Universal Wireless Guitar

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Finally, a guitar that works with any game! It worked great with PS2 and Wii. I don't have PS3 and haven't tried XBOX yet, but so far it is better than sliced bread!

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Star Trek

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I don't know...I hoped for better. It's not completely bad, but there is absolutely nothing ground breaking or unique here.

I'm a fan of the 2009 JJ flick, I'm a huge Trek fan overall, and a casual gamer. I was really looking forward to this. In fact, I've been waiting quite a long time (as many of us have) for a really great Star Trek game...especially given we've had to endure the likes of Shattered Universe, Legacy, Conquest, and games of that nature for so long. Having the current regime involved in the creation of this game really did give me hope.

Right off the bat, I can say that I enjoyed the first "Elite Force" MUCH more than this, overall.

The good: Plot/story, voice casting

The not-so-good: Pretty much everything else, lol...sorry. Graphics/CG are not really at a high level here. It's sort of high end PS2/low end PS3 quality. Controls and combat are clunky. There are a fair amount of software glitches (Gorn aliens stuck in a wall, Spock kinda walking above the ground, that kind of thing). I guess after putting so much time into Drake's Fortune/Red Dead Redemption and games of this nature that are very immersive as far as gameplay and graphics, this game really comes off flat to me. And a part of me is annoyed that this was allowed to happen and get released like this, especially given the anticipation surrounding the next movie.

And yet, I can't say it's completely "awful". It's not. I fully admit that having these characters, voiced by the real actors, makes it kinda sorta playable. It mainly involves shooting, combined with puzzle solving involving your tricorder. So...to each his/her own, I guess. In hindsight, I might have waited for more reviews and not spent $60 on this as a new release. Not worth it. So, the wait for a truly great ST game continues for me.

Perhaps LEGO Star Trek swoops in to save us? I actually think that might be the way to go moving ahead. Say what you will, but the Lego games are an awesome format. I think it would work.

Anyway--have fun, everyone. FWIW

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The game was quite a bit of fun. After finishing it, I do plan to play it again at least 1 more time. I was also surprised that the game was as long as it is. I do feel like I got my money's worth out of it considering I payed $60 on it. I see no reason for a Star Trek fan not to buy this for only $40 now.

I enjoyed reading the items you can find in game, and hunting for audio logs is addictive. The writing for the audio logs are quite dull and don't really add anything new to the game, but the information about race traits and weaponry is interesting enough, since they are written in a creative way. I also caught myself with a smile on my face from time to time during some of the more exciting missions.

The cover system works enough to use it, however moving from location to location under cover is a bit too awkward to use the way it was intended. I found myself just using "stealth" to move around and using cover only when there were quite a bit of enemies directly in front of me.

Enemy AI had enough variety in it to add variety to encounters. Some mobs would hide and take pot shots, others would just lumber towards you spraying their weapons, while others would try to rush you while your under cover.

I have 3 gripes with the game: Firt, I wish they could have made the tricorder give more misc. data about things in the world. Right off the bat I wanted to scan Spock's harp or check out some things in the environment. However, the tricorder seemed a bit too limited (Trekkies especially love their random anecdotes). My second gripe is the lack of an instruction manual. When I looked it up on line, it was only 2 or 3 pages long. I don't see why a manual that small could not be included in a game that cost me $60. My last gripe is the biggest one. The texture detail in the game is very low for a PS3. I realized that all of my games with the 3D icon on front have very poor texture detail. I don't believe that a game should look bad for the sake of the vast minority of gamers that utilize a 3D monitor. From now on, I will think twice about any game with 3D support for that very reason.

I should say that I did not run into any bugs in game, for which I am extremely grateful. Namco Bandai seems to be doing pretty good with releasing working games. I did have an AI issue playing solo. Spock continued to walk face first into the same wall until I restarted from the last save point. However, in this day and age of buggy games, I don't consider this 1 small issue worth complaining about.

I would be very excited if the game had DLC sometime in the future. I get a feeling that that will not happen, but I would be very happy if I were proven wrong.

Although I enjoyed the game solo, I can only expect the game to be an even better experience if you have a friend over who enjoys the genre too.

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I was really looking forward for this game. I was hoping you would be able to sit in the captains chair and command the Enterprise in battle. There is one battle scene and its short. The graphics are ok. The voices of the characters done by the actors from the movie is a plus. If it wasnt Star Trek I would probably have rated it much lower. Im also tired of games you finish in a day. Hopefully the next installment will use the Enterprise more. Who doesnt want to sit in the Captains chair and order photon torpedoes? I guess I would rate this 2 and 1/2 stars. If you are a Star Trek fan there is enough to keep you interested. If not dont bother.

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I was skeptical about this game. I rented it for a day and decided I'd find out if it was a bomb or a win. Well, I started playing it at 3 pm and finished around 7 am. I was able to complete it in that time and I wasn't forcing myself to play, I was hooked (though the initial levels were def. the least fun, the game builds momentum).

For me, it was a story and I had to see what would happen and how it would end. Controls seemed unimpressive at first, but by midnight . . . everything was second nature.

Pros:

1) It really felt like a mini movie or a TV episode or something. I like both classic and Abrams Trek. I want more of the Chris Pine cast and this was a little bonus beyond the 2 movies that have been made. I am really impressed with how some effort was made to include a ref. from this game into the new movie. It makes the game feel more "real."

2) Like the new movies, this game takes from the old show and alters it but at the same time pays homage to the basics. Some loyalists to classic trek may complain, but I love these moments where something is similar and different at the same time.

3) I felt the game made good use of star trek technology and science. I liked how the tricorder functioned (its very similar to Batman's "detective mode" from the Arkham games). I liked collecting samples of fauna, alien dna, etc. I think it's good that they remember that Trek is about exploring (and studying what is found).

4) I'd read that the A.I. is bad. I didn't find that to be the case. It seemed like some of the best A.I. I've ever played around. I played as Kirk and Spock was an A.I. partner. Spock wasn't in my way, which is what I dread most about A.I. in games. He was good at avoiding getting shot at and he even blasted quite a few enemies for me (that really impressed me, I am used to the computer character basically being dead weight, not the case here, this computer makes the effort).

Cons:

1) Stuff does get repetitive. You can expect to "pry doors" a lot with the same lines exchanged between characters over and over. The good news is that these sort of things make it easy to "summon" your partner when he is off somewhere else.

2) The dialogue is a bit rough at times, but it's good at times too. But hey, it's a video game. It's just cool that they have all the actual actors in this!

3) Maybe the graphics aren't quite top of the line. But I did catch myself thinking, at times, that things looked a lot like one of the movies during moments where I was in control of the character.

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When I got this one I wasn't sure to expect. I had seen some reviews that said the game was ok (actual reviews, not the ones faked by the dev team), and others that put this on the board as yet another terrible movie tie in game. When I started playing I actually found myself enjoying the game. I wasn't plagued by some of the bad AI problems that some people were complaining, though there were a couple times when the AI controlled character didn't help me shoot some of the enemies as much as I wanted it to. The Enemy AI is ok if a little basic (it's a bit improved on the hard difficulty), usually sticking to finding a piece of cover and shooting at you from that cover the whole time never changing positions, trying to flank you, or rushing headlong into you. I did find that the controls to interact with certain objects did feel clunky at times, but overall handle fairly well. The definite saving grace was that I actually thought the story was fairly well written, and it was nice to have all the main actors from the movies come back to voice their characters, and actually deliver some enjoyable performances. Furthermore it is a new and unique story meant to take place between the reboot film and the new Into Darkness. I will say that the short segment where you control the Enterprise was disappointing and graphics aren't as good on the console versions as they are on PC. I recommend buying this at $40 or under.

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XCOM: Enemy Unknown

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XCOM:EU is a great game. I played the original and many other strategy games in the past. This is a full, long review. It may have minor spoilers. I will cover as much as possible. I give Objective reviews whenever I can, not Subjective. I will state my personal opinions when I can. This review may be more subjective for me as I really like this game.Bear in mind XCOM:EU has immense replayability as long as you like turn-based tactical battles. The strategy base part of the game is awesome as well.

Graphics

Unreal engine, but they spent a lot of time on the graphics and they look terrific! Only a few minor glitches here or there. The Deco DLC is awesome, not yet available as of this writing (it was a preorder bonus).

Sound

The sound is good, with voices for the soldiers. The music is not as eerie as in the original game, but it is still very good. When aliens are being fought the music picks up for the action. Very nice sound.

Early thoughts

The game is pretty solid, I only had one freeze up for the PS3. The base is very cool, and tactical is as good as ever. Bear in mind, the official Strategy Guide is NOT going to give tactical training! You need to become a good player by playing and figuring out the strategies, that is why it is called a STRATEGY Game. I will give a few tips where I can. I beat this game in two days, took roughly 24 hours, and I missed a lot of sleep.

Difficulty Easy/Normal or Classic/Impossible?

If you are new to this type of game, and especially to XCOM in general, I suggest at least Easy mode. On Easy mode there will be less threat to deal with and more special missions to help you. Also, the alien timetable will be a little longer, so you will have an extra monther or so before fighting the toughest monsters. Aliens are not easier to fight though, they have the same health and stats as Normal mode.

On Normal mode it took me 8 game months to win. I lost one country early on, Germany, mainly because South Africa asked for a Satellite they really did not need. Normal mode is just that, nothing differrent. This level of difficulty is the most fun in my opinion.

Classic and Imposiible difficulties really crank up the action. More enemies in missions and all the aliens get upgraded. Most get +10 Aim (they hit you easier), +10 Defense (-10 for you to hit them), and extra health. Even Thin Men will have 4 to 6 health, not 3. This means Grenades are no longer 100% to get kills. Less starting funds, Start with only one base facility (Satellite Uplink), More enemies, countries give fewer scientists/engineers.

Accessory slot

You get one accessory slot. The Support soldier can eventually have two. What should you bring to the battle? Early on you have no choice Grenades. Useful especially if you are new to XCOM style tactical battle. To be honest, this is the ONLY time I use grenades.

Scope or Grenade or Nano-fiber/Chitin Armor?

Scope. Scope. Scope! Once you get the Scope, you should seriously think about all soldiers having one. Nano-fiber armor gives +2 armor, VERY useful early in the campaign when you only have Body armor (+1 armor), as Nano-Fiber's +2 gives a total of +3 armor and -maykeep a soldier out of the infirmary when hit by Sectoid/Thin Man pistol fire, although critical hits may still happen. Chitin armor is rare to acquire, and I use it on Assault soldiers. With the best standard armor and Chitin armor my Assault can have 9 life + 14 armor, which when combined with the Assault's Extra Conditioning skill will give a total of 27 health in combat.

Scope or Mind Shield?

Mind Shields are hard to get and thus rare, but take them in the Final Mission for your low-Will soldiers as much as possible.

Early Moves

Early in the game you need to concentrate on gettng as many satellites up as possible. This will hopefully lower Alert levels in the country the satellite is deployed and will increase your monthly income. Countries covered will also give scientists and/or engineers per month. When deploying satellites, alert levels are Top Priority, not the continent or credit bonus of the country. Save your satellites until near the end of the month to help respond to Alien alert activity. This is very important as it will allow you to have the most flexibility to repond to Alert levels.

The Alien Containment facility can wait. In my opinion, this facility is best built much later in the game. It takes up energy and resources better used for satellite facilities.

Workshops are neccessary to raise your engineer numbers, but only so you can build more satellite uplinks. Laboratories are nearly useless, unless playing on higher difficulty settings, then they are useful because research speeds are much longer.

One power generator + one thermal generator + one elerium generator, placed all in a row, will give enough power for the whole game.

All facilities get the +1 bonus if placed next to each other, either horizontally or vertically.

SQUAD

My squad typically has 1 Support, 1 Assault, 2 Heavy and 2 Sniper. This is what I use but other players favor Assault more. Your squad composition is up to you.

Support

The weakest offensive unit but the most relied on for support. Eventually can have 3 Medikits. NOTE: All soldiers can carry a medikit as an accessory!

Assault

Total offense. I believe making the first enemy reaction shot miss is best, that way you can lead with this offensive tank. Can have up to 27 health, Awesome.

Heavy

I always go for +100% damage against Robots. VERY useful when facing the tough robot enemies. I also like Shredder Rocket and 2 Rockets. The capability to take 2 shots in a row is also very nice.

Sniper

I like Squad Sight as it allows me to shoot at anything the squad sees. Less useful with Hover armor, but still a good skill. Double Tap is also awesome. I do not prefer the Sniper that can move and shoot, so I take +2 pistol damage.

Tactical Battles

Stay together but not all grouped up. If you can't Dash from one side of the formation to the other you are too far apart. Use two mini-squads of support/heavy/sniper and assault/heavy/sniper (different depending on your choice of soldiers or if main soldiers are in the infirmary). When getting ready to enter a doorway, have each mini-squad stand to the SIDE of the doors, never IN FRONT. You could try it the other way but there are certain encounters that may end Very Bad. Take high percentage shots. Sometimes the game will make you miss No Matter What, that's just the way it is.

Move forward slowly! Use Overwatch as much as possible! Almost never Dash to move forward, and only Dash when near 100% certain the coast is clear. I cannot stress this enough. Tactical battles are long, patient affairs.

Use cover as often as you can! Although soldiers in full cover can still be hit, get as much defense as you can. Defensive bonuses make it harder to get hit, and you need every advantage you can acquire.

Interceptors

Emp or Plasma? Well, there are two ships you will encounter that are Main Story ships. No matter what you do, these ships will still have a good complement of soldiers. You can always get more artefacts from other missions, squad survivability is paramount so go with Plasma or the late tech Interceptor weapon. Use the EMP until you get Plasma or Fusion.

Grey Market

Almost everything you bring back from battle is useful. Only sell useless items on the Grey Market. Do not sell corpses as almost all have a use. Eventually some can be sold. Early in the campaign it is ok to sell some things, but usually unwise. For example, in my current game I have 4 UFO Power sources and 4 Navigations left. I built several key units and have no more real need for these items. However, they would be needed if I lost Firestorms. And these numbers are for most of the game! If I had sold any of these items I would not have been able to build all the stuff I needed. Therefore, Be Carefull selling on the Grey Market!

OVERALL

XCOM:EU is a great game. I am certain I may not have included everything I wanted, but this review is very long. I hope it all helps.

I LOVE THIS GAME!

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I remember hearing about the original Game a long while ago in the 90's. Never had the chance to play the original. I bought a copy of Xcom: Enemy Unknown and it was exactly what I was looking for, a good strategy-turn based game experience. You get a lot of stuff here, yet you need to get familiar with the controls, they can be a little tricky to get used to. The graphics are OK, this game is based in the "unreal engine" so the graphics are alright, not bad, not great they are just fine. I really like Firaxis Games, specially those where Sid Mayer is involved and that is the case in this one. I am really amazed by the game mechanics, it plays really really well, and it will offer you a good challenge. There was a mission where I return to my base with only one soldier alive! but heck! it was SO exciting!

The story is just amazing and very very long. I honestly believe it is impossible to finish the whole game in one sitting. a warning though, put attention and read your messages well while you are at your command center, you can miss part of the story. I'm not an avid fan of buying game guides but the one for this game (it is short and cheap you can get it here at Amazon) can help you keep your sanity. The game will challenge you with six "Phases" or campaigns and it keeps you hooked-on; this can easily take days to complete. The challenge increases as you keep advancing and you need to balance your team strengths, the amount of research you invest in, how you are spending your money and putting attention when there are project priorities to be done at your engineering and research labs, these are all important things, but you can't do them all at the same time! you need to prioritize and this is what makes the game so fascinating by opening so many different game options. There are SO many options to choose from, but all is based in the strategy you pursue and where you decide to establish your command center or op's center. The game can be pretty challenging, playing with a crew of 4 soldiers is quite a challenge, you can add a maximum of 6 soldiers to your rooster, and you can balance the battle-field choosing the kind of soldiers you want, like a sniper, a heavy, assault, and support, etc.

The amount of replayability in this game is just insane, you can rack up an insane amount of hours, add that to the options you have to sell stuff you don't need in the "Gray Market" to earn some bucks, train and promote your soldiers, decide the kind of equipment you want to give them before you sent them out to a mission, you can customize your base, when to upgrade your satellites, participate or not in different kind of missions, and for those interested in Multiplayer you also have it here.

If you start your game in "easy" there is a tutorial for those folks new to X-com, the normal level is fair and if you are familiar enough with XCOM and like to suffer you can decide to play at the "Classic and Impossible" game modes. You also get an option called "Enable Ironman", if you select this option for the "Normal, Classic or Impossible" game modes, the auto-save feature is activated, so if you loose a soldier or an officer you really like there is no going back to your previous save to try to "play" the same character, it is gone for good! That is another thing you learn early on in the game, don't get too attached to your soldiers 'cause they are going to die, and die often! If you pre-order the game you get some goodies you can download from the Play Station store.

I am so happy a game like this came to the market, it was about time to offer the players a game where you can have a good solid strategy challenge. If you don't mind getting used to the game controls (it will get easier as you keep playing) this game is a great experience, a must buy for those who enjoy a good strategy challenge.

Thank you Sid Mayer, Firaxis and 2K for such a fun game!

Buy XCOM: Enemy Unknown Now

++++++ BACKGROUND ++++++

X-Com: Enemy Unknown is a remake of the classic game X-Com: UFO Defense (UFO: Enemy Unknown outside North America) released in 1994 and is considered one of the top ten games of all time for the computer.

There are currently two re-makes currently undergoing development to be published by 2K. The first, known as XCOM, will be produced by Irrational games and depicts the XCOM universe as a First Person Shooter in the 1950's although recent announcements suggest it has been moved to the 1960's and will be squad based combat.

The second, X-Com: Enemy Unknown, was developed by Firaxis games and consists of the game I am currently reviewing. Firaxis are veteran developers of the genre of strategy games due to development of games such as Alpha Centauri and Civilization under the guidance of Sid Meier, one of the companies co-founders and creators of such classic games as Sid Meier's PIRATES!, Civilization, and Railroad Tycoon.

++++++ GAMEPLAY & COMBAT ++++++

X-Com: Enemy Unknown is a return to the world of single player strategy games that are few and far in-between in this world of first person multi-player shooters. Gameplay is divided in-between two areas; management and battle skirmishes.

In management, you build up your bases, upgrade facilities, preform research and development of weapons all the while monitoring your finances which always feel like a heavy burden you are carrying upon your shoulder you just cannot escape.

The skirmishes are where the meat and bones of the game lie and where you may spend a majority of your time. Simple choices you make in a turn-based fashion have an overall effect on the outcome of the battle. If you slip and make a poor choice the computer will make you feel that error. It may seem fun to go around and annihilating everything in your pass by using high explosive weapons but strategy requires you to capture and collect your enemies bodies and weapons. To get close requires strategy, planning, and luck several moves out. A well thought out strategy and turn is the key to success.

You spend your time recruiting, customizing, and developing your soldiers while watching them rise through the ranks after each successful mission becoming attached in the process only to have them fall in combat....and fall they shall. Your memorial wall will be filled by the midpoint of the game from the losses you will sustain. With the close intimacy of you and your men, the loss of a high ranking officer is a devastating moment to be played through and experience first hand.

The gameplay, compared to the original, has been streamlined but that is expected as the fact the game has been customized to fit the multiple of consoles it has been released for as well as the fact the field of gaming has changed a tremendous amount in the eighteen years since the original was released. The console does play rather well compared to its keyboard/mouse counterpart on the PC.

++++++ GRAPHICS & PRESENTATION ++++++

The graphics are, obviously, an improvement over its 1994 counterpart. I have had several issues with camera angels. Also, the action shots that you endure that became popular since Fallout 3 are entertaining if somewhat repetative. The skirmishes provide a very destructive environment that will leave the battlefield resembling swiss cheese that was burnt in a microwave.

++++++ CHALLENGE ++++++

The game is challenging but is not at the point where you feel as if you need to throw the controller at the wall because you have reached an in pass in gameplay.

Some have stated that this game is more difficult than the original. The reason why is the original X-Com in 1994 contained an error so all difficulty levels were the same. Later X-Com games were noted for their increased difficulty because this issue was fixed in sequels and later editions of the game.

++++++ STORY ++++++

The story is, overall, engrossing throughout the game and provides motivation to make it to the finish to see the end result. Who doesn't enjoy a good Human VS the Evil Aliens story?

++++++ CONCLUSION ++++++

This game is worthwhile of the title "X-Com" even with the high expectations and standards set before it by the classic "X-Com" of 1994. This game has met and exceeded the challenges set before it.

Highly recommended for those that enjoy turned based strategy games as well as those that desire something different than the dozens of first person shooter games that now littler the video game marketplace.

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I played the original X-COM a bunch using dosbox before purchasing the new one so I could compare.

The new one is very faithful to the original in almost all the ways that matter, while streamlining the things that don't. I would award 4.5 stars because it doesn't do this perfectly and suffers a little from 'consolization'. But it gets more right than wrong. If you liked the first, you will almost certainly like this re-creation and I suspect most will find it better.

The new one removes TUs in favor of an action counting system. This overall better and more streamlined. It's a bit less flexible than the TU system. In particular firing and then moving is generally not an option (except with one skill that the (I think) Assault class can get).

The soldiers also now remember their loadout from mission to mission, which removes the major wart of having to hand move all the equipment around at the start of each mission. The class system aids with this, and also provides a better and more flexible way to customize your soldiers abilities than training them the way you did in the first. My only complaint is that you can't load up with extras, which has led to me almost completely giving up on grenades as the inventory slot is far too valuable to be occupied by a single-use mediocre damage area of effect weapon.

Also, instead of building several bases and having to manage them all you now just build satellites to monitor particular countries and have it as a given that you have interceptor hangers in various world regions. No more fiddling with building storage areas, living quarters, equipment inventories and headcount. Also, all the first level eqiupment is essentially free.

But some strategic flexibility has been lost. In the original, it's possible to avoid combat much of them time. You engage in just enough to keep all the countries happy while using your workshop to manufacture items for sale. This is a much less viable strategy in the new one as you can only sell what your workshop produces when a country makes a special request (which happens rarely) and many workshop items take resources that can only be obtained from alien spaceships and bases.

The feel of the centerpiece of the game, the turn-based tactical combat remains very much the same. There are some armor types (Ghost armor, Skeleton armor) that offer tactical possibilities not present in the first. And enemies that have much more sophisticated tactics as well. The game greatly rewards careful planning and creative use of the various skills your soldiers possess.

I still can't figure out how you could possibly stun an ethereal though. Those arc-things are far less capable than either the stunsticks (they aren't a weapon and so can't be fired like one at the end of the assault class' run-and-gun skill) and I have not yet found an equivalent to the stun bomb launcher.

So, as I said, I think this game is overall singificantly better than the original even if it does have a problem or two that prevent it from being perfect.

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I don't have a ton of experience with squad-based games, but this seems to be pretty well done in terms of game mechanics and tactical options available on the battlefield. Character development is fun, and I like the way they chose to represent the base too, although I feel like there's room for improvement in terms of making the player feel like he's actually inside each room. I find the dialogue a bit stiff; I'm coming off of playing Mass Effect, so maybe I'm setting the bar too high, but there is a notable decrease in the quality of the writing. There are some imperfections as far as depicting individual shots; shotguns appear to shoot through walls, rifles might not really be aimed at the target but they still manage to fire and kill, etc. These are minor and don't severely impact gameplay, but I think they're worth noting.

My one real complaint is that the game freezes frequently. I've managed to mitigate this by turning on autosave, so I never lose that much progress. But I find that particularly after missions, while the game is loading the debrief screen, it will simply continue to show the loading screen (e.g. the SkyRanger flying in the night sky) indefinitely and never successfully load the next screen. This is annoying, and I understand they've already patched a similar problem on the PC version, so maybe an update on PS3 is forthcoming.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this game, and would be a very happy camper if they fixed some of the bugs I've mentioned.

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2sets/lot, Purple PS3 Controller Mod Kit - Buttons, DPad, Thumbsticks

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Item arrived fine, packaged in a single mailer with 2 small zip-lock type bags, one for each set of pieces. Product appeared as shown and described, however when I went to install the items in my controller, I found that there were two "O" buttons in one of the bags. As the buttons have guide tabs to fit the controller, I had to use the "X" button from the other set, so I was only able to get one complete set from both sets of pieces. This isn't a big deal to me as I was planning on only modding one controller, but is worth noting.

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PlayStation 3 80GB System

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A lot of people have written about the pros and cons of the PS3 vs. XBOX 360 vs. Wii. I'm not bothering with that, and assume you can find that information at elsewhere. I'm also assuming you can read all about why the PS3 would or would not fit your needs.

Instead, I'd like this review to explain what exactly this configuration is (there's a lot of confusion about that,) and why I think it hits the sweet spot. Basically, there are currently 2 versions of the PS3 on the market now. Ignoring the size of the drive for a second (because you can always swap the drive anyway, and it has no real bearing on the rest of the specs) think of them as Version A (currently available or not as the case may be in the PlayStation 3 80 GB Metal Gear Solid 4 Pack) and Version B (this one.)

The first thing that you need to understand is that there are three relevant differences between these two versions besides the included bundle and the price (the MGS one is $499 from amazon, more from third parties.)

Difference #1: Version A (MGS pack) is backward compatible with PS2 games while this one is NOT (they are both backward compatible with PS1 games however.)

Difference #2: Version A has 4 USB ports as well as memory card slots, while this version has only 2 USB ports and NO memory card slots.

Difference #3: AND THIS FOR ME IS BIG: Version A has the older and larger 90nm Cell processor, while this one has the smaller (and some say more reliable) 65nm Cell processor. Power consumption on this unit is lower as well, dropping from 200 Watts to 135 watts. The end result is a machine that runs cooler and, according to all reports as well as my personal experience, much quieter. An extremely relevant factor if you watch movies with it.

For those that have been looking for a while, this is basically the 40GB machine that was offered recently, with a larger hard drive and an upgraded controller they replaced the basic sixaxis controller with the Dualshock 3 controller (which means it has rumble.)

Now Version A is packaged with Metal Gear Solid. It has an 80GB drive like this one, and the same controller. The big differences are listed above. Until this configuration was released, the larger hard drive and Dualshock controller were 2 of the 4 reasons many people felt the MGS pack was worth the additional $100. Those two factors are now eliminated. The remaining differences are the backward compatibility with PS2 games and the MGS game itself, which can of course be bought separately.

So to sum it up, if you NEED PS2 compatibility, you might want to grab the MGS pack if you can get one that or keep your old PS2. For new buyers though, and for all of the people that are going to just play PS3 games, as well as avid movie watchers, this particular configuration is fantastic. You get the big drive, the good controller, PLUS the cooler running chip, a quieter machine and a system that uses about 33% less power.

And ok just to satisfy the basic requirements of a review, I'll list some other nice stuff: It includes a Blu-ray DVD player (one of those runs almost as much as, or more than, this entire box), the online play is FREE, wireless connectivity is built in (you don't have to buy an additional piece as with some others), reliability has been quite good (much better than some others), there are some great PS3-only titles, and you can stream media to it from your PC. There's more, but there are plenty of people outlining it.

As always, do your research and see what's best for you. Maybe the 360-only titles are must haves for you, or maybe your family fits a Wii. We have a Wii and I love it. But I also love my PS3, and in my opinion this configuration is the one to get (this month anyway.)

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Necessary disclosure: I do not own this model. I have what used to be a 60GB model, recently upgraded to 320GB the gold standard.

As compared to the 60GB model:

______________________________________________

+ less expensive (I paid $599 for my 60GB PS3)

+ 33% more storage

+ needs less power

+ dual shock controller (rumble)

no memory card interfaces

2 USB ports vs. 4 USB ports on the 60GB

no PS2 compatibility

______________________________________________

This model comes with an 80GB drive. This is nice because, most would agree, 80GB is more than 60GB. If you feel that the extra 20GB is a big deal, maybe you should think again. I upgraded my 60GB to 320GB because I was about to run out of space, with only 10GB or so left. One month or so later, I'm using more than 80GB already just downloaded the Ratchet and Clank minigame from PSN and it alone needs about 3GB. My advice is to buy this model and upgrade it yourself. It's (relatively) easy and you can find a lot of advice if you Google for it.

If you are on the upgrade path, $80 would buy you a 320GB drive. I used the Western Digital WD3200BEVT 320 GB Scorpio Sata 5400 Rpm 8MB 2.5 inch myself but that was back in June/July and I paid about $150 then; you could get much larger drives for less now. 500GB drives are available for less than $100 and you should try to get one of those if you are planning to store lots of videos. One that I tested would be the 500GB 2.5" Sata Drive which replaced my laptop's 60GB little drive and I helped a friend upgrade his own PS3 with. The nice thing about upgrading your disk is that you are also going to be left with a perfectly good 80GB or $160GB drive which you can place into a cheap enclosure, and the StarTech AT2510U2 InfoSafe 2.5-Inch USB/SATA Hard Drive Enclosure worked for me. I am using the free leftover drive as a backup device for family photos.

Upgrading the disk is (relatively) easy and you can find a lot of advice on the Net. Search for "PlayStation 3 Hard Drive Upgrade (HOWTO)" for videos that should help you decide if you are comfortable with upgrading. If upgrading is the first thing you do (before installing games or uploading personal files), everything becomes very easy because you need not worry about backups or restores. I upgraded my box in a couple of hours WITH the backup/restore steps.

The lack of memory card interfaces is annoying but you can get around it. Copy your stuff to a USB drive or flash drive and... problem solved. You can then upload your things through the USB. It's somewhat inconvenient but it's no big deal.

My old (10 months) 60GB model has 4 USB slots and I am using all of them. One for the PS3 Eye (camera), a second has a wireless keyboard dongle, the third is where the racing wheel plugs in and the last one I use to charge controllers. Can you live with 2 slots? I suppose you can but there's going to be some plugging/unplugging if you begin adding peripherals. I suppose you could get one of those USB ports multiplexers. They're ugly but... it's doable.

PS2 compatibility... can't get it. Sorry. I don't play PS2 games but my kids do. In fact, they just bought some Sonic game a couple of days ago. I was surprised but... de gustibus. They're also playing Kingdom Hearts and Destroy All Humans.

This model comes with a couple of improvements over the gold standard. It burns less electricity, which is a good thing for the rain forests, keeping them cool and maybe you save a few dollars on your electric bill. And, of course you get the advanced controller.

Briefly:

If you are planning to upgrade, the 80GB model is the way to go because it is selling for $100 less than the larger disk version and you can use the savings to pay for your disk upgrade

Get yourself a USB port multiplexer if you need more than 2 ports

Transfer your photos to flash drives to get around the missing memory card interfaces

Or or, even better, to address both the USB and the memory card issues, get the Playstation 3 Media Hub+ for 2 extra USB ports AND a card reader

Keep your PS2 if you have one and still wish to play PS2 games in the future.

Enjoy your new PS3.

Buy PlayStation 3 80GB System Now

I had sat on the sidelines of the next gen video games up until a couple of weeks ago. I had tried Wii almost as soon as it came out and was captivated by the motion sensors but the limited availability and sameness to the games as well as limited graphics was frustrating.

Xbox 360 the $50 a year subscription and more importantly it lost the Blu-ray/HD battle were big no points for me. I enjoy games, my wife does not. She does enjoy movies and the internet. When I pointed out that PS3 was a Blu-ray player (with excellent reviews) and could let us surf the internet, she was all for it.

I have an 'old' HDTV (3 years old). It has a maximum resolution of 1080i and a DVI input but no HDMI. I did some research before buying this so I bought an HDMI to DVI cable at the same time. I was worried about hooking it up and getting it to look right and also getting sound. I should not have been. It took literally a few minutes. Plugged the HDMI end into the PS3 and the DVI end into the HDTV. Received a picture (great picture) right away. It detected that 1080i was the highest resolution and I choose that.

Sound I simply choose the option to put sound out correctly and received gorgeous sound. I only use the speakers that came with the HDTV but it sounds fantastic on Blu-Ray. I can only imagine what people with surround sound systems will get.

The Blu-Ray discs are stunning. Even with 'just' 1080i. Truly beautiful. And it also up-converts very well. My favorite movies are the LOTR expanded editions. I have seen LOTR on TNT HD broadcasts. With the PS3 they look almost as good perhaps even better than the HD broadcasts. Also one of the coolest things and I have no idea if this for all Blu-Rays are just PS3 is that it remembers where you were on discs (Blu-ray and DVD discs)even if the disc was last played 8 discs ago. So say for instance you a third of the way through Fellowship. You then put a few game discs in, some other movie discs, then go back to Fellowship. It actually remembers where you left off that disc. Love it.

The internet browsing has been very cool. At first it was ok but it did not fill up the screen and the lettering was too small. But then I discovered zoom in and zoom out. And now it is really fun to browse. As an aside when I started browsing if someone was on our lap-top we would get a connection conflict and would not be able to surf on the lap-top. I called Linksys and they were able to change a bunch of settings on the router and it works just fine now, no problems on using both at the same time.

As for games I have Assassin's Creed and Oblivion now. Both look amazing. I have also downloaded demos for Mirror's Edge (stunning) and Motorstorm (fun and also amazing graphics). Even as a gamer truly I only really have time for a half dozen games every year or two or even three. A lot of these games last a long time. So in reality the 360s edge on variety is for all intents moot. I am planning to get Little Big Planet and maybe the new Spidey game when it comes down in price. That will more than hold me over to God of War and which ever other few games I will get in 2009. Having a handful of great games, to me, is more important than 50 titles coming out a year.

Bottomline is if you have an HDTV (particularly if you have a home theater set up) and no Blu-ray and enjoy gaming the PS3 is truly awesome. You get a great Blu-ray player, an 80gig hard drive, incredible gaming capabilities (just downloading the demos would be cool), internet browsing and video watching on your TV. You can also download the LIFE utility that has an incredibly cool visual globe where you can get live weather and news headlines around the world. And you can help cure diseases by linking to a Stanford project that looks at how proteins work and fold. If you allow it your processor can be added to the processing power being used for the Stanford project (when you are not gamin and such).

Sony has succeeded in making a truly great heart of your home media experience. This is so much more than Wii it isn't even close. And with Blu-ray and free Sony playstation network, it really is a much better value than any of the 360 choices you have. Right now heading into the 2008 holiday season, PS3 stands alone as clearly the best system and the best value. Not only for gamers but for the entire family.

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The Playstation 3 is an incredible Blue Ray Player, that has features NOT available in any other Blue Ray Player. I am not a game player and simply bought this unit as a Blue Ray and DVD player. However on comparison, there are so many benefits compared to other Blue Ray players.

Here are the surprise benefits you get from this INCREDIBLE technology vs. a regular Blue Ray Player:

1. Picture Quality SUPERB (Easily compares to most expensive Blue Ray Players)

2. REGULAR DVD's PLAY IN A HIGHER RESOLUTION Incredible difference to a regular DVD player.

3. Wireless INTERNET Connection Surf web on your TV. (NO WIRES REQUIRED)

4. Automatic BLUE RAY format Updates (FREE and AUTOMATIC) Upgrades as technology changes.

5. HARD Drive (80 GB) Store movies, music, etc.

6. Beautiful Black Console Doesn't look like a game player on shelf.

7. EASY to set-up (Ready in a few minutes)

8. LOWER PRICED All these unique features, at a lower price than the other Blue Ray players

I have no idea why anyone would ever consider a standard BLUE RAY or DVD player once you have had a chance to try out the features of the PS3. Having the internet on our TV allows us full access to news, weather, radio, music video's, etc.

I was told that low price BLUE RAY players cannot play many movies and DVD's because the BLUE RAY format is constantly changing and the Playstation 3 is the ONLY BLUE RAY unit to have automatic updates that will correct for new Blue Ray formats in the future.

NO COMPARISON Hands down BEST BLUE RAY Player with the most features on the market!

HIGEST POSSIBLE RATING.........

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I was debating which game console to get, the Wii, Xbox 360 or the Playstation 3(PS3). As a male with family of two kids, overall the PS3 was the best value for the money. Since PS3 and Xbox 360 are aiming for the same market, I was comparing the PS3 more to the 360:

Pros:

-Most powerful system among 3 consoles.

-Blu Ray player included, also it can be upgraded via the internet. It is full functioning Blu Ray player, not watered down, the picture quality if awesome.

-Solid hardware, Xbox 360 hardware has many problems.

-Includes wireless Wi-Fi, but with Xbox 360 you have to buy it separately.

-Free online gaming, unlike Xbox's which you have to pay each month.

-Internet web browser, which Xbox doesn't have.

-Better menus for navigation than 360.

-Controllers have not only rumble, but also motion sensor like Wii.

-Hard drive is easily upgradable and inexpensive, unlike 360 which is expensive and very hard to upgrade if you want to put your own hard drive.

-Latest movies and TV shows can purchased online, 360's Netflix has more titles but are old titles.

-Playstation Eye(motion sensing camera) accessory allows for motion games like Wii.

Cons:

-Need more latest titles of movies(but same or better than 360 or Apple TV)

-Not all movies can be rented in the first few weeks of release, but have to be purchased.

-Need more variety of games, actually true for all 3 systems.

Overall compared to Wii: Kids will want the Wii no matter what anyone says as long as their friends have it. The quality of Wii games are decreasing, game developers are not integrating the motion functionality well with the games. It feels like developers made the games and then added the motion feature as an afterthought. PS3's included controller has motion sensors like the Wii, also Playstation Eye camera has motion sensoring also. There are PS3 accessories for Guitar Hero and Rock Band which allows physical games on the PS3 like the Wii. So you can do play physical games like the Wii on the PS3.

Overall compared to Xbox 360: Even though Xbox 360 is less expensive initially, if you add everything that PS3 has, the Xbox 360 is much more expensive. People forgot this. 360 has more games than PS3 because it was introduced a year earlier, but starting in 2008 PS3 is coming out with many high quality exclusive games now that introduction period is over(PS3 has Metal Gear Solid 4, Little Big Planet, Socom Confrontation, Resistance 2, Gran Turismo 4, etc). Unless you will play Halo or Gears of War, get the PS3, it is a much better value.

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Splatterhouse

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $27.99
Today's Bonus: 7% Off

Splatterhouse returns with a big "Splat" and brings back a classic game with a bit of twist. In the original Splatterhouse, the premise is simple, Rick is killed and with the help of a demonic mask, returns to exact revenge and reclaim his girl. The story remains more or less the same but with a few changes, after all, this is a relaunch of the series and not exactly a remake.

The first level prepares you for the challenges ahead while previewing the powers you will eventually be able to use to obliterate the forces of evil. The mask has a more Willem Dafoe's green goblin personality and assist you in rescuing your helpless girlfriend. A few classic enemies return and new ones await in Dr West's mansion.

Overall the game is fun but a lot of the enemy characters are used over and over again, so half way through the game you will have seen all the monsters and demons you will demolish along the way. Hidden pictures of Jennifer are scattered along the way and once revealed add a bit of an incentive to find them all (especially if you are trophy hunting).

In addition to the main game, there are challenging bonus stages that challenge you while not been overly frustrating and during the main game you can unlock all three original Splatterhouse games, so in effect you get four games in one. A great value to any Ps3 collection.

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If God of War and Dante's Inferno had kids, Splatterhouse would be the crazy emotionally disturbed adolescent that lives in the basement. Great aspects from both games that i loved in both games are in this one. Dante's inferno had a more sexual theme to it than GOW so what does Splatterhouse have? Hidden pictures of your naked girlfriend scattered throughout the game that you can put together and veiw as sort of amateur porn pics. Gow had great visuals and story. Unfortunately Splatterhouse has none of these but when you get a game where you grab an enemy and dismember it in a text based minigame you can't help but compare it to GOW.

Visually as i said this game does not compare to GOW or Dante's Inferno. It looks and plays like Afro Samurai except for TONS of blood, Humor and endless ways to kill your enemies.

Gameplay can be a bit hard to figure out. You can't really stand up and mash buttons til everyone on the screen is dead (not until you unlock a bunch of skills first atleast). You have to use the block/roll button for defense if you get surrounded or if you unlocked certain skills you can bulldoze your way through it or just grab the nearest enemy and swing them 360 til you have enough room.

One cool aspect of the game is the healing feature that uses spilt blood that you have accumulated by killing enemies to heal yourself. Which is incredibly useful if your getting your ass kicked and your surrounded by a ton of enemies, you just throw out spikes that literally suck the blood out of the nearby enemies completely refilling your health.

Fun factor all depends on how much gore you can stand. If you think gutting a centuar in GOW3 was gross then you haven't seen anything yet. In Splatterhouse Rick opens the mouth of a enemy snapping the skull from the jaw then shoving his hand down their throat pulling out the lungs and throwing them on the floor. If your opposed to that type of gore and violence then this game might not be as fun for you.

Update and Spoiler alert sorta: Sickest part of the game is pulling out the sphincter of a mutant demon frog man.

Much like Afro Samurai the music was a great compliment to the game but unlike Afro Samurai this game is not Repetitive or easy.

Beating certain chapters of the game unlocks the original Splatterhouse games (1,2 & 3) as well as different versions of the survival arena where you go to a certain level and beat wave after wave of enemies until you die.

Overall great game for fans of blood and violence period. If you want something that looks amazing buy God of War: Collection/God of War III. If you want something other than GOW with an incredibly perverted storyline from begining all the way to Satan's dong swinging end battle then Dante's Inferno Divine Edition is for you. If you want a game that is all about blood, gore, violence, humor, heavy metal and beating enemies with dismembered parts of your or your enemies body then get Splatterhouse. It has lived up to my expectations and it just might surprise you how much fun it really is.

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This game is exceedingly gross, which the producers know . . . they said that on one of their interviews I read off of gamespot, but . . . it is addictive!

In the absence of a review from any of the major critic websites--due in part to, I guess the Thanksgiving holiday and people actually taking a break from their jobs to enjoy themselves and relax, everyone needs to--I thought I'd put up a quick review to get things going.

This review is based on a 30% completion rate, so I still have more to go, but after probably close to 10 hours, I think I'm safe as to sharing an opinion as to what it's all about.

Yes, it's worth full price. Definitely. I was very skeptical at first, I though it would be like Golden Axe, playing off of a strong name, but being one of the worst ever games to play. Not at all! They took the title and improved upon it. If you were around to play the original games from Genesis and the arcade version, never saw that one in an arcade myself, but I remember seeing the Genesis version and wanting to buy it, but I had my Nintendo, this game is all of that gory fun x10. Be ready to see blood splatter. The game is fun in that it knows it's gross, and at one point, **one line spoiler alert** the actor for the mask even says, "That right there is why we got a f#$@in' "M" rating." Funniest line so far breaking the 4th wall.

There is no repetition in this game. There are a variety of evil demons to kill, and then there are similar ones, but they have different colorings and slightly different move set, just enough to keep things fresh throughout the whole game.

The most challenging part for me so far was Stage 3. Near the beginning you're jumping from roof top to roof top, but there's one part, where if you miss, I had to restart the game to reset the timing on it so the roof didn't collapse down around me before I was able to make the jump. So, you'll play for the challenge, but some parts where you just have to memorize the sequence in order to make it past, yes it's challenging and that has kept me playing it for the payoff reward when I finally do get through, but if you don't like that kind of game play it could be a major turn off point.

I also thought I'd like this game because the old ones were thrown in free, but once you get to today's current graphics, while there is some nostalgia about playing the older games, you'll be thankful the developers cared enough to really concentrate on this last iteration and pack if full of new material and new challenges. This is without a doubt a mature game, wouldn't want to play this with children in the room. But on the upside, it reminded me a lot of the first Ninja Gaiden Sigma and a little like God of War. Once you get past the learning curve, seeing all the ways you can obliterate enemies even starts to make you chuckle. I can only imagine the design teams meetings when they were thinking up all of this stuff. Someone asks, "Another question . . . how else can we make it more gory?" But the challenge is undeniable, the graphics are smooth, but some of the sequences can be frustrating, and one more of my biggest peeves, not enough variation in the load screens. I'd rather have a spinning mask than some of the creatures it shows while the game reloads after you die.

I rented this, but it is worth the money. I'll most likely grab a copy for Christmas. Fun game that you must give a try.

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I don't usually play modern beat 'em up's. I never tried any God of War game at all, as the theme just doesn't appeal to me. However, I always liked the original Splatterhouse on Turbographix 16, and this game was on my wish list for a while. It is a wonderful specimen of modernization while retaining all the details from the original. A lot of the reviews said that the game had broken controls, buggy, etc. Well that's just not true. Technically it plays smoothly and enjoyably with no bugs at all. It is challenging from a gaming perspective, but so was the original, and I'm glad that this new one isn't a total cakewalk. You have to actually know what Rick's moves are, and use them for certain enemies, rather than just button mashing. You can get a good little beat 'em up trance going when you're in the zone. The 2d parts are great; just what fans of the original would want. At first I thought the graphics looked odd and couldn't put my finger on it until I realized that they were using the same weird palette of colors that the original had. Quite unsettling for some reason. The story elements are simple, fast paced, unobtrusive, and fun, as they should be. I read that this game lost all support from Namco shortly before release due to company leadership shake ups, thus a sequel is unlikely. That said, I am super happy to have gotten this game at all, and will probably play through again--something else I don't do too often in modern games. I like that it's short enough to beat in a weekend. I can't tell you how many times I enjoyed beating Contra, or Bionic Commando, or Splatterhouse over and over. This modernization retains that kind of feel. Go ahead and order it. Splatterhouse still rules!

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Splatterhouse is a decent game. Not stellar by any stretch of the imagination but decent overall.

Lets start with the good:

The graphics are solid and it's evident that the developers put a good deal of time into creating a detailed, interesting and appropriate atmosphere. The creatures you battle are creative and varied and overall the game succeeds in this category.

The voice work is above average and there are plenty of humorous comments scattered about to break up the monotony. The soundtrack fits the game play. You may not like heavy metal but really, what else would fit a game where you are basically destroying everything in your path?

The mechanics of the game are good when you are fighting and moving around throughout the levels, with one noted exception which I'll address later. Make no mistake, this game is a button masher. Yes, there are combos you can learn as you work your way through the game but they are just more button mash-y goodness.

A plus with the game is the ability to restore your health during battles. This feature impacts the game significantly. Early on it makes it practically impossible to die but as the battles get harder, you'll need it believe me.

The game is a gore fest. I mean an arm ripping, decapitating, sick, twisted, bloody, mutilated, gore fest. It's called Splatterhouse so what did you expect? This is good for some I suppose but read on and see that it can be bad as well.

Now onto the Not-So-Good:

My number one complaint about this game without a doubt is the platforming portions. First off, they seem gimmicky and don't really fit the game overall and no, I don't care about any throw backs to previous games. Worse yet is the fact that they are fixed camera and the camera is almost always in an awkward position where you can't really see what you are doing. When you need the camera beside you, it's positioned behind you, etc. It adds a layer of difficulty that is just irritating and completely unnecessary. Then to make matters worse, the controls while playing these areas are not nearly as responsive as they need to be. For example, you have to sprint past some giant something-or-other that is trying to squash you but your character keeps on running even after you release the button so you typically run into some other object that smashes you or slices you in half, etc. Nice, lovely. The same is true for rolling under objects too. Jumping thankfully doesn't seem that bad but the other moves mean you'll get to play the same section over and over again.

Another issue is with the LOAD times. They are ridiculous. I'm not talking about load times between chapters either, I'm referring to the load times when you die. Get used to seeing the same scrawny monster load screens because they are frequent and way too long. If you are a player that is having problems and dying a lot, who knows how many hours you'll see of the load screens. Seriously.

The game is a gore fest. Now, again I'm not saying that is a bad thing because it is called SPLATTERhouse but there were times when I was on a killing rampage and there was so much blood splattered all over the screen that literally I couldn't see the characters,including the enemies. I mean, blood splattered all over the walls, ceiling and floor is fine but is it really necessary to have it completely coat the camera lens? No, it is not.

So in summary, this game is decent, pure button mashing, mindless fun. The kind of game you can pick up and play a bit and then move on. I wasn't expecting much in the way of storyline so I wasn't disappointed. If you were a fan of the previous Splatterhouse games then buying this is probably a no brainer. It is a great looking shiny upgrade to previous versions. If you are looking for deep or complex storyline, then look elsewhere. Personally, I think the game is worth the purchase but not at full price. Buy it when its on sale, pick up a used copy or rent it first and see if you like it.

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Component - AV Cable Set for PlayStation 3 & PS 2

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List Price: Price Unavailable
Sale Price: $1.57
Today's Bonus:

I'm sure this cable would be fine for a PS2 on a CRT TV. Stay away if you use a PS3. Image is horrible at any resolution on an LCD TV. Contrast that with the same type of cable I picked up at Gamestop which produced a much better picture. Still less than HDMI, of course, but leaps and bounds above the near unusable image produced by this cable.

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My nephew assures me he can see a big difference on his new HD TV when he connects his PS2 with this cable instead of his old cable. The picture on the screen is much clearer than the picture with the old cable. Sure was a pretty cheap way to make my nephew happy.Premium High Resolution Component AV Cable for Playstation 3 PS3, Playstation 2 Ps2

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I bought this so I could hook up my ps2 to my hd tv screen. Worked like a charm. It's pretty simple connect so it shouldn't cause any trouble.

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This cable "works" in that it will send a picture from the PS2 to your TV. Tested it with "Shadow of the Colossus" in interlaced mode and the image looked okay except for some faint diagonal lines that were mainly noticeable in the darker areas of the screen. Switched to progressive mode and immediately noticed a softness to the image. It was especially noticeable on white text which became surrounded with color distortions reminiscent of anaglyph 3D images made for the red and green/blue glasses.

The cable may work just fine for you if you're not ultra critical about picture quality. I've not been too distracted by the inherent flaws of this cable to enjoy some games, but beware that it is not likely to produce a perfect image.

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PS2 review on 42" Panosonic HDTV

PROs

in game text is more crisp(clear & easy to read)

sound is pretty good

graphics look alot better

CONs

tight fit into back of Ps2 Slim version

due to ps2 games being made at 680x480 revs, the image will not fit the whole screen(black side bars), but this is easy to fix by changing the aspect ratio setting on your HDTV. And that will cause stretching. I was able to get full widesrceen(black bar at the bottom & top.they were NOT thick) with only a little stretching.

Other

All HDTV are not made the same so you may get worst or better results than I got. Make sure your HDTV has the correct aspect ratio adjust settings.

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PS3 Urban Camo TrueFire-Fusion Rapid Fire modded ControlleR

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

It is what the description said it was. Glad I choose this one instead of the more expensive ones that I beleive offer the same features this one has

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Item was as described and the pricing was acceptable. I did return the product but this was only cause it was bought for a gift and the person already had purchased one.

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Controller worked for all of 5 minutes, this is what you get for trying to save money, would of been better off buying from a reputable online store.

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You sad losers have to really resort to this pathetic practice of cheating to be better in a game. Glad to know that people have real skill in order to use this piece of garbage.

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PS3 250GB Uncharted 3: Game of the Year Bundle

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $269.99
Sale Price: $260.00
Today's Bonus: 4% Off

STATEMENT OF PERSONAL BIAS: I've been a PS3 owner ever since the 60GB Classic became available in 2007 and I've been impressed with the PS3's reliability, versatility and its sheer power I've owned both Classic and Slim models, upgraded most, gave away a couple. In the end one's choice for a gaming console is a matter of personal taste and preference but the PS3 is by far the more popular 'gaming' or 'entertainment' implement in our household. And we do own an Xbox.

The FAQ below and the more free-form text that follows are the outcome of the quick unboxing of the Uncharted 3: Game of the Year Bundle.

___________________________________________

THE FAQ:

Q: Why should I buy a PS3 at all? What's it good for?

A: With a PS3 you can play disc-based or downloaded games and this includes no-fee support for multiplayer, play Blu-ray, DVD movies or stream, rent or download movies or your own videos, play CDs or upload and play your own music, upload and display your photos, listen to Internet radio stations, access an ever-increasing number of Internet services such as Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu Plus, YouTube, Music Unlimited, browse the Web, play content off DLNA-compatible computers, laptops, media servers or network-attached storage (NAS) or allow your computers to play content stored on your PS3, integrate with your PSP or Vita portable consoles.

Q: In what ways is the new PS3 different from the current models?

A: The new model (Super Slim) is smaller, lighter, more quiet, more power efficient, has a larger HDD and has discs top-loaded vs. front-loaded on the Slim.

Q: Is the new model less expensive than the Slim?

A: The Super Slim is only available as a bundle at the time I'm writing this (will update). The current bundle consisting essentially of the console itself, a physical game, a downloadble game and 30 day Playstation Plus is slightly more expensive than the plain old model console but sells for less than a similar old model bundle PS3 160GB with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 Blu-ray Disc Bundle which is $300 and it adds only a movie and a 30-day Playstation Plus membership.

Q: Can I get the console without the games and pay less?

A: Not at this time. But the console I helped unbox had the Uncharted 3 shrink-wrapped and it should be possible to sell it through Amazon as `new'.

Q: I am ready to order a PS3 but I'm undecided. Should I buy a Slim or a Super Slim?

A: If you would buy Uncharted 3 with the Slim, then you should pick the new model. If not... it's a matter of preference: front loading (Slim) vs. top loading (this model). Buy the Slim if you can't stand `top loading' your discs but buy this model otherwise because of the small improvements (see first answer)

Q: Should I buy this bundle or should I wait for more choices or a price drop?

A: Either or both are likely to happen post Black Friday but if Uncharted 3 is your kind of game this could still be a good buy,

Q: Isn't Sony expected to announce the PS4 soon?

A: It is likely that Sony's next generation console will be launched in 2013. Sony recently committed to support the PS3 at least through 2015.

Q: If I already have a PS3 is this model worth the upgrade?

A: See the answer to the first question. The new model has an additional 90GB of HDD storage when compared to the 160GB Slim.

Q: I am planning to buy my first Sony console? Should I buy the Slim, the Super Slim (this bundle) or wait for the PS4?

A: We bought our first PS3 in 2007 and we paid a lot for it. The reward was us enjoying it for the 2 years between the time of our purchase and Sony announcing some less expensive models. In our case it was well worth it. I would expect the PS3 to remain a viable gaming platform and home entertainment center for at least two more years.

Q: Is the new model compatible with all my existing peripherals: controllers, Move, Eye camera, keyboard, charger?

A: Yes.

Q: Does this model come with HDMI, USB cables?

A: There is a USB cable in the box but you will have to supply your own HDMI if you need one.

Q: What is actually in the box?

A: The console itself, power cord, composite video cable, USB cable, the controller, Uncharted 3 game in a sealed case, DUST 514 voucher and Playstation Plus 30-day membership, User Guide.

Q: Once I buy this bundle, what else will I need to have a fully functional console?

A: You should buy an HDMI cable if you are going to connect your PS3 to an HD TV. You may also want a second controller. A Move bundle (controllers, camera) is highly optional. A charger should be okay but it's not needed because controllers charge through the PS3's USB ports.

Q: If I buy the 250GB model can I upgrade later to a larger size?

A: Yes, Sony will allow you to replace the existing HDD with a compatible 2.5" SATA drive without voiding the warranty. There are dozens of step-by-step guides on YouTube.

Q: Will I have to pay Sony if I wanted to play co-op or multiplayer games?

A: No. The basic PSN access is free. There is the Playstation Plus option that adds some perks such as free trial games, betas and demos and some discounts on downloaded titles but `non-essential' is the key word. I never felt I needed to pay for that service.

Q: Is there a complete list of services currently on the PS3?

A: This is what is available at the time I'm writing this: NFL Sunday Ticket, Hulu Plus, Netflix, YouTube, Vudu HD Movies, Crunchyroll (anime), NHL Gamecenter Live, MLB.tv, XOS College Sports, CinemaNow, Laugh Factory Live (beta), Music Unlimited.

___________________________________________

SLIMS vs. SUPERSLIMS

It's likely that Sony may stop making/selling the existing 160/320GB Slim models and this 250GB and the upcoming 500GB models with their various 'bundles are going to be the only models to choose from in the near future. At the time of my writing this review this 250GB Uncharted 3 Game of the Year bundle is the only 'super slim' configuration available with the 500GB bundle expected to launch in October.

The few hands-on hours I spent with this model convinced me that the new PS3 is a slight improvement over the models it replaces and here are the changes:

Price yes, the 250GB Super Slim's bundle costs more than a plain 160GB Slim but it's a bundle it comes with a physical game and a download voucher in addition to the console. There is a resalable, shrink-wrapped copy of Uncharted 3 inside and you could probably sell it at Amazon for more than the price difference between the bundle and the Slim. It's quite likely that we are going to see an unbundled 250GB configuration for under two hundred dollars during the holiday season.

Smaller I believe Sony stated that the new model is 20% lighter than the Slim.

Larger HDD the extra 90GB (250GB vs. 160GB) may not sound like a lot but the extra storage is enough room for maybe 30-40 downloaded games or 20-30 DVD-quality movies.

Burns less electricity the Super Slim comes with a 190W power supply which is 60W less than the Slim's 250W.

Fans are more quiet the smaller model has smaller fans and I could hardly hear them.

Disc loading it's changing from the front-loader to a top-loader method. This method guarantees that you'll never end up with a stuck disc but the sliding door can be noisy.

Finish the shape is more streamlined but the overall impression if 'cheaper looking' when compared to the Slim or the Classic. I personally don't care because my PS3 lives under the TV and it's not seen.

RATING THIS BUNDLE

I tend to like this new model for the several small improvements over the Slim. Because I don't mind `top loading' and `looks' for a console that's not seen don't matter. I would pick this model over the Slim because of the several small improvements. If this was my first PS3 purchase I would buy one with the knowledge that a new model may be announced one year from now because paying less than a dollar a day for one fine gaming and overall entertaining center is well worth it but that's just my view.

I am going to rate this bundle a four stars, mainly because at the time I'm writing this review and at least for the next few weeks we won't have the freedom to choose between a bundle and a just plain Super Slim for a lower price. Uncharted 3 is a great Sony exclusive and we already own a copy and I'd prefer to buy a copy because I wanted to, not because I have little choice.

--

>> Brush your teeth, it's the law! playstation move. ...I personally don't care for either but there it is.

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I already have 3 PS3s in my house, but was in the market for another so I could use one purely as a media hub for video, music, and photos. When the PS3 "Super Slim" was announced, I had mixed feelings about its design. It's definitely smaller and sleeker than the PS3 Phat and Slim, but the disc loading system seemed a bit cheap to me, and not a fan of those grooves on top either. Looks aside, this PS3 performs just like its older brothers while using less power. Because there is less material between the disc and the shell of your console, you can hear the disc drive spinning louder than other PS3 versions, but you would only notice it if you were playing with no sound. In the end, if you are in the market for a PS3 than this is definitely the best, most efficient version to get, but if you already have an older model it really isn't worth upgrading because it adds no new features.

Good

-500gb HDD

-replaceable HDD (2.5" HDD bay)

-50% smaller than the original PS3

-25% smaller than the PS3 slim

-comes with Unchartered

-uses less power than older versions

-performance is on par with previous models

-good build quality

Bad

-12gb flash version is not available in the U.S.

-cheap disc loading system

-glossy parts of the console are easy to scratch

-noisy disc spinning compared to previous versions

-no stand included

-no hdmi cable included

-only 2 USB slots

-no PS2 compatibility

-no price drop

-no increase in performance from previous models

Remember when the redesigned PSOne and PSTwo came out? Those were awesome because they were both significantly smaller than their respective versions, and the build quality was top notch. I wouldn't be surprised if Sony redesigned the PS3 again as an "Ultra Slim." That would put a proper end to the PS3 era.

*The OEM HDD in this PS3 is actually smaller than your typical 2.5" HDD, it's the drive you find in some Ultrabooks. You can actually sell it on eBay and purchase a higher capacity standard 2.5" drive.

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Playstation 3 Rock Band 2 Special Edition

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

I've been playing this for 5 days now, after a year of playing RB1. To give credit where it's due, it looks like the team at Harmonix read every angry, outraged post about the first Rock Band and then addressed the problems.

Gameplay:

-Bands no longer have a leader that must be present in order for the band to play. Any member of the band can play solo, and any character can play any instrument.

-You can now create an entire band and have them play with you ALL the time, giving you control over the look of it. You never need to have a random character model stand in. The might seem like a small thing but it makes a big difference. I don't know how many times my friends and I played, 3 of us looking like the Beatles, only to have some chick wrapped up like a mummy playing bass.

-You can be more in-depth in fleshing out your band, including designing a logo for them.

Drums

-First of all the drums are wireless, which in itself is a big improvement. They have a rubberized coating on the pad now which cuts the noise from striking them in half, and that's more a dull thud than the sharp, obnoxious crack of the old drums. The bass pedal has been beefed up and should stand up to adult usage. I see some users complaining about tech problems with the drums, but mine have thus far been flawless.

-Guitar

This is a huge improvement over the RB1 guitar. The start button has been put in a recess, making it much harder to accidentally pause the game while playing. The tilt sensor for going into overdrive works perfectly, the buttons are easier to use and the overall construction is sturdier. Best of all, it's wireless receiver has a USB port that you can plug the drums into, making it so that two instruments take up only one USB port on the console. This means that you can play as a full 4-person band without needing anything extra for your PS3. Again, a little thing that makes a big difference.

All the songs you downloaded for RB1 can be played on this game, and for a small fee you can also migrate all the songs from the RB1 disc onto your drive to be used with RB2. I think it's great that you don't have to leave any songs behind.

Bottom line: if you have RB1 you should definitely buy at least this game, even if you want to keep your old instruments. The expansion to your song library alone is well worth the price. But if you have the money to spend I think the improved instruments are worth buying.

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We have had both Rock Band 1 and Rock Band 2 since their release dates, and I waited for a month of continuous gameplay so that I could make sure that I addressed some of the differences accurately.

Gameplay:

The graphics have never been the high point of this game, and they are slightly improved, still artsy-cartoony and PS2-looking, but still cleverly done (e.g., they are not that crisp HD cartooniness of "Buzz!" but they'll do). Gameplay is much the same as Rock Band 1, with the MAJOR exception that you can start a tour yourself and your character can play any instrument (previously, your character was tied to one instrument and if you played alone, you generally had to play 2 instruments to go "on tour"). Harmonix added in online challenges ("battles") that can be played weekly and are available for free over the Playstation Network. The extra downloadable songs are generally inexpensive and bring a massive diversity of artists (from Underoath to Devo to Paramore, and by now, RB has amassed an amazing amount of downloadable songs (over 500+ to date).

One minor quibble is that the same problem exists in RB2 as RB1, namely, that you cannot delete tracks that you absolutely hate. Thus, you can still fail out in the middle of a challenge because RB has picked an "impossible" song as one of its randoms, and I wish they would do a better job with their randomizer. Also, when you play in "Quickplay" mode, you cannot pick your character, unlike RB1. So I end up with "Earl Stevens, Jr." a lot instead of my own character, which is disappointing when I don't want to go through a tour (basically because I can't remember "which town" has the music I want to play e.g., where is "Everlong," again? The Amsterdam amphitheater?).

Peripherals:

The drums are head over heels better than the old version. They are quieter, springier on rebound, have a metal reinforced pedal to slow down breakages (though the spring mechanism still makes your pedaling-leg tired after a session), and are just as easy to break down and put away. Wireless is awesome, but it is a DRAIN on your AA batteries (we went through the first set of 4 Energizers in less than 10 days), so invest in some rechargables. Love the fact that it has a port for fake cymbals (which don't change the gameplay, they just give you something different to hit on the greens/blues/reds).

The guitar is somewhat improved, with the Start button surrounded by a ridge of plastic, though if you've been playing on RB1, you may actually like that guitar better. The one in the special edition package does NOT come with a sunburst "finish" though it's the same old Stratocaster body with a fake wood neck. The "auto-calibration" mechanism in the guitar (something missing from RB1) created some distressing results, so it was not as great of a feature as I initially hoped for, and we went back to manual calibration with our HDTV.

The mic is the same old, same old rebranded Logitech Vantage mic. But the Pelican and MadCatz upgraded versions aren't actually much better, so this mic will get you by.

Warranty Support:

The equipment is much higher quality than the first batch. We returned at least two RB1 guitars on warranty with the first set and are returning our RB2 guitar for failing to recognize overdrive. However, EA Customer Support has been marvelous EVERY time, so I highly recommend purchasing without fear.

Overall:

I was initially hesitant about replacing what I thought was an expensive RB1 set in the first place with a marginally more expensive RB2 set. However, I found the drum peripheral more than worth the expense and after playing them, I was satisfied and did not see the need to cough up another $300 for the premium Ion. Conclusion? RB2 is just as fun as RB1, if not more. The track list is GREAT, the gameplay is slightly improved, and everyone loves it at parties. For casual gamers who just like to pick up a fake instrument every now and again, it's a must-buy.

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After reading some of the negative press on RB2, especially the drums, my RB2 kit arrived and I had a non interrupted 2 hours of drumming joy.

Positives.

The Guitar has self calibration, which I have found to be good enough that I have not had to do any calibration manually (this was a right pain to get right in RB1). Somewhere (I could not see them from a cursory inspection) is both a sound and light sensor which auto calibrates vs a test beat and test flash.

I was most worried that the drums would not work (i'm the drummer in my family/friends) especially after all forum activity. They worked absolutely fine for me last night. Really like the softer/bouncier feel to the pads (i had the RB1 drums with silencer pads these will not be necessary with the RB2 drums)

Menu system navigation is much more logical, as is the intergration of solo and multiplayer.

Drum trainer is excellent 50+ patterns to practice, some with very complex changes, all at 40-200 bpm...

Song choices so far seem to have some really interesting drum rhythms and sequences with much more variation than RB1.

Overall really happy. Just hope I don't get some of the issues mentioned on the forums.

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This game is a lot more fun than I expected. I started this review mostly to confirm what is included in the Rock Band 2 Special Edition for PS3 -It has the game, a drum set, a guitar, and a microphone -the only thing you need to purchase in addition to have the full game is another guitar. You can also buy Rock Band 1 -and import its songs into Rock Band 2. (there are also online songs you can buy) -I have spent quite a bit of money buying new songs / Rock Band 1 -in order to fill out my library. There is a cheat code you can enter to unlock all the songs (google rock band 2 unlock songs cheat).

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We bought Rock Band 2 for the PS3 early this year, and had a great time playing for few weeks in January and February. We took very good care of the equipment. One time the wireless drums were a bit difficult to turn on, but we didn't think much of it at the time. Little did we know we should have acted on that problem right away...

We didn't use the game for a month or so, and then took it out this weekend to play some more. Bad news: the wireless drums are completely dead. They don't turn on at all. I switched out the batteries to brand new ones and made sure they were sitting in the container correctly. Still, nothing.

Fine, I think, there must be some options to return defective equipment. Wrong. Harmonix offers only a 60-day warranty on the equipment. Replacing the drums means buying a new set ($90). There are numerous complaints on Harmonix's support boards from customers who are running into problems with the PS3 drums shortly after the warranty expires, but Harmonix is ignoring the issue.

I can understand if we had beat on the drums or abused them, but outside of very minor wear on the pads, these drums look brand new. We've probably used them less than 25 hours in all. Harmonix claims they are dedicated to customer satisfaction, but a measly 60-day warranty period on the instruments isn't enough time to identify possible manufacturing defects. As a Harmonix customer, I am disappointed and am definitely not satisfied.

Buyer beware.

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Alice: Madness Returns

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $18.05
Today's Bonus: 10% Off

Woohoo! Alright, now I'm going to start right off by saying I LOVE this game! Now, with that being said, let's take a quick look at what's so great (and not great) about it, shall we?

First off, the graphics. Now, I like how the developers took a more "animated" style for this (though some may not). The colors in the backgrounds and scenery can range from absolutely breath-taking, to horrifically morbid (in a good way). The character and level design is also very unique and while somewhat cartoonish, this only helps serve the purpose of resulting in a very creative and imaginative piece of art.

Now, despite it's beauty, the game is also filled to the brim with what we all want: violence! Yes, most notably, the fighting mechanics of this game have been compared to the likes of Heavenly Sword, Dante's Inferno, and God of War, and rightfully so. It pretty much is a "hack-n-slash," type game like those mentioned, however there are also plenty of power-ups and abilities that can be used to "spice things up" a bit.

Back-tracking a bit to character design and such, the arsenal of villains and supporting cast is quite unique to say the least. Gone are the nostalgic images of cute n' cuddly Alice in Wonderland characters, and here, we are introduced instead to a more twisted yet fresh and entertaining cast. Personally, I LOVE the way the Cheshire cat is depicted in this video game, though I won't give away any "spoilers" as to appearance, so either you'll have to pick the game up, or just take my word for it ;).

The soundtrack and overall sound of the game itself really is rather enchanting, and definitely serves to help the mood of certain areas and scenes depicted on-screen. Once more, I have yet another compliment to offer, in that I truly think the voice acting in this game is phenomenal and the developers really outdid themselves in selecting the voice-talent; perfection!

So what about the gameplay itself? Is it any good? Is it fun? Would it be worth a second try (replay)? The answer to all of the above is...YES! The game itself is filled to the brim with action, interactive environments, and everyone's "favorite"...puzzles (lol). Nah, but seriously, the puzzles in this game aren't that bad at all, and even if you do end up getting stuck (which I doubt you will), we are fortunate to live in an age where we have all the answers to our questions at our fingertips (the internet). Needless to say, this game is an absolute BLAST, and replayability is definitely there. This is especially the case if you are a trophy collector, as some of the trophies involve beating the game on various difficulty settings.

I am a huge fan of all things "Alice in Wonderland." I have read the book(s), I have seen the movie(s), and now, I can say I have played the game(s). Oh yes, that's right, also if you purchase the game, you get a code that allows you to download the original "American McGee's Alice" game that was released back in 2000. What?! A free downloadable game?! Sweet! Now, keep in mind, the graphics will naturally be outdated since it came out in 2000, but any real gamer knows that graphics aren't what make a game...but whether or not a game is fun certainly does!

My only main gripe/concern about the game is that sometimes the controls/camera can be a bit tough to deal with, and can require some tinkering/tampering with to get it "just right." However the developers did a good job in offering the player to customize the control scheme to either regular or inverted, so depending on your preference, you can choose accordingly.

So, with that being said, here is what my first impressions of this game are:

Graphics: 5/5

Controls: 4/5

Sound: 5/5

Story: 4/5

Gameplay: 5/5

Overall: 5/5

At the very least, rent this game, however if you are an Alice in Wonderland fan, and don't mind reaching into your "darker" and "twisted" side, then you'd be doing yourself a disservice in not picking-up this game. So what are you waiting for?! Join me and visit Wonderland! :)

Update 6/15: Wow! I strongly encourage people to at least give this game a try. I've had another few hours at it, and I gotta' say, this game is so gorgeous and full of intrigue. I expected to have beaten it by now, however from what I've found, I still have a way to go. Length is always a PLUS to any game, and definitely gives me a sense that I spent my money well in picking this up. The puzzles are very unique, and some may require persistence or critical thinking skills, so if you don't enjoy things of that nature, then this game might not be for you, however I personally LOVE the challenge; as a lot of games these days seem to be too easy in my opinion. As I mentioned earlier, the character design is top-notch, and I keep running into more-and-more of our beloved favorite characters from the book/movie and I must say, the developers did an outstanding job in adding their own personal..."flare" to the characters.

I can understand where some of the negative reviews come from, since this type/style of game doesn't appeal to exactly everyone, but I can say that I'm surprised that there aren't more positive reviews out there. So with that in mind, at least give it a try, but to me, this is definitely worth a buy! Got any questions? Leave them in the comments! Hope this helps! :)

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Alice: Madness Returns isn't your regular cup of tea.

Despite its 11 year absence, the sequel lives up to its original title quite well. Alice is back, and her mind is still fragmented and all is not well with her. Her grasp on sanity is tenuous at best and her psychologist sessions are not going well; the Victorian take on medicine is resplendently well-played out in the form of a Doctor whose therapy focuses purely on just "forgetting all the bad things."

It doesn't take long for Alice to start hallucinating again and thrown back into "Wonderland", coming across the Cheshire Cat who practically growls in his svelte voice that not all she sees is how she remembers things.

Alice isn't looking for a fight. But, as the Cheshire Cat lazily laments, "Really? That's a pity. One's certainly looking for you." Alice is unwittingly thrown back against nightmarish enemies with her trusty Vorpal Blade ("keen and swift," the Cheshire Cat purrs), a Pepper Grinder, and a couple of other surprises for you to discover. Her enemies are beautifully rendered and the soundtrack lends an urgent, ominous tone to the entire affair. In addition, Alice's stumbling into the "Drink Me" fountain allows her to shrink at will, allowing her to see things that the "big Alice" can't see and allow her to crawl through keyholes, some cleverly disguised behind rocks. And, throughout, shrinking will allow her to see the occasional crude drawing scrawled in a light neon purple warning her of challenges and suggestions of paths to follow. There are other upgrades, to be sure, including weapons (similar to the God of War scheme except that you're using teeth, not red orbs).

The gameplay is fun throughout and although hack-and-slash might help you with the first couple of nemeses that you encounter, you will eventually find others that will force you to adopt different tactics. Unlike Dante's Inferno, this game will require a little bit more strategy on your part and the secrets are very well-hidden. If there is anything that I feel detracts from the gameplay, it's the occasional area where you feel that you can explore a certain direction (say under a shallow tree root?), but you can't go that direction and no amount of shrinking will allow you to do so either. That's too bad, because the "force field" walls are quite archaic in this era of game design and some graphical work could have been employed to suggest that a certain area is simply not traversable.

That con aside, the game is a visual feast. I occasionally would stop just so that I could rotate the camera slowly and drink in the sights. The artwork is quite imaginative and is a stark contrast to the parts where Alice wanders around a somewhat lifeless London. Now, I have read reviews that there are some occasional bland textures. Call it what you will, but I attribute it to the fragmented mind of Alice herself; there is too much in this game that looks so good as to fault the programmers for areas (especially London) where it's seemingly lifeless and devoid of rich textures. I simply don't buy it. I won't spoil the artwork for you any further, but the level design and incorporation of everyday items as means for travel or building materials does make me utter the occasional "wow."

Now, as for story, don't expect any mind-blowing Hollywood movie here. The point of the journey is the nightmare and the art. With that in mind, the game succeeds quite admirably.

5 stars, McGee, for blowing my mind away again!

If that's not enough, the current release also includes a voucher to download the original Alice (just over 940 MB) for the PS3. If you didn't catch the game the first time around, now's your chance to get it again without resorting to the insane prices people are charging for used PC copies.

Alice is not for the faint of heart to be sure. The Mature rating is quite well-deserved, although I believe that the cover would do well-enough to dissuade any parent who would ever think that this is a whimsical take on the Alice story worthy of an 8-year old.

PS just as an historical footnote, there are many who keep on stating how much this game is like God of War, Dante's Inferno, etc. The original Alice predates God of War by about 5 years. It's easier to compare this game to those, however, because they are considerably fresher in everyone's mind.

Buy Alice: Madness Returns Now

I was reading through Game Informer and I'm not understanding why this game got a mediocre review. This is one of the coolest games I've bought in a long time. The graphics are great. The story is fun. The knife you get is useful for attacks but the pepper grinder is an excellent weapon. If you are thinking of buying this game I would say go for it and ignore the reviews. In fact I'm going to ignore the reviews period from now on. I would have missed out on a great game if I would have listened to them..

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I just finished this game today and have to say I really enjoyed playing it. I'll try and keep this straight and to the point as best as I can.

Pros:

Art direction the art direction in this game sets the standards for other games of its kind. In fact, I'll go as far as to say it's almost unparalleled. Sometimes I liked just looking around to see all of the creepy things they hid in the environment. Lovely.

Controls these were really cinch-y. Jumping was rarely difficult. I had no issues with this while playing.

Camera very rarely did the camera go wonky on me. Very, very rarely.

Voice Acting everyone did a marvelous job. I love whoever did Alice's voice. I believe it's done by the same woman who did her voice in the first game, which is definitely a plus. The Cheshire cat is back, too.

Well-designed levels I rarely if ever got lost or confused. Very straightforward.

High-creep factor there were definitely times when I felt chills going up and down my spine. That's when you know that horror is being done correctly.

Combat I loved the combat in this game! I like the dodge ability and all of the different weapons you get. Lots of fun and definitely a highlight. I feel this was greatly improved from the previous game, though that was fun too.

Collectables there are a lot of collectables that make it worth a second play if you're up to playing it again. This game is actually quite long and took me several days to finish it

Add-ons if you pre-ordered this game (though it may still be available; I don't know) you can get a free music sampler and a copy of the original Alice game.

Cons:

Overly simplistic puzzles occasionally there will a break in the platforming-style of gameplay and there will be puzzles, but these puzzles are just waaaay too easy.

Odd glitches this is just a nitpick, but there were some odd things going on every once in awhile, like Alice's hair jumping during a cutscene. There were also odd lapses of the subtitles during some of the cutscenes (they were too slow and didn't keep up with the character) or sometimes the character's sentence would just cut off and you'll be thrown onto a loading screen. Otherwise, a very cohesive game.

Poor transitioning there were awkward and rather clumsy transitions between cutscenes and gameplay. Alice's hair will glitch or you will get an odd fade-in/fade-out quite often. Again, another nitpick. It won't affect gameplay at all.

Repetitive Lots and lots of platforming over and over. They tried to break it up a little with side games, but it can get tiring at times. Though this game has some replay value potential, because it's so long and it's very much the same thing over and over again, I'd say this is a negative.

Boss battles the boss battles were just the regular villains en masse. I liked how in the older game you could battle Wonderland characters, but here they were just there to encourage/hinder Alice. At one point, you think you'll get a big boss battle, but then something happens and the boss is taken out for you.

So as you can see, the pros outweigh the cons. This game is differently worth a try, especially for the art direction and the graphics. It's a lovely game with great combat, but it can get a little repetitive for me at times. In the end, though, it was worth every penny I spent and worth the wait.

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If you're willing to give this game the respect it deserves it will more than recompense you in its depth and quality. It will assist you in dealing with your Shadow (Jung's concept of the hidden, repressed self) if you open yourself to it psychologically. More than worth it as many gamers sorely require such experiences.The development team has done the world a favor. Hats off.

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