Xbox Game reviews [Archive]

useless

15-12-2006, 09:55 AM

Well here go some little info I know about what I played recently :

Rainbow Six : Vegas

Ubisoft's proper sequel to the previously horrible Lockdown game.

Using the UE3 engine for a great tactical FPS with big emphasis into the use of a flexible cover system which is critical in your success. Control over two teammates during the storyline campaign is seamless via a one button context sensitive approach to commands. Ie. running your aim reticule will change the order command to be given to the teammates in question.

With a realistic arsenal ranging from flashbangs, shotguns, SMGs, assault rifles, breach charges, thermal imaging & IR goggles you are truly kitted to take on the terrorists wherever they may be.

Multiplayer is where the game shines. Playing on LIVE allows your character to work through ranks which in turn provide a wealth of unlocks ranging from armor, weapons and camo to outfit your character. Various game modes range from COOP to Team matches throughout 10 maps.

Overall if you enjoy tactical shooters where flanking maneuvers and the element of surprise is your trump card, then you will enjoy this.

My score 8/10. :)

Krygerleeu

15-12-2006, 10:50 AM

IAfrica's got a good game reviews section. Also, you can go to metacritic, and click on games, xbox 360, and get a good idea of the critical consensus about games.

martin

15-12-2006, 11:40 AM

NHL 2K7

Pros
- Lots of fun for a bunch of friends sitting around one television
- Supports up to four players
- Great selection of teams (NHL and international)
- Pretty cool soundtrack
- Various gameplay modes (pond hockey is my favourite)

Cons
- Controls take some getting used to
- Graphics could be better (it's not terrible though)
- Lacks a decent training/tutorial mode

Score: 6.5/10

Pitbull

15-12-2006, 11:43 AM

martin

15-12-2006, 12:05 PM

I'm surprised that nobody's reviewed Gears of War yet. I'd do it but I've only played it off and on for about an hour. So far it's awesome.

Pitbull

15-12-2006, 12:07 PM

I'm surprised that nobody's reviewed Gears of War yet. I'd do it but I've only played it off and on for about an hour. So far it's awesome.

I also only looked at myne. Never played as yet.

lilDeath

15-12-2006, 12:08 PM

I'm surprised that nobody's reviewed Gears of War yet. I'd do it but I've only played it off and on for about an hour. So far it's awesome.

I also only looked at myne. Never played as yet.
Give bwana or GavinMannion a chance ;) They'll be here shortly. :D

Pitbull

15-12-2006, 12:09 PM

Give bwana or GavinMannion a chance ;) They'll be here shortly. :D

True.

bwana

15-12-2006, 12:26 PM

Give bwana or GavinMannion a chance ;) They'll be here shortly. :DI'll leave that up to GavinMannion then - I'm not nearly eloquent enough to do the game justice.

lilDeath

15-12-2006, 12:30 PM

Give bwana or GavinMannion a chance ;) They'll be here shortly. :D

I'll leave that up to GavinMannion then - I'm not nearly eloquent enough to do the game justice.
*sjoe*

Am I glad I put the "or" in there ;)

Pitbull

15-12-2006, 12:30 PM

I'll leave that up to GavinMannion then - I'm not nearly eloquent enough to do the game justice.

Hi Bwana

I PM'd Antowan asking if this could be a sticky..... Would this be possible ?

GavinMannion

15-12-2006, 02:04 PM

I'll leave that up to GavinMannion then - I'm not nearly eloquent enough to do the game justice.

Oh no talking about being dumped in it...... I ignored it because I hoped someone else will....

Pitbull: How on earth have you not played it yet?????

Gears of War aka GOW

EPIC's first game for the Xbox 360 and possibly the best they have ever produced.

This is very different from every other game that EPIC have produced. There previous claim to fame was Unreal Tournament which is fast paced and action packed. However GOW is much more tactical and realistic.

In GOW cover is your ultimate friend. If you run into a battle with all guns blazing you are going to fail miserably. You need to use the cover provided to strategically attack and wipe out the horde of locusts.

In terms of graphics no other FPS (okay it's more like 3rd person shooter) comes close. Even on my low end TV the lighting and textures are amazing. They say on a HDTV it is mind blowing.

Most reviews claim the game is short but don't let that distract you. It is plenty long enough in single player and in multiplayer it is just addictive.

In multiplayer you team up with 3 other COGS (Humans) against 4 other locusts. Teamwork is the name of the game. If you don't talk to each other you are going to get creamed. You need to plan and ambush your opponents to win this game.

When playing multiplayer once you have 'killed' the opponent he is not actually dead just waiting to be healed by a team mate., You then need to get over to him and "curb stomp" his skull into next week. Nothing is more satisfying :). This small added extra gets rid of most campers in the game who generally ruin these sorts of games.

Their netcode is fantastic and even with my average iBurst connection local games are flawless and international games are generally playable.

If you own an Xbox you have to own GOW. It is as simple as that.

My score 9.5/10.

lilDeath

15-12-2006, 03:32 PM

AH ... thx for obliging GM and bwana for 'passing the buck' :D

Pitbull

18-12-2006, 07:32 AM

Hi Guys

I have'nt played this game much as yet but here it goes.

This game is another in the Tom Clancy's range. As you can expect this is a very well constructed game line.

This is in no way in the same league as R6 Las Vegas or R6 Ravenshield. However this is non the less a great game too. I struggled a bit getting used to the controls and the commands but once you get that sorted it's all good.

A nice feature is the futuristic weapons and gagets.
If your going to by a game on this type of platform I would rather suggest you get R6 Las Vegas, on the flip side of the coin if you've got R6 Las Vegas you might want to get Ghost Recon to top-up your Tom Clancy range.

6/10

(Pls Note that there is a warning on the console not to move the console while the disc is running. I can confirm that i Messed up my COD3 disc doing the stupid deed of moving my console. Pls Pls Pls listen to the warnings)

Another R 500 just to finish the last chapter
* Slap my self on the head very hard*

martin

20-12-2006, 12:19 PM

MotoGP 06

Cornering is really tough and at times it seems almost impossible in this game. That'll probably be the first thought entering your mind as you start out with a quick race. Regret for buying this title may perhaps follow shortly. If you've ever been on a decent road bike you'll know that there are only two things that matter: insane acceleration and corners. You'll also know that cornering especially can take some practice.

So start with a career in single player mode. Once you complete the training and move onto the challenges section you'll fall in love with this game. Each track that you race on in career mode also has challenges associated with it for you to complete. These include things like late braking, negotiating a series of tough corners in a given time period and trailing a computer rider around a track and finishing within one second of him. Some of these challenges are really tough but you gain invaluable experience from them.

As you improve and you take that perfect line into a corner or out-brake your opponent you're left with a very rewarding gaming experience. You may also gain some new found respect for the guys that race on these bikes for a living.

Pros:
- Up to four players using split-screen
- Bikes and riding kits are customizable
- Credits are awarded as challenges and races are completed which can be used to improve you top speed, acceleration, braking and cornering
- Plenty of unlocks
- All the riders and teams from the 05 and 06 season
- Overall an extremely rewarding experience

Cons:
- Learning curve may seem steep to people new to the genre
- Judging from other games, graphics could probably have been even better

Score: 8/10

P.S. Look and Listen is selling this title for R290. It's in the R500 region just about everywhere else.

Pitbull

20-12-2006, 12:22 PM

Pitbull

24-12-2006, 09:09 AM

Hi Guys

I have to be honest.... This game kept me nailed to the TV screen a whole two days straight. This is all you would expect from WWE and more. I'm not a real fan of the TV show but hell this game has me junkied.... You have 3 game player modes. Season You take on the role of a WWE superstar and play for various titles (This is what I have been playing for two days straight. Still no end in sight) General Manager You become the GM of the show... Make matches, and keep the viewers happy. PPV Pay-Per-View. Haven't checked this option yes but I'll sure as heel give you an update as soon as I do.

Cons:
. Like any Sport game the commentary gets annoying. The same comments all the time
. The loading time in-between matches takes about 1 - 2 minutes (This is very very annoying)

For Game play and GFX
9/10

All-round
7/10

Price R 476.00 (Hifi-Corp)

doobiwan

04-01-2007, 09:08 AM

Burnout Revenge

To **** with licensed cars, physics and well anything that could insinuate there's anything realistic about this game.

The action is fast, the crashes are furious and the soundtrack is one of the best around. And more multiplayer modes than you can shake a stick at and you've got a fun, fast adrenaline pumping arcade racer. I love it.

It didn't win racer of the year for nothing.

martin

04-01-2007, 01:22 PM

NaZKuL

04-01-2007, 01:26 PM

Well..
i dont have an xbox, but i've played for the following games on a 42" HD plasma:

Quake 4: excellent game play, prefer mouse on computer, but i'm still learning:o
PGR: brilliant graphics, multiplayer fun:)
Ghost recon: uhmmm... its a good game, but splitting a multiplayer game on a 42" is weird:o

I want an XBOX!!!:rolleyes:

a-person

05-01-2007, 03:13 PM

Gears of War is incredible...but have you played Dead Rising?

It's like taking the best zombie movie you ever saw and making it interactive...it's really really good with plenty of replay value.

Oh and one more thing...get a friend with another XBox and play GoW cooperatively....it's so much fun.

doobiwan

05-01-2007, 03:34 PM

Score? :D

I don't like to give ratings because each persons perspective is different. But if held against a wall and threatened with 30 hours of non stop Britney Spears, it gets a "Just buy it" on my scale (http://wiiza.blogspot.com/2006/12/weekly-review-roundup-review.html).

saffakanera

06-01-2007, 01:09 PM

ok these are the games i have and my views on them.

Saints Row: Gta port, lacks the cult quality and overall sexiness of gta, kinda like the difference between a pimped Datsun bakkie doing 300kmh and a Lamborgini doing 300kmh

Topspin Tennis 2: Great multiplayer game, fun for 2 people, stay the hell away from single player!

Madden 07: The greatest damn game on earth.

Gears of War: Possibly greater than the greatest game on earth, this game really is great, greater than the latter even, stop the press!

Enchanted Arms: First game including a full blown homosexual character, its ok but would you be able to grind games for 4 hours with your moms hair stylist "Quan"? SPOILER WARNING: ITS TURNBASED Final fantasy style so expect to be attacked every 4 metres of running!

Tomb Raider: Legends. 16 year old: man this game rocks!
22 year old: dude are you serious? wheres the beer
lets rock some Madden this game sucks!

Rainbow Six: Las Vegas: Very lekker game, tried it on my SDTV and concluded that this game should never ever touch a tube TV, you will not know what the hell is going on.

Fifa 07: You have to be a soccer fan to enjoy this, no clue why i bought this game, no clue at all, played it for 5 minutes, its collecting dust, the graphics are iffy and the gameplay sucks, its the same as Fiffa 83, yep, still the same.

Fight Night 3: Fun game but the repetition gets to you, punching somebody for 20 minutes straight can get to you, nice knockout cutscenes though, if you have a fetish for ragdoll physics then buy this game.

Test Drive Unlimited: Its an ok game, Sims meets (Insert car game) Be advised that this is NOT GT for the ps2 (3), if you actually plan on spending money for a car game my chips are raised for Froza Motorsport 2, im hearing some good things. Test Drive has lots of cars though, im currently trying to unlock the bikes, not trying really hard though, heard the bikes handle like tripeds on acid...

martin

11-01-2007, 02:48 PM

Fifa '07

I'm a huge fan of soccer. I love watching it and playing it.... except when it's Fifa '07 on the xbox 360. The main problem is that it's not much fun to play. EA have made a soccer simulation when they should have made a soccer game. The controls are iffy and the graphics are subpar for the 360.

There are usually two to four of us playing this game and this is what usually happens: we start a game, someone loses their temper at the game yet again and we end up switching over to NHL. At first we were convinced that we just needed to practise more - we've now spent quite some time on it and nobody's really interested in playing it anymore.

Pros:
- Huge selection of leagues and teams
- Commentary is pretty good

Cons:
- Controls
- Graphics
- Game is not much fun

Score: 4/10

If you want a fun sport game to play with your buddies, you're better off with NHL in my opinion.

BCO

11-01-2007, 03:32 PM

Rock Star Table Tennis:

Quick learning curve, intuitive controls, addictive gameplay table tennis (lol)

7.5/10

Elder Scrolls Oblivion: Stopped playing after 10 minutes. Boring as hell, clunky menu system and generally un-user friendly interface, weird looking character models. Most disappointing game I've ever played.

1/10

GavinMannion

11-01-2007, 03:34 PM

Hmm I was about to go and get a copy of Oblivion, is it a RPG type game? It never appealed to me but I thought the wife might enjoy it. What is the game play like?

BCO

11-01-2007, 03:36 PM

Slow. I guess a lot of people like depth in their RPG's, but I just find Oblivion unbelievably convoluted in just about every aspect.

I'm gonna rather get Marvel Ultimate Alliance for some hack and slash RPG action. Much more fun, I think, and you can play up to 4 ppl at once.

Roman4604

14-01-2007, 11:29 AM

Not quite a game review but ...

Got tired of negotiating with family for TV time, so bought the XBOX 360 HD VGA Cable, and moved XBOX to my study.

To truly appreciate how good the graphics in Gears of War are you have to see it running at 1280 x 1024 on a large flat screen PC CRT monitor. Picture just looks sharper, smoother and more natural than say a 32' LCD TV running 720p

Highly recommended ... Score 10/10.

GougedEye

15-01-2007, 07:40 AM

That kindof depends on the LCD in question.

useless

15-01-2007, 08:41 AM

/Off topic.

1280x1024 is 5:4 ratio. All X360 games look best @ 16:9 ratio resolution, though consider all PC widescreen LCDs are 16:10.

IMO any 32" LCD looks better simply coz its bigger and you can enjoy your sofa! :p

BCO

15-01-2007, 08:54 AM

/agreed with useless. I'm playing on 720p on a 32" TV and it looks awesome. Even if it looks better on a PC monitor, you lose the joy of playing on the couch.

Sorry about OT.

Roman4604

15-01-2007, 11:16 AM

That kindof depends on the LCD in question.In my case an LG 32' LCD in a store I go past often, it just looks more 'artifical'.

1280x1024 is 5:4 ratio. All X360 games look best @ 16:9 ratio resolution, though consider all PC widescreen LCDs are 16:10.Althought the XBOX syncs the screen to 1280x1024 (i.e. the XBOX menu's use whole res) the games still run at right aspect ratio. GoW uses less than 1024 lines to maintain correct aspect as there is a slight letterbox effect (i.e. black areas top & bottom, like with DVD player on SDTV).

IMO any 32" LCD looks better simply coz its bigger and you can enjoy your sofa! :pWell my office chair is more comfy than my sofa, and since you sit right in front of a monitor (2-3 feet) there is no perception of it being small and the level of distance detail you pick up is awesome.

Anyways here's a 2nd opinion on it (reason for my purchase) ... http://hardware.teamxbox.com/reviews/xbox-360/40/Xbox-360-VGA-HD-AV-Cable/p1/ (note: with latest SW updates from Live 1920x1200 is also avaliable now).

useless

15-01-2007, 12:26 PM

1. LCDs in stores dont display HD content 99% of the time. ;)

2. Letterbox effect is normal for most games which dont support any other display ratio other than 16:9. Thus on a regular 5:4 LCD you have unused display space. I would reccommend you purchase/trade in your LCD for a widescreen model since they are quite affordable now.

3. I mentioned the sofa simply coz i get buddies popping along for some split-screen action at times. But when i get kicked out from the lounge i resort to my trusty 19" WS LCD. :)

Roman4604

15-01-2007, 12:49 PM

1. LCDs in stores dont display HD content 99% of the time. ;)I meant one with an XBOX 360 connected to it for demo'ing (looks like running 720p).

I would reccommend you purchase/trade in your LCD for a widescreen model since they are quite affordable now.My problem with LCDs is, if they're not running native res, they have that fuzzy out-of-focus look to the image. The only WS LCD monitor res'es you can get are 1440x900, 1680x1050 & 1920x1200. Except for the last one, which is too expensive, the XBOX cant match those res'es and your going to get that blurred look from the scaling.

On a flat screen CRT monitor the image is always ultra sharp no matter what res.

useless

15-01-2007, 01:32 PM

Ah, but are you sure it was connected via component or VGA at least? At Rage all X360's were connected via S-video to the Samsung LCDs by the idiot promo people.

On my 19" LCD you notice stretching only in some games, I suppose it depends how these games are actually designed to handle 720p. LCD native resolutions are currently the only drawback when compared to CRT's. Pity there are no widescreen CRTs.

I think we have hijacked this thread too much so if you want to continue i suggest we create our own or we will get booted. ;)

Electrra

17-01-2007, 05:15 PM

oblivion is not as bad as blue made it out to be

The world is very vast and for someone who enjoys questing and exploring and developing their character, then it is a great game to play.

The interface does take a bit of getting used to on the xbox and certainly would be more intuitive using a keyboard and mouse but you do become familliar with it in a relatively short time.
There is also a certain amount of 'admin' to do in terms of managing your character - but for someone like me who is used to playing paper and dice rpgs this is all rather normal.
I would recommend that you do a bit of online research on how to maximise your skills and levelling as the world adapts to your increased stats.

Character developement is also very broad and there are numerous options on how to play. Custom characters can also be created with full customisation of looks and stats.

There are elements of it that are a bit of time sink - especially if you are playing the numbers (and not just for fun!) - certain skills will require time and "grinding", pretty much like WOW. E.g. the alchemy skill requires collection of herbs from across the world map, certain equipment, certain skill level and time to mix ingredients. Also the load times are very long. They do try to keep you entertained by displaying some useful tips during loading.

Although there is a main quest there are also a number of side quests, many of which are only available to certain character manifestations e.g. theives, mages or evil characters. The game play also has a number of minigames like persuation or lockpicking.

It is a very deep and immersive game, with many possibilities.
If you enjoy a game that will bring you many hours of explorative, questing and challenging game play then I do recommend it.

Rating: 7/10

useless

18-01-2007, 07:52 AM

PES 6

Having played FIFA07 when it was released I wasnt expecting a large difference with PES 6. But lo and behold, its soccer but way better than I expected!

True that in the licensing department PES has never been too strong, now you have a few more extra teams than in the previous edition with some notable English clubs being readily available in their full real life glory. There are a variety of European clubs also present which have some of their best teams faithfully licensed.

Game presentation is via its typical menu, not clunky and easy to flip through. Basic gameplay modes fall into Quick Match, League Match, Master League Match, Cup Matches and Xbox Live. The great thing is that you have quite a few options within which you can carry out these Leagues to your own liking, be it from adjusting the time, AI level to team content.

Graphically the game has been polished from PES5 for the X360 but its not on par with FIFA07's sleek presentation. One nice aspect is that widescreen support is finally available, although it still lacks on the PC version. Go figure.

Playability is PES' big saving grace, the sheer control you have over your players is staggering. Be it in terms of player control, ball control, free kicks, formations, strategy which can be adjusted to fit specific players in the field and on the field adjustments made on the fly depending on the game's situation. In comparison to FIFA07 the gameplay is less sticky and more fluid. Ball control is precise and players also behave a tad more realistically.

Online gameplay is solid although when playing International players on a shaped line will bring lag into the equation. Thus its best to find local players or host the game yourself.

Overall PES6 is an enjoyable soccer experience which brings it into the simulation level. FIFA07 is not a bad game, and for playing against a buddy who's visiting its a shorter learning curve.

My score : 8/10

useless

22-01-2007, 08:16 AM

Lost Planet

The latest entry from Capcom into the shooter market finally arrived in SA over the weekend after a few delays.

I presume quite a few people have played the single & multiplayer demos which were available on LIVE for quite a while now. Just in case I will summarize the game's scope :

Humanity has moved on from a crusty Earth and settled on EDN III, an icy planet where some nasty residents whoop humanity until its discoverd these same aliens harness the basis for humanity's survival - Thermal Energy. This causes the humans to do a U-turn and attemtp to claim the planet to themselves.

In the game you fulfill the role of Wayne, a survivor from an encounter with an Akrid mega-monster found by a band of snow pirates.

Graphics :

Snow is what you will see most of the time, but the effect is never boring or dull. Akrid's appearing from underground, invading snow pirates bases and underground caves are part of many a mission. The Akrid are very well detailed with their soft spots visible, explosion effects are far some of the best I've seen on a console. Some of the terrain is deformable but mostly noted during online matches. You get the best visual splendor on a HD TV set but I think on a SDTV its also up to par with other games.

Gameplay :

Having 13 missions to complete on 3 difficulty settings plus an unlockable Extreme mode should lengthen the solo game which spans between 7-9 hours depending how meticulous you are. You can only carry 2 weapons at a time thus making the game a bit more tactical on your approach.You also get to pilot Mechs labelled as VS units which have varying firepower. One cool aspect of the game is that you can actually REMOVE the weapons on any mech and use it! Gattling gun FTW! :D

The biggest plus for this game is its online component. With four game modes : Team Elimination, Elimination, Post Grab & Fugitive with up to 16 players its a blast. Plus add the promotion experience levels, unlockable costumes and medal achievements you got a solid MP to play.

Overall if you enjoy shooters with a solid multiplayer base you will enjoy this game. No split-screen or COOP might shun away players but there is plenty in the game anyhow.

My score 8/10.

Kritic

01-02-2007, 04:24 PM

9.5/10

Great Game!

Enjoyed every moment of it. Rushed home every day after work, to continue the game. Fear was another good one, but GOW is definitely up a level in this nex gen gaming.

well done epic, from unreal to GOW.

:D

lord_spaceman

02-02-2007, 01:05 PM

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance

I was reluctant to buy this title, but I'm very happy I did. I should be finished this one with the next day or so, so I feel I can write a quick review about it.

Gameplay 8/10
Although the game can be a button masher at times, it's really a blast. You get to build a team of 4 Marvel superheroes, which out of the 4, you control 1 at all times - you are allowed to swap between any 1 of the four at anytime you like. It's got an RPG element to it, so you can upgrade your Marvel superheroes like stats, items and your usual RPG stuff. The RPG element is more like Gauntlet than say Diablo or Baulders Gate, but still simple enough to please both RPG and non-RPG fans. The gameplay is very addictive.

Graphics 7/10
Because the game was ported to every console currently available, I don't think the graphics are what they should be (even they though it is pretty damn good) and could be better (call me fussy). For the Xbox 360 version, they have been 'pretty-ed' up and look a lot better than any version out there.

Sound 9/10
The voice acting in this game is excellent and each Marvel character sounds just like they should and there are A LOT of Marvel characters in this game. The music is also very catchy and I'd actually go so far as to say 'memorable'.

Extras 8/10
There is sooo much to unlock in this game. Each character has 4 costumes to unlock and there are quite a few unlockable characters and a ***** lot of comic book covers, missions, load screen art and movies to unlock.

The Verdict
Definitely a good buy. The story, gameplay and everything about it is good and if you are a Marvel fan, you will love this game even more. If not, you will still enjoy it. The amount of Marvel trivia in this game is immense and you will learn a lot.

Total Score 8/10

antowan

25-02-2007, 06:09 PM

MotoGP 06

Cons:
- Learning curve may seem steep to people new to the genre
- Judging from other games, graphics could probably have been even better

On normal tv it is just plain crappy IMO. I bought the VGA adapted and after upping the resolution and playing on LCD the game looks a million times better. It doesn't translate well into low res for some reason, but as I said, on LCD it looks damn crisp and realistic. Lovely game, but helluva difficult at first.

Creed

01-03-2007, 12:41 AM

Dead Rising

This is survival horror meets GTA.

It is basically a dawn of the dead game. You get to kill zombies, lots and lots of zombies.The game has a very high replayability value bacause of the open ended nature of the game, something like 5 endings and the way u can constantly restart the game.

Dead Rising allows players to save their current level and status, and restart the game from the beginning as a more powerful player.The zombies don't get any stronger and u can eventually disembowel them with your bare hands :D

There are many different weapons you can use and some of my favourites are the chainsaw, katana, machete,excavator and the lawnmower of death.

You can also mix different types of drinks to get better health potions, u can heat up frying pans to inflict more damage and throw oil on the steps and see zombies slide down.

There are loads of skills to learn like zombie walking(walking on their shoulders over large crowds of zobies) and achievements like Zombie Genocider where u have to kill all the zombies(53,594)

U have a camera so u can take memorable pics to earn points that help u level faster.

There is simply too much to put into a review but this is a awesome game.

This is a very violent and graphic game and has been banned in Germany.

I give it 9.5/10 Would have been 10/10 if it wasn't such a pain in the arse to save.

Roman4604

05-03-2007, 11:46 AM

COD3

If you like 2nd world war 1st Person shooters this is a must have
...
08/10Am finding CoD3 a bit dull. Nothing particularly wrong, graphics & sound are great, levels are well designed and varied.

Just has nothing truely exciting to offer ... maybe I've just played too many WWIIs or been spoilt by GoW ... 6/10.

martin

12-03-2007, 01:18 PM

Crackdown

I was slightly underwhelmed by this game when I saw my housemate playing it - that quickly changed when I got a chance to sit down with it. It's a GTA style game with some nice twists.

Things I like:
- You're an agent working with peacekeepers (the police), so for a change the police is on your side but they do get pissed off at you occasionally (don't shoot at them) and will fire on you, luckily they are forgiving and don't seem to hold a grudge for very long.
- You have five areas in which you can level-up (RPG style):
1. Agility - allows you to perform insane spiderman-like jumps from building to building
2. Driving - allows to drive cars faster
3. Strength - allows you to eventually pick and throw cars around, also allows you to kill gang members with one kick
4. Explosives - allows the blast radius of your grenades to increase
5. Firearms - allows you to shoot more accurately
- Handling of the cars just feels better than it did in Saint's Row and GTA
- The gameplay is just really fun
- The weapons, especially the shotgun and M16
- The graphics. I didn't like the style much to start out with but it gives the game a comic feel which just fits in really well with the gameplay
- The feeling of vertigo you get when scaling a tall building, my buddy mentioned this as well, we like it

Things I dislike:
- Auto-targeting can be a pain at times
- The mini-map could be better
- You can only kick in the game, it would be nice to throw a punch every now and then
- The neighbourhoods controlled by the different gangs look pretty much the same
- No bikes. I would have loved to see a bike in this game

If ever there was a game that had the potential of capturing the concept of 'The Matrix', it would probably be this one (with a few tweaks of course).

Score: 9/10

useless

13-03-2007, 08:36 AM

Battlestations Midway

Being an avid wargames fan I expected the release of this title with some skepticism as it has a very ambitious scope in terms of units you control and the missions you carry out.

Needless to say after reading reviews and buying a 2nd hand copy I give my kudos to Eidos and the developer team for creating such an easy to get into but hard to master game.

You do feel overwhelmed initially when you sit and read the manual, I mean controlling planes, dive bombers, torpedo bombers, carriers, battleships, cruisers and submarines all at once in some missions seems too much to handle. However, if you take it easy and dwelve into the game via the tutorial missions and single player campaign you will really enjoy this title. A few challenge missions and online gameplay also are part of the main attraction for this game, but finding local players is a tad hard. So unless you host a session and get a couple of UK/EU players to join it seems to offer the best lag-free experience.

Graphics - 9/10

All units are beautifully rendered and with great decal work. Even ships and planes show some lovely rust work when viewed up close. Islands and underwater sequences are captivating enough not to be too obtrusive into the gameplay. Explosions, torpedo wakes and dogfights can easily fill up your screen in some of the largest engagements you will encounter in the game.

Gameplay/Control - 9/10

Doing the tutorials gives you the necessary skills in which you will master fleet control, sub tactics, plane mastery and gunnery know-how which are vital before going into the later missions of the game and the single player challenges. Overall its quite simply amazing how using a joypad made the game so manageable. In the flight sequences you might be inclined to alter the R & L sticks settings depending on your taste of what you want to control in the plane's mechanics during the game.

Difficulty settings are also present and missions can be re-run on a different setting once completed.

Sound - 9/10

Gunfire, dive bomber's steep whine as they dive, depth charges stalking your sub and countless other sound FX give great atmoshpere to this game. No complaints in this deparment and works best if you have surround sound speakers to hear the Zero flyby behind your plane. ;)

Extras - 8/10

Achievements and medals abound in this title, plus some hidden objectives within the missions and the future downloadable content could increase the lifespan of this game.

Overall - 9/10

A great war game which doesnt bog you down with too much realism and too much management nitti-gritty. Once the action gets goings its just hectic as in a real war. Tactics will make you win and having a basic know-how of the units you control does aid you considerably. The single player aspect could be short for some but replayability via the difficulty settings and the hidden objectives plus a great online aspect make the game a worthwile purchase.

nocilah

21-03-2007, 01:30 AM

dead or alive 4

i will admit i have always wanted a console for the fighting titles. I bought this game with no real idea of what it would be like and i am not unhappy that i bought it.

Overall i am pleased with the game, but i still think Tekken is the ultimate fighting game but doubt that will ever come out for Xbox.

Graphics and Sound
Well since this was the first game I popped into my XBox it completely blew me away. Absolutely stunning... dynamic backdrops albeit the dinosaur one is a bit cheesy.

Sound seems okay, considering i am running through my TV so cant really comment. Enough to add to the game

Gameplay/Control
Anyone in to fighting games will know controls are of uptomost importance and i think they manage it pretty well in this game. I am sure there are some insane combo's to learn, but the moment you are in the game it is easy enough to get by until you do learn more complicated moves.

Gameplay
You can choose from various modes: Sparring, Story, Time Based, Tag and another few. Dont expect anything special in terms of a sotry line or anything this is about kickin the **** out of your opponent. Loads of fun and extremely addictive playing against someone else with a great balance of counter moves vs attacks ect.

Loads of characters to choose from and the characters themselves are rendered incredibly well and once you get into fighting can become maddly intense.

Okay I suck at game reviews but my overall score is 8.5/10. Definitely for the fighter fan.

Luke7777

21-03-2007, 07:19 AM

Some nice reviews here. Why don't you transfer it to the Review section (http://mybroadband.co.za/reviews/showcat.php/cat/13) ?

nocilah

21-03-2007, 02:29 PM

Gears of War. oh my fark what a great game.

martin

16-04-2007, 02:52 PM

Guitar Hero 2

I share a home with 3 musicians (two of the three studied music), an almost fulltime gamer :) and a guy and girl who both never showed any real interest in the xbox. When Guitar Hero was delivered last Friday all six of the above were curious about the big box but started laughing at me as soon as I took out the guitar controller. Only the gamer had heard about Guitar Hero prior to it being delivered. We're seven people in total and I was the only one excited, the rest thought it a waste of time.

They all watched as I started a Quickplay game. This is the order in which my housemates fell:
- The guy who hadn't shown much interest in the xbox watched me play a few songs and was the first to ask if he could try it out. He loved it.
- The hardcore gamer left almost immediately because he thought it looked boring. He was back before long and also wanted to try it out after hearing the other guy rave about it.
- The first of the three musicians came in shortly afterwards also wanting to 'try it out quickly'. He joined us for the rest of the evening.
- The girl who had never touched the xbox tried it out next and we had to fight her to get a chance to play again.
- The second musician fell shortly afterwards. He decided that if the others liked it so much it might be worth playing.
- The third musician (and probably the most accomplished) held out till Sunday, saying the game was for wannabe rock stars. I caught him playing it on Sunday evening when he thought everyone was still out. He sheepishly admitted that he had played it the entire afternoon. He didn't want to admit that he loved the game, he merely stated that he thought 'it was a good way to practise timing and coordination'.

Pros:
- Tons and tons of fun
- Easy, medium, hard & expert mode means a lot of replayability
- Great songs

Cons
- The whammy bar wasn't working properly until we dowloaded an update for the game from xbox live.
- It's going to be so difficult to get a chance to play xbox from now on
Added:
- You will very likely never see the xbox again once the wife figures out how the game works
- You may suffer from various arm, finger and lower back injuries caused by extensive play so make sure your medical aid is fully paid up before you buy this game

Score: 9/10

useless

16-04-2007, 02:58 PM

Nice review Martin, you could also add another Con into the review as never to show this game to your wife. I have practically lost access to my X360 since Thursday. Sigh...

BCO

16-04-2007, 03:02 PM

Awesome review Martin. I took my GH2 and 2 guitars to a braai on Saturday where it was quite a hit.

The only real con I have is that I've developed "guitar hero arm". I have an extremely sore left arm. Also, I get a sore lower back for standing in my "power stance" for hours on end.

martin

16-04-2007, 03:06 PM

doobiwan

16-04-2007, 03:09 PM

I recommend you take a squashball to work and work on your finger strength ;)

WeaponX

29-04-2007, 03:37 PM

Anyone got Brian Lara 2007? I want to get it, just not sure if the gameplay and physics are realistic enough. Hated EA Cricket 05 for that reason, still played it for couple of years though. I dont really care bout the gfx and sound, and the lack of real player names etc.

nrg_wp

29-04-2007, 04:06 PM

GOW, 10 out of 10... only single/co-op i ever played more than 2 times complete.

Lost planet 8/10... no depth, story or co-op, but a blast for brainless fun.. bit easy tho

PGR3 7.5/10 , great game to get classic for lotsa drifting

doobiwan

30-04-2007, 09:45 AM

@W..X

I downloaded the demo off Live, I recommend you do the same. I've seen some great reviews on it, but the presentation is abysmal.

WeaponX

30-04-2007, 12:04 PM

nocilah

01-05-2007, 11:53 AM

Test Drive Unlimited (Xbox 360)

I know there has been a main thread about it, but i would like to create a short review of my experience with this awesome game.

After read many reviews of the game vs PGR3 i was conned into buying PGR3 which in itself is an awesome game but you can not begin to compare the two games.

PGR3 is a racing game (a damn good one too) where Test Drive Unlimited(TDU) is a driving game.

The first thing about TDU that you take notice of is the scale of the world. It is HUGE. HUGER then any racing game I have played. It takes place on an Island which has many towns and lots of roads with varying environments. To drive from one end of the island to the other end is a long drive, with one of the races being 180km long.

If you have played NFS most wanted you get a great idea of the free roam/ free ride environment that TDU offers, although TDU being bigger and taking place during the day.

The amount of cars available in TDU is mind boggling and with great differences between each car. I was a bit disappointed with the lack of customization for each car, however there are certain car's which you can customise, but nothing like NFS Most wanted.

If you decide to partake online with Xbox Live it does not disrrupt your gameplay which i thought was cool. The game seamlessly merges with online play where in free drive mode you can race other online players however you still have the ability to play solo mode competitions and challenges, with the added bonus of online challenges.

I will admit the game crashed several times when i played online, but i am almost certain this has to do with iBurst and not the game as it does not appear to be a common problem.

You can also purchase motorbikes in the game which i think they have dealt with in a phenomenal manner in terms of control. When i first bought a motor nike the controls freaked me out, but since i have gotten used to them i must admit... one of the best depictions or moto bike sim i have encountered.

In free drive mode if you cause too much crap on the road the cops do come after you which can prove to be a little challenging when trying to get away depending on the vehicle you are driving.

I will admit my fingers are crippled because of this game and right now i want to play it, but i need to give my hands a rest. I even had to replace batteries in my xbox controller cuz of over use of this game.

In short, if you looking for a game that is not strictly racing where you do get an opportunity to take your ride for a er... ride this is the game. The 'career' seems to be a long one with lots of interesting challenges and lots of goals to reach.

anyway i am waffling.

Graphics: 9/10 (car models are absolutely awesome)
Sound: 7/10 ( i felt they could have made more effort here)
Controls: 8/10 (at first i struggled but eventually got the hand of it)
Game Play: 9/10 (my fingers are freaking sore)

In short the game is worth the cash and will keep you entertained for hours.

doobiwan

02-05-2007, 11:29 AM

Unfortunately i am on dial-up and as such do not have Live, for a few more months at least. Iv also read a few reviews but they all not clear enough about it. I think il buy it anyway how bad can it be if it gets mid-70 ratings on average.

Funny thing happened yesterday . . . ;) I was at Canal Walk - they have a whole 360 demo thing going and on one of the kiosks they had BLC, and in HD it doesn't actually look half as bad as on my SDTV. On my telly, there looks as if there's almost no shadow detail, but the HD Samsung looked great.

WeaponX

02-05-2007, 02:16 PM

Hmmm...TDU is tempting, sounds good. How much does it generally go for in the shops?

Luke7777

02-05-2007, 03:20 PM

BT Games R555
IC R599 (- R50 NAG voucher = R549)

WeaponX

09-05-2007, 12:42 AM

Haven't been able to get any new games, been swamped with assignments n tests on campus, but il give some impressions on Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter (GRAW) 2 which I am currently trying to get through.

Firstly although this game has the familiar over-the-shoulder view and cover system that we all know and love, it cant really be compared to the likes of Gears of War in terms of gameplay. Aiming and shooting here is a lot more precise, it took me a while to really get used to it but it does seem to have some sort of aim assist where you can seem to narrowly miss a target and yet there they drop to the ground. Maybe this is only on the standard difficulty though, I haven’t finished it first time round to try the higher difficulty setting. Besides laying those rebels to rest you have to command your squad of Ghosts in most missions by placing them where you’d like and directing them to go to recon mode, where they will spot enemies without engaging, or assault mode where they will fire at enemies on sight. In some missions you are granted additional support in the form of infantry squads, tanks or air strikes. This system of having to order everyone around can seem cumbersome at times but it does become part of the routine and natural after a while. Your support also does have decent AI of their own, running for cover when under fire for example, although they will not move if they cannot get a shot at a target even while in assault mode. Overall the gameplay is slow and tactical, and realistic at most times (also you can die with 3 hits on the medium difficulty), while the firefights are quite action-packed once they get started especially some of the bigger ones. The game also tends to increase in intensity and pace the further you progress, starting off understandably slow as you get to grips with the control and order systems and picking up the pace as you move into the game, and your standard missions on foot are broken up by some cool Black Hawk turret missions.

The storyline isn’t gripping at best but enough to keep the game going I guess. Story updates are given via your personal display of sorts on your HUD with news reports mixed with orders given by your superiors. Nothing major to go into here, although I am only about 70% (bout 6 hours I estimate, hard to say) into the campaign, with a bunch of co-op missions which I will look at after the single player is done with. Im not on Live so the online multiplayer cannot be commented on.

In terms of graphics and sound, this is where the game makes up for anything it has done wrong. The graphics are very nice indeed on my 32” HDTV, the levels are pretty big without much loading although the colours tend to be a bit bland but I guess that fits with the theme and setting, I mean not much colour in the desert, but even the urban areas are bland. The explosions and smoke effects though are brilliant, it jus makes the Black Hawk missions and generally just blowing stuff up so much fun. I found myself emptying clips into cars in the urban areas to watch them go boom, and there are some nice effects when bullets fly past you and things explode that round it off nicely, it really is just a very nice looking game. Keep in mind that while looking this good the game runs absolutely perfectly smooth even when all those explosions are going off. The sound is pretty good too, I have an old 2.1 system that does a job I guess but the game makes the gunfire and explosions sound cool, also each gun sounds different which add to the experience, theres also some very dramatic music in the background when the action starts to give it that action movie feel.

Overall I would say a good game without making me rush home everyday to play it. You will probably love it if the tactical shooter is your genre of choice, which I don’t always enjoy, but this one was pretty good.

I give it um…8/10.

BCO

22-05-2007, 01:12 PM

Elder Scrolls: Oblivion.... old game I know, but I just wanted to take back my previous low low rating of this game.

I sat down this weekend to give it a second chance, and have been pretty hooked - haven't even played any GH2! It must be my new surround sound that makes the difference :p

benitok

11-07-2007, 09:02 PM

I got Colin McRae: DiRT (Xbox 360) today, all I can say is wow, great game. Best rally game I've played so far.

Cleric

20-07-2007, 03:55 PM

I have a lot of games, so I'll post brief reviews for a few of them (and some old Xbox (not 360) games too):

Gears of War - If there is only one game you buy for your Xbox, make it this. It may not be the longest game (about 6-7 hours to complete the single player the first time round) but this is a game you will play over and over again. The graphics are amazing, the production values (detail, sound, music) are all top notch, and the multiplayer is extremely intense. There really is nothing else like it.
One line: It's like a starring role in your own action movie. 10/10

Cleric

20-07-2007, 04:02 PM

Dead Rising is basically a survive-the-zombie-apocalypse type game. The atmosphere is creepy, the graphics excellent (the sheer number of zombie onscreen is ridiculous - we're talking in the hundreds here) and the replayability is very high.

Unfortunately the game can get a bit repetitive once you have tried out everything in the mall, but that takes ages, and the storyline is optional, with multiple endings. You gain special abilities (like flying kicks, the ability to use fallen zombies as wrecking balls, more health) by taking photos of the carnage around you and by rescuing survivors. Luckily one can restart (while still retaining all your new stats and abilities) if things get too hectic.

Some complain about the rare save points, but I think it adds to the survival aspect of the game, making each venture into unexplored territory that much more terrifying.

One line: Pretty, gory fun. A must for zombie fans. 8/10

Cleric

20-07-2007, 04:09 PM

If you are a racing fan there is no way you can pass up Forza 2. It is the most realistic racing game I've ever played on a console (Gran Turismo doesn't come close), with 300+ cars to race and modify.

The modification is the main focus of the game, and after you've swapped the engine out, reduced the weight and tweaked the springs (if you only feel like making a few of the many mods), you can paint and decal your car to your heart's content.

One line: All the big names are there (Ferrari, Ford, Honda, etc), the cars look amazing, the game runs at 60fps and the handling just feels right. 9/10

Cleric

20-07-2007, 04:18 PM

This game is epic. I've been playing it for about 100+ hours and there are still places I haven't seen, things I haven't done. You can travel anywhere across the 400 square mile plus landscape, exploring dungeons and dark forests, or you can become a thief or assassin in any of the several towns, each inhabited by dozens of unique, voice acted citizens (with their own houses to rob!). There are several guild storylines (each longer than most other whole games).

The world is beautiful and massive. The game requires a bit of attention at the start, but once you've decided who you want to be in this alternate world, the fun really starts. This is not a game for the impatient - there aren't bodies piling up second on second, rather the focus is on exploring, and basically living another life in this virtual fantasy world.

Oblivion is a game you can put down for a month, then come back and get hooked all over again. You will almost certainly never run out of things to do, and this is possibly the best value for money purchase on any system.

One line: If you ever wished you could be a mage, warrior, assassin, thief, gladiator, merchant or any combination of the above, get Oblivion. 9.5/10

mccrack

20-07-2007, 05:24 PM

Heh guys, i am very tempted to pick up a copy of Oblivion, but i've heard of some horrendous FPS issues when roaming the country side on horse back ? Is this true ?

BCO

21-07-2007, 11:30 AM

I never roam the coutyrside on horseback - if yoy gon on foot it levels up your athletics skill. Never had FPS issues either.

Cleric

26-07-2007, 01:07 PM

The only problem with roaming the countryside on horseback is that since you are moving quicker there is more loading, so every minute or so the game might slow for a second or two while it loads, if you are moving quickly.

This doesn't always happen - and I agree it is better to roam the wilds on foot. Horses are neat but only really useful for when you want to rush through a set of quests and hate exploring (I was hopping off my horse every 20 seconds to check something out most of the time).

Cleric

26-07-2007, 01:17 PM

This is still one of the best looking racing games of this generation, despite coming out at the launch of the first next gen console.

PGR3 is a racing game with a difference. It manages to pull off a nearly realistic driving experience while throwing in some drifting to stop it becoming a sim. The handling is beautiful, and throwing a car into a powerslide at 100kph and watching the Kudos racking up is a unique experience.

The cars are all incredibly detailed, although don't expect to find anything less than A class supercars here (the lowest ranked car in the game is one of the older Ferrari's!). The detail inside the cars is equally impressive, and if you race in car on a big screen you can almost believe you ARE in the car.
This game was also built for Live, so the multiplayer is great too.

I would normally say if you have any interest in racing at all, buy this game. Considering it is now on Xbox Classics at R250, I would say buy it period. You will be converted. 9/10

Cleric

26-07-2007, 01:22 PM

Ok these reviews are killing me so I'm gonna make them short.

Dead or Alive 4. If you like challenging fighting games then this is for you. It gets pretty hard (don't expect to finish all the time attacks any time soon) but rewards you for the training you put in. Great anime style graphics and good online (provided you don't have a laggy connection) pull it all together.

This game has a special place in my heart, as a mate of mine beat about 100 other people at a DOA tournament to win a 360 which he gave me for my birthday. 8/10 (not 9 because the AI owns me way too often, but thats just because I suck at fighting games)

Cleric

26-07-2007, 01:29 PM

Don't question, just buy (especially Halo2).

If you are of the opinion that this is just another first person shooter and hence you have seen it all before, then you are an idiot (and I avoid saying things like this on principle, but in this case it applies). Since this is an original Xbox game the graphics will be far from impressive, but the gameplay is still there in all its hectic, adrenaline fuelled gunfighting glory, with the best multiplayer of any game in history (Live only for Halo2).

Until Gears of War came out, Halo2 was consistently the most played game on Xbox Live (on the 360!!). If you can get your hands on a copy do. There is no choice. 10/10

Bmalcombb

27-09-2007, 09:22 AM

the long wait ended for me last night

Halo 3 combines fantastic graphics with untouchable gameplay
it gives you that " i dont want to put down this controller feel"

have only played through first six chapters

but from the first one i was absolutely hooked

played it co-op with a buddy and i tell you it is very rewarding

new weapons are fantastic (ripping the turret guns off and walking around with them was insane) the flame thrower became an instant hit

new vehicles are fun to drive as well especially the mongoose

the stages are beautiful as can be expected from Halo

i give it a 9 / 10

lord_spaceman

04-10-2007, 04:32 PM

Halo 3.
9/10.
'Nuff Said.

useless

16-10-2007, 07:17 AM

Spiderman : Friend or Foe

So I picked this game up over the weekend and have been pleasantly suprised by its simple gameplay, 2 player coop option and cell-shaded graphics. Plays very similar to Marvel UA but it limits you to 2 players on the same screen going along a linear path through the storyline. You could call it a kiddies game but who said kiddies games are not fun? A 2nd player can join up at any time during the game and carry on aiding you in your missions. Character upgrades, web upgrades and power upgrades are available for all characters of the game as you move along collecting secret tokens, DNA upgrades or energy tokens dropped by enemies. Overall a pleasant bashing game if you are into the comic arena. :)

Graphics - I think they are cell-shaded ( ala TF2 ) but look pleasant and colourful. No coimplaints at all about this department and the game doesnt look bad at all. 8/10

Sound - No complaints here. Some humour is evident throughout the cutscenes and quirky remarks from spidey give some fun to the game. Sound effects are on par with the atmosphere as well as the usual Marvel tunes throughout the game.7/10

Gameplay - No difficulty levels to choose from, which honestly are not required seeing its quite easy. Finding the secret items & tokens isnt too hard seeing the level layout is quite linear. As you keep playing the game you can unlock more in-game characters whom you can then select to aid you in the game. You cannot change Spiderman as he is the main character in the plot. By the late stages of the game it could become tedious for some folks as its plain simple bashing fun.8/10

Overall - If you have time for some relaxing gaming time with your friend, wife, girlfriend or boyfriend then I would reccommend this game. Even single player aint that bad. If you have kids then be wary you wont get your X360 back anytime soon. 8/10

Dr Norris

18-10-2007, 09:18 AM

Spiderman : Friend or Foe

A derivative, and repetitive beat-em-up "adventure" title with little to no gameplay original features. Can be finished in 4 hours.

2/10

Dr Norris

18-10-2007, 09:19 AM

Halo 3

Fantastic Multiplayer with limtless potential and endless fun. Single player campaign is Doom for 2007. No plot until the end when it is laid on thick and meaty. Excellent graphics and sumptuous sound effects. Controls perfectly and plays better then you expect it to.

9/10

Dr Norris

18-10-2007, 09:25 AM

Lego Star Wars 2

Cutesy graphics and sound effects lifted from the films themselves guarantee's you a happy lego-time experience. No online multiplayer is a shame but the charm of this title lies in the ability to unlock every single God-damn secret there is. And you cannot die, ever making this a fantastic game for the kids as well.

7/10

Dr Norris

18-10-2007, 09:28 AM

Bioshock

Under the sea lies a great mystery. The first one would be why you haven't played Bioshock yet? Graphics that massage your eyes and sound that relaxes your ears are only two parts of an excelsior package. Yes, Bioshock is a liner experience but don't let that stop you from playing it how you want. Atlas was right after all....

Score 10/10

Dr Norris

18-10-2007, 09:32 AM

Gears of War

The Benchmark in Xbox visuals so far. On an HD tv it will take your very breath away. Couple that with 5.1 surround sound and your pants may become very wet indeed. Great Rambo style story and Laggy multiplayer (for us Africans) means good times all around. The Co-op is amongst the best Co-op there is.

Score 9/10

Dr Norris

18-10-2007, 09:36 AM

Oblivion

The only true, do what you want, kill who you want, Be a god if you want Game on the Xbox so far. Oblivion looks and sounds the business and is comprised of 80-200 hours of gameplay and more, depending on how you play it. Lets just say at one point in the game, your avatar is capable of murdering entire towns with one spell.

Score: 10/10

Dr Norris

18-10-2007, 09:41 AM

skate

Horrible camera but a "brand-new" control scheme sucks you into the world of Skate. Ignore the poorly implemented multiplayer and focus on busting sweet grinds around the fictional LA city.

Score 8/10

Dr Norris

22-10-2007, 04:41 PM

Pacman C.E

20 years later, Pacman still rocks the house. Focusing on strict time controlled stages and a great emphasis on strategy, Pacman CE is the very definition of gameplay. Retro sounds and a thumping techno inspired level design are just one of many reasons to download this stunning title.

score 9/10

ZuBS_

22-10-2007, 04:54 PM

Download from??

doobiwan

22-10-2007, 05:33 PM

XBL Arcade. It's a pack-in with the new 360 Arcade as well.

EDIT: ZuBS, I see you're new to 360, you know about all the online stuff right?

ZuBS_

23-10-2007, 11:08 AM

Yeah, I am connected to Xbox Live, was playing Forza 2 last night online, please add me to your friends list, looking for local players

Luke7777

23-10-2007, 11:35 AM

Spiderman : Friend or Foe

A derivative, and repetitive beat-em-up "adventure" title with little to no gameplay original features. Can be finished in 4 hours.

2/10My 2 boys (8 & 10) played the demo over & over & over & over....What's nice is the co-op. You join if you feel like it and drop out when you don't. Purchased the game because of this.

Dr Norris

23-10-2007, 03:44 PM

My 2 boys (8 & 10) played the demo over & over & over & over....What's nice is the co-op. You join if you feel like it and drop out when you don't. Purchased the game because of this.

heeheh. No apologies from me. I'm a honest-to-bob games reviewer. So I'm pretty harsh. I really, really despised this game. It is meant for kids and kids only. But for even better drop in drop out fun, why not try Bomberman live or the Fantastic lego Star wars 2?

useless

24-10-2007, 12:08 PM

heeheh. No apologies from me. I'm a honest-to-bob games reviewer. So I'm pretty harsh. I really, really despised this game. It is meant for kids and kids only. But for even better drop in drop out fun, why not try Bomberman live or the Fantastic lego Star wars 2?

I think your reviews should have more than one sentence to be even taken seriously. ;) Did you rent the game or play it for longer than 4 hours or just tried the demo? Just curious.

Dr Norris

29-10-2007, 10:56 AM

Not to insult your grandmaster status, but I have been playing games longer then you've been alive (as long as you have been born in 1984 ;) ). Every single game in the world can be summed up in one sentence. Lego Star wars 2 took me 3 hours to finish. 8 for Bioshock, 12 for Orange box etc... I love gaming, more then I love anything else in this world. But gaming today is gaming of yesterday, with better graphics and sounds. My reviews should be taken more seriously then the longer ones, who needs paragraphs of waffle when a line or 2 will do?

doobiwan

29-10-2007, 11:27 AM

Norris, be nice, useless's "Grandmaster" could quite easily be "Grandfather"....

Personally I think even whole sentences are to much, you need 2 phrases
"Game style" - "Worthiness of dosh"

Eg.
Halo 3:
Online Shooter - Must Buy

Blue Dragon:
JRPG - Buy to trade

Heavenly Sword:
Hack and Slash - Rent

Space Giraffe:
Psycadelic shooter - Purchase with LSD only.

Bomberman Zero:
Rubbish - Don't accept as a gift.

Dr Norris

29-10-2007, 11:34 AM

Funny thing was, my original reply to you was going to be about 2 word sentence reviews:

Orange box: 5 games, all good.

Gears of War:Grimy FPS.

Or Even one word reviews!

Halo 3: Marvelous.

Silent Hill 2: Madness.

Street Fighter 2: Hadooooken!

Juiced 2 Hot Import nights: Crap.

Keep up the good work mate.

useless

29-10-2007, 01:36 PM

Lol. No worries Dr. Norris, just an opinion from myself into your reviews thats all. What would the world be without critics? ;)

doobiwan

29-10-2007, 02:10 PM

Criticless? :p

Dr Norris

29-10-2007, 02:14 PM

Ask the Guy from Ratatoullie.

Dolby

08-11-2007, 09:08 AM

I don't have time to go through this list of games - but anyone done CSI?

Some mags give it 30% and others 70% ....

doobiwan

08-11-2007, 10:11 AM

I just bought it for my Wife, but on PC. it's R300 cheaper (only R200) and is designed for a mouse in the first place. I wouldn't buy it on the 360.

It also frees up the 360 for me ;)

Dolby

08-11-2007, 10:21 AM

Do you get a mouse for the Xbox?

makwela

08-11-2007, 10:29 AM

useless

15-11-2007, 07:16 AM

Do you get a mouse for the Xbox?

Nope. We dont need one. ;)

If you have time to scout around for CSI 2nd hand you can find it for under R280. Thats just in case you simply want the Achivements for the game. ;)

Gothan

15-11-2007, 07:29 AM

Do you get a mouse for the Xbox?

Yes you do, actually you dont get a special xbox mouse, but you do get an adapter to which you can plug in a keyboard and a mouse. For those of use, that prefers to play FPS with a mouse and keyboard, the way god intended.

Unfortunately, the link escapes me, but i am sure if you look on google you will find it

useless

15-11-2007, 08:16 AM

Check reviews on the actual device first. To date the keyboard/mouse combo simply emulates the joypad's controls which isnt really an advantage in games.

Mier

10-12-2007, 03:26 PM

Halo 3

Been playing this for a couple of hours and I'm not that impressed.

Some of the things that bug me are:
1) Ridiculous voices and sounds of some monsters.
2) Can only carry two weapons. This is probably because it's more "realistic", but come-on you're fighting aliens.
3) Can't stick with favourite weapon, because you can't find ammo. So, you have to change weapons all the time without really knowing which weapon is the best.
4) Corny hallucinations scenes in the middle of the action.
5) Boring and frustrating when in the passenger seat of vehicle.
6) Be sure to save before you exit or you might have to replay a large part again.

This does not mean it's all bad, it still does a lot right, but since everyone is raving about it, I thought I'll highlight some negatives (in my opinion).

My rating: 7.5/10

useless

10-12-2007, 03:47 PM

So you havent rated the multiplayer as yet? Thats the other 2.5/10 for your review. ;)

doobiwan

10-12-2007, 04:12 PM

Fair comment, but if I may:

2+3.) It's part of the Halo mechanic, you're not supposed to get too used to any one particular weapon, Master Chiefs "thing" is his ability to adapt to whatever dire situation, especially considering hes usually on his own in enemy territory. What you need to master is the "triangle" Guns,Grenades,Melee.

5.) You know you can get into any seat in the vehicle? It just depends where you stand where you approach the vehicle, stand by the driver and he'll get out and let you drive, likewise for the gunner. At no point are you forced to be the passenger.

Besides that I do agree, but also with Useless Halo is all about Multiplayer. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the Halo campaign, my only severe critism of it was the story. They made absolutely no effort for anyone who hadn't played 1 and 2.

Mier

10-12-2007, 04:43 PM

So you havent rated the multiplayer as yet? Thats the other 2.5/10 for your review.
You're right, I haven't played it online yet and perhaps that is what makes all the difference.

2+3.) It's part of the Halo mechanic, you're not supposed to get too used to any one particular weapon, Master Chiefs "thing" is his ability to adapt to whatever dire situation, especially considering hes usually on his own in enemy territory. What you need to master is the "triangle" Guns,Grenades,Melee.

Fair. Personnally I like to have the option to use any weapon at any time.

5.) You know you can get into any seat in the vehicle? It just depends where you stand where you approach the vehicle, stand by the driver and he'll get out and let you drive, likewise for the gunner. At no point are you forced to be the passenger.

Once I did find out I could drive (after about 30 minutes or so) it became less frustrating, nevertheless...

Mier

26-12-2007, 06:56 PM

Bought GRAW2 secondhand at BT Games for R299.

:)I'm about 2/3 of the way through this game and I find it to be an excellent FPS. Everything is very realistic and if you like games such as CoD, you'll probably enjoy this also. Especially, if like me, you are tired of unrealistic, alien-fighting first-person shooters. At the start of (most) missions you can select the weapons you want to use, you can also select the team of soldiers that you command.

You can also play local split screen multi-player (including co-op), which is a big plus for me.

:(The controls take some getting used to. I've also read reviews that the single player campaign is a bit short. It's also a little limited in the variation of enemies.

My rating: 9/10

Human

07-02-2008, 05:13 PM

I, just want to finish Mass Effect and I'll post a review if no one else has.

Human

08-02-2008, 03:07 PM

Mass Effect.

I have now finished the game. It was an epic ride!

I have never felt sad to sacrifice one of my characters in any other game before.
The thing is that during the last part of the game, they were not just mere game characters but they were squad members.
I knew their history. They had family and friends.
There was love, revenge and hatred, emotions that we all have.

Is this not what we are expecting from a great game? To be swept up and taken away to another world that is different and yet, so similar.
There are a lot of good games out there, but this is one of the GREAT games.

It has it's fault but when I play a game, I do it to escape.
This game helped me escape and took me to far away galaxies.

Score: 9.8

PS: No, I am not on any form of medication nor am I supposed to be on any form of medication, that I know of...
PPS: No, I dont do drugs either...
PPPS:Just play the game!

Fern9do

14-04-2008, 03:10 PM

Nick333

28-04-2008, 10:17 PM

Just to back you up kage.i havent played the game but just read xboX360's review of mass effect and they gave the game 10 out of 10!
Some of the things they said:
"The best sci-fi game ever,full stop"
"A game of such rare emotion that we became attached to our characters to the point of missing them now that its all over"

Heres some of their pros and cons:
Pros
Deep, involving story
Stunning visuals
Pure brilliance

Cons
no threesomes
An 'abridged' galaxy
Steep learning curve

So sounds like a special game.

Just to add to this drawn out discussion. I bought Mass Effect last month and I've got to agree its one of the best games I've ever played.
It was like reading a really good, can't put down, book.
I actually haven't enjoyed a game as much since the old PS1 days with Tomb Raider, Metal Gear, Syphon Filter, Final Fantasy VII etc (Every other game seems to be a straight up shooter these days).

To add to the cons list: Too damn short.

I'm looking forward to sequels.

Risa

05-05-2008, 04:43 PM

99 nights was good. great graphics (i thought anyway) id give it 8.5/10
Naruto: Rise of the Ninja hehe im an anime llover so this was great in my opinion 9/10
Guitar Hero 3 all i can say is ow... 9/10
DOA 4 great fighting game better than virtua fighter 5 in my opinion 8/10
:p

Human

05-05-2008, 05:08 PM

@ Lacus

Are you looking at getting rid of Naruto. I'll give it a well deserved home especially after I been able to procure a few episodes of Naruto. :D
Let me know, pm me.

Risa

05-05-2008, 05:13 PM

lol keep dreaming...but its quite cheap atm on take two R361 i only just got it i was borrowing it from my friend and then he got annoyed coz i wouldnt give it back...:p

Inf3CteD

07-05-2008, 01:24 PM

I havent got an review yet, BUT has anyone seen this??

http://www.racedrivergrid.com/?territory=EnglishUK

It looks GREAT!! I think this game will have 10/10 ratings!

Risa

28-05-2008, 05:38 PM

Devil may Cry 4 OMG that is a great game. if u have xbox live download the demo u wont regret it

KamikazeHamster

29-06-2008, 09:24 AM

Guitar Hero Aerosmith
I played through the Co-op career with a buddy (on hard). There are 40 songs (same as GH3) on the main song list and we went through them all in an evening without needing to restart a song (I suppose that only tell you about *our* skill?)

We were upset that the Aerosmith band didn't show up at all, so we played 2 songs on the single player career mode and that finally changed the models. I'll have to wait to see what he unlocks after playing through single player...

At the end of the day, it was exactly what I expected from the 5th incarnation of Guitar Hero (don't forget that there was Rock the 80's). I'll buy it if it comes out for PC.

If Guitar Hero Metallica does not come out for PC, I'm buying myself an Xbox ;)