College Hoops 2K8 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)2K8 basketball games just get it right. They offer some of the most realistic gameplay ever seen in a video game. If you are looking for a true sim, CH 2K8 is the game to get. You can run with multiple teams in your Dynasty mode (Legacy, create and easily modify players, and what's neat about this year's game is you can creat a prospect at the high school level, play with him in the summer camp games. With your team you can monitor all of these players progressions to find out who you want to recruit. It is really a nice-added feature to the game. As for the gameplay itself, there are still some minor issues: 1). the CPU on your team does not get back in transition to guard other players very well. And by the time you switch off to the player with the ball, it's too late. They have already scored. 2). too many missed open layups and mid-range shots. Star players on North Carolina just don't miss open shots like that! 3). Graphics, though decent, still look a bit cartoonish to my standards. The arenas look O.K., but not nearly as good as you'll find in March Madness 08. Player models are good, but again, I don't think they come close to what MM has produced. 4). The menu screens, though minor, 2K really needs to update those. They get the job done, but they're a bit outdated. Again, MM 08 has the better menu screens. 5). The color commentary: 2K8 needs to really work on this. It's just not as exciting as it should be.

Overall: this game is fun to play besides some minor issues. It lacks in certain areas compared to MM 08, but I think overall it offers the better gameplay and depth and freedom you will want in a college basketball game this season. 8-10.

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College Hoops 2K8 X360

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Disney Sing It: High School Musical 3 Senior Year Review

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(More customer reviews)4.0 out of 5 stars Great for HSM Fans! (and not just tweens...), April 15, 2009
ByA. W. McCary "shopaholic and travel addict" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

4.0 out of 5 stars
I'm a 24-year-old fan of all things musical, including the High School Musical movies. I previously purchased the original High School Musical Sing It for Wii (the one with music from the first and second movies) and was disappointed by the lame graphics and difficult menus... but I still couldn't resist this game when I saw it.

This game is definitely an improvement over the last one! (I plan on ditching my old game completely.) You get to sing along to the actual footage from the movies, and I like the menus much better. All in all I find it to be more user-friendly than the past game, and it has different levels for singing (Easy, Normal, Hard), which is great for beginners. It also allows you to choose which character part you wish to sing by name, rather than having to guess which characters are "Part 1" and "Part 2" in the old game. I thoroughly enjoy this, and went through at least half the songs the first time I played it.

I gave it four stars because I would really like to see an opportunity to download more songs. Wii is a great platform for party/get-together games, and a good karaoke game utilizing the Wii connectivity feature to stream or download songs would be a great thing. Also, I would like to see wireless microphones, because I feel like there's an audio delay between what I see on my HDTV and what I sing... if it had a calibration feature like Guitar Hero, that would improve it tremendously in terms of accuracy.

I may be an "older" fan of the Disney HSM franchise, but I think this would be really fun for kids too, especially if you put it on level "Easy" and just let them rock out!

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Product Description:
Disney Sing It! is a new video-based karaoke game that features a mix of popular fan-faves and the hottest new Disney talents. Available this holiday, the first game in this rockin- new franchise comes with a Logitech microphone and features songs and videos from Disney Channel-s summer blockbuster,Camp Rock, along with other Disney favorites, including Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana and theHigh School Musicalmovies. With the microphone, players can belt out today-s chart topping tunes and have a blast along with their friends and Disney stars! USA. Rated E for Everyone.

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Logitech Xbox 360 Wireless Drum Controller Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)>>> Summary

(-1 star on value, -1 star unusable pedal, -1 star noisy cymbals)

This Logitech kit is difficult to evaluate; one of the most puzzling products I've reviewed.Put simply, it's a significantly more adjustable replacement of the stock GHWT kit for 3x the price, which happens to be slightly less than the price of the Ion Drum Rocker.

The Ion Drum Rocker is more adjustable, quieter, explicitly supports RB, supports 3rd party pedals, ships with an additional pad (which makes playing RB easier) and a higher quality metal bass pedal for just $20 more.Granted, the Logitech kit doesn't suffer from some of the construction issues the Ion does (the Logitech kit is a one-piece, collapsible set - it's main advantage) although with the Ion you just get so much more.

Please have a read of my impressions below and comment if you think there's something I could be missing.As it stands, I'm just puzzled as to how Logitech could release this product at this price.If it were say, half the price then it would be a no-brainer.Sure it wouldn't be as feature-rich as the Ion though at half the price, understandably so.

The Good:

- Solid, one-piece construction means compact folding and storage is possible.
- Adjustable: orientation, height and tilt of cymbals, same for the pads.Height of the set is also adjustable.
- Pads are quieter than the stock RB set.Same muted sound as the GHWT set, which I prefer to the higher-pitched hit of the RB pads.
- Adjustability requires no tools.
- Rock Band compatible!Although to be expected given that the stock GHWT drums are as well.

The Not So Good:

- The cost is 5-10 times more expensive than the stock RB2 drums and 3x more expensive than the GHWT drums.If it came with a real pedal than I could forgive a big chunk of this as the after-market pedals are upwards of $100.
- Questionable support for 3rd party pedals.This is important because the included pedal is a no go for at least two reasons: GH logo on the pedal means you cannot play in bare feet or socks.The pedal has very little tension and because it's plastic, it slides around the floor.
- Without the big, rubbery GHWT-style cymbals to absorb the hits, they're really loud as they transfer the force of the hit through the structure of the set.
- It can get crowded around the control unit, if you find yourself having to adjust things.Really just a problem during initial setup, though if you setup and teardown frequently you'll have to deal with it.
- With all that adjustability you might find yourself having to tighten things every so often.Small price to pay, though it is there.Again, really just a problem during initial setup, though if you setup and teardown frequently you'll have to deal with it.
- The D-pad on the control unit feels really, really flimsy as though it could break or pop out at any moment.Not a big deal since you can use the drums themselves in place of the D-pad.Still though, for the price this should feel solid.

>>> Review:

I've been an avid (yet talentless) game drummer since Rock Band was released in late 2007 all the way through GHWT and RB2.To give you an idea of my exposure and time with the RB/RB2/GHWT stock drums, let's say that I've completed 100% of every song in each of those games on Hard and about 50% on Expert.I've also owned the Omega and Rock Pedal custom pedals (and broken the stock RB pedal a few times).So, plenty of hours with all 3 kits.When I had the opportunity to get my hands on the Logitech set for the 360 via Vine, I jumped at the chance.

I own only RB2 and RB:Beatles at the moment, having sold GHWT long ago.The GHWT and RB sets are cross-compatible so I figured this set should work with RB and good news: it works perfectly! I'm confused why the packaging is Guitar Hero-branded.There's a massive logo on the box (you could easily confuse with an official GHWT peripheral) and a matching GH logo sketched in to the pedal (more on that later).Why they wouldn't list RB2 compatibility is strange; likely some branding agreement with Activision.Anyway...

The first thing you'll notice is how compact the set is.It arrives in a box 6" x 25" x 31".It's thinner but wider than the RB2 set when folded down, and the one-piece construction means it isn't a clumsy pile of disconnected plastic behind the couch.It folds down (with effort - there's a lot of stuff to loosen) into a less-than-6" unit that you can slide right under the couch.Well, my couch at least ;)

Setup was a snap.It's all one piece so there was no fumbling around for spare parts.Extend the legs, rotate the base to the front, plug in the cymbals and you're good to go.The whole thing took about 10 minutes and most of that was getting it out of the packaging.This is where the Logitech kit shines in comparison to the Ion.

The construction of the pads is more reminiscent of the GHWT drums than the RB drums.The bolts around the pads give it a solid, well-built feel, identical in appearance to the Ion pads.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the cymbals.The cymbals seem cheap and plastic-y in comparison to the stock GHWT kit.Perhaps I'll end up forgiving this since the GHWT cymbals were a nightmare, both in reliability and sensitivity.

>>> After One Song: (Expert, Panic at the Disco - Nine in the Afternoon)

Nice slow warmup to get a feel for the set.About 30 seconds in to the song, I realized there was no way I could finish without reordering the pads which are by default setup for GHWT.While paused, I unplugged all of the pads from the control unit and removed them from the bar (the silver bar shown in the product image).I did all of this in about 30 seconds and was right back in to the song.Score one for quick adjustability of the set.

Towards the end of the song, I noticed two things and they were both about the pedal:

1) Where the heck was it and why is my leg practically outstretched?
2) Why does my foot hurt?

Coming from any of the custom drum pedals, there's just no comparison to the stock pedals.The pedal for the Logitech set is no exception.There's almost no tension (although this is adjustable, it doesn't matter) and with such a plastic-y feel, it's not surprising that it slides around on the carpet.

The worst part about the pedal though, that makes it inferior to even the stock GHWT or RB pedals is the "Guitar Hero" logo imprint.Unless you've comfortably walked over a bed of nails or hot coals, there's no way you can play in bare feet or with socks on.Had to put on shoes to play, which was a little strange.I've watched a LOT of expert FC vids on Youtube and nobody drums with shoes on.Why should we expect less from this expensive set?

By the end of the song, the blue pad had rotated 45 degrees to the left although I didn't stop to fix it, having too much fun.Just need a bit more tightening underneath.

>>> After Two Songs: (Expert, Dinosaur Junior - Feel the Pain)

Before starting, I removed the orange cymbal as it just gets in the way since the RB charts only have 4 notes.

Much more action on the yellow cymbal in this song.About 30 seconds in I was missing the yellow cymbal completely as it had rotated to the left and was pointing away from me; same problem I just fixed with the blue pad - when you've tightened them, keep going because it's not as much as you think.

After tightening the yellow cymbal, the hits on the cymbal became noticeably louder.I believe this is because the force of my hits was being dissipated by the weak connection to the frame.Now that I had tightened it, it sounds like the whole set is making noise when I hit.Loosened the grip on the main bar and yep - definitely more quiet.

I also noticed that my accuracy went down and I wasn't sure why.After playing these games for so long, things can just "feel" off and something felt off - reminded me of the feeling I got when the first two stock GHWT kits I had shipped with sensitivity issues in the cymbals.I went into the Drum Trainer Freestyle mode and didn't notice anything funky, so back to the game.

>>> After Three Songs: (Expert, Rise Against - Re-eduction (Through Labor))

By this point, I'm comfortable with the set in spite of the low quality pedal (p.s. it doesn't work with the Rock Pedal custom pedal, not that I expected it to).I've got the pads and yellow cymbal right where I want it and I don't even need to wear headphones to drown the drum noise (like I do with the RB drums).

>>> Summary:

The big question - is it worth it?

As of this writing, the Ion kit is just about $20 more.As I mentioned in the summary, you just get so much more with the Ion I can't see why anyone would consider this set.

Strangely enough, if there's one thing this set did is make me realize I should definitely pick up the Ion set.It's so much more fun with the right drums in the right orientation!

I'll do my best to answer questions in the comments, thanks for reading :)

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Product Description:
The Logitech Wireless Drum Controller lets you unleash your inner rockstar. Fully adjustable drum heads and cymbals positioned to fit your reach and suite your style, helping you play faster and better.

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Ninja Blade Review

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(More customer reviews)Ninja Blade is a ridiculously Over The Top action game that's about 7 or 8 hours of fun.While games like Ninja Gaiden are smooth, difficult, and epic, Ninja Blade feels more like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles vs. Godzilla.

Story: 4/10
Alpha Worms infest the human population, turning them into violent and deadly mutants.The Worms can also create giant Godzilla sized monsters for epic boss battles.You play an American Ninja who's father was Japanese, but was created in a lab, and there's some mention of your mother...Umm... you're basically a video game character designed to kill monsters!That's pretty much all you need to know.The story doesn't make much sense and the dialogue is more befitting of a surfer movie than an epic action film.

Gameplay: 8/10
There are 3 types of gameplay in Ninja Blade and all are fun.
1. Hack and Slash Sword Fighting and Ninja Magic vs. Zombies and Bosses
This is the core of the game.There are 3 weapon types (katana, massive heavy sword, and fast twin blades) and they all have their own strengths and weaknesses.There are a fair amount of combos for each weapon and the combat is fluid and complete with finishing moves.You also get elemental Ninja Magic for fighting enemies and using the environment to your advantage.All of your weapons and magic can be upgraded by collecting orbs found in the environments or by killing enemies.

2. Quicktime Events
Reminiscent of Dragon's Lair, a crazy action scene plays and you press the right button at the right time to keep the sequence going.If you mess up, it's ok, the scene rewinds a few seconds and you can keep trying until you get it right.These action scenes are so over the top... It's like watching a Popeye cartoon if Popeye had 10 cans of Spinach...It's like a Jason Statham Movie x 100... We're talking Superman on meth!They're so ridiculous, you can't take them seriously; but they still manage to be fun.(Mostly because the game doesn't overpunish you by killing you if you make a mistake.)Also, if you have having trouble with these, you can adust the Quicktime Difficulty on the Options Menu!

3. Rail Shooter
There are some scenes in the game where you're on a helicopter or vehicle, firing a .50 cal machine gun or rocket launcher.These scenes are very exciting and pretty easy.Simply put... FUN.

The game mixes all 3 types of gameplay fairly often and it keeps the game from feeling stale.If you die, Checkpoints are fairly generous and you can continue at the last one.At the end of each of the 9 Missions, you get a score based on how well that you did.THIS IS THE ONLY TIME THE GAME SAVES.Unfortunately, you can't save during a Mission.(Each Mission is about 60-30 minutes.)

Sound/Music:6/10
The explosions and roars of the giant mosters are LOUD, and the sound contributes to the action, but the soundtrack is pretty weak.It's almost as if the team was finishing the game and somebody said, "Hey, we should put some music in here."The background music is just there.Some tracks are exciting and others are bad.One of them sounds like a guy with a saxophone is in an electric chair.(If you played the game, you know what I'm talking about.)

Art:8/10
The art is pretty good overall.From the visual effects, to the character designs, to the Tokyo Skyline, the graphics and animations are all very good.

Overall: 7/10
The game is fun and it doesn't try to be anything else.

Ninja Blade is Rated M for Violence and Gore.

If you're looking for a fun action game that's not too hard, this is it.With a Shadow of the Colossus Soundtrack, a Real Story, and Less Silly Action Scenes, this could have been in the same league as God of War.Unfortunately, the game is more 'action cartoon comedy' than epic masterpiece.Because the game is fairly short, the hero is completely forgettable, and replay value is limited, this makes a great rental.

Avoid this one if you hate Quicktime Events, Ridiculously Unrealistic Fight Scenes, or Bad Dialogue.

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Product Description:
Ninja Blade

Ninja Blade is an action adventure game set within modern day Tokyo. Parasites known as alpha-worms have mysteriously appeared, unleashing a wave of human destruction as they rapidly spread east, reaching the shores of Tokyo. Wi

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Top Spin 2 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If you're a tennis fan, then this is definitely a game to get. You have a wide variety of real life stars to choose from, or you can custom design your own to match your playing style.

Your character selection is great - 24 names including Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova, Andy Roddick, Roger Federer and much more. You can custom create your own character with the hair style and look that matches you.

As you play, you earn stars which you can apply to a variety of skill types. You can buy training and enter in low level tournaments to hone your skills. Sure, some of those beginning tournaments might be on questionable courts with only a few audience members - but once you begin to prove your talents you can work your way up to the larger scale arenas.

I really appreciated the fine detail in each court. You don't start out in large, lush arenas. You start out on concrete courts with cracks, with barely a dozen people watching. Random passer-bys walk or bicycle along the court's edge. Take heart, though - after months of hard work and practice (in game time) you'll be wowing the larger audiences.

My boyfriend used to play tennis quite seriously and was quite impressed with the accuracy of much of the game. The different types of shots actually sound differently. The characters move very fluidly for the most part and react as a real tennis player would. There are stumbles as they chase the ball, racquet spins while they wait for a shot.

They try to give you an "environment feel" with the sound. For example, when you're playing a tournament in Japan you get asian style music. As mentioned, the tennis shot sounds do actually sound like the ball would in various situations. Really, other than that, you get audience clapping. What else do you want to hear in tennis?

If you've never really played tennis before, you might really come to appreciate just how much strategy is involved in a game of tennis. If you're a tennis player, you can really hone your strategic skills by playing this, seeing what works and what doesn't work depending on the court type and situation.

Well recommended!

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Product Description:
Product InformationTop Spin 2 brings back everything that made the first Top Spin a hit -- thenadds all-new features and options for a wilder pro tennis experience. The newDigitalIdentity truly puts you in the game so you can really experience the protour in real-world venues. New online content and gaming and you once again havethe greatest tennis game ever created.Product FeaturesPlay as any of 24 world-ranked tennis pros - Andy Roddick Roger FedererGuillermo Coria Tim Henman Max Mirnyi Alex Kuznetsov Brendan EvansVenus Williams Maria Sharapova and many moreDesign your own digital identity - ceate realistic player models andcustomize them with the highest level of details from hair styles tosmack-talkCreate your own style of tennis play with a range of shots - Slicesdrops chops lobs and drives - with risk shots and advanced controls tostring them together to pick your opponent apartSilky smooth animations vibrant colors and shockingly high resolutionsdelivers illustrious depictions of players stadiums crowds andtracksides bringing tennis to lifeSeamless online play with the most comprehensive online featuresanywhere

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Reservoir Dogs Review

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(More customer reviews)Fun for reciting lines, and the funky music. Game play is moderately fun for awhile but can become redundent. Controls are good and the graphics are decent for xbox.

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Product Description:
Reservoir Dogs follows the progress and planning of the famed diamond heist while filling in some of the cliffhanger questions from the film. The game remains faithful to the original movie, with gamers able to play all the key characters, including the infamous Mr Blonde. Find out what happened to Mr. Blue and Mr. Brown, where Mr. Pink hid the diamonds, what happened at the actual heist itself and much more. The game also features the full and original soundtrack from the movie - those super sounds of the seventies. High-speed driving action includes chase and escape.Full original soundtrack from the film, plus the voice and likeness of Michael Madsen as Mr. Blonde

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Playseat Limited Edition Forza Motorsport 3 Evolution Racing Seat Review

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(More customer reviews)Hopefully my video review will answer any questions you have about this seat set-up.

This is a great product, well built and quality made.

This seat makes playing the latest driving video games feel as real as possible.

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Product Description:
Get serious when playing Forza Motorsport 3 with the limited-edition Forza 3 Evolution racing seat. Fully upholstered in black synthetic leather and red stitching--with the official Forza Motorsport 3 logo and insignia on the chair's front and back--the Forza 3 Evolution puts you smack dab in the middle of the track.

The Forza 3 Evolution Racing Seat features Forza Motorsport 3 graphics. A patented folding system allows for easy storage.
The seat is outfitted with an extra-strong, black, powder-coated tubular steel frame and a special pedal support plate with a high-tension spring and wire system. As a result, the seat feels stable and authentic, as though you're driving a genuine racecar. The pedal plate also supports multi-point tuning for the gas and brake pedals and the steering wheel support, so you can fine-tune the action to your liking. And racers will love the removable seat cushions and patented folding system, which make it easy to store the seat out of the way when you're done playing. Best of all, it's a breeze to get started on the Forza 3 Evolution: just install a gaming steering wheel and gas and brake pedals (sold separately) and you're ready to go.
The seat comes with an Xbox 360 Wireless Wheel adapter kit, which connects the Xbox 360 Wireless Wheel to the steering wheel support. Note that the Forza 3 Evolution is also compatible with other racing peripherals, games, and console types, including the PlayStation3 and Wii. The seat--which is appropriate for ages 8 and older--measures 19.7 by 52.1 by 38.6 inches (W x H x D) and offers a capacity of 300 pounds.
Key Details:

For ages 8+
Measures 19.7 by 52.1 by 38.6 inches (W x H x D)
300-pound weight capacity
Black synthetic leather and red stitching
Powder-coated tubular steel frame
Pedal support plate with a high-tension spring
Removable seat cushions
Patented folding system

What's in the Box?
Forza 3 Evolution Racing Seat, Xbox 360 Wireless Wheel adapter kit

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Don King Presents: Prize Fighter Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Let me just say that I love boxing and am a sucker for any and all boxing games - from Mike Tyson Punch-Out (NES) to Evander Holifield "Real Deal" boxing which is probably my all-time favorite (Sega Genesis) to all of the Knockout Kings (PS1) to all of the Fight Nights - Round 2 was my favorite - (PS2/Xbox 360)to this game.When I opened it up, created my fighter, and "Rocky Balboa" lost his first 5 fights (in career) I was ready to put a spike through it.My review would have been much different.I gave it a chance and never looked back (and yes "Rocky" did become Heavyweight Champion of the World).I loved the game and the story (which is much better - surprising? - than Fight Night Round 3).I can't wait to create another fighter and start again.

Pros: Great story!You feel like you are in a move (a Rocky movie?) with live action video from your cut man, manager, promoter(s), as well as Don King himself.

Cons: Only 2 really: the graphics.Fight Night Round 3 definetely has better greaphics.The controls were different - although I got used to using the triggers to throw punches.

If you like boxing and boxing games you should pick this one up - especially at this price.

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Don King Presents: Prize Fighter X360

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N3II: Ninety-Nine Nights Review

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(More customer reviews)This game bears little resemblance to the original and plays more like Dynasty Warriors now.Everything that was unique about N3 has been removed.The over-the-top orb spark attacks have been nerfed and are no longer very impressive.All characters play EXACTLY the same, including the same available spells, unlike the first game where everyone had their own moves and abilities.Cut-scenes, levels and boss battles are reused between characters, and you can play down any the characters' paths in whatever order you want, which seems like an okay idea but really undercuts the narrative.Voice acting is pretty bad on like half the characters.

All that aside, the game is fine for what it is -- a Dynasty Warriors clone.If you go in expecting it to be like the original Ninety-Nine Nights, you'll be disappointed.If you just want to play something like DW but with different characters then this game is pretty good.

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Product Description:
Ninety-nine Nights II(N3II) is a high-energy "Hack and Slash" action-adventure gamefor Xbox 360 featuring epic battles against massive armies in a uniquefantasy realm. This highly-anticipated sequel is the latest follow-upto the internationally-acclaimed Xbox 360 title, Ninety-nine Nights(N3), and features improvements over the original game includingmultiplayer modes via Xbox LIVE, including co-op options, leaderboards,a smoother frame rate and a new added emphasis on puzzle play.

Story
In a mystical world of miracles and magic, humans coexist alongsidemany other races including the elves, goblins, and ogres. But whenthe "Lord of the Night" suddenly appears, in a mere 3 months the fertilefields of the land are reduced to scorched earth and before long,Orphea, the sacred land to the north, is besieged by the Army of theNight. Amidst the roar of battle, one man thunderously bursts throughthe ranks of a legion like a bolt of lightning – he is "Galen," theultimate warrior. Alone, he storms forward as he lays waste to thedark forces, letting nothing stop him in his path to Orphea Castle.Galen must battle through the hordes of enemies that await him andthis onslaught escalates with imposing monstrous creatures that jointhe fray. Centering on "the inheritance of life," a new battle betweenlight and dark begins.

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Rock Band Drum Set Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)For the uninitiated, Rock Band takes the Guitar Hero concept and extends it by adding roles for bass, drums and vocals.The game is a lot of fun even in solo mode, but it really shines as a cooperative party game.

So in order to get the most out of the game, you need additional instrument controllers including these drums.At this time, there are no third-party drum kits on the market, so these are your only option.And while these do the trick nicely, there is room for improvement.

The kit includes four drum pads, a kick drum pedal, an adjustable stand, headset plug-in and a pair of (actual-size, wood) drumsticks.Setup is very easy, taking only a few minutes despite the Lego-esque, pictures-only instructions.The height of the kit is adjustable to fit anyone's height from kids to tall adults.However, the pads themselves are unfortunately fixed in position relative to each other, so you can't adjust their angle or move them around individually.Personally, I'd like to be able to set the cymbal pad higher than the rest or swap the hi-hat and snare to play cross-armed, but there's no ability to do this.

There are two main gripes about how the drum kit performs during gameplay:they're too loud and (at least some models) aren't sensitive enough.Lots of after-market mods are becoming available to dampen the harsh clacking sound that the pads make when you play - gum rubber or neoprene inserts, padding for the drumsticks, I've even seen people tie socks to the pads (check it out on Youtube).Expecting the worst, I was pleasantly surprised at the sound that it makes - it's not that bad assuming that you've got your TV at a decent level to begin with.Of course, this is the only instrument controller that naturally makes its own noise (high-pitched and hollow like a woodpecker) and your roommates or neighbors may feel differently.

As for the sensitivity, there are (so far) three distinct production series of the drum kit.Look on the serial number stamped underneath your pads to determine which you have.The 1st generation "EL" pads have hard surfaces, making it easier to play fast notes but also requiring more force for each hit.2nd generation "QM" pads are softer and more sensitive, but also don't register fast hits as well.3rd generation "SL" pads supposedly are the best of both prior gens, but are too new to really evaluate.The kit that I received from Amazon was an EL, but so far I've been pleased with their performance, i.e. I'm getting good response on fast notes but also not requiring a whole lot of force on the hits.So take the after-market craze for pad modifications worth a grain of salt and judge for yourself before buying anything to add to your kit.

There have also been reports that the kit breaks easily, especially the bass drum pedal.Honestly, I have no idea how other people are playing (abusing) their kits, but I don't see a way for the pedal to snap in half as a result of normal use.I'm playing hard/expert level drums with minimal pressure on the pedal and it's showing no signs of wear or tear.And in case you do run into problems, EA has a generous replacement policy for all Rock Band game controllers.

While setup and takedown are simple enough, the kit still takes up a lot of room even when broken down into its pieces.It can easily fit back into the retail box, and honestly, there's not much more you can do to reduce the space that it requires when stored.Even completely disassembled, it's too big to fit under any couch or chair that I've seen.So plan on either leaving it permanently on display or else losing about half of the floor space in a double-door closet when stowing it.

So is this the end-all-be-all of drum controllers?No.And judging from the popularity of the game and its like, there'll surely be newer and better versions available in the future.But in the meantime, this kit will provide you with hours of fun gameplay - it's guaranteed to always be the "me next" instrument whenever a group of friends gets together to play.

PROS
*Lots of fun to play - makes the most of the Rock Band game
*Pads have good sensitivity and responsiveness (better than I'd expected)

CONS
*Tick-tock sound of hitting the drums may annoy some
*Pads are fixed in place in relation to each other
*Takes up lots of space when not in use

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Product Description:
Rock Band Drum Set X360

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Infinite Undiscovery Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This game was awesome for some reasons and totally sucked for other reasons.So i'm gonna do the typical "pros & cons" review to keep it simple.

Pros:
-Almost no loading time: i mean zero ... the most loading you'll see is when you start up the game.Once you get going whether it's transitioning areas, entering battle, or even going in and out of buildings (an act that some games have murdered with load times) is all but instant.
-Awesome cinematics: Ya this story is HUGE on the storytelling thing.It can be a bit much i'll admit (like put your xbox into screensaver mode long cinematics :P) but the upside? -> you can just hit "select" and jump right thru them if you don't care about the storyline (which sadly is one of this game's strongest points.
-Good visuals: The graphics are of course stunning and the "world and dungeon" designs are all pretty unique.You won't see any copycat map setups here, each area has it's own unique layout that will keep you interested.

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Cons:
-Controls: while you have freedom of movement and can try to circle around your enemy to attack, the controls are lacking when it comes to actually attacking your enemy.You have 3 basic combos, and you gain special attacks as you level up that you can "chain" into your normal swings.And when i say "chain" i mean struggle to get an effective combo together.Basically your basic attacks are performed by tapping A or B and your special abilities are activated by HOLDING A or B, an act which, in my experience, the computer seems to have difficulty distinguishing between.
-Spectator Sport?: You are very involved early in the game; meaning the outcome of battles and events relied heavily on YOUR personal participation.However about half-way thru (either right before or right after i inserted the second disk) while i still found it enjoyable to beat on the trash mobs and minibosses, i soon realized that my role as an actual "player" would come to a grinding halt very soon.I think it was the second or third main boss i came up against when i realized this fact -> "Holy crap, for me to win this fight, i have to pretty much stay AWAY from the boss and let my secondary group (which can't die by the way) fight him themselves and when they weaken him enough i run in and hit the big chain that we're trying to destroy."Rinse and repeat that and you have the last few major boss fights.Sad right?My jobs were to: A. stay alive and B. hit the chain.Because heaven forbid i actually try to ATTACK the boss, he would 1 or 2 shot me into oblivion everytime.
-Saving: or lack thereof.Save points are few and far between almost to the point that i found myself constantly thinking "holy crap if i don't find a save cube soon i'm gonna have to do all this crap over again if i die!" which brings me to my next con ->
-Death: ya it sucks.Especially when you've been playing for half an hour or so and still haven't come across any save cubes so then you get to have the fun experience of repeating the aforementioned half hour of gameplay.And as i mentioned about the boss fights; it is VERY easy to die.You can die one of 2 ways: A. your whole party including you die (that's an immediate game over) or B. you die and some of your party is still alive; if they don't rez you in a certain amount of time .... ya you guessed it ... game over.It wouldn't be so bad except your CPU companions aren't all that bright.You could die ... and have a healer that could rez you in the group OR even a whole stack of rezzing potions in your inventory.So while you're laying there ... slowly dying ... you'd think that they would pick ONE of the 2 options to get you back in the game ... wel i'd say that happens about 50% of the time.I'm not joking.They CPUs are idiots ... so i won't even make a separate section in the cons for them.
-Skills and leveling: you level up like nobody's business in this game, but at what price?A lot of your time is spent scrolling through countless submenus making sure that none of your 12 or so party members hasn't learned a new skill that you should apply to their combat abilities.Not to mention the massive skill and item database.This game is so high maitenance i felt myself going cross-eyed trying to keep all the information straight.In fact to even USE any items you have to bring up the menu (which makes you stationary and completely defensless) and scroll through all of your other crap to find the healing or mana regen potions you thought you bought but you can't remember what they're called cause there's so many different kinds and while you were trying to find them either you or the rest of your party was killed cause you couldn't move or help them ..... ya that pretty much sums up item usage.There are so many other issues i had that would fall under "maitenance" that i really just dont' feel like listing them.Suffice it to say it seemed like a lot of work for very little benefit.

Summary:
Well if you like a good story and some nice cinematics this game is for you.If you like PLAYING a game maybe with a little bit of customization and some freeroaming quests, this game is NOT for you.And yes the only reason i rated this game 3 stars is cause i LIKE cinematic/storytelling games :P.

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Product Description:
Mistaken for a renowned hero, Capell is thrust into a conflict to sever the chains that bind the moon to his world. Traverse a seamless, expansive world with a party formed from 18 characters. Rise against the wicked Order of Chains in fierce real-time combat, but beware not all battles are won by force. The most obvious solution is rarely the right move. Shatter the chains and release the Order's grip on the world.

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Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Review

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(More customer reviews)Ghost Recon is a welcome break from death match, you-must-be-on-speed-to-keep-up type games. Instead of pulling a trigger and running around until you kill someone, this game forces you to develop detailed strategies to accomplish your tasks. The action you do encounter (and there is plenty) is intensified by the fact the stakes are much higher -- a couple of bullets or a well-placed grenade takes you out of the game. This forces you to develop a properly planned and well executed course of action.
The game is squad based. During single player mode, you play one of six soldiers and can switch between them at any time. Your player leads one squad of three, and you set a course of action for the other squad which is controlled by AI. As you complete missions and tasks, you unlock addition items such as new soldiers to choose from. Surviving missions also increases soldier skill.
Ghost Recon has significant replay value. It has 15 levels and 50 different tasks to complete, but because there are so many strategies that can be used to complete a level, they can be played numerous times with the same enjoyment level. Of course, on-line play adds tremendous replay and excitement.
In my opinion, the mark of a good game is how quickly time slips by while you are playing. Time after time I have intended to wrap up in 10 minutes only to find that an hour has passed. This is a fantastic game.
I do have a few complaints. The graphics are generally good, but can be on the choppy side at times. I have also experienced instances where the AI squad didn't do what I had mapped out. But, for the most part, the game is a welcome addition to my game library.

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Product Description:
The Total Battlefield ExperienceProduct InformationIn Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon war has broken out on the borders of Russia andthe fate of the world hangs in the balance. That's when the call goes out forthe Ghosts an elite handful of specially trained U.S. Army Green Berets armedwith the latest technology and trained to use the deadliest weapons. Theirmission: Spearhead the way for a NATO peacekeeping force and keep the lid onthe conflict.Product FeaturesAssemble a squad plunge into battle and use voice communication tocoordinate the ultimate battlefield strategy.Gather up to 16 players for multiplayer battles via System Link orgrab a friend for split-screen play. fight against each other orteam up to combat the relentless AI forces.Lead your teams through each map in Mission Firefight or Reconmodes.System RequirementsFor use only with Xbox video game consoles with NTSC designationPlayers: 1-2Memory Unit 49 BlocksIn-game Dolby DigitalSystem Link 2-16Communicator HeadsetMultiplayer RequirmentsOnline MultiplayerVoice

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X-Men Legends Review

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(More customer reviews)The title of best X-Men video game ever isn't saying much - past efforts have bordered on criminal.However, Legends offers a fresh spin on the comic book genre by placing it in an RPG format.With a total of 15 playable characters and the ability to control a party of 4 at any given time (except for the first stage in which you start with Wolverine), the game offers a high level of variety which creates high replay value.Some of the pros and cons are:

Pros:
Many playable characters
Control any one of the 4 members of your current party
Good combat and experience system
Excellent story reminiscent of traditional x-men comics

Cons:
Mediocre graphics and sound
Must unlock certain characters as the game progresses

This game took me about 20 hours to complete.The level designs are long, but there are save points along the way where you can save and change your party if you want.Playing the game through a second time is an option not only because of the number of characters, but you can pour experience points into various skills, essentially changing the same character each time you play.

If you are a fan of the X-Men, you will love this game.It is well worth the price tag.

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Product Description:
X-Men Legends is the first role-player game that stars the world-famous superhero team known as the X-Men. Earth is facing total destruction at the hands of Magneto, and you'll lead a team of mutant heroes to stop him. Working together, the X-Men will use their unique skills to combat evil and determine the fate of mankind. Face each battle with teamwork and courage, because failure here means the end of the world. Also includes skirmish mode for head-to-head combat

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Secret Service: Ultimate Sacrifice Review

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(More customer reviews)Maybe my opion is jaded since so many downright BAD games have come out for the 360, but this game is not bad.The controls seem pretty realistic, not twitchy or loose, actually the guns all have a lot of recoil so running around and shooting can be difficult, you really are better off finding cover and picking people off.There is a decent assortment of weapons, a pretty diverse assortment of levels, actually in all honesty, the final level takes place on Air Force One, and I would argue that although this level is probably the shortest in the game, and the final 'boss' may be very well one of the easiest ever, the level itself was very very fun and unique.

As far as first person shooters go you can do a lot worse (games like Legendary, Turning Point, Wanted etc).This game will take you about 8-10 hours to beat, and you may want to play through again to touch up on some of the achievements and collectibles etc, but the 8-10 hours really will be enjoyed since this game does offer something a little different.

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Product Description:
Protect America's top leadership in Secret Service. Assume the role of an elite agent on Inauguration Day in Washington D.C. An extremist assault has been launched against the capitol - security has been compromised and it is unclear who is friend or foe. There is no time for negotiation as you are thrust out of the shadows and into the line of fire in order to protect the nation's leaders. The tactical first person action takes place among famous landmarks and everywhere in between, including both Marine One and Air Force One.

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Table Tennis Review

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(More customer reviews)If I told you a year ago when the Xbox 360 was being finalized and games were starting to be talked about, that Rockstar was supporting the system, what's the first thing you'd think of??Grand Theft Auto? Midnight Club? The Warriors? Sure, something like that. But then what if I told you in March that the first game Rockstar (keep in mind we're talking about Rockstar here) was going to put out on the Xbox 360 was Table Tennis (better known as PING-PONG!! in the US), would you have believed me? My very first reaction to that news was, "What, are they putting it out on Xbox Live Arcade??"I mean, seriously; Table Tennis?? From the guys that make rated M games? Were they serious? Was this a joke? The answer to those questions in order was:No, yes, yes, yes, and no.In fact, Rockstar Games was so serious about this game they really marketed it on the net and in game magazines.They were dead serious about it. And when you play Rockstar's Table Tennis, you'll see that too.While it's not a system seller, or a game that is going to revolutionize the sports genre, Table Tennis is not only solid, but authentic! This isn't an Xbox Live Arcade level game. And it's on shelves for $39.99, which is a relief from the usual $59.99 games. The question I pose is this: Is a Table Tennis game worth even a discounted price of $40?Well, Rockstar makes a heck of a case for it with a very solid game. And no, you're not playing against hookers, and armed Mafia gunmen aren't going to jump out from the stands with machine guns and start shooting at you. It's just Table Tennis.

Ok, some quick basics about Rockstar's Table Tennis.The game modes here unfortunately are pretty bare, and that has a little bit of impact on the game overall, but not a lot. There are 11 playable characters in the game; 7 men, 4 women.They come from all around the world; Japan, Germany, USA, Sweden, Brazil, and more.Each player has their own distinctive attributes and gameplay.Some are faster than others, some more powerful, some with more spin they can put on the ball.Who you choose to play with can be as important as the gameplay itself.There are only a couple of players at the beginning to chose from, and the rest you unlock by playing through the game.It seems like you unlock characters based on winning total number of games, but you also unlock them through playing offline tournaments.There are three tournaments to play with different difficulties. There is also an exhibition mode with three levels of difficulty. There's no create-a-player, nor is there a career mode; two things that a game like this should absolutely have.

There is some basic online play as well, and that's a given now with Xbox 360 games.And this game makes use of the 360's Spectator mode in it's "Table Tennis Network".In fact, you get achievement points for watching a match online.Then of course you have your ranked and non-ranked matches. The only problem with playing online is that there is no lobby system.Once you're game is done you're thrown back into the main area where you have to look for another game, or wait for another invite if you want to play the same person.You should have the ability to keep the room open to play another match. But that's minor.

What is amazing about Table Tennis is it's complete attention to the detail of the actual game.I played a lot of ping-pong in college.I am in no way, shape, or form, an expert or a tournament player.I played a lot for fun.But I did learn how to put spin on the ball, how to make drop shots, and how to take a step back from the table in order to really fire up my volleys.So I felt like I was a little more more than just a casual player.So I recognize the authenticity of Rockstar's physics engine they put in this game to make it feel and play realistic.In fact, I have to say this really is as authentic a game in regards to ball physics that I think I've ever seen.It's one of the reasons I am highly hooked on the game.Table Tennis as a sport is all about power and spin.In order for a player to dominate his opponent in Table Tennis, they have to master being able to put high amounts of spin on the ball so that when the ball hits the table it veers in that direction so sharply that the opponent either mis-places his paddle to where he can't effectively return the ball, or with the addition of power, simply can't react fast enough to get the paddle to the ball.The better your accuracy on the table, and the better your spin ability is, the better player you are going to be.It's a small table, but it's a big game. And I can't stress enough how impressed I am in the way Rockstar was able to capture that.The reality is that no volley will ever truly be the same. Just like in real life, you can place that shot that just grazes the table so that it still counts, but it never actually bounces.And yes, you can even hit the net with so much power and spin that a sure dead ball would actually "scoot" over and bounce on your opponent's side.I've seen that a couple times.But everything about the real sport is here, including high speed volleys, overhand slams, side-of-the-table saves, pop-ups, and every once in a blue moon a headfirst dive.That doesn't happen often.

The other thing that Rockstar did very well with their Table Tennis game was make the controls super-easy to learn, but challenging to master. And they give you two ways to play;letting you really pick your own style.Much like a regular Tennis video game, buttons have different shot types.With Table Tennis it's all about spin, and the amount of spin and power you want to put on the ball.You have topspin, backspin, leftspin, and rightspin.I am assuming I don't have to explain to you what each does?I'll say this, if you want the ball to slow down when it hits the opponents side, you use backspin.If you want to hit a real power shot, use topspin.So, you can do one of two things here.Each face button controls a spin, and if you look at the face buttons, you'll be able to tell which does what (A is backspin, Y is topspin, etc:).OR, you can use the right analog stick in the direction of the spin you want to put on the ball (up for top, down for back, etc:). As you might imagine, using the right stick is more challenging than the face buttons.But for some reason for me it seems more natural.I used them both, and I just preferred to use the stick.It just feels right.But you have the choice. Now the left stick moves your player around the table, but you also use the left stick to aim your shot.The longer you hold the spin stick or button, the more your ball will react in that direction; like pre-loading your shot.While you're doing that, using the left stick will stop your players movement and aims your ball.The longer you hold the left stick for aiming, the closer to the edge of the table you'll go.But too much and you'll hit the ball out of bounds or into the net; so be careful. If you're looking for a safe shot, simply don't use the left stick at all.

What makes Table Tennis so fun is that you get to focus on the table itself, and not running all over a court trying to return a ball.For the most part, you don't move a whole lot in the game; you stay fairly centric to the table.But when the time is right, you will begin to move your player around a little, getting into a corner, or stepping back to play longer volleys. And sometimes it's to play defensive as well when you have to go get a shot.But when you get to a point where you have to move around a lot and you want to sort of calm the game down a bit, or if you want to get that little extra oopmh in there to get your opponent out of position for a killshot, there are some extra controls you can use.The left bumper gives you a nice soft drop shot that has no spin, and no power.It's just designed to easily get the ball over the net so you can race back into your main position.It helps if it looks like you're about to get crushed.And if your opponent is far back from the table, dropping the ball in there could catch them off-guard and unable to return the ball.Now for the opposite when you want to get that little extra spin or power on the ball to maybe force your opponent to cover a deep corner, or do have to as I like to call "Tron Disc Block" the ball (holding the paddle like a shield) which can pop the ball up into the air for you to slam down, the right bumper is a focus shot.And with a focus shot you have a focus meter.The better you play and the longer your volleys, the more your focus meter fills.As you use focus shots, the meter depletes of course. If you are totally in focus and your focus meter starts to flash, you can get into a "full-focus" mode, where all your shots temporarily have that little extra spin and power to them.And your player will react a little faster as well.If you really want to see something cool, watch what happens when both you and your opponent go into full-focus mode.It's like the tournament scene in Forrest Gump.The screen around you gets dark and the crowd noise silences.All you see is the table, ball, and your opponent; and all you hear is the sound of the ball hitting the table and paddles.First one to flinch!

Now, I only have one complaint about the gameplay, and that is the computer AI.One would think with the power of the Xbox 360, AI in a sports game would improve. Not so here.I don't mind a competitive computer opponent.I can't always jump online, and if I want to get my achievements and Gamerscore points, I have to play the offline tourneys.But why is it that in every sports game, at some point the computer just decides enough is enough, and totally obliterates you?I could be playing the medium tournament and come up against...Read more›

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Product Description:
Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis is a groundbreaking, next-generation sports experience. Enjoy incredible speed, fluid control and depth of play in this amazing new table tennis simulator. Unmatched intensity of the real-life sport, with authentic physics and intuitive gameplay that mimics the experience of true international table tennis competition.

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XBOX 360 GHOST CASE - BLUE CASE/HDMI/BLUE LIGHTS Review

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(More customer reviews)The case looks awesome.Potential buyers should know that it is not made of the same material as the original case - it's a lot less flexible and brittle if not handled carefully.

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Product Description:
White plastic got you bummed out? Swap that eyesore Xbox 360 white case for one of our Clear Ghost Cases. This is the most complete 360 case on the market, with high quality plastic that gives the appearance of glass (nobody wants murky clouded plastic cases)! This is the only case in the world that comes with a clear DVD drive lid, which actually lets you the DVD spinning while you play! Inside this amazing kit is also a clear fan tunnel, without this vital piece you wouldn't even be able to see your circuit board! This piece opens up the whole inside of your console so you can see everything going on inside (this also allows for your custom lighting kit to light up everything in the case)!

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NHL 07 Review

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(More customer reviews)I love this game, plus it's the only way i'm gonna see the Boston Bruins win a cup anytime soon!!!!

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Product Description:
The golden age of console hockey returns when NHL 07 debuts with gameplay innovations that will allow players to feel like they are actually on the ice. Format: XBOX Genre:SPORTS/GAMES Rating:E - Everyone UPC:014633152340 Manufacturer No:15234

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