Counter-Strike Review

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(More customer reviews)Counterstrike has to be one of the most famous online first person shooters, if not, the most famous online game. Most computer junkies have played it and become addicted the moment they get thier first "frag." With all that said, Valve, the developer of Counterstrike, has just been released for the XBox with all the same aspects and you can play online using XBox LIVE. But does it live up to it's PC version?
The graphics virtually have no improvement from the PC version. Which is a bad thing because the graphics are not impressive at all, but to the contrary, the level designs are. Some are vast, some are small, but all of them are very well designed. Each level you play matches in has many areas to hide and get cover from enemy fire.
The sounds of gunfire, explosions, footsteps, and the voices are all very well done. Counterstrike also supports the custom soundtrack, which is very cool. Imagine fragging all your friends online while jamming to your favorite rock or rap group. If you have the music CD, you can listen to it while playing Counterstrike.
The gameplay is where Counterstrike shines. It's pure pulse pounding action playing it online. When I first played it using XBox LIVE, the bullets were flying, the bodies were piling up, the people were yelling, and I was in heaven.
The only problem I have with Counterstrike is that there is no multiplayer. For the love of God, why is there no split-screen multiplayer mode? Did Valve feel like making us video game junkies angry? Or is Valve trying to make us subscribe to XBox LIVE to have some multiplayer fun? Whatever the case, this game doesn't feel complete without split-screen multiplayer mode.
So if you dont have XBox LIVE and don't plan on subscribing anytime soon, don't bother with Counterstrike. Counterstrike for XBox lives up to the PC version, and it's arguably better than the PC version. So if you have XBox LIVE and you wan't some ballistic action, then I suggest you run to your nearest game retailer and buy Counterstrike.
Hit
+ Great gameplay
+ Great online fun
+ Great sound
+ Supports custom soundtrack
+ Great selection of weapons
Miss
_ No split-screen multiplayer mode
_ Not much of a reason to own it without XBox LIVE

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Counter-Strike has become the world's most popular online PC shooter game. Now the thrills and danger of urban guerilla combat comes to your Xbox! Downloadable content and new maps for extended gameplay

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Torchlight Review

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(More customer reviews)This game sure comes with some serious pedigree: Travis Baldree, designer of Fate, and Max Schaefer and Erich Schaefer, co-designers of Diablo I & II put their heads together and came up with an action hack&slash isometric RPG game that can appeal to all ages. The result is a good game that will keep us hacking and summoning - until the ...3rd coming that is.
In fact, the game developers made sure to often pay tribute to the DIABLO Series: from the background music while at the town-camp (you would recognize those Tristam guitar riffs anywhere!), to the draining health and mana fountains and to the voice announcing & warning, you cannot miss the timeless DIABLO influences. Having said that, I found TORCHLIGHT to be something between a DIABLO and a FATE game.
If you have experienced any of the FATE games you will be reminded of them often, although the heroes here are not children. The village NPCs will keep giving you straightforward quests (usually a go-and-fetch excuse to dwell deeper into the dungeon). Extra dungeons, however, can be accessed by accepting the extra quests of the male NPC in the south and by purchasing dungeon maps of various levels from the local merchants. Also, sometimes a spectral animal appears while in a dungeon: slaying it will open up a bonus dungeon where better equipment often becomes available. There is no traveling to/from town while in a bonus dungeon, so you better keep an empty inventory before entering it.
Yes, you do get a pet (a dog or a cat - but you can interchange them by purchasing and feeding them a special fish) and, yes, you can transform them by feeding them different types of fishes. Fishing is carried out in pretty much the same fashion: you wait for two concentric circles to merge and their color to change from pale blue to purple but it is less important than it was in FATE (so far I brought in nothing else but fish - no equipment or valuable items).
Now, when not playing an AD&D RPG (where I always choose to be a Paladin), I like to play other RPGs as a warlock, a fighting mage. The Alchemist class allows you to both cast powerful spells and exchange blows in the midst of the action (the other available classes is the Destroyer and the Vanquisher). The Destroyer is the up-close-and-personal tank warrior whereas the Vanquisher is the ranger.
When leveling up as an Alchemist, make sure to get both the (steampunk!) golems and the Ember Strike spell. Together with some good shielding spells, nothing can stand in your way.
Try not to go broke. At first I though, "finally, an RPG that is not stingy with its money". But that was only at first. Items are less expensive at the shops but (surprise!) they also sell for a pittance. The good news is that money drops like rain from slain foes. The money-hole is the enchanter: attempting to further enchant your equipment will deplete your funds faster than you would imagine! And you also run a considerable risk of having all of its enchantments removed. No post-dated checks are honored. No credit cards accepted. I tried.
You WILL get swarmed so be prepared. Place healing potions, defensive and knockback spells on quick-slots (1-0); equip your pet with self or group healing spells and a powerful summoning spell; and never forget to first stay alive and then keep pounding on your enemies. In the heat of the battle it is best to deactivate (Alt-key) the fallen-items labels (more on this later on) and to always keep an eye on your health and mana levels. Respawning is not free: it will cost you either time, money or experience.
The inventory seems small but, in fact, it is more than adequate. Potions and scrolls are stackable up to 20 and (more importantly) every item takes up only one inventory square (no, you do not have to carry your fishing pole, it is just there).
You can send your pet to town to sell off its inventory and the time it needs to return is much less that what it did in FATE.
And there are treasure rooms you can only access by finding and pulling levers (sometimes in specific sequence) to open doors or turn bridges.
Now, some negative points:
(1) the game is only a dungeon crawler, there are no outdoors locations.
(2) the graphics of the the spells are very impressive but they can become really confusing as well. Even at maximum settings, unless the fallen-items labels are deactivated you will not be able to actually see much of the battle. That means alternating between fighting and looting - but it also means missing some important interactive objects (levers or ballistas). Also, when electric, fire, ice and poison spells get mixed the result is not something one can discern friend from foe in. It makes no tactical difference (you cannot harm yourself or your company) but it sure would be more enjoyable if you could aim more than...80% of the time.
(3) the environments are beautifully designed but your path is often blocked by obstacles that visually you could easily bypass. Sometimes you find your hero running in place, stopped by a ...pebble.
Finally, some closing suggestions to the developers for a future patch: (a) add the possibility to order our pet to bring back potions and identification scrolls when sent into town, and (b) make it possible to change class in mid-game (keeping the level and redistributing the skill points).
All in all, TORCHLIGHT is a very enjoyable experience. It is easy to master, it is beautiful and it is fun for the whole family.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

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Homefront Review

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(More customer reviews)A little about my gaming experience, i've been playing PC FPS games since DOOM including Counter-Strike, all the PC Call of Duty games, all the PC Battlefield games, and so many more. I would consider myself a fair reviewer, I even found the 2010 Medal of Honor to have its redeeming qualities despite most others disliking it.
Prior to this games release I saw some promo material such as videos and the interactive website, which were masterfully done, to set the stage for what should have been a great game with an interesting story. Unfortunately, this was not the case.
First off, the graphics seem below par for the genre but are not horrible. The animation seems worse off though, as the way characters movement seem jerky in a way that is obnoxious and an eyesore.
Single-Player:
The game was noticeably short, clocking in at around 5 hours. The characters, environment, and story was surprisingly generic and the ending was an abrupt one that brought no closure. This was done on Normal difficulty by an experienced FPS player, so your mileage my vary. This was by no means an attempt at clearing it in a short time either, this included me dying at several places and reading several of the in-game history documents scattered around. While single-player campaign was surprisingly uninteresting given the great story they had to work with, it wasn't terrible. Even though the majority of it was bland it still had some fun moments.
Multi-Player:
This is the mode that I value the most in any FPS I buy as it is ultimately what I spend the most time playing. Homefront's take on multi-player has it's unique elements, such as aquiring Battle Points (BP) from doing actions such as killing an enemy or capturing an objective. This in-game currency and the only way to get power-ups such as RPGs, vehicles, remote-controlled attack drones, and such. One major issue with this system is that all items that destroy heavy vehicles are BP purchases. If you are stuck with low BP you can very easily be repeatedly killed or spawn camped by a helicopter with no way to destroy it.
The next major issue is sniping, in which the flaws of Homefront being console developed and ported to PC become very apparant. Players can start with a default sniper rifle which is semi-automatic with very little scope sway and recoil. In addition to this, it is a one shot kill to the body with no bullet drop. The combination of all these factors with the large maps makes it a sniping/camping nightmare. There is little skill needed to one shot kill someone from far away, as the sniper rifle has a high rate of fire with fairly low recoil.
There are many other smaller issues that I could go on about, but i'll try and shorten it into the all encompassing idea that Homefront just lacks polish. Everything seems rushed including balance issues and content. What could have been a great game got bogged down by poor implementation of ideas.
Bottom line:
Homefront does not stand up against any other quality FPS. Whether you are a fan of Call of Duty, Battlefield, Counterstrike, or any other FPS, you will probably find this game lacking in the aspect that makes that FPS series your favorite. Unless there is a major overhaul with future patches, I would not recommend this game to any FPS gamer.

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Homefront is a first-person shooter that challenges players to survive and impact a fictional future scenario in which America has been economically devastated and occupied by a foreign power. In the face of overwhelming oppression, you must choose whether to submit to military forces, take the fight to the enemy or even throw your lot in with the invaders. Additional features include: a single player campaign written by Hollywood screenwriter John Milius, online multiplayer support for up to 32 players, ground and vehicular combat, and more.

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Empire - Gold Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)I waited a long time before picking up Empire Total War, Ive been a fan since the History Channel presented Rome Total War. This game is very different from past Total War games, but it is already a classic in my book and I would recommend future generations to look into this game.

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Empire: Total War Review

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(More customer reviews)(For the most recent comments see the updates)
Let me begin by pointing out that I am a HUGE fan of the Total War series. I started with Rome, continued with the Barbarian Invasion, segueyed into Medieval II and the subsequent Kingdoms expansion. Needless to say, I was eagerly anticipating this game. I even bought a top of the line Mach V rig with all the bells and whistles and a 30in monitor to take in the beauty of it all. My machine has no problem handing the graphics settings on Ultra and I can tell you that visually, this game has the potential to be stunning (provided your computer is up to the task).
Now the negative. The game comes with Steam software which introduces its own complications to the process of enjoying ones game. Granted that the auto-patching feature is pretty sweet, but almost everything else about this system is not (See other reviews here for more details). But thats not even the meat of my beef.
Creative Assembly (CA) released this much anticipated game KNOWING that it was a beta version. After reading countless posts on various message boards, it is more than apparent that this game was not ready for release but for some reason they went ahead with it anyway. This in effect made everyone who bought it an unwitting beta tester (with all the frustrations and none of the salary). As I see it, Creative Assembly has spent all of its credibility capital from the prior installments on this piss-poor shell of a game. Thats not fair, it is 90% of a game but that missing 10% makes it unplayable (frequent crashes to desktop, white screens of death, and corrupted save files are the major issues with a few minor issues sprinkled in for good measure).
This will be the last time I purchase a game from Creative Assembly within the first six months of launch and I would advise others to do the same. Not to send a message to CA (though they deserve a swift kick to the junk for this scam), but to save yourself the money and the frustration.
5/21/09 UPDATE: Two and a half months after release, CA is still frantically attempting to patch this game to make it playable. However with every step forward, it seems like they are taking two steps back. The Battlefield AI has gone from acceptably bad to unacceptably bad. Lingering issues related to crashes still persist though the White screen of death and save corruptions seem to have been resolved. The economy system has been tweaked to make the game more difficult, some prefer the change, some do not. Modders are doing their best to put a polish on this game but some fundamentals still remain broken. My original advice to wait for fixes before purchasing still stands, this game is still in post-market Beta testing but should be fun once its completed (probably 3 months from now).
7/01/09 UPDATE: A week after the 1.3 patch, it is time for an update. Personally, the game works much better now than before. This is subjective since some people have had new CTD issues with the latest patch that were not there before. CA released a hotfix tonight to address the CTDs introduced with their latest patch. While the game is generally more fun and playable now, there are still some elements of the game that will likely require an expansion pack-sized update to address (these issues include siege battles being totally broken and unrealistic still, no cross-theater naval invasions, crap diplomacy, and Campaign AI that never retreats EVER even when outnumbered 10 to 1, just to name a few). Adding to my concern is that patch 1.4 will seek to introduce a multi-player campaign (which, if you were paying attention, was supposed to come with the game 4 months ago). That's like building a house on a unfinished foundation, bound for more Failure. Additionally, CA has decided to tweak naval units so that the biggest/tallest ships with the biggest guns and best crews will have a shorter range, lower accuracy, and slower reload times than the smallest/shortest ships with the smallest guns, despite the overwhelmingly negative response from the hardcore community that would like at least some adherence to the laws of physics. CA hears but does not listen to its most dedicated fans.
Despite all of this (which is really just most of the negative points), If you cannot wait any longer, I think its worth the current price.
If I had to rate this game again, I would give it 4 stars for fun, and three stars overall. Too bad it took four months to achieve mediocrity. Oh well, new engine, new problems, I bet future installments will have much smoother releases. Still, I advocate hesitation when it comes to purchasing future CA/SEGA collaborations.
My next update will come a week after the release of patch 1.4.

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Call the shots in epic battles all over the world and expand your realm of influence throughout the tumultuous eighteenth century with Empire: Total War for your PC. Set against the bold intellectual landscape of the Enlightenment, this extension of the Total War franchise brings you out of the middle ages and into a realm where guns, gunpowder, and naval warfare have a dramatic influence on the face of combat.
Historic Factions, Expanded Horizons, and an Updated Campaign Map Total War's detailed, turn-based battle system has received some serious upgrades that will have an impact on both seasoned commanders and newly minted combatants. The UI has been streamlined, and the systems for handling trade and diplomacy have been updated. You have improved advisors at your disposal, and realistic espionage techniques can be carried out using agents.
Empire puts a variety of major political factions into your hands, including France, Spain, Great Britain, Sweden, the United Provinces in northern Europe, Prussia, the Ottoman Empire, and Russia. Detailed strategic elements come into play, whether you're fighting in the heart of Europe, warding off Mamluk horsemen in the middle east, or working to capture the wealth of India. Beyond all this, for the first time in Total War history, the continent of North America is an open field of play that portrays the unique strategic problems encountered by the founding fathers during the revolutionary war.
Dynamic 3D Naval Battles and Forces of Nature Total War's signature 3D battle scenes are paired with a new graphics engine and improved technology, allowing war and conquest to take on an even more realistic feel. Advanced landscape and flora systems add both realism and depth to the world stage, while dynamic weather consistently threatens to throw a wrench in your attack plans.
Whether you're coordinating platoon firing or supporting a defensive square formation, the musket and the cannon take center stage as newly developed implements of war. And they're not just for use on land. Real-time naval battle set on dramatic seascapes help shape the balance of power and determine the scope of your Empire, and they're rendered in the same impressive 3D as battles on land. You may find yourself directing a vast fleet through intricate maneuvers, controlling the helm of a single tall ship, or grappling to the enemy's boat and dictating the course of hand-to-hand combat on deck.
New Multiplayer Action Additional updates to the Total War model include a multiplayer component that provides player rankings for competitive commanders, leagues and ladders, and a selection of entirely new modes of game play.

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Major League Baseball 2K11 Review

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(More customer reviews)And buy this game. This game has good graphics and I am using a 6850 and AMD 945 @ 3.4ghz. Runs smooth and no lag. Takes a bit getting used to at first (i.e.batting and pitching), but I am finding myself enjoying this game immensely. I have not had much time with it so far, but I cant see any show stopping bugs after 10 hours of play.
For the casual baseball fan that wants to play some good baseball on his PC. This is the game to get. I appreciate the fact that 2K is still supporting the PC. And likewise I will help support them.
Every year people complain that we dont get updates as fast as the console counterparts. But just be happy that actually care enough to release a version.
2K. I know you guys pour alot of money into marketing. But you should really market more toward the 28-35 crowd. We grew up with all the game machines and we are now the likely audience to actually buy the game.
To sum it up. This game is alot of fun and I cant wait for Baseball to start! Go A's!

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Major League Baseball 2K11 is multiplayer baseball game for play on the PC gaming platform that puts you in the jerseys of your favorite Big League players as you take the mound, swing for the fences and play defense at every position like never before. The game features include: an analog pitching and hitting controls, dynamic player ratings, a revamped fielding system, improved play modes, new player models and the $1 Million Perfect Game Challenge.

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Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Review

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(More customer reviews)Let me start by saying that I am only about 2 and a half hours into the game which is far from beating it. However, I feel compelled to write something as this game just was released today. I want to let others know what they can expect in case they are on the fence about buying the game.
I have uploaded a video of the packaging and it's contents (Limited Edition). I have to say that over all the presentation is a lot nicer than I was expecting. The one thing I sort of didn't like was that the art book is attached into the packaging. It made it harder to flip through and enjoy.
Getting into the game I was curious as what to expect. I read a lot of pre-release reviews comparing this game to God of Way. But was hoping for more than just another hack and slash and so far this game has delivered BIG. I have played through all 3 god of war games and can say I never honestly used the block button one time. In this game I found myself using it quite a bit. Also i think this game takes a bit more defensive strategy than just going toe-to-toe and mashing one button over and over.
There are so many incredible things about this game that stand out. I will be careful to not give anything away as I want you to enjoy all the wonderful surprises just like I have. But, the way the game intertwines cut scenes right in the middle of battle adds a whole new level of depth to the game-play. It was like battle with a real quick cut to cut-scene, than battle ,cut-scene,battle,battle,cut-scene, battle all with what seemed like no load time. Added a very high level of energy to the battles without taking the gamer out of the experience. It should be said that you have no control over the camera at any time. But, I think they did a great job with always keeping the camera at an angle that seems so natural that not once did I find myself frustrated by not having control. The levels are set up where you are encouraged to explore and in just the first few levels their are multiple paths you can go down. In the first 5 levels I not completed more than %60 of any one level and I pride myself on being an explorer. This will add to the value of the game for me as now I want to go back and replay the levels to find everything missed. Also, there are items you can see but can't reach until you have upgraded later in the game and have to come back.
Some other subtle things I thought were worth mentioning was the 3rd person perspective. the weather elements interact with the screen so you feel like you are with the character. The rain in particular is cool as the drops run down the screen after hitting. Also , when your character is stopped the screen has a swaying, bobbling effect like you are carrying a camera on your shoulder following the character. So, far every single environment I have been in has added a deep layer of atmospheric effect, whether it is rain, mist, or windy snow. It always keeps you from seeing everything 100% crystal clear but really adds another cool layer of realism. speaking of realism I thought it was worth noting that when you interact with a tree the branches move as well as when you are walking through tall grass...Don't think your efforts went unnoticed Konami! I have to say I am an artist who has drawn in one form or another my whole life. I really appreciate art and the effort that goes into creating it. I cannot count how many times in the first 2 hours I said WOW! out loud. The scenery is so well done I found myself almost enjoying the times between battles more than the battles themselves just so I could soak in the environments and scenery they created. Truly beautiful work on the environments!
The voice acting is top notch! I should mention for any adults reading this that may want to buy the game for a young child. That there was one moment in the first 2 hours of play with a full frontal nude fairy (nips and all). That may be the only moment in the game I am not sure as I said before i am only about 1/12 of the way into the game. But I imagine if it's there once it will probably be there again...(ehhhhmmm ehhhmmm Dante's Inferno.)
They also have added an RPG element. You gain experiece as you battle enemies and can use that experiece to unlock new moves or special extras like artwork in a gallery. The music is amazing! The milted edition comes with the soundtrack as you can see. I can actually see myself listening to it and enjoying it.
Hope this helped answer some questions about the game. Thanks for taking time to read my review.


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Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is a single player Action-Adventure game developed as a reimagining of the classic Castlevania mythology. An entirely modern action console game, Lords of Shadow combines fast-paced weapons and magic based combat against otherworldly enemies, with platforming and puzzle-solving gameplay, to create a fresh gameplay experience that will thrill both fans of the original game series and gamers more rooted in modern action games. In addition to the game disc, this special Limited Edition contains a variety of extras. See a list of the complete contents below.

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