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

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

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

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

Features

• Finally fulfills every aspect of DBZ combat, including (and especially) flight, counter-attacks, super high-speed bouts, and Ki (energy) management.
• Ability to customize DBZ characters.
• Exciting new heroes and villains from DBZ, DBGT, and Dragon Ball movies.
• All-new single player mode that allows fans to relive the best Dragon Ball Z and GT battles.
• Multiplayer modes for up to two players.

Reviews (125)

Okay game
Hello my name is The Punisher from Mars. I will not tell you my nameFor security reasons. This is a good game but easy for me. I have beaten this game over 20 times in 15 days. I f you are looking for a good game with good graphics and easy to beat this game is probably fo you. I have all of the Budakai games and I have reserved the up coming Dragon Ball Z Sagas it looks good.

fun.
This game is really fun. I have all but uub and omega shenron unlocked(Inclouding ss4 vegeta and goku fusion. Again I need omega shenron. Anyone know how to get him.?

I'm a big fan of Dragon Ball Z...
And when I'm a fan of something, that means I scrutinize it much more closely and wish very deeply to see it achieve its potential.
Dragon Ball Z is an anime series that revolves around characters with superhuman powers such a superhuman strength, speed, endurance, flight and the power to fire blasts of life-energy from their palms.These powers grow stronger the more they train, and so as such, they spend most of their time either training or fighting.
Now, I believe Dragon Ball Z could use fighting game elements to make a perfect game based on the animated series.No, I don't think this is that game, but there's a reason for that.
In virtually every episode of the series, you'll hear someone talking about something, witness someone training to get stronger, or watch as one or more of the good guys is paralyzed with fear over how much stronger the enemy is than they are.For example, when Vegeta attacked the Earth, he was so strong that he put Goku (arguably the series' main character) in a hospital bed.Yet later in the series, he is attacked and almost killed by Zarbon, one of Frieza's henchmen.Zarbon, in turn, had less than half the strength of characters like Burter or Jeice, who in turn, were about half as strong as Ginyu, the person commanding them.Ginyu was, as far as we know, Frieza's second in command, but Frieza was over 100 times stronger than he was.Over 1000 times in the american series.
In fact, Frieza was so powerful, that he single-handedly wiped out the entire planet that Vegeta hailed from with a simple gesture IN HIS WEAKEST FORM.
This is a massive power difference between two characters in the series, as you might imagine.
But Budokai 3 is a fighting game.There's no getting around that.And in a fighting game, having one character who can annihilate another just by breathing hard wouldn't work too well, would it?
Well, at any rate, I doubt it would, in a fighting game.It would, however, work just fine in an RPG.The whole "training and getting stronger" thing is just another word for what we in the video game community call "mining for experience."A system that could easily be incorporated into a game like this as a bonus game/story mode, while also incorportating the enormous mathematical power levels that DBZ brings forth.
But in this game, the biggest difference between the character of Frieza and the character of Cell lies in their movesets.In the anime, Cell could kill Frieza with one punch, but in this game, it's not too tough to beat Cell using Frieza in a fight.
Furthermore, and more to the point, when I fought Cell as Goku in this game's story mode, he wasn't really any tougher than when I fought Frieza, nor was he really that much stronger.
Maybe some day a DBZ RPG will come out in the vein of Kingdom Hearts gameplay-wise, that will faithfully represent the vast gulf in power between the DBZ characters.This game does not fulfill the potential of a DBZ video game because of this.
However, in virtually every other respect, I think this game is great.It's got quite a few DBZ fighters (though it does leave out a few, like Kibito, Chaotsu, Burter, Jeice, Zarbon, Dodoria, Cui, 19, etc...) and quite a few moves and move styles for those characters that are even customizable at one point.When I picked it up, I was so anxious to see which characters I could earn that I didn't put it down for a day and a half.I was that obsessed.
Long and short, this game may not be what I've been waiting for in terms of a DBZ video game, but it's the best DBZ FIGHTING game I've ever seen. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. PS2 (PSX2)    3. Sony Playstation (Play station) 2    4. Playstation2 (Play station2)    5. Action    6. Adventure    7. Fighting   

Reviews (10)

COOOOOOOOL GOOOOOOOOOOAL!!!!
This game is the best. It gives you the feeling of playing soccer outside of stadiums or fields. Instead, you will play in parks on blacktops, and in the alleys. It gives you the authentic feeling of how peolpe in countries like Brazil, France, Spain, England, and many other countries play when they do not have alot of space. GO GET IT TODAY ANDSCORE A GOAL WITH FIFA STREET.

The Best Game EAbig has to offer!
This game is GREAT. I believe it is better than NFL Street and NBA Street. If you do not like soccer still try this game out and see how cool it is. I went to Vest Buy with my family and expected to buy some music and DVDs. But after trying this game out on the test systems, I could not get away it was so fun. So instead of buying DVDs and music I bought FIFA Street. It may seem confusing at first but I believe the fun of the game is trying things out, and learning how to win. SO GO BUY IT NOW!

Soccer. ON THE STREETS! (...)
NBA Street. NFL Street. What could be next?
Somehting hardcore. Something underground. Something deadly. Isn't it obvious?
SOCCER!
Wait, what the (...) soccer? A game which can go on for hours at a time without a single score, were men in short shorts run around a king a ball while british hooligans call each other (...)Fine, whatever, street 'soccer'.
Fifa Street is a game focused around the underground battle that is soccer (seriously, im not kidding), and for the two people who bought this game, they and I both know that it's, well, crap. The gameplay has been dragged down severly from actual soccer to a dumbed down, too simple back and forth kickfest. It's boring, it's uninteresting, and even the multiplayers isn't so hot. TO be fair, this is EA BIG's first soccer game, and, well, better luck next time.
Another major problem of the game is it's graphics which aren't just muddy and disorientated, but dark and just plain damn ugly to look at. When you get down to it, even the most hardcore EA Fans will eventully have to admit that this is nothing but a desperate attempt to expand the 'Street' series and to slip some more green wads into their back part. It's selfish, it's lazy, and absoloutly unacceptable when it comes to EA. Good try EA, but let's face it, we narrow minded Americans don't give a damn about soccer. Go ahead and let those wacky and strange Europeans make em', just keep on riding with Basketball and Football. Until then, this is nothing but a mess shoved out of EA's ass, which doesn't even attempt to innovate the soccer genre in any way. Too bad. ... Read more

Features

• Raise animals, grow vegetables, make friends and fall in love
• New events and mini-games
• For 1 player
• RPG sim where players build and maintain a farm
• Revisit the popular world of Harvest Moon Back to Nature

Reviews (94)

get it don't just sit here your wastn' time here
i got tis today and i played it for more than 5 hours strait.get it yor wastn' time.grate fur plane rides. if ya travil alot get ta thang now. if ya haven' trubble savein' ta thang its ta dieray duuuuuhhhh.

Harvest Moon Totally ROCKS!!!!!!!!
Hi, If you are reading this review listen VERY closely! I'm an 12 year video game freak kid who's on a mission to find the most fun video games (duh!) !!!!!!!! Here's some stuff on one of my FAVE games, Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town!!!!!!

When I first got Harvest Moon, I was a little nervous. I thought, "Am I that in to farming???". But guess what?, Harvest Moon totally ROCKED MY WORLD!!! I played it for months! Than I took a little break from it to play Harvest Moon A Wonderful Life, another great Harvest Moon game!Then, I got hooked back on to it and here I am. Here are some of the way cool suff you can do:

. Chose one of 5 girls to Marry
. Raise farm animals, crops, and your kid!
. Sell crops, animals, fish, and ores
. Enter contests and have fun in festivals
. Interact with other characters in the game
. Fish
. Buy seeds, food, tools, sacks, and the blue feather!
. Ask the Harvest Sprites to help you with your work
. Mine
. cook with rescipies
. build on to your house
. plus tons of other stuff!
.

An 11 year- old 's review
If I could give this game over 5 stars, I definitely would. This is an excellent game!!! I got it for Christmas, and since then, I've played it every chance I get. All my 18 other games have been gathering dust since 12/25/05. I would reccomend this game to all ages. You can get sheep, cows, and chickens. You can also get a horse and a dog. You also pick a girl to become your girlfriend,and,if you try hard, to eventually become your wife. There's a whole lot more to this game than raising crops, as you'll find out if you buy the game. I guess I'm not doing a very thourough job of describing this game, am I? Well, I absolutely LOVE this game, so buy it now! I think that pretty much everyone would like this game! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action    2. Adventure    3. Role Playing Games (Game, RPG, RPGs, CRPG, CRPGs)    4. Video Games    5. Nintendo Game Boy Advance (Gameboy)    6. GBA   

Editorial Review

The PS2 network adapter offers both dialup and broadband connectivity toplay PS2 games online. It includes a startup disc with playable demos ofFrequency and Madden NFL 2003, as well as video demos of ATVOffroad Fury 2, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4, and Tribes: AerialAssault.

To use the network adapter, you need a PlayStation2 game system, an 8 MB memorycard with at least 137 KB of space, and a dialup or broadband Internetconnection with an Internet service provider. The network adapter works withjust about any ISP service, including AOL, AT&T WorldNet, EarthLink,Prodigy/SBC, and Sympatico. Check with your ISP for details.

Connect the network adapter to the PlayStation2 system by lining up the unit'sconnectors to the expansion bay located in the rear of the PS2. Once yourhardware is set up, the user must insert the network adapter startup disc inorder to configure the ISP network data and connect to the Internet. Simply gothrough the ISP setup process located on the main menu of the startup disc. Yournetwork configuration data will be saved onto your memory card. The ISP networkconfiguration will work only on the specific PlayStation2 system you used forthe initial ISP setup. Network configuration data is not transferable fromsystem to system. ... Read more

Features

• Easy to use.
• Plug and play installation.
• Play online games with your friends.

Reviews (170)

not all it is cracked up to be
I bought this item thinking it would open up a "whole new world" of gameplay and breathe new life into some old games in my collection.

After having issues with the installation of this adapter to my desktop and PS2 with a router, I pitched the router to the side and went straight from modem to my PS2.Success.Well, sort of.Sure, it worked like it was supposed to, but I didn't really enjoy playing on-line too much.I tried out a couple Pro Skater games, but failed to really see any real difference in gameplay.Lots of games were full, and the ones that weren't, well, I didn't stick around too long.After maybe 30 or 40 minutes, I popped in Vice City and realized the adapter was a waste of time and money.

Problem Free Gaming (4.5 Stars)
I've owned the PS2 Network Adapter for almost 2 years and I can honestly say that I've NEVER had any major problems with it.Installation requires nothing more than a little common sense, but for those that lack it, there's an instruction disc that makes installation almost impossible for you to screw it up.Gameplay has been very smooth for me.Of course, you're going to have your occasional server issues and your typical freezing every now and then, but that's to be expected, no product is flawless.I have a broadband connection, so if I play against someone with a slower connection things can drag a little bit.But for the most part my gaming experience with the PS2 Network Adapter has been problem free.I'd reccomend it to anyone.

No tech support
The online adaptor works great with any online game that came out before 2004.DSL is not compatible with this adaptor on ALL games created after 2004.Do not fall for these other reviews.I have DSL and I was able to play Madden 2004 online, but Madden 2005 IS NOT COMPATIBLE, I called EA Sports and a recording tells you DSL is not compatible with ANY EA games sold after 2004.I tried calling my ISP as well as Sony but found absolutely no tech support on this subject.How can you have 10 million users who have DSL and possibly make games that are not compatible with DSL I ask you?Sony found a way.Oh and don't think you'll be able to play SOCOM II online with DSL either, I repeat all newer gameswill not work with DSL.Don't get me wrong, I love the PS2, but man did they drop the ball with the online adaptor!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sony Playstation (Play station)    3. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)    4. Controller    5. Rumble Packs (Paks)    6. Cables (Cable)    7. Adapters (Adapter)    8. PS2 (PSX2)    9. Sony Playstation (Play station) 2    10. Playstation2 (Play station2)    11. Great Deals (Outlet store)    12. Cases    13. Storage   

Reviews (2)

cooooool game baby !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
i think it is a dam cool game and i think it is worth buying and should get 5stars,buy it, it is a dam coooool game!!!!!!!!!!!!

25 to Life on my shelf
25 to Life is one of the few games I actually liked. I spent a good four hours playing it this morning (D*mmit, I spend that time a week or so on a game!) It was interesting to play as a cop or a gangster (Not a huge fan of the law in real life) so I had fun playing both for the heck of it.

It's no GTA, but it's pretty solid, though the story isn't too hot in my opinion. Controls are a dream to me, but it depends on how you like them, combat is kind of dull, uninteresting, but I'm interested in the story even though it doesn't appeal to me, it's average for me, but I'll leave the gameplay to you, happy gaming! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Incredibly Fun!!!
If you're still doubtful about buying this game due to negative reviews, read no more and Just Buy It. First of all Winning Eleven 8 can't possibly be compared with any Fifa edition. This game is exciting, fun, and most certainly realistic. Once you get control of a player, you can imagine it is you dribbling the ball and taking spectacular shots at goal at any angle you desire and however fast you want it to go. A great feature is that each player is given distinct and original skills. Pavel Nedved is unstoppable or if you like putting a bit of crazy speed, give the ball to Ronaldinho and even bust a "gambeta" here and there. I can continue writing all night long but then again you need time to pay for this game. One last thing, there is a bad aspect to it, it turns to be time consuming once your fully into it.

The lack of licensing ruins it as always.
Like any other game in the sries winning eleven eight puts a strong emphasis on gameplay, and being a big fan of the sport i appreaciate that fact. But once again the lack of licensing brings the games presentation down along with visuals that cant compare to the fifa series. I have been buying both fifa and winning eleven 8 games side by side for a long time, and every year i enjoy fifa more. While i can understand why this game is said to be better then fifa and is pereffered by gamers it still doesnt work for a statistical buff like me who finds licensing to be an important part of ne soccer game.

Best game ever
This is the best soccer game ever; you cannot imagine how real and how exiting until you play it. If you love soccer, you will love this game. It gives you the latest updated information about the teams and the players. I strongly recommend this game. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. PS2 (PSX2)    3. Sony Playstation (Play station) 2    4. Playstation2 (Play station2)    5. Action    6. Adventure    7. Sports    8. Outdoors   

Editorial Review

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic takes place just a few years after the Mandolorian Wars, thousands of years before the events in the Star Wars movies we know and love. Two Jedi, master Revan and his apprentice Malak, led the Republic's forces to victory and pursued the Mandalorians into deep space only to return as Dark Jedi at the head of a huge fleet of Sith warships. Only the Force powers of the Jedi Bastila prevented the Sith from overwhelming the Republic's weakened forces. At the start of the game Malak has usurped control of the Sith by betraying Revan and has attacked the ship carrying Bastila and yourself. In true Star Wars style, the game begins with a bang.

The storyline could have been a standard coming-of-age yarn but is instead a genuinely interesting adventure told with humor, compassion, and respect for the source material. Your character has a mystical bond with Bastila, and the two of you share some kind of connection to the Sith villains Darth Malak and Darth Revan. The game's planet-hopping adventures are driven by your exploration of these connections and how they relate to your larger goal of discovering the source of the Sith's sudden fleet. During your adventure you can explore side quests minor (such as racing swoops or gambling) and major (such as uncovering the fascinating back stories of your companions). Star Wars fans will get a kick out of the rich lore introduced in the game, particularly the Tatooine storyline that reveals the origin and history of the Sand People.

Gameplay is an abbreviated form of Wizards of the Coast's d20 Star Wars RPG game system--anyone who has played Dungeons & Dragons will be familiar with the abilities, stats, feats, and bonuses in this game. The player creates a character as a member of one of three starting classes (soldier, smuggler, scout) and then later chooses a Jedi class (guardian, consular, sentinel). Joining the player's character are other Jedi, warriors, thieves, droids, a wookiee, and even a Mandolorian. Unlike the faceless non-player characters of other games, each member of the supporting cast has an intriguing history and even agenda. Up to two of these other characters can join your character at any time. Depending on who you chose to take with you, new dialogue and even intra-party arguments come into the game (put the Mandalorian veteran with the Republic patriot and you'll see sparks fly). Combat is real-time turn-based, meaning the turns are seamless but the player has the option of pausing the action at any time to issue orders or direct any character to use a certain Force power, ability, feat, or item.

Graphics range from adequate to exceptional. Building and character models are not impressive--about what you get in GTA 3. Lightsaber graphics and environmental effects (like waving grass, clouds, and weather) bring the world to life. Battles are just brilliant, with characters pumping out blaster fire at Jedi who dash, dodge, and even deflect the bolts back toward their assailants. Complete with sounds straight out of the movies, the thrilling combat is pure Star Wars.

All in all, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is a masterpiece of Star Wars gaming. The pacing, balance of action and dialogue, clever puzzles and quests, and loving attention to detail have set the bar very high for role-playing games in general and Star Wars games in particular. Consider this a must-have game.--Mike Fehlauer

Pros:

• Captivating storyline
• Clever dialogue
• Star Wars feel
• True story and dialogue support for either Light Side or Dark Side play
• Brilliant combat graphics
• Fascinating characters (the loyal--and homicidal--droid HK-47 is truly unique)

• Occasional bugs in dialogue, movie playback
• Cannot transfer equipped gear between characters while on your ship

Features

• Immersive, action-packed Star Wars role-playing experience with customizable and evolving playable characters.
• Choose from nine customizable characters to build your party of three adventurers, including humans, droids, Twi'leks, Wookiees and more.
• Journey spans seven different worlds including Tatooine, Sith world of Korriban, Jedi Academy on Dantooine and Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk.
• Build your party and upgrade your equipment in your own starship, the Ebon Hawk.
• Fast paced mini-games -- such as racing swoop bikes, or manning turret guns.

Reviews (448)

Wow! Awesome game.
My friend owns this game, not me. Even still, I am amazed at this game. In two days, I have played it for over 10 hours (it counts). The gameplay is awesome, plot is awesome, and it isn't a game that can be easily beaten. The part that I love the most is that you can choose whether your character will be good or evil, which will affect the game plot. I don't own an Xbox, but after playing this game, I am considering buying one.

Its fun, its just...
This game really is a good time, the graphics are awesome, and the story is great. BUT, I dont like having the XBOX doing the fighting for me.Im a big boy I can defend my self from the evil Sith.This game is really hard too, I suggest you get the guid

I am a believer!
When a friend suggested to me to buy this game, I frowned in disbelief mainly becasue Episode I and II had just come out I was very disappionted with the overall quality of these movies and swore to myself that I would never buy a Star Wars product ever again. Bad mistake becasue after my friend had convinced me to go out and buy it, I found that i was addicted to it.

Now I'm not a big fan of RPGs, but I found this game's engine to be very easy to both learn and to master. The character's are fully custimizable and range from a psycho droid to a lumbering wookie to a Jedi hermit. You can change everything from armor to weapons to headgear on your characters while they are with you.

The cutscenes are absolutly beautiful are almost make me beleive that I am in a movie theatre for a few seconds.

The two things that really make this game though are the dark/light choices and the story line. Everything that you do in the game affects your dark/light alignment, which in turn dictates your appearence and how costly some dark or light side force moves will be. The story is amazing and compelled me to play the game all the way to the end just to find out the final of many plot twists at the end.

Overall, this game was amazing and I would suggest it to anyone who wants to play either a deep story driven game or someone who just wants to crack some heads after watching Episode I. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Star Wars (Starwars)    2. Video Games    3. Xbox (x box)    4. Microsoft    5. Action    6. Adventure   

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. PS2 (PSX2)    3. Sony Playstation (Play station) 2    4. Playstation2 (Play station2)    5. Action    6. Adventure    7. Sports    8. Outdoors   

Reviews (43)

Analysis of Mario Power Tennis
Positives-many interesting courts to choose from. These range from a "gimmic" Luigi's Castel to a more "serious" grass, clay or hard court
- the characters all have their own special power moves. These serve to add some sort of random twist to the tennis action.
- there are a multitude of everyone's favorite Mario characters to choose from. Furthermore there are many characters to unlock. Each chacater is given the helpful label such as "all-around" for Mario or "power for Wario
- the instruction manual is very informative. It provides the gamer with information on how to perfome the more technical shots such as the drop shot and the lob.
- there are many mini games to keep a gamer interested.
- great multi player mode.
- like all nintendo designed and published games, it is very easy to pick up and play.
- lastly, the game is very fun to play if only for a short time.
Negatives-at times the game play may seem rather slow. It can be adjusted in multi-player mode but in single player mode i am yet to find any such option.
- the tounament mode, which is the heart of the single player game, is not at all deep. It consists of three rounds each round does not get more difficult then the last. In other words, the player the gamer faces in the first round is just as challenging as the play he will face in the final.
- the character's power moves, especially when playing doubles, can get very annoying. Each time a "power shot" occurs, there is a 4 second cut scene which disturbes the game action.
- lastly, besides the "advanced" difficulty game setting, the game is very easy to play.This game will not be challanging to anyone who can return a cross court shot (which mean everyone).

Great Tennis Game
A Great Tennis Game. I loved it on the N64, and now I love it even more. Especially all the mini games you play to unlock other courts or characters. The mini games is a blessing to the game espacially if you are playing alone. But get a few friends and make it a night. The power ups are a great addition on the court. Kinda like Mario Kart meets Mario Tennis. No go buy the game!

Pretty fun and interesting game.
When I order it, I purchased it half and half with my nephew.. and I though that it will be a very bad purchase, however I do no repent.. when playing with several people you get pretty excited, that's the benefit of multiplayer games, that you can have fun with friends.. the graphics are good, and it's a fun game. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Gamecube (Game Cube, Game-cube)    3. Action    4. Adventure    5. Sports    6. Outdoors   

Features

• Only for GameCube games designed to use Memory Cards
• Number of block needed to save varies by game
• Save up to 1019 blocks of game information
• More than four times the memory of the GCN Memory Card 251

Reviews (22)

False information
This is an 8 megabyte memory card, not a 69 or 64 megabyte one as others have claimed.

Offical and great!
A Fully offical memory card with a lot of space!No more will you risk buying 3rd party cards and damaging your warnty with nintendo!

This is a great deal and buy, a must have for any gamer for GameCube.

A point of clarification.
Just a quick point of clarification.A KB is 1024 bytes and MB is 1024 KB, NOT 1000 KB as mentioned earlier.Computers are based on a binary system of zeros and ones, so a KB is 2 ^ 10 bytes (or 1024). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Nintendo Gamecube (Game Cube)    3. Memory    4. Accessories (Accessory)   

Features

• Cause wanton destruction in a game mode dedicated to demolition
• 9 race modes including Single Race, Tournament, Lap Eliminator, Burning Lap, and Road Rage
• 2-16 players, 7 online modes, 70+ vehicles, 40+ tracks, 3 continents, and tons of crash technology
• Take risks and battle your foes as you navigate oncoming traffic and near-misses, catch air, tail-gate, and drift to earn boost
• Slam cars into walls and traffic or pile them into the back of an 18-wheel semi for Burnout Points

Reviews (45)

great revenge game
this game is that perfect revenge game. tired of getting your butt handed to
you by hardcore halo 2 gamers? just bring them into this game online. and I mean literally throw them into the wall. this game allows you to actually; crash your oppnents into walls into cars and so on.

this game also sports a mode called crash mode, or party crash which is reffered to online. here you can compete to cause the worlds worst "Final Destination" style pile up.

So check this game out, there's plenty of people online in this game; it can still use more gamers.

BEST RACING GAME EVER!!
I think this is the best game ever because unlike other racing games when you crash it's more realistic .

Wonderful for lovers of speed
The highway code for this game rewrites the rules of the road. Aggressive racing is required; the longer you sit on the wrong side of the road, the quicker you will fill your "boost bar"; you speed as much as you can before entering a one-way street the wrong way to cause mayhem, and on highways you get as close to other cars as possible to cause multiple vehicle pile-ups. If you're overtaken, you are urged to fight back and the longer you battle, the more points you gain. As for speed limits, stop signs and traffic lights, what are they again? If you thought Need for Speed was an adrenaline rush, you'd love this. Just don't tell the LTSA about it.
... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Xbox (x box)    3. Microsoft    4. Racing    5. Flying   

Editorial Review

A battle is no time for a communications malfunction, as losing contact with the rest of the squad can mean complete annihilation. Fortunately, Halo 2 gamers who play on Xbox Live can focus exclusively on strategy and forget about their equipment thanks to the GameCom Halo 2 Edition Xbox headset. Plantronics, the world leader in lightweight communications headsets, engineered the GameCom Halo 2 Edition headset specifically for Xbox gamers gearing up for the highly anticipated sequel to Halo, the bestselling game from Bungie Studios. With the headset's superior voice features, online gamers can take full advantage of Halo 2's stunning new multiplayer challenges and also gain a competitive edge in demolishing the opposition. Online multiplayer Halo 2 battles take on new intensity with technological and feature set advances, and the headset also lets clans more effectively strategize and trash talk. An optimized speaker, noise-canceling microphone, and contoured one-ear fit maximize the audio for gamers' complete immersion while also letting them stay aware of what's happening in their other reality--the living room. The GameCom Halo 2 Edition headset delivers a weightless, custom fit for hours of comfortable play so gamers can focus on performance. ... Read more

Features

• Single-ear fit lets users absorb game action while tuning in outside sounds
• Comfortably light and balanced with custom-fit ear buds
• Noise-canceling headset engineered specifically for Xbox and Halo 2 gamers
• Optimized speaker directs audio to inner ear for immersive sound
• Noise-canceling microphone amplifies voice relative to other game sounds

Reviews (9)

Awesome
This headset is way better than the X Box one, considering the X Box one broke in a hurry. The sound quality is awesome and you don't get any annoying breathing in the mic. Pick this one up!

Good but not great.
This is a good headset.However, don't just buy it if your normal headset still works.But if your regular xbox headset broke, go ahead and buy this one.It feels real comfortable and sounds pretty good.It doesn't do deep sounds very well so most people sound congested.So I reccomend it if your normal one broke and you already have the controller part, otherwise, stay with your oem microsoft one.

Much better than the other headset.
While I did not have to spend retail on this headset(I got it along with an Xbox and several other things on Ebay), I did have to buy the communicator(which can be found on gamestop.com) and it was still worth the money.It blocks out background noises so that the people you are talking to wont hear other people in the household talking or guests that you have with you talking to you.While it is not worth $50, if you can get it as part of a deal with something else, by all means do it.

Note: I said this before in my review but the Communicator can be found on gamestop.com or on Amazon if you type: Xbox Live Communicator ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Headphones    2. Accessories (Accesssory)    3. Microphone    4. Accessories (Accessory)    5. Video Games    6. Xbox (x box)    7. Microsoft    8. Cables (Cable)    9. Adapters (Adapter)    10. Controllers   

Features

• All-New EA SPORTS HaymakerOne-punch knockdowns are now a realityyoure always one punch away from flooring your opponent, but miss and youre in trouble.
• Total Boxer ControlYou now have total control of your boxer with 360 Sticking and Moving and the ability to punch and block while dancing around the ring.
• Create A ChampUsing the thumbsticks for total precision, create and train the ultimate champion by transforming his skills and physique.
• All-New EA SPORTS Cut ManCounter the effects of damage, and keep your fighter in the bout by taking an active role between rounds.
• Dynamic Punch ImpactsEach punch pays off with stunning visuals that reflect the effect of each blow. Your fists have never felt so powerful as injuries affect your fighting abilitiesa swollen eye prevents you from blocking, and a broken rib impairs your punching ability and mobility.

Reviews (13)

stick and move!!!
The parry system is a problem but i can get by ok... My main gripe is the cpu throwing haymakers. The cpu will close in on you and swing until you fall which utterly crazy but other than that it's a great game! if you can get past the haymakers and find the right strategy against the parry you'll be able to school anybody and cpu like Winky Wright did to Felix Trinidad!

Just play the game.
If you are like me, then you may be tired of people sharing their lists about the pros and cons of every game they play. Rather than giving you a play-by-play analysis of the game, I will ask you one simple question: Are you looking for a fun game with high replay value? If your answer is "yes," then you will definitely enjoy Fight Night Round 2.

The Bottom Line: This game has a great career mode, and the boxing action is fantastic!

I agree with naz's review
overall the last game was better than this new one the fighting in my opinion feels glitchy and i feel the game doesnt run as smooth as the last one although the graphics have improved thats not enough to make me like this one more than the first ...id wait till the price drops on this one if your still interested in buying anyways..because over all its still an ok game ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Xbox (x box)    3. Microsoft    4. Action    5. Adventure    6. Sports    7. Outdoors   

Features

• Pre-loaded with 1,000s of codes
• Unofficial codes and enhancements found nowhere else
• Save and add new codes easily with enclosed memory card
• Easy-to-use intuitive menu for fast code selection
• Unlocks secret levels, characters and vehicles

Reviews (61)

action replay doesn't deliver
My son received an action replay a few months ago.it worked once, and then after that all the game data was erased.i've heard of others having the same problem...it's not all it's cracked up to be.

Action Replay is The best cheat device for all systems
I, also, have Pokemon Sapphire and Pokemon Ruby. I used a fishing pole code on codebreaker and now my Pokemon Ruby option screen menu glitches when I use it and freezes up the game. Dont use Codebreaker Item modifier Codes! The others are o.k. though. When I used Action Replay, I didn't have any problems with my game, but you also have to know what the effects of the codes are that you are using or you can really screw up your game. So far, I've had no major problems witn my Action Replay, I also like how the keyboard is set up for adding new games.

cant get it to work
i bought an action replay but when i activate a code it doesnt even work for my pokemon fire red nothing happens it just acts as if i never actived the code. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Nintendo Game Boy Advance (Gameboy)    3. GBA    4. Cables (Cable)    5. Adapters (Adapter)   

Features

• Explore the world of Spider-Man like never before Swing, climb and web-sling through interactive 3D environments while experiencing scenarios, settings and characters based on the hit film and others that are exclusive to the game.
• More Marvel villains than ever before In addition to Doc Ock, gamers must battle a plethora of characters in Spider-Mans legendary Rogues Gallery of villains, such as Mysterio, Rhino, Shocker and Vulture.
• Amazing graphics and depth of gameplay Utilizing the graphical power of the PSP, Spider-Man 2 delivers amazing console-like 3D graphics and incredibly immersive gameplay never before seen in a handheld Spider-Man game.
• Enhanced combo system Beyond Spider-Mans signature set of moves which include wall crawling, web yanking and capture webbing, Spider-Man 2 PSP brings a host of new moves to the handheld such as the cocoon, web net and heavy web ball.

Reviews (7)

Spider Rip Off
Where do I start?Then entire reason I got the PSP to begin with was for Spiderman 2.I played it on the PS2 and to this day I still pop it in just to swing around the city and kick the crap out of car jacker and bank robbers.I put in Spiderman 2 on PSP and "POW" I was upset 5 minutes into it.I should have listened to Evil Bob he warned us that this was just Spiderman 1 all over again.$49.95 I THINK NOT.My only hope is that I can take this game back and get a refund.Now dont get me wrong, the PSP is out of this world and I really hope BATMAN BEGINS is much better than Spiderman 2

DonGiovonni

Not the greatest
I was only able to play this game for a few minutes before getting bored. I'm not the hugest Spiderman fan, so maybe if I was I would have liked this game more.

Basically it's an adventure game where you play Spiderman and go around beating up the bad guys... supposedly it follows the movie spiderman 2 to a degree, but I didn't play the game long enough to know how closely it does follow the movie.

The graphics are good and it seems playable, but this game just wasn't as much fun as Untold Legends, Wipeout Pure, or Twisted Metal, which are all better games.

Fun but gets boring over time. Not worth $50
Spiderman 2 is a big disapointment. I just bought a PSP and then got Spiderman 2. The game is defintly not worth 50 bucks. i beat the game in less thatn 2 hours on normal. The trainig is bad and the camera just sucks. The bosses are all the same. Break a shield or make him dizzy and then hit him. No big deal. The game had 19 levels but each level lasted like 5 minutes. Gets really boring . Don't buy it unless you really like spiderman. if u don't but still want the gaem rent. Not Worth 50 bucks. ... Read more

Features

• First Touch Gameplay: All-new fluid player kinetic system that recognizes and then directly translates the speed, vision and awareness of the worlds greatest players to button presses on your controller.
• The Absolute Broadcast: With new in-game camera angles, smooth and continuous cut sequences for replays, and improved contrast and lighting for players and stadiums.
• The Worlds Ultimate Roster: More than 350 official licenses, including 20 leagues, 40 national teams, and 12,000 players are available.

Reviews (18)

Best you can get
Although there are a few flaws in this game, overall it is the best yet. The new first touch feature let's you beat your oppenent almost every time.
When I first played this game my shots would never go on target, but when i figured out how to use the shot meter it was very easy.
The one major flaw in the game is that in carreer mode you cannot manage whatever team you wanted you have to manage one of the bad teams. Which takes alot of the fun out of being a manager.
But with the new and improved gameplay it is a must have. I suggest buying this game right now.

it's definitely an improvement over past 3 fifa's...
arcadey, fun,i only played the demo and it's good.it's worth the money. rent it and buy it now!!!!!!!!it's really 5 starsbut i give it 4 because of the controls and stuff it's worth the buy and a great addition to any xbox owner.

Arcade instead of a Sim...
If you want to play football without much control depth then choose this over the European "Pro Evolution Soccer 4" (title is "Winning 11" in the US) and if you have heard the buzz surrounding that game then you should know that it is in the top three sports simulations of all time.

Winning 11 however is not an out-of-box game, taking days to learn, weeks to master and then improve on with other players. FIFA works straight out of box, is easy, but its limits become all too obvious in light on Winning 11, a game has been in development since the Nintendo 64 and is easily the best soccer engine out there.

The bottom line is that if you want a soccer game that works out of box, that youcan play almost right away with anybody, then FIFA has it. If you want a real soccer sim that takes longer to get into but is far better, then choose Winning 11. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Xbox (x box)    3. Microsoft    4. Action    5. Adventure    6. Sports    7. Outdoors   

Features

• Cinematic Intensity Of War: Play through epic battlefield moments that thrust you into the frontlines of World War IIs intense battles with the sights and sounds of war echoing all around you. Take on the Nazi War Machine through 12 authentic combat missions through four countries across the war-torn Eastern, North African and Western Fronts. Missions range from epic battlefield conflicts featuring hundreds of soldiers to coordinated tactical assaults, sabotage, stealth, sniper and vehicle-b
• Brothers-In-Arms: Experience the camaraderie of a squad, bound together through the chaos of battle. Through advanced AI, your squad will act like a trained military unit, with authentic military tactics laying down suppressing fire, providing cover fire and coordinating attacks on enemy positions. Your squad will be comprised of soldiers from a variety of backgrounds, with distinct personalities and roles to play on your missions. As you progress through the g-based objective games or be the
• Allied Front: For the first time, console players will be able to experience the war from multiple perspectives -through the eyes of American, British and Russian soldiers. Begin your campaign as a raw Russian conscript, thrown into the harrowing battle of Stalingrad; take on the role of a British PPA Commando sent on daring raids in North Africa; and battle Nazi tank forces throughout Belgium as an American tank commander. Take on enemies with an arsenal of over 30 authentic WWII weapons fro
• Online Multiplayer: Go online for Axis versus Allies team-based multiplayer. Choose your side and work together with players from around the world as a team to eliminate enemies and complete mission objectives. Choose from a variety of Team

Reviews (42)

An Excellent World War II Game
Call of Duty: Finest Hour is an excellent first-person shooter game. One excellent aspect about the game is that you play the game in three different perspectives: Russian, British, and American. In each campaign, you experience what is was like to fight the Germans in different settings (Stalingrad, North Africa, and Belgium). The individual missions usually have many soldiers (Axis and Allie) on the battlefield, which makes you fell like you are actually there. The controls in the game are really basic, which makes the game more enjoyable. The only major problem is the game can not be played in mulitplayer format without an internet connection. Overall, this is one of the best World War II first-person shooters available today. Anyone who has this game, on PS2 or Xbox, will eagerly await the sequel.

Just Way too unrealistic, Get C.O.D. for PC
This game was horrible.I mean theres FPS that are unrealistic but fun, but this game just wasn't as fun as the COD on the pc's.I mean who wants to see the guy die the same time 12 times in a row!The only part of this game I liked on COD was the online multiplayer.The number of people was great, the environments were decent and the killing was really fun.I gotta give props for the Multiplayer.Even when i started out and i wasn't used to it, i came out of the round with at least 10 or 11 kills.The Campaign is horrible but the Multi-player is pretty good

Just fantastic
In a time where Mac World War II themed games are a dime a dozen, Call of Duty is refreshing change of pace for the genre. The folks at developer Infinity Ward have gone the extra mile to present a game that brings the player closer to the game with decent voice acting and realistic events. Featuring gorgeous graphics, great music, "team-oriented" gameplay, and a decent multiplayer outing to boot, this is definitely one title that fans shouldn't overlook.

Call of Duty is a must have for any first person shooter fan. The game offers a unique twist in the World War II genre, combining great visuals, superb music, and a different gameplay experience to separate itself from the competition. The story in each individual mission keeps the player immersed in the whole, and the `team' oriented single player campaign allows players to be more of a hero among other allies that are present.

In addition, the multiplayer addition provides a big boost to playing looking to test their skills with other players after the single-player expedition has been worn out. If you want a great game with lasting appeal, definitely check this one out.


... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. PS2 (PSX2)    3. Sony Playstation (Play station) 2    4. Playstation2 (Play station2)    5. Action    6. Adventure   

Features

• Rescue a princess locked in a castle
• Explore secret areas
• For 1 or 2 players
• Classic video game originally created for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
• Action- and puzzle-based gameplay

Reviews (43)

Most Games ShouldFollow This One As An Example
Itz a me, a Mario! in his second and almost greatest adventure yet. The only reason i gave it 4 stars is because it can get a teensy-weesny bit boring. Don't let this fool you. This game is so superb that I keep trying to find games like this! Bowser kidnaps Princess Toadstool and let the mushroom kingdom fall to ruins. In this classic arcade game, you play as Mario (or Luigi depending on if you play two player), and you must go through 32 unforgettable levels, and you have to rescue the princess! Mario can hit bricks for some coins to boost your score. Plus all your favorite tunes are back, as good as ever. There are also power-ups such as the Mushroom, which makes Mario big and take one hit point. There is also a fire flower, which gives you the ability to shoot fire! But wait: the Star, which gives you invincibility! The classic jump and--what's this? Mario can run by holding the B button. Classic Goombas and Koopa Troopas and other baddies are just waiting to mess Mario up. Best of all, there are countless bonus places, such as places that warp you to other levels, and a vine that takes you to a coin heaven. So get this games for about $15.00, and it'll be totally worth every penny, trust me!

I'm confused!
This game is kind of fun, but was it the first Mario video game or was Donkey Kong the first Mario video game because I was just asking.