Assassin's Creed 2 Master Assassin Edition (Limited Edition) PS3 Review

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(More customer reviews)The Master Assassin's edition of Assassin's Creed 2 is a good addition to a gaming collection. Given the price is high, it may turn many people away from buying it. I must say this: If you are a fan of Assassin's Creed and really have a knack for Special Edition games, get this. If not, it isn't an ideal purchase.

The tin that everything is included in is very nice, but bends and warps very easily. Included in the entire set is an art book, downloadable codes for exclusive areas in-game, an exclusive DVD detailing the making of the game (also including the Assassin's Creed 2 soundtrack on the DVD),a nice detailed figurine of Ezio- the main Assassin in the game, a collector's tin, and the Assassin's Creed 2 game software.

Whilst the art book is nice, it isn't anything to write home about. It does have some nice concept art in it, but is pretty thin. Unless you are a fan, it isn't anything major. The DVD is somwhat mediocre, but does provide a nice insight into the world of Assassin's Creed and how the team created it. The included soundtrack from Assassin's Creed 2 (included ON the DVD, not seperate from it) is a beatiful addition. Music in this game sounds great and makes the collector's edition nice to have just to listen to the songs from the game. Ezio's figurine is beautifully detailed and looks great, and is resting on a circle base so it is able to be stood up. The exclusive in-game content is fun, but goes by extremely fast, so isn't extremely amazing and important. I recommend this "Master Assassin's Edition" only to fans of Assassin's Creed, or those who love Collector's Editions of games.

Pros:
-Included DVD has Assassin's Creed 2 soundtrack on it, which sounds beautiful.
-The Ezio figurine is extremely detailed and looks great.
-Game included is GREAT fun and will keep anybody busy for hours on end.
-Packaging looks nice and holds everything well.
-Fans will be glad to add this to their collection.

Cons:
-A little on the expensive side, not recommended unless you are a fan of Assassin's Creed or like Special Editions.
-The art book is short and somewhat mediocre, though it is nice to look at the concept art.
-Tin everything comes in is flimsy and warps easily.
-The DVD included isn't that great, other than the included soundtrack.

With me being a fan of Assassin's Creed, I suggest this to other fans of the series. I give it four and a half to five stars.

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Product Description:
Assassin's Creed 2 Master Assassin Edition comes with the following:- 8.5 inch Collectible Ezio Statue - Artbook: The Art of Assassins Creed- Premium Collectible Metal Case- Two Exclusive, in-game maps: Palazzo Medici and Santa Maria Dei Frari- Additional content DVD: Behind the scenes of Assassin's Creed and Assassin's Creed II Soundtrack

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World Of Warcraft Burning Crusade Collector's Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)People who want to know about the expansion in general should also look at the standard Burning Crusade edition.I'm just going to add some information here about what's different with the Collector's Edition.

The most important thing to know is that each copy of the expansion, for either version, comes with a key code that you have to put in to upgrade your account.Without the code, you won't be able to access the new content even if you have the software installed.[Edit:As of January 22, 2007 Blizzard has announced on their forums that they're working on allowing players who already upgraded using the basic expansion to then also upgrade using the collector's edition in order to get the limited edition pet.You'll have to call Blizzard's billing service line with the unused collector's edition expansion key, so it's slightly more work than upgrading directly with the CE, but it can now be done.]

The only real difference between the versions so far as playing the actual game goes, is that those who buy the CE will receive a special pet called a netherwhelp on all of their characters.It's basically a baby version of the flying mounts available in Outland.

Most of the benefit of this version is outside of the game.You get a nicer box with it, of course.Inside that box you'll find that you get the game in both CD (4 of them) form, and DVD form (just 1, so you don't have to mess around with changing the one in the drive).

In addition to the game itself, you get a number of other items.There's a very nice mousepad with a map of Outland on it (though I've heard that the glossy surface works poorly with laser mice).There's a hardcover book of art from World of Warcraft.They include some cards from the WoW collectible card game, along with directions for those who want to play.If you love the music you find in Burning Crusade, you'll also be happy to see that there's a soundtrack included in the box.Finally, there's an additional DVD that contains two hours of behind the scenes material, including things like interviews.

Keep in mind, however, that the only in game benefit is the pet.If you don't want the pet but want everything else, you'll probably be able to get the other items cheaply from someone who wanted the pet and not the rest.Or, you could buy the set and then sell the activation code to someone who wants the pet, while you keep the extra items for yourself.

Due to the need for an activation code, though, be careful about buying this item used.Make sure that you confirm with the seller that the activation code in their set has NOT been used, because it can only be used to upgrade a single account.After that, even if you use the software in the box to upgrade the version onyour computer, you WILL NOT have access to the new content.An expansion upgrade code is REQUIRED and it must be one that has never been used.

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Product Description:
World Of Warcraft: Burning Crusade returns you to Azeroth for incredible role-playing action! Several years have passed since the Burning Legion's defeat at Mount Hyjal. With renewed strength, the heroes of the Horde and Alliance have begun to explore new lands and broken through the Dark Portal to investigate the realms beyond the known world. Will these heroes find friends or foes? What dangers and rewards lie in wait beyond the Dark Portal? And what will they do when they discover that the demons they thought vanquished have returned to renew their terrible Burning Crusade?
Special Collector's Edition includes: "Art of the Burning Crusade" book, exclusive in-game pet and behind-the-scenes DVD. Also includes World of Warcraft Trading Card Game starter deck and exclusive cards, mouse pad with map of Outland & official soundtrack CD. Hundreds of new monsters, quests, and itemsA new profession -JewelcraftingRide flying mounts in Outland

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Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth 2 Collector's Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)As a big fan of real-time strategy (RTS) games, I found this game to be a bit more than the average base-building, resource-collecting fare. To be sure, there is a lot of this kind of activity required in the game, but it is presented in a way that does not seem bland or too conventional. The game does not break a lot of new ground for the genre like, say, Dawn of War or Rise of Nations, but it does offer an interesting spin.

Gameplay: There are a few options here that should keep most players preoccupied for a while. First, there is the campaign mode that allows for play as either the good or evil side. Each of the campaigns have eight scenarios which for the most part are your standard base-building, land-conquering variety. Overall, the missions are well done and are a great introduction to the other gameplay options. Another gameplay mode is the War of the Ring. This is a mix of turn-based and real-time gaming in which factions try to take over a map of Middle Earth by moving armies around. It is a very well-done gaming mode that should allow for a lot of replayability. Thirdly, there is a skirmish mode as well as online play. The game comes with several maps, but unfortunately there is an overabundance of 2-player maps and a shortage of larger maps (only one 8-player map).

Each of the six playable races (men, elves, dwarves, Mordor, Isengard, and goblins) feels unique enough to offer a range of gameplay options. Each has several units, many upgrades, unique powers, various heroes, and other perks. Also, the game ships with a "create-a-hero" template that allows you to create your own in-game hero. This options, while a good idea, is rather limited in regard to the appearance of your hero. Heroes are better implemented in this game than in other RTS games (like Warcraft 3) and can level up without having to hunt down "creeps" or perform other distracting tasks. I assume that a future patch will adjust some of the heroes so that they are better balanced against each other.

The gameplay itself is very frenetic and engaging, and on medium and higher difficulties, the fighting starts early. The game's AI is generally good and will make it a point to destroy your buildings at every opportunity, along with your units. Occasionally, I've witnessed a few lapses with the AI, such as cases in which enemy units were not immediately noticed and attacked. Otherwise, the AI holds its own in most fights.I've only noticed a few flaws in the game, but they are worth commenting upon. First, buildings and walls are far too weak and easily destroyed. Since games are won or lost based on your resource and unit output, it's a shame that a few infantry units can destroy an upgraded fortress in seconds. Of course, lesser structures like farms go down even quicker. Also, the game is not really geared toward epic siege warfare, which was one of the great things about the movies. Walls are not only weak but they are far to expensive to be practical and are difficult (perhaps impossible?) to repair. Additionally, the resource model encourages you to spread your farms apart for maximum benefit, so there is little possibility of having a compact, well-fortified, walled-in base. A patch could correct much of this (such as the strength and cost of buildings and walls), which would allow for more strategic and tactical possibilities such as siege warfare (requiring actual siege weapons) and turtling. There is naval warfare in the game, which is generally done well. However, very few maps allow it.

Graphics: This is a great-looking game. Lots of attention to detail in the environment as well as in the models. Unit animations, explosions, magical effects, weather, and other visuals are very convincing. The cutscenes for the campaigns are based on the game models and some wonderful paintings. The animations are not quite as dramatic and visceral as those of Dawn of War, but they are nonetheless quite good. And there are a lot of them. It never gets old seeing Tom Bombadil punching foes in the face or summoning the terrible wrath of a Balrog. Even common occurrences, such as Roharrim cavalry mowing down infantry, are always good for a smile. The game does require a decent computer to get the most out of the visuals. I have a mid-range machine (P4 3.0ghz, 1GB of RAM, Geforce 6600GT) and still get a bit of lag when there are a lot of units fighting on screen. However, EA went the extra mile on graphics, and it really paid off.

Sound: Everything is in order in this department. There are a lot of spoken sound-bites for each of the races, along with appropriate sounds for monsters, weapons, building construction, explosions, magical effects, and so on. The epic music from the movies plays in the background to set the atmosphere. All of the auditory elements of the game serve their purpose well.

Replayability/Technical Issues: The game should have a decent shelf life for RTS gamers, assuming that EA supports it with patches and an occasional bonus map. A map editor is available for download at the official website (www.bfme2.ea.com). The manual that comes with the game is decent, but the in-game tutorials are better. The game has been pretty stable for me with no installation issues. It did crash twice between turns in the War of the Ring mode. However, this was no big deal since I had been playing for several hours and had recently saved the game.

Overall, if you like RTS games, this is a good purchase. The Collector's Edition comes with a bonus DVD that has vignettes about how the game was made, cutscenes, the soundtrack, and a few other things. Also, this edition includes a few bonus items such as a dragon and extra maps.It's probably worth the extra dollars for anyone who liked the movies.

Overall rating: 4.25 stars

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Product Description:

In The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II, the sequel to the critically acclaimed RTS game The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth you now have the chance to experience all that Middle-earth was meant to be.Given a new agreement with The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Tolkien Enterprises that grants EA the rights to develop games based on the books, in addition to a separate agreement that allows for games based on the New Line Cinema films The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II will introduce players to depths of the fiction never before explored by EA.With all new content from J.R.R. Tolkien's original fiction, delve deeper than ever before and engage in new battles that go beyond the award-winning movie trilogy. Wage war in the North and assume command of the most storied civilizations in all of Middle-earth history--the Elven and Dwarven armies--or fight on the side of Evil with heroes and creatures that have never been seen in The Lord of the Rings films. Defend or overtake never before seen lands such as Dol Guldur, The Misty Mountains, and Mirkwood as you unleash powerful new weapons and abilities--summon dragons, cause volcanoes to erupt, or bring down a cataclysmic lightning strike.But beware, with greater power comes greater adversity. Your enemies, commanded by a powerful new AI system, possess a greater tactical edge and more powerful spells. Will your armies have the fortitude to persevere? New races, places, heroes, and battles from books & films

Command all the races of Middle-earth with three all new factions including Elves, Dwarves, and Goblins.
Win the war in the North single-player campaign with all-new story that takes you to places and battles of Middle-earth previously unseen.

Customization, Command, & Control

Build your own landmark castle with fully customizable and upgradeable fortresses and walls.
Create your own hero with all new customized RTS units that are your avatars in-game.
Control battles with all-new enemy AI, melee combat, and flanking, adding unprecedented tactical fidelity.

This special Collector's Edition also includes:

Exclusive Bonus DVD in High Definition (HD) Mastered in HD for the ultimate high resolution experience on your PC or HD TV
Entire musical score features original music created exclusively for The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II
In-game cinematics and trailers in high resolution and surround sound
"The Making of The Battle for Middle-earth II": The story of the team behind The Battle for Middle-earth series including never before seen videos and exclusive interviews with key development team members
"The Art of the Game": The ultimate collection of artwork created for the game, including hundreds of cinematic paintings and key pieces of concept work
Exclusive In-Game Content. All new fire-breathing Dragon on the battlefield, this impressive unit can only be controlled by players who purchase the Collector's Edition
Special graphic treatment for "create-a-hero" units identify Collector's Edition gamers during on-line play
Multiple exclusive maps including signature locations from The Lord of the Rings films, such as Weathertop and Argonath
Two-sided, 11-by-17-inch Exclusive Campaign Map Poster
Gorgeous high resolution map of Middle-earth created exclusively for the game--"Good" side lists out all the campaign locations from the good campaign while the "Evil" side lists out its campaign locations and descriptions
The perfect companion piece while playing the Good or Evil game missions
A rebate coupon for savings on a new NVIDIA graphics card

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Final Fantasy XII (Collector's Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)Final Fantasy XII is a magnificent game. I have been a fan of the series since the very beginning, but recently I have become disappointed with recent games until I played the latest installment.

The artwork is fantastic! Rich Desert landscapes, misty woodlands, ruin-filled caves, floating mines, prison dungeons, exotic palaces, and majestic cities create a vibrant and compelling world to explore. The Near-eastern influence to the architecture enhances the exotic and mystical senses while exploring this new world. There is certainly a good reason Square Enix can be proud of their record for high quality game art.

For reasons unknown to me, some critics dislike the new battle system, I say it is the shining glory of the game. The battle system parallels that of a MMORPG. There are no random enemy encounters or separate screens for battles. Battles take place in real time. The really amazing part of the battles is how Square Enix was able to include the strategic precision of a turn-based, tactical RPG, like Final Fantasy Tactics, in real-time action through the Gambit System. In the Gambit System, the player assigns a list of prioritized, conditional actions for party members to take. This allows the player to control 3 active party members in a real-time battle, assign specific roles, and enjoy leveling more than the story completion. This is the first RPG I have played where the gameplay and battle was so compelling it distracted me from pursuing the story on my first play through the game.

The lowest point of FFXII however, IS the story. It is by no means a total wash. The Characters are likable, interesting and engaging. The plot and presentation are all fine, but the story development and character interaction loses its flavor just past the half-way mark. The ending leaves you wanting more of an ending and feeling like the script was hastily and clumsily tied up instead of drawing to any meaningful conclusions. This is the same disappointment I've had with several of the Final Fantasy Installments since FFVIII. Instead of a glorious finale, it feels like mowing over a plateau. The effects and cinematic sequences are very high quality, but the character stories feel incomplete.

Overall, I highly recommend this game. Not everyone is a harsh story critic like I am. The art, world, and battle system are so compelling, that you will play over and over and still want more.

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Batman: Arkham Asylum Review

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(More customer reviews)I just picked up the game a little while ago so these are just my first impressions. I'm not going to discuss in depth gameplay or graphics; these things have been covered to death in the past couple of months. So to get it out of the way, it's a great game, especially if you're a batman fan and it looks great on the PS3.

The meat of this review will be focusing on the collector's edition and it's contents.

First off, the box for it is huge! Not obnoxiously huge, but substantial. The case that holds everything is a nice plastic batarang shape with sturdy feeling hinges. They did a good job there. Inside foam pieces keep everything from moving around.

As stated on the message boards, the batarang is in fact plastic and it is attached to the stand, though it doesn't look like it would take much effort to detach it. It looks like there's just a small tab holding it in. I would have been much happier with a metal version, even if it drove the cost up a bit. Also of note, the batarang (at least the one I got) has what appear to scratches all over it. I'm not sure if this is normal, but this is how mine showed up. I'd be interested in hearing how others' batarangs are condition-wise. Also, I was under the impression it was a gray color. It's actually black.

The leather bound book is decent in quality but the pictures make it look more substantial than it actually is. It's actually quite thin. The book inside is nice though, with matte pages and lots of pictures. Great for reading up on arkham's finest criminals.

As for the game package, they really dropped the ball on this one. I was expecting a nice case, like those that come with metroid prime trilogy or resident evil 5. Not so, you get a cheap looking and feeling cardboard outer sleeve and inner sleeve that holds the game and bonus DVD. Again, I'd have gladly paid more for a metal case. Or even just the regular game case with a slip case for the DVD, like the fallout 3 collector's edition. Being a collector in the truest sense, I removed the DVD and game and put them in standard ps3 cases and put the cardboard case back in the box to prevent any damage to it. Cardboard cases for games are extremely primitive in my opinion. They show wear way to easily.
The discs themselves are also non-standard in that they both look like old film reels and are labeled as disc one and two. Again, give me the retail game and the bonus DVD separate. I might just pick up the retail game later on and put the collector's edition back in the box.

All in all, I love the game but feel iffy about the collector's edition contents. If they would have just included the retail game and not the cheap cardboard box and colorless discs I'd probably have been satisfied. As it is now, I don't regret the purchase at all, I just feel a bit let down by the contents. It'll bug me until I buy the retail version of the game and I know it's just more money thrown at the game but I'm extremely anal about keeping my collectibles in pristine condition.

So my verdict:
The game gets a 5/5. It's a great game and even more so if you're a batman fan.
The collector's edition content gets a 3/5 for being average. The game's packaging is what really let me down here.
So the average is 4 stars and my score overall. If I were reviewing just the game it would get 5 stars.

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Product Description:
Batman: Arkham Asylum is a single player, third-person action/adventure in which the Dark Knight is forced to take on his greatest challenge yet when he is trapped by arch rival, the Joker, within Gotham City's facility for the criminally insane, Arkham Asylum. A blend of exciting arcade style combat and stealth mechanics packed with amazing graphics in a moody, immersive setting, Batman: Arkham Asylum offers diverse gameplay options that push the envelope for all action, adventure and superhero games.

Kick it in combat gameplay.
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And stealth action.
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Match wits with The Joker.
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Utilize utility belt gadgets.
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Take on dangerous bosses.
Viewlarger. Story
Batman: Arkham Asylum features an original story penned exclusively for the game by famous Batman author and five-time Emmy award winner, Paul Dini, whose credits include "Lost" season one and "Batman: The Animated Series." As the game begins Batman is personally delivering his nemesis, The Joker, to the asylum at Arkham Island, but he is uneasy. Although the Arkham asylum is well fortified, he has a nagging feeling that all is not well, which proves to be the case when seconds after turning The Joker over to the guards, the master criminal breaks free of his captors. Even more surprising than this quick turn of events is the revelation that it was never The Joker's intent to escape the vault-like facility, but instead to trap Batman there. Surrounded by an asylum full of dangerous criminals, many of which he put there and all at the beck and call of the Joker, can Batman survive and discover what is behind the Joker's intricate plot?

Gameplay
In Batman: Arkham Asylum players strap on the gadget-heavy utility belt of the Caped Crusader. Gameplay here is a combination of both the knuckle crunching rush of hand to hand combat as you take on the hordes of thugs that infest Arkham Asylum, and stealth gameplay in which you must dispatch individuals from the shadows. Players can expect an engrossing single player campaign in which Batman continually moves forward to face the henchmen, bosses and traps that The Joker has set for him. With regards to opponents, in addition to The Joker who you will hear more than you see, the dark walls of Arkham also hold familiar villains from the the Batman criminal universe including Harley Quinn, Victor Zsasz and Killer Croc, that you will have to deal with, but don't expect a one-dimensional experience. As players progress from environment to environment within Arkham they will have to use varying combinations of muscle, detective skills, gadgetry and a certain degree of light RPG-like leveling of Batman's skills, arsenal and physical characteristics to survive and discover what The Joker's underlying scheme is.

In addition to the story-driven single player campaign Arkham Asylumalso contains various additional play modes. These include an arcade styledcombat mode where players accumulate points by engaging hordes of thugsin a hand to hand slugfest across a series of maps, in which Batman'sphysical strength and agility play a major role. The key here is to chaintogether as many attacks as possible due to the fact that with each successfulcombo players increase the point multiplier associated with their actions.The game also features a time-based stealth mode where players must honetheir ability to strike silently from the shadows. This gameplay, referredto as 'Invisible Predator' utilizes the Dark Knight's skill with gadgetslike the grapple tool, batarang and explosives. These allow for vertical/horizontalmobility, the ability to quickly strike from above and at a distance andto take out enemies and create distractions, even through walls. But rememberthat Batman works solo and is not superhuman. Your enemies will congregatearound trouble areas and work as a team against you, so you must besilent, plan your attacks wisely, strike quickly and discover the valueof encouraging fear within enemies.

Key Features

Utilize the unique FreeFlow combat system to chain together unlimited combos seamlessly and battle with huge groups of The Joker's henchmen in brutal melee brawls.
Investigate as Batman, the world's greatest detective, by solving intricate puzzles with the help of cutting edge forensic tools including x-ray scanning, fingerprint scans, 'Amido Black' spray and a pheromone tracker.
Face off against Gotham's greatest villains including The Joker, Harley Quinn, Victor Zsasz and Killer Croc.
Become the Invisible Predator with Batman's fear takedowns and unique vantage point system to move without being seen and hunt enemies.
Choose multiple takedown methods, including swooping from the sky and smashing through walls, and use the predator camera get a closer look at the action.
Explore every inch of Arkham Asylum and roam freely on the infamous island, presented for the first time ever in its gritty and realistic entirety.
Experience what it's like to be Batman using batarangs, explosive gel aerosol, the Batclaw, sonar resonator and the line launcher.
Unlock more secrets by completing hidden challenges in the world and develop and customize equipment by earning experience points.
Enjoy complete superhero freedom in the environment with the use of Batman's grapple to get to any place you can see, jump from any height and glide in any direction.

PlayStation 3 Batman: Arkham Asylum Collector's Edition Bonus Items Include:

Waynetech Batarang Storage Box.
14" In-Game Design Batarang (stand attached).
Dr. Young's Journal (50 page full color character encyclopedia).
2 Sleeve DIGI-Pack Including:

Game
Behind the scenes 5 chapter series DVD, including: interviewswith Mark Hammil and Kevin Conroy.

Collector's Edition Challenge Map DLC.
PlayStation 3 exclusive Joker Challenge Map DLC.
Joker voice over performed by Mark Hammil to accompany the bonus Jokercontent.
Manual.

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The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask - Collector's Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)Although most people disagree with me, I think this installment in the Zelda series is better than Ocarina of Time.Majora's Mask, in a sense, is its complete opposite.

While Ocarina of Time is very traditional in its format and style, Majora's Mask strays far from the ordinary.Ocarina of Time masters the epicness that Zelda can be.Majora's Mask masters the dark and mysterious side of the Zelda series.

Being a fan of the unusual, I am addicted to the idea of restarting the same three days repeatedly.Trying to get as much done before restarting is awesome.Then getting to transform into a Deku, Zora, and Goron puts this game over the top.You also get to fight the bosses (although there are only four big bosses) as many times as you like.Every time you restart the three days, you get to fight them again by warping straight to their lair.Fighting Goht is one of those experiences that's worth reliving again and again!

Lots of masks to find, swimming as a Zora and rolling as a Goron, a much more difficult final boss than Ganon in Ocarina of Time, and a much darker tone help make this game the gem that it is.I will always be in awe of this game, and I hope everyone else finds it as enjoyable as I do.

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Product Description:
Game cartridge for the Nintendo 64 video game console. "The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask -- Collector's Edition" was only available to those who pre-ordered the game. The game cartridge features a 3D holographic label.

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Star Wars: Empire at War Collector's Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)This game has long been anticipated by Star Wars fans all over the world. "Finally, a Star Wars strategy game that makes us more in control of the myriad of options that could be explored in the Star Wars universe."

Controlling both the land and space (or one of both) of given planets is really the core of the game. You build space fleets and land units to withstand the enemy's (may it be the rebellion or the Empire) attacks. You will find that spending a lot of time on the main screen is a necessity. The main screen being aligned planets, some of which you own, some of which are enemy-controlled, and some are unexplored/uninhabited. Here is where you have control of the building process, unit production,etc. Economically, the more planets you control, the more credits you earn (by building mines, etc. on the surface of the planet). Upgrades for units, weapons is also a fundamental aspect of the game. Rebels send spies (for the most part, our fellows R2-D2 and C-3PO) to steal technology from the Empire to upgrade the tech tree (always for a fee though), while the Empire builds research facilities to conduct research and upgrades technology. The game, you will find (for strategy games gamers), is reminiscent of Rome:total war which remains an excellent standard of strategy games.

I have only started playing EOW for a couple of days, but it doesn't take long for acquaintance. If you feel bombarded with a great deal of facets you think you need to remember to stay ahead in the game or grounds you need to cover (what certain upgrades do, best ways to defend, attack, unit strengths and weaknesses), do not be alarmed. The tutorial in the beginning is really helpful; and in-game info is also useful.
The music, another fundamental aspect for a successful game, will delight the fans. Music from the 6 movies is sporadically included.
But here is where I found the game lacking. For someone who has diligently experienced previous Star Wars games on more than one console, I am confident (and i am sure a lot of people out there will agree), that there is no flawless Star Wars games. The developers of whichever game have to screw it up one way or the other, whether it be in in-game malfunctions, to bugs, indifferent attention to detail, etc. This game is no different, for a very obvious reason. While the space fighting is entertaining, given the difficulty in envisioning a perfect space fight, the land fighting (taking place on planet surfaces) is NOT exciting. Let me explain. First of all, the building process, as i have said earlier, is different than other strategy games. You do NOT build on ground like, for example, Command and Conquer, but build by clicking on a planet on the main screen (aforementioned). Once you're on the ground for a battle, you are stuck with what you have already built. This may prove logical to some, while anathema to others. I personally like the idea. The only things you will be allowed to build are turrets, or healing facilities on "build pads". But what is unacceptable is this: you are not allowed to produce units while on the ground. You are stuck with what you have already produced on the main screen. (or if you are the invading party, the reinforcements you have already assigned for a given planet [sounds complicated now, but really, very easily explained in the turorial]). A few sporadic units come out from the barracks, but you cannot control their quantity. This, obviously is a bad idea. You may end up losing the whole planet (the battlefield landscape is very small considering the fact that the whole planet is at stake if you lose that one area, another nuisance) with no production options to assist you. Again, this factor may appeal to some.
Now for the excitement level which i have scrutinized earlier. The fighting itself is not fun. The units move slugglishly at times (not as a result of computer specs), and the view itself -while alterable- is not entertaining. The fire-exchange is not of any challenge. It is hard to explain why i didn't like the fighting itself, but i am sure other reviewers will comment on the same thing. However, it is fair to note, that this deficiency is well compensated by the whole atmosphere players are drawn to.

The mere fact that you are controlling a whole universe, needless to say, a STAR WARS UNIVERSE will always remain a compelling factor in deciding to buy this game. My only disappointment lies in the playability of battles. I play strategy games more than any other genre, so I am picky when it comes to (1) the world in which you are playing; buildings, upgrades, graphics (which is excellent in this game), financial aspects, ease of controlling the fundamentals for you to focus and worry on the fighting itself,etc , (2) the storyline; what is the ultimate goal of the game? what is compelling you to waste endless hours of playing? and (3) the playability factor, reaching excellence in Rome: total war (although you're controlling hundreds, and sometimes thousands of troops) , Warcraft 3 (even if sometimes it gets sloppy when full armies on two sides are fighting at the same time, no time to work magic,etc) , Command and Conquer generals ,and Lord of the Rings: The battle for middle earth (awaiting the 2nd installment).

I recommend every Star Wars fan, but more importantly, every strategy games fan to give this one a shot. Overall, this is a very entertaining game, as you take control of the star wars saga. Disappointments are inevitable. But such is the case in every other game. There is no perfect game... yet.
Thanks for reading, and enjoy.

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Product Description:
Star Wars: Empire at War (Collector's Edition) is a Real-Time Strategy (RTS) game that is, quite simply, amazing in its scope and grandeur. This game has all the elements that both hard-core Star Wars fans and dedicated strategist gamers are looking for. In Empire at War, you must fight battles in space and on the ground, giving the game a dual-layered design that forces you to operate on both an involved strategic level as well as a tactical level. Add epic-looking battles with dozens of great touches, outstanding sound effects that you've come you've come to expect from LucasArts, the contrasting play styles enabled by playing either the rebellion or the empire, and a broad array of unforgettable characters, and you've got a game that lets you truly immerse yourself in the Star Wars universe.


Land battles are highly enjoyable and extremely challenging, involving heavily armored AT-ATs and more. View larger.

Fight epic-looking battles in space with outstanding sound effects you've come to expect from LucasArts. View larger.

As a player, you'll be involved in virtually every aspect of the conflict between the Rebels and the Empire. View larger. The storyline of Star Wars: Empire at War occurs between the two trilogies through the end of "A New Hope." As a player, you'll be involved in virtually every aspect of the conflict between the Rebels and the Empire. You must simultaneously manage your economy, develop technology, build factories, planetary defenses, ships, and space stations, as well as get information on new planets and maneuver your various forces around the galaxy. Unlike some strategy games that are decided by who has hoarded enough resources to overwhelm the enemy, it is just as important to build your forces up in an intelligent fashion in order to take over the galaxy. And to ensure that you're never allowed to sit back and relax, everything all happens in real time, so if you spend too long considering what to build or where to send your fleet, you'll be inviting a massive, debilitating attack from the computer.
Star Wars: Empire at War has a huge number of variables you'll need to consider. Many planets have unique bonuses, such as allowing certain units to be created more powerfully or cheaply, thereby increasing your credit income by different degrees, as well as only allowing the largest ships like Mon Calamari cruisers and Imperial Star Destroyers to be built on certain planets. And the Empire and Rebels obviously both have their differences. The Empire usually generates a lot more money, which it can use to eventually overwhelm the rebel forces if left unchecked, but it has to find them first by sending out probe droids to seek out their forces. The Rebels, on the other hand, have far fewer resources, which can make them more difficult to play and learn, but they can steal technology and sneak raiding parties past many of the Empire's space defenses. And each of the two sides has their own distinct Hero units, which can be extremely powerful and can sway the course of battle greatly. You can use Palpatine or Mon Mothma to reduce a planet's production costs; C3PO and R2D2 to steal technology or hack into an enemy's turrets and turn them against their own troops; Darth Vader to force-push entire groups of enemy soldiers on land; or Boba Fett to crush concentrations of fighters by dropping seismic charges in space. To balance out these massive powers, both sides can hire generic bounty hunters to try and eliminate a rival hero from the game.
While the land battles in Star Wars: Empire at War are highly enjoyable and extremely challenging, involving heavily armored AT-ATs and more, the space battles are truly breathtaking. Seeing a Star Destroyer crawling with bright-blue ion energy, watching an entire wave of X-wings explode into flame, or witnessing a fully-armed and operational Death Star blow a planet to smithereens are unparalleled experiences in this galaxy or any other. And the visual and sound effects aren't the only thing that will amaze you during a space battle. The bigger units like space stations and Star Destroyers all have hard points pertaining to different systems. You can target these different systems to cripple ships in different ways, taking out their shield generator, weapons system, or engines to reduce their effectiveness, or taking out the hanger on Imperial capital ships to thin out their fighter cover. And as you destroy a cannon or shield generator, that piece will break off and float away, and while most ships eventually explode, the Mon Calamari Cruisers and Imperial Star Destroyers will actually tear in to pieces that continue to linger throughout the battle. What's more, you always need to watch out for ships the AI (artificial intelligence) might be hiding in asteroid belts, waiting to spring them on the flanks of your fleet at the worst possible moment.
The strategic layer of Empire at War takes place on a two-dimensional galactic map showing you all the planets. In the full campaign mode, you must consider and plan around more than 40 such planets, whereas in some of the simpler conquest scenarios, you may end up dealing with as few as eight or 10 of them. Instead of playing in the campaign mode, you can play multiplayer matches over a LAN or online with up to eight players. The LucasArts' matchmaking system makes finding an opponent easy, and if you are playing a head-to-head match against a friend, you have the ability to save a match and reload it to continue at a later time. Delivering a presentation that is as epic as the films themselves, Star Wars: Empire at War is ideal for any fan of strategy games, and absolutely necessary for Star Wars aficionados.
This Collector's Edition is also packed with bonuses, including five new playable Skirmish maps that span the galaxy from the shipyards of Kuat, to land and space battles on Ryloth and Polus. You also get exclusive concept art that illustrates the evolution of the game's look, and two screensavers that celebrate the Star Wars universe with X-wings, TIE fighters, and a demonstration of the Empire's ultimate weapon -- the Death Star. Plus the Collector's Edition ships with four wallpaper images and a 3D lenticular package.

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Mass Effect Limited Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)I loved Bioware's latest masterpiece Mass Effect.I could not help but feel the game was inspired by the works of Arthur C. Clarke, in that Mass Effect creates the same sense of awe and wonder about it's original Universe.

I was a fan of Bioware's Knights of the Old Republic games.Mass Effect is superior to those games in every sense.The gameplay is better paced, the action is better implemented.Best of all, the original Universe is a fantastic sci-fi canvas where Mass Effect can continue, and onto which Bioware can paint a great franchise.

There is an abundance of ME material on Bioware's website, as well as in the Limited Edition of the game.It has been a long, long time since a game inspired me to read all of the literature and available information that is typically superficial garbage at best.The ME Universe is so well done and thought out, I found myself engorssed in every minute detail.The extra material also greatly enhanced my enjoyment of the game, as I knew the motives behind the different alien races, the history between the races, etc.I highly recommend the Collector's Edition Strategy guide, for the exclusive Art Book as well.

With Mass Effect Bioware has created a new sci-fi universe that rivals the depth of Star Wars.Personally I found ME's world more engaging because unlike Star Wars, Earth and it's people are actors in the events that unfold.

I can't wait for another opportunity to see the Stars with Commander Shepherd.

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Madden NFL 09 Review

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(More customer reviews)Madden 2009 could be the perfect game, but sadly it is still plagued by issues that've existed for the better part of a decade.

I have to begin by admitting that EA has done an admirable job with the overall gameplay and franchise mode despite the flaws. The commentary however stinks. Cris Collinsworth is terribly annoying and Tom Hammond is droll at best. I never thought I would desperately miss John Madden's syllogisms this badly.

As for the gameplay itself, running the ball is still too difficult with halfbacks and too easy with quarterbacks. Receivers can run way out of bounds and return to make the catch, with no penalty being called or issues. You can constantly convert on 4th down, literally 99% of the time if it's within 2-3 yds. Offensive Linemen frequently give up on blocks. Quarterbacks constantly fumble on QB sneaks. There is no long distance passing game either, no matter who your QB or WR is. TE's are still too good. The receiver spotlight feature almost never works. The CPU never seems to miss a field goal. Kicks are almost never blocked, I've only seen one in over 40 games. The volume of problems such as these turns what would be an easy 98 overall rating into a 75 or 80.

The new "fairness feature" is also very controversial. It essential puts a beginner with the Falcons on even footing with an expert player using the all-time 72 Dolphins. The expert player's teammates will randomly fumble, drop passes etc to compensate for the beginner's lack of skill. This is personally offensive to me and robs skilled players of a true advantage. The idea was obviously designed to get more beginners to purchase the game, marketing at its worst.

Franchise mode is apparently unchanged from 2008, but is still excellent. The graphics are good, but not revolutionary. Manual juking and catching is well done. The lead blocking option is also very functional and pretty easy to use. Special Teams are well handled but it's impossible to return kicks for touchdowns. One glaring issue is that kick power is diluted. Kickers with 99 kick power will often come up short on 50 yarders. Edit: I'm referring to ALL-MADDEN level of difficulty in this review.

Overall, this is a good game that falls short because of simple oversights. If enough patches are issued, it could become great.

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Product Description:
Madden NFL 2009 Collector's Edition includes both Madden NFL 2009 - With the best gameplay, deepest online experience and most features ever - and NFL Head 2009, offering absolute control of your favorite franchise plus the ability to create custom playbooks for Madden. Madden NFL 09 delivers its most complete NFL football package ever. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or picking up the game for the first time, players of all skill levels will enjoy a unique, yet challenging experience with the innovative Adaptive Difficulty Engine, which tailors the game to match your playing style. Instantly improve your game with the all-new virtual Training Center or incorporate feedback with EA SPORTS BackTrack, allowing you to learn from your mistakes on the fly. With a new broadcast presentation and online leagues, plus more than 85 new features and enhancements, Madden NFL 09 is the most authentic and adaptable game in sports video game history. An all-new Adaptive Difficulty Engine assesses your proficiency in the core skills areas of football. An innovative, Virtual Training Center allows you to fine-tune your game in a holographic environment, while EA SPORTS BackTrack provides customized feedback, giving you a chance to learn from your mistakes. Take what you've learned and run the play again with EA SPORTS Rewind. Set your sights on the Vince Lombardi Trophy in an all-new network-television-style broadcast as Cris Collinsworth and Tom Hammond call the action from the booth. A more immersive and visually stunning presentation package also includes a new Options OnDemand Picture-in-Picture playcall window giving you access to a wealth of stats, customized tips, and in-game options--all at your fingertips without having to pause the game. Make a run for the post-season for the first time online. Featuring trades and statistical tracking for Online Leagues, up to 32 teams can battle it out using all-new flex scheduling. Wi

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Fallout New Vegas Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)War...War never changes.But Fallout has over the course of its long-winded history.

It started as a spiritual sequel to 'Wasteland', CRPG that started 'Post-Apocalyptic' gameplay back in 1988 by Interplay, whose division Black Isle is behind seminal CRPG classic such as 'Baldur's Gate' and yes, you guessed it, 'Fallout' and 'Fallout 2'.

After Interplay was disintegrated, some of the people went to Bioware, some of them went on to found Troika, talented but unfortunate developer who met its demise after three original and interesting but very buggy CRPG with dissimal sales.Some of them went on to found Obsidian, yet another talented but somewhat disappointing developer whose track record includes 'Knights of the Old Republic 2','Neverwinter Nights 2', 'Alpha Protocol' and upcoming 'Dungeon Siege 3'.

Why am I reciting a history lesson here?When Bethesda acquired the right for 'Fallout' IP from Interplay and released its biggest financial success yet with 'Fallout 3', fans were divided into two distinctive factions and has been feuding over which is better.

Faction Red: Bethesda ruined the memory of the greatest CRPG of all time by dumbing down everything we loved about our precious franchise.It's 'Oblivion with guns'.

Faction Blue: Bethesda successfully resuscitated the dead franchise by streamlining many archaic elements and implementing new refreshing elements.It retains all the core elements from 'Fallout'.We love it.

I personally love all of them and none of them are perfect to feud over petty differences in semantics.

After court-feuding over who's got the right to the entire 'Fallout' series, Bethesda settled with the right to all future single-player Fallout game and right to license the right to Interplay to the development of 'Fallout MMORPG'.So both 'Fallout 4' and 'Fallout Online' are coming; both will be published by Bethesda and 'Fallout 4' will be also developed by Bethesda.

So with the help of creative minds behind the original 2D isometric Fallout games using the same engine and costruction set Bethesda did for FO3, can Obsidian right the wrong by Bethesda?(Bethesda still owns the IP and publishes it.)That has been the question by Faction Red.

If you are a fan of 'Fallout 3', rest assured FONV is exactly like FO3 with nothing taken away with some newly improved elements added.You will feel right at home with the game.Control, menu, movement, combat, Pipboy and VATS are all identical.What's added are new perks system, new aiming system and new NPC companion command system.

Unlike FO3, there are tons more factions now in play and you can choose to side with certain faction with consequences.Faction dynamics play much more intimate and important role, and are tied directly to the choices you have to make (think Morrowind).You cannot possibly satisfiy everyone in FONV.You'll have to actually play multiple playthrough to experience everything.Choices you make will definitely make the differrence in character interaction and will give out whopping 27 unique important quests all littered with different endings with each ending giving you various permutations (think Gothic and The Witcher), unlike the cookie-cutter, same-difference 5 endings FO3 offered.Every time you make someone beneficiary, you will make someone else unhappy.All of your choices will resullt in some type of consequences.There is no more good and evil morality play here.This time, it is a wild wild west.Everyone is a cutthroat.In fact, style of the game is reminiscent of old western movie and FO3 rolled into one.

Dialogues are much more sarcastic and darkly humorous.Voice-works are well-done by many celebrities.Characters are wackier.General tone of the game is morally even murkier and overall darker, albeit humorous on par with the first two games (especially Fallout 2).

Soundtrack once again retains the signature feel of the series by utilizing slew of retro 40s and 50s classic pop music.Orchestral score is once again done by Inon Zur.

While level-cap has been increased to 30, leveling up needs more attention because you cannot be a jack of all trade in FONV; especially in light of new 'Hard-core' mode that is included in the game.You need to hunt and cook / harvest / steal and eat, you need to drink and you need to sleep to survive or pay the consequence.You cannot carry infinite amount of ammo either.You can freely choose whether you want to play as 'Hard-core'.

You can now mod your own weapons on the work bench with more variety and freedom than you were able to in FO3.

Graphics are still competent but are aging fast now.The general tone of the color scheme is changed from green to orange.While Obsidian claims graphic is slightly improved, I think graphically everything looks little bit uglier overall, probably stemming from mismatched color schemes throughout the environment.Sometimes, the world feels like messy crayon artwork from kindergarten wall.But the world is much livelier and you now see some level of active civilization represented by glowing neons of Vegas Strip.

So it sounds like I am trashing FO3 and praising FONV to no end.Not so fast.FO 3 is still a great game but I like FONV slightly better in terms of the improved gameplay.However, FO3 is much better in depth of contents, presentation and storytelling.Morrowind and Oblivion is still my king of CRPG with much stronger community support.So what is wrong with the game?

Welcome to the bugfest 2010.It's a grand feast of technical mess; frame rate stuttering issue, game crashing and freezing, characters stuck in the environment, disappearing act of characters and items (even save-game files make the cameos in the act) are some of the widely reported bugs across the all platforms.Yes, CRPG and nonlinear, free-formed, open-ended game in gigantic scope as big as FONV will always be buggier than linear, focused games like Halo and Modern Warfare due to virtually impossible task of QA stemming from endless in-game possibilities, and yes, nothing gamebreaking,But there are tons of minor glitches that are annoying and tiresome when you play the game that gives you anywhere from 40-200 hours and upward.This is the buggiest Fallout entry.

Here's a helpful site to alleviate your potential problems.

[...]

Another thing is everything in FONV is awfully familiar with FO3, not necessarily a bad thing in itself.Just don't expect the same kind of awe-inducing wow moment like when you came out of Vault 101 for the first time in FO3 or cinematic end-battle.

If you are not a fan of CRPG or you hated FO3, there's nothing new for you to see here.Just like FO3, this is not a FPS, even with enhanced aiming mechanics.Hit points and damage are governed by your stats.This game will be just as boring as FO3 to you.

If you are a fan of open-world game such as GTA, be warned; FONV is not a open-world action game.It is open-ended, nonlinear, free-formed CRPG that focuses on traversing and finding new places, engaging with different characters, performing quests, dungeon-crawling and "role-playing".There are tons of small, interesting and quite often excellent depiction of personal conflicts and backstories, but there's no 'save the humanity' type of grand plot and cinematic cutscenes between each level.

And if you think 'Borderlands', which is by the way solid and entertaining action game, is better than FO3, stay away from FONV.Customization of stats, leveling up, armors and weapons by themselves do not make action game like 'Borderlands' a RPG.You'll be wondering why your excellent marksmanship repeatedly proven via endless hours of online multiplayer session is not effective in Nevada / Mojave wasteland.

Last, but not least, PC version of FONV utilizes Steam, which is the most popular DRM and the least intrusive DRM currently available in the market.It offers many incentive, convenience and great pricing for older games compared to other DRM, but Steam is still DRM.Convenience of not having to worry about the actual gamedisc by using Steam is nothing compared to not having any DRM so we can install the game and put away our game for display and collection.We won't be worrying about gamedisc if DRM doesn't check the disc every five second during the gameplay if the disc is authentic in the first place.Dual release with non-Steam version after initial release or guaranteed future DRM deactivation patch will surely pacify every morally just legitimate paying customers who genuinely want to support developers but are turned off by hands-on DRM.

So why did I still choose PC version over console version?;GECK, easier patching and community support, because I expected that game like FONV would always be buggy.To Bethesda's credit, the game looks and plays exactly the same on either PC or console, barring framerate, graphics and resolution, so the experience will be identical unlike other CRPGs like 'Dragon Age: Origins', 'Two Worlds', 'Sacred 2', 'Divinity II', and 'Risen' on consoles to name a few.

But to Steam's credit, it's 'one-time only' activation through Steam and it doesn't require for you to keep the disc running in your optical drive once the game is installed.There's no constant Internet connection requirement while you play your game and there's no installation limit.And if you are into social-networking aspects of Steam, you won't have much problems.But if you are turned off by anything other than disc-based DRM, you are warned.I found myself grudgingly and reluctantly giving up to the spell of Fallout series this time but this is only...Read more›

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Product Description:
Welcome to Vegas. New Vegas. It's the kind of town where you dig your own grave prior to being shot in the head and left for dead...and that's before things really get ugly. It's a town of dreamers and desperados being torn apart by warring factions vying for complete control of this desert oasis. It's a place where the right kind of person with the right kind of weaponry can really make a name for themselves, and make more than an enemy or two along the way.As you battle your way across the heat-blasted Mojave Wasteland, the colossal Hoover Dam, and the neon drenched Vegas Strip, you'll be introduced to a colorful cast of characters, power-hungry factions, special weapons, mutated creatures and much more. Choose sides in the upcoming war or declare "winner takes all" and crown yourself the King of New Vegas in this follow-up to the 2008 videogame of the year, Fallout 3.Enjoy your stay.

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