Marvel Super Hero Squad: Comic Combat

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Fun game for the kids. Now, I wish THQ or another company would make more games for the drawing tablet

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I don't like the way you have to control the game. You have to use the pen and you can't use the direction pad at all. And the way it's played with the pen is hard.

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I didn't expect much when I purchased this game second-hand and was pleasantly surprised how much fun it is to play. Not very deep story-wise, but it's a good enough game, especially how well it interfaces with the pad.

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my son loves the games for the u draw it is a great price and very fun to play anywhere

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I quite enjoyed this U-Draw accessory. I wish there could have been more titles released. This is a fun one!

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Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2

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I typically am a FPS guy, but I LOVE MARVEL. One of my favorite games of this generation is MUA. I've played through it about 6 times and unlocked and collected every possible item. MUA had tremendous variety as it followed a story created specifically for the game that allowed to introduce a hodge podge of characters in different locals.I had super high expectations for MUA2. I can't say that I'm dissapointed, but I don't think it's as good as it's predecessor.

I'll start with the presentation. The characters look great. The specialty "fusion" moves also look awesome and allow for some moments that will remind you of battles straight out of the comics. The environments on the other hand are really bland. The nature of the game, a level grinder, means you have to see a lot of the same enemies. MUA had you traversing all over the Marvel universe, so each level had a fresh look. You can't really plan on battles in space when most of the story takes place in an urban environment. The cut scenes are okay. Some are terrible, some are pretty cool, nothing on par with Square Enix to drop your jaw.

The gameplay is similar to MUA with the exception of the commands and fusion moves. You can no longer direct your heroes into battle, which means they do a lot of following you around. I can't remember a teamate disabling a shield or taking the initiative to attack enemies that were surrounding me. At times they were practically useless. I played through twice, once on casual (easy) with my yongest son and once on difficult. On the higher difficulty level, there were times I wanted to chuck my controller because the teamates stood around and watched me die. Another new touch that I like is being able to swap squadmembers on the fly. As long as they are not dead, you can switch out, so if you really want Storm and Iceman's fusion for a paticular level, put them in. If heavy hitters are working, grab Luke Cage and Thing. Several characters are locked throughout depending on wich side you choose, so playing through twice is a must. That really adds to the replay value because you do get some differnt boss battle and looks at the levels.

I didn't play online, but I did play with 3 players at home. Although it was easier having human teamates, there are times where it is nearly impossible to tell where your character is. Perhaps the game deserves credit for truly epic battles, but some of the boss battles are very dissorienting. The camera also doesn't pan far enough back and will warp you, a la Nightcrawler, to your squad. Unfortunately it will leave you open to attack or move you away from a supervillian you may have been attacking. Very frustrating.

I was also dissapointed in the unlockables. The number of characters is smaller. The are fewer costumes to unlock and they are purely cosmetic this time around. I've read the articles on IGN regarding the mountains of NPC's in the game (Non Playable Characters). In MUA, if you ran into someone, chances were pretty good that you were going not just going to play them, but unlock and upgrading two or more costumes with differnt abilities. Not so this time around. Obviously there are plans for downloadable content. The great thing about MUA2 is that it is REALLY fun. If Activision decides to release episodic DLC, MUA2 could have a long life span. Who wouldn't want to play Secret Invasion or World War Hulk? The game engine is there to make it happen. If it ends up being ten or fifteen dollars for a costume pack or three bucks for a new character, MUA2 will find its way to the shelf.

Ultimately, MUA2 is missing the variety, upgrading and customization of MUA. It feels like it took a step back away from RPG territory and more into brawler territory. It is a lot of fun to play, if not more stripped down. The DLC will end up being the key to how good MUA2 ends up being.

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The Ultimate Alliance games are basically extensions of X-Men Legends, with a four-character team going through an action-RPG hybrid.

I had been ambivalent about the first X-Men Legends, but I also thought that X-Men Legends II all but perfected the formula. So it was with high hopes that I put the Ultimate Alliance 2 game disc into my PS3.

At first, I was quite disappointed. The learning curve seemed unusually steep for me, even though I had played through X-Men Legends II about a hundred times. Gradually, over two days, the game started to feel more fun and I completed the Advanced (normal) difficulty.

And then the stink bomb dropped.

The worst part is, just like X-Men Legends II, this game actually has ample charms. Too bad it takes away most of the enjoyment with the major problems it lobs at you.

Pros:

Terrific character diversity. Characters' attacks are varied and have great personality.

The Navigation button, which you can use at most points in the game to point you to the right direction on where you're supposed to go next, and what the next objective is. Every game should have one.

The story is actually pretty interesting, though the overlong and unskippable movie files are irritating.

The two alternate storylines are a good idea.

Some innovative touches -such as "Attitude" in conversations, the "Audio" files that you can activate in a map -add to the vibe.

Having different "Fusion" attacks (co-operative super moves among characters) is great. If only they weren't so underpowered. See below.

Cons:

Extraordinarily dumb game interfaces. For example, the X-Men Legends games wisely arranged your characters in a cross pattern, because it matches your D-pad shape. Now, they arrange your characters in a straight row, and in a bizarre order (Up, Right, Left, Down) so that every time you switch characters, you're confused to no end. Or, take the Team Selection menu. It's not alphabetical, it's not by category (eg. X-Men together, Avengers together), it's not by anything, so that you have to look extra hard to find the character you actually want. Who the hell decided on this? The screen for choosing your boosts is also nonsensical; you could spend five full minutes looking for the boost you just picked up, and you won't find it.

Many unskippable "cut scenes". More and more games do this, and it's annoying as all out, especially when replaying harder missions. You have to wait a full minute for endless dialogue yapping just to get to your actual game. Video games aren't to be *watched*. They're to be *played*.

Horrible save system. When you hit "Save", it doesn't actually save your game -it saves up until your last checkpoint, which could have been 15 minutes ago. Don't tell me it's saving when it's not! Also, before extremely hard boss fights like Tinkerer in the Repeater Tower, it doesn't give you the option to save. So if you lose that fight, you have to go through the 25 minutes of arduous plowing through endless enemies. A great way to make the player give up the game rather than play on...off I go to the second-hand bin.

The "Legendary" (hard) difficulty level is inhuman. Consider this: Even mid-bosses (of which there can be 40 in one map) can take 45 per cent of your life bar with one hit. X-Men Legends II also had very high-damaged enemies, but X-Men Legends II had a healing system with Scarlet Witch's party-healing boost, plus 40 healing tokens you can store. Guess how many healing items you can store in Ultimate Alliance 2? TWO. That's right, you could use a healing icon, get hit by a mid-boss, and it'd be like you never used it at all. This game's alternate healing method is retch-inducingly useless. You're supposed to be able to collect "red orbs" which heal you, but the problem is, you get them by breaking environment objects -and in boss battles, there usually are none. This means in a boss battle, you can only afford to get hit only about eight times with your four characters. Two hits will kill a character, and there's no way to heal them back up. The "superheroes" in your team should be renamed "superwimps". Hell, three hits from an ordinary soldier enemy will kill you, yet you have to spend your superpowers a few thousand times in every map.

The enemies' AI is supra-genius, while your teammates act like kindergarten children. Another reviewer said it well, "Your teammates just sit and watch you die." Even worse, more often they crowd around a super-powered boss, gleefully eating all of the boss' most powerful attacks. While computer-controlled teammates don't take as much damage, this means that if your character is dying and you have to switch, you'll find yourself immediately next to the boss and it's most likely you'll lose 85 per cent of your life bar before you can even get away. And this game fills the screen with so much garbage that you can't tell where you are most of the time. Once again, Ultimate Alliance 2 breaks a feature that had been nearly perfect in X-Men Legends II -the ability to assign AI combat tactics (such as aggressive vs. conservative, close combat vs. long-range combat, using beam weapons rather than fists) to computer-controlled allies, which had prevented Cyclops from trying to feebly kick his enemies rather than use his optic blasts. In this game, a computer-controlled Jean Grey will just go toe-to-toe in melee combat against a boss character, when she should be throwing firestorms that do 12 times the damage. This is just an insult to the player. Shame on you, Activision.

The camera sweeps from angle to angle, ignoring your frantic efforts to control it with the right stick. And when an enemy is to the bottom of the screen, your visibility is about one step ahead of you. I can't tell you how many times I'm fighting a boss, playing the run-and-gun game, only to have the camera zoom into a useless extreme close-up of my character, so that when I do the evade move, I roll right on top of the boss who is waiting offscreen. Two hits, boom, you're dead! Just why Ultimate Alliance 2 decided to break this feature so badly is incomprehensible to me, because X-Men Legends II had a fluid camera that you can control, so that you never lose track of where you are. Killing a player by mucking with the camera is utterly unacceptable, in any circumstance. What's next, making all enemies invisible? Making the entire game screen black for the entire game? Think how challenging that would be!

This one infuriates me the most, because X-Men Legends II did it so right, but Ultimate Alliance 2 completely ruins it. After completing the normal difficulty, and training up your characters, the game informs you that you have to play the Legendary difficulty from the beginning -otherwise all your unlocked features, character building and abilities, boosts etc. are all flushed down the toilet. And I've already mentioned, the Legendary difficulty turns all your "superheroes" into "superinsects", with enemies that can kill you with three hits, ignore your attacks while rushing at you *and* firing projectiles, and can take about 100 hits of your powers before they die. And don't forget, you have to fight the camera -if you evade a lot, you could end up in a camera angle where you have maybe an inch of visibility all around you, so you can't aim at the boss, but s/he can rush right in your face and mash you to a pulp in two seconds flat. In Legendary difficulty, my Level 60 character actually feels worse than my Level 1 characters when playing in the Advanced (normal) difficulty. Which obliterates the enjoyment of levelling up your characters -if the only way to level up your characters is by fighting enemies 100 times more powerful than you, then what's the point of levelling them up?

And the ghost of X-Men Legends past continues to haunt the player. Players of the X-Men Legends games will remember that those two games had this bad bug where if you advance in the games far enough, sooner or later you hit upon these irrecoverable game freezes that nothing short of a hard reset will cure. Half a decade after the first X-Men Legends, it absolutely boggles the mind to see that Activision *still* hasn't fixed this issue. And it's not caused by the same thing as X-Men Legends 2, since Ultimate Alliance 2 doesn't have random item drops. I've spent over 30 hours building up the "Heroic Deeds" and unlockables of Ultimate Alliance 2, and now the game freezes at least once per play. It is further evidence that Activision is more concerned about appearances than quality control.

I can't imagine what had possessed Activision to break this game so horribly. Even more saddening is that, given the number of good points that *do* exist in the game, this could have been an enjoyable game. Instead, chuck another game into the "too hard to play, blood-pressure-increasing" pile.

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Marvel: Ultimate Alliance was a fantastic game. It managed to pull characters from the breadth of the Marvel (and technically the Ultimate Marvel) universe together for an epic adventure which took place in its own history and world. You didn't have to be a comic fan to appreciate the game, but it helped, and the controls were simple. The worst part of the game, arguably, was that specific costumes you might want your characters to wear gave bonuses you didn't want, or that the power sets were too broad.

I was excited for M:UA2, despite the fact that it takes one of the hands-down worst storylines of Marvel as its template for action, despite having an epic lead-in to a cosmic mash-up following the previous game. So, instead of having a potentially cosmic and epic issue, instead you have a game predicated entirely around the "reality" of superheroics and almost nonsensical choices given the history of a comic-book universe.

In almost every way, I found this game to be inferior to the previous one, though there are areas which would arguably be easier for players to handle. Let me go through the points quickly.

1) Storyline is hit-or-miss depending on your preferences. After the epic scale of the previous game, this one was at least a little disappointing. In the previous game, you went across the Universe and into Asgard, home of the Gods. In this one, you get to go to New York and ... um ... a Prison which could've actually been anywhere aside from the Negative Zone (where it's located) because you don't see anything but a boring prison interior.

2) Hero selection is generally common-fare. You get most people's favorites, and some key storyline characters (arguably) like Penance and Songbird. Frankly, for all the storyline good they did me, I would've rather had Hawkeye, Cyclops, Magneto, Ghost Rider, Doctor Strange, or Moon Knight ... and if you're looking for the awesome costume array from the first one, too bad, each character only gets one, and arguably, not a single alternate favorite in the bunch (i.e. no Black-Suit Spidey, no Grey Hulk, no War Machine or Ultimate Iron Man not even the Silver IM Movie suit, but a clunky-looking version of his classic armor.) Also, unlike M:UA, it doesn't matter who you pick, you don't get to select and customize your teams like in the previous version (spending experience to improve their teamwork and collective bonuses), but rather get "medals" which can be next-to-useless (Ooh, +10% fire damage ... that's great for the Torch and ... ummm ... why am I spending one slot for that?)

3) Power selection is simplified. I actually applaud this somewhat, as it puts some basic powers in easy reach at the start, something that M:UA didn't always do. However, each character only gets 4 powers, meaning that you have much less customization ability. This isn't a bad thing for most players, but it makes managing your own powers relatively pointless. Since you get XP so easily in this game, and only 4 powers, just let the computer level you and worry about hitting the "X" button 1000 times.

4) AI. The Boss Fights in M:UA and M:UA2 are both pretty rough, considering some of the second-stringers you're dealing with. I don't care how powerful you claim Electro's become, when faced with Spider-Man, Iron Man, Cap and Wolverine, he's got about as much lifespan as a candle in a monsoon. But that's par for the course in these games. What makes it worse is that the dumbed-down AI of M:UA (from X-Men legends where you can actually make people hang back) where you need to direct your forces with general commands is turned utterly stupid. You no longer have control of your allies, but rather they run straight into high-damage boss attacks or groups of foes where they get torn apart. While a greater abundance of healing in this over the previous game mitigates that somewhat, it's still frustrating to find your allies unconscious simply because you didn't stupidly charge with the rest of them.

5) Cutscenes. In M:UA you were treated to epic cutscenes like an over-powered Doom defeating heroes and reshaping the world, Loki attacking Asgard with mutated berserkers, and Nightcrawler's heroic fight in Castle Doom. In M:UA2 you get to watch high-contrast static images as if you were watching a cheaply-done news report and heroes picking up trash after a battle. Wow.

In all, M:UA2 is probably better to get if it's your first time playing an Ultimate Alliance game. It does all the basics and has slightly more interactivity, but the world seems smaller, gritter and less heroic. If you've already played M:UA, you're not missing anything by skipping this except the chance for plaing a few new faces (like Gambit and Juggernaut.) If you want a real epic hero experience, get M:UA and let M:UA2 pass you by.

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I enjoyed the original Marvel Ultimate Alliance, not because it was an exceptional game (it's not) or because it had cutting edge visuals and sound (it doesn't)...I liked it because it was a chance to play as all my favorite Marvel superheroes in a pretty original gameplay style. Then comes MUA 2. The graphics really haven't improved much, and aside from a slightly different story line not much has changed. I did appreciate the ability to choose registration/anti-registration sides at first, but even this doesn't do enough to differentiate from the first game. I know these programmers have a formula that worked for them with the original, and that they don't want to mess with it too much. However, I feel they could have done a lot more with the PS3's capabilities without alienating the people who loved the first MUA. I'll be stepping down from my soapbox now.

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This review may appear late in relation to the game's release date. After all, I received the game as a Christmas gift... and what an awesome gift it was!!! If you are not a fan, or not a current follower, of Marvel Comics then I strongly urge you to read no further and to not buy the game. You may be confused and disappointed. For those who arethis game is for you!

The game is directly based off of the Marvel Comics series "Civil War", in which the Marvel Universe is split in two over the forced registration of all mutants (non-heroic and the like). This puts X-man against X-man, brother against sister, even villians against villians. For those of you familiar with the comic book series, the game follows the storyline beat for beat. If feels as if you are playing the very pages from the comic. There are scenes in the video game that are taken right out of the story. The game designers did a fantastic job re-creating the pages and allowing the fans to play them out in the game.

This is one reason I gave the game 5 starsgame play. It gives the fans the opportunity to experience something we've all dreamed aboutplaying the characters from an epic storyline and feel the action for themselves. As I mentioned before it follows the comic book mini-series to a "T" and the graphics are amazing! The cut scenes and in-game play are flawlessly integrated. There are some improved issues with the camera angles and I didn't feel so claustrophobic while playing like I did in the first one. However, like the first Marvel Alliance, players can be confused which is which when playing multi-player during epic battle scenes. Other than that, it is great.

Another reason it gets a 5 star is for the graphics. They are stunning, and so is the character design. Granted the playable characters are limited, the ones that are playable definitely make up for it. People have complained about the limit of playable characters, but don't be fooled. The game is awesome and the ones you do play don't disappoint.

I hope this review has helped. Like I said, this game is meant for the die hard Marvel fans, but your avid comic book reader shouldn't be let down either.

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PS3 Move 12-In-1 Sport Kit for Sports Champions

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LOVE THESE ATTACHMENTS! THEY MAKE PLAYING PS3 WAY MORE INTERACTIVE. MY ONLY CON IS ITS A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO ATTACH THE TWO PIECES TOGETHER FOR ME BUT IM WEAK SO IT SHOULDNT BE DIFFICULT FOR EVERYONE.

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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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I evaluate this game in three parts (playing at "normal" level):

1. exploration/discovery

2. tasks

3. dueling

1. exploration/discovery 5 stars

Hogwarts castle and surrounding scenery are truly spectacular on the PS3. Everything from the owlery to the Gryffindor common room to the grand staircase is amazingly detailed and beautifully rendered. As a fan of the series, it was a joy to seek out the nooks and crannies, gain "discovery points", and feel like I really lived there.

2. tasks 3 stars

The tasks in the first half of the game were my favorite finding all the students in the DA. These tasks gave me a reason to explore the castle and grounds, and find hidden objects and secret passageways. They also required improving my spellwork using the PS3 controller. I found some of the tasks after Christmas tedious, however, and sometimes I felt bored or downright irritated (especially when tasks required too much repetition.)

3. dueling 1 star

Here's where the game really missed an opportunity. I thought I was practicing my spellwork with all those tasks so I could become very good at dueling when the time came to meet Voldemort, Malfoy, and other baddies. Instead, it felt like the game practically took over for me, and I'm not sure I had much influence on what happened (although I do cast a good protego!) This was a shame, because OOTP has good fight scenes.

My game has hung once, and charms practice in Prof Flitwick's classroom has a bug and doesn't work properly.

I'm still pleased to own the game overall, for the sheer fun of "being at" Hogwarts and discovering fun treasures and clever rewards (I love the prefect's bathroom!) I also love seeing all my old favorite characters and hearing the real voices of the actors and the wonderful music. EA put a lot of effort into the game. They missed in some places and exceled in others. For fans, I'd say it's worth the investment.

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Bought this for my son for christmas but discovered he had already completed the game for the Game Testers Club he goes to. So have returned it. He enjoyed the game but felt it was a little too quick and easy for him (he's 13). Probably better for a younger child who make take longer to complete it.

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This "game" sucks. The castle and grounds are really well-done and it was fun to explore.... for about 30 minutes; after that, there really was nothing going on but a weak story and a lot of mundane chores. Also, not being to control the camera angle was aggravating on many levels. I often found myself wanting to blast Ron and Hermione for being constantly in the way and contributing nothing. Chamber of Secrets, with the poor graphics and all the cartoonishness was 10 times more fun because it, at least, had some challenge to it. Save your money.

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I recently bought a PS3 after not playing video games for years. Since I'm a big Harry Potter fan, I bought this game since it was the most rated among the Harry Potter series. I'm about 60% through the game and the challenges that Harry goes through in this game are mostly ver boring. They're mostly comprised of figuring out ways to climb on top of things and retrieve items. I had expected that the game will provide for some exciting challenges / puzzlers like the actual books / movies do. I would give the graphics and Hogwarts visualization a 4 star, so all in all I think the game is just mediocre. If you can get it for $10 or less, go ahead and try it out, not worth more than that to me.

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I've always loved the movies and have half of the games, they're amazing, and this one is one of my favourites, it was in perfect condition and came earlier than I expected

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Afterglow Universal Wireless Headset - Green

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While I neither own, nor play, any of the modern game systems that this device is targeted for, I do have quite a lot of experience with headphones and with consumer electronics. I looked at the sonic qualities of them in use as a traditional headset and I did not evaluate the microphone at all. If you are looking for a review from a gameplayer, this is not it, but if the same level of quality went into the design and implementation of the microphone as it did the sonic quality of the headsets, I think it will be perfect for even the most finicky gamer.

FIT AND FINISH

Physically the headsets have a bit of a Tron-like look to them, which may not be perfectly suited for the average 30+ year old. Thankfully the designers provided several different illumination settings for the headsets. I promptly set the illumination to be disabled -no need to waste precious battery life.

The overall fit of the headset wasn't perfect. Having it be adjustable would be a very welcome feature for those of us that have a bit bigger noggin. The ear cups didn't sit flat because they were a bit on the tight side. I ended up rotating the headband toward the back of my head and thankfully the cups can be rotated to fit your ear angle. This provided a mostly comfortable fit, but still no where near as comfortable as it could be if even slight adjustment was possible.

SETUP

Getting the headsets set up was fairly straightforward. Plug in the USB dongle to the back of your computer or game console, connect the audio output using the 1/8" mini-plug or one of the adapters provided, power on the headsets and let the dongle and headsets pair up. Instant wireless audio. The quick setup documentation left a lot to be desired, but there is a much more thorough user's manual that outlines several key troubleshooting steps as well as how to setup more complex home theater systems should you run into issues.

MUSIC PLAYBACK

THE SETUP: I sat down with a very eclectic selection of music ranging from Classical Mozart (Symphony Number 40 if you'd like to know) all the way through Journey, Dave Matthews Band, Nirvana Unplugged and Disturbed (needed something with some overdriven guitar). I've listened to several wireless speakers and headsets and I was definitely impressed by the quality of sound being generated by this sub-$100 WIRELESS headset. I was listening to uncompressed digital versions of the songs from the original retail CDs and in all cases the Bass was tight and highs were sharp, just the way I like them.

Every now and then with the more "layered" pieces, things got a little muddy with the woofer overtaking the rest of the mix and causing some sharp drops in the mid range. For example during the Dave Matthews Band song "Tripping Billies" the intro has a heavy bass drum hit over the top of the sax and violin, there was a noticeable reduction in the amplitude of the mid/higher end range of the sax/violin to accommodate the very loud output from the woofer. Wanting to investigate this more, I hard wired the headsets into the source directly and that eliminated this problem. It appears that it may be a result of some compression needed to provide enough bandwidth for the wireless connection but only the manufacturers can really confirm that. What I was noticing was something that is commonplace when listening to compressed audio and for most consumers it is a non-issue. I just wanted to indicate here (for those that care about such things) that there are some subtle differences when listening wirelessly compared to listening with a wire but it is very minimal and for casual use won't be a problem.

LITTLE THINGS

The volume adjustment on the headset was a welcome addition as there are times when you do want to adjust that output just a bit and don't want to have to grab a remote or wake your computer to do it.

With regard to the alternate modes that are available on this headset, all of my comparative tests were conducted using the "Pure Audio" setting. There are two other options which the manufacturers title as "Bass Boost" and "Immersive". When Bass Boost was enabled, the bass was sharp and generally undistorted, but overly heavy for music. This might be a desired effect for those who have a particular affinity for bass in their music, but for my tastes the "bass boost" is just too much. As PDP is a gaming centric company, I could see its use in gaming, or movies, but not for music. It is for people that have a need (or just a desire) for heavy bass and don't care about much else. The Immersive option, like the bass boost, would seemingly work better for movie/game play use, not for music. It is intended to create a psycho-acoustic virtual surround sound effect, but again, in my tests, the quality of sound output by the speakers is far better than anything that a circuit can emulate and in Pure Audio mode the headset did a very good job emulating the spatial effects created naturally during recording and intended by the audio mixers of the content. But some users may enjoy it. Thankfully, the manufacturers provided an easy color-coded system indicated on the microphone to tell which mode you are in and made it very easy to switch between them. Try them all and figure out which one works for the content you are enjoying.

WHAT ABOUT FOR JUST WATCHING TV?

For those of you that were hoping to use these headsets for casual television watching, you will really enjoy the volume adjustment so that you can listen at a louder level than your partner might enjoy. Being a closed ear design, you can even be in the same room as your partner and they could be sleeping or reading and you won't be disturbing each other. Of course you can use these headsets with a wire and that will provide the simplest form of connectivity. Unfortunately, the wire that comes with the headset is fairly short (as it is intended to be used with portable gaming consoles or Ultrabooks that may lack a USB port). If you are looking to use them as a wired headset, you will need to get a longer cable. Thankfully, the port that the manufacturer used on the headsets is a standard 1/8" Mini plug available at most local electronics stores. If your TV or amplifier doesn't have a "headphone" out plug then you will need to use the included RCA plug to 1/8" stereo plug which the manufacturer includes.

NOTE: You can only use the "pure audio" mode when using these headsets with a wire.

BUT WHAT ABOUT WIRELESS TV WATCHING?

Wireless from the TV is potentially a bit more challenging. If your TV has a USB port (many newer models do), you may be able to plug the USB dongle into that and then use the included RCA to 1/8" stereo plug (sorry no optical input available) that the manufacturer includes to hookup the audio. Our test TV is an older LCD that doesn't have any kind of USB plug available. In my tests, I discovered one could use a powered USB hub (for example this: ) to plug in the USB dongle and then hook the audio cable up to whatever audio out is available on your TV. The hub doesn't get connected to a computer, the included AC adapter provides the power for the wireless connection and then you can use these headsets without the burden of the wire following you around everywhere. As an added bonus, while using the wireless mode you then regain the ability to use the alternate Bass Boost and Immersive modes (which were not available with the wire) should you be interested in doing so.

A COMMENT ABOUT WIRELESS RANGE

The wireless range of these headsets is quite good. In very non-official and non-quantitative tests I was able to walk out of our suite of offices (about 2000 square feet) and down the hall 20-30 feet before I lost connectivity. This is obviously dependent on location of the source and devices/construction materials between the headset and the source. But in a typical residential environment a user should be able to walk around a 1,000-2,000 square foot house if the source is centrally located without loosing connection to the source.

FINAL SUMMARY

Overall these are a great set of headphones for consumption of multimedia content. Whether it is to be used with a portable device like an iPad or other game platform, or with a home theater so you don't disturb those around you, most users will find the sound delivered by these headphones to be light years beyond what they are accustomed to. Physically, the overall design (a little on the "bright" side for my traditional tastes) and the lack of size adjustment makes them difficult for me to wear comfortably both privately or in a public setting. The alternative modes may work for your particular listening needs, give them all a try and choose what works for you. But all in all, at this price point, it would be difficult to find a better sounding headset that offers all of the features and options this unit includes.

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This is honestly the perfect headset for me. I have used it for gaming, skype calls, and listening to music and it works great for all of those things. I love how I can walk around my house or sit on my balcony while talking on Skype, the range is great as well. The only time it ever cut out on me is when I tried walking out to my car with them on. They don't have a whole lot of adjustability, but they fit my head just fine. Not to mention that they look better than any other headset available. I got the one day shipping for three dollars with Prime and it arrived in about 12 hours which is quite impressive if you ask me. They seem to be made of quality material, so they should hold up just fine.

Buy Afterglow Universal Wireless Headset - Green Now

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I previously had reviewed the Turtle Beach Ear Force X42 Wireless Dolby Surround Sound Gaming Headset. For a headset that normally goes for a $160, I was expecting a lot from the Turtle Beach...and it did fairly well. I was pretty disappointed by the lackluster bass performance, however.

The mic on this headset performs about as well as the Turtle Beach does. Range is also quite excellent I'm able to walk to the other side of my house and still hear what's going on without interference which is impressive given that I do have a dual-band router plus an assortment of electronics throughout the house.

Where this headset excels over the Turtle Beach, however, is in bass reproduction. For a headset that retails for $90 less than Turtle Beach's X42, it puts it to shame. It's not going to be a contender for a Beats or a Bose headset, mind you, but it really puts the Turtle Beach to shame. Playing Borderlands, I hear the satisfying low roar of a rocket launcher firing and the thud of a far off explosion which sounds puny on the Turtle Beach. The Immersive Audio mode is by far my favorite audio mode for playing games and it sounds great.

And can the X42 work on the PC? Or the Playstation? Or with a mobile phone? I think not this Afterglow actually is compatible with ALL of these devices at a fraction of the price.

Battery life promises 10 hours I have used it for 9 thus far and not a glimmer/hint of the headset's battery life waning. The lithium ion battery appears to work as advertised thus far.

As for build, this headset doesn't feel like it's going to break like the X42 does. It's pretty solid and actually withstands some deformation without breaking (don't push it though the intent is to protect damage from "casual" use, not so you can show your friends how it bends like a reed). The ear pads also feel like they are better quality with a nice comfortable leather feel. The headset does feel a bit on the small side for me, but then size 8 hats feel almost uncomfortably snug on me so I'm sure that it will feel pretty comfortable on the average head.

A brief note on the mic I like the fact that it's retractable. Having the swivel mic on the Turtle Beach set was occasionally annoying; having the ability to tuck away the mic when I'm not using it gets a big thumbs up from me.

This headset will never replace my audiophile headsets, but for gameplay, this set really puts Turtle Beach on notice...Turtle Beach is NOT the company that I remember anymore.

Highly recommended!

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People have had different views of PDP Afterglow's products. I'm not quite an expert though because this is my first product I've bought from them. Might buy a controller later on but anyway;

Sound This Headset sounds great for its cost. The three different audios are clear, The Bass Boost really does add a nice oomph of impact depending on what game/music your listening to. On PC, I use a Equalizer to increase the effect further when I really feel like having my head rattled so much the headset technically shakes itself(though long term usage-wise..it might not be advised to abuse it.)-Another NoteThe've done well to add the Bass Boost without really distorting the Highs of the sound, though you can still notice the difference in contrast though.. The Virtual Surround Sound mode is probably what you will use with everything you listen to. It isn't no 7.1 but it does do a pretty good job of opening the "field of sound" from just your ears to your whole head to give a overall nice richness of sound.. The VSS mode, as it has on the box, will be able to obtain the highest high's out of all 3 modes and it can still capture a nice low to an extent. Technically, it's the Jack of all Trade mode. Then the Pure Audio is pretty much the normal default mode. It will always be set to it when you turn the headphones on.

Value About power usage, well, They certainly told the truth about how long they last. I haven't really ran into a loss of power problem since I've got them. Of course, I don't quite have the time to fully play them for 10-12 straight hours and if you use them in a mobile device, they don't really use power unless you manually turn the lighting effect on(because it's not automatic unless they're used on console or PC)The glow effect is awesome, of course. Some people I show them off to always ask do they sound as good as the look. All I do is let them have a test and they shut right on up lol.

Design The only thing I have a problem with is that the ear cups are quite bulky. Being 50mm drivers though, they do envelop your whole ear. And it will take a little time to get use to the feel. You can rotate the padding though until they feel right to you....and depending on the person, they may slightly squeeze your head when you first put the on. you just have to stretch them out a bit and "break them in" before they start feeling comfortable enough. Until then, you might have to take them off after a little while to give your head a rest.

Overall They sound great, they look great, they're wireless with a nice range to them. -Side NoteThe wireless transmitor has a 3.5mm jack that can go into a mobile device as well, so if you have a AC wall unit with a usb, then you can pretty much turn your mobile device into wireless as well, as sort of an alternative to bluetooth. Anyway, all I can say is that they'll have to survive the test of time of course( months to years) without messing up in some way. The Golden Rule still applies: Take care of your things. Other than that, what more can you ask of in headphones. These are all-around nice.

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After over five months of using the Afterglow Universal Wireless Headset, it's time to find something else.

I purchased these after the battery in my Logitech Wireless Headset H600 Over-The-Head Design (981-000341) stopped holding a charge. The initial reviews, feature set, and reasonable price appeared to be a fine choice. It's also a relatively new offering where the choices that already existed in the category all failed in one way or another.

The good:

Insanely verstile: The headset itself is both wired and wireless. You can plug an audio source and an Xbox 360 controller directly into the headset with wires if that's what you need. It also functions as a wireless headset with its USB transmitter. The transmitter even has a stereo audio cable hanging off of it which can be used simultaneously with the USB audio adapter. In my case, I could plug it into my Mac for game audio and microphone input to TeamSpeak while having the transmitter's 3.5mm connector on my iPhone to listen to podcasts. The headset has a fade control to tweak the mixing of the two audio sources. It does all of these things very well, which is wonderful.

Great sound quality that comes through sufficiently loud: This really says it all. The quality of wireless and wired audio is perfect for gaming, listening to music, or anything else. Other wireless USB headsets I've tested were too quiet to be useful in many situations, but this headset does not have the same problem.

Excellent battery life: I easily got through two nights of hardcore gaming on a single charge. When the battery does eventually run out, you can keep it going by plugging in a mini USB cable to a source of power. You can even use the headset while it's charging. Some USB wireless headsets cannot do this.

Great wireless range: I had no trouble roaming my house while listening on this headset. It's nice.

The bad:

Bright LED lights everywhere: The wireless transmitter has a super-bright LED in it which is always on when connected and blinking when disconnected. I had to cover it up a bit with electrical tape to tone it down. The headset itself is also a beacon of blue light. Look closely at the photo of the item. Anything blue there is a bright light, including the headband.

Ugly: I won't sugar-coat this detail. You will look like an absolute jackass wearing this thing. It's a monstrous blue plastic demon with no fashion sense. It looks worse than basketball shoes. The clear plastic band sits over an inch above your head, and the remaining bulky plastic enclosure lets the world know that you only venture outside of the house when your parents yell at you to go find a job. Believe it or not, I have seen someone out in public wearing these. He did not make the headset look any better than I do.

The horrible:

The controls are digital: The volume and chat/game fade controls are non-stepping dials, but they are not analog or fine. Both jump to different volume levels as the dial is smoothly turned. It would have been better to just make them up/down buttons like an iPhone's volume controls.

The controls are buggy: Have you had your headset powered up for too long? The volume and chat/game fade controls will both stop working. Every once in a while you've gotta turn the headset off and on or you're stuck. This wouldn't be such a big deal if not for the fact that...

The mute button is also the power button: You have to hold the mute button down for two seconds to power the headset off. This is dumb. It should be a switch, or possibly the very bottom of an analog volume dial.

Uncomfortable: The clear plastic band does such a good job of holding the device on your head that it feels like a vice. The design is quite unfriendly to folks, like myself, who wear eyeglasses as it presses the frames into your skill with such force it leaves a mark afterwards. I've had to adjust the headset's position frequently to keep my head from feeling like it was going to be smashed in. As a result, I've discovered...

The clear plastic headband is not shatterproof: The clear band has developed some ominous cracks. I don't think this thing can last for a full year of regular use.

I really wish this headset were more comfortable and with better controls, because it is so perfectly versatile and has such great sound and microphone quality. Alas, it is not so. I only recommend this headset to homebound folks who have very small heads and don't wear glasses. Otherwise, you might want to reconsider your decision to try out a wireless USB headset. There are really no good options out here.

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Hulk PS3 Playstation 3 Body Protector Skin Decal Sticker

Customer Ratings:
List Price: Price Unavailable
Sale Price: Price Unavailable
Today's Bonus:

I love this skin. I definately showed it off to my friends when we had a LAN party the other day. It is easy to apply and looks great. If you like the Hulk and wanna deck-out your ps3, then this is a good way to do it.

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Guardians of Middle-earth

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $12.75
Today's Bonus: 57% Off

Finally the MOBA's arrive on consoles and for those wondering what a

MOBA is it's a Multiplayer Online Battle Arena. this style of

play has been popular on pc for a number of years now with games like

League of Legends dominating the market, so making one for console

was a great idea. another great idea they implemented is

no microtransactions like the pc counterparts have.most pc MOBA's

usually charge real cash for characters, items etc. here Guardians Shines

by not charging a cent for anything. you unlock characters by earning coin

(Gold) by doing battle with up to 5 human enemies (10 players total)

this may sound fantastic but as of this writing, I have not

been able to play and finish a true ten person game (no A.I. Bots)

so here's the rub, while it's a really fun game especally with friends

you will usually have 1-3 human opponents on a team and the rest

will be filled with A.I. Bots that perform pretty well considering

they're A.I. Controlled.

the gameplay consists mainly of killing enemy guardians (players)

destroying enemy Towers (defencivefires on enemies)Upgrading your towers

and upgrading your Barracks (barracks when upgraded can produce mounted units, Siege units like Ents and elite fighters good for taking on players)

and finally destroying the enemy base. destruction of an enemies base immediately

ends the game. if the timer runs out the game ends as well.

there are a number of game modes to choose from including an all

A.I. vs Player Match setup called Skirmish Mode. it's a good place to start

for the new player.

the 2nd mode Battlegrounds is the meat of the game and has the choice of

three lane (more strategic) or One lane (full on head to head battle)

then there's Elite Battlegrounds for pure player vs player matches no Bots

However again another flaw shows up with wait times for a single match

taking up to 15 minutes to start, then later one might start in ten.

other times there's not enough players for a match and you have

to wait until the queue is filled.

Once you've chosen your battle type and get into a game it

is fantastic with glorious spell effects and all sorts of team buffs

like shields, healing, shrouded in darkness etc. and there's

Commands in addition to abilities that have a longer cooldown but allows the player

to have a quick heal at level one but maxed out at level 12 you can

summon a Balrog or an Ent. there's about five Command Power choices

per level and four levels each unlocking at lvl four, eight, and twelve.

finally, there are Relics that you can equip up to three of and fill with gems

these apply various effects from regeneration to the more expensive

relics shrouding the player in a shield each time an ability is used.

others increase damage and others still speed up cooldowns.

the animations are excellent but nothing new with an isometric style of view

of the lanes or lane.

Characters to begin with you have on each side (good and evil)

three unlocked characters and 5000 gold is required to unlock another

though they have a great "Featured" group of characters each week that are free to use for that week only. as of this writing I do not know if they will cycle.

a really fun game that could have been more fun with all ten friends.

Gameplay: 5 stars a blast to play and a deep amount of strategy

Graphics: clean and nicely animated 4 stars

Sound: nothing beyond the expected 4 stars

Controls: 5 stars simple and easy to pick up and play.

Overall: if it weren't for the wait times for matches

with human players this would easily be a Five Star title

but the wait times are annoying. I have read on the official

forums that several patches are coming to address the issues I stated

about the long wait times and games with ten live players failing

to remain stable long enough to complete a match. so let's

hope they bring out a patch for these soon since it truly

is a Gem on the Psn and XBL marketplaces.

the game only falls short of greatness due to those two flaws.

don't overlook it try the demo First!

NOTE: the PS3 version as well as Xbox, are Marketplace

Downloads off your service (I Used PSN)

so in this retail box you get a cardboard disc that has a voucher code on it

good for BOTH the full game and the Season Pass. this pass get's you eight more guardians as they are released. so if you're wondering if there's a disc

in the retail ps3 version, the answer is No.

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As an active player of MOBA-style games(multiplayer online battle arena), I was very excited to hear news about one based on the Lord of the Rings. After playing it for some time, however, my expectations fell as I discovered that while it does retain some good qualities of other MOBAs, it fails to truly shine in its own right. Guardians of Middle Earth plays much like one would expect from a MOBA: you choose your hero, you fight through lanes alongside spawning minions(or soldiers, in this case), you take down towers, and you attempt to overtake and destroy the enemy base. Combat is fluid, leveling feels scaled correctly, and each hero character is very unique. In addition to the normal mechanics, you can also capture shrines located across the battlefield for passive bonuses, keeping the balance of power always shifting. What is disappointing to find, however, is that you do not earn any in-battle gold, and there is no equipment to speak of, like in games such as League of Legends. You do earn experience and gold overall through from every battle, and outside of games you can customize your loadouts with new skills, bonuses, and consumable potions. This adds for a nice incentive to keep playing and completing challenges, which are plentiful and diverse. What really detracts from the overall experience of Guardians of Middle Earth is the over feel of the combat. Enemy AI is idiotic, and the game almost forces you to play with others because of so. Also, because of the lack of many heroes, it is very easy to use overpowered characters and abuse their abilities. Perhaps in the future when more characters arrive, it will be more balanced, but until then, you are better off avoiding anyone will low survivability. Overall, while it is not a terrible game, it probably wont appeal to many outside of MOBA or Lord of the Rings fans, until some issues have been fixed.

Buy Guardians of Middle-earth Now

Would be fun if you like online gaming but the graphics stink. And not up tot he quality of other Lord of the Rings Games.

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I bought this for $15, and it came with a downloadable voucher, I download it, then played one game online. Even with a wired 30 megabit connection, I got lag. For a League of Legends play who is used to instantaneous response, that was unacceptable. The $15 price tag about fits it for how bad the servers can be. I'd suggest waiting for the PC version to come out to see if the servers are any better. But I don't suggest buying this unless they step up their servers.

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other then the servers sometimes this game is so fun. i was no fan of mobas but now i cant stop playing, great game.

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PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $59.99
Sale Price: $19.99
Today's Bonus: 67% Off

I, like many of you, when first heard about this game, inmediately thought "Mash Bros", and so I had my doubts. And honestly speaking, the main reason I pre-ordered the game was the free Vita version...but all my doubts are now put to rest, this is a game that deserves a 5 star rating and well deserved.

For starters, the game comes with a great roster, which includes:

Kratos

Parappa

Fat Princess

Sweet Tooth

Radec

Sly Cooper

Nathan Drake

Heihachi

Dante

Big Daddy

Jak

Ratchet

Nariko

Cole

Evil Cole

Raiden

Sack Boy

Sir Daniel

Spike

Toro

The game comes with different modes that include, Solo Play, Tournament, Versus Match and character customization and extras. Stages are fully active, they come packed with hazards, items and explosions, some of which can really hurt you and your oponents. Each character has 3 stages of "special moves" which can be used, once the special move meter is full. Once full, you simply press the R2 button and the character will engage his/her special move. Each special move stage has its unique set of skills and will vary in power, 3 being the strongest of course.

Graphics:

Very sharp and bright with plenty of interactive arenas. Each stage/arena belongs to each of the characters game locations, for example, a flying cargo plane (Drake), God Of War, etc. Each level has been carefully detailed and playing is not only fun, but there's eye candy and plenty of it. Each character has also been done with great attention to detail, from sack boy to sly cooper to Raiden, all look well done. Explosions and other effects look great and will not disappoint.

Sound:

Again, each stage has sounds from each franchise. I personally like Uncharted's classic orchestra style and God Of War's dramatic score. Character voices are original and their sound effects, from weapons to special moves, sound great; even during heavy battles, you'll be able to hear each effect, music and other stage related sounds with detail and plenty of punch.

Performance:

I was afraid to run into frame rate issues, but thankfully, this isn't the case. Even with a full roster on screen at once, the game perfornmed impecably. There was no lag during online play or choppiness during local and single play. I tested the game with a full roster on a stage with plenty of action, such as background effects and incoming hazards; the game did not skip a beat.

Multiplayer:

Simply put. FUN with NO LAG. Both local and online, the MP section is flawless, connections are easily stablished and maintain a lag free performance. Up to 4 players at once, both off/on line. At first, each fight will seem a bit chaotic, but once you learn the basics, each fight will become more interesting, as you will be thinking of ways to fill up your special move meter or simply finding ways to hurt your oponents with style ;)

Cross Play Multiplayer:

I tested it and have not complaints. I was able to battle against PS Vita/PS3 opponents without any issues. Connections are smooth and easy to stablish. I noticed both systems were in perfect sync, each fighter's move translated into an accurate action on the screen, it was 100% real time action. More about cross play below****

Controls:

Easy to pick up and learn. You'll be given the option to play a "tutorial" the first time (one time only) you start the game and even though the game is extremely easy to play, I recommend playing the tutorial, so you can familiarize yourself with each button. Pulling combos will take some practice, but are easily done once you get the hang of it. I have no complaints about the controls and neither will you.

In conclusion, if you're still on the fence about this game, let me put your mind at ease and tell you that this game delivers, it is FUN to play, specially with other players, the more the better; you will probably spend a lot of time on this game off and online and its replay value is extremely high. A great party game that can acomodate those whom just want a quick, fun fighting game and those whom like more technical fighting, such as combos, etc. No matter what your aproach is, this game is without a doubt, a great start for the series.

********************************************************************************************************************

VITA GAME DOWNLOAD:

PS Vita Code: THE FREE VITA GAME CAN ONLY BE LINKED TO ONE PS3 DISC ACCOUNT. THERE'S NOT CODE TO ENTER OR GIVE AWAY.

The game includes a free copy of the Vita version, but it doesn't come with a code nor will it give you one, here's what you do:

Insert disc into your PS3

Navigate to the game menu on your PS3 dashboard.

There you will see 3 disc icons for the game.

Select the second icon for "disc benefits"

You will be taken to the sub menu

Choose the cross buy option.

Once you've done that, you will be taken to the PSN store, where you will add the vita version into your cart. The price will be $0. Check out and it will be on your download list.

Log in to PS Store from your Vita, go to your download list.

You will see the game, plus its online pass.

Download and you're done.

If you don't have a PSN acount, you will need to create one in order to download the Vita game.

***************************************************************************************************************

CROSS-PLAY INSTRUCTIONS:

Please do not get confused with cross and remote play. Remote play connects YOUR vita to YOUR PS3 to be able to navigate and play game discs on your PS3 from your Vita (not all discs work). Anyway, Cross Play works by sending friends "game invitations", but there has to be a copy of the game on each system (PS3 & Vita), here's how:

From PS3:

Versus Mode

-Press R2, Invite Friends.

-Select the friend whom is playing on his Vita

-A message will pop up on your friend's Vita showing your gaming invite

-Once he accepts, he will then apear on as player 2.

-You're done! Battle and enjoy.

From PS Vita:

-Versus Mode

-WiFi

-Make sure you're connected to PSN by touching the upper right hand corner, you'll be taken to a sub menu, there you will either see "sign in" (connect if you do) or view invites/invite friends.

-Select "Invite" and your friends list will apear, select him/her

-PS3 player will get an invite message

-Once they accept, you can battle together.

FINAL NOTE ABOUT CROSS PLAY....

I'm sure you want to give this a try right away, with your own Vita, don't worry, it's actually quite simple, create another PSN account for yourself, but remember that you will need another email address....to avoid confusion and headaches when creating another PSN acount, simply add a number to your actual PSN account when creating the extra one...example, your current PSN account is "PLAYER" make the new account "PLAYER2"

Hope this helps.

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I'm a huge fan of Smash, and I admit I was really unsure about this game. After playing the beta I walked away thinking this game was not for me. That was largely because I kept comparing it to Smash. However, I decided to keep playing it, and the more I played the more I realized how much fun could be derived. I had a blast with

friends. The strategy you have to employ here is totally different from Smash Bros., and in some ways the game is deeper too. So I per-ordered! (still waiting on my code from Amazon). I have NO regrets and this game is worth every penny. Added to that, we get two free DLC characters for 2 weeks sometime early next year.

I got this game around 2 PM yesterday and I played it till 5 AM this morning. It is very addictive. I suggest people to give it a chance. Pick one character and focus on that character and ease into it. It's one of those games you have to play for sometime to really appreciate it. It also helps to not compare this game to Smash since this is a totally different beast and it is NOT a clone. IT is true, it was inspired by Smash Bros. and on a superficial level there are similarities on the exterior, but they are worlds apart when you analyze the core.

Furthermore, this game was designed for hardcore fighters who want depth in their games and also for people who just want to pick up and play. Sony and Superbot are definitely going in the right direction with this and I cannot wait to see what they can do with the next installment. Now ... back to my tag team match with my buddies online. :)

Buy PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale Now

If you are looking at this game and say to yourself that it is just a smash bros. clone then you are dead wrong. First and most obvious difference between all stars and smash bros is how you kill your opponents. Killing your enemies requires you to use specials, which you build up by attacking your opponents and building your AP meter. This makes the game extremely strategic sometimes, as a level 1 might be a better option than a level 2 depending on the level and how many players you are going against. It also makes defense important because you don't want another player to get his level 3. Another major difference between all stars and smash bros. is its combo system. Each character has unique combos that they can execute and you can also experiment and make your own custom combos. Some characters such as Heihachi and Kratos have their combos from their original games.

The Arcade mode is exactly what you expect from a fighting game, you fight your way up a ladder and then at the end you go against the boss. There are cut scenes when you fight your rival as well as some narration at the beginning and the end of the mode.

The online is extremely well down and has the standards for a fighting game; icons, titles, leaderboards, and etc. There is minimal lag in some matches(greatly improved on beta), but most of the games play very well.

In terms of balance there is no overwhelmingly powerful character and SuperBot will patch often to make sure that there aren't any.

Pros:

1.Characters are completely unique from each other.

2.Deep combat system with a lot of hidden depth.

3.Graphics (especially vita) look great and run at 60fps.

4.Deep online mode with minimal lag.

5.Four players at once is a blast especially 2 vs 2

6.Special system is new and fresh.

7.Cool character selection that is growing with dlc(some free!)

Cons

1. Presentation in menus are bland.

2. Some music tracks are great and some are kind of quiet.

3. Some moves are spammable specifically some of kratos' and sly coopers' moves.

Read Best Reviews of PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale Here

All i can say is that this is a game where you'd want to drag your friends to come play with you and have fun with. Also this game is suitable for all ages, it covers a lot of different genres through the stages, you can literally tell that sony put a lot of effort into this. on the downside the character roster is a bit lacking compared to tekken tag tournament 2, but i can't complain because i heard dlc will be coming for this game. also i don't want to sound like a crash bandicoot fanboy, but where is he? sony is like pulling a megaman right here, and totally abandoning him. OK now back to the game, well you got many to do but you will be diving into the arcade and multiplayer instantly, as for the arcade Its just plain simple arcade to me, multiplayer is fun but my complaint for those two are that sometimes the game screen zoom out to see all 4 players and it sometimes confuses you as to where you are. anyway this game is great, deserves to be a day 1 purchase and is worth the 60 dollar price tag.

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Ahh yes, PlayStation All Stars Battle Royale (PSABR), Sony's newest multiplayer exclusive. Signature characters from Sony's most iconic franchises unite to duke it out. The idea sounds quite entertaining on paper, and the final product results in nothing the the purest, most delightful beguilement.

If you've checked other reviews, commentaries, and previews for PSABR, you may have noticed that they all bring up the same exact subject matter. Chances are you're probably thinking it anyway, so I might as well address the elephant in the room right now Nintendo's own mascot fighter, Super Smash Brothers. If you're a gamer who has not been on a distant planet for the past 13 years, you've probably heard of Super Smash Brothers at some point in your life. Yes, even SuperBot, PSABR's developer, has admitted to drawing some inspiration from the successful Nintendo franchise, among other games; however, the similarities between the two series end at the concept (various characters from each company's franchises fighting one another), and the 2D-style of fighting. Gameplay between the two is completely contradistinctive, to the point that one can consider them polar opposites.

As a mascot fighter, the character roster has a massive impact on the game, and this roster truly does capture the legacy of PlayStation. Huge Sony names of today are present, including Kratos from God of War, Cole MacGrath in his good and evil forms from inFAMOUS, and Ratchet & Clank from their eponymously named series. Past Sony icons of the '90s, like Sir Daniel Fortesque from Medievil and Parappa the Rapper from his self-titled series, both make a triumphant return. Fat Princess, from the highest selling game on PSN for two years straight, joins the battle alongside Jak & Daxter and Sly Cooper from the PS2 era, as well as Heavenly Sword's Nariko from the early days of the PS3. Sackboy, from Europe's critically acclaimed LittleBigPlanet, and Sony's Japanese mascot, Toro the Cat, join forces with American stars, Colonel Radec and Nathan Drake, from Killzone and Uncharted, respectively. The year 2008 marked a historical moment in PlayStation history, because Sony was able to acquire rights to the Bioshock franchise, a former XBox exclusive. That moment is signified here, as Bioshock's Big Daddy is proudly featured in PSABR, and he fits in seamlessly next to PlayStation veterans, Heihachi from Tekken, Spike from Ape Escape, and Sweet Tooth from Twisted Metal. Dante from the upcoming DmC: Devil May Cry evens out the roster with Metal Gear Solid's Raiden, both of whom remain true to their flashy sword swinging styles from their respective games. Overall, the 20 characters in this game do a fantastic job of capturing the 17+ year legacy of the PlayStation's history, and fans will be excited to see these iconic characters all unite for the first time.

*NOTE: While the current roster is amazing, I should mention that there ARE a few big-names missing most notably Metal Gear Solid's Solid Snake, Final Fantasy's Cloud Strife (from Final Fantasy VII), and the former PS1 mascots, Spyro the Dragon and Crash Bandicoot, from their self-titled franchises. Note that Sony does NOT own these four franchises. SuperBot has stated that they tried everything in their power to obtain these characters, but in the end, the final decision was left to the owners of each franchise (Konami for Snake, Square-Enix for Cloud, and Activision for Crash and Spyro.)

While the roster plays a major part, the gameplay is the most important. After all, what's a game without gameplay? As stated before, this game is completely unique from SSB and other traditional fighters. No health bars, damage meters, or knockouts exist. Instead, you must win by having the most kills via one of three special moves, referred to as "supers." Supers are obtained by building a certain amount of meter, known as "AP." To build AP, you must connect attacks to your opponents. In other words, you MUST attack to have access to a super, and you cannot win without supers. I was skeptical about this mechanic at first, but after trying it, I can confidently say that this method works 100% perfectly. It is simple, because the game revolves around supers, with no exceptions. This method is balanced, because there are no hidden exploits to rig the score. You don't attack, you don't have access to a super, meaning you don't win. This method is also skillful, because it requires meter management, paying attention to your surroundings, and converting attacks to kills. If you use a super without thinking, you will either miss, get hit before your super connects, or use too much meter for a low amount of kills. Most importantly, this method is FUN. Seriously, once you get the hang of it (which doesn't take long at all), you will want to play match after match, knocking everyone around the arena getting kills.

The controls in PSABR are as easy as possible. Everything is done with the press of one button. Each character has different attacks and supers, but they have the exact same controls. No fancy inputs that change between characters, no memorizing of button sequences, and no double/triple button pressing just one button and the analog stick. This fact means you spend less time learning the controls, and more time playing as the many different characters, unlike some of the more technical fighters such as Street Fighter and Marvel vs Capcom. Graphics wise, the game looks beautiful. The opening cinematic is gorgeous. Each character looks true to their established games, and the stages have so much attention to detail. Franchises that didnt get a playable character, like Resistance, LocoRoco, and Buzz! look great in the background and build upon the PlayStation legacy even more. The sound is great as well, with gunshots being distinctive from sword slashes, skateboard bashing, and electrical whipping. The stages have remastered renditions of iconic music, and even the game's menu theme sounds awesome in surround sound.

Although this is a multiplayer game, SuperBot did create a single player mode for PSABR. A traditional arcade mode exists, with hand drawn intros/endings for each character, complete with voice acting. The arcade mode is quite simple, but takes about 30 minutes to get through for each character. At 20 characters, that's 10 hours off the bat. No storyline or cutscenes exist, apart from a brief rivalry scene. A practice mode is available, along with tutorials and challenges for each character. The challenges range from laughingly easy to excruciatingly difficult. A single player VS. mode exists too, where a single player can fight up to three computer controlled opponents at once, at different difficulties. Finally, unlockables are available, from character intros to taunts to costumes, and more goodies. Overall, the single player is great for a fighting game, but may not be enough for those wanting a fully fledged out single player experience. If you are buying PSABR to play alone, you may want to consider looking elsewhere.

Multiplayer on the other hand, is where this game absolutely SHINES and just blows everything else out of the water with a nuclear missile. The local multiplayer has options between team battles and free for alls, for 2 to 4 players, in a timed match, stock limit, or kill limit match. Vita users can play with console users, with absolutely no lag or framerate issues. The online mode is one of the best. I have encountered no lag 95% of the time. Considering no game's online is 100% lag free, I'd say this is as close to 100% as we'll get. Local play and online play can be integrated, and it is so fluid that one cannot tell the difference. For instance, two local players can play with a friend via PSN, and another random online player who is using a Vita! With NO difference in the match! SuperBot deserves a standing ovation for this, because I know this must have been no easy feat to accomplish. The online modes are the same as local modes; however, no option exists to play 1 vs 1 with a random player online, which may deter some people. Don't get me wrong, FFA and team battles are still extremely fun, but for those players who want to show off their skills in 1 vs 1, you are limited to local play only and may be discouraged. Hopefully this gets patched in soon. Still, even without that feature, there are hundreds of hours of replay value in this multiplayer, and isn't a game you'll be putting down anytime soon.

Also, I should mention that buying a new PS3 copy of this game allows one access to a free Vita version of the game as well. Two games for the price of one.

Wow, this review was way longer than I expected. In summary:

+ Ease of controls

+ Unique, addicting gameplay and mechanics

+ Great graphics and sound

+ Great roster and stages

+ Outstanding multiplayer, and multiplayer compatibility

+ Exceptional online play

+ Free Vita copy

Missing some key characters (hopefully fixed via DLC one day)

Average single player mode

No 1 vs 1 online (hopefully fixed via a patch)

May not be as technical for the more hardened fighting game veterans

Overall, I'd say the negatives aren't TOO horrible. The only big one is the no 1 vs 1 online, which can be easily fixed. If it does, I'll update this review accordingly. Overall, this is a fantastic job by SuperBot, which is definitely worth checking out if you are even the slightest fan of PlayStation and want a great multiplayer experience. Well done SuperBot, I look forward to many great things from you in the future.

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White buttons, D-pad, Start/Back, Thumbstick set for Playstation 3 controller

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Sale Price: $12.99
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These are great for making your own modded-controller, or changing up the cosmetics.

BE CAUTIOUS HOWEVER. When you open up your controller, in the latter models, there is a small piece that sticks out and is separated from the rest of the circuit board. This piece is incredibly easy to break off, and will break off if you do not open the case carefully. I'm not sure what this piece does, but it will make the controllre inoperatble.

Also, the middle buttons did not work for my controller. The Start and Select would work, but the PS button in the middle would not. Other than this small problem, these are great buttons and I would recommend purchasing them.

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Looks amazing on my white controller but I had the same problem with the missing the L and\or R 2 button, I got a miss print. The start/select and ps buttons work but it falls deeper then the normal one. I would of complained but you see I was in Afghanistan and didn't know that there was a problem with it till 2 months after getting it and coming home. Never the less this product is good besides the little miss half's.

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The face buttons, sticks, and R/L buttons work great, look great too. The white with grey markings face buttons are fantastic looking, work great. The d-pad is pretty fantastic too, tho it slides around a littttttle bit, not a 100% perfect fit, more like 85%, a nonissue tho really.

However, the center buttons (start/select/PS) straight up don't work, the PS button silicon bit is missing the plunger in the middle to actually depress the circuit. Completely useless if you want to be able to turn on your controller or use it. :/ Perhaps it works on a different internal make of the PS3 controller, but not on mine. Disappointing.

Lastly, I didn't get a second R2/L2 button... only one in the little baggy. The one I got works great, but its pretty unforgivable. Amazon was quite quick to get another one sent out (tho I picked a different merchant) and a return label for this one issued. Probably just a fluke, but be warned.

TL;DR: The parts of the product I got are pretty good, but I didn't get one of the buttons, and the start/select/ps buttons don't work. Very pretty lookin' bits tho.

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I got a white kit and a used white controller for about the price of a new controller. I also performed a LED mod with a white LED and it looks awesome!

Pros:

My PS3 controller looks like it was made for the Wii.

The new thumb sticks fixed the worn out ones it had before.

The Start/Select/PS rubber pad is clear under the PS Button! It doesn't need a hole in it to perform the LED modification.

Cons:

$12.99 + $4.30 shipping is a little steep for these. $9.99 with super saver shipping would be the sweet spot IMO. 1 used controller + These = Same price as new controller :/

The thumb stick's rounded lower end has a smaller diameter than the original sticks. When fully leaned over a gap is visible into the controller, albeit just a sliver.

Other:

The set I received are for the older generation of controllers that used a rocker standoff for the D-Pad. The newer generation D-Pad has the rocker built in, no standoff. This doesn't really matter, as the shell still has the slots for the rocker standoff. So the set worked fine and is compatible with older gen controllers too.

This may be a con for some, but it's not for me. The square, triangle, circle, and X are not colored. They are simply grey. This actually look fine on a white controller. But it is not quite as authentic.

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Got them in three days after i ordered them pretty fast since its coming from new york and i live in California. From the other reviews on diff colors said a little modification none for me went right together like they said and added a cool look. Side by side with the factory buttons and thumb sticks there is no difference besides the color. So no game play down fall. Great buy going to get little brothet a set next with a shell. Way to go guys a very satisfied customer!!!!!!

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WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010

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I have been a wrestling fan nearly all my life. I've played every game from WWF Raw on the SNES to No Mercy on the N64 to Day of Reckoning on the Gamecube to every single SvR title, and I have to say this one rates up there with the best. I was skeptical in buying this, however, as I have become a TNA fan in the past couple years since WWE TV has been CRAP...but that's another story. Needless to say though, I was pleasantly surprised by this release.

Not much has changed since last year's SvR release. The only changes are now you can have more customizable abilities with the real-life superstars, create entrance videos, create storylines, and create flying finishers. There isn't anything much more to mention besides those things, and everything else is pretty much the same as 2009. Now what makes this game better than the other titles is that, as you would expect, everything from the graphics to the sound to the flow of things has been slightly improved. No surprise there.

There are, however, some very annoying things about this game that I must mention. For one, when you download superstars that other people made, you cannot edit their entrance nor their moveset. I could give a damn about their entrance, but people who are lazy and just give the people they make no thought at all besides appearance is quite disappointing. And the worst part is you can't even tell what their finishers are until you download them and attempt to play them in the game. Plus when it comes to created superstars, you cannot copy a superstar who is level 99 and make a bunch of them. Kind of lame when you have to level up every single wrestler you decide to make. Also, the flying finisher maker is absolute crap. Basically no matter what move you make it's going to be a really retarded-looking splash. This looks more like designing a dive into a pool for someone in the Olympics than a wrestling move.

My last couple gripes have to do with the in-match action. The targeting system on this game is HORRIBLE. Remember back on 2007 where you could target someone else just by running at them if nothing else? Well on here you can't even do that. It's complete BS. Secondly, they made it so it's almost impossible to do a top rope move onto an opponent who's lying on the mat. For some reason your opponents on this game get up far more quick than they ever did in past games. I cannot tell you how many times I've climbed the turnbuckle only to reach the top as the other guy gets up to one knee.

On the whole, however, this is far from a bad game. With the exception of the CAW options, a couple in-game mechanics, and the damn flying finisher maker...this game is probably the best so far. The superstars look better than ever, and you can change them in accordance to how things progress in real life. I applaud WWE and THQ for making a good wrestling game, but they need to go back to basics and make the CAWs much better.

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Stamina. It's a term that is incredibly relevant to everything related to the wonderful world of WWE. It's the difference between mid-card and main event, the change from jobber to superstar, and the proof that longevity breeds a successful career. Take a look at Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, and even Triple H just to name a few. After being in the industry for years upon years, they still pull out all the stops, put their bodies on the line and keep on doing it for the fans. The WWE Smackdown franchise is the video game equivalent, and with sequels now in the double figures spanning three generations of consoles, we're very pleased to say that the 2010 edition of WWE Smackdown vs. Raw is indeed one of the best wrestling games not only of the series, but of all time.

Why, do you ask?

Creativity. Creative freedom oozes out of WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 in a way never seen before; sure, you've always been able to create your own superstars and recently even create your own finishers, modify the roster and so on. Hardcore wrestling fans have always been wanting just that little bit more, and that little bit more ladies and gentlemen is the ability to create your own story lines. How many times have you sat down with your mates and discussed what you think should happen with superstar interactions and the week-to-week narrative, discussing who deserves a push and contemplating possibilities for serious character development? We've done it endlessly over the many years we've been watching WWE, and the ability to put it all there on the screen in front of us and watch our work play out in front of our very eyes is, quite frankly, all kinds of awesome.

From the incredibly detailed Create-a-Superstar mode (which loads a bit faster this year, by the way) to the Create-a-Finisher mode which is also far more detailed than usual with the ability to add diving finishers too, you can tailor make everything just how you want it to be. Entrances have always been a highlight in showing off the presentation of the WWE games, and here you can create your entrance right down to the specific lighting cues and music that plays; for a film-makers touch, you can even edit together snippets from your matches to make a custom entrance movie that plays on the titan tron. If anyone says there isn't enough options in this game, we'll slap them down and spit on them, because we're almost wondering how they crammed so many options onto a disc.

The greatest thing about all of this content that you can create is that you are able to share it online with the rest of the world. The fact that you can upload your own storylines and download other ones to play through means that the content is potentially infinite if it's embraced by the community; and to be honest, the system is so easy and fun to use that we can't see why it wouldn't be embraced wholeheartedly. Being able to download each others created superstars also will extend the longevity of the game as there is the ability to constantly keep your roster fresh with new characters and therefore, more strategies. While we're sure there will be some unique creations, it's going to be handy to download superstars that have been created based on real-life counterparts from those created players who want to play as their favourite new superstar or legend from the past.

Road to Wrestlemania mode, a story mode designed specifically with a handful of particular characters in mind. These are a lot of fun to play, and range from playing as Mickie James all the way to the other end of the spectrum, playing as a desperate Shawn Michaels who refuses to give up and retire. More importantly, you can now take your created superstars through this special mode, starting out as a fan that gets insulted by Santino while sitting in the front row and playing through the narrative from there. There are moments in this mode where you have to make decisions that alter the path in the story, and there are also special match conditions you can meet such as winning in a certain way or using a certain move which goes towards unlocking more goodies for yourself later.

The presentation in WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 is top notch this time around as well. While it's always been said that the games try to be as close to the real thing as possible, it's 2010 that more than ever proves that it's certainly not far from the truth. Replacing some loading screens are the logos of company and show copyright pops up at the end of matches as your superstar celebrates in the ring. There are even more subtle touches to the presentation, including actual reactions from superstars outside the ring after they've been eliminated from the Royal Rumble, and the HUD has been replaced with a simple circle around your superstars feet which lets you know how much momentum you have, so that you can time your trademark moves and finishers.

Gameplay has also been refined for the better, moving to just the one reversal button rather than using both the shoulder buttons. The timing of each counter really needs to be more precise, and it just feels more natural when counters do occur rather than just picking a side and mashing it in the hope that you are predicting whether your foe is using a striking or a grappling move. There are also a few new moves in there for good measure, and the mechanic for kicking out has moved into a mini-game of timing rather than being merely about bashing the control pad. The Royal Rumble has copped some serious upgrading in terms of how to eliminate people also, with timing-based mini games replacing the old formula which essentially was frustrating and cheap if you were ganged up on by the AI at any point. And finally, the Championship Scramble has been added as a match mode, where (for those who don't know) the title can change hands as many times as necessary over a period of either 5, 10 or 20 minutes, with the winner being the last person holding the belt at the end.

The bottom line here is of course that WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 isn't a perfect game, but there isn't a serious need to go over the flaws when it's such a big step forward for the franchise overall. There are so many improvements that it stands out as one of the most successful wrestling games of all time, and easily the best of this generation. The creativity that it allows you is unmatched, and the fact that you can share your stories and creations with the world means that the game could effectively last you forever, and the entire game has been given an edge in presentation that genuinely makes you feel like you're watching the programming, which is not an easy thing to deliver. Improved in almost every way, this is one chunk of gaming goodness that's impossible for any true wrestling fan to ignore.

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I happen to own a bunch of the Smackdowns already and had no plans of picking this one up...UNTIL I found out about the story editor mode. Then I decided to buy it and give the newest smackdown a chance.

Let me say, that while the story editor leaves a lot to be desired, it could be great. Emphasis on COULD be. Unfortunately there's a bizzare limitation they added that makes no sense at all. For some reason, you can only use your created characters up to 10 times in the full year story you have. Matches and scenarios count the same, and so if you have half of your story be scenarios, that means you can have a maximum of 5 matches with 5 scenes....for the whole year. Or worst yet, if you include 2 guys you created, that counts as 2 scenarios or matches per scenario.

This is a bizarre limitation since it wouldn't hurt the game performance to allow you to use whoever you want. I have no clue why the developers of this game would want to add such a severe limitation to a great idea. Since I got this game to develop my own characters through stories, I am frustrated and disappointed with this limitation that takes an otherwise cool idea and limits it to pointlessness.

The story editor already has its setbacks, but this is the killer. So I think I'm going to go ahead and take this game back, since the gameplay isn't improved enough from last year to be worth the high price if I'm not going to use the story editor. I'm hoping that maybe they'll make a patch to fix this problem or increase the limit on a future DLC package. If they did that, I would buy this game again. Until then, I might as well just play Smackdown 2008's GM mode, which doesn't make such an insane limit on how you use your created wrestlers.

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This is the best SvR game I've ever played so far. This game can be so much better if: there's less glitches in game, A lot of limitations on the online community and in game, half-decent manual control target, features taken out again, limited editing options for CAS from online and in-game superstars, lack of support from developers (updates so far), etc. Even with all these faults, the gameplay is better, they added a lot of the little things that made the gameplay more better. RTWM is fun and entertaining, Create-A-Storyline is tons of fun, and tons of others. I'd like to give it a 3.5, but cannot give it 4 stars. Still is a great game IMO. Worth $60 for wrestling fans like me, but not worth it for other gamers.

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After five minutes of it being on it freezes. At first you think its gonna work, but it doesnt. Irritated.

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