Pc Gamer - Non-disc Version
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Reviews (27)

Tes is teh L337 H4><0R mag!!1!1!!!1
Finally a magazine that takes it self seriously and doesn't conform for the kiddies and is brutally honest in it's reviews while not overdoing it one bit. You have to read PC Gamer just to see how L337 it really is. As well as being different, it is also intelligent and has an adult sense of humor sure to tickle your H4><0r fancy. BUY IT!!!!!11

Pros:

Intelligent writing

Good sense of Humor

Nice insight into what is coming next

Cons:

Hardly for n00bs

Too smart for some . . .


As I said before, if you haven't already subscribed, do so immediately.
You will thank me.

it WAS good......
i used to love this magazine, but people are right. the magazine is half the size it was, and the 10 year anniversary issue was the smallest issue yet. it's also behind the times - an E3 wrap-up in the AUGUST issue? E3 WAS IN MAY! the demo disk is useless - one demo per disk - they need to switch to dvd's or why pay extra when i can download demos? i'm done when my subscription runs out.

The Best PC gaming magazine out there
I have been a subscriber to PC Gamer for several, I think six years, and I can honestly say this is the best PC gaming magazine I have ever read, and I have tried all that I have come accross.They have several features (special stories) every month, whereas the majority of magazines barely have anything other than the previews/reviews/strategies/occasional special story.I read through every issue almost cover-to-cover devouring it's witty writing and great personality.I have agreeded on their review for every game I have played, as well.

This review is based on the subscription with CD, but the magazine is no different. ... Read more

Asin: B00005NIN4
Sales Rank: 109
Subjects:  1. Hobbies & Games    2. Games    3. Recreation. Leisure    4. Computers & Internet    5. Games & Hobbies    6. Gaming   

Computer Games Magazine
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For the Adult Gamer
CGM caters to the adult gamer. Unlike much of the juvenile and insipid writing in other gaming magazines, CGM offers witty and insightful journalism from a mature point of view. Additionally, it provides articles and commentary that are uncommon in other publications.

Many of its pieces deal with behind-the-scenes looks at design and publishing methods, gamer issues that go beyond the superficial "Is Grand Theft Auto corrupting our kids?"-type hyperbole, and interesting events that get little to no coverage elsewhere.

The reviews are entertaining, well-reasoned, and cogent. Yes, this often means that they disagree with many of their colleagues' opinions (CGM's Games of the Year section always has a few surprises). However, this difference is not only refreshing, it is very often a more accurate assesment of the games in question.

The columns alone are worth the price of admission. Among the current contributors are Henry Jenkins and Curt Squire, co-directors of an MIT-based consortium on the educational media possibilities brought about by computer games. There is also Ken Levine of Irrational Games, who writes arguably the most astute gaming commentary anywhere with his monthly look at the industry from an insider's perspective.

With a recent makeover to add a little visual pizzazz to go with the five-star content, there is little doubt that CGM is the best computer gaming publication available. If you'd like intelligent, mature, and thorough discourse on your favorite pastime, you should definitely check it out.

In depth articles but game reviews are way behind. Extras?
A lot more written about a subject than in most magazines. The reviews are way behind other magazines tho. That means that they are not a player with the game companies and that their publishing cycle is too long. They are usually a month behind everyone else. They are also resorting to filler to pad out their mag lately. Music, movies, console games, and DVDs are all being added in their "special" section. Reviews swing too much one way or the other.They love them or hate them. I bought one game solely on their 5 stars and was disappointed. Other mags had it more in line with the reality of the game. PC Gamer is the best and CGW right behind. This is a distant third. I am dropping my subscription.

The only gaming mag for me
I've been an (on and off) reader of CGM since some of the early days, when they were still called "Computer Games Strategy Plus" and before 3D games really came abroad.And, stating that, I use CGM as the basis of comparison for all other gaming magazines.I've always been impressed by their open, honest opinion of games; not afraid to point out a stinker regardless of hype.Even if I don't agree with a particular review, I consider their point of view on the subject and still get something out of it.And I, at least, find their writing to be humourous and enjoyable.I could now talk about what it is I don't like about other magazines, but instead I shall say that CGM is by far my favourite.So if you're ready for something new, give it a shot.It's not the same old fodder. ... Read more

Asin: B00005NINN
Sales Rank: 1006
Subjects:  1. Computers & Technology    2. Television And Video    3. Recreation. Leisure    4. Computers & Internet    5. Games & Hobbies    6. Gaming   

Gamepro
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Gamer's In Detail
Video game magazines have been all the rage in our lives. Yet there are just so many of them that tell different stories for different video game systems. That has been the case with one of the biggest-selling ones of all time, Gamepro. They truly have made it one the most provocative and well in-depth magazines with detail about what games are popular according to their writers, and what upcoming games and systems are all in the works. The magazine is quite well, but I honestly do wish they could try to publish more in the way of codes and helpful hints for several games for Gamecube and Game Boy Advance, when most of it primarily focuses in on Playstation 2 & Xbox. Yet, Gamepro really handles itself as a very deep gamer's magazine. Anybody who wants to be enjoy the field of video games, this magazine is worth reading.

Overall: B 1/2+

The worst gaming magazine
As you can tell by the title, I'm not enamored of this magazine. I've been playing video games since the early 80s, and have read many, many gaming magazines. My reasons for this negative review of Gamepro follow in no particular order: 1.) Their numerical rating system stinks. 1-5 points is just not accurate enough. Most mags/web sites have a 1-10 system with decimals. Not Gamepro. 2.) The written part of the reviews are way too short, and often are written borderline incoherantly. It's as if they hired the proverbial 1,000 monkeys to type them out. 3.) Often times they cram two or three reviews on one page. Screen shots provided with reviews are often the size of a postage stamp. 4.) The number of ads in relation to content is distinctly high. Once when I was bored, I counted all the ads in one issue. Out of around 110 pages there were 60+ pages of ads. 5.) Their article layouts are confusing, and occasionally they print on colored backgrounds that closely match the text color. Forget about reading it if you're colorblind. 6.) Their gaming tips are either so obvious that a brain dead chimpanzee could figure them out, or plain don't work. I suspect that the ones that do are ripped off from various web sites. 7.) Gamepro costs the same as better gaming mags, such as EGM and Game Informer. So, in closing... if you want a good gaming magazine, just about any magazine other than Gamepro would be an improvement. Many great magazines have come and gone, why a turd like Gamepro continues is a mystery to me.

Crap
Just from picking up this mag in the store, and reading their spin-off "Pocket Gaming", I have concluded that this magazine is pure rubbish, I wouldn't waste my money subscribing. ... Read more

Asin: B00005NIPK
Sales Rank: 610
Subjects:  1. Hobbies & Games    2. Games    3. Recreation. Leisure    4. Games & Hobbies    5. Gaming    6. Personal Computers (PC, PCs, Personal Computer)   

The Official Xbox Magazine (without disc)
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Editorial Review

"Like Maxim, but about Xbox!" was clearly the mandate given to Mike Salmon, former editor-in-chief of PC Accelerator and current editor-in-chief of The Official Xbox Magazine. He got it half right: this gamer lifestyle magazine has the locker-room feel of Maxim but lacks Maxim's intelligent, tongue-in-cheek style. The result is something that looks like it was written by high-school sophomores. For example, a bio of Kasumi, a character in the game Dead or Alive 3, reads "A redhead with a difference--she can take on all comers. And if DoA 3 has the "[breast] bounce on/off" option, she'll definitely have a lot of comers." On the plus side, the game reviews and previews are informative and mostly free of bull.--Mike Fehlauer ... Read more

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Reviews (67)

A good magazine.
I have been a subscriber since the premier issue, and will continue to be a subscriber, because I feel it's the best XBox magazine their.Yet, at times I get bored with it's writing style.They don't make it that fun to read, sometimes its too silly to read, at other times it's written with too much depth, to where it bores you.Plus, it doesn't have any good features (special stories) in it, they are all stupid or boring, with the only good one being in the first issue (the one about the perfect XBox setup, and the XBox set-up quiz).

Why two stars then? The reviews are actually well written, and are truthful, and I trust them.So, if all you want are interesting reviews, try this magazine, but if you want to know about other things without getting too bored, look elsewhere.

Uh, where's the disc?Pretty good magazine.
It's a great magazine, with the disc.You get reviews, previews, world exclusive articles, and so much more.Then, you (would) get the disc.Ahhh...the demo disc.I'd pay about $20 a year just for it alone.But, this stupid thing doesn't come with it.I would have given it about 3.5 stars if I could, but I figured that the magazine saves it (almost).But, let's talk about the actual magazine.It has truthful opinions from reviewers with an attitude, who know their stuff.It tells you what games you need to buy, what ones you could buy, and what games to stay away from.Also, you get to preview games that haven't been released yet, and will be released some time in the future.Then, you read their articles, which are fun.Although some are more entertaining than others, they're still good.The layout of the magazine is good, and the witty jokes at the bottom of the page are interesting and sometimes hillarious.Except, here, there's no disc.The disc gives you great demos that I've played for HOURS before.If I were you, I would get the magazine somewhere else, WITH the disc.

Grade:
With Disc: A
Without Disc: B (A low B)

Lame!
The first rule I learned in Journalism 101 (shortly before dropping the class) was "Always remain objective". At OXM, editors and writers alike check thier objectivity at the door.

OXM is a nicely laid out magazine. Unfortunatley it's content is very weak. When I read a video game magazine I want it to first be informative. While OXM is "informative", it's the XBox "attitude" that gets in the way. The editorial and writing staff try so hard to be hip, cool and edgey that they come across as a joke. If you read in between the pot shots taken at Sony and the PS2 there is some relevant information. But it tends to get lost amidst the puns and attempts at being humorous.

The second thing I want from a magazine, are objective opinions. With OXM, objectivity goes out the window. Though most games that are reviewed are pretty informative, often times a mediocre game will score significantly higher than in other game magazines. Which makes me wonder exactly who is writing these reviews. Also, every issue is loaded with countless digs at Sony and Nintendo. After the first few pages it becomes childish and unamusing.

The saving grace of the magazine is the demo disc. On it you can get some downloads including bonus levels for some games. Unfortunatley it's not included here.

Considering the content of this magazine, I'd recomend picking it up on an issue by issue basis depending on what is included in the demo disc. For a better all around objectively written game magazine, I'd recomend Game Informer. ... Read more

Asin: B00005QDWQ
Subjects:  1. Hobbies & Games    2. General    3. Recreation. Leisure    4. Games & Hobbies    5. Gaming   

Microsoft Xbox Console with 2 Free Games and Xbox Live
Average Customer Review:
Video Game (12 October, 2003)

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Editorial Review

Take the power and flexibility of a dedicated computer gaming system and combine it with the easy-to-use, instant-on format of a high-end console system and what do you get? Well, if you also add in DVD playback ability and broadband Internet connectivity, you get Xbox.

The advanced components inside Xbox make it the undisputed powerhouse among current game consoles. A 733 MHz Intel main processor and 233 MHz graphics processor from industry leader nVidia deliver photorealistic graphics in real time. A cavernous hard drive stores saved games and characters, making flimsy memory sticks obsolete. The built-in Ethernet port enables super-fast multiplayer online gaming over a broadband Internet connection. Four game controller ports allow you and three of your buddies to play at the same time, or you can use them for other peripherals such as gamepads, light guns, and who knows what else?

But Xbox has more going for it than fancy innards. The Xbox's Windows-based operating system is a breeze to program on, earning it grateful accolades from Electronic Arts, Infogrames, THQ, and other game producers. The less time developers spend struggling with the operating system means the more time they spend tweaking gameplay, which ultimately results in better games. And games are what it's all about.

Well, games and the fun of owning a green-glowing game console that looks like it came from Darth Vader's living room. --Mike Fehlauer

The Xbox Holiday Bundle includes the Xbox console, the popular "S" style Microsoft controller, the games Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Tetris Worlds Online, a two-month trial subscription to the Xbox Live service, and all necessary cables to connect your Xbox to your TV. A DVD kit (sold separately) is required to access DVD playback ability. Xbox Live requires a broadband Internet connection and an Ethernet cable to connect your Xbox to your cable or DSL modem (sold separately).

... Read more

Features

• Xbox system comes with two games and two months of Xbox Live
• Includes Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Tetris Worlds Online
• Powerful processor makes Xbox excellent for online gaming
• Also includes S controller
• Easy to get started online

Reviews (86)

Need help with my XBOX
I got my XBOX In Feb 04, its May 04, and already it will not read my games, none of the 10 new games I got for it, or any of the DVDs.Where can I send this or get parts for it.

Excellent System, but not without its flaws.
The Xbox is an excellent system for any gamer. The graphics are amazing, the sounds is killer and {most} of the games are excellent. Unfortunately, just like the PS2 and Gamecube, the Xbox is not without its faults.
Good:

Amazingly detailed graphics
Capable of incredible sound effects
Can play CDs and DVDs (not without a remote though)
4 Controller Ports
Good variety of Games
Well Supported by 3rd party developers
Some excellent exclusive games (Halo, Project Gotham 2, Halo 2)
150 dollar price point is 30 dollars less than PS2 (but still 50 dollars more than Gamecube)
Best Online Service (Xbox Live!)

The Bad

System weighs a lot-don't expecting anything you can bring on vacation
System is ugly-basically a big, clunky box
Lack of RPGS (save Knights of the Old Republic)
Lack of quirky (strange Japanese/Anime/just plain weird) games such as Mister Mosquito and Animal Crossing.
Lack of "kiddie" games- Xbox is geared toward the 15+ crowd
EA Sports games are not online compatible (the PS2 versions are though)

Overall the Xbox is an excellent system choice for gamers who love action/shooter/online games. The Xbox excels in these areas;in fact it blows the competition out of the water. But, due to the lack of games in certain genres, I have to knock the score down a star. That being said, if you are looking for a graphics powerhouse that is home to the best online games (Mech Assault, Rainbow Six, Splinter Cell Pandora's Tommorow) and the best action games (Halo, Halo 2, Brute Force, Deus Ex 2), then you should purchase an Xbox as soon as possible.

Great graphics, but some problems
The Xbox is a great system. It pumps out top notch graphics and has some killer exclusives. Unfortunately, it is not perfect, just like the other 2 next gen systems out.
Pros:

Amazing Graphics (The Xbox's graphics are much better than either Gamecubes' or Ps2's)
Built in 8 GB Hard Drive
Best online service (Xbox Live)
Halo, Halo 2, Project Gotham Racing 2- some of the best games ever
The Controller S is comfortable
Good third party support

Cons:

The system is massive and weighs around 10-12 pounds
Have to buy a remote for 30 dollars to play DVDs
Basically No Rpgs for the system (Except the excellent Star Wars: Knights of the old republic)
Not many niche games (quirky games a la Pa Rappaa or Mr Mosquito for PS2 are absent on the Xbox)

Overall, the XBox is a graphics and sound powerhouse that has a very bright future. Unfortuantely, its lack of RPGs and niche games force me to knock down the score a star. Still an excellent choice for any gamer ... Read more

Asin: B0000C9WBD
Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Xbox (x box)    3. Microsoft    4. Consoles   

Grand Theft Auto Double Pack
Average Customer Review:
Video Game
list price: $49.99 -- our price: $36.95
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Editorial Review

Praised for brilliant scripts and open-ended gameplay, vilified for unapologetic violence and mature themes, Grand Theft Auto has deservedly become one of the most popular game franchises in history. This double pack contains the full versions of both Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto III: Vice City, enhanced for Xbox. Xbox gamers can rejoice that the grand king of video games--The Sopranos with a gamepad--is finally available on the big black box.

Grand Theft Auto
With Grand Theft Auto III Rockstar proves that not all developers are concerned with toning down the violence in their games. This sequel is even more bloody, violent, and sadistic than its popular predecessors, offering up an enormous 3-D city in which nearly any criminal act is possible. Players are free to steal cars, beat up the local population for their money (or weapons), make time with prostitutes, or simply roam to their heart's content. Those seeking more structure can embark on dozens of missions driven by a genuinely interesting crime-story plot or steal cars that let them play minigames. Nab a cop car and you can go on vigilante missions. Grab a cab and you can play a deadly version of Crazy Taxi. Take a fire truck and you can earn money putting out fires. The minigames are a good way to unwind after a particularly difficult mission. With so much to do, the game just never gets boring.

As you'd expect, there are consequences for criminality. As your random acts of mayhem mount up the police start hounding you, eventually calling in SWAT trucks, the FBI, and even the army if you continue down the path of destruction. Shaking these pursuers is easily the most fun part of the game, especially when a bunch of friends are packed in the room to witness your narrow escapes.

Grand Theft Auto III is fine-tuned to near perfection in every category. All the vehicles, from slick sports cars to lumbering dump trucks, handle exactly as you'd expect and smash apart realistically when abused. The three islands in the game are rendered in terrific detail considering their size, and are packed with traffic, pedestrians, and hidden jumps. The audio is equally amazing. Pedestrians talk, cops scream at you, and you can tune in nine different radio stations whenever you are in a car. It all adds up to a monumental achievement: the rare console game for adults that manages to get everything right.--T. Byrl Baker

Grand Theft Auto III: Vice City
How big is this game? Even publicists for other games end up talking about Vice City when they call our office, babbling in the same helplessly intoxicated way that afflicts everyone who plays it. The achievement of Vice City (which, as everyone knows by now, is set in the 1980s and offers an all-new, Miami Vice-inspired story) is not only that it manages to live up to an absurd level of expectation, but that it takes the game places that fans of its predecessor Grand Theft Auto III never dreamed of, and that it achieves this astonishing level of innovation without losing anything that made GTA3 the bestselling PS2 game of all time.

After a brilliant homage to the era of the Commodore 64 in the opening credits, the first thing you'll notice is the improved graphics, which are smoother and more detailed, and--with effects like neon lights reflected on rain-slick streets, and intense Florida sunlight--have a lush, tropical look that immediately gives you a strong sense of place. The architecture is more fabulous by tenfold, with art deco buildings, high-rise hotels, and believably seedy back alleys. The control scheme is essentially the same as in GTA3, but the cars handle much better, and in pedestrian mode there is a new crouch move. You will have access to fast, great-handling cars right away, as opposed to GTA3 which made you unlock the second island before you could get your hands on any respectable wheels. This game has such riches to offer that there is no need to be chintzy with the vehicles.

Cops are more vigilant this time--minor offenses like whacking innocent bystanders will more often than not get you a two-star wanted level--and are harder to elude (though they still can't seem to climb stairs or negotiate sharp turns). So while free-roaming exploration is as fun as ever, there is more incentive to perform the missions instead of randomly raising hell. Not that that's a bad thing: even lazy criminals like myself (in GTA3, I would rather toss hand grenades into traffic than follow orders from some rude Mafia boss) will be quickly caught up in the vivid characters and hilarious, fascinating story, in which you play an acid-washed-jeans-wearing thug named Tommy Vercetti. Where in GTA3 missions were blocky, schematic affairs only nominally connected to the story, this time tasks move the story briskly along and deftly blend cinematics and game action. For example, there is a scene of a character throwing Tommy a gun, at which point you are suddenly thrown back into the action and must make an instant decision about whom to trust and what to do.

There are more, and more detailed, indoor environments, including a hotel, police station, and mall (a slight downside to this is that some of the more elaborate indoor environments require load times). The layout of the city, with tons of backyards, narrow alleys, and fire escapes, encourages creativity when eluding pursuit, as does greater access to rooftops. Get your motorcycle up the fire escape and a whole new world of action is possible, including... well, use your imagination.

This overview barely scratches the surface of the Vice City experience, its colorful explosion of music, clothes, combat, and brilliant voice acting, not to mention the plot twist midway through the game that changes the very nature of the game itself. Though it was the outrageous, amoral violence that got all the press, the essential genius of GTA3 was its intoxicating blend of script and open-ended action. In Vice City this is--to use a cliché that is for once apropos--taken to a whole new level.--David Stoesz

Pros:

• Open-ended gameplay; player can chose to be relatively law-abiding or engage in wanton virtual destruction
• Varied missions
• Brilliant scripts with Hollywood voice acting
• Rocking sound track (also available in our Music store)
• Xbox-enhanced graphics

Cons:

• As the The Sopranos of games, GTA 3 draws unwanted attention from overzealous legislators
• No multiplayer

... Read more

Features

• Get two classics in one package: Grand Theft Auto--Vice City and Grand Theft Auto 3
• Speed around in high-performance cars, motorbikes, powerboats, and more
• Interact with a cast of hundreds in a highly realistic, fully realized 3D city
• Hunt down your enemies using everything from baseball bats to rocket launchers to Molotov cocktails
• For 1 player

Reviews (143)

Two GTA games in one great package
I have owned this game since the day it came out and I still play it on a regular basis. The games are blast to play over and over as well as just messing around seeing what crazy mayhem you can create next. GTA III is probably my favorite of the two but GTA Vice City is great too. Another great thing about the Xbox versions is that they have improved graphics and effects that the PS2 versions did not. The load times are also much improved as well. The only problem that I can find is that sometimes there is a bit of slowdown in certain parts and you can see that the games would look much better if designed from the ground up for the Xbox. Anyways this is a great collection worth getting if you have never played or owned these incredible games before. If you already own both on the PS2, it probably isn't worth buying again but the faster load times and improved graphics are a nice bonus.

The best of the best!
Grand Theft Auto has always been a hit on PS2 which includes GTA 1, 2, 3 and Vice City. Now Rockstar has decided that the hit series will make it onto Xbox. YES! This package comes with Grand Theft Auto 3 and Grand Theft Auto Vice City and they are both games that cannot be missed!

Graphics: The graphics in GTA are superb. And whats better is that they are Xbox enhanced making the graphics even better then the ones in the PS2 version. The chracter models are pretty good, not the best, but still very good. The only thing in terms of graphics that might need a little bit of work on before GTA San Andreas comes out for Xbox is the actual background animation. But other then that, the graphics are great!

Gameplay: The gameplay is probobly the best aspect of the entire game! The controls are fairly easy to get used to and there is so much that you can actually do! From random shootings, to cop chases/fights, to even playing basketball! Did i mention.....Uhh, maybe thats not suitable for a review! To wrap the gameplay feature up, it is definetely one of the best out of all the Xbox games and adds to the reasons why you should definetely pick this one up from the shelves!

Audio: The soundtrack in GTA is also great. With songs wih rock/rage rock theme to them, this feature will have you sitting down listening to the music rather then actually playing the game!

The only problem with this game is that there is no online support which i thought was a real bummer!

As a result, this game is DEFINETELY not geared towards kids, however if you are over eighteen and you do not have this game yet, two words, GET IT!

This Game Rocks!!
I am a GTA fanatic. I first got into GTA III when my brother bought it for his PS2. I have an XBox, so you just imagine my dismay when it wasn't out on it. Then, the Double Pack became available with both GTA III and Vice City. There is a God.

Both of these games are great. They both can use your original soundtracks if you've downloaded them on your XBox. So, that is a major plus, but the soundtracks on them aren't bad, either.

I favor Vice City over GTA III, but they are equally as fun. Yes, this game is very gory and violent, but that's the beauty of it. You can do things that you can't get away with in real life. No, this game is not for children. I don't know what the big deal is about them. They ARE rated Mature for a reason. Parents are stupid for buying the game for their 10-year-olds. The GTA series tends to draw a lot of unwanted attention, but that just adds to the popularity of the game.

In June, XBoc will receive the "watered-down" version of San Andreas, which will suck because I have played the PS2 version and it is really strong. But, don't let the bad press discourage you from buying this Double Pack. These games are truly works of art. ... Read more

Asin: B0000DJX7I
Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Xbox (x box)    3. Microsoft    4. Action    5. Adventure    6. Racing    7. Flying   

HALO
Average Customer Review:
Video Game (09 November, 2001)
list price: $49.99 -- our price: $19.88
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

More often than not, when a game is in development for more than threeyears, it does not live up to the hype. Bungie's Halo is the exception.Not only does it meet expectations, it greatly exceeds them. This sci-fifirst-person shooter is a nearly perfect blend of gameplay, graphics, and sound.

The story revolves around the conflict between humans and an alien race known asthe Covenant. The aliens have discovered a powerful artifact--on the ring-shapedplanet called Halo--that will shift the balance of power, and it's up to theplayer to stop them. In addition to several first-person-shooter levels, thegame offers numerous opportunities to engage in vehicular combat. Both the enemyand allied artificial intelligence are extremely impressive. Enemies will usethe terrain and layout to put you in tight spots. Allies will know when to coverand aid you. For instance, if you hop into a jeep, an ally will know to jump inand man the turret on the back of it.

The graphics are exquisitely detailed, but only move at 30 frames per secondrather than 60. The sound effects and voice acting are superb. The level designis among the best ever; most of the game is engaging and challenging withoutbeing frustrating. There's also high replay value thanks to the built-insingle-player, cooperative, and deathmatch modes.

Much like the outstanding GoldenEye 007 for Nintendo 64, Haloraises the bar for console first-person shooters. All console action games willbe measured against Halo for years to come. --Raymond M. Padilla

Pros:

• Outstanding game design
• High replay value
• Impressive AI

Cons:

• Several maps are used multiple times
• Save functions could have been better implemented
• Graphics move at 30 frames per second, not 60

... Read more

Features

• Huge Weapon Variety - Vanquish your enemies with a vast array of Human or Covenant weaponry ranging from the stealthy (semi-automatic pistols and needler guns) to the fierce (rocket launchers and blasters).
• Vehicle and Foot-Based Action - Tackle missions anyway you choose - be it storming an enemy base or taking the wheel or gunnery position of a variety of powerful vehicles. Vehicles range from stolen Covenant flyers to Human buggies and more.
• Indoor and Outdoor Combat - Fight seamlessly in Halo's ultra-realistic indoor and outdoor environments as you hunt the Covenant in a variety of single player missions and multiplayer battles.
• Intense Multiplayer Shoot-outs - Form a team, choose a role, and fight cooperatively with your friends, battle it out Deathmatch style via intense split screen, LAN-play or fight co-op with a friend through the single player missions.
• Incredible Mission Variety - Fight the Covenant in a variety of missions as you uncover the darksecrets of halo. Among your many objectives - attack enemy outposts, raid underground labs for advanced technology, rescue fallen comrades, steal alien vehicles and weaponry and snipe enemy forces.

Reviews (1606)

The xbox's first killer app
I was the biggest Sony fanboy for so long.I refused to believe that the stupid xbox could outshine my gorgeous PS2.This all changed in the summer of '04.That was the fist time I played Halo.Since them I've probably beaten the game 30 times.My xbox is now my best friend, and sometimes my PS2 and Gamecube just have to sit and watch.

Halo is no doubt the original killer app for xbox.Halo 2 has since taken the crown thanks to its phenomenal multiplayer, but every loves to go back to Halo and relive that first rush they got playing the game and beating it on Legendary.In fact, I believe that this game was made to be played on Legendary.It may be frustrating at times, but when you finally beat it, there's a sense of relief like no other.

The single player game is awesome.Sure, the levels may be slightly repetitive, but you'll have your finger on the trigger so much that you won't even notice walking through the same hall a dozen times.When the end product overshadows any little things that may bother some people, you know you have a winner.The AI is amazing, especially on Legendary.You may quickly find yourself being ambushed, and those brushes with death make the game truly shine.

Halo brought on what many people believe is the biggest multiplayer revolution since Goldeneye on N64.With the addition of vehicles, it was easy to spend hours playing 4 player FFA or 2 vs 2 team games.When I discovered that you could link 4 xbox's together to system link, I was in awe.8 vs 8 games of CTF on Blood Gulch is still classic.NOTE:Halo is NOT xbox live capable.PC owners are reviewing on the xbox game stating how fun it is to play online.This feature is PC only for Halo.If you want online play, go for Halo 2.

So if you were like me, a Sony, or even a Nintendo fanboy, I dare you to give Halo a try.You might find yourself going to Best Buy tomorrow to pick up your own xbox.And at a newly released Platinum price of 19.99, it's hard to say no.

Makes me dizzy
Halo and Halo 2 makes me dizzy when I play it. Maybe it's the running around for a long time doing nothing.I don't know why cuz Xbox Star Wars Republic Commando plays just find and I don't get sick.Republic Commmando is much more fun cuz you have squadmates and constant action.Halo is good cuz of co-op play though , unless your friends also get motion sickness from Halo.

The bestX-box launch game
When halo was previewed at e3 2000, It was buggy and wasnt recieved well at all. But when the game was released, it blew people away. I believe it was the first game to ever use spectral high lighting (the shiny effect) and bump mapping. It only ran at 30 frames per sec, but ran good.

One of the most impressive things about halo is the story. It was so well crafted and done so well, they could use the game script and make a movie and have it be good. It had so many twists and turns, it was just great.

The sound was good too. Halo and Halo 2 boasts one of, if not the best video game soundtrack of all time. The music is Oscar quality.

Overall, Halo is one of the best action games ever made.

(these scores are for the time when it was released)

Concept- Make the X-Box a power player when it comes to consoles by making a phenominal game

Presintation- 10- Box art is cool and the cinimatics could win oscars for the directing.

Graphics- 9.5- wow, halo was one of the best looking games of the x-box launch, if not the best looking. New wethods were introduces with this game.

Sound- 10-Best music in a game? Yes. Best voice overs in a game? Yes.

Playability- 10- it is so fluid and easy to controll. It really shows off the x-box controller.

Entertainment- 9.6- The best x-box launch title and one of the best action games ever made.

Replay Value- 9.4- This game came out before X-box live, so the only way to play multiplayer was either split screen or system link.

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Asin: B00005NZ1G
Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Xbox (x box)    3. Microsoft    4. Action    5. Adventure   

Medal of Honor: Rising Sun
Average Customer Review:
Video Game (14 November, 2003)
list price: $49.99 -- our price: $19.95
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• Open environment based gameplay allows players to take multiple paths and approaches to defeat the enemy
• Featuring an all-new reward system, unlockable extras, and realistic environment rendering
• For 1 to 4 players
• 10 massive gameplay levels spread across 5 major missions
• Fight off the attack on Pearl Harbor, lead the assault on Guadalcanal, blow up the bridge over the River Kwai, and much more

Reviews (89)

Over-hyped, under-produced
So many of my friends absolutely raved about this game that I ended up buying it and am totally disappointed.I have never played a first-person shooter that is as little fun as this game.The multiplayer is lackluster in comparison to Quake, which came out almost a decade ago, and as far as consoles go, Halo has it beat hands down.My opinion, of course, but the world that this game tries to put you in doesn't strike me at all as immersive and I was very disappointed with the feel of the controls as it's nearly impossible to make any sort of coordinated-looking assault on the enemy.Not to say that it's difficult seeing as the enemy guys have almost no autonomy whatsoever so once you know where they are you can easily pick them off even though it takes a great deal of effort simply to shoot one of them.I am a master sniper on Halo so it's not a problem with my ability to use the actual controller, just in case you were wondering.

That all being said, this game COULD have been really cool.My main complaint is that it just wasn't fun for me.Not in the slightest.I've been having more fun with my copy of Sega GT 2002 that I picked up for $3, and I'm not even usually a racing game fan.If you want a cheap first person shooter go out and get Goldeneye for the 64.They had it right back then... not sure why they can't get it right now...Hm.

No Men on team
There are no men on youre team pretty much.I would strngly suggest Frontline which is long and has men on youre team.I do like the bots in multiplayer.I also like co-op mode.Bottom line: TOO SHORT ANDNO MEN ON YOURE TEAM.

Great game based on the Pacific Theatre of WWII!!!
I was rather surprised at all the bad reviews, oh well everyone has an opinion and here is mine.

I'm not going to "compare" this to MOH Frontline, though quickly I will point out that it is shorter in the mission department than Frontline..other than that...

This is a great combat game based on the Pacific Theatre of WWII.
From the bombing of Pearl Harbor, your battling your way through famous battles, including the Bridge over the River Kwai.I love the jungle trails you fight on in this book.Very challenging as you walk quietly through the jungle, when suddenly snipers are shooting at you out of trees from far off.Not to mention the enemy popping up out of thatched coverings in the ground, you could get clipped at a moments notice! Dodging shells and stick grenades as you storm up a grassy hill to take out a howitzer, this game is packed with firepower.

The only part I don't like is when you ride the elephant and are manning the machine gun, you can't travers all the way back around so it's easy to get shot from behind, then again this could, you might say, make it more "realistic".The level where you are on the aircraft carrier is superb, as well as in the ancient temples that are crawling with Japanese soldiers.

It's up front fighting as well as they will charge right up to you and stab a bayonet into your chest, so watch out!Also be privvy to the japanese sailors on the subs...the officers in certain quarters have swords and won't hence to slash you down if you barge into the captains qaurters and disturb their dinner!

Overall I simply loved the game.The variety of weapons and the length of the jungle trails makes for long lasting fun.A plus to this game is that you can also save in the middle of a mission at certain spots so if you have to bail you don't have to start over at the beginning!

So load up your rifle and yell "Semper Fidelis" Marine, the mission is yours for the taking if you can handle the task! ... Read more

Asin: B00009X3SY
Sales Rank: 618
Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Xbox (x box)    3. Microsoft    4. Action    5. Adventure   

Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
Average Customer Review:
Video Game (06 November, 2003)
list price: $49.99 -- our price: $19.95
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• Over 12 interactive environments authentically reproduced from the films
• Battle vicious boss monsters including Shelob, the Witch King and the final showdown with the Dark Lord Sauron
• For 1 to 2 players
• 8 playable and secret characters with exclusive voice-overs provided by the actors from the films
• All-new co-op multiplayer mode will allow players to team up with a companion

Reviews (80)

not bad, but not what i expected

First of all, the good things:

- The game follows completely the film and the screens are quite well adaptated to admit someone controlling the characters from the movie.
- The game characters' voices are recorded by the original movie actors, which gives the additive of playing and hearing gandalf!! the real one!!
- The graphics are excellent, the EAGames designers have really been good at this, for with a good video card the game is really nice and the movements are very nicely designed.
- The music, as in the movie: great.

Right, now for the bad things:

- The game is "the lord of the rings", but if instead of Gandalf and orcs you had mr. Duke Nukem and his martians they would be the same game: a shoot-em-up type.
- The game requires really low strategyc movements, most of them are really well indicated so that nobody has to think!!
- And as a result of the past reasons: This game is just to spend hours and hours kicking lots and lots of orcs with gandalf!!! you gain nothing like the satisfaction of having to plan the strategy to take the troops here or there... it's just too mechanic...

Too everybody out there thinking whether to buy it or not, i'd reccomend them to play the demo, play it a lot, and that's how the game is going to be, some additional monsters, some additional powers... oh, and some different scenarios...

Awesome Game!!!!!!!
This game is awesome. It has great grafics, and cool levels. Trust me you will love it.

First-rate action game
The second Lord of the Rings game, "The Two Towers," belonged to that rare group of worthy film-based games. How many movie tie-in games have been less-than-stellar garbage capitalizing on a film's popularity? With "The Return of the King," EA follows up their excellent effort on "Towers" with one of the best games of the year. A warning to those who have not read the books and do not know how the trilogy ends: As expected, the game contains many spoilers.

The biggest difference between ROTK and its predecessors may be the amount of action: Fellowship was mostly plot-oriented, and Two Towers featured many small battles and one great action piece--Helm's Deep. ROTK, however, thrives on action. From start to finish, this game is non-stop action and adventure: gargantuan Siege Towers, monstrous trolls, bloodthirsty Uruk-Hai--this game gives you all you can handle, and then some. You'll be thankful for the occasional pauses to rest your thumbs--before the next attack begins. The game features voice-work from the film's actors and some of the most amazing backgrounds and environments I've ever seen in a video game, with perfect contrast between light and dark elements. Like the films, there's meticulous attention to detail. Character design and appearance is first-rate, and character animation (thanks to motion-capture technology) is smooth and even. In addition, the sound quality (THX, no less) is outstanding--every roar, every clash of steel resounds through your speakers.

ROTK features three distinct playable storylines: The Path of the King, The Path of the Hobbits, and The Path of the Wizard. One can play as Aragorn, Legolas, Gandalf, Gimli, Frodo, or Sam, and beating the game unlocks three new characters. Follow Aragorn on the Paths of the Dead and recruit the undead to fight alongside you, from Minas Tirith to the Black Gate. Follow Frodo and Sam from Osgiliath to Shelob's Lair to Mount Doom. Take the wizard's path, and have Gandalf fight from Orthanc to Minas Tirith. There are thirteen levels, and the three storylines converge in a final level only accessible when all thirteen are finished. Some levels are relatively easy (Shelob's Lair wasn't too tough) and some are barbaric in their difficulty (Paths of the Dead took me six tries before I beat it). Each character has their own unique style and weapons, with plenty of enemies to battle: Shelob, Orcs, Mumakils (Oliphaunts), Uruk-Hai, The King of the Dead, and more. Attacks are pretty straightforward: Quick attack, Fierce attack, parry, or fire (arrows and the like). As you gain experience points from defeating enemies, you can acquire better weapons and skills (such as invisibility and the truly awesome Balrog's Revenge) to combat the increasingly difficult foes one faces as the game progresses. And, one can choose to retain those points for oneself, or share them with other characters.

The game has three difficulty settings: Easy, normal, and hard. Easy is just that: easy. Normal is moderately challenging, but beatable for most average gamers. Select hard, and you're asking for it. The enemies seem to never end, and even the lowliest orcs take incredible amounts of punishment before falling. Hard difficulty may be best tackled with the game's Co-Op mode, which allows a friend to participate. A major problem with the game, however, is that you can't replay a level until you've beaten it. But once you complete it, every level opens up and can be played by any character--which gives the game better long-term replayability than most movie titles (and many non-movie ones, as well). One thing I didn't like was the occasional difficulty caused by the game's third-person perspective. Like most TP games, certain positions or angles create blind spots. In close combat, this can prove to be a major aggravation. But those are relatively minor things that detract little from the overall quality of this game. For anyone looking for an excellent action/adventure game, this can't be beat. Highly recommended.

I hope this review was helpful

--Christian Wheeler, gamer and games retailer

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Asin: B00009VE6E
Sales Rank: 2466
Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Xbox (x box)    3. Microsoft    4. Action    5. Adventure