Showing posts with label ps3 game video. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ps3 game video. Show all posts

Protective skins for Guitar Hero 4 "World Tour" Drum set

Protective skins for Guitar Hero 4 'World Tour' Drum set, fits Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, WII - DIAMOND PLATE
Customer Ratings: 3 stars
List Price: $24.95
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I like the look and the protective skins work well in "protecting" the drums. Only problem I have is with the decals staying on around the corners and edges. Bubbles get underneath after a while and you have to rub them down to keep them fully attached.

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MLB 11: The Show

MLB 11: The Show - Playstation 3
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
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This will be short and sorta sweetrefer to the comments I'll tack on for a much more detailed critique of this game, for those who are interested (ie: serious baseball geeks, like me).

This year's version of The Show is again clearly aimed at serious baseball gamersmeaning people with a somewhat fanatical interest in a baseball game that plays out like a real MLB game. Meaning accurate player models/performance, believable gameplay, reasonable statistical outcomes, and most of all, challenging to play. Arcade gamers should look elsewherethis is clearly a very serious baseball simand as for the "fun factor" (many criticize The Show series for this), I'd offer that it will likely be a lot of fun, but only for fans who are looking for a challenging game of video baseball, with all the ups and downs that entails. One guy said it perhaps most succinctly: if you grew up, as I did, playing the heck out of the Strat-O-Matic baseball board game, you will recognize MLB The Show 2011 as the visual representation of what you used to love about that game: real stats from real players, and real baseball game outcomes. And, I might add, outcomes that you have a lot of control over, but NOT complete control. More on that in my comment section.

This review will be mostly for people who like to play out a full season vs: the CPU, with their favorite team (single player Franchise mode). I'll mention the other game modes (Road To The Show, Home Run Derby, on-line play, co-op play) only in passing, since I don't use those modes much. I also think it's useful to state one's own background and baseball experience, when offering a critique of this game for others, as what people will/won't like about this game will largely be directly related to that. I am 56 years old, played competetive baseball from age 7 up through a college level, and have remained an avid fan to the present day. I have played most of the pc/PS baseball videogames over the years, starting with DOS-based pc games, up to the present PS3 generation of games. I play through a full season vs: the CPU on All Star level of difficulty, using my home town Chicago White Sox, and ensure each year before I start the season that all the rosters are up to date, and accurately reflect the current real teams. What I want out of any baseball game (board games through videogames) is a realistic baseball experience, that isn't easy to master after a few tries. MLB The Show 2011 is clearly for players like methose seeking an arcade style baseball game, where you can win games, hit home runs, and strike out everybody with regular ease, should look elsewhereyou'll be incredibly frustrated/annoyed/humiliated by this game, if that's what you're seeking. But for those baseball fans like me, THIS is your game: read on.

The new addition to this year's game is the use of the right analog stick to control hitting, pitching, and fielding (baserunning still largely button controlled, same as last year). However, one of the best things about this game is the flexibility it offers: you can play with the old button controls if you don't like the right stick, or you can play with any combination of old/new gamepad controls. For instance, I am playing this current season using last year's zone control/buttons for hitting, but the right stick for pitching and fieldingmore on this below.

To hit, you pull the right stick back(down) as the pitcher is in his windup, and push forward(up) to "swing". It's largely a matter of timing that affects the outcome of any swing, as the only "aiming" you have to do with the right stick is left or right, as you push it forward, to hit pitches on the inside/outside part of the plate. The CPU automatically adjusts for whether the pitch was high or low. I went back to the old button control for hitting after a number of games, but not because I was having all that hard a time with it....it just simply didn't "feel" like hitting to me, especially because of not having to consider whether the pitch was high or low. "Swinging" with the left stick, and having to aim the left stick to a specific zone where the pitch is, to successfully hit the ball (last year's mechanism) just feels more like hitting to me. But to each his ownhitting has always been challenging in The Show series, and this year is no different, regardless of what control you choose. See my comment section for WHY hitting is hard. Hint: it's not because of the controls.

Pitching with the right stick is a major upgrade, IMO, compared to last year. You still select the type of pitch you want with a button, but then pull back on the rt stick to start your windupthe height of the pitch(high or low) depends on how close you come to releasing your pitch (forward on the rt stick) when a meter bar approaches a white linehitting the white line exactly when you push up on the stick means a pitch on the leveltoo soon or too tardy on the release affects the up/down location result. You are also required to aim your upward push of the rt stick to hit the spot laterally, where you aimed before the windup startedhit it exactly, and the pitch USUALLY winds up where you intendedthe more off the target you are with the upward stick motion, the less accurate the lateral location of the pitch. I have stuck with the rt stick for pitching, as I find it much more challenging and interactive than the old model. It IS harder to avoid walking CPU batters, as a result, but much like hitting, success with the analog stick for pitching depends on more than just accuracy with the stick. Comment section for more on that, but in short: strategy, and some baseball know-how/experience counts.

Fielding with the rt stick has some issues, IMO. I use it again because it is much more interactive than the old push-a-button-and-hope-for-the-best mechanism. You move your fielder with the left stick, and throw with the right. You push the stick in the direction of the base you want to throw to, and then a tricolor meter bar will rapidly appear below your fielder. Throw when it is green, and the throw is always on the mark. Throw in the yellow, and it usually is, but better fielders will have better throws when it is yellow, and the chance for an error higher with a less skilled player. Throw in the red, and it is almost always an error, and usually a seriously wild throw, no matter who the fielder is. Pure fielding errors/bobbles on batted balls still seem rather random to me, howeverthough this is supposedly based on the individual fielder's real MLB skills, I'm not entirely conviinced of this yet (ie: I've already had to watch Sox fielding wizard, and future Hall of Famer, Omar Vizquel, bobble a number of routine ground balls). So this is OK, since it's way more engaging now to field, and PERHAPS takes into account more of the individual player's fielding skills, but it has some serious issues, IMO, that affect gameplay a lotsee my comments again for details. Just be prepared for making LOTS of errors, when you first start playing the game. The learning curve isn't all that steep, though, so keep at it. It IS more engaging than last year.

The graphics are again stellar, and easily the best of any sports game on the market currently. Player models are unbelievably accurate and detailed, as are individual player batting stances, pitching motions, and mannerisms. There are a number of new gameplay animations from last year, which add to the fun factor in playing a game. The stadiums are also more detailed and individualized, as are the crowds. The noises of the ballpark and gameplay are also spot-on, with the result being that the incredible visuals in this game greatly add to the gameplay experience. It's totally immersive, and looks like the real thing. All they need to add now are the smells of hot dogs, peanuts, and beer......

The announcers, alas, remain the single weakest aspect of the game, and a main reason why I don't give this game 5 stars. Eric Karros has replaced the annoying Rex Hudler, but Matt Vaskurgian and Dave "Soup" Campbell are back. Karros stuttering, gee-whiz delivery is probably an upgrade from Hudler's ridiculous schtick, but the other two unfortunately have very little new scripting involved in their announcing of a game. It's obvious that very little effort went into upgrading this aspect of the game, and it's too bad, because it was old last year. MLB2k does this WAY better, though the rest of that game remnains inferior to The Show. More in my comments again, but for now, that's all I have to say about THAT.

Rosters are fairly complete, though again most minor league players are fictional characters. It seems that real players exist only for players who have played some games at the MLB levellikely a licensing thing, I suspect.

Not a big deal, though, since again a major strength of this game is that you can edit just about everything, and create players to your wishes as well. Players are all rated for a number of skills, that affect individual performance and gameplay results, and you are free to edit any player that way, should you think the ratings are wrong. I have found that most ratings are OK, with the consistent exception that many fairly fast players have relatively low speed/running ratingsso I edit those accordingly, as I come across them. For on-line users, the game again updates rosters, based on real MLB changes, on a weekly basis.

Other modes again include Road To The Show (I don't use this, but consensus I hear is it's also much improved from last year), Home Run Derby (to satisfy, somewhat anyway, the arcade-game seekers), and on-line play (still apparently a serious lag problem, though), and co-op play, where up to 4 players can play a game at the same time. I'd refer readers to other reviews for a critique of these game modes, since I rarely use them: playing a full season vs: the CPU is all the time I can manage.

In summary (guess this wasn't too short after all): MLB The Show 2011 remains the best baseball game on the videogame market, by far. It has it's appeal mainly to serious baseball fans, though, and will likely be "too hard" and "no fun" for more casual gamers, especially those who don't understand that the best MLB teams LOSE 4 out of every 10 games. I'll add details in the comments section for those interested, as the season moves onand I get more games played, and comments are welcome.

PLAY BALL!!!

P.S. As of this date, no less than 26 professional videogaming review websites rate this game 89.5%, out of 100%.

I'd have to agree.

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Maybe it's the fact that I've purchased this game since '08. Maybe it's because this game is so good that it has spoiled me. But I can't help but feel this franchise has reached its peak and is starting to level off.

First things first, as usual, the graphics are amazing. You've seen the screen shots, watched the YouTube videos, and maybe have even played the demo. If there's one thing The Show fans can count on, it's photo-realism. One graphical complaint I do have is the sky textures. Would it kill them to put in some clouds? Or in night games, maybe the moon? Stars? With so much of the game taking place from the batter's point of view, the sky is constantly on screen. It's just so.. blah.

The new gameplay mechanics utilizing the analog controls require suburb timing, making pitching and hitting challenging yet engaging. Analog controls are also added for fielding.

Also, a pretty important change I'd like to mention: no longer can you simply guess the pitch type and have the game automatically give you the location. For example, in previous versions, you could guess fastball and sit changeup. If the pitcher threw a fastball, an indicator would flash at the exact location where the pitch would end up, whether it was a ball or strike. In '11, you now must guess the location along with pitch type. Simply correctly guessing the pitch will not reveal the pitch location, upping the difficulty of hitting even further.

Returning this year are Road to the Show and Franchise.

RTTS has improved somewhat. Remember those annoying goals, like "Hit and Run" or "Drive in the Run"? Those are a thing of the past. It was a broken system. You'd attempt a Hit and Run, but the pitch could be far out of the strike zone. If you swung at it, you'd invariably miss the ball, failing the goal in the process. Now, each at-bat is rated as Poor, Good, or Excellent. From my experience, there is NO way to gain negative points during an at-bat. Even if you end up hitting into a double play, you could still earn points (albeit, not many).

As usual, you'll spend about two seasons in the minors before being called up to The Show. If you're lucky, a player in your position will get injured or traded, allowing you to ascend the ranks much more quickly.

Franchise allows players to manage everything from ticket prices to concessions. It's essentially the same as last year. Running a team can become a little tedious, especially dealing with injuries. If a player on your MLB roster needs to spend time on the DL, you will have to call up a player from your AAA roster, call up a player from AA to replace the AAA player, and basically do it all over again in reverse once the MLB player returns. And injuries are COMMON. Of course, you could always set all of the tedious decision making to AI control, which is what I did.

One thing that annoys me to no end in Franchise is the way MVP awards are decided. Just like in previous versions of The Show, pitchers are awarded the MVP award at an alarming rate. In real life, a pitcher has won the MVP only once since 1987 (Dennis Eckersley). Since there is an MVP award for each league, that's one pitcher out of the past 46 MVP awards bestowed. In The Show, I've played five franchise seasons and SIX pitchers have won the MVP. Yes, in three of those seasons, both the AL MVP and NL MVP were pitchers. That's unheard of!

The commentating is just foul at this point. Matt Vasgersian has probably not been in the recording studio since '08 other than to say a few new names. Dave Campbell is back to add absolutely nothing to the experience. Where's the excitement? Where's the inflection? Why does everything sound so forced? Eric Karros is new to the booth and an improvement over Rex Hudler (who WOULDN'T be an improvement over Rex Hudler?). But it's marginal. Karros has more energy, but his lines are still painfully generic. Of the three commentators, Karros sounds like he had the most fun in the recording booth.

There have been reports on multiple message boards that the game is prone to freezing. I've personally experienced instances of freezing. The very first time I loaded the game, it froze during one of those opening montages. Next time, it froze on the trade screen in Franchise mode. Luckily, the game hasn't frozen during an actual game.

One other minor gripe has to do with the Home Run Derby. First, there is absolutely no unique broadcaster commentary for this mode, just the muffled PA announcer in the background ("He's down to two outs!"). There's no golden ball as the final out, which could have been a cool touch. And there are no kids running around in the outfield shagging balls! Honestly, when I watch the home run derby on TV, I get a kick out of the kids diving for balls and trying to catch pop ups. I think that would have been such a great addition! Instead, you're just hitting balls into an empty outfield. It just feels a glorified session of batting practice.

Many of you die-hard fans probably think I'm being too tough on this game. But hey, if I buy this game four years running, my expectations are going to be high. Sadly, this game feels like what perennial sports games should never turn into the $60 yearly roster update.

If you are new to the franchise, buy it, hands down. But if you own The Show 10, I'd wait for next year.

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I've had every edition of this series since it started, and I've grown accustomed to the great graphics and the slick presentation. I've always found, though, that the playability needs quite a bit of tweaking to make the gameplay realistic. Thankfully, you have the ability to make these changes with the dozens of settings that you can customize with using the slider bar. I will say that this year's game seems the hardest to play in the MLB series and after hours of tweaking the gameplay settings, I still can't get this right. My beefs:

1. Hitting has become exceptionally hard which is fine if it works both ways (i.e. hard for the AI as well), but it doesn't. I've abandoned the analog controls for now as they are not consistent and seem 'off' a bit (for lack of a better word). I was a very good hitter in the '09 & '10 editions but this year, it's much more difficult. I'm up for a challenge but I think the AI needs to be impacted as well. I'm scoring 0-3 runs per game and haven't hit double digits in hits 22 games into my season (with the Tigers, and there are some good hitters in that lineup). Too many grounders and soft pop flies to the shallow OF.

2. Piching is regressing year-over-year. The AI seems to have no issues hitting whatever I throw at the plate and has the plate discipline of Tony Gwynn or Wade Boggs with every batter. Whereas my pitchers struggle to hit the corners consistently, the AI does so with ease. Guys with a 5.00+ ERA in real-life are studs in this game. There is absolutely zero forgiveness when pitching. I also think this game is to the point in its development where needs to improve pitch recognition and pitch physics. While it has always been tough to see balls vs. strikes on borderline pitches, this year it seems a little more difficult. I don't think there is enough recognition separation between pitches with 15 to 20 MPH differences. I actually think MLB 2K is better in this area. Other than 12-6 curveballs, pitches tend to be flat across the board.

3. Hits into the corner are seldom doubles. I think this game has always struggled with effectively scaling OF speed, throwing accuracy and throwing velocity. Not enough drives into the gap fall. This needs much tweaking to get right and, again, for some reason I have not yet been able to find that elixir in this year's edition.

4. Stealing is, as always, tough. Not enough separation in catcher skills between those you cannot run on and those you can thieve all day. It's been this way for years.

All in all, I do enjoy the game but I'm now looking at MLB 2K11 as a diversion to the somewhat unrealistic gameplay that The Show is becoming more and more. The Show, graphically, blows away 2K11 but in my opinion playing the game is why we buy them.

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First off, let me state that I come from the school of thought that if they had done nothing but update the rosters I would consider the game awesome, so what I have seen so far deserves A+ in my opinion. Secondly, let me add that I have no interest in analog control. I tried it for about 30 seconds. I don't see that it adds to the experience for me at all. I am all about playing Franchise on All-Star level with my Cubs and Yankees and I have only played some pre-season games so here is what I can offer.

Graphically I see improvement in terms of the appearance of the players. The biggest thing I have seen with limited playing time is that the movement of the players in the field is, to my mind, significantly more life-like. They move toward the ball in a more natural fashion and I have noticed that if you try to change direction they are not able to turn on a dime, but have to slow down and will move in a much more realistic way. Each individual player's range is actually a factor. I noticed that Soriano will bumble a little bit in LF--I have personally seen him drop flies like a little leaguer (those of you who know Strat-O-Matic will understand when I say he is a definite "5" in LF)so no one can claim this is not realistic.While I am still feeling my way through the settings (that's what Spring Training is for) I am starting to really appreciate the broadcast camera view. I am still getting used to it and it can be a little deceptive when fielding , but the look of it is really pretty.

I have also noticed that the hitters will take their sweet time in between pitches. It can be a little frustrating if ,like me, patience is not your best trait but it is very realistic and really adds the relaxed pace that is a game. And on the subject of issues that arise with a lack of patience, I loooove the balk feature. And I learned you have to be careful. I was getting beat and getting frustrated so I started to hurry and balked a guy from first to third and he scored on a hit. If you don't like it you can turn it off, but I love having to come set . Again--the real feel of the game comes through.

I think the commentary, while largely the same, has improved. Karros is heads and shoulders above Hudler--he speaks in a more relaxed,conversational tone that adds to the leisurely ambience that is baseball--not goofy and on fire all the time.I almost fainted when I heard interaction between him and Vasgersian, when Matt asked him if he agreed that C.C deserved CY Young consideration!

Hitting is very challenging (see edit) challenging, and it almost seems like pitchers are mind readers in foiling your location guesses. You have to be patient, work the count, be aware of pitcher (and umpire!) tendancies. After I had a strike called on a high pitch clearly out of the zone, I took a chance that the wiley pitcher was going to try and get away with that location again, and roped it for a single. I have not tried the contact swing too much, but love the idea that with a 2 strike count you have the option to try to protect a little bit and cut down on the strike outs. The cancel throw feature is also a great idea.

The game is even more visually stunning than last year and I haven't even scratched the surface of what I will see as I am planning for the first time to play all the Spring games to really get a feel for the game and my roster and build that anticipation toward opening day!

If you really love baseball and have the patience for hitting, with no arcade expecatations that you will hit a homer every at bat this game is a real loving tribute to America's past time, and really done in a first rate fashion.

A tape measure home run on this one for me!!

EDIT:

I have played several more games as the Yanks and Cubs in Spring Training and I think that my experience is consistent with the general consensus that hitting is definitely more challenging this year.I am really struggling on All-Star level. I did not have trouble at all in last year's model, but I am averaging like 1 run a game with a team BA of .177. I have won five games out of the twenty-odd that I have played. One, I was down 7-0 in the third and got miffed and simmed it to the end, and lo and behold the CPU had the Yanks win 13-7.One I won against the Nats 1-0 on a suicide squeeze in the 11th after Burnett had a no hitter thru 8 1/3. The CPU is clearly even more develish than last year with spotting pitches, and focus and patience at a much bigger premium. I have never been a slider adjuster, but have found that with this version it is a must to tweak the sliders a bit to generate some offense. As I write I am still perfecting that, but I can say that, unlike Madden in my opinion, this game can be adjusted to play beautifully and the graphics are really just stunning.

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Its an awesome game. So realistic and the picture is amazing. I love the Sox and its so cool to see all the updated players and play as my team in different parks. I bought PS3 for this game and I'm glad I did because it is that awesome.

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Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Care Package)

Call of Duty: Black Ops II - Playstation 3
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: Price Unavailable
Sale Price: $194.88
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Okay the box is amazing it is hard nice plastic with cool designs on it, although it is not to scale of a real care package it resembles the size of a small toy chest. Opening it everything is nicely packaged. There are two cardboards boxes with nice designs, then on the inside they hold the controller and the Quadcopter which is a huge let down. The medals are metal and are nice with cool artistic designs on them and they have a code on them to redeem the nuketown map. To the left of it is the game case. It is a standard PS3 case but plated with metal over it with cool design of a guy holding a gun on the front and on the back a girl with flames behind her. Inside is the disk and a bunch of papers to redeem more things like the soundtrack. Now onto the Quadcopter the worst thing ever. I am an experienced Quadcopter flyer I have a real one and have flown for years. When I turned this on it worked fine expect you CANNOT turn the copter around!! you can lift it high into the air sway it left and right but you can not do a 360, a bunch of crap so you can fly straight back left and right. On a real Quadcopter and helicopter you can turn it around so you can fly behind you not the case. You can still fly around everywhere but if you want to turn back around you have to back the Quadcopter up instead of turning around and facing the direction. It is like if you had a car and you wanted to go to the opposite side of the lane you have to go forward move your car to the left/right and then drive backwards! Terrible design and the control is terrible, cheap plastic and the stick that controls the helicopters movements gets stuck on the edge of the plastic a lot making it hard to maneuver. The only thing it is good for now is sitting on my stand looking pretty. Also the small little gun you see attached to it does not stay on when you fly it is only stuck onto the display so when you lay the copter on top of it it looks like it is part of the Quadcopter, but it is not. Do not waste $100 extra just for the Quadcopter and the case, but get the hardened edition instead only $80. It is only $20 more than the original and has everything except the nice care package and the terrible Quadcopter. Hope this helps.

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**THIS IS NOT A REVIEW OF THE GAME, BUT RATHER OF THE CARE PACKAGE AND THE CONTENTS.**

I will review the game itself later.

While the game could be better, the Care Package really does look really nice.

So, what do you get with this?

-Care Package box

-Steelbook case

-MQ-27 Dragonfire (Quadrotor) RC with Controller (obviously), batteries, manuals, stand, and "repair stickers"

-Nuketown Zombies

-Nuketown 2025

-Soundtrack (Digital Copy)

-PS3 Dynamic Theme (Turbine from Multiplayer)

-PS3 Dynamic Theme (Zombies' TranZit)

-Nuketown 2025 playercard background

-Nuketown Zombies playercard background

-Weapon Camo

-2 exclusive "Challenge Coins" used to unlock "exclusive content"

The Care Package box itself is really big, and contains 2 big boxes and one cardboard display showcasing the Coins and Steelbook. The box is made of a thick plastic, which makes it pretty durable. I use mine to store my Call of Duty collectibles.

The Quadrotor is made of styrofoam, which makes it really light, and possibly very weak in terms of strength. You can fly it up, down, left, or right, but you cannot turn it in mid-air. Meaning, you cannot rotate it 90 degrees while in flight. You can charge it from the controller or use the small USB cable that comes with it to charge it using your computer. It may take about 30 minutes, depending on the battery level. Yes, batteries are supplied this time, unlike in Black Ops 1's Prestige Edition. For some reason, I was only given 3 batteries, when the controller needs 6. The Quadrotor has a decent battery life as well.

Nuketown Zombies takes place in the 1960's Nuketown, and it also takes place during Moon's Easter Egg, which explains the nuke explosion. (You'll frequently hear radio transmissions from Richtofen as rounds progress) It's a really small map, and it's fairly easy. You can only play Survival, and you can play as the CIA or the CDC. It's really fun with 4 players, but it's also fun on Solo too, once you get used to how the map works. One interesting note about this map is that the M27 (AR) and the LSAT (LMG) can be earned from the Mystery Box, whereas you cannot get these weapons in Green Run. Why these guns are exclusive to this map I do not know. Also, buy the Black Ops 2 Season Pass and you'll get NTZombies once it's released to the public.

Nuketown 2025 is basically Nuketown from Black Ops, just re-designed with new buildings and environment. The map still contains campers (hell ,what map DOESN'T?). If you want to play this map, you'll have to go to Chaos Moshpit or select it in Private Match. Treyarch will have NT2025 24/7 playlists during "special events".

The soundtrack is a digital copy, which means it's a download. It is not a download from iTunes, but rather from the Call of Duty website. It contains 49 songs, is composed mainly by Jack Wall. Other artists include Trent Reznor, Brian Tuey, and even Mozart. I haven't really listened to most of the soundtrack, so I can't really say whether it's good or not.

The themes are pretty cool, one showcases Turbine, and the other showcases TranZit from Zombies. Since the themes are dynamic, theme is well, animated. The turbines spin, the Zombie Bus has flashing lights, ashes fall from the sky, etc.

The weapon camo is really a Digital-style camo, with random orange patches on it. Looks good on most weapons, and is instantly unlocked. If you want to equip it, go to "Personalize Weapon", and go to the "DLC" tab and you'll find it.

The Playercards are used for Multiplayer, and are instantly unlocked. One is a background of Nuketown 2025 and the other features Nuketown Zombies. The Zombies' playercard however is really just a picture of a bunch of Zombies packed next to each other. But, each look nice and are in the DLC tab (when selecting a playercard)

The Challenge Coins are actually coins (a friend of mine told me how one of his friends thought they weren't actual coins or something), with Black Ops 2 icons/pictures on them, such as the Dragonfire, Skull, etc. Now, only one of the coins contains a code, and that code has to be redeemed online, NOT on PSN. (You can also tell because there are more than 12 characters, and PSN codes are 12.) One of the papers in the Steelbook case tells you what website you have to redeem it on. The code contains the Camo , Playercards, and Soundtrack. You will need an ELITE account to redeem it though. Once you create an account/sign in, you'll be asked to enter the code and the content will be given to you.

The Steelbook contains the game (obviously) and features two different covers. One side (the front) is an alternate artwork to the Standard Edition cover, and the other side (the back) contains a Zombie-themed background featuring Misty (female) holding a shotgun and a skull. Inside the Steelbook, you will find vouchers for the Nuketown Zombies, Nuktown 2025, Themes, and Challenge Coin redemption instructions.

I'm not entirely sure whether $180 is reasonable price or not, but that's your judgement. If you want the Quadrotor and/or Box as collectibles, then sure, go ahead and buy it. If you don't want to spend the extra $100+, then get a Standard or Hardened Edition.

Buy Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Care Package) Now

Came well packaged and contained all items listed in the care package box, the quality of the box is really nice and look forward to using the box for storing gaming equipment in and transporting to friends places.

The quad-copter was undamaged and all parts were intact worked straight out of the box. Only let down with the quad-copter was the controller which was slightly wierd as a previous reviewer has mentioned you can only go forward backward left and right and only one at a time due to the plastic stoppers which I recently removed to have greater control during flight.

I'm in Australia and was concerned purchasing a US version of the game to use with my AU playstation and AU account, the game works fine but for me to use the DLC codes or get the season pass I needed to create a US playstation account to redeem and download the content for my disc. Once downloaded I can easily switch back to my main account and still use the DLC content so no major let downs just a minor problem.

Other than that well worth the extra money and look forward to heaps of hours of enjoyment :)

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Thought it would a bit more durable but the construction is very poorly built. Was fun while it lasted I guess but think again before shelling out 150 bucks. Get the harden edition instead.

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The game is good by itself, but the hardcore gamer would purchase this "Care Package" edition of Call of Duty: Black Ops II for all the extras. The care package container is large, and built with enough quality to be able to be used at home for storage of your gaming accessories; the only part of the extras that isn't up to par is the remote controlled drone. The drone itself is made from cheap foam, and it doesn't fly that well; it's better off as a display piece.

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Rock Band 3 PRO-Cymbals Expansion Kit

Rock Band 3 PRO-Cymbals Expansion Kit
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $25.82
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For everyone on here who can't figure out how to assemble these (which is understandable, because the directions are terrible):

Each clamp comes in two pieces, with a slight space between them. Take them and SQUEEZE THEM TOGETHER as hard as you can until you hear two loud pops, one on each end. Don't worry, you didn't break it. You're just putting it together. If you don't do this, the tightening nuts won't work, no matter how much you try to turn them. Now they don't slide down when you hit them! No tape necessary!

Now. Speaking as an actual drummer, these are the best accessory for Rock Band ever. Quieter and more responsive than the RB2 cymbals. As for the hi-hat clamp length issue, here's what I do. To set up like an actual drummer, you need to connect your crash and your hat on the LEFT side of the kit. Put the green crash on the tall tube. Connect it to the set with a short clamp. Now connect the hat to that tube with the long clamp, putting the hi hat on a short tube to the left of your snare. Now put your ride on the right side. There. May take some adjustment, but you're playing like an actual drummer. HAVE FUN!

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I purchased this RB3 Cymbal kit to go along with my RB2 drum kit to use in Pro Mode in Rock Band 3. Out of the box these cymbals are WAY too sensitive to be even remotely fun to play. I was extremely frustrated at double-hit notes coming through constantly. I searched around online for an answer and found a partial solution. If you look for the "Penny" mod it will clear up a lot, but not all of the issues (although it will void your factory warranty). I added some extra foam padding above the actual sensor and now the cymbals work perfectly. So, as an out-of-the-box item these cymbals are pretty much useless for the precision needed for RB3. With a couple of simple mods, though, these puppies work great. Granted they should have worked great straight from the factory but they are so much fun now I'm willing to overlook the simple mods I had to do to make them work properly. A worthwhile investment if you don't mind doing a little work to get them to function properly. Hopefully Madcatz will clear this issue up with future releases of the cymbals.

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I was a little skeptical to buy the cymbal expansion kit. I read reviews where there had been problems with stability and the cymbals generally not working correctly. I've been using these for the past couple of months now, and they work wonderfully! They are completely sturdy when attached the CORRECT way, and add a whole new dimension to an already great game! I am very, VERY pleased that I went with my instincts to buy the expansion kit over getting a whole new set. I am not disappointed at all! Highly recommend!

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UPDATE: After I posted this scathing review of the new Rock Band 3 cymbals, someone mentioned that the slipping problem a lot of people (including myself) have been suffering from might be related to the quick-snap part of the clamp. Sure enough, when I tried snapping the quick-snap part together again, this time using a wrench instead of my bare hands, it seems to have worked. Therefore, if the manual would have noted that you should use a wrench to snap the quick-snap parts together, it would have saved me and a lot of other people a lot of grief and removed the impression you need to tape the metal pole up for the cymbal to stay put. The quick-snaps are not something you should be snapping together with your hands unless you happen to be a gorilla.

This single oversight in the manual caused me a ton of hassle, as you can see from my original review below, so I'll remove one star for that. Otherwise, this seems to be a decent product. I'd give the game Rock Band 3 itself 5 stars, but these cymbals get 5 stars minus 2 for the pain and aggravation caused by this oversight in the manual. Maybe in a month after I forget how much the installation experience sucked, I'll want to increase the rating for the cymbals to 4 stars or so...we shall see...

Here's the original review for your um, edification:

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Unfortunately, the Rock Band 3 version of these cymbals still retains a fatal design flaw that existed in the previous version whereby the yellow cymbal's clamp fails to perform the very basic function of clamping. The yellow cymbal starts to slide down immediately when you start playing, and no amount of turning the screw (even with a wrench) provides enough tension to hold the cymbal up for more than a few hits. It would be bad enough if this type of design flaw existed in the first iteration of the product, but this is the second iteration, and the manufacturer has obviously known about this problem for over a year, yet arrogantly decided that its customers would, I don't know, not notice? Only use two out of three cymbals? I have no idea what they were thinking when they let this product escape the quality assurance process. There really is no excuse.

Although customers can jury-rig a fix with tape, this is by no means acceptable. Such failures in basic functionality should never be allowed in a finished product.

Epic fail. Shame on Harmonix for allowing this headache-inducing product to sully the Rock Band name, much like the original drum pedal. Customers deserve products that at the very least *work*.

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I would have gave it 5 if worked for rock band 1 but got my money back for a friend who wanted them. They were in excellent condition.

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Sony PS3 Controller Decal Style Skin - Stardust Green

Sony PS3 Controller Decal Style Skin - Stardust Green
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $8.95
Sale Price: $6.95
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I originally was not going to write this review since there was nothing remarkable (application went without a hitch, and it was sized correctly), but I have had this controller skin for over a year now and it is still in quite good condition. It makes cleaning the controller easier and also easier to identify if someone brings their stuff over or vice-versa. Personally I like the pattern on it but obviously that is a matter of preference.

Pros:

Lasts forever!

Easy to put on, sized correctly

Cons:

None so far

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Nyko Pure HD HDMI Cable

Nyko Pure HD HDMI Cable - Playstation 3
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $2.69
Today's Bonus: 91% Off
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The Nyko Playstation 3 HDMI Cable gives you maximum quality for a minimal price. The picture & sound of PS3 Games on my HDTV are truly awe inspiring. Nine feet of cable should be enough for most people. It's a high quality cable, being that it's insulated & extremely flexible, and you get all of this for a fraction of the cost of other name-brand cables. You can't go wrong with this product!

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This cable makes setting up the PS3 incredibly easy. When you've got a TV with an HDMI port in the back, you don't have to bother with any of the other cables that are included with the system. The audio and video are stunning, and the fact that you use one cord instead of several keeps thinks from getting tangled and messy.

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For your money this is probably the best HDMI cable out there. The picture from my PS3 improved vastly in clarity and color from my regular cables. This product is sturdy and most importantly cheap! At best buy the cables ran around $60, which is way too much for a cable, I think.

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Average quality HDMI cable. Seems to be standard fair for a decent price without having to pay for overrated monster cables.

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The best way to get a high quality screen from your PlayStation 3 is with a high quality HDMI cable. This single cable carries both the audio and video signal to your TV in one 9 foot long package.

HDMI stands for High-Definition Multimedia Interface, and this signal is a straight, conversion-free, uncompressed signal that is as perfectly clear as possible.

This Nyko cable has 24k gold connectors, and shielding along the cable so that other cables and magnets don't have an effect on the signal. This is great for the signal but the mesh cross lines along the length of the cable seem to make it unflexible. We have many cables here for all our systems and this is the stiffest cable out of all the ones we have.

Still, at 9 feet long, it is longer than several of our other cables and that extra length has come in quite helpful. Luckily we didn't need this segment to be TOO bendy and the cable was able to make the length work.

We already had a HDMI cable in place for our PS3 and to be honest we didn't see any eye-popping improvement by using this one. Certainly a HDMI cable in general will give you a gigantic improvement over using the old style yellow-white-red cables! HDMI is a wonderful quality level.

Still, I do believe in general in getting good quality cables not going with the cheapest one you can get. Cheap cables we've used in the past have definitely had issues with interference and noise. It is well worth it to spend a little money on the signal transfer between your console and your TV, whatever cable system you're using. I was quite pleased with the balance here of the quality connectors and shielding with the relatively low price.

Well recommended.

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XCM Dominator Joystick for PS3

XCM Dominator Joystick for PS3
Customer Ratings: 3 stars
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I got this back when Streetfighter 4 first came out, and the Madcatz controllers were hard to find. When I started using it, I was surprised at how difficult it was to execute moves, especially circle moves like fireballs/dragon punches. This being my first stick since the Sega Genesis days, I chalked it up to inexperience with fight sticks in general. However, after a week I still had trouble pulling off basic moves. At the time I simply figured I was too used to the normal controller, and that was that. I put the stick up for consigment and decided to stick to the ol' D-pad.

Recently I decided to give sticks another chance, but this time I elected to drop the extra cash and get one of the Tournament Edition sticks. It wasn't until I started using the TE stick that I realized what a poor product the "Dominator" was. The dominator's plastic feels light, cheap, and transparent (perhaps by design, allowing the LED lights to be more visable). The stick is hard to move, you need to pull rather hard in any direction to get it to register. The same can be said about the buttons, which need to be pounded. Another complaint is the sharp edges, which make putting this in your lap uncomfortable. When you compare all of this to a Madcatz stick, which has a very reactive stick, buttons that are TOO sensitive if anything, a piano black finish, a heavy weight, and angled edges for for comfortable lap use, you really see where the extra cash goes.

The only pros are the LED lights and chrome buttons, which are purely cosmetic. But even on a superficial level, the dominator looks and feels like a toy.

A word on the memory feature...

I had no intention on using this feature when I purchased the stick, so I didn't bother with it. However before I took it in I decided to test it. The first thing I'll say is the button to activate what you program is small and poorly located above the stick. I can't imagine fumbling to find and use it in an actual game.

Anyone worried someone will use this online and program El Fuerte's infinate combo can rest easy, because IT CAN NOT HANDLE ADANCED STREETFIGHTER COMBOS. Streetfighter "block string" combos ( i.e. crouch LP, crouch LP, crouch MK-Hadoken) reqire imputs as fast as 1 to 4 frames, in other words 1/60 to 4/60 of a SECOND. This device simply isn't sophisticated enough to handle that level of precision. I suppose it might work on 10 hit Tekken combos, but again, the placing of the activation button will be an issue if you want to cheat.

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First let me say that I've never been compelled to write a review before, but I'm so thoroughly disgusted by this product that I just had to.

Save your money and get a different joystick. The original d-pad had a much better response for sf2 hd remix and marvel vs capcom 2. The buttons stick, and often times had to be pressed on with force for them to work. At other times, when my fingers weren't placed directly on the center of the button, it wouldn't depress fully, and therefore didn't register. I could barely pull off a fireball, let alone a dragon punch. The build quality seems, well...pretty cheap. For a controller this size, you'd expect some heft to it, but it's disturbingly light. I didn't mess around with the move program options or the turbo buttons, so I can't really comment on those aspects.

I consider myself a fighting game veteran, and this is just unacceptable. I didn't want to spend bucks for a joystick, so I settled for this one based on the first two reviews, but if you purchase this product, you're just throwing you're money away.

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awesome stick.....lights up in the dark...looks like the ps3 also...good price...i definitely recommend this product.

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I begin by saying that I am not a devoted fighting games enthusiast, but I enjoy SF2, SSF2T:HD and SF4 the most out of all the fighting games I have ever played. I used to own all of the SF2s on the Super Famicom/SNES and had a Capcom Fighting Stick.

I bought this on around the 21st of Feb at a local retailer in Hong Kong (1/F of 188 Oriental Shopping Centre in Wan Chai) for HK$498. I understand that play-asia.com has them in stock too. The stick is primarily intended for use with SF4. I haven't watched the video review above, and have only used it for around 2 hours total. Before that I had used the DS3 for around an hour, hence why I went shopping for a stick. I haven't tried it with any other fighting games.

The Dominator was for me the cheapest and most easily available alternative to the really rather expensive Hori sticks which I could find locally. The Horis were going in the shops for around HK$1300 and even play-asia.com's cheapest Hori was just below HK$1000. So for the price of that I could have (though I didn't) bought 2 of these and gotten my mates over to play! Plus I have already spent a lot of money and space on other gaming kit, such as 2 Rock Band guitars, the drums, and a Logitech G25 mounted on a Playseat full racing seat setup...

The stick itself really does resemble that in the picture. The blue LEDs are slightly less tacky-looking in real life than they are in the picture, particularly as the translucent plastic used in the base, while acceptable, will not go particularly well with your Ligne Rosset lounge chairs. The button action is acceptable, although I find that MP is a bit firmer than the rest for some reason. They are all coated with somewhat cheap-looking chrome paint.

The stick (the ball of which is also coated with the slightly cheap-looking chrome paint) is far better than the D-pad on the DS3. Ther eis an acceptable 8-way clicky action to it. Fireball-style moves can still be a bit hard to pull off, but this probably has to do with the angle with which I am using the stick (can't put it on the table) plus the fact that I haven't used an arcade stick for SF-style games for well-over a year. It's superb for dragon punches and charging moves. I haven't played much with Zangief so I decline to attempt to grade my spinning piledriver attempts. It does make using E.Honda a real pleasure though.

I should point out that I am having trouble executing the Ken kata-throw (as mentioned in a 1up guide MK followed quickly by throw) as well as effectively cancelling into focus moves, but I think that is also probably more a matter of timing than anything else.

I have not tried out the macro function as I would rather develope l337 sk1llz or die trying. ;)

Overall, as you may be able to tell from what I have said above, the build quality of the stick is acceptable, given the price. Furthermore, and more importantly, it is inherently usable as a fighting stick. I intend to try it with Soldner-X and 1942 Joint Strike when I have some free time, but I see no reason why it would be any worse for those if it can put up with SF4.

The only reason I have rated this stick 4 stars instead of 5 is that it's a bit cheap-looking and is obviously not made out of super-high-end components. However, in this case, and particularly given the cost of the Hori sticks, it's just a matter of getting what you pay for. Plus it's not like one is going to be able to use this stick for 10 years or more anyway (as my still-working Capcom Fighting Stick with its outdated SNES/Super Famicom connector will tell you). Highly recommended for cash-strapped fighting enthusiasts.

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LittleBigPlanet 2 Special Edition Move Bundle

LittleBigPlanet 2 Special Edition Move Bundle - Playstation 3
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
List Price: $79.99
Sale Price: $68.95
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just a warning, I had to get charging cables for the controllers.

I understand it was dumb of me to assume, just warning others

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i bought lbp2 for my 7 year old daughter. she loves playing it sooo much. i love the fact that it is fun, and hilariously entertaining, not only to play, but to watch my little girl play.this is her favorite game.

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Overall, this bundle was a very good deal at $85. It includes the Eye camera, and both Move controllers. Some other bundles only include the camera and the Motion controller but not the Navigation controller. When you consider that this bundle also includes a decent game, it adds up to a great deal.

Getting comfortable using the motion controllers takes a bit of time, but it soon becomes second nature. This title also lends itself well to this type of game play. If you enjoyed the first installment in the series you will most likely enjoy this game too. I'm giving it 4 stars only because I reserve the 5 star rating for items that are really superlative. This is a strong product, and a good game, but overall it did not "blow me away." I think the other gaming consoles use some smarter or more intuitive designs in their motion controllers (though of course they will have drawbacks too).

If you are only buying the bundle for the controllers, you will be pleased to be able sell the game for a bit of cash back. If you are buying the bundle for the controllers and the game, you will be very pleased. Either way it's a win-win situation.

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So I got this game when my co-worker alerted me to the impending lightning Deal involving PS3 accessories.

I have always kicked myself each time i missed one of the lightning deals with items i value.

So at least I managed not to kick myself this time.

As far as the game little Big planet goes, I do not care much for it.

But as far as the move bundle goes, this was the best deal ever.

I have always wanted to try it, and im happy to say i enjoy it. It was a breeze to set up.

I was all set up within 5 minutes and the instructions were pretty straight forward.

All the same the only bummer was that the controller came with zero charge, so i had to wait sometime to get it charged.

I would highly recommend this bundle to anyone seeking to to break into the adventure that is PS3 move.

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Love LBP games! This one has some new features and the kids love it. The new controllers take a little getting used to and can be tricky...the menu is a little difficult to navigate with these controllers.

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SingStar: Back to the 80s - PlayStation Eye Enhanced (PS3)

SingStar: Back to the 80s - PlayStation Eye Enhanced
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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Most of the songs are available online for download but some songs are not. If you love the 80's don't wait on buys this disc. Get it now.

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There weren't as many songs as I wish there were but it is still fun and for the price, you really can't beat it.

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Sony PS3 Controller Decal Style Skin - Electrify Hot Pink

Sony PS3 Controller Decal Style Skin - Electrify Hot Pink
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $8.95
Sale Price: $6.95
Today's Bonus: 22% Off
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I thought it would have been made of rubber and could fit over the controller, but it turned out to be a big sticker that fit over the top of the controller, I liked the color and thought it was a very cool looking controller skin.

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Designer Skin for Playstation 3 Remote Controller

Designer Skin for Playstation 3 Remote Controller - Stars N Stripes
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $9.95
Sale Price: $4.97
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After replacing expensive controllers too many times I gave all 5 of my boys a controller in a different color od design and told them they can only use there own and if it breaks they don't play until they can buy there own new one. Works like a charm and wish I had though of it years ago. These decals are a great way to personalise controllers that are the same color at a low price.

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It is very patriotic. I like that it gives my remote some character. I was easy to put on and it stays in place.

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Generally good for nothing too expensive. Sort of challenging to get the sticker on to fit well but not too bad.

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I was worried this might not look good because of the gaps between stickers. It turned out that they are not too noticable. I put mine on a blue controller, which looks much better than on a standard black one. I think it will go real well on the new "Classic White" controllers that come w/ the 500GB SuperSlim Classic White PS3.

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Bought this as a "me" gift along with some Christmas shopping. It takes a minute to line the stickers up properly, but it fits the controller really well and looks pretty slick once its on there properly. I even got a comment from my roommate, who liked the look, and thought that the graphics were actually on the controller instead of it being a skin, and he was the one using it at the time! Cool looking skin at a really low price. Would recommend.

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Batman: Arkham City

Batman: Arkham City - PS3
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $14.90
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I love this game. It's one of the best you can get on the ps3. I bought it right away when it was released and played the heck out of it. I didn't end up springing for any of the DLC because I don't have a reliable high speed internet connection where I'm currently living. So I was very excited when they released this game of the year edition with all of the previous DLC content on disc. I was able to pick this up as a gold box deal with the plan to gift my old standard copy to my brother. I was very excited to play the extra content. BIG WARNING FOR DOUBLE DIPPERS: THIS GAME WILL NOT SYNC UP WITH YOUR ARKHAM CITY(STANDARD EDITION) GAME SAVES. It creates a whole different set of save files. Very annoying for someone who has already sunk myriad hours into the game to have to start over at 0%. Worked out great for my brother though, because I couldn't wrap my head around playing this game all over again from scratch so I gifted him the GOTY version instead(after I sampled some of the content playing as a non upgraded Batman or course). Overall this game is amazing, and if you haven't purchased it yet then this is the best one to get. However, if you are considering double dipping, be forewarned that you will be starting over completely from scratch at 0%.

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Arkham City is a DEFINITE MUST PLAY experience. If you have never picked up the original then this is DEFINITELY the version to get. As legendary as Arkham City was, there were definitely problems with disc reading and data corruption that will all be likely fixed in the Game of the Year Edition. It is an amazing game and has so much to do and so much more depth than it seems at first glance. The Game of the Year edition is a must buy if you skipped out on the original version because buying the Nightwing, Robin, Catwoman, Skins, Batcave and Harley's Revenge packs can be slightly expensive. As great as the game is, the riddler's revenge campaigns and predator missions can be a little tricky. Getting the missions requires pretty specific routes that are hard to figure out on your own, but if you check out some YouTube videos it'll give you a good foundation in defeating these stages. Regardless, the Riddlers Revenge challenge maps are still fantastic. They also could have also taken some bigger risks with the side mission villains. With some of the side missions they could have had some intense boss battles but instead they have it end with a push of a button. Regardless the side missions are still pretty cool.

Once again, if you have never played this game then definitely pick this edition up. It's by far one of the GREATEST games ever made. Can't wait for the third one.

P.S. Harleys Revenge is a perfect ending to the Arkham City storyline which even more makes the Game of the Year edition a better purchase than the original one.

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LOTS of content. Great graphics. It's a masterpiece.

It's MUCH better than Arkham Asylum. Figuring out how to move the story along can be a bit frustrating. But, over-all, it's the best.

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Rocksteady's first entry into the Batman series with Arkham Asylum was a admirable one, and like many first efforts it showed with some unpolished edges and overall limited scope with the game design. Arkham City from its very outset is the Batman game most fans really wanted. It's got a nice big prison built in old Arkham to explore, plenty of challenges to keep you entertained, and a revamped and accessible fighting system. In short, Batman Arkham City is not just the best Batman game, but the best Superhero game to date.

Story

The story takes place within the walls of Arkham City, as you could probably guess. Arkham City is an old part of Gotham City that has been repurposed into a open prison, with the inmmates free to run around and do as they please. This means that the main villains like Two-Face, Penguin, Mr. Freeze, The Joker and many others are all waging war with each other over territory when the game begins. This is all occurring under the watchful eye of Dr. Hugo Strange, orchestrating events within the Prison that Batman is tasked with uncovering. The story begins with Bruce Wayne being thrown into Arkham City as a prisoner by Hugo Strange, knowing full-well that he is Batman. Don't want to say much more than that since playing through the game is the best part. Beyond the main story there are several side-missions to play through involving various Batman villains, and I've found them all to be worth the time to play through.

Gameplay

The game does an admirable job about making you feel as powerful as Batman with a very easily accessible fighting system. Even if you've never played games that involved physical combat, you can pick up how to play Arkham City within a few minutes, and work on becoming an accomplished fighter over the course of the game. The game also does an excellent job keeping the game continuously challenging by ramping things up smoothly in difficulty and variety. It's not often that I can say that about a game, and it made the game very entertaining to keep playing without frustration. There are plenty of gadgets to use as well, from the trusty grappling hook to more elaborate weapons like the freeze grenade. There is a seamless integration between the open world exploration and the missions themselves, which makes the whole game feel like a continuous experience. There's also some elements of detective work, though it's not one of the core experiences unfortunately. Hunting down your enemies from the dark and terrifying your enemies has never been more satisfying.

Graphics/Sound

The graphics of this game are well done, and a notable step up in terms of some of the textures compared to Arkham Asylum. I think the game looks very good, especially considering the continuously smooth framerate throughout. The use of darker colors everywhere though does help mask some of the less pretty sights, but hey Arkham City is meant to look run-down which it absolutely does. The real winner is the sound-design, always finding such powerful tracks to play when you have to take down the enemies in a room or are tasked with just a difficult fight or mission. It just fits so perfectly and gets you pumped up when you're playing through those scenes. I actually am considering buying several pieces from the game soundtrack because of how well-done they were.

Extras

You get to play as Catwoman for part of the campaign and for certain side-missions, and thankfully her missions are entertaining and she genuinely does play differently than Batman. Batman hits very hard and has many gadgets whereas Catwoman is much swifter and more agile with her whip and bolas to keep enemies down. If you're a big Batman fan like I am you will find plenty of extras like riddler trophies and puzzles to solve to keep you very entertained for quite a while. I had a lot of fun trying to solve puzzles related to characters and events I recall from watching Batman: The Animated Series as a kid. It took me a decent amount of time to finish up everything in the main story and there is game-plus mode for those who want a real challenge since it removes the warning signs for incoming attacks and lets enemies hit harder. There's also the challenge missions where you can play as Nightwing or Robin trying to get a higher score.

All in all, if you're a Batman fan or just someone that wants to know what it feels like to be Batman Arkham City is the game for you. I know Arkham Origins is coming out later this year, but since it is being made by a different studio than the one that made Arkham City I'm a bit cautious about how it'll turn out. Whether it turns out to be good or bad, I can tell you right now that Arkham City is great and worth playing on its own merits.

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Batman: Arkham City is one of the best superhero games I ever played, everything from the opening to the credits is amazing. The voice cast is great with some of the the actors from the animated series returning such Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamill as The Joker. The gameplay is also amazing and addicting I would just free roam the city as Batman and beat up thugs, another great thing is the story which is better than most other comic book based video game stories, its original and isn't based on any comic book story lines or any episodes of the animated series so it easy to jump in if you're new to Batman. The only thing bad I have to say it sometimes glitches and you may get stuck or your detective mode won't work properly, but it does not happen too often and its not a deal breaker. If your a fan of Batman you need to get this game and if you like video games you need to get this game. 5/5

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