Review of Legendary

The Good Things
*Darn awesome story (Pandora's box opens, and monsters come out to invade New York; I got to wonder why nobody made a movie out of this first).
*Characters are okay (they remind me a little bit of the characters in "Resistance" though.Heck, the whole thing is a bit like "Resistance.").
*Excellent production design.The creatures are wicked (but without being overly scary or gross).The environments are big, detailed, and well-designed.
*Even though the gameplay is simple and straightforward, the levels are very well-designed.You can expect all sorts of crazy stuff to happen as you move along; it's very cinematic without relying on cutscenes.
*There is some interactivity in the environment.Enemies throw stuff, and you can solve some puzzles by moving/altering/destroying things.
*Aside from the usual range of weapons, you also get to use a few superpowers.
*Includes some online multiplayer games.
*Excellent graphics quality.There are loads of details in the textures, and there are lots of objects in each environment.Particle effects are great.One part featured a textured glass wall, and it looked surprisingly realistic.Character renderings are just okay, but everything else looks swell.This is all presented in either 720p or 1080i resolution.
*Sound design and quality are terrific.
*Excellent music; lots of good rock and metal tracks to accentuate the atmosphere and action (ala "Max Payne").I'm gonna have to find a soundtrack for this game...

The Bad Things
*AI is not the greatest (ever see a soldier shoot a wall before?).
*Not for kids; rated M for bloody violence.

The Questionable Things
*Gameplay is extremely straightforward.You simply follow the waypoints and kill enemies along the way.Some puzzles are challenging, but it is still very linear.It's good if you want something straightforward, but after playing "Farcry 2" and "Fallout 3," it seems overly simplistic.

Wow, the first few minutes of gameplay blew me away.As soon as you start, you are immediately immersed in a world where all heck breaks loose and monsters sprawl out everywhere.From then on, it's a typical FPS.But for the most part, it does have georgeous graphics and a smart premise of a story.



Click Here to see more reviews about: Legendary

Review of Mushroom Men

I purchased this game a couple of days ago and it has me hooked! The graphics are fantastic and so are the sound effects. I am not a hard-core game player and often times have become frustrated with some of the video games I have played. The rating is appropriate and this is the type of game that can be played and enjoyed by someone from the age of around 9 to 100!

I would like to have seen a better multi-player function in the game. Other than that, it is hours of fun and unlike some games that are similar to others with only different characters and surroundings,this one is unique.

I hope to have a DS lite one day and will be adding the Mushroom Men game for the DS on my wish list!

Way to go Red Fly Productions! Give us more!



Click Here to see more reviews about: Mushroom Men

Review of Moon

I will pull no punches, I plain loved this game. Moon works as a really high energy first person shooter. Aliens come out, you shoot them. Shooting is challenging and the targets look great. The game also works as an adventure game... as you go through you uncover a story, you meet cool characters and even bond (at least I did) with your buddy, a remotely piloted droid you control. I also drove an awesome lunar buggy and found and unlocked hidden levels.

Graphics and technology are great. Moon runs at a steady 60 fps and looks better than any other FPS on DS. Controls are tight, and thegame auto-saves and is easy to play in 20 minute chunks (perfect if you have kids and 20 minute chunks are all you're gonna get). Its also pretty long... it took me about 15 hours to play everything (main game and unlocked levels) on normal mode. I'm sure a faster player could do it in 8-10 hours, but then a really good player should give it a shot a veteran level. I like the music but of course it's a matter of taste. I think it works great with game and most people I've talked to like it, a few don't.

All around Moon is just a great first person shooter. If high performance sci fi shooters are your thing you'll love this. I certainly did.




Click Here to see more reviews about: Moon

Review of Katamari Forever

I'm certain others will be more detailed on the history, but there was a storm regarding "Beautiful Katamari".That storm happened because it was released on the XBox 360, but not the PS3 even though up to that point, the entire Katamari franchise had only been released on Playstation systems (PS2/PSP).But thankfully the developers went forward with "Katamari Damacy Tribute", which would in the US be known as "Katamari Forever".So for fans of Katamari Damacy, the wait was over and we get to see the game in HD for the PS3.I'll try to explain the game without giving too much away.So be forewarned, there might be a minor spoiler there in terms of gameplay.

First, this is NOT like the XBox 360 version.The story fits in line with any other Katamari story.Short, basic and (sometimes) confusing.The king takes a knock to the head and it's up to you, with the help of "Roboking", to restore his memory.Among other things.The overall gameplay remains consistent with one major change.You can now (spoiler) jump!Hard to reach places are no longer an obstacle and on some levels you will really need to do this to get higher scores and to different areas, not to mention collect gifts and cousins.Otherwise you use the PS2 sticks the same as always.The other difference is that the Prince gets a bit tired from doing dashes and stays that way for a bit longer, which is a little annoying to be honest.

The "Tribute" part of the game comes because really, there's not a whole lot of new material here.Whether it be items or even levels, chances are if you've played the previous incarnations of the games you've already seen all of the levels available.Within the "King" are mostly levels from "We Love Katamari", including familiar levels with Hansel and Gretel and the campfire levels.The Roboking levels are a mix, but do contain a few innovative challenges, like watering a desert with the katamari.There are several new challenges and levels available that differ even from the 360 version while adding some of what's in the 360 version to it, like the 'Rich' level.

Overall, I think this was a pretty good game however I found it easier to put this one down after a little while.The graphics were beautiful and the gameplay was relatively smooth (although jumping definitely increases the ability to get stuck between things).Also, IMO, the music wasn't quite as strong as the other versions; in some ways, the tracks felt cheaper as they're mostly remixed versions of the great originals.Hopefully in the future you'll be able to pull those off of the store or something.ALSO, and this is A BIG knock - there is NO online game-play.Just leaderboards.So you can't connect with someone else playing the game for a co-op or battle like I believe you could on the 360 version.Having said all of this, if you're new to Katamari Damacy you won't feel like you've missed a ton of history.But if you've been there from the beginning, you might be a little under-whelmed.Overall I'd rate it a bit better than the 360 version as the controls on that one weren't quite as good, IMO.



Click Here to see more reviews about: Katamari Forever

Review of Disney Friends

I just bought this game for my four-year-old daughter, and she won't leave it alone. She can't read yet, but most of the games are intuitive, so that has not been an issue for her. She can understand how to feed and play with the Disney "Friends."When she first started playing with Stitch she couldn't stop giggling and laughing. It's a fun game, I'm enjoying it as well... Worth every penny!



Click Here to see more reviews about: Disney Friends

Review of Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories

Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of memories starts off exactly right where Kingdom Hearts left off. It connects Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II and explains the beginning of the second installment.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy, follow a mysterious man in black coat Castle Oblivion, a place where 'to lose is to find and to find is to lose'. upon stepping into the castle, you are approached by the hidden man who gives Sora a card, stating, ' The more you find out, the more you lose.' The card he gives he shows a familiar place- Traverse Town- and upon activating the card, Sora is transported to the town where his adventures first began. Once he gets there, however, he realizes that this place isn't real and the friends he's made and the people he'd met had forgotten him. As he continues to revisit the worlds he had once saved from the ebbing darkness, Sora finds himself unable to understand if the memories he has are real or if they're make believe.
As he continues his journey, Sora finds is hard to remember the faces of the people he had traveled with-even forgetting about finding Riku. As you go along your adventure, stringing together lost memories and discarding old ones, you'll meet the characters from the first game- and even some new faces will appear. You'll encounter Organization XIII, realize what's truth and what's fiction, and, given the chance, unlock the second part of the game.

There are many things that separate this game from its prequel and sequel. The battling system is unique, how you play is absolutely genuine, and the very story line of the game is compelling. Now lets address these topics so one does not get confused as to exactly how different this game is.

First off, Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories isn't like your typical role playing game. It combines tactics with fighting and introduces a new way of defeating your obstacles: cards. In this games battle system you must use cards to release your attacks. There are many different types of cards ( ones for attacking, ones for combos, ones for magic, and ones to release finishing moves ). These cards can run out and to replenish them you have to 'charge' them so to speak by holding in a button. If you run out of cards you can't continue fighting. You can collect the cards, make decks, get rid of the ones you don't want, and combine them to form more powerful cards. Not only do these cards allow you to fight, but they allow you to proceed in the game. Certain cards unlock rooms and you can use these cards to 'synthesize' a room, changing it. They allow passage into other worlds-or memories of that world. And, if you give it enough time and patience, find secret cards to unlock sealed rooms that hold valuable treasure.

Another major change in the game is how you play it. Instead of fighting alongside Donald and Goofy, Sora fights solo, using his friends as special battle cards that come and aid you during battle.
Leveling up is, refreshingly, up to you. Once you achieve a level, you decide what you want to level up. Whether you want to give Sora more hp, allow him to hold more cards, or learn new abilities, is completely up to you.
The layout of the worlds is slightly different then Kingdom Hearts fans are used to. Each section of the world you are in is a room made out of Sora's memories. Now, what's interesting about knowing the layout of a room you'll only be in for a few minuets? Everything. Strategy is a crucial part in deciding the rooms you are in. For example, the cards you collect from enemies are used to unlock the door to the next 'room'. And each card has a different type. Green, red, blue, or yellow. And each type has a title which allows certain things to happen. If you use a card that slow heartless down, then that 'room' is designed to follow that card. As stated before, cards completely rule the game. So when the time comes to unlock a door, choose carefully as it can be in favor for you or against you.

Once you get the hang of the battle system, you can complete the game easily and then focus your attention on finding the hidden secrets through out the game. But even then, you're not quite done.

Once you finish the game, you're not completely done. Once you return to the main menu There will be a third option to choose from: Reverse/Rebirth. By selecting this option, you have engaged yourself in Riku's story. Playing as Riku you battle the darkness in you and try and stay discrete as you unknowingly fight in the same memories as Sora is. Playing as Riku is exactly like playing as Sora: cards as the battle system and playing solo, choosing what you want to level up ( Hp, dark power, or attack. )

Both sides of the game are equally challenging and engaging, promising a never before experienced game play.

Overall, Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories was a worthwhile experience. It features the voice cast of the original Kingdom Hearts and engaging music from all three games. The graphics are eye pleasing and the cut scenes allow you view the game as if it were an actual anime. However, if you want to forge ahead and skip these scenes, you are given the option if you pause the scene. Reaction commands are given when needed, and you choose the difficulty of your game.

The game itself comes packaged in a holographic game case, displaying Sora and Riku along with fragments of memory that display other important characters such as the artistic girl shrouded in mystery, Donald and Goofy, and the ever reliable King Mickey. Along with the game you receive three beautiful Kingdom Hearts postcards, each displaying a different image, along with a full color booklet that gives you all the information you need to start of.My only quelm about the game is that map system you are given. Basically it only shows you which way you're pointing so make sure to take note of the room your in as it can get confusing as to which door you have and haven't used yet.

Originally the second disk in Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, North America finally presents: Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories.



Click Here to see more reviews about: Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories

Review of DS Lite Universal Car Power

We bought this because we were driving 12 hrs. for our family vacation. We have a DS, a DS lite, and a GBA, it works well on each of them. It also works on GB micros. It has all three plugs permanently attached. You could charge a DS and a DS lite at the same time.



Click Here to see more reviews about: DS Lite Universal Car Power

Review of MySims Party

Basically, what you're getting here is a collection of 40 minigames with some light customization tossed in. If this doesn't sound appealing to you, then you don't need to finish reading this review.

The way the game is set up is that you participate in "festivals", each with their own themes. More minigames get unlocked as you keep playing more festivals. If you win a festival, you get simoleons which can be used to customize your house buy new clothing for your sim, or purchase minigame cards which can be used to put your opponents at a disadvantage. For the most part, the festivals are fun, but one annoyance is that alot of the minigames get repeated plenty of times, so if there is one you dislike you will be thinking "Oh no, not that one again!". Also, there can be as many as 20 minigames in one festival, which can take a while to complete and therefore is kind of unrealistic as a portable game.

Some of the minigames can be too simple. For instance, one simply has you mashing a button as fast as you can, or some of them are just plain boring. Thankfully most aren't like that. I'd say I truly enjoyed the majority of them. Some of them have you doing things like tracing the outline of a piece of cloth with the stylus to cut it out. Another one has you polishing a crystal ball, and yet another has you digging for fossils. Basically, if you are a fan of party games you'll want to check this one out.

There are 3 different difficulty levels, so the game can be played by pretty much anybody who wants to give it a try.

The graphics are rather sub-par to be honest. It may just be me, but I noticed a drop in quality from the other mysims ds games. It isn't completely ugly, but it doesn't look like any effort went into them, which is something of a shame considering mysims games revolve around cuteness. The sound is a bit better, though the music can get repetitive.

I finished the game in around 6 hours, but you can always replay any of the minigames on different difficulty levels, or play festivals to earn more simoleons.

So, as I said before, if you enjoy party games/minigame collections, or if you enjoy the other Mysims games, you'll probably have fun with this one. Just don't expect any groundbreaking material here.




Click Here to see more reviews about: MySims Party

Review of Hitman Trilogy (Includes Blood Money, Silent Assassins, and Contracts)

Hitman is one of the coolest games I've ever played, especially blood money. It was better than the last contacts game, how each level was more unique(such as not raining in almost every level in contacts)It has more creative options of whathe can do to complete these missions. The stories are more interesting than before and will get people hooked. I loved the different types of locations and how at the end of each level I could see on a newspaper(like giving an overall score) how many witnesses there were to how well I did with gun firing.pretty cool and definitely a game recommend playing.



Click Here to see more reviews about: Hitman Trilogy (Includes Blood Money, Silent Assassins, and Contracts)

Review of Final Fantasy III

After sixteen long years, Final Fantasy III finally sees an official release outside of Japan.However, unlike previous games, Final Fantasy III has been completely reworked.This is more than just a port with enhanced graphics.Final Fantasy III includes some new secrets and side quests in addition to its graphical overhaul.Final Fantasy III may be just about enough to please some hardcore fans, but was the wait really worth it?Well, yes, but the game isn't perfect.

The storyline of Final Fantasy III is entirely too simple.The crystals are losing their powers and there are only four warriors that can come forth and save the world from falling into darkness.Sixteen years ago this was a pretty standard story, but when compared to your average RPG today, and current Final Fantasy games, the storyline to Final Fantasy III is a joke.There's nothing in this story that screams epic, and the characters involved aren't developed very well.Luckily, we can let it slide because its sixteen years old.

Gameplay wise, Final Fantasy III is pretty similar to most RPGs of today.You'll go roaming through dungeons and towns getting into random battles.There are a few quirks to the game that the DS utilizes.You'll find moments where you'll have to zoom into certain objects for you to examine.It should also be noted that you can use the touch screen almost exclusively in the game.Using the stylus you can make your character run in the direction you want him to, by gliding it across the screen.Taping on things makes your character examine it, and ultimately this is how you open chests and talk to people.It works out, but it feels really clumbsy at times.If you're looking to get through a dungeon with little hassle, just stick to the directional buttons.To its credit, though, using the stylus makes menu navigation much faster, but for the most part, the stylus controls just feel tacked on.

Combat is traditional turn based combat.There's no ATB gauge like in later Final Fantasy games.In each round you will choose all the commands for your characters to do, and then watch a round of battle take place.It's simple, but isn't always fun.Mainly because Final Fantasy III is a challenge.If you began with some of the later Final Fantasy games, then this installment may be a little too difficult.Sometimes combat is unforgiving, especially when faced with bosses that attack twice per turn, and have the power to take out a character in a single shot.Even worse, the encounter rate is pretty high and running away from battle is often a wasted effort because you'll fail so many times trying to do so.You'll probably get wiped out just trying to run from battle and failing so many times.There are several moments when you'll be forced to battle for hours just leveling up.This is fine for those used to old school RPGs, but many RPGs of today do not put so much emphasis on leveling up, and it may try your patience after a while.It's great for people looking for a challenge, at least, but for some it may be a bit too steep.

The job system is interesting.As you go through the game you'll get crystal shards that allow your characters to use certain jobs.Each job has its own set of abilities that can be learned with it.For example, White mages specialize in the healing arts, black mages in attack magic and red mages can do a little bit of both.You've also got other classes like warriors who can take damage for other party members, thieves who can steal and much more.There are 23 jobs in all.The jobs you choose for your characters also have an impact on your stats.Mages, for example, don't have a lot of strength but they excel in magic.Also, as you gain levels, you'll also gain job levels.So it's not only important to make sure your characters are at a good level, but also at a good job level.

There is a slight problem with the job system however.It isn't nearly as varied as it could be.As you go through the game you'll gain more and more jobs that ultimately replace the older ones.In the beginning you'll get a Blackmage; as you progress you'll get a Sage, who is capable of doing everything a Blackmage can do.Thus, later in the game, many job classes become obsolete.It's really hard to compliment the games variety when later on many job classes are more of the same thing.So while the job system is interesting, later games such as Final Fantasy V execute it much better and with more variety.

The game looks absolutely stunning, at least for the Nintendo DS.It is by far one of the best looking out there.There are some moments where it looks pixilated, but you can't deny that the game just looks good regardless.The movie sequences are also really pretty to look at and they run surprisingly well.In battle is also fantastic.Your enemies sport some amazing detail and so do the backgrounds in battle.On the whole, the game just looks good.Perhaps the only fault of the graphics is how restricted the animation of characters and enemies are in combat.Your characters won't physically go up and strike an enemy.Rather they just step forward and swing.Very similar to how the Final Fantasy games of the NES worked.It's strange to see, but you'll quickly get used to it.

Another thing that seems kind of strange, though, is that the top screen throughout most of the game remains blank.All the action takes place on the bottom screen.There are few moments when the top screen actually displays anything.You'll see the world map as you travel the overworld and while you're in towns.There are certain moments where the top screen has text, or shows an important story sequence, but that's usually about it.Other than that, when trumping through dungeons (as you do often) and in battle (as you also do often) the top screen remains blank.There's nothing wrong with it, but it feels very awkward to play a Nintendo DS game where the top screen is blank.They could've used it to display dungeon maps or enemy information or something.The top screen has no impact on gameplay whatsoever.

The music in the game is pretty good, though.It's not as good as other games in the series, and there are some tunes that just aren't great, but the music is by no means bad.There's no voice acting in the game, really, but we can let that slide.Audio wise, the game is good.

Final Fantasy III is a pretty satisfying experience for any Final Fantasy fan looking for a good challenge, and to see how far the series has come.However, it may also shed a little too much of its old school charm in some areas, particularly its unforgiving challenge.Still, it's worth it for Final Fantasy fans who want to see just how far the series has come.

The Good

+Finally a chance to play Final Fantasy III
+Great visual look
+Good music
+The job system is interesting
+It provides a good challenge
+A fair amount of secrets and sidequests

The Bad

-The story is not all that great
-For some the game might provide too much of a challenge, to the point of frustration
-High random encounter rate
-The job system is interesting, but there's not nearly as much vareity as one might expect from it
-Throughout most of your adventure the top screen is just... blank... for a Nintendo DS game this just feels awkward



Click Here to see more reviews about: Final Fantasy III

Review of The Bigs 2

The Good:

*Major upgrades and many extra features from the original game.
*Intriguing storyline that will last 4 seasons(instead of 1 season.)
*Ability to play as Legends and Hall of Famers.
*Constant mini-games make fielding very fun.
*Damon Bruce doing play-by-play is as funny as ever.
*Several environments for the Baseball Pinball.
*Certain players have perks, which makes this game as strategic as ever.


The Bad:

*Some challenges rely on dumb luck rather than skill.


The Bottom Line:

Attention video game sports franchises:Take notes!This is what a sports sequel should be like.Unlike other franchises such as Madden, which basically want you to cough up $59.99 every year for basically the same game, Bigs 2 has managed to upgrade from last time in such a way, that it makes "Bigs 1" almost forgettable.Fielding for example is no longer boring.Now in order to make a "legendary catch," or to catch a line-drive, or catch a foul pole near dugout, you will engage in several mini games: Button Sequence, Hold and Release the button at the right time, lining up crosshairs and even playing a balance beam game with your RT and LT buttons while trying to keep a baseball from dropping.If unsuccessful, you will not make a great catch and drop the ball.From the batting point of view, in addition to BIG BLAST, you can now choose to activate BIG SLAM as well, which gives you a chance to quickly load the bases and hit a grand slam all in one shot.Pitchers now get rewarded more points for BIG HEAT strikes to combat the powerful hitting.

Some players now have perks.For example, David Ortiz has "No Doubt Homeruns" which can't be caught.Some players like Ichiro have Free Boost before batting, while other defensive others have power to influence other defenders to play better.Other players even temporarily have higher stats if they trail.This really forces you to manage line-ups in a more thoughtful way.

The story mode of the game(*SPOILER WARNING*,) which now lasts four seasons, forces you to restart your career in a Mexican league during Season 1.As always, your stats slowly get better as you progress.After Season 4, you retire, but the game doesn't end there!You will now have to get yourself into Hall of Fame by playing with and against other legends on your quest to becoming the best player ever and ultimately beating Babe Ruth.
*END OF SPOILERS*

Pinball Mode is also fun with more stuff to destroy in several surroundings.There is now even a co-op mode.For all of you achievement hunters, one that I found really fascinating is where you and another online player have to work together and earn 2 million points together.

Some nit-picking:There will be some challenges in the game that will rely on dumb luck, rather than skill.If one of the challenges is to hit a HR and record 5 RBIs, that takes skill, but when it asks you to throw out 2 runners, you are forced to do things that you may not necessary want to or they won't even happen.In order to increase your chances, you will force your pitcher to throw hittable pitches and hope that it will be put in play towards your player.Therefore, if you concentrate on strikeouts as you should, chances are you won't get the intended task done.

The Bigs 2 is a great baseball game that also includes a season mode as well, if the lengthy Legend Mode didn't satisfy your hunger for non-stop action.While some traditionalists and those who like realistic baseball may not fall in love with this game, I think most baseball fans will enjoy this game in a big way.My only question is: Why can't 2K Sports be this successful with their other MLB games?



Click Here to see more reviews about: The Bigs 2

Review of Treasure World

Wow, I bought this based on an early preview and was pleasantly surprised. Treasure World actually turns the outside world into a game, rewarding you for exploring new areas and locations in order to gain treasure for use within the game itself. I'll set the game to search mode, put it in my pocket, then go out for the day, gaining treasure along the way. Since I started playing I've been taking new routes to work, visiting different coffee shops and cafes, and really noticing the prevalence of wi-fi signals in my city. You can use your treasures to dress up your little character and decorate the playing area in game (which is then turned into a song!), but it's a shame there isn't more you can do with the treasures once you have them. I also wished that there were mini-games or something to play when not exploring, but that almost defeats the purpose of the game itself. Still, it's a collecting game without all the work, providing a relaxing play experience that extends outside of the game itself. A great concept, I'd love to see more games take risks and innovate like this one!



Click Here to see more reviews about: Treasure World

Review of Big Bang Board Games (Mac)

When the Deluxe Board Games was the best there could be, the Big Bang Board Games! It uses the iChat application to play 7 (I think) fantastic games. With the click of a button you can send your "game key" to anyone on your buddy list. Even if your friend dosen't have it, you can send the whole game to him/her with the click of another button. The games are great and the interface is amazing. The backround music is very pretty. Overall, this game is completely worth it.



Click Here to see more reviews about: Big Bang Board Games (Mac)

Review of NBA Live 10

I really don't know what happened this year.Reports claim that a lead game designer for NBA 2K left the company and is now with EA.That may or may not be true, but it doesn't matter...what matters is that EA got it right this year.NBA Live 10 is easily the best Live in the series, and I personally think the on-court gameplay is smoother and more exciting than the NBA 2K series...and this is coming from a HUGE fan of 2K's basketball mechanics.

There are so many great looking dunks, steals, fadeaway jumpers, etc, etc...the animations in this game are just awesome.The game is super-fluid and feels like it's running at 60FPS (not 100% sure though).I've witnessed a couple of awkward transition animations and some slight clipping here and there, but I can't recall one single framerate drop (and I notice those types of things immediately in most games).The tempo of the game feels just right, all the players movements are EXTEREMELY detailed and lifelike, the graphics are amazing, the sounds...WOW.I promise you haven't heard arena noise like this in a basketball game before.The crowd goes absolutely nuts during key moments, they explode during clutch moments when you hit a major shot, they chant "MVP, MVP" when your superstar is on a roll, they boo loudly if you attempt an ugly shot and miss, or when you on the receiving end of an ugly foul.

NBA 2K might have more player-specific animations, but I think Live is catching up quickly, plus Live's animations LOOK better in my opinion.The presentation is great, too.The pre-game warmups are all there, the highlights are slick and they're presented at the right times, the crowd and sideline animations are nearly as good as 2K's, the arenas are incredibly detailed, the players (for the most part) look like their real-life counterparts, and they even included the TNT Playoffs/Finals music.The game keeps you immersed the entire time and makes you feel like you're truly watching an NBA broadcast.The soundtrack is decent, just typical EA basketball stuff with some random forgettable hip-hop tracks.

The AI is actually pretty smart IMO, I see my AI teammates consistently running good plays, setting up nice picks, getting open when they need to, passing to the open man, etc on both ends of the court.That was one of my biggest problems w/ 2K basketball; many times the AI would just stand there until you actually called a specific play, instead of rotating positions and/or trying to get open.My only gripe is that CPU-controlled players will still randomly step out of bounds, but it only happens occasionally and it effects your team and the CPU, so it doesn't necessarily put you at a disadvantage.I'm also not a huge fan of Live's free throw shooting, since you have to hold down X until a meter fills and release it at the right time.It's okay, just not as cool as 2K's "signature shot" mechanics.

The typical EA modes are included, like dynasty, season, etc.There's actually a mode called Dynamic Season this year where you can literally play along w/ the real NBA season and update scores, team stats, etc.Also the Dynamic DNA is back so the individual player stats and tendencies will be updated daily throughout the season.It's basically a virtual NBA that you are controlling, and it has me pretty stoked.NBA 2K10 still has Live beat as far as game modes and options are concerned, especially since Live doesn't have a mode similar to 2K's "My Player", where you can create a new baller, enter the draft, join the pros and continue your path to greatness.I haven't tried Live 10's online yet, so I can't comment on that.

I bought NBA 2K games exclusively from 2K6 to 2K9.I haven't bought Live since Live 05, because I thought 2K nailed the look and feel of real basketball.I'm not saying 2K's game is bad at all this year, because it's still brilliantly designed and well executed.I'm just growing tired of NBA 2K in general, it's starting to become the next "Madden"...basically the same game every year w/ a few more polygons, new menus, some new animations, maybe a new career mode or season mode, etc.

This year I played both demos numerous times, and only one of them was making me jump to my feet, scream out loud, and pump my fist in excitement... in other words, this year's edition of Live had me totally immersed.It looks and feels like a brand new hoops game, and 2K10 felt like more of the same, just slightly more polished and refined.Some people will be totally fine with that, but I was looking for something different after becoming bored w/ 2K9 last year.For me, Live 10 delivered in a big way, so I bought it on release day and have no regrets.The game isn't perfect and some hardcore fans might still prefer 2K's style, but Live definitely took major steps in the right direction this year and unless 2K does something amazing with NBA 2K11, then I might have found my new basketball franchise.





Click Here to see more reviews about: NBA Live 10

Review of Star Wars Empire At War (Intel Only Macs)

I was surprised at how well this Mac version of the PC game performed (Intel only). Very engaging with good space and land battles (really two different games). One of the strongest points is the free-form campaign game, which gives the game some pretty serious re-playability over time.

Considering how few "strategy" type games there are for the Mac still (comparatively), this is a good addition to your library if you like the RTS genre.

Tech Note: I am running a MacBook with 2GB RAM, and it seems to run smoothly in the low-mid graphic range.



Click Here to see more reviews about: Star Wars Empire At War (Intel Only Macs)

Review of Nintendo DS Naruto Ninja Tool Holder

This product seems to be very durable.I haven't a need for it, but my 9 year old grandson was very pleased with it.He is "into" the character right now, so that made it perfect for him.



Click Here to see more reviews about: Nintendo DS Naruto Ninja Tool Holder

Review of Rag Doll Kung Fu [Online Game Code - Full Game]

Most people who give this game a low rating haven't played it with 3 or 4 local players. In this scenario, it's a complete blast for hours. The motion controls are well-balanced and quite successfully add to the fun as 4 people frantically move to win. Graphically, the game looks amazing with textures that hold up very well to the camera zooming, and the plastic characters also looking great. The music is really great, to the point where I wish I could buy the soundtrack; the character's sound effects are absolutely hilarious.

There are single-player challenges, and this is where several of the trophies can be gotten. One complaint I have is that getting the Gold trophy in some of the challenges is a little too hard for me.

Extremely fun, great looking/sounding, and a good value for the money. I look forward to DLC that adds more locations, music, and character voices!

Highly recommended.



Click Here to see more reviews about: Rag Doll Kung Fu [Online Game Code - Full Game]

Review of PSP Pro Gamers's Kit (color may vary)

This kit is pretty unremarkable. The case seems sturdy and the series of foam rubber dividers appear as though they will hold my PSP in place when it gets here. Outside of the car charger, most of the other components are just cheap bits of plastic, with little value, i.e. the "Pro Gamer Squeege" for applying your "Pro Gamer Safe Screen" is just a 2" peice of cardboard with the words "Pro Gamer Squeege" printed on it.

An important thing to note is that this kit does not include the "popular Dock It station" as stated in the copy. Unless of course that was also made of cardboard and I threw it out by mistake.



Click Here to see more reviews about: PSP Pro Gamers's Kit (color may vary)

Review of Need for Speed: Undercover

This is the best Need for Speed ever on the Wii. I now own the following for my Wii:
Gamecube versions of NFS Underground, Underground2 and Most Wanted
Wii versions of Carbon, ProStreet and Undercover

From a most playable/most fun point of view Most Wanted has always been best in series (we all know that).

For the record, Underground was first with amazing pseudo-realistic graphics. Underground2 was first with an open world driving concept (still limited but the first in NFS series). Most was first with Cop Chases (and a few other features). Carbon has a good plot, a great big world that could be explored, and strange hard-to-learn controls (if you learn them the game is great, what a pain though). ProStreet had great new driving mechanics and updated real-damage modelling that were fun, great racer, too bad it's got such dull environments and gets monotonous after a while (I've played through half of it hard and solid, finally entered some cheats and now am driving an amazing customized Ford GT that dominates every other car in the game LoL).

Finally we have what is supposed to be the new best-of NFS game, undercover.

This is the first to have truly movie-quality video (as opposed to the stylized video of previous NFS games). I wish they'd stylized it again though, it is a bit jarring compared to the look of the game, the earlier games made FMV blend better with the game and it allowed us to overlook the pretty-good but not great acting. The acting in this isn't bad, but it's not something you'd watch by choice if it was on TV imho. So video is ok but I don't love the look of it, not nearly as bad as some reviews have said though.

I believe that the plot is EA's way of making good on supporting the police and the law while still offering underground racing and police chases. I believe they came up with this concept well and I can't see how else they could have done this concept without becoming "bad influences" again (a big complaint against EA in the days of Carbon, Most Wanted and Underground). So deal with it, use your imagination and don't laugh at the plot - it's not stupid at all and as always it does match up with movies we pay good money to go see :-)

What EA did right:
- brought back police chases
- you get to drive police cars at times!!
- police choppers (hey, that's not FAIR LoL)
- tougher cops at later parts of game (REALLY tough)
- easier racing mechanics from prostreet (this is a fun game, not for someone looking for super tough try and again and again racing, this is way more fun but won't last the hardcore racer very long, good for the Wii imho and I for one am tired of swearing through Most Wanted's "restart race" button clicks)
- big(ish) worlds you can explore at will (a good thing to learn if you're going to outrun cops, don't underestimate how important learning your cities is...)
- Most Wanted's breakable obstacles to throw off cops (and the animations are great for them considering their purpose, why would someone say they're lame? wtf do reviewers expect?? it's a tiny part of a huge game and the animations are far better than in Most Wanted)
- best graphics ever for a Wii/Gamecube racing game (yes, better than in Most Wanted imho despite what some reviewers have been saying, I think people are looking at the 3 year old Most Wanted with rose-tinted glasses sometimes, it has it's share of issues....)
- great sounds, great soundtrack, speedbreaker is back (YAY!!), all the best control features from previous games are here
- all new stunts you can perform at high speeds!!
- good upgradeable cars (too bad they used the limited upgrading based on how advanced you are that was in the underground series, but as long as you're patient you'll get good upgrades. And for the record (again to the reviewers out there), since the game is so much easier to beat with a tricked out car, why would EA be stupid enough to allow you to trick out your car fully at the beginning? you have to ADVANCE through the game to improve enough to get to the next level. This is a game, and a fun one and one that will take some time to complete but not because you have to keep trying over and over again, it's just got a good long sequence of events and levels to complete (from what I can see so far). Well done imho.
- wide roads without too much traffic gives me a chance to really have fun racing, it's again all about the fun aspect. I prefer this system, but there are a few small lanes and there are highway scenes with a ton of traffic to weave through as well so don't get too comfortable!

What EA may have missed the boat on:
- in an effort to minimize how much detail is needed on screen so they can render better quality cars and nicer detail and better models, EA has gone with the older game coding trick (also in gamecube NFS games) of reducing the variety of on screen colors to smooth everything over and speed up some rendering. Hence the dawn/dusk racing times and yellowish colors. Very standard design trick for games. It's a tradeoff. But it can get a little glaring to drive into the sun half the time. PS - I didn't see anything strange about the sun movement - try driving into the sun and see how it moves around when you're following a gradual curve... (again to reviewers).
- cars honestly do sometimes take a while to appear in front of you, no doubt a technical trade-off but one that I wish they could have avoided... it doubt it's a bug as much as a limitation based on what they were trying to do. But I don't think it was a wise move - I'd rather see badly rendered cars in the distance that improve as they get closer than well rendered cars appearing out of nowhere... but at the speeds we're racing it's understandable and not that much of a problem so far for me
- on other platforms you can pay real money to upgrade your car. that's just lame and shouldn't have been done. I'm happy that feature doesn't seem to be in the wii version (at least I haven't come across it yet)
- the police have suddenly started becoming too difficult for me as I advance through the game. Maybe I suck at avoiding them... I don't know, but MAN they're hard to escape now, earlier in the game they weren't bad at all. Maybe Most Wanted was like that toward the end too, I don't know, I never finished that game...
- some framerate issues (on the other consoles, Wii is fine), haven't seen that on my wii that I can recall... EA must be pushing the limits of the consoles with this game (or just has some bad code in there LoL)

Summary: great game, underappreciated by reviewers so far, the graphics look to me better than in most wanted (I played both back and forth to come to that conclusion) and are much better than in prostreet (due to prostreets dull worlds, not the rendering engine). Carbon had some great graphics sometimes but was a strange game to control, I'd say this is going back to what Carbon was trying to do and doing it better. It truly is the best of carbon, most wanted and prostreet plus a bit of underground2 thrown in for good measure.

A couple of imho minor runtime issues, some average acting and empty-ish roads don't make it a bad game to me, in fact it's a more fun racing game than most wanted was (open roads are WAY more fun), the AI is just right and the busy freeway sections make up for that if you want it, not to mention fantastic cop chases!

PS: other cars on the road are modeled better than I recall seeing before in NFS, up close they look great, and you don't get that annoying green station wagon appearing in 30 different parts of town at the same time like you did in Most Wanted LoL. And the real damage modelling is great, even better than in Pro Street. ReallyUndercover is like Carbon without drifting, Prostreet on the streets, Most Wanted with updated graphics/gameplay,underground with more open worlds, better sounds, better graphics and less frustrating crash situations.


If you own a wii this is the best racing game there is. Get it.

Other platforms? maybe stick with your burnout or whatever...



Click Here to see more reviews about: Need for Speed: Undercover

Review of Dragon's Lair HD

i just wanted to play the greatest game ever made...but it took forever to get it going and the game doesnt work that well..its very sketchy...even when you have it at the lowest resolution possible...plus even though its in hd it doesnt look any better...i wouldnt buy the hd version...



Click Here to see more reviews about: Dragon's Lair HD

Review of Zuma's Revenge

ZUMA is back! And if you can believe IT IS EVEN BETTER!

PopCap Games introduced the original ZUMA in 2003 and brought to the foreground a genre that was, up to then, oriented exclusively towards kids. ZUMA created a new school of games: from the excellent LUXOR Series to the recent INCA BALL, the playful BEETLE BOMP and (my favorite!) ATLANTIS: SKY PATROL: Zuma-clones came in all shapes and forms. Some introduced new ideas and some of them improved the original concept. And the new ZUMA has incorporated most of them.

If you have already enjoyed the original game, let me tell you what is new. First off, yes, the graphics and sounds are much improved. Also, your frog does not have to simply rotate all the time. As with LUXOR, in some stages you can slide across a predefined path (not always horizontal) whereas, in others, you can hop between multiple Lily Pads.
Moreover, there are now three new special abilities: the Laser beam, the Lightening and the TriShot. With the Laser you can target specific balls (advisable to aim at the bonuses!); the Lightening will remove all balls of the same color as the one you targeted; and with the TriShot, well, it is pretty much self-explanatory: you fire off three metal canon-balls that wipe out everything in their path.
Finally, every 10 stages there are now bosses you cannot harm until their henchmen get smashed (an idea from ATLANTIS: SKY PATROL) or their specific weakness is figured out - and of course you will be fighting the color-stream at the same time.

If you are not familiar with the game this is the gist of it: a series of colored balls (with the number of different colors increasing every few levels) streams in and you have to shot and match them in sets of three or more in order to remove them - and prevent them from reaching the end zone. There are now numerous different modes (ADVENTURE, various CHALLENGES, IRON FROG) - and all are exceptional addictive!! So take care not to have any deadlines or immovable obligations looming!

This is a perfect example of what has come to be known as Casual Gaming. It would be a good idea to download the limited-time free trial version from a casual gaming site (such as POPCAP GAMES or REFLEXIVE - you can Google them) and decide for yourself whether this is indeed your cup of tea. It comes to about 100MB so a fast connection will be needed for that.

Everybody can make a good game that will run only on a super-computer. This is an example of pure programming genius!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!



Click Here to see more reviews about: Zuma's Revenge

Review of Toddler Bundle (Pooh Toddler, Mickey Toddler, and Book of Pooh)

My 27-month-old son learned to use the mouse independently using the utterly fabulous Fisher-Price Little People Discovery Airport PC game. He also is passionate about playing the wonderful Dr. Seuss Green Eggs and Ham PC game. Wishing to encourage his PC usage, I purchased the Disney toddler bundle. Speaking both as a former computer teacher and current mom, it is a truly boring bundle. Most of the games screens don't require clicking - the actions are triggered if the cursor just passes over the object - so no good mouse manipulation skills are learned. All three games do a lot of talking at the toddler, instead of just letting the toddler click and learn. For example, the Mickey Toddler game has 5 screens - it took my son only 8 minutes to go through all 5 screens, play all 5 games, and then ask for his Airport game instead. There are few hidden surprises for him to find on the screens, and he bored of all three CD-ROMs within one day, while he has been playing his other computer games for over a year.

Just because it has the Disney name on it does NOT make it a good product.



Click Here to see more reviews about: Toddler Bundle (Pooh Toddler, Mickey Toddler, and Book of Pooh)

Review of Dance Dance Revolution Universe 2

This version of DDR has my teenager and her friends competing with each other. They are able to use the dance pad from her older version so that two kids can dance at once. The kids say the steps are more in line in with the beat of the music and feel more like dance steps than the older version.The selection of songs is a hit as well. My teen tells tells me that the techno songs are the most fun to dance to.
My pre-teen and her friends have tried this as well and while they are not as impressed by the changes as the older kids, they have found a great way to have some active fun during these dreary winter afternoons. Even our neighbor's 8 year old spent an hour trying out the songs and steps without being bored or frustrated.




Click Here to see more reviews about: Dance Dance Revolution Universe 2

Review of PSP UMD Soft Case - Colors May Vary

There are two glaring differences between the PSP UMD soft case by Intec and the official Sony brand. Intec's soft case is well...soft while Sony's case is made of hard plastic. The other difference is price of course.

This UMD soft case acts more like a traditional CD/DVD wallet offering plastic sleeve inserts which you can easily slide your UMD's into. The draw backs to many UMD cases currently on the market is that they hold hold so few UMD's for the price the consumer has to pay. And this particular soft case is no exception to that rule...holding up to 8 UMD's. This matches the number of UMD discs the official brand can hold but at a reduced price. Now you can argue that this might be because Sony wants you to pay more for their name brand. Sony want's around 3 dollars more than the soft case by Intec (as of now). But then you have to factor in the idea that their cases are made of hardened plastic which is more durable and thus, offers better over all protection. The trade off for three extra bucks is fair enough. If you want to try to be a little more compact so as to squeeze as much PSP content into one bag or system travel case, I believe the soft case variety to be the better option.

The decision is purely aesthetic here. It's more about asking yourself if you would like maximum protection offered by Sony's brand, or optimal traveling convenience offered by Intec. Both are good enough to serve either purpose however.



Click Here to see more reviews about: PSP UMD Soft Case - Colors May Vary

Review of Watchmen: The End is Nigh - Part 1 & 2

Well,I got this game awhile back played it for about 3 days and I totally forgot about it. But, today I got an email from Amazon to review this game.....
I was excited to see this game for 20 bucks with part 2 so, I was like no way is this game junk like some xbox elitist were calling out to it.Well, sometimes they're right...As much as i love butten mashing brawler games this is one of those rare few that goes to the low of the low.
Where to begin?
First every stage is insanely dark at times to where you can't see anything going on and all you can do is mash attack to stay alive. Like ok thats not fun cause I do enjoy seeing what the heck I'm doing eh?
Two sometimes your AI helper is supposed to pull a switch with you or climb up a step and go through a bay door that you're opening for him so, that he can let you in.Well, guess what your helper will be stuck on something cheap like a side part of the step or he'll just do nothing while you pull the switch.
Third just like helper the game at times will not open the next fight scene till you run to right spot in that section and even then it's not guaranteed.
Fourth remember I said this game is dark?Well, in the swear stage where it's extra extra dark and the game makes you run back to spots to do another fight then run back to other spot again for fight you can easily get lost and find yourself wondering around uselessly and if you get that third problem I mentioned extra waste of time....
Fifth I'm not super into acheivements but, to get them all wouldn't be hard if game wasn't glitched and the total kills/combo acheivements can only be had through 1 player so, if you're into those acheivements have fun not having fun beating this game 3 or 4 times.
Sixth Aw, heck I'm tired of pointing out major problems with this game....Just avoid it.Yeah brawlers tend to have their little quirks that can be a pain but, this one has too many that just makes you feel like a choir to play and theres no other reason to cept that you wasted money on it and feel you should play more than an hour and perhaps unlock an achievement....
Oh and last did you know the watchmen when they walk into little derbies such as bottles or other little junk they slow down tremendessly while computer will just beat you up and whats this a little curb no the watchmen cant jump or auto walk up they always use the little step to go up curbs so have fun being always forced to find walkways every 30 feet in the game (ok I exaggerated on how often you find curbs but, theres plenty to make you feel like they're everywhere to kill time...)



Click Here to see more reviews about: Watchmen: The End is Nigh - Part 1 & 2

Review of Bratz Girlz Really Rock

The Wii version put my 8 year old daughter to tears.The game is poorly designed where the controls won't work (even for adults) in sections.Loved the previous games they made for gamecube but took this game back after struggling for 20 minutes to make the Bratz move.Not worth it.



Click Here to see more reviews about: Bratz Girlz Really Rock

Review of Dirt 2

Dirt2 rocks! Am up to level 40 and still having fun. Graphics are great, the mud on the windshield drives me nuts, I can't see! There is a switchable damage mode to allow for crash damage to affect speed and handling. And damage to the car will happen. You have to be really agressive in the car-to-car races, so it's inevitable. The "celebrity" drivers taunt you and will even break your concentration with their comments to you and each other. Hard to drive when you're laughing... Drive clean and they will be your friends. Ram them too often and they retaliate. It's even kind of cool when they tell you they think you're a legend after you beat them enough. You can drive any car on any track in Time Trial mode, something Dirt wouldn't do. The Dallenbach Special is a handful on the Del Ray Stadium track.

Don't know what others are crying about, there's plenty of Rally available in Dirt2. Is it ALL rally? No, but if it was, plenty of gamers would cry about that too. I was a little disapointed the big Raid trucks(DAF, Kamaz) are gone, as are Pike's Peak hillclimbers. Trailblazer cars a similar. But do you really want a warmed-over rehash of a game you've already played? I'm so sick of waiting for GT5 to come out and find out it's the same old tracks, the same lame cars, and a million races in Yugo's to get to a Ferrari. You get to drive decent cars on new tracks from the start and they get better...

All in all, a great game. If you love off-road, there's none better in my opinion.



Click Here to see more reviews about: Dirt 2

Review of LittleBigPlanet: Metal Gear Solid- Meryl Costume [Online Game Code - Game Add-on]

I can't believe that I actually (well, I think it was my bf but either way...) purchased a costume for my LBP sackgirl but it was just too cute to resist.The costume is adorable; I often wear the hair apart from the rest of the costume (the bandana is permanently attached though).The little combat boots are also separate too, I believe.

I didn't purchase it through Amazon but I definitely will in the future; no more adding money to the PSN account, and far more convenient!

Oh and of course, the game is beyond fun.



Click Here to see more reviews about: LittleBigPlanet: Metal Gear Solid- Meryl Costume [Online Game Code - Game Add-on]

Review of Reel Deal Slots Bonus Mania

I own a bunch of Phantom titles, as well as downloads, and Bonus Mania while very good, isn't my favorite of the bunch.

First of all, there are lots of bugs in the game.The lobby takes an obscenely long time to load and often crashes.The games also crash from time to time (hint, if the background music goes out or doesn't come on at all or you're panning motion seems erratic, reboot, you'll just lose everything you win).Once you get the lobby loaded, you can download "fixes" from the website, which seems to have helped a little, but what a pain.

Games:This is more of what I'd call a "boy" box of games -- so if you're a guy, you might like these more than, perhaps, a girl.There is a cool guitar game where, during the bonus round, you have to push keys in the right order to hit song cords (quite challenging and addictive), a car racing game with a memory feature and additional payouts for taking first/second etc at the end of the season, an "all-you-can-eat" game which is, considering the muching reel stop sounds, just gross, train games, history games, caveman games, kung fu, etc.I'd say at least half of the games are in this vein of design and play.

Pros:Games with "memory" bonuses you can build over time, good background music, good number and selection of games.

Cons: My main problem with this title is - the title.I don't know, I expected a collection of games with the title "Bonus Mania" in it to have extra bonus rounds, easy bonus rounds, bonus rounds everywhere... but it's not.Pretty much just the same as all the other games so don't let the title fool you. In fact, these are the hardest bonus rounds to hit of any title I've played by Phantom so far.Also, you can't get through the "vaults" in the game unless you win with "real" payout setting, not fantasy, so good luck with that.

Overall, it's fun and I'd recommend it, but if you're a Phantom fan, it might be a little disappointing.Also, the same annoying "you must play every game in the set" feature is still in the game for vault completion, so if you actually want to win the whole vault, be prepared to spend half an hour on each and every variation of video poker as well (Phantom, can you PLEASE ditch that feature?).Overall, nice number of games, fun bouns' when you can get um.



Click Here to see more reviews about: Reel Deal Slots Bonus Mania

Review of Paws & Claws Pet Vet Healing Hands

This is a fun game for a while, but it gets repetitive.There are only a few animals and diagnoses and a LOT of running around.

You can "unlock" more animal patients by taking exams in "town".But there are only about 6 exams to take and then you are done.There should be more and enable more animals or different diagnoses.

There is also a place to buy feed, a pharmacy for your medical supplies, a coffee shop where you can go for a very limited number of game tips and general info (make that very very limited), a bank where you can borrow money if you want to build pens faster or need to buy supplies.There is also a shop where you can buy a few things to personalize your home and office, like a potted plant, or a carpet. Very few things, and you can only buy one of each.I thought it would be fun to have plants all over my vet office, but I could only buy one.

There is a home right next to the office, complete with a bathroom.What's that for?I thought maybe you could buy things for it, like a shower curtain, but no.There is also an exam room in the vet office, but I don't know why.You can't do anything in it but walk around.You can't buy anything to put in it.

The animal diagnosis and treatment is fun at first, but gets repetitive fast.There are only a few animals and illnesses in the game, and you do not get to choose the diagnosis or treatment yourself.It would be nice if after you've gotten the hang of it, you could advance to a level where you could select the diagnosis and treatment yourself.I mean, how many times does someone have to bring you a cat with a sore paw before you figure out how to disinfect, apply antiseptic, and give an antibiotic.Not that many, I can assure you. You can opt to refuse the patient, which I did a few times (not the bunny with a runny nose again!) but I don't know what will happen if you consistently refuse certain patients.

Caring for the animals is pretty easy and more rewarding than another animal game I played.But it is a little frustrating to have customers coming into the office (and sometimes turning around and walking back out again) while you are out in the kennels or aviary or whatever taking care of the animals. Also, you don't get paid anything extra for boarding animals.You have to go buy food and toys, etc. but you only get paid the initial treatment fee, even if you kept the animal for several days.

Customers also keep coming while you go to town for supplies and what not. It would be nice if you could close the office while you are running errands or caring for animals.I did eventually figure out that at the beginning of each new "day" I would have a short amount of time to run around and care for animals before customers showed up but even then, there would be several waiting for me by the time I got back to the office.

Once you've built up your horse stables, you can buy horseback riding equipment and horses to ride.I didn't play on to that level too much, so I won't comment too much either.

This game was fun for a while, but would have been better with more of everything: more animal care classes, more things to buy, more animals and types of illnesses, and ability to control diagnosis and treatment.







Click Here to see more reviews about: Paws & Claws Pet Vet Healing Hands

Review of Help Wanted

It seems like every week a new batch of Wii games get released that promise a lot of fun and flash. They lure the money out of your pocket only to turn out to be worthless junk once you get them home and try them out. This seems to be especially true when it comes to the mini game genre. The truly great ones, such as the Mario Party series, are worth double their cost but are as rare as hen's teeth. I was reluctant to throw money at another piece of junk game, but since this was created by Hudson Soft, the company that works on so many of the actual Mario Party games, I decided to give it a try. What a pleasant surprise!

First of all, the game is priced at a nice level even though it's a brand new release. The game is structured around a story that's more than a little far-fetched. A meteor is headed for earth and you are the only one who can stop it. You can purchase items that will slow down the meteor to buy you time, or buy items that will damage the meteor as you attempt to destroy it, or eventually buy a watch that will make you a superhero with the ability to save the earth. Of course, these items cost money and you earn the money by taking on the "jobs" that are the actual mini games. You begin with a selection of 3 jobs and you can perform 1 per day. As you earn money you unlock additional jobs that pay more. That, in essence, is the somewhat silly story that the games are built around.

The story itself is somewhat of an annoyance because each day something happens that either earns you bonus money or hampers your efforts. This is the main reason I gave it a less than perfect rating. But the heart of any mini game compilation is in the games themselves and the "occupation" themed games in Help Wanted are simply a blast to play. A few examples:

Fisherman: in this game you motor your boat around and cast a net whenever fish are close enough for you to snag. You get paid based on the number of fish you catch. This one is initially tricky, but you can quickly purchase a larger net that allows you to make a lot of money quickly.

Courier: for this one you have to move around obstacles (sprinklers, dogs, etc) in order to get through the yard to the front door and deliver a package. After an attempt or two, this gets very easy and helps you rack up the big paychecks.

Farmer: In this game you harvest vegetables. It's basically built around timing a swing of the Wiimote to a ball moving around in a circle. It too takes a time or two to master, but gets easier in a hurry.

Manicurist: You have to custom design/copy the pattern on a fingernail using tweezers. This game involves a little tricky work with the wiimote, but pays better than the others I've mentioned.

EMT: You have to make your ways through busy hospital corridors to the emergency room while pushing a gurney. Again, this one is a bit more difficult.

As you become adept at these games, you open up a more challenging version of each of them, with a bump in pay as well. This way the games never become too stale.

Help Wanted is definitely NOT for the hard core gamer that's used to complex menus and dozens of control tricks that have to be mastered. But for kids and especially for folks like myself that play games for fun and to help me unwind for a while after work, this is the best mini game set to come out in at least the past year. When I first took it out of the box to give it a test-drive I planned on tinkering with it for a half-hour or so. When I next looked at the clock, almost 2 hours had gone by. It's the rare game that is so much fun that it makes me lose track of time like that.

The game has several modes in addition to what I've already described. There is a two player mode where you can compete head-to-head in the jobs as well as a gaming area where you can practice any of the jobs you have unlocked until you master them. Sadly, there is no online capability that allows you to compete with others, but this is a minor quibble.

I definitely recommend Help Wanted to anyone with kids over the age of 4 and it does have some limited educational value for the very young because it does give an idea (however simplified) of different career paths. I also recommend it for folks like my wife and I, who buy Wii games that we can enjoy together without a lot of violence and gore splattering all over the tv screen. The concept is novel and very entertaining.

As to the graphics, they aren't perfect by any means. There are a lot of things gaming purists would complain about. This is also true of the music and sound effects - especially during the "story" segments. But once again, if you are like me and buy games because they are fun to play and not because the blood and guts look SOOO realistic, you aren't going to care about that aspect of things. Visually the game is close to the graphics of any of the Mario or Donkey Kong games.

The replay value of the game is also pretty high because even when you complete it for the first time it's fun to play it over again to see if you can beat your records and earnings.

Well, that about covers it. The game looked good based on the description and ads and it turned out to be one of the few games that is actually much BETTER than advertised. With a price tag of under $30 Help Wanted is a bargain - especially when so many inferior games are sitting beside it on the shelf at close to double the price.



Click Here to see more reviews about: Help Wanted

Review of Bionic Commando

This game seems very unfinished. They have one thing right: the grappling hook. Its very fun to swing around like spiderman and grab on to everything and fly in the air and all that good stuff. Too bad the game fails miserably at everything else. From the dreadlocked bratty-mouthed cyberdouche main character to the horrid gun system to the boring enemies this game is just plain old NOT FUN.

The world is set up strangely. You have these big open cityscapes to explore, and the exploration would be 10 times funner if not for the random stupid radiation clouds which kill you pretty quickly and the ridiculous water pools which you cannot escape. Why even bother putting an oxygen meter in the game when you can't get out of the water anyway? You fall in water = you die. I think I only grappled myself out once. So half the game is outside in the city, but the other half is inside buildings. This is achieved with the most boring repetitive design ever. Big square hallways and big square staircases that all look identical.

I don't understand why they even put an "aim" function for the guns because all it does is take your field of view from "super wide" to "pretty wide". It serves no purpose, especially when you are swinging around on a grappling hook most of the time anyway. No way you can aim and shoot. The only success I had with any guns was to grapple an enemy first and shoot down the line.




Click Here to see more reviews about: Bionic Commando

Review of Smash Cars

Smash Cars is a great game and should be more popular than it is! It is very fun and fast-paced. It lets you race R/C cars against other R/C cars in the big world!

Participating in most competitions will cost you money, but if you get 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, the payoff is well worth the fees. You will progress into more and more serious events, until you become a champion professional.

As you win more races, you will earn bigger cars and faster cars. You may also buy upgrades for your vehicles. The best part is that when you buy an upgrade, it automatically applies to all the cars in your garage.

Races are not the only kind of event you may participate in, though. There are stunt contests, races to collect hidden objects, smash races, and more.

Watch out for angry people, dogs, or other animals; but when they're not looking, ram into them. This (along with doing flips, turns, and rolls in the air) will get you boost points. Look for shortcuts along the tracks!

Despite what you might expect, the graphics in this game are fantastic! The environments are beautiful and well-designed. The only weakness in this area are the people, who look very fake and stiff. The controls are also good. The in-game music is decent, and the other effects sound great.

The biggest weakness that I found was the poor stunt system. Though not very exciting, it still works and does the job.

Remember: This is not a game for the serious racing gamers who love Gran Turismo but hate Mario Kart and Burnout. The people who cannot have any fun with goofy racing video games will not enjoy Smash Cars.

If you are not one of the gamers mentioned above, get this game. The price tag is wonderful!!!



Click Here to see more reviews about: Smash Cars

Review of Sonic Unleashed

This is the version no one ever seems to talk about...the lowly PS2 port of Sonic Unleashed.

And, having never played the other versions, I must say I'm pretty impressed.Perhaps my lack of experience with the PS3 and Xbox versions allows me a truly unbiased perspective...allowing me to evaluate the PS2 on it's own merit.And, it has a lot of merit.

The daytime speed levels are really fun.Never before has a sonic game truly captured the feeling of BEING Sonic the hedgehog.Phases melt seamlessly into each other as first person perspective shifts to side view to front view and back.These levels have mastered the concept of "flow" that the original Genesis Sonic games made famous.

What many people don't seem to realize is that the controversial night levels (featuring Sonic the Werehog) are just as reminiscent of the old Genesis games as the daytime levels.NONE of the original 16-bit Sonic games was 100% speed.In fact, a large fraction ofthe average Sonic zone was PLATFORMING.And, that is precisely what the werehog levels offer.Platforming, puzzles, and some Streets of Rage style beat 'em up action.If games like God of War and Heavenly Sword can receive widespread acclaim, I don't see why the werehog levels should offend anyone...because they're the same thing.

Plus, the werehog levels provide balance for the frenetic pace of the speed levels.Just as the original 16-bit Sonic games were balanced between speed and platforming, Sonic Unleashed is balanced between daytime levels and night levels.This is nothing new people.I don't see why the official game reviews are so bothered by a concept introduced by Sonic the Hedghog 1: "balance".

The levels (both day time and night time) are well designed and engaging.Victory is very satisfying.Werehog levels, while slower than the speed levels, are not really THAT slow (he can run by double tapping a direction).The semi-frequent fights may become repetitive to some, but honestly, the Final Fight fan in me enjoyed them.

And, besides, if you absolutely HATE the werehog levels, you only have to play them once.After encountering a stage, you are free to choose it again from the menu.So, feel free to replay those unlocked daytime stages exclusively.Even alone they're worth the price of admission.

Bottom line:The game is fun.Colorful and energetic, while paced between high speed excitement and methodical exploration.

An impressive PS2 game.And, hopefully (if enough people give the game a try) this will be the first step towards Sonic's long overdue rebirth.



Click Here to see more reviews about: Sonic Unleashed

Review of MySims Agents

Overall we give EA MySims Agents 5 out of 5 fun game play, a great story line, challenging puzzles, and good interactivity. We love the fact that it is so well suited for younger kids, encourages reading, reading comprehension, deductive reasoning, and problem solving. We would highly recommend this game for Wii owners with children over 6 years old. And oh, by the way, it wasn't just the kids who loved the game. We've been having a great time playing it too!

We did a full, in-depth review of this game at our blog and it's all from a mom's perspective (well, mostly). Check it out here: [...]



Click Here to see more reviews about: MySims Agents

Review of Combat Flight Simulator 3

I bought this for the sole purpose of playing Over Flanders Fields: Between Heaven and Hell, a World War I add-on for CFS3 available at www.overflandersfields.com

Despite some known glitches like incompatibility with virus software and jittering with dual core processors (fixed with an AMD dual processor patch) CFS3 was easy to install.

CFS3 is good looking and fun to fly, but due to the limitations of the flight modeling it won't completely satisfy hard core sim pilots looking for the ultimate in WWII realism.For those wanting to add-on WWII planes, scenery, airfields, etc, there are numerous mods for CFS3 available at fan sites like www.combatfs.com (you might try Mediterranean Air War or European Theatre of Operations).

The Over Flanders Field: Between Heaven and Hell add-on is a fantastic addition to the game, and one of the few ways to engage in WWI era flight.The last great WWI flight sim was RedBaron3D, which never reached it's potential while Sierra/Dynamix was behind it.But over the years, a number of mods (Full Canvas Jacket, Western Front, Hell's Angels) made RB3D playable and more historically accurate.The authors of those mods have now taken CFS3 to unbelievable heights through OFF:BHAH, with high resolution scenery, 39 flyable aircraft, 3200+ historically accurate aircraft skins, the best campaign manager I've ever seen, etc., etc. The experience of flying a campaign in the OFF:BHAHworld is simply incredible. As realistic as it gets.

I have played dozens of flight sims and FPS games over the years, and have to say OFF:BHAH IS THE BEST MONEY I HAVE EVER SPENT ON A GAME!!!




Click Here to see more reviews about: Combat Flight Simulator 3

Review of PixelJunk Eden [Online Game Code - Full Game]

This game is part of the popular PixelJunk series, in which you must control a "grimp" who can jump from and attach to plants and other objects on your screen.The idea is to enter a level from the "main screen", and collect "spectra" by catching pollen from "prowlers", to grow "seeds" which allow you to get to all the places in a level.Your grimp can either jump or swing from branches (for a limited amount of time) to break open prowlers and capture the pollen that comes out.Finding a spectra completes 1/5 of the level and takes you back to the "main screen".You then reenter the level and re-clear it by finding 2 spectra, then 3 spectra,..., until you find all 5 spectra in the level.Finding spectra in the levels causes plants to grow in the "main screen", which lets you reach harder levels, 10 in all.Additionally, you have a timer in the form of "oscillator crystals", so you must collect crystals to keep the meter from emptying or risk game over (you may continue from the last spectra reached, as of the latest PSN update).

There is also an expansion pack, PixelJunk Eden Encore, which adds another 5 levels to this game, though I believe you must complete the 10 levels in Eden before you can access those 5 levels.

The art in this game is very abstract and distinguishes it from any other game, and having an HDTV is very helpful when playing this game, which looks sharpest in 1080p.I have spent at least 30 hours in this game over a six-month timeframe, collecting all of the spectra and beating the game.Up to 3 players can play, though it is frustrating to play if all players are not at the same skill level.There is an online leaderboard for level scores and overall scores.

Overall, this game is better suited for an average gamer with a lot of patience (mainly because the grimp requires precise aiming before you jump, and you'll often miss your target or fall short, causing you to fall long distances, and backtrack many times), although it can be enjoyed by playing for shorter intervals.It is a very unique game that is only available for PlayStation 3.



Click Here to see more reviews about: PixelJunk Eden [Online Game Code - Full Game]

Review of Final Fantasy IV

Pros:

+Impressive Visuals
+Fantastic soundtrack
+Very likeable characters
+Augment systems helps gameplay along
+Fast paced battles
+Good storyline

Cons:

-A very difficult game, even those who mastered Final Fantasy IV previously will have a hard time if they don't go about battles right

In 2006 Square-Enix released Final Fantasy III on the Nintendo DS.It got by in America mainly because the game never had a prior release.The success of the game was such a surprise to Square that they decided to redo Final Fantasy IV.Unlike Final Fantasy III, though, Final Fantasy IV has had several releases.The original Super Nintendo, the Playstation version and recently, the Gameboy Advance.With so many versions out there already, Final Fantasy IV DS will need more than just a face lift to make it worthwhile, and it manages to do so.At its core its still the same classic game you've played before, but there are some additions that make the DS version worth playing, even for those who completely mastered previous releases.

The story of Final Fantasy IV is a classic and still holds up well more than fifteen years later.The game opens with Cecil, the leader of the Baron Red Wings.He has just completed a mission for the King of Baron to secure a powerful Crystal, but feels it was the wrong thing to do.When he returns and questions what has gotten into a King, the King strips him of his duty and orders him to deliver a ring to the town of Mist.Something has gotten into the King of Baron, and now Cecil questions his loyalty to the crown and ultimately decides he must do something about it.His journey will lead him not only to do what's right, but to eventually save the world.

The story is told through on screen text that's been redone to give the game a better feel as well as some dramatic cutscenes.There are even moments of voice acting in some of the games more dramatic moments.The voice acting and fantastic cutscenes help to flesh out the characters, who remain some of the most memorable in the series.

Battling is one of the best parts of Final Fantasy IV.It uses the ATB battle system, which means that the flow of battle is fast paced.Every character has an ATB gauge that must fill up before they can take an action.Every character also has unique standalone abilities to help you out.Tellah can use his "Recall" to cast spells he's forgotten, Rosa can pray and heal allies, Rydia can summon beasts.There are a ton of characters who join you, each with their own unique ability.However, when characters depart (as several will come and go throughout the story) they'll leave behind Augments to teach characters their abilities.Unfortunately you can only teach it once.Once a character learns it, they can't forget it or teach it to another character.Augments are more than just abilities departing characters used.There are also augments for standalone abilities like Auto-Potion and Counter.It's a good system that really forces the player to consider strategy.And you'll need to keep your wits about you, as Final Fantasy IV is a very hard game.

Final Fantasy IV has often been said to be one of the hardest RPGs ever made.Apparently Square-Enix took pride in that, as Final Fantasy IV DS is even harder than the original game.There's a strong need for strategy throughout Final Fantasy IV.The bosses in particular are brutal.Even those who mastered Final Fantasy IV time and time again will find this game to be very challenging.If you began with later installments (in particular, the Playstation games), Final Fantasy IV is a rude awakening.

When not battling, you'll be trumping through dungeons.The bottom screen of the DS displays a map of the dungeon.Uncover all of it and you'll get a reward.Usually an item that can be used.Final Fantasy IV also allows you to roam around using the stylus, but it feels like an after thought.

There's a lot of new stuff in Final Fantasy IV.The game has new secrets, new sidequests and new optional bosses for the gamer to tackle.It also has a new unique summon for Rydia called Whyt.Whyt, when summoned, basically takes Rydia's place in battle and uses the abilities learned by all the characters in your party.You can't control Whyt, however.You can raise Whyt's stats by participating in a series of mini-games, most of which are simple, but they're also not a whole lot of fun.It's necessary to bring out the best in Whyt, however.One neat thing about Whyt, however, is that if you power him up enough, you can go and battle friends online and see who has the stronger one.

Visually, Final Fantasy IV is easily one of the best looking games on the DS.The towns and environments all have the same layout as the original game, but they all look better than ever.The monsters in battle are equally impressive as are the games many cinematic moments.Some of the game looks a little pixelated in some spots, but it doesn't separate from the fact that its amazing looking.Final Fantasy IV DS is a visual masterpiece.If there was anything about the graphics to gripe about, it would be that the character models look a little too cute.This is especially strange when one considers the dark story and mature themes that Final Fantasy IV tackles.Regardless, it's still a beautiful game.

In addition to that, much of the music is reworked and sounds better than ever.Most of the voice acting is quite good.The voices themselves really fit for the characters.There are some instances where the voice work isn't as good as it could be, but it's still very memorable.

Final Fantasy IV DS is how an old school Final Fantasy should be done.It's old school charm comes out a lot (particularly in the difficulty), but at least Final Fantasy IV gets more than just a facelift.With new quests, story sequences, an ability system and a refined script, Final Fantasy IV is worth picking up even if you played the original to death.This is how Final Fantasy IV was meant to be played.If you haven't played Final Fantasy IV, this is a good version to pick up.If you have, it's worth reliving again.



Click Here to see more reviews about: Final Fantasy IV