Ghostbusters: The Video Game

Customer Ratings:
List Price: Price Unavailable
Sale Price: $39.99
Today's Bonus:

I had been eagerly awaiting this game for over a year, as I believe the original release date was supposed to be last year. I finally got it in the mail and loaded it up to experience a since of nostalgia as the famous Ghostbusters music blared. Your character is a no-name recruit who gets to work aside the original cast, all voiced by the real actors, and the graphics immediately gripped me, along with the nostalgia and I was hooked--but not for long.

The story takes place shortly after "Ghostbusters 2" and has you revisting most of the locations from the first Ghostbuster movie (i.e. the library and the Sedgewick Hotel, etc.). You also battle some familar ghosts (i.e. Slimer, etc.). The plot also involves Gozer and more or less pays homage to the first movie, while kind of ignoring the second one (which is fine by me).

The graphics are spot on with the character models and weapons and vehicles. You will be amazed how detailed everything is, including the locations. The variety of locales is nice, but you often find yourself repeating some venues. The sound and music are all on-spot with Elmer Bernstein's classic score played throughout the action and cutscenes. Some of the sound effects can catch you off-guard and spook you a little which is always a good thing.

All of the original cast do a great job voice acting their original roles; there is a lot of the same comedy and it certainly helped with the original screenwriters.

The gameplay is a mixed bag and really makes this a 3 star game, which isn't bad, but isn't great either. It's not hard to control your character per se, except for maybe the run button being mapped to the circle button for some reason. Controlling your weapons is another story. I think the game company got caught up in adding so many secondary fire modes and additional weapons that they never made any one weapon really that good. You'll spend most of the game with the traditional particle beam weapon as seen in the movie. There are other beam weapons such as the one that shoots out a freezing-like beam; one that shoots out green slime; and one that acts almost like a fast response gun. You will find annoying the short length of time you can use any of them before having to hit the button to "vent" them; this usually happens in the middle of a battle when you don't have the time. The PKG goggles are a bit gimmicky, but do help you locate some ghosts and more specifically add to Tobin's Spirit Guide info you may find interesting and sometimes useful (i.e. weaknesses of the ghosts, etc.)

The teammate AI is perhaps one of the worst I have seen in a game in a long while. Not only are they incapable of holding their own, they rely on you to risk your own death to go "recover" them, which is a quick press of the X button when close to them. Most times this results in you falling down and you hoping there is a Ghostbuster around to return the favor--most times there is not or you can hear them coming and they get knocked down and it's "Game Over." Often, you and only one other Ghostbuster will be in a certain area. The ghosts will gang up (wait till you get to the graveyard battle--you'll know it) and throw a lot at you and if you aren't saving your fellow Ghostbuster constantly, you will most certainly die. Dying wouldn't be as bad if it didn't have a ridiculously long load time. (Mind you, the game does an install on the PS3's HDD, so why such a long load time every time you die?)

Among the issues above that seriously take their toll on your enjoyment as the game progresses, there are some inexplicable glitches (one in the library) where your character will just freeze for no reason (and it's not part of the game). Not often and definitely not something that bothered me too much, but it shows a lack of polish.

I've read a lot of high score reviews and can't help think they are based on the feeling of nostalgia. This is the BEST Ghostbusters video game ever released. I can't deny that. Was it fun? Yes, though it was short (about 7-8hrs). I recommend as a rental or as a purchase when the price comes down some. It is a good example of how movies and games can become seamless these days. With more polish, better AI, and a reduction in load times, it would easily be a 4+ star game. Hopefully any sequel will take these flaws into account.

3/5 stars

Pros:

*Superb graphics and sound.

*Great voice acting and nice plot that ties in with the first Ghostbuster movie.

*Nice selection of weapons.

*AI for the enemies is pretty good.

*Nice variety of locations.

Cons:

*Load times. (Inexcusable for a game that has a HDD install.)

*The worst AI in regards to your teammates.

*Running is mapped to an inconvenient button.

*The targeting is not always great.

*It is short at 7-8hrs.

*Minor glitches.

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

Ghostbusters is a solid game. I'll start with the gameplay.

Single Player: In general I would say it's about average for this type of game. By average I mean the game play and controls are good, just nothing revolutionary. Sometimes it gets a little repetitive in spots but all in all a worthy effort. Using the proton pack is fun but loses a little bit of the fun as you use it so much sometimes.

Multiplayer: Good fun with your buddies or other online people. There are modes such as: Survive survive waves of ghosts, Destruction basically wreak havok and destroy these ghost container thingies, and Ghost Trapping Basically trap as many ghosts as you can in the time you have. There are the typical "gun power ups" you can earn along with new costumes, etc. There are weapon spawn points which are helpful so you can shoot different types of projectiles at the ghosts. Overall this is a pretty fun multiplayer but again nothing revolutionary.

As for the story, voice acting, cut scenes: The voice acting is super cool. I mean you just can't beat having the REAL voices of the ghostbusters as you play through the game. It really makes you feel like it's the real deal. The story is well written with the dialogue containing the usual witty banter you've come to expect from the Ghostbusters movies. I thought the cut scenes were well done, actually a little better than I expected. The voices, story and overall ambiance of this game really give it that extra polish that other games sometimes lack.

I would say the gameplay is about 3 to 3.5 stars but the great voice acting and story convinced me to rate this as a 4 star game. Considering most games based on movies are not very good this was a pleasant surprise. If you are a big Ghostbusters fan definitely pick this game up as the voice acting and story alone will bring back great memories. If not or you are on the fence you might consider renting this game first to see if you enjoy it enough to drop the cash on it.

Buy Ghostbusters: The Video Game Now

I am one of the people that grew up watching the two Ghostbuster movies and every incarnation TV series. If you are a fan of the movies, you will love the game. The story is full jokes and is just as funny as the two movies. There were many times that made me laugh out loud. While playing, it felt as if I was actually in the movie because the game has such great game/gamer interaction.

I have to admit that there are a couple of flaws with the game, mainly the running, which isn't the greatest. Besides that, there is really nothing that I didn't like. I had forgotten how much I loved the two movies and this really brought back the nostalgia, and I actually had tears in my eyes at times. The series just holds a lot of great memories for old-time fans such as myself. If you are a fan, you will want this game. It's great!

Read Best Reviews of Ghostbusters: The Video Game Here

Anyone who is a true video game junky knows that there is one written-in-stone, undeniable rule when it comes to video games that are based on movies.

They suck. Not only do they suck...they suck like a transvestite prostitute at a Hell's Angels rally. They suck like a court-appointed attorney. They suck worse than St. Louis style pizza. They suck worse than an animal shelter owned by Michael Vick. They suck worse than Chicago.

Well...okay, it's hard to suck as bad as Chicago. At least no video game based off a movie was ever home to the worst politicians EVER.

This game shatters that rule. It not only shatters it...it obliterates it.

The gameplay is actually innovative and fun. I had a bit of trouble at first figuring things out (the game didn't tell me how to deploy a trap...or at least I didn't see or hear it) but it has a little guide book to help you if you go into your menu. There's research to be done (although it's hard to get a scan of a creature on the PKE meter when it's throwing a bus at your head). It's neat to zap ghosts and feel like a real Ghostbuster like when I was a kid. I grew up watching the Ghostbusters and remember how excited I was when they released Ghostbusters 2.

Which brings me to what makes this game shine brighter than any star in the sky...the story and voice acting.

You have the ORIGINAL Ghostbusters voicing their characters from the movie. Bill Murray is fantastic (of course), Dan Akroid is absolutely hilarious as usual, Harold Ramis absolutely rocks the character of Egon with his usual intellectual wit, and Ernie Hudson returns with the straight-faced "I didn't see no ghost" one-liners. Every. Single. Scene. Had my girlfriend and I laughing out loud.

That's the important thing about this game...it feels like it wasn't made to sell to as many people as possible, it was made for the fans of the original Ghostbusters as a way for Murray, Akroid, Ramis, and Hudson to say "Thanks, everyone".

I honestly view this game as a gift for my years of watching, quoting, and stopping on a channel that happens to be showing the Ghostbusters movies to grin because I know the funny part is coming up next.

"GET HER!"

That was great, Ray. "Get her". Real scientific.

"I just panicked..."

"Ray...if someone asks you if you're a god...you say YES!"

"THE FLOWERS...ARE STILL...STANDING!"

"Must have been some cockroach..."

"It'll bite your head off, man."

If you don't know the movies...and quite possibly if you didn't GROW UP with the movies and cartoons then you probably won't "get" this game. You'll play it and maybe rate it as average or slightly above average.

If you, however, ate, slept, and breathed everything Ghostbuster and can answer the question "Who you gonna call!?" in less than a second and with GUSTO then this game will have you looking around with a feeling of creepyness one second and then crying with laughter the next and then RIGHT back to jumping out of your skin and madly flailing around with your proton beam.

Back to the game as I'm getting off on a nostalgic rant. There are bonus items in the form of "Cursed Artifacts" to collect. There are ghosts to read about by scanning them and entering them into your Tobin's Spirit Guide. There are also "power ups" to buy to improve your equipment and a running total of damage caused to all of the locations you visit.

If you, your children, spouse, best friend, or your pet are a fan of the Ghostbusters then you owe it to yourself to get this game. I have a half played copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 sitting in the video game drawer that is seeing little playtime because I am now taking a trip down memory lane with the guys with nuclear accelerators on their backs.

So I'll say it loud and say it proud as I aim for the flat-top!

"Bustin' makes me feel GOOD!"

Want Ghostbusters: The Video Game Discount?

2 years after the events of GB 2, it seems the boys in uniform known as Ray (Voiced by Dan Ackroyd), Egon (Voiced by Harold Ramis), Winston (Voiced by Ernie Hudson) and Venkman (Voiced by Bill Murray) are thinking of opening up franchises through the states in each major city. A new recruit just joined in, however more bizarre things have been going on from the Sedwick Hotel to all the way to Central Park as a new force of evil conducted by the Gozer-Worshipper has been happening as it's up to our boys to literally go through hell and back.

One of the best games i've ever played and i've been a huge GB fan for 26 years, it really satisfies any fan of this movie franchise. It co-stars Annie Potts back as Janine, William Atherthorn back as Walter Peck, Brian Doyle Murray, Max Von Sydow and Alyssa Milano. Here this game gives us clues on what lead us to the first 2 movies especially GB 2's river of slime cause.

The graphics are outstanding here especially the facial capture of the characters and the writing by Harold Ramis and Dan Ackroyd is amazing as it's based on GB 3's original concept called "Ghostbusters Go to Hell". Some familar faces like Slimer to Stay-Puft return but this time with a vegneance, you also get to battle some new ghosts like Shandor for example.

Some levels are hard but you have to get use to it and the controls are very good, you do different tricks like boison darts to all the way to sliming black slime that is very poisonus. This game is a major improvement on the horrible NES GB 1 & 2 games and as good as the arcade Real GB games and Genesis game.

Read More >>

Turtle Beach Call of Duty Black Ops II Sierra Headset

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $279.99
Sale Price: $194.00
Today's Bonus: 31% Off

After three weeks the headphone speaker on the left side quit working. Its very frustrating to pay over 250 bucks for something to just quit working.

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

***UPDATE***

Hello, my name is D-Day1944, and today I will be covering the Turtle Beach Sierra. With that said, let us get started.

Introduction:

Turtle Beach has a very interesting, but rough history in terms of their headsets. While sound wise being somewhat on par with the Astro Gaming brand, their versatility and longevity have been the talk of dislike, prompting many consumers to buy either Tritton or Astro products. However, Turtle Beach has done some good these past two years, offering more audio customization than either Tritton or Astro. The biggest surprise, however, is Turtle Beach became the official headset of Major League Gaming, or MLG for short. Now, armed with this new partnership, Turtle Beach decided to improve their quality of audio by making their new "Seven Series." While not out yet, the Call of Duty: Black Ops II Sierra is essentially the XP Seven, but built for Black Ops II. However, Tritton and Astro have already made their moves as well, the former having upgraded their successful headset to the 720+, and the latter upgrading their former MLG headset to the A40 2013. Other competitors, such as the Beyerdynamic MMX 300, Sennheiser PC 360, and Plantronics Commander, have also made this new chapter of the MLG Pro-Gaming headset's life difficult. Now, the question is, what innovations does the Sierra carry and has Turtle Beach finally have gotten the durability "monkey off its back?" These questions and more will be answered, so stay tuned.

Out of the Box/Looks:

We kickoff this review with what it looks like out of the box. To start off, we are greeted by a Turtle Beach Sierra Photo on the box, and on the sides and back are various descriptions of what the Sierra offers. When you open it, the headphone is wrapped in plastic and is within a cardboard molding. Within the contents, here are the components you will receive:

The Sierra Headset

A 2.5mm Male to 2.5mm Male cable for Xbox Live chat.

A detachable microphone.

A breakaway cable for the Sierra Headset.

A Control Unit.

A Control Interface.

A Turtle Beach Sticker.

A TOSlink cable.

A Instruction Manual.

A Congratulations paper upon purchasing the Sierra and other details.

These pieces are all for what need to hookup to either the Xbox 360, PS3, or PC.

For the looks of the headset, there is the Black Ops II color scheme on this headphone. When you remove the magnetic speaker plates from the sides of the headphone, you are greeted with a Black Ops II emblem. The Control Unit looks like a futuristic tool that would been worn on a soldier's wrist with its various numbers and symbols. On the very tip of the microphone, there is a Call of Duty engraving on the metal.

Overall though, I would have to say I am a bit disappointed with everything that turned out. For $280 dollars, the packaging is a bit of a letdown, considering this is supposed to be of what is to come of the XP Seven, Turtle Beach's MLG official headset. Aside from that though, everything else was fine, but I do stand by what I said.

Now, with that subject done, let us discuss the build quality.

Build Quality:

For the build quality, Turtle Beach may have finally solved its once plagued problem. The headphone is very solid and flexible, so it will not get broken easily. The microphone itself is a goose neck, which means you can bend it to any position you want. The headphone cables are braided, which alleviates you from tangling. The control unit's cords along with the others also were good. My only complaint is that the TOSlink Cable is flimsy and thin.

Overall though, the build quality was very good. No problems did occur during my two weeks of testing. The optical cable is not all that great, but it does do the job. Anyway though, back to the review. Our next topic, features.

Features:

The Sierra's features are quite massive audio wise, and it begins with the Control Unit itself. There are various options you have on this control unit, such as changing and customizing your surround sound angles, turning Dolby Digital on or off, to name a few. The most interesting, however, is the fact that you can change and customize the presets on the control unit. There are nine in total(8 if you do not account for the Main setting.) There is also a MP3 input should you have a ipod or MP3 player. You can also use a system called PGM to change your voice. None of this would matter if the signal to noise ratio was not good. Thankfully, in the Sierra's case, it was great, as there was little to no static or distortion.

In addition, there are some unique qualities that further empower focus on audio, such as Turtle Beach's trademark Sonic Lens, Ear Guard, Sonic Silencers and Dynamic Chat Boost. Last, but not least, you can customize your presets via a sound editor, in which you can tweak the headsets towards your liking, as well as the surround sound angles and voice. The control interface coordinates with the control unit for delivering such commands. Not only that, you could hook up speakers that use a 3.5mm male connection. In addition, the Control unit's main controls themselves are captive touch, meaning the graze of your finger will change any input command. Lastly, there is a 3.5mm output in middle of the Control unit, meaning any 3.5mm headphone or PC Gaming Headset (via adapter) will work. As for the headphone, due to the 3.5mm male input, you can you this with any device that supports this connectivity (or 1/4 adapter if you have it).

Overall, this is hands down the Sierra's greatest asset. The near limitless audio customization of the control unit and its versatility of both the unit and the headphone make the Sierra nearly unchallenged, as the Beyerdynamic MMX 300, Astro A40, Tritton 720+, Plantronics Commander, and Sennheiser PC 360 do not have anything that even comes close. My only major complaint of the control unit is that you have to independently control your chat volume, as it is not integrated with the master knob, which is kind of odd considering that the microphone logo is located on it and you press down on the master knob to mute your voice. Not only that, the control unit was supposed to surpass the Astro Mixamp in the regard of game/voice chat balancing, but to do that, you might need to buy the TM1 tournament mixer from Turtle Beach, which costs $230 dollars. Apart from that though, the potential the Sierra has as a whole is above and beyond any of its current competitors.

Now, here comes our next part, Comfort.

Comfort:

The Sierra uses a breathable faux leather padding for increased isolation. The Sierra itself was comfortable for a good 7 hours, which is great. The ear cups also swivel for breaks, but since the padding was surprisingly breathable, I really did not need to rest it much. There is also memory foam padding, which was great for contouring around my ears. Making a headset light never hurts, which adds to the Sierra's already good loquacious feel. Does it do better than velour? No, but the Sierra did much better than most other headsets that have tried to incorporate this material. Adding memory foam does not hurt either, which adds more credit to the Sierra's good usage of faux leather.

Now, the part of the review that you have been waiting for, the audio performance. But before we begin, I must first explain of the way Dolby Digital is achieved.

The Science behind the glorious sound:

In order to recreate Dolby 5.1, Dolby Digital is mixed with Dolby Headphone, which then takes an actual 5.1 speaker setup and then uses various DSP's to simulate 5.1 Channels of audio going through the headset. However, with the Sierra, Dolby Headphone is not incorporated. Instead, you can customize the DSP's towards anything imaginable within the parameters of the headphone. The only limitation is your imagination.

*** SIDE NOTE***

Although not stated, some companies might fool you with the whole "Full Dolby 7.1!" theory. However, this is only marketing, as the optical cable will only output 5.1 on consoles.

Now, with that done, it is time for the audio performance.

Audio Performance:

For the quality of the audio, the Sierra's sounded very good. The low end was thick, the mids were strong, and the highs were mostly clear. I will say this is on par with the A40 2013 Edition, but if you still want arguably the best, the MMX 300 still holds down the throne, but getting this and the 300's will set you back to almost $680 dollars. Moving swiftly along, in stereo, the Sierra's were very fun. Listening to Breaknoise's dub hit "Chicken Zinger," the Sierra handled the heavily expanded loops and intensive bass drops. Other songs, such as "We are the Reasons" by We came as Romans, the Sierra's handled the thematically screeching highs and distorted mids very well, and the low end came clear, although at few times the Sierra did blend too much in the overall audio, but it did not ruin the experience, so I did not worry.

When hooked up to the control unit, my sound has really gotten a boost to its already impressive cues. There are nine audio presets in total, and I will explain how each one performed.

First up, the main setting

Main:

For the main setting, the Sierra performed quite well. Using this setting did make the overall experience more expansive and realistic. In games like Black Ops II and Forza Horizon, the Sierra's did pretty well. Movies such as Avatar, Safe, and Grand Torino had a more spacious feeling to them. The low end was quite good, the mids were crunchy, and the high end turned out well. There really is not much to say on this setting since this was my favorite setting, tied only with the superhuman hearing setting.

With this setting out of the way, next comes the Flat setting.

Flat:

This is essentially Dolby Pro Logic IIx, which makes stereo sound more expansive. While movies did do well and games that really do not render themselves of precise audio performed good, competitive games such as Halo 4 can be hit or miss, since this setting will let you hear either your right or left. However, this was my preferred setting for music since the sound stage was spacious, and music such as Cursh 40's "I am all of me" was more live and expansive.

Now, onto the next setting, Bass Boost.

Bass Boost:

For this setting, I was very concerned to the amount of high and mid frequencies are lowered to increase the low end, but to my surprise the Sierra easily took on this setting well. The bass was more thick but did not drown out the mids and highs too much. Games such as Forza and Midnight Club gave a huge sense of immersion due to the roar of the engine. Others such as Fall of Cybertron had huge explosions and great rumble. Would I recommend it for music and movies? For movies, that is a yes, but for music, make sure to choose dubstep or 8-bit/genesis remakes, as while the Sierra did do well in the mids and highs, genres such as Metal, Alternative, Punk and Classical did not go out to well.

Moving swiftly along, it is time to go onto the next setting, Treble Boost.

Treble Boost:

While I was worried about the Bass Boost setting, the Treble Boost setting I did not worry about at all. As stated above, the Sierra does very well in handling low range frequencies, the mids are good, and the highs are mostly clear, but with the Treble Boost engaged, the high end was cystal clear and the low end to mid range frequencies did not suffer. Games such as Black Ops II turned out great with the Sierra, as gunshots were acute, footsteps were easier to listen, and the music turned out well. Other games such as Madden 12 had a more stadium feel to it since much of the games audio is primarily focused on the high end.

With this segment done, it is time for the Treble Boost + Bass Boost setting.

Treble Boost + Bass Boost:

As this setting implies, the low and high end are increased for better audio clarity. While this setting did help on the Sierra, the fact is that the mid range is cut down a bit. I am not going to say it was drowned out, because it was not, but dialogue was a bit more difficult to hear in games such as Mass Effect and Rachet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time. Movies did handle this surprisingly well, but still, dialogue was a bit harder to hear or it just was not apparent in certain scenes of movies like Transformers: Dark of the Moon or Toy Story 3. For music, I would say no, as the vocals do blend a bit too much in the overall audio mix.

Now, it is time for the next setting which is the speech amplifier setting.

Speech Amplifier:

For this setting, the mid range does get raised to have a higher input on dialogue. For me, this is really the oddball of the nine presets. While for movies this setting is great, music and gaming is a hit or miss. Mass Effect 3 did very well with this setting, but others such as Halo did not pan out so well. While the vocals on certain songs, such as "Reach for the Sky" by Social Distortion came out beautifully, other songs such as "We are the Reasons" by We Came as Romans, the sound can be blended in a bit too much or just sometimes overpowering. For the Sierra itself, it performed well upon usage, but in practice the importance on the mid range does account for a microcosm of excellent idea's but mediocre execution.

With this done, it is time for the next setting, balanced.

Balanced Setting:

This setting equalizes all three sound stages to make each sound more balanced. Initially, I was excited to see this. In practice, it preformed very well, but not as well as I hoped. Games like Black Ops II made balanced performed adequate, which is not bad, but not good either. Other games such as Prototype and Uncharted, this setting and the Sierra performed magnificently well, as these games may have a bigger focus on audio related to set piece moments, but are more inclined to the overall experience. Music usage is second only to the treble boost setting, as each sound stage performed great in many genre's of music. Listen to "The Imperial March" from the Star Wars' series, you have a blast. As for movies, balanced performed good as well. Since each of the audio spectrum's are balanced, with the Sierra, movies did become more lively as if I was on the set itself.

Clint Eastwood would be proud of this next setting, Action Enhancer.

Action Enhancer:

This setting focuses on the low end and high end, but does give the mid range breathing room. Essentially, specific audio cues are amplified, such as explosives, gunshots, car engines, etc. For movies, this was my preferred setting, as every climatic moment received that boost to make that scene more memorable, such as in Flags of our Fathers, Titanic, Transporter, and Star Wars. For music, avoid this at all costs. While the Sierra alone is phenomenal, this setting for music is abysmal. Even songs like Excision's "Existence" did not do well at all with this setting, as the loops usually got heavily distorted. For gaming, I greatly recommend only using this for single player experiences, such as Uncharted 2 or Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time. For multiplayer experiences, again, do not use this setting, as this setting does not help you accurately gauge the distance and/or direction of your enemies at all.

Now, it is time for our final setting, Superhuman Hearing.

Superhuman Hearing:

This setting encompasses highly on distinctive low frequencies, such as footsteps in gaming. On paper and in practice, the Superhuman Hearing setting did very well. Games such as Halo 4 did a great job of audio separation and and gauging distances became more easier. Other games did not do so well, since this setting is primarily focused on intricate, precise audio cues. As for movies and music, I would not recommend it since the main focus is primarily on specific audio cues, not various audio mixes.

Well, everyone, there you have it. Each setting helps the Sierra in one specific way for a specific type of task that you would want to achieve in a headphone. While the Sierra is great overall, other headsets, such as the Beyerdynamic MMX 300, Plantronics Commander, and the Sennheiser PC 360, did do better when hooked up to the control unit via a PC adapter, but those headphones will drive your price up even higher, since the control unit itself is not for sale as a standalone at the moment. As for its most bitter rival in the Astro A40's, to my ears, the Sierra's edge ahead due to the various options it has and the overall spacial feeling it presented

As for the microphone itself, this may be one of the best microphones I have ever used, tied only with the Commander and MMX 300. It does have a windscreen, and easily blocks out ambient noise. My teammates said they could always hear me crystal clear with no problems.

Moving on with the surround sound angles, all of them performed well, but there really was not a major reason to use them. Sure, in games like Halo, Killzone, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, and Black Ops II, this feature is astounding, but, that is really much it. Unfortunately I also cannot say which is the best to use out of the angles, since much of them are similar. However, I will make a list on which preset was good for which area.

The ratings are as follows:

Competitive Gaming: Balanced, Main, and Superhuman Hearing.

Music: Treble Boost, Balanced, Main, Flat, Bass Boost(Only for dubstep/8-bit remixes)

Movies: Action Enhancer, Balanced, Main, and Speech Amplifier.

Casual Gaming: Bass Boost, Treble Boost, Bass Boost + Treble Boost, Balanced, Main, Action Enhancer, Flat.

There you have it guys, my recommendations should you buy the Sierra and use the presets. Now, with this segment done, here is my verdict.

Yoda: It is time, young one...

Verdict:

The Sierra did not revolutionize the gaming headset industry quite like the A40 did, and its sound quality is slightly less superior than older gaming headsets. However, what the Sierra does is build upon a battle tested method and incorporates new ingenious solutions to make it a very notable standout. While there are some inconveniences here and there, few can trade blows with it in terms of its near infinitesimal audio customization. Also, since durability is no longer a problem, this adds to the Sierra's already impressive sheet. However, $279.99 is a lot to ask for of a gaming headphone, but rest assured. The Sierra can handle almost any type of audio you need, and it is worth the money if you are willing to pay the Benjamen's for it.

Overall, I give the Sierra a 4/5 Stars Rating.

So this has been another review by D-Day1944. Join me next time, where I will be covering the Sharkoon X-Tatic S7. Until next time, this is D-Day1944,

Signing Out.

***UPDATE***

Hello, this is D-Day1944 here with an update. I did an couple of accidental mishaps in this review. While I was right about the presets, those were for speaker, not the headset. The correct ones were as follows:

Speech Amplifier should be 3D Stereo Expander.

Balanced should be Action Enhancer.

Action Enhancer should be Footstep Foucs.

For this, I will correct my thoughts on those two aforementioned presets, 3D and Footstep. First up, the 3D.

3D Stereo Expander:

This widens the Stereo effect for a more natural 3D feel. However, on paper and in practice, this setting is bad. This makes it so that you have to rely on your eyes rather than your ears, as the bass levels are way too overpowered. Avoid this setting on music and movies, period! I repeat, avoid this at all costs! Now, after that we go into footstep foucs.

Footstep Foucs:

This setting turns down the low end to give the mid and high range more breathing room. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, Halo 4, and other shooting games will benefit from this, as footsteps became easier to detect, hence the name. However, moives and music depend solemnly on the type of headphone you are using. I personally would recommend a bass heavy headphone, since the low is cut by a staggering 75%. Using said headphone should cusion the bass reduction. Otherwise, if you are not interested, do not bother with this setting on either movies or music.

I did re-review the Action Enhancer setting since it was already incorperated into the review. Anyway, time for the final verdict update.

***UPDATE OF FINAL VERDICT (Thoughts Included)***

To wrap up this update of my final verdict, I have offically decided to give these a 3 instead of a 4. Why, some of you might ask? I did say back then that Turtle Beach had solved the longevity problem, so why the sudden change? Sadly, again I am late, as this is my 2nd and final pair of these. The one I reviewed went defective after its 3rd week of ownership, and the 2nd one I received was defective out of the box. Oddly enough, both had the left earcup defective, which is strange in this regard. For my next review, I am actually kinda of contemplating on whether or not I should pick up the XP Sevens or the Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro's. For the XP Seven's, I am very afraid to obtain these, as my experiences could haunt me as they did with the Sierra's, but so far, from other people are saying, that is not the case. Still, I will find that answer out myself. As for the Custom One Pro's, they are getting good reviews, but again, my ears will decide whether or not that is the case.

Again, this is D-Day1944. Thank you for reading my update. Hmmm..., I think I forgot something....., oh yeah!

**Bum-ba-da-dam!!!***

Sorry, but for those of you who read my Sharkoon S7 review, I stated that I would be doing the Skullcandy PLYR 2 review. Sadly, this will not be the case, as time has officially run out, and I need to move on with my gaming headphone reviews. One good thing, though, I will be doing regular headphone reviews soon. I cannot say as to when, but be on the lookout of my next update after my final desicion between the XP Seven's and the Custom One Pro's. The update will be added to this review, so do not worry. Anyway...back to what I was saying. Thank you all for reading, and join me in my next update. There will be big news, and it may interest you.

Once again, this has been D-Day1944:

Signing Out.

Buy Turtle Beach Call of Duty Black Ops II Sierra Headset Now

Build: Pretty decent build, I like how long the chords are from the headset to the xbox. The fact that it's not wireless means you're not going to get interference from your router. It has a sturdy build and the ear cups do a good job of blocking out sound. I had a mild issue with the mic, but the RMA service by TB was fast and I was up and running again in less then a week.

Comfort: The cups are tight at first but loosen with use. After they loosen up, they feel natural to wear. Make sure you take a break from that game once in a while anyways :p

Electronics: The effects are awesome to play with, but even cooler to use to mess with yours friends! I had come from Astro A40s and they were pretty great. So I was skeptical of a headset that said it could separate the footsteps from the rest of the game. Well, the Sierra headset did that perfectly. I'm impressed. Some effects aren't all that great, but for the most part they're pretty awesome and useful.

I don't know if I missed anything, but it's a pretty great headset. The biggest difference between the A-40 and the Sierra headsets was the company behind them. Astro took over a month to "fix" issues I had with their headset, if they even responded (a whole different story altogether, but for $250+ you need to treat your customer better). Turtle Beach fixed everything right away and I couldn't be happier.

Read Best Reviews of Turtle Beach Call of Duty Black Ops II Sierra Headset Here

Having been a longtime user of the X11s, I decided it was finally time to treat myself to a higher-quality headset. Because my X11s had been so good for so long, of course I wanted to stick with Turtle Beach, and the Sierras seemed the best option I don't like wireless headsets, but I want all the fancy bells and whistles that you seem to only be able to get with wireless products these days.

First impression upon putting them on was that the external sound dampening was fantastic I had them on and even without playing any game, couldn't hear a vacuum being run right outside my closed bedroom door. However, the headset is waaaay too tight on the head and doesn't seem to loosen up at all after an hour or two, I was fighting headaches.

The sound quality is mediocre the max levels are set way too low. Even with the volume at full, there were parts of the game I could barely hear. Trying out different presets gave me everything from a whisper of sound to blown-out distortion. It became less finding what best enhanced the game sound (MW3 and Black Ops, primarily) and instead became a chore in finding a preset that annoyed me the least.

When it came to voice chat, everything was awful. Friends sounded like robots, chat was either consistently too low or too high no matter where I had my volume set, and even with the mic right against my mouth, friends said I sounded like I was on a bad wireless connection words kept getting dropped, even whole sentences if I didn't practically shout.

On top of all that, I wanted to hold out until the preset community was opened up, thinking that with the mixing software, I'd be able to correct all these defects until I had the amazing sound I was going for. That was when, upon returning home from the midnight release of Black Ops II, I discovered that a wire had broken in my headset that rendered my left earcup completely dead unless I held my head at a certain, very uncomfortable angle. Less than two weeks after the purchase of the headset, I might add and I treat my headsets like GOLD.

That was the last straw, and after a brief and very unhelpful exchange with TB's tech support, I elected to return my headset and went back to my X11s, where I get good game and chat sound without all the hassle. Next headset will probably be Astros.

Want Turtle Beach Call of Duty Black Ops II Sierra Headset Discount?

After 4 weeks the right side of the headset quit working. The problem must have been in the wiring because when my son shook the wire it intermittently cam back.

Read More >>

HDE Light Blue Silicone Skin for Sony Playstation PS3 Controller

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $15.99
Sale Price: $1.95
Today's Bonus: 88% Off

I love the color....I love the feel....I actually have a good grip on my controller now.

The only thing I don't like is that there is no good way to put this skin on the controller without stretching out the middle part a bit. The middle (where my start/select buttons are is a little loose because I had to stretch it so much to get it on the controller. Other than that, I like it.

Read More >>

eForCity Black Soft Silicone Skin Case (2 Pack)

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $15.99
Sale Price: $2.48
Today's Bonus: 84% Off

well, this item name says (2pack), and also in the description section, it says comes with two controller case. But I only got one

Liar!!

and the case doesn't look exactly like the picture.

it does not fit really well.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT.

THE SELLER IS A BIG FAT LIAR!!!

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

Will not buy from again. False advertising. Should come as pictured, got somethiing else. Junk! No more eforcity for me!

Buy eForCity Black Soft Silicone Skin Case (2 Pack) Now

Love the way it feels, More comfy in my hand. Its like having a rubber case on a iPhone. The rubber is cheaply made and has slight psychical defects, however you wont look at the controller when playing a game.

Read Best Reviews of eForCity Black Soft Silicone Skin Case (2 Pack) Here

They are the soft rubber ones, and they are awesome. And you get 2. Anyone who plays video games needs these and and analog stick covers.

Want eForCity Black Soft Silicone Skin Case (2 Pack) Discount?

Boys loved them especially the buy one get one free. If you have sweaty palms they will be more obvious.

Read More >>

Game On The Rock WWE wireless Playstation 3 Controller

Customer Ratings:
List Price: Price Unavailable
Sale Price: $19.99
Today's Bonus:

This controller doesn't feel super bulky like most third party game accessories. It keeps a charge for good period of time and was a piece of cake to sync up. The only draw back is that it doesn't come with a plug connection on top so you have to keep batteries on hand. Would be perfect if you could plug it in.

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

If you are an old-school gamer, you may recall the glut of "cheap" controllers that flooded the market following the popularity of the PS1. They were kitchy colors and designs, but flimsy and sometimes unresponsive. Madcatz made some of these (that name might take you back to the old days!). Well, the second I saw this handle, I had a flashback to 1990s. It is a clearly unlicensed product for the PS3 (thus the words "compatible with" in the description). It has none of the finesse of a Sony controller. Moreover, it looks like a mottled mess with stickers on it (they are not stickers though). Very "homemade" in appearance. Perhaps its biggest offense is that it uses three batteries ... it does not contain a rechargeable lithium ion battery. (And, the batteries are not included). To be blunt, I have not seen a controller in over six years that still uses regular batteries. What a waste! And, even if you elect to use rechargeable batteries, there is still "down time." Good grief! For $40.00 ($4.00 less than a licensed, lithium ion, rechargeable controller), the manufacturer should be embarrassed.

Obviously, this is using The Rock's image to sell inferior products. You and your children will want it because it feature a great athlete/celebrity. (That's why we bought it). The compromise is that while you get that, you also get a bad, battery-filled, train-wreck of a controller. And, this does appear to be a WWE licensed product (which I know should not surprised us WWE fans, but I would hope for better quality-control from such a huge enterprise).

So, if what you desire is another item in your WWE collection, this makes sense. If you want to use it for gaming, this is not your controller.

Buy Game On The Rock WWE wireless Playstation 3 Controller Now

Read More >>

Anarchy Reigns

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $29.95
Sale Price: $14.99
Today's Bonus: 50% Off

Anarchy Reigns was originally set to launch in North America early-mid 2012, but it was then delayed until 2013, even though the game was finished. While the game was really close to cancellation for North America, a date was finally set, but it was a long wait to endure. However, the wait is over and Anarchy Reigns is here, but was it worth it? Two words: Hell yes!

Anarchy Reigns is a 3D brawler at its core that combines brawling and fighting like God Hand or Fist of the North Star, hence my comparison to those games. But the difference is that Anarchy Reigns has the unique and quirky flavor of Platinum and Sega games. While everything that makes a Platinum game their own is on display, it also feels like one of those gems you'd play on the Sega Dreamcast back in the day.

The single player campaign has two interwoven plots, offering two different characters to play as (Jack Cayman, Leonhardt "Leo" Victorion), which allows you to play in two different ways with two different takes. This gives you replayability for the single player content. Speaking of the single player, you're given hub world environments to roam around, beat up bad guys, collect things, and just have fun in-between the story and side missions, so it's not just a straight up linear mission-to-mission game, but it's also not a large open world, just hub environments that give you a little more sense of freedom.

The other part of the package is the multiplayer, which is truly unique and unlike anything else out there. It's fast and hectic, but it all performs admirably online and hasn't been plagued with issues or anything from my experience. While there are some incredibly skilled players out there, I'm not one of them yet, but it's even fun to play when you're losing. It's just so different, which leads me to believe this'll maintain a community for a good while. There are a bunch of different modes to enjoy in the multiplayer package, which includes the established modes like DM and TDM. You can choose from 16 different characters in multiplayer, all of which have their own fighting styles, signature kill moves, etc.

Also, since I haven't mentioned it yet, I must say that the combat in this game is awesome. You could compare this game to Madworld, but it's really a lot deeper and more satisfying in terms of the combat. It's almost impossible to say how it feels, as it feels entirely different depending on who you're playing as, but if you're playing as Jack Cayman, the game's combat is meaty and focused on more of a brawler style, but you can play as one of the more quick and agile characters in multiplayer, which includes Bayonetta if you pre-ordered the game elsewhere. Hopefully SEGA will release Bayonetta as DLC sometime in the near future for everyone else.

As far as the graphics go, Anarchy Reigns isn't the most beautiful game or anything, but it gets the job done. Also, lip syncing doesn't sync up perfectly since the mouths animate with the Japanese VO and they just put English VO in without reanimating the mouths on the characters. The animation work, though, is spectacularly well done, and I don't want to imagine the work they put into all 16 characters.

Anarchy Reigns is a new IP that's fresh and interesting, as it offers something new to gamers who are sick and tired of the status quo. This is a ridiculously fun game that offers a meaty single player with two campaigns, an online multiplayer that isn't an FPS, and just a load of fun for anyone wanting some originality. It certainly has its comparisons to God Hand (Anarchy Reigns developers worked on this), Fist of the North Star (which hasn't had a good game), and Madworld (Same developer, one of the same main characters), but this does it so well and brings it to the online arena, allowing you to share the fun with other gamers worldwide. Bravo, Platinum Games, bravo!

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

One of the most memorable, and simultaneously one of the stupidest, games of the 1990's was Data East's "Two Crude Dudes" (known in Japan under the equally as moronic title, "Crude Buster.") It focused on two steroid-riddled macho men punching, kicking and burping their way across a post-apocalyptic wasteland. In today's gaming marketplace, a game like that wouldn't succeed. Nor would any of the other legendary 90's brawlers, with their outlandish characters, ridiculous assortment of enemies, and simplistic narratives.

But deep down, many gamers look back to the good old days when you didn't need complex moral dilemmas and yet another new, complicated RPG mechanic slapped onto a game to be great, and wish a game would come along with all the charm of yesterday and the polish of today. Platinum Games, easily one of the best developers of the past decade, has heard those wishes. Now, like a line of code from the 90's put through a contemporary processor, "Anarchy Reigns" has exploded onto the gaming landscape. If you like video games, or just like having fun, then you should pay attention.

A follow-up to 2009's fun but deeply flawed "MadWorld", Platinum's newest game once again puts you in the steel-toed boots of Jack Cayman, who has taken to haunting bars and getting into fights within the ruins of Earth. His world takes a turn for the crazy, however, when he bumps heads with a group of Russian special agents who are hunting a man who Cayman has also been pursuing. From here, he gets in all sorts of trouble, whether it's being attacked by the deranged pimp Blacker Baron from "MadWorld" (complete with his sarcastic "partner" Mathilda), or getting aided by a giant man in robotic bull armor known only as Big Bull. Despite some apprehension about whether or not this was a sequel to Jack's previous adventure from fans, let me assure you that this is a true sequel, and it expands upon him as a character more than his previous game ever did.

Aside from the follow-up to "MadWorld", players are also allowed to control pretty-boy Leo, who stars in his very own campaign. As you play through the game, you'll unlock more characters to be used in different modes, and the single-player campaign will put you in control of other characters aside from the one you picked. Anybody to say this game lacked variety on the character front would be sorely mistaken.

What really makes this game stand out isn't its story, though. While the dialogue is top-notch, and keeps you engaged between punching dudes into bloody mush, the real star of this show is the gameplay. Finally, a developer has hearkened back to what made 90's brawlers such compelling affairs. The main combos are somewhat repetitive, but it doesn't really matter when they work so well and cause devastation on an unprecedented scale. If uppercutting a guy into the air, using your motor-power arm to smash him pieces onto the pavement, then whipping out a chainsaw to dismember all of his friends sounds like something that will get old to you, then maybe this isn't the game for you. For the rest of us, the combat is rock-solid, and every punch is immensely satisfying.

If this were merely a great brawler, then it would be a recommended purchase. Platinum, always ready to please, has thrown that idea out the window and decided to combine every genre possible. There are third-person shooting missions that are so much fun, with gunplay so fast, furious and tightly controlled, that you're going to want to play them again. Then there's the racing missions, where you speed around on buggies equipped with flame-throwers, doing laps while running over dozens upon dozens of bad guys. That's not even mentioning the first-person turret sequences, and the ability to hi-jack helicopters before throwing them into the ground for a gigantic explosion. "Anarchy Reigns" decides to be a grab-bag of genres, and unlike most games with this approach (looking at you, "Yakuza: Dead Souls"), it actually works. In fact, it doesn't just work, it excels, and does better than whole games dedicated to just one of those genres.

And the best part about this? It's an open-world game. Jack and Leo run across hub worlds which aren't too cramped, but not too sprawling either. At any given time, you can be bombarded with missiles, flocked by enemies, or stampeded by several foes that are five times larger than the player character. There's even a weather system thrown into the mix, ensuring that every time you roam around the hub world, finding missions and beating up baddies, it's not going to be the same.

Another thing that makes this game special is just how well-done the side missions are. There are no tedious missions, ones that you're forced to replay just to wrack up points for the sole purpose of progressing to the next mission. You'll find yourself wanting to redo some things for a higher score, or just because you want to play them again. The aforementioned racing mission, or a mission which requires you to bash through parasites while being assaulted by a Kraken in a sunken city, come to mind. Platinum has obviously played enough open-world games to know that most side-missions are stale, cut-and-paste affairs, and even the most rudimentary ones in "Anarchy Reigns" are still a bloody good time. You can also replay them as many times as you'd like for point bonuses and such, which is an added pleasure.

These worlds are a pleasure to run around in, too, thanks to how good this game looks. The art direction fully embraces the absurd dialogue and plot points, making a post-apocalyptic dystopia that looks straight out of an early 90's Saturday morning cartoon. The character models are also great, with macho men bulging with veins, buxom ladies with curves and style, and villains that ooze pure evil. A nice little touch is that when you switch hub worlds, the enemies patrolling them change due to being affiliated with a different faction. Little touches like this make the game stand heads-and-shoulders above the rest, and coupled with the raw graphical horsepower Platinum Games has at their disposal, you're left with a game that is perpetually easy on the eyes.

Yet another positive thing about this game is the music. This isn't a "the music is very pleasing to the ears, and fits the game well" compliment, like so many typically are. No, this game has a downright exceptional score, with every mission and side mission, as well as every hub world, possessing a different song. These songs are electronica, rap and rock, predominately, and all top-notch entries into their respective genres. In fact, I'd go a step further to say that the songs from this game could be released as a stand-alone album, with no game as a companion, and do remarkably well. Don't be surprised if the songs from this are stuck in your head for months, nor if you're rocking out to them several years from today.

One little aside I'd like to point out, and this is purely subjective, is that the game is charmingly equal with its approach to the genders of characters. For every woman with double-D's in a skintight catsuit, there's a pretty boy or chiseled badass for the ladies. This seems like a weird thing to compliment a game on, but I really think it's a nice touch from a developer who was (erroneously) accused of sexism with "Bayonetta." Whether this is an answer to those moronic accusations or not, I don't know, but I do think it's pretty nice to see a studio doing this. Both genders should have some pretty faces to look at, in my opinion.

Platinum Games has taken their prowess from years of game design, incorporated elements of several genres into one package, then set them all loose in an ever-shifting open world. With loads of replay value, tons of multiplayer modes, and an always-peaked level of action, "Anarchy Reigns" takes everything we loved about cheesy 90's games and cartoons, then matches them with a game that can stand head-and-shoulders next to current AAA-caliber titles. It's a triumphant return from one of gaming's elite studios, and you owe it to yourself to play it.

Story: 9 (Zany and ridiculous, but intentionally so.)

Gameplay: 10 (Several genres at once, all executed brilliantly, with two campaigns)

Graphics: 9 (Ripped out of a Saturday morning cartoon, and look effing great)

Music: 10 (A bunch of top-notch entries into a bunch of genres)

Overall: 9.5 (A truly exceptional game, and a great start to 2013)

Buy Anarchy Reigns Now

i love this game and and normally i would have given it 4 stars out of 5 because of the single player aspect but they really tried to deliver a good story line which isn't that bad except for the up and down difficultly of single player so missions will be super easy and others are godly hard with no progression between two or nothing leading up to it. however there whole points system to get from one mission to the next needs to be reworked so you can do missions back to back. now for the pros this game has one of the best multiplayers for a fighter that i have ever seen if you like the power stone series this is for you because it reminds me so much of power stone and i been dying for another game like power stone. they have several moods that will keep you and your friends entertained. that being said this is a must buy!!!! even if you just want to check it out its at a good price so why not buy it. its the best 30 i spent on a game in a long time and i'm hoping this isn't one of those great games that fly under the radar each year and people pick it up years later like this is a great game

Read Best Reviews of Anarchy Reigns Here

For those looking for deep and well thought out story and single-player game, my advice is to look elsewhere. Anarchy Reigns is a multi-player game masquerading as a something more, trust me it is not. The single-player campaign is tacked on and merely used to familiarize yourself with the controls and to unlock the additional characters for the numerous multi-player modes within and should be completed in 6-10 hours. However, Anarchy Reigns is filled with colorful and over the top characters, hilarious cut scene dialog, and more violence than an 80's action flick. Controls are simple (maybe too simple) but enjoyable, the graphics will much to be desired, there is no local multi-player (online only) confusingly, and the single-player with as story seemed like it was written in under 2 hrs on someone's fan fiction page.

However, I enjoyed it every step of the way. Anarchy Reigns will not make any website's top 10 list for 2013, but it is a good good guilty pleasure. For its price $29.99 it makes no apologies for not being a flagship title and should be enjoyed in its own right.

Want Anarchy Reigns Discount?

I must said that this is the great beat' em up game i ever played since Streets of rage. Similar to Mad world except it going to the next level and deeper, It have a good Campaign & great multiplayer. The Campaign have two side of the story, you either the black side or white side with different story and different characters you encounter and unlock for the multiplayer and training mode which is cool. Also beware in mulitplayer, if you go into multiplayer for the first time, you will get alot of beating but as you keep playing the game and train your character of your choice, your get better at it and you will enjoy the multiplayer not to mention that there it ton of multiplayer modes too including Death ball, tag team deathmatch, survival, dogfight (If you pre order it at gamestop, if not probably release it as a DLC), etc. The multiplayer is like a mix of various of games i play including: Madworld, Super Smash Brother, Power Stone, Fist Of the North Star, some Vanquish (by some characters, not the gameplay) and God Hand. And also for the one who wonder how the gameplay is in Anarchy Reigns, go on youtube and look up "Super Best Friends Brawl: Anarchy Reigns" i hope it help you all out and this is how i heard of this game and probably i heard of it before the video upload. Overall, buy this game, it fun, great multiplayer, and good amount of character you can play as and it only 29$, now that a steal right there especially the people who like Madworld and God Hand, which i play both myself and enjoy it.

Btw if the you hear major critics like gamespot review this game and said that "there is no move list for the character in the pause menu" or something like that, it a simple, button mashing, beat' em up game not a serious fighting game get it right, there a move list on training mode depend on character you play as.

Read More >>

PS3 - Charger - Energizer Charge Station For Controllers (PDP)

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

I have owned two of these ("fool me twice"). After a few months (or less), they begin to become "positional", they only charge when the controller is positioned exactly. After a short whiled they cease to charge at all.

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

this is good if u have more than one controller but still good to have. I have the slim 160gb blacks ops bundle ps3 it only has 2 usb ports.

Buy PS3 - Charger - Energizer Charge Station For Controllers (PDP) Now

Read More >>

Catherine

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $19.08
Today's Bonus: 36% Off

***This Review is Spoiler Free***

***I won't reveal anything that has not been revealed in the official trailers***

Roger Ebert wrote in his blog: "I remain convinced that in principle, video games cannot be art." Although it would be easy to bash him for his hypocrisy (he defended movies when people said they would never be an art form), the truth is he is old and out of touch with video games. I say unequivocally, that video games have surpassed movies as an art form, and Catherine is just one example why.

OVERVIEW:

First thing to note, this game is ALL about the the storyline and interactions between the 3 main characters. There is a strange love-triangle between Vincent, Katherine, and Catherine. Vincent has been with Katherine for years, and is he happy? Does he want to stay with Katherine forever? A beautiful woman (Catherine) stumbles into his life, and he begins to ponder about his life. Vincent is 32 years old. This should resonate with many people who grew up in the 80s (the original "Nintendo generation"), since today most will be in their early to mid 30s. He is not married (this also resonates with many people, since today more than ever, people are not getting married until their 30s or later), has a steady girlfriend, has a job, and is actually an intelligent and sensitive guy. When Catherine shows up, he really begins to ponder his relationships and his life.

STORYLINE:

You control Vincent, and the way you interact with people has a definite outcome to the ending of the game. Will you spend your free time at the bar with your friends, or go home early? How will you respond to Katherine's and Catherine's texts? How will you interact with people in general? All your actions mean something (as in real life), and will affect the world around you! This storyline, and you determine how it will end, is told through gorgeous cartoon-like scenes, and everything is fully voiced by professional voice actors who did a fantastic job! The dialogue is mature, well written, funny, and fairly realistic. The problems you (Vincent) and other people face, is (for the most part) very real. Who has reached their 30s and has never had relationship issues? Who does not from time to time ponder how their life is going and would they be more happy if...? However, the game is not just a melodrama. It also beautifully combines horror and humor! The dialogue as I said is very well written and funny. Even during "frightening" moments, the dialogue can make you laugh out loud. The dialogue also makes you think, but let's talk about the horror aspect. To discuss this, lets also talk about the meat of the game.

GAMEPLAY:

The core of this game is a platform-puzzle. It takes place during Vincent's nightmares. During these stages you have to reach the top of a structure formed from blocks. First, the game has been criticized for it's difficulty. I played the game on the "Easy" setting, and for the most part it is fairly straightforward. You certainly will die (quite often) even on Easy (at least the first time you play the game), however it is not frustrating. In fact, ATLUS USA toned down the difficulty level, so that Easy for North American costumers is substantially easier than the original Japanese release. However, if you are still worried about the difficulty, ATLUS even includes a "very easy" option! I have not yet played the game on Normal, but I am certain it will be MUCH more difficult than Easy, and there is in fact a Hard level of difficulty... which will likely be quite the challenge! Anyway, the point is, do not worry too much, since you will certainly be able to get through the game. Now then, about the platforming, as I said, you need to climb. You climb a series of blocks which you can push or pull to open up paths. A simple premise, but there is a lot of skill and variety involved. There are numerous ways to reach the top, and the faster you climb the higher your score (your score has no affect on the storyline and is for bragging purposes only). This game requires thinking! If you enjoy puzzle games, you will likely enjoy this game. When you first play, the controls may seem a bit awkward, for instance, sometimes you'll find you pushed a block when you did not mean to do so, because the controls are so sensitive. It's OK, ATLUS has included an "undue" feature! You can undue your moves quickly, and try again, with no penalty! This "undue" feature is available for the Easy and Normal modes. Now then, is the puzzle-part of the game actually fun? Yes, very fun. However, if you do not enjoy puzzle games, then you should skip this game. For everyone else, welcome!

MUSIC:

I LOVE the music in this game! It's a combination of soothing jazz, with arrangements of classic music. The music really hits the spot, and in my opinion is perfect. If you enjoy "fantasy" music (either in games or movies), then I think you will very much enjoy the music here. When the action gets fierce (and it does), the classical music also gets fierce (yes, you'll be surprised, classical music can be fierce)! When you reach the top, and have survived the nightmare, you will be rewarded with Handel's Messiah (and it sounds great)! All the classical music is arranged, which means that this is NOT the "normal" arrangements that you can purchase online or listen to at a performance. The arrangements were specifically made for this game, and not only are they lovely and catchy, but you get a FREE CD SOUNDTRACK of these arrangements if you pre-ordered the game (I believe every first print of the game comes with an artbook and soundtrack)!

MATURE CONTENT:

You probably noticed that I did not talk much about graphics. The reason being that you have likely already seen the trailers and know what the graphics are like. They are beautiful. However, you should NOT purchase this game for the graphics. You SHOULD purchase this game if you want a game with a deep, original, and fascinating storyline. The game does not hold back on the mature content. However, keep in mind that mature content does NOT mean pornographic material! I will say this once: other than a bit of cleavage and maybe a buttocks, THERE IS NO NUDITY HERE! This game is NOT "Leisure Suit Larry", your goal is NOT to score! If you're a teenage boy (either physically or mentally) and you just want to play this game because 'Catherine is hot... oh yeah... hot' then you are going to be very disappointed. Vincent is a mature man, and the game ultimately asks just one question: What is love? There is nothing more mature in art and literature, then the question of love.

PROS:

+++Original and thought-provoking storyline that is superbly presented! THIS IS INTERACTIVE ART!

+++Beautiful graphics, and fantastic music!

+++Top notch voice acting!

+++Various difficulty levels so everyone can finish the game!

+++Different endings depending on YOUR choices!

+++Humor and horror combined in a wonderful way that few games can match!

+++If you get a first print of the game, you get a free artbook and SOUNDTRACK!

CONS:

-Well, the game is relatively short (first time through will be 10-20 hours). However, with different endings and difficulty levels (as well as multiplayer) you can come back for more!

-MSRP is $60. That's quite a bit. The price will definitely go down. However, you might not get the soundtrack (which would be a shame). Honestly, this is $60 very well spent, and if you get it for less, even better (but trust me, you want this soundtrack :)

BOTTOM LINES:

Are you looking for something original, fresh, with a storyline and characters that most men AND women in their 30s can really relate to? Something with beautiful animated cut-scenes, fantastic music, and a mature storyline that is NOT about saving the world? In that case, welcome to Catherine! Catherine is the latest example of how video games can make us think, laugh, and even get teary-eyed. This is a true work of art!

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

I got the Special Edition in the mail yesterday. Amazon rocks! So I put it in and... 7 hours later I'm still playing it and only stopped cause I had to go to sleep. This game is amazing. Right now I'm at stage 6, level 2. (There are 8 stages). It may seem too short but it has multiple endings and a lot of re-playability.

Graphics: I don't like Anime. Let me repeat. I'm DO NOT LIKE ANIME. I don't hate it, i just don't care for it. But this game looks beautiful. It actually makes me sorta like Anime more. But overall, the graphics look beautiful.

Music: If you've played Persona 3 then you will know some of the songs here. The music works very well. In the nightmare stages the music fits when the stage has a foe chasing you and when it's more a stage to get you used to the new stage elements that have been introduced.

Story: Here is where the game shines the most. You play Vincent who is having nightmares every night. At the same time, he is being pressured by his long time girlfriend, Katherine, to take their relationship to the next step. And on top of this, another girl, Catherine, is seducing him and trying to take him for her own. Now he is caught in a web of lies, secrets and guilt. Every time you pass a nightmare sequence you wake up to more drama in his real life. It's very engaging.

Gameplay: I really hate to call the nightmare sequences "puzzles" cause it sorta makes it less than what it is. These are Vincents nightmares. He has to climb to the top of these evil towers to escape so as to not die in real life. So the tower begins to fall down as you start climb, or there some huge monster chasing you. Everything in the dreams is connected to his real life in some way. There is more I would like to say to make sense of the sheep you see on the cover, but I don't want to spoil anything.

You are given questions to answer here and there throughout the game that determine the direction the story will go for you. The game has multiple endings and difficulties and medals you can get depending on how fast you climb the towers. So you can get a lot of game play out of it.

Overall, I love this game. I think it is pure genius. The issues that it addresses are very relate-able and really suck you into the story.

The Special Edition comes with just a pillow case, not an actual pillow by the way. The Special Edition isn't really all that worth the extra $20 in my opinion but this game is so special i just HAD to have it so I don't regret it. There hasn't been a game like this in a long time. I'm VERY impressed with how well they pulled off this whole concept and made a very VERY fun game.

If you are hesitant on this game, then try the demo. But i will warn you, the demo doesn't really do a great job in tying in the nightmare sequences with the story so you may get the wrong idea. Also the nightmare parts are a lot more complicated once you play the full game, and they get really creative, fun...and HARD. If you can rent the game, that would be best. But I would say if you like it, to go ahead and buy it. It's one of the few games out there that is worth full price in my opinion.

Buy Catherine Now

Catherine is unique, I'll give it that. But although it's slick it's one of the most frustrating games I have ever played. From the creators of Persona and Digital Devil Saga, we have what feels like a dating sim game crossed with a platform puzzle game. You play as Vincent, a guy having a personal crisis about committing fully to a relationship with his girlfriend. At the same time he is suffering bizarre nightmares about climbing never ending staircases, and then waking up with a naked mystery blonde in his bed!

The gameplay of Catherine is very, very simple. During the day you play Vincent in a bar, drinking with his friends. The bar is the only playable area of the game (apart from the nightmares) and it's only one room, with conversation options that pop up with people as you walk about. You never play as Vincent at any other time of day. When you decide you've had enough of the bar, you can go home. Once you decide to leave, the other half of the gameplay kicks in...Vincent goes home to sleep and the nightmares begin. In these dreams Vincent has but a single task: to climb an immense staircase made of square blocks. Well, it's not really a staircase because the puzzle is that the blocks can be pulled and pushed and you have to work out how to make an initially unscaleable surface or pile of blocks climbable, so that you can reach the top and end the nightmare.

So why do I think this game is painful? Because these dream stages are so freakin' difficult! I ended up screaming, wailing and jumping out of my chair far more often than I care to remember. Ok that's an overstatement, but be warned if you like brain teasers you'll be delirious, but if that's not your forte, "Catherine" can be almost unbearably challenging. The reason it's so hard is that the block puzzles require you to think predictively, logically, and fast. That last one is the killer. There's no luxury of contemplation, because in the dream, you must climb steadily and quickly as the bottom rows of the staircase fall away beneath you at a constant rate and if you're too slow you fall off with them and thats Game Over. Well you get retries, but these are NOT unlimited, and the main menu is not what you want to keep seeing. So things start off simple, but very soon the puzzles become quite tricky, and then they become more challenging, and then they become maddeningly difficult. As they get worse, the game designers throw more evil at you in the form of trick blocks that crack and explode, make you slide off the edge, or kill you with sudden spikes. And every few levels there is a boss, in the form of a giant ..creature that attacks you as you climb and rips away blocks as you scrabble to get higher. As a result I can tell you, that the end of some stages will be a blessed relief, but for me it was not a sense of achievement I felt, but relief at knowing I would never have to go through it again.

I should of course praise the game designers for having successfully designed such a devilishly difficult game, but, well maybe people who play for distraction and entertainment don't need their challenges to be quite this...punishing.

So in short, you have to like the block puzzles because that really is the entire game. Outside of this, the "plot" part of the game (Vincent's real life) is as weak as dishwater. Vincent is a loser with no charm or ambition. As his girlfriend Katherine berates him about not being serious he sweats and fidgets like a spineless worm, even going into full scale meltdown when she tells him she wants to start a family. It's actually quite pathetic to watch. Equally loopy are Vincents encounters with the mysterious blonde babe Catherine, who he can't be man enough to dump even though there's obviousy something a bit psycho about her. The whole plot revolves around helping Vincent come to his senses and make the right decision but he's so dumb I really didn't care about him. Some of this is due to the really terrible script, in which you hear the kind of dialogue they only seem to write for video games, along the lines of: "Vincent, you've been acting really weird lately", "Vincent what are you talking about? I don't understand you?" and the classic "Won't someone just explain to me exactly what is going on?" All of which happens in the bar and the lines of dialogue are little more than cliches tossed about to fill enough screentime inbetween the nightmare stages.

The design of the game is drawn anime style, totally flat (and actually quite poorly drawn) in the cut scenes, quite nicely cel-shaded in the bar, and full blown 3D in the nightmares. The best looking part of the game is the nightmares by a long shot, although they always look pretty similar (wall of blocks, always from the same angle), but the bosses are great, really fun to watch..if you can appreciate this while desperately trying to climb away from them!

So my bottom line is, there were times when I absolutely HATED playing this game. It's quite hard to recommend, you really need a masochistic streak to keep coming back to it and trying to solve the puzzle stages, but there are sure to be a few people that eat it up. The final few levels are insane, although I have a tip for you, in that things peak in difficulty at about 75% of the way through the game, and then actually feel easier as the last stages are more about speed and dodging attacks than solving seemingly impossible climbs. But it IS difficult, and when I finally finished it (I admit a couple of tricky moments meant I had no choice but to turn to the internet for clues, but the final chapter was all my own doing), I thought to myself: "Thank God that is finally over!!"

Is that the kind of feeling you want to have as you watch the closing credits of any game? Up to you!

Read Best Reviews of Catherine Here

In a video game market so oversaturated with sequels and remakes, it's so hard to find retail releases that dare to try something new. Catherine is one of those few games that you don't know what to expect since the gameplay mechanics are so unlike anything else. Having something go outside the mold of what games are supposed to be is so refreshing.

GAMEPLAY

The game is primarily a combination of 2 games: a dating/relationship simulation and a block puzzle game. The general formula is cutscene(s) mixed with dating sim then going to sleep and doing 2-3 block puzzles in the nightmare mode.

The block puzzles involve moving blocks to get to the top of a long platform. The bottom of the tower is constantly falling or something else happens at the bottom that limits the time you have to complete the puzzle. The blocks vary from ordinary blocks to blocks that will shoot spikes at you if you step on them for too long. Occasionally you can find or buy power up items that can create a new block, allow you to climb two blocks at one, and other useful things. The mechanics of the puzzles and powerups allow for many different techniques to create pathways to get up the tower. You are scored based off of how fast you get up the tower and how many moves you make.

The dating sim part of the game involves around the main character who is traversing these block puzzles in his sleep. Inbetween nightmares the main character will make choices about his relationship such as if he wants to cheat, does he want to have a serious relationship, and other important decisions a man must decide fo himself. These choices are made through conversations with other characters, your choices in responses in your cell phone, and how you choose to respond to certain events in the game. All of your decisions affect the morality meter that affects both the story and the endings of the game.

STORY (Spoiler Free)

The story centers on Vincent (the player character) and his relationship with his girlfriend Katherine. The relationship between the two is starting to move toward the point of having to make serious decisions about what the future of their relationship will be. Vincent has to decide for himself whether to take the relationship to the next level or not and most of the conflict in the game revolves around this core question. Whenever vincent and other men fall asleep at night they have nightmares of climbing a huge tower in a hellish world. One man has apparently died in his sleep but is it coincidence or related to the nightmares?

The story of this game pulled me in and had me hooked from the start and will keep you glued to your TV throughout the game. The story is very mature, intense and extremely entertaining. The voice acting on all the characters is top notch even for the minor characters and they do an excellent job at making the characters believable.

WHO WILL ENJOY THIS GAME?

The gameplay is very different from most games out there so while i personally love this game, I can see this not being for everyone. If you are the type of person who loves puzzles, loves anime, or loves games that are unique this game is an instant buy for you. For all other gamers I recommend looking at gameply videos, trying the demo, and deciding for yourself if this is something you could take a risk on an try to enjoy. If you're willing to take a chance on a game that is outside your comfort zone, you may end up being highly rewarded.

I give this game a big thumbs up!

Review from Dan's Gaming Stream

Want Catherine Discount?

Hands down, Catherine is one of the most original and visually appealing mature games released this Summer of 2011. The presentation is absolutely gorgeous and the serious theme of morality is a welcome and refreshing change compared to usual violent video games of this generation. Unfortunately, the gameplay is not for everyone and while the story is very entertaining, the overall unbalanced pacing of the game can turn some gamers off.

The main attraction of the game is its puzzles and while they gradually differ as you gain new techniques and fight different bosses, the sad reality is, your first puzzle is not very different from the final puzzle. To balance out the puzzles are what I call "social" parts of the game where you can interact with other characters in the bar and further develop the excellent story. In order to further immerse players into the game, a mixture of anime and the unique cel-shaded graphics are used throughout to move the game along.

But is the game fun? For me, not really. I completed the Japanese version when it came out on February 2011 and just finished the US version a short while ago. I appreciate the fact that Atlus and the Persona team continue to evolve and develop such original games but this was not my cup of tea. For everyone else, play it for yourself and hopefully you understand why this is one of the most original and refreshing games to come out in a very long time.

Read More >>

eForCity Dual Charge Station with Stand

Customer Ratings:
List Price: Price Unavailable
Sale Price: $10.55
Today's Bonus:

great price exact same thing in local store for like 50 dollars product works great I would recommend this for anyone with a ps3

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

great product it came fast and looks great most people ask me where did i get itwhen in charging the stand has a red glow then turns blue when done wonderful....

Buy eForCity Dual Charge Station with Stand Now

Does not work. It's worthless. At least the cable that it comes with charges the controller when you connect it to the ps3.

Read Best Reviews of eForCity Dual Charge Station with Stand Here

I looked at best buy sears , ect and they all wanted over double what I paid and its the same dam thing in fact its even better cause it only costs 12$ Haha big stores I win this thing is great for my ps3 controllers even lights up a cool blue thanks amazon

Want eForCity Dual Charge Station with Stand Discount?

it works well just like it states i like how if your controller is dying and you plug it into the charger station is red and when its about to be fully charge it blinks red and blue then a solid blue. Its a little tricky to plug in the controllers its not much space for the two controllers.

Read More >>

Eye of Judgment Bundle with Game, PS3 Eye

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $99.99
Sale Price: $32.72
Today's Bonus: 67% Off

If you are into trading card games like Magic: The Gathering, or other TCG's then this game is for you! It came out early in the PS3 life cycle and was unfortunately passed over by most. The basic gist of the game is you use your monsters to take control of the majority of the 3x3 board. Each square has a different element that can either help or hinder or outright destroy your monster (if it's a opposing element to the type of monster you summon onto it.) You then defend each square with your spells and use your monsters to attack other squares to hopefully gain the advantage. The gimmick of the game is that the monsters and the battles are all played out on the screen via the PlayStation Eye camera. Each card has specific markings on it so the camera knows what it's looking at. The added visualizations on the screen are really cool! Though if you want to speed up game play the length of animations can be turned down to your liking or turned off completely. As of now the multiplayer servers have been shut off, but the game is still fun to play locally with friends. The cards aren't sold in stores anymore either but can easily be found on eBay or Amazon.com, and for the most part they aren't overly expensive either. I only own 5 of the pre-built theme decks that I scored off of Amazon.com from anywhere between $9.99 and $11.99. Not to bad. In closing I have a lot of fun with this game that is fairly cheap to get into. It's great fun to have people over and play.

Click Here to Read More Reviews >>

I have wanted to get my hands on this game ever since I heard about it, back in 2006. Alas, I was in the U.S.M.C and was too busy to really play video games. Once my schedule became a little more open I ended up buying an Xbox 360 because all of my friends had one. Only now do I have a PS3 and honestly I am happy to have this game. It is amazing. After updating to the latest version of the game, 3.0, I sat down and jumped right in. The mat is actually cloth so there were some issues with the creases making hills and giving the PS Eye as hard time of reading the cards but I ironed that problem right out and now I can say that I play the game with little to no hitches. Te animations are crisp and really cool, the sound and music is pretty sick, (a little to heavy metal for my taste), and the cards are cool. The game has a steep learning curve but once you break through that barrier it is quite complex and intuitive.

Buy Eye of Judgment Bundle with Game, PS3 Eye Now

original package...so its new....very nicely packed for delivery.now i just need to open the box a play my new card game....thank u ....

Read Best Reviews of Eye of Judgment Bundle with Game, PS3 Eye Here

The game is just amazing and the package I got it in was a steal. The box arrived a little damaged but the content was safe from harm.

Want Eye of Judgment Bundle with Game, PS3 Eye Discount?

So I bought this game for a friend of mine for christmas so we could play it over the internet because he moved away. but come to find out sony doesn't support this game anymore. so if you have put hundreds of dollars into this game it's pretty much a waste because you can't play it online anymore.

Read More >>