Grim Fandango (Jewel Case) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was very dubious when I started playing Grim Fandango. An adventure gamewith polygons? And the SCUMM menu interface system that was in every singlepast Lucasarts adventure game was gone? But I gave it a try.Thankgoodness I did.
Grim Fandango is a story about Manny Calavera, a travelagent for the souls of the dead. He sells packages to the departed fortheir four year journey to their just rewards, and if he sells enough hecan earn enough to make his own trip someday.
Imagine the theme ofCasablanca with some mexican folklore and Mayan art thrown in for fun. Addbig orange demons, hot rods, killer beavers, cat races, and the grim reaperand you have Grim Fandango.
The story is supurb and the voice acting wastop notch. It's very difficult to do a dramatic yet humorous story, butsomehow this game pulls it off.Grim Fandango could yank me to the brinkof tears one moment and cause me to almost bust a gut another.
The thingsthat make a good adventure game are all there. Logical puzzles that don'tcause your gameplay to come to a standstill until you solve them, goodacting, good animation, and good code! If I were ever forced to reccomendonly on adventure game to someone, this would be it!Especially at the newlow price!

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Product Description:
Meet Manny Calavera, travel agent at the Department of Death.He sells luxury packages to souls on their four year journey to eternal rest.But there's trouble in paradise. Help Manny untangle himself from a conspiracy that threatens his very salvation.

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X3: The Reunion 2.0 Review

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(More customer reviews)For those of you who have been looking for that space simulation that's actually a simulation, you've probably found what you've been looking for.

Let me start with an explanation, X3 is storyline optional. There are several different options to start off with, giving you the choice of just about any time of job, with the storyline turned on or off, creating a massive sandbox. Massive is right too, with about 120 sectors, each with an infinite navigable space, although most people will probably go about 30km on each axis. Each sector is connected to other sectors adjoining it via HUGE gates, at least 500m in diameter.

Another thing about X3 is the simulation. This will turn most people away, as the game takes place in real-time, with time compression to simply speed up time. The game literally seems to take forever. There are numerous ways to make money in the beginning of the game, and none of them are by any means quick. Money is treated realistically, with ships and weapons outrageously expensive. Prices are calculated on a supply and demand, so unlike games like Freelancer, you MUST keep an eye out for good deals, as the prices will almost never be the same at the same factory.

For example: If you buy 5000 units of argnu beef for 40cr for 200,000cr, the prices will probably be about 60cr after you buy. Then take them to another factory, and say they buy argnu beef for 50cr, once you sell they will buy for maybe 30cr, and from that trade run you make a profit of 50,000cr. The game isn't this rounded, but that's about how trading works.

Fighting is also always present. Pirates have bases in certain sectors, and will attack you sometimes, depending on how vulnerable you are, and what you're carrying. If you're empty and well-armed, they'll probably avoid you. You can, however, capture ships, pirate or otherwise. Captured ships will NOT be in the best of condition, but they will still sell for a pretty penny at certain stations.

Later in the game, you can save up and buy factories which produce products or resources. You will of course need to rent a ship to transport them, unless you already own a certain type of ship, as well as buy ships to transport goods to and from your factories. The scripting for the ship AI is pretty decent for a universe that virtually runs itself.

At first you will probably feel constrained by your equipment. There's always that freighter that makes 100x more than you, or that fighter that's faster and more maneuverable than you, or that ship that has better weapons or shields than you. Although after a few days of nursing your hoard, you'll find that you can afford some really big ships and better equipment.

The complexity in X3 is absolutely astonishing and I honestly can't do it all justice. It can be completely overwhelming for most people, but if any of the above sounds like fun to you and you have a fair amount of patience, I suggest you buy this game. For $20 you can't go wrong!

If you do buy this game, I suggest you check the Egosoft forums for some helpful scripts and bonuses, both fan-made and official.

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Product Description:
An Ever-Changing Evolving Universe with New FeaturesDVD Format and No StarforceProduct InformationX3: Reunion Version 2.0 includes the full version of the original PLUS thejam-packed addition of the: Bala Gi research mission. X3 ReunionVersion 2.0 the sequel to the brilliant X2 - The Threat gives the player achance to uncover some of the answers to the biggest questions in theX-Universe.Whilethe Argon fleet is stretched almost to the breaking point by the continuingattacks from Khaak a new enemy is stalking the X-universe. What links amysterious ship with the power to disappear the ruthless Yaki pirates and amachine left by an ancient species? It's time to strap yourself in warm upyour laser cannon and get some answers.Extensive development has gone into the X3 engine making full use of DirectX 9technology to create dramatic visual effects and stunningly realisticstarships. Coupled with the massively enhanced A.L. (Artificial Life)system X3: Reunion presents players with an ever-changing evolving universe where players'actions really shape the future of the universe. Newcomers willenjoy the additions to the already graphically impressive almost living X3-Universewhile veterans can expect new construction options and an improved physicsmodel.IncludesThe Sequel to the award winning X2: The Threat will introduce a new 3D engine aswell as a new story new ships and a new gameplay to greatly increase thevariety in the X-universe. The economy of X3: Reunion will be more complex thananything seen in the X-universe before. Factories are being built by NPCs warscan affect the global economy NPCs can trade freely and pirates will behave farmore realistically.Features:Trade your way to mogul statusFight with over 700 ships and 30 weaponsBuild an empire in over 150 huge space sectorsThink your way through the massive plotExtensive development has gone into the X3 engine making f

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Syberia 2 Review

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(More customer reviews)It was a story about Beno?t Sokal's "Syberia 2" that got me interested in playing the game and so I picked up "Syberia" knowing full well that this was a two-part game.So for me it was pretty much one giant adventure and since the original "Syberia" is available at a reduced price nowadays there is no reason not to go back and start at the beginning.There is a recap of "Syberia" cinematic available at the start of this game, but why anybody would skip the first half of the game and miss out on being introduced to Oscar and the other automatons of Hans Voralberg, the eccentric inventor who longs to see the fabled Syberian mammoths before he dies is beyond me.

At the end of "Syberia" our heroine, Kate Walker, the New York City attorney who was sent to Valdeline to close a deal on the Voralberg Automaton Factory had decided to turn her back on her job and family to join Hans Voralberg on his automaton train heading through a frozen wasteland towards the legendary island of Syberia.The first stop is the town of Romansbourg where Kate will end up acquiring a few more companions for the trip, although not all of them are wanted.Hans' failing health will be a problem throughout this journey, but if Kate does get Hans to Syberia alive then nothing else matters.

Players control Kate Walker through the standard adventure game interface consisting of an inventory screen, a document screen, and Kate's cell phone.Fortunately, since Kate has turned her back on her employer, Marston, and her mother (No more calls from Dan the annoying and cloying now ex-boyfriend!), the cell phone is reduced to a minor part of the game.However from time to time we see a cinematic where we learn that Marston has sent somebody after Kate to find her and bring her to her senses and back home (the last two not necessarily in that order).So we keep waiting for this guy to show up and either cause trouble or give Kate some help (I actually liked the way that element played out).

The strength of this game are the graphics.My nephew, who knows a lot more about what is available in the realm of computer games, assures me that these are cool graphics.There are some nice renderings of water throughout both games and I like the attention to detail here where people walking across snow leave footprints.We even have real time snowfall in this one as well.There are also strange mechanical gadgets at every stop along the way and a lot of things built out of mammoth tusks in the last part of the game.The cinematics are pretty impressive and you have the option of going back and watching them over and over again to your heart's delight.The music is also quite good, especially when you get to the key moments of wonder in the story.

The weakest part of the game is finding some of the hot spots.A couple of times in each game I missed some tiny object on the floor I was supposed to be picking up and several times it took a while to find whatever I needed to find to insert a key or throw a switch.So be prepared for some moments of frustration as you know you are missing something and keep going in circles for a while.But there is almost always a point like that in any of these games (I spent three days ranting and raving while trying to find Brad and give him what he needs in "Phantasmagoria").

As you would also expect the puzzles in "Syberia II" are a standard mix of fairly straightforward efforts in logic (I almost want to say "real world" solutions but we are playing a game looking for living mammoths on a mythical island) and those that require hit and miss trial and error for extended periods of time.A big helpful hint would be to take notes of things you see in terms of diagrams and drawings.Unlike "Syberia" there are not a lot of manuscripts and other things that you can pick up and put in your inventory to read later (however, the few you do have are pretty interesting in terms of the story).So a pattern that you see can be the clue to how things have to be arranged down the road.You will also find the quirky uses for things like a Russian doll (you will carry this one around for a long time before you use it), a fish skeleton and a flask of water.

I really think you have to consider the two games as one big one."Syberia" was a bit more interesting simply because this is where we find out what is going on and what Kate is doing.In "Syberia" the goal was to find Hans Voralberg, who was pretty much a mythic figure.Then, once we found he was a real person, the goal then became to find Syberia, which is the focus of "Syberia II."But then the whole idea that Kate was undergoing some sort of rite of passage here was never a major part of the story's appeal.Basically the mystery ends with "Syberia," but the adventure continues in "Syberia II."Kate Walker does have a character arc over the entire adventure, but it is Han's quest to find the reality represented by the doll of the mammoth with its rider that is the driving force here.

Final Note: There were a couple of points in the game (outside the monastery and on the back porch of the cabin) where there were lines of color on the screen and the game crashed.Do not panic: all you have to do is go into your options and reduce the detail level to low and everything will be fine.

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Product Description:
In Syberia II players pick up directly where the classic first game left off, for a more amazing, immersive adventure. Join Kate Walker and expert automaton designer Hans Voralberg as they search for a place that every scientist says does not exist. Travel on trains into realistic arctic landscapes, solving mysteries as you pursue a legend to the ends of the world.

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Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions Review

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(More customer reviews)First of all let me start by saying I haven't finished the game. I have played the intro then the first mission in each dimension and wanted to share my early thoughts with those that are considering whether or not to buy this game. I will edit this review if I find my opinions change after finishing it.
Another word of warning, I am a bit of a spider man fan, grew up with the comics (although I haven't read any for years now) so I'm not sure my review is 100% unbiased. Grain of salt and all that.

STORY

The first thing that I noticed is that there was a lot more care taken with the spider man character than in the previous game (Web of Shadows).He has a lot more personality, his jokes are funnier and, although I wouldn't call the voice acting brilliant, at least he doesn't sound like a constipated teenager anymore. I found myself chuckling at many points in the game from the jokes he throws at his enemies. This has a surprising effect on the heroic feel of the game as well (it's one thing to beat the bad guys up, it is another one entirely to do that while making fun of them).
The overarching story of the game is not all that good to be honest. It feels more like an excuse to check out the different spider man realities than anything else. But it also doesn't take itself too seriously: some of the cutscenes between dimensions are narrated by a voice that I'm pretty sure is Stan Lee using the same type of silver age narrative the old spider man comics had on the 80s. Maybe there will be a plot twist along the way, but I'm not holding my breath. Having said that, the mini stories within each chapter are pretty cool, in the sense that it links together the various events at each stage pretty well and do a good job at keeping you engaged.

GAMEPLAY

If you did your homework you know by now that this is not a sandbox game. You are not given free roam of NYC beating up criminals along the way, which was default the format for spider man games for a long time now. Instead they have chosen a format in which you choose a stage and play that stage from start to finish. So it's less like GTA and more like GoW3.
I think this format works very well with this game. It allows each stage to be more varied, as you are not restricted to being on the same environment all the time. The developers did a good job at making the levels feel varied, so you are never doing the same thing over and over (clear room of bad guys, move to next room, repeat). At one point you are dodging Kraven's sniper rifle, the other you are evading his traps, the next you are falling down a skyscraper canyon in 2099 and a couple hours later figuring out how to get hammerhead from behind his giant gatling gun in the 1930's. That choice is not without a price though, as you lose the thrill of web zipping away into the horizon (although the webzip mechanic is pretty much exactly the same as previous games, the spaces are a bit more constrained). You lose a bit of replay value that the sandbox format tends to have.
Spidey himself handles a lot like Web of Shadows, with a bit less emphasis on wall crawling and aerial combat (although both are still present) and a better combat system overall. One of the new ideas in this game is that you enter a "defensive stance" by holding L2. While doing that Spidey automatically dodges all "regular" attacks, and can only be hit by special moves (which you get advance warning via spider sense to push X and jump out of the way),This is also how you lock the camera on one target.
Another interesting concept is that now you can webzip to specific areas of the stage, like lamp posts or on top of a column. When you face an area that can be targeted this way you will see a small triangle (think the bat hook in Arkham Asylum) and tapping R2 you web zip there automatically. This is handy because it would take a long time (and in some cases pretty precise landing) to get to a these areas that you can now zip to in a second.
The camera is still not 100%, I guess it's always a challenge with spider-man games since you zip around so much and the wall crawling bit is still a bit confusing. But perhaps because there are less emphasis on situations where the camera goes bananas, I haven't felt this to be much of an issue.
I don't agree to say that this is 4 games in 1. The only dimension that really feels totally different in terms of gameplay is the Noir one, which is stealth based. However the other 3 spider man dimensions have enough little things that are different, from the visuals to the speed of the character attacks to some special abilities here and there like the symbiote rage and the 2099 spidey's "bullet time" that each feels unique. The expressions and language used help set the tone as well, particularly in the Noir dimension where the 1930's lingo really helps to flesh out the setting.
The boss battles are really cool too, and they are more like "action puzzles" than real straight up battles, and you always have to figure out how to beat the bad guy, either with simple things like waiting for Kraven to charge before web-zipping in and having at him or zipping the hobgoblin's bombs in the air and throwing them back at him.
Last but not least the upgrading system is pretty nice, you gain points for beating up enemies and breaking crates (sight), but also from completing challenges within each level, like beating 10 enemies by zipping a bench on their head, or doing 5 stealth takedowns in a row without being detected. You also have your mandatory spider tokens scattered around each phase.

GRAPHICS/SOUND

I will admit I'm not a very good judge for that (to me gameplay > graphics), so I'll keep it brief. The game has a cartoonish feel, so you won't see a lot of jaw dropping textures like what you can see in games like Red Dead Redemption or Assassin's Creed. But I think for what they were trying to do the graphics do a pretty good job. What I did notice is that each dimension is a bit different graphics wise, even the Ultimate and Amazing dimensions, which are the most similar, are not exactly the same if you pay attention.

CONTENT

Other than he tutorial, I played 4 mission so far (act I), and on normal they averaged out at ~50 min each to complete. (Amazing and noir took 1 hour, 2099 30 min and 45 for ultimate). If the same can be said about the other acts this should be an 9-12 hour game to beat, which is pretty much in line with other games like GoW, Uncharted 2 etc. After that there's hard mode, and the challenges (which I managed to nail most of them in my first play though each stage, except for the hidden spiders). Again, maybe once I beat the game there will be a surprise for more content, but I'm not expecting this. There are also unlockable concept art, figurines etc.
Basically if you think games like GoW, Heavenly Sword are worth buying (i.e. 9-12 hours of quality entertainement), you won't have a problem justifying this one. If you only buy games that have a lot of replay value, multiplayer etc this will probably leave you wanting for more.

Pros:
-Good action game with, well developed stages
-Great Spider Man characterization
-Nicely delivered acrobatic spider man combat
-Pretty cool boss battles

Cons:
-Replay ability
-Some small camera issues

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Product Description:
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions is an action-packed adventure encompassing four dramatically different parallel universes, each with its own Spider-Man armed with unique strengths. Each stunning universe has its own detailed art design and thrilling gameplay with challenging skill sets to master in order to unlock powerful new moves. Explore dramatic, stunning environments, wield explosive new powers, and face epic boss battles against extraordinary foes. Experience the legendary Super Hero like never before: Four unique worlds. Four distinct Spider-Men. One unparalleled experience!

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Blood Rayne 2 Review

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(More customer reviews)The predecessor still ranks as one of my all-time favourite video games, so I could not wait to get my hands on part 2 of Majesco's gory vampire saga (okay: half-vampire). And the sequel is even better than I expected. The elements that made "BloodRayne" such a hit are still there: Extremely fast-paced action, a good dose of black humour and an exceptionally visceral gameplay.

After all, it's still running around and chopping everybody up who comes in Rayne's way, but that dhampir lady definitely has got more style than all other female game protagonists combined. Using Rayne's wristblades is still as much fun as it was in part 1; besides, she delivers kicks and handles some awesome anti-vampire guns that feed on blood just as she does. For "BloodRayne 2", she has also learned to do some amazing acrobatics, swinging on horizontal and vertical poles and sliding down handrails and ropes. Just like in "BloodRayne", she can also employ her harpoon and thus hurl her enemies in any direction she likes.

The graphics are also amazing - they may not be a match for Half-Life 2 or Doom 3, but hey, who cares? What you get here are beautifully detailed levels with lots of stuff you can smash and break any way you like (thanks to ragdoll physics engine), and the heroine looks better than ever. The a.i. is not that good, however. Enemies just keep running at you and seldom take the trouble of fleeing or taking cover. In contrast to part 1, "BloodRayne 2" has a real multitude of controls one has to take care of, but they can be mastered quickly, and they are also very precise.

Otherwise, it's the usual mayhem: Feast on the one guy, decapitate the other and shed as much blood as possible. While feeding on a victim, Rayne can employ three different fatalities that should satisfy even the most hard-boiled gamer. Although the violence has got a somewhat cartoon-like style to it, I definitely would only recommend it to mature players.

To sum up, I would say that "BloodRayne 2" is what a modern 3D action game should be like: fast, violent, varied, stylish. Highly recommended for all those out there looking for a top-notch gaming experience.

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Product Description:
She's back...and now stalking her own flesh and bloodProduct InformationIn 1932 an American teenage girl was apprehended in Europe after carving a pathof destruction trying to track down and kill her biological father. The girl'sname was Rayne and she claimed the people she killed and her father who wasstill at large were vampires.Before more information was attained the girl disappeared. That girl is aDhampir; a product of her human mother's rape by her vampire father. Born withpowers of a vampire without all of the weaknesses. She was taken in by anunderground organization calling themselves the Brimstone Society--a top-secretfraternity that hunts down and destroys supernatural threats. Agent BloodRayneas she is now known protects humanity from things that ordinary people shouldn'thave to deal with. In the years between the World Wars Agent BloodRayne worksas a killing machine for The Brimstone Society. Two missions five years apartturn out to be connected by one man. For years this man has been searching theworld for powerful occult artifacts to bring Germany into a new age ofdomination. Agent BloodRayne must face this man's elite Nazi army to preventthem from releasing creatures of unfathomable terror onto the world in theirunwavering quest for the artifacts.Blood Rayne the sexy Dhampir (half-vampire half-human) is on the huntagain. But now she's stalking her own flesh and blood through a cityunder siege. Her malicious siblings have united to create a new era ofvampire supremacy. Only Rayne stands between an unsuspecting humanity anda horrifying vampire dawn.Product FeaturesAdvanced melee combat across a modern destructible vampire citySpecial Dhampir abilities: suck blood for healthFast paced acrobatic combat on horizontal and vertical poles - experience new fighting combosNew powers including 12 fatality fini

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