeks, the response became HORRIBLE.
I don't know why, or if there's some kind of accidental order in process I pulled off the first time and not thereafter, but now it just sucks.
I push a button and a second later at least, I get a response. A real disappointment.
The good news is that the PS2 pad works really well. I haven't noticed a single problem yet.
The bad news is that my TE works but has problems. It seemed to be working fine at first with no detectable input lag. Then after about 5 minutes in training mode I noticed that sometimes my directional inputs (using the stick) didn't register at all. It happens infrequently but seems to occur at least once every 15 minutes. What's even worse is that sometimes when pressing right on the stick my character will get 'stuck' running to the right even after I take my hand off the stick and I have to press the opposite direction to get him to stop. Obviously, this is a problem if you intend to play in tournaments as a single missed block can cost you your life in fighting games.
The stick's USB connector doesn't fit snugly into the adapter either, so it kind of hangs loose which makes the slightest movement disconnect the cord.
For reference, I'm using an OEM original PS2 pad and the stick is a Madcatz Tournament Edition S, SSF4 edition. From what I've read on various forums this adapter prefers 'Brand Name' controllers, meaning products by Sony or Microsoft as opposed to Madcatz or Hori. I plan to test it with a few other sticks and I'll report my findings here in the future.
**UPDATE: I tried the adapter with a generic Gamestop brand Xbox 360 Controller (actually made by Madcatz). It worked well aside from the analog seeming a bit over-sensitive. No dropped inputs or detectable lag.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I was hoping I could use a PS3 Hori fighting stick on an Xbox 360. That didn't work. Using a PS3 controller on an Xbox or vice versa seems to work just fine.Best Deals for Universal Adapter for XBOX360/PS3/PS2/PC USB
Great 3 in 1 tool for any gamer. Allows for the excuse "oh I can't play because of the controller to be a thing of the past.Honest reviews on Universal Adapter for XBOX360/PS3/PS2/PC USB
I purchased this for the specific purpose of using my Xbox 360 Madcatz SF4 TE control stick on my PS3, for fighting games......basically so I would only need to buy one expensive set of joysticks instead of two and be out $300 more.
At first, this convertor worked great. I plugged in my stick and had marvelous response, perhaps only being off by 0.01 of a frame if at all (not that I could approximate it, just trying to convey a feeling using a number).
However, after a few weeks, the response became HORRIBLE.
I don't know why, or if there's some kind of accidental order in process I pulled off the first time and not thereafter, but now it just sucks.
I push a button and a second later at least, I get a response. A real disappointment.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Universal Adapter for XBOX360/PS3/PS2/PC USB
You need an Xbox 360 controller if your going to connect a PS3 controller to a Xbox 360. It may have been clarified in the description but it needs to be put out more boldly so buyers don't waste their money on this since they'll need a WIRED Xbox 360 controller.Saturday, November 29, 2014
Review of Blitz: The League II - Xbox 360
The Good:
* Compelling Storyline
* Do stuff that you cannot do in other football games(drugs, bet on games, date, sponsors, cause intentional injuries, etc...)
* Frank Caliendo (as John Madden) play-by-play is nothing short of hilarious
* Build your team, player from bottom all the way to the top
* Solid Soundtrack Exclusives
The Bad:
* Once again, possible "Rubber Band A.I."
The Bottom Line:
Looking for a politically-incorrect alternative to Madden series? Look no further than this one. A new play-by-play of Frank Caliendo as John Madden is worth the money alone. There are so many funny lines, it will keep you laughing for the whole game. A new feature in this sequel is that you can be selective when injuring your opponent, as you get to decide which body part you want to injure seconds before the collision. If somebody injures you, you now have the option of taking care of injury right on a field with mini-games: trying to align a syringe while the ailing players moving and shaking and even a mini-game where you have to put the bones back into the sockets. Other interesting storyline decisions that you would have to make will be dating your sponsors. Do you want to date one girl or date other girls and use their sponsorship to your advantage? Once again, there will be many Easter eggs to hunt and pick-up on, as Minnesota franchise goes on a wild ship cruise and the New England team gets accused of cheating. Lawrence Taylor comes back as a major character, while Bill Romanowski doesn't. The computer seems to play much better when falling behind, which could suggest that just like last game, they are utilizing the "Rubberband AI." however, If you are a football fan and a fan of Frank Caliendo, this is a must get! Due to the nature of this game, it should only be played by mature audience.
Blitz 2 takes a lot of good strides, but misses on key notes. Here's a list of Pros and Cons:
PROS
Hard-hits and lots of injuries
Good, in-depth career mode
Lots of creation ability on logo, team name, uniform colors and style, etc.
Offensive Coordinator's comments are profane and funny, but run their course quickly
Addition of "special" commentator Mohn Jadden is a riot!
CONS
Not enough to unlock that I care about (i.e. four new game modes, but 20 behind the scenes videos)
Injury cut scenes can't be skipped, even when it's not your team
Mini game for injury impact detracts from game, slows down gameplay, and gets really annoying really quickly
Injury remedy mini games get annoying after a few games
Loading takes a while, even for exhibition games
They also have a player creation system in campaign mode that is developed like a press interview which is really cool too. On a scale of 1 10 I'd give the first Blitz the League a 5 and this one an 8. If you're a fan of the Blitz series, this one won't disappoint.
If the computer seems to be winning no matter what you do, do yourself a favor: Just put the controller down and let the game play out. Because whether you like it or not, the computer will win. Whether it be through fumbles, slips on the field, 6 broken tackles (seriously), you name it. It will happen to you until you lose. And don't worry about what you upgrade because the computer's teams will always have it upgraded more. I focused all money and stats on my team's speed from the beginning of the game and STILL, every team was much faster than mine. Even division 3 teams will piss you off
I can't take the swings. The mechanics and A.I. are completely manipulated by what the score is. There's no consistency whatsoever. This was a problem with the first one but it's way more obvious in this one.
* Compelling Storyline
* Do stuff that you cannot do in other football games(drugs, bet on games, date, sponsors, cause intentional injuries, etc...)
* Frank Caliendo (as John Madden) play-by-play is nothing short of hilarious
* Build your team, player from bottom all the way to the top
* Solid Soundtrack Exclusives
The Bad:
* Once again, possible "Rubber Band A.I."
The Bottom Line:
Looking for a politically-incorrect alternative to Madden series? Look no further than this one. A new play-by-play of Frank Caliendo as John Madden is worth the money alone. There are so many funny lines, it will keep you laughing for the whole game. A new feature in this sequel is that you can be selective when injuring your opponent, as you get to decide which body part you want to injure seconds before the collision. If somebody injures you, you now have the option of taking care of injury right on a field with mini-games: trying to align a syringe while the ailing players moving and shaking and even a mini-game where you have to put the bones back into the sockets. Other interesting storyline decisions that you would have to make will be dating your sponsors. Do you want to date one girl or date other girls and use their sponsorship to your advantage? Once again, there will be many Easter eggs to hunt and pick-up on, as Minnesota franchise goes on a wild ship cruise and the New England team gets accused of cheating. Lawrence Taylor comes back as a major character, while Bill Romanowski doesn't. The computer seems to play much better when falling behind, which could suggest that just like last game, they are utilizing the "Rubberband AI." however, If you are a football fan and a fan of Frank Caliendo, this is a must get! Due to the nature of this game, it should only be played by mature audience.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I loved the first Blitz game. It was football the way it's supposed to be played. Even without NFL teams or players, Blitz provided the hard-hitting action needed in football. Broken necks, concussions, and fractured tibias (coupled with a doctor's view video of the injury) made it fun. It became a competition of how mayn opponents can I hurt, and how long can I keep them out for?Blitz 2 takes a lot of good strides, but misses on key notes. Here's a list of Pros and Cons:
PROS
Hard-hits and lots of injuries
Good, in-depth career mode
Lots of creation ability on logo, team name, uniform colors and style, etc.
Offensive Coordinator's comments are profane and funny, but run their course quickly
Addition of "special" commentator Mohn Jadden is a riot!
CONS
Not enough to unlock that I care about (i.e. four new game modes, but 20 behind the scenes videos)
Injury cut scenes can't be skipped, even when it's not your team
Mini game for injury impact detracts from game, slows down gameplay, and gets really annoying really quickly
Injury remedy mini games get annoying after a few games
Loading takes a while, even for exhibition games
Best Deals for Blitz: The League II - Xbox 360
I have always been a fan of the Blitz series. I never liked sports games very much, but this is something different. Who doesn't like injuring the other teams players. Blitz the League II is far better and more versatile than the original Blitz the League. The injury system is more graphic and you actually have to participate in helping the injury recover quickly with either giving a shot or resetting the bone.They also have a player creation system in campaign mode that is developed like a press interview which is really cool too. On a scale of 1 10 I'd give the first Blitz the League a 5 and this one an 8. If you're a fan of the Blitz series, this one won't disappoint.
Honest reviews on Blitz: The League II - Xbox 360
It's fun for a couple of hours...the AI is so dirty and cheap, it takes some of the fun out of playing the campaign. Not bad in vs. setting though. Co-op campaign wouldnt have been a terrible idea either.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Blitz: The League II - Xbox 360
2 player is a lot of fun. No issues there, but unless you enjoy throwing your controller at your t.v. don't bother playing the campaign. The computer was always cheap, even in the first one but this one was just ridiculous.If the computer seems to be winning no matter what you do, do yourself a favor: Just put the controller down and let the game play out. Because whether you like it or not, the computer will win. Whether it be through fumbles, slips on the field, 6 broken tackles (seriously), you name it. It will happen to you until you lose. And don't worry about what you upgrade because the computer's teams will always have it upgraded more. I focused all money and stats on my team's speed from the beginning of the game and STILL, every team was much faster than mine. Even division 3 teams will piss you off
I can't take the swings. The mechanics and A.I. are completely manipulated by what the score is. There's no consistency whatsoever. This was a problem with the first one but it's way more obvious in this one.
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Cheap Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness
[Note: This is coming from a 21-year-old reviewer]
I don't see why people are having a problem with this game. Personally, I was a big fan of the 3d-cartoony style of RPGs from when they first made big splashes on the Dreamcast. Games like Grandia, Skies of Arcadia... I just love how these games are done, and Pokemon XD is no exception.
So what the XD for? An "extra dimension" of play. Apparently, all this really means is that you get a new character, a new storyline, and get to set out on the usual Pokemon adventures. Which isn't badI haven't played a Pokemon game yet I didn't like (excluding the smaller spinoff games, of course). This game supports the full cast of characters from Sapphire / Ruby / Emerald, and that's a whole lotta Pokemon.
You start as (since you name yourself, I'll call the character Hero), a kid who finds out, as usual, that you're responsible for saving the world by battling cute little monsters with monsters of your own. This time, you're given a sort of cybernetic arm attachment and headset that allows you to analyze and capture Shadow Pokemonwho must be converted back to the "light side" through love and affection in order to regain their former power.
What's new? If you played Colliseum, basically nothing. There's a new story, and the new Shadow Lugia Pokemon wandering the continent. Other than that, however, you'll only want this game if you just enjoy "catching them all" that much.
For fans like me who missed Colliseum, but have played the original games, you get to experience Pokemon in a well-thought-out 3d setting that's just gorgeous. Shadow Pokemon come equipped with Shadow type moves when you get them, so Pokemon you never would have thought about bringing out before suddenly become extremely useful as you'll always have Shadow moves to fall back on. Very nice. Speaking of whichyes, you have to steal Shadow Pokemon from the villians who use them for battling. What you'll really do is defeat all of the opponent's other Pokemon and from there, it's no different from capturing rare Pokemon in earlier gamesonly this time, the enemy can't run away, and if you accidentally defeat it instead of capturing, you can re-battle almost any time you want!
Never played Pokemon? It's an extremely easy to learn game, complete with insanely cute and cool Pokemon to battle, and it's family-friendly, as not even the wildest situations would rate above PG.
A lot of reviewers have said you can't catch wild Pokemonand that's not exactly true. There are many "spots" where you can leave out treats and try to capture wild Pokemonleaving more treats means Pokemon stay longer, so they're easier to capture. It's not quite like crawling through the grass in the old games, but it gets the job done. I saw a few other reviewers comment that converting the Shadow Pokemon takes too longjust through battling in the early game, I was able to cleanse more than one Pokemon per hour of play, and that included time it took to unlock an area to complete the process. Doesn't seem so bad to me! Plus, I haven't even opened up the secondary cleansing method available in the game.
OverallIt's another Pokemon game, and a pretty good one. It's colorful, it's cute, and it's been extremely fun to play. If you're plopping down money for a Pokemon game, isn't that exactly what you expect? Sure, stealing Shadow Pokemon and cleansing their hearts is a little differentbut it's fun. The only people I wouldn't reccomend this game to are Colliseum fanatics who don't feel like starting the experience overthe two games are basically very similar. My girlfriend played Colliseum tons, and I could barely pull her away from the Gamecube on this one, but apparently other Colliseum fans feel otherwise.
The main differences are as follows:
1. What we all wished for has happened .. you can SAVE the game anywhere, anytime, as often as you like! This was by far the most annoying thing that I discovered when I first bought Colosseum. I was so used to saving my game before any major battle, or before trying to catch a "one-shot-only" Pokemon. With XD, you no longer have to seek out a PokeCenter or a computer to save the game. This makes all the difference in the world. I am no longer "afraid" of what's lurking around the corner because I can always start over if I wasn't ready for what was lurking in the darkness! LOL
2. You can catch WILD POKEMON in XD. Another thing that I could never get used to in Colosseum. In XD, you are shown three "Poke Spots" where you leave treats (bait) for wild Pokemon. You have a Pokemon-detector that goes off if any wild Pokemon are munching your treats at a Poke Spot. Again, with the new "save feature", you can save the game and THEN go hunting. If you kill the wild Pokemon by accident, just restart.
3. There is a cool new Purification machine so you can purify up to NINE Pokemon at the same time. Very much a time saver. No more dragging around Pokemon that you never intend to use just to open up their hearts.
4. New story line. Some old towns, some new towns, but an interesting storyline throughout.
5. Graphics. Graphics are noticibly better in XD.
6. Shadow Moves. Instead of one shadow move, all shadow pokemon automatically come with at least two. There are many possible shadow moves .. all with different strengths and effects. Much more interesting.
7. New Pokemon. There are (at least) two new Pokemon. You can't catch them, but I think their appearance foreshadows a new batch of Pokemon which will probably be available in the next version of the game. One character even mentions that new Pokemon are being spotted all over the land.
All in all, much better than Colosseum. Just adding a few simple changes (most notably the "save feature") brings a whole new enjoyment to an older game. Pokemaniacs will not be disappointed with this purchase.
NOTE: As I have suggested in my other reviews, buy the NINTENDO POWER guide instead of the Prima guide. MUCH more complete.
That being said, here are 10 main differences between XD and Colosseum:
1. You start out with one level 10 base evolution pokemon (Eevee) instead of two higher level, already evolved pokemon. (I like this because it gives you the oppurtunity to chose the evolution of your Eevee and also allows you to power up "from the bottom").
2. You don't have to go to a friggin computer to save the game. You can save anywhere anytime. That was a BIG improvement.
3. Purifing pokemon is made a lot easier. The cool new thing with this is the purification chamber. Theoretically, you can purify 15 shadow pokemon at once (9 in the chamber 6 in your party).....not going to go into more detail...buy the game...check it out.
4. You don't have to wait until the end of the game to catch shadow pokemon you accidently knocked out (They brought back Miror B for this).
5. Pokemon storage system has been updated to be easier to use.
6. Music and XF are WAY better in XD than in Colosseum. They have also updated the move animations (and the trainers do a cheesy "rats" air punch when you hurt their pokemon).
7. You do not have a constant partner tagging along with you throughout the whole game.
8. Overall story is longer than Colosseum
9. Pokemon spots...you CAN catch wild pokemon. Once you progress enough in the game, you will be able to go to Pokemon spots and put out food (kind of like putting a pokeblock in a feeder at the safari in the GBA games). Go on about your business, and sooner or later, you get a beep on your P*DA saying a wild pokemon has appeared. Go catch it!
10. Shadow pokemon in Colosseum only know one move when you catch them and have a state called Hyper mode. The one move has recoil and hyper mode increases your critical hit ratio. In XD, the shadow pokemon have at least 2 moves when you catch them. One is a physical attack, the other is a stat modifier. The actual attacks vary. I have seen 7 different physical attacks and about 5 different stat modifier attacks. Also, the attacks do not have recoil. When you enter reverse mode (hyper mode in colosseum), it does not seem to raise your critical hit ratio, but you do recieve damage after every turn your pokemon stays in reverse mode. I guess this compensates for the no recoil attacks.
All in all, XD beats Colosseum hands down. It keeps the good parts of Colosseum and changes the bad parts. As for if XD beats the GBA games......don't get me started.
It's not a "Pokemon Stadium"-type game; it's like Story Mode in Pokemon Colosseum.
The plot involves the unexpected return of Cipher, five years after its defeat in Colosseum. Cipher has returned with a vengeance, as is evidenced by its suddenly showing up with a massive Shadow Lugia. The Lugia steals a ship transporting Pokémon one night, causing numerous news reports, and when it turns out that Cipher is involved, a young boy with great Pokemon Trainer skills sets out to save the day from the bad guys.
Here are the pros:
1. You can now save wherever you want, like in the Game Boy Advance games! WAHOO!
2. The graphics have been improved since Colosseum. There are a lot of really nicely done "cutscenes", and the trainers react to what's happening in the battle--
i. e. the trainers act triumphant if they win, frustrated and/or anguished if they lose, etc.
3. The music and sound effects are quite good, as is the writing.
4. There is a lot to this game--I like games with a lot in them (unless I'm really anxious to find out what happens at the end).
5. Not terribly violent--if a character is defeated in battle, they just faint (they never die or anything like that. Actually, this holds true for all Pokemon games, and I think it's a really nice touch).
Cons:
1. Like with Colosseum, you can't play as a girl. But I really like the character you get to play as, so it's not really that much of a problem. (He looks like Lan Hikari from MegaMan Battle Network.) I also imagine it would be really hard to have to animate the entire game twice over--once with the girl character and once with the guy character--so it's sort of understandable.
2. You can't revisit cutscenes. Really, though, this is true for almost all video games, but still, I'd like to be able to see them again.
3. If you want to start a new game, it erases everything you did. I can't stand this, and it unfortunately holds true for all Pokemon games. They should let you start a new game and keep the one you have in progress at the same time. (AAAAAAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!)
In conclusion, Pokemon XD: Gale Of Darkness is a must-have for any Pokemon fan, and the expense is well worth it.
I don't see why people are having a problem with this game. Personally, I was a big fan of the 3d-cartoony style of RPGs from when they first made big splashes on the Dreamcast. Games like Grandia, Skies of Arcadia... I just love how these games are done, and Pokemon XD is no exception.
So what the XD for? An "extra dimension" of play. Apparently, all this really means is that you get a new character, a new storyline, and get to set out on the usual Pokemon adventures. Which isn't badI haven't played a Pokemon game yet I didn't like (excluding the smaller spinoff games, of course). This game supports the full cast of characters from Sapphire / Ruby / Emerald, and that's a whole lotta Pokemon.
You start as (since you name yourself, I'll call the character Hero), a kid who finds out, as usual, that you're responsible for saving the world by battling cute little monsters with monsters of your own. This time, you're given a sort of cybernetic arm attachment and headset that allows you to analyze and capture Shadow Pokemonwho must be converted back to the "light side" through love and affection in order to regain their former power.
What's new? If you played Colliseum, basically nothing. There's a new story, and the new Shadow Lugia Pokemon wandering the continent. Other than that, however, you'll only want this game if you just enjoy "catching them all" that much.
For fans like me who missed Colliseum, but have played the original games, you get to experience Pokemon in a well-thought-out 3d setting that's just gorgeous. Shadow Pokemon come equipped with Shadow type moves when you get them, so Pokemon you never would have thought about bringing out before suddenly become extremely useful as you'll always have Shadow moves to fall back on. Very nice. Speaking of whichyes, you have to steal Shadow Pokemon from the villians who use them for battling. What you'll really do is defeat all of the opponent's other Pokemon and from there, it's no different from capturing rare Pokemon in earlier gamesonly this time, the enemy can't run away, and if you accidentally defeat it instead of capturing, you can re-battle almost any time you want!
Never played Pokemon? It's an extremely easy to learn game, complete with insanely cute and cool Pokemon to battle, and it's family-friendly, as not even the wildest situations would rate above PG.
A lot of reviewers have said you can't catch wild Pokemonand that's not exactly true. There are many "spots" where you can leave out treats and try to capture wild Pokemonleaving more treats means Pokemon stay longer, so they're easier to capture. It's not quite like crawling through the grass in the old games, but it gets the job done. I saw a few other reviewers comment that converting the Shadow Pokemon takes too longjust through battling in the early game, I was able to cleanse more than one Pokemon per hour of play, and that included time it took to unlock an area to complete the process. Doesn't seem so bad to me! Plus, I haven't even opened up the secondary cleansing method available in the game.
OverallIt's another Pokemon game, and a pretty good one. It's colorful, it's cute, and it's been extremely fun to play. If you're plopping down money for a Pokemon game, isn't that exactly what you expect? Sure, stealing Shadow Pokemon and cleansing their hearts is a little differentbut it's fun. The only people I wouldn't reccomend this game to are Colliseum fanatics who don't feel like starting the experience overthe two games are basically very similar. My girlfriend played Colliseum tons, and I could barely pull her away from the Gamecube on this one, but apparently other Colliseum fans feel otherwise.
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A fun trip back to the land of Orre with some familiar faces and some new friends. If you like Colosseum, you will find the upgrades in this game to be a godsend. I still don't enjoy the GameCube versions as much as the GBA ones, but everything that I WISHED I could do in Colosseum can be done in XD.The main differences are as follows:
1. What we all wished for has happened .. you can SAVE the game anywhere, anytime, as often as you like! This was by far the most annoying thing that I discovered when I first bought Colosseum. I was so used to saving my game before any major battle, or before trying to catch a "one-shot-only" Pokemon. With XD, you no longer have to seek out a PokeCenter or a computer to save the game. This makes all the difference in the world. I am no longer "afraid" of what's lurking around the corner because I can always start over if I wasn't ready for what was lurking in the darkness! LOL
2. You can catch WILD POKEMON in XD. Another thing that I could never get used to in Colosseum. In XD, you are shown three "Poke Spots" where you leave treats (bait) for wild Pokemon. You have a Pokemon-detector that goes off if any wild Pokemon are munching your treats at a Poke Spot. Again, with the new "save feature", you can save the game and THEN go hunting. If you kill the wild Pokemon by accident, just restart.
3. There is a cool new Purification machine so you can purify up to NINE Pokemon at the same time. Very much a time saver. No more dragging around Pokemon that you never intend to use just to open up their hearts.
4. New story line. Some old towns, some new towns, but an interesting storyline throughout.
5. Graphics. Graphics are noticibly better in XD.
6. Shadow Moves. Instead of one shadow move, all shadow pokemon automatically come with at least two. There are many possible shadow moves .. all with different strengths and effects. Much more interesting.
7. New Pokemon. There are (at least) two new Pokemon. You can't catch them, but I think their appearance foreshadows a new batch of Pokemon which will probably be available in the next version of the game. One character even mentions that new Pokemon are being spotted all over the land.
All in all, much better than Colosseum. Just adding a few simple changes (most notably the "save feature") brings a whole new enjoyment to an older game. Pokemaniacs will not be disappointed with this purchase.
NOTE: As I have suggested in my other reviews, buy the NINTENDO POWER guide instead of the Prima guide. MUCH more complete.
Best Deals for Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness
When I first read the online reviews about this game, I was really hesitant to buy it. Every review I read was negative, and seemed to concentrate on how you couldn't catch wild pokemon. This was very discouraging, because catching wild pokemon was the main reason I was going to buy XD. Anyway, I bought the game (after talking to the experts...my nephews), and I am here to tell you, that all the reviews are wrong (RTFM) you CAN catch wild pokemon. Granted, the way you catch them is not the same as in GBA games, but would you really expect the same thing on a 3-D GameCube game as you would on a GBA game? I hope not. You expect something different when you move from a handheld system to a home console. It's like comparing apples and oranges. They are meant to be different. The main issue is that the GBA games have been around forever, and people have gotten used to the same old way of doing things. If can learn to accept the fact that some things change as they get better, you will love this game.That being said, here are 10 main differences between XD and Colosseum:
1. You start out with one level 10 base evolution pokemon (Eevee) instead of two higher level, already evolved pokemon. (I like this because it gives you the oppurtunity to chose the evolution of your Eevee and also allows you to power up "from the bottom").
2. You don't have to go to a friggin computer to save the game. You can save anywhere anytime. That was a BIG improvement.
3. Purifing pokemon is made a lot easier. The cool new thing with this is the purification chamber. Theoretically, you can purify 15 shadow pokemon at once (9 in the chamber 6 in your party).....not going to go into more detail...buy the game...check it out.
4. You don't have to wait until the end of the game to catch shadow pokemon you accidently knocked out (They brought back Miror B for this).
5. Pokemon storage system has been updated to be easier to use.
6. Music and XF are WAY better in XD than in Colosseum. They have also updated the move animations (and the trainers do a cheesy "rats" air punch when you hurt their pokemon).
7. You do not have a constant partner tagging along with you throughout the whole game.
8. Overall story is longer than Colosseum
9. Pokemon spots...you CAN catch wild pokemon. Once you progress enough in the game, you will be able to go to Pokemon spots and put out food (kind of like putting a pokeblock in a feeder at the safari in the GBA games). Go on about your business, and sooner or later, you get a beep on your P*DA saying a wild pokemon has appeared. Go catch it!
10. Shadow pokemon in Colosseum only know one move when you catch them and have a state called Hyper mode. The one move has recoil and hyper mode increases your critical hit ratio. In XD, the shadow pokemon have at least 2 moves when you catch them. One is a physical attack, the other is a stat modifier. The actual attacks vary. I have seen 7 different physical attacks and about 5 different stat modifier attacks. Also, the attacks do not have recoil. When you enter reverse mode (hyper mode in colosseum), it does not seem to raise your critical hit ratio, but you do recieve damage after every turn your pokemon stays in reverse mode. I guess this compensates for the no recoil attacks.
All in all, XD beats Colosseum hands down. It keeps the good parts of Colosseum and changes the bad parts. As for if XD beats the GBA games......don't get me started.
Honest reviews on Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness
Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness is the sequel to Pokemon Colosseum. (I think the "XD" stands for "Extra Dimension".)It's not a "Pokemon Stadium"-type game; it's like Story Mode in Pokemon Colosseum.
The plot involves the unexpected return of Cipher, five years after its defeat in Colosseum. Cipher has returned with a vengeance, as is evidenced by its suddenly showing up with a massive Shadow Lugia. The Lugia steals a ship transporting Pokémon one night, causing numerous news reports, and when it turns out that Cipher is involved, a young boy with great Pokemon Trainer skills sets out to save the day from the bad guys.
Here are the pros:
1. You can now save wherever you want, like in the Game Boy Advance games! WAHOO!
2. The graphics have been improved since Colosseum. There are a lot of really nicely done "cutscenes", and the trainers react to what's happening in the battle--
i. e. the trainers act triumphant if they win, frustrated and/or anguished if they lose, etc.
3. The music and sound effects are quite good, as is the writing.
4. There is a lot to this game--I like games with a lot in them (unless I'm really anxious to find out what happens at the end).
5. Not terribly violent--if a character is defeated in battle, they just faint (they never die or anything like that. Actually, this holds true for all Pokemon games, and I think it's a really nice touch).
Cons:
1. Like with Colosseum, you can't play as a girl. But I really like the character you get to play as, so it's not really that much of a problem. (He looks like Lan Hikari from MegaMan Battle Network.) I also imagine it would be really hard to have to animate the entire game twice over--once with the girl character and once with the guy character--so it's sort of understandable.
2. You can't revisit cutscenes. Really, though, this is true for almost all video games, but still, I'd like to be able to see them again.
3. If you want to start a new game, it erases everything you did. I can't stand this, and it unfortunately holds true for all Pokemon games. They should let you start a new game and keep the one you have in progress at the same time. (AAAAAAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!)
In conclusion, Pokemon XD: Gale Of Darkness is a must-have for any Pokemon fan, and the expense is well worth it.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness
This game is adventurous and fun. You can kick Cipher bu**. You have to capture and purify shadow pokemon. After playing a while you can enable Pokemon trading with your GBA games. However, you can't trade shadow pokemon. You can also battle with GBAs if you have the right cable. The game has a story line and you might have to go online to find clues when you get stuck or buy the guide. It's not easy to purify Lugia. Once you snag Lugia that is. XD is a lot like the GBA Pokemon games but the graphics are much much better and you have to catch shadow pokemon and purify them in order to purify Lugia. You can still trade with your friends if they have Pokemon GBA games like Ruby or Emerald. The GBA games have to have access to the Hall of Fame before they can start trading. This game is a lot of fun if you are already a fan of the Pokemon games. There is enough new stuff and things to do and a new story line to keep you interested for hours and hours of fun.Saturday, October 11, 2014
Discount DreamGEAR TriMount for Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $11.99
Today's Bonus: 60% Off
First of all, I own a Samsung LN46B550 46-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV (Samsung LN46B550 46-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color) that I bought (used) in 2010 and which is pretty big, and this did fit perfectly. The mount width is adjustable and I did not have to go to the maximum width (I could have gone around half an inch wider), so I really think it should fit more screens.
The product is great and exactly what I was hoping for. I do have a Wii, a Move AND a Kinect, and I hated the fact that I had to put the Move and the Kinect on my TV stand at the bottom of the screen (the Wii sensor bar I had stuck on top of my TV). Now everything is up and looks tidy. There are little indents on top that ensure that the Kinect stays in place I had wondered about that when I first looked at the product because the Kinect camera moves quite a bit, but it's pretty secure. I am very happy with the product and I would recommend it make sure that you check the dimensions of your TV though just in case.
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I was very excited when I first heard of this product. An all-in-one mount for my Kinect and Move. My excitement ended fairly soon after opening up the package, however. After a quick assessment, I realized this would not fit my TV. My TV is not a super-thin LCD, it's from 2007. I realized my TV, when I ordered this device, was bigger than the newer LCD TVs today, but I didn't think it would be too big. Sadly, I need this mount to open up another inch or so to fit my TV, so now I have to decide whether to try to mount this to the wall or return it.UPDATE: I ended up mounting it to the wall behind the TV, and it works well for that purpose. I realize that I forgot to put depth of my TV in my previous review, which is 5". Also, At the time that I purchased this item, the description did not state that this item only opened up 4".
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It's hard being a gamer who wants a neat TV console. Before I got the DreamGear Trimount, I would keep the PS3 eye on top of the TV as that was the sensor I used the most and placed the kinect sensor at my TV's base (even though that was a less than ideal location for the sensor to get my leg movements). The Wii sensor was always being tossed aside until I wanted to play a wiiU game (not very often), at which point I'd be fishing of it amongst the cluster of wires that reside behind the TV.With the Trimount I can finally place all 3 bars on top of the TV where they function the best. I affixed the mount directly to the TV rather than drilling it into the wall, but it's nice to have both options. The correct way to place the 3 'eyes' on the mount is unintuitive, but not too hard to figure out, and once in place, they will not budge. Fixing it to the TV was as easy as tightening a screw and the included squishy cube was perfect to place between the screw and TV to ensure a snug fit. Overall the product is ugly but functional it's the only way I could find to mount all three sensors at the same time.
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It holds all 3 very well, none of them feel in danger of falling off. I have a very thin plasma TV and had to fiddle with the supplied foam inserts to make it lock in correctly, but once I found the right way to set the foam pads it tightened down and doesn't wobble a bit.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for DreamGEAR TriMount for Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii
Upon first receiving this item, I noticed that the instructions for setting up this item were really user friendly. You can either set this up on top of your tv or mount it. I have decided to put my on top of my tv, for now... Its fairly easy to insert your kinect and playstation eye, as well as the wii sensor bar. The three peripherals all do indeed fit very well and snug, leaving no fear of the items falling off. I end my review by saying that if you want a 360 degree of the item just go to youtube and type dream gear trimount and you are set.Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Cheap Bejeweled 3 (with Bejeweled Blitz Live) - Xbox 360
List Price: $14.99
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IMO, the great thing about XBLA games getting released on disc is that you can rent these discs without having to spend your Microsoft Points to buy the full games. Sometimes you just want to play the full versions of these XBLA games for a little while but don't want to spend the money on a full blown purchase. Also, a lot of these complilation discs have a better overall value than purchasing the games individually. It's also a plus if you have multiple Xbox 360 consoles for family member's and/or friends as you don't be restricted to the DRM license that is found on the digital download versions of these XBLA games.
You even have the opportunity to recoup some of your money if you were to end up selling or trading the disc for money or another game.
I liked Bejeweled 3 but for me it's one of those games that you play for a few hours and then send back to the video store (redbox / gamefly). The disc version sells for around $20 USD or less new which is comparable to purchasing the digital versions on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace. As of January 2011, Bejeweled 3 sells for 1200 MS Points and Bejeweled Blitz LIVE sells for 400 MS Points. There are no Avatar Awards for either game.
If you liked the previous Bejeweled games I think you'll like this one as well. There are a multitude of varied gamemodes and minigames to play.
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I love it!! An I got it so fast! I am entertained for hours!! Def happy wit my purchase!! Thank uBest Deals for Bejeweled 3 (with Bejeweled Blitz Live) - Xbox 360
I didn't even know they made Bejeweled for the xbox until I saw it while looking for a computer game. So Cool.Honest reviews on Bejeweled 3 (with Bejeweled Blitz Live) - Xbox 360
It's older but it works. My kids love it and have already finished it! So much for me playing it longer. However, not sure why I cannot install this locally on my hard drive. hmmm...Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Bejeweled 3 (with Bejeweled Blitz Live) - Xbox 360
i really enjoy this game. i play it all the time. it came in great shape and arrived quickly. like brand new. thank you.Monday, August 25, 2014
The Last of Us Review
List Price: $59.99
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I'm not going mince words here. The Last of Us is simply one of the best games I have ever played. It is that simple. The Last of Us is, really, about as good as games get. Don't be scared by the premise; ND has crafted something that reaches far and wide delivering an experience that's akin to a playable drama film. Wash away those horrible memories of The House of the Dead and put your fears away. The Last of Us is simply incredible.
The Last of Us is a tale that takes inspiration from various works in the genre it works with (most notably The Road, No Country For old Men, and The Walking Dead), while forging its own path to create something equally memorable and carving out its own path that sets it apart from all of its inspirations beforehand (certainly feels like it). What may sound like B-movie shlock on paper has been transformed by Naughty Dog into something no short of a masterpiece. While stalwart games like Resident Evil 1 are so horribly done that they make Ed Wood look like George Bernard Shaw, The Last of Us is an instant classic that would rightly belong in the Criterion Collection or right next to an art film. Naughty Dog really outdone themselves, and they have done something entirely else. ND has created something that feel so real and tangible for today's society. Through the epidemic certainly has ravaged the lives of so many people by turning them into horrible creatures, The Last of Us isn't so much a zombie based horror flick as it is a tough, deeply woven drama with the vision that reaches far and wide.
The Last of Us stars Joel and Ellie, two amazing characters who are heart and soul of this journey. What follows these two incredible characters is a journey that will test your limits as it touches upon society as a whole in ways that I myself wasn't even expecting. At it's core, what happens when society collapses? What is the capacity that man would do in order to survive? How far would you go? The Last of Us may seem simple, but it hides under this and explores the implications of society's horrifying ability to crack underneath the pressure. Or on a more simple but wider note: "what it would mean to live in such a world?" What follows is a brutal, but often beautiful, journey that touches upon the lives and delicately explores all the turbulence one would expect when society breaks down from a horrible apocalypse. It's a thematically rich and touching tale, with oceans of subtly and the resulting details that should take far more time to grasp than lightweight fiction would ask of you to do so. Take it all in, appreciate it, read everything that comes to you, and don't be afraid to put all of what you know and would imply during the situations that unfold throughout this extremely long journey. For my money, this is one of the best stories I've ever encountered in the medium.
Visuals and sound are two of the video game medium's greatest strengths, and you can be sure Naughty Dog knows this. Visuals are amazing and absolutely essential to the experience, using the power of the PS3 to make the experience irreversibly absorbing. Sure, the technical aspect of The Last of Us are first rate, but the artistic vision of the game is where it truly shines. The environments are absolutely PACKED with detail, and build a frightfully immerse and believable world. It feels real as you traverse it. Whether it's crawling through a decrepit hotel, a horribly bleak, ruined convenience store, the rancid and dehumanizing quarantine zones, or the serene and calm realm of nature that has overtaken humanity, the world in The Last of Us is telling and a character in itself.Animations, especially facial animations, are also top notch. Facial animation can indeed make or a break a character's emotional resonance (you've might of heard of the uncanny valley), and Naughty Dog makes sure The Last of Us does not break the emotional resonance. Simply put, The Last of Us is a beautiful game, both technically and artistically.
Sound is also amazing as well. The sound track, composed by two time Oscar Winner Gustavo Santaolalla (Babel, Brokeback Mountain), plays a big part in the game's experience. The score is sparse, but is effective in bringing a bleak and beautiful sense of isolation, also not forgetting to puncture the game's most harrowing moments with appropriate menace. At its softer moments, its tinged with a particularly Americana melancholy, which perfectly evokes the kind of western feel one would get reading Blood Meridian's most beautiful moments. Sound Design is also terrific. It makes sure that the entire world comes to life in a dizzying amount of different ways: it makes the violence almost too harrowing, the sound of the zombies horrifying, and makes the space you traverse feel real; an active experience indeed. No matter if you feel sorrow, or dread, happiness or solitude, sound is there to make sure your experience comes to life.
Also, the acting performances are on a whole 'nother level. Troy Baker in particular absolutely needs recognition for his performance, (The intro. My god that intro), but everybody else does a fantastic job. Led by Druckmann's exceptional script, the performances feel so understated, quiet, human. It's often simple and direct delivery unexpectedly leads to depth, getting into the lives of these people and how they relate to the apocalypse, the turbulence of such an event, the fear, the loss, the suffering and brutality of the world around, and beauty and heart in the most unexpected of places. It's pristine delivery, with such delicate crystal clarity and nuance, makes sure every spoken word lingers in the air with such believable weight. No matter how uncomfortable or violently dark, savage, these people get, you still understand them. When these characters speak, you simply feel these human beings within yourself.
As terrific as all of this is, graphics and sound aren't the most important aspect of storytelling. Game play is what completes a video game narrative. Ever since the medium's inception, games have been struggling to properly mesh game play and narrative, especially games with a heavy emphasis on combat. I'm not going to be point fingers at any particular game here(it's really all comes to one's subjective player experience), but there is no doubt games have been hobbled by this design flaw. Luckily, TLOU averts this with absolute skill. The Last of Us made sure that game play didn't become second nature, and as a result it has to be one of the best examples of seamless meld of game play and story in the medium. True to its survival horror roots, The Last of Us has nailed its goal of violence and game play as an art form, and as a result the game is tense, horrifying, brutal, and gritty as a player authored experience.
TLOU is a survival piece. Be of note, this game needs to play on the highest difficulty in order to truly make it a harrowing experience to interact with. Emotionally tax yourself on hard, and once you unlock Survivor mode, bite the bullet and never in turn lax the emotion. With little resources available to you and enemies that can kill you in one or two hits (assuming you're playing on higher difficulties), TLOU is as frightening real as games get. Your best bet, whenever possible, is to avoid combat as much as you can, and cling to your wits in order to make it out alive of any situation. If not, be prepared for some chilling engagement. The Last of Us is horrifically violent, so brutal that the game can really be harrowing in a way that few video games ever hope to achieve. Oh, and you swerve with an almost overwhelming sense of nausea. While some complained about the aiming, I thought it only made the game more nerve racking (it's not impossible to get used to the aiming, either). I think this is a valid complaint for those who aren't willing to deal with it (this aspect, I imagine, will be rather subjective), but it makes sure that the cover based moments still feel dangerous despite being in cover. It's like a playable No Country for Old Men, which is the highest praise I can give this game.
Mechanically, TLOU doesn't feature the complexity of EVE Online, but it opens up well enough as you go through the game. True to its genre, the game rewards exploration and scrounging, and with a variety of supplies, you can craft numerous weapons that help you creatively both offensively and defensively, such as sticky grenades, smoke bombs. Molotov cocktails, shivs, blades on melee weapons, and more. In addition, numerous amounts of upgrades to both your character (through medicine) and your weapons (through upgrades) means that you will adapt and evolve throughout the game. Better health, faster crafting times, less swaying, and many others will enhance the player character; for the weapons, expect better reload times, a few enhancements, the ability hold more ammunition, additional weapon slots (saving your character the agony of having to go through a back pack) and others. Even better, the new game plus mode makes sure that you can play through the game more than once and build upon the arsenal you had in your last game.
While the game's story and presentation, and its merge of game play and narrative, is damn near perfect (or at least close, considering perfection is impossible), I do have to point out some flaws in the game play, mostly due to minor game play lapses (which is typical in most ND games). I found the highest difficulty mode to be challenging without breaking my engagement, but there are some spots in the campaign that felt unbalanced and cheap. Battling against enemies has the weird bullet sponge feel, and it's often annoying when facing soldiers. The annoying fiddliness of the survival horror genre doesn't fully avert The Last of Us (much like System Shock 2), with combat sections that turn the game's balance from "challenging" to "unbalanced". Luckily, this happens very infrequently, and the game is still mechanically satisfying. However, just keep this in mind when you play through The Last of Us, because moments like these will come up.
I'll leave the MP to other people if they want to talk about it. It's great, but you can ignore it altogether like a bonus track because the SP is a masterpiece. All I'm saying is this: believe the hype when it comes to TLOU. The Last of Us is incredible as an experience that Naughty Dog deserves your money for the SP alone. The Last of Us is not only just a superb video game, but it's a brilliant shake up that this industry sorely needs. I remember reading an interview that they wanted to raise the story bar with The Last of Us, and in turn making other developers scramble for cover. This was the end goal Naughty Dog wanted to achieve with this release. Well, I tip my hat to you, Naughty Dog. You've succeeded. The Last of Us is another success for Naughty Dog on a story telling level, and for the medium as a whole. It's a masterpiece, one of the best games of 2013, a game of the generation, and one of the best games I have ever played.
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I don't think I've ever played a game that ratcheted the tension so high, for so long, as this amazing storytelling masterpiece. This would make a very intriguing mini-series on cable--it's like a long movie that gets better and better.If you can, play it on hard difficulty, as that really makes you feel just how hard survival is in The Last Of Us universe; when supplies are just barely enough if you're very careful. Where you must constantly be prepared for anything, think quick on your feet and be ready to make tough decisions and face the consequences. Life here is brutal, and you do what you can to survive. Joy is measured out in brief, sparse instances that pass by in a second and must be savored, because hardship, misery and loss are constants here.
The Last Of Us initially sounds like a variation on zombie apocalyptic stories that are so popular now, but it is so much more, and executed so beautifully that it rises above everything else. The sadness and desolation feel real, and have depth. Unlike most zombie games and movies, here there are long periods of tranquility, when the magnitude and weight of what's happened really sinks in and burrows into your brain, and grips your heart and slowly squeezes. There is loss, and this game makes you feel it. What happens to those who become infected, who become drones? Are their consciences trapped in there? Do they feel sorrow, do they feel the loss of control and loss of life they have suffered? Is the fungus a puppet master controlling their body while their souls watch in horror at what they've become? And what about the living, who lose lovers, family and friends--are the creatures you're fighting now one of these people? Are they mothers, fathers and children? You feel pity for these creatures that you kill--and the Last Of Us makes you feel it.
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I just finished this game, and when they say it is an instant classic, they mean it. It is the best game I have played in 23 years of gaming, and the graphics, voice acting, and gameplay are unparalleled. The best $60 I've ever spent in my life.Honest reviews on The Last of Us
I suck at video games. I love to play any and all, but I genuinely stink. My husband can't watch me play because it makes him seasick. That being said, this game is phenomenal. It is amazing even for a dreadful player like me. I put it on easy. I put it on auto aim. I still died 387 times throughout the game. I CONTINUED PLAYING! The story line in and of itself makes it almost a necessity to persevere until you figure it out and make it to the next chapter. The story was funny. It was scary. It was heartbreaking. By the end, I was so emotionally exhausted I literally cried. Guess what? I'm starting it again immediately, this time on Easy +. I will keep playing until I make it to Expert. THE STORY AND THE GAME PLAY ARE JUST THAT GOOD.This is my first game review. I wanted to share my experience because there is no way I am the only crazy person who continues to play games even though they are awful at them, and I wanted to allay any fear of spending $60 on a game that they may not excel at right away. Buy it. The people who made this experience deserve every single penny. I will be at the midnight release of ANY Last of Us prequels or sequels.
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This is one of the most immerersive game experiences I've ever had. I actually felt as if I had become Joel, trekking through this deadly, near hopeless world, struggling to survive for just one more day. On occasion, this level of immersion is broken (such as when I take out four armed soldiers, and can only salvage ONE rifle round from the lot of them), but for the most part, I truly felt like I had stepped into the shoes of the protagonist. His emotions became minethe frustration, the elation, the horror, the desperation... and the slow, creeping pall of hopelessness in this dark, damaged earth.And let me tell youif you are prone to night terrors or depression, do NOT play this game, because it will alternately terrify you and make you despair for the plight of this lost world. However, if you can handle the mature subjects of the tale, you are in for a real treat, and perhaps the greatest game to ever be produced in the genre of "survival horror". Yes, this game is scary. I generally felt powerless in this world and some of the enemies (primarily Clickers and Runners) make my stomach tighten with dread. If you're super hardcore, and you want a REALLY scary experience, I recommend you play on Hard difficulty for your first play-through, because the number of supplies (ammo, med kits, shivs, bombs, etc.) that are available on the Normal difficulty level are far too abundant for players who want a supreme challenge.
On the subject of crafting, this is a component of the game that is easy to learn, and fun to engage in. It further puts you into the mindset of Joel, a man desperate for survival, who has learned to salvage at all available opportunities. Slowly tuning up my weapons was also a lot of fun, though Joel is but a pale imitator compared to his rival protagonists (Nathan Drake, Marcus Fenix, etc.) in other games (but this is a good thing, for it feels realistic, and fits with the tone of the piece). Joel's wobbly aim, perpetual shortage of ammo, and rather sluggish speed make him feel like a real, middle-aged guy who has learned to survive in a dangerous world, not some superhuman who handles everything with grace.
The stealth aspect is also handled brilliantly, and engaging in it is extremely satisfying. To me, this stealth system is a perfect evolution of that which was established in the Metal Gear Solid series (particularly #2), utilizing a great visual cone and (and audio circumference) for your enemies, which must be studied for vulnerabilities and exploited at every possible opportunity. Determining how to approach each new challenge (lots of trial and error will be involved), and how to successfully clear an area of enemies (generally without being detected, as ammo and health are so limited) is really fun. These challenges become "3D puzzles" in a way, as you must use your noggin to break down enemy patterns and AI reactions, with the added tension of knowing that it only takes one slip-up to result in failure and these enemies really do make you feel the fear.
Visually speaking, this game can't keep up with the Uncharted series (surprising, since it's the only other game built on the same engine), but it's by no means a slouch. Just be preparedthis game is nothing at all like Uncharted. It's way harder, the game isn't split into short, easily managed levels, and the cheerfulness of Uncharted is completely absent. I play Uncharted all the time, but I'm not sure I can go back and play The Last of Usit is, quite frankly, an exhausting experience. And that, my friends, is the sign of a superbly crafted game, one which has captured the emotions and tone that it was seeking to tell with its mature, finely told story. All fans of video games should at least sample The Last of Us. I couldn't stop playing it until the last steps of Joel's journey were complete, and I'm betting you won't be able to, either.
Friday, August 22, 2014
NBA 2K11 - Xbox 360 Reviews
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I have been a 2k player for many years, I first started playing since 2K5 which was a great game as well. The last two years of NBA 2K have not been anything special, 2K10 felt like a minor leap over 2K9. However that is not the case this year, this game feels like a MAJOR leap over the previous games in the series, which I think most people didn't even think was possible.
Graphics: Awesome, don't look at the gameplay videos, that tells a completely different story. When you actually play this game and look at it, the motions are amazing, particularly how the great the equipment on the players move when the characters run down the court. The facial expressions are also amazing, and give you an amazing feeling during highlights. Also the skin tones and the Tattoos all look good, and are placed in the right spot.The only knock on the graphics that I can say is how some of the characters have an unnatural look to them (Jermaine Oneal, Larry Bird, and even Kobe to some extents look weird). The UI and the menu system is very nice though, something 2K games have always been good at. The courts are also done in amazing detail and look good down to the last piece of hardwood floor. There is so much more to be said about the graphics, but its hard to sum it all up, the graphics all around are good I would rate them an 8 out of 10 definitely the best looking in the series.
Sound: The sound is solid, the court sounds sound legit, the way the shoes sound during a quick stop and the way the ball sounds as your are dribbling and how it sounds when it goes in the net is perfect. The soundtrack for this game is very good, its definitely improving over the previous years versions and the best so far. You got Snoop, Drake, Big Boi, Cassidy, Kid Cudi, and even Ron Artest (lol). The sound is great, and the play by play is truly amazing. You really think you are watching the game, 2K has always been strong here after playing a couple of matches, I rarely heard the same things said in different games during pick up games, which is amazing. The announcers always have an amazing way in season mode/My Player mode of talking about when the season is coming to an end, and what place your current team is at in their conference which is amazing. They certainly put a lot of time and effort in the play by play which makes the ambience much better.
Controls: Not a lot to say here, in one word it's great. If you have used the 2K controls before it will be like second nature here, its very easy for even beginners to pick up and play. After one full match from the beginning to end, you will already have a strong grasp on the controllers. So just solid here, and still one of the best things about 2K basketball games.
Gameplay: A game changer, everything feels like its been improved from before. They still have all the legitimate traits of older games before this one. Lebron shoots like lebron, he has his signature shot, and his signature blocks, its scarily realistic with how they made so many players play like themselves. Tons of research had to go in for it to be this accurate. The new thing for this year is the jordan challenges. Believe it or not, this pays homage to the older 2K games. If you play NFL 2K5 (Rip) they had a mode where you can go back and play legendary games and win these game and do what those teams have done. Well, its back now, and you get to use all the amazing Bulls teams from 90's with Jordan. they also recreated all the rosters so that it is the same roster as jordan was with and the teams that he played against. So the challenges are like score 63+, plays his flu game, etc. Its really an amazing thing that they created here for the greatest basketball player of all time. The My Player mode is truly amazing, you start as basically a nobody, you create your character and when you are all finished you choose what kind of player you would like to be (scoring, passing, defensive, etc.) once you do that it assigns point to your player that can be used to build different stats. You start out in the draft combine, be impressive and you get drafted once you do, you start competing in the summer league. From there, now you are fighting for a roster spot, its really amazing and actually shows you the process of what these players have to do when they are coming to the NBA, amazing. Online, I have played about 5 games, and I have to say that its been great! No lag, and there has been no server problems which have been a huge knock on 2K basketball games online, it's looking good so far however.
EDIT 11/26/2010: Yep decided to edit this one, bought it since launch and I am still playing it even now, on black friday and also a month and a half after its release. The rating would not change at all this truly is an amazing game, you must try it for yourself!
Overall: IGN called this game one of the greatest sports games of our generation, and they are right. Nothing really quite matches everything it offers. If you play this game online and offline, you can easily surpass over 100 hours of gameplay before you know it. Throw in Jordan challenges, My player mode, and online in general, and you have a deep game with more to come back to each time you turn it on, THIS is what 2K basketball is all about.
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Growing up I had the newest basketball game every year. Starting with Bulls V Blazers 92 playoffs game for SNES. You could play with Jordan in that game and it was great! I grew up a Bulls fan and followed them avidly.NBA 2k11 helps Bulls fans, Jordan fans, and basketball fans, relive some of Jordan's greatest moments. You can also play with various Bulls teams, Lakers teams, Knicks teams, and other Jordan foes.
The gameplay is tightened and the graphics are jawdropping. Sure, there are a few glitches, but nothing that you wouldn't see in any sports game. Every player plays the way he does in real life.
The game mode where you create a player and get him to the NBA still takes way too long and still sucks. But if you bought the game for that then you're missing out on all of the rest of the good stuff. I highly recommend buying this game and you will NOT be disappointed!!
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I do have nba2k12 now, but this game is still worth having and keeping. The Jordan Challenges are so fun and, yes, challenging. It really gives you a feel for how he really played and you can do everything he did. Incredibly fun to play. These games are simulations and take a lot of playing time to where you can be good at them but once you have played a few games and have gotten an idea of how to play efficiently and correctly, it's just a wonder. NBA2k12 is more updated and is a good bit more realistic with gameplay and graphics, but 2k11 is more fun to play because it's easier to get a grasp on and play. You're faulted less for your mistakes as it's less realistic. You can make passes that you never would be able to in real life but it makes it fun because not everyone understands basketball to know exactly how and when a pass needs to be done.This game is worth having if for no other reason than the Jordan Challenge modes and the Jordan: Creating A Legend mode. Incredibly fun. I played it for literally days on end and still never even had a chance to play the seasons, association mode, or just play a bunch of exhibition games. Very fun. 10/10
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I bought this game because I knew the price of it would drop since NBA2k12 was out. Before I bought this game I had played it at friends houses and they all enjoyed it, I didn't at the time because I was not good at it. After playing this game I must say, this is by far the Best Basketball Game Ever. I will not go on any deeper into the game because it is "old" now and anyone who is reading reviews on this game now probably has a pretty good idea of the what the game is about it and how highly touted this game is. Nonetheless this was a great buy to me. ******Also since the NBA is currently in a lockout, NBA 2k12 rosters are the same NBA2k11s updated rosters, so this is just as good as NBA 2k12 (maybe even better), which I eventually bought.Pros
*Great Mechanics
*Great Presentation
*Beautiful Graphics
*Sound builds NBA and Playoff Atmosphere Perfectly
Cons
* No Cons Great Game
******* SIDE NOTE: The depth of this game can be unbearable if you playing against and experienced player. There is slightly deep learning curve to this game. The difference between this game and NBA2k10 is like water and wine.
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$30 for a new copy of NBA 2K11 is a great deal. I checked Gamestop before I purchased it here on Amazon and it was $32.99 USED. I'm glad I looked here. The game works great, no issues yet. Although, NBA 2K games have a tendency to get scratched inside the XBox while playing (faulty hardware?). The game came really fast and it's a lot of fun. If you like basketball, buy this game. If the price isn't around $30, I recommend waiting until the price drops. Also, it came with free super saving shipping. $30 with no tax and shipping.Saturday, August 2, 2014
Best Generic-Black Silicone Skin For Xbox 360 Controller Deals
with this case xbox controller, yo can play hours and hours, all day and the controller maintenance good appearance, the material feeling good, the color and texture it ok, in summary the case it very geat!
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Fists the controller nicely, has a nice feel to it and makes gaming a little easier because hands dont slip off the controller.Best Deals for Generic-Black Silicone Skin For Xbox 360 Controller
This is a great product. The delivery time was great. This is great on the controller for people like me who tend to get sweaty hands when playing. This definately helps keep a grip. Highly recommend!Honest reviews on Generic-Black Silicone Skin For Xbox 360 Controller
This silicone skin works as expected. It protects the controler well and in my opinion gives the user a comfortable grip on the controller. It will work on wired or wireless controllers and for this price you cant find anything better.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Generic-Black Silicone Skin For Xbox 360 Controller
It took a while to get here but overall it was the best thing I ever ordered, its really thin and lightweight and looks awesome once you put it on the control!Saturday, July 5, 2014
Discount NVIDIA SHIELD 16GB
You may have read other reviews about the Nvidia Shield before making it here to mine. What you'll see other reviewer's saying is that the Nvidia Shield is a nitch item. I'd have to agree with this claim. Its primarily a device to play your PC games on, and you have to own a lot of high-end hardware to use it properly. Let's talk about the requirements and about how it performs outside of the requirements.
So the Shield requires a modern gaming PC with at least a GTX 650 Video Card. If you have a lower 6 series or a 5/4 series, this will not work for you. And even if you have the bare minimum GTX 650, keep in mind that this card is not powerful enough to run many modern games on maxed out settings. So this will have an impact on how things look on the Shield (from a quality perspective). I am personally using a 4 GB GDDR5 GTX 680 in my rig, so keep in mind that what I'm saying is based on my experiences with that card. So having a very powerful PC is one half of the Shield equation. The other half is having a very high-end robust network. Nvidia recommends that you use a dual-band router capable of 5 Ghz. They also have a list of routers that are directly supported for PC Game Streaming (of which the Apple Airport Express 2nd Gen is the cheapest). I have personally tested the shield on several routers. It is possible to stream your PC games over a 2.4 Ghz frequency. However, there are a lot of considerations that will impact that sort of performance. If you live out in the middle of nowhere with no other nearby networks and paper-thin walls, then 2.4 Ghz may be enough for you. For me, I experienced about a 30 foot radius from my router where 2.4 Ghz was doable. Going farther way than that disconnected my session. I also get a noticeable amount of artifacting on the Shield's screen when streaming over 2.4 Ghz.
So the short answer is that it may be possible to use the Shield for PC gaming without a 5 Ghz router. Just realize that you'll be taking a risk if you buy it without the right kind of network to back it up. For me performance over 5 Ghz has been flawless. I'm using a Western Digital My Net N900 Router and I haven't had a single issue (other than range). 5 Ghz has a much lower range compared to 2.4 Ghz, so keep in mind that you may have to install repeaters or access points in your house to maintain game-level performance in all areas of the house.
So as far as PC Streaming goes, the question will be whether it is worth it. There is also not a direct answer to this. There are some unofficial things that you can do with the Shield such as connecting it to a VPN for gaming outside of your network. Nvidia is also working on adding functionality to play any PC game on the Shield. Right now the Shield only supports games that have included controller support. They will be adding the option to use programs like Xpadder or Pinnacle Game Profiler so that you can setup any game to work on the Shield's controller. So depending on your existing game library or your budget for buying games, this may be a serious thing to think about (The Shield's only good if you can play your favorite stuff on it, right?). When you do have the correct equipment, playing PC games on the Shield is amazing! I love having the ability to take my PC gaming to any room of the house (we just converted our garage to a lounge for my wife, and now I can sit there and play games with her). The controls feel solid, the sound is amazing, and the built-in microphone allows you to chat with people while you play. So if you're someone that already has the computer hardware and network to use the Shield, this may be an easier question to answer. However, if your computer is not up to spec, or if your network is not fast enough, then this becomes a deeper question. It takes a considerable investment to have the hardware to play PC games on the Shield. You'll have to REALLY want to play games on the Shield to spend the average $750 that it costs to get a computer and network upgraded to use it. For me it was definitely worth it, but I already had the computer and network to use the Shield, so my only cost was the $299 that the Shield goes for. I also already have 60+ games in my Steam Library that have built-in controller support. That's a pretty good launch list of titles.
So with the PC part clarified, let's talk about the other stuff that the Shield can do. One of the big things right off the bat is the ability to play emulators on it. I've personally played N64, PSX, SNES, NES, GBA, and Genesis on mine. This has been a really awesome experience. One cool thing that you may not know about the Shield is that the micro-usb port on the back can do a lot of stuff. I plugged in a micro-to-usb adapter and then connected a 4-port usb hub. I have 2 PS3 controllers, a wireless 360 controller, and a USB SNES gamepad all plugged in at the same time. And yes, they all show up as separate controllers for split screen gaming. And I finish this off by plugging my Shield via mini-HDMI to HDMI to my TV. It's like playing the original consoles, but better! Everything is very smooth and the graphics look great on the big screen. You can map the controls individually to each controller. So that's pretty awesome.
The third side of the Shield is the Android part. For me, this is probably the most disappointing side of the Shield. It's not that the Shield doesn't have the power to play any Android game out there, its that hardly anything supports the Shield's controller. There are a select group of "enhanced" titles in the Shield store, but many core titles are not available. One big thing that is missing is support for the majority of Gameloft's games. Certain titles sort of work like Modern Combat 4 and NOVA 3, but not all controls work. The only Gameloft title to date that works flawlessly with the Shield's controller is Asphalt 8. So Android gaming tends to be a bit underwhelming. Hopefully this will be something that gets dramatically better as developers become more aware of the Shield, but as of now there isn't much there for it.
So as a standalone device, the only really good thing about the Shield is emulators. There are several people on the Nvidia forums that bought it strictly as an emulator device. If you're looking at it as the next big Android platform, that's not happening as of yet.
Anyway, hopefully that gives you a bit of information to go off of. Feel free to ask me any questions that you may have about the Shield. I'll do my best to answer them for you.
The Shield is an emulation powerhouse and is the best device on the market today for playing classic games either on the go or connected to a TV. Pandora and the Xperia Play deserve honorable mention and the XP fills its niche as a much smaller device.
Build quality is apparently excellent and the unit is very solid. I don't love the small size of the screen relative to the bezel size, it looks a bit silly and is wasted real estate. I can't help but envy the Archos Gamepad and Wikipad for the larger screens on some level, even if they are using inferior hardware. The unit is also heavy but manageable at roughly 20 ounces, which is up is about twice a PS Vita or 3 times more than an Xperia Play. The speakers are very loud and reasonably clear, but I find it lacks low end. There is also no physical menu button which is a huge problem for some programs, like making it impossible to save in ScummVM. I also find the R1 and L1 buttons to be uncomfortably small. But I'm nitpicking; the Shield is a very cool device for anyone and a marvelous device for emulation enthusiasts. This must trump the Pandora as the ultimate handheld emulation console. If you love Retroarch on your phone then you'll love it even more on the Shield.
I haven't been able to test PC streaming because I have an ATI card in my gaming rig, but the reports are positive and improvements in the beat streaming program are forthcoming.
Pros: high build quality
High quality screen with excellent viewing angles
Emulation powerhouse. Get Retroarch and a few other emulators and you're good to go.
Strong hinge
Really nice analogs
Controls are comfortable but not PS3/Xbox360 comfortable. 8/10 I'd say. Everything's a compromise.
Fair price for the hardware
Just about the most powerful Android device you can buy today
Stock Android Jellybean unencumbered by bloatware. Thanks Nvidia.
Speakers are very loud and surprisingly clear but lack a satisfying low end for all their volume. Can pass for a boom box in a pinch.
Battery life so far seems very good.
Cons: Styling is not for me. Alienware-alike. The stock grey "shield" insert is very gaudy to me, it should of been matte black. Or even just have a Nvidia logo on it. It just looks bizarre, plain and out of place.
Only 780p video output through the HDMI, this will supposedly be upgraded through firmware in the future. Still..
L1 and R1 buttons are lousy, being too small and too awkward to access. Ugh.
Button travel on the ABXY buttons is excessive imo.
Heavy
No menu button
Screen could and should be larger. Bezel is huge for a modern device. For something this bulky, which will never fit in a normal pocket, it seems like you may as well have a 7 inch screen. 5 inches is lacking.
Uses the less popular and less affordable mini HDMI for no reason, instead of the better micro HDMI that all phones use
Non user replaceable batteries.
Packaging is needlessly flashy and probably expensive. In a day of asinine unboxing videos I guess it matters, but I'd rather of had an included mini HDMI cable for that expense.
Nvidia is a good company. I learned that they recently gave several Shields to the open-source Libretro project, and that earned them alot of my respect.
Some will compare this to the Vita or 3DS and call it expensive. Consider that the Vita outdoes the 3DS spec wise, while the shield is 4 times faster than the Vita IIRC and has 4 times the ram with a better screen and most importantly it runs ANDROID, an OPEN operating system. It's your device, not Sony's or Nintendo's. You decide what goes on it and what it can do. You do not lived in a walled garden. I would never, ever buy a 3DS or PS Vita while the Sony Xperia Play is only about $50 used and the amazing new Shield is so reasonable.
Buy buy buy. Totally awesome pice of kit.
I look forward to an updated model with a larger screen, light weight, and maybe a menu button for legacy software and forcing the keyboard to come up, a function I deeply miss.
Edit: hinge has gone noisy...
Hardware: tough like a tank
Battery: iPadish = lasts forever
Controls: Tight and well made
This thing is awesome and does everything and more that I ever wanted to do. Nice choice running vanilla Android OS 4.3...
Streaming: I have a GTX 780 so it may be different with lower end cards, but WOW!! No detectable lag streaming high end games like Skyrim, Borderlands 2, etc... Any Steam game that supports a controller rocks on this thing. If you've not looked at streaming capability on shield since it was in beta, now that it is live, it really is nice.
Size: many people put this in the negative side, but it has full size controls which is a dream when actually using the Shield.
neutral: I thought I was going to hate the recessed analog controls, but I don't hate them. They are fine, don't bother me in the slightest. Actually, after playing shield, it makes my Xbox 360 controller analog sticks feel too high LOL!!
The I wish was different parts:
-Screen-resolution is fine, but wish it was slightly bigger like 7"
-Size: it is big, so not as portable, but I've listed this as a good thing too
-weight: well it is heavy, but not been an issue, I'll gladly take the weight for the massive battery life it has.
-wish the screen disconnected or tethered from the body somehow, but that would make it more complex and less tough, so not sure I'd give that up to be able to remove the screen.
In whole, I am blown away by the shield. It is far and away the best handheld console on the market today. Easy enough for anyone to enjoy, and has all the open capabilities any gadgeteer would drool over. Also Tegra4 = awesome!!
BTW: you can even connect Bluetooth controllers to it, hook to a TV with HDMI and use it like a gaming console for Steam or any game.. !!!!!!!
Looking forward: Nvidia as promised is hammering out the updates on the shield and making it better and better every couple of weeks or so..
The controls are accurate and solid, the battery life superb, the screen is bright and clear, the pack in games are great, my Antutu benchmark is 38.000!
And its a "Vanilla Android" experience. There is no re-screened interface like Samsung, and others do. And constant and reliable updates from Nvidia. No wondering when YOU will get the next system update, unlike most non Nexus Android phones.
Its no replacement for a tablet, it is more than capable of tablet functions, but ergonomically its pure gaming. Fast with solid wireless and bluetooth.
I use this device primarily to play roms, and images from my library of Imported Japanese PS1 games, and I'm very happy I bought it. I don't think anyone else can touch it. I'd been looking for quite a while at nameless, non brand Chinese "gamepads" that had weak hardware and flimsy controls, and was about to give in and try one when this came along.
"Edited to remove complaints about the former price gouging"
Four months later, its still going strong, updates have only improved it, and with its new gamepad mapper software, many games that didn't have controller support now do. PewPew with dual joysticks is great! I still suggest it 100%, no regrets at all.
I knew what I was getting into before I bought the product. Although the streaming play was something I had no problem setting up (I meet all the requirements and then some) I had no real interest in that. They say that streaming play is the major selling point of this device... okay, I understand the draw of streaming play, but they really need to recheck their demographic. Of course, I guess that can't just say "emulation powerhouse."
Yes, yes, I know playing old Nintendo games is dull. Except it isn't. Aside from the nostalgia factor, many of those older games have more gameplay packed in one level than some modern games do. "But, you can buy a PS Vita and emulate!" Yes, sure you can, or you can buy a system that is unlocked already and use the emulators that are right there in the play store. "Why not just get a cheap laptop?" Why would I want to carry around a laptop and controller everywhere I go? I tend to be on the road a lot I need something to enjoy along the way (not while driving of course I might wind up running someone over again.)
If you can imagine the catalog of Nintendo games that one can carry in a very small space, you've got enough gameplay to last a lifetime (or until your battery runs out.) We're talking approximately 759 games released in the U.S. alone. Granted, you'd probably not play half of those, but if you've got some favorites, go for it.
That's not counting SNES and all the wonderful games on that, N64 (although emulation offerings for that didn't really float my boat), Gameboy / Color / Advance, Nintendo DS, PlayStation, PSP, Sega Master System, Sega Genesis, etc... That's a huge library of games on one little device that you can take anywhere. Throw in some movies, some android games, etc... and you're doing pretty good.
Speaking of android games, although I didn't get this for android games, many of the games in the shield store are actually quite good. Some are definitely handheld good (as in something released on PS Vita or 3DS,) and some are almost console good. Yes, there's a small library, but if you're buying this just for android gaming, maybe you're in a demographic that even I can't relate to.
Anyway, what this system does it does very well, and I can honestly say it is the most powerful tablet I've ever owned. I have seen no slowdown whatsoever on even some of my more demanding emulated titles (PSP and DS for instance), and have seen none on games I've seen slow down considerably even on other tegra tablets. The system is clean when you get it, coming without all the crapware that most tablets come with. It has a great battery life. A lot of people complain about heaviness, but I haven't really noticed. It is also very self-supporting, and feels solid when using its base as a stand for media. I have had no problems with it whatsoever, and everything has been easy.
For those who ARE interested in streaming, I've been getting 60fps on my games consistently since NVidia's latest update. And they have been updating it quite regularly.
So the Shield requires a modern gaming PC with at least a GTX 650 Video Card. If you have a lower 6 series or a 5/4 series, this will not work for you. And even if you have the bare minimum GTX 650, keep in mind that this card is not powerful enough to run many modern games on maxed out settings. So this will have an impact on how things look on the Shield (from a quality perspective). I am personally using a 4 GB GDDR5 GTX 680 in my rig, so keep in mind that what I'm saying is based on my experiences with that card. So having a very powerful PC is one half of the Shield equation. The other half is having a very high-end robust network. Nvidia recommends that you use a dual-band router capable of 5 Ghz. They also have a list of routers that are directly supported for PC Game Streaming (of which the Apple Airport Express 2nd Gen is the cheapest). I have personally tested the shield on several routers. It is possible to stream your PC games over a 2.4 Ghz frequency. However, there are a lot of considerations that will impact that sort of performance. If you live out in the middle of nowhere with no other nearby networks and paper-thin walls, then 2.4 Ghz may be enough for you. For me, I experienced about a 30 foot radius from my router where 2.4 Ghz was doable. Going farther way than that disconnected my session. I also get a noticeable amount of artifacting on the Shield's screen when streaming over 2.4 Ghz.
So the short answer is that it may be possible to use the Shield for PC gaming without a 5 Ghz router. Just realize that you'll be taking a risk if you buy it without the right kind of network to back it up. For me performance over 5 Ghz has been flawless. I'm using a Western Digital My Net N900 Router and I haven't had a single issue (other than range). 5 Ghz has a much lower range compared to 2.4 Ghz, so keep in mind that you may have to install repeaters or access points in your house to maintain game-level performance in all areas of the house.
So as far as PC Streaming goes, the question will be whether it is worth it. There is also not a direct answer to this. There are some unofficial things that you can do with the Shield such as connecting it to a VPN for gaming outside of your network. Nvidia is also working on adding functionality to play any PC game on the Shield. Right now the Shield only supports games that have included controller support. They will be adding the option to use programs like Xpadder or Pinnacle Game Profiler so that you can setup any game to work on the Shield's controller. So depending on your existing game library or your budget for buying games, this may be a serious thing to think about (The Shield's only good if you can play your favorite stuff on it, right?). When you do have the correct equipment, playing PC games on the Shield is amazing! I love having the ability to take my PC gaming to any room of the house (we just converted our garage to a lounge for my wife, and now I can sit there and play games with her). The controls feel solid, the sound is amazing, and the built-in microphone allows you to chat with people while you play. So if you're someone that already has the computer hardware and network to use the Shield, this may be an easier question to answer. However, if your computer is not up to spec, or if your network is not fast enough, then this becomes a deeper question. It takes a considerable investment to have the hardware to play PC games on the Shield. You'll have to REALLY want to play games on the Shield to spend the average $750 that it costs to get a computer and network upgraded to use it. For me it was definitely worth it, but I already had the computer and network to use the Shield, so my only cost was the $299 that the Shield goes for. I also already have 60+ games in my Steam Library that have built-in controller support. That's a pretty good launch list of titles.
So with the PC part clarified, let's talk about the other stuff that the Shield can do. One of the big things right off the bat is the ability to play emulators on it. I've personally played N64, PSX, SNES, NES, GBA, and Genesis on mine. This has been a really awesome experience. One cool thing that you may not know about the Shield is that the micro-usb port on the back can do a lot of stuff. I plugged in a micro-to-usb adapter and then connected a 4-port usb hub. I have 2 PS3 controllers, a wireless 360 controller, and a USB SNES gamepad all plugged in at the same time. And yes, they all show up as separate controllers for split screen gaming. And I finish this off by plugging my Shield via mini-HDMI to HDMI to my TV. It's like playing the original consoles, but better! Everything is very smooth and the graphics look great on the big screen. You can map the controls individually to each controller. So that's pretty awesome.
The third side of the Shield is the Android part. For me, this is probably the most disappointing side of the Shield. It's not that the Shield doesn't have the power to play any Android game out there, its that hardly anything supports the Shield's controller. There are a select group of "enhanced" titles in the Shield store, but many core titles are not available. One big thing that is missing is support for the majority of Gameloft's games. Certain titles sort of work like Modern Combat 4 and NOVA 3, but not all controls work. The only Gameloft title to date that works flawlessly with the Shield's controller is Asphalt 8. So Android gaming tends to be a bit underwhelming. Hopefully this will be something that gets dramatically better as developers become more aware of the Shield, but as of now there isn't much there for it.
So as a standalone device, the only really good thing about the Shield is emulators. There are several people on the Nvidia forums that bought it strictly as an emulator device. If you're looking at it as the next big Android platform, that's not happening as of yet.
Anyway, hopefully that gives you a bit of information to go off of. Feel free to ask me any questions that you may have about the Shield. I'll do my best to answer them for you.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
4.5/5 and worth its purchase price all day long. The RETAIL purchase price, not the inflated price asked by these resellers.The Shield is an emulation powerhouse and is the best device on the market today for playing classic games either on the go or connected to a TV. Pandora and the Xperia Play deserve honorable mention and the XP fills its niche as a much smaller device.
Build quality is apparently excellent and the unit is very solid. I don't love the small size of the screen relative to the bezel size, it looks a bit silly and is wasted real estate. I can't help but envy the Archos Gamepad and Wikipad for the larger screens on some level, even if they are using inferior hardware. The unit is also heavy but manageable at roughly 20 ounces, which is up is about twice a PS Vita or 3 times more than an Xperia Play. The speakers are very loud and reasonably clear, but I find it lacks low end. There is also no physical menu button which is a huge problem for some programs, like making it impossible to save in ScummVM. I also find the R1 and L1 buttons to be uncomfortably small. But I'm nitpicking; the Shield is a very cool device for anyone and a marvelous device for emulation enthusiasts. This must trump the Pandora as the ultimate handheld emulation console. If you love Retroarch on your phone then you'll love it even more on the Shield.
I haven't been able to test PC streaming because I have an ATI card in my gaming rig, but the reports are positive and improvements in the beat streaming program are forthcoming.
Pros: high build quality
High quality screen with excellent viewing angles
Emulation powerhouse. Get Retroarch and a few other emulators and you're good to go.
Strong hinge
Really nice analogs
Controls are comfortable but not PS3/Xbox360 comfortable. 8/10 I'd say. Everything's a compromise.
Fair price for the hardware
Just about the most powerful Android device you can buy today
Stock Android Jellybean unencumbered by bloatware. Thanks Nvidia.
Speakers are very loud and surprisingly clear but lack a satisfying low end for all their volume. Can pass for a boom box in a pinch.
Battery life so far seems very good.
Cons: Styling is not for me. Alienware-alike. The stock grey "shield" insert is very gaudy to me, it should of been matte black. Or even just have a Nvidia logo on it. It just looks bizarre, plain and out of place.
Only 780p video output through the HDMI, this will supposedly be upgraded through firmware in the future. Still..
L1 and R1 buttons are lousy, being too small and too awkward to access. Ugh.
Button travel on the ABXY buttons is excessive imo.
Heavy
No menu button
Screen could and should be larger. Bezel is huge for a modern device. For something this bulky, which will never fit in a normal pocket, it seems like you may as well have a 7 inch screen. 5 inches is lacking.
Uses the less popular and less affordable mini HDMI for no reason, instead of the better micro HDMI that all phones use
Non user replaceable batteries.
Packaging is needlessly flashy and probably expensive. In a day of asinine unboxing videos I guess it matters, but I'd rather of had an included mini HDMI cable for that expense.
Nvidia is a good company. I learned that they recently gave several Shields to the open-source Libretro project, and that earned them alot of my respect.
Some will compare this to the Vita or 3DS and call it expensive. Consider that the Vita outdoes the 3DS spec wise, while the shield is 4 times faster than the Vita IIRC and has 4 times the ram with a better screen and most importantly it runs ANDROID, an OPEN operating system. It's your device, not Sony's or Nintendo's. You decide what goes on it and what it can do. You do not lived in a walled garden. I would never, ever buy a 3DS or PS Vita while the Sony Xperia Play is only about $50 used and the amazing new Shield is so reasonable.
Buy buy buy. Totally awesome pice of kit.
I look forward to an updated model with a larger screen, light weight, and maybe a menu button for legacy software and forcing the keyboard to come up, a function I deeply miss.
Edit: hinge has gone noisy...
Best Deals for NVIDIA SHIELD 16GB
The Excellent:Hardware: tough like a tank
Battery: iPadish = lasts forever
Controls: Tight and well made
This thing is awesome and does everything and more that I ever wanted to do. Nice choice running vanilla Android OS 4.3...
Streaming: I have a GTX 780 so it may be different with lower end cards, but WOW!! No detectable lag streaming high end games like Skyrim, Borderlands 2, etc... Any Steam game that supports a controller rocks on this thing. If you've not looked at streaming capability on shield since it was in beta, now that it is live, it really is nice.
Size: many people put this in the negative side, but it has full size controls which is a dream when actually using the Shield.
neutral: I thought I was going to hate the recessed analog controls, but I don't hate them. They are fine, don't bother me in the slightest. Actually, after playing shield, it makes my Xbox 360 controller analog sticks feel too high LOL!!
The I wish was different parts:
-Screen-resolution is fine, but wish it was slightly bigger like 7"
-Size: it is big, so not as portable, but I've listed this as a good thing too
-weight: well it is heavy, but not been an issue, I'll gladly take the weight for the massive battery life it has.
-wish the screen disconnected or tethered from the body somehow, but that would make it more complex and less tough, so not sure I'd give that up to be able to remove the screen.
In whole, I am blown away by the shield. It is far and away the best handheld console on the market today. Easy enough for anyone to enjoy, and has all the open capabilities any gadgeteer would drool over. Also Tegra4 = awesome!!
BTW: you can even connect Bluetooth controllers to it, hook to a TV with HDMI and use it like a gaming console for Steam or any game.. !!!!!!!
Looking forward: Nvidia as promised is hammering out the updates on the shield and making it better and better every couple of weeks or so..
Honest reviews on NVIDIA SHIELD 16GB
I bought an Nvidia Shield. As a confirmed Apple Geek I'm probably not the intended market for this, especially considering I don't own a PC for game streaming and don't intend to. But as a handheld gaming system its great!The controls are accurate and solid, the battery life superb, the screen is bright and clear, the pack in games are great, my Antutu benchmark is 38.000!
And its a "Vanilla Android" experience. There is no re-screened interface like Samsung, and others do. And constant and reliable updates from Nvidia. No wondering when YOU will get the next system update, unlike most non Nexus Android phones.
Its no replacement for a tablet, it is more than capable of tablet functions, but ergonomically its pure gaming. Fast with solid wireless and bluetooth.
I use this device primarily to play roms, and images from my library of Imported Japanese PS1 games, and I'm very happy I bought it. I don't think anyone else can touch it. I'd been looking for quite a while at nameless, non brand Chinese "gamepads" that had weak hardware and flimsy controls, and was about to give in and try one when this came along.
"Edited to remove complaints about the former price gouging"
Four months later, its still going strong, updates have only improved it, and with its new gamepad mapper software, many games that didn't have controller support now do. PewPew with dual joysticks is great! I still suggest it 100%, no regrets at all.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for NVIDIA SHIELD 16GB
... and I've had a few. Over the years, I have owned the Gameboy, Gameboy color, Gameboy advance, DS, 3DS, PSP, PS Vita, and the Caanoo. The only game console that ever came close to the enjoyment I received from this was the Caanoo.I knew what I was getting into before I bought the product. Although the streaming play was something I had no problem setting up (I meet all the requirements and then some) I had no real interest in that. They say that streaming play is the major selling point of this device... okay, I understand the draw of streaming play, but they really need to recheck their demographic. Of course, I guess that can't just say "emulation powerhouse."
Yes, yes, I know playing old Nintendo games is dull. Except it isn't. Aside from the nostalgia factor, many of those older games have more gameplay packed in one level than some modern games do. "But, you can buy a PS Vita and emulate!" Yes, sure you can, or you can buy a system that is unlocked already and use the emulators that are right there in the play store. "Why not just get a cheap laptop?" Why would I want to carry around a laptop and controller everywhere I go? I tend to be on the road a lot I need something to enjoy along the way (not while driving of course I might wind up running someone over again.)
If you can imagine the catalog of Nintendo games that one can carry in a very small space, you've got enough gameplay to last a lifetime (or until your battery runs out.) We're talking approximately 759 games released in the U.S. alone. Granted, you'd probably not play half of those, but if you've got some favorites, go for it.
That's not counting SNES and all the wonderful games on that, N64 (although emulation offerings for that didn't really float my boat), Gameboy / Color / Advance, Nintendo DS, PlayStation, PSP, Sega Master System, Sega Genesis, etc... That's a huge library of games on one little device that you can take anywhere. Throw in some movies, some android games, etc... and you're doing pretty good.
Speaking of android games, although I didn't get this for android games, many of the games in the shield store are actually quite good. Some are definitely handheld good (as in something released on PS Vita or 3DS,) and some are almost console good. Yes, there's a small library, but if you're buying this just for android gaming, maybe you're in a demographic that even I can't relate to.
Anyway, what this system does it does very well, and I can honestly say it is the most powerful tablet I've ever owned. I have seen no slowdown whatsoever on even some of my more demanding emulated titles (PSP and DS for instance), and have seen none on games I've seen slow down considerably even on other tegra tablets. The system is clean when you get it, coming without all the crapware that most tablets come with. It has a great battery life. A lot of people complain about heaviness, but I haven't really noticed. It is also very self-supporting, and feels solid when using its base as a stand for media. I have had no problems with it whatsoever, and everything has been easy.
For those who ARE interested in streaming, I've been getting 60fps on my games consistently since NVidia's latest update. And they have been updating it quite regularly.
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