Lego Pirates of the Caribbean

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If you haven't been living under a rock, then you've already heard of the LEGO franchise through its various facets Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Batman, and Harry Potter. And yes, I have them all. :)

This time Lego returns to us with Pirates of the Caribbean! The fun and humor that you've come to know and love in the wordless grunts and gestures used to convey the story is back. The characters that you're familiar with are all there with all the mannerisms, down to the detail of Jack's shambling "not-all-there" gait.

The puzzles and action that are also a part of every Lego game are here as well with some rather new, notable features:

Jack's compass is an element in each level. If there is a special item to be found, activating his compass reveals the path in blue footstep squares like bread crumbs to the treasure he is looking for. If it's buried, your trusty dog can be used to dig it up.

Characters are all switchable, as before, but one of the new (and quite welcome!) features for me was the character wheel which allows you to choose WHICH character you'd like instead of tapping endlessly / by proximity to get the character you want.

Some levels feature "sticky" elements that won't let you fall helplessly as was previously advertised on gaming sites.

I do have some complaints, however:

Level design is still frustrating at times. If your jumps are "not so" or if you scoot 1 mm to the left, you may find yourself missing your destination and sighing grievously.

After how many years...and still no online co-op modes? It's 2011, Traveller's Tales games. Can we get on the ball here?

Despite level design (and if you're used to Lego games, you'll be used to this) and lack of online support, it's still a fun roller-coaster ride through all 4 (yes, you read that right) Pirates movies including:

Curse of the Black Pearl

Dead Man's Chest

At World's End

On Stranger Tides (yep, you get to have a sneak peek at what the next movie might be about otherwise, just play the other 3 until you see it)

The other debate is...get it on PS3 or Wii? Most of my other Lego games are on the Wii, but it does look fantastic on the PS3 in HD (and for the same retail price, mind you). I find that the aiming in the PS3 (when Will throws his ax, for example) is a lot easier than I thought it would be and I don't miss the Wii functionality much as a result. However, I'm sure that the game plays equally well on the Wii so it's completely up to you.

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I bought this game for my 10 year old brother to have fun with but I must admit I had a lot of fun playing with him as well. This is very far from my usual gaming preferances e.g. Assassins Creed, God of War triology etc. but I still had fun playing with my brother. the characters are lively and the cut scenes are funny. The only complaint my brother has about the entire game is that he thinks the characters should talk.

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This game is so well thought out. It's a great family game, one that younger kids would really get a kick out of but that parents would also enjoy. The puzzles and adventures of the lego people are clever yet challenging and the humor that is always apparent in the LEGO games comes out in full force.

My only issue is the split screen when you play with 2 players, the screen splits so you can go off and do different things. Sometimes it is hard to figure out where your player is and where your partners' is, but other than that, play on!

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I may be biased towards this Lego game above others since it's the first one based on a Disney franchise, but I truly believe that it is the best yet. Lego Pirates plays through all four of the Pirates movies, (so be warned that if you play this before seeing On Stranger Tides when it's released, you will find out the storyline for it, not a lot of details, but you will have a general idea of what's going to happen, which I enjoyed.) Each story has five levels, and with each level needed to be played at least twice, (once in story, and once in free play,) for 100% completetion, it goes on for hours of game play.

There are a ton of characters available, some through game play, others for purchase, some with special codes, (which can very easily be found online,) to unlock. Each character boasts certain skills, which can make playing the individual levels tricky. Also, a change for the Lego format, is having to search for the unlockable extras, which you then need enough coins to buy.

The levels themselves are challenging, and require some thinking. It's also easier to switch characters in the game as well, since you can bring up a menu of available characters at all times. In freeplay, it doesn't matter who you select to play with, you have all unlocked characters available to play with, which is a great bonus not found in other games.

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First, let's just get the good part out of the way the game is great. Many fun characters, great hub world, interesting story levels, minikits to find in freeplay it has what you've come to expect and appreciate. Oh, and no lame vehicle levels so that's a plus. It has the new dynamic split screen introduced with Lego Indian Jones 2, so daddy no longer accidentally drags his son to Lego-doom.

Unfortunately, Lego Pirates also keeps the random freezing common in Lego Indiana Jones 2 and Lego Harry Potter. It gets worse the more characters you get, and tends to happen more often with multiplayer and in the hub world. At this point, I think we have to accept that Traveler's Tales in incapable of making a game that doesn't crash. These are full-on screen freeze/have to turn off the PS3 at the back crashes.

So there you have it, I warned my son that Traveler's Tales doesn't make stable games and we would probably have crashes. I reminded him that we stopped playing Lego Indiana Jones 2 because the game was basically broken. But he wanted it, and like Lego IJ2 it was fun but the crashes are becoming more frequent and I suspect he'll give up on the game soon. If your kid loves the Lego games already, it's a no-brainer it really is a great Lego game. But at this point I cannot imagine paying full-price for one of these games they're just broken.

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Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust

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I had to write this review since EVERY review I found before has thus been negative or downright brutal. Take it from soneone who ACTUALLY beat the game and didn't play it for five minutes because they were pissed off and don't know what a Larry game is all about. This game is fun! Granted, there are parts where the graphics can get choppy or the controls are frustrating. But as a whole the game is worth the play. If you are a LSL fan you are doing a disservice to yourself by not playing Larry 9 (I still haven't found the missing floppies for LSL 4...lol).

The Game does start out slow. Once you get to the first dreamscape (the Western) I guarantee you will be hooked. The story line is entertaining and Loveage keeps you laughing with his one liners and off-the-wall behavior.

No this one isn't written by Al Lowe, and no you don't get to play our beloved Larry, but it's fun nonetheless. There is a lot of crude humor, women in scantily clad outfits, and tons of sexual innuendos and puns (yes buns too my fellow pervs).

The bottom line is simple, if you are a fan of LSL, you need to give this game a shot. The graphics are better than any we have seen before, but still hold that comical and cartoonish tinge to 'em. True, there is no full frontal nudity or gratuitous sex scene depicted in the cutscenes like a lot of games are heading towards, but hell that never stopped Larry fans before...we're used to not scoring right? Only in the game right? ;) I promise you though, this one has a "happy ending."

To get there though is tough, this is not an easy game; it took me over twenty hours to reach the end and there are several scenes or scenarios that you will probably have to do darn near 10+ times (maybe even closer to 20-30...lol).

But persevere and you won't be let down. You'll laugh and enjoy the ride...ahem... the whole way through. As Larry would say, "Oh yeah!"

The game also has the usual gambit of minigames/challenges incorporated inside. You won't be looking for secret tokens (YEAH BABY!) but instead have to seek out 100 Larry Awards (golden statues) hidden throughout the film studio. There are also numerous girls to try and score with and also several stunt races to complete for special awards. Even if you've beat the main missions in the game and reached the grand finale, you can still attempt to accomplish these challenges for hours of extra gameplay. Good luck fellow leisure suiters!

Be advised, I played the game on PS3 and had also tried it on the PC. For the life of me I couldn't get it to work properly on the PC with my controller. Using a keyboard was horrific and I don't recommend this at all. Go with the console version!

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The previous Larry's were great wry smutty humor with good game play. This game sucks! The game play is terrible, the animation is awful. I've managed to get the character stuck in a wall and between walls. You can't talk to other characters or look at objects like in the past games. I'm glad I only paid $3 yet I still feel ripped off!!

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What can I say?

Awful console port, awful controls, awful story, awful dialogs, slightly less than awful graphics.

And this comes from a devoted fan of the old PC Larry series from Sierra that I continue to love.

Sad, really.

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This is the worst game i have ever played. Clunky and unresponsive controls. Terrible camera angles. Nothing about this game is worth mentioning. I rented it to try and get an easy plat trophey. Little did i know i would be renting something that felt more like a chore to play. I could only make it through and hours worth of game play before i had to take it back.

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At long last, I've finally found it...I've finally discovered it. The worst game ever conceived by an established video game studio. Ever.

Ever.

There is simply no excuse for the production quality and design elements of this game. It's not just lacking a layer of polish like some games which are rushed out early by a company's publisher.. it's lacking anything remotely resembling a gaming soul. It's wretched to the point where I'm almost convinced the developers made the game the way it is on purpose... everyone sitting around, drinking, giggling, cheering as they come up with another aggravating gameplay feature with which to torture the unwary gaming populace. Truly, you really have to TRY to make a game this loathsome, this abhorrent, this... painful.

Nearly EVERYTHING in this game is just... WRONG. From the archaic, "now you can control me, oops lol now you can't" camera that refuses to show you anything you really need to see to the unbelievably rotten "combat" system that makes fighting an agonizing chore, to the PSX-quality textures and pop-up, to the totally uncessary inclusion of a hidden stamina meter that keeps you from sprinting for more than 5 seconds per minute, this game is just an abomination... a freak of gaming nature... an utter insult to the gaming industry's sensibilities. It's a steaming fecal nightmare delivered unceremoniously from the rotting bowels of Team17 Software onto the collective face of videogaming. Yes, the industry is now worse off from the mere existence of this game. If you've ever seen, played, or heard of this game, you've taken a step back in your own personal evolution.

Team17 should be ashamed of themselves. Go ahead guys, take off one or two or 15 years and go stick your heads in the sand on some uncharted Pacific island, until humanity has forgotten most of what has transpired here. Shame, shame, shame. SHAME ON YOU. And God help any of you who list this game as a past project in your resume/CV, as truly any hint of involvement with such trash should immediately have you blacklisted from participating in the development of any other video game, ever again.

There's no forgiveness, no rest for you, Leisure Suit Larry. Rot in turmoil, you insipid turd.

PROS:

-Nothing. Avoid like syphilis.

CONS:

-Everything

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Blur

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List Price: $39.99
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Preliminary review. Playing it right now.

Repeat this mantra "Not a sim, Not a sim, Not a sim..."

If you read many of my other game reviews you'll see I like driving games. Specifically sim driving games. Being I am no where near a millionaire I probably will never drive any of these cars in my lifetime. So I think of sim driving games as a way to bring a bit of realism into my living room. When I got Blur from my game rental place, I was about to pack it up and send it back to them asap. I had seen the clips and other snippets of the game and a driving game with power ups and all that had no place in my stable of _real games_,

or so I thought.

My son and I really enjoy Mario Kart Wii. This game is a more grown up version of that. The commercial you see on TV now with the mario like character wanting to play a grown up racing game is spot on. It combines the fun of that with real cars. Unlike Mario Cart, you can get up to 3 power ups and keep them in a queue on your back bumper. When you want to use it hit X and fire away.

Models: +

First off I love the realism of the car models. They really do look pretty good. You start off like many other car games of this genre and you get a hooptie to begin with.

Fan system: +

Play this online and you earn fans. Fans are like Rock Band games ( musical ones not the company) and these fans can get you benefits, boosts and cool toys for your ride.

Lights: +

Lights unlock the cars. The higher you finish, the more lights and better cars you can get.

Damage: +/-

Damage in this game is pretty good. Based on an arcade model of damage that is. Your car will be blown up and shot into the air, land on its roof and keep going. Its done well though and not too kitschy.

Lack of Achievements: +

As of right now I don't have any and that is a good thing, some games seem to launch them at you for just logging in. Not here. You have to complete some tough challenges to get a _sticker_. These are your badges that can be seen as a trophy. 4 complete challenge = 1 sticker. These are tough.

Power Ups: +

This game has a ton and each are a blast, literally. Of course there is nitro and boosts to speed. Also there are some really crazy ones that can take your opponent out in a blaze of less than glory.

Ease of play: +

This is very easy to control with the six axis controller. Right trigger is gas, left brake and X is fire off the next power up you have in your queue.

First Impression: +

Overall this game has won me over. Its definitely something you would see in an arcade, but that doesnt make it any less fun. Take it as it is and I think you will have a good time with this game.

I plan on playing this a ton this week and will update this review as I get more into it.

Thanks for reading my review.

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After spending now 6-8 solid gameplay hours both online and offline, here are my impressions of Blur:

Graphics: This game looks awesome. Damage to the cars is as "realistic" as you're going to get for a kart style game. The real vehicles are used in this game, and look the part. Powerups are really cool when used, and the color in this game is incredibly vibrant. The tracks that I raced looked great as well, from the actual track to the scenery. Everything in the game pops with vibrant color.

Music: Nothing that got on my nerves, but nothing that was incredibly memorable so far either. It's appropriate, high energy for a racing game.

Controls: If you got frustrated in games like Gran Turismo that you couldn't take a tight turn doing 100 in a Dodge Viper, you'll find more of the same here with some of the cars, as they handle just like their real life counterparts. For those that can handle the drifting cars, you'll definitely gain a boost in speed. The controls are mapped logically as are most PS3 games (accelerate with R2, brake with square, etc.). One of the major keys to the game is matching the car type (drifting, off road, etc.) with the track type.

Presentation/Ingenuity: Each races starts out with a neat take on a countdown (not just a simple 3-2-1). I found that to be really cool. You're never really out of a race with the powerups available, though the Shock one that is shot out in front of the leaders is really hard to avoid if you ARE the leader. You likely won't win too many blowout races in this game. I found the powerups to be neat takes on other ideas (example: The "Shunt" acts like a Red Turtle Shell in Mario Kart, which homes in on your target). Your goal in each race is to light up all the "lights" to move onto the next race. However, the secondary goals (getting enough fans, and going through all the gates) do add replay value to each track.

Online play is where this game really shines...as you advance in rank you unlock more cars, there are tons of trophies/accomplishments that can only be done online, this game runs butter smooth even with 20 cars racing at the same time, simply put, it's the best online racing experience on the PS3 and Gran Turismo 5 better have this figured out as least as well.

Replay Value: With all the stickers to earn, online leaderboards, challenges you can put to friends, Facebook/Twitter compatibility, as well as all the challenges on each track, this is one racing game you're not going to blow through in 5-10 hours. Through 8 hours I'm only 16% complete on the single player campaign, and heaven only knows how long it will take to get everything.

So overall, since people like those 1-10 scales:

Graphics: 9.5/10

Cars look great, explosions are awesome, and the tracks are nice and varied

Sound: 8/10

The 8 is on the strength of the sounds, not necessarily the BGM. Burnout Paradise

is far superior as they had licensed songs in their game.

Controls: 9/10

Pretty good for a racing game, not so punishing as a Gran Tursimo would be, but not unrealistic like many arcade racers are. It's a really good fit.

Presentation/Ingenuity: 8.5/10

Some of the ideas (like the whole powerup thing) you've seen all the way back to games like RC Pro AM for the NES. However, the layout of the races, the different modes, the linkability with FB/Twitter, etc. shows the developers are paying attention to the changes in techonology.

Replay Value: 10/10

There is SO MUCH to do in this game and accomplish, and when you add in the online multiplayer/challenges, you will most certainly get your $60 worth out of this game.

In closing...

Buy this game if:

You've got fond memories of Mario Kart and like the fact you're never out of a race

You want a robust, deep online multiplayer racing experience

You like collecting trophies and a game that takes a while for 100% completion.

Don't buy this game if:

You're expecting a simulation style racing experience

You're hoping to hear epic BGM while you are racing

You're going to play split screen (2 player) multiplayer a lot (this is one place the graphics/gameplay take a hit)

UPDATE (25 May 2011)

As some of you may know, Bizzare Creations ceased to exist in February. This has had a direct impact on Blur. As a result...

you can no longer post your updates to Facebook

you can no longer view individual race leaderboards; the only leaderboard remaining are those you access online (Driver's Score/Fans/Power up hit rate/Legend stats)

the official website no longer supports account linking

Just something to be aware of if you have no purchased the game...as it appears Activision is content to let those features go away.

UPDATE #2 (6 Oct 2011)

This is the only game on the PS3 that I have earned the Platinum trophy for and outside of maybe Gran Turismo or the Dirt series this is the hardest Platinum racing trophy to obtain.

I'm also fully maxed out at Legend 10, Rank 50, and at one time I was ranked 39th in the world (PS3) but now I am hovering in the 150's or so.

This game is now an incredible value, despite the items I mentioned in Update #1, even if the online community is lagging at around 150-200 players during the nighttime hours (far more are on between 9 AM-3 PM, especially on weekends due to this game still being popular overseas).

Call of Duty numbers it ain't, but it still remains the most fun I have ever had playing online of any game, period.

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After playing Split Second and Blur at the same time, it would seem the only thing they have in common is the genre. I won't compare the two since they are completely different in look and feel; the whole apples and oranges thing.

The graphics are better than most racing games. The gameplay is challenging because it is not the simple drive to the finish line type game. Having played Project Gotham, I expected some of that to leak into the gameplay but Blur has very little of the Gotham feel. The concept is not unique. Drive and use power-ups to beat your opponents. What makes this unique though is that driving and power-ups is not enough to win. Track physics and vehicle type is extremely important to winning the race. Besides winning the race, there are fan requirements as well. Winning the race will get you to the next event but without the fans, you will not have the car selection to make a difference.

Overall this is a challenging driving game. I did give it 4 of 5 because some of the minor annoyances throughout the game including the initial install makes it difficult to avoid yelling at the TV screen at times. When comparing Split Second and Blur, Split Second wins in the single player part but Blur wins in the multiplayer part.

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Almost perfect, but falls short in all around game.

Pro's-

Looks good

Easy to learn

Mario Kart for adults

Online is Good

A lot to do

Con's-

Gets a little hard as you progress

Way too many hard requirements

Old too fast

The game is still great, but after a few days the repetiveness and crazy things you have to do catches up. must rent game. If you like the hard stuff, this game is for you.

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My wife liked to play Mario Kart when we had a Gamecube. Since then, I have moved on to PS3 and I have no games that interest her. This game changed that. Graphics are stellar, the game is loads of fun, the controls are very simple and this is a very addicting which leads to high replay value. There are some long reviews on this game that are extremely accurate. I just want to reinforce what they state. And, don't let the fact that this game has been out for years deter you. You will not be disappointed if you go into this game knowing what to expect.

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PS2 to PS3 Controller

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Seems to work well with the standard controller.

Requires the analog button on the controller to be pushed to register it each time it's plugged in.

I tried to get the Sony brand IR controller to work with it, but

couldn't figure out how to get it to register(Analog button)

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Ps3 Sony Playstation 3 60gb 60 gig Fully Backwards Compatible Model CECHA01 Console System

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I had to return the PS3, it froze up a lot. Looking up online, the processors like to go bad...and these are now older so when you buy used you take a chance of getting a bad one.

This one came in not so good shape, tape residue and dusty (like by the vents/fan). If you're going to sell something used at least clean it up.

I returned it.

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Ezjam Guitar

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Bought this for my dad for his birthday as a second guitar for his PS3. I used it for about 2 hours and really liked it. I like that it is a little smaller than the original guitar so it is more "girl" and "child" friendly. My three year old nieces liked having the second set of buttons where they could reach them and push them down, even though they can't actually play the game. I would definatly recomend this for people with small hands!

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LittleBigPlanet

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I'm a 41 year old step-dad that doesn't play video games much. When I do play, it's typically a first person shooter game and the last gaming title that I played all the way through was "Half-Life." Feel free to start the "old guy" cracks/comments now. I bought the PS3 for two reasons: 1. Gaming entertainment for my step-son (15 yrs old) and for the huge group of nephews and neices that visit our home periodically. 2. My first Blu-ray player.

I bought "LittleBigPlanet recently to add to the home gaming collection and last night played for the first time with my step-son. After 2+ hours of excellent gaming and good times...we both came away with huge smiles on our faces. It's been quite awhile since I laughed so much doing an activity and sharing the moment with my step-son was very cool. So, what's entertaining about this game that looks on the surface to be for small children?

1. Funny look, funny sounds, oh yeah...a crapload of FUN! This game has the most unique, interesting look to it that I've ever seen for a game. Seeing what would be next really kept us guessing. Also, we were big fans of the "sounds of death," whenever our characters would perish. Whether by smoldering fire, cackling electricity, falling onto spikes, or getting squashed...my step-son and I laughed alot when one of us died in the gaming environment. The costume options are worthy of an entire paragraph by themselves, but I don't want to bore you.

2. Challenging games. I thought this game would be easy....WRONG. Even though the controls are easy to master (really easy!), the gaming situations cost us many lives to play and finally master.

3. Creativity of creating own gaming scenarios. I was blown away by what other players across the globe were creating and posting for folks to come and play. My step-son and I played a game created by someone from Japan, then another from someone that lived in London. Loved the experience and game play.

4. Allowing multiple players to play at the same time, on the same game board. Instead of the boring, play and then sit out, rotate, rotate rotate (Ugh)....this game allows 1-4 players to play the same game board at the same time. This makes for crazy, unorganized, hilarious game play. I blamed my step-son soooooo many times for killing me and vice versa. Whenever we completed a section successfully, we would high five each other and have huge grins of accomplishment on our faces. More games should allow for this kind of game play.

In summary...this game was a HUGE homerun, in regards to entertainment impact and fun times for 2 or more people. I strongly recommend this game to any family looking for a game that is family friendly, or for gamers that are just looking for something new, hilarious, and creative. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

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To say that there has been some hype surrounding this title would be a bit of an understatement. I'm here to tell you that they Totally Pulled It Off. I was very nervous, concerned that the game could not possibly be as fun as it looked on the movies. Well, I needn't have worried. Here is my gleefully happy review:

The sheer sense of whimsy, of pure-no holds barred-cackle out loud-jump up and run around-find your old light saber and yell like you've just seen Star Wars for the first time (yea, really, like that!)-delight that permeates this game is everywhere. Everywhere are little touches that make this seem so new, even though the basic mechanics are those of a very strong platformer. By now, most people have already seen Sack Boy. Well, he's even cuter when you are playing with him. All the stickers, outfits, and silly movements that he has make him even more endearing as you play him.

Graphics are a real departure from what you are used to seeing, but in a very very good way. Textures are sharp and realistic, which is important in a game that draws on mundane objects to make a completely fantastic new world. Movement is rich, physics are very well designed. When you play this game, it just feels right.

The music is a blast--remember the first time you listened to Katamari Damacy and were just enchanted with the invention and fun of the music? Well, although there is not any J-pop to be found here, that same hum along and enjoy feeling is everywhere.

Story is basic, but fun. I've not yet completed the game, so I can't remark on how long it is. I'll update this review when I've finished.

The extra levels available online already range from the merely ok to the absolutely outstanding. Clearly, there are some folks who have Way Too Much Time On Their Hands. The level creation software is easy to understand, although very deep. You're going to have to work pretty hard to make levels as good as the game designers have made--but the amazing thing is that you really can do so if you want! This flexibility is perhaps the biggest strength of LBP, and is what will keep this game going for long after you have explored the levels that come with it.

Ultimately, this is a platformer--a very very good platformer. Do not think that you are going to get a game that re-invents gaming here. However, if you know that and are excited any way, you are going to get the most original, most charming, most delightful platformer to come your way in a long time, and you are going to get virtually inexhaustable user developed content, much of which will likely be great.

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Much like Mario 64 redifined platforming by bringing Mario into the third dimension, Little Big Planet has reinvented what a platformer should do by giving players the ability to create their own levels and share them worldwide. Super Mario Galaxy really pushed the third dimension aspect, and Ratchet & Clank is a graphic powerhouse. LBP does what no platformer has done this generation it lets the players take over for the designers and offers content long after the story mode is completed.

The story mode is georgeous. The music and art design are incredible. The puzzles are challenging, but far from impossible. You MUST have a freind to complete everything, and that can be trying when you are dealing with people online. The controls are floaty, but it doesn't take long to get the hang of handling sackboy.

The level creator is where LBP surpasses console platformers. There are already player created stages online that are as good as some of the designer's stages (albeit shorter). Although people online can be difficult to deal with, the creativity on display is amazing. Everything that you see in the desiner created levels can be done. And if you have the Eye Toy, there are no limits to the images that you can create and use in your own levels.

PC fans have been modding games and creating their own original content for years and for the first time, a console game has given players the tools to do the same thing with such ease. A must own for platforming fans and a must play for everyone else.

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Before I start let me give a frame of reference concerning the reviewer: I'm a 26 year old male, and I speak on behalf of what I've thought and heard from my peers (both female and male).

Whether it has been explicitly said or not, LittleBigPlanet (LBP) is a creative masterpiece that revolutionizes what games can be while being appropriate for all ages.

First, the game does not derive its fun factor from massacring other humans, aliens, or god knows whats. In a time where it seems like most game developers have the deluded idea that a game must involve violence to be good (no thanks to Microsoft's firm 'killing is the best fun' policy), LBP stands out as one of a kind. How strange that we humans would want games to be 'realistic' when reality is realistic enough! Surely an imaginary world is better than copying our own imperfectly and with its imperfections.

Second, LBP's gameplay is excellent both in its single-player and multi-player modes. The multi-player modes are admittedly more fun, and they're accessible either online or on a single PS3. The game's replay value is high, both because the disc levels are full of things to collect, and because there are many creative user-designed levels online. The platforming is reminiscent of older game generations like the SNES and Genesis/Megadrive, while simultaneously being new both artistically and as far as the character interaction mechanics are involved.

Third, LBP delivers a good platforming experience, but where it really amazes is in the level of customization it allows. Your sackperson (the character) can be dressed up, can be made to wear different expressions, can have all its joints/limbs move (e.g. you can make him/her dance), can have stickers placed on itself and its environment, and finally can even have its own world created from the ground up (i.e. you can make your objects which eventually can go into your own level). I think this customization is really what makes LBP stand apart from all other games. An adult can enjoy and be truly challenged by this, it really does push the limits of creativity. Even more importantly, if one has children, I cannot stress how good LBP can be for a child's mind. It is creative, light-hearted, and accessible (with parental help), offering an experience that is on par with constructing a world out of Lego pieces. I really don't think any game offers that. The Wii, for all the hype its gotten, is yet to offer a game that is even in the same ballpark as LBP.

Finally, Sackboy/Sackgirl is an incredible character. Nothing so cute, personable or memorable has been introduced in years. I would surely think that 10 or 20 years down the line, Sackperson will still be with us, much like other gaming mascots like Mario. The fact is that sackboy/girl has been given such a range of animations, emotions and appearances that I find it hard to believe that any human will not be taken in by this fictional character.

Needless to say, I fully recommend this game. Not only because it's a worthy investment, but also because I feel we need to reward those who work on producing true art. It would be a shame if a game like this went unrewarded, perceived to be worse then the many first person shooters that crowd the market with their ideals of murder. We might one day end up with nothing but them, and that would be a real tragedy.

Rami

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I've never written a review for a product on Amazon before, but this game compelled me to do so. It's the single most convincing argument for buying a video game console system that I've ever seen, going all the way back to Super Mario Bros. on the original Nintendo Entertainment System. If you have a PS3, you absolutely must get this game. If you don't, get one and then get this game.

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Bayonetta

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $16.68
Today's Bonus: 44% Off

I've been playing games for 20 years, and I honestly can't think of one quite as insane as Bayonetta. The character and level designs are gorgeous. The bosses are ridiculously huge, and there's lots of them. The combos and special moves are wicked and fun to pull off. And I actually liked that the soundtrack wasn't the typical heavy metal. The story is a little hard to follow, but you can seriously skip the cut scenes and still have an amazing experience.

Now, I heard some negative things about this game before I bought it. The biggest one is that the Xbox version is far superior, allegedly. While I can't compare the two, I can honestly say I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the game. Yes, it has frequent load times. But, you know what? There's so much happening on the screen sometimes, I didn't mind the break. The graphics seemed a little low-res, but the inventive style more than made up for it. I will say, though, that if there is a sequel, I hope the PS3 port gets the development attention it deserves.

A couple other things to consider: You can beat the game on easy in 8 or 9 hours (the difficulty is set so easy means normal and normal means you'll throw your controller a lot). If you want tons of play time for your money, you may want to rent this instead. Also, I'm aware some people are saying that the game is offensive. While the female characters are hypersexual, I didn't see a huge difference between this and something like Tomb Raider.

Overall, I highly recommend this game. It's one of the most memorable I've played in a long time. The good stuff far outweighs the bad. There's a tsunami of amazing games gushing out this year, but don't overlook this one.

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Alright, I'm sorry the title was a little rude, but it's true. For all those who complain of lag and lousy graphics, just download a patch that's available as soon as you select the game after establishing a PlayStation Network connection. It makes the game go faster, the graphics shine brighter, and the game that much more fun.

BUT... having played it for 3 weeks WITHOUT the patch, I could say it's a solid game regardless. You play as a witch with an insane hairstyle who summons torture devices and demons to kill angelic enemies. Welcome to backwards land people!

I'm really hoping for a sequel, as all of the characters brought something to the fold.

Imagine a game directed by Quentin Tarantino. CONGRATULATIONS! You purchased Bayonetta!

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First of all, to put this review up as a critical review, I cheated a little by giving this game 3 stars. (Please, don't burn me alive!!! I'll explain now) So, sorry fans, I'm dragging the score down a little.

Actually, this is a solid 4-star game for me. I just want to draw attentions of gamers who are on the fence and still considering about buying this game with an analytical point of view.

Let's start,

GAMEPLAY

Light: The game is everything you'd expected from the creator of Devil May Cry. Fast paced, over-the-top, cool heroine with attitude, cool guns and melee weapons, crazy combos and evasive moves. Combats are satisfying as hell.

The 2-button-attack system makes it simple to do combos. You can either get away with a couple of combos or go crazy and be the martial arts master. A lot of unlockables give the game a good replay value.

Dark: Yeah, it's everything you'd expected from the creator of DMC all right, including the difficulty. Remember that DMC3's difficulty had to be dropped down when they released the special edition, according to complaints from fans. This game is not exactly Ninja Gaiden or Demon's Souls, but it can be punishing at times.

You can't button-mash your way through the game. Your attacks don't really have a powerful impact or knock-back effect, so enemies counter you all the time. That makes remembering the sets of moves and plan how to execute them in the right moment important.

Dodging is crucial to your survival, maybe a little too much since you don't have any blocking move. Screw up your dodge once, and the consequence is severe. Health bar can be drained half by one set of 3-hit combo from an enemy.

If you don't hunt down the item that extends your health bar, you'd better excel at dodging. And health recovery items are scarce too.

Boss battles may need quite specific tactics. You will die and die and die again, get frustrated, curse, cry for your mommy, until you figure out how to fight. If you can endure the gaming-induced anger and frustration, you'll be okay.

They don't let you customize the button config. I don't understand why. How hard is that? It's an action game. Players should be able to set up the control scheme according to their preferences.

Check points don't really have very good consistency. Sometimes they are too far apart and it forced you to suffer hordes of enemies and die easily at the boss.

Loading time of a PS3 version is a little too much. Normally I don't really care, but this one is getting on my nerve quite a bit. The game takes some considerable loading time even when you open up the pause menu or pick up an item. It's not very long each time, but they add up to an annoying amount. I heard that a 360 version doesn't have this issue, so if you also have a 360, I recommend that one.

STORY & CINEMATIC

Light: Story doesn't make much sense at first. But as the game progresses, it will unfold and you'll understand more and more. There are some cool cinematic cut-scenes. Actors' performances are over-the-top, but since the story doesn't take itself too seriously, that turn out to be quite hilarious and fit for the game atmosphere.

Dark: Story doesn't give you any 'wow' moment, just a typical Light VS Dark stuff. And it looks like the developer didn't finish all the cut-scenes in time. They put in a lot of film-strip animatics with just character poses and voice-overs where there should be fully animated cut-scenes. Doing so gave a weird result, consistency wise.

The overly-sexualized characteristic of this game might pluck some feminists' nerves. With the amount of butt, crotch, and boobs shots in this game, it's too much to be sexy. While I myself found it hilarious and I'm willing to bet that those animators must have done their serious research from porno and strip club, feminists with no sense of humor would find this game greatly offensive (since, to them, everything that guys think sexy is objectifying women)

VISUALS & SOUNDS

Light: Character designs are good, very unique. They cleverly made angels look threatening and ugly while they still look like angels. Environments and props are intricate. Effects are lush and abundance. I'm not gonna go deep about models and textures since I'm playing this game on a very old TV. Soundtrack is a little bit on the weird side. They pick 'Fly Me to The Moon' and pop-jazz mix songs for battle BGMs. They go well with the atmosphere of the game though.

Dark: Yes, effects are lush and abundance. But that turns into the downside as well. With all the razzle-dazzle going on the screen at the same time, dodging the attacks of 3 or 4 enemies becomes deadly. Effects can be very distracting and lead you to cheap death. Many times my mind just went blank and helplessly keep mashing the buttons just because I was overwhelmed by the visuals. Oftentimes after the fight ended, I had no idea what the hell I just did.

You'll also fight with camera quite a bit. Mostly it does a decent job, but it twists into weird and undesirable angles at times and big enemies can completely block the view of your character. In those epic boss fights, they were so epic that your character sometimes shrunk down to about no bigger than half an inch. Playing this game for a long time can make your eyes filled with tears, but not of joy.

IN CONCLUSION

Despite some rough edges, it's good-looking, fun to play, and has a good replay value. Critics giving it 5-star or 40 out of 40 maybe a bit of a stretch. Nevertheless, the game is worth its full price, especially for Devil May Cry fans.

Button-masher and casual gamer beware, by the way. Under the sexy guise, Bayonetta is a younger sister of Ninja Gaiden, and she's a real feisty one. You're not gonna pass this game with one hand on something else. If you can't satisfy her, she'll punish you hard.

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After reading countless of reviews on how the porting was done horribly on PS3 I was a little worried about the quality of the game on PS3. I have not played through the entire game, but overall the game looks and feels great. The graphics are crisp and looks good, people that complained about the frame rate dropping horribly during gameplay must have one hella of a TV. I run a 120hz 1080p TV and I do not notice it at all. The only issue (which I do not see it being as bad as people state) is the loading time is a little longer then the normal games that I have encountered. The most annoying thing is that when you pickup an item during mid fight you get a loading screen (displaying the item) for about 3-4 seconds. Also when you pause the game you get a delay of 2 seconds. I find it hard to believe that the 360 version is far superior to the PS3 version, it is possible that the load times are slighlty better but I do not have a 360 and would not know.

Anyways its a great game, and PS3 owners should not be afraid about the horrible reviews that people have been giving without even playing the actual game.

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I purchased Bayonetta after the patch became available so I can't really compare with the unpatched version, but I can tell you this; loading is only noticeable during the beginning of the stage, or when skipping scenes. Overall, the game didn't suffer any framerate issues during my whole "normal difficulty" gameplay. This may be due to my 500GB 7200rpm Hard drive that also helped speed up the loading, but my experience with the game was fun, fast and epic.

GRAPHICS:

I have no complaints with the graphics although I read that the 360 version is much sharper, it didn't detract me from enjoying the game or cause me to die because of any graphical glitches reported; if I die is probably skill related. Background color seems lacking, but this is probably due to the fact that Bayonetta fights multiple/huge Angels which makes it easier to identify them for combos.

GAME MECHANICS:

If you've played Devil May Cry then you pretty much know how Bayonetta plays. Battle is fast paced with epic boss battles that can take minutes to defeat, and will get better and bigger the farther you get in the game. Battles will take you from the ground, air, water, and even space just to name a few. Weapons can be equipped on both hands and feet from guns, whips, katana, to claws etc. and can keep two weapon group setup so you can switch between them during battle for different combo effects. Also besides weapons, you can equip accessories, costumes, create/concoct items, and assign consumables so you can use them on the fly without interruption. Shooting galleries follows each chapter allowing you to trade points on items that can enhance/support your HP/MP for the next level. Items can be bought at the "Gates of Hell" bar accessible through a red portal you'll find in each chapter. If you want a challenge, just start in "Normal" or if you want to take your time and accumulate special items you can start in "very easy" or "easy", "Hard" is unlocked after "Normal" is completed.

MUSIC:

Well shes no Dante so don't expect any metal soundtrack during battle but in a good way. Personally the music in the game is perfect for Bayonetta since it fits her personality. Never once did I think that the music didn't fit the situation Bayonetta was in. The way she moves and the music accompanying her (i.e. Fly me to the Moon remix/Mysterious Destiny) is right for her... and since shes fighting Angels you can pretty much expect choir/orchestral soundtrack during boss battles.

STORY:

Well story wise... its nothing revolutionary but not bad either since I can tell you the whole story in a good three to four sentences... so its best not to say it. Just accept it to what it is. Have fun!

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Playseat Logitech G27 Gearshift Support

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $31.88
Today's Bonus: 20% Off

First off, this "add on" should be included with the actual Playseat itself.

I was VERY disappointed when I opened the box. The item description is pretty vague but says it's specifically for the G27 clutch system and compatible with ALL playseats.

I was shocked to uncap the cardboard tube the item was packaged in only to find a single piece of metal that had a couple of holes drilled in it with a 90 degree bend. No mounting hardware or instructions are included!

I'm not sure if I just received a defective item that was missing the mounting hardware or if they actually expect me to go out and buy my own. Either way, I wasn't going to waste another minute of my time with the joke of an item.

Immediately returned. Shame on you Playseat for having the nerve to sell just a black metal bar with nothing else. DEFINITELY NOT WORTH $40. Maybe worth $5 IF you aren't going to supply a couple of 10 cent bolts to mount it.

STAY AWAY FROM THIS PRODUCT!!

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The Gearshift Support does not fit on the playseat properly and it comes with no instructions or screws to help you put it on.I bought this product for my daughter for xmas and we still can't get it to sit right.I am thinking about sending this whole expensive seat back to the dealer!!!!!!!!!

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I just bought the Joey Logano playseat and really like it. Unfortunately, it doesn't come with a provision to mount the G25 or G27 shifter. There are at least two shifter mounts Playseat offers. This one and another expensive option where the shifter mounts down by the seat. Personally, I like the shifter up high by the wheel so I can easily see and get to the buttons.

I'm using the wheel's clamps to mount the wheel to the playseat. I put a 1 x 4 x 17" piece of lumber between the playseat and the wheel's clamps with the board sticking out to the right you could also hang it out to the left. Then mount the shifter with it's three clamps and you're done. You can probably go to Home Depot or some lumber store and find a free piece of scrap that will work.

So don't waste your money on this expensive item.

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Hi All,

Before buying this product I contacted Playseat support to get some clarity on a number of issues, is the product compatible with my playseat and how it should be mounted if it does not come with any screws, as mentioned by a number of reviewers. Playseat emailed back within 24hrs to confirm that the product did not come with any screws because screws were not necessary to mount this gearshift holder, they also sent me a number of pictures of a demo seat in their office with this holder attached. All you need to do is use the clamps of the G27 steering wheel to clamp the gearshift holder to the wheel table thus holding it in place. There are indeed 4 pre drilled holes, 2 to enable you to screw it to the wheel table of your playseat and a further 2 which are compatible with the screw holes in the bottom of then G27 shifter if you wish to screw it together, but you do not have to the clamps on the shifter and wheel will hold it all together.

After receiving this info and as I have the G27 Wheel and Shifter I decided to purchase this product to mount on my Playseat Challenge. It attached to my playseat just as Playseat support had advised but as mentioned by other reviewers it comes with no instructions, all you get is a single metal bar.

OVERALL this product does exactly what its designed to do BUT I am disappointed firstly at the price, secondly at the lack of instructions and finally at the fact its not included as standard (or some built in ability to mount a shifter) with the already expensive Playseat itself. Theres no doubt you could go do your local DIY store and purchase something (e.g. a piece of wood) which would do the same job for a fraction of the price.

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Dual Charging Station Compatible with Sony PS3 Controllers

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $24.99
Sale Price: $6.99
Today's Bonus: 72% Off

While this is a convenient charging stand that quickly charges all the different types of PS3 remotes, it did not address my original reason for buying it. I was looking to get a charger that I could use to charge my peripherals without needing to keep the PS3 on to charge them. I was surprised to find that this only shipped with a USB cable to connect the charger to the PS3 thereby defeating my original purpose. I thankfully had a charging accessory from another device that enabled me to plug in the supplied USB cable to an electrical plug point thereby solving my issue. Would have given this a 5-star rating if it provided out of the box capabilities to charge from the electrical plug points.

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I was under the impression that this came with a wall adapter so I could charge my PS3 Move without connecting it to the PS3 USB port. But nope. So it's kinda pointless. Also, it doesn't hold the Move controller very well. Mine keeps falling off the holder.

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This is a great deal. This will charge both of my move controllers at the same time. Also, solid construction.

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This was needed as I got a PS Move and did not want to use up all my usb ports on the PS3...

Dual Charging Station Compatible with Sony PS3 Controllers and PS3 MoveBlack 2 in 1 allows for two controllers or two moves, or one of each, and has connectors for all.

I plug the Dual Charging Station in to my usb dock and no more use of the PS3's as the move camera takes one up now. It does seem to charge pretty fast. If I do want to add more players, I may have to buy a bigger charging stand, but this fits my lifestyle fine right now.

I do find sometimes the controller is tough to get situated in the charger, so that might be when I am too tired to think straight I am doing that..... hrm.

I do wish the charging or done light would be toward the outside of the item, there is a little cut out on the front of the move, but the controller is under it. That is why one star removed.

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I'm really happy with the charger and how i can switch to charge my move controllers too, exactly what i needed

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Sony PS3 Controller Decal Style Skin - Japanese Rising Sun Red

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List Price: $8.95
Sale Price: $6.95
Today's Bonus: 22% Off

If you are looking for a great way to add customization to your remote this is the way to go... I also got white analog and buttons that look amazing

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The product fits the controller really well, and the quality of the adhesive is good. I would give this product 5 stars, but the graphics are just a little degraded and not as sharp as i was expecting. The graphics are still good, but i was hoping for them to just a little better. I would still buy it again. Feels great on the controller.

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Atelier Rorona: The Alchemist Of Arland

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List Price: $59.99
Sale Price: $30.95
Today's Bonus: 48% Off

I'm not in the habit of writing reviews. But I also don't like petty cheap shots at all. And one "review" of this game on this website does indeed qualify as a petty cheap shot (the one star one obviously). So here I go to act on behalf of a game I genuinely like and also for balancing purposes.

Atelier Rorona is a game that is different from most other games. One of the most obvious ways in which this is true is the story. The story of the game is very sweet and simple. There is no long globe-trotting journey and no grand world-saving scenario. Instead we have a simple slice-of-life story. Obviously whether or not that is a good thing depends on what you're looking for.

Personally I see it as a good thing. The video game market is already filled with long journeys, world-saving scenarios, and big wars and the like so one game that's different is certainly not going to hurt. Now I like to take long journeys, save the world, and discover the mysteries of the universe as much as anyone. But I also find that it's good to take a break from all that stuff every now and then, relax, and delve into something nice and simple.

But while the story is simple one of the things that sets Rorona apart from many other games and really makes it shine is story flexibility. While the story itself is simple the game puts a great deal of emphasis on character interaction and character development. In other words I think it's safe to say that this game is all about the characters. The game gives you the freedom to choose which characters you want to cultivate relationships with and which ones you want to ignore. If you want to you can even build strong relationships with no one or everyone. You do this by gaining friendship points. And this in turn is done by either taking the characters adventuring (you can only do this with the playable characters) or doing jobs for them. Gaining friendship points with different characters and sometimes fulfilling certain requirements unlocks numerous special character events and ultimately character specific endings if you wish it. So there are lots of different ways the story can unfold.

Yes the game has multiple endings. There are four generic or "main" endings: the bad ending, the normal ending, the good ending, and the true ending. But there are also a number of character specific endings with each one requiring the fulfillment of the conditions of one of the generic endings. In addition there are numerous special endings that you can unlock by fulfilling certain conditions. If you would like to know more about the various endings and what you have to do to get them I highly recommend you check out the gamefaqs website.

The gameplay essentially revolves around the concept of time management. Doing some things causes time to pass while doing other things doesn't. The key to doing well is making good use of the time you have before each assignment deadline.

As you might have guessed from the title of the game the story and gameplay are about alchemy (or in gameplay terms item synthesis). Rorona needs to use alchemy to pass tests and save her workshop. It's worth noting that while item requests are a key part of the game (requests from friends, the townspeople, or assignments) you don't necessarily have to synthesize an item to fulfill a job requirement. You can also use items you buy in the shops or find while adventuring. Although sometimes the quality of the item is going to count for something in which case it may be better to synthesize it. Also some items can only be obtained through synthesis. Adventuring and combat are also a core part of the game. Adventuring is generally necessary to fulfill certain requirements and get the best ingredients. The game gives you the freedom to choose whether you want to spend more time adventuring or synthesizing items. And you have two separate level types. Your alchemy level and your adventurer level.

The combat is nicely done in the game. It's classic turn-based combat with some nice touches. There's no ATB (active time battle) system so the game gives you all the time you need before making a move, which of course makes the game more user-friendly. There are no turn meters so the game will simply jump to whoever's turn it is next, which is nice and efficient. There are no MP (magic point) meters and no MP restoring items. Instead the special moves cost a minor amount of HP (Health points). This makes the gameplay simpler and comes in very handy with regard to characters with healing abilities.

This game also has the popular new game plus feature. And all of the money you have at the end of one play through can be transferred to a new one. Only your money gets transferred. This may not seem like much but it's actually more advantageous than it sounds. For example having large amounts of money at the start of a new play-through enables you to buy a large amount of healing items early on which helps you beat stronger monsters which in turn allows you to level up faster. And of course buying ingredients is not a problem either.

The game is nicely balanced. It's not too hard but not too easy either. There are many different gameplay mechanics to work with. And while this may appear a bit overwhelming at first the learning curve of the game is surprisingly minor. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to get the hang of the game and there are numerous helpful tutorials provided for you. And the game can indeed be addicting.

But I strongly feel that I must also warn anyone reading this to be wary of the professional reviews in this case. Professional reviews are often (although not always) unfriendly or even hostile toward niches games (or games that only certain kinds of players can get into). And Atelier Rorona is certainly a niche game. IGN's review in this case for example was especially disgusting. That so called review was (and is) petty, ignorant, immature, unfair, and unhelpful. Not very professional at all. So as I said with my Heavy Rain review: Be careful who's opinion you buy.

And of course for me the most important part of the game was the story and characters. The story is pleasant and simple, which I found refreshing. It's also full of characters who are distinctive and interesting. I also found several of them to be likable such as Cordelia and Lionela. One notable exception was Astrid. Although I never really liked her we learn some interesting and important things about her at the end of the game. So even though I didn't like her I did come to understand her at least somewhat, which made it easier for me to accept her for who she was (and is I guess).

There is certainly a lot here for female players to enjoy. For example the main protagonist is female (something relatively uncommon in the world of video games) and so are several significant characters. I also think this game is something any dedicated JRPG fan should try.

So yes, this game is not for everyone. But nevertheless it will likely satisfy those who take to it. In the right hands, this game can provide a wonderful experience.

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As a huge fan of Gust and of the previous entries in the Atelier series, I had high expectations for this game. I am happy to say that the game has completely met them. I've been having so much fun playing this game, getting to know the other people in Arland, and working on harvesting new items to synthesize new things. I have to watch the clock a lot when I play this, because it's easy to just keep saying "oh, one more job" and realize I've been playing for hours. The story scenes are sweet and fun to watch, and I'm especially enjoying Sterk and Lionela.

The combat in this is very basic, and in most gathering areas, the fights are extremely easy. The assist system adds a little more to battles, but it's still simple, traditional turn based play. However, the fighting takes a backseat in this title to item gathering, synthesis, and character interactions. Some of the animations for character's special moves are very cute and fun to watch, which adds a little something to the basic battles.

The backgrounds in Atelier Rorona are stunning, and the cel shaded characters look very nice. I especially like the little touches like the character sprites reacting to the dialogue in the game and the way Rorona's cape flounces out when you have her jump. This title has beautiful music that helps add to the game's warm, inviting atmosphere. I wasn't a huge fan of the English voice-acting, but the Japanese language track is intact, so users are free to choose whatever they prefer.

I'd highly recommend this game to fans of any of the Atelier games, especially Atelier Annie, fans of Harvest Moon and Rune Factory, and fans of visual novels. I'd also suggest this title to those who enjoy some of Gust's other games. Those of you who enjoy JRPGs and are open to something different might also find yourself pleasantly surprised by this title.

I'd like to end this with a tipyou can get water for free at any point in the game selecting "Artisan's Way" on the town map and then walking down around the corner from your workshop to a well. Finding this out made the early stages of the game a lot easier on me.

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As a huge JRPG fan, I've played a large amount of the JRPGs of this current gaming generation. However, they all seemed to revolve around the premise of saving the world/universe, and eventually I grew bored in the genre. However, Atelier Rorona single-handedly revived my interest in the JRPG genre and has made me very excited for Gust's upcoming game to hit the States, Ar Tonelico Qoga, and has made me hopeful that Rorona sells well enough so that the sequel, Atelier Totori, makes it to the States.

Atelier Rorona is not your typical cliché-filled save the world RPG. Instead, it's a simple game that revolves around an incredibly deep item creation/alchemy system, interaction with the game's colorful characters, and exploring the world while doing quests for the people and your friends. The game's time mechanic makes for very fast-paced and fun, frenetic gameplay, which I've gotten very addicted to. However, if you are looking for a JRPG with a deep combat system, then I would not recommend Atelier Rorona. The game is focused on alchemy, like I said earlier, so the combat system is pretty much your standard turn-based system found in every JRPG. Don't let this deter you from a fantastic game though.

Atelier Rorona also marks the first 3D Atelier game that Gust has made. The cel-shading is very well-done in Rorona, especially the character models. Environments, however, look a little bit bland and blurry sometimes, but you won't notice it too much as you'll be spending a lot of time in your alchemy shop whipping up new items or in the wild gathering materials for that super-awesome item you'll be creating, whether it's a plain pie or even a cannon. Another thing that I really love in Atelier Rorona is the music. Composer Ken Nakamura did a fantastic job in using unusual instruments that gives Rorona's tunes a very "homey" feel to it. You can't help but feel a bit of nostalgia for the good old days of RPGs from the past when you hear the BGM.

If you're looking for something different or a break from the typical save-the-world RPG, or just want to try something new, look no further than Atelier Rorona. With the massive amounts of quests to do and items to create, along with 4 specific game endings and over 30 extra endings based on your friendship with the game's characters, this is one game I'll have in my PS3 disc drive for a long time.

Shameless plug: Buy this so NIS America brings Atelier Totori to the States too! ;-)

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I loved Atelier Iris 1, 2 & 3 on the ps2. (I played Eternal Mana twice to the end.) I enjoyed Mana Khemia 1, and Mana Khemia 2 just a little less. I even managed to get halfway through Ar Tonelico, where the alchemy was a total let down. (the story wasn't all that great either)

Atelier Rorona isn't bad. It's just not challenging. It feels like it was made for children in their early teens, who might enjoy a very linear game, much like you would give a color by numbers to a young child just learning colors and numbers. There isn't much freedom in Atelier Rorona. You get assignments which must be completed in a 90 day time period, plus jobs to do for money, items, and friendship points.

Gameplay: Every thing costs 1-2 days. It wouldn't have been so bad if either the exploration or the alchemy didn't use up days. But you have no freedom to tweak recipes, as most items cost a day at the least, and figuring out which item gives you which effect will have you reloading over and over, since you will run out of time before the assignment/job is due before you get the recipe where you want it. Also, going to a gathering place costs days to get there, then every sub screen costs a certain amount of days to "explore." This can get very frustrating when you have to either go all the way back to town to make an item to advance on the screen (like when you find out you need a bomb to demo a rock in your way), which uses days there and back, or reload and start over, which is a waste of real time.

It's not a bad game, but I'm glad I borrowed it instead of buying it, since I doubt I will be finishing it, and I am certain I will never replay it.

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A game made with the only purpose of entertain those who scream for the old days of the ps2, atelier doesnt have the graphics of ffxiii but we get a game that prefer a great experience better than only nice visuals

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Surfs Up (Jewel case)

Customer Ratings:
List Price: Price Unavailable
Sale Price: $29.85
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Too short for adults, but kids love it. I'm 32, and enjoyed playing until I basically mastered it and there were no new stages to play. If you've got younger children, this is a great game for them. Fun while the new challenges lasted, and is still fun for my niece/nephew who are 7 and 5.

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Got a PS3 in a package deal with our Sony Bravia. Not alot of games out there for 5 year olds. Got Surf's Up for Christmas, good price and looked easy for the young ones. Turned out to be an excellent purchase!

My son LOVES it and is really good at it (better than I am actually!)

All in all, I think it's a cool game, realistic graphics even though the stunts and tricks are far fetched. If you want a game that is wholesome, this is the one!

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Surfing Penguins! I couldn't have thought of a better kids game to start the summer. Surf's Up The Video Game, is the movie tie-in for yes you guessed it Surf's Up. This children friendly surfing game let's even the youngest of players perform cool (and highly unrealistic) aerial maneuvers and stunts. Teens and adults looking for a "real" surfing simulation should look elsewhere (try Transworld Surf for the Xbox). The game offers several different surf spots that are based on locations from the movie. 1-4 Players can play together using splitscreen mode and for those of you looking for a break from surfing, try Leaf Sliding on one of three different tracks. The game offers several unlock-able characters, surfboards and surf spots. Which thanks to the easy difficulty should be no problem to unlock. If you have kids or like Penguins or like Surfing or all of the above; you should give this ride a try.

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THIS GAME IS ONE OF THE FEWEST OF THE PS3 THAT KIDS CAN PLAY EASY , WISH MORE OF THIS KIND OF GAMES, PS3 IS MOSTLY FOR TEENAGERS AND ADULTS, 100% RECOMMENDED FOR LITTLE KIDS AND ADULTS CAN PLAY TOO

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Uh, yeah. It's about surfing penguins. My girlfriend and I are way older than the target demographic of this one, but we both love this inexpensive game. We've had a fantastic time on the co-op mode screwing around trying to beat each other's high score. The single player is even better! It's addictive gameplay once you master the control scheme. The complainers on here didn't take the time to get into it. About five minutes in I was bored and wanted to quit but four hours later they had to shut the machine off to get me to stop! Kids will certainly flip out over it but don't be a game snob, try it and you'll like it. We got it because it was cheap, and it was money well spent! We already had a great night together for only $20 and we're ready for more!

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